Gabe's Musings

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Julius Boatwright: Steel Smiling Founder Champions Mental Health for Black Pittsburgh

BE Modern Man: Julius Boatwright

Mental health entrepreneur; 35; Founder, Steel Smiling

Twitter: @julboatwright; Instagram: @juliusboatwright

Steel Smiling bridges the gap between community members and mental health support through education, advocacy, and awareness. We’re planning to expose 100% of black adults in Pittsburgh to at least one mental health engagement that improves their quality of life by 2030.

Our programming consists of Mental Health Awareness Month, Beams to Bridges, Suicide Prevention Month Forum, and a Birthday Fundraiser. Mental Health Awareness Month creates space for black community members to receive mental health support from black clinical professionals. Beams to Bridges is a neighborhood-specific, 9-month training and education program for a cohort of black community members to learn about topics such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This program also provides them with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to serve as Steel Smiling Champions in their communities. Our Suicide Prevention Month Forum convenes black clinicians, leaders, and laypeople to participate in a panel and forum discussion about suicide prevention.

Finally, our Birthday Fundraiser welcomes community members to celebrate our collective accomplishments. During this experience, attendees can expect free food, music, live painting, line dancing, creative performances, and peer support.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN LIFE?

I’m most proud of being alive at 35. As a black man, the world is constantly telling us what we’re supposed to be in life. Growing up, my family relocated often, and I spent part of my youth living in public housing projects. I made countless bad choices that jeopardized my freedom and existence. Reflecting on everything now, it’s humbling to see how God protected me. To be breathing today is truly a miracle.

HOW HAVE YOU TURNED STRUGGLE INTO SUCCESS?

Four and a half years ago, one of my best friends from college died by suicide. It was one of the most challenging moments that I have ever experienced. Also, I’ve thrived with symptoms of depression and anxiety for 20 years. So, when he passed away, it had a profound impact on me.

As I learned more about processing trauma, I gained perspective on how to honor his legacy. It became clear that the universe needed me to help black people explore mental health. After working in traditional settings, I became interested in collaboratively creating accessible, culturally-sensitive, community-based supports. When these experiences intertwined, it resulted in the launch of Steel Smiling. The rest is history.

WHO WAS YOUR GREATEST MALE ROLE MODEL AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM HIM?

My greatest role model is God. Without his unconditional love and infinite understanding, I’d be nothing. I’ve had thousands of instances that if it wasn’t for him, I’d be dead or in jail. As a result of that grace and mercy, I have learned how to wholeheartedly love people.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

One of my elementary school teachers preached something that has stuck with me since I was a kid. I remember seeing the quote elsewhere, but he was the first person that I remember saying it. He said, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

HOW ARE YOU PAYING IT FORWARD TO SUPPORT OTHER BLACK MALES?

Whenever I connect with a black man, I ask how he’s feeling. Oftentimes, we pose the question, but don’t really care about the response. My goal is to gain an intimate understanding of his mental state. However, as black men, we may not be comfortable sharing those details. I’m always considering that my brother could be one second away from a crisis. The least I can do is actively listen and respond to his needs accordingly.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE MANHOOD?

On any given day, you’ll hear me using words like vulnerability, compassion, empathy, authenticity, and gentleness. For a long time, I believed that men always had to be tough, aggressive, assertive, dominant, and powerful. I’m not saying that the latter is bad. There are times that call for us to stand confidently in those areas. Nonetheless, I grew to appreciate that there’s also power in emotional intelligence. Being able to share our weaknesses is courageous. For me, manhood is about not letting others define it for you.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A BLACK MAN?

That I have so many opportunities to impact the lives of young black boys, including through Steel Smiling. When you’re a child, it’s difficult to comprehend how your experiences are designed for such a time. As an adult, I’ve had hundreds of chances to learn with young black boys. It’s eye-opening to witness how God bridges those worlds.

BE Modern Man is an online and social media campaign designed to celebrate black men making valuable contributions in every profession, industry, community, and area of endeavor. Each year, we solicit nominations in order to select men of color for inclusion in the 100 Black Enterprise Modern Men of Distinction. Our goal is to recognize men who epitomize the BEMM credo “Extraordinary is our normal” in their day-to-day lives, presenting authentic examples of the typical black man rarely seen in mainstream media. The BE Modern Men of Distinction are celebrated annually at Black Men XCEL (www.blackenterprise.com/blackmenxcel/). Click this link to submit a nomination for BE Modern Man: https://www.blackenterprise.com/nominate/. Follow BE Modern Man on Twitter: @bemodernman and Instagram: @be_modernman.

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Ethiopia violence: Facebook to blame, says runner Gebrselassie

The running legend says hate speech on the social network was behind the deaths of 78 people.

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Beyoncé requests everyday people for London music video shoot

Beyoncé is set to revisit her The Lion King: The Gift album with a video for her “Brown Skin Girl” song, which is being filmed on various south London estates.

The album was released in this past summer, but now the song will be treated as a single, according to the Daily Mail. Filming is taking place in both Catford and Thamesmead, along with members of the superstar singer’s team being seen near the HM Prison Thameside on Thursday.

The LEMONADE singer’s casting team is requesting “black and brown people of different cultures, nationalities, ethnicities, genders and ages” in London to come forward for the video.

A source also detailed to the Daily Mail Beyoncé’s wish to have the video “truly represent the essence of the song” and to have “normal people step forward and tell their stories” despite having name-dropped iconic figures like Naomi Campbell and Lupita Nyong’o in the lyrics.

Additional requests for people include different family structures, citing a request for blended, single parent, queer and adopted families. The video will also have a focus on a variety of body shapes and ages. The age range is stated to be girls as young as six months all the way to elderly women.

The video is set to be directed by Jean Nkiru, who worked on The Carters “APESH**T” video. “Brown Skin Girl” features Saint Jhn, Wizkid and Beyoncé’s own daughter Blue Ivy Carter.

“Brown Skin Girl” may not be the only video that Beyoncé is working on. The Sun detailed that her and Jay Z were in Hollywood for a video for a forthcoming duet. “It’s one of her most extravagant and expensive shoots,” a source said, according to the Daily Mail.

“It was mostly filmed in LA and has a highly choreographed routine and also a steamy, romantic scene,” the source added. “She is working with some new creatives and is ready to change things up.”

The post Beyoncé requests everyday people for London music video shoot appeared first on theGrio.

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Maryland community reburies remains of former slave

Janice Hayes-Williams went from being an amateur local historian to an area hero when she found the remains of Smith Price, a prominent Black man displaced from his burial site.

Price was the founder of the first free Black community in Annapolis, Maryland, and his remains had been dug up for the development of a renewal project in the 1980s. However, no one knew where to find the bones.

“How do you dig up people and take them away?” Hayes-Williams said in an interview with The Washington Post.

The remains now are located in St. Anne’s Cemetery in Annapolis, which Hayes-Williams stated is “they’re home” after seeing a set of custom wooden caskets. According to the Capital Gazette, a 12-man group of community leaders led the remains to the final resting place of St. Anne’s.

The bones in the caskets are of Price and his son, buried once again after a ceremony was held at the church Price assisted in the founding over two centuries ago. The eulogy was performed by Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford, who is the second African-American in the history of Maryland to have the job. Rutherford spoke of Price, stating he possessed “resilience in the face of conditions we really can’t understand today.”

