deerstalker | Black Nerd Family

May 16, 2024

BLK Dating App To Select 3 HBCU Grads For New MBA Program

https://www.blackenterprise.com/blk-app-launches-mba-program/

The leading dating and lifestyle platform for the Black community, BLK, has announced an innovative program called the BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection).

This initiative aims to support recent graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as they transition from academia to the workforce while redefining professional and dating dynamics, as stated in a press release. According to Jonathan Kirkland, Head of Marketing at BLK, the company’s commitment to the Black community expands beyond the dating realm. “The BLK MBA Program showcases our dedication to creating opportunities for professional growth and personal development for recent HBCU graduates,” Kirkland said. “Through this initiative, we hope not only to address the employment challenges faced by Black graduates but also to enrich our platform with diverse perspectives and experiences.”

BLK is awarding a stipend to three exceptional HBCU graduates to participate in a transformative summer experience. Unlike traditional MBA programs, participants will partake in an immersive journey with the BLK community and work alongside the brand to delve into Black Gen-Z’s approaches to dating, networking, and creating connections.

Through the program, selected grads will provide feedback to enhance the user experience. Establishing meaningful connections with other Black singles, recent graduates, young professionals, and business leaders, the participants will actively network, arrange meetings, and go on dates with the aim of creating lasting relationships, with the hopes of developing significant partnerships and job opportunities. BLK looks ahead to its inaugural participants as they help shape the future of dating for Black Gen-Z as they gain invaluable knowledge on effective networking.

The digital dating platform boasts over 11 million downloads and has been described as “the go-to app where Black love is celebrated in all its forms,” and users can share their authentic selves while creating meaningful relationships. As previously mentioned by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the app has curated a safe space for Black singles in the online dating community.

The BLK app is user-friendly and available now to download for free. Check out other perks on BLK’s platform, like a new special feature recently covered by BE that is specifically designed to appeal to spring breakers traveling to popular destinations.

May 15, 2024

WATCH: In My Feed – Skylar Diggins-Smith is a Part SKIMS’ Latest Campaign

https://www.essence.com/news/watch-in-my-feed-skylar-diggins-smith-is-a-part-skims-latest-campaign-2/

By Essence ·Updated May 14, 2024

With the WNBA season kicking off, it’s no surprise that the brand selected five remarkable players for its iconic collection.

The post WATCH: In My Feed – Skylar Diggins-Smith is a Part SKIMS’ Latest Campaign appeared first on Essence.

May 15, 2024

SUPERGIRL Movie Will Be Second in DCU, Summer 2026 Release

https://nerdist.com/article/house-of-the-dragon-milly-alcock-cast-as-dcu-supergirl/

The DCU, under new heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, is already shaking things up. Not only is Peacemaker season two coming out ahead of the Waller series, but there is officially a different film following Gunn’s Superman. That title goes to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the adaptation of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s astonishingly good miniseries of the same name. According to Deadline, the movie will come out June 26, 2026.

From the House Targaryen to the Kryptonian House of El, actress Milly Alcock, who played the young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon has been cast as Supergirl for DC Studios. She’ll reportedly first appear in a small role in Superman before starring in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. That film will be based on the comic by Tom King and Alcock won the role over Emilia Jones and Meg Donnelly. The latter voiced Supergirl in DC animated films Legion of Superheroes and Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One. The Supergirl movie has also found its director in a very interesting choice, Craig Gillespie.

Milly Alcock in House of the Dragon (L) and Kara Zor-El in the comics series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow from DC. — *Warner Bros/DC Comics*

The Supergirl in the Woman of Tomorrow celebrates her 21st birthday in that series, so at only 23, Alcock is the perfect age in real life to portray that version of the character.

Gunn noted of Alock’s casting as Supergirl, “Strangely, Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics. I was watching House of the Dragon & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes.”

When it comes to the movie’s director, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be directed by Craig Gillespie. In the past, Gillespie has directed Disney’s Cruella and the figure skating movie, I, Tonya. Both movies certainly had a distinct style, so it will be fascinating to see what the director does with Supergirl.

