Teague appeared on a recent episode of the “Club 250” podcast, where he recalled his time playing on the Atlanta Hawks and almost coming to blows with veteran NBA referee Brothers. The Indiana native hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021 but vividly remembers his heated exchange with the high-profile ref.
“So [Tony Brothers] was trying to be cool,” Teague recalled. “We playing at the Pacers, I’m on the Hawks. My momma and my aunt was sitting courtside, you know they’re cheering every time I came in the game.”
Noting how “young” he was at the time, Teague says Brothers looked at his mom and sister and assumed they were groupies cheering him on.
“I was young, I’m probably in my first or second year. He pulled me to the side, he was like, ‘Man, who them hoes?'” Teague shared.
why Jeff Teague destroy Tony Brothers like that? 😭
“I lost it. I went crazy and he was like apologizing and I was like ‘N***a that’s my momma…I’ma start going crazy and he like kept apologizing,” he continued.
“But if you know him he be trying to be like cool so he be like ‘Ah y’all muthaf*ckers ain’t doing nothing tonight,’ trying to be that person and then he’ll turn into a h*e in the middle of a game.”
Teague went on to call Brothers a “weirdo,” and threatened how he would “slap the sh*t” out of him if the incident happened more recently. The Wake Forest University alum played for five teams in the NBA between 2009 and 2021, including seven seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
Brothers has been a referee in the NBA since the 1994-95 season. Currently in his 29th year, the ref has officiated over 1,700 regular season games, 186 playoff games, and 16 NBA Finals games.
Small Business Administration Launches Loans For Small Businesses Amid Baltimore Bridge Collapse
Small businesses and private nonprofit organizations affected by the collapse are welcome to apply for SBA's federal EIDLs.
In the wake of the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on March 26, 2024, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman announced on March 30 that impacted small businesses across the Mid-Atlantic region could apply for low-interest, long-term Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to the SBA, the loan availability comes in response to a disaster declaration request from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on March 29, encompassing the entire state along with contiguous counties in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture businesses, and private nonprofit organizations are welcome to apply for federal EIDLs of up to $2 million to counteract temporary decreases in revenue due to the collapse. These loans, with interest rates of 4% for small businesses, 3.25% for private nonprofits, and terms up to 30 years, can cover operating expenses like fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other unpaid financial obligations due to the disruption.
“As Baltimore and the wider community mourn and start to rebuild, the SBA and the Biden-Harris Administration stand ready to help local small businesses get through the economic disruption caused by the bridge collapse,” Guzman said. As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed last week after a container ship crashed into a support column, reportedly causing seven cars to plummet into the Patapsco River.
Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, stated: “The bridge collapse will impact small businesses who depend on the transportation and movement of goods from the Baltimore Harbor and along the Francis Scott Key Bridge for their economic livelihood.”
Loan eligibility hinges solely on the disaster’s financial impact, not property damage. Interest accrual and repayment begin 12 months after the first disbursement.
To further assist impacted businesses, the SBA opened a second Business Recovery Center at the CareFirst Engagement Center, 1501 South Clinton Street, in Baltimore, joining the existing Dundalk Renaissance Center, 11 Center Place, Suite 201, in Dundalk. Both provide on-site federal government support.
Applicants can apply online at sba.gov/disaster and access additional disaster assistance information through the website.
Beyoncé Calls Out The ‘Preconceived Notions’ From The Music Industry Amid Country Album
Beyoncé is calling out the "preconceived notions" plaguing innovative music artists who aren't afraid to break past genre conformity.
Beyoncé is calling out the “preconceived notions” plaguing innovative music artists like herself who aren’t afraid to break past genre conformity.
Just days after releasing her country debut album “Cowboy Carter,” the decorated Grammy winner graced the stage at the iHeartRadio Music Awards to accept the Innovator Award. Dressed in a black leather cowgirl-esque ensemble, Beyoncé took time to give flowers to Stevie Wonder who presented her with the esteemed award before sharing an impassioned speech about the challenges that come with being an innovator.
“Innovation starts with a dream. But then you have to execute that dream, and that road can be very bumpy. Being an innovator is seeing what everyone believes is impossible,” she said.
