Zoe Kravitz’s ‘Creepy’ Comments About Jaden Smith Resurface After She Slams Will Smith’s Oscars Slap
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 30, 2022

Zoe Kravitz’s ‘Creepy’ Comments About Jaden Smith Resurface After She Slams Will Smith’s Oscars Slap

Actress Zoe Kravitz is under fire for seemingly shaming Will Smith following his cringe-worthy moment at the 2022 Oscars, where he walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith.

“Here’s a picture of my dress at the award show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now,” Kravitz captioned a photo of her Academy Awards attire.

 

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A post shared by Zoë Kravitz (@zoeisabellakravitz)

“And here is a picture of my dress at the party after the award show—where we are apparently screaming profanities and assaulting people on stage now,” The Batman star captioned a second pic.

 

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A post shared by Zoë Kravitz (@zoeisabellakravitz)

But amid the mixed reactions to Smith physically assaulting Rock on live television, many are slamming Kravitz for throwing shade at the King Richard award-winner.

In the day and age of social media, where everyone’s past can come back to haunt him, it didn’t take Twitter too long to dig into Kravitz’s closet of skeletons. Fans resurfaced an old interview where Zoe made inappropriate comments about Will’s son Jaden who was 14 at the time, while Zoe was 24, Daily Mail reports.

“There were moments that I was hanging out with Jaden and thinking, I can’t believe you’re 14, I have to check myself, like what I say to you,” Zoe told V Magazine 2013.

“He has so much personality and so much swag; he is so much cooler than I am,” she continued. “And he’s so handsome; I was always like, when you’re older, you know, we’ll hang out…Nope, that’s inappropriate, you’re 14.”

Once the comments resurfaced this week, Zoe was branded a “hypocrite” for trying to criticize Will Smith for his Oscars behavior.

“I love Twitter for exposing these f-ing hypocrites like Jim Carrey, Judd Apatow, Zoe Kravitz,” one user tweeted.

“They want to judge Will Smith (a man who’s been a class act for 30 years) for one mistake, as if they haven’t done worse. Get them all,” added someone else.

But Zoe wasn’t the only celebrity to speak out against Smith and called out for the hypocrisy. Social media cited actors like Alec Baldwin, OJ Simpson, Jim Carrey, and the list goes on.

https://twitter.com/ThatBKGurl/status/1508952940052103171

Chicago Teachers Clash After White Teacher Hangs Black Doll From Cord In Classroom
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 30, 2022

Chicago Teachers Clash After White Teacher Hangs Black Doll From Cord In Classroom

Two Chicago high school teachers are being investigated after arguing in front of students over a Black doll hanging from a cord in a classroom.

A Black instructor at Whitney Young Magnet High School spoke out after taking notice of the African American doll in a white history teacher’s classroom, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The two teachers got into a shouting match in front of students. Part of the heated exchange was captured on video.

“Stupid,” one teacher can be heard saying.

“You[’re] f- – – – n’ stupid,” the other teacher replied. “And you’re even more stupid [inaudible].”

“Shut up! Shut up!” the other shouted in response. The teacher then directed a statement to the students saying, “He’s wrong.”

“You[’re] wrong!” the teacher yelled back. “I’m not going to stand up in here with you…you making me feel uncomfortable…”

A photo shared online shows the doll—a football player in a blue uniform—hanging from a whiteboard with the cord around its neck, NBC Chicago reported.

On Tuesday, the school’s principal Joyce Kenner released a statement to students and families saying the school would follow “the official disciplinary protocol established by Chicago Public Schools.”

“Unfortunately there was an incident in which a teacher hung a small stuffed African American football doll by a pull down string from a projector screen in their classroom,” Kenner wrote.

“The teacher indicated he found the doll in his room and wanted the students to see if someone would claim it. A colleague approached the teacher about the doll and the conversation between the teachers became contentious.”

