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Serena Williams Covers and Serves as Guest Editor for "Wired" Magazine this Month

By goodblacknews on November 2, 2015

Serena Williams
Serena Williams (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

For the latest edition of Wired magazine, Serena Williams is doing more than just gracing the cover.
The tennis superstar is also serving as a guest editor in a special issue designed to look specifically at the issues of equality and diversity across a range of different communities and backgrounds. From science fiction to sports and from science to Hollywood, many different voices have joined together to tell their stories.
In her editorial, Williams talked about a multitude of ways that we can help fight for equality for ourselves and each other. She mentioned educational programs like Black Girls Code, and also noted the simple need to stand up for people who are being harassed (for example, she specifically mentioned the moment famed author J.K. Rowling stood up for and inspired her.)

(Wired)
(Wired)

She also called for more opportunity for people of every background:

Equality is important. In the NFL, they have something called the Rooney rule. It says that teams have to interview minority candidates for senior jobs. It’s a rule that companies in Silicon Valley are starting to follow too, and that’s great. But we need to see more women and people of different colors and nationalities in tech. That’s the reason I wanted to do this issue with WIRED—I’m a black woman, and I am in a sport that wasn’t really meant for black people. And while tennis isn’t really about the future, Silicon Valley sure is. I want young people to look at the trailblazers we’ve assembled below and be inspired. I hope they eventually become trailblazers themselves. Together we can change the future.

You can check out Williams’ full editorial here, and you should definitely go out and get the November issue for more amazing stories like hers, and to support black women having a much larger place in all technological fields and industries.
article via thegrio.com

Online Entrepreneur Camille Newman Seeks to Revolutionize Fashion for Curvy Girls with PopUpPlus.com

By goodblacknews on November 1, 2015

Midnight Mock Neck Dress
Midnight Mock Neck Dress

It is a time old scenario, college girl meets hot guy, girl gets asked out on a date, girls goes to the mall and is unable to find anything to wear, as a result, girl creates her own business.
This is the true story of Camille Newman, founder of  the online plus-size boutique PopUpPlus.com.  Although the market of curvy women has gone largely ignored by the fashion world, today, this overlooked demographic is becoming increasingly popular and lucrative. According to Bloomberg, the plus-size industry is now valued at $17.5 billion. However, maverick and online entrepreneur Camille already knew the value of her curvy sisters and had her nose to the grindstone catering to this underserved market long before it became in vogue.
Eurweb had the pleasure to catch up with Camille Newman to discuss her online fashion boutique and why she feels most retailers are late guests to the curvy gal party.
Describe your background.
I graduated from college in 2002 with a liberal arts background.  I have always had a love for fashion and I’ve always been curvy.  I was actually on the path to a Ph.D. program, but I transitioned into corporate retail and moved back to New York City.  I started out with Lane Bryant and since then for a number of companies for a long amount of time. I’ve been in fashion for almost 15 years [overseeing] store management, pricing strategy, planning and buying.
How did you come up with the ideas to start your business?
While in college, I met this cute guy and he asked me out for a date.  My best friend and I went to the local mall and [we spent hours there]. I realized that I gained a lot of weight and I could not find anything to wear.  I remember feeling terrible. It was a real blow to my self-esteem. I promised myself that no other girl that was my weight or heavier would ever feel like that.  That is how my interest in the plus size industry started.  I [thought of] a way to enter the industry with a low overhead and that’s how the idea for the pop up shop [was developed].
What are biggest misconceptions about plus-size women?
The biggest misconception is that we all have some insecurity, we overeat, and that we are unhappy and fat.  A plus-size woman is a regular girl with some extra weight on.  I’m saying we don’t have our challenges but I think our challenges [are increased] when you don’t see yourself being represented in the fashion industry. There are so many reasons why women gain weight. Many women have had children, they have issues with thyroids [which affects] a lot of African American women, which was my issue, it made me gain and keep the weight.  I have met plus size women who are fashionable and taking style risk.  Plus-size woman are have always been creative.  I met a lady who tailored maternity wear.  We have always been a creative group of fashionistas.
In your opinion, why these misconceptions continue to exist in our society?
Love Story Crop Set Black
Love Story Crop Set Black

