See The Enchanting Grammy Award Winning Jazz Vocalist Melanie Charles at the Legendary NYC Blue Note Jazz Club

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Grammy Award Winning Jazz Vocalist PHENOM Melanie Charles Set to Perform at the Legendary NYC Blue Note Jazz Club

Grammy Award-winning jazz artist phenom, Melanie Charles is set to perform live at the legendary NYC Blue Note Jazz Club located at 131 W 3rd Street in New York on Monday, February 27 for 2 shows at 8 pm and 10:30 pm.  Click here to get your tickets today!

 

Melanie Charles is a Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter, bandleader, producer, actress and flautist of Haitian descent, with a creative fluidity spanning jazz, soul, experimental and roots music. Charles was raised by a Haitian mother in Brooklyn where the sound waves in their home were filled with artists like Johnny Hodges, Frank Sinatra, Chaka Khan, Anita Baker, John Coltrane and Nat King Cole.

As a teen, she attended the famed LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts where she studied flute and vocals. Eventually, she landed at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School where she met artists like singer, songwriter and record producer Jesse Boykins III and alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin.

Charles’ genre-bending style has been embraced by a wide range of artists including Wynton Marsalis, SZA, Mach-Hommy, Gorillaz and The Roots.

Throughout her career she has remained committed to making music that pushes listeners to consider new possibilities, both socially and politically. “Make Jazz Trill Again,” a project that she launched in 2016, demonstrates her allegiance to everyday people, especially the youth and is focused on taking jazz from the museum to the streets.

Earlier this year, Charles’ Tiny Desk (Home) Concert debuted on NPR Music, who proclaimed, “Melanie Charles takes us on a journey that embodies the soul of jazz: exploration.”

Her improvisational style, inflection, and spontaneity talents displayed in the celebrated Y’all Don’t (Really) Care About Black Women album is nothing short than brilliant and a must add to your playlist - 'a sheer 'masterpiece.'

Grammy Award Winning Jazz Vocalist Melanie Charles Click Here For Tickets 

Listen To Billboard's Urban Inspirational Band SENSERE Dropping The Infectious Soulful New Single, 'L.O.V.E.'

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Spreading A Message of Unity Now Available on All Digital Streaming Platforms “A Must-Have in Your Playlist!”

Now Available on All Digital Streaming Platforms

“A Must-Have in Your Playlist!”

Listen Below...

February 24, 2023 - Billboard chart-topping band, SENSERE returns with the infectious and soulful new single, 'L.O.V.E.,' spreading hope and unity to the world.

The timely track’s message of love and togetherness is already creating a global buzz and bringing together audiences globally.

With its catchy chorus, powerful lyrics and ‘feel-good’ rhythms, SENSERE reaffirms to us that we are in this all together and the answer is L.O.V.E. 

It’s quotable lyrics, What the world needs forever is love.. L.O.V.E - God is Love, Hug someone and tell them it’s all Love…..,” combined with smooth vocals, horn-heavy soul, and its signature funky beat on the track is already on its way to being a ‘classic’ soulful masterpiece.

HBCU Student Receives $25K From Pharrell Williams For Gun Safety Technology

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19-YEAR-OLD HBCU STUDENT RECEIVES $25K FROM PHARRELL WILLIAMS FOR GUN SAFETY TECHNOLOGY

Kayla Austin, a 19-year-old sophomore at Howard University, pitched and won $25,000 at Pharrell Williams’ Mighty Dream Forum and Black Ambition in Norfolk, Virginia, last year. Her patent-pending technology called “My Gun’s Been Moved” provides gun owners with a 24/7 monitor and notification if their gun has been moved.

The idea was one of many to win at last year’s Mighty Dream Forum which took place in November.

The idea came about at 12 years old after participating in a youth program, hearing a family member’s story, and watching the news on gun violence in Chicago. She had many sleepless nights thinking about how she could use technology to provide better gun safety for parents to protect their children.

