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NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against EngageSmart, Inc. ("EngageSmart" or "the Company") ESMT and certain of its officers. Class Definition This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that (1) purchased or otherwise acquired EngageSmart common stock between October 23, 2023, and January 26, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"); or (2) held EngageSmart common stock as of the December 21, 2023 record date for the Merger. Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/ESMT . Case Details The complaint alleges violations of the federal securities laws in connection with the January 2024 take-private acquisition of the Company (the "Merger") by Vista Equity Partners Management, LLC and its affiliates. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the Merger was driven by and dominated by controlling shareholder General Atlantic, L.P. and its affiliates and assisted by conflicted financial and legal advisors retained by the special committee purported to evaluate the merger and EngageSmart's board of directors, and that these conflicts wholly tainted the merger process, resulting in a conflicted and unfair sales process that prevented Class Members from making an informed vote on the Merger. What's Next? A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/ESMT or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660 . If you suffered a loss in EngageSmart you have until December 9, 2024, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. There is No Cost to You We represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful. Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Peretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller 332-239-2660 | info@bgandg.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Inside the friendly confines of the Treasure Valley, hype is high and hope is higher around the Fiesta Bowl. Outside of the area, the Boise State football team is seemingly being discounted as it prepares for its College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup against Penn State on New Year’s Eve. No. 3 Boise State is the team that received a first-round bye, but No. 6 Penn State — tradition-laden member of the Big Ten, a Power 4 conference — is a 10.5-point favorite , the second-largest margin between teams in the quarterfinals. It puts the Broncos, who have built quite a tradition as well, in familiar territory. They opened as 8-point underdogs in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl against mighty Oklahoma; 7-point underdogs in 2010 vs. TCU; and 4-point underdogs in 2014 vs. Arizona. Boise State won all three games. First-year head coach Spencer Danielson said he doesn’t need anyone outside of the campus to believe in his team. “Please, count us out,” Danielson said Monday afternoon. It’s a phrase he’s been using in recent weeks. In addition to being a huge underdog in this game, the Broncos have the longest odds of the eight teams remaining to win the national title. “Please, count us out,” Danielson repeated. “That’s what Boise State football has been built on: people thinking we can’t do something, and we work our tails off to find a way to prove people wrong.” Despite those previous Fiesta Bowl wins, this New Year’s Eve stage probably has the brightest lights the football program at Boise State (12-1) has ever seen. But the Broncos, whose only loss all season was by three points at No. 1 Oregon, are just conducting business as usual. Danielson is giving the team Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off before hitting the ground running on Thursday. The team will travel to Arizona on Saturday afternoon ahead of Tuesday’s game. Nothing about how Boise State prepares for a game will change. Position group meetings will remain the same length, practices will follow the same formula and Danielson said he has no plans to try to “micromanage” anything. “Every game is the most important game, so your process should continue to grow and be elite week to week to week, regardless of the opponent, regardless of where the game is being played,” Danielson said. “And so, no different going into the Fiesta Bowl, quarterfinals of the playoff, I just want to make sure we do our process better than we’ve ever done.” The coach said it will be business as usual during the game as well. Danielson has earned a reputation for going for it on fourth down, for instance. The Broncos are 15-for-21 (71.4%) this season, the 10th-best conversion percentage in the nation. From the incomplete fourth-down pass in the first quarter against Georgia Southern in August to the successful 4th-and-1 rush from junior running back Ashton Jeanty in the Mountain West championship game, Danielson has leaned on a combination of analytics and gut feeling to make some big calls this season. Danielson said the balance of risk vs. reward will not change because of the game’s importance or the team on the other side of the ball. “I go into every game with a game plan for situational football. From timeouts to when to go for it, those are the moves I have to make as a head coach,” Danielson said. “And obviously, as a game goes, plans change, and I’ve got to be aware and very adaptable as we work through those.” Fiesta Bowl, Boise State vs. Penn State When: 5:30 p.m. Mountain time Tuesday, Dec. 31 Where: State Farm Stadium (63,400, natural grass) TV: ESPN Radio: KBOI 670 AM and KBOI 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender) Records: Boise State 12-1; Penn State 12-2 Series: First meeting Vegas line: Penn State by 10.5 points Weather: Indoors What’s the betting line for the Fiesta Bowl? Here are the odds for Boise State vs Penn State Playoffs pay off: Here’s how much Boise State football coaches earned in bonuses so farShadow chancellor Mel Stride has suggested a future Conservative government could axe the triple lock on pensions. In a controversial move that prompted Labour to accuse the Conservatives of betraying pensioners, he said the commitment was unsustainable in the very long term. Introduced by then-chancellor George Osborne during David Cameron's coalition government, the triple lock guarantees the state pension rises in line with average earnings, inflation or 2.5%, whichever is highest. That means the current state pension of £221,20 a week will rise by £472 a year from April 2025, in line with the latest growth in wages, which have risen by 4.1%. Follow latest: Live politics updates Mr Stride's highly significant signal of possible pension reforms if the Conservatives