After breaking records in their baseball team’s season at North Atlanta High School,  seniors Antonio Anderson and Isaiah Drake are taking their careers a step further by becoming MLB draft hopefuls on behalf of their alma mater.

While the school has only had five players ever enter for the draft, not only are Anderson and Drake adding two more to the list, but are also expected to be inducted into the MLB by the first 15 rounds, highly regarded as “early” for prospects.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution estimates that Anderson will be selected by the second or third round, with his North Atlanta High teammate following behind him in at least the fifth round.  The 2023 draft is set to begin on July 9, and lasts for three days as the league pick up over 600 players across 20 rounds.

Their coach, Ricky Plante, was amazed by the teenage boys’ immense talent. “These two kids could have played for me in college right away,” he shared to the AJC.

The expected draftees’ skillsets are hard to top. Anderson is ranked #77 in MLB’s draft ranking, beating out both high school and college players. Standing at 6’3,” the over 200 pound athlete plays shortstop, and is known not only for his all-around ability, but innate knowledge of how to hit.

On the other hand, Drake utilizes his speed to make up for his slight shorter stature, coming in at 5-foot-10, as the center fielder is also 20 pounds lighter than his fellow Warrior. Despite being unranked, he made a name for himself as a standout during the MLB Draft Combine and MLB Draft League.

Drake also has professional athleticism in his blood, as his older brother, Kenyon, is a running back for the Baltimore Ravens. However, baseball has proven to be more fitted for the the younger sibling, as he also will become a part of the much needed representation for Black players in the MLB.

While the teammates-turned-friends originally committed to keep playing alongside one another for Georgia Tech’s  D-1 program, they are most likely going to skip the college route and head straight to their professional careers.

• News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2023

Waffle House Workers In South Carolina On Strike Over Security Issues

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In the morning of July 8, workers at a Waffle House in Columbia, South Carolina walked out of the popular breakfast stop and picked up signs to protest their working conditions. The strike is set to last for three days, as employees protest a variety of issues regarding their safety and wages they feel management undermines.

The walkout is supported by the locally-founded Union of Southern Service Workers, created to uplift low wage workers across the food and service industries. They are urging for more frequent on-sight security, regulated scheduling, and the suspension of mandatory check deductions for meals eaten, or not eaten, during shifts.

Longstanding employee Marshawna Parker, who has worked for the breakfast chain for over the past two decades, told The State that there is “no excuse” for there not to be more security at the restaurant. Parker believes that the security should be on sight 24/7, the same as the restaurant’s almost nationwide operating hours.

Waffle Houses across the southern region have been marred with fights and shootings as well, so much that the New York Times covered the rising problem.

As for the meal deductions, a fee ranging from $3 to $6 is taken out of employee’s paychecks for a meal during their shift, whether or not they eat it. Employees state that they are often too busy to actually utilize the meal option, and would prefer for it to be opt-in only.

The strike comes after a petition was sent to management regarding these concerns, but they only heard back silence. Due to this negligence, the workers swiftly organized a strike to hopefully get resolutions on the issues.

Those on the picket line have been uplifted by fellow USSW members in South Carolina, including those for other Waffle Houses, as they all seek to enact change for better wages and safer work environments.

• Legal

by Daniel Johnson

July 9, 2023

Oklahoma Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Seeking Reparations For Greenwood Massacre Of 1921

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An Oklahoma judge has denied the petition brought by families of the survivors of the 1921 Tulsa massacre, all of whom are over 100 years old, on the basis that they did not show proof of “individualized injury”. NBC News reports that Judge Caroline Wall dismissed the suit with extreme prejudice, which means that the three survivors who were seeking damages will be unable to refile in state court. An appeal is still on the table, however, and philanthropist Ed Mitzen, who gave Lessie Benningfield Randle, Viola Fletcher, and Hughes Van Ellis a sum of one million dollars, called the judge’s ruling “an incredibly sad decision”.

