By Elise Gould and Tanyell Cooke, Economic Policy Institute

The black unemployment rate is typically twice as high as the white unemployment rate, and African Americans are often the last to feel the economic benefits during a recovery. These realities are reflected in the fact that the unemployment rate for young black graduates is still worse today than it ever was for whites in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

Young black college graduates (age 24–29) currently have an unemployment rate of 9.4 percent—higher than the peak unemployment rate for young white college graduates during the recovery (9.0 percent). Young blacks with only a high-school degree (age 17–20) face a grimmer picture: an unemployment rate of 28.4 percent, which is also higher than the peak unemployment rate for white high-school graduates during the recovery (25.9 percent).

Since these young graduates have the same basic degree and are in the same labor market position as their peers (whether high school or college), one would hope there would be little disparity in the unemployment rates of each group. The fact that having an equivalent amount of education and a virtual blank slate of prior professional work experience still does not generate parity in unemployment across race is evidence that factors such as discrimination, or unequal access to the informal networks that often lead to job opportunities are in play.

By Teresa M. Walker, AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans rookie linebacker Aaron Wallace looks across the line of scrimmage and sees an almost a mirror image of himself standing on the other side.

Except Derrick Henry is a running back.

And luckily for Wallace, now his teammate.

“It’s a big back coming at you,” said Wallace, a big man himself at 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds. “Yeah he’s a good player and excited that he’s on our team and we get to go against him in practice.”

Friday marked the first day of rookie minicamp for the Titans’ 10 draft picks, 12 undrafted free agents and a batch of 20 players getting a chance at catching a coach’s eye. Yet there was Henry attracting plenty of attention despite being Tennessee’s fourth pick with the 45th overall selection.

Not only did Henry win the Heisman Trophy and help Alabama win another national championship last season, it’s the sheer size he brings at running back standing 6-foot-3. Henry did note he’s currently about 243 pounds, a bit lighter than the 247 the Titans currently are listing him.

Offensive guard Sebastian Tretola, no slouch himself at 6-4 and 314 pounds, summed Henry up with one word: “Massive.”

“I’ll be honest,” Tretola said. “We played Alabama, and we saw him. But having him run behind you is a whole different ballgame. He’s a huge dude. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a big powerful back, so it definitely should be fun.”

After trading for DeMarco Murray in March, the Titans don’t need Henry to come in and set records like he did last year at Alabama where he ran for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns. Coach Mike Mularkey called Murray once the Titans drafted Henry with their third pick in the second round and reassured the running back he remains their starter.

Mularkey has made it very clear the Titans will be running a smash mouth offense, and the coach said he liked a lot of what he saw from Henry on the rookie’s first day on the field. The coach liked how Henry read the holes created by a new offensive line along with his pass protection skills.

“Some of the guys got beat up front, he had no problem stepping right up and picking up leakage, so that’s very good to see the very first day,” Mularkey said.

His new coach said he thinks Henry will get comfortable with the Titans’ offense pretty quickly.

“It’s not far off of what he’s been familiar with,” Mularkey said. “There’s a couple different runs that are more our bread and butter, things I think will play to his ability.”

Henry finds himself in a very comfortable situation. He played at Alabama with current Titans fullback Jalston Fowler, whom Henry calls a big brother. Right guard Chance Warmack also played at Alabama. Quarterback Marcus Mariota, who won the Heisman the year before Henry, now is a teammate as well.

“We talk all the time,” Henry said. “He’s a great dude too. He gives great advice.”

Henry called Murray, who led the NFL in 2014 with 1,845 yards rushing, a great pro he can learn from.

Questions about whether Henry is more than a straight-ahead runner helped drop him to No. 45 overall. Henry said he never doubts himself and is just working on areas he can improve himself. Asked if he can make defenders miss as well as run them over, Henry had a short answer.

“Yes,” Henry said.

Notes: Offensive line coach Russ Grimm missed the rookie minicamp with his daughter getting married Saturday. Nose tackle Antwaun Woods also was absent, and Mularkey said Woods had to leave because his girlfriend was having a baby. … The Titans signed rookie free agent cornerback Morgan Burns. He returned four kickoffs for touchdown last year at Kansas State.

By Carlee McCullough, Esq., Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Real estate has traditionally been used as a means to increase wealth. A first step may include first-time homeownership. The next step may be multifamily purchases. But another option along the wealth-building spectrum includes adding commercial real estate to the investment portfolio. Commercial property usually encompasses apartment, office, retail, warehouses, and/or industrial buildings.

