WSSN Stories

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media 

Imagine applying for a job online.

But instead of a hiring manager or some pre-screening software reviewing your application and pushing it along — or eliminating it — based on personal biases or other random criteria a company sets up, a smart computer program that is “agnostic” does the filtering, determining   whether you are a good fit for the job or not.

Relying only on your qualifications and experience, the program does not consider factors like your name, your zip code, social connections or where you went to school in the screening process.

Sounds too futuristic? Well, the future may be right now — at least in California.

On Friday, lawmakers in California introduced SB 1241 or the Talent Equity for Competitive Hiring (TECH) Act. The bill sets a new legal high bar against discrimination in hiring by writing clear guidelines for employers to follow that allow them to modernize their recruiting processes using technological tools that reduce bias, leading to a more diverse workforce.

Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) introduced the legislation in the Senate. Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles), Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), and Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) are co-authors.

“California has a growing opportunity gap that leaves many families and communities in our state behind,” said Gonzalez after she introduced the bill in Long Beach along with leaders from community based organizations and social justice groups. “Hiring discrimination plays a significant role in our current inequality. The TECH Act will help ensure access to jobs that offer competitive wages and upward mobility for all our residents.”

The TECH Act states “assessment technologies will be considered in compliance with anti-discrimination rules if: 1) they are pre-tested for bias before being deployed and found not likely to have an adverse impact on the basis of gender, race or ethnicity; 2) outcomes are reviewed annually and show no adverse impact or an improvement of hiring among underrepresented groups; and 3) their use is discontinued if a post-deployment review indicates adverse impact.”

Last September, the California Assembly voted unanimously to pass ACR 125, also known as the Fair Hiring Resolution. ACR 125 was a call to action for the state’s lawmakers to pass legislation that tackles implicit racial and social biases in corporate hiring by creating clear rules of the road for how employers can use these smart technologies.

Five months later, their motion has become a reality.

 “Innovative technologies for hiring and promotion, including artificial intelligence and algorithm-based technologies, have the potential to reduce bias and discrimination in hiring and promotion based on protected characteristics, such as socioeconomic status or status as a formerly incarcerated person,” the resolution read.

“At the same time, these technologies can help employers reach larger and more diverse pools of qualified talent and better identify candidates with the right skills and abilities to succeed,” it went on to make the case for the merits of the legislation.

Jones-Sawyer and Gonzalez introduced the resolution in August last year. It was co-authored by Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), and Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley).

“California is one of the most diverse states in the nation. Our diversity is our strength, but corporate executive offices and boardrooms across our state frequently fail to reflect the same diversity,” Jones-Sawyer points out.

  “Just look at San Francisco’s Silicon Valley high tech sector as an example,” he explained.  “Women make up just 36.7 percent of the workforce; 3.3 percent of the workforce is Black; and only 6.6 percent is Hispanic. That’s unacceptable.”

The TECH Act builds on a series of laws California has passed in recent years to fight discrimination in hiring, such as “ban the box” legislation prohibiting employers from asking about an applicant’s criminal history before giving a conditional job offer, according to Jones-Sawyer.

“Frida Polli is a co-founder at Pymetrics, a company that makes neuroscience games using artificial intelligence that are designed to eliminate the biases in hiring the resolution intends to prevent.

“Before we release the technology, we look at the outcomes and audit it. And we go through the audit,” she told California Black Media. “We are giving an objective data point or an objective score for employers. It is mitigating the human biases of employers. All of us are biased. The way a lot of these tools work are customized for each role. We have employees working with each of our clients. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution.”

According to Pymetrics, the company’s AI  tools is based on decades of research and technology developed by the global neuroscience community.

“They are widely considered the gold-standard of neuroscience research, and measure established building blocks of cognitive and emotional functioning, akin to the DNA of cognition and personality,” the company website reads.

Jones-Sawyer says he realizes that there will be kinks to work out in what the law legislates but he hope this technology can be used everywhere, starting with large companies in the state.

