WSSN Stories

Walker’s Legacy, the largest digital platform for multicultural women in business, has announced that effective March 1, 2021, Ayris T. Scales will be the CEO of Walker’s Legacy Foundation and the Managing Director of Walker’s Legacy. 

Ayris T. Scales has built a strong reputation as a champion of women, entrepreneurs, and underinvested communities in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Scales has nearly 20 years of leadership experience at both the local and national levels addressing racial and gender inequities. In 2018, Ayris was appointed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to serve as the District’s official Chief Service Officer where she led Serve DC, the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships.

“Ayris has demonstrated herself as a leader at all levels. She is committed to advancing economic opportunities, expanding networks and driving solutions, stated Natalie Madeira Cofield, Founder & departing CEO. “We believe wholeheartedly that she is a phenomenal choice to shepherd the organization into its next era and aid in supporting the organization’s advancement and expansion.”

Previously, Ayris was the Vice President of Economic Growth and Jobs for World Business Chicago (WBC). She also has the distinct honor of having served as the inaugural Executive Director of the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI), a flagship organization under President Obama’s White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative to end generational poverty. She is a sought-after advisor, speaker, moderator, lecturer, and blogger. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Ebony, Fox, ABC, and NBC news affiliates, Telemundo, Blackher.us, and numerous other publications. 

“I am honored to take the helm of this illustrious organization. Advancing entrepreneurship, building generational wealth, creating a legacy and empowering women economically are what keeps me up at night,” said Ayris T. Scales, incoming CEO and Managing Director. There is no greater time than now to uphold the vision of our founder and to amplify the mission of our work.”

Scales utilizes a mission-centered approach to generate solutions which has led to transformative public-private partnerships with numerous global brands, as well as innovative policies and initiatives in which she has secured over $50M in funding and overseen more than $100M in grants and subsidies. Ayris has held leadership roles in Indianapolis, Savannah, Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

After 11 years, Cofield departs from the organization to join the Small Business Administration where she has been appointed to serve as the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, effective Monday, March 1, 2021.

For all questions surrounding the leadership transition, please contact Skylar Green at skylar@walkerslegacy.com. 

By C.K. McGhee

Sometimes you have to step away from yourself and step into your purpose. Because the bitterness of life and of people can feel like a circus. Quiet the noise, be steadfast and poised because at this very hour, you need to recognize your melanated power.

The only thing that separates you from me is the recognition that I have of my destiny. Purposely driven, yes…that’s  how I’m living, I’m turning pain into purpose and I’m shedding the old skin…old things become new and I’m feeling like me again.

Trials and tribulations they lead to elevations…immersed in life affirming thoughts mixed into…revelations. Stronger each day as God has his way…moves throughout my life, erasing stress and all strife. Wiping me clean of all darkness within, For he’s preparing me…for all light to come in.

Sometimes we may not be aware of the damage within, until the waters of healing start to rush in, bringing life and hydration to all those dry places, witnessing looks of joy on black and brown faces.

Seeing and tasting the salvation of life, was going left for so long, it feels good to go right. People, places and things draining all of my energy but like Lennon said, its time to just let it be. 

Tomorrow’s not promised and we know not the hour, so tired of attitudes that have grown sour, so stop wasting your time, seeking whom to devour, I’m walking in faith and my melanated power.

In honor on Black History Month, we introduce you to the epically determined Angela Dawson, a woman who is putting a stake in the ground for Black Farmers and helping to build generational wealth.

As the Founder of 40 Acre Cooperative and the 40 Acre Ranch which employs 60 percent of female farmers, this one-woman pioneer is single handedly responsible for making sure that over 100 black farmers, with more on the waiting list, are getting the tools and resources they need to succeed with the First (and only) Nationwide Cooperative Supporting “Socially Disadvantaged” Farmers. Angela is what you can truly call, an American Hero.

Angela is making sure that money is being made and kept in the Black community while the earth is being regenerated, and healthy food is being grown for Americans across the country.

