Recently, a photo of a desperately tearful toddler looking up at her mother while being inspected by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents became the visual representation of the ongoing immigration crisis at the U.S./Mexico border.Despite the Department of Homeland Security speaking publicly about its new "zero-tolerance" immigration policy, many people remain full of questions about what will happen to the children forcibly separated from their parents.The former head of ICE, John Sandweg, recently talked with NBC News to share his expertise, and what he had to say didn't put our minds at ease at all. Sandweg served as ICE's acting director during President Barack Obama's administration from 2013-2014.Although the White House has assured the world the forced parent-child separations are only temporary, Sandweg said these extreme measures could very quickly be made permanent. "We have come to understand that these families who are separated, it is for a limited period of time between five to 10 days," White House Director of Strategic Communications Mercedes Schlapp told Fox News on Tuesday, June 19..@mercedesschlapp: “If you come in and cross the border, it is a crime and so the illegal immigrant who is the adult will have to be prosecuted.” pic.twitter.com/4twFoFZS0O— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 19, 2018Sandweg disagreed with that assessment."Permanent separation. It happens," said Sandweg. He further explained that the timing of asylum hearings could make the separations last longer than the White House's five to 10 days.Sandweg said because immigration judges typically would hear a parent's case before their child's, the parent could either have asylum or be deported while the child remains in detention."You could easily end up in a situation where the gap between a parent's deportation and a child's deportation is years," Sandweg said. As such, parents could be forced back into their home countries without proper access to legal counsel, leaving their children trapped in the American foster care system."You could be creating thousands of immigrant orphans in the U.S. that one day could become eligible for citizenship when they are adopted," Sandweg noted, adding that he's seen this happen."This is why family unity was critical for us. With the numbers of families crossing ticking up, [the] Obama administration was concerned about children being left behind," Sandweg continued.According to NBC, immigration lawyers in the U.S. and Central America confirmed many deported parents are having a hard time reuniting with their...
Miona Jones and Devanni Robinson are two black women who want to be great.The ladies applied for jobs at a Fiat Chrysler dealership and later received a call from the company saying they couldn't locate their records.Although Jones and Robinson graduated from Detroit Cares Alternative Academy in 2012, somehow there is no proof of their education.When the two women sought their records from the Detroit Public Schools Community District, a representative told them the school could not locate any records."I actually called, and the lady said they had no records of our transcripts, diplomas stating that we graduated, nothing," Robinson told Fox 2 Detroit. The Academy was open from 2007-2012 and operated under a nonprofit headed by Reverend Horace Sheffield. "The Detroit Public Schools is responsible for the management and the maintenance of these records," Sheffield said. Students' records were lost when the system went through a period of "emergency management," during the 2011-2012 school year. "So now I'm without a Chrysler job," Jones told Fox 2 Detroit.The blunder has affected the professional lives of other students, as well, and the local news station is working to get to the bottom of what has become a significant issue and an interference in the futures of young people destined for greatness. Sheffield said he would follow up with Chrysler on the girls' behalf and do his best to track down the necessary...
A Chicago teenager, shot during a violent weekend in the Windy City, was covered with a sheet even though he was still breathing at the scene of the shooting.The teen identified as 17-year-old Erin Carey was one of six other people shot when two cars circled a party around 4:50 a.m. on Monday, June 18. Paramedics believing the teen was dead, covered him with a white sheet.According to The Chicago Tribune, the sheet covered him for at least an hour. Bystanders yelled at crime scene investigators as Carey twitched. A woman nearby yelled, “He ain’t dead!”Others around begged the teen to get up. Paramedics were finally alerted to Carey's condition. EMTs began to perform chest compressions and placed him in an ambulance. Police and fire officials report he was taken to a nearby hospital and placed on life support.This man was shot at 4:30 this morning in Chicago and they had his body covered up as if he was dead. Paramedics didn’t even try to save him until someone pointed out that he was still breathing smh.. pic.twitter.com/7RDaZUn7PR— Marcus. (@Marcus_OTF) June 18, 2018 "That individual has a catastrophic injury," said Chicago Police First Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio. "He was shot in the head and the prognosis is not good. I do understand that paramedics looked at him, believed him to be deceased, covered him with that sheet and moved on to another individual who was nearby who was also shot. They saw motion, movement underneath the sheet. Officers who were present notified paramedics, this man is still alive." ABC 7 Chicago reports Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago is not sure how the teen was mistaken for dead. EMS protocols state paramedics are supposed to triage patients when responding to a 911 call. "We're looking into it right now. We're trying to piece everything together. We're looking at the computers where they put down all that information. Paramedics put down that information," Santiago said.It is unknown how long Carey laid there unattended. Police were the first to be alerted after the bystanders made them aware. "They saw motion, movement underneath the sheet," he added. "Officers who were present notified paramedics."Four men in their early 20s were also injured in the shooting, and a 22-year-old woman was killed. Investigators are looking at surveillance camera footage to find possible suspects connected to the shootings. At the moment, there are no leads. The teen passed away 20 hours after the incident according to CBS...
