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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569513/california-votes-reparations-to-descendants-of-slaves-in-u-s/
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The state of California might be one step closer to passing a historic proposal that could make reparations for Black Americans a reality. On March 30, California’s reparations task force, which was established back in 2020, voted to make state compensation eligible to Black Californias who are descendants of slaves in the U.S.
Taskforce members finally hashed out a decision on Tuesday, with a tight 5- 4 vote after hours of deliberation and emotional testimonies. Plans remain unclear as to how much restitution will be given to eligible Black Americans in the state, a matter that San Francisco NAACP President, Rev. Amos Brown pled with committee members to finalize.
“Please, please, please I beg us tonight, take the first step,” Brown, who is also the vice-chair of the task force, said, AP News reported. ”We’ve got to give emergency treatment to where it is needed.”
According to Call Matters, Tuesday’s big vote established that Black Californians “who are able to trace their lineage back to enslaved ancestors will be eligible for the state’s reparations.” Other Black residents in the state, such as immigrants would be ineligible to receive payments, although a few politicians present at the meeting argued that restitution should be made available to all Black Americans in the state.
“We need to galvanize the base and that is Black people,” civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder argued.“We can’t go into this reparations proposal without having all African Americans in California behind us.” The official proposed that the task force should use California’s 2.6 million Black residents to calculate a proper compensation plan as they continue to draw up an effective proposal.
California’s reparations task force has served as a use case for other states looking to explore slavery’s past and how to pay it forward to Black Americans who are still impacted by history’s harsh societal impact. Back in February, the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island announced the launch of a reparations commission. While officials from Boston are currently considering creating one for their own state.
California Governor signed legislation to spearhead the two-year task force back in 2020 with the mission of examining slavery’s legacy in America and its effects on Black Americans. Taskforce members have spent the last 10 months discussing a myriad of topics from Jim Crow Laws and redlining to housing discrimination and environmental racism, all of which have severely hindered the rights of Black Americans living in California.
SEE ALSO:
40 Acres And A Mule: What Are Reparations And Why Is The Concept So Polarizing?
The First U.S. City To Promise Black Residents Reparations Faces A Series Of Rollout Challenges
California Votes Reparations To Descendants Of Slaves In U.S. was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569514/black-women-candidates-running-in-2022-need-your-support/
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Our elected leaders should reflect the constituents they represent, which begs the question, why aren’t there more Black women holding office? This country’s current racial and gender diversity statistics are bleak: Black women currently have no representation in the Senate, and there has never been a Black woman governor.
Even more alarming, in the 2020 elections, 117 Black women ran for a seat in the House, and only 25 of those women were elected. Black women have proven themselves as strong leaders, yet they struggle to win in statewide races. With the 2022 midterm elections looming and a record number of Black women expected to run, I hope we can stop this extreme lack of diversity.
Greater representation in congress is why I joined Emerge, an organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office. My goal was to ultimately put more women, especially women of color, into office because I knew a racial and gender shift in congress would not only impact displaced communities in this country. Still, it would also inspire the next generation of candidates.
I recently spoke about the importance of representation with New Jersey State Rep. Sadaf Jaffer on my podcast, The Brown Girls Guide to Politics. She told me about a community event she attended where mothers came up to her with their daughters, telling them they could one day be elected to public office. Seeing a woman of color like Rep. Jaffer, who was also the first Muslim woman mayor in New Jersey, hold office shows young women everywhere that they can one day sit at the head of decision-making tables.
History has shown that our voices and concerns are heard and addressed when Black women are in office. With voting rights being threatened across the country and reproductive freedom at stake, it is important now more than ever to elect leaders in the midterms who are willing to protect these rights and understand how they disproportionately affect women of color.
As it stands, Black women, who will bear the brunt of abortion restrictions, face higher rates of complications and death during pregnancy and childbirth. Reps. Alma Adams and Lauren Underwood created the first Black Maternal Health Caucus to reverse the rising maternal mortality rates in 2019. If these two women had not created this caucus, would Congress have responded to the Black maternal mortality crisis? Imagine how much more could be done for Black women if there were more strong voices like Reps. Adams and Underwood’s speaking up for us in Washington.
Stacey Abrams’ activism and her 2018 gubernatorial campaign brought another huge issue to the nation’s attention: racial voter suppression. Since her loss to Brian Kemp, Abrams has committed herself to fighting to end this issue since more Republican-dominated state legislatures nationwide have adopted voting restrictions to stop Black people from voting, including in Georgia.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that only 40 percent of Black registered voters in Georgia expect it to be very easy to vote in 2022, compared to 73 percent of white registered voters. We must elect members of congress who are willing to advance the federal voting rights that are at stake.
We do, however, have reason to celebrate. Over the past two years, there have been major victories for women of color. Biden recently nominated the incredibly qualified Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Though she will have a tough road ahead, I am thrilled about her nomination.
In 2021, Elaine O’Neal became the first woman of color and first Black woman elected mayor of Durham, North Carolina. State Rep. Mia Bonita, who I recently spoke with on my podcast, became the first Afro-Latina woman to serve in the California Legislature last year.
Black women are looking to make even more historic gains in the 2022 midterm elections, and I’m ecstatic about the slate of women running. There are currently five Black women running for governor in the midterms, including Abrams. Aramis Ayala is running for attorney general in Florida, and Rep. Val Demings is challenging Marco Rubio for his senate seat.
Admittedly, these women will have a tough road ahead of them. They will encounter racism and sexism that I’ve seen too often in my years working in politics. But if there’s anything these trailblazing women have shown, they aren’t afraid to go against the status quo to make a difference for the betterment of this country.
A’shanti Gholar serves as president of Emerge, an organization committed to training and supporting Democratic women running for office. She also hosts the podcast “The Brown Girls Guide to Politics.”
SEE ALSO:
The Black Ballot: Debunking The Myth That Black Women Candidates Are Unelectable
Black Women Candidates Running In 2022 Need Your Support was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569600/zoe-kravitz-dragged-over-predatory-comments-after-shading-will-smiths-oscars-slap/
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Zoe Kravitz has found herself in hot water after taking to social media to throw shade at Will Smith over slapping Chris Rock at The 94th Annual Oscars.
In an Instagram post showcasing her red carpet look, Kravitz took to the caption to share her feelings regarding the hot topic writing: “Here’s a picture of my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now.”
Clearly, she felt her message wasn’t received because she then took to social media uploading a second photo from the afterparty hours later with the caption: “and here is a picture of my dress at the party after the award show -where we are apparently screaming profanities and assaulting people on stage now.”
Although Will Smith has since issued apology to Chris Rock and the Academy, The Batman star’s attempt to denounce Smith who took to the stage and smacked Rock across the face after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, instead made her the target of backlash after seemingly predatory comments were reposted online from an interview with the actress making out of place comments about Jaden Smith, who at the time was just 14-years-old– while she was 24.
During an interview with V magazine in 2013, the Big Little Lies actress previously shared a few problematic comments about Will’s son, Jaden Smith, calling him “handsome” before adding that she “was always like, ‘When you’re older, you know, we’ll hangout… Nope, that’s inappropriate, you’re 14.’”
“There were moments that I was hanging out with Jaden and thinking, I can’t believe you’re 14, I have to check myself, like what I say to you,” Zoë told the publication. “He has so much personality and so much swag, he is so much cooler than I am. And he’s so handsome, I was always like, When you’re older, you know, we’ll hangout … Nope, that’s inappropriate, you’re 14.”
In addition to the comments, fans also reposted a clip of Kravitz saying she brought Jaden Smith as a date to a movie premiere in 2014, telling the Extra TV reporter: “I dragged him out tonight. This is my date.”
In addition to her own comments and behavior, fans also called out the High Fidelity for her close friendship with designer Alexander Wang, who has been accused of sexual harassment and assault by multiple people– a claim he vehemently denied via a statement early last year, before expressing regret a few months later.
“It was not easy for [the alleged victims] to share their stories, and I regret acting in a way that caused them pain,” he wrote in an Instagram statement. “While we disagree on some of the details of these personal interactions, I will set a better example and use my visibility and influence to encourage others to recognize harmful behaviors.”
While many have dubbed Zoe Kravitz’s comments about Jaden Smith and continued friendship with Alexander Wang as inappropriate, some questioned why people are only now choosing to condemn the actor noting that prior to the backlash it was never brought up depsite being well known.
In reagrds to slapgate, the Fresh Prince is likely to be disciplined and may even have his Academy membership suspended, according to the latest statement from the Academy Awards regarding the incident, however, his award for Best Actor — his first Oscar won Sunday night for his role in “King Richard” — is less likely to be revoked.
Rock chose not to file police report against Smith for his onstage slap, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, but he did give his first public reponse to the incident. According to Hollywood Unlocked, at the opening of his Ego Death World Tour at Boston’s Wilbur theater Wednesday night, Rock was welcomed by the sold-out crowd with a three-minute standing ovation, before asking the audience “How was your weekend?,” noting that he is “still kinda processing what happened” and that “at some point” he will talk about “that sh*t,” and “it will be serious, and it will be funny.”
During the second show Rock refuted Diddy’s statement that he and Will Smith made up, saying: “I haven’t talked to anyone despite what you may have heard.”
Zoë Kravitz Dragged Over Predatory Comments After Shading Will Smith’s Oscars Slap was originally published on hiphopwired.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569603/report-beauty-entrepreneur-and-pioneer-aj-crimson-passes-away/
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Beauty pioneer and makeup entrepreneur AJ Crimson is reportedly dead. The self-taught celebrity makeup artist and founder of AJ Crimson Beauty is known for his work with celebrity clients Regina King, Amerie, LeToya Luckett, Keyshia Cole, Missy Elliott, Angela Bassett, and Raven-Symoné. Crimson’s products have been featured in Vogue, Harper’s BAZAAR, Esquire, and more.
Tributes to Crimson began pouring out late last night with friends and colleagues taking to social media to express their melancholy over the heartbreaking news. Details about his death are limited, but what isn’t limited are the countless stories of his bright light. He will surely be missed.
We spoke to Crimson in 2020, when he opened up about his vision for AJ Crimson Beauty. “My vision for AJ Crimson Beauty was luxury cosmetics with Black women in mind first. As a makeup artist, my entire career I gravitated to luxury products for my clientele. Yet there weren’t always products at that level that worked with some of my more melanin-rich clients. I thought it was a shame only drug store options [were] available, so I knew I had to change that,” he said. “I love beautiful things, people, fashion, architecture. The beauty industry sort of found me; I thought I’d be in politics, public speaking or artist management, which are all passions of mine [and] have been involved in, but beauty has taken me all over the world in a very interesting way.”
Crimson last Instagram post shows him walking his followers through his 9 pcs Master Artistry Vegan Fiber Brush Collection.
Details of Crimson’s passing have not yet been confirmed.
RELATED STORIES:
André Leon Talley Never Got His Flowers
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Celebrities React To News Of Virgil Abloh’s Passing After Secret Battle With Cancer
Report: Beauty Entrepreneur And Pioneer AJ Crimson Passes Away was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569626/armstrong-williams-ginni-thomas-needs-to-lawyer-up-russ-parr-exclusive/
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Follow The Russ Parr Show on Twitter and Instagram and On Facebook Too!
7+ hours of phone records reportedly are missing and a number of people, including former President Donald Trump are in hot water. Another person, Ginni Thomas, who is the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas reportedly to former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, urging him to “stop the steal” (the slogan used by many on the far-right to keep Trump in office). Key Democrats are asking Thomas to recuse himself from any Jan. 6th cases and some pushing for impeachment or resignation.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE RUSS PARR SHOW LIVE FROM 6AM – 10AM EST
Conservative Talk Show Host Armstrong Williams returned to the Russ Parr Morning Show to talk about the January 6th incident that showed the United States. Williams spoke about possible punishment or lack thereof for Trump and Ginni’s involvement, saying that Justice Thomas was shocked to find out that his wife had any involvement, needed to “Lawyer up “and about having her “her own agenda.”
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Armstrong Williams: Ginni Thomas Needs To ‘Lawyer Up’ | Russ Parr Exclusive was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569628/the-academy-shows-will-different-energy-than-cosby/
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So, it looks like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is finally trying to rid itself of the sexual predators that have been darkening its prestigious hallways for years, decades and generations. On Tuesday, the academy made its decision to expel director Roman Polanski and the purveyor of pills, poundcake propaganda, and predatory behavior, Bill Cosby.
According to Deadline, academy board members voted during a Tuesday night meeting “in accordance with the organization’s Standards of Conduct,” according to a statement released Thursday announcing the news.
“The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity,” the statement read.
So, let’s just be real about one thing. This is some of the most Johnny come lately news in tardy to the predator party history.
Like, OK—I’ll give you Cosby. Sure he’s got enough rape and sexual assault convictions throughout his career to fill the stadium at an R Kelly concert. But he wasn’t convicted of anything for decades and then when he finally was, he was later un-convicted. One can understand the academy can’t just be expelling folks all willy-nilly despite said folks putting their willy where it wasn’t wanted if it wasn’t legally proven.
But Polanski, my guy?
As Deadline noted: “Polanski pleaded guilty in the late 1970s to five charges stemming from having sex with then-minor Samantha Gailey. He spent 42 days behind bars in 1978 but fled to France and has lived in exile ever since.”
So, it took 40 some odd years for the academy to say, “You know, maybe it’s time to give Polanski the boot.”
Maybe if Polanski or Cosby slapped their victims across the face on the academy’s Oscars stage like Will Smith did Chris Rock there would have been swifter action. (Not that the actions are anywhere near comparable. I’m just saying Will got in one little fight and the academy got scared. It should have that same energy for victims of powerful predators as well.)
To be fair, the academy recently updated its code of conduct. So now, if a member’s misconduct is deemed serious enough, it is referred to the board of governors, which is the only body that “can make the final determination on whether to suspend or expel a member.” Who knew the movie academy was so serious it had a government-style chain of command?
Also, according to the code, an expelled member member “shall be entitled to appeal the decision, within 10 business days, in writing to the Boar and c/o the Academy’s President or Secretary.”
Deadline reported that last October, there was a special emergency meeting during which a decision was made to expel Harvey Weinstein.
So yeah, they’re cleaning house. One can only wonder who’s next.
SEE ALSO:
My Black Heroes Let Me Down At The Oscars And I Feel A Way
The Academy Shows Will Different Energy Than Cosby was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569632/student-wins-settlement-in-pledge-of-allegiance-lawsuit/
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America is the “land of the free” and nothing says “freedom” like forcing children and teenagers to pledge their allegiance to a thing, amirite?
Seriously though, how is it that in the 21st century, there are “educators” that still haven’t gotten it in their heads that forcing students to stand and participate in the Pledge of Allegiance doesn’t fly like it used to. Really, it was always weird. For all of conservatives’ pretentious and racist grandstanding about critical race theory indoctrination—a thing that isn’t happening in K-12 schools or anywhere, really—they seem to be ignoring that for generations, the traditional American education system was forcibly indoctrinating students into repeating the lie that “liberty and justice for all” has ever been a reality in this country and then forcing students, of various religions or lack thereof, to declare that lie “under God.”
And apparently, there are school faculty members who are still engaging in the practice—but not without getting themselves sued.
According to CHRON., the Texas Association of School Boards has agreed to resolve a lawsuit by paying $90,000 to a Black Houston area student who said she was harassed and bullied by her teachers for refusing to stand for the janky-a** pledge.
The whole thing reportedly began in 2017 at Klein Oak High School. The now-former student, who, according to Click2Houston, has only been identified in court records as M.O., objected to the words “under God” and said, “I also believe that we live in a country where there isn’t justice and freedom for all and so I’m not going to stand for a pledge that says there is when there really isn’t.”
The student is demonstrably correct.
Even if you’re of the belief that we live in a post-racial America now—which we sure as hell don’t—the Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892, early on in the lynch-happy reconstruction era that came after roughly two and a half centuries of slavery and proceeded Jim Crow.
But boooy, the whites sure do get butthurt when folks, especially Black folks, don’t want to stand up and cosign their lies. (Colin Kaepernick, anyone?)
From CHRON:
Despite knowing that the student was exempt from the pledge, the teacher, identified in the suit as Benjie Arnold, singled out the student and threatened to fail her for not observing the pledge. According to the release, Arnold told the student that what she did left him “no option but to give you a zero, and you can have all the beliefs and resentment and animosity that you want.”
Arnold also offered to pay students to move students to Europe if they didn’t like living in America, as evidenced by an audio recording of the incident.
Europe, huh? I guess we should all just be glad Arnold didn’t do what was likely his first instinct and tell the student to go back to Africa.
The lawsuit, which was filed by the student’s mother and includes the school district as a defendant, also initially included several other staffers at the school. But during the years-long legal battle, the staffers were all dismissed from the suit except Arnold.
Geoffrey T. Blackwell, litigation counsel at American Atheists, which handled the student’s case, said the settlement serves as a reminder that students still have their First Amendment rights when they’re at school. So they ain’t gotta pledge their allegiance to sh**
“The classroom is not a pulpit,” he said. “It is a place of education, not indoctrination.”
Exactly.
