• Education

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 12, 2024

New Black Woman-Owned Tech College In Alabama Prepares For Inaugural Classes

Shakea Miller has opened 1 on 1 Technical and Theological College, becoming the first Black woman to open a degree-granting technical college in Alabama.

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Shakea Miller is the first Black woman to establish a degree-granting technical institution in Alabama. Her initiative aims to diversify the educational landscape and broaden opportunities in the state..

Miller’s 1 on 1 Technical and Theological College’s opened June 24. Located in Phenix City, the school offers certificate programs across various fields. “1 on 1 Technical & Theological College (1 on 1 T&T) aims to provide biblical and comprehensive educational opportunities with a focus on empowering all students but also addressing the educational disparities faced by African American communities,” Miller told BlackNews.com.

The school’s mission lies in providing an equitable education for all, no matter their race or socioeconomic background.

“I am deeply honored to open the doors of this institution, which stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to the resilience and determination of countless individuals who have fought for equal rights in education,” Miller said. “This college is more than an academic institution as it is a platform for transformation while providing the tools and knowledge necessary to uplift our communities.”

Miller is the sixth Black woman to start a technical college. Her establishing the educational institution in Alabama is also significant. According to AL.com, 6 out of 10 students in the state’s high-poverty schools are Black.

This gap in education quality threatens the academic possibilities for Black students. However, 1 on 1 technical college seeks to break down these systemic barriers.

“By establishing this college, I hope to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators, who will carry forward the torch of progress and equality,” Miller said. “…Committed to cultivating an environment that not only educates but also empowers students to create positive change in their communities and beyond.”

Classes begin Sept. 16.

RELATED CONTENT: Goodie Nation Secures $150K For Black Tech Entrepreneurs In Atlanta

• Health and Wellness

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 12, 2024

Study Reveals Toxic Air In NYC Subways Harms Black People Most

Longer commute times and more frequent transfers have left Black and Hispanic riders the most vulnerable to toxic subway air.

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A new study has revealed that toxic subway air in New York City is disproportionately harming Black and Hispanic subway riders.

New York University researchers detailed their findings on Aug. 7, as reported by Gothamist. They found that longer commute times and more train transfers contribute to Black and Hispanic riders suffering the most. Black riders remain the most severely impacted, experiencing 35% more polluted air and Hispanic face 23% more polluted air compared to white and Asian passengers.

The trains hold particles of polluted air, leaving riders no choice but to breath the fumes in during their trips. According to the research, the air quality in the transit system is 15 times more potent than allowed by the World Health Organization.

One of the researchers, Masoud Ghandehari, explained how the underground trains trap toxic pollutants, leaving riders of color vulnerable to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

“When the train comes by, all the metal in the bottom of the tunnel gets turned up,” Ghandehari said. “Every time the door opens, concentrations in the train go up because the outdoor environment, the platforms, are higher in concentration.”

As for Ghadehari’s solution? A substantial dusting of the subways should do the trick.

“All that dust needs to be cleaned up. It’s all settled in the bottom of the tunnel. So that’s why when a train comes up [to a station], the concentrations shoot up in the air. It churns up everything that’s under.”

However, not all in the city are celebrating Ghadehari, a professor of civil and urban engineering, and his research.

“This recycled ‘study’ based on years-old ‘data’ has long since been debunked,” Metropolitan Transportation Authority Communications Director Tim Minton said in a statement. “Every serious person knows transit is the antidote to climate change, the one reason NYC is the greenest city around, and an engine of equity for people of all communities who need an affordable, safe way to get to jobs, schools, and opportunities of every kind.”

RELATED CONTENT: From Pollution-Based to Inclusively Green

• News

by Daniel Johnson

August 12, 2024

Lawsuit Accuses Firm Of Pushing Black Chicago Families Into Foreclosure To Seize Land Near Obama Presidential Center

iFLIP's Chicago owner has been accused in other lawsuits filed of running a Ponzi scheme where he used real estate contracts to transfer his debt to investors.

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A lawsuit is accusing the New York-based lender behind the real estate coaching company iFLIP Chicago of taking advantage of inexperienced Black investors in order to seize land near the expected future home of the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago. 

According to NBC 5, several Chicago homeowners say the company has turned their lives inside out. iFLIP Chicago recruited at least 20 amateur investors, or would-be house flippers, many of whom say they were sold a false bill of goods by the company. 

