Trump, Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro, oil

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 21, 2024

Audio Catches Trump Allegedly Telling The Truth And Admitting To Losing The 2020 Presidential Election

No one is shocked here, right?

After four years of former President Donald Trump claiming victory in the 2020 Presidential election, new audio reveals he allegedly admitted to losing.

Trump’s alleged revealing slip of the tongue can be heard in a clip from an interview between Trump and Variety’s Co-Editor–in–Chief Ramin Setoodeh. Setoodeh conducted six interviews for his book Apprentice in Wonderland, highlighting the businessman’s tenure on his reality show, The Apprentice. During the exchange, Setoodah asked about Trump’s relationship with former Fox News host and season seven contestant Geraldo Rivera, asking him, “Are you guys still close?”

The indicted politician said, “No, I don’t think so.” He continued saying, “He is, uh, after I lost the election,” and quickly caught himself and decided to revise his answer. “I won the election, but when they said we lost, he called me three or four times,” he continued.

FIRST ON MSNBC: New audio from Trump interviews admitting he lost in 2020 pic.twitter.com/mYp091Kw06
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 20, 2024

The MSNBC anchor celebrated the fact that the 45th President reversed his admission. “Despite Trump’s efforts to put his mask back on, to quickly cover it up, you heard the truth pour out of him,” she said.

“‘Called me after I lost…I mean, I won,’ but he lost. He lost, he knows it, he’s speaking conversationally, and he admitted it. On tape.”

This isn’t the first time talk of admission has come up. In 2023, according to The New Republic, former Attorney General William Barr claimed his former boss “knew well he lost the election.” During testimony before the House’s Jan. 6 Select Committee, former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows spoke of similar claims, followed by former aides Cassidy Hutchinson and Alyssa Farah Griffin.

As social media heard the admission, users didn’t seem shocked. “We aren’t shocked. Trump has to keep the charade going so his CULT members continue to send him money,” @denisonbarbs wrote. “That’s all this is about. THE BIG GRIFT.”

We aren't shocked. Trump has to keep the charade going so his CULT members continue to send him money. That's all this is about. THE BIG GRIFT
— Denison Barb (@DenisonBarbs) June 20, 2024

Another user pointed out that his lies caused grave violence and damage. “A lie that got people killed, including insurrectionist Ashlii Babbit,” @nickeldollar said.

Babbitt was the woman who U.S. Capitol Police L.t Michael Byrd shot as she attempted to force her way into the Capitol building in Washington D.C. during the Jan. 6 attack. During an interview, Byrd called the shooting a “last resort” after he believed Babbitt was a threat to members of Congress inside.

However, some of Trump’s loyal followers believe his words to be taken out of context. “You are full of sh*t,” @votebidenout wrote, calling himself a “Jan. 6 survivor” in his bio.

“It’s obvious what he meant, you fu***** idiot.”

In one of Trump’s indictments, Special Counsel Jack Smith accuses Trump of issuing “knowingly false” claims of election fraud in efforts to overturn the results of the election. Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis is still preparing to try Trump in front of a jury despite efforts to have her removed from the election interference case.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 21, 2024

Black And Missing Foundation ‘Still Have A Lot Of Work’ To Do To Amplify ‘Typically Overlooked’ Cases

The Black and Missing Foundation acknowledge the progress that's been made but stress how much more work needs to be done.

The founders of the Black and Missing Foundation acknowledge the progress that’s been made since launching their organization. But they stress how much more work needs to be done to raise awareness on “typically overlooked” cases.

Natalie Wilson and Derrica Wilson have spent the last 16 years working to amplify missing persons cases involving victims often overlooked by mainstream media. It was the case of Tamika Huston in 2008 that inspired them to launch the Black and Missing Foundation.

“We started sounding the alarm that people of color are disappearing at an alarming rate around the country,” Natalie told kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart during a “Banfield” special report on Tuesday, June 18. “Typically, they did not receive any media coverage, law enforcement resources, or community engagement to be found.”

For decades, cases involving missing white women have gained mainstream media attention while the cases involving missing women of color too often go overlooked. Some missing person cases that have received increase media attention include Gabrielle Petito, Lacy Peterson, Chandra Levy, and Natalee Holloway, among many others. Huston and LaToyia Figueroa were among the few cases involving missing Black women that garnered media attention.

The drastically disproportionate coverage that cases involving missing white women receive compared to Black women and other women of color is something social scientists refer to as “missing white women syndrome.” While organizations like the Black and Missing Foundation aim to provide equal opportunity for all that are missing, Wilson says they “still have a lot of work” to do.

