Leaders need disruptive thinking. With the ever changing culture and new challenges, leaders now more than ever need to rethink how they do things. T.D. Jakes’ International Leadership Summit, in Orlando from May 4-6, equips leaders, visionaries and entrepreneurs with the latest resources and expertise to help leaders navigate these volatile times.
Media registration is now open. Media may request credentials for the International Leadership Summit and Good Soil by filling out this form.
The International Leadership Summit continues to be one of the most transformative leadership conferences as a standard-bearer for ecclesial learning and professional development. Previous speakers at the conference include Denzel Washington, Tyler Perry, Stedman Graham, Craig Groeschel, Cynthia Marshall and Miles McPherson. This year, Jakes is joined by Paul Adefarasin, Tudor Bismark, Nona Jones, Janice Bryant Howroyd and other leaders of business, entertainment, faith and other arenas.
Preceding the annual gathering, on May 3, as part of its 2023 national tour is Good Soil, a one-day intensive business accelerator program offered by TDJ Enterprises aimed to impact, scale and grow underrepresented businesses. More information can be found here.
Amazon Freevee to Feature Unscripted, Faith-Based Content FromRenowned Spiritual Leader Bishop T.D. Jakes
For the first time, iconic sermons and inspiring messages from Bishop Jakes will be available to streamon demand and on a dedicated FAST channel, both free to watch. The announcement is part of the Women, Thou Art Loosed! Grand Finale Conferencein Atlanta, taking place this weekend.
Today, Amazon Freevee and Bishop T.D. Jakes announced a two-year deal to stream the spiritual leader’s most-loved sermons on the service in the U.S. beginning December 1. The deal includes streaming rights in the U.S., UK, and Germany, with exclusive on-demand and FAST channel rights to 300 hours of content, featuring some of the Bishop’s most treasured new and archived sermons and interviews.
Bishop Jakes will be the first faith leader to have their ministry available on the service, including a FAST channel, providing a free-of-charge, dedicated space for viewers inspired by his teachings and message. The T.D. Jakes FAST Channel will be available for customers in the U.S. to stream on the Freevee app and within Prime Video in early 2023.
Named “America’s Best Preacher” by TIME magazine, Jakes has commanded stages from the White House to the Aspen Institute, the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University to the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. Spanning a wide array of themes and formats that include some of Jakes’ most iconic sermons, Freevee customers will also have access to content that includes emotional well-being; T.D. Jakes on The Road: Australia, London, and Africa; and leadership and business talks featuring National Cathedral messages and conversations with celebrities and heads of state.
“Through his powerful and dynamic sermons and wide-ranging community outreach, Bishop Jakes has been a source of wisdom and guidance to millions around the world,” said Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD Original content and programming at Amazon Studios. “At Freevee, our steadfast mission is to deliver our broad audience a diverse selection of compelling, personally resonant content. As we build our faith-based offerings alongside our entertainment selection, we are honored to be the exclusive video streaming home for Bishop Jakes’ decades-long ministry, and proud to be a destination for viewers to find an ongoing source of spiritual inspiration.”
“The launch of our channel with Amazon Freevee signals a major step forward in providing a protected and trusted space for audiences’ emotional and spiritual fortitude. As Amazon continues to innovate and offer audiences meaningful content, I’m proud to illustrate to the world how ministry and philanthropy can be done in an ever-evolving culture. Though what we’ve been able to achieve with this launch is unprecedented, our mission to positively affect lives by reducing limitations on how people can be ministered to remains our North Star. I look forward to taking more big, meaningful leaps with Amazon.”
HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) announced billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith as this year’s featured speaker at its second annual virtual HBCU technology conference for historically black colleges and universities. Presented by HP with support from partners, Microsoft and Intel, the four-day conference September 13-16 will open with a pre-recorded virtual fireside chat with Smith hosted by HuffPost Editor-in-Chief Danielle Belton on Tuesday, September 13, at 11 a.m. Eastern.
