by Stacy Jackson

December 8, 2022

Alabama State University HoneyBeez Make History By Featuring Plus-Sized Dancers

Plus-sized dancers are giving their petite counterparts a run for their money, and the talent is sizzling.

The HoneyBeez dance team at Alabama State University made history as the first HBCU dance group to feature plus-sized dancers.

According to Andscape, the HoneyBeez was established in 2004 by ASU alum and band director James Oliver. After noticing a lack of diverse body types, Oliver crafted the team requirements differently from the traditional eligibility.

To join the team, dancers must be enrolled as full-time ASU students, have a 2.5 GPA or higher, and weigh at least 250 pounds.

“There have been plus-size girls that wanted to try out for the dance line. And, of course, when I got here, all we had were the Stingettes,” Oliver said.

“You can’t really give them that spot on the Stingette line because the uniform doesn’t fit like it should, so usually, the plus-size girls run to the flag team. I decided that this is not fair for these girls. I wanted something different.”

With help from his band members, Oliver searched for plus-sized dancers to audition to perform with the university’s Mighty Marching Hornets Band.

“I asked five of my plus-size girls that were in the band,” Oliver said.

“I said, I have this idea. Do I have some plus-size girls who know how to dance and want to dance? And I had five girls who came out and said they’d try it.”

Amazed by the ladies’ abilities and dedication, Oliver described his HoneyBeez as sweet and electrifying. Although the team received backlash from critics who made negative comments and believed it was a set-up for them to be made fun of, Oliver continued his mission to uplift the women through the art of dance.

“Did I want to continue to deal with the negativity? Or did I want to keep this going because the crowd loves it?” Oliver said.

“But the girls love it too. I made the decision that I was going to keep going. I didn’t care what anybody said. I thought these girls deserved a platform, and I’m going to keep them.”

“Now, let the HoneyBeez not show up [at games],” Oliver said. “I think fans would tear up the stadium.”

Produced by actress La La Anthony, the HoneyBeez released a nationwide 10-episode docuseries on Snapchat in 2020 highlighting the dancers.

Black veterans
by Derek Major

December 8, 2022

Federal Lawsuit Alleges Veterans Affairs Has Denied Benefits To Black People For Decades

A federal lawsuit filed Monday alleges obtaining benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs has been disproportionately more difficult for Black Americans for decades.

NBC News reports the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut by Yale Law School’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic on behalf of Conley Monk Jr., a Vietnam War veteran who has been repeatedly denied home loans, education, and medical benefits because he is Black.

“The results of VA’s racial discrimination has been to deny countless meritorious applications by Black veterans, depriving them and their families of care and support that their faithful service has earned,” the lawsuit states, according to NBC.

According to the suit, Monk is not alone.

According to VA records obtained by NBC through a Freedom of Information Act request and litigation by the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress, of which Monk is the co-founder and director, and the Black Veterans Project, the average denial rate for disability compensation was 5.3% higher for Black veterans than their white peers between 2001 and 2020. Additionally, the racial disparity for average acceptance rates was 6.8%.

“They failed to redress longstanding, pervasive race discrimination and disparate impacts of which they knew or should have known,” the suit reads.

Multiple studies have shown Black veterans have been denied benefits, including the GI Bill and honorable discharges. In response, Black veteran groups have begun organizing,g and Black politicians have been stepping in to help as well.

In a statement to NBC, Veteran Affairs Press Secretary Terrence Hayes acknowledged the “unacceptable disparities in both VA benefits decisions and military discharge status due to racism,” adding the department is studying the role race has played in benefit decisions.

“We are actively working to right these wrongs,” Hayes added. “We are taking steps to ensure that our claims process combats institutional racism, rather than perpetuating it.”

At a press conference Monday after the suit was filed, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he was not interested in the study’s results.
“We know the results,” Blumenthal told reporters. “We want to know the reason why.”
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 8, 2022

Issa Rae Earns Equity in Entertainment Award, Shares Inspiration Behind Amplifying Minority Voices

Issa Rae attended The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Gala on Wednesday and received a standing ovation while accepting her Equity in Entertainment Award.

Her Insecure co-star, Yvonne Orji, presented Rae with the award, recognizing individuals who amplify the voices of underrepresented communities in the entertainment industry, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.

The Rap Sh*t creator kicked off her acceptance speech by sharing a comical story of a group trip she took to Las Vegas for an Usher concert. Rae joked while telling the crowd her love for Usher “outweighs” her hate for Vegas.

During the trip, Rae took a weed juice that led her to later “sink into this lonely, scary, paranoid, timeless loop.”

“That’s what happens to me. And this loop is really frightening because all I do is think, repeatedly, about and replay all the things that I’m most terrified of,” she said. “And one of those things is the idea of my mortality and the mortality of those that I love. And one of the mind loops I was in had me aging really rapidly.”

