Witness Claims Aaliyah Took a Sleeping Pill And Was Carried To Plane Before Fatal 2001 Crash
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 3, 2021

Witness Claims Aaliyah Took a Sleeping Pill And Was Carried To Plane Before Fatal 2001 Crash

Ahead of the 20-year anniversary of the tragic death of the singer Aaliyah, a new revelation has come out surrounding the details leading up to the fatal crash.

A man in the Bahamas, who was a teenager at the time and riding in Aaliyah’s taxi driven by his stepmom, claims the late singer was uncomfortable and reluctant to board the small Cessna aircraft, Daily Mail reports.

Aaliyah died on August 25th, 2001 while flying from the Bahamas to the US after shooting her “Rock The Boat” music video. Kingsley Russell was just 13 years old when he rode in a taxi with Aaliyah and claims to have witnessed the events leading up to the late singer getting on the plane that took her life.

In the new book Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah, by music journalist Kathy Iandoli, Russell claims Aaliyah never wanted to get on the plane and was given a sleeping pill hours before that left her unconscious.

(Wikimedia)

Russell says Aaliyah was carried onto the plane by her staff after they argued for hours about getting on the plane after receiving warnings about it carrying too much cargo. Iandoli wrote the book due to suspicion of the events leading to Aaliyah getting on the plane.

With the “One In A Million” singer known to be nervous about flying, Iandoli wondered why Aaliyah would have gotten on such a small plane that was overloaded with luggage and equipment, despite there being a chartered jet that was scheduled to pick her up the following day.

“They took her out of the van; she didn’t even know she was getting boarded on a plane,’ Russell says in the book. “She went on the airplane asleep.”

The author and Aaliyah fan shared her takeaway from writing the book and the little bit of closure she’s gotten from Aaliyah’s passing.

‘The only thing I’ve taken with me is that after 20 years, I can finally say that Aaliyah didn’t want to get on the plane,’ Iandoli told The Daily Beast. “That makes me feel a little better, but not much. This didn’t have to happen. She should still be here, and I think that’s the saddest part about it. She deserved better.”

Amanda Seales Claps Back After Being Accused of Hating Black Men
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 3, 2021

Amanda Seales Claps Back After Being Accused of Hating Black Men

Amanda Seales is under fire once again from critics who aren’t feeling her questioning Will Smith’s casting as Venus and Serena Williams’s father in the upcoming King Richard biopic.

This week, the Insecure star faced backlash after she was caught seemingly shading Smith’s casting as Richard Williams and the entire King Richard premise.

“Will Smith is playing Richard Williams????????????????????? Also, why is this film about Richard Williams????????????????????,” she wrote.

Her negative response came on the heels of the new film trailer that gave the first look into Smith’s performance in the movie set to be released on Nov. 19. King Richard follows the real-life story of Richard Williams, a determined father who coached his daughters Venus and Serena Williams into becoming world tennis champions, Deadline reports.

But after getting dragged on Twitter and accused of hating Black men, Seales clapped back and doubled down on her criticism of Smith’s casting.

“I said what I wanna see. lol T y’all debatin??? I can have my opinion and you can Stan Will,” Seales said. “There is ZERO issue here other than the one y’all are making over some tone having a contrasting POV about A MOVIE!!!!!!😂😂😂whew chile these innanets…”

Seales is no stranger to public scrutiny. Her outspoken nature on social media often has her feeling the brunt of cancel culture. In June, Seales was called out after attempting to defend social justice activist Shaun King against Samiria Rice.

“It’s no secret that I have side-eyed SK. However, bigger picture, nobody finds it somewhat odd that she’s just, out the blue, going out of her way, and being given EVERY platform, with no receipts shown, to “call out,” one by one, Black activists/organizers that have been the visible faces of the movement? Just food for thought…”Seales said at the time.

But considering how King has since gotten canceled by the masses, Seales might want to tread lightly before offering her two cents next time around. But then again, this is Amanda Seales we’re talking about.

10 Black Women On a Girls Trip Experience Racism While Sitting in First Class
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 3, 2021

10 Black Women On a Girls Trip Experience Racism While Sitting in First Class

A Black software developer made an impact after taking to Twitter to recall her experience with racism while sitting in first class with nine of her friends.

Angie Jones and a group of her friends were headed out on a girls’ trip and decided to enjoy the luxury of flying first class. But on July 27, Jones shared a series of tweets recalling how airplane staff and passengers were so surprised by seeing 10 Black women in first class.

“This weekend I went on a girl’s trip,” Jones tweeted. “10 Black women flying first class. People literally could not process how it was possible.”

She explained the treatment she and her group received from the airline staff and fellow passengers.

