< PreviousBUSINESS NEWS 8 | TALK MAGAZINE • SPRING 2019 The Cocoapreneur Directory Launch Party highlights the progresses and successes of black businesses in the Pittsburgh region while encouraging people to continue to support them. It was at SLATE studio in the Strip District. Hosted by Cocoapreneur Pgh, a black business and consultancy which creates and fosters an environment of healthy growth in black communities that did not displace the original and lifetime residents, while also encouraging young, new talent to inhabit those spaces as well, a news release says. “Small businesses are the crux of our communities and connected communities are the foundation of our city,” Naomi Ritter, owner of The Fitness Institute, a business development complex, said. “In short, Cocoapreneur is adding a layer of mastery to our city that we didn’t know we needed.” The event highlighted products and services from more than 25 black area busi- nesses. PA State Rep. Summer Lee was speaker. “This is not just about a single organization,” said Samantha Black, founder and CEO of SYLA Pgh, who is co-producing the event with Khamil Scantling, founder Tyla-Simone Crayton, a 15-year old home-schooled teen entrepreneur from Houston, Texas, is the CEO of Sienna Sauce. Known as the Sauce Boss, she created the recipe for the uniquely-flavored sauce when she was just 8-years old. Now, she is selling the award-winning sauce online and through multiple distributors and she earns $8,000 a month! Tyla-Simone, who grew up in New York, has always loved the hot sauce at her favorite chicken wings spot in the city. Since the restaurant closed, she tried to replicate the taste of the sauce. She was just 8 years old then and her mother, Monique Crayton, was initially hesitant about the idea. But when she tried to serve the sauce to their friends and neighbors, it became an instant hit! Since then, Tyla-Simone and her mom have decided to sell the sauce in bottles. Her mother also quit her job earlier this year to be more dedicated to helping her daughter, who is home-schooled, to run and manage the company. “My sauce has the potential to be even greater than ketch- up,” Tyla-Simone told SWNS. “Not only does it taste great, but it’s healthy because it is gluten-free and high-fructose corn syrup free.” Now based in Texas, Sienna Sauce comes in three flavors: lemon pepper, spicy, and tangy. They have 22 dis- tributors and is set to hit the supermarkets. They have now been reportedly raking in up to $8,000 a month. Tyla-Sim- one also hopes someday her sauce will be sold in packets at fast-food chains. “It’s exciting and scary at times and it is stressful to balance my business and going to school,” Tyla-Simone said. “I love doing it and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. People should know that it is never too early to start.” Makes a Month Home-Schooled with Her Secret Hot Sauce 15-Year Old $8K Khamil Scantling by JoAnne Klimovich Harrop and CEO of Cocoapreneur Pgh. “It is about us. It’s a new age feel on an old school idea. We have always and will forever seek to find and guide our community members in this economy.” black businesses Cocoapreneur Pgh highlightsBUSINESS NEWS WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 9 Funding for black business owners isn’t always straightforward. Discover how cash-strapped entrepreneurs have accessed the money they need to grow. FUNDING OPTIONS FOR BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS Alternative funding options for black business owners do exist. Once you start looking, you may be surprised at the opportunities available. Here are some possible sources of operating capital. 1. Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center At the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center, minority business own- ers can talk to business experts. You can speak to these experts about growing your business, including ideas and sources of secur- ing capital. 2. 8(a) Business Development Program Th e Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development program was created to serve minority-owned businesses. If you’re accepted into the program, you can qualify for funding, as well as receive business guidance and opportunities to contract and subcontract with other entrepreneurs. 3. Business Grants A wide variety of organizations off er grants to African-American business owners, while others are open to all business owners. Here are three. • National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) Growth Grants. Th ese grants are worth $4,000 each. Th ey can be used for financing specific business needs, such as creating a website, hiring employees and for equipment. • Th e FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is open to small businesses from across the country. Cash prizes include one $25,000 grant, one $15,000 grant and eight $7,500 grants. • Also known as America’s Seed Fund, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide significant sources of capital for technol- ogy commercialization. Th ese programs enable U.S.