Gabe's Musings

Monday, June 15, 2020

‘Insecure’ episode 10 recap: It was always about Issa and Molly’s unbreakable bond

*wall slides about the baby news we all just received*

…But we’ll get back to that later. For now, let’s enjoy Lawrence and Issa being booed up and somewhat happy. That happiness looked and felt one-sided. Lawrence seemed like he was looking for an exit strategy, especially when he mentioned getting the job to Issa and asking her immediately if distance was a deal-breaker. It wasn’t and he was relieved and concerned at the same time. We knew something was up, but Issa didn’t seem to pick up on it.

Issa is at a point in her life where she’s having to think about her future and about her friendships because she’s in the market for new friends without Molly by her side anymore. Issa wants so badly to hitch her wagon back on to Lawrence, the relationship she’s used to, but it’s got a new mature twist. If only poor Issa knew that Lawrence had huge plot twist for their new/old relationship. But before we get into that, let’s get into Molly losing Andrew.

We knew it was coming. Even in this episode, Andrew’s still dragging around things he can’t say to Molly because Molly doesn’t know how to ingest feedback around her personality. Time and time again within Molly and Andrew’s relationship, Molly wants it her way or no way and can’t see that she’s behaving like this. And in the midst of Andrew finally sharing with Molly that she’s selfish in their relationship, they’re interrupted by Molly’s priorities, her friends. Andrew had to be back at Molly’s with his blood boiling. Molly mollied all over that relationship, so the end was inevitable.

Alexander Hodge and Yvonne Orji are pictured in season 4, episode 10 of Insecure. (Credit: HBO)

Side note, it’s nice to see that Issa and Nathan are trying this whole platonic friendship thing. And honestly, Nathan’s being a supportive friend, which is something our girl Issa needs. But these too have crossed the line already. Once they’ve crossed that line, is it hard to keep from stepping over it again? Maybe. Issa’s definitely going to need Nathan’s shoulder and light eyes to lean on later. He was right about Lawrence being sometimey. I hope we’re in the room when he finds out about Lawrence’s baby mama drama.

That was a long side note. Anyway, back to the finale at hand. Me and my homegirls were upset about a lot of things in this finale. We only have 27 minutes and 46 seconds and they’ve got us searching for a missing Tiffany, bringing all the troops back together again, which brings Molly and Issa back face-to-face for a larger issue outside of themselves and bigger than their broken friendship. You can tell they still have a lot of tension between them.

In looking for Tiffany, Insecure is boldly adding discussions around postpartum, so you can’t actually be mad, but we had no time to be distracted from the issue at hand: Lawrence and Condola. And their derail goes deep because they gave us precious quality time with Kelli. There’s no complaints when we have extra Kelli.

Amanda Seales is pictured in season 4, episode 10 of Insecure. (Credit: HBO)

So finally, we get to the reason why Condola kept calling and asking Lawrence to talk. Unto Condola a child will be born and my homegirls and I are thoroughly upset. Even though many of us guessed that Lawrence would put Issa smack dab in the middle of a Mary J. Blige album.

And now we know why Lawrence was acting so weird when he told Issa about the job. He wanted her to be the reason they broke up and maybe didn’t want to reveal the information about his child with Condola just yet. That seems like an old Lawrence thing to do. But in the spirit of their new honesty with one another, Lawrence broke it to Issa, who was rightfully devastated.

Issa Rae and Jay Ellis are pictured in season 4, episode 10 of Insecure. (Credit: HBO)

Condola honestly means no harm and she doesn’t even need Lawrence. *sings in the style of Mary J. Blige in sunglasses* “She said it’s your child and it really messed me up…” It’s ok, Issa. You know what’s always there to comfort you? Weed. And a true friend.

Enter: Issa and Molly sitting across from each other at their favorite Ethiopian restaurant. This is the same spot we met the two besties at during the first season and also the scene of the crime this season where Issa pulled up, saw Molly and peeled out. The conversation and through thick and thin that we were looking for all season to show up between the two, finally showed up…now that both of them are big single and sad. Maybe that’s the actual love story we’re supposed to be most focused on–a healthy, tried and true Black woman bond that could stand the test of time and even a breakup? Either way, I am salivating for the next season, but because of the ‘Rona, it may be later than sooner and I hate it here. Until next season!

Danielle Young is the content queen and the queen of commentary. Everything she touches digitally turns to gold. You can’t tell her nothing because Prince (the Prince) once called her work, “excellence.” Catch her genius on #RealQuick.

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NFL Will Observe Juneteenth as Official League Holiday

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in an internal memo to staff, announced that the league will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, as an official holiday and the league’s offices will be closed that day.

“This year, as we work together as a family and in our communities to combat the racial injustices that remain deeply rooted into the fabric of our society, the NFL will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19th as a recognized holiday and our league offices will be closed,” Goodell wrote in the memo. “It is a day to reflect on our past, but more importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future.”

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and marks the anniversary when Union soldiers went to Galveston, Texas, and announced that slavery had ended and that the Civil War was over on June 19, 1865.

