Facebook and SCORE Partner to Help Veterans Transition into Entrepreneurship

Every day women and men put their lives on the line for our freedoms as Americans. Whether they are in uniform overseas or serving administratively on U.S. soil, their service and commitment to this country should not go overlooked.

Each year, an estimated 200,000 service members return to civilian life. For a number of them, they are returning to uncharted territory when it comes to exploring alternative career opportunities, connecting with others, and finding resources to help them develop their skills.

For those reasons and more, many veterans learn entrepreneurship and become small business owners. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s survey of small business owners, there are 2.52 million veteran majority-owned businesses in the U.S.

In efforts to prepare more veterans and service members to become small business owners, Facebook recently announced the launch of the Military and Veterans Hub. The hub will provide online safety tips, resources for finding jobs and digital skills training. They are also partnering with SCORE to match veterans with mentors.

Overseeing the partnership is Nkechi “Payton” Iheme, public policy manager at Facebook. Iheme is a proud veteran who served 15 years on active duty; worked in the White House; and owns a home remodeling business with her husband. She is also a proud alum of SCORE.

Payton Iheme, public policy manager at Facebook

The narrative career thread has created numerous opportunities to lead and Iheme says that it is something that she’s passionate about.

Related: Veterans Taking A Tour Of Duty As Franchise Owners

“I really enjoy tech. I like the thought of what tech can do and how it can really up-level people who may not have had the same opportunities as others. I was really driven and pulled to do mission-focused work,” says Iheme.

She goes on to say, being able to draw from her military background to help veterans within the company and veterans in the community is gratifying work.

Veterans are building community

More than 900,000 people in the U.S. participate in more than 2,000 groups for military members, veterans, and their spouses on Facebook. Given the large community, the strategic partnership will benefit people all over.

In a statement released by Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE, she shared her excitement saying, “We are grateful for all that our nation’s veterans have done for us, and are proud to help veterans and their families who want to start their own business. Data shows that entrepreneurs with access to a mentor are five times more likely to succeed in business, and we’re excited to be working with Facebook to provide our veteran community with the support and guidance they need to succeed.”

Related: 5 Resources for Turning Veterans into Entrepreneurs

To that point, Iheme adds, “We know when you’re dealing with marginalized communities or smaller communities like the veteran community, you really need that leg up.”

The program offers:

• A mentor match that connects military members and veterans with a cohort of SCORE’s experienced business mentors who are also U.S. veterans.
• A veteran-focused educational toolkit for launching a business, including steps for developing a business plan.
• Veteran-focused interactive workshops for guidance on starting a business. SCORE’s veteran mentors will also be available to all attendees after the workshop for continued support through all stages of startup and growth.

Users will also be able to learn how to start a business, use measurement and targeting tools to advertise their business. Those who’ve begun their entrepreneurial journeys will be able to sharpen their skills.

In addition to the partnership, Facebook is launching a 12-month pilot program for veterans with backgrounds in computer science, engineering, and mechanical engineering focused on augmented and virtual reality later this month.

“Veterans will come to Facebook and learn from our experts on how to develop augmented and virtual reality. And if they do well, they can be offered a full-time position,” says Iheme.

This news couldn’t come at a better time as we prepare to celebrate Veterans Day.

If you’re looking to launch a veteran-owned business or share this information with someone else, click here to learn more about the Military and Veteran Hub.

 

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UnitedHealth Group Inc. Names C-Suite Member Patricia L. Lewis EVP of Human Resources

Over the last 8 years, Patricia L. Lewis has made her mark as a leader at Lockheed Martin as the SVP of Human Resources. In fact, she has been recognized by BLACK ENTERPRISE as one of the ‘Most Powerful Women in Corporate America.’ Earlier this week, it was reported that she has recently transitioned from the company and will be joining UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s C-suite as the executive vice president/chief human resources officer.

Lewis is regarded as one of the top human resources professionals in her industry with over two decades of experience. Before joining Lockheed Martin, she served as the vice president of Human Resources at IBM for 10 years.

At a time where black women in the workplace are still finding their footing on the corporate ladder, news like this is refreshing.

In a recent feature in Politico’s Women Rule newsletter, Lewis gave this advice to women in the Wisdom of the Week section. “Bold leaders consistently demonstrate courage. Being courageous means taking risks even if you are faced with an uncertain outcome. As a leader, this means being comfortable having the ‘tough conversations’ instead of avoiding them.

Congrats are in order to Lewis for her continued success.

If you’re interested in learning about how the representation of black women in the C-suite can be increased, read more here.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter sends open letter to Comcast to protect our civil rights

Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is calling on Comcast to not challenge the Civil Rights Act of 1866, in it’s Supreme Court case involving media mogul, Byron Allen.

In an open letter to Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast, Dr. King lays out the “cataclysmic” consequences of the cable company’s attempts to change America’s original civil rights law.

“We are alarmed at the consequences of a Supreme Court ruling that could have cataclysmic results for people of color, who comprise a large segment of your customers,” Dr. King wrote.

King’s letter comes the same week as Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL), issued a scathing critique of Comcast, and demanded the conglomerate be broken up.

Allen, who is Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios, sued Comcast and Charter Communications for 20 billion dollars, alleging racial discrimination in refusing to do business with him.

Rev. Bernice King, daughter of the late civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., speaks at the National Civil Rights Museum, Monday, April 2, 2018, in Memphis, Tenn. The museum was formerly the Lorraine Motel, where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated April 4, 1968. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

In pursuing a legal edge against Allen’s claims of racial discrimination, Comcast’s appeal to the Supreme Court rests on changing the essence of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. It would require people to prove race was the sole motivating factor for any discrimination claims, not a partial factor as was used in the past.

“To alter the Act to accommodate discrimination against people based on race would reverse precarious progress in the freedom struggle, which my father was assassinated for leading and which my mother continued to join others in leading until her death,” Dr. King writes.

“Knowing that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was enacted to prohibit discrimination of any kind when making and enforcing contracts, why is Comcast relentlessly fighting for the right to avoid doing business with a person of color so long as her or his race is one of several factors for such refusal?”

BREAKING: Congressman Bobby Rush calls for break up of Comcast after threats to civil rights

King, who is the CEO of The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, is protective of her parents’ legacies– invoking their names on issues of the utmost importance.

