Please keep Los Angeles in your prayers. You can click the button below to find out how you can support groups on the ground in LA that are providing resources to those in need.
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The countdown is on!
The Kickback With Keri podcast launches on Tuesday, January 14th!
The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Check out the trailer below.
It's been a long time coming. Please subscribe and share.
I can't wait for you to check it out.
If you missed the official podcast announcement last week, click here.
AFFIRMATION
It's not about how you start the year. It's about the consistency you bring to it. Move with purpose, not pressure.
- We The Urban -
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Brighter Days: Kirk Franklin will receive the Black Music Icon Award at the 2025 Recording Academy Honors. The event will highlight Franklin's transformative impact on gospel music and his dedication to mentoring the next generation of creators. Alicia Keys will receive the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, celebrating her artistic excellence, entrepreneurial achievements, philanthropic contributions, and global cultural impact.
And The Award Goes To: The NAACP Image Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday. The Piano Lesson, the Malcolm Washington-directed film adaptation of August Wilson’s play starring Danielle Deadwyler and John David Washington, leads film nominations. Check out the full list here.
Barbershop Talk: Arundel High School in Maryland has opened a student-led barbershop and beauty salon, offering free grooming services to classmates while promoting entrepreneurship. The shop is fully funded and fully equipped, thanks to Robert Cradle, a master barber and the CEO of Rob's Barbershop Community Foundation.
Joy Is An Act of Resistance: Boston poet laureate Porsha Olayiwola, recently opened justBook-ish, an independent bookstore in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The bookstore is one of few Black-owned bookstores in Boston and one of the rare spots in the Dorchester neighborhood open late into the evening, making it a welcome haven for locals looking for a place to meet, work, or browse.
Global Sisterhood: A group of retired Black women in Philly, many skilled quilters and artists, gather weekly to sew period pads for girls in Africa. The group, Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative, or P.A.S.H.I. focuses on creating healthy, organic pads that don't harm the environment or the girls that will use them.
It Takes A Village To Teach A Child: One thing Florida schools will do is minimize African American history to just Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. So students are taking control of their learning by spending Saturday mornings learning African American history at community centers and libraries across the state.
The Grooming Ritual For Gentlemen
Fellas, there is no excuse to be ashy this winter! Made with the finest ingredients including Shea Butter, Mango Butter, and Jojoba Oil, Crowned Skin offers body butter and oils specifically designed for men to nourish and hydrate skin. The body butter is also infused with pheromones, claimed to be scientifically formulated to enhance attractiveness. This combination offers long-lasting hydration and a pleasing scent that may contribute to a more confident feeling.
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She Is THAT Girl: A'ja Wilson recently signed a six-year contract extension with Nike in one of the richest shoe deals for a women's basketball player. Wilson’s A’One signature shoe, set to launch in spring 2025, makes her the 13th WNBA player ever with her own shoe.
He's Leaving The People With Something: President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act which means workers who previously received reduced payments, including those who served as teachers, firefighters, and police officers, among other public-sector occupations, will soon receive benefits in the full amount. The legislation rescinds the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset which trimmed benefits for public employees who received pensions not covered by Social Security payroll taxes.
Payroll Made Simple: Onboarding and process payroll for 1099 contractors isn't always easy. Founder Craig J. Lewis is revamping his mission to empower the gig economy. He has raised over $8M to launch new tools through his Gig Wage platform to simplify the payroll process for independent contractors.
No Longer A Burden: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would erase an estimated $49 billion in unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of roughly 15 million Americans. The final rule is set to take effect in March – but that timeline could be delayed by legal challenges.
Aht Aht, Not So Fast: Costco’s board of directors is unanimously recommending a vote against a proposal that would require the company to conduct an evaluation and publish a report on the risks of the company maintaining its current DEI roles, policies, and goals. Check out the board's rebuttal here. Doesn't it feel good knowing you shop at a store that values diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Before Your Next Flight: Whether you're ready to book a dream vacation or use your credit card points to fly to a new destination, new travel requirements are taking effect in 2025, especially if entering the UK.
Big Brother Is Listening: Apple has agreed to pay $95M to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging privacy violations by its Siri digital assistant, which reportedly recorded and shared users’ conversations without consent; disclosing private discussions to third parties including advertisers. Here's who's eligible and how to claim.
Make It Make Sense: Meta is making a lot of changes including ending its third-party fact-checking program and allowing rhetoric that could be harmful to the LGBTQIA+ community. Here are four ways your feed will change under Meta's new free-speech policy. Will this change the way you use these platforms or how often?
It's About Damn Time: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is weighing a ban on the artificial food coloring Red No. 3, which has been linked to thyroid cancer in animals and behavioral health issues in children, after years of prodding by parents and health advocates, one state ban and action by dozens of other countries. The food coloring has been banned in cosmetics since the 90s.
READ: Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
In the wake of the LA wildfires, there has been a lot of chatter online about Octavia E. Butler's 1993 novel Parable of the Sower and how eerily prophetic it is. Beginning in 2024, when society in the United States has grown unstable due to climate change, growing wealth inequality, and corporate greed, Parable of the Sower takes the form of a journal kept by Lauren Oya Olamina. The novel follows her journey as she is thrust into a dangerous world, traveling north with fellow refugees after a California fire, and conceiving a revolutionary idea that could change humanity’s future.
WATCH: With Love, Megan
Premiering January 15th, With Love, Meghan, viewers will join Meghan as she prepares to host friends both old and new. Meghan reveals how even the most minute details can help add beauty to our lives and, most importantly, help bring people together. Folks seem to crash out when Meghan Markle breathes in public so it's no surprise that they are writing think pieces left and right about her new show. Let's get those views up for the duchess!
LISTEN: Gift Lifted by John Legend
John Legend's album, Get Lifted, turned 20 years old in December. My roommates and I used to play that album on repeat while studying. It is a great debut album; no skips! For vinyl lovers, you can purchase the Get Lifted - 2-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition.
There are a few things we're doing differently in 2025 to preserve our peace. One is not engaging with those who rage bait with antiblackness. Here are a few others 😉
Join the Montgomery County (MD) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in partnering with the Start More Infants Living Equally Healthy (S.M.I.L.E) program through the African American Health Program (AAHP) to support Black maternal health. Click the button below to donate essential baby items to over 250 new mothers.
SAVE THE DATE
Lunchbag Linkup
March 2025
