The start of the current WNBA season marked the return of Brittney Griner, who is back on the court following her Russian detainment in 2022. The excitement about her return was overshadowed by the attendance numbers that the Phoenix Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard brought to the media’s attention. She was dismayed that more people didn’t show up, causing her to ask, “How was it not a sellout?”

According to Fox News, Nygaard expected the opening game versus the Los Angeles Sparks to have more than expected numbers. The expectation was because it was Griner’s first official game back since her release. The sports arena has a capacity of 19,068, and although they typically only average 5,600 people, they did have more than half the arena filled. There were a reported 10,396 fans in attendance.

“I mean, it was great. But like honestly, c’mon now LA. We didn’t sell out the arena for BG?” Nygaard asked the media. “Like, I expected more, you know, to be honest. Right, it was great, it was loud. But how was it not a sellout? How was it not a sellout?”

Phoenix Mercury head coach wants to know why Brittney Griner’s debut didn’t sell out the arena 👀

“How was it not a sellout?” pic.twitter.com/YlQtF9utrA

— Sportsville (@Sportsville_) May 20, 2023

Last season, the team finished with a losing record of 13–23 and has not been to the playoffs since 2020. Critics speculate this may be why the team did not get the fan support she anticipated.

The next game, which was played on the Mercury’s home court, the Footprint Cente,r had a better turnout. Though it was a home game for Griner and the team, the arena was not sold out for the homecoming of the team’s center. But, over 14,000 fans did show up at the arena with an 18,822 seating capacity.

The Mercury is still winless after two games.

Monica is celebrating her eldest son’s milestone birthday by setting him up for financial success in the future. The platinum-selling singer gifted her teenage son enough money to “map out your business plan,” she shared in a birthday post.

The “Boy Is Mine” singer took to Instagram on May 22 to share her heartfelt birthday tribute to her son, Rodney Ramone Hill III, on his 18th birthday.

“@rodneyy You changed my life the second I knew I was pregnant with you!” she wrote in her caption.

“I wanted to be better for you, grow for you, change for you & accomplish things unimaginable for you!!! Today I celebrate you!!! There’s nothing in the world we wouldn’t do for you !! HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY …. Love MOM ♥️”

 

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A post shared by Monica (@monicadenise)

The video post included heartwarming clips taken throughout Rodney’s life, including when Monica gave birth, his early birthday parties, and shots of him being a big brother to his younger brother and sister, Romelo and Laiyah.

At the end of the video, Monica surprises her son with his birthday gifts from her: some money to splurge and have fun and even more to invest in a future business.

“Happy birthday,” she said at the end of the video post.

“For your birthday I’ll give you $1,800 to have fun, right? And I’m gonna give you $18,000 to invest in yourself and your business…and we’re gonna sit down and map out your business plan how you want.”

The teen maintained his cool but showed his amazement and approval for his mom’s special birthday gift.

“That sounds awesome… wow,” he said.

Fans applauded Monica’s pricey gift to her eldest son when Black Millionaires shared the news on Twitter.

Monica gave her oldest son $18,000 for his birthday to invest in himself and his business. She also gave him $1,800 to have fun for his birthday. pic.twitter.com/FnbC8FzqmO

— Black Millionaires ® (@Blackmillions_) May 22, 2023

“It’s good to invest in your kids, they are your future,” one user wrote.

“That’s how you do it honestly! Set em up for the future and let him be a kid still,” added someone else.

RELATED CONTENT: Ciara and Monica Join Vanessa Bryant and Daughter at Kobe Bryant Crash Site Trial

• News

by Atiya Jordan

May 23, 2023

‘Don’t Call Me Karen’ Event Angers Uber Employees, DEI Executive Suspended

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Uber’s recent efforts to move forward may have resulted in a few steps back. Bo Young Lee, who has served as head of diversity at Uber since 2018, was placed on a leave of absence after leading a “Don’t Call Me Karen”  session that upset some employees.

It all began at an April lecture, the first of two events that kicked off a Moving Forward series at Uber, according to The New York Times. As per the invitation, the session intended to foster an “open and honest conversation about race.

