“On Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020 I received a call noting me that our studio had been vandalized. As I arrived to our location I was met with the police who informed me of a break-in and the glass in our our front door completely shattered,” Rochester said.
So far, details of the vandalism are not known besides the fact that the front glass door was busted, and the vandals who broke into the gym have not yet been found.
“I’m slowly loosing my faith ….. Woke up this morning and Harlem Cycle has been vandalized. In my 5 years at this location I’ve never worried about theft because I believe when you take care of the community they will take care of you. Well today I’m feeling quite let down and heart broke,” Rochester wrote on Instagram.
“[With] 8+ months of business closure, broken pipes, constantly pivoting our business, creating a whole new digital business, not knowing if we will ever be able to hold classes again and now this. I’m so f*ing tired,” Rochester continued.
theGrio has reached out to Harlem Cycle for comment, but did not immediately get a response.
Harlem Cycle saw an outpouring of love from the community after the vandalism.
“We will come back stronger TOGETHER,” Rochester said.
Rochester has launched a GoFundMe page to help with the cost of repairs.
My dear Spelman sis owns own only neighborhood Cycle Studio and she was vandalized please support her Gofundme Harlem Cycle Studio Repairs https://t.co/jSA3KRZxN6
As of reporting, Rochester has raised more than half of her goal.
Located on 2350 Adam Clayton Powell, in the heart of Harlem, Harlem Cycle hosts various health classes for Harlemites of all level of fitness.
“Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a newcomer to strength and cardiovascular training, Harlem Cycle has a program for you,” Harlem Cycle wrote on their site.
On March 15th, New York City mandated a citywide shutdown. The company began uploading a series of paid, on-demand videos on its Vimeo account in order to stay afloat.
Available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast, those willing to get a Harlem-style workout can pay $40 for a collection of videos designed to keep members in shape.
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Many Black officers say the endorsements for Trump don’t fairly represent all dues-paying members
Police unions nationwide have largely supported President Donald Trump’s reelection, amid mass demonstrations over police brutality and accusations of systemic racism — but a number of Black law enforcement officers are speaking out against these endorsements, saying their concerns over entering the 2020 political fray were ignored.
Trump has touted his support from the law enforcement community, which includes endorsements from national, city and state officers’ unions — some of which publicly endorsed a political candidate for the first time. He’s running on what he calls a “law and order” platform and tapping into a strain of anger and frustration felt by law enforcementwho believe they are being unfairly accused of racial discrimination.
There are more than 8,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S., with large departments holding sway nationally. The number of minority officers in policing has more than doubled in the last three decades, but many departments still have a smaller percentage of Black and Hispanic officers compared to the percentage of the general population those communities make up.
Many fraternal Black police organizations were formed to advocate for equality within police departments but also to focus on how law enforcement affects the wider Black community. There have often been tensions between minority organizations and larger unions, like in August, when the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers issued a letter condemning use of deadly force, police misconduct and abuse in communities of color.
While support for the Republican incumbent does not strictly fall along racial lines, many Black officers say the endorsements for Trump don’t fairly represent all dues-paying members.
“We are members of these unions, and they don’t take into consideration our feelings about Donald J. Trump, then they don’t care about us and … they don’t care about our dues,” said Rochelle Bilal, the recent past president of the Guardian Civic League of Philadelphia, calling the National Fraternal Order of Police’s Trump endorsement an “outrage.”
Bilal, who was elected as Philadelphia’s first Black female sheriff last year, spoke at at an early October news conference with other Black law enforcement groups in Philadelphia to condemn Trump endorsements and the process they say ignored their concerns over what they perceived to be racist remarks, support for white supremacist groups and a lack of respect for women from Trump.
But national union leaders say the process is designed to give everyone a voice and the endorsement represents the majority of officers. The Fraternal Order of Police represents close to 350,000 officers nationally, but does not track racial demographics.
“I am a Black American and a Black law enforcement officer,” said Rob Pride, the National Fraternal Order of Police chair of trustees. “It’s been emotionally a rollercoaster ride for me since the George Floyd incident. It was horrific.”