win the next election came during a speech and Q&A with political journalists in Westminster. He was asked about remarks he made when he was Work and Pensions Secretary under Rishi Sunak , when he was reported as saying the triple lock was unsustainable. More on Pensions UK pension scheme called 'deeply irresponsible' for investing in Bitcoin Rachel Reeves to create pension 'mega funds' to invest in infrastructure State pension to rise by more than £400 a year in April - double some winter fuel payments Related Topics: pensions He replied: "I'm widely reported as having said, as you phrased it, it's unsustainable. What I actually said was that in the very, very long term, it is unsustainable. Now that is just a mathematical reality." He said the reason for this was that the cost of the state pension would spiral over many decades under the triple lock if it continued indefinitely. "So the answer to your question, though, is we will be looking at every single aspect, including policies around pensioners and so on, as we go forward," he continued. "But - and I think it's fair to say that as a party we have always stood up for and always worked to protect pensioners." Read more politics news: What are Starmer's milestones? Tory co-chair accuses Musk of trying to 'buy' Reform party Visa delays crippling lives of hundreds of UK migrants Follow our channel and never miss an update. Responding to Mr Stride's latest remarks, a Labour spokesperson said: "Mel Stride has let slip that the Tories are planning to betray pensioners and ditch the triple lock. "In government, the Tories broke the triple lock and left pensioners worse off. Now they're planning to do it all over again. The Conservatives haven't listened and they haven't learned. "This Labour government is committed to raising living standards and giving pensioners the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. "Millions are set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,900 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock and our Plan for Change means investment and reform to grow the economy to put more money in people's pockets."

ATLANTA — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington. As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race, held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating their neighbors’ pets, he didn't just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hold their fists in the air after she delivered a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election Nov. 6 on the campus of Howard University in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” People are also reading... After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris' loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. AP VoteCast takeaways: Gender voting gap was unremarkable compared with recent history “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Supporters cheer during a community rally with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on Oct. 27 in Philadelphia. Susan Walsh, Associated Press AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women's concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people. Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,''' she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response The 25 best cities for Black women to flourish financially The 25 best cities for Black women to flourish financially Where can Black women feel supported and flourish financially? When posed that question, Dr. Lori Martin, a professor of African and African American studies and sociology at Louisiana State University, had this to say: "A livable place for Black women is safe, and for women with children, it is home to schools where all students have access to an excellent education. It would also be diverse, with a visible and thriving Black community, including Black businesses." While the socioeconomic realities of our current time touch all corners of the country, there are pockets of the U.S. where the wealth gap narrows and Black women have more opportunities. MoneyGeek analyzed data on income, the cost of crime , homeownership , and poverty levels from 164 cities across the United States to rank the best — and worst — cities for Black women to live and financially flourish in. Key findings Suburban cities of large metropolitan areas ranked highest. Southfield — outside of Detroit — and Pearland — a suburb of Houston — ranked highest in the analysis. The South is home to 13 of the top 25 cities for Black women, led by Pearland, Texas; Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Garland, Texas. Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranks at the bottom due to significant income and health insurance disparities for Black women compared to white men. Miami has the second-lowest overall ranking and second-largest income gap of the cities analyzed, with Black women earning only over a third of what white men make. SNEHIT PHOTO // Shutterstock The best cities for Black women MoneyGeek ranked 164 cities with populations greater than 65,000 from the best to the worst for Black women. The ranking includes analysis of income, poverty rate, homeownership, educational attainment and health insurance gaps between Black women and the entire population nationally and locally. The size of the local Black population and the cost of crime in the area were included in the ranking to reflect the presence of the Black community and safety, respectively. Southfield — a suburb of Detroit — and Pearland — a Houston suburb — ranked as the top two cities in the analysis. Notably, Southern cities make up the majority of cities in the top 25, with 13 located in this region. MoneyGeek The worst cities for Black women In contrast, Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranked as the worst city for Black women. In Minneapolis, Black women face high poverty rates in absolute and relative terms and have low rates of health insurance coverage compared to the cities analyzed. Meanwhile, Miami ranks as the second least favorable city, with a significant local income gap — there, white men earn almost triple the income of Black women. MoneyGeek The economic realities Black women face Income disparity is a key measure of how well Black women are doing today. For each city in the analysis, we calculated the local Equal Pay Day — the day in the following year when Black women would make an equivalent amount as white men — using the median income of Black women working full time and the median income of white men working full time in each locality. In