Key Takeaways Introduction The sartorial landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation, welcoming the warm and grounded palette of earth tones into formal wear’s once-limited color scheme. These natural hues—ranging from soft sands to deep olives—embody an aesthetic inspired by the world around us. Still, they also represent a shift towards attire that aligns with modern…
A Know Your Customer (KYC) process is one of the non-negotiable requirements for anti-money laundering (AML), and it comprises the main parts of the AML compliance measures utilized by financial institutions and other regulated entities. Customers’ KYC isa procedure that requires proof of identity and consideration of the risks that their activities involve. Here’s an…
In celebration of six decades of artistic excellence and community impact, Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) proudly announces its 60th Anniversary Gala, to be held on May 20th, 2024, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. Following the gala programming, an afterparty will be hosted by Black Thought, lead MC of legendary performing group, The Roots, alongside…
NEW YORK (AP) — There are lots of things college students and their parents should keep in mind before filing their taxes, and while tax pros say it’s great for college students to start filing their own forms, parents and students should double check everything carefully before anyone pushes the “submit” button.Be clear on who is a dependent
For dependent students filing taxes for the first time, it’s easy to overlook checking the “dependent” box, and they cannot then be claimed on their parents’ tax forms without the long and arduous task of amending the return merely for failure to check a box.
“College students need to be very careful that they understand whether or not their parents are eligible to claim them as a dependent,” says Tom O’Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the American Association of Tax Professionals. Merely not claiming a dependent does not make that taxpayer independent, he says.Claim all eligible college and other education tax credits
There are two kinds of education tax credits. The American opportunity credit is for up to $2,500 a year (based on at least $4,000 spent on tuition, books and fees) for the first four years toward an undergraduate degree.
The second, a lifetime learning credit, can be used toward an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree and is for up to $2,000 (based on 20% of qualified education expenses.) A parent cannot claim both for the same dependent child (or a student can claim it) on a return for the same year, but if there are multiple dependents on the return they could be using either of the credits (but not both at the same time) for each student.Double check that all forms are in hand
While most tax-related forms arrive dependably in the mail, college students tend to work multiple jobs each year, and some college tax forms may need to be printed out from the college portal and are not mailed at all. So before filing, make sure your dependent student has confirmed that all tax forms are in for all jobs worked, and they’ve checked with the college for any additional tax forms.Be clear about state residency
If a student is paying at least half of their own costs and is planning on claiming in-state tuition at their college in a state other than the one in which their parents live, they might want to check with the college financial aid office about residency requirements, O’Saben says.
In some cases, claiming your child as a dependent might not be the best move once the entire financial picture is taken into account.
“Just providing an address in the state your child’s college is in may not be enough to claim in-state tuition,” O’Saben says.Make sure your college student files, if needed
Sometimes college students are still required to file their own return even if their parents claim them. Students and parents should check the rules for dependent filing and determine if the student is required to file their own return based on their gross income, says Kathy Pickering, chief tax officer at H&R Block.Make the most of your 529 account
Qualifying distributions from a 529 account are tax-free and are not included in the child’s income, Pickering said. And while only eligible tuition, fees and books are included in the tax credit calculations, for 529 accounts, room and board are also included as eligible for withdrawals.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The city will move to end its contract with a medical services company hired to house and care for a recent influx of international migrants, following scrutiny over the firm’s costly deal with the city and the quality of its humanitarian services.
Mayor Eric Adams’ office on Tuesday said the city would not renew its contract with DocGo before it expires on May 5 and will instead search for a new housing provider for migrants.
DocGo, which previously worked with the city to provide COVID-19 testing, was awarded a $432 million no-bid emergency contract last year to help the city manage a massive new population of migrants.
The arrangement drew questions from city Comptroller Brad Lander, who in reviewing the contract determined there wasn’t enough detail to justify the cost and that it wasn’t clear how the company had the expertise to transport, house and feed thousands of migrants.