-owned companies to complete research and development with potential for commercialization. In 2017, the programs granted more than $980 million dollars to companies creating innovative technologies in the health and life science fields. MAKING A WAY Unconventional means of accessing capital are es- pecially important for black business owners, believes Caudle. “As black business owners, one of our largest barriers to success is lack of capital,” she says. “Because of this, it’s our primary responsibility to get creative and ensure we receive capital in unconventional ways.” “Alternative funding options for black business owners do exist. Once you start looking, you may be surprised at the opportunities available.” Eric Martin, co-founder of Black & Abroad, a cul- tural collective dedicated to celebrating and encourag- ing black travel, agrees. “Black businesses, in general, suff er a much more difficult existence,” says Martin. “From limited access to seed capital, to trouble securing loans, to difficulty getting exposure, many of our businesses thrive in the gray area between operating costs and survival. In order for any business to thrive, there has to be adequate access to capital.” Sufficient capital allows business owners to scale up, notes Steven Burton, CEO and founder of Perfect Tux, a formal wear e-commerce company. “Having access to capital also keeps your business afloat during down seasons when cash flow is an issue,” Burton says. HOW Find Capital Black Business Owners In November 2016, Stephanie Caudle lost her job in public relations. Employment prospects looked bleak, so she decided to start her own business. She soon launched Black Girl Group, a micro job site that taps into the gig economy. Caudle’s company is an online freelance platform that connects African-American women freelancers to companies seeking to market and advertise to African-American communities. To keep her business afloat, Caudle found—like many business owners—the need for working capital. Rather than turn to her local bank, she found success receiving capital through unconventional means. “I won the Black Enterprise and Hiscox’s 2017 Small Business Pitch Competition,” says Caudle. “Such pitch competitions—often geared towards providing startups with seed money—give you the chance to win monetary prizes and get your business in front of people who otherwise wouldn’t know your company exists.” PREPARE FOR TRADITIONAL CAPITAL OPPORTUNITIES While obtaining capital through traditional funding sources is more difficult for black business owners, Burton of Perfect Tux believes that it can still happen. For that reason, his advice is to be prepared. “I believe obtaining capital from traditional resources starts with education,” says Burton. “I suggest familiarizing yourself with the process and requirements of obtaining capital, i.e. being in business at least two years and having a solid business plan.” Burton also suggests finding a local bank that deals with businesses and start building a relationship with the bank. “I meet with the VP of small business loans annually in preparation for the day I need capital,” he says.LATINO NEWS 10 | TALK MAGAZINE • SPRING 2019 Leadership is a critical component in every sector of life. Just as important is the faces of those who hold leadership positions in Corpo- rate America. Hispanics make up a very small percentage of executive leaders in both the C-suite and on corporate boards in the United States. Under- standing this dynamic, André Arbeláez wanted to do something to change that. Spending 10 years on the Board of Directors and seven years as the President of the His- panic IT Executive Council (HITEC) allowed Arbeláez to work with various corporations and highlight Hispanic technology leaders. It also helped him connect with Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of prominent companies, such as AT&T, Hewlett Packard, and Facebook. “After I finished on their board, I wanted to make sure that I was still able to continue leveraging all that network and [maintaining the] leverage that I had across Corporate America,” Arbeláez said during an interview with AL DÍA in Philadelphia. Currently, this city doesn’t yet have a Latino CEO among the top for profit corporations in our region, and much less among the few “Fortune 500” in our city. This led to the creation of the Hispanic C-Suite Corporate Council (HC3), the premier National member organization aimed to develop Hispanic leaders in Corporate America. Through engagement services, multicultural and multi-generational support, this organi- zation is hoping to create an opportunity to promote, engage and develop Hispanic leaders from public and private companies. According to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) Corporate Governance Study, Hispanics hold only three percent of seats in the boardroom of Fortune 500 companies. About 70 percent, or nearly 350 Fortune 500 companies, do not have a single Hispanic on their board. Only two percent, or 10 Fortune 500 CEOs are of Hispanic descent, and only four percent of Fortune 500 companies had two Hispanics on their board. Arbeláez said HC3’s mission is all about providing a voice for people who don’t have one, but this time at the highest levels of decision making in the corporate world. While Hispanic CEOs often serve as a voice for their company, they don’t truly have