Carson, California, the median pay of Black women is higher than the median pay of white men. However, in Evanston, Illinois, Black women make just over a third of white men's earnings, meaning they would need to work until September 24, 2024, to earn the equivalent of a white man's 2022 pay. Economic challenges faced by Black women include restricted career advancement opportunities, insufficient health insurance, and inadequate retirement savings. Survey data from Goldman Sachs indicates that 42% of Black women perceive limited career growth opportunities compared to 35% of U.S. adults, and merely 43% are able to obtain health insurance through their employer, in contrast to 53% nationwide. Additionally, 71% of Black women feel they are living paycheck to paycheck, compared to 63% of the general population. The intersection of racial and gender bias contributes to these challenges, resulting in low-wage jobs and a considerable wealth gap. Our analysis validates this, demonstrating that Black women who work full-time, year-round, earn 64 cents for every dollar white men earn working full-time, year-round. Less access to economic opportunities puts Black women at a disadvantage in building wealth. The FDIC's National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households found that 11.3% of Black households were unbanked compared to just 2.1% of white households. Unbanked households are credit invisible — that is, they don't have a credit history and, therefore, can't build credit. Having no credit history makes it difficult to utilize credit cards to manage cash needs and mortgages to buy homes. Advocating for economic opportunities for Black women The struggle for economic equity remains a persistent challenge for Black women in America, who have historically faced systemic wage disparities and employment obstacles. However, there are tools and resources that can provide Black women with economic opportunities and empowerment. Dr. Ukanwa shares additional solutions, such as: 1. Invest in education: Research has already shown that degrees increase lifetime earnings, close some societal gaps, and increase job security. But if degrees are not your path, it also means continuing to build that knowledge and expertise in something you can be the best at. Figure out your expertise and what you bring to the table. 2. After building your expertise in a field, build your reputation and personal brand: With an excellent reputation and personal brand, people will start to seek you out rather than the other way around. This increases the worth of your expertise. 3. Find out what your expertise is worth: Educate yourself on how to negotiate . Negotiate to be paid what you are worth. 4. Get into the habit of ownership: Build your own equity, which decreases the dependence on someone else for your income. For example, this could be your own business, stocks , or real estate. Methodology To rank the best cities for Black women, MoneyGeek analyzed data from the American Community Survey , MoneyGeek's Safest Cities and Safest Small Cities and Towns studies, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The analysis started with over 500 places in America with populations of 65,000 or more. Places without granular data about Black women or lacking other data points for the analysis were removed to get to the final set of 164 cities. The ranking of the best cities for Black women was based on eight factors: safety, Black population, educational attainment, poverty rates, income, employment, health insurance, and homeownership. Each factor was weighted equally and scaled to a score between 0 and 1. The factors were calculated as follows: Safety (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics. Crime cost per capita (50%): This metric is based on the per capita cost of crime calculated in MoneyGeek's Safest Cities series. Racially motivated hate crimes per 1 million people (50%): This metric indicates the number of racially motivated hate crimes for 2022 per 1,000,000 population, with data sourced from the FBI's Crime Data Explorer. Percent of local population that is Black (full weight): This percentage represents the proportion of Black individuals within a city's total population, as reported by the United States Census Bureau's five-year American Community Survey (ACS) from 2021, the most recent data available. Educational attainment (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics. High school diploma gap (50%): The difference in percentage points of the rate of female Black high school diploma achievement compared to the national rate of male white high school diploma achievement. Higher education diploma gap (50%): The difference in percentage points of the rate of female Black bachelor's degree or greater educational attainment compared to the national rate of male white bachelor's degree or greater educational attainment. Poverty rate (full weight): The percentage point difference between the city's rate of Black women earning at or above the poverty level and the rate of all women living above the poverty level nationally. This finding comes from the 2021 Census ACS five-year data, the latest available source covering over 200 cities. Income (full weight): This factor equally comprises two metrics. Local Income Gap (50%): The ratio of Black female median income as a percentage of the local median income of white males. National Income Gap (50%): The ratio of Black female median income adjusted for purchasing power as a percentage of the national median income of white males. Employment (full weight): The difference in percentage points between the Black female employment rate and the white male employment rate in the locality. Health insurance (full weight): This metric reveals the percentage point difference between Black women (ages 19-64) and white men (ages 19-64) with health insurance. This information comes from the Census ACS five-year data from 2021, the most recent data source available. Black female homeownership (full weight): This factor comprises three metrics. Local Black homeownership (25%): Proportion of Black-owned homes compared to all local owner-occupied housing. National Black homeownership (25%): Proportion of Black-owned homes compared to all national owner-occupied housing. Mortgage cost percentage relative to income (50%): Black homeowners' monthly costs as a percentage of Black women's median monthly income. The full data set can be found here . This story was produced by MoneyGeek and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. 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