Google Headquarters, San Francisco, Guaranteed Income Program, class-action, llawsuit, tech. giant, $28 million
by Jameelah Mullen

May 9, 2024

Google To Fund Guaranteed Income Program In San Francisco That Gives Families $1,000 A Month

The pilot program will help more than 200 families, many of which are lead by single women of color.

Google is partnering with San Francisco area nonprofits to provide a financial boost for families who are facing homelessness. 

The It All Adds Up program will provide financial assistance to qualified families. Families must be nearing the end of rental subsidy programs provided by local nonprofit agencies to be eligible for the program.

Reportedly, 225 randomly selected participants will receive $1,000 monthly cash payments for a year, and an additional 225 families will receive $50. Participants can use the money however they choose. 

“We’re hoping that this will provide a softer landing for families who are exiting our subsidy programs and help them maintain financial stability,” Hamilton Families CEO Kyriell Noon told the San Francisco Chronicle.

About 30 families are currently enrolled in the program. More participants will be added each month until all 450 spaces are filled. More than 70% of the families currently enrolled in the programs are led by single mothers of color with children under the age of five.

Compass Family Services and Hamilton Families will operate the San Francisco-based pilot program, which will be funded by Google and J-Pal. 

According to the program’s website, the initiative is based on a five-year study of the impact of guaranteed basic income on a family.

“Over the next five years, with support from Google.org and J-PAL North America, and in partnership with New York University, this pilot is on a mission to prove that housing stability is more attainable when families who have recently experienced homelessness have just a little more room to breathe.”

NYU’s Housing Solutions Lab will study the program’s results to determine how effective the payments are in helping families remain in long-term housing. Researchers will also assess the impact on participants’ health and financial outcomes.

Google’s participation in this program is part of its $1 billion pledge to fight the housing crisis in the San Francisco area.

Fani Willis, DOJ, Trump
by Daniel Johnson

May 9, 2024

Appeals Court To Review Ruling Allowing Fani Willis To Remain On Election Interference Case

The review places another delay on a criminal case involving the embattled former president, making it possible that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, will not have to stand trial until after November’s election.

On May 8, a Georgia appeals court decided to review a ruling from a lower court that would allow Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney, to continue to prosecute former President Donald Trump on charges of election interference. The review places another delay on a criminal case involving the embattled former president, making it possible that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, will not have to stand trial until after November’s election. 

As the Associated Press reported, Trump’s lead attorney in the State of Georgia, Steve Sadow, informed them via email that Trump’s legal team looks forward to presenting their argument that Willis “should be disqualified for her misconduct in this unjustified, unwarranted political persecution.”

Whichever side loses the court battle is expected to appeal the decision, which will further delay the case. Judge Scott McAfee said in his order granting Willis the ability to stay on the case that he wants to continue addressing other pre-trial motions. McAfee wrote, “regardless of whether the petition is granted…and even if any subsequent appeal is expedited by the appellate court.”

The case was already sidelined once, as the relationship between Fani Willis and former Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade was explored in detail, while the more serious charges against Trump and the other defendants were ignored and placed on the back burner. Willis also faces more scrutiny from a GOP-led panel, which she indicated did not have the legal authority to subpoena her. As Fox 5 reported, Willis stated at a news conference, “First of all, I don’t think they even have the authority to subpoena me, but they need to learn the law. I will not appear to anything that is unlawful, and I have not broken the law,” Willis said. “I’ve said it amongst these leaders; I’m sorry folks get pissed off that everybody gets treated equally.”

As CNN reported, the delay in the election interference case is a strong signal that the efforts of the defense team to keep pushing the trial back is working. In that case, no trial date has officially been set, while in the case of Trump’s Florida trial over his alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a judge postponed that trial indefinitely.

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, has not issued a ruling regarding whether or not Trump is protected from his actions as president, using the broad claim of presidential immunity. While the justices appear to seem skeptical of that particular claim, no ruling in the case seems imminent. In that case, NBC News noted that a trial before the election is still possible, but it would need to get started quickly to beat that deadline. 

Victor Wembanyama, NBA, Rookie of the Year
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2024

Victor Wembanyama Becomes First French Player To Be Named NBA Rookie Of The Year

Wemby was a unanimous choice to receive the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as the 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

San Antonio Spurs first-year player Victor Wembanyama was named this season’s NBA Rookie of the Year.

The NBA announced that Wemby was a unanimous choice to receive the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as the 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. In a landslide vote, every person on the media panel gave the Spurs rookie a first-place vote, totaling 99 entries to make him the first unanimous Rookie of the Year recipient since Karl-Anthony Towns won the honor in the 2015-16 season.

