Since January, scientists have published more than 700 studies to figure out the molecule’s link to risk for the disease—and to find possible treatments.
from Wired https://ift.tt/3eIwfOP
via
Monday, June 1, 2020
Ice Cube Joins Charlamagne, Diddy, Against Biden Democrats: ‘Let’s Hold The Black Vote Hostage Until There’s A Black Agenda We’re Satisfied With’
On May 24, Ice Cube tweeted, “Hold the Black vote hostage until one of ’em comes with A Black Agenda that we’re satisfied with. It’s not our job to fix the country’s mess until we fix our mess…#fuckyoupayme.”
The hip-hop icon’s tweet falls in line with a sentiment Sean “Diddy” Combs recently shared during an interview with Naomi Campbell when he called for Black people to hold off giving Joe Biden and the Democrats support until the Black community’s issues and needs are addressed.
“We want to know very clearly. Just like Trump made it clear that he wanted to build a wall, Biden needs to make it clear that he’s gonna change the lives and quality of life of Black and Brown people,” Diddy said. “Or else he can’t get the vote. I will hold the vote hostage if I have to.”
In the interview on Campbell’s web series, “No Filter with Naomi,” Diddy declared the “Black vote ain’t free.” More people seem to be following this belief especially after the presumptive presidential Democrat’s interview on The Breakfast Club with Charlamagne Tha God.
Nina Turner, national co-chair of the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, tweeted, “The @DNC must stop playing games with our votes. And to my Beloved Black Community: Now is the time! We owe it to our ancestors, ourselves and to our future to seize this moment for the uplift of our people. This assignment is forever!#Iaintblack“
During the interview, Biden seemingly questioned Charlamagne’s — and any other undecided Black voter’s — Blackness by saying Black people who don’t vote for him“ain’t Black.”
Biden later backtracked and expressed remorse for acting so “cavalier,” insisting that he’s “never, never, ever taken the African-American community for granted,” Hot News Hip Hop reported.
Shortly after Diddy’s declaration, Biden released his plan for Black America called, “Lift Every Voice.”
Now, after The Breakfast Club interview, the Biden campaign reposted highlights from the plan on Instagram.
According to the post, “The Biden Plan for Black America” will close the wealth and income gap by investing in African-American workers, businesses, and communities, TheGrio reported. The post also stressed that a Biden administration would push for health equity and address racial inequity.
“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy. I shouldn’t have been so cavalier…I have never, ever taken the African-American community for granted,” Biden said, according to journalist Yamiche Alcindor. “No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, background, religion, or any demographic information.”
While the sentiment of Diddy, Charlemagne, and now Ice Cube seems to be gaining momentum, other Black voters say now is not the time to put the election on the line.
Holding the Black vote hostage is irresponsible and puts the Black community in danger, wrote Christina M. Greer, an associate professor at Fordham University and the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream.” Greer co-hosts the podcast FAQ-NYC, and is the political editor at The Grio.
While Greer said she agrees with Diddy that Biden and the Democrats cannot take the Black vote for granted, she feels holding the Black vote hostage “would be detrimental to not only the Black community but the nation (and world) for generations to come.”
This article was written by Ann Brown for The Moguldom Nation.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3dlI2m0
via
CDFIs Get An Additional $10 Billion In PPP Funding From SBA
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is providing an additional $10 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).
The new funding will be specifically lent by CDFIs, part of a move to make sure that PPP loans reach low-income communities where CDFIs operate. The SBA, along with the with the U.S. Treasury Department, made the announcement Thursday in a press release.
The fresh funding comes after the SBA provided $30 billion in April in Round 2 of PPP funding for CDFIs, community banks, and other lenders with assets of $10 billion or less.
“The forgivable loan program, PPP, is dedicated to providing emergency capital to sustain our nation’s small businesses, the drivers of our economy, and retain their employees,” stated SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. “CDFIs provide critically important capital and technical assistance to small businesses from rural, minority, and other under served communities, especially during this economically challenging time.”
