Reggie bush, Heisman, reputation, USC Heisman, trophy
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 26, 2024

Reggie Bush Gets Heisman Trophy Reinstated

“The allegations brought against me were unfounded and unsupported by evidence, and I am grateful that the truth is finally prevailing.”

Former NFL running back Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy while attending USC (University of Southern California) in 2005. He relinquished the honor in 2010 after NCAA officials discovered he accepted improper benefits. After fighting for years to get the trophy back, the NCAA reinstated the honor on April 24.

The Heisman Trust announced that it reinstated Bush due to changes in college athletics over the past couple of years.

“I have always acted with integrity and in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth by the NCAA,” Bush said. “The allegations brought against me were unfounded and unsupported by evidence, and I am grateful that the truth is finally prevailing.”

The trust said he would get the trophy back while USC will receive a replica of the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding player in college football. The replica will be placed alongside the university’s seven other Heisman trophies the storied school has won. Starting in December, Bush will be invited back to all future Heisman ceremonies.

“We are thrilled to welcome Reggie Bush back to the Heisman family in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments,” Michael Comerford, the president of the Heisman Trust, said in a written statement. “We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the Trophy for Reggie. We are so happy to welcome him back.”

The Heisman Trust said that the NCAA’s new rules allowing player athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness have reversed the decision because of the NIL deals afforded college students today.

“Recognizing that the compensation of student-athletes is an accepted practice and appears here to stay, these fundamental changes in college athletics led the Trust to decide that now is the right time to return the Trophy to Bush, who unquestionably was the most outstanding college football player of 2005.”

ESPN reported that Bush was given his Heisman Trophy at the end of a summit meeting on April 24 outside Jacksonville, Florida.

Atlanta Dream, naz hillmon, WNBA, Basketball, Season Ticket
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 26, 2024

Atlanta Dream Sells Out Season Ticket Allotment After Complaints Of Location Restrictions

To 'prevent brokers from acquiring large quantities of tickets,' only Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina fans were able to purchase season tickets

With the viewership for Women’s basketball at an all-time high, the Atlanta Dream announced location restrictions on ticket sales on April 21, according to Fox 5 Atlanta, which caused fans to become angry with the WNBA team.

The team stated on their social media profile that they were selling tickets in this way due to “unprecedented demand” before tickets were available. Only fans in the surrounding area were able to purchase presale tickets. Residents of Georgia, of course, as well as people living in Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina, will have a chance to buy tickets to “prevent brokers from acquiring large quantities of tickets.”

Various complaints from social media users and fans of the WNBA team were seen before the presale started. Yet, the demand was so great that the Dream became the second WNBA team in league history after the Las Vegas Aces became the first to sell out the season ticket allotment. Their largest single day of ticket sales took place on April 21, when they sold out five games for the Gateway Center Arena.

“After making the playoffs for the first time in five years last season, our fans have carried that momentum into 2024. Excitement around women’s sports, particularly basketball, is at an all-time high and nowhere is that felt more than here in Atlanta,” Dream President and COO Morgan Shaw Parker said in a written statement. “We’ve continued a record-setting growth trajectory over the past three years under new ownership – both on and off the court – and 2024 is shaping up to be our best season yet.”

The general public can still purchase tickets for all remaining games starting on April 25 at 8 a.m. A waitlist has already been started for additional season tickets.

The Atlanta Dream will play their first regular season game on May 15 in California against the Los Angeles Sparks. The first season home game will be on May 21 against the Dallas Wings.

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers, NBA, Basketball, Racial Slur
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 26, 2024

Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Reveals Milwaukee Bucks Fan Hurled Racial Slur At His Younger Brother

'My little brother in the stands the other day was called the N-word.'

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, currently participating in an NBA playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, has stated that his younger brother was called a racial slur by an opposing fan during the opening game of the first-round series.

According to The Athletic, he spoke about the troubling incident after his team beat the Bucks in game two on April 23 at the Fiserv Forum in Wisconsin. Haliburton happens to be a native of Wisconsin who grew up in Oshkosh, which is about 90 minutes from Milwaukee. Although he said it was good to be back in his home state of Wisconsin, he was bothered by what his brother had to experience.