Pride, who oversees the vote that leads to the organization’s presidential endorsement, says the May 25 police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis and the political climate “is tearing America apart” and having a similar effect on the FOP.
National FOP leaders said they have heard from members who don’t agree with the Trump endorsement — and they’re open to talking over concerns — but that all 44 state Fraternal Orders of Police chapters that cast a ballot voted for Trump. Pride said the whole process starts locally, with lodges passing out candidate survey answers and ballots and then voting at a statewide meeting. State delegates then voted at the national meeting.
“We could probably have an hourlong conversation about why some folks feel President Trump is racist and why others disagree,” he said. “But there are a lot of officers of all races of all backgrounds who feel he best represents and supports the interests of law enforcement.”
On the local level, police reform bills driven by protests against police brutality in the wake of Floyd’s killing have also stoked local unions’ endorsements of candidates for state offices at higher rates this year — some issuing endorsement for the first time in decades. While many union leaders say the endorsements aren’t based on political parties, they have largely been for Republicans challenging candidates who have voted for what unions call “anti-police” reform bills.
Philadelphia’s FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby said in a statement that the group, which represents 6,500 members, did not make an endorsement in the presidential race, and deferred to its parent union’s endorsement. But members said that despite being the largest lodge in the state, they weren’t given a chance to vote or be counted by the state or national delegates.
Denouncing the endorsement processes, The Guardian Civic League has asked its about 1,200 members to be prepared to withdraw their dues from the national FOP, as has the Club Valiants of Philadelphia — an organization of more than 500 minority firefighters — from the Local 22 of the International Fire Fighters and Paramedics Union. In endorsing Trump, Local 22 broke from its parent organization, which endorsed Democrat Joe Biden.
Valiants leaders said the Local 22′s endorsement was based on survey responses from about 500 of the union’s nearly 5,000 members. Local union leaders said a redo survey is being sent to members in response to the backlash and its endorsement will be revised if necessary by the end of the month.
“The election is Nov. 3, and people are out there voting now. What is it going to do to rescind the endorsement days before the election?” said John Elam, a Philadelphia firefighter and Valiants member. “We want a fair process. We wanted a fair process from the beginning.”
In New York City, Patrick Lynch — the head of the Police Benevolent Association that represents about 24,000 officers — announced the union’s endorsement of Trump at August’s Republican National Convention, something members said they had no warning would happen. An unsigned letter from the Guardians Association said the Black and minority officers the group represents felt blindsided by Lynch’s endorsement and wished the union had stayed neutral.
This is why the “us” vs. “them” mentality exists between law enforcement and the community.
Here we have a member of the Los Angeles Police Union calling #BlackLivesMatter a “hate group” and “modern day Black panthers.”
Lynch said it was the union’s first presidential endorsement in at least 36 years.
“That’s how important this is,” Lynch said to the crowd during an event at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, telling the president: “You’ve earned this.”
During September’s presidential debate, Trump ticked off the locations where he felt he had support from law enforcement. “I have Florida, I have Texas, I have Ohio,” he said. “Excuse me, Portland, the sheriff there just came out today and said, ‘I support President Trump.’”
Terrance Hopkins, president of the Black Police Association of Dallas, said a handful of officers left the Dallas Police Department’s largest union, partly driven by its support for Trump, and had joined his organization.
“A lot of these officers feel like they aren’t being considered. A lot of the issues that push them to that point border along racial lines,” Hopkins, a 30-year veteran officer, said. “And it’s not just here. I got a call from some Black officers in Kansas City, Missouri, who wanted to join my organization because they don’t have any other outlet and they don’t feel like they are being represented.”
Associated Press writers Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.
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ACB declined to commit to recusing herself from any Trump election case even though she worked on Bush v. Gore
After her confirmation, Amy Coney Barrett will be one of the three current Supreme Court justices who assisted the legal team of then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the Florida ballot recount conflict that came down to only one vote at the Supreme Court.
Of course Amy Coney Barrett won't say if a president should commit to a peaceful transfer of power. She was on the Bush legal team that stole the 2000 election. This is part of why Republicans picked her. If the election is close they will try to orchestrate another Bush v. Gore.