Her two-page letter signals the seriousness of the moment for Black America and America as a whole.

Comcast will argue its case before the Supreme Court, Wednesday, November 13th, utilizing the legal support of President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice.

Read Dr. Bernice King’s entire message to Comcast below:

 

Editor’s note: theGrio is owned by Entertainment Studios.

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Quibi Picks Up Donald Sterling Scandal Docuseries From Will Packer

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Will Parker’s docuseries on the Donald Sterling scandal has been picked up by Quibi.

Quibi has acquired the documentary series about the events that led to former Los Angeles Clippers owner Sterling losing his NBA franchise after being banned from the league for life. The team was sold to the current owner, ex- Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer, after outrage rose following the racist rant caught on an audio recording.

Blackballed is directed by Michael Jacobs and executive produced by Chris Gary and Ryan Simon; Sam Widdoes and Peter Cambor for District 33; Will Packer and Kelly Smith for Will Packer Media; and James Widdoes.

“The Sterling scandal was so much more than a leaked tape,” Jacobs said in a statement. “This series will offer a first-person retelling of the heightened drama and raw emotion surrounding a pivotal moment in sports history.”

The series follows the five days during the NBA playoffs in April 2014 when players and coaches led an unprecedented movement to hold the league accountable after a racist audio recording of Sterling’s was leaked to the press. Los Angeles Clippers players Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and JJ Redick, as well as Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and various individuals from the worlds of sports, politics, business, and media, explain how they used their influence to help make sure Sterling was ousted.

“This powerful story, which portrays a defining moment in the history of the NBA, shines a spotlight on a cultural divide that has affected our country for decades,” Packer said in a statement. “We are very excited that Blackballed will be available to audiences on Quibi, one of the most innovative entertainment content platforms in the industry.”

Quibi is a short-form mobile video platform headquartered in Los Angeles that was founded in 2018 by Jeffrey Katzenberg and is expected to launch on April 6, 2020. The company has raised $1 billion in funding from 11 investors and all major Hollywood studios, including The Walt Disney Co., NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, WarnerMedia, Liberty Global, and Alibaba Group.

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Ava DuVernay’s “Cherish the Day” recognized for 50% female crew

Ava DuVernay has been recognized for another incredible milestone. The award-winning filmmaker and Warner Horizon Scripted Television was recently recognized for her new romantic drama series Cherish the Day, achieving full gender parity.

The anthology’s production crew will consist of over 50 percent women and 18 will serve as department heads, according to The Futon Critic. 

This news is proof that representation matters.

— Ava DuVernay slams Academy for disqualifying Nigerian Oscar submission ‘Lionheart’

Cherish The Day is created and executive produced by Duvernay and will be airing on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The series, which will premiere in Winter 2020, will focus on a couple’s relationship, with each episode focusing on a “single day.” Cherish The Day will focus particular moments that touch on the importance of valuing the people that we love in our lives. Winfrey, along with Paul Garnes and Tanya Hamilton will serve as executive producers. 

“Ava continues to break down barriers as a trailblazer,” Oprah Winfrey said, according to the site. “Achieving a production crew of over 50% women is an incredible accomplishment and we are so proud that Ava has a space at OWN to provide opportunity for new voices and faces in the entertainment industry.”

Women were hired to fill various roles such as directing, writing,  casting, hair, makeup, editing, set decoration,  transportation, stunts and many other roles, according to the site.  

— Oprah Winfrey joins fight to save Rodney Reed’s life

“Ava DuVernay has been a groundbreaking leader in the entertainment industry,” Peter Roth, Susan Rovner and Brett Paul, said from said Warner Bros. Television. “By achieving gender parity on her first chapter of ‘Cherish the Day’ she continues to provide invaluable opportunities for new creative talent. It’s this kind of conviction and commitment to inclusion that will have a long-lasting and positive effect on our industry and beyond.”

Cherish the Day is added to the other long list of noteworthy projects Duvernay has been involved in such as Selma, Netflx’s When They See Us and OWN’s Queen Sugar.

 

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Octavia Spencer to be honored with Producers Guild Visionary Award

Actress and producer, Octavia Spencer will be honored with the Visionary Award at the Producers Guild Awards ceremony in 2020.

The awards show, which is set to take place on Jan. 18, will honor the star for her work “behind-the-camera” and being among the producers, who create “inspiring, uplifting stories that add unique value to society and culture” according to AP News. 

Did you know that Spencer produced the Oscar-award-winning film Green Book, she also produced the film, Ma, which was released this year and her first starring role.

Witness an all-new Alternate Ending in #MAmovie
Starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer
On Digital 8/20, Blu-ray & DVD 9/3https://t.co/c6Sk886vPt @blumhouse pic.twitter.com/utYAe1tfVv

— #MAmovie (@MAmovie) July 16, 2019

“As both an actor and as a producer, Octavia has provided her keen vision to an array of poignant stories across drama, comedy and everything in between,” Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, PGA presidents said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “She understands how to harness the power of filmmaking to inspire audiences  everywhere with stories that showcase undeniable human truths and emotion.”

— Octavia Spencer credits this Hollywood A-lister for inspiring her to get healthier for ‘Ma’ role

Spencer has also starred in other notable film roles such as The Help, for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress; Hidden Figures (2016) and Fruitvale Station (2013);

Here’s to the women who continue to help us reach new heights. #WomenInScience pic.twitter.com/OYQaYCbhqs

— Hidden Figures (@HiddenFigures) February 11, 2019

Spencer joins previous Visionary Award recipients Kenya Barris; Ava DuVernay; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner’s Plan B Entertainment; Chris Meledandri; Laura Ziskin; and Jeff Skoll.

Octavia Spencer will receive the Producers Guild’s visionary award https://t.co/A5R7h4BVl3

— Variety (@Variety) November 8, 2019

Spencer added: “It is an honor to receive the PGA Visionary Award. From the very beginning of my career in entertainment, I have been guided by my dream to create an impact through storytelling. This is an incredible highlight for me, and I extend my deepest thanks to the PGA for this award.”

— '12 Years a Slave' lands on Producers Guild of America shortlist

Spencer, who will next be seen on Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told series, executive produced the most recent best picture winner, Green Book, which this year also received the PGA Awards’ Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Picture.

