student walkout, California, N-word, student protests

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 1, 2023

Racist Video At California High School Prompts Student Walkout, Demands

A racist video and subsequent violence at a high school in California’s North Bay has Black student activists demanding more be done to protect them.

The call for the North Bay School District to enforce more anti-racist policy and protocol to ensure their Black population feels safe came after students at Tamalpais High School released a video in early October where a racial slur was used.

The video, according to the Marin Independent Journal, showed several students saying the n-word.

The racist incident led to violence at the school, including fights in which a Black employee was hurt, as confirmed by KTVU. Principal Kimberly Clissold held an assembly with the entire student body to apologize for the matter, in addition to creating spaces for the Black students to express their feelings on the issue.

“The administration is investigating and actively addressing this incident with the students involved,” Clissold said. “As a district and school, we condemn all acts of racism and will continue efforts to educate our student body about the harmful impact these acts have on our fellow students and our broader community.”

The leaders of the school’s Black Student Union organized a walkout to protest the use of the slur and to ensure those involved in the racist video are held accountable.

“This protest really showed the school how we really care about our community and we really want our voices to be heard,” said freshman Shaniya Valentine, one of the walkout speakers. “I feel like our walkout showed we were really serious and we believe things should have been handled better.”

Members of the community also showed up to support the students’ concerns.

The union issued a list of recommendations to enforce in the district’s school policies to ensure that the educational environment remains safe for students of all backgrounds.

“We are engaging in ongoing dialogue about race, discrimination, prejudice, and privilege and the role each plays in our community and the larger society,” Clissold wrote in an email. “Our commitment to this work is focused on providing a school environment that is free of prejudice and is safe for all staff and students who rightly call Tam High their school.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 1, 2023

2 Additional Suspects Charged In Connection With PnB Rock’s Murder

There are now four suspects in the rapper's 2022 shooting death in Los Angeles.

Two additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the September 2022 murder of Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock at Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles in South Los Angeles.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Trenton Jones, who was charged with two counts of robbery and conspiracy to rob the rapper, and Wynisha Evans, were charged with being an accessory. They were indicted in September.

Jones and Evans pleaded not guilty and were arraigned at the Compton Courthouse, according to Venusse Dunn, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The charges were initially filed as a separate case when police officers arrested them in May in connection to PnB Rock’s killing.

In the latest court filing, prosecutors claimed that Jones helped two suspects, Freddie Lee Trone and his teenage son. Jones met with Trone at a parking lot near the eatery and talked for several minutes before giving Trone what prosecutors believe was a firearm. Trone then left in a car and returned to drop off his son, who was wearing a ski mask and armed with a gun.

Jones allegedly stayed behind but eventually left a nearby parking lot as Trone’s son entered Roscoe’s.

Evans was accused of leaving the scene of the killing with Trone after PnB Rock was shot. After finding out that Trone was a suspect in the shooting, she reached out to Trone and allegedly rented a car and drove him from L.A. to Nevada “for safety,” based on the document filed.

Jones is currently incarcerated at Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles while being held on $1 million bail, according to county jail records. Evans was released on her own recognizance. Based on Los Angeles’ new zero bail policy, she was released because it fell within the non-violent charge.

Both Jones and Evans, as well as Trone, are scheduled for another hearing in December.

On September 12, 2022, PnB Rock, nee Rakim Hasheem Allen, was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with the killer as he entered the eatery. The suspect shot the rapper, who was eating with his girlfriend, grabbed some personal items, and left the scene in a getaway car.

PnB, 30, died in the hospital.

by Iman Milner

November 1, 2023

Houston Teen Arrested After Video Showing Assault Of Strangers In Park Goes Viral

A TikTok video that showed 19-year-old Alford Lewis and 18-year-old Kingston Miker punching strangers in a Houston park went viral last week. Now one of the teens has been arrested for assault.

The quote-unquote prank attacks, which took place in Wortham Park, generated thousands of views and caused residents to fear walking in the area, Fox 26 Houston reports.

