Spill toasts one year with a $2M seed extension, Kerry Washington and Champagne

At midnight last Friday, Alphonzo Terrell held up a glass of Dom Pérignon and toasted his one-year anniversary of being laid off at Twitter.

If it weren’t for that moment, he wouldn’t be in Austin at an AfroTech after-party, surrounded by thousands of people who now know his name and his social media app, Spill. As a competitor to the platform now known as X, Spill hails itself as a safer place for Black Americans and the LGBTQ community and has amassed around 200,000 users, he said. This past year, the app, which is still in beta mode, has raised a total of $5 million in pre-seed funding, including a recent $2 million extension round led by Collide Capital.

“We put an invite-only beta in June, and within three weeks, it went viral,” Terrell told TechCrunch. “Suddenly, we’re supporting a city, we have data costs, we have infrastructure, we have to accelerate our building times, so we really needed an extension to do that effectively.”

His journey with Spill started last year at AfroTech. He arrived at the conference just days after being laid off from what was then Twitter, along with about 3,000 others amid Elon Musk’s acquisition. Terrell hopped on a call with former Twitter colleague DeVaris Brown about a business idea and spent three days in an Airbnb creating the pitch deck for what became Spill. At AfroTech, he went around taking last-minute coffee meetings, seeing who would give his company a chance. Flash-forward to this year and Spill is the cool kid in town.

So many apps have sprung up over the last year in an attempt to become “the new Twitter,” but no app has emerged as the dominant refuge for disillusioned Twitter users. Threads, Instagram’s supposed “Twitter killer,” got 100 million sign-ups within five days; the decentralized platform Mastodon has 1.8 million monthly active users; and the smaller upstart Bluesky hit 1 million users in September. Though still in beta, Spill’s community of 200,000 users may seem small in comparison, but Spill’s rise has shown that quality matters just as much as quantity — that building a strong core community is just as valuable as high-speed growth, even if the traditional venture model may not always incentivize thoughtful product development.

“If you have a great experience, you’re going to grow,” Terrell said. “Especially in a world where you have so many networks — there are all these choices that people conceivably have — you’re gonna go to the one where you have the greatest experience and want to invest your time.”

Another app that spun out from laid-off former Twitter employees, Pebble (formerly T2), recently shut down after a year, growing to just 20,000 registered users. Its CEO, Gabor Cselle, previously had exits to Google and Twitter, but accepted that Pebble simply wasn’t competitive enough to stay afloat. But while Pebble sought to essentially clone Twitter, Spill’s team is building something that looks very little like it.

“People are looking for something new,” Terrell said. “I think things that have really defined, unique value propositions are going to win over the long term — it might not be like there’s one winner-take-all.”

Earlier this year, TechCrunch covered the founding of Spill, piquing the interest of Kapor Capital, which ended up writing the company its first check.

“We had over 25,000 people join our waiting list in less than 24 hours from that article,” Terrell said.

This weekend, as CEO, Terrell took the AfroTech stage twice: once to interview Mitch and Freida Kapor, the founders of Kapor Capital, and a second to reveal a new app feature: Tea Party, which is similar to Instagram Live. The first user to host a Tea Party was actress Kerry Washington. Terrell’s next dream Tea Party host? Keke Palmer, who is already on Spill. So are other cultural icons like Questlove, Ava DuVernay and Janelle Monáe.

“Tea Parties reflect the communities that we have always spoken very clearly that we are here to center,” Kenya Parham, Spill’s Global VP of Community and Partnerships, told TechCrunch. “Black communities, queer communities, women, non-binary and femme stories are all the way at the forefront, and the community is just eating it up.”

Anne Griffin can attest to that. She’s a product manager based in New York and signed up for Bluesky, Spill and Threads last year. Out of those three, Spill is the only one she is still consistently using. “It feels much more rooted in authentic connection,” she told us about the app, praising its product features. “In a world where many social media algorithms focus on engagement at any cost, it’s refreshing to have an app that is focused on engagement around community in culture.”

Washington, meanwhile, joined the platform organically; Spill has “not paid for a single acquisition to date,” Parham said, which speaks to the influence and respect that the app’s leadership has established in the entertainment and tech industries. Before Spill, Terrell led marketing teams at HBO and Showtime; Parham ran her own strategic communications consultancy, working with a laundry list of major production studios. So, already, Spill has wooed advertising partners like Netflix, Lionsgate, VH1, Showtime and Sony Pictures.

