The Red Cross reports a rising toll in Uganda's deadly floods, as the region reels from weeks of rain.
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Sunday, December 8, 2019
Saturday, December 7, 2019
White Mississippi Republican continues to contest narrow loss to Black Democrat, refuses to accept defeat
A white Mississippi Republican candidate for the Mississippi state representative is big mad that she lost and now wants to appeal the victory of her Black Democrat opponent.
A month after her narrow loss toDemocratic challenger Hester Jackson-McCray, the former incumbent Ashley Henley is asking the GOP-dominated Mississippi House to overturn the Nov. 5 election results. According to Mississippi Today, Jackson-McCray clinched victory by 14 votes, but Henley believed that the ballot box examination failed “to adhere to proper election procedures to insure a fair and legitimate election” under state law.
“There were irregularities that happened, absolutely, documented, very much so that bring into question the legitimacy of the election results,” Henley said. “That is without question.”
READ MORE: Mississippi judge won’t block Jim Crow era election process
Mississippi Today reported that Henley has several grievances regarding the ballots, which include failure to collect voter signatures in one of the district’s six precincts, lack of an incident report detailing why the signatures weren’t collected, claiming to have discovered two uncounted ballots where her name was marked, voter signature receipts not stapled to the corresponding pages of the voter receipt book, among other claims.
Jackson-McCray said that though Henley has a right to appeal any technicalities, she was still beaten in a fair election.
READ MORE: White Mississippi cop complains politician ‘worse than a Black person’
“Elections are elections. It’s not a guaranteed position,” Jackson-McCray said. “Anybody could come along and beat you. I just beat you fair and square. Hard work just beat you this time. She has the right to go through the technicalities, but I think if people read this notice she’s putting out, it looks like she’s arguing that her own party didn’t manage the election right. The election was run by Republicans. The DeSoto County election commissioners are Republicans. The Secretary of State is a Republican.”
Unfortunately, it would not be a surprise if GOP officials decide in Henley’s favor because four years ago, the GOP-run House voted to unseat a Democrat incumbent in favor of a Republican despite the Democrat official winning a tiebreaker.
The post White Mississippi Republican continues to contest narrow loss to Black Democrat, refuses to accept defeat appeared first on theGrio.
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‘I knew I was spiraling’: Fabolous finally speaks out after 2018 domestic violence incident
Rapper Fabolous shocked and disturbed fans after reports that he was charged with domestic violence against the mother of his kids, but after over a year of silence, he is finally addressing what happened.
According to Vibe, Fabolous is notoriously private, but on Wednesday he appeared on HOT 97’s Ebro in the Morning radio program where he finally addressed the March 2018 incident, which was caught on camera. The footage showed the rapper beating long-time partner Emily B. According to OK!Magazine, he was arrested and charged with four felonies after punching Emily in the face several times, knocking out her two front teeth, but served no jail time after taking a plea deal.
READ MORE: Rapper Fabolous caught on tape threatening ‘Love and Hip-Hop’ star Emily B
“There’s going to be some speculations, there’s going to be ‘Oh, what really happened?’ But the clarity that I was looking for was inside more than anything,” the rapper said during the interview. “Because that’s the people that I have to deal with every day. Those are the people that I care about, that I love, that I want to make sure that they are clear on what’s going on. That’s what I really focused on. I didn’t really focus on what was going on the outside. I knew a lot was spiraling.”
READ MORE: RUMOR PATROL: Did Fabolous and Emily B secretly wed amid abuse drama?
Fabolous was later asked about what he would say to those fans that were unsure about whether or not they still wanted to support his music after the domestic violence incident, and he decided the best way to address them was to apologize for his behavior.
“I apologize for coming across in a light that I wouldn’t want to be represented in,” he continued. “People make their opinions and it’s hard to, after the fact, change somebody’s opinion on seeing a video of something because people still see with their own eyes and they just make their own judgement.”
Watch the full interview below:
The post ‘I knew I was spiraling’: Fabolous finally speaks out after 2018 domestic violence incident appeared first on theGrio.
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Cory Booker announces initiative that would provide almost $100 billion to HBCUs
Presidential hopeful Cory Booker just unveiled a new plan to help historically Black colleges and universities that would roughly provide $100 billion in support.
Booker, who is still in the running for the 2020 Democratic nomination, has been an outspoken supporter of programs that enrich HBCUs and his proposed plan is by far the largest dollar amount of any of the other Democratic candidates.
“HBCUs make our country stronger and more reflective of the diversity that makes us so great,” Booker said in a statement. “I am here today because of the power of these institutions to uplift and bring about opportunity to Black Americans. As president, I will redouble our efforts to support and invest in HBCUs across the country ― my mother and father wouldn’t have it any other way.”
READ MORE: Aiming for debate, Cory Booker appeals directly to Kamala Harris voters
With HBCU enrollment steadily decreasing, Booker hoped to create programs that would help these historic institutions thrive. According to the Huffington Post, Booker hopes to focus on both immediate protections and long-term strategies to help them weather rough economic times. His plan includes grant initiatives that would enhance STEM programs, legislation to make certain HBCUs more affordable to low-income students and programs that would make HBCUs hubs for climate-focused research.
Booker also hoped to link investments into his climate research, the Huffington Post reported that the 10 percent of the senator’s $400 billion “Moonshot Hubs” would take place at HBCUs.
READ MORE: Cory Booker calls out President Trump as ‘worse than a racist’
“Each hub would be focused on reasserting our global leadership in Research and Development (R&D) and leading the way in tackling the most important challenges in basic science, applied research, manufacturing, and commercialization,” Booker’s campaign said in a press release on Tuesday.
Fellow 2020 candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have proposed HBCU initiatives of their own. Sanders has spoken out about the lack of resources available to HBCUs and vowed to put billions of dollars into helping them stay afloat.