Price was the son of a white father and Black mother and born into slavery during the 1750s. He was considered the property of the first president of the Maryland Senate, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer. Price was known as a talented blacksmith and artisan. He was freed in 1791 after his slave owner’s death and eventually purchased the land for the Asbury United Methodist Church.

In addition to buying the land, Price would also buy the freedom of other enslaved people before his death in 1807. The remains of Price and his son were moved from the graveyard behind the church in the 1980s when Black residents in the area were displaced by pricey townhouses.

While Price and his son were able to be recovered, Wayne Clark, the chief state archaeologist of Maryland at the time, told The Washington Post other remains in the cemetery might have accidentally ended up in a landfill with trash from construction.

“I have a habit of checking construction sites around town,” Clark said. “I was shocked and upset that there was no archaeology done on this area.”

Hayes-Williams had just started research in the area and was hurt by the way the graveyard was treated.

“This is my story, my people,” Hayes-Williams said. “I mean, these guys were leasing lands, running shops and taverns, buying their own people out of slavery. And nobody knows.”

Hayes-Williams would recover the bones from Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in Calvert County, a state facility that held over 8 million archaeological artifacts. She was there for a meeting after being appointed to committees by a local official.

The bones were in a box, which was allowed to be turned over to the church for a reburial.

The post Maryland community reburies remains of former slave appeared first on theGrio.

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Mohamed Buya Turay: Sierra Leonean scores as Djurgarden win Swedish league

Sierra Leone striker Mohamed Buya Turay scores to help Djurgarden win the 2019 Swedish league title - the first silverware of his career.

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Serial Entrepreneur Papa Joe Aviance: ‘Establish Your Brand’

Papa Joe Aviance is not most people! The serial entrepreneur always does things his way. After experiencing a 250-pound weight loss, he started seeing things differently. He’s gone on to become a recording artist, weight loss motivator, an Amazon best-selling author, and now, a creator of an animated TV series.
The successful entrepreneur took time out of his busy schedule to talk with Black Enterprise.
You took the reins of your health and steered it in a positive and uplifting way. What was the decision behind you getting to a healthy weight?
I had been obese for the majority of my life. I had resigned myself as being the “cuddly, teddy bear, fat guy with jokes.” I figured that if I just appeared happy all of the time, people wouldn’t be able to see how defeated I actually was. The following is the reason why I believe that you can be in the right place, at the right time: I was working at a video rental store when I was discovered by a producer. He liked the tone of my voice so much and asked if I would do the feature on the track “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” with Lula. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. We went to the studio to record the track, and then it was time to shoot the music video. I had a great time on set, portraying a security guard in the video. I felt tough. And then I saw the music video. Somehow, in my head, I did not look like the man on the screen. In my head, I was the tough, chill guy—in reality, I was the fat security guard who looked like he had trouble moving. Honestly, I saw that video and vowed to myself right then and there that I was not going to continue down that path.
I decided that walking was my easiest course of action, so I put my sneakers on and hyped myself up to go on a long walk. I made it around the block. I honestly couldn’t do anymore that first day, so I took the block and made sure that I wasn’t going to give up. The next day, I made it around the block two times. I kept at it every single day until I was up to walking 5 miles per day. I felt better. I felt more confident. I saw some of the same people every day, and they cheered me on. Meanwhile, because I didn’t have the money to eat healthy, I was sourcing The 99 Cent Only store to get my fruits and vegetables. I always knew that I was a fighter with conviction, but the task to lose the weight seemed so daunting when I started. I think I was able to be positive and uplifting because as I was doing it, I gained more and more confidence in myself. It really is true that you can only be good to others if you are first good to yourself.
Your resurgence led you to become an author. What gave you the inspiration to write?
I wrote a book titled Balancing the Scales, which encompasses my personal and professional life. Some people can separate personal and professional, but mine really do go hand in hand. If by telling others about my experiences, my downfalls and victories, my mindset to reach my goals, if I can help or motivate even one person, then I have served my purpose on this earth. I firmly believe that I have gone through everything that I have gone through in my life to get me to a place where I could help other people. My inspiration came from just sitting back and taking a look at my life. There were things that I had gone through, where if you looked at them individually you would think were quite extraordinary. When you put them all together, I felt like I didn’t have a choice. It was truly something, and I had spent a few years working with different groups in sharing my story. I was a health ambassador for the American Heart Association. I figured that beyond speaking to rooms of a few hundred, or at events with a few thousand, I would write a book that could reach anyone who wanted to hear the message.
How did you gain the type of work ethic and motivation to complete the projects you worked on?
I really have to give credit to my family. Both my grandmother and grandfather had a huge impact on me growing up. My grandfather had an incredible work ethic, and a genuine kindness toward people. I remember him telling me to treat the janitor of a company the same, or better, as I would treat the CEO. He truly believed that everyone holds worth and that with dedication and hard work I could accomplish whatever I set my mind to. I also have to give credit and gratitude to my mother. Behind every great black man, there is a strong black woman who made him that way. My mother has championed for me when I wasn’t even championing for myself. She believed in me, and that has never wavered. I am truly grateful that I had those family members as an example of work ethic, and how to treat people. I would not be where I am today without the lessons I learned from them.
What complications did you endure on your road to publishing and releasing your book?
I think the hardest part of writing a book was STARTING. It is incredibly intimidating to be staring at a blank screen. It was also difficult to decide what I wanted to share that would be relevant and helpful, and what might just be extra “fluff” to fill pages. I didn’t want to write something just for the sake of writing something. I wanted it to have intention and purpose. There was a lot of writing, editing, rewriting, starting from scratch, thinking that it wasn’t going to ever be finished—but then one day I blinked and it had just come together. I sent to a few close, trusted people in my circle to read, and when they gave me the thumbs up, I knew that I had done what I set out to do.

Papa Joe Aviance

While you were recording music, how did the business aspect of the industry affect the creative process?
As with all things, there is a bit of politics to navigate in the industry. I really feel like I had it pretty easy though. I don’t have horrible stories about the business side affecting my creative process. I’ve also been lucky enough to work with some unbelievably talented producers, who curate projects with me in mind. That definitely makes all the difference. In a way, I found the perfect balance of business and creative because I merged the two. I do think that’s what successful creative types accomplish. You find a way to balance the scale. That’s where my street smarts came in. I knew who to ride with, and who to avoid. I had also spent some of my younger working years on Wall Street, so I had that business savvy attitude too. You find what works for you, what resonates with an audience, and then you stick with that. It’s the smartest thing to do, depending on where you want to go in the industry.
Tell us about your latest project, The Electric Negro.
The Electric Negro project is something that I have been cultivating for years, and the fact that it is coming to fruition is beyond what I could have hoped for. The Electric Negro is a controversial, unapologetic, thought-provoking and HILARIOUS animated black super-hero TV series, as well as a line of fan merchandise. The show is making headlines while in the final stages of distribution with letters of intent from AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys), Denzel Whitaker (Black Panther), and many more who have already signed on as voice actors for the main characters.
What advice would you give to folks who want to be a successful entrepreneur?
Really figure out what it is that you’re selling. It could be an idea, a product, an art piece, yourself; but you truly have to believe in whatever it is that you want other folks to pick up on. Establish your brand. What do you represent? Be clear about the message you’re trying to get across, and then give people a reason to remember that brand. Be good to people. I know business is business, but I am living proof that you can be successful in business without tearing other people down or exploiting them. You get what you give. And when you give positivity and honesty, you get positivity and honesty back. We also live in a time where you have to be savvy on social media. Start a grassroots operation for getting the word out to people. If you’re putting out the right message to the right people, your social numbers will reflect that. The more visibility that you can give yourself, the more opportunity you can give yourself. Last but not least, I go back to one of my first points. You can only give to others when you’re giving to yourself first, so make sure at the end of the day that you’re taking care of yourself. Trust yourself because you know what you’re capable of, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you hit a roadblock. With some hard work and dedication, you can do it!