The court’s decision to cut off Florida recounts in 2000 tore apart the justices and the nation, and now, twenty years later, the controversial case still hovers in the air as America approaches the next presidential election.
Other current-day justices benefited from the ruling that gave Bush the White House over Vice President Al Gore, as they ultimately became Bush appointees to the bench.
In November 2000, John Roberts, then in private practice, flew to Florida to assist Bush’s legal team. He helped prepare and offered advice to the lawyer who presented Bush’s case to the Florida state Supreme Court.
After Bush became president, he nominated Roberts to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and the Senate confirmed him in 2003. In 2005 Bush elevated Roberts to the chief justice position. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Roberts refused to disclose his opinion of the justices’ 2000 decision, stating that a disputed election could come to the court again.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh was also in private practice in 2000 and assisted the Bush legal team. After the election, Bush hired Kavanaugh to be a counsel and then staff secretary.
Great to hear a lawyer who worked for Team Bush in Bush v. Gore testify that she's never thought or written about law around a disputed presidential election
Bush later appointed Kavanaugh to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. In 2018, President Donald Trump elevated Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
During her hearings, Barrett admitted to working on the Bush v. Gore case, but she told senators that she couldn’t recall specifics of her involvement.
Under questioning from Democratic senators she declined to commit to recusing herself from any Trump election case.
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In 2019, only 3% of the $23.2 billion in loans from the SBA went to Black businesses
There has been an 84% national decline in lending money to Black-owned businesses since 2007 under the Small Business Administration’s small business lending program.
In Sacramento, white businesses have received more money for their businesses than all Black businesses nationally from the SBA program, Census data showed.
According to the Sacramento Business Journal, a majority-Black census shows that Black businesses nationally received $157.58 per capita in business loans compared to majority-white businesses which received $304.59 per capita in Sacramento alone.
Business owners in white neighborhoods received $254.67 per capita, whereas neighborhoods with majority people of color received $153.72 per capita.
Isn’t it ironic that people will raise MILLIONS to find crazy ways to get #Blackpeople to #vote (ie. “Get yo booty to the poll”) but won’t use any of that money for BLACK BUSINESS LOANS or to help STRUGGLING FAMILIES?
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
The problem is not exclusive to California, with states like Ohio facing similar issues.
In the County of Cuyahoga, where 1,439 federal small business loans were awarded in 2018, white businesses received $366 per resident whereas Black businesses received $182 per resident.
The four biggest banks – Chase, Bank of America, CitiBank and Wells Fargo – gave a total of 334 loans to Black-owned businesses in 2019, a 91% decrease compared to 2007, according to the Clevend Business Journal.
In 2019, only 3% of the $23.2 billion in loans from the SBA went towards Black businesses.
While some might blame bad lending disparities on economic inequality, banks are saying one’s credit determines a person’s ability to get loans and credit issues are rampant in Black communities.
Critics of this data say that using the year before the Great Recession makes the data seem worse. 2007 was a time when getting a loan was very easy to do.
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Kanye West: “I’ve always said SNL uses black people to hold other black people back.”
Issa Rae, star and creator of HBO’s hit series, “Insecure” took on the hosting duties at Saturday Night Live for the first time last night.
During her monologue, Rae joked about having nothing but time on her hands these days. The writer and comedian said her go to response to people inquiring about what she’s been up to is: “Puzzles, bitch — I don’t know.”
Rae showcased her talent best in a date sketch with Chris Redd where a parade of her disreputable exes keep turning up and interrupting the dinner date.
One ex, played by Kenan Thompson, aggressively hawked flowers to vulnerable outside diners, and when he spotted Rae, he vulgarly praised her “titty meat” and stole the couple’s French wine before exiting.
Another live sketch featured Rae alongside Kate McKinnon and Bowen Yang in a Montreal-based morning show, “Bonjour Hi!” In the sketch, Rae displayed a decent, although comical, French accent.
During the “Your Vote Chicago” sketch, Rae played a lawyer for the NAACP. While speaking about political candidates, Rae’s character said she was “voting for everybody Black,” which referenced Rae’s comments that she was “rooting for everybody Black” at the 2017 Emmy Awards.
‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketch Sees Issa Rae Voting for ‘Everybody Black’ — But ‘F’ Kanye West https://t.co/8HLsvbXAAQ
Responding to the sketch on Twitter, Kanye West wrote: “I’ve always said SNL uses black people to hold other black people back. My heart goes out to Issa Rae. I’m praying for her and her family.”
Ive always said SNL uses black people to hold other black people back My heart goes out to Issa Rae I’m praying for her and her family I know that the twenty years of service that I’ve paid in the entertainment field has furthered our ability to be more successful pic.twitter.com/kExwUVVsqv
Police are feeling unprecedented pressure to preserve order at the polls
John Clair, the police chief of a rural town in Virginia experienced a particularly hot summer with heavily armed militia men along with other counter-protestors, turning up in droves and engaging in tense standoffs with the peaceful demonstrations of Black Lives Matter protestors.
“People would call me up and ask how I’m doing,” Clair recalled. “And what I’d say is, ‘I’m dealing with the most complex leadership challenge of my career in the midst of the most widespread social crisis in 100 years. But other than that, I’m doing okay.'”
Clair is currently confronting a different kind of leadership challenge: Election Day.
For the past several weeks he’s been trying to figure out how to ensure security at the polls amid the threat of armed troublemakers without scaring away voters who might be offended by the sight of uniformed policemen.
Armed groups say they will show up to polling sites on Election Day, and experts are afraid it will intimidate voters #SmartNewshttps://t.co/rvY8fn5Zi3
“I feel like I’m walking on the edge of a razor blade,” Clair said in an interview with NBC News.
With extreme partisan rancor and social discontent hovering over the 2020 election, police chiefs and sheriffs are feeling unprecedented pressure to preserve order at the polls.
The scenario is worsened by the increasing threat of conservative militia groups and a president who has called for an “army” of poll watchers to monitor disputed polling places.
A man with a rifle stands among other far-right supporters during a rally on August 15, 2020 near the downtown of Stone Mountain, Georgia. (Photo by Lynsey Weatherspoon/Getty Images)
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has cast doubt about the integrity of the election and routinely declined to say that he’d accept the results.
Meanwhile, federal authorities intervened in a militia group’s plot to kidnap Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer and the targeting of a second Democratic governor, Ralph Northam of Virginia.
In interviews with NBC News, at least six law enforcement officials throughout the country discussed their preparations for protecting the polls ahead of Election Day.
“There’s not a day that goes by where I’m not up late envisioning what the worst case scenario is to make sure that we are able to prevent it,” said Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Andrew Wellbrock.
In last month’s presidential debate, Trump singled out Philadelphia, urging his supporters to monitor the polls very carefully.
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Personal information is already redacted, yet Daniel Cameron remains cautious
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the lawyer representing the officer who was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department for his involvement in the death of Breonna Taylor, do not want certain evidence to be released.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron speaks during a press conference to announce a grand jury’s decision to indict one of three Louisville Metro Police Department officers involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor on September 23, 2020 in Frankfort, Kentucky. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
Cameron and Brett Hankison’s attorney, William Stewart Mathews, asked a judge to revoke a previous order to release information about the case to the public.
Circuit Judge Ann Bailey Smith originally ordered the AG to release the information, ABC News reported.
Even though personal information is redacted, Cameron and Mathews are cautious saying that the evidence is too damning to be seen by the public. They cited safety concerns for those involved as people are already receiving death threats.
“The parties submit that filing discovery in the record would allow said materials, many of which may never be admitted as evidence in court, to be published by the media, and permanently taint potential jurors for trial of this matter,” the motion said, ABC News reported. “Redaction of personal identifiers does not remedy the problem.”
As theGrio previously reported, Hankison’s firing was a direct result of the actions he took on the night Taylor died. He violated rules and regulations about the use of deadly force by “blindly” shooting at her.
Taylor died on March 13 during a botched drug raid. Taylor, an EMT who worked at two local hospitals, was shot as police were serving a “no-knock warrant” as part of a narcotics investigation.
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The daily number of positive COVID-19 tests increased by 3,200 after colleges resumed classes throughout the country
As schools and colleges are reopening nationwide amid the ever present coronavirus pandemic, students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) are leading by example when it comes to containing the spread of the virus around their campuses.
