John Legend Bringing ‘More Adventures’ As The New Brand Ambassador For Neopets
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 26, 2023

John Legend Bringing ‘More Adventures’ As The New Brand Ambassador For Neopets

John Legend is the new brand ambassador for the beloved virtual pet gaming platform Neopets.

The Grammy award-winning singer took to social media on Saturday, July 22, 2023 to announce the news.

“Excited to announce that I’m the new brand ambassador for@Neopets!” Legend wrote.

“My family and I have been long time fans of the game, and I can’t wait for you to experience it too. Looking forward to more adventures together!”

In the video, the “Ordinary People” singer further explained his love and admiration for the virtual pet platform and the “new adventures” on the horizon.

“I’m the brand ambassador of the Neopets,” he said. “You know the game, it’s a classic pets game, and it’s long been a favorite in our house, and I can’t wait to share the joy and nostalgia with all of you.”

“So stay tuned, we have some amazing adventures together.”

The video announcement came one night after the “Neopets Era Party” hosted at Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) on Friday nigh, where the gaming team unveiled Legend’s addition to the team, according to The Pop Insider.

Launched in 1999, Neopets is a virtual pet website where users can buy and own virtual pets and get items for them using its original virtual currencies called Neopoints and Neocash. The Neopoints can be earned by playing games on the site, and the Neocash can be purchased with real-world money or won when playing a game.

 

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Along with Legend as its new brand ambassador, Neopets has revamped its website with 50-plus new flash games, CBR reports. The goal is recapture the attention of its fanbase from the early 2000s, Neopets will be improving community interaction, fixing bugs on the site, and building stronger community groups to bring “Neopia” back to its prime, the team said at Comic-Con.

“We’ll be bringing new more community involvement, a new plot, a new unified homepage where you can access everything,” they added.

RELATED CONTENT: John Legend Blessed After Welcoming New Baby With Chrissy Teigen

Charles McPherson, Jazz, musicians, celebration, July, Wilder, Abdullah
by Lauren Nutall

July 26, 2023

Jazz Legends McPherson, Abdullah, And Wilder Honored This July

A number of jazz legends celebrated big achievements this month. From July 20 to July 23, Charles McPherson had his 84th birthday at Dizzy’s, Amsterdam News reports. McPherson is one of the most recognized musical talents and considered one of the greatest alto saxophonists of our time. The two-night event featured a performance from McPherson of his greatest hits alongside trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong, and drummer Billy Drummond. 

The festivities didn’t end there. On July 23, composer and trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah celebrated the debut of his memoir, A Strange Celestial Road: My Time in the Sun Ra Arkestra, with a book signing at Sista’s Place on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. Abdullah spoke to Amsterdam News about his new book, which had been in the works since 1997.

“I had just left the Sun Ra Arkestra, and I wanted to share my valuable experience of working with him and his understanding of who we are as Black people,” he said.

Abdullah toured with Sun Ra extensively and was featured on 25 of the bandleader’s recordings. He worked with the Arkestra on and off from 1975 until 1993, when Sun Ra passed away. “Sun Ra often told us [band members] he was doing music for the 21st century,” he said.

On July 10, bandleader and composer Joe Wilder was posthumously honored with a Congressional Gold Medal in Harlem, New York. His wife and his daughter were in attendance at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, where they were presented with the award in his stead. Wilder was a renowned trumpeter who, during his stint in the Marine Corps, served as assistant bandmaster, the first Black man to hold that position. 

While Wilder’s acknowledgement came after his passing, many musicians have taken it upon themselves to celebrate their life’s achievements while they are still here. In March 2023, musical legend Chaka Khan took to the stage to salute her career with a party and duet with Stevie Wonder. For more information on Abdullah’s book signing, contact (718) 398-1766.

