"We did it, Joe"

Can I just how proud and honored I am to be a black woman today? Exactly a week ago, we were all shocked and in awe of the insurrection that took place at the US Capitol. Much to no regard for the group of white supremists who felt the need to attempt the hault the democratic process in which many of our ancestors fought and were killed in our quests to vote as US citizens. Today I found myself yelling and screaming with excitement at the television, while my six year old daughter looked at me like I was crazy. She asked why I was acting that way as I screamed " Okkayy Kamala with the Black girl Magic" and " Yaaaasss Dr. Jill" "Come thru Chelly" (my name for former First Lady Michelle Obama because she is really my friend in my head). I told her because there was once a day that because Kamala Harris is a Black and South Asian woman she would not have been able to vote in this country, let alone be the Vice President of the United States of America. I, myself, growing up just minutes away from these federal buildings I never saw people that looked like me or anyone I knew on tv at these buildings and never thought it was for "us". It's something to be celebrated.  Is she perfect? No. Will she be perfect? No. What she is doing is breaking barriers for women, especially black women all across the world to see that we too can achieve anything we work hard and set our minds to. She is a direct reflection of the diversity in our nation and why we cannot let others with small minds try to minimize us in our words or our actions and how we must continue to break those barriers to push through.  She is an example to my child as well as others all over over world that you can and you SHALL do great things, even when others try to hold you back and break you down. Kamala once said in an interview she did with the hosts of the Breakfast Club radio show that  "breaking barriers is breaking things and it's painful". 

 We see the joy in breaking barriers once they are completed but oftentimes forget the pain that comes along with it. We often get hurt in the process.  People try to tear us down, tell us we are incapable, we're too young, we are women, that will never work,etc. We get scars along the way but the scars help to build us and make us stronger.  The problem with barriers is that they are there to be broken and now our little girls and little boys can look and see that they too are able to break barriers as well. Will it be easy? Of course not.  Will we run into obstacles and naysayers? Absolutely, but at the end of the day we must persevere. There are others watching who are looking to us to pave the way and set the example of how to overcome the old ways of thinking and acting and to emerge into a new day.  So it is with joy that I say Congratulations to you Madam Vice President Kamala Harris and to President Joe Biden. Make us all proud...

Vote Because Your Life Depends On It!!

Vote...Vote...Vote...Vote...Vote...Vote...Vote...Now that we only have [3] days until the 2020 Presidential Election you would think there should be no room for debate.  However we all know better. We have all been through quite a bit this year but let's make this a positive outcome. The fact that we are still seeing individuals who think their votes don't matter and for that reason they are not going to vote. I think we all can remember that approach didn't work the last time. I can atleast tell you the reasons I always will vote. I have heard the stories from my grandpa about times when people made their lives hard and always made a challenge for black people to try and vote. Just look at our history. At one point it was decided that slaves were counted as 3/5ths a person to use that as an advantage for voting even though they were denied the right to vote.. Black people were beaten, killed, and humilitated just to gain the right to vote and then even after that, they had stumbling block after stumbling block put in their way even today to discourage them from voting. They had to take tests to get registered and  had their registration applications denied over and over. But our ancestors never gave up. For this reason I vote. Also, the entire Women's Suffrage movement took place all because women were not seen as equals. If our votes didn't matter, they would never do so much to keep us from our vote. Still until today, they are doing things like sending absentee ballots with no ballot in the mail and turning people away at the polls. There is never a more important time to vote.  When we have a President in 2020 who will not denounce white supremacy. We must vote.. When laws allow for the continued discrimination of Black Americans we must vote and not just in the Presidential election but for those that sit in Congress. Also, vote for those in your local elections because those are the laws that will directly affect you. The lines will be long on Tuesday but do not be discouraged.  YOUR VOTE and YOUR VOICE MATTER.... Tuesday November 3rd...

