by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 23, 2024

John Due, Civil Rights Activist And Lawyer, Celebrates 90th Birthday

After obtaining his law degree, John Due worked as an attorney to help students arrested due to Freedom Rides.

John Due, a civil rights activist, and HBCU-educated lawyer is celebrating his 90th birthday and a lifetime of achievement.

His family, loved ones, and respected colleagues joined his Atlanta-based party on Oct. 5. His alma mater, Florida A&M University’s College of Law, commemorated the milestone with a proclamation of honor. Moreover, the school gifted Due with an oral history book created with the University of Florida’s Samuel Proctor Oral History program.

“I have spent most of my 90 years trying to end racism –- not just for the sake of Black people, but for the sake of all people,” Due shared with the Tallahassee Democrat. “As an activist and ‘Freedom Lawyer,’ I have never stopped fighting to create a better nation for my grandchildren and for everyone’s grandchildren.”

Due began his law career as one of the 57 first-ever FAMU law school graduates in 1963. Born in Indiana in 1936, he ventured to the HBCU in adulthood to help the Civil Rights Movement.

His inspiration to take action stemmed from his eventual wife and fellow FAMU student, Patricia Stephens. Prior to their marriage in 1963, Stephens led civil rights demonstrations across the South, which resulted in her arrest.

However, Due understood early on that the fight for freedom would take determination and hard work.

“When I was born in 1934, Jim Crow was still the law of the land,” explained Due. “I remember my teacher taking our whole class to see ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ at a white movie theater, and they wouldn’t let us in because we were Black. That was the first time I realized that freedom is not free.”

After obtaining his law degree, he worked as an attorney to help students arrested due to Freedom Rides. The interracial bus rides to protest segregation often resulted in the detainment of many participants.

He eventually moved to Mississippi to continue his racial justice efforts. There, he monitored violence against civil rights advocates as a lawyer for the Congress of Racial Equality. In this role, he helped progress cases for civil rights to the federal level.

His extensive professional background includes his time as a director of the Office of Black Affairs in Miami. While working on welfare rights, quality education, and immigration, he also advocated to eliminate mass prison incarceration.

His lifetime of action led to his induction into the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2018. He and his other inaugural FAMU cohort remain enshrined on the HBCU’s campus, with a plaque at the Meek-Eaton Black Archives.

His birthday occasion also included virtual attendees from Florida to honor his impact. One of his three daughters, Johnita, spoke of her father’s legacy across states.

“It was important for Dad to see the vast impact he has had across the state of Florida,” explained Johnita Due. “We were able to celebrate his living legacy that continues to inspire the next generation.”

Jaylen Brown BIG3 — BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 29: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on before game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on May 29, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

by Daniel Johnson

October 23, 2024

Jaylen Brown’s 7uice Foundation Seeks To Bridge Gaps For Underserved Youth

Brown's foundation describes itself as an organization that is concerned with addressing the 'entrenched barriers to educational opportunity, socio-economic mobility, and access to health and wellness for marginalized Black and Brown communities'

In August 2024, Jaylen Brown’s foundation, the 7uice Foundation, sent five high school students to participate in the MIT Media Lab robotics competition created by Zero Robotics.

According to NBC Boston, high schoolers like 17-year-old Jesse Givens have noted the foundation’s efforts to involve students from underserved backgrounds.

“I think just the amount of people the 7uice Foundation has connected us to that looks like us and fill spaces we want to fill is really inspiring,” Givens told the outlet.

Brown’s foundation describes itself as an organization concerned with addressing the “entrenched barriers to educational opportunity, socio-economic mobility, and access to health and wellness for marginalized Black and Brown communities.” On its website and in a recent interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, he briefly discussed his work with the foundation.

“I designed a curriculum over at MIT pretty much every summer…I take kids from Dorchester, from Roxbury, from underrepresented communities and build the bridge for them at MIT,” Brown explained to Smith.

