Translate

Pages

Pages

Pages

Intro Video

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

2 Florida officials fired for erasing Black faces from firefighter murals

The first Black female deputy fire chief in Boynton Beach, Florida is speaking out after she was erased from a mural honoring the city’s firefighters.

Latosha Clemons is understandably outraged over the incident, which resulted in two city employees losing their job. 

Former fire chief Glenn Joseph, who us Black, was also set to appear on the mural but he too was replaced by a white face.

Clemons has now lawyered up to get to the bottom of why the Black faces were omitted from the display and made to look Caucasian. 

“Who made these changes and why did they make these changes?” her attorney, Nicole Hunt Jackson, asked Wednesday at a news conference, NBC News reports.  

READ MORE: White Florida man charged after pointing gun at Black homeowner

“I wanted little Black girls to look at that mural and know they can have their face on a mural,” said Clemons, the only Black female firefighter in Boynton Beach. She retired a few months ago after serving her community for 20 years. 

The mural was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting this month, showing her image replaced by a white face.

“My role is to get to who is responsible, how they came to the conclusion it was acceptable — and to push the issue for the need to examine policies and determine whether or not there needs to be racial sensitivity training,” her attorney explained.

“It’s a huge racial insult. For them to unilaterally take this and decide to not only remove her face but to whitewash the face, it is beyond offensive,” said Jackson. 

The mural has been removed and public arts manager, Debby Coles-Dobay, and the chief of the fire rescue department, Matthew Petty, have reportedly been fired over it. 

“The decision made to alter the artwork that was approved by the Public Arts Commission was wrong and disrespectful to our community,” City Manager Lori LaVerriere said in a statement.

Coles-Dobay claims she “was pressured to make this artwork change by the fire chief and his staff, as the city well knows.”

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

The post 2 Florida officials fired for erasing Black faces from firefighter murals appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2BtOxFK
via
at
Labels:

Apple acquires Will Smith’s ‘Emancipation’ in largest film festival deal ever

Apple Studios has secured global rights to Will Smith’s slave drama Emancipation, in a historic festival acquisition deal worth over $100 million.

The film package with director Antoine Fuqua attached was brought to the Virtual Cannes market last week. After a heated bidding war with seven other studios, including Warner Bros., Apple bagged the project for a whopping $120 million, Deadline reports.

Based on a true story, the movie follows Smith as a slave named Peter who flees a Louisiana plantation and must outsmart his captors on a journey North, where he joins the Union Army.

READ MORE: Will Smith, Warner Bros. sued over Richard Williams biopic

The story of Peter made headlines in 1863 when a photo taken of him during an Army medical examination was published. The visually-arresting image showed cars on his bare back from a brutal whipping received by an overseer on the plantation owned by John and Bridget Lyons.

“It was the first viral image of the brutality of slavery that the world saw,” Fuqua told Deadline. “Which is interesting, when you put it into perspective with today and social media and what the world is seeing, again. You can’t fix the past, but you can remind people of the past and I think we have to, in an accurate, real way,” he explained. 

Adding, “We all have to look for a brighter future for us all, for everyone. That’s one of the most important reasons to do things right now, is show our history. We have to face our truth before we can move forward.”

Fuqua noted that the Civil War-era thriller is “based on historical fact” and that writer Bill Collage “really went deep into” the “historical documents and also information from Peter’s own diaries,” he said. 

“When I read the script, I thought, what an amazing journey, a heartbreaking and heart-racing film to have an opportunity to make,” Faqua added. 

READ MORE: Will Smith, Warner Bros. sued over Richard Williams biopic

“It’s rare to have a film that, on the entertainment side, has action that I’ve never seen before, real action, a guy running through the swamps for his life, wrestling with alligators and snakes, being chased by hounds, then joining the Civil War, fighting against the Confederate army.”

Fuqua told Deadline that the image of Peter’s back “hit my heart and my soul in so many ways that are impossible to convey.”

Citing the most recent protests over racial injustice and police brutality, he added, “we’re watching some of the feeling that I had, in the streets right now. There’s sadness, there’s anger, there’s love, faith and hope as well because of what I see young people doing today.”

He continued, “They’re doing all the heavy lifting now. Black, white, brown, yellow, you name it. They’re out in the street, they’re young, and they’re standing up for their future.”

Production on Emancipation is slated to kick off in 2021.

The film will premiere in theaters and on Apple TV +.

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

The post Apple acquires Will Smith’s ‘Emancipation’ in largest film festival deal ever appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2NQvbwU
via
at
Labels:

Delaware moves whipping post from public square that was used until the ’50s

You may wonder why in the world a whipping post ever existed in a public square in America post-slavery.

And then, you might wonder, well after its use was outlawed, why it remained in that public square for another 70 years, in full view of anyone passing by on a daily basis.

READ MORE: Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate emblem from flag

That is the question residents of Georgetown, Delaware must have asked before the protests in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor generated a national and global racial reckoning not seen in decades.

