Angel Jackson, WNBA, HBCU
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 16, 2024

Angel Jackson Lone HBCU Player Picked in WNBA Draft

Angel Jackson of the Jackson State Tigers will begin her historic WNBA career with the Las Vegas Aces.

Angel Jackson has made HBCU history as she embarks on her WNBA career. The former Jackson State player scored the final slot in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Jackson will enter the professional sports world with the Las Vegas Aces, the team announced during the draft selection on April 15. The Aces, who recently won back-to-back WNBA Championships, selected the HBCU star as the No. 36 pick overall in the third round.

Jackson originally began her collegiate career with the University of Southern California before transferring to the Mississippi HBCU. At Jackson State, the 6’6″ athlete averaged 9.6 points and 7.0 rebounds, and she helped win regular season championships two years in a row. Jackson also became SWAC’s Defensive Player of the Year twice during her two seasons in the conference, per Sports Illustrated.

Her dominance in the SWAC made her a viable contender for this year’s WNBA Draft, leading to her selection in the last round. Thus far, Jackson State has produced the last two WNBA draftees from an HBCU. Ameshya Williams-Holliday was selected by the Indiana Fever during the 2022 Draft but was released before the season’s start.

However, if Jackson does make it to the official roster, she could become the second-ever HBCU draftee to play in the WNBA. The first to ever do so was Andrea Gardner, who played for the Washington Mystics in 2008.

Her selection into the WNBA is a big win for HBCU sports, with Jackson State Coach Tomekia Reid congratulating her former player on the accomplishment.

“I’m super proud of Angel Jackson on being selected tonight for the Las Vegas Aces,” Reed told the Clarion Ledger. She came into our program doing great things and never looked back. She trusted our leadership, and we were able to develop her into an amazing player. I have watched her improve tremendously over the years.

She added, “I am proud that we are able to do great things right in our HBCU community. I know Angel will do a great job once she lands in Vegas. She loves the game and has worked hard for this moment. I plan on being there with her for a brief moment when she touches in Vegas. I’m so happy her dream has come true. I am one proud coach.”

The WNBA season will begin on May 14 as Jackson prepares to make history yet again.

RELATED CONTENT: Calls For Equal Pay Mount After WNBA Draftees’ Salaries Revealed

SPACES by Premier, Charlotte, Black-Owned
by Sharelle B. McNair

April 16, 2024

Charlotte’s New Black-Owned Event Venue Is The ‘Premier’ Space To Be

Looking for the best event space in Charlotte? Try SPACES!

A new all-in-one Black-owned space is now open in Charlotte, North Carolina, to host local events. 

SPACES by Premier hopes to be the go-to spot for gatherings of all kinds. SPACES (Social and Professional Areas for Creative Events and Services) is owned by local pharmacist and entrepreneur Martez Prince, who said the idea came to him after he had difficulty finding affordable venues for his nonprofit. 

Prince told QCity Metro the 3,000-square-foot “blank canvas” venue is available for various events—from fashion shows to weddings to corporate meetings. The goal is to “inspire and work with other businesses, small businesses, and things like that.” 

As owner of Premier Pharmacy and Wellness Center and founder of the nonprofit Premier Foundation of North Carolina, the 38-year-old thinks having access to explore different event ideas is critical for business development. “I really want to see people take that space and sort of test the market,” Prince said. 

SPACES also has the perfect setup for creative vendors. The foyer is described as a holding space for guests that features pre-event cocktails or networking capabilities for guests before they enter the main space. With a 150-person capacity, or 100 for a seated dinner, there may be room for live music events or podcasts. 

With exposed beams, high ceilings, and a “prop door,” the main room accommodates indoor and outdoor events, including photoshoots. It also hosts a dressing suite, prep kitchen, and a variety of tables and chairs. “It’s multi-purpose, multifunctional. It was really designed to become anything that you can imagine,” Prince said.

The venue is close to Prince’s Pharmacy, located on Monroe Rd. In addition to serving the community with an affordable event space and medicine selections, Premier hosts an on-site clinic staffed with a family nurse practitioner prepared to diagnose and treat non-urgent issues such as ear infections and allergy symptoms. 

The clinic also performs basic health screenings with physicals and immunizations. 

Rates for the venue are $150 per hour, with a minimum of three hours. Weekend rates hold the same minimum but for $300 per hour. Tables and chairs are included with all rentals. For an entire weekend day, the space costs $2,400. 

In the future, Prince says he hopes to elevate SPACES into a multi-location creative space, similar to “a millennial-type country club or city club.”