Smart, who was kidnapped in 2002 at age 14 and was missing for nine months before being found, applauds the Wilsons for their work. She credits increased media attention and police for helping bring her home, and knows that if other cases received as much coverage as hers, there would be fewer missing person cases.

“If every child received the same amount of attention, we would have so many more children home,” Smart said.

Derrica Wilson said the Black and Missing Foundation is working to raise awareness and connect law enforcement to resources as part of their continued efforts.

“Media applies pressure to law enforcement to dedicate more resources, and that’s what it takes. It takes all of us,” Derrica said.

In January, the Wilsons addressed the collective desensitization to cases involving missing persons of color and credited part of it to the public’s way of associating minority communities with criminal activity and poverty.

“We have been fighting an uphill battle,” Natalie said at the Crime Coverage Summit hosted by the Radio Television Digital News Association and the National Press Foundation.

“It has gotten better, but we are being shunned by the media, too. We are met with silence when we reach out to media outlets for coverage. We want our missing to be household names, too.

by Stacy Jackson

June 21, 2024

Teen Goes Viral With Crochet Prom Dress Inspired By Zendaya

The teen made the pink, floor-length dress by hand after she was invited to attend someone’s prom as their date.

Sarah Akinbuwa, an 18-year-old from Boston, has taken the internet by storm with her self-made crochet prom dress.

The pink, strapless floor-length gown, complete with crocheted roses, a matching shrug, and a handbag, has captivated social media users worldwide. A TikTok video showcasing Akinbuwa’s creation has amassed over 25 million views, with viewers marveling at her skill and the dress’s modest $60 cost.

https://www.tiktok.com/@that_crochet_gurl00/video/7369926951965838635

In a separate video posted to Akinbuwa’s TikTok page, a woman is heard complimenting the teen’s dress as she poses in the mirror. “You made that?” the woman asks in amazement before she expresses how beautiful she thinks the dress looks. Other voices in the video’s background can also be heard complimenting the young designer’s garment as she poses in a bathroom mirror and records herself.

https://www.tiktok.com/@that_crochet_gurl00/video/7372035741003844910

The unique gown, which the high schooler whipped up in just three days, was inspired by Zendaya’s 2023 SAG Awards attire, a Valentino Haute Couture creation adorned with 190 roses, according to People. Valentino designer Pierpaolo Piccioli detailed the design, which The Hollywood Reporter noted was orchestrated by now-retired stylist Law Roach. “1230 Hours of global work, 190 hand embroidered roses, 5 hours of sewing for each one, 42 people involved in the making, 1 catch up in Rome with Z and Law and a final stunning red carpet,” Piccioli said about his masterpiece.

https://www.tiktok.com/@that_crochet_gurl00/video/7282383619468037422

“My friends loved the dress, and I got tons of compliments,” Akinbuwa told People. Her passion for crochet began at age 12, and she has since been fulfilling custom orders for friends, family, and followers. The young designer’s talent and creativity have not gone unnoticed. Her TikTok page showcases more of her crochet designs, hinting at a promising future in fashion. Akinbuwa’s post-college aspirations include becoming a fashion designer, a dream that seems well within reach, given her viral success.

ACLU, Louisiana, Public Classrooms, Ten Commandments

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 21, 2024

ACLU Fights Back Against Louisiana’s New Law Enforcing The Ten Commandments To Be Posted In Public Classrooms

The author of the legislation, GOP state Rep. Dodie Horton, declared the bill as a “huge victory.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and civil rights and religious freedom organizations have announced plans to take legal action against Louisiana’s mandate requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in public classrooms.

The announcement was made on June 19 after Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill making the Pelican State the first state to mandate it be prominently displayed in all classrooms, from elementary to high school.

In collaboration with the ACLU of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, the advocates argue that the law is blatantly unconstitutional. “The law violates the separation of church and state and is blatantly unconstitutional,” the groups said in a joint statement.

“The First Amendment promises that we all get to decide for ourselves what religious beliefs, if any, to hold and practice, without pressure from the government. Politicians have no business imposing their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools.”

Almost 45 years ago, in 1980, the case of Stone v. Graham appeared before the Supreme Court, which ruled that the First Amendment prohibits public schools from posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms. However, according to WWLTV, House Bill 71 states the religious proclamation must be at least 11 by 14 inches and must be the central focus, “printed in a large, easily readable font.”

The author of the legislation, GOP state Rep. Dodie Horton, declared the bill a “huge victory.” In 2023, she wrote a bill requiring an “In God We Trust” poster in public classrooms.