RELATED CONTENT: Blue Note Jazz Festival Is On The Horizon With A Star-Studded Lineup

black man mauled, police dog, Ohio, Black
by Daniel Johnson

July 26, 2023

Black Man Mauled By Police Dog In Ohio After Traffic Stop

Jadarrius Rose was stopped following a “lengthy chase” on July 4, after Ohio police attempted to pull him over because his 18-wheeler was missing a left rear mud flap.

According to CNN, Rose initially did not stop for an inspection of his vehicle and according to the case report, the dispatch called for a marked patrol unit to assist in order to get the man to stop for an inspection.

As Rose stopped his semi and got out, he was approached by an officer with his gun pointed at Rose, instructing him to get out of the truck. Rose got back in his truck and resumed driving, which prompted the officers to chase him again.

In footage from the Ohio Highway Patrol, the driver stops again, and another officer can be heard approaching Rose and telling him to “come to me.” Another officer warns Rose to get on the ground or he will get bitten by the police dog. 

A state trooper can be heard saying not to release the dog when Rose already has his hands up but it appears that directive was either unheard or disregarded. According to the case report:

“Circleville Police Department arrived on scene and stopped in the southbound lanes of US-23 adjacent to the suspect…Circleville K9 Officer R. Speakman exited his patrol car and began giving commands to the suspect. Circleville K9 Officer R. Speakman deployed his K9 on the suspect.”

The same trooper who said not to release the dog can be heard telling the officers to get the dog off of Rose. The dog ran toward officers before pivoting back toward Rose, jumping on his arm and pulling him to the ground. Rose can be heard yelling and pleading with the officers to get the dog off of him. 

“This type of barbaric behavior brought back horrible memories and images of the unleashing of dogs on civil (rights) activists that occurred in the South during the 1960’s,” Nana Watson, president of the Columbus, Ohio, branch of the NAACP, said in a statement. “This conduct gives you reason to pause as it is reflective of unjust and discriminatory treatment that occurred to Blacks in Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama that we wish not to revisit and/or be reminded.

“The Circleville Police department deserves admonishment for this type of behavior. Quite frankly, the Columbus NAACP is ashamed of the officer’s behavior. It is our hope that a thorough investigation is conducted and that Justice is served up to and including disciplinary action/termination of the involved officer.”

CNN reports that the department’s Use Of Force Board was immediately convened following the incident, and is currently investigating the incident. A report is expected to be released the week of July 31, 2023.

RELATED CONTENT: GRAPHIC Video: Police Dog Bites, Rips Off Black Woman’s Scalp and Braids, Lawsuit Filed

black women, abortion, Lashana Gilmore, Cleopatra Herrera, A Home From Shana, foundation,
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 26, 2023

Philadelphia Housing Nonprofit For Expecting Black Moms Gets City Support

Cleopatra Herrera, founder of the nonprofit A Home From Shana Foundation, places expecting Black moms at the forefront as she combats the housing crisis. After losing her best friend, Lashana Gilmore, during childbirth, Herrera has fundraised tirelessly for a transitional housing center called ‘Labor Live Love’ to help Philadelphia mothers.

With a professional background in corrections and housing nonprofits, Herrera likely knows that unstable housing was a primary issue amongst Black mothers and their health equity plight.

“Her death could have been prevented. Time and time again, we hear these stories of Black women being dismissed, ignored, or talked down upon,” she lamented to WHYY about the birthing experiences.

In honor of her late friend and countless other Black mothers, A Home From Shana addresses the systemic issues contributing to stressful pregnancies. As a practicing doula, Herrera learned firsthand how the threat of homelessness can play a role in the “health risks” for many mothers as they anticipate giving birth. Her work with the foundation and her quest to raise $50K for the center’s establishment has garnered city-wide support, including from Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

However, the councilwoman hopes to acquire even more funding for the charitable endeavor, urging $250K from the city’s budget be allocated toward A Home From Shana. As the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality Review Committee unveiled how a disproportionate amount of Black women are dying from birth complications, financial support for organizations specifically geared to the crisis is of high priority to the government official who experienced a traumatic birth herself.