Smith, who is the founder, chairman, and CEO of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, is a digital transformation expert who founded the nonprofit Student Freedom Initiative to address college student debt and other barriers to success for HBCU students. Smith’s participation in the conference has ignited a broader conversation with HP around how the two organizations can work together to accelerate digital transformation at HBCUs through enhanced infrastructure, cybersecurity, talent development and access to tech careers. HBCUs produce 25 percent of Black tech talent and 42 percent of Black engineers.
As part of HP’s ambition to become the world’s most sustainable and just technology company, it launched the HBCU Technology Conference in 2021 to accelerate digital transformation at HBCUs and prepare for their students’ digital futures through: • Greater access to tech careers • Supporting innovation and tech entrepreneurs • Enhanced cybersecurity, tech infrastructure and faculty support • Working with and empowering HBCU leaders • Advancing access to quality healthcare
“We know that equal access and representation drive better outcomes which leads to innovation. After two years of remote learning and increased cybersecurity threats to institutions, advancing the infrastructure that supports tech curriculum, prepares students for tech careers, and mitigates security threats which is critical to advancing equity.”
Lesley Slaton Brown, Chief Diversity Officer, HP.
IT, Faculty, Staff and HBCU leaders will be able to take part in a four-day virtual conference that will include industry insights and workshops on topics such as safeguarding HBCUs against cybersecurity attacks, talent development, tech curriculum and diversifying the tech workforce.
“HBCU partnership with the tech industry will increase awareness and access, and offer opportunities to be at the table with advocates who can go to bat for the brilliant talent on HBCU campuses who will add value to tech corporations. Equally important is to have in place modern tech infrastructure to protect against ransomware attacks that threaten students’ privacy and institutions’ ability to thrive.”
Thomas K. Hudson, J.D., President, Jackson State University
HP’s commitment to HBCUs In addition to the tech conference, HP, a founding member of the HBCU Business Deans Roundtable, hosts an annual HBCU Business Challenge and invites students to craft a solution to an HP business challenge. The most recent HP Business Challenge, won by South Carolina State University’s team, called for the HBCU teams to build a model to change the bottom line for HP’s Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition virtual reality headset.
The 6th Annual HP HBCU Business Challenge has officially launched, and registration is now open. Go to http://www.hp.com/diversity for more information.
HP helped solidify the first relationship of its kind between the New York Stock Exchange and an HBCU. HP also joined the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus’ HBCU Partnership Challenge to further strengthen its relationships and programming with HBCUs.
In 2020, HP launched an innovative 3D printing learning pilot program at North Carolina A&T State University and partnered with Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and presented the school with an endowment to establish the HP Cybersecurity Scholarship. HP’s growing investments in HBCUs demonstrate its commitment to reflect the diverse markets and customers that the company serves.
Brittney Holman is led by her life’s purpose and teaches her mentees to do the same. Holman lives a life of intentional impact and doesn’t rest on the laurels of her entrepreneurial exploits. While her classmates were only daydreaming about their future, Holman opened owned and operated the first of her three braiding salons in her hometown of Orangeburg, South Carolina at the age of seventeen. Holman knows all too well how easy it is to slip through the cracks and succumb to the limited access to opportunities in urban communities and strives to bridge the gap for young people through the Brittney LaShe Youth Mentorship program.
Each summer, the Brittney LaShe Youth Mentorship equips and empowers youth seven and up to build generational wealth using biblical principles. The mentorship costs an average of $500 per child and year-long fundraising efforts help offset the cost for children who can’t afford it. The three-part curriculum tailored to the individual needs of the student is titled “READY” “SET” “GO.” Mentorship can be a difficult concept for young people, so Holman employs a patient process that affirms the message, “with a covering (like Holman’s mentorship program), they can do big things in Christ!” The Brittney LaShe Youth Mentorship is a conduit of community betterment through youth mentorship and empowerment, workshops, and its annual summer camp.
