Nick Cannon States Children’s Mothers Don’t Have to Get Along, ‘They All Get Along With Me’
After admitting that he recently spoke to a doctor about getting a vasectomy, Nick Cannon expressed that the mothers of his six children “don’t have to get along.”
According to People, the Wild ‘N Out creator appeared on theBig TiggerMorning Show on V-103 to discuss fatherhood and how he deals with all the mothers of his children. Cannon, who is expecting his eighth child later this year, was asked if “all the baby mamas get along.” He responded, “They don’t have to; they all get along with me.”
As Tigger spoke to him about his co-parenting and several topics surrounding his children, Cannon made a point to state that he doesn’t hide from his responsibilities as a father. Yet, he admitted that it was not his intention to father so many children, but he has embraced it. His financial situation has gotten better over the years and he’s able to afford to have those kids.
“My bag was different back then. I just want to be responsible as a father…I didn’t set out [for this to happen]…I just want to be the best father I can possibly be and lean into it. I embrace all my children. I love children, but I wasn’t setting out to be Father Abraham. I just embrace it.”
“A lot of people have a lot of children as well, and they kinda keep it quiet, or they don’t talk about it. I lean into mine,” he continued.
(Image: Rich Polk/FilmMagic)
Cannon has seven children, including his first set of twins, son Moroccan and daughter Monroe, with his ex-wife, singer Mariah Carey. Last year, in June, Cannon welcomed twin sons, Zion Mixolydian Cannon and Zillion Heir Cannon.
(Image: E News/Clifton Prescod)(Image: Instagram/@missbbell)
He also has another daughter, Powerful Queen, and a son, Golden, with model Brittany Bell. His youngest son, Zen, was born in July with model Alyssa Scott but passed away in December.
Bobby Brown Recalls Paying a Stranger $50K for a Car as a Teenage Millionaire
Singer Bobby Brown has been transparent about his wild boy behavior during his youth. Having grown up in front of the public eye and becoming rich and famous at a very young age, Brown has fond memories of how he blew through his millions.
At age 18, Brown’s solo debut album Don’t Be Cruel produced top Billboard hits like “My Prerogative” and “Every Little Step.” The New Edition singer opened up in A&E‘s Biography Bobby Brown, which premiered on Monday. He recalled how he spent the millions he received after ditching the R&B group for a solo career, Yahoo Entertainmentreports.
“Money was ginormous,” Brown said.
“I was bringing in so much money at such a young age. My dad didn’t have to work anymore. My mom didn’t have to work anymore.”
Swimming in dough and popularity, Brown recalls the time he spent $1 million in one day.
“I’d be driving down the street on the tour bus, see somebody in a car and like the car, pull the car over and buy the car,” he recalled of his frivolous spending as a teenage millionaire.
Brown says he would drive new cars around the city and abandon the luxury vehicles at his hotel or the airport.
“Pay [over $50,000] for a car and just leave it,” Brown said.
But after losing all his millions, Brown says, “Wish I had those cars now.”
The teen pop star was also charitable with his millions. His former bodyguard AJ Alexander recalled a time Brown saw a Black woman being mistreated by a store owner of a glass figurine shop inside a mall.
“Bob ended up buying the store and giving it to the lady,” Alexander revealed.
“He went back the next day and told the guy he was fired. ‘Yo, you fired. You work for her now.'”
Having grown up in the projects in Boston, Brown never expected to become so successful, and he had no concept of financial management.
Brown said he “never thought in my life I’d be able to not only make millions of dollars, but to spend a million dollars in one day.”
“I was like: What? I’m gonna do it,'” he recalled. “And I spent a million dollars in one day.”
Social Media Star Jay Versace Sparks Debate After Launching GoFundMe to Pay For His Mother’s Funeral
Social media influencer and music producer Jay Versace has sparked debates on social media after launching a GoFundMe to pay for his late mother’s funeral.
Last week, a fundraiser was started on behalf of Jahlil “Jay Versace” Gunter in memory of his mother, Nikesha Dolly Gunter, who died on May 18. The social media star who has been the face behind popular memes and gifs used in recent years reposted a link to the fundraiser while announcing his mother’s passing.