Lewis was arrested for allegedly assaulting two people and pointing a gun at them while Miker filmed the attacks.

“These hashtags, prank, knockout, punch: they’re in the hundreds of millions if not billions of views,” said Rania Mankarious, CEO of Crime Stoppers Houston, told Fox 26. “This generation of children desire to be consumed. They want to be online, part of a viral conversation. They want to create content that trends.”

Mankarious added that the increase in violent videos aimed at cementing infamy for their creators is a growing problem TikTok is well aware of.

The popular social media app reportedly removes millions of videos from its platforms monthly, using data collected in three-month increments to decide what violates the terms of its user agreement. In October 2022, TikTok created the category “dangerous acts and challenges,” which accounted for five percent of the material removed from the platform, Fox 26 Houston reports.

From January to March 2023, the number of videos removed categorized under the aforementioned description grew to 5.2%. Mankarious is urging residents in the Houston area to contact Crime Stoppers for resources on how to stress the importance of not engaging in dangerous acts or pranks for entertainment to young people.

“Come to us; we’ll have these conversations with your kids for you, but it should be part of daily conversation,” she added.

The Child Mind Institute names an increase in callousness as well as a decline in the ability to read important social cues, develop healthy interpersonal skills, and heightened aggression as negative risks associated with teenagers using social media.

by Stacy Jackson

November 1, 2023

15-Year-Old Arrested For Killing Pregnant Preschool Worker in Hit-And-Run

An unidentified 15-year-old boy was arrested over a hit-and-run involving a stolen vehicle that killed a pregnant preschool teacher in San Jose, California, on Oct. 24.

The teenager allegedly operating the 2008 Nissan sedan was arrested over the weekend, on Oct. 28, according to The Mercury News. Two other people in the vehicle – which had not been reported stolen when the collision happened – are still on the run, Daily Mail reported.

The 21-year-old teacher, who worked at Play ‘N’ Learn Preschool, was identified as April Zoglauer. The expectant mother was 27 weeks pregnant when she was fatally hit. Her due date was Jan. 25, The Mercury News noted. Doctors at a nearby hospital delivered her baby, Devontae Aaron Zoglauer, via an emergency C-section, according to Daily Mail. The premature newborn unfortunately died later.

The outlet reported that a memorial and a GoFundMe were set up for Zoglauer, who started working at the preschool as a teenage volunteer. Tammy Lariz, co-owner of Play’ N’ Learn, said Zoglauer was one of a kind. “Her job was just to love on them, and she was good at it.”

“Honestly, I’ve been doing this for 27 years, and I’ve never had somebody else who could do that job. Not the way she could do it,” Lariz said.

Zoglauer was remembered for her work to calm children who were adjusting to school, the outlet noted. Lariz also said that Zoglauer was a “blessing” and “she meant everything to us.”

Angie Loza, director of Play’ N’ Learn, said, “April’s grown up here, so we’ve known her for a very, very long time.” Loza also said, “The baby was a joy for all of us.”

The preschool employees said Zoglauer and her friends and family were excited about her pregnancy. The expectant mother had support from so many people that she had two gender reveal parties so everyone could attend, The Mercury News noted.

DoorDash, doordash, tips, delivery, driver, shooting, bullets

by Rafael Pena

November 1, 2023

DoorDash App Now Warns Tip-Wary Customers of Longer Delivery Times

The Verge reports DoorDash has recently introduced a pop-up feature within its app that serves as a reminder for customers who opt not to include a tip when placing their orders.

When a customer enters $0 as the tip amount in the app, a message appears, warning them that orders without tips might experience longer delivery times. According to Jenn Rosenberg, a spokesperson for DoorDash, the feature is being tested to enhance the overall experience for the app’s users.

“As independent contractors, Dashers have full freedom to accept or reject offers based on what they view as valuable and rewarding,” Rosenberg said. “While most customers do leave a tip, offers that don’t include a tip can be seen as less desirable–this impacts our entire community, leading to longer wait times for customers, orders sitting longer at merchants, and less value for Dashers.”

