Kyrie Irving, Drederick Irving
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 5, 2024

Kyrie Irving Keeps It In The Family, Signs Father Drederick To Signature Shoe Deal

ANTA Sports will reportedly release the shoe in September exclusively in Foot Locker stores.

Drederick Irving received an early Father’s Day gift when his NBA-playing son, Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving, signed him to a shoe deal with ANTA Sports, the company with which he has a business relationship.

According to 5 NBC DFW, Kyrie, who is preparing to play in his fourth NBA Finals on June 6, presented Drederick with a deal that will allow his father to release his own signature shoe under the ANTA Sports brand. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, this is the first time a professional athlete has signed his parent to a shoe deal.

Kyrie signed with ANTA Sports after parting ways with sneaker giant NIKE in December 2022. The point guard signed the latest deal in 2023. The shoe will reportedly be released exclusively in Foot Locker stores in September.

Kyrie was able to sign his father since he is ANATA Sports’ chief creative officer.

Drederick, who hails from the Bronx, also played basketball growing up. He played for Adlai E. Stevenson High School before taking his athletic skills to Boston University. He played professionally in Australia. Former NBA player Rod Strickland, Kyrie’s godfather, played basketball with Drederick while both sharpened their basketball skills.

This news comes on the heels of the sneaker company’s announcement that it will release the ANTA KAI 1 “Playoffs Energy” in a Yellow colorway. The sneaker, which will retail for $125, is available exclusively on anta.com.

Kyrie and the Mavericks start the NBA Finals on June 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden against the Boston Celtics. It’s a return for Kyrie, as he was a member of the Celtics for two years when he was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Aug. 22, 2017. He played with the team until he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.

Cop, Police, Female Hires, Tonatte Mitchel
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 5, 2024

Atlanta VA Police Chief Recorded Saying She Wants No Minority Female Hires

Banks was suspended following the VA's investigation into her behavior.

A police chief at Atlanta VA Medical Center allegedly stated in front of her staff that she did not want to hire Black or Hispanic female officers due to their attitude.

The now-suspended Chief Beverly Banks made the discriminatory statement during a staff meeting in September 2023, revealed in an audio recording obtained by Fox 5. Banks, a Black woman herself, took on the role in 2022.

 “I am to the point… I don’t want to hire Black women no more,” Banks said at the meeting. “I’m to that point. I ain’t got no white women beating down my door to come in and work. But I wish they would. Cause I don’t have these problems.”

Banks continued, letting the command staff in the room know this sentiment also applied to other groups, such as Hispanic women.

“I don’t have no Hispanic women. Hell, I don’t want them neither. Cause you know what comes with it? A whole of lot of f—–g attitude. And I don’t want it. I’m the only one with an attitude in this place. Me,” expressed the then-chief.

The news outlet confirmed the authenticity of the recording and sent the clip to the Veterans Administration for comment. Upon hearing the audio, the VA emphasized that there is “no place for racism and discrimination” at its organization and deemed Banks’ comments “unacceptable.”

Banks’ behavior, however, is not an isolated incident within the VA center. While she was suspended without pay in May, two additional commanders received the same consequence for “unacceptable behavior” that included sexual assault allegations and harassment.

One of the officers, Deputy Chief Johnnie McCullor, has allegations from two years ago. Despite being accused and investigated for sexual harassment, McCullor stayed in his role. His alleged victim, fellow officer Shaneka Jackson, lost her position despite VA investigators considering her to be “truthful.” McCullor continued to work under Banks until May.

In light of the suspensions, Georgia lawmakers are now inquiring about the full internal investigations within the Atlanta VA Medical Center Police Department.

Sexual Harassment, Ye, Kanye West, lawsuit
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 5, 2024

Ye Sued By Former Assistant For Sexual Harassment

The ex-assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, is suing for sexual harassment, breach of contract, wrongful termination, and a hostile work environment.

Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, has more legal trouble to face. A former assistant to the producer and entrepreneur is suing the rapper for sexual harassment.

Lauren Pisciotta alleges that during her tenure as his assistant, Ye sent sexually explicit texts and videos. She was terminated shortly after. She is suing the “New Slaves” rapper for breach of contract, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and a hostile work environment. TMZ reported that Pisciotta gained employment with Ye in July 2021 after assisting with his Donda album.

Pisciotta alleged that Ye told her to be “Godlike” and quit her career on OnlyFans, where she posted lingerie and bikini pictures for her subscribers, to work for him instead. Pisciotta said she made around $1 million annually from the profession, a salary the 46-year-old promised to match.

