November 2024

If you missed yesterday's message, read it here.

​

There were some historic moments during the election
that deserve a celebration 🎉

Two Black Women Are Headed to the Senate For the first time in over 200 years, two Black women have been elected to Congress' upper chamber at the same time. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland.

A Change Is Gonna Come Johnson becomes the first Black woman and youngest person ever to be elected as Jackson County prosecutor in Kansas City, Missouri.

Our Ancestors Are Proud Nichols served in the state House of Representatives since 2016. A full-circle moment for the city 103 years after the Tulsa Massacre.

Sweet Home Alabama Thanks to a judge ruling that the state illegally gerrymandered the 2nd district, this wins gives Alabama its second Black member of Congress.

Faith and fear both demand you believe in something you can't see. You choose.

- ​​Bob Proctor -

The Composer of Our Lifetime: The musical legend, Quincy Jones, passed away on Sunday at the age of 91. As Essence so eloquently stated, his name is a genre of music by itself. From working with Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson and winning 28 Grammys, his impact in entertainment has been felt throughout generations.

The Honorable Shyne: This is the story we've been waiting to hear. In a new documentary releasing on November 18th on Hulu, the previous Bad Boyd artist Moses "Shyne" Barrow, tells his story of redemption, resilience and transformation. Watch the trailer here.

A Toast To The Good Life: Connected through Howard University, University of Maryland, and lifelong family ties, Mitchell Linton, Tony Ajayi and Zachary Spence set out to build something lasting. What started as a simple gesture of celebration after one friend’s graduation led to the creation of 3708 Spirits—an American Agave brand, distilled at a Black-owned distillery in Maryland.

Respect the Rings: As an owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with their 2024 World Series Win, Magic Johnson now has 15 World Championship Rings. Check out the breakdown: 10x NBA Champion (Lakers), 2x World Series Champion (Dodgers), NCAA Champion (Michigan St), WNBA Champion (Sparks), MLS Cup Champion (LAFC).

Back Where It All Began: LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson met as students at Spelman and Morehouse College. After spearheading the renovation efforts of the Rockefeller Fine Arts Building on Spelman’s campus, the theater, lobby, and surrounding areas have been renamed the LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center.​

We Like To Text Emojis: Aiming to break down beauty stereotypes and make the digital world more inclusive, a group of young students and professionals from London have designed what they hope will become the first ever emojis of Black and mixed-race hairstyles. Four emojis were created featuring afros, braids, cornrows and locs. They will be submitted to Unicode, the California-based group responsible for emojis, in April 2025 for consideration.

Calling Black Men To The Carpet: The 2025 Met Gala Theme announcement had the internet talking! Co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour, alongside honorary chair LeBron James, the theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The exhibit will feature garments, paintings, photographs, and more—all exploring the indelible style of Black men in the context of dandyism, from the 18th century through present day. I wish they would've considered this theme when André Leon Talley was still alive. This is right up his alley!

We Like To Party With the holidays right around the corner, BLACK PAPER PARTY (as seen on Shark Tank) has the perfect Christmas-themed ornaments, wrapping paper and ceramics for the season. You can shop the website by clicking below or checkout the brand at Target and Macy's. Shop Black Paper Party

We All We Got: The NAACP announced the launch of NAACP Capital, a $200 million fund of funds that will invest in diverse fund managers and startups focused on addressing systemic inequities. This bold initiative aims to drive economic empowerment and social change by providing capital and support to underrepresented entrepreneurs. Given the attacks we've seen on organizations working to support marginalized communities, it's great to see such a historic organization make this type of investment.

I'm A Business, Man: Founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, David Steward, is now the richest Black man in America with a net worth of $11.4 billion, ranking him No. 84 on Forbes’ 2024 Forbes 400 list. Steward’s company, launched in 1990, provides IT solutions for over 80 Fortune 100 companies, including partnerships with Cisco, NVIDIA, and Verizon, and generates over $20 billion in annual revenue.

