4 Black Teens Dead, 1 Injured in Tragic Single-Car Collision in Henry County
by Wendy Medina

May 15, 2022

4 Black Teens Dead, 1 Injured in Tragic Single-Car Collision in Henry County

Five students from Henry County, Georgia were in the car when they suddenly crashed down an embankment off of Oak Grove Road in McDonough on Wednesday, reports 11 Alive. 

Kendarrias Dodson, 16; Katrina Owens 15; and Jordan Brown 15, all died at the scene, while Kendarius Jackson, 16, succumbed to his injuries on Friday. 

The fifth student, Zakyra Jones, 15, is still hospitalized with serious injuries.

According to police, the crash occurred around 3:15 p.m., less than two miles from Eagle’s Landing High School, which all students attended.

Although there were no brake marks on the road, officials say the 2002 Nissan Altima traveling northbound swerved off the street, striking several trees. 

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the crash. 

Eagle’s Landing High School announced they would hold a community vigil for the classmates tragically killed in the accident on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the football stadium. 

“Our condolences go out to these students’ families during this extremely difficult time. We ask that everyone keep these families and this school community close in your thoughts,” read a statement released by the Henry County Schools. They additionally offered a crisis intervention team that would be available to students or staff who need counseling or support services.

On Thursday, scores of students released balloons during lunchtime to commemorate their classmates.

Kenderrias’ parents, Charles and Terra Dodson, said they were leaning on one another for support. Their son was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

“He was a very happy kid. He was a good kid, very mannerable, very respectful, and all teachers, anybody he came in contact with loved him,” his mother Terra said.

“He wanted to make it to the pros and play for the Braves one day,” his father Charles said.

No further details about the crash are available at this time.

Dennis the Menace 2.0! White Boy Carries Whip To Black Neighbor’s House, His Father Is Arrested And Charged
by Yolanda Baruch

May 15, 2022

Dennis the Menace 2.0! White Boy Carries Whip To Black Neighbor’s House, His Father Is Arrested And Charged

In a case of unmitigated gall, a 9-year-old white boy is caught on video aggressively approaching his Black neighbor’s house on May 13, carrying a whip and belligerently hitting and slinging his strap at the front door, according to TMZ.

Police officials arrested the boy’s father, Bryan Thomas Brunson, who now faces felony charges after the incident occurred in a Dallas suburb, said Kaufman County Constable Precinct 2 Chief Administrator Jason Johnson to TMZ.

The conflict started when the young enraged white boy allegedly had a disagreement with their 9-year-old daughter of Dee and Carissa Nash and wanted to resolve their dispute using his whip, as what comes across in the Ring video, TMZ reports. 

Eventually, Carissa opens the door, demands the child to leave her home, and threatens to call the police. 

“Little boy, you better get your ass up and off my porch before I call the police, beating on my door like this! I will call the police, you need to leave. Don’t you ever beat on my God damn like that, GO!” Carissa, not seen in the video, is heard yelling to the stunned 4th grader.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Star Nash (@carissanash_)

Reluctantly, the child leaves, and Carissa shows another video of her husband, Dee, confronting the boy’s father and his son’s deplorable actions. An alleged argument between the two men escalated, and Brunson’s son came out trying to incite a fight with the Nashes. 

Brunson then reportedly tried to fire his gun at the Nashes but handled it recklessly, causing a bullet to graze his daughter, according to the sheriff’s office.

Carissa shares the whole encounter on her Instagram page with a caption that reads, “This kid comes to my door with a whip looking for my 9 year old daughter, then puts a big ass scratch on our Audi. The police came out and tells us, “it’ll work itself out since he moving soon” 🤦🏽‍♀️ So when my husband got home, we went to talk to him about the damages done to our vehicle….The dad tells the son to say he’s not there. A couple minutes later he finally comes to the door with a gun! He almost shot himself and his daughter standing behind him smh #KidWithWhip #NeighborFromHell #Racism #Forney #BLM #Texas #shareshareshare #Welcome2Nashville

Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office will release more information on Monday. 

Beloved Security Aaron Salter Jr. Killed By Gunman Tried To Save Lives: “He’s A Hero”
by Yolanda Baruch

May 15, 2022

Beloved Security Aaron Salter Jr. Killed By Gunman Tried To Save Lives: “He’s A Hero”

On Saturday afternoon, a crazed white gunman, driven by hate and outfitted in tactical gear, opened fire in a Buffalo, New York grocery store. He shot 13 people —11 were Black, two were white, ten people died at the scene, and three others were wounded, said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, according to NBC News. 