“At the beginning we will have to prove the technology,” Jones-Sawyer concedes. “We will have to offer it and hope their some companies are willing to take a chance. If we mandate it, it could sabotage us before we get out of the gate. We will have to be sure there is not government overreach with this.”

California has some of the strongest legal employee protections in the country. But even with the existing state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring and firing, Black and Latino workers still face significant discrimination in hiring, according to a 2017 Harvard Business Review report.

The study found that employers called back White applicants 36 percent more times than they did Black applicants with identical resumes. For Latinx applicants, that differential was  24 percent. It also found that the standardized tests some employers use to screen potential employees “have been proven to identify qualified candidates, but leads to biased outcomes.”

In another study conducted in 2012, researchers switched the names on women resumes to male names. The swap improved ratings from professors who were reviewing the resumes to select candidates  for STEM research positions.

“This is an amazing, amazing initiative,” says Rhonda Gregory, co-founder of the National Diversity Coalition, a non-profit social justice organization that supports the legislation. “I think it needs to be sooner than later. I’m all for it. For me, this is so compelling. You look at a person’s name or gender or area where they are from and people tend to say “oh no” I don’t want to deal with that.”

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Los Angeles City Councilman President Emeritus Herb Wesson announced the winners of the John Singleton Short Film Competition during a private reception at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF). In conjunction with PAFF and the city’s embRACE LA initiative, the film competition pays tribute to the critically-acclaimed film director John Singleton. Singleton is known for such classic movies as BOYZ N THE HOOD, POETIC JUSTICE and BABY BOY. For helming BOYZ N THE HOOD, he became the first African American and the youngest person to be nominated for Best Director in 1992.

And the winners are:

• Jennifer J. Scott  and Brandon Hammond – filmmakersof AMARU. 
• Chelsea Hicks and Mitchell Branden Rogers – filmmakers of CONTRABAN.
• Kemiyondo Coutinho and York Walker – filmmakers THE SÉANCE

The three winners were awarded $20,000 each for the production and completion of a live-action narrative short film. Under the leadership of President Emeritus Wesson Jr., theembRACE L.A. is an initiative aimed at unifying Angelenos and empowering communities through a citywide conversation about race and racism, challenging and changing inequities. Launched by Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell the initiative seeks to foster understanding, healing and growth throughout L.A. 

The winners were announced on Monday, February 17, 2020 during the Pan African Film Festival. (Understandably, in light of the news of the sudden death of co-founder Ja’Net Dubois , the release of the winners for the John Singleton Short Film Competition was delayed.) The private reception was held at the 2020 Lounge (formerly Mexicano Restaurant) | a pop-up lounge at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

However, only 29.7 percent of working-age African Americans with disabilities are employed

As we celebrate Black History Month, which takes place every February, RespectAbility recognizes the contributions made and the important presence of African Americans to the United States. It is important to note this includes more than 5.4 million African Americans living with a disability in the U.S., 3.2 million of whom are working-age African Americans with disabilities. Therefore, we would like to reflect on the realities and challenges that continue to shape the lives of African Americans with disabilities.

New statistics released by the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire show that the employment rate for African Americans with disabilities has continued to grow even as other part of the disability community have lost economic ground. In 2018, the disability employment rate of working-age African Americans with disabilities increased to 29.7 percent compared to 28.6 percent in 2017. While that is an improvement, it lags far behind the 74.4 percent of working-age African Americans without disabilities who have jobs. Indeed, national statistics show that only 37.6 percent of working age people with disabilities overall have jobs compared to 77.8 percent of working-age people without disabilities. Fully 32.3 percent of African Americans with disabilities live in poverty, compared to just 22.4 percent of African Americans without disabilities.

