Barack Obama left the Oval Office more than two years ago, and he is still using his influential platform to share stories of individuals who have benefited from initiatives he created during his tenure at the White House.This past week, The Obama Foundation hosted their first national My Brother's Keeper Rising! convention in Oakland, California. According to a statement posted by Howard University, Jerron Hawkins is pursuing a dual degree in political science and economics at the Washington, D.C.-based HBCU, and has closely worked with My Brother's Keeper since Obama started the non-profit in 2014.On Monday, 44 shared Hawkins' story to his 21 million Instagram followers, and the D.C. native opened up about his personal journey toward mentorship. View this post on Instagram Meet Jerron Hawkins. He’s a young man I got to know when he was a White House mentee in 2014, and he’s one of the hundreds of people coming to Oakland this week for MBK Rising!, a nationwide gathering of community members and partners that represent the My Brother’s Keeper movement. We’re bringing these groups together to celebrate five years of progress on behalf of boys and young men of color—and to set our sights on the road ahead. Since we started My Brother’s Keeper five years ago, one of the things we’ve seen consistently is the power of mentoring as a tool to help young people address the challenges they face and see the opportunities in front of them. Mentoring just works. Today, I’m turning my Instagram account over to Jerron to tell you a little about his experience with mentorship. His story shows us what’s possible when we invest in our young people and show them we believe in their promise. It’s the kind of story we should hear more often—the kind we’ll hear a lot of in Oakland this week. It’s the kind story that gives me hope. “At the beginning of high school, I felt like I wasn’t operating with purpose. I wasn’t helping anyone. I was selected to be a member of my principal’s student leadership team and I thought ‘Why me? I don’t see myself like this.’ But in senior year, I found AMATE—African American Males Aspiring to Excel—a mentoring program for young men of color. What was so powerful to me about the group was the vulnerability. As guys, we were used to not talking about our problems. We bottled it all up and called it pride. So to be in this group of young men, sharing their feelings and being vulnerable with each other, was life-changing for me.”—Jerron Hawkins, 21, participant at #MBKRising, Washington D.C. (1/3)A post shared by Barack Obama (@barackobama) on Feb 19, 2019 at 8:01am PST"Meet Jerron Hawkins. He's a young man I got to know when he was a White House mentee in 2014, and he's one of the hundreds of people coming to Oakland this week for MBK Rising!, a nationwide gathering of community members and partners that represent the My Brother’s Keeper movement," his caption began."Today, I'm turning my Instagram account over to Jerron to tell you a little about his experience with mentorship," the post continued. "His story shows us what’s possible when we invest in our young people and show them we believe in their promise."From there, Hawkins spoke about his insecurities functioning without a purpose, and explaining that joining a mentoring group catered to Black men encouraged him to be more open and honest about their struggles."At the beginning of high school, I felt like I wasn’t operating with purpose. I wasn't helping anyone," Hawkins revealed. "But in senior year, I found AMATE—African American Males Aspiring to Excel—a mentoring program for young men of color. What was so powerful to me about the group was the vulnerability. As guys, we were used to not talking about our problems. We bottled it all up and called it pride. So to be in this group of young men, sharing their feelings and being vulnerable with each other, was life-changing for me."Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Speaking with Howard, Hawkins called the entire experience a "blessing," and added his personal growth serves as a permanent fixture in his life."This entire experience has been nothing short of a blessing," the 21-year-old said. "I am proud of the story that was shared. It's part of my life and therefore part of my existence and I am proud of who I am where I've came from.Founded in 2014, President Obama started My Brother's Keeper as a "call to action to close opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color." The My Brother's Keeper Rinsing! conference focused on mentoring and developing a future generation of minority men, and the Harvard Law alum was joined by star-studded friends like NBA star Steph Curry and actor Michael B. Jordan during the three-day conference.Now, check these out:Obama Talks About The 'Trap' Of Toxic Masculinity With Steph Curry At My Brother's Keeper ConferenceQueen Latifah To Build $14 Million Housing Project In Her HometownSteph Curry Convinced Under Amour To Help His Old Neighborhood Instead Of Throwing All-Star Weekend...

