"Fox has a reputation for being bigoted and racist, all for very good reason," said Eboni K. Williams during a lengthy interview with The Breakfast Club on Thursday.. @EboniKWilliams describes the idea behind #FoxNews and why she decided to leave as a correspondent. pic.twitter.com/OR1EOjjVuN— The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) April 18, 2019
Williams quit Fox in 2018 after nearly five years of hosting the Fox News Specialists with Eric Bolling. The show was cancelled when Bolling was forced to leave the network after a sexual misconduct scandal. In the aftermath, Williams struggled to get back on the air.She was brutally honest about her time at the conservative news outlet. In fact, she told Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy that when she was first hired, she thought she would be a "savior.""I went there because I thought I would be a savior of sorts and talk to the people in the middle that watch that network," she said. "Whether we like it or not, Fox is No. 1 for a reason," she added.
Later in the interview, she said the only way to truly understand the network and its meteoric rise in popularity was to understand its founder, Roger Ailes."To understand Fox News, you have to understand a man by the name of Roger Ailes. In his book, In Plain Sight, he says that he is forming a network to speak to one thing, and one thing only, the demonizing of the 'other.' That is literally the purpose of why it was founded. I don't know what his beliefs are, but he knew it would be very profitable," she said. "When you find a fear-based thing like that, and can capitalize on it in a unique way, nobody had ever done this before. At the time, it was CNN, MSNBC, it was regular network news. There was no conservative news outlet speaking directly to the fear of the intrinsic devaluation of whiteness in this country. Roger saw a void, and like any smart businessperson, you fill it. Fox News was born in 1996."
Williams told the crew that the network's success boiled down to its core mission of appealing to the fears people had concerning the advancement and success of Black people in America."I'm here to tell you that a lot of people have questions about what the rise -- the economic, political, just presence and being more visible -- of Black and brown Americans in this country, mean for me and mine. This country was built on the notion of white expectancy. As those norms start to shift and we see them shifting and nothing was a greater example of that shift than a man named Barack Hussein Obama being in the White House for 8 years," she told the morning radio hosts. Even though she disagreed with the political slant of the network, she said it was important for people to understand where the Fox News audience is coming from and why they believe what they believe."We all do ourselves a favor when we can at least have some level of intellectual understanding. We don't have to empathize with it, we don't have to sympathize with it, we damn sure don't have to like it. But have an understanding as to where that is coming from."Now, check these out: Marie Faye Fatally Shot In Her Bronx Apartment By Her Boyfriend, An Off-Duty Corrections OfficerKorryn Gaines shot and killed by Baltimore County police, 5-year-old injured in gunfireNew Study Finds 8 Percent Of Male Homicides In The U.S. Are Committed By Police...
Lizzo brought her killer vocals, dance moves and coveted big girl energy to perform her latest album's lead single, "Juice," on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and it was super lit.The singer-songwriter appeared on the late night talk show to promote her third solo album, Cuz I Love You, which was released Friday.
Performing at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, the talented flautist showed the world exactly what big girl energy is made of. She started the show with some Black girl truths. She satin a chair with a red party cup while one of her dancers braided her hair and installed a long, black ponytail. In true Black girl fashion, she did this all without missing a beat or chopping a vocal.Accompanied by four plus-size dancers flaunting gold knocker earrings, colored braids and super long nails, Lizzo and her crew owned the stage. The charismatic performance of the self-love anthem did not disappoint.The Minneapolis artist repped for the West Coast and Nipsey Hussle by rocking exclusive Crenshaw jerseys from his Marathon Clothing store. She ended the show with a Black power fist.Backstage at #Kimmel with @Lizzo
#CuzILoveYou
pic.twitter.com/CgdENUP3Pf— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) April 19, 2019"Juice" was originally released on January 4 and has been creeping up the charts ever since. More recently, its Drag Race-inspired music video has propelled the song forward, featuring famed alumni of the series.Check out some reactions below, and watch the juicy performance.
@lizzo did a whole damn performance getting her hair braided on Kimmel.
