U.S. Embassy Officials in Russia Recently Met with Brittney Griner
WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is in Russia after being given a nine-year prison sentence for drug possession, met with U.S. Embassy officials last week.
According to a Twitter post released Thursday by State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, officials from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow met with the imprisoned basketball player.
.@USEmbRU officials visited Brittney Griner today. They saw firsthand her tenacity and perseverance despite her present circumstances. We continue to press for the immediate release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan and fair treatment for every detained American.
“The State Department just confirmed that U.S. Embassy officials in Moscow were able to visit Brittney Griner today,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing last week.
She added they are trying to resolve what authorities consider a wrongful detention of Griner and are trying to negotiate for another imprisoned American, Paul Whelan.
“As we have said before, the U.S. government made a significant offer to the Russians to resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions of American citizens Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.”
Last month, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported that Griner had her appeal rejected as the court upheld the sentence given to her. The WNBA All-Star was convicted August 4 after authorities in Russia said vape canisters with cannabis oil in them were discovered in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
The ruling from the court stated that the time Griner spent waiting for her trial in pre-trial detention will now be counted as 1.5 days in prison. That reduced her prison time to about eight years instead of the nine she was sentenced to.
In negotiations with Russia, the United States offered a prisoner exchange in hopes of having Griner return to America. They have allegedly offered to send Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed the “merchant of death,” in exchange for Briner and Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for espionage.
Kyrie Irving Must Complete Six Items the Brooklyn Nets Require to Rejoin Team
Kyrie Irving‘s status with the Brooklyn Nets has been taken to another level after the team suspended him last week.
According to Shams Charania, senior lead NBA Insider for The Athletic and Stadium, the Brooklyn Nets organization has laid some more ground rules for Irving to be able to return to the basketball court. The team suspended the New Jersey native by stating he is ‘Currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.’
The fallout follows Irving’s “failure to disavow antisemitism” after tweeting a link to Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America!, a film some consider antisemitic.
Before the point guard can join the team, there are six things that he must do to satisfy the Brooklyn Nets organization.
Although he has already apologized after news of the suspension came out, they are requiring him to offer another apology and condemn the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America!
He already pledged to do the second requirement last week: donate $500,000 to anti-hate organizations and causes. He must enroll and complete sensitivity training and antisemitic training. Along with that, Irving must also meet with the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish leaders. The last step he has to take is meeting with the team owner, Joe Tsai, to “demonstrate understanding.”
Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:
– Apologize/condemn movie
– $500K donation to anti-hate causes
– Sensitivity training
– Antisemitic training
– Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
– Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding
In announcing the suspension, the Brooklyn Nets stated:
“We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity – but failed – to clarify.
“Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team. Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets. We have decided that Kyrie will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period served is no less than five games.”
After the announcement of his punishment, Irving offered this on his Twitter account:
“To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize. I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary. I want to clarify any confusion on where I stand fighting against Anti- semticism by apologizing for posting the documentary without context and a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the Documentary I agreed with and disagreed with. I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate. I am learning from this unfortunate event and hope we can find understanding between us all. I am no different than any other human being. I am a seeker of truth and knowledge, and I know who I Am.”
Happy Viking: Venus Williams Invites Us To Fuel Our Inner Warrior With Plant-Based Living
In celebration of her pro tennis debut 28 years ago, Venus Williams can proudly look back with no regrets while inspiring generations to always be in pursuit of their best selves.
During her legendary career, the tennis champion has had many wins and losses. She is praised for changing the course of history in women’s sports, and appreciated for her efforts in empowering a healthy lifestyle.
In 2011, Williams was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, called Sjögren’s Syndrome, which impacted her ability to function on a daily basis. Tennis had to take a backseat and plant-based nutrition took the driver’s wheel.
“Learningaboutmydiagnosistookliterallyyears,” Williams shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Icouldn’tplaytennisanymore until Iwasfinallydiagnosed. I wouldneverwantanyoneelsetogothroughthat.Beingdiagnosedisthefirststepofbeingabletotakestepstofeelbetter,andtheworstpartisthequalityofyourlifegoesdownwhenyou’renotfeelingwell.”
