British pop star Dido hit the music scene in 1999 with her first album “No Angel.” The Recording Industry Association of America eventually certified it four times multi-platinum two years later. What really caught Americans' attention was in 2000 when Rapper Eminem sampled Dido's song “Thank You” in his own chilling song “Stan.” She was even featured in the music video. The song introduced her music to a whole new audience that would have possibly skipped over the artist's potential.

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“Skateboarding has traditionally been a man’s sport, which is why I am so passionate about my role as a black woman who challenges past assumptions and shows that skateboarding is for all of us.”

-Latosha Stone

Meet Latosha Stone, a 33-year-old Ohio native with a passion for skateboarding and graphic design. Her love for skate culture and design from an early age helped her create Proper Gnar, the first-ever black woman-owned skateboard company.

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In art, the term “mark-making” refers to the different lines, patterns, and textures created. For painters, it aligns with the strokes of their paintbrush and it can be as simple as creating a line with a pen. Mark making can be used as a voice because it aids in depicting the artist’s tone without words. Artists can create sharp abrupt lines to channel stoic energy, or flowing curved edges for a more whimsical appeal. Artist, Tariku Shiferaw, used mark-making as inspiration for his successful 2017 exhibition One of These Black Boys.”

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This summer will be full of good vibes, and the new music is going to play an intricate role in setting the stage. The hip-hop scene has come through with some heat from mainstays like Migos, a collaboration album from Lil Baby and Lil Durk, and newer artists like Polo G’s “Hall Of Fame,” and the late Pop Smoke’s “Shoot For The Stars'' each reached the Billboard 200 as of last week. The pop scene was also given a treat with Maroon 5’s release of “JORDI,” and Olivia Rodrigo is still holding onto the No.2 spot on the charts with her debut album “Sour.” As for the R&B scene, Giveon has held it down for the newcomers so far with his sophomore album “When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time,” but I expect that to change soon with the release of H.E.R’sBack of My Mind” album. 

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When discussing important figures in the African-American community, people that come to mind are often associated with a celebrity or ‘fame’ status and their efforts to give back to their community,  names like Lebron James and his “I Promise School,” which provides schooling to more than 1,300 Akron Public School students, or Chance the Rapper who co-founded SocialWorks, a foundation which has raised more than $2 million for Chicago Public Schools. Both have done incredible things for their communities, however, oftentimes overlooked are those lesser-known individuals who have accomplished so much with the resources they have been given.  

Introducing: Karim Webb, an LA based restaurateur whose passion for food and giving back to the community has earned him multiple awards including Black Enterprise Magazine’s Franchise Company of the Year.

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