I love her, like frfr.— lil ambivert™️ (@thefake_mimi) April 19, 2019i just discovered @lizzo thanks to Jimmy Kimmel & this is what i needed in my life :D I'm so blasting this omw home from campus 💗💗— 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓡𝓮𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓢𝓹𝔂 (@TinyRebelSpy) April 19, 2019GORL DID U JUST INSTALL UR PONY TAIL ON STAGE?? AT THE JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW? IN FULL MARATHON GEAR ?! WITH A TEAM OF BEAUTIFUL THICK BROWN GIRLS ????? For the mf culture ?!!!— Mimi 🦋 (@seauxmia) April 19, 2019yo @lizzo getting her hair did on Kimmel and then performing her ass off?? ETERNAL MOOD! I cannot wait to bump her new album!!!— Jess of Assgard (@JanetSnackson) April 19, 2019We truly do not deserve Juice by Lizzo— adrianna (@aharris0922) April 19, 2019juice by lizzo is the new uptown funk— forklift foot (@soggybbq) April 19, 2019
We have a superstar in our midst. Please act accordingly.Now, check these out:10 Plus-Size Women Who Are Revolutionizing the GameMan Who Was Shot Alongside Nipsey Hussle, Then Jailed To Be ReleasedTeyana Taylor Gave 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' Its Blackest Episode...
Teyana Taylor took The Ellen Show for a ride on the Soul Train.The songstress performed her single “Issues/Hold On” on Thursday, and she went all out for her Soul Train-themed set. Her name was literally in lights as a Don Cornelius look-alike introduced the singer.Taylor gave us the complete Diana Ross fantasy with a solid gold bell-bottom jumpsuit and a head full of voluminous curls. She also had a group of backup singers in sparkly outfits and matching wigs.The song’s sultry baseline was a perfect fit for the performance and set the mood as her dancers got down in their '70s garb.
This performance was already Black as hell, but it got even Blacker when the dancers set the stage for the ultimate Black gathering tradition, a Soul Train line. The dancers looked like they were having the time of their lives when they shimmied down the makeshift runway. Ellen DeGeneres even joined in for a booty bop with Taylor.I’m available for music video work. @TEYANATAYLOR
pic.twitter.com/NU0lbTYEU0— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 18, 2019At the end of the performance, Taylor received a gold plaque for her song “Gonna Love Me” from DeGeneres.If “Issues/Hold On” and Beyoncé’s cover of “Before I Let Go,” are any indication, 2019’s cookouts will be litty.Watch the full performance:
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Update (April 19, 2018): Following weeks of uncertainty and outrage, South Carolina officials have finally released their findings in the autopsy of RaNiya Wright, a fifth-grader at Forest Hills Elementary in Walterboro who died two days after allegedly hitting her head during a scuffle with another student.To the surprise of RaNiya’s parents and family, the coroner said RaNiya died from an arteriovenous malformation, known as an AVM, and that the fight had nothing to do with her death.In a press conference on Friday, Colleton County Sheriff R.A. Strickland, Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone and Coroner Richard Harvey said RaNiya died of natural causes, adding that no charges would be filed against anyone.The Post and Courier said that with AVM, veins and arteries can sever, causing extensive bleeding in the brain or on the spinal cord. The condition is extremely rare, but is difficult to spot in children. An estimated 1% of the population has AVM. According to district officials, RaNiya had complained of headaches for nearly two years and that she had no cuts, bruises or injuries from the “brief slap fight” that occurred on March 25.