Below is the memo sent from Goodell:

“Dear NFL Colleagues:

“Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19th, commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. Though the Emancipation Proclamation, made effective by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863 declared that all persons held as slaves be freed, slavery persisted throughout the course of the Civil War. It was not until two and a half years later, on June 19th 1865, when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas and declared the war to be over, that all of those enslaved became free.

“The power of this historical feat in our country’s blemished history is felt each year, but there is no question that the magnitude of this event weighs even more heavily today in the current climate. Juneteenth not only marks the end of slavery in the United States, but it also symbolizes freedom – a freedom that was delayed, and brutally resisted; and though decades of progress followed, a freedom for which we must continue to fight.

“This year, as we work together as a family and in our communities to combat the racial injustices that remain deeply rooted into the fabric of our society, the NFL will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19th as a recognized holiday and our league offices will be closed. It is a day to reflect on our past, but more importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future.

The NFL had just recently announced it was committing $250 million over a 10-year period to a fund to combat systemic racism and support the battle against injustices faced by African Americans.

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SCOTUS rules gay workers protected from job discrimination

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment, a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court.

The court decided by a 6-3 vote that a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 known as Title VII that bars job discrimination because of sex, among other reasons, encompasses bias against LGBT workers.

“An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court.

Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas dissented.

The outcome is expected to have a big impact for the estimated 8.1 million LGBT workers across the country because most states don’t protect them from workplace discrimination. An estimated 11.3 million LGBT people live in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA law school.

The cases were the court’s first on LGBT rights since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement and replacement by Kavanaugh. Kennedy was a voice for gay rights and the author of the landmark ruling in 2015 that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the United States. Kavanaugh generally is regarded as more conservative.

The Trump administration had changed course from the Obama administration, which supported LGBT workers in their discrimination claims under Title VII.

During the Obama years, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had changed its longstanding interpretation of civil rights law to include discrimination against LGBT people. The law prohibits discrimination because of sex, but has no specific protection for sexual orientation or gender identity.

In recent years, some lower courts have held that discrimination against LGBT people is a subset of sex discrimination, and thus prohibited by the federal law.

Justices of the US Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on November 30, 2018. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Efforts by Congress to change the law have so far failed.

The Supreme Court cases involved two gay men and a transgender woman who sued for employment discrimination after they lost their jobs.

The federal appeals court in New York ruled in favor of a gay skydiving instructor who claimed he was fired because of his sexual orientation. The full 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 10-3 that it was abandoning its earlier holding that Title VII didn’t cover sexual orientation because “legal doctrine evolves.” The court held that “sexual orientation discrimination is motivated, at least in part, by sex and is thus a subset of sex discrimination.”

That ruling was a victory for the relatives of Donald Zarda, who was fired in 2010 from a skydiving job in Central Islip, New York, that required him to strap himself tightly to clients so they could jump in tandem from an airplane. He tried to put a woman with whom he was jumping at ease by explaining that he was gay. The school fired Zarda after the woman’s boyfriend called to complain.

Zarda died in a wingsuit accident in Switzerland in 2014.

In a case from Georgia, the federal appeals court in Atlanta ruled against Gerald Bostock, a gay employee of Clayton County, in the Atlanta suburbs. Bostock claimed he was fired in 2013 because he is gay. The county argues that Bostock was let go because of the results of an audit of funds he managed.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Bostock’s claim in a three-page opinion that noted the court was bound by a 1979 decision that held “discharge for homosexuality is not prohibited by Title VII.”

Aimee Stephens lost her job as a funeral director in the Detroit area after she revealed to her boss that she had struggled with gender most of her life and had, at long last, “decided to become the person that my mind already is.” Stephens told funeral home owner Thomas Rost that following a vacation, she would report to work wearing a conservative skirt suit or dress that Rost required for women who worked at his three funeral homes. Rost fired Stephens.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio, ruled that the firing constituted sex discrimination under federal law.

Stephens died last month.

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Pregnant South African woman found hanging from a tree

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strong words following a number of homicides in his country involving female victims. The leader noted that there have been several deaths in the nation after authorities lifted restrictions set in place during coronavirus pandemic.

“Gender-based violence thrives in a climate of silence,” Ramaphosa said, “With our silence, by looking the other way because we believe it is a personal or family matter, we become complicit in this most insidious of crimes.”

The South African President has been the subject of boycotts and calls for justice after two women were found murdered. One, Tshegofatso Pule, was pregnant and hung from a tree.

“The manner in which these defenceless (sic) women were killed points to an unconscionable level of barbarism and lack of humanity,” the president said in a statement according to the BBC.com.

“We note with disgust that at a time when the country is facing the gravest of threats from the [coronavirus] pandemic, violent men are taking advantage of the eased restrictions on movement to attack women and children.”

The president stated that he is planning to meet with community leaders to address the increase in crime.

“We need to understand what factors are fueling this terrible trend and, as society as a whole, address them urgently,” he said, “For public faith in the criminal justice system to be maintained, gender-based violence needs to be treated with the urgency it deserves by our communities working together with our police.”

South Africa had just over 70,000 cases of coronavirus and over 1,400 deaths. The pandemic led to a strict government lockdown, including a ban on alcohol meant to lessen domestic violence.