The post Cory Booker announces initiative that would provide almost $100 billion to HBCUs appeared first on theGrio.
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Petition to remove Michael Vick as honorary Pro Bowl captain receives over 200,000 signatures
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick was recently given the opportunity to be a captain at the upcoming 2020 NFL Pro Bowl, but many people are not on board with the idea.
A woman going by the name Joanna Lind started a Change.org petition urging the NFL to remove Vick as a captain, which according to CNN, would allow him to mentor other players and be on the sidelines during the highly anticipated game.
“Just saw this on Facebook and was absolutely disgusted,” she wrote on the petition page, referring to a social media post about Vick’s inclusion. “When is the NFL going to take any responsibility for the behavior of it’s current and former players? To honor a man who had zero regard for animals is unacceptable and I would like your help to make sure he is not honored at the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl.”
READ MORE: Michael Vick’s wife refused sex over Kaepernick comments
More than 200,000 people have signed the petition and as of Saturday morning, the petition is halfway toward its goal of 300,000 signatures.
In 2007, Vick admitted to participating in the killing of dogs, mainly pit bulls, and also operating a business enterprise that involved illegal gambling. He was subsequently suspended from the NFL and was forced to file for bankruptcy. He also spent 18 months in federal prison and became the poster child for animal cruelty.
READ MORE: Michael Vick to lobby for law to protect animals in hot cars
According to CNN, Vick returned to the NFL in 2009 and played for the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring in 2017. He later signed with Fox Sports as an analyst.
As of Saturday morning, there is no word on whether or not NFL officials are reconsidering their choice to make Vick a captain at the Pro Bowl and Vick has yet to respond to the petition.
The 2020 Pro Bowl is set to take place on Jan. 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
The post Petition to remove Michael Vick as honorary Pro Bowl captain receives over 200,000 signatures appeared first on theGrio.
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Tamron Hall denies rumors that she exploded after learning Kelly Clarkson show renewed
On Friday, reports began to circulate that reporter turned talk show host Tamron Hall was not only angry that another show was renewed before hers, but that she was difficult to please. Hall has since come forward and denied the claims.
The Daily Mail claimed in an exclusive report that a source told them that Hall had a whole fit when she found out Kelly Clarkson‘s show was renewed before hers. The source also claimed that Hall blamed the crew for the snub.
“‘We would have gotten an early renewal too if you were all doing a better job!'” The source reportedly told the Daily Mail.
According to the Daily Mail, the Tamron Hall Show premiered on the same day as the Kelly Clarkson Show with a solid 1.4 rating, but that has since dropped to 1.0 while Clarkson’s show has been able to maintain a 1.5 rating.
“She wasn’t mad per se that Kelly’s show got picked up for a second season,” the source continued, “but she’s apparently frustrated with the direction of her show and afraid of it becoming a failure after walking away from her job at NBC and banking everything on this opportunity working.
READ MORE: Tamron Hall gets real about her ‘Today Show’ firing during opening of new talk show
On Friday, Hall posted a screenshot of the Daily Mail headline to her Instagram and decided to take the opportunity to set the record straight. In her caption, she released a statement denying the claims made in the article.
“It’s ironic that a few days after I said on my show that I’ve seen ‘men storm out of rooms, puffing and huffing, and no one says anything’ while ‘women [who] speak up [are viewed] as difficult’ that someone would leak a false story about me being difficult,” Hall wrote in a statement on Instagram. “As I said live on my show while defending Gabrielle Union, women are perceived as ‘difficult’ when they speak up. I have never once complained about Kelly’s renewal – I am so happy for my fellow Texan. I’m excited about my show and I can’t wait for season 2!!”
In a second Instagram post, Hall posted a video clip from her show where she talked about how difficult it is for women to speak up.
As for her show, Disney, who owns ABC, released a statement to the Daily Mail gushing over Hall’s show and showing no signs of stopping things anything soon.
“We had an extremely successful launch” the statement said. “Disney, Tamron, and Bill Geddie are all very pleased with the direction and performance of the show, and we look forward to our continued success.”
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Although Jobs Report Shows Robust Job Market, African Americans Still Face Discrimination
The prognosticators were wrong. Forecasts from ADP and Moody’s Analytics early last week revealed that the job market was slowing due to a private payrolls report showing a gain of just 67,000 jobs for the month of November. According to Friday’s report from the US Department of Labor, however, the job market continues to be robust, citing a boost in nonfarm payrolls by 266,000. As such, the overall unemployment rate has declined to 3.5% — the lowest point since 1969.
As for the African American unemployment rate, it currently stands at 5.5%, close to the all-time low for the decade. But when compared to the 3.2% unemployment rate for whites, African American unemployment is still is at a rate that is 72% greater than that of whites.
Overall, employment figures show the biggest gain since January and that far exceed the predictions of another survey estimate of an increase of 180,000 jobs, according to Bloomberg. One question was answered, though: The jobs numbers have been significantly impacted by the fact that November represented the first full month that GM workers had returned to work after a 40-day strike, making up for the previous month’s decline by some 41,000.
“Job growth for most of 2019, while volatile, tells a consistent message. Although census hiring and ending of the auto strike affected this month’s figure,” tweeted Harin Contractor, former Economic Policy Advisor to the US Secretary of Labor during the Obama administration and current Program Manager for Silver Spring, Maryland-based business consulting firm Nexight Group L.L.C.
Contractor, who has provided monthly analysis of the state of black employment when he served as director of Workforce Policy at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, shared that the drivers of job growth continue to be education and health services, a trend that has marked much of 2019. “Depending on what happened next month, job growth in 2019 is fairly consistent with previous years. We hope this will lead to greater wage growth in the near future,” he tweeted.
