Blavity fam, You know we just want to make y'all proud, right? So for the past year, our power players have been networking like nobody's business so we can provide you with the blackest quality media content out there.Just four years ago, Blavity Inc. co-founders and resident hustlers Morgan DeBaun, Jonathan Jackson, Aaron Samuels and Jeff Nelson embarked on a venture to give black culture the spotlight it deserves while paying homage to all you creative spirits who make us who we are.And well, a few companies who happen to be rolling in m's like Google Ventures, Macro Ventures, Baron Davis, Comcast Ventures and Plexo Capital were feelin' the mission. So here we are. In Series A of Blavity Inc.'s funding (which essentially means our first significant round of collecting coins), we've raised $6.5 million!So what does that mean for y'all, our people? It means that we aren't taking this unique opportunity to provide the content black millennials want to see in a media landscape where black publications are scarce or taken for granted.For the team here at Blavity, the new funds translate to: Just kidding. More money simply means more resources to invest in all of our brands: Blavity News, AfroTech, 21Ninety, Shadow & Act and Travel Noire -- and to get better lunches. We're also opening up a new office in ATL which will solely house our growing engineering and data team. As our CEO Morgan DeBaun puts it, “A lot of innovation will come out of [this] office in the next six to nine months."If we're able to hear just a few people say, "Blavity done came up" in the coming months, we'll know we're doing something...

Tiffany Haddish is determined to pay back a loan from Kevin Hart, and he is going out of his way to keep her from doing so.When she was a struggling comic, Hart loaned Haddish $300 so she could stop sleeping in her car. Now that she’s successful, Haddish wants to pay her friend back. However, Hart keeps refusing to take the money, leading Haddish to get creative when it comes to transferring the money.Hart posted a video of his Night School co-star interrupting an interview to make it rain.I love my sister @tiffanyhaddish ....She has been trying to pay me back for years & I refused to take the money so she ambushed me on set and made it rain on me 😂😂😂😂....What she doesn’t know is that I put the money back in one of her wig caps that she wasn’t wearing later that day!!!! I’m dead serious. Check your wig cap @tiffanyhaddish ....I love u and I will never take from you. You being my Co-Star in my movie “Night School” was more than enough. Love u with ur funky ass!!!! #NightSchool #HittingTheatersEverywhereSept28thA post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Jul 19, 2018 at 9:22am PDT “I love my sister @tiffanyhaddish ... She has been trying to pay me back for years & I refused to take the money so she ambushed me on set and made it rain on me,” he wrote.“What she doesn’t know is that I put the money back in one of her wig caps that she wasn’t wearing later that day!!!! I’m dead serious. Check your wig cap @tiffanyhaddish ... I love u and I will never take from you. You being my co-star in my movie Night School was more than enough. Love u with ur funky ass!!!!”Haddish responded with a video of her own and when she looked in her backpack, she discovered the money right where Hart left it.Ok so @kevinhart4real I see your post and I checked my back pack, and right there in my bag is the money I gave you, in a wig cap at that. I see you 👀. Thank You very much. But You getting this money back. I am paying you back! I pay all my loans off. That is something you and my Grandma taught me “never owe nobody money” #nightschool #payback #shereadyA post shared by Tiffany Haddish (@tiffanyhaddish) on Jul 19, 2018 at 10:42am PDT “Am I gonna have to fight you to give you this money back!?” she asks in the response video. “Don’t make me have to roll up on your baby mama and drop it in her purse.”In the video’s caption, the Girls Trip star reaffirmed her determination to pay off the loan, saying both Hart and her grandma taught her to “never owe nobody money.”Like this content? Now, check these out:Tiffany Haddish Reminisces About Kevin Hart, 'The Big Little Brother' She Never Had, Helping Her Out While She Was HomelessTiffany Haddish Dishes On The Time She Missed Out On Crazy Coins To Go On A Date With Drake2018 Emmy Nominations: 4 Welcomed Surprises We Are Happy...