“The ideas are endless…I’m just excited to see what we can create,” Prince says.

DaBaby, lawsuit
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 16, 2024

Aspiring Artist Accuses DABABY Of Securing DABAG But Leaving Him Hanging

The rapper responds and offers to give that cash ($20K) to the women who were supposed to be featured in the video.

A 19-year-old aspiring hip-hop artist has taken to Instagram to accuse DaBaby of taking $20,000 of his money, of which he allegedly got $10,000 from his grandmother, to have the recording artist featured in his YouTube video. After he posted a video showing the recording artist walking off the set of the video, DaBaby responded to the young rapper’s accusation.

Michael Wright, who uses the moniker lahmikejr (Lah Mike) on Instagram, posted on his Instagram account that DaBaby was paid $20,000 and walked off the set after something happened with someone else at the shoot. He had a video clip showing DaBaby leaving, and he is telling his followers that his grandmother, who he says has cancer, gave him half of the money so he could realize his dream and that she could view the video before she died.

“I LOST 20k TODAY💔💔💔 .. @dababy RAN OF WITH 20K I PAID HIM FOR A VIDEO. I DID EVERYTHING I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. PLEASE DON’T SCAM ME, BRO; THIS IS MY LIVELIHOOD. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY BLOW UP VIDEO. MY WAY OUT. HOW IM POSED TO MAKE IT OUT IF I LOSE ALL MY VIDEOS?? IM 19 BRU PLEASE 🙏 GOD WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO GO BAD. I DONT EVEN HAVE A FULL VIDEO 😞 I SPENT MY LAST ON THAT & THIS HAPPENS??”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Wright (@lahmikejr)

DaBaby posted his own video on his Instagram Stories explaining why he left after one of his boys tried to clown him on video in front of everyone. Then, he accused La Mike of fabricating the story about his grandmother giving him the money.

“You coulda went viral the right way posting the video of me pressing yo patna w them big ass silver shorts on. That’s the type of s**t people wanna see, kid,” he wrote.

WARNING: ADULT LANGUAGE

AllHipHop reported that Lah Mike is a content creator with a YouTube channel doing a 20 vs. 1 series taping. Typically, the taping has 20 women versus a celebrity or another notable and vice versa, where there may be 20 men versus a known person. DaBaby offered to take the $20,000 and give $1,000 to each woman at the taping when this incident occurred over the weekend.

“I’m a give that $20,000 that you gave me, I’m a give it to them girls, them queens,” he stated. “Because they don’t need to be having no lame ass n**gas like you play with them no way.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Wright (@lahmikejr)

On his Instagram Live, he continued to chastise Lah Mike, once again repeating the claims that he made the grandmother story up and reiterated that the women who were at the shoot should be getting the money. DaBaby then posted one last message stating “CASE CLOSED” and also informed the women who were there to contact him so he could give him the money he promised them.

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Soap Opera, CBS, Sheila Ducksworth
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 16, 2024

Are We Ready For A Black Daytime Soap Opera?

CBS network has officially greenlit "The Gates," the first Black daytime soap opera in almost 35 years.

CBS has officially greenlit The Gates, the first Black daytime soap opera to air in almost 35 years.

Paramount Global said The Gates will premiere on CBS in January 2025, Deadline reports. The news came shortly after the broadcast network announced the cancellation of The Talk. It’s speculated that the soap opera will fill that time slot.

The series will follow a wealthy Black family living in an upscale gated community. It fills a major void of Black representation in daytime soap operas since Generations, which aired from 1989 to 1991.

Daytime Emmy award-winning writer Michele Val Jean will serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer on The Gates, bringing her years of experience writing for over 2,000 episodes of The Bold & The Beautiful and General Hospital. Joining her on the EP side include the president of the CBS Studios/NAACP venture, Sheila Ducksworth, as well as Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson, and Kimberly Doebereiner.

The show’s launch date, time slot, and cast will be announced later. The news comes one month after CBS announced its partnership with the NAACP to develop the daytime soap opera.

“The Gates will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective This series will salute an audience that has been traditionally underserved, with the potential to be a groundbreaking moment for broadcast television,” Duckworth said.

“With multi-dimensional characters, juicy storylines and Black culture front and center, The Gates will have impactful representation, one of the key touchstones of the venture. I’m excited to develop this project with CBS and P&G, two of the longest and most passionate champions of broadcast and daytime television, and the NAACP, whose enduring commitment to Black voices and artists is both powerful and inspiring.”

