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The American Ballet Theatre has a new Black leader that’s set to make history. Since the beginning of time, the world of ballet has been a white-dominated space. Now Janet Rollé is here to not only make history but also serve as proof that we belong in any space. According to CNN, Rollé will make history as the first Black person to lead the American Ballet Theatre, one of the country’s most prestigious ballet companies This is a dream come true for Rollé who credits her mother, a Jamaican immigrant, who introduced her to her first dance class at the age of eight, thus setting the tone for what would ultimately become a future career. “Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process,” said Rollé in an official statement. “These lessons have always been at the core of my professional life and work.” Previously, Rollé worked as the general manager for Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment for five years where...
Nigerian-born Anthony Mmesoma Madu has danced his way into a life-changing opportunity. According to People , a viral video of 11-year-old Madu caught the attention of Cynthia Harvey, the artistic director of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Dance in New York. In the minute-long clip, Madu showcases his exceptional ballet skills while dancing barefoot in the rain. After Harvey saw the clip, she reached out to Madu’s dance school, Leap of Dance Academy —where he is one of 12 students—and offered him a full scholarship to ABT’s virtual Young Dancer Summer Workshop. “A child who shows this much dedication, you just have to help,” Harvey told the Cincinnati Enquirer . “If there is anything the world has taught us, it’s that we have to inspire all sorts of people and that we all have a lot to learn from one another. Providing opportunities for Daniel and Anthony is the right thing to do.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leap of Dance Academy...
Edy Lawson-Jackson has made history in the NFL alongside her daughter, Samira, according to The Baltimore Sun. Growing up in Baltimore, MD, Lawson-Jackson had many dreams, including wanting to pursue ballet, gymnastics, and acrobatics. These early aspirations fueled her activities in the band, track and field, as well as becoming homecoming queen. With discipline and creativity as part of her makeup, she developed a passion for writing, language, and history, which ultimately sparked her goal to become a sports and entertainment lawyer. After graduating from Baltimore City College in 1986, she attended Howard University, where she earned a juris doctor degree in 1993, per the outlet. The “Charm City” native also gained experience as an intern under a sports entertainment attorney at a law firm. That same year, despite being in the final stages of pregnancy and experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions with Samira, she took and passed the Pennsylvania bar exam on the first try. “Listen...
Graduating from college is a big deal. Anyone who’s ever pursued higher education knows that there’s something different about managing a college workload versus high school or the lower grades. So, when a graduate finally crosses the stage and moves their tassel from one side of their graduation cap to the other, it’s well deserved. For many, the journey from the first day of freshman year to graduation day can include some twists and turns. Most recently, Sasha Obama, the youngest of former President Barack Obama’s children, just graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) last year. Here’s everything we know about her college career and what’s on the horizon for her in the future. The Youngest Obama Child Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their daughters Sasha and Malia are introduced to the crowd of supporters in Chicago’s Grant Park as the new first family. (Photo by Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis via Getty Images) Most people remember when Sasha (then 7) and her...
If you’ve been keeping up with the news in basketball lately, you’re likely familiar with WNBA player Angel Reese. The star Chicago Sky player recently made headlines for being the first ever woman in professional basketball to record a double-double in ten consecutive games during a single season. Despite her excellent performance on the court, Reese has been the subject of much ire. The backlash stems from Reese’s brave ability to speak out against the massive wage gap between WNBA players and their male counterparts. According to Distractify , Angel Reese currently has a net worth of just under $2 million. While this is certainly an impressive figure, particularly for a woman of only 22 years of age, it pales in comparison to the finances of most male NBA players . During a recent post-game interview, Reese spoke on her success in her chosen field. Per Sports Illustrated , she explained, “I’m a dog. You can’t teach that. I’m gonna go out and do whatever it takes to win every...
What was supposed to be a big moment in one photographer’s life has turned into a tale of survivor’s remorse after he claims that Nike tricked him out of credit for a photo he captured of Michael Jordan that would go on to become the logo for the company’s Jordan Brand. In a new short documentary, “Jumpman,” Jacobus “Co” Rentmeester accuses the leading athletic company of copying his work to create the Jordan Brand logo that has graced a plethora of sneakers and clothing products for decades. Originally shot during a photo shoot commissioned by Life magazine for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Jordan was instructed to perform a grand jeté, which is “a classical ballet move where a dancer jumps and spreads their legs wide,” Fortune magazine reports. Today, the Jordan Brand is worth $6 billion. However, Rentmeester’s disdain comes from what he believes was negligence on Nike’s part to properly credit and compensate him for the role his photo may have played in inspiring the logo. View...
