WRIIT - KOLUMN Magazine

Christine Chambers, 39, Dies; Her Photos Empowered Actors of Color | The New York Times

December 21, 2019December 21, 2019African American Art, African American Photography

As a photographer and a playwright, she helped document the rise of a generation of theater artists who wanted to tell their own stories their own way. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] Christine Chambers, a photographer whose pictures of actors of color helped document the rise of a newly energized black theater movement that emerged in New York […]

Making black dollars work for us | The St. Louis American

December 21, 2019December 21, 2019#BuyBlack, African American Commuities ...

All holidays in the U.S. are highly commercialized. Christmas is the most commercialized to the tune of $475 billion, according to National Retail Federation estimates. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] Lost in those billions is a big portion of the $1 trillion-plus spending power of black folks. Our consumerism rarely comes with demands for accountability and respect. Some […]

This Social Entrepreneur Uses Blockchain to Power a Successful Business and Feed the Hungry at the Same Time | Black Enterprise

December 21, 2019December 22, 2019#BuyBlack, African American Entrepreneurs ...

Jasmine Crowe is the opposite of an accidental entrepreneur. She followed her passion—and her purpose—to become a social entrepreneur, founding Goodr, the food waste management solution that gets surplus food from the companies that would otherwise throw it away into the hands of the nonprofits that desperately need it. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] It all started when […]

Meet 5 Black Women Who Are Making A Splash In The Art World | Essence

December 21, 2019December 21, 2019African American Art, Black Art ...

Those paintings by Black artists that we see hanging in a gallery or major museum didn’t get there by happenstance. When it comes to the business of art, strong representation is essential for the creatives behind the works we consume. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] The talents first had to be discovered by someone with a reasonable amount […]

Facial recognition fails on race, government study says | BBC News

December 21, 2019December 21, 2019KOLUMN Magazine, Racism ...

A US government study suggests facial recognition algorithms are far less accurate at identifying African-American and Asian faces compared to Caucasian faces. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] African-American females were even more likely to be misidentified, it indicated. It throws fresh doubt on whether such technology should be used by law enforcement agencies. One critic called the results […]

What Louis Armstrong Really Thinks | The New Yorker

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019African American History, African American Music ...

On October 31, 1965, Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong gave his first performance in New Orleans, his home town, in nine years. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] At twelve, he marched in parades for the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys, where he was given his first cornet. But he had publicly boycotted the city since its banning of integrated bands, […]

Why Poor Schools Can’t Win at Standardized Testing | The Atlantic

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019KOLUMN Magazine

The companies that create the most important state and national exams also publish textbooks that contain many of the answers. Unfortunately, low-income school districts can’t afford to buy them. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] You hear a lot nowadays about the magic of big data. Getting hold of the right numbers can increase revenue, improve decision-making, or help […]

Being a protective black mom isn’t a parenting choice—it’s the only choice | Quartz

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019African American Commuities, African American Families

Salena Alston is an involved parent. The 40-year-old mother of seven describes herself as a “liberally strict” mom who keeps track of her kids’ friends and whereabouts but also encourages their independence and accountability. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] Alston wouldn’t call herself a helicopter parent per se, but it’s a trope that she sometimes identifies with, simply […]

Hip Hop Mourns Death Of Legendary Graffiti Writer PHASE 2 | HipHopDX

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019African American Art

NEW YORK, NY – Hip Hop is mourning the loss of yet another pioneer of the culture — PHASE 2. According to multiple social media posts, the legendary Bronx graffiti writer and flyer designer (real name Lonny Wood) passed away earlier this week. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] Veteran New York City Hip Hop promotor Van Silk tells […]

Tracy McGrady Is Launching An Advisory Program To Keep Young Athletes From Going Broke | Forbes

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019African American Athletes, African American Economics

When athletes turn pro, they’re often exposed to the kind of money they never could have imagined—and a newfound need to manage that money responsibly. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] It can be hard to resist the temptation to spend lavishly and instead start thinking of the future, but that sort of lack of foresight has landed a […]