The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) appears to be cracking down on Chris Brown’s animal dealer Jimmy Wayne Hammonds.

The government recently revoked Hammonds’ Animal Welfare Act license for an entire year. This decision,  announced January 6, follows PETA’s complaint filed against Hammonds, also known as “The Monkey Whisperer,” to the USDA. Last month, the nonprofit organization brought up a list of Hammonds’ crimes, including his March 2022 conviction for violating the Endangered Species Act and Lacy Act, in court documents.

The Endangered Species Act combats threatening the safety of animals and their environment, while the Lacy Act prohibits individuals from selling and transporting them illegally. One of the listed facts in the complaint reads, “Permitting the respondent to continue to hold an AWA license would be contrary to the Act’s purpose of ensuring humane treatment of animals because the respondent has been found to have violated the Lacy Act and ESA, and state or local laws or regulations all pertaining to the transportation, ownership, or welfare of animals.”

The document also stated PETA’s administrator called for Hammond’s license to be “terminated” because he was abusing his power. “Respondent’s actions constitute an abuse of the licensure privileges of the AWA. As a result, the Administrator has determined that the renewal or continuation of the respondent’s license would be contrary to the purposes of the Act and that said license should be terminated.”

 

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Hammonds pleaded guilty after selling a capuchin monkey to Brown for over $12,000, despite the primate being critically endangered and illegal to own in California. Hammonds could face up to eight years in prison. 

In an Instagram post, Brown first showed the capuchin monkey (named Fiji) he purchased for his daughter Royalty Brown in 2017. At the time, the “Loyal” singer almost found himself in trouble with the law after it was revealed that Brown didn’t have the proper permits to own the monkey. After the discovery, law enforcement took Fiji out of Brown’s California home.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 11, 2023

Tragedy: North Carolina Father Kills Wife, Three Children in Murder-Suicide Attack

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A husband and father has killed his wife, kids, and himself in a gruesome murder-suicide attack.

On Monday, police identified the man behind the murder-suicide as Robert J. Crayton, 45, a father and husband who fatally shot and killed his wife, three children, and himself on Saturday at their home in the 2700 block of Mossy Meadow Drive, High Point, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Athalia A. Crayton, 46, and Kasin Crayton, 18, were fatally shot. The other victims were 16 and 10-year-old minors whose names weren’t released. Two other people who were inside the home escaped and alerted neighbors to call 911 after seeing them flee the home while screaming for help.

Police released a statement on Monday saying they are “still investigating a motive” and noted past disturbance calls made from the home.

“High Point officers have responded to this address five other times since 2014,” police said.

“Prior to this weekend’s incident, the most recent call to the home was January 3, 2022, when officers served an involuntary mental commitment order.”

Neighbors said they were woken up Saturday morning by two people banging on their doors and ringing their doorbells, asking for help from someone who was trying to kill them, Fox 8 reported.

“The man said that it was his father. He woke up, and there was a gun to his head,” a neighbor said. “Somehow he pulled the magazine out of the gun, and they escaped.”

Guildford County Schools released a statement in response to the tragic deaths of three of their students.

“It is with deep regret that we inform you about the recent loss to our school community of an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old student who attended Ragsdale High School, as well as a 10-year-old student who attended Union Hill Elementary School,” the statement said.

“We are heartbroken and our thoughts are with the family. District crisis teams will be at both schools throughout the week, and the district stands by to assist the family in whatever ways they need.”

This is the latest in a string of murder suicides that have made media headlines in recent months. Experts with Northeastern University say family mass killings make up 45% of 415 mass shootings since 2006.

Karen Hatcher, CPM®, CEO of Sovereign Realty + Management, and the 2022 President of Atlanta REALTORS Association, has been recognized for her dedication and commitment to the real estate industry by being named “REALTOR of the Year” for 2022.

She is the first African-American female and African-American-owned company to be awarded this prestigious award since it was established over 60 years ago.

The ARA created the distinguished award in 1960 to recognize the REALTOR® who contributed most to the Association in that calendar year. This recognition is given to those who embody the spirit of the REALTOR®, engage in exemplary civic activity, and show impressive business accomplishments.