Spill has come to be a bright spot in the post-Twitter era. Users are organizing in-person meetups in Atlanta, New York and “Spillicon Valley.” At AfroTech, Spill gave out customized tea bags created with the help of Nigerian-American tea sommeliers while lines formed to use a Spill-branded 360 camera at a house party, inspired by an actual trend on the app where people share photos of themselves on Fridays.

The app is set to exit beta and open to the public next year. As Terrell previously discussed with TechCrunch, the app has plans to pay creators for their cultural contributions to the app, which is especially important for Black creators in the creator economy.

“We don’t get credit for all the contributions that we make,” Terrell said of Black artists in the space.

Despite the robust year, however, the story for Spill is just beginning, with AfroTech reminding Terrell of how far they’ve come, but also how far they have to go.

“To be able to make something for the community, it’s just really beautiful,” he said.

Update, November 7, 2:20 PM: Spill’s seed extension is $2 million, not $2.75 million.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

Summer Walker joins Mary J. Blige, Miguel, others for this weekend’s Honeyland Festival in Sugar Land

The two-day music festival on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 will also showcase Houston chefs in a celebration of “Black expression across food, spirits, music and art.”

SUGAR LAND, Texas — Houston music fans, mark your calendars for a fall music festival featuring a star-studded lineup, including Grammy-winning artist and Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige.

Other performers at the Honeyland Festival in Sugar Land include R&B stars Miguel and Summer Walker, who replaces Jazmine Sullivan, and the Houston All-Stars featuring rappers Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Z-Ro and Lil Keke.

Walker, an Atlanta-based R&B singer/songwriter, rose to fame in 2018 with her 4x Platinum single “Girls Need Love,” and has since garnered major popularity and acclaim in the R&B genre with singles including “Playing Games” featuring Bryson Tiller and “Come Thru” with Usher. Last month, Walker dropped a new EP titled, Girls Need Love (Girls Mix) on the fifth anniversary of her breakout mixtape Last Days of Summer featuring new remixes of her hit single “Girls Need Love” with Victoria Monét, Tink and Tyla.

“Honeyland is a celebration of Black creativity in all its forms,” Walker said. “I’m excited to join this historic lineup of Black artists and performers who move our culture forward, and provide an unforgettable experience for all who attend Honeyland.”

Organizers said the two-day music and culinary event will showcase the best in Black expression across food, spirits, music, and art.

WHEN: November 11-12; grounds open at noon

WHERE: Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land, south of Houston

HOW MUCH: General admission single-day passes start at $95 and two-day passes start at $150; VIP passes start at $525; and Platinum passes start at $975. You can sign up for early-bird discounts on the website. (No refunds unless the event is canceled.)

Daily giveaways are available each day this week to the first 250 people who purchase a two-day GA and GA+ passes. 

Honeyland Fesitval map | Downloadable map

Honeyland Festival concert schedule

Saturday, Nov. 11

● Inayah

● Tay Powers

● Jae Murphy

● DJ Spinall

● Tobe Nwigwe

● Summer Walker

● Miguel

Sunday, Nov. 12

● DJ Mr. Rogers

● Lenora

● Coco Jones

● Lucky Daye

● Houston All Stars featuring Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Z-Ro, Lil Keke, and more

● Mary J. Blige

“We are excited to bring together icons of the music world with the leaders of Black cuisine and beverage, creating a culminating experience of Black expression for everyone at Honeyland to enjoy,” Shawn Gee, President of Live Nation Urban said. “From afrobeats to hip-hop, neo-soul to R&B, the best in music will meet the best in food and beverage.”

Honeyland Festival food

The Honeyland Festival will also showcase some of the top Black chefs from across the country, including Houston’s own Dawn Burrell, a “Top Chef” finalist, and James Beard nominee Chris Williams from Lucille’s.

Bun B’s Trill Burgers will also be on the menu.

“Trill Burgers & I are proud to be a part of Honeyland,” rapper Bun B said. “It’s so important that we take the time to celebrate Black food, drink, and music, and acknowledge the impact we’ve had on American culture. To do this in the city that I reside in and call home makes it that much more special.”

Baines Family Cuisine

The Baines Family loves life and serving food and have been doing so for 35 years. Best known for their Grilled Angus Burgers and Cajun favorites, nothing compares to their fresh squeezed lemonade. 

Carey’s Frozen Delights

Carey’s Frozen Delights is a family-owned business that started as a mobile dessert truck in 2014. Customers immediately loved their Italian ice and Gelato leading to the restaurant opening its first storefront in August 2022 at 2603 Cartwright Road in Missouri, Texas.