Good Morning America (GMA) co-host Robin Roberts spoke out on her interview with Jussie Smollett following new allegations the actor staged a hate crime. Yahoo News reported she addressed her February 14 interview during Thursday's GMA show. She explained the incident was a setback for racial and homophobic injustices.  "This touches all the buttons," she said. "It’s a setback for race relations, homophobia, MAGA supporters. I cannot think of another case where there is this anger on so many sides and you can understand why there would be."Smollett was taken into police custody Thursday morning after being arrested for allegedly staging his attack on January 29. Prosecutors believe he falsified a police report, which is a class four felony, in efforts to gain a higher pay rate from the Fox show Empire. The actor posted $100,000 bail several hours after his arrest. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.“At that time, on Tuesday, police officers were saying that his account was consistent, it was credible, and that he was being cooperative," Roberts continued. "Now this was all before the interview aired on Thursday, and then we found out about the brothers."Per Variety, brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo were reportedly hired by Smollett to stage the attack which included yelling homophobic slurs and physically harming him on January 29. Police claim the two were paid $3,500 via personal check and an additional $500 once the task was complete.Roberts was informed the interview might serve as significant evidence in the ongoing investigation by ABC News chief legal affairs anchor Dan Abrams.Now check these out:Jussie Smollett Released From Jail After Posting Bail5 Things To Know Amid The Chaos Of The Jussie Smollett CaseJussie Smollett Sets The Record Straight On Alleged Assault During Return To The Stage: 'I Fought The F**k...

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) is just one of several freshman representatives expertly using social media to connect with fans and constituents. On Wednesday, she started a self-love movement after posting a selfie donning some fashionable frames. So. I ran out of lenses & had no choice but to wear these in public, something I never, ever do, although I've been rockin' bifocals since 2nd grade. Ran into a mom who asked me to post this pic for her 9yr old who hates her new glasses. Paging @LaurenUnderwood @RashidaTlaib @AOC pic.twitter.com/iyukzptL9t— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) February 21, 2019 "So. I ran out of lenses & had no choice but to wear these in public, something I never, ever do, although I've been rockin' bifocals since 2nd grade. Ran into a mom who asked me to post this pic for her 9yr old who hates her new glasses," her tweet read. Her words were also accompanied by a beautiful photo of the Boston College alum sporting brown-hued spectacles. The tweet ignited a firestorm of positive responses, from users young and old who felt inspired by the 45-year-old's honest admission.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Pressley's House colleague Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was one of the first to compliment her ally.You look fab! 😎💕— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 21, 2019 Others were quick to post their spectacled photos, showing their support for the campaign. Capitol Hill women in glasses are always undefeated. #RepresentationMatters pic.twitter.com/IAoN60IROQ— Tarena (@TarenaLofton) February 21, 2019Women and our glasses are Undefeated! 💁🏽‍♀️♥️🤓 pic.twitter.com/Dr5lvcixyy— OneLMedia™ (@OneLMediaNow) February 21, 2019Congressional girls that wear glasses are undefeated 🤓#RepresentationMatters pic.twitter.com/cVhfS8NH8V— Nads (@kitteNPants12) February 21, 2019 Pressley even highlighted a young fan with a side-by-side image along with the hashtag #RepresentationMatters. Girls who wear glasses get... #Elected! #TeamSpecs #RepresentationMatters @JerEYEa pic.twitter.com/fDJvTeN7J4— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) February 21, 2019Pressley has accomplished a couple of "firsts" since pursuing a career in public service. The November midterm elections marked a monumental one for the Chicago native, however. Pressley became the first Black woman elected to the Massachusetts delegation as a representative for Boston’s 7th Congressional District.  It was an undoubtedly remarkable feat, and Pressley spoke with Blavity in August 2018 about her motives behind running in the contentious election."I ran because for too long, women and girls in the City of Boston had been left behind, and I wanted to lift their stories and struggles," she said. "I ran and won in 2009 on a platform aimed at eradicating poverty in all forms and for re-centering policy to account for those ignored for too long by their government."Not only has Pressley inspired those to rock their bifocals, the former Boston city councilor bravely shared her #MeToo story in hopes that other sexual assault survivors wouldn't feel alone in the plight for justice. "The reason I tell my story is to create space and dignity for survivors to let them know that they are seen, that they are not alone, and that I am going to be vigilant in this moment for their healing and justice," she said in October 2018. "That is truly the disgrace to our nation, that survivors are never given the justice they are deserved."Now, check these out:Black Millennial Experiences Are Missing In New Report On Millennial ExperiencesU.S. Coast Guard With White Nationalist Ties Planned Attack On Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren And Other PoliticiansTexas Mom Goes Viral For Doing Celebratory Twerk After Learning Her Daughter Was Accepted To...

