Sha’Carri Richardson Starts 2023 With 3rd-Fastest 100-Meter Performance
Some in the sports world have stated that Sha’Carri Richardsonhas been underperforming as of late. She was expected to win just about every race that she was slated to appear in before her marijuana suspension forced her to miss the Tokyo Olympics. But, after her last competition, those expectations may rise again.
According to Runner’s World, Richardson got off to an excellent start in the 2023 track and field season. She won her first race of the season when she clocked in with an official time of 10.57 seconds – with a legal-wind time of 10.77 seconds – at the Miramar Invitational this past weekend.
With that calculation, without factoring in the wind component, it marked the third-fastest 100-meter race of all time, behind Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54 seconds) in 2021 and Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49) in 1988.
“What a stunning run from Sha’Carri Richardson who lays down a huge marker in April with a time of 10.57 (4.1m/s) to win the Miramar Invitational That converts to 10.77 with a legal wind #WorldContinentalTour“
1⃣0⃣.5⃣7⃣
What a stunning run from Sha’Carri Richardson who lays down a huge marker in April with a time of 10.57 (4.1m/s) to win the Miramar Invitational 🔥🇺🇸
This was Richardson’s first solo competition for the season. Last weekend, she made her season debut when she participated in the 4×100-meter relay at the Texas Relays. She helped her team finish in second place.
Last year, the ultra-competitive Richardson did not qualify for the finals of the 100 meters and 200 meters at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Because of those outcomes, she was eliminated from competing at the World Athletics Championships.
Things didn’t get off to a great start this year for the speedster, as she was ejected from an American Airlines flight. She was kicked off the plane in January after she got into an argument with a male flight attendant who she referred to as “John” in an Instagram video.
‘No Yelling, No Phones’: Florida Teacher Accused of Organizing Middle School Fight Club
A teacher in Florida is being accused of organizing fights at Griffin Middle School in Tallahassee.
WCTV says students were being allowed to fight in Angel Footman’s classroom. A school resource deputy received an alert March 24 and school administrators were shown videos to support the claim
School administrators were also shown videos to support the claims with alleged fights taking place between March 22 and 23.
Documents obtained by WSAZ 3 claim several sixth-grade girls told police they participated in fights planned during school hours and were invited back for more fights. Footman, 23, allegedly had rules, including “30 seconds, no screaming, no yelling, no phones,” heard on camera. She also told participants to “stop pulling hair.” A detective, who reviewed the videos, identified Footman sitting on her desk, failing to breakup the fights.
Documents also show there are no records of Footman reporting the fights to administrators.
More teachers are being involved with student related altercations. A teacher at Heritage High School in Georgia went viral earlier this year after a student started a fight with her. The incident was caught on camera showing the teen approaching the teacher, shouting and cursing, as she continuously told her she isn’t going to talk to her in any kind of way. The teacher responded, demanding the student to back out of her face.
With the teacher facing four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Footman told investigators she didn’t organize the fights at all, but admitted to failing to call for help, taking action to stop the fights, or reporting them to administrators.
Footman’s name appears in a Leon County Sheriff’s Office booking report, but online records indicate she was booked at the for the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office last Friday. She has since been released.
She is slated to be arraigned May 4 on the charges.
Marriott CMSO Julius Robinson Is Ushering in a New Travel Experience
A native of Newark, New Jersey, Julius Robinson is at the forefront of changing how we approach travel.
As chief marketing and sales officer for Marriott, Robinson is responsible for leading leads the sales, distribution, field marketing, franchise sales, marketing & revenue management support, and public relations and crisis communications for Marriott International.
With a career spanning nearly three decades, Robinson and Marriott Bonvoy are creating a total hotel and hospitality experience that meets the guests at various points by integrating products, services, and technology into their stay.
Robinson, who began his Marriott career in a call center as a Rutgers University student, has held various leadership positions with Marriott—from Global Brand Leader for Autograph Collection Hotels and Tribute Portfolio to Vice President of Global Sales and Brand Franchising,
He plays a pivotal role in the development and implementation of strategic priorities designed to yield profitable sales, increased market share, and expanded competitive advantage for more than 5,800 Managed by Marriott and franchised hotels.
The act of service
As a young man growing up in Newark, New Jersey, the church was a big part of his upbringing. “The New Jersey community is a big part of my life and the work I do in the hospitality industry,” he says. As a junior usher, Robinson began learning the act of service early on.
“Being an usher teaches you discipline, but also the act of service through greeting, helping people find their seats, opening doors, and shaking hands,” he explains.
From the moment you begin hotel shopping, there is a visual experience and a service experience expectation. Robinson adds.
“The hospitality industry takes a certain level of service and sacrifice of yourself to help others deliver on their expectations,” he says. “The goal is to provide an experience that meets needs at the beginning, throughout, and the end of a stay.”