While African Americans with disabilities continue to face significant barriers to employment, nationwide they are making some progress. Comparing the 2018 data to the 2017 data reveals that nationally, 16,749 African Americans with disabilities gained jobs. Across the entire disability community, there were only 29,000 new jobs in 2018. Furthermore, in the year prior, 7500 African Americans with disabilities lost jobs while people with disabilities of other racial backgrounds gained jobs, making the increase in 2018 particularly noteworthy.

“As a black woman with a disability, ableism, sexism and racism are nothing new to my daily experiences,” said Tatiana Lee, a Hollywood Inclusionist with RespectAbility. Lee is a black woman who uses a wheelchair as a result of Spina Bifida “This increase in jobs can be attributed to our ability to innovate as a result of being doubly marginalized. A lot of people assume, because of a lack of access, that we are not educated and therefore cannot be an asset. But African Americans with disabilities often become even greater assets.”

For many of the 1,113,944 black students (K-12) with disabilities in America today, the deck is stacked against them as they are in dramatically under-resourced schools. Thus, nonvisible disabilities such as ADHD and dyslexia frequently are not diagnosed and students do not get the supports they need to achieve. Frustrated, they can act out and become suspended or drop out. African-American students with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by suspension in schools, with more than one-in-four boys of color with disabilities — and nearly one-in-five girls of color with disabilities — receiving an out-of-school suspension.
Statistics show that unmet disability needs are a critical factor for many justice-involved youths. Researchers have found that one-third of incarcerated youth need special education services and that in some cases, up to 70 percent of justice-involved youth disclosed a learning disability. As documented by the National Council on Disability, fully “85 percent of youth in juvenile detention facilities have disabilities that make them eligible for special education services, yet only 37 percent receive these services while in school.” Youth of color, including English Language Learners (ELLs), are disproportionality trapped in the school-to-prison pipeline.

Overall, only 65 percent of students with disabilities graduate high school compared to 84 percent of students without disabilities. However, only 57 percent of black students with disabilities graduate high school compared to 74.6 percent of black students without disabilities.

Some celebrities and business leaders are using their voice to share their stories, educating people about both visible and non-visible disabilities. They are defying the statistics and have remained highly successful with their disabilities. These role models make a big difference in setting high expectations for youth with disabilities. People with disabilities of all backgrounds can be amongst the highest achievers on earth. Harriet Tubman had Epilepsy, actress Halle Berry lives with diabetes, business leader and Shark Tank superstar Daymond John is dyslexic and Stevie Wonder is blind. Each of them is a positive role model for success. They are perfect candidates for RespectAbility’s #RespectTheAbility campaign, which is shining a light on individuals with disabilities who are succeeding in their chosen careers. View more:

• Muhammad Ali—Dyslexic Role Model Fought in the Ring and for Racial and Social Justice
• Maya Angelou, Legendary Poet and Civil Rights Activist Who Had Disability, Inspires Generations
• Halle Berry: Living with Disability While Taking a Stand against Domestic Violence
• Olympic & Disability Champion Simone Biles Makes History While Mesmerizing Many
• Lois Curtis: One Woman with Disabilities Fight for Freedom For All
• Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott ‘Works it,’ Serves as Role Model for Young Women with Disabilities
• Deafblind Lawyer Haben Girma Advocates for Disability Rights
• Whoopi Goldberg: Talented Actress, Comedienne and Talk Show Host Lives with Dyslexia
• First Female Deaf African American Lawyer Claudia Gordon, Anti-Discrimination Advocate
• Daymond John: Clothing Entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” Star with Dyslexia
• Actress with Cerebral Palsy Diana Elizabeth Jordan is Veteran of 17 Shows, Shorts and Movies
• Solange Knowles: Role Model for African American Performers with Disabilities
• Clarence Page Credits ADHD with Making Him a Better Journalist
• Harriet Tubman, Legendary Poet and Civil Rights Activist with Epilepsy, Inspires Generations

Our nation’s economy is strongest when it is inclusive of the value that diverse talent brings to the workplace. These celebrities are making a difference in how audiences perceive disability. Moreover, companies including Bank of America, Coca-Cola, E.Y., J.P. Morgan Chase and others exemplify these values and have specific programs to hire, cultivate and promote people with disabilities. What these businesses have found is that employees with disabilities are loyal, successful and help them make more money.