Brown continued, “I think that’s important because they get the exposure from the STEM- and STEAM-based curriculums that can also help shape their social mobility, so just by putting in this environment, allowing them to get internships, allowing them to sign up for different programs, allowing them to be in a space where they see their self being successful instead of being in a place that, you know, there’s not too many opportunities. I think that’s what the Bridge Program is about, and that’s what 7uice Foundation has funded.”

The Bridge Program, which Givens is connected to, is a signature piece of Brown’s foundation, as described on its website.

“The 7uice Foundation’s signature Bridge Program is a multi-day educational and leadership initiative for Black and Brown youth from 8th to 12th grade,” the website explains.

The website also explains that each program is tailored to fit the needs of a specific community rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

“The Bridge Programs are offered in various cities and are custom-built to fit the needs of each community we impact. Our goal is to connect those who have been historically denied access to critical resources,” the website states.

The Bridge Program is crafted around three areas that the 7uice Foundation has identified as keys to the growth of the students who are in the program.

Those areas are: Leadership and Activism, Health and Wellness, and Sustainability Innovation & Technology.

To ensure students maximize growth in those areas, they are connected with leaders in various arenas of social change and offered programs that integrate yoga, meditation, empathy, and emotional literacy workshops, as well as workshops led by leaders in the artificial intelligence, aeronautics, clean technology, robotics, and sustainable food systems fields.

In 2023, Brown’s foundation partnered with Boston Public Schools and MIT’s Media Lab and registered 100 students to participate in the Bridge Program.

According to Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, “We are excited to join forces with The 7uice Foundation’s Bridge Program to empower our Black and Brown students with invaluable opportunities and experiences,” Skipper said.

Skipper continued, “The 7uice Foundation’s Bridge Program is a wonderful and powerful example of a true collaboration that aligns with our vision of educational equity in BPS. We are so thankful to Jaylen Brown and his foundation for helping to prepare our students to be full contributors and leaders in an increasingly diverse and technologically advanced world.”

Brown also emphasized the impact he wanted to create in the press release, “I’m thankful to be able to team up with Boston Public Schools and the MIT Media Lab to host our third year of the Bridge Program,” Brown said.

Brown concluded, “All kids, no matter their zip codes, should have access to these resources, and I’m committed to creating equal-opportunity education programs that benefit traditionally underserved communities. I see myself in a lot of these kids and want to give them all the chances in the world to succeed and be their best selves.”

Glen — (Photo: Mike, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 23, 2024

Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis Releases Video As He Heads To Serve Prison Sentence

The former NBA player was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison after being found guilty of defrauding the NBA Players’ Health and Benefit Welfare Plan earlier this year.

Former NBA player Glen “Big Baby” Davis was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison after being found guilty, along with 19 other former NBA players who tried to defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Benefit Welfare Plan earlier this year. After a judge allowed his sentence to be delayed until Oct. 22, he posted a video on his Instagram account giving the peace sign that he is on his way to serve his term.

The former Boston Celtics player smiled into the camera while filming the Instagram Story and said to the camera, “Love you all. Love y’all. Y’all be good!” On the screen, he displayed what may be his prisoner number, 68525-509, and the prison where he will serve his time, FPC Duluth.

According to The Associated Press, Davis, who helped the Boston Celtics win an NBA championship in 2008, was sentenced on May 9 for his role in a scheme that tried to defraud an insurance plan for NBA players and their families of more than $5 million.

Upon serving his prison term, he will have three years of supervised release and has been ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution. He was originally slated to start his prison term on Sept. 1, but according to The Associated Press, Judge Valerie E. Caproni granted the former basketball player additional time after his attorney told her that he was working on a film project that chronicles his life. His attorney stated that the money Davis would earn from the project “could go a long way” toward the former Boston Celtics player’s payment of the $80,000 he has to pay in restitution.

She allowed it to happen, and Davis headed to the prison on the expected date promised.

On Nov. 15, Davis and former NBA player Will Bynum were found guilty of healthcare fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to make false statements, and conspiracy to commit healthcare and wire fraud. ESPN reported that Davis’ supervised release conditions include attending a financial management class and receiving mandatory drug treatment.

