Tuesday, August 30
SBA Launches New Website for America’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
(Black PR Wire) WASHINGTON, D.C.— SBA has launched certify.sba.gov, a new website to further streamline and improve the application processes for small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to do business with the federal government.
Jack Radics to Join Carlos Santana, John Legend and Others For Harry Belafonte Social Justice Festival
(Black PR Wire) New York– Platinum selling Jamaican recording artist Jack Radics has been added to a stellar lineup of performers who will headline Harry Belafonte’s ‘Many Rivers To Cross’ Music and Arts Festival on October 1- 2.
Child-Star Dr. Danielle Spencer-David to be Honored with Smithsonian Exhibit
Best known for her acting antics as bratty little sister “Dee”on the television series “What’s Happening!!” Dr. Danielle Spencer- David will soon be accepting a new role: That of a Smithsonian Institution inductee.
Brandy, 2016 Chicago Ultimate Women’s Expo Keynote Speaker
The Chicago Ultimate Women’s Expo presents a star-studded, empowering and entertaining weekend on September 10 and 11, 2016 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Keynote celebrity speakers include: Brandy, Award Winning Actress and Grammy Winning Singer Mariel Hemingway, Oscar Nominated Actress, New York Times Bestselling Author and Health Advocate
Focus Black Women at Congressional Symposium
Sometimes referred to as the ‘burden bearers’ of the black community, Black Womens’ needs or issues are often not given serious consideration especially when it comes to public policy.
America’s Largest Black-owned Gift Company Celebrates 25th Year
Whether you are looking for something that brightens your home like a vibrant piece of canvas artfrom world renowned artist DD Ike, or the perfect gift for any woman in your life such as a woven tote bag from the company’s new Queen collection, African American Expressions has become a one-stop shop for gifting needs targeting black consumers.
BANDING TOGETHER AGAINST HATE
Continuous divisive rhetoric in the U.S associated with terrorism and broad labeling of Islam and Muslims as a terrorist group or religion is causing a population of people to rise up and demonstrate on levels reminiscent of the Jim Crow South.
CAU Preps for Win in the Classroom and on the Field
Dr. Ronald A. Johnson, President of Clark Atlanta University has issued a ‘call to higher education’. He has also beefed up CAU’s athletics programs with former pro athletes coming aboard as coaches. Johnson and his staff have predicted a win at the upcoming Chicago Football Classic, September 10th at Soldier’s Field against Central State University. “We made a friendly wager, a bushel of (Georgia) peaches if we lose, but they (Central) haven’t responded,” said Johnson.
FIRST ANNUAL INNER CITY CHESS TOURNAMENT
Local Chicago Businessmen hosts tournament for inner city youth
QBG Foundation and it’s parent company The Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group have partnered with the ABT organization to announce their 1st Annual Chicago Inner City Team Chess Tournament to be held at the Headquarters of the QBG Foundation. This event will serve as an introductory to encourage the game of chess as a positive outlook for inner city youth. Research shows that the continued participation in the game of chess can improve learning, thinking, analytical power and decision making.
Footaction Fuses Old School Flavor With New School Style In Video Docuseries ‘Footaction Free Flow’
Footaction, a national retailer of apparel and footwear lifestyle brands, announced its new digital docuseries, “Footaction Free Flow,” that brings together the industry’s top musical talent from multiple generations in an unfiltered discussion about today’s hottest topics.
Tuesday, August 23
Virtual Reality Hackathon Kicks Off in September
Dhat Stone High Tech Learning Academy (Compton, CA) and Bay Area Tutoring Association (Oakland, CA) recently announced plans to host the highly-anticipated ‘We Are Code’ Virtual Reality Hackathon during Labor Day weekend (Sept. 3-4, 2016).
Capital Funding Campaign Underway
The Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation is working in partnership with the South Side Community Federal Credit Union on a community development capital plan called the 50/50 Campaign.
Law & Community Training: Re-building Trust Between Youth, Community and Police
Kick-off slated for August 31, 2016
WGCI’s Afternoon Personality Tone Kapone and the WGCI Street Team will be onsite to help kickoff the Law & Community Training Youth Conference on August 31 from 10 am to 1 pm at the South Suburban College Field House located on 15800 S. State Street in South Holland.
Common Cause Illinois Works to Make Voter Registration Automatic
All across the country Republican state representatives and governors are waging war on African American and Latino voters. According to a unanimous panel of the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals summary North Carolina voter I.D. laws targeted black voters with “almost surgical precision.” The state waited 17 days after that ruling then asked the Supreme Court to reinstate its voter-ID law, cuts to early voting, and ban on preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Domestic Workers Celebrate Hard-Fought Landmark Victory
Chicago, IL) --Illinois home cleaners, nannies and care workers recently celebrated a significant victory in the growing movement for domestic workers’ rights through the state’s first Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. After a five-year campaign led by the Illinois Domestic Workers Coalition, the state’s 35,000 workers won a monumental change in state law. The 1938 federal Fair Labor Standards Act explicitly excluded domestic workers, majority of whom are Black women, women of color and immigrant women, and was mimicked by many states, including Illinois.
