Alabama Nurses Sue Employer For Allegedly Being Addressed As ‘N-Word’ And ‘Slaves’
A group of nine Black women nurses and certified nursing assistants at Florala Health and Rehabilitation in Covington County, AL, has allegedly been called “ugly” and ridiculed for their “skin, hair texture, and supposed smell.”
According to AL.com, Shekeya Thomas, Angelia Williams, Kierra Blue, Keonna Crittenden, Cassandra Westry, Chantel Mayes, Melissa Hobdy, Courtney Love, and Michele Carswell sued the assisted living facility in Covington County, AL, claiming that the center violated federal anti-discrimination laws.
In a federal lawsuit filed on July 25, 2023, the women claim were threatened, called racial slurs, and faced retaliatory action when reporting cases of discrimination. The suit claims that one woman was fired and another excluded from the work schedule.
“Compounding the unequal treatment of Black employees based on race, some Plaintiffs have witnessed abusive and unequal conditions directed at Black patients at Florala Rehabilitation, some of whom are left to live in squalid and substandard conditions,” the lawsuit states.
The facility, which the lawsuit describes as a “racially hostile” and a “retaliatory hostile” work environment. Several incidents of discrimination were mentioned, including the Black professionals being addressed as “the little Black girls,” the N-word, and “slaves.” The lawsuit alleges that several white managers and employees expressed their idea that the “dirty work” should be assigned to Blacks as the “normal order of things.”
“These comments were made in the presence of African Americans, to African Americans, with almost a sense of pride,” the nurses’ attorney, Artur Davis, said. “It is chilling to see an environment where people feel comfortable expressing their racism.” The Atlanta Black Starreported that the lawsuit also alleges the white staffers have a group chat filled with racist commentary about the Black staff members.
The plaintiffs filed their complaint in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. The complaint was filed in federal court as Alabama remains one of the five states without a civil rights law and other laws that protect employees from harmful work environments.
NHS Management, LLC., the company that owns the assisted living facility, is also being sued in the case.
City Officials Shut Down Black-Owned Food Products Vendor For Failure To Obtain A Health License
This Black online vendor says her city needs to evolve with the times.
Shana Manradge, the owner of A Better Market, has been forced out of business after Paterson, New Jersey, health officer Paul Persaud ordered her to shut down her online service for not having a municipal health license.
According to Paterson Press, Persaud was assigned to deliver the order to Manradge at her home after the city received an anonymous complaint.
“It’s food, and there are laws,” Persaud said. “Her heart can be in the right place, but we have to protect the health of the public.”
Manradge launched her online business to connect her community with affordable food. Weekly trips to the countryside is how she stocks up on products such as eggs, poultry, and vegetables, which her online marketplace offers at a cheaper price. “I just want to provide fresh quality food to my community,” Manradge said, adding that her marketplace provided fresher options than most food products in local supermarkets.
“The city doesn’t have an ordinance for a store like mine—an online business,” Manradge said. “The city needs to catch up to the 21st century.”
According to Persaud, Manradge has been advised by health officials on how to run her online business legally, either by obtaining a retail food license with a brick-and-mortar shop or a wholesale food license granted by the state.“Either way, there’s no way around it,” Persaud said.
Manradge said her business is listed on the city’s Chamber of Commerce website. However, it does not fall within any categories of businesses selling food. Although she struggled to find a space to apply for a license, Manradge has been warned not to reopen her business without a city license unless she wishes to be summonsed or fined.
Her business was shut down following feature stories about her business published by Paterson Press, The Record, and the Herald News. The city inspector said the stories had nothing to do with issuing the order.
Snoop Dogg Cancels ‘Doggystyle’ 30th Anniversary Shows In Solidarity With Hollywood Strikers
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of his legendary debut album, Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre planned a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The show, scheduled over two nights, was supposed to take place on June 27 and 28, 2023. The pair postponed it due to the current Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike.
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) recently went on its own work stoppage, and Snoop’s concerts have been canceled to show solidarity with both unions as they fight their employers.