Hatcher was the first Black woman to lead the ARA and dedicated her tenure to ensuring that it embraced intentional inclusion with a campaign called “Let’s Dance.” Coined from the phrase, ‘Diversity is being invited to the party, Inclusion is being asked to dance.’ Hatcher focused the organization this year on advancing their strategic plan through inclusion, prioritizing our voices being heard on important real estate industry issues, and working together with industry colleagues, so everyone has a fair chance of attaining The American Dream of home ownership. This would create more housing opportunities and allow future generations to build a legacy of wealth.

In the first six months of Hatcher’s presidency, ARA institution voting rights for local Multicultural Real Estate Affiliate Associations and reinstated that ARA members who actively participate in committees receive voting power. The Multicultural Association representative on ARA’s Board of Directors had their non-voting seats turned into voting seats, enabling the underrepresented constituents a true and full seat at the table on issues impacting communities right now, such as housing affordability, equity, and inclusion. In addition, ARA provided a total of $20,000 to the Multicultural Partner Organizations.

REALTORS are community builders and much more than the transaction. Envisioned by Hatcher in 2021, in 2022, the ARA Board formed the Atlanta REALTORS Impact Foundation (ARIF) to support the awarding of educational scholarships and community charitable giving and received tax-exempt status. $135,000 in funds were donated by ARA to support the Community Excellence Scholarship program and to establish an ARA Care Fund. This year, (10) ten $1,000 scholarships were awarded to local students, and (3) three ARA members in need received a total of $7,500 in Care Funds.

This year marked a momentous occasion for the ARA as their task forces and committees achieved several firsts during Hatcher’s appointment:

• The ARA RPAC Subcommittee convened and surpassed their goal for the first time in many, many years, raising a total of $317,450, a 22% increase year over year.
• The ARA Diversity Council launched a new initiative that partners new association members with volunteers of diverse backgrounds willing to help them establish stronger connections within ARA.
• ARA hosted a virtual interview on The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America to provide members with a greater understanding of the ways government-sanctioned segregation affected housing options and wealth building historically and in the present.
• ARA reached a record of 14,193 members in 2022, a 10% increase over the previous year. Atlanta REALTORS Association is now the 19th largest local association in the country.
• The newly formed Affordable & Equitable Housing Committee became one of the largest ARA committees ever, with nearly 160 members, followed by the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council and Governmental Affairs Committee, with nearly 110 members on each.
• ARA donated $10,000 to NAR’s Disaster Relief Fund.
• ARA established relationships with entities that provide complementary services and information that is beneficial for our members, including the Home Builders Association, the Urban League, and HouseATL, to name a few.

Karen states, “This year was monumental for our association in a multitude of ways. From my tenure as president to our restructured operations, adding new key personnel, and our astounding committee work.” She continues, “Our focus for 2022 was implementing our strategic plan through acceptance and putting our voices at the forefront of significant real estate industry issues. I am exceedingly proud of our success. Furthermore, our efforts were unwavering in upholding our NAR Code of Ethics.”

Hatcher’s recognition as the “REALTOR of the Year” reflects her dedication to promoting access to equitable home ownership. She is determined to do so through the 2023 key appointments, 2023 NAR Small Broker Chair & 2023 Co-Chair HouseAtl Homeownership Working Group.

• Politics

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 11, 2023

Third Time’s A Charm? Stacey Abrams Announces She May Run For Office Again

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Stacey Abrams is not giving up on her political dreams just yet.

Fox News reported that the former gubernatorial Democratic candidate may run again. As a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show on Monday, the host questioned Abrams future plans, asking her, “What’s next? Do we get to look forward to this and galvanize again?”

Stacey Abrams: “I will likely run again.”

pic.twitter.com/x55AhCj8CK

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 10, 2023

The 49-year-old was met with applause by her exciting response, but she still doesn’t have a solid answer on when.

“Well, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” she mentioned. However, Abrams admitted there are lessons to be learned from your loses. “Did you learn about yourself?” Abrams asked. “What did you learn about your opponent and making sure you’re always remembering why you’re doing it?”

Barrymore is a fan of the political hopeful, calling Abrams a “gamechanger” and celebrating her bravery in running against men who the actress says “doesn’t play fair.” Abrams lost the election for Georgia’s governor seat twice to current Republican governor Brian Kemp. She fell short by 1.4 points in 2018 and a whopping 7.5 points in 2022, according to National Review.

Abrams made headlines after not conceding to Kemp, throwing heavy allegations of voter fraud and “stealing” the election through voter suppression. Her work with voter registration is her first battle, telling Barrymore “it’s her first responsibility.”

“I want you to vote for me when you get in there, but protecting democracy is not about a person. It’s about the ideal.”

Her next battle deals with an ongoing lawsuit that recently ended. The talk show appearance came one day before the judgement came down, ordering her organization to reimburse the state over $230,000 in legal fees. Fair Fight Action Organization sued Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperg, but U.S District Court Judge Steve Jones didn’t find the state of Georgia liable for violation of the Voting Rights Act or the U.S. Constitution.

Tennis champion Naomi Osaka will be embarking on an entirely new journey in 2023 after announcing her pregnancy on social media.

The 25-year-old four-time Grand Slam singles champion took to Twitter on Wednesday to reveal why she will be taking a break from tennis.

“Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023,” Osaka tweeted along with photos of her sonogram.

Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023. pic.twitter.com/GYXRnutU3I

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 11, 2023

In the post, Osaka shared a lengthy statement sharing her mindset as she prepares to enter the world of motherhood.

“The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that it’s the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun,” she said in the statement.

“These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to. I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure.”

Osaka went on to share her excitement for her child seeing her play in the future and taking pride in her athletic ability.

“I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘[T]hat’s my mom.,’ haha,” she wrote. “2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me and I hope I’ll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I’ll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely.”

TMZ confirmed that rapper Cordae, who the New York Post reports Osaka has been dating since 2019, is the father. Her announcement comes just four days after she withdrew from the 2023 Australian Open.

“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023,” the Australian Open tweeted on Sunday. “Dayana Yastremska moves into the main draw.”

The ‘Rhythm Nation’ superstar is setting rules into place ahead of her ninth concert tour.

As Janet Jackson gears up for her “Together Again” world tour, an inside source revealed the singer’s plans to implement #MeToo checks to ensure everyone is working under safe and comfortable conditions.

According to The Sun, the insider said Jackson’s gesture is to curate a non-toxic environment for her tour crew.

“The checks will see everyone from her dancers and bandmates to crew and general staff vetted to ensure they don’t have a history of abuse,” the source said. “It’s not cheap to do but for Janet and those close to her, creating a safe and kind work environment is more important than profits.

“She also wants a completely non-toxic working environment for all her staff and by implementing these early checks she is eradicating the risk.”

The source added that the upcoming tour is a massive undertaking, slated to make $85 million. “A show that big and of the scale Janet plans cannot ­afford anything to happen to it,” the source said.

Such steps are not new. As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Grammy-winning artist Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, implemented #MeToo checks for her Renaissance album, where she investigated producers and rejected artists who had a history of abuse or harassment.

Sources reported that the “Together Again” tour will celebrate Jackson’s 50th anniversary in entertainment, spotlighting two of her most acclaimed and beloved albums, janet (1993) and The Velvet Rope (1997).

The 40-date tour is set to start April 14 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, and will conclude June 21 in Seattle.

As a bonus, rapper Ludacris is reportedly in the tour lineup as Jackson’s special guest.

 

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Tickets have been available for purchase via Live Nation since December.

Dragging Black women down is never the way to get ahead. Unfortunately, a popular TikTok chef is getting burnt because of it.

Chef Way had to learn the hard way as past tweets of him belittling Black women have resurfaced.

The tweets from 2015 and 2016 show him making degrading comments about Black women, targeting those with dark skin, and calling an image “messed up.”