The argument from the defense, that is, the State of Oklahoma and the City of Tulsa, was that the plaintiffs did not suffer individual and adverse effects as a result of the massacre. A specific clause in their argument claimed that “simply being connected to a historical event does not provide a person with unlimited rights to seek compensation”. An argument that likely appealed to the sensibilities of Wall, who is a Republican judge. Ballotpedia describes Wall as a constitutional conservative, which is a philosophy concerned primarily with limiting the government’s scope.

The Greenwood Massacre of 1921 most likely began as either a misunderstanding or a lie following a Black teenager getting into an elevator with a white teenager. The city newspaper called for a lynching, and the next day white mobs were looting and burning down the district. These actions resulted in the deaths of an estimated 300 people and the destruction of a thriving Black community, affectionately referred to as Black Wall Street. Lawyers for the families are expected to appeal the judge’s ruling. Van Ellis told CNN “My life was taken from me. I lost 102 years, I don’t want nobody else to lose that.” Speaking to CNN, Ike Howard, a grandson of Viola Fletcher expressed his frustration, calling on the Department of Justice to get involved: “They were blighted and once again not made whole. We still remain blighted. We wish the D.O.J would investigate…How can we get justice in the same city that created the nuisance? Is justice only for the rich?”

• News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2023

Georgia Mayor Arrested On Trespassing And Burglary Charges

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The mayor of South Fulton, Georgia was arrested on the morning of July 8 for trespassing and burglarizing a private property. Officials confirmed that Khalid Kamau was booked into the Fulton County jail for the charges.

Kamau was released on a $11,000 bond later that same Saturday evening. However, he will still have to account for the crimes of first-degree burglary and criminal trespassing that he allegedly committed, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

For his misguided action, the mayor expressed his gratitude to law enforcement for how they handled the incident, including his arrest and swift release.

“I do want to thank South Fulton Police and the staff and officers at Rice Street for courteous and professional service throughout the day today,” he told Atlanta-based news outlet WSB-TV.

The local news source also found a report of the incident detailing Kamau’s side of the matter. The city official stated he sought entrance into the home because he was looking to purchase it. However, while Kamau thought the home was vacant and free for potential buyers to tour, the homeowner was still living on the property, warning the mayor at gunpoint to remain there until the police arrived to handle the issue. The case is still active, leaving Kamau’s leadership position as a Black mayor in Georgia in a precarious state.

Kamau became mayor of South Fulton in 2021, and is the first Black Lives Matter organizer to hold an elected official position. Originally, he was a member of the council when the city became incorporated in 2017, but has a strained relationship with its current members, who are using legal measures in an attempt to throw him out.

In March, a lawsuit was filed against the South Fulton mayor by the majority of members in the city’s council, stating that he “violated the city charter.”

“The mayor has repeatedly betrayed the confidence of the City and the City Council by intentionally and knowingly disclosing confidential information of the City for his and others’ personal benefit since his election to office,” expressed the members in the court filing.

What is to come next of the lawsuit and criminal case is up in the air, but Kamau has since apologized to his constituents for the “negative attention.”

Tina Knowles, mother of famed singers Beyonce and Solange, may have to make a detour from the Renaissance shows and head back to her Los Angeles estate amidst the news of a burglary. The robbers not only broke into her home she shares with husband, actor Richard Lawson, but also took a safe that held over $1 million in cash and jewelry.

TMZ revealed that the philanthropist was informed of the robbery on Wednesday morning after a member of her team went by to check on the house. Fortunately, the beloved grandmother of four was out of town, presumably supporting Beyonce on her recording-breaking tour, when the home was compromised.

So far, no arrests have been made in regards to the incident, but law enforcement is still investigating, analyzing video footage of the area and questioning some residents who live around the designer.

While 69-year-old is no stranger to home-related issues, as the tabloid reported that she had a man arrested for throwing rocks at her property back in April, Knowles has maintained a relatively lower profile than most, considering both of her daughters’ massive stardom.