Civil rights advocates and researchers alike cite that although the African American employment rate is at a historic low, that figure does not accurately reflect the full picture related to African Americans’ economic status. As reported by Black Enterprise on Thursday, the Center for American Progress revealed African Americans — especially black women—must face an ongoing, systemic pattern of “outright discrimination” and “occupational segregation” in the labor market.
In reviewing the black employment situation throughout much of 2019, National Urban League President Marc Morial has told CNBC earlier this year “Let’s look at this in context, not look at one number and say, ‘OK, good. Let’s celebrate,” especially since the racial wealth gap continues to persist. For example, the latest US Census Bureau figures on black homeownership were 42.1% compared with 72.7% among whites. Morial and others have cautioned against looking at the unemployment rate and concluding that it reflects the overall economic and financial health of African Americans.
Moreover, the Joint Center has conducted studies on racial equality and the future of work in recent years. The organization has found that African Americans — especially in blue-collar positions — tend to be at a huge disadvantage due to increased automation of service-based industries. Its 2017 report on this trend revealed that 27% of all African American workers are concentrated in just 30 occupations at high risk to automation. including positions in brick-and-mortar retail, eateries and transportation. For example, compared to white workers, African Americans are more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be cashiers and combined food preparation and serving workers as well as over three times more likely to be security guards, bus drivers, taxi drivers and chauffeurs
The Joint Center reports that unique challenges that make African Americans “particularly vulnerable in labor market transitions include unemployment rates that are twice as high as whites, Implicit bias in hiring and evaluation, residential and educational segregation, transportation problems, lower rates of digital readiness and limitations in social networks.”
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Friday, December 6, 2019
Five Young Women from HBCUs are Top Contestants in Footaction’s No 1 Way Design Program
Black people and black culture shape popular culture and fashion. Yet and still, leadership within the fashion industry does not often reflect the people from the communities in which they draw their inspiration from.
Some may argue that the lack of representation at the top is due to a skills or knowledge gap–while others may claim that there are many barriers to entry. In this case, both sentiments are true. That is why Footaction created the No 1 Way Design Academy in partnership with two Portland, Oregon based black-owned design academies PENSOLE and FAAS Studio to build a pipeline to get designers from historically black colleges and universities into the industry.
Footaction is committed to amplifying and celebrating the next wave of creative visionaries who continue to push the culture forward. As a part of that commitment, the design academy offers No 1 Way competition which aims to foster diversity of talent and champion the idea of creative individuality.
In August, Footaction made an open call to over 85 HBCUs to participate in a six-week digital and in-person design intensive. Hundreds of students applied to be a part of the program by sending in their designs, but, only 10 students were selected to participate in the FAAS at PENSOLE online program to refine their designs. From there, the competition was cut in half and the top five finalist (which so happen to be five young women) relocated to Portland for a 3-week hands-on design academy at the FAAS Studio.
The total program value is $15k per student. That includes the 3 week online workshop & mentorship, the 3 week in studio FAAS masterclass, travel, and room and board.
The challenge was to design functional apparel for the chance to win cash prizes, the opportunity to have their designs showcased at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, and the opportunity to their designs sold at Footaction stores nationwide and online.
For Footaction, the No 1 Way Design Program is a way to position students who might not typically have access into the fashion and design for success.Richard McLeod, Vice President of Marketing at Footaction has worked closely on the program from its inception down to the selection process of the students and says that there is no one way into the industry or to success.
In his first year with Footaction, McLeod has been able to shift the culture with the No 1 Way Design Academy.
“In partnership with PENSOLE we wanted to ensure that we are building upon the brand’s purpose–which is really about how we amplify and celebrate the new creative visionaries that are moving the culture forward,” says McLeod.
Related: Pyer Moss And Other Luxury Black-Owned Labels Disrupting the World of Fashion
To get a behind the scenes look at the competition; we joined Footaction, the founders of PENSOLE, FAAS Studio, and the finalists in Portland to learn more about their design journeys before the winners are announced.
For the first part of this series, we would like to introduce you to this year’s No 1 Way Design Program students. In parts two and three, you’ll meet the founders and leaders of PENSOLE Design Academy and FAAS, D’Wayne Edwards and Angela Medlin.
Meet the Students
This year, the competition dwindled down to five incredible young women representing Clark Atlanta University, Dillard University, and Tuskegee University.
Brianna Thomas, Dillard University
Briana Thomas (Image: Footaction)
What led you on a path to design?
My passion led me in this direction. Right now I’m in school getting my bachelor’s in marketing. I always knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer. But as I got older, I didn’t know how I would arrive to that point. So I just tried to keep my options open and it took all opportunities that came my way when it came to me enjoying myself doing fashion or doing design or creating and sewing.
What is it like being among your peers of fellow HBCU students/grads who are working towards that goal of being the best in the industry?
This is something that I’m glad to be a part of, and especially with other young women and young designers that are from other HBCUs and have a similar goal. I’m just really glad to share this experience with them. Because I’m even learning from them. Just being around them listening to how they talk about different things to the how they look at different perspectives. We’ve all had a different experience in our design journey, but now coming here and also learning at face under the tutelage of Ms. Angela it’s really just bringing it all together and making it like wow 100% like I’m so glad I got this opportunity.
What would winning mean to you?
Winning this would be amazing! I realized the opportunity to even be showing a piece at New York Fashion Week is a huge opportunity. Some people in the industry work their entire career and they don’t get here. But me as a 21 year old, not designed student, just someone with a passion and someone willing to learn is going to be there in February so it’s just beyond a blessing.
Chakierrah Stinson, Tuskegee University
Chakierrah Stinson (Image: Footaction)
You are a self-taught designer with over 45,000 followers on Instagram who stan for your designs! What inspired you to create and where do you draw your inspiration from?