Cranky Granny’s Sweet Rolls

Cranky Granny’s Sweet Rolls, founded by Sianni Dean at 18 years old, has become well known in Austin, TX for its unique sweet rolls, including the popular Sweet Potato roll, Peach Cobbler and Banana Cinnamon roll varieties. These delicious treats are available in Pflugerville. In addition to their classic options, Cranky Granny’s also offers vegan cinnamon rolls, brown sugar cinnamon rolls, nut rolls and more. Cranky Granny’s will be serving Peach Cobbler, Sweet Potato Pie, Churro, Strawberry Shortcake, Classic and Vegan Classic cinnamon rolls at Honeyland.

Divine Creations Cuisine

Chandra’s Muhammad’s desire to serve and feed those in need of great-tasting food began at the age of six and continues to this day leading to her forming Divine Creations Cuisine. Divine Creations Cuisine is known for providing delicious, creative meals with a Creole twist. By adding her own special Creole twist to a recipe shared by her friend, Chandra became known for her Signature Creole Chicken Fettuccine, which contained a special cheese sauce that is unmatched.

DiBi RaPiDe

Dibi Rapide founded by Mor Thiam (Momo Valdy) is a food truck created to bring authentic Senegalese street food to Houston. Their food is made with fresh ingredients and spices from West Africa with family recipes passed down from generations featuring meals like chicken over Jollof rice, lamb over vermicelli, brochettes and shawarmas.

Dre’s Water Ice and Ice Cream

The brainchild of Andre Andrews, Dre’s Southern Style Ice Cream is an absolute dream come true for the West Philadelphia native who is truly a “Made in America Story”. He turned an opportunity of buying a pushcart and selling water ice in local neighborhoods into owning one of the most exciting new ice cream companies in the Delaware Valley. Dre’s Southern-Style Ice Cream is currently available year-round at Brown’s Family Shoprites’ 11 locations.

Foreign Policy

Influenced by Houston’s multi-cultural demographics and inspired by Korean, Greek, Mexican and American cuisine comes Foreign Policy Food Truck – an innovative fusion-food concept serving the Greater Houston Area since 2011.

Funnnelocity

Funnelocity is a food truck that sells delicious, gourmet funnel cakes. The best part is that Funnelocity has been in business going into its 3rd year and is owned by Kayce Ekpenike, a senior at Summer Creek High School in Humble, TX. Kayce started this business to help her save up for medical school at the age of 15 in a tent with a fryer and folding table and now has a growing business with her friends as her employees and operates her business out of a custom-made food trailer.

Born from Chef Creative Kavachi’s vision, Grubido connects Houstonians with the diverse world of African food. We’re a platform dedicated to empowering the African diaspora and curating captivating content. Our values are rooted in a passion for exceptional cuisine, collaborative learning, and fostering global partnerships.

Gumbo Xpress

Caterer Lisa W. has been cooking her Southern Comfort Creole Cuisine for over 30 years taking her family recipes and putting her own down-home twist to it. Lisa’s food truck can be found across Texas and offers cuisine that will “stick to your ribs” and have your palate screaming for more.

Hype Juicery

Hype Juicery started out combining two great things: music and health. The owner, Nicholas, a DJ in Houston TX, started out DJing fitness work-outs and selling juices to the attendees. From there Hype Juicery became the smoothie and juice bar it is today, still bringing health-conscious juices and now smoothies and acai bowls to the streets of Houston.

 Keto Goodees

Kayla started her business in Alaska in 2020 before moving to Texas. All her baked goods are sugar-free, gluten-free low-carb made from scratch and Kayla’s especially known for her red velvet cake and salted chocolate chip cookies.

Lady G Empanadas

Lady G Empanadas is a non-traditional empanada maker with over 25 savory and sweet soulful empanada flavors, as well as seasonal soul food dinners.

London Chippy

Anthony Robinson, a formally trained culinary professional, worked in some of London’s finest restaurants and gastro pubs for many years. After moving to the US, Chef Anthony became a personal chef to clients from LA to NYC. Now residing in the Washington, DC Metro Area, Chef Anthony has merged his British Jamaican background into a sought-after food truck and catering business serving fish and chips, lobster rolls and crab cake sandwiches.

Sienna Wings

Dating back to 2017 and its deep fryer wing Friday’s Sienna Wings has always believed “wings are for everyone.” Tyla-Simone Crayton, the 19-year-old CEO of Sienna Wings and former Shark Tank winner, has hit the ground running bringing delicious high-quality wings and their infamous Mac&Cheese and Season Fries to the state of Texas. This year, Sienna Wings opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Harvest Market at 4603 Sienna Parkway in Missouri City.