Business owners at some point and time have to determine whether renting or owning their space is in their best interest. Initially, when the business is a startup and uncertain, a lease may be more appropriate. However, as the business grows and becomes more established and financially stable, a purchase of commercial property may appear to be more suitable for the business model. When making this decision, there are a number of factors that need to be considered, including the cash flow of the business.

Advantages to owning Commercial Real Estate

Fixed Rates

As an owner-occupant of the property, the business owner is not subject to market rent increases by the landlord or manager. Commercial leases tend to run longer than normal residential leases and as a result, at the end of the commercial term, the rent may increase depending on the supply and demand of space at the time. If the business owner has been in the location for a long period of time, moving may not be an option. This may force the business owner to accept the higher rent for a longer period of time. However, if the business owner purchased their space, there is less exposure to uncertainty in monthly rent expenses. Hopefully the monthly mortgage rate is fixed by the bank and there is certainty for a long period of time.

Property appreciation

Over time the property should appreciate in value – meaning it is worth more today than it was yesterday. This usually occurs if the real estate market is strong and not on the decline or experiencing a market correction. Secondly, paying the mortgage down is like placing money in the bank if the property maintains its value. Unlike paying rent, the real estate owner should gain equity in the property with each payment made unless the loan payments are interest only. Ideally, after paying the mortgage off, the business owner has a property worth more than what it was purchased for years ago and this contributes to the owner’s overall wealth. But if the business owner had rented for years, there would be no equity and no overall increase in wealth from a real estate perspective.

Tenants

A brighter side of owning real estate is apparent when there is an owner-occupant who has tenants as well. The tenants help pay the mortgage and the business owner has an additional source of income and cash flow. Dependable, stable paying tenants are key to success in commercial real estate. An unstable tenant can be the sole cause of a real estate owner losing the property if there is a dependence on the rent payments.

Tax benefits

From capital gains to depreciation and interest to repairs, there are tax benefits that help to lower income for tax purposes. A good accountant is a must to take advantage of all of the benefits available. The earlier the accountant is engaged the better.

Image

Location. Location. Location. In some businesses image is everything. The location of the business can say a lot about the business. Traffic, accessibility and visibility can tremendously and positively impact a business. Ownership of the real estate makes a statement of independence, strength and stability.

Operating expenses and maintenance

In certain situations, the owner of the real estate is responsible for the maintenance of the property, although there are times in a commercial setting where maintenance costs are passed on to the tenant. However, if the owner is responsible for maintenance, the owner determines when to repair, who is going to repair it, and how it is going to be repaired. If the maintenance needs to be deferred temporarily for cash flow purposes, it is the owner’s prerogative. Ownership has its privileges.

Commercial tenants

There are a thousand stories floating around about nightmare residential tenants that destroyed the property. Commercial tenants tend to be just the opposite in that they maintain the property because it is a reflection of their business and ability to earn a living. So the tenants in a commercial setting usually take better care of the facility than residential tenants.

Overall, the decision to rent or own is one that has to be evaluated by the business owner to determine what is in the best interest of the business.

(Contact Carlee M. McCullough, Esq. at 901-795-0050; email – jstce4all@aol.com.)

By Lee Eric Smith, lesmith@tri-statedefender.com

Friday night (May 6), Dave Joerger was the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies and the next biggest question was whether or not Mike Conley would return as a free agent.

By Monday, Joerger had been fired by the Grizzlies and announced as head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are shopping for a new head coach to start off a pivotal summer for the local NBA franchise.

Whew.

“The decision was made because I believe you need a deeply committed leadership team in order to establish the strong culture needed for sustainable long-term success,” said Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace on Grizzlies.com. “(It) was not about Dave’s in-game coaching. Dave did an admirable job managing games. However, being an NBA head coach is about more than just coaching a 48-minute game.”

It’s a little too familiar, isn’t it? Popular head coach clashes with the Grizzlies front office, then leads the team to unexpected success and then unceremoniously let go weeks later? Where have we seen this movie before?

Oh yeah. Lionel Hollins, circa 2013.

And now that the Grizzlies are a team without a coach and Hollins is a coach without a team (fired midseason by the Brooklyn Nets), some Memphians are clamoring for the team to bring him back, correcting the error of letting him go in the first place. Wallace fueled speculation Monday by being photographed having dinner with his former employee at a local Humdingers.

