LeVar Burton releases YouTube video series on what it’s like to be Black in America

LeVar Burton is trying to educate the masses about the daily racism and microaggressions that affect Black Americans through a video series called This is My Story.

READ MORE: LeVar Burton bombarded with angry tweets from Trump fans who think he’s LaVar Ball

The Roots and Star Trek actor said he came up with the idea just thinking “about the state of race relations in America,” according to his Twitter post. Through the six-part, YouTube series, Burton said he hopes to provide an “anecdotal context” for what it’s like to be Black in America by utilizing the “power of storytelling as a way to bridge the gap between races.”

“There was an America before ROOTS and there was an America after ROOTS and post ROOTS, America was a greater, more enlightened nation. We came to a better, deeper, more informed understanding of the evil nature, intent, and outcomes of chattel slavery as practiced in America,” Burton says on Twitter. “As a result, I fervently believe in the power of Storytelling to move the culture forward. To that end, some friends and I have created a few videos, 6 in all, that chronicle some of the racist experiences most Black people who live in America, have in common.”

Burton warned naysayers to open their minds to the realization that their experience in America is not everyone’s experience.

Spoiler Alert: Unless you have walked the walk of the African American experience in this country, it is difficult — not impossible — but difficult, to know what that journey is on the daily. Trust me when I say, being Black in America is not for the weak of heart.

— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) January 2, 2020

“Spoiler Alert: Unless you have walked the walk of the African American experience in this country, it is difficult — not impossible — but difficult, to know what that journey is on the daily. Trust me when I say, being Black in America is not for the weak of heart,” Burton said in the Twitter post. “Neither is it for the weak in Spirit. For, being Black in America oftentimes means living in and loving a country, that does not love us back. You may take exception to my premise but you cannot discount my experience.”

Burton then goes into what viewers can expect from each of the six videos of the series. The veteran actor narrates each of the stories.

READ MORE: LeVar Burton calls Tarantino’s ‘Roots’ ‘Django’ comparison ‘bullsh*t’

“The first installment of, This Is My Story, is an incident from my own life,” Burton wrote, referring to when he was racially profiled as a student at the University of Southern California. “The others are real life experiences of some of my friends, told by me. Like ROOTS did so long ago, my intention in sharing these stories is to provide anecdotal context for being Black in America.”

The first installment of, This Is My Story, is an incident from my own life. The others are real life experiences of some of my friends, told by me. Like ROOTS did so long ago, my intention in sharing these stories is to provide anecdotal context for being Black in America.

— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) January 2, 2020

The post LeVar Burton releases YouTube video series on what it’s like to be Black in America appeared first on theGrio.

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Kentucky high school girls basketball coach finds racist slur written on his car

A Black, girls high school basketball coach in Kentucky had just lost a game and was headed out to his car when he noticed a racial slur written on his rear window.

READ MORE: Black New Jersey high school basketball player taunted with racist attacks

Erik Daniels, who coaches and teaches at Woodford County High School and once played basketball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats, said only “cowards” would scrawl the N-word out of raindrops on his car. The incident happened after Friday night’s game, according to The Louisville Courier-Journal.

“In 2020 we still have cowards doing things like this,” Daniels wrote in a Facebook post. “But the funny thing is that we laughed about it because with me playing basketball all over the world this happened a lot. I’ve been called a nigger in several languages so it doesn’t bother me at all. I’ll keep doing God’s work by educating these kids and preparing them for life. And a little advice for people who do foolish things like this, there are cameras everywhere on school campuses. I’m going to embrace the hate and let everyone else be mad.”

Woodford County Public Schools officials said they are investigating the incident and have notified law enforcement. School officials say they are also reviewing security footage.

In a Facebook post, the Central Kentucky school system said: “it is our highest priority to ensure the safety and security of our staff and students, which includes maintaining a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.”

“This incident in no way reflects the values and mission of Woodford County Public Schools, and appropriate action will be taken upon a positive identification of the individual,” the school system wrote on Facebook.

READ MORE: Shaq releasing inspiring ‘Killer Bees’ documentary about struggling basketball team

The school district is requesting anyone who has additional information on the incident contact its administrative staff or police.

Daniels was chosen to head up the Woodford County girls basketball team last summer.

The post Kentucky high school girls basketball coach finds racist slur written on his car appeared first on theGrio.

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Lil Nas X Teams Up With Scholly to Give Away $30,000 in Student Scholarships

Despite dropping out of college, Lil Nas X is making it easier for students to earn a college degree. The Grammy-nominated artist teamed up with Scholly, a popular scholarship-matching platform, to give away $30,000 in scholarships.

Born Montero Lamar Hill, the 20-year-old rapper revealed that three deserving high school and current college students will receive $10,000 each. To apply, students must complete a two-minute application and submit an essay on Scholly’s website or through the Scholly app. The deadline is May 15, 2020.

“Before his music career took off, Lil Nas X was like many high school students scrambling to find ways to pay for college,” said Scholly founder Christopher Gray in a press release sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Because he knows how hard it can be to find money to pay for college, he was eager to help students reduce student loans and get the word out about all the ways to help students succeed.”