On my Instagram, I will post a girl in a form fitting dress and people will have rude, nasty comments. “Oh my God look at her butt, yes she has shape wear on but why is she wearing that, [she should wear] something more flowing, [she should] cover [her] arms.” And the [July issue where] the Oprah Magazine article said that you can only wear a crop top if you have a flat stomach. I think we live in a society unfortunately, that fashion has been able to take over our minds and make you think that in order to be fashionable you have to be skinny, blonde, tall, and anorexic looking.
The reality is according to the United States Census 6 out of 10 women in the U.S. are a size 14 or larger. Yet, we allow the fashion industry to dictate our taste, but they shouldn’t be able to dictate what is good and real for a woman’s body. The fashion industry should not be allowed to perpetuate size-ism; they should not be allowed to make the majority of American woman feel bad about themselves.
What separates your company from other retailers that cater to the full-figure woman?

Black Women in Detroit Raise Money and Awareness for Rape Kits

By goodblacknews on October 22, 2015

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy holds up an example of a rape test kit at a press conference at the Atheneum Suite Hotel in Detroit Tuesday Jan. 6, 2015. The Michigan Women's Foundation teams with The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, which discovered 11,000 untested rape kits in a Detroit police storage unit five years ago, announced today their collaboration to raise $10 million to pay for the testing, investigation and prosecution of those unsolved rape cases. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press)
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy holds up an example of a rape test kit at a press conference in Detroit Tuesday Jan. 6, 2015. The Michigan Women’s Foundation teams with The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which discovered 11,000 untested rape kits in a Detroit police storage unit five years ago, are collaborating to raise $10 million to pay for the testing, investigation and prosecution of those unsolved rape cases. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press)

A broad coalition of women’s groups is coming together to raise awareness about sexual assault and to propel black women to be a force for getting Detroit’s languishing rape kits processed.
The coalition is named the African American 490 Challenge because it is urging black women, individually and collectively, to raise multiples of $490, the cost of processing a single rape kit. The group will kick off its efforts at a gathering Tuesday morning to be attended by leaders of several black women’s service organizations, sororities and other supporters.
Their effort buttresses the work of Enough SAID (Enough Sexual Assault In Detroit), the rape kit testing and investigation effort being led by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and the Michigan Women’s Foundation. Worthy has been leading a campaign to get kits tested since learning five years ago that more than 11,300 kits — the key investigative evidence of assault taken from women during a physical exam — were left unopened and untested in a police storage unit.

Michigan gets $7.5M to help clear untested rape kits (DETROIT FREE PRESS)

 State, local, private and public funds have resulted from Worthy’s efforts, and donations have poured in from all over the country.  The African American 490 Challenge is working with Enough SAID and plans to raise at least $650,000.

“I think this is a fabulous effort,” said Worthy, who will attend Tuesday’s meeting. “If ever there’s an issue these women should get behind, it’s this one. The support they’ll be able to amass will be essential to our success.”
About 10,000 kits have been tested since an assistant prosecutor discovered them in a police storage unit in 2009. More than 1,000 kits have yet to be tested, and money is needed to complete the investigations of those assaults, Worthy said.
Investigations of the kits thus far have revealed that more than 500 rapists were serial offenders, according to data from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