RaNiya’s mother, Ashley Wright, was outraged by the coroner’s statement and repeated her claim that her daughter had routinely complained of being bullied by the girl she allegedly fought on March 25. She told Good Morning America last week that her daughter would “always come home saying this one girl was picking on her.""My frustration is really towards the school system because I sent my child to school feeling like she can be protected while she's not in my care anymore," Wright told GMA. "They were in the class. The girl came up behind her and was hitting her all in the head. How long, I don't know. She pushed her or rammed her head or something into the bookshelf."At her own press conference on Friday, she reiterated that claim, telling reporters: “My daughter was healthy. She was scared to get teased...it was the same girl for two years.”Colleton County Prosecutor Duffie Stone disputed Wright’s claims, saying the fight played no role in RaNiya’s death."There was no evidence of trauma on or inside her body...that would indicate that any fight (of) any magnitude contributed to her death," he said.Original: A South Carolina elementary school student has died following injuries sustained earlier this week during a classroom fight with a reported bully. RaNiya Wright died on Wednesday at a Charleston hospital, reports The Philadelphia Tribune. The 10-year-old was reportedly in critical condition since Monday following the traumatic incident that occurred at Forest Hills Elementary.The Colleton County School District reported the young aggressor had been suspended from the school indefinitely, according to ABC News 4. The fight is currently under investigation from the school district as well as Colleton County authorities.No further information regarding the fight or Wright's fatal injuries has been released at this time.However, one Walterboro teacher anonymously spoke about the incident, stating that the cause was bullying. Speaking with ABC 4 News, the teacher said that she's concerned about the environment in the primary school."I feel that our children aren’t safe," she said, adding that the incident wasn't the first she's witnessed that negatively impacted her students. The educator told reporters that harassment from fellow students has been the cause of many events in classrooms and even within her home.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news."It’s making me want to leave, making me want to pack up my children and just move on," the unidentified woman continued. "I immediately stop [the bullying] when I see it. If I notice it as a continuous thing, I report it."Officials did not confirm or deny if Wright's death was related to the reported bullying.A crisis response team counseled students following the tragic event, and the county school district released a statement on its Facebook page."We are devastated by this news, and we want our communities to keep their thoughts and prayers with the student’s family at this time," the Facebook post read Wednesday morning.Following the announcement of Wright's death, the school temporarily deactivated its page, which was flooded with criticism from locals.Later that day, Colleton County spokesperson Sean Gruber and Superintendent Dr. Franklin Foster released a statement extending their condolences to the family."Raniya was a wonderful student," part of the statement reads. "She loved to write, spend time with her friends, play basketball and loved being a big sister. She was actively involved in her church as a junior usher. She will be missed greatly by her family, friends, and the entire school community."The district encouraged people to inform the school of counseling services needed to ease the pain of teachers, students, peers and the community at large.Wright's family set up a GoFundMe page to assist in settling medical and funeral costs for the victim.
Now, check these out:This Vermont High School Is Recognizing The History Of Slavery By Raising BLM Flag For 400 DaysBurundi Schoolgirls Released After Being Jailed For Silly PrankA Second Parkland Survivor Has Been Found Dead In Apparent...
Howard University students are taking offense with popular campus spot "The Yard" slowly transforming into another dog park in Washington, D.C. After one gentrifier retorted by suggesting the HBCU should move its campus, the online community quickly reminded him he's a guest in their home.As with many of D.C.'s historic neighborhoods, the areas surrounding Howard have undergone substantial renovations. Consequently, affluent white millennials have flooded those parts, bringing an unacceptable amount of protocol with them. One Howard sophomore spoke with Fox 5 D.C. about the disrespect of walking one's pup through The Yard, noting the slew of dog parks specifically intended for residents to take their furry friends."'The Yard' is for the students and although everyone loves pets, I feel like it's disrespectful to have the pets just running around, especially when there are several parks around here," Malakhi Briggs said. "If they come on 'The Yard' and they're just walking through, I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but I still feel like there are other ways to get around D.C. without having to cut through a college campus."
Instead of honoring said sacred space, one Washingtonian proposed the institution accommodate his needs and up and move the campus to make way for his pets.Recent reports have came out that Howard University Students feel disrespected by residents using the yard as a dog park 🐕 but this resident thinks the campus should be moved 😮😡 pic.twitter.com/stxHUWtu2X— Angie Ange In The Morning (@AngieAngeAM) April 19, 2019 "So, they're in part of D.C. so they have to work within D.C. If they don't want to be within D.C. then they can move the campus. I think we just need to work together and I don't think it should be a he or there or here. It's our community, and that's how it should be," said Sean Grubbs-Robishaw. I'm sorry, Sean. Whose community?Twitter users couldn't believe the Caucasity and criticized the Bloomingdale resident for his one-sided idea.Howard University has been here since 1867. The Yard was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 2001, so please stop bringing your dogs & letting them desecrate our sacred space. We will not move - take your dogs to Banneker, a PUBLIC PARK across the street 🤗 pic.twitter.com/dXC9ebYMVw— @150Bison (@150Bison) April 19, 2019I’m curious to know how long he’s been a part of “our” community. 🙄— ®️ɔᴉʇǝƃolodɐun ⅋ ǝdop (@YouDntKnoMyLife) April 19, 2019LMFAO. That entitlement is spicy. "Move the campus". Move the historical Howard so I can walk my dogs .... okay, let's do this at GW, AU, CU or GU and see if they feel the same way. But instead of dogs, let's blast gogo. 🙄— ty (@simply_tyy) April 19, 2019 One user came up with an alternative for Grubbs-Robishaw: Howard students should hold school events on his lawn, since he wants to be a part of the community.— Catcher Freeman (@TissanYoung0) April 19, 2019Given the response he fired back at one tweeter, it appears Grubbs-Robishaw wasn't feeling the reactions from his "suggestion." His reply. Lmao. I actually feel anger rising from the depths of my soul. pic.twitter.com/tZpYaLumhx— cmh. (@sixtwentyfive_) April 19, 2019 Did we strike a nerve?The Black population in D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood has significantly fallen, per DCist. According to the news site, the amount of Black residents dropped from 78% in 1990 to 44% in 2010, the final year with accessible census numbers.