Though the new funding does not include community banks and other lenders, a SBA spokeswoman says there is still more than $100 million in PPP funding that can be lent by participating lenders to small businesses, including black-owned businesses. So far, since being launched in early April in two phases, the SBA has approved more than $510.5 billion in funding covering over 4.4 million loans.
Interestingly, some 3,581 banks with less than $1 billion in assets have provided 891,301 loans totaling over $81.4 billion since PPP rolled out, according to SBA data. Several firms on the BE 100s 2019 Banks list fall into that category.
William Michael Cunningham, an economist and banking expert, stated by email that the additional $10 billion in PPP funding that the SBA is setting aside exclusively for CDFIs is a good sign. He added it is responsive to the observations and complaints that many have made concerning the lack of funding directed to minority businesses.
However, Cunningham stated, “the downside is that the speed with which SBA has come up with this additional funding may indicate that the economic situation is worse than we thought.”
In general, CDFIs largely focus on providing personal lending and business development efforts in poorer local communities often in need of revitalization across the country. They can seek funding from the U.S. Treasury. They often promote economic development and operate in areas not adequately targeted by traditional banks.
CDFI’s have been among PPP participants. A current listing of PPP lenders to date can be found on the SBA website.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2MjZbAU
via
Giving soft robots feeling
One of the hottest topics in robotics is the field of soft robots, which utilizes squishy and flexible materials rather than traditional rigid materials. But soft robots have been limited due to their lack of good sensing. A good robotic gripper needs to feel what it is touching (tactile sensing), and it needs to sense the positions of its fingers (proprioception). Such sensing has been missing from most soft robots.
In a new pair of papers, researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) came up with new tools to let robots better perceive what they’re interacting with: the ability to see and classify items, and a softer, delicate touch.
“We wish to enable seeing the world by feeling the world. Soft robot hands have sensorized skins that allow them to pick up a range of objects, from delicate, such as potato chips, to heavy, such as milk bottles,” says CSAIL Director Daniela Rus, the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the deputy dean of research for the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing.
One paper builds off last year’s research from MIT and Harvard University, where a team developed a soft and strong robotic gripper in the form of a cone-shaped origami structure. It collapses in on objects much like a Venus' flytrap, to pick up items that are as much as 100 times its weight.
To get that newfound versatility and adaptability even closer to that of a human hand, a new team came up with a sensible addition: tactile sensors, made from latex “bladders” (balloons) connected to pressure transducers. The new sensors let the gripper not only pick up objects as delicate as potato chips, but it also classifies them — letting the robot better understand what it’s picking up, while also exhibiting that light touch.
When classifying objects, the sensors correctly identified 10 objects with over 90 percent accuracy, even when an object slipped out of grip.
“Unlike many other soft tactile sensors, ours can be rapidly fabricated, retrofitted into grippers, and show sensitivity and reliability,” says MIT postdoc Josie Hughes, the lead author on a new paper about the sensors. “We hope they provide a new method of soft sensing that can be applied to a wide range of different applications in manufacturing settings, like packing and lifting.”
In a second paper, a group of researchers created a soft robotic finger called “GelFlex” that uses embedded cameras and deep learning to enable high-resolution tactile sensing and “proprioception” (awareness of positions and movements of the body).
The gripper, which looks much like a two-finger cup gripper you might see at a soda station, uses a tendon-driven mechanism to actuate the fingers. When tested on metal objects of various shapes, the system had over 96 percent recognition accuracy.
“Our soft finger can provide high accuracy on proprioception and accurately predict grasped objects, and also withstand considerable impact without harming the interacted environment and itself,” says Yu She, lead author on a new paper on GelFlex. “By constraining soft fingers with a flexible exoskeleton, and performing high-resolution sensing with embedded cameras, we open up a large range of capabilities for soft manipulators.”
Magic ball senses
The magic ball gripper is made from a soft origami structure, encased by a soft balloon. When a vacuum is applied to the balloon, the origami structure closes around the object, and the gripper deforms to its structure.
While this motion lets the gripper grasp a much wider range of objects than ever before, such as soup cans, hammers, wine glasses, drones, and even a single broccoli floret, the greater intricacies of delicacy and understanding were still out of reach — until they added the sensors.
