Florida Woman, Arrested , Child Neglect, Alleged Abuse, Girlfriend's Son

by Stacy Jackson

December 29, 2023

Former Georgia High School Teacher Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault Of Student

Audrianna Williams was charged with two counts of sexual assault. She was released after posting a $2,000 bond.

A former Dougherty County high school teacher in Georgia was arrested on Dec. 19 on charges of sexually assaulting a student.

Audrianna Williams, 31, was charged with two counts of sexual assault by a person with disciplinary authority. She was released after posting a $2,000 bond, WALB reported.

The charges come after Williams resigned from Monroe Comprehensive High School amid an investigation into an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student. The Dougherty County School System said in a statement that the charges followed an investigation by the school system’s police department. Williams resigned “in lieu of termination” by the school board, the statement said, according to the news outlet.

Williams was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 13 while the school system investigated a “possible inappropriate relationship between a Monroe Comprehensive High School teacher and student.”

The charges allege Williams used her position of authority over a student to commit sexual assault. She could face one to 20 years in prison on each count under Georgia law if convicted.

Williams is the latest educator in the area to face charges related to alleged misconduct with students. Her arrest underscores the vital need for school districts to maintain strong policies and enforcement against inappropriate relationships.

While Williams is innocent until proven guilty, the charges alone show the immense responsibility and trust placed on teachers. Parents and students rely on schools to provide a safe environment for learning.

Any breach of that trust, especially one involving potential sexual misconduct by a teacher, rightfully elicits a strong response from law enforcement and school officials as well as parents.

School officials said parents and students impacted by this case could be reassured that protocols were followed to remove Williams from contact with students once allegations came to light.

by Lauren Nutall

December 29, 2023

St. Louis Police Department Withholding Crime Data, According To Researchers

Researchers are calling for more transparency regarding crime data from the St. Louis Police Department, which has refused to publish detailed crime statistics since 2020.

The St. Louis Police Department has been accused of withholding crime data that would substantially benefit research.

In 2020, St. Louis University sociology professor Ness Sandoval and graduate student Tara Smith published a joint study documenting crime trends in and near the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which had recently relocated to north St. Louis. The project aimed to observe whether the investment could adversely affect crime, subsequently boosting economic values in the region.

Sandoval and Smith observed the geographical patterns of crime hotspots around the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency site to conduct the study. Their research relied on crime data of geographic coordinates for locating incidents from the St. Louis Police Department, data that the department had published on its website for more than a decade. That is until Dec. 2020, when the police department unexpectedly stopped publishing its detailed geographic crime data, causing Sandoval and Smith to hit a wall in their work.

“What’s frustrating is that the data exists,” said Sandoval. “This data belongs to the public. It’s a public good.” According to the mapping expert, the police still use geographic crime data internally but are refusing to publish the results.

The St. Louis police’s decision to begin withholding its data in 2020 was the result of the escalating crime rate, which had exceeded the previous years. As violent crime swept the district, the department turned off its public data spigot for good, effectively cutting off the information to researchers such as Sandoval.

Police spokesperson Evita Caldwell spoke to the Post-Dispatch about the change and claimed that the data’s concealment was out of the department’s control. Instead, the St. Louis police have placed the blame on a major technology transition in 2020. Still, several researchers have made frequent public records requests with hopes of accessing the now-sealed data, to no avail. Despite this, the Post-Dispatch has discovered that crime data was still being shared with insiders.

For the past three years, Washington University’s Institute for Public Health has been analyzing the efficacy of the St. Louis Cure Violence initiative, which aims to lower gun violence through resident intervention during bouts of violence. The project has taken place under the city’s last two mayors and requires detailed geographic data to ensure accuracy. The St. Louis Police Department provided this data without hesitancy. The circumstances surrounding this collaboration have been kept secret from the public by the city’s health commissioner, Victoria Anwur and the spokesperson for the health department, Kimberly Vanden Berg.

“The geographic component really allowed researchers like me to see how crime is distributed,” said Brandon Fox, who completed his own study about vacancy and criminal violence in St. Louis in 2018 and 2019. He, like many others, has expressed disappointment in the police department’s recent changes.
Once considered the paramount exemplification of open data, St. Louis has since moved away from transparent and detailed data, much to the concern of several researchers. “The city has fallen far behind where other cities are today,” Sandoval said.

Sage Steele, ESPN, trans swimmer, Lia, Thomas, tweets

by Stacy Jackson

December 29, 2023

Former ESPN Anchor Sage Steele Says Network Asked Her Not To Tweet About Trans Swimmer

Steele tweeted her opposition to biological males like Thomas--who transitioned from male to female--competing against biological females.

Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele said the network told her to stop publicly commenting on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’s participation in women’s sports.

Steele and ESPN host Sam Ponder had tweeted their opposition to biological males like Thomas — who transitioned from male to female — competing against biological females. In a recent podcast interview, Steele said ESPN told her to stop tweeting on X and commenting on this issue because she was offending people at the company, the New York Post reported.

“I was asked to stop tweeting about it. I was asked to stop doing anything, saying anything about it on social media because I was offending others at the company,” she said on OutKick’s “Gaines for Girls” podcast, the New York Post reports. After receiving the request, Steele still sent out another tweet on the topic that night.

Steele expressed that she felt ESPN was trying to silence her and Ponder on this issue while letting others speak freely on topics unrelated to sports. “I literally said, this is the hill I will die on 100% because it’s facts. This is not even my opinion…this is science; this is biology…Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me to stop supporting women. Go ahead, tell me,” Steele said.

The former ESPN anchor stood firm by what she said and continued tweeting on social media that she would “die on this hill” because, to her, it comes down to scientific facts and biology in her view.

An ESPN spokesperson declined to comment on Steele’s claims. Earlier this year, Steele and ESPN settled a lawsuit after she alleged the company infringed on her free speech rights for criticizing Disney’s vaccine mandates.

Thomas, who competed for the University of Pennsylvania, transitioned from male to female, set records, and won a 2022 national championship in the 500-yard freestyle event.

by Selena Hill

December 29, 2023

Alicia Keys’ ‘Hell’s Kitchen:’ A Musical Journey Set in the Heart of New York City

A review of the popular musical based on Alicia Keys' life and music catalog.

Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen has been setting The Public Theater ablaze since its world premiere on Nov. 19. After receiving rave reviews and selling out numerous shows, the popular musical loosely based on the life of the 15-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter is now headed to Broadway.

Set in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, where Keys was born and raised, the play is a coming-to-age story built on the global superstar’s personal experiences and catalog. Actress Maleah Joi Moon stars as Ali, a 17-year-old defiant, biracial teen who bumps heads with her white, overprotective single mother, Jersey (played by Broadway veteran Shoshana Bean), while struggling to find her identity and independence. The tension between Ali and Jersey culminates when Jersey calls the police after catching Ali getting intimate with an older Black man.

Another important storyline involves Ali’s development as an artist after meeting Miss Liza Jane (played by Kecia Lewis), a stern piano teacher who helps Ali cultivate her musical gifts and find her voice.

“My favorite line in the show — which applies to a lot of us — is, ‘You are here because the voices of your ancestors have requested your presence,’” Lewis told BLACK ENTERPRISE, referring to a scene in which Miss Liza Jane summons a reluctant Ali for piano lessons. This line, Lewis explained, “speaks to all of us as a people. The fact that our ancestors were the ones who survived the Middle Passage. So, we come from people that dug in and held on no matter what. They just rolled with it and fought when they needed to fight.”

Hell's Kitchen — Source: **Chris Lee and Maleah Joi Moon in the world premiere production of “Hell’s Kitchen” at the Public Theater. (Photo Credit: Joan Marcus)**

The songs featured in the musical – from “Girl on Fire” to “Fallin’” to deep Keys’ cuts like “Gramercy Park” — are artfully reimagined and reinterpreted for the play. Each performance brings the lyrics of her robust catalog to life while the story touches on complex issues like race, sex, and family relations. Not surprisingly, TheaterMania called Hell’s Kitchen ”easily the best new musical at the Public since Hamilton.”

Though she doesn’t appear in the musical, Keys serves as the lead producer and composer. After conceptualizing the play more than a decade ago, she worked with Emmy and Grammy Award-winner Adam Blackstone, director Michael Greif (who directed Rent in 1996), Pulitzer Prize-finalist playwright Kristoffer Diaz, and Tony-nominated choreographer Camille A. Brown to bring the story to life.

Alicia Keys Hell's Kitchen Musical — Source: **(Photo Credit: Joan Marcus)**

Following a successful run at The Public Theater, Keys announced on Dec. 4 that Hell’s Kitchen will debut on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in the Theater District in the Spring, with previews starting March 28 and opening night on April 20. Until then, you can catch Hell’s Kitchen at The Public Theater until Jan. 14.

Americans Across The Country Strike After Student Loan Payments Resume

by Lauren Nutall

December 29, 2023

Americans Across The Country Strike After Student Loan Payments Resume

Borrowers are avoiding paying off student loans in what some activists are calling a "student debt strike."

Though student loan repayments have resumed following a temporary pause in 2020, millions of Americans across the country cannot pay off their debt, with activists calling it a “massive student debt strike,” according to CNBC.

The holdoff is the result of Americans struggling to balance bills with student loan payments, an outcome that was predicted over a year ago by economic experts when the conversation of student loan cancellation arose. Education Department Under Secretary James Kvaal spoke about the circumstances in a legal filing in Nov. 2022.

“Unless the [Education] Department is allowed to provide debt relief, we anticipate there could be an historically large increase in the amount of federal student loan delinquency and defaults as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he wrote.

In a 6-3 majority, the Supreme Court recently rejected President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, which would cancel up to $20,000 per person. The Court cited the Education Secretary’s lack of authorization to do so without approval from Congress. ″Can the Secretary use his powers to abolish $430 billion in student loans, completely canceling loan balances for 20 million borrowers, as a pandemic winds down to its end?” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion. “We can’t believe the answer would be yes.”

Experts have shared their concerns regarding the impact of student loan repayments on the public. Data from the U.S. Department of Education reveals that only 60% of borrowers with loans due in October managed to pay their bills by mid-November. This data is indicative of a vast issue in the United States, which is the worsening state of the economy as Americans are grappling with federal loan repayment on top of typical responsibilities, including rent, utilities, and general survival. Paired with technical difficulties such as servicer errors, missing account information, and outright confusion, many Americans are at a loss on how to proceed.

“Faced with the impossible choice of feeding their kids, keeping a roof over their head or throwing an average of $400 a month into the Department of Education incinerator, borrowers are rightly choosing to keep themselves and their families financially afloat,” said Asha Taylor, who co-founded the Debt Collective, a union for debtors.

The country’s economic landscape is expected to be drastically impacted by student loan payments, with experts sharing their projections. “The upcoming resumption of student loan repayments will put additional pressure on the already strained budgets of tens of millions of households,” Target CFO Michael Fiddelke told USA Today. However, because many borrowers are currently weighing their options and not yet paying off their existing loans, the United States economy has not fallen entirely under as expected.

“It’s posing less of a drag and one small factor helping to avoid recession,” said economist Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics. With these complications, the country is in the middle of a transitional phase, and some experts believe that it will take a few months before things return to normalcy.

After Being Bitten By Family Dog, Denver Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon Out Indefinitely

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 29, 2023

After Being Bitten By Family Dog, Denver Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon Out Indefinitely

The 28-year-old basketball player has suffered lacerations to his face and shooting hand.

The Denver Nuggets stated that Aaron Gordon would be out indefinitely, after being bitten by a dog on Christmas.

According to NBA.com, the 28-year-old forward suffered lacerations to his face and shooting hand after from the attack. The Nuggets said that Gordon is in good condition but will remain away from the team while he recovers from the injury.

Injury Update:

Aaron Gordon suffered lacerations to his face and hand resulting from a dog bite on December 25th. Aaron is in good condition and will remain away from the team while he recovers.

Additional updates will be provided as necessary. pic.twitter.com/6df11yxmv2

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 27, 2023

Although no details were released beyond that, he did play in the Christmas Day game that the team played against the Golden State Warriors. He helped the Nuggets win the game, 120-114, after scoring 16 points, pulling down ten rebounds, and dishing out three assists.

ESPN reported that Gordon required 21 stitches after the dog attack.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone discussed the team having his back while he recovers from the dog bites.

“He’s hanging in there. Obviously, a very traumatic experience, and the most important thing I told him is that you take as much time as you need. We’re a family — wins, losses, and when people go through tough times like Aaron’s going through right now.”

“We have his back. We love him. We’re here for him. So whenever he’s able to come back, we’re going to open our arms up and embrace him. I told all the guys to make sure they’re reaching out to him, to make sure he’s never feeling like he’s on an island.”

Gordon is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Nuggets, who currently have a 22-10 record.

North Carolina A&T, Biotechnology, merck

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 29, 2023

Dallas Leads Texas In Alarming Backlog Of Untested Rape Kits, Some Decades Old

Cities in Texas are working to reduce the high numbers of backlogged rape kits, with untested kits in Dallas going as far back as 1996.

The quantity of untested rape kits in Texas, particularly in Dallas, is quite alarming. The significant factors contributing to this backlog, which extended into the thousands, included the pandemic, understaffing, and insufficient funding, as cited by law enforcement agencies, including the Dallas Police Department.

Dallas currently holds the most backlogged sexual assault kits in Texas, with thousands still awaiting progress. The number grew considerably amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the lack of funding allocated to staffing and other resources limiting the number of kits that could be processed. As time continued on, so did victims’ turmoil as they yearned for information. In December 2022, to rectify this issue, with untested kits going so far back as 1996, the Dallas City Council designated $2.3 million to speed up testing rates.

Over 1,800 kits, split between 1996-2011 and 2011-2019, needed testing at the beginning of 2023. The revelation of this backlog issue was unveiled in 2022, despite Texas legislation H.B.8 requiring sexual assault kits to be tested within a certain timeframe. The law was named after Lavinia Masters, a sexual assault survivor and advocate who waited decades for her kit to be tested and processed.

“I still say that one is too many,” shared Masters to the publication. “I know we’ve come a long way, and I applaud that. I’m grateful for that, but still, I don’t see the excuse of having any kits on the shelf. I know you tell me it’s about training or funding or outsourcing the testing to different labs, but having so many kits on the shelf just doesn’t rest well with me. It just doesn’t.”

Cities across Texas have been urged to do more to reduce the number of backlogged kits, with $3 million awarded to the state’s Department of Public Safety. The Debbie Smith Act, reauthorized this year after first being passed in 2019, also pushes for rape kits to be prioritized for testing, but more must be done to end the systemic lag in processing.

“You have to find a balance,” continued Masters. “You can’t say that we [sexual assault victims with older, backlogged rape kits] aren’t a priority. This time next year, you could have another thousand rape kits from victims that come forward, and what happens then? The new cases now will be the old cases then.”

Victims, especially from Black and brown communities, continue to face obstacles when seeking answers and justice from sexual assault, say experts, but the advocacy from Masters and local elected officials is making strides to ensure the process does not remain at a standstill.

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The Blueprint University Is A New Texas Hub For Diverse Entrepreneurs

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 29, 2023

The Blueprint University Is A New Texas Hub For Diverse Entrepreneurs

Founded by 26-year-old entrepreneur Kaila Cherie, The Blueprint University and Dallas Startup Club seek to provide a new network for aspiring business owners of color.

Dallas, Texas, is getting a new hub for its diverse entrepreneurs. The Blueprint University was created by 26-year-old Kaila Cherie to build community and ideas, empowering innovators of color.

With Dallas as the headquarters for The Blueprint University, Cherie is gearing up to make a significant impact in the entrepreneurial space by being a “catalyst for success” within the city and eventually nationwide. Its launch event on Dec. 13 brought together aspiring and thriving business owners to network and build with one another to expand their endeavors.

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The Blueprint University and its headquarters aim to foster a support system for people of color, which Cherie recognizes as pivotal to one’s success when embarking on a new business venture. The initiative aims to provide monetary resources, such as access to angel investors and guidance to the diverse entrepreneurs who need it most.

“We believe that every entrepreneur deserves the chance to succeed, and that’s what The Blueprint University and the Dallas Startup Club are all about,” says Cherie. “We want to provide not just the knowledge but the financial support and resources needed to turn dreams into successful businesses. Dallas is a hub of incredible talent, and we’re here to bring it all together.”

Cherie’s organization will combat the ongoing obstacles new business owners face, such as capital funding and expert insight when turning their dreams into reality. Through mentorship opportunities, workshops, and innovative programming in development, The Blueprint University’s goal is to provide resources and capital while bridging the gap and build critical relationships between Fortune 500 companies and diverse professionals.

To be part of the future of Dallas’s entrepreneurial landscape, sign up to stay on top of the growing network.

by Stacy Jackson

December 28, 2023

‘I’m Here’ Lyric Dispute Hits Sour Note: ‘The Color Purple’ Actress LaChanze Demands Song Credit

"The Color Purple" broadway actress wants her royalty fee for the lyrics she contributed to the song 'I'm Here.'

Tony Award-winner LaChanze, renowned for her lead role as Celie in the 2005 Broadway production of The Color Purple, recently aired claims about her absence from the creative credits for the show’s beloved song “I’m Here.”

In a Dec. 26 tweet, the Broadway star claimed she had not received deserved compensation as a lyricist on the dynamic ballad that has become emblematic of Celie’s role. As LaChanze expressed: “I am getting a lot of DM’s and posts about why I’ve been left out of the press as the original Celie…I am thrilled for the movie’s success! Happy for all involved. However, I do want my royalty fee for the lyrics I added to ‘I’M HERE.’”

https://twitter.com/laChanze/status/1739719697354903656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1739719697354903656%7Ctwgr%5E5c395c8b96124b8bc14b724240ac9db417565b3b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Fembed%3Furl%3Dhttps3A2F2Fx.com2Flachanze2Fstatus2F17397196973549036563Fs3D4626t3DDzOytImhASw8uepawYhjRAid%3Dmntl-sc-block_1-0-4-iframeoptions%3De303DdocId%3D8420310

The actress feels her intimate involvement with the musical merits acknowledgment publicly and financially.

Though not specifying her exact lyrical contributions, the seasoned actress emphasized the depths of her creative efforts in originating and shaping the defiant character in the 2005 stage production. “I poured my heart and soul into that role. And was a huge part at writing ‘I’m Here,’” LaChanze responded to a fan in a separate tweet.

According to Spotify, LaChanze’s name is indeed absent from the official songwriting credits for “I’m Here,” which include Allee Willis, Brenda Russell, and Stephen Bray.

The song has gained new resonance in the recently released musical film adaptation, where Celie’s role is played by Grammy Award-winning singer Fantasia Barrino, who is listed as the artist on the 2023 track. Bray is credited as a producer along with Kris Bowers and Nick Baxter.

As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, The Color Purple earned $18 million in ticket sales on Christmas Day. The film ranked in the No. 2 spot for the biggest Christmas Day openings “of all time.” The film raked in higher box office earnings during its opening weekend than other recently adapted Broadway-to-screen musicals.

by Rafael Pena

December 28, 2023

Tesla Engineer Attacked By Robot In Car Factory

A Tesla software engineer in Austin, Texas, reportedly suffered serious injuries after a robot malfunctioned on the factory floor.

A Tesla software engineer in Austin, Texas, suffered serious injuries after a robot malfunctioned on the factory floor two years ago, The Information reports.

According to witnesses, the robot, designed to move aluminum car parts, accidentally pinned the engineer, who injured his back and arm.

The engineer was programming software for robots responsible for cutting car parts from freshly cast aluminum. Two robots were disabled, but a third was left operational, resulting in the attack.

An injury report submitted to federal officials and health authorities in Travis County detailed the incident. Although the injuries were serious, they did not require the employee to take time off work.

Tesla has not commented on the matter, the New York Post reports.

The Giga Texas factory, where the incident occurred, has faced safety concerns, according to The Information.

Injury reports submitted to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration suggest that nearly one in every 21 workers at the factory experienced injuries last year, surpassing the automotive industry’s median injury rate of one in every 30 workers. Workers claimed that safety lapses were a result of management’s demands for rapid production, leading to accidents involving heavy machinery, exposure to toxins, and collisions between forklifts and workers.

Reports also highlighted incidents such as a moving cart trapping an employee’s ankle, resulting them in missing over four months of work, and another worker being struck in the head by a metal object, causing an 85-day absence.

In a separate incident around New Year’s 2023, an explosion occurred when water accidentally mixed with molten aluminum in the casting area for Tesla’s Model Y underbody. Witnesses described the explosion as a “sonic boom,” but details about injuries were not disclosed in safety documents submitted to inspectors.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk initiated the construction of the Giga Texas factory in 2020 after disputes with California regulators. The company officially relocated its headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin in 2021. Construction is ongoing, with Tesla planning to employ 60,000 people at the facility once completed. The company expects to spend up to $10 billion to finish construction, aiming to produce 20 million cars annually by 2030.