News reports from the New York Times and Albany Times Union also detailed alleged mistreatment of migrants under the company’s care, including issues with health care and food waste, among other things. Its chief executive officer resigned after he admitted to lying about his educational record.
DocGo currently provides care for 3,600 migrants in New York, half in the metro area and half upstate, officials said.
The company will continue to provide services for migrants who were relocated upstate until a new vendor is picked, with the city aiming to have a new contractor by the end of the year. In New York City, officials will temporarily use an existing contract with the company Garner Environmental Services to care for migrants.
“This will ultimately allow the city to save more money and will allow others, including non-profits and internationally-recognized resettlement providers, to apply to do this critical work, and ensures we are using city funds efficiently and effectively,” Camille Joseph Varlack, chief of staff for the mayor, said in a statement.
The city has other ongoing contracts with DocGo and will continue to work with the company in those deals.
In a statement, a DocGo spokesperson said the company is “immensely proud of the exceptional work that our team has accomplished and continues to perform in aiding the City’s response to this unprecedented crisis.”
New York has struggled to handle an influx of international migrants who have arrived in the city since 2022, with more than 187,000 people coming through its intake system seeking shelter.
Politico first reported the news of the city declining to renew its contract with DocGo.
Immerse yourself in a captivating discourse regarding the Harlem Renaissance art from Harlem and beyond on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 10:30 am to 6 pm EST. As renowned scholars and artists convene to delve into the profound themes highlighted in the exhibition, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism. This engaging event will feature dynamic…
Today, the Senate Democratic Majority passed legislation to further protect animal welfare and strengthen rules around the sale and treatment of pets. This package coincides with Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, and makes a concerted effort to elevate the humane treatment and wellbeing of those who can’t advocate for themselves. These measures build on…
Join a compelling panel discussion tomorrow, April 10, 2024, at 12:00 PM EDT, as environmental justice advocates, experts, and public officials convene. All this to explore unlocking $5 billion in funding through the New Efficiency: New York (NENY) program. Hosted by New Yorkers for Clean Power, this hour-long virtual event titled “Unlocking the Power of…
The annual Sephora sale began April 5 and continues through April 15. As a devoted enthusiast of makeup, skincare, and fragrances, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to support Black and brown beauty brands whenever possible. With discounts available for Beauty Insiders (Rouge, VIB, and Insider), the allure of saving is certainly enticing.
Yes, there are indeed many BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) brands available at Sephora, largely due to their implementation of the 15 Percent Pledge, a vow to provide 15% of shelf space to African American-owned brands. This policy was established to combat the underrepresentation of BIPOC in the beauty industry. While it marks a solid beginning, there remains a pressing need for further action.
The 2023 statistics speak volumes: African American consumers spent over $9.4 billion in 2023 on beauty, skincare, and fragrance products. And while providing the pledge marks progress, it is pertinent to scrutinize whether this percentage truly mirrors the consumer base and spending potential of African Americans in the beauty market. Currently, Sephora has expanded from seven to 24 such brands, yet this figure falls short of constituting 15% of the overall 314 brands the retailer offers.
During the Sephora sale, which runs from April 5 through 15, consider exploring these brands.
Started by Winnie Harlow (2022). These are white cast-free sunscreens that compliment all skin tones and most skin types. Each formula is free of sunscreen filters oxybenzone and octinoxate and is enhanced with skin-nourishing additives like brightening niacinamide and antioxidant-rich sea moss extract. https://cayskin.com/collections/deepwater-skincare
Founder and beauty industry veteran Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye launched Ami Colé back in 2021, and earned an Allure Best of Beauty Award (eye makeup) for its best-selling Lash-Amplifying Mascara, a layerable formula that brings on all the lash-thickening drama with each swipe. https://www.amicole.com/
Melanin Haircare
Started by YouTube beauty vlogger Whitney White in 2018, Melanin Haircare currently features five of its core products at the major retailer, including the strand-softening Plumping Deep Conditioner. https://melaninhaircare.com/
Named after the creator, the brand is inspired by Collins’s love for storytelling. Some of the standouts include an entire collection inspired by New York’s Harlem Renaissance, fragrant concoctions inspired by primal passion, and the Anima Voyageur Travel Trio Set, which features three unique fragrances inspired by the dimensionality of the human spirit. https://chriscollins.com/
TSA-friendly collection of sturdy travel bottles created by Megan Graham, each refillable bottle is made to ensure no leaks or spills happen during your travels.