“My little brother in the stands the other day was called the N-word,” Haliburton said. “It was important for us as a family to just address that. That was important for us to talk about because that didn’t sit right with anybody in our family. It’s just been important to have my family here right now, and my little brother’s handled that the right way.”

The Associated Press reported that the Bucks were informed of the incident.

“An arena guest services representative reported that during Sunday’s game, a few guests were not sitting in their correct seats,” a Bucks spokesman responded. “The guest services representative asked the group to move one section over to their correct seats. Then, one of the individuals in the group claimed to the representative that a person sitting in front of him had used a derogatory term toward him. The accused person denied the accusation. The group moved to their correct seats, and no further incident was reported.”

Haliburton is playing in his first NBA playoff series. On April 23, he scored 12 points and dished out 12 assists in a 125-108 win to help the Pacers even the series at 1-1. The next game will take place in Indianapolis on April 26.

Last week, USA Basketball announced that Haliburton was added to the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team for the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024. The games are slated to be played between July 26 and Aug. 11, 2024.

Fantasia, Mahogany Brunch, Pinky Cole, Barrino
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 26, 2024

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

Fantasia Berrino will sit down for a fireside chat and Pinky Cole Hayes will be honored at the first-ever Mahogany Honors Brunch.

Hallmark Mahogany is hosting its first-ever honors brunch, during which several distinguished Black women will receive their much-deserved flowers.

The inaugural Mahogany Honors Brunch will take place on Sunday, April 28, at the InterContinental Buckhead in Atlanta. It will feature a fireside chat with Fantasia Barrino and celebrate 30 pioneering women whose work helps fuel progress within the Black community. Honorees include Pinky Cole Hayes, Eva Marcille, Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon, Malinda Williams, and more.

The developing ceremony aims to celebrate Black women who have served as trailblazers, community leaders, cultural icons, and unheralded heroes within their respective domains while inspiring attendees to proclaim their own paths to leadership.

“At Mahogany, in all that we create, we are intentional in being a gathering place for Black women to connect with each other, celebrate their culture, sisterhood and community,” said Alexis Kerr, vice president of Hallmark Mahogany.

“With our first-ever Mahogany Honors awards experience this Spring, we are honored to deepen our commitment to champion curated
spaces that acknowledge and affirm the unique experiences and contributions of Black women.”

Others who will be awarded include HGTV star Egypt Sherrod; Kirk Franklin’s wife, motivational speaker Tammy Franklin; actress and costume designer Crystal Renee Hayslett; financial educator Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche; communications specialist Alex Ebanks; and more. During the four-hour event, attendees will have the chance to eat, be enlightened, and shop for Mahogany products.

“Brunch, shop, and celebrate at Mahogany Honors! Join us for an experience filled with delicious brunch bites, a specially curated marketplace featuring Black entrepreneurs and businesses, and our special guest, Award-Winning Musician, Actress and Entrepreneur Fantasia,” the brand shared on Instagram.

The ceremony follows Hallmark Mahogany’s recent expansion to include the Mahogany.com website dedicated to serving the unique lifestyles of Black women, the brand’s first movie franchise, and all-new scripted podcast series. Early-bird tickets for Mahogany Honors are available now at Mahogany.com.

Edward R. Dudley, Roanoke
by Daniel Johnson

April 26, 2024

Roanoke, Virginia To Honor Ambassador, Civil Rights Leader Edward R. Dudley

Pre-Brown v. Board of Education, Dudley worked as a special assistant counsel to Thurgood Marshall at the Legal Defense and Education Fund and primarily worked on cases that sought the admission of Black students to universities in Southern states, equal pay for Black teachers, the abolition of segregated public transit, and voting rights for Black people.

Edward R. Dudley, who made history as the United States’ first Black ambassador in 1949 when he was appointed the U.S. ambassador to Liberia, will be honored in his hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, with a historical marker placed near his childhood home. 

As Cardinal News reported, Dudley has an impressive resume, but his contributions to civil rights have been overlooked. Pre-Brown v. Board of Education, Dudley worked as a special assistant counsel to Thurgood Marshall at the Legal Defense and Education Fund and primarily worked on cases that sought the admission of Black students to universities in Southern states, equal pay for Black teachers, the abolition of segregated public transit, and voting rights for Black people. 