However, how trespassers were able to gain access to the inside of her compound is still unknown, with extra curiosity as to how they were able to flee the scene of the robbery while carrying an entire safe and not be caught.

There is also no clear indication of when the valuables were taken, as Knowles has been on a tour of her own for the past few weeks. Just over the 4th of July weekend, the nonprofit founder was one of the many star-studded attendees at Michael Rubin’s famous all white party in the Hamptons.

Maybe its time Knowles move into her daughter and son-in-law Jay-Z’s newest Malibu mega-mansion. With a price tag of $200 million and over 30,000 square feet of property, security on the premises is bound to be tighter.

The dating advice Steve Harvey gave Keke Palmer about “trying to give a boy your lifestyle” has resurfaced amid the backlash her baby daddy is receiving for publicly criticizing her.

Keke’s boyfriend Darius Jackson has been trending on social media after he took to Twitter to criticize Palmer’s recent appearance at Usher’s Las Vegas residency where she was serenaded by the singer while wearing a revealing dress.

https://twitter.com/RNB_RADAR/status/1676606330482700288?s=20

Jackson has been under fire after sharing a tweet expressing his distaste for Palmer’s outfit since “you a mom.”

Keke Palmer’s boyfriend shames her for the outfit she wore to Usher concert:

“It's the outfit tho.. you a mom.” pic.twitter.com/ossVtYdfp1

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 5, 2023

Jackson doubled down on his stance in a follow-up tweet explaining why he doesn’t want the mother of his child showing “booty cheeks to please others.”

Keke Palmer shares photos of herself at the Usher concert after her boyfriend publicly shamed her for her outfit choice. pic.twitter.com/itlNaeJmkz

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 6, 2023

Palmer’s boyfriend, whom she welcomed her son Leodis Jackson with in February, hasn’t caught a break on social media among the many who are defending Palmer’s behavior, outfit, and response to her appearance at Usher’s residency.

Amid the backlash, social media has resurfaced the “Nope” star’s 2019 guest appearance on Steve Harvey’s former talk show, where the “Family Feud” host explained why he’s always trying to set Palmer up with “a billionaire.”

“Uncle Steve ain’t trying to get you with no billionaire. He’s trying to get you with somebody that has a plan to have something,” Harvey said.

“You need somebody with something,” he continued. “Quit trying to give a boy your lifestyle and he ain’t earned it.”

the whole debacle with the Usher, Keke Palmer & her jealous boyfriend/baby daddy reminds me of her when she flat put chuckled past Steve Harvey's attempts to get her with a worthwhile guy.

Now her lower earning bf is trying to control her like she claimed a wealthy man would. pic.twitter.com/NLYL3PlJ3P

— BijouxFleur (@BijouxFleurette) July 6, 2023

Palmer attempted to defend why she might choose to date someone with less money and even noted that she herself is no billionaire. However, Harvey told Palmer that she should pick a man who aspires to be one.

Now, amid the backlash Palmer’s boyfriend is receiving, many are accusing Jackson of being just the man Steve Harvey was trying to get Keke to avoid.

“I hate to agree with Steve Harvey of all people, but..” one user wrote.

“What you cannot hear, you must feel,” added someone else.

RELATED CONTENT: Keke Palmer Posts A ‘Classy Clap-back’ In Response To Her Partner’s Public Shaming

• Lifestyle

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 9, 2023

Wyclef Speaks On Retirement And Essence Fest Performance With Lauryn Hill

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BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Wyclef Jean at the Essence Festival of Culture where he discussed the importance of preparing for retirement in the Black community.

The Grammy award-winning musician teamed up with the retirement services provider TIAA as part of its ongoing mission to #RetireInequality. Wyclef was front and center at the TIAA Legacy Makers Studio within the Global Black Economic Forum at Essence Fest where he discussed the fact that 54% of Black Americans do not have enough money saved to maintain their standard of living in retirement.

