NFL To Celebrate Diversity At Panthers/Falcons Game As 3 HBCUs Set To Perform

by Daniel Johnson

December 16, 2023

NFL To Celebrate Diversity At Panthers/Falcons Game As 3 HBCUs Set To Perform

Carolina Panthers attempt to turn heal the racial scars of former team owner Jerry Richardson by celebrating Black culture.

As part of the NFL’s Inspire Change game, the contest between the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons will feature performances from North Carolina A&T’s “Blue and Gold Machine” marching band, South Carolina State University’s “Champagne” dancers, and the Winston-Salem State “Powerhouse” cheerleaders at various points in the Dec. 17 game.

According to QCity Metro, the game’s theme is Representation Matters: Celebrating Black Culture, and on that note, the Winston-Salem State cheerleaders are set to make history as the first CIAA cheerleading team to perform alongside NFL cheerleaders.

The head coach of the Winston-Salem State squad, NeShelia Washington, told QCity Metro that she appreciated the moment, telling the outlet, “This is a remarkable opportunity to showcase the wonderful talent of our cheerleaders and represent our university during this historical moment.”

Quentin DeBerry, the director of Inclusion & Belonging at Tepper Sports & Entertainment, which is owned by the principal owner of the Carolina Panthers, David Tepper, indicated that merging the two initiatives establishes the synergy between the new organization’s ownership and the NFL’s value of diversity.

“Inclusion is not a one-time decision; it’s the daily choice to open our hearts, expand our perspectives, and actively invite everyone to the table. Each day, we have the power to choose unity over division,” DeBerry explained, “By integrating our Representation Matters initiative into the Panthers Inspire Change game, we are actively participating in the ongoing dialogue around equity, justice, and community.”

Tepper took over as owner of the Carolina Panthers following Jerry Richardson’s departure amid allegations of the use of sexually suggestive language and behavior, as well as at least one instance of using a racial slur to describe one of the team’s Black scouts. According to Sports Illustrated, an investigation into Richardson was started by the Panthers organization, which the NFL would eventually take over. It culminated with Richardson’s agreement to sell the team at the conclusion of the 2017 season without any apology or acknowledgment of his alleged conduct. In June 2018, the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million after their investigation found “no evidence” that would “discredit the claims made or that would undermine the veracity of the employees who made those claims.”

AI, artificial intelligence, computer science

by Daniel Johnson

December 16, 2023

Diversity In Artificial Intelligence Could Help Make It More Equitable

Of all computer science doctorates, only 1.6% were awarded to Black doctoral candidates.

In 2019, The Guardian cited a study by NYU that emphasized the critical need for diversity in artificial intelligence. “The urgency behind this issue is increasing as AI becomes increasingly integrated into society,” Danaë Metaxa, a Ph.D. candidate and a researcher at Stanford University focused on issues of internet and democracy, told the outlet. “Essentially, the lack of diversity in AI is concentrating an increasingly large amount of power and capital in the hands of a select subset of people.”

As we head into 2024, not much on that front has changed. In November, Wired talked to several prominent women in the artificial intelligence community about why they would not want a seat on the board of OpenAI following Sam Altman’s coup. Timnit Gebru, who made waves when Google dismissed her following a warning she issued regarding the company’s plans for AI, said that there was a better chance of her returning to Google than joining Altman’s board.

“It’s repulsive to me,” Gebru said. “I honestly think there’s more of a chance that I would go back to Google—I mean, they won’t have me and I won’t have them—than me going to OpenAI.”

In this subsection of artificial intelligence, the field of AI ethics, women in tech have found a measure of success, but their work in the field often puts them at odds with the white men who control the boards and companies in Silicon Valley. Meredith Whittaker, the president of Signal, an encrypted messaging app, says the problem is about giving people from diverse backgrounds the power to effect change instead of tokenizing their seats at the table.

“We’re not going to solve the issue—that AI is in the hands of concentrated capital at present—by simply hiring more diverse people to fulfill the incentives of concentrated capital,” Whittaker told Wired. “I worry about a discourse that focuses on diversity and then sets folks up in rooms with [expletive] Larry Summers without much power.”

Black people, in particular, have felt the brunt of the way artificial intelligence is used by the police, for example.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously covered, the city of Detroit was sued by a Black woman who was arrested while eight months pregnant because officers used a facial recognition program to tie her to a crime. And this is just one of many similar incidents.

In a November article for Esquire, Mitchell S. Jackson surmises that this is inescapable as the field of criminal justice insists on pushing to use artificial intelligence, even though the datasets those programs will use are filled with negative biases that will inevitably work against Black people.