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Emmanuel Amuneke: Nigerian coach seeks new job

Emmanuel Amuneke announces he is open to new job offers, four months after he left his role as coach of Tanzania by mutual consent.

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Famous Dex has seizure during nightclub show

Chicago rapper Famous Dex suffered a seizure in the middle of a club performance early Friday morning.

He was performing at 1 Oak in West Hollywood when the seizure caused him to fall to the floor. In a video obtained by TMZ, a couple of guys are seen carrying the “Pick It Up” performer by his legs and shoulders as he shakes.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department stated it received a call about a seizure that occurred inside the club just before 2 a.m., though it did not transport the patient to a medical facility. Dex was carried backstage, but there were no updates about the rapper needing or receiving medical attention, or if those who assisted him were medically trained.

A representative for the rapper issued a statement on his condition: “We wish Famous Dex a speedy recovery after his epileptic seizure last night. He is currently in good spirits and hopes to return back to finishing his new album. The thanks all his fans for their prayers and well wishes.”

Almost a year ago, fans of Dex were concerned with his health after passing out in the middle of a live Instagram session. Rap-Up reported that Dex returned to Instagram and announced giving up lean and Xanax this past April. In his announcement, the rapper cited religion and thanked supporters in his efforts to leave drugs behind.

“I just wanna thank God,” he said then. “I don’t do xans, the lean. It’s over with, you know what I’m saying? God is good, God is great. I just wanna thank God for everything. I wanna thank my supporters. I wanna thank everyone for supporting me, everybody that knows me. God is so good. I’m relaxed, I’m chilling, I’m good . . . I’m doing it for me and my children. Get right. Dexter. Make the world get better.”

The post Famous Dex has seizure during nightclub show appeared first on theGrio.

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Mississippi judge won’t block Jim Crow era election process

A federal judge ruled Friday not to block Mississippi’s two-step process for electing statewide officeholders, which was enacted during the Jim Crow era.

The two-step process was created after the Reconstruction era in efforts to make sure white people were able to remain in power in the state’s government. No other state in the nation has the process in effect.

The Associated Press, by way of the Miami Herald, reports the ruling came from U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, who will not progress the preliminary injunction that would stop the process from being used in the elections next week. However, the case could be reopened in the future.

“That process cannot occur before the November 2019 votes are counted or within a short time after the election. Indeed, it was already too late when this suit was filed,” Jordan wrote in his ruling. “But based on Plaintiffs’ argument during the hearing, it appears the process could be attempted before the next statewide election cycle. If not, then by that time there would presumably have been a trial on the merits, and the Court could craft its own ‘remedial plan’ if necessary.”

African-American plaintiffs sued the state this year arguing that the system is unconstitutional and violates the principle of one person, one vote. Jordan stated the argument is “their strongest claim.”

“No matter what I do, I would encourage the other side to appeal immediately,” Jordan said during an Oct. 11 hearing, according to the Clarion Legion.

According to the state’s 1890 constitution, a statewide candidate is required to win a majority of the popular vote and electoral vote. One electoral vote is awarded to the top vote-getter in each of the 122 state House districts. If no one wins, the election is decided by the House, and representatives don’t have to abide by the vote of their districts.

The lawsuit was filed May 30 against Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, Mississippi’s top elections officer, and House Speaker Philip Gunn, who would preside if there’s a House vote. Both officials are Republican.

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Steph Curry’s broken hand to sideline him for at least three months

A bad start to the NBA season for the Golden State Warriors got worse with the news of superstar guard Steph Curry being out for at least three months in recovery from surgery on his broken left hand.

The team announced the time off for the two-time league MVP on Friday. Curry was injured Wednesday after driving to the rim against the Phoenix Suns.

According to CBS Sports, the Warriors said Curry “underwent successful surgery” at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. The surgery was to repair a “broken left hand/second metacarpal” with full recovery. The status of Curry will be updated after the initial three month period.

Curry sustained his injury when driving for a layup during the third quarter of the 121-110 loss to the Suns. He would collide with Suns’ forward Kelly Oubre Jr. and use his hands to brace himself in the fall. Once he hit the floor, Suns’ center Aron Baynes landed on top of his left hand.

The injury for Curry puts the Warriors at a crossroads. The team was off to a shaky start after the departures of key players Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala, injuries to Klay Thompson and newcomers Alec Burks and Willie Cauley-Stein, and the retirement of Shaun Livingston. Now, many analysts are suggesting the Warriors should tank and aim for the draft lottery, which team officials scoff at.

“The objectives don’t change. The object is still to win. It’s still to prepare. It’s still to compete,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr prior to The East Bay Times. “The expectations change. I think there’s an awareness of where we are.”

Kerr will be cautious of the use of Draymond Green, the team’s last healthy all-star and champion.

“We have to maintain a good schedule minutes-wise and games-wise. If he’s banged up, we have to make sure to take care of him,” Kerr said.

In the Friday night loss to the Spurs, Green played 34 minutes, which is believed to be dialed back in an effort to preserve his health. The focal point of the team will now be a newcomer and all-star D’Angelo Russell, who scored 23 points last night.

The post Steph Curry’s broken hand to sideline him for at least three months appeared first on theGrio.

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Space Photos of the Week: The Jupiter Chronicles

The fifth planet from the Sun still looms large in our imagination—45 years after we first saw it up close.

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John Hodgman Reveals the Perks of Being Sort of Famous

In his new memoir, the one-time *Daily Show* correspondent explores his brushes with fame.

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WhatsApp Hack Targeted Officials in More Than 20 Countries

NSO Group exploits, *Counter-Strike* money laundering, and a Pentagon scam are among the week’s top security news.

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Master & Dynamic MW07 Go Review: Best in Class Earbuds

They're not cheap, but these wireless workout earbuds really are amazing.

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Brown Girls Do Invest Launches Financial Education Tour for Black Women

There is a noticeable void in the financial industry to address the wealth gap of African American women. Many organizations teach women the power of investing. However, these organizations do not address the unique financial and cultural challenges of African American women. Brown Girls Do Invest is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower and change the financial position of African American women and girls.

Often women of color are sitting in front of people who do not look like them. As a result, African American women do not get information that resonates or addresses their financial dilemmas. Since its founding in 2016, Brown Girls Do Invest has educated thousands of African American women. It teaches women how to invest in the stock market and real estate, as well as how to acquire multiple streams of income.