Angela has always enjoyed membership in the local food co-ops in her home state of Minnesota, but she noticed a huge glaring issue- almost all of the co-ops were white run businesses operating in white communities. She found that black farmers made up less numbers by population now than ever before. In America today, 95 percent of farms are white owned and just 1.3 percent of farms are Black owned according to the USDA. She found that a Black owned and Black community supporting co-op has not been in operation since the 1800’s in the US. Angela was determined to change that.

After leaving a career in public health at U of M and putting all of her life savings into starting her own farm in Northern Minnesota, Angela applied for support from her local USDA office. She applied for the “socially disadvantaged farmer microloan” program. She was immediately denied. After appealing to the office and asking them to reconsider, they said she wasn’t eligible and didn’t offer any other options. It became abundantly clear, from her very own experience, that black farmers were still being suppressed, even in 2018.

Recent changes to USDA policies aim to address historic disadvantages for farmers left behind, but farmers of color haven’t caught up. The U.S. agricultural industry has been failing to provide livable wages for independent farmers for years and farm commodity prices continue to fall. However, the 2018 Farm Bill opened the opportunity for hemp farmers to add this high earning cash crop to their acres and this empowered Angela to add hemp and the 40 Acre Co-Op was born.

The idea was to get Black farmers back their land and build generational wealth in the community. At 40 Acre Co Op the goal is to help farmers navigate barriers in accessing the market. From help obtaining a grower or processor license to their Hemp Incubator Program that provides support and mentoring for farmers from seed to shelf. Recently, Angela has seen an influx of Black farmers returning back to the farm to re-establish their legacy farm. Saying “People are becoming more interested in self sustainability through farming since COVID.”

40 Acres also works with them to review and improve their business plans and provide access to budgeting and farm management software. Ultimately, helping as a trusted grow partner in the industry by providing access to high-quality genetics and reliable data to support their growing needs. All of these years later, in northern Minnesota, a wrong becomes something Angela wants to help right, and she is being joined by farmers all over the country.

So, what’s next?

In Feb 2021 Angela is partnering with Hemp Industry leader Charlotte’s Web “Seeding Our Future Together”, an educational mentor program for Black hemp farmers and leaders. Policy Education is on the docket, this is the first partnership announced from the Company’s ‘Ten Commitments to Black Lives’  announced in June 2020.

“This is the beginning of an important shift in the industry and we intend to use this momentum to create lasting and impactful change,” says Dawson. ” I am excited about the partnership with Charlotte’s Web that will increase access to the healing properties of CBD bringing relief to so many children and families who struggle with health conditions and quality of life issues. This monumental partnership is a game changer for the economic health and well-being of so many people, with win-win scenarios in towns all over the country. Just as important is our pride in bringing so much richness to agriculture via new high-quality products, while keeping equity and fairness in check.  This is how we feel business should be done.”

Additionally, with the tremendous impact that the pandemic has had on our food supply, the 40 Acre Co-op swiftly adjusted their growth plans to supply critical food resources to communities in need. They are launching a food security program to address the needs in the communities where their members farm.

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media 

After launching a campaign last year to push for another Black woman to replace Vice President Kamala Harris in the United States Senate, a coalition of California Black women leaders say they are not defeated. They are organizing. 

Many of the women – federal or state legislators, other elected officials and political leaders –have made history in California and across the nation. Now, they have come together to organize, launching an effort to ensure that more Black women are voted into elected office in California.  

On February 15, the California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) hosted “Conversation with Congresswomen Karen Bass, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters.” Melanie Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation and convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable, moderated the virtual event.

“After we were disappointed that we were not able to keep the seat for the United States Congress, we wanted to make sure that we did not lose our momentum, so we brought together this collective of Black women across California to make sure that we stay visible and active and engaged,” said LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of Peralta Colleges Foundation and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA).

