In 2022, tennis phenomenon Coco Gauff lost the finals match to Iga Swiatek in straight sets (6-1, 6-3) at the French Open. It was the sixth straight time she walked away defeated by her rival — Gauff has yet to win even one set against Swiatek.

Gauff hoped for different results in their next match that took place in Paris this week.

Unfortunately, Tulsa World reported that although she played better this go-round, Gauff was defeated by Swiatek once again, giving her a 7-0 record against the No. 6-ranked Gauff. Sadly, her streak of being winless in sets against Swiatek continues, as Swiatek won both sets, 6-4, and 6-2.

In an interview, with ESPN, Gauff admitted to trying to recapture the magic she had last year right before losing to Swiatek. Even with her new tennis coach, Rick Macci (who helped Venus and Serena Williams perfect their tennis skills), she still was unable to pull out a victory.

Gauff mentioned that her opponents knew how to attack her weaknesses, so she and Macci focused on turning them into strengths. “Obviously the forehand is something I have to improve on, but on clay especially I feel like it’s one of my weapons,” the tennis star said.

“This week, in the last couple matches, my forehand has, I think, improved a lot, and I think it’s gotten me to win a lot of points,” she said. “I think [in] the last couple of matches that I have just become more and more comfortable being aggressive on it. But I think really it’s more so something that I just have to continue to improve. I’ll probably work on it more during the offseason, but right now I’m happy where my forehand is at.”

Leading up to the match, Gauff said she was looking forward to playing Swiatek once again. Although she may have improved her game and hoped for different results, it wasn’t enough to earn a victory against her rival.

Julianne Lukambo, a high school student from Columbus, OH who was a refugee in Uganda, graduated as valedictorian of her class with an impressive $240,000 in college scholarships.

Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa, Lukambo and her family sought refuge in Uganda due to the ongoing war in their home country. She spent most of her childhood in the refugee camp, coping with the hardships and uncertainty of their situation.

Julianne’s family moved to the U.S. in 2015 and started high school in 2019. She attended Northland High School in Columbus, OH, where she quickly excelled in her studies despite battling anxiety.

Now, Julianne ended her senior year at the top of her class, receiving $240,000 in college scholarships. She attributed her success to maintaining high grades, actively participating in several activities, and networking. She also credited her supportive teachers, who provided valuable recommendations for various scholarships.

Julianne’s achievements are part of a broader trend within her school. Northland High School’s senior class has collectively earned $5.6 million in scholarships, with Columbus City Schools seniors amassing more $33 million in scholarship and aid money. Julianne ranks among the top 50 earners in the district.

“Overcoming the adversity that I have had to overcome to reach where I am today has been a real challenging journey, and I would say that from coming from where I’m from, to here now, I would’ve never expected it, so overcoming all of that is something I’m really grateful for and proud of,” she told 10TV.

Julianne is set to attend college at the University of Dayton, where she plans to pursue a degree in computer science.

RELATED CONTENT: Florida High School Valedictorian Accepted Into 72 Colleges Shares Advice

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 8, 2023

White Woman Arrested and Charged With Fatally Shooting Black Neighbor In front Of Her Son

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A white woman who allegedly shot and killed Ajike “AJ” Owens, her Black neighbor, has been arrested and charged with manslaughter with a firearm and other offenses, CBS News reported.

Owens was killed June 2 in Ocala, FL after she allegedly went to the home of Susan Lorincz, 58,  to confront the woman about a conversation that took place with her children.

Lorincz was upset that Owens’ children were playing outside, close to her apartment. A neighbor overheard the accused yelling at one of the kids, and according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Lorincz threw a roller skate at Owens’ 10-year-old son, hitting his toe.

After the child told his mother what had happened, Owens went over with him, knocked on the door several times, and demanded that Lorincz come outside. Lorincz then fired one shot through the door, striking Owens in the upper chest.

“At the time she was shot, Owens’ 10-year-old son was standing beside her,” the sheriff’s office said.

Since the shooting, Lorincz has been charged with manslaughter and other offenses. She claims she acted in self-defense, saying Owens was trying to break her door down.

In the state of Florida, the “stand your ground” law, which became notorious during George Zimmerman’s trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, allows people to meet force with force if they believe they or someone else is in danger of being seriously harmed, CNN reported.

Officials are unsure if this was the case with Lorincz.

“What we have to rule out is whether the deadly force was justified or not before we can even make the arrest,” Sheriff Billy Woods said. “I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands.”