Bush, Obama, Virginia, New Jersey, Gubernatorial, Clinton,Trump, luncheon — (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

by Sharelle B. McNair

October 23, 2024

Barack Obama Raps Eminem’s ‘Palms Are Sweaty’ Lyrics Following Appearance At VP Harris’ Detroit Rally

Obama has always been one of hip-hop's biggest advocates....

Former President Barack Obama made it clear that he is a big fan of Detroit rapper Eminem by reciting his famous “palms are sweaty” lyrics at a Kamala Harris rally, USA Today reports.

Obama went viral on social media after he quoted the opening lyrics to the Grammy Award-winning song, “Lose Yourself,” — bar for bar — after the rapper appeared at the rally to champion the Democratic presidential nominee. The 44th President started by saying he normally isn’t nervous to speak before a huge crowd, but after Eminem’s words, he was “feeling some kind of way.” “I have done a lot of rallies, so I don’t usually get nervous. But I was feeling some kind of way following Eminem,” Obama said.

“Now, I notice my palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, vomit on my sweater already, mom’s spaghetti; I’m nervous, but on the surface, I look calm and ready to drop bombs, but I keep on forgetting.”

Barack Obama raps the first verse of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem while campaigning for Kamala Harris in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/flWfopIvLT
— The Recount (@therecount) October 23, 2024

The “8 Mile” rapper and actor made a rare appearance at the rally to encourage his Motor City fans to cast their vote for Harris in the Michigan battleground state. Harris and former President Donald Trump are neck and neck in the polls. Eminem pushed for freedom of speech, telling the crowd not to be afraid to express their opinions; he highlighted that the vice president is all about the future. “I also think that people shouldn’t be afraid to express their opinions, and I don’t think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution or what people will do if you make your opinion known,” Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, said.

“I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld.”

.@Eminem: I don't think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution of what people will do if you make your opinion known. I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld pic.twitter.com/tVVHO00ANn
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 23, 2024

After Eminem’s time on stage, Obama shared similar sentiments, saying that Harris is ready for the job after revealing that Trump supporters have admitted to him that the indicted businessman seems “tough.” “That is not what real strength is — real strength is about working hard, showing up on the factory floor… That is real strength, and real strength is taking responsibility for your actions and telling the truth even when it’s inconvenient, and helping people when they need it,” he said, according to Detroit News.

Obama also campaigned for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elissa Slotkin, who took over for Sen. Debbie Stabenow after her retirement. Data shows that residents of Michigan’s largest city are serious about exercising their right to vote during the early voting season. According to the Secretary of State’s office, Detroit voters already returned 59,474 of the 108,649 absentee ballots requested from the city clerk’s office, resulting in a return rate of close to 55%.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 23, 2024

Amber Grimes Celebrates Black Music Going Global and Teases Summer Walker New Album

Amber Grimes opens up about her role as a music executive and culture creator.

Amber Grimes is sharing what a day in the life of a music executive and culture creator is all about.

As the executive vice president and general manager of Love Renaissance (LVRN), Grimes oversees a roster of artists under the Atlanta-based record label and management agency. LVRN is breaking new ground, creating opportunities for Black, global artists to expand their careers across multiple genres.

Grimes oversees the company’s daily operations, marketing, and revenue strategies for its entire roster of artists. With over 15 years of industry experience, including Capitol Records and Spotify, she’s more than equipped to handle the role.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Burrcardi (@ambergrimes)

“Really, just like whatever roller coaster the artists take me on is what my day is like,” Grimes tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.

Though she’s constantly budgeting and strategizing for LVRN artists, her favorite part of the job is marketing and branding. Crafting campaigns comes naturally to the Millennial entertainment guru.

“Really helping brand artists. That’s what I got in the business for,” she says.

Grimes says there are two types of artists: those who naturally brand themselves through their star power or personality, like Sexxy Red, and those who need help discovering their brand identity. For the latter, having a label like LVRN can be invaluable. The company is dedicated to elevating its artists, discovering new talent, and aligning with cultural events and movements that boost brand awareness on a global scale.

“I think we just like understand that music’s global, especially Black music,” she says. “That has not always been the norm, exported or imported.”