In fact, South Africa’s strict lockdown even included a ban on dog-walking which drew complaints. The African nation has one of the best health care systems on the continent, and the country was the site of one of the harshest lockdowns in the world.

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White Atlanta Police Officer Fired After Shooting a Black Man, Rayshard Brooks, in the Back

After fatally shooting a black man in the back over the weekend, an Atlanta police officer was fired early Sunday, according to CBS News. The police killing has added to the current unrest and protests over police killings of black people.

The victim was identified as 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks. He was fatally shot in the back by police at a Wendy’s drive-thru after officials accused him of resisting arrest and stealing an officer’s Taser. Former police officer Garrett Rolfe, who has been on the force since 2013, was fired, and his partner, Devin Bronsan, has been placed on administrative duty early Sunday. Shortly after the reports of the police killing, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned.

According to a release by the Fulton County, Georgia, Medical Examiner’s Office, Brooks was shot twice in the back and died from organ damage and blood loss. The autopsy, which was performed on Sunday, lists Brooks’ cause of death as gunshot wounds to the back and has been ruled as a homicide.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation initially released this statement following the shooting on Saturday:

“Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 10:33 pm, APD was dispatched to the Wendy’s located at 125 University Ave, Atlanta, GA. Officers were responding to a complaint of a male in a vehicle parked in the drive-thru asleep, causing other customers to drive around the vehicle. A field sobriety test was performed on the male subject. After failing the test, the officers attempted to place the male subject into custody. During the arrest, the male subject resisted and a struggle ensued. The officer deployed a Taser. Witnesses report that during the struggle the male subject grabbed and was in possession of the Taser. It has also been reported that the male subject was shot by an officer in the struggle over the Taser.

“The male subject was transported to a local hospital where he died after surgery.”

“It’s very difficult when you see (the video), when you see the demeanor of Mr. Brooks, to imagine that some short time later, it ends up with him being dead,” Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said on Sunday, according to CNN.

“What we’re trying to determine is, at that time, whether or not the officers felt their lives were in danger,” Howard said.

“Specifically, officer Rolfe, whether or not he felt that Mr. Brooks, at that time presented imminent harm of death or some serious physical injury. Or the alternative is whether or not he fired the shot simply to capture him or some other reason,” Howard said. “If that shot was fired for some reason other than to save that officer’s life or to prevent injury to him or others, then that shooting is not justified under the law.”

Howard said possible charges against Rolfe could include murder, felony murder, or voluntary manslaughter.

“While there may be debate as to whether this was an appropriate use of deadly force, I firmly believe that there is a clear distinction between what you can do and what you should do,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said. “I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force.”

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How Oprah’s COVID-19 Grant Recipients Are Helping Their Local Communities In Nashville

We previously reported on Oprah Winfrey’s pledge of $10 million toward her COVID-19 relief fund to help communities from cities across the country who have been severely impacted by the viral outbreak. One of the cities was Nashville, Tennessee, which has seen a high rate of COVID-19 cases.

Two of Winfrey’s grant recipients included Bishop Joseph Walker of Mount Zion Baptist Church and Tennessee State University President Dr. Glenda Glover who have both committed themselves to serving their local communities through this public health crisis. With the funds, Walker has been able to provide free services like COVID-19 testings to locals while Dr. Glover has partnered with state initiatives to prepare for students to return to campus in the fall.

“Our church, Mount Zion Church, we recently partnered with the state of Tennessee in providing COVID-19 testing in two locations,” said Walker in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “It was incredibly successful because these were areas that had not yet been tested. So obviously a lot of folks came through and had the testing. And so that that’s just one of the initiatives that we’ve done. And it was a large scale.”

Both Walker and Dr. Glover have expressed great gratitude for the donation saying Winfrey wanted to make sure the funds reach the people hit hardest in the marginalized areas. “That’s why this gift of hope was so important to the community,” said Dr. Glover.

“[Oprah] wanted to ensure that the individual laid off who were on the front line [in addition] to the folks who [are] working in hotels and the various restaurants, they’re out there working [every day]. [She’s helping the people] make it back to work again…which is to improve the safety and healthcare measures [for the community].”

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Dating Apps Exposed 845GB of Explicit Photos, Chats, and More

3somes, Gay Daddy Bear, and Herpes Dating are among the nine services that leaked the data of hundreds of thousands of users.

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Black-Owned Fund Collab Capital Wants To Help Black Businesses Thrive

(left to right) Barry Givens, Jewel Burks, and Justin Dawkins, owner of Collab Capital

Securing the necessary startup capital for any new venture can be extremely difficult. For African American business owners, the challenge is greater due to economic and racial disparities in financial institutions. Outside of banks, entrepreneurs often look to private funds with investors looking to partner with different businesses to help expand their growth. A group of Black investors decided to bring their talents together to create their own capital fund aimed at helping Black entrepreneurs.