A psychiatrist from Memphis, Tennessee, has been suspended after an investigation uncovered she used whips and riding crops to treat her patients.The Tennessean reports Dr. Valerie Louise Augustus of Christian Psychiatrist Services used a riding crop, commonly used to discipline livestock, to hit a patient who is a victim of physical abuse and suffered from depression.Augustus also reportedly used the weapon and whips on other patients and compared them to mules. To make matters worse, she had the weapons on display in her office like your grandma’s switch tree in the yard.The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners found "there is no evidence in the psychiatric literature to support touching a patient with an implement as part of treatment,” the report reads. “This is supported by the A.P.A.’s [American Psychological Association] commentary on ethics and practice.”Her medical license is suspended for 60 days, and she has been ordered to pay a $10,000 fee, $1,000 for each victim. Augustus will be required to take a two-day medical ethics course.To get her license back, she will have to be cleared by Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program, which handles behavioral issues from professionals. If she passes, Augustus will be able to practice during a three-year probationary period.In this instance, the rod should definitely be...
Juneteenth is a unique but not widely known holiday so it might be hard to find ways to celebrate the emancipation of our ancestors. Thankfully, comedian Karlous Miller had the perfect suggestion.Happy Juneteenth. Do something black.— Karlous Miller (@KarlousM) June 19, 2018 In response, the denizens of Black Twitter gave us plenty of options. How's this for doing something black? Lunch break in a few so this is what I call "pre-break!" The break before break lol 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/unqsNPb6Xn— JerzeeCat (@CatDean5) June 19, 2018I think I am gonna start a campaign to make "JUICY" by Biggie Smalls the OFFICIAL #JuneteenthDay anthem. #ItWasAllADream
pic.twitter.com/S4qzBFjHLk— Mario the Poet (@poetrybymario) June 19, 2018 *fries turkey bacon in grease from 1983* https://t.co/x8b6IKRUzJ— yung fudge (@GoldFromBrass) June 19, 2018Had the money...still got an extension on a bill... https://t.co/l5L3sMRr3o— Tyler Does (@tylerchronicles) June 19, 2018Welp...Let me go grab some mustard out of my Crown Royal bag of condiments. https://t.co/4FzhfQS9NB— Ed Miller (@IamEdMill) June 19, 2018Wearing my durag in the airport for you. Happy Juneteenth! https://t.co/wQc0ivoNC7— A BADDIE’S BIRTHDAY JUNE 17 (@iFredLee) June 19, 2018*gives entitled white guy in the office "imma do this on my time" face when he asks me for something* https://t.co/PQd4VZEhsA— The Last Airbender (@neetweets2) June 19, 2018Going to every store with an added(unnecessary “s”): krogers, sonics, jc pennys, Barnes and nobles https://t.co/5db0GOw3m1— Whÿ iš GãMòRâ? (@brrandin) June 19, 2018 Rubs Blue Magic on a fresh fade https://t.co/iKJARAhnQN— Annoyed Potato (@Saito_91) June 19, 2018About to yell at everyone for opening a second box of cereal https://t.co/DvW8DkulMk— Plan-tin Connoisseur (@wheresX) June 19, 2018HappyJuneteenth, fam!Do somethin' black!Finna stir kool-aid with my gun on my waist https://t.co/PMQZ1X5TFR— Richposlim is A Brother Slim (@richposlim) June 19,...
