AN INCLUSIVE
CURRICULUM
For more than half a million
Connecticut public school
students, history class is getting
an overhaul. This spring members
of the state legislature voted in
favor of making African-American
and Latino studies a required
part of the curriculum starting in- The bill stems from the
testimony of young people who
stated that the achievements
of Blacks have been missing from
their studies for far too long.
02
FAMILY TRAVEL
TRANSFORMED
CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo, M.D.,
has reenvisioned what it looks
like to travel with kids. Along with
her husband and brother-in-law,
the practicing pediatrician launched
CayTer 2 You Baby, a one-stop
online shop that allows parents
to order supplies for their holidays
with children and have them shipped
directly to their final destination.
The team is also rolling out vending
machines that carry products for
consumers on the go.(^03)
AN UNDENIABLE IMPACT
HBCUs have served as a cornerstone
of the Black community for more
than 180 years. A new study from the
United Negro College Fund proves
just how much African-American
students have benefited from their
presence. “HBCUs Punching Above
Their Weight” evaluated institutions
by state and territory and concluded
that despite being underfunded,
HBCUs award more than a quarter
of all Black bachelor’s degrees and
nearly a third of STEM degrees
earned by Black students.
04
08
SPREADING THE WEALTH
When Denise Woodard was
looking to secure capital for her
cookie company, rapper–mogul
Jay-Z stepped in with the cash.
Through his firm, Marcy Venture
Partners, the newly minted
billionaire led the $1 million seed
round for Partake Foods. The
New Jersey–based business sells
allergen-free goodies in more
than 400 stores nationwide and
looks to expand to 1,000 before
the end of the year.
09
NEVER TOO LATE
This month Ava DuVernay’s When
They See Us is up for 16 Emmy
Awards. Though the “Exonerated
Five” have received acclaim for their
resiliency, Syracuse University
student Jalen Nash wants more for
one of the wrongfully accused.
Kevin Richardson is a former
trumpet player who dreamed of
playing in Syracuse’s band. Nash, a
rising senior, started a change.org
petition to award Richardson an
honorary degree from the university.
10
RESTORING RIGHTS
Washington, D.C., councilman-at-
large Robert C. White, Jr., introduced
the Restore the Vote Amendment
Act of 2019 so those who are or
have been incarcerated can cast
their ballots. The goal is to achieve
equity for those with criminal pasts.
DANCING FOR LIFE
Philadelphia’s Quinn Center for
Performing Arts isn’t your typical
dance center. The city’s new
fixture, founded by licensed
social worker ErykaLynn Waller,
connects young boys and girls
to the art while also promoting
cultural awareness and sensitiv-
ity around adoption and organ
donation. Proceeds from
recitals help benefit local
related charities.
07
PRESERVING OUR PLACES
The Excelsior Club once played
host to a who’s who of Charlotte,
North Carolina. Now the decades-
old landmark, seen as a beloved
gathering spot for African-
Americans, is facing an uncertain
future. In May it was added to the
list of endangered historic places
by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. In June the building,
which is in disrepair, was pur-
chased by a new owner.
05
‘‘
Think about the many ways
that Black people who tried to
participate, tried to encourage, tried
to be American, simply tried
to be economic actors were
suppressed because they had the
nerve to think it worked.”
—ECONOMIST JULIANNE MALVEAUX, PH.D.,
arguing the case for reparations,
at the House hearing this past June
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ESSENCE.COM I 77 I SEPTEMBER 2019