Collab Capital was started in 2018 with three founders who wanted to create a way to help Black entrepreneurs grow their businesses after their own experiences. Barry Givens, Jewel Burks, and Justin Dawkins came together using their experience in developing businesses in different sectors to help other Black business owners thrive, with a $50 million target.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, they had to quickly adapt like many other businesses. Eventually, they were able to bounce back with different initiatives to help Black business owners weather the public health crisis. “We were affected, you know, just like every other business. We were in the middle of fundraising when it happened,” said Givens in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“We launched a founders’ care package that was giving them access to all those resources that were being thrown around. So we had someone on the team keeping track of those and updating the resource packet. We had our event, Bet on Black, which is basically bringing together a bunch of leaders in the Black community. What can we do as a community? Where do we need our focus to be? How do we stay resilient through this period? And then lastly, we hosted a pitch competition where we gave away close to $60,000 to founders.”

Seeing the economic devastation that hit the Black business community from the viral outbreak only strengthened their resolve to help other small business owners to thrive “I think [the pandemic] fortified [our mission]. It really let us know that what we set out to do is needed now more than ever,” said Dawkins.

“I think that with everything going on with COVID, it highlighted two big things, two glaring things, which was even the response from the government, and some other things, weren’t necessarily designed [for us] and they weren’t necessarily as accessible as they made it seem. And so there were still challenges.”

The group has continued to invest in companies across different sectors. Most recently, the team invested $500,000 in Hairbrella, an Atlanta-based company specializing in hats to protect natural hair from the rain.

“I met Tracy three years ago. I’d just sold my business. So I was becoming really intentional and excited about working with, supporting, advising, mentoring, and potentially angel investing in new companies and particularly companies led by Black women founders,” said Burks.

“Her business has grown tremendously over the past year. And we really wanted to be a part of that growth trajectory. And because of what she’s she’s building, we have a strong conviction in the product that we think is really necessary and a needed product in the market. Tracy is a brilliant founder. Even with something as potentially detrimental to a business as COVID-19, we’ve seen her resilience and really wanted to get behind what she is building.”

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‘All Black Lives Matter’ painted in Hollywood street in honor of Pride month

For this year’s Pride celebrations, which will be its 50th anniversary nationwide, the LGBTQ+ community took to the streets of Hollywood to honor those who are fighting for racial justice.

Organizers painted All Black Lives Matter in block letters between Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue on Saturday. They also created a mural to celebrate all victims of discrimination —regardless of race, gender identity, or sexuality.

The gesture is meant to show “inclusivity and solidarity” during a time when the country is divided on how to deal with police brutality and its impact on the Black community, Los Angeles CBS affiliate reported.

Painted in classic ROY G. BIV, the letters in the slogan symbolizes the unifying Rainbow symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. Appropriately, this year’s march will start at the base of this justice marker in Los Angeles on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.

“The protest is in direct response to racial injustice, systemic racism, and all forms of oppression,” ABLM said on its website. “The LGBTQ+ community must extend its support to unite against oppression, police brutality, racism, transphobia, and the many other disparities disproportionately impacting the Black community.”

All Black Lives Matter theGrio.com — Protesters take over Hollywood Boulevard during the All Black Lives Matter solidarity march as unrest continues in the wake of the death of George Floyd, on June 14, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

On the All Black Lives Matter street, there is a mural of Black and gay people alike who have passed away due to police violence. This beautiful demonstration of unity gives nods to other cities that have used paint brushes and tar surfaces as megaphones.

Washington D.C. was the first to use art as protest in this way. In the Chocolate City, Black Lives Matter is painted boldly on 16th street, just two blocks away to the White House. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Black woman, contracted painters in response to the week-long protests that stemmed from George Floyd‘s death.

Set up by an advisory board consisting of Black LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations, the ABLM declared on its website that the protest is “in direct response to racial injustice, systemic racism, and all forms of oppression.”

COVID-19 and/or bigoted officers have invoked fear in some demonstrators and now have expressed concern about marching. However, others like 50-year-old Antoinette Jordan told the Los Angeles Times, “[the demonstrations] help give people a voice.”

Jordan, who marched alongside her boyfriend, her adult LBGTQ sons are experiencing personal difficulties.

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Immigrants at ICE detention facility honor Black lives with hunger strike

Immigrants in ICE’s detention facility have staged a hunger strike in solidarity with George Floyd.

Black people from Cameroon, Mexico, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Brazil, and other countries, who are currently being held by the government for being in the country illegally, are protesting against police-involved killings even as they are themselves in captivity.

Our Prism reports, while undocumented Black immigrants represent about 7.2% of the U.S. population, in immigrant holding facilities (a statistic very similar to American prisons) people of African descent make up the majority of those detained.

Thus, those being held have a high sensitivity and support to the civil unrest that the rest of the country is participating in. In support, they have decided to protest.

Asif Qazi, a Bangladesh immigrant who has been in captivity since February, handed a guard a written statement about their strike.

“We, the detained people of dormitories A, B, and C at Mesa Verde ICE Detention Facility, are protesting and on hunger strike in solidarity with the detained people at Otay Mesa Detention Center,” Qazi wrote.

“We begin our protest in memory of our comrades George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Oscar Grant, and Tony McDade. Almost all of us have also suffered through our country’s corrupt and racist criminal justice system before being pushed into the hands of ICE,” the statement read in part.