This is the perfect summation of who Brittney Holman is; a life coach and certified lifeguard, rescuing at risk youth from the deep waters despair and a lack of resources and opportunities. Additionally, Holman is a serial entrepreneur, graphic designer and self-published author or numerous books with many new exploits on the horizon. Her pursuit of greater opportunities for youth is relentless, however Holman paused long enough to be honored for her efforts by the Orangeburg Rotary Club.
“I was born to serve. I love the fact that God uses how I overcame my struggles to inspire the youth. Empowering them empowers me!” -Brittney LaShe Holman
Holman’s success story is no fantastical escape from the throes of poverty. Rather, a testament to the arduous work that lifted her from her young life’s early challenges. Holman has triumphed over a painful past that includes molestation by her grandfather and paternity discovery that threatened the identity she knew. Holman’s mentorship program endeavors to provide a much-needed aversion to the hardship she was forced to as a child and teen. “Teens shouldn’t have to worry about surviving but focus on living,” Holman says. After putting the financial literacy lessons and independence encouraged by her stepfather into practice, the Brittney LaShe Youth Mentorship began with faith-based empowerment, courage, and entrepreneurship as its hallmarks serving youth in South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky.
Great plans are in the works for Holman and her annual youth summit. This immense undertaking is quite cumbersome, but through donations and the use of her own money, she provides a life changing experience each year. If you would like to be part of this year’s sponsorship class, you can email Brittney at: brittneyholmon@gmail.com.
Jakes’ Real Estate Ventures Plans Massive Community Development with Affordable Housing in Southwest Atlanta Adjacent to Tyler Perry Studios
In a landmark real estate deal being praised as a stimulus to the city’s most promising communities, the Local Redevelopment Authority Board of Fort McPherson, the historic army base situated in enviable proximity to downtown Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, has voted to sell approximately 94.5 acres of remaining land on the property to T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures, LLC, a company founded by treasured spiritual leader, business mogul, seasoned real estate developer, global humanitarian, bestselling author and successful movie producer T.D. Jakes.
This approval marks an important milestone in the creation of a unique sustainable mixed-use development in a dynamic neighborhood where TDJREV will develop affordable housing opportunities for Atlanta. This historic agreement paves the way for the redevelopment of an area of Atlanta that people have been talking about for decades, an area that is poised to become a vibrant new residential and commercial neighborhood with 94.5 acres of public open space and new cultural amenities.
TDJREV is a real estate and community investment accelerator fueling social advancement through real estate development growth strategies that responds to local needs to drive intersectional and multigenerational progress for people within underserved communities. The unanimous vote, which comes after nearly two months of negotiations, clears the way for the Dallas-based real estate firm to redevelop the property for mixed-income housing and retail. The development is part of Jakes’ long-term vision to cultivate quality affordable housing for the underserved in a model that will be duplicated across the country and around the world as a part of a deepening recognition that access to affordable housing is what fuels and facilitates access to opportunity.
TDJREV’s current signature development project is Capella Park, a 400-plus acre community in south Dallas. This comfortable and creatively designed community has a pre-k-8 school and a 64-acre conservation area as the center of the neighborhood.
T.D. Jakes has a longstanding history of success rooted in his commitment to establishing a transformative real estate infrastructure of opportunity that preserves the history and character of neighborhoods, while investing in the community and its people by providing mixed income and affordable housing and inclusive development solutions. Said Jakes: “By addressing racial and economic disparity gaps, we look forward to engaging, empowering, and strengthening local entrepreneurs and stakeholders in this exciting development venture.”
This development vision builds a broadly shared prosperity that improves equity at the grassroots level while building generational wealth for families, businesses and communities. The TDJREV culturally fluent real estate development model also illustrates the power of inclusive investing, and contributes to the broader landscape of regional economic opportunity by fostering jobs, igniting local economic rejuvenation, commercial revitalization and quality-of-life gains.
“My cultural fluency results from having grown up in a community like the Atlanta communities surrounding Fort McPherson. In my travels across all of America, I see too many Black and Brown working-class people still falling victim to the continued gentrification of our neighborhoods. I’m extremely excited about the accessible ownership options that will exist for future residents of this multigenerational community. This project will bring solutions to the quality-of-life problems and elevate the lives of the Atlantans that will live, work and play there.”
