Represent Your Frat With Style: Macy’s Exclusive Fraternity Collection Is Here
The retailer released the Fraternity Collection that honors Black Greek letter organizations.
In collaboration with National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) known as The Divine Nine, Macy’s has created an exclusive clothing line to support Black Fraternities.
The clothing line features items inspired by the signature colors of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Prices range from $49-$500.
Macy’s originally launched the line in April with limited pieces. The collection has expanded to include a variety of products including sport coats, neckwear, dress shirts, polos, sweaters, hats, and other accessories. The line was created in partnership with Tayion Collection® and designed by Montee Holland. The self-made designer is a 2019 graduate of The Workshop at Macy’s. Additional pieces are designed by Stacy Adams for Macy’s private brand, Club Room.
This new menswear collection will complement the Sorority Collection that was launched in 2022.
Elwyn Mapps, Macy’s VP, men’s sportswear and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. member, said that he is “thrilled” about the partnership.
“As a proud member of The Divine Nine, I am thrilled to provide members with a collection that reflects their organization’s mission and history while empowering members to express their personal style,” Mapps said.
He continued, “This assortment authentically represents each organization by featuring signature colors and speaks to their dedication to academic excellence, community service and brotherhood.”
Additionally, Macy’s will provide financial support to several foundations selected by The Divine Nine Fraternities. Through its social purpose platform, Mission Every One, Macy’s plans to donate over $3 million to these organizations by the end of January 2025.
The retail giant has contributed $1.75M to the education and research foundations of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
The Fraternity Collection is available online and in select stores.
Dwight Jackson filed the lawsuit against the hotel on July 3 in Wayne County Circuit Court. In the suit, Jackson argues that he was denied a job when he applied with his name but was then granted an interview after changing his name to “John Jebrowski.” Jackson, age 27, submitted applications for multiple positions at the described “luxury” hotel located in downtown Detroit, including a role in the reception department between January and April 2024.
According to Jackson’s civil rights attorney, Jon Marko, the resume consists of consistent employment history, including past roles as a “Front Desk Agent” at Detroit’s Marriott Westin Book Cadillac and David Whitney Hotel. Marko said Jackson was “eminently qualified” for the position despite never being offered an interview.
However, things changed when Jackson applied again in April 2024, but under the seemingly white alias of “John Jebrowski.” After switching some dates around on his employment history, interviews started to pour in that same week. The suit alleges the denial is a “violation of Michigan Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act.”
“To be denied a job in 2024 in your hometown for the color of your skin goes beyond dollars and cents. It goes into the psyche of a person,” Marko said.
Jackson essentially attended the job interview to confront the Shinola interviewer and reveal his real identity. He expressed concern that he wasn’t permitted an interview due to his name appearing to be traditionally African American. After he went through the process, Jackson was informed that he was no longer seen as “a viable candidate for the position.” “Jackson established that the Defendant’s consideration of candidates was based on the racial appearance of the applicant’s name,” the suit read.
Marko claims cases such as this are common where minorities and individuals who have minority-sounding names are discriminated against in the workplace or hiring process. Studies by the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed name bias is a high-priority issue in the hiring process in the U.S. Out of 108 resumes sent to employers, documents with Black male and Black female names received the least callbacks.
According to Detroit News, as a result of the incident, Jackson suffered stress, humiliation, and both emotional and economic damages. “My client wants a jury of his peers, and we’re going to get that in Wayne County,” the attorney said. “There’s no need to file a federal case because Michigan has very strong anti-discrimination laws. I trust our county court and our state courts to be able to adjudicate this case and get justice for Mr. Jackson.”
Owner and operator of the Shinola Hotel released a statement saying, “we take this allegation very seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.” “We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and are dedicated to building a diverse workforce that reflects the community,” the statement said.
Jackson’s attorney also alleges Shinola’s hiring practices have been under scrutiny since news of his client’s lawsuit was filed. “I’m not going to get into attorney work product, but we have received numerous calls from concerned citizens,” he said. “We expect other people who have been discriminated against by the hotel to join this case. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire and there certainly appears to be a blaze here.”
Atlanta Tops ‘Best Cities For Renters To Live In 2024’ Thanks To Local Economy
Atlanta tops "Best Cities for Renters To Live in 2024" list coming in at No.2 behind Charleston, S.C.
Atlanta has topped the list of best cities for renters to live in 2024.
According to the “Best Cities for Renters to Live in 2024” list curated by RentCafe.com, the Georgia city came in at No. 2 when compared to 149 other American cities. No. 1 on the round-up was Charleston, South Carolina.
