Gabriel Mahia

Acknowledged annually on June 19, the former regional holiday provokes celebration in Black communities nationwide. Juneteenth, a portmanteau of the calendar date, is rooted in Texas and commemorates the ending of slavery. The homegrown holiday’s Southern beginnings have evolved into a day of recognition for freedom and legacy in African American communities. READ MORE: Celebrating Juneteenth is more important now than ever in Trump’s America On June 19, 1865, the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were informed of the Emancipation Proclamation two-and-a-half years after former President Abraham Lincoln signed the historical act. According to the National Museum Of African American History and Culture , approximately 2,000 troops, lead by General Gordon Grange , arrived in the southern state announcing the freedom of over 250,000 enslaved slaves. View this post on Instagram #Onthisday in 1865, enslaved African Americans were notified of ...

After almost 100 years on the market, it appears Band-Aid has suddenly realized that “flesh tone” isn’t a universal color and is coming out with a new line of differently hued products that “embrace the beauty of diverse skin.” “We hear you. We see you. We’re listening to you,” the brand wrote Wednesday in an Instagram post making the announcement about their new commitment to better match the skin tones of Black and Brown customers. READ MORE: Sephora agrees to devote 15% of shelf space to Black-owned businesses View this post on Instagram We hear you. We see you. We’re listening to you.⁣ ⁣ We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice. We are committed to taking actions to create tangible change for the Black community.⁣ ⁣ We are committed to launching a range of bandages in light, medium and deep shades of Brown and Black skin tones that embrace the beauty ...

Plus: The birth of digital maps, the timeline for self-driving cars, and a recalculation of doomsday. from Wired https://ift.tt/3hlpQLE via

Four men face life imprisonment, if found guilty, after the silverback was found dead in a national park. from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2UE7hZv via

There are many milestones a person wants to accomplish before the age of 30. Many young professionals dream of becoming successful in their field in their 20s so they can transition into the next phase of life and become more stable. One Ghanian woman became the youngest woman in the country to launch her own accredited college. Twenty-eight-year old entrepreneur and business coach Caroline Esinam Adzogble is the youngest woman not only in Ghana but in all of Africa to launch her very own accredited international college, Potters International College based out of Accra, Ghana . She started the educational institution in 2016 at the age of 22. Her goal was to create a place that could offer career training programs to current working professionals and students for jobs in the tech field. Adzogble was still studying business administration and computer science in college when she initially launched the school in 2012 as an IT training institution. Adzogble is also the founder of IA...

Ultrahigh-energy neutrinos could help scientists unravel some of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics—and the best place to find them may be the South Pole. from Wired https://ift.tt/2BV4EMh via

In some ways things are getting harder, not easier, as shelter-in-place orders lift worldwide. On this week's episode, we tackle tough new corona-questions. from Wired https://ift.tt/2UynBeg via

The Software Guard eXtension is supposed to protect encryption keys and other sensitive data. But this isn't the first time it's been defeated. from Wired https://ift.tt/3horaNM via

A new survey shows that a hefty 64% of African Americans workers believe that their workplace struggles with racism and discrimination. That belief among black Americans is much higher than the 44% of Americans overall who think racism and discrimination is an issue where they work but well below the 76% of Americans as a whole who think that racism and discrimination is an issue at U.S. workplaces in general. The ratings and review firm Clutch surveyed 755 workers across the nation in early June and learned that 62% back the non-violent protest following the death of George Floyd . Data from the Clutch 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Survey further revealed that businesses should not be scared to approach issues like racism, diversity, and inclusion publicly and privately. African Americans are more likely to think their company should address the issues that blossomed from the protests. Some 59% expect their company to respond to Floyd’s death and resulting protests. Around 61% ...

For those of us with vulnerable loved ones, the risks of Covid-19 seem more dangerous than ever—with no end in sight. from Wired https://ift.tt/2XSNffV via

From a pizza oven to a hand coffee grinder, we've got lots of ideas for how to show appreciation for your father figures. from Wired https://ift.tt/3dXmGLY via

Software programs adopted during the Covid-19 crisis make it easier to complete forms and track requests. It saves work, but could cost jobs. from Wired https://ift.tt/2AsLEo9 via

The so-called lamphone technique allows for real-time listening in on a room that's hundreds of feet away. from Wired https://ift.tt/3cVNCuj via

'The Last of Us' was the quintessential dad game. Its sequel is destined to be the archetype of something else: the daughter game. from Wired https://ift.tt/2XRVEAe via

Michael Sang Correa, found working in Denver, is accused of torturing opponents of ex-President Jammeh. from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2MUoAB6 via

Lamine Diack says he slowed the handling of Russian doping cases between 2011-2013 "for the financial health" of the organisation. from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2B4gKCj via

A group of Chicago police officers are under fire after being caught on camera lounging in the burglarized office of a U.S. congressman, amid civil unrest in the city.  The incident took place around 1:00am on June 1, during protests over the death of George Floyd , who was killed by a former Minneapolis police officer late last month. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide and international demonstrations over race relations and police brutality.  Three supervisors and 10 other officers were captured on surveillance “having a little hangout for themselves, while small businesses on the South Side were looted and burned,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. READ MORE:  Gov. Newsom pushes for ‘reimagining’ law enforcement amid calls for defunding police As many as 13 Chicago police officers broke into Rep. Bobby Rush’s Chicago campaign offices to lounge on chairs, drink coffee and make popcorn while looters vandalized nearby businesses in ...

