by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 8, 2023

2 Black Shoppers Hit Dollar General With Lawsuit Alleging Racial Discrimination

Two Black female customers at a Dollar General in South Charleston, West Virginia, are suing the store for racial discrimination. Kitrena Mitchell and Alexandria M. Shoffner filed separately against the business and the store’s manager on Sept. 13.

The lawsuit describes a trip to the store in August 2022 as the cause of the legal action. Both plaintiffs entered the place of business, and the two potential patrons left shortly after without making a purchase after noticing the “shocked” look on the manager’s face at their entrance. The manager was identified as a white woman named Joyce Roberts, the West Virginia Record reported.

However, the anti-theft detectors released an alarm upon leaving despite the women not purchasing or taking anything from the establishment. The two women state that the manager racially profiled them and manually triggered the sound. As they returned to ensure they did not steal any products, the manager insisted that they be searched, called the police, and accused the women of theft. After further investigation of their belongings by law enforcement, in which nothing was found, Mitchell and Shoffner were allowed to leave the store, according to the court documents.

Although no criminal charges were filed against them, the officer told the duo that their identification was needed after speaking with Roberts, as the manager wanted to ban them from all Dollar General locations. Due to this extreme reaction, the two women believe their discriminatory experience violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act.

As detailed by the lawsuit, plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages. Among what they claim to be a loss of dignity, embarrassment, humiliation, and emotional distress, they also proclaimed that the defendant willfully and intentionally meant to discriminate against them based on race.

The lawsuit comes after the fatal, racially charged shooting in August at a Dollar General in Jacksonville, Florida. In response to that incident, the business donated $2.5 million to help the city heal in its aftermath, stating that the racist killings were a “hate-driven loss of life.”

“The entire DG family continues to mourn the senseless, hate-driven loss of life that took place last weekend,” said Jeff Owen, Dollar General’s CEO, in the statement. “Our focus continues to be on supporting the victims’ families, our employees, and their loved ones, alongside how we can best support and stand with the greater Jacksonville community. The actions we are taking are in an effort to begin to heal together.”

However, the company has yet to make a statement condemning the alleged racist action of its employees in South Charleston.

by Daniel Johnson

October 8, 2023

Da’vian Kimbrough, 13, Becomes Youngest Professional Soccer Player In History

A 13-year-old soccer prodigy has become the youngest player to turn pro after his debut with the United Soccer League’s Sacramento Republic.

Da’vian Kimbrough was interviewed alongside his father, Dominique Kimbrough, on Good Morning America on Oct 6.

“At first, I was a little nervous but I feel like once I stepped on, it was more exciting than anything. I tried to silence the noise and just play soccer,” Da’vian said.

Da’vian bested the previous record held by Axel Kei by about two months. Kei was 13 years, nine months, and nine days old when he debuted for the Real Monarchs, and Kimbrough was 13 years, seven months, and 13 days old when he stepped onto the pitch during the 87th minute of the match against the Las Vegas Lights.

Following the game, Da’vian said he kept his celebration relatively low-key, starting by taking photos with his family. “And then I also went over to fans at the end, to sign some stuff and take pictures,” he said.

Da’vian only played about three minutes of the match, but his appearance represents the team’s long-term investment in him, which includes two years in the Republic’s youth academy.

“I actually just didn’t think it would go this far, at that point,” Dominique Kimbrough told GMA. “His love for the game took it here. At 4 years old, it was just alright, let’s get into something, and then that something turned into this amazing human being that’s sitting here with me right now.”

Father has advised son to ignore the noise and keep working at his craft–advice Da’vian has taken to heart as he tells other young athletes.

“Persevere through everything, no matter what,” Da’vian said. “And everyone has a different path, so even if you don’t make it at the same age as me, keep pushing hard so you can make it eventually.”

Gayle King, CBS News, new deal, morning show

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 8, 2023

‘I Have Nothing To Do With This Company’: Gayle King Warns of AI Scams After Fake Weight-Loss Product Video Goes Viral

Gayle King is setting the record straight about the validity of a new video featuring her likeness. Upon confirming that the viral video is a fake, she took to her social media platforms to warn her followers of the dangers of artificial intelligence scams.

The CBS This Morning host was shocked to hear her voice be used as a promotion for weight-loss products from the Artipet company. She is seemingly heard in the video telling followers to “learn more about my secret,” as reported by The Washington Post.