According to The Guardian, positive cases of COVID-19 have been low at HBCU’s compared to other colleges around America. Brian Bridges, vice president of research and member engagement for the United Negro College Fund, states that the students are working and cooperating well with school administrators in terms of avoiding large crowds. He also attributes it to the fact that several of these schools are still doing online classes due to lack of resources.
Students and members of the administration at Howard University hold a rally on the campus of the university April 11, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“[HBCUs] enroll a population that has been ravaged disproportionately by COVID: an African American population that is predominantly low-income,” says Bridges. He continued by saying that the colleges “were trying to be mindful of the needs of their students.”
In contrast, several other universities with majority white enrollment have had to shutdown after reopening. A report show that institutions had to reverse course and close after initially allowing students to come back to campus. This includes The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), which had to close its classroom doors after 1,000 students tested positive after starting the fall semester attending in-person classes. This was largely due to students still not adhering to social distancing protocols and throwing parties.
Overall, the daily number of positive COVID-19 tests increased by 3,200 after colleges resumed classes throughout the country.
The feat of low coronavirus count at HBCU’s is particularly comforting known how much the pandemic has disproportionately affected Black Americans in the nation compared to white Americans. However, with over 70 percent of HBCU students requiring financial aid via Pell grants, the campuses are still necessary for students who need to access proper resources to continue their education if they don’t have them at their homes.
As someone who is teaching at an HBCU where many of our students and parents have a higher morbidity rate from #COVID this is my greatest fear in re-opening schools too early https://t.co/1cf5MGvjxW
“Institutions have been trying to be mindful about reopening because their students need them,” Bridges said. “For many of the students on their campuses, they’re the safest, most stable, most secure place that those students can be. Where they have reliable access to Wi-FI, where they have a regular and quiet place to study in their dorm room.
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Whitmer was the subject of a right wing kidnapping plot
Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan has accused President Donald Trump of inspiring domestic terrorism and implored him and other officials to “bring the heat down” after the president prompted “lock her up” chants at a rally in Muskegon on Saturday.
The President mentions the Governor of Michigan, the crowd chants lock her up, and the President says lock them all up pic.twitter.com/9wuB7blnoP
Whitmer, the subject of a right wing plot to storm the capital and kidnap her over coronavirus lockdown measures, told NBC’s Meet the Press that the chant was “incredibly disturbing.”
“Ten days after that was uncovered, the president is at it again and inspiring and incentivizing and inciting this kind of domestic terrorism,” Whitmer said.
“People of good will on both sides of the aisle need to step up and call this out and bring the heat down. This is the United States of America. We do not tolerate actions like he is giving comfort to,” she added.
State officials said that at least eight of the 14 men arrested for involvement in the conspiracy were associated with a militia group called Wolverine Watchmen and some had surveilled Whitmer’s vacation property to prepare for the plot.
Militia and "Boogaloo" activists assembled Saturday for a "Unity Rally" at Michigan State Capitol.
"Heed this warning politicians, magistrates, and officers of the law" one said. "You may get away with your tyranny for a time longer, but the day of reckoning rapidly approaches." pic.twitter.com/C41lg4uydU
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has compiled evidence against the people suspected of plotting to kidnap and kill Gov. Whitmer. Among the evidence are chilling training videos and texts messages sent between the alleged conspirators as well as a wealth of photos and phone calls.
In the videos the men are seen training with semiautomatic weapons and demonstrating a taser that they allegedly planned to use in the kidnapping plot.
A federal judge ruled on Friday that five Michigan men would stand trial on conspiracy to kidnap charges.
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally on October 17, 2020 in Muskegon, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
While speaking to his supporters at Saturday’s rally, Trump encouraged Whitmer to loosen restrictions in Michigan, even though the Michigan Supreme Court upturned her orders earlier this month.
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The Florida Division of Election reports that 49% of mail-in ballots are from Democrats
As Americans have been urged to vote early and mail-in ballots have been put under the microscope, early results in Florida reveal that Democrats have an early edge on Republicans as the November 3 election draws closer. The Florida Division of Elections reports that 49 percent of the mail-in ballots are from Democrats and more than 30 percent are from Republicans thus far.