“I am passionate about African American women feeling inclusive in the wealth conversation. It is important that we understand ways we impact the economy. African American women have a voice and want to be heard. Our stories are different, yet the goal for financial freedom is just as important as anyone else,” explains Bahiyah Shabazz, founder of Brown Girls Do Invest.

Shabazz decided to offer the first-ever investing tour for African American women. Along with three other financial experts, Courtney Richardson, Esq. of The Ivy Investor, Danielle Pierce of Women, Wealth and Real Estate, and Joanna Jane Bartholomew, she is traveling the United States to educate women of color about how to invest.

The tour covers necessary aspects of wealth, including closing the wealth gap, investment and retirement strategies, and more. It features speakers and a panel discussion of local financial experts.

“I discuss the wealth disparity and how to close the gap. Courtney Richardson teaches investment and retirement strategies. Danielle Pierce teaches how to start real estate investing through tax liens and property preservation. Joanna Jane Bartholomew teaches principles of wealth creation,” shares Shabazz.

The tour has included major cities, such as Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Houston, Charlotte, and Miami. It hopes to educate as many women and girls as possible in African American communities across the country.

Black Enterprise Contributors Network

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South Africa celebrates rugby world cup win over England

The Springboks claim their third world cup title after 32-12 victory.

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13 Great Tech Deals on TVs, Games, Apple Watch and more

Whether you need a smartwatch or an air fryer, these are the best things worth buying this weekend.

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What Google's Fitbit Buy Means for the Future of Wearables

The acquisition bringing new concerns—and new opportunities.

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Need to Run Errands Really Quickly? Try This Lamborghini SUV

That is, if you have $200,000. With the Urus, Lamborghini joins the rush to luxury SUVs, while staying true to its sports-car heritage.

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GDPR Fines Haven't Rocked the Data Privacy World—Yet

Though there hasn't been a deluge of large fines, EU regulators are slowly beginning to flex their enforcement muscles.

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Mali attack kills 53 soldiers in north of the country

The army calls the assault on a military post in the north-east a "terrorist attack".

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The Nigerian rugby player fighting sickle cell stigma

Ade Adebisi says he's the only known person with the disease to have played professional rugby.

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Friday, November 1, 2019

Nairobi water: What's behind severe shortages?

The Kenyan capital city is facing water supply issues - how serious is the problem?

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Brian Harris: Creating Sons of Freedom Through Dance

BE Modern Man: Brian Harris

Educator, author, choreographer, minister; 37; Artistic Director, Sons of Freedom Dance Institute

Twitter: @DancingSons1; Instagram: @Iambkh2

For 12 years, I have been the artistic director of the Sons of Freedom Dance Institute. This organization is committed to nurturing character development, increasing social awareness, and building the spirituality of boys of color through classical and contemporary styles of dance and movement. I have been an educator for 15 years, serving as a first and third-grade teacher, vice-principal, and dance teacher in the DC Metropolitan area. I am currently receiving a doctorate in public theology and working on bridging the gap between spirituality and justice in urban education. I preach and facilitate workshops throughout the country focusing on awakening the spirituality of black boys, helping them to experience God through the lenses of love and discussing the importance of dance and movement as a response to the impact of trauma in the black church and community.

The impact my work has on black and brown boys is best described as life-changing. I have watched my boys develop a greater sense of purpose, become more confident, and begin to excel in school and in life. I have watched boys begin my program broken, but leave the program with joy, inner-peace, and the ability to know their place and purpose in the world. This year, I watched my first group of boys in Sons of Freedom, who have been with me for 10 years, graduate from high school. All eight will be attending college, four pursuing degrees in dance, visual arts, and theater.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN LIFE?

I am proud of the opportunities I have been afforded to make a difference in the lives of boys and the support I have gained over the years from doing this work. I am most proud of being able to see so many boys develop a greater sense of purpose and learn to live authentically, pushing themselves each day to become more creative.

HOW HAVE YOU TURNED STRUGGLE INTO SUCCESS?

Throughout my life, I have struggled with esteem issues. From not feeling good enough to looking to others to define who I was, it was a heavy weight to bear throughout the years. I used my own issues with esteem to develop opportunities for black and brown boys whose esteem and confidence needed to be built and in many cases repaired. I used my own personal struggle to create success for boys.

WHO WAS YOUR GREATEST MALE ROLE MODEL AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM HIM?

My greatest male role model was my father, Brian K. Harris Sr. As I was growing up, he never allowed me to settle for mediocrity, but always pushed me to become my better self. He taught me the essence of hard work, fortitude, tenacity, and courage. From him, I learned to be unapologetic in my creativity, sensitivity, and uniqueness. I learned to fly into freedom.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

The best advice I’ve ever been given was, “As you keep doing the work to save lives of black boys, God will continue to bless, protect, and provide you with all the resources needed to make things happen!”

HOW ARE YOU PAYING IT FORWARD TO SUPPORT OTHER BLACK MALES?

Sons of Freedom Dance Institute has been providing a platform for black and brown boys to express themselves, their thoughts about the world, and the issues in their communities through dance for 12 years. I also do several seminars and classes throughout Washington, DC Public Schools empowering middle and high school boys of color through culture and poetry. My book, Freedom’s Design: 20 days of Empowering Black Kings, is a three-volume compilation focusing on boys understanding their African heritage and history, the importance of self-love and their role as community activists, through 20 days of poetry, affirmations, reflection questions, and activities.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE MANHOOD?

Manhood is the ability to see an obstacle and develop a strategy to overcome it. It is the ability to use those obstacles and setbacks as stepping stones for success. Manhood is the ability to see the areas in your life which are broken and seek ways to heal and nurture those broken places in order to become an example of wholeness, wellness, and love for your community and those you encounter.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A BLACK MAN?

I love the creative power I and other black men have to change our communities and our world. Being a black man means you have a chance to be a symbol of strength and courage, while also projecting a sense of sensitivity and love.

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Nigeria's oil spills 'environmental genocide'

A commission has called for urgent action to stop oil spills that are devastating communities in Nigeria’s Bayelsa State.

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Ajara keen on Champions League spot after cup heroics

Cameroon forward Nchout Njoya Ajara is keen on returning to the Champions League after helping power Valerenga to the Norwegian Women's Cup final with a semi-final hat trick.

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R. Kelly’s ex-wife talks about backlash from appearing on docu-series, ‘Surviving R. Kelly’

Andrea Lee said she had an epiphany the day she left R. Kelly and their 13-year marriage.

“The day I escaped from him, it was a realization that these gates on our property was not to keep people out… but to keep me in,” Lee told Extra’s Jenn Lahmers in an interview to raise awareness of domestic violence.

Drea, as she’s known, alleges that Kelly physical, sexually and emotionally abused her. She discussed the abuse first in the docu-series Surviving R. Kelly which aired early this year. She now says that she received loads of criticism from people questioning why it took her so long to come forward.

“It was really hard… the victim shaming, the victim blaming, the backlash I was not prepared for,” Drea told Extra. “I thought, ‘Here I am coming forward, this is about women… women’s empowerment, we’re in this together, and I just want to give validity to these women’s stories and hopefully if they don’t believe them at least they’ll (believe) the ex-wife. It was the complete opposite.”