All the team has said is that they are proceeding with the search for another coach. But who should that be? What is this “strong culture” that Joerger couldn’t sustain? Here’s my two cents on each of the top candidates, along with Hollins, who may not be a candidate at all:

Lionel Hollins

Plenty of Memphians were livid when, mere weeks after guiding the team to the Western Conference Finals, Hollins contract was not renewed. He should have kept the job. Even Joerger has said that Hollins deserved to keep the job. But is he the right coach now?

The answer depends on how you feel about how far the “Core Four” – Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol – can take you. That team and the style of ball it played under Hollins is a playoff team. But in the hot-shooting, run-n-fun NBA of today, it likely won’t get you past the second round.

I love and respect Hollins. He would certainly get his team to play hard, no doubt. But unless he (or any coach) have players who can make shots while playing tough, hardnosed defense, bringing him back would be like getting back together with an old flame – fun, familiar, easy … until you remember why you broke up in the first place.

Frank Vogel

It shouldn’t really surprise anyone that the former Indiana Pacers coach is considered the frontrunner. He and Wallace worked together in Boston, and Vogel’s Pacers teams were often called “Grizzlies East” because of how hard they worked and their slower pace.

If he can duplicate his final season with the Pacers, the Grizzlies will take it. With big men David West and Roy Hibbert’s departures, Vogel maintained a top-rated defense, while speeding up the pace en route to a 45-37 record. But that team’s offensive rating also remained in the bottom third of the league. Vogel is a great coach … but (stop me if it sounds familiar) he’ll still need players.

David Blatt

Cleveland brought Blatt in to gradually build a team around Kyrie Irving. Then LeBron James and Kevin Love joined the squad and the new expectation was a championship. He guided them to the Finals, but was let go early in the 2015-16 season.

If Memphis is indeed looking to transition to a different style of play with significant new faces, Blatt might be the guy. Expectations would be tempered here, and absent a surprise trade for a future Hall-of-Famer, fans wouldn’t expect instant success.

Mark Jackson

The former Golden State Warriors coach and current ESPN analyst deserves some credit for laying the foundation for the Warrior’s current success. Or does he? How much of it has to do with Steph Curry’s ankles finally healing up?

At any rate, Jackson, also a minister, would be wildly popular with the church crowd here in Memphis. The question I have is whether he (or any “old-school coach”) would be able to adapt his style to how younger players see the world. I know what you’re thinking: “Younger players.” Well, the Grizzlies have to get some eventually, right? RIGHT?

Ettiore Messina

Messina is currently an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, but he had a substantial coaching resume in Europe before that. And given how Spurs alumni have fared elsewhere (Mike Budenholzer, Tom Thibodeau, Mike Brown, Brett Brown), one could hope for some of that Spurs mojo to carry over.

But for all his pedigree, Messina would still be a rookie NBA head coach. Again, if expectations are reasonable, the team and its fans could grow with him. But my hunch is that the team isn’t looking for a coaching rookie – not while they’re trying to convince Mike Conley to stay.

Errbody else

There are the Grizzlies’ assistants – Elston Turner, Bob Thornton, Shawn Respert. There are the throwback options – Jeff Van Gundy, Mike D’Antoni, George Karl. I’d love if the Grizzlies at least interviewed Becky Hammon, also an assistant in San Antonio.

But the real questions ultimately remain around who will actually suit up on Beale this fall. Will Mike Conley return? Will Marc Gasol be healthy? Will both of them sit still for a rebuild, if that’s what it comes to? Can Wallace find more hidden gems and bargains in the “scratch and dent” bin of the NBA – especially now that teams use advanced stats to recognize a player’s contributions?

Wallace was general manager when he realized that a team built around Pau Gasol had done all it could do at that point, and he blew up the team. There were three difficult years of basketball that followed, but eventually that vision manifested into this “Grit-N-Grind” era.

Here we are again, but it’s different. I hate to say it, but the Grizzlies as currently constructed around “The Core Four” won’t make it past the second round – if they can make the playoffs at all.

But unlike Pau Gasol, whom fans liked but didn’t love, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen are sports gods in Memphis. Even if their production declines – and it will – fans want to see those guys retire here. How do you jettison the players your fans show up to see?

