This Week in Good Black News: Chance the Rapper Gives Back to Chicago, Fat Joe Hosts Harlem Giveaway, and More Community Wins
From classrooms to wine bars, this week is filled with stories of Black excellence and the giving spirit. Chance the Rapper donated $500,000 in grants to five Chicago schools, continuing his $5.1 million legacy of supporting education. In Harlem, Fat Joe teamed up with Dynasty Commodities to hand out 500 backpacks at a back-to-school event for local families.
The love didn’t stop there. YoungBoy Never Broke Again launched his tour in Dallas with a $50,000 donation to local nonprofits that are fighting crime and uplifting communities. And in Brooklyn, best friends Arianna and Janae are celebrating the next chapter of their wine bar, Bread and Wine NYC, which is building community one glass at a time.
Best Friends Arianna and Janae Celebrate Their Wine Bar Bread & Wine NYC
Reported by Essence Girls United, best friends Arianna (@popstarpisces) and Janae (@janaemoni) are bringing more than just vibes to Brooklyn. The duo co-owns Bread and Wine NYC, a cozy wine bar that’s quickly becoming a neighborhood staple.
Arianna recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their excitement about the bar’s next chapter, teasing a refresh and inviting local businesses and creatives to collaborate. With happy hour running Tuesday through Friday until 7 p.m. and $7 glasses on deck, Bread and Wine NYC is proving that friendship and entrepreneurship make the perfect pairing.
They are located at 788 Cypress Ave, Ridgewood, New York, NY 11385
YoungBoy Never Broke Again Donates $50K to Dallas Nonprofits
YoungBoy Never Broke Again kicked off his comeback in Dallas with more than just music. The Baton Rouge rapper launched his "Make America Slime Again Tour" on Sept. 1 and 2 at the American Airlines Center, but before hitting the stage he gave back in a major way.
On Aug. 31, YoungBoy, born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, donated $50,000 to two local nonprofits, Manifest Freedom, co-founded by his lawyer Brittany K. Barnett, and Urban Specialists, an organization working to curb gang violence.
Speaking with Fox 4 News, he shared that his goal is to “help try to stop the crime,” adding, “a lot of people be getting hurt, so it ain’t really cool at this point to me, so I just want to help in any way I can.”
Fat Joe Hosts Back-to-School Giveaway for Harlem Students
Fat Joe is making sure Harlem students start the school year ready. On Aug. 31, the Grammy-nominated rapper hosted a Labor Day event at the new community center Paint 4 Peace Children’s Village, where 500 backpacks filled with classroom essentials were handed out.
The giveaway, sponsored by Dynasty Commodities and co-founder Rich Jospitre, brought Harlem families together as children ages six to 16 geared up for their first day back. With a successful turnout and plenty of school supplies to go around, Fat Joe reminded the community that giving back never goes out of style.
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Chance the Rapper Donates $500K in Grants to Chicago Schools
Chance the Rapper is continuing his long-standing commitment to education in his hometown of Chicago.
On Aug. 28, he awarded $100,000 in grants each to five schools from Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts, Manley Career Academy High School, Prosser Career Academy, and Simeon Career Academy.
Reflecting on the milestone, Chance shared that over the past seven years his efforts have totaled about $5.1 million in donations to 51 schools across Chicago. “It’s important for everybody to give back — no matter who you are, and no matter where you’re from,” he said, CBS News Chicago reports.
