Article by the TBHC News Staff Published Dec. 21, 2020 An online store has been launched to help support Black communities nationally and globally. The Black Hats Collective launched its online store on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. The founder and president of the organization, Dell Hannah, said the store was necessary to create to be a tool to help meet the needs of the Black collective. “It was another entity that was needed for the community,” Hannah said. “We give a percentage of sales to the community and to help fund different events.” He said he hopes people support the store and for them to know that there is an organization who has the community’s best interest at heart. “We want people to know more about the organization and for them to know that there’s an organization that cares about the community,” Hannah said. There are over 50 t-shirts on the online store that Hannah helped design — a feat that he is proud of. “I love that we can share positive and conscious messages,” he said. “We need each one to teach one. These shirts can enlighten the people on certain things and can raise their consciousness.” The online store has received a couple of sales a few weeks after its launch. TBHC customer Sharron Lenard bought t-shirts and referred the store to other people to support. “I like the graphics,” Lenard said. “I feel great knowing that my money will be going to the Black community for Black empowerment. I feel good about anything that uplifts my people.” Arthur Holloway, another TBHC customer, said the t-shirts are a great way for him to express himself. “They have truthful meanings that vocalize thoughts that express how I feel without having to physically say it,” he said. Holloway shared that, “Buying Black adds color to life” and more people in the community should support small Black-owned businesses. “I feel that we should always support small businesses that start in and around our community,” Holloway said. “The support we give not only helps to shape our future but the future of our children, their education, their knowledge, their freedom, their mindset and the likeness thereof to be inspired and an inspiration to others and themselves. When they look back, they can stand proud — front and center — of their own accomplishments because it could be them in need of that same support someday.” Hannah said supporting the online store will help keep the Black dollar circulating in its communities and provide job opportunities for the people. “The store can help create jobs and create an income for people so they can have a way to support themselves,” Hannah said. “It’s important to keep the money in our communities to help us economically.” Hannah shared that there are more items the community can look forward to buying in the future to help uplift Black people as a collective. “There will be more merchandise, new products, and better messages,” Hannah said. “When the store is making money, we have something to offer to the community. Supporting the store will help uplift the community and help our children. I’m looking forward to support our community through our store.” Shop With Us:
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![]() Heritage Wealth Management owner and manager, Sophie Lancaster (left), Regina Wilson (center), the VyStar Credit Union Gainesville branch supervisor, and Shontai Blye (right), a VyStar Credit Union member services representative, gave financial advice during The Black Hats Collective's “Wealth Building Stepping Stones” workshop. Article by The Gainesville Guardian Published March 4, 2020 An organization gave residents the monetary tools they needed to ensure financial stability for generations to come. The Black Hats Collective hosted a workshop led by financial experts titled “Wealth Building Stepping Stones” at the Library Partnership located at 912 NE 16th Ave. on Saturday. Jack Carter, a TBHC member and the moderator for the workshop, read the organization’s mission statement. “Our mission is to enrich people through leadership, education, wealth building, and cultural awareness,” Carter said. TBHC founder and president, Dell Hannah, shared his perspective on the difference between wealth and rich and why people should apply the financial tools to build generational wealth. “Rich runs out,” Hannah said. “When you create wealth, you can carry it on for generations and generations.” Heritage Wealth Management owner and manager, Sophie Lancaster, gave a brief background on the financial firm and why she created it. Lancaster is a Zimbabwean native who moved to Gainesville in 2003. She decided to create her own financial firm, Heritage Wealth Management, in 2009 after working with Edward Jones, an investment company. “I wanted to be in a position to help people create wealth,” Lancaster said. “It is never too late to build your financial picture. There is no situation you can’t get out of. There is always hope.” Lancaster provided seven steps to help people get closer to their wealthy place. The seven steps are: writing the vision, evaluating where you are, attaining a plan, leaping into action, eliminating debt, hedge against risk, and leaving a legacy. “When you dare to write down a dream, it becomes a goal,” Lancaster said. “You have to know what you want to achieve. You have to have goals. My purpose is to help people fulfill their purpose.” Lancaster shared that after a goal is created, you must create specific and measurable guides to break the goal down to when you want it to be accomplished. “Eliminating debt and getting a home didn’t come without work,” Lancaster said. “When we get on the road (to wealth) that means sacrifice. It’s a place to resist temptations and remove bad habits.” Lancaster advised attendees to have emergency cash in case of any unpredictable life events. She said that emergency cash should be three times the total of cash you need to survive. Lancaster explained what stocks and bonds are. She described three different ways people can use bonds which is to lend money to municipalities, the U.S. Treasury, and corporations. Stocks are owning a piece of the company. “When you have ownership with a company, you are growing with the company,” she said. Lancaster added that once someone purchase a stock, they can receive dividends from the stock which is income the stock pays to someone annually. “Money never goes away, it just transitions,” Lancaster said. “Know where the trend is going so you can capitalize on it.” Lancaster said that people should be saving a minimum of 30% of what they make and explaining the differences of retirement plans such as a 401K and the IRA (Individual Retirement Account). She explained the Roth IRA is a type of IRA that offers tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement. “It’s a benefit because you can position yourself on being tax-free when you purchase items,” she said. Lancaster shared how she just buried her 87-year-old grandmother who was a craftswoman and was able to purchase three rental properties and in her will she stated how the money generated from the properties will go towards her children and her grandchildren. “No matter where you are in your journey, there is a legacy you can leave behind,” Lancaster said. The next speakers were two other financial experts from VyStar Credit Union. A credit union is a member-owned financial cooperative while a bank is owned and governed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Regina Wilson, the VyStar Credit Union Gainesville branch supervisor, and Shontai Blye, a VyStar Credit Union member services representative, shared their advice on savings, credit building, and budgeting. “You need to know where your money is going so you can allocate where you want your money to go,” Blye said. “When your expenses are more than your income, that means you need to make adjustments.” Wilson suggested to the audience to cook more instead of buying food from restaurants to save more money. “I tell people to get on a financial diet to save money,” Wilson said. Blye shared how she uses automatic transfers and bills auto-pay to keep track of her money electronically. “It puts things on auto pilot so you know what you have saved,” Blye said. For credit score building, Blye and Wilson advise people to not miss a payment because the credit score can drop. They advise people to request a deferment to push back due dates to avoid late payments and checking their credit score for free on annualcreditreport.com Both women explained how having a good “credit mix” helps people gain a higher credit score. Installment credit is a payment that has a fixed schedule until the loan is paid in full. Examples of installment credit are auto loans, signature loans, and mortgages. Revolving credit is credit that can be renewed as the debt is paid. An example of revolving credit is the use of credit cards. “Having this opportunity to come and speak to my own and hire my own is amazing,” Wilson said. Shop With Us: https://www.theblackhatscollective.com/shop.html#/ Stay Connected With Us: Facebook: www.facebook/TheBlackHatsCollective Twitter: www.twitter.com/TBH_Collective Instagram: www.instagram.com/theblackhatscollective Support Us On Patreon: www.patreon.com/theblackhatscollective Donate on CashApp: $tbhcollective Donate on PayPal: Paypal.me/tbhcollective Article via The Gainesville Guardian Published July 31, 2019 An organization created an opportunity for residents to learn more about their rights as tenants in Alachua County. The Black Hats Collective of Alachua County hosted a forum titled “Get your rights as a tenant” at the Library Partnership Branch located on 912 NE 16th Ave. on Saturday. The purpose of the forum was to inform residents in underprivileged communities about their housing rights. “Our primary mission is to address problems in the community economically, educationally, socially, and culturally,” said Jack Carter, member of TBHC and the host of the tenants’ rights forum. “There’s a lot of problems with the landlord and tenant issue. We create forums like this to educate the public.” Reina Saco, Esq. of Florida Legal Services was the presenter during the forum. She addressed the rights and protocols of Florida’s landlord/tenant law as well as answering questions the audience may have. “You empower people to empower themselves,” Saco said regarding the forum. Saco has been the Equal Justice Work Fellow for Florida Legal Services for two years and heer focus is housing advocacy. “Housing affects everyone,” Saco said. “Every area has niche issues.” She said in Alachua County security deposit is the main issue she sees tenants go through. Her advice for residents is to take pictures before they get settled in their property to have proof on how it looked. “Take pictures and don’t be afraid to ask Florida legal Services for help,” Saco said. The forum also discussed Alachua County’s rules against housing discrimination. Earlier this year, the county expanded its anti-discrimination policy on housing which now includes family status, veterans, domestic violence survivors and people with different citizenship statuses. The changes come from the Alachua County Commission’s past discussions on how to curb homelessness and boost access to affordable housing. The county already prohibited discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, age, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Other advice that was mentioned in the forum was the use of indigent forms if a tenant is filing a lawsuit. An indigent form is when the courts waive the fees or ask the state to pay the normal court costs for people who earn $50,000 or less annually. The form tells the court the person cannot afford the fees related to their case. Saco also mentioned the loopholes that can exist in a lease if landlords are not specific enough. She described that a lease is silent or it’s neutral if it does not specify what the landlord wants. An example she shared was animals. “If I write a contract, I write everything that is important,” Saco said. “If I failed to include something, it wasn’t that important.” She described the difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal. Service animals are needed for a recognized disability and an emotional support animal is when a licensed medical professional signs off on a certificate that a tenant can have that animal with them. Saco appreciated the enthusiasm from the audience. “It was very engaging,” Saco said. “I got a good variety of questions.” TBHC member and community activist Kali Blount believed the forum gave residents more confidence in applying their rights in the future. “People need to know the right procedure to handle issues the right way,” Blount said. “They now know what they can do to enforce their rights. They’re more confident to know how to be treated right.” Shop With Us: https://www.theblackhatscollective.com/shop.html#/ Stay Connected With Us: Facebook: www.facebook/TheBlackHatsCollective Twitter: www.twitter.com/TBH_Collective Instagram: www.instagram.com/theblackhatscollective Support Us On Patreon: www.patreon.com/theblackhatscollective Donate on CashApp: $tbhcollective Donate on PayPal: Paypal.me/tbhcollective Article by Aida Mallard via The Gainesville Guardian Published January, 19, 2019 A panel composed of two attorneys, Kenneth Nunn and AuBroncee Martin, and State Rep. Clovis Watson Jr., D-Alachua, discussed the law in depth at a forum held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center Saturday and attended by about 75 people, many of whom asked questions or voiced their own opinions. “Stand your ground” is a bad law that has to be repealed by voter referendum because the legislature won’t do its job. That was the message delivered Saturday at a forum addressing the law held as part of Gainesville’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration. A panel of two attorneys and an elected official discussed the law in depth at the forum, which was held at the King Center and attended by about 75 people, many of whom asked questions or voiced their own opinions. Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law gives a person the right to use deadly force — and no duty to retreat — if he or she reasonably believe that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. The law went into effect on Oct. 1, 2005. The panelists were Kenneth Nunn, a law professor and assistant director of the Criminal Justice Center at the University of Florida Levin College of Law; State Rep. Clovis Watson Jr., D-Alachua; and AuBroncee Martin, attorney with the Eighth Judicial Circuit’s Public Defender’s Office and president of the Josiah T. Walls Bar Association. Gainesville Police Chief Tony Jones, who was scheduled to participate, was unable to attend. The moderator was Gainesville community activist Jack Carter. The panelists addressed the idea of whether Florida’s “stand your ground” law is a good statute or not as well as its impact on the community, the impact it has had on African-Americans, and the legal process in relation to the law. They also discussed the “stand your ground” law in relation to the deaths of Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012, and the 20-year conviction of Marissa Alexander for aggravated assault. Alexander was in her home when her husband threatened to kill her and she fired a warning shot. Attendees also engaged with panelists about gun control, concealed gun permits, and arming teachers and staff in public schools in Florida. Watson said that before ”‘stand your ground”’ became the law in Florida, a person had the right to defend his or her home under “something called Castle Doctrine” and had no duty to retreat before using deadly force against what he or she believed to be imminent deadly force. However, outside his or her house a person did have a duty to retreat or an obligation to diffuse the situation or walk away before resorting to force. ″‘Stand your ground’ is ambiguous, emboldens people and promotes vigilantism,” Watson said. “This is a terrible law. The previous law was more than sufficient.” Watson said for 15 years the legislature has been trying to repeal the “stand your ground” law, and he has introduced a bill to repeal it each year for six years but the legislature as a body lacks the will and courage to do it. Nunn said that Florida always has had a self-defense rule, and the “stand your ground” law is a “political choice that is chiefly unnecessary.” Rather than having to use self-defense as an argument at a trial, a person claiming “stand your ground” would be immune from arrest and avoid a trial altogether, Nunn said. Before 2006, Florida’s gun murder rate was below the national rate. Since 2006, the gun murder rate in Florida has been 8 percent higher than the national rate, according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund. A study published in the journal of Social Science and Medicine, also states that a suspect is twice as likely to be convicted of a crime if the victim is white, and a leniency in convictions if the victim is non-white. Nunn said the racial makeup of a jury has a great deal to do with the outcome. Any person who is able to claim a “stand your ground” defense gets complete immunity and can’t be sued or persecuted, Nunn said. Martin said the “stand your ground” has had an insidious effect in additional way. “The duty to retreat has been removed and immunity from prosecution or civil action has been added,” he said. Watson said that when the legislature has failed to do its job, as it did by not restoring voting rights for felons, the people stepped up to the challenge. “We can do a referendum,” said Watson. “We can’t let the NRA and other groups stop us from doing the right thing.” Martin said the trial of George Zimmerman, who was accused of shooting Trayvon Martin, became a political issue. He said the prosecution didn’t do an efficient job telling the story because they were looking outside the court and “their eyes were not on the ball.” “We need true criminal justice reform across the board and not the lip service we get from Tallahassee,” Watson said. “No one is exercising the will and courage — not in Tallahassee.”