“Staff tried to send us to regular lines. Passengers made snide remarks. One guy even yelled, “are they a higher class of people than I am?!” Jones said before adding, “Stay mad.”

After receiving over 30,000 likes on Twitter, other users replied to Jones’ tweet sharing their own experiences or realizations of first-class racism.

“I’m brown and this happened to me,” one man said. “I had enough credits to upgrade my flight from SFO to YYZ to biz class. Standing the priority boarding queue a white man behind me told me I may be in the wrong queue. Showed him my boarding pass, aisle seat at row 1. He shut up quick.”

“If I had a dollar for every time I saw a white guy in a sport coat step right in front of a black person who is waiting to board with group 1, I would be a wealthy man. It’s like every time…,” one person said.

https://twitter.com/mjc_ct/status/1420426934190759938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1420426934190759938%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.upworthy.com%2F10-black-women-fly-first-class-response

There were even some who cast doubt on Jones’ story and whether she and her friends were flying first-class. She decided to issue out a little clap back reminding them that they too are the problem.

“Don’t have the spoons to reply to everyone but to those saying I’m lying, you’re a huge part of the problem,” she added. “You tell yourself a notable person is lying (for what reason, I cannot figure out) before you believe there are actual racists in…America. FYI, yall look really foolish.”

Equal Pay Day Shows Huge Divide In Pay Gap For Black Women When Compared To White Men
by Derek Major

August 3, 2021

Equal Pay Day Shows Huge Divide In Pay Gap For Black Women When Compared To White Men

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day has fallen on Aug. 3, marking the day a Black woman earns what a white man earned in 2020. Yes, that’s correct, 2020.

That means it takes a Black woman 579 days to earn what a white man makes in 365 days across industries. According to the National Women’s Law Center, Black women are paid $0.63 for every dollar a white man makes. Only Hispanic women earn less ($0.55).

Even worse is that the gap isn’t closing. The NWLC said the Black women’s pay gap has closed by $0.03 over the last 40 years.

The workforce wasn’t equitable in many industries for Black women before the pandemic, but in 2020, Black female employees took a significant hit as their unemployment rate hit 8.5%. In comparison, the unemployment rate for white women during the pandemic hit a high of 5.1%.

According to the National Partnership for Women & Families, if the pay gap were eliminated, a Black woman working full-time year-round would have enough money for more than two years of childcare, two years of tuition and fees for a four-year public university, or 22 more months of rent.

Cecilia Rouse, the Council of Economic Advisers chair, told BLACK ENTERPRISE that there’s a long way to go, but progress has been made.

“I’m glad we’re bringing awareness so people can think about working an extra 20 months to make what a white man makes,” Rouse, a Black woman, said. “We have made progress in closing the pay gap, but we still have a long way to go.”

Rouse added the Biden administration’s Build Back Better plan is helping in the effort, and President Joe Biden is laser-focused on closing the Black women’s pay gap.

“We also have to do better than where we were before the pandemic,” Rouse added. “Biden has made investments in childcare and paid sick leave and he’s committed to making these investments and ensuring Black women and women, in general, see better pay.”

Last summer, a bevy of national and international companies made commitments toward racial equity and diversity. Rouse said many of those same companies have some tough questions to ask themselves when it comes to fulfilling their promises and closing the pay gap.

“Firms that want to tackle this may need to admit biases in their hiring and pay,” Rouse told Black Enterprise. “They need to ask themselves some tough questions related to Black female employment such as how many Black women are being interviewed? Do we currently have Black female employees, and if we don’t, why?”

 

Teen Flees Town With Family, Receives Death Threats After Video of White Cop Straddling Her Goes Viral
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 3, 2021

Teen Flees Town With Family, Receives Death Threats After Video of White Cop Straddling Her Goes Viral

Last week, a disturbing video went viral of 18-year-old Nekia Trigg desperately pleading for a white police officer to get off of her body because she couldn’t breathe.

Trigg and her mother Antanique Ray were arrested and the family is fighting for justice after they claimed the teen and her mother were brutally accosted and assaulted by a white rookie Kaufman County, Texas, sheriff’s deputy.

A recent TMZ report states that the teenage girl and her family have picked up their belongings and left their home amid death threats against them.

Trigg, who was the teen in the troubling viral video, along with her mother, Ray, and several other family members, have reportedly left their home in Forney, Texas, because they fear residents in the area, including law enforcement, are out to do them harm, according to Trigg’s attorney, Kim T. Cole.

Cole also states that the girl and her family have been receiving death threats via social media, including direct messages telling them that they got what they deserved during the scuffle with the police officer. In anticipation of more death threats against the family, Cole has advised them to stay off of social media while the situation plays itself out.

