Bible, Trump, Oklahoma, IVF, education
(Photo: The White HouseDerivative work: J JMesserly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 22, 2024

Why Donald Trump’s Random McDonald’s Stunt Failed To Affect His Campaign 

He tried it....

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attempted to garner traction with a stunt in which he portrayed a fry cooker at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, but it failed, CNN reports.

Trump pushed the publicity stunt at a Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania, location on Oct. 20 to upstage Vice President Kamala Harris, who, while on the campaign trail, has proudly boasted about working at a McDonald’s during her college years. However, the fast food conglomerate had nothing to do with Trump’s random appearance. McDonald’s operates on a franchise model, meaning most of the Golden Arches locations are independently owned and operated. 

Owners are required to abide by specific guidelines tied to their agreements with the parent company, and the locations are open to invite political candidates to serve fries without McDonald’s consent. 

The company released a statement reiterating its nonpartisan stance. However, it emphasized how McDonald’s has been a staple of the American way of life for decades. “As we’ve seen, our brand has been a fixture of conversation this election cycle. While we’ve not sought this, it’s a testament to how much McDonald’s resonates with so many Americans,” the statement read, signed by the entire US senior leadership team, including President Joe Erlinger.

“McDonald’s does not endorse candidates for elected office, and that remains true in this race for the next President. We are not red or blue –- we are golden.”

While Trump may have thought he pulled off the ultimate stunt for American voters just a few weeks shy of Election Day, he continued to evade several questions that concern McDonald’s consumers, including whether he would support an increase in the minimum wage and his policy for the working class, according to The New Republic. This is unlike Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who outlined an extensive economic policy. 

However, franchise owner and operator Derek Giacomantonio said he and his team welcomed the Trump campaign with open arms, aligned with their values. “He was proud to highlight how he and his team serve their local community and make delicious food, like our World-Famous French Fries,” Giacomantonio said. “Upon learning of the former President’s request, we approached it through the lens of one of our core values: we open our doors to everyone.”

Not everyone was keen on Trump’s stunt, including several employees and customers who criticized the decision. On social media, the former president was called out after a sign posted at McDonald’s proved that the indicted businessman wouldn’t really be cooking for the general public as the restaurant was closed until 4 p.m. 

This wouldn’t be the first time a McDonald’s franchise was caught up in political turmoil. Following the attacks from Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, an operator in Israel offered discounts to soldiers and security forces. Once the move made its way to social media, customers boycotted McDonald’s in Muslim-dominated countries, resulting in a massive decrease in its earnings.

RELATED CONTENT: Twitter Reacts to Candace Owens Being Snubbed As Speaker For Republican National Convention

A$AP Rocky, HOMMEMADE Back.Space.LA
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 22, 2024

A$AP Rocky To Buy Soccer Club In $16M Deal With Investment Group

With Rocky's participation, the investment groups hopes some celebrity publicity will take the Tranhere to new heights.

A$AP Rocky is expanding his business portfolio to a new field. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur is set to buy EFL Club Tranmere Rovers, an English professional soccer team.

Rocky will participate in the 15 million euro deal, equivalent to USD 16 million, with an investment group led by high-profile attorney Joe Tacopina. According to The Daily Mail, the lawyer, who once represented former President Donald Trump, has almost inked the deal to acquire an 80% stake in the English Football League sports club.

A source told The Sun that Rocky remains “tight” with Tacopina. Once the ink on the deal dries, the 36-year-old rapper will attend one of the games.

“Rocky is tight with Joe and has committed to the Tranmere bid,” shared the unidentified source, reported by The Sun on Oct. 20. ” Joe has been to Tranmere matches, and Rocky has plans to go over too after the deal is completed.”

However, the deal remains under wraps until formally approved by the EFL. Rumors continue to swirl that the father of two will see the team play at Prenton Park stadium. Fans may even see the mother of his two children, Rihanna, in the stands.

Moreover, a documentary may be underway about Rocky’s journey to revamping the club. The sports docu-series would be similar to Disney+’s Welcome to Wrexham, which followed actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they transform Welsh Football club Wrexham A.F.C.

With Rocky’s participation, the investment groups hope some celebrity publicity will take the Tranhere to new heights.