During the experience, Rae realized “getting old generally and feeling like time is running out” is one of her biggest fears. The producer credited that fear as the motivating factor behind her work to amplify marginalized and underrepresented communities.

“I’m asked about amplifying underrepresented voices and diversity all the time. And one of the questions I get often and frequently struggle to answer is, ‘Why is it so important to you to give opportunities and open doors for others who look like you?’” Rae said.

“But now I think it’s all about time. I’m obsessed with the time that I have left and a small window that I have to make the changes that I want to see before I hopefully get old and die.”

Rae continued:

“I think operating from that scared place is actually really helpful because it makes you impatient about waiting for sh*t to happen. And it makes you fearless about the things you normally might be afraid of, like rejection, embarrassment, or diminishment.”

by Stacy Jackson

December 8, 2022

Actress Gabourey Sidibe Reveals She Secretly Got Married In Her Kitchen

Precious star Gabourey Sidibe shared that she married her partner, Brandon Frankel, last March, shortly after getting engaged.

According to News 24, the actress revealed the news during a Live with Kelly and Ryan appearance on Monday, Dec. 5.

“The thing about weddings is I don’t like them. Here’s an example of how much I don’t like them—I’m actually married. We got married over a year ago,” she explained.

The couple opted for a low-key option, tying the knot at their kitchen table.

“I really don’t like weddings,” she reiterated.

Following the interview, her hubby took to Instagram to post about his forever relationship with Sidibe.

“SURPRISE! I can finally call her my WIFE publicly! Since @gabby3shabby finally spilled the beans today on Live with Kelly and Ryan—we’ve been MARRIED since March ’21! Relieved we can finally tell the world. So thankful to have found my forever person, my partner-in-crime, and the love of my life. Every day is the best day with you. Nobody I would rather raise cats with and be in bed by a smooth 8 pm with. Love you forever,” he wrote.

Frankel shared multiple posts of himself and Sidibe flashing their wedding bands.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by BRANDON FRANKEL (@brandontour)

The two reportedly met on Raya, an exclusive dating app.

Sidibe announced her engagement to Frankel back in November 2020.

“It’s weird that people think we’re already married, but I guess our hearts and intentions for each other are just that clear to see. My BFF proposed, and now I get to hold him forever. The funniest man I’ve ever met. The sweetest human to exist,” she said about the engagement.

Tiger Woods Launching Massive PopStroke Putting Complex In Katy, Texas
by Stacy Jackson

December 8, 2022

Tiger Woods Launching Massive PopStroke Putting Complex In Katy, Texas

He’s spreading the putt putt joy.

Professional golfer Tiger Woods is expanding his putt putt golf chain PopStroke to open its fifth location in Katy, Texas.

According to Houston Eater, the golf and entertainment facility will be a two-story complex with two 18-hole putting courses, the Tiger Red Course and Tiger Black Course, co-designed by Woods.

“I’m excited to bring PopStroke to your backyard,” Woods said in the PopStroke video.

 

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A post shared by PopStroke (@popstroke)

The family-friendly facility will also include an open-air restaurant with a rooftop bar, a private event space for parties, and an ice cream parlor. Alongside a variety of scoops and milkshakes, the restaurant menu will feature sandwiches, salads, tacos, nachos, wings, flatbreads, and other finger foods for guests to indulge in during their visit.

 

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A post shared by PopStroke (@popstroke)

Visitors of the PopStroke complex will also find a lounge bar area and beer garden with outdoor games, including cornhole, ping pong, and foosball. While golfing on the green, guests will be able to order drinks through an app. Children will also be able to enjoy an enclosed playground.

 

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A post shared by PopStroke (@popstroke)

“Some of my happiest memories are of spending time with my pops on the golf course having putting contests. I am excited to welcome you to our TGR Design courses at PopStroke,” a message from Woods stated on a billboard at the entrance of the PopStroke location.

According to 106.3 The Buzz, the first Texas location is set to open on December 16, with a Dallas location in the plans following the opening of two courses in Arizona.

The location will be the first move outside of Florida for the course. Woods’ Florida PopStroke putting courses are located in Port St. Lucie, Fort Myers, Sarasota, and Orlando.

Popstroke adult guests will be charged $25 as an all day fee to enter the course and play as many rounds as they’d like on the putting courses.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 8, 2022

Al Roker ‘Hopefully Coming Home Soon’ After Recent Hospitalization

Al Roker is on the mend following reports of his emergency hospitalization after the Thanksgiving holiday.

The “Today” show weatherman took to Instagram on Thursday to give his fans and supporters an update on his health status. Roker, 68, shared a shot of New York City, possibly from inside his room, showing the sunset.

“Hopefully coming home soon but when your spirit sags a bit, you get to see that and recharge,” Roker captioned the post.

“God Bless you all for all the prayers and well wishes for me and my family.”

 

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A post shared by Al Roker (@alroker)

Roker hasn’t appeared on the Today show since mid-November, Page Six reports. In the weeks after his sudden absence, Roker revealed that he was hospitalized for blood clots in his legs and lungs.

Roker missed his first Macy’s Thanksgiving parade in 27 years due to his hospitalization. But he made it home just in time to spend the holiday with his family.

However, Roker was rushed back to the hospital the day after Thanksgiving and has been there since. Sources say Roker’s wife, Deborah Roberts, 62, was frantic when he was re-hospitalized and reportedly smashed the window of their Tesla to retrieve her cell phone.

“Deborah then went to the hospital by taxi with her daughter, where Al has since been surrounded by his family,” the insider shared.

Roker’s latest update comes one week after he sent a message of thanks on the Today show to his fans and supporters sending him love amid the health complications, People reports.

“We all wish that Al could have been with us but due to some complications, he is back in the hospital and he’s in very good care,” Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb said last week.

“He’s resting and his doctors are keeping a close eye on him.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 8, 2022

Madonna’s Daughters, Stella, Estere, and Mercy Share ‘The Gift of Music’ With At-Home Recital

Madonna has a family of musical geniuses on her hands and wants the world to see how talented her children are.

The pop icon, and mother of six, took to her Instagram Story on Monday to share highlights of an at-home piano recital featuring three of her daughters — twins Stella and Estere, 10, and Mercy, 16, People reports.

“The gift of music brought to you by Mercy, Estere, and Stella,” Madonna captioned the first post.

The posts included several photos and videos showing her daughters playing instruments and melodizing as a family. In one video, Mercy played “Intense Melancholy” alongside one of the twins.

In another, Mercy played “Reverie,” as well as two solos and a song with each of her sisters. The twins each played a song with Mercy and one solo. The family then posed for photos together, with Madonna and her children donning all black for the family music session and sharing the program for the mini-concert.

Her son David Banda, 17, was in attendance and posed with his mom for a few photos. The family concert comes a few weeks after Madonna celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with all six of her children, including daughter Lourdes Leon, 26, and son Rocco Ritchie, 22.

Lourdes and Rocco are Madonna’s two biological children. Madonna shares Lourdes with her ex Carlos Leon and Rocco with her ex-husband, Guy Ritchie.

The “Material Girl” singer adopted her son, David, following a humanitarian trip to Malawi in 2006. She adopted Mercy, Stella, and Estere from 2008 to 2017.

“It’s inexplicable,” Madonna said about her large family. “It’s like saying, ‘Why do you fall in love with the people you fall in love with?’ You look into the eyes of somebody, you feel their soul, you feel touched by them — that’s it.”

“Sometimes I would just close my eyes and just think, ‘Why isn’t my kitchen filled with dancing children?’ There’s so many children that need a home,” she recalled at the time. “I thought, ‘What am I waiting for? Just do it.’ “

Dream Exchange Selects MEMX To Provide Proven Exchange Technology For New Exchange
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

December 8, 2022

Dream Exchange Selects MEMX To Provide Proven Exchange Technology For New Exchange

Dream Exchange announced today that they have reached an agreement for MEMX to provide services and technology for Dream Exchange.

Dream Exchange, once fully established, will operate a unique set of exchanges that span all corporate capitalization sizes, forming an effective bridge for small and mid-cap companies to access public capital markets. The Dream Exchange is establishing a National Market System (NMS) Exchange and plans to operate a Venture Exchange pursuant to proposed legislation under the Main Street Growth Act (HR 5795, SB 3097).

Joe Cecala, Founder and CEO of Dream Exchange said, “Our agreement with MEMX is a significant milestone that will enhance the simplicity and efficiency of our future exchange operations and will allow us to concentrate on execution while collaborating on our plans to expand access to public market capital.”

“We believe that the future of exchange technology and public market capital formation are joining forces through the foresight of the MEMX and the Dream Exchange leadership.”

“From the outset, we were inspired by Dream Exchange’s unique mission and we are pleased to provide our exchange technology services to them. Their selection of MEMX as an exchange technology provider is a strong endorsement of our architecture and operations and we look forward to working with them to achieve their goals,” said MEMX CEO Jonathan Kellner.

MEMX is a technology-driven exchange operator providing its members and the global investment community with a simpler, less costly, and more transparent way to access liquidity. Founded in 2019 by a diverse group of financial firms, MEMX’s mission is to create healthy competition and advocate for market structure reform that results in more efficient and sensible trading experiences for all investors.

Dwain Kyles, Managing Member of DX Capital Partners, said, “The creation of Dream Exchange reflects the growing understanding that creative measures must be taken to address current market inequities and lack of access, particularly as concerns small cap and minority-owned companies. We are gratified to work with MEMX on this meaningful initiative.”

“We were looking for the optimal technical solution and collaboration that would allow the Dream Exchange to leverage a simple, performant, secure and yet extensible architecture and technology platform best suited for our unique combination of exchanges and to insert and leverage Dream Exchange’s unique technologies in a seamless and effective fashion,” said Bruce Trask CTO of Dream Exchange. 

“This partnership between Dream Exchange and MEMX provides that.”

Find out more about this new collaboration in the upcoming Dream Exchange free webinar on Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. CST Milestone Announcement: A new idea comes to an old industry.

Georgia Couple Tricks Walmart Cashier Into Giving Them $6400 In Gift Cards and Merchandise
by Niko Mann

December 8, 2022

Georgia Couple Tricks Walmart Cashier Into Giving Them $6400 In Gift Cards and Merchandise

A couple in Grovetown, Georgia tricked a Walmart cashier into giving them $6,400 worth of gift cards and merchandise, according to WRDW News.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said a man and a woman went into the Walmart at Interstate 20 and Lewiston Road on Nov. 30 and picked out several expensive items before going to the cashier to check out.

The couple made several transactions with the cashier buying expensive merchandise as well as gift cards. Authorities are claiming that the couple confused the Walmart cashier by asking them to use the cash button on the register in order for their credit card to work properly. The maneuver caused the register not to charge the credit card.

“According to deputies, the pair also asked the cashier to use the ‘cash’ button on the register in order for their credit card to work. This allowed the register to ring up the sale as if cash was being paid, so the credit card ultimately was not charged.”

The couple allegedly received $3,000 in gift cards and $3,400 in merchandise for free. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office called the couple’s cash/credit card maneuver a “theft by deception.”

The male suspect was identified on Dec. 8 as 19-year-old Jaylan Griggs from Flint, Michigan. The authorities are still searching for the female suspect, who remains unidentified.

The Grovetown Walmart was also in the news after a man tried to steal a cart full of bananas worth $40 from the store back in April. Security was able to stop the man from absconding with 125 bananas from the store loaded up in his cart.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance video images of the couple leaving the Grovetown Walmart and is asking anyone with pertinent information about the crime to contact Investigator Leigh Fletcher at 706-541-2800.

Family of Patrick Lyoya Murdered By Police at Traffic Stop Files Lawsuit
by Niko Mann

December 8, 2022

Family of Patrick Lyoya Murdered By Police at Traffic Stop Files Lawsuit

The family of a man murdered by a police officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan filed a civil lawsuit, according to ABC News. The family of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya filed a $100 million civil lawsuit against Christopher Schurr for shooting Lyoya in the back of the head during a traffic stop in April.

An unidentified Grand Rapids police officer is shown on top of Patrick Lyoya. | Source: City of Grand Rapids

Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, along with attorneys, Ben Crump and Ven Johnson, announced the lawsuit during a press conference on Wednesday. Crump noted that the lawsuit is against both Schurr and the city of Grand Rapids and includes state and federal accounts. The lawsuit contends that Schurr used illegal unnecessary and excessive force and that the city’s policies, practices, and training led to the former police officer using excessive force.

Video footage from Schurr’s vehicle, bodycam and cell phone footage from the passenger in Lyoya’s car captured Schurr shooting Lyoya in the back of his head after he ran during a traffic stop on April 4. Schurr claimed he pulled over Lyoya because his license plate didn’t match his vehicle. After Schurr asked him for his driver’s license, Lyoya ran. Schurr tackled Lyoya, pressed his knee into Lyoya’s back and shot him in the back of the head as he was laying face down.

The lawsuit claims that Schurr profiled the Democratic Republic of the Congo native when he pulled him over, resulting in Lyoya’s death.

Crump also noted that between June 2015 and May 2020, Grand Rapids police officers had 79 citizen complaints for excessive use of force filed against them.

“You have this pattern and practice of excessive force, so when you take ‘driving while Black’ plus excessive force, you end up with Patrick Lyoya being unjustly executed by this Grand Rapids police officer,” Crump said.

Mr. Lyoya said he didn’t watch the footage of his son’s death until the press conference and has continuous nightmares. He added that he hopes the lawsuit prevents other families from suffering the same fate.

“The pain is so deep,” said Lyoya. “The bitterness is so deep to the point that I can even lose my life every time when I think about my son leaving us.”

Schurr was fired in June and charged with second-degree murder. He pled not guilty, and a trial is pending. Johnson noted that it took months to arrest and charge the 31-year-old with murder.

“Two words: about time. What took so long? They knew this was excessive force and they put him on paid leave while the family buried their son in the middle of the rain.”

 

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