Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Brittney Griner’s Wife Demand Russian Authorities Release WNBA Star
New developments have come out in the case of Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia, being held for drug possession of a vape cartridge, as previously reported.
Now, congressmen are stepping in, calling for the 31-year-old WNBA athlete’s release. Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee urged Russian authorities to set Griner free during a news conference yesterday, for what isn’t considered a crime in the United States.
“We know that there were some issues dealing with vape cartridges and other items but let me be very clear,” said Lee, a representative of Griner’s hometown of Houston. “Brittney Griner is a United States citizen, she was a guest in Russia…and I will be demanding her release. I have just spoken to the State Department to try and get them to focus on her circumstances.”
According to the New York Post, Griner has been in custody under the Russian Federal Customs Service for three weeks, amid the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
“I don’t want to disregard a sovereign nation but Putin has disregarded sovereign nations his entire service in this world,” Lee continued. “Anyone that is killing and attacking and destroying Ukraine, a neighboring country that is not bothering them, has no right to hold Ms. Griner. Period.”
The Texas representative demanded that any supposed violation should be dealt with “diplomatically,” bringing to mind Griner’s “storied history of Olympic gold medals.”
Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, also spoke out via an Instagram post: “I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life.”
According to ESPN, Griner’s agent stated, “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”
Per Russian authorities, Griner could face 5-10 years if found guilty.
The Olympic champion was in Russia as part of the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team during the WNBA’s offseason.
He’s Fed Up: Drake Files Temporary Restraining Order Against Stalker
It’s common knowledge that with fame comes the occasional stalker, but some just take it too far. According to the “Way 2 Sexy” rapper, his stalker has allegedly harassed him for years on end, showing up to his home and threatening his and his family’s lives. He has now decided to take legal action. The culprit is 29-year-old Mesha Collins, who in 2017 also broke into his Hidden Hills home.
When law enforcement arrived at the time of the incident, it is said that Collins locked herself in a room after drinking some of Drake’s refreshments. She was released from jail after posting a $100,000 bond, per theLos Angeles Times.
“In April 2017, somebody broke into my Los Angeles home when I was not there. At the time of that incident, I was not told any details about the trespasser, including her name,” Drake stated, reported by Yahoo! “I understand that [Collins] filed a lawsuit against me in August 2021. When this lawsuit was filed and served on me, I learned that Plaintiff is the same person who broke into my house in Los Angeles in April 2017.”
Since then, Collins has sued the Toronto rapper in a $4 billion lawsuit, alleging defamation and invasion of privacy. He moved to dismiss the lawsuit, calling it “frivolous” and based on “delusional figments of her imagination,” as previously reported.
In another attempt to make contact with the “Hotline Bling” singer, she recently tried to revive the lawsuit that was dismissed in November, but was denied.
Larry Stein, the rap star’s attorney, has also revealed that Collins bombarded him with disturbing emails, in which she said he should “put a bullet through your head now b—-,” according to Complex.
Drake has now requested a temporary restraining order which would restrict Collins from coming anywhere near or contacting him, his 4-year-old Adonis, or his parents, Sandy and Dennis Graham.
It seems as though nothing was the same for Drizzy after Collins forced her way into his life.
Telecom Company Loses $70M Lawsuit For Segregating Black Employees While Under Video Surveillance
Glow Networks Inc. based in Austin, Texas, and its parent company, CSS Corp, lost a federal discrimination lawsuit this month, totaling $70 million in damages to be awarded to 10 former employees.
The suit came after a racist separation of Black employees being sent off to different rooms to work, all while being monitored by executives via camera surveillance, reports Yahoo! This hostile work environment began when one colleague in the suit, 34-year-old Joshua Yarbrough noticed that his Black coworkers were chastised for checking phones during work and sent into separate rooms all while non-Black employees did not receive the same treatment.
They additionally would be punished if they left their work spaces without permission or breaks longer than a few minutes.
“We decided to take it in our own hands and actually go to court and really fight for something that we really believe is not right,” Yarbrough said. “African-Americans deal with this type of thing every day.”
Efficient Black employees were also subject to discriminatory layoffs, when in fact Glow Networks Inc. was to lay off those in more senior positions.
Yarbrough testified that the telecommunications equipment company practiced constructive dismissal, which is when an employer “for unlawful reasons, knowingly creates harsh, intolerable working conditions for an employee.” He was demoted from his role as a lead engineer to just an engineer. Ultimately, he resigned.
“The African-Americans were pushed right in front of the cameras, and we realized that we were watched closely,” he continued.
The company denied the allegations of a hostile work environment and said they partook in “reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any harassing behavior,” per the Killeen Daily Herald.
Of 14 employees originally filed, only 10 would receive compensation, as the remaining four’s cases were dismissed.
Each plaintiff is to receive $7 million in damages for the company’s racist practices.
Kelly Rowland Tells Proud Family Fans Upset About Theme Song Change ‘There’s space for everybody’
Kelly Rowland served as this year’s celebrity ambassador for Disney Dreamers Academy’s 15h Anniversary at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Rowland spoke to Black Enterprise and was shocked when she heard that fans of the rebooted Proud Family: Louder and Prouder threatened the creators not to change the theme song sung by Solange and Destiny’s Child initially. Twitter users said the animated series original theme song felt like home.
When asked what she would say to the fans of the animated reboot program, Rowland said, “I would still exist, there’s space for everybody. It’s a new generation, and we did it at one point in time, and it will continue to evolve. It’s still the Proud family.”
The four-time Grammy Award winner did acknowledge that the initial song for the show was peak Black excellence, “I mean, ours was dope, ours was dope,” Rowland humblebrags between giggles.
But she adds, “But I say celebrate everybody; you know what I mean. The young lady [singer Joyce Wrice] that sings it, I have one of her songs in my playlists, and I love her voice, let’s celebrate her, don’t do that to her,” advises the statuesque songstress.
(March 3, 2022) Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and executive producer Kelly Rowland rides along with several Disney Dreamers during a celebratory parade at Magic Kingdom during the landmark 15th year of Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Although the former Destiny’s Child band member attended the educational event to inspire and mentor dreamers as they pursue their goals, Rowland also revealed she is also a dreamer and has an idea for a movie she wants to present to Disney. She did not divulge any details but did say, “I definitely want to do a Disney movie. I don’t know in what space yet. I want to create one. I have a really, really, big idea on my vision board right now, but it’s a space I feel that is not really catered to, and I’m excited about, and I won’t say what it is yet because I’m way too excited about it. Some stuff is just mum’s the word, and someone also told me that sometimes power moves in silence, so I want to move in silence and just execute it and get it done, even blow my own mind,” she says with a bubbly laugh.
Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and executive producer Kelly Rowland joins Drum Major Mickey Mouse to welcome the Disney Dreamers Academy Class of 2022 at Magic Kingdom and celebrate the landmark 15th year of Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Whatever movie project Rowland is cooking up and when she is ready to share her vision for a movie, her fans will support it.
Sheryl Lee Ralph Recalls Audition Being Told She Wouldn’t Be Allowed To Kiss Tom Cruise On Screen Because She Was Black
Broadway star Sheryl Lee Ralph shared on Friday in an episode of The View, that back in the day a Hollywood casting director said she could not kiss Tom Cruise in a scene because of her race. “[He asked] ‘Do I put you in a movie with Tom Cruise? Do you kiss? Who goes to see that movie?'”
After a fruitful career on Broadway and as an actor, Ralph had already reached star status at the time, after winning a Tony and Drama Desk award for her performance in the iconic musical Dreamgirls. However, that wasn’t enough for that casting director.
Now starring in the widely acclaimed sitcom Abbott Elementary, Ralph recalled when making the transition from Broadway to Hollywood about this memorable audition, revealing, “[He] looked at me and said, ‘Everybody knows you’re a beautiful, talented Black girl, but what do I do with a beautiful, talented Black girl?’”
The View co-host Ana Navarro asked to name drop the casting director, but the 65-year-old actress responded, “No, why bother? Look at me now!” before continuing, “But I left that audition with some of the best ammunition. Everybody knew I was a beautiful, talented Black girl, and that I should be in a movie with the likes of a Tom Cruise, and he should kiss me!”
Her celebrated career includes performances in To Sleep With Anger, The Distinguished Gentleman, The Mighty Quinn, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and Deterrence, among others.
The interview continues with much praise for Abbott Elementary, earning an 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and sky rocketing ratings, in which the Broadway veteran plays a long-serving well-respected kindergarten teacher that the show’s creator and star Quinta Brunson aspires to be.
“Everything about the show that resonates with people is Quinta Brunson…She’s got her finger on the pulse and I love it!” she raved.
Kanye West Feels Like He’s ‘Been Broken In A Thousand Pieces’ In New ‘Divorce’ Poem
Kanye West bears yet another piece of his soul to his followers on Instagram, about his experience on his ongoing divorce, in a poem.
Having recently released a disturbing claymation music video for his new single “Eazy,” in which he is shown kidnapping, decapitating, and burying alive his estranged wife’s new boo, Pete Davidson. West faced backlash for the bizarre video, which is perhaps why he’s changed his tune.