While the lawsuit hasn’t been officially filed yet, Landry is seemingly prepared for the legal pushback the mandate will bring. During a fundraiser event in Tennessee on June 18, the governor allegedly told attendees, “I’m going home to sign a bill that places the Ten Commandments in public classrooms, and I can’t wait to be sued.”

Civil rights groups are concerned about how the law will affect students and how it will disrupt their studies. “Louisiana’s communities and public schools are religiously diverse, yet H.B. 71 would require school officials to promote specific religious beliefs to which people of many faiths, and those of no faith, do not subscribe,” the groups said.

In addition, advocates want students’ religious freedom rights protected. “All students should feel safe and welcome in our public schools. H.B. 71 would undermine this critical goal and prevent schools from providing an equal education to all students, regardless of faith,” their statement continued. All posters must be posted by the beginning of 2025 and will be paid for via donations — as state funds will not be used toward the mandate.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 21, 2024

Still Grindin’! Clipse Releasing First Album In 15 Years

Their latest song, 'Birds Don't Sing' confirms that Pusha T and his brother, No Malice, are releasing a full album soon.

It looks like the Thornton brothers, Gene (No Malice) and Terrence (Pusha T), will be “Grindin” again as they reveal there is an upcoming Clipse album brewing.

The news was unveiled during an interview with Vulture after their latest song, “Birds Don’t Sing,” featuring crooner John Legend, debuted during this year’s Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer Fashion Show. The brothers haven’t released a recording together since 2009. A social media post revealed that they played several songs from their upcoming project in Paris, even mentioning a feature song with Nas. Pusha T forwarded the message and added that there are other features on the album as well.

Plus a couple more features…🙃 https://t.co/EVqzvLaUFr

— King Push (@PUSHA_T) June 20, 2024

Although Pusha T has been quite a busy artist over the past several years, his brother, No Malice, found religion. Although he recorded several albums, his Christian views prevented him from spitting the type of lyrics we have come to know from the duo. Now, the two are back. Their last album, “Til the Casket Drops,” was released in 2009, and now, No Malice has stated, “Everything is ordained and coming at the right time.”

For those who did not know, the Thorntons’ father was a deacon, and No Malice stated he received a blessing from him on his return to Clipse.

“My dad was instrumental in my decision-making,” No Malice reveals. “I asked him what he thought about me rapping again, and he said, ‘You still have to make a living. You still have to take care of your family. I understand where you’re coming from, but I think you’ve been too hard on yourself.’ And that meant so much to me because over the years, the Clipse years, our family really went through a lot. For him to give me his blessing, him being a deacon in the church and loving God, I had to open my eyes and reevaluate.”

Pusha T promises they will have “a rap album of the year, along with touring and public appearances.”

“I think the album shows the supreme maturation of a rap duo,” Pusha T said. “I think this is where you get the difference between taste and filler. This music is curated. This is a high-taste-level piece of work. You can only have that level of taste when you have the fundamentals down to a science. I think it’s been definitely missing. Then there’s the competitive aspect.”

He also adds that, just like their debut album, “Lord Willin,” the project was completely produced by Pharrell Williams.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 21, 2024

Las Vegas Aces Become 1st WNBA Team To Sell Out Every Home Game

The team has 18 home games at Michelob ULTRA Arena and two games at T-Mobile Arena.

The Las Vegas Aces became the first team to win back-to-back championships in the WNBA in over 20 years when they narrowly defeated the New York Liberty, 70-69, last season. Their success has propelled them to become the first WNBA team to sell out all of its regular-season home games.

The team announced the feat on June 20.

The Las Vegas Aces has 18 home games at Michelob ULTRA Arena and two other games at T-Mobile Arena.

Las Vegas is 7-6 on the year.

The Associated Press reported that in March, the Aces also became the first team in WNBA history to sell out its portion of season tickets. Last season, the team led the league in attendance, with an average of 9,551 people coming to games. This season, they are averaging 10,379, which places them in fourth place. The league has picked up steam, with the additions of rookies like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark sparking interest.

The Indiana Fever, which has Clark on its team, leads the WNBA with an average of 16,757. Just five games into the season, that total surpasses their total attendance for last season.

While the Aces aren’t winning in the same fashion as the past two seasons, they still set a team attendance record for Michelob Ultra Arena when 10,424 people witnessed a rematch of the two championship teams on June 15. The Liberty won this time with a score of 90-82.