According to the event’s organizers, the goal of CBWC is to amplify the priorities of Black women and organize with the goal of securing adequate representation for Black women in government. They also work in solidarity with the #WinWithBlackWomen initiative, which advocates for Black women lawmakers nationally.

The congresswomen spoke about how they ended up serving in the state legislature and later Congress, with all of them mentioning that they were ushered in by other Black legislators who called them to serve. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) said she entered the race for the California Assembly because other Black legislators were going to Congress and there weren’t going to be any African American women serving in the state legislature had she not run and won. 

“That was very motivating to me because all of the issues that we had worked on in the community. When people leave, everything that you’ve worked on can be reversed. So, that’s what led me to run for office,” said Bass.

When asked who had been critical to their success in their career, the congresswomen spoke about Black women community leaders and local government leaders who have worked with and inspired them, including Mary Henry, Opal Jones and Lillian Mobley in South Los Angeles, Maudelle Shirek in Berkeley, Nolice Edwards and Kellie Todd Griffin in Sacramento, and Edith Austin in Oakland.

“What I liked most about them was the courage that they had. If you could’ve seen them operate, you would’ve been instilled with the kind of strength that they helped to generate for me. I’ve been out of place, outspoken, confrontational, all of that, because of all these women, and I love it, and I’m so pleased I knew them and embraced me,” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43).

Speaking about their legacy, the congresswomen all say they hope they will be recognized for the fights they have led on behalf of their communities, and for delivering for their constituents. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) emphasized the importance of changing systematically oppressive systems.

“Like Shirley Chisholm said, when you get inside it’s not about playing by the rules, it’s about changing those rules because they weren’t made for you and me. So, I hope that my legacy will be, I didn’t go along to get along and I tried to change the systems and structures that are creating such oppression for so many marginalized people,” said Lee.

State and local Black women legislators also spoke about the legacies they want to leave, and what they want to accomplish for both their constituents and the women who will follow in their footsteps in various roles. They also touched on the importance of creating a better future of Black Californians.

“I wanted to demonstrate to people from San Diego and for African Americans across the state, that we can actually fight this battle and win,” said California Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “That was something that was so important because so many of our communities settle for little or nothing in terms of representation. So, my goal was to basically demonstrate that we can get police reform, that we can get a reparations bill passed, that we can do things in California that others think that we couldn’t do.”

State Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen said, “This country has done dubious things in terms of passing policies that have shaken the bedrock of our financial stability. When I think about my legacy at least, as I serve on the Board of Equalization, I really want to begin to elevate the conversation. There are very few women – let alone Black women that are in this space that are paying attention to taxes and fees and they’re paying attention to budget. That is the legacy that I hope to leave behind.”

Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), whose district includes Crenshaw, Ladera Heights, Baldwin Hills and Culver City, says Black politicians have to press their colleagues holding elected office to push for the changes they would like to see. 

“We are at the bottom of just about every statistic when it comes to talking about Black futures, and what our Black babies are going to grow into. At the end of the day, we have got to be riding every single fellow colleague and the administration on budget decisions that are coupled with policy decisions,” said Kamlager-Dove. 

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member Holly Mitchell emphasized that courage is required to succeed. 

“I want people to be clear about my ‘why,’ and understand that I was not afraid because fear is the only thing that can stop us as Black women from being overwhelmingly successful. Don’t be afraid. If others are afraid of you that is their problem, not yours,” Mitchell said. 

Assemblymember Autumn Burke spoke about her mother, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, who also served in the state legislature. Burke said she now feels it’s her responsibility to bring Black women into the legislature as her mother did. 

“Creating a bench is incredibly important to me now. It was one of my mom’s legacies. So many of her staff became speakers and supervisors and city council members. It’s something she’s really proud of. And as I look now, as I’m getting a little bit older, I’ve realized how important that really is. When I look around that room, knowing that I’m going to be the only one there, and what a disservice that is to our communities,” said Burke.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed spoke about her motivation for getting into politics, after growing up in poverty. Now, she wonders why she was one of the only people in her neighborhood to go to college and get out of poverty.