Shop With Us: https://www.theblackhatscollective.com/shop.html#/ Stay Connected With Us: Facebook: www.facebook/TheBlackHatsCollective Twitter: www.twitter.com/TBH_Collective Instagram: www.instagram.com/theblackhatscollective Support Us On Patreon: www.patreon.com/theblackhatscollective Donate on CashApp: $tbhcollective Donate on PayPal: Paypal.me/tbhcollective Article by Cleveland Tinker via The Gainesville Guardian Published August 3, 2016 A group of black men known as The Black Hats met to discuss ways they can have a positive impact on the community. The meeting held recently at the Alachua County Library Headquarters included discussions about educating young blacks about their heritage, establishing business co-ops, promoting healthy lifestyles, political involvement and other topics. The group’s vision includes allowing black men to unite to make the community better and to discuss and be made aware of values and principles their African ancestors held dearly in their hearts. Dennis Darnell of Gainesville, a health management professional, said he is interested in dealing with black youths. “We are not passing down the knowledge that was passed down to us,” Darnell said. “We will be a lost people if we don’t pass down our knowledge.” He said young blacks need to know that police brutality and violent black on black crime is nothing new in the United States. He said young people should be taught about their culture, the importance of getting an education or a trade, financial literacy and healthy life habits at an early age. Dell Hannah, one of the founding members of the group, which began meeting in April, agreed with Darnell that reaching younger blacks is important. “My whole thing is to be a link between the younger generation and the older generation,” Hannah said. He said it is important that both older and younger blacks listen to each other and learn from one another. “Wisdom and knowledge can come from anybody,” Hannah said. “We can all learn from one another.” Akil Khalfani of Archer, a business co-op advocate, said creating business co-ops is something the group should put on its to-do list. He said business co-ops are owned by the people they serve. Thus, people who belong to the co-op have a say in the business decisions made. “We need consumer cooperatives to create a pool of resources that will allow us to reinvest in the community,” Khalfani said. “The idea is that the consumer actually owns the business, which allows them to control the profits.” He said people should read the book, “Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice,” by Jessica Gordon Nembhard. He said blacks have abandoned their communities since integration began in the late 1960s. He said black communities were filled with black-owned businesses before integration, something he would like to see return. He said blacks have the economic wherewithal to establish their own credit unions with boards of directors who live in the community and “have the best interest of the community in their hearts.” Kali Blount of Gainesville, a community activist and founding member of the group, said the group is in the process of narrowing down the issues it will address in the near future. “We want to have an agenda that we build together as a group,” Blount said. “We all can contribute ideas to what we want to accomplish.” Nii Sowa-La, a native of Ghana and community activist, also contributed to the discussion. He said there should be a genuine focus on the importance of caring for all humanity. “Love is number one and the most important thing,” Sowa-La said. “We also have to teach forgiveness and learn how to forgive ourselves for our own negative behavior and figure out how to get rid of our negative behavior.” Shop With Us: https://www.theblackhatscollective.com/shop.html#/ Stay Connected With Us: Facebook: www.facebook/TheBlackHatsCollective Twitter: www.twitter.com/TBH_Collective Instagram: www.instagram.com/theblackhatscollective Support Us On Patreon: www.patreon.com/theblackhatscollective Donate on CashApp: $tbhcollective Donate on PayPal: Paypal.me/tbhcollective |
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