Students at a high school in Georgia are taking a stand to wear what they want.

Two students from Effingham County High School and one from Effingham College and Career Academy filed a civil rights lawsuit after the district banned students from wearing clothes with Black Lives Matter messaging.

The 12-page lawsuit, obtained by WBTW, claims the ban places a “deliberate indifference to acts of racial animosity” toward Black students attending the schools. It also outlines how certain administrators went the extra mile in “an egregious pattern of deliberately ignoring complaints.”

The students parents’, Lakeisha Hamilton and Tauretta McCray, filed the suit under their names, saying it violates their children’s freedom of speech.

Hamilton said the ban is part of a continuous pattern.

“The N-word was written on a locker. The baseball coach had found it. He reported it to administration,” Hamilton told WBTW. Hamilton’s son plays for the baseball team, but she said parents didn’t find out about the incident until December 6.

The lawsuit names several other instances including a Black student being turned away at a football game because of the Black Lives Matter shirt being worn. At the same event, a white student entered with a shirt saying “Stomp on My Flag; I’ll Stomp Your A**.” There have been nooses hung on campus, confederate flags and apparel allowed as well as a teacher approved Hitler costume worn by a student.

It gets worse. Reportedly, there is a video of Effingham County students mocking George Floyd’s death.

Hamilton complains that these incidents show “total disregard for the feelings of Black and especially Jewish students, and there was no consequence to be had, because like I said, [the student] had been given prior approval to do it.”

The lawsuit states that “the school’s dress code and disciplinary policies create an atmosphere where certain viewpoints including white nationalism and white supremacy are permitted but speech of an ideologically different viewpoint is expressly prohibited,” according to The Hill.

The plantiffs aren’t going in without a fight. They want a trial by jury as well as an investigation of the Georgia-based school district by the U.S. Department of Education. The hope of the students and their parents is the court seeing how the school district violated the student’s rights under the Civil Rights Act and Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.

They also want the court to issue a permanent injunction, requiring the school district expunge the incidents from the plaintiffs’ school records. The Hill reports that the district has yet to be served.

“Once we have been served, a response to the allegations will be filed in accordance with the rules and procedures of the court,” said Effingham County School District superintendent, Dr. Yancy Ford, who is also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit. .

From college hoops to a Russian jail cell, the life of basketball star Brittney Griner is being told in a new comic book from TidalWave Comics.

Griner is part of the publisher’s Female Force series that celebrates women with inspirational stories.

Griner was arrested on Feb. 17 at an airport outside Moscow for carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. She was subsequently convicted of drug smuggling and later transferred to one of Russia’s most notorious penal colonies before being released in a prison swap in December.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star, said she plans to return to her WNBA team.

Writer Michael Frizell said they began working on the comic book before Griner’s arrest and had a focus on “her growth as an athlete and person.” Adding that he “found Brittney’s story fascinating despite not knowing much about the WNBA.”

Frizell hopes readers understand “the person behind the headlines.”

The comic book will be released Jan. 18 in print and digital form.

(Reporting by Alicia Powell; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Pensole Lewis College (PLC), in partnership with The Capri Holdings Foundation for the Advancement of Diversity in Fashion (Capri Foundation), announced a masterclass to introduce students from historically underrepresented communities—including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—to career paths in footwear and accessories design.

The PLC x Capri Foundation masterclass is part of the $20 million pledge made by Capri Holdings Limited, parent company to luxury brands Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors, to the Capri Foundation in support of its mission of advancing equality and promoting long-term change in the fashion industry.

“We are honored and excited to participate in this important initiative to educate and diversify an industry that has been supported by communities who historically have been left out of the product creation process,” PLC founder and President Dr. D’Wayne Edwards said.

“This is a major step in the right direction.”

Sixteen students were selected to participate in a five-week accelerated footwear and accessories design masterclass beginning today; tuition and living expenses will be funded by the Capri Foundation. The masterclass curriculum will stem from a design brief co-created by PLC and the Capri Foundation and will feature a number of guest speakers from the Capri Holdings, Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors design, retail management, communications, and recruitment teams. The curriculum aims to provide valuable insight and unrivalled mentorship to participating students and will culminate in a workshop with Sandra Choi, creative director of longtime PLC partner Jimmy Choo.