a voice in Corporate America, he added. He explained that Hispanic CEOs are often simply labeled as such. CEOs can better serve as leaders and voices for their communities, and start the conversa- tion surrounding the most pressing, important issues. “We need to be taken equally as a member of our communities,” Arbeláez said, noting that legislation is one of the ways to do that. “[We need to] engage important legislation that helps lift up people of color. But do it in an equitable way, where it’s equal representation of the challenges that are in America for Hispanics,” he added. Despite the alarmingly low numbers of high-level Hispanic executives in Corporate America, Arbeláez says that the Hispanic com- munity is strong. “We have a lot of incredible strength in our community, but as a collective, we need to celebrate that, we need to elevate that, and make sure we develop that next generation of leaders,” he said. Through advocacy, development, promotion and networking, HC3 aims to serve as the influ- ence that can turn that proposition into a reality within the Corporate America. “HC3 is really becoming that voice for the C-level executives, and two levels below,” he add- ed. Following the Model When Arbeláez founded HC3 in 2018, he modeled it around another organization that has had a significant impact in supporting diversity in the corporate world. That organization is the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Founded in 1986 by 19 African American corporate men and women, the ELC is the preeminent member organization for the development of global black leaders, whose mission is to increase the number of successful black executives. “The ELC believes in the business proposition that when diversity leads, corporate America and global enterprises succeed,” the organization’s site states. By Peter Fitzpatrick The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce held its first networking mixer of the year at the exclu- sive Pyramid Club in the heart of Philadelphia's Center City Business district. High up in the Mellon Bank building on the 52nd floor, you have breathtaking views of the Philadelphia skyline. The Pyramid Club is known for its excellent meals, top-notch drinks, as well as a place where you run into businessmen and women closing in on their next huge account. On April 16th, over 100 Latino professionals and entrepreneurs throughout the region took part in the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's networking mixer. The main goal of the GPHCC is to capitalize on the many opportunities that a diverse Latino multicultural busi- ness can offer to corporate America as well as advancing the Latino community economically. The event started with an orientation of new members to the organization. It later expanded to a full-blown networking meeting between Latino business of all professions and entities. Among those present were Ric Cruz, Profit Management Manager of UPS, President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Brunilda Sanchez and Dennis Miller, Executive Principal of Wheel Dog Industries. Enrique Rosario, Esq., Michael Hynes, Payroll Specialist/HR Specialist of Heartland and Gabriela Santoferraro, Assistant Vice President, Small Business Specialist also attended the event. Jennifer Rodriguez “Networking Season” at the Pyramid Club Kicks Off André Arbeláez, President & CEO of the Hispanic C-Suite Corporate Council —Photo: Emily Neil by Jensen Toussaint Hispanic C-SuiteLATINO NEWS WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 11 continued on page 28 The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), says delegates to the 2019 Dreamer Summit held in Dallas Texas have ratified the nation’s first Dreamer Declaration setting out their blueprint for a bipar- tisan solution to the stalled immigration reform movement in the United States. “The declaration passed unanimously by this assembly is a working document that reflects the vision of young men and women whose lives are being directly impacted by partisan politics and they’re tired of it,” said Domingo Garcia, National President. “They’re not waiting any longer for others to solve their situation of daily fear and uncertainty that they might be deported. Instead, their brave and courageous action today begins to change the narrative away from intransigent demands on both sides to a set of principles that can lead to a compromise we can get passed in 2019,” he added. The Freedom and Liberty Declaration first sets out seven points which delegates agreed are the most important to find common ground including ensuring security at all borders and ports of entry, immigration is the lifeblood for future economic growth, individuals who arrived in the United States as children should not have to live in constant fear of deportation and a bipartisan solution to immigra- tion respects America’s values of having a fair process for welcoming men and women who wish to become part of this country. “It’s not going to be easy and there will be critics who are holding fast to an all-or-nothing position but LULAC joins with these Dreamers in framing the conversation differently by looking for ways to work together so that we can reach an agreement,” says