When the sensors experience force or strain, the internal pressure changes, and the team can measure this change in pressure to identify when it will feel that again.
In addition to the latex sensor, the team also developed an algorithm which uses feedback to let the gripper possess a human-like duality of being both strong and precise — and 80 percent of the tested objects were successfully grasped without damage.
The team tested the gripper-sensors on a variety of household items, ranging from heavy bottles to small, delicate objects, including cans, apples, a toothbrush, a water bottle, and a bag of cookies.
Going forward, the team hopes to make the methodology scalable, using computational design and reconstruction methods to improve the resolution and coverage using this new sensor technology. Eventually, they imagine using the new sensors to create a fluidic sensing skin that shows scalability and sensitivity.
Hughes co-wrote the new paper with Rus, which they will present virtually at the 2020 International Conference on Robotics and Automation.
GelFlex
In the second paper, a CSAIL team looked at giving a soft robotic gripper more nuanced, human-like senses. Soft fingers allow a wide range of deformations, but to be used in a controlled way there must be rich tactile and proprioceptive sensing. The team used embedded cameras with wide-angle “fisheye” lenses that capture the finger’s deformations in great detail.
To create GelFlex, the team used silicone material to fabricate the soft and transparent finger, and put one camera near the fingertip and the other in the middle of the finger. Then, they painted reflective ink on the front and side surface of the finger, and added LED lights on the back. This allows the internal fish-eye camera to observe the status of the front and side surface of the finger.
The team trained neural networks to extract key information from the internal cameras for feedback. One neural net was trained to predict the bending angle of GelFlex, and the other was trained to estimate the shape and size of the objects being grabbed. The gripper could then pick up a variety of items such as a Rubik’s cube, a DVD case, or a block of aluminum.
During testing, the average positional error while gripping was less than 0.77 millimeter, which is better than that of a human finger. In a second set of tests, the gripper was challenged with grasping and recognizing cylinders and boxes of various sizes. Out of 80 trials, only three were classified incorrectly.
In the future, the team hopes to improve the proprioception and tactile sensing algorithms, and utilize vision-based sensors to estimate more complex finger configurations, such as twisting or lateral bending, which are challenging for common sensors, but should be attainable with embedded cameras.
Yu She co-wrote the GelFlex paper with MIT graduate student Sandra Q. Liu, Peiyu Yu of Tsinghua University, and MIT Professor Edward Adelson. They will present the paper virtually at the 2020 International Conference on Robotics and Automation.
from MIT News https://ift.tt/2XmSh48
via
J.R. Smith beats up man who he claims damaged his truck
J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers was captured on video this weekend beating up a man who allegedly damaged his truck during protests in Los Angeles.
Smith was parked in a residential area, away from protesting, when the man broke the window of his truck. In the video, Smith is seen delivering a few kicks and blows to the head of the man before his friends step in.
READ MORE: NYPD officer caught displaying ‘white power’ symbol during protest
Smith took to social media to give his account of the incident before other news outlets reported. He said on Instagram Live, “One of the motherfu**king white boys didn’t know where he was going and broke my f**king window in my truck,” Smith said, “I chased him down and whupped his a**.”
Smith said, “This ain’t no hate crime. I ain’t got no problem with nobody who ain’t got no problem with me. It’s a problem with the system. He broke my window, and I whupped his a**.”
The disclaimer was posted likely because the young man who Smith beat up was white.
Currently a free agent, Smith has reportedly re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers and will return to his former team when the NBA starts playing again.
Smith’s former teammate, LeBron James, has been active on social media also. However, the NBA All-Star has been writing about the protests.
One of his posts, “Why doesn’t America love US!!!!??? TOO,” earned over 180,000 likes.
Why Doesn’t America Love US!!!!!????TOO. πππ€¦πΎ♂️π€¦πΎ♂️ #HeadHighandStayStrongππΎπͺπΎ #WeAllWeGot✊πΎπ
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 31, 2020
READ MORE: Michael Jordan issues statement about George Floyd: ‘I am plain angry’
Throughout his career, James has always been active in speaking out against police brutality. He recently retweeted a post from Jimmy Kimmel which, he said, left him in tears. “I’m so hurtful for my people right this moment.”
