• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

December 2, 2022

California Reparations Task Force Is Gearing Up to Release Report on Suggestions

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The nine-member California Reparations Task Force is preparing to release a report to state lawmakers early next year outlining recommendations for state-level reparations.

The New York Times reported the task force has spent months traveling the state to learn about the generational effects of the state’s racist policies and discriminatory actions. The task force was convened by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020.

“We are looking at reparations on a scale that is the largest since Reconstruction,” Jovan Scott Lewis, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and a member of the task force told The Times.

In its preliminary report, released on June 1, the task force outlined how enslaved Black men and women were forced into the state during the gold rush, but racially restrictive covenants and redlining segregated Black Californians in the state’s largest cities.

The task force has determined who is eligible for reparations in the state, saying descendants of enslaved African Americans or of “a free Black person living in the U.S. before the end of the 19th century.”

The group has determined five areas where compensation could be paid to Black Americans: housing discrimination, mass incarceration, unjust property seizures, healthcare, and the devaluation of Black business.

The panel is now considering how the reparations will be distributed, including housing, tuition, and small business grants,

Although the task force’s creation and its report are viewed by many as a bold first step towards reparations, it remains unclear if state lawmakers will follow through on the recommendations, which are likely to require billions of dollars from the state.

National Review reports Black California residents could be eligible for up to $223,200 per person as part of an effort to redress historical housing discrimination. Meanwhile, The New York Post reported the task force has estimated $569 billion is owed in reparations to Black residents.

Cynthia Bailey and Mike Hill have finalized their divorce just two months after announcing their split.

On Thursday, a Fulton County judge signed off on dissolving the two-year marriage after Bailey and Hill reached a divorce agreement, TMZ reported.

In Bailey’s filing, she said the marriage was irretrievably broken with no chance of reconciliation after Mike allegedly took part in “inappropriate adulterous relations.”

Hill refuses to make a filing of his own to deny the allegations. But he did sign the divorce agreement days before Bailey did. Hill signed the papers on October 20 and Bailey finally signed on November 1.

Ironically, last year, Bailey remained by Hill’s side when he was accused of cheating with a woman on Snapchat. Hill threatened legal action at the time, claiming the allegations were false, as noted by TMZ.

There shouldn’t be any financial disputes since The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum never mixed their personal finances, taxes, or property during their time together. The height of their romance was captured on RHOA as Bailey shared how smitten she was by Hill during the dating phase.

His proposal was captured onscreen in season 12, and season 13 saw Bailey and Hill go through with hosting their lavish wedding during the height of the pandemic.

Bailey has opened up about what led to the divorce, saying she noticed they were over when the friendship died down.

“I felt like we weren’t friends anymore,” Bailey revealed on the Two T’s in a Pod podcast.

“I felt like it was just going toward we’re just not going to be friends if we didn’t pump the brakes.”

She noted this was her second divorce, after RHOA followed the rise and fall of her seven-year marriage to Peter Thomas.

“This is not my first rodeo,” Bailey added. “I think friendship just has to be there in a marriage. Like, love is great, but friendship has to be there. I truly want to be with my best friend.”

Bailey filed for divorce from Hill in October, just a few days after their second wedding anniversary, Page Six reported.

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 2, 2022

Floyd Mayweather Drops Over $4M On Art Basel Pieces By Warhol, Robert Indiana, and Alexander Calder

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Floyd “Money” Mayweather was in the spending mood at this year’s Art Basel and dropped over $4 million on high-priced pieces from a trio of renowned artists.

On Wednesday, Mayweather spent $1.7 million on four Andy Warhol pieces, as well as a large sculpture of burned $100 bills and a red Supreme duffel bag filled with money, TMZ reports. The 50-0 boxing champion paid for the pieces up front and took them home to display inside his Miami mansion.

The hefty purchase came one night after Mayweather reportedly spent $3.1 million on a variety of pieces from artists Robert Indiana and Alexander Calder.  After buying the pricey pieces, Mayweather partied the night away with Jas Mathur and The GOAT docuseries collaborators James McNair, Deon Taylor, and Jona Rechnitz.

Mayweather spent millions in under 60 minutes after he arrived at the SCOPE Art Show in Miami and took the art directly off the wall to pay for it. Mayweather shopped with billionaire Robert Smith, who is an investor in his upcoming The GOAT docuseries.