Her other credits include acting roles in The Help, for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress; Hidden Figures; The Shape of Water; Fruitvale Station; Ma; and a recurring guest role on CBS’ sitcom Mom. Spencer also executive produced Ma and served as a co-executive producer on Fruitvale Station.

“Octavia is a dynamic producer and performer who over her career, has proven herself to exemplify the spirit of this award,” said PGA Awards executive producer Suzanne Todd. “Her ascent in the industry has been commensurate with her talent, and her next chapters will prove again how adept she is at injecting her compassion and integrity into the stories she tells and the characters she embodies.”

The 31st annual Producers Guild Awards will take place Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.

 

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Murder suspect has been charged in Clark Atlanta University student case

One of the suspects tied to the death of Clark Atlanta University student, Alexis Crawford, has been charged with murder and is currently booked in Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, her roommate’s boyfriend, Barron Brantley.

Police say 21-year-old Barron Brantley is one of the individuals responsible for Crawford’s death after her body was found in a park in DeKalb County after being missing for more than a week, according to 11alive.

CNN reports Brantley is also in jail for three probation violations and “hindering person making emergency telephone call,” according to Fulton County Jail.

— Charles Barkley donates $1M to Clark Atlanta University

The report also states that Crawford filed a police report before she was went missing stating that she had experienced unwanted advances from Brantley, according to authorities.

“While a motive has not been clearly established, the department did take a police report from Alexis Crawford on October 27, and this is a few days prior to her being reported missing,” Shields said. “In this report, Alexis described unwanted kissing and touching from Barron Brantley.”

The report also reveals that Crawford’s roommate and ‘friend,’ Jordyn Jones, is also a suspect in connection to Crawford’s death. Brantley is Jones’s current boyfriend.

Suspects in the death of #CAU senior #AlexisCrawford Jordyn Jones and Barron Brantley. She reported them 3 days before she went missing and was found dead today in a Dekalb park. 😢😢 #RIP 💔 BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ROOM WITH & CONSIDER “friend” ESPECIALLY COLLEGE STUDENTS! pic.twitter.com/xf59Vi8juU

— ebonee🧝🏾‍♀️👽👾🧚🏾‍♀️ (@EboneeReshay) November 8, 2019

— MISSING: Clark Atlanta student hasn’t been seen in almost a week

Jones informed authorities that she had last seen her roommate on November 1 around midnight, but not see Crawford the next day. Items such as Crawford’s iPhone, identification and debit card were missing from their department.

Crawford’s family members are sadly grieving from the news her death, CNN reports.

“Alexis’ mother was literally unable to speak. All that she could do was listen as I tried to console and comfort her,” Rev. Markel Hutchins said, who is “advising the Crawfords”. “Alexis’ father said, ‘If they wanted to take somebody’s life they could have taken mine. They didn’t have to kill my baby, they didn’t have to kill her.”

Atlanta Police Chief, Erika Shields has sent her condolences to Crawford’s family

“The case has come to one of the saddest conclusions possible and has been absolutely heartbreaking,” the chief said. “To Alexis’ family, our hearts go out to you. I am so truly sorry that we could not provide you with a better ending.”

The post Murder suspect has been charged in Clark Atlanta University student case appeared first on theGrio.

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John Legend attends Miami hearing that officially permits felons the right to vote

Singer John Legend on Friday attended a special hearing in Miami-Dade county that restored the voting rights for former 18 felons under the state’s Amendment 4.

The amendment, which was approved last November to overturn a 150-year-old law, allows more than 1.2 million Floridians with felony records the right to vote again, according to The Miami Herald.

The famed singer told reporters he attended the special ceremony because it was a “celebration” and he was happy to witness the ex-felons regain their right to vote.

“It’s so beautiful to see,” Legend told reporters, according to WFLA. “So many people take it for granted, this right to vote. When you lose it, it makes you realize how important it is.”

— John Legend’s update of ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ slammed as ‘absurd’

“It just shows you how important democracy is, how precious democracy is,” he added. “It’s important for all of us to be included in that.”

Hundreds of Miami residence were crowded outside of the courthouse to see Legend show his support.

Singer John Legend arrives at Miami-Dade criminal court for special docket to waive court fees, so convicted felons can have their right to vote restored pic.twitter.com/FzkxDUHXWN

— David Ovalle (@DavidOvalle305) November 8, 2019

Friday’s court hearing was attended by a host of Miami-Dade leaders who helped establish the program, including State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Public Defender Carlos Martinez. The presiding judge: Circuit Judge Nushin Sayfie, who was instrumental in pushing for the program.

“This is a good day,” Sayfie told the courtroom. “It’s a day we celebrate democracy.”

— Trina and Trick Daddy hitting the airwaves with new Miami morning radio show

The Grammy winner held a fundraiser Thursday night for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which is mounting a statewide effort to help former prisoners obtain the right to vote.

One by one, the former felons came before Circuit Judge Nushin Sayfie for brief hearings to ensure they are qualified to regain the right to vote. One of them was Andre Williams, 63, who had an aggravated assault conviction on his record.

“I’m happy. Very, very happy,” he said. “It’s what I fought for, forever.”

Carlos Martinez, the Miami-Dade public defender, said people seeking restoration of voting rights can apply through the FRRC website and most would not need to come to court. If they do owe fines or restitution, Martinez said there are ways to settle those debts.

“We are all working with them to see those amounts are paid,” he said.

Desmond Meade, president of FRRC, said the organization is planning a bus tour to raise awareness through all 67 Florida counties.

“We want to encourage everyone to participate in our democracy, because that’s what makes us vibrant,” Meade said. “There is hope. There is a pathway forward. We are hoping to replicate this throughout the state.”

The bright red bus features images of former felons, one carrying a sign that reads, “When a debt is paid, it’s paid.” It also has the slogan, “Our vote, our voice, our time” on the side.

Under the amendment, people who have been convicted of sex crimes or murder can not apply to get their voting rights restored.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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O.J. Simpson files defamation lawsuit against Las Vegas casino

O.J. Simpson on Thursday filed a lawsuit against a Las Vegas hotel-casino for defamation after employees informed news site, TMZ, that the former pro football player was kicked out for being “belligerent” in November 2017.