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Update (April 18, 2019): Kerry Lathan found himself back in prison after authorities arrested the 56-year-old on April 5 for associating with slain rapper Nipsey Hussle because of his affiliation with the Crips gang. According to Inside Edition, however, Lathan is expected to be released. The Department of Corrections (DOC) said Thursday it intends to drop the latest allegations against Lathan and instead ensure he walks free once again.Lathan was shot alongside the late Hussle on March 31 and recently spoke about his final moments with the “Last Time That I Checc’d” artist from Men’s Central Jail.“The gunman turned around the car and shot me, then shot Nipsey, and then shot my nephew,” Lathan recalled. “I didn't know what was going on; I fell on my stomach. All I could see was people's feet. I couldn't see nothing else. I said so they got it wrong if they talking about me being an eyewitness. What was I supposed to do? When I see a gun, I turn around and run. I don't stop and take a selfie of the gunman. It all happened in less than three minutes.”While it remains unclear why the DOC suddenly decided to revoke his parole, ABC News reports it could have something to do with the slew of accolades and posthumous honors Hussle has received since his demise.No word on when Lathan will officially be released, but TMZ reports it could be as early as Thursday afternoon. Original: One of the two victims who was shot alongside Nipsey Hussle resulting in his death has been arrested for having "gang ties" to the deceased rapper.As Blavity reported, Ermias "Nipsey Hussle" Asghedom unexpectedly dropped by his Marathon Clothing store on March 31 to gift a friend recently released from jail with some new clothing. Upon exiting his establishment, Hussle and two other men were shot several times by a disgruntled assailant.All three men were rushed to a Los Angeles hospital where the Grammy-nominated artist died less than an hour later. The two remaining victims were treated and released.Now, TMZ has revealed that one of the victims was arrested just five days after the tragic event.Kerry Lathan, the intended recipient of Hussle's final good deed, has been accused of violating his parole by associating with the late philanthropist, businessman and musician, who was also a reputed Crip. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.The 33-year-old was known to be a member of the Rolling 60s and an influential leader who encouraged the crew to expand their commercial pursuits outside of illegal activities. The father of two was honored for his contributions to the city and the world on Thursday with a monumental memorial at the Staples Center and a 25-mile procession through the streets of South Central Los Angeles.Lathan, who is reportedly paralyzed in his legs as a result of the shooting, served 20 years in jail and was living at a halfway house while readjusting to society. He was arrested at the location five days after the shooting.The 56-year-old is reportedly still in custody at the Los Angeles County Jail where the victims' suspected shooter, Eric Holder, is also being held. The 29-year-old was charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, as Blavity reported.Now, check these out:Nipsey Hussle Was Shopping For A Friend Just Released From Prison Before He Was KilledNipsey Hussle's Mother Was Sending Black Folks An Inexplicably Spiritual Message During Her Son's MemorialRead The Letter Barack Obama Sent To Nipsey Hussle's...