Wemby is the third Spurs player to take home the award (after David Robinson and Tim Duncan) and the first player from France.

This season, Wembanyama also became the first player to average at least 20 points (21.4), ten rebounds (10.6), and three blocks (3.6) in less than 30 minutes per game in a season. Adding to his phenomenal season, he is also the first player to have at least 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks, and 100 3-pointers in a season.

He became the second rookie to lead the league in blocks per game since Manute Bol did it during his rookie season in 1985-86. The two players are also the only two rookies to lead the league in total blocks in a season since the NBA started recording blocks in the 1973-74 season.

CBS Sports reported that Wemby is the second straight No. 1 overall NBA draft pick to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award after Paolo Banchero took it home in 2023. In the last seven years, a top-five NBA draft pick has been awarded the coveted prize. Wemby, Banchero, Scottie Barnes, LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, and Ben Simmons were all drafted in the top five.

Unfortunately, although Wemby had a great year, the Spurs didn’t; the team had a dismal 22-60 record, not even coming close to making the playoffs.

RELATED CONTENT:WNBA To Provide Charter Planes To Help Ensure Players’ Safety

Former Baltimore Mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake , lawsuit
by Daniel Johnson

May 9, 2024

City Of Atlanta To Pay Hollman Family $3.8M Settlement

The Hollman family is set to receive a $3.8 million settlement

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, the family of Johnny Hollman has been seeking justice for his death in August 2023 after Atlanta Police Officer Kiran Kimborough tased him and following a January 2024 lawsuit they filed against the City of Atlanta, Officer Kimborough, and Atlanta’s Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, the family is set to receive a $3.8 million settlement.

During a city council meeting on May 6, the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to award the Hollman family the settlement and did not issue a comment on the matter, Associated Press reported. The family attorney Mawauli Davis, said in a statement to the AP that the settlement will let the family “focus on healing from the devastating and senseless loss of their beloved father.”

Arnitra Hollman, the daughter of Johnny, issued a statement during which she functioned as the family spokesperson, thanking the council and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

“On behalf of my siblings and our entire family, we want to thank all the people across Atlanta who have supported us in our fight for justice for our father.”

According to WABE, an autopsy discovered that although heart disease was a contributing factor in Hollman’s death, his death was ruled as a homicide. After the body cam footage was released in November 2023, the footage depicted Kimborough tazing Hollman as he lay on the ground repeatedly shouting, “I can’t breathe,” in the direction of the officer before he appeared to become unconscious. 

Harold Spence, who represents the family alongside Davis, told WABE that their civil case also established that Kimborough was not fired for anything he did to Hollman but for a failure to follow police department protocol.

“We saw that Kimbrough was terminated not because of Deacon Hollman’s death, not for striking him in the head multiple times with a closed fist, not for tasing him multiple times, not for unnecessary violence he inflicted upon him. He was fired for the administrative failure to call a supervisor to the scene.”

Davis, meanwhile, pointed to the civil suit’s focus on accountability, hoping its conclusion will allow the family to heal and the legal team to focus on the impending criminal trial.

“From a legal standpoint, we have always been pushing for accountability,” Davis said.

“We believe this resolution, that was unanimously passed by city council, speaks to that…it’s important to close this chapter on the civil side so that [the family] may focus their energy, and we may focus on the criminal prosecution in this case.”

Hollman and the family’s attorneys also thanked several organizations in the Atlanta area for their assistance, including the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, The Southern Center for Human Rights, and The Black Man Lab. 

“The emotions are still high, all over the place,” Hollman said.

“But going forward, we just got to stay together, we got to stay strong, and we got to continue to fight … that’s when we will have our peace, and that is when our father’s spirit to us will really rest in peace.”

They’ve (the aforementioned organizations) opened up their meetings; they brought this family in so that they could hear directly from the family,” Davis said. “If this is to be claimed for any type of victory for justice, it is a people’s victory, but it is not over yet.”

RELATED CONTENT: Department of Justice Reached $139M Settlement After FBI Failed To Look Into Larry Nassar Gymnastics Abuse Complaints

MIT, College, DEI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
by Sharelle B. McNair

May 9, 2024

MIT Latest College To Get Rid Of DEI Hiring Requirements Allegedly Claiming ‘They Don’t Work’

Before the change, MIT required applicants to submit a statement that "demonstrates knowledge of challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion."

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the first institution to dump diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements from its faculty hiring process. 

