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BGN interviews actors Keanu Reeves (John Wick) and Shamier Anderson (the Tracker) for the Lionsgate film John Wick: Chapter 4.

With the price on his head ever increasing, legendary hitman John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin.

Interviewer: Jeandra LeBeauf

Video Editor: Jamie Broadnax

John Wick: Chapter 4 lands in theaters nationwide March 23rd.

A royal christening took place last week in Los Angeles, yet the Royal Family did not appear.

According to People, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle), Princess Lilibet, was christened on March 3. A spokesperson for the royal couple verified the event, “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.”

The ceremony took place at their home in Montecito, CA. Their daughter is now 21 months old.

A source close to the couple revealed that Prince Harry and Markle did invite Royal Family members, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton, but none of them appeared at the ceremony.

But, there was one distinguished guest who DID appear to witness the ceremony: Lilibet’s godfather, Tyler Perry. He reportedly brought a 10-member gospel choir along with him and they sang two selections, “Oh Happy Day” and “This Little Light of Mine.” The latter song was played at the wedding of Prince Harry and Markle.

There were between 20-30 guests at the intimate gathering, including Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, and a godmother whose name was not revealed.

According to Forbes, this was the first time that Lilibet has been referred to as a princess. Once Prince Harry’s father, King Charles, became king after the death of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry and Markle’s children were given the respective titles of Prince and Princess.

Forbes also reported that when Prince Harry and Markle left the United Kingdom and were staying in Canada, paparazzi surrounded the home they were staying at. Although he did not know the couple, Perry actually offered them the privacy of his house in California. Due to his generosity, the couple asked him to be Lilibeth’s godfather.

Phase 5 of the MCU is officially underway, and while Quantumania set the stage for more Kangs to come with its post-credit scenes, a new theory also suggests the film’s ending could have even darker implications than fans first realized. We’re assembling the Council of Hectors to break it all down on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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Hoping to elevate Black entrepreneurship, some top leaders from the private and public sectors examined fresh ways to make that happen.

They gathered as Operation HOPE, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Treasury hosted a roundtable last week to honor Freedman’s Bank. The forum allowed participants a chance to frame an actionable plan that extends the path to Black business ownership, a tried-and-true strategy for boosting wealth and creating new jobs.

Black entrepreneurship has been an instrumental tool for building Black wealth for years. Research in recent years has shown that the median net worth for Black business owners is more than 10 times higher than for Blacks who do not own businesses.

John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, the nation’s largest  non-profit dedicated on financial empowerment for underserved communities, was joined by SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, and other attendees (included here).

The forum acknowledged the anniversary of the founding of the Freedman’s Savings Bank by President Abraham Lincoln on March 3, 1865.  At its peak, the bank had $57 million in deposits (adjusted for inflation) and some 70,000 depositors before it closed in 1874. At Bryant’s suggestion in 2015, the Treasury Annex building was renamed the Freedman’s Bank Building in Washington, D.C.

“The Freedman’s Bureau Act was the original small business program for formerly enslaved Black Americans, connecting assets–40 acres and a mule-with capital and financial education through the Freedman’s Bank,” Bryant said. “At Operation HOPE, we are building on this legacy, having created 185,000 new Black businesses since 2020 under our 1 Million Black Business Initiative, of which the SBA has been a significant partner. We are grateful to Administrator Guzman and her team for their ongoing support.”

The initiative was created two years in partnership with e-commerce giant Shopify to create 1 million Black-owned businesses over the next 10 years. It was among the key takeaways and challenges discussed at the forum. Participants concurred that the need for continued partnership between the federal government, private organizations, and community leadership can improve economic outcomes for all.

Other topics included boosting visibility and connections to help advance entrepreneurship. Black founders interested in learning how to qualify for procurement opportunities can do so at no cost here.

Hope added his organization will work with partners to expand programs that provide career education and training, access to mentorship and contacts, as well as access to capital. He emphasized those elements are critical to reinvesting in growing small business, particularly in communities of color.

“Today, there is a disconnect between policy makers and organizations that serve on the frontlines to support Black entrepreneurs (both non-profit and private sector). HOPE seeks to serve as a Sherpa to help connect the dots and improve outcomes.”

To help boost the support of Black-owned plans, some actionable plans from the forum included:

• “Increasing access to capital—HOPE’s 1MBB program participants are offered $25,000 worth of in-kind services, including access to Shopify e-commerce experts upon program completion. The SBA has also committed to providing funding opportunities.”

• “Developing entrepreneurial talent—HOPE’s 1MBB program provides free counseling and low-cost training to new entrepreneurs and existing small businesses. Business planning, financial coaching, and even legal services are offered at no cost. Of note, Black women have been leading the charge for the increase in new small business creation.”
• “Educating Black Business Owners on procurement—This includes building the pipeline and educating entrepreneurs on how to apply and qualify for government contracting opportunities. The certification process can be tedious, but help is available through SBA resources.”