Communities of color, especially Black ones, are painfully underrepresented in the mainstream. The lack of representation hits differently when you and those who look like you represent less than 14 percent of the American population, according to the United States Census Bureau. On top of that, we are disconnected from generations of history and tradition. It is imperative that we advocate for representation everywhere we can be positively represented; especially when our K-12 public school systems provide only surface-level knowledge of Black history in short paragraphs of a larger narrative being presented during our most formative years. There are little references in our history books to the Kings, Queens, and leaders of Africa that shaped and led great nations. In the entertainment sector, the fight has continued for equality through movements like “Oscars so white”, which was birthed out of a 2015 tweet by April Reign when she “watched that year’s Oscar nominations annoyed without a single person of color in any of the lead- or supporting-actors categories” It's why we felt it so deeply when Issa Rae said “I’m rooting for everybody Black” on the red carpet of the 2017 Emmy's or when Drake reminded Black musicians not to seek validation from these award shows. It is why initiatives like Netflix’s “Strong Black Lead” matter. We need more companies with the focus “to talk authentically with and about Black audiences.” Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.We don’t, however, focus enough on the impact that our money has on representation. There isn’t any currency that bears the likeness of any community of color — all of our popularly used American money have the faces of white men. When we live in a country where the spending power of Black consumers is more than a trillion dollars annually, there is a good reason to be having this discussion. In 2016, President Obama’s Treasury Department led by Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that a portrait of Harriet Tubman would be on the front of the new $20. They understood that our currency should better reflect the diversity of our Nation and that Tubman who dedicated her life to fighting for liberty should be celebrated and be honored in this way. Under the current Administration, this initiative has been pushed to the back burner citing that their “primary focus is on developing new security features to prevent counterfeiting”, leaving a vacuum to be filled. Thankfully, OneUnited Bank has taken creative steps to fill that void with the launch of their King and Queen Card from their royalty campaign that features portraits inspired by important leaders in our community How OneUnited is taking actionUsing a debit card is one of the most convenient ways of spending money and it has become more commonly used than cash and comes with certain levels of protection from fraud. So being able to pull out your card and see a face that represents you better than the current currency in circulation can be very validating. Yes, the face of a Black person on a debit card is symbolic but we have a history of supporting symbolic gestures you can pick from a number of inspirational speeches given by high profile public figures in times of sorrow and joy that brought us comfort and pride. Takeaways from a conversation with OneUnited's PresidentRecently I had an opportunity to speak with Teri Williams, President & COO at OneUnited Bank, to learn more about the Royalty Campaign and OneUnited's role in showing how black money matters. The President feels that "it is important for OneUnited to do what we can do to elevate the black community's voice".What I heard from her in our conversation is that the decision to create the King and Queen cards comes from a deeper understanding of how representation matters and if we don't have money that represents the diversity of America, and that if nobody else is going to do it, our institutions of colors need to lead the charge. She recognizes that there are levels to this, to banking black, and it is important that they offer the products and services that people are looking for in a bank. OneUnited's leader recognizes the lessons you can learn from case analyses of companies like Blockbuster who did not keep up with the changing times and became obsolete by technology. She astutely pointed out how the same thing is happening in music, in retail and happening in banking. To meet the demands of an evolving society, they started investing in technology -- they recognize the need for mobile banking so they can cover the country and one day the world. OneUnited sees that future generations are not going to be walking into a branch, if it is not on their phone, if it's not in their wallet, then it is not going to be relevant.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.I find their decision to go digital very timely and important, in a world where corporate social responsibility is becoming increasingly important, it is imperative that companies make moves to provide access to as many people as possible. One of the most refreshing parts of our conversation was when Teri Williams shared how they appreciate the feedback they receive on social media. She said, "that social media is not only a way to get information out, it is also a way to get feedback". They don't delete negative comments because they know it only makes them stronger -- they want all the comments, all the feedback. Mrs. Williams personally reads all the comments because she wants to know and learn what their customers need and has made changes based on the feedback they received. Her parting words to me about the royalty campaign and the work that they are doing at OneUnited are that this is really about self-love, it is about us being a community that needs to support each other and that we deserve the respect for that we have accomplished. "We have accomplished amazing things against incredible odds. We need to focus on the assets that we have more than liabilities."If you have a love for Black history, if you know that you have royalty in your DNA, If you believe that is important for the black to be represented across all industries, then banking black is for you....
In the debut of Lil Nas X’s country hit “Old Town Road,” there was rejection from the country genre that I would like to address. The definition of country music comes from a combination of one or more instruments, stories, allusions, and vocal range structures. I know already I can visualize tumbleweeds, horses, and cowboys when thinking of country music’s origins. What I do not think of are Black cowboys; that is uncomfortable to me because it's not that there weren't any but that they just weren’t represented in film. Lots of artists like Spike Lee, Ava Duvernay, Ryan Coogler, and Jordan Peele are working to fix what Hollywood was and through their work they have shown the world what it should have always been. They have been successful and their success shouldn't be subcategorized into Black Hollywood-just Hollywood.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.We see the same dishonor, where artist Lil Nas X was only acknowledged and categorized by country charts once Billy Ray Cyrus joined him on the song. Formerly, the song was classified as "country rap" which we can credit Nelly for building this bridge leaving room for inclusion and diversity as seen in today’s music. But, Nelly’s efforts were still subcategorized even though the style of music was still considered country. Just like the separation of history and Black history, the first response is to reject the collaboration of any and all other cultural influences. The reality is, Lil Nas X’s original version of "Old Town Road" was kept separate because of America's long, dark history of taking from Black culture and considering Black people as less than. We've yet to have a true chance at changing this and begin to heal and reconstruct our society to reflect majority interests and opinions. We cannot even agree on one account of actual history, which are real events that some groups suffered more than others. It is strange to me that we prefer to distinguish between intersectionality related topics when we could just recognize the influence and long term effects of our past.Classifying something by anything other than what the author intended is not only unjust but in a way discredits the art. Black culture is an area that is constantly being appropriated, but oddly enough we are constantly facing rejection when we enter positions that are not considered traditional for us. We can all be agents of change, but we must first come to terms that all of the hatred in which our country was built on is not going to positively affect any of...