This piece is part of a 28-day series celebrating modern Black love among millennials. It was created by Chuck Marcus and Michelle Nance, exclusively distributed by Blavity.Her: Shana Burke | 30 | City GovernmentHim: Gerard Burke | 36 | Operations AnalystRelationship Status: Married | 3 yearsBoth Brooklyn raised, Shana and Gerard’s story began in an unlikely, ye, strangely familiar way to many millennials, on Twitter.Gerard admits that he initially noticed Shana when a friend of his retweeted her and he thought she was cute. He also claims that she slid into his DMs, she pleads the fifth but did admit to inquiring about a spare ticket to an upcoming Jay-Z concert. With no ticket to spare, the two settled for getting to know one another via the once coveted messaging platform, BBM.Nine years later, three spent married, while raising three children, the two reside in Bedstuy and find beauty in the pockets of stillness that come once the little ones are in bed.How has marriage changed you?Gerard: You feel a little more of a sense of responsibility so you want to uphold traditional standards of marriage. We were already living together, we had our first daughter before we got married. For the most part it was the same, we didn’t operate any differently. We were just rocking.How do you balance personal life and being parents?Gerard: My oldest is 11, my middle child is 6 and the youngest is 2. We manage with routine. With kids, the more you get them into a routine the better they are. Our kids are in bed by 8:30. So we have from 9 until whenever we fall asleep to reconnect.Shana: Since the baby is 2 months old she’s been sleeping through the night. So she doesn’t give us many problems.What does Black love mean to the Black community?Gerard: I didn’t really have a good example of Black love growing up. My mother wasn’t married I didn’t have any friends who had mothers and fathers so I didn’t have Black love role models. I just knew how not to treat a woman based on how my mom was being treated.Shana: Yeah, my parents are still married so they were the perfect example so I want that. They’ve been married since 1985.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.What role model did you look to as an example of the kind of relationship you wanted to have?Gerard: I knew I wanted kids. I had a dad who for the most part, wasn’t my ideal father. I knew I wanted to be the opposite of that. I was raised by women so they talked about love, so I knew what love was. Old R&B songs talked about love. I knew I wanted to have a wife, I wanted her to be my queen, my rock. I wanted someone like my mother who is the strongest woman I know and my wife is right under her. I chose her because she reminds me a lot of my mother.How did you know you were ready to commit to each other?Shana: It just happened. I was talking to other people and one day he got mad because I went on a date with another person.Gerard: I remember the tweet, she went on the date and tweeted “I can’t stop smiling”. That sh*t burned me up. But she called me right after the date was over so I knew I had something. In that moment that I got so upset that I was ready to fight that’s when I knew.Shana: I think that’s when I realized it too. We got into a little argument right after that.What is the hardest part about being a millennial in a relationship today?Gerard: The phone. It’s become so much a part of our everyday routine that we don’t even notice it.Shana: You have to try really hard to put it down.Gerard: Like yesterday my daughter had a recital and everybody had their phones out and I was like, I’m just going to watch. The extra noise- there’s so much going on, it’s hard to hone in on this.Shana: We have the kids so we have to try hard not to ignore them. And there are times I’ll get zoned out into my phone and my daughter’s like “mommy you’re not paying attention to me”. You have to play with them. When they’re sleeping we try to spend time and if we’re on our phones that’s not going to happen.Who do you look to for advice on your marriage?Shana: I don’t really talk to anyone, I just figure it out as I go.Gerard: I talk to my mom. I have a few friends who are married so we kick it and we talk fatherhood and marriage. I have a mentor who’s married. I have a few resources I like to reach out to.If you could describe love in one word what would it be and why?Gerard: Work. It’s ups and downs, laughs and cries. The harder you work at it the better your love is.Shana: Happiness. Without happiness you can’t truly be in...