Knowledge is certainly powerful, but it becomes even more so when you add representation to the equation. Students of color having access to teachers who look like them is significant. In fact, studies have shown that students of all races perform better when taught by a person of color.Thanks to the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago Public Schools may be getting a dose of that representation soon. As The Chicago Sun-Times reports, UIC has joined the "Call Me MISTER" program, which strives to create a college-to-classroom pipeline to bring more black and Latino male teachers into classrooms. “I’ve never had the opportunity to be taught by someone who looked like me. I never had any male black teachers,” noted 19-year-old college sophomore, Jawaun Williams, who is one of the six participants in the program. “I’ve only had one black teacher in my life. It was something I was used to, but as I’ve grown older, I realized that it is pretty weird that black men weren’t in my field.”Black and Latinx students make up 84 percent of the Chicago Public Schools population, while only 42.7 percent of teachers identify as black or Latinx.Call Me MISTER originated at Clemson University in 2000 and currently operates at 31 schools. The "MISTER" is an acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models, and UIC is the first large urban school to participate in the program. “The research is clear, there are benefits with having teachers who look like you,” noted Alfred Tatum, UIC’s dean of College of Education. “Our boys in the city need to see men of color who embrace teaching as a profession.”“Teachers taught me how to navigate, not only high school, but life," Williams said. "That was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a teacher."Now, check these out:The Undeniable Reason Why We Need More Black TeachersStatistics Show Drop Out Rates Are Lower When Black Students Have A Black TeacherEducators Across The Country Are Participating In The 'Black Lives Matter Week Of Action In Our Schools'...

Denzel Washington paid for Chadwick Boseman to study acting at Oxford University, and now he wants his money back.Washington appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and joked about collecting on his investment."I saw Ryan Coogler and Chad, and he said, 'Oh, you know, I just wanted to thank you for paying,' and I said, 'Yeah, that's why I'm here. I'm not here to see — I liked the movie, Black Panther, yeah, good, Wakanda Forever, but where's my money?'" Washington said.Washington donated the funds for the trip to the UK after actress Phylicia Rashad asked him to sponsor a student for British American Drama Academy's Midsummer in Oxford program in London.The Black Panther star was that student, and has not been shy about thanking Washington for his contribution.Boseman told the premiere story to Jimmy Fallon in March.Boseman also talked about the sponsorship in his February Rolling Stone profile. When first telling the story, the Black Panther star was reluctant to share Washington’s name.  “You never want to make someone feel like they owe you something else,” he said. “They’ve already given you whatever it is they were supposed to give you. But I realized this morning that I’ve gotten to a point where nobody would think that. I don’t need any more help.”Watch Washington’s interview below:Liking this content? Check these out:This Is What Chinese Audiences Really Thought Of 'Black Panther'Fans Imagined What A '90s Version Of 'Black Panther' Would Look Like, And You Have To See ItSee Lupita Recreate That Chadwick Boseman Cover That Has The Entire Internet Dying Of...