Based on factors like air quality, apartment quality, economic strength, natural amenities, as well as traffic, RentCafe compiled a list of 150 cities, grouping them into the following categories: cost of living, local economy, and quality of life. Atlanta scored high in the local economy department thanks to statistics that showcase economic growth seen by renters in the city over the past five years.
Renters in the city saw a 44.6% increase in income within that period. Atlanta also ranked second in the number of yearly business applications, totaling 472, and had a 1% annual job growth rate.
No stranger to being a city that tops lists, in 2023, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was awarded the Airport Service Quality Award for Best Airport in North America. Additionally, the city has grown into a hub for companies like Delta Air Lines, UPS, Cox Enterprises, and Home Depot. Previously, Hartsfield-Jackson won Best Airport by Size and Region ASQ Awards consecutively in 2021 and 2022.
In January 2024, RentCafe listed Atlanta as the No. 1 city for renters to watch, thanks to a rental activity report pulled by the company, which revealed that Atlanta attracted the highest rental activity on the platform within the last year.
Since the conclusion of World War II, Atlanta has been a manufacturing and technology center. Still, it wasn’t until the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics that it quickly grew into one of the country’s fastest-growing tech hubs, garnering nicknames for the Georgia city like “Silicon Valley of the South” and “Silicon Peach.”
In comparison to Atlanta, Charleston clinched the top spot thanks to its high job growth, low unemployment rates, and nearly one-third of its rentals being qualified as being “newly built.” Coming in after Atlanta in the No. 4 and No. 5 slots are McKinney, Texas, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Overall, cities located in the Southern region of the nation landed in 38 of the top 50 best cities to rent this year.
Kevin Hart’s Ex-Friend Jonathan ‘J.T.’ Jackson Files $12M Breach Of Contract Lawsuit Over 2017 Sex Tape Scandal
Kevin Hart faces a new $12 million breach of contract lawsuit filed by ex-friend Jonathan "J.T." Jackson following the infamous 2017 sex tape scandal.
Kevin Hart is the subject of a new lawsuit filed by former friend Jonathan “J.T.” Jackson, who claims the comedian broke an agreement between the two during the aftermath of his alleged 2017 sex tape scandal.
Jackson is seeking $12 million in the breach of contract lawsuit that he filed in Los Angeles after he claims that a social media post shared by Hart on October 27, 2021, did not follow a “meticulously negotiated” plan to clear Jackson’s name in the scandal and felony extortion case that followed the 2017 sex tape scandal, Rolling Stone reported.
According to Jackson, Hart was “contractually obligated to use specific verbiage that would publicly exonerate” him. The video was to include that Jackson, who had a small role in Think Like a Man Too, starring Hart, Gabrielle Union, Terrence J., Regina Hall, and more, was “fully cleared of any involvement in an extortion plot and that the scandal had cost Hart a valuable friendship.”
In the lawsuit, it reports that Hart agreed to say, “I lost someone close to me that I loved and still have very much love for, or high levels of love for, and I’m proud to say that all charges against J.T. Jackson have been dropped, and he is not guilty and had nothing to do with it.”
Instead, Jackson alleges that Hart “blatantly broke” their agreement. In the 2017 Instagram video, Hart said the following – “J.T. Jackson has recently been found not guilty, and those charges have been dropped against him, and I can finally speak on what I once couldn’t.”
Additionally, he shared that their friendship was “lost,” but his words were nowhere near the alleged agreement that Jackson says Hart broke.
“It’s over, and I’m happy that it’s over,” said Hart. He also omitted the line that Jackson and Hart reportedly agreed to include and that was that Jackson “had nothing to do with it.”
“The wording of Hart’s statement, meticulously negotiated and detailed in the contract, was crucial to repairing and remediating the severe damage inflicted upon the plaintiff’s reputation by the baseless extortion allegations that Hart aggressively promoted and publicized,” said Jackson in the newly filed lawsuit.
While Hart seemingly was able to move on from the situation, Jackson says he suffered emotional distress in the years to follow. Per the suit, he claims that Hart and his lawyers played a key role in his 2018 arrest when law enforcement officers kicked in his door and raided his home with guns drawn.
It all allegedly started with an August 2017 trip to Vegas. At the time, Hart and Jackson took a voyage to the place dubbed “Sin City,” and just a few weeks later, Hart’s wife, Eniko Parrish, who was pregnant at the time, received an anonymous message claiming that her husband was cheating on her. Linked in the note was allegedly a Dropbox link to the controversial sex tape, which was reportedly recorded from Hart’s private suite at the Cosmopolitan hotel. In the clip, the Ride Along comedian is allegedly seen engaging in intercourse with a woman, later identified as model Montia Sabbag.