However, soon after beginning her work for his various businesses, Pisciotta allegedly received multiple inappropriate texts regarding his sexual fantasies with other women. The texts reportedly show Ye asking, “Is my d*** racist,” which led to a long-winded text on the subject. One line even stated, “I’m going to stare at pictures of white woman with black asses and beat the s*** out of my racist d***.”

Pisciotta claims Ye would masturbate during phone conversations, asking his employee if she could hear what he was doing. She said that he sent videos of himself having sex with models.

Later, Ye promoted Pisciotta to Chief of Staff with a pay raise of $4 million a year. However, Pisciotta says she was terminated shortly after, in October 2022. Furthermore, she claims that she never received her $3 million severance, which led to the accusation of breach of contract.

Ye has faced wrongful termination lawsuits from ex-employees in the past. A former security guard for Ye claimed racial discrimination led to his unjust firing. The man also worked at the now-defunct Donda Academy, where other personnel have claimed similar issues.

This lawsuit by Pisciotta adds to the mounting criticisms of the toxic work environment he allegedly fosters at his businesses. However, Ye referred to her accusations as “baseless” in a statement to Complex.

“In response to these baseless allegations, Ye will be filing a lawsuit against Ms. Pisciotta, who actively pursued him sexually to coerce employment and other material benefits, then engaged in blackmail and extortion when her advances were rejected,” explained the rapper.

He further countered her claims by detailing that Pisciotta attempted to destroy their phone records, offered the rapper sex on his birthday, and sent nude images to her former boss. He also stated that she was fired on the basis of being unqualified and her request for a $4 million annual salary.

Ye clearly intends to fight this recent lawsuit, referring to it as an ongoing attempt to gain money and media attention.

RELATED CONTENT: Yeezy Styles Now Being Sold For A Discount At Outlet Stores

Foster Care, Elderly Woman
by Stacy Jackson

June 5, 2024

Beloved Woman To Retire After Providing Over 3 Decades Of Foster Care

Emma Patterson became a foster parent in the early 1980s, raising children of all ages who are now college grads, athletes, and entrepreneurs.

Emma Patterson, an 88-year-old resident of Montgomery County in Maryland, is ready to retire after over three decades of caring for more than 40 foster children.

Patterson’s impact on the community was honored by the county on May 31, the last day of Foster Parent Appreciation Month. According to WUSA9, County Executive Marc Elrich recognized her efforts during the May 31 ceremony, presenting her with a certificate of appreciation

“You’ve quietly made a significant difference in the lives of dozens of children,” Elrich said, a sentiment he echoed on X.

Patterson’s foster children, many of whom attended the ceremony, have gone on to become college graduates, business owners, medical professionals, and accomplished athletes. Patterson adopted two of her foster children and raised them alongside her two biological children.

Patterson’s journey as a foster parent began in the early 1980s when her biological children started bringing home friends in need of food or shelter, NBC4 Washington reported.

“I was raised in a home where I was just loved and adored by my parents,” Patterson said. “So for a child not to experience that—not to have someone to love you and care for you and nurture you—I just felt awful.”

Over the years, she has provided a loving home for children of all ages, including babies like University of Mississippi basketball player Madison Scott, who arrived at Patterson’s home at just 5 months old.

“I wouldn’t be here without Nana,” Scott said. “…She’s loved us, she’s cared for us, she’s done everything.” Patterson took in Scott and her mother, treating them as her own family.

Patterson plans to retire once her current foster child graduates from high school, citing her lack of computer skills as a reason. But her legacy as a selfless and compassionate foster parent will endure.

Tru Pettigrew
by Sharelle B. McNair

June 5, 2024

How Tru Pettigrew Is Helping The Minnesota Timberwolves Become Champions of DEI

This is called stetting a standard....

The Minnesota Timberwolves may have fallen short of making the NBA Finals, but the team’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, Tru Pettigrew, is helping the organization become a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). 

Under Pettigrew’s leadership, the Timberwolves have been looked at as leaders in the fight for social injustices following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020. After Pettigrew turned down an opportunity to work with the team—twice—he finally gave in.

“We all had those callings and those assignments at different seasons of our lives,” he told NBC News. “I was called here to build those bridges. There were phenomenal people here doing work, but they were working in silos. Sports brings people together from all walks of life.”  

Pettigrew started the role in 2021 in addition to being chief impact officer of his own company, Tru Access, located in Cary, North Carolina. When he landed in Minnesota, he hit the ground running by gaining trust between the Minneapolis Police and the team’s players, who stood on the front lines with the Minneapolis community during protests against police brutality. 

