President John Magufuli says the crisis is being exaggerated and has stopped publishing case numbers.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
‘Southern Charm’ star Kathryn Dennis accused of racism in beef with SC activist
Southern Charm‘s Kathryn Dennis is apologizing after she went on a racist rant against two women of color, including likening one to a monkey.
Over the weekend, activist and radio host Mika Gadsden called out Katie Shields, owner of the nail salon Mylk Bar, for hosting a Trump event in Charlestown, S.C.
READ MORE: ‘Boy Meets World’ actress accuses stars of ‘extreme’ racism
“In Charleston you learn, fairly quickly, that the face of White Supremacy resembles that of the boutique-owning, gatekeeping glitterati. This is Katie Shields, owner of Mylk Bar in Mt. Pleasant. She’s organizing a Nautical MAGA rally with her friends. Katie is reprehensible,” Gadsden tweeted.
In Charleston you learn, fairly quickly, that the face of White Supremacy resembles that of the boutique-owning, gatekeeping glitterati. This is Katie Shields, owner of Mylk Bar in Mt. Pleasant. She’s organizing a Nautical MAGA rally with her friends. Katie is reprehensible. pic.twitter.com/0CWSWRS0gz
— Mika Gadsden (@mikagadsden) May 10, 2020
Jewelry boutique owner Pauline Rodriguez of Charleston also took on Shields and her event as she objected to Mylk Bar’s association with the Trump event. That drew the ire of Shields, who responded to Rodriquez and Gadsen, who came to her defense.
“She was attacked by Katie Shields’ network of wealthy, monied affluent white women,” Gadsden said in an exclusive interview with theGrio.
Dennis, a member of one of South Carolina’s prominent political families, the Calhouns, used a monkey emoji in her responses to Gadsden.
“Kathryn was one of the folks that were antagonizing Paulina online and so I shared what Kathryn was doing and tagged her to hold her accountable. That’s when Kathryn set her sights on me and started to directly insult me and subsequently hurled a monkey emoji at me as I was defending Paulina.”
Gadsden says that it’s more than just about an emoji but the systematic racism that allows some to operate without impunity.
I guess I didn’t give her the response she wanted. pic.twitter.com/Ll0sJu9wOi
— Mika Gadsden (@mikagadsden) May 11, 2020
Dennis has since taken to social media to apologize and say that she will “do better”.
I want to acknowledge that using a monkey emoji in my text was offensive, and from the bottom of my heart I sincerely apologize to anyone and everyone I hurt. Although the context was not my intention, there are no “if ands or buts” that excuse me… part 1
— Kathryn C. Dennis (@KathrynDennis) May 11, 2020
Gadsden isn’t inclined to accept her apology, especially since there was a concerted effort to punish Rodriguez economically for speaking her truth.
“They threatened to take away her ability to take care of herself and her livelihood. They threatened to take away resources,” she says.
“That’s how the white women who are the arbiters of white supremacy, who are the orchestrators of a lot of this pain, thee white women, that’s how they attack us. Their violence usually comes in the form of economic pain.”
Gadsden is also mindful of the mass shooting that took place at the Emanuel African Methodist in Charlestown on June 17, 2015. Dylan Roof killed nine Black people while they were in Bible study. It is a wound that is still fresh.
“What we saw in the state, what we saw in the city was everyone just grab hands, hold hands and walk across the bridge in this performative show of solidarity and what happened was Black trauma was never addressed. What happened was Black folks were never afforded the space to be outraged, to be upset, to be angry, to cry, and mourn amongst themselves,” she says.
Gadsden continues by saying that particular trauma was exploited by those who put a premium on respectability politics. That is not how she moves in life and reinforces why she won’t accept the apology from Dennis.
“They called for peace and all this harmony when in my estimation that was a time to galvanize communities and demand more and what I’m saying is that my justice, justice for my people, my liberation should not have to cost Black acquiescence,” she says.
“That cannot be the price and so I’m tired. I’m tired of these reality show stars saying blatantly and explicitly racist things. I’m tired of them being afforded platforms, more television shows, more programming. This lady will be rewarded.”
Gadsden acknowledges that there is space for Dennis and others to grow but is not invested in being their personal teacher. Her priority is protecting her community from harm.
READ MORE: Angela Yee talks racism against Black and Asian communities amid coronavirus pandemic
“There’s enough books and resources, Google is free for them to act right and we’re in the cradle of slavery down here. So, if they don’t know better by now, they don’t want to know,” she says.
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Lifetime announces new Prince Harry and Meghan film about ‘controversial’ exit
Only a few months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made history (and international headlines) with the announcement that they were voluntarily stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family, Lifetime has already greenlit a tv movie about the ordeal commonly referred to as “Megxit.”
The film, tentatively titled Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace, will be a fictionalized account of the events surrounding their decision to step down from their royal duties and step away from the increasingly volatile British media. They have since relocated to California.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry staying in Tyler Perry’s $18M mansion
TVLine reports that the biopic’s synopsis says it will chronicle “the couple’s controversial conscious uncoupling from the crown, after the birth of their son Archie.”
The movie will also detail “the struggles of the new parents and unique challenges of being part of the royal family, which ultimately led Harry and Meghan to give up their royal ties to forge a new life on their own terms.”
READ MORE: Author apologizes to Meghan Markle after dragging birthday video with son Archie
Aside from this brief overview no further details such as casting choices, the film’s production or release date, have been announced. This is likely due to the coronavirus pandemic which has halted productions across the entire film and television industry.
Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace is the third installment from a series of timely Lifetime movies about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The first two movies about the couple were Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance which aired in May of 2018 (five days before the royal wedding) and Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal which aired in May of 2019.
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Boosie draws ire of social media after refusing to apologize for Zaya Wade comments
Boosie Badazz otherwise known as 37-year-old Torrence Hatch Jr. is no stranger to controversy. The Baton Rouge, La. born rapper has very little filter and basically tells his 8.7M followers any thoughts that come straight out of his brain.
READ MORE: Louisiana’s COVID-19 deaths were 70 percent Black residents
Therefore, its no surprise that he finds himself on the wrong side of social media when he shares his takes on hot-button subjects. That was the case when he weighed in on Dwyane Wade‘s 12-year-old transgender daughter, Zaya Wade, by saying that Dwyane “was going too far” and not to have Zaya “cut his d**k off.”
Boosie then said after the inevitable fallout from his comments that he was going to talk to Jay-Z to intervene and settle any dispute between Boosie and Dwyane. Those comments suggested that 1. Boosie could get Jay on the phone 2. That Jay-Z cared to intervene and 3. That DWade would even consider hearing him out. Boosie felt the need to clarify in an interview with VladTV that was posted this week.
“People got it wrong,” Boosie told Vlad. “The owner of my reality show, he know Jay. We started losing advertising, he like, ‘Imma call Jay. Jay can put you on the line with Dwyane Wade and y’all do some shit. We clear this shit up and go get the bag. We need to clear this shit up. Whoopty woo. Jay can make it happen.’ He the one who can make it happen. He from New York, my boy from New York. I was just like, no, bruh. No, I ain’t…I stand what I stand on. I don’t feel I said nothing wrong to apologize for.”
At the time, Boosie said his mother got on his case about it with the phrase ‘Who am I to judge?’ It resonated somewhat as Boosie then made a song with that title. Here are just some of the lyrics:
Some say I’m crazy, I say I’m just real
If crazy’s what you get then that’s what it is
I don’t care who I offend with these tears
I know when I said it that that shit was real
To his credit, if any credit can be given, Boosie, the father of eight, says that those are his beliefs and that he feels he has nothing to apologize for.
“I just feel like children are too young to make those decisions like that and I believe in traditional values that’s all. And people took it the wrong way. I wasn’t trying to harm nobody, I don’t have nothing against nobody or nothing like that.”
(Note: Gender reassignment surgery is not permitted in the U.S. until the age of 18).
Boosie trended on Twitter today as old comments about his sons and their virginity trended. Boosie says that he had, ahem, a woman provide oral sex to his 14-year-old son for his birthday.
In shades of T.I., when the story of him monitoring his daughter’s virginity broke, Boosie later told TMZ he was just kidding. However, this is what he actually said at the time:
“I’m training them boys right,” Boosie said. “A grown, super grown woman checked his ass out, checked all my nephews out.”
READ MORE: Boosie and the double standard of sexual assault in the Black community
Social media obviously found these comments reprehensible, to say the least, and many couldn’t understand why he felt the need to comment on Zaya when he himself was promoting child molestation.
People can’t handle Dwayne and Gabrielle allowing their child to live out loud but are completley fine with Boosie’s stupid ass getting grown women to molest his underaged kids?
Okay.