Though I realize some of these points may make the world of work seem a bit daunting, I wrote this post as though I were writing to my younger self. These are my experiences and those of the women around me. You may experience things in a completely different way. I think it’s important to highlight this point.In saying that, I have no doubts that many young women will experience many of the following things, so I believe it is even more important to highlight this point.Here are 10 things many black women experience when stepping into the world of work :This will probably be the first time you truly realize how much of a minority you are, unless, of course, this was your reality growing up. Be prepared to possibly be the only black girl, or to form an unspoken coalition with the very few black colleagues you will have. Diversity will start to mean so much more to you. Use this as your fuel.When you get a new hairstyle, whether it be you simply washing your hair and unleashing the fro, or if you get braids, you will be quizzed and questioned repeatedly about your new choice. Though it is very nice for people to be so intrigued by you, it starts to feel odd when you feel like a spectacle, whilst the fourth person of the day strokes your hair without permission. This may cause a little anxiety the night before you debut your new look. You may even reconsider the hair styles society have always taught us are “too black.” Reach out to your friends and tell them how you feel. Their shared experience will reassure you.You are likely to develop your “work” voice even more than you did at your interview stage. Your tone, your delivery, your choice of language will be adapted. I guess everybody does this as a means to be more professional. However, you may found yourself in the cluster of black people who have an underlying insecurity about saying something that sounds “too black.” Though sadly you probably won’t get very far unless you adjust to a new work persona, never change who you really are!People will celebrate black culture regularly in your presence, but will lack the basic knowledge of Black History. You may find yourself talking to somebody about their evening at a Kendrick Lamar show, and find they know not what he means when he says “we gon' be alright.” This will frustrate you, but use it as a tool to enlighten them.If you are ever ill treated, you will likely have the uncomfortable worry that this may have something to do with your race. Of course it’s very plausible that it could be something else. However, I have heard too many saddening stories to not include this as a possibility. Be sensible about how you conduct yourself, but if this is what you truly feel, be it covert or overt, take it to HR before it gets out of hand.You will undoubtedly meet many people who stereotype you. They will assume you have an attitude, that you’re poor and that all you listen to is hip-hop. Remember that there is nothing wrong with any of the things mentioned. The problem is the completely one-dimensional life this person has lived to cause them to absorb such stereotypes. Their problem, not yours.In the race of life, black women usually fall short of the head starts our counterparts have. Somewhere in your career, this frustration may set in. It may be fleeting or it may fester, but remain calm and be reassured that even without the head starts in life, here you are sitting in the same seats as your counterparts. In reality, knowing you got to the end of the race with twice the strain isn’t very reassuring, but please take something from it and use it to grow.Politics in the workplace will be sensitive. Race relations will be difficult to discuss. If ever these topics come up, you may feel a little offended by people’s opinions. You may feel obliged to jump on your desk and scream "BLACK LIVES MATTER" for no apparent reason. My advice, from personal experience, is to avoid delving too deep into these topics.The older you get, the more your career progresses, you will realise that there is a disproportionate representation of minorities the higher up you get. If ever you feel discouraged, outraged or even somewhat bitter, remember that this reality is fast changing! Make yourself a part of that change.Being black is beautiful, but many have lived in a “color-free” bubble. They do not understand because they do not know. Be great, be kind, not to prove that we as a people are great and kind, but just because.There are many amazing things you will experience in the world of work, however, these are the key things I’d wished I had been warned of before I made the leap.Keep...
The comedic genius behind the viral “How Men Communicate In 2018” video is back with another accurate video.Animator Munirah posted a video titled “How to Get A Real One - Everything You Need to Know to Get Your King” featuring the guy from her last video.The premise of this video is a talk show for “real n***as” where the bearded fella teaches women how to get a man. After a hilarious “ad” plugging beard balm for the brothers who struggle with facial hair, the dude explains the point of his talk show.“If you want a dude thinking you strong and independent and a feminist, keep doing what you doing, sweetheart,” says the self-described “real n***a.” “But if you wanna get right and get a man, this is the show for you,” he continues. After a short commercial break, RN brings on a guest, “A Mo Real N***a,” to discuss females. RN’s description of Mo describes every ashy troll who might pop up under your Facebook status or in your Twitter mentions.“He can currently be seen in your DMs thanking you for accepting his friend request, in the comment section of the Shade Room and at your hood gas station,” RN said of his friend.It gets even more real when RN asks Mo what is wrong with women — or “females.”“Females love to play the blame game. Ima say this one time for the one time. What kind of dudes y’all out here choosing? The man you entertain is a reflection of you, so if he ain’t s**t, what that make you? Be selective,” he responded.Whew! How many times have you heard that, ladies?The pair then takes calls where Mo praises polygamy, dubs himself a king and seems confused about what to call women when a caller asks about his use of females.Munirah, keep them coming.Check out the entire video...