A protester holds up a sign that reads “We Never Left Jim Crow” during a protest sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Some of those protests targeted still existing symbols of racism including monuments and statues to Confederate leaders and others who had played a role in subjugating Black people.

That outrage played a role in the removal of a whipping post that had existed outside Delaware’s Suffolk County courthouse this week but not before its horrific history was revealed.

 

As reported by Philadephia’s ABC station, WPVI, the 8-foot tall whipping post was used up until the ’50s to publicly punish people convicted of crimes. According to the state’s  Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) it remained in use until 1952 and African-Americans were the ones who were punished that way more often than others.

Delaware, the nation’s first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, was also a slave slate. Freedom fighter Harriet Tubman escaped from Maryland to Delaware via their shared border and the Underground Railroad but had to continue on to Pennsylvania to live as a free woman.

“It is appropriate for an item like this to be preserved in the state’s collections, so that future generations may view it and attempt to understand the full context of its historical significance,” HCA Director Tim Slavin told ABC. “It’s quite another thing to allow a whipping post to remain in place along a busy public street – a cold, deadpan display that does not adequately account for the traumatic legacy it represents, and that still reverberates among communities of color in our state.”

READ MORE: Christopher Columbus statues beheaded in Boston, toppled in Richmond

Delaware did not outlaw the practice of whipping as punishment until 1972, the last state to do so. The post will be stored and preserved in an HCA facility so that it can be determined how to present it in its proper historical context in a museum.

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

 

 

The post Delaware moves whipping post from public square that was used until the ’50s appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2NOFZMg
via
at
Labels:

Actor Nathan Davis Jr. sues United Airlines for $10M for racial profiling

Nathan Davis Jr. from Marvel’s Runaways and Snowfall filed a lawsuit this week alleging he was kicked off an airplane last December after a flight attendant falsely accused him of possessing a gun, in what the actor believes was a racially motivated incident.

READ MORE: Jada Pinkett Smith denies August Alsina’s claim of an affair with Will’s ‘blessing’

“I was extremely fearful,” Davis said in a recent interview with Variety. “I honestly felt like there was nobody there that had my back. I was the only Black man on the plane. I just honestly felt like my life didn’t matter — I literally felt like this lady was going to take away my life, just by saying that I had a gun.”

As a result, his attorney George Mallory has filed the racial discrimination lawsuit against United Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines, which operates as United Express, on behalf of United and ManaAir.

 

 

In addition to his work in Hollywood, the 26-year-old is also a TikTok star with more than 9 million followers on the app. After going public with his story he decided to explain his decision to file the suit in which he is seeking $10 million in damages.

“I feel like that I needed to talk about the situation to kind of show people that no matter how much money or fame you have, as a Black man, we’re still gonna have a target on our backs,” he said. “And I don’t want another person to go through this situation who doesn’t have the platform that I have.”

On the day of the incident he recalls that after taking his seat at the back of a flight from Houston to Nashville, he was approached by a female flight attendant asking him to turn down the music playing through his earbuds.

Davis says that he complied with her request to turn the music down but noticed that other passengers around him were also listening to music on their devices at the same volume without being reprimanded. He goes on to say that the attendant approached him a second and third time about the same issue even after he’d turned the music off entirely.

“The last time, the third time, I had my music paused, just to see, and she did it again and she was mocking me,” he said.

When other passengers sitting near him spoke up and said they couldn’t hear his music and felt the attendant was singling him out, the actor began recording what was happening on the plane.

In one clip obtained by Variety, Davis can be heard saying, “She’s literally calling the cops on me for listening to music. That’s crazy.”

“I just started recording because I felt like that was the only way the truth was gonna come out, with me recording on my phone,” he now explains.

According to the lawsuit, the flight attendant had the captain make an announcement that the plane would “return to the gate to remove a passenger.” When they reached the gate, one of the airline’s operations supervisors came on board to escort Davis off and the captain allegedly “attempted to forcefully take away [Davis’] cell phone while he recorded the interaction between the parties.”

When the stunned actor was allowed back onto the plane to retrieve his belongings, the flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker ‘He has a gun now”, an accusation that Davis claims was false and hadn’t even been brought up before. Fortunately, this part was also captured on video although at the time he was gripped with fear that police would be waiting for him in the terminal.

“The whole time I’m sitting there, thinking that there’s about to be all these cops that are about to point their guns at me, or they’re gonna see my phone and think it’s a gun and kill me,” he said. “I’m thinking there could have been an air marshal on the plane that could have attacked me.”

“I just felt so alone. I’m just thinking to myself, ‘I’m gonna die. Nobody’s gonna know my story; all they’re going to know is there’s a Black kid in the hoodie and some sweats that just got gunned down by these cops because a flight attendant said he had a gun.’” Davis continued. “I shouldn’t have to wear a suit and tie everywhere I have to go. I should be able to wear what I want to wear. I shouldn’t have to explain to people that my hoodie wasn’t on. Why do I have to say that? Why can’t I just be a human being that’s on a plane ride to go perform?”