With the spotlight shining on Minnesota at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, Pettigrew worked on the Timberwolves’ commitments to enhance social inequality and tackle racial injustices—both inside and outside the arena. Pettigrew’s team started by creating resource groups for employees of color and LGBTQ+ staffers. Shortly after, the women’s groups, which were already established, grew. The organization was also one of the first teams in the NBA to give players and staff Election Day off. 

Labeled the Timberwolves’ “secret weapon in the equity playbook,” the team’s groundbreaking efforts have resulted in numerous awards in the fight for social justice. In early 2024, the team won the NBA Inclusion Leadership Award, highlighting excellence in creating programming that promotes inclusion. Karl Anthony Towns, the team’s star power forward, was named the league’s 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion. 

Towns used his influence to champion the “Restore the Vote Act,” a bipartisan bill that was passed to restore voting rights to over 55,000 former felons in Minnesota. Former felony offenders are eligible to vote now, under new state law, as soon as they leave prison. 

After the team was nominated for Sports Team of the Year, Pettigrew acknowledged the recognition—being the only team without a championship—as being the result of those built bridges.

“It’s really been affirming more than anything. Because when you’re doing this work … you can’t always measure what matters,” he said. “And when you start to have other people recognize the impact of the work that you’re doing, that is when it just becomes more fulfilling. And it’s not even about any hardware. It is just knowing you’re making a difference.” 

Pettigrew has made a big difference in the community that the Timberwolves serve. In March 2024, he led the Timberwolves to partner with U.S. Bank to showcase local talent, businesses, and organizations with the Community Cultural Experience Tour, touring Black-owned businesses on Minneapolis’ northside, according to Spokesman-Recorder.

The collaboration created extended awareness and a chance to “correct the false narrative that people have about North Minneapolis that is rooted in the stereotype about the area and all of Minneapolis.”

Alcohol, Wine & Spirits, Sued
by Sharelle B. McNair

June 5, 2024

The Largest Alcohol Distributor In The U.S. May Be Sued By The FTC Over Pricing 

If filed, this will be the first time the FTC has presented a case under the law in over 20 years.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing a lawsuit against Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits over how it prices and sells spirits across the United States. 

Southern Glazer – the largest alcohol distributor in the U.S. – has been investigated by the FTC since 2023, prompting a lawsuit to be filed under the Robinson-Patman Act, legislation dated back to 1936. The law is designed to prevent suppliers from offering favorable pricing to specific customers over others. 

If filed, this will be the first time the FTC has presented a case under the law in over 20 years. The last case tried under the law settled with spice conglomerate McCormick in 2000. Before that, the previous case happened in 1988 against book publishers Simon & Schuster and Random House.

While the decision has not yet been finalized, the FTC’s five commissioners, led by Chair Lina Khan, are planning to meet with the company, and a case could be finalized as early as June 2024. Two different filings could occur — one in federal court or in-house administrative court. If the filing is executed, the agency may be able to prohibit the company from implementing the offending business practices. 

According to a report from Forbes in 2023, Southern Glazer is the 10th largest privately held company in the U.S., with an estimated $26 billion in revenue and 24,000 employees. The company distributes more than 7,000 different brands of alcohol, wine, beer, and other drinks across the nation.  

The agency opened a similar investigation into Pepsi and Coca-Cola in 2022 involving the pricing of soft drinks and Kraft-Heinz products, according to Politico.

Under the leadership of Khan and fellow commissioner Alvaro Bedoya — both appointees of President Joe Biden, the agency’s goal is to regain enforcement of the legislation with the argument that the agency should be able to enforce a law already on the books. According to The Independent, the Biden Administration has worked to limit the trend of market abuses since 2021 by eliminating verbiage from the Reagan Administration’s U.S. antitrust law. 

An executive order was signed in July of the same year specifically targeting “beer, wine, and spirits markets,” instructing the FTC to report back on any “exclusionary, discriminatory, or anticompetitive distribution practices that hinder smaller and independent businesses or new entrants.” Larger companies, such as Apple, Amazon, and Facebook’s parent company, Meta, have also faced lawsuits based on antitrust legistlation. 

In addition, the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau of the Treasury Department also has a say in the rules surrounding how alcohol is sold. 

Keith Lee, Atlanta, food truck, event, redemption, Baltimore
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 5, 2024

TikToker Keith Lee Warns He Will ‘Beat The Hell Out Of Somebody’ If Necessary

Lee trained as an MMA fighter before getting famous on the app.