Garcia. “The Dream- er Summit Freedom and Liberty Declaration is a major step towards achieving the best possible outcome now by addressing the most critical roadblocks and allows us to make progress. Dreamers deserve to have their voice heard and LULAC salutes them for their leadership and willingness to come together in drafting this historic document,” he concluded. LULAC will now move to support the Dreamers through a formal res- olution process, first in Texas where the document was drafted, then at the National LULAC Convention in July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A national campaign is proposed for distribution of the measure to members of Con- gress, other elected officials and by sharing its content widely through social media and in print. DECLARATION Dreamers Dreamers deserve to have their voice heard and LULAC salutes them for their leadership and willingness to come together in drafting this historic documentHEALTH NEWS 12 | TALK MAGAZINE • SPRING 2019 Research has shown that Black people are 20 times more likely than other ethnic groups to de- velop heart failure before the age of 50, and they are more likely to be hospitalized or die from heart failure than White Americans. Earlier this month, Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC partnered with Shaquille O’Neal to help shift those danger- ously high numbers. The recently launched “Shaquille Gets Real About Heart Failure” campaign, a national edu- cational initiative was designed to raise awareness around the heart failure disparity in the African American community and ways to manage this condition. Although he’s never had heart challenges him- self, Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq), recognized around the world as a Basketball Hall of Famer, is using his powerful platform to help spread the word that every African American needs to take this disease seriously. “Heart failure is what happens when the intri- cate parts of the heart don’t work together to pump blood through the body,” said Dr. Ofilli, a fellow campaign ambassador and Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Morehouse School of Medicine. “Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with what the body needs.” “Even though I don’t suffer from heart failure, when I found out about this disparity, I knew I had to get involved and help educate my community about the burden of heart failure for African Ameri- cans,” said O’Neal. “I’ve learned that there are not only specific risk factors in African Americans, but also treatment options that offer them specific bene- The City of Philadelphia has issued a brand-new report, “Brotherly Love: Health of Black Men and Boys in Philadelphia.” This first-ever report is intend- ed to highlight the unique challenges faced by Black men in Philadelphia today and lay the groundwork for actionable steps we all can take to improve their health outcomes. Among the key findings in the report, school-aged Black male youth have the lowest rates of obesity compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Health insurance coverage among Black Philadelphians is at an all-time high following the implementation of ACA/Medicaid expansion, with 90 percent of Black adults having health insurance and more than 96 percent of Black children have health insurance coverage. Unemployment and poverty rates are declining, while high school, college and graduate school graduation rates are increasing among Black men. Among the adverse outcomes reported, life expectancy among Black men is lower than any other group. This lower life expectancy among Black men is driven by a variety of factors, including homicides, early cardiovascular disease, drug overdoses, cancer and infant deaths. Homicide is the leading cause of death for young black men ages 15 to 34. Asthma is a significant source of morbidity for Black boys, as hospitalizations for asthma are nearly nine times higher compared to other groups. Historically, as in other cities, health outcomes for Black men have been poorer than those of other racial/ethnic groups and women. These persistent disparities illustrate the need for targeted efforts to address the underlying causes of poor health. This inaugural report sets the stage for these efforts and makes recommendations for achieving them. “The first step to solving any problem is drawing attention to it,” Philadelphia’s health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley said, “The Brotherly Love report shows that, while Philadelphia has many initiatives to promote health, African-American men are still not as healthy as other demographic groups and not as healthy as they could be. We look forward to working with other City agencies and external partners to develop a more focused approach to solving that problem.” The report points to several areas for accelerating improvements in the health of Black men and boys. Key strategies include providing quality health and education in the earliest years of life, strengthening the educational and healthcare safety nets, promoting and reducing structural deterrents to healthy living, and combating poverty, community violence and racism. While key initiatives to address many of these