Byron Allen's Allen Media Group Acquires The Free Streaming Service HBCUGo.TV

Byron Allen's Allen Media Group, LLC (AMG) has acquired HBCUGo.TV from Symonds-Evans Media, LLC. HBCUGo.TV is the leading media provider for the nation's 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, (HBCUs). The acquisition expands AMG's reach to the African American community, cements its relationships with HBCUs and provides highly-rated, culturally significant content to national and global audiences. HBCUGo.TV is the latest in a series of asset-rich purchases by AMG geared to the African American market. AMG recently launched the over-the-air broadcast network theGrio.TV -- and owns the free streaming app and web digital platform theGrio.com -- to bring news, politics, health, entertainment, and relevant original content to viewers worldwide.

As part of the deal, AMG has also acquired the robust HBCUGo.TV library of more than 5,000 hours of content, featuring the HBCU students and their alumni. The current HBCUGo.TV management team, who has strong relationships with the schools, sports conference commissioners, HBCU presidents, and governing boards will continue to manage the HBCUGo.TV platform.

The acquisition also affords HBCUGo.TV an opportunity to bring treasured content to its audiences worldwide, including a first-ever partnership with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation's oldest historically Black athletic conference, to broadcast 44 Black college games during the current football season, and the men's and women's basketball seasons. These broadcasts featuring all CIAA institutions will be featured on the HBCUGo.TV streaming platform (HBCUGo. TV) throughout the season.

"The HBCU brand represents over 184 years of historic excellence, dating back to 1837, which helped cultivate some of the world's greatest minds and talent, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Spike Lee, Alice Walker, Samuel L. Jackson, Earl Graves, Oprah Winfrey, Chadwick Boseman, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Common, Booker T. Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Judge Kevin Ross, Langston Hughes, Katherine Johnson, Kenya Barris, and Vice President Kamala Harris, to name a few," said Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group. "HBCUGo.TV positions us to speak to the heart and soul of Black America 24/7, and helps us stay strongly connected with one of the most valuable, untapped audiences in the world."

"We are thrilled to be a part of Byron Allen's Allen Media Group and his vision to make HBCUGo.TV the ultimate destination celebrating the excellence of HBCUs and their alumni," said HBCUGo.TV co-founder and CEO Curtis Symonds. "Our pioneer platform offers a global audience all aspects of the HBCU culture and positions the millions of brilliant young minds and alumni throughout the HBCU universe to help change the world for the greater good."

Senate confirms Karen M. Williams as U.S. District Judge for New Jersey

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Karen McGlashan Williams to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for New Jersey.

Williams, a U.S. Magistrate Judge since 2009, is now the fourth of six federal judicial vacancies to be filled since President Joe Biden took office in January.

Williams’ confirmation was by a vote of 56-38. Eight Republican senators voted in favor of her confirmation.

LAWRENCE HAMM ENDORSES MURPHY & OLIVER IN NJ GOVERNOR RACE

Statement by Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progression, and former U.S. Senate candidate:

I urge every person who is registered to vote in the upcoming November 2, 2021 general election in New Jersey. In the gubernatorial race I am voting for and have given my personal endorsement to the incumbents Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver who are the Democratic Party candidates.

I urge everyone to vote for the Murphy and Oliver team. I am voting for them because I believe their policies will be better for our communities than those of the Republican candidates Jack Ciattarelli who is running for governor and Diane Allen for lieutenant governor.

More importantly, I believe that a Republican victory in New Jersey will strengthen the Republican Party, the party of Trump, and the white nationalist, racist and fascist movement in this country. These are dark and difficult times but I urge voters not to give into despair, complacency, and apathy.

The race for governor in New Jersey is very close. The last poll I saw said that there is only a six point difference between Murphy and his Republican opponent. Do not stay home on Election Day. Vote in record numbers like we did in 2020 for the presidential election.

When I ran for U.S. Senate in the Democratic primary election last year I received nearly 119,000 votes. I am asking every person that voted for me to cast your vote next Tuesday for Murphy and Oliver. Those of you who voted for me could provide the margin of victory for Murphy and Oliver.

This is an unsolicited endorsement. No one in the Murphy campaign has officially or unofficially asked me to do this. It has not been paid for by the Murphy campaign, any political action committee or any other entity.