More than 80% of victims associated with the rape kits are African-American women, according to data released by the foundation.
“They look like my mother, my aunts, our sisters, our daughters, our nieces,” said Maureen Stapleton, a local leader of the Links and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, two community service organizations tailored to African-American women.
Stapleton joined forces with civic leader Kim Trent and public relations executive Darci McConnell in spearheading the coalition. Trent was moved to action by a Facebook debate that seemed to place the blame for sexual assault on women.
“I decided I needed to do something constructive with my anger,” said Trent, a member of the Wayne State University Board of Governors. “We want to come together to say: ‘This is unacceptable, and we are black women who stand ready to make sure this never happens again, and that the women it happened to get justice.’ ”
Both Trent and McConnell said they were victims of sexual assault, and neither reported it.  Trent said statistics show that the majority of women don’t report sexual assault. “Those who do deserve to have their day in court,” especially given the invasive procedure required to obtain rape kits.
“We want to make sure that people understand how serious this is, and that they don’t do what many of us did, which was to keep quiet and retreat,” McConnell said.
The coalition has begun raising money through an online donation site — crowdrise.com/AfricanAmerican490Challenge — and has gained the support of local businesses owned by black women, including two spas — Woodhouse Day spa in Detroit and Lavender Mobile Spa — that are donating part of profits to the effort.
Additionally, the group is encouraging black womens groups, book clubs and other organizations to host fund-raising house parties and other events to raise money.
“The great majority of the victims of these unsolved crimes are black women,” states the coalition’s fund-raising page. “Our mothers. Our sisters. Our daughters. Our neighbors. Our aunts. Our cousins. Our friends. Women who look and live like us. Now is the time for black women to use our voices and resources to show sexual assault victims that they have not been forgotten.”
UPCOMING SPA EVENTS 
The two spas are holding fundraising efforts this month for the African American 490 Challenge are:  

  • The Woodhouse Day Spa, 1447 Woodward Ave., which will donate 10% of its profits on Oct. 22 to the challenge. In addition, there will be a reception for supporters 5-7:30 p.m. that day. The reception is free and open to the public. 
  • Lavender Mobile Spa will host a fund-raiser at the Westin Hotel in Southfield 1500 Town Center, Southfield, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.  Oct. 24.
article by Cassandra Sprawling via freep.com

Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele Set Fox Comedy With Vine Star King Bach

By goodblacknews on October 13, 2015

keypeele
Key & Peele (photo via Getty Images)

bachelor copy
Andrew Bachelor aka King Bach (photo via deadline.com)

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele have set up a followup TV series project to their hit Comedy Central sketch show Key & Peele — a single-camera undercover cop comedy starring top Vine personality Andrew Bachelor aka King Bach. Key and Peele are executive producing the project which, in a competitive situation, has landed at Fox.

Written by Key & Peele writer-producer Alex Rubens, the untitled comedy is loosely based on a King Bach Vine and stars Bachelor as an undercover cop who grew up on the streets and goes back to his old neighborhood to take down the bad guys who bullied him when they were kids. Rubens, Key and Peele executive produce.

As his exuberant alter ego King Bach, Bachelor has become Vine’s biggest star, boasting 14 million followers and 5.1 billion loops. The Groundlings alum has parlayed his Vine success into a rising acting career with recurring roles on The Mindy Project, House Of Lies and Black Jesus. He also appeared on Key & Peele. 
This is Key and Peele’s first TV series project since they recently ended their successful Comedy Central sketch comedy series Key & Peele, which the duo created, executive produced and starred in. The series, which ran for 5 seasons, has garnered 9 Emmy nominations, including best sketch variety comedy series and best supporting actor in a comedy series, Key, this year. Peele, Key and Rubens have shared two Emmy nominations in the writing for variety series category.
Key, Peele and Rubens recently worked together on the upcoming New Line feature Keanu, which Key and Peele produce and star in and Peele and Rubens wrote. Key and Peele also have been developing a new installment of thePolice Academy franchise at New Line, a feature based on their popular Substitute Teacher skits at Paramount with Rubens co-writing, and a comedy with Judd Apatow at Universal. Individually, Peele is set to write and direct Blumhouse’s horror film Get Out, while Key stars in Mike Birbiglia’s latest movie Don’t Think Twice and is part of the voice cast of The Angry Birds Movie.
article by Nellie Andreeva via deadline.com

 

‘Salt’: New Talk Show For Black Christian Millennials Debuts on YouTube This Sunday

By goodblacknews on October 10, 2015

"Salt"
Co-hosts of “Salt” (photo via youtube.com)