READ MORE: Black Lives Matter groups plan national convention

Fortunately when he got off the staff was much more compassionate towards him than the attendant, which may have something to do with the fact that by then someone onboard recognized him from his Tik Tok and an agent recognized him as an actor.

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

 

 

 

The post Actor Nathan Davis Jr. sues United Airlines for $10M for racial profiling appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3glswI7
via
at
Labels:

Michael B. Jordan creates summer drive-in movie series

Creed star Micheal B. Jordan is doing his part to keep the entertainment industry afloat despite the coronavirus pandemic. The actor, through his Outlier Society production company, is partnering with Amazon Studios to create a socially distanced movie experience via a summer screening series at drive-in movie theaters.

READ MORE: First ‘Respect’ trailer drops for Aretha Franklin biopic

Michael b. jordan
(Photo by Liliane Lathan/Getty Images for NAACP)

As reported by Deadline, A Night at The Drive-In will focus on multicultural movies and will happen in several cities including outside Philadelphia, Savannah, Georgia, August-Aiken, South Carolina, Baltimore, Maryland, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, and more.  The double-feature movie nights will be free of charge and the free refreshments provided are from Black-owned and/or brown-owned companies Path Water, Pipcorn Popcorn, and Partake Cookies.

 

“With this drive-in summer series, I hope that friends and families are able to not only enjoy, but to learn and grow,” Jordan said in a statement.

“Now more than ever, amplifying Black and Brown stories means engaging culture to speak to hearts and minds about the world we live in. As we use this opportunity to reimagine community and proximity, I am excited that these films will be shared and celebrated all across the country.”

The series runs from July 1 – August 26 with various themed movie nights.

Movies to make you fall in love:
Love & Basketball (Warner Bros. / New Line)
Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Bros.)

Movies that make you proud:
Black Panther (Disney)
Creed (Warner Bros.)

Movies to inspire your inner child:
Hook (Sony Pictures)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)

Movies to make you open your eyes:
Do The Right Thing (Universal)
Get Out (Universal)

READ MORE: 5 reasons we all need to be watching season 3 of ‘The Chi’ right now

Movies to make you laugh:
Coming to America (Paramount Pictures)
Girls Trip (Universal)

For schedules and participating theaters, click HERE.

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

 

 

 

The post Michael B. Jordan creates summer drive-in movie series appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2YQ1JNZ
via
at
Labels:

LeBron James Says the NFL Needs to Apologize to Colin Kaepernick Because he ‘Basically Sacrificed Everything’

Colin Kaepernick

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently admitted that the NFL was “wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest.” But, according to Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, that admission should be made directly to Colin Kaepernick, who was the ‘poster boy’ of peaceful protests while he was still playing in the league, reports Pro Football Talk.

James was discussing the issue when he appeared in an interview with Jason Kelly of Bloomberg Businessweek.

“As far as the NFL, I’m not in those locker rooms, I’m not with those guys, but I do understand that an apology — I have not heard a true, official apology to Colin Kaepernick on what he was going through and what he was trying to tell the NFL and tell the world about why he was kneeling when he was doing that as a San Francisco 49er. I just see that to still be wrong. Now they are listening some, but I still think we have not heard that official apology to a man who basically sacrificed everything for the better of this world,” James said.

“One thing I can speak for is what I’m apart of,” he continues. “I’m a part of a league with a great commissioner in Adam Silver and he’s always listened to the voices of his players and I’ve always respected him for that. He’s given us an opportunity that when we feel something that’s very wrong with society, that’s very wrong with what’s going on in our communities, that we can speak upon that and use the NBA’s shield to back us and I have nothing but respect for Adam Silver.”

Apparently, James isn’t alone in his thought process. Based on a recent poll, two-thirds of those polled said Goodell’s statement felt insincere and was done just for publicity while 53% said it was “too little too late.”



from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2CZJYn1
via
at
Labels:

Netflix Taps Marketing Powerhouse Bozoma Saint John as New CMO

Bozoma Saint John Tech Conference

Bozoma Saint John is leaving her executive role at Endeavor to start a new position as the chief marketing officer (CMO) at Netflix.

Saint John, a marketing veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, will take over for Jackie Lee-Joe, the former BBC Studios CMO who began working at Netflix in July 2019. Lee-Joe said she is stepping down from her role due to personal reasons.

“Bozoma Saint John is an exceptional marketer who understands how to drive conversations around popular culture better than almost anyone,” said Netflix Content Chief Ted Sarandos in a statement, according to Deadline. “As we bring more great stories to our members around the world, she’ll define and lead our next exciting phase of creativity and connection with consumers.”

Starting in August, Saint John will be responsible for spearheading marketing initiatives for the global entertainment streaming business, which reaches over 180 million subscribers and produces a slate of original films and series, reports Adweek.