“I have enormous admiration for the opportunities D’Wayne has created to support the future generation of creative talent in footwear and accessory design, Choi said. “Education is power, to be able to play a part in providing an essential step in the learning journey of these talented students is a privilege.”

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand owner, development and entertainment platform, announced that it has partnered with Allen Iverson to further develop his brand.

Through the partnership, Authentic will focus on growing Iverson’s entertainment business, securing new endorsements and strategic partnerships, as well as consumer products that are as electrifying and original as the man himself.

Early in his career, Iverson’s outspoken nature and winning mentality earned him the nickname “The Answer,” which became the foundation for his longstanding relationship with Reebok. Through Reebok, which it acquired in February 2022, Authentic has an inherent link to Iverson who is in the 26th year of his lifetime partnership with the brand.

“Authentic and I share a commitment to being number one and accepting nothing less,” said Iverson. “Our shared values and their relentless drive to disrupt the branding industry make Authentic the ideal partner to take my brand to the next level.”

Iverson is one of the most celebrated and sought-after athletes in the world. His confidence, original style and impact on the game have cemented his everlasting influence on culture. Iverson’s position as a style icon will serve as a building block to expand his brand in partnership with Authentic.

Authentic has a proven track record of building and elevating the long-term value of iconic athletes, personalities and brands. With Iverson, it will take a similar approach by tapping into the power of his global influence to galvanize his personal brand.

“Allen is a Hall of Famer and one of the most recognizable basketball players of all time,” said Marc Rosen, President, Entertainment, Authentic. “A trailblazer both on and off the court, Allen paved the way for professional athletes today and we see significant opportunities to build on that success.”

Spanning 14 seasons and seven All-NBA teams, Iverson had a long-term tenure with the NBA. He is regarded as one of the best scorers in NBA history, is an 11-time NBA all-star, won Most Valuable Player in 2001 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Losing a loved one is never easy, especially when it’s unexpected.

Divorce Court Judge Lynn Toler was dealt a blow when she unexpectedly lost her husband Eric “Big E” Mumford after 33 years of marriage in January.

According to Toler, she assumed they’d still have “a lifetime to go.” Leaning on friends and even social media fans she opened up online about her loving spouse and sang his praises for being a man who “loved hard and always tried to do the honorable thing.”

In return, people prayed for her and her family and the outpouring of love gave Toler the comfort she needed to navigate the grieving process.

Toler, 63, took to social media to share that it’s the love that continues to carry her through and thanked her friends, family, and fans for being “so kind and understanding” as she used social media to mourn out loud.

“You’ve been so kind and understanding, but I think I am at a place where I no longer need to share the dark out loud on a platform,” Toler began.

“I went on Widow TikTok the other day and almost lost my mind,” Toler shared.

“I’m all for sharing and caring but after a while, if all you see is hurt it’s harder to get through it. At least for me. I absorb others angst.”

She continued, “But before I reposition, I wanted to share this one last thing. I got comments from more than a few folks praising me for speaking so positively about my husband. They say it speaks well of me, in stark contrast to “modern women” who just bash guys.”

Toler went on to explain that her husband was a “high-value man” deserving of her adoration and she shared a clip from a previous The Breakfast Club interview where she talked lovingly about Big E.

For now, the next move for the mother of six is to continue sharing her light with her fans.

“Next posts I will be back to my normal corny self,” Toler proclaimed.

“Thank you all so much for helping me get through the holidays. Everything you said and did. Every mattered Every helped. Every sad thing I posted helped me along this journey. I appreciate that so many of you read them.”

While Mumford’s cause of death has not been revealed, Toler has received an outpouring of support from fellow celebrities such as Viola Davis and Tamar Braxton.

P&G Beauty and Mielle Organics®, a popular textured hair care brand rooted in natural ingredients, announced today that it will join P&G Beauty, pending regulatory approval, further expanding access to healthy hair products and services for Black women around the world.

Founded by wife-and-husband duo Monique and Melvin Rodriguez in 2014, Mielle Organics has become a leading brand for consumers with textured hair through innovative, technology-driven products, natural ingredients, and inspirational and educational content.

Mielle will continue to be led by co-founders Monique and Melvin Rodriguez, as CEO and COO, respectively, and will operate as an independent subsidiary of P&G Beauty.

“From the moment we stepped into P&G, we saw a diverse team of leaders who share our values and vision for innovation, education and community empowerment, including several Black leaders who play a key role in the hair care and beauty businesses,” said Monique Rodriguez, co-founder and CEO. “This partnership gives Mielle an opportunity to serve more textured hair consumers with the great products and formulas that our community loves.”

“Today is a remarkable moment for our brand and for the climb of Black entrepreneurs everywhere as we collectively continue to break barriers and accelerate the opportunities for growth,” added Ms. Rodriguez. “I am thrilled that we will make an even greater impact in how we give back to the community.”

Mielle and P&G have each committed $10 million to Mielle Cares, a non-profit aimed at providing resources and support to advance education and economic opportunities in Black and Brown communities. P&G’s investment in Mielle Cares further expands its work in advancing gender and racial equity through award-winning platforms like My Black is Beautiful and Widen the Screen.

“We founded Mielle Cares to give back to our community who has been so instrumental in the success of Mielle,” said Melvin Rodriguez, co-founder and chief operating officer for Mielle Organics. “Mielle remains committed to leading with purpose and impact and serving as a beacon in historically underserved communities. Expanding our impact in Black and Brown communities will become an even greater focus in the years ahead.”

The news caps an impressive period of growth for Mielle. Over the last three years, Ms. Rodriguez was able to secure funding from the New Voices Fund for Women of Color and a subsequent nine-figure investment from Berkshire Partners at a time when less than one percent of Black women secured $1 million in funding.

“This moment was made possible by our hardworking team, the visionaries who came before us, and the trust and partnership with investors like New Voices and Berkshire Partners,” said Ms. Rodriguez. “Now we can pay it forward by continuing the cycle of investment and mentorship through Mielle Cares.”

“Monique, Melvin and their entire team have done an incredible job building Mielle Organics into a leading hair care brand beloved by millions of Black women, and we’re excited to help them continue their success,” said Lela Coffey, vice president of P&G’s multicultural hair care business. “P&G Beauty’s role will be to support the Mielle Organics team with what they need to achieve their vision – including increased access in Black and Brown communities and investing in research and innovation – while enabling the core tenets of their success to continue as they are today.”

“P&G Beauty is a best-in-class organization, and we are excited that this partnership will bring additional resources so that Mielle can continue to serve our incredible customers with rapid innovation and greater reach in the community,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “Melvin and I will continue to lead Mielle with the focus on excellence, customer commitment and integrity that have been the core of our brand since day one nearly nine years ago.”

• News

by Kia Morgan Smith

January 11, 2023

‘Raging Mad’: Residents Livid Over Viral Video of Business Owner Viciously Spraying Water on Homeless Woman

---

An unsettling video of a man dousing water on a homeless woman outside of a restaurant has gone viral — and it’s been a nightmare for the San Francisco business where the video was shot.

In the clip that’s been viewed over 3.6 million times, a man identified as Collier Gwin can be seen viciously spraying water on a woman while yelling and pointing at her to move while she tries to talk back to him.

Many took to the comments to call the act “beyond cruel” and “disgusting,” slamming the man for his actions.

This is horrible. This awful man is spraying a homeless woman down with a hose. You can hear her yell “Help Me!”

Does anyone recognize him? Is he affiliated with Barbarossa Lounge? This is inhumane and inexcusable.

Shout out to @briochessf for posting the video. pic.twitter.com/3ZKeRP4gar

— (((BrokeAssStuart))) (@BrokeAssStuart) January 10, 2023

“I just went from zero to raging mad,” one comment said.

Many eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Gwin was standing in front of Barbarossa Lounge, suggesting he may be employed at the eatery.

The restaurant clarified in a statement that the man was in no way affiliated with their business.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Barbarossa Lounge SF (@barbarossa_lounge)

The clip was recorded by a man named Edson Garcia, who works next door at a cafe and shot it as he drove by and heard screaming.

“Sometimes you can do more with one video that you telling the community what’s happening through the city. Sometimes you do that to remind the people who we are,” Garcia told local news station KRON 4.

In a second video, Gwin doubled down on his actions and tried to justify the incident by inferring that the woman had been acting violently.

I just went down and confronted him during an interview with the chronicle pic.twitter.com/BMuQMJaoHl

— Darren Mckeeman 🐀 (@tjcrowley) January 10, 2023

Gwin is the owner of the Foster Gwin Art Gallery, which is located nearby the restaurant where the incident occurred.

Coalition on Homelessness executive director Jennifer Friedenbach told KRON 4 that the woman was offered to be brought to a shelter. San Francisco Board President Aaron Peskin explained via social media that his team is “well acquainted” with the woman and that they have been “trying for many months to get her support.”

Actor Michael B. Jordan is ready to sell the farmhouse-style home he purchased less than a year ago and wants an extra half-million than he paid for it.

The Creed III star listed his modern farmhouse-style mansion located in Encino’s affluent Royal Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles for $12.9 million, The Dirt reports. Jordan purchased the stylish home for $12.5 million last year.

The home was built in 2021 and now comes with $500,000 in upgraded security and air-conditioning systems the Black Panther star added during his tenure in the home, as noted by The Wall Street Journal. The 12,300-square-foot home has three levels that can be accessed by elevator.

Other amenities in the lavish home include a 20-foot-tall pivoting front door, a plush soundproof movie theater, a gym/spa room, a temperature-controlled wine room, and a wet bar. The home comes with eight bedrooms with the master bedroom, including a fireplace, private balcony, and dual walk-in closets and bathrooms.

The half-acre outdoor space includes a pool and another spa, a fire-pit area, a barbecue and bar station, another fireplace with a cabana, a two-story guesthouse, and a separate mini structure Jordan used for massages.

Aside from the Encino home, Jordan also owns a home in Sherman Oaks he purchased in 2015 for $1.7 million. This is the second home he’s listed in recent months after selling the Hollywood Hills bachelor pad he purchased from TV host Daisy Fuentes in late 2019 for $7 million.

It’s suspected that Jordan is only selling the home to change up his living arrangements rather than a financial come-up, Architectural Design reports. Jordan was dating socialite Lori Harvey at the time he purchased the home last year.

The actor and model split last June with Harvey remaining unbothered while outsiders suspected the cause of the breakup. Harvey has since moved on and is rumored to be dating actor Damson Idris, Daily Mail reports.

This story originally ran on Dirt.com, which has more photos. Press play below for a video tour of the home courtesy of Homes on Demand.

Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph attended the Golden Globes on Tuesday where she won Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series.

Ralph was nominated for the award alongside her Abbott Elementary co-star Janelle James. But despite the two co-stars both being nominated for the same award, Ralph wanted to make it crystal clear that she is not “competing” against Janelle or anyone!

BLACK ENTERPRISE was on the red carpet for the 80th Golden Globe Awards and asked Ralph about competing for Best Supporting Actress alongside her co-star. But that’s when Ralph set the record straight.

“I’m not competing against one of my co-stars at all!” Ralph quipped.

https://twitter.com/kiamorgansmith/status/1613145046928293893?s=46&t=-9a40H5Jwxj2pgFoATPu8w

Ralph continued to express her gratitude to be among a group of celebrated Black actresses, like Viola Davis who happened to be walking by while she was explaining herself.

“There is no comparison there is no competition,” Ralph said. “It’s just a placement from God and I’m happy to be a part of a group that’s known as ‘the best in the world.’ And you see Viola Davis walking behind me, Amen!”

The bold response highlighted Ralph’s humility and appreciation for those who have fought to follow their dreams. The veteran actress received praise for her acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards last year, Variety reports.

The original Dreamgirls star opened the speech with a cappella rendition of “Endangered Species,” by Dianne Reeves.

“I sing no victim song,” she sang to the live audience. “I am a woman, I am an artist, and I know where my voice belongs.”

Sheryl Lee Ralph just gave the most moving acceptance speech in #Emmys history. #AbbottElementary pic.twitter.com/IvNdXQx94o

— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) September 13, 2022

“To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like,” she said. “This is what striving looks like, and don’t you ever, ever give up on you.”