SEE ALSO:
Banking While Black: Houston Doctor Sues JPMorgan Chase For Racial Discrimination
WSSU Student Will Represent Virginia State In His First NASCAR Race
Student Wins Settlement In Pledge Of Allegiance Lawsuit was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569638/master-p-talks-nipsey-hussle-self-worth-more-on-tv-ones-uncensored/
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The hit autobiographical series UNCENSORED explores the lives of your favorite personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers.
Southern rap legend Master P grew his brand from a record store to one of the most successful independent labels in the industry. His emphasis on ownership, generational wealth and philanthropy made him a millionaire before the age of 30. In his episode of UNCENSORED, he breaks down how it all happened.
Check out the clip below as P reflects on Nipsey Hussle, the West Coast rapper and entrepreneur who was tragically killed three years ago today (March 31).
Master P Talks Nipsey Hussle, Self Worth & More on TV One’s UNCENSORED was originally published on theboxhouston.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569751/soulja-boy-hits-the-internet-with-another-rant/
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Follow The Beat On Twitter: Follow @’979thebeat’
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Soulja Boy Tell em Is back on the internet with steem to get off his chest, in regards to artist who don’t show love after they sign deals. Soulja Calls out Durk on not keeping the same energy
he had prior to the rap deal he’s in now. Soulja runs down a small list of other artist who fall in the category of forgetting to comeback and show love with a return verse. At this moment it is
unclear if Lil Durk has responded to Soulja’s accusations.
Pskillz (@PskillzFlo)
Also On 97.9 The Beat:
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569752/tucker-carlson-criticizes-cardi-b-for-wap-video-again/
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Tucker Carlson, a host at Fox News, aka Republican Viagra Network, is, for whatever reason, randomly circling back to an old gripe he has with rapper Cardi B. Yes, Carlson is just being weird at this point. No, Cardi did not send for Carlson before he decided to come for her. Yes, it is as clear as day that Carlson’s love life is a case study for the ultimate definition of “vanilla sex.” (Actually, Ben Shapiro has been holding that spot down longer than he’s ever held down any of his wife’s spots, but for the purposes of this article, it’s Tucker.)
Anyway, apparently, Carlson is big-fake mad that Cardi will be making an appearance on an episode of Baby Shark’s Big Show! on Nickelodeon.
“So you’re a fuddy-duddy if you note that American culture is becoming, like, not really culture anymore,” Carlson said on his show, the Daily Beast reported. “It’s like a lot of growling and sexless talking about sex. And if you think it’s an overstatement, check out this song from someone calling herself Cardi B.”
Carlson then played a clip from the music video for “WAP”—which was released nearly two years ago.
Has Carlson been caught in a time warp? Why is he introducing Cardi B like she’s a new artist and WAP like it’s her debut hit single? Does he expect that Cardi will be whipping out her WAP on the kids? Just what does Carlson think a Baby Shark is exactly?
And WTF does Cardi B have to do with “American culture?” What the hell does Carlson think American culture even is? Does he think Cardi’s milkshake is going to bring all the MAGA hats, spiceless food, twice a month washclothless showers, apple pie, and negro oppression to the yard?
“So you watch something like that and probably your first thought was, ‘Man, I want my kids, my little kids, to get a lot more of Cardi B,” Carlson continued. “Like how can they experience Cardi B and the Cardi B lifestyle, because obviously, that’s not bad for them or anything. They’re not going to wind up in rehab or as hookers.”
First of all, WAP is just basically a song about women who like sex. And if that’s what Carlson means when he talks about “the Cardi B lifestyle,” well I have some bad news for the Fox News host who hasn’t changed his hairstyle since Howdy Doody—a lot of little girls are going to grow up to be women who will *gasp* like sex too.
Anyway, this couldn’t be the same Tucker Carlson who not long ago was whining about female M&M cartoons being “less sexy.” Let me find out Carlson is just projecting his sexual frustrations on Cardi because that “melt in your mouth” WAP ain’t WAPing like it used to.
It’s worth noting that Carlson has been griping this same gripe since the song first came out.
After Carlson’s latest fit of “missionary is kinky enough” rage, he turned to the sunken place commander-in-WAPlessness herself, Candace Owens.
“I think for the first time I’m actually going to defend Cardi B here,” Owens said. “It’s not Cardi B’s fault that she gets a phone call from Nickelodeon executives asking her to do this.”
Now, in case you’re thinking miss MAGA-mammy is giving a rare display of decency—Nah, Owens’ defense of Cardi came with a backhanded insult of the “Bodack Yellow” artist’s intelligence.
Owens went on to say that while Cardi “doesn’t possess the intelligence” to understand how she’s being used, “these executives know exactly what they’re doing…(which is) to further corrode culture.”
First of all, I know white people’s favorite “Black friend” who has been white supremacy’s favorite sockpuppet for as long as we’ve known her name and lack of edges ain’t talking. I just know Owens isn’t about anyone not having the intelligence to see how she’s being used.
Secondly, I’m pretty sure Nickelodean’s agenda is to gain ratings by featuring a popular celeb, not to “further corrode culture.” (Candace being given a talk show had already done that.) So, how exactly is Cardi being used?
Owens previously joined Carlson in complaining about “less sexy” M&M brands and about Disney putting Minnie Mouse in a pantsuit instead of her classic red and white polka dot skirt. She literally called the change was an attempt “to destroy the fabric of our society,” while not possessing the intelligence to do the five minutes of Googling it would have taken to know Minnie’s new threads weren’t a permanent design change and that they were created by a French fashion designer to mark Disneyland Paris’ 30th anniversary.
Anyway, Candace and Carlson are weird as hell and Cardi should continue not giving a f**k what either of them think.
SEE ALSO:
Candace Owens Goes On Transphobic Rant Over Dr. Rachel Levin–Tucker Carlson Loves Every Bit Of It
Tucker Carlson Criticizes Cardi B For WAP Video…Again was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569754/dr-avis-williams-nolas-first-black-woman-superintendent/
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March 30 marked a historic day for New Orleans Public Schools. On Wednesday, the state announced that Dr. Avis Williams would become the new superintendent of schools across the big easy. Williams has now become the first black woman to serve in the position. The former Selma City School district superintendent was voted in by the city’s school board committee.
According to KSLA, Williams, who is also the president of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a non-profit organization that cultivates educators and teachers, was one of 50 candidates nominated and “one of 15 interviewed” for the role.
During her time as a superintendent in Selma, Williams helped to raise Alabama’s report card score by 8 points, shooting students’ scores up from 68 to 76. Graduation rates also saw an uptick of 6 percent during her tenure, while reading and math scores jumped by 6 percent and 8 percent, respectively. The huge achievement earned Selma the distinction of becoming the only state to acquire the Pathway, Tier I, and Tier II Performance Excellence Awards through the Alabama Performance Excellence Program, an organization that honors educational institutions for their commitment and outstanding educational performance.
Prior to her superintendency in Selma, Dr. Williams served as the Assistant Superintendent of Tuscaloosa City Schools, where she made more educational strides. The changemaker helped to increase graduation rates in the city from 89 percent to 91 percent and she also launched the District Instructional Framework, which led to a 25 point increase in early literacy rates.
Following the announcement, Williams issued a statement about the historic news.
“I am honored, humbled, and thrilled by this new opportunity with OPSB. I look forward to working with the community to do important work for Every Child at Every School, Every Day. I can’t wait to get started,” said Dr. Avis Williams, according to the Selma Sun. “My thanks to the OPSB for their trust & confidence. I’m excited to listen — to teachers, students, families, and the NOLA community — and translate what I learn into meaningful actions that I hope will touch lives and open doors for all of our scholars in the future.”
Williams started her education career after serving as a sergeant in the United States Army. She went on to become a “teacher and physical education coach in Huntsville, Ala.; an English teacher and assistant principal in Salisbury, N.C.; a principal in Huntsville, an adjunct education college professor in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and the Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction in Greensboro, N.C,” the Selma Sun reported.
OPSB President Olin Parker called William’s new position “a historic moment” for the New Orleans school system.
“The board is excited to extend the superintendency to Dr. Avis Williams. As the 1st African American woman appointed to lead our District in its more than 180-year history, her breadth of experience as a sergeant in the U.S. Army, a teacher, principal, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent will help take our students’ education to the next level,” the statement read.
Parker added:
“Dr. Williams is committed to working with our schools to increase academic achievement, expand access to mental health services for students, and engage deeply with all community members. I am certain of her commitment to ensuring that our graduation rates continue to rise and the doors of success continue to open for our scholars through college, well-paying jobs, and beyond.”
SEE ALSO:
A Record Number of Black Women Are Running in The 2022 Midterms. We Need to Elect Them.
WSSU Student Will Represent Virginia State In His First NASCAR Race
Dr. Avis Williams: NOLA's First Black Woman Superintendent was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/playlist/5-melanated-beauties-who-boldly-cut-their-hair/
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Black women have been battling European beauty standards for decades. From constantly being exposed to images that do not resemble our features and hair textures to advocating for a law (which was recently passed) that gives us the legal right to wear our hair exactly how it grows from our head, we are over it. These days, many Black women have found beauty in just being who we are. More women of color have had enough and are choosing to liberate themselves from the social constructions that try to tell us how we should feel, act, and look.
In 2006, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter India Arie birthed her popular song, “I Am Not My Hair.” And in 2022, it seems that more Black women celebrities (and non-celebrities) are living her lyrics out loud by wearing their hair exactly how they want to or getting rid of their hair altogether.
In a culture where hair is king, choosing to be without it is bold. In the past, we’ve seen beautiful bald hairstyles on powerful women like Cicely Tyson and Grace Jones, but it wasn’t until recently that the bald look had a ripple effect. So, to salute the ladies who are defying the odds and rocking the hell out of their bald heads, we are recognizing them below. Check out five celebrity beauties who boldly rock a bald head hairstyle.
5 Melanated Beauties Who Boldly Cut Their Hair was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
1. Jada Pinkett-Smith
Of course, we had to salute Jada in this post. Although alopecia contributed to her new bald hairdo, the Matrix actress is sporting the hairstyle fiercely. From adding jewel accessories to highlight her head with jazzy ear cuffs, Jada does the baldhead look like a pro.
2. Amina Buddafly
Singer Amina Buddafly recently collaborated with the clippers and took her medium length hair right off her head. Her lovely bald head glows perfectly and makes her beautiful features stand out even more.
3. MJ Rodriguez
MJ Rodriguez is a sight for sore eyes with her beautiful bald head. Her simple hairdo definitely accentuates her face and her gorgeous long neck.
4. Tiffany Haddish
She ready! Tiffany shaved her head some time ago, and now she is having all the fun with her closely cut ‘do. One week she is getting a design cut in her head (see video above) and the next week she is dying her hair platinum blonde. We are absolutely here for it!
5. Yvonne Orji
When Yvonne’s character stepped on the scene sporting a fresh bald haircut on the finale of Insecure, we didn’t know what hit us. This look proves that Yvonne can rock any style and get away with it. As if Yvonne needed more swag, this look adds just the right amount of it to her already jazzy vibe.
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https://thebeatdfw.com/playlist/neighborhood-nip-twitter-remembers-the-late-nipsey-hussle-on-3rd-anniversary-of-his-passing/
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Nipsey Hussle enjoyed a great in the independent Hip-Hop space ahead of signing with a major label and was on the cusp of greatness when he was tragically murdered three years ago today (March 31). On Twitter, fans are remembering Neighborhood Nip with heavy hearts by honoring the young legend.
The story of Nipsey Hussle is one we’ve covered here at Hip-Hop Wired several times over, so we won’t dive in deep there. However, we do wish to send our ongoing thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the Asghedom and all of Nipsey’s loved ones on this day.
Listening back to Nipsey’s body of work, it’s bittersweet at times. Not only did he have a natural gift for words and delivery, but Nip also had this uncanny ability to make what he rapped about appear in one’s mind visually. Coupled with a voice tailor-made for rapping and a microphone presence like few others, Nipsey was indeed great.
Gone far too soon, Nipsey Hussle’s legacy lives on in his family’s foundation work and via the journey of his progeny. As Nipsey Hussle coined, The Marathon Continues.
Check out the reactions from Twitter below.
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Photo: Getty
Neighborhood Nip: Twitter Remembers The Late Nipsey Hussle On 3rd Anniversary Of His Passing was originally published on hiphopwired.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/playlist/nipsey-hussle-died-3-years-ago-these-are-the-songs-his-fans-love-the-most/
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The late West Coast emcee’s prophetic rhymes still ring true today
Nipsey Hussle, in many ways, was ahead of his time. Through his interviews, with grace and distinct diction, he spoke as if he’d been on earth for multiple lifetimes. The finesse in his bars and loyalty to his lady made him one of hip-hop’s most likable members.
On March 31st, 2019, at the peak of his music career, Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of his clothing store in Los Angeles.
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Like it’s happened with countless other musicians who suffer an untimely death, Nip’s music sales and streams soared after the world learned of his departure. In the time since his passing his interviews and quotes have been shared all over the internet.
Today we’ll share some of his most infamous songs. Check em out, and as always, rest in peace Nipsey Hussle.
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Nipsey Hussle Died 3 Years Ago, These Are The Songs His Fans Love The Most was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
1. Rap N*ggas
A standout track on 2018’s Victory Lap, Rap N*ggas is a West Coast street anthem. Nipsey notoriously owned all of his music masters, and operated his career in a manner that clearly told everybody that Nip was “nothing like you f*ckin rap n*ggas”. When a lot of folks think Nipsey Hussle, this is the first song that comes to mind.
2. Blue Laces
Day one fans will remember this 2010 classic. Here Nipsey references his Rollin 60 Crips affiliation, citing the literal color of his own shoestrings. He breaks down the street life he grew up around and talks about the different adversities he faced in his hood.
3. Keys To The City
More upbeat than typical Nipsey, Keys To The City is a 2013 record that allowed the West Coaster to get his brag on. Popping bottles, counting cash, and club-hopping were the focal points on this joint.
4. Forever On Some Fly Sh*t
Featured on 2011’s The Marathon Continues, this song allowed Nip to flex her verbal muscles on a smoothed-out horn-heavy instrumental. Forever spitting game, “It’s way more profit in these clothes, so I give away this music and make double back in shows.” Sheesh.
5. F*ck Donald Trump
This YG single featured Nipsey, and if you can’t tell by the title, they turned their sights on ex-prez Donald J. Trump in this hood classic.
6. Racks In The Middle
His most successful record, Racks in the Middle featured Roddy Rich and won Nipsey a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance. It was also nominated for Best Rap Song, but that award eventually went to Drake for God’s Plan.
7. Hussle and Motivate
The head knocking beat accented by the crisp flow and stuttered cadence, Hussle and Motivate, for some, is the best song the late genius ever created.
8. Killer
Considered a ‘loosie’, as this song was never released on an official album, Killer featuring Drake did find its way onto Nip Hussle the Great: Volume 1. Drake fans will hear the So Far Gone in Drizzy’s voice as this record rode the wave of that super successful introductory mixtape.
9. Black Faces
This Childish Gambino mixtape track, off Gambino’s Royalty tape, was produced by Boi-1da. The two never worked together again but Nipsey was a Donald Glover rap fan back before most of the world even knew the Atlanta rapper actually had bars.
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3569627/texans-remember-selena-the-queen-of-tejano/
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Texans are honoring the life of Selena Quintanilla Pérez who was slain March 31, 1995 at only 23 by the president of her fan club Yolanda Saldívar. At the time when Saldivar started the Fan Club in 1991, Selena had no idea that this relationship would turn into Yolanda managing her clothing boutiques and managing her financial accounts. One day, Selena’s father Abraham noticed something wasn’t right about Yolanda and found evidence that she had been embezzling money from his daughter. He eventually fired her, and a a few weeks later Selena met up with Saldivar to pick up some documents that belonged to her. When Saldívar finally handed them over, she pulled out the gun she had bought days earlier and shot Selena as she walked out the room. Selena was able to make it to the lobby to tell staff that it was Yolanda who shot her. She is now serving her life sentence at Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas and is eligible for parole on March 30, 2025.
“Yolanda wanted to kill Selena because Selena was firing Yolanda. She wouldn’t exist if she didn’t have Selena. And if she didn’t work for Selena, she didn’t want to work for anybody,” Carlos Valdez, Lead Prosecutor and District Judge Nueces County, Texas
During her career Selena introduced the world to Tejano music and was the first Tejano artist to ever win a Grammy for Best Mexican-American album in 1994. She also had seven No. 1 hits and 14 top 10 hits on the Hot Latin Songs Chart . When she released Amor Prohibido on March 22, 1994 it became “Latin’s Best-Selling Album of All Time”. It sold 2,000,000 copies in its first year and was certified 20 times platinum.
Check out some of the world’s favorite moments of the “The Queen of Tejano”
The Kickback W/ Jazzi Black Weekdays 9A-3P , Saturdays 1P-4P | Follow Me on IG @jazziblack , Follow Me on Twitter @yojazziblack
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570066/jada-davis-becomes-first-black-miss-milwaukee/
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On March 19, Jada Davis made history after she was crowned “Miss Milwaukee.” The bustling law student and business owner became the first Black woman in the state to be honored with the prestigious title.