Salt, a new half-hour, bi-weekly talk show focused on the ups and downs of being Christian millennials of color during a time when media spaces are often populated with inauthentic “reality” TV shows, is scheduled to debut Sunday, Oct 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET on YouTube.
Hosted by Michelle Jenkins, Yeira De Leon, J. Jones, and L.A. Bonds, Salt will engage in no-holds-barred conversations ranging from news of the day to beauty, fashion and colorism in the Black community. The four outspoken women will also keep it real about their own personal relationships. Whether married, single or somewhere in between (think Netflix and Chill), Salt wants to add its flavor to your Sundays.
With a focus on faith and Christianity, Salt’s goal is not just to entertain. According to a statement released exclusively to Newsone, the women also want to “win back the lost”:
Salt’s overarching goal is to provide an alternative perspective that not only promotes a relationship with Christ, but the “cool” life to be had when you do.  To be young and a Christian has been for so long deemed “unpopular”, but what if someone showed you that is simply not true. That choosing to follow Jesus is not a restriction, but a freedom!  The show, which is filled with so much truth, love, fun, and personal experience, hopes to capture the young minds of today who are being inundated with conflicting information from everywhere. 
The growing media continues to push and help shape the thoughts of young adults today, so rather than find an opportunity to live within this media construct, SALT seeks to create their own lane to win back the lost. The Bible tells us to be the SALT and the light of the world and that is what we intend to do.
With the rise of social media, millennials seem to be more vulnerable than ever to self-hatred, depression, lack of self-confidence, bullying, and suicide. Moreover in the news, young men and women of color are increasingly becoming targets of a love-less system. But with every poor illustration and message of hopelessness, we want to project a message of hope and empowerment. When our viewers watch SALT, we want them to be inspired to share their voice and their faith with the world. We hope to encourage them with our stories and ultimately help restore their hope. Everyone needs a hero, so in one way or another, we point our viewers back to ours, Jesus!
Appealing to more than a Christian base may prove tricky for the show. Even though it’s important to have diversity of thought represented in media spaces, not having faith in Jesus does not make one “lost” any more than having faith in Jesus makes one found. There are agnostic, atheist and Muslim millennials. There are millennials who identify as spiritual beings not restricted by religion.
So, can a show grounded in “God’s truth and the Gospel of Jesus,” according to SoulFeedTV’s stated purpose, have wide-spread appeal among an increasing secular millennial demographic that is uninterested in being “saved,” no matter how fun the hosts make it seem?
We guess you’ll have to pour a little Salt on your Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET on YouTube to find out.
To see a trailer for the show, click here.
article via hellobeautiful.com

Black Engineers Join Forces in Non-Profit Group /dev/color to Boost Diversity

By goodblacknews on October 10, 2015

Pinterest engineer and /dev/color founder Makinde Adeagbo (Photo: Awara Adeagbo)
Pinterest engineer and /dev/color founder Makinde Adeagbo
(Photo: Awara Adeagbo)

SAN FRANCISCO — Makinde Adeagbo knows how isolating it can be to live and work in Silicon Valley as an African American. He says it’s even more isolating to be a software engineer here.
Adeagbo, who is an engineer at the San Francisco company Pinterest, says he can go weeks without spotting another black engineer in America’s tech hub.  “It’s not only that you are the only black person in the room or in the company, often times you are the only black person you see in Palo Alto or Menlo Park,” says Adeagbo, 30.
About 1% of engineers at Facebook and Google are African American. The population of Palo Alto, Calif. is 2% African American, Menlo Park, Calif., is under 5%.
Over the summer Adeagbo founded /dev/color, a nonprofit group for African-American engineers that officially launched on Wednesday. The group brings together engineers from top companies such as Facebook, Uber and Airbnb to provide support and a voice to African Americans and give them the opportunity to raise up the next generation, Adeagbo says.
Adeagbo says he hit on the idea while volunteering as a mentor to a couple of computer science students.
“These students knew they had someone who had their backs, whom they could look up to and reach out to when they needed help. I thought to myself: Every black software engineer could accomplish a lot if they had someone like this,” says Adeagbo. .
The name /dev/color is a reference to a common directory on computer systems “as well as our efforts to strengthen the community of Black software engineers, engineers of color,” he says.
Adeagbo’s /dev/color is joining Black Girls Code, Code 2040 and the Hidden Genius Project, a new and growing wave of enterprising organizations founded by African Americans aimed at addressing the scarcity of African Americans in the tech industry.
“Other black software engineers need to provide this for the black engineers coming behind them,” says Adeagbo, who is splitting his time between /dev/color and Pinterest. “We all need to work together to pull ourselves up and make sure we are accomplishing all that we can.”
The challenge is daunting: A fraction of the tech work force in Silicon Valley is African American and little progress has been made to address the problem. Only 1% of venture-capital-backed start-ups are led by African-Americans and less than 1% of general partners at major venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, the ones that back tomorrow’s Facebooks and Googles, are African American.

