COVID-19 HEROES
“1 out of 2 of the coronavirus fatalities are black... We have to come together. We have to communicate. They are not going to give us any time on the news. They are not going to come up with the solutions for us. We have to come up with our own solutions.” Diddy
Entering week four of quarantine, I must confess that my usual optimism encountered opposition in the form of fear. Unshakeable concern about what lies ahead for the world as we have known it to be, and how this new reality will affect us as a handsome and beautiful black collective. Instead of pushing it away, I leaned in because F.E.A.R (false evidence appearing real) also brings clarity about the things we will fight for and the ones we will give up easily. It also brings about an opportunity to be greater, and that is what I see our men doing: MICHAEL B. JORDAN joining MARCUS SAMUELSSON'S community kitchen efforts, CHRISTOPHER GRAY's food stipends for families in need, and DIDDY's State of the Union Town Hall.
Their efforts should remind us all that we go further together, and in this crucial time, we must be fearless. As we look forward, let's think strongly about where we place our value, how we grow, and how we become sustainable by creating partnerships, knowing the markets and policy, owning media, and building physical spaces that are ABOUT US. FOR US. BY US. To PRESERVE US. #SAYITLOUD
Christopher Gray, Co-Founder and CEO of Scholly, the #1 college scholarship app in the country providing access to more than $100M in scholarships, has partnered with GOOD Projects to launch a COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide immediate cash assistance to families affected by the crisis. The fund provides families in need with a one-time stipend of $200 to buy groceries and vital supplies. To date, more than 200,000 applications have been received. You can help by donating to the Scholly GOOD Projects Relief Fund. All donations are tax-deductible and go directly to the families in need. Scholly does not take any fees.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, CEO of Combs Enterprises and Owner of REVOLT TV, pressed pause on the beats to assemble an all-star line up to address the gravely disproportionate infection rate that COVID-19 is having on black communities across the U.S.: Louisiana 70%, Illinois 42%, and Michigan 41% of all confirmed cases. As well as how black-owned businesses can access the $2 Trillion bailout package.
REVOLT is 1 of only 3 black-owned networks in the marketplace today. Utilizing the channel and YouTube, DIDDY created a turn-key virtual Town Hall to discuss the immediacy of this pandemic with the goals of increasing awareness, communication, action, and prevention. Participants included ANGELA RYE, KILLER MIKE, BIG SEAN, CONGRESSWOMAN ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, VAN JONES, CHARLES BLOW, New Orlean's MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL, MEEK MILLS, among others. The live-cast received 329,633 views. You can watch by clicking below.
Michael B. Jordan, Actor, and Producer, has partnered with MARCUS SAMUELSSON, JOSÉ ANDRÉS' World Central Kitchen (WCK), and AUDIBLE to feed local residents and frontline healthcare workers in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey. The initiative, Newark Working Kitchens (NWK), will keep communities fed and allow local business owners and their employees to continue working. Audible is anchoring the initiative with a $1M investment that will provide 100,000 meals.
As an extension of his commitment to support Newark, Michael is adopting a local site and personally underwriting the costs of daily meals for healthcare workers for a month. You can help by donating to the Newark Working Kitchens #NewarkWorkingKitchens
Iconically
Tamara N. Houston, E.I.C
Photography:
Shajan Asgharina - Diddy for Sean John
Jamel Toppin - Christopher Gray for FORBES
Ethan James Green - Michael B. Jordan for WSJ Magazine