By Lou Yeboah

Well, ain’t no need of wondering… I’ll tell you why… It’s too Dangers to avoid!  Besides the Bible says Jesus is our example in all things. Jesus preaching ministry began with a single line: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” [Matthew 4:17]. For three and a half years of public Ministry, Jesus never stopped preaching repentance. [Matthew 9:13]. All that Jesus taught related to repentance and the Kingdom in one way or another. Even in the last message He gave to the church, it was a message of repentance.

I want you to know that a message on “Sin, Hell and Repentance is a Signpost.” It is an opportunity for you to consider where you are going and to change direction if necessary. While the words Hell, Sin and Repentance may have been dropped out of some pulpits, they have not dropped out of the Word of God. All preachers should preach repentance. Ministers who avoid the subject of repentance are denying and defying Jesus. I am only a messenger commissioned to convey a message from God.  Don’t hate the messenger. Whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, as a messenger of God I am to show people in what way their lives are wrong. And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being persistent and inexhaustible in patience and teaching [2 Timothy 4:2]. For He said to me, “daughter of man, I have made thee a watchman…: therefore hear the Word at My mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul [Ezekiel 3:17-21]. I tell you, ain’t no need of wondering.

The message in the mouth of every biblical messenger was repentance. Every prophet was preaching the same message: “Repent!” Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Joel preached it: “Repent!”  Scripture commands it [Ephesians 5:11].  The question is will you take heed? For the times of ignorance God overlooked; neglected us, gave no revelation, and sent no messengers, nor messages to instruct us, nor to show us our follies and mistakes. He left us to our own stupidity and ignorance: but now He commandeth all men everywhere to repent. That is, he hath given orders, that the doctrine of repentance, as well as remission of sins, should be preached to all nations. [Acts 17:30-31]. As Proverbs 8:32-36 says, “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” For as many as the Lord loves, He rebuke and chastise; be zealous therefore, and repent.” [Revelation 3:19]. “For if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. [1 John 1:9].  A message on “Sin, Hell and Repentance is a signpost, behold it!

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” [Deuteronomy 30:19]

Black futures depend on well-resourced schools and thriving communities

To have a truly prosperous future for California, our Black students and communities must thrive. The Schools & Communities First initiative is a once in a generation opportunity to help address structural inequities that have plagued communities throughout the state for decades.

Black and other communities of color have been hit the hardest by decades of disinvestment from schools and local services, all while corporations have exploited property tax loopholes to avoid paying their fair share. These communities in particular stand to gain by reclaiming $12 billion every year for our classrooms and neighborhoods.

In honor of Black History and Black Futures month, the 100+ Black Leaders for Schools & Communities First is comprised of some of the state’s most prominent and important Black figures, including educators, clergy, youth activists, small business entrepreneurs, non-profit directors, workplace leaders, philanthropists, and elected officials. Black futures depend on reclaiming the resources we all need to thrive, and to build a future for California that we can all be proud of.

“Right now, our schools and local communities face structural roadblocks to delivering on the promise of a world-class education and safe, healthy neighborhoods – corporations have avoided paying their fair share for years while school funding has fallen farther and farther behind. The Schools & Communities First initiative would reclaim $12 billion every year for our schools and local communities by closing corporate property tax loopholes.” – Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction

“We’ve made a lot of progress in our city, but there’s still much more work to be done. We can’t afford to continue allowing corporations to avoid paying their fair share while our students and neighborhoods struggle to get by.” – Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs

“I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact 40 years of disinvestment has had on communities of color and our schools. Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE) was founded for a very specific reason: to leverage the strength of religious leaders to protect and revitalize our communities that we live, work, and worship in. That’s why our organization supports Schools & Communities First.” – Pastor Samuel Casey, Founder and Executive Director of Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE)

Stop Unjust Financial Burdens on African-Americans and Others

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., NNPA President/CEO

It is a serious financial problem that far too many African-Americans – from impoverished individuals to working-class families – face these days in the bewilderingly complicated health-care market: Getting hit with an unexpected bill after a hospital stay or visit to the emergency room. 

