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https://www.essence.com/festival/2021-essence-festival-of-culture/grow-with-google/
By Ashlee Banks ·July 9, 2021July 9, 2021
Essence Festival of Culture hosted a session on Saturday called “Grow with Google.” Essence Senior News & Politics Editor Malaika Jabali spoke with Executive Vice President of Customer Care with Google, Cassandra Johnson.
During the segment the two discussed the initiative “Grow with Google,” what the tech giant is doing to help Black women develop and hone their technological skills, and why it’s important that Black women help other Black women.
Johnson kicked off the conversation by discussing the “Grow with Google” initiative.
“Grow with Google” is our economic opportunity initiative. Over six million Americans have trained in digital skills since 2017 through a network of more than eight thousand amazing partner organizations including local libraries, schools, sororities and nonprofits. In my organization in particular we work to leverage to grow Google workshops through our partnership with urban league affiliates to train participating small businesses and digital skills.”
Johnson believes that technology is the key to presenting new opportunities for communities in the U.S.
“When those opportunities are available to everyone…then communities across the country can achieve their full potential. It is critical that we meet Americans where [Black women] are at…and that’s important to us,” Johnson said.
The Google executive said the “Grow with Google” initiative was created by Black women.
“A key part of success is Black women supporting Black women. This is truly powerful since it exemplifies meeting Black women where they are now and supporting them now,” Johnson said.
Johnson says this initiative and many others are necessary because since the start of 2020, Black women have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19. Johnson added that Google launched a program this year to help Black women develop digital skills to enhance their chances of landing employment.
“Now we launched ‘Black Women Lead’ with the goal to train a 100 thousand Black women…in digital skills by 2022. Now we’re not going to do this alone. We’re partnering with Dress for Success, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho, Zeta Phi Beta and last but not least as you already said Malaika, my sorors, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated to provide digital skills training and resources for Black women,” Johnson said.
Johnson says she knows how powerful it can be when Black women support other Black women.
“On a personal note, I know what it’s like for Black women to support one’s passion and dreams, since I was a creator and founder of Tigmir. Which is a sorority/fraternity apparel company. And just like the name stands for, to who much is given, much is required. That is what Black women at Google have done to step up on behalf of Black women around the country with the ‘Black Women Lead’ initiative,” Johnson said.
TOPICS: essence festival 2021
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Source: Mark Davis / Getty
It has been three months since Hip-hop legend Earl “DMX” Simmons passed away. Now, his loved ones and fans are getting more details on his tragic and untimely death.
According to Vulture, on July 8, a source from the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s office told the outlet that DMX’s death is officially listed as a cardiac arrest due to cocaine intoxication.
“It was cardiac arrest for a period of time, so there was no circulation to the brain,” the source said, before adding that consumption of the illegal substance was what subsequently led to the lethal “chain of events” which caused the rapper’s death.
The source shared that on April 2 someone had called 911 for help just after 10:03 p.m. Paramedics arrived on the scene at 10:09 p.m., and proceeded to perform a cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the rapper which began at 10:10 p.m and went on for 30-40 minutes while they transferred him from his home to the White Plains hospital where he spent his final days.
“His death literally happened immediately because the brain was dead,” the source told the outlet. “So obviously, there were a number of days where he was on ventilatory support and so forth in the hospital… However, he was diagnosed brain-dead early on… He never woke up from [a] coma.”
As MADAMENOIRE reported, DMX was initially hospitalized due to an alleged “drug overdose” that triggered a heart attack. At the time, TMZ shared that the rapper was in a “vegetative state.”
On April 4, when the rapper’s family released an update on his hospitalization, they’d mentioned, “Earl has been a warrior his entire life.”
Simmons passed away at the age of 50 on April 9. His memorial service was held on April 24 at the Barclays Center, where countless friends, family, fellow musicians, and fans came to honor the hip-hop icon. His posthumous album, Exodus, which featured collabs with “Jay-Z, Nas, Moneybagg Yo, Swizz Beatz, The Lox, and more” was released on May 28.
According to XXL, “The source additionally told Vulture that an analysis of Simmons’ urine displayed the presence of cocaine, adding that the medical examiner’s office did not perform an autopsy and determined the cause of death using documentation provided by medical professionals and police.”