Jackson writes, “AI in policing is being implemented into that already flawed system. It’s more dangerous to Black and brown people because the persistent lack of diversity in the STEM fields—from which AI comes—is apt to generate more built-in biases against people of color, the same people who are overpoliced and underprotected.”

He continued, “AI in policing is hella dangerous to my people because it operates on data—crime reports, arrest records, license plates, images—that is itself steeped in biases.”

According to a 2023 report by the Code.org Advocacy Coalition, only 78% of Black high school students had access to foundational computer science courses, compared to 89% of Asian high school students and 82% of white high school students. A 2022 survey from the Computing Research Association says that two-thirds of all computer science doctorates went to non-permanent U.S. residents for whom no ethnic background is available. Still, almost 19% of those degrees went to white doctoral candidates, and 10.1 % were awarded to Asian doctoral candidates. Only 1.6% were awarded to Black doctoral candidates, which illustrates why the diversity numbers in technology companies are abysmal.

Calvin Lawrence, the author of Hidden In White Sight, a book examining how artificial intelligence contributes to systemic racism, spoke to CNN about how the biases in AI are also a product of a lack of access. Lawrence explained that to get more Black people into the field, you have to present it as a path they can take.

“You certainly don’t have a lot of Black folks or data scientists participating in the process of deploying and designing AI solutions,” Lawrence said. “The only way you can get them to have seats at the table, you have to educate them.”

by Mary Spiller

December 16, 2023

Black South Carolina Couple Finds Burning Cross In Front Of House

Shawn and Monica Williams no longer feel safe in their neighborhood after the incident.

According to Fox News Carolina, a South Carolina couple has been rattled by a racist incident involving their neighbors. Shawn and Monica Williams no longer feel safe in their neighborhood after they came outside during Thanksgiving weekend to find a burning cross outside of their home.

Monica recalled, “There was a cross burning about eight feet from our fence. We were speechless because we’ve never experienced something like that.”

Although this incident was traumatic, Monica and Shawn said it wasn’t completely out of nowhere. After the couple moved to Conway two years ago for their retirement, they experienced repeated incidents of racism from their neighbors.

Monica explained, “He’s blatant with the ‘N-word,’ he chased off our surveyors. He’s chased off people from the water and sewer department.”

The Williams even installed a fence around their yard to try and keep some semblance of peace. The neighbors, 28-year-old Worden Butler and 27-year-old Alexis Harnett continued to escalate and recently burned a cross in front of their home.

The Williams had no choice but to call the Horry County Police, and Worden and Alexis were arrested. While they were being arrested, Alexis reportedly screamed racial slurs at the Williams.

The police report detailed that Worden previously posted the Williams’ address online and said he would “make them pay.” Alexis was arrested for assault and disorderly conduct in the past. So, the pair have now been hit with second-degree harassment charges.

However, Monica and Shawn don’t believe that their neighbors’ arrest is enough to fix the issue.

Monica expressed, “They [Alexis & Worden] were out the next day. So, what are we to do? Live next to a cross-burning racist who’s threatened to cause us bodily harm. We feel there are not enough laws in place to deal with this.”

Further legal repercussions cannot be brought against Alexis and Worden since South Carolina is one of two U.S. states without a specific hate crime law.

by Mary Spiller

December 16, 2023

Rudy Giuliani Ordered To Pay Georgia Poll Workers Nearly $150M For Defamation And Damages

Rudy Giuliani falsely accused two Georgia poll workers of tampering with ballots and miscounting votes.

Rudy Giuliani, the long-standing associate of former President Donald Trump, has been ordered to pay close to $150 million to two Georgia poll workers after making false claims about them tampering with election votes in 2020.

Giuliani was found guilty of making defamatory claims about poll workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Moss. According to BBC News, the penalty followed a four-day trial, and on Dec. 15 an eight-person jury ordered a hefty payment of $148 million on behalf of the victims. Giuliani was ordered to pay $20 million to each woman for defamation directly. Both Moss and Freeman were awarded $16 million for emotional distress, and the pair willsplit a payment of $75 million for punitive damages.

Moss and Freeman originally sought less than $40 million in their original lawsuit, but the courts found Giuliani, who had been Trump’s personal lawyer for years, responsible for much more.

Despite the weighty payments ordered for Giuliani, he expressed no remorse over what he had done. He told reporters after the trial, “I don’t regret a damn thing. Honestly, I didn’t believe [testifying] would do any good.” He continued to affirm that he would be appealing the “absurd penalty.”

Before the jury returned with the award amount, his lawyers urged them to consider the damages they ordered carefully. His legal team acknowledged that Giuliani did defame Moss and Freeman but claimed he wasn’t as “malicious” as the mother-daughter duo made him out to be.

