Isaiah Lee Unravels Reasoning Behind Attacking Dave Chappelle at The Hollywood Bowl
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 23, 2022

Isaiah Lee Unravels Reasoning Behind Attacking Dave Chappelle at The Hollywood Bowl

Isaiah Lee, the man who attacked comedian Dave Chappelle at The Hollywood Bowl weeks ago explained why he went onstage May 3 to assault the comedian during his show.

Lee told The New York Post that he was “triggered” by the comedian’s jokes regarding LGBTQ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community. Lee felt he had to speak to Chappelle, though he did not intend to harm him.

He insisted that Chappelle should be a little more “sensitive” when he makes jokes.

“I identify as bisexual…and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering,” Lee said from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, where he is currently. “I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect.”

He he grew angry and frustrated the more Chappelle spoke about his prior controversies with the LGBTQ community and homelessness.

“I’m also a single dad and my son is 5,” the 23-year-old said, also pointing out that he was once homeless as well. “It’s a struggle and I wanted Dave Chappelle to know it’s not a joke.”

The breaking point for him arrived when a different comedian at the show made a joke about pedophilia. It triggered Lee because he stated he was molested as a teenager.

Lee, who was injured when Chappelle’s security came to the comedian’s defense, is facing four misdemeanor counts, including battery and possessing a deadly weapon with intent to assault.

Last week, Lee was also charged with attempted murder for stabbing his roommate during a fight on December 2 at a transitional housing apartment. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Lee pleaded not guilty and is slated to return to court on June 2.

District Attorney George Gascón said all the publicity around Chappelle’s assault helped police officers in solving the other incident involving Lee.

Dwyane Wade Receives Honorary Doctorate From His Alma Mater Marquette University
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2022

Dwyane Wade Receives Honorary Doctorate From His Alma Mater Marquette University

Dwyane Wade returned to his alma mater Sunday to receive an honorary doctorate and provide a commencement speech for the 2022 graduates.

(Image: JS Online)

The NBA champion received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Marquette University, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Wade smiled from ear to ear while accepting his degree from University President Michael Lovell.

Wade was a standout at the school from 2000 to 2003 and left a year early after being drafted by the NBA’s Miami Heat. Once a professional athlete, Wade became an superstar. He secured three championships, an Olympic gold medal in 2008, and a place on the NBA’s list of the 75 greatest players ever.

“Today, we celebrate what you have accomplished as we should,” Wade told the 1,942 undergraduates during his commencement speech.

“Tomorrow, wake up to begin the next leg of your journey. Your passion. I repeat your passion lies on the journey.”

Wade, of course, gave a special shoutout to his former Marquette basketball coach, Tom Crean, who visited his home with a cap and gown from the school while he was still in high school.

“He wasn’t recruiting me just because of my basketball abilities, but also because he believed that I wanted more for myself and my family,” Wade said.

“Coach Crean recognized me as someone worthy, and was giving me a chance to prove myself.”

Wade, who retired from the NBA in 2019, ended his commencement speech with a message of hope and resilience toward the future.

“As we become more self-aware, we achieve a better understanding of who we are,” Wade said. “We discover our values. Our character. What we consider to be right or wrong. We discover what drives us, what inspires us, and motivates us. Through self-awareness we are given the opportunity to design who we truly want and deserve to be.”

Award-Winning Ghetto Film School Names Its First Black Woman CEO
by Atiya Jordan

May 23, 2022

Award-Winning Ghetto Film School Names Its First Black Woman CEO

The award-winning Ghetto Film School (GFS) has promoted Montae Robinson from its executive director to chief executive officer, making her the first Black woman to lead the non profit.

According to Variety, the producer, educator and arts manager hails from previous directorial positions with GFS. Robinson served as program director in 2016 for the newly established location in Los Angeles and then executive director in 2018. She is now leading the film school onto a path of expanded reach and impact, with an emphasis on enhancing career opportunities for its students.

Founded in 2000, GFS annually serves over 8,000 individuals, between the ages of 14 and 34. The film school is situated in New York City, Los Angeles and London. Its mission is to “educate, develop and celebrate the next generation of great storytellers” by equipping students for top universities and careers in the creative industries, as per the organization’s website.

“Whether you know how to write a script or point a camera, we’re going to put a camera in your hands and get you to shoot something with it,” Robinson told Variety. “You’re writing, shooting, directing all of the work…We see filmmaking as a craft that we want to teach our students, but also as a secondary education that helps them understand the agency they have over their own story.”