“Ladies, honestly, I did not expect my weight loss to spark so many questions. My direct messages on Instagram are overflowing,” said the manipulated audio, pretending to be King. “Instead of replying to each one individually, I decided to make a post about it. Follow the link right now and learn more about my secret.”

Fans detected that the sponsored post may have been doctored after noticing that the words did not match her facial expression, gaining King’s attention to the AI-generated video.

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A post shared by Gayle King (@gayleking)

“People keep sending me this video and asking about this product and I have NOTHING to do with this company…,” shared the television personality. The 68-year-old revealed that the actual footage came from her promotion of her radio show..

The danger of misleading viewers by manipulating King’s likeness is perilous, given her large social media following of nearly 1 million followers. However, the scam is also affecting more members of Hollywood. Tom Hanks, who boasts almost 10 million followers, fell victim to the scam when a dental ad used his image without his consent. The ad went viral, prompting the actor to post a statement confirming he was not actually a part of the video.

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A post shared by Tom Hanks (@tomhanks)

The “deep fake” imaging is becoming a growing concern, say experts, as the technology behind it becomes more advanced and its use more widespread.

Georgia State Troopers, Manueal Teran, Stop Cop City, Atlanta

by Daniel Johnson

October 8, 2023

Georgia State Troopers Involved in Shooting Death Of ‘Stop Cop City’ Protester Manuel Teran Will Not Face Charges

None of the Georgia State Troopers involved in the January shooting death of Manuel “Tortuguita” Teran will face any charges.

As ABC News reported, Teran, a 26-year-old Indigenous queer and non-binary environmental activist and community organizer, was killed during a raid on a campground occupied by environmental activists protesting against the “Cop City” complex planned for Atlanta.

Teran’s autopsy report indicates the officers did not have any gunpowder residue on their hands. Officials have claimed that Teran fired the first shot, and then the officers returned fire.

Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George R. Christian released a statement detailing the findings of his investigation on Oct. 6.

“The use of lethal (deadly) force by the Georgia State Patrol was objectively reasonable under the circumstances of this case,” Christian wrote. “No criminal charges will be brought against the Georgia State Patrol Troopers involved in the shooting of Manuel Perez Teran.”

According to the autopsy report, Teran (who used they/them pronouns) had 57 wounds to their body from gunshots, including the arms, legs, chest, and head. The family of Teran also had an autopsy conducted, which revealed Teran’s hands were up when they were shot.

“There are too many variables with respect to movement of the decedent and the shooters to draw definitive conclusions concerning Mr. Teran’s body position,” the official state autopsy reported.

Teran’s death was officially ruled a homicide, but the refusal to charge the officers means none will be held accountable.

In September, activists continuing the work of Teran’s protest against “Cop City” in a forest outside Atlanta, were hit with RICO charges by the state. According to The Intercept, the start date of their alleged racketeering conspiracy is listed as the date that George Floyd was killed: May 25, 2020. This reportedly predates the announcement of plans for Cop City.

Mary Hooks, an Atlanta organizer and activist affiliated with the Movement For Black Lives, told the outlet, “As we see in the indictment, the act of mutual aid, the acts of our connectedness, are seen as a threat.”

Hooks continued, “But these things are exactly what we need for our safety and what we need in the face of rising fascism.”

“We are extremely concerned by this breathtakingly broad and unprecedented use of state terrorism, anti-racketeering, and money laundering laws against protesters,” said Aamra Ahmad, senior staff attorney for ACLU’s National Security Project. “Georgia law enforcement officials are disproportionately wielding these overbroad laws to stigmatize and target those who disagree with the government.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 8, 2023

Pressure From Black Congresswomen Leads To FDA-Proposed Crackdown On Toxic Chemicals In Relaxers

After pressure by U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Shontel Brown (D-OH) to ensure the safety of chemical hair straightening products, known as relaxers, to the public, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing new legislation that may shake up the hair industry.

The FDA is proposing a crackdown on formaldehyde found in the ingredients of many relaxer products, and it is considering a ban on the usage, including chemicals that release the toxic gas. Pressley, who revealed to the public of her diagnosis of alopecia in 2020, applauded the FDA in a statement to The Root.

“The FDA’s proposal to ban these harmful chemicals in hair straighteners and relaxers is a win for public health–especially the health of Black women who are disproportionately put at risk by these products as a result of systemic racism and anti-Black hair sentiment,” Pressley said.

