Related articles

• Is black America stronger with Obama? (thegrio.com)

Dr. Boyce Watkins of Syracuse certainly has his concerns. Check out this quote from his recent article on Black Athlete.net:

Most of the media companies (as well as other institutions) in America are owned by people who don’t look like us,and this embarrassing disparity of ownership is all rooted in slavery and Jim Crow, during which African Americans spent 400 years being unable to accumulate wealth or build institutions for our community.

The result is that black stars get paid millions to continue cooning, because that is what is entertaining to the majority population — and unfortunately our children follow their lead. Now Comcast-NBC wants to “allow” us to have some stations, some of which we will be “allowed” to own.

The plan that NBC and Comcast have proposed (given some monopoly concerns as expressed by influential minority media groups) would establish 10 independent networks run by minorities along with $20 million in funding to help new minority media and technology companies get started. What do you think? Will this merger be a positive benefit for black media interests or is this a way to placate our community while programming becomes increasingly less tailored to our needs in favor of entertainment?

Related articles

• Comcast Merger Pledges More Black Owned Networks: Good News? (thehustletownchronicle.com)
• Maxine Waters Blasts Comcast-NBCU Deal (huffingtonpost.com)

Black beauty products have steadily grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, but the chemicals found in some products can mimic hormones, cause chemical burns and increase the risk of cancer.

“It’s a deep-seeded problem,” said Cherisse Scott,  a Chicago based health educator for Black Women for Reproductive Justice. She cited the need to examine the societal pressure which many Black women encounter when it comes to straightening their hair. “It’s hard when you’re in a society that requires you to look a certain way. Environmental justice…means tackling some of these deep-seeded generational issues also.”

Read the full story here.

Hustletown readers: Do you own or know of a business that offers healthy African American beauty products? Please share your resources below!

“The astonishing growth in the number of African Americans who own their own business is cause for celebration,” Lee says. “There were 1.9 million Black-owned businesses in 2007, up 60.5 percent from 2002.”

Black Business Secrets offers straightforward strategies on personal finance, building a profitable company, and outhustling your competition. Lee considers himself a business coach, but also includes key insights from African American businessmen such as Bob Johnson, Gwen Richardson, and Russell Simmons.

Read more about Lee’s new book here, or check out his blog for more business insight.

DanteLee.com Blog: Black Enterprise Accepting Nominations For 2010 Small Business Awards.

Dante Lee has posted an update on a special awards luncheon hosted by Black Enterprise to provide recognition to African American Entrepreneurs. Award entries are due by March 16, 2010 for an awards luncheon in Atlanta on May 17, 2010.

There are several award categories and nominees will receive highly visible exposure on the internet site and in the print magazine. The revenue requirements may seem high for some small business entrepreneurs but it’s well worth checking out and not beyond the reach of those who are really serious about getting their hustle on.

1stFriday.com, Inc.

“We believe that African Americans have unique social and professional information needs – our issues and problems are very area-specific. Connections is the only social and professional networking platform that serves the needs of African Americans at the local level,” said 1stFriday.com CEO Jay Ward.

Connections boasts Geo Social networking tools

Connections is open to everyone, regardless of whether their city hosts an active 1st Friday chapter. According to 1st Friday.com there are now 29 U.S. cities with First Fridays chapters, where African Americans gather to connect. A Connections profile will allow visitors to search for other African Americans with similar personal or professional goals, join groups, or send and receive messages from other Connections members.

“The more people who join and use the Connections network, the more useful it will become for the Black community. That’s our goal,” said Ward.

Hustletown readers: Is Connections poised to become the new Blackplanet.com? If you use this site or plan to, tell us about your experience below!

Here’s an excerpt from the Blogging While Brown website about the 2010 conference in Washington, DC: Planning is underway for the 2010 Blogging While Brown Conference. Blogging While Brown (www.bloggingwhilebrown.com) is scheduled for June 18-19, 2010 in Washington, D.C.:

Blogging While Brown promotes intellectual, social, and cultural development of the blogging community by bringing bloggers of color together in one location.  The purpose of the conference is to facilitate conversations that lead to collaboration and innovation among bloggers of color. Last year’s conference was held in Chicago and was attended by activists, entrepreneurs, journalists and others interested in expanding  digital media content creation and distribution among people of color.

After having attended an African American Internet Marketing Conference in Chicago last year, I’m seriously considering attending the BWB conference as the participants and presenters are better aligned with my interests and niche. Hustletown readers who are involved with social media should consider attending and registering early while the price is still $99. Are you going?
Blogging While Brown 2010 – June 18-19, 2010 – Washington, DC REGISTER TODAY!.

Black is the New Green: Marketing to Afluent African Americans

According to the authors, the total number of affluent ethnic households in the United States in now estimated at over 1.3 million, the buying power of affluent African Americans (referred to as AAA’s in this book) is currently $87.3 billion. This massive buying power is expected to reach more than $1.1 trillion by 2012 – just three short years for a cumulative growth of 28.4 percent.

Hoffman and Burnett stress that the affluent African American market has been underappreciated and overlooked. They also reason that with a sitting African American president—the time is now to tap into this market and to embrace a constituency that will have a lasting effect on your bottom line.

Hustletown readers, is your business in position to grow from this suggested trend? Let us know your thoughts in our comments section below!

Black History Month

Entrepreneur Wayne Sutton’s inspiring project is bound to ensure that Black contributions continue to be recognized, through 28 Days of Diversity.

Sutton’s goal is to highlight people of color who are impacting the social web. “As someone in the technology/web/social space, I often travel and attend various events in the industry and notice a huge lack of diversity,” he says at SocialWayne.com. “When it comes to getting attention from mainstream media/tech blogs it’s almost impossible.”

Thus far the 28 Days of Diversity has featured the CEO of Black Web Media, a Stanford-bred tech entrepreneur, and a filmmaker/best-selling author.

Diversity on the web is strong in 2010–and February is just getting warmed up! Check out SocialWayne.com for a daily dose of inspiration.

Visitors to the site will find an extensive directory of well-known TV favorites from past and present, including: the Dave Chappelle Show, Sanford & Son, Tavis Smiley, Boondocks, Tyra Banks and the Jefferson’s, as well as a slate of original programming options ranging from BTV Production’s own, The Best of Black TV247, hosted by current Miss Arizona USA, Brittany Bell, to The Trial Of Huey Newton, a documentary featuring exclusive, never before broadcast footage from the Black Panther Party archives.

BlackTV247.com’s programming is sourced from a broad spectrum of content providers, over multiple categories such as comedy, business, politics and faith. There is no charge to view content according to BlackTV247 founders.

“BlackTV247.com is positioned to be the go to online destination for fans of Black-inspired programming,” said Cecil Cox, co-founder and president. He is also an Emmy-nominated producer and former senior executive of Mundy Lane Entertainment, Denzel Washington’s production company. “Internet viewing is an increasingly more popular entertainment option, and today’s audience’s demand innovative, customized programming and interactivity.

Hustletown readers, what do you think of this ambitious project? Leave your comments below!

"The Boondocks" by Aaron McGruder will be featured on BlackTV247.com