Biden vows to defeat Trump, end US ‘season of darkness’

‘If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us not the worst,’ the Democratic presidential nominee said on Thursday night.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday night with a vow to be a unifying “ally of the light” who would move an America in crisis past the chaos of President Donald Trump’s tenure.

In his strongest remarks of the campaign, Biden spoke both of returning the United States to its traditional leadership role in the world and of the deeply personal challenges that shaped his life. Virtually every sentence of his 22-minute speech was designed to present a sharp, yet hopeful, contrast with the Republican incumbent.

“Here and now I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us not the worst. l’ll be an ally of the light, not the darkness,” Biden said. “Make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.”

Read More: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris talk ‘modern family’ values in 1st joint interview

For the 77-year-old Biden, the final night of the Democratic National Convention was bittersweet. He accepted a nomination that had eluded him for over three decades because of personal tragedy, political stumbles and rivals who proved more dynamic.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE – AUGUST 20: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivers his acceptance speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center on August 20, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. The convention, which was once expected to draw 50,000 people to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is now taking place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

But the coronavirus denied him the typical celebration, complete with the customary balloon drop that both parties often use to fete their new nominees. Instead, Biden spoke to a largely empty arena near his Delaware home.

Afterward, fireworks lit the sky outside the arena where supporters waited in a parking lot, honking horns and flashing headlights in a moment that finally lent a jovial feel to the event.

The keynote address was the speech of a lifetime for Biden, who would be the oldest president ever elected if he defeats Trump in November. Trump, who is 74, publicly doubts Biden’s mental capacity and calls him “Slow Joe,” but with the nation watching, he was firm and clear.

Still, the convention leaned on a younger generation earlier in the night to help energize his sprawling coalition.

Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois senator who lost both legs in Iraq and is raising two young children, said Biden has “common decency.”

Cory Booker, only the ninth African American senator in U.S. history, said Biden believes in the dignity of all working Americans.

And Pete Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and a gay military veteran, noted that Biden came out in favor of same-sex marriage as vice president even before President Barack Obama.

“Joe Biden is right, this is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans,” Buttigieg said. “It’s the struggle to call out what is good for every American.”

Above all, Biden focused on uniting the nation as Americans grapple with the long and fearful health crisis, the related economic devastation, a national awakening on racial justice — and Trump, who stirs heated emotions from all sides.

Biden’s positive focus Thursday night marked a break from the dire warnings offered by former President Obama and others the night before. The 44th president of the United States warned that American democracy itself could falter if Trump is reelected, while Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, the 55-year-old California senator and daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, warned that Americans’ lives and livelihoods were at risk.

Read More: Kamala Harris says ‘there is no vaccine for racism’ in rousing DNC speech

Democratic vice presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks on the third night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center August 19, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Biden’s Democratic Party has sought this week to put forward a cohesive vision of values and policy priorities, highlighting efforts to combat climate change, tighten gun laws and embrace a humane immigration policy. They have drawn a sharp contrast with Trump’s policies and personality, portraying him as cruel, self-centered and woefully unprepared to manage virtually any of the nation’s mounting crises and policy challenges.

Voting was another prime focus of the convention on Thursday as it has been all week. Democrats fear that the pandemic — and Trump administration changes at the Postal Service — may make it difficult for voters to cast ballots in person or by mail.

Comedian Sarah Cooper, a favorite of many Democrats for her videos lip syncing Trump’s speeches, put it bluntly: “Donald Trump doesn’t want any of us to vote because he knows he can’t win fair and square.”

Read More: Sarah Cooper gets Netflix special after going famous for trolling Trump

Biden’s call for unity comes as some strategists worry that Democrats cannot retake the White House simply by tearing Trump down, that Biden needs to give his sprawling coalition something to vote for. That’s easier said than done in a modern Democratic Party made up of disparate factions that span generation, race and ideology.

Though he has been in the public spotlight for decades as a Delaware senator, much of the electorate knows little about Biden’s background before he began serving as Obama’s vice president in 2008.

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) presents the Medal of Freedom to Vice-President Joe Biden during an event in the State Dining room of the White House. (Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

Thursday’s convention served as a national reintroduction of sorts that drew on some of the most painful moments of his life.

“I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes,” Biden said. He added: “I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.”

As a schoolboy, Biden was mocked by classmates and a nun for a severe stutter. He became a widower at just 30 after losing his wife and infant daughter to a car accident. And just five years ago, he buried his eldest son who was stricken by cancer.

From such hardship, Biden developed a deep sense of empathy that has defined much of his political career. And throughout the convention, Biden’s allies testified that such empathy, backed by decades of governing experience, makes him the perfect candidate to guide the nation back from mounting health and economic crises.

His allies Thursday included Brayden Harrington, a 13-year-old boy from Concord, New Hampshire. The boy said he and Biden were “members of the same club,” each with a stutter they’re working to overcome.

He noted that Biden told him about a book of poems he liked to read aloud to practice his speech and showed the boy how he marks his speeches so they’re easier to read aloud.

“I’m just a regular kid, and in a short amount of time, Joe Biden made me more confident about a thing that’s bothered me my whole life,” Harrington said.

The end of the carefully scripted convention now gives way to a far less-predictable period for Biden and his Democratic Party as the 2020 election season speeds to its uncertain conclusion. While Election Day isn’t until Nov. 3, early voting gets underway in several battleground states in just one month.

Biden has maintained a polling advantage over Trump for much of the year, but it remains to be seen whether the Democratic nominee’s approach to politics and policy will genuinely excite the coalition he’s courting in an era of uncompromising partisanship.

Trump’s Republican Party is expected to deliver a message next week squarely focused on the president’s most loyal supporters..

Biden summed up his view of the campaign: “We choose a path of becoming angry, less hopeful and more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion, or we can choose a different path and together take this chance to heal.”

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Want to travel overseas? This website shows where you're allowed to go during the pandemic

A new website helps travelers plan for trips by collating Covid-19 information related to tourist restrictions, entrance requirements, lockdown limitations, and outbreak details for countries all over the world.

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Real-time data for a better response to disease outbreaks

Kinsa was founded by MIT alumnus Inder Singh MBA ’06, SM ’07 in 2012, with the mission of collecting information about when and where infectious diseases are spreading in real-time. Today the company is fulfilling that mission along several fronts.

It starts with families. More than 1.5 million of Kinsa’s “smart” thermometers have been sold or given away across the country, including hundreds of thousands to families from low-income school districts. The thermometers link to an app that helps users decide if they should seek medical attention based on age, fever, and symptoms.

At the community level, the data generated by the thermometers are anonymized and aggregated, and can be shared with parents and school officials, helping them understand what illnesses are going around and prevent the spread of disease in classrooms.

By working with over 2,000 schools to date in addition to many businesses, Kinsa has also developed predictive models that can forecast flu seasons each year. In the spring of this year, the company showed it could predict flu spread 12-20 weeks in advance at the city level.

The milestone prepared Kinsa for its most profound scale-up yet. When Covid-19 came to the U.S., the company was able to estimate its spread in real-time by tracking fever levels above what would normally be expected. Now Kinsa is working with health officials in five states and three cities to help contain and control the virus.

“By the time the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control] gets the data, it has been processed, deidentified, and people have entered the health system to see a doctor,” say Singh, who is Kinsa’s CEO as well as its founder. “There’s a huge delay from when someone contracts an illness and when they see a doctor. The current health care system only sees the latter; we see the former.”

Today Kinsa finds itself playing a central role in America’s Covid-19 response. In addition to its local partnerships, the company has become a central information hub for the public, media, and researchers with its Healthweather tool, which maps unusual rates of fevers — among the most common symptom of Covid-19 — to help visualize the prevalence of illness in communities.

Singh says Kinsa’s data complement other methods of containing the virus like testing, contact tracing, and the use of face masks.

Better data for better responses

Singh’s first exposure to MIT came while he was attending the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government as a graduate student.

“I remember I interacted with some MIT undergrads, we brainstormed some social-impact ideas,” Singh recalls. “A week later I got an email from them saying they’d prototyped what we were talking about. I was like, ‘You prototyped what we talked about in a week!?’ I was blown away, and it was an insight into how MIT is such a do-er campus. It was so entrepreneurial. I was like, ‘I want to do that.’”

Soon Singh enrolled in the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, an interdisciplinary program where Singh earned his master’s and MBA degrees while working with leading research hospitals in the area. The program also set him on a course to improve the way we respond to infectious disease.

Following his graduation, he joined the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), where he brokered deals between pharmaceutical companies and low-resource countries to lower the cost of medicines for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. Singh described CHAI as a dream job, but it opened his eyes to several shortcomings in the global health system.

“The world tries to curb the spread of infectious illness with almost zero real-time information about when and where disease is spreading,” Singh says. “The question I posed to start Kinsa was ‘how do you stop the next outbreak before it becomes an epidemic if you don’t know where and when it’s starting and how fast it’s spreading’?”

Kinsa was started in 2012 with the insight that better data were needed to control infectious diseases. In order to get that data, the company needed a new way of providing value to sick people and families.

“The behavior in the home when someone gets sick is to grab the thermometer,” Singh says. “We piggy-backed off of that to create a communication channel to the sick, to help them get better faster.”

Kinsa started by selling its thermometers and creating a sponsorship program for corporate donors to fund thermometer donations to Title 1 schools, which serve high numbers of economically disadvantaged students. Singh says 40 percent of families that receive a Kinsa thermometer through that program did not previously have any thermometer in their house.

The company says its program has been shown to help schools improve attendance, and has yielded years of real-time data on fever rates to help compare to official estimates and develop its models.

“We had been forecasting flu incidence accurately several weeks out for years, and right around early 2020, we had a massive breakthrough,” Singh recalls. “We showed we could predict flu 12 to 20 weeks out — then March hit. We said, let’s try to remove the fever levels associated with cold and flu from our observed real time signal. What’s left over is unusual fevers, and we saw hotspots across the country. We observed six years of data and there’d been hot spots, but nothing like we were seeing in early March.”

The company quickly made their real-time data available to the public, and on March 14, Singh got on a call with the former New York State health commissioner, the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the man responsible for Taiwan’s successful Covid-19 response.

“I said, ‘There’s hotspots everywhere,” Singh recalls. “They’re in New York, around the Northeast, Texas, Michigan. They said, ‘This is interesting, but it doesn’t look credible because we’re not seeing case reports of Covid-19.’ Low and behold, days and weeks later, we saw the Covid cases start building up.”

A tool against Covid-19

Singh says Kinsa’s data provide an unprecedented look into the way a disease is spreading through a community.

“We can predict the entire incidence curve [of flu season] on a city-by-city basis,” Singh says. “The next best model is [about] three weeks out, at a multistate level. It’s not because we’re smarter than others; it’s because we have better data. We found a way to communicate with someone consistently when they’ve just fallen ill.”

Kinsa has been working with health departments and research groups around the country to help them interpret the company’s data and react to early warnings of Covid-19’s spread. It’s also helping companies around the country as they begin bringing employees back to offices.

Now Kinsa is working on expanding its international presence to help curb infectious diseases on multiple fronts around the world, just like it’s doing in the U.S. The company’s progress promises to help authorities monitor diseases long after Covid-19.

“I started Kinsa to create a global, real-time outbreak monitoring and detection system, and now we have predictive power beyond that,” Singh says. “When you know where and when symptoms are starting and how fast their spreading, you can empower local individuals, families, communities, and governments.”

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Economist Antoine Levy is all over the map

Some of the stereotypical differences between the United States and France do check out, according to Antoine Levy: The weather and the food are much worse in New England, he says, and the people are much more welcoming. But for Levy, who is about to start the fifth year of his MIT PhD program in economics, the U.S. is starting to feel like his native France in some ways.

“For a long time, I thought France was obsessed by politics and the United States was not,” he recalls. However, his impression has changed over the last five years. In France, from urban neighborhoods to small villages, he says everyone has an opinion on every government minister. Lately, he has felt a transformation around him, and has observed his peers in the U.S. becoming more interested in local politics as well.

While this may be a reflection of recent changes in the American political climate, a local perspective on policy is also a key signature of Levy’s research at MIT. Whether in France or the U.S., the economist has long been fascinated by how politics and economics converge in different ways from one region or locality to another.

All over the place

Levy’s research looks at how different sociodemographic markers within a country, such as population density, can shape economic activity and policy across these areas.

His current projects focus on harnessing the power of regional data to inform economic policy, from housing development to unemployment to political influence. For example, he has studied the Economic and Monetary Union of the E.U. after the Great Recession, in relation to the Phillips curve, which, somewhat controversially, suggests there is an inverse relationship between unemployment and wage growth. While aggregated national data do not demonstrate a clear Phillips curve, Levy has found that regional European data do follow the pattern –– indicating that policy informed by regional data might be more important than ever.

“We’ve talked a lot about political polarization, but there’s also been a massive spatial polarization over the last 25 years,” he explains. “That conjunction of economic geography and political geography has massive implications for the relative influence of places, and for the policy and politics of trade, social insurance, and redistribution.”

His latest work has been inspired by recent historical events –– Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, the “yellow vest” protests in his native France –– which have exposed the way one-size-fits-all economic policies have left behind people in vastly different geographical situations. Too often, Levy says, people rely on a mythicized idea of a region without drilling down into the patterns of population and economic behavior there. For example, in one working paper, he argues that a significant part of Emmanuel Macron’s success in the 2017 French presidential election can be attributed to a specific campaign promise to abolish a housing tax that affected 80 percent of households in the country.

A key theme in his work is how regional economics have an important influence on individuals’ political decisions — though this is often overlooked by economists.

“There’s this thing in economics where people are called agents,” Levy says. “People do stuff. People write laws, people vote, people get jobs and consume. And at some point, you have to still ask what you would do in their place.”

Taking it all in

Part of Levy’s interest in regional variations comes from personal experience. Growing up, he moved around often for his father’s work as an executive in the food industry, which took the family from the midsized city of Lyon, in the southeast, to the much smaller Périgueux, in the southwest; eventually they moved to Paris for his mother’s medical care and school. Experiencing the daily economic differences between those places, even commonplace details like the cost of coffee, have impressed upon him the way one’s economic circumstances affect one’s choices.

“The fate of places and how it’s tied to economics: I think that’s something that you get to experience very concretely when you move around,” Levy says. “Especially in a country as diverse as France.”

Levy’s penchant for variety followed him to college, where he couldn’t bring himself to choose between a more academically oriented education at École Normale Supérieure and business school at HEC Paris. In an unusual move, he ended up enrolling in both. He says he wanted to keep an eye on everything in economics –– from fundamental research to more applied areas. His embrace of interdisciplinary approaches ultimately brought him to MIT, where he appreciates how his program has allowed him to fold together his early interests in macroeconomics and international finance, and his current work on microeconomic and spatial topics.

“The professors tend to always push you to explore your interests and be very open about your interests,” Levy says of the MIT economics department, where he is advised by professors Arnaud Costinot and Ivan Werning. “They were never excessively restrictive about what I should work on or what I should study, they were always very open to hear new ideas.”

That doesn’t mean the path has always been easy, especially with the sheer time investment of a doctoral degree. “I used to be the one who wanted to experience satisfaction in the very short run,” Levy says. “Sometimes you have to slow down and go back to the beginning instead of going through a project very quickly.” To keep himself going he also takes on smaller projects, like writing short proposals, book reviews, and popular press articles.

He also take the time to read the news or a favorite Philip Roth novel, and has fond memories of playing squash, picnicking on the Charles River, and bouncing research ideas with friends from his cohort and the French community at MIT. He has an affinity for his fellow ex-pats: “They made a choice of leaving France, and I think that’s always a sign of being ready to find out the limits of your openness.”

As he continues with his research, Levy plans to stay focused on issues that matter to the people around him, and remaining open to topics outside his expertise and immediate research field. Knowing that his work could have an impact on people’s lives keeps him passionate about economics, wherever it might take him in the future.

“It’s not something that you do for the sake of beauty,” he says of economics. “When you say you’re an economist, and you’re at the dinner table, people have tons of questions. If people have a question that they think is relevant for economics, then maybe it should be. You have to have an answer.”

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American Academy of Pediatrics apologizes for historic racism

Physicians group apologizes for intolerance of its first Black members and pediatricians. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued an apology for the organization’s past racism and intolerance of the first Black members.

The formal apology includes quotes from board meetings in the 1940s that highlight the initial rejections of Black doctors, specifically Alonzo deGrate Smith, MD, and Roland Boyd Scott, MD, who were refused membership in 1939 because of their race. 

Both men were ultimately accepted in the late 40’s. But they were only allowed to join for educational purposes and could not attend meetings in the South, per New York Times.

Read More: Pharrell says ‘We deserve a Black future’ in essay on racism

“This apology is long overdue,” said Dr. Sally Goza, the organization’s president, in a press release. “But we must also acknowledge where we have failed to live up to our ideals.” 

An excerpt of the minutes from the organization’s 1945 executive board meeting has been published online, check out out below:

“We talked with (Smith and Scott) for about a half hour and they conducted themselves as gentlemen. They said their only interest in wishing to join the Academy was for educational purposes. They said they would not attend any meetings held South of the Mason and Dixon line. They would attend meetings in other parts of the country, but under no circumstances enter into the social side for the reason that they did not want to get hurt themselves. I impressed upon them the importance should they be elected, of their being leaders and not pushers, and their acceptance in the Academy would be guidance for those who would come at a later time.”

Joseph Wright, MD, the first Black man elected to the AAP board, told Medscape Medical News that minutes from the organization’s executive board meetings in the 40’s had to be unearthed and shared in order to confront the organization’s history of discrimination. 

“There was an insistence that we make sure that we had this right, because no one in our leadership had the lived experience of these two gentlemen,” Wright said.

He also noted that the “torturous and shameful path” that Smith and Scott “endured to membership” had not previously been publicly shared.

“The surfacing of these transcripts renders no doubt in anyone’s mind about what it is that we’re talking about here,” Wright said.

“From their initial rejection in 1939 to their eventual acceptance in 1945, Drs. Smith and Scott were made to bear numerous indignities and clear many hurdles, despite being successful clinicians and established leaders in the pediatric academic community,” Goza said. “In fact, Dr. Scott would go on to receive the Abraham Jacobi Award, the Academy’s highest honor.”

“This apology is long overdue — and a precondition for a better future,” she added.

The AAP’s latest apology and statement will reportedly be published in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics.

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Megan Thee Stallion confirms Tory Lanez shot her: ‘Stop lying’

Citing police brutality, the hip-hop star said she did not tell police there was a gun in the car that fateful night.

Megan Thee Stallion took to social media on Thursday (Aug. 20) to finally confirm what has long been reported, that fellow rapper Tory Lanez shot her during an argument last month.

“Yes, this ni**a Tory shot me,” she said during an Instagram Live session, noting that Lanez “got his publicist and your people going to these blogs lying” about what really went down that night.

“I tried to keep the situation off the Internet. But you dragging it,” she added.

Read More: Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion gift $1 million via #WAPParty

Megan denies reports that she attacked Lanez because he was getting too cozy with Kylie Jenner at a pool party they attended at the home of the reality TV star. 

Megan Thee Stallion confirms that Tory Lanez shot her while she was trying to walk away after an argument. He’s done. pic.twitter.com/sqpTAY2pmQ

— Ronald Isley (@yoyotrav) August 21, 2020

She goes on to say that Lanez shot her after she decided to exit the car they were in following an argument. She makes clear that the incident did not occur outside of Jenner’s home, and that a witness in the neighborhood can backup her version of what happened. 

“I’m in the front seat, this ni**a in the back seat (as there were two other people in the car, her “homegirl” and Lanez’s bodyguard). “I’m done arguing,” she continued. “I don’t want to argue no more. I get out. I’m walking away, this ni**a, from out the backseat of the car, start shooting me. You shot me!”

Contrary to initial reports, Megan says she did not get cut by glass that was blown out from the bullets. 

Neighbors who overheard the commotion called police, and when law enforcement arrived at the scene, Megan said they were “aggressive” and ordered everyone out of the car. That’s when ultimate fear set in, as she was scared the cops were going to shoot them. 

Citing police brutality, Megan told her IG followers that she did not tell the police there was a gun in the car.

“I was scared,” she said. “You want me to tell the law that we got a gun in the car so they can shoot all us up?”

Hear/watch her tell it via the Twitter video embed above/below. 

Megan’s Live 8/20 Part 1 #MeganTheeStallion pic.twitter.com/t7kXKHq3N3

— Big Booty Joo Dee (@jd_rogers_) August 21, 2020

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion shooting could result in felony charges, prosecutors say

theGrio previously reported, Megan took to Instagram on Wednesday and posted a graphic photo of her injured foot, which showed peeled skin and stitches. She revealed the stitches were only just recently removed after being shot by Lanez.

“Lol what I have learned abt the majority of the people on social media is y’all like to hear bad news before good news, a lie spreads quicker than the truth, and y’all really be believing the sh– YALL make up,” she wrote in the since-deleted post.

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‘All Rise’ writers quit over disagreements on race, gender

Five of seven original writers on one of the few shows on network TV with a Black female lead have exited the show

All Rise is one of the few shows on network TV with a Black actress in a leading role, but writers of color have quit en masse over race and gender issues.

Read More: ‘All Rise’ star Simone Missick’s husband helped film remote season finale

Simone Missick stars as a Los Angeles judge on the sudser but five of its original writers have quit since the show premiered last fall, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Three of those who left were the highest-ranking writers of color on the serial, which was renewed for a second season in May. They say they left over disagreements with showrunner Greg Spottiswood.

All Rise is loosely based on the 2005 nonfiction book, “Courtroom 302,” which centered on a white judge. When creating the show, Spottiswood decided to cast the lead as a Black woman. But his commitment to diversity was surface level, according to those who worked with him.

Alex Brinson, Jessica Camacho, Wilson Bethel, Simone Missick, Ruthie Ann Miles, Marg Helgenberger and Lindsay Mendez of “All Rise” attend The Paley Center for Media’s 2019 PaleyFest Fall TV Previews – CBS at The Paley Center for Media on September 12, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

“We had to do so much behind the scenes to keep these scripts from being racist and offensive,” Shernold Edwards, a Black writer whose credits include Fox’s Sleepy Hollow, told the Times.

Edwards left All Rise last November over Spottiswood’s depiction of Black characters. She says she was met with resistance each time she voiced concerns over portrayals that didn’t seem genuine.

In one instance, two characters are discussing a possible one-night stand after a woman has suffered domestic abuse the night before. The women continue the conversation even as a naked white man enters the elevator.

In another, Angelenos are terrorized with machetes by a Latino gang. Both of these scenes were altered before they aired after writers objected.

Spottiswood also dismissed the idea that a Black bailiff would discuss getting pulled over by a white cop with his coworkers. He allegedly cut the scene because “such harassment was so common that it would not merit a discussion between two Black co-workers,” the outlet reported.

“After Ms. Missick complained about the omission, saying her character would look callous if she did not acknowledge what had happened to her colleague,” the scene was rewritten.

“The fact that I’m still being asked that question tells me that there are people on the show who are incapable of writing for people of color and should not be writing for people of color,” Edwards wrote in an email to the producers of the show, sharing the exchange with NYT.

Sunil Nayar, an Indian-American television writer, has a resume that includes work on ABC’s Revenge and CBS’s CSI: Miami. He also objected to how people of color were portrayed on screen and how they were treated on set.

Nayar said that he was carrying out the duties of an executive producer but was not given the respect he deserved in the role.

“It became clear to me, when I left the show, that I was only there because I’m the brown guy,” Nayar said. “Greg hired me to be his brown guy.”

Simone Missick visits Build Series at Build Studio on February 24, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

In a statement, Warner Brothers claim they conducted a thorough review of the work environment.

“We identified areas for improvement, and implemented procedures and protocols in response to the findings, which are resulting in the steps necessary to move forward with the series’ leadership in place.”

Spottiswood still has his job but acknowledged in a statement that he needed to do better. He claimed to have voluntarily sought management and leadership training.

As a result of the fallout, Warner Brothers also had a Black woman serve as his adviser.

“I acknowledge that I can have a rhetorical, professorial tone in the room, and that can be perceived by some as condescending and that I can be defensive in creative conversations and debates,” Spottiswood said.

Read More: ‘All Rise’ to resume production remotely on coronavirus-themed episode

 “I remain strongly committed to improving my communication style and skills, and to being a more inclusive leader—ensuring that writers and artists are not just heard, but feel listened to, respected, safe and valued.”

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Black model Tanaye White wins Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2020 model search

White joins the magazine as a rookie in the 2021 class

The winners of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit‘s annual model search have finally been revealed and one of the two models, Tanaye White, is turning heads with her beautiful brown skin and lush mane of natural hair.

READ MORE: Jay Manuel reveals ‘ANTM’ gave him PTSD, ended friendship with Tyra Banks

According to People, last summer thousands of models auditioned with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit team before the magazine narrowed down the group to just 16 finalists at the end of the year.

Now it’s official that White and fellow model Kathy Jacobs, 56, were selected as the 2020 Swim Search winners, landing spots as rookies in the upcoming 2021 issue.

“I’ve dreamed of what this moment would look like for years and I cannot believe it’s happening! My stomach is flipping nonstop,” White, 28, said. “My life will be forever changed. I hope my testimony shows people that you can do anything you put your mind and heart towards.”

White has participated in the Swim Search for the past two years, and last year the Georgetown University graduate quit her job at a defense and aerospace agency to follow her dreams of being a model.

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“She’s incredibly resilient and strong, and brings so much value to our team,” says Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor-in-chief M.J. Day. “She’s shown such tenacity in achieving her goals.”

READ MORE: Jason Mitchell to star as Sean Bell in new biopic ’50 Shots’

At 56-years-old and only 5’3,” her SI Swim rookie counterpart, Jacobs, also hopes her win “inspires others not to give up on themselves.”

“If I can do it, you can too! You are not too old. You are not too short. You are not too ‘whatever you think you are,'” she told the magazine. “When you fall down, put on your big girl pants — or in my case a bikini — and try again. I am so excited for what the future holds and this is just the icing on the cake!”

Tanaye White and Kathy Jacobs win SI Swim Search 2020! https://t.co/slCFJ9aDeE pic.twitter.com/Brq5t16NvX

— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) August 20, 2020

“We are so excited to announce this year’s Swim Search winners,” Day told People. “Both women represent the power of persistence, hard work, and what it means to follow your dreams.” 

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Steph, Ayesha Curry to appear at DNC with kids to endorse Biden

The couple recorded a video with their two daughters in which they explain their support for the former vice president.

Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha will appear during Thursday’s broadcast of the Democratic National Convention to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States.

The couple recorded a video with their two daughters, Riley and Ryan, in which they explain “their support of Biden and also talking with their girls about politics and race in what the campaign is describing as a ‘candid look at a family conversation,'” per PEOPLE. 

“We want to ensure that our kids live in a nation that is safe, happy, healthy and fair,” Ayesha says in the video. “And so this election—,” she continues, before Steph adds: “We’re voting for Joe Biden.”

Read More: Steph Curry shuts down argument that famous Black people don’t experience racism

Curry has been vocal about politics throughout his NBA career. After the Warriors won the 2016-17 NBA Finals, he made it clear that he didn’t want to visit the White House because “we don’t stand for basically what our President has—the things that he’s said and the things that he hasn’t said in the right times, that we won’t stand for it.”

Trump responded by rescinding Curry’s invitation.

Elsewhere in the video, the Golden State Warriors star asks his daughters: “What would you say if you knew that Joe Biden was going to have a woman as his vice president?”

“Surprised and happy,” Riley replies. Watch the moment via above.

Curry previously shared  his thoughts on racism and how it exists in different forms for different people, theGRIO reported. 

“The preconceived notions of how they view rich, successful Black people as anomalies and our intelligence and our well-spokenness, that’s always the first thing you hear. If somebody knows how to be articulate, if they know how to come into a room, that’s the subtle racism and prejudice that kind of starts to add on to something,” he said during a roundtable, produced by NBC Sports.

“If another white person hears that comment, they’re going to think the same thing. And it’s not going to trickle down to anybody else, and be able to create opportunities for somebody else to get that in that room and prove their value, prove their worth,’ Curry added.

He went on to describe the importance of bringing race issues to the forefront.

“It’s just shifting perspectives and, again, holding everybody accountable whether it’s a private conversation, whether it’s a tweet, whether it’s a video, whatever it is, to do the right thing, no pun intended, but to see everybody as equal, and that’s all we’re asking for,” said the six-time NBA All-Star.

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Airbnb announces global ban on house parties, events

Airbnb announces a new decision to ban parties and events at the rentals on their platform.

Airbnb announced new terms to their listings banning parties and events as well as a new occupant capacity.

Read More: The last Blockbuster store will become movie-themed Airbnb

The platform, which allows users to list rooms and properties for temporary rent has decided to create new rules to tighten up its official policies in the COVID-19 era.

In an official statement, Airbnb says the global party ban “applies to all future bookings on Airbnb and it will remain in effect indefinitely until further notice.”

The rule has some precedent, Airbnb states, explaining how unauthorized parties have always been prohibited and 73% of global listings already block parties and events.

“We’ve historically allowed hosts to use their best judgment and authorize small parties – such as baby showers or birthday parties – if they’re appropriate for their home and their neighborhood,” the statement reads.

Large gatherings and parties are now banned on the Airbnb platform worldwide.

The move to officially ban events from the platform began in 2019 when Airbnb introduced stricter guidelines on listings constantly used for gatherings.

“Last year, we began imposing much stricter limits – starting with a global ban on “party houses” – meaning, listings that create persistent neighborhood nuisance,” the company states.

“We also launched a 24/7 neighborhood support hotline in the U.S. and Canada – with plans for global expansion – to communicate directly with neighbors and help us effectively enforce the party house ban.

This complemented new initiatives to stop unauthorized parties – such as manual review of high-risk reservations, as well as restrictions on allowing guests under the age of 25 without a history of positive reviews to book entire home listings locally.”

The Airbnb logo is displayed on a computer screen on August 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

The new set of rules and regulations were amplified by the coronavirus pandemic when travel slowed and social distancing became the new norm. Airbnb states its search terms changed, removing the “event-friendly” search parameters as well as “parties and events allowed.”

As society began adapting to life in the pandemic, large gatherings began again, despite the threat of infection in larger groups. Airbnb calls their decision to globally ban these types of events as people move their nightlife from bars and clubs to private homes a matter of public health.

“Some have chosen to take bar and club behavior to homes, sometimes rented through our platform. We think such conduct is incredibly irresponsible – we do not want that type of business, and anyone engaged in or allowing that behavior does not belong on our platform. Based on these developments, instituting a global ban on parties and events is in the best interest of public health.”

Details of the new ban include capping occupancy on larger listings at 16 guests. The company plans to explore options for potential exceptions for specialty venues.

Read More: Airbnb Halloween mansion party horror leaves 5 dead, and several others injured

At the time of booking, potential guests will also be informed of the new policy and the possible legal action if the rules are broken.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry make first joint appearance from new home

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry held a virtual discussion with young leaders from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have settled into their new home in Santa Barbara and used it as a backdrop for a joint appearance.

Read More: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly pitching top secret project

Meghan and Harry stepped as senior royals earlier in the year and just recently purchased a home in Santa Barbara, California with their son Archie. A glimpse of their new home was on display as they participated in a virtual chat with activists.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey on April 25, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, acting in their capacity as president and vice president of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, took part in a virtual discussion about shaping the digital space with young leaders. Nicola Brentnall, Chief executive of the QCT, led the half-hour conversation.

The other participants in the Zoom conference included Brighton Kaoma, Founder of Agents of Change Foundation in Zambia; Hunter Johnson, Founder of The Man Cave in Australia; Rosie Thomas, Co-Founder of Project Rockit in Australia; and Vee Kativhu, Study & Empowerment YouTuber and Founder of Empowered by Vee.

The video was shot earlier this week and uploaded Thursday. The couple stressed the importance of using the online community as a force for good.

“Everyone’s mental and emotional well-being are perhaps more fragile than ever before, certainly with COVID and our dependability on devices right now in the absence of human interaction. People are going online more than ever before to feel community,” Meghan said.

The duchess, 39, maintained that ignoring social media trolling and its excessive harm is a “key piece of the puzzle” in order to bring about more positivity.

“You can either train people to be cruel, or you can train people to be kind,” continued Meghan. “It’s really that simple.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle watch a performance by a Welsh choir in the banqueting hall during a visit to Cardiff Castle. (Photo by Ben Birchall – WPA Pool / Getty Images)

Read More: Meghan Markle says she is inspired by BLM protests

Harry, 35, invoked his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, as a figure who has sought to include the voices of the younger generation through Britain’s commonwealth.

“I think everything my grandmother wanted to achieve when she took this huge responsibility on, she’s managed,” he said.

“Hearing you guys, and knowing the broad spectrum that QCT engulfs, you’re the definition of the 21st century Commonwealth, and what it means to be part of it. You are there, standing for equality, for mutual respect and for fairness.”

Kativhu shared that she wanted to use the digital world as a way of connecting people from all walks of life.

“I created my community online because I wanted young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to know that you’re seen, you’re heard, you’re talented, you’re amazing, and wherever your dream goal or university is, you can go there and do well—you don’t have to alter yourself,” said Kativhu.

Read More: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry relocate to ‘family home’ in Santa Barbara

Harry and Meghan, parents to Archie,1, were in agreement that they wanted the toxicity of social media to be lessened by the time he came of age. Harry said it was up to the younger generation and joked that he was “way too old.”

“You’ve got to stop, we’re not old!” Meghan replied.

“But it’s true,” Harry said. “This is the world you’re going to inherit.”

“And Archie!” Meghan interjected.

“And Archie,” Harry repeated. “It’s on all of us collectively to make the world a better place…and we are.”

Watch the full video below.

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Kansas City Chiefs ban headdresses, facepaint and will reconsider ‘Arrowhead chop’

Kansas City Chiefs, the Super Bowl champions, are rethinking insensitive Native American related celebrations

The Kansas City Chiefs are doing away with some of their team’s most popular traditions in the wake of the fallout from this summer’s racial protests.

The team, led by biracial quarterback Patrick Mahomes —who they just locked into a ten-year deal—, has rethought celebrations and fan costumes deemed to be insensitive to Native Americans.

Read More: Patrick Mahomes scores $450M contract extension

The Chiefs have already announced they will play with fans in the audience of their open-air stadium, Arrowhead. They announced this week that they expect to defend their Super Bowl championship with 16,000 fans in attendance, about 22% of the 72,936 seating capacity, according to ESPN.

A statement from the Chiefs.https://t.co/WriuBdYDiU

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 20, 2020

But those fans will have to find some new traditions to celebrate what is looking like a dynasty in the midwestern city. With tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones also locked in with contract extensions for the next four years, the team’s nucleus at core positions is set.

But with the renaming of the Washington Football Team from its previous years as the Washington Redskins, the days of Native American logos and dubiously themed chants and costumes may be at an end.

A fan in a headdress looks on prior to the AFC Divisional playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

The Chiefs released a statement today confirming the changes.

“In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences. As an organization, our goal was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.”

The statement continued:

“We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders. It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”

While headdresses and ‘war paint’ have been banned, the ‘Arrowhead chop’ is a fan favorite. It was once known as the ‘Tomahawk chop’ but that was changed some years ago. The Atlanta Braves in baseball and the Florida Seminoles in college football use it as well.

The Chiefs are believed to have begun the practice in 1990. Though the chop is associated with a warrior spirit, in Native American culture, the tomahawk is not a weapon but a revered cultural object, according to Slate.

Fan response was decidedly mixed. Some vowed to continue the chop, citing political correctness, while others felt that the team was moving in the right direction by banning Native American garb and chants.

I was a Chiefs fan long before 1992…And we loved the games then…WITHOUT THAT IDIOTIC COPYCAT CULTURE CHANT!! Thank you for trying not to be offensive to the living Indigenous peoples of this land…

— LC (@Cherizona22) August 20, 2020

I’m glad that the Chiefs have been working so closely with local American Indian leaders to determine the best course of action going forward. Some of these things are probably long overdue, and there are others that I hope can remain. Either way, this is about more than football

— Reid (@Reid_Actually) August 20, 2020

The chant and the chop are so dumb. Just cheer like normal ffs

— illmachine (@illMachine) August 20, 2020

As reported by theGrio, in a viral video Mahomes who is the team’s franchise player and a young face of the league, advocated for the NFL to declare that Black Lives Matter in the midst of this summer’s racial protests. Other players in the video included the Saints’ Michael Thomas, the Giant’s Saquon Barkley, and others widely acknowledged as the future of the sport.

With the name change for the Washington Football Team, the Chief’s decision to get ahead of their controversial celebrations just makes sense.

Read More: Jason Wright named president of Washington Football Team, first African-American to hold the title in NFL

Rhonda LeValdo, who is part of the Acoma Pueblo community and teaches media communications at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, says that its time the team changed everything associated with the name and logo. She told the Kansas City Star that while today’s move was in the right direction, there was more the team needed to do.

“They’ve always told us that they were not representing Native American people, so for me, I thought, ‘Wow, you’re finally admitting that,’” LeValdo said. “But everything needs to go. It’s either racist or it’s not, and it’s racist.”

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‘Drag Race’ star Chi Chi DeVayne has died at 34

Chi Chi DeVayne asked for prayers after being hospitalized last week with pneumonia

RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Zavion Davenport, better known by her stage name Chi Chi DeVayne, has died at the age of 34 after being hospitalized with pneumonia and possible kidney failure.

DeVayne’s death was confirmed by Entertainment Weekly. Fellow alum Trinity K. Bonet paid tribute to her in an Instagram post on Thursday.

“Well that just f—– my week up…… my god… keep us covered and safe! Love you lil sister..rest on @chichidevayneofficial,” Bonet wrote.

View this post on Instagram

Well that just fucked my week up…… my god… keep us covered and safe! Love you lil sister..rest on @chichidevayneofficial 😞😞😞🙌🏽

A post shared by Trinity K Bone’t (@trinitykbonet) on Aug 20, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT

RuPaul released a statement on the official RuPaul’s Drag Race account as he deactivated his own social media a few weeks ago. He celebrated DeVayne, who competed on two seasons of the show.

“I am heartbroken to learn of the passing of Chi Chi DeVayne. I am so grateful that we got to experience her kind and beautiful soul. She will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. May her generous and loving spirit shine down on us all,” he wrote.

The entertainer continued, “On behalf of VH1, World of Wonder and the cast and crew of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I extend my deepest sympathy – from our family to hers.”

"On behalf of VH1, World of Wonder and the cast and crew of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I extend my deepest sympathy – from our family to hers." –RuPaul (2/2)

— RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) August 20, 2020

DeVayne starred on two seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race and became a fan favorite, breaking out in Season 8 of the competition show. She returned for the third All-Stars spin-off in 2018.

Despite being eliminated, she previously told EW how her time on the show helped her personal evolution. The Louisiana native struggled with her sexuality and was scarred by gang violence.

“I was so stressed out and it got to a point where I was like, okay, I’m in the bottom every week. It might be time to go home and work a little bit more on my drag,” DeVayne told EW in 2018 after her elimination from All-Stars 3. “I’m a real person, and I just felt it was my time to go. There was no reason to be sad or bitter.”

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from, that has nothing to do with how far you can go” 💫

-Chi Chi DeVayne

Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Rest in power, queen 👑 pic.twitter.com/05QOBM9b30

— yekaterina (@ageofadnaloy) August 20, 2020

DeVayne called on fan support last week after being hospitalized. She informed her followers that she was in need of medical care again after previously being treated for high blood pressure and possible kidney failure in July.

“Keep me in your prayers. I’ll be back soon,” DeVayne said in a video message shared Saturday morning as she was shown in a hospital bed.

DeVayne also had a long-standing health condition. In 2018, she shared her diagnosis of scleroderma, which attacks internal organs.