“I come from a group called The Fugees which is short for The Refugees, and the core message has always been to make you see yourself as greater than you might think that you are,” Wyclef explained.

Bringing his group’s “immigrant story” back to America, and noting his timeless hits like “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Maria Maria,” Wyclef highlights how he’s been talking about “generational wealth” for decades and how it ties to important life factors like retirement. The “Gone Til November” songwriter stressed the importance of partaking in conversations around retirement at younger ages.

“Moving forward how do we approach it so it’s not too late,” Wyclef said. “There are a lot of ways for you to save that you’re not informed of.”

“The Wyclef Studio” was on display as part of TIAA’s Legacy Makers Studio. It served as a recreated smaller version of the recording studio that mimics the studio Wyclef worked in when he made the upcoming song he partnered with TIAA on that will be released later this summer. Guests were able to read about how Wyclef is personally sharing his legacy with upcoming artists and securing retirement in the music industry.

Understanding tax benefits, saving, and all the resources available to prepare for retirement are crucial, according to Wyclef who had just “caught a vibe” on stage with his Fugees group member Lauryn Hill the night before and shared how his long catalog of timeless classics helped kickstart his retirement plans.

“My retirement plan starts with my daughter and it’s important,” he declared.

Wyclef also touched on the importance of ownership in music and how keeping the rights to his music helped in the generational wealth he was able to pass down to his daughter.

“My retirement plan is my publishing,” he said. “I own all of these compositions.”

Press play below to learn more about Wyclef Jean’s passion for music and community and the resources he shares to help others get started on their retirement plans.

RELATED CONTENT: Fans Roast Lauryn Hill’s Headline Set at Annual Roots Picnic, She Will Arrive AFTER The Concert

• News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2023

The Stellar Gospel Music Awards To Air On The New Stellar Network

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Known as “The Greatest Night in Gospel Music,” the annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will honor and celebrate the work and artists in the genre on Saturday, July 15, 2023.

The long-running ceremony, now in its 38th year, will spotlight gospel legends such as CeCe Winans, Dr. Bobby Jones and Rev. Dr. Milton Biggham. Held at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, the show, hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, will honor these groundbreaking vocalists in gospel history.

Receiving the Aretha Franklin Icon Award will be Winans, who has won 15 Grammy Awards from 31 nominations, for her longevity in the industry and her vocal gift. Jones will receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, given to an artist whose influence and legacy holds a tremendous impact in gospel music.

Biggham, the final honoree, will take home the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award, for his commitment to uplifting gospel music through its message. Biggham is pastor of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Newark, NJ, and the founder of several mass choirs.

Viewers can expect to hear selections from Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Naomi Raine, Pastor Mike Jr. and many others. Gospel’s rising stars, including HLE and Lena Byrd Miles, will also showcase their talents.

The recently launched Stellar Network will also introduce the Stellar+ Experience, described as “the ultimate fan experience” for attendees of the awards show weekend. The three day-event will include concerts, discussions, and master classes centering on faith, fellowship, and fun, with music all-around.

The fan experience event will take place from July 12 to 14, leading up to the day of the show.

The 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will air on Saturday, July 30, 2023, at 6 p.m. on Stellar Network. You can see a list of nominees for the big event here.

RELATED CONTENT: Whitney Houston’s Family Shines Light On Her Gospel Foundation

Dwight Howard is facing backlash across social media after posting a video of the grueling workout that brought his son to tears.

The NBA alum came under fire on Thursday, July 7 after posting a series of video clips showing the 7 am daily workouts he does with his children. While it was meant to be wholesome and family-oriented in nature, many viewers expressed concern with one video that showed Howard’s son crying while riding an exercise bike.

“In the process of being GREAT it’s going to be laughs, frowns, smiles, tears, blood, and sweat but that’s what is needed for us to succeed as individuals and also collectively as a family,” the NBA champion shared in his caption.

