Serena Williams Backs Black Women-Owned Startup Providing Customized Wigs Through AI
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 14, 2022

Serena Williams Backs Black Women-Owned Startup Providing Customized Wigs Through AI

Serena Williams is a trailblazer in more ways than one. This time she’s backing a venture aimed at using artificial intelligence to provide beauty consumers with customized wigs.

Parfait is a new wig customization platform aimed at disrupting the industry by being the first to use facial recognition and artificial intelligence to provide buyers with customizable wig products. The company raised $5 million in funding spearheaded by Upfront Ventures and Serena Ventures, according to reports.

“Parfait’s mission to leverage Al to solve core issues for both the tech industry and communities of color is something we, at Serena Ventures, have believed in since the beginning,” Serena Williams said in a statement.

“She went on to say, “It’s been inspiring to witness their incredible achievements so far, and we’re proud to invest in this next phase of Parfait’s growth.”

Founded by former Target and Amazon executive Isoken Igbinedion, the first seed of funding will help increase Parfait’s production and improve its supply chain to enter new markets across the globe. Through the improved facial recognition Parfait uses, the tech-based beauty brand aims to make the wig industry more inclusive to meet the hair goals of beauty consumers from all backgrounds.

“It’s widely understood that facial recognition systems perform less well for women and people of color,” Igbinedion said.

“Training models used in facial recognition technology are largely unbalanced, often relying on training datasets that are similar in makeup, and do not represent the visual composition of faces worldwide. This often results in poor performance for users who do not fit into that dataset, often represented by white faces and male features.”

Williams shared her excitement for the new investment in an Instagram Story post, as captured by Essentially Sports. With Parfait aligning with Williams’ principles for her VC firm, the new company is on the road to success with the full support from one of the greatest athletes and Black female investors of all time.

School Bus Driver Charged After Violating Protocol That Resulted in 13-Year-Old Being Fatally Hit
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 14, 2022

School Bus Driver Charged After Violating Protocol That Resulted in 13-Year-Old Being Fatally Hit

A Detroit school bus driver is facing criminal charges after letting a 13-year-old autistic student off on a busy street where the child was fatally hit.

Debra White, 65, is accused of letting 13-year-old Zyair Harris off the school bus onto a busy street where she allegedly did not activate the bus’s stop sign and lights, resulting in the teen being struck by an oncoming vehicle, WXYZ reports.

Harris died at the hospital on April 6 due to complications from the severe injuries he sustained from the hit.

“My son was autistic, so you didn’t care, you just let him out, in the middle of the street. And then when he got hit, she pulled out, she saw him get hit and still pulled off,” Zyair’s mother Cassandra Jones said.

According to Jones, White pulled across the street from her home without the stop sign out, and without walking Harris out, Fox 2 Detroit reports. Once off the bus, Jones said a car came flying down the street hitting her son.

“Seeing my son laying there, with blood coming out his mouth, and his body twisted, how would any mother feel about that,” Jones said.

White has since been charged with second-degree child abuse and failure to stop at the scene resulting in death.

“You send your child to school, you think he’s safe with these people, and they failed her, the system failed her and her child, and the rest of us, and this shouldn’t have happened,” said Harris’ aunt, Lorise Yarbrough.

“He is an autistic kid, but he is very smart, but anyone who has any sort of compassion for a child, you know you’re supposed to guide them across the street, he never got the chance. She let him off the bus, and as soon as he cross the street, the car hit him,” Yarbrough added.

The family has started a GoFundMe seeking help with funeral arrangements.

Missouri to Introduce ‘Ahmaud Arbery Act’ That Places Limits on Citizen’s Arrests
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 14, 2022

Missouri to Introduce ‘Ahmaud Arbery Act’ That Places Limits on Citizen’s Arrests

A St. Louis senator is seeking to place limits on Missouri’s citizen’s arrest laws through a new act named in Ahmaud Arbery’s honor.