The Chicago Teachers Union released a statement condemning the encounter and potentially racist actions from one of their teachers.

“We understand the investigation at Whitney Young is ongoing, but practices that mitigate the harm of racial biases must also be ongoing and consistent in our schools,” the statement read in part. “And any definition of ‘safety’ must include creating and reinforcing an environment of equity and inclusion for all students, staff and faculty of color.”

Black News Channel Unable to Pay Employees For Earned Wages After Abrupt Closing
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 30, 2022

Black News Channel Unable to Pay Employees For Earned Wages After Abrupt Closing

Employees at the now-defunct Black News Channel (BNC) are facing challenges with receiving their “earned” wages after the network announced it was shutting down and filing for bankruptcy on Friday.

BNC had been operating for two years when President and CEO Princell Hair sent out a company-wide email letting employees know that the organization was ceasing operation and would be filing for bankruptcy.

The announcement was made on a scheduled pay date, but employees were not paid, WCTV reported. BNC spokesperson Tim Buckman claimed that payroll deposits scheduled for Friday would go out on Monday. However, by Monday, Buckman was no longer with the company and employees had still not been paid.

After the news outlet reached out asking if employees had been paid on Monday, a second spokesperson responded Tuesday night saying the majority but not all employees had been paid for “earned wages.”  The spokesperson claimed that other staffers who were owed “earned but unpaid wages owed” will have to wait until after BNC’s bankruptcy proceedings and its assets get liquidated.

It remains unclear how many employees have still not been paid. The network filed for voluntary bankruptcy on Monday night and was working “to secure financing” for the proceedings, the spokesperson said.

Many were surprised to learn that BNC would be shutting down after just two years in business. The minority-led news network was supported by billionaire Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Kahn, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.

It was just last year when BNC announced a rebooted lineup consisting of on-air talents like New York Times veteran Charles M. Blow and cable news regular Marc Lamont Hill. The relaunch was expected to position BNC as “a space for Black news, that doesn’t have the architecture of the larger culture around it.”

On Friday, the National Association of Black Journalists said it “learned that plans are in the works to develop a solution to provide employees with their last three weeks of pay. NABJ is exploring ways to assist our members impacted by the closing.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 30, 2022

Chris Rock’s Brother Tony Chimes In On Fiasco, Rebukes Will Smith’s Apology

It’s now become a family affair as Chris Rock’s comedian brother, Tony, has chimed in on his brother’s controversy.

Tony Rock brother of Chris, participated in a Twitter Q&A where he was questioned about the incident involving his brother. While on stage at the Academy Awards over the weekend, Chris Rock made a joke referring to Jada Pinkett-Smith as G.I. Jane. This infuriated her husband, Will Smith, and the actor got on stage with Rock and smacked him in the face, stunning the comedian and the world.

Smith apologized publicly to Rock the next day in a written statement.

Chris Rock’s sibling, Tony, did a question and answer segment on Twitter called ’20 Questions Tuesday.’ Rock didn’t do this because of what transpired Sunday; this is something he does weekly. As can be expected, Twitter users wanted to find out what Tony thought about Smith’s apology, among other insights into how Chris is doing. Tony was very brief with his responses.

The comedian responded to questions about his favorite comedians, his Final Four pick, even responded to someone who asked if Seinfeld had done the same thing would it be a different result. Former TMZ cast member Van Lathan even asked him if he’d join his podcast later this weekend, and Rock simply said, “no.”

After answering the 20 questions posed on Twitter and thanking all those who participated, the comedian posted for his followers to watch Chris’ movie, Good Hair, “since the narrative” has changed regarding how Chris treats women of color.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 30, 2022

Longtime NFL Official, Wayne Mackie Dies at 62

Longtime NFL official Wayne Mackie died last week at the age of 62.

According to NFL.com, Mackie passed away last Thursday in Florida. He was a head linesman in the league from 2007 through 2016.