Breonna, You still matter babygirl

Full transparency  moment: It took me a very long time to write how I really feel about this entire situation. For a few reasons, one being that I am exhausted by the same sad story we keep seeing over and over. The second being that, I myself have been in a situation before that could have turned out to have similar results and the thoughts do run through my mind that my mother could have been on TV crying, trying to piece together the details of my demise while the world tries to dehumanize me and make excuses for events that occurred outside of my control.  With that being said, I don't know how to really process these events. Arrest the cops thar killed Breonna Taylor is what we keep seeing everywhere and what exactly is done? We try to get people to lie on her to cover up the wrongdoings and unprofessionalism of the police force. We give the family a large sum of money as a way to hush them up without really acknowledging that the system failed to protect her. The same folks that we expect to protect us. The only charges that stick are the ones that didn't kill anyone? Meanwhile, there is a dead woman and no one is to blame??? I cannot wrap my mind around it or the fact that her mother wasn't allowed to go to her aid while her daughter could have still possibly received help. It just seems like it is a never ending story and quite frankly I am sick of it. Things have died down and you no longer see the shirts with her name as much.  You do not see the celebrities reposting her face. Her boyfriend does an interview to recount the events that took place that night that align with the body camera footage from the officers. He is still in disbelief and I am in disbelief as well. How do you tell your family they matter??? How do you explain a young woman being treated like a cold blooded criminal? While even though, being a criminal does not necessarily warrant you being treated in that manner. They claim "she was no saint" but my question is who is? Why does this continue to happen without consequence and we have to repeatedly be silenced and put in our "place"? The world needed her,  her family needed her. She was young. She had her whole life ahead of her and she's gone. Her boyfriend said a lot of people were dependent on her. Well who will they depend on now??? We haven't forgotten you babygirl. BREONNA TAYLOR....CONTINUE TO SAY HER NAME..

Off The Record with Anthony Adebayo and Scotty B

We all love a good podcast. How about one from two HBCU alumni talking about everything from college to professional sports, to mixing in some social matters and current events? Well “Off The Record” with Anthony Adebayo and Scotty B has the recipe for it all. Recently, the two hosts were able to provide some feedback on how they got started, their motivation behind their podcast, and where they see the topic of sports going in the future. Take a look at what they had to say below: 

When did you and your co-host start the "Off the Record" podcast and what was the motivation behind it? Also, tell us a little about the background of the two hosts and how important sports has been in your lives up until now. 

Ant: Off The Record originally started in September of 2014 in Richmond, VA with me (Anthony) as the only host and Scott just doing a segment called the Fantasy 5. But after a few episodes we decided he should be on the show permanently and it's been all she wrote. I personally always wanted a radio show growing up and when the opportunity presented itself I just went for it and here we are. Scott and I are both graduates of Virginia State University and for 20 years we've been talking and debating sports. 

Scott: Originally OTR started in September of 2014. I joined the show approximately two weeks after the original OTR started. I never wanted to be part of a radio show but after being a guest I soon realized that I wanted to be part of a show. I was a high school athlete and have always had a love for sports.

"Off the Record" is a sports based podcast but you also cover other topics that are relevant to society and what we are seeing in the world today. Tell us about some of those topics and why you felt they were important to include on your show?

Ant: Some of the topics we have spoken about of course have been social injustice, the pay gap between men & women, Trump, mental health, among other things. We felt that it is important to speak on these topics because they are just as important in our communities as sports are, some more than others. We feel like we need to use our platform and bring awareness to all of these topics outside of sports. We have children who play sports and it is important that they understand there is more to life than just sports.

Scott: Doing the show I have realized that what is going on in Sports and Society has a direct correlation. With the emergence of social media, athletes have become more vocal to what is going on in the world today. To effectively cover sports you have to talk about what is going on in the world today. This gives perspective in some of the athletes views and reasons to why some may respond the way they do.

You two recently interviewed the President of Virginia State University, President Makola Abdullah. As two Virginia State University Alumni, how important was that to you all to have him participate in your show and what does it mean to have someone at that level at an HBCU speak out what the events that are currently taking place today in reference to the global pandemic and the protests that are ongoing across the country? 

Ant: Man, that was huge for the show. When we reached out to President Abdullah to be on the show and he said yes, you couldn't tell me nothing. I was hyped up for weeks. He said he wanted to finally talk sports with everything going on with the protests and dealing with the planning on reopening the University because of Covid-19 and for us to be the platform where he got to unwind was amazing. One of my favorite interviews, definitely top 5. He also gave us insight on his day-to-day as a president at an HBCU. 

Scott: Being an alumni of VSU this was an awesome experience. President Abdullah was so down to earth. Gaining his perspective on a HBCU was great as well. Surprising part is that he wanted to really speak about sports. I was impressed with his knowledge of sports.

During the conversation with President Abdullah the topic of changing the narrative about sending student athletes to HBCUs came up. What are your thoughts on the college athletes who have already spoken out and addressed the possibility of transitioning to play sports for HBCUs instead of some of the larger D-1 schools? An example would be the players from Liberty University's football team who have made the decision to leave after they felt the school neglected to address the concerns of students in reference to the killings of black males in America and the ongoing protests for racial equality. 