Bishop T.D. Jakes
TDJREV continues to be focused on change and intentional about how and where it invests to ensure that its development vision helps break down barriers to success, supports the social and financial impact goals within communities to help the economy better perform and fuel advancement for all citizens.
“Our development vision will reflect important, inclusive conversations, outreach and input from community members to ensure citizens of Atlanta will have the opportunity for new affordable housing and cultural space right in their ancestral neighborhoods. We share in the City of Atlanta’s belief that the redevelopment of this fertile neighborhood is critical to the future growth of Atlanta.”
Bishop T.D. Jakes
The property is adjacent to Tyler Perry Studios, which occupies much of historic Fort McPherson.
“My vision is to develop an oasis within our cities for working families, walking them toward economic viability through financial literacy programs, live-work spaces, mixed income housing and multigenerational options that are so imperative to the betterment of our society.”
Bishop T.D. Jakes
The purchase of this property is a continuation of Jakes’ longstanding relationship with the city of Atlanta, one which has enjoyed a healthy symbiosis, due to Jakes’ decades-long and ongoing investment in the continued growth and evolution of the city. Jakes has shot several of his TDJ Enterprises films in Atlanta, including the recent hits Lust and Envy, both of which aired on Lifetime. His landmark signature events, Women Thou Art Loosed and MegaFest, have been held in Atlanta multiple times, leaving an indelible mark, attracting millions of attendees, and have had an enormous economic impact. In recognition of his invaluable contributions to Atlanta, Jakes was made an honorary citizen in 2004 and given the keys to the city.
“This agreement marks another monumental chapter in the history of Fort Mac. Thank you to Tyler Perry and Bishop T.D. Jakes for their vision and investment in the Southwest Atlanta community. The positive impact will be felt for generations to come.”
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
A monumental figure on the global stage and a passionate social justice advocate, Jakes and his real estate firm plan to revitalize Atlanta by employing local talent for this development project and have already begun building pivotal relationships with key business leaders, stakeholders, and well-respected experts.
“I am thankful to Governor Brian Kemp, Mayor Bottoms, Chairman Cassius Butts, the Fort McPherson Board, the greater Atlanta community, and my friend Tyler Perry for this opportunity to serve and further amplify their vision and unwavering commitment to attracting growth opportunities and development excellence to the City of Atlanta.”
The retailer is making details of its national Racial Bias in Retail Study available to all retailers as it calls for a more inclusive retail industry
Sephora, America’s leading prestige beauty Omni-retailer, revealed the detailed changes it will implement across all of its U.S. stores in order to mitigate racially biased experiences and unfair treatment for shoppers in the retail sector. This is the latest in a series of actions announced by Sephora to underscore the retailer’s continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The plan includes increased diversity in its product offerings and workforce, more inclusive marketing programming, and greater accountability through the institution of updated employee conduct policies. The decisions are based on the results of the first-ever large-scale study on Racial Bias in Retail, commissioned by the retailer.
“At Sephora, diversity, equality, and inclusion have been our core values since we launched a new kind of beauty retail destination in the U.S. over 20 years ago – but the reality is that shoppers at Sephora, and in U.S. retail more broadly, are not always treated fairly and consistently,” said Jean-André Rougeot, President and CEO, Sephora Americas. “We know that we’re in a strong position to influence positive changes in the retail industry and society at large and it’s our responsibility to step up. We’re committed to doing all we can to make our U.S. retail experience more welcoming for everyone. Today, we are proud to share a first-look at Sephora’s action plan designed to tackle the issue of unfair treatment. We know it will be a journey, but we’re committed to holding ourselves accountable to this mission for the benefit of our clients, our employees, our communities, and the retail industry at large.”
