• News

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

June 20, 2023

US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Uganda Officials After Anti-LGBTQ Law

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The United States has imposed visa restrictions on Uganda officials after the African nation passed an anti-LGBTQ law that was condemned by many countries and the United Nations, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.

The law, considered one of the harshest in the world, was enacted in May and carries the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” an offence that includes transmitting HIV through gay sex. It drew immediate rebukes from Western governments and put in jeopardy some of the billions of dollars in foreign aid the country receives each year.

U.S. President Joe Biden had threatened aid cuts and other sanctions, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month the government would consider visa restrictions against Ugandan officials.

The State Department statement on Friday did not mention any names or even the number of officials that would be hit with the visa restriction but said the U.S. would hold accountable those who are responsible for abusing human rights in Uganda, “including those of LGBTQI+ persons.”

The State Department also updated its Uganda travel guidance for U.S. citizens to highlight the risk that LGBTQI+ persons could be prosecuted and subjected to life imprisonment or the death penalty based on provisions in the law, it said.

“The United States strongly supports the Ugandan people and remains committed to advancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Uganda and globally,” the State Department said.

The law also imposes a life sentence for same-sex intercourse and a 20-year sentence for promotion of homosexuality.

Firms including media and non-governmental organizations that knowingly promote LGBTQ activity will also incur harsh fines, the law says.

Homosexuality was already illegal in the conservative and highly religious East African country, and homosexuals faced ostracism and harassment by security forces.

Related: NEW BILL PROPOSED IN UGANDA BRINGS ON SEVERE PENALTIES TO MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, INCLUDING DEATH AND LIFE PRISON SENTENCES

An NCAA panel is calling for the association to remove cannabis from its banned drugs list and testing protocols for athletes.

The group, the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, believes testing should be limited to performance-enhancing drugs. The committee has asked the NCAA to suspend cannabis testing at championship events while the change is being considered.

The NCAA said in a statement the three NCAA divisional governing bodies still have to introduce and adopt the rule change before cannabis is removed from the banned substance list. The NCAA is expected to make a final decision this fall.

In the last decade, cannabis in the U.S. has gone from a highly enforced drug to a widely accepted one as numerous states have legalized recreational and medical use. According to Gallup, 16% or more than 53 million people smoke cannabis today.

The NCAA has been following the trends when it comes to cannabis use. Last year, the NCAA raised the threshold to trigger a positive test.

Other sports leagues have made changes around cannabis use in recent years. The MLB dropped the drug from its “drugs of abuse” in 2019. In 2021, the NFL announced it would no longer test players in the off-season. Numerous current and former athletes are also participating in the cannabis industry, including gymnast Gabby Douglas and former NBA players Al Harrington and Matt Barnes.

More than 500,000 athletes and 350 schools, including 23 HBCU schools, compete in the NCAA’s three athletic divisions. In recent years much has changed within the NCAA, including that college athletes can now sign name, image, and likeness deals that can pay them anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

According to Outkick, the largest NIL contracts include University of Colorado quarterback Shedur Sanders ($1.6 million), LSU Gymnast Olivia Dunne ($2.7 million), USC quarterback Caleb Williams, and the University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning.

• News

by Stacy Jackson

June 20, 2023

American Airlines To Fork Over $15K In Fines After Worker Dies From Being Sucked Into A Plane’s Engine

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American Airlines subsidiary, Piedmont Airlines, is fined for thousands of dollars after a worker was ingested in a plane’s engine in 2022.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined American Airlines $15,625 for a safety breach following the death of Piedmont Airlines ground crew member Courtney Edwards.

A report by the OSHA said, “The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees that were exposed to ingestion and jet blast hazards.”

Daily Mail reported that the union, Communications Workers of America, said in a statement there is a good chance that Piedmont will contest the decision. Piedmont has 15 business days from June 7, 2023, to respond. The airline can request a conference with OSHA, comply with, or contest the fine, per The Dallas Morning News. According to Daily Mail, a report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that Edwards was to blame for not adhering to safety warnings.

BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that Edwards died on Dec. 31, 2022, at Montgomery Regional Airport after she was ingested into a plane’s engine. According to the New York Post, two safety briefings took place 10 minutes before American Airlines Flight 3408 arrived at the gate from Dallas.

