Black-Owned Payroll Company Celebrates 9 Years in Business

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HBCU Grad Marks 9-Year Milestone as Owner of a Black-Owned Payroll Company

Bryon Jennings, Founder and CEO of Next Generation Payroll, is celebrating nine years of sustained growth while expanding his national footprint in the PEO services industry. His company provides comprehensive payroll, HR outsourcing, and business insurance solutions, and has expanded its capabilities to include full PEO services through its Employer of Record (EOR) model. Serving clients coast to coast, the expansion into PEO services places the company on a trajectory toward multi-million-dollar growth as demand for comprehensive workforce solutions continues to rise.

Jennings, a graduate of Prairie View A&M University, says his company reflects the discipline and leadership principles instilled through HBCU excellence. Over the past nine years, Next Generation Payroll has evolved from a traditional payroll provider into a comprehensive workforce infrastructure partner.

In addition to payroll processing, the company now delivers HR outsourcing, workers’ compensation administration, benefits management, and business insurance solutions through its partnership with E-Comp Insurance. Through its Employer of Record (EOR) platform, Next Generation Payroll competes directly in the PEO services space, helping businesses eliminate operational land mines, minimize multi-state tax exposure, and reduce turnover. The company also provides leadership training and organizational development strategies designed to strengthen workplace continuity and long-term scalability.

Black Founder, Conference for High Achieving Women of Color to Reclaim Holistic Wealth

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Founder of Arise & Align Conference 2026 Invites High Achieving Women of Color to Reclaim Holistic Wealth

Prea Epps, Founder and CEO of Reframed Financial Coaching, proudly announces the inaugural Arise & Align Conference: Reclaiming Your Holistic Wealth, a transformative one-day experience designed for high-achieving professional women of color who are ready to move beyond burnout and step into aligned, sustainable prosperity.

Hosted at the Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Arise & Align brings together nationally respected experts in mental health, finance, spirituality, and strategic planning to address a growing yet often unspoken challenge: the silent burnout experienced by successful women who feel pressured to maintain a façade of control while carrying immense professional and personal responsibility.

Get the Scoop on Acclaimed Recording Artist Robbie Love Shining on The World Famous Times Square Billboard

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Robbie Love Lights Up
Times Square Billboard With
New Single
"When Love Comes Around"

New EP Just Robbie Celebrates
Soul, Legacy, Love, and Authentic Artistry

Tap or CLICK TO LISTEN!

NEW YORK, NY — The bright lights of Times Square are shining on acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, and recording artist Robbie Love as her heartfelt new single, “When Love Comes Around,” takes center stage on a digital billboard in the heart of New York City’s world-famous Times Square.

The billboard appearance marks a significant career milestone for Robbie Love as she celebrates the release of her new EP, Just Robbie, a deeply personal collection of music that honors her musical roots while showcasing her artistry, passion, and creative vision.

Tap or Click Graphic Above^for Larger View

Now streaming on all digital platforms, Just Robbie invites listeners worldwide to experience Robbie Love’s soulful vocals, heartfelt performances, and the musical influences that have shaped her journey.

Tap or Click to LISTEN

Known for her rich, expressive vocals and seamless blend of classic soul, contemporary R&B, jazz, and Neo-soul influences, Robbie Love continues to captivate audiences with music that is both timeless and heartfelt.

At the center of the project is the uplifting single, “When Love Comes Around,” a song celebrating love, gratitude, peace, and the transformative power of meaningful relationships.

“This Times Square billboard is truly an honor,” says Robbie Love. “To see my music represented in one of the most recognizable places in the world is both humbling and exciting. I am grateful for everyone who has supported this journey and for the opportunity to share these songs with listeners everywhere.”

The EP features three original songs, “When Love Comes Around,” “We Believe,” and “Music Mama and Me,” along with a reimagined version of Wayne Shorter’s classic “Infant Eyes.” The project comes to the finish line with the TV Mix of the single “When Love Comes Around.”

Featuring an extraordinary lineup of musicians, Just Robbie includes performances by guitarists Juewett Bostick and Gemi Taylor; bassists Welton Gite, Del Atkins, and Harvey Estrada; keyboardist Herman Jackson; drummers Jeff Suttles and Ronnie Kaufman; percussionists Eric McKane and Munyungo; acclaimed saxophonists Azar Lawrence and Gary Bartz; background vocalist Kari Taylor; and vocal production and arrangements by Laythan Armor.

Black Woman Launches Consulting Firm Helping Companies Compete in the Age of AI Through Empathy-Driven Leadership

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Shanell Pharr-Williams Launches Consulting Firm Helping Companies Compete in the Age of AI Through
Empathy-Driven Leadership

 TEDx speaker and former U.S. Army Sergeant Shanell Pharr-Williams has announced the launch of EMPAXIS, a Black-owned consulting firm designed to help organizations strengthen employee communication, reduce customer escalations, and improve performance by integrating empathy into the core of their leadership and service models.

