Heartbreaking: 2-Year-Old Boy in New York Starved to Death After Father Passed Away From Heart Condition
Earlier this year, in upstate New York, a father and son were found dead in their home. The two-year-old reportedly died after his 59-year-old father passed away from a heart condition, leaving the boy with no way to survive.
According to NBC News, David Conde Sr. and his namesake, David CondeJr. were both discovered dead in Geneva, NY on Feb. 15.
A written statement from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department said that Conde Sr. died naturally from “cardiovascular disease,” while the boy’s death was ruled accidental due to starvation. Officials said that police were summoned to the home to perform a welfare check. No one had heard from or seen Conde Sr. for several weeks, Lt. Joseph Murphy said on Thursday. They were not reported missing, nor was Conde Jr. enrolled in daycare.
The release also stated, “It is believed that Mr. Conde passed away first, and the child was not able to obtain any nourishment after his father passed.” Authorities were contacted and have since interviewed the mother of Conde Jr.
The boy and father were last seen alive on Jan. 22. Investigators said there were no signs of forced entry or foul play in the apartment, according to News 10.
59 y/o David Conde Sr. and his 2 y/o son David Conde Jr. were found dead inside their Geneva apt on Tuesday. No signs of trauma. They hadn’t been seen in more than a week. Police say Dad had medical conditions, the heat wasn’t on, the unit had its own natural gas water heater. pic.twitter.com/11wor8kzZd
The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies. According to deputies, the man and his son were “dressed for bed”; the father was found in his bed, and the two-year-old was by the bed. They also mentioned that Conde Sr. had primary custody of Conde Jr., and the mother had not seen her son for some time.
Mexico Officials Investigating Death of Shanquella Robinson Who Was Seen On Video Being Beaten
A North Carolina woman, who was on a vacation in Mexico, was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Now, investigators in Mexico are looking into the death of the 25-year-old Black woman.
According to CBS News, Shanquella Robinson was on a birthday trip with several friends and died after being beaten, an act that was captured on a mobile phone. Mexican prosecutors stated Thursday that they have begun looking into the death.
#BREAKING Mexican authorities confirm they’ve started “La Carpeta de Investigación se inició por el delito de feminicidio” = the killing of a woman.
Robinson’s family is seeking answers after it was told previously that she died from alcohol poisoning on October 28. Robinson was staying at a luxury villa in San Jose del Cabo with friends. Another group of friends was there celebrating one of the traveler’s birthdays.
“When the autopsy came back, they said it didn’t have anything to do with the alcohol,” Salamondra Robinson, Robinson’s mother, told Queen City News. “[They] said that she had a broken neck and her spine in the back was cracked. She had been beaten.”
Someone filmed a video that went viral showing allegedly another American woman beating on a defenseless Robinson at the villa. During the video, no one came to help her. A voice from a man who is believed to be American is heard saying to her, “Can you at least fight back?”
Questions have emerged about why none of Robinson’s friends intervened or tried to stop the altercation instead of just filming or watching it.
Queen City News reported that Salamondra Robinson said her daughter was dead within 24 hours of arriving in Cabo.
“She told me they had a chef. They were getting ready to eat. They were eating tacos or a salad or something, and I said, ‘OK. I love you. Have a good night, and I will talk to you tomorrow.’ I never talked to my child again.”
‘The Real Housewives of Potomac’ Accused of Colorism Against Wendy Osefo and Candiace Dillard
The Real Housewives of Potomac is under fire for the treatment of the two sole brown-skinned cast members from the predominantly light-skinned cast.
Wendy Osefo and Candiace Dillard have somehow become the main targets in season 7. The new season premiered last month and has showcased the developing feuds between the cast of alpha women.
The season kicked off with Ashley Darby and Gizelle Bryant expressing their concerns for Candiace’s husband Chris Bassett. The baseless suspicions have put a wedge between Candiace and Gizelle and deepened the seasons-old feud between Candiace and Ashley.
Elsewhere, Robyn Dixon has carried her season 6 quarrel with Wendy into season 7, and has seemingly used every chance to go toe-to-toe with the Johns Hopkins professor.
Amid all the feuding, a clip revealed the plot Ashley orchestrated during the Miami girls’ trip to force Wendy and Candiace into the only room with one bed.
