Reginald Kearney
Editor
Lasheika C. Boyd
Associate Editor
Brandon J. Jolly
Layout Designer
Urban Sentinel Magazine
Address: 102 Discovery Ct. La Plata, Maryland 20646
Phone: 301-661-3989
Editor in Chief Reginald Kearney
Advertising Inquiries
Phone: 301-661-3989
E-mail: contact@urbansentinelmagazine.com Website: www.urbansentinelmagazine.com
As the Editor and Publisher, I would like to invite you to the new Urban Sentinel Magazine website. You may have noticed that we have not had a magazine online since June, 2023. Well, we are back and we are ready to give you the news that you have been looking for. We are hoping that with the new website we will be able to touch and reach people around the world. We are always looking for new writers and articles or suggestions on what you the reader may like to read. If you need additional information on the magazine and website, and if you would love to write for the magazine and you would like to pitch an article, you can reach us at urbansentinelmag@gmail.com.
Our next online publication, the July/August edition will be online soon and we will be featuring Gene “Groove” Allen who gained his fame in the movie House Party. I know everyone remembers the House Party movie which stars “Kid and Play.” Gene takes us on a ride as he discusses his life and how he has gone from point A to point B. Gene also tells us how his journey has affected his life and how his journey has been a blessing. Gene is still doing his thing and he is blessing others along the way.
We will also have other great articles for you to read. Please like us on Instagram @theurbansentinel2.0 and join us live on Youtube, Roku and PODTV.TV at 8pm ET on Tuesday nights for the Urban Sentinel Live show. The Urban Sentinel staff is looking towards the future and what it has in store for us. Enjoy our new website and enjoy the magazine.
Thank you for the support, Reginald Kearney- Editor/Publisher
Lasheika started her writing career writing commercials and doing voiceovers for a radio station part -time in Charlotte, NC. She loved what she did, and she was good at it. Lasheika has been writing for years, it is her passion. She also has a relationship advice column in the magazine which is called, “Letters to Lasheika”. Lasheika has a book that will be published in the next few months called “Top 20 Reasons Why Men Cheat” and we cannot wait to get our hands on that!
Lasheika is also working on her Life/Relationship Coaching Certification. “I just want to help young women navigate through life and love in a positive way” says the author.
Mrs. Boyd is happily married with three children. She has a Twenty-two-yearold daughter and a fifteen-year-old son from her previous marriage and a seven-year-old son with her husband. “My family is complete” says Lasheika. Outside of writing, the author loves to spend time with her family, and she is very involved in their extracurricular activities. “Being their mother is a highlight of my life, they are the best part of me” says Lasheika.
by RODNEY HARRISON JR.
Boxing. One of the world's oldest sports has been finally revived in 2023. For decades the fans have been begging for interesting and competitive fights and this year it has deliverded and will continue to deliver. The biggest problem with boxing is that the best fighters rarely fight the best fighters and when they do it is usually 4 of 5 years too late where one fighter is on the verge of retirement. Boxing has been deprived of so many super fights because of contracts, promotions, and padded fight records. The contract negotiations always end up going awry because of numerous egos, lack of care about the sport and the best fights, and delusion from all parties.
One side usually demands an extremely high percentage of the split in the revenue while the other side demands a rematch clause and a rehydration clause and more stipulations that neither side will agree on and the fight just never happens. The cycle of rumored fights going to negations and never making it to real considerations has gone on for far too long. The promotions are another huge factor in the fights
not taking place. Since the beginning of the 4-belt era the promotions have had conflicting and tumultuous relationships where they refuse to work together. Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions are some of the promotions who have a history of beef and have never been able to agree on fights or contracts which has held up the sport. The reluctance of promotions to cooperate to make the biggest and best fights possible has continued to hurt and diminish the popularity and excitement about boxing and boxers to the degree where boxing is no longer a prestigious and sought after sport.