In a much-needed difference from traditional housing programs that often are ill-equipped to service the needs of expectant mothers, the ‘Labor Live Love Center will provide prenatal and postpartum care vital to the health of both mother and newborn.

“Every childbirth is different. Six weeks after giving birth, we don’t know what our healing process is going to be like,” says Herrera.

A Home From Shana Foundation hopes to be a holistic space for Black moms navigating pregnancy by empowering them to have healthy births and reducing the struggles that negatively impact Black maternal health.

RELATED CONTENT: Baby Dove Launches a New Black Doula Directory to Help Close the Black Maternal Care Gap in the U.S.

boston, naacp
by Stacy Jackson

July 26, 2023

The 114th Annual NAACP National Convention: ‘Thriving Together’ Returns To Boston After 40 Years

It is a new day for Black Bostonians as the city in Massachusetts prepares to host the 114th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) National Convention.

The leading civil rights organization last held its national convention in Boston 40 years ago, the Boston Herald reported.

Boston NAACP President Tanisha Sullivan recalled the last time Boston hosted the big event. “The last time the convention was in Boston was 1982, and as a — I count the generations — fourth generation Bostonian I can truly say, we are not the Boston of the 1980s,” Sullivan said. She added, “This convention will make a difference in this city. We will be changed forever for the better. There are too many folks counting on us … I want to echo the invitation and invite everyone to join us,” according to Dorchester Reporter.

The NAACP’s website states the National event “attracts innovative change-makers, thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, scholars, entertainers, influencers, and creatives to network and exchange ideas.” According to the outlet, the city is in for a treat as Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver the keynote speech.

Harris delivered the remarks at the 113th NAACP National Convention in 2022. According to a White House statement, the political leader said at the time, “So, as many of you know, I am a proud lifetime member of this organization … And I have had the distinct pleasure of addressing this conference many times over the years.”

Other guests at this year’s convention will include rapper Meek Mill, Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Boston Herald noted.

The theme this year is “thriving together,” the Boston Herald reported. The convention will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and will take place from July 28 to Aug. 1, 2023. 

Winston K Walker, Walker, Jessica Sutton, Colorado, Hiking, trails, Hikers
by Daniel Johnson

July 26, 2023

Colorado Names Hiking Trail After Influential Black Hiker

The first hiking trail in Colorado dedicated to a Black person recently opened following efforts led by several Black hiking groups to diversify O’ Fallon Park.

Winston K. Walker, who died in 2019, is being memorialized due to the efforts of his protégé Jessica Newton, who heads Vibe Tribe Adventures, an organization dedicated to creating diverse hiking groups traditionally underrepresented on hiking trails.

“Winston said to me, before he passed away, ‘Jess, I need to teach you everything I know about the outdoors,'” Newton recalled. “I think he knew he was getting sicker and sicker and I’m just grateful that he was able to be my mentor to actually help carry on the next generation to encourage the Black and Brown community to adventure.”

 

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Walker is credited with exposing thousands of people to the Colorado Parks system and is the co-founder of the Beckwourth Mountain Club. He had a personal mission to assist as many women and people of color as he could in their endeavors to get into the wilderness.

“It’s part of our birthright as Denverites to be part of this outdoor culture,” Happy Haynes, director of Denver Parks and Recreation describes the need for increased access to underserved groups to the Denver Gazette, explained. “And yet we have people who live with this in their backyards and haven’t had this access.”

There is a “nature gap” in outdoor spaces, according to a 2020 study from North Carolina State University; the lack of diversity and inclusion in nature spaces can be traced back to slavery. The study traces the link between historic discrimination against Black people and a lack of participation in outdoor activities.

Even the Sierra Club, an outdoor club founded by “the father of national parks” John Muir, was inspired to denounce its founder’s racism and the role it played in continuing to keep Black people away from nature spaces and national parks.