Ant: My thoughts on these student-athletes choosing HBCUs over a PWI are that it's about time. It has begun with Makur Maker choosing Howard over schools like Kentucky, UCLA, and Memphis. This will hopefully shift the paradigm and other 5-star recruits will start taking HBCUs seriously. I would not be surprised if you see transfers in the next year start leaving these PWIs and taking the HBCU route. The thing about a lot of these athletes now is they are starting to see their worth and know they can promote themselves better than some of these schools. Also, if these schools values don't match yours you should leave. Go where you are celebrated and not tolerated.

Scott: Personally, I am glad that the student athletes of this generation are considering going to HBCUs. This is going to help generate much needed revenue for the HBCUs. One of my models is if you really have talent they will find you. In this day and age with all the social media and internet in general you can create a brand at a HBCU.

Another topic brought up in the interview with President Abdullah was the idea that people tend to shy away from sending their children to HBCUs. Why do you believe that is and what do you think needs to be done to reverse this mindset?

Ant: Exposure and resources. That is it. If HBCUs had the funds that these PWIs had the playing field would be leveled. That's why we need alumni to give back monetarily and use whatever resource they may have to create exposure for the student body and incoming students. It can be done, but it takes everyone doing their part.

Scott: I feel that people tend to shy away from sending their children to HBCUs because of a lack of understanding on HBCUs. It is interesting, I was having this conversation with a buddy of mine. His wife did not want to send their daughter to an HBCU. He did not realize that me and my wife were products of an HBCU. Once I explained the benefits and how it changed my life both seem receptive to the idea.

You mentioned feeling a brotherhood with individuals when you travel when you all find out that you have attended the same HBCU. Can you explain how making those connections has made you feel and how they may have influenced making connections in your work or personal lives?

Ant: Well it's just a feeling you can't really explain. It's like if you're in an airport and you have on a VSU hoodie and someone says I went to VSU, you automatically are like “yoooo what's going?” The sense of excitement of seeing someone that looks like you and would understand your college experience without even having to explain it is rare and unmatched. I would assume that is how it is with folks that went to any HBCU. Hail State.

Scott: I have found that HBCU students have different experiences than other university students. One thing that I always express to people is that I learned just as much outside the classroom as in the classroom. Life experiences from other people were huge to me at an HBCU. It allowed me to learn more about my culture. I grew up in a diverse community but going to an HBCU allowed me to learn more about MY culture.

Sports are universal and touch a large demographic of individuals. How do you think sports at both the college and professional levels can play a role in bringing people together, especially during these times when we are trying to promote equality for all? How can sports help to bridge that gap?

Ant: No matter what your color, religion, or orientation, sports have that effect to make you forget your problems even if it's just for 2 or 3 hours. But right now the athletes in the sports that are going on right now are using their platform to spread awareness for racial injustice, voting rights, etc. and I think it is working. I just hope one day everyone is treated equally.

Scott: I think people tend to forget about what is going on in the world when they watch sports. People often root for their home teams without thinking about the bigger picture then race.

When does  "Off the Record" air and where can people watch? 

Ant: Off The Record airs every Wednesday live at 7pm on Youtube (youtube.com/c/offtherecordshow) please subscribe & Facebook(www.facebook.com/TheOffTheRecordShow/) Please follow the page. You can follow us on IG: @theofftherecordshow Twitter: @theOTRBrand Facebook: Off The Record email: theofftherecordshow@gmail.com

Scott: Off the Record airs at 7pm Wednesdays

IG:ScottqSmith

Boys will be Boys

This past weekend my daughter and I were at the beach. It's our happy place as we attempt to enjoy the last few weeks of summer in midst of the pandemic. There was a group of boys there while we were there, a group of black boys to be exact. Not sure if this was a camp, a mentoring group or just a sports group but one of the adult males with them stated that they were all 12. Now some of them looked younger than others, with different body styles and all but they were all 12 years old. There were about 20 boys in the group as they tossed around the football in the water together as they attempted a pickup game of football while in the water. What I saw and loved was seeing a group of young black boys having fun and being carefree. In the midst of all that's going on in the world and what others in the world may see when they look at these kids, I was ecstatic to see that they could have a chance to enjoy themselves and be carefree. Others in the world never really view "our" boys as boys. They are automatically treated as adults even at 12 years old. Some may see them as a threat. A term that is often associated with young boys when they make mistakes rarely applies to them. BOYS WILL BE BOYS is usually reserved when young boys are making knuckle head choices and usually they are able to grow up and redeem themselves as children should be able to do. Unfortunately, that is not always the case for us and especially in this day in age our boys have to be given " the talk". The "mind your manners", "always listen to police", "don't talk out of line", "have fun but not too much",  "don't travel to certain areas", "don't offend anyone" talk. It's a lot of pressure for children, because they are just that, children. I am reminded of the simple luxuries that are often taken for granted by children of other races. For instance, I am reminded of Tamir Rice, who was 12 years old as well, playing with a toy gun in the park when he was gun downed by the police. He was not seen or treated as a child. I am also reminded of Trayvon Martin, 17, who was followed, attacked and killed in the night by an adult as he walked from the store after buying a snack. Neither of these boys were treated as children and it is apparent in our country that our boys do not get to be boys, make mistakes as children do, or live and enjoy the simple pleasures of life as many others do. It brought me great joy just to have a chance to see a group of young black boys be just that, boys, even if only for a moment. Black boys need to continue to be able to grow up to be black men because our black men are Kings.