areas are already underway in the city, public Shaquille O’Neal Brotherly LOVE About Heart Disease SHAQUILLE O’NEAL Gets Real fits. I’m partnering with Arbor to motivate African Americans living with heart failure to talk to their doctor and ensure they’re doing everything they can to take care of their health.” According to www.ShaqGetsReal.com, the campaign’s website was created to provide an- swers to African American heart failure patients and healthcare providers, an educational video series featuring Shaquille O’Neal and details about the Shaq BiDil Access Program. The Shaq BiDil Access Program brings togeth- er a set of savings options that ensures reason- able access to the treatment, BiDil (isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine hydrochloride), the first heart failure medication indicated for self-identi- fied African American patients with heart failure. BiDil is a vasodilator that boosts the supply of ni- tric oxide. Nitric oxide causes vasodilation, which widens and relaxes blood vessels in the body. Due to socio-economic factors and cultural differences, disease disparities between people of different ethnicities continues to gather interest and support from the medical community. For example, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recently published guidelines on cardiovascular risk factors, encouraging healthcare providers to consider ethnicity when determining risks and treatment options. continued on page 28HEALTH NEWS WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 13 HERE ARE FIVE REASONS TO FOCUS ON YOUR HEALTH THIS SPRING: Sometimes you have to think about your own health before you can help others. Do you find yourself doing everything for everyone else, but never anything for yourself? Put your health first on your list this spring. Take the time to take care of you! You live in your body. No matter what path you take in life, your body goes with you everywhere you go. So why not take care of it? Love yourself enough to live a healthy life. Treat your body with care and utmost respect. Give it the right nourish- ment. Just like your spring plants, water it, give it fresh air, sunshine and exercise it to keep the parts moving comfortably. Your sleep will improve and so will your mood. When you eat healthy and exercise regularly, studies have shown that you sleep better. People who are sleep deprived have a tendency to be fussy, cranky and overall more irritable. They are more likely to gain weight, too. Even a little exercise daily will improve your health. Physical activity, even as little as 10 minutes a day, is the “quick fix” to improve your health. You may not lose weight by increasing your physical activity, but you will reap health benefits. Physical activity can reduce belly fat, help lower blood pres- sure, cholesterol and the decrease the risk of diabetes and some cancers. It reduces depression and anxiety, and it improves bone and joint health, sex drive, sleep and memory. When you practice healthy habits, you boost your chances of a living longer. Looking forward to more time with loved ones is reason enough to keep walking, eating healthy, reducing alcohol intake, cut- ting back on salt, sugar, fried foods and stopping smoking. Need more than five reasons to focus on your health this spring? Make your own list! Do it now. Don’t overlook the social, spiritual and emo- tional reasons – sometimes these are the most important reasons in terms of motiva- tion! I sincerely wish you a happy spring! PLEASE NOTE: T his article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for profes- sional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your physician before participating in activities described by this article. Rhonda M. Johnson, M.D., M.P.H. Spring is a time of renewal – flowers are blooming, trees are sprouting new leaves and birds are singing. Spring can also be a time to renew your focus on your health – and with longer days and more sunlight, it’s a great time to get outside and get moving! In deciding to “spring” into action for a healthier lifestyle, it can be helpful to know the why and the what – or what’s in it for me? It’s Spring Here Are 5 Reasons to Focus on Your Health 1 2 3 4 5photos by Tené Croom February 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh BLACK HISTORY TMAG 2019 CELEBRATION RECEPTION16 | TALK MAGAZINE • SPRING 2019 What type of tools? Richardson says they have researched 60 different reading models that would help children of color black and brown and even poor white children to be proficient in reading. One is called Lexia Core 5. It’s a digital reading model. Yet, according to Richardson, this tool is not being used in whole in any type of way we know that works. “We know that when you use Lexia Core 5, the program follows an ambiguous procedure and it stimulates every gain that the student makes.” Richardson says they borrowed their curric- ulum from Dame-Dame (DA-MAY DA-MAY) Schools Harriet Tubman in north New Jersey, and Paul Dunbar in Baltimore. According to Richardson, these schools of 99% urban black children not only closed the racial achievement gap from the rich suburban kids, but out-scored them in PSAT and SAT and standardized testing. “You would have thought 60 minutes would have been all over that. They weren’t. You would have thought there would have been blue ribbon schools, that did not happen.” he said. The C.J.W. started in the 70’s at the Univer- sity of Pittsburgh under the title Institute for the Black Family. Dr. Jerome Taylor, founder and clinical research psychologist was the president of what is now the Center for Family Excellence. Dr. Taylor wanted to destigmatize the parents and children referred to him by C.Y.S. in the eyes of people. To do this, he interviewed them and asked, “What do you want for your child, and what values?” It came out to seven values termed Values for Life. Richardson says Values for Life is based around instilling the 7 core values of: “Love and respect; Interpersonal skills; Self-reliance; Learning orientation; Self-esteem; Self-discipline; and Self persistence into all participants.” The C.J.W. believes they can help close the achievement gap through these principles and by stemming the tide of something new called post traumatic cultural disorder. (P.T.C.D.) brought on by D.A.S.H. (Depression Anxiety Stress Hos- tility). They Interviewed 39 religious’ leaders in the Hill District in Pittsburgh under anonymity and asked what they see from their parishioners. Most expressed that they are not prepared to deal with the D.A.S.H. that parishioners feel from others in the community, like not being able to pay for funerals of loved ones and children not being able to sleep because of gunshots. Richardson can’t be everywhere to stop these tragedies and stressors but is working full time trying to repair the damage. He is a former Golden Gloves boxer and New Orleans Saint. In 1995, he went to the Million-Man March. When he returned to his job at Schuman Center, he reevaluated his situation and felt he was just being used for a physical presence. “As a 6’5 265-pound black man, I was not being utilized for the mental and therapeutic abilities I could add. The folks providing those services, all five of them did not look like me, and they were getting the top dollar when I was at risk for injury more than they were. After I came back to Pittsburgh in 1995, I ended up here at the Center for Family Excellence.” At the time, services were for the highest pop- ulation, single mothers and young female clients. Not as many services for fathers or young males, so he wrote a proposal specifically to deal with teen males. In 1999, he says the age group was 14-18. In 2019, it became 10-18. He asserts that with social media and other social ills that exist, a 14-year-old in 1999 is where a 10-year-old is today. “We educate men around recidivism, parent- ing skills classes, we advocate for fathers that are incarcerated and want to have a relationship with their children, and help fathers being sued for child support by going to the mother and getting them to work together. I also do interpersonal skills, formerly known as anger management.” Richardson says they changed the name because it is too stigma- tizing. “If I say I have a guy that was in anger man- agement, you might have red flags in the back of your mind no matter how good a guy I say he is. So, Dr. Taylor, our child developmental psychologist of 50 years, our C.E.O. Dr. Lynell Thomas and I got together, and they steered me in a different direction, and we stopped calling it that around 2002.” Tyrone Clark, who at a time was in the class himself, is now in his 17th year running the interpersonal skills class. Another special success story was of Brandon Baker. “He was going to jail for nonpayment of child support. They hired him, told the judge and nine years later, he is still working there. The road to Martin Luther King’s promised land is still far from paved but the materials, tools and laborers are up to the task with the blueprint in hand. Richardson’s last piece of advice for other think tanks who read this is thus: “If you are having meetings about how to stop these things you must bring the business, social, organizational and religious organizations together. Everyone has to have a seat at the table to start coming up with changes.” If we address the reality of today’s black participation in computer, mathematical and engineering occupations, it is only between 7 to 12 percent of white participation. The Consortium for Justice Works is a gap closing educational policy and practice model born out of the larger picture of what’s going on in America right now. “We surmise that blacks aspire to be in these vocations but must be literate as well as numerate to affirm they are capable, often making their journey oppressive. We are not represented in those fields so we have to take a holistic approach to address those matters from a think tank and we found a number of tools that would serve our children in educational settings.” Said Daved Richardson, Program Director for the C.J.W.’s Male Coalition Program. Daved Richardson, Program Director for the C.J.W.’s Male Coalition Program Consortium for Justice Works: Closing the Gap by Austin PremierWWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 17 Consortium for Justice Works Male Coalition Program at Center for Family Excellence photos by Diane I. DanielsNext >