It was a normal day for a Georgia deputy to take her usual stroll during her lunch break, until she stumbled upon something alarming.
Muscogee County Deputy Aliyah Miller recently rescued a mother and her two-month-old from what could have ended in a tragedy on August 16. According to WSB-TV, Miller spotted a woman during her walk who was on the verge of jumping into the river with her baby. The sheriff’s office and Columbus Police Department confirmed they had received several calls about the woman publicizing her plans on Facebook Live.
“On this date, law enforcement agencies received numerous calls about a woman on Facebook Live who was distraught on the Columbus River Walk and threatening to jump into the water with her approximately two-month-old infant,” Sheriff Greg Countryman wrote in a Letter of Commendation.
Miller worked alongside a Columbus officer as they approached the woman to persuade her not to jump.
“Deputy Miller was able to talk to the mother and get the baby from her to safety, while the Columbus Police Officer was able to get the mother the assistance she needed,” Sheriff Countryman stated in the letter.
Miller remained with the infant until the family arrived on the scene. Columbus Fire and EMS extended one of their air-conditioned vehicles for them to wait inside and shelter from the extremely high heat index the area was experiencing that day.
“I want to commend Deputy Miller, the Columbus Police Department, and Columbus Fire and EMS on a job well done! Thanks to your quick thinking and response time, they prevented a tragedy from occurring today. Your dedication to going above and beyond the call of duty is what we should all strive to every day,” Sheriff Countryman added in his letter.
Countryman described Miller’s actions as heroic.
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From the refreshing “pick-me-up” Rosé to the cozy Zinfandel, four millennial Black men are enhancing the community’s palette bottle by bottle.
“You don’t see that,” owner, client service and operations specialist Brandon Crump told BLACK ENTERPRISE in a 2021 interview.
Fast forward two years. The award-winning luxury wine label Michael Lavelle Wines is reigning as the youngest Black-owned wine company, adding more and more illustrious awards and community service badges to its collection.
Founders Aaron “Michael” Coad and Terrence “Lavelle” Low launched the private label on Juneteenth 2020 after “recognizing a void in culturally relevant wine craftsmanship offered to millennials and minority audiences,” BE previously reported.
For this duo, redefining the way people of color experience wine was the key to closing the gap.
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A partnership with Crump and sommelier Devin Kennedy further solidified a destined marriage between passionate curiosity and business expertise. Since the last time BE Digital Editor Selena Hill spoke to the emerging entrepreneurs, more grapes have been harvested, more sips have been had, more supporters have joined the movement. The celebration continues.
Launching during a tumultuous time, the four friends were diligent in their ambitious mission: to disrupt the predominantly white-owned industry. The team sold all of its delicious inaugural vintage rosé through their website, per Urban Vino, and thrived despite the challenges in securing distribution partnerships that aligned with their mission.
Less than 1% of the wine and spirits business represented Black ownership in the U.S. in 2020, according to a Bloomberg report. “But there was also a lack of education around its offerings,” said Low, who serves as head of house.
Motivated by the need to educate the masses, the Chicago native and his three business partners “developed a spirits brand fused with art and culture designed to give Black millennials an unmatched wine experience,” BE reported. Although Michael Lavelle wines had sold more than 1,200 cases since its launch, it was just getting started.
Aged in French oak barrels, the old Michael Lavelle limited edition will “arrest the senses” with aromatics of lush blueberry alongside notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon. A sip reveals ripe raspberry, red cherry, and Madagascar vanilla bean.
Having expanded offerings of Michael Lavelle to select locations in Richmond, VA, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, the dynamic team delved deeper into the the rich history of wine. They remained true to their intention to make quality wine accessible for communities of color.
The wine collection was available in local Black-owned restaurants in the South Side of Chicago as well as in eateries in West Loop, a trendy district in downtown Chicago, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Additionally, the company witnessed success of its Iris Rosé, Iris Zinfandel and Iris Chenin Blanc, which were highlighted in publications such as The Washington Post, Forbes, New York Times, and Wine Enthusiast.
