• News

by Atiya Jordan

May 6, 2022

Country Music Star Mickey Guyton Is A Mom Passionate About Keeping Kids Safe

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In April, Grammy Award-winning country music star Mickey Guyton joined forces with 3M’s School Zone Safety Initiative to kick off its first school zone transformation at Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Guyton, the mother of a 1-year-old son, is passionate about keeping the children safe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young people between 5–29 years of age.

The new mother wanted to be a part of an ongoing effort that would help improve child safety, especially in school zones.

“Being a new mom, in a few years, [Grayson is] going to be going to school, and seeing the statistics of the injuries that children are having in school zones is extremely alarming. I’m glad we’re bringing awareness to that,” Guyton told She Knows.

She continued: “I’ve always prided myself on wanting to be a part of being a voice for the voiceless and the people that don’t necessarily have anybody protecting them. Children are the most vulnerable, and these children in underserved communities are that much more vulnerable. I love that 3M started here in North Nashville.”

The School Zone Safety Initiative has pledged its commitment to increase safety and visibility in 100 school zones in 23 countries worldwide by 2024, a press release confirmed. The remodeling includes the installation of reflective signs, visible street markings, and pedestrian crosswalks.

“3M’s commitment to improving school zone safety centers on the belief that every child deserves a chance at an education and getting to school safely shouldn’t be a barrier,” said Dr. Dan Chen, president of 3M Transportation Safety Division. “Over the next two years, we will work with NGOs and government agencies to improve safety in school zones and develop a scalable model for high-risk and under-resourced communities to create safer roads for all children.”

Collier Engineering and Design and Civic Design Center have been tapped to remodel school zone roadways at Nashville’s Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary School and Madison Campus Elementary School in Nashville.

Nashville ranks 24th in traffic deaths per 100,000 residents on a national level, the Nashville Tennessean reported.

“I think the way we can turn this world around is prioritizing our underserved communities and lifting them up,” Guyton said, as per the outlet. “I think it’s our duty in Nashville to make sure we serve every community equally. Let’s serve them and make sure that they are taken care of.”

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 6, 2022

Forest Whitaker to Receive Honorary Palme D’Or at Cannes Film Festival

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At this month’s Cannes Film Festival, acclaimed actor and director Forest Whitaker will receive the honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony.

Former recipients include Jodie Foster last year as well as Jeanne Moreau, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Alain Delon. The award pays tribute to those who are on “a sparkling artistic journey, a rare personality as well as a discreet but strong humanitarian commitment to key topical issues.”

The opening ceremony will be broadcasted live by France Télévisions and Brut.

“34 years ago, attending Cannes for the first time changed my life, and assured me that I’d made the right decision to devote myself to finding connectivity in humanity through film. It’s always a privilege to return to this beautiful festival to both screen my own work, and to be inspired by many of the world’s greatest artists – and I feel incredibly honored to be celebrated as part of the Festival’s momentous 75th anniversary,” Whitaker said in a written statement.

Whitaker’s latest film, For the Sake of Peace, directed by Christophe Castagne and Thomas Sametin and produced by Whitaker, will be screened on Wednesday, May 18.

“When welcoming Forest Whitaker to Cannes, I was able to meet and admire an artist with intense charisma and a luminous presence,” said Thierry Frémaux, general delegate.

“His filmography is both dazzling and fully accomplished,” he added. “I also observed closely his convictions as a man, and the attention he carries for the young generation. Through his faith in a better world and his commitment, he contributes to making it a better place. Rare are the artists that reach such a beautiful balance, and Forest achieves it and sets an example.”

In 2012, Whitaker established the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), an NGO (non-governmental organization) which operates in Uganda, South Sudan, Mexico, South Africa, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, and Los Angeles. WPDI has helped more than one million and a half people, thanks to its network comprised of more than 2,500 leading youths and 14 learning centers.

Whitaker is also UNESCO’s special envoy for peace and reconciliation and a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group.