Due to advocacy from New York’s Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia in 1945, Dudley became the legal advisor to the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman made him an envoy of Liberia ahead of the establishment of an embassy in Liberia in 1949, which made Dudley the first Black person to serve as an ambassador for the United States of America. 

Dudley did not, however, turn a blind eye to injustices within the State Department, calling attention to their culture of “pale, male, and Yale” that his son, Edward Dudley Jr., says likely cost him any further advancement, but it opened up doors for those coming into the department behind him. 

Ruth Davis, the first Black woman to be named a career ambassador and the former director general of the U.S. Foreign Service, paid tribute to Dudley’s paved roads in a documentary about his life, African-American Trailblazers in Diplomacy. “If you don’t have African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans, you name it — if you don’t have these people, you don’t have a Foreign Service that is reflective of the population, so it is very important to have that diversity, so that we will have the diversity of thought as well as diversity of appearance.”

His son, likewise, is proud of the doors his father opened, telling Cardinal News, “That’s one of the things I’m most proud of. It was a situation where Black people were pigeonholed into hardship posts and sent to Black countries. As a result of his paper, which was at great risk to himself, and as a result, he wasn’t even considered again for promotion, he really changed the State Department.”

Dudley returned to working for the NAACP upon his return to the U.S. in 1953; two years later, he was appointed to judge on the Family Court in Manhattan, his first judicial appointment. In 1964, Dudley was elected to New York’s state Supreme Court, where he remained until his retirement in 1985. However, it was not until Nelson Harris, a former Mayor of Roanoke and an avid historian, was writing a book, The Roanoke Valley in the 1940s, that Dudley’s name began to receive recognition. 

Harris and the Roanoke NAACP are currently working towards securing the $3,410 required to pay for the historical marker, which will be created by a foundry in Ohio.  Dudley Jr would like for the Roanoke community and the state of Virginia to be proud that they helped produce such an exceptional figure, telling Cardinal News, “He was a civil rights leader and a special guy in that when he was in a position of power he wanted to bring in more Blacks,” Dudley said. “People should really know what an exceptional person he was. I’d like them to know about him and be proud that he was a Virginian.”

Kevin Hart, Gran Coramino Tequila
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 26, 2024

Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino Tequila Blesses Over 100 Small Black And Latinx Businesses With More Than $1M

'The Coramino Fund was created to provide support to some of the hardest working people out there — entrepreneurs and small business owners.'

Less than two years ago, Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino Tequila announced a program, in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), that would help fund Black and Latinx small business owners and entrepreneurs, The Coramino Fund. It was recently revealed that more than $1 million in grants were given to 100 small businesses during that time to create jobs and help grow businesses in their communities.

The comedian and entrepreneur introduced the fund in November 2022 with his business partner, Juan Domingo Beckmann. Since then, The Coramino Fund received more than 35,000 grant applications from various businesses within retail, transportation, food services, educational services, and more. Most recently, the fund has awarded $10,000 in grants to 50 small companies. Of those receiving funds, 52% are Black-owned, 36% are Latinx-owned, and 12% are Black and Latinx-owned. 67% of them are women-owned businesses.

“As an entrepreneur myself, I’ve seen how early financial support can impact the long-term success of the business. The Coramino Fund was created to provide support to some of the hardest-working people out there—entrepreneurs and small business owners,” said Kevin Hart in a written statement.

The Coramino Fund supports underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs in Mexico with local impact partners.

“Small businesses are the economic backbone of communities,” said Michael T. Pugh, LISC president and CEO, “but many owners lack fair access to the capital and services they need to grow. We are grateful to Gran Coramino Tequila for recognizing the systemic barriers that impact the success of underrepresented entrepreneurs and developing a give-back strategy to help address them. When we invest in these businesses,” he added, “we are also investing in the well-being of the communities where they operate.”

Hart was recently honored by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the 25th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The program, which took place on March 24, 2024, will premiere on Netflix on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

economic, Retirement, Savings, retirees, COLA, social security, contribute, IRA, IRS, payments, cost-of-living adjustments, contributions, boomers
by Jameelah Mullen

April 26, 2024

1 In 5 Americans Ages 50+ Have No Retirement Savings

Experts warn of an impending “retirement crisis.”