Tech Giant Apple Appoints former Boeing CEO James A. Bell to its Board of Directors

By goodblacknews on October 4, 2015

James A. Bell (photo via macdaily.com)
James A. Bell (photo via macdaily.com)

Technology companies have been the target of questioning when it comes to hiring minorities. In fact, with the lack of adequate minority representation in companies like Facebook and Google, civil rights activists such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson along with the Rev. Al Sharpton have called out these companies. By calling out major technology companies with regard to their hiring practices of minorities to managerial and upper management positions, some companies are listening.
In a recent development, Apple has elected James, A. Bell to its board of directors. This move is without a doubt, a move in the right direction for a company as powerful as Apple.
Bell is the former chief financial officer and corporate president of the Boeing Company. With a 38-year tenure at Boeing, Bell served as the interim CEO of the the company in 2005.
When asked about his election to the board of directors for Apple, Bell said “I am an avid user of Apple products and have a tremendous respect for the company’s ability to innovate. I am delighted to join the Apple board and look forward to contributing to its continued success in any way I can.” according to The Root.
With all of his vast experience in corporate America, Bell brings quality leadership and strategic planning to the board. In addition to that, his experience in finance will definitely be a huge contributing factor.
“In August, Apple said it was making efforts to hire more women and underrepresented minorities, recruiting more diverse candidates in the past 12 months than in any previous year, but overall there was little change in the demographics of the company, which is overwhelmingly male and white, USA Today reported Thursday.”
Apple isn’t the only board appointment Bell has. He’s a board member of the following: Dow Chemical, JP Morgan Chase, and CDW. He’s also a trustee of the Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center
.
article via financialjuneteenth.com

Homeless Veterans Get Second Chance To Rebuild Their Lives Through Technology

By goodblacknews on September 30, 2015
homeless veterans get second chance through technology
U.S. Veterans Buddy Holston and Darionne Lee to learn coding via Tech Talent South in Atlanta
Two U.S. veterans who have struggled with homelessness are being given a second chance to rebuild their lives thanks to a community partnership that empowers the men to master advanced coding and computer programming skills.
The grassroots initiative makes it possible for the ex-servicemen to complete an 8-week intensive, full-time, coding course at Tech Talent South’s offices in metropolitan Atlanta, where they will learn everything from HTML/CSS to Ruby on Rails.
“We have seen coding change lives, and we are excited to extend that opportunity to our veterans who truly need it,” says Richard Simms, co-founder of Tech Talent South (TTS), a coding boot camp dedicated to fostering talent in technology throughout the Southeast. “We hope to give them a valuable skill set that helps them get back on their feet.”
The initiative, a partnership between Tech Talent South, Back on My Feet, Homegrown, Veterans Empowerment Organization, Accenture, and UrbanGeekz, will serve as a lifeline for both men who have faced tough times since leaving the armed forces. The nonprofit organization Back on My Feet received a grant from Accenture to put the homeless vets through the TTS course.
Originally from Chicago, Buddy Holston, 58, joined the armed forces in 1980 and served for a decade. He says he is thrilled by the chance to gain the skills needed to start a career in technology.
“I’m really excited about this,” says Holston. “I hope to become proficient in coding and be able to make practical use of those skills. After Tech Talent South, I hope to obtain employment and also share what I learn with others, particularly those in underserved communities.”
In fact, according to US News, the Labor Department considers web development to be one of the fastest-growing careers this decade, and it predicts employment will swell by about 20 percent by 2022. Given that demand, the training gives the men an opening to get back on track and boost their job prospects.
Holston says he has always had an interest in technology. While living at the Veterans Empowerment Organization, he even began trying to build his own Google App.
“I started tinkering with my first bike. I took it apart just to put it back together. It’s the same with toy trains and tape recorders. Throughout high school and college, I liked engineering, math, and science. I always wanted to learn more.”
Atlanta native Darionne Lee, 29, received training from Job Corps before joining the armed forces in 2009. He served for 3 years. He has also worked as a Machine and Forklift Operator and dabbled in AutoCAD Programming.
“I hope to break into the tech field,” says Lee. “I have always been interested in technology.  When I was in the service, I was exposed to so many different technologies and types of programs. I definitely want to learn more.”
To read the rest of this article, go to: UrbanGeekz.com
 