— ΛDRIΛN (@AdrianXpression) May 12, 2020
Boosie: Kids are too young to know if they’re LGBTQ!
Also Boosie: I pay older women to molest my sons & nephews to train them to be “real men” & prevent them from being gay.
— Bella Goth (@HoodSocialism) May 12, 2020
Y’all can’t tell me this homophobic ass man is not sick. Talking about training his sons to be sexually abused. This is rape culture.
“Hell yeah I got my son dick sucked”pic.twitter.com/jMGiSpeODK
— elexus.jionde (@Lexual__) May 12, 2020
So much can be unpacked here but the main issue is that Boosie has a platform to the tune of 8 plus million followers. So someone is interested in his thoughts.
During the coronavirus epidemic, he’s used that platform to encourage women to pose topless for money, promoted several products, lined up women for a post-corona pool party, and offered discounts on ghostwriting rap lyrics among other things.
For a man who’s served time in a murder case, has diabetes (but still smokes cigarettes) and beat kidney cancer, you’d think Boosie might find some more positive ways to use his enormous reach. But you’d also wonder why, despite his problematic thought process and his lack of a mainstream hit, we’re still giving him this much attention.
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Lauren London talks motherhood and loss with Queen Afua
Mother’s Day weekend can be bittersweet for a myriad of reasons. Over the holiday weekend, actress Lauren London had a candid sit down with herbalist and author Queen Afua about what this holiday and motherhood, in general, has been like since her partner, Grammy-winning rapper Nipsey Hussle was slain last year.
In a clip from their conversation which took place via Black Girls Rock’s Instagram page, the two women discuss what parenthood looks like while grappling with the loss of a loved one.
READ MORE: Ahmaud Arbery’s mother wants to know why man who filmed son’s death didn’t help
“They’re ancestors now,” began Queen Afua. “We can call him up and they will speak through us, support us and encourage us. What do you say to the loss?”
“I say that I am with you. I stand with you. I can relate to your pain,” responded London. “Today, for me, I would have had Nip here a couple years ago or a year ago to say ‘Happy Mother’s Day,’ bring my flowers, and [now] I don’t. So in that space where I don’t have him physically here, I nurture it into myself. I will embrace the love that I do get from my family.”
“The flowers that I do get that come from my cousins, my mother or my brother. I fully embrace that, right. I will fully be present with my kids today because time is not promised,” she continued. “I will light a candle for my beloved. I will do the things that honor him that I know that he respected. And yeah, I feel more importantly, when there’s an empty space, when there’s a loss, you just do things in their honor and that fills up a little bit of the hole.”
READ MORE: Lauren London pens tribute to Nipsey Hussle: ‘Until we are together again’
“Everyone is just so filled with love for you,” gushed Queen Afua. “And every time I hear of your name, they’re always uplifting you.”
“I know it!” agreed London, adding, “The prayers of the people have kept me. They have no idea.”
On Mother’s Day, London shared how her children have helped her heal as well.
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Byron Allen’s ‘Feeding America Comedy Festival’ provides over 16 million meals
The Feeding America Comedy Festival not only brought the laughs, but also helped millions of families across America.
READ MORE: Supreme Court throws wrench in Byron Allen’s $20B suit against Comcast
The two-hour comedy special, which debuted on NBC on Monday, May 11, helped provide more than 16 million meals to those in need via donations. The television event was co-hosted by Billy Crystal, Tiffany Haddish, Kenan Thompson and Byron Allen, who spearheaded the special.
“I am proud to say the Feeding America Comedy Festival more than achieved our goals, making America laugh and delivering over 16 million meals to families in need across the country,” said Allen, founder and CEO of Allen Media Group. “I wish to thank everyone for their donations, the extremely talented comedians who gave so much of their valuable time, and to NBC for being such a tremendous partner in this much-needed effort.”
Some of comedy’s biggest names contributed to the special, including Jack Black,Wayne Brady, Cedric the Entertainer, Deon Cole, Tommy Davidson, Mike Epps, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin James, Keegan-Michael Key, George Lopez, Tim Meadows, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman, JB Smoove and Sheryl Underwood.
“My first call was to Kevin Hart,” Allen previously told TMZ. “And then we called Tiffany Haddish, Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Adam Sandler, … and every comedian said, ‘I’m in there, let’s go.’”