“I’m thrilled to join Netflix, especially at a time when storytelling is critical to our global, societal well-being,” said Saint John. “I feel honored to contribute my experience to an already dynamic legacy, and to continue driving engagement in the future.”

For the last two years, the 43-year-old marketing guru served as the CMO of Endeavor, the parent company of leading talent agency WME, which represents A-list stars like Oprah Winfrey and Matt Damon. Prior to Endeavor, Saint John worked for a little under a year as the Chief Brand Officer for Uber, starting in 2017. During her tenure, she took steps to improve Uber’s embattled image, even going as far as to personally work as a driver to better serve customers. Yet, despite her efforts and the shift in company leadership, Uber was riddled with scandals and controversy and made little progress in diversifying its workforce.

Saint John also held top marketing positions at Apple Music and iTunes along with Pepsi-Cola North America. She gained national notoriety after she delivered an impressive presentation at the 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference, making her the first Black woman to present at an Apple event. There, she demonstrated new Apple Music features while playing “Rapper’s Delight” on stage.

While working as Head of Music and Marketing Entertainment for PepsiCo, she was instrumental in curating Beyoncé’s sponsorship deal with Pepsi and her 2013 Super Bowl halftime performance.

Saint John graced the cover of BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Jan./Feb. 2017 Women of Power issue cover and has been a featured speaker at the BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit and TechConneXt conference.



from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2C09YxV
via
at
Labels:

35-Year-Old Black Biologist Lynika Strozier Dies After Contracting COVID-19

black biologist Lynika Strozier

A beloved Black biologist and college professor who worked in Chicago at the Field Museum has died from complications of the coronavirus, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Lynika Strozier, a 35-year-old researcher for the Field Museum’s Pritzker DNA Lab, died June 7 after testing positive for COVID-19.

“This is a big, big place,” said her supervisor, Matt von Konrat, head of botanical collections. “And she would walk through the halls, with her long stride, and always, always, a smile and hello for everyone. For all of us, for strangers, it didn’t matter.”

Speaking about Strozier’s work in the Pritzker DNA Lab, von Konrat stated Strozier was “a perfectionist.”

“The work can be frustrating, it can be tedious, and she was determined to get it right,” he said. She would work long hours when necessary. Recently, she worked on extracting DNA from plants, sometimes tiny plants, ‘the size of an eyelash,’ von Konrat said. Or sometimes the specimens would be dried plants, decades old.

“I told her she had hands of gold,” von Konrat said. “She would always manage it.”

At the beginning of the year, in January 2020, she was hired as an adjunct instructor at Malcolm X College to teach biology, according to TheGrio. Two months later, she received an honorary appointment of Collections Associate for the Gantz Family Collections Center at the Field Museum. Because of the coronavirus, she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the rigors of the positions.

A GoFundMe account was set up to pay her funeral costs and to establish a scholarship to support young scientists.

“Although we have met our original goal to cover the funeral costs, the family has decided to increase it to establish a scholarship fund in her honor. Now, the funds we raise here will go towards her funeral expenses, medical bills, and supporting young scientists like Lynika. We hope you will help us continue her legacy and keep her memory shining bright.”

Donations continue to pour in as the total funds have reached $82,553, which is more than $30,000 over the intended goal of $50,000.



from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3eQxUTc
via
at
Labels:

Richelieu Dennis steps down as CEO of Essence Communications

A blog post titled, The Truth About Essence, went viral over the weekend as the anonymous women writers blogged about their painful experiences working at the magazine. In it, they requested the resignation of several key senior managers.

Today, one of those requests was honored. Richelieu Dennis has stepped down as CEO of Essence Magazine.

READ MORE: Essence Magazine’s staffers anonymously call out toxic workplace culture

Dennis, the founder of Shea Moisture and Sundial Brands, bought the iconic magazine and brand from TIME in 2018. The acquisition made Essence Communications 100% Black-owned again. However, according to the blog post, that did not stop a pervasive culture of toxicity and harassment.

The Truth About Essence was written by a group of anonymous women who state that they are either current or past employees of the magazine. They wrote the post out of frustration, and as a demand for change. The scathing allegations reverberated throughout the Black media world, and Essence Communications quickly released a statement.

Richelieu Dennis theGrio.com
(L-R) Essence CEO Michelle Ebanks, Essence Ventures Founder & Chairman Richelieu Dennis, and Essence Chief Content & Creative Officer Moana Luu at the 2020 13th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

Essence Communications released a statement on Monday denouncing the allegations as baseless. However, on Tuesday, they released another statement that Dennis will be stepping down as CEO, and that they have committed to an independent review of their business practices.

“Out of an abundance of caution and an unwavering commitment to transparency, ESSENCE is in the process of hiring law firms and other independent external experts to assess and review the company’s policies and practices and conduct comprehensive employee interviews.” The statement reads.