‘Empire’ Returns Big, Draws Second-Best Rating to Date; ‘Rosewood’ Starring Morris Chestnut Solid

By goodblacknews on September 24, 2015

empire premiere season 2 ratings
“Empire” Season 2 (Photo via CHUCK HODES/FOX)

UPDATE: In rush nationals ordered by Fox, “Empire” was revised up to a 6.7 in adults 18-49 and 16.2 million total viewers for its second-season premiere. In the demo, that puts it ahead of its two-hour finale average from March (6.5) and only a bit behind that night’s second hour (6.9).
Fox juggernaut “Empire” showed no signs of slowing down in its sophomore season, returning Wednesday to its second best ratings to date. The network dominated the opening Wednesday of the season overall, with its “Rosewood,” the only series premiere on the night, benefiting from pre-“Empire” tune-in to deliver solid scores.
ABC’s comedy block returned strong, with “The Middle” and “The Goldbergs” on par with last year and “Modern Family” and “Black-ish” a hearty second to “Empire” in the 9 o’clock hour. CBS’ “Survivor” was down a bit but remains potent kicking off its 31st edition.
According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, “Empire” averaged a huge 6.5 rating/20 share in adults 18-49 and 16.0 million viewers overall — beating the ratings for all but the show’s final episode from last season. Its 9 p.m. episode on finale night in March averaged a 6.9/21 in 18-49 and 17.62 million total viewers (and its two-hour finale night average of 6.5 matched last night’s premiere).
The show had seen its overall audience grow with every episode during its first season, but that amazing streak came to an end on Wednesday.
Compared with last season’s premiere in January, “Empire” on Wednesday was up by 71% in 18-49 (6.5 vs. 3.8) and by 62% in total viewers (16.0 million vs. 9.9 million). This is the biggest improvement from season 1 premiere to season 2 premiere for any scripted series since Fox’s “House” in 2004 and 2005.

The demographics score for “Empire” more than doubled the next highest-rated program on the night (3.1 for ABC’s “Modern Family”) and it’s 38% higher than the No. 2-rated series of premiere week (4.7 for CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory”). The only entertainment series on television to have drawn a higher 18-49 rating for an episode this year is AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

And in total viewers, “Empire” also towered over the Wednesday pack. Its 16.0 million was more than 6 million viewers higher than runner-up “Survivor” on CBS (9.6 million).
“Empire” was also a social-media superstar last night, with 1.3 million tweets sent during the episode — making it the most-tweeted one-hour broadcast drama series on record (since Nielsen began tracking about four years ago). Perhaps most impressively, and a true indication of the show’s wide appeal and reach, the tweets generated 63 million impressions.
The most-tweeted minute occurred at 9:30 p.m. with 32,363 tweets after Anika (“Boo Boo Kitty”) was dancing.
Leading off Wednesday for Fox was medical drama “Rosewood” (2.4/9 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall) starring Morris Chestnut. Though it hadn’t generated much buzz leading into the season, it clearly found an opening-night audience. The 2.4 rating in 18-49 makes it the young season’s No. 4-rated series premiere, behind “Blindspot,” “The Muppets” and “Life in Pieces.” It saw a big jump in the second half-hour (2.7 vs. 2.1 at 8 p.m.), a clear sign of pre-“Empire” tune-in.
Elsewhere, ABC had to be pleased with its returning comedy block: “The Middle” (2.1/8 in 18-49, 8.2 million viewers overall), “The Goldbergs” (2.4/8 in 18-49, 7.6 million viewers overall), “Modern Family” (3.1/10 in 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall) and “Black-ish” (2.4/7 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall). “Middle” and “Goldbergs” were identical to their demo premieres of last year and topped their final nine episodes of last season.
“Modern” and “Black-ish” were down as expected, lower by 18% and 27% respectively from last year’s opening Wednesday when the competition on Fox was considerably softer (“Red Band Society” did a 1.1 in 18-49). The 2.4 for “Black-ish” matches the show’s highest rating to date opposite an episode of “Empire.”
Closing out the night, “Nashville” (1.3/4 in 18-49, 5.0 million viewers overall) was within a tenth of its year-ago premiere.
CW aired “America’s Next Top Model” (0.4/2 in 18-49, 1.4 million viewers overall) and the finale of “A Wicked Offer” (0.2/1 in 18-49, 0.5 million viewers overall). “Arrow” and “Supernatural” kick off their seasons on Oct. 7.
article by Rick Kissell via Variety.com