The source added, “Joe thinks Tranmere—a famous club near Liverpool—is undervalued and that, by clever marketing and celebrity endorsement, he can transform it.”

While the deal closes, Rocky and Rihanna share similar entrepreneurial ambitions. The Fenty beauty and Savage X founder recently became a billionaire. Now, her life partner continues building his own empire through fashion and sports.

RELATED CONTENT: DC Ghana Week Celebrates Art, Culture, and Soccer

exonerated 5, The Exonerated Five, Central Park Five
photo credit: Wikkimedia/Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 22, 2024

The Exonerated Central Park Five Sue Donald Trump For Defamation

Their lawsuit stems from the GOP nominee making false comments about the Central Park case during the Sept. 10 Presidential Debate.

The Exonerated Five, formerly known as the Central Park Five, filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for defamation.

The lawsuit stemmed from the GOP nominee making false comments about their case during the Sept. 10 Presidential Debate. According to the Associated Press, they filed the federal lawsuit on Oct. 21. They have asked for a jury trial in an effort to receive damages.

“Defendant Trump falsely stated that plaintiffs killed an individual and pled guilty to the crime. These statements are demonstrably false,” detailed the legal filing.

During the debate, Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, mentioned his history of further vilifying the proven innocent men for the case. He responded, further perpetuating the false narrative surrounding the group. The Neighborhood Talk reposted a clip of his words.

“They admitted, they said they pled guilty, and I said, ’Well, if they pled guilty, they badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately … And they pled guilty, then they pled not guilty,” Trump said.

At the time of the 1989 incident, in which a white woman was raped and assaulted while jogging through Central Park, Trump purchased a full-page newspaper ad that called for the reinstatement of the death penalty. Many thought the advertisement alluded to executing the then-teenagers. Past and present opposers believed the act had racist motivations.

In his newest words, Trump continued to suggest that the men held some guilt in the case. Given his infamous connection to their case, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise have decided to take legal action against the former president for his harmful words about them. Notably, Trump has also never apologized for the news ad.

Trump’s team deemed the lawsuit “frivolous” and in line with his election interference accusations.

A Trump spokesman called it “just another frivolous, Election Interference lawsuit, filed by desperate left-wing activists, in an attempt to distract the American people from Kamala Harris’s dangerously liberal agenda and failing campaign.”

In adulthood, the Exonerated Five have campaigned for Harris throughout the election. One member, Salaam, also holds office as a New York City Councilman. As they seek justice for Trump’s words, they continue to hit the campaign trail to rally support for Harris.

RELATED CONTENT: Yusef Salaam, Central Park 5 Exoneree Turned NYC Council Candidate, Champions Forgiveness And Advocacy For New York City

DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 22, 2024

NBA Player DeMar DeRozan Discusses Mental Health In New Book

The Sacramento Kings player details his struggle in 'Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm'

Newly-acquired Sacramento Kings player DeMar DeRozan has been a mental health advocate and his latest move involved releasing a tome that chronicles his journey.

He announced plans to release the book, Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm on his social media account earlier this year. The book was released on Sept. 10 and is available online on various sites.

“This is my story of chasing calm.

My memoir ABOVE THE NOISE is now available for preorder. Check the link in my bio to preorder your copy today.

#AboveTheNoise“

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by DeMar DeRozan (@demar_derozan)

According to The Associated Press, the former Chicago Bulls player admitted that this journey started after he sent out a Tweet in 2018.

He stated the admission in the book.

“I wrote my tweet during a moment of vulnerability and transparency. But that moment had passed,” DeRozan stated. “Now I was on the job, so to speak, doing my duty. So I went back to being myself, suppressing my true feelings and sweeping it all under the rug. Deep down, their worry meant a lot to me.”

Although mental health has been a taboo topic, specifically for Black men, he stated that after sending out that Tweet, concerns for his well-being started pouring in, even getting attention from fellow players like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Even the NBA front office inquired about his thought process.

“The way I saw it, all I had done was shared an honest moment — the kind of thing countless people are feeling on any given day,” DeRozan said in the book. “Neither of us realized it at the time, but it was a perspective that hadn’t been expressed by an athlete at my level on that kind of platform.”

The book may be out, but the journey doesn’t stop as it is a daily struggle at times.