The “Ahmaud Arbery Act” was heard in a Senate committee on Monday, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The law would repeal “a private person’s right to make an arrest as it existed under the common law of this state,” the legal protection that played a major role in Arbery’s murder.

Sponsored by Sen. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis, the act was named for the 25-year-old Black man in Georgia whose 2020 murder sparked nationwide outrage after he was chased down and killed by three white men claiming to suspect him of being a robber.

“By passing the ‘Ahmaud Arbery Act,’ Missouri can demonstrate to vigilantes that it doesn’t tolerate any person taking the law into their own hands,” Roberts said.

The men involved with Arbery’s murder initially avoided arrest after citing Georgia’s private citizen arrest law to justify their actions. Travis McMichael and Gregory McMichael claimed to have armed themselves and followed Arbery to detain him as a suspect in several burglaries in the area.

William “Roddie” Bryan followed the McMichael’s and filmed Arbery’s murder. In February, a jury found the three men guilty on all counts in the federal hate crimes trial, CNN reports.

In May 2021, Georgia repealed the vague law the McMichaels’ attempted to use to exonerate themselves from the vicious hate crime, NPR reports.

While speaking on the “Ahmaud Arbery Act,” Roberts said citizens’ arrests in Missouri were becoming a regular occurrence. Citing a recent investigation where Jason Dudley’s homicide was deemed “justifiable” after he was shot and killed by a man who suspected him of stealing his car.

“Dudley had no idea who this vigilante was,” Roberts said. “He wasn’t a uniformed officer. This man to him was a stranger with a gun approaching him on the street. Had officers been present instead of an individual taking the law into their own hands, it’s likely a life would have been saved.”

Judge Finds Tesla Liable to Black Former Worker who Alleged Bias, But Slashes Payout
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 14, 2022

Judge Finds Tesla Liable to Black Former Worker who Alleged Bias, But Slashes Payout

A federal judge said on Wednesday Tesla Inc. (TSLA.O) was liable to a Black elevator operator who said the electric car company ignored racial abuse at the factory where he worked, but reduced a nearly $137 million jury award to $15 million.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco ruled after jurors last October found that Tesla subjected Owen Diaz to a hostile environment at Tesla’s factory in Fremont, Calif. by allowing and failing to stop the racism he faced, according to a press release.

Diaz, who worked at the plant for nine months in 2015 and 2016, said other employees used racist slurs when speaking to him, and scrawled swastikas and slurs including the “N-word” on bathroom walls. He also said one supervisor drew a racist caricature near his workstation.

In a 43-page decision, Orrick said the evidence amply supported the jury’s finding Tesla liable for the “profound” emotional harm Diaz suffered and the “often inadequate” disciplinary steps the company took.

But, the judge reduced Diaz’s compensatory damages to $1.5 million from the “excessive” $6.9 million that the jury awarded, and lowered punitive damages to $13.5 million from the “unconstitutionally large” $130 million jury award.

Bernard Alexander, a lawyer for Diaz, in an interview said his client plans to appeal the lowered damages award.

“We’re pleased that the court upheld the jury’s finding that Tesla’s conduct was absolutely reprehensible,” Alexander said.

“The award of $15 million is substantial but does not come close to reflecting the harm caused to Mr. Diaz, or the reprehensibility of Tesla’s conduct,” he added.

Tesla and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The company had sought to limit compensatory and punitive damages to $300,000 each.

Led by billionaire Elon Musk, Tesla faces similar claims in other lawsuits.

In one such case, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing alleged in February that Black workers at the Fremont plant endured constant harassment, but saw their complaints ignored.

Tesla previously called that lawsuit misguided, and said it has adopted policies to prevent and punish racist conduct.

Compensatory damages are meant to cover actual losses, while punitive damages are meant to punish and deter violations.

Under U.S. Supreme Court precedent, punitive damages typically should be less than 10 times compensatory damages.