“This has truly been one of the saddest times of my life, I don’t wish this pain on anyone. plz help me send my momma off smoothly, anything helps,” Jay Versace tweeted.
The GoFundMe page didn’t explain what led to Gunter’s passing but explained how the family has been spending their money.
“The passing of Dolly came unexpectedly and is a huge loss for her whole family,” the GoFundMe page states.
“We are asking for financial support as Jay and the family has exhausted their financial resources while supporting Dolly’s ongoing medical battles which created housing and financial issues.”
It also noted how the donations would be used.
“This GoFundMe will support Jay and his family with funeral costs for Dolly, living costs for him and his little brother as they prepare for their mother’s funeral, and finding a new living space,” the page states. “All funds raised will go directly to Jay to support with funeral costs and associated expenses.”
After the social media star posted a link to the fundraiser, debates sparked on Twitter from those shocked to see the popular influencer in financial need.
“jay versace having to start a gofundme for his mothers passing is so heartbreaking considering the impact he has had on social media for nearly our entire adolescence,” one user tweeted.
jay versace having to start a gofundme for his mothers passing is so heartbreaking considering the impact he has had on social media for nearly our entire adolescence
“The fact that medical bills has basically left Jay Versace and his family nearly bankrupt should be a wake up call of how evil our healthcare system is. No one should be worried about their housing while mourning and planning a funeral.”
Others couldn’t believe that after producing so many well-received videos and winning a Grammy, the influencer would need assistance paying for a funeral.
The First Black Female Architect to Earn Doctorate From the University of Hawaii at Mānoa Aims to Diversify The Industry
Meet Danielle McCleave, the first Black woman to earn a Doctor of Architecture professional degree from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa School of Architecture.
McCleave’s degree serves as a milestone within the industry where Black people make up just 2% of 116,242 licensed architects, and Black women represent only 0.4%, the school notes. With her degree, McCleave is looking forward to diversifying the industry and inspiring more Black women to enter the field.
“When I first found out I would be the first Black woman to obtain this degree, I was hit with a variety of emotions,” McCleave said.
“I was excited to be in this position of trailblazing, and I knew it would be encouraging for other Black women looking to get into design.”
McCleave received her bachelor’s in sculpture and painting from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, before attending UH Mānoa. McCleave won the Hawaiʻi Architectural Foundation award for her thesis on housing, titled “Redesigning the Hood: Using Culturally Aware Wellness as a Tool to Inform Architectural Design,” while in the doctorate program, and stressed the need for more equitable housing and culturally aware design practices in architecture.
“I was also proud to have been here, this program is not easy, and I had to overcome a lot to accomplish it, but I was also saddened that in 2022, there are still firsts like this to be had,” McCleave said.
“It honestly is overdue, and I feel like there is room for improvement in the architecture world and in the architecture curriculum to highlight and showcase more females and people of color designers.”
McCleave aims to live up to her new title as a trailblazer by promoting diversity in architecture and design.
“We have learned time and time again that representation matters and how important it is to be able to see yourself in other people doing different things, so I hope that my journey can be an encouragement for other women and people of color to get into architecture and design,” McCleave said.
“Black women are deeply underrepresented as architects and designers.”
“I strongly believe that great design is a right, not a privilege, and for that to happen, there needs to be designers that are a part of and deeply understand the communities they are designing for.”
Airbnb Partners With Georgia Land Trust Organization To Bring Agri-Tourism To Black Farmers
In a new partnership, Airbnb is offering a brand new and extraordinary opportunity to book relaxing stays at Black-owned farms across Southwest Georgia, all while immersing in the land’s rich history.
The New Communities Land Trust, a historical organization recognized as the first land trust organization in the U.S., launched a first-of-its-kind collection of farm cottages and rural experiences — Southwest Georgia Agri-Tourism Trail, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The grassroots organization was born out of the civil rights movement in 1969. They have since been a champion of community empowerment while also advocating for Black families and supporting a more equitable future for Black farmers.