“We are at risk of losing over $200,000,” Ameera Haamid told the outlet. She added that “[iFLIP] had a team that’s already built to assist you through the process. So they will locate the property for you. They will put you in touch with the with the lending company, provide financing.”

However, according to the lawsuit, once the investors got the loans, they were hit by hefty default interest fees even after making their payments on time. According to Tatianna Barnett, a Chicago realtor, several investors went into foreclosure and are now in limbo. “We have no idea where the money is. I have lost $169,000. I have a lender that’s saying ‘I’m not going to give you this money…your money’s gone,” Barnett told NBC 5.

According to several investors, they had to apply for commercial loans with Roc360 Capital, and their loan agreement authorized the lenders to take money from the borrowers’ accounts to cover any late fees or any defaults on other loans. 

Ramo Bey, who owns iFLIP Chicago, is accused in other lawsuits filed earlier in 2024 of using the real estate contracts to transfer his debt to the investors.

“[The investors’] impression was that Mr. Bey was the bad guy who took their money and they were in a deal with him and he took advantage of them,” attorney Alex Loftus, who is representing nearly 20 iFLIP investors in the lawsuit, told NBC 5. “The reality is that the contracts do not allow for this. They didn’t sign anything that allowed for their money to be used for someone else.

“This is a big venture firm in New York taking advantage of the little guys in Chicago. I think from the perspective of the folks in New York, if you have this group of African Americans doing business on the South Side of Chicago, that’s an easy group to take some risks with.”

“Roc 360 will respond to the lawsuit in due course and vigorously defend its position,” said in a statement provided to NBC 5.  “…Roc 360 has, at all times, acted in good faith and fully complied with the terms of the commercial loan documents signed by the borrowers. Roc 360 does not and has never funded consumer loans—all its loans are to companies. Each borrower signs a business purpose affidavit.”

Roc 360 added that “the plaintiffs in the instant action were represented by counsel and should have been aware of the terms of the loans they were agreeing to. Roc 360’s fees were fully disclosed on the closing statement, and the plaintiffs were under no obligation to proceed with the loan. Roc 360’s fees are fully in line with industry norms.”

RELATED CONTENT: Condo Deal Falls Through Because Owner Didn’t Want To Sell To A Black Woman

• Sports

by Daniel Johnson

August 12, 2024

U.S. Olympic Teams Shine: Soccer’s ‘Triple Trouble,’ Basketball Victories, And A Controversial Gymnastics Medal

The Games had wins, defeats, drama—and Snoop Dogg.

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The Summer Olympics have dominated social media timelines, discourses, and headlines lately, most of the time due to the athletic excellence displayed on the world’s biggest stage.

Triple Espresso, Triple Trouble, or the Triple Express—Trinity Rodman (daughter of NBA great Dennis Rodman), Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson—of the U.S. women’s Olympic Soccer Team created havoc in opponent’s defensive sides. Swanson’s goal in the gold medal game against Brazil sealed a redemption arc for the United States Women’s National Team and made the decision to bring in Chelsea boss Emma Hayes look like a brilliant move.

In addition to the big three, Naomi Girma cemented her status as the best defensive player in the world with her performances in the tournament. The U.S. women’s soccer program is back on top after a brief lag that created questions about whether or not the rest of the world had caught up to the Americans.

On the basketball court, both the men and the women’s basketball squads reigned supreme. Anchored by LeBron James and A’ja Wilson, respectively, both teams took the best shots of international basketball teams and outlasted the host country in the gold medal game. 

The women’s gold medal game was an outright dogfight, tied at 25 at halftime before Team USA rallied to win 67-66, led by Wilson and Kahleah Copper’s brilliant fourth quarter performance. 

On the men’s side, Stephen Curry, who stands 6’2″ provided fireworks and an unbelievable shot over France’s 7’4″ Victor Wembanyama, which immediately went viral. Like the women’s team, the men had to overcome physical play and turnovers, but once Curry got cooking, the gold medal was all but secured in a 98-87 victory.

In women’s gymnastics, the history-making floor exercise podium of Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, and the American tandem of Simone Biles, and Jordan Chiles received some revision after the Romanian team challenged the bronze medal awarded to Chiles after a challenge to the judges was posed by the Americans. After the Romanians appealed to an arbitrator, their challenge was accepted on the basis that the American coaches’ challenge came in four seconds too late.