In total, Mayweather purchased about 10 to 12 pieces on Tuesday, and another five pieces the following night. Mayweather likely felt the need to show out in front of all the A-listers in attendance for Art Basel.

Familiar faces in attendance included Leonardo DiCaprio, Martha Stewart, Amar’e Stoudemire, Sylvester Stallone, Kim Kardashian, and Pharrell Williams.

Pharrell was seen eyeing a $100,000 clay artwork, Page Six reports. The Happy singer attended the GAVLAK booth during Tuesday’s VIP preview day at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Wiliams reportedly spent about an hour reviewing and even taking photos of a clay piece, titled “Adventus.” The artist and music producer even shared photos of the piece on his Instagram Story.

However, in the end, no purchase was made. Not everyone is willing to walk into an art gallery and drop millions like Money Mayweather.

• Celebrity News

by Stacy Jackson

December 2, 2022

Nia Long Hasn’t Received One Call From The Boston Celtics Amid Udoka’s Cheating Scandal

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Actress Nia Long is not a fan of the Boston Celtics organization following how they handled the situation with Ime Udoka’s suspension and affair.

According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Long slammed the Celtics for not reaching out to her regarding the scandal unveiled in September, where Udoka allegedly had an affair with a female staff member within the Celtics organization while they were engaged.

“If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK,” she said.

“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” Long said.

She reportedly took her son, whom she shares with Udoka, Kez Sunday Udokab, out of school when the news was released.

“It was devastating, and it still is,” said Long. “He still has moments where it’s not easy for him” to navigate his family’s private turmoil being discussed publicly.

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Udoka gave an apologetic statement in September addressing the scandal and his suspension from the Boston Celtics organization as head coach.

“I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” he said. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision.”

People reported that in a statement, the Celtics claimed Udoka had violated “team policies.”

“The outpouring of love and support from family, friends and the community during this difficult time means so much to me,” Long said to People in a previous statement following news of the scandal. “I ask that my privacy be respected as I process the recent events. Above all, I am a mother and will continue to focus on my children.”

• News

by Niko Mann

December 2, 2022

Barack Obama Jokes About Herschel Walker and His Comments About Vampires and Werewolves

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Forever President Barack Obama was in Atlanta on Dec. 1 to rally for Sen. Raphael Warnock’s (D-Ga.) reelection campaign when he commented on remarks made by Warnock’s challenger, Herschel Walker.

The Washington Post reported that Walker, who is ahead of Warnock in the polls, ranted about wanting to be a werewolf, rather than a vampire, at a rally in McDonough last month, and Obama made light of the strange comments during his speech on Thursday.

“Since the last time I was here, Mr. Walker has been talking about issues that are of great importance to the people of Georgia. Like whether it’s better to be a vampire or a werewolf. This is a debate that I must confess that I’ve had myself,” he joked. “When I was seven.”

Obama went on to say that he has grown up since then and noted Walker could be whatever he wanted to be, except a Senator.

“As far as I’m concerned, he can be anything he wants to be, except for a United States senator.”

Obama went on to note the scariest part of Walker’s vampire comments when he noted Walker was running for the United States Senate.

“This would be funny if he weren’t running for Senate,” he said.

This Black referee is celebrating a lot of firsts in her officiating career.

Salima Mukansanga, a 34-year-old international football referee from Rwanda, made history in Qatar by becoming the first African woman to officiate a Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup match.

https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1595726420449562625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

According to Republic World, among the 36 FIFA officials, Mukansanga was the fourth official during the France vs. Australia match. Mukansanga officiated the Zimbabwe vs Guinea match in AFCON prior to refereeing the FIFA World Cup 2022. In the AFCON Cup Nation’s 65-year history, Mukansanga became the first female referee to officiate a match.

BBC Sport Africa reported that this year was the first time women were selected to referee at the men’s World Cup in 92 years of the competition.

In a recent interview with the outlet, Mukansanga shared her journey as a referee and how honored she was to be selected, despite facing much rejection during the early days.

“It’s an honour and a privilege because it’s never happened before [sic],” Mukansanga told BBC.

“It means you’re going to be the first one and going to open the door for other women, especially in Africa,” she added.

“I didn’t know there is a lot to do – laws to follow, a mentality to follow, professionalism inside – but I started to learn step-by-step,” Mukansanga said.