What will you be doing to celebrate June 19, this year? Chances are high that even if you’re active on social media and involved in the “woke” trends of today, you still will not be participating in celebrations of the oft-forgotten holiday known as Juneteenth.“I wasn't really aware of Juneteenth until college. Even now that I am in the know, I wish that there was a greater cultural impact,” says Tenechia Lockhart, an Employee Benefits Litigator from Ohio. “Other than attending a block party a few years back, I’m ashamed to say that I have not experienced many celebrations.” Tenechia is not alone. Antonio White, the founder of Beyond Ideas Group based in Washington DC shared, “I didn't know about Juneteenth until my early adult years.” Despite this, the significance of the holiday is not lost on him. “I think it's important now more than ever for us to remember the integral role slaves played in building this country and the ways African-Americans persisted in spite of slavery and segregation, and Juneteenth is a way to remember that.”While the Emancipation Proclamation outlawed slavery in 1863, the new law wasn’t enforced in the remote, isolated territory of Texas, due to the geographic challenges its location created. Consequently, while the Civil War was underway, there was mass migration of slaveholders carting their slaves to Texas in a feeble attempt to protect their assets. From 1860 to 1865 (the year the Civil War ended), the slave population in Texas grew by nearly 40 percent.It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger came riding into Galveston, Texas with 2,000 other Union soldiers to announce complete emancipation for all being held as slaves, that actual freedom was presented (be careful not to mistake this for full execution) to all enslaved Americans. One could argue this date is more significant to American history than even our beloved fourth of July.Why isn’t this facet of history more widely known and acknowledged?Reconstruction and Jim Crow.As Jamelle Bouie wrote, “It’s difficult to celebrate freedom when your life is defined by oppression on all sides.”As newly freed black people attempted to forge ahead toward journeys yet unknown, owning keepsakes and family heirlooms was not a privilege many had. Lack of resources and money prevented most from traveling with little more than the clothes on their back. “We were property, and property can’t own things, so there wasn’t a lineage of things being passed on,” says Jannah Handy, co-owner of Blk Mkt Vintage, a Brooklyn-based antique store that celebrates black curiosities. “The impact of domestic terrorism — people were forced to leave at the drop of a hat, and that really impacts what was or wasn’t passed on,” said Handy.While the emancipatory celebration has been enjoying a popular resurgence in recent years, due in part to the rise of social media and the awareness that it brings, the modern-day celebrations continue to reflect on traditions of the past to acknowledge the significance of the holiday today.White reflects, “Given the 2016 election and current political climate, I think people are eager to reclaim their heritage and traditions. You see it in popular media where you have people like Issa Rae, Beyonce' and others celebrating rich cultural traditions in fashion, art, dance and music that's distinct and not necessarily part of the pop culture discourse.” He continues, thoughtfully, “Tom Joyner has always acknowledged Juneteenth and supported HBCUs and black culture broadly. He's one of the people I think of when it comes to keeping the Juneteenth flame alive.” The unlikely northern state of Minnesota has a dedicated taskforce which hosts some of the country’s largest events outside of Texas. “We have a Juneteenth festival with vendors, food, music, dancing and storytelling,” the taskforce shared. “We also host a strawberry soda pop making charity event.”Indeed, in recent years Americans have seen a push for the holiday to be acknowledged on a national scale, as 45 of the 50 states recognize it as an official holiday. How much longer must we wait until a federal holiday is granted? In the meantime, this year, feel free to heed the advice of the Minnesota Taskforce: “Take a trip to Galveston, Texas where the celebration really started. Learn more about...
Although I’ve never fallen out of love with the song “Summertime,” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (more commonly know now as Will Smith), I'm going to have to disagree with him on one point. I would not recommend taking an entire season to sit back and unwind.We are in one of the most challenging part of the year for both personal and professional goals. It’s the summer slowdown! It impacts us all, whether you’re a professional butt-kicker, like myself, a disruptive tech founder, scaling entrepreneur, career climber or corporate dragon slayer. Day parties, vacations, rooftop decks with bottomless mimosas, slow business decision making, summer Fridays and the pursuit of a sun-kissed glow can easily make the best of us a little wobbly.I personally love this time of year for kicking my goals straight in the mouth for the same reason I love Fridays. When everyone else takes their foot off the gas, it's the perfect time to “next level” my efforts. It’s stand out time!Here are four quick tips to use the summer slowdown to your advantage:1. Review and recalibrate your goals.Look at where you are currently and adjust accordingly. Sit down with your paper calendar and realistically map out what you can do with your summer schedule. Break it down into manageable steps. I am on the road quite a bit this summer, this impacts how I can work. I can’t overcommit to a lot of face time or in-person meetings. Love it or hate it. It’s going to be a lot a phone/Skype/Zoom calls this summer.2. Find a kick a$$ account-a-buddy to hold you accountable.Make a pact with that one friend that will tell you when they don’t like your outfit, the one that will call you on your BS, and work together to stay on track. I recommend starting weekly check-in calls with an agenda. Each week, go over the previous week’s action plan. It is a “yes or no” conversation. Did you or did you not complete it. No excuses.3. Think of sweater weather.If you’re an entrepreneur and it is seasonally slow for you right now, think of what you can activate for a killer Q4. Now would be a good time to set up that CRM you have been dragging your feet on or updating your website. How about reaching out to your contacts with some useful information?4. Treat yourself this summer.When you hit a benchmark, do something nice for yourself. Don’t’ wait until your big goal is completely done, celebrate those little wins. Right now, a pedicure does the trick for me. When I shut down my big goal, I get a fancy vacay.We are still early in the summer season, so I encourage you to take action before action takes you. Put in the work when others are on vacation mentally and physically....