“All the people I grew up with, I now see them in the Tenderloin, sometimes strung out. I’ve gone to more funerals and I can count. The only reason why I decided to do work as a public servant is because I wanted to change things from a perspective of someone who’s was forced to live in it for most of my life. So, what I want my legacy to be is I want to look back, and I want to feel and see a difference in people’s lives,” said Breed.

LOS ANGELES, CA— Campaign Justice announced today that Black History Month is not only a time of recognizing the accomplishments of African Americans but is also a time to brighten the spotlight on systemic racism within law enforcement. “Say Their Names: 101 Unarmed Black Women, Men and Children Killed by Law Enforcement” (ISBN: 979-8570456860) is a newly released reference book which documents the stories of a few who have lost their lives during a brush with police.

“Why, in this nation, do too many black Americans wake up knowing that they could lose their life in the course of just living their life? Why does justice does not roll like a river or righteousness like a mighty stream?” President Joe Biden has said.

George Floyd’s murder was as shocking as it was common. As were the murders of Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice and James Earl Chaney.

This compilation of lost lives is more of an encyclopedia and serves as a permanent record for the 101 deaths of unarmed people of color attributed to law enforcement. (Note, this is not a complete record and covers individuals who died from 1920-2020.)

We document who they were as people, the details surrounding their deaths, as well as if there were any arrests or convictions of officers involved. The book is dedicated to their families, as well as hero whistle-blower officers who stood up against systemic racism. We have also included links to over 200 social justice organizations.

This 556-page book is available NOW on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play. Links can be found at https://www.campaignjustice.org/.

Campaign Justice is a newly formed organization by an established author
and non-profit founder, whose mission is to promote social advocacy and
justice projects for marginalized communities.

Campaign Justice is also working on a children’s book which recognizes and
addresses their fear of law enforcement.

Learn more at:
https://www.campaignjustice.org/

https://www.facebook.com/CampaignJustic1

https://twitter.com/CampaignJustic1

By Charlene Rhinehart, via Black Enterprise

Joe Ligon was finally released from prison after serving 68 years. Ligon, now 82, is the country’s oldest juvenile lifer in the United States.

“We waste people’s lives by over-incarcerating, and we waste money by over-incarcerating. His case graphically demonstrates the absurdity of wasting each,” Bradley Bridge, a lawyer with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, told The Philadephia Inquirer. “Hopefully his release, and the release of the juvenile lifers in general, will cause a reevaluation of the way we incarcerate people.”

Bradley has represented Ligon since 2006. On Thursday morning, the lawyer picked Ligon up from the State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Montgomery County to take him to his new home.

From Philadelphia School to Prison

Ligon was just a teenager in the 1950s. The world was in a period of civil unrest, battling the impacts of discrimination and segregation. There was also an influx of African Americans who moved from the South to the North. Ligon, a young boy raised on a farm in Alabama, found himself in the Philadelphia school system in the early 1950s at the age of 13.

This was before the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954, which officially declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Many of the Black schools in Philadelphia and around the country experienced the impacts of educational inequity.  Ligon, a young boy without a solid education, was left behind in the system. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Ligon “couldn’t keep up” and was still illiterate at the age of 15.

With the growing levels of poverty, unemployment, abandoned buildings, and racial division, Ligon found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was involved in a series of robberies and assaults that left two people dead. The 15-year-old was with a group of drunk teens when it all happened. Although he admits his participation, Ligon denies accusations of killing anyone.

Unfortunately, this moment led to an arrest that would leave him behind bars for the rest of his life. Arrested in 1953 at the age of 15, he is now opening his eyes to a new world.

A Different World

I’m looking at all the tall buildings,” Ligon said. “This is all new to me. This never existed.”

Ligon spent most of his days in prison honing his janitorial skills, learning to read and write, and training as a boxer. He never applied for parole although many tried to convince him to do so.