Smoke Stacks House of BBQ

For nearly a decade, Smoke Stack’s House of BBQ has been smoking the food truck competition in Washington, DC. From tender sliced brisket to fall-off-the-bone ribs and smoked chicken, every meat is dry-rubbed and smoked over a variety of woods (like apple, maple, hickory, or cherry wood). Get it all loaded up on a hearty sandwich, or on a plate with homemade sides: they’ve got mac & cheese, BBQ baked beans, collard greens, and more.

STUFF’d Wings

STUFF’d was founded in 2016, when owner, Jarrod Rector was working for an oil & gas company. One night while exploring options on what to cook, he settled on his wife’s two favorite items, dirty rice and chicken wings, and developed a way to stuff the wing with the dirty rice and fry it. Within a matter of days, Rector started making the stuffed wings for family and friends during special occasions. He now has food trucks, a popular restaurant in Downtown Houston, a residency at Texas Southern University’s Basketball Stadium, and can also be found at the NRG Stadium in Houston.

The Doughnut Effect

The Doughnut Effect is a cutting-edge, urban mini doughnut boutique in Houston that offers a playful and energetic atmosphere combined with an outrageous selection of unique and crazy doughnut flavors.

The Fry Guys

The Fry Guys Food Truck, founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has a menu inspired by diverse culinary traditions, offering a fusion of flavors that reflect the rich diversity of minority communities. From mouthwatering ethnic fresh-cut loaded fries to innovative twists on traditional dishes, they have something on their menu for everyone.

Three Little Kitchens

Three Little Kitchens is independently owned by Chef Steven D. McKinney offering off-the-pier-fresh seafood, hand-cut beef filets, scrumptious stews and more mouthwatering dishes made with their creative combinations of spices and sauces.

Trill Burgers

Co-founded by Houston rap legend Bun B (Bernard Freeman), restaurateur Andy Nguyen and Nick Scurfield, Trill Burgers was established in Houston in the summer of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic starting with local pop-ups at culinary events. In two short years, Trill Burgers has won multiple awards for their mouthwatering smashburgers and opened its first brick-and-mortar location on 3607 Shepherd Drive in Houston.

Honeyland Festival chefs

Here’s the schedule for appearances by well-known local and nationally-known chefs. 

● Amaris Jones (Chef, Owner of Chick N’ Jones)

● Angela Yee (Radio Personality and Entrepreneur, Co-Owner of Coffee Uplifts People & Drink Fresh Juice)

● Brandon “Big B The Chef” Tiffith (Big B The Chef, CMO at TDE)

● Bun B’s Trill Burgers (Rapper and owner, Trill Burgers)

● Chris Williams (Houston-based Chef, Co-Owner of Lucille’s)

● Dawn Burrell (Houston-based Chef and Olympian)

● Earn Your Leisure (Podcast)

● Ghetto Gastro (Bronx-based Culinary Collective)

● Indy Officinalis (Urban farmer, community activist and poet)

● Kardea Brown (Author and Host of Delicious Miss Brown)

● Kavachi Ukegbu (Founder of Grubido)

● Keisha Griggs (Houston-based Chef and Owner of Bocage Catering and Ate Boutique Kitchen, Leader of Black Chef Table)

● Prince Lobo (Owner of Addis NOLA)

● Serigne Mbaye (Chef and Owner of Dakar NOLA, 2023 James Beard Award Recipient)

● Shawn Osbey (Houston-based Chef at Kulture Kitchen, Owner of Shawn Osbey Catering)

● Steve Rogers (Owner of Houston’s Bar 5015, Business Owner/Restaurateur)

● Tabitha Brown (Actress, Entrepreneur, America’s Favorite Mom and Auntie)

 Tiffany Derry (Dallas-based Celebrity chef and restaurateur)

“We’re so excited to bring a plethora of cuisines, flavors, and cultures to Honeyland for everyone to experience, “Staci Hallmon, IMG’s Senior Vice President of Arts and Entertainment Events in North America, said. “The restaurants showcased at Honeyland will be an extension of the incredibly diverse Black businesses and establishments that make up the heart of Houston’s thriving culinary scene.”

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Foodies can also enjoy demonstrations, cookoff competitions and sips from well-known mixologists. 