Although Qazi is not Black, before he was detained, he lived in the Black community in East Berkeley and so racism first hand.

“I saw with my own eyes that police racially discriminate against minorities, and especially Black people, every day,” Qazi said.

Qazi also is a father of two Black daughters.

Centro Legal de la Raza, an Oakland-based Pro Bono legal service that specializes in helping detained immigrants statewide, supports the hunger strikes as a means for these individuals to engage in peaceful activism and protest.

“I’ve noticed that Black immigrants have often been involved in leadership, and organizing on the inside,” said Lisa Knox, managing attorney at Centro Legal.

“Perhaps it’s because folks who are the most marginalized are the most willing to speak up; and they’re often the most aware of how systems of oppression work.”

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

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How to Trade In or Sell Your iPhone (2020): Swappa, Gazelle, uSell

If you're planning on upgrading to a new device, don't forget to cash in on your old one.

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Cicero Leak Prepares to Guide Athletes at HBCUs to the Professional Level

When you’ve represented the likes of Shark Tank’s Daymond John, SiriusXM’s Sway Calloway, Fonzworth Bentley, Grammy Award Winner Fantasia Barrino, and V-103’s Big Tigger, it’s safe to bet that you can successfully wade through the waters of the entertainment industry. Understanding the wave of that industry, Cicero Leak has decided to throw his oars into the sports sea with the announcement of TLS Sports, a division under TLS Talent Agency.

Leak speaks to BLACK ENTERPRISE about his decision to take on the sports world with a focus on athletes that attend HBCUs and how the coronavirus has impacted his company.

You’ve recently launched a sports division at TLS Talent Agency. What prompted you to make that move and what are your immediate plans?

We launched sports division TLS Sports to focus on helping athletes that attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) get their shot at becoming professional athletes. So many athletes that attend these schools are overlooked and we want to level the playing field. The launch of TLS Sports will also help provide those who attend HBCUs an opportunity to get into the business as well, helping further the next generation.

Outside of the obvious that the company will be sports-related, how will it differ from the talent side of TLS?

The new division will operate separately from the rest of the agency and will be under the leadership of our Managing Director Chuck Stinson (graduate of Morehouse College). Our goal is to approach the sports agency business in a different way because the athletes can relate to us in a different way. Our services will include negotiating contracts and endorsement deals for our clients.

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected the way you currently do business and how do you predict you will operate going forward?

We have been working the phones more than ever since the pandemic hit. But it has leveled the playing feel a bit for us that have to compete with the big agencies. We all have to communicate the same way right now so we can be more effective when we are making things happen for our clients. Not being located in one of the major cities like L.A., New York, or Atlanta hasn’t stopped us from getting things done during this time.

You’ve been doing this for several years now, how has your approach to doing business changed from when you first launched?

The biggest change in how we do business now is taking advantage of the relationships we have. It took us years to grow and build those strong relationships. When starting out sometimes you can be too timid because you are so afraid of failing but eventually, you have to get over those fears and make things happen. So now our approach is more aggressive and really going after the right opportunities for our clients.

What do you advise to people who are curious about entering this industry and what would you suggest that they do in order to have longevity in the game?

My advice to those wanting to get into the entertainment or sports representation business is to first do your research and make sure this is something you actually want to do. Then you have to know you are not going to be successful overnight, it will take a lot of long hours and years to grow in this business. You have people that you represent that depend on you to do what you say you are going to do so following through with those promises is important. The key is to never give up and stay consistent to have longevity in the game.

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Communications Specialist Molaundo Jones Is Using Clever Ways to Help Creativity Thrive

The Clever Agency is a communications and content creation consultancy that was co-founded by creative stalwart Molaundo Jones. Persistence and creativity helped build the agency and continues to be the hallmark. Having utilized the constant change and development of artistry and emerging evolution, Jones’ forward-thinking ideas keep him abreast of the use of modern technology.

BLACK ENTERPRISE talked to Jones about he does business and how hardships actually help his business thrive.

BE: What is The Clever Agency?

Jones: The Clever Agency is a branding, communications, and content creation studio. We’ve been around since 2012 and have expanded from primarily doing client-based work to lifestyle marketing, product design, and original content production. We produce tons of video and digital media. When people work with the Clever Agency they can expect to have a good time and to collaborate with a nimble, diverse, and creative crew with integrity.

What is your philosophy when it comes to taking care of business?

My philosophy is creating solid systems of communication between my team and with our clients and partners. I’ve learned that the more clear people can be on process, expectations, and deliverables, the happier everyone will be on the other side of any project.

How has your approach to working within the entertainment industry changed?

The Clever Agency has shifted a bit to focus on deepening the relationships that we have with the artists and companies that we’ve already worked with. New business development is key to our growth and sustainability. But it takes a lot to develop a sort of symbiotic relationship with artists and companies where you understand their processes, their value systems, and what makes them tick. I’ve learned to highly prioritize the creation of space and time to develop a deep understanding of a company or artist’s brand and mission while maintaining our own integrity and core values.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned since starting The Clever Agency?