Lavish & Thrifty

Finances are always something that every one is trying to master. While some are better at managing finances than others it is important, especially in the black community for us to continue to find ways to better manage our finances while creating ways to increase wealth for ourselves, our families and future generations to come. Some people think this means to find ways to be rich but it's more about learning to manage what you have and learning how to make your money work for you. We recently had an opportunity to have a quick interview with someone who is helping folks with just that, learning how to make what they have work for them while also still managing to find ways to achieve the things you want. Lacresia Lee is the owner of Lavish & Thrifty LLC, take a look at our interview below:

Q: What is Lavish & Thrifty LLC?  When did you start out and what was the motivation behind the vision and creation of the business?

 

A: Lavish and Thrifty, LLC started as just a blog back in 2017. I took a trip to Dubai and everyone was telling me how lavish my pictures were and they wanted to know how much things cost over there. Little did they know it was a thrifty trip. So I wrote a blog about my whole trip. What was so concerning was the fact that everyone agreed it was a thrifty trip but they still felt like they could not afford it. So I decided to start sharing my personal finances and lifestyle and how I plan for lavish trips and experiences all on a thrifty budget. 

 

Q: As the owner of Lavish & Thrifty LLC, tell us a little bit about your background to include your educational background and previous career experience that helped lead you to creating your business? What is one of the biggest takeaways you want people to have from your company and it's services?

 

A: As a high school student, I found that I had a knack for numbers and problem solving, which led me to pursue a degree in Accounting at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Shortly after college, my need for variety over consistency drove me to start a career in public accounting as a healthcare auditor. After being promoted to Senior Associate and gaining about four (4) years of public accounting experience, I  transitioned into the public sector as an internal auditor. The monotony of the day-to-day operations of city government led me into the financial services industry where I obtained my Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation and was promoted to Senior Auditor. After making a smooth transition to Charlotte, NC at the end of 2018, I moved back to my hometown of Richmond, VA after a year to continue my career as an Audit Manager in the financial services industry. My versatility, curiosity, and ability to learn new things has allowed me to become a well-rounded individual leading me to success across multiple industries. Through my often challenging transitions and opportunities, I have been able to connect the dots and found out what I really like and prefer to do. While I enjoy auditing and problem solving, the helping aspect of my roles are my passion. I got such a thrill out of providing recommendations on how to improve and save my clients money as an auditor that I decided to take things personal and become debt free while building wealth. In 2018, I started Lavish and Thrifty, LLC so that  I could teach others how to do the same. My goal is to empower the next generation with practical money skills while encouraging them to make healthy and confident financial choices. My hopes are that this will ultimately allow them to plan for their future, spend wisely, and manage life’s most challenging events while living their best life. My motto is simple: “if you stay ready you ain’t got get ready”.

 

Q: What specific products or services do you offer?

 

A: My financial consultation service may consist of a review of new or existing concerns that may have an impact on your financial situation. I provide my recommendations and strategies that I live by and follow daily. Anyone will be able to use the tips and techniques right away. Consultations can include the following:

• Creating the right money mindset

• Understanding your habits related to money 

• Making your money work for you 

• Building a better budget 

• Understanding your debt & how you got there 

• Developing a solid debt elimination plan

• Knowing how to distribute your money 

• Savings & investing in yourself

• Spending Wisely 

• Relationships and money 

• Other concerns related to life and money as necessary 

 

Q: Can you explain from your perspective how important financial literacy and wealth building is and especially the importance in the black community?