Rosenberg clarified that the reminder screen is in its pilot phase, and the company is eager to evaluate the results and gather user feedback.

The Verge reports that the feature is not available in every state. A colleague in New Jersey received the prompt; another in South Carolina did not.

While tipping is a common practice in the United States, the concept of pre-tipping in the gig economy is relatively recent. Customers can still provide a tip in cash or through the DoorDash app after delivery, depending on their preference.

The preference for pre-tipped orders among drivers may be linked to DoorDash’s modified payment method. In 2019, DoorDash altered its payment structure after revelations that it wasn’t passing the full amount of customer tips to drivers. Under the revised system, drivers receive a base rate, and any tips are added on top of that amount. Drivers may favor orders with upfront tips since it provides them with more predictable earnings.

Kaavia James Wishes Mom Gabrielle Union A ‘Loud’ Happy Birthday

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 1, 2023

Kaavia James Wishes Mom Gabrielle Union A ‘Loud’ Happy Birthday

Gabrielle Union turned 52 over the weekend and received an adorable happy birthday message from her 4-year-old daughter, Kaavia James.

On Sunday, Oct. 29, Kaavia shared a heartfelt video message to her celebrity mom wishing her a “loud” happy birthday.

“Happy Birthday to my Mommy! Hope this next year is as strong as your genes,” the post’s caption read.

In the short video message, Kaavia took a break from eating breakfast to say “Happy Birthday” to her mom who was away on business.

“I just love you so much. I want you to come back,” Kaavia told the camera. “And I love you so much.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kaavia James Union Wade (@kaaviajames)

She blew a kiss to the camera before telling Union she loves her three more times. Kaavia concluded her birthday message with a special reminder to the Being Mary Jane star.

“Oh, I just need to say one more thing. When it’s your birthday, you can be loud. You can be anything you want,” Kaavia said through hand claps.

“I wonder what you’re gonna wear,” she added.

Union responded to the post with laughing emojis in response to her daughter’s message.

“She said I can be loud!!!!” she exclaimed.

Kaavia was born via surrogate in November 2018 when Union was 46 and her husband, NBA legend Dwyane Wade, was 36.

Last month, Union shared a heartfelt video explaining why believes she “became a mom at the right time” in response to questions she receives about if having children so late was “worth it.”

“There’s a lot that goes into that answer, but in a nutshell, hell yes it’s been worth it,” she said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion)

The Bring It On star admitted to wishing she had “done it earlier” to have more time with her daughter and as a mother. But she also noted how much being a mother has changed her in “wondrous” ways.

“I became a mom at the right time because I was healed and I had committed to healing eternally so I didn’t pass all that generational trauma on to Kaav,” Union explained.

“Had I been a day younger, even certainly 10, 15, 20 years before, I would have passed along way too many traumatic things to my child.”

Welcoming a child four years before turning 50 was ‘”absolutely worth it,” Union said.

“She is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she added.

RELATED CONTENT: Usher ‘Ain’t Crazy’ Enough To Serenade Gabrielle Union In Front Of Dwyane Wade

by Iman Milner

November 1, 2023

Family of Nate Dogg Still Arguing Over Estate; Now Ex-Girlfriend Wants Child Support

A long-complicated matter adds another wrinkle.

Twelve years since the untimely death of Nathaniel “Nate Dogg” Hale, the family is still battling over the rapper’s estate. This time there’s a complication: Hale’s ex-girlfriend, Shereda Williams, is seeking child support for the pair’s 17-year-old son, Radar Online reports.

Williams filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming the late artist was ordered to pay her $4,358 per month in child support in 2006. In 2013, a court agreed to a $3,000 monthly payment for the child; however, the woman claims a paperwork error has jeopardized the remittance.

She wants the court to demand Hale’s estate to cover the child support she is owed until their son’s 18th birthday.

In 2011, Hale’s net worth was an estimated $1.5 million though, he died without having a will in place. Hale’s family has had trouble establishing an administrator for his estate, causing conflict between his surviving wife, LaToya Calvin, and his six children. The artist’s mother, Ruth Holmes, was also named as a co-administrator of his estate in 2012 before withdrawing her request amid disapproval from her grandchildren.