According to USA Today, the Doggfather announced on his Instagram that he and Dre have decided to cancel the performances that were rescheduled for Oct. 20 and 21, 2023.
“We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing strike and the uncertainty of when this will be over, we need to cancel the Hollywood Bowl show.
“We stand in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters in the WGA and SAG-AFTRA during this difficult time and remain hopeful that the AMPTP will come back to the negotiating table with a REAL proposal, and we can all get back to work.”
AMPTP is the acronym for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
But the “Gin N Juice” rapper is keeping himself busy as he and Dr. Dre are reportedly putting the finishing touches on an upcoming project the pair has been working on.
In the meantime, Snoop Dogg and E-40 are releasing a cookbook titled Snoop Dogg Presents Goon with the Spoon, which will be released on Chronicle Books. The book, which will feature more than 65 recipes from the two businessmen, is a follow-up to Snoop’s From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg’s Kitchen.
Culprit Responsible For Michael K. Williams’ Overdose Sentenced To Only 2.5 Years In Prison
The death of beloved actor Michael K. Williams was another chapter in the alarming rise of fentanyl-related overdoses. Now, after a brief trial, one of the four drug dealers responsible for the lethal narcotics purchased by the actor has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.
According to The Root, Carlos Macci will serve out his sentence and then spend a year in an inpatient drug treatment facility due to his own lifelong battle with addiction. The 72-year-old addressed the court before his sentencing with deep remorse for his actions. “I would like to say, Your Honor, I’m sorry for what has happened,” he said.
Williams never shied away from talking about his experiences with drugs, and admitted to using during the height of his fame as Omar Little on the HBO series The Wire.
The show’s creator, David Simon, wrote a letter to the judge on behalf of Macci, asking for leniency due to Williams’ commitment to decriminalizing drug addiction. “No possible good can come from incarcerating a (72-year-old) soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction and who has not engaged in street-level sales of narcotics with ambitions of success and profit but rather as someone caught up in the diaspora of addiction himself,” Simon wrote. “Michael would look at Mr. Macci and hope against hope that this moment in which he finds himself might prove redemptive, that his remaining years might amount to something more, and that by the grace of love and leniency, something humane and worthy might be rescued from the tragedy.”
Before his death, Williams spoke candidly about how playing Montrose Freeman on the HBO series Lovecraft Country led him to enter therapy to further heal the parts of him that sought drugs as a refuge. “I just started therapy, you know, and really taking that seriously and starting to unpack, like you said, the critic in my head and what and how that has affected my actions, my responses to certain situations, my relationships,” he said. “It was a very new process for me.”
Ryan Coogler On His Production Company, Being ‘Underrated,’ and Collaborating With Steph Curry
Ryan Coogler is a generational talent who dances in the sweet spot between fame and mystery with unparalleled grace.
His work has been massively successful since he burst onto the scene a decade ago, bringing the life of the late Oscar Grant to the big screen in FruitvaleStation and turning the Marvel world on its head with the box office hit and cultural landmark Black Panther. He creates the type of cinematic magic that few others are able to achieve while remaining 100 percent authentic and breaking free of the boxes Black directors are often relegated to.
Coogler is a phenomenon. And though we don’t know where he hangs out or what he eats for breakfast—he is famously private—whenever he opens his mouth, a touch of home spills out. He is a star that remains so familial and within reach that every project he creates feels specially made for us all.
His latest venture, producing Underrated, a documentary on four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, is a love letter to dreamers and an in-depth look at what it takes to achieve greatness. It isn’t an unlikely partnership between Curry and Coogler, as the former plays for the latter’s beloved hometown basketball team, and the story is a hero’s journey, which Coogler is adept at telling.
See, it doesn’t matter if the subject is a sports giant or a comic book warrior; what matters is that the 37-year-old filmmaker sees the value in their stories and knows audiences will, too.
So far, Coogler hasn’t been wrong.
BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Coogler to talk being “underrated,” proving the doubters wrong, and what he feels he has in common with Stephen Curry.