GFS offers educational programs with instruction from leading filmmakers and industry experts through two tracks. Its Fellows program is a free, multi-year visual introductory storytelling course for young artists in New York, Los Angeles, and London. Its Roster program, offered in New York and Los Angeles, gives early-career support and resources for alumni and young professionals.

Throughout her career with GFS, Robinson has been instrumental in expanding the teaching staff and advancing fundraising efforts. She has helped acquire partnerships with Dolby, Netflix and Sony Music, and designed the GFS company-wide initiatives of enhanced production safety protocols and staff training, among other impressive feats.

In her new role, the CEO wants more students onboard while seeking to establish more industry partnerships so that GFS students can have access to more resources such as sound stages.

“When you think of the future of GFS, going deeper is more important than building scale,” she said. “We want to take a look at where we are right now and we want to strengthen that foundation.”

 

Mike Tyson Briefly Mentions Fight with Airplane Passenger on Podcast
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 23, 2022

Mike Tyson Briefly Mentions Fight with Airplane Passenger on Podcast

Mike Tyson talked about why he punched a man on his flight last month. Kind of

On a recent episode of his podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champ was happy about the news that there were no charges being filed against him in the incident. As his guests, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, both former NBA players, congratulated him on not facing charges, Barnes acknowledged that Tyson kept his poise “for a long time.”

Tyson blurted out, “He was f**kin with me, man. I took pictures with this ni**a.” He expressed that his wife gets upset that he takes public planes.

Last month, according to TMZ Sports, Tyson repeatedly punched a man who was annoying him on a Florida-bound JetBlue flight at San Francisco International Airport. Two weeks ago, District Attorney Steve Wagstaff told KTVU that neither Melvin Townsend nor Tyson will face charges.

“We now deem the case closed,” Wagstaffe said.

At the time of the incident, a witness told TMZ Sports that around 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time, a passenger noticed he was sitting behind Tyson and took a selfie with the retired boxer. As Tyson sat down, the passenger kept trying to talk to Tyson, who asked the man to relax.

Apparently not taking the hint,,”The Baddest Man on the Planet” got agitated and showed the annoying passenger why he has held the title for years.

Tyson apparently confronted Townsend, left the aircraft, and left Townsend with a bloody face. Townsend received medical attention and reportedly called the police. According to sources close to Tyson, Townsend was “extremely intoxicated.”

It was later discovered that Townsend is no stranger to unlawful activity before. KTVU reported that Townsend has been convicted of fraud, grand theft, burglary and possession of controlled substances, according to Florida state records detailing his criminal history.

Black Homeowner Puts White Neighbor On Blast For Destroying Her Rooftop Decorations
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2022

Black Homeowner Puts White Neighbor On Blast For Destroying Her Rooftop Decorations

A Black homeowner has garnered swarms of support on social media after posting a TikTok video putting her white neighbor on blast for destroying her rooftop decor.

TikTok user Alexandria The MD posted a video on Friday revealing the harassment she’s enduring by way of an old white man who lives next door to her Beverly Hills property.

“Why does me thriving make you so uncomfortable?” Alexandria captioned the two-minute video.

@alexandriathemd Why does me thriving make you so uncomfortable? #blackgirlmagic #karensoftiktok #karensgoingwild #karens #theshaderoom #fyp #blackwomenoftiktok #blackwomeninluxury ♬ original sound – Alexandria Williams

The video starts with Alexandria showing off the finished look of her decked-out rooftop overlooking Los Angeles’ captivating Hidden Hills.

“This is my rooftop,” she said while a background video showcased the assortment of plants and furniture she added to her rooftop. “I love it. I worked really hard on it,” she noted.

But she goes on to explain how her white neighbor wasn’t in support of the remodeled rooftop and started threatening her to remove her decor despite just being a neighbor and not the property manager.

“This is what my neighbor did to my rooftop,” Alexandria said while the background showed her vandalized rooftop.

“And this is my neighbor. Is anyone surprised,” she said over a photo of her white elderly male neighbor.

Alexandria posted a follow-up video explaining how she responded to the vandalism and how her building’s HOA seemingly allowed the vandal to get away with the crime. According to the homeowner, the white man “told” the HOA president before and after he vandalized her rooftop and Alexandria was never given a warning or made aware of his threats.

@alexandriathemdThank you all for the supportive comments! Gotta run into the hospital but I’ll try to respond to questions!♬ original sound – Alexandria Williams

“So they just knew for like 48 hours and didn’t tell us,” she said.

She noted that she does not know if her neighbor is racist but ended by highlighting his clear frustration with his Black neighbor living her best life on a property she owns.

“So yeah, I think this is a case where this white man feels that this young Black woman is entirely out of line on her property,” Alexandria said.