Drea and Kelly divorced in 2009. She said many people believe she is lying to try and claim Kelly’s money, but she said that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“There’s no price tag on any woman’s soul… You can’t put a price on a life… At the end of the day, women are fighting for their lives… That’s why I often say you may love R. Kelly, but you might not like Robert,” she told Extra.

Kelly, who is currently in a Chicago jail, was recently indicted on 13 new federal sex abuse charges, which include conspiracy to receive child pornography, receiving child pornography, producing child pornography, enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Kelly is also facing an indictment in New York on charges of racketeering for allegedly operating a criminal enterprise, and recruiting women and girls to engage in criminal sexual activity.

In a statement, Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg said the charges are duplicative of earlier charges for which he was acquitted. “The conduct alleged appears to be largely the same as the conduct previously alleged against Mr. Kelly in his current State indictment and his former State charges that he was acquitted of. Most, if not all of the conduct alleged, is decades old.”

Greenberg added that Kelly looks forward to “the truth coming out and to his vindication from what has been an unprecedented assault by others for their own personal gain. Most importantly he looks forward to being able to continue to making wonderful music and perform for his legions of fans that believe in him.”

Drea has repeatedly gone after Kelly for outstanding child support. A judge recently ordered back child support payments to be deducted from Kelly’s music royalties.

The post R. Kelly’s ex-wife talks about backlash from appearing on docu-series, ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ appeared first on theGrio.

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John Witherspoon leaves one last laugh in hilarious YouTube video

John Witherspoon had us rolling just hours before he died.

Witherspoon, 77, posted a 15-minute video to his YouTube channel on Oct. 28 cooking what he called “Poor Man’ Gumbo.” He wore little more than an apron and a chef’s toque blanche, and discussed how important it was to create a good roux.

He explains that this time in the kitchen is going to be a special occasion, as he drops a little wisdom on us. Witherspoon aims to show fans the difference between a gumbo for people with money, and those that can’t quite afford “shrimp and lobster… Alaskan King crab.”

Early on in the video, Witherspoon explained the reason why he hadn’t posted to his YouTube page in a year was because he has been working.

“Now I know I haven’t been here for a while, but I’ve been busy doing other things,” Witherspoon said in the clip. “We about to do the Boondocks, and we gonna do another Friday, but I’ve been around working on the road, because I’ve been very, very busy and got a big schedule this year.”

He was in fact set to reprise his role as Mr. Jones in the cult classic Friday franchise. He was also due to return to The Boondocks, according to Deadline.

In the YouTube video, Witherspoon also discussed topics including homeless people, President Donald Trump and Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer sentenced to 10 years in prison for murdering Botham Jean.

But unfortunately Witherspoon died on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in his Sherman Oaks, California home.

Witherspoon’s family has long called the actor and comedian “one of the hardest working men in show business.” In announcing his death, his wife and sons tweeted: “It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “POPS” always & forever.”

It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “POPS” always & forever.

– The Witherspoon Family pic.twitter.com/ov9P34kaMn

— John Witherspoon (@John_POPS_Spoon) October 30, 2019

We’re so grateful he left us with one more laugh. Witherspoon’s final words in the video were, “Thank you. Love each other.”

Check out his last video to fans below:

Thank you, Pops.

The post John Witherspoon leaves one last laugh in hilarious YouTube video appeared first on theGrio.

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Withings Move ECG Review: It Keeps Tabs on Your Ticker

Even if you don't have a heart condition, the Move ECG watch is a useful, affordable fitness tracker.

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Opinion: Don't Let a Tech Slowdown Threaten Our Military

The right software and digital engineering can take military aircraft back to the future.

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‘Unacceptable’: Trick-or-treater injured in Chicago shooting

CHICAGO (AP) — A 7-year-old girl out trick-or-treating in a bumblebee costume was critically injured after being struck by apparent stray gunfire on Chicago’s West Side, police said.

The girl, who was shot in the upper chest area Thursday night, was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, according to Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. A 30-year-old man was shot in the left hand and taken to a nearby hospital in good condition.

The shooting occurred early Halloween evening as the girl was walking with her family and other trick-or-treaters along a street in the Little Village neighborhood.

In a tweet, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the girl was believed to be an unintended victim. He said members of the community were assisting investigators “but we need more.”

“We heard the shots … four shots, and I went outside,” said Lali Lara, who works in a nearby cellphone store, told the Chicago Tribune. “The girl’s father was screaming, ‘My little girl’s been shot.'”

Police said a group of males were chasing another male along the street when someone in the group fired at the intended victim. It was not immediately known if the wounded man was with the girl or was the one targeted by the shooters. Police say they have no description of the gunman, and no one was in custody.

“This is unacceptable,” police Sgt. Rocco Alioto said. “A 7-year-old girl that was trick-or-treating with her family had to get shot because a group of guys want to shoot at another male.”

Police said there is a surveillance camera near the crime scene from which video can be obtained.

The post ‘Unacceptable’: Trick-or-treater injured in Chicago shooting appeared first on theGrio.

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Former Arsenal star Nwakali in Nigeria squad despite not playing since March

Former Arsenal star Nwakali in Nigeria squad despite not playing since March because of Visa issues

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Cuba Gooding faces new sex abuse charges, pleads not guilty

Cuba Gooding Jr. was in court yesterday facing new charges that he “forcibly touched” a New York nightclub waitress last year.

The woman became the third to accuse Gooding of inappropriate sexual touching in his sex abuse case. Gooding faces charges from three women in separate incidents, according to CNN.

Gooding was handcuffed and surrounded by his attorneys as he appeared in New York Supreme Court on Thursday. The Academy Award-winning actor was there to hear the latest sexual assault allegations, in which a waitress at LAVO nightclub accuses Gooding of forcibly touching her in September 2018. He is now charged with three counts of forcibly touching and three counts of third-degree sex abuse. Gooding also faces charges from previously alleged incidents in October 2018 at TAO Downtown and in June of this year at Magic Hour club in Midtown, CNN reported.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains his innocence.

In court, Gooding’s lawyers poked holes in the new indictment, stating that it is unknown what the exact offense is that his client has allegedly perpetrated. According to the attorney the allegation just notes that “something” happened. Prosecutors argued that they have several additional women who all claim they were groped by Gooding that they could put before the court to testify.

Both sides argued over who leaked a videotape to TMZ that allegedly shows Gooding in an incident with a waitress at TAO Downtown named Natasha Ashworth. Ashworth alleges that Gooding “pinched her buttocks” on his way out of the club.

After the court proceeding, Gooding’s lawyers spoke to reporters outside of the courthouse. Mark Jay Heller said prosecutors were “maliciously prosecuting” Gooding simply because he’s a celebrity. “Anyone who has seen this video would say that there wasn’t any touching that is inappropriate,” Heller said, according to CNN.

“What I see in the TAO video is at roughly 4:30 a.m., at the end of the day, Cuba is exiting the facility and with the back of his hand, his fingernail, he taps the lady in the back and turns around to give her a high five just as a salutation of goodbye — it’s not criminal conduct whatsoever.”

The post Cuba Gooding faces new sex abuse charges, pleads not guilty appeared first on theGrio.

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Curtis Symonds Launches New HBCU Go App

According to TheGrio, Curtis Symonds, CEO of HBCU Network, has introduced a new mobile app called HBCU Go.

