by Stacy Jackson

July 4, 2023

Deion Sanders, KFC Collaborate To Spice Up Family Time With New Menu

This football star and his family have always been about family time and “finger lickin’ good food.”

Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) have partnered to showcase the importance of family and introduce new items on their menu. 

According to KFC, new options have been added to the menu that will appeal to the whole family. This includes the restaurant’s new hand-breaded KFC Chicken Nuggets, seasoned with KFC’s Original Recipe of 11 herbs and spices. 

“KFC is all about serving the joy of our finger lickin’ good food to all families. The Sanders family embodies that spirit of family connection, and all genuinely love Kentucky Fried Chicken, so this partnership is a touchdown,” KFC CMO Nick Chavez said.   

The family-centered launch of the new partnership between Sanders and KFC was introduced in a commercial featuring the former NFL star’s five children: Deiondra, Deion Jr., Shilo, Shedeur, and Shelomi. 

Sanders and his five children pull up in true KFC fashion. In a customized KFC golf-cart, the crew is seen ordering their KFC favorites, which include a bucket of Original fried chicken, the new KFC chicken nuggets, the spicy KFC chicken sandwich, with a side of secret recipe fries. 

“KFC has been a lunch and dinner time go-to for the Sanders family since I was a kid, and my kids loved this tradition as well,” said Sanders. “Game days, family and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken have always brought us memorable moments, so this partnership is a real family affair. It’s Prime Time, baby!”

The Pro Football Hall of Famer’s new fast food venture comes following his newest coaching position with the University of Colorado. Sanders was announced as the head coach for the Buffaloes back in December 2022, which named him the 28th full-time head coach of the team. 

RELATED CONTENT: Deion Sanders On The Road To Recovery After Release From Hospital For Emergency Blood Clot Surgery

Jordan Neely’s Killer Pleads Not Guilty To Charges of Homicide and Manslaughter
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2023

Jordan Neely’s Killer Pleads Not Guilty To Charges of Homicide and Manslaughter

Jordan Neely’s New York City subway train death at the hands of marine veteran Daniel Penny is getting new updates as Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, to which he pleaded not guilty to both.

ABC News reports other documents related to Penny’s statement to the police that described how he felt he was protecting fellow transit passengers as he put Neely in a chokehold because Neely was “threatening everybody” during the May 1 incident.

Penny elaborated on what occurred next:

“We just went to the ground. He was trying to roll up, I had him pretty good. I was in the Marine Corps.”

However, police documentation reveals that other subway passengers did not consider Neely to be a serious threat, and that apart from his verbal outbursts he was generally nonviolent. Still, Penny proceeded to put the 30-year-old Neely in a chokehold that lasted for several minutes.

The 24-year-old killer was indicted on June 14 despite his claims of defending himself and others.

Alvin Bragg, the district attorney of Manhattan, does not see the righteousness of Penny’s actions against Neely, who was homeless at the time. In a statement, Bragg shared his thoughts while offering words of support for Neely’s family.

“Daniel Penny stands indicted for manslaughter after allegedly putting Jordan Neely in a deadly chokehold for several minutes until and after he stopped moving. I hope Mr. Neely’s loved ones are on the path towards healing as they continue to mourn this tragic loss,” said Bragg.

However, Penny remains confident in his innocence and firmly believes he “acted under the law,” according to his defense attorney Thomas Keniff.

The families of both men in attendance at the court hearing, with Neely’s family grieving his loss and urging  justice in the upcoming trial.

Although this case is not one of police brutality specifically, it is considered a part of the Black Lives Matter movement, as the battle to recognize Black life continues.

Penny has since posted bail of $100,000 as he awaits his next court date, set for October 25.

Black Twitter Celebrates News Of AirBnB Revenue Collapse
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2023

Black Twitter Celebrates News Of AirBnB Revenue Collapse

Black twitter is celebrating the demise of a brand that was once a hit amongst millennial and Gen-Z consumers, Airbnb. After price gouges and exorbitant fees, Black twitter has had enough of the vacation rental company, whose revenue collapse is on the horizon according to Newsweek.

On June 27, Nick Gerli, CEO of real estate and finance data app Reventure, tweeted “The Airbnb collapse is real,” complete with a graphic showing nearly 50% drops in profits for prominent cities such as Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas.