Another problem with boxing is the importance of being undefeated and having name value. The padded records make a lot of boxers less valuable. When a fighter has potential, they usually put them against a bunch of bums and old fighters to allow them to build their records up and make the fighter seem better than they actually are. This is bad for certain fighters because they will build themselves up and then face another notable fighter and they lose and are never able to recover.
When a boxer loses their 0 they lose all of the prestige and invincibility around them. When a boxer is no longer undefeated, they lose tons of opportunities because the whole sport of boxing is promoted on undefeated fighters. In MMA losing 2 or 3 fights is expected because everyone is so skilled, and boxing is the complete opposite because one loss is basically losing everything. But the boxing landscape has changed dramatically in 2023. Former youtuber Jake Paul has been a big voice in advocating for fighter pay and making fights actually happen.
He recently fought Tommy Fury and Nate Diaz which has brought an entirely different audience to boxing. There are people who want to see him lose, people that want him to win, and people who want to see if Jake Paul is a legit professional boxer. All these people drawn to Jake Paul are more eyes on boxing, which it has been lacking for years. This year Devin Haney defended his Unified lightweight title against Vasiliy Lomachenko in a controversial unanimous decision. The fight was amazing, it was tightly contested throughout each and every round and by the end of the night everyone was just happy that the fight took place. Another fight that fans have been clamoring for was Gervonta “Tank” Davis versus Ryan Garcia and it finally happened.
Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather promotions buried the hatchet, and the fight took place and Davis ended it with a 7th round body shot that Ryan Garcia just could not recover from. Most recently Errol Spence versus Terrance Crawford took place, and this fight has
been speculated for the past 5 years and it came to fruition in July. The fight was not an amazing back and forth like everyone expected but it was a one-way slaughter as Crawford was one step ahead of Errol Spence the entire fight.
Upcoming in September and December Canelo Alveraz and Jermell Charlo will fight and Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou will fight. The year 2023 has been one of the best years for boxing and it will continue to inspire more promoters and promotions to put aside politics and make the fights that people want to see. The future of boxing has never looked brighter and the excitement in the boxing world is continuing to grow as premier matchup's keep happening.
Meet the three youngest rising stars in the State of Maryland, bringing a new energy of entrepreneurship and innovation to the youth landscape as members of a Youth Investment
Program (YIPs1) offered by G1 Investment, LLC.
These young stars have learned the essential components of taking a dream or a vision and turning it into a reality that will produce fruit
for many years. The public met these young business owners on May 6th, 2024, during their Ribbon Cutting administered by the Charles County Chamber of Commerce and the Charles County Economic Development Department. Charles County Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II Esq. was in attendance along with a county seal which was presented to the business owners. The President was also joined by Commissioner Vice President Ralph Patterson as well as Commissioners Thomasina Coates and Gilbert Bowling.
Jyniah Smith (age 10) is the founder and CEO of Bakie Books, LLC, a dessert and beverage manufacturing company that just landed their first retail partner, Selby’s Grab and Go restaurant, led by internationally trained Chef Kendall Selby from New Jersey who lives by the motto “food is a catalyst to the soul.” Chef Selby has agreed to sell Jyniah’s signature grab-and-go dessert cup called a “Bakie” and offer it as an option on his catering menu. A “Bakie” is a dessert cup layered with fudgy chocolate brownies, rich vanilla cake, soft and fluffy chocolate chip cookies, and a creamy vanilla glaze, served in a cup with a lid and a spoon. The restaurant will also feature and sell all four flavors of Ezee Peezy beverages, owned by Tatiyana Smith (age 5). Ezee Peezy, LLC is a beverage manufacturing company positioned to rival all the large corporate beverage companies. The flavors of these beverages, called “Ezees,” are Fruit Punch, Grape, Lemon Blast, and Blackberry.
the digital media, which includes video, movie, graphic design, and editing; her name is Danyelle LaShay Smith, and she is the founder and CEO of D-LaShay Productions, a movie, video, and media enterprise. Her creative and innovative mind and unparalleled eye for captivating content and beauty have positioned D-LaShay to become one of the nation’s leading media enterprises. At age 8, Danyelle is busy mastering her craft through service to her sister’s businesses to afford to purchase the equipment and studio necessary to produce positive and encouraging content focusing on youth innovation. She aspires to have a large broadcast media studio to deliver meaningful, positive content that often goes unnoticed.