A Supreme Court Decision eventually declared automatic lifetime terms for kids cruel and unusual. The court offered lifetime parole terms. But Ligon refused the offer.

“I like to be free,” he said. “With parole, you got to see the parole people every so often. You can’t leave the city without permission from parole. That’s part of freedom for me.”

But now, Ligon will have a chance to experience life beyond the bars. He left the prison with 12 boxes in his hand ready to explore the new world.

Cori Gordon, 28, never imagined she’d become one of Amazon’s youngest Delivery Service Partners when she migrated to the U.S. from Jamaica in 2013.   Bright-eyed and eager post completing her studies at Northern Caribbean University, Cori began her professional career working in the retail and automotive industries before realizing she had a penchant for entrepreneurship.

“I experienced burn out working 80 plus hours for someone else,” Cori says.  “After a bit of soul searching, I realized it was important for me to direct all those hours of energy into something I owned.”

Cori searched online for business opportunities that presented a built-in customer base and a clear track for success.  “I knew right away the Amazon Delivery Service Partner program could be a great fit for me,” Cori says.  “Everyone knows and loves the company and though I hadn’t led my own company before, the training and development resources they offered inspired me to apply.”

In 2018, Amazon launched the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program to share its experience in operations and logistics with aspiring entrepreneurs. The program empowers entrepreneurs to build their own last mile delivery companies from the ground up with Amazon’s support, infrastructure, technology, and a suite of exclusive services.  In the two years since its inception, these thriving entrepreneurs have experienced remarkable growth, with more than 1,300 DSPs operating across the U.S., Canada, UK, Spain, and Germany and nearly 85,000 jobs created. 

Cori’s DSP, Cortoyou operates out of Amazon’s newly launched delivery station in Staten Island and delivers to customers in her home borough of Brooklyn.  “The most fulfilling thing about being a DSP owner is being a job provider,” Gordon says.  “It’s such an honor for me and I get so excited when an employee gets a new car, or a new phone, because I know their employment with my company is helping them reach their goals.” 

The breadth of diversity in the program has been inspiring.  Owners include military veterans, former sellers on Amazon.com, educators, city council members, and many others who come from a variety of backgrounds. They are great coaches and mentors who have built customer obsessed teams that have delivered more than 1.8 billion packages worldwide, using more than 40,000 Prime branded last mile vehicles—from electric vehicles to step vans to delivery vans—generating more than $4.5 billion in revenue for their small businesses.

In August, Amazon announced a new diversity grant to help reduce the barriers to entry for Black, Latinx, and Native American entrepreneurs interested in starting a DSP.  With the launch of this grant program, Amazon is investing in building a future for diverse business owners to serve their communities. The $1 million commitment funds startup costs, offering $10,000 for each qualified candidate to build their own DSP businesses in the U.S.  Those interested in applying can visit logistics.amazon.com.

As the eldest child of nine, Cori knew she had a knack for leading, but she never guessed she’d be in a position to employ more than 50 drivers and make history as an Amazon business partner.  “I hope my story inspires young people of color to look into the program and evaluate if they’re ready to align with a company driven by customer obsession and delivering results,” Cori says.  “The journey has been amazing thus far.”   

The? Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF)? is excited to announce its added a special screening of Gregory Everett’s award-winning documentary 41st and Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers to this year’s schedule.

PAFF will take place virtually February 28 to March 14. Tickets and passes are available at www.paff.org/plans. Early bird discount pricing has concluded as of February 13.

As a tribute to the late filmmaker, who tragically lost his battle with COVID-19 on January 24 of this year, PAFF will host a global screening fundraiser supporting his family on February 20 at 5 p.m. PT.

41st and Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers was the first part in a documentary series that follows the Southern California Chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense from its glorious Black Power beginnings through to its tragic demise. The film explores the Black Panther ethos, its conflict with the L.A.P.D. and the U.S. Organization, as well as the events that shaped the complicated and often contradictory legacy of the L.A. chapter.