Employees of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas told the outlet that Simpson was acting “drunk, disruptive and unruly” which led him to be banned, according to USA Today. 

Simpson sued the corporate owner of the hotel-casino, Nevada Property 1 LLC. The complaint states that he and two of his friends received a notice from a security guard after eating at the STK Las Vegas and visiting the Clique bar after, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

— Could alleged OJ Simpson knife threats on Twitter “I will cut you!” send him back to jail?

The notice stated that Simpson could not return to the property, although Simpson revealed that he was never provided a reason. The lawsuit revealed that he had been to The Cosmopolitan many times.

Simpson, who was described as a “well-known public figure” who “has experienced various legal problems” in the suit denied being “belligerent,” breaking glass or damaging property.

“To date, the Cosmopolitan has never issued any public rationale or reasoning for trespassing Simpson from the property, other than claiming it was ‘private’ property the night of the issuance of the trespass notice,” according to the complaint.

— Legal settlement over Las Vegas shooting worth up to $800M

Simpson’s attorney, Malcolm LaVergne claims that his reputation was “damaged by the allegations” which lead him to take a drug and alcohol test by his parole officer

The next day, Simpson completed a drug and alcohol test for his parole officer. The Nevada Department of Parole and Probation later found that Simpson had not violated any terms of his probation and “determined that the Cosmopolitan’s assertions against Simpson were false,” according to the complaint.

Thursday’s complaint alleged that The Cosmopolitan fabricated the story of Simpson becoming belligerent to keep him off the property and to “paint Simpson in a false light by defaming and embarrassing him.”

— Laverne Cox becomes the first trans woman on the cover of Cosmopolitan

According to the complaint filed Thursday, Simpson seeks at least $30,000 and undetermined punitive damages and attorney’s fees. Simpson, on parole in Nevada for a 2008 conviction for armed robbery and assault with a weapon.

The post O.J. Simpson files defamation lawsuit against Las Vegas casino appeared first on theGrio.

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Kanye West Flirts With a Presidential Bid, Tells Black People Not to Vote Democrat

Kanye West seems to be up to his usual antics. During an appearance at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival on Thursday, the 42-year-old hip-hop superstar revealed that he is considering running for president in 2024 and plans to legally change his name to “Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West.” But it didn’t end there. He also encouraged black Americans to stop voting for Democrats.

“When I run for president in 2024 — What y’all laughing at?” West said during a panel discussion as the crowd burst into laughter, according to CBS News. The mega-producer went on to clarify that he doesn’t plan to actually “run” for president. Instead, he said, “I’m going to walk.” West, who first revealed his aspirations for the White House while delivering a rambling acceptance speech at the 2015 MTV Awards, went on to dismiss critics who call him “crazy.” “What they’re saying is Kanye’s crazy — one and three African Americans are in jail and all the celebrities are in jail also because they can’t say nothing because they’re so scared,” he added.

During the 40-minute session, the avid Trump supporter advised black Americans: “Own your power. Your power is not to just vote Democrat for the rest of our lives. That’s not the power,” reports Page Six. He added, “The power is when I talk to my lawyer … I put on my trench coat and said, ‘We’re moving these factories to America, and that’s how it’s going to be’ — and it’s lovely.”

West’s support for the right wing is a far cry from his former left-leaning political views. Back in 2014, he stressed the importance of voting in the midterm elections and for Democrats in a series of tweets. “I’m supporting the Democratic tickets in these midterms,” he posted. The outspoken rapper also boasted about meeting with then-President Barack Obama with his wife, Kim Kardashian West.

Yeezy, however, took a hard right turn in 2018 when he shared pictures of himself sporting President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hat on Twitter. Since then, he has continued to voice support for Trump, who he described as a father figure who makes him feel like “superman” during an in-person meeting with the Commander-in-Chief at the White House.

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It's Time to Rethink Your Data—Including Your Smell Data

An interactive art exhibit at WIRED25 explores the ways technology may expose—or obscure—the details of our lives.

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Ben Horowitz on a Murder, Genghis Khan, and Corporate Culture

If he simply told companies that new employee orientation programs were valuable they would blow him off. So he resorts to violence.

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The Race to Bring Meat Alternatives to Scale

Memphis Meats' lab-grown flesh approach is still far off, but Impossible Foods's plant-based approach is already on the menu at Burger King.

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Slack's Stewart Butterfield on Making Workers More Productive—Or Not

The CEO spoke with WIRED’s editor in chief about the pros and cons of replacing in-person workplace conversations with messaging software. 

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Aaron Follins: Giving An Ovation In Celebration of Men of Color

BE Modern Man: Aaron Follins

Communications leader, author; 36; Creator, Ovation: A Celebration of H.I.M. (Healthy Images of Manhood)

Twitter: @aaronfollins; Instagram: @aaronfollins

My passion project is Ovation: A Celebration of H.I.M. (Healthy Images of Manhood.) In 2016, I created a space where annually we spotlight a dozen men of color from around the country who are not only successful in their careers but pursue philanthropy in their communities. Since its inception, we’ve been able to honor entrepreneurs, magazine editors, LGBTQ activists, youth sports coaches, and Fortune 500 executives. Even though the event is a one-night awards program, I can tell that relationships are built, lives are changed, and partnerships are formed as evidenced by the feedback I receive from participants and attendees.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN LIFE?

At the risk of sounding redundant, my Ovation project is what I’m most proud of. With every honoree, we are changing the narrative of first, how we as men of African descent living in these, the United States, see ourselves and secondly how others see us.

HOW HAVE YOU TURNED STRUGGLE INTO SUCCESS?

I’ve been able to turn struggle into success by respecting the God in me. I’m keenly aware of my shortcomings and inadequacies but I also understand that I wasn’t created to struggle. That realization gave me the needed drive to bring some of my ideas to reality. After not getting a high-profile contract I pursued and after being overlooked for a television opportunity I thought I couldn’t live without, I decided to create my own opportunity. It was then that I self-published my first book, My Type of Party: A Year Long Guide to Home Entertaining, I revamped my pop culture website, EssentialLyfe.com and this year I’ll be creating and producing original on-air content that engages, enlightens, and entertains.