After vowing to protest outside of Maxine Waters’ district office, members of the alt-right group Oath Keepers failed to keep their word.On Tuesday, July 17, the Oath Keepers posted a message urging their followers to gather at Maxine Waters’ Los Angeles office for a protest.Oath Keepers CALL to ACTION: Protest Terrorist Inciter Maxine Waters, Thursday,, July 19. OATH KEEPERS, STAND AGAINST TERRORISM, STAND FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND ASSOCIATION, IN SUPPORT OF ICE/BORDER PATROL AS THEY ENFORCE CONSTITUTIONAL IMMIGRATION LAWS. https://t.co/0KCTcEZuyi pic.twitter.com/o9YsJX75pq— Oath Keepers (@Oathkeepers) July 17, 2018Well, it looks like they ain't want no smoke, because zero Oath Keepers showed. After skipping out on their protest, an Oath Keepers spokesperson told the Los Angeles Police Department the group stayed home to "keep the peace," according to KABC. That might be the only good idea they've ever had because a group of counter-protesters was waiting for them despite Auntie Maxine instructing her supporters to avoid the rally.The Oath Keepers group has so little pull these days that there's a chance no more than a few members will bother to show up. A few minutes ago, Congresswoman Waters put out a statement. pic.twitter.com/mK3pCbEekw— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) July 19, 2018"The Oath Keepers would like nothing more than to inflame racial tensions and create an explosive conflict in our community," Waters said. "In order to ensure the peace and security of our community, it is best and preferable if no other demonstrations are scheduled."Despite the cancellation, the scene was lit. Literally. Someone pulled up with an American flag on a vehicle, and it was set on fire. A few folks chanted and danced as it burned. They surrounded this car, which had a flag on the back. They pulled it off, found some lighter fluid and set it on fire. pic.twitter.com/SfQK5BneDD— Benjamin Oreskes🦅 (@boreskes) July 19, 2018pic.twitter.com/bxX1q4FOoY— Benjamin Oreskes🦅 (@boreskes) July 19, 2018The Oath Keepers got wind of the counter-protest and published a condemnation on their website. They claim the protesters' actions "only proves our point.""You can’t even hold a peaceful protest in front of Maxine Waters’ office, protesting her incitement of her supporters to violence, without facing the violence of her supporters, to the point of lethal force. We went there to conduct a peaceful protest against Maxine Waters’ inflammatory incitement of harassment and intimidation, with her calling on her followers to harass members of the Trump Administration, saying:'If you see anybody from that [Trump] Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them! And you tell them that they are not welcome, anymore, anywhere.'And that is exactly what her followers did today against a planned peaceful protest, with her followers showing up armed with steel pipes and bats, in an angry mob, to make it clear that peaceful protesters are not welcome there, with local police reading that mob’s intent and concluding that it was not safe to hold a peaceful protest there in front of Maxine Water’s office.Waters has not responded. A wise man once said, "Don't start no s**t, won't be no s**t." It looks like Oath Keepers learned that lesson the hard way.Now, check these out:Trump Threatened Rep. Maxine Waters With Violence In The Most Vile And Disrespectful TweetAuntie Maxine Says She Ain't Scared Of Nothing: ‘If You Shoot At Me, You Better Shoot Straight’The Democratic Party Doesn't Care Enough About Black Women, So Sis, Save...

In today’s climate where many are searching for the right solutions to the problems of our world, the topic of education commonly arises as one of the many areas of concern. As community leaders and teachers fight to bring more attention to the vast disparities present in schools, one man has combined his expectations in aptitude and engagement with an increased demand for access and exposure.Once labeled an at-risk adolescent, 27-year-old educator Brandon Fleming has turned his past frustrations into the fuel needed to climb the proverbial ladder in the world of education. Throughout his teen years living in Alexandria, Virginia, Brandon displayed a subpar desire to succeed academically while having the tendency to engage in troublesome behavior. The basketball court served as his refuge and as a result, he received the opportunity to play collegiately at Liberty University. However, Fleming’s athletic career was quickly derailed due to a knee injury during his freshman year. With his hoop dreams reduced to an indefinite timeout, he found himself on a downward spiral which included dropping out of college and working long hours on an assembly line.Photo: Brandon Fleming (left side)During this demanding period, Brandon found himself around people who couldn’t believe the choice he made. “My coworkers on the line chastised me because as a young black man, I relinquished what they called the golden ticket they would’ve all died for – an education,” Brandon said.It was through such ridicule that he realized he had made a grave mistake by dropping out since having a proper education was his only way out of the factory. Due to dropping out, he lost his financial aid so depression found its grasp on him and pushed him to attempt suicide. Fortunately, his life was spared and he chose not to take his second chance for granted. Upon his return to Liberty, he struggled immensely due to various learning gaps. However, by digging deep into the literary works of Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X, he experienced a newfound level of intellectual hunger. Born with a competitive energy, Brandon previously found the court as his outlet but discovered