Recognized as a national authority on empathy in customer service and workplace leadership, Pharr-Williams brings more than 30 years of military and corporate experience to her work. EMPAXIS equips leaders with the human-centered tools needed to outperform competitors in an era dominated by automation and AI-driven customer interactions.

Black Author Unveils Groundbreaking New Show "Say Yes When Life Says No"

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Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. Unveils Groundbreaking New Show "Say Yes When Life Says No"

Nationally respected leader, author, and visionary Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. announces the launch of his groundbreaking and timely new show, Say Yes When Life Says No — a powerful, truth-telling series amplifying real stories of transformation, adversity, and triumph.

At a moment when people across the country are confronting unprecedented personal and collective challenges, Say Yes When Life Says No offers a bold and necessary roadmap for overcoming obstacles, reclaiming mission, and choosing possibility—even in the face of life’s most unforgiving “no.”

Hosted by Dr. Soaries, the series features intimate, in-depth conversations with voices whose lived experiences and leadership define this moment, offering viewers lessons in resilience, clarity, and personal reinvention. Some confirmed guests for the premiere episodes include:

• Dr. Randal Pinkett — Business powerhouse, author, and winner of The Apprentice, who shares insights on excellence, discipline, and staying the course despite doubt or adversity.

• Donna Hylton — Criminal justice reform advocate and author whose powerful story of survival and healing continues to inspire millions.

• Jack Morris — Visionary developer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, offering reflections on leadership, risk-taking, and building legacy from the ground up.

“We created Say Yes as more than a show — it’s an invitation,” said Dr. Soaries. “For years I’ve watched people wrestle with doubt, disappointment, and the feeling that life has said ‘no’ to them. I’ve had my own share of ‘no’s,’ especially with my cancer diagnosis. But I realized I had to move through that ‘no’ and find my ‘yes.’ This platform gives us a chance to remind people that mission is possible, healing is possible, and hope is possible. Say Yes is about helping people unlock the strength, clarity, and faith they already possess.”

Get The Scoop On The 2026 Minority Enterprise Development Month for the New York Metropolitan Area

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ICYMI: LIAACC Nassau County Director Announces 2026 Minority Enterprise Development Month for the New York Metropolitan Area

Month-Long Initiative Will Celebrate Minority-Owned Businesses, Economic Empowerment, Innovation, Leadership, and Regional Opportunity

GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK — In case you missed it, Ann Dumay, Nassau County Director of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (LIAACC), has announced the chamber’s 2026 Minority Enterprise Development Month initiative for minority entrepreneurs, professionals, community leaders, corporations, government agencies, and business-support organizations throughout the New York metropolitan area.

The 2026 celebration will recognize the accomplishments, resilience, innovation, and economic contributions of minority-owned businesses across Nassau County, Suffolk County, New York City, and the surrounding region.

This year’s theme is: “Building Legacy, Expanding Opportunity, and Advancing Minority Enterprise”

Minority Enterprise Development Month will feature business education, networking, recognition programs, access-to-capital discussions, procurement information, leadership development, technical assistance, and opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with corporate, government, nonprofit, and community partners.

ST and Tonya Sirleaf Turn Trials into Triumphs Through Faith and Love

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Meet the Black Couple Turning Trials into Triumphs Through Faith and Love

ST and Tonya Sirleaf are proof that love guided by faith can weather any storm. Their story isn’t about perfection—it’s about choosing God in the midst of life’s challenges, turning hardships into stepping stones for growth, connection, and purpose.

Where others seek quick fixes, ST and Tonya embrace surrender. Where many wait for change, they invite God to begin transformation from within. Their simple yet profound message resonates with anyone seeking meaning and connection in today’s fast-paced world:

Get the Scoop On How Dr. Issata Oluwadare Advances Advocacy for Black Families, Disability Rights, and Community Impact

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Strategist Dr. Issata Oluwadare
Advances Advocacy for Black Families, Disability Rights, and Community Impact

Dr. Issata Oluwadare, speaker, strategist, professor, author, and community advocate, has recently completed the New Jersey Partners in Policymaking program, marking a meaningful new chapter in her ongoing commitment to disability advocacy, educational equity, leadership development, and community transformation.

For Oluwadare, the milestone is both professional and deeply personal. As a mother, sister, educator, and advocate, her work has long been shaped by the lived realities of families navigating disability systems, school systems, health care barriers, and public policy gaps. Through her family’s experiences advocating for her son Emmanuel, who has complex medical and developmental needs, and for her brother, who has needed sustained disability support, Oluwadare has become a strong voice for families who often feel overwhelmed, isolated, or unheard.