“Being an innovator often means being criticized, which often will test your mental strength. Being an innovator is leaning on faith and trusting that God will catch you and guide you.
The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer wrapped up her speech with a call to action to the music industry who have aided in pigeonholding musicians into certain music genres. With Beyoncé releasing her first country music album featuring a single that made history as the first country song from a Black woman to top the Billboard 100, she wants to see less “preconceived notions” and more embracing of artistic expression.
“So, to all the record labels, every radio station, every award show, my hope is that we’re more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art with no preconceived notions,” she said.
“I want to dedicate this award to all the innovators who have dedicated their lives and their art to creating shifts. So thank you for your sacrifices, your powerful voices and your dauntless spirits.”
“Thank you to Rosetta Tharpe. Miss Tracy Chapman, Linda Martell, Prince, Stevie Wonder, André 3000, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and so many more who defied any label placed upon them,” she said. Thank you for executing your dream so we could all follow.”
Black People With Kidney Issues Face Barriers, Will Eliminating An Allegedly Racially-Biased Test Help?
Black people are four times as likely as whites to suffer from kidney failure, but the kidney function of many Black people have been overestimated by “race corrections” that were added to the GFR test that have been criticized as racially biased.
Between January 2023 and March 2024, over 14,000 Black people on the kidney transplant list had their positions on the list adjusted because algorithms used by the healthcare industry counted their race against them, something health equity scholars have criticized for decades.
Black people are four times as likely as whites to suffer from kidney failure, but the kidney function of many Black people has been overestimated by “race corrections” that were added to the GFR test and have been criticized as racially biased.
As The Associated Pressreports, advocates like Dr. Michelle Morse, New York City’s Chief Medical Officer, see the adjustments to the kidney transplant list as a long overdue change.
Morse told The AP, “Health equity scholars have been raising alarm bells about the way race has been misused in clinical algorithms for decades. Lots of time when we see health inequities, we just assume there’s nothing we can do about it,” Morse said. “We can make changes to restore faith in the health system and to actually address the unfair and avoidable outcomes that Black people and other people of color face.”
To Morse’s point, approximately 30% of people on the waiting list for a new kidney are Black, and a complex mix of factors have affected their wait times for new kidneys, including a lack of Black transplant doctors and a lack of Black organ donors.
In 2021, Jewel Mullen, a medical doctor and the Associate Dean at the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School, wrote an op-ed for the AAMC. Mullen described the experience of a man she treated, using the pseudonym of Mr. Richardson.
In her conclusion, Mullen stated, “So many disparities in the transplantation system are unfair, avoidable, and unjust. None of us should succumb to a better-than-nothing mindset. Better than nothing is not good enough. Our patients deserve equity.”
Mullen also noted that she was concerned about Richardson’s overall kidney health and wondered if he was receiving proper care from his primary care physician. According to Yale Medicine, diabetes and high blood pressure, two ailments more prevalent in the Black community, can lead to chronic kidney disease.
Mullen was part of a committee that produced a report in 2022, Realizing the Promise of Equity in the Organ Transplanting System, for the National Academies of Science and Medicine. The report laid out how the path to equity, which Mullen called for, was full of problems for those in need of an organ transplant.
Following the release of the report, in 2023, the Board of Directors of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) approved an action to backdate waiting times for Black kidney transplant candidates. Board President Jerry McCauley said in a statement that the action was intended to emphasize OPTN’s desire for equity in the field.
“This action underscores our commitment to equity in access to transplantation for all candidates,” McCauley said. “We and many other organizations have now prohibited the use of a race-based calculation that has unfairly delayed care for many Black patients with kidney failure. Waiting time for a transplant is a major factor in the priority that kidney candidates receive. Thus, we are acting along with kidney transplant programs nationwide to ensure that any candidates known to have been disadvantaged by a race-inclusive GFR calculation will receive all the waiting time credit for which they qualify.”
Glenda V. Roberts, who works at the University of Washington’s Kidney Research Institute, wrote an op-ed for Stat News in 2021. Roberts, who wrote that she faced a barrier to the transplant system because she identified as Black, expected the elimination of the GFR’s racially biased elements for work in the benefit of Black patients who need transplants.