the void was left unfilled because of his injury. Fortunately, he found himself watching the film, The Great Debaters, which broadened his scope of what he could pursue as his passion.After receiving inspiration from the film and his professors, he founded a competitive non-profit college preparatory and leadership development institute called the S.Y. Scholars Program, Inc. Initially, the program started by tutoring a few kids but as the program’s buzz grew, more youth from the community began to show up. By setting rigorous expectations in academic ability and social leadership, Fleming successfully guided his cohort of underserved teens in increasing their 1.2 cumulative GPA to a staggering 3.0 after only two months. With approximately 90% of the students achieving honor roll for the very first time, he decided to advance the mission of his program by implementing a curriculum focused on molding his students into community organizers who carried out efforts to bring awareness to education reform in central Virginia.Eventually, Fleming and his students hosted an educational symposium created to inform political leaders, educators, and parents about the need to improve the education system locally and at-large. Ultimately, one symposium turned into a tour of symposiums, which featured Brandon and his students traveling to well-known colleges such as Duke University, Howard University, and Wake Forest to incite change within those respective communities.Photo: Brandon FlemingAfter completing his comeback in 2013 by earning his Bachelor of Arts in English, he worked at a local public high school before being recruited to teach at the renowned Ron Clark Academy in 2014.  Just 22-years-old at the time, he spent the next four years teaching the social sciences while bestowing his love for oration, debate, and critical thinking upon his middle school students. A skilled lecturer himself, the school’s position as an educator training facility frequently presented Fleming with the chance to hone his presentation skills in front of thousands of educators while sharing the approach he used to enhance the cognitive comprehension of one’s students.Outside of the classroom, he started RCA’s debate team and coached the school’s team to an undefeated record at a high school tournament. As luck had it, it was at this tournament that the Harvard Debate Council recruited Fleming to join their summer faculty. After teaching at the prestigious Ivy League during the summer, he was quickly appointed as the Assistant Coach of Debate for Harvard’s debate team. Despite the achievement, Brandon found himself disappointed that out of the many gifted students from all over the world, there were hardly any African-Americans participating in the program.He decided to do something about it. Consequently, he sat down with Harvard’s Director of Debate, Dr. Tripp Rebrovick, and proposed a pipeline program that would recruit, train, and feed black youth into the esteemed summer program through scholarship. Enamored at the idea, Rebrovick provided Fleming with a seed grant to launch the unprecedented initiative in the second half of 2017.Despite being provided with the initial funding, the start of the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project (HDCDP) was a complete leap of faith for Brandon as he left a dream job to pursue his own vision. Grateful at the opportunity to make a difference, Fleming sought out help by establishing a powerful board of directors possessing an array of experience in fields including media, law, nonprofit, education, government, technology, and business.Although his program had no money guaranteed yet, Fleming found himself promising 25 kids that he would send them to Harvard on full scholarship. Furthermore, he sought to breathe positivity and enthusiasm into the students’ journey by organizing a surprise acceptance event in January that shocked the nation.Photo: Harvard Debate Council Diversity ProjectThankfully, a private nonprofit institution, the Art Institute of Atlanta, became his first financial contributor and offered their building as the headquarters for weekly Saturday classes designed to educate the first cohort of students on the elements of public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking.Photo: Harvard Debate Council Diversity ProjectHowever, this “yes” was followed by over 100 rejections from numerous foundations and corporations. Feeling defeated, he started believing that he’d make an embarrassment of those believing in both him and his project. Fortunately, everything changed when Rodney Bullard, Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation, showcased his faith in Brandon’s work by making a $20,500 donation to the project. As a pillar in the Atlanta community, Chick-fil-A’s stamp of approval created a ripple for more support to follow from corporations including The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, Publix Supermarkets, MBC Concessions, the Atlanta Hawks, and more.Astoundingly, it only took six months for the organization to raise over $100,000, which covered tuition, travel, and room and board for all 25 students of the inaugural cohort. After several months of intensive studying and training, the group was sent off in style at an event held at Atlanta’s private membership club, The Gathering Spot. Titled, “A Celebration of Diversity,” the occasion included riveting speeches from the students and foundation executives while also featuring a special fireside chat with accomplished CNN political correspondents Symone Sanders and Bakari Sellers.Photo: Instagram - @harvarddcdpOn July 1st, the young trailblazers selected from a pool of 150 applicants, traveled from the classroom to Cambridge, Massachusetts with their eyes set