Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks, NFL
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 7, 2024

After Being Released By Seattle Seahawks, Quandre Diggs Posts Iconic Line From Ice Cube’s ‘Friday’ Movie

NFL Pro Bowl player Quandre Diggs was recently hit with some bad news when he was informed that he was cut from his team, the Seattle Seahawks. Taking the news in stride, he posted a GIF showing Ice Cube from his signature role in the cult comedy Friday with the quote, “Got fired on my day off. Damn.”

NFL.com reported that the Seahawks released three players from its roster to clear some salary cap space — the maximum amount of money in players’ cumulative salaries that a team can carry for the season — from its coffers. The players were defensive backs Jamal Adams and Diggs and tight end Will Dissly.

Diggs, a three-time Pro Bowler, used humor to break the news to his X followers. Referencing Friday and Ice Cube’s character, Craig Jones, who was fired on his day off after being caught on camera stealing from the job, Diggs said his goodbye.

The Seahawks acknowledged and thanked Diggs for his time with the team in a post also on X.

Diggs was drafted in 2015 in the sixth by the Detroit Lions after playing his collegiate career at the University of Texas at Austin. During the 2019 season, the Lions traded him to the Seahawks. During his stay in Seattle, he was selected to play in three straight Pro Bowls from 2020 to 2022.

Diggs’ past season wasn’t great, as he only had 95 tackles and one interception while starting in 17 games.

USA Today reported that he was released so the team could save $11 million in salary cap space.

CBS, NAACP
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 7, 2024

CBS And NAACP Set To Develop First Black Daytime Soap Opera In 35 Years

CBS has teamed up with the NAACP to develop the first daytime soap opera with a predominantly Black cast since 1985's "Generations."

CBS has teamed up with the NAACP to develop the first daytime soap opera with a predominantly Black cast since 1985’s “Generations.”

Titled “The Gates,” the new soap opera follows the lives of a wealthy Black family living in a posh gated community, Variety reports. It comes as part of CBS’ content partnership with NAACP and brings on Michele Val Jean to serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer.

Val Jean is a renowned veteran in the soap opera world, having served as a writer on “The Bold and the Beautiful” since 2012 as well as boasting writing credits on “General Hospital” and “Santa Barbara.” The show will air on CBS and be produced by CBS Studios NAACP in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble.

The president of the CBS Studios NAACP venture, Sheila Ducksworth, has been tapped to executive produce the soap opera along with Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson, and Kimberly Doebereiner.

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

The “College Hill” producer went on to tease the “juicy storylines” viewers can expect from the Black culture-driven series that will fill a 35-year-old void in daytime television.

“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,” Ducksworth shared. “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. I also want to thank CBS’ George Cheeks, NAACP’s Derrick Johnson and P&G’s Marc Pritchard for their personal involvement and support to take our next step forward with ‘The Gates.’”

“The Gates” is also the first greenlit soap opera in years. Only three soap operas remain on daytime television: “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “Young and the Restless” on CBS, and “General Hospital” on ABC.

RELATED CONTENT: BLKFAM Debuts As 1st Black-Focused Family Streaming Platform

Richard Pryor home
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 7, 2024

Former NFL Player Placing Richard Pryor’s Former Home On The Market For Over $4M

Former NFL running back Rashard Mendenhall, who bought the former home of comedian Richard Pryor, has recently listed the estate for sale.

Mendenhall, who used to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals over six seasons in the National Football League and is now a Hollywood writer, has put the property, which has six bedrooms, on the market for a reported $4,236,000. The home is a spacious 9,000-square-foot residence spread across a 2.2-acre plot in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood in Northridge, right outside Los Angeles in the Valley.

The property has a main residence with four bedrooms, a formal dining room, a gourmet kitchen, a library, and game and billiard rooms. A second guesthouse with a separate pool house and its own kitchen is also included. A professional dance studio/gym space can be converted into a recording or production studio.

The resort-style amenities include a 65-foot pool and spa with a cascading waterfall. For sports enthusiasts, there is a tennis court and a putting green. A sauna, wine closet, and barbeque pavilion are also on the property.

It sits behind a wall and a gate.