 “It is of critical importance to us that there is no doubt or question about who we are, what we represent, and what we believe in.”

READ MORE: ESSENCE CEO Michelle Ebanks unexpectedly steps down

Caroline Wanga will be stepping in as interim CEO. Wanga was hired by Essence on June 2 to be the company’s Chief Growth Officer. She was previously the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Vice President of Human Resources at the Target Corporation.

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

The post Richelieu Dennis steps down as CEO of Essence Communications appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3g9VOZY
via
at
Labels:

What the Data Really Says About Women Leaders and the Pandemic

Two new research papers try to shed some light on a popular theory, but the evidence is still very weak—and could point to confirmation bias.

from Wired https://ift.tt/38i9pM4
via
at
Labels:

Pivo Pod Review: A Camera Assistant for Aspiring Social Media Stars

Bored in the house and you're in the house bored? This rotating gadget takes the effort out of capturing fun, quirky videos.

from Wired https://ift.tt/3ijWOwB
via
at
Labels:

Coronavirus: Uganda opens border for DR Congo refugees

Some 3,000 people were stuck in no-man's land for more than a month after fleeing violence in DR Congo.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2BZpSbO
via
at
Labels:

In These Factories, Inspector Robot Will Check Your Work

Artificially intelligent camera systems look for defects and misplaced parts in many industries. The coronavirus pandemic makes them extra useful.

from Wired https://ift.tt/38g1crG
via
at
Labels:

Leigh Stein's 'Self Care' and the Death of the Girlboss

The author's new novel is wildly prescient when it comes to the fortunes of female founders.

from Wired https://ift.tt/38g48Vv
via
at
Labels:

You Purged Racists From Your Website? Great, Now Get to Work

The Covid-19 infodemic taught social media giants like YouTube and Reddit an important lesson: They can—and must—take action to control the content on their sites.

from Wired https://ift.tt/3ePX701
via
at
Labels:

Schools Already Struggled With Cybersecurity. Then Came Covid-19

A lack of dedicated funding and resources made it hard to keep data secure—and that was before classes moved almost entirely online.

from Wired https://ift.tt/3eRd45V
via
at
Labels:

Where Should Covid-19 Vaccines Be Tested? It's a Moving Target

Developers need to test in hotspots, but those keep changing. And they must avoid ethical problems, like testing in low-income areas but only selling in rich ones.

from Wired https://ift.tt/3dOqSNi
via
at
Labels:

Jawar Mohammed: Ethiopian politician arrested over Hachalu Hundessa protests

The opposition figure was reportedly taking part in demonstrations after a popular singer was killed.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2Bha1Wp
via
at
Labels:

Adebayor leaves Olimpia over corona fears

Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor ends his time at Paraguayan side Olimpia over safety fears and costs related to coronavirus.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/3eNKvq4
via
at
Labels:

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Africa Cup of Nations: Men's competition moved to 2022, women's tournament cancelled

The next men's Africa Cup of Nations Cup is put back a year to 2022, while the women's tournament is cancelled.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2Zr0hk9
via
at
Labels:

Convicted Kenyan rugby players to be retried

A judge orders a retrial in the case of two Kenya Rugby Sevens players convicted of rape.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2BVA313
via
at
Labels:

The Cameroonian who decapitates French colonial statues

Essama Andre has repeatedly attacked the statue of French war hero Gen Philippe Leclerc in Doula.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2NWoCt7
via
at
Labels:

Exploring interactions of light and matter

Growing up in a small town in Fujian province in southern China, Juejun Hu was exposed to engineering from an early age. His father, trained as a mechanical engineer, spent his career working first in that field, then in electrical engineering, and then civil engineering.

“He gave me early exposure to the field. He brought me books and told me stories of interesting scientists and scientific activities,” Hu recalls. So when it came time to go to college — in China students have to choose their major before enrolling — he picked materials science, figuring that field straddled his interests in science and engineering. He pursued that major at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

He never regretted that decision. “Indeed, it’s the way to go,” he says. “It was a serendipitous choice.” He continued on to a doctorate in materials science at MIT, and then spent four and a half years as an assistant professor at the University of Delaware before joining the MIT faculty. Last year, Hu earned tenure as an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

In his work at the Institute, he has focused on optical and photonic devices, whose applications include improving high-speed communications, observing the behavior of molecules, designing better medical imaging systems, and developing innovations in consumer electronics such as display screens and sensors.

“I got fascinated with light,” he says, recalling how he began working in this field. “It has such a direct impact on our lives.”

Hu is now developing devices to transmit information at very high rates, for data centers or high-performance computers. This includes work on devices called optical diodes or optical isolators, which allow light to pass through only in one direction, and systems for coupling light signals into and out of photonic chips.