Last season, while playing the Phoenix Mercury at T-Mobile Arena, they set a franchise home record when 17,406 fans came to watch the Aces beat the Mercury 100-85.

With the renewed interest in the WNBA, the league is averaging 9,195 people attending its games. At the current rate, it will be the highest number in 22 years.

Wells Fargo, job, termination, lay off, hire, hirable, record, The Coven franchise

by Shanique Yates

June 21, 2024

Wells Fargo, 100 Black Men Of America To Empower Youth Investment Through Tech Innovation With $600K Grant

Wells Fargo donates $600,000 in grant funding to expand the Junior Investment Club in partnership with 100 Black Men of America.

100 Black Men of America and Wells Fargo continue to expand on their relationship to positively impact the lives of children by teaching them ways to invest and providing them with the tools to be successful at it.

For more than 35 years, the organization, known as the largest volunteer network of Black men with a focus on mentoring minority youth, has been on a journey to increase the path toward economic advancement for young people by equipping them with financial wisdom and knowledge from an early age. Today, that sentiment is the same with the announcement of its decision to expand the Junior Investment Club.

By using a curriculum-based simulation game, the program teaches young people the key tools to investing; and it will now expand across 30 markets in the U.S. thanks to a $600,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation.

“100 Black Men of America is grateful to Wells Fargo for the tremendous impact the Junior Investment Club is having on our mentees by providing early exposure to investment practices that provide additional pathways to economic opportunity,” said Chairman Milton H. Jones in an official statement. “The decision by Wells Fargo to invest in the expansion of this program is a demonstration of their belief in our shared mission and ultimately to providing financial education resources to youth that will positively impact their futures.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 100 Black Men of America, Inc. (@100blackmen)

As the Junior Investment Club is in its fifth year, the organization is using technology to help teach young people how to invest. Through the SIFMA Foundation Stock Market Game, program participants are given a virtual sum of $100,000 to invest in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds through an investment simulation designed to teach them the value of capital markets and expanding their portfolios.

This year’s 14-week competition included 750 high school students who learned key investing principles from 36 mentors provided through area chapters of 100 Black Men of America.

“We look forward to expanding the Junior Investment Club to provide more youth with a solid foundation to achieve their future financial goals and grow generational wealth,” said Wells Fargo head of Philanthropy and Community Impact Darlene Goins.

News of the expansion and grant funding was revealed during the 38th Annual Conference of the 100 Black Men of America in Atlanta. Three student teams walked away as the winners of the 2024 Junior Investment Club Competition. The Long Beach, California chapter came in first place, followed by Madison, Wisconsin’s group, who came in second, with the Las Vegas, Nevada team placing third in the contest.

In addition to the announcement of the news to expand the Junior Investment Club, all 128 students across the top five finalist teams were surprised with $200 each.

RELATED CONTENT: Wells Fargo Launches Startup Accelerator

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 21, 2024

‘Bathroom Police Karen’ Called Out For Reporting Black Woman Who Used Restroom In Office Building

A "bathroom Karen" gets put on blast for targeting a Black woman who used a restroom in an office building where they both work.

A dispute between two women working at a law firm in Buffalo, New York has gone viral after the white woman reported the Black woman for using the bathroom on a different floor.

In a TikTok shared by user Top_cat716, she records herself after leaving a bathroom in a building where she works. Standing in the hallway waiting to confront her about using the bathroom is a white woman who demands to know who her manager is.

“Can I ask who you report to so I can call the law firm?” the white woman asks.

The woman filming begins to ask the white woman why she appears to have an issue with her using the bathroom.

“Because you need to stay on your floor bathroom,” the white woman declares.

“Why do I have to stay on my floor? Because of what?” the Black employee fires back.

@top_cat716
♬ original sound – Top_cat716

The white woman then reveals her real issue with the Black woman using the bathroom on the floor she works on rather than the floor the Black woman works on.

“Why would you not stay on your floor?” the white woman asks.

“I can use whatever bathroom I want to use. This is the law firm where I work,” the Black woman says in response.

She continued recording the white woman as she stormed off, threatening to report the Black woman to security.

“Please contact security. I work here. You sound stupid,” the Black woman says.

Since posting the video, it’s been viewed over 1 million times with over 100,000 likes and 12,000 comments from viewers who support the Black woman’s rights to use the bathroom on any floor of the law firm she works for.

“Why is she the bathroom police,” one person wrote.

“I would go to the bathroom on that floor every day,” added someone else.

Another viewer likened the encounter to a scene from the movie Hidden Figures that highlighted the hurdles the Black women who worked for NASA in the 1960s had to face just to use the bathroom.