You have to be able to pivot and adapt to realities on the ground in order to survive as a business owner. The more married that you are to one idea or way of doing things, the more difficult it will be to become sustainable and to bounce back from hardship and losses.

Are you involved with other companies? How do you juggle the priorities of what you do?

I’m a visual artist and have the opportunity to combine my natural artistic compulsions with my business experience and entrepreneurial spirit in many interesting ways. This has allowed me to work with many NYC-based arts institutions including Queens Council on the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, the Museum of Art and Design, and Fractured Atlas.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sustain relevance in the entertainment/creative industry?

I believe that you can sustain relevance in the creative industry by being consistent, remaining grounded in authenticity, and by not giving up when the hard times come (because the hard times are inevitable).

Is there any trend or idea you see emerging soon?

I think the impact of COVID-19 has pushed creatives to think about the ways that technology can be used to get their work out there and how to, quite frankly, survive when your work is usually dependent on being physically present with others. I also think it’s still just the beginning of the evolution of smart technology, voice marketing, and artificial intelligence in marketing and sales and that most creatives have barely scratched the surfaces of their uses.

How have hardships helped your business grow?

Hardship has pushed the Clever Agency into making countless uncomfortable decisions over the years. But many of those moments have actually allowed us to venture into new business sectors and ways of doing the work that we enjoy. The best example that I can give was the move that we made from where Clever began in Bed-Stuy (Brooklyn) eight years ago to Jersey City. It wasn’t an easy decision considering how grounded we were in that specific community as a team. But that move allowed us to grow from working out of my apartment and a few co-working spaces into our own brick-and-mortar storefront studio in a community that reflects many of our values that I would argue are much harder to find in our old neighborhood these days. You can see some of our studio work at VeryCleverStudios.com.

What are your future plans?

While it’s hard to project what will happen considering the precariousness of the times, I envision the Clever Agency’s expansion into commercial real estate with a focus on developing more spaces for creative professionals. I’ve learned that if we as artists don’t make an effort to center ourselves in that space, we will always be worrying about the rent being “too damn high.” Clever is also looking to expand our original content creation into more formats including interviews and short film.

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When Doctors and Patients Talk About Death Over Zoom

During the Covid-19 pandemic, palliative care specialists are discovering that technology can add a lot to these difficult discussions.

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Home Office Setup Guide: The Best Gear for Working at Home

Do you need a monitor, desk, webcam, laptop, microphone, or pair of headphones? Here's our ultimate laundry list of recommended gear to improve your new home office.

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As Cities Reopen, Expect to Wait in Lots of Lines

Capacity limits and social distancing requirements prompt businesses to count how many people are inside—and force some to wait outside.

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Can a Keyboard Crusade Stem the Vaccine Infodemic?

Anti-vaccine messages on social media have tripled since the pandemic began. One public health group wants to teach pro-vaccine Americans to fight fire with fire.

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Nigeria's Muhammadu Buhari orders probe into shooting at presidential palace

The shooting reportedly followed an argument about whether a presidential aide should self-isolate.

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Sunday, June 14, 2020

Rayshard Brooks autopsy reveals he died of two gunshots to the back

Rayshard Brooks, the Black man killed on Friday, June 14 by Atlanta police, died from two gunshot wounds in his back, according to an autopsy performed by a medical examiner.

According to WSB-TV 2 Atlanta, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office determined that Brooks died of organ damage and blood loss. The manner of death has been classified as a homicide.

Brooks had fallen asleep in his car, causing alarm to at least one employee at the University Avenue Wendy’s fast-food restaurant. The worker called the police and after the officers confronted him, a physical altercation between Brooks and officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Brosnan resulted in his fatal shooting.

Several videos have emerged detailing the shooting, including a bodycam that showed a compliant Brooks explaining to the cops that he had one and a half drinks and that he could walk home since he was probably too intoxicated to drive.

After determining that his alcohol level was more than the legal limit, officers attempted to arrest Brooks, to which he resisted arrest. A struggle pursued and a Taser was pulled out to restrain Brooks.

Brooks, according to the video, grabbed one of the officers’ Taser and started to run. Surveillance footage shows his body fall after officer Rolfe fired his weapon.

Atlanta has been in an uproar since Brooks’ death. On Saturday evening, the Wendy’s restaurant where the shooting occurred was set on fire. As reported by theGrio.com, authorities are looking for the persons responsible for the arson. The Atlanta Police Department has released a photo of one of the suspects.

The APD is working to close in on the details around this incident (both the death and the arson) while adjusting to a change in leadership. In efforts to be a national example of a city committed to police reform, former police chief Erika Shields resigned. She is now replaced by Deputy Chief Rodney Bryant.

Atlanta’s Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, according to CNN, does not believe that the police shooting was justified.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks onstage during the City of Hope – Sylvia Rhone Spirit Of Life Kickoff Breakfast at St. Regis Buckhead on June 17, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for City Of Hope)

“While there may be debate as to whether this was an appropriate use of deadly force, I firmly believe that there is a distinction between what you can do and what you should do,” she noted.