 

A: Financial Literacy is very important – especially in the black community. The best thing we can do in the black community is to invest in ourselves through financial education. Without the appropriate education, our lives can become very expensive and lack options. And based on my business name you know that we never do lavish without the thrift.  Financial education can be the difference in you paying $15, 000 for a car or $21, 000 for the same car due to interest, or it can mean that you only have the option to rent when you really want to own. Expensive lifestyles and lack of options will not lead to financial freedom.  

 

Q: Financial literacy and Financial freedom in the black community is still something that is evolving. In your experience, what is the greatest area you think that the black community could improve upon to increase our financial literacy skills and in what ways can we do a better job in not only preparing ourselves but the future generations to be financially free? 

 

A: In the black community we have to stop thinking like a consumer and starting thinking like an owner. The black dollar only stays in the black community for 6 hours. Once we learn how to control our buying power we will be in better shape. When we normalize ownership within the black community, we’ll be able to pass down businesses and assets to our children instead of debt and ensure that our kids are financially educated to continue the legacy for generations to come.

 

Q: How can people contact you to schedule services and are there any ways people can donate or offer support to assist?

 

A: Please feel free to contact me via my website at www.lavishandthrifty.com. To set up a consultation with me click on the Services page and the link within. To book me for a speaking engagement, donations, or to offer support, please feel free to contact me through the contact form on the home page of the website. Also please feel free to subscribe to my website through the home page, be clicking on login.

 

Q:How can people contact you to schedule services and are there any ways people can donate or offer support to assist?

 

A: I can be reached at (804) 299-6596. 

IG: lavishandthrifty

FB: Lavish and Thrifty 

Email: lavishandthriftyllc@gmail.com

        Lacresia Lee, Owner, Lavish & Thrifty, LLC

My Baby's Black Life Matters

The weekend before last my family and I were in Northern VA and DC for other reasons but decided to stop by the newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington DC. I'm originally from Alexandria, VA so when my sister and I were young we spent lots of time in DC and were able to visit all the monuments etc. My almost six year old has not visited those same landmarks and therefore I want to expose her to all of the history in the nation's capital. This was on our list of plans for the summer, pre-Rona but we did get a chance to see a few things while there. When we ventured out to newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza, which leads right up to the White House most of the crowd that you see on television had leveled off but there was still a aura about the place. There were folks selling t-shirts promoting black empowerment and the call for unity and equality for Black Americans. Now, what baffles me is that majority of Washington DC's population is Black but when you are near the White House it seems like it's another location. That's why it's ironic to me that we have to bring attention to black lives in a city that is saturated with blackness. Nonetheless, trying to explain to a five year old what is going on has been interesting. I explain to her that sometimes people aren't treated nicely because "we are brown". As I mentioned before, her challenges with loving her skin were the main reason for me starting this blog and movement to celebrate our culture in the first place. When my baby asks me "why" and I really dont have an answer other than the fact some people think you are not equal to them if you are brown but you are. You are just as great, just as smart, just as beautiful, just as talented as anyone else. She looks like she understands but I know she doesn't. I remember when I was pregnant with her before I knew I was having a girl I was terrified of having a little black boy coming into this world. What do I tell him? How do I prepare him for the fact that he will always be prejudged no matter what he does or where he goes? How do I keep him safe in an environment that automatically sees him as a threat? The year prior I had watched the whole debacle of the Trayvon Martin case and other cases, which probably increased my anxiety about the situation. I really sat there and felt like, dang, you could really be minding your own business and because someone sees you as a threat everyone thinks you deserve to die. That's the reality we are living in. Then I had to realize it's not just for the boys but also for girls, we are not safe either. In the streets, in our homes, at the doctors office where we have to beg for people to run testing on us because many times they write off how we are feeling and our ailments and down play them when they are brought to our healthcare providers attention. We also have to deal with the reality that when one of our girls goes missing, it's rare that it gets the same media attention and coverage as our counterparts to help in our search. We are overlooked at times for our ideas and business ventures even though black women are the leading demographic group or entrepreneurs as well as one of the groups that is leading in being the most educated. There is this constant undertone that we are not held to the same standards and we have to continue to work to negate that stigma. we must have these talks with our kids as early as five or younger. We have to prepare them for a world they playfully do not know exists. We have to prepare them for when they are the only black kid in the room and how to handle themselves. We have to shown them that as our former First Lady Mrs. Michelle Obama stated that "when they go low, we go high". I was excited to see my girl excited and starting to understand about her surroundings. She is probably more well aware then when I was a child so I am confident she will feel empowered as she goes on. One of the shirts for sale by one of the vendors my daughter loved and she kept saying the phrase  "Black Girls Are Lit"... I loved it and loves that she is loving being just who she is.