One of the victims, Aaron Salter Jr., 55, was a beloved Top Friendly Markets security guard and a former Buffalo cop who resorted to his police training and engaged in gunfire with the shooter to stop the 18-year-old suspect, Payton Gendron, the Daily Beast reports. 

Salter’s brave actions proved unsuccessful as he could not penetrate Gendron’s body armor, causing the teenage assailant to return gunfire, killing Salter.

“Today is a shock,” said his son Aaron Salter III to the Daily Beast.

“I’m pretty sure he saved some lives today. He’s a hero.”

Salter’s cousin, Adam Bennefield, who resides close to Buffalo, who lives nearby in Buffalo, said the family is disturbed  by the mass shooting.

“I don’t think anybody could ever anticipate something like this happening,” Bennefield, 44, said to The Daily Beast. “I don’t think anybody can. Everybody’s hurt right now, everybody’s upset.”

Before his untimely death, Salter Jr. opened a dry cleaning business with his wife, who had since passed away. Carol once worked as a cashier at Tops supermarket for 15 years before being promoted as the front-end manager until she retired in 1986, according to the Daily Beast. 

Salter also took up the hobby of building environmentally sustainable automobiles based on his LinkedIn, according to the New York Post. 

“I’m a jack of all trades a master of none,” read his profile read at AWS Hydrogen Technologies, LLC. 

“I’m always working on my vehicles [sic] and or my project of running engines on water for the last four years or so, I would like to realize my dream of getting cars to run off of water using my newly discovered energy source some day.”

He posted a YouTube video demonstrating how his 2010 Ford F-150 ran using his AWS Hydrogen Fuel System, utilizing water to operate the truck instead of gasoline.

“So we’re going to do four experiments today for the patent examiners,” he said while wearing a Police Benevolent Association long-sleeved shirt.

“What my system has done is taken advantage of the residue that’s produced by electrolysis. So we’re going to actually start this vehicle without electrolysis,” he said.

His son, Salter, III, eerily posted on Facebook in 2019 how he felt about the increasing gun violence, according to the New York Post. 

“If i hear another story of someone mass shooing innocent people or like yesterday the 20 year old in Missouri who when (sic) to Walmart with and assault rifle and 100 rounds and recorded himself making comments to people shopping I’m gonna loose (sic) my mind,” he wrote.

“We can’t even do everyday s–t without having to watch our backs and that’s scary af! The sad thing is I feel like a crazy close to home is gonna do something soon and I’m not ready for that.”

Salter Jr. leaves behind three children.

Robert F. Smith Creates Scholarships For Underrepresented Cornell University Students Pursuing Careers In STEM
by Yolanda Baruch

May 15, 2022

Robert F. Smith Creates Scholarships For Underrepresented Cornell University Students Pursuing Careers In STEM

On May 13, Cornell Engineering presented billionaire and philanthropist Robert F. Smith with a Distinguished Alumni Award. During his acceptance speech, the founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners announced he was continuing his altruistic endeavors by gifting $15 million to Cornell’s College of Engineering, his alma mater. His donation will subsidize undergraduate students who attend Cornell from underserved and underrepresented communities and who have attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), according to the Cornell Chronicles.

“I am grateful to Robert for sharing our commitment to welcoming the most talented and promising students, regardless of background or ability to pay, and helping us ensure that cost never becomes an obstacle to a Cornell education,” said Cornell President Martha E. Pollack. “His leadership in advancing equity and making higher education accessible to all students will have an impact for generations to come.”

Smith established three eponymous funds, The Robert F. Smith Undergraduate Scholarship Fund, Robert F. Smith Graduate Fellowship Fund, and Robert F. Smith Student Success Fund. The scholarships will provide financial support for at least seven undergraduates per year who can access the scholarship fund with $45,000 in grants which require no repayment. Twelve students pursuing their master’s and five doctoral students can apply for the graduate student fellowship. Lastly, the Robert F. Smith Student Success Fund will support students participating in national conferences, professional development training, networking with future employers, mentoring programs, and immersive learning opportunities.

Smith is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.

“It truly is an honor to receive the College of Engineering’s Distinguished Alumni Award,” said Smith, who also serves on the Cornell Tech Council and is an honorary member of the Cornell Engineering College Council.

“My goal has always been to lift up and provide opportunity for those who have historically faced barriers to success. My hope is that these funds will elevate more students and afford them the opportunity to attend my alma mater and pursue careers in STEM, as well as continue to support the diverse pipeline of extraordinary talent that Cornell produces.”