A spokesperson from the prestigious college said, “Requests for a statement on diversity will no longer be part of applications for any faculty positions at MIT.” President Sally Kornbluth made the decision “with the support of the Provost, Chancellor, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, and all six academic deans.”  

Kornbluth thinks there are other ways to build inclusivity outside of diversity statements. “My goals are to tap into the full scope of human talent, to bring the very best to MIT, and to make sure they thrive once here,” Kornbluth said. 

“We can build an inclusive environment in many ways, but compelled statements impinge on freedom of expression, and they don’t work.”

While free speech and academic freedom advocates have opposed the requirement of DEI statements since the early 2010s, the narrative heightened following the Supreme Court’s overturning of affirmative action in 2023. Conservatives have pushed the need for faculty diversity statements aside, describing them as “ideological viewpoint tests” for potential hiring candidates. 

However, such statements are used at several top universities in the country. 

Before the change, MIT required applicants to submit a statement that “demonstrates knowledge of challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” in addition to highlighting a “track record of working with diverse groups of people.” Candidates were also instructed to speak on a plan to push DEI forward in their position at the school.

A survey from The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a freedom of speech advocacy group, revealed that a “large portion of MIT faculty and students are afraid to express their views in various academic settings.” 

Educators from other Ivy League shared similar sentiments. In April 2024, Randall L. Kennedy, a Harvard law school professor, penned a column in the Harvard Crimson pressing other schools to get rid of mandatory DEI statements, arguing that they add pressure on faculty and staff to straddle political lines. “I am a scholar on the left committed to struggles for social justice,” Kennedy wrote. 

“The realities surrounding mandatory DEI statements, however, make me wince. The practice of demanding them ought to be abandoned, both at Harvard and beyond.”

However, some people in favor of the statements feel they serve an important purpose to guarantee faculty members are able to reach all students that they will interact with in such a diverse setting, according to The Hill. 

Kornbluth has been under a microscope after testifying in late 2023 before Congress about antisemitism on college campuses. Alongside former presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, Claudine Gay and Liz Magill, Kornbluth was the only one who kept her job after the hearing.

RELATED CONTENT: Iowa Universities Set To Close DEI Offices In Summer 2024

Danessa Myricks, Met Gala
by Stacy Jackson

May 9, 2024

Danessa Myricks Beauty Products Had Celebrities Glowing On Met Gala Red Carpet

Danessa Myricks Beauty products were essential to complete Met Gala looks for Taraji P. Henson, Usher, Colman Domingo, and Lala Anthony.

Celebrities graced the 2024 Met Gala red carpet on May 6 with radiant looks, thanks to the exceptional artistry of celebrity makeup artists who committed to using the versatile products from Danessa Myricks Beauty, a brand founded by the self-taught makeup guru Danessa Myricks.

Myricks’ multifunctional cosmetics are a staple in the makeup kits of numerous A-listers and left Hollywood entertainers like Taraji P. Henson, Usher, and Colman Domingo with flawless, snatched faces during Monday’s event. “Our high-performing products give makeup artists and consumers alike the freedom to play outside the box,” Myricks stated on her website.

Henson’s makeup artist, Saisha Beechman, credited Danessa Myricks Beauty as essential for the actress’s stunning Met Gala look. “For @tarajiphenson ‘s look today, I wanted to go with pastel colors, especially pink, to bring out the subtle hombre of pinks in her gown,” she wrote on Instagram, detailing the beat.

She prepped the “Proud Mary” star’s face with the Yummy Skin Water before going in with a mixture of the Yummy Skin Tint #9 and Vision Cream Cover Palette, using W04 as her foundation color and working in W01 for her concealer throughout the T-zone. The Balm Contour was the next product to reach for to enhance dimension in the perimeter of Henson’s face and the bridge of her nose. Color Fix Pastels and the Yummy Skin Blush pulled the pink look together on her eyelids and cheekbones, topped off with Colorfix Clear Glaze.

BLACK ENTERPRISE was told via email that Myricks’ complexion products also delivered flawless male grooming applications for clients Colman Domingo and Usher.

Domingo’s makeup artist, Jamie Richmond, aimed for an all-day Met Gala glow, starting with hydration and the Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint to master an even complexion. “Since this is the Met, we’re pushing his glow a bit and using Colorfix Liquid Metal in Licla Flame mixed with his skin tint to pop on the high points of his face,” Richmond said.