“Race is a social construct, not a biological one. The National Institute of Health’s Human Genome Project has demonstrated that there are no biological differences between races. Armed with this evidence and the new eGFR recommendation, I expect doctors to ensure that their Black patients with potential kidney disease get true readings of their kidneys’ health and the same level of care and consideration that non-Black patients have received since 1999.”
The 2023 NCAA champion has teamed up with Goldman Sachs’s One Million Black Women (OMBW) campaign for a new ad that shows Reese and her mother sending a powerful message to Congress. Reese celebrates the influence she received from her mother, former college basketball player Angel Webb Reese while addressing how the racial wealth gap impacts Black women.
Clips show Reese playing her mom in a game of basketball, sitting on a throne where her mother places a crown on her head, and walking past a sign in the locker room showing a statistic about the 17% of Black women who feel their interests are being represented well by Washington policymakers.
“The racial wealth gap impacts Black women’s ability to leave a legacy behind,” Reese says. “Let’s use our voices and close the opportunity gap.”
The LSU star ends the 30-second spot with a crown on her head and a basketball in hand while telling Congress, “The ball is in your court.” Written, produced, and directed by Maura Chanz and Black women-owned management company ColorCreative, the ad aims to amplify the voices of Black women to policymakers in Washington.
It’s the first advocacy-focused NIL deal Reese has put her name behind. The commercial aired on ESPN and Connected TV during the Elite Eight and will also air during Final Four games.
“I owe so much to my mom. She instilled in me my confidence, work ethic, and my commitment to my community. It’s clear that from her generation to today, Black women are still facing challenges,” she said.
“But I believe change is possible. I’m proud to be teaming up with Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women to make sure the voices of Black women in my community and across the country are heard.”
The initiative was made in response to an OMBW survey that identified the challenges Black women face in pursuit of building generational wealth. Reese and her mother’s involvement follows Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of the King Center, and Hall of Fame Coach Dawn Staley as OMBW partners who have advocated for public policy change to help narrow the wealth gap for Black women.
“I’m proud to see Angel using her platform to level the playing field for Black women and talking about these important issues,” Angel Webb Reese says.
“My hope is that these statistics and the real-life experiences that they represent will be a wake-up call for Congress and other leaders to work with Black women to create a future where everyone has an opportunity to achieve their goals and leave a legacy,”
The survey, aimed at understanding the financial challenges and aspirations of Black consumers, highlighted several key findings. According to Austin Kilgore, an analyst at the Achieve Center for Consumer Insights, a significant portion of Black respondents reported living paycheck-to-paycheck, with many struggling to make ends meet due to limited funds and rising costs of essential items.
“Financial advisors should work with these consumers to help understand their current financial goals, establish a budget, and explore opportunities to increase savings,” Kilgore emphasized.
Interestingly, despite their financial struggles, Black respondents demonstrated higher levels of optimism compared to other demographic groups. Kilgore attributed this optimism to several factors, including job stability, anticipated wage increases, and a positive outlook on income growth.
“While women across all racial demographics expressed concerns about the economy, Black Americans showed resilience and optimism, possibly driven by expectations of improved job prospects and income growth,” Kilgore noted.
Achieve’s survey sheds light on the financial realities and outlook of Black consumers, revealing a mix of challenges and optimism. “Our research shows that while many Black Americans are optimistic about their income and earning potential in the year ahead, paying off debt and managing the impacts of inflation on household finances continue to be major financial concerns,” said Achieve Co-Founder and Co-CEO Brad Stroh.
The survey unveiled concerning statistics, with 76% of Black consumers living paycheck-to-paycheck and 43% struggling to make ends meet. However, it also highlighted a sense of hope, with 56% anticipating an increase in household income over the coming year.
Senegal’s Water Is Allegedly Being Diverted For Profit By An American Corporation
An investment company is allegedly harnessing Senegal's only lake for water to irrigate crops destined for foreign shores.
Bloomberg reported that in the arid landscapes of West Africa, where water is as valuable as gold, a controversial venture is unfolding, drawing global attention to the ethical dilemmas of resource exploitation. As taps in coastal Dakar barely trickle, an investment company is harnessing Senegal’s only lake to irrigate crops destined for foreign shores, sparking concerns over the nation’s water security and the impact on local communities.