on showing global scholars from continents including Asia and Europe that a group of driven minority youths from Atlanta could hold their own.For two weeks, students spent more than 10 hours daily in an intensive, academic setting where they learned from experienced debate instructors and professors who vigorously pushed the students to expand upon their knowledge in analysis, research, and political science.Photo: Instagram - @harvarddcdpNear the end of the program, the HDCDP students were separated from their peers and left to showcase their newly acquired skills by joining one of the 12 teams featuring scholars from across the world. Despite standing in uncharted territory, the new batch of students from Atlanta left a remarkable impression upon debate faculty who considered them as frontrunners in the competition.At the end of the competition, HDCDP student, Jordan Thomas emerged victorious as he earned 1st Place Overall amongst the sea of 400 students.Photo: Instagram - @harvarddcdpIn the days that have passed since their return, the inaugural bunch of students have received high praise and genuine support from their local community as well as the thousands of people who have been following their journey from afar since January. Also, the novice debaters stemming from 16 metro-Atlanta schools have been coined as “The Great Debaters,” the same moniker given to the historic debate team assembled in 1935 at historically black institution, Wiley College. Fittingly enough, the nickname doubles as the same name of the 2007 movie that once sparked the mind of a young Brandon Fleming eager to find his calling in life. After exceeding his own expectations of the project in less than a year, he finds himself excited to build the diversity project out even further with the hopes of taking it to new heights with each year that comes. With the backing of Atlanta, Harvard University, and 25 successful students, there’s no debate to this argument – he’s already won.Photo: Instagram - @harvarddcdp--Recap Video: "ATL Students Take Harvard"The Diversity Project will open applications for the next cohort to train at Harvard in Summer 2019. With the application not opening until August 15, more than 350 nominations have already been submitted.About the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project: Built on scholarship, leadership and culture, the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project (HDCDP) was created to raise the young social and political voice in urban Atlanta and to matriculate African-American students into the Harvard Debate Council’s residential summer program at Harvard. Brandon Fleming, Harvard University Assistant Coach of Debate, serves as the program’s executive director alongside a 20-member executive board. The inaugural class of the HDCDP began in January 2018 with 25 students. This accelerated academic program is a subsidiary of the Harvard Debate Council at Harvard University. More information can be found at www.harvarddcdp.org. Join the social media conversation on Facebook and LinkedIn at Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project and Instagram:...

That moment when you're hosting an iconic tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of your groundbreaking album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and you sorta F-up the legacy because you're consistently late. Toronto fans were heated after Ms. Lauryn Hill offered a quick 45-minute set on Wednesday, July 18, when she was scheduled to perform for two hours, Okayplayer reports. Hill reportedly showed up over an hour late. Lauryn was like, ON TIME FOR WHAT?! Fans complained Hill chastised her tech crew and live band onstage before rushing through 10 tracks, ending with her version of Drake's "Nice for What."According to Exclaim, the venue's official itinerary confirmed Hill was scheduled to perform from 9:10 p.m. to 11 p.m.Of course, while most fans were pissed at Hill, some fans were pissed at themselves for even falling for the okey-doke, given Hill's penchant for extreme lateness. So disappointed in the Lauryn Hill concert tonight. Made fans wait over an hour and then performed for 45 mins max. Could barely recognize the songs she attempted to sing. Cash grab for sure. Don’t waste your money on her!— Jennifer Azevedo (@WWJenn) July 19, 2018Lauryn hill was a big let down last night. From her unrecognizable songs, constant critisim of her band, shortest performance of the show, and throwing off all of Toronto with that terrible nice for what remix. She still the queen though.— Jax B (@APPLEJ4X) July 19, 2018The Lauryn Hill concert last night was really disappointing but mostly I'm mad at myself. Like, what did I expect from a Lauryn Hill concert in our Lord's year 2018?— Rebecca Gao (@rebeccaga0) July 19, 2018I went to the Lauryn Hill show last night and I’m more surprised by how surprised and upset ppl are by the long wait for her & the 45 set? Like, did you think she’d change her proven ways just for you, Toronto?— Claudia Sicondolfo (@claudia_sicon) July 19, 2018She embodied the intro to Miseducation when the teacher keeps saying, "Lauryn Hill? Lauryn Hill? Is there no Lauryn Hill here?" said one commenter, Haley O., on the event's Facebook page. Oop.Hill will be headlining the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago July 20-22. We'll be in the cut clocking her arrival.Liking this content? Check these out:Ready Or Not, Here She Comes: Lauryn Hill Is Going On Tour To Celebrate The 20th Anniversary Of Her Debut AlbumMy S**t Is Classic': Watch Lauryn Hill Rap About How Drake's 'Nice For What' Doesn't Have Anything On The Original 'Ex-Factor'Why Lauryn Hill’s ‘Miseducation’ Is Still Spellbinding The Masses, And Your Favorite Artists, Twenty Years...