These three young African American sisters, proudly powered by Christ, are setting the stage for youth innovation and unlocking the minds of adult society to the possibilities and potential when meaningful investments are made in our youth.
To learn more about this dynamic trio, please visit:
https://dlashay.com https://bakiebooks.com https://ezee-peezy.com
Behind the scenes of all this momentum is a mastermind working diligently to create all
by BRANDEE JOHNSON
I’m 31 years old. And ever since I can remember, I’ve been bombarded with negative depictions of Black people from all types of media.
I wish I was kidding. Even the cartoons I watched as a child contained some negative depiction of a Black person. I remember watching Tom and Jerry being yelled at by a loud, Black woman who represented what’s known as a Mammy.
Unfortunately, it only became worse as I got older. My teenage years were spent watching Flavor of Love, College Hill, and other dramafilled reality TV shows. The entire Love and Hip Hop franchise had my 20s in a chokehold.
On top of these television shows, I kept up with the latest gossip on my favorite celebrities from the latest blogs. I could count on one hand the number of times there was a positive post promoted.
I wish I could say that my experience is unique, but it’s not. Whether you’re a Baby Boomer, Gen X, a Millennial, or Gen Z, there’s something we’ve all experienced.
Negative and outright racist depictions of our people in various forms of media.
One of the catalysts of many negative stereotypes against Black people is the movie “The Birth of a Nation” by D.W. Griffith.
This movie was the spark that ignited many of the stereotypes against Black men and women. Black men were depicted as violent savages who would try to assault White women any chance they could get. Black women were depicted as either a loud, overbearing Mammy or a hypersexualized Jezebel.
And unfortunately, these depictions have transformed over the decades. While some publications may not have outright published images of Black people with overdrawn lips eating watermelon, the racist undertones remained the same.
The need to depict Black men and women as uneducated, violent, lazy, and overall immoral is something that media outlets like Maury, The Shade Room, and TMZ have built their platforms on.
HOW BLACK PUBLICATIONS HAVE FOUGHT BACK
However, that doesn’t mean that Black people have just watched as they were portrayed any type of way in America.
Ever since the Black press was created, there have been numerous publications that were brave enough to challenge the racist stereotypes of mainstream media.
Ida B. Wells was an investigative journalist and activist born on July 16, 1862. She was also one of the most prominent examples of using her gifts to shed light on racial injustice.
After one of her friends was lynched, she used her writing to launch a nationwide antilynching campaign. She published an expose in 1892 about lynching and White mob violence. Although the backlash she received from the expose resulted in her moving to Chicago from Memphis, she never stopped shedding light on the evils of lynching.
The following year, she and other African American activists called for a boycott of the World’s Columbian Exposition for their negative depiction of the Black community. She also continued to spread the dangers of lynching to
foreign audiences.
Alex Manly was a newspaper owner and editor from Wilmington, North Carolina. He and his brother, Frank Manly, co-owned the only daily African American newspaper called The Daily Record.
In 1898, racial tensions were high in North Carolina, to say the least. White Democrats were sparking racial tensions between Black and White residents in an effort to win the state legislature. And Rebecca Latimer Felton, a Georgia slave owner and politician, published an article that advocated for lynching as “protection” for White women from Black men.
Manly published an article that outright
condemned lynching and the negative stereotypes of Black men as rapists. He called White men hypocrites for protecting their women while preying sexually on Black women. He even quoted studies done by Ida B. Wells herself to dispute the negative stereotype of the Black man as a “big brute”.