Pressley said this win will greatly impact Black women, who have historically undergone the chemical procedure on their hair amidst pressure to adhere to Westernized beauty standards.

The elected officials wrote a letter in March to FDA highlighting the “extreme politicization” of hair that has led to the widespread usage of harmful relaxers to achieve a more publicly accepted style.

“As a result of anti-Black hair sentiment, Black women have been unfairly subjected to scrutiny and forced to navigate the extreme politicization of hair,” they wrote. “Hence, generations of Black women have adapted by straightening hair in an attempt to achieve social and economic advancement. Manufacturers of chemical straighteners have gained enormous profits, but recent findings unveil potentially significant negative health consequences associated with these products.”

While no official ban has been enacted, the FDA’s awareness of the toxicity found in relaxers is a step in the right direction, noted Pressley, especially since the harmful chemicals have been linked to cancer and infertility.

Georgia Town’s Police Chief Apologizes, Somewhat, For Putting Sex Arrests On Blast

by Jameelah Mullen

October 8, 2023

Georgia Town’s Police Chief Apologizes, Somewhat, For Putting Sex Arrests On Blast

East Point (Georgia) Police Department made an official statement and a quasi apology for putting suspects who were arrested for public sex—in a public park—on social media.

Chief Shawn Buchanan said the department believes in “fairness and quality for all” and that the East Point police “will never engage in any practice that condones harm or discrimination based on race, sex, religion or national origin.”

On Oct. 4, the law enforcement agency responded to the criticism it had received for posting on Facebook the mugshots and names of several individuals who were charged with “Public Indecency and Loitering for Prohibited Behavior,” The Neighborhood Talk posted.

Public sex arrest, East point police, social media — (Photo: East Point Police Dept./Facebook)

There was chatter and speculation around the suspects’ sexual orientation among social media users.

“They realized that they were exposing people. These men probably aren’t even ‘OUT,’” read one comment.

“The people outed them by speculating.. Like they said “The Police” didn’t mention any sexual orientation,” read another.

“Cruising- When a man goes to known public areas men mess around with each other. Typically ‘DL’ men uses these places to get their 🥜 with no strings attached to lessen the likelihood of leaving a paper trail,” a third Instagrammer commented.

In his letter, Buchanan wrote that the department was not targeting any specific “group of people,” and re-emphasized that breaking East Point City law is an equal opportunity offense “regardless of race, creed, color, religion, and/or any other affiliation.” He also addressed the wave of sex acts in East Point’s Skye Park was the catalyst for the police agency taking the incident to social media.

“We are faced with a serious problem in the park…,” the police chief said. “We have a community that is being terrorized by the illicit actions all times of the day by selected individuals.”

The original Facebook posts that exposed the suspects have since been taken down. However, Buchanan defended the practice of making arrests public record stating it’s “not news,” and mentioned that other police departments do the same.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 8, 2023

Will NYC Join The Reparations Movement? Mayor Eric Adams Voices Support For Possible Reparations Study Bill

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said supports the “spirit” of the bill that would lead to reparations for slavery given to Black residents.

The mayor’s official support was shared in a statement by his Office of Equity commissioner, as reported by the Daily Mail. However, Adams signaled that the legislation should be modified to prevent overlapping language with two current state bills seeking reparations for Blacks in the state. Adams has previously supported reparations on a state level.

Sideya Sherman, commissioner of the office of equity, shared these concerns in a city council hearing on Sept. 19, stating that a task force initiated by the bill must spend at least one year to study the effects of racial discrimination before any payments could be allocated.

The bill itself was created by Councilwoman Farah Louis and has the encouragement of Adams and the Office of Social Equity in its pursuit of legislation that dismantles and resolves the systemic racial injustices that plague New Yorkers of color.

While the decades-long federal effort for reparations has seemingly stalled, the fight for reparations is ongoing on a local level as cities are beginning to recognize the validity of reparations for Black Americans. Evanston, Illinois, was the first city to ever pay its Black residents on behalf of their disenfranchisement due to enslavement. This monetary allotment gave $25,000 to current and potential Black homeowners for repairs or a down payment on their property, funded through a tax on marijuana sales, according to NewsNationNow.

Consideration of financial racial justice is growing throughout the United States, including cities and counties in Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Michigan.