Edwards left behind three children. A GoFundMe page was set up for her children and family that reads, “Courtney was a Ground Handling agent for Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, a loving mother of three kids and a wonderful daughter to her beloved mother, Natalie English of Montgomery, Alabama.” The page explains, “Our Local would like to ask you to help us raise money for her three beautiful kids to help cover funeral expenses, day-to-day expenses and any other expenses needed to care for the children. All proceeds raised are going directly to her mother, Natalie, for the care of Courtney’s kids.”

Donielle Prophete, the president of Communication Workers of America Local 3645, created the GoFundMe page.

• Lifestyle

by Stacy Jackson

June 20, 2023

Bishop William J. Barber II Delivers His Last Sermon After Announcing His Retirement

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Bishop William J. Barber II, pastor and civil rights leader, is passing the mantle after 30 years.

Barber announced his retirement as the senior pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina, because of arthritis. According to CNN, Barber has ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine and can affect posture and breathing, per the Mayo Clinic.

Church and state are both responsible for advancing Black people in America for the civil rights activist. Barber spoke to the nation when he was appointed to deliver the sermon at President Joe Biden’s inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral. The retired pastor proclaimed, “We cannot accept the racial disparities, violence, and breaches that impact Black, brown, Native and Asian Americans while offering collateral damage to our poor white brothers and sisters and ultimately our entire democracy,” according to TIME Magazine.

The work Barber has done speaks for him. He became the president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP in 2005 and remained in the position for 12 years. Per CNN, Barber was known for his nonviolent approach to challenging legislation he disagreed with, like his Moral Monday protests. In April 2023, ABC 11 reported Barber had led the protests against discriminatory laws and policies for 10 years.

According to CNN, Barber is the founding director of the Yale Center for Public Theology and Public Policy. The outlet reported that he will continue his work there. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported Barber said his goal was to share his knowledge with a new generation of moral leaders. Barber said of his role as head of the center at the time, “We will teach this history & engage divinity students, law students, & undergrads in moral fusion analysis, articulation, & activism in the tradition of Frederick Douglass & Sojourner Truth, Walter Rauschenbusch & Howard Thurman, Ida B. Wells, Dorothy Day, MLK & Ella Baker.”

Barber has held the spiritual office of senior pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church since 1993.

CBS Mornings host Gayle King had to point some things out about her co-host Tony Dukoupil before she got to the day’s news on Juneteenth.

Accompanied by fellow Black co-hosts Nate Burleson and Vladimir Duthiers, King took the time to recognize that their only white co-host, Dukoupil, was missing from the news desk. “Happy Juneteenth to you! Is it lost on anybody that the only white guy at the table is off today?” King laughed. “And we’re still here….I hope Tony is enjoying his Juneteenth holiday!”

Gayle King jokingly calls out CBS because their only white co-host was able to take the day off of work on Juneteenth while the 3 other black hosts came to work. pic.twitter.com/tZlNa0ApZm

— Black Millionaires ® (@Blackmillions_) June 19, 2023

Burleson and Duthiers laughed along with the culturally appropriate joke as Burleson quickly added, “Tony, we love you.” With the clip going viral, of course, Twitter users had some things to say, both positive and negative.

Some users made light of Dukoupil’s absence, imagining what he might have been doing on the newly celebrated federal holiday. One compared it to another video that went viral of a white man singing along to a popular Kevin Gates song.

Tony at the Juneteenth parade. 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/3fvsDiFMhx

— 🌻 Shilene 💙💛🇺🇸👩‍🌾🕯️ (@NaturalShilene) June 20, 2023

Another user called CBS out for allowing Dukoupil to be absent and not the Black co-hosts. “Damn @CBSNews yall wrong for that,” @iluvdaCowbys said. Others laughed at the comments, but some pointed out that comments like this could be damaging to King’s job. “If she gets fired in a few months it’s because of this but they’ll make up some excuse,” @MsJordannS tweeted. 

Dokoupil has been co-anchoring the morning news show for almost five years, according to Deadline. Burleson, a former NFL player and sports commentator, joined the team two years later, and King has had her seat at the anchor desk since 2011.

Legendary NBA player Wilt Chamberlain’s rookie jersey has been sold for an estimated $1.79 million at a recent auction. The minimum bid for the “Big Dipper’s” paraphernalia was $200,000. SCP Auctions recently announced the final sale on its Twitter account.

🚨 This historic Wilt Chamberlain rookie game worn uniform set a new record for any vintage basketball game worn item in tonight’s special auction! 🚨#thehobby #whodoyoucollect pic.twitter.com/vr7RK1ZkYa

— SCP Auctions (@SCPAuctions) June 18, 2023

According to CBS News Philadelphia, the item is a home uniform from the 1959–60 season. According to SCP Auctions, the record-setting jersey was originally sold to filmmaker Rob Gough.

After averaging 37.6 points and 27 rebounds per game, Chamberlain was voted the MVP and Rookie of the Year during the 1968–69 season.

“The market for premium game-worn memorabilia remains strong, as shown by this sale of Wilt’s rookie uniform,” SCP President David Kohler said. “His unfathomably great rookie season was record-breaking and will always be remembered.”

TMZ reported there were 16 bids for the items before selling for $1.79 million.

The NBA Hall of Famer, arguably one of the best centers to hit the hardwood floor, played for 14 seasons in the league. He was a 13-time All-Star, took home the rebounding title 11 times, and led the league in scoring seven times.

On July 16, 2023, Goliath, a three-part sports documentary on Chamberlain, will premiere, and the docuseries will be available to subscribers of Paramount+.

Although Chamberlain passed away in 1999, through the use of artificial intelligence, the audience will hear Goliath in his voice. The story will take us through his breakthrough as an athlete and a high school basketball player and Chamberlain’s cultural impact. The docuseries will follow him through his dominance of college, the NBA, and the many records he shattered.

RELATED CONTENT: Wilt Chamberlain is the Goat and ‘Goliath’ in Upcoming Docuseries on Showtime Sports

Venus Williams has held off Father Time to shock the tennis world and score a major win at the recent Birmingham Classic. It was her first victory after being out of action since the beginning of 2023.

According to The Associated Press, Williams, who is 43 and ranked 697, beat a player in the top 50 for the first time in almost four years. The match lasted more than three hours against Camila Giorgi, ranked 48. 

Although she etched a victory, she didn’t fare so well when she lost to 17-year-old Celine Naef in the first round of the Libema Open in the Netherlands on June 13, 2023.

She stated how happy she was to be back after not being there for two years.

“I am just so happy to be back! I thought I played really well today, and she played incredible. I’m so surprised she’s not No.1 in the world. There were so many moments where I thought, ‘This match is over,’ then she would hit a shot from out of nowhere. She pushed me to be better than what I thought I could be, and it’s great for me. I haven’t played a lot of matches, and it’s great to come through.”

It’s nice to see YOU back, Vee @Venuseswilliams | #RothesayClassic pic.twitter.com/fOV8gHMMr8

— wta (@WTA) June 19, 2023

Williams will play against either Jelena Ostapenko or Linda Nosková in the next round.

Williams last played at the beginning of 2023 due to a hamstring injury she suffered in Auckland.

Off the court, she and her sister, Serena, are again collaborating with Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and the couple’s Westbrook Studios for a sports documentary. The partnership will be for a documentary about the 1971 Women’s World Cup of soccer titled COPA 71.

The Williams sisters are the film’s executive producers, which will fall under Dogwoof and New Black Films production. The documentary will also be executive produced by Westbrook Studios.

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 20, 2023

Dwayne Jonhson’s ‘Teremana Tequila’ Exceeds Expectations, Making It One Of The Fastest-Growing Liquor Brands Ever

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After having a successful career as a third-generation wrestler and surpassing expectations in the film industry, Dwayne “Rock” Johnson has also made a big dent in the tequila industry.

His premium brand, Teremana Tequila, which has become a household name, has sold more than one million cases in annual sales, placing the brand right outside the top 10-selling tequila brands—a great achievement for a company that has only been in existence for less than four years.

“The launch of Teremana Tequila has been an unprecedented and historic success in North America,” the superstar actor said in a written statement. “It has far exceeded all of our expectations and is accelerating at an extraordinary pace towards its full potential. Taste, quality, and affordability are the keys to Teremana’s success.”

 

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A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

In an exclusive interview with Forbes, Johnson discussed the brand’s launch during the height of the pandemic and its evolution.

Johnson tells Forbes:

“We had no idea how this was going to shake out. We launched in the beginning of the pandemic. And with consumer behavior, then…to try and deliver something new at that time when things were so uncertain—everyone only wanted what they were familiar with, and I understood that. But instead of shelving the product and putting it on hold, we felt like maybe there was a shot here because we’re all going through this together.”

With the promise of things picking up amid his success as a global phenom with entrepreneurial goals (like turning a profit for his XFL venture), Johnson anticipates making the tequila company, just like him, a global brand.

“I think we continue to do what we’re doing here domestically. I think we continue to promote the on-premise side of our business and make it as robust as we can possibly make it. But at the same time, run a parallel path to internationalizing the Teremana Tequila brand. To make Teremana a true, global tequila brand.”

Meanwhile, regarding the XFL, Forbes has reported the burgeoning league could suffer losses totaling $60 million. “The Rock” and his business partner, Dany Garcia, Disney, and RedBird Capital Partners purchased the bankrupted league for $25.3 million in 2020.

RELATED CONTENT: IT’S ‘THE ROCK’: DISNEY GREENLIGHTS ‘MOANA’ LIVE-ACTION FILM PRODUCED BY DWAYNE JOHNSON

Last year, on June 26, 2022, Sean “Diddy” Combs announced while receiving his BET Lifetime Achievement Award that he would donate $1 million to Jackson State University. According to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the “Bad Boy” kept his word and completed the task.

Combs made the initial pledge when Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders was the head football coach. Although Coach Prime is no longer with the university, that did not stop Diddy from sending a check to JSU. During his acceptance Lifetime Achievement Award speech, he also promised the same amount to Howard University, where he attended.

“Hold up, hold up, before I leave, I want to donate a million dollars to Howard University,” he said at last year’s ceremony. “Also, I’m a drop another million dollars on Deion Sanders and Jackson State because we should play for us. Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart. I love y’all! Peace!”

The announcement of his donation was made by Jackson State University’s interim president, Dr. Elayne Hayes-Anthony. She stated that he is giving an initial check of $332,000 this year, with the remaining two payments taking place in the next two years.

“P Diddy, as our students call him, and as we probably know him as Sean Combs, has released 1 million dollars to Jackson State for athletics,” Hayes-Anthony said. “And we are very, very pleased about that. We will be receiving $332,000 by June 23 as a first installment, and we will get another installment in 2024 and another in 2025.”

Not that Diddy won’t have the funds to keep his pledge, but the entertainment mogul recently filed a lawsuit against the company distributing his DeLeon tequila and Ciroc vodka brands, accusing it of racism.

According to Bloomberg Law, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ company, Combs Wine and Spirits, filed a lawsuit against Diageo North America Inc. Combs claims that Diageo doesn’t support Black-owned brands the same way it does brands that are not Black-owned. He is seeking billions in damages “in a proceeding not before this court,” according to the complaint.

This action comes on the heels of Diddy launching Diddy Direct for consumers and retailers to access his Ciroc and DeLeon brands.

Dalaise Hickey couldn’t find a sunscreen that properly blended in on her dark-skinned children so she created her own.

Hickey is the creator of BabyDonna, a sheer, reef-safe, mineral sunscreen sticks for Black and Brown babies, toddlers, and children. The mother of two couldn’t hold back on what was important for her children’s safety so her company was launched in 2022 in Shelton, Connecticut.

Hickey said it’s hard enough to find good sunscreen products for children, but for children with rich-melanated skin, that’s a different challenge.

“We’re on a mission to simplify this process for parents of color by offering an option with broad spectrum sun protection, that’s both pediatrician and dermatologist approved, but that doesn’t leave a thick white residue,” Hickey told the Shelton Herald.

 

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A post shared by BabyDonna (@babydonnaofficial)

BabyDonna sunscreen is made in stick form as an easy applicator for babies, toddlers and kids. Her formula doesn’t leave that sticky white residue, and is a vegan, non-toxic product that isn’t greasy.

The sunscreen application is good for 80 minutes of water resistance and protection from UV rays. The former social worker said she spent years searching for the perfect sunscreen, with chemicals in sprays and lotions being a major red flag.

It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic hit that she found the time to focus on her passion project. “I began to see the value of my time…and I began questioning what I was doing,” Hickey said. “I realized I wanted to do something I’m passionate about…It’s exciting…a dream coming true.”

 

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A post shared by BabyDonna (@babydonnaofficial)

As a purpose- driven company, BabyDonna sunscreen donates 5% of its profits to nonprofits committed to working with vulnerable children and youth, according to the website

As her business grows, Hickey hopes to work directly with different communities to develop programming and events to provide aid for these children. With her social work background, her goal is to provide internships to at-risk youth to give them employment opportunities.

“This is my passion. It’s a great way for me to not only create a product for Black children but also create a platform to help vulnerable children,” Hickey said.