Hale’s four daughters and two sons reportedly agreed to nominate attorney Alex Borden as the administrator of the late artist’s estate.

Hale, known for his melodic hooks on some of hip-hop’s most popular tracks, became a main fixture in West Coast rap, signing to Death Row Records in 1993. It was during his tenure at the controversial label that he would record some of the genre’s most notorious hooks for tracks like Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun (If The Homies Can’t Have None),” Warren G’s “Regulate,” and Tupac’s “All About U.”

Nate Dogg died from complications of several strokes. The rapper had suffered a stroke in 2007 that left him partially paralyzed and another the following year. He was alert and his memory had returned before his death.

Hopping On The ‘Reality Reckoning’ Train Is A Big Nope For Real Housewife Eboni K. Williams

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 1, 2023

Hopping On The ‘Reality Reckoning’ Train Is A Big Nope For Real Housewife Eboni K. Williams

Eboni K. Williams has absolutely no interest in joining Bethenny Frankel's "Reality Reckoning" case against Bravo.

Eboni K. Williams might’ve had an untimely end to her short-lived tenure on The Real Housewives of New York City, but she has absolutely no interest in joining Bethenny Frankel’s “Reality Reckoning” case against Bravo network as reported by Anna Peele in a Vanity Fair feature.

When asked to respond to Frankel’s actions, Williams didn’t hold back.

“F–k Bethenny Frankel,” Williams told Peele. “You think I’m going to let some white girl speak for me with my experience with a multibillion-dollar corporation?”

Frankel, with lawyers Bryan Freedman and Mark Garagos, has accused Bravo and NBCUniversal of “making deliberate attempts” to “manufacture mental instability” with their reality stars by feeding their talent “alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep, as well as denying mental health treatment” for those in need, Page Six reports.

The “RHONY” OG has no plans of suing the network. But hopes to unionize reality stars to create “systemic change” in the network. However, Williams had her own experience while on “RHONY” after becoming the franchise’s first Black housewife in Season 13 which aired in 2020.

More details have emerged into the alleged behind-the-scenes racism from fellow “RHONY” OG Ramona Singer that prompted an internal investigation that came back “inconclusive.” While the investigation didn’t exactly prove whether or not Singer was racist, she was accused by multiple sources of making racially insensitive remarks and even using the N-word.

The conflict played a huge part in “RHONY” receiving no Season 13 reunion (the first and only time that ever happened in Real Housewives history) and eventually being put on pause ahead of a full reboot with a new and more diverse cast.

With Williams being an attorney herself, she doesn’t want Frankel’s help and would rather handle matters herself. Despite her issues with Bravo and NBCUniversal, Williams reportedly pitched a new show following her departure from “RHONY,” to no avail.

“It is a promotional machine unlike anything you can even buy,” Williams said of her attempt to develop her own show with the network.

Singer has since been cut from appearing at BravoCon in Las Vegas but is still expected to appear in the upcoming season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.

How Redlining And Banking Impact Generational Wealth

by Daniel Johnson

November 1, 2023

How Redlining And Banking Impact Generational Wealth

Redlining, as defined by Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute, is a discriminatory practice characterized by the deliberate refusal of essential services like mortgages, insurance loans, and various financial services to inhabitants of specific regions based solely on their racial or ethnic background. Data from the Federal Reserve suggests that Black people are twice as likely as white people to be denied credit, regardless of their income level. This impacts mortgage loans. A potential solution to this designed inequality is the emergence or re-emergence of Black-owned banks, reports Forbes Advisor.

Between 1888 and 1934, 134 Black-owned banks were formed in an attempt to assist Black borrowers with securing credit and other monetary services, according to One United Bank. Today, the number of Black-owned banks sits at 42, reports Finder. Furthermore, to qualify as a Black-owned bank, an institution must be at least 51% Black-owned and serve a population of mostly minorities.