Usher’s makeup artist, Lola Okanlawon, praised the Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder, stating it “offers a transformative experience for male grooming, providing a flawless and natural look that enhances features without looking or feeling heavy.” Jaden Smith’s makeup artist, Pircilla Pae, also used the Blurring Balm Powder to achieve a soft matte look for the “Icon” rapper.

Other hit products in the male celebrities’ Met Gala routines included the Vision Cream Cover concealer, Yummy Skin Water Powder Serum, Colorfix Liquid Metal, Colorfix Mattes, and Nudes.

Aurora James’ and Lala Anthony’s flawless Met Gala faces were also achieved with Danessa Myricks Beauty products. While the makeup was a hit, some of the beauty brand’s tools made an appearance inside the Met Gala glam rooms. Serena Williams’ makeup artist reached for brushes from the brand’s collaboration with MyKitCo. Makeup artists also went to work with the Yummy Skin Velour Puff and Microfiber Velvet Sponge.

While the stars showcased Myricks’ brand at the exclusive event, the makeup pro said she initially launched her beauty line to challenge industry norms and offer products for all faces, especially those underrepresented or overlooked by mainstream brands.

RELATED CONTENT: Fake AI Photos Of Rihanna At Met Gala Trick Social Media Users

Flowers
by Jeffrey McKinney

May 9, 2024

Flowers, Special Outings Among Top Gifts As Mother’s Day Spending Expected To Hit $33.5B

A fresh survey projects consumers will celebrate Mother's Day by spending $33.5 billion on the holiday this year.

With Mother’s Day close at hand, Americans are expected to spend $33.5 billion to make it memorable.

That amount would make Mother Day’s spending this year the second-highest, just behind a record $35.7 billion last year, based on the annual consumer survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Consumers, on average, plan to disburse $254.04 on Mother’s Day gifts and galas, the second-highest per-person figure and down from last year’s banner level of $274.02. The largest spenders are projected to be ages 35-44, anticipated to budget an average of $345.75 to celebrate the special ladies.

“Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who play a meaningful role in our lives,” stated NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Retailers know the significant importance of this day and are ready to help their customers with a wide selection of meaningful gifts for loved ones to show their appreciation.”

According to a news release, and in line with prior years, the most popular gifts to give are flowers (74%), greeting cards (74%), and special outings like dinner or brunch (59%).

Consumers will spend $7 billion on jewelry, $5.9 billion on special outings, and $3.5 billion on electronics. Total spending on flowers is expected to hit $3.2 billion, and $1.1 billion on greeting cards this year.

Gifts that are thoughtful will be preeminent with many Mother’s Day shoppers. More will center on identifying and presenting items that are rare (48%) or create a special memory (43%) than in past years.

Nearly 60% of those celebrating the holiday are shopping specifically for a mother or stepmother, followed by a wife (22%) or daughter (12%).

“Even though consumers continue to gravitate toward classic Mother’s Day gifts like flowers and greeting cards, almost one-third plan to give a gift of experience this year,” Prosper Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist stated. “Consumers also plan to spend more on special outings than they have in the past.”

Pertaining to where people are shopping, online this year retained the most popular destination, with department stores (32%), specialty stores (29%), and local or small businesses (25%) coming next.

ID License Deadline. TSA
by Sharelle B. McNair

May 9, 2024

One More Year: Real ID License Deadline Set To May 2025 

Time to get real....

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is giving U.S. travelers until May 2025 to get the new Real ID license if they plan on traveling. 

The Real ID mandate is due in part to a larger act passed by Congress in 2005 to set “minimum security standards” regarding the distribution of identification materials–including driver’s licenses. That means that federal agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)  or DHS will no longer be able to accept state-issued IDs without the Real ID seal.

The only difference between the state-issued forms of ID and the new Real ID is a unique stamp in the right-hand corner. The mark stamped depends on the state.

Initially, the compliance was scheduled to occur in 2020, but the department pushed it back due to a transaction backlog“ at motor vehicle departments across the country. 

While most U.S. citizens may think the new regulation is solely for boarding flights, using the new card can help secure access to nuclear power plants or other facilities. Real IDs cannot be used to travel internationally, including bordering countries like Canada and Mexico. Officials say travelers don’t necessarily have to get one if TSA accepts other forms of ID. But a new ID is required if another form isn’t available and there are travel plans in the near future.  

TSA will still accept state-issued Enhanced Driver’s Licenses, U.S. passports or passport cards, DHS trusted traveler cards, U.S. Department of Defense IDs, permanent resident cards, border crossing cards, and acceptable photo IDs issued by a federally recognized tribal nation or Indian tribe.