The Division of Elections shows that 2,423,573 Florida citizens have mailed in the ballots for the forthcoming election as of Saturday, October 17. Of those ballots, 1,190,508 came from Democrats compared to only 730,123 that have come from Republicans. The remaining 502, 942 mail-in ballots came from other parties or were non-party affiliates.
Ballot envelopes sit in a box at the King County Elections headquarters earlier this month. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
These statistics show that more people have used mail-in ballots for the November 3 election that they did for the August primaries, which was 2,342,751 votes.
With Florida being a swing state, such an early saturation of Democrats voting early by mail is a good sign for Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris. This is the first time Democrats have led the mail-in votes against Republicans this close to an election day, as reported by Politico.
In addition to the mail-in votes, CBS News 5 reported that NewsNation/Emerson College polls show Biden leading over incumbent President Donald Trump in Florida. Biden had 50 percent support while Trump had 47 percent.
Despite having an early lead, Democrats such as political strategist Steve Schale believe it’s still too early to claim victory in Florida at this moment.
“The numbers are pretty staggering for us and the return rates and the polling look good,” Schale stated. “But there’s just a lot we don’t know.”
Florida may prove to be an important swing state for the election. Trump won Florida over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. In 2000, Florida was the deciding state for the George W. Bush vs. Al Gore election with results so close that there had to be a recount.
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Kirstie Alley tweeted that President Donald Trump will turn the economy around
Kirstie Alley has been trending and it’s not because there’s a Look Who’s Talking reboot or a Cheers virtual table read. The actress made headlines this weekend for reaffirming her support for President Donald Trump.
The two-time Emmy winner took to her Twitter account on Saturday to post who she is endorsing in the forthcoming presidential election. Not only did she reveal that she is voting for Trump, but also stated why.
“I’m voting for @realDonaldTrump because he’s NOT a politician,” Alley tweeted. “I voted for him 4 years ago for this reason and shall vote for him again for this reason.”
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 03: Actress Kirstie Alley attends the “Kirstie” premiere party at Harlow on December 3, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images)
Alley, 69, went on to post that she believes that Trump will rapidly turn the American economy around if he returns to the White House.
“He gets things done quickly and he will return the economy around quickly. There you have it folks there you have it,” Alley continued.
She immediately received criticism for her statement, with some people commenting on all the things that Trump have quickly gotten done:
He did kill 224,284 Americans faster & >than any collection of prior wars *and* destroy the economy including billions of costs from failed trade wars *and* increase the deficit to 3.1 TRILLION dollars in debt (3x 2019) all faster than any other impeached president, that is true. pic.twitter.com/JE3xvoUcnl
"He gets things done quickly"
– Killed 218,000 Americans in record time (6 months)
– Destroyed the economy in that same amount of time
– Destroyed 2 centuries of respect for America in just 3 years
People also commented on her reasoning for voting for Trump:
I am hiring my friend because he’s NOT an electrician! I hired him 4 years ago for this reason and he wired up the house quick! And now, 4 years later after it burned down (fake news said it was an electric fire) I am going to hire him again!
The backlash was noticed by Alley who responded with more posts. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen so much name-calling in my life,” she tweeted. “Definitely not on my site here anyway I guess I’m not allowed to have a viewpoint without being called a really nasty names by what I’m going to suppose are really nasty people.”
Don’t think I’ve ever seen so much name-calling in my life. Definitely not on my site here anyway I guess I’m not allowed to have a viewpoint without being called a really nasty names by what I’m going to suppose are really nasty people
Alley came under fire in April 2016 when she posted her original support for Trump during his first campaign, then against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “HELLO BOYS! this is my formal endorsement of@realDonaldTrump,” she posted, which was retweeted by Trump soon after.
After getting scathing replies back then as well, she quickly responded in similar fashion. “If Ur ‘disappointed in me’ Or can’t hang with my views..so be it..U were never a friend in the 1st place.”