This special screening is sponsored in part by The Cochran Firm California.

41st and Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers, winner of the 2010 Pan African Film Festival’s Audience Favorite Documentary, features exclusive interviews from Black Panther party leaders Geronimo Ji Jagga, Elaine Brown, and Kathleen Cleaver, retired Los Angeles City Councilmember and former L.A.P.D. Police Chief Bernard Parks. The film was the first part of a documentary series by filmmaker Gregory Everett that follows the Southern California Chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense from its glorious Black Power beginnings through to its tragic demise. The film explores the Black Panther ethos, its conflict with the L.A.P.D. and the U.S. Organization, and the events that shaped the complicated and often contradictory legacy of the L.A. chapter.

Using exclusive interviews with former Black Panther Party members along with archival footage detailing the history of racism in Los Angeles, including the Watt’s Uprising, 41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers, has been called the most in-depth study ever of the murders of L.A. Chapter founder Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter and John Huggins at U.C.L.A. The documentary includes first-hand accounts of the Party’s formation as told by the original surviving members and eyewitness accounts of the murders at U.C.L.A. Also featured in the film are former Black Panther members Ericka Huggins, Roland & Ronald Freeman, Wayne Pharr, Jeffrey Everett, Long John Washington, US Organization member Wesley Kabaila, U.C.L.A. Professor Scot Brown, and Bernie Morris, oldest brother of Bunchy Carter.

Visit www.paff.org for more information and remember PAFF will take place virtually February 28 – March 14. Tickets and passes are available at www.paff.org/plans. Early bird discount pricing concludes February 13.

Ameer Natson, celebrity chef, entrepreneur, and founder of the Become Creative Agency is set to launch a co-working space and culinary kitchen for Black creatives and aspiring chefs in New Jersey, a first- of-its kind in the Garden State. As a son of Newark, NJ, affectionately known as “Brick City”, Ameer has used every brick of life to build a brand committed to making impact and delivering results for his community.

Ameer has executed culinary experiences for a Who’s Who in the sports, film and entertainment industry, feeding the likes of Beyoncé, JAY-Z, Queen Latifah, Oprah, Pharrell, Lebron James, Chris Tucker and Blair Underwood to name a few! After quickly being identified as one of the hottest up-and-coming chefs, Ameer landed the opportunity to develop a show with Backroads Entertainment for The Food Network called HELP YOURSELF! He is America’s down-to-earth chef, and has been featured on BBC, ARISE 360 TV, NBC and BET.

More importantly, Ameer has used his experiences traveling the world to focus on what is needed most in communities that resemble where he has come from. Ameer founded Become Creative Agency, a full-service creative and marketing agency that hires local talent from inner city communities.

Ameer Natson believes that his story is proof that success is NOT about resources or circumstances. He says, “I graduated from the school of hard knocks with a degree in perseverance. It’s about being resourceful and creative. It’s about the conviction to charge ahead in spite of the challenges and critics. My commitment is to communities that look like mine and to the young people who may have been told they were never enough. I want my Ameer Natson communities, my Black communities to know we are rich with innovation and talent and my young people to know that the sky is the limit.”

Last summer during the COVID19 pandemic, Ameer partnered with the World Central Kitchen, Chefs For America and Chef José Andrés to donate and distribute more than 67,000 meals throughout the city of Newark, NJ. This past Thanksgiving, Ameer and team got to work again and prepared and delivered more than 5,000 meals as part of his annual 5000 Thankful Souls Community Thanksgiving program, an initiative he has led for several years.

This Spring, Ameer will open “Become” a creative co-working space for Black and Brown creatives. This space will include a media room, a recording space, and a kitchen where the genius of culinary imagination can expound.

“My dream is to ensure that my community, our communities are reliant and self-sufficient. I can’t wait to open the doors and help people turn their dreams and aspirations into reality.” Ameer says.