While Black characters have helped add to the storylines and representation of major daytime soap operas, there have been few daytime soaps featuring an all-Black cast. Generations has served as the first and only Black soap opera in over 30 years.

It was a 30-minute NBC show that followed generations of the Marshall and Whitmore families. By January 1991, it was canceled due to low ratings after 470 episodes. Over the years, the daytime soap opera scene would flourish in the ’90s but take a hit in the 2000s when TV viewership changed.

In 2011, NBC shocked many when it canceled All My Children and One Life to Live. Currently, only three surviving daytime soaps remain: The Young & the Restless, Bold & the Beautiful, and General Hospital.

Days of Our Lives moved from NBC to Peacock a few years back.

Lee Daniels’ Empire was considered a primetime soap when it aired on Fox from 2015 to 2020. Now The Gates will aim to carry on Generations’ legacy and possibly revive the daytime soap opera industry.

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Author Richard Williams (father of Venus and Serena Williams) and girlfriend Lakeisha Graham, House
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 16, 2024

House Owned By Richard Williams’ Ex-Wife May Be Taken From Her

Richard Williams' ex-wife, Lakeisha Williams, faces the loss of her home due to owing $636,000 in loans and back payments.

A house once owned by Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena, and alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by his former wife may be legally taken from her.

According to The Sun, Lakeisha Williams, who was married to Richard from 2009 until 2017, will find out from a Florida judge on April 22.

Lakeisha Williams  fell behind on a pre-arranged agreement to make payments for the $1.4 million four-bedroom mansion in Palm Beach. She currently owes over $600,000 to “hard lender” David Simon after allegedly receiving a $255,000 loan.

Radar Online reports she twice filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy to thwart the sale of the home in 2022. Both attempts were dismissed because she couldn’t keep up with the repayment arrangements.

Judge Mindy Mora warned Lakeisha that she was in danger of losing the house if she deviated from the financial arrangement.

“If the Modified Plan does not provide for payments to a secured creditor, such creditor is granted in rem stay relief to pursue available state court remedies against any property of the debtor which secures the creditor’s claim,” Mora’s order read.

The bankruptcy trustee has filed a motion to dismiss the case for non-compliance. Judge Mora will make a decision on April 22.

Lakeisha Williams lawyer, Elias Dsouza, wants to submit a new arrangement. She is suggesting a new five-year repayment plan starting with $8,241 for 25 months, $14,308 for the next four months, then $14,088 for the remaining 31 months.

She is currently behind $36,409 on top of the monthly repayments.

The Sun reported that Lakeisha Williams was accused of forging Richard’s signature on the mortgage deeds so she could receive a $255,000 loan from Simon. Court papers revealed that she wasted hundreds of thousands on a failed trucking business.

Simon has accused Lakeisha Williams spending all her income on “fast food and frivolities” but not paying anything toward what she owes him. He added that the house is in such disarray that it is uninsurable.

Mister Cee, Brooklyn, death, DJ, hip hop, Notorious B.I.G.
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 16, 2024

DJ Mister Cee’s Cause Of Death Revealed

The Medical Examiner of New York City determined that his cause of death was diabetes-related coronary artery/kidney disease.

The hip-hop world went into mourning after it was announced that DJ Mister Cee died on April 10. Now, his family has revealed the hip-hop legend’s cause of death.

According to a report by the Medical Examiner of New York City, DJ Mister Cee died from a diabetes-related coronary artery and kidney disease.

The family also released a statement.

“On behalf of the Lebrun, Wilson, and Calixte families, we want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support for our brother, uncle, and nephew Calvin “DJ Mister Cee” Lebrun in the wake of his untimely passing. It’s a huge loss for our entire family, the borough of Brooklyn and the entire Hip Hop Community…Details about the public funeral service will be announced shortly. We ask that you please respect the family’s privacy during this extremely difficult time. Thank you,” the family said in a written statement to the media outlet.

“The Finisher” was first introduced to the hip-hop world when he debuted as the DJ for Brooklyn emcee Big Daddy Kane after meeting the lyricist in high school in the 1980s. While Kane was making his way crafting his lyrics into masterpieces, Mister Cee was perfecting his DJ skills before Kane released his debut album, Long Live the Kane, in 1988.

Before making his mark on the radio airwaves, Mister Cee was behind another Brooklyn icon who was then an up-and-coming emcee. Christopher Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G., had Mister Cee in his corner from the inception of his burgeoning career and was partly, if not wholly, responsible for Biggie’s signing to Bad Boy Records.