If Ur "disappointed in me" Or can't hang w me because of my views..so be it..U were never a friend in the 1st place.I respect ALL my friends
The FBI has warned that scammers are using the election to steal the information of voters through the use of email
With the 2020 election less than three weeks away, it has been discovered that voters are being taken advantage of. According to Huffington Post, scam artists are posing as political action committees (PAC) in emails in an effort to steal people’s personal information.
Citizens have been regularly receiving warnings from cybersecurity experts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Better Business Bureau have warned that several fraudulent sources are targeting voters with sophisticated email messages to steal phone numbers, addresses and bank account information. Sam Small, chief security officer of digital security firm ZeroFox, says that these scammers often use important occasions such as elections, disaster relief, and health crises to lure their targets.
“Psychologically, these scams play to our desire to do something – to get involved, to donate, to take action,” said Small. “Give them something to work with and they’ll find a way to make a dollar.”
Small added that these scammers make their emails look as legitimate as possible in order to convince voters to relinquish their information.
“Someone could use that to pretend to be a political action committee raising money, to try to get your personal information or your account numbers,” Small continued.
Better Business Bureau’s chief marketing officer Paula Fleming says that such con artist actions are on high alert due to the contentious, divisive election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.
“Every election is heated, but this one is very much so,” stated Fleming. “People are more trusting when they see it’s a political party or a candidate they like emailing them.”
The FBI revealed that there had been an uptick of fraudulent emails since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. Its cybercrime reporting site has been getting between 3,000 to 4,000 complaints per day since COVID-19 hit the nation, which is up from 1,000 per day prior to that.
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Pascale Rowe, also known as Ms. Bling, stepped out on faith when she left her career at American Express. Making a respectable $70,000 annually as a sales rep for the company, Bling decided it was time to leave behind her financial security, benefits, and 401(k). Born of Haitian descent, Bling developed a brand, social identity, and more importantly a business utilizing social media as her main marketing tool.
A failed marriage and negative bank account provided Bling with the determination she needed to find a way to succeed. “I was a wreck,” says Bling. I had no idea how I would turn my passion into profit, but I knew that I would not give up.”
For 125 years, Swarovski has been producing its precision-cut crystals seen across entertainment, fashion, and design. Bling saw an opportunity in the market to use a well-known brand in her designs that catered to a different demographic group. “Blinging out jewelry, clothing, and accessories is a personal statement that gives an item pop,” exclaims Bling. “My starting goal was visibility. Getting highly visible people to wear my product was the best way to make this happen so I sourced my contacts. Celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Gabrielle Union, and Trina were creating visibility and intrigue for my brand.”
As Bling’s business blossomed, she expanded her accessories brand into retail fashion, motivational speaking, and writing. “I am only as successful as the ones I help, and I truly believe this,” says Bling.
Helping to inspire countless entrepreneurs, Bling travels throughout the country speaking at conferences and networking events.
“When I began this journey I didn’t have other entrepreneurs or business people to lean in for advice and insight. I will take every opportunity I have to be that person to an entrepreneur who helps them along their journey.”
Building a brand has not come without setbacks and disappointments for the successful entrepreneur. In 2013 Bling decided it was time to author her first book. Working with a “manager,” Bling was given a template for online bookselling. Before the book’s completion, Bling was instructed to offer the book as a “pre-order” which she obliged.
“Initially I was thrilled at how many copies were pre-ordered,” says Bling.
When the pre-orders came in there became a feeling of extreme pressure to write just anything to deliver on the launch date. “My integrity did not allow me to do this so 11 months later Self Made, Self-Paid Without Losing My Self-Worth was finally released. Before its release, I contacted customers via e-mail and put up an Instagram post offering a full refund of $20. To my surprise, over 90% of the customers wanted the book and said they would wait. Every customer received a refund or the book. Anyone who says otherwise may have heard of the delay debacle and may be speaking on it but I can guarantee they never ordered it.”
This ordeal taught Bling a great lesson that she applies to her business practices today. She adds, “although many people pre-sell items, it is something I shy away from. I prefer to under promise and over deliver in everything I do. Therefore, if I do not have it in stock, it is not for sale.”
Selling is what Bling has been doing and her strategic approach is paying a dividend. “One thing that I do is work hard. I am my brand therefore I am meticulous in my approach. From wardrobe shoots to consistently updating my platforms with in-stock items, I measure and remeasure myself daily. I must continue to grow, evolve, and be better.”