Briogeo Briogeo has established itself as a favorite among Sephora shoppers, catering to individuals with various hair types. The brand offers a diverse range of products, including leave-in conditioners, hair masks, and oils, to address different hair concerns and needs.
One of Briogeo’s standout products is the award-winning Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask. This mask is highly praised for its ability to provide intense hydration and nourishment to dry, damaged hair, helping to restore its health and vitality. It’s formulated with a blend of natural ingredients to repair and strengthen hair, making it a popular choice for those seeking to improve the condition of their hair.
Fenty Beauty
Created by the iconic singer and billionaire entrepreneur Rihanna, Fenty Beauty has undoubtedly made its mark in the cosmetics and beauty industry. Known for its commitment to inclusivity and diversity, Fenty Beauty has become synonymous with “Black excellence” by offering a wide range of shades to suit various skin tones. Among its top-selling products are the Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint, which provides a lightweight, blurring effect for a natural-looking complexion, and the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, a universally flattering lip gloss loved for its high shine and non-sticky formula.
Shani Darden Skin Care
One of the standout products from this line is Retinol Reform, which has garnered recognition with an Allure Best of Beauty Award. Retinol Reform is known for its effectiveness and remains one of the most popular products in the Shani Darden Skin Care lineup. This product is likely celebrated for its ability to target various skin concerns, including fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven texture, while providing visible results. Overall, Shani Darden Skin Care offers high-quality skincare solutions backed by the expertise of its founder, making it a trusted choice for many individuals seeking effective skincare products.
Pat Mcgrath Labs
They call her ‘Mother’ for a reason. She is a makeup legend and her namesake beauty line is moving beyond iconic! Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation is pricey but your foundation will never look better. Taking the beauty world by storm is the #1 Under Eye Powder, by Pat McGrath Labs now available in a GORGEOUS new BABY PINK shade!
Adwoa Beauty
Adwoa Beauty is a haircare brand specifically designed for individuals with curly hair. Their product line emphasizes curl hydration and maintenance, offering a variety of hair-moisturizing products. One notable product is the Blue Tansy Reparative Mask, which serves to seal in moisture and provide protein from quinoa. This protein assists in damage control and helps to refresh the vibrancy of hair color. Overall, Adwoa Beauty aims to cater to the unique needs of those with curly hair, providing effective solutions for hydration, repair, and color maintenance.
Fashion Fair
The OG. Before Pat McGrath and Fenty, there was Fashion Fair. This is the perfect collection designed for melanin-rich skin. Shut down in 2016 and relaunched exclusively at Sephora they roared back in 2021 with reformulated versions of its most popular products, like the Iconic Lipsticks, as well as some new products, including the Fabulous Face Priming Serum.
Bread Beauty
Bread Beauty Supply understands all kinds of curl types (but especially 3A to 4C hair) with fortifying products that make your hair feel smooth, moisturized, and clean without weighing it down. One of the top sellers is the Cooling Greens Exfoliating Scalp Treatment.
Pattern Beauty
This brand is the creation of Tracee Ellis Ross, a woman who understands textured hair. Check out her full line of hair products most are under-$50 line, hair tools, and strong-hold curl gels.
DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY
Makeup artist Danessa Myricks crafts each and every product to perform with high-quality pigments that won’t fade, smudge, or sweat off of your face during the day. Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork Blooming Romance Palette is a multi-tasker and created to work on face, eyes, brows and lips.