In yet another case of white men telling Black folk how they should respond to oppression, a guest on a Fox News show audaciously stated it's time Black people "move on from slavery.""Slavery was abolished a century and a half ago, nobody alive today has a grandparent who was a slave, and in that sense I think you reach a point where, you know, you need to move on," author Mark Steyn said to show host Tucker Carlson on Thursday night. "The reparations thing, eventually, as the decades go by, becomes ridiculous."According to HuffPost, Steyn was discussing how 2020 Democratic presidential contenders Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro advocated for present-day reparations for African Americans still being affected by 400 years of slavery. What makes it worse, Carlson didn't even bother to correct his guest. Instead, the longtime host chuckled alongside him and said "yeah" when Steyn, who is Canadian, argued he also deserves reparations because if "[America] hadn't had the revolution, the whole continent would now be Canada."Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Keep in mind, this is the same "intellectual" who emphatically claimed the Confederate flag was a Democratic piece of propaganda, blaming former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for pushing a racist agenda during her first presidential run in 2008."It's their flag," Steyn asserted on Sean Hannity's Fox News show back in 2015. "Hillary Clinton had it on campaign bumper stickers when she ran for president in 2008. You mentioned Robert C. Byrd, Bill Clinton was doing Ku Klux Klan jokes at Robert C. Byrd’s funeral!"Watch the buffoonery from the Thursday interview below. Now, check these out:New Jersey High Schooler Allegedly Heckled With Monkey Noises And 'N****r' During Basketball GameEd Buck Confronted Over New Companion Weeks After Second Black Man Died In His HomeU.S. Coast Guard With White Nationalist Ties Planned Attack On Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren And Other...

Two Baltimore women have come forward with new allegations that singer R. Kelly sexually assaulted them when they were minors in the mid-1990s, according to the New York Daily News. Joined by attorney Gloria Allred, these women issued a joint statement Thursday in New York that recounted the horrific details of the evening.Latresa Scaff and Rochelle Washington were 15 and 16, respectively, when they attended an R. Kelly concert together in either 1995 or 1996. While onstage, the "I Believe I Can Fly" singer singled them out from the crowd and allegedly instructed his security detail to get the teens to join him for a performance.Per NPR, the two were presented alcohol and drugs for their consumption. They ingested alcohol and marijuana but opted not to take cocaine. Shortly after, they were invited back to Kelly's private hotel room. Both ladies were already in Kelly's suite when he arrived, and Scaff recalls when the Chicago native emerged, his genitals were perched over his pants.Scaff was too intoxicated to consent to any sexual activity, but that did not stop Kelly. Now 39, Scaff remembers Kelly fondling her chest and inserting his hands in her vagina. After that, he propositioned the teenager for oral sex."When Kelly was alone with me," Sraff said, "he asked me to perform oral sex on him. I was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol and did it. He then had sexual intercourse with me even though I did not have the capacity to consent."As for Washington, now 40, she found retreat in the suite's bathroom, still traumatized from an earlier incident where she was sexually abused. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Allred spoke on behalf of the two women and explained why they did not come forward initially with the rape accusations."For years they were embarrassed about what happened that night and they were not sure if they should blame themselves for what happened when they were teenagers," she said in a statement obtained by Fox Baltimore. When asked for a motive behind meeting with the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Scaff said after all these years she wants justice for the musician's wrongdoings. "I am speaking out because I want to encourage other victims who I know must be out there to come forward as well," Scaff asserted. "I want justice for anyone who is a victim of R. Kelly."Washington echoed Scaff's sentiments, adding that her role as a mother is a catalyst for her coming forward with this revelation."I just want justice for anyone that was hurt or violated," she expressed. "I want victims to know it's not their fault."Since the January premiere of Lifetime's docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, the singer has faced considerable backlash for his lewd behavior. His longtime label, Sony Music, severed ties with the 52-year-old, consequently making it difficult to find a new company to distribute his latest projects. Now, check these out:R. Kelly Is Now Reportedly Being Investigated By An Illinois Grand JuryNew 'Clear' Video Of R. Kelly Having Sex With 14-Year-Old Girl Will Lead To Justice, Attorney SaysR. Kelly Learns He's Not Welcome Overseas Either After Announcing International...

A New Jersey student has been threatened with disciplinary action for wearing traditional Nigerian head garb. According to the Philadelphia Tribune, 17-year-old Geniah Miller rocked a Nigerian head wrap to Camden Academy Charter High in honor of Black History Month. The gesture that appeared innocent led Principal Dara Ash to send her home for violating the school’s dress code. Miller was told she would either have to face in-school suspension, take off the wrap or go home.Her mother, Chioma Sullivan, who is the daughter of a Nigerian immigrant, took to Facebook Live where she shared the experience. "Y'all know I don't go live much, and I don't express how I feel but today I am pissed to the top. My daughter was sent to the office because she looks like this today," Sullivan said as she turned the camera to her daughter who was donning a red wrap while in full school uniform.The mother became tearful as she explained the school is not acknowledging African American students at their predominantly Hispanic campus. "I'll be d****d if I have her go to in house suspension for expressing our culture," Sullivan continued. "She didn't do anything wrong, she is expressing who we are and she should be allowed to do that." The young teen who was once suspended for dancing at a fire drill had the support of her peers. Students staged a small protest the day after Miller was suspended. Many feel she was unfairly treated in comparison to Hispanic students who were seen wearing “flags on their foreheads” during Hispanic Heritage Month per student Janece Rodriguez. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.According to the school’s handbook, “bandanas, hairnets, scarves or any excessively large headwear” are prohibited. Last April, Blavity reported Black girls are more likely to get in trouble for dress code violations. The National Women's Law Center found schools in Washington, D.C., reprimanded Black girls for their attire at a rate 21 times greater than that of their white counterparts. "Sixty-eight percent of D.C. public high schools that publish their dress codes online ban hair wraps or head scarves," the report stated.Student Lamira Bronson explained Black History Month is only celebrated one day out of the year at Camden, typically on February 27 during an assembly where they can “wear cultural stuff.”Blavity reached out to Camden Academy Charter High for a comment about the incident and will update the story upon response.Now check these out:New Jersey High Schooler Allegedly Heckled With Monkey Noises And 'N****r' During Basketball GameVogue Style Director Accused Of Hosting Slavery Themed Party Has Resigned Queen Latifah To Build $14M In New Housing In Her...