The character of Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El first appeared in 1959, during DC Comics’ Silver Age. She’s been a mainstay of the DC Universe ever since, in one form or another. Supergirl has appeared on the big screen twice before. First in the 1984 film Supergirl, played by Helen Slater, and then in last year’s The Flash, played by Sasha Calle. Of course, Melissa Benoist portrayed Kara Danvers on the CW Arrowverse series Supergirl for six seasons. We’re sure that Milly Alcock will bring her own spin to DC Comics’ iconic heroine.

Originally published on January 29, 2024

The post SUPERGIRL Movie Will Be Second in DCU, Summer 2026 Release appeared first on Nerdist.

May 14, 2024

Black Millennials Greatly Reduce Debt Yet Struggle With Home Affordability: 5 Tips To Help Trim the Cost Burden

https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-millennials-reduce-debt-yet-affordability-5-tips/

Originally Published Jan. 26, 2023.

In 2023, 34% of Black millennials had at least $10,000 in non-mortgage debt this year, a staggering 60% drop from 2022.

The finding raises the question of whether those millennials erased their debt. It’s possible, but real estate expert Jaime Seale explained it’s more likely that as inflation pushed up home prices and interest rates, millennials with large amounts of debt dropped out of the home search and postponed their purchase.

Contrarily, 46% of all millennials had a minimum of $10,000 in debt in 2023, down from about 71% last year.

Seale, author of the Millennial Home Buyer Report: 2023 Edition, told BLACK ENTERPRISE that more non-Black millennials will continue their home search while prices and interest rates are high.

Individuals quizzed in Seale’s report were asked about their homebuying plans this year. Black millennials (30%) are more concerned than their non-Black peers (29%) about qualifying for a mortgage. Seale said Black millennials tend to have lower credit scores than their white counterparts and are 2.5 times more likely to be rejected for mortgage loans.

“It’s important for Black millennials to get mortgages to help them afford homes because owning a home is one of the best ways to build generational wealth,” she notes. In 2019, Black homeowners had a median household wealth of $113,130—more than 60 times higher than Black renters.

To help attain homeownership, Black millennials are putting down less of a down payment.

A key reason: Debt is a major hurdle to saving for a down payment, and saving such is one of the top three barriers to buying a home for Black millennials. Some 42% report interest rates are too high and 38% cite both homes being too expensive and saving for a down payment as obstacles.

Around 73% of Black millennials plan to put down less than 20% for a down payment, versus 62% of all millennials. Seale says it is possible that saving for a down payment is more difficult because Black millennials typically earn less than their white counterparts and have more debt.

She made clear Black millennials who don’t put down a full 20% may have a higher interest rate because banks assume more risk. And with less money spent on a home purchase, Black millennials are more likely to buy less costly homes. Seale says nearly 23% of millennials plan on buying a home that costs more than the national median of $455,000, but only 8% of Black millennials plan to do the same.

More specifically, she says, 18% of Black millennials (versus 13% of all millennials) plan to buy a home in the $100,000 to $149,999 range this year. Some 16% of Black millennials (compared to 9% of all millennials) plan to buy a home in the $200,000 to $249,999 range.

Black millennials also are less inclined to risk their money given inflation and high-interest rates make home-buying even more unaffordable. For instance, Seale added 65% of all millennials would buy a fixer-upper, but only 58% of Black millennials would take that gamble. Some 40% of Black millennials fear having to make major repairs, and 39% worry about the hidden costs of homeownership.

Here are some tips Seale offered for buying a home:

“Expand your search: To stay within budget, Black millennials may need to look at smaller properties or in rural areas or less [in-]demand neighborhoods.”
“Improve your credit score: In a high-cost environment, qualifying for the lowest possible interest rate will lower your monthly mortgage payment. To improve your credit score, pay down debts and avoid any late payments.”
Choose a shorter loan term: If you can afford a higher monthly payment, a 15-year loan usually has lower interest rates than a 30-year loan, meaning you’ll pay less in interest over time.
“Shop around: Talk with several different lenders to make sure you’re getting the best deal and the lowest rate. As interest rates rise, the number of home buyers who need a mortgage has dropped, so lenders will be eager for your business.”
“Alter your timing: Interest rates fluctuate, if you postpone your search, they may be lower in the future. However, that’s not without risks. Interest rates may continue to rise, as well as inflation. If inflation continues to increase, you’ll save more money by buying now than in the future, when money may hold less value.”