Lately, Hu has been focusing on applying machine-learning methods to improve the performance of optical systems. For example, he has developed an algorithm that improves the sensitivity of a spectrometer, a device for analyzing the chemical composition of materials based on how they emit or absorb different frequencies of light. The new approach made it possible to shrink a device that ordinarily requires bulky and expensive equipment down to the scale of a computer chip, by improving its ability to overcome random noise and provide a clean signal.

The miniaturized spectrometer makes it possible to analyze the chemical composition of individual molecules with something “small and rugged, to replace devices that are large, delicate, and expensive,” he says.

Much of his work currently involves the use of metamaterials, which don’t occur in nature and are synthesized usually as a series of ultrathin layers, so thin that they interact with wavelengths of light in novel ways. These could lead to components for biomedical imaging, security surveillance, and sensors on consumer electronics, Hu says. Another project he’s been working on involved developing a kind of optical zoom lens based on metamaterials, which uses no moving parts.

Hu is also pursuing ways to make photonic and photovoltaic systems that are flexible and stretchable rather than rigid, and to make them lighter and more compact. This could  allow for installations in places that would otherwise not be practical. “I’m always looking for new designs to start a new paradigm in optics, [to produce] something that’s smaller, faster, better, and lower cost,” he says.

Hu says the focus of his research these days is mostly on amorphous materials — whose atoms are randomly arranged as opposed to the orderly lattices of crystal structures — because crystalline materials have been so well-studied and understood. When it comes to amorphous materials, though, “our knowledge is amorphous,” he says. “There are lots of new discoveries in the field.”

Hu’s wife, Di Chen, whom he met when they were both in China, works in the financial industry. They have twin daughters, Selena and Eos, who are 1 year old, and a son Helius, age 3. Whatever free time he has, Hu says, he likes to spend doing things with his kids.

Recalling why he was drawn to MIT, he says, “I like this very strong engineering culture.” He especially likes MIT’s strong system of support for bringing new advances out of the lab and into real-world application. “This is what I find really useful.” When new ideas come out of the lab, “I like to see them find real utility,” he adds.



from MIT News https://ift.tt/2BRwc5i
via
at
Labels:

Bozoma Saint John named as Netflix’s new chief marketing officer

Netflix has tapped former Endeavor powerhouse Bozoma Saint John to serve as its new Chief Marketing Officer. 

Saint John, who worked as CMO at Endeavor since 2018, is replacing Jackie Lee-Joe, after she departed the streaming giant due to personal reasons, Deadline reports.

Throughout her 20-year career, Saint John has sprinkled her Black Girl Magic across  multiple global brands and industries including music, fashion and entertainment to sports, automotive and consumer goods. 

READ MORE: Netflix to spend $100M to help Black business

“Bozoma Saint John is an exceptional marketer who understands how to drive conversations around popular culture better than almost anyone,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “As we bring more great stories to our members around the world, she’ll define and lead our next exciting phase of creativity and connection with consumers.”

Said Saint John: “I’m thrilled to join Netflix, especially at a time when storytelling is critical to our global, societal well-being. I feel honored to contribute my experience to an already dynamic legacy, and to continue driving engagement in the future.”

Prior to joining Endeavor, she was the top branding executive at Uber after working at Pepsi-Cola North America, Beats Music and Apple.

Saint John is reportedly Netflix’s third CMO in less than a year. Lee-Joe had only been at the company for 10 months. Her exit is said to be amicable. 

“I’m so proud to have led this team and all that we have achieved together during such an extraordinary time, fostering conversations about our films and shows that brought people together all around the world,” said Lee-Joe. “I wish everyone at Netflix all the very best.”

In related news, Netflix, which has $5B in its cash reserves, will place 2 percent of its holdings with financial institutions that loan to Black businesses, theGrio previously reported.

They will begin with splitting $35M among two organizations – the newly founded Black Economic Development Initiative that will provide funding to Black banking institutions and Hope credit union, a federal credit union in the South that helps unbanked families and those who have been underserved by traditional banking institutions.

The idea came from a call to improve diversity at Netflix, which has partnered with several Black creators including the Obamas, Kenya Barris, and Shonda Rhimes who signed big contracts with the streamer. The 2019 documentary American Factory out of the Obamas production company won a Best Documentary Oscar in 2020.

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

The post Bozoma Saint John named as Netflix’s new chief marketing officer appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3gdVGsn
via
at
Labels:

August Alsina says Will Smith ‘gave his blessing’ with Jada Pinkett Smith

August Alsina nearly broke the Internet on Tuesday after an interview dropped of him confessing to having romantic relations with Jada Pinkett Smith. 

During a recent sit-down with Angela Yee, the R&B singer served up a bombshell when he confirmed his past love affair with the actress, thejasminebrand.com reports. Their relationship even had the blessing of her superstar husband Will Smith.

Relationship rumors have long shrouded Alsina and the Red Table Talk host. His 2019 track “Nunya” fueled the speculation, as the lyrics go: “You got me feeling like it was an act, you’re just an actress/Putting on a show ’cause you don’t want the world to know.” 