After news broke of Airbnb’s declining revenue, twitter users took to the social media platform to share their thoughts of good riddance on the matter. One user, @Chrissy__Dee, did not mince words in her take on Airbnb’s abysmal situation.

 

Saying the once booming brand “murdered itself,” the commenter continued on her critique by blaming the owners who “were trying to milk unreasonable profits” from a company whose original mission and purpose was to be a cheaper alternative to hotels.

Other tweeters chimed in supporting the original post, which since its release Wednesday morning has garnered hundreds of quotes and retweets, with another user noting how Airbnb contributed to rising homelessness populations in certain cities, causing for legislation to pass in order to restrict the amount of properties that could be used as short-term rentals within the service.

https://twitter.com/HotHoneyHalo/status/1674181015131004934?s=20

Another noted how the higher costs did not match the advantages of booking an Airbnb, as increased cleaning fees and case-by-case rules of no parties or additional guests made frequent customers hesitant to continue using the company, or boycott its usage altogether.

Airbnb’s downward trajectory could signal a potential housing market crash, as shrinking profits could lead to the mass selling of homes, an issue that contributed to the 2008 housing crash.

However, the controversial business has received so much substantial flack from customers over the years that it is evident Black twitter does not care how it impacts the overall economy, so long as Airbnb suffers for its wrong moves.

RELATED CONTENT: Illegal Airbnb Has Amassed Almost $1 Million In Fines

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2023

HBCU President Suzanne Walsh Appointed To Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council

The President of all-girls HBCU Bennett College, Suzanne Walsh, has been appointed to the Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HSAPC) on June 21. The prestigious nomination entails advising the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas on improving the standards and safeties of our educational institutions.

The HSAPC, reinstated in 2022, will include new members such as President Walsh to curate a diverse cohort of academic leaders stemming from a wide range of institutions, such as 2 and 4-year colleges, HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal colleges.

Of the appointment, Secretary Mayorkas made an announcement on the plans for the now 20 member group, and how their contributions will shape the advancement and security of higher education for the upcoming years.

“Leaders of our academic institutions and campus life have a great deal to offer in helping us counter the evolving and emerging threats to the homeland,” said DHS Official. “The Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council’s insights into strategic research, innovation, career development, and partnership opportunities for the Department will support our mission to safeguard the American people, and help our country think through and prepare for whatever threats lie ahead.”

Their recommendations as a Council will go toward emergency management and preparedness measures, communications regarding actionable threats to all necessary parties, and career readiness in a contemporary workforce for graduating students. In addition to this, the members will also assist in further developing research opportunities for academic hubs such as the DHS Science and Technology Centers of Excellence.

As national threats emerge, these prominent leaders in the academic field will provide vital insight into how to facilitate and coordinate the best possible course of actions that prioritize the safety and wellness of faculty and students. Walsh is not only representing HBCU presidents, but all-girls institutions for Black women such as Bennett College, in her strategy recommendations that will shape current educational policy.

Walsh’s future tasks in the esteemed cohort will be documented in the Federal Register, after the Council holds its first public meeting in the upcoming weeks.

RELATED CONTENT: Erika Alexander Receives Honorary Doctorate from Bennett College

Lemonade Stand Reported To Alabama Labor Department
by Daniel Johnson

July 3, 2023

Lemonade Stand Reported To Alabama Labor Department

8-year-old Cam Johnson’s lemonade stand was reported to the Alabama Labor Department after his mother Cristal made a Facebook post. The post advertised positions for two children to serve as a “greeter” and a “smiler” for a one-day apprenticeship after which the children would earn $20 apiece. The children were required by the post to submit “resumes” detailing what they wanted to be when they grew up and why. Such a wholesome post earned Johnson a call from the Alabama Labor Department informing her that someone had reported her to them for a child labor law violation over her Facebook post. Johnson explained her motivations during a segment on Fox and Friends on June 29: “I was trying to teach them exactly what I’m trying to teach my son, just how to handle money,” Johnson continued. “Customer service skills. Teach the little boys how to shake hands correctly. And just little things like that. That’s all I was trying to accomplish.”