BLACK ENTERPRISE: I want to start by taking a second to look at the connection between filmmakers and athletes. What do you think drives that mutual respect between the two?
Ryan Coogler: I grew up as an athlete, and I’m probably just now getting to a point in my career where I’ve been a filmmaker longer than I was an athlete, so I still see myself identity-wise as both things. Even though I never played professionally, it was how I related to the world. There’s a lot of crossover in terms of performance and the aspect of spectatorship. People come to watch what filmmakers do the same way they come to watch a great athlete put on a show. There’s a level of expected entertainment there. And there’s a level of unpredictability that sports have that’s hard to rival when it comes to making films the way I do. But a lot of filmmakers are huge sports fans; the first one who comes to mind is Spike [Lee].
What, outside of the Oakland connection, drew you to this part of Steph’s career journey?
It was the spirit of collaboration. They reached out to me and extended the offer for my company, Proximity Media, to come on as partners. Their mantra at Unanimous is “purpose over profit.” They want to tell inspiring stories and it’s not that dissimilar to us at Proximity. What we want to do is bring audiences in closer proximity to subject matters that are often overlooked through the vehicle of eventized entertainment. We want our films, TV projects, and podcasts to be events when they’re released.
Our head of nonfiction is a guy named Pete Nicks, who is also an incredible cinema verité director. He’d done three projects set in Oakland, and when this project came along we offered him up as a directing option to Erick [Peyton] and Steph. Thankfully, they were on board with it. Things just lined up and it became a great opportunity for us.
Let’s talk about the beauty of being underrated. As a Black filmmaker, how do you relate to that?
I definitely can. Truthfully, I think anyone can relate. That gap between what is and what someone has projected onto you or not projected onto you. When things don’t match up, that’s when you feel that sense of being underrated. It’s definitely an experience that overlaps with Blackness in this country. People can look at you and see less than what’s actually there. That extends to being Black doing anything, but definitely in the film industry you’ll see those limiting beliefs around what Black films can make or how much should be invested into them. It’s not unique to us, though; it’s a human concept.
In the documentary, the chip that formed on Steph’s shoulder was about proving himself right and less about proving others wrong. It seems like you’ve done the same with how intentional you are about the work you create. Can you speak to using that as inspiration rather than a weight you carry?
That’s a great observation. This film is about the power of being seen and what can happen when communities, mentors, and families can uplift people when they actually see what’s there and work in service to that rather than what’s not there. For me, and I know for Steph too, that chip on the shoulder is never more important than the heart that’s within, you know what I mean?
Those people who support you are who feed the heart. More than anything, Steph is trying to honor the people who invested in him. As opposed to proving the doubters wrong, he’s trying to bring pride to his family. He’s trying to bring pride to Davidson. He’s trying to bring pride to his kids. And bring pride to the community around the Warriors because they’ve poured so much love into him. People on the outside may see the chip, but that’s centralizing the negative people.
I think Steph does a good job of centralizing the people who mean the most to him, who are speaking love into him. The two most powerful things you can do is either tune them out or use them as motivation. Sometimes the negative motivation is given too much attention. But Steph is looking at his wife, he’s looking at his teammates. He’s focused on what matters. I try to do the same.
Steph has taken “underrated” and turned it into a purpose for motivating others who are coming behind him. You’ve passed on the reins to other young directors who look like you. How much of your story do you feel mirrors that of the best shooter in the world?
There are some mirrors, but there are some differences. Definitely there’s a mirror in terms of us both having community. I had a family that was supportive of what I was trying to do, no matter how unlikely it was. One of the biggest differences, and what I think is interesting, is that I don’t know that I would have been a filmmaker if my father was a filmmaker. The fact that Steph’s father was a really successful NBA player and specifically good at shooting the three—it says a lot about him that he would go about carving out his own path. And then he exceeded what his father was able to do. It takes a special kind of person to do that. To shoot for something and then shoot past it. Even when it wasn’t guaranteed.
Femmagic is making a name for itself in the feminine hygiene space by being a brand dedicated to its cause of uplifting Black women’s health.