A lot of my influence comes from stuff that I see online, movies, and the world around me. I take what I’ve seen and try to make it sportier and street-wear inspired. I always try to give people something that they haven’t seen. I don’t want my designs to look like anyone else’s. I want you to see you know that Chakierrah made it because I have my own style.
What are some of the things that you’ve learned that you didn’t know before that you’re going to take away from the program as you continue to design?
When you’re designing for a consumer, your designs have to be tailored to them. I didn’t think of the consumer at all at first since I am the only person who wears everything I make. Now, since I want to start my own brand it definitely have like tremendously and just like my way of thinking, what would
Why was is important for you to participate in the No 1 Way Design Program?
I went to the FAAS Studio Instagram page and saw the designs Ms. Angela and her students were making. And I was like, Oh my goodness, like, this is like the stuff that I want to be making. I wanted to take her class ever since I learned about her work. The opportunity to create at FAAS and the amount of things that I’ve learned, has changed my way of thinking when it comes to design.
Lenora Gray, Clark Atlanta University
Lenora Gray (Image: Footaction)
Why design and this design academy?!
I believe I was born with the gift with the talent to be a creative. So I’ve always known that creating was something that I wanted to do. And I think my life has really been a journey and a testament to where I am and who I am now. Coming to Portland and being exposed to different cultures and a different way of living is a form of design. It’s pushed me it’s opened my eyes and broaden my perspective on life; the way that I design; who I design for; and where I want to go in life.
What are you learning about the fundamentals that you may not have been equipped with before this opportunity?
For me, it has been about learning how to design with a purpose. Also, understanding color, marketing, and finance as a designer. What I’ve learned in the three weeks that we did online and in the two weeks that we’ve been here, I’ve not learned in school. And, this is no dig to my institution, but, we just didn’t get it. You can truly see that there’s a difference in working in the industry and teaching how to work in the industry.
Nache Davis, Clark Atlanta University
Nache Davis Image: Footaction)
Tell us more about your passion for fashion!
I went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York. I’ve always been into the arts, but I’ve always had a love for fashion. Ironically, my mother worked at the Fashion Institute of Technology–so I got to take their Saturday live classes while I was in high school. And that really gave me the basic skills I needed to know how to sew how to fashion illustrate.
You’ve traveled the world pursuing design and when this opportunity came about with Footaction and PENSOLE, you were willing to leave your full-time job to take a leap of faith. How were you able to decide on which direction to go in?
Angela has been an amazing mentor. When this opportunity came about, there was a lot of fear that came along with it. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to keep my job and also pursue this opportunity. I consulted with Angela because I felt like this opportunity can really catapult my career. She advised me to talk my manager. I had a conversation with my director, and she is truly supportive. We figured out a plan for me to b in Portland and still be able to work but also be fully immersed in this opportunity.
Sharonda Richardson, Clark Atlanta University
Sharonda Richardshon (Image: Footaction)
You’ve traveled across the world from Scotland while studying abroad for this opportunity. What has you’re experience been like thus far?
I’m a bridal information designer and I want to be able to implement the functional attributes that we have learned here. Attributes like how to make your attire functional and versatile in bridal products are in formal wear products so that they’re not just pretty; but they also have a reason to be. I’ve also learned a lot about myself. I’m very sensitive about my design process. I’m not opposed to critiques but it’s often hard for me to receive them. So, I’ve learned a lot about how the industry works and how you’re going to have to get over yourself.
What would winning this competition mean for you?
There’s really no way to explain the opportunities that come out of something like that. And I just want to be, I just want to prove like my family, right? I started out going to school for biology, something more practical. In taking a leap of faith by going into design I just want to show them that I made the right choice.
Related: 6 Black Fashion Labels to Know, Celebrate, and Support
You can always find top talent at HBCUs
There’s no fashion show like the ones that happen every day on the quads of historically black colleges and universities. They styles are unique to the culture of the campus, and they typically will inspire you to step up your game and try something new.
Interesting enough, only 8 out of the 101 HBCUs have fashion design schools. Yet there are many students who have a passion for fashion. To that point, Footaction understands that there is no one way into the industry. Hence, the significance of the academy.
“There’s a ton of talent out there. We want to bring some of those talents to the forefront. They’re the consumer and they continue to push the culture forward. HBCUs are a sharp point in terms of a consumer base or a student base. I think it makes complete sense in terms of what it is we’re trying to do from a shared purpose and vision standpoint; whether it be from Footaction or PENSOLE,” McLeod adds.
He went on to say, “What they’re (PENSOLE x FAAS) is trying to instill in the students is what the real world looks like when it comes to design. And with that comes a number of things that they may not necessarily have ever learned within the current structure of their school. So it’s about preparing them for corporate opportunities; opportunities for them to go on as an entrepreneur; and give them the life skills, as well as the design skills to help them succeed later on in their careers whether they choose to do this or not.”
Stay tuned to learn more about the founder of PENSOLE as FAAS Studio.
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This Chief Brand Officer Says Stop Feeling Guilty About Being an Ambitious Woman
As BLACK ENTERPRISE gears up for the 15th anniversary of our Women of Power Summit, we’re talking to the real women getting it done every day about the ways they claim, wield, and restore their power for our new series: Portraits of Power.
Portrait of Power: Joy Altimare
Title: Chief Engagement and Brand Officer
Employer: EHE Health, a 105-year-old preventative healthcare company
Backstory: Tennessee native with Jamaican roots; only child from large extended family; started in advertising; became a mom at 38, entered the C-suite at 41; Rosa Parks is her shero but Oprah is her BFF (in her head)
Her big bulging success: Altimare interviewed for a role at a startup when she was 8 months pregnant—and got the job!