As of June 13, Rolfe has been relieved of his duties after seven years on the job. His partner, Devin Brosnan, who has served in the department for two years, has been placed on administrative duty.

Sources close to the case suggest that a number of charges could such as murder, felony murder, or involuntary manslaughter could be applicable. The city of Atlanta, now in the same space of Minneapolis maybe three weeks prior, waits with bated breath.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Rayshard Brooks autopsy reveals he died of two gunshots to the back appeared first on TheGrio.

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ABC exec made ‘pick cotton’ comment when Robin Roberts asked for more pay: report

An ABC News executive, Barbara Fedida, allegedly made a pick cotton comment when Robin Roberts tried to negotiate her contract renewal for more money.

It was revealed that Fedida allegedly used her position of power as senior vice president of talent and business to hurl racist insults directed at Black staffers in a lengthy exposuré on Saturday.

She questioned giving Good Morning America’s anchor Roberts a pay raise in her a contract renewal. It is worth noting that Roberts is a staple of the morning program, and she has been since her introduction in 2002.

The report says she asked herself what more could Roberts want from her contract negotiation. It is not as if she was “pick[ing] cotton.”

Sources told HuffPost that Fedida would compare the expense of the company’s toilet paper supply to Kendis Gibson, a former Black anchor, saying she spent more on rolls than Gibson’s salary.

Ironically, Fedida was tasked with ABC News’ diversity and inclusion efforts, to which she allegedly hate doing.

According to five of HuffPost’s sources, she does not care much about the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), an organization of African-American journalists, students, and media professionals that seeks inclusion and representation in the media industry, according to five of HuffPost’s sources.

In a Sunday newsletter, The New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ), a local chapter of the NABJ, has expressed

“We are extremely troubled that a high-ranking executive is alleged to have created such a toxic work environment for journalists of color — and that this behavior was allegedly longstanding,” the NYABJ said in a statement.

“The New York Association of Black Journalists joins the National Association of Black Journalists in calling for action from ABC News and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co., that would include the launching of an investigation led by an independent law firm; waiving confidentiality agreements with employees of color to allow them to speak on the record; and the hiring of an African American person to lead ABC’s diversity-in-hiring program,” NYABJ continued.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post ABC exec made ‘pick cotton’ comment when Robin Roberts asked for more pay: report appeared first on TheGrio.

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Atlanta police website goes offline, Anonymous hackers take credit

Anonymous, the online hacking advocacy collective, is taking credit for shutting down the Atlanta police’s website.

The online group hacked the Atlanta Police Department’s website as early as 8:30 a.m., and the website did not regain its functionalities until around 11:30 a.m.

The death of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old father of three, struck a chord with Anonymous, and which placed the APD on their hit list, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Brooks was sleeping behind the wheel at a Wendy’s on University Avenue drive-thru. Officer Garrett Rolfe, alongside his partner Devin Brosnan, shot and killed him because Brooks failed a sobriety test According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds, Brooks pointed a taser at the police, prompting one of them to shot him.

“Anonymous has taken action against Atlanta PD for the execution of #RayshardBrooks, we call for the arrest of the two murderers. No more impunity,” the group tweeted.

Anonymous has taken action against Atlanta PD for the execution of #RayshardBrooks, we call for the arrest of the two murderers. No more impunity. #BlackLivesMatter #AtlantaShooting #AtlantaProtests https://t.co/jpFhU7T8Ij

— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) June 14, 2020

The Atlanta Police Department website appears to be offline right now. It's unclear why https://t.co/KtRDofqgew is down.

Overnight, Atlanta PD fired the officer who shot Rayshard Brooks, hours after violent protests and the resignation of the city's police chief. pic.twitter.com/uqrgOXuJ3y

— Laura McQuillan (@mcquillanator) June 14, 2020

Anonymous USA Twitter account posted that while users who are based in America can still access the website, any connections outside of the country will not be able to connect.

The account also mentions that racists and President Donald Trump supporters alike are trying to attack its account.

#Anonymous #Freedom #BlackLivesMatter

Trump supporters and racists are targeting our account @AnonOpUSA after we took down the Atlanta Police Department.

Also, Atlanta PD website its only online for USA. Outside of America connections cant connect. pic.twitter.com/k7ILzdR1HO

— Anonymous USA (@AnonOpUSA) June 14, 2020

Intoxicated and scared of the police, Brooks resisted getting arrest and fled the scene with one of the police officer’s taser. When he turned around, he was fatally shot Friday night.

A protest erupted on Saturday, claiming the police used excessive force.

The Wendy’s that Brook got shot on location was set on fire.

As of reporting, the APD’s website is down, stating the unsecured website is encountering an error 404 connection in the American region.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Atlanta police website goes offline, Anonymous hackers take credit appeared first on TheGrio.

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Racial justice groups receive millions in donations amid George Floyd unrest

In the wake of national civil unrest, many members of community organizations across the country have found themselves behind bars.

Not unlike the civil rights movement of the sixties, these groups have had to divert monies raised for the work of justice to post bail for those who have been locked up. Luckily, generous Americans have been donating to help these groups out.