The ending has me in tears!!! Literally ππππππ. This isn’t ok the way we’re treated man! I’m so hurtful for my people right this moment https://t.co/fF0HS6qmed
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 30, 2020
NBA legend, Michael Jordan, released a statement on Sunday condemning police violence. In a rare political stance, Jordan said, “I am deeply saddened, truly pained, and plain angry,” the statement reads, “I stand with those who are calling out ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.”
The post J.R. Smith beats up man who he claims damaged his truck appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2ZYh40a
via
NYC Mayor de Blasio’s daughter arrested during George Floyd protest
Chiara de Blasio was among 100 protesters who were arrested Saturday night in New York City. The daughter of Mayor Bill de Blasio was reportedly part of a group that was blocking a roadway, and some people were allegedly throwing objects at officers.
According to the New York Post, when asked her address she listed Gracie Mansion, the Mayoral residence, but did not explicitly tell police officers who she was. She was held overnight and given a desk appearance ticket.
READ MORE: Trump took shelter in White House bunker as protests raged
“That was a real hotspot, police cars were getting burned there, people were throwing and yelling, fighting with cops,” a source told The Post, “There were thousands of people in that area at that time.”
de Blasio was arrested just an hour before her father made a public announcement pleading for protesters to go home just before midnight.
The First Daughter, Chiara de Blasio was arrested near the intersection of 12th Street and Broadway along with approximately 100 other people who were instructed to clear the roadway but refused.
— Gloria Pazmino (@GloriaPazmino) June 1, 2020
“If you went out peacefully to make a point about the need for change, you have been heard and change is coming in the city,” the mayor said, “I have no doubt about that. It’s time to go home so we can all move forward.”
On Sunday, the mayor, like many other government officials around the country, stated that the local protests had been co-opted by agitators with an “explicit agenda of violence.”
He warned that even though it is a small number of people, they are well-organized.
READ MORE: Massive protests raise fears of new virus outbreaks
“Some come from outside of the cities. Some are from inside the city,” de Blasio said, “Some are from the neighborhoods where the protests take place. Some are not.”
Chiara de Blasio and her brother Dante de Blasio are the two children of the mayor and his wife, Chirlane McCray-who is Black. Chiara graduated in 2016 from Santa Clara University in 2016 with a degree in social work. She has been open about her past battles with drug and alcohol addiction and has worked to help other addicts with New York’s Health and Human Services Department.
The post NYC Mayor de Blasio’s daughter arrested during George Floyd protest appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2U1Xexc
via
This Black-Owned Sunscreen Brand Just Secured A $1 Million Investment Amid COVID-19
Black entrepreneurs have statistically always had more problems with access to venture capitalists to help garner the necessary capital needed to expand their business. According to previous reports, despite leading the pack in business creation and entrepreneurship, black women business owners receive 1% of all venture capital funding.
Previously, we reported about entrepreneur Shontay Lundy behind the Black Girl Sunscreen brand. News came out this week that the founder will be expanding her brand with a lucrative $1 million boost with the help of a new female investor.
Black Girl Sunscreen is the only black-owned sunscreen brand in Target and is now available in over 200 stores around the country. According to a new report published by Forbes, after spending months vetting potential partners, Lundy partnered with a new investor, raising her company’s valuation to $5 million.
Since the start of the COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, pandemic, Lundy and her team have gone into overdrive ensuring that they had what they needed to keep the company afloat amid the public health crisis. While brick-and-mortar businesses have been temporarily closed under quarantine restrictions, the brand has managed to use its digital storefront to keep up with costs. Lundy still plans on launching a new product later this year.
In an interview with Forbes, Lundy offers advice to aspiring business owners to take advantage of free resources when they are pursuing investing opportunities. She states that her advice to entrepreneurs and “other minority businesses looking for funding is to take advantage of grants and available resources, participate in pitch competitions to learn how to sell your business and gain exposure, have buttoned-up financials; and put yourself in environments to meet investors/high-net-worth individuals.”
. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you @forbes @werque_dominique @forbeswomen for helping us celebrate this moment! #BlackGirlSunscreen #StayProtectedAndMoisturizeYourSkin
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2zESjLH
via
75% of Consumers Aim to Back Local Businesses More Extensively Post-COVID-19
Despite being battered by the coronavirus pandemic this year, small local businesses have gained consumers as a new ally to give them much needed future hope and support.
A robust 75% of consumers plan to back local businesses more extensively once limitations on non-essential businesses are removed in their areas, a new report shows.
That is among discoveries from a new survey paid for by Groupon and completed by OnePoll. It is encouraging news for restaurants, retail shops, clothing stores, salons and spas, and bars, places where people first are expected to spend money when it is safe to do so. The study done in early May surveyed 2,000 people to get a feel of their shopping plans post-COVID-19 lockdown.
Some 67% of those questioned are more hopeful now than when the pandemic initially started. And Americans have been going out of their way to help small businesses. Some 86% of those surveyed report they continued to support locally owned businesses during the quarantine.
The study comes as states across America have started some type of reopening—including partially—in recent days. Some 57% of those surveyed know at least one business affected by lockdown restrictions.
So what are among the ways people favored small businesses during the quarantine?
- Some 77% of respondents took an online class or took part in a virtual experience offered by a local merchant.
- Sixty-five percent booked summer “staycations,” which included planning activities that are close to home and keep their kids entertained.
- Around 65% boosted their takeout and delivery options from local restaurants.
Another welcomed survey statistic for small business owners perhaps is this: The average American plans to spend nearly $100 a week at local businesses post-COVID-19, up 16% from before the crisis. That could boost the local economy where people live, further helping small businesses.
A whopping 92% of small businesses have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, the National Federation of Independent Business reports. The survey findings offer small businesses a ray of hope.
“This crisis has disproportionately affected small businesses and our hearts go out to local merchants, who have often poured their life savings into their businesses,” Simon Goodall, chief commercial officer, Groupon stated in a news release.
“As some businesses begin to slowly and responsibly open back up, it’s encouraging to see that many Americans plan to continue to help their communities recover by supporting small, local businesses.”
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2XPXIY5
via
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Trump took shelter in White House bunker as protests raged
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades.
Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also on condition of anonymity.
READ MORE: George Floyd’s brother says Trump wouldn’t let him speak during phone call
The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds.
Friday’s protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
“The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions,” said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The president’s move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times.
The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couple’s 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency’s protection to be in the underground shelter.
Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service.
Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters — some violent — gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night.
Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening.
Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis.
As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trump’s advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the president’s own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity.
Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators.
On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force.
READ MORE: Trump on George Floyd’s death: ‘I feel very, very badly’
“This isn’t going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys,” Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president.
In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police.
On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
___
Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
The post Trump took shelter in White House bunker as protests raged appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2XP1a5u
via
Jay-Z speaks on George Floyd, calls on prosecution to ‘fullest extent of the law’
Rapper Jay-Z spoke out on the police killing of George Floyd Sunday night, endorsing the Minnesota governor’s announcement earlier that day that the state’s attorney general would take the lead on any charges brought against the officers involved.
In a statement posted to Twitter, the “Hard Knock Life” rapper said he had a “human conversation” with Gov. Tim Walz as a “dad and a Black man in pain.” He applauded Walz’s move to appoint Attorney General Keith Ellison, the first African American and the first Muslim American elected to statewide office in Minnesota, to prosecute the murder case. He will work alongside Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman who brought the charges against fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Chauvin was the officer seen pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for almost 9 minutes until his death in a widespread video. Freeman on Friday charged Chauvin with murder in the 3rd degree and manslaughter.
READ MORE: Beyonce promotes George Floyd petition, says justice is ‘far from being achieved’
“Yes, I am human, a father and a Black man in pain and I am not the only one,” said Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. “Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law.”
The statement was publicized through REFORM Alliance, the criminal justice reform advocacy group Jay-Z founded with Meek Mill more than a year ago. The statement did not mention racism, police brutality, or the nationwide protests that followed the 46-year-old man’s homicide.