A study conducted by the AARP found that 20% of adults over the age of 50 have no retirement savings. More than 70% of those surveyed cited rising housing costs as the top reason why it has been difficult for them to put money aside for the future. 

Additionally, data showed that saving for retirement didn’t necessarily lead to feelings of financial security. Of the participants who had savings plans, more than a third of them said that the rising cost of living may leave them unable to sustain themselves during their golden years. More than a quarter of Americans said they expect to never retire. 

Nearly one-third of older adults said they carry a credit card balance of $10K or more, while 12% have a balance of $20K or more. This is an 8% increase from last year.

“America is facing a serious retirement crisis. AARP has a long history of supporting legislation to expand access to retirement savings, but Congress must act more swiftly to provide the financial support older Americans need and deserve. But about two-thirds of states have yet to act, and we await action from the federal government,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. 

Social Security and Medicare will also have an impact on Americans’ ability to retire; the most recent annual report shows that the programs will run out of funds to pay full benefits by 2035.  

Congress is considering legislation that would help increase retirement security. The Bipartisan Retirement Savings Act of 2023 and the Automatic IRA Act of 2024 would both provide retirement savings accounts to eligible workers without employer-sponsored retirement plans. 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, and Virginia have already implemented automatic IRA programs. Ten, including New York, Minnesota, and Nevada have passed legislation but have yet to implement their programs.

Black Business Leader, The Exchange
by Stacy Jackson

April 25, 2024

Black Business Leaders Share Their Stories In New Article Series From ‘The Exchange’

The new article series features in-depth interviews with distinguished Black business and finance trailblazers.

The Exchange, an initiative spearheaded by Deloitte and a consortium of Black-owned local publishers, has unveiled a new branded article series spotlighting Black business leaders.

Article content, penned by journalists from participating pilot program publishers, has been specially curated for diverse audiences, a press release stated. The Exchange aims to financially empower diverse-owned local publishers, deliver specialized business insights to their audiences, and forge a new collaborative model to ultimately enhance equity across the media landscape.

They feature in-depth interviews with distinguished Black business and finance trailblazers such as LaTanya Flix, senior VP of DEI at the Greater Houston Partnership; Valerie Montgomery Rice, the first woman president to lead two HBCU medical schools; and Bruce Brooks, CEO of Craft3 lending firm. Profiles spotlight Deloitte leaders driving change for underrepresented communities and cover a range of topics like community service, advice for young professionals, health equity, training Black doctors, and lending equity for small businesses.

The Defender Network CEO, Sunny Messiah Jiles, stated, “Diverse voices matter, and we believe it is important to amplify these voices and increase knowledge sharing through a series on successful Black business leaders.” The network supports Deloitte’s vision to “recognize the potential of this project, which helps highlight individuals from underserved communities while supporting local, diverse-owned publishers.” Jiles expects future campaigns to “support local news and generate audience engagement through valuable content about a range of topics and industries.”

Article publishers include The Atlanta Voice, New York Amsterdam News, Houston Defender Network, AFRO-American Newspapers (Baltimore and D.C.), and The Seattle Medium.

Audience responses have been resoundingly positive, according to Knotch’s content intelligence platform. Readers with positive feedback expressed, “The content was inspirational.” The leadership series has garnered a 62% viewership boost compared to the previous series.

The Exchange is funded through Deloitte’s US Purpose Office and managed by the Local Media Association and the Local Media Consortium. The new series and publisher profiles are available to viewers now.

Black Twitter, Hulu, Docuseries, Kamau bell, Prentice Penny, X
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 25, 2024

Hulu Releases Trailer For Three-Part Docuseries On The History Of Black Twitter

An official trailer teases what viewers can expect from Hulu's Black Twitter documentary.

After much debate on social media, Hulu has unveiled the official trailer for their three-part documentary on the Black Twitter community.

The trailer, released on Thursday, April 24, teases what viewers can expect from “A People’s History of Black Twitter” coming to Hulu on May 9. Directed by “Insecure” showrunner Prentice Penny and based on Jason Parham’s Wired article of the same name, the docuseries unwraps the history, impact, and future of Black users on the platform, now known as X.