Known as “surprise medical billing,” these unexpected costs arise when a patient goes to a hospital for emergency or non-emergency care, only to find out afterwards that one of the medical providers who administered care was not covered in the patient’s insurance network. 

This outrageous situation benefits one group and one group alone: powerful insurance executives, who have managed to get off the financial hook for such bills, even as insurers shrink insurance coverage networks to wring more and more profits out of the system. But this predatory practice is overwhelming to a family already dealing with the emotional and financial burdens of a medical crisis, typically adding thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses that can wipe out savings accounts or otherwise strain tight household budgets. So, what can be done to stop and end surprise medical billing? 

The good news is that both Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree that legislation is needed to protect patients against unexpected medical charges. But as with many complicated issues confronting Congress, lawmakers have been divided on the details of such legislation. Part of the paralysis in Congress stems from confusion and disinformation, as insurance executives and their allies try to frame the debate to their advantage. When Congress tried to address the issue last year, for example, the insurance lobbying machine swung into action, attempting to place the blame for surprise bills on out-of-network medical providers who end up having to charge patients when insurers refuse to cover a medical bill. 

Big insurance almost got its way in that legislative debate when a handful of lawmakers threw support behind a legislative proposal that would shield insurance companies from paying what they ought to pay. The legislation, championed by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), specifically called for setting benchmarked rates for out-of-network medical providers. But far from solving the problem, this approach would make matters worse. It not only frees insurers from their responsibilities. It fails to compensate providers for the cost of the care that they actually provide. And that, in turn, means either patients will get stuck with the bill or medical providers will have to absorb big losses that ultimately jeopardize their ability to stay in business. 

Fortunately, the proposed bill stalled after the medical community warned that the benchmarked rate favored by the insurance industry would allow insurers to exert a new troubling level of control over health-care prices and the larger health-care delivery system. Now, as Congress begins to take up the issue once again, health insurance companies that evaded significant scrutiny last year seem to be drawing close scrutiny now, both inside and outside of Washington. Speaking to a group of faith leaders and policymakers in South Carolina, an important stop for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, Reverend Al Sharpton criticized the surprise medical billing legislation backed by insurers and stressed the urgent need to deal with the continued lack of access to adequate health insurance coverage for minority communities. 

“Washington is getting it wrong,” he wrote in an opinion piece published after his South Carolina trip, adding that the bill introduced by “Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to `solve’ the surprise billing problem would literally insulate insurance companies from covering these costs, at a time when profits for insurance companies have reached record highs.” 

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Ma.) predicted that health insurers would do little more than look out for their own interest if they were given the authority to set rates for out-of-network providers. “My concern with giving too much weight to such a benchmark rate is that we already know insurers are looking for any way they can to pay the least amount possible,” he said.

“They will work to push those rates down, regardless of what it means for community providers like physicians, hospitals, and our constituents who they employ.” 

There were similar concerns in the U.S. Senate, where Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) warned that insurers began gaming the system in California once benchmarking rates became the law of the land in that state in 2016. 

“Insurance companies cancel contracts and then they have the negotiating power and they establish” their own rate, he said, adding that such benchmarking of rates would likely put hospitals “out of business.” 