Over $90 million has been raised to replenish their banks, get people out, and encourage them to keep up the peaceful protest for racial justice.

According to the New York Times, in Brooklyn, a bail fund received $1.8 million from 50,000 contributors in about a day. In Philadelphia, the bail fund received $2.4 million, and in Los Angeles, a Black Live Matter chapter surpassed $2 million in donations on GoFundMe.

The rate that people are giving is astonishing to some leaders, especially those who know how hard it is for some social justice groups to fundraise.

“To see millions of people give millions of dollars creates hope out of this moment,” Glynda Carr, the president of Higher Heights for America, said.

Carr’s organization is a political nonprofit aimed at empowering Black women. Her company has seen 15,000 donations in two weeks, according to the outlet.

“In the end, not everybody went out and protested. This was a way to participate,” she said.

Protests Continue Across The Country In Reaction To Death Of George Floyd theGrio.com — Demonstrators in the BIPOC Mothers March at the memorial site for George Floyd on June 14, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Color of Change, ActBlue, National Bail Fund Network, and Minnesota Freedom Fund, are listed among the organizations that received the highest donation amounts. The Minnesota Freedom Fund alone received $20 million.

On June 2, ActBlue, a Democratic-leaning organization that helps fund political campaigns said to have made $41 million in about a day.

However, some organizations have declined to answer how much they have collected from donations: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Black Lives Matter Global Network.

BLM Global Network has declined to answer how much was donated. However, their Managing Director, Kailee Scales, said a single group’s raised $5 million.

George Floyd, among other victims of police brutality, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, memorial funds for the families have generated more than $23 million.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Racial justice groups receive millions in donations amid George Floyd unrest appeared first on TheGrio.

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Rayshard Brooks: Atlanta police release body cam footage of Wendy’s shooting

The Atlanta Police Department has released over an hour of body camera footage in the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot on Friday night.

The video starts off with officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Brosnan responding to a call made at the fast-food restaurant at approximately 10:30 p.m. after Brooks had allegedly fallen asleep at the wheel of his vehicle at the Wendy’s drive-thru.

Brosnan tells Rolfe that when he arrived on the scene, he woke up a sleeping Brooks and asked him to pull over to a parking spot on the lot. The officers then approached Brooks who was sitting in his vehicle.

Brooks claimed he did not drive himself to the restaurant but was instead dropped off by a friend who was staying at a nearby hotel. When the officers asked him how the car he was sitting in had made it to the restaurant, Brooks said it had already been there when he was dropped off.

He told cops he did not remember the officer waking him up and being pulled off the drive-thru line to park his car.

“I’m sorry … I just got something to eat. I went to visit my mother’s gravesite. I’m not causing any problems,” Brooks said.

WARNING: This video contains graphic content that may be triggering for viewers.

When officers asked Brooks where he was, however, he apparently failed to realize that he was in Atlanta and not in Forest Park, Georgia, where he thought he was located. The officers then asked Brooks to step out of the vehicle and began to pat him down and administer a sobriety test.

Throughout the entire exchange up until this point, Brooks was compliant and often referred to the officers as “sir.”

After the sobriety test, which Brooks appeared to get through without any glaring signs of incapacity, he assured the officers that he was OK to drive to wherever he was staying for the night. When officers asked him how much he had been drinking, Brooks said he only had a drink and a half.

Things took a turn after police administered a breathalyzer and attempted to put Brooks in handcuffs. As previously reported by theGrio, Brooks began to wrestle with officers and attempted to evade arrest.

Officer involved shooting last night in Atlanta, GA (District 5) I grew up in this neighborhood. It’s time to have the conversation! RESISTING arrest, excessive force, & justified shootings😞 this young man is deceased. #RayshardBrooks #Atlanta #Police #District5 pic.twitter.com/MSogObtUZF

— Angela Stanton King 🇺🇸 (@theangiestanton) June 13, 2020

Rolfe’s body camera footage did not capture the scuffle and subsequent fatal shooting because it had apparently dropped to the ground during the struggle, however, it was caught on surveillance video released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Saturday and on a witness’s camera phone.

In addition to body camera footage released by APD, there was also a dashcam video released.

WARNING: This video contains graphic content that may be triggering for viewers.

After the shooting, an irate witness can be seen and heard yelling at cops over Brooks’ death. “He was unarmed! What the f**k?!” the man said. “I saw ya’ll talking to him for 20 minutes. Unarmed! Non-violent! He did nothing wrong with how he conducted himself whatsoever and you pull a f**king gun, dude?!”

“I feel like both of your careers are definitely done because you just shot a man for no reason,” the witness added.

After other officers and first responders arrived on the scene, officer Rolfe tells another officer on the scene that he was the one who shot Brooks. Rolfe asks if he can call a representative, to which he does, and then proceeds to recount his story to a responding officer recording an incident report.

The body camera ends with Rolfe returning to the police headquarters.

As theGrio reported Saturday night, Rolfe was terminated from his job and officer Brosnan was placed on administrative duty.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Rayshard Brooks: Atlanta police release body cam footage of Wendy’s shooting appeared first on TheGrio.

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