However, the biggest and most current plan to officially enact reparations is in California, where a 1,200-page report was finalized by the nation’s first-ever slavery reparations panel. The group hopes lawmakers will believe the findings justify reparations to those impacted by slavery and the institutionalized racism derived from it.

California’s Secretary of State Shirley Weber said that while California did not legally have slavery, its pervasive impact must be remedied for true justice to occur.

“Reparations is due whether you’re in Mississippi or you’re in California,” she said, as reported by CBS News. “We have done it for others, but we have not done it for African Americans who have probably suffered the most harm.”

by Mary Spiller

October 8, 2023

Yusef Salaam, Central Park 5 Exoneree Turned NYC Council Candidate, Champions Forgiveness And Advocacy For New York City

Yusef Salaam, one of the wrongfully accused Central Park Five who served nearly seven years in prison for a crime that he didn’t commit, talked with Esquire about his position as a Harlem city council primary race winner and how he plans to serve the city that turned its back on him in 1989.

It is expected that Salaam won’t face a serious challenger, if any, in the November election.

“I was a pariah. They said I was born a mistake. I’m not a mistake,” Salaam said. “And I think that what I have been through gives me perspective on what people go through in life. I never thought about politics or holding elective office until recently, but I feel that this—I guess you might call it empathy—will be helpful to me as I serve my community. If, as Nietzsche says, you can find the why, you can live anyhow. We all need a reason to live. This is mine. I was supposed to go through what I went through.”

Salaam recalled the incident when he was just 15 of being wrongfully accused and charged with the assault and rape of Trisha Meili, a white woman, in Central Park. He and four other innocent boys were sent to jail by a racially divided society that was extremely prejudiced toward people of color. Even after being exonerated, Salaam described being burdened by the past.

However, as a council member, Salaam said that he’s aware of all the problems still plaguing New York as a city: hunger, housing security, public health, race discrimination, and economic instability. Despite what he went through, he still will devote himself to the community he intends to serve.

‘I’m dedicating my life to being useful to my community, to my neighborhood, to my city. And to do that means letting go of some burdens of the past. Never forgetting, but forgiving. There is power in forgiving.”

“I have had to learn how to forgive. It is the only way I know to repair myself. I have to forgive Donald Trump. I forgive the prosecutors . . . I forgive the police . . . I forgive those who have threatened me and who told me to watch my back forever. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive.”

Salaam continued to use his knowledge of the system to inform his advocacy. “I know enough from when the spike wheels of ‘justice’ ran over me and my family 34 years ago that if we are not involved and in numbers and using our voice to change the world, then they will use our voices against us.”

He maintains a mentality of standing together as a city to make changes. “You have to trust me when I say that divided, we won’t stand a chance.”

He subscribes to the African concept of Sankofa, which is the practice of looking back to life forward. Salaam hasn’t forgotten what happened to him in 1989 and will never forget those who don’t take responsibility for their part in his victimization, but he promises to use it to better those around him.

Kirk Franklin, New birth missionary Baptist church, pop-up, Georgia

by Jameelah Mullen

October 8, 2023

Kirk Franklin Shows Favor To New Birth Missionary Baptist Church With A Pop-Up Performance Of New Music

Kirk Franklin will pull up to New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to perform a pop-up concert to promote his latest album, Father’s Day. Franklin, who has not put out new music in four years, dropped his new release Oct. 6, and plans to share with the Georgia congregation Oct. 9, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reported. New Birth, which might be notoriously known and righteously remembered as the house Bishop Eddie Long built in Stonecrest, Georgia, is now under the direction and leadership of Senior Pastor Jamal Bryant. Bryant is ecstatic to host the Grammy Award-winning gospel artist, OCG News reported.

“We are beyond thrilled to host this special pop-up performance and listening experience featuring one of the most internationally acclaimed and revolutionary artists of our time,” Bryant said.

“Kirk’s unique ability to transcend generations, race, culture and music genres speaks to his undeniable gifts in music and ministry. We are blessed to have him at New Birth for this enlightening, uplighting and life-changing experience.”

The pop-up performance is free to attendees and kicks off at 7:30 PM at 6400 Woodrow Rd., Stonecrest.

Music lovers and Franklin fans can expect Father’s Day to be a candid vulnerable album according to words Franklin shared on his YouTube channel:

“I hope this album is a stripped-down, honest conversation about the difficulty of the life journey and how life can be messy, nuanced, and a matter of trial and error even for those who subscribe to faith. But it’s all wrapped in a bow of love, and that love doesn’t always make sense, but is always constant.”

