• News

by Atiya Jordan

June 6, 2023

Black Twitter Blasts Home Owner’s Associations For Its History Of Systemic Racism

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Homeowners Association is going viral on Twitter after users exposed HOA’s for its racist history.

Last week, a Twitter user posted a picture of his neighbor’s yard, accumulating over 24 million views. He referred to a “pile of trash” by the garage door and implied that leaving trees untrimmed and weeds uncontrolled is what you get without an HOA. In fact, the moral of his story was that he’ll “never live in a neighborhood without the rules.”

This is what you get without an HOA.

We have one place in our neighborhood that isn’t governed by the HOA and this is what we get as a neighbor. pic.twitter.com/wbSkrbjTmX

— Nick Huber (@sweatystartup) May 29, 2023

An HOA is a non-profit organization made up of volunteers and a governing body that makes and enforces rules in some residential communities. They share a common interest in a subdivision of homes, condominium complex, high-rise, or planned unit development. After purchasing the home, owners becomes members of the Association and are required to pay fees on a monthly or annual basis.

While 53% of all homeowners live in HOA communities, not all residents want to abide by the rules that have reflected systemic racism since its creation. Experts say that the racist origins of HOA traces back to redlining, designed to keep people of color out of certain neighborhoods.

According to Business Insider, the associations were first created by white Americans in the 1950s and came into prominence during the 1960s. They gained popularity for preserving privilege by discriminating and harassing against people of color as well as its “racially restrictive” language in their documentation. Whether you’ve purchased the house or looking forward to it, HOA discrimination can take place anytime during the process. For example, homeowners of color may still face petty violation fees and harassment.

There are often regulations regarding fencing type and height limits, the addition of outdoor structures, decks, or pools, home maintenance standards, and more. One user shared her experience of living in an HOA. She spent 14 years following rules that even prevented her from hanging her laundry on a clothes line.

I lived in an HOA for 14 years.

They didn’t allow clothes lines. Front window treatments had rules. No structures other than the home were allowed, preventing garden sheds. No street parking for more than 4 hours. (So fun with 2 driving teens’ cars added!)

Even the men in that…

— ApotheCarol (@KissMyCarol) May 31, 2023

Reminder HOAs were established to exclude Black people from neighborhoods after segregation was banned. HOAs were designed to be discriminatory and nonsensical. https://t.co/yZeJmP8Q2d

— Taylor Goethe | Comms Open (@InspectorNerd) May 31, 2023

Are HOA’s intrinsically racist? Yes, yes indeed pic.twitter.com/oQhmdCJtRs

— Dr. L. Xochitl Vallejos, Ph.D., LPC (@realdocv) May 30, 2023

Everything had to back up redlining…the way banks gave loans, insurance,HOAs, etc.

Redlining and govt structural creation of it is exactly how HOAs are set up

The govt put all of this into motion, forcing our people into “urban housing projects”

All based on RACISM.

— kimberly (@iam_kimberlyjo) May 31, 2023

RELATED CONTENT: The Difference Is Clear: Appraisal of Same Home Quoted $350K for White Homeowner, $310K for Black Partner

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will host its 5th Annual Literary Festival on Saturday, June 17th. Traditionally held on Juneteenth weekend, the Schomburg Center Literary Festival is held both outdoors and throughout the historic research library in Harlem, featuring discussions, workshops, and book signings with established and emerging writers across the Black Diaspora.

This year’s theme “Literacy is Generational Wealth” features book talks with Sarah Ladipo Manyika (Between Starshine and Clay, Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun), Cynthia Manick (No Sweet Without Brine), Henry Threadgill (Easily Slip into Another World: A Life in Music) and Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky) among others and workshops lead by Hasna Muhammad (Breathe in the Sky: Poems Prayers & Photographs) with Harlem Writers Guild and The Moth.

This year, author and historian Claude Johnson (Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball’s Forgotten Era) will join the festival for a special conversation presented by PUMA.

Back by popular demand, Mahogany L. Browne (Chlorine Sky, Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice, Woke Baby, and Black Girl Magic) will open the 135th Street stages with her curated Woke Baby Children’s Festival featuring children’s readings, live music, and craft-making.

This community-wide celebration of Black joy and literacy will also feature storytelling workshops, a marketplace of local vendors and organizations, a New York Public Library mobile library, and programs for all ages.

The festival takes place on Juneteenth weekend in honor of the holiday that commemorates the day news of emancipation reached enslaved Black people in Texas on June 19, 1865—2 years after the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.

“This year, we are thinking about the legacy of literacy,” said Novella Ford, Associate Director of Public Programs and Exhibitions. “We are honoring the importance of passing down books, positive ideas about reading, and continuing to be bold in our choices at a time when the currents are pushing against the freedom to read and the invaluable service of public libraries. This festival is a celebration of readers and writers across genres and generations.”

Festivities begin at 11:30 AM with the keynote conversation featuring Sarah Ladipo Manyika discussing Between Starshine and Clay: Conversations from the African Diaspora, and exploring some of the most distinguished Black thinkers of our times, including Nobel Laureates Toni Morrison and Wole Soyinka, and former First Lady Michelle Obama and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.

This year’s artwork Generational Wealth is produced by multidisciplinary artist Ernest A. Ford.

Programs will be held from 11:30 AM – 6 PM on four stages inside the Schomburg Center and outdoors on 135th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Malcolm X Boulevard. Author readings, panel discussions, and workshops will range from prose to poetry, comic books to young adult novels, fiction, and nonfiction. The festival is free, public, and open to all ages. See the full schedule at schomburgcenterlitfest.org.

The 2023 Schomburg Center Literary Festival is powered by Puma. Major support is provided by Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation.

The Schomburg Center Literary Festival is part of The New York Public Library’s “Summer at the Library” initiative, which will launch June 5 and offers kids, teens, and their families a series of free programs at its 92 locations to spark a lifelong love of reading and learning, and help students combat “summer slide”—when they forget what they learned in the summer months while outside the classroom.  A full list of free programs and offerings can be found at nypl.org/summer. 

Major support for Summer at the Library is provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2023 city-wide sponsor for the Summer Reading and Learning Programs.

Additional support is provided by The Rona Jaffe Foundation; New York Yankees Foundation; anonymous donors; and the continuing major support of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos Family Endowment for Young Audiences.

These programs and initiatives are part of the Library’s overall commitment to our branch patrons and education programs, led by the Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education. Major support for educational programming is provided by Merryl H. and James S. Tisch.

About the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Founded in 1925 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the preservation, research, interpretation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diasporan, and African experiences. As a research division of The New York Public Library, the Schomburg Center features diverse programming and collections totaling over 11 million items that illuminate the richness of global black history, arts, and culture. Learn more at schomburgcenter.org.

About The New York Public Library

For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming, and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.

Source: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

This news first appeared on blackprwire.com.

Slutty Vegan is on its way to becoming the next Black billion-dollar business, and yet even the gruesome of challenges are just a testament to the company’s readiness or lack of preparedness.

At BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s Disruptor Summit, Selena Hill, BE Deputy Digital Editor and Slutty Vegan founder Aisha “Pinky” Cole took the stage at the Grand Hyatt Tower in Atlanta to discuss the boss lady’s meteoric rise from a Jamaican restaurant owner in Harlem to a multi-million-dollar food empire.

Among many things, Cole kept it real transparent about the lawsuits against her. But her realness about the disputes turned into genuine empowerment directed at the audience. She urged those scaling a business to always stay ready for the move to the multi-million or billion-dollar space.

 

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During the premier business conference, Cole revealed that her company is “more of a target than we’ve ever been before.” Back in January, Cole took to social media to shut down lawsuit allegations of taking portions of employees’ tips and failure to pay them minimum wage, BE previously reported.

“When sh— happens, we put policy in place,” Cole told the audience, adding how important it is to acknowledge the normalcy behind business problems. The ebbs and flows are real. And so are the “monkey wrenches” that can yank you out of your element when you’re building your reputation and scaling a growing business, according to Cole.

“I had a nine-page profile in the New Yorker. The next day, I was on the cover of Jet Magazine. The very next day I came on after the Golden Globes on the 11 o’clock news because I was getting sued for unpaid wages,” Cole revealed.

She continued: “Imagine having 450 employees and making sure that you’re serving all of their needs. Some people going to slip through the cracks. We might not always get it right, but we do the best we can.”

From wellness checks to maintaining a tight HR team, Cole is learning and leveling up. She is not only a disruptor but a mogul behind 11 restaurant locations, with products in 1400 Targets and more on the way. Cole is also a creator who grew her success after investing in a passion project. Cole shared that building one Slutty Vegan brick-and-mortar cost her $850,000 on a “good day,” and it’s still not about the money with her.

“For about two weeks, I was just in a funk. This ain’t what I built. This ain’t my character. When you are scaling a disruptive business, you have to understand that there is going to be some great, some good, and some bad. But it’s all about the process,” she said.

At another point, Hill asked Cole to explain her change in perspective about being a business owner.  She called her challenges “tests from God,” emphasizing that all businesses have issues.

“There are no friends in business. There is no family in business,” Cole explained.

“I made the biggest mistake of hiring family in business and I will never do that again.  And I love my family. But it also just tells me that [if] you want to build a multi-million dollar company, you have to move like a multi-million dollar company. You have to move like a corporate entity. You have to move like the big conglomerates move. And be very clean in your approach in everything that you do.”

She added: “Luckily, I have an all-star legal team. Luckily, I’ll have an all-star accounting team that protects us every step of the way because I’m moving into the billion-dollar space.”

For those who want to move into the billion-dollar space, Cole highly recommended that you get into consumer package goods.

Watch the full conversation here.

Many people are concerned with the well-being of Memphis Grizzlies player Ja Morant, especially after a recently deleted Instagram post. The cryptic message he posted caused Memphis police officers to do a welfare check.

Now, ESPN sportscaster Stephen A. Smith has gone on record saying that people in the NBA are concerned if the young basketball player is “gonna be alive in five years.”

According to OutKick, Smith made the assessment while appearing on The Rich Eisen Show.

“In terms of Ja Morant’s behavior off the court, some of the things he finds himself engaged in, with the company that he keeps, with the establishments that he visits, things of that nature. Obviously, he feels compelled, pretty much all the time, to have a gun around him,” Smith said.

He continued, “A lot of players I know are from the streets, period. And I can tell you that people within the NBA community are not just concerned about Ja Morant playing basketball. They’re concerned about whether or not he’s gonna be alive in five years.”

As NBA fans and outsiders watch events unfold, there is speculation that this time, the punishment for Morant will be a lofty one after he was suspended for eight games this past season after being seen on his Instagram Live brandishing a gun inside a Denver strip club.

He repeated the same act two months later when he was seen on his friend’s Instagram Live, holding a weapon while in the passenger seat of a car.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed last week that the league has already decided the embattled Morant’s future with the NBA. He stated it would be announced after the NBA Finals are over.

Besides the two flashing gun incidents on Instagram Live, he has been involved in several disputes over the past year, including accusations of pulling out a gun on a young teenager playing basketball at his house. That teenager is suing him over the incident.

Former G-Unit rapper Young Buck is set to sell his music catalog to pay back the money he owes 50 Cent and other creditors.

Young Buck, real name David Darnell Brown, is putting his music on the auction block as part of a plan to satisfy his creditors, AllHipHop reports. The move comes three years after Buck filed for bankruptcy in 2020.

SongVest, a brokerage firm specializing in music royalties, valuates Young Buck’s catalog at $750,000. The “Shorty Wanna Ride” rapper’s entire catalog reportedly includes performance, mechanical, and publishing royalties as well as song copyrights.

By selling his catalog, Young Buck will be able to pay his creditors, including the $250,000 he owes 50 Cent, trustee Erica R. Johnson confirmed. SongVest will facilitate the auction to a private network of approximately 30 investors.

50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, has been after Young Buck since he accused his former artist of failing to deliver two new albums and never paying back a $250,000 loan he was given. In May 2022, the hip-hop mogul demanded payment from Buck despite his bankruptcy filing, claiming the Nashville native published music recordings in violation of his G-Unit recording contract before and after the filing.

50 accused Young Buck of not disclosing royalties received from those published works in his bankruptcy filing. The “In Da Club” rapper also accuses his old friend of withholding ownership of a 2017 F-250 black truck that Buck claimed was wrecked and unrecoverable by the estate.

“By failing to disclose that he owned the Black Truck, including without limitation at his meeting of creditors and on his schedules, Defendant knowingly and fraudulently, in or on connection with the Bankruptcy Case, made a false oath or account,” 50 Cent’s attorneys stated in a legal filing.

In July 2021, Young Buck was accused of withholding royalty statements from ASCAP and hiding the $35,000 he paid out to his publishing company, Mouth Full of Ice. He was also accused of hiding another $200,000 in royalty payments from other publishing companies.

If the auction block is approved by the court, Young Buck’s catalog could rake in almost $1 million.

RELATED CONTENT: Pras to Sue 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving, and Rolling Stone For Calling Him A ‘Rat’ and ‘FBI Informant’

Rapper Mos Def might have to fork over some of his earnings from Erykah Badu’s “Unfollow Me” tour to pay off one of the mothers of his children.

Mos Def, who goes by Yasiin Bey and has six children by four different women, is the opener on Badu’s 25-city tour that kicks off June 11 in San Antonio. Meanwhile, his Paris-based baby mama, Karima Sorel, is seeking the $88,602.63 she claims Bey owes her in attorney fees, and is going after the tour backers to secure those funds, the NY Post reports.

A legal team representing Sorel requested that a Manhattan judge order Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Outback Presents LLC, and BaduWorld Inc. to turn over Bey’s earnings to pay off his debt, according to the legal filing.

Records show that Bey was required to pay Sorel’s attorney fees in March 2020 after being called out in Brooklyn family court for his “persistent refusal to pay child support.”

“This matter arises out of protracted child support proceedings in Family Court between Karima Sorel . . . and the child’s father,” according to the Manhattan Supreme Court filing.

It isn’t the first time Bey has been accused of not providing for his children. Back in 2006, the “Ms. Fat Booty” rapper was cited for not making court-ordered child support payments, according to HipHopDX.

Bey, whose birth name is Dante Smith, was divorcing his wife, Maria Yepes-Smith, at the time and was ordered to pay her $10,000 every month. However, his payments were $2,000 short for two months.

He attributed it to having a low cash flow as well as obligations to his three other children. He also reportedly said he wanted their two daughters to be homeschooled.

Yepes-Smith’s lawyer, Karen Blaustein, shut down Bey’s excuse, claiming the rapper-actor was doing just fine financially, considering his role in the 2006 film 16 Blocks.

“I’ve been seeing him in these commercials with Bruce Willis for his new movie. I’m sure he’s made enough money to support his 7- and 8-year-old daughters,” Blaustein said.

• News

by Lauren Nutall

June 6, 2023

Parents Sue San Francisco School District After 1st Grader Experienced Of Alleged Abuse

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According to KRON 4 News, the San Francisco Unified School District is being sued by parents of a Black first grader, who are alleging that their child suffered physical and emotional abuse and was repeatedly called the n-slur. The child’s parents filed with the United States District Court Northern District of California, listing the school district, Ulloa Elementary School and it’s principal Carol Fong, and several school administrators as defendants.

 The filing alleges that the victim was subjected to physical abuse including spanking and hitting at the hands of another student. She was also repeatedly called derogatory names and racial slurs, including “the N-word, fat, ugly, naked prune, and stupid.” 

The San Francisco Standard reported that, the teacher was notified of the ongoing bullying and the victim’s changing behavior in November 2021. The parents followed up in March 2022, requesting an investigation. However, the investigation that was promised by the principal of Ulloa Elementary Carol Dong never took place. Instead, a safety plan was created in April 2022. This plan included the victim, then seven years old, cleaning a classroom while the bully played at recess. The victim made a request to complete an alternative activity like using a computer or creating art instead. However, both suggestions were rejected. 

This is not Fong’s first incident involving the usage of the n-slur. She was removed from her position one year ago for repeatedly using the word to address the use of the slur when intervening in a fight between fifth-graders. Fong had been placed on administrative leave but dealt with the lawsuit’s bullying allegations once she returned. According to the lawsuit, Fong did not consider verbal bullying significant enough to report and only informed the victim’s parents about the physically abusive incidents. Because of this failure to document, the parents allege that the abuse was enabled. 

The lawsuit reveals that the victim has been clinically diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, body dysmorphia, and depression following this ordeal. She is also suffering from low self-esteem, emotional distress, and an inability to perform daily activities. The victim currently requires ongoing treatment and counseling. The parents are seeking $3 million in damages from the San Francisco Unified School District for their failure to take reasonable action.

RELATED CONTENT: 7th Grader Stereotyped A ‘Gangster’ By Principal For Wearing Braids To School

The Fugees hit the stage at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in what may be their last group performance in a while, after bandmate Pras was found guilty of multiple federal charges.

Concertgoers got a surprise on Saturday, June 2, when Wyclef Jean and Prakazrel “Pras” Michel joined Lauryn Hill’s headlining set in celebration of the 25th anniversary of her acclaimed album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The Grammy award-winning trio performed a six-song set including the hits “Killing Me Softly” and “Ready or Not,” Deadline reports.

Videos shared on social media show the hip-hop trio smiling and enjoying the crowd’s excitement after Wyclef and Pras stepped onto the stage.

https://twitter.com/HipHopDX/status/1665418137377079297?s=20

“Legendary,” one fan wrote in response.

“Ohh please go on tour the score album need to hear it,” added another.

The Fugees actually did have a reunion tour planned, but it was canceled by the Covid-19 pandemic. They did reunite for one show in 2021.

The latest surprise reunion comes nearly two months after Pras, 50, was found guilty on 10 counts including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., witness tampering, and failing to register as an agent of China, NPR reports. He faces up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

In the wake of his conviction, Pras fired back at media outlets and fellow public figures that labeled him an informant. Last month, Pras’ attorney Jonathan Noah Schwartz sent notification letters to hip-hop mogul 50 Cent, NBA star Kyrie Irving, and Rolling Stone magazine over their social media posts and news article that referred to Pras as a “rat,” “government informant,” and “FBI informant,” as noted by Page Six.

The letters claim that 50 Cent, Irving, and Rolling Stone‘s posts led Pras to lose business deals and music revenue.

“Labeling a hip-hop artist such as Michel, the reputation of whom is dependent upon ‘street credibility’ and not being a ‘snitch,’ a ‘government informant’ most certainly tends to subject said hip-hop artist to hatred, distrust, ridicule, contempt and/or disgrace, along with injury in their trade or profession,” Schwartz said in a statement.

RELATED CONTENT: Sheryl Lee Ralph Told Lauryn Hill To Consider Another Name Besides ‘The Fugees’

Aisha Bowe, the first Black woman to travel with Jeff Bezos on a commercial flight to space with Blue Origin, is also a former rocket scientist and a successful entrepreneur. Having founded and successfully grown three multimillion-dollar businesses, Bowe has now achieved another significant milestone: She recently secured a billion-dollar government contract, solidifying her status as a mogul in the making.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announced it had awarded a $947 million contract to Exacta Solutions, a joint venture with STEMBoards, of which Bowe is founder and CEO. STEMBoards is a tech company that creates smart systems and solutions for large-scale U.S federal, and private sector clients.

The grant is designed to provide support to NGA’s total lifecycle acquisition management, strategic financial management, and strategic business management activities to Exacta Solutions.

This represents a groundbreaking accomplishment, resonating across industries and exemplifying the immense potential within minority-owned businesses.

It also marks a personal milestone for Bowe as she continues on her journey, one that was nearly diverted while she was a teenager. Bowe has inspired many with her story and was even the subject of the documentary In Her Element. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, the film was released by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company and hosted by Meena Harris.

Bowe also is known for her philanthropic efforts, especially as they relate to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs.

“In high school, I encountered a counselor who suggested I pursue cosmetology. But deep down, I knew I wanted something more for myself,” said Bowe. “It was during my time at Washtenaw Community College where I discovered my passion for math and science. Determined to chase my dreams, I transferred to the University of Michigan, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in space systems engineering. These achievements opened the doors to an incredible chapter in my life as I embarked on a career as a rocket scientist at NASA. I realized that the only limitations you have in life are those you place on yourself.”

Bowe left NASA to create a pathway to support and inspire the underserved, saying she did not see minorities in certain spaces. Now that she herself has emerged as a business and STEM leader, she hopes she can inspire those who come after her.

“I am fully dedicated to hands-on involvement,” Bowe emphasized. “It’s crucial for me to be present advocating for Black boys and girls, those of Caribbean heritage, and women business owners to demonstrate our presence in these fields. We can build multimillion-dollar companies, secure billion-dollar contracts, create educational games adopted by schools and retailers, and be acknowledged alongside others, enjoying equal opportunities.”

An accomplished serial entrepreneur, Bowe bootstrapped her first company to millions in revenue. She also has the distinction of being one of a select group of women of color who have raised over $1 million in venture capital funding. She was recognized on Inc.’s fifth annual Female Founders 100 list, honoring a bold group of 100 women whose innovations and ideas are shaping the world into a better place.

Bowe’s award-winning tech company STEMBoard appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America. She also created the venture-backed LINGO, a hands-on, self-paced coding kit that enables students to learn how to code at home. LINGO is sold on Amazon, Target and Walmart.

Bowe’s extraordinary achievements are truly an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, as she paves the way for increased representation in tech and aerospace. Her visionary leadership, relentless pursuit of excellence, and dedication to empowering the next generation make her a trailblazer and a role model for individuals from all walks of life.

For more information, please visit her official website at AishaBowe.com.

This news first appeared on Blacknews.com.

• News

by Iman Milner

June 5, 2023

Florida Graduating Senior Files Racial Discrimination Complaint Against MAST Academy

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A graduating senior has filed a civil rights complaint alleging racial discrimination against two faculty members at a Florida school.

The Miami-Dade County School District has opened an investigation into the claims made by Aniyah Upshaw, who says she was regularly singled out and made to bear the weight of derogatory comments with racial undertones at MAST Academy.

“They just do not care, and it’s very unfortunate that we have to face this,” Upshaw said during a news conference last week. “Students that have reported cases of racism going on within the school, they have been bullied and they have been constantly harassed on a day-to-day basis, and no one should have to go through that.”

Upshaw says she was forced to ignore the unwarranted remarks directed toward her from teachers. One incident in particular left her feeling ostracized.

“He would say, ‘You know all about angry Black women’ and that they don’t mess around, and look to me, the only Black student, for confirmation,” she said in her complaint. “This was a math class, and none of these discussions related to the subject matter or learning environment.”

The Florida school’s assistant principal also made insensitive statements. According to NBC Miami, Upshaw was told that her clothing was inappropriate and that she looked like she was ready for a night at the club. “I was wearing a long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants, what club am I going to?” the graduating senior said.

Civil rights attorney Sue-Ann Robinson said this type of behavior toward students, who are still in their crucial development stages, can create a lasting negative impact. “The daily behaviors do in fact create harm, it’s the death of a thousand cuts,” said Robinson.

According to Upshaw’s family, this complaint is a means of establishing a safer and more equitable learning environment for current and future Black students at MAST Academy.