And Another One! Alyssa Scott Debuts Her Third Baby Bump, Nick Cannon Is the Father
by Atiya Jordan

October 26, 2022

And Another One! Alyssa Scott Debuts Her Third Baby Bump, Nick Cannon Is the Father

Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott have been busy.

The model took to Instagram Wednesday to share some celebratory news. She’s expecting her third baby, and Nick Cannon is the father, Entertainment Online reports.

“With you by my side… 🤍,” Scott captioned a photo of herself stunning in blue while holding her daughter, Zeela.

The baby bump debut is a miracle for the Cannon family as it comes nearly a year after the devastating news about the death of her and Cannon’s son, Zen S. Cannon. In December 2021, The Wild n Out host and entertainer shared with viewers of his since-canceled daytime talk show that 5-month-old Zen died from high-grade glioma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported.

In honor of their baby’s boy life, the pair established a pediatric cancer foundation called Zen’s Light in celebration of what would have been his first birthday in June.

“JUNE 23 WILL FOREVER BE A DAY OF CELEBRATION. A BEAUTIFUL LIGHTING CEREMONY TO HONOR THE LIFE OF AN ANGEL. ZEN’S BIRTH HAS NOW TRANSFORMED INTO “ZEN’S LIGHT.” WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE HIS NEW FOUNDATION THAT WILL HELP SO MANY OTHERS IN THIS WORLD,” POSTED CANNON UNDERNEATH A PHOTO ON INSTAGRAM. HE CAPTUREd THE POIGNANT MOMENT BY RELEASING A FLOATING LANTERN TO HONOR HIS SON, WITH SCOTT STANDING BESIDE HIM.

 

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Scott also shared an adorable photo of herself and her late son on Instagram for his birthday.

 

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A post shared by Alyssa (@itsalyssaemm)

Back in May, the 29-year-old mom shared a smaller baby bump photo via Instagram to celebrate Mother’s Day. It was unclear whether or not the picture indicated her recent pregnancy, but congratulations are still in order!

“Today I’m grateful I was able to pick up the phone and hear my mom and grandmother’s voice on the other line,” she captioned the photo upload. “I’m grateful for my daughter, who is holding my hand through this holiday. I mean it when I say my heart is with every woman and every mother today. Love.”

Nick Cannon has welcomed 10 children since 2011.

Hollywood A-Listers Attend Will Smith’s Screening for Film Inspired by Photo of Whipped Black Slave
by Stacy Jackson

October 26, 2022

Hollywood A-Listers Attend Will Smith’s Screening for Film Inspired by Photo of Whipped Black Slave

Notable celebrities surrounded Will Smith for a screening of his new film, Emancipation.

The elite Hollywood actor took to his Instagram on Monday to post a selfie with celebrity friends at the event.

 

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According to Apple TV+, Smith plays the role of Peter, a man on a journey toward freedom.

The plot follows the triumph of Peter’s escape from slavery as he evades “cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana.”

“The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of ‘Whipped Peter,’ taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. One image, known as ‘The Scourged Back,’ which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.”

 

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Vanity Fair reported the film is directed by Antoine Fuqua, who directed Denzel Washington‘s Training Day, for which he won an Oscar in 2001. In addition to Smith’s role, the film stars Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, and Mustafa Shakir.

Celebrities in attendance for the private event included Tyler Perry, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Kenya Barris, and Dave Chapelle. According to Good Morning America, the A-listers shared their thoughts on social media after the screening.

“I’m still haunted by #Emancipation. It’s truly powerful, moving and captivating,” Perry wrote on his Instagram story. “And the conversation afterwards with this group was legendary.”

“This night was truly one for the books! An amazing and brilliant group of friends got together and witnessed TRUE ART,” Barris wrote on Instagram.

“The conversation after was the effect of what anything and everything we as creatives do in this industry hope for.”