N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r. N****r.This is how I imagine n****r looks, lined up in white people’s psyche waiting for their lingual calling. I envision them imprisoned critters plotting an escape. In doing so, they descend from a stupid part of white people’s brain, squeeze themselves between the ridge of the mouth and the tip of the tongue before the vocal tract gives them sound, and the open mouth grants their freedom. No matter how liberating the function, the result is insulting, and sometimes insult can lead to injury. Thus, the lip service ain’t always worth the ass whooping.This is evident in the clip below where a belligerent white man flagrantly screams "n****r" at a black man -- who is standing on a Chicago train platform, minding his business -- and gets knocked the f**k out.Racist in #Chicago drops the n-bomb on brotha minding his business and catches the Blue Line to FadeTown. #TrumpsAmerica #Resist #3rdRailFade #Nah #PunchANazi2018 pic.twitter.com/vFuc9n3a42— BushMaster Flex (@theori) July 13, 2018Clearly, this was “The Wrong N***a to F**k With.”"N****r" was first used in 1574 and derives from the Latin word niger which references the color black. Like most things, it was hijacked by white people, distorted, then used to racialize enslaved people. As the slur made its way to America and evolved alongside racism, it took on a highly offensive connotation. When used by white people, it represents a sense of racial superiority and hate to berate blackness. And though black culture has reclaimed, redefined and refuses to be called a n****r, white people can't seem to let it go.This past week revealed more ignorance of what should now be common knowledge: don’t be calling black people n*****s. Period. Papa John's founder John Schnatter found out the easy way when he casually used the word during a company conference call, reportedly stating, "Colonel Sanders called blacks n****rs.” Subsequently, Schnatter will be replaced as chairman of the pizza company. He has since apologized.N****r is no longer socially acceptable, and clearly, white-skinned people should know this, but they don’t. There are many lessons they could learn from:Restauranteur and TV personality for Paula Deen had spent 35 years serving soul food and dishing out racist insults before her use of n****r was discovered in a 2013 lawsuit deposition. “Well, what I would really like is a bunch of little n*****s to wear long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties, you know in the Shirley Temple days, they used to tap dance around," the former Food Network host said, according to the lawsuit. In a swift stroke of white stupidity, Deen’s culinary cosmos crumbled around her. Both Walmart and The Food Network severed ties with the Confederate chef, sending her back to humble beginnings in south Georgia. Deen was weepy as she tried to redeem herself during an interview with Matt Lauer. However, her white tears tasted way better than her n****r pies and white lies.Gwyneth Paltrow tried it in 2012 when she gave praise to the Jay-Z and Kanye hit song "N***as in Paris." Madonna tried it, too, when she referred to her son as #disnigga in a 2014 Instagram post. Paltrow defended her tweet, stating “Hold up. It’s the title of the song.” Madonna apologized after hashtagging #getoffmydickhaters.But, of course, neither situation turned out well for either white lady. The Twitterverse came for both their asses:When is the last time you've seen actor Michael Richards, who starred as Kramer on the sitcom Seinfeld? His acting career has been on pause ever since a recording of his racist rant found its way into the public sphere. In 2006, Richards felt slighted as two black patrons talked through his stand-up comedy routine. The goofy actor lost it, and "n****r" flew off his tongue as if he was Confederate general and slaveholder Robert E. Lee. His career hasn't been the same since.Then there was Rapping Rebecca, who took the stage at a Kendrick Lamar concert and recited the chorus to “M.A.A.D. City” in front of an audience full of black people, chanting:Man down, where you from n***a? / F**k who you know! Where you from, my n***a? / Where your grandma stay, huh, my n***a? / This m.A.A.d city I run, my n***a.White woman, black people are not your n***a.Lamar interrupted the set to teach the clueless dame a thing or two about using the word, but sometimes a foot in the mouth is equally deserving of a foot in the ass.N****r is racialized in the history of American culture. The white tongue has spewed the word to denigrate and disenfranchise an entire race of people and to distinguish themselves from them. So let’s be clear: it means one thing and one thing only falling from white lips. And at no point does it sound right or endearing. These asinine incidents confirm a desire to maintain the status quo and highlight the abuse of white privilege. White people remain so infatuated with white supremacy; they will use n****r to their detriment, be it a loss of income, popularity or even a few...

