• News

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 23, 2023

Former NYPD Detective Calls Out Million Dollar Misappropriation Of Compensation Claim From 9/11

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Meet Joanne Brown, one of the many African American 9/11 victims whose legal attempts have failed to recover over $5 million misappropriated funds from her Victim Compensation Claim. She is a disabled African American female and a 20-year veteran First Grade Detective of the New York Police Department.

On September 11, 2001, she was a NYPD First Grade Detective assigned to the Missing Persons Squad. She was present before, during, and after the Collapse of the Towers and was injured when a man pushed her causing her to fall to the ground and the man then fell on top of her. Despite this injury, Brown continued to assist in the rescue efforts until Tower 2 collapsed. She was rendered unconscious and later hospitalized. In the ensuing years, from May 2002 to June 2016, Brown, because of that fall had 14 surgeries, five exacerbated physical injuries, and 18 certified conditions from 780 hours of direct toxic exposure caused by the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The World Trade Center Health Program certified these injuries and conditions for compensation. Brown’s entire medical history from 2000 to 2016, NYPD Pension Records, and three years of taxes were sent to the VCF. From 2013 to 2016, she had two VCF Claims Numbers, 2 VCF Special Masters, and 2 law firms.

 In order to receive compensation for toxic exposure under the Federal Statute you must satisfy these three requirements: a) Proof of Presence in the exposure zone, 2) Waive your rights to sue and 3) have an eligible condition certified by World Trade Center Health Program. Brown met these requirements and received numerous Eligibility Letters for compensation. In June 2017, she received an Award Letter for out-of-pocket medical expenses for $8,689. 

Brown believes the VCF has not administered the funds in a fair and equitable manner regarding her claims for compensation and feels The Rule of Law as outlined in the VCF’s written response in the Audit of the Inspector General was not applied. 

Brown believes the VCF2 has failed to compensate her for her numerous surgeries, exacerbated injuries, and 18 certified conditions by the WTCHP from 9/11 toxicants, which should have been covered under the VCF2 law. She has spent innumerable hours and resources attempting to obtain information on whether amounts were paid for her many injuries based upon the multiple times the VCF certified them as eligible for compensation and to whom the payments were made. Her efforts to obtain information have been blocked by people who have worked against her to receive her compensation.

Therefore, Brown must live daily with debilitating exacerbated physical injuries, physical conditions from 780 hours of direct toxic exposure, and PTSD from the events of the September 911 attack. After 10 years of fighting for her compensation, she must now live with the fact of being victimized a second time by a corrupted racist justice system.

Years after the 9/11 terrorist attack, victims in the exposure zone from September 11, 2001, to May 30, 2002, became ill and some died from being exposed to toxicants in the air. Congress created a $20 billion No Fault Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) to provide compensation for any individual who died or suffers from physical conditions from toxic exposure. In many cases, the lawyers behaved honestly and legally represented their clients taking a fair compensation for their work from the proceeds from their 9/11 clients. However, in some instances, the lure of the billions of dollars made it irresistible for some lawyers to take the victims’ monies.

Many African American who were exposed to the toxic air were victimized a second time by these less-than-honest lawyers. A Court case of a white victim was able to successfully seek legal remedy and recovery for his lawyers’ misdeeds through the Court. For example, on September 3, 2020, the United States Attorney General, Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment and charged a white lawyer for stealing 9/11 Victim Compensation Funds from a White NYPD Detective. (Press Release Number: 20-187). This story, “Disbarred Lawyer Admits Stealing $1 Million From Ex-Cop with 9/11 – Related Cancer” was also in the Long Island Press, on October 20, 2020. 

• News

by Iman Milner

May 23, 2023

Black Astronaut Wrestles With Injustice On Earth As He Heads To The Moon

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NASA astronaut Victor Glover Jr. is preparing to pilot the Artemis II lunar mission in 2024; however, his more immediate desire is to drive home the gravity of the moment for a country that remains drenched in the stain of racial injustice.

Glover will travel further than any Black person before him when the historic trip around the moon commences; but before takeoff, he’s using his spotlight to educate both his co-workers as well as fans of NASA on just how much this all means.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the 47-year-old California native said he likes to start at the very foundation of our country when elevating the consciousness of those who come to hear the national hero speak.

“I like to highlight Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3, the part [of the Constitution] that says all people are accounted for the purposes of taxation and representation but everybody else is considered 3/5 of the person—remember, that’s still in there,” Glover said of the reference made to enslaved Africans. “I encourage them to read the Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, the Paranoid Style in American Politics by Richard Hofstadter,” he said.

Glover’s trip will feature astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, who will become the first woman on the moon, according to the Los Angeles Times.

However, he knows that by virtue of his race, the moment reverberates further and much deeper than any other. “The exciting thing about being a first is that there is a prospect of there being a second, a third, and a fourth, and it actually becoming normal,” Glover said. “I really look forward to the point where it’s not remarkable that a Black man is exploring the solar system—or running this country.”

Glover already made history in 2021 when he was the first astronaut to live long-term aboard the International Space Station.