With motivation from her sister, Serena, Williams took a deep dive into learning how food affects the body, howmostchronicdiseasesareledbyinflammation,andhowyoucaneatinanon-inflammatoryway. She said their mother’s history of planting was also a good start.
“Itwasanawesomejourney.Andwhenyouknowbetter,youareabletomakebetterdecisions,” she said.
In December 2020, Happy Viking was born thanks to the familiar, yet thoughtful partnerships, like Dyla Brands. They carved a clear path for Williams to establish what plant-based ingredients would be implemented in her protein products.
“HappyVikingisaboutfuelingyourinnerwarriorandit’saboutreallyfuelingyourbodyintherightwayandputtingthatfirst,” Williams said.
The vegan protein brand offers products with over 60 mindful ingredients from superfoods and probiotics to an incredible taste.
“Whenyouknowwhyyou’redoingit,thenitgivesyoumoremotivationtocontinue.Andplantbasedisagreatwaytoeat,topreventlongtermdisease,” Williams explained. “ChronicillnesseslikecancersorautoimmunediseasesthatunfortunatelyIlivewith,youagewell,yourskinglows.”
The ready to drink protein shakes come in two flavors, Vanilla and Chocolate, and The Complete Superfood Meal powders come in four flavors, including Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Greeña Colada.
“Theflavorsaresomuchmorefun.Wehaveourstrawberryproteindrink,andthat’skindofprettyuniqueforourproteinpowder.Andit’smyabsolutefavorite.Iliveoffthatstrawberry,” she said.
From the Cherry Chip Smoothie Bowl to the Badass Banana Berry Smoothie, Happy Viking offers a wide range of decadent recipes.
Williams revealed that she loves blending together her strawberryproteinpowder with strawberries, some ice, and her favorite sweetener, dates. She even suggested adding dates to the readymade protein drinks, or oatmeal or water if you desire. But she likes to mix the dates first.
In leading a “happy viking” lifestyle, Williams drops a few gems for all.
“Thebestthingyoucanhaveinlifeisyourhealthandwellnesshasdonesomuchforme.Justlivingahealthylifehaschangedmylife.SoIhopethatIcanbeagoodinfluencetootherpeopletobehealthy,” she advised.
“Thisroundwasreallyaboutincludinggreatathletesthatwerespectandthatwelove,” said Williams. “Andwewantedthemtobeapartofthisjourneyofhelpingpeopletoliveplantbasedlivesandgivingthemeasysolutionstodoso.”
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Nurse Who Tried To Help Save TakeOff After He Was Shot, Speaks Out
A nurse who tried to help save TakeOff is speaking out about the tragic evening, according to KHOU 11 News. The recording artist from the hip-hop group Migos was shot and killed in Houston, Texas on Nov. 1. TakeOff, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was just 28.
The nurse, who wishes to remain anonymous, lives near 810 Billiards & Bowling where the shooting occurred. She said she heard the gunshots around 2:30 a.m and went to investigate.
“I live close by and I heard, ‘Pow pow pow pow pow,’ and it stopped and I went, ‘That’s so weird so I got up in my pajamas, go over to the balcony, my neighbors were underneath me. I said ‘Did yall hear that?’ And they said ‘Yeah.’ And I said ‘I don’t think that was a car or firecrackers. That sounded like gunshots.'”
The infusion nurse said that she then heard an agonizing cry. At first, she thought it was from the victim who she later learned was Ball. She later learned that the cry was from Ball’s uncle and fellow Migos member Quavo, who was screaming for help.
“I’m thinking that’s the victim. That’s the person who’s shot,” she said. “It sounded like a cry of agony. It was a cry of agony but emotional not physical… You can hear my voice in a video yelling ‘I’m a nurse. No, no, no. I’m a nurse,’ because I wanted to let them know. I was scared, but I had to go.”
Unfortunately, the nurse said that she was too late by the time she arrived on the scene. She noted Ball had no pulse and that his eyes were “fixed and dilated.” She also said he was bleeding from his head and that performing CPR would not have been appropriate given the circumstances.
The shooting occurred after Quavo allegedly got into an argument about basketball following a dice game. Quavo, whose real name is Quavious Keyate Marshall, reportedly began to walk away when someone threw a punch. The shooting began seconds later.
The nurse added that Quavo was crying and distraught as he pleaded for help and that she also began crying once she told him it was too late.
“All I know is he’s a 28-year-old male, and that’s my son over there, and somebody is his mother.”
No arrests have been made but according to TMZ, the Houston Police Department is currently investigating and they have a person of interest. The police are also asking witnesses who fled the scene to come forward.
Family Of Black Man Killed In Police Custody Hours After Arrest In South Carolina Demands Answers
The family of a 29-year-old Black man is seeking answers after their loved one died while in police custody in Spartanburg, South Carolina. According to ThePost and Courier, Lavell Lane died on Oct. 3 at the Spartanburg County Detention Center just hours after his arrest.
Lane, who once ran track for Howard University, was arrested by Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Deputies for violating a state law that prohibits walking on the highway pavement on Oct. 2 and taken to the jail around 10:20 p.m. Lane reportedly surrendered after he initially ran into the woods and away from the police. By 5:04 the following morning, he was dead.
Lane’s father, Andy Reese, said at a news conference on Oct. 6 that the family wants all audio and video recordings of Lane at the detention center released. The family also protested in front of the detention center on Oct. 12 with representatives from the National Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter.
“We just want justice. Just release the video,” said Reese. “I stay up all night, can’t sleep, tossing and turning, waiting for a call from my son.”
“I wanna see everything. Show him walking in there, and show him coming out — even if you have to show him out in a body bag,” said Reese. “I wanna know what officer it was that tased my son butt-naked… It’s a hard feeling thing, to see your child go through such punishment like that, it reminds me of slavery,” he added. Reese also said that the family had not received any condolences from the detention center.
“The sheriff didn’t even step out and say ‘Mr. Reese, I’m sorry for what happened to your son; here are my condolences.’ I didn’t hear nothing,” said Reese. “And I’m weeping over my child. Please show the footage.”
Lane, who suffered from schizophrenia, was reportedly tased at some point while he was undressed and was pronounced dead just after 5 a.m. the following morning. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office claimed that they could not comment on “active investigations.”
The family’s attorney, Rasheda Robinson, also requested that the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office show transparency and release all video footage of Lane. “Transparency is key here, guys, and the release of this video footage will give this family the closure that they need,” said Robinson.
According to GoUpstate / Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Sheriff Chuck Wright told local activist Chance Lebron on social media that Lane died of natural causes. “There’s nothing to say the poor fella went to sleep and didn’t wake up,” said Wright.
Lane’s mother, Beverly Lane-Reese, said that she wants answers and does not want another family to suffer.
“I don’t want no other family to have to go through this because this is agonizing. This is hurtful. I mean, if I knew, I might could deal with it, I don’t know. So, it’s just like a puzzle with pieces missing, and I want them to fill those pieces in.”
12-Year-Old New York Boy Uses Allowance To Buy Nike’s For Friend Bullied Over ‘Dirty’ Shoes
A 12-year-old New York boy is in the news after he used his allowance to buy a pair of new shoes for his friend. Romello Early, who is also known as Mello, said he was tired of seeing his friend Melvin Anderson, who is also 12, being bullied at their school in Buffalo over his sneakers.
According to The Washington Post, Early called his mother one day after class at the Buffalo Creek Academy Charter School, and he was in tears. Early told his mom that his friend was being bullied over having muddy sneakers. Both boys are seventh-graders at the school.
“I’m getting tired of them bullying my friend about his shoes. It’s making me so upset… Can we go buy him some shoes?”
Early’s mom, Anita James, said that when she returned home from work, the two discussed the situation further and her son asked if he could either use his allowance or a future Christmas present to pay for the shoes. “Can I use my allowance, or you can take something away that I would get for Christmas?”
James said that she was impressed by her son’s determination to help his friend.
“I was floored, because most kids are not willing to give up something to another child; most kids are about themselves,” said James. “Just to see at that age he was acting as an adult, it touched me in a way that I almost can’t even describe.”
That same evening, James took her son shopping and he bought his friend a pair of $135 Nike Dunks with the money he’d saved from his allowance.
“You should always treat people the way you want to be treated,” said Early. “I have a lot of stuff, so I was thinking, let’s bless somebody else today.”
Anderson said that he was constantly being made fun of over his shoes, which the other students called “dirty.”
“It made me feel sad, mad and very disliked,” said Anderson. Early gave Anderson the new shoes the next day at school privately, and Anderson was surprised. “I was totally shocked,” said Anderson. “I felt very happy and very surprised. I was so grateful that he gave me the shoes.”
The dean of culture at the New York school, Byant Brown Jr., was so moved after hearing the story that he posted a picture of the boys on Facebook with a caption telling the backstory. “My student Melo told me he was tired of other students picking on Melvin about his shoes. Melo used his allowance and bought Melvin some shoes. This is what I live for be that helping hand.”
Anderson’s father, Wesley Anderson, was disconcerted and surprised to learn that his son was being made fun of at school. He also noted that Melvin is humble and never mentioned he needed new shoes. “He’s a very humble young man,” said Mr. Anderson. “I never had an inkling about it at all until I heard about Mello,” he added. “I hope this is contagious for other children. Maybe they’ll realize that being kinder to another person goes a long way.”
Salt-N-Pepa Receive Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
The iconic hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Nov. 4 in Los Angeles, Calif. Original members Cheryl James (Salt), Sandra Denton (Pepa), and Deidra Roper (DJ Spinderella) were all in attendance at the unveiling ceremony on Friday.
The Grammy-Award-winning group rose to fame in the 1980s after their hit single “Push It” helped to make them the first female rap group to go gold or platinum. The official Salt-N-Pepa Instagram account shared a video of the ceremony with a caption expressing their gratitude.
“We go together like Salt~N~Pepa & Spinderella, now on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Forever ⭐️❤️. Thank you so much for all the love everyone ! #hiphop #walkoffame #hollywoodstar #losangeles.”
The group hadn’t been seen together since 2019 after Roper left the group. A lawsuit over unpaid royalties followed, and Roper also claimed to have been fired from the group via email. However, the group came together during the unveiling ceremony and they were all smiles.
Spinderella, 51, spoke on the group’s inspiration to women and thanked her bandmates.
“Women everywhere were inspired, forever changed by the message of strength and independence. And what our message did for you guys, it also did for me as well,” she said. “Thank you S and P for mentoring me. Salt, Pep, life lessons. We’ve been through the ups and downs. But I have to thank you for those lessons. Because it wasn’t just the music to me. It was our relationship. And that means everything to me. So whatever we gotta do to fix that, let’s get some unity back in this. Let’s figure it out and be iconic and be what the fans want.”
Fifty-six-year-old James also spoke at the ceremony and had words of inspiration.
“Your setback is a setup for your comeback,” said James. “Everything you’re experiencing and learning along the way is preparing you for what you asked for, for what you prayed for.”
Denton, 55, said that she was “honored” to receive the star on the Walk of Fame and also spoke on women empowering each other in the hip-hop community. “We gotta keep empowering each other like we do, lifting each other up, pass the torch. And I’m telling you, this is our time as well. And it goes to show you that Salt-N-Pepa got a stamp on the Earth.”
Tiffany D. Cross Blindsided and ‘Disheartened’ After Surprise Departure From MSNBC
Former MSNBC host Tiffany D. Cross is speaking out following her surprise departure from the network on Friday. Cross was the host of the network’s popular weekend program, The Cross Connection and was surprised to learn from MSNBC that her contract would not be renewed.
Cross responded to the shocking news on Twitter with a statement noting her disappointment on Friday evening.
“I am disheartened to learn of MSNBC’s decision to cancel The Cross Connection, at such a crucial time — four days before the midterm elections. From the beginning, we were intentional about centering communities of color, elevating issues and voices often ignored by the mainstream media, and disrupting the echo chambers,” wrote Cross, adding that the program was the network’s highest-rated weekend show.
“Fresh off the heels of a ‘racial beckoning,’ as so many have called it, we see that with progress there is always backlash,” she wrote. “Now is not the time to retreat to politics or journalism as usual. It is my hope that the last two years at MSNBC have been disruptive and transformative, changing how politics are discussed and making policy more digestible.”
Cross also said that the experience of creating a show that the culture could be proud of “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Cross’s departure comes less than one month after white supremacist and FOX News pundit Tucker Carlsonaccused Cross of trying to start a race war. Carlson also accused Cross of being “barely” able to speak in coherent sentences.
“While this journey ended abruptly, surprising many of us, my work is not done,” she continued. “Political violence is increasing and it’s becoming inherently more dangerous to speak the truth. But, after more than 20 years in journalism, I will not stop. The attacks on me from other outlets and former hosts will never control my narrative. Thank you to my community and fans for your overwhelming advocacy and support. Thank you to the more than 4.6 million monthly viewers. And thank you to the team who worked so hard each week. I will forever be grateful. See you soon!”
According to Variety, Cross’s relationship with the network “was becoming frayed” and executives were concerned about her “willingness to address statements made by cable-news hosts on other networks” and “indulging in commentary” that MSNBC executives did not feel met the standards of NBC News or MSNBC.
National Community Reinvestment Coalition Files HUD Complaints Against Appraisers Who Discriminated Against Black Homeowners In Recent Investigation
WASHINGTON, DC — Federal housing officials should sanction two appraisal firms in Baltimore over their discriminatory treatment of Black homeowners who participated in a recent “mystery shopper” investigation of appraisal bias, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) wrote Friday in a pair of complaints filed with the Department of Housing And Urban Development (HUD).
“There is no excuse for discrimination anywhere in the housing market, but the long-overlooked role that biased appraisers play in undermining Black wealth is an especially insidious problem,” NCRC President and CEO Jesse Van Tol said.
“We are asking federal officials to intervene in these two instances because we believe they are representative of widespread discrimination in the appraisal industry that costs Black homeowners both time and money. No one should be subjected to the sort of treatment these two appraisers visited upon these two families – and regulators have the power to do something about it.”
Both cases arise from an investigation NCRC conducted in Baltimore over the past year. NCRC recruited interracial couples who own their own homes to act as “mystery shoppers” and discovered differential treatment by appraisers when the couples presented their homes with only the Black or the White partner present. The investigation report confirmed that Black homeowners were treated worse than their White partners both in terms of customer service and valuation of their homes.
In one of the complaints, NCRC and a Black homeowner detailed how an appraiser made the homeowner wait 11 weeks for a report, ignored follow-up communication and offered no explanation for why the report took so long The same appraiser a few weeks later timely delivered a report to a White homeowner and even sent the homeowner a courtesy email in advance with an expected timeline for delivery.
The appraiser showed differential treatment and a lack of professionalism at a time when interest rates were highly volatile – meaning that the appraiser’s discriminatory conduct could have cost the Black client a chance at an affordable mortgage.
In the second complaint, NCRC and a second Black homeowner alleged that an appraiser undervalued a home presented by the homeowner, then overvalued a separate house presented by a White homeowner. The appraiser valued the first home at $310,000 when it was shown by the Black partner in the interracial couple who own it, while three other appraisers valued the same home at $350,000 or more. This appraiser then appraised a home shown by a White homeowner, and valued it $43,000 higher than any other appraiser did in the tests conducted by NCRC. The appraiser’s pattern of bias in valuing homes in Baltimore warranted an enforcement action by NCRC and the homeowner who was the victim of discrimination.