“He (Muir) made derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples that drew on deeply harmful racist stereotypes, though his views evolved later in his life,” Micheal Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, wrote on its website in 2020. “As the most iconic figure in Sierra Club history, Muir’s words and actions carry an especially heavy weight. They continue to hurt and alienate Indigenous people and people of color.”

RELATED CONTENT: Yes We Camp: 5 Cool Fishing, Hiking and Nature Groups for African Americans

Good Girl Chocolate on QVC, Dr. Tabatha Carr
by Stacy Jackson

July 26, 2023

Increased Health Risks Launching Pad For This Black-, Woman-Owned, Plant-Based Chocolate Company

One Black entrepreneur landed a sweet deal with QVC for her plant-based chocolate brand.

According to The Journal Record, Tabatha Carr, ND, founder of Good Girl Chocolate, will sell her candy brand online and over the phone on July 26, 2023, for QVC’s Christmas in July.

Carr’s brand can also be found at 28 Whole Foods stores across Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas, The Journal Record reported. The brand owner said, according to the outlet, “When I got a phone call from Whole Foods, it was life-changing.”

That’s not all. Carr added, “We are also in two airports in Tulsa and Austin.”

Good Girl Chocolate tastes good and is good for you. The brand owner formulated the chocolate after she learned she was pre-diabetic and could have trouble conceiving thanks to hormonal imbalances, The Journal Record reported. Carr said, “That was my wake-up call because the doctor presented to me either surgery or more medication. And my mother, my grandmother, aunt[s], cousins, they all had a hysterectomy by age 40. So, I ended up changing my relationship with food,” Carr said.

A big part of success is showing up where there is opportunity. Carr pitched her brand idea to QVC at Texas Women’s Conference one year before officially launching Good Girl Chocolate. She did not have the workings of a business at the time. She said, “I didn’t have customers, I didn’t have packaging, I didn’t have a website,” said Carr, according to The Journal Record.

Carr went straight to work on her business and experienced a lot of wins as a result. But, the journey to success is often bittersweet. Like many Black entrepreneurs, Carr had trouble getting capital. The Journal Record noted her breakthrough came from a six-month accelerator program, ACT. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, grant program awarded Good Girl Chocolate $70,000. After, she reached out to QVC for a second time and landed a deal.

The chocolate brand received a grant from Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation in 2020 and was in gift bags for Oscar nominees. Good Girl Chocolate was also featured in gift bags at the Grammys, among other wins for the brand, The Journal Record noted.

lebron, Mbappe
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 26, 2023

24-Year-Old Soccer Player Offered Deal Worth More Than LeBron James’ Career Earnings Of $531M

As comedian Chris Rock pointed out some years ago, there is a difference between being rich and being wealthy. His example was a professional basketball player who is rich, while the owner of the team, who pays that player, is wealthy. A contract offer to a French soccer player would make him wealthy.

According to Front Office Sports, 24-year-old Kylian Mbappé has been offered a contract that surpasses the lifetime earnings of Los Angeles Lakers savior LeBron James. 

Saudi Arabian soccer team Al-Hilal was offered a record-setting $332 million transfer fee to be paid to Mbappe’s current team. The actual contract for the player would be a salary of $776 million for one year.

James has brought home $531 million throughout his two-decade NBA career.

Even after hearing about that contract offer, James commented on Twitter, ready to head to Saudi Arabia. He posted a clip of Tom Hanks’ “Forrest Gump” character running extremely fast down a road.

At only 24, Mbappe already makes more per year than James does, according to Forbes’ latest World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2023. He beat “King James” by a mere half a million as he made $120 million this past year compared to James taking home $119.5 million. He also has the highest-paying salary in soccer and came in at No. 3 on the list. He was the top-earning Black athlete at that time.

RELATED CONTENT: LeBron James’ Historic Game-Winning Ticket is on the Auction Block, Expected to Sell for Over $5K

miss america, racists, pageant, beauty queen, A & E, racist, history
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 25, 2023

‘Secrets Of Miss America’ Episode Details Racist History

Rule No. 7 of the 1948 pageant contract for Miss America is one of the most controversial moments in the pageant’s long history:

“Contestant must be in good health and of the white race,” stated the document.

A recent episode of A&E’s Secrets of Miss America dissected this infamous bylaw many Black pageant winners still say impacts them in the modern age. Past winners of national and local pageants detailed their experiences with racist treatment and how the infamous rule held a dark cloud over the industry.

Nita Whitaker, Miss Louisiana 1984, shared how she was discriminated against and lost solely due to sentiments regarding her race. When Vanessa Williams made history as the first Black woman to become Miss America, her subsequent dismissal from the title due to a nude photo scandal felt like a warning to Whitaker. For her and countless other women, Williams’ dethroning proved that no matter how beautiful or intelligent, their Blackness would never fully grant them the crown.

While the 1990s ushered in a renaissance of Black beauty queens, the effects of the racially-motivated double standards in beauty remain.

Miss America 2010, Caressa Cameron Jackson, also revealed her experience, where she was told to compete in more ethnically-welcoming states, such as D.C., to secure a win.

“During my time competing at the local and the state level, I very much felt Rule No. 7 still existed but in a way that no one was talking about,” said Jackson, according to The Messenger. They were allowing Black winners, but only if they were palatable.[…] I unconsciously made myself into what I perceived beauty to be because of what I had seen win.”

Even after her win, her reign was fraught with issues that lacked consideration for Black women’s haircare, an inclusivity issue that plagues the organization.

To rectify these issues that many diverse Miss America winners have spoken out against, new rules have been added, including adding a person of color on every judging panel and a formal apology to Williams for the organization’s maltreatment of her.

The in-depth expose of the famed pageant circuit’s racist past, and other controversies can be found in the docuseries, with new episodes of Secrets of Miss America airing every Monday at 10/9c on A&E.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Women Finish In Top 5 For Miss America 2023 Pageant

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 25, 2023

The World Is Invited To Live Stream Hip-Hop’s 50th Birthday, Hosted By KRS-One

A 50th birthday party is being thrown for hip-hop next month and everyone is invited to join the history, culture, and fun that’ll be shared.

On Friday, August 11, 2023, hip-hop legend KRS-One will host the celebratory “jam” from the Community Center at 1520 Sedgwick in the Bronx, the exact room where hip-hop was born 50 years ago, according to a press release.

Start at 7 p.m., the party will include a live show featuring performances from a variety of artists who helped shape and move the culture forward over the last half-century.

With KRS hosting, it’s sure to be an informative event with the “Bridge Is Over” emcee educating viewers on hip-hop’s history and how it changed popular culture forever. Dancers, painters, DJs, poets, and rappers will showcase their talents.

The show will be live-streamed free for all to enjoy at www.birthplaceofhiphop.nyc.

“Hip-Hop began in the community room at 1520 Sedgwick. The bond is not only to each other but to build a common appreciation for a positive message about life,” KRS-One said.

“A celebration of man’s creativity and appreciation of that communal spirituality is omnipresent, especially in the Community Center at 1520 Sedgwick.”

After what started as just a small culture created and seen in the Bronx, soon grew to a global reach that brought millions of people around the world together.

“No genre has had such a constant flow of new emerging artists bringing new elements of that spirit to light over the past 50 years,” KRS contained. “That is not a coincidence, it’s a powerful message, it can’t be stopped.”

The birthday celebration has support from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked with KRS-One, DJ Kool Herc, Cindy Campbell, and others to ensure the protection of 1520 Sedgwick Ave by having it preserved and turned into affordable housing and a community center.

“Hip-hop is not just music; it’s the soul of a movement that will forever echo through time, reminding us to stay true to our roots and elevate our voices,” Elder Kurtis Blow Walker, another rap legend, said.

“Here’s to fifty years of Hip-Hop—a testament to the power of culture and a testament to the culture of power.”

RELATED CONTENT: Biz Markie Documentary Coming To Showtime On Hip-Hop’s 50th Birthday

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