According to DHS, enhanced driver’s licenses—only found in Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont—will be considered notable alternatives to the new cards. 

To secure a Real ID, travelers must visit a local Department of Motor Vehicles. Each state has different regulations, so the documents needed to verify a person’s identity may vary. DHS says that, at minimum, those interested in securing a Real ID will be asked to give their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of address, and lawful status.

Travelers who don’t have a REAL ID will still be able to fly, but according to The Hill, once the May 7, 2025, deadline arrives, persons 18 years old and older will be required to have one to come through U.S. airports.

Atlanta, Sundance Film Festival
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 9, 2024

Atlanta Submits Proposal To Become New Host Of The Sundance Film Festival

Atlanta is bidding to become the new home of the Sundance Film Festival.

Atlanta is among the cities bidding to become the next official host of the coveted Sundance Film Festival.

The burgeoning “Hollywood of the South” has submitted a proposal to possibly house the nation’s largest annual film festival, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Others that expressed interest include San Francisco, upstate New York, and Savannah, Georgia.

With its evolving infrastructure and entertainment scene, Atlanta could be the perfect location once Sundance leaves Park City, Utah, in 2027.

“Atlanta has become a major part of the Hollywood story economically and culturally and also, it’s clear, this is one of the cultural epicenters of the United States of America,” Deadline Executive Editor Dominic Patten said.

“Atlanta, unlike a lot of the other cities that might think they can get Sundance, has the infrastructure, has the theaters, has the screens, has the hotel rooms, has the airport.”

The Sundance Film Festival has grown in prominence and recognition since its inception in 1985. Always held in Park City, Utah, the festival boosts the local economy, generating $118 million in revenue. Last year’s festival sold nearly 140,000 tickets and saw over 20,000 attendees worldwide.

The annual festival is an essential event for independent and aspiring filmmakers. Many films are premiered at the festival ahead of box office openings later in the year.

Submissions for potential new Sundance host locations closes on June 21. Whichever city is selected will benefit from all the profit and status the festival brings.

“You’re looking at the restaurants, you’re looking at the hotel occupancy, you’re looking at the prestige that comes as well,” Patten said.

While Sundance leaving Park City is a possibility, some remain skeptical that the city will let the big event leave without trying to renew its contract.

“It’s hard to imagine this amounting to much more than a tactic to negotiate a better deal with Park City when it comes time to renew their contract in 2026,” Director Raymond Wood, whose film Faceless After Dark just played at the Atlanta Film Festival, told GBP News.

“Unlike other world-renowned institutions such as the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the World Cup, the Sundance Film Festival is historically and culturally linked with a particular city, and that experience in that location has become a cornerstone of the festival’s legacy.”

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target, DEI, RICE
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2024

San Francisco Woman Found Guilty After Stealing More Than $60,000 Of Merchandise From Target

Aziza Graves was found guilty after being accused of taking items to the self-checkout lane and putting in wrong prices and then selling the merchandise for higher prices

A woman who was convicted of stealing more than $60,000 from Target while using the self-checkout lane is facing more than three years in prison.

A press release from the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office revealed that 43-year-old Aziza Graves, a San Francisco resident, was found guilty of one felony count of grand theft in violation and 52 misdemeanor counts of petty theft. The thefts all occurred at Target in Stonestown Galleria in San Francisco. Graves was also convicted of another count of misdemeanor petty theft for an incident at an Abercrombie and Fitch store in San Francisco.

Prosecutors alleged that the 43-year-old went to Target multiple times between October 3, 2020, and November 16, 2021. They accused her of stealing items that totaled more than $60,000 during that time. She would pick up merchandise and head to the self-checkout counter, scan each item, pay a nominal amount, typically a single coin or bill, and then leave the store with the items.

She would then take the items and sell them at UN Plaza  to anyone who passed by her. Investigators from the San Francisco District Attorneys’ Investigative Bureau and the San Francisco Police Department’s Burglary Unit followed Graves several times and witnessed her selling the merchandise.

“Retail theft continues to have a major impact on San Francisco businesses from the small mom-and-pop corner store to the large retail stores,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in a written statement. “Individuals such as Aziza Graves commit egregious thefts through brazen and repeated conduct that greatly impacts retailers’ ability to operate and serve the general public in their area. These crimes demand accountability, and we need to send the message to others who engage in open and brash thefts that, with the support of our local law enforcement partners, our office will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved. This verdict emphasizes that the citizens of San Francisco will not tolerate these offenders who attempt to take advantage of our business community.”

She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24 and faces more than three years in state prison.

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