Symonds has launched the HBCU Go app which “offers original, authentic and bodacious video content such as sports, music, entertainment, movies, edutainment and live events for our viewers to engage and share with others.” Since its launch earlier this year, HBCU Go has gained approximately 2,000 users with a target of 25,000 by the end of this year.

The app is a companion to HBCU TV that was founded by cable industry veterans Symonds (CEO) and Clinton Evans (General Manager). HBCU TV is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and is a 24/7, 365 education, entertainment, sports, and live events network.

The goal for the sports section of HBCU TV is for recruiters, parents, students, and alumni to view and be kept abreast of how well some of the black student-athletes are performing from the four major HBCU football conferences: the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and Southwestern Athletic Conference.

According to Symonds in an interview with TheGrio, the concept of the HBCU Network originated back in 2011, and Symonds negotiated a deal with Comcast but when the company acquired NBC in 2013, the deal fell apart. “I never wanted to let it die,” explains Symonds. “I called myself being ahead of the game and it kind of blew me when it happened because it broke everything up. It didn’t stop me though because I always had in my mind that I was going to do something in the HBCU circle.”

“HBCU TV is dedicated to being a true destination for the total HBCU Experience, but more importantly, to utilize our digital and mobile platforms as a tool for recruitment, enhance the institutions’ endowments, networking, and provide tech-savvy millennials who are pursuing careers within the media and technology industries,” states Clinton Evans.

The HBCU Go app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play store, bills itself as the first and only mobile destination for the total HBCU Hangtime experience. In addition to watching the excitement, you can also invite others to “Hang Out” in your private lounge to chill and have real conversations and a chance to win prizes by playing games with your friends in real-time.

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South Africa's rooibos tea industry to pay KhoiSan people

The industry-wide agreement could have implications for other indigenous people around the world.

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Gadget Lab Podcast: AirPods Pro, Smart Speaker Privacy

On this week’s podcast, we talk about Apple’s new AirPods, why they cost so much, and how they are impacting our culture.

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Ivory Coast secure release of in-form striker Kouame

Genoa striker Christian Kouame has been included in Ivory Coast's Under-23 Afcon squad after scoring five goals in ten Serie A games.

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Let's Unravel the Time Travel Paradox of Terminator: Dark Fate

If you apply the Novikov self-consistency principle to the franchise, it holds up—until it doesn't.

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Wildfire Chasers Are the New Tornado Chasers

A strike team of specially trained researchers drive a highly sophisticated truck into the literal line of fire. Their mission: unravel the extreme complexities of wildfire.

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Rugby World Cup win was not my career high: Springbok Bryan Habana

The Springbok great reveals the moment that was even better than becoming world champion.

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Nigerian police rescue 15 people chained in 'prayer house'

The victims were brought there by relatives who believed spiritual treatment could help cure them.

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Maids for sale: How Silicon Valley enables online slave markets

Domestic workers have been illegally sold via Instagram and other apps on Google and Apple's stores.

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Thursday, October 31, 2019

Africa's top shots: 25-31 October 2019

A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent.

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Drawn to open-ended problems

Vilhelm Lee Andersen Woltz, who goes by Billy, sits by the outdoor track at MIT on a New England fall day. It’s cold, gray, and misty, but it’s nothing compared to the weather during his most cherished personal cross country memory last year.

“The weather was terrible. It was pouring rain and with massive puddles. My heels were numb by the end of the race,” he recalls. The plan was to start out slow then speed up and obliterate the other team. Once Woltz came down a hill, he saw that the field to the finish line was one massive puddle.

“I couldn’t see the ground or any rocks and was so worried about falling,” he laughs. “I had put in all this work. Like, if I fall now, then first of all, I’d lose the race, so that would suck. But I would also just be cold.” But he plunged in and placed first.

Woltz, an MIT senior majoring in physics and in electrical engineering and computer science, is a distance runner for the Institute’s varsity track and cross country team. He dedicates at least 20 hours a week to the sport, and he can recall all of his meets in college.

Woltz takes an analytical approach to his running: “I think, ‘I want to win this race, what do I need to do to get there?’ It’s kind of like an open-ended problem and involves research and conducting my own experiments. I really like that kind of tinkering approach to my training,” he says.

Drawn to open-ended scientific questions as well, Woltz works in the lab of Professor William Oliver in the Research Laboratory of Electronics, on research to advance the cutting-edge field of quantum computing. In principle, ultrapowerful quantum computers could solve problems that are intractably complex for classical computers, but the field is still in very early stages.

When he took his first class on the subject, he was fascinated by the theory but skeptical about whether quantum computing could work on a large scale. But then he took Oliver’s graduate applied physics class, and that sucked him in.

“I was convinced,” he says. “I thought, okay, this might work. And I knew I wanted to work on it.”

Science, not football

Even though physics wasn’t offered at his high school in Logan, Ohio, a tiny town in the southeastern part of the state, Woltz always knew he wanted to do something related to science.

“My grandma was fond of reminding me that when she would ask me what I wanted to be when I was older, I’d say ‘a scientist.’ And she was like, ‘That’s not what little kids say. Why not a professional football player?’” he says.

Woltz, whose parents were both helicopter pilots in the U.S. Army, went to the same high school his father went to 30 years ago, which is the same school his grandmother went to 30 years before that. Logan is a football town — kids grow up dreaming of being professional football players, Woltz says. The town has a population of around 7,000, and about 25 percent of his graduating class went to college.

Woltz’s background has given him a clear-eyed view of what public education is like for many in America. He grew up on a 64-acre farm and before going to school, he would wake up early to go break the ice that had frozen over the horses’ drinking water during the night. He lived far from the town and only had limited options for internet — none of which had high-speed internet that could handle online gaming or even streaming movies.

Bringing coding to rural schools

Even though he now studies computer science, Woltz didn’t learn any computer programing before college. It wasn’t offered at his high school, so he asked a friend to show him the ropes when he came to MIT.

“Computer programming should be a basic skill for the American population. It’s so useful,” he says. “To not cover it at all, that seems outdated.”

Because he did not have the chance to learn programming in Logan, he wanted to create that opportunity for people in his hometown. After his sophomore year at MIT, Woltz decided to start a one-week summer camp for kids in Logan and the surrounding areas to learn how to program. His old high school gave him a classroom, and the first year 15 students joined the free program. By the end of the week, the students were able to program their own tic-tac-toe game using Python.

After that pilot year, the program grew. This past summer, he taught four courses with increasing difficulty levels. He also got in touch with Fugees Family, a nonprofit organization devoted to working with child survivors of war, and he taught 25 middle-school-age refugees from Syria, Bengal, and Bosnia, in Columbus, Ohio.

In total, Woltz taught close to 70 students and hopes to keep the program growing. He wants to teach the teachers computer programming so it can be sustainable and implemented across the school system.

After he graduates, he wants to get a PhD in Physics and continue working on quantum technologies. He’s currently in the process of obtaining a scuba diving license.

“I like going to places where humans don’t belong but where we build technology that lets us go there,” he says. “I’m just curious. I like to explore and figure out what is going on in the world around me, which is probably why I’m so interested in physics and science.”

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The African Americans discovering Ghana

Ghana has declared 2019 the 'year of return' and is encouraging the African diaspora to visit the country, but why are some deciding to make it their new home?