One way you shift a team culture is by bringing in a new coach. Whoever the Grizzlies hire to replace Joerger will still need to get his players to play hard for him, particularly on the defensive end. And yes, the players will need to make shots from beyond the arc, and in bunches.

But don’t be fooled – if Wallace can’t manufacture more roster magic, it won’t much matter who the Grizzlies choose as their coach.

By Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tubby Smith has filled out his Memphis coaching staff by hiring four of his assistants from Texas Tech.

Memphis announced Tuesday that Smith has added Pooh Williamson, Joe Esposito, Saul Smith, and Zo Goodson.

Smith said in a statement that he put together a staff he’s familiar with to bring continuity to help recruit the players that fit his system and style.

Williamson, Esposito, and Smith will be assistant coaches with Smith. Goodson will be the director of basketball operations, while Smith is keeping Keelon Lawson from former coach Josh Pastner’s staff as director of player development.

Memphis hired Smith away from Texas Tech to be the Tigers’ new coach last month after Pastner left for Georgia Tech.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By Yesha Callahan, The Root

Throw some respeck on Stephen Curry’s name, because he’s made history by becoming the NBA’s first unanimous MVP.

Curry earned his second straight award after leading the Golden State Warriors to an amazing record-setting season.

According to the Associated Press, Curry received 1,310 points from the 130 media voters from the U.S. and Canada.

Coming in second was Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs, followed by LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

Curry will receive his MVP trophy Tuesday afternoon before going up against the Portland Trailblazers on Wednesday.

By Josh Dubow, AP Sports Writer

Two days after being jettisoned by the Memphis Grizzlies, Dave Joerger has landed in Sacramento as the latest coach looking to end the Kings’ decade-long playoff drought.

Joerger replaces George Karl and becomes the Kings’ ninth head coach since the team went to the playoffs in 2006 under Rick Adelman.

“He is a strong and passionate leader with a proven track record of producing results,” general manager Vlade Divac said. “Dave shares our focus on creating a long-term culture of winning and I look forward to a bright future ahead for the Kings with his leadership on the court.”

Joerger went 147-99 in three seasons with the Grizzlies and took them to the playoffs each year. He led the injury-ravaged team to 42 wins this season, pushing them to the playoffs, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

Despite the success he achieved with the Grizzlies, he never was able to get on the same page with Memphis owner Robert Pera. Joerger was hired to replace Lionel Hollins after spending six years as an assistant in Memphis, but Pera never seemed to warm to him.

The situation grew so strained that Joerger interviewed for the open Minnesota Timberwolves job two summers ago before ultimately staying in Memphis.

He quickly found a landing place in Sacramento, where just getting to the playoffs in the team’s first season in its new downtown arena would be a major accomplishment.

The Kings went 33-49 last season and Karl clashed with ownership, Divac and All-Star DeMarcus Cousins in his lone full season on the job. Karl had been hired in February 2015 to replace Tyrone Corbin and had a 44-68 mark during his tenure.

When they opened up the search, the Kings pledged to go through a methodical, deliberate process and interview as many candidates as possible before making a decision. But as soon as Joerger was surprisingly made available, the Kings swooped in.

Joerger flew to Sacramento on Sunday for his first round of discussions, then had more meetings on Monday morning before the agreement was reached.

Joerger will get a three-year contract worth $4 million per season, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The deal includes a team option for the fourth season. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not release the terms of the deal.

Joerger will make double with the Kings what he was making in Memphis. He will be tasked with ending a playoff drought in Sacramento that extends back to 2006, the second-longest active drought in the league.

His first order of business will be to find common ground with Cousins, one of the most gifted big men in the league who hasn’t seen eye to eye with any coach he’s had in Sacramento except for Michael Malone, who was abruptly fired in December 2014 as the team has struggled for any stability under owner Vivek Ranadive.

Ranadive hired Malone soon after buying the team in 2013, picking a coach before he even hired Pete D’Alessandro as general manager. Malone was fired 24 games into his second season despite a close relationship with Cousins and some improvement on the court.

Corbin took over in December 2014 but lasted just two months before the team turned to the veteran Karl, who has the fifth-most wins all-time with a record of 1,175-824.

But D’Alessandro was replaced by Divac a few months after the move. Divac fired one of Karl’s assistants, Vance Walberg, midway through this season and then parted ways with Karl.

