Glen
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 11, 2024

Former NBA Star Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis Sentenced To 40 Months For Role In Insurance Fraud

Former Boston Celtics player found guilty of trying to defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Benefit Welfare Plan.

Former NBA player Glen “Big Baby” Davis has been sentenced to spend 40 months in a federal prison after being found guilty, along with 19 other former NBA players accused of trying to defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Benefit Welfare Plan.

According to The Associated Press, Davis, who won an NBA championship in 2008 with the Boston Celtics, 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.

After the former player has served his 40 months, he will have three years of supervised release and has been ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution. 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 the conditions of Davis’ supervised release include attending a financial management class and receiving mandatory drug treatment.

Before being given his punishment, Davis pleaded to Judge Valerie E. Caproni.

“When I lost basketball, I lost myself. I ask you, your honor, to help me get back to who I am,” Davis said.

Davis’ defense attorney, Sabrina Shroff, declined to comment, but she made a statement to the court at the sentencing.

“It pains me that there is no one here for Mr. Davis.”

Bynum was sentenced to 18 months at last month’s hearing.

The other former players who were arrested and charged in the scheme are Milt Palacio, Antoine Wright, Charles Watson, Darius Miles, Ruben Patterson, Eddie Robinson, Gregory Smith, Jamario Moon, Terrence Williams, Alan Anderson, Tony Allen, Shannon Brown, Melvin Ely, Christopher Douglas-Roberts, Sebastian Telfair, and Tony Wroten.

Davis also played for the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers, while Bynum played with the Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, and Celtics.

RELATED CONTENT: Former NBA Players Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis And Will Bynum Convicted In NBA Healthcare Fraud Scheme

Virginia School Board, Confederate Generals, Schools
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 11, 2024

Virginia School Board Votes To Restore Names Of Confederate Generals For Two Schools

Virginia’s Shenandoah County decided in a 5-1 vote to restore the names of two schools that previously commemorated Confederate leaders.

In 2020, two schools in Virginia had the names of Confederate generals removed from their titles. On May 10, an education board voted to restore those names for those schools.

According to CNN, school board members in Virginia’s Shenandoah County decided in a 5-1 vote to restore the names of two schools that previously commemorated Confederate leaders. The move happened after a meeting on May 9 between people with opposing views.

The Shenandoah County School Board has renamed Stonewall Jackson High School, originally named after Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Ashby Lee Elementary School, named for Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Turner Ashby, to Mountain View High School and Honey Run Elementary School, respectively. According to school board documents, the renaming was done to condemn racism and affirm the district’s “commitment to an inclusive school environment.”

The racial makeup for Shenandoah County Public Schools, which serves more than 5,600 students, is about 75% white, 18% Hispanic, and 3% Black.

In a meeting last month, the six current board members, none of whom were on the board in 2020, had an issue with the name change from 2020. They stated that the renaming was “wrongly done,” rushed, and lacked public input. Board member Gloria E. Carlineo claimed it also “eroded” confidence in the school board.

“So, for me, the main consideration is whether we, as a democratic nation of laws, will choose to ignore a decision made by a governmental body that exploited the tragedy of COVID or will rectify a wrongful action that has deeply divided our community. I choose the latter,” Carlineo told CNN before the vote.

Sarah Kohrs, a mother of two students, and other parents and residents did not agree to restore the names and were frustrated it was being considered.

“It’s very frustrating to know that here we are four years after that, and we still have a small portion of the community that just refuses to move on,” Kohrs told CNN.

With the restoration of the names, there is an estimated cost that it would be more than $304,000, according to district documents.

“We still don’t even have all of our athletic equipment from the name change in 2020. We’re still utilizing old hurdles, sometimes that have the name of Stonewall on them,” Kohrs told CNN.

RELATE CONTENT: Mississippi’s Good Ole Boy GOP Governor Declares April As Confederate Heritage Month 

Keon Coleman, NFL, Video: Buffalo Bills Wide Receiver Keon Coleman Takes Customer's Order At Local Louisiana Restaurant
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 11, 2024

Video: Buffalo Bills Wide Receiver Keon Coleman Takes Customer’s Order At Louisiana Restaurant

Coleman was in his hometown of Opelousas, Louisiana, at Mama's Fried Chicken.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman was recently seen doing some work outside his football duties in his hometown of Opelousas, Louisiana. A viral video clip was posted to social media showing him taking a food order at a popular local restaurant, Mama’s Fried Chicken.