#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd @GovTimWalz pic.twitter.com/0606dwrbzt
— REFORM Alliance (@REFORM) June 1, 2020
Ellison, who is in his first term, was added to the prosecution team after activists, a number of Minneapolis City Council members and a civil rights group called on his selection to strengthen the quest for justice, according to The Associated Press. The state’s top lawyer helped put together a working group with the goal to reduce police violence.
A Detroit native, Ellison previously completed six terms representing Minnesota in the U.S. House and was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
READ MORE: Minneapolis police chief declares other officers ‘complicit’ in George Floyd death
Jay-Z said he is determined to fight for justice against his “would-be oppressors” and urged that every politician, prosecutor and officer across the country “have the courage to do what is right.”
“Have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters and mothers in pain and look at yourselves,” he said.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Jay-Z speaks on George Floyd, calls on prosecution to ‘fullest extent of the law’ appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2MdItmC
via
Vanessa Bryant shares timely photo of Kobe Bryant in ‘I Can’t Breathe’ shirt
Vanessa Bryant took to social media to share a powerful message about the murder of George Floyd and the resulting demonstrations going on across the world.
The widow of beloved NBA great, Kobe Bryant, shared a photo of her late husband wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “I Can’t Breathe.”
READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant saved last letter from Kobe to read on her birthday
“My husband wore this shirt years ago and yet here we are again. #ICANTBREATHE (repost/photo credit unknown) plz tag π· Life is so fragile. Life is so unpredictable. Life is too short. Let’s share and embrace the beautiful qualities and similarities we all share as people,” Bryant posted.
“Drive out hate. Teach respect and love for all at home and school. Spread LOVE. Fight for change- register to VOTE. Do not use innocent lives lost as an excuse to loot. BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE. #BLACKLIVESMATTER.”
She followed it up with another post that encourages people to start important conversations to dismantle racism within themselves and in their own homes.
Kobe Bryant remains an influential icon even after his death and it’s likely that Vanessa’s reminder to his fans that his loyalties lied with the fight for justice for all people is a powerful one in these turbulent times.
On Sunday, Michael Jordan shared his thoughts on the issues facing our country. “I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” Jordan said in a statement. “I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.”
He didn’t stop there.
“I don’t have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others,” he said.
“We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Vanessa Bryant shares timely photo of Kobe Bryant in ‘I Can’t Breathe’ shirt appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2ZUTDEU
via
Minnesota governor announces AG Ellison as lead on George Floyd case
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced the appointment of Attorney General Keith Ellison as the lead on the prosecution of former officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd.
In a press conference Sunday, he gave a statement in the hopes that his constituency will see evidence of transparency and fairness. He knew that many in the Black community did not trust the process or those involved.
READ MORE: Minnesota AG Keith Ellison expects more charges after Chauvin arrest in George Floyd death
Walz, a Democrat said, “They don’t believe justice can be served and their frustrations are that they believe that time and time again the system works perfectly well as it was designed to deny those rights and to deny justice to communities of color.”
“We have to make that process work for people.”
During the week, several rallies were held in the Minneapolis expressing their distrust. While civil rights leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton, Attorney Ben Crump, and Tameka Mallory have come to the city to support the local voices like Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins, it was the thousands of protesters in the street that best spoke to the communities lack of trust.
The governor contends that conversations with these leaders, celebrity and local influencers & activists alike, have helped him arrive at the decision of appointing AG Ellison on the case immediately.
Ellison’s reputation regarding his work as a civil rights leader is well respected. Moreover, many believe that he will push for the fairest trial possible.
READ MORE: Minnesota protester calls out looters on CNN: ‘Something’s wrong with you’
On Memorial Day, Floyd died while being arrested by the Minneapolis police, led by Chauvin and three other officers. After a week of civil unrest and the boisterous outcry of disbelief, pain, and exhaustion, activists waterfalled over the city. They demanded that the officers be arrested. On Friday, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
The family has gone on record asking for the other officers to be arrested and charged, and that Chauvin’s charge be bumped up to first-degree murder.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Minnesota governor announces AG Ellison as lead on George Floyd case appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3gIescn
via
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)