Dear Mama: Tyronn Lue Says His Mother Has Not Worked Since He Began His NBA Career
Tyronn Lue has been laughed at and in memes probably more than he would like, thanks to the famous stepover by Allen Iverson during Game One of the 2001 NBA Finals.
That’s cool. It happens. But Lue’s mother hasn’t worked since he began his NBA career.
The former Los Angeles Clippers head coach joined The Pivot podcast, where he shared his path to the NBA and how he was able to make his mother’s life easier.
“When I got drafted, my mom and grandma they ain’t work another day of their life,” Lue recalled on The Pivot. “They’ve been getting a check for 25 years, every month. That was a blessing for me to be able to take care of them and to see where we come from and all the struggles we had of being poor.”
Lue began his high school career at Mexico Senior High School. But for his sophomore season, Lue moved to Kansas City, where he became a star hooper at Raytown High School. His domination on the court won him a full scholarship to Nebraska. As a Cornhusker, Lue’s squad won the NIT championship in 1996. The 6-4 guard finished his college season with 432 dimes, 1,577 buckets, 145 3-pointers made, and 154 steals, according to Andscape.
Also, during The Pivot interview, Lue spoke about his financial adviser pointing out that he was spending a lot of money on family members. Lue told The Pivot that he disregarded the advice.
“I said, ‘Man, I’d rather be broke. I don’t want to be rich and my family be broke,” Lue said. “I’d rather be broke as long as they’re successful and as long as they’re happy, then I’m OK.’ They did a lot raising me. If you just see all the things they did for me to get to this point. I owe them everything. I’ve made a lot of money. I’m secure with my money. I don’t have any kids so it goes to my family.”
Lue played 11 years in the league, winning two NBA championships with the Lakers. Before taking over head coach duties for the Clippers, Lue served as head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
White House Tells Agencies to Reconsider In-Person Government Work Plans
The White House on Thursday is issuing new guidance to federal agencies to revise government workforce plans as it aims to “substantially increase” in-person work by government employees at headquarters offices, according to a memo seen by Reuters.
The memo to executive branch agencies from White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Shalanda Young directs agencies to refresh work environment plans and policies.
“Consistent with trends over the last two years, plans should reflect the expectation that agency headquarters and equivalents generally continue to substantially increase meaningful in-person work in Federal offices,” the memo said.
President Joe Biden on Monday signed legislation ending the three-year COVID-19 emergency. Many of the 2 million civilian federal employees began working remotely in March 2020 but about half were required to remain in-person throughout the pandemic.
OMB Deputy Director Jason Miller said in a blog post, “the guidance we are releasing today directs agencies to refresh their Work Environment plans and policies — with the general expectation that agency headquarters will continue to substantially increase in-person presence in the office — while also conducting regular assessments to determine what is working well, what is not, and what can be improved.”
He said the directives are also aimed at improving “customer experience and services — whether in-person, via phone, or online — so that the American people can easily and efficiently access critical government services.”
How Jayce’s Journey Is Tackling Stigmas And Educating Others On The Reality of Living With Autism
Meet Deidre Price, a mother who birthed a movement out of her determination to get her son the support he needed following his autism diagnosis.
About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Recent CDC research found that autism is more common in Black children than in other ethnic groups.
As Autism Awareness Month rolls on, stigmas and misunderstandings surrounding the disorder continue to impact adults and children from all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
Established in 2022, Jayce’s Journey Inc. was created out of Price’s vision and due diligence once her son Jayce was diagnosed with autism at two years old. Jayce is non-verbal and communicates through American Sign Language (ASL).
“At the time, I didn’t personally know very many people who were dealing with autism or any sort of special needs for the most part,” Price told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The determined mother got Jayce, an aide specializing in the DIR Floortime therapy approach. Jayce’s aide accompanies him to school and regularly attends speech and occupational therapy sessions with him.
Price notes the tremendous improvements Jayce has made after recently starting biomedical treatment, an evidence-based holistic approach to testing and treating the underlying behavioral and psychological symptoms of autism.
With Jayce’s Journey, Price is dedicated to supporting children and individuals with autism and/or developmental delays through early intervention services, education, and access to resources. She spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about using her personal experience to fuel Jayce’s Journey.