Residents in Mendenhall, Mississippi, are scratching their heads after city officials told them the black water flowing from their faucets is safe to drink.According to WAFB, citizen Ronnie Goodman noticed the discoloration Friday morning, June 15."It's actually in the water system, and you can look in the back of the toilet," Goodman said as he lifted the toilet lid during his interview. "And as you flush it you see the water stain."His wife called the Poplar Springs Water District who told her the water was safe for consumption. The station also called and received the same response."My question is who would want to sit down at the table and drink some of this?" Goodman asked. The black water was present in Goodman's sinks, bathtubs and washing machine. A trail of it was also streaming down a neighbor's driveway. The Poplar Springs Water District has not said anything about the water. The water began to run clear by Friday...
The only school in Richmond, Virginia, named after a Confederate general will become Barack Obama Elementary School.WHSV reported the Richmond School Board voted 6-1 to rename J.E.B. Stuart Elementary School to now honor the 44th president. J.E.B. Stuart was a Confederate general and slave owner.The only dissenting vote came from Kenya Gibson, who wanted more time to review possible names and include local heroes.“This is Richmond, and we are about history, and we have so many great local stories to tell,” Gibson said. “Our local stories are so important to cherish.”Superintendent Jason Kamras believes the name change is a sign of progress for Richmond.“It’s incredibly powerful that in the capital of the Confederacy, where we had a school named for an individual who fought to maintain slavery, that now we’re renaming that school after the first black president,” Kamras said to The Richmond Times-Dispatch. “A lot of our kids, and our kids at J.E.B. Stuart, see themselves in Barack Obama.”After polling the student body, who is 95 percent black, the list of possible names was narrowed down to Barack Obama, Northside and Wishtree. Other suggestions included John Adams, Jackie Robinson and Henry Marsh.The school board said it would cost about $26,000 to rename the school and hadn't set a date for the...
On the heels of the release of Everything Is Love, Puma has announced Jay- Z will become the brand’s new creative consultant.The popular shoe company is making its way back into the basketball shoe conversation by introducing a slew of big-time signees and giving legendary NBA player Walt Clyde Frazier a lifetime deal. Puma and Frazier have a long history. He was their first significant endorser in the 1970s. The worst kept secret: Puma is back in basketball. Company signing their first endorser Walt Clyde Frazier to a lifetime deal. Releasing 73 limited editions pairs at place on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn today. New handle is @PUMAHoops. pic.twitter.com/fmbgi5B0M0— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 18, 2018For Hov, the earliest news pegged him as a "president of basketball operations" who would have had the power to pick players for Puma's basketball division. But the brand has decided the creative consultant role would be most fitting for him."We've been working with Roc Nation for quite some time. They've been great partners to us for several years. We've done many different deals with many different ambassadors," Adam Petrick, Puma's global director of brand and marketing, told Complex.Puma is pursuing young players to add to their other endorsers like Big Sean and Rihanna. Hov was expected to have a hands-on approach to his role as president, but it isn't clear what he will do as a consultant. "What's important to him on a day like today is that it's clear we're making a serious push with players like Bagley and Ayton and Smith. We're making a serious statement about the entry of the category, that we want to be a performance brand, but then also very culturally focused," Petrick added."It's clear that we're looking at basketball through the lens of culture, and thinking about the fashion of basketball, the music of basketball, all the aspects of culture around basketball as much as the on court presence that we will have."These last few days have been huge for Hov: He is still on tour with Queen Bey; he has the top album out; and now, he is entering the shoe business.IT'S OFFICIAL. 💪💪💪 @DeandreAyton
#pumafam
pic.twitter.com/28C5wcMG2z— PUMA Basketball (@PUMAHoops) June 18, 2018PHENOM STATUS. WELCOME @mb3five
#pumafam
pic.twitter.com/UDD4Q164ED— PUMA Basketball (@PUMAHoops) June 18,...
