things we're talking about
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THINGS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BY TANYA A. CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANKLIN THOMPSON
1. TELLING OUR STORIES Ida B. Wells was a pioneering investigative reporter and champion for civil rights. In the spirit of her activism, a group of journalists recently launched the Ida B. Wells Society—an organization that provides intensive training and workshops nationwide for current and aspiring African-American investigative reporters. Of the group, cofounder and The New York Times Magazine staff writer Nikole Hannah-Jones tells ESSENCE, “There is no reporting more important right now than investigative reporting. Reporting that is going to follow the money, that is going to hold power accountable, that is going to speak for vulnerable people.” To become a member, visit idabwellssociety.org.
ISSUES
MAY 2017 ESSENCE .COM 75
ISSUES : TRENDING TOPICS 2.
3.
4.
FROM INMATE TO ADVOCATE
KNOW YOUR WORTH
STARTING EARLY
Susan Burton spent 20 years in and out of prison before she got sober and founded A New Way of Life Re-entry Project, a South Los Angeles nonprofit that helps women battle recidivism. In her debut memoir, Becoming Ms. Burton (The New Press), she examines the impact of incarceration on women and recounts her road to rehabilitation.
The tech world still has a long way to go toward pay equity between Whites and people of color. A new study by Hired, a start-up that helps pair tech hopefuls with employers, found that Black software engineering candidates ask for $13,000 less than their White peers and are paid $10,000 less for the same jobs in New York City and San Francisco.
Marley Dias is a girl with a plan. After starting #1000BlackGirlBooks, a social media campaign in which she collected and donated more than 9,000 books with Black female main characters, the 12-year-old entered into a deal with Scholastic to write a book on activism for kids ages 10 and up. It’s slated for release in spring 2018.
NARROWING THE PROSPECTS HBCU HUB, an app by 21-year-old Grambling State student Jonathan Swindell, provides college applicants with comprehensive information on every HBCU, such as student–teacher ratios and preferred ACT and SAT score ranges. App users can also browse scholarships, internships and entry-level jobs.
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We’re not here as a menace to society. We’re here as equal contributors to the economy, to education, to health care. We are involved in every aspect of society.
”
—Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American state lawmaker, in response to the White House’s travel ban during an interview with BuzzFeed
THE FUTURE OF CODING Code.org’s mission is to get more women and underrepresented minorities interested in computer science. This year, the nonprofit had more than 18,600 high school students enroll in its computer science course—almost half of these students are people of color.
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8.
9.
10.
BUILDING FUTURE MOGULS
LEADERSHIP SHIFTS
LESSONS FROM A PRO
Le’Chic Academy is a Columbia, Maryland–based nonprofit that focuses on educating boys and girls. This June its founder, Marlene Jackson, is expanding its reach by hosting a young entrepreneurs event that includes a Shark Tank–style competition. She hopes to empower the next generation of business leaders. For more information, go to lechicacademy.com.
Fortune 500 companies are mixing things up at the top. A recent study found that in 2016, women and minorities held almost one third of the board seats at these institutions, an all-time high, up more than 5 percent from 2010. From 2012 to 2016, a total of 19 Black women and 3 Black men gained board seats.
The tools to create the next hit show are now at your fingertips. E-learning platform MasterClass has teamed up with Shonda Rhimes to give a primer on how to craft a script, pitch a pilot and run a writer’s room. The $90 class offers five hours of lessons taught by Rhimes, and access to materials used on her shows. Visit masterclass.com to register.
76 ESSENCE .COM MAY 2017
For the latest news, follow ESSENCE Features Editor Lauren N. Williams on Twitter @LAURNWILLIAMS.
FROM LEF T: MIA M U NOZ; AN DRE A CIPRIANI M ECCHI; JONATHAN SWIN DELL; STEPH EN MATU REN/G E T T Y IMAG ES .
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2
THINGS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BY TANYA A. CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANKLIN THOMPSON
1. TELLING OUR STORIES Ida B. Wells was a pioneering investigative reporter and champion for civil rights. In the spirit of her activism, a group of journalists recently launched the Ida B. Wells Society—an organization that provides intensive training and workshops nationwide for current and aspiring African-American investigative reporters. Of the group, cofounder and The New York Times Magazine staff writer Nikole Hannah-Jones tells ESSENCE, “There is no reporting more important right now than investigative reporting. Reporting that is going to follow the money, that is going to hold power accountable, that is going to speak for vulnerable people.” To become a member, visit idabwellssociety.org.
ISSUES
MAY 2017 ESSENCE .COM 75
ISSUES : TRENDING TOPICS 2.
3.
4.
FROM INMATE TO ADVOCATE
KNOW YOUR WORTH
STARTING EARLY
Susan Burton spent 20 years in and out of prison before she got sober and founded A New Way of Life Re-entry Project, a South Los Angeles nonprofit that helps women battle recidivism. In her debut memoir, Becoming Ms. Burton (The New Press), she examines the impact of incarceration on women and recounts her road to rehabilitation.
The tech world still has a long way to go toward pay equity between Whites and people of color. A new study by Hired, a start-up that helps pair tech hopefuls with employers, found that Black software engineering candidates ask for $13,000 less than their White peers and are paid $10,000 less for the same jobs in New York City and San Francisco.
Marley Dias is a girl with a plan. After starting #1000BlackGirlBooks, a social media campaign in which she collected and donated more than 9,000 books with Black female main characters, the 12-year-old entered into a deal with Scholastic to write a book on activism for kids ages 10 and up. It’s slated for release in spring 2018.
NARROWING THE PROSPECTS HBCU HUB, an app by 21-year-old Grambling State student Jonathan Swindell, provides college applicants with comprehensive information on every HBCU, such as student–teacher ratios and preferred ACT and SAT score ranges. App users can also browse scholarships, internships and entry-level jobs.
”
5.
6.
7.
We’re not here as a menace to society. We’re here as equal contributors to the economy, to education, to health care. We are involved in every aspect of society.
”
—Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American state lawmaker, in response to the White House’s travel ban during an interview with BuzzFeed
THE FUTURE OF CODING Code.org’s mission is to get more women and underrepresented minorities interested in computer science. This year, the nonprofit had more than 18,600 high school students enroll in its computer science course—almost half of these students are people of color.
6
4
8.
9.
10.
BUILDING FUTURE MOGULS
LEADERSHIP SHIFTS
LESSONS FROM A PRO
Le’Chic Academy is a Columbia, Maryland–based nonprofit that focuses on educating boys and girls. This June its founder, Marlene Jackson, is expanding its reach by hosting a young entrepreneurs event that includes a Shark Tank–style competition. She hopes to empower the next generation of business leaders. For more information, go to lechicacademy.com.
Fortune 500 companies are mixing things up at the top. A recent study found that in 2016, women and minorities held almost one third of the board seats at these institutions, an all-time high, up more than 5 percent from 2010. From 2012 to 2016, a total of 19 Black women and 3 Black men gained board seats.
The tools to create the next hit show are now at your fingertips. E-learning platform MasterClass has teamed up with Shonda Rhimes to give a primer on how to craft a script, pitch a pilot and run a writer’s room. The $90 class offers five hours of lessons taught by Rhimes, and access to materials used on her shows. Visit masterclass.com to register.
76 ESSENCE .COM MAY 2017
For the latest news, follow ESSENCE Features Editor Lauren N. Williams on Twitter @LAURNWILLIAMS.
FROM LEF T: MIA M U NOZ; AN DRE A CIPRIANI M ECCHI; JONATHAN SWIN DELL; STEPH EN MATU REN/G E T T Y IMAG ES .
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