However, employees complained that it primarily focused on “diving into the spectrum of the American white woman’s experience” with a focus on “the ‘Karen’ persona,” according to Slack messages obtained by Richard Hanania, the founder of the conservative organization the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology. Workers argued against the framing of the term Karen as hurtful, claiming that it disregarded the harms of racism.

EXCLUSIVE: Uber has put its chief DEI officer Bo Young Lee on a leave of absence after a series of complaints.

This was after a DEI session called Moving Forward: Don’t Call Me Karen

An employee organization called “Black at Uber” is celebrating. pic.twitter.com/quInf8FPtg

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) May 21, 2023

Subsequently, a Black woman posed a question during an Uber all-hands meeting. She asked how the ride-hailing company would address and avoid “tone-deaf, offensive, and triggering conversations” in the workplace.

An employee who attended the event disclosed Lee’s response in their notes. The executive said, “Sometimes being pushed out of your own strategic ignorance is the right thing to do.” This remark sparked more outrage among employees.

The second event, moderated by Lee, took place last Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the previous event, and yet Black and Hispanic employees at Uber felt they were being “scolded.” One worker, in particular, expressed her deal with the term “Karen.”

“I think when people are called Karens it’s implied that this is someone that has little empathy to others or is bothered by minorities, others that don’t look like them. Like why can’t bad behavior not be called out?” an employee wrote, per The Times.

The archetype of the Karen has become increasingly visible thanks to a flood of disturbing footage. Most notably, there’s Amy Cooper, the “Central Park Karen,” who called the police on Christian Cooper (no relation), a Black man who was birdwatching and merely asked her to leash her dog in a part of Central Park that required it.

The woman responded by yelling at the bird watcher and told the cops that he was threatening her, invoking his race on the call. This incident provoked a national discourse about the dangers associated when Black people are falsely accused.

• News

by Atiya Jordan

May 23, 2023

Did Georgia School District’s Book Ban Violate The Civil Rights Act?

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Last year, a Georgia school district removed eight books from all libraries and media centers after parents deemed them inappropriate for containing sexually explicit material. The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) later led an investigation, concluding that the book banning “may have created a hostile environment for students.”

The much-anticipated outcome comes after DOE investigated whether Forsyth County Schools violated the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination against students based on sex, race, color, and national origin. As a result, the district north of Atlanta agreed to settle the complaint by offering “supportive measures” to any students that its decisions may have impacted, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. This move could pave the trajectory for the school’s handling of book challenges.

In a resolution agreement, Forsyth outlined its efforts to post statements in locations “readily available to the District’s middle and high school students,” explaining its removal decision-making and outreach to students. They will also conduct its yearly school climate survey with questions that further address the issue, including students’ willingness to report harassment and their perception of each school’s handling of the reports.

As per Axios, the District’s spokesperson Jennifer Caracciolo said they are “committed to providing a safe, connected, and thriving community for all students and their families,” adding that recommendations “will further our mission to provide an unparalleled education.”

According to a Washington Post analysis, three of the original eight removed books focused mainly on characters of color and one on an LGBTQ protagonist. One was identified as Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” which has appeared several times on the American Library Association’s Top 10 Banned Books list for its portrayal of racism, incest, and sexual abuse.

“Administratively we reviewed the books and we have over 500 thousand books in our media centers in Forsyth County Schools,” Superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden previously told Channel 2 Action News. He claimed that the banned eight were not “appropriate to be in public schools.”

The DOE documented in its letter that its investigation involved the examination of school  board meetings. One student of Asian descent expressed at a meeting that she struggled in finding books with main characters she can identify with. Another student, who identified as LGBTQI+ said the decision incited fear within and he did not feel safe at his school. The District reports that its enrollment is 49% white, 5% Black, 27% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 4% two or more races, and less than 1% American Indian or Alaska Native and Hawaiian, according to DOE.

“Communications at board meetings conveyed the impression that books were being screened to exclude diverse authors and characters, including people who are LGBTQI+ and authors who are not white, leading to increased fears and possibly harassment,” the department’s letter continued.

Dr. Joseph Endom Jones, Rosa Kinckle Jones, and their youngest son, Eugene Kinckle Jones, co-founder of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., are honored with a historical marker at Evergreen Cemetery for their contributions to Richmond, Virginia.

NBC12 reported that community leaders and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity members gathered on May 20 for a dedication ceremony to celebrate the Jones family. The marker stands at the entrance to Evergreen Cemetery and presents an engraving with a summary of the history of the Jones family. “Dr. Joseph Endom Jones and Rosa Kinckle Jones, prominent educators in post-Emancipation Richmond, are buried here,” the marker reads.

Joseph was born enslaved to a blind mother in Lynchburg. He received his early education from another enslaved African before learning from a Confederate soldier. He taught at Virginia Union University and was among the first African American men to earn a college education and a doctoral degree. He served as pastor for Bethesda Baptist Church in Petersburg, installing more Black clergymen than any other pastor in the U.S.

Rosa, a nationally recognized music teacher at Hartshorn Memorial College, was among the first Black women to graduate from Howard University. According to Black Women at BU and Boston, the couple held a rare status in 1882, being Black, college-educated teachers who were married and missioned to help educate Black people.

Eugene was acknowledged during the ceremony for his contributions as the longest-standing national secretary for the National Urban League and his position as one of the seven founders or “jewels” of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. According to the Richmond-Times Dispatch, Alpha members placed seven yellow roses on the ground at the ceremony in acknowledgment of each founder of the fraternity, which was established in 1906 at Cornell University as the oldest intercollegiate Greek letter organization for African American men.

“These two individuals not only impacted us through the birth of their youngest son, but they impacted individuals during that time period, post-Emancipation — educating slaves, newly freed individuals, and a whole host of other items that have gone unnoticed. So it is my hope that with today’s dedication, there will be a correcting of history, in that these individuals are long overdue for that level of recognition,” Alpha Phi Alpha member Tyler Parker said.

The influence of Atlanta hip-hop group OutKast has proven to have a lasting effect.

Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves announced they will host an OutKast Night at Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta. On May 25, the Braves will play the Philadelphia Phillies when OutKast member Big Boi will throw the first pitch. There has yet to be an official word if Andre 3000 will attend.

When fans arrive at Battery Atlanta, street names will be dedicated to the hip-hop duo. There will also be an OutKast-inspired art wall with background music playing from the eclectic pair.

The first 15,000 fans who purchase tickets for the game at Truist Park will receive bobbleheads of OutKast featuring both Big Boi and André 3000 sporting Atlanta Braves gear and riding together in a red convertible.

Fans can also purchase food from a one-night-only ATLiens Diner’s food truck. The lyrics of Big Boi and Andre 3000 will inspire authentic soul food, including Patty Melts (So Fresh and So Clean), Fried Fish and Grits (ATLiens), and Yams with Extra Syrup (SpottieOttieDopalicious).

An OutKast music tribute will take place on the Georgia Power Pavilion Stage by Biological Misfits, featuring Cosby Show legend Malcolm Jamal-Warner. Additionally, three local artists, Dr. Dax, Honey Pierre, and Raphael Bahindwa, will create original artwork inspired by the group.

You’re in luck if you’re not local to Atlanta or can’t attend the game. Bally Sports Southeast will feature a special telecast to celebrate OutKast Night at Truist Park. Big Boi will be with sportscasters Brandon Gaudin and Jeff Francoeur in the broadcast booth during the game, while Bally Sports will be on location with a 360-video experience for fans.

Coverage for the game will showcase live on Bally Sports Southeast at 6:30 p.m. ET.

RELATED CONTENT: Outkast Reunited: Andre 3000 and Son Seven Spotted With Big Boi at His Son’s Football Game

Adeline Johnson, a high school female track athlete, has missed her chance at qualifying for the State Championships after placing fourth behind Athena Ryan, a transgender athlete.

Athletic Net reported that the high school athletes competed against each other in the women’s varsity 1600m event in the North Coast Section Meet of Champions in Dublin, California. Johnson finished the finals with a time of 4:58.63, while Ryan gained the second-place spot in the top three with a time of 4:55.91.

According to the men’s division times, Ryan would not have placed in the finals at all, with the slowest runner completing the race in 4:35.12.

A group of protestors attended the track meet flaunting a banner that read “Protect Female Sports.”

Seven women with a banner that read “Protect Female Sports” were greeted with mostly quiet support, high fives, and thank you’s from parents silenced under threat to their daughter’s ability to compete.

— WomenAreReal (@WomenAreReals) May 21, 2023

The Media Research Center reported that the protestors were “peaceful” and, therefore, compliant with the First Amendment. Reportedly, many event attendees supported the group, while others did not.

One woman is seen in a video posted to Twitter, vocalizing her opposing stance to the “Protect Female Sports” message. She called what the protestors were doing “disgusting” and said, “It’s none of your business what someone else does,” before adding, “That’s offensive.” One protestor is heard off-camera telling the woman to “watch the [men’s] race and see the difference.”

One women found our “Protect Female Sports” banner disgusting and offensive. Note the secretive thank you’s and a high-five by a female athlete at the end. @SF_TERF_CENTRAL @XxtraEstroGenny @icons_women #SaveWomensSports pic.twitter.com/4SHwXYxJI6

— WomenAreReal (@WomenAreReals) May 21, 2023

World Athletics set new rules in March banning transgender women from competing in female track-and-field events. Most stakeholders agreed that transgender women should not be competing in female sports. The rules enforce that any transgender woman who has undergone male puberty is prohibited from competing in female divisions.

The conversation about trans women competing in female divisions has been an ongoing debate in sports. In 2022, trans swimmer Lia Thomas was criticized for dominating her female competitors as a biological male. Some thought she should be celebrated as a trailblazer for being the first transgender athlete to win a Division I NCAA championship. In contrast, others considered it unfair and “the advancement of uncommon sense.”

Kevin Hart’s Hart House is running full speed ahead into its newest location after opening the doors of its Hollywood site.

On May 23, the actor/comedian opened the third location of his plant-based fast food eatery, Hart House. The new site serves as the vegan quick-service restaurant’s first-ever drive-thru location.

In celebration of the new location, Hart House debuted its new “Summer Lovin” refresh menu, available for a limited time across all three locations. The new items include a Smokey BBQ Burg’r, Hart House lemonade, and Nashville nuggets.

Since its 2022 inception, Hart House has grown in popularity with its crave-able, sustainable, and plant-forward food. With a mission to be “plant-based for the people,” Hart’s vegan fast food concept is committed to making plant-based food more accessible to everyone.

“Since the inception of Hart House, it’s always been about creating a new option within fast food, which is why I’m so excited to bring Hart House to Hollywood,” Kevin Hart said in a statement.

“At Hart House, we are in the business of making people feel good and I’m so proud of how fast we are growing and can’t wait til there are Hart House restaurants all across the nation!”

What used to be a McDonald’s lot in the heart of Sunset Boulevard has now turned into Hart House’s new 2,130 square foot location with 24 interior seats, 16 outdoor seats, and an ADA-accessible option from Sunset & Highland.

The Get Hard star kept it inclusive when it came to designing the new location and tapped Kai Williams of Studio 7 Design Group and brought back Nicollete Santos and their team, made up entirely of women of color, to curate a vibrantly hued restaurant with the iconic “Eat Your Hart Out” neon sign to greet customers.

The newly landscaped property used preserved palm trees and a rainwater retention system that recycles water that can be used for future landscaping.

“We are on a mission to create a sustainable restaurant brand that is grounded in high-quality jobs and objectively delicious food, with a menu that happens to be made entirely from plants,” Hart House CEO Andy Hooper said.

“We believe it’s time to usher in a new era of fast food in Hollywood that matches up against the titans of the industry.”

To continue Hart House’s mission of serving the community, 10% of opening day proceeds will go to its community partner, Assistance League of Los Angeles.

• Lifestyle

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2023

Social Media Calls Black Dentist ‘Anti-Black’ For Her ‘No Bonnets’ Rule

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A Black dentist has gone viral on social media for her rule against hair bonnets, slippers, and pajamas inside her dental practice.

On May 17, a Twitter user posed a question in response to one Facebook user who posted a screenshot of the note her dentist, Dr. Sutton, had posted at her reception desk.

“At my dentist office, and this was the first thing I noticed!!!” a Facebook user named Sheila Hampton wrote. “I definitely jumped for joy.”

The dentist’s message let her patients know that if they wish to be serviced at her place of business, they’ll have to dress accordingly.

“No Bonnets. No House Shoes. No Pajama Bottoms,” the framed message read. “We will be happy to reschedule your appointment.”

https://twitter.com/allhailtinasnow/status/1658859202364727297?s=46&t=EnI8LpkKUkdwbsuH0OtHUQ

While Facebook user Hampton supports the Mo’Nique-esque approach to banning bonnets and sleepwear at the dental practice, Twitter quickly accused the Black female dentist of being “anti-Black.”

“Giving a f@*k about attire instead of health. this is just anti black as HELL,” one user quipped.

Someone else posted an alleged photo of the dentist and accused her of being “one of THOSE.”

https://twitter.com/allhailtinasnow/status/1658954749624942592?s=20

Another Twitter user called the dentist out for seemingly housing her dental practice in an urban area despite demanding the personal presentation she could get if she relocated to another location.

“Her establishment is literally in the HOOD in a trap house turned dentist office,” the user wrote. “Maybe she should relocate to the demographic she prefers instead.”

After issuing the bonnet ban, the dental practice has received several negative reviews for allegedly being “anti-Black” and canceling appointments “for appearance.”

https://twitter.com/allhailtinasnow/status/1659015270021603329?s=20

The Black female dentist now joins the ranks of actress/comedian Mo’Nique, who has spoken out publicly against Black women wearing bonnets and pajamas at airports and other public places.

RELATED CONTENT: Social Media Asks Mo’Nique to Wear A Bonnet Instead of Her Newest Look

• News

by Iman Milner

May 23, 2023

Tracee Ellis Ross Inspires Women To ‘Make Space For Ourselves’ During Spelman College Commencement

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Actress and our favorite style architect Tracee Ellis Ross received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from the illustrious Spelman College and left the graduating class with inspiring words for the next part of their journey.

After being nominated by the student body and voted in by the Spelman Board of Trustees, the 50-year-old Black-ish star stood before the sea of Black women and expressed her joy to be among them. “When I get to swim in the particularly special current of Black sisterhood, my heart rate settles, my shoulders drop, and I am reminded of my worthiness because I see yours,” she told the graduates.

 

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A post shared by Tracee Ellis Ross (@traceeellisross)

“The world view of Black women is not elastic in its ability to see our worthiness and our wholeness,” she continued, “even as we continue to exceed, excel, and shine.”

Ross knows all about the majesty of Black womanhood and celebrates its existence in her family, friendships, and working relationships. Along with launching her haircare line, PATTERN Beauty, she also produced an extensive series on the relationship between Black women, our crowns, and the world entitled “Hair Tales.”Ross credits her own journey to total self-acceptance for a large part of her current success. And her advice to the newly-minted Spelman graduates was to embrace all of who they are.

“Make space for yourself, for your whole self,” she said. “Your joy, your power, your fear, your loneliness, your insecurities, your pleasure, your passion, your dreams. Let there be space for all of it. In the private moments when you meet yourself, allow all of you to be present without judgment.” Ross, who first visited the institution in February, encouraged the graduates to remember the safety and love they found within their community as they move into a world that does not often provide the same comforts. “May the safety and belonging of these walls send you forward in your choice to change the world with the protection of your sisters and your ancestors—and with me, your best friend in your head,” she said.