“It was an incredible moment,” Davis shared of the big accolade to Wisconsin’s Afternoon News. “To have a piece of history be a part of my life, during Women’s History Month, is one of the most special things about this experience,” she added.
Due to the pandemic, the state held its first virtual Miss Milwaukee Competition. Davis competed against eight other beautiful contenders for the title. According to Fox 6, the 23-year-old was awarded a $700 scholarship and earned an additional $100 upon winning “the top talent award.” Davis performed a contemporary dance piece to a spoken word poem called “Dear Black Girl” by Candice Nicholas. Now, Davis is preparing to advance to the Miss Wisconsin Competition in Oshkosh in June, which is a state preliminary to the Miss America Competition
The Magna Cum Laude graduate of UW-Green Bay is well known among community members in Milwaukee, working hard as a law clerk. The former Boys & Girls Club dance instructor has volunteered with several organizations including the Milwaukee Justice Center, Marquette Volunteer Law Clinic, YWCA, Black Youth Alliance, and Unity Gospel House of Prayer. Currently, Davis attends the Marquette University Law School, where she’s working to fulfill her dream of becoming an entertainment lawyer. Davis has dubbed herself “The Dancing Lawyer,” a sweet poke at her passion for the arts and law.
“During her year of service as Miss Milwaukee, Davis will make appearances throughout the community and promote her personal social impact initiative – “What’s Wrong With Being Confident?”— which is focused on building self-confidence and positive body image among youth,” Miss Wisconsin Organization said in a statement, according to TMJ4 News. “She will continue her work to bridge the gap between generations to create a space for people to share their own confidence-building experiences,” the organization added.
The talented young woman shared more about her future plans to TMJ4 News, telling the publication:
“Essentially I want to bring different generations together and have conversations about how we can build our confidence.”
Davis added that she hoped her big win will be a source of inspiration for young girls.
SEE ALSO:
Dr. Avis Williams Becomes First Black Woman Superintendent Of NOLA Schools
A Record Number of Black Women Are Running in The 2022 Midterms. We Need to Elect Them.
Jada Davis Becomes First Black Miss Milwaukee was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570105/legal-consequences-from-oscars-slapgate-bidens-gas-tuition-relief-update-more/
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We tap in with viral TikTok star and law student @iamlegallyhype every week for her specially delivered legal expertise on today’s trending topics. This week we discus the possible legal consequences of the Oscar’s #slapgate. Could Will Smith be sued by Chris Rock AND The Academy? Gas and fuel prices have spiked across the globe due to the global crisis happening between Ukraine and Russia. Legally Hype updates us on possible relief and more!
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Listen every Friday at 7:10am ET.
Legal Consequences From Oscar’s SLAPGATE, & Biden’s Gas & Tuition Relief Update & More! was originally published on themorninghustle.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570186/lauren-london-honors-late-bf-nipsey-hussle-on-3-year-death-anniversary-long-live-the-king/
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One of the most tragic things about the senseless murder of Nipsey Hussle is the mass amount of love he left behind here on Earth, a good portion of that coming from girlfriend and mother of his youngest son, Lauren London.
As the world honored Nip yesterday to commemorate three years since his death on March 31, 2019, Lauren made sure to pay her own respects and remind the world of their eternal and unbreakable bond.
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“Loving You Here There Then Now Forever and After,” London wrote about her late BF, ending her short-but-sweet- note by adding “Long Live The King” and addressing him by both his real name, Ermias Asghedom, and fan-favorite nickname, Hussle Man. The caption and picture she posted of Nipsey simply smiling garnered over 600,000 likes and counting on Instagram, in addition to words of sympathy from fellow celebs like Kehlani, YG, Jhené Aiko, T.I. and a like from Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Lawson, amongst many others.
Lauren and Nipsey famously dated for six years starting in 2013 up until his 2019 murder in Los Angeles, California. Although never married, the two sparked engagement rumors shortly before his death after a photoshoot the couple did for GQ Magazine managed to go viral. In an ironic twist, one photo in particular from the shoot that depicts them in all white and accompanied by a white horse has now taken on a heavenly vibe given the tragic end for the late West Coast hip hop icon.
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We send our deepest condolences to Lauren London and all those he loved and cared about that are currently still grieving over his passing three years later. He will never be forgotten, which Lauren and his millions of fans worldwide will make sure of as three years turns to 10, then 25 and so on and so forth.
R.I.P., Neighborhood Nip.
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Lauren London Honors Late BF Nipsey Hussle On 3-Year Death Anniversary: “Long Live The King” was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570299/listen-to-black-women-principles-of-pleasure-sexual-agency-andmen-enjoying-sex-toys/
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The ladies of MadameNoire‘s “Listen To Black Women” are back for season 2, and episode 1 kicked off today with a no-holds-barred conversation on the topic of sexual agency in the bedroom, men and women sharing an equal love for sex toys and other key points in the “principles of pleasure” for our sisters out there.
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Hosts Shamika Sanders, Jessie Woo, Chris Miss and Taryn Finley come together for a girls talk session that’s sure to get your hormones intrigued — not to mention, maybe even get you a little bit hot! The conversation showcases all four strong women of color as they candidly speak on why men shouldn’t control their use and enjoyment of sex toys, in addition to if men should even be enjoying sex toys in the first place. Episode 1 also wraps up with a fun round of rapid-fire questions that will dispel some myths about the likes and dislikes of Black women.
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Watch Episode 1 for the season 2 opener of “Listen To Black Women” below via our fam at MadameNoire:
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Listen To Black Women: Principles of Pleasure, Sexual Agency And…Men Enjoying Sex Toys? was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570300/comedian-jerrod-carmichael-comes-out-as-gay-in-new-hbo-special/
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The LGBTQ community now has a proud new representative on their side following news that celebrated comedian Jerrod Carmichael used his new HBO special, Rothaniel, to come out as a gay man.
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As Variety spelled out in a social post seen above, The Carmichael Show star used the story of finding out his father was cheating to reveal that he’d been hiding a secret of his own. “After that was out in the open, I was left alone feeling like a liar, because I had a secret,” he says to the Rothaniel audience, going on to add, “One that I kept from my father, my mother, my family, my friends, and you. Professionally, personally. And the secret is that I’m gay.”
Here’s a few more details from Jerrod Carmichael’s viral coming out story below, via Variety:
“After a long silence, the audience claps, to Carmichael’s visceral relief. ‘I’m accepting the love, I really appreciate the love. My ego wants to rebel against it.’ Later, he adds, ‘I rebelled against it my whole life. I thought I’d never, ever come out. At many points I thought I’d rather die than confront the truth of that, to actually say it to people. Because I know it changes some people’s perceptions of me. I can’t control that.’”
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What’s more surprising than the fact of him being gay is how well the big reveal was kept from the public eye being that the special was filmed back in February at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City. His preference for men also doesn’t come as much of a surprise for many fans since he addressed it during his 2019 HBO special Home Video by joking that he “hooked up with dudes before.”
Overall, we’re happy to see Jerrod Carmichael beginning to live in his truth just a week before turning 35 years old. You can watch Rothaniel when it begins streaming tonight on HBO Max.
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Comedian Jerrod Carmichael Comes Out As Gay In New HBO Special was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570301/white-chicago-teacher-under-fire-for-hanging-black-doll-from-string-in-front-of-classroom/
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It’s become exhausting to keep up with the acts of racism happening in classrooms lately, from cotton being thrown at a Black student in Louisiana to a whole mock slave auction a few weeks ago in Chatham County.
The latest involves a teacher at Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago that got himself suspended after an altercation with another teacher over a Black doll that appeared to be hanging from a string in his classroom for all students to see.
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According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the incident started after a Black history teacher saw what appeared to be the doll of a Black football player hanging by its neck in the aforementioned teacher’s classroom, who happens to be white. The confrontation soon led to an all-out argument that unfortunately went viral after students recorded and shared the dispute throughout the school.
More info below, via the Chicago Sun-Times:
“In a series of tweets Wednesday, the Chicago Teachers Union, which represents both teachers, said the district ‘has a responsibility to provide a safe space for every member of our school communities, which is especially important in a district that serves a student population that is 90% Black and Brown children.’
‘We understand the investigation at Whitney Young is ongoing, but practices that mitigate the harm of racial biases must also be ongoing and consistent in our schools. And any definition of ‘safety’ must include creating and reinforcing an environment of equity and inclusion for all students, staff and faculty of color.’”
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As is the case in a lot of these situations, the suspended teacher is being called out for being problematic for a while now at the school. A petition for his removal has already garnered over 400 signatures, which will more than likely be determined after Chicago Public Schools officials finish their investigation.
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White Chicago Teacher Under Fire For Hanging Black Doll From String In Front Of Classroom was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570406/the-house-passes-legislation-to-legalize-marijuana-nationwide/
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Opinions surrounding the legalization of marijuana come in various forms, from those in support to those vehemently against it, in addition to the many across the world that plan on partaking regardless.
However, The U.S. House of Representatives may have made that decision a bit easier for those in favor of Mary Jane after passing a legislation today that would make cannabis use legal nationwide.
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As reported by NBC News, the decision was approved by lawmakers in a 220-204 party-line vote. The bill, being referred to as the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, first got its legs after passing in the House last year, however the Senate chose not to move forward. Outside of the obvious recreational use, marijuana would be decriminalized at the federal level in addition to expunging previous weed convictions and taxing the commercial sale of future cannabis products.
Here’s what you need to know about this landmark decision below, via NBC News:
“The tax would begin at 5 percent and eventually increase to 8 percent. Funding raised through the tax would go toward a fund to provide job training, mentoring, substance-use treatment, legal aid, re-entry services and youth recreation programs. It would also provide loans to help small businesses in the cannabis industry that are ‘owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals,’ a summary of the bill said.
‘This landmark legislation is one of the most important criminal justice reform bills in recent history,’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in remarks on the floor Thursday about the measure.
Pelosi said the legislation would deliver ‘justice for those harmed by the brutal, unfair consequences of criminalization,’ open opportunities for people to participate in the industry and decriminalize pot at the federal level ‘so we do not repeat the grave mistakes of our past.’”
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Many are hoping to not have a repeat of what happened last year in the Senate, but it will be pretty tough given the breakdown of Democrats vs Republicans. Dems would need every member to approve and have at least 10 Republicans on board to successfully nab the required 60-vote. For context by way of the House, Republicans Tom McClintock, Matt Gaetz and Brian Mast gave the legislation a yes vote, meanwhile Democrats Chris Pappas and Henry Cueller chose to vote no.
We’ll see how this turns out, but in the meantime spark up responsibly!
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The House Passes Legislation To Legalize Marijuana Nationwide was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570407/will-smith-resigns-from-the-academy-refers-to-the-slap-as-painful-and-inexcusable/
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It’s been a long, long week of news updates following ‘The Slap’ seen & heard around the world, otherwise known as Will Smith slapping the ‘sugar-honey-iced-tea’ out of Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards last Sunday.
The latest comes by way of The Fresh Prince himself, who has surprisingly decided to accept fault for his actions by resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences altogether.
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Smith followed up on the original apology that he posted to social media a day after the attack (seen above) by writing his letter of resignation directly to the Academy’s disciplinary committee. TMZ was able to obtain portions of the letter, which reads, “I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable.” Will continued to express his remorse by adding, “The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.”
The veteran Hollywood star made no excuses for his actions and completely put mercy in the hands of the Academy, also writing, “I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film. So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the board deems appropriate.”
The note ends with more regret on the King Richard star’s behalf, with Smith concluding, “Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.”
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While we doubt this is the end of ‘The Slap’ Saga by a long shot, it’s great to see a grown Black man taking responsibility for exhibiting violence on such a public scale. Even though some believe he might’ve been valid in defending his wife against a crass joke, we can all agree that he could’ve settled this in a more private manner.
The Academy will issue a formal disciplinary decision within a few weeks.
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Will Smith Resigns From The Academy, Refers To ‘The Slap’ As “Painful And Inexcusable” was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570408/eddie-murphy-to-star-in-executive-produce-a-george-clinton-biopic/
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Eddie Murphy is one of our most celebrated men in Black Hollywood, and with each new project he proves why that may very well remain the case for years to come.
The veteran actor, who turns 61 on Sunday, is preparing for the role of a lifetime after reports say the Coming 2 America star will soon be gearing up for the lead in a biopic for Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton.
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According to Deadline, Murphy will also executive produce the as-yet-untitled project alongside Davis Entertainment’s John Davis, Catherine Davis and John Fox. The film is believed to be part of a three-movie/first look deal he inked with Amazon last year, which is separate from upcoming lead roles in a Netflix comedy by Kenya Barris titled You People and the long-awaited Beverly Hills Cop 4 arriving this summer.
More details below on the legacy of George Clinton that makes this such a big deal, via Deadline:
“Clinton is widely considered to be the Godfather of Funk, rivaling James Brown and Sly Stone as the foremost innovators in that musical genre. The film will tell the story of the iconic musician’s humble beginnings in North Carolina in the 1940s to the formation of his groundbreaking bands Parliament and Funkadelic and ultimately to becoming a major influence on artists of the hip-hop generation including Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Outkast and Wu-Tang Clan, among many others.”
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The biopic is just another notch on the belt for Clinton, who recently along with the rest of his P-Funk bandmates received the honor of having a street named after the group in Plainfield, New Jersey (seen above).
However this biopic ends up, we just pray that Clinton himself is involved every step of the way and that Murphy brings out his best acting chops for this one. Also, let’s hope this performance gets recreated for the big screen:
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Eddie Murphy To Star In & Executive Produce A George Clinton Biopic was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570409/blm-global-network-launches-black-joy-creators-fellowship/
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Joy is a radical act. As a practice and as an experience, joy is something that can heal and sustain us when times are tough. But joy also provides opportunities to explore the possibilities beyond the limits of our daily lives.
Creating opportunities for joyful expression is increasingly necessary but often few and far between. The Black Lives Matter Global Network seeks to change that with a new creative fellowship program.
In an exclusive with NewsOne, the Black Lives Matter Global Network shared that it would invest in up-and-coming creators and artists through the “Black Joy Creators” Fellowship. Processing through arts and culture is a privilege that many are not always afforded but is important to help navigate the challenges of the modern world.
“Black Lives Matter recognizes the power of arts and culture to dismantle white supremacy and bring us closer to achieving full liberation not just here in America, but across the globe also,” Black Lives Matter Global Network said in a statement shared with NewsOne. “We plan on working with both young emerging artists and established world-renowned cultural workers to imagine a liberated future for our people. In addition to excellent storytelling, we intend to disrupt current practices around artist exploitation and be industry leaders when it comes to compensation, intellectual property and resources. The Creators’ House is a safe dream space, for us, by us.”
The group has embraced a broad definition of creators, including dancers, filmmakers, culinary artists, and musicians. Storytellers and narrative artists, including podcasters and other digital influencers, are also included under the creator umbrella. The organization is also interested in those who are innovating in the space of ecology.
The group’s focus on supporting creative work is hardly new. Creative endeavors have been built into the organization’s fabric from its inception.
“Art is a part of our origin story, with the first official BLM meeting taking place at the historical art village, St. Elmo,” the network told NewsOne. “We intend to have the kind of impact that the village has had on generations of people by bringing art and culture into sharper focus.”
In the past, Black Futures Month embraced the artwork and creative direction of afro-futurist like Los Angeles based artist Seán Greer. The MLK Artist Series featured six Black artists engaging with the legacy of the late Rev. Martin Luther Jr.
Fellowship opportunities are few and far between, particularly in supporting the work and passion of Black creatives. And when funding is made available, it is often geared toward something traumatic, requiring creators to be immersed in pain instead of reveling in abundance and joy.
In the midst of so much happening on the domestic and global level, it could feel trivial to some people to focus on supporting the arts. But art in all its many forms has provided Black communities with a necessary outlet.
The Black Lives Matter Global Network says it also draws inspiration from the Black Arts Movement, a period of deep cultural engagement by Black artists pushing the boundaries of the revolutionary imagination.
“We welcome influencers to build in community with us,” the Black Lives Matter Global Network said. “We are inspired by the elders and ancestors of the Black Arts Movement who created theater and art space to support, propel, and inspire the Black Power movement of the 1960s. We are still fine-tuning the model, but wherever we land, just know it will infuse abolitionist practices and be Black as hell.”
In addition to providing financial support, the network will also provide creators with mentorship and social media engagement. An advisory committee will oversee the fellowship selection process.
“It is vital that we not replicate the white supremacist models used in the industry, and we are able to be intentional about truly uplifting creatives with our model,” the network explained. “We are redefining what it means to be an activist.”
SEE ALSO:
Oakland Architect And Activist Deanna Van Buren Uses Design As A Means For Restorative Justice
Nonprofit Hit The Books Merges Academics And Mixed Martial Arts To Empower Harlem Youth
‘Oppressive Policy’: Racial Justice Organizations Condemn Black Lives Matter Ban At Olympics
BLM Global Network Launches 'Black Joy Creators' Fellowship was originally published on newsone.com
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The Atlanta-based Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative (SNaP Co.) wants people to go deeper than visibility. In a new report, “Deeper Than Visibility,” SNaP Co. challenges policymakers and allies to consider many perspectives in pursuing public safety policies.
