Descendants Of Enslaved People In Minnesota And The Dakotas To Receive $50M from Bush Foundation
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 25, 2023

Descendants Of Enslaved People In Minnesota And The Dakotas To Receive $50M from Bush Foundation

In an attempt to rectify systemic injustices that have stifled the advancement of Black people, the Bush Foundation is funding $50 million dollars in grants for descendants of slavery living in Minnesota and the Dakotas to build wealth and opportunity. 

As a collaboration with Minnesota-based organization Nexus Community Partners, the program entitled Open Road Fund will administer the grants, according to the Star Tribune. 

Aligned with their mission of Black upliftment, the application to the Open Road Fund appropriately opened on Juneteenth.

The grants will disperse in increments up to $50,000, and go toward the endeavors of the descendants of formerly enslaved living in this region. While many could label the effort as reparations, officials at the Open Road Fund say the money provided is not substantial enough to be considered such.

Local leaders are championing the program, stating that is in line with other established plans geared toward reversing the pervasive impact of enslavement and its subsequent forms of discrimination, including Jim Crow and police brutality.

The Nexus grants will provide Black Midwesterners the vital funding to buy property, pay for school, invest in a business, or give back to initiatives or causes that also impact Black people, such as mental health or LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations.

The grants will also allow recipients to combine their new financial pools to contribute to even grander ventures.

Of the official announcement, Nexus CEO Repa Mekha expressed hope that these grants will help descendants of enslaved people reach greater heights in their personal and professional lives, 

“Through this $50 million Open Road Fund, Nexus has a chance to provide a return on the investment Black folks have long made to this country and create Black wealth. To us, Black wealth-building is about creating spaces and opportunities that help all Black people to thrive.”

Minnesota-based nonprofits, with the state having a Black population higher than that of the Dakotas, are assisting Nexus and The Bush Foundation in sharing the news that could forever change the trajectory of many Black small businesses.

Matthew Ramadan, president of New African Community Development Corporation, is optimistic of the fund’s mission to ignite economic achievement for Black people in his state.

“The hope is that these funds will actually reach down into the communities as intended,” he said.

Nexus and The Bush Foundation are urging descendants of slavery from all backgrounds in Minnesota and North and South Dakota, including those who repatriated to Africa, to apply to the Open Road Fund before the deadline of July 28.

RELATED CONTENT: Lincoln Presidential Foundation Announces Jim Reynolds Will Receive the 2023 Lincoln Leadership Prize

New Data: Black Veterans Denied VA Health Benefits More than White Ones
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 25, 2023

New Data: Black Veterans Denied VA Health Benefits More than White Ones

New data released by Veteran Affairs shows when Black veterans ask for physical and mental health benefits, they are accepted at a rate significantly lower than white ones.

A five percent decline in assistance was found in 2023 for Black veterans seeking their benefits as opposed to white veterans, the numbers being 84.8% and 89.4% respectively.

According to NBC News, these statistics are of even greater concern as the proportions should be higher for Black veterans, who apply for benefits at a greater rate.

In light of this recent discovery, an Agency Equity Team was formed to strategize on how to combat this gap, that also extends to other marginalized veterans, and why it occurred.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough relayed the I*DEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and access) Council’s mission to uncover the causes that led to this disparity,

“At VA, it’s our mission to serve all veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors as well as they’ve served our country. This new Agency Equity Team will help us deliver on that promise. The team’s first order of business will be identifying any disparities in VA health care and benefits and eliminating them.”

Working to address how the VA can do better to ensure fair treatment across all racial, gender, and other identity groups, the I*DEA Council is developing a plan of action to evaluate the data found and pinpoint exactly what issues impede these veterans from reaping their full benefits.

This new team hopes to resolve systemic issues within the VA through new awarenesses put in place during the application process while reinstalling faith for veterans from underserved populations to rely on the VA for their rightfully earned benefits.

The press secretary for the VA, Terrence Hayes, emphasized the overall purpose of the VA and its Agency Equity Team is to uplift and provide true support to its most vulnerable groups,

“The whole goal is to ensure that any veteran who comes to the department and is filing their claim receives equal treatment across the board,” Hayes siad.

RELATED CONTENT: Banking On Self-Reliance: A History Of Black Banks From 1930-Present

Toyota Under Fire For Only Serving Watermelon At Company Juneteenth Celebration
by Mary Spiller

June 24, 2023

Toyota Under Fire For Only Serving Watermelon At Company Juneteenth Celebration

FOX 4 reports that a Toyota distribution center in Kansas City faces backlash from workers after their employer only served watermelon in celebration of Juneteenth on June 19.