Non-voters, disillusioned,
Photo by Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/politicians-on-a-conference-room-8847041/
by Daniel Johnson

October 22, 2024

Non-Voters Feel Abandoned By The Political Process Leading To Disillusionment

Some of the approximately 47,000 people in Georgia's majority-Black and impoverished Bibb County may not turn out to vote because they believe their material conditions don't change no matter who is president.

In 2020, nearly 67% of eligible voters cast ballots, the highest presidential election turnout in the last 120 years. However, that also means approximately 80 million Americans did not vote in that year’s election.

According to NPR, some reasons non-voters gave for not voting included not being registered to vote, not being interested in voting, not liking the candidates, disillusionment with voting, and indecision about who to vote for.

In 2024, some voters in Georgia, a battleground state in this election, have expressed some of those same concerns to The Associated Press.

According to the AP, some of the approximately 47,000 people in Georgia’s majority-Black and impoverished Bibb County may not turn out to vote because they believe their material conditions don’t change no matter who is president.

As Sabrina Friday, the executive director of Mother’s Nest, an organization that provides baby supplies, training, food, and housing to needy mothers, told the outlet, “When a mom is in a hotel room and there [are] six or seven people in two beds and her kids are hungry, and she just lost the car, she doesn’t want to hear too much about elections,” Friday told the AP. “She wants to hear how you can help.”

Linda Solomon highlighted Friday’s concerns. She told the AP that neither she nor her daughter planned to vote in the upcoming election because “nothing changes” regardless of which political party is in the White House. “Why are you going to vote, and ain’t nobody doing nothing?”

Although Vice President Harris’ campaign has focused solidly on the middle class, it has primarily ignored voters like Solomon, which Elise Sampson, a 20-year-old political science major at Atlanta’s Spelman College, highlighted in her comments to the AP.

“It comes down to an accessibility issue,” Sampson said. “When people don’t feel heard and represented, it is hard to want to participate in a political system that doesn’t hear and represent you.”

According to 19th News, caregivers and single mothers have effectively been disenfranchised. However, some organizations are trying to eliminate barriers that have barred those groups from political participation.

One of those organizations is the Chamber of Mothers, a nonpartisan group that advocates for mothers in 33 states. The group is working diligently to change the nonparticipation of single mothers. Chamber of Mothers has created a voter education website that lets mothers pre-fill their ballots, saving mothers precious time.

According to Erin Erenberg, the group’s co-founder and executive director, “What is consistent among these moms is that they are exhausted, they feel dismissed by the political process, they are overwhelmed, and they feel frozen about how to engage.”

Erenberg continued, “When you’re depending on the most overwhelmed, the most exhausted group of folks to fix the system for themselves, that is incredibly hard to sustain.” Erenberg told 19th News. “Very often, we rely on the people who are harmed to undo and fix the harm. I’m grateful to be in a moment where moms are banding together and insisting that our concerns become a priority. I just think that we’re sort of at the beginning of that wave.”

According to AP Votecast, whose data was collected by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs and Research, most non-voters in 2020 were poor, young, less educated, unmarried, or minorities.

According to the AP, that data suggests that people who live below the poverty line make up a large portion of non-voters. This certainly seems to be the case with Solomon, who informed the AP that she won’t cast a ballot because she feels forgotten.

“If you ain’t got nothing, nobody has time for you whether you are Black or white. If you’re poor, you’re poor, and they ain’t got time,” Solomon said.

Levita Carter, a 55-year-old teacher and church member at Unionville Missionary Baptist Church, echoed those concerns, but she emphasized that participation in local voting is more important and impactful for the folks using Mother’s Nest.

“Our children are coming to school hungry,” Carter told the AP. “They don’t have sufficient food. They don’t have sufficient clothing.”

Carter concluded, “Our vote counts right here. We need to start small in our town and our place and get some people in place right here that can affect change here before we can even get to voting for president.”

RELATED CONTENT: NAACP To Spend $20M In Effort To Mobilize Black Voters

WNBA, Angel Reese, nickname, Chicago Sky
(Photo: Alberto Rodriguez/Variety via Getty Images)
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 22, 2024

Charge It To The Game! Angel Reese Signs New Deal With Cash App In Her First WNBA Off Season

The Chicago Sky player will become the face of giveaways, limited-edition debit cards, and a financial literacy campaign.