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

Rev. Charles T. Smith. Decades before we knew what a megachurch was, Rev. Smith encouraged economic growth by empowering his parishioners to own businesses, and he charted a credit union for our members to learn how to save their earnings. Each year every graduating senior in the church was given an opportunity to be awarded over $50,000 in scholarships. Every summer as youth we got to intern at some of the top companies in the city and were paid a salary at the church’s expense. After Hurricane Katrina, the church gym became a shelter to those in need. I could go on and on but what Rev. Smith taught me was to be of service. That’s something we can all do, independent of titles, education, and class.

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

Although she wasn’t speaking directly to me, I once heard Oprah say, “Let excellence be your brand. When you are excellent, you are unforgettable.”

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

By making sure my 11-year-old nephew is in attendance at every Ovation event, witnessing black excellence. See questions 1 & 2.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE MANHOOD?

Ironically, the first thing that comes to mind is something that is not unique to one sex: Love. Without conditions. For years we’ve been conditioned to think that manhood is a way of looking or behavior. I’m glad some of us have evolved to understanding that knowing how to change a tire and wearing a pair of Timbs does not a man make. I don’t think you’ve achieved manhood until you can love yourself, love those around you, and love those who you don’t even know. Once you’ve mastered loving yourself, no one must force you to take care of what’s yours and what’s around you.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A BLACK MAN?

The innate swagger that we possess as black men. There’s a confident gait, a revered language that only we speak. It’s in all black men no matter the age, economic, educational or sexual background. We pay a high price for that.

---

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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African AI Experts Get Excluded From a Conference—Again

For the second year in a row, researchers from the developing world have been denied visas to a major AI conference in Canada.

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Instagram Will Start Hiding ‘Likes’ in the US Next Week

Hiding like counts is just the latest step in Instagram’s quest to become the safest place on the internet.

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The Kids Suing to Save the World from Climate Change

At the WIRED25 festival in San Francisco, three of the *Juliana v. the United States* plaintiffs talk about suing the government to force it to save us from climate doom.

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Drake Connects with Canopy Growth to Create Cannabis Company More Life Growth

Drake’s business empire is gaining higher ground! According to Billboard, Aubrey “Drake” Graham has entered the cannabis business. Canopy Growth Corpo. has entered into a business arrangement with actor/rapper Drake to launch the More Life Growth Co., a fully licensed producer of cannabis, based in Drake’s hometown of Toronto.

“The opportunity to partner with a world-class company like Canopy Growth on a global scale is really exciting,” said More Life Growth Co. founder Drake in a statement. “The idea of being able to build something special in an industry that is ever-growing has been inspiring. More Life and More Blessing.”

“When we first began talks with Drake, we were extremely inspired by and aligned with his vision to bring best-in-class cannabis products to the world,” said Mark Zekulin, CEO of Canopy Growth Corp. “Drake’s perspective as a culture leader and entrepreneur combined with Canopy Growth’s breadth of cannabis knowledge will allow our new company to bring an unmatched cannabis experience to global markets.”

More Life Growth is centered around wellness, discovery, and overall personal growth with the hope of facilitating connections and shared experiences across the globe. Drake holds a 60% ownership interest in the More Life Growth Co., with Canopy Growth retaining a 40% ownership.

“All in all, we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Drake to bring his vision for the More Life Growth Company to global cannabis markets,” concluded Zekulin. “We anticipate a long, successful, and mutually beneficial working relationship.”

Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis, hemp, and cannabis device company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil, and Softgel capsule forms, as well as medical devices through Canopy Growth’s subsidiary, Storz & Bickel GMbH & Co. KG. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time. Canopy Growth has operations in over a dozen countries across five continents.

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Chicago’s police superintendent Eddie Johnson has decided to retire

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced on Thursday he is retiring from his position.

In 2016, during a time when the city was reeling from the slaying of Black teenager, Laquan McDonald by a white cop, Jason Van Dyke, former Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed Johnson to the top post saying the city needed someone from inside the force that could “lift the morale of Chicago’s police officers and build on the work that’s been done to restore trust and accountability” in the department, according to NBC Chicago.

READ MORE: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Chief Eddie Johnson furious that charges against Jussie Smollett dropped

Johnson, who headed up the country’s second-largest police force with roughly 13,500 officers, fulfilled the role for more than three years and said he is proud of his accomplishments. He said he is stepping down because the job has “taken its toll.”

“It’s time for someone else to pin these four stars to their shoulders,” Johnson, who was emotional, told members of the media. Johnson’s family and Mayor Lori Lightfoot stood near him. “These stars can sometimes feel like carrying the weight of the world.”

“This job has taken its toll — taken a toll on my health, my family, my friends,” Johnson added. “But my integrity has remained intact.”

On Oct. 17, Johnson, 60, was found asleep behind the wheel of his SUV by a motorist who called 911. Police did not administer a breathalyzer test although the mayor told the Chicago Sun-Times that Johnson had admitted to her that he had “a couple of drinks with dinner” beforehand.

READ MORE: Chicago top cop connected to Jussie Smollett case under investigation

At the press conference, Johnson and Lightfoot both declined to discuss the incident, however, it is currently being investigated by the city’s inspector general’s office as they try to determine why Johnson was never given a sobriety test, according to WBEZ.

Johnson said back in September while attending a memorial service for a slain Chicago cop, he nudged Lightfoot about retiring. “The mayor and I were sitting next to the waterfall, when I sat down in that seat, I leaned over her and whispered over to her ear, ‘We got to start talking about an end date for me,’” he said.

Johnson said a month later, while on vacation with his family, he determined when his end date would be.

“It made me feel normal, and I saw them and how they missed me in that kind of setting and that’s pretty much what did it,” he said, according to NBC Chicago.

He’ll serve until the end of the year.

Under Johnson’s lead, Chicago cut its murder rate down from 777 when he took over in 2016 to 565 last year, according to Chicago police data. However, Chicago’s numbers are still extremely high, especially compared to other cities like New York, which recorded 295 homicides last year and Los Angeles with 259.

READ MORE: Chicago cop arrested for inappropriately touching three women

At the news conference, Lightfoot congratulated Johnson on doing a great job as top cop.