Cole also said that she plans to file a civil rights lawsuit for her client against Kaufman County and the police officer involved, Deputy Conner Martin, who was seen on video straddling Trigg and holding her arms down above her head as she screamed, saying she couldn’t breathe.
Last week, Ray, 41, and her daughter, Trigg, were both arrested and jailed after someone reportedly called police on Trigg for walking and jumping through cars in traffic in a Forney neighborhood, the Dallas News reports.
On the seven-minute video that is making its rounds on social media, the mother can be seen approaching the sheriff’s deputy, who is named Conner Martin, as he bears his body weight down on Trigg, who is lying on the grass, on her back, and taking on the brunt of the white man’s weight on her stomach and chest area.

 

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Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Appoints Shanta Thake as Chief Artistic Officer
by Black Enterprise

August 3, 2021

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Appoints Shanta Thake as Chief Artistic Officer

New York, NY (August 3, 2021) – Lincoln Center has tapped Shanta Thake, formerly the Associate Artistic Director of the Public Theater, as the institution’s Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer—charged with spearheading Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ artistic strategy.
As a mixed-race woman of color, Thake will serve in the groundbreaking role in the highest ranks of the city’s cultural establishment, Deadline reports. She plans to build greater connections with its constituent organizations and the entirety of the City of New York—Henry Timms, President, and CEO and the Board of Directors announced today.
“I’m so grateful to the Board of Directors and leadership for their support as I enter this role,” said Shanta Thake, Incoming Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
“I moved to New York almost twenty years ago to the day, with big ideas about what was possible—this is really the culmination of a lifetime of deep love of New York’s cultural diversity, the palpable excitement and critical importance of sharing a cultural experience together. I look forward to building upon the tremendous legacy of Jane Moss, while undergoing a period of listening and discovery. I’m confident that together we can help elevate all the greatest parts of this institution and build upon them even further—growing a Lincoln Center where all New Yorkers feel welcome no matter your background and where artists can shine and develop their craft in innovative and exciting new directions.”

Making History

Thake joins Lincoln Center at a pivotal time in its history and will build upon its efforts to complement the work of its world-class constituent organizations, activate its full 16-acres to serve more New Yorkers than ever before, and support art forms under-represented on campus.

She will build upon recent endeavors to help instill the arts as core to daily life in the city and beyond—from initiatives like Restart Stages and The GREEN, which activate the campus in new and innovative ways, collaborating with organizations from across the city to welcome New Yorkers to experience the transporting qualities of the arts; to civic activations like blood drives and vaccinations; to commissioning important works like The Baptism by Carl Hancock Rux and directed by Carrie Mae Weems. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ Commitment to Change benchmarks efforts to drive real and lasting change for the institution and community.

This new position replaces Lincoln Center’s Artistic Director role, which Jane Moss filled for 26 years before stepping down in 2020. Thake will lead programming decisions alongside staff and guest curators, helping ensure a diversity of perspectives is woven throughout artistic endeavors—fostering openness, access, and building inclusive excellence into the heart of the institution’s programming. She will also help to launch the accelerated opening of David Geffen Hall in the fall of 2022, a project key to these goals.

“As co-chair of the search team for our Chief Artistic Officer, I was so impressed with Shanta’s focus on the plurality and democracy of art—her wide and deep understanding of genres and styles, and her profound knowledge and respect for artists across traditions and backgrounds,” said Clara Wu Tsai, Founder of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation and co-chair of the search committee. “Her experience comes first from a deep passion for the arts as a tool for communication and mutual understanding; I’m excited to welcome her to Lincoln Center.”

“We could not ask for a better person than Shanta Thake to fill the role of Lincoln Center’s first-ever Chief Artistic Officer to help us celebrate and elevate excellence across art forms and genres, to use our spaces in new and exciting ways, and help us usher in the opening of David Geffen Hall in ‘22” said Katherine Farley, Chair of the Board of Directors of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

“Shanta Thake has made an extraordinary career celebrating and cultivating diverse talent from across the city and the world, and we are so pleased to count her as our Chief Artistic Officer,” said Henry Timms, President & CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “She will be an exceptional ambassador for Lincoln Center and the arts, the keystone in a leadership team that will shepherd Lincoln Center into a new era—as a hub for culture and civic life for all of New York and a symbol of the excellence and resilience of our city.”

Thake will assume her role as Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer in September 2021.

Meet The Business Owners Behind the Curated CBD Subscription Box Service Cure Crate
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 3, 2021

Meet The Business Owners Behind the Curated CBD Subscription Box Service Cure Crate

A pair of business partners is changing the way everyday people experience cannabis through their monthly subscription box service.