On the other hand, Freeman and Moss’ lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, said that during the three days of testimony, the jury had only “experienced a sliver of the unspeakable horror that [Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss] suffered,” and a steep financial penalty was more than necessary in order to correct Giuliani and also to “send a message to any other powerful figure with a platform.”

Freeman recounted to the Washington, D.C., courtroom the traumatic incident of having to leave her home after a group of Trump supporters bombarded her house and the FBI warned her that she was in active danger from Trump’s supporters.

Freeman said, “I took it as though they were going to hang me with their ropes on my street. I was scared. I didn’t know if they were coming to kill me.”

She described how she was left completely isolated and in danger after Giuliani shared a video of Moss and her online and falsely accused them of tampering with ballots.

“Money will not solve all of my problems,” said Freeman. “I can’t move home; I will always have to be careful… I miss my home, I miss my neighbors, and I miss my name.”

Cornel West Doesn’t Think Biden Will Make It To The General Election

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 16, 2023

Cornel West Doesn’t Think Biden Will Make It To The General Election

Cornel West: “Biden — I think he’s going to have an LBJ moment and pull back.”

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West says he thinks President Joe Biden isn’t going to make it to the 2024 general election, Politico reports.

West likened his thoughts to when President Lyndon B. Johnson suddenly ended his reelection bid in 1968. He doesn’t believe Biden is able to sustain the criticism he’s faced on pressing issues like the Israel-Hamas War and the staggering economy. “I’m not even sure whether I’ll be running against Biden,” West said.

“Biden — I think he’s going to have an LBJ moment and pull back.”

The civil rights advocate described his campaign against the current president as running against the “B Team” of Democrats, throwing names like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the ring. West feels Biden is slowly “running out of gas.”

Republicans weren’t left out of his criticism, either. West referred to Trump as a “bona fide gangsta, Neo-fascist, Pied Piper leading the country for the second civil war,” compared to Biden, a “milquetoast neoliberal with military adventurism, possibly leading the world toward World War III.”

When asked who was worse, he couldn’t decide. “I’m more concerned about Trump domestically,” West said. “I’m more concerned about Biden in terms of foreign policy.”

The outspoken candidate isn’t the first one to promote the idea of Biden dropping out of the race. David Axelrod, former adviser to President Barack Obama, also suggested that Biden drop out of the race if he has to run against Trump. After poll numbers from The New York Times showed Biden’s approval rating dropping, Axelrod tagged Biden on Twitter, saying he “should do what’s best for the country.” “If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party,” he wrote. “What he needs to decide is whether that is wise, whether it’s in HIS best interest or the country’s?”

A poll released on Dec. 14 by the Pew Research Center shows Biden’s approval rating has plummeted to 33%, the lowest since he took office, and a 2% drop since the last poll in June, according to The New York Post.

Trump’s campaign caught wind of West’s comments and thinks he is out of his league.

“Cornell [sic] West should go back to liberal academia instead of playing pretend politics,” Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said. “He still hasn’t graduated from the kids’ table.”

LSU Basketball Star Flau’jae Johnson Joins Rod Wave Onstage

by Mary Spiller

December 16, 2023

LSU Basketball Star Flau’jae Johnson Joins Rod Wave Onstage

Flau’jae Johnson took the stage during Rod Wave's Nostalgia tour, which also featured Ari Lennox, Toosi, G Herbo, and Eelmatic.

Rod Wave’s recent stop on his United States tour had a shocking feature. The 25-year-old Florida rapper brought out rising hoop star and rapper Flau’jae Johnson to perform onstage with him.

During the Dec. 13 Atlanta stop of his Nostalgia tour, the “Rags to Riches” artist brought Louisiana State University player Johnson onstage to perform. The basketball player, named 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, performed her track titled “Big 4.”

According to TMZ Sports, the LSU guard was an unlisted feature on Wave’s Nostalgia tour alongside big names Ari Lennox, Toosi, G Herbo, and Eelmatic.

Johnson, who is used to cutting up on the court with fellow player Angel Reese as an LSU Tiger, showed off her rap skills just a few days before she’s expected to play with LSU on Dec. 17.

The player has already dropped several tracks and music videos in her burgeoning rap career. Her “Big 4” music video has nearly 1.5 million views, and another track, “Karma,” featuring rapper 2Rare, has nearly 1 million views. As previously reported, Johnson performed for LeBron James and his friends and family for his “Uninterrupted” party this summer. She also performed for LSU basketball fans in April after the Tigers won the NCAA title. Johnson is signed with Roc Nation, and says she has high hopes for a collaboration with lyricists J. Cole and Lil Wayne.