What’s the best part of your current role? The ability to work in an agile environment across the entire organization. Being the Chief Engagement and Brand Officer means that I have responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, marketing. I am truly interested in how our customers and patients interact with our brand, products and services. I am not just interested in conversions, I’m interested in the conversations we’re having with each stakeholder. I’m looking beyond the transaction toward the engagement. I love that ability to go macro and micro in this role.
Has your career been shaped more by strategy or spontaneity? A bit of both—I have always wanted to be a marketer. Not sure if I planned on being a CMO, but I wanted to be a change agent who could also be compassionate and empathetic [and] open to a path that was a bit winding.
What’s the most significant decision you’ve made, and how intentional was it? I was very intentional about not having kids until I’d reached a certain flexibility within my career.
Best career decision you ever made? To remove guilt for being an ambitious woman in both my professional and personal life.
What’s been your hardest decision? Sometimes you have to remove yourself from toxic situations and people—that’s been hard. Sometimes you have to disassociate yourself with dream-stealers or angry people. It will begin to feed into your spirit and, when you want to soar, you cannot be heavy with other people’s doubts, distrust and negativity.
What is your process for making big decisions and how has it evolved? I’m in this game not just to be productive today but to have longevity and positive generational impact. So, when I’m faced with a big decision, I ask what does it mean for me, my family, but also my future grandchildren and their children. It’s so important to view life through that lens so that you can thrive, not just survive.
What’s the greatest obstacle you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it? Growing up in the South, I was often told that it was more important to be a lady who was liked, not heard, and who supported the lead of the man in her life. While I value partnership and marriage, as a 5’10”, self-aware and confident black woman, I do have a mind and a voice, both of which I like to use often. So, I have to constantly remind myself that it’s OK that people may not like me, what I say or how I say it. They may not like how I dress or look and they may even have a problem with me “being in the room,” but my ambition is to be respected and valued as a competent contributor to the team. Being liked is not my end game.
What advice would you give your 25-year-old self? Be present, lean into your life, and speak up for yourself.
Best advice you ever got? From my dad: “You better like yourself, not just love yourself, because you take yourself wherever you go.”
Proudest accomplishment? My favorite person, my 5-year-old daughter, Ella Helene. She’s named after my first favorite person, my grandmother—Ella Geneva.
Biggest disappointment? I don’t live in disappointments—in every defect, there’s a gem. It’s an opportunity to learn a lesson, or make a new friend or to take a step toward the right direction.
What you’re learning now? Everything. Literally. I’m learning the fundamentals of coding, which is like unlocking a whole new world. I am also learning a little Mandarin as I listen to my daughter’s tutoring lessons.
Do you believe in luck? Nope, I believe that I’m blessed to be prepared for when the opportunity presents itself so I can seize it.
Are you Type A? B? C? Definitely type A. Definitely.
How do you wind down? A glass of wine and some really good jazz or classic R&B.
What’s your biggest wellness challenge? I’ve managed to figure out the daily fitness (running home from dropping my daughter off to school) but I really love acupuncture and massages and I don’t do them as religiously as I used to before Ella was born. Well being is not just about fitness and nutrition—the cognitive piece is essential to creating positive lifestyle and behavior choices, so I need to double-down on finding time to include that part in my life.
Favorite self-care fix? Weekly facials.
Best stress management hack? Weekly Neti pot sessions—it really is a de-stressor, especially if you travel often or live in a congested city like NYC.
Who/what keeps you whole? I’m a Believer, so, 100% my relationship with Christ is what keeps me stable, sane and secure.
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Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King give advice on how to handle the holidays
The holidays are upon us, which means many of us get to spend significant time with our families. If this thought brings angst, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are here to help.
The women got together for another episode of OprahMag.com’s series, OG Chronicles, and helped us sort through how to handle unwanted gifts from people we love, the best way to thwart awkward political discourse at the dinner table, how couples can settle where they’re spending the holidays, and when parents should let the babies know the truth about Santa.
In the video, these OG’s read viewer letters and then dish their sage advice. Often, they agree. But sometimes they don’t.
For example, when one wife wrote in about her husband’s “terrible” gift-giving choices and requested advice on the best way to let him know she doesn’t like or need his gifts, it was clear Gayle felt bad for the hubby.
“That’s hard because the husband is probably very proud of what he’s done… I don’t know, I don’t want to break his heart either,” Gayle says. “I think you just accept it with grace.”
Oprah said nope.
“No, I don’t think you have to do that. You say, ‘Honey, I think we’ve reached a point where we have everything we need and we really don’t have to exchange gifts anymore,” Oprah said in the video.
Gayle started laughing that knowing her girl laugh, as Oprah continues: “That’s what we did in our house… I had the same issue.
“I was going to say, are you talking from personal experience?” Gayle says, still laughing.
READ MORE: Gayle King recalls the best surprise her BFF, Oprah Winfrey, ever gave her
And Oprah told the newly married letter writer who wanted to know how to settle where she and her spouse go for the holidays, that they should spend Thanksgiving with one of their families and then do Christmas with the other side, and then switch it up the following year.
Sounds equitable and wise to me.
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Thursday, December 5, 2019
R. Kelly charged with bribing official for fake ID to marry Aaliyah when she was 15
It looks like music fans may finally get an answer to a long-winded question about R. Kelly and Aaliyah. For years, folks have wondered how the singer managed to marry his protege in 1994 when she was just 15 years old.
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According to the New York Times, the Grammy winner has been accused of bribing an Illinois government employee on August 30, 1994 in order to obtain a fake ID for the underaged girl so he could marry her. Sources told the outlet that the ID was used to obtain a marriage license that listed her age as 18. The marriage was eventually annulled.