One United, considered the largest Black-owned bank in America, holds around $625 million in assets, compared to Bank of America, which holds approximately $2.5 trillion. This value difference is comparable to the difference in wealth between Black and white citizens in America. According to data from the Federal Reserve, the average Black family’s wealth is six times less than the average white family’s wealth. While wealth is not income, it is difficult to accrue wealth with lower income levels, evidenced by the Fed’s data showing that the Black/white wealth gap widened despite a faster growth in wealth for Black families in 2022.

The historical practice in America of redlining was created by the United States government’s New Deal through the Federal Home Owners Loan Corporation, which created color-coded maps showing high-risk lending areas in red. Those red-lined areas tended to be populated by Black people, which meant, essentially, that Black people were blocked from participating in homeownership, a key cog in wealth creation. “Redlining was part of a systemic, codified policy by the government, mortgage lenders, real estate developers and real estate agents as a bloc to deprive Black people of homeownership,” according to Rajeh Saadeh, a real estate and civil rights attorney in Bridgewater, New Jersey. “The ramifications of this practice have been generational.”

Black-owned banks might not be the only solution to the legacy of redlining.

Michel Martin of PBS discussed how banking deserts exacerbate the wealth gap in America in a 2020 interview with Mehrsa Baradaran, author of The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.

Baradaran, an Iranian-American law professor specializing in banking law at the University of California, Irvine, suggested to Martin that a postal banking system could help offset costs associated with traditional banking.

“So, what happens in these areas is, people have to drive 30 miles to an ATM and a 7-Eleven and pay $7.50, right? Or they can go to Walmart or a payday lender or a check cashier to get their financial transactions. And so the idea with the postal bank is to actually have the post office, which, by its original mission, is in every community, just allow for simple banking,” said Baradaran.

He continued, “So this is a debit card, so you can participate in nationwide commerce and a checking account, so you can pay your bills online, and not have to operate in cash. It’s just a simple idea, I think, that would benefit a ton of communities, not just Black and brown committees, but certainly also to that.”

While Baradaran admits that it is not a complete solution to the issue of the racial wealth gap, she says the nature of that arrangement requires a much more concentrated effort, one that would go a long way in providing some assistance to the estimated 25% of the Black population that is currently operating without access to traditional banking methods.

Dame Dash Says He's ‘Like a Proud Broke' and Has Actually Been 'Losing Money for Years’

by Rafael Pena

November 1, 2023

Damon Dash Claims He’s ‘Broke,’ Has Lost Money Investing In Himself For Years

Among his expenses: between $300,000 to $400,000 annually in child support.

Roc-A-Fella cofounder Damon Dash shared his financial struggles, including difficulties making child support payments, on The CEO Show with Dr. Taje Moreno, according to Complex.

“While I’m investing in something else, I might not be making the money and the profit, so I can’t afford to pay out what I was when I was having EBITA [earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization] of $8 million a year,” said on the Oct. 19 episode. “So you can’t judge how much I’m gonna pay out by how much I made 20 years ago.”

In recent years, Dash has launched a new enterprise without the initial capital. This situation was further complicated by the impact of the recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, he explained, he couldn’t afford to pay annual child support amounts of $300,000 to $400,000.

However, Dash emphasized that he wasn’t ashamed of this financial circumstance, describing himself as a “proud broke” and highlighting that he had tangible assets despite his temporary financial constraints.

According to Complex, what he was ordered to pay in child support to ex-wife Rachel Roy was calculated based on his then-earnings—including one of Roy’s fashion lines. That line is controlled by her, he said, though his ownership stake determined what he would have to pay.

According to the video, he suggested that it was only fair for his ex-wife to contribute to their children’s expenses since she was receiving the money he was contributing and was, in fact, in a better financial position. Dash noted his dedication to his investments and assets, even if it temporarily affected his ability to fulfill child support payments.

Dash has faced legal issues related to child support payments in the past. In November 2019, he was arrested for failing to meet child support obligations. At the time, he indicated financial hardship, with an inability to pay the required $2,400 as part of a lawsuit.