Now, Jackson says that the 2017 sex tape scandal and the events to follow caused him to suffer “profound harm” and emotional distress, specifically in the failed extortion prosecution brought forth against him. Additionally, he cites Hart’s Netflix Don’t F**k This Up docuseries as a constant reminder of what happened to him. During an episode of the project, Hart said that the controversial incident that led to the demise of their friendship was “tough to talk about.” The show is still available for streaming today.
“The persistent availability of this content continues to perpetuate the false narrative, causing ongoing harm to plaintiff’s professional and personal life,” said the court filings.
As a Navy veteran, Jackson claims that “the fallout has exacerbated his service-related PTSD and caused significant mental health struggles.”
“This entire ordeal has caused profound emotional distress and significant professional setbacks for both my wife and me. It’s extremely unfortunate that someone I considered my brother, my pots and pans for 16 years, we are now on opposite sides of the fence,” said Jackson in a statement sent to Rolling Stone. “Despite everything, I still wish him well. But it’s been three years since Kevin promised to help clear my name, to no avail. So here we are. Through this lawsuit, I aim to restore my reputation, seek accountability, and ensure that such injustices do not happen to others.”
At this time, Jackson is suing both Hart and his Hartbeat Productions company for “breach of written contract, fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress.” In addition to the $12 million in real damages he’s seeking, Jackson is also looking to receive “punitive damages to be determined at trial.”
Vice President Harris Motivates Alpha Kappa Alpha Sisters To Back Biden Campaign
Vice President Harris addressed her sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority Inc., rallying support for the Biden campaign.
On July 9, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed her sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority Inc. during a Dallas convention, rallying support for the Biden campaign.
The event, part of the White House’s “Summer of Engagement,” saw Harris emphasizing the administration’s accomplishments and the importance of mobilization. “We know when we organize, mountains move…When we mobilize, nations change. And when we vote, we make history,” Vice President Harris declared to her fellow Alpha Kappa Alpha members, according to The Washington Post. Harris highlighted the Biden administration’s efforts in healthcare, maternal mortality, student loan debt, and medical debt relief. She also stressed the current threats to fundamental rights, stating, “Across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights…”
The gathering of 19,000 Black women represents a crucial demographic for the Biden campaign’s reelection hopes. As a Howard University graduate and Alpha Kappa Alpha member, Vice President Harris has consistently engaged with the Divine Nine, the group of historically Black Greek organizations. Her involvement with the sorority has been a significant aspect of her political career and the Biden campaign outreach strategy, especially as the Biden campaign faces challenges, including concerns BE recently noted that escalated from the President’s shaky debate against Donald Trump.
Vice President Harris is working to maintain enthusiasm among Black voters for the 2024 election. In 2020, exit polls showed overwhelming support from Black women for the Biden campaign, though recent surveys suggest a potential decline in support among voters of color.
Her role extends beyond the Alpha Kappa Alpha event. The Biden campaign has been deploying her to engage various key Democratic constituencies, including Latino, AAPI, and younger voters. Her appearances include a recent campaign event in Las Vegas focused on Asian American, Hawaiian Native, and Pacific Islander voters and an upcoming trip to Greensboro, N.C. The Biden campaign’s strategy of utilizing Vice President Harris’s connections to Alpha Kappa Alpha and other Black organizations is evident in her scheduled meeting with Zeta Phi Beta members in Indianapolis later this month. As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, she spent last Saturday at the Essence Festival in New Orleans, speaking to a crowd of mostly Black women.
Drake Becomes 1st Artist To Get 100 Billion Streams On Spotify
No other artist in the world has reached this peak in history
Drake has been taking losses lately in his battle against Kendrick Lamar, but he’s become the first recording artist in history to have 100 billion streams on the Spotify platform.
Aubrey Graham’s latest news was announced by chart data on its X account last month.
.@Drake officially becomes the first artist in history to earn a milestone 100 billion streams on Spotify. pic.twitter.com/jFHerUYUnG
It looks like that record will be his for a while, as HipHopDX reported that the closest artist to achieving that feat is Taylor Swift. At the time of the news, Swift was sitting at No.2 with approximately 85 billion streams.
And the dreaded “Drake Curse” strikes again!