While the Kings won 30 games this season for the first time since 2007-08, they once again missed the playoffs as Karl failed to fix the problems on the court. The team allowed a league-worst 109.1 points per game and give up an NBA-record 839 3-pointers.

Then there were the issues between Karl and Cousins that boiled over last month when Cousins was suspended for one game by the team for yelling at Karl during a timeout huddle.

Divac now hopes Joerger can get the best out of the immensely talented but sometimes difficult Cousins, who has had five coaches in his six seasons in the NBA. Cousins is coming off his most productive season, averaging a career-high 26.9 points per game, along with 11.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

(AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report.)

NOTE: Lionel Hollins, who lead the Grizzlies before being replaced by Dave Joerger, reportedly dined with Chris Wallace, the Grizzlies general manager, on Monday night. Could Hollins be in the mix for a return? Meanwhile, much speculation swirls around the possibility of retaining Frank Vogel, head coach of the Indiana Pacers.

By BlackNews.com

Boston, MA — Northeastern University’s 4th year student, Lamar Letts, has formulated a sports drink called Hylux that offers the best alternative to traditional sports drinks: a vitamin enhanced water that is low calorie, low sugar, and high nutrient drink. Hylux recently launched a Kickstarter project and in a short time, Letts has managed to raise more than $13,000. Before this, Letts was awarded a $10,000 grant from IDEA, Northeastern University’s venture accelerator.

The drink has received positive reviews. Jack Choros of The Huffington Post remarked, “Letts has visions of taking on giants like Gatorade, Powerade and Vitamin Water with his own brand. The drink itself is pretty fantastic. It tastes just as good as the others but boasts a few distinct advantages over the competition.” Another review by Jae Monique read, “There is some hype surrounding the new vitamin enhanced water and next generation sport drink, Hylux.”

Apart from making his drink a success among athletes, Lamar Letts also has more objectives to fulfill with this drink. He plans to use 3% of the proceeds from the sale of Hylux to provide clean water in underdeveloped countries. The donations will be primarily made to waters.org, a nonprofit working to provide clean water and sanitation to such regions.

Lamar Letts was a former athlete, but due to an unexpected heart injury, he had to give up his career as a track athlete. Being advised by his doctor to take good care of his diet, Lamar had to start diluting his sports drinks with water to reduce the sugar and calorie content. This is where the idea of having a low sugar and low calorie sports drink came from, and Lamar Letts created Hylux in his freshman year of college.

Hylux hit the market in 2014 and is distributed in gyms and health clubs in New York and Boston. Hylux contains 4 different electrolytes, B complex vitamins, more potassium than a banana, 10 grams of sugar and 40 calories per serving. Hylux meets all of Whole Food’s ingredient guidelines and has no preservatives or artificial ingredients.

More information about Hylux can be found on its Kickstarter page at www.kickstarter.com/projects/1732104715/hylux-water-student-athlete-creates-next-gen-sport or the Hylux website located at www.drinkhylux.com

By Natasha S. Alford, theGrio

In a country where a growing share of public schools have minority children, fewer teachers look like them than ever before. For black men, the numbers are more startling: less than 2 percent of teachers in the U.S. are black men.

But black men do teach. And they do it well. A blog called Black. Man. Teach is showcasing the faces and stories of the men who defy statistics to enter the classroom. Jabali Sawicki’s powerful photographs of black male educators explaining why they teach, reflect strength and sheer determination.

Sawicki, a former founding principal at an all-boys school in Brooklyn, saw the need for his students to have black male role models. “As we continue to think about how to better serve our children, black male teachers, although dramatically under-represented in the profession, will continue to play an integral role,” says Sawicki.

He hopes people see that teaching is game-changing work. “My goal through this project is to help provide a deeper understanding of what drives and motivates current black male teachers, with the hope that these powerful narratives will help us celebrate and support those currently doing the work, and lead to more individuals joining this movement.”

—Chicago twins earn $1.6M in scholarships and get into nearly 60 colleges

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation week, theGrio salutes 7 black male educators who inspire black excellence. Share your thanks to educators who are making a difference in your community using #GrioSalute and check out more stories at Black. Man. Teach.

Ervin M. Thomas, High School Teacher

Name: Ervin M. Thomas

Grade: High School

Current City: Jersey City

College: Ramapo College and University of West Alabama

How long teaching? 14 years

Why I Teach…I chose to become an educator because I knew there was a need for a black man who understood the population he serviced… I wanted to be the sympathetic educator that I wish I had throughout my education…. I believed that if I was able to help those students struggling to cope with their socio-emotional issues than they would be better equipped to focus on academics and nothing would derail them from setting and reaching their future goals. Last, I knew it was my calling and my ultimate purpose in life — To Serve, Inspire and Uplift young people of color.