Not surprisingly, Manly’s article gained local and national attention. Nearly a year later, the Wilmington North Carolina massacre occurred after the Democrats lost the 1898 election.
Before the lynch mob could terrorize the Manly brothers, they fled out of town and never returned to Wilmington. But their activism didn’t stop in North Carolina. After living in Washington D.C., Alex moved to Philadelphia and joined the African American newspaper council.
John H. Johnson
On January 19, 1918, American businessman and publisher John H. Johnson was born. Simply put, he created a positive Black media empire.
In addition to founding the Johnson Publishing Company in 1942, he created the Ebony and Jet magazines in 1945 and 1951.
Ebony was so popular that it easily sold out of its original 25,000 copies. One of the reasons why it was so popular was because it focused on the achievements of successful Black people.
Some of the topics discussed in the magazine were the latest news on race relations, Freedom rides, and civil rights legislation. Every aspect of the magazine was catered to the Black consumer.
Outside of Ebony and Jet, Johnson Publishing also owned Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the world’s primary makeup and skincare company for Black women. Johnson also purchased three radio stations, created a book publishing company and a television production company.
Tom Burrell is the founder of Burrell Communications, one of the largest multicultural marketing firms in the world.
Born on March 18, 1939, he was one of the first Black people to work in an advertising agency in Chicago. He had a successful run in the advertising world for 10 years before founding Burrell Communications in 1971.
Burrell used his expertise to establish a healthy and respectful relationship between marketing and the Black consumer. In fact, Burrell was quoted as saying, “Black people are not dark-
He was one of the first marketers to actually include authentic cultural references for Black people in ads.
Some of Burell Communications’ clients are Comcast, McDonald’s, American Airlines, Procter and Gamble, and Toyota. Burell was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and published two books titled “Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority” and “Brainwashed: Erasing the Myth of Black Inferiority.”
Byron Lewis
Another media powerhouse who helped transform advertising for the Black consumer is
Byron Lewis.
In 1969, Lewis founded UniWorld Group, Inc, one of the largest and longest standing Blackowned advertising firms. What set UniWorld apart from other marketing agencies is that Black consumers were prioritized.
Lewis and his team would portray Black men, women, and children in relatable, everyday situations. Some of the firm’s clients included Smirnoff, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Gatorade, National Park Service, and Walt Disney. Lewis’s contributions to advertising changed the way that large corporations viewed Black consumers. During this time, these companies wouldn’t even view Black people as consumers. To date, UniWorld Group has been recognized for its creative advertisements and strong branding.
Last but certainly not least is Spike Lee, an American film director and screenwriter born on March 20, 1957.
From the beginning of his career, Spike Lee has used his movies and documentaries to dive deep into race relations. In 1979, he founded
his production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.
Some of his classic films include Crooklyn, Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, and Mo’ Better Blues. But one of his most underrated films is the film Bamboozled, produced in 2000.
This film is a comedy-drama that explores the history of Black stereotypes in Hollywood. It follows several characters who find themselves creating a modern day minstrel show and the repercussions behind it.
Even though the movie was created nearly 20 years ago, some of the hard truths about Black entertainers accepting demeaning roles still ring true today. There are so many interesting themes in the movie that a summary in an article wouldn’t be enough to cover them.
And The List Goes On and On
As you can see, there are several examples of Black publications and media outlets fighting back against racial stereotypes.
Even when it was dangerous to do so, people like Ida B. Wells and Alex Manly put their lives on the line to defend and represent their community.
Black publications have never been afraid to use their voices to portray Black people in a positive light. And they will continue to do so.
As we begin the new year, don’t pay attention to the negative portrayals of Black people over social media and other platforms. People are sick of it.
Think of ways that you can use your platform to showcase the positive events going on in our community. And if you don’t know where to start, start with this magazine. I dare you to read the first few articles and leave away not feeling empowered.
Photo Credits:
Ida B. Wells
Image taken from https://cricketmedia.com. Link: 12 Facts
You Didn't Know About Ida B. Wells - Cricket Media, Inc..