After reports that the Canadian superstar placed a $300,000 bet on his home squad, Canada, against Argentina in the Copa America semifinal, the “OVO” label owner was met with a fate like his recent battle with Lamar when Canada lost 2-0. To add insult to injury, the Argentinian team posted a photo of them celebrating and captioned it, “Not like us, not with us,” which signifies Drake’s rival’s hit diss record, “Not Like Us.”
In May, Drake’s (bad) luck took a hit when he reportedly lost $565,000 betting on another sports event, this time, boxing. The “Best I Ever Had” recording artist placed a bet on boxer Tyson Fury in his matchup for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk. Fury lost the boxing match in a split-decision ruling that gave Usyk the victory.
The infamous “Drake Curse” has followed him for several years. People started referring to Drake’s betting habits as such because anytime Drake places a bet or shows support toward a sports team or meets an athlete, they allegedly suffer a defeat.
Several past victims of the alleged curse include tennis legend Serena Williams, boxer Anthony Joshua, the Toronto Raptors, MMA fighter Connor McGregor, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Golden State Warriors.
Drake reportedly lost $400,000 when he bet that Jake Paul would win by knockout against Tommy Fury, but Paul lost the match by split decision. He also lost $1 million in 2022 when he bet on Argentina winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Although the team did win, the game was decided by penalty kicks.
But… he does have the most streams ever for a recording artist.
The Game May Have Home Seized Due To Non-Payment Of $7M Judgment
Priscilla Rainey won the judgment after accusing the rapper of sexual battery in 2015.
Recording artist, The Game may be losing his house because of non-payment of a judgment levied against him almost 10 years ago.
According to AllHipHop.com, The Game was sued in 2015 by a contestant, Priscilla Rainey, who appeared on his VH1 reality show, “She’s Got Game.” She initially accused the Compton rapper of sexual battery and won a $7 million judgment against the “Love It or Hate It” rapper. The lawsuit was filed in 2015 and she won the judgment the following year. The Game has not paid anything toward the judgment.
Court papers by the media outlet reveal that Rainey served The Game and his manager, Wack 100 in hopes of seizing the rapper’s property. Rainey suspects that the home is in the name of Wack 100 to prevent the seizure of the house from being taken from the rapper. A process server sent a notice of levy, writ of execution, and more to The Game and Wack 100 in June. Rainey states both men are listed at the address.
Earlier this month, AllHipHop reported that Rainey subpoenaed his children’s school district for proof of residence, attendance records, and more on July 1.
After losing the case initially, The Game (Jayceon Taylor) requested a new trial, but an appeals court denied him in 2019.
“Taylor did not take the litigation seriously,” Judge TK Sykes wrote in the decision. “He evaded the process, trolled Rainey on social media, dodged a settlement conference, and did not bother to show up at trial. His attorney asked for a continuance, but the judge denied that request, dismissing Taylor’s proffered excuse as an elaborate ruse.”
Rainey took him back to court because he never remitted payment and she claimed he was hiding his assets. She won that case in 2023.
She reportedly has already seized his publishing rights and recording label.
New York City Small Bottle Ban Will Halt Hotels From Supplying Guests With Personal Care Products
New York City guests will no longer receive personal care products like shampoo and lotion during their stays thanks to a small bottle ban set to go into effect January 2025.
A new small bottle ban will prevent New York City hotels from supplying guests with shampoo and lotion.
Thanks to a new state law set to go into effect in January 2025, hotels in New York City with 50 or more guests will no longer be required to supply guests with small bottles of personal care products like shampoo and lotion. The move is an effort to reduce waste.
Per the bill, a “hospitality personal care product” refers to materials provided by the hotel intended to be used on a human’s body. It includes, but is not limited to, “shampoo, conditioner, lotion, as well as liquid soap.” In this case, a small bottle is no larger than 12 ounces.
“I think there’s a lot of reasons for it on the environmental side,” said the President of the Niagra Falls Hotel and Motel Association, Frank Strangio. “It’s a lot of bottles that get thrown into the garbage, and they do pile up.”
As the owner of two hotels in the city’s south end, Strangio says that he and other hotel owners have already started to implement dispensers installed in the guest rooms to prevent excessive waste when it comes to the distribution of small bottles. While he admits that the installation of the dispensers was costly, it will save them money in the long run.
“The thing that happens with the small bottles is that in hotel rooms, they get used once, and they’re about half full,” Strangio explained. “There’s a lot of wasted product when you are using the smaller bottles.”
Although one would might think that companies would have been able to refill small bottles to be reused by future hotel guests, Strangio says this is not the case. Instead, he says this is avoided to ensure peace of mind that their products have not been tampered with.