“Partners in Policymaking helped me put language, structure, and strategy around what my family has lived for years,” said Dr. Oluwadare. “I entered this program with a mother’s heart, a sister’s memory, and a leader’s burden. I am leaving with deeper tools to advocate for families, strengthen systems, and help communities understand that disability rights are civil rights.”

Get The Scoop On The Founders Launching The First Real Black Wall Street

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Founders of New Movement Launch What They Call the First Real Black Wall Street

"New Platforms Solve the Less-Than-1% Crisis in Black Ownership"

The Black Financial Independence Movement (BFIM) is issuing a national wake-up call — and unveiling the first complete solution to the racial wealth gap ever presented to Black America. For decades, the conversation around inequality has focused on symptoms. Today, BFIM exposes the root cause: Black-founded companies make up less than 1% of the corporations in America’s public and private financial engines — Wall Street and private equity. This is not a small gap. It is a structural exclusion that has quietly erased trillions in potential Black wealth. And for the first time, BFIM is delivering not just the truth — but the tools to fix it.

At the center of this breakthrough is David “The Banker” Parker, a financial strategist who spent years serving America’s wealthiest families and studying how wealth is truly built. His conclusion is simple and devastating: Black entrepreneurs are forming the wrong type of companies. While the rest of America forms investable corporations that can raise capital, build valuation, and create generational wealth, Black entrepreneurs overwhelmingly form LLCs, which cannot issue shares, cannot attract equity investors, and cannot participate in the wealth-building systems that power the U.S. economy. BFIM calls this the “Invisible Financial Trap.”

But BFIM is not just exposing the trap — it is dismantling it. Together with co-founders Adam Myers and Theresa Hill, Parker has built a dual-infrastructure solution designed to permanently change the economic trajectory of Black America.

The Two Pillars of Change

BlackCorporations.Online is a national platform that prepares Black founders to form investable corporations — complete with share structures, compliance, and the PCN (Private Corporate Network) that connects them to capital, advisors, and long-term growth pathways. This is the missing foundation Black entrepreneurs have never been given.

BlackStock.Exchange is the first equity-crowdfunding platform built specifically for Black founders and Black investors. For the first time, everyday African Americans can invest in the businesses they already support — from fashion brands to tech startups to beauty companies — and Black founders can raise capital through equity instead of debt.

Together, these platforms form the first complete ecosystem that allows Black entrepreneurs to build valuation, raise capital, and scale — the same way America’s wealthiest families have done for generations.

Get the Scoop On The First Black Woman to Create a Web Browser That Combines Culture, Commerce, and More

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Aquarius Maximus Becomes The
First Black Woman to
Create a Web Browser That
Combines Culture, Commerce, and More

Aquarius Maximus, best known as a technology entrepreneur and the founder of Guapcoin, is making history again as the founder of EB (Everything Black), a new web browser created to help people across the global Black diaspora discover culture, community, history, and economic opportunities online. The launch marks a historic milestone, making her the first Black woman to create a web browser designed specifically to serve Black communities around the world.

Available now in beta for Windows and macOS, EB was built for African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos, Africans, and others throughout the Black diaspora. The browser provides a curated digital experience that highlights Black-owned businesses, Black history, educational resources, cultural content, and community organizations, all within a single platform designed to make those resources easier to find and support.

Maximus said the idea for EB came from a desire to create digital spaces that better reflect the interests, experiences, and contributions of Black people. As concerns grow about algorithmic bias, the visibility of Black history, and the concentration of power among major technology companies, she believes communities should have greater ownership over the digital environments they use every day.

Get the Scoop On How Black Woman Turns Fashion into a Tool for Emotional Truth

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How One Black Woman Turned
Fashion into a Tool for
Emotional Truth

To the outside world, Wendy Williams appeared confident, polished, and put together. She was the woman who always looked the part. Compliments followed her wherever she went. Her appearance suggested stability, self-assurance, and success.

What most people never saw was the emotional weight behind the wardrobe.

Beneath the carefully curated outfits, Wendy was navigating depression, emotional disappointment, and the pressure to keep everything together while quietly struggling inside. Fashion became a coping mechanism.

Getting dressed allowed her to momentarily escape what she was feeling. Compliments eased the pain. Looking good became proof—to others and sometimes to herself—that everything was fine.

For a long time, that strategy worked.

Eventually, maintaining the image became exhausting. On days when her mental health was at its lowest, getting dressed no longer felt empowering—it felt like armor she had to put on just to function. Still, she showed up polished. Still, no one asked questions. Her appearance told a story that contradicted her internal reality.

That contradiction became the turning point.