“When we set out to create this, it was for everyday luxury. You didn’t necessarily need a reason to indulge. We wanted to make it accessible. We wanted to make it affordable,” Low told BE.
As Michael Lavelle’s first varietal, this wine was created from a blend of cabernet and pinot grigio grapes. The signature rosé is smooth with crisp flavors and fresh fruit aromas, including wild cherry, strawberry, and watermelon.
In April, the Michael Lavelle team expressed gratitude via Instagram for collaborating with Frame Chicago, the city’s source for photo and art printing since 1981, and burgeoning Chicago artist Kayla Mahaffey.
“Frame Chicago was transformed to showcase Kayla’s archived prints and originals to celebrate, reflect and observe the stories which Kayla’s colorful paintings convey, the stories of inner thoughts and personal issues that sometimes go unheard,” Michael Lavelle shared in a caption.
The community work doesn’t stop there. The wine label also partners with the nonprofit Roots Fund to expose and encourage Black and brown youth to join the wine industry. Its proceeds have helped fund education for an HBCU graduate.
“It’s not about adapting to wine culture it’s about honoring our community through wine,” said Low via Instagram.
A summer yellow daffodil in the glass, the Blanc offers aromatics of lush honeydew melon, lemon oil, and fresh nectarines. Taste ripe peaches, Granny Smith apples, and lemon zest.
In February, Michael Lavelle hosted a successful event at The Park at Fourteenth (@theparkat14th) with the likes of actor Tristan Mack Wilds in attendance. Michael Lavelle turned it up a notch, enticing candle lovers with a new product to pair with their premium selections. The relaxing Aroma candle dropped via Instagram in March.
The 2023 Proof Award winners have expressed how proud they are in delivering the best wine, experience, and even better moments. After celebrating 10,000 followers on Instagram, more wine lovers will be won over as they add Wilds to their Miami takeover on Sept 9 at Washington Avenue’s Wine Tasting & Live Music event.
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August 30, 2023
With its latest policy change, many are growing concerned that France is perpetuating Islamophobia. For its upcoming school year, the government is forbidding students from wearing the abaya, a modest dress typically worn by Muslim women and girls, to school.
As reported by CNN.com, the country’s education minister Gabriel Attal delivered the news to the public by stating the dress’ strong association with a religion infringes of France’s principles.
“Schools of the Republic are built on very strong values and principles, especially laïcité…For me, laïcité, when put in the framework of a school, is very clear: you enter a classroom and you must not be able to identify the religious identity of students just by looking at them,” Attal said.
The French term laïcité represents the nation’s value of separating religion from the state, however, not all of the nation’s elected officials are in agreement with this new legislation, believing that the term itself is actually weaponized to promote Islamophobic restrictions.
Députée Danièle Obono, a left-wing lawmaker in France, tweeted that the new policy is one part of a “new Islamophobic campaign” that President Emmanuel Macron championed while also shutting down laws that would eliminate fees and other financial burdens for their schools.
Pendant que la Macronie lance pour la #rentree2023 une nouvelle campagne islamophobe, à la @franceinsoumise, après avoir déposé une proposition de loi pour la gratuité complète de l'école (fournitures, cantine, activités…), nous allons organiser l'aide concrète aux familles. https://t.co/VN2C2815vL
— Députée Obono (@Deputee_Obono) August 27, 2023
This new regulation comes after restrictions were proposed on Muslim women wearing the hijab, following the nation’s 2018 ban on the niqāb, a head covering that conceals the face with a veil for those who want to practice extra modesty. The crackdown on the outward display of one’s religious preference, but mainly targeting Islamic ways, was prompted by France’s right-wing party, Les Républicains.
Of whether or not kids will be forbidden to wear the hijab at school, Attal remained focused only on abayas and the “need for a clear rule” on their place in the classroom. Some political commentators believe this is just further dividing the nation and marginalizing a religious group.