Providing a personalized solution
Whether a guy or girl trip, wedding, business conference, AAU tournament, or a weekend getaway, there is something special about hotel stays.
Trip purpose plays a vital role in the way our hotel brands speak to customers and target messaging that will resonate at a personal level. Marriott hotels and brands are well known, and “our goal is to have a product that supports every single trip purpose you have. We really think about our customers not just based on who they are but their trip purpose.”
An example of this personalized experience is Marriott’s partnership with NCAA and travel. The diversity of the NCAA through sports, alumna, students, and fans creates an opportunity to serve people from global backgrounds.
“We service our world and provide a personalized approach with partners like the NCAA that align with the world,” he says. “The excitement and anticipation that comes with sports allow us to be creative and innovate through our Marriott Bonvoy program.”
Julius Robinson, chief sales and marketing officer, U.S. & Canada, Marriott International (left), with James Jones, men’s basketball head coach, Yale University
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Engaging Marriott on a global level, Robinson has an enlightened perspective on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Spending the appropriate time “understanding who people truly are, and meeting people where they are while having the ability to do business or build a relationship in their environment is essential in DEI,” adds Robinson.
The world has changed, and business travelers and guests present themselves in many ways. Robinson points out that “in its simplest form, our employee base needs to look like our customer base.”
Believing in the continuous efforts of Marriott’s diversity focus, Deborah Lee heads the social impact and inclusion committee.
“Bridging the Gap is Marriott’s financial contribution pledge of 50M to help women and minority groups become hotel owners by leading them through that process,” he says. On the campus of Howard University, the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership is “establishing innovative, and practical learning opportunities to expand the pipeline of highly qualified students to lead hospitality companies.”
Grooming Future Executives for Success
Robinson believes the confidence to show up as yourself is paramount for any future leader. “There is no reason to be someone that you are not,” he says. “Even if you are successful in trying to be someone you are not, ultimately you will not be.”
Building networks and coalitions are essential to all of our success and continues as we reach higher levels. In Robinson’s view, “success is not an individual thing, and you will need people to help you be successful.”
“People have to believe what you are saying and believe that you are committed to what you are saying,” he says.
Giants Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux Surprises Mom With New California Home
The mother of this NFL star is now extremely taken care of.
Waving goodbye to the alleys of California, New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, recently gifted his mother a new home, a gesture he hopes will inspire others.
In a video posted to Thibodeaux’s YouTube channel, the 2022 first-round draft pick rocked fresh cornrows and a clean shave, as he took viewers on a ride with him to surprise his mom.
“Join me in this heartwarming vlog as I give back to the woman who’s been my rock from day one,” Thibodeaux wrote in the video’s caption.
After stopping by his childhood home and granny’s apartment, Thibodeaux gave fans a tour of the new home his mother, Shawnta Loice, would be crashing at. “We’re here. I just bought my mom a house,” he said to the camera before his mom approached the porch with smiles that turned into tears.
“You put everything on the line every day just so, you know, that your family can be happy,” he said, handing his mom the key before recalling another experience growing up.
“When I was in high school, I had to live with another family,” Thibodeaux shared. “”After that, I went to college … Five years of my life I never had dinner with my mom. We never sat at a table with my family, we never had a place for all the family to get together for Christmas and for holidays when the time came. Now being able to provide that is a blessing.”
Loice will be enjoying her new home that includes a grand staircase, a kitchen with a large island, and a backyard with a basketball court, a pool with a waterfall, and a scenic view of the California hills. In the video’s conclusion, loved ones gathered to enjoy time together at his mom’s new crib.
“It started with a dream, turned it into a goal,” Thibodeaux said on Twitter. “Love you Mom, you deserve the world! #assetsoverliabilities Thank you @Giants for believing in me!”
Mother Kidnapped in in New York, Killed in Virginia Shootout Between Police and Alleged Kidnapper-Former Boyfriend
A woman in New York was kidnapped on her birthday and ended up dying in a police shootout involving her ex-boyfriend.
According to People, Tatiana David, who celebrated her 34th birthday last Wednesday, was kidnapped that morning by a former boyfriend from her Ithaca, New York, home.
She died in a shootout with police officers in Virginia when her alleged abductor, Michael Davis, engaged i a shootout with police as he was trying to flee the scene. It isn’t known whether she was killed by Davis or police officers.
David and Davis, 34, are the parents of a 4-year-old child. Davis is presently hospitalized in critical condition.
According to NBC News, a witness saw David being taken by Davis and called the police to report..
“An endangered adult alert was then issued statewide by New York State Police and the New York State Intelligence Center with information about the victim, suspect and vehicle. A command post was established at State Police Ithaca and a search initiated,” police stated in a release.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m. the vehicle the two had been riding in was seen crossing into Virginia on Interstate 495, police said. At about 9:40 p.m., Virginia State Police were summoned to a Jeep Cherokee traveling south on Interstate 95 in Fairfax County, Virginia State Police said in a statement.
“The vehicle had an improper registration—the wrong license plates were displayed on it—and was wanted out of New York for an alleged abduction of an adult female earlier in the day,” police said.
Davis was pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and the trooper “identified the driver as the wanted abduction suspect. As the trooper walked back to the Jeep to further investigate, the Jeep sped away. A pursuit began. Davis hit a guardrail but continued to drive southbound. He drove off the right side of the road In Prince William County and crashed into the woods.
Troopers reportedly approached the SUV, and Davis started shooting at the officers, who returned fire.
“David was located deceased outside the vehicle at the crash location with an apparent gunshot wound. Her cause of death is pending investigation and an autopsy is scheduled for later today,” Virginia State Police said.
No police officers were injured in the shooting, according to Virginia State Police.
Call Them Out: California Judge Releases Names Of 17 Police Officers Accused of Racism
What happens in the dark always comes to the light and a California judge is making sure of it.
Contra Costa County Judge Clare Maier, after issuing a warning, released the names and text messages of 17 Antioch police officers who are suspected of using racist epithets, jokes and memes to the public. Maier said the inappropriate discourse started in September 2019 and continued until January 2022, when FBI agents seized the officers’ phones along with other personal items.
“I’ve had my eye on Antioch for a long time,” civil rights attorney Adante Pointer said last week, according to the East Bay Times. “This is proof-positive what people who have been watching Antioch already knew—that it is full of officers who do not deserve to wear the badge.”
The disgraced officers include Rick Hoffman, head of the Antioch Police Association. Hoffman, who has been vocal in his criticism of Antioch mayor and police reform advocate Lamar Thorpe, is one of eight Antioch officers on leave because of the details of the messages.
Six other officers’ alleged criminal activity is already being looked at by the FBI: Devon Wenger, Eric Rombough, Andrea Rodriguez, Calvin Prieto, Morteza Amiri, and Tim Manly.
Maier did not specify what each officer sent out, although she described the messages as “deeply disturbing” and directed toward “members of the Black and Hispanic community.”
Investigators accused Rombough, Manly, and fellow officers Jonathan Adams, Scott Duggar, Joshua Evans, Robert Gerber, Brock Marcotte, and Thomas Smith of mentioning four alleged Oakland-based ENT gang members in texts sent over a 10-day period in March 2021, when Antioch police were listening in on the suspects’ conversations.
“It’s no wonder why the public has lost faith in law enforcement,” said Pointer, “and why we see Black and Brown people overrepresented in the criminal justice system when the people administering it are racist.”
Contra Costa County courts will determine whether or not the messages are sufficient enough to drop any charges brought against people the officers were investigating. That includes anyone the officers mentioned explicitly in the texts and any Black or Latino person investigated or detained, since they have room to claim that they faced racial discrimination.
Since January, Lanez has hired new attorneys which has resulted in delays when it comes to deciding how much he will serve of the possible 22 years he currently faces. He could also face deportation to Canada once released.
NBC News reported that, according to Deputy Los Angeles County District Attorney Alexander Bott, Lanez’s legal team wants to raise new issues. Another court date was scheduled for next week.
The case stems from an altercation between Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, and Meg Thee Stallion, real name Megan Pete, in which the former fired shots at the latter following an argument that occurred after a party in Los Angeles.
“I couldn’t walk for a while,” Megan Thee Stallion testified. “I still have nerve damage. I can’t really feel the side of my left foot. The back of my feet are always sore, but I just push through it.” Lanez did not testify on his own behalf, though he did release an album refuting her claims.
Lanez’s new attorney, Matthew Barhoma, now claims that erroneous evidence was entered into the original trial including forensic testing that “raises concerns,” Instagram posts that were submitted late into evidence as well as prejudicial photos of Lanez’s gun tattoo.
The prosecutor’s office filed a response to the appeal last week, stating that the motion lacked substance and that the guilty verdict should stand. Included its response was a statement from Lanez’s former attorney, Shawn Holley, who oversaw his defense before withdrawing from his legal team amid rumors of a bribery attempt on Kelsey Harris, a key witness and the former best friend of Meg Thee Stallion.
“The evidence presented at trial was properly admitted, and the defendant’s claims of errors and violations of his constitutional rights are without merit,” the prosecution’s filing said. “The verdict reached by the jury was based on credible evidence and was supported by the law.”
Appalling! GOP Legislators Threaten To Cut Funding If Expelled Rep. Justin Pearson Is Reinstated
Politics in Tennessee have gotten real messy.
After Democratic leader, Rep. Justin Pearson was expelled for participating in an anti-gun violence rally, his GOP opponents have now allegedly threatened the district he represents. HuffPost reports legislators have threatened to cut funding if he’s reappointed. Pearson, who represents parts of Memphis, was expelled from the Tennessee state House of Representatives last week, alongside fellow Democratic colleague, Rep. Justin Jones.
Rep. Gloria Johnson also participated in the anti-gun violence protest on the House floor following the school shooting in Nashville. Johnson, who is white, wasn’t voted out.
“I think that it is appalling that leaders in Nashville would actually threaten other elected officials in Shelby County with the removal of funds from our county if they follow the Democratic process of reappointment,” Pearson said. “It is a testament to the type of culture that we’ve been dealing with, with the supermajority of the Republican legislature in Tennessee.”
Legal counsel, including former U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, have warned GOP legislators about the retaliation. In a letter sent to Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-TN), Democratic lawyers say Pearson and Jones were expelled “not for any criminal or unethical act, but for merely exercising their constitutional rights,” according to Common Dreams. “In so acting, the House Republicans not only wrongfully stripped these representatives of their rights as duly-elected legislators but also disenfranchised the voters they were elected to represent.”
After winning a special election to the seat in January, Pearson has been the subject of drama. He was ridiculed for wearing a dashiki on the Tennessee House floor. Republican leaders tweeted “if you don’t like rules, perhaps you should explore a different career opportunity that’s main purpose is not creating them.”
All hope isn’t lost for the young leader. The Chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners announced that a special meeting will be held to determine whether Pearson will be reinstated to his District 86 House seat.
After scoring a major win, the 19-year-old Louisiana State University basketball champion continued to receive her flowers, thanks to her hometown, Savannah, GA.
The intersection at Abercorn St. and W. Montgomery crossroad will soon bear Johnson’s name in honor of her national championship title, her humanitarian efforts within her community, and as “one of the nation’s youngest female hip-hop and athletic ambassadors,” according to a house resolution. She was also named the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year Award.
State Representative Carl Gilliard is a proud sponsor behind the resolution recognizing a “more than deserving” person. He told the news outlet that the recognition had been in the works since the beginning of the year.
“The intersection that people on the south side of Savannah, all over Savannah and look at Flau’jae Johnson and say this is something that’s named after her,” Gilliard told Fox 8.
“We see streets, we see bridges, we see honors that are given to people that deserve it and I think she’s more than deserving. And I think you’ll see she’ll continue to give back to her community.”
In addition to her basketball career, Johnson appeared on the third season of the Lifetime reality show, The Rap Game, and season 13 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, where the young star received the golden buzzer.
Reportedly, Johnson has gone on to work with Boosie Badazz, landed a deal last year with Roc Nation, and is looking toward a feature with Lil Wayne. As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, she’s even caught the attention of Executive Vice President at Columbia Records Abou “Bu” Thiam, who praised Johnson for being “a real rapper.”
According to Gilliard, Johnson has also been busy pouring time, energy, and inspiration into the kids.
“I’ve watched her give back into her community from every element of going to talk to kids in schools when she was in school. I’ve watched her run the Keep Savannah Beautiful campaign. I’ve watched her giving to the Frank Callen Boys Club. Who can write a check for $10,000,” Gilliard said, per WTOC.
Fox 8 reported that Johnson will be recognized at an event on July 22nd and a naming ceremony is expected to follow a few days later.
What In The World? Dalai Lama Apologizes For Asking Young Boy To “Suck My Tongue” In Video
In today’s “weird” news, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama apologized after a bizarre and inappropriate request to a child was caught on camera.
ABC 7 reports the Dalai Lama, 87, was seen kissing a child and asking him to “suck my tongue.” Drawing instant criticism, he released a statement to “apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.”
The DL”s team claims he does things like this all the time.
“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras,” the statement read. However, critics are saying this is too much.
Rapper and mother of two, Cardi B, took to Twitter to express her concern when it comes to child predators. “This world is full of predators. They prey on the innocent. The ones who are most unknowing, our children,” she wrote.
This world is full of predators. They prey on the innocent. The ones who are most unknowing, our children. Predators could be our neighbors, our school teachers, even people wit money ,power & our churches. Constantly talk with your kids about boundaries and what they shouldn’t…
“Predators could be our neighbors, our school teachers, even people with money, power & our churches. Constantly talk with your kids about boundaries and what they shouldn’t allow people to do to them.”
The incident happened in February during a public gathering at the home of the spiritual leader – Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamsala.
The Dalai Lama was taking questions from the audience when the boy asked if he could give him a hug. According to TMZ, this isn’t the first time the exiled leader has made headlines for the wrong reasons. In 2019, the Nobel Peace Prize winner apologized for saying a potential female successor “should be more attractive.”