While producing records, performing worldwide, and DJing events and parties, he was a mainstay as a popular radio DJ. He worked for Hot 97, RADIO 103.9, Rock the Bells Radio, and 94.7 The Block until his untimely death.

DJ Mister Cee was 57 years old.

2024 WNBA Draft, Equal pay, Salary
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 16, 2024

Calls For Equal Pay Mount After WNBA Draftees’ Salaries Revealed

Following the 2024 WNBA draft on April 15, the salaries of top draft picks has fans shocked at the low wages.

Calls for equal pay in sports are sounding again following the salary reveal for the newest WNBA draftees. Meager contracts for Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have fellow sports stars urging for better payouts.

Following the 2024 WNBA draft on April 15, news on what top draft picks take home their rookie year has fans shocked at the low wages. Angel Reese, drafted No. 7 overall to the Chicago Sky, will begin her first professional season earning $73,439. While it will grow by over $20,000 as she accrues more years with the team, she still will make less than a six-figure sum in the league. Sportstrac broke down the pay scale, as shared on X.

As for the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick, Caitlin Clark, her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever shared similar figures. Even through her first year, she will also make less than $100,000, according to On3. These low numbers have led other sports stars to speak out against the gender pay gap in sports.

NFL superstar Russell Wilson posted on X of his prayers for the new WNBA players, saying they “deserve” more for their talent.

“These ladies deserve so much more,” the Super Bowl champion shared. “Praying for the day.”

For comparison, salary minimums in the NBA start at $1.1 million. As for first-round draft picks, the top-selected players can make a maximum of over $10 million. While high-ranking WNBA players can make almost $250,000, it is a fraction of what the base-level NBA player receives.

Fortunately, notable players like Reese and Clark’s NIL deals still earn them millions, offsetting their professional salaries. Regardless, their situation is sparking new conversation on the pay gap in professional basketball and other sports.

As more eyes are expected to be on the WNBA’s upcoming season, the discussion of their salaries matching this enthusiasm will also take the main stage.

Tatyana Ali, Baby Yams, quilt, line, actress, maternal health week
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 16, 2024

Tatyana Ali Celebrates Black Maternal Health Week With Launch Of ‘Baby Yams’ Quilt Line

Ali shared how she acquired a knack for sewing while pregnant and filled her nursery with items she handmade.

Actress/singer Tatyana Ali has added seamstress and entrepreneur to her resume with the launch of her quilt line for babies.

The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star is celebrating Black Maternal Health Week by announcing her new labor of love, “Baby Yams,” a limited edition quilt line for kids. On April 12, one day into Black Maternal Health Week, Ali shared an Instagram announcement about the new launch.

“Happy Black Maternal Health Week! I have a couple announcements to make this week that I’m so excited about! I love to express my creativity in many ways, but I bet you didn’t know that I can sew!” she wrote in her caption.

“This #BlackMaternalHealthWeek I’m launching Baby Yams, a limited series of baby quilts that I can’t wait for you to see! Visit baby-yams.com (link in bio) & join the #BabyYamsFam to be first to hear about the launch!”

In a follow-up post, the “Bel-Air” star explained her inspiration for creating the quilt line after welcoming her two children. Ali shared how she acquired a knack for sewing while pregnant and filled her nursery with items she handmade.

“While expecting my youngest son, I made him a quilt with Ankara Fabric and got so many compliments on it that I thought others would like it as well,” she wrote. “I found answers. I found power. And, I want to share this feeling with other parents.”

After finding a midwife for her first pregnancy through the Reproductive Justice Community, Ali was moved to donate all proceeds from her limited edition quilt line to the “birth workers uniquely positioned to give our families the care we need.”

Photos show Ali hard at work inside her home working on the quilts her two young children make good use of. She shared more photos with the Black woman-owned manufacturing team that helped the actress bring her Ankara designs from Ghana to life on the quilts.

The baby quilt line aligns with Ali’s most recent onscreen work hosting Make Springhill’s chat around Black Maternal Health. Ali sat down with Kyla Pratt, Melanie Fiona, and more to get candid about the challenges Black mothers face in healthcare and the changes that need to be made.

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Sydney Carter, Texas women’s basketball
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 16, 2024

Texas Women’s Basketball Coach Sydney Carter Responds To Outfit Criticism: ‘I Can’t Help That I’m Curvy’

'My confidence offended people," University of Texas women's basketball coach Sydney Carter said.

Former Texas A&M’s women’s basketball coach, Sydney Carter, is responding to the criticism she receives for her courtside appearance.