Queen Latifah is heading back to her old hood. NJ.com reported the hip-hop legend is slated to break ground with a $14 million housing project in Newark, New Jersey. The plan includes 20 three-family townhomes with 60 units in each and a three-story mixed-used building with an additional 16 units of affordable housing. The actress and rapper, who was born in East Orange, will be building the Springfield Avenue and South 17th Street structure in conjunction with GonSosa Development, a general contracting company. Latifah expressed her sense of pride about her home with the graduating class of Rutgers-Newark during her commencement speech last May.“Today’s Newark is stirring again, stirring because our greatest export was never a product, it’s always been the people. People like each of you -- unique, strong, creative individuals," she said.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.According to Pix 11, the 48-year-old is collaborating with Blue Sugar Corporation where she serves as the co-president with plans to open in December of 2020. A spokesperson for the developers, Cristina Pinzon, shared a statement explaining the intentions of the builders. "BlueSugar and GS Developers share the belief that decent, affordable housing should be available to everyone regardless of their financial situation," she said before going on to address their understanding of Newark's needs.Similar to the Set It Off actress, Newark native and former basketball champion, Shaquille O’Neill, also invested in a downtown high-rise last year."They understand know how difficult it is to make ends meet for many residents and want to be part of the solution. They remain dedicated to making life better in communities like Newark," Pinzon continued.Yes, Queen! Liking this content? Check these out:New Jersey High Schooler Allegedly Heckled With Monkey Noises And 'N****r' During Basketball GameWhy New Jersey Could Be The Next State To Legalize Recreational MarijuanaHow a young civil war refugee became a top New Jersey...

In a February report conducted by the Pew Research Center, millennials are assessed based off of multiple indicators: education, employment, housing, family, voting and income and wealth. Despite this extensive research, there are gaps when it pertains to data highlighting the intersection of the millennial experience with African American narratives. In a Nielsen report, it was noted that of the 83.1 million millennials living in America, 11.5 million or 14 percent of the millennial population are African Americans. The New Republic reported this phenomenon, stating the "Black millennial, then, is composed of contradictions and ambiguity; her journey of tentative steps forward and horrific setbacks." The publication cited their experiences exist in a "so-called post-race era" marked by highs such as President Obama's nomination and lows such as police brutality against Rodney King, Hurricane Katrina and numerous police shootings which led to the rise of #BlackLivesMatter. In a July report by the Pew Research Center, it noted the power of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag saying in an analysis of public tweets, it "has been used nearly 30 million times on Twitter – an average of 17,002 times per day – as of May 1, 2018."Make sure you're following Blavity:Politics on Instagram and join our daily newsletter to stay engaged and informed.In a report by the Black Youth Project, data specific to the Black millennial experience were highlighted for those between the ages of 18-34. In terms of education, Pew Research highlights how millennials are matriculating bachelor degrees or higher at greater rates than their Generation X and baby boomer counterparts at the same age by a 10 percent margin.The Black Youth Project highlights how college enrollment had sharply increased from 24.5 percent in 1993 to 36.4 percent in 2012. Still, it notes there are also unseen factors that affect Black millennials when it comes to education including higher amounts of student loans, greater unemployment rates and discrimination in the workplace, among others. In terms of employment, Pew Research showcases the following:In 1966, when Silent Generation women were ages 22 through 37, a majority (58 percent) were not participating in the labor force while 40 percent were employed. For millennial women today, 72 percent are employed while just a quarter are not in the labor force. Boomer women were the turning point. As early as 1985, more young Boomer women were employed (66 percent) than were not in the labor force (28 percent).The Black Youth Project highlighted unemployment rates as well as systemic issues such as workplace discrimination:In the second quarter of 2015, unemployment rates were substantially higher for Black youth than for white and Latino youth. For instance, 16.6 percent of Black youth between the ages of 20 and 24 were unemployed, compared with 10.3 percent of Latino youth and 8.5 percent of white youth in the same age group.Young Black women report experiencing discrimination in the workplace based on race and/or gender at considerably higher rates (35.6 percent) than white women (13.9 percent) and Latinas (21.2 percent).Both reports go on to detail different narratives, Pew Research highlighting hard numbers that talk to the overall millennial experience and the Black Youth Project showing how an often marginalized segment does in comparison with added insight of additional stressors related to race, access to opportunities and other silent stressors. Pew Research does report on religion in the Black millennial experience stating that "about six-in-ten Black millennials (61 percent) say they pray at least daily, a significantly higher share than the 39 percent of nonBlack millennials saying this." Maybe this can be attributed to having to deal with the atrocities of slavery or other stressors that continue to persist when it comes to equal access and opportunities in places of work, housing, voting and a myriad of different spaces. Now, check these out:'SNL' Is Being Called Out For Skit Slamming Blackface After Using It For DecadesJoin Blavity For A Special Tour Of This Exhibit On California's History Of Slavery3 Ways Virginia Became A Political Dumpster Fire In Just...