African Agriculture Inc., headquartered in New York City, has set its sights on cultivating 300 hectares of alfalfa within the Ndiael Special Wildlife Reserve near Saint-Louis. This ambitious project draws water from Lake Guiers, the primary freshwater reserve in Senegal. However, according to the outlet, this water source is already under strain, supplying half of Dakar’s water needs and leaving over a million residents desperate for access to running taps, especially at night.
CEO Alan Kessler defended the company’s actions, emphasizing the need for sustainable development and economic growth. “We sit at the end of the Senegal River. The alternative is the water goes out to the ocean,” he argued, pointing to plans for expansion and infrastructure development that could benefit the region. But critics, including locals and environmentalists, question the morality of exporting valuable resources while leaving communities struggling for basic necessities.
The controversy surrounding African Agriculture’s venture is not just local; it reflects broader global trends in the race for profits amid climate change challenges, according to the outlet. Large corporations are increasingly targeting African farmland, exacerbating competition for water resources between urban areas and agricultural interests. In Senegal, a World Bank report warned of a looming water crisis, with demand expected to outstrip supply in the coming decades.
“And for what? So a foreign company can sell alfalfa to feed cows and racehorses in Saudi Arabia?” asks Ousmane Aly Pame, an English literature professor at Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University, according to Bloomberg. Ousmane Aly Pame runs an anti-desertification nonprofit he founded on the Senegal River. “Extracting resources and leaving Africans with no food and no future is exactly what happened in colonial times.”
The history of African Agriculture’s founder, Frank Timis, adds another layer of complexity to the narrative. With a track record spanning controversial resource deals across Africa, Timis’s involvement raises concerns about transparency. From oil exploration to mining ventures, his ventures have often been mired in allegations of corruption and environmental degradation.
Moreover, the manner in which African Agriculture acquired rights to operate within the Ndiael Reserve has raised eyebrows. Residents and government officials were caught off guard by the company’s presence, highlighting issues of land tenure and community consultation. Local herders, whose livelihoods depend on the reserve’s resources, now face displacement and restricted access to water and grazing lands.
The environmental impact of the alfalfa farm is another cause for concern. Lake Guiers, already plagued by pollution from nearby sugar cane plantations, now faces further degradation from agricultural runoff. With climate models predicting increased precipitation followed by prolonged droughts, the risk to the lake’s ecosystem and surrounding communities is heightened.
Despite these challenges, African Agriculture remains undeterred in its pursuit of profit. With plans to export alfalfa to lucrative markets in the Middle East, the company sees Senegal’s water as a strategic asset. But for those on the frontlines of the water crisis, like the residents of Dakar’s marginalized neighborhoods, access to clean water remains a daily struggle, highlighting the stark inequalities inherent in the global economy.
As the debate rages on, the fate of Senegal’s water resources hangs in the balance.
Delaware County Terminates First DEI Officer Amid Discrimination Accusations Against Her Black Boss
DEI Officer Lauren Footman filed a complaint with the EEOC last year, accusing boss, Marc Woolley, of treating Black women employees unfairly.
Upon her return from medical leave, Delaware County’s pioneering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer, Lauren Footman, was terminated after leveling allegations of racial discrimination against her superior, Chief Administrative Officer Marc Woolley.
The situation unfolded when Footman filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) last November. The 32-year-old accused Woolley, 55, of unfair treatment toward her and other Black women employees and retaliation for previously raising internal complaints.
A September 2023 report from an internal investigation conducted by lawyers from the firm Rudolph Clarke stated that although “Mr. Woolley’s status as an African-American man does not, of course, shield him from a claim of discrimination against African-American women,” the firm concluded that the Black deputy executive “does not discriminate against African-American women during the performance of his job duties.”
“We do not tolerate or support hate and are actively working to ensure our DEI office and our next DEI official will have the impact that is needed here in Delaware County,” said county spokesperson Adrienne Marofsky, who affirmed Footman’s termination was unrelated to the EEOC complaint.