Zoe Saldana has proven to be a force to be reckoned with as she has been featured in three of the highest-earning films of all time. Zoe Saldana: Her Journey to Stardom Begins The actress made her flash splash in the late 1990s when she starred in two episodes of “Law & Order.” Soon after, Saldana found herself on the big screen in her role as a ballet dancer for “Center Stage.” That role paved the way for more appearances including “Crossroads (2002)” and her breakthrough role in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).” Editorial note: The net worth listed in this piece is a speculative estimate drawn from a variety of online sources.
Fortune Magazine recently released its annual Fortune 500 list, and the outlet was quick to brag that it had a “record number” of Black CEOs on its coveted list. And they even invoked George Floyd’s name to brag about the accomplishment. “In the wake of racial protests following the murder of George Floyd, companies pledged to increase diversity within their executive ranks and accelerate change internally,” reports the outlet. “This year, six Black chief executives sit atop Fortune 500 companies, making up just over 1% of businesses on the 2022 ranking. That’s a noteworthy increase from last year when only five Black CEOs ran Fortune 500 companies.” *Cringe* The Fortune 500 list shows that there’s a world of difference between equality and equity. In other words, while everyone has the same opportunities (at least in theory), they’re not always going to be granted the same results, even if all things are assumed to be otherwise equal (and we all know they’re not). Six Black CEOs on...
Women’s History Month is all about uplifting generations of hard-working women who are becoming pioneers in their own right every single day. This year, AfroTech is amplifying the famous firsts of Black women today who have defied the odds to open doors and break glass ceilings for us all. Here are all the Black women who have and continue to inspire the next generation of young Black women to be the leaders of tomorrow: Kamala Harris Photo Credit: Chris Carlson/ AP Kamala D. Harris made history as the first Black, first Asian-American, and first woman to ever be elected Vice President of the United States of America. She accomplished this historic feat after serving as the District Attorney of San Francisco, California Attorney General, and a U.S. Senator. Stacey Abrams Photo Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images Stacey Abrams — a political strategist and former minority leader of the Georgia state House — is the reason the state of Georgia turned blue for the first time in 30 years to...
Five-year-old Justyn Boumah is many things—chef, world traveler, entrepreneur, and kid author. However, most importantly, he’s an advocate for good causes. The Las Vegas native is hosting the annual “Around the World” Read-a-Thon to celebrate National Young Readers Week and raise $2,000 for homeless and foster kids, reports PRNewswire . Funded through a GoFundMe campaign, the donations will be directed to Books and Ballet, CRN Eglise Centrale, and Project 150. In addition to raising money, Boumah is partnering with young readers from Africa , the Caribbean , the Middle East, and North America—a t home, in homeschool groups, and classrooms. The goal is to meet book-reading goals and spread awareness of literacy among children and families. “I am so excited to read, play, and see my friends,” Boumah said in a statement. “ My momma and I rallied readers around the world using social media … Since I am five-years-old, I am asking my friends to give 5 bucks (500 pennies).” The three-day...
After living in Houston, TX, for several months, I finally found a suitable workspace. Coffee shops — with their unreliable WiFi and unpredictable crowds – weren’t cutting it for me. So, I spent a week bouncing around coworking spaces in the city before picking a permanent home. Little did I know that in my new work home, I would discover one of the coolest startups in Houston, TX. The Houston Pod is a podcasting service operated by the husband-wife team, Sarah and Ray Smith. I convinced the pair to sit down with me for a few minutes and tell me their story. Who are Sarah and Ray Smith? Sarah and Ray were both born and raised in Rosenberg, TX, a small suburb of Houston. They attended rival high schools but met each other when they were 15-years-old. The Smiths went separate ways after high school but reconnected in their twenties. They discovered that they both had a passion for business, innovation, and communication. “For us, our journey has been very much about us learning about...
For Keba Konte, coffee is a work of art. The Bay Area-based photojournalist started Red Bay Coffee in 2014 after he saw an opportunity to fuse his passion for photography and roasting to create a space for all people to consume art experiences over a carefully brewed cup of coffee. Red Bay’s headquarters, or “Coffee Dojo” as Konte calls it, is located in Oakland, CA. There he and his team roast small batches of coffee and run a wholesale business importing and supplying coffee to other cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, and tech businesses. “We have cafes, but 75 percent of our revenue comes from our wholesale program,” explained Konte. The company has supplied coffee for numerous tech giants in and around San Francisco including Salesforce, Twitter, Airbnb, and most recently, Facebook. “We’re fueling the tech industry,” he said with a laugh. While big tech clients are great for business, selling coffee is just a piece of Red Bay’s story. It’s become a pillar in the community. In...