“I went through a really sad time because I was terrified of what this meant for him,” she explained. “I had absolutely no tools, no information, and no one to help me navigate this new life that we were suddenly faced with.”
“As I began to deal with it privately I started to see that autism was way more common than I had realized and unfortunately, the people who were dealing with it, especially people of color, weren’t talking about it,” she continued.
After realizing all the “stigmas and shame attached to disability,” Price took action.
“Early intervention is key when dealing with autism,” she said. “The longer you wait to acknowledge and seek help, the more of a disadvantage the child has because valuable time is lost.”
Price wasted no time setting an “aggressive therapy schedule” with Jayce to get her son the help he needs, building a supportive village, and inspiring other families to do the same.
Mark Gunter for Jayce’s Journey Inc.
“No doctor ever gave me a single tool to help me even know where to start,” Price revealed. “All of the information I received was from other parents experiencing the same struggles that Jayce and I were facing. We came together and built our own support system, and I wanted to take it further and share that with the world so that we can not only advocate for our children but also educate people around us as well.”
With Jayce’s Journey, Price hopes to help raise awareness, educate the masses, and help break stigmas and misunderstandings about those living with autism.
“There’s many misconceptions when it comes to autism because oftentimes the individual deals with associated developmental delays,” Price explained.
“People think that a child with autism isn’t smart or can’t learn certain things when the truth is they just learn differently; and actually, because their minds work differently, they can, in many cases, absorb information in a way that a neurotypical person can’t.”
Price continued: “Their restricted interests can actually result in mastery in many instances. Yes, they can be socially awkward, but I’ve met some of the sweetest and most loving children on the spectrum because of their ability to feel so much more deeply.”
“People think once you get a diagnosis there’s no hope and it’s the end of the world but in reality, it’s a piece of paper that allows you to now demand resources that you’re by law entitled to. With hard work and dedication, we can overcome many obstacles that we’re faced with. Yes, it will be challenging; I never want to negate the fact that it’s a constant uphill battle, but it can be a beautiful journey if you embrace it and do the work.”
When it comes to biomedical treatment for autism, Price wants to make it clear that it’s not a “treatment” for autism; it just helps some of the common symptoms associated with the disability.
“Biomedicine is not a treatment for autism,” she said. “It’s a treatment for some of the common symptoms of autism.”
“90% of people with autism have gut issues,” Price explained. “Your gut is your second brain so treating your gut is like treating your brain.”
“A lot of their behaviors can be directly linked to their gut health, so it’s a way to address it from the inside out. When we receive the diagnosis, we’re told it’s a mental health disability and advised to do ABA [applied behavior analysis] therapy.”
Price also experienced doctors who overlooked or ignored necessary lifestyle changes impacting Jayce’s health.
“We found out that Jayce was highly sensitive to gluten, egg, dairy, and soy. Why didn’t any doctor ever look into this?” she quipped. “His diet was extremely restricted, and pretty much everything he ate had gluten or egg in it, so how much pain or discomfort was he living in every single day and I had no idea. We took it out of his diet and saw an immediate improvement in his eye contact and social engagement.”
Since the launch of Jayce’s Journey, Price has hosted a Sneaker Ball Gala that raised funds for autism awareness. But she has a goal of raising more funds to continue her movement.
“We want to raise the money to implement a few programs this year such as an essential relief program that gives financial support to families in need,” Price shared.
“In addition, we want to develop a mental health program that provides therapy services to caretakers of children with autism.”
There are also goals to develop a music program, a biomedicine treatment and consulting program with Dr. Netsy Mulugeta, and 1:1 consulting to help families explore a medical approach to treating the underlying symptoms of autism.
“We’re in the early stages of fundraising and can use all the support that we can get,” Price said.
New Report Shows Women Aren’t Comfortable Asking for Salary Increases, Employers Most Likely Won’t Honor Their Request
The gender pay gap is not equal until it’s nonexistent.
Nowadays, women are more likely to come into positions with equal or higher credentials than men. However, a fair distribution of pay may still be questionable. In a 2023 survey conducted by Pew Research Center, data showed more women avoided the conversation of a pay raise with their employer than their male counterparts.
According to the report, 42% of women were more likely than 33% of men to say they were uncomfortable asking for higher pay. Researchers found that 38% of women who requested an increase in their salaries were only given the employer’s initial offer, compared to 31% of men who asked for higher pay.
“Even though women have increased their presence in higher-paying jobs traditionally dominated by men, such as professional and managerial positions, women as a whole continue to be overrepresented in lower-paying occupations relative to their share of the workforce,” Pew research associate Carolina Aragão wrote. “This may contribute to gender differences in pay. Other factors that are difficult to measure, including gender discrimination, may also contribute to the ongoing wage discrepancy.”
A 2023 report from Payscaleshowed there is no equal pay for equal work when women’s salaries are compared to their male counterparts. “In 2023, for every $1 that men make, women earn $0.83 when data are uncontrolled. This is one cent nearer to closing the gender pay gap compared to last year,” researchers wrote.
In 2022, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on a study from Payscale that revealed Black women are being paid the least compared to other groups, even as the gender pay gap is closing. “When data are controlled for compensable factors, Black women have the widest gender pay gap ($0.98),” the study showed in comparison to the rate of $1.03 recorded for Asian women.
Researchers added that pay gaps widen for Black women as they advance in their careers. “All women of color except for Black women start out with controlled pay equity relative to white men at the individual contributor level, but as they progress up the corporate ladder, the gender pay gap widens,” researchers wrote.
Angela Basset, Beyoncé, Michael B. Jordan, and Brittney Griner Among Time Most Influential People of 2023
Angela Bassett is receiving more flowers as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023.
Tina Turner scored the excerpt for Bassett’s placement on the list and recalled how impressed she was by the budding film star when they met ahead of shooting her 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It.
“Angela, the first time we met, you didn’t look, sound, or move like me—that came later after you worked so hard to make it happen,” Turner wrote. “But even then, I could see that the young woman standing before me had strength, determination, and big, big dreams, just like me.”
Recounting how “perfect” Bassett was for the role, she praised the acting veteran for turning the role into her own rather than trying to replicate the music icon.
“She’s perfect,” I said, and I was right. You never mimicked me,” Turner shared.
“Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.”
Others who made Time’s coveted list include Houston natives Beyoncé and Brittney Griner. It’s not Queen Bey’s first time on the list, as she topped the Time 100 in 2014.
DJ, producer, and electronic musician Honey Dijon penned Beyonce’s excerpt that took readers back to Bey’s performance of “Crazy In Love” at the 2003 BET Awards.
“Her performance embodied the legacy and culture of Black artists from Josephine Baker to Tina Turner, James Brown, and Prince,” Dijon wrote. “The way she commanded the stage and led her band was transcendent. That performance secured her place in the pantheon as one of the greatest Black female artists of our time.”
WNBA alum Sue Bird wrote the except for Griner and spoke of her “resilience” on and off the court.
“BG spent nearly 10 months in Russian prison, wrongfully detained, but never lost hope or her sense of humor,” Bird said.
“She was BG, through and through, throughout her horrible ordeal.”
“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler penned Michael B. Jordan’s piece and applauded the actor’s successful directorial debut in Creed III.
“With this year’s Creed III, he took on a new role—feature-film director—and handled it with aplomb,” Coogler wrote. “I knew he would. Because directing is a working person’s game.”
The Time 100 celebrates 100 individuals each year for their meaningful contributions to art, innovation, leadership, and more. Those listed have a celebratory blurb written by a big-name contributor, which adds to the coveted slot.
The list highlights notable authors, comedians, sports stars, and other influential figures. Others on the 2023 list include Doja Cat, Rowvaughn Wells, Steve Lacy, and Hakeem Jeffries, among many more.
Jamie Foxx In Recovery After Being Hospitalized For ‘Medical Complication’
Jamie Foxx is on the minds of many after his daughter released a statement revealing the “medical complication” that sent the Hollywood star to the hospital.
Jamie’s eldest daughter, Corinne Foxx, took to Instagram on Wednesday to alert fans to her famous father’s recent health scare.
“We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday,” Corinne wrote.
“Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery. We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. “The family asks for privacy at this time.”
Details surrounding Foxx’s health complication remain a mystery, with sources confirming the issue was serious enough to land him in the hospital, TMZreports. On Thursday, reps said the Academy Award-winning actor, 55, “is doing a lot better,” and doctors are still trying to figure out what happened to him.
Jamie reportedly experienced a “medical emergency” that sent his family flying into town to come to his aid.
“He’s communicating now, and that’s good news,” a source said.
The health scare came one day after Foxx was photographed in Atlanta on the set for his upcoming Netflix film Back in Action. The film also stars Cameron Diaz, whom Foxx was able to convince to come out of retirement to appear in the movie.
But recent reports claim the long work days might’ve prompted Diaz to retire again after the film is completed. According to insiders, Foxx had an “absolute meltdown” on set that resulted in three people being fired, Daily Mailreports.
“These back-to-back 10-hour workdays have been a lot on her, and she hates being away from Raddix [her daughter],’ the source said. “Cameron loves being a mom more than anything in the world.”
Survey: Nearly 50% Of Former Employees Have Hacked Their Company Accounts
Experts predict cyberattacks against small businesses are expected to grow this year. That makes it an issue entrepreneurs need to be aware of and should take action to help combat.
This report reveals that 43% of such attacks focus on small businesses. Simultaneously, research shows that the concern is a big deal for several reasons. They include that breaches can become a very expensive problem for small and medium-sized businesses to fix without the resources of larger companies. It can also create a loss of productivity, hurt customer relationships, and even lead to business closure.
According to this, a surge in cybercrime is expected to boost spending on cybersecurity products and services to a whopping $1.75 trillion between 2021 and 2025.
And now, new details show that many companies do not take sufficient preventive measures to shield their establishments from former employees hacking their accounts.
Last month, a survey of 1,000 U.S. employees by PasswordManager.com found that 47% admitted using employers’ passwords after departing. Over 1 in 4 are using passwords to access paid subscriptions; only 1 in 7 declare they have been caught using former company passwords.
Some 10% say they used past employers’ passwords to disrupt company activities. And 56% reported they could access the accounts because passwords had not changed since their departure. Another 44% stated an existing employee provided them with the passwords.
Daniel Farber Huang, CEO of the EchoStream Group, a strategic consulting firm specializing in privacy issues, shared with Black Enterprise how small businesses, including Black businesses, can be especially vulnerable to misuse of passwords by ex-employees. The unauthorized activity can occur in many ways, including via email and subscriptions.
As such, he says business owners need to think about managing potential risks. For instance, if a former employee is using a former company’s paid service, they are, at a minimum, subject to incremental costs that the company incurs. If there are per-user license fees a former employee takes advantage of, then the company is impacted directly, even in insignificant amounts.
“Alternatively, if an ex-employee is maliciously trying to hurt the company, that’s a whole other scenario that can have frustrating, expensive, or even devastating impacts to business owners.”
He noted that employees at smaller companies commonly have a wide range of responsibilities, meaning a person may have access to multiple systems or information sources. He suggests that business owners at least should communicate clearly and in writing to their employees what proper standard of conduct the firm expects of everyone about cybersecurity, including the owner.
Huang added that companies must clarify what is considered proprietary information, how it should and should not be used, and what the employee’s responsibility is to handle it appropriately. “It’s best to present that to employees when they join the company to set expectations and explain it to existing staff. This behavior should be formalized in standard operating procedures.”
He explained one of the most important things managers can do to help avoid risks from ex-employees is not to create disgruntled employees in the first place if possible.
“Technology is one way to solve this problem, but many times I would say mutual respect and communication go even further in preventing difficult situations like these.”
Grandmother of 8-year-old Sophia Mason Who Was Found Dead, Sues Alameda County Alleging Child Services Didn’t Do Their Job
It has been over a year since Sophia Mason was found dead in the bathtub of her mother’s and her mother’s boyfriend’s residence.
The 8-year-old’s grandmother has filed a lawsuit against Alameda County, claiming social workers failed to investigate several child abuse claims made within the 14 months before her death.
According to Yahoo News, the young girl was reported missing in March 2022 by an aunt who was suspicious about not seeing her niece since 2021. A few days later, Merced Police found the girl’s dead body in a locked bathroom where the child stayed with her mother, Samantha Johnson, 31, and her mother’s boyfriend, Dhante Jackson, 34. Reportedly, Mason had been dead for about a month when officials located her.
Johnson and Jackson were arrested and taken into custody at Merced County Jail on charges of murder and child abuse.
As the couple awaits an evidentiary hearing scheduled for early June, Johnson has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“Her mother had a difficult life and perhaps some mental or intellectual disabilities, but she did not display a great amount of interest in Sophia for most of her life,” Carly Sanchez, an attorney for the grandmother, Silvia Johnson, said. “So grandma stepped in to take care of her and raise her.”
“The family and the grandmother are horrified to be in this position,” Sanchez added. “Their goal and their focus throughout this entire process has been to make sure that this does not happen to other children in Alameda County.”
Reportedly, Mason’s grandmother, who had custody of her from ages one to seven, filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) last month.
The Mercury Newsreported that Hayward investigators disclosed that Mason suffered sexual and physical abuse. According to hundreds of pages of new records released by the court, the girl was malnourished while in the mother’s care, who reportedly took Mason back from the grandmother to live with her and Jackson. The lawsuit alleges that DCFS received child abuse hotline referrals within a few weeks of Mason’s return under the mother’s custody. The referrals reportedly advised DCFS that the child was being abused and neglected while in her mother’s care.
“Despite the fact that Sophia was disclosing abuse, the county did nothing to help her,” Sanchez alleged. She added that law enforcement has refused to release the coroner’s report or autopsy to the family, citing the pending criminal case.
Americans Who Survived Being Kidnapped By The Mexican Cartel Share Horrific Details of the Encounter
Members of the group kidnapped in Mexico earlier this year are speaking out to tell their story.
LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams sat down with CNN for an in-studio interview with Anderson Cooper to describe the horror they experienced when they were kidnapped by a Mexican cartel while traveling for a medical appointment in Matamoros. Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, who were abducted with them, were killed.
Happening in broad daylight, the four friends were ambushed by armed men shortly after crossing the US-Mexico border. Investigators believe the Americans were mistaken for Haitian drug smugglers. Williams remembered driving and suddenly hearing a car horn behind them. Brown looked back, saw a gun, and warned the others not to stop the car. “They didn’t deserve that. None of us deserved it. But we’re alive – we have a lot of recovering to do,” Washington McGee said. Williams recalled jumping out of the driver’s side of the car when someone began beating on the car window with a gun.
“That’s when I was shot on both legs.”
Both survivors mentioned Brown and Woodward still being alive as they were dragged onto a pickup truck. They were then driven to another location for interrogation. “That’s where Shaeed said, ‘I love y’all, and I’m gone.’ And he died right there,” Williams said, fighting back tears.
Things got weird once they were alone with their captors. Washington McGee remembered one of the cartel members watching their kidnapping video on his phone, which he showed her. They also tried to force the two to have sex—even though they are siblings. Once they realized the story wouldn’t change, the crew attempted to treat Williams for his wound, stitching it up while his leg was propped up on a two-by-four.
Washington McGee tried to fight back tears as she remembered her last encounter with Brown, who was fighting for his life. “I just told him I’m sorry because I asked him to come with me,” she said. “He was like, ‘It’s OK. I’m your brother; I’m supposed to be there for you. I love you.”
Since the horrific incident, the cartel has sent a letter to authorities apologizing for their violent actions.
While there, Houston was asked to “set the record straight” regarding how he met his wife, whom he married in 2020 when she was just 19 years old.
“She was 19 when we got married,” Houston said, in a clip captured by No Jumper. “She was 18 when we started dating.”
“A lot of misconception out there about, a lot of people tried to twist her age online and make it seem like she was born a year earlier when she wasn’t,” he continued.
“She’s 22 going on 23 and you know she keeps me young and fresh,” he quipped.
“We have a love that people don’t really understand. And I don’t really care to explain it. It is what it is.”
But his response only reignited the backlash the “Clubbin” singer has received since his appearance on TV One’s “Uncensored,” where he first opened up about his and his wife’s nearly 20-year age gap.
“Me and my wife’s situation is a little different. How we met through mutual friends and everything like that,” Houston said on the show. “When I met my wife, she was 17. So, we had no real conversation, no real connection until, you know, she was of age.”
