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| Wilson at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, NYC, 2007 Photo Credit Professor Bop |
Monday, September 7, 2026
Cassandra Wilson, Jazz Voice Who Gave "Strange Fruit" New Power, Dies at 70
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Dysfunctional Family Systems and Youth Violence
By Rozalyn Shepard
Is Youth Violence an Epidemic That Could Hurt Someone You Love?
Greetings, everyone, and welcome to the Create Conversations Community.
When we talk about youth violence, we often focus on what happened, who was involved, and how the situation should be handled after harm has occurred. Those conversations are important, but we must also be willing to look deeper. We must ask what young people may be experiencing before they become involved in crime or violent behavior.
Youth violence does not happen in isolation. It can be connected to the conditions surrounding a young person, including the family system, the community, education, and access to sustainable opportunity. Today, I want to focus on the first of the four obstacles to success faced by poor families, dysfunctional family systems.
Looking Within Our Families
A young person’s first understanding of love, communication, conflict, responsibility, and safety often begins at home. Family is where many young people first learn how to express emotions, respond to disagreement, trust others, accept accountability, and seek help.
When a family system is affected by unresolved wounds, instability, poor communication, constant conflict, emotional disconnection, or the absence of positive guidance, young people may struggle to develop the tools they need to handle life’s challenges. They may carry anger that has never been addressed, pain they do not know how to express, or fear they have learned to hide.
These circumstances do not mean that every young person from a difficult family environment will become violent. They do mean that when young people lack stability, support, guidance, and healthy examples, they may become more vulnerable to isolation, negative peer influence, retaliation, and harmful choices.
Friday, September 4, 2026
Marketplace With All Black-Owned Products Celebrates One Year in Business
Founded by Tree Kelty, Black on Black Market was created as both a physical marketplace and a cultural statement — one rooted in economic empowerment, narrative reclamation, and collective progress. The space opened despite early resistance and neighborhood opposition that challenged its presence before it ever welcomed its first customer.
Rather than deterring the vision, that adversity clarified the mission.
“The name Black on Black Market is intentional,” said Kelty. “I’ve always rejected the phrase ‘Black on Black crime’ — because it doesn’t exist. Crime is crime. That phrase has been used to criminalize our communities and strip power from us. I wanted to take that language and flip it into something that represents unity, ownership, and purpose.”
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Education Resource Kit to Support Black Youth, Families, and Communities
As families, schools, and community organizations continue to seek meaningful ways to support Black children’s learning outside of the traditional classroom experience, educator and creator Bill Law has launched the Lumo Education Resource Kit, a culturally responsive educational resource designed to help educators, parents, caregivers, community leaders, and others engage Black children through a series of guided learning activities.
The kit is based on the very popular parody YouTube music video: “Being Black” by Lin Jess Music, BMI. “For many Black families, schools, community organizations, Black identity and self-pride have always been a shared responsibility,” said Bill Law, creator of the Lumo Education Resource Kit. “This kit was created to support that tradition by providing a clear, practical, and easy-to-use tool that helps adults actively participate in the learning journeys of Black Youth.
Is Youth Gun Violence an Epidemic That Could Hurt Someone You Love?
Youth violence does not happen in isolation. It is connected to the four obstacles to success facing poor families, young people, and communities:
1. Dysfunctional family systems
2. Fractured communities
3. Poor education
4. A lack of sustainable income
These four obstacles can affect a young person’s stability, guidance, education, opportunities, and hope for the future. Fractured families can create fractured communities. Limited educational support can restrict future workforce opportunities. A lack of sustainable income can make it more difficult for families to move beyond poverty and can limit access to positive pathways.
The Create Conversations Community is designed to address these conditions through healing, communication, mentorship, education, leadership development, job training, employment, apprenticeships, workforce development, and wealth education.
Understanding the relationship between these obstacles and youth violence is an important step toward creating safer, more hopeful communities.
This is an introduction to a four-part series that will address youth violence, its relationship to the root causes of poverty and crime, the four obstacles to success faced by poor families, and the Create Conversations Community’s response.