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During an interview with Good Morning America, Kelly’s attorney Steven Greenberg claimed that the singer had no idea Aaliyah was underage when they wed. (Which seems crazy, considering he produced her debut album entitled Age Ain’t Nothin But a Number.)
“My understanding is that she did not claim to be 15, and in order to get married, she had to lie about her age,” Greenberg said at the time.
R. Kelly’s girlfriend Joycelyn Savage says Patreon page is fake
On Thursday, the lawyer suggested that the new indictment “does not appear to materially alter the landscape.”
R. Kelly is already facing federal charges for racketeering and has been charged in several other jurisdictions for sexual abuse.
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Issa Rae will write, produce, and star in ‘Perfect Strangers’
Issa Rae is one busy lady and it looks like the latest addition to her growing resume will include yet ANOTHER remake of sorts.
According to reports, the Insecure star has signed on to write, produce, and star in the upcoming comedy flick, Perfect Strangers. The film is an adaptation of the award-winning Italian film Perfetti Sconociuti, directed by Paolo Genovese in 2016.
Via Deadline:
The plot centers around a dinner party where a group of friends decide to play a risky game where they place their phones face-up on the table and agree to make all texts and phone calls public in an attempt to prove they have nothing to hide. The comedy about friendship, love and betrayal forces the friends to confront and discover they may actually be “perfect strangers.”
Vivica Fox has advice for Issa Rae on news of ‘Set It Off’ remix: ‘It’s a classic, leave it alone’
This isn’t the only remake Rae is tackling these days. In September, news broke that she is developing a reimagining of the 1996 hit, Set It Off.
The original film that starred Kimberly Elise, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Jada Pinkett Smith is considered a classic and some folks didn’t take too kindly to the idea of a reboot.
Issa Rae launches new record label ‘Raedio’ with Atlantic Records
Fox, who played bank teller, Frankie, was unapologetic in her criticism when she told ET Live‘s Melicia Johnson that there is no need to reimagine the crime thriller during an interview last month.
“It’s a classic, leave it alone,” Fox said.
“There’s absolutely no reason to try to redo it. It’s been done, and we did it so well, that people are absolutely going to compare it to that and I think that’s her taking on a tremendous chore because that film has become a cult classic and some things are just better left.”
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Yara Shahidi channels Beyonce and teases baby news in ‘Grownish’ trailer
It looks like fans of Grownish are in for some sweet surprises when the show that stars Yara Shahidi returns to Freeform for a third season.
In the first full-length trailer for the upcoming season, we see Shahidi serve her best Beyonce swag in an outfit emulating the outfit she wore at the epic Beychella performance. She’s flanked by her homies, (played by Chloe and Halle Bailey) and we can’t wait to see what that’s all about.
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A couple weeks back, the show released a teaser that seemed to suggest that someone will have baby on board.
new semester. first trimester. whose is it?
don’t miss the @grownish season 3 premiere thursday, january 16th at 8/7c on @freeformtv. pic.twitter.com/T4hMYvvqdd
— grown-ish (@grownish) November 25, 2019
We have no idea who will be facing parenthood this season, but considering Ryan Destiny has signed on as a series regular, the possibilities are endless.
Check out the trailer:
The star-studded cast of the black-ish spin-off that follows Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) popular, entitled, stylish and socially active daughter from black-ish, in college includes Trevor Jackson, Jordan Buhat, Emily Arlook, Francia Raisa, Diggy Simmons, Luka Sabbat, and Deon Cole.
No word on when season 3 of Grownish will hit Freeform, but we’ll keep you posted.
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Viola Davis shows off her comedic skills in ‘Troop Zero’ trailer
Viola Davis has proven time and again that when it comes to delivering the drama, she’s a force to be reckoned with and now she’s ready to show off her funny bone.
In the just-released trailer for Troop Zero, we see her comedy skills on full display and it’s not to be missed.
The flick that first showed at last year’s Sundance Film Festival also stars Mckenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Edi Patterson, and Charlie Shotwell.
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Peep the official description:
In a tiny Georgia town in 1977, a motherless girl dreams of life beyond the confines of her trailer-park home in Troop Zero. When her quest for connection leads her to reach for the stars in a competition to be included on NASA’s landmark Golden Record, it becomes clear she will have to depend on some new friends to take her the last mile. Every night, Christmas Flint (Mckenna Grace) sits under a starry sky with a flashlight, signaling to extraterrestrial visitors that never arrive. Sensitive, imaginative and deeply lonely, Christmas and her equally eccentric best friend Joseph are the ultimate misfits in their rural hometown of Wiggly, Georgia. When Christmas learns that the winners of the annual Birdie Scout Jamboree talent contest will be included on a recording to be sent into space for posterity, her mission in life becomes to join the Scouts and win Jamboree. When she is blackballed by the snobbish local Birdie Scout troop and their uptight leader Miss Massey (Allison Janney), Christmas rallies a group of elementary-school outliers to start their own chapter. With grudging help from her dad’s irascible office manager, Miss Rayleen (Viola Davis), Christmas and her crew have to bypass every roadblock Miss Massey can find in the fine print of the Birdie bylaws in order to reach the Jamboree and their chance at immortality. From Christmas’ solitary late-night vigils to a final show-stopping musical performance, Troop Zero is an endearing and magical tale set against a backdrop of beloved hits of the ’70s, as Christmas forges friendships that will change her life and help her find a real family.
Check out the trailer:
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Understanding the impact of deep-sea mining
Resting atop Thomas Peacock’s desk is an ordinary-looking brown rock. Roughly the size of a potato, it has been at the center of decades of debate. Known as a polymetallic nodule, it spent 10 million years sitting on the deep seabed, 15,000 feet below sea level. The nodule contains nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese — four minerals that are essential in energy storage.