The report’s release coincided with the 13th annual Trans Day of Visibility. In the report’s introduction, SNaP Co. Executive Director Toni-Michelle Williams said that everyone deserves to feel safe.
“To be transformed by grace and mercy in a way that snowballs into more safety for each of us because safety cannot exist for some and not all,” Williams wrote.
Williams told NewsOne the new report arose from coalition organizing over the past few years in a city that claims it’s “too busy to hate.”
“Our commitment was just to talk to the people and pull the stories that we knew were true, and to be open and curious about the stories that we didn’t know,” Williams said. “We wanted to do a project that focused directly on Black, queer and trans issues, which is why we developed ‘Deeper Than Visibility.’”
Even before the killing of Rayshard Brooks in June 2020, SNap Co has worked with coalition partners to reimagine public safety. But after an Atlanta police officer killed Brooks, SNaP Co took its organizing to a new level. The organization hired 14 trans and queer organizers, including two youth organizers, to launch a community survey on what it means to have a safer Atlanta.
Equipped with PPE and proper safety protocols, the SNaP Co. organizers spoke with people across four counties in the Metro-Atlanta area: DeKalb, Clayton, Fulton, and Cobb. The group worked with allied Atlanta-based organizations like Women on the Rise, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and the Southern Center for Human Rights. The Movement for Black Lives also provided support for the organizing effort.
“As an abolitionist organization, we knew that there were different kinds of conversations that Black people were having about police,” she said. “And there were more conversations that needed to happen.”
From that organizing work, the “Deeper Than Visibility” report emerged. By interweaving narrative spotlights called “Tale From the Trenches” sharing individual experiences and reflections, the report provides expansive rarely explored in conversations of safety or visibility. But as Williams explains, it isn’t either/or, the two concepts are intertwined.
“The premise of the report is about how there is a small group of people in Atlanta who are Black, trans and queer fighting for everybody,” Williams explained. “And this report is an invitation for everybody to jump into the work with us. Especially as we are leading into another election.”
Grounded in a Black trans feminist framework, the “Deeper Than Visibility” report also shares the results of community surveys that engaged people in four Metro-Atlanta counties about Black community experiences with law enforcement. As part of a broader “mixed-methods” study, the survey engaged 565 respondents. Over 76 percent of respondents said they could call someone other than law enforcement.
When asked what the top five issues impacting their communities were, respondents named homelessness, poverty, gentrification, lack of addiction and mental health services, and police misconduct/abuse and police-involved shootings. The report noted that even though homelessness was a concern, respondents had little awareness of the greater risk for unemployment and poverty facing transgender community members.
A part of the coalition that worked to address marijuana decriminalization in Atlanta and closing the Atlanta City Detention Center, SNaP Co. has remained in campaign mode over the past few years.
“We wanted more than anything to lead campaigns that truly center trans people,” Williams shared. “And we know that when we center trans people, that would liberate everyone. A lot of our other campaigns were centered around the experiences of Black cis heterosexual men, and then also the experiences of Black cis women.”
This point stood out as she also reflected on the recent murders of two Black trans women in Chicago. Elise Malary and Tatiana Labelle were both in their early 30s at the time of their murders.
Black trans and queer folks are often front and center in fights for justice. We must hold them down year-round and not just on commemorative days or designated weeks of action.
“At the bottom line, we have to connect when it involves our safety,” Williams said. “We have to hear what people need to be safe and act on it. We have to interrupt violence when it’s happening. We have to show up for trans people and for people when homophobia and transphobia is happening.”
This year’s day of recognition comes as many states are taking action to limit the rights and privacy afforded transgender people. Last year attorney Chase Strangio and writer and activist launched a Trans Week of Visibility and Action to spread awareness about the legislative attacks happening to trans people of all ages and help allies understand how to support efforts to fight back.
All of the work to raise awareness and build new understandings of what it means to keep each other safe must include Black trans folks at the outset and not as an afterthought. Williams said it is important to listen to what people feel they need to be safe and act on it.
“It is imperative that we have a culture shift in how we receive each other’s truths,” Williams said. “We are the embodiment of what it means to love and interrupt time in a real way.”
SEE ALSO:
Don Cheadle ‘Protect Trans Kids’ Picture Goes Viral During Day Two Of Week Of Visibility And Action
'Deeper Than Visibility' Centers Trans Experiences With Safety was originally published on newsone.com
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Chloe Bailey has taken to Instagram to strip down and bare all while teasing her new single, “Treat Me” and she looks good!
For her IG post, the r&b songstress posed in nothing but black undies and a massive black jacket. She accessorized the look with black platform heels, a dramatic necklace that stopped at her belly button and wore trendy, square glasses on her face. As for her hair, she traded in her signature locs for a high ponytail with a thick bang that laid across her forehead. The finished black and white cover art looked perfect, which included the singer’s name and the new song’s title, “Treat Me” handwritten in red ink.
‘TREAT ME DROPS 4/8 y’all ready? make sure you pre-save, link in bio ,” the r&b crooner captioned the photo.
Check out the hawt look below.
But this new single isn’t the only thing we’re anticipating from the “Have Mercy” artist. Chloe recently took to Twitter to dish out the deets on her new album which could arrive this summer. In a series of tweets, she shared her excitement for the upcoming project with her fans, Tweeting, “I don’t control dates or anything, but just know i’m super proud of this project. it means absolutely everything to me.”
We can’t wait to stream the new single!
Don’t miss…
Chloe Bailey Strips Down To Tease Her New Single, ‘Treat Me’ was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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Congress moved one step closer to decriminalizing marijuana as the House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE Act). Led by members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the MORE Act would remove marijuana from the schedule of controlled substances.
The bill does not legalize marijuana but is seen as a step toward legalization by many. It passed mostly along party lines, with three Republicans joining Democrats in voting in favor of the legislation.
According to a recent Vox explainer addressing the various issues related to marijuana production, sale and consumption could involve multiple pieces of legislation. But the MORE Act addresses many of the concerns and seems to represent the most comprehensive approach if only one piece of legislation were to move forward.
The caucus called the bill’s passage a “key racial, economic and criminal justice” victory.
“Studies show a Black person is 3.64 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white person, even though Black and white people use marijuana at similar rates,” read the statement. “Not only does the MORE Act decriminalize marijuana, but it also takes on mass incarceration by eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana, and establishing a process to expunge marijuana-related convictions.”
Rep. Barbara Lee echoed the statement in remarks urging her House colleagues to vote for the legislation.
“Make no mistake: Yes, it IS a racial justice bill…We must end this failed policy of marijuana prohibition, which has led to the shattering of so many lives – primarily Black and Brown people,” Lees said.
Rep. Nikema Williams, who represents the Fifth Congressional District in Georgia covering a majority of Atlanta, challenged those who don’t see cannabis equity as racial justice.
“Black, Latino, and Indigenous people have carried the brunt of marijuana criminalization while being shut out of the legal cannabis market,” Williams tweeted. “Don’t tell me cannabis equity isn’t a racial justice issue. #WeNeedMORE.”
Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, praised the House and urged the Senate to take up the bill quickly. Hewitt said the act’s provisions correcting harm caused by people’s entanglement in the federal criminal legal system could impact many Americans.
“The war on drugs drove the disturbing rise of mass incarceration nationwide, disrupting families and derailing the lives of millions of Americans,” Hewitt said.
This is the second time the House has passed the MORE Act. It matters that the House continues to push forward legislation that represents the people’s will and moves the country forward. While it is expected that the MORE Act will not pass the Senate, it is another example of why expanding the majority is essential for Democrats looking to move important legislation forward.
A Gallup poll showed that 68 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana. It’s estimated that half of Republican voters also support legalization.
Sydney Richardson-Gorski, a policy associate with the Lawyers’ Committee, said the war on drugs was a devastating policy effort that destabilized Black and other communities of color.
“The criminalization of marijuana has had a devastating effect on our communities, and the solutions to the problem need to have a focus on those most impacted, Richardson-Gorski said. “The MORE Act does just that. With comprehensive reforms like retroactive decriminalization, a new Office of Cannabis Justice, and targeted tax applications, the MORE Act takes a vital step toward repair.”
SEE ALSO:
Senate Candidate Gary Chambers Smokes A Blunt While Blasting Marijuana Arrests In First Campaign Ad
Life Sentence Over Weed Conviction Upheld Is For ‘Habitual Offender’ In Mississippi
New Jersey Becomes The First Mid-Atlantic State To ‘Free the Weed’
House Passes Marijuana Equity And Decriminalization Bill was originally published on newsone.com
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It appears as the 94Th Oscars award show has erupted the ugly insides to a internet and social shock of the year. Will Smith’s bold Oscar slapping stunt towards Chris Rock, has opened up a can of smoke from Tony Rock. If Im my brothers keeper was a comedy set. Press play to see what “Pac ” on em all year long really means. Even tho Will apologize publicly to Chris , little brother finds it too far across the line as disrespect.
Pskillz (@PskillzFlo)
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3570927/congressional-democrats-want-president-biden-to-extend-student-loan-pause-and-cancel-portion-of-debt/
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Congressional Democrats are ramping up calls for the president to extend the current pause on federal student loan repayment and cancel some portion of student loan debt. In a letter dated March 31, Democrats asked President Biden to extend the pause through the end of the year and take steps toward canceling the federal student loans.
“As your administration works towards rebuilding a more equitable and just economy, it should use its administrative powers to address this crisis and permanently relieve the millions of borrowers struggling with this debt,” the letter read. “Canceling a meaningful amount of student debt will provide long-term benefits to individuals and the economy, helping families buy their first homes, open a small business, or invest in their retirement.”
Letter signers include Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Jim Clyburn, Alma Adams, Mondaire Jones, Jahana Hayes, and Hank Johnson. Sens. Cory Booker and Raphael Warnock, the only two Black members of the Senate Democratic caucus, also signed the letter. They were joined by several others, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Alex Padilla, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Mazie K. Hirono.
Common Dream reported that the group also recounted Biden’s campaign promise of forgiving debt for those whose families made less than $125,000 and went to a public university. On Saturday morning, Warren tweeted a poll from Data for Progress showing a likely increase in voter turnout in key states in November the loans were forgiven.
“Student debt relief could be the deciding issue for Democratic voters in November. I’ll keep saying it: Today would be a perfect day for President @JoeBiden to #CancelStudentDebt,” Warren tweeted.
Clyburn previously collaborated with Warren to introduce a bill to eliminate up to $50,000 of federal student loan debt. Warren and others have cited the $50,000 threshold as providing full relief for 75 percent of those with student loan debt.
In a roundtable discussion with Black journalists, Schumer and Warren said people need to share their support for debt forgiveness with the president.
“We’ve got a chance to make a little justice in this country over the next month,” Warren said. “We can do this now.”
While there is some disagreement about the proper path forward, there is a general understanding of the burden student loans have placed on millions of Americans of all ages. And even though the president has previously drawn a line between those who went to a public university and those who went to private colleges or Ivy League schools, the debt burden is universal. The Ivory Tower doesn’t benefit all alumni equally despite the impression students were given when trying to choose a place to attend.
A recent NPR investigation points out how a repayment program that was supposed to help borrowers struggling with repayment had failed many when it came to promised cancellation after 20-25 years. The investigation found that most people making payments under federal income-drive repayment plans have not received proper credit for payments made toward cancellation.
According to the investigation, the first income-driven repayment plans were unveiled in the early 1990s, but only 32 people out of 4.4 million borrowers had their loans canceled decades later. Citing documents revealed that in 2021, mismanagement of borrower records has been attributed to mismanagement by loan servicers and the U.S. Department of Education.
More than half of Black borrowers making payments on the income-driven repayment plan qualify for a $0 payment. The major requirement is having an income less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level. A family of four with less than 150 percent of the 2022 federal poverty level is an annual income of less than $41,625. The income-driven repayment plans cap repayment at 10-15 percent of annual income for qualifying borrowers with higher incomes.
The National Consumer Law Center stated on Wednesday, March 30, calling out a major federal student loan servicer for failing to inform borrowers of Federal Family Education Loans of their eligibility for the public service loan forgiveness program. This latest information adds to the list of issues with the management of student debt repayment and the cycle of never-ending repayment millions of borrowers find themselves trapped in.
“Public Service Loan Forgiveness is often a bellwether for other problems within the student loan system. For years, federal student loan servicers have failed to provide information about Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) options to borrowers who couldn’t afford their monthly payments,” the statement read. “Instead, borrowers were pushed into forbearances – which offered only temporary payment relief at a cost: mounting interest and lost time towards IDR cancellation.”
SEE ALSO:
Senate Democrats Say People Should Press Biden On Student Loan Forgiveness
Biden Deferring Student Loan Payments Again Falls Short Of Campaign Promise To Cancel Debt
Congressional Democrats Want President Biden To Extend Student Loan Pause And Cancel Portion Of Debt was originally published on newsone.com
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The eyes of men, women, and children worldwide are always locked into World Wrestling Entertainment’s biggest event of the year, Wrestlemania, and last night was no exception. With 77,899 in attendance at AT&T Stadium, outside of Dallas, Texas, and millions watching worldwide, the WWE Universe and causal fans of wrestling got to see huge matches with legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin, established stars including Charlotte Flair and Seth Rollins, and this year an experience, never seen at a major WWE event before.
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WWE superstar Bianca Belair is known for her extraordinary athleticism (A former NCAA Division 1 Track Star), bold ring attire, and unapologetically bringing the Black experience to the squared circle for the world to see. This year, during night one of the 38th edition of Wrestlemania Bianca raised the bar by bringing one of HBCU’s most celebrated Marching Bands to the show.
Texas Southern University Marching Band, also known as the “Ocean of Soul” performed Belair’s theme song “Watch Me Shine,” bringing the HBCU Experience to the “most stupendous” night of the wrestling year. Backed by the band, Belair went on to defeat her heated rival, Becky Lynch for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship, in what many say was the match that stole the show.
This isn’t Bianca’s first time on wrestling’s biggest stage. Last year at Wrestlemania 37, the star along with fellow WWE star Sasha Banks became the first two Black women to main event Wrestlemania. Belair defeated Banks in the historic matchup, solidifying her star status.
There will be more Black Star Power at Wrestlemania during night 2. Banks will team up with Naomi to wrestle Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan, Natalya and Shayna Baszler, and champions and champions Queen Zelina & Carmella for the Women’s Tag Team Championships. In a battle between two behemoths, former Raw WWE champion Bobby Lashley will fight the seven-foot plus Omos. Belair’s husband, Montez Ford will team up with his partner Angelo Dawkins (known as the Street Profits) and will be going after the WWE Raw Tag Team Titles versus champions RK-Bro and Alpha Academy.
But night one, and maybe the weekend belong to Bianca Belair. Salute and thank you for bringing the Black experience to the masses.
RELATED: WWE Icon Triple H Says Heart Failure Has Ended His Future In Wrestling
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READ MORE STORIES ON BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM:
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WWE Superstar Bianca Belair Brought “The Ocean Of Soul” & The HBCU Experience To Wrestlemania was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3571339/mlks-beyond-vietnam-speech-at-55/
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Fifty-five years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered an impassioned speech addressing the evils of militarism, materialism and racism. While many cite his “I Have a Dream Speech” as his most influential speech, “Beyond Vietnam – A Time To Break Silence” showed strength and courage in a moment that mattered.
While many remember Dr. King’s speech as a necessity amid a horrible war waged abroad while communities struggled at home, he received a lot of backlash for being against the war. Dr. King delivered the speech at Riverside Church in New York, exactly one year before his assassination.
A few weeks after the “Beyond Vietnam” speech, Dr. King would continue with the anti-war theme by explaining to his home congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church, “Why I am Opposed to the War in Vietnam.”
On Saturday, April 2, Bernice A. King joined a commemoration of her father’s historic anti-war speech at Riverside Church. The event included a collective reading of the seminal speech followed by a panel discussion.
Dr. Bernice King noted that her father was not entirely alone in his stance. She described her mother, Coretta Scott King, as not only her father’s life partner but also a great motivator “who stood with him and, over and over again, encouraged him to lend his moral voice to the peace movement.”
She said that his courage at the moment was not automatic but that he made a choice and didn’t back down.
“Today, we are being called to make the same choice,” Dr. Bernice King explained. “To be in agreement with and in alignment with our conscience. This is a call to conscience all over the world because oftentimes people agonize in places of influence and leadership to break their silence.”
As previously reported by The Guardian, Coretta Scott King was a co-founder of the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy in 1957. In 1965, the mother of four stood firm in her principles and continued to speak out against the Vietnam War prompting Dr. King to correct the record and explain that his wife had “educated him” on the issue. (Read the full article here).
Three weeks after her husband was violently taken away from his family, Coretta Scott King again challenged the American conscience by taking Dr. King’s place at an anti-war rally in Central Park.
“My husband always saw the problem of racism and poverty here at home and militarism abroad as two sides of the same coin,” she said. “It is even very clear that our policy at home is to try to solve social problems through military means just as we have done abroad. The interrelatedness of domestic and foreign affairs is no longer questioned. The bombs we drop on the people of Vietnam continue to explode at home with all of their devastating potential.”