The NFL has decided to hold off on implementing its controversial national anthem policy.The NFL and NFL Player's Association (NFLPA) released a joint statement explaining the policy would be suspended pending negotiations between the two parties. A grievance filed by the NFLPA in response to the plan is also now on hold.In the statement, the two parties claim they "have been working on a resolution to the anthem issue," and "to allow this constructive dialogue to continue, we have come to a standstill agreement on the NFLPA’s grievance and the NFL’s anthem policy."The NFL pledged "no new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks while these confidential discussions are ongoing."Both groups also promised to solve the issue among themselves, without involving the judicial system."Our shared focus will remain on finding a solution to the anthem issue through mutual, good faith commitments, outside of litigation,” the statement read.The now-suspended NFL policy, created in May, required players to stand during the national anthem while on the field. Those wishing to take a knee were told they had to do so in the locker room. The rule also allowed teams to punish protesting players at their discretion.This news comes mere hours after The Associated Press publicized an excerpt from the Miami Dolphins’ team manual for next season that stated players could be suspended, fined or both if they protest during the national anthem. Facing criticism, the Dolphins claimed the policy was merely a draft and not its final policy.“The NFL required each team to submit their rules regarding the anthem before their players reported to training camp. We will address this issue once the season starts. All options are still open,” the team said in a statement.This issue has been a point of contention since Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem to protest police brutality. He was subsequently shut out of the NFL after his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers ended in 2016 and has filed a collusion grievance against the league.Several other players have followed his lead, and critics, including Donald Trump, have called for harsh punishments for anthem protests.Now, check these out:NFL Player Who Couldn't Give A Damn About No Fine, Says He'll Continue To Protest On The Field During The AnthemJemele Hill Calls Out The NFL's Soft Treatment Of Criminals: 'You Should Feel Very Embarrassed By That'Colin Kaepernick Hits Back At Blackballing NFL Owners In 5-Word Instagram...

U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw's deadline for the Trump administration to reunite all migrant children with their families is on the horizon. That deadline is July 26, and as of Thursday, July 19, only about 14 percent of those forcibly separated children have been reunited with their families.According to ABC News, 364 of the 2,551 children five- to 17-year-olds taken from their parents or family members have been reunited. A U.S. Health and Human Services statement confirmed this statistic. As for children younger than five, 57 have reconnected with their families. Reuters reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attorneys have interviewed 848 parents, clearing the way for them to reconnect with their children.An additional 229 parents separate from the 848 interviewed have been deemed ineligible due to past criminal records or because they "waived" their rights of reunification. The rest of the parents are pending review.Over 700 parents separated from their children have deportation orders by immigration judges.However, Judge Sabraw has ordered a delay in the deportation of these parents to give officials time to reunite them with their children.The ACLU has requested a judge force the government to provide a list of the 700 adult immigrants slated for deportation to help them sort their options with legal counsel.Sabraw has made it clear the deadline he has set is not optional; however, it is not clear what consequences the government would face should it fail to meet the July 26 deadline.Now, check these out:Some Separated Migrant Children Are Scrubbing Toilets In Detention CentersWith Only 4 Separated Children Reunited With Their Families By Deadline, Texas Nonprofit Offers $20M To Speed Up ReunificationsThe Jacket Melania Trump Wore On Her Way To Visit Migrant Kids Was A Slap In The...