54 Thrones
One of the most indulgent moisturizers. At just six years old, this brand pays
homage to the rich culture of Africa’s 54 countries, where it also exclusively sources its ingredients.
Lys Beauty
LYS (Love Your Self) is becoming a makeup lovers favorite in part because most of their top quality products are under $25. Founded by Tisha Thompson.
Eadem
Eadem (2021) is the new kid in the skincare world but the luxury brand was
indoctrinated as a member of Sephora’s Accelerate program and won Glossier’s Grant Initiative for Black-Owned Businesses. Eadem’s biggest flex is the Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum, a brightening mixture of niacinamide and vitamin C to make dark spots and hyperpigmentation marks fade.
In an ocean of bad news stories, one good one stood out as an early Easter miracle for me recently. In case you missed the story, it involved an incredible immigrant doctor, a Black patient desperately in need of a new kidney—and a pig’s kidney.
While many media reports focused on the story, hardly one focused on the immigrant heritage of this doctor. For me, that was the main story in the dark, stormy sea of negative xenophobic reports and comments on immigrants recently, including the “poison the blood” and “vermin” comments from the 2024 Republican nominee for president.
Dr. Leonardo V. Riella, the director of kidney transplantation at Massachusetts General Hospital, (MGH), led the team that transplanted the first genetically engineered pig kidney into a living human. He is also an immigrant, born and trained early on in the South American nation of Brazil.
Dr. Riella graduated with his medical degree from the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil in 2003. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2007. He joined the American Society of Transplantation (AST) board of directors in 2008 and occupied several different roles.
This was followed by his nephrology fellowship in 2009 (BWH/MGH) and transplant fellowship in 2010. Dr. Riella received his doctorate in transplant immunology in 2012 from the Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil and the Transplant Research Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Riella joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School as an assistant professor of medicine in 2013.
He was later recruited to become the medical director of kidney transplantation at MGH and a senior investigator at the Center for Transplantation Sciences. Dr. Riella has over 180 publications in major journals, including New England Journal of Medicine, Circulation, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Immunology, Transplantation and American Transplant Journal. He is currently the section editor of the American Journal of Transplantation. He is currently funded by the NIH, Department of Defense, Industry and Philanthropy.
“We are proud to celebrate the key role of Brazilian Dr. Leonardo Riella,” the embassy of Brazil in the U.S. posted on X.
Thanks to Dr. Riella, Richard Slayman, 62, of Massachusetts—who received the world’s first successful transplant of a genetically edited pig kidney—is alive and was recently discharged from the hospital.
Slayman was at the end-stage of kidney disease and had depended on dialysis for years. But thanks to Dr. Riella, a transplant nephrologist who helped perform the surgery, Slayman is now home with his family and with a new lease on life.
His March 16 surgery took about four hours and was made possible after he agreed to become the first person in the world to receive a kidney from a pig, one that had been genetically edited for the human body.
The pig kidney was genetically edited using technology to remove harmful pig genes and add certain human genes to improve its compatibility with humans and eliminate any risk of infection.
“We’re going to learn a lot with Mr. Slayman. He was brave to go through a procedure where there were so many unknowns,” said Dr. Riella. “What he taught us is that it is possible.”
The groundbreaking transplant offers hope to the nearly 90,000 kidney patients on dialysis. It could mark a major milestone in the quest to provide more readily available organs to patients.
“This moment—leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time—is one I wished would come for many years. Now, it’s a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life,” Slayman said in a statement.
Slayman’s doctors are now working closely with the Food and Drug Administration to create a path toward clinical trials.
“And hopefully then bring it to clinical practice, bring it to all patients on the waiting list who don’t have a kidney and may have to wait too long,” said Dr. Riella, an immigrant who certainly adds to the countless immigrants across the U.S. who help make America great every day.
Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focusing on Black immigrant issues.