Nicholas Sandmann and his parents filed a defamation lawsuit seeking $250 million in punitive and compensatory damages for allegedly targeting and bullying him because he "was the white, Catholic student wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' souvenir cap."Sandmann is known for this now viral video of him seemingly taunting a Native American activist, Nathan Phillips. Sandmann later followed up in an interview with NBC's Today Show stating that "I can't say that I'm sorry for listening to him and standing there.”President Trump also seemingly praised Sandmann for his lawsuit in a tweet: "Go get them Nick! Fake News!"“The Washington Post ignored basic journalistic standards because it wanted to advance its well-known and easily documented biased agenda against President Donald J. Trump.” Covington student suing WAPO. Go get them Nick. Fake News!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2019Make sure you're following Blavity:Politics on Instagram and join our daily newsletter to stay engaged and informed.The Hemmer DeFrank Wessels, PLLC lawsuit cites the following timeline of January 2019 events:While at the National Mall, a small group of adult gentlemen who describe themselves as Hebrew Israelites – a known hate group – began verbally assaulting and taunting Nicholas and his CovCath classmates with, including but not limited to, threats of physical violence and vitriol, calling the students “incest babies,” “dirty ass crackers,” and “future school shooters.”One of Nicholas’ classmates requested and received permission from a school chaperone to engage in CovCath school sports cheers in an effort to ignore and drown out the hate speech being hurled at them by the Hebrew Israelites.The school cheer is intended and undertaken to promote unity and school pride and should have been correctly seen as a positive act, not a racist act.During the school cheer, Phillips and a small group of his companions – all of whom had been participating in the Indigenous Peoples March at the National Mall that day – instigated a confrontation with Nicholas and his CovCath classmates.Rather than focusing their attention on the Hebrew Israelites, who had been relentlessly insulting both the teenagers for almost an hour and the Native Americans attending the Indigenous Peoples March before that, Phillips and his activist companions approached the CovCath students from a distance while beating drums, singing, dancing, and carrying cameras to capture the confrontation on video.Apparently, Phillips, a phony war hero, was too intimidated by the unruly Hebrew Israelites to approach them, the true troublemakers, and instead chose to focus on a group of innocent children – a much safer endeavor for activist tactics of intimidation.When Phillips first approached them, many of the CovCath students “felt like he was coming into their group to join in with the students’ cheers.”Phillips intentionally walked up to the crowd of CovCath students.The CovCath students did not move toward Phillips or otherwise actively approach or surround Phillips.Nicholas and the students merely acquiesced in Phillips’ election to enter their group and beat his drum within inches of Nicholas’ face.The lawsuit further details that the monetary damages being sought equate to the " amount Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest person, paid in cash for the[Washington] Post when his company, Nash Holdings, purchased the newspaper in 2013."Now, check this out:Court Rules That NYPD Body Camera Footage Must Be Made PublicJudge Repeals Jury's Decision To Award Korryn Gaines' Estate $37 Million In Wrongful Death SuitColin Kaepernick, Eric Reid Reach Settlement In Collusion Case Against The...