Some tweets went in on the Black Lives Matter movement, mocking the death of Sandra Bland. Gaining popularity for his oxtail pasta, Twitter followers caught on to his misogynistic undertones and reposted his old tweets.

https://twitter.com/MaNkYisObSessEd/status/1612367334764871682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1612367334764871682%7Ctwgr%5E85f41eb6c9520967a8f4af5e8fc7a694e3c1af38%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheshaderoom.com%2Fchef-way-controversy-tweets%2F

After being called out for his social media bullying, the chef, whose real name is Waymond Wesley, was quick to apologize: “To those I’ve hurt with my past tweets that have resurfaced, I am deeply sorry,” he tweeted, according to Click 2 Houston.

Blaming it on past trauma, the Houston native claims the tweets came from a moment of “sickness'” and his fans are witnessing a “healed” man.

To those I’ve hurt with my past tweets that have resurfaced, I am deeply sorry. That was a moment in my life where I was sick in more ways than one. Cooking saved me. You have watched a flawed man heal. I will continue to heal and learn. Thanks for being along for the journey.

— Chef Way Esq. (@ChefWay__) January 9, 2023

The apology came too late and Wesley had to eat his words. San Francisco-based company, Anova Culinary, has ended their affiliation—several followers tagged the smart-kitchen company in the tweets, making sure they’d see it.

It was a success.

In a Twitter post, the company made a statement regarding a “content partner engaged in behavior not aligning with their values….Hate has no home at Anova and we remain committed to listening to marginalized voices and deeply value diversity.”

Thank you to those who let us know. pic.twitter.com/Pxpp1DkOtV

— Anova (@AnovaCulinary) January 9, 2023

The scandal doesn’t end there for Wesley, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston. Being licensed to practice law since 2021, his career is on the line as several people are calling for the office to fire him.

However, that may not happen.

Click 2 Houston relayed a statement from Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in support of Wesley, saying ‘his recovery is ongoing.’

“I am a believer in second chances, and Mr. Wesley has conducted himself professionally since joining our staff,” Ogg added. “I am confident that will continue.”

Rapper and prison reform activist Meek Mill, Philadelphia 76ers owner Michael Rubin, and entertainer and entrepreneur Kevin Hart have reunited to make a sizable donation to several schools in the Philadelphia area.

A press release confirmed their giveback collaboration to the Philadelphia community. The three men, who all have ties to the Philly area, donated a total of $7 million to distribute to 60 private and parochial schools for the 2023-2024 academic year at various schools in and around the City of Brotherly Love.

The efforts will help benefit low-income students from underserved families with scholarships. Funds from the collective money will also be used to provide access to the technology needed in the homes of underserved families. Those items will include laptops, tablets as well as WiFi connection.

Meek Mill took to his Twitter to share the good news.

Mill, Hart, and Rubin made a similar donation last year at around this time.

According to the Philly Voice, the three Pennsylvania natives grouped their funds together to donate $15 million to a cause that will benefit students in the Philadelphia area. The funds were distributed to 110 schools in the Philadelphia area that serve disadvantaged students.

Last holiday season, Rubin and Mill collaborated with REFORM Alliance, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the 76ers for the annual return of the Season of Giving event. This was a special VIP experience for more than 30 children who were negatively impacted by the criminal justice system and unjust probations.

On Christmas Eve, the rapper from Philadelphia, along with his REFORM Alliance organization, paid bail for 20 women so that they could be home for the holidays with their loved ones.

According to The Philly Voice, Hart donated $250,000 to the School District of Philadelphia in 2020 for technology upgrades and previously gave $50,000 scholarships to local high school students in need. In 2018, Hart also provided $600,000 in college scholarship funds to eight Philadelphia students.

• News

by Diamond Jeune

January 11, 2023

11-Year-Old Autistic Boy Is Gifted a $15,000 Grand Piano by Stranger

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Jude Kofie‘s story of becoming the next Mozart is a testament to how the love of music can unite people from all walks of life. 

The 11-year-old, who is autistic, tugged many heartstrings over the weekend after a segment on CBS Sunday Morning revealed that Kofie received a grand piano worth $15,000 from a stranger.

For context, Kofie’s musical journey began in Colorado almost two years ago when his father, Isaiah Kofie, found him playing an old keyboard in the basement of their home. What’s ironic about this situation is that Kofie never had any piano lessons. Following the discovery, Isaiah purchased a bigger keyboard in an attempt to expand his son’s talents. Kofie’s story would ultimately go viral and make its way into the local news.

When the CBS Morning interviewer asked Kofie where his gift came from, he said, “It’s a miracle.” The piano prodigy added when questioned about why he felt it was a “miracle,” “That’s what I prefer.”

https://twitter.com/CBSSunday/status/1612106767453888516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1612106767453888516%7Ctwgr%5Eaebb46222cb6a2b0f788046bc11bca0fcd149c0d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fmedia%2F11-year-old-autistic-piano-prodigy-goes-viral-after-15000-surprise-gift-from-teacher

A piano tuner named Bill Magnusson stumbled upon Kofie and his family’s story one day in the news. It included the pre-teen’s mother and father, who relocated from Ghana, raising four children and sending money back home. Magnusson claimed that after hearing Kofie play that the performance moved him so much, he decided to use his inheritance to purchase the grand piano.

During the interview, Magnusson revealed that his act of kindness was because he wanted Kofie to have the best resources as he continues to improve his piano skills. He said, “What resources are left over to help this special little soul?”

As the cameras captured the piano being delivered to Kofie’s home, he appeared overjoyed and began playing it as soon as it was unwrapped. Toward the end of the discussion, Magnusson shared that he would tune the piano for Kofie and pay for piano lessons.

When Kofie’s father, Isaiah, was asked how he and the family felt regarding the entire situation, he explained that they were “super thankful.”

• Money

by Stacy Jackson

January 11, 2023

Black Woman Develops Fintech Platform, Raises $6.2M in Funding

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This entrepreneur is keeping diversity in mind as she builds her platform.

Physician Ami Kumordzie developed a fintech platform with no experience and a mission to connect consumers with IRS-compliant merchants, urging people to invest in improving their health.

According to Forbes, after the Sika Health CEO observed the flaws within the healthcare system while studying at Stanford University School of Medicine, she decided not to go into residency and got her M.B.A. instead.

“My first job was as a management consultant working for healthcare clients at BCG,” she said adding that the analytical position helped her identify the gap in the market.

Kumordzie was inspired to launch Sika Health after her mother was laid off from her hotel job during the pandemic.

“Even though I have worked in healthcare my entire career, I had to scramble and practically become a tax expert to figure out how she [my mother] could spend these funds before she would lose them,” she said.

“About 70 million Americans are enrolled in FSA or HSA accounts, contributing about $150 billion a year,” Kumordzie said, noting the major loss consumers experience from forfeiting their FSA benefits.

“That’s a real tragedy because it is money people could have invested in improving their health,” Kumordzie said.

“We need more ways to save and tools that help stretch our dollars,” she said. “[Using FSA and HSA dollars] effectively means that you’re buying healthcare at 30% off expenses.”

Kumordzie raised $6.2 million in the early stages of funding.

“The goal was to raise $500,000,” she said. “Within weeks, I surpassed my goal and raised $1.2 million.” Kumordzie reached $5 million later during a seed funding round led by Forerunner Ventures representative Brian O’Malley.

“Having a brand like Forerunner as one of our backers makes a big difference when you’re trying to hire,” Kumordzie said. “It makes a big difference when you’re having a hiring conversation and trying to convince someone to leave their high-paying stable job to take a risk on an early-stage business.”

Kumordzie credits her non-traditional background to the success of drawing venture capitalists.

The fintech founder wanted to be able to hire great tech professionals and eventually, Sika Health was able to hire the founding engineer of the payments team at Etsy.

“Sika is on a mission to ensure customers can access and spend their HSA/FSA funds on items they want, when they want, hassle-free,” the website wrote.”