The current Director of Player Development for women’s basketball at The University of Texas appeared on “Way Up With Angela Yee” last week where she explained her mindset when putting together her outfits. Carter isn’t trying to offend anyone when she decides what to wear on game day. The Texas A&M University alum just wants to wear what she feels comfortable in and can’t help that she’s “curvy.”

“My confidence offended people. To this day, I’m not apologizing for who I am because I was raised this way…It surprised me because, at the end of the day, I was just doing my job,” she told Yee.

“And like, I can’t help that I’m curvy. I can’t help that I like to dress a certain way and I’ve never been inappropriate. So, of course, to me, that’s surprising because it’s like, ‘What did I do wrong?'”

Fans showed their support for Carter and her fashion style. Many encouraged her to continue being herself and ignore the naysayers.

“The best dressed coach in HISTORY, mmkay?” one person wrote.

“Not a damned thing wrong. People are intimidated by beautiful, classy, confident Black Queens,” added someone else.

Her comments come two years after she faced criticism for wearing pink patent leather pants to game 22 of the season. When asked about the backlash, Carter credits the condemnation to some people being upset with Black women in leadership.

“I just think that people are uncomfortable with a Black woman being in a power position,” Carter told Yahoo Life. “When you see a Black woman who is actually confident and embracing herself, I think that that’s very intimidating.”

One look at Carter’s Instagram page and her love for fashion and basketball is evident. She’s setting a new tone in sports that reminds women how to slay and play at the same time.

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Black Mayor, Alabama, City Hall,lawsuit, election
by Sharelle B. McNair

April 16, 2024

Alabama Town Sued Over Refusal To Allow Black Mayor Serve Or Hold Elections 

Can you imagine not being allowed to vote?

The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) has filed a preliminary injunction lawsuit against a small town in Alabama to allow its citizens to vote after accusations of political manipulation. 

According to the lawsuit, the town of Newbern, Alabama hasn’t held a political election in decades, and white officials once refused to acknowledge the town’s first Black mayor, Patrick Braxton. Braxton assumed the position in 2020 by default after he filed for office and no one else did, including the incumbent mayor. 

Before Braxton filed, mayors in the small town — with a population of approximately 130 people and 90 minutes from the state capital of Montgomery — were appointed or ran unopposed and served for over ten years in some instances. LDF is working with Braxton to restore Newbern residents’ right to vote.

“For decades, officials in my town have excluded me and other voters from participating in elections and having a say in what happens here. Voting is not a privilege; it is a responsibility in helping to shape the direction and priorities of our community,” the mayor said in a statement. 

“We want to ensure our voices are heard and votes are counted. We ask the courts to enforce elections in Newbern this November so that we can cast our ballots and actively participate in the democratic process.”

The suit alleges former mayor Haywood “Woody” Stokes III and his majority-white town council held a special election in 2020 in secret, attempting to block Braxton from appointing his own council and exercising his mayoral duties. The previous town council re-elected themselves and reappointed Stokes as mayor, while Braxton continued to host events and food drives in the town on his own dime. 

Braxton once said he would take the issue to court if things didn’t change.

“They’re so stuck in their ways and don’t want nothing else for the town. They just want it to stay the same,” Braxton previously stated.

“I hope they break and just go ahead and release everything to me. If not, we’ll just go to court.”

That’s just what he did. After a federal lawsuit filed in 2023 accused Braxton’s predecessor of locking him out of the town hall, a state judge swore Braxton in a few months later. He later appointed his city council members and had them sworn in the same evening. 

According to ABC News, problems seemed to die. Braxton said he met with the former mayor, who handed him the keys and left. He even said there was no debate on the incumbent mayor being replaced — even having a city resolution signed by the former mayor, confirming Braxton “declared to the office of mayor.” But Braxton claimed he and his council were locked out of the town’s financial accounts at a bank miles away. 

In response to the federal lawsuit, Stokes and his lawyers admitted to the lack of elections for years prior but denied any form of racism or conspiracy to keep Black people out of office. At the time, councilmember Janice Quarles said she knew race was the issue. “I feel that it is all about race, and I don’t mind saying that that’s what it’s about because I’ve lived here all my life,” Quarles said. 

The mayor mentioned that a white lady once told him that “this town wasn’t ready for a Black mayor.”

He responded, “They better get ready, cause I’m here.”

Newbern is an old cotton town, just close to a mile long. It’s home to nearly a dozen churches but not one grocery store. Located in Alabama’s Black Belt, the town has deep ties to slavery and holds racially segregated cemeteries. However, with 85% of the residents being Black, new council members said it’s great to have leaders who look like them.

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