I decided to do this after I went to the first campaign debate between Murphy and his opponent. I left that debate with the impression that the Republican candidate should not be the next governor of this state.

I don’t agree with the Murphy administration on every issue. I will continue to struggle to hold the administration accountable.

However, I am urging people to vote for Murphy and Oliver because I believe that it is the best course of action the people of this state, especially working people, poor people, the middle class, and people of color can take.

Sonja Stills Named Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

After a comprehensive and competitive national search by Parker Executive Search Firm, the MEAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors announced Sonja Stills as the next MEAC Commissioner effective January 1, 2022.

With Stills’ selection, she becomes the first female commissioner in MEAC and HBCU Division I history.

“On behalf of MEAC institutions’ presidents and chancellors, I am thrilled to welcome Ms. Stills as our next commissioner,” said Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D., chancellor of North Carolina Central University and chair of the MEAC Presidents and Chancellors Council. “Her extensive portfolio, experience and service with the MEAC make her uniquely prepared to elevate the conference in the coming years. As a proven leader who is making history for the MEAC, she is equally passionate about providing opportunities for our diverse student-athletes and building a portfolio of athletic and academic successes.”

“When we started the search process, my colleagues and I were clear-eyed,” Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University and chair of the MEAC Presidents and Chancellors Search Committee, said. We needed bold leadership for a new day in Division I sports and a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference that needed to take its rightful place in the NCAA. In Commissioner-Elect Stills, we hit the mark squarely – determined, durable, and able to lead a paradigmatic shift in our conference and across the collegiate athletic landscape. ‘Why Not Us…’”

“I’m honored to be named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s next Commissioner,” Sonja Stills said. “I’ve learned a great deal in my tenure with the conference and look forward to continuing the MEAC’s history of excellence. Thank you to the MEAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors for this opportunity and thank you to Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas for your leadership and mentorship over the past 19 years.”

Stills currently serves as the Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer of the MEAC. With over 19 years of experience in assisting with articulating and developing a clear, strategic vision for the future of the conference, she brings an unmatched level of expertise to her new role as MEAC Commissioner. A 2021 MEAC 50th Anniversary Pioneers in Women’s Sports Award recipient, Stills embodies all that is the MEAC.

“Congratulations to Sonja Stills,” Dr. Dennis E. Thomas said. “I’m thrilled to see her hard work, determination, discipline and integrity being rewarded. Sonja has always demonstrated vision and a passion for student-athlete achievement, which is why I’m confident she will lead the MEAC to its next level of success.”

In addition to her roles as Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, Stills also serves as the MEAC’s Director of Esports, a new, cutting-edge initiative that began in the summer of 2020. She took charge in this new position, serving as the key driver in developing regulations for the MEAC Esports Community and developing the MEAC’s esports strategy. Her goal is to enhance awareness of the MEAC’s esports initiative by working with industry business leaders to encourage growth.

Since arriving at the MEAC, Stills has elevated overall brand visibility for the conference. She has negotiated corporate partnership by working with major companies including iHeartRadio, US Marines, Home Depot, Hampton Roads Transit, Priority Automotive, ESI, TowneBank, and Harley Davidson. She assisted in negotiating a contract with Nike with member institutions. She also managed the conference budgets. Additionally, she was instrumental in developing the MEAC Strategic and Long-Range Plan in December 2008 and 2021-22, along with securing global creative agency 160over90 as the marketing company for the MEAC in 2020.

Before arriving at the MEAC, Stills served as Hampton University’s Coordinator of Athletic Academic Support for four years, and for three of those years, she was appointed Senior Woman Administrator. While at Hampton, she created the university’s first Athletic Academic Support Program and implemented the CHAMPS/LifeSkills Program. She provided academic advising and counseling to student-athletes.

A 1993 graduate of Old Dominion University, Stills earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Services Counseling. In 1996, she received a Master of Arts in Counseling (College Student Work Personnel) from Hampton University. She would later go on to graduate from the Sports Management Institute in 2002 and the NACWAA/HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement in 2008.

Congressional Black Caucus makes sure Black families are prioritized in Build Back Better Agenda

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Tuesday that she has made a vigorous push in recent weeks to make sure that Black communities are prioritized in the final version of President Biden's Build Back Better package.

The Congressional Black Caucus released the following statement to announce the inclusion of critical Black policy priorities in the Build Back Better Agenda and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill: