LGBTQ, Trevor Project, Jaymes Black
by Black Enterprise

August 14, 2024

Atlanta Gears Up For Global Black Pride Celebration

The jam-packed event will take place from August 27 to September 2.

Atlanta is preparing for an epic celebration.

The first-ever Global Black Pride in the United States, sponsored by Atlanta Black Pride Weekend, will commence Aug. 27 in the Southern city for the nearly week-long event. The city’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community will enjoy a music festival, gala, and influencer dinner, as well as a Human Rights and Health Conference. Celebrities, including Keke Palmer, Billy Porter, and Jessica and Niecy Nash-Betts, are expected to attend.

In keeping tradition, Mayor Andrew Dickens will also host his 5th annual Global Black Pride Reception at Atlanta City Hall.

The Vision Community Foundation, Traxx Girls Inc., and Rockstars Production will continue producing the expanding venture, with the latter two hosting the Black Excellence Influencer’s Dinner. On Aug. 30, the fundraiser for Global Black Pride Weekend will recognize public figures who continue to break barriers for LGBTQIA+ people. Honorees for the 2024 ceremony include Rashad Burgess, Lisa Cunningham, and Funky Dineva.

For the groundbreaking week’s culmination, a Pure Heat Community Festival will take place Sept. 1 at Piedmont Par and showcase food and market vendors, local performances, and educational forums.

Moreover, the festival aims to connect those throughout the community with knowledge and fun as it celebrates its 12th year. Palmer will take home the Humanitarian Award at the event, while Nash-Betts presents her wife, Jessica, with the Trailblazer Award.

With a jam-packed line-up and diverse activities, Global Black Pride’s first celebration in the U.S. hopes to uplift the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies. In step with its mission, a portion of the event’s proceeds will go toward helping homeless LGBTQIA+ youth and those impacted by HIV/AIDS through the Vision Foundation.

More immersive programming information can be found on Global Black Pride’s website.

Black woman arrested, taco
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 14, 2024

Real-Life HTGAWM: White Woman Receives Probation After Mowing Down Anti-Gang Activist With Her Vehicle

Although prosecutors asked for three years in prison, a judge sentences Ann Marie Drago to five years of probation.

A white Long Island, New York, woman was given probation August 6 after pleading guilty to fatally running over anti-gang activist Evelyn Rodriguez, who was at a memorial for her teenage daughter, in 2018.

According to CBS News, 63-year-old Ann Marie Drago was sentenced to five years of probation, although the district attorney suggested she receive three years in prison. She pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide after being tried twice. In the first trial, she was found guilty, but the verdict was overturned. The second trial ended in a hung jury. In the court’s ruling, it was intimated that Drago had suffered enough.

During the sentence announcement earlier this month, Rodriguez’s family wept. Drago showed no emotion.

“We didn’t get the justice that we was looking for, as far as that’s considered,” Freddy Cuevas, the father of Rodriguez’s slain daughter, said. “Her getting probation, that’s like a slap on the hand.”

Drago ran over Rodriguez during a memorial for Rodriguez’s 16-year-old daughter, Kayla, who was killed by MS-13 gang members in 2016.

At the time of the incident, Drago was trying to sell her mother’s house and was scared that the memorial would deter potential buyers. She was accused of trashing the memorial hours before it was scheduled to take place. When Cuevas and Rodriguez confronted Drago about what she had done while she was in her car, she allegedly stepped on the accelerator, fatally striking Rodriguez.

Drago claimed it was a tragic accident.

“I just felt sorrow for my daughters because of the pain they are going through,” Cuevas said. “Evelyn was considered a great advocate for the community.”

He also pointed out that Drago eventually must answer for her actions.

“She’s going to be free,” he said. “She’s going to be living her life, but judgment day will come one day.”

Olympics, Carmelo Anthony, medal, gold
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 14, 2024

Carmelo Anthony Wouldn’t Trade Olympic Gold Medals For NBA Title

'When we talk about global sport, for me, a medal means something totally different than an NBA championship.'

Former NBA player Carmelo Anthony, who has three gold medals and is one of the most celebrated Olympic basketball players, stated he wouldn’t trade his gold medals for an NBA championship.

Anthony, who played for the New York Knicks, the Denver Nuggets, and several other teams before ending his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, has never won an NBA title. During a recent interview with BasketNews‘s Donatas Urbonas, he was asked if he would trade in any of his Olympic medals for the coveted NBA title he never got a chance to obtain. He responded no because he feels that representing a country is a bigger statement than just winning a title for a team, city, or state.

“When we talk about global sport, for me, a medal means something totally different than an NBA championship,” Anthony stated. “They both have their own separate meanings, but winning a gold medal, it’s the passion, it’s the pride that you have, not just for a city or a state, for a whole nation, for a whole country you’re winning for.

“So, it’s a different level of, I would say, pride that you have to have when you’re wearing USA across your chest, or you’re wearing Lithuania across your chest. It’s a totally different feeling than Knicks, New York across your chest.”

According to Basketball Network, Anthony, who played 19 years in the NBA, won three gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2012 London Olympics, and the 2016 Rio Olympics. His averages in six international tournaments were 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He also played in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 World Championships in Japan.

He set the U.S. Olympic scoring record in 2012, totaling 37 points in a game against Nigeria.

Young Thug
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 14, 2024

Young Thug’s Racketeering and Gun Conspiracy Trial Returns With New Judge

New judge kicks off the return of Young Thug's controversial racketeering trial with testimony from a star witness.

After a two-month hiatus, rapper Young Thug’s controversial racketeering and gun conspiracy trial returned on Monday, Aug. 12.

Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker welcomed Fulton County jurors back in what has become Georgia’s longest-running criminal trial since it began in January 2023. The trial resumed with a star witness and another mistrial request following multiple delays and unexpected turns that have threatened to dismiss the case entirely.

NBC News reports that Whitaker subtly addressed her addition to the trial following Judge Ural Glanville’s removal last month.

“You are not to concern yourself with this change,” Whitaker told the jury. “The decisions and remarks of a judge do not mean the judge favors or leans to one side or another in this case.”

Other oddities from the trial’s return included testimony from one of the star witnesses, Kenneth Copeland, who often told prosecutors, “I don’t recall,” when asked questions. At one point, Copeland complained about Young Thug (real name Jeffery Lamar Williams) rapping about him in songs, claiming the timing of the song made investigators go after him. However, when asked when Thug rapped about him, Copeland said, “I don’t recall.”

Copeland’s testimony comes two months after Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, filed a recusal motion for Glanville after he and prosecutors were accused of having an “improper” private meeting with Copeland that excluded the defense. Meetings held without all parties present may be viewed negatively, as they could create opportunities for witness tampering.

The accusation led Glanville to hold Steel in contempt of court after he refused to disclose who informed him about the meeting. Glanville sentenced Steel to spend weekends in jail while the lawyer appealed the contempt ruling.

Young Thug has been in jail since May 2022 on charges of conspiracy, criminal street gang activity, along with firearm and drug-related offenses. Fulton County prosecutors are using Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, statute against the Grammy Award-winning rapper and five other co-defendants.

Since taking over the trial, Whitaker has reviewed several motions, including those by defense attorneys urging for a mistrial. Prosecutors have noted the 105 additional witnesses to present and the 75 who have already testified.

Bush, Obama, Virginia, New Jersey, Gubernatorial, Clinton,Trump, luncheon
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 14, 2024

Beyoncé, 2Pac, GloRilla, And More Land Spots On Barack Obama’s Summer 2024 Playlist

Barack Obama has social media talking after releasing his coveted list of jams for summer 2024.

Barack Obama has social media talking after releasing his coveted list of jams for summer 2024.

On Monday, Aug. 12, the former president appeared alongside TikTok influencer Carter Gregory to share his current roster of musical favorites and remind young voters about the importance of getting out this November and making their voices heard at the polling booths.

When sharing the inspiration behind many of the selections, the 44th commander-in-chief credited his two daughters, Sasha and Malia.

“I get referrals from my daughters — which keeps me not stuck in the ’80s,” the former president shares. “I’ve got some newer stuff, some older stuff. I tend to mix it up.”

Beyoncé’s Billboard chart-topping country single “Texas Hold ‘Em” scored a spot on Obama’s list along with GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Wanna Be,” Saweetie’s “My Best,” Tems’ “Love Me, Jeje,” 2Pac’s “How Do U Want It,” and Common’s “The People.”

“With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately -– and it wouldn’t be my playlist if it didn’t include an eclectic mix. I hope you find something new to listen to!” Obama tweeted while sharing the list with his 131 million followers.

Artists who secured a spot on the list expressed their excitement, including Moneybagg Yo, who took to his Instagram Story after seeing his genre-blending “Whiskey Whiskey” single with Morgan Wallen on the list.

“S/O to the Presidential Loaf @barackobama This large Thank U,” he captioned his post.

Country music newcomer Shaboozy replied to Obama’s tweet with a simple “My Man” salute. Given the list’s popularity, the results had many followers talking, with some complaining about hit singles and artists who weren’t lucky enough to make Obama’s 2024 playlist, like Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Likes Us” and Chappel Roan.

“No Chappell Roan???? Disappointing…” one person tweeted.

“Now Barry…you know you listened to ‘Not Like Us’ all summer like the rest of us but we’ll allow it,” another person commented on Instagram.

Obama used the playlist to garner attention around the upcoming election, during which he proudly supported the campaign of the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The fact is, your voice needs to be heard. You need to participate, and it’s easy to do,” Obama told Gregory while urging TikTok viewers to register on iwillvote.com.

Konvict Muzik, T-Pain, grand theft auto, gaming, stream,
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 14, 2024

T-Pain Happily Signed a $40 Million Record Deal At Age 18—Then He Looked at the Fine Print

T-Pain is opening up about the shabby record deal he signed as a teenager that included a 15/85 earnings split.

We’ve all made mistakes during our teen years, right? Well, T-Pain is no exception. At 18, the “Buy U a Drank” singer signed with Jive Records following the success of his first single, “I’m Sprung.”

That sounds like good news, including the huge advance of $40 million. But there was a massive catch.

“First deal, that whole first joint was 15/85 [split],” T-Pain told California rapper LaRussell. “But they gave me crazy money, so I didn’t even care. Like, bro, they straight-up was like, ‘Alright, deal’s done. Here you go.”

Fortunately for T-Pain, “I still get a lot of royalties. I’m probably never gonna not get royalty checks,” he shared.

After penning several hit singles during his early days, T-Pain noticed the low payouts he was receiving. “I had to go look at my deal. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m about to get paid.’ And they [were] like, ‘No, the fu*k you not,’” he recalled. “And I was like, ‘Bro, there’s no way.’ And they were like, ‘There’s all the way, ‘cause here’s your signature, you stupid piece of sh*t.’”

In 2019, T-Pain appeared on The Breakfast Club, where he opened up about losing $40 million and needing to borrow money to buy his children food from Burger King.

“Now I know what the high end is and what the low end is,” he said. “I’ve been mega-rich, I’ve been super broke, right in the middle of thinking I was mega-rich, and then got rich again, and you know learned how to really give a s— about money.”

It was a low moment in his career, but the “Can’t Believe It” singer eventually bounced back.

“Once you give a s— about the money you’re making, then you feel much better about your accomplishments, you feel much better about what you’re doing, you start paying attention to your work that makes you money,” he said.

Donald Trump, Elon Musk, DOGE
by Sharelle B. McNair

August 14, 2024

What Was That?! Donald Trump Rambles On During X Interview With Elon Musk

Could the interviews get any weirder?

Former President Donald Trump returned to the social platform X after being reinstated in 2023 for an interview with its owner, Elon Musk. 

Trump and Musk spoke for almost two hours on Aug. 12 after dealing with some technical issues that stopped X users from joining. As users posted screenshots of their technical problems, Musk blamed the issue on a “massive DDOS,” or denial-of-service attack, that must’ve targeted the platform.

“As this massive attack illustrates, there’s a lot of opposition to people just hearing what President Trump has to say,” Musk said to listeners. 

The two conservatives touched on an array of topics about the indicted businessman’s campaign, including the assassination attempt on Trump, immigration views, the future of energy being produced and the economy. 

Musk, who has offered millions of dollars in financial support to Trump’s White House bid, provided his view on climate change, promoting how the United States should avoid vilifying the oil and gas industry but “should lean in the direction of sustainability.” In the past, Trump claimed to be an advocate for “clean air” and “clean water,” but has openly denied believing in climate change. 

While discussing immigration, Musk, who was born in South Africa, said he thinks legal immigration is a good thing and labeled most of the people who cross the border illegally as “good people.” But he advocated for a more robust vetting process in an effort to stop dangerous migrants from crossing into the country. Trump’s extreme views on border patrol have prompted false narratives, including that other nations have emptied inmates of their prisons and mental institutions into the Southern border. 

Trump even claimed that some are entering the United States and speaking languages no one has heard. 

As conversation topics targeted some of the country’s leading business owners, some raised concerns about how Trump overpowered close to an hour of the conversation. According to Business Insider, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban noted how long Trump spoke over Musk.

“Aren’t most conversations a little more balanced?” he noted. “Shouldn’t both participants ask the other questions rather than only one asking?”

Other business owners like Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, took another route and asked Musk to request insight from the GOP presidential candidate on topics he has dodged, like celebrating the fictional cannibalistic villain from the 1991 film, The Silence of the Lambs. Levie later deleted his post.

Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has a strained relationship with both Musk and Trump, called the interview a “complete failure.” “Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silences. A complete failure to launch. And that’s just the candidate,” Newsom said on the platform. 

Some CEOs praised the conversation, like Mark Pincus, the founder of Zynga and the creator of FarmVille. “Trump is strong in conversation. Hate me for stating truths!” he said. 

NYC mayor Eric Adams, trial, Trump,
by Daniel Johnson

August 14, 2024

NY Mayor Eric Adams Criticized For Alleged Pay-To-Play Scheme

A Queens waste hauling company won a series of licenses from the Adams administration following donations made by employees and owners of the company to his 2021 mayoral campaign.

After a Queens waste hauling company won a series of licenses from New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration following donations made by owners of the company to his 2021 mayoral campaign, some are accusing the administration of running a pay-to-play scheme. 

According to The Gothamist, five employees of Royal Waste Services (RWS) allegedly donated a total of $10,800 to the Adams campaign on June 7, 2021. One employee donated $4,000, double the limit allowed by New York campaign law. As a result, half of this sum was returned to the employee by the Adams campaign. 

Earlier in 2024, RWS was one of 18 waste management services that received a contract to pick up trash from businesses, part of a larger initiative to streamline the city’s commercial waste management system. As it relates to the donations, the company was flagged when Adams’ 2021 election fund was audited by the Campaign Finance Board.

The board is now demanding that the Adams administration explain how the money was raised and whether or not the company’s donations were bundled as a way to get around the legal limits imposed on campaign donations. 

According to the sanitation department’s spokesperson Joshua Goodman, RWS received no special treatment in relation to its donation. “The ethical standards set forth in the contracts are above and beyond what many advocates expected, and we are not afraid to enforce them,” Goodman told The Gothamist.

However, according to Rachel Fauss, a policy advisor with Reinvent Albany, groups or companies suspected of bundling donations are subject to scrutiny because they could be using New York City’s matching funds program to illegally use taxpayer money to fund a campaign. 

“It’s definitely a way of increasing the amount of influence you want to show if you’re gathering donations from a bunch of people,” Fauss told The Gothamist. “It’s a way of amplifying your standing with a campaign in a way you can’t do on your own because you are subject to limits.”

Council member Sandy Nurse, who chaired the city’s sanitation department until 2024, seems to believe that the Adams administration is not acting appropriately.

“It seems like based on the investigations surrounding different people both in the administration and potentially with the mayor, pay-to-play is standard operating procedure for this administration,” Nurse told the outlet. “I’m not surprised, but it is disappointing.”

Prior to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s overhaul of the commercial sanitation system, it was the focus of several protests from labor groups accusing the private companies of employee mistreatment. 

Thus, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards supported the reforms and expressed hope to The Gothamist that the reformed system would allow for watchdogs to keep a close eye on companies like RWS.

“One of the reasons we did waste zones obviously was to make sure that we could narrow the companies down, that we can really see some signs of accountability when it comes to worker safety, when it comes to pollution when it comes to garbage in our neighborhoods. We’ll be watching with a keen eye to make sure that if Royal does not adhere and do better by the community that they’re held accountable.”

RELATED CONTENT: NY City Hall Hires Celebrity Attorney To Represent Mayor Eric Adams

Black-owned Businesses, New Orleans, Startup Noir NOLA
by Sharelle B. McNair

August 14, 2024

Black Businesses Feel Their Success Is Ignored By Media ‘Best Of’ Lists 

Support Black-owned businesses!