“As society moves toward driving more electric vehicles and utilizing renewable energy, there will be an increased demand for these minerals, to manufacture the batteries necessary to decarbonize the economy,” says Peacock, a professor of mechanical engineering and the director of MIT’s Environmental Dynamics Lab (END Lab). He is part of an international team of researchers that has been trying to gain a better understanding the environmental impact of collecting polymetallic nodules, a process known as deep-sea mining.
The minerals found in the nodules, particularly cobalt and nickel, are key components of lithium-ion batteries. Currently, lithium-ion batteries offer the best energy density of any commercially available battery. This high energy density makes them ideal for use in everything from cellphones to electric vehicles, which require large amounts of energy within a compact space.
“Those two elements are expected to see a tremendous growth in demand due to energy storage,” says Richard Roth, director of MIT’s Materials Systems Laboratory.
While researchers are exploring alternative battery technologies such as sodium-ion batteries and flow batteries that utilize electrochemical cells, these technologies are far from commercialization.
“Few people expect any of these lithium-ion alternatives to be available in the next decade,” explains Roth. “Waiting for unknown future battery chemistries and technologies could significantly delay widespread adoption of electric vehicles.”
Vast amounts of specialty nickel will be also needed to build larger-scale batteries that will be required as societies look to shift from an electric grid powered by fossil fuels to one powered by renewable resources like solar, wind, wave, and thermal.
“The collection of nodules from the seabed is being considered as a new means for getting these materials, but before doing so it is imperative to fully understand the environmental impact of mining resources from the deep ocean and compare it to the environmental impact of mining resources on land,” explains Peacock.
After receiving seed funding from MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI), Peacock was able to apply his expertise in fluid dynamics to study how deep-sea mining could affect surrounding ecosystems.
Meeting the demand for energy storage
Currently, nickel and cobalt are extracted through land-based mining operations. Much of this mining occurs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which produces 60 percent of the world’s cobalt. These land-based mines often impact surrounding environments through the destruction of habitats, erosion, and soil and water contamination. There are also concerns that land-based mining, especially in politically unstable countries, might not be able to supply enough of these materials as the demand for batteries rises.
The swath of ocean located between Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States — also known as the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone — is estimated to possess six times more cobalt and three times more nickel than all known land-based stores, as well as vast deposits of manganese and a substantial amount of copper.
While the seabed is abundant with these materials, little is known about the short- and long-term environmental effects of mining 15,000 feet below sea level. Peacock and his collaborator Professor Matthew Alford from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of California at San Diego are leading the quest to understand how the sediment plumes generated by the collection of nodules from the seabed will be carried by water currents.
“The key question is, if we decide to make a plume at site A, how far does it spread before eventually raining down on the sea floor?” explains Alford. “That ability to map the geography of the impact of sea floor mining is a crucial unknown right now.”
The research Peacock and Alford are conducting will help inform stakeholders about the potential environmental effects of deep-sea mining. One pressing matter is that draft exploitation regulations for deep-sea mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction are currently being negotiated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), an independent organization established by the United Nations that regulates all mining activities on the sea floor. Peacock and Alford’s research will help guide the development of environmental standards and guidelines to be issued under those regulations.
“We have a unique opportunity to help regulators and other concerned parties to assess draft regulations using our data and modeling, before operations start and we regret the impact of our activity,” says Carlos Munoz Royo, a PhD student in MIT’s END Lab.
Tracking plumes in the water
In deep-sea mining, a collector vehicle would be deployed from a ship. The collector vehicle then travels 15,000 feet down to the seabed, where it vacuums up the top four inches of the seabed. This process creates a plume known as a collector plume.
“As the collector moves across the seabed floor, it stirs up sediment and creates a sediment cloud, or plume, that’s carried away and distributed by ocean currents,” explains Peacock.
The collector vehicle picks up the nodules, which are pumped through a pipe back to the ship. On the ship, usable nodules are separated from unwanted sediment. That sediment is piped back into the ocean, creating a second plume, known as a discharge plume.
Peacock collaborated with Pierre Lermusiaux, professor of mechanical engineering and of ocean science and engineering, and Glenn Flierl, professor of Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, to create mathematical models that predict how these two plumes travel through the water.
To test these models, Peacock set out to track actual plumes created by mining the floor of the Pacific Ocean. With funding from MIT ESI, he embarked on the first-ever field study of such plumes. He was joined by Alford and Eric Adams, senior research engineer at MIT, as well as other researchers and engineers from MIT, Scripps, and the United States Geological Survey.
With funding from the UC Ship Funds Program, the team conducted experiments in consultation with the ISA during a weeklong expedition in the Pacific Ocean aboard the U.S. Navy R/V Sally Ride in March 2018. The researchers mixed sediment with a tracer dye that they were able to track using sensors on the ship developed by Alford’s Multiscale Ocean Dynamics group. In doing so, they created a map of the plumes’ journeys.
The field experiments demonstrated that the models Peacock and Lermusiaux developed can be used to predict how plumes will travel through the water — and could help give a clearer picture of how surrounding biology might be affected.
Impact on deep-sea organisms
Life on the ocean floor moves at a glacial pace. Sediment accumulates at a rate of 1 millimeter every millennium. With such a slow rate of growth, areas disturbed by deep-sea mining would be unlikely to recover on a reasonable timescale.
“The concern is that if there is a biological community specific to the area, it might be irretrievably impacted by mining,” explains Peacock.
According to Cindy Van Dover, professor of biological oceanography at Duke University, in addition to organisms that live in or around the nodules, other organisms elsewhere in the water column could be affected as the plumes travel.
“There could be clogging of filter feeding structures of, for example, gelatinous organisms in the water column, and burial of organisms on the sediment,” she explains. “There could also be some metals that get into the water column, so there are concerns about toxicology.”