Rim-Sarah Alouane, a French researcher in human rights and civil liberties, believes the ruling could have harmful ramifications in the near future. “Such policies,” Alouane said, “fuel the nation’s fractures.”
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August 29, 2023
Meet Jen Franks Ahaghotu, a US-based CEO and graduate of Harvard University who believes in the power of Black women’s educational achievements to change the world. The journey to a Harvard degree remains a formidable one for Black women, with challenges ranging from systemic barriers to a lack of representation in various academic fields. But, Ahaghotu defied the odds and broke barriers and is now showing the world how far Black women can go.
Jen Franks Ahaghotu is calling on 3,000 Black women with a High School Diploma or above to help her set a world-first, mass representation record online on September 8th, 2023.
The title is the Official Extreme Excellence World Record™ for: “The Most Photos of Black Women with a Graduation Certificate Uploaded in 24 Hours.”The project is set to positively flood social media, aiming for a minimum of 1 million social impacts across many social networks. It has already attracted almost 400,000 impacts to date.
September 8th is important – it is the birthday of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges who stepped into the history books in 1960; when at just 6 years old, she integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, becoming an international icon.
This groundbreaking project is raising important funds and awareness for the Ruby Bridges Foundation.
A documentary is in production, and the project culminates in an event in Washington DC during Black History Month, February 2024.
“Our contributions deserve to be celebrated at the highest level in the global narrative.
We are so much more than a diploma, and this is a joyous focal point to share our stories. Future generations are watching and learning,” said Jen.
Jen has chosen the only female-founded world record company, Extreme Excellence World Records™ from Tasmania, to adjudicate the attempt.
Learn more at BLackWomenWorldRecord.com
For press inquiries, contact jen@jenfranksahaghotu.com or (914) 426-2838
This news first appeared on blacknews.com
August 29, 2023
Eli Kumekpor is leaving his role at sportswear giant Nike to take over the reins of the popular lifestyle brand, Mitchell & Ness. Hoping to reinvent itself as more than just the go-to shop for vintage jersey and sports merchandise, the company and its new ownership –which includes Jay-Z, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Kevin Hart – has a whole new game plan.
Kumekpor sees Mitchell & Ness as existing at the intersection of sports, culture, lifestyle, and fashion; something his previous perches at Nike and the Jordan Brand executed seamlessly.
“There’s an opportunity served through the lens of vintage and the retired player base, but I think as we look at our partnerships, how do we now expand the footprint of that?” he said. “We want to serve that entire continuum from nostalgia and beyond, and that includes looking at opportunities with active rosters and active players.”
Mitchell & Ness’ acquisition by Fan Gear store, Fanatics, helped the company notch a valuation of $300 million and annual growth of 30% in 2022, according to CNBC. New licensing deals with both the NHL and the MLB further expanded their domination as the one-stop shop of sports fans looking to hold close the classic memories made by their favorite teams and players. Hhowever, Kumekpor knows that hedging all of a brand’s bets on the power of “the good ole days” is a slippery slope.
“How do you take the old and make it new and fresh again,” he said, in reference to the work the Jordan Brand has done in harnessing the power of their beloved, iconic sneakers. “Nostalgia means a lot of different things to different consumer groups, so we want to make sure we’re keeping the brand premium.”
Along with overseeing the reported $6.59 billion in sales that the Jordan Brand brought in over the last five years as global vice president and general manager of men’s products, Eli Kumekpor was also co-chair of the Nike Black Employee Network.
August 29, 2023
Future was embroiled in a copyright lawsuit that accused him of ripping off the song of a Virginia rapper who claimed he sent a track to the rapper’s producers. The judge ruled in favor of Future and utilized the example of songs by The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, and the artist formerly known as Kanye West, Ye.
According to Billboard, a lawsuit was brought against Nayvadius Wilburn, known as Future, alleging that the rapper stole the concept and even the title from a song that DaQuan Robinson recorded. Robinson states that Future’s song, “When I Think About It,” released in 2021, was a copy of the track he released in 2018, “When U Think About It.”