Racial Bias in Retail Study Commissioned by Sephora
This first-of-its-kind national study was conducted over a year-long period, beginning in the fall of 2019 and ending in late 2020 and was designed to measure the issue of racially biased experiences in U.S. retail, and to identify opportunities to end unfair treatment. Comprised of academic literature reviews, cultural insights analysis and comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research*, the Racial Bias in Retail Study commissioned by Sephora offers an in-depth look at this important issue.
The research, first and foremost, underscores how pervasive the issue is for U.S. retail shoppers and employees: • Two in five U.S. retail shoppers have personally experienced unfair treatment on the basis of their race or skin tone. • Black retail shoppers are 2.5x more likely than white shoppers to receive unfair treatment based on their skin color (44% vs. 17%), while BIPOC shoppers are 2x more likely than white shoppers to receive unfair treatment based on their ethnicity (30% vs. 15%). • One in five retail employees report having personally experienced unfair treatment based on their race at their place of work (20%)—either from customers or coworkers. • One in three retail employees have contemplated quitting when they experienced racial bias and unfair treatment (31% for all employees; 37% for Black employees).
The research identified five primary “truths” that define retail shoppers’ experiences with racial bias, including:
TRUTH #1: Limited diversity across marketing, merchandise and retail employees results in exclusionary treatment before shoppers even enter a store, and continues across their in-store journey. Three in four retail shoppers (74%) feel that marketing fails to showcase a diverse range of skin tones, body types, and hair textures, while two in three (65%) think stores fail to deliver an equally-distributed assortment of products catering to different shoppers’ tastes and preferences. Moreover, nearly four in five retail shoppers (78%) don’t believe there is representation in brands or companies that are owned by and made for people of color.
TRUTH # 2: U.S. BIPOC shoppers feel in-store interactions are driven by their skin color, appearance and ethnicity, yet retail employees cite behavioral attributes, rather than appearance, as the basis for their interactions. BIPOC retail shoppers are 3x more likely than white shoppers to feel most often judged by their skin color and ethnicity (32% vs. 9%). White shoppers, on the other hand, are more likely to cite factors like age (27% vs. 12%) or attractiveness (13% vs. 7%), as the primary basis of the treatment they face. While shoppers feel they are being judged by their appearance, three in five (60%) retail employees surveyed cited behavioral attributes rather than physical attributes when determining how to approach or interact with shoppers. This gap in perception results in a significant disconnect between how shoppers and employees interpret interactions in U.S. retail.
TRUTH #3: U.S. BIPOC retail shoppers use coping mechanisms, such as shopping online, to minimize or avoid an anticipated biased experience when in-store. While many customer experience needs are universal, BIPOC shoppers have some needs that hold greater importance in helping them feel welcome. The study also showed there are clear areas where retailers can focus efforts to make the shopping experience more inclusive and welcoming for all. The findings show that BIPOC shoppers have some needs that hold greater importance in helping them feel welcome compared to white shoppers in creating a positive in-store experience, including promptly being greeted and offering assistance when shoppers enter the store, telling shoppers about new products, offers, and services, and having store associates who “look like me.”
TRUTH #4: The majority of retail shoppers do not voice concerns about negative experiences directly to retailers – creating missed opportunities for feedback and improvement, and impacting future sales as shoppers take their business elsewhere. Only 30% of shoppers reacted actively to unfair treatment as a means of providing feedback to the retailer, such as publishing an online review or social post about their experience, while fewer than one in five (15%) reported raising the issue with a manager or store supervisor. Even among those shoppers who did provide direct feedback, a majority (61%) were unsatisfied with the retailer’s response. These situations can have permanent, economic consequences for a retailer, with 2 in 5 BIPOC shoppers (43%) saying they are unlikely to visit any store location belonging to a retailer where they experienced mistreatment.
TRUTH #5: Meaningful and long-term action is most important to U.S. retail shoppers and employees. Both expect retailers to show their commitment to change through new programs, training and tools designed to address these pervasive issues. But this is not often the reality for many retail shoppers who have experienced unfair treatment: BIPOC shoppers are 3x less likely than white shoppers to say the retailer addressed their experience with a change in store policy (34% vs. 11%). And while a majority (81%) of retail employees recognize the importance of being able to service diverse shopper needs, fewer than one in three (27%) feel confident they can meet them extremely well, with many expressing a desire for more training and education to address these gaps.