Angel Reese is charging it to the game. The WNBA rookie signed a new deal with Cash App in the off-season.

Vibe reported Reese’s new venture with the digital banking service. The Chicago Sky player will become the face of giveaways, community empowerment initiatives, and some limited-edition debit cards.

Cash App announced The Angel Machine to celebrate their collaboration on Oct. 21. Launching in Chicago, local fans can play an interactive game where the prizes include Reese’s memorabilia, like her crown and college jersey. Reese shared her gratitude to partner with Cash App, becoming part of their first campaign with the WNBA.

“I’m grateful to partner with Cash App, a brand that is committed to supporting my efforts in driving impact on and off the court,” shared the 22-year-old in a statement to VIBE.

Moreover, the two parties will renovate a basketball court in Reese’s hometown of Baton Rouge. In December, a block party will celebrate the upgrades.

Reese added, “I established the Angel C. Reese Foundation to empower girls and future generations, and I’m thrilled that as part of this overall partnership, we will be able to collaborate with Cash App to renovate a basketball court in the city of my alma mater, Baton Rouge, a place and community that means so much to me personally.”

Cash App users and Angel Reese fans can showcase their admiration for the record-breaking athlete. They will be able to design their debit card with Angel-approved stamps. Customers with a Cash App card can get up to 25% off all Angel Reese merchandise purchased on her website.

However, the deal extends even further. Reese will encourage financial literacy in Cash App’s new campaign, set to debut by the end of this year.

“Angel Reese is redefining what it means to be a game changer, authentically pushing the boundaries between sport and culture,” said Catherine Ferdon, Cash App CMO. “Together with Angel, we aim to improve the future of the sport while supporting her unapologetically bold endeavors, create world-class experiences for fans, and provide access in the community for girls to play basketball.”

As all their endeavors begin, Reese’s Unapologetically Angel podcast viewers will see Cash App as the latest sponsor. The podcast recently guest-starred Glorilla, which gives fans a deeper look at Reese off the court.

RELATED CONTENT: The Laugh Zone Is Dayton, Ohio‘s 1st Black-Owned Comedy Club

Idris Elba
(Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 22, 2024

Idris Elba Looks to Revolutionize African Entertainment Industry With Film Studios, Digital Wallets For Creatives

Idris Elba is focused on establishing Africa's entertainment industry through creative spaces and better payment structures.

Idris Elba is building film studios across Africa to give natives “the chance to tell their own stories.”

The Luther star, who has made a name for himself in both the U.K. and U.S. entertainment industries, is now on a mission to revolutionize the entertainment scene in Africa. Speaking at the Stellar Development Foundation’s Meridian conference in London on Monday, Elba shared his ambitious vision to establish a global entertainment hub on the African continent.

“Much of the imagery about Africa isn’t even generated from Africa,” Elba, whose parents are from Sierra Leone and Ghana, told CNN. “A lot of media is centered around (negative depictions of Africa). But the median age in Africa is 19; these young people are optimistic and deserve the chance to tell their own stories.”

Although “it’s all been a puzzle” navigating the challenges of building a new industry, Elba is confident that “it will grow, and it can grow. “

Elba’s first project is a film studio in Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous Tanzanian island famous for its white sand beaches. The government of Zanzibar has committed nearly 200 acres of land for the development, which Elba envisions as the foundation for a global entertainment hub.

“Idris Elba will be building a modern studio similar to Hollywood, Nollywood (in Nigeria), or Bollywood,” Zanzibar’s Minister for Investment, Shariff Ali Shariff, announced in August. He even teased his hopes of naming the studios “Zallywood” or “Zawood.”

One of the key challenges Elba faces in building the studios is ensuring creators get paid in countries with limited banking infrastructures. To address this, Elba partnered with Stellar, a blockchain-based platform, to launch Akuna Wallet—a digital wallet tailored for the creative economy. This wallet enables artists, filmmakers, and musicians to manage payments and royalties without depending on traditional banks.

This week, a pilot program was launched in partnership with Ghana’s government to streamline payments for local creatives and increase financial inclusion within the industry.