In 2016, Smith and the Fund II Foundation donated $50 million to incentivize transformative college instruction and research in chemical and biomolecular engineering by providing scholarships, graduate fellowships, and program funding to support underrepresented students.

To acknowledge his generosity, Cornell named a facility the Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in his honor.

Smith is a staunch advocate for education, and this is not the first time he has shown great benefaction. In 2019, he paid the student loans for approximately 400 Morehouse College students. Morehouse President David A. Thomas lauded Smith’s largesse as a “liberation gift” for graduates who can begin their careers without crushing student loan debt, according to Ed Surge.

Students will be eligible to receive financial assistance from the funds at Cornell starting in the Fall of the 2022 semester.

‘Pure Evil:’ Buffalo Mass Shooting Suspect Kills 10 People, Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ After Arraigned in Court
by Wendy Medina

May 15, 2022

‘Pure Evil:’ Buffalo Mass Shooting Suspect Kills 10 People, Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ After Arraigned in Court

Disclaimer: This post contains graphic details of a mass shooting. 

 

Authorities confirm 10 people are dead as a result of a racially motivated mass shooting yesterday at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York. 

The mass shooting suspect, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder at Buffalo City Court last night after opening fire on the grocery store premises with the intent to kill Black people, all while live streaming the shooting on Twitch. He is being detained without bail.

His public defender entered a plea of “not guilty” on his behalf Saturday night. The district attorney’s office plans to indict the suspect and include additional charges. He has reportedly been placed on suicide watch.

The Tops Friendly Markets at the 1200 block of Jefferson Avenue came under attack after a heavily armed Gendron arrived in full tactical gear at around 2:30 p.m. EST, reports CNN. 

In the Twitch livestream, the shooter pulls up to the front of the store and can be heard saying, “Just got to go for it,” as he records from a helmet. Before entering the store, he shot four people out in the parking lot.

Screenshot of Payton Gendron’s Twitch livestream moments before the horrid attack

Once inside, Gendron was confronted and shot at by the armed security guard, but was unharmed because of his bulletproof vest. He proceeded to shoot and kill the guard, and then “[worked] his way through the store,” said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Thirteen people were shot at, including four Tops employees; 10 died and three were injured. Of all the victims, 11 were Black and two white. 

Before being taken into custody, Gendron planned to take his own life, placing his weapon to his neck but officials convinced him to lower the rifle, which he had etched with the N-word.

The 18-year-old mass shooter is taken into custody by Buffalo police

Police say the white supremacist drove over 200 miles for three and a half hours from Conklin to Buffalo, specifically targeting the local grocer because of a high Black population in that area.

“This was pure evil,” Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said in a press conference on Saturday. “It was straight up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community… trying to inflict that evil upon us.”

The FBI stated that the mass shooting is being investigated as a hate crime and possibly a terrorist attack. Authorities are currently examining an alleged 180-page manifesto Gendron posted online detailing the horrific act, as well as extremist propaganda that claimed the “crisis” of low white birth rate “will ultimately result in the complete racial and cultural replacement of the European people.” He wrote that he will plead guilty in case he survived the slaughter.

Alleged diagram of shooter’s manifesto indicates planned route through the Tops market

News of the massacre sent shockwaves across the nation, many expressing anti-gun sentiment alongisde calls for authorities to better respond to anti-Black terrorism unfolding in real time in sites like 4chan and Reddit.

https://twitter.com/tariqnasheed/status/1525580910619672576?s=20&t=7Qv8QhGR0-vne8skmWZYiA

According to a White House representative, the president has been briefed and will continue to receive updates.

“It is my sincere hope that this individual, this white supremacist who just perpetrated a hate crime on an innocent community, will spend the rest of his days behind bars. And heaven help him in the next world as well,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. 

Officials secure the perimeter at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York (Image: Reuters)

The suspect’s next felony court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, May 19 at 9:30 a.m. EST.

Work Away The Stress Of The Day With This Portable Massage Gun
by Black Enterprise Shop

May 15, 2022

Work Away The Stress Of The Day With This Portable Massage Gun

If you are like many people, you often find yourself with tired and achy muscles after hitting the gym all week. Perhaps you overdid it pulling up weeds and trimming bushes on a warm spring day.

In either scenario, a massage would provide great relief to your tired and overworked muscles. A regular massage session can cost upwards of $40 for 30 minutes to an hour. Most of us can’t afford a daily massage, but what if you could bring the spa home to you?

Luckily, now you can bring that spa experience home with the TRAKK BEAST Muscle Massage Gun. Ditch the masseuse and expensive prices and feel the power of deep tissue massage with six speeds of high torque and other customizable features.