Following in the footsteps of her late father, the rapper Camouflage, Johnson has been pursuing her music career while balancing her role as a basketball superstar.

As reported to ESPN, Johnson is averaging 11.3 points and seven rebounds per game this LSU season.

Chicago, Mayor, Brandon Johnson, national guard, Trump,

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 16, 2023

Chicago To End Selective High School Enrollment System, Emphasizing Neighborhood Schools

Students would be able to join their neighborhood high school automatically.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city school board may be making big changes by taking away selective enrollment and magnet schools, ABC 7 Chicago reports. The change comes in the hopes of focusing on equity and building up existing neighborhood schools.

The city’s board voted to approve a resolution that supports neighborhood schools, moving away from the existing school choice system, in which students must be accepted into the enrollment schools, and some must travel long distances for their daily education.

The change should come as no surprise to voters, as Johnson promoted the proposed shift during his campaign, saying students would be able to join the high school in their neighborhood automatically.

Selective enrollment system hasn’t always been the most popular choice, beginning nearly 30 years ago to offer alternative education opportunities. Critics, including some board members, feel the district has pitted schools and students against each other and increased racial inequity it was created to solve. Supporters of selective enrollment argue that parents can choose better schools for their children if the schools in their district don’t meet their expectations or academic standards.

School Board Vice President Elizabeth Todd-Breland challenged the schools and residents to create a “strong, high-quality pathway from pre-K to high school.”

“It shouldn’t be a competition between schools; it should really be families, knowing that, ‘Hey, my child can walk to school and have a great option,'” Breland said, according to Daily Mail.

Board President Jianan Shi feels the community should guide and inform the plan, saying, “The goal is that we’re able to change the current competition model so that students are not pitted against one another, schools are not pitted against one another.”

Chicago is home to 11 high-ranking enrollment schools, including charter and magnet schools like Walter Payton Prep and Jones College Prep. In 2017, Chicago Public Schools set up a selective enrollment system wherein eighth graders could apply to a specific high school instead of enrolling in their neighborhood school. It worked: Data proved that 76% of students chose the higher-ranking schools over those in their neighborhood schools, as fellow students were just as academically driven.

Former Dallas D.A. Trailblazer Craig Watkins Passes Away At Age 56

by Rafael Pena

December 16, 2023

Former Dallas D.A. Trailblazer Craig Watkins Passes Away At Age 56

In 2007, Watkins made history by becoming the first Black man elected as district attorney in Dallas County.

Craig Watkins, Dallas’ trailblazing first Black district attorney, renowned for his commitment to justice and efforts in exonerating wrongly convicted individuals, passed away Dec. 12. at the age of 56, BET reports.

His cause of death was not disclosed.

CBS News Texas released a statement from Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot about Watkins’ passing: “I am saddened to learn of the passing of my former colleague Craig Watkins. Craig was bright and ambitious, and for his life to end so prematurely is a tragedy. However, he leaves behind a powerful legacy. He made history as the first elected African American district attorney in Texas. His fierce focus on the prosecution of child abuse cases and his creation of the first Conviction Integrity Unit in the nation are testaments to his vision and ability to effect change. Craig was perfectly human, and those who knew him are better for it. I am proud to have known him, to have worked with him, and to have been elected to the same office he held. He will be missed.”

In 2007, Watkins made history by shattering barriers, becoming the first Black man elected as district attorney in Dallas County, and is widely believed to be the first Black district attorney in Texas, as reported by NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. Some historians say William A. Price, elected county attorney in 1876, was the state’s first Black attorney and judge.

During his tenure, Watkins, a former public defender, established the Conviction Integrity Unit. This groundbreaking initiative scrutinized over 300 cases and played a pivotal role in securing the release of 25 wrongly convicted inmates. His dedication to justice and advocacy for the wrongfully imprisoned elevated him to a prominent national position in the fight for justice.

A Dallas native, Watkins was an alum of Prairie View A&M University, an HBCU He is survived by his wife, Tanya, and their three children.

Watkins’ legacy as a trailblazer in the legal field and a tireless advocate for justice has left an indelible mark on Dallas County and beyond. His pioneering work in the Conviction Integrity Unit and commitment to rectifying miscarriages of justice have inspired a new generation of legal professionals.

by Rafael Pena

December 16, 2023

Shannon Sharpe Shares Dinner Date Advice For Women: Keep It Modest And Avoid The Seafood Tower

Shannon Sharpe: "I don’t believe you should go on the first date and order something that you wouldn’t order or pay for yourself."