Their words calling for nonviolent co-existence still ring true today. The willingness to speak the truth regardless of the social and political cost has never been popular.
Arguably, Dr. King and Coretta Scott King’s outspokenness paved the way for Rep. Barbara Lee’s stance against the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) a week after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Lee was the only person out of 535 members of Congress to vote against the action that was set in motion 20 years of war in Afghanistan.
Whether funding the Vietnam War or contemporary military expenditures, the excess spending on violence at home and abroad continues to outpace financing of domestic ventures. Courage to act may not be automatic but is nevertheless necessary.
The continued military excess and funding of neverending wars and military intervention abroad, with billions poured into the militarization of policing in our communities across the country comes at the expense of the general welfare and wellbeing of the nation.
“I’m saying to all of us that we in that season now that we have to Break our silence is not just in this regard, but in every arena of American life and the world,” Dr. Bernice King said.
Watch the full event below:
SEE ALSO:
All The King’s Words: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Most Riveting Quotes
Martin Luther King’s Most Iconic Speeches Of All Time
MLK's 'Beyond Vietnam' Speech At 55 was originally published on newsone.com
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I normally don’t write posts on Hip-Hop Wired in my own voice because, well, who cares about what I have to say nine times out of 10, right? However, I want to be honest and say that I’m just eight songs on DJ Drama & Dreamville Presents D-DAY: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape and it’s definitely going to blow some minds due to its high quality and variety.
The genius of J. Cole’s squad releasing this project on the eve of the revived Dreamville Festival this weekend can’t be understated and every member of the roster came to show the absolute best of their abilities.
Without laboring through each track, we’ll just say that J.I.D., EarthGang, Ari Lennox, Lute, Cozz, Bas, Omen, and J. Cole show and prove across the 15 tracks much as they did during the excellent Revenge Of The Dreamers III compilation. In a similar vein heard on Tyler, The Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, DJ Drama’s presence is undeniable and most necessary. We should also note that the Dreamville crew worked on this album recently as this week due to a Chris Rock Oscars reference.
There might be something for everyone and what we’re most excited about is the powerhouse vocals of the beautiful Ari Lennox and getting to hear more of Lute, Omen, and Cozz. That said, there isn’t one second of filler on the project, and it all gets bolstered by smart features such as 2 Chainz, Sheck Wes, Young Nudy, G Perico, REASON, A$AP Ferg, and Kenny Mason.
Although Cole largely stays out of the way and lets his soldiers shine, it wouldn’t be right if the head of the outfit didn’t get off on a couple of tracks of his own. The Fayetteville, N.C. native goes in on the tracks “Freedom of Speech” and the project closer, “Heaven’s EP.”
On Twitter, folks are slowly catching on and we’re sure this mixtape will be on everyone’s mind before the weekend is over considering the power-packed material within.
Check out the reactions below and access the project at your preferred DSP below.
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Photo: Dreamville
DJ Drama & Dreamville Drop Power-Packed ‘D-DAY: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape’ was originally published on hiphopwired.com
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Dreamville Festival Day 1: Lil Baby, Fivio Foriegn, Morray & More Hit The Stage! [Photos] was originally published on hiphopnc.com
Dreamville Festival Day 1: Lil Baby, Fivio Foriegn, Morray & More Hit The Stage! [Photos] was originally published on hiphopnc.com
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Hampton University has received significant backlash from its students and alumni after the school announced it would allow students impacted by the war in Ukraine to study at their campus for free.
In March, the school announced that it would allow students studying in Ukraine and around the world who are impacted by the ongoing war to attend the Virginia-based HBCU in the summer for free.
The backlash on social media came swiftly as many people questioned why the University would help these international students while many students already on campus were struggling themselves.
We have received criticism and we’ve received calls asking for further explanation,” said Margaret Martin the Hampton University Ukrainian Chair in an exclusive with NewsOne. “At the core of it, we are simply saying that we can help because we are an institution of higher education, we can help in that area.”
The idea to help these students came from Hampton University President Dr. William Harvey who has stepped up and offered similar assistance in situations like this before. Hampton offered Xavier University of Louisiana students a chance to study at Hampton for free when Hurricane Katrina caused serious damage to their campus. Years later, Students at the University of the Bahamas would get the same opportunity after Hurricane Dorian.
“His thinking was that when Hampton has the ability to offer assistance and help to people in need we try to do that,” said Martin. “Hampton is in the business of education and service that’s been our legacy since our founding in 1868.”
Many in the HBCU community were critical of the move by Hampton because students who don’t even go to the University were getting free access to resources on campus that many other students could have utilized. The University says that their students are their first concern and they encourage any student to ask for help.
Martin said that none of the money allotted strictly for Hampton students will be touched for the Ukraine initiative. Hampton students have access to $30 million in annual endowed scholarship money and $73 million in federal funding.
“Our students here at Hampton are first. They are our first concern, They are the center and the focus of what we do here,” stated Martin. “There is no project, there is no group of people that we would ever put before them or that we consider more important than they are.”
The conversation around this decision by Hampton officials has sparked a national conversation about how HBCUs should insert themselves into world issues.
“It’s an act of kindness for people who have been displaced. Students who have had to flee the country on a moment’s notice and have either landed in their home countries or a country that is not home wishing to continue their educational pursuit,” said Martin. “We saw that as an opportunity to lend a helping hand and we hope and believe that our student body is coming to understand that and that our alumni base is coming to understand that.“
SEE ALSO:
Hampton University’s Free Tuition Offer To Ukraine Students Draws Attention To Debt Crisis At HBCUs
Hampton University Professor Leads Initiative To Bring Health Screenings To Black Barbershops
Hampton Addresses Free Tuition For Ukraine Students Criticism was originally published on newsone.com
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Welp, Donald Trump‘s Truth Social app is up and running. Well, it’s up, anyway. The “running” part of Trump’s Twitter alternative appears to be hitting some snags—which is to say the launch of the app has become as disastrous as Trump’s failure of a presidency.
For those who are unaware or have forgotten (because this sh** is as forgettable as the heyday of Kid Rock’s career), Trump announced last October that he was launching his own social media app in order to “stand up to the tyranny of big tech.” But really, he was just still salty about being banned from Twitter and he needed a virtual gathering spot for MAGA rubes, QMorons, and white nationalists (I know, redundant AF) who he could tell his lies to without pesky fact-checkers tagging his posts and without admins to ban him for spreading demonstrably dangerous Trump-aganda.
According to BBC News, the app launched on February 21, which was Presidents’ Day, which means even Trump’s launch date was a symbolic lie because, despite his continued claims that he won the 2020 election, Trumple-weird-skin hadn’t been a president more than a year. Besides all of that, a month and a half after its launch, nearly 1.5 million people who have downloaded the app are still on a waiting list to be able to access it due to technical difficulties no one seems to know how to fix.
“Truth Social might look like Twitter, but it isn’t available on Android phones, web browsers, or, apparently, to most people outside the US,” BBC reported. (This is one flex we can expect millions of iPhone users to ignore.)
“It’s been a disaster,” Joshua Tucker, director of NYU’s Center for Social Media and Politics, said of the app’s launch.
“Nobody seems to know what’s going on,” a Trump ally who requested anonymity said.
Sadly but unsurprisingly—because the right-wing world has officially turned Idiocracy into a real-life documentary—Truth Social was one of the App Store’s most downloaded apps on the day of its launch. But a lot of people who downloaded were unable to use it. In fact, a reporter for BBC said he tried to register a profile on the app and was placed at number 1,419,631 on the waiting list.
Truth Social Chief Executive Devin Nunes said the goal was for the app to be “fully operational” by the end of March, yet here we are in early April and MAGA-mutts still can’t get access when all they want to do is shower bimonthly and get served daily lies under a banner of “Truth” in peace. So, what gives? Well, it appears nobody knows, but people are like, “f*** it” at this point, and the app’s popularity is paying the price.
From BBC:
While YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are among the 10 most downloaded apps, according to Similar Web, Truth Social is outside the top 100.
Users who find their way in can find the app a little empty, as many big voices on the American right have so far stayed away.
Another study found downloads have fallen by as much as 95%.
And many are feeling frustrated.
“Signed up for Truth Social a couple weeks ago and still on a waiting list,” one Twitter user said, on Tuesday.
“By the time I’m off the waiting list and on to Truth Social for real, Trump will be President again,” joked another.
LOL! Yeah, good luck with that.
Trump is reportedly furious that more people aren’t joining his janky-a** app and he doesn’t know what to do with his relatively paltry 750,000 followers so he hasn’t posted on the app in more than a month. We all know that if Trump was still on Twitter, we’d be hearing about “big tech” rigging his app like the Biden Illuminati rigged voting machines against him.
Anyway, we can file this news under: “Who cares? But also, this is kinda funny.”
SEE ALSO:
Donald Trump Urges Russian President Vladimir Putin To Dish Dirt On Joe Biden’s Family
Vernon Jones Says He’s A Trump Supporter, But He Voted Democrat In 2020, Records Show
Trump's 'Truth Social' App Experiencing Technical Difficulties was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3571793/lo-down-lee-daniels-monique-mend-relationship-keyshia-coles-new-boo-more/
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As always Lore’l is coming through with “The Lo Down,” and the latest headlines to make it in her report are sure to keep you well-versed on what’s going down in our culture. It’s been a busy week for the world as celebrations went on for the 64th annual Grammy Awards and more. First up, Lee Daniels publicly apologizes and gives comedian Monique her flowers! After years of silence, looks like Lee Daniels is finally ready to fix his relationship with Monique and we love to see it!
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Next up, Keyshia Cole recently shared that she is ready for more children and would love to have a baby girl to complete the clan! While were all rooting for that to happen, it’s her recent friendship with former football player, A.B. that’s has fans raising their eyebrows and wondering if there’s more to the story. Watch the full video and don’t forget to tune in to The Lo Down everyday on The Morning Hustle from 6-10am ET.
HEAD BACK TO THEMORNINGHUSTLE.COM HOME PAGE
Lo Down: Lee Daniels & Monique Mend Relationship, Keyshia Cole’s New Boo, & More! was originally published on themorninghustle.com
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It’s widely understood that everyone has their own ways of coping with the death of a loved one. However, some forms of grief can come off as over-the-top — a fairly new taboo practice known as “extreme embalming” definitely ranks high on the ‘WTF’ meter.
The recent murder of a Maryland rapper proved to be quite hard on his family, but they made sure that his final performance was an everlasting one by erecting his dead body up at a nightclub and hosting a funeral service so that all his loyal loved ones could pay their final respects face-to-face.
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The Sun was able to obtain ghoulishly shocking images from the funeral service of 24-year-old Markelle Morrow, known primarily by his rap moniker “Goonew.” The home-going celebration was hosted at Bliss nightclub in Washington D.C. this past Sunday, commemorating the deceased rapper who was shot dead last month on March 18 in Prince George’s County. PGPD say the District Heights shooting happened around 5:45PM in a parking lot on the 2400 block of Walters Lane.
More details from that tragic day below, via WUSA9:
“Goonew was killed blocks away from the neighborhood where he was born. His mother says he was killed when he was on his way to give his sister a birthday gift, but never made it.
‘I heard … screaming that Markelle got shot down the street and my daughter ran straight out and I couldn’t move I this was shaking really bad my mouth starts shivering really bad,’ Parker Morrow said. ‘I just couldn’t move for a long long time.’
In the parking lot where he was shot, a memorial sits. Goonew’s mother says it was ultimately a bullet to the back that killed him.
‘They wanted my son dead because he gave it up. They took his chain. They took his watch. He gave it up and they still shot him in his back,’ Parker Morrow said.”
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Outside of his bizarre funeral service, Goonew had a rising career as a rapper out of the DMV that even had a prominent feature a few years ago on Noisey / VICE News. Prince George’s County Crime Solvers are accepting anonymous tips in his still-unsolved murder at 1-866-411-8477, in addition to detectives on the case at 301-516-2512.
We hope Markelle “Goonew” Morrow finds peace in the afterlife and as much love as he clearly did on Earth.
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Murdered Maryland Rapper Embalmed & Propped Up At Nightclub Funeral Service was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3571878/kanye-west-drops-out-as-coachella-2022-headliner-travis-scott-also-will-be-a-no-show/
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The past few months for hip-hop icon Kanye West have felt like one emotionally unstable rollercoaster to witness, not to mention making for some rather head-turning headlines.
Surprisingly enough though, Ye has chosen to keep quiet in recent weeks — a 24-hour Instagram suspension & booted GRAMMYs performance may have played a part in that — and it looks like he’ll be staying quiet on the music side as well after reports are now saying the College Dropout emcee is dropping out of his anticipated headlining set at Coachella scheduled to begin next weekend.
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TMZ broke the news of Ye’s cancelled trip to Coachella Valley, which also means scheduled special guest Travis Scott will also not be in attendance. As many are aware, Scott was one of the original headliners for 2022, even before Ye, until the tragic events at his Astroworld Festival last November persuaded the fan-favorite festival to drop him from the lineup. This news comes not too long after an unconfirmed report that suggested Kanye told ex-wife Kim Kardashian that he was “going away” for a while to get help after various public stunts that put his shaky mental health at the forefront.
So far, their relationship seems to be civil at best after the two were spotted together at their son Saint’s soccer game last week (March 27) but clearly doing their best to avoid eye contact or any verbal communication.
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No word yet on who will be replacing Kanye at Coachella 2022, which currently still has pop sensation Harry Styles, reunited EDM vets Swedish House Mafia and recent GRAMMYs stage-stealer Billie Eilish to look forward to. Let’s hope Ye takes this down time to focus on his own inner peace.
Take a look at what fans will be missing out on at this year’s Coachella Festival below:
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Kanye West Drops Out As Coachella 2022 Headliner, Travis Scott Also Will Be A No-Show was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3571879/cops-called-on-two-black-students-at-georgia-state-university-for-being-two-minutes-late-to-class/
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For many students, and even those who can remember what it was like to be in grade school, the anxiety of running late for class can sometimes feel like being on trial. However, academic tardiness shouldn’t actually result in trouble with the law.
Two Black students at Georgia State University found themselves in an unlikely run-in with authorities after a professor, also Black, called campus police on them for arriving to her class just two minutes late.
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As most things do these days, the story first went viral on TikTok according to Atlanta Black Star. Student Bria Blake spoke out on the social media platform to tell her side of the story as a direct witness of the incident. Blake claims that two classmates named Taylor and Kamryn arrived a mere 120 seconds past the time their English class began at GSU’s Perimeter College. That’s when she says Professor Carissa Gray asked the students to leave, which they refused to do as Taylor said, “We paid to be here.” Gray then left the room and came back with armed officers.
More details below, via Atlanta Black Star:
“According to Blake’s account, when the two students arrived at the classroom, the door had not been shut. She alleges the professor allowed them to not only enter into the room, but walk to their seats, sit down, and ‘take out their things to take notes.’
The social media influencer said the female campus security officer confiscated one of the students’ items. She identifies the student as ‘Taylor’ and notes that her property was only returned to her after she consented to leave.
‘She then went down to the Advisement Center to figure out who she could talk to [in order] to file a report,’ Blake said. ‘She was directed to go to the department head. Professor Mason then told Taylor that her only two options were to either stay in an environment that she didn’t feel safe in or take an ‘F.’’”
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Blake made a great argument for the mistreatment of her classmates, concluding her viral video by stating, “Stuff like this cannot keep happening to Black youth in America,” and also adding, “Stop weaponizing the police against Black people.” The school says they are looking into the matter, with a representative giving some form of explanation by stating, “Campus police arrived after being called by the faculty member and immediately de-escalated the situation between the students and faculty member.”
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Cops Called On Two Black Students At Georgia State University For Being Two Minutes Late To Class was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3571880/hbcu-climate-change-conference-could-spark-needed-conversations/
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The HBCU Community will come together for the 8th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference next week.
The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice in collaboration will host the event in collaboration with Texas Southern University on April 13 – 16, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The goal of the conference is to unite HBCU faculty, students, researchers, climate professionals and environmental justice, and coastal community residents affected by detrimental weather caused by or related to climate change. The conference will work to help eliminate the gap between theory and the day-to-day realities of climate change. Issues such as climate justice, adaptation, community resilience, global climate problems, and other major climate change topics like transportation, energy sources, carbon emissions, and more will be discussed at the event as well.
Also, the conference will work to incorporate local high school students into the activities of the conference. These teenagers who are looking to attend College will have the opportunity to learn more about how climate science is an integral part of their lives. The activities will offer an introductory glimpse into the realities of climate change for these young students through computer-simulated games and other forms of engaging learning tools.
The conference was originally postponed until the Spring of 2022 due to the surge in the COVID19 Omicron Variant. But now the HBCU community will have an opportunity to come together to discuss and hopefully find some practical solutions to a very important issue.
In May of 2021, Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, spoke to theGrio about the importance of inclusion for HBCUs and becoming actively involved in the discussion on climate change.