An eighth judge has recused himself from presiding over the trial of a white Alabama police officer accused of fatally shooting an unarmed Black man. According to AL.com, Judge Sam Welch was named the latest judge on April 12. This week, however, Welch stepped down from the role. Shortly after Welch's resignation, the Alabama Supreme Court called on retired Dale County Circuit Judge Philip Ben McLauchlin to oversee the case.Greg Gunn was walking home from a neighborhood card game when Officer Aaron Cody Smith stopped him to administer a random stop-and-frisk. As Smith was patting Gunn down, the 58-year-old took off, prompting the deputy to chase, Tase and pummel the suspect. Smith then fired five shots at Gunn, killing him. Within days of the ambush, Smith was indicted on murder charges. The officer justified the shooting by saying he was acting in self-defense.BREAKING: MPD officer Aaron Cody Smith has been booked in the Montgomery County Jail on a charge of murder. pic.twitter.com/FH2b3Rv3bj— WSFA 12 News (@wsfa12news) March 2, 2016Gunn's death garnered protests from Montgomery residents; however, The Montgomery Advertiser adds much of the outcry subsided after Smith was promptly detained. The officer's legal team worked to conduct Smith's trial out of Montgomery County and in another district. Per The Advertiser, it appears they won that battle. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Reasons some of the previous six candidates opted not to oversee the trial include "personal conflicts" and impropriety.Now, check these out:Former Michigan State Trooper Convicted Of Manslaughter In Taser Death Of 15-Year-Old Damon GrimesHalf-Naked Florida Man Gets Molly-Whopped By A Grandmother After He Tried To Break Into Her CarA St. Louis Teacher's Aide Allegedly Hired A Hitman To Murder A 10-Year-Old He Was Accused Of...
Gabrielle Union thought nothing of taking her 11-year-old stepson Zion Wade to Miami Pride.The actress recently shared she was even younger when she went to her first pride parade.“It feels normal,” Union told Us Weekly. “My mom took me to my first pride at eight years old. We moved to San Francisco, and it’s kind of part of being a global citizen.”Many people clutched their pearls when they saw pictures of Union, Zion and other family members enjoying themselves at the parade on April 7. Dwyane Wade wasn’t able to attend due to work, but he showed his support via social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on Apr 7, 2019 at 2:33pm PDT“We support each other with Pride!” he wrote in his Instagram Story.“Zion had his [own] cheering section today,” Wade wrote on another post. “Wish I was there to see you smile kid!”Union believes diversity is merely a buzzword for a lot of people.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.“People talk a lot about diversity and inclusion, but they don’t actually mean it," she said. “In our household, we mean that, and that’s why the entire household went to pride.”The Being Mary Jane star has been a long-time supporter of the LGBTQ community. She has used her social media to promote the cause.In August 2017, she called out people who claimed to be “woke” despite having bigoted opinions.You cannot be "woke" and homophobic or transphobic. Period. #BeingMaryJane— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) August 9, 2017“You cannot be 'woke' and homophobic or transphobic. Period,” she wrote on Twitter.Two years before, she was elated when marriage equality became the law of the land.Let LOVE rule! #LoveWins
#MarriageEquaility ♡♡♡— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) June 26, 2015Y'all better learn from this inclusive family! Now, check these out:No, Dwyane Wade's Son Isn't Too Young To Know He's GayDwyane Wade Supports His Gay Black Son, And Here’s Why It Matters So MuchGabrielle Union Takes Her Family To Miami Pride In Support Of Her Gay...