For a limited time, you can purchase the TRAKK BEAST Muscle Massage Gun for only $49.00. That’s a savings of 28% from its MSRP ($69).

In addition to its six-speed settings, the TRAKK BEAST Muscle Massage Gun also comes with four interchangeable heads to work out all those sore muscle groups.

The round-head attachment is for large muscle groups. The flat-head attachment can be used for all parts of the body. The bullet-head attachment is ideal for joints, and the deep-tissue attachment is perfect for trigger points. Last but not least, the fork-head attachment is great for the neck and spine.

With a 2,200mAh rechargeable battery, you don’t have to worry about the loss of power interrupting a massage session. Its quiet mode setting also ensures relaxing sessions without the annoying sound of the motor. There’s a built-in safety feature that allows the massage gun to automatically turn off after 15 minutes, and the ergonomic handle is sweat-proof and non-slip.

There’s nothing more soothing and relaxing than a massage. Purchase this product today to give yourself some much-needed relaxation therapy.

Prices subject to change.

by Wendy Medina

May 14, 2022

Target Adds $10K Scholarship Extensions to HBCU Scholars Program

Minnesota-based retail giant Target is sticking to their promise to promote racial equality, as well as collaborate and invest in Black-owned businesses. 

In 2021, the popular retailer announced a partnership with the United Negro College Fund to financially support 1,000 students studying technology, design, and leadership, exclusively at HBCUs. Now that the Target Scholars’ freshman year is over, Target has upped the ante by adding an additional $10,000 extension to each scholarship recipient for their college career, along with supplemental resources.

“Target is continuing our longstanding work to invest in and accelerate the next generation of Black talent,” vice president of talent acquisition Damu McCoy said in the press release. “The Target Scholars program is one example of that overall commitment, providing both financial support and the mentorship and networking resources to further strengthen students’ experiences and help them reach their career destination.”

Each Target scholar is to receive $10,000 of additional aid over the span of their upcoming next three years of school. Mentorship, coaching, and internships will also be available to the students. Also, should a student need to transfer schools, Target will be there to ensure they remain part of the Target HBCU scholars program. 

The extension was made possible by Target’s longstanding relationship with UNCF, fueled by the 2020 creation of Racial Equity Action and Change committee, which aims to invest over $2 billion in Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025.

“Working closely with UNCF, our partner of more than 20 years, we’ve designed the next chapter of Target Scholars to serve them even better in the coming years as they complete their degrees. It’s a true example of our Target Forward vision in action as we work to co-create an equitable future together with our guests, partners and communities,” reads the release. 

“We believe that HBCUs provide a critical role in supporting and developing Black talent. And our partnerships with HBCUs help us ensure that Black guests see themselves represented in Target’s products, marketing, and teams — now and into the future.”


Attorney General Daniel Cameron Is Gearing Up To Run For Governor Of Kentucky
by Yolanda Baruch

May 14, 2022

Attorney General Daniel Cameron Is Gearing Up To Run For Governor Of Kentucky

On Wednesday, Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron of Kentucky announced his candidacy to become the state’s governor, according to the Associated Press. 

Cameron threw his hat in the ring for the 2023 governor’s race in hopes of unseating the Democratic incumbent, Gov. Andy Beshear, and rallying his constituents to support him as he campaigns against abortion rights and opposes the coronavirus restrictions instituted by Beshear, the AP reports. 

 

However, Beshear is prepared to fight for his position to gain a second term. On Thursday, he filed an ethics complaint against Cameron for “violating clear ethics laws and rulings that prohibit him from using his current office to target a political opponent,” WLKY reports.

He argues that Cameron’s run for governor is a conflict of interest because, as AG, Cameron launched numerous investigations into the Beshear administration, according to WLKY.  

“It’s clear you can’t as attorney general investigate the governor and then run for governor,” said Beshear at his Team Kentucky update. 

Cameron’s campaign addressed the ethics complaint in a statement:

“(Attorney) General Cameron has time and again protected the rights of Kentuckians who have had their rights trampled upon by a governor acting outside the bounds of the law. Andy Beshear has lost time and again. This is the real Andy Beshear — he shows his true colors when he has his minions send out a memo complaining that being held to the law is unfair. Over a year out, and Beshear is already acting this desperate? What a joke.”

Cameron came under intense scrutiny for how he handled the Breonna Taylor case, fatally killed by Louisville police officers, and said the grand jury decided the outcome. 

“The prosecutors made a recommendation to the grand jury and those members ultimately decided to pursue that particular recommendation and indict one of the officers,” said Cameron.