Several doctors in the country say Covid-19 is spreading fast despite the government's claims to the contrary. from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2XU8Pk7 via

Nearly three dozen Democrats are calling for the immediate end to the use of Federal surveillance planes flying over protest cities.  Several government spy planes have reportedly been spotted in Washington , Minneapolis and Las Vegas , monitoring Americans protesting the police killing of George Floyd , according to CNN . A small Cessna Citation jet is one of several aircrafts, both piloted and unpiloted, that have been tracked by the outlet. Lawmakers are demanding to know whether the planes were used for “surveilling of Americans engaged in peaceful protests.” READ MORE:  Gov. Newsom pushes for ‘reimagining’ law enforcement amid calls for defunding police A protester wearing a face mask and a glove holds a placard during the demonstration against the police brutality and to demand justice following the summary killing of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis. (Photo by Adam DelGiudice/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Witnesses with a military background ...

Here’s some good news for U.S. states trying to spur an economic recovery in the years ahead: The R&D tax credit has a significant effect on entrepreneurship, according to a new study led by an MIT professor.  Moreover, the study finds a striking contrast between two types of tax credits. While the R&D tax credit fuels high-quality new-firm growth, the state-level investment tax credit, which supports general business needs, actually has a slightly negative economic effect on that kind of innovative activity. The underlying reason for the difference, the study’s authors believe, is that R&D tax credits, which are for innovative research and development, help ambitious startup firms flourish. But when states are simply granting investment tax credits, allowing long-established firms to expand, they are supporting businesses with less growth ahead of them, and thus not placing winning policy bets over time.  “What we see is an improvement in the environment for en...

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Wednesday that at least seven officers have been relieved of their field duties for using excessive force during protests over the death of George Floyd .  The move comes amid national criticism of police brutality and the violent response from members of several law enforcement agencies to demonstrators advocating for police reform. “The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate allegations of misconduct, violations of Department policy, and excessive force during the recent civil unrest,” the department said in a statement, CNN reports. “Seven employees have been assigned to non-field duties due to improper actions during the protests.” READ MORE: Players send video message to NFL about racial inequality Police assault on senior in Buffalo during protest (Screenshot from viral video) Police across the nation are catching heat for using tear gas, rubber bullets and brute force during the civil unrest that has...

The Recording Academy has announced several changes to the rules and guidelines for the 63rd Grammys, set to take place on January 31st 2021. Among the nine key changes to its awards and nomination process is the renaming of the “Best Urban Contemporary Album” category to “Best Progressive R&B Album,” Billboard reports. The move comes after several Black executives and artists such as Erykah Badu and Tyler the Creator called out the organization over the antiquated  “Urban” word being used to describe Black music. The “Best Urban Contemporary Album” category was added into the Grammys in 2012, and it has since been the subject of debate and criticism, with many deeming it racist and incentive. READ MORE: Alicia Keys tells Ellen DeGeneres she had mere minutes to prepare for Kobe Bryant tribute at the Grammys Major changes have been made to several rules and guidelines that reflect the ongoing commitment to evolve with the musical landscape and to ensure that the...

City officials in Louisville , Kentucky have passed a measure called Breonna’s Law that bans the use of no-knock warrants. It was named in honor of Breonna Taylor , who was killed at her boyfriend Kenneth Walker ‘s home in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13 during a botched drug raid, theGrio previously reported. The 26-year-old, who worked at two local hospitals, was shot eight times as police were serving a search warrant related to a narcotics investigation. “All Breonna wanted to do was save lives,” Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer , told city council members before the vote, according to The Courier-Journal . “So it’s important this law passes, because with that, she’ll get to continue to do that, even in her death.” READ MORE:  Louisville detective who got no-knock search warrant for Breonna Taylor reassigned After the 26-0 vote Thursday. District 1 Councilwoman Jessica Green  said “This is probably the proudest moment I have had as a member of this council, ...

Though the NFL has come out openly in support of Black Lives Matter in an unprecedented video, and announced today that they would contribute $250M to a fund to address racial inequities, New Orleans Saints star Malcolm Jenkins says it means little until the league apologizes to Colin Kaepernick. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/5knqHCExSp — NFL (@NFL) June 11, 2020 READ MORE:  The NFL says they were wrong about anthem protests He appeared on CBS This Morning to say that while the league has made some strides in acknowledging they were wrong about NFL anthem protests that league commissioner Roger Goodell didn’t explicitly state his support for Kaepernick in the video. “I still don’t think they’ve gotten it right. Until they apologize specifically to Colin Kaepernick, or sign him to a team, I don’t think they will end up on the right side of history,” Jenkins told CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King. “At the end of the day, they’ve listened to their players, they’ve do...

The company's June E3-like online event was filled with trailers and teasers galore. Here’s everything we learned. from Wired https://ift.tt/37koYT6 via

Standing by its commitment to provide equitable and open access to scholarship, MIT has ended negotiations with Elsevier for a new journals contract. Elsevier was not able to present a proposal that aligned with the principles of the  MIT Framework for Publisher Contracts .  Developed by the MIT Libraries in collaboration with the  Ad Hoc Task Force on Open Access to MIT’s Research and the  Committee on the Library System  in October 2019, the MIT Framework is grounded in the conviction that openly sharing research and educational materials is key to the Institute’s mission of advancing knowledge and bringing that knowledge to bear on the world’s greatest challenges. It affirms the overarching principle that control of scholarship and its dissemination should reside with scholars and their institutions, and aims to ensure that scholarly research outputs are openly and equitably available to the broadest possible audience, while also providing valued services t...