Alex Manly
Image taken from www.ipernity.com. Link: ipernity: Alex Manly - by Kicha.
John H. Johnson
Image taken from https://www.mahoganybooks.com.
Link: Empire: The House That John H. Johnson Built (The Life & Legacy of Pioneering Publishing Magnate) (HC) (2018) (mahoganybooks.com).
Tom Burrell
Image taken from https://www.press.uillinois.edu. Link: UI Press | Jason P. Chambers | Advertising Revolutionary (uillinois.edu).
Byron Lewis
Image taken from https://www.nytimes.com. Link: Byron Lewis, the Original Black Media Mogul - The New York Times (nytimes.com).
Spike Lee
Image taken from https://www.alamy.com. Link: Spike Lee
Spike Lee Spike Lee tournage on the set Summer of Sam Year: 1999 USA Director: Spike Lee Stock Photo - Alamy.
Meet Deloris Hervey, a woman of many hatsa devoted child of God, a nurturing mother, an accomplished director, writer, acting coach, and producer. Her artistic prowess shines through her production company, DD’s Showbiz, where she passionately delivers authentic stage plays, acting courses, films, and more. Since 2012, Deloris has been an integral part of the vibrant Houston arts community.
Driven by her love for the youth and community, Deloris founded the 501c3 Youth Acting Corner. At Youth Acting Corner, the focus is on providing children with diverse learning techniques, incorporating hands-on experiences in film and stage productions. Collaborating with organizations like Brilliant Women In Film, Deloris ensures her youth participants gain valuable behind-the-scenes and on-camera skills.
Originally from New York, Deloris made the journey from upstate NY to Houston, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Business
Administration in 2005. Despite her business background, her passion for acting remained, leading her to establish her production company. Recognizing her natural ability to listen and guide others, Deloris pursued a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling.
Currently, Deloris is in pre-production for her upcoming feature film, "Wrath Of A Broken Man." Transcending her hit stage play to the big screen, she takes on the roles of writer, director, and producer, with the film set to premiere in the fall of 2024.
Stay connected with Deloris Hervey's journey by following her online @delorishervey. For more information and updates, visit www.ddshowbiz. com or reach out to her team via email at info@ddshowbiz.com. Deloris Hervey stands as a dynamic force in both the entertainment industry and the community, leaving an indelible mark with her passion, talent, and commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists.
My husband doesn’t do the same romantic things that he used to. I feel that he has gotten a little lazy. He works but not any crazy hours. He doesn’t plan anything anymore. We haven’t had a date night in months or a weekend getaway. We have only been married for two and a half years but have been together for seven. I have mentioned this to him a couple times over the past few months and I told him that it doesn’t make me feel good. I feel like I have been completely ignored because nothing has changed. I love him and I want our marriage to work but I am running out of patience. I don’t know how much longer I can take this. Please help.
Relationships are not always peaches and cream but being married for only two and a half years should still feel like the honeymoon stage. Date nights, flowers, and weekend getaways. Life does happen though, and marriage is work. Two people must put in the work if they want to continue to be together. The goal is to grow together not apart. A spouse should never make their partner feel like they are being ignored. If your husband does not want to do the things that he did to get you, do them for yourself. Take yourself to dinner or go out with a girlfriend. Having a spa day for yourself is always nice. Enjoy the things that you enjoyed before you were married without disrespecting your marriage. Self-care is the best care in any situation.
Planning a romantic evening for you and your husband may turn things around. Sometimes people go through things on the inside that may not have anything to do with their spouse. Sometimes men need a romantic gesture to make them feel better as well, they don’t communicate like we do. If things do not change after you put in the effort it will be time to have a serious talk with your husband. Relationship coaching or counseling will always help couples get to the root of the problem. Always remember your happiness is your own happiness. To be happy in a relationship both individuals must be happy with themselves first.