The National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement Friday on Mackie’s passing:

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the tragic passing of a treasured member of our NFL family. Wayne Mackie unexpectedly passed last night while in Florida. He leaves behind his wife, Tonya, and three daughters.

“In the last two decades, Wayne solidified his standing as a highly-respected on-field game official, serving as a head linesman at Super Bowl 50 and officiating in two conference championship games during his NFL career. Wayne entered the NFL in 2007, and spent 10 years establishing himself as one of the League’s top officials at his position. Though his on-field officiating career ended in 2016, Wayne joined the NFL’s officiating department in 2017 and has continued to impart his expertise on the next generation of NFL officials through training and development.

“Wayne was passionate about the NFL and spent each day making a positive impact on all of us individually and contributing to our collective success. Those who had the pleasure of knowing Wayne will forever remember his kindness, generosity and the genuine spirit he brought to all aspects of his life.”

During his 10 seasons on the field, Mackie officiated eight playoff games. Those included two conference title games. He was also the head linesman during the playing of Super Bowl 50 when the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers.

When he hung up his cleats as a linesman, Mackie became the NFL’s vice president of officiating evaluation and development, performing in that role from 2017 until his death.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 30, 2022

Nick Cannon’s Latest Baby Mama Plans ‘Unmedicated Water Birth’ With Child

In January, Nick Cannon announced he was expecting his eighth child, this time with Breana “Bre” Tiesi. The very pregnant Tiesi said in a recent interview that she is “so excited” about her upcoming birth.

The ex-wife of former NFL player Johnny Manziel spoke to E! News’ Daily Pop about her birthing plans and that she and Cannon “have a beautiful relationship.”

She spoke of having an off-and-on dynamic with Cannon for about 10 years.

“Him and I have had our on-and-off for years,” Tiesi said. “And I just respect and love who he is so much as a person, that when I thought about, ‘Do I want my son to be this person? Look at your characteristics, look at your personality, look at how you treat people…’ That’s what is so much more important to me than anything. And he treats me amazing, so that’s all I look at.”

This will be Tiesi’s first child.

The soon-to-be mother also said “not scared about giving birth” and the plans as far as how she will have her baby will be an “unmedicated water birth.”

As many people know, she is not the only mother of Cannon’s children. She states that they all support one another and give each other space.

“I feel like everybody is focused on their own family and their own situation. And we’re all very supportive and just respect that,” she stated. “’That’s your family, this is ours and if you need anything, we’re here.

“I feel like as adults, our kids are going to be together so I don’t think there will ever be an issue. I don’t know of any issues. It definitely won’t be one with me.”

Tiesi and Manziel divorced last November. According to her Instagram page, the 30-year-old is a model, real estate agent, investor, and business consultant.

Thor Construction Founder Richard Copeland Dies At 66, Leaving Legacy Of Black Entrepreneurship
by Derek Major

March 30, 2022

Thor Construction Founder Richard Copeland Dies At 66, Leaving Legacy Of Black Entrepreneurship

Richard Copeland, who built Thor Construction into the largest Black-owned business in Minnesota, has died at 66 of cancer.

The Minnesota Star Tribune reports Copeland, who also co-owned Copeland Trucking, was known for his candor, high energy, hard work, and insistence on hiring other Black and Brown contractors, suppliers, and employees.

The Black businessman’s work was also featured in the 2007 PBS special Everyday Heroes.

“He was a comet,” lifelong friend and business partner Tim Hoag told the Tribune. “He burned bright. It is so sad.”

Copeland began his career delivering Ford truck parts for his parents’ Copeland Trucking company. He started Thor Construction in 1980 after his father fired him for buying trucking equipment without permission. His first contracts with Thor involved filling holes the Minnesota Gas Co. created while doing repair work in the state.

Copeland hired his friends to help the business get off the ground, and in 1985, he and Hoag purchased Copeland Trucking.