When Shannon Sharpe was recently asked about the appropriate amount a man should spend on a first date, the 55-year-old emphasized practicality.

“I don’t believe you should go on the first date and order something that you wouldn’t order or pay for yourself,” Sharpe opined. He suggested starting modestly and gradually working up to more expensive items on subsequent dates, humorously questioning, “If we start out with Kobe or Wagyu, if we start out with a seafood tower, where the hell do we go from there?” as reported by Atlanta Black Star.

https://twitter.com/ComplexSports/status/1735079456119615568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1735079456119615568%7Ctwgr%5E24aba81e6ccaeb0ae4a6ae28a757a0535751f8e8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fatlantablackstar.com%2F2023%2F12%2F14%2Fshannon-sharpe-first-date-advice-women%2F

However, not all responses to Sharpe’s remarks were positive. Some critics on Complex’s platform expressed concerns about Sharpe’s age, with comments such as “Shannon is too old to be giving these takes” and “You are literally my dad’s age talking about some damn budget for a first date.” Others questioned Sharpe’s eligibility to provide dating advice as a single man.

https://twitter.com/notdanilu/status/1735112923717189775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1735112923717189775%7Ctwgr%5E24aba81e6ccaeb0ae4a6ae28a757a0535751f8e8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fatlantablackstar.com%2F2023%2F12%2F14%2Fshannon-sharpe-first-date-advice-women%2F

The sports analyst has faced scrutiny for his dating preferences and standards before, notably expressing disinterest in dating Kim Kardashian due to both their busy lives. Sharpe once said he decided to end a relationship because of a partner passing gas.

His friend Chad Johnson has been trying to find Sharpe a life partner, so far to no avail. All of this has sparked public discussions about Sharpe’s dating life.

While Sharpe’s non-sports commentary resonates well on his podcasts “Nightcap” and “Club Shay Shay,” online reactions to this dating advice clip on Complex revealed a less receptive audience. Despite the criticism, Sharpe’s multifaceted career continues to make waves in sports media and beyond.

Sharpe, a Hall of Fame tight end, has secured the title of Complex Sports’ Most Entertaining Sports Media Personality, outshining notable figures like Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal. The honor recognizes his ability to blend sports, culture, and personality.

by Rafael Pena

December 16, 2023

Tyrese Is A ‘Poor Businessman,’ According To Joan Pendergrass

The Pendergrass biopic has taken a turn as Joan Pendergrass, Teddy's widow, said actor Tyrese Gibson was incapable of bringing the proposed movie project to fruition.

The legal battle over the late singer Teddy Pendergrass’ biopic has taken a contentious turn as Joan Pendergrass, Teddy’s widow, criticized actor Tyrese Gibson, accusing him of being a “poor businessman” incapable of bringing the proposed movie project to fruition, RadarOnline.com reports. The accusations are part of an ongoing dispute between Gibson and Joan Pendergrass over the rights and production of the biopic.

Court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com reveal that Joan Pendergrass launched a scathing attack on Tyrese in her recent filing, urging the court to dismiss the actor’s lawsuit. Tyrese filed the lawsuit earlier this year, alleging that Joan had unfairly excluded him from the biopic after he’d invested a significant six-figure sum into the project.

According to Gibson’s lawsuit, his company, Voltron Entertainment, entered into a deal with Joan in 2011, granting her the rights to Teddy Pendergrass’ life story in exchange for Gibson’s financial investment in the project. Gibson claimed to have invested $450,000 over the past decade and said that Joan refused to extend the deal in 2022.

Joan Pendergrass countered Gibson’s claims, arguing that he had signed away his rights to her husband’s life story in a separate deal with Warner Bros. in 2019. She contended that the agreement between Voltron and Warner Bros. had superseded Gibson’s involvement, thereby sidelining his company from the project.

In the recent filing, Joan criticized Tyrese’s competence in managing the movie project, stating, “Voltron and Tyrese had proven incompetent at putting together a movie project about Teddy Pendergrass.” She also emphasized that Voltron had not exercised its option to purchase Teddy’s life rights and copyrights.

Joan also said that Tyrese’s association with the project was hindering its chances of success, claiming, “While [Tyrese] may be a talented actor and singer, he was a poor businessman and incapable of getting a movie made.”

She further detailed the events leading to the expiration of the deal with Warner Bros. in April 2022 and denied Tyrese’s claim that she had promised his continued involvement in the project. Joan expressed confidence that Voltron’s lawsuit would be revealed as “a meritless and vexatious abuse of the legal process” and demanded the immediate dismissal of the entire case.

Gibson has yet to respond to the latest developments in the ongoing legal dispute.