“My first venture out in this COVID environment was to Howard University … it was to announce a $17 million opportunity at DOE [Department of Energy] offering to support college internships and research projects and opportunities and to bolster investment in underrepresented use in minority-serving institutions,” said Granholm.
“If you don’t have diverse researchers at the table, your research product, whatever it is, is going to not be as effective,” Granholm continued. “So, for example, when we have all this face recognition software out there, all this artificial intelligence, well, they’re the way MIS identifies African-American faces, especially in law enforcement. If you have more people of color who are on the teams doing the development of that software and that technology, then you will not have that problem.”
The conference will likely continue to serve as a vital step in helping to get more diversity in the conversations around climate change.
“We have to have diverse participation in the design of these products and the research of them,” stated Granholm. “And that’s why we need to increase the diversity in our laboratories, but of our stem, our science, technology, engineering, and math workforce.”
SEE ALSO:
President Biden Releases Funding Proposal For HBCUs, Shifts Pressure On Congress To Act
United Negro College Fund Launches HBCUv Platform To Advance Digital Learning, Cultivate Community
HBCU Climate Change Conference Could Spark Needed Conversations was originally published on newsone.com
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Dreamville Festival Day 1: Lil Baby, Fivio Foriegn, Morray & More Hit The Stage! [Photos]
J.Cole Closes Out The Dreamville Festival With An Unforgettable Performance [Photos] was originally published on hiphopnc.com
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Source:R1J.Cole Closes Out The Dreamville Festival With An Unforgettable Performance [Photos] j.cole closes out the dreamville festival with an unforgettable performance [photos]
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Source:otherJ.Cole Closes Out The Dreamville Festival With An Unforgettable Performance [Photos] j.cole closes out the dreamville festival with an unforgettable performance [photos]
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https://thebeatdfw.com/playlist/life-on-the-spectrum-these-celebs-and-their-kids-are-celebrating-autism-acceptance-month-gallery/
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Autism Acceptance Month, formerly known as Autism Awareness Month, is recognized in the month of April and it aims to celebrate and promote acceptance for the condition that occurs in one in every 54 children as of 2020 in the US. Many celebrities have opened up about their children, who fall within the spectrum. We created a gallery to celebrate them.
Autism is a complex developmental condition affecting the person’s ability to interact, communicate, and progress. It has many subtypes, which is why there is a spectrum one may fall under. Autism Acceptance Month was first held in the year 1972 by the Autism Society, emphasizing the need for public awareness to promote acceptance, celebrate the differences, and be more inclusive towards autistic individuals around us.
The autism diagnosis rate is increasing, so it is vital that we take these 30 days to celebrate the differences, learn more about the effects and empower our autistic community.
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a brain developmental disorder caused by genetic mutation and sometimes, by environmental triggers. Although the autism spectrum is vast, some of the common signs in autistic individuals are repetitive behaviors, hyperactivity, and extreme sensitivity to light, touch, and sound.
Is there A Cure?
While there is no absolute cure for autism, therapies and medication can help reduce abnormal behavior and the onset of related symptoms such as seizures.
How to observe Autism Acceptance Month?
- Find and participate in local groups activities: There are many events lined by local autism awareness organizations in your city. Reach out to one of the local groups, get a timetable of the events planned for the month, and make sure you bring along your children to participate. These can range from fundraisers to Awareness Walks.
- Read books focused on autism to your children: The key mission of Autism Acceptance Month is to educate the new generation in fostering acceptance and kindness towards the autistic community. “Ella Autie,” a story of a 4th grader battling society with autism is a great way to educate your kids during this month and start important conversations.
- Donate to Autism Awareness Organizations: Make it a goal to donate as much as you can to your local Autism Awareness Organizations or the Autism Society of America to further their efforts and encourage their unrelenting support for the community.
Check out a gallery of celebrities who have autistic children below.
Life On The Spectrum: These Celebs And Their Kids Are Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month [Gallery] was originally published on globalgrind.com
1. Holly Robinson Peete & Son Rodney, Jr.
Source:GettyHolly Robinson Peete has talked about her journey to accepting her son Rodney, Jr’s condition. She has dedicated her life’s philanthropic work to advocating for children and families impacted by autism.
2. Toni Braxton & Son Diesel
Source:GettyToni Braxton has been vocal about her son Diesel’s struggles with autism. She has been very active in raising awareness and continuing to support her son.
3. Shawn Stockman’s Benefit Concert For His Son Micah
Source:GettyBoyz II Men singer Shawn Stockman created a benefit concert for his son Micah called “Micah’s Voice” to help raise awareness around autism.
4. Duane And Tisha Campbell Martin Host Autism Benefit For Son Xen & Other Children With Autism
Source:GettyDuane and Tisha Campbell-Martin have been open about their son’s condition. Ever since her 12-year-old son Xen was diagnosed, Campbell-Martin and ex-husband Duane Martin have dedicated their lives to helping raise awareness and tolerance about the disorder.
5. D.L. Hughley’s Son Kyle Has Asperger’s
Source:GettyD.L. Hughley has been moved to tears speaking of his son’s condition with Asperger’s. He bravely talks about the challenges he’s faced raising his eldest child Kyle, who is now well into adulthood.
6. John Travolta, Kelly Preston & Their Late Son Jett
Source:GettyTravolta’s eldest son Jett passed away at the age of 16 in 2009 due to a history of seizures. While vacationing, Jett experienced another seizure where he hit his head on the bathtub, which caused his unforeseen death.
7. Sylvester Stallone Celebrates His Son Seargeoh
Source:GettySeargeoh Stallone was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. It all started when Seargeoh began to show signs of autism after posing for the cover page of People magazine, along with his father.
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The 64th Annual Grammy Awards took place yesterday (April 3) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The nominees were out in their most fashionable gowns and tuxedos for a star studded night to celebrate music, culture and art. Check out a list of our favorite moments from the 2022 Grammy’s below.
There were many firsts for artists and producers like Jazmine Sullivan, Lucky Daye, and Jay Versace, who are more than deserving of the recognition. There were also questionable winners in certain categories like the ‘Best Reggae Album,’ which set the Internet ablaze.
Just like any awards show, fans and nominees, alike, will not be completely satisfied. Art is not meant to be subjective, but simply received. Several fans share their opinions on the winners and those artists who were snubbed or robbed yet again.
However, it was moments like Doja Cat’s acceptance speech or Sza walking up to accept their award on both crutches and stilettos that made the awards ceremony worth watching. It was also moments like Tyler, the Creator taking home best Hip Hop album and bringing Gangster Grillz along with him for the win. Though one of the biggest categories in music wasn’t televised, fans on social media are happily celebrating such a momentous occasion.
To no one’s surprise, Silk Sonic took home a slew of awards last night. Anderson .Paak accepts their fourth award by saying, “listen we are trying really hard to be humble right now.” He goes on to say, “in the industry, we call that a clean sweep.” While Bruno Mars yells next to him, “that’s four for four.”
All in all, the 2022 Grammy’s were full of moments to remember and celebrate. Check out our recap from the eventful night below.
Music’s Biggest Night: Our Favorite Moments From The 2022 Grammy Awards Inside [Gallery] was originally published on globalgrind.com
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The chilling fate of those who’ve perished only to have their final resting place be an unmarked grave is sadly the circumstance for many of our ancestors, some that’ve yet to even be discovered.
A handful of lost souls caught a break nearly 30 years ago when human remains were uncovered lying underneath a Health building at Virginia Commonwealth University back in 1994. The search continues today to find enough DNA on those over 50 bodies found that can hopefully be linked back to living descendants.
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The Richmond Times-Dispatch did an insightful report on the decades-spanning initiative, which is believed to involve the remains of enslaved people hundreds of years ago. VCU researchers hope to not only give these bodies the proper burial they rightfully deserved, but also determine some of their physical features in life such as hair color, eye color and even birthplace.
More on how it all originally came to a head below, via Richmond Times-Dispatch:
“In 1994, construction workers laying the foundation for the Kontos Medical Sciences Building made a discovery. Twenty-five feet below ground, near the end of East Marshall Street, they found a well filled with human remains, leather shoes, glass bottles and mud.
VCU called its chief archaeologist, L. Daniel Mouer, who could smell the decomposition. He found bones and what appeared to be hair and skin.
But VCU refused to delay construction and gave Mouer only a weekend to excavate the remains. When the deadline arrived, a backhoe plowed into the earth, pulling up the bones and dirt, and Mouer watched in disbelief. What couldn’t be collected quickly was left behind.
What was recovered included more than 400 bones belonging to at least 44 adults and nine children. Two rib bones belonged to an infant, and two more to a newborn. Many of the skeletons were incomplete.”
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After the skulls were studied, it was determined that majority were of African descent. In an even more gut-wrenching speculation, researchers believe the bodies were given such careless treatment because they were robbed from their original graves and used as medical cadavers by students in the 1800s at Hampden-Sydney College. After use, the med students were believed to have disposed of the bodies in a well where the remains were eventually found. The skeletons revealed that many of the marks and cuts that were made came from that of amateurs, showing absolutely no respect to the Black souls those bodies once housed.
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1994 Unearthing Of Human Bones At Virginia Commonwealth University Sparks DNA Search In 2022 was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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The blockbuster-size 1995 trial of O.J. Simpson for the alleged murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, which he infamously was acquitted of, still echoes as a hall of fame case in the history of true crime.
Now a completely free man in 2022, O.J. has somehow managed to leverage all that notoriety he received from the year-long trial to garner buzz in today’s digital era. His second act may be as a viral TikTok star though after the spread of a prank video that made him look like he was seeing a blonde-haired ghost.
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Many people have been interpreting this video in different ways, yet most couldn’t ignore the striking resemblance that one woman depicted shares with The Juice’s slain ex-wife. O.J. can be seen seen sleeping shirtless before being loudly woken up by a party line of tall model-type white woman. The aforementioned standout seems to be the ringleader, complete with a phone on speaker playing music. O.J. himself was of course more than welcoming of the company, doing his best at 74 years of age to match their 20-something energy. While it doesn’t appear to be a cruel April Fools joke, or even intentional in general, the young woman was a reality check of the sordid details of Nicole Brown’s death.
Brown was fatally stabbed on June 12, 1994 in front of her home in Brentwood, California along with 25-year-old friend Ron Goldman. It appeared that all signs pointed to O.J. being the attacker — you’ll have to watch O.J.: Made in America for the breakdown on that one — but with help from “The Dream Team” he was able to convince the jury of reasonable doubt.
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Take a look below and let us know: eerie coincidence or The Juice’s past coming back to haunt him?
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O.J. Simpson Gets A Shock In His Sleep By Nicole Brown Look-Alike In Viral Prank was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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The GOP grandstanding in the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson keeps getting weirder. Some Republican Senators seem to want to outdo each other with their dramatic declarations that they will not vote in favor of the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court.
There is not a legitimate reason to object to her nomination or confirmation. And yet, Sen. Lindsey Graham claims he can’t dare vote to support her. He also insists that Republicans would not have even given her a hearing if they were in charge in favor of someone more moderate.
If only Graham had the chance to support someone more moderate? Oh wait, he did in 2016 when President Barack Obama nominated then Judge Merrick Garland.
Despite saying pleasant things about Garland, Graham joined his Republican colleagues in blocking the confirmation process. Garland never even got a chance to have a hearing when he was nominated in 2016. At the time, NPR described Garland as a moderate who had a record of Republican support.
Graham also stalled Garland’s nomination as attorney general by President Biden early last year. Garland ultimately was confirmed, but Graham did everything in his limited power to obstruct a second confirmation process.
While Graham tried to claim that he thought favorably of a more moderate potential nominee for SCOTUS in Judge Michelle Childs from South Carolina, we’ve already seen how he has acted when a Democratic president has nominated a moderate.
Faced with a similar scenario four years later and an event tighter election timeline, Republicans suddenly forgot their values. When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg died in 2020, less than two months before the presidential election, Republicans rammed through the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Barrett also had significantly less judicial experience than Jackson. Mother Jones called her the least experienced nominee in 30 years.
But what also makes Graham’s shenanigans laughable is that he just voted to confirm Jackson last year for another judicial position with a lifetime appointment.
Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joined Graham in supporting Jackson’s confirmation to the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit just last year. Her record has remained unchanged in the past year. Jackson’s prior appointment was also for a lifetime appointment, and yet suddenly, Graham is against her.
So much for being a man of principles.
According to MSNBC Host Medi Hasan, Collins and Murkowski will support Jackson’s nomination again with Sen. Mitt Romney joining them. Romney voted against confirming Jackson last year.
After reviewing Jackson’s record, Romney tweeted that he found her to be a “well-qualified” jurist. The American Bar Association unanimously found her “well-qualified,” and representatives from the legal organization provided glowing testimony during the confirmation process.
Garland’s nomination followed the death of Justice Antonin Scalia more than seven months before the 2016 presidential election. At the time, Republicans Senators claimed that it was too close to an election and the next president should have the right to choose Scalia’s replacement.
For as much as certain senators go on about the sanctity of the institution, they very quickly throw tantrums when they don’t get their way. Per Article III of the Constitution, the president has the authority to nominate judges and Supreme Court justices. It is for the Senate to confirm them.
Confirmation hearings have a history of trying to prevent diverse candidates from making it to the bench. The first confirmation hearing took place over 100 years after the first group of Justices took the bench. It wasn’t until a Jewish man, Louis Brandeis, was nominated that suddenly a confirmation hearing was deemed necessary.
Some of these senators who talk about the “honor” of the institution when it comes to a procedural obstacle, like the filibuster, think it’s ok not to do their job and vote on a nominee.
And in this case, they don’t like this Black woman and all she represents for forward progress and the future of the Court.
Graham isn’t alone in the overtures and grandstanding. Sen. Ted Cruz, who knew Jackson while at Harvard Law, went out of his way to distort his former classmate’s record and experience on and off the bench. His fixation on her presence on the board of a progressive D.C. private school is laughable considering his children also attend a school with an express commitment to anti-racism.
Also, any issues Republicans have with prior confirmation hearings including the handling of credible sexual assault claims have nothing to do with Jackson or her confirmation. Graham, Cruz and several other Republican members of the Judiciary Committee colleagues disrespected Jackson and the process itself.
Disagree with her, or just say you refuse to vote for her because you’re sticking to a party strategy. But pretending this is about honoring the process or institution, is not it.
While a sitting president does not owe members of the opposing party a particular nominee, in the past, some have considered specific objections in hopes that a confirmation process can move forward without too many issues.
Republicans can’t articulate a valid reason to object to Jackson, and despite trying to sugarcoat the vitriol, their objections are rooted in partisan obstructionism and nothing more. And in this case, someone more “moderate” is code language for the status quo of a prosecutor or corporate lawyer who is unlikely to rock the boat.
We’ve seen the national influence Justice Sonia Sotomayor has made with her epic dissents. Imagine adding another Justice or two to her side on the bench? It will take a lot more to shift the balance of power on the bench, but the possibility for the future is real.
When Chief Justice John Roberts was confirmed in 2005, 22 Democrats joined 55 Republicans in supporting his nomination. Polling shows that Jackson tied Roberts with the highest favorability for a nominee in recent history.
Also, Jackson’s confirmation is a part of the broader Biden Administration’s commitment to having a federal judiciary that is representative and reflective of the American people. Having federal judges and Supreme Court justices who have no experience in indigent defense, let alone working as a public defender, leaves out a necessary perspective in the nation’s criminal legal system.
And yet, the majority of Senate Republicans would have you believe Jackson’s nomination was the beginning of some attack on Democracy. As a former public defender, Jackson’s confirmation will add a new dimension previously absent from the Court.
But if anyone knew anything about undermining Democracy, like by trying to interfere with an election, Graham and crew would know.
SEE ALSO:
OP-ED: For Black Women, Racism, Denial and Disrespect Never End; But Still We Rise
Lindsey Graham Is Full Of It was originally published on newsone.com
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Sounds like a little trouble in paradise, according to one of Beyonce‘s proteges Chloe Bailey. Press play for the tea. Chloe goes live and breaks down that yes, she has a projct dropping this
Friday, however its based off a true story. Gunna may be slippin on his pimpin’. Chloe goes in to further detail for the reasoning behind the record “Treat Me Like I Treat Me”. Gunna might want to
treat this princess with the throne she deserves, or be left in the wind. Maybe not a break up but a smoke signals have been sent that Gunna need to step up his romance game .
P-skillz (@PskillzFlo) Follow him on all social media platforms
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Cardi B just went off off. Rule number 1 dont talk about Cardi’s kid period. Also, dont take tweets the wrong way unless its clearly stated whats going on. Cardi goes off on the haters
for the making up rumors, and health defects. Twitter seems to be mad at the people who bashed her on the internet about not attending the Grammy Awards.
P-skillz @Pskillzflo
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Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination will move forward for a full Senate vote, bringing her historic confirmation one step closer to completion. After Jackson’s nomination “deadlocked” in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats moved for a vote to discharge her nomination from the committee and to a full confirmation vote.
It passed 53-47, setting the stage for Jackson’s confirmation later in the week. Senate Democrats were joined by Republican Sens. Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins.
The alleged opposition to Jackson on “ideological grounds” has no more validity than the claims that Republicans would have preferred someone “moderate.”