Footman’s decision to file the EEOC complaint coincided with her medical leave due to anxiety and depression, which she attributed to the alleged adverse working conditions. The DEI officer, who was hired in April 2022, alleged in her EEOC complaint that Woolley favored white workers over Black employees, particularly Black women. She cited instances where Woolley allegedly arranged a County Council meeting to assist “an attractive white woman” official facing a similar issue as Footman.
Furthermore, she claimed Woolley endorsed progressive discipline for a white employee but not for a Black female employee. She also alleged that her proposal for gender-neutral bathrooms was met by a statement from Woolley, who said trans people would be directed to the bathroom he tells them.
Christy Rutherford Says Self-Care Is A Priority For Corporate Women Who Want Higher Salaries
The leadership expert attributes the ability for her clients to double and triple their salaries within six months to prioritizing self-care.
As organizations dial back their DEI programs amid industry-wide backlash, women’s leadership expert and executive coach Christy Rutherford remains committed to her mission to help Black women receive higher salaries in the corporate world.
Her approach revolves around prioritizing self-care, a crucial factor in her clients’ ability to double and triple their salaries within six months. “The most significant change I get my clients to make…is prioritizing their self-care,” Rutherford toldBlack Business. “This may not be the popular opinion, but holding high-achieving women accountable to taking care of themselves is no easy feat.”
The Harvard Business School alumna emphasized that women’s actions to secure promotions often render them “unpromotable.” She explained, “Women exhaust themselves from working harder, getting multiple advanced degrees, volunteering for extra projects…When leaders look for people to promote, they overlook the tired and task-laden woman and give the role to a less qualified person who can handle more work.”
Following completing the Program for Leadership Development and three negotiation courses, the leadership coach has spoken to hundreds of clients who say they feel “overworked, underpaid, and underemployed.” However, she found common mistakes among women who seek promotions. “They want to be promoted, but don’t ask,” she said. “And when they ask, they usually say…’What do you think is fair?'”
Rutherford believes such habits will continue to result in salary disappointments for women who give their leaders the power to determine their value.
Her remarkable achievements starkly contrast to the sluggish progress made by companies in their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts despite spending approximately $7.5 billion on related initiatives. Since 2020, the leadership expert has helped her clients secure over $14 million in salary raises, including seven Black women who received seven-figure compensation packages. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously noted that the South Carolina State University alumna helped 40 women leaders see at least a 30% raise since June 2020. Additionally, 15 saw a double or triple increase in their salaries.
Rutherford revealed a goal to get 10,000 women $1 billion in salary raises by 2025.
9-Year-Old Boy Crashes Into Police Car After Taking Mother’s Car To Drive To School
"Sorry! I'm just trying to get to school."
A 9-year-old boy in California took the keys to the family car and decided to drive himself to school. After leading a police officer on a brief chase, he ended up hitting his patrol car.
According to a Facebook post from the California Highway Patrol in Oroville, a police officer with the highway patrol unit saw a gray Volkswagen stopped in the middle of an intersection on March 27 at around 9:20 a.m. After the officer instructed the driver to move, the driver did just that and sped off. The officer pursued the vehicle and caught up with the Volkswagen in a parking lot near Plumas Avenue Elementary School.
After the driver stopped the vehicle, he reversed into the patrol car, causing minor damage to it.
When the police officer saw who was driving, he was shocked to see a 9-year-old boy at the wheel.
According to CBS News Sacramento, it was CHP Oroville Officer Terry Dunn who followed the vehicle. He admitted that he couldn’t see the driver. “Startled, I didn’t know at that point what was going to happen,” said Dunn.
Once he did see the driver, the 9-year-old stuck his head out the window and said, “Sorry! I’m just trying to get to school.”
Luckily, no one was injured, though the boy’s grandmother said she went into a panic when she realized he was no longer in the house. She said that his mother was in the bathroom and he was in the living room. When she came out of the bathroom, he wasn’t there, and her keys and car were missing.
“By the grace of God, [Dunn] came up to the intersection and saw my grandson in the middle of the intersection,” the boy’s grandmother expressed to CBS News Sacramento.
Officer Dunn contacted the boy’s mother and the proper authorities and allowed the boy to go to school.