Although the IOC wants Chiles to surrender her medal, USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee will appeal the decision on the grounds that there were “critical errors” in both FIG’s original scoring process and the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s appeal. 

Masai Russell’s electric performance in her Olympic debut in the 100m hurdles solidified exactly how deep the American track and field program is. For the most part, the world was well aware of favorites Sha’Carri Richardson, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Gabby Thomas heading into the Olympics.

But Russell electrified the crowd in one of the closest finishes at the Olympics, winning her gold by .01 seconds. “I’m the fourth-fastest woman ever in this event, so it wasn’t about knowing if I could or couldn’t,” Russell told The Athletic. “It was really just about remaining focused on what I could do and honestly, just getting through those 10 hurdles and getting to the line first.

“So many people were saying so many crazy things about me, as they always do when you’re not doing what they believe you’re capable of. But I just continued to shut out the noise and focus on what I can control…It was truly a dream come true.”

RELATED CONTENT: Black Girl Magic On The Olympic Stage Highlights Black Iconography At Its Best

• Health and Wellness

by Daniel Johnson

August 12, 2024

Black Hospitals, Once An Answer To Segregation, Face Uncertain Future

At one point, there were more than 150 Black hospitals.

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Black hospitals, once centers of thriving Black communities, have fallen into a state of disrepair in the decades since the integration of hospitals under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The few left are struggling to stay open. In Mound Bayou, Mississippi, the once-prominent Taborian Hospital, founded in 1942 to serve Black patients during segregation, now stands empty, NPR reports, its future uncertain. Despite a $3 million renovation a decade ago, the facility closed again due to ownership dispute.

Myrna Smith-Thompson, whose grandfather helped establish the hospital, is executive director of the civic group that owns the property. She said reopening would require millions in funding.

Black hospitals, which once numbered over 150, have been slowly phased out of commission after the passage of civil rights legislation. The few that remain are incredibly under-resourced, VPM, Virginia’s NPR affiliate, reported in 2022.

“Once you started to see the birth of these Black hospitals, which numbered, I believe, over 150 in the country at one point, that’s when they became competitors with white hospitals. And so, you will start to see a lot of white hospitals relegate Black patients in the attic, in the basement. And so, these Black hospitals were a very humane and respectable alternative to the very discriminatory way that African Americans were treated in the majority [of] hospitals,” Cassandra Newby-Alexander, a professor of Virginia Black history at Norfolk State University, said.

According to Axios, the original Richmond Community Hospital’s future is in doubt as Virginia Union University wants to use the land the hospital sits on to develop up to 200 market-rate housing units, a plan some Richmond residents fear means the demolition of the hospital. 

As Bizu Gelaye, an epidemiologist and the program director of Harvard University’s Mississippi Delta Partnership in Public Health told KFF Health News, the closing of the hospitals forever changed the communities they once existed in. “It has ripple effects in a way that affect the fabric of the community.”

According to a 2023 study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, hospitals that primarily serve Black patients consistently have lower revenues and profits. “U.S. hospital financing effectively assigns a lower dollar value to the care of Black patients,” the study’s authors wrote. “To reduce disparities in care, health financing reforms should eliminate the underpayment of hospitals serving a large share of Black patients.”

RELATED CONTENT: Black Healthcare Firms Should Prosper Most From Growing Economy, According To New Report

• Uncategorized

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 12, 2024

MTA Employee Suspended After Moonlighting As College Professor For Years While On The Clock

The employee was placed on a 30-day suspension upon the reveal of her unapproved second job.

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New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has fired a computer specialist after discovering she worked as an adjunct professor for years while on the clock.

The agency’s watchdog confirmed that the unidentified employee spent her hours teaching instead of performing her duties assigned at work. A complaint from a coworker about her suspicious behavior sparked an investigation into how she spent her shifts. The probe was launched in October 2022 by MTA Inspector General Daniel Cort’s office.

“For years, this employee had free rein to teach college classes during her workday without permission due to an alarming lack of supervision,” explained Cort, as reported by NewsDay. “All of the employees involved breached the public trust, and I commend the MTA for holding them accountable.”

Amid the investigation, the employee served a 30-day suspension beginning on June 25. The probe found that she had worked at a local college since Spring 2020. However, she did not have the approval from management to do so.

The employee finessed out of her shifts by not swiping out of the timekeeping system during her lunch breaks. Not only did she use work hours to teach her courses, but she also used her MTA-issued laptop to fulfill her professor duties.