According to Hot 107.9, Coleman, who was drafted by the New York team in April, was at the fast-food restaurant on May 8, serving up food and taking orders from the local customers.

The video shows him at the register surrounded by several Mama’s Fried Chicken employees. Although he wasn’t wearing a full uniform, he did have on a Mama’s Friend Chicken baseball cap. He says to the customer, “What you want?” as you hear the patron laughing at him while taking his order. The customer ordered a two-piece dark chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and a lemonade drink. Coleman then tells him he can order another side since he is his “dog.”

After obliging and asking for a cole slaw, the customer asked Coleman if the order was free, and the football player immediately said, “No, it ain’t free; it’s not on the house!”

After checking the register, he informs the customer that his order comes out to $11.88.

Hot 107.9 revealed that the “customer” was former NFL player and current podcaster Robert Griffin III. The humorous incident occurred because Coleman claimed that Mama’s Fried Chicken was one of the best places to eat in Louisiana. Coleman informed Griffin that Opelousas and Cajun country had better dining options than New Orleans.

Coleman, who played his collegiate career at Florida State, was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Bills with the 33rd selection.

RELATED CONTENT: Buffalo Bills’ Players Come Together For School Supply Drive

Pinky Cole, Egypt Sherrod, Crystal Renee, Malinda Williams, Mahogany Honors
by Kandiss Edwards

May 11, 2024

Black Sisterhood Celebrated At Inaugural Hallmark Mahogany Honors Brunch 

Eva Marcille, Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche, and Egypt Sherrod were among the honorees.

Hallmark Mahogany hosted its inaugural  Hallmark Mahogany Honors brunch on April 28 in Atlanta. Women from all over the country gathered to receive their flowers. 

Hallmark Mahogany is known for its diverse collection of greeting cards that feature messages of love, acceptance, condolences, and friendship in the language of the minority. Although the Mahogany branch is a relative newcomer compared to its parent company’s 114-year legacy, it has carved out a significant presence in the four decades since its establishment.

The company has found multiple routes to reach out and touch Black women. Through the Mahogany lifestyle website, e-commerce hub, and movie franchises, consumers and entrepreneurs are offered a space where honoring, celebrating, and supporting emotional connections among Black families, friends, and other loved ones is the norm. 

The Hallmark Mahogany Honors was a natural extension of the brand’s mission. A ballroom at the Intercontinental Buckhead set the tone. While enjoying a delectable brunch, Black women communed as only they could. Shoulders bounced, heads nodded, and many danced between tables as the sounds of Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige flowed around the room. 

After a prayer, guests were treated to a one-on-one conversation with Award Winning Musician, Actress and Entrepreneur Fantasia Barrino. The “Free Yourself” singer spoke candidly about her financial burdens. She vulnerably told the audience about losing everything financially three times. To emphasize her loss, she told a story of ordering pizza for her family and her credit card declining. Fantasia emphasizes how each of those failures led her to another lesson in business. She lamented that her gift was given to her and that others had “prostituted” her talent for far too long, which inspired her to become a businesswoman and truly lead her own enterprise. 

Hallmark Mahogany honored Black women, creatives, and entrepreneurs throughout the brunch. Among the honorees were Eva Marcille, Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, and Egypt Sherrod, just to name a few.

Aliche told BLACK ENTERPRISE what it means to be acknowledged by a body of her peers.

“There’s one thing about being celebrated. It’s another thing to be honored by your own people. There is no honor more higher than being honored by people who look like you because they see you. They know all that you’ve gone through, and despite what all the fools say and what is happening in the world, they elevate you. And so, it’s just an amazing honor.”

Hallmark Mahogany honored the women using its strength—words. The team at Hallmark Mahogany crafted moving poetry to encapsulate its honorees’ gifts, talent, and beauty. It was indeed a sight to behold.

RELATED CONTENT: Fantasia, Pinky Cole Hayes, Eva Marcille, And More To Be Honored At Inaugural Mahogany Honors Brunch



Karl-Anthony Towns, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 11, 2024

Karl-Anthony Towns Awarded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

'I am proud to have played a role in the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill and I will always be committed to supporting social justice causes as that is part of my DNA,' said Towns.

The NBA has announced this season’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award winner: Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Karl-Anthony Towns.

The award is given to the basketball player dedicated to pursuing social justice and living up to NBA legend Abdul-Jabbar’s and the league’s vision of equality, respect, and inclusion. Towns emerged as the winner among the five finalists who were in the running to receive the honor. The Timberwolves center beat out Miami Heat center-forward Bam Adebayo, New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Lindy Waters III, and Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook.