The asking price of $4,236,000 represents $1,000 for each yard Mendenhall rushed for while playing in the NFL: 4,236. If he gets near the asking price, Mendenhall will have made a profit, since he purchased the property in 2017 for $2.5 million. He bought the estate several years after he retired from playing football and started writing for the HBO series Ballers, which featured WWE superstar and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Pryor purchased the property in 1976, and it is the residence where the Barbara Walters special he appeared in was filmed. The troubled comedian and actor also lit himself on fire there. On his comedy special “Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip,” he detailed the incident, saying he said he did it while freebasing cocaine. He suffered severe burns on more than 50% of his body.

North Face, The North Face
by Rafael Pena

March 7, 2024

The North Face Controversially Promotes A Diversity And Equity Course With 20% Discount

The North Face is making headlines as it offers customers a 20% discount upon completion of an equity course.

Outdoor apparel giant The North Face is making headlines for offering customers a 20% discount upon completion of an equity course, according to FOX News. The course, part of the company’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), has drawn both praise and criticism for its content.

The course, titled “Equity in the Outdoors,” delves into issues of racial injustice, systemic biases, and privilege. One controversial aspect is the assertion that white people never experience racism. Heritage Foundation DEI expert Mike Gonzalez criticized the course, particularly its claim that white privilege grants access to outdoor activities while people of color are excluded.

“It was the longest hour I have ever lived,” Gonzalez remarked about the course. He deemed it an “outrageous attempt at convincing people we live under an oppressive system of racial injustice, particularly in the mountains.”

The course includes elements of critical race theory, a topic that has sparked debates across various sectors. A spokesperson for VF Corp, The North Face’s parent company, emphasized the brand’s commitment to making the outdoors more inviting, saying, “The North Face has always believed the outdoors should be a welcoming, equitable, and safe place for all.”

Controversy surrounds the course’s discussion on white privilege, with statements implying that only white individuals enjoy certain advantages in outdoor activities. Critics argue that such a perspective oversimplifies complex issues and fails to acknowledge successful individuals from minority groups.

The course provides a series of “privileged” statements and invites participants to reflect on their experiences in the outdoors.

Critics such as Gonzalez find fault with statements that assume systemic racism in outdoor spaces. Gonzalez expressed concern over the course’s suggestion that individuals of privilege shouldn’t judge minority groups by the same standards. He described this proposition as “dehumanizing” and argued that qualities such as talent, intelligence, and hard work should be recognized universally.

The North Face defended the course and said it aims to create more equitable outdoors experiences. Attendees are encouraged to be allies in combating racism on both personal and systemic levels. The course asks participants to “check in with your privilege” and consider systemic changes, such as challenging policies that exclude people of color from outdoor activities.

While The North Face continues its DEI initiatives, its equity course has ignited discussions about the role of corporations in addressing social issues, and the potential impact of such initiatives on its customer base.

PHILADELPHIA MAYOR, Cherrelle Parke
by Sharelle B. McNair

March 7, 2024

Philadelphia Mayor ‘Concerned’ Following Viral Arrest of LGBTQ+ City Leader and Husband

None of that was probably necessary....

A viral video of a Black LGBTQ+ Philadelphia leader being arrested on a busy highway has Mayor Cherelle Parker concerned. 

Head of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs, Celena Morrison, and her husband, Darius McLean, were arrested by a white state trooper during a traffic stop that went left. The whole incident was recorded, with Parker saying the video is “very concerning.”

“A video circulating on social media that depicts a portion of the incident is very concerning to me,” she said in a limited statement as she waits for the investigation to yield more information. 

Morrison and McLean were pulled over on Mach 2 shortly after 9 a.m. while driving on Interstate 76. Morrison filmed the whole ordeal, showing her husband being handcuffed in the rain while lying down on the shoulder of the roadway. “Do you want to get Tased? Put your hands behind your back!” the officer can be heard saying. 

To de-escalate the situation, Morrison shouted, “I work for the mayor! I work for the mayor!” before telling her husband not to worry. 

Afterward, McLean says, “It’s ’cause I’m Black.”

The unidentified officer seemingly moves toward Morrison, telling her to turn around. After the camera ends on the ground, the officer tells the city leader, “Give me your hands, or you’re getting Tased!”