Most recently, LVRN partnered with Jerk x Jollof, an event series celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture. This collaboration provides LVRN with a platform to elevate Black culture while seamlessly showcasing its artists.

“I think that party and the growth of that party is pretty parallel with what was happening with the music, and so I really feel like it just only made sense,” Grimes says of the partnership. “Instead of us trying to go start our own thing, also being a company that was created by five first-generation immigrants. I think four of them are college dropouts.

“We also want to be able to reinvest in other people’s business and helping them grow other young Black men and women, instead of just saying, ‘OK, we can do this idea ourselves.’ Let’s collaborate, let’s do it together and uplift each other,” she said.

Outside of her responsibilities at LVRN, Amber is the founder of Amber’s Book Club, a non-fiction book community designed to make reading a flex and help others discover the power of books. She shared her passion for reading and how much she enjoys making reading “a flex” for Millennials and Gen Z consumers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amber’s Book Club (@ambersbookclub)

As for what fans can expect from Summer Walker’s new album, Grimes shared how much of a fan she is of the soul singer and how pleased fans will be with the new music.

Press play above for the full interview.

Young Thug, Lil Woody, trial — Young Thug in 2021. (Photo: Derek White/WireImage)

by Kandiss Edwards

October 23, 2024

Young Thug Stands Trial While Former Mansion Listed For $2.6M

Young Thug remains in state custody.

Jeffrey Lamar Williams, known as Young Thug, is still on trial in Fulton County, Georgia. While he fights for his freedom, the owners of his former Buckhead mansion put the listing up for sale.

According to Zillow, the owners have listed the house at $2.6 million. Williams sold the property for $1.8 million, significantly less than its initial $2.75 million price tag.

https://twitter.com/dailyloud/status/1608176180267474944?s=46

The 5-bedroom, 9-bathroom home is listed as a “10,000+ sq ft masterpiece.” The lengthy description emphasizes its lavish amenities, noting that it’s “perfect for those who appreciate unparalleled luxury and desire the best in entertainment and living spaces.”

Real estate is the least of Williams’s worries. The rapper is currently involved in the longest-running trial in Georgia history.

Williams was taken into custody on May 9, 2022, for allegedly violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

The state is accusing Williams’s YSL record label of doubling as a criminal organization. The trial is live-streamed daily and has been marred by delays and complications since its start.

In July 2024, Judge Ural Glanville recused himself from the case after being accused of having “improper meetings” with the prosecution and witness Kenneth Copeland. The trial also took exception to disparaging remarks aimed at the defendants and their counsel.

After a two-month hiatus, the jury entered the courtroom and received an address from Judge Paige Whitaker.

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

Whitaker instructed the jury to ignore Glanville’s absence.

Young Thug Trial: Day 108

Judge is trying to finalize what to tell the Jury when they return Monday.

Firstly, she’s changed her mind and has decided to tell the Jury to disregard any “disparaging” comments the previous Judge made towards the defense attorneys. pic.twitter.com/sxiaLQKcdG
— THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) August 8, 2024

Since the trial has resumed, the defense has called for multiple mistrials. Expert testimony has been thrown out due to “errors” on behalf of the state and its witnesses. The trial is expected to continue through the year.

Bronny James, LeBron James, NBA — (Photos from left: Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 23, 2024

Lebron James Sr and Jr Made History On The Lakers Opening Night

This was the first time in NBA history that a father and son played in the same game on the same team at the same time during the regular season.

Future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James started the new season, his 22nd, by making history when he and his son, Bronny, played on the same basketball court for a regular-season game. This was the first time in NBA history that a father and son played the same game on the same team at the same time during the regular season.

After making history in the preseason by performing the same feat, the two Los Angeles Lakers’ accomplishment was witnessed by immediate family members. Another father-son duo who played in the same sport (Major League Baseball) for the same team in the same season, Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey, Jr., were on hand to take part in history. The historic moment took place with four minutes left in the first half.

LeBron James.
Bronny James.