“It is a great honor to be named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion,” said Towns in a written statement. “I am proud to have played a role in the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill and I will always be committed to supporting social justice causes as that is part of my DNA.”

A $100,000 donation will be made to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities on behalf of Towns. The money will help advance health equity among youth and support the mental well-being of Black and Brown communities as part of Towns’ 32 Wellness program.

Towns was partly responsible for getting Bill HF28 – Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill, passed. This will allow people previously incarcerated the right to vote alongside eligible Minnesota voters. Towns was instrumental in using his platform and voice to support the bill while highlighting issues related to mass incarceration. His involvement included participating in community conversations and meeting with the Minnesota Freedom Fund, New Justice Project, Minnesota Justice Research Center, and All-Square, the key organizations that helped get the bill through the legislature.

Bill HF28 became law in July 2023 after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz approved it in March 2023. The bill’s passage allowed more than 55,000 Minnesotans previously in jail or on parole the right to vote.

Towns was recognized for his giving back to the community when he was a finalist for this award in 2022 following the murder of George Floyd.

RELATED CONTENT: Backtalk with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Ryan Cameron, One Atlanta, radio show, multi year, Ryan Cameron Uncensored Show
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 10, 2024

Ryan Cameron Signs Multi-Year Deal With Urban One Atlanta And Reach Media

Atlanta's Ryan Cameron is celebrating his new multi-year deal with Urban One Atlanta and Reach Media.

Atlanta’s Ryan Cameron has plenty of reasons to celebrate after inking a multi-year deal with Urban One Atlanta and Reach Media.

The award-winning radio personality, actor, comedian, and community advocate signed the agreement for his top-rated afternoon show Ryan Cameron Uncensored Show, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. It airs on Radio One Urban AC’s “Majic 107.5/97.5” WAMJ/WUMJ Atlanta with syndication by sister company Reach Media across the United States.

“When you do what you love every single day, it’s not work,” Cameron said. “The relationship that I have with this company is historical and I look forward to our continued growth and success.”

The two-time Emmy award winner is honored as a distinguished member of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and made history as the first Black P.A. announcer for the Atlanta Hawks. His iconic “for3eeeeeeeee” call became immortalized when it was featured in the acclaimed NBA 2k video game series.

The multi-year deal comes nearly 10 years after Cameron earned recognition as one of Atlanta’s 55 Most Powerful individuals by Atlanta Magazine. He’s also listed among The Source‘s Top 20 Influencers in hip-hop for a decade.

On the philanthropic side, Cameron launched The Ryan Cameron Youth Leadership Academy in 2002 to support high school students with opportunities in academics, leadership, career development, and promoting community engagement for healthy living and anti-violence initiatives.

“Syndication was something I have been floating around for a while,” Cameron told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You have to be dominant in your market and we’ve been doing really well. I also felt the show could resonate in other places.”

The Ryan Cameron Uncensored Show will be executive produced by Sam Sirmons and Raymond “Big Ray” Dyer. Other hosts under the Reach Media 325-station and 95 markets umbrella include comedians Rickey Smiley, DL Hughley, singer Erica Campbell, and actress/comedian Amanda Seales.

Shannon Sharpe, dog, Thanksgiving dinner
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 10, 2024

Shannon Sharpe To Deliver Keynote Address At 2024 Render ATL Tech Conference

Shannon Sharpe to deliver keynote address at RenderATL during Atlanta's Official Tech Week.

The 2024 RenderATL Tech Conference is taking place next month during Atlanta’s Official Tech Week and will feature Shannon Sharpe and DJ Pee.Wee, aka Anderson.Paak, and more.

Atlanta’s Black-owned tech conference is taking over America’s Mart from June 12th to June 14th and will include Shannon Sharpe as keynote speaker, DJ Pee.Wee for the RenderHouse afterparty, and honor Google Engineer Kelsey Hightower, among others. Over 5,000 attendees will take part in the RenderATL Tech Conference, Expo, and Music Festival, whose impressive lineup includes over 70 partners, keynote addresses, seminars, and workshops featuring pioneers in artificial intelligence, software engineering, design, product and project management, tech leadership, and beyond.

Render’s sessions leave attendees with valuable insights into the latest trends and advancements in the tech and engineering industry and deep dives into the next cutting-edge technologies that will help them acquire crucial practical skills for success in their fields. There are also opportunities for employer recruitment, given the conference’s high success rates in career placement.