Hoag praised his business partner, saying Copeland was determined to turn Thor Construction into a success and made sure that Black and Brown residents in the Twin Cities shared in it.

“He had no problem getting in front of any CEO in Minnesota and asking for work. Almost demanding it. If they didn’t have a diversity program, they should have one. And they should hire minority workers and contractors. He was passionate about that,” Hoag said.

Although Copeland grew Thor Construction, it also had a fast and sad downfall. The business folded in 2019, just one year after completing a $36 million office building in Minneapolis, due to multiple lawsuits against it.

In January 2019, Sunrise Banks, a key lender for Thor, sued the company for more than $3 million in unpaid debt. That opened the floodgates as Thor was hit with multiple lawsuits, and Copeland was forced to fold the company.

Enviva Gives $250,000 Endowed Scholarship for Nation’s Largest HBCU
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 30, 2022

Enviva Gives $250,000 Endowed Scholarship for Nation’s Largest HBCU

Enviva Inc. (NYSE: EVA) (“Enviva”), the world’s largest producer of sustainable bioenergy, announces the establishment of the Enviva Endowed Scholarship at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (N.C. A&T), the nation’s largest historically Black university.

Today, Enviva announced its formal commitment of $250,000, funded over a five-year period, to provide an endowment for merit-based scholarships and to support a more diversified workforce within forestry, agribusiness, agriscience, natural resources, technology, and conservation fields.

“We are proud to be a corporate leader and community partner in North Carolina and believe we have a responsibility to create pathways for the state’s best and brightest to attend this great university,” said John Keppler, chairman and CEO of Enviva, according to a press release.

“Solving climate change and delivering a lower-carbon economy depends on the critical thinking, creativity, and innovation of our future leaders educated at spectacular institutions like N.C. A&T.  We are proud to support opportunities for students from the communities in North Carolina that we call home to join, grow, and excel at this great university through the endowment of today’s scholarship.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the Enviva Endowed Scholarship at N.C. A&T will provide financial assistance to students pursuing any discipline within the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and will be open to all applicants. All recipients holding the Enviva Endowed Scholarship in one year shall be automatically renewed throughout their matriculation as long as the students maintain the minimum required academic and geographical standards outlined below.

“The Enviva Endowed Scholarship will be uniquely impactful for our students since it’s available to all majors in any of our programs,” said Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna, dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

“We deeply appreciate Enviva’s significant and forward-looking investment in our college and its commitment to workforce diversity.”

A university committee appointed by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships shall choose the recipients of the Enviva Endowed Scholarship. In order to apply, applicants must be an undergraduate with a 3.0 grade point average or higher and be a resident of one of the following North Carolina counties: Hertford County, Richmond County, Northampton County, Sampson County, New Hanover County, or Wake County, and Raleigh-Durham/Chapel Hill, North Carolina metro areas.

“North Carolina has been our operational home base for 10 years now, and we are proud to maintain and grow our strong corporate presence in the Tar Heel State. We believe in home grown talent, and that leads us to intentionally cultivate and hire the future of the agribusiness and sustainability workforce from America’s largest HBCU, N.C. A&T,” said Don Calloway, vice president of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Impact at Enviva.

“N.C. A&T has a proud tradition of graduating leading minds in manufacturing and sustainable agriculture. This endowment reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for more students to access the world class education that N.C. A&T provides and to prepare them to tackle climate change, one of the most critical and existential challenges of our time.”

This announcement comes shortly after Enviva announced its multi-year recruiting and career development pipeline agreement in December 2021. Per the agreement, Enviva has partnered with four significant Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the U.S. Southeast, to better identify, recruit, and hire new employees for its rapidly growing business.

These new partnerships and scholarship(s) reinforce Enviva’s existing commitment to facilitate careers in renewable energy and sustainable forestry for African Americans across the U.S. South.