Former Restauranteur B. Smith Fighting Alzheimer’s by Spreading Awareness with New Campaign #Take1Moment

By goodblacknews on September 21, 2015

B. Smith (photo via thegrio.com)
B. Smith (photo via thegrio.com)

Alzheimer’s isn’t stopping ex-model and former restaurateur Barbara Smith – known as B. Smith – from bringing awareness to the disease and the caregivers who play a vital role in the lives of those fighting it.
Smith and her husband, Dan Gatsby, have partnered with the Caregiver Action Network for a social media campaign designed to help caregivers of the nearly five million Americans battling the brain disorder.
They are urging people to share a memory or picture of someone who has or had Alzheimer’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest using the hashtag #Take1Moment.
In return, the campaign will give a “thank you meal” to a caregiver courtesy of Chef’d, a gourmet meal delivery service. They plan to give away 1,000 meals.
“Caregivers are like first responders in the family. They run to the situation as opposed to running away,” Gatsby told TheGrio.com on Monday, which is World Alzheimer’s Day.
“The thing about being a caregiver and the husband is that sometimes the roles get to be intermingled and you have to make decisions or you have to sort of be a parent at times,” said Gatsby, who has been married to Smith for 23 years and her caregiver since she was diagnosed four years ago.
“It can be a very stressful situation, but you have to learn to be patient,” Gatsby said. “We have such a strong love and commitment for each other that we work through those things.”
In November, Smith, 66, made headlines when she was reported missing from her Long Island home, but was found safely 14 hours later in a Manhattan diner.
Smith, who was the first black model on the cover of Mademoiselle in 1976, told TheGrio.com that she feels “great” and couldn’t fight this battle without her husband. He regularly encourages her to exercise and read. She also still enjoys cooking.
“He’s with me the whole time. I’ve been feeling good about all the things that we’ve been doing together,” said Smith, who hosted the popular TV show, “B. Smith with Style” and owned three southern comfort food restaurants (which have now all closed).
The couple said they’ve also gotten involved in the fight against Alzheimer’s because blacks are two times more likely than whites to develop the degenerative brain disease, which is the sixth leading cause of death in the country.
According to a study conducted in 2013 by the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago, Alzheimer’s rates could nearly triple by 2050.
But Gatsby is hopeful the continued awareness can lead to a different outcome.
“I believe 20 years from now the kids are going to be saying, ‘I heard of Alzheimer’s, what is it?’ But we can only do that if we start now by talking about it and taking care of the people who are taking care of the people who have Alzheimer’s,” he added. “We’re going to find a cure for this.”
Smith, who has authored three books on cooking and lifestyle, is currently working on a new book about dealing with Alzheimer’s, which is due out in January. It will be co-authored with her husband.
But Smith isn’t waiting for the book to come out to send a strong message to people fighting Alzheimer’s.
When asked to share words of encouragement, Smith swiftly responded with three words: “Never give up.”
For more information about the campaign, visit caregiveraction.org.
article by Michael J. Feeney via thegrio.com