Moreover, investigators confirmed reports by the whistleblower that the MTA employee received overtime pay while on vacation. However, the employee’s role did not grant remote work. Despite this, her supervisors allowed her to telework due to a lack of personnel able to complete her duties in person.

Upon the investigators’ findings, two of her supervisors, the Deputy Chief Officers of Technology and Information, respectively, were also fired in April for not noticing the breach in work responsibilities. Her other supervisor, who oversees timekeeping and payroll, received a written warning.

It remains unclear if the MTA will also terminate the employee or if she will still work as a professor.

RELATED CONTENT: Study Reveals Toxic Air In NYC Subways Harms Black People Most

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 11, 2024

Jay-Z To Gain Ownership Of ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Masters In 2031

The news comes as a disheartening warning to potential buyers at the auction.

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Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has made a legal claim to owning the masters of his Reasonable Doubt album amid Damon Dash’s Roc-A-Fella Records stake buyout drama.

The news comes as a disheartening warning to potential buyers at the auction, especially as the album is the label’s most valuable asset. Those who choose to proceed with bidding anyway would only reap the benefits of owning a third of the 1996 LP until 2031. By that point, the entire master recordings will go to Carter, as well as subsequent checks.

Despite the short-term earnings, bidders aiming to acquire the co-founder’s stake must cough up at least $1.2 million, the minimum bid in the auction.

TMZ broke the story in early August, revealing that Dash’s successor would own only a portion of Roc-A-Fella. As the new minority owner, the purchaser would have little influence over the company’s future operations.

Dash lost his stake in the record label earlier this year after losing an over $800,000 lawsuit by film director Josh Webber. Webber took legal action against Dash in 2022 for copyright infringement and defamation. To cover the payout designated in the civil judgment, Dash’s stake in Roc-A-Fella will be forfeited.

As for Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z would have always been granted ownership of his album’s master recordings 35 years after its release. However, Dash did propose his selling of the album before, even as a shut-down NFT. In 2022, an agreement between Dash and Roc-A-Fella confirmed that the co-founder did not have “direct ownership interest” of the album. However, the revenue he earns could be transferred, alongside his stake in the label.

The actual sale must now be conducted through the U.S. Marshal. The public auction will take place Aug. 29 in Manhattan.

RELATED CONTENT: Damon Dash’s Roc-A-Fella Stake To Be Auctioned To Satisfy Judgments

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 11, 2024

Senegal Issues Ultimatum To Akon’s African Metropolis: Start Building Or Lose Majority Of Land

Senegalese lawmakers have called out 'Akon City' for its lackluster progress.

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Akon’s multi-billion dollar quest to build a metropolis in Senegal faces a new ultimatum. The Senegalese government has threatened to take away the land designated for the project if the singer does not start construction.

The artist announced the establishment of “Akon City” in 2020. However, the lack of substantial progress on its creation has the Senegalese government applying pressure. Their government initially granted 136 acres of rural land along the Atlantic coastline for construction.

The project sought to boast eco-friendly innovation and technology, similar to that of Wakanda, the fictional, advanced African nation of Marvel’s Black Panther. The plans included housing complexes, a university, and amusement parks to boost the country’s tourism and economy. Moreover, the area, located south of Senegal’s major city of Dakar, would run on solar power and Akoin, a crypto-currency named after the singer.

Much like the coin, the city has also fallen into decline. Currently, only one concrete block stands, with the rest of the land still utilized for livestock purposes. Considering the plan launched four years ago, the Senegalese government is getting restless.

The notice was given by Sapco-Senegal, the government agency that oversees its tourism and coastal areas. According to the statement obtained by Bloomberg, Akon will lose 90% of the land bestowed to him if advancements on the project are not made.

Moreover, the development aimed to be a 10-year project, with a hospital and condos supposed to be completed last year. However, Akon’s consecutive missed payments to Sapco-Senegal have led to the ultimatum.

Lawmakers have also called out “Akon City” for its lackluster progress. “Akon City is a scandal,” said legislator Bara Gaye in February 2023. “What is the government waiting for to end his contract?”

However, Akon remains adamant that he will break ground on his city. He intends to return to Dakar to reassure the government of his plans, which include geotechnical studies and clearing of brush surrounding the area.  

