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You can learn many things from TikTok, like how to make a dense bean salad or how to tell if you have good facial harmony. Now, you can also enroll in college-level courses with TikTok as your classroom. Welcome to HillmanTok University. With Donald Trump busy rolling back DEI initiatives across higher education, dozens of creators are taking matters into their own hands and posting video courses to form a free educational community, with lessons varying from herbalism to gardening to history. Only a week old, HillmanTok is a growing movement with over 400 courses already on offer, all accessible for free. Named after the fictional university from late 1980s to early 1990s sitcom A Different World, the collection of courses are meant to provide an educational experience akin to attending a HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). The idea for HillmanTok came to Cierra Hinton, a sixth grade teacher in Georgia, when she stumbled across a TikTok video by Leah Barlow, a liberal studies professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The video was solely intended for the 35 students enrolled in her Intro to African American Studies class. However, it quickly went viral, gaining an audience of over 4.3 million. Not me scrolling into a lecture hall, one user commented. We have homework due tomorrow!?! Lawd let me catch up and read my syllabus, another added. Inspired by Barlow, other Black professors and educators began sharing their own educational materials on TikTok and Hinton had the idea to pull all of these course offerings under the umbrella “HillmanTok.” If Barlows class doesnt strike your interest, how about a class in Black economics? Or organic chemistry? Lectures on any of these subjects are delivered in TikTok-length bursts, and in longer sessions over TikTok Live, with an audience of about 16,000 registered users on the HillmanTok official website. As well as courses, the website features a school store that sells T-shirts and issues student IDs. The school song, as voted for by participants, is Kendrick Lamars tv off and their mascot, a black panther. School colors are yellow and maroon in a nod to the original Hillmans University of A Different World. Due to the unwieldy nature of TikTok, its been difficult for Hinton to regulate, with some bad faith actors using the HillmanTok hashtag as a way to monetize their own content and sell merchandise and ebooks. Late last month, the original page to Hillman was hacked and there were outside attempts to have the name trademarked. Despite these bumps in the road, the mission for HillmanTok University remains the same: to provide free education for anyone who wants it.
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E-Commerce
Leading a team has never been simple, but todays challenges demand something extra. With deep divisions in America spilling over into our workplaces, simply carrying on business as usual wont cut it. Employees are craving authenticity, transparency, and leaders who genuinely care. So, how can you step up, even when the path forward seems uncertain? Through conversations with leaders at Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups, we discovered three actions that can help you navigate this moment with courage and empathy. Cultivate trust through transparency & curiosity In an era marked by mass layoffs, arbitrary return-to-office mandates, and eroding faith in institutions, trust in leadership is waning. Our firm, The Courage Collective, held conversations with leaders that revealed two keys to restoring and sustaining trust: curiosity and transparency. Aisha Washington, global vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at HPE shared, Leaders who approach conversations with curiosity rather than judgment uncover deeper insights. Its about asking questions, being open to all perspectives, and using those insights to make informed decisions. A recent Gallup poll found that leaders who strongly exhibited clear communication, showcased an inspirational vision for the future, and supported change were trusted by 95% of their employees. Cultivating trust during precarious times demands acknowledging uncertainty and being honest about not having all the answers. Carolyn Moore, former CHRO and current managing director at Momentum People, explained, Its about honesty and vulnerabilityadmitting we dont know everything but creating trust by being open and realistic. Leaders should be ready to ask the difficult questions: Whos being left out of the conversation? How can I showcase that every employee’s feedback is valuable? Transparency without fear tactics fosters openness and empowers teams to navigate challenges together. Leaders who embrace open dialogue, share information honestly, and leverage insights to inform decisions create a strong foundation for trust. Generating an uplifting vision, rather than setting punitive standards, is the emerging core competency of successful leaders. Defining the organizations direction (the vision), while allowing the how to emerge through team collaboration is essential. Let go of the (impossible) burden of having all the answers and lead through curiosity, transparency, and trust. Invest in opportunities for connection & community care If a return to office is necessary to foster a healthy work culture, leaders must communicate their intentions effectively. Positioning it as a faux productivity boost sends a message of mistrust. Employees will quickly poke holes in this rationale and absorb the implicit message, if I cant see you working, I dont trust that youre doing your best. Marc Berger, EVP at DH, observed that rigid [return to work] policies can lead to frustration and disengagement, particularly when there is a lack of intentionality with how the time is spent. The truth is, leaders from a variety of work structures have found employees willingand sometimes eagerto be in person if theyre given flexibility and purpose. Leaders should lean into a new normal by creating opportunities for meaningful connections. Below are a variety of tactics leaders are using to make in-person days feel more purposeful, connected, and collaborative. Purpose-Driven Office Days: Leverage in-office days to foster collaboration with all-hands meetings or cross-team working opportunities Meaningful All Company Retreats: Host at least and invest in one or two all-hands meetings annually with balanced agendas that blend structured discussions with team-building events. Invest in the Experience: Allocate resources for well-organized, engaging events to encourage alignment and connection. Encourage Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Gather employee input to refine future meetings and ensure they align with team needs. Prioritize the human experience through active listening & meaningful response In times of compounding crises, employees long to be seen, heard, nurturd, and encouraged. More than ever, employees are seeking workplaces where they can share feedback, experience deep listening, and see change enacted as a result. While many organizations have created systems to signal care about receiving feedback, failing to act on it often leaves employees feeling frustrated and micromanaged. Elaine Gibbons, chief impact officer at Panorama Global, shared, One of the biggest gaps in organizations is a lack of true listening. Leaders must go beyond collecting employee feedbackthey need to act on it consistently and authentically. When employees see their input driving real change, not only do they feel valued, their commitment to the organization strengthens. Simply put, if you ask for feedback, ensure that there is follow-through and follow-up. When employees see leaders actively listening and enacting real change, it builds connection, motivation, and trust. For many organizations, employee morale is at an all-time low. The simple act of deep listening and connecting to employees on a human level can drive meaningful change, especially in challenging times. As workplace dynamics evolve, leaders have a unique opportunity to rise to the occasion and demonstrate effective, human-centered leadership. The future of leadership demands courage, empathy, and a steadfast commitment to growth. While some challenges may seem daunting, they also present an opportunity for leaders to create workplaces where people feel empowered to do and be their best. The world of work is evolving. The way you lead should, too.
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E-Commerce
Kendrick Lamar aims to infuse New Orleans with his Los Angeles hip-hop flavor while staying true to his storytelling roots during Sundays Super Bowl halftime performance. Being in the now and being just locked-in to how I feel and the energy I have now, that’s the L.A. energy for me, he said Thursday at a press conference hosted by Apple Music. That’s something I wanted to carry over to New Orleans and for the world to see. This is me. This is Kendrick Lamar, 37 years old, and I still feel like I’m elevating, I’m still on a journey. The rap megastar will take the Super Bowl stage fresh off a Grammy triumph, where he claimed two of the nights biggest awards song and record of the year for his diss track Not Like Us. When asked what viewers can expect, Lamar answered: Storytelling. I think Ive always been very open about storytelling through all my catalog and my history of music. And Ive always had a passion about bringing that on whatever stage Im on. Lamar will be bringing hip-hop back to the NFLs championship game, where he performed as a guest artist with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Eminem in 2022. On Sunday, he becomes the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the halftime show. It reminds me of the essence and the core response of rap and hip-hop and how far it can go, he said. “It puts the culture at the forefront, where it needs to be and not minimized to just a catchy song or verse. This is a true art form, so to represent it on this type of stage is like everything that Ive worked for and everything that I believe in as far as the culture.” SZA will join him but few other details about the performance were revealed, bowing to a tradition in which headliners keep their plans secret. Rihanna waited until her Super Bowl performance in 2023 to reveal she was pregnant with her second child. The Super Bowl will be held Sunday at the Caesars Superdome, with the two-defending champions Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles in a championship rematch. Who else is performing at the Super Bowl? The Super Bowl pregame will have some Louisiana flavor: Jon Batiste will hit the stage to sing the national anthem, while Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle are slated to perform America the Beautiful. Ledisi will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing as part of the pregame performances. The national anthem and America the Beautiful will be performed in American Sign Language (ASL) by actor Stephanie Nogueras. Otis Jones IV will sign Lift Every Voice and Sing, and the halftime show will be signed by Matt Maxey. The pregame performers are all Louisiana natives. Jonathan Landrum Jr., AP entertainment writer
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E-Commerce
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