As the curtain falls on the $52.5 billion childcare relief initiative spearheaded by the Biden administration and Congress, a patchwork of innovative state-level solutions has emerged to fill the void. According to The Associated Press, policymakers nationwide have acknowledged that a federal remedy is unlikely to arise in the near future, sparking them to get ahead of the matter and craft novel approaches to fund and sustain childcare programs. State initiatives include the expansion of low-cost or free preschool and early childhood education. Legislators have devised permanent funding mechan ..read more

Originally Published Mar. 31, 2020. If you conduct a quick search on the internet, you will probably find a skit centered on office culture. Pre-pandemic work culture is no longer a reality for many. We now live in a world where Zoom and Teams are considered “the office.” That said, how does one show up and exceed in an online setting? Body language and presentation expert Linda Clemons says one of the key elements to nailing remote work performance is connecting well via video and that the rules for doing so are specific. Here are her fail-safe tips: Prepare and rehearse “It wasn’t raining wh ..read more

An accomplished fundraising and philanthropic executive, Shelley Goode has joined the AARP Foundation as senior vice president and chief development officer. The Foundation reports working for and with vulnerable people over 50 to end senior poverty and reduce financial hardships. Goode will oversee fundraising across the Foundation, AARP advocacy, and other AARP affiliates. She is part of the Foundation’s executive leadership team. The Foundation is a charitable affiliate of AARP, the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization geared to empowering Americans 50 and older. Its work in ..read more

Originally Published May 2, 2019. When it comes to mental health, black women are more likely to experience mental health-related issues due to lower income, poor health, multiple role strain, and the “double minority status” of race and gender, according to a study conducted by psychologists who focused on the lack of support black women receive professionally. More recently, the National Alliance of Mental Illness recently published a study that revealed: Only ⅓ of black Americans who need mental health care receive it Physician-patient communication differs for African Americans and whites ..read more

Originally Published Nov. 16, 2018. So much gets lost in the everyday hustle of getting things done as a professional or business owner. You know, the important things like compassion for yourself and others; taking the time to take deep breaths when you’re feeling anxious, upset, or overwhelmed; and being mindful about the energy that you put out into the world as well as the energy you receive. Sounds like a lot, right? But those are the things that Claude Silver, chief heart officer at VaynerMedia, says are critical to becoming whole and ultimately successful whether you’re clocking in ..read more

The African American Philanthropy Committee (AAPC) of the Cleveland Foundation recently hosted the eighth biennial African American Philanthropy Summit on April 13, to spotlight philanthropy and the Black family. The signature gathering aimed to bring together and inspire leaders from Northeast Ohio and countrywide who share a belief in the transformative potential of philanthropic efforts. In a press statement, Lillian Kuri, the president & CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, highlighted the AAPC’s role as “a national model for convening community members and driving conversation and greater ..read more

Originally Published Aug. 6, 2018. Social media is a powerful and almost necessary tool for marketing a business. How do you know when you are operating your social media the right way? When thinking about your online profile professionally, think about it holistically. What does your entire social media presence represent, and is the picture you paint effective? If customers view your profile across the board on X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, will they get the same feel for who you are, or will you exude something totally different on each platform? Here are ..read more

After four years of relentless effort, Kolt Bloxson opened the doors to the Miles Ahead Charter School on the outskirts of Atlanta. Students, referred to as “scholars,” fill the renovated halls of a former church building, the home of Bloxson’s tuition-free kindergarten through 8th grade charter school. According to NBC News, Miles Ahead has seen a rapidly growing waitlist since it began in August 2023. The school started with 14 teachers, eight staff members, and 195 students. Bloxson envisioned a nurturing space where young learners would be uplifted daily, guided by the “High Five Habits ..read more

In a press call Wednesday morning, White House Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Senior Advisor and former Columbia, S.C. Gov. Stephen Benjamin discussed the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to boost Black businesses, Black unemployment, education, and more. When President Joe Biden took office, Black unemployment skyrocketed as the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the economy. However, in the four years since, the Black unemployment rate has fallen to 5.3%, the lowest rate since the government began tracking it.  Adeyemo noted in the press call that provisions made by the Bide ..read more

Written by Stephanie J. Hull, Ph.D. Corporate boards these days eagerly seek Black and brown people and women as directors. This interest is driven largely by ESG initiatives such as NASDAQ’s 2021 Board Diversity Rule, which requires companies to have at least one director (and by 2026, two) identifying as a woman, a member of an underrepresented racial and ethnic group, or LGBTQ+. The pressure is on. Despite some progress, boards are struggling overall with representation. In 2022, Fortune 100 companies had 14.9% BIPOC men and 8.8% BIPOC women, according to Deloitte. Those numbers were slight ..read more