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With an endeavor to spread her culture and heritage across all homes in the United States, Jojo Pierre started her own home décor company named Lakay Designs and she never looked back. Over the years, Lakay Designs has grown exponentially, not only offering financial stability to Jojo and her family but also creating employment opportunities for other people in her community. Currently offering an extensive catalog of products, the company is working proactively to expand the repertoire, offer more innovative products, and keep reaching more homes in America.
Currently, Lakay Design is in more than 26,000 homes across the United States, and that number is growing every day with pleased buyers referring Lakay Designs to their family and friends. The current range of products available at Lakay Designs include African art sculptures and figurines, African wall art, bathroom accessories, comforters, bedding sets, curtain designs, dining room accessories, kitchen accessories, King and Queen pillowcases, and much more. From resourcing materials to manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and everything in between, Lakay Designs abides by business practices that ensure the utmost product quality, while also providing benefits for everyone in the value chain.
A spokesperson for the company made an official press statement, “Here at Lakay Designs, our business values are essential for us, and so is our commitment to our clients. Lakay Designs became successful because our clients supported Jojo’s ideas and resonated with the African aesthetic that she put out there. Now we must serve our clients with the utmost integrity. Even during the pandemic, the Lakay Designs team has worked around the clock to fulfill all orders. We are currently offering custom design bedding, so we urge everyone to take advantage of the offer while it lasts.”
“I just received my comforter set. I love it! However, I just want to brag on [Lakay Designs] as a company. From the communication at the conception of my order to the follow-ups about shipping, to the personalized that you that came with my beautiful set! Sis, you are truly black girl business perfection! Keep it up. I’m coming back for more,” stated a happy customer while providing testimony for the African print comforter she purchased from the Lakay Designs official store.
The spokesperson further added, “The word Lakay translates to Home is Haitian Creole, and that is the vision behind Lakay Designs. There are certain African aesthetics that Jojo grew up around her home. For Jojo, these African prints and décor pieces bring about a feeling of coziness and being at home, which is how she wants every house in America to feel like: a cozy home. With a mission to reach one million homes in America with signature Lakay Designs products, Jojo and her family are getting close to that mission every passing day.”
More details about Lakay Designs and their entire line are available on the official online store at LakayDesigns.com
This article was originally published by BlackNews.com.
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Trump wants to exclude undocumented immigrants from the total population in the U.S. census
The Supreme Court agreed to listen to President Donald Trump’s arguments to exclude undocumented immigrants from the total population in the U.S. census.
The Supreme Court wants to give the Trump administration an opportunity to explain why adding probing citizenship questions to the 2020 census is necessary.
SCOTUS just halted 2020 census count to allow Trump admin to manipulate political & economic power for next decade. Now imagine how bad the court will be with Amy Coney Barrett on it
There have been several failed attempts by the Trump administration to prevent undocumented immigrants from being represented, The Washington Post reported.
One month ago, in the case of the State of New York v. Trump, a federal appeals court blocked the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau from including information on undocumented immigrants.
In July of this year, Trump said in a memorandum that some states are overcompensated in representation because of undocumented immigrants.
If the Supreme Court were to dismiss the census responses of undocumented immigrants, states like California, New Jersey, and Texas could have fewer House of Representative seats.
The U.S. Census logo appears on census materials received in the mail with an invitation to fill out census information online on March 19, 2020 in San Anselmo, California. (Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
On Oct. 14, however, the Supreme Court did allowed the Trump administration to lower population counting for the census.
“[Trump] seeks to reallocate political power among the states and to weaken the political influence of states with larger populations of undocumented immigrants,” the challengers said in a court filing, Reuters reported.
They also alleged the change prevents people from participating in the census, saying it is a violation of both the Constitution and the Census Act.
The administration wanting to exclude undocumented immigrants comes before Trump’s third pick for the Supreme Court is sworn in. Amy Coney Barrett is set to take Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat.
If the Republican-controlled Senate approves Trump-nominated Barrett, six out nine seats will be controlled by conservative judges.
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