“Whether you’re looking to taste a sample from one of your favorite rising chefs, or looking to have a conversation about breaking into the food and beverage industry as a Black entrepreneur, there will be something for every Honeylander to enjoy,” Hallmon promised. “Through food, music, and local partnerships, Honeyland will build a cultural movement that will inspire many.”

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RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

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Historical Marker coming to Rock Hill to honor African American Vocational School

YORK COUNTY, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – Another story in Rock Hill’s past will soon be on permanent display when a new historical marker is unveiled.

In 1932 the Durkee/Chisholm Training Institute was founded by Rock Hill native William Mason Chisholm.

The African American vocational school was tuition free and served African Americans in the Rock Hill community and its rural areas.

At its height, the school had an enrollment of 400 students of all ages.

During the York County Council meeting on Monday, November 6, 2023 – the Culture & Heritage Museum historian shared details about an upcoming historical marker dedication for such a special place in our county.

Historian Zach Lemhouse said “The Durkee/Chisholm Training Institute was important because it gave African Americans access to quality education in the separate, but unequal Jim Crow south.”

The South Carolina Historical Marker for the Durkee/Chisholm Training Institute will take place on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 11 AM at 1442 Saluda Street in Rock Hill.

‘The War on Cuba’

The U.S. State Department website declares: “On January 12, 2021, the Department of State designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. The Secretary determined that the Cuban government repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism in granting safe harbor to terrorists.”

Award-winning Cuban journalist and documentary filmmaker Liz Oliva Fernández says that designation is not only wrong but a “death sentence” for Cuba, a country she believes is continuously misrepresented in American media. Fernández will bring two short films supporting that contention to Berkeley’s La Peña Cultural Center on Nov. 12. The event will also feature a presentation by Fernández, and an opportunity for questions about Cuba today.

Uphill on the Hill “identifies the economic and political interests driving U.S. policy toward Cuba,” according to Belly of the Beast, the organization of journalists and others creating videos and films about Cuba. The film features interviews with diplomats, policy experts, Cuban-American business leaders and elected officials including Rep. Jim McGovern, Democrat from Massachusetts; former Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez; and former Congressman Albio Sires, Democrat from New Jersey.

Hardliner on the Hudson is one of a series of videos in The War on Cuba, executive produced by Oliver Stone and Danny Glover. In it, Fernández investigates the “murky past” of New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and “reveals how he became the de facto powerbroker for Biden’s Cuba policy.”

Currently on tour throughout the U.S. with the films, Fernández spoke by phone to the East Bay Express. Stereotypes and misinformation conveyed in American media target not only Cuba, she said, “but the entire Global South. They sell the idea that every country is in bad shape” and do not depict the many inspirational stories coming out of these countries, she said.

The tour is Fernández’s second visit to the U.S. During her first, she met with Washington politicians and was very discouraged by their attitudes and responses. “They kept saying, ‘This is not the time’ and ‘please wait,’” she said, as she pressed them to help change U.S. policies toward Cuba affected by the Trump administration but kept in place by the Biden administration. “How long should we wait?” she asked.

But on this second visit, she has been heartened by the response from those attending her events and screenings. “The reception has been incredible,” she said, describing a visit to a high school during which many kids came up to her, asking, “How can we help?”

“I feel hope through these people,” she said.

Fernández especially wants her message to reach young people and Black American dissidents. As a Black Cuban actively fighting for racial justice in her own country, she believes Black Cubans and Black Americans have many things in common. “Black people [in both countries] face many challenges,” she said.

Asked if she feels the anti-Cuba, anti-Communist rhetoric often quoted from Miami’s large Cuban expatriate community can be confusing to mainstream Americans, she said, “If you speak to them, even they do not support the sanctions. The sanctions are the umbrella most Cuban programs are under,” even affecting Cuba’s vaunted healthcare system.

“In Cuba, health care is considered a human right for all citizens … Cuba’s health policy emphasizes prevention, primary care, services in the community and the active participation of citizens. These emphases have produced an impressively high ranking on major health indicators, despite economic handicaps,” U.S. National Library of Medicine website PubMed states. But “this embargo has raised the cost of medical supplies and food,” according to the National Institute of Health.

Find out more at the La Peña event, which is sponsored by the Bay Area Cuba Solidarity Network; Venceremos Brigade, Bay Area; and the Richmond-Regla Cuba Friendship Committee.

Uphill on the Hill/Hardliner on the Hudson from The War on Cuba, plus a presentation by journalist/filmmaker Liz Oliva Fernández, Nov. 12, 4pm, La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. Tickets: bit.ly/lizoliva2023. More info at: [email protected]