“It’s giving Hidden Figures,” they wrote.

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 21, 2024

DNC Prepares To Show Black Voters What Trump Thinks About Them Ahead Of Rally In Philadelphia

Talk about fighting fire with fire!

As former President Donald Trump prepares for a rally at Philadelphia’s Temple University, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) will greet him with messaging on a billboard, a mobile billboard, and kiosks in campus buildings to show Black voters what he thinks of them.

As the DNC aims to shine a light on the heights President Joe Biden has reached with student loan forgiveness efforts, all of the ads are aimed at Trump’s relationship with the Black community and young voters. “Donald Trump is coming to North Philly, but he can’t fool us,” the mobile billboard reads.

“He’s a disaster for Black Americans.”

Ads will be seen in buildings across campus but those attending the rally won’t have to go to Temple University to see the attacks on Trump. Supporters and residents will see a huge billboard along I-95 reading, “If Trump wins, Black families lose.”

Following Trump’s appearance at a Black church in Detroit on June 15 — where he called Biden the “worst president for Black people” — DNC spokesperson Abhi Rahman pushed back, labeling the indicted businessman as “a disaster for minority communities — particularly Black Americans.” “He says he’s not racist, but his record says differently,” Rahman said.

“Over and over again, he has insulted predominantly Black cities, and during his time in office, jobs disappeared, unemployment more than doubled for Black Americans during the pandemic, and his tax scam widened the racial wealth gap.”

Poll numbers show that 57% of Black voters feel things would be better if Biden is reelected, compared to 69% of Black voters who shared those same thoughts about Trump. However, Biden still sees 81% of Black voters who said they plan to support Biden over the former president.

While Trump visited the Motor City, the DNC welcomed him with similar billboards around the city. According to NBC News, one billboard featured him with two of his fellow indicted allies — Steve Bannon and Roger Stone — calling them all “crooks.” “Trump and his fellow crooks are in Detroit asking for your vote, but it’s just a scam,” the billboard read.

“They don’t care about you. They’re just out for themselves.”

Efforts for the billboards around Philadelphia come after Trump called Milwaukee, hosting the Republican National Convention, a “horrible city” during a meeting with House Republicans. He has a history of attacking cities with a majority-Black demographic. In 2017, Trump labeled Atlanta as “crime-infested” and, during his time in the White House, called Baltimore “rat and rodent-infested.”

As he cast his vote for president during the 2020 election, Trump allegedly called the City of Brotherly Love one of “the most corrupt political places anywhere in our country.”

by Stacy Jackson

June 21, 2024

Black Woman Creates ‘Aipro,’ A Culturally Intelligent Copywriting Tool Powered By AI

Aipro is the world’s first AI platform created by a Black woman copywriter, and she's making the tool accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Apryl Beverly, a renowned copywriting expert, has unveiled Aipro, a groundbreaking AI-powered copywriting tool designed to generate culturally intelligent marketing content.

The flagship product, PRO (Pitch, Respond, Offer), employs a culture-first approach to create engaging, persuasive, and culturally appropriate copy for various business needs. This innovative platform aims to bridge the gap in AI-generated content by offering a solution that resonates with diverse audiences. “I use, teach, and train on AI content creation, but the one thing that every tool seems to miss is a diverse experience,” Beverly said on her website.

The tool’s versatility extends to creating opt-in landing pages, sales emails, social media posts, ad copy, and detailed RFP responses. Aipro’s unique selling point lies in its ability to incorporate appropriate slang while avoiding potentially offensive language.

“Aipro not only writes great copy but also understands and respects the diverse cultures of its users. Here, the conversational style of writing you want is the initial response. Of course, you can ask Aipro to go ‘more formal,’ and it’ll gladly rise to the occasion,” she said. “The platform is similar to the others, so there’s no learning curve to getting Aipro to write great copy from the start. But the vibe and culturally smart sales copy is in a class all [on] its own.”

Beverly’s impressive track record includes generating $3 billion in client revenue over her 20+ year career. According to Black News, she became the first Black woman to license a copywriting course to over a thousand educational institutions worldwide. Her academic background combines journalism and marketing, complemented by extensive experience in corporate communications and proposal writing. Her latest copywriting tool builds on Beverly’s history of trailblazing in the copywriting industry. In 2018, she launched Word Stylistz, the first woman-owned flat-rate copywriting platform catering to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

As Aipro prepares for its June 21 launch, interested parties can join the waitlist now to be among the first to experience this culturally smart AI copywriter.