Austin has facilitated and participated in many events supporting gun safety education, laws, and practices. Her intense community activism has granted her recognition from the State of Illinois and Congress.

As a result, she was excited to share her invention with the Mighty Dream Forum three months ago. This network provides access and opportunity to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, “I’m still trying to process it all,” said Austin, a film and digital media major in her sophomore year at Howard University. “To receive support from my favorite artist is a dream come true.”

Malik Yoba Partners with Black-Owned Digital Platform

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MALIK YOBA PARTNERS WITH BLACK-OWNED DIGITAL PLATFORM DESIGNED TO SECURELY STORE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS FOR WEALTH TRANSFER

Award-winning actor, philanthropist and founder of Yoba Development, Dr. Malik Yoba, has partnered with Martha Underwood, the founder and CEO of a Black-owned technology company called Prismm to promote preparedness and peace of mind when you need it the most.

Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Prismm, is a digital platform that allows individuals to securely store and organize important documents, communicate end-of-life wishes, and plan for the transfer of wealth and assets.

“Being a caregiver for my mother as she was succumbing to the horror that is dementia, it was a serious challenge for my siblings and I to find, manage and organize the important documents in her life on top of all the other stressors that come with being a caregiver. Not having access to all of her information was an important aspect of life planning that is often overlooked or put off until it’s too late.

Black Author Fighting Poverty Donates 1,000’s of Books to Kids in Jamaica and Ghana

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BLACK AUTHOR FIGHTING POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS DONATES 1,000’S OF BOOKS TO JAMAICA AND GHANA TO TEACH LIFE SKILLS TO KIDS

Renaee Smith, an award-winning educator and children’s book author who lives in Union County, New Jersey. Via her own non-profit, Independent Authors Book Experience, she has donated thousands of books to children locally, nationally, and internationally including in countries like Jamaica and Ghana. Her newest book, Freddie Learns the Value of Money, takes young readers on a financial literacy journey with the main character, Freddie, as he learns how to budget and save money to purchase a new bicycle.

Freddie Learns the Value of Money is a short story written for children ages 6 to 12 is part of a five-book series, helping children develop an understanding of hard work, family values, giving back to the community, and helping the environment.

Helping Black Girls in Chicago Fight “Period Poverty”

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NONPROFIT FOUNDER OPENS NEW CENTER TO HELP BLACK GIRLS IN CHICAGO FIGHT “PERIOD POVERTY”

Chez Smith, is the founder of the Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. (Healthy Optimistic Outstanding Determined) Foundation, which addresses “period poverty” which is the lack of feminine hygiene products that affects millions of females worldwide. Recently, she opened a Reproductive Health Services Center in Chicago, Illinois to support “gyrls” on their journey to becoming empowered women capable of making informed choices.

The center will serve Black and brown girls in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood in the city’s South Side with support from Chicago Beyond, which invests in organizations, community leaders, and equitable research opportunities that are positioned to change the lives of young people in Chicago. The center will provide menstrual hygiene management, reproductive and sexual health education, and social services through the organization’s existing programs. It will also be used to deliver job training workshops, college prep events, teen parent support, and more to the community.

According to the University of Pennsylvania, every month, one in five girls on their periods will miss school due to a lack of feminine hygiene products. According to the World Bank, “period poverty” affects more than 500 million females around the world.

For adolescent girls living in poverty, lacking basic feminine hygiene supplies can have a significant impact on their education, health, and dignity.

Attend The Iconic Harlem Fine Arts Show Celebrating Its 15-Year Anniversary

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HARLEM FINE ARTS SHOW CELEBRATES 15-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH 3 DAYS OF 100 FEATURED BLACK ARTISTS

The title sponsor of this year’s event is none other than Lexus of Manhattan, which is committed to culture, community, and commerce in New York City

New York, NY — This year’s Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS) welcomes Lexus of Manhattan as the Presenting Sponsor for the 15th year anniversary of the largest traveling art show featuring artists from the African diaspora. The show will feature up to 100 artists of African, Caribbean, and Black descent over a monumental three-day cultural experience.