RELATED CONTENT: Akon’s Tech Utopia

• News

by Daniel Johnson

August 11, 2024

Black-Owned Group Buys Remaining Oakland Athletics Coliseum Stake For $125M

African American Sports And Entertainment Group now owns the Oakland Coliseum.

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On their way out of town, the soon-to-be former Oakland Athletics MLB franchise have agreed to sell its stake in the Oakland Coliseum to a Black-owned development group for $125 million. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, the group, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group, already owned the other half of the arena due to a deal it made in May with the City of Oakland to purchase the controlling interest in the Oakland Coliseum for $105 million. 

According to the group’s managing member, Ray Bobbitt, the group is still in the general planning stage, but plans for the arena to remain at its present location and continue to host profitable events at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum and Oakland Arena. The group was founded in 2020, established to “create a path for enhanced economic equity” for Oakland’s Black residents and its website promises to create a “thriving sports, entertainment, educational and business district” on the property. 

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the African American Sports & Entertainment Group regarding our portion of the Coliseum site,” Oakland Athletics President Dave Kaval said in a statement, according to SFist. “AASEG has a community-oriented vision for the long-term development of the site and will be strong stewards of the property. Their leadership and development provide substantial opportunities and benefits for East Oakland and the broader Oakland community.”

Oakland’s Mayor Sheng Thao also released a statement indicating her belief that the group’s ownership of the site is a positive development.

“This is another incredibly exciting day,” Thao said. “When we agreed on our terms with AASEG for the City’s half of the Coliseum site, we knew this was right around the corner. Having one entity control the entire Coliseum site will fast track much-needed and deeply deserved development in East Oakland.”

RELATED CONTENT: Jaylen Brown And Jason Kidd Unveil Oakland Program Aimed To Bridge Racial Wealth Gap

• News

by Daniel Johnson

August 11, 2024

Black War Of 1812 Soldier Finally Recognized As Veteran—152 Years After His Death

Samuel A. Neale served in the Maryland State Militia during the War of 1812.

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Samuel A. Neale, a Black man who served in the Maryland State Militia during the War of 1812, was posthumously recognized as a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, ending a campaign started by a local historian to get Neale the headstone entitled to him.

According to The Baltimore Sun, Louis Giles, a former NSA official and amateur historian of the War of 1812, started to take up Neale’s case with the Veterans Affairs office in 2022. According to Giles’ research, under the regulations of the Maryland militia, Black soldiers were to receive military titles no matter what their duties were. Withholding this, he argued, was tantamount to further entrenching the racism of the time in which Neale served. 

In July, Giles told the Sun his reasoning for pursuing the change. “Is a person in the VA discriminating against Blacks? I can’t say that. But whether they recognize it or not, if their policies are what they’ve told us, that’s certainly effective discrimination.”

Despite Giles’ claims and research showing that Neale was granted a military pension by the Maryland legislature in 1870, the VA continually denied his appeals to grant Neale his due status. As a last ditch effort, Giles applied for and was granted an audience with the VA’s court of appeals where his case was heard by Anthony Scire Jr., one of the VA’s appeals court judges in June.

Scire then ruled on July 25 that Neale was an American soldier in good standing and was thus entitled to a free headstone.

Scire’s ruling applied the understanding that state militia units were essentially akin to today’s National Guard and as such, Neale was effectively acting in service of the United States Armed Forces when he joined the fight. 

“Mr. Neale was a member of a federalized unit which was being commanded by a lawfully appointed officer; wore a military uniform; carried arms openly; and operated within the laws and customs of war at the time,” Scire wrote in his ruling. 

Scire continued, “Furthermore, extracts from official Maryland state files indicate that the Maryland State Legislature had recognized Mr. Neale as a Veteran for pension purposes based on his military service. Therefore, Mr. Neale is a Veteran, for VA purposes, based on his honorable active-duty wartime service with the United States Army during the War of 1812.”

Giles, however, had already secured the free headstone from a stone mason in Frederick, Maryland, which was installed in a private ceremony at St. John’s Cemetery on July 26. However, Giles’ contention was never actually about the headstone.

“I always believed that if I had the opportunity to appear before an impartial judge, the decision would support my views,” he told the Sun. “To me, this should have been a slam dunk from the beginning. Not only did we have the muster roll, but supporting evidence far beyond what I have normally seen in 1812-era cases. I felt that the law clearly supported the judge’s decision.”

RELATED CONTENT: U.S. Army Honors Black Soldiers Wrongfully Executed In Jim Crow Era Mass Hanging