It’s worth noting that lawmakers are raising such concerns despite the considerable backing the insurance-industry legislation has had from two powerful lawmakers: Senator Alexander, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and Frank Pallone, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, whose jurisdiction includes health care issues. More than that, Senator Cassidy introduced legislation that would eliminate surprise medical billing by establishing an arbitration system between insurers and providers — rather than sticking the disputed medical charges to patients. And that legislation is gaining strong bipartisan support, as is a similar bill in the House that is being advanced Representatives Representative Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) and Representative Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), both of whom are doctors. Surprise medical billing is a problem we can no longer ignore, particularly at a time when roughly two-thirds of Americans say that they are concerned about their ability to pay for an unexpected medical expense for themselves or for a family member.

And this practice it is especially hard on African Americans and other people of color in the U.S. who already face significant barriers to health care and who generally receive lower quality of care than the rest of the nation. Congress has an opportunity to make things right by ending the practice of surprise medical billing. Black Americans and all others in America shouldn’t be saddled with exorbitant bills that they had no reason to expect – and that impose an unjust financial burden.

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Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) representing the Black Press of America. He can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) wrapped its 12-day marathon of offerings from around the Diaspora.  It celebrated its 28^th anniversary in grand style with a string of highly-anticipated films, which included a comedy by the multi-hyphenated host and entertainer Nick Cannon; a feature, executive produced by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal; plus, a special screening of the action-packed series, “Queen Sono,” out of South Africa, presented by Netflix along with a wedding! The festival was held from February 11 – 23, 2020 at the Cinemark 15 Theatres, located at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles. 

PAFF is the largest Black film festival in the United States and the largest Black History Month cultural event in the nation. Here are the festival stats: PAFF has selected a record-breaking 225 film, representing 52 countries in 26 languages – that is, 86 feature films; 128 short films and 11 new media selection. Plus, ArtFest will feature more than 100 fine artists from around the world. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has designated PAFF as an official qualifying film festival for live action and animation short films.

The festival has cemented its role as a hub for breakthrough and award-winning Black films and filmmakers from around the world. PAFF is dedicated to the cinematic promotion and cultural exploration of peoples of African descent. It is PAFF’s goal to present and showcase the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help destroy negative stereotypes. PAFF believes film and art can lead to better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, ethnicities, and lifestyles in an entertaining way.

The festival handed out a variety of juried prizes, including Best Narrative Feature, Best First Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, and Best Narrative Short as well as audience favorite awards during an awards ceremony at the close of the festival.

In honor of the late actress and co-founder Ja’Net Dubois, who unexpectedly passed away during the festival, prizes were re-named in her honor. Dubois was best known for her role as Willona in the TV series, “Good Times.” 

And so, without further ado, here’s a list of winners from the Pan African Film Festival. 

AND THE WINNERS ARE …

Best Feature Narrative Award

The Mercy of the Jungle (Rwanda) Directed by Joël Karekezi

Honorable mention

Knuckle City (South Africa) Directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka

Best First Feature Narrative Award

A Taste of Our Land (Uganda) Directed by Yuhi Amuli

Honorable Mention

Mr. Weekend (US) Directed by McKenzie Woodward

Best Documentary Award

One Child Left Behind: The Untold Atlanta Cheating Scandal (US) Directed by Jodi Gomes

Honorable Mention

PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools (US) Directed by Jacoba Atlas

Best Short Narrative Award

White Gold (South Africa) Directed by Luke Bradford

Honorable mention

My Father Belize (Belize) Directed by Leon Lozano

Programmers’ Best Narrative Feature

She Ball (US) Directed by Nick Cannon

Programmers’ Best Short Narrative

Sixteen Thousand Dollars (US) Directed by Symone Baptiste

Programmers’ Best Documentary Award

parTy boi: black diamonds in ice castles (US) Directed by Micheal Rice

Programmers’ Best First Feature Narrative Award (Tie)

Coming From Insanity (Nigeria) Directed by Akinyemi Sebastian Akinropo

Gonarezhou The Movie (Zimbabwe) Directed by Sydney Taivavashe

Special Programmers’ Award

The Cuban (Canada/Cuba) Directed by Sergio Navarretta

Ja’Net Feature Narrative Award

HERO – Inspired By The Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr. Ulric Cross (Canada/Trinidad and Tobago/Ghana/UK) Directed by Frances-Anne Solomon