“I’m just teaching my kids what it means to be resilient, to be determined and to have discipline.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dwight Howard (@dwighthoward)

While Howard wanted to share his way of instilling resilience in his children, many sounded off in his comments section accusing the former Los Angeles Lakers player of a “torture” style of parenting.

“This is to much! It’s a limit to everything!” one user wrote.

“This doesn’t make DH father of the year. This is torture,” another said.

“This is absolutely abusive behavior,” added someone else.

Things got worse after Howard’s ex Royce Reed, whom he shares a 12-year-old son with, took to her Instagram Story to accuse the basketball star of “pretending” to be a present father for social media.

“Not someone PRETENDING to be a parent for 1 day out of 365 for the cameras,” Reed wrote in the post captured by The Shade Room.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Reed received mixed reactions from spectators who accused her of being bitter and not appreciative of Howard spending time with his kids. Others seemingly agreed with her criticism of Howard.

“He ain’t even pretending to be a parent he abusing them kids under the guise of working out,” one user wrote.

“One thing a BM gone do is let the world know you ain’t shxt,” added someone else.

RELATED CONTENT: Dwight Howard’s Ex Royce Reed Surrenders Herself to Authorities For Felony Child Neglect

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2023

Black-Owned Cannabis Drink Launches Best Dirty Lemonade In Massachusetts

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Homemade beverages were a staple in the home of Omari Anderson, owner and founder of Best Dirty Lemonade, when he was growing up. The recipes he grew up watching his mother make evolved into his own vision for a Black-owned cannabis-infused beverage that’s launching in Massachusetts with plans to get the party started everywhere.

According to MassLive, creating the “dirty” lemonade was a personal quest for Anderson, who added cannabis extract to the nostalgic drink to help his mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, gain her appetite and restore her sleep patterns. Anderson’s becoming an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry stemmed from this homegrown mission.

“Our journey really started from a place of love and desire to help my mother. She wasn’t really sleeping or eating. And as a casual cannabis user at the time, I knew how cannabis made me feel.”

When his mother refused to partake in the traditional smoking method, Anderson considered the medicinal properties of cannabis in liquid form.

Crystallizing cannabis by forming a sugar to sweeten and heighten his lemonade provided the health benefits to his mother while honoring her decision to abstain from smoking.

Due to Anderson’s invention, his mother’s final years after suffering from the early-onset form of the progressive disease were well cushioned. After she passed, the tastiness of the lemonade was remembered by his friends, prompting them to advise Anderson to put it on the market.

Through his partnership with New England Treatment Access, also known as NETA, Best Dirty Lemonade was finally made available for purchase as a Black-owned brand on June 30, after its official Juneteenth launch. Anderson hopes to offer other cannabis-infused juices under the “Best Dirty” brand in due time.

The drink is expected to be a hit in Massachusetts dispensaries, but Anderson makes it clear he’s not just trying to make a buck—he’d rather make an impact.

With NETA, Anderson helped expand Let’s Talk Weed, a community-based organization that guides the discussion around dismantling the stigma on the cannabis plant and boosts awareness of its health advantages.

This is especially important to Anderson, as a Black business owner within the cannabis industry, as the history of the plant’s usage and criminalization has primarily targeted Black and brown people.

Anderson and Let’s Talk Weed are holding a panel in July to strategize how to legalize cannabis lounges within the state and to have safe spaces, especially for marginalized groups, to partake in the drug without the threat of criminal action.

His holistic mission of using cannabis for good while also doing good is partly why he chose to begin this venture in Massachusetts. Anderson, one of few minority business owners in the state, aims to inspire more Black cannabis entrepreneurs in the area.

To learn more about his beverage and where to buy it, visit The Best Dirty Lemonade store here.

RELATED CONTENT: Sheena Roberson Wants To Make More Room For Women Of Color In The Cannabis Industry