The first father-son duo to play together in the NBA! pic.twitter.com/naadFLoPmh

— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2024

Once history was made, it was back to business. Bronny, who has received tepid reviews for his play on the basketball court for the past two years, did not re-enter the game after the first half ended. Critics have panned his play after a lackluster freshman season (his only one before declaring for the NBA Draft) at the University of Southern California and a not-so-thrilling NBA Summer League debut. After being picked in the second round of the NBA Draft at No. 55, his play has not garnered enough support to justify him being on the same team as his father. He is expected to spend significant time in the G League in hopes of developing the skills needed to have a successful career in the NBA.

The Lakers ended up beating their opponents, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on the Lakers home floor at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 23, the first game of the current season, 110-103. The historic match led to the Lakers’ first opening-season victory in eight years.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 23, 2024

Man Convicted Of Raping And Kidnapping A Woman After She Punched Her Way Out Of A Cinder Block Cell

A jury found Negasi Zuberi guilty of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

Last year, a man was arrested after a woman he was allegedly holding captive escaped his home. That man was found guilty of the multiple charges levied against him for committing the act.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon, a jury found Negasi Zuberi guilty of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The 30-year-old, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was given the verdict after being accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women and holding one of the victims in a cell he built in his garage.

According to court documents, the Klamath Falls, Oregon, resident was in Seattle on July 15, 2023, and while posing as a police officer, used a taser and handcuffs to detain a woman in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then took her to his home in Klamath Falls, about 450 miles from where he abducted her. On the way to his house, he stopped along the way to sexually assault her.

Once they arrived at his house, he took her to a makeshift cell in his garage. The victim escaped after repeatedly banging on the cell door until she was able to break it. She got a handgun from Zuberi’s vehicle and was able to get the attention of a passing motorist, who called 911.

The next day, Zuberi was arrested by Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers when he was spotted in a parking lot in Reno. He surrendered and was taken into custody after a brief standoff.

While looking into Zuberi’s crimes, investigators discovered that he had previously kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim in Seattle on May 6, 2023. His first victim stated that she saw stacked cinder blocks in his garage, which investigators state was used to build the cell where the second victim was placed.

A federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment on Aug. 2, 2023, charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Earlier this year, on Feb. 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and attempted escape were added by a superseding indictment.

Zuberi is facing a sentence of up to life in federal prison for the kidnapping conviction and up to 10 years for transporting a victim across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and attempted escape are punishable by up to 15 years.

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Kamala Harris, presidential bid, — (Photo: The White House/flickr)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 23, 2024

Kamala Harris Looks To Her Alma Mater, Howard University, For Election Night HQ

If chosen, the Vice President would most likely speak from Howard University as voting night closes.

Kamala Harris could make her alma mater, Howard University, her headquarters on election night.

NBC News confirmed that the Democratic nominee is shortening her list of places to spend the evening. The Washington, D.C.-based HBCU remains a top contender for Harris. If chosen, the Vice President would most likely speak from Howard University as voting night closes.

However, the current political climate would require even more venues and speeches if the results are contested. Given the aftermath of the 2020 election, in which Donald Trump denied its legitimacy, the Democratic Party is anticipating a potential repeat of this issue.

The counting process could extend for days, with the Harris campaign prepping for any possible scenarios. In a recent interview with the news outlet on Oct. 22, Harris remained vague about plans. However, she assured the public they would be ready for whatever came on Election Day and beyond.

“We will deal with election night and the days after as they come, and we have the resources and the expertise and the focus on that,” explained Harris.

Moreover, Harris affirmed her concerns about Trump declaring the election for himself before confirming the accurate results. She also referenced the Jan. 6 attacks, which sparked after Trump denied the legitimacy of Biden’s win in 2020.

“This is a person, Donald Trump, who tried to undo the free and fair election, who still denies the will of the people, who incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol, and 140 law enforcement officers were attacked, some who were killed. This is a serious matter,” she told reporter Hallie Jackson.

Harris added, “The American people are, at this point, two weeks out, being presented with a very, very serious decision about what will be the future of our country.”

Harris and Trump remain neck-and-neck across the nation and multiple battleground states. As the election inches closer, Harris hopes to assure supporters that they will cast their votes regardless.