Fans decided that in the song, he’s implying that he had an affair with the mother of two. Additionally, the woman he’s texting in the music video is named Koren, which is Pinkett Smith’s middle name, theGRIO previously reported. 

READ MORE: August Alsina’s new song fuels rumors about affair with Jada Pinkett Smith

The track refueled the 2018 rumor that the two were in a secret relationship, but the pair have always remained mum about it. Now it seems Alsina has had a change of heart.

When Yee asked him about his love life and to set the record straight about “Nunya,” the R&B crooner didn’t hold back in spilling the tea. 

“People can have whatever ideas that they like. But what I’m not OK with is my character being in question …” he said around the 16:30 mark of the YouTube clip above. “I also don’t think that it’s ever important for people to know what I do, who I sleep with, who I date, right? But in this instance, there are so many people who are side-eyeing me,” Alsina explained. 

Adding, “I’ve lost money, friendships, relationships behind it. And I think it’s because people don’t necessarily know the truth. But I’ve never done anything wrong. I love those people (the Smiths) … They are beautiful people.”

Alsina went on to recall his discussion with Will Smith about the situation with his wife. 

“I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation … He gave me his blessing,” he said. “And I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life, and I truly and really, really, deeply loved and have a ton of love for her,” Alsina confessed. 

“I devoted myself to it. I gave my full self to it. So much so that I can die right now, and be OK knowing that I fully gave myself to somebody … Some people never get that in this lifetime.”

During his conversation with Yee, Alsina said speaking his truth was “difficult” because it’s “hard for people to understand” polyamory and consensual nonmonogamy. 

“I have to speak up about my truth, he said. “Walking away from it butchered me. It almost killed me. Not almost. It did—it pushed me into being another person. It broke me down. It probably will be the hardest thing I ever had to experience in this lifetime, Alsina admitted.

“It’s difficult because I never want to be the person to cause confusion or step on toes, but I want to honor myself and I want to honor my authenticity,” he added. “And if honoring my authenticity means you hate me, stone me, shoot me, crucify me, whatever, bury me an honest man.”

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

 

The post August Alsina says Will Smith ‘gave his blessing’ with Jada Pinkett Smith appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3gfb3RA
via
at
Labels:

Dr. Fauci says US coronavirus cases to reach ‘disturbing’ 100,000 per day

Dr. Anthony Fauci says the United States is “not in total control” of the coronavirus pandemic and predicts the nation could eventually see 100,000 new COVID-19 cases a day.

As of Monday, the U.S. averaged nearly 40,000 new cases daily over the past week, a 40% increase compared to data — compiled by Johns Hopkins University — from a week ago, CNBC reports.

Speaking at the U.S. Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday, the White House health advisor warned that daily cases could more than double if the outbreak continues at its current pace. 

“I can’t make an accurate prediction, but it’s going to be very disturbing,” he said in a response to a question from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass). “I will guarantee you that, because when you have an outbreak in one part of the country, even though in other parts of the country they’re doing well, they are vulnerable,” Fauci explained. 

READ MORE: Trump and Fauci spar over NFL return as more athletes test positive for COVID-19

“We are now having 40,000-plus new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around, and so I am very concerned,” he said.

According to Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 50% of all new COVID-19 cases are coming from Florida, California, Texas and Arizona.

During the hearing on Tuesday, he urged Americans to stop going to bars, which are hotbeds for the deadly contagion.

“Congregation at a bar, inside, is bad news,” Fauci said, citing the surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

“I think we need to emphasize the responsibility that we have both as individuals and as part of a societal effort to end the epidemic that we all have to play a part in that,” Fauci added.

“Because if a person gets infected, they may not be symptomatic, but they could pass it to someone else, who passes it to someone else, who then makes someone’s grandmother or grandfather, sick uncle, or leukemic child on chemotherapy get sick and die,” he continued. 

“We’ve got to get that message out: that we are all in this together. And if we are going to contain this, we have got to contain it together.”

COVID-19 has reportedly claimed the lives of 126,000 Americans.

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

The post Dr. Fauci says US coronavirus cases to reach ‘disturbing’ 100,000 per day appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3ggXbpE
via
at
Labels:

Netflix to spend $100M to help Black business

Netflix is not just virtue signaling its support of the Black community. It’s actually putting some big dollars in play to make it happen.

The New York Times reported today that Netflix, which has $5B in its cash reserves will place 2 percent of its holdings with financial institutions that loan to Black businesses. They will begin with splitting $35M among two organizations – the newly founded Black Economic Development Initiative that will provide funding to Black banking institutions and Hope credit union, a federal credit union in the South that helps unbanked families and those who have been underserved by traditional banking institutions.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings delivers a keynote address at CES 2016 at The Venetian Las Vegas on January 6, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The idea came from a call to improve diversity at Netflix, which has partnered with several Black creators including the Obamas, Kenya Barris, and Shonda Rhimes who signed big contracts with the streamer. The 2019 documentary American Factory out of the Obamas production company won a Best Documentary Oscar in 2020.

