NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Nashville announces the return of Business Connect Brunch, a dynamic event designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders gain the skills, resources, and connections they need to grow and succeed. The brunch will take place Jan. 25, 2025, at the J.W. Mariott located at 201 8th Ave S, Nashville. The one-day event will feature a series of hands-on workshops, industry expert leaders, and exclusive networking opportunities, all focused on providing practical tools and strategies for business growth. The 2025 Business Connect Brunch will also launch EntreSchool, an exclusive educational track…
Author: Kermit Williams
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mayor Freddie O’Connell has announced the appointment of Dr. Sybril Brown (“Dr. Syb”) to the Metropolitan Tourism and Convention Commission for a two-year term. A Vanderbilt-educated and Harvard-trained professional, Dr. Syb brings more than three decades of Nashville tourism insight to the Commission. Her appointment supports the Commission’s mission to promote tourist, convention and recreational activities in Music City. Currently serving as a professor of journalism at Belmont University, Dr. Syb is a two-time Emmy award-winning multimedia journalist, author and international speaker. She recently completed her term as academic representative on the board of directors for the…
Nashville business and community leaders expressed shock and sadness over the death of real estate developer and philanthropist Bill Freeman. Freeman died Sunday evening, Nov. 17 at his home. He was 73. As one of the city’s most respected business titans, Freeman was not only admired for his business acumen but his heart for community. A native of Nashville, he threw his hat in the ring in 2015 to become Nashville’s mayor. Although he lost his mayoral bid to then-Mayor Megan Barry, the first woman elected to the office, he was influential in elevating priority issues such as education, affordable…
Flutterwave Founder and CEO, Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, has been appointed to the advisory board of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art. The appointment reflects Flutterwave’s continued commitment to supporting and celebrating excellence across various sectors in Africa and beyond. The National Museum of African Art, the only United States museum devoted to the art of Africa, selected Mr. Agboola as one of seven new board members during its 60th anniversary year. The tech guru alongside leaders in academia, healthcare, and finance will help shape the museum’s future direction. “It is a privilege to work with each of these new…
Memphis has one of the highest poverty rates among large cities in the U.S. Some years, Memphis is the large city with the highest poverty rate; other years, we are in second place. Why are there so many poor people in Memphis? A popular answer is that they do not work. But that popular answer is flawed. This does not stop Memphis leaders from speaking endlessly about the need to bring jobs to the city. The Greater Memphis Chamber (GMACC) talks about bringing jobs to Memphis. City Council and the County Commission talk about bringing jobs to Memphis. The Economic…
(Children’s Defense Fund) – “On March 7, 1965, a group of us attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to dramatize to the nation that people wanted to register to vote. One young African American man had been shot and killed a few days earlier, in an adjoining county called Perry County … and because of what happened to him, we made a decision to march. In Selma, Alabama, in 1965, only 2.1% of Blacks of voting age were registered to vote. The only place you could attempt to register was to go down to the courthouse. You had…
“Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they have done.” In a stunning turn of events, America has once again found its neck under Donald Trump’s foot—a figure with a history that should make any truly patriotic American pause. Instead, voters have chosen to dance with the devil they know (and, apparently, miss). They’ve chosen to forego their own interests in the name of “change.” It’s a choice that, maybe this time, we will come to regret. Trump’s re-election has made it clear that we underestimated the power that economic anxiety has in shaping voter decisions. While many of…
Ask the doctor Q. Is it true that a reliable blood test for Alzheimer’s disease is finally here? A. Yes, but not the blood test we need the most. Let me explain. What is finally here is a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in people who already are having significant cognitive difficulties. About a third of cases of dementia in the United States have another cause, so we need to distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from the other causes. An encouraging study published July 2024 in JAMA found that a simple blood test detecting elevated blood levels of proteins that characterize Alzheimer’s disease was…
Disneyland welcomed guests and the press to attend a grand opening ceremony where attendees visited New Orleans Square and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Celebrating the culture and spirit of this music-loving land, guests enjoyed classic attractions, authentic dining, entertainment, shopping, and more. The land features fresh additions inspired by Tiana’s story from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog,” including Eudora’s Chic Boutique featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets retail shop and her restaurant, Tiana’s Palace. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride replaced Splash Mountain and was inspired by Disney’s first Black Princess. Music and signs convey the message of inclusivity—“Everyone is welcome!”—surrounding…
Judith Jamison, artistic director emerita and internationally acclaimed star of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater who, at Ailey’s request, took up the reins of running the company for 16 years, has joined the ancestors. On Nov. 9 at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, Ms. Jamison passed away at the age of 81 “after a brief illness,” according to a statement. Her passing is our loss and her memory is our solace. Ms. Jamison’s long-limbed elegance etched indelible images of beauty and grace as her 5’10” body unfurled a procession of breathtaking leaps, slashing kicks, and arm movements that sculpted space.…