“Chicago is better because Superintendent Eddie Johnson calls our great city home and because he dedicated his life to serving,” Lightfoot said.

The post Chicago’s police superintendent Eddie Johnson has decided to retire appeared first on theGrio.

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Kansas City Entrepreneur Becomes First Black-Owned Juice Bar Inside Whole Foods

Chris Goode is making history as one the first black-owned stores to be inserted in a major grocery store. Goode is the CEO and founder of Ruby Jean’s Juicery, a juice bar that promotes juice cleansing. The shop has now opened a location in Whole Foods in Kansas City, Missouri.

Goode credits his success to his late grandmother, Ruby Jean, whom he named his store after mainly because it was her state of health that gave him the idea. According to Blackbusiness.com, a friend of Goode informed him of juice cleansing, a kind of detox diet in which a person consumes fruit and vegetable juices, improving their digestive system in the process.

Goode believed this diet would be highly beneficial for his grandmother and may have even prevented her death at age 61 from Type 2 diabetes. Goode felt that if she had the knowledge of the significance of smart eating, she wouldn’t have had to suffer.

Now, he is encouraging his family to embrace the same healthy lifestyle he wished his grandmother embraced. As he said, “Once I got into juicing and health, I realized that 61 was just way too young and [I] started to switch my lifestyle and press my family to do the same. In 2014, I decided to put all I had into my passion and newfound purpose.”

His first juice bar, which he launched in 2015 in Kansas City, was listed as the top juice bar in Missouri. Pretty soon, Whole Foods caught on to Goode’s success and offered him to be a supplier, providing him a brick and mortar store inside it. Besides cold-pressed juices, Ruby Jean’s Juicery also has healthy breakfast and lunch food options for potential customers.

Goode hopes to inspire more people with his grandmother’s story about the importance of healthy eating and longevity with this store.

“We truly feel we can empower people to live healthy by way of sharing my grandma’s story. I feel there’s a Ruby Jean in every family no matter who you are.”

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Ray J is reportedly asking Trump to pardon his friend, Suge Knight

Ray J is reportedly in secret talks with the Trump administration to release Marion “Suge” Knight from prison.

Knight, 54, was sentenced to 28 years behind bars on manslaughter charges for driving his car over Terry Carter and Cle Sloan after arguing with the men at a fast food drive through. Ray J, 38, of Love & Hip Hop, has become friends and business partners with Knight and wants his friend released from prison, according to DailyMailTV.

READ MORE: Suge Knight makes major deal with Ray J for rights to tell his story

Knight initially faced 11 years in prison for the conviction, but his sentence was doubled under California’s three-strikes law because of his prior convictions. DailyMailTV reported an additional six years was also tacked on, because Knight used his car as a deadly weapon in a ‘serious and violent’ felony.

But Ray J thinks behavior like that is a thing of the past for Knight, and is hoping President Trump pardons his friend.

Ray J’s move follows that of his ex-girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, who successfully lobbied Trump to pardon Alice Johnson in 2018. Johnson was in jail on charges of drug trafficking. Kardashian, along with many other celebrities, also supported the release of Cyntonia Brown, who was serving life in jail after killing a man who paid to have sex with her when she was a teenager.

A source told DailyMailTV that Ray J is going the same route as Kardashian because of his competitive nature.

READ MORE: Ray J and Princess Love are expecting Baby #2 in 2020

“Ray J is very competitive and always has been. He saw what Kim was able to do with her work in the criminal justice system with the Trump administration and he is determined to show he can do the same,”’ the source said to DailyMailTV. “He’s adamant that he can convince Trump to pardon Suge and that people will respect him for doing so.”

Ray J reportedly entered a jail business agreement with Knight last year, according to The Blast.

“Ray J is not just a friend of mine, that’s little brother, that’s family. And I respect Ray J and his business dealings, that’s why I choose him as one of the guys to deal with the music side of the future for as Death Row Records, anything to do Death Row and it’s great to have him cause he will be putting out this incredible album and I heard it before,” Knight reportedly told The Blast in a prison phone interview.

The post Ray J is reportedly asking Trump to pardon his friend, Suge Knight appeared first on theGrio.

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Senegal's Mbaye Diagne is punished for Club Bruges penalty miss

Senegal international Mbaye Diagne is fined and dropped by Club Bruges for missing a penalty in the European Champions League.

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North Carolina marker now calls 1898 violence a ‘coup,’ not a ‘race riot’

By MARTHA WAGGONER Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The state of North Carolina is moving away from using the phrase “race riot” to describe the violent overthrow of the Wilmington government in 1898 and is instead using the word “coup” on the highway historical marker that will commemorate the dark event.

The marker, which is already in place and covered with black plastic, will be dedicated Friday in Wilmington. The heading on the marker reads “Wilmington Coup,” but the originally approved text referred to a “race riot,” which eventually was deleted.

“You don’t call it that anymore because the African Americans weren’t rioting,” said Ansley Herring Wegner, administrator of the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program. “They were being massacred.”

In 1898, white Democrats violently overthrew the fusion government of legitimately elected blacks and white Republicans in Wilmington. The Democrats burned and killed their way to power in what’s viewed as a flashpoint for the Jim Crow era of segregation and the only successful coup d’etat in American history.

The marker stands outside the Wilmington Light Infantry building, where the mob of white supremacists gathered before they marched to The Daily Record, the African American newspaper, and burned it to the ground. Alfred Moore Waddell, who led the march, took over as mayor.

The highway marker for the editor of the paper, Alex Manly, includes the phrase “race riot,” but it was dedicated 25 years ago.

The original text for the 1898 marker, approved in December 2017, included Waddell’s name and made other references that the public found offensive, Wegner said. The committee of historians that approves the language for markers went back to work and approved new text in the spring of 2018, Wegner said.

One of the people unhappy with the original text is Deborah Dicks Maxwell, president of the New Hanover County branch of the NAACP. She was especially upset that the original language said the “violence left up to 60 blacks dead” because it’s unclear how many black people died.

“We’ll never know how many people died,” she said. “Black lives didn’t matter at that time in terms of reporting or documentation.”

The highway markers, known as “history on a stick,” have strict space limits — typically five to six lines of 25 characters each for 3-inch letters. The coup marker has 1.5-inch letters to allow more text.