Sephora’s Action Plan
Coupled with the study’s findings and the retailer’s all-encompassing Diversity & Inclusion Heart Journey strategy, Sephora has designed a preliminary action plan to tackle bias across all aspects of its organization via three key areas.
Marketing and Merchandising
• Building on Sephora’s commitment to the 15 Percent Pledge, the company will double its assortment of Black-owned brands by the end of 2021. • Prominently feature and advertise Black-owned brands through a dedicated tab on the Sephora website, which is already in progress. • Evolve the 2021 Accelerate brand incubator program to focus exclusively on cultivating and growing BIPOC-owned and founded brands.
• Establish new marketing production guidelines that reinforce consideration of a diverse array of backgrounds, identities, ages and body types in our campaigns, social media, marketing and more. • Continue cultivating one of the industry’s most diverse influencer groups through the Sephora Squad.
The In-Store Experience and Operations • Roll out a new greeting system across all stores to ensure a more consistent experience for all store visitors upon entry. • Create new training modules required for all Beauty Advisors that better define what client engagement should look like at each point in the shopping experience and what behaviors will not be tolerated. • Establish a D&I In-Store Experience Dashboard that will provide analytics on client service and feedback to stores on a monthly basis to measure employee training compliance and efficacy. • Implement new client feedback mechanisms to better identify incidents of bias, including those experienced by non-purchasers. • Reduce the presence of third-party security vendors in stores and utilize more in-house specialists, with the goal of providing better client care and minimizing shoppers’ concerns of policing. • Implement procedural and operational changes to better allow Beauty Advisors to focus solely on client service, versus other tasks that can create a friction or misperception by shoppers.
Talent and Inclusive Workplaces • Build new recruiting, mentorship, community, and career development programs to support the sourcing, hiring and advancement of employees of color. • Building on its Pull Up For Change commitment, Sephora will transparently share progress on employee representation on a bi-annual basis at com. • Ensure all corporate team members have D&I goals as part of their annual performance metrics. • Update zero-tolerance policies that prohibit discrimination, harassment and other violations of our code of conduct to ensure clearer communication, expectation and enforcement of our policies for employees, including set outcomes if violated. • Ensure 100% participation with foundational Unconscious Bias training for all new hires. • Increase the frequency and depth of employee trainings, adding new modules that offer strategies to identify bias and exhibit inclusive behaviors in the workplace.
In addition to the above, Sephora will continue to communicate its progress against these actions on a bi-annual basis via a new D&I dedicated section of Sephora.com. Sephora also aims to make learnings and opportunities transparent to other U.S. retailers who may wish to enact systemic change within their own organizations. Lastly, Sephora will be partnering with leading trade and diversity organizations Open to All, RILA and Diversity Best Practices to ensure dissemination to interested retail leaders.
Added Rougeot: “We’re proud of the work we’ve done thus far to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority for the company. We are stronger as a retail community when we are serving the needs of all of our shoppers, and hope other retailers will join us, with the ultimate goal of advancing inclusivity and improving the retail experience for all.”
Learn More To learn more about the Racial Bias in Retail Study commissioned by Sephora including downloadable materials detailing *methodology, an infographic and our academic and research partners involved, please visit www.sephora.com/diversity-and-inclusion. To join the movement, retailers can reach out to sephoraIN@sephora.com. Special thanks to Sephora’s academic and research partners in the undertaking of the Racial Bias in Retail Study, including Dr. Cassi Pittman Claytor, Dr. David Crockett, Whitney Dunlap Fowler, Dr. Patricia Raspberry, Kelton Global, Values Partnerships and LRW. Special thanks also to Sephora Equity Advisors and Partners, a coalition of 25 leading individuals and organizations in the field of social justice and racial equity.