READ MORE: Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock among comics taking part in star-studded ‘Feeding America’ benefit
The Allen Media Group partnered with both Funny or Die and Feeding America® to produce the special. Encore presentations of the Feeding America Comedy Festival will air and stream on Comedy.TV, The Weather Channel, Allen’s free streaming app Local Now, and on NBC digital platforms.
Viewers are encouraged to contribute, volunteer or donate to the campaign at www.feedingamerica.org/comedyfest.
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California professor issues apology after wife’s racist rant goes viral
An associate professor at Sacramento State University is apologizing for the outrageously racist behavior he and his wife displayed on a video shared by their neighbor, Mikaela Cobb, that has now gone viral.
Tim Ford and his wife, Crystal Ford, are attributing the racist rant to her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, further exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
READ MORE: Public apology sought from lawmaker who displayed book open to racist passage
“She recognizes the hurt and anger that she has caused and regrets it,” Ford said of his wife to the Sacramento Bee. “Today, she is seeking help and has checked herself into a hospital for alcohol and drug abuse.”
In the video, Sacramento State economics professor Ford and his wife, Crystal, are seen in a verbal dispute with their neighbors. Crystal Ford uses racial slurs multiple times, refers to the person recording as a “b*tch” and flips off the camera.
At the end of the video, Ford tosses his drink and its contents at his neighbors’ window.
Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen said that he received and watched the “very disturbing video” that showed the professor and his wife in “an ugly verbal dispute with their neighbors.”
Nelsen denounced the video on Sacramento State’s official Facebook page, saying, “I am deeply offended by the language in the video. Racial epithets are repulsive and unacceptable. Personally, I am incredibly upset by the contents of the video and the harmful impact that it is having on our campus community.”
For her part, Cobb says the argument started because Crystal Ford was mad about the smell of bacon grease. “Guys she was mad it smelled like bacon grease!? Like I can’t eat!?” Cobb wrote in a Facebook comment.
READ MORE: Twin brothers say Sacramento cops beat them during false arrests
Cobb’s post has since been deleted but according to an article in The State Hornet, known as the “Voice of Sacramento”, she stated, “This is what I have to deal with while in quarantine!” Mikaela Cobb said in the post. “Racial slurs are being thrown around, I can’t even (be) at peace in my own home.”
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Doctor Shares Photo of United Airlines Flight Packed With Passengers Fighting Coronavirus
Since April, United Airlines has been providing free round-trip flights to New York City for medical volunteers who want to help fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
Now, as health professionals begin to head home, a doctor is upset that the airline has backed out of its promise to leave space on flights.
According to Forbes, Dr. Ethan Weiss, an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco’s Cardiovascular Research Institute, tweeted a photo of his packed United flight heading to San Francisco from Newark Airport in New Jersey. Weiss was returning home after spending two weeks treating patients at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Every seat on Dr. Weiss’s flight was filled leaving doctors and nurses scared and nervous about the possibility of infection.
“This is the last time I’ll be flying for a very long time,” Weiss tweeted yesterday from a crowded United Airlines flight. “People on this plane are scared/shocked.”
Weiss was taken aback by the number of passengers on board since his flight to New York was about 30% of capacity. But Weiss said friends told him flights have been increasing in capacity recently.
“I’ve heard from a lot of people who have been doing these medical trips that the number of passengers on the plane has been increasing pretty steadily over the past month,” he says. “My colleagues who came out a month ago said their flights were completely empty.”
In late April, United announced it would begin blocking the middle seats on all flights in order to promote social distancing. The carrier also said it would take in passengers from back to front and process all seating upgrades in order to space out passengers.
Weiss believes the problem with United was many passengers didn’t expect the flight to be full. Most passengers believed United was still leaving the middle seat open. Additionally, many of the health professionals who came to New York and New Jersey did so on mostly empty flights.
“Most of what happened yesterday was a reaction to the fact that they [United] had been telling everyone that the middle seat was blocked,” Weiss said.
The airline industry as a whole is suffering. In April, all U.S. based airlines were ordered by the Department of Transportation to pay refunds to customers whose flights were canceled as a result of coronavirus. The future doesn’t look much better for customers either. A post-coronavirus world is likely to be one with fewer choices in airlines, flight times, and available routes and markets.
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#RacistInChief trends after Trump tells Asian reporter to ‘ask China’
In an epic meltdown, President Donald J. Trump went full racist when he asked a reporter of Chinese descent to “ask China,” after she questioned why he sees the United States coronavirus testing response as a global competition.