But in a year that followed the unjustifiable murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, the weight of knowing that the fight for equality was happening at a pivotal moment in his personal life was heavy for Glover. “It could’ve been me” is the message he said he tried to drive home for his co-workers.

With a deep understanding of the complicated space he must traverse—a very real fight on Earth for Black people and a momentous occasion to further deepen our knowledge of the unexplored parts of our solar system as a Black astronaut—Glover is navigating it with the past pushing him forward.

“I’m the fruit of the labor—and the seed for the next generation as well,” he said.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 23, 2023

Popeyes Restaurant Shut Down After Teen Employees Claim They Skipped Class And Worked Late

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Teenage employees of a California-based Popeyes forced the restaurant to shut down after accusing management of breaking state child labor laws.

Protests emerged last week after workers went on strike due to complaints that employees under 18, even as young as 13, were asked to work long hours past 10 p.m., the Los Angeles Times reports. Two employees, Johmara Romero, 17, and Karla Palma Mendoza, who recently turned 18, filed a complaint with the California labor commissioner and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, claiming violations at the Popeyes on International Boulevard in Oakland.

Romero and Mendoza are high school students and claim their manager would have them work for over six hours on school nights, sometimes without breaks. The 13-year-old listed in the complaint has allegedly worked more than 40 hours a week, as late as midnight on school nights. According to state law, children who are that age are not allowed to work on school days. According to a statement by the employees, their manager never asked for work permits, and one accused management of calling her in for a noonday shift, causing her to miss the rest of her school day.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the fast-food location. Kron 4 reports a spokesperson from Popeyes released a statement saying the location has been shut down immediately. “We will not tolerate any violation of employment laws and if any of these allegations prove true, we will take action against this franchisee.”

In addition to accusations of breaking child labor laws, this location has several work environment complaints. Because of the long hours, some employees say it has hindered their academic performance. They allege they have also been subjected to sexual remarks and safety issues. Back in February, a video of a physical fight between a staff member and a customer went viral.

Since their timely meeting in 2018, Christopher Watson and Aaron Steede, the founders of The Credit Bros, have been on a mission to help the underserved reach financial freedom. Their collaboration, using dual backgrounds in finance and engineering, created a platform for positive change in the Black community. Helping others is key, and for their clients, that “key” opens the door to a new house of their dreams.

A posting from CNN reveals, “More Americans own a home now than in any year following the Great Recession. But Black homeownership, at 43.4%, remains lower than it was a decade ago. And it is nearly 30 percentage points behind the white homeownership rate of 72.1%.”

The Credit Bros are up-and-coming leaders in the financial and credit services industry. They share a passion for uplifting others, and teaching people of color about having good credit and how to become homeowners. They are proud of their portfolio, which shows exponential growth in helping over 300 families attain homes by fixing their credit reports through factual disputing. The combined expertise of the Credit Bros is now touching customers in a global arena. They offer a time-tested affordable program with guarantees favorable results and instructs clients on how to get loans and balance their credit risk management. In addition, they provide services regarding budgeting and ways of maintaining and sustaining credit as a leverage to build wealth.

This dynamic team knows the number one reason most people cannot improve their credit is a lack of knowledge. Considering this, they travel doing speaking engagements to enlighten future homeowners and teach them what they have not been taught over the years.

Satisfied client Shemika Walker expresses how delighted she is with her Credit Bros experience. “So, I did a thing today. I became a homeowner. Anything is possible when you have God and the right team behind you.”

Credit Bros is on a trajectory of outstanding success while pouring back into the African American community. They host free education webinars that have taught thousands of people the principles of how to repair their own credit through their free credit group. According to them, “We are dedicated Black entrepreneurs thriving to make an impact and difference in our communities. Our goal and mission are to educate with finance and credit while helping clients improve their scores for home purchase, economic growth, and a better way of life financially.”

For more details, visit TheCreditBros.com

Shonda Rhimes has another hit television series under her belt as her new “Bridgerton” prequel series trumps the competition on Netflix.

Following its May 4th premiere, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story raked in 148.28 million in streaming hours and topped Netflix’s Top 10 chart, Variety reports. It reigned as the most viewed title in its first week of viewership.

Now, weeks later and the viewership hasn’t dropped! Last week, Queen Charlotte maintained its No. 1 spot as Netflix’s most-watched series after raking in another 158.68M hours viewed, Deadline reports. With more than 307M hours viewed since last week, Rhimes’ latest series is quickly becoming one of Netflix’s most popular series of all time.

Queen Charlotte closes out its first 28 days in another week, and so far, it’s gearing up for a top spot on Netflix’s most popular list alongside Inventing Anna, which sits at the No. 10 spot with 511M hours viewed in its first 28 days.

The only other show with those types of results is seasons 1 and 2 of Rhimes’ Bridgerton series. No one knows exactly how long Queen Charlotte will continue its dominance on Netflix, but it’s worth noting the series is only six hour-long episodes compared to the eight in Bridgerton.

This means the success of the prequel’s viewership thus far is fairly significant, considering all of the series that have made the all-time most popular list to date are at least eight episodes, including both seasons of Bridgerton. If Queen Charlotte does make the list, which it looks like it will, it will be a historical feat for Rhimes.

Fans of the Grey’s Anatomy creator recall her decision to leave ABC in 2020 after being denied an extra ticket to Disneyland. After ABC reps and an executive implied the Scandal creator should be happy with the tickets she had, Rhimes contacted her lawyer and told them to get her a deal with Netflix.

Now Rhimes is doing huge numbers on the streaming giant, and ABC execs are likely thinking about what could’ve been.

https://twitter.com/SheWRV/status/1660476295141113857?s=20

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Howard University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College are teaming up with non-profit, nicknamed ‘NEEL,’ to bridge the gap between higher education and underserved communities.

The National Education Equity Lab (NEEL) has created a nationwide initiative to give free courses for college credit to high schools serving large numbers of low-income students, Inside Higher Ed reports.

According to NEEL, teaming with HBCUs will bring a different perspective into the program as it focuses on increasing the socio-economic situation for Black and first-generation college students. Leaders at the colleges are looking at NEEL as a way to enhance their mission and scout prospects who didn’t initially consider college at all.

The courses are designed to help low-income high school students gain confidence with college-level work.

According to Forbes, the Lab works as follows: School districts that fit the criteria of serving low-income students are invited to participate; the opportunity is then presented to principals in Title 1 high schools, who hand-pick the high school teachers to assist the college faculty offering the course as well as the students. On average, 25 students participate in each course.

The courses are mainly offered to juniors and seniors. However, academically gifted sophomores have been known to participate.

The Lab began in 2019 with a Harvard course named “Poetry in America: The City From Whitman to Hip Hop” being offered to 25 low-income high schools in 11 different cities. Howard joined in 2020; Spelman and Morehouse are new to the program.

Howard professors teach courses on principles of criminal justice, college algebra and environmental studies and justice. They reach 1,915 students at 110 different high schools in 16 states and Washington, D.C., according to Inside Higher Ed.

Spelman College’s first course is The Education of Black Girls, with 50 students from four high schools in three states. Morehouse is starting to prepare a sociology course called Social Problems that will start in the fall and a professional communication course in the spring.

There are plans for an entertainment venue in Atlanta mirroring the concept of TopGolf, the nationwide entertainment and fun franchise venue focused on golf. 

According to Esquire Middle East, a TopGolf for basketball will be named JumpShot Live. Entertainment executive Jonathan Descartes, also known as “Brooklyn Johnny,” recently displayed a video clip on his Instagram account promoting the upcoming Atlanta spot.

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Garnering a wide range of social media comments expressing excitement the caption read, “This is really happening! I’m excited to be a part of this next level entertainment concept. We’ve put together a top notch team for this. Think basketball version of TopGolf. 🏀 🏀🏀 We’ll see you soon!”

 

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Brooklyn Johnny and Phil Handy, an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, are board members involved with JumpShot. They are also joining former NBA player Detlef Schrempf, a former All-Star with the Seattle SuperSonics. Other executives involved include Akhil Chandan, Jimmy Singh, Yusaf Babar, and former TopGolf CEO Ken May.

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In the video clip released, the venue will have a restaurant with a central bar, high tables, and spaces where individuals can access their basketball hoop.

According to The Sports Grail, the CEO of JumpShot, Akhil Chandan, started his career as a software engineer and has served as a software developer at Intuit, CTS Cement Manufacturing Corporation, Faithlife, Muze, and Expedia Group.

TopGolf now has 70 restaurants across the country, and with the same concept for a different sport, let’s see if the idea develops. 

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Meet Indya Thomas, a former teen mom, and her 17-year-old son Kamau, who are celebrating having graduated from Georgia State University together. Indya was told for years that would never be successful.

Elmo Desilva, a 45-year-old African American man from Clarkston, Georgia, has recently earned his high school diploma after years of working as a school custodian.

“It wasn’t easy. It was a struggle for a while. But looking back, I am very proud,” Desilva told NBC12.

Desilva, who works as a custodian at a local elementary school had been aspiring to become the head custodian but it required him to have a high school diploma.

Desilva’s potential was recognized by the school principal Stephanie Brown-Bryant, who guided him to enroll in the DeKalb County Adult Education Program.

“By having our staff members equipped with educational opportunities it lends itself to growth. Not just for them but for our school,” Brown-Bryant said.

After nearly 6 months of attending night classes twice a week, Desilva received his high school diploma as one of the 46 adults who were honored at a graduation ceremony organized by the school district.

“I hate to fail at something. I didn’t want to start and not finish. I didn’t want to disappoint my boss,” he said.

During his teenage years, Desilva was unable to graduate from high school due to the unstable living situation he faced with his parents who weren’t always around. He had to take on additional responsibilities for his younger siblings, delaying his own education.

“I had to make money to put food on the table and clothes on their backs as a young teenager. It just pulled me out of school,” he said.

Now with a high school diploma, Desilva has the opportunity to be promoted to head custodian, which would help him provide for his family, plan for retirement, and potentially open doors to further professional growth.

This news first appeared on blacknews.com.

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