Maat Petrova created a feminine hygiene company that raises the standard in safety, inclusivity, and sustainable practices. Femmagic, a portmanteau of “feminine magic,” is her answer. Aligned with Petrova’s ethical values, the brand goes beyond products by creating a community of women dedicated to their wellness, as stated in its press release. Women should feel empowered in their vaginal health, and Femmagic champions that effort, breaking the taboos that are often associated with feminine products.
Petrova, who has more than two decades of experience in holistic wellness advocacy and education, uses natural, chemical-free plant-based ingredients in her Femmagic line.
Petrova’s signature, best-selling products include the Coocheewaa feminine wash and Vagelixir cleanse. Coocheewaa guarantees a PH-safe sensitive wash, while Vagelixir is the go-to remedy for irritation, infection, and discomfort. The products are accompanied by inclusions such as probiotic gummy vitamins, stimulants, and yoni eggs, to complement a full line dedicated to vaginal wellness.
Femmagic’s commitment to feminine health includes a space for women to engage with accurate information regarding vaginal maintenance, dispelling myths and reducing stigmas associated with certain products.
The quest to revolutionize feminine hygiene products, especially ones spearheaded by Black woman, has been a priority for entrepreneurs. From Honeypot to Salt.Xo, women are putting their vaginal health in their own hands. To that end, Femmagic engages with its clients for its product development, prioritizing customer input and needs to create a femcare line that fits all.
The luxury feminine care company also hosts workshop events, retreats, and programs as part of its movement to celebrates women’s vaginal and sexual wholeness.
Alabama A&M University Announces Eboni Major As This Year’s Convocation Speaker
This year, alumna Eboni Major will be Alabama A&M University’s Freshman Convocation Torch Lighting speaker, according to AAMU News. Major, who graduated from the university in 2015, has broken barriers as one of the first Black women to become a whiskey blender. She’s come a long way in a short time, establishing herself as a master craftswoman. Equipped with a degree in food science and chemistry, Major found work with Bulleit Bourbon, a Kentucky-based distillery known for its high rye percentage. She departed from Bulleit in 2022 but not before leaving her mark. Before her exit, Major created the Bulleit Blenders Select, a limited edition reinvention of the bourbon classic. She filed a lawsuit against her former employer’s parent company Diageo, alleging unlawful discrimination, disparate treatment, and retaliation based on race. Now, she’s succeeding at her new business, called Major Spirits, where she wants to ensure diversity and inclusivity, and has even helped aspiring Black whiskey blenders.
In December 2022, Major spoke to Imbibe Magazine about paving the way for young women like herself. “Making sure that I bring those women along my journey to build Major Spirits is probably the most important thing to me. Not to say, ‘OK, in three years I’ll come back and I’ll help you out.’ No—I have to take the time now,” said the Alabama native.
Over the years, Major has proven to be nothing short of an innovator. She has since launched her Dread River Master Series, which combines Kentucky-sourced bourbon from October 2017 and January 2019 at 100 proof. She’s earned several San Francisco Spirits Awards and has worked with major U.S. whiskey distributors such as George Dickel, IW Harper, Blade & Bow, and more.
The 2023 Freshman Convocation Torch Lighting will occur at the Event Center on Aug. 12 at 4:00 p.m.
Kimberlé Crenshaw Honors The Stories Of Black Women In New Book
Esteemed scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw ensures the stories of Black women murdered by the police are not forgotten and lost to history with her new book #Say Her Name: Black Women’s Stories Of Police Violence And Public Silence. Crenshaw underscores the importance of the book during this current revival of historical revisionism.
” First, the families lose these women, and then the fact that they’ve lost them becomes lost to their communities, becomes lost to history, becomes lost to the movement,” Crenshaw told NBC News during a sit-down interview.
“And we are seeing the consequences of that erasure.”
Co-authored by Crenshaw with the help of the organization she heads, the African-American Policy Forum, the book centers on the often marginalized stories of Black women killed by the police.