But after OMFG Reality TVshared the clip on Twitter, many fans started sounding off on what they believed was colorism within the cast.
“#RHOP ain’t never beating the colorism accusations!!! Smmfh,” one fan wrote in response to scene.
“Yeah. This is getting hard to watch,” added someone else.
Another clip showed the moment Mia Thornton threw a drink at Wendy, following a verbal spat during a group dinner. The behavior displayed against Wendy rubbed some viewers the wrong way.
“See what pisses me off is that @WendyOsefo being a dark skin black wmn will still have to carry herself with grace during this whole thing,” one fan quipped.
“Becuz let’s be clear she has more to lose and they will paint her with the angry black woman stereotypes so quick. It’s truly sickening #rhop”
See what pisses me off is that @WendyOsefo being a dark skin black wmn will still have to carry herself with grace during this whole thing becuz let's be clear she has more to lose and they will paint her with the angry black woman stereotypes so quick. It's truly sickening #rhophttps://t.co/dIs3tRs1tt
Amid the backlash, Ashley took to her Instagram story to shut down the colorism claims and explain how unbiased she is when shading a cast member.
“So, I really hate that I have to say anything about this and that I have to address this, but it seems to have just gotten, like, way out of control,” she said in the post captured by Jay’s Reality Blog.
Ashley says that she’s not a colorist, & has had issues with every woman on the show no matter what the color of their skin was. #RHOPpic.twitter.com/DyvzbgtrRb
“First and foremost, I am not a colorist,” she declared.
“I know everyone wants to deem me that. They want to make all these accusations about me because of my own skin tone, but I don’t claim that because that’s not me.”
Ashley went on to note the times she had feuded with several other castmates — including Robyn and Gizelle — and each time, she never took “the hue” of anyone’s skin color into consideration.
“I always start at a hundred with people until you give me a reason to take it down,” she continued.
“That is all that has transpired. I still care about the women on this show and I hope that everyone — including them — knows that nothing that I will ever feel about you is because of your color of your skin.”
The colorism debate has been brought up on RHOP in the past, but the debate clearly continues. Considering the strong responses from viewers, it will likely be addressed at the season 7 reunion.
Yes We Can! The 4 Largest Cities In America Will Have Black Mayors Leading Them
Once Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) is sworn in as the mayor of Los Angeles, the four largest cities in the U.S., New York, Houston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, will be led by Black mayors.
Bass defeated Rick Caruso, a real-estate developer, in a tight race that took more than a week to call. With the win, the congresswoman and six-term Democrat became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Los Angeles.
CNNreports Bass’ win, combined with election wins by New York Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected last year, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who has been the Mayor since 2016, means that for the first time, the four largest U.S cities will be run by Black Democratic mayors.
“As Black mayors continue to win elections this cycle, we are excited that, for the first time, the four largest cities–New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston–are each led by an African American mayor,” the African American Mayors Association (AAMA) said on Thursday according to CNN.
Phyllis Dickerson, the CEO of the AAMA, told CNN that Black mayors bring a different perspective to public office and have the ability to identify problems they have experienced as well as solutions to those problems, including homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity.
“When you have the top four cities at the table, with the administration, I think that the conversation is definitely going to land where it needs to be,” Dickerson added.
There has been a significant influx of Black talent entering politics this year, including Pamela Goynes-Brown, who was elected mayor of North Las Vegas in the midterms. There will be nine Black female mayors across the U.S.
The other six are Vi Alexander Lyles in Charlotte, N.C., London Breed in San Francisco, Muriel Bowser in Washington, D.C., LaToya Cantrell in New Orleans, Tishaura Jones in St. Louis, Missouri, and Elaine O’Neal in Durham, N.C.
This year’s midterm elections saw 145 Black women who filed or indicated that they were running, breaking a record of 130 Black Women set in 2020.
Glynda Carr, the president of Higher Heights For America, a political action committee supporting Black female progressive candidates, called Bass’ win a win for representation.
“Today’s long-awaited election results reaffirm the notion that when given the opportunity, Black women have the ability and power to lead,” Carr said in a statement.
Buying All Black! Ludacris Partners With Google For A #BlackOwnedFriday Anthem
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges is putting a creative, action-packed spin on Black Friday.
The hip-hop icon has teamed up with Google to create an interactive music video that reimagines Black Friday as “Black-owned Friday,” and takes you through a day in the world of Black-owned businesses, Atlanta Daily Worldreports.
The partnership, an initiative created by Google in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., invites consumers to devote a day to searching, supporting, and shopping at Black-owned businesses.
“I support entrepreneurs, Black entrepreneurs, and the impact that it has on our communities, Ludacris told the outlet. “
In the video, directed by Charles Todd, Ludacris lends his original rap bars to highlight more than 100 products from more than 70 Black-owned businesses. Alabama rapper Flo Milli joins him as a feature while spotlighting Black-owned nail polishes and body mists.
“Every day when you’re searching, whether it’s for a local business or if you’re shopping online, you can choose to search and buy from Black-owned businesses,” Ludacris wrote in a Google blog. “The number of Black owned businesses is around 30% above pre-pandemic levels, which allows for even more chances to find your new favorite restaurant, bookstore or jacket.”
Behind the scenes, Ludacris is a successful record label executive, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
“As a father, I try to be the example and set the example and do things with my celebrity and my power,” the mega-mogul told Atlanta Daily World.
“I just wanted to involve myself in this because I felt like it was very positive for our communities and very positive in terms of pointing people in the right direction, showing them how easy it is to support Black business.”
“If it was that easy, everybody would be doing it. Everybody’s going to have hurdles, we all are going to have these challenges. But you got to work through those challenges,” he added.
“The best way to do it, Google.”
“Google anything whenever you have an issue and when you got a problem.”
Maryland-Based Law Firm To Offer Black-Owned Businesses Free Year of Legal Services
Maryland-based law firm Shulman Rogers has announced it will offer Black-owned businesses in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., one year of legal services at no cost—if they are approved.
Shulman Rogers’ co-chair and shareholder Kimberly Mann told WTOP that the decision to offer these services as a part of the Shulman Rogers Black-Owned Business Programstemmed from the overall desire for something more impactful for 2023.
“We recognize the need that Black-owned businesses have for legal services. We understand that there are special challenges that face Black businesses, and we would like to do our part to alleviate some of the barriers to entry for smaller, Black-owned businesses,” Mann told the outlet.
The program also aims to help the selected businesses create a solid foundation for overall growth, Mann added.
“That would include things like entity formation,” she continued.
“If the company has already formed, corporate governance services or reorganization, and then beyond that, long-term tax planning, bank financing or venture financing in the seed or pre-seed stages, contract drafting and negotiation, trademark matters, getting their intellectual property rights in order, real estate, and employment matters.”
Mann provided additional criteria that Shulman Rogers’ selection committee want businesses to meet in order to receive this service.
Validly exist in the jurisdiction
Have a solid business plan
Be in an industry with high growth potential
Exhibit strong entrepreneurial commitment
Display management team experience
Demonstrate need
Shulman Rogers states on its website that applications for the year of free legal services will be accepted until Thursday, December 1. Qualifying businesses must be more than 51% Black-owned and controlled and located in either Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Northern Virginia.
Mann told WTOP while she anticipates most applicants will be younger businesses that have not established such things as legal counsel, Shulman Rogers is open to applicants of all experience levels.
Drake Shares Title With Jay-Z For Most No. 1 Records On Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart
Although Jay-Z entered the hip-hop realm years before Drake did, the Canadian artist has now tied The God Emcee for No. 1 records for male artists on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.
The latest milestone for The 6 God was announced as his project with 21 Savage, Her Loss, topped the Billboard charts this week. This ranking makes it a two-way tie to top the most No.1 record,s with each totaling 14 albums that reached the peak.
According to Hypebeast, the only recording artist/group to have more No. 1hits is Motown sensation, The Temptations. With four more No. 1s, either one or maybe both will take that top spot, which will overcome The Temptations’ 17 No.1s.
Her Loss took the top spot after selling 404,000 equivalent album units in its debut week. That number set the record for the largest week for a hip-hop/R&B album in 2022. The Drake/21 Savage collaborative effort has also commanded the fourth-largest streaming week for any album in history,y with 513.56 million on-demand official streams of the album tracks.
Although he is not even close in this competition, 21 Savagesecurede his third No.1 album. In 2018, the Atlanta rapper’s project, I Am > I Wa,s came in at No. 1, while his 2020 offering, Savage Mode 2, was his second album to make it to the top of the Billboard charts.
Jay-Z has been winning for some time,e but another record of his was just matched.
It was announced earlier this week that Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé, are officially tied as the most nominated artists in Grammy Awards history. The Carters both have earned 88 nominations apiece as Queen Bey is the most awarded woman in Grammy history with 28 career wins to date, according to ET. The family is a hotbed for records as Beyoncé also holds the record for most Record of the Year nominations with eight, including her latest nomination for “Break My Soul.”
Beyoncé has been nominated for eight Grammys this year, while Jigga Man has been nominated for five.
Chicago Offers $15,000 Reward After Shooting Death Of 7-Year-Old Boy
A Chicago family is mourning] the death of 7-year-old Akeem Briscoe, who was killed by a stray bullet days after they buried his father as a result of a medical condition, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
Briscoe was washing his hands in the bathroom on Wednesday, Oct. 26, as his family prepared dinner at their Humboldt Park home when a stray bullet came through a window and struck him in front of his mother and two siblings.
Briscoe was rushed to Stroger Hospital,where he died hours later.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the gunfire erupted following a gang squabble in a nearby alley. According to ABC7 Chicago data, 298 children have been shot this year. Forty-one have died.
Terribia Misters, Briscoe’s uncle, was devasted by the tragedy of his nephew.
“A seven-year-old boy…man, he didn’t get a chance to live life yet, you know,” Terribia Misters, Briscoe’s uncle, shared with ABC 7 Chicago. “He said he didn’t want his dad to be gone, and he wanted to be with him. Now he’s where his dads at,” he told the outlet.
Misters, who spends a lot of time at the Humboldt Park home, left his dishwashing job at the University of Chicago dining hall after his sister called.
The family is pleading with the public to help authorities. “If you got a soul or something inside your body, turn yourself in, man. He was loved by a lot of people, so that should tell you something,” Misters told ABC 7 Chicago.
A reward of up to $15,000 has been offered for information in the case, which has drawn the attention of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is seeking justice for the family.
“There are people out there right now that within the sound of my voice, know exactly what happened. You must come forward,” she told ABC 7 Chicago.
N.Y. Rep Hakeem Jeffries Set To Become The First Black Politician To Lead House Or Senate Caucus
House Democrats are poised to select New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as its leader to succeed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a political first.
Pelosi announced Wednesday she would not seek a leadership position in the next Congress and Jeffries launched bid to be Pelosi’s successor, CNN reports.
“For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect,” Pelosi said in a speech on the House floor. “And I am grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.”
“Our top non-governmental priority, for the sake of the American people, must be retaking the majority in November 2024,” Jeffries wrote.
In addition to Pelosi announcing she would step down, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn endorsed Jeffries to succeed Pelosi before announcing they were stepping down from their leadership posts,
Jefferies is set to succeed Pelosi, becoming the first new House Democratic leader in two decades and the first Black politician to lead a House or Senate caucus for either party. Jeffries, a New York University and Georgetown University graduate, is a former corporate lawyer who has represented some of the country’s most iconic Black areas.
Additionally, Jeffries, 52, helped craft the messaging for Democrats around healthcare and taxes that helped the party reclaim the majority in 2018. Jeffries is also a self-described progressive and unabashed critic of former President Donald Trump, calling him the “grand wizard of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” who served as an impeachment manager at Trump’s first impeachment trial.
The politician’s promotion will also make his hometown of Brooklyn, NY, a Democratic stronghold where Jeffries lives less than a mile from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
In a statement, Jeffries praised Pelosi, calling her “the most accomplished Speaker in American history and our country is unquestionably better off for her extraordinary leadership,” who was “the steady hand on the gavel during some of the most turbulent times the nation has ever confronted.”
In an interview with The Atlantic last year Jeffries explained his political stance.
“I’m a Black progressive Democrat concerned with addressing racial and social and economic injustice with the fierce urgency of now,” Jeffries said. “There will never be a moment where I bend the knee to hard-left democratic socialism.”
Jeffries got his start in politics, in 2006, when he was elected to the New York State Assembly. In 2012, Jeffries was elected to Congress after defeating Carles Barron.
Clark Atlanta University Grad Heather Haynes Designs Sneaker for Nike HBCU Yardrunners Collection
Heather Haynes, proud Clark Atlanta University alumna and global video producer and marketer, lives vicariously through her alma mater’s motto — “Find a Way or Make One.”
The award-winning VH1 digital series Growing Up Black creator has recently been honored by Nike as an HBCU Yardrunner. She is effortlessly repping CAU and paying it forward in Nike’s third iteration of its Yardrunners collection.
Photo Credit: Nike
In the partnership, Haynes designed a sneaker, the Nike Dunk Low’ Clark Atlanta University,’ which features the HBCU’s red, black, and grey color scheme. “Find a Way or Make One” – is displayed on the laces, and the Panthers’ logo is adorned on the sneaker’s tongue, outsole, and insole. “1988” is also embroidered on the heel, a nod to when Clark College merged with Atlanta University.
“I want CAU students and alumni to feel proud and inspired,” Haynes told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“I would like current students to take pride in knowing that their HBCU is important to huge corporations like Nike, so they should take their education seriously and cherish the time that they are spending on campus. I want alumni to wear their sneakers as a reminder of where they came from and to have pride in showcasing their love for their HBCU out in the world.”
Photo Credit: Nike
CAU also gave Haynes her flowers when they selected her for the inaugural class of the Clark Atlanta University 40 under 40 Young Alumni achievement awards.
Photo Courtesy of Heather Haynes
How did your HBCU experience impact your legacy in the entertainment industry?
CAU is located in the heart of Atlanta, which is also the mecca of Black culture. Attending CAU during the peak of Atlanta’s hip-hop takeover made me fall in love with the entertainment industry and opened my eyes to all of the possibilities there were post-graduation.
Attending CAU also gave me a distinct level of experience and knowledge about the culture that I feel like a Southern hip-hop expert in certain rooms, lol. The biggest takeaway was the network of folks you meet while in school that grow up to become label execs, PR execs, artists, etc. It’s amazing to see and allows me to use my network to help connect the dots while I navigate the industry.
When did your love for sneaker culture begin?
My love for sneaker culture began when I was a kid seeing my older brother collect East Bay magazines and highlight the sneakers he wanted. Naturally, as a little sister, I wanted whatever he wanted, and that included cool sneakers. It wasn’t until middle school that I started to define my personality and personal style and started to want exclusive sneakers that no one else was wearing. I was into uniqueness more so than what was popular at the time.
As a proud HBCU alumna, how does it feel to give back to your alma mater in this way?
It feels amazing to create something that will hopefully live on and be a part of the history and legacy of CAU. CAU instilled so much in me and the person that I am today. I’m grateful that with Nike’s help, I’m able to give back to them this way and inspire the students that no dream is unattainable.
How did the sneaker designs draw on your experiences and inspirations?
My experience designing the CAU dunk lows was really exciting and fun. I met with Nike’s team, and they gave me the lay of the land, and from there, I went to work sketching my design. It wasn’t that difficult to design, my creativity was activated instantaneously because I knew that I wanted to incorporate as much of the school’s colors, logos, mottos, etc., as I could while also being tasteful and representing my own personal style.
How does it feel to be one of the few Black women to officially design a sneaker for Nike?
It feels legendary. 2022 is going down in the history books. Nike’s commitment to HBCUs and amplifying Black voices is game-changing. They are paving the way for more and more opportunities to tell authentic and meaningful diverse stories.
Your award-winning docuseries, Growing Up Black, explores issues directly affecting the Black community. As a Nike HBCU Yardrunner, how do you empower HBCU students with opportunities in television?
I am always down to help connect the dots, my email is open to the public on my IG account. Folks hit me up all the time with just general questions or looking for guidance. I hope to continue to be a resource for HBCU students. While I was in Atlanta for my sneaker drop, I stopped by the Mass Communications building and spoke to a few students and my old professors. I told them that I want to be more involved with the program. So hopefully, I can make that happen really soon.
What advice do you have for HBCU students who want to forge a legacy that will inspire future generations?
My advice is the same advice Spike Lee gave me right after I graduated from CAU.