Smith’s Emancipation is set to debut in U.S. theaters on Dec. 2 and hits Apple TV+ a week later on Dec. 9.
Tamika Mallory
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 26, 2022

Tamika Mallory Blasts Kanye West for Weaponizing Black Culture, ‘Be Quiet & Get Some Real Help’

Social justice advocate Tamika Mallory called out Kanye West for how he’s “weaponized” Black culture to gain support after “losing” Kim Kardashian.

Mallory appeared on Fox Soul’s Brutally Honest with Jasmine Brand on Tuesday, where the activist was asked to share her thoughts on the current controversy surrounding Kanye West. Between wearing “White Lives Matter” t-shirts, making anti-semitic statements, and getting his Adidas partnership canceled, Kanye has been the talk of the town.

But Mallory thinks it’s all a ploy for the rap/fashion mogul to gain support after his divorce from Kim K.

“I think that Kanye is upset because he lost his woman,” Mallory said.

“He’s trying to weaponize other communities to help him fight his personal battle.”

She referenced Kanye’s recent interview on Nore’s Drink Champs, where he attempted to defend his “White Lives Matter” t-shirt.

“In one of the clips from the recent interview he did on ‘Drink Champs,’ he said, ‘if y’all don’t want me to wear white lives matter T-shirt….then the culture should get behind me when they take my child’….So now what you’re saying is we should be involved in your custody issues, your family business,” Mallory quipped.

“How many Black men has Kanye helped that can’t see their children?”

The same interview led to Kanye being sued by George Floyd’s family for making statements saying Floyd died from a fentanyl overdose and not Derek Chauvin’s kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes.

Kanye also made negative comments about the Jewish community that have since led to Adidas cutting ties with the rapper and maintaining possession of all his Yeezy designs.

As a result of Kanye’s axed Adidas partnership, his billionaire status was revoked as his net worth dropped by $400 million, Forbes reports.

Report Shows Almost Every Black Officer Experienced Discrimination at Tennessee Police Department
by Eric Moody

October 26, 2022

Report Shows Almost Every Black Officer Experienced Discrimination at Tennessee Police Department

Several Black officers representing the Knoxville Police Department staff have reportedly felt discriminated against, according to an external review of the department.

The review, conducted by consulting firm 21CP Solutions, discovered these findings that comprised almost all 15 Black officers in the department.

According to the review, the officers not only felt discriminated against but also believed that the promotional process was not particularly fair.

Knoxville Police Department Chief Paul Noel commissioned the external review after taking over the department in June.

21CP Solutions specializes in improving policing and opened the survey for two weeks at the beginning of August.

The review reportedly relied on roughly 360 sworn officers and about 100 nonsworn personnel to respond to the anonymous survey.

According to the report, department leadership had attempted to conceal an officer’s racist comments and deter a Black officer from making a complaint about the incident last year.

This conclusion comes after years of allegations of racist behavior within the department, reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

“If you are a Black officer, you have to work five times harder, and officers will always second-guess you,” one anonymous officer stated in the report.

 Another officer said, “When applying for posted positions and training, if more than one Black officer applied for a job that has multiple open slots, only one Black officer would get selected, and the other one would be told to wait until the next posting.”

Only about a third of the department’s 15 Black sworn officers said they felt they have a voice within the organization, according to the review.

Twelve stated they felt discriminated against within the organization because of their ethnicity.

Regarding de-escalating problems internally, the report showed that Black officers were also the least likely to say they felt there was a clear process for handling such issues within the department.

by Stacy Jackson

October 26, 2022

Meghan Markle, Issa Rae, Ziwe Fumudoh Set Record Straight on ‘Angry Black Woman’ Label

For ages, Black women have been perceived as aggressive, difficult, violent, bitter, and stubborn, and the list of negative connotations could go on. However, Black women are using their platforms to change the narrative.

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, addressed the stereotype of the ‘angry Black woman’ on Tuesday during a recent episode of her “Archetypes” podcast.

According to Today, Markle sat down with actress Issa Rae and comedian Ziwe Fumudoh to discuss and dissect the meaning of the trope. The notable women also discussed how the stereotype has affected them throughout their professional careers and relationships.

“We all know that sometimes things make you feel angry or sad or hurt or upset — and that’s not a gender or racially-specific feeling,” Markle said. “Yet, this trope of the angry Black woman, it persists.”

“I remember when I was auditioning, and even the idea of Black roles — I remember those casting sheets where the description of the character, she always had to have an edge or an attitude,” Meghan, the Suits alum, said.

“It was this ruthless Black woman or this uncouth Black woman,” Rae noted. “We were made to laugh at them as opposed to or to laugh with them in some ways. But it was just like these caricatures of Black women.”

The women shared a similar focus on using their platforms to shut down the stereotype in the entertainment industry. Rae chimed in with references to hit reality shows from the 2000s like “The Apprentice” and “The Flavor of Love” and how Black women like Omarosa Manigault and Tiffany Pollard were featured in roles that brought chaos and fury to their white costars.

“I want to be able to show that not all women are like this. I don’t feel fierce, flawless all the time,” Rae explained. “These characters aren’t that all the time, and that’s OK.” She added, “It was like we overcorrected this other narrative, and now we couldn’t be human. We were superhuman.”

Fumudoh spoke of her own experiences, sharing that reporters have admitted to being intimidated to talk to her face to face.

“Usually, when I’m talking to an interviewer, the first thing that they say to me is, ‘I’m terrified of you,’” she remarked. “I’m like, Oh my God, that hurts my feelings. I’m a sensitive Pisces. Like, I don’t want you to be scared of me. That’s not my goal.”

US Weekly reported that Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stepped down from their working roles as senior royals in 2020. In a tell-all interview with CBS, the two addressed racism and how the royal family had multiple opportunities to show support, however, they never spoke up.

Former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal Convicted of Slaying Cop In 1980s, Asks For New Trial
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 26, 2022

Former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal Convicted of Slaying Cop In 1980s, Asks For New Trial

Mumia Abu-Jamal, the former Black Panther and radical journalist who was convicted of murdering a police officer in 1981, is seeking a new trial after new evidence shows his original trial was tainted.

Abu-Jamal is one of the better-known figures of the African American liberation advocates who have spent decades incarcerated for their actions during the Black social justice movement of the 1970s and 80s. He has been behind bars after he was convicted of murdering Daniel Faulkner on December 9, 1981, in Philadelphia, The Guardian reports.

Abu-Jamal has always maintained his innocence. But has remained incarcerated. In 2011, he had his life sentence overturned but is serving a life sentence without parole.

But, on Wednesday, Abu-Jamal’s case will come before the court of common pleas in Philadelphia in what could be his last attempt at freedom after more than 40 years in prison. After flaws and inconsistencies in the prosecution case were revealed, there has been growing concern about the possible injustice that led to his prolonged imprisonment.

The petition came after Abu-Jamal’s lawyers, Judith Ritter and Samuel Spital, were granted access to six filing boxes marked with the prisoner’s name that was found in a storage room in the Philadelphia district attorney’s office in December 2018.

Ritter and Spital argue that the boxes contained “highly significant evidence which the commonwealth never previously disclosed” and that highlight how their client’s conviction was tainted.

Among the discovered items include a handwritten letter sent from the state’s star witness at trial, Robert Chobert, to the prosecutor, Joseph McGill.

“I have been calling you to find out about the money own (sic) to me,” Chobert wrote in the letter. “Do you need me to sign anything. How long will it take to get it.”

Other evidence shows the second witness, Cynthia White, a prostitute with 38 previous arrests on her record, had received favorable treatment in exchange for her testimony.

On Wednesday, protesters gathered outside the Criminal Justice Center in Center City to support Abu-Jamal, CBS News reports. There are also members of the police union there to see if the prisoner will get a new trial.

“This is long overdue to see our brother Mumia come home,” supporter Rafael Outland said.

“He’s been in there longer than I’ve been alive. You know, so to know that all of the evidence points in a different direction, outside of had his guilt, yes, time to bring him home. So it is time to give him a new case.”

Faulkner’s widow, Maureen Faulkner is expected to be in attendance and wants the conviction upheld.

Black Homeownership Continues To Fall After COVID-19 Pandemic Upended US Housing Market
by Derek Major

October 26, 2022

Black Homeownership Continues To Fall After COVID-19 Pandemic Upended US Housing Market

Black homeownership in the U.S. continues to fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic upending the housing market.

Interest rates on home loans are now at 7%. The Pennsylvania Capital Star reports that the Black homeownership rate was 49.7% in 2004 but fell to 40.6% in 2019. In 2022, 74.6% of white Americans owned a home compared to 45.3% of Black Americans. The figures have left housing advocates shocked that decades after the 1968 Fair Housing Act, Black families are still struggling to become homeowners at the same rate as whites.

Janneke Ratcliffe, vice president of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C., told the Pennsylvania Capital Star:

“To see the Black homeownership rate lower than the generation before is shocking, considering what earlier generations faced.”

Factors like redlining, the Great Recession, gentrification—which has exploded in the last decade—and housing trends during the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to the growing disparity between Blacks and white homeownership. The difference today is larger than it was in the early 1960s when the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights legislation were prompted.

One of the reasons Black homeownership has not risen is due to the illegal practice of redlining is still a common occurrence. According to the Star, last month, Lakeland Bank, based in New Jersey, created a $12 million homeownership fund as part of a settlement with the Justice Department, which accused the bank of redlining. The Justice Department has negotiated similar settlements with lenders in Houston, Memphis, and Philadelphia.

Several initiatives have been announced to increase the number of Black homeowners, but many are in the infant stages, and their progress cannot be measured yet.

JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America have implemented programs to boost homeownership for Black Americans, and earlier this month, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a plan to help 20,000 Black homeowners by 2030 through a $10 million fund to make homes more affordable to Black families and to help Black homeowners transfer property to their children.

“We know if we can close that gap we can increase Black wealth in our city,” Bowser said during an Oct. 3 press conference.

“We know that that is the way to pass down generational wealth.”

In addition to homeownership becoming harder, rent, especially during the pandemic, has skyrocketed across the country. Even rent for mobile homes has increased.

Missouri Police Under Fire for Allegedly Ignoring Abductions Claims Before Black Woman Escaped Basement
by Eric Moody

October 26, 2022

Missouri Police Under Fire for Allegedly Ignoring Abductions Claims Before Black Woman Escaped Basement

A police department in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, is being criticized for allegedly dismissing claims of Black women being abducted before a Black woman escaped a suspect’s basement.

Timothy M. Haslett, 39, was arrested on Oct. 7 after the 22-year-old woman escaped from his home after being sexually assaulted, according to ABC affiliate KMBC 9.

Haslett was charged by the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office with first-degree rape or attempted rape, first-degree kidnapping, and second-degree assault but has pled not guilty.

The victim was reportedly taken to a hospital for treatment and is in stable condition.

KMBC 9 reported that court documents revealed that the victim had shown up in lingerie at the front door of a neighbor’s home, wearing a metal collar with a padlock and duct tape around her neck.

The victim had informed the neighbors that she had been held against her will in Haslett’s basement.

Last month, nonprofit media startup The Kansas City Defender posted a video on TikTok and Twitter to allege that a serial killer had been targeting young Black girls in the area after they reported a number of girls had gone missing.

But according to The Kansas City Star, a spokesperson from the Kansas City Police Department issued a statement that there was “no basis to support this rumor” and that the reports were “completely unfounded” after the video went viral on social media.

The victim reportedly told investigators that Haslett allegedly picked her up in September and then kept her in a small room in a basement he built.

She added that Haslett allegedly whipped her repeatedly and kept her restrained by her feet and ankles in the basement, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Excelsior Chief of Police Greg Dull told ABC News that the victim said she was able to escape when Haslett left to take his child to school, according to the court document.

In a statement to ABC News, the Kansas City Police Department spokesperson said that there had been no reports of missing persons or women specifically from the area of Prospect Avenue where the victim said she was taken from.

Haslett is currently being held on a $500,000 bond in a Clay County jail.

‘An Incredible Honor’: New Series On The Only All-Black Ranger Unit, Buffalo Rangers, In The Works
by Atiya Jordan

October 26, 2022

‘An Incredible Honor’: New Series On The Only All-Black Ranger Unit, Buffalo Rangers, In The Works

The resilient story behind U.S. Army’s, first, last, and only all-Black Ranger unit, will be televised in a limited TV series called Buffalo Rangers.

Writer Bruce McKenna (Band of Brothers) is joining creative forces with David Broyles (Six) and Nick Jones Jr. (Yasuke) to bring the forthcoming series to life, Variety reports.

Produced by South Korea-based Moving Pictures Company, Buffalo Rangers also leans on an additional dynamic production team including Thomas Suh through his Système D Entertainment company,  Debra Martin Chase (Harriet), Paul Merryman (The Outpost) and Jariko Denman (The Outpost), a retired U.S. Army Ranger with 15 combat deployments under his belt.

“Neglected by history, it’s time these true American heroes got their due,” McKenna said, according to the outlet.

The 2nd Ranger Company, infamously known as the “Buffaloes,” was the only all-black company in what would eventually be an integrated Army, as reported by the Army Special Operations Forces‘ office of the command historian. Their nickname was adopted in tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers who came before them.

Photo Credit: U.S. Army

As one of the first three Ranger companies to arrive in Korea in December 1950, these brave men conducted combat patrols and fought in numerous battles during the Korean War. They were assigned to infiltrate through enemy lines and attack command posts, artillery, tank parks, and communications centers in response to the guerrilla warfare.

In March 1951, the 2nd Rangers parachuted in with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (ARCT), around the town of Munsan-ni during Operation Tomahawk. The drop was notably considered the first U.S. Army Ranger airborne combat insertion in history. At the time of the fight on Hill 581, the company had suffered 75 losses.

“As a Black man and a veteran, to help tell the story of these brave men who endured the many hardships of racism while serving our country is truly an incredible honor,” said Jones, who served in the United States Marine Corps before leaving to pursue a writing career in the film industry.

“Their duty and courage helped pave the way for a better military for men and women who look like me.”

 

Brazilian Soccer Player Takes a Stand Against Abuse—Believes Racists Should Be Banned From Stadiums
by Eric Moody

October 26, 2022

Brazilian Soccer Player Takes a Stand Against Abuse—Believes Racists Should Be Banned From Stadiums

Brazilian professional soccer player Vinicius Jr. has taken a strong stand against racist abuse and believes that fans should be held accountable if in violation during games.

The 22-year-old Real Madrid forward believes that fans found guilty of racist abuse should be banned for life from attending games, according to a NBC News report.

Vinicius Jr. was a victim of racial abuse in a video that surfaced in September. He was recorded by fans of the Atletico Madrid sports team, who directed racist chants at him outside their Wanda Metropolitano Stadium ahead of a game against Real Madrid.

Vinicius Jr. told Brazilian TV Globo on Sunday, “If you hurt other people, you must pay. It’s hard to say that (racism in soccer) will end with so many people still doing it. But I like to believe that there are more good people than bad. All the racist people must pay in some way. If they like to watch soccer, so those Atletico Madrid fans should never be allowed to step foot in a stadium again. That will make them suffer the consequences and reflect about their actions.”

NBC News reported that monkey noises and “Vinicius, die” chants were also heard throughout the game by local media in attendance.

Atletico Madrid staff said it is working with authorities to identify the individuals involved who would ultimately be banned by the club.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Madrid is also reportedly investigating the incident.

Other notable people of Brazil, such as former minister of sports of Brazil Pelé and current professional Brazilian soccer player Neymar, defended Vinicius Jr. that same week after a sports expert on a Spanish soccer show compared his behavior to a monkey after not respecting his opponents during his in-game celebrations.

In a response video, the Brazilian soccer player stated he will not stop dancing as a sign of happiness in his culture and condemned the sports show host with claims of being a racist.

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