Ja’Net Short Narrative Award

Code_Switch (US) Directed by Sigin Ojulu

Ja’Net Documentary Award

My Friend Fela (Brazil/Nigeria) Directed by Joel Zito Araújo

Ja’Net First Feature Narrative Award

Zulu Wedding (South Africa) Directed by Lineo Sekeleoane

Special Ja’Net Award

Foster Boy (US) Directed by Youssef Delara

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Visionary founder of The Diaspora Dialogues Koshie Mills is bringing together hundreds of black women from around the world to celebrate sisterhood at the 3rd Annual International Women of Power Luncheon in Los Angeles.

The event will be held at the Arbat Banquet Hall on Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The star-studded event will also host over 300+ African American and African women for an elegant afternoon with Champagne cocktail reception, 3-Course Luncheon, Live performances, Awards presentation and a few surprises. 

This year’s theme is centered around women who are Innovators and Change Agents in Entertainment, Business, Fashion, Music, Beauty and Diaspora.

Confirmed & Invited Honorees, Presenters, Performers, Host include Amara La Negra (Love & Hip Hop Miami),Kimberly Paige (Chief Marketing Officer BET Networks), ILwad Elman (2019 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee),Normani (American Musical Artist), Tiffany Pearsons (Founder, Shine On Sierra Leone), Tracee Ellis Ross(ABC’s Black-ish), Lisa Leslie (WNBA Champion), Angela Bassett (Black Panther), Cynthia Erivo (Oscar Nominee, Harriet), Kelly Rowland (Music Artist), Lynn Whitfield (OWN’s Greenleaf), Stacy Barthe (Singer-Songwriter for artists: Nipsy Hustle, Beyonce), Logan Laurice (Dear White People), Bresha Webb (A Fall From Grace), Folake Olowofoyeku (Bob Hearts Abishola), Megalyn Echikunwoke (Almost Family; A&E’s “Damien”; “Night School”), Rosario Dawson (Jane The Virgin; Luke Cage), Cree Summers (Actress), Antonique Smith(Marvel’s Luke Cage), Gina Yashere (Co-Creator, Writer, Producer of CBS’s Bob Hearts Abishola), Gabrielle Dennis (Bobby Brown Story).

For ticket information visit www.IWOP2020.eventbrite.com.

By Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

SAN DIEGO, CA—- Nearly two years ago, Seaman Percy Williams joined the Navy because his older brother was joining at the time and he did not know if he wanted to go to college. Now, he is serving aboard the USS Boxer.

Williams is an operations specialist who is responsible for collecting and processing tactical data and displaying it for the ship and aircraft to see.

“My favorite part about the job is being important, being vigilant and always being aware of what is going on,” said Williams.

Williams is a 2018 Grand Terrace High School graduate and native of San Bernardino, California.

According to Williams, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in San Bernardino.

“San Bernardino taught me teamwork is essential for the mission to be completed,” said Williams.

With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.

Boxer is an amphibious assault ship that has recently returned from a Western Pacific-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf deployment. It is the sixth ship to carry the name Boxer.

Amphibious assault ships are used to transfer Marines, equipment and supplies and can support helicopters or other aircraft. They also are capable of accessing 75% of the world’s beaches.

According to Admiral Mike Gilday, the Chief of Naval Operations, the focus of today’s Navy is squarely on warfighting, warfighters and the capabilities needed for the Navy of the future.

“I am confident we will maximize the Navy we have today while delivering the Navy that our nation will rely upon tomorrow,” said Gilday. “And we will do so with urgency. Our fleet will be a potent, formidable force that competes around the world every day, deterring those who would challenge us while reassuring our allies and partners.”

There are many opportunities for sailors to earn recognition in their command, community and careers. Williams is most proud of finishing his first deployment successfully.