They have called the police and put in a vandalism report. The white man has been ordered to stay away from their property.

New York Nonprofit Donates $1 Million to Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2022

New York Nonprofit Donates $1 Million to Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors

The New York nonprofit Business for Good Foundation donated $1 million to the three survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

On Wednesday, a crowd of family, friends, and community members gathered at the Greenwood Cultural Center to witness the donation firsthand, KJRH reported. Business for Good Foundation founders, Ed and Lisa Mitzen, stressed how important it is to honor the survivors.

“They were clearly wronged,” Ed Mitzen said.

“I don’t think there is any argument about that and the fact that it was 101 years ago shouldn’t negate the fact that they were wronged.”

Viola Fletcher, 108, Lessie Benningfield Randle, 107, and Hughes Van Ellis, 101 were present for the donation that came one year after the centennial anniversary of the massacre they survived as children.

“We’re trying to extend their life and make them comfortable at their age,” Fletcher’s grandson, Ike Howard said.

“They want to go and see things. They want to go to historically Black colleges. They want to go to different events and do things. The mind is still fresh, but the body needs a little adjustment.”

Mitzen says he was inspired to give the donation to show the survivors that there are people who care and sympathize with their struggle.

“I felt a little frustration that it was so hard for these folks to try and get what it felt like they were entitled to,” Ed Mitzen said.

He and his wife didn’t learn about the massacre until a few years ago, CNN reported. The wealthy philanthropists decided to make the donation after reading about the ongoing lawsuit Tulsa survivors launched against the city of Tulsa.

The lawsuit, which a judge ruled earlier this month could move forward, seeks to create a special fund for survivors and descendants of the massacre that killed hundreds of Black residents and turned the once-thriving community into a hub of ashes.

“They had their homes destroyed, insurance claims denied. Whether it was 101 years ago or six months ago, it doesn’t change the fact that they were clearly wronged,” ED Mitzen said.

“We felt badly that they had to work so hard to try to get what we felt was an obvious thing that was owed to them.”

Ed Mitzen said the donation will also help the survivor’s great-grandchildren get through college.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 23, 2022

Candace Parker, 36, Becomes Oldest WNBA Player to Record Triple-Double

WNBA player and video game cover star Candace Parker has made it into the history books.

Parker, who turned 36 last month, became the oldest player in league history to have a triple-double in the Chicago Sky’s 82-73 win at Washington against the Mystics yesterday. She recorded 16 points, while pulling down 13 rebounds and handing out 10 assists.

Parker became the third player in WNBA history to have more than one triple-double, joining teammate Courtney Vandersloot, and Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes.

Parker, a two-time MVP winner, acknowledged the place Swoopes has in her life as a basketball plaer.

“It means a lot,” Parker said. “To be in the company of Sloot, who is going to end her career probably leading the league in assists, and then Sheryl Swoopes—I grew up watching her play, and just idolizing her.

“I’ve always [been] the person who was like, ‘Posts can dribble, too, and posts can pass, too.’ I hope that coaches are watching. I hope that the game is evolving. We’re gonna see more and more triple-doubles.”

Her teammate was well aware of the feat she was about to achieve. Parker made that happen with just 21.2 seconds left in the game when Vandersloot got into position to score off the pass Parker would give her.

“She told me to [pass to] her and she was going to make the layup,” said Parker. “She was adamant about me getting my 10th assist. That’s why I love this group. We play for one another, we get hyped for others’ successes, and we celebrate it.”

During Mother’s Day weekend, Parker stepped onto the basketball court wearing a special edition pair of Adidas sneakers that was designed by her 12-year-old daughter Lailaa.

Lailaa surprised her mother with the highly anticipated Exhibit B sneaker just before Parker started her 15th WNBA season, Boardroom reported.

Cincinnati High School Students Post ‘Blacks Only’ and ‘Whites Only’ Signs Over Water Fountains
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 23, 2022

Cincinnati High School Students Post ‘Blacks Only’ and ‘Whites Only’ Signs Over Water Fountains

Students at Colerain High School (CHS) in Cincinnati, Ohio, are being disciplined after they had posted “Blacks only” and “whites only” signs over water fountains earlier this month. The students claim the signs were only posted for under 30 seconds so photos could be taken for social media.

According to NBC News, students at the Cincinnati high school had also posted pictures of the signs on various social media accounts. The students are being disciplined for their actions.

The school district posted the public-facing statement May 16 following a report by Fox 19.

“These water fountains were labeled ‘Blacks only,’ ‘whites only,’ which pushed us back so many generations,” a parent, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the Cincinnati-based news outlet. “My heart dropped. My heart dropped. I could not believe it. It was so offensive.”