“2024 marks a pivotal moment for the tech community as we gather in Atlanta for RenderATL,” Justin Samues, founder and CEO of RenderATL says.

“As a technology conference, we brought together the best speakers and workshop conductors for the best continuous learning environment to help enable our attendees to go further in their careers and advance technology beyond cutting industry knowledge, especially with our cornerstone focus in A.I., for this year’s experience.”

Since its 2019 launch, RenderATL has grown year after year. It serves as an economic boost to Atlanta’s local economy, surpassing $6.5 million in revenue with events throughout the city that amplify local businesses, service providers, hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.

As the conference continues to expand and align itself with major companies, like this year’s title sponsor, Zillow, RenderATL sees how it will continue to bridge the gap between tech and culture.

“I think Black people have [had] unique experiences in the tech industry […] but as we continue to see leaders immerse, you see there’s an ability, hope, and talent that [deserves] an equal playing field,” Briana Holmes, RenderATL’s director of marketing and communications tells Rolling Out.

“That’s worth creating ourselves through taking opportunities we never thought we would, obtaining VC funding, [and obtaining] all the certifications we had the opportunity to do boot camps [for].”

There’s a bright future for Black professionals and creators in the tech space, and RenderATL aims to help more people see and align with the limitless opportunity.

“I think the Black community, specifically, is in a very unique situation. [They’re] going to be able to grow even further and [ensure] that they’re not only creating an opportunity to grow, learn, and scale their abilities and talents but also, by doing so, [creating] an opportunity to change the entire trajectory of their entire family,” Holmes said.

RELATED CONTENT: Georgia Tech’s First Black Graduate Fulfills Legacy By Handing Granddaughter Diploma Nearly 60 Years Later

FAMU, Florida A and M University,DI, Black History Month
by Sharelle B. McNair

May 10, 2024

FAMU Hits Pause Button On $237M Donation After Questions Rise 

Florida A&M University is placing a hold on a $237 million donation after questions arose regarding the value and source of the “largest ever for one of the country’s historically Black colleges and universities.”

Florida A&M University is placing a hold on a record-breaking $237 million donation after questions arose regarding the value and source of the “largest ever for one of the country’s historically Black colleges and universities.”

The donation from Batterson Farms Corporation’s Gregory Gerami and the Isaac Batterson Family 7th Trust was presented on May 4 during the HBCU’s annual commencement ceremony. 

After the media and school leaders raised questions about it, President Larry Robinson called an emergency meeting with FAMU’s fundraising foundation May 9 announcing the decision to pause the donation. “With regards to the gift and the processing of it and so forth, in terms of future processing, we’ve already decided it’s in our best interest to put that on hold,” Robinson said during the meeting.

The donation, which would have increased the school’s endowment and potentially helped students and faculty for generations to come, was met with skepticism, partially due to some of Gerami’s past dealings. According to WCTV, Gerami presented a $95 million gift to Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, which fell through in 2020. The school eventually cut ties with the business owner in November 2020 after the deal failed. 

The hefty gift, received in the form of millions of shares of stock, had reportedly been transferred to FAMU. The entrepreneur made a pledge to donate “14 million shares of stock of intrinsic value worth at least $239,000,000” to FAMU, according to the agreement. 

Then, Gerami was set to donate an additional $61 million over the next 10 years. However, experts said the math doesn’t add up. “Where does this valuation come from?” professor of finance at Florida Atlantic University, Rebel Cole, said. “It raises more questions than it answers. If I were a dog, my hackles would be up.”

Foundation members raised concerns and frustrations during the emergency meeting regarding how the school transacted a nine-figure donation without giving notice to them or the board of trustees. “How did we get this far without knowledge of the transaction or the donor?,” foundation member Chekesha Kidd asked.

Leadership, including Robinson and vice president for university advancement Shawnta Friday-Stroud, admitted to being banned from discussing the gift publicly due to a non-disclosure agreement but defended their decision. “Yes, there is clearly a risk, and we are seeing that in everything that has shaken out,” Friday-Stroud said. “But at the time, that was the decision.”

Per the agreement, the CEO requested the donation to be anonymous until he agreed “to make it public.” Experts feel the previous failed donation should have been a red flag that was presented during the gift’s vetting process.

RoDina Williams, Illinoisan, Doctorate In Clinical Laboratory Science
by Stacy Jackson

May 10, 2024

Florida Twin Sisters To Take Graduation Stage As Godby High School’s Valedictorian And Salutatorian

The identical twin sisters, who transferred to Godby in 2022, said their parents taught them that a free public education is a privilege.