Morrison then tells her husband, “Don’t worry. I don’t know why this is happening,” and “Stay calm; we ain’t done nothing wrong,” before the officer is heard yelling to McLean not to reach for anything. 

Police reported the city-based community center owners were pulled over “after multiple vehicle code violations were observed.”

Both were detained on obstruction and resisting arrest charges; District Attorney Larry Krasner has not filed charges.

The DA’s office said in a statement that it had “made no charging decision pending a thorough, even-handed investigation.”

A state police spokesperson said the trooper will not be on patrol while the investigation is ongoing. 

Growing support for the city leader was evident on social media. Chris Bartlett, executive director of the William Way LGBT Center, referred to the situation as “yet another example in the long institutional history of over-policing and disproportional outcomes against Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ people, particularly Black trans people.”

Media personality and LGBTQ+ community member Ts Madison shared the video, issuing a statement on behalf of Philadelphia Black Pride. “Philadelphia Black Pride denounces any use of excessive force on any person of the black, brown, and/or LGBTQIA+ community,” she wrote. 

“Upholding the rights and dignity of all members of the community, especially those from marginalized groups, is crucial for fostering a just and inclusive society.”

Morrison, who is transgender, has held her position since 2020 and remained a top aide to Parker after she took office in January 2024.

Gavel, Sentence, Bond, Jail, Prison, Mahogany Jackson, Karmelo Anthony, Austin Metcalf, Frisco, Texas,
by Stacy Jackson

March 7, 2024

Judge Denies Bond To Suspects In Mahogany Jackson’s Death

Birmingham Police Homicide Detective Mark Green, the state’s only witness, detailed the violent videos of Jackson being tormented by suspects.

Judge Kechia Davis has denied bond requests for five out of eight suspects who faced initial appearances on March 4 under Aniah’s Law for the alleged murder and kidnapping of 20-year-old mother Mahogany Jackson.

Testimony from Birmingham Police Homicide Detective Mark Green detailed several alleged violent videos taken by accused suspects: Teja Lewis, 25; Si’nya McCall, 23; Blair Green, 25; Giovonnie Clapp, 23; and Ariana Robinson, 23. According to WBRC, Green stated Jackson arrived at suspect Brandon Pope’s residence, thinking she was hanging out with friends. However, footage shows her outside naked as she was beaten by Lewis and kicked by McCall, who is later heard giving directions to “put her in the trunk.”

Prosecutors allege Jackson was then taken to Lewis and McCall’s apartment, where the brutality escalated. Another recording shows a naked Jackson restrained in handcuffs as she is beaten, slapped, spat on, and pistol-whipped. Some suspects recorded Jackson while she was forced to perform sexual acts at gunpoint. Videos that surfaced on social media reveal suspects threatening that Jackson was “going to die.”

“I’ve been kidnapped. Send help. Don’t call,” the victim alerted family members around 8 a.m. on Feb. 25. The next day, Jackson’s dead body was discovered at an illegal dump site described as “Dead Man Road.” Police reported the woman had a gunshot wound in the back of her head.

The details of Jackson’s murder upset Jackson’s mother, Gail Maddox, and other relatives present at the hearing. “They’re shaken,” Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr said. “…To be in a formal setting and hear what happened to a loved one like that could be very disheartening.”

Attorneys of some of the defendants argued they had no part in Jackson’s murder. However, Judge Davis ruled they all played a role and that it’s best that they’re all locked up for the community’s safety. WBRC noted all suspects have been charged with murder, including Francis Harris, 25, and Jeremiah Lee McDowell, 18.

employees, Black employees, IVF
by Stacy Jackson

March 7, 2024

Alabama Moves To Reopen IVF Clinics With New Bill

The new law offers "civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo" to individuals and entities providing IVF services.

Alabama passed legislation on March 6 to safeguard in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures after a controversial state Supreme Court ruling categorizing embryos as children sparked backlash.

Republican Governor Kay Ivey promptly signed the bill moments after lawmakers passed it. “IVF is a complex issue…but right now, I am confident that this legislation will provide the assurances our IVF clinics need and will lead them to resume services immediately,” she stated, according to NBC News.