Name: Eric Mosley

Grade: 5th Grade

Current City: Brooklyn, NY

College: Morehouse College & RELAY Graduate School of Education

How long teaching? 3 years

Why I Teach… I was at dinner in Brooklyn when I heard the George Zimmerman verdict, and for the first time in my life, I literally felt unsafe, invisible, and worthless as a black man in America. At the time, my cousin and I were apartment hunting and were having dinner with one of my best friends who used to work at the same boys school in which I currently teach. We cried. We were silent. We commiserated over Trayvon’s life, and the lives of other black and brown boys and girls who don’t have an Al Sharpton to ignite or mobilize the country to rally for their justice. I teach for my ancestors who died for opportunity — the names and faces of whom I will never be able to thank or repay. I teach for my two ten year-old brothers, Jared and Nacir. I teach for the boys who will soon become men. I teach because it’s personal.

Name: Sterling Grimes

Grade: High School

Current City: Philadelphia, PA

College: University of Maryland College Park (B.A.) and University of Pennsylvania (M.S.Ed.)

How long teaching? 6 years

Why I Teach… When my students learn about my background, they are often surprised that I have seen many of the experiences that they endure each day. I constantly remind them that world travel and an Ivy league degree only serve to amplify my blackness, never to cover it. I am one of many examples of what it is to be a black man. I teach to show my students one model of success and one way to navigate the world. I know I don’t possess all of the answers, but I teach to provide the ones I do have.

Name: Michael Burks Jr.

Grade: 4th Grade

Current City: Los Angeles, CA

College: Harvard University

How long teaching? 5 years

Why I Teach…We have discussed current events from Michael Brown and Black Lives Matter to The University of Oklahoma and SAE, opening the worldview of these young men past the harsh realities they navigate daily in The Fillmore, The Western Addition, Richmond, and Bayview-Hunter’s Point. I have shared numerous personal anecdotes of the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most historic universities in the world as a man of color.

The Brotherhood has taught me that we are not in the business of being perfect. We, as teachers and students, work to improve daily. As we say in our Pledge: “We are putting our failures behind us. We will make today our best day because today starts the rest of our lives!”

Name: Bryan Butcher Jr.

Grade: 5th Grade

Current City: Portland, OR

College: Morehouse College & Relay Graduate School of Education

How long teaching? 4 years

Why I Teach… Every day I walk into my classroom with the mission to teach my children to love learning. Love geometry, because those same shapes and angles you explore will be the base of the historical monument you build one day. Love reading with expression because the voice you use may be the voice you channel during your Juilliard acting auditions. Love social studies because those historical figures may possess the values you use to change the world.

I’ve found that when you love what you’re doing, you don’t mind working a little bit harder. I hope for my students that I, Mr. Butcher, the black man in front of them each day, am able to not only provide them with the academic skills to be successful but also liberate their minds to become transformational citizens in the world.

Name: Najee K. Carter

Grade: 2nd Grade

Current City: Newark, NJ

College: Hampton University

How long teaching? 4 years

Why I Teach… I didn’t see many faces that looked like mine or the boys and girls I knew growing up in Newark, NJ. The faces I did see, whose hue matched mine, wore an uncanny sorrow. It was from those glances that I realized Black and Brown boys and girls deserve a greater dream….

…For me, there is a supreme power in teaching and providing children with something they have been so strategically deprived of. I marvel at the idea of pushing critical thought in the classroom and beam at the sight of my kids attacking rigorous mathematical concepts with such sophistication. I am filled with joy as they bring words to life through their writing. This for me is the revolution that will not be televised.

Name: Alonzo S. Fulton

Grade: Kindergarten through 8th Grade

Current City: Philadelphia

College: Lincoln University of PA & Cheyney University of PA

How long teaching? 14 years

Why I Teach… I became a teacher because I believe in the transformative power of one person, one voice, and one mission. My mission is to change current student’s attitudes about learning to transform their future. Why? Because inner city children need someone to plant, someone to water, and someone to champion the genius that lies within.