Lexus of Manhattan presents the Harlem Fine Arts Show which will take place in Midtown Manhattan at The Glasshouse, 660 12th Avenue (between 49th & 50th), New York City. The 2023 Show is co-sponsored by Cadillac of Manhattan and Toyota of Manhattan.

The 15th Anniversary Celebration: Celebrating Art and Culture in America is inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. HFAS provides a platform for African diasporic artists and American visual artists to exhibit and sell their works.

“HFAS prides itself on a sole tenet: creating economic empowerment, educational opportunities, and professional recognition for the artists in our shows. These artists have been forced to make hard pivots in how they showcase and sell their work in the new normal of a post-pandemic economy,” says Dion Clarke, Founder of the Harlem Fine Arts Show.

He continues, “However, the poignancy of their individual works is more important now than ever. This work, created by the African diaspora, will tell the story of this unprecedented moment in history: the choices we made in this moment of historical change, and most importantly: how we felt.”

Other sponsors include Blavity.org, Eleven86 Real Artesian Water, JetBlue, Revanche, Upscale Magazine, and Walker’s Cube. Watch the Harlem Fine Arts Show Trailer Below...

Revised, “Get Rich While Black… Without Being an Athlete, Entertainer or Drug Dealer”

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INC. 500 CEO RELEASES REVISED VERSION OF HIS BOOK...

“GET RICH WHILE BLACK…
WITHOUT BEING AN ATHLETE, ENTERTAINER, OR DRUG DEALER”

CHUCK STARKS, INC. 500 CEO AND MUTIPLE IBM TOP GUN AWARD

WINNER, RELEASES A REVISED VERSION OF HIS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED

BOOK – “GET RICH WHILE BLACK… WITHOUT BEING AN ATHLETE,

ENTERTAINER OR DRUG DEALER”

NOW BLACK AMERICANS CAN CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH

Chuck Starks’ revised version of Get Rich While Black… Without Being an Athlete, Entertainer, or Drug Dealer gives Black Americans the real reason they are poor in America (net worth almost 90% less than whites) and how to overcome racism and become financially successful. Starks says that there is no other book that directly confronts institutionalized racism in virtually all areas of Black life in America.

This prosperity provoking publication outlines ways for Black Americans to become financially successful and maybe millionaires without the almost impossible task of being a professional athlete or entertainer.

Starks comments, “Unfortunately, some Black people feel that they can only become rich by selling drugs or committing other crimes, and we know how that story ends; prison, premature death, or both.”

Get Rich While Black… (REVISED) gives Black Americans a proven plan to get and maintain generational wealth, without literally killing themselves working 2 or more jobs or attempting the almost impossible task of becoming a professional athlete or entertainer.

Why Was Eunice Dwumfour A New Jersey Councilwomen And Pastor Brutality Murdered?

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The Brutal Murder Of NJ Councilwoman And Pastor Eunice Dwumfour Is Still A Troubling Mystery

Eunice Dwumfour, a New Jersey Councilwomen, in the Sayreville, section of Central New Jersey, and Pastor in a Newark, NJ, Church was brutality shot and killed in her car near her home.  The 30-year old according to various newspaper sources was shot reportedly between 6 to 14 times.  Her car then rolled down the street until it was stopped by crashing into other parked vehicles.

Councilwoman and Pastor Dwumfour, was shot execution style at about 7:20 PM according to NJ.com.  She was killed last Wednesday, February 1, National Freedom Day, the first day of Black History Month.  Pastor Dwumfour was of African descent.