The revised marker deletes the names of Waddell and Manly, since he has own marker.
“When you have so few words, you’ve got to choose the best ones,” Wegner said.

Maxwell hopes the marker will help “the world to understand that it wasn’t a riot,” she said.
“We need to educate our children that this did happen — and the general public,” Maxwell said. “A lot of things that happen to African Americans are hidden swept under a rug. We need to reveal all parts of our history as a country.”
___
Follow Martha Waggoner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc .

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13 Best STEM Toys for Kids That Make Learning Fun

We found math-filled and science-rich books, puzzles, coding kits, and more for the little STEAM-heads in your life.

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Shaquille O’Neal Ads Help Turn Around Papa John’s Lagging Sales

The Shaq Attack seems to be working! According to ABC News, Shaquille O’Neal and his appearances in Papa John’s commercials have helped turned around lagging sales numbers.

O’Neal started appearing in ads in September. He also joined the company’s board and invested in nine restaurants in the Atlanta area.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based pizzeria chain has stated that its North American same-store sales grew for the first time in two years in the July-September period. Sales at locations open for at least a year—a key metric of a retailer’s health—were up 1%.

Papa John’s President and CEO Rob Lynch said the latest ad campaign, which also showcases the diversity of Papa John’s franchisees and employees, is paying dividends.

“I do think we’re starting to turn the corner on consumer sentiment,” Lynch said on a conference call Wednesday with investors and analysts.

AP has reported that international same-store sales rose 1.6%. Papa John’s has 5,343 restaurants in 49 countries. More than half are in North America.

Lynch said a combination of new customers, more repeat business, and higher spending per visit drove the sales increase. He said new partnerships with third-party delivery services like DoorDash are not yet contributing to that growth but remain an important part of the business. Third-quarter net income was $385,000, compared with a loss of $13.3 million in the same period a year ago.

Papa John’s announced in March that O’Neal would serve as a pitchman. The move was part of a larger effort to repair the damage left by the company’s founder and namesake, John Schnatter.

O’Neal, the four-time NBA champion, joined the Papa John’s board of directors earlier this year after the Schnatter resigned last year following reports that he used a racial slur during a company conference call and criticized NFL players kneeling in protest during an earnings call. O’Neal secured $8.5 million in cash and stock options in the deal. The NBA legend also invested in nine Papa John’s franchise restaurants in Atlanta.

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Michelle Obama and her “voting squad” are ready to get out the vote

Michelle Obama, our forever FLOTUS, has unveiled her “voting squad,” a celebrity dream team aimed at getting more Americans to vote in 2020.

“Last year, we went big. Millions of new voters made their voices heard for the first time. Now the stakes are even higher,” Obama says in a video that she tweeted out on Nov. 7. According to The Hill, this effort is a part of her When We All Vote campaign.

READ MORE: New poll shows Michelle Obama voted most admired woman by Americans

Obama shares, “That’s why I’ve been reaching out to some friends to expand my voting squad for the year ahead.”

Those friends include Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, Janelle Monáe, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, NBA baller, Chris Paul, YouTuber Liza Koshy and professional soccer star, Megan Rapinoe.

With less than a year to the 2020 elections, it’s time to start thinking about your #VotingSquad.
I’ve got mine:
Shonda.
Liza.
Selena.
Tom.
Lin-Manuel.
Tracee.
Faith.
Kerry.
Chris.
Janelle.
Megan.
Rita.

Join us at https://t.co/cBTTn9yuTH and learn how you can get involved. pic.twitter.com/e1QJPECWBL

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) November 7, 2019

READ MORE: Obama told y’all to stop ‘canceling’ every damn body and there’s a good reason why

“It all starts with you. You’re the only person that can have that conversation with your family and your friends and your girlfriends and even with your community to get them registered and ready to vote,” the celebrity squad tells viewers in the video.

Added Washington in the video: “Because when we squad up, we can change the world.”

Rapinoe also told viewers that they possessed the power to “change the game.”

The former first lady has been actively involved in getting out the vote since leaving the White House. Last July, she launched a voter registration drive to get folks registered to vote in the mid-term elections. Her efforts then launched the When We All Vote nonprofit, designed to “start a conversation on the responsibilities that we all have in shaping our country’s future through the ballot box.”

READ MORE: Files expose how North Carolina Republican systematically stopped Black people from voting

This year, the nonprofit is hoping to spark a commitment from Americans to “organize their own squads, volunteer groups aimed at getting friends, family, classmates and community registered and ready to vote,” according to the video.

I’m know I’m ready with my squad. Are you ready with yours?

The post Michelle Obama and her “voting squad” are ready to get out the vote appeared first on theGrio.

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Caf 'cancels' US$1 billion TV and marketing deal

The Confederation of African Football 'cancels' its US$1 billion TV and marketing deal as Lagardere Sports fights to enforce the contract.

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NYC Socialite allegedly can say the ‘n-word’ since she’s Alicia Keys’ friend

Lisa Marie Falcone, whose husband is a billionaire hedge fund manager, reportedly told her former personal chef that she could use the n-word because her “Black friend” Alicia Keys would be okay with it.

The chef, Brian Villanueva, made the claims in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday against Falcone and her husband, Philip Falcone, according to Page Six.

READ MORE: Alicia Keys set to release new memoir ‘More Myself’ this Autumn

According to court documents, Falcone grew defensive when a comment she made about Villanueva’s girlfriend, who is Black, wasn’t received well.

Villanueva’s girlfriend was in the Hamptons and helped prepare food for the Falcones’ dinner party, according to the suit. The next morning, Falcone spoke to Villanueva about the way the girlfriend talked.

“Your girlfriend speaks very well. She seems educated,” Falcone reportedly told Villanueva, according to Page Six. “I would describe her as a chocolate-covered marshmallow.”

Falcone then allegedly asked the chef if he uses “the word ‘n—-‘ at home with your girlfriend?”

After the question, Villanueva reportedly grew defensive when she noticed that Villanueva’s expression change. She allegedly said she meant the question as a compliment, and that her friend, Alicia Keys, doesn’t speak “eloquently.” Villanueva also said Falcone told him that it’s okay for her to use the n-word because “I’m Puerto Rican and grew up in Spanish Harlem, so I can speak like that.”