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Uber and Lyft Fight a Law They Say Doesn't Apply to Them

The ride-hail companies are backing a ballot measure to overturn a California law intended to transform gig-economy workers from contractors to employees.

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Ty Hobson-Powell: Creative Entrepreneur On A Mission To Inspire The Youth

BE Modern Man: Ty Hobson-Powell

Public advocate, author, speaker; 23; CEO, NEITH L.L.C.

Twitter: @TyHobsonPowell; Instagram: @TyHobsonPowell

Born to be a statistic, the sole amazing thing that I’ve done is make the conscious choice to become a positive one and to inspire the youth and encourage others to adopt that same spirit of positivity along the way.

I graduated high school at 13 and went on to attend Howard University, becoming the youngest student in the history of the institution. I eventually graduated from college at 15, receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baltimore. The next year, I pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. at the age of 16. I finished grad school at age 17 at Liberty University with my master of arts degree in 2013. I worked for the D.C. government’s Office of Youth Programs as a curriculum developer and special projects manager, for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, and in the private sector doing logistics consulting after Clinton’s loss.

In the time since, I have moved to Atlanta to focus on more creative aspects of my career. In my capacity as senior editor for We The People, a youth-run digital publication, I was able to snag an interview with the embattled Rachel Dolezal before the Netflix content aired. I have published a book. I have engaged in a national speaking series called TyTalks where I visit campuses to inspire the youth. The last speech was held at Harvard University in November 2017 discussing womanism and how we must rise to the occasion to better protect our black women.

In 2018, I decided to get into music. I realized that I had a voice that people wanted to hear. I am dropping a project called “For Colored Boys Who Love Trap Music & Beethoven” in 2019. It is an exploration of conversations I wish we would have more of. It’s a pretty deep project. Music, like love, is a universal language. I want to use the language of music and love to inspire the world. With the assistance of my housemate Warren “Ghost” Hallmon, in 2019 we launched NEITH L.L.C. and incorporated it in the state of Georgia. NEITH is a creative content agency that will reweave the reality of the 21st century. People often think that creativity is limited to the arts. However, at NEITH we believe that the same ingenuity and spirit of innovation used to make an awesome movie or music video or photo could be employed to inspire the youth, revamp public school curricula, or find an effective solution to homelessness. We believe that a world full of collaboration by intellectuals and creatives is the world that we need, and we are fighting every day to make that world real. This year I will also be consulting with government officials in Caribbean nations to promote human rights equity.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN LIFE?

I was the most proud of being able to fund a scholarship award in 2017 that helped a senior graduate from Fayetteville State University. The Colin R. Kaepernick Social Justice Award emerged from seeing the problems that face young people in trying to pay for higher education. To that end, I wanted to reward somebody matriculating through higher education that was also a pillar for community activism. I took my refund check and created a support scholarship. Even though I’m not rich, it just seemed like the right thing to do. My years in D.C. government working to avail academic and professional resources to District residents showed me that the youth of the world just want opportunity. That was my best effort toward providing such opportunity, to inspire the youth. I did not have the scholarship this year because I dissolved the fund, but I would like to pick it back up if I could get some partners to help with funding.

HOW HAVE YOU TURNED STRUGGLE INTO SUCCESS?

I am fighting to create generational wealth for my future kids in a world where I did not have it to inherit. I was born to a one-bedroom apartment, but my kids will rule over nations. My life has been a struggle that I have been working tirelessly to turn into a success story with every single hour. Should I drop dead tomorrow, it’s already a success to the extent I was able to plant seeds for trees whose shade I do not expect to sit in.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

The best advice I’ve ever been given is that a child not embraced by their village will burn down that same village to feel its warmth. It motivated me to work to inspire the youth, to always have a collaborative nature with my peers and let them know that I care and will do whatever I can to assist them. We are each other’s business.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A BLACK MAN?

I have been called a thug by strangers who know nothing of my character or background. I’ve been profiled by police for existing while black and felt the tightness in my chest that most black people do when they see red and blue cop lights in their rearview mirrors. I have been subject to monkey chants abroad and racism at home. I’ve walked on sidewalks with women who clutched their purses tighter when seeing my charcoal skin, even though I would be more likely to put money in than take any out. If I was a murderer or a thief I’d be famous already, but in my exceptionalism, there is little to no sensationalism. Still, I love everything about being a black man. Life is harder for people with darker skin all around the world, but in 2019 nothing is unattainable. We are free. What I love most as a black man who is the descendant of slaves is that very freedom that my ancestors did not have.

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Braun MultiServe Coffee Machine Review: Finally, a Great Single-Cup Coffee Brewer

Braun’s new MultiServe coffee machine can brew batches of different volumes, from one cup to a full pot. And they all taste great. Bye-bye, K-Cups.

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Wait, There’s Hope\! Here’s How Humans Might Save Antibiotics

People have a poor track record of preventing global disasters. But for antimicrobial resistance, an unlikely group of allies is making big promises.

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Kamala Harris campaign cuts headquarters staff, moves some to Iowa

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is laying off several dozen staff members and transferring others in an effort to salvage her prospects in the Iowa caucuses.

The move, which comes roughly three months before the caucuses formally usher in the Democratic contest, make the California senator the most prominent candidate so far to announce a major campaign restructuring. Harris’ campaign turned to history to make the case that in order to win the leadoff caucuses, candidates sometimes have to overhaul their operations.

“Plenty of winning primary campaigns, like John Kerry’s in 2004 and John McCain’s in 2008, have had to make tough choices on their way to the nomination, and this is no different,” her campaign manager, Juan Rodriguez, wrote in a memo to staff that was shared by the campaign Wednesday.

Politico was the first to report the overhaul.

Harris had already pledged to go all-in on Iowa, joking she was moving there, and earlier Wednesday her campaign touted the 15 days she spent in the state this month as the “October Hustle.” It was more than any of her competitors spent there in October, but she’s still polling behind leading candidates such as Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren.

The latest changes come a full month after Rodriguez visited Iowa to evaluate the campaign’s organization and on the eve of an important Iowa Democratic fundraiser. On Friday, thousands of party activists, donors and officials — along with more than 150 members of the news media — will be listening closely to Harris’ speech for signs of new energy.

Among the changes outlined in the memo: Rodriguez and campaign consultants will take a pay cut, though it doesn’t say by how much; several dozen people will be laid off at Baltimore headquarters; and staff from New Hampshire, Nevada, California and headquarters will be moved to Iowa. The memo also doesn’t say how many people will be transferred to Iowa.

Harris plans to spend significant time in Iowa again in November, including over Thanksgiving.

The campaign, which has not yet run any television advertising, hopes to spend at least $1 million on a media campaign in the weeks before the Feb. 3 caucus, the memo said.
Rodriguez tried to distinguish the memo from what he called “gimmicks” by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Obama Cabinet official Julian Castro, who have released urgent appeals for money in recent weeks, raising the prospect of leaving the race if they couldn’t raise enough quick cash.

But Harris has underperformed on the fundraising front. She hails from California, a state that is home to many of the party’s most prominent donors and which has long served as an ATM for politically ambitious Democrats.

That hasn’t translated into success for Harris. Although she did better than her rivals in the state, she has struggled to raise money in recent months, despite keeping up an aggressive fundraising schedule.