Those of us lucky enough to grow up in the 21st century have witnessed a digital revolution unfold before us that’s generated a tremendous amount of modern gadgets and services catering to our every need. As society got wealthier and began to rely more on digital tools, however, certain groups of people began missing out on luxuries and privileges that were brought about by the widespread digitization of business and our social lives. Many Americans are beginning to ask if the digital revolution is leaving black people behind, and they’re not wrong to do so. Here’s the sorry state of black America when it comes to keeping pace with the digital revolution, and the changes that need to be ushered in to bring about equality. Black Americans have always faced a myriad of challenges in their day to day lives, not least of which dealing with the legacy of slavery and institutional racism. Most people of color take heart in the fact that much progress has been won over the past few decades. Others, however, look at modern statistics that show black teens are still getting left behind, and can’t do anything other than shake their heads and realize that more work is yet to be done.Take a look at reports detailing the electronic habits of African American teenagers when it comes to such things as technology and social media, for instance, and you’ll see a huge disparity between black teenagers and their white counterparts. Whether you’re looking at such statistics as who has access to a home computer and fast internet access, who regularly uses certain social media channels, and who’s familiar with certain tech skills that are valuable in the labor market, you’ll always find that black teens are facing a serious disadvantage. One report found that a “digital divide” exists between white and black America when it comes to the use of technology in everyday life. Blacks trail whites when it comes to overall internet usage, for instance, and fall behind when it comes to home broadband adoption. That latter statistic in particular is very harmful to black youth. If people of color can’t get exposure to the internet and digital devices are a young age, they’ll be growing up seriously disadvantaged when compared to their tech savvy peers in school and at the workplace. This disadvantage isn’t imagined, but rather a real phenomenon that’s already impacting America’s talent pool. Black students routinely struggle when it comes to taking STEM courses, especially at institutions of higher education. There can be little doubt that there’s a direct relationship between the facts that black students struggle in tech-heavy subjects and they have limited access to digital technology. Much more can be done in Silicon Valley. One of the primary reasons that the digital revolution, which includes signal boosters, is leaving black people behind is that we’re seeing virtually no action being taken in Silicon Valley when it comes to fighting racism and discrimination in the workplace. Hiring processes remain hopelessly racially biased at the country’s largest tech companies, which are routinely all-white, mostly-male workplaces where people of color seldom feel welcomed. Like just about everywhere else in the country, Silicon Valley has a desperate diversity problem that it’s refusing to address. If changes were ushered in from the top, the tech world could be fundamentally disrupted with reforms that usher in equality and racially-equal practices. Black employees can’t ever expect to make as much money as their white counterparts unless they’re hired at a fair rate by the nation’s largest tech companies, and can’t expect to become innovators until they get equal access to institutions of higher learning. While many of today’s top universities are trying to address racially-biased admissions practices, the race-gap in STEM programs and on campuses in general won’t diminish until universities tackle racism with zeal. Certain habits at home can bring about societal change that make things more equal from everyone, too. Smartphones, for instance, are a wonderful tool when it comes to people of color closing the digital gap with whites when it comes to things like tech literacy and an online presence. Researchers found that black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to have access to internet services if they own a smartphone, for instance, meaning the continued widespread purchasing of these devices desperately needs to continue. It should be of little surprise that the digital revolution is leaving black people behind, given American society’s proclivities for racial biases. Nonetheless, the gap between black and white Americans is slowly narrowing when it comes to technology. While racially biased practices continue to haunt America’s universities and its largest tech companies, slow and steady change being ignited every day by Americans is beginning to make the digital age a more equal one....