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Finding Opportunity in Crisis: Renewal and Reformation in the Era of COVID-19

This is the inaugural column of the Brown Hatchett & Williams LLP (BHW) bi-monthly column, “The BHW Memo: Legal Strategies and New Business Opportunities.” In partnership with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the goal of this column is to provide innovative and current legal strategies for Black businesses to thrive and achieve expansion and further success. Black business finds itself in a unique situation following the confluence of events in the first half of 2020.

On the one hand, COVID-19 has had a ruinous impact on many U.S. businesses. Add the murder of George Floyd and the rise of a nationwide social justice movements and ongoing protests, the first two quarters of 2020 presented difficult terrain to traverse. The confluence of these events can be viewed as devastating events for businesses across the U.S. as they clearly have been.

They can also be viewed as creating opportunities to pursue renewed and restructured business strategies. Certain legal strategies can be undertaken to allow Black businesses to execute renewed and restructured business strategies to be well-positioned to benefit from opportunities arising in these challenging times.

“It’s about building this country back better.”
— Kamala Harris, US Senator and Vice President Nominee

In the coming weeks, this column will present several of these legal structures for your consideration, detailing in straightforward language how they may be used to promote and grow Black business. These legal strategies include opportunity zone funding (OZF), new market tax credits, employee stock ownership plans, and financial and corporate restructuring. These sophisticated legal tools can be used to reduce the weight of company debt, raise equity capital, provide liquidity for business owners, or help transition ownership to family members or trusted staff so that your business may survive and even expand in these challenging times.

Today’s business landscape is creating opportunities to reimagine, retool, and restructure your business to meet the challenges of the future. There are numerous examples to follow, including NYC restauranteur Luca Di Petro, who renewed his high-end chain of Tony Manhattan restaurants into a food supply and distribution business for health care workers; Ford Motor Company retooled production lines in order to manufacture much-needed ventilators; and innovative companies, such as Graffiti Shield and American Seating, as well as enterprising entrepreneurs, have created new markets as manufacturers and distributors of personnel protective equipment (PPE).

At BHW, we make it our business to understand these complex legal strategies to support our clients’ objectives. In the coming weeks, we look forward to sharing our knowledge.

 

---

Brown Hatchett & Williams LLP is a corporate boutique law firm located in New York City. Find us at www.bhwllp.com.

 

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Philly Artist Louie V Gutta Sends Powerful Message in New Visual, “Black Man in Amerikkka”

North Philadelphia artist, writer, and producer Vincent Robinson, better known as Louie V Gutta, has experienced and witnessed police brutality and discrimination; he knows all too well the effects racism and discrimination have on the Black men in his community.

Robinson, who has received writing and feature credits with rappers Meek Mill and French Montana, channeled those experiences for his most recent visual, “Black Man in Amerikkka.” Profoundly different from his other work, “Black Man in Amerikkka” is a call to action that unapologetically speaks to the perils faced every day in our communities across America.

“As a Black man in America I truly feel like we are at a disadvantage when it comes to employment opportunities and access to basic equalities,” Robinson tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “We are playing catch-up with the majority group who’s had a 20-mile head start. We are working ourselves out of a hole just to survive. We matter, our issues matter, and change is long overdue.”

While his words voice the frustration felt in our communities, the visual blends familiar scenes of protests from the 1960s with the protest of today. Behind his lyrics, clips from bystanders and voices from news reports circulate as a message of perseverance echoes.

“I wanted to make a song that means something,” he says. “Watching the frustrations spilling out into the streets took its toll on me mentally as a Black Man. This music is coming from my heart. This moment it’s critical that we use our platforms and talents as a vessel to push for the change we need to see in our communities. I must speak about what’s important while inspiring people to keep the same energy for change.”

Previously featured #1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists, Gutta continuously connects with his fans through his lyricism. With close to 1 million streams in 2020 on Spotify alone, he is showing why HipHopDX said, “Louie V Gutta is a legend in the making.”

“I believe as artists we should use our platform to speak on injustice,” Robinson says. “I also say this with the complete understanding that I by no means have the right to say what someone else should do. I can only speak for myself. As an artist, you never want to force something because it’s popular. If it is not genuine there may be another way to message your audience.”

With a newly launched label and an EP in the works, the rapper is keeping his foot on the gas while being aware of the injustices Black people are facing.

“I’m an artist first,” he declares. “My new label will make me responsible for the artist so I have to work on my craft to grow my business. This doesn’t overshadow how passionate I am about using my platform to bring awareness to the injustices taking place in my community. The community has supported me and I will continue to support them.”

Watch “Black Man in Amerikkka” below and check out Louie V Gutta’s other hits on all major platforms now.

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Educator Develops Free Online Course About Black History and Culture

Education, like many other sectors, has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools across the country closed down earlier this year to protect students and faculty, opting for remote learning until further notice. In light of the recent Black Lives Matter protests, one teacher decided to create a free online course for kids to learn about Black history and politics.

Dr. Sheva Quinn started the Black Classical University program in June focused on the Black Lives Matter movement and the impact it is making on the nation in real-time. Quinn says many parents are grateful for the curriculum in order to educate their children about the importance of the modern-day civil rights movement and other Black history facts during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Right now, I am inundated with parents who want to enroll their children in my program because they are apprehensive about sending them back to school with COVID,” said Quinn in an interview with Patch back in July. “They wanted an environment where children can see teachers who look like them, teach history related to them, and with the Black Lives Matter protests and social injustices going on, they are being forced to have these discussions and some parents don’t know how to do that. We can’t shelter them when it is their reality.”

“We will talk about the circumstances surrounding Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor and others,” Quinn added. “We also have guest speakers who have been at the forefront of protests, in law, in history and more. The thing is this is nothing new. It’s just that the cameras are here now. This course is designed to make them more aware, see what activism looks like and understand what they may be up against.”

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What Happens If Uber and Lyft Flee California? Look at Austin

The ride-hail services are threatening to stop service in the Golden State to protest a judge's ruling. They did something similar in Texas in 2016.

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