Lil Nas X graduated from a Georgia high school in 2017 and studied for one year at the University of West Georgia before dropping out to pursue a career as an internet sensation and rapper. During this time, he lived with his sister and worked at restaurants and a Six Flags theme park before the release of his recording-breaking hit, “Old Town Road,” in December 2018. The single grew in popularity and was re-released by Columbia Records in March 2019. Lil Nas X then recorded a remix with country singer Billy Ray Cyrus that was released in April. The country-rap hit peaked at no. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, becoming the longest-running no. 1 song in Billboard history.

“Not too long ago, I was in college racking up student loans,” said the rap star, who is up for six Grammys, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year, in a promo video. “I still understand the challenges my fans have when it comes to paying for school.”

Founded in 2013, Scholly claims it has helped students win more than $100 million in scholarships for college and graduate school. The platform also uses artificial intelligence to proofread and edit academic papers, essays, and other writing assignments.

Gray created the platform in order to share with students the same techniques that helped him earn $1.3 million in scholarships while he was in college. Scholly received national attention when it was featured on Shark Tank, landing a deal with Daymond John and Lori Greiner while sparking one of the biggest fights in the show’s history.

Students can apply for the Lil Nas X scholarship by visiting myscholly.com/lilnasx

 

 

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Lil Nas X Teams Up With Scholly to Give Away $30,000 in Student Scholarships

Despite dropping out of college, Lil Nas X is making it easier for students to earn a college degree. The Grammy-nominated artist teamed up with Scholly, a popular scholarship-matching platform, to give away $30,000 in scholarships.

Born Montero Lamar Hill, the 20-year-old rapper revealed that three deserving high school and current college students will receive $10,000 each. To apply, students must complete a two-minute application and submit an essay on Scholly’s website or through the Scholly app. The deadline is May 15, 2020.

“Before his music career took off, Lil Nas X was like many high school students scrambling to find ways to pay for college,” said Scholly founder Christopher Gray in a press release sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Because he knows how hard it can be to find money to pay for college, he was eager to help students reduce student loans and get the word out about all the ways to help students succeed.”

Lil Nas X graduated from a Georgia high school in 2017 and studied for one year at the University of West Georgia before dropping out to pursue a career as an internet sensation and rapper. During this time, he lived with his sister and worked at restaurants and a Six Flags theme park before the release of his recording-breaking hit, “Old Town Road,” in December 2018. The single grew in popularity and was re-released by Columbia Records in March 2019. Lil Nas X then recorded a remix with country singer Billy Ray Cyrus that was released in April. The country-rap hit peaked at no. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, becoming the longest-running no. 1 song in Billboard history.

“Not too long ago, I was in college racking up student loans,” said the rap star, who is up for six Grammys, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year, in a promo video. “I still understand the challenges my fans have when it comes to paying for school.”

Founded in 2013, Scholly claims it has helped students win more than $100 million in scholarships for college and graduate school. The platform also uses artificial intelligence to proofread and edit academic papers, essays, and other writing assignments.

Gray created the platform in order to share with students the same techniques that helped him earn $1.3 million in scholarships while he was in college. Scholly received national attention when it was featured on Shark Tank, landing a deal with Daymond John and Lori Greiner while sparking one of the biggest fights in the show’s history.

Students can apply for the Lil Nas X scholarship by visiting myscholly.com/lilnasx

 

 

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3 Ways to Obtain Financing to Grow Your Business

Building a successful business is both rewarding and challenging. One of the biggest challenges is access to capital. According to the 2017 Federal Reserve Report to Congress, “the relatively elevated costs of evaluating small business loan applications and the ongoing costs of monitoring firm performance have made loans to small businesses less attractive for some lenders.” This economic reality has prevented many enterprises from expanding. As a business owner, you must be proactive when it comes to acquiring a line of credit or working capital. By developing a strategy before pursuing capital, you will increase the probability of success. 

Here is how you can obtain financing to grow your business. 

How to obtain financing to grow your business

Revisit Your Business Plan

We’ve all heard, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” While cliche, it is important to note when it comes to building your business. If you have developed a business plan, now is the time to revisit. It is important for you to update your plan to show that you are an attractive candidate for financing. You want to tell a prospective lender the story of your business through numbers. For example, you can highlight the increases in operating margins and revenue per employee over the course of a three year period. The upward trend can give lenders confidence that you are growing and will be able to service the debt payments. 

Control your finances

While acquiring and serving your customers is your main priority, managing your finances is crucial. If you haven’t done so, developing and monitoring a budget can help you keep spending under control. You will also benefit from working with your business advisor to develop a forecast for your revenues and expenses.

As the lead decision-maker, you should be familiar with your accounting software. Work closely with your business advisor to analyze and interpret financial reports to know how you are performing. 

With tax season around the corner, it’s not too early to have a conversation with your accountant about maximizing your credit and deductions. Develop a tax plan that you can work on all year round to reduce your ongoing tax liability and keep more money in your business.

Build lending relationships

In business, relationships are paramount to success. As a business owner, one of the best relationships you can develop is with a business banker. If you haven’t done so already, introduce yourself to the business banker at the institution that you bank with. Tell them about your business and the customers that you serve. They can be a great source of information on financing options and how you can position yourself to obtain financing.

If a traditional lender isn’t a good fit at this time, try an alternative lender. A community development financial institution, or CDFI, is a nonprofit lender who provides financing to small business owners. You can find a list of CDFIs in your area on the Opportunity Finance Network’s website. 

Scaling a business takes a considerable amount of resources, including capital. The great news is that there are many lending options available today. With the right plan in place, you can increase the probability of getting approved for financing to grow your business. 

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