Musician and activist John Legend called out Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) in a recent op-ed for impeding criminal justice reform in the city. Legend's op-ed in The Chicago Tribune titled "The FOP is a Threat to Kim Foxx-led police reform in Chicago" is co-authored by former police officer and current executive director of the advocacy group Law Enforcement Action Partnership Neill Franklin. They write that the popular police union has launched baseless forms of harassment against Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx."Since taking office in 2016, Foxx increased transparency in the office, stopped prosecuting marijuana possession, reduced the use of money bail, diverted more cases out of jail and prison and back into the community, and developed a conviction integrity unit that has vacated dozens of cases," Legend and Franklin wrote.Recently, a slew of new attacks came after the fallout surrounding Jussie Smollett's alleged racist and homophobic assault.Smollett was charged with lying to authorities and staging the assault. However, Foxx's office stepped in and dropped all 16 charges against the 36-year-old in late-March, igniting controversy. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Tensions came to a head on April 1 when FOP protesters descended on Foxx's office, The Chicago Tribune reports. They claimed Smollett somehow "cheated" the system, and the 47-year-old state's attorney played a vital part in helping him get away scot-free. Legend and Franklin do not agree. The duo defended Foxx, calling her leadership a step in the right direction for the Windy City. She has worked diligently with Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to lower crime and commit to improving community policing. Other initiatives such as expunging the records of marijuana offenders have become a major priority for her. Foxx has also facilitated mass exonerations of victims convicted from the arrests of corrupt officer Ronald Watts.In the past, the FOP, according to the op-ed, supported officers that have committed heinous crimes while in uniform. One of those figures is Jason Van Dyke, who fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014."The union is a relic of the past, with a commitment to protecting all officers, even those who give it a bad name," Legend and Franklin wrote. "The FOP makes the work of mostly good, honest and dedicated officers harder and communities less safe."Legend, who is a vocal critic of the police brutality, understands how police protect their own in high-profile police-involved shooting cases. For the authors, the FOP embodies the blue wall of silence, and they want it gone for good. "We’re calling on all leaders — the mayor, the state’s attorney, the police superintendent and the sheriff — to reject the politics of the FOP and relegate its destructive ideas to the dustbin of history where they belong."Now, check these out:Even Michelle Obama Had To Tell 'Queen' Beyoncé How Shook She Was By 'Homecoming'Pregnancy For Black Women Is A Greater Risk Than It Should Be, Black Maternal Health Caucus Is Here To HelpFormer Michigan State Trooper Convicted Of Manslaughter In Taser Death Of 15-Year-Old Damon...
A Florida man attempted to break into an elderly woman’s car, but the only thing he left with was a knot on his head.Clarese Gainey heard a noise outside of her home on Sunday and peeked out her window to see a man standing near her car. The man, Antonio Mosely, was tugging the door handle and knocking on the window in an attempt to break in. Most people would have called 911, but Gainey took a more hands-on approach."I grab my bat, I brace myself, and I ease the door open," Gainey told WGFL.When the 300-pound burglar saw the 65-year-old, he tried to run up on her, but Gainey’s aim was on point."I took that bat and hit him upside the head like 'pi-yah!' He said 'Ow!'" she recalled.This happened in Florida, so this wasn’t the craziest part of the story.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Mosely was almost naked.“He had nothing but his drawers on!” Gainey said. “No shoes, no shirt or nothing!”After Gainey went upside his head, Mosely ran to a nearby trailer park where he was discovered wearing a pair of pants with cocaine in one of the pockets. The police brought him back to Gainey, who identified him right away because of the knot she left on his head.Mosely was arrested and charged with burglary and drug possession, according to Fox 35. He was booked with a $20K bond.While Mosely sits in jail, Gainey is unbothered.“I put a good one on him! But he's in jail,” Gainey said. “I ain't gotta worry about him no more. I bet you won't mess with that green goblin there, no more!”Mosely should be thankful Gainey only had a bat."He better be glad I didn't have a gun," Gainey said. "Because I would have shot him. But this is my gun right here (baseball bat). Because I gone 'Pi-yow!'"Now, check these out:Chrissy Teigen Becomes Latest Celeb Left With No Choice But To Snatch Laura Ingraham By Her Straggled Strands6 Reasons Why Kanye West’s New Cult — I Mean Church — Is Cause For PauseWe Love These Adidas Ads Featuring Mo'Nique And Donald Glover For...