All relationship advice is confidential. You can email Letters to Lasheika at lasheika32@gmail.com
by LASHEIKA C. BOYD
Hip Hop Legend and Actor Gene “Groove” Allen known for his roles in the classic movies House Party and Boomerang was born and raised in Long Island, NY. He was also part of the legendary Hip Hop group Groove B Chill. Groove was inspired first by the Jackson Five when he went to their concert in Long Island, NY when he was a kid. He loved the sound of the guitars and of course the singing.
When Gene was in seventh grade when he met a friend named Derwin from the Bronx, who introduced him to his first mixtape, called “Breakout from the Bronx” by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from Queens, NY. Twenty-five Years Later Jekyll (Andre Harrell) started Uptown Records. When Mr. Allen listened to the
said Gene. They were police officer’s, hospital workers, in the music industry, or selling drugs. Of course, his interest was Music.
After high school Gene started to hang out with Afrika Bambaata and was part of the group Rock Squad. A couple years later 1985/1986 Groove met Daryl “Chill” Mitchell in Wyandanch Park, NY and DJ Belal Miller was a well-known DJ on the scene and the rest was history. They were signed to Uptown Records, but the group did not get as much attention as some of the other big artists like Heavy D. Groove B Chill did not give up. The grind didn’t stop. Reginald Hudlin was a screenwriter, director, and producer who met the group at Uptown Records. He noticed the group’s hard work, dedication, and talent.
Reginald wanted to write a house party script and wanted Groove Be Chill to be a part of it. The group performed at several house parties, they loved it, and that was their thing. They would meet with Reginald weekly as the script was written to discuss the parties the group performed at and to go over every single detail of these house parties so that nothing would be left out.
The script was amazing and New Line Cinema wanted to distribute it. They made a major change in the script. Instead of Groove, B, and Chill playing their star roles themselves the company wanted a more popular group at the time which were Kid and Play. They also hired an up-and-coming comedian/ actor at the time to play B, which happened to be Martin Lawrence. Groove, B, and Chill still had popular roles in the movie, and they are still remembered today. The movie was a hit. The group broke up and started to do other things. Gene worked as a Practical Nurse, and he worked in stocks and bonds. The past several years Mr. Allen has been getting closer to God and finding his purpose.
Gene says that the music industry these days is different from back in the day because people
are not “slaves to the label’s anymore.” They have a better understanding of the industry. Social media makes artists able to create and connect with their audience and they can be independent.” A lot of record labels are shutting down and laying off several people”, said Mr. Allen. There are three things that Gene would tell young artists today, “Believe in a higher power”, he believes in God, “Believe in yourself”, and “learn to listen to what people have say, even the criticism but without taking it to heart”.
Gene is now working on a biopic, sitcoms, and he also has a podcast coming soon. The House Party Expo Tour will be coming soon as well.
For more information you can visit genegrooveallen.com
Lately I didn’t know and even tried to deny.
These feeling of extreme happiness
Excited to just see u.
Anticipating anxiously nervously even anxiety
When I am around you even near you
Recently it got so bad I lost my breath.
It’s a great thing.
I am falling in love with u.
Never loved some the way that I love You.
~ Yonder
by LASHEIKA C. BOYD
Harlem Brewing company was started by Celeste Beatty who is the first African American woman to own a brewery in the United States. Even though there is only one percent of African American’s that own brewery companies, beer originated in Africa. It goes all the way back to the Egyptians who had beer recipes written inside the pyramids. In the 1800’s there were laws to keep black enslaved and free black people from drinking beer. It was said by slave owners that beer would make black men feel more superior. Fast forward to President Carter’s time in the Whitehouse, he passed a law that all people could make small batches of wine and beer in their homes.