According to the book’s listing on the Haymarket Books website, “Black women, girls, and femmes as young as seven and as old as ninety-three have been killed by the police, though we rarely hear their names or learn their stories. Breonna Taylor, Alberta Spruill, Rekia Boyd, Shantel Davis, Shelly Frey, Kayla Moore, Kyam Livingston, Miriam Carey, Michelle Cusseaux, and Tanisha Anderson are among the many lives that should have been.”
According to the AAPF, #SayHerName is a campaign created in December 2014 by the organization and the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies to keep the focus on Black women’s extrajudicial murders by the police. The groups released a report in May of 2015 entitled Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women, in partnership with Andrea Ritchie, outlining both the goals and objectives of the movement the groups created. In large part, the book draws on this report and research, and the reason for its creation is summed up in the closing paragraph on the AAPF site: “Including Black women and girls in police violence and gender violence discourses sends the powerful message that indeed all Black lives matter. If our collective outrage around cases of police violence is meant to serve as a warning to the state that its agents cannot kill without consequence, our silence around the cases of Black women and girls sends the message that certain deaths do not merit repercussions.”
In A Historic Move, The B.S. Roberts Park In Tulsa Is Now Black-Owned
The opportunity to rebuild the Black community is shaping up in the same area where the Tulsa Race Massacre once took place.
According to The Black Wall Street Times, Historic Greenwood District Main Street has bought the B.S. Roberts Park to make it the first Black-owned property in Greenwood in over 50 years. The announcement was celebrated with festivities, including music, food, and games at the park.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of B.S Roberts Park,” Bill White, executive director of the Historic Greenwood District Main Street, said in a written statement. “This park is a vital part of the Greenwood District’s history, and we are committed to preserving it for future generations. We believe that this acquisition will help to revitalize the Greenwood District and create a brighter future for our community.”
The property is slated to undergo renovations to restore it to the original character of the land. The park will be updated with modern amenities, making it more accessible to local residents and visitors.
“The land that we are standing on is sacred because the blood of Africans living in America in 1921 was shed, homes and businesses were looted and burned to the ground by a racist white mob and supported by racist local and state officials,” District 1 City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper expressed to FOX23.
“So, we honor those who lost their lives, their homes, their businesses, the generational wealth that the Greenwood community cannot appreciate like that of our white affluent communities who were not massacred.”
With ownership of B.S Roberts Park, officials plan to engage with the community to satisfy its needs and wants for the local land. White said the park ownership is important because the residents in the Greenwood community rarely get to be included in decisions regarding the area. This will allow them to be more involved in what takes place at the park.
Beyoncé Makes Her Mark on Small Black Businesses During ‘Renaissance’ World Tour
Beyoncé returned to Chicago for the first time since 2018 as she hit the latest stop on her “Renaissance” world tour.
The superstar took center stage in downtown Chicago on July 22 and 23, 2023. Her tour is expected to make significant contributions to the economy. According to NBC Chicago, Beyoncé’s not-for-profit foundation, BeyGOOD, hosted a luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago to support Black small business owners globally and the economic inequities that have impacted these businesses.
The luncheon is a part of her “Black Parade Route,” where she will donate $1 million to Black-owned small businesses. The luncheons will take place in 10 cities. In each city, $100,000, will be distributed among 10 Black small business owners.
Ida Nelson, founder of Ida’s Artisan Ice Cream, expressed her gratitude at receiving an invite from Beyoncé’s team.
“It was incredible just to see the amount of support that people have for our business and to be seen,” Nelson said. “One of the pillars of my business is about giving back, and so this was great to see another side of Beyoncé as well and things that she’s doing.”
Ida’s ice cream is available at the Museum of Ice Cream in downtown Chicago. A new storefront will open in August 2023.
Several small Black business owners present at the luncheon also detailed the benefit of receiving the award of ten thousand dollars from the BeyGOODfoundation, such as being able to pay their staff and pay rent for their businesses before the due date.
Beyoncé was unable to attend the luncheon in Chicago. However, Michelle Williams, Beyoncé’s good friend, and Destiny’s Child member, delivered a speech to the Black small business owners.