The GOP-controlled legislature’s rapid response addressed the confusion triggered by the ruling that had clinics temporarily halting IVF treatments over potential legal risks. The new law offers “civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo” to individuals and entities providing IVF services. As Dr. Janet Bouknight of Alabama Fertility explained, it “provides the protections that we need to start care — or resume care, really.”

However, the legislation sidesteps definitively clarifying whether frozen embryos have the same legal status as children under state law. The “legislation does not address the underlying issue of the status of embryos as part of the IVF process — threatening the long-term standard of care for IVF patients,” warned Barbara Collura, the president of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

Alabama Fertility and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) expect to resume with the passing of the new bill, NBC News reported. Dr. Warner Huh stated UAB would “promptly resume IVF treatments” thanks to the new protections but added, “We will continue to assess developments and advocate for protections for IVF patients and our providers.”

Both major clinics had paused IVF after the Feb. 16 ruling stoked concerns that routine practices like discarding embryos with genetic issues could expose providers to criminal repercussions. The suspension left around 40 patients at Alabama Fertility awaiting promised treatments during the suspension. As Bouknight noted, “because…embryos have genetic abnormalities or are no longer needed,” it’s common to discard some.

nelly, Trump
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 7, 2024

Nelly Cites Early 2000s Hip-Hop As The ‘Hardest Era Ever’

Nelly has sparked a debate after crediting the years from 1999 to 2010 as the "hardest era" of hip-hop music.

Nelly has sparked a debate after crediting the years from 1999 to 2010 as the “hardest era” of hip-hop music.

The Grammy award-winning rapper appeared on the latest episode of The Shop, where he sounded off about the stiff competition he was up against as a rapper in the early 2000s. Nelly, who made his music debut in 2000 with the smash hit “Country Grammar,” recalls how challenging it was to release music at the same time as hip-hop greats like Jay-Z, DMX, and many others.

“You gotta understand, my era of music was the toughest era in hip-hop ever. Ever!” Nelly said.

“When I put out songs, I had to go against DMX, Jay-Z, Eminem, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Luda — all of us are fighting for one spot. So from 99 to like 2008, 10? It’s the hardest era ever.”

Fans agreed with Nelly and named a few other acts Nelly forgot to include in his argument.

“T.I., Gucci, Jeezy, Kanye many more i have to agree it was tough,” one user wrote.

“He forgot the great OUTKAST,” added someone else.

Nelly’s debut album, Country Grammar, birthed three top 20 Billboard hits, including the album’s title track, “E.I.,” and “Ride Wit Me.” The St. Louis native was a strong contender for Best New Artist at the 2001 Grammy Awards but failed to receive a nomination in the category that ended up going to Alicia Keys.

Nelly’s first album has sold over 10 million copies to date, with his follow-up album, Nellyville selling 7 million copies, Business Insider reported. The early 2000s was a heyday for hip-hop, with names like Eminem selling over 32 million albums during the decade, and 50 Cent releasing two albums, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and The Massacre, that topped the Billboard 200 albums chart and spawned three No. 1 hits: “In Da Club,” “21 Questions,” and “Candy Shop.” Another early 2000s chart-topper in hip-hop is Ja Rule, who secured two No. 1 albums and three No. 1 singles between 2000 and 2003.

Laptop, work, stress, credit score, FICO Credit Score, Student Loan
by Rafael Pena

March 7, 2024

National Average FICO Credit Score Sees Unprecedented Decline For The First Time In A Decade

The national average FICO credit score has experienced its first decline in a decade, signaling potential economic challenges.

According to Money Talks News, the national average FICO credit score has experienced its first decline in a decade, signaling potential economic challenges. According to Fair Isaac Corp., or FICO, the average credit score dipped to 717 out of 850 in October 2023, down by one point from the previous year. This departure from the usual upward trend, last observed in 2013, has caught the attention of financial analysts.

FICO emphasizes the dynamic nature of credit scores, attributing this decline to the combined impacts of inflation and higher interest rates affecting consumers adversely. The manifestation of missed borrower payments and escalated consumer debt levels appears to be contributing significantly to this shift.