The trailer kicks off with a few commentators reading tweets posted under the #UKnowUrBlackWhen hashtag before sharing what sites were used as digital communal spaces before Black Twitter became a thing.

“Black Twitter created a space to experience things together,” one person says while clips show a list of Black Twitter communities including #HotepTwitter, #BlackMusicTwitter, #HBCUTwitter, and many more.

The doc features commentary from Black Twitter users like journalists Jemele Hill, Wesley Lowery and April Reign, authors Roxane Gay and Luvvie Ajayi, trans activist Raquel Willis, comedian W. Kamau Bell, The Read podcast co-host Kid Fury, and many more. It serves as Penny’s nonfiction directorial debut.

“When I was looking for my next project, Black Twitter: A People’s History excited me because I knew it would be a challenge and make me feel scared again creatively,” Penny tells Essence. “ If we don’t document our history, who will?”

“Making this docuseries with Onyx Collective showed me that the power was never in the platform; it was always in us,” he added. “As expected, Black Twitter has many thoughts, and I can’t wait to see who all gon’ be there on May 9!”

The doc first premiered at SXSW in March and Penny shared how it will highlight the new-age activism it provided users from the power of their smartphone.

“That’s what I really love about what Black Twitter represents,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “Black Twitter allows Black people all across the world to galvanize in a way that you can’t afford to do in so many other ways, but you can do on this platform because money isn’t a deterrent to access.”

RELATED CONTENT: The House Voted To Ban TikTok, But The App Isn’t Done Just Yet

Stephen A. Smith, Trump, YouTube, apologize, Stephen A. Smith
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 25, 2024

Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Claiming Trump Is ‘Relatable’ To The Black Community Amid Criminal Trial

Stephen A. Smith apologizes to the Black community for his comments on Donald Trump.

Stephen A. Smith is backtracking comments he made on Fox News last week where he called Donald Trump “relatable” to the Black community due to his ongoing criminal trial.

The famed sports commentator took to his YouTube channel on Monday, April 22, to issue a formal apology to the Black community for speaking on their behalf while on Sean Hannity’s show last week. Smith offered “one last” explanation of what he was trying to say and how his message got misconstrued in the media.

“I’m fully aware that I have been in the news the last few days. Paraded all over social media as well after comments I made on Fox News’ Hannity last week…A lot of folks in Black America seem pretty pissed at me right now,” he said before the noting those he offended, which included family, friends, and even the NAACP.

“Quite a few folks were offended as my words were interpreted as associating support for Trump by the Black community with all the legal issues he’s facing. For that, I sincerely apologize. I’m stating right here for the record that I was taken out of context.”

Smith noted how offended he was by his words being misinterpreted while taking accountability and ownership for what he said and how it upset the people he represents. He went on to call out Trump’s “history of issues” that would warrant Black people not supporting his campaign.

“We’ll never forget how Trump claimed Obama, the nation’s first Black president, wasn’t even qualified to hold office because he was born in Kenya,” Smith said.

Going back to Trump’s current success in the polls surrounding the 2024 presidential election, Smith brought attention to headlines from major media publications sharing stories that highlight Trump’s growing support among communities of color.

“I read. I listened and I’m seeing a momentum shift,” Smith said about his comments on Fox News. “Anywhere I appear, no matter my subjectivity related to what I feel, is still going to be based on facts being presented into the stratosphere. But it’s never exercised with malice on my heart and certainly never to assault or harm the Black community, my community…Just because my intent was harmless, doesn’t mean my words will harm less, and I know that.”

His message came days after he sat down with Sean Hannity and seemingly credited Trump’s growing support with Black voters to his ongoing criminal trial on alleged election fraud and hush money.

“As much as people may have been abhorred by Donald Trump’s statement weeks ago talking about how black folks he is hearing that black folks find him relatable because of what he is going through it is similar to what black Americans have gone through he wasn’t lying, he was telling the truth,” Smith told Hannity.

The NAACP wasted no time calling out the “First Take” host for seemingly defending Trump’s statements and reports of him being “relatable” to Black people.

RELATED CONTENT: John Legend Cites Examples Of Donald Trump Treating Black People As ‘Inferior’

×