Deborah Cox To Become First Black Woman Inducted into Canadian Music Hall of Fame
by Atiya Jordan

March 30, 2022

Deborah Cox To Become First Black Woman Inducted into Canadian Music Hall of Fame

Canadian singer-songwriter, Deborah Cox, admired for her powerhouse vocals on 1990s hits “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” and “Who Do U Love,” will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 51st Annual JUNO Awards, where she will perform, on Sunday, May 15.

“I feel incredibly grateful to experience this true milestone moment,” the singer expressed in a press release, according to VIBE. “Music has always been about community for me, and I am so thankful to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and CARAS for not only recognizing myself but my family, friends, and loving fans who have supported me and helped make my dream possible for the past 25-plus years.”

The momentous induction marks a historical moment for both the Toronto-raised artist and for the Canadian Music Hall of Fame itself. The Canadian Press reported that Cox is the first Black woman to join the music hall of fame since its inception in 1978 and only the second Black musician to receive the honor after pianist Oscar Peterson was inducted that same year.

“As the first Black woman to become an inductee, I am honored to have the chance to show our younger generations that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to with hard work, dedication, and passion,” Cox continued.

With over 30 years in the music industry, Cox has received multiple Juno Awards and Grammy Award nominations. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” from her second album, One Wish (1998), set a record as the longest-running No. 1 R&B single in the United States, staying atop the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 14 consecutive weeks. She has had six top 20 Billboard R&B singles and 13 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.

In addition to her music career, Cox is also a successful actor in Broadway and films, including BET’s First Wives Club and the HBO MAX series Station Eleven. She has also been recognized as a longstanding supporter of LGBTQ rights, those living with HIV/AIDS, and human rights and equality for all.

“Deborah is a multi-dimensional artist who has been entertaining and captivating audiences around the world for over 25 years,” Allan Reid, president & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards said.

“Her resounding voice and powerful performances have made her an international icon. We are so privileged to celebrate her talent and can’t wait to see her inspire audiences this spring in her hometown of Toronto.”

President Biden Signs Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act Into Law After More Than 100 Years Of Failed Efforts
by Derek Major

March 30, 2022

President Biden Signs Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act Into Law After More Than 100 Years Of Failed Efforts

President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till anti-lynching Bill into law Tuesday, ending an effort that took more than 100 years to complete.

(File photo)

The bill criminalizes an act that has long symbolized racism against Black people in the U.S. The bill itself is named after Till,  who was tortured, beaten, and hung after Carolyn Bryant accused him of grabbing her, verbally threatening her, and at whistling her. Years later, she recanted the story.

The New York Times reports shortly after signing the bill into law, Biden noted more than 4,400 Black men and women were lynched between 1877 and 1950.

“Lynching was pure terror to enforce the lie that not everyone, not everyone belongs in America, not everyone is created equal,” Biden added, speaking to civil rights leaders and others in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Black Americans have fought for generations to specifically outlaw lynching. The bill, which makes lynching a federal hate crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison, was passed by the House In February and the Senate without opposition Monday.

Anti-lynching legislation was first introduced in 1900 but was repeatedly blocked by Southern politicians during the Jim Crow era and as an intimidation act to keep Black people from voting and pushing for civil rights.

Lawmakers failed to pass the bill more than 200 times, something the Senate formally apologized for in 2005, but still took another 17 years to pass.

The bill was sponsored by Vice President Kamala Harris when she was still in the Senate and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ.). During the ceremony, Harris also thanked Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL).

Both Biden and Harris also gave credit to Ida B. Wells, a Black journalist who fought lynching in the late 1800s and early 1900s and became a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Michelle Duster, the great-granddaughter of Wells, spoke at the ceremony detailing how hard her great-grandmother worked to make lynching illegal.

“She carefully chronicled names, dates, locations, and excuses used to justify lynchings. She wrote articles and pamphlets and gave speeches about the atrocities,” Duster said. “Despite losing everything, she continued to speak out across this country and Britain about the violence and terror of lynching.”

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