Earlier this week, the Northwest Local School District (NWLSD) Administration released a statement regarding the troubling incident.

“On May 5, 2022 our Northwest Local School District (NWLSD) Administration was made aware of an inappropriate and racist message that was displayed over Colerain High School’s (CHS) water fountains at the end of the school day. Upon being notified, District and school officials immediately began investigating. School officials also notified CHS parents by letter that day which condemned the behavior that was displayed.”

“Upon investigation of the matter, we have learned that the notes posted over the water fountains were posted for a matter of 30 seconds before being removed by the students. The students involved in the incident posted the signs, took photos and removed the notes before posting the photos online. Those who participated in this tasteless and hurtful act have been issued significant disciplinary actions.”

Out of the 1,700 students who attend Colerain High School (CHS) in Cincinnati, 50 percent of them are white while 30 percent of those who attend the school are Black.

Black Caucus Foundation Announces $40 Million Initiative For Black Contractors
by Derek Major

May 23, 2022

Black Caucus Foundation Announces $40 Million Initiative For Black Contractors

The Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan has announced a $40 million initiative aimed at giving Black contractors in the state access to capital.

The Detroit Free press reports the initiative has $10 million readily available for contractors in Detroit. The initiative is led by the Black Caucus in partnership with the DRI Fund, ProFinCo and Crowdz. The organizations plan to increase sustainability and scalability for contractors when it comes to access to capital.

To make it easier for Black contractors to get capital, the groups have created a user-friendly process allowing contractors to get access to capital within a few days as opposed to the typical months-long process.

“We want to make sure that people know that there’s a tool and the Black Caucus Foundation has a resource, has a pathway to getting that compliance and access to capital to grow or create a business opportunity,” said Black Caucus Foundation Chairman and state Sen. Marshall Bullock, (D-Detroit) told Freep.

The program is aiming to increase the speed of payment by up to 80 percent and offer more access to technical support, which will increase contractors’ chances of receiving opportunities to work with the state’s public works and infrastructure projects.

The program will finance projects contractors are working on and there is no limit on how much funding a contractor will receive. Instead, funding, including the first $10 million, will be based on the size of each contractor’s project.

According to Christopher Aldridge, a managing member of ProFinCo, supporting contractors in the state will also lead to improvements in Detroit’s substandard housing units, which are considered homes that have a decent structure but may include unsafe or unhealthy living conditions.

The initiative could also lead to a boost in new housing in the city, which is needed as home prices continue to rise in Metro Detroit and Michigan.

“We are going to look at each project — how to help someone, how to help that project, how to help that minority business grow and fulfill their obligation to the contract with our help,” said Bullock. “We are going to give them a two-year mentor who’s going to help them manage and do all that technical service.” Contractors will also be able to gain a relationship with a bank.

This 17-Year-Old Is On A Mission To End Period Poverty Through ‘The Confident Girl Project’
by Atiya Jordan

May 23, 2022

This 17-Year-Old Is On A Mission To End Period Poverty Through ‘The Confident Girl Project’

Taylor McCowan is an active community member on a mission. Through the Confident Girl Project, the 17-year-old wants to raise awareness of the population of homeless and impoverished girls that need proper feminine hygiene products.

As an avid volunteer, the Texas resident identified a surprising need in her local unhoused community—a lack of access to menstrual products, an issue that affects millions of people worldwide. In response, she decided to start a community service project in 2021 with hopes of providing more comfort that can essentially lead to confidence. A GoFundMe page was established to collect donations.

“The homeless shelter always receives clothes and food to be donated, but what about the elephant in the room? Menstruation products that all women need every day. This problem was being overlooked and avoided. I saw that and decided to do something about it because I understand what it is like being a girl,” wrote McCowan on her GoFund Me page.

McCowan’s journey started long before the inception of her project. In 2019, she began addressing period poverty — a lack of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate education — as a community service requirement for her Girl Scout Silver Award. She began passing out free period products to anyone in need. The community service project continued on to be a full-time initiative.

The Confident Girl Project aims to create 100 re-usable items that provide girls with a statement of self-affirmation and feminine hygiene that they need.

With ample support and commitment, the initiative has doubled its goal from 100 to 250 bags, Blavity reported. She hopes that one day her efforts can be housed into a non profit organization. In addition, the student also looks forward in growing the project to include scholarships for girls in need and to see her goal reach 1,000 bags.

McCowan’s story garnered her a special recognition from GoFundMe. She was named one of their ‘GoFundMe Heroes’ for her heartwarming actions towards aiding a struggling community.

 

 

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