“It was very difficult. When you are reading the laws of the game, it’s easy to understand but inside the field of play, it needs some time to have a smell for the job.”

Mukansanga is one of the first six pioneering women to officiate in a men’s global tournament, alongside Stephanie Frappart, Yoshimi Yamashita, and three other assistant referees.

“We are going to work together for the success of women. If a woman is supporting another woman, of course, you are going to see fruits. There are barriers, obstacles, and challenges. There is nothing to do about them than for us to fight with a strong mentality, commitment and full engagement – then we will overcome,” Mukansanga said.

Mukansanga also officiated the Olympic games in Tokyo.

The Broadus family, led by entertainer Calvin Broadus, better known as Snoop Dogg is featured in a promotional campaign for SKIMS, the company co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede.

The latest holiday campaign for the SKIMS brand features three generations of Snoop Dogg’s family – including Snoop with his wife, children, and grandchildren – all wearing SKIMS. This is the first time that the hip-hop stalwart’s family has been photographed together.

The campaign features the head of the family, Snoop Dogg along with his wife, Shantee Broadus, and their three children, as well as their offsprings’ kids; Cordell Broadus & his kids Lunda and Journey; Cori Broadus and her fiancé Wayne Deuce; and Corde Broadus with his three kids Zion, Sky, and Elleven.

“I feel so blessed that three generations of my family were able to come together for the SKIMS Holiday campaign! It’s the first time we’ve been featured in a campaign all together and we all loved the super soft, comfy outfits,” said Snoop Dogg in a written statement. “The Broadus family will definitely be wearing matching SKIMS this holiday season!”

The fashion company introduced the Broadus family a year after presenting songstress and entrepreneur, Teyana Taylor, and her former NBA-playing husband, Iman Shumpert, with their family in 2021.

To purchase the collection worn by the Broadus clan, you can go directly to the SKIMS website at SKIMS.com. Merchandise can also be bought from brick-and-mortar retailers including Nordstrom, Selfridges, SSENSE, Net-a-Porter, Lane Crawford, Holt Renfrew, and David Jones.

If you want to also purchase some gifts for your cat and/or dog, Snoop recently announced that he has partnered with SMAC Entertainment and Little Earth Productions, Inc. to create a new pet accessory line.

The company is appropriately named Snoop Doggie Doggs. The line intends to pull inspiration from the entertainer’s lifestyle and will prompt pet owners everywhere to spoil their dogs, as well as their cats.

Fox Soul’s Tea G-I-F is back for an all-new season and hosts Funky Dineva and Al Reynolds appeared on Hip Hop & Enterprise to dish on what fans can expect from the show.

Since their 2020 inception, the Tea G-I-F hosts have become credible culture contributors who many look to for responses on the day’s most talked-about topics. Season 2 saw viral moments like Funky’s on-air showdown with Coach Stormy and reads on Nick Cannon’s constantly growing number of children.

When it comes to season 3, Funky and Al say viewers can expect that same energy and more now that they’ve perfected their chemistry.

“I’m feeling really good about season three,” Funky Dineva told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“I mean, we’ve got some new segments this season. Of course, you know, we fine-tune our chemistry, me, and Claudia, even more.”

Funky and Al explained why shows like Tea G-I-F are important for the culture, especially as we head into the next presidential election.

“The pop culture landscape has gotten even crazier in this moment,” Funky said. “And now we’re about to enter political season. So I’m super excited about season 3.”

As two proud members of the LGBTQ+ community, Funky Dineva and Reynolds touched on the importance of representation in media and speaking for a community that is too often overlooked.

“We are an LGBTQ plus-centric show,” Funky explained. “You know, two-thirds of the show are part of the rainbow community.”

“I think we have a mission and it is important for us to break down those intricacies and nuances of being transgender, being gay, being bisexual being, intersex because in the Black community, we tend to be steeped in tradition steeped in the church, steeped in, what we believe, and relatively ignorant to a lot of this stuff. Which is kind of coming to the forefront recently, especially in the Trans community.”

While the talk show hosts aren’t looking to “change their religion,” they are hoping to show viewers that “these people exist, this is how they exist, this is why they exist. And this is why they deserve to be respected, loved, and treated equally.”

Press play below for the full insightful discussion and be sure to catch Tea G-I-F on Fox Soul Monday – Thursday at 8:00 pm PST / 11:00 pm EST.

• Education

by Derek Major

December 2, 2022

Atlanta Elementary School Under Federal Probe After Parent Says Principal Assigned Black Students To Classes Based On Race

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The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (DOE-OCR) is investigating an Atlanta elementary school amid allegations the principal assigned black students to certain classes.

In a letter obtained by CNN, the DOE said it will investigate allegations of racial discrimination and whether Atlanta Public Schools subjected students at Mary Lin Elementary “to different treatment based on race,” and whether the district retaliated against the complaint.

According to the letter obtained by CNN, the investigation began on Nov. 14, more than a year after Kila Posey filed a civil rights complaint with the office saying her child’s school placed Black students in separate classrooms from other students.

Posey, who has two children that attend the Atlanta area elementary school, said during the 2020-2021 school year, Mary Lin’s Principal Sharyn Briscoe, a Black woman, designated two second-grade classes specifically for Black students, without consulting parents,. Meanwhile, white students were placed among all six second-grade classes.

The mother said she found out about the issue when she requested her child be placed in a specific teacher’s class and Briscoe told her that was not a “black class” and would not have anyone that looks like her in the class.

According to Georgia Department of Education data, Mary Lin Elementary is a predominately white school in a middle-class neighborhood, where just 60 of 599 students are Black. The school’s second-grade class had 98 students, 12 of whom are Black.

Posey’s complaint says the assistant principal admitted in an August 2020 phone conversation that she was aware of Briscoe separating classes based on race, noting “class lists are always tough” and wished the school had more Black children. The Black mother filed a second complaint in August 2022 after she was fired from her position as an after-school care provider for the district, claiming it was “retaliation for raising the issue of segregation.”

Earlier this year, two members of the Atlanta NAACP visited the school to determine whether Posey’s claims had merit. Marilyn Barnett Waters, the state education chair for the organization, told the network she believed the school staged some of the classes for their arrival.

“I saw African American students, in two of the classes I saw. It almost seemed like they were foreign to that class,” Waters told CNN by phone Wednesday while recalling. “The Black students weren’t engaged with any of the other kids in the class.”

Several Black parents whose children attend Mary Lin Elementary have come to Briscoe’s defense.

“All anyone has to do is pick up a yearbook from last year and previous years to see that any claim of grouping Black students together is obviously ridiculous,” a group of Black families from the Atlanta Elementary told CNN in a statement. “We have a small number of Black students, but it’s a very loving and inclusive community of families of all races and backgrounds, led by our well-respected principal.”

• Politics

by Derek Major

December 2, 2022

Congressional Black Caucus Announces Its New Leadership For 118th Congress

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The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has announced its new leadership for the 118th Congress and Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford will serve as its new chairman.

The Hill reports Rep. Yvette Clark (D-NY.) has been named vice chair, Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) has been named the second vice chair; Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) is the CBC’s new secretary and Rep. Marilyn Stickland (D-WA) is the new whip.

In a statement, Horsford said he is ready to provide the leadership and guidance necessary to continue the CBC’s mission.

“As chair, I will provide the leadership, strategic vision and execute on our plans to guide us on a path that will deliver positive socioeconomic outcomes for the communities and constituencies we serve,” Horsford said according to The Hill. “Representing the 4th Congressional District of Nevada has uniquely prepared me for this role, by being a district as diverse as our nation–both in the people and the geography that lie within our boundaries. As Chair of the CBC, I will be able to put a spotlight on the hard-working people of the 4th Congressional District and advocate for our broad coalition of people that make Nevada tick.”

The CBC was created in the late 1960s after the civil rights movement when Black politicians, including the late Rep. Charles Diggs, felt isolated due to the small number of Black politicians in Congress. That led Diggs to create the Democratic Select Committee (DSC), where Black politicians could gather and talk about the issues that were important to their constituents.

When the number of Black politicians increased from nine to 13, the DSC was remade into the CBC, which was established in 1971. Today, the CBC is one of the leading congressional advocacy groups to focus on issues important to Black Americans.

Outgoing Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH) said “the honor of my career to serve as the 9th woman to chair the Congressional Black caucus. As the 117th Congress draws to a close and I pass the baton to this dynamic group of dedicated leaders, I am confident our power and our message are in capable hands.”

In the last Congress, the CBC had a record 56 members between the House of Representatives and the Senate representing 17 million Black Americans and 41% of the total U.S. Black population.