Weijia Jiang, a White House correspondent for CBS News, asked the President why he sees coronavirus testing as a global competition when more than 80,000 Americans have died.
READ MORE: Trump called COVID-19 a ‘Chinese Virus’ draws outrage
“Americans are still losing their lives every day, why do you see this as a global competition?” Jiang asked of the president.
“Maybe that’s a question you should ask China,” Trump told Jiang, who was born in China and immigrated to the United States when she was two years old. “Don’t ask me. Ask China that question, OK?”
He was again insistent on emphasizing his pronunciation of CHY-NA.
The meltdown was covered widely, including on The Telegraph, where they aired the video of the president storming out of the press conference after being challenged by Jiang and another female reporter.
To her credit, a stunned Jiang asked the president, “Sir, why are you saying that to me specifically?”
He told her that her question was a “nasty question.”
The disgusting exchange spilled over to Twitter where users kicked off a new trending hashtag #RacistInChief.
The tweets were plenty lamenting the lack of leadership from the current POTUS.
Nobody voted for Donald Trump because they thought he was a skilled communicator, charismatic leader, creative problem solver, brilliant intellect, or selfless humanitarian.
They voted for him because he hated the same people they did.#TrumpPressConference
— Middle Age Riot (@middleageriot) May 11, 2020
One Twitter user even wrote a catchy little poem:
There once was a Racist In Chief
Whose meltdowns defied all belief.
He once grabbed vaginas,
But now he blames China
Which is why he gives women such grief.
There once was a Racist In Chief
Whose meltdowns defied all belief.
He once grabbed vaginas,
But now he blames China
Which is why he gives women such grief. #TrumpPressConf #TrumpMeltdown #RacistInChief pic.twitter.com/CsBRz3EKXm— Bleeding Heart Liberal Marine (@zaharako) May 12, 2020
READ MORE: Trump campaign gets called out for racism in ad attacking Joe Biden
Former Democratic presidential hopeful, Senator Bernie Sanders, said, “Mr. Trump is a coward who tears down others to make himself feel powerful.”
Pretty pathetic. Mr. Trump is a coward who tears down others to make himself feel powerful. https://t.co/A4HvLyTdpn
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 11, 2020
For the umpteenth time in his presidency, his own constituents have said that he is, “disrespectful, rude, and terrified of intelligent women.”
Disrespectful, rude, and terrified of intelligent women
— Vote Blue Straight Down The Line (@ShoppingDiva812) May 11, 2020
The next presidential election is November 3, 2020.
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Diddy says he ‘can’t handle’ Andre Harrell’s sudden death
Grief has become a part of everyday life lately. Losing loved ones is a painful process both physically and emotionally. Hip-Hop icon, Sean “Diddy” Combs has suffered his share of loss.
Only six months after losing one of his greatest loves, Kim Porter, he is struggling with the loss of his mentor.
READ MORE: After tragically losing Kim Porter last year, is Diddy ready for love?
Andre Harrell was the founder of Uptown Records. Harrell gave Diddy his first industry job and the label is where he began to make his mark. His ultimate firing from the label led to the founding of the iconic Bad Boy Records empire.
In a moving Instagram post, Diddy wrote how he has to allow himself to feel the reality of the loss, “in doses.” He said, “Because I can’t even handle this. I hope to God that you are all blessed to have someone in your life that loves you and believes in you like this man believed in me.”
Combs shared a video where he had the opportunity to thank Harrell to his face for being patient with him and teaching him so many life lessons over the years.
“I call you my big brother, but tonight I have to tell you the truth,” Combs shares with his mentor. “I told you my father died when I was 2 1/2. Andre, you’ve been my father for the last 30 years, B.”
He finished the moving post with the caption, “LOVE YOU FOREVER @andreharrell !!!!!!!!!!”
Andre Harrell died last weekend. The cause of death has not been made official. TMZ speculates that it was heart failure.
Uptown Records was founded in 1986. The label was the home of Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Heavy D., and more. The iconic label dominated R&B charts throughout the 90s and changed the sound and marketing of Black music. Years after Harrell, let a young Puff Daddy go from his duties as an executive at the label, the protegé hired his mentor in various capacities in his Combs Enterprises; most recently as the Vice Chairman of REVOLT TV and Media.
In late January, Harrell posted a message sending congratulations to his mentee who was awarded as a music icon of 2020 by the Grammy’s. Harrell said, “Great performance. great speech. Proud of U.” in his Instagram post.
