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VEGAN, PLANT-BASED RESTAURANT, NATIVE FOODS, IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IS NOW BLACK-OWNED
In January, the Chicago culinary scene shines a spotlight on its diverse vegan options, focusing on Native Foods in the South Loop (218 S. Clark). The beloved vegan eatery now heralds a new chapter as it becomes Black and employee-owned, thanks to local entrepreneur Dame Dia.
In September 2023, a significant milestone occurred for Native Foods. Dame Dia, the former Chicago District Manager for the brand, was presented with an extraordinary birthday present: the chance to become the owner of Chicago's last standing Native Foods location. This news was enthusiastically welcomed by the community, particularly by those who were concerned about the potential closure of the Chicago Loop location following the earlier shutdowns of the Wicker Park and Lakeview branches. Dame officially assumed ownership of the restaurant in late November 2023.
Help Us To continue to inform and empower our community please Donate. Get The Scoop Weekly On the Global Black Community and Southeast Queens, NY. Subscribe to Our Mailing List. Receive the Latest Events, News, Jobs, and Top Community Economic Development Stories Like this one Click Here | Reach up to 1.3 million people Promote
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16th International Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Day Set For Friday, February 2nd, 2024
The 16th International Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Day is scheduled for Friday, February 2nd, 2024 during the month of Black History Month and is the 12th time Niagara Falls ILLumination Board of Directors has lit the falls blue in honor of the BrownByrd Foundation’s work around the globe. The Niagara Falls ILLumination will be lit in blue from 10:00 pm to 10:15pm.
Every year that Niagara Falls presents this ILLumination it is a reminder for men around the globe to schedule a PSA or DRE examination with their urologist.
Kevin Byrd is the President/Founder of the BrownByrd Foundation, and the most awarded Prostate Cancer Awareness Advocate Worldwide. He has served with distinction as the Chairman of Health for prominent organizations such as a local chapter of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce New York State’s largest African American Chamber.
Kevin Byrd is the 1st living African American Male to be honored with a statue unveiling his life work for his efforts as a Global Advocate bringing awareness about Prostate Cancer around the world and fighting to make a significant difference around the world. His efforts have led a large number of individuals to participate in early testing and detection.
In total, he has been honored by over 100 Mayors and government officials across the country and has received over 100 proclamation awards. In his hometown of Utica, October 1, is designated as Kevin Byrd Day in honor of his tireless work.
Help Us To continue to inform and empower our community please Donate. Get The Scoop Weekly On the Global Black Community and Southeast Queens, NY. Subscribe to Our Mailing List. Receive the Latest Events, News, Jobs, and Top Community Economic Development Stories Like this one Click Here | Reach up to 1.3 million people Promote
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Activist Venita Benitez Emerges From Her Royal Heritage To Unify By Fighting For Freedom
Venita Benitez is a force to be reckoned with. Case in point. When geological research seemed to indicate she was a direct descendant of not only Kings Henry the II, John, and Henry III but Alexander the Great and William the Conqueror, Venita made it her personal mission to dig deeper into the research of her cousin, Dr. James Hamilton, and her proven lineage.
But she didn’t stop there. With her trademark tenacity, she wrote to the powers that be in England and didn’t yield until she’d received a family crest in acknowledgement of her family’s royal lineage.
“In 2006, the Wingfield family invited me to witness the signing of the King James charter to America in recognition of my family raising a majority of the financial backing for the ships that eventually discovered America, ships named The God Speed, Susan Constant, and Discovery,” she said. Venita was invited to return to England in 2006 for a resigning of the charter on its 400th anniversary. (Only 150 invitations were issued and only to descendants of those who’d signed the original charter from all over the world.)
Venita Benitez
MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE
Venita credits her unique and varied bloodline with giving her the courage to fight the good fight — wherever she finds it. “I grew up knowing these formidable men were my ancestors. But I was also raised by a Puerto Rican father and a mother who is black, white, and Native American. And I’m a descendant of Morton Deane, who was born into slavery and later served as one of the first out of five black nationally elected city councilmen, during the reconstruction era in Richmond, Virginia, and Edward Maria Wingfield, the first elected president of the Council of Virginia - Jamestown, on April 25th, 1607. This multicultural heritage helps me look at people with clear eyes and see the love in everyone.”
In homage to her family ’s tradition of military service, Venita joined the US Army in 1981. “I was r a i s e d to understand the importance of liberty and duty,” she said. Although she describes basic training as grueling, she learned a lot from serving in one of the first-ever co-ed battalions, Bravo 1-3, marching side-by-side with men.
“We were labeled ‘guinea pigs’ according to official congressional documents. The idea of co-ed troops was something new, and they just sort of threw us to the wolves.” That challenging time further developed her fortitude.
AFFECTING CHANGE
Venita went on to affect change not only in her 23-year career in diversity and inclusion (DEI) — including seats on Arlington Mayor ’s Black Advisory Council and more recently the Frisco Inclusion Committee by Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney. But she also worked to draw attention to National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month each January—proclamations she feels are issued by each succeeding United States presidents and then pretty much forgotten — and refocusing the nation’s attention on the very real problem of modern-day slavery/human trafficking through her website NationalFreedomDay.com.
She was even mentored weekly by Dr. Reverend Ronald Myers, the founder of the National Juneteenth movement, long before his passing. The desk in her home office is piled high with resolutions and proclamations she has affected and with correspondence from some of the most powerful men and women in Texas, the country, and the world. These documents acknowledge Venita’s unrelenting pursuit not only for recognition of those who suffered in the past but those who still suffer today.
Help Us To continue to inform and empower our community please Donate. Get The Scoop Weekly On the Global Black Community and Southeast Queens, NY. Subscribe to Our Mailing List. Receive the Latest Events, News, Jobs, and Top Community Economic Development Stories Like this one Click Here | Reach up to 1.3 million people Promote
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Quentin Mezetin Uplifts His Family And Community Repping I am D.A.D.
By Kamau Austin with Quentin Mezetin
Quentin Mezetin draws deep from his love and commitment as a father to help advocate and support families experiencing the mixed blessings and challenges of having autistic children. As a born and raised resident of Queens he is an inspiration for people encouraged by his presence as a dedicated father and also father figure to the larger community.
Rarely do we see or hear from Black Fathers in the major media. And even less visible are Black men actively involved as co-care givers of children dealing with the autism spectrum disorder.
Autism is becoming increasingly known about in our society because in part more and more parents are having children on the spectrum. Quentin has 5 children and two (2) of them and his wife's youngest children are on the spectrum.
According to Autism Speaks "Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today." As a Dad who also has a daughter on the Autism Spectrum, and has at times been a full time caretaker, who is now co-publisher of this news blog, I can only imagine the issues and challenges his household has to overcome.
I persuaded Quentin to open up and share his experiences and mission to help other families, especially those striving to defeat autism daily. His exclusive interview follows the short video with him below...
