By Ariyana Griffin  Special to the AFRO Howard University partnered with Spotify to host a listening session April 16 on the Washington, D.C. campus to highlight the launch of “1619: The College Edition” podcast,  in which students unpack what they have gleaned from their study of “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story,” under the direction of its author, Pulitzer Prize winner, Emmy winner and investigative reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones. Kristen Jarrett, Spotify’s lead on its equity, diversity and impact team and its NextGen program, explained that the collaboration between Spotify an ..read more

By Zsana Hoskins Special to the AFRO Hosts of the event Kiana Wood, founder and creative director of Kigenix Creative, and Siraaj Woods, founder of SWC Credit: Photo courtesy of Siraaj Woods Siraaj Woods Creatives (SWC), a local social media agency, and Kigenix Creative, a photography brand that specializes in health and wellness visual content, recently hosted their fourth networking event for entrepreneurs and content creators in the DMV area. The event, which focused on niche marketing, was held at The Link in Alexandria, Va., and included a panel that was recorded as a live podcast.  ..read more

Special to The Afro By Ariyana Griffin Candidates running for the Mayor of Baltimore gathered at Unity Hall to speak at a Baltimore City Housing & Community Development Candidate Forum on April 13 to discuss their plan of actions for housing and community development. The event was hosted by a coalition of city housing and community organizations to provide candidates Brandon Scott, Sheila Dixon, Bob Wallace and Thiru Vignarajah with the opportunity to speak to the community on their plans regarding housing. Vacant Homes  A major topic was the amount of dilapidated homes and lots in ..read more

Special to the AFRO By Ariyana Griffin  WBAL-TV 11 and Maryland Public Television hosted two Democratic candidate primary election debates exclusive to Morgan State University students, facility and staff on April 17. The debate took place at the Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center on the historically Black university’s campus. The debate included current Mayor Brandon M. Scott, former mayor Sheila Dixon, Thiru Vignarajah and Bob Wallace.  Juvenile crime Candidates were asked to speak on the rise of juvenile crime in the city. Moderators brought up the Brooklyn Homes mass shooting last ..read more

Signature event with informational sessions to provide local business owners with best practices to help grow their business The nation’s capital may be best known for its historic monuments, museums and galleries, but it’s also a thriving marketplace for ideas and innovation making it a popular destination for entrepreneurs. In fact, the D.C. metro area has one of the top 10 best startup ecosystems in the United States with over 1,000 startups and enterprises. To help support these local business owners as they start, run and grow their businesses, Chase for Business is inviting D.C.-area bu ..read more

By TriceEdneyWire.com Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes is no longer serving the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition as president. Haynes stepped into the role in February 2024. Credit: Courtesy photo Less than a year after the fanfare announcement that he will succeed the Rev. Jesse Jackson as leader of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III announced his resignation this week amid what insiders described as a painful financial situation.  Few details were available at Trice Edney News Wire deadline, but according to Dr. Haynes’ April 16 statement titled, “Public Resignation Statemen ..read more

By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer msayles@afro.com Schelo D. Collier likes to say she became an investor before she even knew what investing was. In middle school, she used her weekly allowance to buy snacks to sell to her classmates at double the price she purchased them for. Collier was, in essence, buying low and selling high.  In 2019, she founded Black Women Invest to foster a community for like-minded Black women to learn about investment and wealth-building topics. The network has grown to nearly 15,000 members and regularly engages in financial wellness trainings, investment b ..read more

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By Ariyana Griffin, Special to the AFRO A refund check is received when a student at a college or university has loan money or financial aid funds that are left over after paying for a semester. The school will use the funds provided for big ticket items such as tuition, books and room and board, with any remaining funds disbursed to the student in the form of a check or direct deposit. The infamous “refund check,” as it is often called, is usually dispersed several weeks after the start of the semester. The amount ranges per person, it can be a few hundred or a few thousand. What students do ..read more

By Bria Overs, Word In Black Parents want the best for their children — to see them thrive, graduate college, get a good job and start a family of their own. Young adults turn to their parents for advice and, on occasion, financial assistance to achieve these key milestones of adulthood. Texas resident Kayla G., 28, is one of those young people. She used a full-ride scholarship to get through college, but her parents provided support — filling out her FAFSA and paying for groceries — while she completed her undergraduate degree. After graduation, she moved home rent-free, got a marketing job ..read more