Supreme Court justices are not required to have a particular ideology. But the theatrics from certain Republicans are more about political theater for the 2022 midterm election than Jackson’s qualifications.
In a statement emailed to NewsOne, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesperson Freedom Alexander Murphy challenged a “ridiculous double standard” being applied to Jackson.
“Senate Republicans admit that if they held the majority, the first Black woman and one of the most qualified people nominated to serve on the Supreme Court would not even have received a hearing,” Murphy said. “The stakes for protecting and expanding our Democratic Senate majority with the power to confirm Supreme Court justices could not be more clear.”
For April Frazier Camara, president and CEO of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Jackson’s confirmation positively highlights the vital role lawyers representing indigent clients play in the legal system.
“It’s a tremendous milestone, in terms of racial and ethnic diversity, but also in being able to shed light on the valuable role that public defenders play in protecting our constitutional rights and the valuable role that they can play on the court,” Camara explained.
A former member of the DC Public Defender Service and chair of the Black Public Defender Association, Camara, stressed the importance of having a judiciary that is more reflective of the people entering the criminal legal system. She said the combination of Jackson’s lived experience and professional experience as a public defender will be an added benefit to the Court.
“It’s very important for people to understand, especially at this moment where people talk so much about individual rights and our right to freedom and all these ideas that we have in America,” Camara began. “The role that a public defender plays is oftentimes like this silent guardian of those rights.”
Camara said that at times many of the rights outlined in the Constitution fall to public defenders, and other attorneys representing indigent clients, to defend. She also said Jackson’s nomination provided a conversation point for possible pathways to the judiciary for public defenders and legal aid attorneys.
Camara said she and her colleagues began laying the narrative framework to support adding more public defenders to the federal bench in anticipation of the Biden administration.
“We have done a lot to shape the public narrative in the media around trying to explain the role that public defenders play and to push back on this misconception that what we do is not a valuable role in not just society, but in our legal system,” she said.
Madiba Dennie, who serves as counsel with the Brennan Center’s Democracy program, said decisions made by the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, disproportionately impact Black and other groups overrepresented in the criminal legal system.
Of the 115 people to serve on the Supreme Court, only eight justices have been non-white men, and only one has been a woman of color. Being a white male seemed like a prerequisite for the Court until Justice Thurgood Marshall was confirmed in 1967.
“The conversations don’t include us,” Dennie said. “A consequence of that different perspective is it influences the process of judicial deliberations and decision making.”
Expanding on a point she argued in an NBC Think op-ed last month, Dennie acknowledged that adding a Black woman to the Court wasn’t going to magically transform it. But she described the power and importance of well-reasoned dissenting opinions from the justices.
“Dissents have proven useful historically to shape law and policy,” she said. “Whether by the Court returning to a dissent later or Congress looking to the dissent in a case and being like ‘oh, yeah, this is what we wanted to do. Let’s change the law with this dissent in mind.’”
Turning to alleged objections over Jackson’s experience and record, Dennie challenged claims that the nomination was nothing more than “affirmative action.”
“It’s not affirmative action so much as reparative action,” she explained. “Her record should not be in doubt, and it’s a little suspicious when folks challenge her qualifications.”
SEE ALSO:
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Isn’t Moderate Enough For GOP Senators But Neither Was Merrick Garland
OP-ED: For Black Women, Racism, Denial and Disrespect Never End; But Still We Rise
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Moves Closer To Confirmation was originally published on newsone.com
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Lore’l is spilling all the TEA on The Morning Hustle! Social media star, Rolling Ray says “It was NEVA giving DEAD,” after fans speculated he passed away due to his hiatus from social media after publicly battling COVID-19. A popular DC nightclub, Bliss has locals outraged after the club allowed a very unconventional funeral to be held for rapper “Goonew” and rapper Kanye West cancels Coachella!
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Rolling Ray Says He Ain’t Dead! Funeral At The Club, & Kanye Cancels Coachella! was originally published on themorninghustle.com
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Fans of John Woo films are well aware that the famed director has a penchant for action films, and an upcoming feature currently in production promises more of the same. Joining the cast of Woo’s Silent Night offering is Kid Cudi, who continues to show off his impressive acting chops.
Cudi, born Scott Mescudi, will join the cast of Silent Night alongside Joel Kinnaman, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno as reported by the good folks at Deadline. The film centers on Goldlock, played by Kinnaman, a father seeking vengeance on gang members who killed his son in the crossfire. In the film, Cudi will play Det. Dennis Vassel.
Silent Night is currently on location in Mexico City and working from a screenplay written by Robert Lynn. Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are listed as producers while Capstone’s Christian Mercuri and A Better Tomorrow Films’ Lori Tilkin are also named. Executive producers are David Haring of Capstone, Joe Gatta, Ruzanna Kegeyan, Mike Gabrawy, and Will Flynn of Thunder Road.
“Based on what we’ve seen from set so far, it’s clear that Scott has a presence and gravitas that is incredibly captivating,” Gatta said of Cudi. “He is a powerful addition, and perfect complement, to this stellar cast.”
Kid Cudi’s acting credits of late include the Netflix hit Don’t Look Up, X, and HBO’s Westworld and We Are Who We Are. Cudi is also priming a directorial debut for Netflix with the film Teddy, produced by Jeymes Samuel and Jay-Z. Cudi will also star in the film.
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Photo: Getty
Kid Cudi Joins Cast Of John Woo’s ‘Silent Night’ was originally published on hiphopwired.com
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LL COOL J famously delivered the blistering 1980s hit “Rock The Bells” in the early days of his recording career, and the phrase holds weight today. This week, the Queens Hip-Hop legend announced the ROCK THE BELLS FESTIVAL coming later this summer in the rapper’s home borough.
On Monday (April 4), the artist born James Todd Smith announced the music festival that shares the namesake with his pioneering single, lifestyle brand, and radio station.
The stacked lineup includes Ladies Love Cool James himself alongside DJ Z-Trip, Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Lil’ Kim, The Diplomats, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Jadakiss, Scarface, Trina, N.O.R.E., and the Digable Planets. Other acts are expected to be added to this already stellar lineup. Hosting the affairs at Forest Hills Stadium will be Roxanne Shanté, with sounds provided by DJ Mister Cee and DJ Scratch.
Yesterday, LL and Roxanne announced the lineup live on air on Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM, stoking the excitement from fans as expected while chatting up some of the featured performers.
“This festival is my way of showing love to the community of Hip-Hop and celebrating the incredible journey this culture has taken, going from DJ Kool Herc’s Sedgwick Avenue rec room, to the global phenomenon we all cherish today,” LL COOL J offered in a statment. “Getting to bring some of the most iconic and influential Hip-Hop artists to the same stage, in my hometown and the city that started it all, is an honor and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for them.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome LL COOL J home to Queens for this special event that celebrates the genre and the culture as a whole,” Mike Luba, AEG SVP Global Touring and the executive behind the rehabilitation and revival of Forest Hills Stadium added. “The borough has played such a vital role in Hip-Hop history and being able to host this day of music from this group of music icons is an honor.”
“The Rock The Bells festival is going to be different from any other festival you’ve attended, bringing great people, great vibes, and great music together to represent and celebrate the originality and greatness of Hip-Hop,” Roxanne Shanté concluded. “With me as your host, you are guaranteed to have a nice day making Hip-Hop memories from dusk till dawn. Plzbelieveit baby.”
Pre-sale tickets for the event can be purchased now at www.rockthebellsfestival.com with GA tickets going to the wider public this coming Friday (April 8) at 10 AM EST. There are VIP tiers available as well offering various expected perks such as a VIP lounge and more. A portion of sales will be donated to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum in the Bronx.
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Photo: Getty
LL COOL J Announces Brand New ROCK THE BELLS FESTIVAL was originally published on hiphopwired.com
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After two consecutive weekends of slayage – first at the Oscars and the at the Grammys – Megan Thee Stallion has decided to rock a fresh face until her Coachella performance. The festival will be held over two weekends starting April 15th. The Houston Hottie is scheduled to perform Saturday, April 16th and 23rd.
In an Instagram post, the Grammy-award winning rapper debuted a series of selfies that has us wondering the details of her skin care regimen. It looks like her natural, honey-golden glow is the result of remaining hydrated and moisturized.
In an interview with Harper’s BAZAAR, the Savage rapper disclosed the simplicity of her nighttime routine. “Every night before bed, I have to wash off the 20 pounds of makeup that I have on all day from doing hot-girl stuff, shooting on set, talking to cute boys,” she tells BAZAAR.com. “I just literally wash all the hot-girl stuff off, and then I put on a little moisturizer and a little Bio-Oil.”
When it comes to washing her face, Megan swears by Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Cleanser. “I have kind of sensitive skin too,” she said. “Anything will make me break out. Sometimes, a lot of stuff is super harsh on my skin, so this is something I’ve realized is the only thing I can use.”
Get to shopping, Hotties!
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Megan Thee Stallion Shows Off Her Fresh Face For The Gram, Says She’s Ditching Makeup Until Coachella Weekend was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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Tasha has moved on from Ghost and is living her best life! Power star, Naturi Naughton, said “I do” to Xavier ‘Two’ Lewis this past weekend, on April 2nd, in an undisclosed location.
As seen in the video above, Naturi and Xavier’s wedding colors included different shades of purple and a shade of pink. Omari Hardwick, who plays Ghost – Naturi’s deceased husband – on Power, was a part of the bridal party sporting a purple, ankle length tuxedo. Lala, who played LaKeisha on Power, was also a part of the bridal party donning a spaghetti strap, floor length gown that featured a plunging neckline and small train.
The groom dapperly walked down the aisle in an all-white tuxedo that included ankle length pants paired with white dress shoes. Naturi floated down to her groom looking absolutely beautiful in a spaghetti strap, bell-shaped gown equipped with a train length veil. She carried a bouquet of purple flowers.
During an interview in Essence Magazine, Naturi revealed that her and Xavier were introduced by Omari Hardwick. The couple got engaged in 2020 during the Christmas holiday.
After the wedding, the guests and wedding party let their hair down at the reception. While we don’t know all the fun details about the party, we do know that our girl LaLa caught the bouquet!
In a post on her Instagram feed showing her snagging the flowers, LaLa wrote, “Now what are the chances of me catching the bouquet at @naturi4real & @twolewis_ beautiful wedding this weekend?? WE OUTSIIDDDEEEEEE OR NAH? somebody tell me what we doing?!!!”
Lala filed for a divorce from her husband of 11 years, Carmel Anthony, so you know her followers were eating this video up!
Congratulations Naturi and Xavier!
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Naturi Naughton Is A Melanin Goddess During Her Latest Press Run For ‘Queens’
Naturi Naughton & Her Mini Me Zuri Are A Whole Quarantine Mood
Naturi Naughton And Xavier ‘Two’ Lewis Tied The Knot This Past Weekend was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker tied the knot in a secret ceremony in Las Vegas. TMZ reports that Kardashian, 42, and Barker, 46 got married at a wedding chapel hours after the GRAMMY Awards.
The site also reports the marriage ceremony was performed by an Elvis Impersonator by their choice. The couple only allowed a private photographer in the chapel.
This is the first marriage for Kourtney. She never got married to her longtime boyfriend Scott Disick despite having three kids together. This will be Barker’s third marriage. The world-renowned drummer was married to Melissa Kennedy but divorced in 2002. Then, Barker married Actress and model Shanna Moakler in 2004 and filed for divorce 2 years later. Their divorce was finalized in 2008.
While the couple may have eloped, there are other celebrations that will take place to honor the couples union.
SOURCE | TMZ
RELATED: Kourtney Kardashian Is Ready For ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ To End
RELATED: VIDEO: Travis Barker Defends Himself From Paps
Kourtney Kardashian & Travis Barker Tie The Knot! was originally published on radionowindy.com
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“We want to thank Jeff Bezos for going to space because while he was up there, we were signing people up.” – Christian Smalls
Chris Smalls, the fired Amazon worker who is quickly becoming the corporation’s worst nightmare, is currently on the winning side of a union battle most thought couldn’t be won, but he and his group of former and current Staten Island, New York, warehouse workers still have a road ahead of them before they can claim success.
As the Associated Press reported, Smalls helped lead a victory for the Amazon Labor Union Friday, when Amazon workers voted 2,654 – 2,131 in favor of the union despite Amazon executives spending millions on a campaign to quash the whole thing. Amazon pr-union employees in other states weren’t so fortunate.
For example, workers in Bessemer, Alabama, are failing to approve a union so far. “Initial results in that election show the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union down by 118 votes, with the majority of Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer rejecting a bid to form a union,” AP reported, adding that the “final outcome is still up in the air with 416 outstanding challenged ballots hanging in the balance.”
So, why has the effort in Staten Island been so successful where others have failed. Well, Smalls said he believes one reason is that the Bessemer campaign lacked local support. This might be true, because, by all indications, the New York campaign has been a true grassroots effort that undermined Amazon’s narrative that outside “third party” groups were behind the effort to unionize, not Amazon employees.
“They were not perceived as outsiders, so that’s important,” Ruth Milkman, a sociologist of labor and labor movements at the City University of New York, said, according to AP.
Smalls said that in March, the ALU raised about $100,000 and was operating on a week-to-week budget, which had been subsidized through community help, aid from other unions and pro-bono work from legal advisors. Meanwhile, Amazon executives had dropped about $4.2 million last year on labor consultants and the company held mandatory meetings to persuade workers that unions weren’t in their best interest.
Here’s how the ALU counteracted Amazon’s deep pockets as reported by AP:
Outmatched financially, Smalls and others relied on their ability to reach workers more personally by making TikTok videos, giving out free marijuana and holding barbecues and cookouts. A few weeks before the election, Smalls’ aunt cooked up soul food for a union potluck, including macaroni and cheese, collard greens, ham and baked chicken. Another pro-union worker got her neighbor to prepare Jollof rice, a West African dish organizers believed would help them make inroads with immigrant employees at the warehouse.
How gangsta is it that while Amazon was making it rain millions in order to quell union efforts, Smalls and his people gained an advantage by giving out free weed and serving food that makes colonizers wish they’d learned to actually do something with all the spices their ancestors appropriated?
In fact, according to organizers, the Staten Island ALU win has been so inspiring that Amazon workers from more than 20 states have reached out to learn how they can get their own union efforts off the ground. But right now, Smalls and his colleagues are focused on the daunting effort of reaching agreements with Amazon officials in labor contract negotiations.
“The number one thing is going to be fighting for the contract,” Smalls said. “We have to start that process right away because we know the longer drawn out the contract is, workers will lose hope and interest.”
It should be lost on no one that two years ago, a memo was leaked revealing that a top Amazon attorney characterized Smals as “not smart or articulate.” We all saw the remark as dog-whistle racism, but Smalls saw it as motivation.
“When I read that memo, that motivated me to start an organization,” he said, NPR reported.
And now, here we are.
SEE ALSO:
Black Man Leads Amazon's First US Union was originally published on newsone.com
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Tory Lanez was handcuffed at a court hearing early Tuesday and will be held in jail until he posts a new, larger bail after a judge decided he violated a protective order he has ongoing with Megan Thee Stallion. The judge made the ruling after declaring that Lanez has talked too much about the case on social media.
At some point, folks are gonna learn to stop putting all their business on Twitter.
This all started back in August of 2020 when Tory was accused of shooting Meg in the toe after a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s house.
After a hearing Tuesday morning at the L.A. courthouse, the rapper from north of the border’s new bail has been raised to $350K. It’s been reported that Meg’s attorney’s wanted Lanez to be held without bail, or at minimum have it set to $5M.
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It’s also been reported that Lanez is in the process of posting that new bail and expects to be released soon.
According to the judge, Tory isn’t supposed to be directing comments towards or mentioning Megan Thee Stallion at all. There were two tweets that seem to be the most damning. One from Lanez, and another from DJ Akademiks.
The judge stated that Tory’s usage of the word “U”, directly addressing Meg, was the specific violation of her protective order. Lanez posted “Good D*ck had me f*cking 2 best friends …. and I got caught … that’s what I apologized 4 … it’s sick how u Spun it tho …”
Then Ak posted his own breaking news tweet, to which Megan quickly responded.
Akademiks eventually walked back his tweet, but according to today’s judge – the damage had already been done.
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- LL Cool J Brings Back Rock The Bells Festival In New York
Tory Lanez Back in Jail, Busted For Violating Megan Thee Stallion Order was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
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Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker got married in Las Vegas wedding just hours after Travis performed at the Grammys. They had been engaged since Barker popped the question back in October. There’s no word on if this was planned or spur of the moment.
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What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas… unless you’re a Kardashian. The secret ceremony happened at around 1:30 AM in Sin City. According to TMZ, the couple only allowed a private photographer, brought their marriage license, and were officiated by an Elvis Presley impersonator.
Yeah. Really.
Reports say that the newly married couple will celebrate their nuptials more than once, suggesting that there could be some more public celebrations in the works, so keep an eye here for any updates.
This is Kourtney’s first marriage, though she does have three children with Scott Disick. For Travis, he’s hoping that this third time is the charm, as the rock star’s final divorce was settled back in 2008.