The Father’s Day album comes on the heels of Franklin recently making headlines after discovering news about his biological father. BE previously covered, Kirk Franklin Details Finding His Birth Father In New Documentary

Breast Cancer Survivor Lauren Tarpley Delivers Hard Truths About Surviving The Disease

by Atiya Jordan

October 8, 2023

Breast Cancer Survivor Lauren Tarpley Delivers Hard Truths About Surviving The Disease

“Time doesn’t stop for you to figure out who you are in survivorship,” Lauren Tarpley told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I live my life like a love letter to my children.”

In an honest testimony, Tarpley acknowledged that surviving breast cancer means something different to each person.

“You think that everything is supposed to snap back, but it doesn’t,” the fierce survivor said. “I am fundamentally different from the person who was diagnosed.”

For Tarpley, a wife, mother of two, and a Type-A, ambitious Black woman in tech, the marathon continues in survivorship. Three years later, she finds these moments liberating when she can tell her whole story.

Photo Credit: Jody Mack @jodymackphotography

In May 2020, her son had just turned one, and she received the green light to conceive another child. Despite ongoing difficulties getting time off work, Tarpley was proud to take charge of her health and visited her OBGYN. By July, she and her husband had conceived, but the pregnancy had some complications. She was 34 then.

After receiving confirmation that her unborn child was in distress at the doctors, she told BE, “I was actively and currently miscarrying.”

She expressed that there had been a “nagging pain” in her armpit to an on-call doctor.

“I can only feel the pain in me,” she recalled.

Though the doctor was not her primary physician, he examined her and misdiagnosed the pain for an ingrown hair. Tarpley knew something wasn’t right, all while grieving the loss of an unborn child. But the miscarriage saved her life. So, she got a mammogram with results that alarmed her OBGYN on a random follow-up call. After an ultrasound and a biopsy, Tarpley was diagnosed with stage 2 HER2+, hormone receptor-negative and BRCA-negative invasive ductal carcinoma.

“I never wanted the story of a diagnosis or a misdiagnosis to be overshadowed by anybody’s sympathy about the miscarriage,” Tarpley said.

As a breast cancer survivor, Tarpley said she was in a “state of arrested development.”

The mental and physical toll of enduring six rounds of chemotherapy, 11 rounds of immunotherapy, 25 rounds of radiation therapy, and a double mastectomy changes who you are.

“I’ve had to change the way I look at myself.”

She added: “I still only have 40% mobility in my arm,” she said. “I can’t work out the way I used to.”

Miraculously, in March 2023, 37-year-old Tarpley and her husband welcomed a baby daughter after enduring IFV treatments, thanks to grant funding.

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A post shared by Lauren Tarpley | Author | Breast Cancer Survivor (@typeaguidetocancer)

Reprioritizing boundaries

“I look at cancer like the wake-up call I needed,” the devoted mom told BE. “You know what happened, but your mind is trying to protect itself, and your body is trying to heal itself. Every memory isn’t as crisp.”

“That’s why I wanted to write in real-time,” she continued. Tarpley had been fearless in advocating for herself at doctor appointments and work. She is also the author of three books dedicated to telling her story and helping others navigate life with cancer: Type A Guide to Cancer, Too Many Cells, and Type A Guide to Survivorship.

“That was very difficult because you’re faced with what you’re going through twice,” Tarpley admitted.

She expressed that her children are her biggest motivators. “All I want to do is fulfill my promises to them and protect them as much as I can. If you’re one of those people that’s super transparent with your kids, then be that transparent. If you are not, then just tell them the things that you know they’re going to see. Talk to them about hair and how it grows back. Talk to them about being kind. Encourage them to ask questions.”

Building community in survivorship

From writing books and creating businesses out of need to volunteering and farming, “I’m all about a project,” Tarpley told BE. Though her social skills were rusty, “I had to find a job that met me where I was,” she said, adding that she now works for a socially conscious tech startup.

Though it was once difficult to find women like her, Tarpley is continually grateful for the community she’s built on Instagram. She is a community volunteer who holds women’s hands during their mammograms. This month, she is taking time to rest. And will constantly tell her kids how much she loves them.

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A post shared by Lauren Tarpley | Author | Breast Cancer Survivor (@typeaguidetocancer)