Several employees shared photos with the news outlet of the incident and explained how it went down. Kim McCarthy said while at the celebration party, “I turned around and asked a member that’s on the DNI team — which is the diversity and inclusion team — I said, ‘What the heck? This isn’t OK.’ And he just laughed.” 

When asked if the Toyota center offered anything else besides the watermelon, McCarthy said, “No [and] I would like for management to at least apologize and accept that we are upset about it. They have yet to do that even,” McCarthy said.  

Jarret Bolden, a Black employee at the company, shared his anger with Fox 4. He said, “Acknowledge us as people. Stop taking us as a joke. A slap in the face, very disrespectful, you know. They preach Black lives matter, but [it’s] kind of like they were making a joke out of us.”

Bolden admitted that this kind of racism made it difficult for him to come to work in this kind of environment. Both Bolden and McCarthy told the outlet that the entirety of the diversity and inclusion tea is white. 

Toyota corporate communications sent a statement in response to the allegations. They claimed that several levels approved the watermelon of management. It read, “To embrace the Juneteenth holiday, a summer intern coordinated a celebration activity that included a presentation focused on the history, activities and foods of Freedom Day. This presentation was based on the individual’s personal experience celebrating the holiday with their family. In line with our core value of respect for people, Toyota supports educational activities that bring awareness and understanding of diverse cultures.” 

BLM Protestors Subject To Liability Suits After Court Ruling
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 24, 2023

BLM Protestors Subject To Liability Suits After Court Ruling

In an act that potentially suppresses protesters, a federal appeals court in Louisiana determined that officers can sue protest organizers for liability if injuries occur from another person during their demonstrations.

This news comes after an officer filed an anonymous suit to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the grounds of negligence against Deray Mckesson, a notable Black Lives Matter Activist.

The court ruled in favor for the officer to proceed in his suit, stating that Mckesson was liable due to his plan to block off a highway could lead to an altercation with law enforcement.

However, in an op-ed by Hassan Kanu for Reuters, this ruling “overlooked the fundamental legal principle that while certain categories of speech and action may be impermissible under state law, they are nonetheless protected by the U.S. Constitution.”

Kanu continued on, stating that the court decision “ignores the central role of civil disobedience — demonstrations that are peaceful, and sometimes unlawful — in securing our most fundamental American rights.”

The incident cited for the suit was held in July 2016 during a protest on behalf of the police killing of Alton Sterling, where the publicly unknown officer was allegedly hit with a rock thrown by a protester.

However, the validation of the ruling potentially undermines a precedent set four decades prior in the NAACP v. Claiborne case that ensured protest leaders are protected from any liability if violence occurs during their demonstration, so long as the violent acts are not perpetuated directly by the organizers.

However, the utilization of suing protest organizers on the grounds of negligence is a new tactic protest opposers could use to suppress organizers.

With this in mind, the NAACP released a briefing detailing how the judicial system can be quite harmful to protestors and their ability, under constitutional law, to utilize their freedom of speech and assembly to promote vital changes to society.

If this new precedent impacts  judges decision-making on these matters nationwide, the actions taken by protesters could deal with setbacks under the new threat of even grander legal issues.

RELATED CONTENT: Florida Takes Anti-Woke Movement To Another Level By Removing BLM Movement and George Floyd From Textbooks

OceanGate Posts Job Listing For New Sub Pilot While Titan Submersible Was Still MIA
by Mary Spiller

June 24, 2023

OceanGate Posts Job Listing For New Sub Pilot While Titan Submersible Was Still MIA

According to the DailyMail, a popular TikTok account revealed that OceanGate posted an urgent job request for a new submersible pilot in the midst of the viral tragedy surrounding their submarine that crashed while attempting to see the Titanic wreckage. The company’s listing was reportedly active from Monday, June 19, to Thursday, while their Titan submersible was still missing with the company’s CEO – Stockton Rush – and four other passengers on board. 

Screenshots of the OceanGate Expeditions job listing were shown and had watchers baffled due to the timing of the whole thing. The now-deleted posting asked someone to “manage and operate our fleet of manned submersibles and support vessels.” The position described as a Submersible Pilot/Marine Technician was open at the peak of OceanGate’s controversy surrounding their Titan submersible that was found imploded on Thursday after being missing for nearly a week.

The description asked for “a committed and competent individual with a combination of strong mechanical and interpersonal skills who can work on sensitive marine equipment, perform regular maintenance and operate complex systems to support dive operations.”

Other requirements included working in a confined space and fitting through a “28-inch diameter” ring. 

The company described it as an “excellent opportunity for a high-energy professional,”, especially for someone who was “positive and energetic with [a] good sense of humor.”

Posted to Indeed and the company’s website, the page was taken down, surrounding internet uproar. OceanGate has been called out for alleged design issues that rendered their Titan submersible dangerous to operate.

Texas Woman Shoots Innocent Uber Driver, Claims He Was Trying To Kidnap Her
by Mary Spiller

June 24, 2023

Texas Woman Shoots Innocent Uber Driver, Claims He Was Trying To Kidnap Her

Texas woman, Phoebe Copas, is up against murder charges after fatally shooting her Uber driver in the head on June 16. Copas claims she thought he was attempting to kidnap her, so she shot him. 

Despite her alleged motives, the El Paso Police Department’s investigation determined that the driver, Daniel Piedra Garcia, never went off course from her destination. Because she was never in any danger from the 52-year-old husband and father, she’s facing murder charges and being held on a $1.5 million bond.

Copas was visiting her boyfriend in Texas when she ordered Piedra Garcia’s Uber to bring her to meet her boyfriend at a nearby casino. While in the car, Copas reportedly saw highway signs for “Juarez Mexico” and grew paranoid. El Paso police reported that Copas drew a revolver and shot the innocent man in the wrist and the back of the head. After the car crashed due to his injuries, Copas took a picture of the scene and sent it to her boyfriend before calling 911. 

“The investigation does not support that a kidnapping took place or that Piedra was veering from Copas’ destination,” police reiterated to the public.

The Uber driver officially passed away on Wednesday after being taken off life support. Ana Piedra, Daniel’s wife, created a GoFundMe requesting financial support because Daniel was “the sole provider for our family,” She described him as “very happy to finally be able to work and bring home income” as an Uber driver.
Another Piedra Garcia family member expressed shock after hearing about the incident. 

“It was just shocking, hard to believe; a lot of us had seen the news, but we never even imagined, it never crossed our mind that it was going to be him. “They make assumptions, they see stuff maybe on the news, maybe on social media, and stuff that’s not necessarily true, and when they come here, they come without really knowing,” She told a news outlet. 

“I miss him, and I wish this wouldn’t have happened to him. He didn’t deserve that. No one deserves that.”

Queen Latifah ‘In Shock’ At Being First Female Emcee Honored At Kennedy Center
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 24, 2023

Queen Latifah ‘In Shock’ At Being First Female Emcee Honored At Kennedy Center

History has been made in this year’s list of Kennedy Center honorees. Queen Latifah will be the first female emcee to be honored for lifetime artistic achievement by the center during its 2023 program on Dec. 3.

The Washington, D.C. ceremony, held and televised from the Kennedy Center Opera House, has spotlighted artists whose craft and contributions have made a significant impact on American culture since 1978.

Queen Latifah will be featured as the Kennedy Center pays homage to hip-hop’s 50-year anniversary, as detailed by CBS News.

In a statement announcing the former rapper’s induction into the center’s prestigious Honorees list, Deborah F. Rutter, president of the Kennedy Center, praised the emcee’s art and work.

“Hip-Hop has been an important, thriving art form here at the Center for a number of years; what a privilege it is to bestow an Honors to the First Lady of Hip-Hop who has inspired us along the way,” shared Rutter.

Latifah’s fellow honorees are comedian Billy Crystal, five-time Grammy winner Renée Fleming, singer and producer Barry Gibb, and vocalist and host Dionne Warwick. Latifah is the sole performer with a background in rap and hip-hop among the honorees, and only the second rapper in the show’s history to ever be chosen, as LL Cool J was the first, selected in 2017.

According to The New York Times, the “Equalizer” star was “in shock” when she found out about the news while in her dressing room for the CBS show.

Joining in on the widespread celebration of hip-hop’s 50th birthday, the Kennedy Center will also present a salute to the expansive genre created by and pioneered through the decades by African American artists.

“This year we pay special tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, a uniquely American culture whose constant evolution is one of enduring relevance and impact, reflecting our society as it has grown into an international phenomenon,” said Rutter.

Gloria Estefan, herself a Kennedy honoree, will host the show. It is set to premiere to the public in late December, in the weeks following the live ceremony.

RELATED CONTENT: KRS-One Talks 50 Years of Hip-Hop and Moving the Culture Forward With Essence Festival Performance 

Missouri Woman Chases Down Sister’s Stolen Vehicle With Three Children In Her Car
by Mary Spiller

June 24, 2023

Missouri Woman Chases Down Sister’s Stolen Vehicle With Three Children In Her Car

Missouri woman Francesca Jones was arrested and charged on Sunday, June 18, after she chased her sister’s stolen car and began shooting at its passengers after the vehicle had burst into flames. The incident took place just 10 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis.

As reported by KSDK, 32-year-old Jones was charged with three counts of first-degree assault, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and three counts of armed criminal action. 

According to the St. Louis County Police Department, who responded, Jones spotted her sister’s stolen 2020 Dodge Challenger just one day after it was taken. Even though she was with her three children and driving in a quiet St. Louis suburb, Jones began chasing the vehicle. Her pursuit led to the Challenger smashing into a truck at a busy intersection less than a mile from where the chase began. It caught fire from the collision.

As the driver and passenger attempted to climb out of the flaming car to get to safety, Jones began shooting at both of them. One reportedly shot back at Jones. Police were called to the scene following reports of the shots fired, and upon their arrival several eyewitnesses told them what they had seen of the incident. 

The investigation is being handled by the St. Louis County Police Department. Jones is being held on a nearly $1 million bond, which must be paid in cash. Police found the gun she had used in the trunk of her car. The identities of the Challenger’s passengers have not been released. 

by Mary Spiller

June 24, 2023

Drake Is Dropping His Very First Book Of Poetry

Aubrey Drake Graham, more commonly known by his stage name, Drake, is dropping his first work of literature on June 24, 2023. The “Hotline Bling” rapper announced his upcoming poetry book on Instagram the day before. 

According to the post, Drake’s book features a deep blue cover with white text across the back, binding, and front, reading, TITLES RUIN EVERYTHING: A STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS BY KENZA SAMIR & AUBREY GRAHAM. The poetry book will drop at 1 p.m. EST at Drake’s online merch store, drakerelated.com, plus selected retail shops. The price of the book wasn’t specified. 

Songwriter Kenza Samir co-wrote the 100-page book.

Drake, 36, captioned his announcement post, “I don’t know if I have ever wanted people to buy or support something more in my life…our first book is available tmrw on @drakerelated and other select retailers.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi)

On his merchandise store’s Instagram page, he posted another promotional statement.

“The Boy and his friend @kenzanotkendra are releasing their first poetry book on drakerelated.com and other select retailers tomorrow at 1 PM EST,” The caption read.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Drake Related (@drakerelated)

Ahead of the book’s official release, the Canada-born artist partnered with the New York Post to run a limited-edition newspaper to showcase the book’s artistic cover. Available at newsstands and online for just $5 at the tabloid’s website, the Drake Post is available now.

Drake fans are eagerly awaiting the book’s drop. One commenter wrote, “Bare IG captions coming out of these pages,” and another added, “Bout to hit that Barnes & Noble.”

“Keep winning homie. This major… I said what I said, your captions should be a coffee table book.”

Another Instagram user commented, “Finna add ‘best selling author’ to the list of accomplishments.”

Aside from praising the rapper for expanding his horizons, others were just worried about the book being affordable. “Praying it’s a reasonable price,” one fan wrote.

More Than 3,500 Union Starbucks Employees Striking Over Company’s Ban On Pride Decor
by Mary Spiller

June 24, 2023

More Than 3,500 Union Starbucks Employees Striking Over Company’s Ban On Pride Decor

Workers at 150 unionized Starbucks locations across the United States are going on strike to show their anger at the company’s policy about Pride decorations in their stores. As reported by CNN, the workers are using their strike to dispute Starbucks’ systemic “hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers.” 

While Starbucks has denied all the allegations of its behavior, employees are showing solidarity on social media by standing with their fellow union workers affected by the restrictions. 

According to company guidelines, store team leaders are permitted to decorate their respective stores any way they want, including in celebration of Pride, as long as they don’t violate certain safety guidelines. However, some of the Starbucks locations were indeed restricted from decorating for Pride.

In response, the Starbucks Workers United’s (SWU) official Twitter announced, “Over 150+ stores and 3,500 workers will be on strike over the course of the next week.”

They used the same platform to dispute the company’s claims that all the allegations were false. The coffeehouse chain released a statement saying, “We unwaveringly support the LGBTQIA2+ community. There has been no change to any policy on this matter, and we continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities, including for US Pride month in June. We’re deeply concerned by false information that is being spread.”

The SWU responded with a series of tweets, beginning with, “Starbucks claims that pride decorations haven’t been banned – but according to internal documents and store manager testimonies, their own responses have not been consistent.”

 

The SWU pointed out that close to 100 Starbucks stores in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas banned Pride decorations.

The workers going on strike are doing so not only to draw attention to the Pride decor bans but also to show it as an example of Starbucks’ treatment and mentality toward folks who identify as LGBTQIA+.

RELATED CONTENT: Former Starbucks Manager Awarded $25M Settlement After Infamous Arrest Of 2 Black Men

×