She has consistently posted middling quarterly fundraising hauls. And during the most recent quarter, which ended Sept. 30, she revealed that she spent roughly $3 million more than the $11.6 million she took in while delaying about $1 million in payments to campaign strategists.

While her aides initially tried to project California as locked up in her favor, many of her rivals have found deep pockets of support among top donors there. Last spring, Democratic megadonor Susie Tompkins Buell, who was initially a top Harris fundraiser, also started to raise money for South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
___
Associated Press writer Brian Slodysko in Washington contributed to this report.
___
Online:
Read the Harris campaign memo: https://ift.tt/323WsRs

The post Kamala Harris campaign cuts headquarters staff, moves some to Iowa appeared first on theGrio.

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Goalkeeping Mandanda brothers set for hat-trick

Riffi Mandanda is set to become the third of four goalkeeping brothers to win an international cap as he is named in the DR Congo squad.

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Rapper N.O.R.E. calls it like he sees it, says Kanye’s new album is “trash”

At least one rapper is not feeling Kanye West’s new release “Jesus is King” and that is Queens-based rapper, N.O.R.E.

“Jesus Is King is trash,” N.O.R.E told Nick Cannon of Power 96 in Los Angeles, responding to a question asking for his thoughts on the album. “I love Kanye. I wanna be clear… How the f— you got Clipse on a record that’s not good? Jesus is mad at this n***a.”

N.O.R.E.’s criticism doesn’t stop there. He told Cannon he is also disappointed that Kanye didn’t sit down with journalists from “the culture” when making his press rounds promoting his album, according to Complex.

“I’ma be honest, I’m a hater. I’m kinda hater. Let me explain why,” N.O.R.E. said to Nick. “Zane Lowe is a person that I respect but I don’t respect. As a person who made the War Report album, I’ve done records with Mariah Carey…When I see you ever go to any place other than us—the culture—I have a problem with that.”

He went on to explain that he wasn’t miffed that Kanye didn’t sit down for an interview on his Drink Champs podcast per se, but that in general he would have respected the rapper for choosing journalists who are familiar with the recording process.

“I’m not mad at Zane Lowe at all. I’m more mad at Kanye,” N.O.R.E said to Cannon.

Comedian Karlous Miller, of Wild’n Out and 85 South Show, tweeted that Kanye “fell off” and it’s like no one wants to discuss the elephant in the room. Cardi B said the real reason people are dissing Ye’s album is because he is glorifying God.

“Kanye West found God and people call that falling off,” Cardi tweeted.

Since Yeezy released his newest album on Oct. 25, some artists are expressing support in his Christian project. Lecrae tweeted “Regardless of how you feel about #KanyeWest the content is refreshing to hear. God will get His glory. And #JesusIsKing.”

The post Rapper N.O.R.E. calls it like he sees it, says Kanye’s new album is “trash” appeared first on theGrio.

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Could Africa's DNA help to cure sickle cell disease?

African populations contain a huge proportion of humanity's genetic data.

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LisaRaye McCoy says she wouldn’t ‘spit’ on Duane Martin if he were ‘on fire’

LisaRaye McCoy has some stuff to get off her chest.

The actress went on The Wendy Williams Show on Wednesday to explain why she is no longer friends with Duane Martin, her one-time co-star on All of Us whom she claims went to inappropriate places with her ex-husband, Michael Misick, a Turks and Caicos politician.

“I just know he’s not my friend anymore,” McCoy told Williams about Martin. “He was my brother, I called him my brother and for me, at the time, he was my example. Being a married couple, I wanted to be around them because I wanted (them) to show me how to be a new wife.”

Martin was married to Tisha Campbell during the time of McCoy’s allegations. Martin and Campbell have since separated.

“He started being in places he shouldn’t have been, along with the shenanigans,” McCoy continued, referring to the places Martin and Misick would go. “I made it very clear we were not friends anymore, he was not welcome in my home anymore.”

But McCoy was emphatic about clearing the air on one misconception. She told Wendy that she doesn’t blame Duane for breaking up her marriage.

“Let me be clear, I never said Duane broke my marriage up, I said he was a friend of mine and he shouldn’t have been in places that he was in with my now ex-husband,” McCoy said. “I know that he cannot break up my marriage, no one can do that, you’re only responsible — you and your husband. But there’s a code of conduct you must have when you’re in a relationship and he broke that, he broke the friendship.”

McCoy said even though she addressed Martin and told him he was not welcome in her home, he continued to drop in and go to the inappropriate places with Misick.

“When you tell a person, ‘You’re no longer my friend, if I see you, you don’t have to ever speak to me again, if you were on fire I wouldn’t spit on you. If I said these things to you, that means I no longer give a damn about you,’” McCoy told Wendy.

Wendy asked for specifics – whether Martin was hooking Misick up with other women – and McCoy reiterated that her ex and Martin were going places that they had no business going.

During the Wendy interview, McCoy also took aim at Nicole Murphy for allegedly lying about cheating with Misick and going after other married men. This past summer, McCoy tweeted what would become a viral response to photos showing Murphy kissing Antoine Fuqua: “Gurl @nikimurphy you went after @iamlelarochon husband too? … SMH so wrong … again!”

Murphy denies the accusation that she’s a cheater.

“It says I broke up someone’s marriage, which is absolutely false. I never did that,” Murphy told Wendy. “It’s not true.”

McCoy’s response on Wednesday was don’t make me show receipts.

Girl.

The post LisaRaye McCoy says she wouldn’t ‘spit’ on Duane Martin if he were ‘on fire’ appeared first on theGrio.

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Niecy Nash and husband use social media to announce divorce

Niecy Nash and husband, Jay Tucker, have split after eight years of marriage.

In a joint Instagram post, Nash and Tucker wrote: “We believe in the beauty of truth. Always have. Our truth is that in this season of our lives, we are better friends than partners in marriage. Our union was such a gorgeous ride. And as we go our separate ways now, we feel fortunate for the love we share – present tense.”

Nash, 49, who stars in TNT’s Claws, and Tucker, an electrical engineer, also thanked their fans for always showing them love during their marriage.

“Thank you all out there for your support of us as a couple over the last eight years. We are grateful,” according to the IG post, which was signed Niecy Nash + Jay Tucker.

This was the second marriage for Nash. She was previously married to Pastor Don Nash, with whom she has three children. They divorced in 2007.

Nash and Tucker got engaged in 2010 and married in 2011 in Malibu’s Church Estate Vineyards. At the time of their engagement, Nash told PEOPLE magazine that their relationship seemed like a custom-made fit.

“I have to say, this second time around, it feels custom,” Nash said at the time to PEOPLE. “Even after I got my divorce, the ink wasn’t even dry on the paper, and I said, ‘Ooh, the next time I become a wife, I got this thing down pat!’ I always believed that there was someone built for me.”

But a source told The Daily Mail that things grew challenging between Nash and Tucker because they lived in different cities while she filmed Claws, and because he was not comfortable with her explicit sex scenes.

The Daily Mail said the pair had been separated for months, with Nash putting her Bell Canyon, California estate up for sale for $1.2 million in July.

We wish them all the best.

The post Niecy Nash and husband use social media to announce divorce appeared first on theGrio.

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