Singer Janelle Monáe is slated to portray the iconic entertainer and freedom fighter Josephine Baker in an upcoming TV series titled De La Resistance.

Baker was not only a skilled dancer, but she was once a spy, an entertainer, and an entrepreneur.

According to Deadline, the series is based on the upcoming Damien Lewis book,Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy. The drama will focus on Baker’s accomplishments as an entertainer, including becoming the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture, the 1927 silent film Siren Of The Tropics.

It will also venture into her reported role as a spy for the French Intelligence during World War II. The singer was able to gather intel on the Axis powers through her work and reputation as an entertainer. She later became a civil rights activist in the United States.

A native of St. Louis, Baker died in Paris in 1975 at the age of 68.

Rolling Stone also reported that Baker purportedly used her well-known fame and popularity to infiltrate high society for information as she was able to travel around Europe to spread messages to allied countries. Charles de Gaulle named her to the Legion of Honour as well as awarded Baker with several honors.

A dream finally coming to life🖤my hero🥺🖤long live MADAM JOSEPHINE BAKER🖤let’s gooooooooooo🌹🚀💋🖤🙏🏾 https://t.co/goWGkx9DDB

— Janelle Monáe, Cindi Mayweather👽🚆🤖🚀🪐 (@JanelleMonae) May 4, 2022

Chuck Lightning, Mikael Moore, Nate Wonder, and Dana Gills serve as executive producers for her production company, Wondaland, Angela Gibbs is also an executive producer. Lewis, the author, will serve as a co-executive producer and researcher.

Monaé’s new novel, The Memory Librarian, recently debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list. She is best known for screen roles in Hidden Figures, Moonlight and Harriet. They are also slated to star in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out 2.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 6, 2022

Marlon Wayans Shocked to Meet His White Relative

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Marlon Wayans had nothing but jokes after being introduced to his white fourth cousin.

The White Chicks star was surprised during a recent appearance on Big Boy TV when the radio personality connected him to his fourth cousin, Sean Valentine. With the two being on opposite sides of the racial spectrum, Wayans was clearly taken aback and joked that was his cousin “on the rape side” of the family.

“Marlon, this is your cousin, bro. Valentine, this is your cousin, man,” Big Boy says in a clip shared to his Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Big Boy (@bigboy)

Valentine, a radio personality who hosts his own show, Valentine in The Morning, confirmed to Wayans that they were indeed fourth cousins.

“Are you crazy? No way,” Wayans said in disbelief. But when Big Boy repeated the shocking information, Wayans jokingly shouted,

“Get off of me. You white. Get your white a– off me.”

Wayans, who had previously received his DNA results, went on to make the correlation on how he was related to the white radio host.

“Here’s why it’s crazy. Are you Irish?” Wayans asked. When Valentine confirmed that he was 100% Irish, Wayans revealed his Irish descent.

“I have Irish, I am 27 percent Irish. I didn’t know this,” Wayans shared. “I was making fun of white people. I feel bad because now I realize I was making fun of us.”

As the conversation went on, Wayans claimed that Valentine’s great-great-grandfather sexually assaulted Wayans’ great-great-grandmother.

“So your great-grandpa raped my great-grandma,” Wayans jokingly said.

“How you feel about that? How you feel about that, cousin? Cousin on the rape side.”

Big Boy added to the awkward but humorous moment by noting how the cousin’s first meeting “didn’t work out well.”

Valentine explained how he “just wanted to say hello” to the comedian after previously getting snubbed in a DM conversation.

Wayans was quick to clap back.

“That’s what your great-great-grandpa said to my great-great-grandma, ‘Hello,’ before he raped her.’”

• Education

by Wendy Medina

May 6, 2022

Discriminatory Hair Policy at Texas School Removed After Complaints From Student’s Mom Goes Viral

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An unjust hair policy has now reportedly been removed from an East Bernard, Texas, high school’s website after making headlines for denying a Black teen enrollment due to his loc hairstyle.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the policy was scrapped after the boy’s mother shook up the school board with her public complaints.

As previously reported, Dyree Williams, 17, recently transferred schools to East Bernard from Cincinnati. He and his mother were shocked to learn of the banned “braided hair or corn rows” rule because these hairstyles are part of his identity and connection to his ancestors.

“Once you cut that hair off, you cut off your line to your ancestors, you cut off your lineage, you cut off everything,” said Desiree Bullock, the teen’s mother.

She tried to meet with the school administration over the discriminatory rule, hoping there’d be some leeway for her son. The staff simply referred them back to the dress code policy in the student handbook. Bullock filed for a religious exemption with the district superintendent, but she was denied.

“We don’t consider them dreadlocks because we don’t dread them, we love them,” she stated, per the outlet. 

The policy, which was still in effect until last week, stated male students’ hair “may not extend below the eyebrows, below the tops of the ears or below a conventional standup shirt collar, and must not be more than one-inch difference in the length of the hair on the side to the length of the hair on top.”

However, according to district superintendent Courtney Hudgins, “East Bernard ISD has not denied enrollment to the individual involved in this situation, as no enrollment or registration documents have been filed,” she said last week.

Brian Klosterboer, attorney for the ACLU of Texas, contends he is uncertain that the East Bernard Independent School District will update their dress code policies.

“I’m not sure if they are making changes,” he said Tuesday after the policy was taken off the district website. “It could mean that they’re updating and changing it or maybe they just took it down and they’re still enforcing it.”

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 6, 2022

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to Build Monument At Cornell University

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As the first Black fraternity, it’s only right that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. get a monument in its honor at the organization’s birthplace.

On Thursday, Cornell University announced the fraternity had acquired two properties in Ithaca, New York, one of which is its birthplace. Located at 411 E. State St, it’s where seven Black Cornell students first assembled to found the nation’s first Black Greek-lettered organization, Alpha Phi Alpha, in 1906.

The second property, located at 105 Westbourne Lane, was purchased in Sept. 2021 for $1.5 million, will become the fraternity’s first frat house owned by Alpha Phi Alpha in Ithaca.

“The memorial will realize an aspiration of our founding members, who dreamed of having a monument to the beginning of Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities in Ithaca, which will hopefully center attention around the reason why we were founded when we couldn’t be members in mainstream society,” said Ernest Eric Elmore ’86, J.D. ‘89, an antitrust attorney at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. and former president of the Alpha Chapter Alumni Association.

The fraternity was founded at a time when Cornell was one of the few major universities to accept Black students but still wouldn’t allow them to live on campus. Instead, Black students took lodging with nearby Black residents.

It was in one of these houses, on State Street, where Alpha’s seven founders changed history. Since the fraternity’s inception, it has expanded to include 900 chapters across the country and includes renowned alumni members like Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Dubois, Duke Ellington,and Thurgood Marshall.

“As African Americans in the age of social segregation in the early 1900s, they felt it was important to come together and support one another and navigate Cornell and Ithaca, so a number of members of that study group wanted to become a fraternity,” Elmore said.

The monument will be celebrated during a fundraising weekend from May 13-15.

• Politics

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 6, 2022

South Carolina Agrees to New Redistricting Maps Following Civil Rights Legal Challenge

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In a victory for voting rights, South Carolina has agreed to adjust South Carolina State House district lines in some of the most historically significant areas of the state for Black voters by passing new maps this session.

The move stems from a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups that charged some of the new districts intentionally discriminated against Black communities in the state and denied Black voters equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect candidates of their choice.

The case was brought on behalf of the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP (S.C. NAACP) and an individual voter, Taiwan Scott, who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc. (LDF), the ACLU of South Carolina, Boroughs Bryant LLC, Arnold and Porter and the General Counsel’s Office of the NAACP.

The lawsuit alleged racial gerrymandering and intentional discrimination in 29 districts aimed at diluting the voting power of Black voters.

Under the agreement announced today, the amended maps will restore Black voters’ opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice in Orangeburg, Richland, Kershaw, Dillon and Horry counties.

The groups were poised to go to trial on May 16 if an agreement had not been reached. They are still headed to trial over the U.S. congressional map this fall.

The following comments are from:

South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP President Brenda Murphy: “Today is a victory for the Black community in South Carolina. Today marks a historical occasion: our political leadership has listened to our grievances and is working to create a more equitable political landscape. We have successfully petitioned our government for increased political access, and now Black communities in Richland/Kershaw, Orangeburg and Dillon/Horry will have a greater chance of electing their preferred candidates. But this is just a first step to providing equitable voting power for Black South Carolinians. We will continue to work with our elected officials to ensure that all our communities have a voice in our democratic institutions.”

American Civil Liberties Union Attorney Somil Trivedi: “This agreement is a historic victory for South Carolina voters and the constitutional guarantee of fair maps. State legislatures hold so many critical rights in their hands, making it all the more vital that the people choose those representatives — not the other way around.”

Allen Chaney, legal director of the ACLU of South Carolina: “Any redistricting map that arises exclusively from self-interested politicians will inevitably fail voters. While I am certainly pleased by this settlement, the voters need the next South Carolina redistricting process to be more independent, transparent and accountable.”

LDF Assistant Counsel John S. Cusick: “Today’s settlement is encouraging for all those who wish to see the South Carolina Legislature fulfill its obligation to ensure equal representation for Black voters in South Carolina. During a flawed and non-transparent legislative process, the S.C. NAACP and partners urged legislators to pass fair and non-discriminatory maps that recognized Black South Carolinians’ right to electoral access throughout their state. That did not happen. But what is now required, following this settlement, is legislation to increase electoral opportunities and voting access for Black South Carolinians in certain areas of the state.”

Chris Bryant of the law firm Boroughs Bryant LLC: “The South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP has been an active and vocal participant throughout the redistricting process, and we are happy that legislators, through this settlement, have listened and meaningfully responded. The democratic process only works when legislators meaningfully engage with their constituents, and we hope this settlement marks the start of more active engagement between legislators and the citizens of South Carolina.”

John A. Freedman, Arnold and Porter’s senior pro bono counsel: “We are proud to stand with our client and to have succeeded in achieving a fairer map for Black South Carolinians. We look forward to continuing our fight to achieve a fairer congressional map as well.”

• Education

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 6, 2022

‘Abbott Elementary’ Star Quinta Brunson Partners with Box Tops for Education to Give Back to Educators During Teacher Appreciation Month

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During this Teacher Appreciation Month, Box Tops for Education is going above and beyond to make teachers feel supported and inspire others to show up for educators and their schools year-round.

Throughout the month of May, shoppers are encouraged to download the Box Tops for Education app and use referral code TEACHERSMAKEUSBETTER during registration to earn $5 for a school when they scan their first receipt by May 31, 2022.

To support this initiative and help celebrate teachers who have changed lives, Box Tops for Education has partnered with Quinta Brunson, creator, and star of “Abbott Elementary,” a sitcom that depicts the everyday lives of passionate teachers at an underfunded elementary school, according to a press release.

An alumna of Philadelphia public schools and daughter of a teacher, Quinta shares a passion with Box Tops for advancing equity in education and is helping raise awareness for ways to show up for educators and their schools this month. In addition to the in-app promotion, Quinta will take to her Instagram, @quintab, to encourage her followers to use the hashtag #TeachersMakeUsBetter to share their own stories of how an educator has made an impact on their or their children’s lives.

“For the last 25 years, Box Tops for Education has believed that a child’s education is the foundation to achieving their fullest potential – and we know the instrumental role teachers play in that development,” said Lilly Moeding, brand experience manager for Box Tops for Education.

“We hope to encourage everyone to show appreciation to the teachers in their own lives – and as someone who has been deeply inspired by educators herself, we couldn’t think of a better partner to join us during Teacher Appreciation Month than Quinta Brunson.”

To further support educators, Box Tops for Education will make a $20,000 donation to Andrew Hamilton Middle School in Philadelphia. Quinta is an alumna of Andrew Hamilton, a school where all students are from low-income families, according to GreatSchools.org. She chose Andrew Hamilton for the donation because going to school there made her a better student and person.

“I’m excited to work with Box Tops for Education during Teacher Appreciation Month,” shared Quinta Brunson.

“I have fond memories of Box Tops for Education as a kid, and I am so happy to help provide support to educators. Growing up with a mom as a teacher, I eventually went on to produce and star in my show, Abbott elementary. The show helps shed light on what teachers often go through, especially in under-resourced areas. I’m proud to partner with Box Tops on our shared mission of giving back and showing appreciation for teachers.”

Since 2020, Box Tops has been on a journey to advance racial equity in K-8 education. As part of that commitment, Box Tops now has a renewed focus to help schools where support is most needed. Supporters can search those schools using the “Find a School in Need” function within the app to earn cash for any participating school in the country. Schools can use this money to help teachers and students get the resources they need.

Box Tops for Education has served as a cornerstone for raising funds for schools since 1996, with over $945 million dollars raised. With this partnership, Box Tops is committed to engaging new families to use their app to pay it forward to teachers, not just during Teacher Appreciation Month, but all year-round.

For those interested in giving back to educators and their schools during Teacher Appreciation Month, download the Box Tops for Education’s app available via iTunes App Store and Google Play. First time participants that enter code TEACHERSMAKEUSBETTER during registration and scan their first receipt by May 31, 2022, will earn $5 for their school of choice. For more information, or to see a full list of participating products, visit www.btfe.com.

• Lifestyle

by Atiya Jordan

May 6, 2022

Michelle Obama Dedicates Special Exhibit To Mother In Obama Presidential Center Museum

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In honor of Mother’s Day, Michelle Obama announced that she’s dedicating a special exhibit to her mother and “guiding light,” Marian Robinson, inside the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago.

According to Good Morning America, the exhibit, called “Opening the White House,” will be infused with so many of the values that Obama’s mother instilled in her. The former first lady declared an open invitation for families to experience a “warm and welcoming space where everyone feels at home.”

The exhibit will feature scale replicas of the White House’s East Room, where the Obamas once held dinners and music series celebrations, as well as the Blue Room and the South Lawn, where the family hosted garden tours, Easter Egg Rolls, state arrivals, and so much more.

Robinson, proclaimed as the “first grandmother” in her daughter’s memoir, Becoming, devoted eight years of her life to helping her daughter and son-in-law while in the White House.

“This is just one part of the story we’re telling at the Obama Presidential Center,” Obama said in her announcement. “In the years ahead, we want to welcome you to Chicago to see it—maybe even with your mom,” she said. “So Happy Mother’s Day everyone. And especially to you, mommy.”

 

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A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama)

In Obama’s announcement, which was posted to her Instagram today, she reflected on the many lessons she learned from her mother. The close relationship between mother and daughter was translated in these words:

“Growing up with my mom was always an adventure,” Obama said. “It was trips to the library as a toddler to learn about ABCs; it was the entire family piling into our car to go to the local drive-in; and my mom inviting family over for New Year’s Eve, passing around her special hors d’oeuvres, and toasting in the new year.”

She added: “But above all else,” she added, “my mother gave me that nonstop, unconditional love that was so important for me to grow up. In so many ways, she fostered in me a deep sense of confidence in who I was and who I could be by teaching me how to think for myself, how to use my own voice and how to understand my own worth. I simply wouldn’t be who I am today without my mom.”

The museum building will be open to the public in 2025.

“Love you, Mom–thank you for being a guiding light in my life,” Obama wrote alongside her post.