Yet their executive ranks are devoid of color, as the Netflix’s top 8 execs are white. That was the impetus for company dinners with members of underrepresented communities beginning in October of last year, to figure out ways to improve. The idea to invest in Black financial institutions stemmed from those dinners, according to Bloomberg.

READ MORE: Netflix CEO Reed Hastings donates over $100M to HBCUs, talks importance of supporting Black colleges

Netflix executive Aaron Mitchell suggested the idea of the CFO Spencer Neumann, referencing the book “The Color of Money,” by Mehrsa Baradaran as a guide to the challenges faced by Black financial institutions. Baradaran says in the book that systemic racism has ensured Black banks remain undercapitalized which undercuts their ability to grow.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and his wife recently gifted $120M of their own money to split between Morehouse, Spelman, and the United Negro College Fund.

Hope credit union is appreciative of the effort.

READ MORE: 5 Savvy money moves to make when cash is flowing

“We are capital-starved, just like the people in the communities we serve,” their CEO, Bill Bynum told Bloomberg.

“Having a global voice like Netflix say it’s important to invest in financial institutions like Hope is tremendously important, not just for the capital we will use to make mortgage loans and small business loans, but for what it says.”

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

 

 

 

The post Netflix to spend $100M to help Black business appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3gd5Old
via
at
Labels:

Jemele Hill apologizes after backlash over transphobic tweet

Jemele Hill apologized on Monday after a critic discovered a transphobic tweet that was a decade old and others attempted to “cancel” the outspoken journalist.

The controversy began on Sunday when Hill took exception to 2006 clip by Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy. He compared the former 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick to an “ISIS guy” and likened him to a terrorist.

READ MORE: NBA star Ja Morant apologizes for anti-police tweet

Jemele Hill SportsCenter thegrio.com
Jemele Hill (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAACP )

“So I’m going to say something that’s racist,” Portnoy explained, and claimed he thought Kaepernick was “an ISIS guy… Throw a head wrap on this guy, he’s a terrorist.”

“He looks like a Bin Laden. That’s not racist.”

It caught Hill’s attention who hosts a podcast for The Ringer and is a writer for The Atlantic.

“This is terrible, but then again, consider the source,” Hill declared, amplifying the video to her followers.

In response, Portnoy began to share tweets of where he has defended Kaepernick over the years as over his subsequent blackballing by the NFL. He found a tweet from 2009 which Hill referenced MLB player Manny Ramirez‘s doping scandal and how he used a fertility drug.

“My fb friends are calling him ‘Manny the Tranny’… so inappropriate and hilarious,” Hill wrote in 2009.

Portnoy did not call on Hill to be canceled but stated he would not “bend the knee” and apologize for his own remarks in a video.

“I’ve been doing this for two decades. I’ve made fun of every group of people, every race, every creed, every culture — you name it, we’ve made jokes about it,” Portnoy said.

Hill has since deleted the tweet but stated in a series of tweets that she wanted to be held accountable and has grown as a person in the past decade. She made no excuses and tweeted her focus was on proving she was an ally to the LGBTQ community.

“For context, the tweet was in reference to Manny Ramirez testing positive for the woman’s fertility drug, gonadotropin. It was wholly ignorant, dumb, and offensive. I am ashamed that I was so uneducated about trans issues at the time. I stand with this community firmly today,” she began her twitter thread.

“I kept the tweet up because I welcomed the opportunity to apologize and to show growth. See, unlike some people, I’m not defensive about my moments of failure. I learn from them and own it.”

The former ESPN writer did not concern herself with those attempting to “cancel” her.

“I don’t care about Dave Portnoy or any of the other Barstool sycophants RT’ing this into my TL, like it’s some gotcha moment. I care about the trans community I belittled and offended. If they don’t see me as an ally because of this, it’s my job to show them that I am,” she wrote.

Hill has received support from those in the LGBTQ community who accused her critics of attacking in bad faith. She spoke with Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of OUT magazine about her 2009 tweet and the growth she’s experienced as a person.

“It wasn’t until I was older, and frankly had more personal experiences with people from the LGBTQ community, that I began to see the similarities between our two struggles and the fight for visibility and the fight for equality,” Hill said.

“It was understanding that if they come for the rights of Black and Brown people within that, they are coming for the rights of LGBTQ people. We can’t really separate our struggles. They may be intrinsically different, but we can’t separate them because all of our civil rights are at risk.”

Hill explained she was more than ready to continue doing her part

READ MORE: Jemele Hill calls out Kraft’s support of Trump amid masks donation

“As Black and Brown people, and as Black and Brown trans people and LGBTQ people, we are always stronger together. That’s why I feel it’s our duty to fight for this community because we have brothers and sisters in that community.”

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

The post Jemele Hill apologizes after backlash over transphobic tweet appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2YKHod1
via
at
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)