Legal experts had called Diaz’s original $137 million award one of the largest for a single plaintiff alleging workplace discrimination.

The case is Diaz v Tesla Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 17-06748.

Kirk Franklin’s Son Kerrion Denies Owning Gun Found in Car, Claims Being Set Up
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 14, 2022

Kirk Franklin’s Son Kerrion Denies Owning Gun Found in Car, Claims Being Set Up

Iconic gospel singer Kirk Franklin’s son, Kerrion, has been in the headlines for various problems over the years, but this latest one may be his biggest and most life-changing one.

The reality TV participant is currently in jail after being pulled over in a car that belonged to a woman who is missing and presumed dead. Kerrion is also a cast member on the Zeus Network reality TV show Bad Boys: Los Angeles and is being held without bond. Franklin claims he is being framed for whatever crime they are trying to pin on him.

Franklin was arrested last Sunday, April 10, in Los Angeles.

Larry Reid released a portion of an interview he did with Franklin on his self-titled show, Larry Reid Live, where Kirk’s estranged son proclaims his innocence. He said in the interview that he feels he is being set up and law enforcement is drawing extra charges against him.

“Things have just been happening around me. Feeling like I’m being set up, feeling like people are trying to catch me doing wrong,” he tells Reid. “After I was already booked in jail, they’re trying to put extra gun charges on me. Over the past year, I’ve had multiple vehicles like, I’m a producer, filmmaker, like, I just love entertainment, but it comes with a lot.”

He says the gun that was allegedly discovered in the vehicle isn’t his and the reason he was stopped was due to a broken tail light. Franklin does say that he has owned the car for over a year, claiming he was stopped before and nothing was ever mentioned about a missing person.

“I mean, the car is registered. It got — I’ve been stopped before, nobody never said anything about a murder or anything. Like, this is the first time I’m ever hearing about this. So, I’m just keeping my mind positive.”

Last September, the troubled man accused his mother of abuse on social media. A video filmed on Instagram Live by Kerrion was reposted by The Neighborhood Talk showing him accusing his mother of abuse. He is the eldest son of the famed gospel recording artist.

In March, another scenario that occurred last year revealed a profanity-laced recording between him and his father, Kirk, that was released publicly and went viral.

The White House Renews Its Commitment To Addressing the Black Maternal Crisis
by Atiya Jordan

April 14, 2022

The White House Renews Its Commitment To Addressing the Black Maternal Crisis

To save the lives of Black mothers, the Biden administration is renewing its commitment to address the crisis of Black maternal mortality and morbidity across the country.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), April 11-17. Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, BMHW is a week of awareness, activism, and community building intended to deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health in the United States and more.

In a proclamation of Black Maternal Health Week, the White House released a statement detailing its plans and actions toward rooting out systemic racism and “building a healthcare system that is equitable and safe for Black families.”

According to Carole Johnson, administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Biden-Harris administration strives to eliminate racial disparities in maternal healthcare. Meanwhile, her agency plans to provide better options that cater to women and children in underserved and under-resourced communities.

The CDC found that Black women are more than three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, regardless of their income or education.

Improving Healthcare Options For Mothers

The administration has provided 12 months of extended postpartum coverage through Medicaid for mothers.

“One of the key things we’ve identified is that Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) pay for about 40% of births in the country. The health needs of women don’t end 60 days post-pregnancy. We need to make sure that women continue to get that care and service,” Johnson told The Root.

While a mother undergoes physical changes, Johnson explains that the administration is also prioritizing her mental health through the Maternal Depression Access Program, which trains health providers on identifying the early symptoms and how to best help treat maternal depression.

“We have a teleconsult line that allows OBs to get direct help from a mental health professional. That will help them identify how to best support their patients,” she said.

Investing In Community-Based Doulas

Studies have found that doula support leads to better labor and birthing experiences and better birth outcomes.

According to The Root, a $5 million investment has been secured in continuing the American Rescue Plan‘s mission to provide access to community-based doulas and expand the current program.