With decades of experience, founding members, including Charles and Shirley Sherrod, envision New Communities Inc. as a “thriving organization that is a global model for community empowerment through agribusiness, education, social awareness, and wealth building,” the organization’s website states.
As for the newly launched trail, the New Communities Land Trust and Airbnb have joined efforts to bring Black farmers in on the economic opportunities with local tourism. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn the importance of Black agriculture and the history and present needs of Black farmers.
GBP News reported that the collection of farm cottages is located just outside Albany, Georgia, situated at the former Cypress Pond plantation. The New Communities Land Trust is also headquartered there.
Among curated experiences, guests can embark on a “Civil Rights Farm Tour” of the plantation, which was purchased in 2011 by New Communities, and is now called Resora. They can also indulge in a “Taste of the South” experience at Vicks Estate, Farm & Fishery in Albany, hosted by fifth-generation farmer Clinton Vicks.
“When New Communities acquired Resora over a decade ago, we envisioned it as a place where we could farm the land, nurture the minds of people, and empower our community,” Sherrod said in a statement.
“I look forward to the possibilities that this new partnership will bring to our members, the rich stories that will continue to be passed on through guests, and the type of relaxation and restoration that only being in nature can provide,” she added.
Guests can book stays and Experiences on the Southwest Georgia Agri-Tourism Trail at airbnb.com/swgatrail.
Victims in Texas School Shooting Killed in Single Classroom, Authorities Say
The 19 children and two teachers massacred at a South Texas elementary school were in a single fourth-grade classroom where the gunman barricaded himself, authorities said on Wednesday, as the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade reignited a national debate over America’s gun laws.
Police circled Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, breaking windows in an effort to evacuate children and staff, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Chris Olivarez told CNN. Officers eventually breached the classroom and killed the gunman, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos.
Ramos began his rampage by shooting his grandmother at home. He then drove to the nearby school where he crashed his car and entered the building wearing tactical gear and carrying a rifle, authorities said. His grandmother survived but is in critical condition. Investigators hope she can shed light on a motive for the shooting.
(Image: Law enforcement personnel run away from the scene of a suspected shooting near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello)
Multiple children were also injured, Olivarez told Fox News, though he did not have an exact tally.
The attack, which came 10 days after an avowed white supremacist shot 13 people at a supermarket in a mostly Black neighborhood of Buffalo, prompted President Joe Biden to call for stricter gun safety laws in a prime-time address to the American people.
(Image: U.S. President Joe Biden returns to the White House aboard Marine One, arriving back from his visits to South Korea and Japan, in Washington, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
“As a nation, we have to ask when in God’s name we’re going to stand up to the gun lobby, when in God’s name we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done,” he said, his voice rising in a crescendo.
Biden ordered flags flown at half-staff daily until sunset on Saturday in observance of the tragedy.
“I am sick and tired of it. We have to act,” Biden, a Democrat, said, without proposing specific legislation.
But the prospects for legislation remained dim in Washington. Virtually all Republicans in Congress oppose new gun restrictions, citing the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of a right to bear arms.
World leaders expressed shock and sympathy. Pope Francis on Wednesday said he was “heartbroken” by the Texas shooting and called for an end to “the indiscriminate trafficking of weapons.”
(Image: Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, comforts people as they react outside the Ssgt Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello)
The Texas rampage stands as the deadliest school shooting since a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012.
Uvalde, a community deep in the state’s Hill Country region about 80 miles (130 km) west of San Antonio, has about 16,000 residents, nearly 80 percent of them Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census data.
(Image: Women react outside the Ssgt Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a suspected shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello)
“We’re a small community and we need your prayers to get us through this,” Hal Harrell, the school district superintendent, told reporters on Tuesday, his voice quaking with emotion.
The two staff members killed were identified as Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, fourth-grade teachers who worked in the same classroom.
Mireles, who loved running and hiking, had an adult daughter and a husband who works as a police officer in the schools. Garcia, who worked at the school for more than two decades, had four children.
“Guns flow like water”
Democrats in Washington renewed calls for stronger gun safety laws. U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a leading advocate for legislation to restrict the proliferation of guns, told reporters: “I just don’t understand why people here think we’re powerless.”
“You know, guns flow in this country like water. And that’s why we have mass shooting after mass shooting,” he said.
The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives last year passed two bills expanding background checks on firearm purchases, including closing a loophole that exempts online and private sales. But the legislation has not advanced in the Senate, where at least 10 Republican votes are needed.
In the wake of the shooting, at least two Texas Republican elected officials called for beefing up security at schools and arming teachers, an approach opposed by gun control advocates.
“The reality is that we don’t have the resources to have law enforcement at every school,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told Fox News on Tuesday.
“Nothing is going to work perfectly.”
(Image: Children get on a school bus as law enforcement personnel guard the scene of a suspected shooting near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello)
The shooting took place days before the National Rifle Association, the gun industry’s main lobbying group, was set to hold its annual meeting in Houston. Several prominent Texas Republicans, including Governor Greg Abbott and U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, were scheduled to speak to attendees.
The nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which tracks mass shootings, has counted more than 200 incidents so far this year, defined as those in which four or more people were killed or injured.
In Texas, a gunman killed 26 people at a church in Sutherland Springs in 2017. A mass shooting killed 10 people at a Houston-area high school the next year, and 23 people died at a Walmart in El Paso in a 2019 attack motivated by racial hatred.
City Of Chicago Honors Herman Petty, McDonald’s First Black Franchise Owner
Five decades after he became the first Black person to open a McDonald’s franchise, the city of Chicago is honoring the late Herman Petty, naming the street where the restaurant still stands after him.
Block Club Chicago reports city officials have named a section of Marquette Road between Stony and Dorchester Avenues “Herman Petty Way” in a ceremony Monday with the Black McDonald’s Operators Association, which Petty was involved in starting.
The ceremony outside the restaurant Petty opened in 1968 included Petty’s family members, other Black McDonald’s owners, and local officials. Petty’s granddaughter, Latrice Orr, told Block Club her grandfather’s legacy inspires her and others to follow in his footsteps.
“He inspired others to believe in themselves, to know that nothing is unattainable if you put in the work and put your mind to it,” Orr said. “My grandfather worked hard for his family and instilled to all of us to be independent, always chase your dreams. Herman Petty wanted his grandchildren, children, and even great-grandchildren to achieve great things in life and wants them to never give up and always remember dreams [aren’t] impossible.”
In addition to the street name, Petty will also have a room named after him at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park through a partnership between the Obama Foundation and McDonald’s. Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald’s USA, said the honor is part of Petty’s ongoing legacy.
“This will obviously preserve his ongoing legacy, and we also believe that it will inspire future entrepreneurs,” Erlinger said. “So we are incredibly excited to partner with the Obama Foundation as they work to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders to evolve and support this great city of Chicago that we all call home.”
Petty’s McDonald’s location was bought and remodeled by Yolanda Travis in 2007. The restaurant now features photos of Petty and other notable Black McDonald’s owners. Travis added that she came up with the idea to honor the Black franchise owner because the city lacks Black museums, monuments, and landmarks on the South Side of Chicago.
82-Year Old Woman Makes History, Graduates From University of Maryland
Mae Beale, an 82-year-old woman from Maryland, has finally achieved her dream of graduating college as she recently received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
In the past years, Beale has been working as a licensed practical nurse at different health care and government agencies in Washington, D.C. While working at the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, she discovered her skills in event planning.
“My supervisors thought I had something special,” she told WJLA-TV.
“When I was working at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, I organized some large events and everybody was impressed with it, so I started coordinating their IT information conferences.”
In 1994, she decided to make a new career out of event planning and launched her own event planning business called “In Grand Style.” She then went back to school to earn her associate degree in business management at Howard Community College in Columbia, Md.
Just a few years ago, Beale, who was then in her late 70s, decided to continue her studies and pursue a bachelor’s degree to help her grow her business. She worked really hard towards her goal, even making it to the Dean’s list several times and participating in various extra-curricular activities.
“I discovered that I had to be intentional about it and make it my priority,” she said.
Most recently, Beale graduated with honors on the day after she just turned 82-years old.
Black Teen Prodigy Makes History as the First Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders from Monroe, Louisiana
Valaysia Smith, a 15-year-old from Ouachita Parish in Monroe, La. is making her mark in history as the first from her hometown to receive the Congress of Future Medical Leaders Award of Excellence.
Smith was chosen to be a Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders based on her superior academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine. The honor was issued by The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists.
The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The voracious student who holds a 3.9 GPA, plans to major in Biomedical Engineering when she attends college. She would like to matriculate at either Louisiana Tech University, Howard University or Louisiana State University.
During the two-day conference held in October 2021, she joined students from across the country and heard Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science Winners talk about leading medical research; was given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school; witnessed stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; became inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and learned about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology. In addition to her award of excellence, Smith received college credit for attending the event.
According to a statement from a press release from The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists:
“This is a crucial time in America when we need more doctors and medical scientists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially. Focused, bright and determined students like Valaysia Smith are our future and she deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give her.”
Along with her interest in the medical field, Smith has multiple talents. She enjoys drawing, reading and writing as well acting and modeling. She also loves learning foreign languages and playing the piano and violin. The aspiring author is currently finishing her debut novel, a sci-fi fantasy, while also contributing a column for teens to her local newspaper, the Monroe Free Press. Active since her early childhood, she was once a member of an All-Star Cheerleading team.
In 2018, she received the Teen Business Award from the Global Power Tour for Women of Power by Women CEO Project for her online boutique, Unicorn Kingdom. Prior to closing due to the pandemic, it offered unicorn-themed, jewelry, clothing, accessories, decorations and stuffed animals.
As Smith continues to accomplish more milestones, her mother, Lavandolyn Smith is excited about her daughter’s future opportunities including a chance to study abroad in Vietnam.
“I am beyond proud of her. She deserves it. It has given her even more grit to keep pushing forward on the dreams and goals that she has set for herself. We all want to be recognized for our hard work,” she says.
Driven to achieve her dreams, Smith whose deceased father, William B. Smith, was a United State Air Force veteran, passionately strives toward her purpose.
“You should always be the one holding the torch for others. I love the fact that I will be able to help others and save lives one day,” she says.
Biden to Issue Police Order on George Floyd Death Anniversary
U.S. President Joe Biden will issue a broad executive order today to reform federal and local policing on the second anniversary of the death of George Floyd, senior administration officials said.
It restricts the use of no-knock entries to a limited set of circumstances, such as when an announced entry would pose an imminent threat of physical violence. The order covers roughly 100,000 federal law enforcement officials but the White House hopes to use the power of federal spending to expand it to the more than 700,000 officers at the state and local level.
Floyd, a Black man suspected of passing a counterfeit bill, was killed when Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck as three other officers looked on. The incident triggered a wave of protests over racial injustice months before Biden was elected.
Biden promised to push police reform as president, but negotiations in Congress on a bill collapsed last September. The executive order will call for creation of national standards for the accreditation of police departments and seek to tie portions of future grant money to earning accreditation, officials said. The White House has sought to win the support of the civil rights community without angering law enforcement officials.
“We know full well that an executive order cannot address America’s policing crisis the same way Congress has the ability to, but we’ve got to do everything we can,” NAACP president Derrick Johnson said in a statement.
“There’s no better way to honor George Floyd’s legacy than for President Biden to take action by signing a police reform executive order.”
Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and 1/2 years in prison last year after his conviction on murder charges. One of the three officers pleaded guilty last week to aiding and abetting manslaughter in the May 25, 2020, incident.
The White House scheduled a signing ceremony at 4 p.m. today (2000 GMT) at which Biden will be joined by members of Floyd’s family, civil rights advocates and law enforcement officials.
The order asks federal law enforcement to meet or exceed a Justice Department policy that allows force only when no reasonably effective, safe and feasible alternative exists and emphasizes de-escalation. The executive order is needed to restore the public’s trust in law enforcement, a senior administration official said.
“Without that trust, victims don’t call for help. Witnesses do not step forward. Crimes go unsolved, and justice is not served. Simply put more just policing makes our communities safer,” the official said.