Experts have said that “Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. These are normal reactions to loss—and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.”
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Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Senate Democrats Propose Monthly Payments Of Up to $2,000
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) along with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) proposed a bill that will significantly expand on the $1,200 stimulus payments Americans received.
According to The Root, the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act will provide a check of $2,000 a month for people who earn less than $100,000 (individual); $150,000 (head of household). Married couples who file jointly would and make less than $200,000 would receive $4,000. Married couples filing jointly would also receive an additional $2,000 for each child up to three children.
Harris told Politico the first round of coronavirus response payments weren’t “nearly enough to meet the needs of this historic crisis.”
Markey called the bill “the most direct and efficient mechanism for delivering economic relief to those most vulnerable.”
“Congress has a responsibility to make sure that every working-class household in America receives a $2,000 emergency payment a month for each family member,” said Sanders, Politico reported.
The payments would be retroactive to March and would last until three months after the Department of Health and Human Services declared the pandemic over.
“The coronavirus pandemic has caused millions to struggle to pay the bills or feed their families,” Harris told CNN. “Bills will continue to come in every single month during the pandemic and so should help from government. The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act will ensure families have the resources they need to make ends meet. I am eager to continue working with Senators Sanders and Markey as we push to pass this bill immediately.”
The bill has a long way to go, most Republican lawmakers have spoken out against monthly payments. The bill would also give payments to undocumented immigrants who do not have a Social Security number but pay taxes.
For Harris and Sanders, this is the first significant bill they’ve worked on. Harris did support Sanders’ Medicare-For-All bill in 2017, but she backed off during the 2020 Democratic primaries, releasing her own plan, which included private insurance.
The coronavirus has decimated the job market and put more than 26 million Americans out of work. Additionally, the Paycheck Protection Program has been riddled with issues from applying and receiving funds to funds not going to minority and women business owners.
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Jay-Z Backed, Black-Owned Vegan Cookie Company Expands Into Target
Denise Woodard never imagined that her daughter’s food allergies would lead her down a pathway toward entrepreneurship.
Back in 2016, she was a corporate executive at The Coca-Cola Co. when a peanut and corn snack almost took her daughter Vivienne’s life when she was just a year old.
“My daughter was born in 2015, and in 2016, right after her first birthday, on a Wednesday afternoon at 3’o clock, I remember clear as day, I was on a conference call,” said Woodard recalling the terrifying encounter on an episode of The Startup Podcast. “Immediately after she takes a tiny bite, her lips start swelling up, her tongue starts swelling up, it’s clear she’s having trouble breathing. She turns blue in our living room.”
Fortunately, Vivienne survived the frightening incident and Woodward realized that she was allergic to corn. After taking another allergy test, she discovered that Vivienne had a tree nut allergy as well. In order to keep her young daughter safe, Woodard went on a mission to find allergy-safe snacks.
“Naturally, I set out to find the healthy, allergy-friendly snacks we’d need to fuel our active lifestyle,” Woodard writes on her website. “I came away from the stores frustrated and mystified. Nothing on the shelves met our dietary needs and my healthy standards.”
As a result, Woodard resorted to making snacks for her daughter from scratch. That same year, she launched Partake Foods, a vegan food startup that specializes in allergen-free cookies. All Partake cookies are free-from the top eight food allergens: cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soybeans, and wheat.
In 2017, Woodard left her job at Coca-Cola and sold cookies out of her car for six months. In 2019, she secured a $1 million investment from Marcy Venture Partners, a venture capital firm co-founded by hip hop billionaire Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. Not only did the investment help take Partake to the next level, but it also made Woodard the first black woman to ever raise over $1 million for a food startup company.
Fast-forward to 2020 and the vegan cookies inspired by Vivienne are now being sold in over 1,600 Target stores nationwide. Partake revealed the partnership with the mega-retailer on Monday in a press release. In addition, Partake is expanding its cookies into Sprouts, The Fresh Market, and additional Whole Foods Market regions across the country, making the vegan snacks available in over 2,700 stores.
The announcement comes in the middle of Food Allergy Awareness Month. Studies reveal that food allergies affect 1 in 13 children and are expected to impact up to 1 in 10 kids this year. Additional research shows that African American children are more likely to have food allergies and suffer from food-induced anaphylaxis. Black and Hispanic children also visit the emergency room more due to food allergies.
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