#NNPA BlackPress

Turning Ideas into Impact: Kristen Turner’s Safe Spots Seating Journey

In honor of August being Black Business Month, the Chicago Defender is running a series of profiles on our city’s dynamic Black entrepreneurs. Imagine a world where everyone pursues the coolest ideas that live in their heads. I’m referring to those ideas that distract you from a reality that would drastically change if given a […]
The post Turning Ideas into Impact: Kristen Turner’s Safe Spots Seating Journey first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

August 12, 2023

Chicago Defender Staff

In honor of August being Black Business Month, the Chicago Defender is running a series of profiles on our city’s dynamic Black entrepreneurs.

Imagine a world where everyone pursues the coolest ideas that live in their heads. I’m referring to those ideas that distract you from a reality that would drastically change if given a chance to exist. I genuinely believe that the world would be a much better place if we gave our ideas a lot more credit. Today’s idea innovator, Kristen Turner, reminds us how important it is to maximize the creativity that lives inside of us.

Identity

I am a poet, an educator, technology professional, community organizer and DIY Specialist, states Kristen. Everything I do is in reflection of what could promote people, specifically children, which are my heart and my passion. The things I’m invested in and am passionate about have a central focus, which is to help people to actualize and realize their healthiest self and help children learn as much as they can to realize the future they could actually have.

The Chicago Native

Like many, Kenwood Academy shaped the creative lens of numerous Chicagoans. Kenwood alums play such an integral role in the culture that it is unmatched. Turner, a Bronco alum, credits Kenwood for her exploration and creativity.

My intricate parts have been influenced by Chicago and the culture that culminates in this city. It being such a rich city allows me to cultivate the culture here and use it as an example for the rest of the world. Chicago is home, and I think it’s important to know that you could take me out of Chicago, but you can’t take Chicago out of me.

Safe Spot Seats

With her Safe Spot seats, Kristen Turner invented, which are made with recycled water bottles (Photo Provided).

The pandemic birthed tons of creative ideas, and like many, Turner decided to act on what she knew was both innovative and necessary. Needless to say, her invention, Safe Spots, was more than an idea. It was a game changer.

As a teacher preparing to come back into the classroom, I was looking for ways to help differentiate the anxiety for kids who had just been at home. I was looking for flexible seating options and decided I wanted to do something with the water bottles in my classroom. What sets Safe Spots apart is that they are covered in a fabric with small doodles that children can use to incite and enhance conversation. Not only is this tool used for something that can engage students with coloring, but it can teach them about the circularity of plastic and how it can upcycle it into things we can use for everyday experiences. It’s also washable so they can reuse it over and over again.

By the end of the school year, I was able to make each student one as a gift for their graduation, and students in other grades quickly became intrigued and interested as well! Before I knew it, I had more people asking to purchase them, and it prompted me to get this message out there in addition to the drinking of water. This helped students with mindfulness and stillness, as opposed to the anxiety that the pandemic had brought about.

Had I not betted on myself, I wouldn’t have known there was a door waiting to be opened after betting. – Kristen Turner

Target Audience

It is child-sized, but not limited to children. It’s light and portable and can be taken on road trips, outside or just something that anyone needs as a safe spot for a moment of mindfulness. This is something that will be able to transform people’s experience with furniture. We were always taught as children not to color on the furniture if you don’t want to get in trouble. This challenges the concept of making static furniture into usable art that you can experience. It merges interactive art installation and furniture.

Manufacturing

Selling them now has been interesting. The last time I sold them was for Englewood Arts Collective, which resulted in me receiving a grant to continue to build Safe Spot seating. They’ve been an enormous help in the creative and brand identity of me trying to make something sustainable. Since then, Healthy Hood Chicago has allowed us to use their space to collect water bottles, and we have about five interns that are committed to helping us to make the seats on a consistent basis so that we can continue to pump them out.

You can find Safe Spots on Instagram @safespotseats, as they promote a variety of experiences of plastic reduction and the upcycling and recycling of plastic into different things. You can also purchase a Safe Spot seat on my website, thekristenturner.com. We accept Visa and Mastercard.

Water-Shaped Passion

Experiencing some health issues and wanting to be healthier prompted the desire for Turner to increase her water intake.

Water helped me refocus myself and the things I desired and wanted. As a teacher, the recycling of water bottles came from the “reduce, reuse, and recycle” themed unit that every teacher is familiar with. We did a water affirmation science experiment in my classroom where we would speak positive things into one jar of water and negative things into another jar of water, and we were blown away by the results! Humans are all water, and me being intentional about cleansing myself with it will ultimately propel me into anything that I envision.

Confidence & Perspective

Oftentimes, going on a cleanse or fast exposes so much more than what you’re sacrificing. It can inspire you to explore yourself deeper as well as strengthen you to dive into those new discoveries.

Interestingly enough, I was on a seven-day cleanse and after that cleanse I had an experience that really catapulted me into taking a leap of faith. After having an intentional cleanse and fast from food, my perspective shifted on the eighth day when I ate again. It was as though the world had shifted to my exact desires that I had been manifesting and praying for.

An opportunity opened for me and really inspired stepping outside of the box after having worked at a school for six years. In those years, I had recommitted to my health, gained a deeper understanding of community and my impact, found out some of my gifts and was able to explore different things. As soon as I took that leap, doors were opening left and right that I didn’t imagine would open.

Betting On Yourself

Kristen Turner with a grant award she received for her Safe Spot seats (Photo Provided).

For a long time I had so many beautiful ideas but didn’t have the courage to bet on myself and run with it.

I applied for a grant and literally submitted it at 11:50 pm, when the deadline was midnight, and ended up winning the grant. The judges who scored my application told me that I should apply for more grants. They were moved by Safe Spots. Had I not betted on myself, I wouldn’t have known there was a door waiting to be opened after betting. It’s easier said than done, but you never know what doors are waiting to be opened.

It is so important to bet on yourself!

If you know you have something special, let nothing or no one get in the way of you pursuing it. That special idea is yours to use, so use it. When you use it, you keep it. Handle with care what’s rare and you’ll never regret the moment you pursued your idea.

The post Turning Ideas into Impact: Kristen Turner’s Safe Spots Seating Journey appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post Turning Ideas into Impact: Kristen Turner’s Safe Spots Seating Journey first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Chicago Defender Staff

Posts by Chicago Defender Staff

Up Next

AutoNetwork is going live! – preview of 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Longe Range RWD

Don't Miss

Chicago’s Psalm One Shines at Hip Hop Heritage Museum Event

Chicago Defender Staff

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.
How to use the channel:

Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

Live talk show “AutoNetwork Reports” — Thursdays 3:00 PM ET.
AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

Excerpt:

Photo Captions:

Website Tags and SEO Keywords:

Twitter (X) Tags and Handles: