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.”

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.

• Business

by Yolanda Baruch

May 14, 2022

Netflix Offers The Door To Workers Offended By The Streaming Platform’s Content: “Netflix May Not Be The Best Place For You”

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On Thursday, Netflix sent out a corporate memo to their potentially disgruntled employees, setting a line of demarcation about the streaming platform’s controversial content like Dave Chappelle‘s stand-up special The Closer, which many deemed transphobic, according to the New York Post. 

The corporation acknowledged that the content they green light may offend certain employees regarding their thoughts, creeds, and lifestyles. However, they have no intention of suppressing “artistic expression,” If any worker has an issue with their stance, they have the complete freedom to Netflix and chill straight off the premises. 

The Netflix memo titled “Netflix Culture — Seeking Excellence” includes an updated new section called “Artistic Expression” that reads the company will not “censor specific artists or voices” despite if employees rate the content as “harmful,” according to Daily Wire. 

“If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you,” states the memo that informed employees who remain with the company would be required to work on projects they may disagree with or “perceive to be harmful.” 

The memo says that if workers are unwilling to uphold the duties of their work assignments, they are free to consider another place of employment, “Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful. If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.”

“Entertaining the world is an amazing opportunity and also a challenge because viewers have very different tastes and points of view. So we offer a wide variety of TV shows and movies, some of which can be provocative,” reads the supplementary section and continues with, “we support the artistic expression of the creators we choose to work with” and “we [will] let viewers decide what’s appropriate for them, versus having Netflix censor specific artists or voices.”

Netflix’s hardline stance is a bold move for the subscription-based streaming service that recorded a loss of 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022 and is prepared to lose another two million customers during the next four months.

Netflix frankly declared that the company is not a family but a dream team.  

“We model ourselves on being a professional sports team, not a family,” wrote the platform. “A family is about unconditional love. A dream team is about pushing yourself to be the best possible teammate, caring intensely about your team, and knowing that you may not be on the team forever.”

Erica Loewe, director of African American media at the White House, is bolstering Black press and other media of color’s ingress to high-ranking administration and cabinet officials at the executive mansion, reports the Seattle Medium. 

“President Biden and Vice President Harris promised an administration that looks like America, and they have fulfilled that promise,” Loewe said during a recent visit to the National Newspaper Publishers Association headquarters at the Thurgood Marshall Center in Northwest, Washington, D.C.

“Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has valued diversity, empowered Black voices, and taken a whole-of-government approach to advance racial equity,” she said.

Born in South Carolina and raised in Miami, the 32-year-old director earned her bachelors in public relations at the University of Florida in 2011 and would go on to intern for the Obama administration.

She then worked as press secretary and deputy communications director for Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and as deputy communications director for Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.

“Jim Clyburn is one of my favorite bosses and he’s been very clear that I need to tell people that I’m from Charleston even though I grew up in Miami,” Loewe said. “He’s a great man and I’ve learned a lot from him.” 

Loewe mentioned that although her mother struggles with Alzheimer’s now, “somewhere inside, she’s there, proud of me.”

She reiterates her joy on providing access to Black media unlike ever before seen at perhaps the most powerful institution in the world. 

“Never has there been an administration that has uplifted and supported Black women as much as President Biden and Vice President Harris,” Loewe said. “It’s just a fact. Numbers don’t lie. The Honorable Harris is a Black woman who has lived experiences not just as a Black face to look nice. She attended Howard University and she’s a member of the Divine Nine, the Black Church and an advocate for Black maternal health and accurate home appraisals for Black people.

“These are not symbolic positions,” Loewe said to close.

• Arts and Culture

by Wendy Medina

May 14, 2022

Ernie Barnes’ Iconic ‘Sugar Shack’ Painting Sells For Whopping $15.3M At New York Auction

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The famous 1976 painting by ex-NFL player Ernie Barnes, The Sugar Shack, known to fans of the popular sitcom Good Times during its opening credits, was sold in a New York auction on Thursday for a massive $15.3 million.

The pop-culture piece also starred as Marvin Gaye’s cover art to his 1976 album I Want You. Per Christie’s auction house, the auction set a record for Barnes’ collection at 27 times higher than his prior works, and 76 times higher than the original estimate of $200,000. The iconic image was won by Houston-based energy trader Bill Perkins, 53, after over 10 minutes of bidding and 22 contending bidders.

“I stole it — I would have paid a lot more,” Perkins said to The New York Times after the auction. “For certain segments of America, it’s more famous than the Mona Lisa.”

He felt like for a painting of this caliber, he did not want to risk being outbidded over the phone, so he flew to New York specifically for the sale. 

“What if Oprah shows up? What if P. Diddy shows up?” he recalled. “I’m not going to be able to buy this piece.”

In it, The Sugar Shack catapults viewers into a joyous Black club where partygoers dance passionately to an ensemble composed of a lead singer, sax player, trumpeter, guitarist, and drummer. It is a scene larger-than-life, the limbs of the partygoers fully outstretched and exaggerated to portray the groove and euphoric buzz of the night. A signature of Barnes’ works, most of everyone dancing have their eyes closed, likely to represent the artists’ mantra that “we are blind to each other’s humanity.”

Per the outlet, Barnes drew inspiration for the enigmatic image from his childhood memories of North Carolina, and painted in a style today known as Black Romantic.

“You never saw paintings of Black people by Black artists,” Perkins said. “This introduced not just me but all of America to Barnes’ work. It’s the only artwork that has ever done that. And these were firsts. So this is never going to happen again. Ever. The cultural importance of this piece is just crazy.

“I either wanted it, or to make the other people pay,” the winning bidder exclaimed with glee.

#AuctionUpdate Ernie Barnes ‘The Sugar Shack sets an auction record for the artist this evening, 27x the previous record set by the artist. After over 10 minutes of bidding by up to 22 bidders, the piece realized $15.275 million. pic.twitter.com/GQOH03vF0a

— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) May 13, 2022

• News

by Yolanda Baruch

May 14, 2022

New York Subway Suspect Frank James Enters A ‘Not Guilty’ Plea In Brooklyn Federal Court

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On Friday, New York City subway suspect Frank James, 62, was indicted for injuring 29 people on a subway train. He entered a not guilty plea to terrorism charges on a mass transit system and discharging a gun to commit a crime during his arraignment in a Brooklyn federal court, the New York Post reports.

James was informed of his charges and rights. He told the court he was “competent” to stand trial to face accusations that he unleashed a hail of bullets on board the Manhattan-bound N Train on April 12 after reportedly diffusing a smoke bomb as the subway approached the 33rd Street station in Sunset Park, according to the New York Post.

The Bronx native turned himself into the NYPD and was taken into custody 30 hours after the attack, Complex reports.

James ran a YouTube channel by the name of “prophet oftruth88” where he spewed racist profanity-laden rants against specific groups of people, disparaging women, and Black people, according to NBC News.

He also confessed in another video that he suffers from a post-traumatic stress disorder and criticized Mayor Eric Adams, blaming Adams for the mental health care system in the city.

“Mr. Mayor, I’m a victim of your mental health program,” James said in one video.

“I’m 63 now full of hate, full of anger, and full of bitterness.”

He also chastised the mayor for neglecting the issue of homelessness.

“Eric Adams, Eric Adams: What are you doing, brother? What’s happening with this homeless situation,” he said, referring to the subway.

“Every car I went to was loaded with homeless people. It was so bad, I couldn’t even stand. I had to keep moving from car to car.”

James is due back in court on July 25. If convicted, he faces a life sentence in prison, according to the New York Post.

The late Kevin Samuels, a polarizing YouTuber who considered himself an image consultant and relationship guru, rose to fame since joining the platform in 2015 and gained 1.4 million subscribers and over 1.2 million Instagram followers. Samuels’ fans consumed the videos he produced disparaging Black women, often maligning their looks and weight, according to NBC News. 

Samuels, who died at age 53, had many of his fans laud him for his toxic and misogynistic perspective on women; he even came under fire last month for labeling unmarried women over the age of 35 as “leftovers.”

Some of his most popular videos included Women Should Let Men Use Them, How Much Does Your Submission Cost, Modern Women Are Average at Best, and Women Love When Men Cheat, Complex reports.

So it is no surprise why controversy still surrounds his cameo in the FX series Atlanta. Samuels appears in the episode titled Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga which opens with a 2021 Travis Scott track “Escape Plan,” where viewers are introduced to the episode’s main character named Aaron.

 Aaron, played by actor Tyriq Withers, is a biracial student at Stonewall Jackson High School who is preparing to leave the comfort of high school and enter college life.  

In walks Samuels as a guest speaker at the school, Robert “Shea” Lee, who the school administration describes to the students as a “businessman/philanthropist/philosopher/Christian.” 

Samuels’ character announces in his speech that he will donate $1 million to the school and pay the tuition of every senior, as long as they are Black. Aaron, though biracial, finds himself in a quagmire because he identifies as white and takes great lengths to distance himself from the Black culture. Yet, he would greatly benefit from Lee’s financial assistance for his college education. 

The episode was directed and penned by series creator Donald Glover who also included other contentious figures in previous Atlanta anthology episodes like Chet Hanks, who the Black community has accused of appropriation of Caribbean culture. Also, Liam Neeson once publicized his desire to kill a Black man after learning of the rape of a close friend, according to BBC. 

Glover is highly regarded as an innovator for the creation of Atlanta, which many critics hail as “arguably the most exciting television of the current era,” according to Complex.

To catch up on episode view here.

Actor Winston Duke spoke with the Today show about the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the legacy of the late Chadwick Boseman.

When asked how it feels to be in production without the film’s titular character, Duke becomes visibly emotional, “It’s a gaping hole that you feel every day, and no one is the same. So even though there are moments of deep joy and play, we still feel his presence missing. And in a large way, that’s really what we’re dealing with throughout the narrative. It’s something that I think you all will feel and get to engage with, and Disney, Marvel and all of us have really thrown a lot of integrity into this piece. So, I’m really excited for you guys to get to interact with it.”

 

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Celebrities and fans alike publicly expressed their mourning when Boseman died at age 43 in 2020 from colon cancer.

Audiences today continue to feel his impact as an actor with his roles in 21 Bridges, Black Panther, and 42. 

“I always say that we walked into that project as actors and then we walked out of it ambassadors for Wakanda. We walked out of it, ‘Wakanda forever.’ It’s been something that’s the gift that keeps on giving,” said Duke on the global influence of the Marvel film. “And it’s way bigger than just a role. It’s way bigger than just a story. It’s something that means a lot to people in their lives.”

Anticipating fans await even a morsel of detail but actors like Angela Bassett, who plays Queen Ramonda in the African-themed Marvel adventure movie, remain tight-lipped on the film’s details, only saying, “It’s going to be amazing,” she added. “It’s going to top (the first) one.”

As Duke is reprising his role as M’Baku in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, he remains in the comic book realm by playing Brue Waye in Spotify’s new podcast, Batman Unburied, ranked the number one podcast on Spotify, The Source reports.

On May 3, Batman Unburied debuted globally on Spotify on May 3, according to Collider. 

“What would it mean for Batman to be Black, you know? Instead of just making–Bruce Dwayne,” said Duke as he lets out a hearty laugh. 

He continued: “How do I take a character that for so many years has been identified by his white privilege, he’s rich, he’s powerful, and I said where are the allegories to the Black experience and I thought what does it mean to be robbed of your lineage, what does it mean to be robbed of your family and your history?”

Duke decided to tackle the role from the angle of “what would a social justice advocate do with billions of dollars? They would tackle the justice system.”

Batman Unburied’s includes a cast of Hasan Minhaj as The Riddler, Jason Isaacs as Alfred, Gina Rodriguez as Barbara Gordon, Lance Reddick as Thomas Wayne, Toks Olagundoye as Martha Wayne, John Rhys-Davies as Dr. Hunter, and Ashly Burch as Vicki Vale.

• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

May 14, 2022

This 3-In-1 Charger Offers Both Style And Substance

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Few things are more frustrating than losing power when your devices need it. Phones, smartwatches, and AirPods have become so ingrained in our day-to-day lives that it’s difficult to remember the time back when that wasn’t the case.

While these products have made lives far easier and more manageable than ever, all it takes is for one of them to run out of power to remind us just how vital they are in society.

Finding the ideal charger can sometimes be just as important as selecting the right cell phone or electronic device. Thanks to the Catch-All Tray Pod with 3-in-1 Smart Wireless Charger, it gives you one less thing to worry about. For a limited time, it’s available for just $49.99. That’s a savings of 64% from its MSRP ($139).

This 3-in-1 charging pad is a more-than-capable power supply. With dedicated charging areas for your smartphone, smartwatch, and AirPods, you can achieve more with less. It’s compatible with Apple devices and Qi-based Android devices. Its Qi-certified wireless charger ensures that you won’t need to plug it in every time you need a charge.

Automatic charging control protects your devices from being overcharged, and a no-slip grip keeps your devices safe from slipping off the charging surface.

While this device excels as a charging powerhouse, it’s larger than others in its space, making it ideal for holding other items such as your glasses, wallet, jewelry, and keys. It’s available in black or tan, and both colors sport a clean matte finish. Its stylish design-build makes it a nice addition to any table or nightstand.

This 3-in-1 charger not only excels as a power source. It doubles as an extra place to store other important items you want to keep close. Take advantage of this discount and purchase it today.

Prices subject to change.

• Women

by Derek Major

May 13, 2022

Texas Court Orders A Review of Crystal Mason’s Five-Year Sentence For Illegal Voting

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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a lower court to review the case against Crystal Mason, who was convicted of illegal voting in 2016 and sentenced to five years.

Mason voted in the 2016 election while she was on supervised release after being released from prison on federal tax evasion charges. In 2018, Mason was convicted of a second-degree felony and sentenced to five years in prison. Mason is currently out on bond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-MuD1EvX1c

According to Mason’s attorney, Alison Grinter Allen, Mason was unaware she couldn’t vote because although she was out of prison, her sentence was not completed. Mason, who wasn’t on the state’s voter rolls, used a provisional ballot to vote, which was not counted.

NPR reports The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals determined a lower court mistakenly upheld Mason’s conviction by “failing to require proof that [Mason] had actual knowledge that it was a crime for her to vote while on supervised release.”

The case will now return to the Court of Appeals, where it was ordered to take up the case with the new directive from the higher court.

Last year, Texas Republicans passed a controversial voting restrictions bill that created new criminal penalties for those who assist voters in-person or by mail and increased penalties for existing election crimes.

The bill also included provisions aimed at preventing another case like Mason’s. A provision in the law states a person “may not be convicted solely upon the fact that the person signed a provisional ballot affidavit … unless corroborated by other evidence that the person knowingly committed the offense.”

“The amendment clarifies that a provisional ballot affidavit alone is insufficient evidence that the person MASON ― knowingly committed the offense,” the court wrote in its decision. “Corroboration by other evidence is required for conviction.”

Voting rights advocates fought the bill’s passing, saying it would lead to people being arrested and charged for making honest mistakes while voting. Advocates also said the law disproportionately affects communities of color in the state. Texas Democrats were so against the bill many fled the state to block the bill from being voted on.

• Health and Wellness

by Nancy E Williams

May 13, 2022

Two Chicago YogaSix Franchise Owners Practice More Than Fitness

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In May 2021, Crystal Pinkston and Sharon Calhoun Norman opened their first YogaSix franchise, located in Hyde Park, a diverse neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.

Calhoun Norman, a Chicago native, and Pinkston, who relocated to Chicago years ago, are longtime friends who have always enjoyed taking a variety of fitness classes together. The two became interested in opening a YogaSix studio because they could combine their passion for a wellness lifestyle with entrepreneurship.

Pinkston’s career has spanned 20-plus years with several F100 CPG companies. She is currently a senior leader with a CPG company focused on consumer and shopper behavior in addition to helping manage the YogaSix franchise. Her career expertise directly translates to the business of better understanding the member, marketing, and sales strategies.

Calhoun Norman is a lawyer by trade. She is a former law firm partner whose 15-year legal career focused on litigation and intellectual property. Calhoun Norman recently left to focus full-time on the growth and expansion strategy of the duo’s YogaSix studios.

“Savings and faith helped me to overcome the fear of leaving a salary behind,”  she says. “I am also confident in my skill-

set and resume and know that a traditional nine-to-five will be available for me if I choose to go that route. Ultimately, I thought it was best to invest my time and money in myself and my own business rather than putting all my energy into corporate America.”

Where passion leads you

Yoga has been a passion of Calhoun Norman’s for almost 20 years, and the friends share a love of boutique fitness and maintaining an active lifestyle.

“The YogaSix brand is appealing because it seeks to make yoga accessible to all, ” Calhoun Norman says. “Yoga can be intimidating, and YogaSix takes the intimidation factor out of yoga by removing Sanskrit and making the classes energizing, empowering, and fun using music and a state-of-the-art audiovisual system. From a business standpoint, Xponential Fitness, YogaSix’s parent company, has perfected the boutique fitness model through sister brands such as Club Pilates and Cycle Bar so we knew that YogaSix’s business model was strong.”

But it’s not simply wellness and entrepreneurship that Pinkston and Calhoun Norman value. The opportunity to give back to their community is very important. “For Black History Month, we held weekly educational classes that built on the theme established each year by the ASALH (Association for the study of African American Life and History),” Pinkston said.

In honor of Juneteenth, they held a virtual meditation event as an opportunity to reflect on and commemorate what Juneteenth means. The charitable event raised money for the DuSable Museum of African American History to highlight the importance of Black history in Chicago and nationwide. Pinkston and Calhoun Norman matched the total dollar amount donated.

The duo also created a YogaSix Teacher Training scholarship program to increase diversity in the yoga space and help them identify and retain talent in a competitive fitness landscape when they launch Yoga Teacher Training this fall.

“Year-round we aim to provide programming and instructors that appeal to the Hyde Park community through music, workshops, partnering with other businesses in Hyde Park.”

The road to growth

Pinkston and Calhoun Norman recently acquired two existing YogaSix studios in other parts of Chicago and plan to expand into a new boutique fitness vertical in 2023.

“These studios are in communities that are different from Hyde Park, but we believe our approach and philosophy of inclusion can help make these locations as successful as our Hyde Park location. No matter what side of Chicago you live on—North, South, Loop—we want to provide a Hot Yoga studio that is engaging, empowering, and fun.”

The entrepreneurs purposefully chose the franchise route to business ownership because of its proven model and structured approach. It was a huge advantage that gave them the freedom to laser focus on understanding their members and operations versus trying to optimize a business model.

“There are pros and cons to organic entrepreneurship or franchise entrepreneurship that really come down to personal preference, risk tolerance, and bandwidth.”