Judge Martha Pacold threw the suit out last week, saying Robinson was attempting to sue over basic lyrics ubiquitous in the hip-hop world.
“The thematic elements that [the accusers] address—guns, money, and jewelry—are frequently present in hip-hop and rap music,” the judge wrote in her decision. “The commonality of these themes in hip-hop and rap place [them] outside the protections of copyright law.”
In her ruling, Pacold also stated that even if Future had copied the song Robinson recorded, it was not covered by copyrights in the first place: “None of the elements Robinson has identified in ‘When U Think About It’ is protectable.”
Regarding the topics Future and Robinson talked about in their respective songs, Pacold stated that the themes talked about, guns, money, and jewelry, are common throughout the hip-hop genre. She cited lyrics that were said in several songs. She brought up The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Machine Gun Funk,” Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me),” and Kanye West’s “Diamonds From Sierra Leone.”
“Where elements of a work are indispensable, or at least standard, in the treatment of a given topic, they receive no protection,” the judge wrote.
About the song’s title, she ruled that any one lyricist could not monopolize such a short, simple phrase.
“It is a fragmentary expression that is commonplace in everyday speech and ubiquitous in popular music,” Pacold wrote.
Complex reported that Robinson, who used the stage name of Gutta, claimed he sent the track over to rapper Doe Boy and producer Zaytoven, who were connected with Future’s label. Yet, Robinson didn’t name them in the lawsuit.
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August 29, 2023
United Airlines has settled its lawsuit on behalf of a disabled Black man who was put into a coma from a deplaning incident. The settlement reached the figure of $30 million for the airline’s fault in not providing standard care for disabled passengers.
Nathaniel Foster Jr. was receiving aid in getting off his flight to Monroe, LA in February 2019 when a United Airlines employee roughly handled his wheelchair. The reckless movement prompted Foster be “jerked” back and forth, putting his wellbeing, being sustained by a ventilator and tracheal tube, at risk. The extensive physicality of the action resulted in the quadriplegic man suffering from permanent brain damage.
The legal filing obtained by CBS News also stated that Foster feared for his health during the ordeal. However, a gate agent assisting him reassured passengers, including a doctor who was willing to help, that they’ve “got” the situation handled. Shortly after this declaration that everything was fine, Foster suffered a heart attack.
The incident not only left Foster in a vegetative state, but also shortened his life expectancy by over seven years. The negligence regarding his care while being transported was also mentioned in the complaint, as his mother was falsely assured that proper care was being established for her son. However, the lawsuit claimed that this was far from the truth, as multiple airport professionals were supposed to aid in his journey, but only one was allegedly there at the beginning of his deplaning.
With such evidence, the case was immediately settled for the substantial price after one day in federal court. United Airlines released a statement following the completion of the settlement,
“Our top priority is to provide a safe journey for all our customers, especially those who require additional assistance or the use of a wheelchair. We are pleased to share that this matter has settled.”
The Foster family’s attorney, however, did not comment to the press.
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August 29, 2023
There were news reports that DMC of the legendary hip-hop group, Run-DMC, was “allegedly” running for president after making a statement at a Major League Soccer game over the weekend.
But according to AllHipHop, the famed rapper from Queens, NY is NOT running for the Oval Office this year or ever.
This past Sunday, OutKick reported that the “King of Rock” would be placing a bid to become the next president of the United States. At an appearance at Red Bull Arena in New York City for Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer debut, DMC spoke to the media outlet.
“The whole beauty of everything that’s going on, Messi being here, soccer, MLS, everything that’s going on, this is what the world is all about. We see so much division, but if we go to a soccer game or concert or museum, where the sports and art is, it’s a true representation of how great this world is. Not can be, is.”
And then he dropped this line.