Keith Lee is not the one to play with. The TikTok star warned he would “beat the hell out of somebody” if necessary after fans swarmed him in New Orleans.

Keith Lee is famous on TikTok for his food reviews. The latest incident sheds light on how much attention Lee and his crew garner while out in public for his Keith Lee and Family Food Tour. The media frenzy turned into a swarming of the social media star in New Orleans. Lee detailed the incident to Rolling Stone, which led him to scale up his protections.

“Before I could think, the car was surrounded,” shared Lee. “People are stopping at green lights and jumping out of the car in the middle of traffic and running up to us to take pictures and crying and screaming.”

Lee typically likes to avoid any issue, giving in to his growing celebrity by adding a security detail. However, the 27-year-old trained as an MMA fighter before his rise on social media. With these skills in mind, he is also unafraid to fight back.

He continued, “I am not a person who likes conflict. I got the biggest security that you could possibly have. God is always watching over me. My hands are registered, too. I’ll beat the hell out of somebody if I have to.”

In fact, his prior profession led him to make videos on TikTok. To get better at interviews and promote his matches, Lee used the social media app to improve his public speaking.

“I was so nervous. I was sweaty. It would mess up my entire day just to hear that I had to do an interview,” explained the father and husband. “You can’t be a super-successful professional fighter and not be good on the mic. So, I took it upon myself to start doing TikTok. I just set up the camera. I started recording myself. I pretended that it was 1,000 people watching me; I would use that as an outlet to get better in front of the camera.”

Lee soon found his lane as a content creator, creating food reviews leading to over 16.3 million followers.

Uterine Fibroids, Non-Profit, Black women health
by Stacy Jackson

June 5, 2024

2 Friends Create Nonprofit To Raise Funds For Black Women With Uterine Fibroids

The Beauty of Our Wellness was created after co-founder Khaleelah Harris sought medical help after her personal experience with fibroids.

The Beauty of Our Wellness, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is on a mission to raise awareness and funds for uterine health disparities affecting the African American community through wellness and arts-related events.

Founded in January 2024 by Khaleelah Harris and Yasmine Griffiths, the organization aims to assist women grappling with the financial burden of uterine fibroid treatments. According to the organization’s website, Harris shared her personal journey with uterine fibroids, leading the duo to combine their talents and address the needs of their community by providing special experiences.

Through The Beauty of Our Wellness Fund, financial aid is provided to low-income and uninsured individuals with uteruses who face mounting medical bills or lack funds to cover surgical costs for their uterine fibroid-related issues. As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences revealed that 70% to 80% of Black women will develop benign uterine fibroid tumors by their late 40s. Additionally, research indicates that Black women are more likely to require surgical intervention due to the condition, which causes heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and bulk symptoms related to the size or position of the fibroids.

The Beauty of Our Wellness Uterine Fibroids Awareness Campaign disseminates research on women’s uterine health, provides a directory of Black Women OB/GYNs specializing in fibroid treatments, and connects individuals with financial assistance during their treatment journey.

With Harris’s background in art curation and event organizing, combined with Griffiths’ passion for wellness as a Howard University Medical student and yoga instructor, the co-founders were driven to help their community. Harris sought ways to support others after enduring a complicated process of seeking medical help as she underwent surgery to remove a 5″ x 7″ x 7″ fibroid.

The co-founders drew inspiration from Tonya Wright, MD’s 2023 Black Maternal Health charity art exhibition. The friends recently hosted The Beauty of Our Wellness Awareness Luncheon and Fundraiser on June 1 at Fathom Gallery in Georgetown. The event and other sessions hosted by the organization throughout the year provide a safe space for women to learn and discuss health, according to a mini-documentary featuring the organization’s team.

Join The Beauty of Our Wellness on YouTube for “Wellness Wednesdays” and more.

Fani Willis, Trump
by Sharelle B. McNair

June 5, 2024

Appeal To Have Fani Willis Removed From Trump’s Election Interference Case Gets October Hearing Date

Delayed...not denied.

Oral arguments to have Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis removed from former President Donald Trump’s election interference case have been tentatively set for October 2024. 

The Georgia Court of Appeals set the possible date for Oct. 4, potentially pushing the final ruling well past Election Day. Both Willis and Trump’s legal team were alerted of the decision on June 3, with defense attorney briefs due in late June 2024. 

The convicted former president and a number of his co-defendants accused Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade of being romantically involved before being hired. Willis was also accused of benefiting financially from the relationship. Both Willis and Wade denied those allegations while facing questioning during a hearing in March 2024. However, Judge Scott McAfee ordered that Wade would need to be removed, to keep Willis from facing disqualification. 