“You want them to be properly sealed so that guests know that what they are using is the product that is supposed to be in there,” he said. Strangio also confirmed that the current dispensers in place in the guest rooms have locks to prevent product tampering. He also noted that the process not only saves the environment but makes cleaning the rooms for housekeeping attendants a much more seamless process.
“Even for the housekeeping staff, it’s one less things you have to replenish on a daily basis, especially during the busy season. So I think in that way there’s all kinds of efficiencies as well,” said Strangio.
By 2026, all hotels operating in New York will be required to adhere to the small bottle ban.
Customer Pulls Up To Church’s Chicken, Kills Employee
The female Church's Chicken employee argued with a customer in the drive-thru before the shooting took place.
A shooting at a Church’s Chicken drive-thru in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday, resulted in the death of employee Anita West, following an altercation with a customer.
The shooting occurred just before 9:10 p.m., approximately six miles from downtown Memphis. USA Today reported that law enforcement arrived at the scene shortly after, discovering the female Church’s Chicken employee with a gunshot wound. Despite being rushed to a hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.
Initial police investigations revealed that the Church’s Chicken employee had been involved in a dispute with a woman driving an SUV through the drive-thru. The exact nature of their argument remains unclear. “The teal-colored SUV drove off the lot, and the victim walked outside of the business to get some air,” police reported. Moments later, gunshots were heard, and surveillance footage captured the SUV speeding away. As of Tuesday, authorities were still searching for the suspect, described as a woman with purple hair driving a teal compact SUV.
The Church’s Chicken drive-thru shooting location will remain closed for several days as the company addresses the needs of West’s family and other employees. According to WREG Memphis, a company spokesperson extended condolences, stating, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our team members…Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family during this difficult time.” West’s family is grappling with the loss of their loved one. Her father-in-law, Loranzo West Sr., shared heartfelt words: “She was a good girl. I’ll miss her. You always miss the ones that keep it different. She wasn’t just a fit-in type. She was different. And if that one’s not around, it’s like something’s missing.”
The shooting at the Church’s Chicken drive-thru has left the community shaken. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and urge anyone with information about the shooting to contact Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.
2 Women Charged In Murder Allegedly Used Washington, D.C. Victim’s ‘Severed Thumb’ To Access Finances
19-year-old Audrey Miller and 22-year-old Tiffany Taylor Gray arrested and facing charges of armed felony murder in the first degree in connection with his death
A man’s finance app was allegedly accessed by two women using the dead man’s severed thumb after he was killed. Both women have been charged with his murder.
According to CBS News, police officers in Washington, D.C., have arrested 19-year-old Audrey Miller and 22-year-old Tiffany Taylor Gray, accusing the women of killing their “sugar daddy,” 53-year-old Fasil Teklemariam, several months ago. After the crime, the two women allegedly cut off his thumb to gain access to his financial accounts. They both are facing charges of armed felony murder in the first degree in connection with his death.
The victim was discovered stabbed to death with multiple stab wounds and several other injuries on April 5. He was found in the bedroom of his apartment, according to police officials from the Metropolitan Police Department. A thumb was missing from the body, which was purportedly cut off around the time Teklemariam was killed or after the murder was committed.
Miller and Gray are two of the suspects named in the affidavit. Five suspects were listed, the other three are men, with one being identified by police as 34-year-old Tommy Whack. He was charged in May in connection with the crime.
Surveillance footage from the lobby of Teklemariam’s building reveals that Miller and Gray appeared to be there on the evening he was killed. The video also allegedly showed three of the suspects, including Gray, going back to the apartment building on April 3 at around 2 a.m. Several items were alleged to have been stolen from Teklemariam’s apartment. Photos from the video appear to show several people in hoodies and masks entering the building and captured them leaving with various items in bags and boxes.
In an affidavit, police stated they found “evidence suggesting that cleaning agents had been used to conceal and/or eliminate evidence to conceal or obscure the actions of the suspect or suspects who had committed the offense.” Other evidence was found at the scene, including footprints.
During the investigation, a witness told officials that “they, referring generally a group of involved people, cut the decedent’s thumb off” and “also overheard something about the decedent being stabbed.” The witness claimed to have seen Gray using Teklemarian’s missing thumb to get money from his bank account, pay for Ubers, and buy alcohol and other substances.
The witness told authorities that she may have used Cash App accounts belonging to Teklemarian. Police said that Teklemarian previously filed a theft report against Gray for allegedly being involved with his phone being lost and $1,600 in charges to his Cash App account.