In his new poem, the word “Divorce” is at the center of the post in huge red letters, starting off with: “Divorce feels like full blown Covid. Divorce feels like your doctor don’t know s—. Divorce feels like you’re walking on glass. Divorce feels like you’re running through a glass wall. Divorce feels like you’re being bullied in a class hall. Divorce feels like you’re getting beat up in the mall.”
Ye’s new poem via Instagram
He continues with a similar rhyme scheme for a few more lines before switching up the flow.
“Divorce feels like you’re receiving a spiritual beating every evening. Divorce feels like you worked overtime all week and you ain’t allowed off for the weekend. Divorce feels like you got broken into. Divorce feels like you got broken in a thousand pieces. Divorce feels like you’ve been set on fire for your truth then labeled a liar. Divorce feels like Michael Myers.”
He goes on with a similar cadence, evoking a compassionate response from fans.
The poem comes less than two days after the Keeping Up With The Kardashiansstar was finally declared legally single, dropping the “West” from her name.
After multiple public attempts to reconcile, Kim Kardashian’s new single status seems to finally have gotten through his head that that’s not happening.
However, Ye appears to be handling the divorce much better than what he posts on his social media, giving paparazzi a healthy dose of PDA with his new muse, Kardashian look-alike Chaney Jones.
Meanwhile, Kardashian recently shared a red carpet interview following the hearing that she was doing “so great.”
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Olympic Champ And WNBA Star Brittney Griner Held In Russia On Drug Charges Over Vape Cartridges
WNBA center for Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner, was detained by police in Moscow after finding vape cartridges in her luggage. The basketball star is facing drug smuggling charges with a possibility of 10 years in prison for having the cannabis oil pen, according to officials.
Per USA Today, Russian Federal Customs Service said they had detained a “professional basketball player, a member of the US National Basketball Association, a two-time Olympic basketball champion in the US team.”
A WNBA spokesperson stated that Griner has the league’s full support, with her safe return to the states at the forefront of their priorities, according to a statement sent out to the outlet on Saturday.
“As a U.S. citizen was passing through the green channel at Sheremetyevo Airport upon arriving from New York, a working dog from the Sheremetyevo Customs canine department detected the possible presence of narcotic substances in the accompanying luggage,” the Russian Federal Customs Service said in a statement. “The customs inspection of the hand luggage being carried by the U.S. citizen confirmed the presence of vapes with specifically-smelling liquid, and an expert determined that the liquid was cannabis oil (hash oil), which is a narcotic substance.”
She was taken into custody as tensions rise between the U.S. and Russia, after Biden imposed harrowing sanctions on the country following their invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that these sanctions were “akin to a declaration of war.”
“I obviously don’t know the circumstances of her detention, but Griner’s arrest should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans in Russia,” said Michael A. McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, reported the New York Times. “Get out. Shut down your businesses now.”
The Houston native was the last remaining WNBA player still in Russia. We can only hope for her safe return.
Former Detroit Judge Bounces Back After Launching Skin Care Products Now Available Nationwide
Tiffany Cartwright’s career as an assistant attorney general and an administrative law judge took a turn for the worse in 2012, after being laid-off because of state budget cuts, and then again in 2016. The lay-off forced her to collect unemployment, food stamps, and free medical insurance, ultimately having her start from scratch.
While at the time losing all that she had worked for was demoralizing, it didn’t stop Cartwright from her grind nor her vision. That’s how G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs was born, a line of natural body care products that Cartwright mixes herself.
“After the layoff, I tried to get jobs with all of these law offices that advertise on TV, and none would hire me,” she shared withMetro Times. “So, I dusted off these old concoctions I put together for my daughter’s eczema and decided to form an LLC.”
G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs products are now on shelves at over 280 retail stores nationwide, including Target, Walmart, and Meijer.
Working tirelessly doing pop-ups for years, it was Global Empowerment Ministries (GEM) to kickstart the goal of her LLC. GEM is an organization that assists small businesses with grant applications, LLC registration, and free business classes for women and minorities. G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs is one of the hundreds of small businesses from Detroit to receive funding from the organization, having supplied over $1 million in grants thus far.
Founder of GEM is Cartwright’s own brother, Art. It never occurred to her that the answer to her problems lay within her brother’s institution.
“One day I was driving and I heard my brother on the radio saying ‘that idea that you have is a business that you’re sitting on,” Cartwright said. “When I heard that, it was like a lightbulb went off, like, ‘What are you doing? Get this business going.’ Everything I know about getting on store shelves, I learned from Global Empowerment, and it’s just sitting there as a free resource for people.”
GEM was recognized by Walmart for putting on Michigan business owners now under product suppliers for the department store, according to Fox 2 Detroit. A family affair, the Cartwrights are successful entrepreneurs who are more than giving back to their community.