Congrats to the new happy couple!
Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick’s Most Loving Moments (PHOTOS)
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- Stacey Abrams Raises Net Worth From $109K To $3.6M In 4 Years Since First Run For Georgia Governor
- Biden Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause Through August
- Cops Investigating Viral Group Attack On Referee At Church Basketball Game In Georgia
- T.i. Just Initiated Money Bag Yo Trapper Of The Year
- T.I. Gets Into Heated Shouting Match With ATL Standup Comedian Over Sex Assault Jokes
- Virginia Teacher Sues Student For Racism After Having Bananas Repeatedly Left At His Doorstep
- Student Loans Moratorium To Be Extended Again: Report
- What Is Fair Housing Month And Why Is It Important To Black People?
- Tory Lanez Back in Jail, Busted For Violating Megan Thee Stallion Order
- LL Cool J Brings Back Rock The Bells Festival In New York
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Get Married At 1:30 am Las Vegas Wedding! was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572410/virginia-teacher-sues-student-for-racism-after-having-bananas-repeatedly-left-at-his-doorstep/
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Prejudice can come in many shapes and forms, mainly due to how negative stereotyping is often used to express racism in subtle ways — think of it as the “throw-the-stone-and-hide-the-hand” approach for racists of the world.
The well-documented history of Black people being inhumanely compared to apes recently came to light in Virginia after a history teacher decided to sue a former student for leaving a banana on his door once every month.
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Speaking with WAVY TV 10, Joel Mungo referred to the incident as his first experience with racism in the 21 years that he’s been a history teacher at Menchville High School in Newport News. Starting last October, Mungo says the banana was always placed in the same spot in front of his classroom doorway and considered it to be a “deliberate act.”
More details below, via WAVY:
“After the sixth time, Mungo said enough was enough.
Mungo reported the problem to Menchville administrators who pulled up surveillance video and found the student believed to be responsible: a 10th-grader in one of Mungo’s classes.
‘I gave the student a chance to come clean. I asked him, ‘Hey did you do this?’ He said ‘No,’ he played dumb, ‘No idea what you’re talking about.’ So I said ‘OK, go down to the assistant principal.’ I’m the only Black teacher he has. He has six other teachers. No other teachers were involved,’ Mungo said.
Mungo says the student’s parents were contacted. He was placed on a two-day suspension and removed from Mungo’s class.”
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Mungo says his pending lawsuit is more about being fed up with the many recent acts of racism in schools, specifically highlighting the HBCU bomb threats and noose situations similar to the report out of Chicago not too long ago. We can understand his frustration, but is suing a teenager the route to go. Let us know your thoughts on this!
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Virginia Teacher Sues Student For Racism After Having Bananas Repeatedly Left At His Doorstep was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572411/student-loans-moratorium-to-be-extended-again-report/
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According to reports, the White House will announce on Wednesday (April 6th) that the moratorium on student loans will be extended to August 31st. The current moratorium is slated to end on May 1st. While the reports suggest that the end of August may be the working date, it is not set in stone. Democrats including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have urged President Biden and his administration to extend the pause on payments through at least the end of 2022.
Others including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) have pushed to extend the relief until 2023. However, Republicans have pushed for Student Loan payments to resume, citing inflation and the growing cost to taxpayers.
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This signals another fight over student loan forgiveness to continue into the upcoming mid-term elections. Student Borrower Protection Center Executive Director Mike Pierce stresses Joe Biden has to fix the loan system saying “As voters head to the polls in November, they will not settle for anything less.”
With many feeling that they are being held down by student loans, hurting their debt to income ratio and pockets, it will be interesting to see if this is enough for votes come November.
SOURCE | POLITICO
RELATED: Want Student Loan Forgiveness? Talk To The President
RELATED: Jini Thornton Explains How You May Be Able To Get Your Students Loans Canceled [WATCH]
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- Black Women Candidates Running In 2022 Need Your Support
- Kyle Rittenhouse Complains Biden Won't Respond To Him
- Ketanji Brown Hearing For Supreme Court Justice
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Student Loans Moratorium To Be Extended Again: Report was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572412/ll-cool-j-brings-back-rock-the-bells-festival-in-new-york/
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Hip-hop culture is probably at its most advanced stage ever, but never can you forget about the foundation where it all began.
Rap pioneer LL Cool J does it daily on-air with “Rock The Bells Radio,” and now he’s ready to hit the stage again by bringing back the New York City-centric music festival of the same name that started it all.
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The touring festival series was last seen operating back in 2013, and it looks like LL Cool J is using the same format as previous shows by keeping the lineup stacked with 90s rap icons. As the two-time GRAMMY winner listed in his Instagram announcement of Rocks The Bells’ return (seen above), confirmed performers include Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Lil’ Kim, Cam’ron, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana together as The Diplomats, Fat Joe & Remy Ma, Jadakiss, Scarface, Trina, N.O.R.E and rarely seen underground icons Digable Planets. In addition to curating, LL Cool J will also be hitting the stage as well with help from DJ Z-Trip.
The festival in its original form was famously split between two stages: the main stage for headliners and the “Paid Dues” stage for new lyricists on the come-up. With more acts scheduled to be announced soon, it’s very likely the 2022 show will mirror or at best add on to the existing model from past years.
Per the official press release, LL Cool J said in a statement, “This festival is my way of showing love to the community of Hip-Hop and celebrating the incredible journey this culture has taken, going from DJ Kool Herc’s Sedgwick Avenue rec room, to the global phenomenon we all cherish today,” going on to add, “Getting to bring some of the most iconic and influential Hip-Hop artists to the same stage, in my hometown and the city that started it all, is an honor and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for them.”
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Pre-sale registration for Rock The Bells Festival 2022 – going down Saturday, August 6 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY – began today at 10 AM ET. General admission tickets will go on sale this Friday (April 8) at 10 AM ET at RockTheBellsFestival.com. Peep the star-studded announcement video below:
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LL Cool J Brings Back Rock The Bells Festival In New York was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572413/what-is-fair-housing-month-and-why-is-it-important-to-black-people/
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The fight for civil rights isn’t just about voting, it also encompasses equality in everyday living, including the right not to be discriminated against when trying to purchase or sell a home. In April 1968 the Fair Housing Act (FHA) was passed. Now every year during the month we celebrate the Fair Housing Act and the rights it afforded Blacks trying to build a life in America. But why April? Yes, the Act was passed in April, but that’s not the only reason we celebrate it on the 4th month of every year.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the FHA into law just a week after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Fair Housing Act is directly tied to Dr. King’s legacy. His commitment to equal opportunity in every community is embodied by the Fair Housing Act. As we remember King, we remember the reasons he fought tirelessly for equal rights. One of the reasons we need fair housing is because it helps build strong, lasting communities. Due to a long history of discriminatory lending practices called ‘redlining,‘ Black homeownership and wealth have always been a struggle. Although the Fair Housing Act ended the official practice of redlining, sadly, some of its discriminatory ways have still seeped into the processes of homeownership.
In August 2021, NewsOne reported Black American homeowners are being forced to whitewash their homes just so they can receive a fair price on their appraisals, in what is known as “appraisal discrimination.”
Housing and Urban Development have put together a task force called the interagency Property Appraisal Valuation Equity Task Force or PAVE for short. The group, which will be led by Secretary Marcia Fudge of HUD, former ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, and 20 year HUD staffer Melody Taylor, will try to combat the decades-old issue of “appraisal discrimination.” But protections should already fall under the Fair Housing Act.
Who Does The Fair Housing Act Protect?
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.
It also makes it illegal to harass persons because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, familial status, or national origin. Among other things, this forbids sexual harassment.
What is Illegal Discrimination Under The Fair Housing Act?
- Refuse to rent or sell housing
- Refuse to negotiate for housing
- Otherwise make housing unavailable
- Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
- Provide a person different housing services or facilities
- Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale or rental
- Make, print or publish any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination
- Impose different sales prices or rental charges for the sale or rental of a dwelling
- Use different qualification criteria or applications, or sale or rental standards or procedures, such as income standards, application requirements, application fees, credit analyses, sale or rental approval procedures or other requirements
- Evict a tenant or a tenant’s guest
- Harass a person
- Fail or delay performance of maintenance or repairs
- Limit privileges, services or facilities of a dwelling
- Discourage the purchase or rental of a dwelling
- Assign a person to a particular building or neighborhood or section of a building or neighborhood
SEE ALSO:
What Is Redlining And How Can It Be Solved?
Why Are Black Families Pretending To Be White To Sell Their Homes?
What Is Fair Housing Month And Why Is It Important To Black People? was originally published on newsone.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572416/t-i-just-initiated-money-bag-yo-trapper-of-the-year/
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T.i. gives the Memphis artist Money Bagg Yo his flowers while he’s still here. The Trapper of the Year award goes to Money Bagg Yo , this includes his own
portion of the Trap Museum Exhibit . Press play for the speech, and how Money Bagg first got on T.i.’s radar.
P-skillz @PskillzFlo
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572514/stacey-abrams-raises-net-worth-from-109k-to-3-6m-in-4-years-since-first-run-for-georgia-governor/
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We will always be in the business of giving Black women their flowers during peak accomplishments, especially when that includes reaching new financial heights on the road towards success.
Thankfully for Stacey Abrams, Democratic hopeful in the upcoming 2022 Georgia governor election, her riches have come the honest way by abiding by the law while also putting herself in a position of power to make positive changes within it as well.
Just how big is the Buffy The Vampire Slayer buff banking in, you ask? Think multimillions, baby!
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The recent headlines surrounding Abrams’ millionaire status aren’t to solely gloat on her behalf. The matter of her current financial standing actually shows great potential for a win in the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial election being that her lack of funds was negatively thrown against her during the 2018 run. As AP News reports, Abrams faced criticism from then-opponent and current Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for owing $54,000 to the IRS in self-employment taxes she didn’t pay on time — the money was used instead to help her parents raise a granddaughter and medical bills relating to cancer treatments. There also was $96,000 in student loan debt and $83,000 in accumulated credit card debt. Thankfully she was able to pay it all off in 2019.
More on how Stacey Abrams got her pockets in order to fit her potential governor status below, via AP News:
“Seth Bringman, an Abrams campaign spokesperson, said she gave 37 paid speeches in 2021, including a 12-stop fall tour of stand-alone appearances. She’s written, co-written or reissued six books since 2019, with another reissue on the way later this year.
Abrams was also paid more than $700,000 over three years as executive director of the Southern Economic Advancement Project, an affiliate of the Roosevelt Institute that seeks to improve economic equity in the South. Abrams has reported no income from Fair Fight Action, the voting rights group she founded and formerly chaired.
Abrams, who last year released a business book with a longtime business partner, also reports investments in a number of companies. Some are longtime holdings including Now Account Network Corp., which finances businesses by buying invoices. Abrams in November joined the board of Heliogen, a California company that seeks to use sunlight to concentrate heat for industrial processes, electricity generation and hydrogen fuel production. Abrams reported $65,000 in Heliogen stock.”
Overall, the official numbers ring in her earnings at $6 million, driven mostly by $5 million in payments for books and speeches.
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It’s expected that Republicans will try and use her millionaire status as a way to paint her as an elitist distant from the common Georgian. Abrams responded to the GOP flack in an interview by stating, “It is remarkable to me that success is now being demonized by the Republicans,” also adding, “I believe in success. I believe that every person should have the opportunity to thrive. And because I had three years where I was in the private sector, I leveraged all three years, and in that time, I’ve done my best to not only be successful personally, but to do what I can to help Georgians.”
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Stacey Abrams Raises Net Worth From $109K To $3.6M In 4 Years Since First Run For Georgia Governor was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572515/cops-investigating-viral-group-attack-on-referee-at-church-basketball-game-in-georgia/
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Sports can get extremely passionate in the heat of the moment, and it isn’t uncommon for many matchups to end in physical violence due to the high volume of competitive nature already at hand.
A group of youth basketball league players in Lithonia, Georgia took their aggression a bit overboard recently after they ganged up on the referee at a church game in a now-viral attack that was all caught on camera.
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The ref got jumped by several players in the game that occurred at Stronghold Christian Church this past Sunday. The guy doesn’t go down without putting up a good fight though, which is probably the reason why he was ganged up on in the first place. As the Dekalb County Police Department told TMZ Sports, an investigation into the incident is currently underway although no word has been released on the condition of the man attacked.
Here’s what Stronghold is saying about the incident at their church, via TMZ:
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Watch the shocking video below to see just how violent a church sporting event can get:
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Cops Investigating Viral Group Attack On Referee At Church Basketball Game In Georgia was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572516/t-i-gets-into-heated-shouting-match-with-atl-standup-comedian-over-sex-assault-jokes/
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Although a few things are still a bit unclear regarding the now-dismissed sex assault charges against T.I. and his wife Tiny last year, currently they have nothing to answer for unless a court says otherwise.
Unfortunately for Atlanta’s once-favorite hip-hop couple, nothing is off limits when it comes to comedy. However, T.I. wasn’t about to let a comedian off the hook recently after she joked about the allegations during a standup show in Atlanta that soon turned into an all-out screaming battle.
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Based on footage recorded from the night in question, T.I. can be seen vehemently confronting comedienne Lauren Knight during her “One Knight Only” open mic series at Our Bar ATL. The Paperwork emcee has taken an interest in standup recently, even considering it as a potential second act. His recent outburst though might’ve proven that he doesn’t have the tough skin required to take a joke in that arena.
More on what went down below, via Baller Alert:
“‘As many times as you joke on that shit n*gga, I’m gon check yo mother f*ckin ass as long as it takes,’ T.I. told the comedian Lauren Knight. ‘When you stop playing with me and mine, Ima stop saying something,’ he continued speaking on the mic.
‘There ain’t no mother f*cking case. Ain’t never been no mother f*cking case. I ain’t did nothing wrong and my wife ain’t did nothing wrong. And if you keep on playing wit me n*gga, I’m going to continue to confront publicly– verbally,’ he said.
Knight then addresses the ‘One Knight Only’ open mic audience saying she believed the rapper was innocent.
‘T.I. is innocent. I truly believe it. Give it up for him. There are no charges,’ she tells the crowd.
T.I. clearly was not trying to hear that, telling the comedian not to play with him before he stormed the stage.
‘If I want to make jokes about something, I’ll make jokes about something. You’re not going to tell me to shut the f*ck up in my sh*t. This is my sh*t. Let’s be very clear,’ the comedian said before T.I. snatched the mic out of her hand.”
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Watch the full video clip below and let us know if you think T.I. was in the right to defend himself and his wife or if he took the joke a little too seriously:
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T.I. Gets Into Heated Shouting Match With ATL Standup Comedian Over Sex Assault Jokes was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
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https://thebeatdfw.com/3572517/biden-extends-student-loan-repayment-pause-through-august/
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Student loan borrowers might get another few months to breathe. According to a report from the Associated Press, the Biden administration is expected to extend the repayment pause until August 31.
Currently, repayment of federal student loans has been paused since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. And surprisingly, the world has not fallen apart.
Former President Trump got something right when he paused loan repayment and later extended the pause. When President Biden took office last year, he, in turn, extended the pause.
Coming just one day after The Debt Collective led a day of action urging the president to cancel student debt, an extension of the pause is nice, but some say it’s not enough. The Debt Collective demanded Biden “pick up the pen” and wipe out all student loan debt in an action Monday.
The Debt Collective and supporters gathered in front of the U.S. Department of Education calling for a Student Debt Jubilee and cancellation of all debt.
Last week Democrats in both the House and Senate urged the president to extend the repayment pause through the end of the year while he considered options for canceling at least a portion of outstanding student loan debt. Rep. Jamaal Bowman tweeted that it wasn’t enough to pause student debt, but the president should cancel it.
“@StrikeDebt and many Dems have called for student debt cancellation for over two years now,” Bowman tweeted. “Student loans have been paused since 2020, and our economy hasn’t collapsed. The cost of living goes up while wages stagnate. Don’t just delay payments @POTUS, cancel student debt.”
While it may seem like the president is just kicking the can down the road, there could be a strategic reason for the delay. Extending the repayment pause through the end of August, with the possibility of cancellation later still on the table, could be a move for midterm elections later this year. People heading to the polls in late October/early November might be more likely to remember the president clearing out loans.
As previously reported by NewsOne, Congressional Democrats have been pushing for the administration to cancel student loans. While there are different approaches, Sen. Elizabeth Warren continues to push for canceling $50,000 of federal student loan debt. She also co-introduced legislation with Rep. Jim Clyburn in 2019 but maintains the president can take executive action.
Some may wonder why student debt cancelation and not voting rights. But proponents of debt cancelation argue that the president could simply pick up his pen and do something that will benefit more than 40 million student debt holders without dealing with partisan fighting.
“Stop kicking the can down the road. Stop extending the pause. Just cancel all student debt,” an organizer said in a video captured by D.C. based justice reporter Chuck Modiano.
SEE ALSO:
Senate Democrats Say People Should Press Biden On Student Loan Forgiveness
Biden Deferring Student Loan Payments Again Falls Short Of Campaign Promise To Cancel Debt
Biden Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause Through August was originally published on newsone.com
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