I invite you to follow this series and join the conversation.
Which of these four obstacles do you believe has the greatest impact on young people and families in our communities?
Let’s Build the Future, Together. Click Here and Tap in to join the conversation.
Rozalyn Shepard
Create Conversations Community
Rise Network Community Development Corporation
Sunday, August 23, 2026
THE THREE GEORGES: A New Lens on the Revolutionary War — And the Black Patriot Who Represents Thousands Coming Into the Light
Monday, August 10, 2026
Get The Scoop On Why Blacks Have A Cure for Sickle Cell Anemia But Few Can Access it
Friday, August 7, 2026
Get The Scoop On How Cynthea Hayes Launches New Healthcare Advocacy Firm Helping Underserved Communities
Care Coordination Business Aims to
Improve Access, Organization, and Health Outcomes
in Underserved Communities
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Alabama’s First Black Woman-Founded College Expands
Shakea Miller, the first African American woman to found a privately owned, degree-granting college in the state of Alabama, 1 on 1 Technical & Theological College, has announced a major institutional expansion with the launch of a high school division specifically designed to serve students with learning differences and those underserved by traditional education models.
The new high school division will host its first day of classes on January 5, addressing a long-standing gap Miller identified while operating the college.
“Over the years, we had to turn away far too many people who wanted to enroll in our trade and degree programs but did not have a GED or high school diploma,” Miller explained. “I knew there had to be a better solution.”
That solution became the creation of a high school pathway housed within the college itself, one that serves students with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences, as well as students who struggle with the traditional seven-hour school day.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Two-Thirds of Black Consumers Pay More Attention to Ads That Reflect Their Culture
Nielsen: Two-Thirds of Black Consumers Pay More Attention to Ads That Reflect Their Culture
The Majority of Those Surveyed Prefer to Buy Brands Who Advertise in Content That Reflect Their Culture52% of Black audiences agreed they’re more likely to purchase when a brand partners with creators connected to their fandoms and interests compared to 45% overall. The “The Black Influence: How Black Culture & Identity Drive the Market” leverages Nielsen insights to underscore the profound cultural and commercial power of Black audiences.
This marks the 15th year Nielsen has released its Diverse Intelligence Series reports, as Nielsen’s nationwide panel of more than 100,000 people representative of the US population gives it the unique ability to produce nuanced insights on a range of demographics and identities.
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Black Author and Doctor Releases New Book, “I Fix Me”
the Inside Out: Black Author and
Doctor Releases New Book,
“I Fix Me”
What if the key to a more joyful, fulfilled, and compassionate life begins with how you treat yourself?
In I Fix Me, a transformative and deeply personal new book, Dr. Keith L. Somerville challenges readers to shift their focus inward—embracing self-kindness as the first and most essential step toward healing relationships, discovering purpose, and living abundantly. With warmth, honesty, and spiritual depth, I Fix Me reminds readers that when you learn to care for yourself, you create space to care for others more fully.
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Black-Owned Payroll Company Celebrates 9 Years in Business
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
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.
Friday, July 10, 2026
Get the Scoop on Acclaimed Recording Artist Robbie Love Shining on The World Famous Times Square Billboard
Times Square Billboard With
New Single
"When Love Comes Around"
Soul, Legacy, Love, and Authentic Artistry
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.
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Black Woman Launches Consulting Firm Helping Companies Compete in the Age of AI Through Empathy-Driven Leadership
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.
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Black Author 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.”
Monday, July 6, 2026
Get The Scoop On The 2026 Minority Enterprise Development Month for the New York Metropolitan Area
Sunday, July 5, 2026
ST and Tonya Sirleaf Turn 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:
Friday, June 26, 2026
Get the Scoop On How Dr. Issata Oluwadare Advances Advocacy for Black Families, Disability Rights, and Community Impact
Advances Advocacy for Black Families, Disability Rights, and Community Impact