Peacock’s research on plumes could help biologists like Van Dover assess collateral damage from deep-sea mining operations in surrounding ecosystems.
Drafting regulations for mining the sea
Through connections with MIT’s Policy Lab, the Institute is one of only two research universities with observer status at the ISA.
“The plume research is very important, and MIT is helping with the experimentation and developing plume models, which is vital to inform the current work of the International Seabed Authority and its stakeholder base,” explains Chris Brown, a consultant at the ISA. Brown was one of dozens of experts who convened on MIT’s campus last fall at a workshop discussing the risks of deep-sea mining.
To date, the field research Peacock and Alford conducted is the only ocean dataset on midwater plumes that exists to help guide decision-making. The next step in understanding how plumes move through the water will be to track plumes generated by a prototype collector vehicle. Peacock and his team in the END Lab are preparing to participate in a major field study using a prototype vehicle in 2020.
Thanks to recent funding provided by the 11th Hour Project, Peacock and Lermusiaux hope to develop models that give increasingly accurate predictions about how deep-sea mining plumes will travel through the ocean. They will continue to interact with academic colleagues, international agencies, NGOs, and contractors to develop a clearer picture of deep-sea mining’s environmental impact.
“It’s important to have input from all stakeholders early in the conversation to help make informed decisions, so we can fully understand the environmental impact of mining resources from the ocean and compare it to the environmental impact of mining resources on land,” says Peacock.
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U.S. Senate Passes Amendment Mandating $255 Million in Annual Funding to HBCUs
The Senate on Thursday approved a bipartisan amendment to restore millions of dollars in federal funding to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Known as the FUTURE Act, the bill proposes a 10-year mandatory extension of $255 million in annual funding to HBCUs. It continues Title III funding for HBCUs and MSIs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, which previously expired at the end of September.
To offset costs for the bill, lawmakers would simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) financial aid application and loan repayment processes. In turn, this would save an estimated $2.8 billion. If passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed by President Trump, the bill would also allow for direct data sharing between the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Education.
According to a press release:
The bill amends both the Internal Revenue Code and the Higher Education Act to keep applicant information more secure by allowing for the direct importing of IRS tax data to the FAFSA. Direct data sharing would also streamline enrollment in and renewal of income-driven repayment (IDR) plans for borrowers by removing the need for students to self-certify their income to prove eligibility for federal IDR plans. This safeguards the integrity of the federal student aid programs without creating overly burdensome bureaucratic barriers for students who rely on these programs. The bill also takes meaningful steps to reduce verification burden, a process that remains overly complex, disproportionately affects low-income students, and is burdensome for students and aid administrators.
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) president & CEO Harry L. Williams praised elected officials for approving the bill and encouraged the House of Representatives to pass it as well without delay. “TMCF is appreciative of all of the Senators who came together, in a bipartisan way, to reaffirm the importance of and work to renew this material investment in our Nation’s post-secondary students,” he said in a press release.
Likewise, Dr. Austin A. Lane, president of Texas Southern University said, “The bipartisan support of this bill is clear validation of the value that HBCUs like Texas Southern University brings to so many first-generation college students. Thanks to the lawmakers involved, as well as the tireless support from Dr. Harry Williams and the TMCF, the passage of this bill, will help thousands of more students reach their goals – and without the financial barriers that so often get in the way.”
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R. Kelly’s girlfriend Joycelyn Savage says Patreon page is fake
Joycelyn Savage, one of R. Kelly’s live-in girlfriends, said someone else set up a Patreon account in her name and she vehemently refutes abuse claims made on the site against the singer.
In her first public comments since news broke about the Patreon page, Savage said she is still firmly in Kelly’s corner, according to a video obtained by TMZ. However, even as she defends Kelly, a judge has set a Sept. 14 court date for Kelly on four sex abuse cases, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. Prosecutors were given until Jan. 22 to release which of the four cases they would start with.
READ MORE: REPORTS: Joycelyn Savage claims R. Kelly forced her to have a surgical abortion at home
“I am truly tired of all the lies they are saying about the man we love so much and our best friend, R. Kelly,” Savage says on the video. “It has been said that I have left him and he has abused me and all kinds of nonsense. I have said before none of it is true.”
Joycelyn read her comments from her cell phone.
“It is a shame how they are treating him,” she says. “It is so wrong on so many levels, and he does not deserve this. I am not going to be a part of the assassination of R. Kelly’s name, music career, and his character.”
Joycelyn then ponders how Kelly can get a fair trial under these circumstances.
“How will we ever be able to get a fair trial anywhere in the world with all of these lies that are being told on him,” Joycelyn reads.
But if she didn’t set up the Patreon account, who did? Joycelyn blamed the phony Patreon page set up in her name, as well as another phony Instagram page, on an imposter.
“Please do not believe what you see and hear on social media. That is not my Instagram. Someone is impersonating me. I just want everyone to know we still support and will never betray him,” Savage said, referring to her and Azriel Clary, R. Kelly’s other live-in girlfriend.
“I’m just really heartbroken for all of this that is going on,” Savage added.
Patreon closed the questionable account after the company could not verify who set it up.
Gerald Griggs, the lawyer for Joycelyn’s family, said they are “saddened and disappointed” to learn that Joycelyn was not the one posting the comments to the account bearing her name.
READ MORE: R. Kelly’s lawyer says Joycelyn Savage’s claims are lies and just an attempt ‘to make money’
“We deeply desired to hear her story and in her own voice outside of the presence of Robert Sylvester Kelly or anyone associated with him. For nearly three years, Joycelyn Savage has not been able to speak outside of a controlled environment created by Mr. Kelly. Her video today was not any different,” Griggs said, according to TMZ.
Griggs added that while the Patreon and IG accounts may be fake, the allegations and child sexual abuse indictments against Kelly still stand.
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