Fun Fresh Veggie Farm Days in Bronzeville
Food Deserts is often a phrase you hear when it comes to a lack of access to fresh, healthy and nutritious food options in the African American community. As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, food deserts are defined as parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas.
Westside Coalition for Mental Health Fights for Services
State budget cuts have resulted in an unprecedented decline in mental health services, according to a recent report published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The report ‘State Mental Health Cuts: A National Crisis’ gives a state by- state account of changes in public funding for mental health since 2009.
Citizens Bank Names Lamont Young Head of Digital
(Black PR Wire)—Citizens Bank recently announced the appointment of Lamont Young as Head of Digital. Young will also continue to manage his existing responsibilities for Multi-Channel Marketing. With more than 20 years of digital and marketing experience in the consumer goods and financial services industries, Young will oversee Citizens strategic investments in digital, online and mobile banking, digital marketing, user experience and social media. Young was also named to the Executive Committee for Citizens Consumer Bank.
Illinois Goes Mobile
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The days of calling or visiting an office for assistance are quickly disappearing. Today, people want to find information and answers when and where it’s most convenient for them, which is often from a mobile device. To coincide with that growing preference, the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is releasing four new mobile responsive applications to provide citizens with easier access to government services and information.
SECC and Bank of America Renew Business Development Partnership
CHICAGO - The South East Chicago Commission (SECC) recently announced a renewed grant partnership with Bank of America for SECC’s Business District Program for the second consecutive year. This funding will help SECC, a City of Chicago Neighborhood Business Development Center (NBDC), provide technical assistance and build capacity of businesses within its five-community footprint on the mid-South Side: Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, Washington Park and Woodlawn.
The African Festival of the Arts Announces Rose Royce and Howard Hewett to headline ‘togetherness” celebration
The African Festival of the Arts Announces Rose Royce and Howard Hewett to headline ‘togetherness” celebration
Tuesday, August 16
The Entrepreneurial Institute Offers Business Leaders A Chance To Compete For $10,000
Innovative entrepreneurs with cutting-edge ideas and superb pitching skills will have the opportunity to win $10,000 in business funding by participating in the National Black MBA Association® Innovation Whiteboard
July Unemployment Numbers Unchanged at 4.9%; Voter Participation Will Help Determine Future Stats
The Chicago Urban League’s Workforce Development Director Andrew Wells recently issued the following statement in response to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) July 2016 jobs report:
THIS IS WHY BLACK-OWNED NEWSPAPERS MATTER
In 2017, we will celebrate 190th anniversary of the Black Press in America. Since the first publication of Freedom’s Journal on March 16, 1827 in New York City, Black-owned newspapers have led the way when it comes to raising a voice of consciousness for Black America. Today, in 2016, Black-owned newspapers still matter.
Did You Know Your Eye Makeup Could Be Making You Sick?
(NewsUSA) - For a lot of women, eye makeup is an essential part of being properly dressed -- just as important as a stylish outfit or nice shoes. But while mascara and eyeliner can create different looks, from subtle to striking, they can also make you sick.
Mary Kay Entrepreneur And Harvard MBA Reaches Pinnacle Of Success
PRNewswire-- What started as a small goal to make $200 extra dollars a month turned into a record-setting accomplishment and extraordinary success story for Mary Kay Independent Elite Executive National Sales Director Gloria Mayfield Banks.
Violence and Race: Citizen Panel Explores the Issues
During a panel discussion hosted by the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group Inc. entitled, "Violence and Race Relations in America: Where Do We Go From Here?" a group of panelists came together to discuss numerous topics under the banner of violence and race relations in the US.
Protesters demand arrest of police who shot and killed Alton Sterling
Whether it was a gathering of 300 in front of the Triple S convenience store, small groups of 50 meeting at area churches, nearly 400 at city hall, dozens painting signs at LSU, or a thousand marching through downtown, Baton Rouge residents and visitors are protesting the death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, who was shot by Baton Rouge police officers on July 5.
Wednesday, August 10
Keeping Feet Healthy When The Sandals Come Off
When cool air or rainy weather hits us, our feet often slip from open-toed sandals into athletic and dress shoes and, as a result, are forgotten. But “out of sight, out of mind” should never apply to toes or heels.