“I’m partnering with three organizations to hire women with past records. They’ll be able to come in and get paid to manufacture my products,” she says. “I know from being a judge that once an employee verifies that you have a record or have been incarcerated, they throw that application in the trash. If no one steps up and gives them a second chance, what option do those people have? I hope it becomes a trend where other businesses partner with organizations to help those returning citizens,” she continues. “I want to lead by example.”
Meet the Author and Scholar Who Shares the Life and Legacy of Zora Neal Hurston Through Storytelling
When Rae Chesny (The Zora Girl) was asked to prepare a lecture on Langston Hughes for Michigan State University in 2018, she started to see a familiar name throughout most of her research.
This piqued her interest to do a deeper dive on a writer she already heard of, Zora Neale Hurston. Chesny also noticed that Zora was excluded from the literature and teachings of the Harlem Renaissance. She decided to do something about it.
“It angered me to find out that she was the most prominent woman figure from the Harlem Renaissance, had been Langston Hughes’s best friend until they fell out over a collaboration in 1931, and she had been born in the first all-black incorporated municipality in the history of the United States,” Chesny told BLACK ENTEPRISE.
“On top of that, she was a trained anthropologist in 1927. I was fascinated. So, I decided to add her to that presentation in 2018.”
As she finalized her presentation about Hughes, she decided that Zora deserved a voice too. She took on the role of deeply researching Zora’s life, work, and teachings. Chesny now shares this knowledge with others through her, mostly sold-out, lectures. Her lectures are also on-demand.
Recently, Chesny was the keynote speaker for the Zora Neale Hurston Series hosted by the Eatonville Branch Library during the 33rd Annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival in Eatonville, Fla., the hometown of Zora.
Why Zora?
“It was a calling,” says Chesny.
“I found such a deep, personal connection with Zora’s life and journey. I felt compelled to help people everywhere learn about her.”
Chesney’s specific lectures on Hurston include the following:
– Zora Neale Hurston: The Story of the Storyteller
– Zora Neale Hurston: Eatonville Around the World
– Zora Neale Hurston: Queen of the Harlem Renaissance
Chesny is working on her forthcoming book Dear Zora: A Collection of Intimate Notes, Letters and Dreams From One Writer to Zora Neale Hurston, While on Her Journey To Becoming.
The book is a collection of intimate journal entries that shares Chesny’s profile of Zora and the connection of the human experience of both the author and subject. The book documents and details Chesny’s journey and life on becoming a Zora Neale Hurston Scholar and writer in her own right. It also contains context and annotations on Zora-related facts offering readers an opportunity to learn more about the prolific author.
As an author, award-winning social education expert, and scholar, Chesny also wants to give encouragement to writers who are historically underrepresented in the publishing world through her own work and showcasing the work of historical figures such as Zora.
(Courtesy Rae Chesny)
When Chesny prepared to write her book, Dear Zora, she decided to do something unheard of. Instead of solely releasing the book entitled Dear Zora: A Collection of Intimate Notes, Letters and Dreams From One Writer to Zora Neale Hurston, While on Her Journey To Becoming, she wanted to take her readers on the journey with her.
She decided to publish the unfinished manuscript for the public to read. The manuscript is published as Dear Zora: Work in Progress Edition, and is available on Amazon. The finalized book Dear Zora: A Collection of Intimate Notes, Letters, and Dreams From One Writer to Zora Neale Hurston, While on Her Journey To Becoming will be released Spring 2022.
With this innovative style of publishing and unique connection to Zora, Chesny hopes that readers will find the courage to write stories of their own and gain insight into the publishing process. She hopes this publishing experiment will directly contribute to diversity in the publishing industry.
To keep readers and fans connected she created a Facebook Group called Work in Progress Literary Club. Here, members can engage directly with Chesny, learn about her writing process, and receive special access to excerpts from the book. Work in Progress Literary Club members’ feedback will directly contribute to the finalized version of her book.
Dear Zora: Work in Progress Edition is now available on Amazon Kindle.
Chesny says she is also bringing Zora to life in a new way.
“Along with continuing the “Work in Progress” project of “Dear Zora” and completing and publishing the bookthis spring, I plan on bringing the amazing life of Zora Neale Hurston to children with a children’s book.”
She continues: “The children’s book I write will engage children and allow them to learn about one of Zora’s favorite activities, gardening. In addition, I hope the book will pique their interest in storytelling and writing. The book will also offer an opportunity for extension into the real world with fun hands-on activities that can be done in virtually any setting. The activities will utilize the same methodologies from my other social education programs. In addition, I will continue to educate others on the beautiful life and legacy of Zora Neale Hurston.”
