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Combining Culture with Currency

THE AFRO — The award-winning creative agency, The Digital Footprint, hosted an interactive financial event called “CapTalk” on Aug. 24. The event, held in Washington D.C. is a way to combine culture with currency in partnership with Capital One. Hosted at the Capital One Café to a sold-out crowd, the event provided minority entrepreneurs and creatives a safe space to discuss money management and financial literacy. Attendees learned about their “capital in the nation’s capital” through a panel, workshops, and one-on-one sessions with accountants, legal aids, and personal financial advisors.

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The Digital Footprint founders Donye Taylor and Raymond Smith. (Courtesy Photo)

By Brianna Rhodes

The award-winning creative agency, The Digital Footprint, hosted an interactive financial event called “CapTalk” on Aug. 24. The event, held in Washington D.C. is a way to combine culture with currency in partnership with Capital One.

Hosted at the Capital One Café to a sold-out crowd, the event provided minority entrepreneurs and creatives a safe space to discuss money management and financial literacy. Attendees learned about their “capital in the nation’s capital” through a panel, workshops, and one-on-one sessions with accountants, legal aids, and personal financial advisors.

Founders of The Digital Footprint, Donye Taylor and Raymond Smith, hosted this event with Black millennials in mind. This affair is a fun way to expose the average person to knowledge about handling their finances and raising capital.

“I know growing up whenever finance was taught to me, it was taught in a way that was really hard for me to understand because it was always somebody that was not in my generation,” Taylor told the AFRO. “So they didn’t understand how I digest information. With the certain jargon that they used, it just didn’t connect with me, so we wanted to create something where like people of the same generation could talk to one another in a way that they could understand.”

Taylor believes that events focused on finances, like CapTalk, can also move the Black community forward by creating generational wealth and closing gaps, like racial disparities.

Panelists spoke about topics like intellectual property, contracts, managing debt, financial planning, and how to avoid comparing yourself to people on social media.

“One thing that I can say is just trust the process and don’t let the internet make you broke,” Smith told the AFRO. “We preach that a lot and we spoke about it at the event. A lot of times people look on social media and keep up with ‘The Joneses’ or they see this business person posting and they’re like, ‘Oh man….my business doesn’t look like that?’ or ‘What am I doing wrong?’ or ‘Should I just give up.’’’

“Everybody has a different race with a different pace and I feel like don’t let it get you down or make you feel like you’re doing less than the next person,” Smith added. “Just ignore it and just keep putting out content and keep doing your thing.”

In addition to offering financial advice, there were free giveaways and free food and drinks. Attendees also played a game called “Cap or No Cap” to teach them financial secrets, like users being able to get a discount with Lyft or other places if they use a Cash App Credit Card.

The game is one way that The Digital Footprint incorporates knowledge with Black culture, which is something that is always emphasized at their events. Culture is at the forefront of each event because the organization feels that essentially, we are the culture.

“I’m one of those people where I believe Black culture is global culture when it comes to any industry and I feel like everybody uses our culture to sell stuff except for us,” Taylor told the {AFRO}. “By us taking the culture that we contribute to and we create, and using it back in our community, that people that look like us and think like us can learn from us. I think that’s the most important thing.”

Be sure to be on the lookout for more events for the culture hosted by The Digital Footprint. To learn more about their company, check out their website and follow them on Instagram.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists:

  • Medaria Arradondo – Former Minneapolis Police Chief
  • Nekima Levy Armstrong – Civil Rights Activist & Attorney
  • Dr. Yohuru Williams – Racial Justice Initiative,
  • UST Mary Moriarty – Hennepin County Attorney
  • Fireside Chat with Andre Locke – Father of Amir Locke

Special Guests:

  • Kennedy Pounds – Spoken Word Artist
  • Known MPLS – Youth Choir bringing purpose through song

This podcast episode looks at the past five years through the lens of grief, truth, and hope—and challenges us all to do more.

🔔 Subscribe to Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real wherever you get your podcasts or follow ‪@mnspokesmanrecorder‬ for more.

🔗 Visit https://spokesman-recorder.com for more coverage and stories from Minnesota’s trusted Black news source.

#GeorgeFloyd #BlackPress #SpokesmanRecorder #Minneapolis #BlackHistory

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