Tuesday, August 9
Groupon Partners with Bronzeville Retail Initiative
Job creation and opportunities for African American’s are always the main topic of conversation for any plausible solution to all that plagues the black community.
Fifth Third Bank Host a Free Financial Wellness Event
Fifth Third Bank will host the firstever, company-wide initiative to deliver its Empower U® financial literacy courses throughout its 10-state footprint.
AAR Names Cheryle Robinson Jackson First President of AAR Africa
Aerospace and defense contractor AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aircraft maintenance and supply chain solutions worldwide, recently announced the appointment of AAR Vice President Cheryle Robinson Jackson as its first President, AAR Africa.
Career Service Company hosts Sales & Marketing Job Fair
HireLive is a career service company that specializes in Sales, Retail and Management Career Fairs and for more than 10 years, the company has been organizing job fairs across the country.
Chicago Triathlon Boasts Stories of Triumph
While there are many variations of the sport, a triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances.
Residents Take Advantage of Health Fair at IIT
One of the many issues that members of the black community face is the state of the black community’s health.
Make Packed Lunches Cool Again
For elementary school kids, tastes change about as often as the school bell rings.
Barbie® Unveils One-of-a-Kind Doll Honoring Gabby Douglas
Barbie® honors Gabby Douglas, U.S. Women’s Artistic and Olympic Gold Gymnast (2012 London), by unveiling a one-of-a-kind doll in her likeness to remind girls they can be anything.
Diana Ross to be the Featured Entertainer at Chicago Urban League’s Golden Fellowship Dinner Benefit Gala set for Mid November
The Chicago Urban League announced that one of the most iconic entertainers of all time, Diana Ross, will be the headlining performer at the Golden Fellowship Dinner-Centennial Edition benefit gala on November 19, 2016 at the Hilton Chicago. Themed " Building on Our Legacy"
GB Pharma Holdings strategically positions itself in Africa
for distribution and contribution to reducing HIV/AIDS with wonder drug, LodonalTM
Durban, South Africa was once again the setting for the largest HIV/AIDS Conferences on global health and development issues in the world. This year’s 21st International AIDS conference was a call to action to bring together people, lacking access to comprehensive treatment prevention, support and care and unite them with the theme, “No one must be left behind.”
Wednesday, August 3
SIMMONS, RUSHCARD FUND PROGRAM TO HELP KEEP THE PEACE BETWEEN POLICE AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY
Russell Simmons is as afraid of a confrontation with police as most other Black men. However, despite a recent incident in which he was pulled over by cops in the Hamptons, the RushCard co-founder and music mogul is most concerned about the relationship between African-Americans and law enforcement.
Woodlawn Breaks Ground on First Market Rate Housing Development in 40 years
The President of the Preservation of Affordable Housing organization (POAH) Aaron Gornstein along with Antonia Riley, and Midwest Regional Director of the U.S. HUD, business owners, community members, stakeholders and 20th Ward Alderman Willie Cochran recently broke ground on a $12.5 million development project.
West Pullman Resident Helps Build New Home
Habitat for Humanity Chicago recently held its 4th annual Women Build that brings together 300 female volunteers over the course of five days to help fund and begin construction on a new home.
Education improvements become law
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner recently signed into law three pieces of legislation State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago 16th) sponsored to improve the quality of public K-12 education in Illinois.
CSU Announces New Athletic Director
CHICAGO, IL – Chicago State University officials recently announced that Men’s Head Basketball coach, Tracy Dildy has been appointed university Interim Director of Athletics. He replaces Athletic Director Denisha Hendricks who recently resigned from the position.
Chicago Height’s Swears in New Fire Chief
National polling Company Rueters-Ipsos conducted a recent survey that asked 7,727 adults about their employment status and their intentions with regard to retirement. Among those who identified themselves as retired, 30 percent said that they would re-join the workforce if a job they like became available.
Basketball League Promotes Safety Through Sportsmanship
Many of us were glued to our televisions during the National Basketball Association’s Finals where LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers came out as victors. The harsh reality for many young black boys who dream of being the next Derrick Rose, LeBron James, or Stephen Curry is that they will never be drafted into NBA.
Annual Event Puts A ‘Woman’s Touch’ on New Home
Habitat for Humanity Chicago recently held its 4th annual Women Build that brings together 300 female volunteers over the course of five days to help fund and begin construction on a new home.
100 Black Men of Chicago to host “A Night at the Museum”
The 100 Black Men of Chicago (BMC), the Chicagoland areas preeminent organization focused on mentoring African American youth, will host their 1st Annual “A Night at the Museum” a Scholarship Fundraiser White Party, on Saturday, August 6 at the Museum of Science & Industry. Honorary Chairs for the event are Kim Foxx, Democratic nominee for States Attorney and Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers.