makeup, cosmetic, environmental, toxic, beauty products, e.l.f. Beauty

by Atiya Jordan

December 22, 2023

Toxic Beauty Products Are Linked To Climate Change, Studies Show

The placement of power fuel plants across the United States are devastating Black women’s health and the environment.

Environmental racism is manifested in the items we use every day, with beauty products disproportionately marketed to Black women often containing toxic chemicals that may devastate their health and climate change.

Many studies have found that Black women purchase billions of dollars in personal care and beauty products each year. Notably, they possesses nine times the buying power of hair care products more than any other demographic. These items include skin lightening creams and chemical relaxers, which may reportedly increase potential risks of uterine cancer and other cancers among Black women. Not only are these health effects clear, but the placement of power fuel plants across the United States is crucial in understanding inequities among the Black community as well as the environment.

Part Of The Problem

In the U.S., the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) cannot recall cosmetics for product contamination. This allows companies producing beauty products with lethal ingredients to often slip through the cracks. However, amid hair relaxer lawsuits by Black women, the FDA is reportedly proposing a ban on formaldehyde, a potentially hazardous chemical primarily manufactured from methanol and commonly used in products that straighten and relax curly and kinky hair. Direct exposure to Black women’s scalp and skin may cause eye, nose, throat irritation, lung cancer, blindness, asthma, and skin rashes.

The Placement Of Power Plants

Research studies have found that Black women, in particular, are more likely to reside in close proximity of power plants, including fuel and natural gas. Activists call this an environmental justice issue.

“Power plants are proven to have a direct correlation to mortality rates in these communities because their emissions reduce air quality in the surrounding areas, which causes respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis,” according to an article by ClimateXChange.

For example, the personal care and beauty industry produces more than 120 billion units of packaging every year globally. But most packaging is not truly recyclable. From plastic and gas pollution to excessive beauty packaging, “these poor environmental practices can increase the risk of issues like climate change – and, as a result, more natural disasters and extreme weather events,” the Women’s Media Center reported.

by Rafael Pena

December 22, 2023

Diddy’s Invite To 2024 Grammys Under Consideration Due To Legal Battles

Sean "Diddy" Combs' potential attendance at the 2024 Grammys remains uncertain as the Recording Academy deliberates whether to ban him.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ potential attendance at the 2024 Grammys remains uncertain as the Recording Academy deliberates whether to ban the music mogul amid multiple legal challenges. Diddy, a nominee for Best Progressive R&B Album, faces accusations from several women, including his ex-girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who accused him of rape and assault.

Earlier this month, RadarOnline reported that the Recording Academy was “evaluating” Diddy’s invitation in light of the lawsuits. While a representative from the Recording Academy stated they were taking the accusations “very seriously,” insiders revealed that “no new information” is available regarding his possible attendance.

The academy’s initial statement on Dec. 11 emphasized the seriousness with which they are approaching the matter. However, a spokesperson later clarified that the evaluation pertained to Diddy’s invitation, not his nomination.

Diddy, a 54-year-old rapper and founder of Bad Boys Records, currently faces accusations from four women, including a recent lawsuit alleging gang rape when the accuser was in high school. Despite the legal turmoil, Diddy secured his 14th Grammy nomination for “The Love Album: Off The Grid.”

As the decision regarding his Grammy attendance hangs in limbo, Diddy confronts the repercussions of the legal battles. His empire suffered setbacks, including the termination of his nearly 20-year partnership with Macy’s for his Sean John clothing label. Additionally, the charter school he co-founded severed ties, and 18 brands associated with Empower Global distanced themselves from the star.

In response to the allegations, Diddy took to social media on Dec. 7 to proclaim his innocence and denounce the accusations as attempts to tarnish his character for financial gain. “Enough is enough,” he declared, vowing to fight for his name, family, and the truth.

“For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” Diddy continued. “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday.”

The uncertainty surrounding Diddy’s Grammy attendance underscores the complex intersection of legal challenges and professional consequences. As the Recording Academy weighs its decision, the fate of Diddy’s participation in the prestigious music event remains uncertain.

BIPOC, missing women, New York, task force

by Stacy Jackson

December 22, 2023

New York State Creates Missing BIPOC Women And Girls Task Force

According to the FBI, over 43% of the more than 271,000 missing women and girls nationwide were Black, Indigenous, or other people of color.

New York has announced a new task force to address the alarming crisis of missing girls and women in the state who have been identified as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.

On Dec. 21, Governor Kathy Hochul authorized the creation of the Missing BIPOC Women and Girls Task Force. According to CBS News, Hochul stated, “We have a moral obligation to treat these cases with the care and seriousness they deserve, and this new Task Force will be a critical part of that effort.”

According to statistics from the FBI, over 43% of the more than 271,000 missing women and girls cases nationwide were Black, Indigenous, or other people of color. The new task force will examine discrepancies in how New York investigates such cases and make policy recommendations to improve community education. As the governor asserted, “The statistics are alarming: thousands of women and girls who are Black, Indigenous or people of color go missing every year.”

The Missing BIPOC Women and Girls Task Force will have nine members, which includes representatives from key state agencies like the Office of Family and Children’s Services and the Division of Criminal Justice Services. Additional members will be appointed by the State Legislature.

Over a two year period, the task force will study this crisis and provide findings and recommendations to better address the unjust realities for minority women and girls.

This action comes on the heels of another major initiative Hochul signed into law earlier this week. As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the governor signed a bill on Dec. 19 for the creation of a commission to study the history of slavery in New York State and explore potential reparations. Though controversial, the governor continues taking bold steps to confront racial injustice in the state.

With the Missing BIPOC Women and Girls Task Force, New York hopes to lead by example in providing equal protection and urgency when minority women and girls disappear without explanation.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 22, 2023

Deion Sanders Confirms Warren Sapp Will Join Colorado Buffaloes Football Staff

Sapp just graduated from Texas Seminary Christian University with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Sports Management

Several days after clowning former NFL player Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson for asking to join his Colorado Buffaloes coaching staff, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders made it official that Super Bowl Champion defensive player Warren Sapp would be a coach for the Buffaloes football team, Yahoo Sports reports.

Coach Prime appeared on The Rich Eisen Show to make the announcement and congratulate the former player for receiving his college diploma. The incoming defensive coach graduated from Texas Seminary Christian University with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Sports Management.

Earlier this year, Coach Prime said he would welcome Warren Sapp onto his staff once he received that diploma and mission accomplished!

Calling Sapp a big “teddy bear,” the Colorado coach looks forward to having him on staff.

“To see him go get his diploma because I know what he wants to do, he wants to coach on this staff, and he wants to be a part of this staff,” Sanders stated. “And he is going to be a part of this staff.”

The players love the 51-year-old Sapp, and Sanders reminded Eisen of the students’ admiration for him already. He reminisced about a time earlier this season when Sapp was in the hot tub, and after a few players joined in, after less than an hour, the whole defensive line was in there with him, trying to soak up his knowledge of the game.

He even credits Sapp with extending his knowledge to the offensive linemen.

“Even the offensive linemen, they glean from him too because he’s so thought-provoking that he can tell them, ‘Don’t let the defensive lineman get you at that point or this point or this point.’ I think he’s that, he’s a wealth of knowledge and he’s hilarious, man.”

Although Sanders has brought much attention to the football team and improved upon the previous season’s 1-11 record, the team still came in last place and ended the season with a 4-8 win-loss total.

by Stacy Jackson

December 22, 2023

Serena Williams Donates Her ‘Liquid Gold’ Breast Milk To Those In Need

Donor milk from breast milk banks provides an alternative for mothers who face challenges producing their own.

Tennis icon Serena Williams recently shared with fans that she donated her breast milk to mothers in need.

After a recent trip to New York, Williams showed off her freezer full of pumped breast milk. “After going through a screening, I was able to donate it instead of taking the milk home,” she explained in a Dec. 20 Instagram video that revealed the packages of breast milk. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who gave birth to daughter Olympia in 2017 and welcomed her second child this past August, joked that the mothers would get some “super soldier milk” from her.

According to the National Institutes of Health, donor milk from breast milk banks provides an alternative for mothers who face challenges producing their own.

Williams felt thrilled to provide her milk “to people who really need it,” saying the experience of donating “felt amazing.” She knows “so many amazing women that adopt or are unable to make milk” and wanted to help however she could. The athlete expressed being “super excited” about the anonymous donation, eager “to just help” somehow.

By generously giving her breast milk to mothers lacking this precious resource, Williams demonstrated the same inspiration and care for others she shows on and off the tennis court.

Having firsthand knowledge of the difficulties some women face supplying new babies, Williams sprang into action – undergoing screening and ultimately contributing bottled loads of her “super soldier milk.” As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the mom of two shared her experience after she almost lost her life giving birth to her first daughter. Williams has become an advocate for Black women who experience medical neglect and postpartum depression as they navigate maternal health.

Given her extraordinary fitness level, commenters praised the “liquid gold” she provided as probably being coveted by adult athletes, too.

“That’s G.O.A.T. Milk!” one follower wrote, while another commented, “I can only imagine what some athletes and bodybuilders would be willing to pay for that milk.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 22, 2023

DJ Envy Ordered To Hand Over Documents To Bankruptcy Judge Or Risk Arrest

According to a new filing, DJ Envy has to turn over documents to a bankruptcy judge by a certain date or risk arrest.

DJ Envy isn’t getting off easy in the fraud case involving his former real estate partner, Ceaser Pina. According to a new filing, the radio personality has to turn over documents by a certain date or risk arrest.

According to legal journalist Meghann Cuniff, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, a judge subpoenaed DJ Envy, real name Raashaun Casey, in a bankruptcy involving accused fraudster Cesar Humberto Pina. Now Envy has until Jan. 8 to produce all documents requested by a court-appointed trustee overseeing Pina’s company, Whairhouse LLC, that creditors forced into bankruptcy four months ago.

If The Breakfast Club host doesn’t produce the documents on time, he faces arrest and New Jersey bankruptcy court for a mandatory deposition, along with other possible sanctions. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Rosemary Gambardella filed the order in Newark, N.J., to grant a motion after Envy missed his Nov. 28 deadline to a Nov. 9 subpoena requesting communications and documents related to Whairhouse, as well as another company behind an apartment complex Pina owns.

Envy, along with Pina and his wife, Jennifer Iturralde Pina, are all included in Judge Gambardella’s new order. If the trio doesn’t comply, the judge will most likely hold a hearing “to address appropriate sanctions against Cesar Pina, Jennifer Iturralde Pina, and Raashaun Casey for contempt of this Court’s order, including, but not limited to an order for an arrest to bring the parties to the United States Bankruptcy Court.”

DJ Envy of the popular radio show The Breakfast Club could be arrested if he doesn’t disclose documents to a bankruptcy trustee in charge of his former business partner Cesar Pina’s companies.

That’s according to a federal judge’s new ruling. https://t.co/NwcKctyCX8 pic.twitter.com/nvZk917M7r
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) December 21, 2023

Pina was arrested on Oct. 18 and is currently out on bail awaiting trial over an alleged real estate scheme that defrauded investors out of millions of dollars. Prior to Pina’s arrest and downfall, he and Envy appeared to be thick as thieves, promoting their real estate investment seminars and encouraging investors to join them in turning a profit through real estate deals throughout New Jersey.

“We also have bank statements which show that the two had multiple joint bank accounts earning at least $330k through 2021 from their joint seminars alone,” a plaintiff’s attorney, Alexander Schachtel told Legal Affairs and Trials.

“We anticipate that when we get complete bank records via discovery, there will be much more evidence in that department.”

The radio personality hasn’t been criminally charged and has distanced himself from Pina, claiming that he also is a victim. However, Envy was recently hit with a new federal lawsuit from two men who say the DJ’s involvement and alleged $100 million real estate portfolio with Pina were “instrumental” in their decision to invest in Pina’s companies.
RELATED CONTENT: Charlamagne Tha God Speaks About Radio Show Amid DJ Envy’s Possible Legal Drama

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 22, 2023

Brooklyn Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith Reunites With Father After Nearly 30 Years In Prison

His father, Eric Smith was in prison for 28 years, nine months, and 10 days.

Sometimes, you get an early Christmas gift. According to the New York Post, Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith is ecstatic that his father, who has been in prison for almost 30 years, is finally out and home with him. It was an emotional early Christmas present for Finney-Smith and his family.

Elbert Smith reunited with his NBA son on Dec. 19 at the Greensville Correctional Center in Virginia.

Dorian Finney-Smith has been reunited with his father after almost 30 years in prison, per @townbrad. 💙

Finney-Smith’s former team, the Mavericks helped secure his father’s release and was granted parole in July. pic.twitter.com/yFgKVTiUwn

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 20, 2023

Smith was in prison for 28 years, nine months, and 10 days, but Finney-Smith had to wait four “long-ass” hours to be able to finally embrace him.

“Last 48 hours, it’s been exciting, long, just because they didn’t give us a specific time, they just gave us a specific date,” Finney-Smith said while discussing his father’s release before the Nets played their cross-city rivals, the New York Knicks at Barclays Center.

“It was a long ass four hours just waiting on them to give you that phone call to tell you he’s ready. It was exciting, though. He gets to watch the first game in the house without having to share the TV with anyone else. It’s fun.”

Finney-Smith previously played for the Dallas Mavericks and was brought over to the Brooklyn team in the trade for Kyrie Irving last season.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban helped get his father released by petitioning the Virginia Parole Board to look at his father’s case. After agreeing, the board unanimously voted 3-0 to grant Smith parole in July. Five months later, Finney-Smith could hug his father for the first time since he was a baby. The Brooklyn Net bought his mother and Smith’s former wife, Desiree, a house in Virginia where he can live.

“It was amazing,” Finney-Smith said. “Just me trying to feel him out. I had to touch his arms, shoulders, just to get a feel for him. I hadn’t touched him or remember ever touching him. It was emotional. The hug lasted for longer than I probably thought.”

The Nets permitted Finney-Smith to get his father before he returned to New York for Wednesday’s night contest against the Knicks.

Smith was given a sentence of 44 years in prison after a jury convicted him of second-degree murder on Jan. 25, 1995. He was arrested after he and his co-defendant, Diefen McGann, went to collect a debt from a man named Willie Anderson, according to the Dallas Morning News. The incident took place at an auto repair shop in Virginia Beach.

Angel Reese Shares ‘Athlete of the Year’ Cover With Caitlin Clark And Social Media Wonders Why

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 22, 2023

Angel Reese Shares ‘Athlete of the Year’ Cover With Caitlin Clark And Social Media Wonders Why

The sports outlet came under fire after releasing its cover for "Athletes of the Year"

Social media is speaking out after The Sporting News (TSN) decided to make Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark share the title for “Athletes of The Year.”

The sports outlet came under fire on Tuesday, Dec. 19 after releasing its cover for “Athletes of the Year,” which was shared by the LSU Tigers’ Angel Reese and Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark.

https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/1737152363075678544

In their editorial writeup on the cover, TSN credited Reese and Clark’s rising star power in the wake of their performances at the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, where LSU defeated Iowa 102–85 to win the school’s first national championship and set a record for most points scored by a team in an NCAA women’s basketball championship game.

During the championship game, Reese recorded a double-double and was voted the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the Final Four. She has gone on to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and win an ESPY for Breakout Athlete of the Year. But TSN still felt Reese needed to share the athlete of the year title with Clark.

“Iowa guard Caitlin Clark and LSU forward Angel Reese are stars. Clark has been featured in a national television commercial along with “Jake from State Farm,” the kind of prominence usually accorded Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes and NBA All-Star Chris Paul,” the outlet wrote. “Reese has been featured in a photo shoot and article in Teen Vogue and in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue.”

Now, social media is debating why TSN chose to share the coveted title, rather than giving it solely to Reese who won the championship and has grown exponentially in popularity.

“Whatever happen to one person winning ?” one Twitter/X user asked.

“They made the winner share the cover with the loser? Damn, that’s some privilege,” added someone else.

“Would Angel be added if LSU lost?” another tweet read.

The Sporting News has yet to respond to questions over the cover. Meanwhile, neither Reese nor Clark have reposted the cover on their social media pages.

by Stacy Jackson

December 22, 2023

Georgia Poll Workers Urge Court To Bar Rudy Giuliani From Further Defaming Them

This comes after Giuliani was slapped with a $148 million defamation ruling in another lawsuit by the two women.

Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, accused by Rudy Giuliani of ballot fraud in 2020, filed a new lawsuit on Dec. 18 urging the court to bar the former Trump lawyer from repeating the debunked claims that upended their lives.

The filing cites Giuliani’s post-trial interviews doubling down on the conspiracy theories about the women, The Associated Press reported on Dec. 15. This came after Giuliani was slapped with a $148 million defamation ruling in another lawsuit by the two women. Giuliani faces fresh legal action seeking to muzzle his ongoing false attacks against two Georgia election workers. A political adviser for Giuliani declined to address the new litigation.

During emotional testimony on Dec. 15, Freeman and Moss described receiving violent racist threats that forced them into hiding after Giuliani promoted the fraud allegations. A judge previously found Giuliani liable for defaming them and on that same day a jury awarded the women $148 million in damages, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported.

Giuliani maintains he did nothing wrong and has vowed to appeal, despite admitting in court that his accusations against the women were public and false. However, his ability to actually pay such an enormous sum remains uncertain given his own precarious finances.

The former New York mayor currently faces a criminal investigation in Georgia tied to Trump’s efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, which Giuliani was closely involved in. He has pleaded not guilty to state charges but the case threatens to compound his snowballing legal woes stemming from his work for the former president.

With Giuliani refusing to back down from his attacks on Moss and Freeman, the women are now fighting in court to force him to stop spreading claims that a jury found defamed them to a devastating degree. Moss and Freeman’s attorneys argued: “It must stop.” The comments “make clear that he intends to persist in his campaign of targeted defamation and harassment,” according to the news outlet. Their lawyers argue his ongoing falsehoods prove the need for judicial intervention to prevent further harm.

by Derek Major

December 22, 2023

FBI Investigating Threats Against Colorado Justices Who Ruled Trump Can’t Be On Primary Ballot

The fallout from the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to remove Donald Trump the primary ballot has begun.

The FBI is looking into a surge in violent threats against the Colorado justices who ruled that former President Donald Trump should be disqualified from appearing on the 2024 primary ballot.

In the aftermath of the Colorado State Supreme Court’s decision, social media outlets have been flooded with threats against the justices, and Lisa Monaco, the number-two official at the Justice Department, told ABC News that the violent language comes at a time where threats against public officials are spiking to new levels.

“The FBI is aware of the situation and working with local law enforcement,” the agency said in a statement. “We will vigorously pursue—investigations of any threat or use of violence committed by someone who uses extremist views to justify their actions regardless of motivation.”

The justices ruled Tuesday that Trump is disqualified from appearing on the state’s primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause due to his actions on January 6, 2021, and the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The justices ordered Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to exclude Trump’s name from the Republican presidential primary ballot.

“We conclude that because President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Secretary to list President Trump as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot,” the court’s majority wrote in an unsigned opinion. “Therefore, the Secretary may not list President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot, nor may she count any write-in votes cast for him.”

The situation began in September when Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW), a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, filed a lawsuit on behalf of six Republican and unaffiliated voters in Colorado, claiming Trump breached the Insurrection Clause.

While Trump is only disqualified in the state, lawsuits have been filed in 25 states challenging his candidacy ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Despite the ruling and the criminal and civil cases Trump is facing, he is still leading all Republican candidates in the polls by a wide margin.

Despite the ruling, Trump will appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, likely leading to a high-stakes decision over his eligibility to run by a court to which Trump appointed three members.