Celeste is from the South and spent part of her youth in Wilmington, NC. Her grandparents were tobacco farmers, they also grew delicious vegetables. Celeste comes from a family of great cooks. Her love for food made her very interested in special ingredients. She liked cooking with beer and spaghetti was one of the dishes that she enjoyed adding beer flavor to. Ms. Beatty fell in love with wheat beer, cumin, and all flavors. “From home brewing to commercial brewing is learning about our history,” said the owner. She visited Africa and the women that
she met there had thousands of different styles of brewing. That’s who taught her about all the beer recipes that were written in the pyramids. She was inspired by them. Celeste said that she was excited and upset at the same time. She wanted to learn about our history in brewing. She went to Africa and learned so much about an industry that is predominantly white male in the United States. “A respectful and honorable way to talk about our history in this industry is important to me”. Said Celeste.
Celeste spent another part of her youth in Harlem starting in 1993. The owner and I spoke about how Racism in the North was quieter than down South. Racism was made clearer through status and capital which black people lacked in Harlem. Celeste has always been involved in her community. She assists a friend who opened a homeless shelter for men needing a fresh start. Ms. Beatty’s Harlem Brewing company was established on June 19th, 2001. Harlem brewing was launched at Studio Museum in Harlem on 125th Street which is inspired by Black Culture. Celeste will have a new location coming soon to the historic Rocky Mount, NC. Please check updates at www.harlembrewsouth.com Celeste has a wide variety of beers which are very special and influenced by black culture. You can find her beautifully black history labeled beer at www.harlembrewing.com You can also find it in your local Total Wine stores. You will not be disappointed.
by BRANDEE JOHNSON
As Black men and women, we all have horror stories of working in corporate America. But one woman’s horror story blew the whistle against the unethical (and illegal) practices of the beauty supply company known as EBIN New York.
Samiyah, who also goes by @miylifestyle on TikTok, is an entrepreneur and content creator in the beauty industry. She recently shared her experience of working with the company from August of last year to January of this year. And, how do I put this? The potential for a lawsuit is strong with this one. So many employment law violations were committed against Samiyah. How many? Let’s break it down.
Whether you are an employee or independent contractor, it is illegal to discriminate against a worker based on race, gender, color, sexual orientation, or age. Throughout her employment, Samiyah was absolutely discriminated against. She was the only Black woman working in the marketing department – a department where most of the workers were Korean. After she posted a viral video on the company’s social media page on her first day, the management started to treat Samiyah differently. The video was taken down and the staff started to speak
strictly in Korean around her.
Everyone – from the CEO to her coworkers – went out of their way to exclude Samiyah. They would fail to inform her of meetings and even failed to inform her of an upcoming trip to the New York office. To make matters worse, Samiyah was requested to perform tasks that none of her coworkers were asked to do. One example of blatant discrimination was the request to submit daily tasks in Asana. Samiyah had to issue a detailed account of what she did hour by hour. Her coworkers did not. She was also told by the CEO to perform presentations for him, the Vice President, Human Resources (HR), and the
entire marketing team. A demand that was not requested by any of her coworkers.
Harassment is another employment law violation. It is illegal to harass a worker based on factors such as race, sex, gender, natural origin, or age. The CEO and supervisors, in particular, harassed Samiyah throughout her employment. When they would speak to her, it was always in a rude manner. Whenever she tried to follow protocol and report the harassment to HR, the harassment became worse.
Making derogatory comments about someone’s race in the workplace is also a form of harassment. Several supervisors made racist remarks towards Samiyah. One supervisor asked Samiyah about a potential applicant’s name. He asked her if the person’s last name sounded like a Black person’s last name. Another supervisor asked Samiyah if she was “having a meeting with her ‘grandmother’”. Because Samiyah was excluded from the marketing team, she socialized with the Black women who were beauty advisors and tested out the products. Understandably, Samiyah took offense to that comment.
Every employer in the United States is required to provide a safe work environment for every employee. One of the new supervisors failed to provide safe travel accommodations for Samiyah during a work trip to Atlanta, Georgia. When she had to travel to Atlanta for a photo shoot to promote a new line for the company, her supervisor booked her at a dangerous and
unsafe motel. When she called her supervisor and expressed her concerns, he said, “I don’t know what to tell you. I already booked it. There’s nothing we can do. Bye.”
