HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THIS, IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOU?

A black former postal worker from Hingham, Massachusetts thought that this day would  be a routine work day filled with mail drop offs and pick ups. Until he came face to face with a disgruntle and racist white customer. The woman featured in this two part YouTube
video sensation comes face to face with the postal worker. In video one, she is enraged, hangs from the carrier’s postal truck window and demands that he retrieve a piece of certified mail that she has signed for. When the postal worker denies her request for retrieval of her mail, her true colors shine and she begins to racially attack the worker with statements like “You’re a fucking nigger thief.” Clearly this woman is delusional because she follows that statement with “I’m not prejudiced but right now I’m getting real pissed off.” The postal worker remained calm and clear during this racial attack. He explained to her that he could not take back the certified mail and why was she calling him names. Unfortunately his calm demeanor seemed to enrage the women to the point
of threatening his life.

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How are Black Women Making It in the Workplace?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

When a very important member of my management team told me that she was going to take time off to have a child, my brain stopped in its tracks. I wondered how we were going to remain fully productive, how long she would be gone, and how I should respond to such a sensitive situation. I then realized that, like so many American business owners, I was thinking like a man. Once I came to my senses, I let go of my personal concerns and focused solely on supporting her in this important step. I then realized that this interaction happens in workplaces across America, and the results are not always so amicable.

The United States is among the worst of industrialized nations when it comes to comes to making allowances for the professional challenges that women face relative to men. A woman who stops working in order to have children and/or raise a family may find that when she returns to the workforce, her opportunity set has diminished significantly. This doesn't even consider typical gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment and other daunting barriers to advancement.

You may already know that according to the US Department of Labor, women now outnumber men in the workplace (64.2 million to 63.4 million). This takes us a long way from the days when women weren't allowed to vote, or female attorneys couldn't be more than legal secretaries. Given that we have grown so much as a society, our nation has to step into the 21st century when it comes to equalizing the employment landscape.

 

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What Black America Can Learn from the Arrest of DC County Executive Jack Johnson

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I was saddened to hear about the recent arrest of Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife Leslie. Both Jack and his wife are well-respected in the DC area. Both have served their communities for decades, and both of them represent the essence of Prince George's County, the most affluent county in the United States with an African-American majority population.
Johnson was once an important ethical and legal protector of the county, serving as its lead Prosecutor. His wife has served the community for over 30 years in numerous capacities. He was also the first African American to become County Executive in the DC area. So, why are Johnson and his wife facing up to 20 years in prison for evidence tampering and destruction of evidence, among other charges? In fact, the story is quite bizarre, with reports of the FBI allegedly recording Johnson telling his wife to put nearly $80,000 in her underwear.

 

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Black Celebrity Gossip Blogger Necole Bitchie Shares Her Celeb Money Insights

Necole Bitchie is a much loved urban media maven who came onto the blogging scene in 2007, and has remained a major player in the field ever since. Her eponymous blog,NecoleBitchie.com is one of the most popular Web destinations for discussing celebrity dish, offering a fresh voice and unique perspective on African American stars. How did Necole Bitchie make such a profound impact in such a short time in a crowded field? She shares the amazing business insights -- and a few celebrity finance secrets -- that have contributed to her stellar success. Here's what Necole told BV on Money:

What is your name and what do you do?
My name is Necole Bitchie and I am the voice behind the celebrity entertainment blogsite NecoleBitchie.com.

What are some of the misperceptions people have about celebrities and their money?

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Boyce Watkins on CNBC: Why are Republicans Fighting So Hard for the Wealthy Already?

 

Dr. Boyce appears on CNBC to ask why the Republicans are already fighting to extend Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.  To watch the video, please click here.

Black Entrepreneurship: The Key to Our Survival

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

In case you didn't know this, one of the things that most people think about every single day is how they are going to make enough money to get by. Life is tough and finding enough money to live can be even tougher. What's worse is that the black community's struggle to build economic institutions and obtain financial security are things that keep us from being truly liberated in a fundamentally and historically racist society. The link between civil rights and economic prosperity was the seminal reason for my book, "Black American Money."
The commitment I made to the black leadership and the audience at the "Measuring the Movement" forum this year (hosted by Al Sharpton and the National Action Network) was to promote the idea of black entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is not just a matter of having your own business. It can also be as simple as finding some extra streams of income in order to obtain critical financial security. In this economy, you have no job security if you've only got one job. You have to find (what I would call) "a side hustle."

 

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Survey: Lack of Capital is Top Barrier to Starting a Black Business

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Danielle Douglas, an entrepreneurship expert and CEO of Inspire Enterprises, conducted a survey of African Americans interested in owning their own businesses. The survey,which can be found here, was qualitative in nature, asking questions about the pitfalls that people run into when trying to become either full-time or part-time entrepreneurs.
Douglas made it clear that the greatest obstacle that African Americans face when trying to start their own business is a lack of access to capital. In an interview with AOL Black Voices, Douglas said this:
"Overwhelmingly, respondents number one frustration is lack of financial resources as it relates to start up capital , access to capital in general, and identifying viable resources to help them attain capital."

 

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