The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has rejected Serena Ventures’ trademark appeal, according to Law360. The trademark application, which was filed in November 2020, was denied because the TTAB panel believed it could be mistaken for “Serena,” another trademark that also invests in real estate and other areas. “Serena” is owned by Florida-based VC Management Florida LLC. Serena Ventures Trademark application The TTAB panel said it denied Williams’ argument that her registered trademark applied solely to real estate. The decision said that “only some of registrant’s services are restricted to
A book deal from a Black author has collapsed after concerns that the writer used artificial intelligence. The manuscript Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body, by Jerry Falade, was retracted from sale by its agent after receiving an offer for more than $2 million from Minotaur, owned by Macmillan US, according to The Guardian. The book, which was part of a 14-way auction, was set to publish in 2028. Jerry Falade’s book deal collapsing In an email sent to publishers viewed by the Guardian, Falade’s agents said, “Jerry Falade produced
ESSENCE Ventures has announced its investment in Offscript Worldwide, the parent brand of REVOLT. ESSENCE Ventures will now have a minority stake in Revolt New Media Holdings LLC and will give Sundial founder and Chairman Richelieu Dennis a seat on the board. This deal brings together two of the largest Black-owned media portfolios in the US. Both companies have portfolios that include music, women’s lifestyle, beauty, creators, sports and gaming and live experiences. “This investment is about continuing the momentum both organizations have built and creating the scale to compete
Darren Jason Watkins Jr, also known as IShowSpeed, has purchased a warehouse near West Little River for content creation for nearly $11 million. The 26,600-square-foot industrial building is on a 1.8-acre lot at 8700 Northwest Seventh Avenue, as per sources close to the deal. IShowSpeed buying a warehouse for content creation The building, which is painted all black, including its windows, appears to be connected to Limited Spec Automotive, a used-car dealership specializing in luxury vehicles The seller paid $8 million for the property in 2022, purchasing it from nonprofit Miami
Full Swing, a sports tech platform backed by Tiger Woods, has been acquired by Versant Media Group, Inc. Under the acquisition, Versant will take full ownership of Bruin Capital and a group of minority investors for around $530 million in cash. The sports technology company, with patented hardware and an integration platform, is used by competitive athletes, coaches, and commercial venues. “Full Swing is exactly the kind of strategic platform that reflects how we are building Versant: investing in our core markets, extending the reach of our iconic brands and
Lori Harvey is joining Kevin Hart’s tequila brand Gran Coramino as its new chief creative advisor. “Creating meaningful experiences has always been one of my greatest joys. Whether I’m bringing together friends, celebrating family, or simply making people feel seen,” Harvey said in a statement to WWD. Lori Harvery becoming chief creative advisor of Gran Coramino As chief creative advisor, Harvey will help the brand build Coramino Woman, starting with a new campaign which marks her first collaboration with Gran Coramino. “I believe the smallest details leave the biggest impressions,
Actress Laverne Cox has shared how the Trump administration has affected her livelihood. Cox, who is known for her breakout role on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, explains that she’s “lost so much money” because brands are very scared to work with her amid the ongoing rollback of DEI programs. Laverne Cox being affected by DEI rollbacks Cox, whose book Transcendent was released in June, told Attitude Uncut that she’s been working hard to get out of a financial hole after she booked Orange Is The New Black. “But then I was
Jay-Z-backed MarcyPen Capital Partners is the leading candidate to purchase Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy’s (LVMH) 50% stake in Fenty Beauty. The acquisition would make Marcy Pen a co-owner of the beauty brand alongside Rihanna, according to Global Cosmetics News. MarcyPen eyeing up Fenty Beauty LVMH has allegedly kept investment bank Evercore to explore options for its ownership stake in Fenty Beauty. The beauty brand generated around S$450 million in net sales in 2024, with a valuation between US$1 billion and US$2 billion. MarcyPen, who currently manages around S$1.1 billion in
Fifa will increase its use of AI during the World Club to ensure that teams and players are not exposed to a barrage of abuse on social media. Fifa using AI to reduce online abuse The technology will filter out harmful and offensive comments using 30,000 keywords across teams’ and players’ social media channels and hide them within 2 seconds. Additionally, users who post abusive content towards players can be banned from buying tickets to FIFA matches or club matches, as reported by The Guardian. The AI tool works on
A new book that highlights how Black mid-career technology professionals are being pushed out of the job market has recently been published. The author, veteran career strategist and corporate executive Byron K. Veasey, argues that Black professionals are navigating a hiring market with several structural barriers. The Triple Barrier Locked Out: Proven Strategies to Navigate ATS Filters, Overcome Workplace Bias, and Win Senior-Level Roles in a Shifting Job Market for Black Professionals highlights what Veasay calls the Triple Barrier: a combination of algorithmic filtering, human bias, and the systematic dismantling