“We have another investment of 20 million dollars to grow the doula workforce. There is also another 25 million-dollar investment in the nursing workforce focused on certified nurse midwives,” Johnson said.

She added: “We recognize that you can’t expect people to succeed both economically and in their health outcomes if you don’t provide the necessary support. When we have the right support for women and children, we get better economic development and outcomes as well. Everyone should be vested in that.”

Video Shows Misdemeanor Traffic Stop Turned Fatal After Grand Rapids Officer Shoots Black Man In The Back of The Head
by Atiya Jordan

April 14, 2022

Video Shows Misdemeanor Traffic Stop Turned Fatal After Grand Rapids Officer Shoots Black Man In The Back of The Head

In the shooting of an unarmed Black man in Michigan, the Grand Rapids Police Department finally released the highly demanded video footage on Wednesday confirming that one of its officers shot him in the back of his head following a misdemeanor traffic stop.

An explicit video of the shooting was released during a press conference held by the city of Grand Rapids. The 20-minute video, which captured the April 4 killing of Patrick Lyoya, revealed different angles of the incident. Four videos were recorded by dash-cam footage, body-cam footage, surveillance footage from a nearby home, and cell phone video from Lyoya’s passenger, as reported by Click on Detroit.

Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom did not identify the officer who fired the fatal shot but said the name would be released if criminal charges were filed.

The video shows the 26-year-old being pulled over that rainy morning in a residential area for allegedly having unregistered license plates. Lyoya exited the car to confront the officer, but he was told to return to the vehicle. He was also told to retrieve his driver’s license.

Footage shows the unidentified officer and Lyoya engaging before the Lyoya appears to flee to the back of a nearby lawn, where the officer manages to tackle him.

An unidentified Grand Rapids police officer is shown on top of Patrick Lyoya. | Source: City of Grand Rapids

As the officer attempts to pull out his taser, Lyoya is seen pushing it away. The officer repeatedly demands he “let go” of the taser gun. Lyoya attempts to flee again before the officer subdues him face down on the ground. Windstorm said that the fight over the taser lasted 90 seconds.

The officer pulls out his gun and points it directly at Lyoya’s head, then kills him with one fatal shot.

According to NewsOne, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Lyoya’s family, is demanding accountability.

“The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive, and fatal use of force against an unarmed Black man who was confused by the encounter and terrified for his life,” Crump said. “It should be noted that Patrick never used violence against this officer even though the officer used violence against him in several instances for what was a misdemeanor traffic stop.”

He added: “We demand that the officer who killed Patrick not only be terminated for his use of excessive and fatal force but be arrested and prosecuted for the violent killing of Patrick Lyoya.”

Upon release of the videos, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Grand Rapids Police Department, demanding the release of the officer’s name. The investigation is still underway as it is up to local prosecutors to decide on charges.

“Patrick was a father of 2 daughters and a big brother to 5 siblings,” Lyoya’s GoFundMe says. “Patrick loved playing soccer and spending time with his loved ones but now he can’t do that anymore. Help us raise money for his funeral. Anything helps!”

Several Fraternities, Sororities Historical Plots Vandalized At Howard University
by Atiya Jordan

April 14, 2022

Several Fraternities, Sororities Historical Plots Vandalized At Howard University

Amid the recent announcement of Howard University’s president’s retirement, numerous fraternities and sororities were reportedly vandalized on the DC university’s campus.

The Howard community was in disbelief to see circulated photos of the vandalism posted to Twitter. Plots of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, located on Howard University’s Upper Quadrangle-Main Yard, were seen tarnished with black spray paint, 7 News reported.

The HBCU is where five of the “Divine nine” International Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities, were founded. These include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

After seeing the damage, several members of these organizations gathered to help clean up the sacred plots.

“They came in and defaced our property. It really hit home. it was very personal, “said Lyric Amodia, Delta Sigma Theta member, according to 7 News. “We knew we had to fix it that moment.”

