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A year of COVID-19 brought record consumer debt and collection complaints 
Charlene CrowellCOVID-19Economy

A year of COVID-19 brought record consumer debt and collection complaints 

 Charlene Crowell April 15, 2021

After more than a year of COVID-19, the nation’s collective ability to cope with dual public health and economic crises has diminished many consumers’ ability to remain financially stable. While this February’s national employment report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a net gain of 379,000 jobs and white unemployment dropped to 5.6%, there was no corresponding improvement for Black and Latino workers. Instead, unemployment was respectively higher at 9.9% and 8.5%.   

General Motors Announces 400 Percent Increase in Ad Spending with Black-Owned Media
BusinessEconomyNationalNewsNews (Business)

General Motors Announces 400 Percent Increase in Ad Spending with Black-Owned Media

Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National CorrespondentApril 15, 2021

General Motors officials said it would be more productive to host a series of meetings involving a more extensive mix of Black-owned media publishers and executives. “To ensure that our conversations are both substantive and constructive, we are going to postpone and reschedule it into a series of smaller conversations that take place over the next few weeks,” GM global Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl told the executives.

Your 2021 Stimulus Cash: Differences Between Your Federal and State Checks
COVID-19EconomyNews

Your 2021 Stimulus Cash: Differences Between Your Federal and State Checks

Quinci LeGardye, California Black MediaMarch 18, 2021

The American Rescue Plan, which includes the third and largest round of federal COVID-19 stimulus of the pandemic so far, was signed into law by President Biden on March 12. According to several reports direct deposits began hitting peoples’ bank accounts as soon as March 14, with paper checks and pre-paid debit cards expected to follow soon.

As Stimulus Checks Go Out, Beware Scammers, Says FTC
COVID-19EconomyNews

As Stimulus Checks Go Out, Beware Scammers, Says FTC

Quinci LeGardye, California Black MediaMarch 18, 2021

New rounds of COVID-19 stimulus checks are either incoming or have already reached the pockets of eligible Californians — either through the federal American Rescue Plan or the Golden State Stimulus. With the cash coming in, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning the general public about an expected wave of fraud targeting peoples’ stimulus cash.

Goldman Sachs Financial Group Commits $10 Billion in Investment Capital to Impact One Million Black Women
BusinessEconomyFinance

Goldman Sachs Financial Group Commits $10 Billion in Investment Capital to Impact One Million Black Women

Betti Halsell Contributing WriterMarch 18, 2021

The Goldman Sachs joined roundtables that focused on the barriers Black women face as entrepreneurs, and how targeted investments can work as a bridge to equality. Their compass in navigating through directive comes from Goldman’s relationships with sororities such as Delta Sigma Theta Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Inc., and Sigma Gamma Rho S Inc., and Black women’s organizations, such as the National Council of Negro Women, Black Women’s Roundtable, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Power Rising, Walker’s Legacy Foundation, The Links, Inc., and the Sistahs in Business Expo.

Maxine Waters Brings Home the Money with American Rescue Plan!
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Maxine Waters Brings Home the Money with American Rescue Plan!

Sentinel News ServiceMarch 11, 2021

Help Is on The Way!   Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the American Rescue Plan Act. The legislation was sent to President Biden’s desk and has been signed into law. “The historic American Rescue Plan was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and has reached President Biden’s desk and received his signature. I am so pleased that help will soon be on the way for the millions of people struggling to stay afloat during this

Okonjo-Iweala is First Woman, African to Lead World Trade Body
BusinessEconomy

Okonjo-Iweala is First Woman, African to Lead World Trade Body

David Mchugh, Associated PressFebruary 18, 2021

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed Monday to head the World Trade Organization, becoming the first woman and first African to take on the role amid rising protectionism and disagreement over how the body decides cases involving billions in sales and thousands of jobs.

Black Investors Take Note: Reddit Rebellion Rescues GameStop Stock
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Black Investors Take Note: Reddit Rebellion Rescues GameStop Stock

Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National CorrespondentFebruary 11, 2021

The band of amateur day traders that interact with each other on the Reddit page WallStreetBets, encouraged whoever was listening to buy shares of the flailing GameStop, AMC, Macy’s and Koss stocks. Big investors, often in the form of hedge funds, frequently bet against struggling public companies using a process referred to as “shorting,” which allows investors to bet on the degree of misfortune a stock may experience and earn billions of dollars in profits as a result.

Biden Administration in Push to Put Harriet Tubman on $20 Bill
EconomyFinanceNationalNewsNews (Business)

Biden Administration in Push to Put Harriet Tubman on $20 Bill

Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National CorrespondentFebruary 4, 2021

In April 2016, then-President Barack Obama announced that Tubman would replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Obama wanted the release of the new bill to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment in 2020 that gave women the right to vote. However, Trump had expressed an affinity toward Confederate figures and sang the praises of Andrew Jackson, claiming that he had led the U.S. to great success during his two-terms in office from 1829 to 1837.