READ MORE: Shocked Harlem grandmother receives $6 million IRS bill for her daycare

Keys and her husband, Swizz Beats, had attended the Hamptons dinner party the evening prior.

Villanueva decided to quit shortly after the incident. He said he approached the Falcones’ while they were out on the beach and told them as much, but that Lisa Falcone didn’t take it well.

“Rather than accepting Plaintiff’s resignation, Defendant Lisa Falcone asked Plaintiff not to resign and stated ‘talk to my Black friends’ (Keys and Swizz were reportedly on the beach with the Falcones at the time), and stated ‘they will tell you that I am not racist.’”

Villaneuva claims the Falcones’ owe him $4,230.76 in back pay. He is also alleging that the couple said they would only pay him if both he and his girlfriend signed a confidentiality agreement prohibiting them from telling anyone what Falcone had said. Villanueva and his girlfriend refused to sign the agreement.

READ MORE: Trump’s Black friends want A$AP Rocky to publicly thank president for Swedish prison release

This isn’t the first time the Falcones have been sued. Their former butler, who is gay, sued them alleging Lisa once grabbed his genitals and told him that a “good f–k to turn him straight” was all he needed.

As of now, Keys has not publicly commented on the allegations.

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Bike Safety Means Having New Lanes and Helmet Laws, US Says

A government panel wants officials to build better cycling infrastructure, but its call to mandate helmets is already rankling cyclingadvocates. 

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Ecosia's Search Engine Plants More Trees With Every Web Search

The search engine Ecosia is trying to slow climate change by funneling profits into organizations that plant trees in deforested areas.

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Oprah Winfrey joins fight to save Rodney Reed’s life

Oprah Winfrey lent her voice to the rallying cry for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to stop the Nov. 20 execution of Rodney Reed.

In an interview on CBS This Morning, Winfrey urged Abbott to take a deeper look into the Reed case, and the reason why so many Americans want his execution halted.

READ MORE: Free Rodney Reed: Celebrities come to the aide of death row inmate headed for execution

“At least the governor has to pause and look at the 2 million people who have signed a petition,” she said. “Two million voices saying listen to us, something is off here. Something needs to be done. Governor, if you’re watching, hello. I think this is a sign you’re supposed to at least not execute, but look at it,” she said.

The signatures she is referring to were collected on freerodneyreed.com. Change.org also created a petition and collected more than 300,000 signatures.

In addition to Oprah and Gayle King, celebrities such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, LL Cool J, and Kim Kardashian West have spoken out regarding Reed. Religious leaders like Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin, have joined the chorus of voices urging the governor to take beat and reconsider his decision on his case, and dozens of Democratic and Republican state lawmakers have put aside party politics to ask Gov. Abbott to stop the execution.

Reed, 51, was sentenced to die for the 1996 rape and strangulation murder of 19-year-old Stacey Stites. He has been on death row since 1998 and has maintained his innocence from the very beginning. His lawyers, who come from The Innocence Project, have argued that Reed was denied a full and fair trial on multiple counts. Another key point that the lawyers want to be reviewed that could possibly clear is name is that the belt use to strangle Stites has DNA evidence on it that was never tested.

READ MORE: HBO doc ‘True Justice’ explores lawyer Bryan Stevenson’s defense of death row inmates and his lynching memorial

Multiple people have come forward implicating Stites’ ex-fiancé, Jimmy Fennell, in her death. He was a former police officer who was released from prison last year. He pled guilty in 2008 for kidnapping a woman he met while on duty. That woman said he had also raped her.

Reed’s DNA evidence was found on Stites body, but Reed said he and Stites were having an affair, which is why his DNA was on her. Some believe Fennell knew of the affair.

Arthur J. Snow Jr., a former member of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist prison gang, said in a sworn affidavit last month that he served time in prison with Fennell and he personally heard him confess to the murder of Stites, according to The New York Times. He said Fennell bragged about killing his fiancée because she had cheated on him with a Black man. In the affidavit, Snow said he thought Fennell confessed to the killing to try and impress him and other gang members, whom he had sought out for protection.

Also, Jim Clampit, a former sheriff’s deputy, alleges that at Stites’ funeral, Fennell looked at her body and said, “You got what you deserved,” according to The Times.

READ MORE: Black man released from prison after serving more than 40 years on death row for wrongful conviction

With all of this new evidence, the fair and just thing would be for Abbott to stop Reed’s execution – or he might be responsible for killing an innocent man.

The post Oprah Winfrey joins fight to save Rodney Reed’s life appeared first on theGrio.

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'Emergency unfolding' in flooded South Sudan

People are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the aftermath of the flooding, the UN says.

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Paris Ends an E-Scooter Melee With New Rules of the Road

France is moving to crack down on scooter sharing, but questions linger about how micromobility affects cities and citizens.

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Kamala Harris Proposes Legislation To Extend School Day To 6 p.m

On Tuesday, Kamala Harris introduced legislation seeking to have schools extend the public school day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  The bill would propose a pilot program aimed at helping working parents.  The Family Friend Schools Act would help to “align the school day with the work day to better support working families,” according to the democratic senator from California and presidential candidate.

“With the vast majority of schools closing at or around 3 pm, two hours short of the standard full-time work day, parents are often left in a bind,” Harris said in a press release. “Additionally, summer breaks present a challenge; in fact, three in four parents report at least some difficulty finding child care during that time period.”

The bill would provide $5 million in funding to 500 elementary schools over a 5-year period.  The funding would be used “to develop high-quality, culturally relevant, linguistically accessible, developmentally appropriate academic, athletic, or enrichment opportunities for students from at least 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday during the school year, with no closures except for Federal holidays, weekends, and emergencies” says Harris’ senate website.

“My mother raised my sister and me while working demanding, long hours,” said Harris. “So, I know firsthand that, for many working parents, juggling between school schedules and work schedules is a common cause of stress and financial hardship. But, this does not have to be the case. My bill provides an innovative solution that will help reduce the burden of child care on working families. It is time we modernize the school schedule to better meet the needs of our students and their families.”

Last month, California became the first station in the nation to pass a law requiring later start times at public schools. The new law requires middle schools to start after 8 a.m. and high schools to start after 8:30 a.m.

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