“It is not really an easy task,” said Williams. “Deployment brings a lot of stress and negativity and it is hard to stay positive. However, I did a good job of staying positive and focusing on the task at hand.”

For Williams, serving in the Navy is a tradition passed down from generations and one Williams hopes to continue.

“My uncle was in the Navy, great uncle was in the Air Force, another great uncle served 20 years in the Navy, my sister is in the Army, and my cousin is station in Lemoore, California,” said Williams. “Everyone in the military has different stories so when I joined I was able to create my own story to be able to tell them.”

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Williams, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

“Serving in the Navy means being a part of something bigger than myself,” said Williams.

By Michael Vallante, U.S. Small Business Administration’s

During Black History Month, we celebrate the achievements of African Americans and recognize the central role they, as individuals and communities, contributed to U.S. history.

At the U.S. Small Business Administration, our role is to support entrepreneurs in achieving their dream of owning a business.

We celebrate the incredible contributions that Black businesses make to their local communities and the American economy. We hear from Black businesses of the socioeconomic and capital funding challenges with starting and expanding a business.

Our goal is to work with Black entrepreneurs to overcome these entrepreneurship challenges.

When an entrepreneur starts their own business, they create new jobs in the community. In fact, small businesses generate two of every three net new jobs and deliver essential goods and services to our community.

Here are the top 10 resources that small business owners can utilize today to make their entrepreneurship dream a success:

10 SBA Resources for Entrepreneurs:

1. Funding: Starting or scaling up a business requires capital. Our online Lender Match program connects entrepreneurs with financial institutions that provide business loans backed by the SBA. SBA-Guaranteed Loans can be used for most business purposes, including operating capital and financing equipment and other long-term fixed assets.
2. Business Plan Development: Small Business Development Centers offer free, one-on-one counseling, low-cost training services, market research and more.

• Mentoring: SBA’s resources, such as SCORE provide free mentoring and education to business owners to learn from others who have been through the entrepreneurship journey. SCORE is a network of thousands of volunteer business counselors around the country who mentor and educate small business owners. SCORE provides free in-person and online counseling as well as educational workshops.
• Scaling Up their Business: SBA’s Emerging Leader’s program is a no-cost “mini MBA,” that assists entrepreneurs take their business to the next level.  We encourage entrepreneurs to reach out to their local SBA office to find where this program is being offered and apply.

• Assistance to Woman Entrepreneurs: Black women are starting their own business at record rates.  Women’s Business Centers assist women in starting and growing small businesses. They provide a full range of services for women entrepreneurs at all stages of planning, implementation and growth.

• Support to Veterans with Starting their Own Business: Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education and training program available to active duty service members (including National Guard and Reserve), veterans and their spouses in starting or growing their business.
• Taking their Business to the International Market: Export Assistance Centers help small businesses entering the international marketplace.  Entrepreneurs can learn how to export, participate in foreign trade missions and trade shows, translate websites, and design marketing campaigns.

• Accessing Government Contracts: The Mentor-Protégé Program is designed for small businesses to learn from an experienced government contractor.  Women-owned business certification helps provide a level playing field for women business owners, as the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses certified as women-owned.

• Online Resources: SBA.gov includes online resources and information about upcoming webinars to assist entrepreneurs in overcoming common business challenges.
  
• Local Support: SBA District Offices can connect you to local SBA resources, mentors and training. Visit www.SBA.gov for more information. 

As the Regional Administrator for the Pacific Rim for SBA, and as Associate Administrator for the Office of Field Operations for our agency, SBA recognizes the contributions of the Black community, the job-creating entrepreneurs and their families for their daily sacrifice to keeping local economies thriving. We encourage you to reach out to SBA.

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Michael Vallante, U.S. Small Business Administration’s Associate Administrator for the Office of Field Operations, overseeing the 68 district offices and nine Regional Administrators; and Regional Administrator for Region IX, overseeing the agency’s programs and services in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam