‘Life Is A Precious Gift’: Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Celebrates 25th Birthday After Near-Fatal Injury
Damar Hamlin is celebrating a new year of life and we love to see it.
The Buffalo Bills safety is relishing life after a near fatal injury during a January regular season game almost sidelined him for good.
“Life is a precious gift. it’s a blessing to see another birthday. I can’t begin to explain the feelings,” the athlete wrote on Instagram, alongside a slideshow of personal photos, two days ago. “(And) even if I could, you probably still wouldn’t know the half.. But ima enjoy this one a lil extra today!” He continued, “I know my purpose of why I’m here & I’m aligned focused & only answering to my higher calling. Thank-You To All For Every B-Day Wish!”
Hamlin was in critical condition earlier this year after having made a hit in the first quarter of Monday Night Football in Cincinnati against the Bengals. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the Bills said at the time, referring to the University of Cincinnati’s Level 1 trauma center.
An outpouring of support and prayers flooded social media and both teams concluded that the game be postponed to allow players to recover from seeing the traumatic event. After six days at the University of Cincinnati Health Center, Hamlin was on a plane back to New York to continue his recovery.
“Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart,” Hamlin said in a tweet at the time. “Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling.” At the time, Hamlin was raising funds for a charitable organization and toy drive he started after college in his hometown of Pittsburgh, with hopes of raising $2,500 for the holidays.
The donations topped $3 million following his injury.
We’re happy to see Damar Hamlin alive, healthy, and thriving.
‘Healthy, Happy Hair:’ Oyin Handmade Partners with the University of Maryland Medical System for Equitable Hair Care Initiative
Nursing leaders at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) found a shortcoming in meeting the haircare needs of patients of color as some of its organizations care for as many as 70% of Black patients.
Jamyla Bennu, co-founder of personal care company, Oyin Handmade partnered with UMMS to provide haircare products to patients with textured and curly hair to address issues of diversity, equality, and inclusivity for patients across the Maryland Medical System.
Through the initiative, spearheaded by nurse leader DoRhonja Nichols, DNP, RN, Director of Critical Care & Behavioral Health Services at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, Oyin Handmade provides travel-sized versions of its best-selling products to their eleven- member hospitals. The high-performance products featuring food-grade ingredients, offers clean formulas that specifically cater to patients with highly textured, curly and coily hair.
Bennu shared details of the partnership’s commitment with BLACK ENTERPRISE, and its effort to improve patient experience for the well-being of the communities.
Tell us about your background and what led you to entrepreneurship
As alifelong naturalistaandingredient–conscious consumer, Ibecameinterested in this field when I couldn’t find commercially available natural and organic products for my highly textured, natural hair. In 2001,I started handcrafting moisture–rich solutions for myself as a hobby, then sharing with family and friends. In 2003 while working as a freelance web designer and content creator, I created a website to share my hair and body treats with other members of the online natural hair community. The business grew organically from there and Oyin Handmade was created! We are sohonoredto be part of the early wave of themillennium’snatural hair movement which has helped shift cultural expectations and industry standards around textured hair care worldwide.
Explain what your initiative does for patients of color
This initiative ties together our longstandingcommitmentto provide high- quality products for healthy, happy, highly textured hair, and theHospital’sinternalcommitmenttoinclusionand improved patient experience. Up to70% of the University of Maryland Medical Systempatients are Black, and making texture–sensitive personal care products available to themduring their stay is a remarkable way to helpthem feel seen and cared for during their healthcare journey.
What sparked the idea to fill this unique gap in the marketplace, providing natural hair products in a medical setting?
We’d been working for a few years toward expanding our line into hospitality and industrial settings because we saw a need that wasn’t being addressed.Many folks with highly textured hair (ourselves included!) are long accustomed to either traveling withour own hair products or opting for longer–term protective styles when traveling because we know the available amenities will not be appropriate for our hair type. When UMMS reached out to us for consideration in their initiative, we were thrilled. The hope is that it removes one smallthingfrom their patients’ list of things to think about while receiving care. We honor this commitment to inclusivity on the part of the hospitalsystem andare so excited to be a part of this initiative.
Why did you choose to partner with the University of Maryland Medical Center?
With our longstanding Maker roots, we are proud to be a self–manufactured personal care brand and to be made in Baltimore, a majority–Black city with such an inspiringindustrial and African–American cultural legacy.It wasespeciallymeaningful to partner with such an important anchor institution in our region.The University of Maryland Medical System’s team contacted us as a part of a twofold initiative:there was the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiative they wanted to implement for their patient population, and ideally,they wanted to go with a locally produced supplier that was either a women–owned and/orBIPOC owned company, to support the DEI initiativeon the supplier side as well. We checked all of thoseboxes andwere nimble enough to customize several of our formulas to be appropriate for a healthcare setting. It’s been an incredible opportunity for our business.
What do you hope this partnership achieves in terms of the relationship between patients of color and healthcare personnel?
This partnershiprepresents anew growth edge for the personal careindustry becausehospitals are starting to recognize that self–care and personal care can also be a part of health care. Anecdotally, we’ve heard from multiple health care providers about the unofficial work they often do to provide this care on their own– bringing in their own hair care products and tools toassist patients with their personal care when needed. It. is our hope that more of these resourceful care providers are supported by their institutions with the resources they need to continue providing this ‘whole–patient’ care.
How do you hope to expand on your initiative to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusivity for patients of color?
Our slogan is‘healthy, happy hair’–the idea is really baked into our brand, so being able to be a part of someone’s healing journey is huge for us. We aim to continue growing ourteam and utilizing our new production space to open the door to our community, showcasing how we self–manufacture to create inclusive products for everyone.
Full-sized Oyin Handmade products such as the Honey Wash Shampoo, Honey Hemp Conditioner and Hair Dew Leave- In Conditioner, along with combs, brushes and hair picks, are available for purchase at oyinhandmade.com, amazon.com, select Whole Foods stores across the country and the flagship Oyin Handmade store in Baltimore, Maryland.
A South Carolina Woman Files Lawsuit Against BBQ Chain That Is Known For Practicing Racism
A South Carolina woman has filed a lawsuit against a barbecue chain allegedly known for its racist beliefs and practices.
According to The Associated Press News, A Black woman, who has not been named, filed a lawsuit saying that Jeff Harrison, manager of Maurice’s Piggie Park BBQ, located in Columbia, South Carolina, coerced her into a sexual relationship after promising her a raise, which he paid.
AP News reports that the woman quit her job at Piggie Park BBQ after Harrison became more “threatening” and “irate” when she decided to decline further sexual advances.
Last month, Damien Wooden, who is also a former Black employee at Piggie Park BBQ, filed a lawsuit accusing Harrison of leaving racial slurs and threatening messages on a voicemail after Wooden asked him to stop harassing the Black woman, AP News reports.
In a statement to ABC Columbia News, Lloyd Bessinger, president of Maurice’s Piggie Park BBQ, said the establishment “does not condone or accept any sexual or racial behavior.”
“When I heard of Mr. Harrison’s behavior I fired him imminently. We are a local family business that supports the community by providing jobs & great BBQ for 60 years,” Bessinger said to ABC Columbia News.
Also according to AP News, Piggie Park has an ugly history of racism. The outlet reports that in 1964, a waitress at Piggie Park refused to serve two Black customers. Piggie Park’s owner, Maurice Bessinger supported not serving the Black customers. A lawsuit was filed, and a federal judge ruled against Bessinger.
AP News adds that the U.S. The Supreme Court called Bessinger’s argument of religious freedom “patently frivolous.”
Also, in 2000, at the height of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor protests, Bessinger was against South Carolina law calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol, according to AP.
The lawsuit by the unnamed woman is claiming negligent supervision and accusing Harrison of “intentionally inflicting emotional distress, assault and battery.
Who Said That?: Kanye West Recants Antisemitic Remarks, Says He Likes Jewish People Again
Kanye West, who now goes by the moniker “Ye,” has returned to social media to right his wrongs.
Many may remember when the 45-year-old rapper went on an antisemitic rampage, spouting hateful comments that caused him to lose a multimillion-dollar deal with sportswear brand ADIDAS and Balenciaga, GAP, and Foot Locker—and subsequently his billionaire status. West’s Yeezy brand was one of the more popular and profitable collaborations between the brand and a celebrity partner, with ADIDAS reportedly losing a great deal of revenue—to the tune of 1 billion dollars—in their decision to split ways.
The 21-time Grammy Award winner’s change of heart was spurred by a rewatch of the 2021 film 21 Jump Street starring Jonah Hill, who is Jewish. In a post, which has already garnered 2 million likes, West said, “no one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that hatred towards millions of innocent people.” He said that Hill’s performance “made me like Jewish people again” before sending the actor a heartfelt “I love you.” West has been pretty silent since his last appearance on InfoWars in December 2022, in which he praised Adolf Hitler. The “Heard Em Say” rapper was also suspended from Twitter after sharing a photo of the star of David combined with a swastika.
Though West has been out of the spotlight for most of 2023, he’s been busy making changes in his personal life. After finalizing his divorce from Kim Kardashian, West has a new Mrs. In January, he married Bianca Censori, a former YEEZY employee, in a non-legally binding ceremony. On several occasions, the pair have been seen out with West and Kardashian’s eldest child, North; however, there’s no word on when she’ll spend time with the former couple’s younger children, Saint, Psalm, and Chicago.
FBI Seized $40,000 Savings From Couple, Two Years Later Still No Word On Why
Two California residents are seeking answers in a two-year battle with the FBI.
In March of 2021, Linda and Reggie Martin had their $40,000 savings taken during a raid of the Beverly Hills, California branch of US Private Vaults, in which the government agency seized more than $86 million in cash, as well as jewelry and gold, from 1,400 safe-deposit boxes. According to court documents, of the hundreds of people said to be affected by the seizure, none of them were suspected of crimes.
The couple, who learned about the raid by watching the local news, have waited two years for answers. “The FBI took my savings nearly two years ago but has never told me why,” Linda Martin said in a press release. “It’s been a confusing and frustrating process from the day my money was taken. No one should have to go through this.” According to The Institute for Justice, which is representing the Martins in this case, “They were just supposed to identify owners so they could claim their property, but the FBI instead acted on its months-old plan to search and try to forfeit the contents of any box worth more than $5,000.”
After the raid, the FBI did notify box owners that “the government wanted to take their property forever, even though they were not named in the indictment against the company.” Linda Martin was left “utterly bewildered,” per the press release. In her formal lawsuit, filed on March 7, she is suing the FBI for violating the Fifth Amendment, which requires the government to provide specific factual and legal reasons for forfeiture. Bob Belden, a lawyer with the Institute for Justice, said: “The government shouldn’t get to take your property if it can’t tell you what you did wrong. Using civil forfeiture, the government decides for itself whether to take and try to keep property, even when it doesn’t suspect the owners of any crime.”
In September 2022, District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled that the federal agents responsible for the raid did not violate search and seizure laws. US Private Vaults, the bank in question, shut down following the raids and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder drug money charges.
Los Angeles Chargers’ Sebastian Joseph-Day Says He Was Sexually Assaulted By TSA Agents
The Los Angeles Chargers Sebastian Joseph-Day has accused TSA agents of sexual assault.
The defensive end took to his Twitter account to accuse TSA employees at John Wayne Airport in Santa Anna, California, of “dehumanizing and sexually assaulting” him.
“I really just got sexually assaulted by TSA at @JohnWayneAir. After I asked the gentleman to please stop BC I’m uncomfortable and I feel that this part of the check is unnecessary (After he felt what was needed). Then they told me I was the problem after 3 TSA agents swarmed me.”
Joseph-Day added: “I’m all for people doing their job well, But it was extremely unnecessary and dehumanizing. I travel a lot, for personal and work reasons. I’ve never experienced anything like that @JohnWayneAir.”
I really just got sexually assaulted by TSA at @JohnWayneAir. After I asked the gentleman to please stop BC I’m uncomfortable and I feel that this part of the check is unnecessary (After he felt what was needed). Then they told me I was the problem after 3 TSA agents swarmed me.
After becoming aware of Joseph-Day’s accusations of sexual assault, TSA released a statement to Fox News.
“We are looking into the matter to determine if our procedures were followed and whether any corrective action needs to be taken,” officials said, according to Fox News.
“TSA remains committed to treating every traveler with dignity and respect while carrying out its security screening responsibilities,” the statement continued.
Joseph-Day won the 2021 Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. According to Complex, in 2022, he signed a $24 million contract to play with the Charges for the next three seasons.
TMZ reports that Joseph-Day was drafted out of Rutgers University in the 2018 NFL draft, adding that he has started in 54 games, complete with eight sacks and 193 tackles.
Beyoncé and Balmain Release Couture Collection Inspired by ‘Renaissance’ Album
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is definitely on a new vibration with her latest fashion venture.
The Grammy Award-winning artist recently partnered with luxury fashion house Balmain to release a new collection inspired by the singer’s latest studio album, “Renaissance.”
According to People, Knowles-Carter, 41, co-designed the couture collection alongside Balmain’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing, and her stylist Marni Senofonte. The collection features 17 avant-garde pieces inspired by the 16 tracks from the performer’s album.
“I was sketching and sketching as I listened, and sometimes you can’t control the emotion of your sketch. And I started to imagine the sketches inside her album, how they would relate to the songs and the lyrics—it wasn’t something I was supposed to be doing, but I was just inspired by the music to do it. And that’s how this started,” Rousteing told Vogue.
The collection, completed within five months, marks a historic moment in fashion.
“This appears to be the first time that a Black woman has overseen the couture offering from a historic Parisian house. And those designs were created in partnership with the first Black man to ever oversee all the collections at a historic Parisian house,” Rousteing said.
“Thank you @olivier_rousteing and @balmain for bringing RENAISSANCE to life in couture,” Knowles-Carter wrote in an Instagram caption alongside the collection’s visuals. “Designing alongside you was freeing—thank you for allowing me to celebrate the human form, to take artistic risks, to push boundaries and to freely express myself,” she added. “To the @voguefrance team, thank you for trusting in our vision and sharing it with the world.”
Reportedly, Knowles-Carter dropped hints about the collection on multiple occasions. She teased the “Virgo’s Groove” design during her 2023 Grammy win celebration and the “Pure/Honey” design at the BRIT Awards when she flaunted the black-and-white sequin jumpsuit featuring a latex corset, furry sleeves, and zebra-printed headpiece.
Philly Residents Issued Water Advisory After Delaware River Chemical Spill
Philadelphia residents have been encouraged to stock up on tap water over bottled water after hazardous materials spilled into the Delaware River.
WHYY PBS reports officials from the Philadelphia Water Department told residents the water in the city would continue to be safe to drink through Monday at 11:59 p.m. Officials gave this order to Bucks County residents “out of an abundance of caution” after no contamination in water was found at the city’s Baxter Water Treatment plant.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the plant will take in new water overnight, which must be tested to determine its safety. To prevent worry similar to water outages in other states, Deputy Managing Director for the city’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability, Mike Carroll, says filling bottles up with tap water is fine for now. “There’s no need at this time for people to be rushing out and buying bottled water,” Carroll said. “If they want to store water, they should store water from their tap in a bottle or pitcher and they can stick it in their fridge or refrigerator and it will be fine for them to drink.”
However, it may be too late for that. With all the updates, the lines of communication may have been crossed. After a news conference announcing the city’s initial advisory, plenty of worried residents left the store shelves bare, as officials warned they might want to switch to bottled water around 2 p.m. Residents took to Twitter to showcase the chaos. “Whoa, real March 2020 vibes in my ’hood right now,” one user tweeted.
Whoa, real March 2020 vibes in my ‘hood right now. Saw people with ten cases of water leaving Acme, telling people walking in to “hurry!” because bottled water is going fast. My 7/11 line is people buying by the gallon. “We’re almost out,” the cashier said. https://t.co/AqRW9eWJVypic.twitter.com/obkAeZp94L
One of the chemicals spilled was butyl acrylate, the same chemical from the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. “We cannot be 100% certain there will not be traces of these chemicals in the tap water throughout the entire afternoon,” Carroll said.
Possible Tunnel Connected To The Underground Railroad Discovered Under Pennsylvania Art Gallery
A sewer looked at as old and rusty could be a piece of important history.
The Merrick Art Gallery in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, claims the brick tunnel, dated from the 1800s, may be a route of the Underground Railroad used by Harriet Tubman. Michelle Long, director of the Merrick Art Gallery, tellsUSA Today more research is needed, but it’s possible. “We are not positive, but we do think it may be related to the Underground Railroad,” Long said. “We’d have to prove it a bit more, but in my heart and mind, there’s a connection.”
The discovery comes a few days after the gallery announced a free Underground Railroad Walking Tour hosted by the New Brighton Historical Society. The event, scheduled for later this year in September, will showcase borough sites that provided safe havens for the slaves who risked everything to find freedom in the United States north. Museum officials hired Debo & Son Excavating to replace the sewer line after The Merrick suffered sewer line problems a week before.
After the ground was dug up, an employee mentioned while at the gallery on another job about 40 years ago, he said employees discovered a tunnel and immediately notified museum representatives. However, they were told to finish the job and refill the dirt.
It wasn’t until Long became the director in 2021 that it was decided the tip was too important to ignore. “So, after they were done with the sewer project, we started digging where we felt it might be,” Long said. They found the tunnel to be 5-foot-tall, reaching a length of about 150 feet. “There was a church back there at one time, and the foundation of that church would have butted up against the tunnel. So, it seems pretty convincing.”
According to The Times, the small Pennsylvania town holds sites like James Edgar’s house, which played a significant role in housing slaves, serving as an inn. “At this stop, fugitives often dressed as Underground Railroad conductors’ servants were secretly led through the tunnel to Edgar’s cellar and then transferred to an available ‘safe house,'” reads the sign outside the site.
Judge Joe Brown Contemplates Defamation Lawsuit After Sheryl Lee Ralph Alleged Inappropriate Action From ‘Famous TV Judge’
Last week, after actress Sheryl Lee Ralph accused a “famous TV judge” who “rammed his nasty-ass tongue down” her throat earlier in her career, a former TV judge came out to defend himself, although she never named the judge.
Judge Joe Brown took to his Twitter account after Ralph interviewed with Angela Yee on her Way Up With Angela Yee radio show, recalling when an unnamed judge forcefully kissed her in the mouth earlier in her career.
The Abbott Elementary actress did not mention a name nor description of who she was referring to, but Brown came out to defend himself in a Tweet.
“There’re false rumors being spread that I mistreated a certain lady ≈ 25 yrs ago I categorically deny both the accusations & acquaintance with the lady. Those rumors started with certain identified parties & spread They ought ‘Cease & Desist’ or contemplate a Defamation Action.”
There’re false rumors being spread that I mistreated a certain lady ≈ 25 yrs ago
I categorically deny both the accusations & acquaintance with the lady
Those rumors started with certain identified parties & spread
They ought ‘Cease & Desist’ or contemplate a Defamation Action
The Abbott Elementary actor appeared last week on Angela Yee’s radio show, Way Up With Angela Yee, recalling a situation that mortified her—sharing her experience with an unwanted advance that studio executives witnessed. She did not go into detail about who, when, or where the incident took place. She did make sure to state that the judge she was referring to was not Judge Greg Mathis.
“I’m at a very public place. I was suited. I had my suit on. I was handling my business for the television show I was on at that time. He and I were on the same network. This man walked in, grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around, and rammed his nasty ass tongue down my throat,” Ralph alleges. “And everybody at the network saw it.”
She also stated that she reached out to the then-mayor of New Orleans, Marc Morial, and he suggested calling the police, but a network executive stopped her.
“Somebody at the network tapped me on the shoulder; they said, ‘Please don’t,’” Ralph recalled. “Do you know that they did not want any bad press around their show and did not care what had just happened to me?”
As she continued speaking about the incident, she said the executives told her it “wasn’t really that bad.”
“That’s the kind of stuff that happens. That’s what happens; that’s what makes it hard for women to speak up about these things.”