Statistics from October 2023 reveal a concerning trend, with approximately 18% of the population experiencing a 30-day or worse past-due payment on at least one credit account in the preceding year. This marks a sharp increase from the 4% recorded in April 2023. Higher consumer debt is evident in the rise of average credit utilization, which reached 35% in October 2023, compared to 34% in October 2019, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alarmingly, credit card balances in the United States surpassed $1 trillion as of October, averaging about $3,100 per person. The implications of this credit score decline on consumers, particularly in the midst of economic uncertainties, are profound. Analysts suggest that the shift may prompt lenders to reassess risk, potentially leading to changes in interest rates and loan approvals.

To address the implications for individual credit scores, experts recommend proactive measures. Understanding how credit scores are calculated is crucial, with payment history and amounts owed being predominant factors. Payment history, constituting 35% of FICO scores, underscores the importance of timely payments for credit cards, installment loans, and mortgages. Even a single late payment can have adverse effects, making a consistent track record of timely payments imperative.

“Amounts owed,” encompassing outstanding balances on installment loans and revolving accounts like credit cards, holds significant weight in credit scores. The credit utilization ratio, indicating the proportion of available credit in use, is a crucial metric. Experts advise against closing unused credit card accounts, as it reduces available credit, thereby increasing the credit utilization ratio and potentially harming credit scores.

As the nation grapples with this unexpected downturn in average credit scores, individuals are encouraged to assess their own credit standing, understand the factors influencing their scores, and take proactive steps to maintain or improve their creditworthiness.

RELATED CONTENT: Multiple Ways To Help Boost Your Credit Score As 2024 Approaches

What To Expect From Biden’s Final State of the Union Address Before The November 2024 Election 
by Sharelle B. McNair

March 7, 2024

What To Expect From Biden’s Final State of the Union Address Before The November 2024 Election 

Old Joe's gonna give his final speech.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to stand before the country during his final State of the Union address. 

On Mar. 7, the presumptive Democratic nominee will promote his vision for a potential second term, address any voters questioning if he’s up for the job as the nation’s oldest president, and warn about the dangers Donald Trump may bring if he’s elected.  

After working on his speech at the Camp David presidential retreat with his closest aides and presidential historian Jon Meacham, Biden’s overall goal is to push the achievements made since January 2021, including reaching new heights in infrastructure and manufacturing. Through a partnership with Nokia, their push for high-speed internet nationwide has created 200 new manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin. 

By signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law, bridges and roads will be rebuilt as a focus on connecting historically segregated Black and brown communities. Biden’s speech will also cover controversial issues like abortion access and tax policy, hoping to win Republicans over as he believes specific GOP-led policies aren’t in alignment with the country.  

This will be the first speech that new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) will attend since former speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted in late 2023. Johnson is reportedly holding his party colleagues on a tight leash following the behavior shown in the past.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was seen heckling Biden during his February 2023 address and booing him numerous times. This year, Johnson said, “Decorum is the order of the day.”

As a pivotal night on the White House calendar, the State of the Union address is credited for giving the president a direct line to grab the attention of House chamber attendees and millions of voters watching at home. Former speechwriter in the Clinton White House, Michael Waldman, says the speech may not be important to everyone, but everyone should pay attention to it. “You always hear people say, ‘Oh, the speech has lost its relevance. Just send a PDF of it. It should be a video.’ That’s just such nonsense,” Waldman said. 

“It may not be as big as Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl, but it’s a big audience for a political speech.”

Maybe some key topics and guests will grab everyone’s attention. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) will bring Dr. Lisa Green, a physician and Black maternal health expert, as her guest. As co-author of the CARE for Moms Act, a comprehensive solution to the maternal mortality crisis, Kelly said she is excited for Dr. Green to tell her story. “Dr. Green has seen first-hand how policies like Medicaid postpartum extension have transformed lives in Illinois,” the lawmaker said. “I look forward to bringing her story to our nation’s Capital and fighting for community physicians to get the resources they need.”


Following the announcement of his support of Israel, Biden is scheduled to announce the development of a temporary port on the Gaza coast to increase aid for the devastated territory amid the Israel-Hamas war.

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