In addition to placing Samiyah in an unsafe working environment, the CEO and her supervisors retaliated against her for filing complaints against them. Retaliation is the illegal act of punishing an employee for filing complaints or exercising their whistleblower
rights. Once HR informed the CEO that Samiyah had been complaining about his rude behavior, he continued to act in a hostile manner towards her. He would yell at her, to the point where the beauty advisors and other staff members had to step in and intervene.
Her supervisors were no better. One supervisor, in particular, confronted Samiyah about a
reimbursement expense for the same Atlanta trip. Just like the CEO, he yelled at her and threw her reimbursement form back at her. Once Samiyah and another supervisor found the receipt, he did not apologize for his unprofessional behavior. Another supervisor was even heard saying he “was trying to get her fired.”
Samiyah was also transferred to another supervisor who was also rude and disrespectful to her. While creating content for the company, the supervisor snapped her fingers and said, “Yo!” to her. When she informed the CEO of the incident, the CEO said, “I hear you.” The next day, she received a warning for insubordination for speaking to the CEO and not following a chain of command.
The last employment law violation committed against Samiyah was wrongful termination. Wrongful termination is the act of firing an
employee for an illegal reason. That reason could be discrimination, retaliation, or any other illegal offense. When Samiyah came back from a mental health leave, she received a cold welcome back. Shortly after, there was a mandatory design meeting that the entire marketing team had to attend.
When Samiyah entered the door, the CEO stopped the entire meeting, snapped his fingers at her, and pointed to the door. He said, “You don’t need to be in here.” A couple of hours later, she tried to have a conversation with the CEO about the incident. He said No. When she asked why, he said, “I don’t need to speak to you, Man!” The next day, she had a meeting with HR. It was at that meeting that she was terminated. According to HR, the reason was her KPI performance. Although there was a paper trail of all of Samiyah’s complaints against the CEO and her supervisors, none of those incidents were discussed during the meeting.
Fortunately, Samiyah is working with another Black-owned hair care company named Bask & Lather. Unfortunately, she is not the only content creator who has been wronged by EBIN. Shortly after Samiyah shared her experience on TikTok, several other content creators shared their negative experiences with EBIN. Some shared how the company didn’t want to pay the content creators what their content was actually worth. Others shared how the company still has their videos on its social media platforms, even though they no longer work for the company.
While I’m sad that Samiyah and other content
creators have gone through these experiences, I’m glad that companies like EBIN are being exposed for taking advantage of content creators. Even better, I’m glad that Black men and women are boycotting EBIN and showing Black-owned hair care companies the support that they’ve always deserved to have.
I’m also glad that content creators know their power. They are not allowing companies like EBIN to get away with using their intellectual properties and paying them pennies. Yes, as content creators, we are considered independent contractors. But we still have rights. We do not have to accept terrible working conditions while working with a company.
Feel free to show Samiyah some love and support by following her on TikTok and Instagram. Her TikTok handle is @miylifestyle.
Also, feel free to show Bask & Lather some love and support by following them on TikTok and Instagram at @baskandlatherco.
by LASHEIKA C. BOYD
After a long cold Winter of Netflix and chill, warm fireplaces, staying in bed to cuddle instead of going out in the cold. Maybe you were single this Winter and enjoyed time inside and outside. Either way I think everyone is ready for some warmer weather and a change of scenery.
People are ready to travel more with their significant others and some ladies are ready for a hot girl Summer and “chillin” with their friends, drinks by the poolside and rooftop brunches. The fellas are ready to be out and about at bars and breweries. Spring has sprung, whatever that looks like for you love is ALWAYS a key factor. Whether it is spending these hot months with your boo or loving yourself even more, (self-love is the best love). Regardless of what you plan to do this Spring and Summer be happy and stay true to yourself because some people change like the weather.