That someone is me. So, teaching is NEVER just a job- it is my passion! I inspire my students to break down barriers, burst through glass ceilings, and challenge the “status quo” societal norms they were born into. Most importantly, they understand that the world will try to take their dignity, their possessions, and even their confidence. Yet, no one can take their knowledge!

Jabali Sawicki is the founder of Black. Man. Teach., which chronicles the stories of black male educators across the United States. A former black male educator himself, Sawicki explains what inspired his project and the movement he hopes to build for black men in education.

“12 years ago, I founded Excellence Boys Charter School of Bedford Stuyvesant, and all-boys K-8 charter school in Bedstuy, Brooklyn, serving 98% African American boys. When I left the school with our first graduating class, based on my experiences working with our scholars and our amazing teachers, I became deeply passionate about another key issue clearly integral to the overall success of our young brothers and sisters: increasing the number of black male teachers in our schools and classrooms.

As we continue to think about how to better serve our children, black male teachers, although dramatically under-represented in the profession, will continue to play an integral role.

My goal through this project is to help provide a deeper understanding of what drives and motivates current black male teachers, with the hope that these powerful narratives will help us celebrate and support those currently doing the work, and lead to more individuals joining this movement.

By Collin Binkley, Associated Press

WELLESLEY, Massachusetts (AP) — When Jennifer Pierre visits the toy store, she sees shelves of dolls that are mostly girls and mostly white. She wants to change that.

Pierre, who’s finishing a master’s degree in entrepreneurship at Babson College, is launching a new line of dolls designed for boys of color. One is meant to look like an African American boy, with curly natural hair. One is Indian American. Another is biracial.

The goal is to give boys of all races a doll that looks like them, and that they can be proud of. Her new company is called Melanites, a reference to melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.

“We’re a toy company, but we’re trying to become a whole brand that celebrates brown boyhood,” said Pierre, 23, of Pompano Beach, Florida. “I want it to be normal for a kid to go into the aisle and see themselves on the shelf.”

For now, Pierre is taking orders while she tries to raise $35,000 to manufacture the first dolls. She hopes to have the first batch delivered by Christmas and sell them online and in specialty stores afterward.

The first prototype is an 18-inch doll named Jaylen, designed to look like a young black boy. It’s made of plastic, with limbs that can bend and twist like a big action figure. To boost appeal for boys, Pierre plans to advertise them as “action pals,” not dolls.

But part of her goal is to erode the idea that dolls are for girls. She wants to blur gender lines in the toy industry, and to move away from action figures that depict men with guns and big muscles.

“Parents are tired of the pink aisle and the blue aisle,” Pierre said. “They want something they can give to their sons to teach them empathy, or to inspire them.”

Each doll is meant to have its own personality. Jaylen is an inventor. Aiden, who’s biracial, likes to tinker. Marquis, of Caribbean American heritage, is a performer. Pierre plans to sell story books that take the characters on missions as astronauts, for example, or archaeologists.

The idea struck Pierre while she was working at a community center in Florida before moving to Massachusetts. Time after time, she heard boys say they wanted to become rappers or basketball stars, not doctors, lawyers or engineers.

“It’s not because that doesn’t happen, but because they don’t see it in their community,” she said. “I wanted to change that and give them different options, because you can’t be what you can’t see.”

Her idea reflects broader shifts in the toy industry, experts say. More companies are blending science lessons into their toys, and adding diversity of all types. Hasbro now makes toy guns for girls. Another brand, Guy Gear, sells crafting kits for boys.

“This is where our world is going and we want to make sure we’re addressing those needs,” said Ken Seiter, vice president of marketing communications for the Toy Industry Association in New York.

In a focus group, 4-year-old Zion Dawson tested the Jaylen prototype while his mom, Bernette, watched. He was fascinated by the idea of a toy that looked like him, his mother said.

“It’s a positive influence,” said Dawson, of Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood. “There’s a lot of girl empowerment with different girl dolls; why can’t my son have that same experience?”

Despite old stereotypes, some research suggests that it’s normal for boys to play with dolls. A 2013 study at Australia’s Western Sydney University found that baby boys preferred playing with dolls over toy cars or other machines.

Soon after Zion tested the Jaylen doll, his mom submitted an early order to buy one. But Dawson admits that even she used to think dolls were strictly for girls.

“At one point in my life, I was against young boys playing with dolls,” Dawson said. “But I think as society has evolved and I have evolved as a parent, I’m more open to it.”

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