However, three jury members of a 12-member grand jury publicly said Cameron’s team reduced their scope and misinformed them about the particular charges they could bring against the officers. 

Cameron seemingly avoided defending his actions around the Taylor case and responded to the jurors’ criticism on Thursday, saying they can “speak for themselves,” according to the Courier Journal.

 

LeBron James Racks Up a $121M Paycheck in 2021, Named 2nd Highest Paid Athlete in the World
by Wendy Medina

May 14, 2022

LeBron James Racks Up a $121M Paycheck in 2021, Named 2nd Highest Paid Athlete in the World

A recent Forbes list of the world’s top 10 paid athletes placed the self-proclaimed “King” LeBron James at No. 2, earning a hefty paycheck of $121.2 million in 2021.

While his Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make the playoffs this year, James has been securing the bag with his many recent ventures off the court. According to Forbes, James is worth an estimated $850 million, after the sale of a major minority stake in production company SpringHill, responsible for Space Jam: A New Legacy and his talk show, The Shop: Uninterrupted. 

Additionally, the Ohio native has struck up lucrative endorsement deals, including the likes of Crypto.com, where he immediately starred in a Super Bowl commercial with a computer-generated version of young Bron; invested in home gym company Tonal; and sports VR training startup StatusPRO. 

James shattered his previous 2020 record of $96.5 million. Big bucks are needed in the world of the four-time MVP, as he is rumored to spend over a million dollars a year taking care of and conditioning his body. Such an investment spurred inspiration to Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson. 

He follows soccer player Lionel Messi from Argentina, who takes the title of richest athlete in the world, racking up an estimated $130 million.

In the paint, King James brought in a total of $41.2 million, amassing $80 million to his non-NBA-related projects.

Some other brand endorsement deals consist of 2K Sports, AT&T, Beats Electronics, Coca-Cola, GMC, KIA Motors, Nike, RIMOWA, Walmart, Ruffles, Mountain Dew, and Wheaties.

While the Forbes list includes only men, three other Black NBA superstars made the ticket, including the other half of the Splash Bros, Warriors’ Stephen Curry at No. 5 with $92.8 million earned; Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant at No. 6 with $92.1 million earned; and Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo at No. 10 at $80.9 million earned.

by Wendy Medina

May 14, 2022

Louisiana State Troopers Indicted for Beating Black Motorist, Would Give Him ‘Nightmares for a Long Time’ Texts Reveal

Disclaimer: This post contains mention of police brutality.

Louisiana prosecutors have charged three former state troopers with misdemeanor simple battery for the brutal 2020 beating of Antonio Harris, a Black motorist.

After a high-speed chase that ended at a cornfield in rural Franklin Parish, former troopers Jacob Brown, Dakota DeMoss, and George “Kam” Harper, all white, are seen on body cam footage assaulting Harris with excessive force, tasing him as he’s down and being wrangled by all men, and pulling him to his feet by his braids.

A state investigation revealed the ex-troopers boasted about the “whoopin” through text, finding 14 exchanges with “lol” and “haha” responses and claims the beat down would give Harris “nightmares for a long time.”

While attorneys for the men refused to comment, state police representative Lt. Melissa Matey said the troopers’ actions “are inexcusable and have no place in professional public safety services.”

Louisiana State Police body cam footage, Jacob Brown, left; George Harper, center, restrain Black motorist Antonio Harris on May 23, 2020

According to the Associated Press, the former troopers were arrested on felony malfeasance charges in February 2021, but prosecutors declined to include those charges when a bill of information was filed. The charge the three men face carries only a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

“Obviously we would have liked stronger charges but we’re still hopeful the Department of Justice will bring a case,” said Michael Sterling, Harris’ attorney.

“They kept saying ‘Stop resisting’ but I was never resisting,” Harris told authorities. “As soon as they got to me, one of them kneed me in my face. One of them was squeezing my eyes.”

After an internal probe, investigators found the troopers’ accounts of the arrest were “wholly untrue,” alleging Harris attempted to escape and refused to comply with their demands. Per the report, Brown said because of this, they began to beat him in what he called “tactical strikes.”

A surrendered Harris suffered a “knee strike” and open-palm slap by DeMoss, first to arrive on scene, before turning off his body cam. Harper then punched him in the head multiple times with a flashlight-“reinforced” fist while Brown pulled his hair. Afterwards, DeMoss is seen dragging Harris up to his feet by his hair, court records state.

“He gonna be sore tomorrow for sure,” Brown wrote in a text. “Warms my heart knowing we could educate that young man.”

It is unclear whether the Department of Justice will conjure a civil rights case on grounds of excessive force, following months of investigation and testimony.

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