“And I am running for President starting today, because in a beautiful place like this… what better place to announce it?” DMC stated. “But it’s all about togetherness and people coming together.”
AllHipHop spoke exclusively to the performer and he clarified that there are no political aspirations for him.
“That’s so funny! DMC said as he laughed. “That’s why media today is a joke. They just run with anything before even confirming it. I would never run for president. I get more done as a representative of all people. The point I was trying to make is the arts succeed where politics and religion fail.”
“The real world is when people who are from different races and cultures can come together at concerts, museums, plays, sporting events, restaurants, and comic cons. This shows the unique diverse but universally connected world we live in. Politics and religion are used divisively, but events with art and performance bring us together.”
DMC may be a bit busy celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, to run for office. He and his partner, Run, performed at LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells concert in Queens before reconnecting at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx a week later. The two shows were billed as the last time the two will be performing together. They only did so for the celebration of hip-hop; after their DJ, Jam Master Jay was killed in 2002, they declared that they would never perform as Run-DMC again.
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August 29, 2023
Former Los Angeles City Council member Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for corruption.
As previously reported, Ridley-Thomas was found guilty of seven felonies, including bribery and fraud, following a scheme he carried out to ensure his son’s acceptance at the University of Southern California. Ridley-Thomas promised to funnel millions in government dollars to the institution in return. “When elected leaders engage in acts of corruption, our community suffers immense damage. Ridley-Thomas engaged in a corrupt conspiracy with a university dean to steer taxpayer-funded contracts to the school in exchange for benefits for his son,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement at the time. The longtime politician had been a vocal advocate for civil rights issues in the city and a leading figure in times of racial unrest.
According to the Associated Press, along with his mandatory prison time, Judge Dale S. Fischer ordered the 68-year-old Ridley-Thomas to pay a $30,000 fine.
At his sentencing, the former councilman apologized to his family and other supporters in the courtroom, expressing his regret yet standing firm on the legality of his actions. “This case exists somewhere between what is clearly legal conduct on one end, and clearly illegal conduct on the other,” he said. Ridley-Thomas is not going down alone as Marilyn Louise Flynn, who served as dean of USC’s School of Social Work, was also charged for her role in the $100,000 scheme and sentenced to a year and a half of home confinement. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, the son at the center of the case, has not been charged in this matter, although he was the benefactor of the funds. The former state assemblyman was awarded a $26,000 graduate scholarship to attend USC and a $50,000 salary to teach at the institution in addition to $100,000 received by his organization.
19-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff is one of the sport’s most promising talents; drawing support from the likes of former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama and cemented icon Venus Williams. On day one of the U.S. Open, the sixth-seeded Gauff seemed determined to make up for her last two early Grand Slam exits as she faced off against Laura Siegemund of Germany.
Though it was the first match for the budding tennis champion of this year’s Open, it would prove to be a heated battle.
According to NBC News, during the third set, Gauff approached official Marijana Veljovic about how slowly Siegemund was returning her serves. “She’s never ready when I’m serving. … How is this fair?” Gauff told Veljovic. “I’m going a normal speed. Ask any ref here. … I’ve been quiet the whole match. … Now it’s ridiculous. I don’t care what she’s doing on her serve, but (on) my serve, she has to be ready.”
Before the exchange, Siegemund had already begun hearing dissent from the crowd, who had taken to applauding her faults and vocally critiquing her style of play. The 35-year-old German athlete went on to say that she felt the fans had “no respect for me” and was in tears during her post-match conference.
However, the moment was not dimmed for Gauff who went on to win the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round of the U.S. Open.
“I was really patient the whole match. She was going over the time since the first set. I never said anything. I would look at the umpire, and she didn’t do anything,” said Gauff about the incident. “Then obviously the crowd started to notice that she was taking long, so you would hear people in the crowd yelling, ‘Time!’”
The 19-year-old Florida native has been on a run of late as she defeated No.1-ranked Iga Swiatek and took home the WTA 1000 title at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters earlier this month.