Business Happens On The Course: Inspired to see more women on the golf course, through its membership model, Ladies Who Golf has impacted at least 3,000 women and has 15 chapters in states including Illinois, Florida, Texas, and New York. Ladies Who Golf is now regarded as the largest golf community for women throughout the United States, reaching over $507,000 in revenue as of its one-year anniversary.

Never Too Early To Learn: Financial expert Mellody Hobson brings excitement to the realm of financial literacy and gives kids the tools they need to navigate money now and in the future in her new children's book Priceless Facts about Money.

Don't Get Left Behind: Calling all business owners with an LLC. Don't forget to file your Beneficial Ownership Information Report by the end of this calendar year to avoid paying fees beginning January 2025. You can find out more information on the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network website.

Check Your Boobs: A new report from the American Cancer Society has revealed a rise in breast cancer diagnoses in women 50 years and younger. Breast cancer trails skin cancer as the most common cancer among U.S. women, and according to Dr. William Dahut, ACS chief scientific officer, “alarming disparities” remain particularly among Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native American, and Black women.

Housing Will Never Be The Same: With climate change being real, Zillow wants to help you understand the climate risk when purchasing a home. Each for-sale listing on Zillow now displays risk scores for flood, fire, wind, air and heat. They also show those same risk percentages estimated 15 years and 30 years into the future — the standard lengths for fixed-rate mortgages.

Enough Is Enough: Black women in nonprofit leadership are leaving the sector due to overwhelming challenges, including lower compensation, increased demands from funders, and microaggressions. ⁠A group in Washington, D.C. is working to address this crisis by commissioning the "Thrive as They Lead" report, highlighting the negative impacts on their health and financial stability. The initiative aims to raise $3-4 million to implement solutions that support Black women leaders and prevent further exits.

Show Me The Money: For many, this is the time of year you'll be meeting with your managers to talk about performance and promotions. If you're ready for a promotion in 2025, check out these tips to get ahead.

READ: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones​
This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward.

WATCH: Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words​
​Megan Thee Stallion has been through A LOT in the last five years. This documentary gives us a behind the scenes look at her journey to stardom, the hell she went through after being shot in 2020 and how she was able to make it out on the other side.

LISTEN: "Reasonable Doubt" Soundtrack​
​I recently binged watched Reasonable Doubt on Hulu and I'm obsessed with the show. You can check out my thoughts here. One of the things I love about the show is how they have mastered the art of storytelling using music. A lot of songs are missing but what's currently listed on the Spotify playlist is a great start (if you haven't watched the show, it's a great one to binge this holiday season; you will not be disappointed!)

Here are 10 mental health tips to help you cope with the election results you didn't want.

Dr. Raquel Martin is raising funds to launch a 10-week support group for Black women, facilitated by licensed mental health professionals entitled the "Burn The Cape" support group. This group is designed to address the unique challenges Black women face, including stress from racism, activism fatigue, stereotypes, and systemic barriers. The goal is to create a safe, supportive space for healing, growth, and empowerment.

Explore These Newsletters

Wealth Tips | Your Wealth Bestfriend®️ Weekly non-traditional wealth tips Hi, I'm Jala better known as Your WealthBestfriend®️, creator and owner of On My Own Financial LLC. I share all kinds of non-traditional finance tips that focus on millennials. I also love talking about estate planning and getting the word out so you are bound to learn more about that topic too. So, if you are interested in learning more about money and building wealth, sign up for my newsletter! You will get weekly wealth tips. Subscribe​

The Cozy Corner Chronicles MyraP A COZY way to slow the scroll every Sunday! Join over 400+ cozy lovers to learn productivity tips plus the latest cozy gaming, tech, and hobby news directly to your inbox. Subscribe​

Rhona Pierce Brand & Content Strategy for Recruiting Teams 🎯 | Talent Attraction Expert 🧲 | Content Creator 🎬 Subscribe​

Your Career Steward. Stories to nourish your calling. Shaté Hayes, the career and business strategist behind Career Steward Inc., produces meaningful content and programs to help creatives make a living doing what they love. Your dream, your calling, your impact—time to take it off the shelf, and let it soar. Subscribe​