Students believe that the defacing of the historical stones and trees is connected to the national bomb threats HBCUs have received in recent months. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that Howard, among other schools, ordered lockdowns and evacuations during the unfounded threats. Six juveniles were under suspicion for the threats believed to be racially motivated.

Howard’s campus police department has launched an investigation of the incident, NBC Washington reported.

According to WDVM, Howard University issued a statement that read, in part, “these senseless acts of vandalism are unacceptable and run contrary to the values of respect and tolerance that we as an institution strive to uphold. The deliberate damaging of any Howard buildings or artifacts is expressly prohibited. The individuals responsible for these acts will be dealt with accordingly.”

Cam Newton Causes Uproar with Sexist Comments During Podcast Appearance
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 14, 2022

Cam Newton Causes Uproar with Sexist Comments During Podcast Appearance

NFL free agent quarterback Cam Newton brought some unwanted attention to himself this week.

The former MVP with the Carolina Panthers has upset many with his negative comments toward women after saying in an interview that some women “don’t know when to be quiet” and “don’t know how to allow a man to lead.”

According to USA Today, Newton appeared on the Barstool Sports Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast that aired Sunday.

“I had a perfect, a perfect example of what a man was in my life by my father. My parents have been together for 36, 37 years now and it’s a beautiful thing. I grew up in a three-parent household: my mom, my father, and my grandmother, and I knew what a woman was, not a bad (expletive), a woman.”

In an effort to explain what he meant by what he stated, it went in a different direction.

“A bad (expletive) is a person who is just, you know: ‘Girl, I’m a bad (expletive), I’m doing this, I’m doing that. I look the part but I don’t act that part,'” Newton said.

“And there’s a lot of women who are bad (expletives), and I say (expletives) in a way not to degrade a woman, but just to go off the aesthetic of what they deem is a boss chick.”

“Now, a woman for me is, handling your own but knowing how to cater to a man’s needs. Right? And I think a lot of times when you get that aesthetic of: ‘I’m a boss (expletive), Imma this, Imma that.’ No, baby. But you can’t cook. You don’t know when to be quiet. You don’t know how to allow a man to lead.”

Twitter had a couple of things to say to him:


by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 14, 2022

44-Year-Old Professional Bodybuilder Cedric McMillan Dies of Heart Attack While Working Out On Treadmill

A bodybuilding champion is dead after suffering a heart attack.

According to Generation Iron, 44-year-old professional bodybuilder Cedric McMillan passed away after reportedly working out on a treadmill.


Black Skull USA, a nutrition supplement company that sponsored McMillan, confirmed the news on its Instagram page.

“We regret to inform you that our friend and brother @cedricmcmillan passed away today. Cedric will be greatly missed as an athlete, comrade, friend, and father. Our prayers are with all his family and friends. He “fought the good fight,” and now he rests. – Marcelo Bella”

 

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A post shared by BLACKSKULL USA (@blackskullusa)

Marca reported that McMillan had contracted the coronavirus and suffered from long-term COVID-19. The issues he was experiencing included heart problems, and pneumonia, among other issues, though the particulars of his heart problems were not known to the public.

Earlier this year, the bodybuilder, who took home top honors at the 2017 Arnold Classic, posted a video to his Instagram page on Feb. 28, expressing the lingering issues he was experiencing due to battling COVID-19.

“I can’t keep food inside for some reason. It makes me a stupid hiccup, I hiccup all day and half the night and every time I eat or even drink water. It comes back up, nothing wants to stay inside.

“Four weeks ago, I went to the doctor again, and they recommended that I do not do the Arnold Classic.”

McMillan pursued his goal of becoming a professional bodybuilder and went pro in 2009 after winning the NPC Nationals. He went on to win the 2011 Orlando Show of Champions before emerging victorious at the 2012 New York Pro. He won the 2017 Arnold Classic and became a top contender in the Men’s Open division.

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