NHPR reports that Black businesses are frustrated about being left off popular media “best of” lists and feel their success is being ignored. 

Magazines and online publications are known for publishing “best of” lists to promote local businesses and give residents an open window to the “go-to” places in their cities and towns. But what’s missing are Black-owned businesses, and their owners and advocates feel overlooked. Hairdresser DeAndrea Abrahams says she sees close to eight customers a day, which equates to over 150 customers a month. 

Despite her success, Abrahams has been left off the West Hartford, Connecticut list. “It definitely crosses my mind; it is a bit bothersome,” she said. 

The process of curating these lists varies depending on the city. However, advocates feel the process needs to change. “It would be good for these other larger publications to start embracing the richness of the culture that exists in Connecticut,” ShopBlackCT.com owner Yvette Young said. 

“Are [publications] willing to say, ‘Let’s make sure we put in a more diverse group of businesses so that the output will be more representative of the communities that we serve?’” 

Young’s website, an online directory created to find Black-owned businesses across the state, was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. She noticed how a lack of support for Black businesses resulted in closures at alarming rates, and the trend was happening across the country. A Federal Reserve Bank of New York report revealed Black businesses experienced a 41% decline, the most of any racial demographic, between February and April 2020. “There’s no reason why in 2024 we’re having this conversation,” Young said. 

“It is not an all-white state. It shouldn’t take these special projects to be able to bring forth 2,000-plus Black-owned businesses and give them a space to exist.”

The finger points to the lack of media coverage, translating to fewer business opportunities to grow and be recognized. “It’s a cycle,” Young said. “Without media coverage, Black businesses don’t get the same foot traffic, they don’t get the same sales, and they can’t grow at the same rate.”

However, some media outlets, including Black Enterprise, promote lists conducive to Black business growth, including the best places for startups and financial resources. In March 2024, Atlanta topped the list of best cities for businesses to be creative. For Black Business Month, BE comprised a list of the best financial resources as many Black entrepreneurs struggle to find bank loans, seed money, expansion funds, and credit. 

For Abrahams, being featured on these lists isn’t just about the accolades but the opportunities that come with it. “It opens doors,” she said. “People take you a little more seriously.” 

In June 2024, CNN put together a list of 50 Black-owned businesses to support, breaking the businesses down by industry, including beauty, cookware, games, and more.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Entrepreneur Invests $75K To Launch Online Stretching Portal For Diverse Audience

Paris, 2024, sport, breaking, breakdancing, Olympics, Jeffrey Louis, U.S.A., U.S., competition
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 14, 2024

Was Breakdancing At The Olympics A One-Trick Pony?

The hip-hop artform competition will not take place at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Breakdancing debuted at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and although there was a mixed reaction from fans and non-fans of the dance form, which originated in hip-hop, the competition will not take place in the 2028 Summer Olympics.

That’s not the only change we will witness in four years.

According to NBC News, there will be some changes with the next set of games pitting athletes from around the globe coming back to the United States. The Los Angeles Olympics marks the the first time the games have been on domestic soil since Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics. It feels like breakdancing would be a natural fit there given its hip-hop (and distinctively American) roots.

As for why it’s not on the schedule, according to the World DanceSport Federation, the LA28 organizing committee made that decision. Starting with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the hosting country determines which new sports will be included in that country’s year of having the games. That rule was put in place by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the game’s governing body. While Paris placed breakdancing in the schedule, Los Angeles opted for baseball-softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash for 2028.

“It’s up to each local organizing committee to determine which [additional] sports to put forward that fit with their vision of the Games,” said IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell. “Obviously, breaking fits very clearly with Paris’ vision of a very youth-focused urban engagement.”

There is still hope that breakdancing returns to the Olympics when it is held in Brisbane, Australia, in 2032. Maybe adding the various new entries in Los Angeles will allow the absence of the hip-hop art form to be brought back in time for the Olympics in eight years.

Another sport that may not be part of the Summer Olympics in 2028 is boxing. Its return seems unlikely, NBC News noted, because ” a new world governing body will have to coalesce in coming months to make sure the sweet science will be practiced in Los Angeles.”

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