Under McAfee’s ruling, the defense was permitted to appeal the ruling after he found the defendants “failed to meet their burden of proving that the District Attorney acquired an actual conflict of interest in this case through her personal relationship and recurring travels with her lead prosecutor.”

Trump’s lawyer, Steve Sadow, already released a statement saying they are anticipating the trial. “We look forward to presenting arguments before Judges Trenton Brown, Todd Markel, and Benjamin Land on why this case should be dismissed, and Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for the trial court’s acknowledged ‘odor of mendacity’ misconduct in violation of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.”

Judge Brown is a replacement for Judge P.J. Miller, who recused herself from the case. 

In addition to lengthy questioning on how the Supreme Court will rule on presidential immunity, the fight for disqualification will make it unlikely that Trump will face another jury in Georgia prior to Election Day.

But there is room for a date change as the October date is not guaranteed. One case party would need to request an oral argument, and the court then decides whether or not to permit that request. The judging panel can also choose to pass over oral arguments and rule on the matter based on filed briefs.

The case against Trump and the co defendants can still proceed in the lower court, however, no trial date has been set.

Adidas, Yeezy, outlet, discount stores, sell, Yeezy brand, CONFIRMED, app,
by Daniel Johnson

June 5, 2024

Yeezy Styles Now Being Sold For A Discount At Outlet Stores

According to Adidas's Q1 2024 earnings report, it still has $215 million worth of Yeezy brand product.

In 2023, Adidas was left with a stockpile of Yeezy brand shoes after its abrupt divorce from rapper and fashion designer Kanye West following remarks he made that were widely condemned as anti-Semitic.

Amid the company’s third release of Yeezy brand products, some of the supply has made its way to Adidas outlet stores, a first for the Yeezy brand. 

As Sole Retriever reported, the shoes remain incredibly popular. Adidas has, however, been able to reduce its supply significantly from its starting point shortly after the scandal when it was reported it possessed more than $1 billion in Yeezy products. In 2023, Adidas tried a direct approach, combining sales at retailers and through its Confirmed mobile app with a first-come, first-served waiting list for new releases or drops on its own official website.

As the outlet reported, according to Adidas’s Q1 2024 earnings report, the shoe company has $215 million worth of the Yeezy brand product. It appears that Adidas has moved to allow discounts on the shoes, which contradicts the strategy reported in its earnings report.

Some of the shoes have even popped up at Adidas outlet stores in Dubai, as reported by Complex. Some of those outlets have marked them at 50% less than Adidas’s MSRP. 

Per Adidas’s earnings report, “On April 16, Adidas upgraded its full-year financial guidance as a result of the better-than-expected performance in the first quarter. Adidas now expects currency-neutral revenues to increase at a mid- to high-single-digit rate in 2024 (previously: increase at a mid-single-digit rate). Within this guidance, it is assumed that the remaining Yeezy inventory will be sold on average at cost, resulting in sales of around €200 million throughout the remainder of the year. This corresponds to a projected total amount of Yeezy-related sales of around €350 million in FY 2024 (previously: around €250 million), of which around €150 million were generated in the first quarter.”

https://twitter.com/datruth3585/status/1797692061518553318?t=ltoEtrsarqDOpZOAJBjD7Q&s=19

Originally, the strategy behind the promotion of Yeezy brand shoes was that of exclusivity and high demand, driven by that perception of exclusivity. For those who may have been put off by the brand’s previous high entry price point, this represents an opportunity to get the shoes for well below their original market value.

For example, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 CMPCT is available for $100, down from Adidas’s price of $220. The Yeezy QTNM, listed at $250 by Adidas, is now selling for $120 at some outlets, the Yeezy Boost 380, listed at $380 by Adidas, is going for $100, and the Yeezy 700 MNVN, which is listed on the Adidas website at $220, is selling for $140. 

In February, however, Adidas indicated in a news release that the Yeezy releases were only supposed to happen through its own digital platforms. 

“As announced at the start of 2024, Adidas will release the remaining YEEZY inventory, which features products from 2022, in the course of the year. The range available will include some of the most popular designs, beginning with the 350 V2 in STEEL GREY.”

The release continued, “The products will be exclusively available through Adidas digital platforms including the CONFIRMED app, Adidas app, and Adidas.com. The phased release of products will help ensure a fair and premium experience for consumers. Availability and timing of release will vary depending on location.”

RELATED CONTENT: Ye’s Chief Of Staff Exits Yeezy Amid Company’s Transition To Porn, Hopes Mogul ‘Proceeds With Caution’

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