MEDIA ALERT: @AttorneyCrump, attorney Anthony D. Thomas, and the family of AJ Owens — a mother who was shot after knocking on an unidentified woman’s door — will hold a news conference today (6/5) to demand that the shooter be arrested for this unjustified killing. pic.twitter.com/BfmTundS4p

— Ben Crump Law, PLLC (@BenCrumpLaw) June 5, 2023

The shooting was the final straw of a two-and-a-half-year feud between the neighbors. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represented Trayvon Martin’s family and now the Owens, said in a statement that the shooter had been yelling racial slurs at the children before the confrontation.

Owens’ family described the single mother of four as someone who was “full of life, loved her children with all her being” and helped those around her in any way she could.

Dominique Fishback opened up about how she manifested her role in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and goes deep to channel her characters.

The Brooklyn native plays Elana in the new Transformers film, hitting theaters on June 9. The science fiction picture, set in 1994 in New York City and Peru, sees Optimus Prime and the Autobots take on their biggest challenge yet and enlisting the help of the Maximals to save Earth.

Fishback, a trained actress and playwright best known for her roles in Swarm and Project Power, as well as Judas and the Black Messiah, which garnered her a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, shared how she envisioned a flourishing acting career for herself that would include blockbusters alongside iconic characters like Bumblebee and Optimus Prime.

“I watched the movies and I always imagined, ‘what would it be like to be them?'” Fishback told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I’ve always been a manifester and I’ve always believed in myself as an artist.”

It’s also the first time we’re seeing a diverse team of leads, with Fishback, 32, and Anthony Ramos, 31, starring alongside each other as Elana and Noah, two NYC civilians who find themselves entangled in the Autobots’ battle to save Earth. It’s a nod toward representation in Hollywood that Fishback is proud to be a part of.

“I look forward to all the Black and Brown girls, people in the world to see themselves and to celebrate and know what’s possible,” she shared.

The film is a full-circle moment for Fishback and Ramos, who grew up not too far from each other in Brooklyn and also attended the same theater school during their early days of acting.

“It was always in the fabric of the universe that me and Anthony would be able to make history like this together in such a beautiful way,” Fishback said.

Just on the heels of wowing audiences with her standout performance as the lead in Donald Glover’s Swarm, Fishback shared her process for channeling her characters, which includes journaling and deep prayer.

“I journal as my characters. I know that it always, always supported me to know the psychology of my character, how to show up in the world,” she explained.

When it came to her lead in Glover’s psycho-thriller series, Fishback enlisted professional help on set while channeling her serial killer role.

“With Swarm, I asked for a therapist to be on set because I know it is like channeling, it is a very spiritual thing for some actors,” she said.

“I always pray God makes me be a vessel so that the character can come through me authentically.”

With that type of channeling, we can expect more standout performances and award nominations to come Fishback’s way. Be sure to watch her shine alongside Ramos, Tobe Nwigwe, Optimus Prime, and the Autobots in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

RELATED CONTENT: Donald Glover Shares First Trailer For Spooky New Series Swarm with Malia Obama as a Writer

One Black woman’s journey into tech is making a statement in fashion.

Fashion designer Jessica Couch will launch her platform, “Looks,” this year to partner with people, products, brands, and stylists by using artificial intelligence (A.I.).

Everyone will have the opportunity to win on Couch’s platform. Shoppers can use A.I. to find products that fit their fashion taste; brands will have access to top shoppers to recruit them as influencers and can retrieve data about how their products perform. Couch said, per TheGrio, “I’m building a tech platform called Looks where we’re matching people to products using peer-to-peer engagement. I think it’s super important because no one solved the problem in fashion yet.”

According to AfroTech, 4,000 stylists will be onboarded, and 1,200 brands have already joined the platform. Looks will make way for fashion stylists to get credit for their influence. Couch said, per AfroTech, “Black people do engage in something called conspicuous consumption…That means that we spend more on our clothes so that we can fit into a certain genre or so that we can be seen a certain way. While many people frown upon this, I took that simple behavior, and I wanted to create a platform where we’re rewarded for it.”

Appropriation and appreciation are not the same. Couch’s platform will allow stylists to monetize “one-to-one.” She shared a little about how the platform works, “An individual could go to a brand and say, ‘Listen, I’m driving a hundred-thousand dollars’ worth of product for you all. What do you want to do?’”

“Now you have equity in your own influence and that brand because every time someone buys a product based on what you have on, you are going to get paid. Now, to me, this will be liberating for people of color. I do want people to stop appropriating these styles and looks for free.”

A.I. continues to be a hot topic, as BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported. Couch is in on the conversation. She said, per AfroTech, “Tech could change us forever. Because if I could just streamline my supply chain, if I could do 3-D design, if I could just send it to somebody instantly and get it done, it would make my life easier.”

Stay tuned for more updates as the launch date for the new tech platform draws near.

• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 7, 2023

NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo Puts His Atlanta Home On The Market for $6.8M

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The Atlanta home of an NBA Hall of Famer has been put up for sale.

According to Realtor.com, the mansion of former Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo is on the market. The 11-bedroom, 10.5-bath mansion, spread over 13,000 square feet of living space and sitting on a 2-acre parcel, is listed at $6.8 million.

The property includes a salon, gym, home theater, sauna, game room, and elevator. While outside, there is enough parking to house four vehicles in the garage. There is also a pool, basketball court, playground and guest house on the property.

There was news last year that the former basketball player was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor, according to the NBA. The 56-year-old center played for 18 years in the NBA before retiring in 2009. He played for seven teams, including the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets), Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, and the Houston Rockets.

He played in eight NBA All-Star games and is currently ranked second in career blocks, behind the Houston Rockets’ Hakeem Olajuwon. One of the best defensive players in the league, he was the NBA’s top defensive player four times, while earning three All-NBA selections.

Famously known for wagging his finger at opponents after rejecting their shots, he became known for his humanitarian work after leaving the basketball court. Mutombo speaks nine languages and has served on various boards. Through his organization, the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which he started in 1997, he helps the people of The Democratic Republic of the Congo. His foundation focuses on improving health, education, and quality of life for the people of Africa’s second-largest country.

Mutombo was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

There have been no recent updates on his health condition after the news of his brain tumor surfaced last fall.

• News

by Stacy Jackson

June 7, 2023

High School Graduate And His Father Involved In Fatal Shooting Minutes Following Ceremony

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A mass shooting following a Virginia high school graduation left a graduate and his father dead.

Eighteen-year-old Shawn Jackson and his father, Renzo Smith, 36, were killed because of what police say was an “ongoing dispute.” The suspect was identified as Amari Ty-John Pollard, 19, ABC News reported. Pollard is in custody, according to authorities. In a news conference, Richmond, Virginia police chief Rick Edwards said the shooting was “targeted at one individual.”

The tragic end to the graduation happened around 5:13 p.m. in Monroe Park, Virginia, after the ceremony for students at Huguenot High School. Superintendent Jason Kamras said during the conference, “I shook his [Jackson’s] hand and wished him congratulations about 20 minutes before he died. Then, just a few minutes later, while enjoying the moment with his family in Monroe Park, he was gunned down. I can’t shake the image of him receiving CPR on the ground, still in his graduation gown.”

Five people were injured, including a 14-year-old boy. According to authorities, one adult victim is in “life-threatening condition.” Others were wounded in the chaos that ensued from the shooting. Jackson’s sister, 9, was hospitalized with “non-life-threatening injuries” after she was hit by a car, according to police, per ABC News.

Republican Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is being criticized for her response to the tragic event after telling WTVR CBS 6 Richmond live on air, “This is not about law-abiding gun owners. This is about gangs.”

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on pushback from House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Scott shared on Twitter, “This gaslighting and political pandering by a LT. GOVERNOR who LITERALLY campaigned holding a picture of an assault rifle is lecturing others on preventing gun violence.” He continued, “She runs out to the scene with no empathy for the victims just thinking of how to appeal to MAGA.” Many other Democrats also disagree with Earle-Sears’ response.

• Entrepreneurship

by Stacy Jackson

June 7, 2023

Black-Owned Startup Changes The Game With ‘ChargerHelp!’ To Improve Air Quality In Her Community

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Reducing air pollution is personal for this Black, woman-owned business founder.

When Kameale Terry lost her mother to lung cancer, she set out on an electrifying mission to improve air quality in her community.

Terry is driven to keep electric vehicles (EVs) on the road. EVs reduce air pollution and respiratory problems, according to a study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). Terry founded ChargerHelp! with Evette Ellis to fix broken EV charging stations.

“Mass EV adoption is really important to me. My mom passed away from lung cancer just about a year and a half ago, and I live in a community where we have very poor air quality. Getting folks to trust infrastructure, to drive electric, sits near and dear to my heart,” said Terry, per CNBC.

ChargerHelp! is the “only national electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE)-dedicated operations and maintenance provider,” according to its website. The company fills a big hole in the market to encourage mass EV adoption.

The co-founder said, per CNBC, “You need to be able to understand how the station is behaving in the field. You need to understand what issues may be happening in the car and the charging station.”

The University of California, Berkeley, and Cool the Earth surveyed the reliability of open public EV chargers. They discovered that over a quarter of the charging stations did not work. Some common causes were electrical issues, blank screens, connection issues, and system payment failures. ChargerHelp! can solve any EV charging station problem. “It honestly really doesn’t matter what’s wrong with your charging station. Whether it’s a communication issue, a hardware issue, or even a communication issue, our technicians are going to fix it,” Terry said in a video on the company’s website.

Unreasonable Group Ventures, an investor, noted that ChargerHelp! services 18 states and plans to support all 50 states by the end of the year.

• News

by Stacy Jackson

June 7, 2023

Teen Cashier Receives $2,500 Tip For His ‘Hard Work’ And ‘Good Attitude’

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A teenage cashier wants you to know that there are still kind people in this world.

Ryheem Lumpkins, 16, received a $2,500 tip while working at Pizza Ranch in Independence, MO. The gesture left a big impression on the William Chrisman High School student. He told KCTV, “To be honest, I was speechless…That right there showed me that there’s more people in the world that really cares for me.”

According to the news station, the generous customer who left the tip was identified as Robert Samay. Samay visited the restaurant before and left Lumpkins a $5 tip. The customer returned to the restaurant with a gift for the hardworking teenager one month later. AfroTech reported that Samay said, “I appreciate your hard work, your good smile, your good attitude…We don’t get that nowadays, especially with young kids.”

Lumpkins is not like other high schoolers. His arms and hands did not fully develop, reported People. Still, the teenager does not consider himself disabled. He told KCTV, “I don’t describe it as a condition. God made me like this for a reason. I’m a regular person. I don’t think of it as a disability.” The teen left a message for others like him, “Don’t ever hide it,” he said about the things that make people different. “Embrace what you have different from other people. Because a lot of people think it’s cool and a lot of people wouldn’t think it’s cool. The negative words, don’t let it get to your head. Because there’s a lot of positive in the world. There’s more positive than negative.”

The young cashier’s work ethic makes him stand out. He cleans the restaurant when there are no customers at the register, according to the news outlet. Samay said, “Money comes and goes…It’s rare to find someone like Ryheem.”

Lumpkins started working as a cleaner before he became a cashier at Pizza Ranch. The high schooler has big goals ahead of him. He aspires to become a motivational speaker. The $2,500 tip, however, will help Lumpkins achieve one of his short-term goals — to buy his first car.

Don Lemon has landed his first job since being fired from CNN.

The former news anchor has been booked to host Emil Wilbekin’s 7th annual Native Son Awards on June 16, Page Six reported. Wilbekin is a journalist and founder of Native Son Now, an organization dedicated to empowering Black gay men with positive representation and business opportunities.

The awards highlight “the achievements of Black gay and queer men who are leaders in their respective industries,” and will be hosted at Barry Diller’s IAC building in New York. Lemon was one of the very first award recipients in 2016. Wilbekin said having Lemon host the ceremony “feels like a full circle moment for Native Son.”

“He is one of the most visible Black gay men in media and his presence reinforces the importance and impact of our community,” Wilbekin said.

Native Son supported Lemon when he was fired earlier this year after being on air for 17 years.

“As one chapter closes, a new one will open,” the organization said in an Instagram post. “We thank you Don Lemon for speaking truth to power.”

Lemon was accused of sexism after stating that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past her “prime” and got into a heated argument with Vivek Ramaswamy over race and the Second Amendment.

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RELATED CONTENT: Don Lemon Leaves CNN Still Being Owed $25 Million In his Contract

 

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Lemon won’t be the only upstanding member of the LGBTQ+ community at this year’s awards. The honorees include Tony nominee Jordan E. Cooper, P-Valley star Nicco Annan, producers Patrik Ian-Polk and Chester Algernal Gordon, filmmaker Elegance Bratton, hedge fund found James Cole Jr., pastor Bishop O.C. Allen, activist Rashad Burgess, celebrity stylist Jason Bolden, and interior designer Adair Curtis.