The post seemed to have no ill will behind it or desire to capitalize on the labor of children in order to turn a massive profit, which is probably why the pair has received such an outpour of support from near and far. However, there is currently a campaign spearheaded by The Foundation for Government Accountability, which is a Florida-based ultra-conservative think tank, to roll back child labor laws that have long existed to protect children from being exploited in dangerous work environments. According to the Washington Post, this group has already been able to set a precedent in Iowa by allowing 14 and 15-year-old children to work night shifts on assembly lines. In March, Arkansas eliminated work permits and age verification for children under 16. These developments serve to erode legitimate protections for children to not have their labor exploited by capitalists and if this movement is allowed to spread it will weaken the protections of workers in general across the country.

The anonymous complaint levied against Cristal and Cam Johnson has had the opposite effect on the mother and son-operated business as was likely desired. The pair has since received nationwide attention and support following the Fox and Friends segment as well as appearances on other programs. As she told Al.com, Cam’s mother started the stand as a lesson to her son about saving money and the value of hard work following his request for a trip to Disney World. The stand is now so successful that ten flavors of Cam’s Lemonade will be available for purchase at Piggly Wiggly stores across two counties in Alabama. According to a spokesperson for the Alabama Labor Department, the rules governing the lemonade stand are as follows: “Kids that age (6-10 was the age range listed in the advertisement) can volunteer for their church or other non-profit, but a 6-year-old cannot work for a for-profit business. She is free to employ her child at her lemonade business, but no other children under the age of 14.”

 

Christine King Farris, MLK’s Last Living Sister, Passes Away At 95
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2023

Christine King Farris, MLK’s Last Living Sister, Passes Away At 95

Dr. Christine King Farris, sister of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has passed away at 95 on Thursday, June 29.

In an official announcement made by The King Center, the founding board member of the Atlanta-based nonprofit for social change was a renowned civil rights activist, educator, author, and enduring matriarch of the King family.

Willie Christine King Farris was the firstborn child to Martin Luther King Sr. in 1927, and championed her younger brother’s monumental efforts to spark structural and societal changes in America.

In her life dedicated to service, she was known as “the delicate one,” but also as one of the strongest, being a pillar of strength and resilience for the family throughout tragedy, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

On her passing, the children of her late brother, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, celebrated their aunt and her long-lasting matriarchal role.

“Our family mourns the passing of my aunt, Willie Christine King Farris,” expressed King III. “As the eldest sibling of my father, Martin Luther King Jr., Aunt Christine embodied what it meant to be a public servant. Like my dad, she spent her life fighting for equality and against racism in America.”

His younger sister, and current CEO of the King Center, relayed her sentiments via Twitter, calling her aunt a “phenomenal woman” who “survived and thrived.”

To lead in her legacy and spirit of educational empowerment and philanthropy, the King Center will further promote The Christine King Farris Legacy Foundation Inc., founded in 2022 for her 95th birthday. The foundation will continue its fundraising for its eponymous scholarship at Spelman College as well as the Leadership program at her alma mater, while also bestowing an annual community award in the name of education.

She is survived by her grandchild, Farris Christine Watkins, and two children, Isaac Jr. and Angela, shared with her late husband, Isaac Newton Farris Sr., who died in 2017.

Christine King Farris leaves a storied history of faith and perseverance amidst strife, sharing in a 2007 interview with the AJC of her purpose as the last surviving King sibling,

“You don’t question anything, but I wonder why am I the one that is left. God must have me here for something.”

RELATED CONTENT: The Mountaintop Stage Play Returns to Imagine MLKs Last Night Alive At The Lorraine Motel

Lincoln Center Announces ‘Hip Hop Week’ In Honor of Hip Hop’s 50th Birthday
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2023

Lincoln Center Announces ‘Hip Hop Week’ In Honor of Hip Hop’s 50th Birthday

The Lincoln Center, famed performing arts establishment in New York City, has announced the details of ‘Hip Hop Week’, a 4 day long event that will be the finale of its Summer For The City Festival by also commemorating the 50 years of Hip Hop.

With Hip Hop born in the Bronx in 1973, the Lincoln Center will provide a holistic experience, showcasing how the music genre has left a mark on all facets of culture, including art, dance and fashion.

Its opening day will begin with Dance Storytime, taking place at The Garden at Damrosch Park, led by dance instructor TweetBoogie for a family-friendly, interactive lesson that will activate all guests while educating them on “When The Beat Was Born.”

For its two-part commencement closeout, a special dance battle and silent disco at The Dance Floor will be followed by a special concert of J.PERIOD’s Live Mixtape: Gods & Kings Edition, featuring Rakim and Big Daddy Kane as some of the many performers.

Throughout the week, attendees can see Sainted, detailed as a “trap choir experience” stemming from the Southern Black church’s traditional choir, as well as Jazz Està Morto, an orchestra led by Arthur Verocai, whose work has been sampled by various hip hop artists. For those who cherish film, the center will also host the outdoor film series “Can’t Stop the Street: Hip-Hop on Screen,” showcasing features that have contributed to the cultural music form’s presence and themes in cinema history.

The expansive celebration with jam-packed events will conclude with a concert, with Rakim returning to perform alongside new guests, such as fellow rap artist Rapsody.

Hip Hop Week will also host workshops, interactive events, and art installations comprised of archival pieces from the past 50 years, all highlighting the various ways Hip Hop has cultivated and maintained a social impact felt on a global scale.

In the spirit of the genre, the Lincoln Center’s Hip Hop Week will be free for all with admission on a first come, first serve basis. For more information on the wide range of cultural events and activities being conducted during the week, visit SummerfortheCity.org.

 

RELATED CONTENT: Summer Campaign Honors Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary By Teaming Up With Some Of The Genre’s Biggest Stars

Spotify Is The Latest Target Of Essence Fest Legal Team
by Daniel Johnson

July 3, 2023

Spotify Is The Latest Target Of Essence Fest Legal Team

The Essence Festival of Culture’s legal team has had a busy week, and Spotify appears to be their latest target. The organizers of the New Orleans-based festival and celebration of Black music and culture have alleged that the streaming giant violated the terms of a 2019 agreement giving Spotify the right to use some of the festival’s branding for an event.

As The Guardian reports, central to the lawsuit is the idea that Spotify is being extremely liberal with its use of Black culture. James Williams, the head of the Essence Fest legal team, released a statement establishing a pattern of behavior by the streaming company.

“The unsanctioned Spotify … action … is yet another example of the historic, intentional exploitation of Black culture, Black [intellectual property], Black creators, Black businesses and Black equity,” Williams explained.

“We must protect and celebrate those companies that collaborate with our businesses to create and return value in our communities and defend our rights and value against those that chose to exploit our businesses and community.”

The two sides were supposed to renegotiate the agreement as part of a longer term partnership between them, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 the Essence Fest was canceled. As a result, no new agreement was reached when Spotify decided to bill its House of Are & Be event at Essence Fest in 2022 as a return to the festival’s line-up.

Essence Fest had also decided to pursue litigation against Baldwin & Co Coffee and Bookstore, which is a Black-owned bookstore in New Orleans. Essence Fest claimed the bookstore had promoted an event during 2023’s Essence Fest celebrating Black authors as though it was part of Essence Fest. Following social media backlash which included questions as to why Essence seemed to be targeting a Black-owned business with a much smaller imprint, they dropped the lawsuit against the bookstore but are still pursuing a suit against the event’s organizer, Tamika Newhouse. Essence Fest is also pursuing a suit against two other companies, laying the same claims against those parties as they are against Spotify. Namely, the way the events were promoted amounted to a dilution of Essence Fest’s brand identity and Essence maintained on Twitter that artists were led to believe they were participating in an official Essence Fest event when they were in fact not.

Debates about the responsibility of corporations to be ethical in their treatment of elements of culture that do not belong to them are certainly nothing new. However, this case throws into sharp relief how carefully companies that are essentially stewards of Black culture have to move when leveraging that culture into bigger branding opportunities. In a pursuit to expand the footprint of the Essence Festival of Culture beyond the City of New Orleans, Essence has found itself in the middle of a bigger discussion about the risks that such moves sometimes carry.

Spotify and companies like them certainly didn’t get to be billion-dollar companies by being paragons of ethical morality. As the saying goes, there are no ethical billionaires and the same is certainly true of billion-dollar corporations like Spotify.

RELATED CONTENT: Juvenile Added To Essence Festival Hip-Hop Lineup After Speaking Out

Barkley Changes Will In Effort To Create Diversity At Auburn
by Daniel Johnson

July 3, 2023

Barkley Changes Will In Effort To Create Diversity At Auburn

NBA legend and analyst Charles Barkley has amended his will to leave his alma mater The University of Auburn a sum of 5 million dollars. Barkley indicated that he was inspired to set the endowment aside for future Black students following the Supreme Court’s ruling against Affirmative Action in higher education. According to Al.com‘s reporting, Barkley remarked “I love Auburn…I’ve actually changed it (Barkley’s will) to be used for kids from poor homes. But after that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up. I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn. So, I’m gonna change my will and make it exclusive for Black students—all $5 million.’ It’s just for me the right thing to do. I always want to make sure that Auburn’s diverse.”

When Barkley originally created his will, he did consider making his donation exclusive to Black students but chose not to. The Supreme Court striking down decades of progress seems to have changed his mind. Barkley also talked a bit about how his alma mater does not have the best track record when it comes to Black students, saying that the university has always been in need of more diversity. According to College Factual, which is a group that tracks and rates universities based on overall diversity, racial-ethnic diversity, and male-female diversity, Auburn is classified as below average in all three major categories. Of Auburn’s estimated total enrollment of 30,737 students, an estimated 1,003 of those students are Black, which backs up Barkley’s claim that the university has been in need of diversity for some time.

Barkley attended the University of Auburn from 1981-1984, a little over a decade after the original Affirmative Action policies were implemented. During that time, Black enrollment at Auburn was paltry. In 1982, which is the first year available during Barkley’s time at the school, a grand total of 441 students were Black. Auburn’s total enrollment that year was 18,000 students. By the time Barkley graduated in 1984, it had slightly increased to 586 Black students out of nearly 19,000 total students. As it stands currently, Barkley’s endowment is enough to almost completely cover the tuition costs of the entire Black student population. The University of Auburn has quite a bit of work to do if it wants to make good on Barkley’s effort to create and sustain diversity in its student body.

by Stacy Jackson

July 3, 2023

Publishing Giant ‘Pearson’ Receives Backlash & Accusations Of Pushing Critical Race Theory Curriculum

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, called the largest publisher of college textbooks decision-making into question in a recent report, World’s Largest Education-Content Publisher Promotes Radical Political Agenda in U.S. Schools and Government. 

From its emphasis on anti-racism, intersectionality, and restructuring of biological identification of people, the report claims Pearson’s efforts “draw its editorial priorities even closer to Critical Race Theory (CRT’s) main ideas,” Heritage Foundation’s Senior Research Fellow Jonathan Butcher told Fox News. 

Pearson holds contracts with the government and is accessible through an online subscription service, Heritage Foundation reports. The report emphasizes Pearson’s efforts to help learners become involved in social justice. “We intend to create products and services that impact learners’ engagement in social justice,” the report states. 

Joe Wiggins, the director of media relations for Pearson, said the publisher’s content aligns with legal requirements according to state and federal standards. “Critical Race Theory is not included in Pearson K-12 materials for public schools or in any materials for government contracts,” Wiggins said.

Butcher claimed terms such as “anti-bias” and “anti-racism” are embedded in Pearson’s content which “falsely maintains that America is systemically racist and that its system of laws perpetuates a culture that oppresses women, people who are confused about their sex (‘trans’ individuals), and ethnic minorities.” He questioned Pearson’s intentions to include its content on anti-racism in the K-12 curriculum.

“Why would they say they are embedding the idea in everything they produce if they were not embedding it in K-12 curriculum?” Butcher asked. Butcher equated anti-racism to Critical Race Theory as the “term is used throughout critical race theory literature, including Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings that Formed the Movement, which is the main text for understanding critical race theory and written by critical race theorists.”

The report from the conservative organization also came for Pearson’s implementation of intersectionality in its material. The report states intersectionality claims “that ethnic minorities and those who assume different genders face multiple levels of oppression when public policies result in disparate outcomes—dividing individuals into groups who claim varying levels of oppression.” Pearson believes intersectionality should be a top priority when addressing social inequities, such as the underrepresentation of marginalized groups. 

Focusing on intersectionality will “draw its editorial priorities even closer to CRT’s main ideas,” Butcher said. While Butcher thinks it is not something taxpayers should be required to pay for, Pearson has the right to publish content it deems critical for educating the next generation.

×