"Dwumfour, 30, was found at around 7:20 p.m. last Wednesday, shot multiple times in her vehicle outside her home on Samuel Circle at the Camelot at La Mer townhouse complex in Sayreville. She was pronounced dead at the scene, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said," according to NJ 101.5.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated "he's spoken with investigators and so far the evidence suggests the shooting was "very specific" and not accidental."  He also has been quoted as saying "her killing doesn't seem politically motivated."  Councilwoman Dwumfour is survived by an 11-year old daughter, and was married a few months ago to another Pastor living in Nigeria - Eze Kings.

 

Discover How Dr. Adrienne Whaley Is Planning To Showcase This Year's Outstanding Independent Black Films In Southeast Queens

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Black History Month Continues Into Spring

With Queens Underground International Film Festival Dates

Queens, NY – January, 30, 2023 -- In honor of Black History, Queens Underground International Film Festival announces Season 5 of its Red Carpet Film Festival which features Independent Filmmakers from all over the world.  The Festival will span two days at a Venue in Queens, NY and includes the following Categories: Movie Shorts, Documentary Shorts, Poetry, Dance and Music Videos and Series Episodes from all genres. 

Held annually in the Springtime, Filmmakers fly in from across the country to view their works on the big screen along with excited audience members.  As a nonprofit organization, Queens Underground, is a Disrupter by offering a unique platform and Festival which also boasts live performances, awards presentations and festive Red Carpet Interviews.

This Season, the organization plans to hold opening night Red Carpet interviews Live on its Instagram and Facebook pages. More information and details about the Selected projects may be found on the website at: https://www.QueensUndergroundFilmFestival.com.

Do You Know Why You Should Celebrate February 1st As National Freedom Day?

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Passionate Advocate From Diverse American Family Helps Revive National Freedom Day Within Divisive US Political Climate

The Beautiful Garner/Chappelear/Lawson/Deane/Benitez Family Has A Rich Freedom Legacy

By Kamau Austin

A national advocate for equality and inclusion Venita Benitez, an Afro-Latino woman, is working passionately to help revive a day of liberation, healing, and American harmony: National Freedom Day.  National Freedom Day, was proclaimed to be celebrated annually February, 1, eventually jumpstarting Black History Month.

Moreover, National Freedom Day, also commemorates President Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and subsequent passing in Congress of the 13th Amendment.  The National Freedom Day proclamation by Harry S. Truman states the following "National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and Senate resolution that later was ratified as the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

President Lincoln signed the Amendment abolishing slavery on February 1, 1865, although it was not ratified by the states until later."  February 1st, was later to become Black History Day, then eventually, driven by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson - Black History Month.

Venita Benitez, an equality advocate and diversity professional with Afro-Latino roots, that also ironically derives from the British Monarchy, is looking to continue to help bring awareness to National Freedom Day.  Benitez is looking to bring the little known, but official national holiday proclamation of National Freedom Day, by President Harry S. Truman, into the mainstream.

This will be a challenging goal given the divisive present political climate in the US, and actually the world.  Our country beyond just the present ongoing culture wars confrontations, we also have movements that are threatening democracy itself in our country.

But Venita is passionately up for the challenge following the movement in the footsteps of the founder of National Freedom Day, former slave, educator, college President, entrepreneur, banker, and army veteran Major Richard R. Wright Sr. (no known relation to author/writer Richard Wright).   Major Wright was extremely accomplished.

According to the Pennsylvania: Life and Times of Major Richard Robert Wright Sr. and the National Freedom Day Association, "Richard Robert Wright Sr. (May 16, 1855 – July 2, 1947) was an American military officer, educator and college president, politician, civil rights advocate and banking entrepreneur. Among his many accomplishments, he founded a high school, a college, and a bank. He also founded the National Freedom Day Association in 1941.

Ms. Benitez shared "One year after Wright's death in 1947, U.S. Congress passed by a joint resolution approved on June 30, 1948 a bill to recognize National Freedom Day. The proclamation was signed into law on January 25, 1949, by President Harry Truman." 

The Original Founder Of National Freedom Day Movement, Major Richard Robert Wright Sr.