Identical twin sisters, Llayna and Saniah Maul, are prepared to deliver graduation speeches as the esteemed Valedictorian and Salutatorian of Amos P. Godby High School’s Class of 2024.

This academic achievement holds special significance for the duo as they honor their family legacy of generations who have attended the Tallahassee, Florida, institution. “It’s just been both of us trying really hard at school,” Llayna, the class Valedictorian, told WTXL. Llayna attributed their success to a deep reverence for education and a commitment to seizing every opportunity presented by their teachers. “It’s worthwhile to just focus and pay attention and really put forth that effort to make them proud,” she added.

Saniah, the Salutatorian, echoed a similar sentiment, driven by an intrinsic desire for self-improvement. “I don’t work for the A or the high GPA; I work just so I can be the best I can be.”

The twins credited their unwavering motivation to their mother, Annie Leonard, a Godby alumna. “It’s just wonderful; it’s come back full circle,” Leonard expressed. “I made sure that my children would have the opportunities that I wish I had.” As reported in the Tallahassee Democrat, Leonard and her husband James started early, educating their girls in music and reading as babies.

The sisters recently performed with Godby’s theater troupe in the school’s award-winning one-act show “Rumpelstiltskin” at the Florida Thespian Festival in Tampa. They began their high school journey remotely through Florida Virtual School in 2020 before transferring to Godby High in 2022 and commencing with dual enrollment classes at Tallahassee Community College. Inducted into the National Honor Society, the girls have also been nominated for Leon County’s Best and Brightest class of 2024. Saniah has been nominated in the arts category, and Llayna in the English language arts category.

Embodying Godby High School’s mission to produce graduates with analytical thinking and clear communication skills, the sisters are set to take the stage at the school’s graduation on May 22.

RELATED CONTENT: UPenn Becomes First Ivy League College To Launch AI Degree Programs

Michael Rainey Jr., financial Literacy Initiative
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 10, 2024

‘Power’ Star Michael Rainey Jr. Thanks His Mom For Helping Him Save Money As A Child Actor

Actor Michael Rainey Jr. is opening up about the financial literacy that was passed down to him courtesy of his mother.

Actor Michael Rainey Jr. is opening up about the financial literacy his mother passed down to him.

The “Power Book II: Ghost” star, who plays Tariq James St. Patrick in the franchise, recently appeared on Forbes’ “New Money” podcast, where he applauded his mother for helping him save money from an early age. Rainey was lucky to kick off his acting career at the age of 9 after being discovered by a talent agent.

“She literally just walked up to my mom and said, ‘Your son has a great face for acting or modeling. Does he do any of that?’” Rainey shared. “And she was like, ‘No.’ And then, like a week after, they had a meeting in the office, and after that, they just started getting me auditions.”

After small gigs on “Sesame Street” while modeling, Rainey landed his first acting role in 2010 in the film “Un Altro Mondo (Another World).” Four years later, the rising star landed his breakout role playing James St. Patrick’s eldest child, Tariq, in Starz’s “Power.” He was just 13 years old and earning big bucks from the supporting role.

However, Rainey had no idea how much he was making thanks to his mother, who would take his checks and save them for when he got older and more financially responsible.

“Obviously, I’ve been working since I was young, but my mom always did a great job of helping me save my money since I was a kid,” he said. “I didn’t really know what kind of numbers I was pulling in until I was like 17, 18. My mom really did a good job of putting money away from me.”

Rainey continued, “Obviously, at a young age, I don’t really know what I want to do with that money. She really did a good job of just making sure a lot of it was put away for when I reached the age where it’s like, ‘Alright, I can do this with my money. I can do that with my money.’”

Now, at 23, Rainey is wise and ready to manage his money on his own. With the financial management he received from his mom early on, the TV star has been investing his money into land ownership, bitcoin, and Ethereum.

He’s also started to venture into entrepreneurship with his production company, Jamaica-based restaurant Catch 22, and ownership stake in a dispensary called Herbs Jamaica.

“Right now were moving locations to a bigger space, and I’m super excited about that,” he shared about his dispensary.

He even has enough to spend on material items some would consider “dumb purchases,” but Rainey is proud of the Porsche 911 Turbo S he has in his driveway. It’s part of his passion for cars that he plans to capitalize on with the new car channel he’s set to launch.

“I’m going to be featuring the craziest car builds from all over the world,” he said.

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