“Popular platforms for monetizing creative work often require bank accounts, which excludes many young Africans,” Elba said. “We need a financial model that allows for consistent quality creation.”

RELATED CONTENT: The Laugh Zone Is Dayton, Ohio‘s 1st Black-Owned Comedy Club

SLAMS, Shaquille O’Neal, Shaq, gummies,
Shaquille O'Neal at the 2019 NBA Awards. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 22, 2024

Getting Hipped To Annuities Increased Shaquille O’Neal’s Bank Account

Shaq has proven that his business acumen is on point.

The Breakroom is another podcast that NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is involved in, and it discusses financial education. In a recent episode, he sat at a table with four other individuals and expressed one word that has blessed him financially: “Annuities.”

In the five-minute clip, he explained to the group that he had never heard of the word before until speaking to a wiser, wealthy friend. He said he had a lot of money and didn’t know what to do with it until he talked with an older, wealthy friend.

“I used to see this rich guy, really rich, older, 80, old Rolls-Royce and all of that. And I asked him, I said how? And he taught me a word I never heard. ‘Shaq, you need to invest in annuities.’ And I never knew what it was, and I looked it up, cause I, was cause I was making so much money from commercials and all. I didn’t know what to do with it, and he said, ‘Yeah, all this money you’re making, if you put it away, you can invest it, and you can start collecting at 50, 60, and 70.’ So that was my greatest investment,” Shaq told the group at the table.

Shaq has proven time and again that his business acumen is on point.

It was just reported that the clothing brand Champion was being acquired by Authentic Brands Group for a reported $1.2 billion. Shaq is reportedly the second-largest shareholder in Authentic Brands Group and stands to capitalize in a big way. The acquisition of the Champion brand, which generates almost $3 billion in global retail sales a year, is sure to place more capital in Shaquille O’Neal’s bank account. With this and working with other brands under that umbrella, Shaq has made another important business move.

“I’m now the second-largest shareholder in Authentic Brands Group, and last year, our purchase was Reebok and Ted Baker and a couple of other brands. So, we’re doing pretty well.”

RELATED CONTENT: Shaquille O’Neal Introduces Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies

Dave Chappelle, Tribe Called Quest, Hall of Fame
Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 22, 2024

Dave Chappelle Inducts A Tribe Called Quest Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

A Tribe Called Quest had a collection of stars induct the rap group into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Dave Chappelle, Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, and more assembled to induct A Tribe Called Quest into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The legendary rap group, represented by Q-Tip, Jarobi White, and the late Phife Dawg’s parents, attended the ceremony to accept their induction and witness A-list talent pay tribute to their groundbreaking impact on music and popular culture.

Chapelle, who inducted the group, introduced a video featuring André 3000, Mike D, and Questlove, who spoke of the group’s lasting imprint on hip-hop culture.

Chappelle shared how the group helped him during his hiatus from Hollywood.

“Years ago, in a tough time in my life, I read a Chinese proverb that changed my life. And the proverb said that the best meal you can cook is made with ingredients that you already have,” Chappelle told the audience. “And this proverb reminds me of hip-hop, and this proverb reminds me, in particular, of Tribe because Tribe was born out of friendship.”

After Chappelle’s speech, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, the Roots, Queen Latifah, Common, and Spliff Star hit the stage to perform a medley of Tribe classics. Queen Latifah performed “Can I Kick It?” ahead of Black Thought and De La Soul’s Posdnous performing “Check the Rhime.” Common rapped the lyrics to the classic “Bonita Applebum,” and Busta Rhymes, who appeared with Leaders of the New School on Tribe’s 1992 hit “Scenario,” rapped alongside Spliff Star to a fusion of the original and the remix.

Following the set, Q-Tip, White, and Phife Dawg’s parents (Ali Shaheed Muhammad was not present) shared how important the moment was for them.

“What’s more rock and roll than the blues? But just like our predecessors, we had to find spaces on the outskirts of cities and towns, from a Southern sun house off Robert Johnson Crossroads to a transformed room in a hood tenement on Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx,” Q-Tip said.

“The need to express burns in us with an art-fueled determination. A spark. The spark that embers within many of us in this room, and the spark that burned within the four of us boys in 1985 in New York City.”

Other 2024 inductees included Mary J. Blige and Kool & the Gang.

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