Alexandra Mulconnery and Sean Wynn are the co-founders behind Cure Crate, a curated CBD subscription box service that provides a personalized CBD wellness experience based on the customer’s individual needs.

As a Black male and woman-owned cannabis company, the duo represents two sides of the spectrum when it comes to underrepresented business owners within the fast-growing industry.

Cure Crate

“Our different perspectives tend to be one of the most invaluable assets we bring to the company,” Wynn told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“As a Black man, I have a perspective of how to successfully attract a demographic to our product. Alexandra comes from a place that allows her to more effectively speak to the consumers our product naturally attracts. We’re both very committed to the social justice aspect of Cannabis which truly unites us.”

Alexandra Mulconnery (left) and Sean Wynn, co-founders of Cure Crate (Photo courtesy of Cure Crate)

Through Cure Crate, customers are not only able to consume cannabis through products that work for them, but they can also help be a part of the company’s commitment to advancing social justice within the industry. A portion of the company’s proceeds goes toward The Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit dedicated to exonerating those convicted of cannabis-related charges.

“As a Black business owner in the Cannabis industry, I find my presence to be a message of how far we’ve come while at the same time how far we have to go,” Wynn told Black Enterprise.

“At almost all times throughout my adulthood, I would find laughable the premise of providing a legal life for myself and others from a Cannabis company I co-founded. At the same time, I would find it upsetting the lack of Black peers I would find in this industry,” Wynn explained. “It means that you’re always acutely aware of how precious your presence is. This makes the moment we’re currently in all the more urgent.”

Raised in Oklahoma, Wynn earned a degree in business administration from Jackson State University after putting himself through school working as a waiter. After working as a top-tier festival producer and talent representative, Wynn launched WME Green where he spearheaded partnerships between talent and large cannabis brands.

Through this experience, Wynn was able to see the large divide when it came to cannabis companies and their social justice and diversity initiatives. He and Mulconnery operate Cure Crate on a foundation built around giving back to those worst affected by the war on drugs.

“We are proud to support the Last Prisoner Project through our proceeds,” the company says. “Every dollar donated will go towards freeing cannabis prisoners and helping to rebuild the lives of those who have experienced the devastating effects of the criminalization of cannabis.”

Moving In Silence: Oprah Winfrey Sells Her Orcas Island Estate for $14 Million on the Low
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 3, 2021

Moving In Silence: Oprah Winfrey Sells Her Orcas Island Estate for $14 Million on the Low

Oprah Winfrey just quietly came up another couple of million after selling her Orcas Island estate for $14 million.

The media mogul sold her 43-acre waterfront home for $5.7 million more than what she paid for the estate in 2018, the Seattle Times reported. Back when Winfrey acquired the property for $8.3 million, it was deemed a “passive” investment for the billionaire businesswoman.

truths, Oprah Winfrey, rape, trauma, The Me you See

Now Winfrey just recouped the benefits amid a buyers’ market within the real estate world.

“The pandemic has fueled buyers like never before to properties on islands and waterfront. It’s given a much deeper appreciation for them,” said Jen Cameron, the real estate agent who represented the unnamed buyer. “I also think they’re extremely difficult to find right now.”

Dubbed the Madroneagle on Orcas Island’s Catspaw Lane in Washington, the estate sits atop a hillside. The four-bedroom, five-bath home is fully gated and comes decked out with a wine cellar, two fireplaces, a guest house, and a half-mile worth of breathtaking shoreline.

Oprah Winfrey sold a $14 million estate on Orcas Island this month. (Courtesy of Windermere)

Elsewhere at the “gated island sanctuary” are several other houses, a greenhouse, a huge shop, and a mother-in-law’s apartment. Amenities include an entertainment room, library, large office, sauna, and an Asian garden, the New York Post reported. The home’s features include heated floors, a wood-fired pizza oven, rare woodwork, and luxury kitchen appliances.

Sources familiar with the massive deal say it’s the highest- paid price for an Orcas Island property, Biz Journals reported.

The property was first put on the market in 2019 at $12 million but failed to sell at that price. But after keeping at it, Winfrey ended up selling for $2 million more than she initially bargained for. When it comes to why Winfrey sold the property, it’s likely because she was rarely there to enjoy it.

“They just figured she’s too busy and never going to really use it, and that’s why they were willing to sell it,” said Orcas Island broker Wally Gudgell.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey sold a $14 million estate on Orcas Island this month. (Courtesy of Windermere)

‘Being a Friend’: The Obamas Sent Letter of Condolences To Biz Markie’s Wife
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 3, 2021

‘Being a Friend’: The Obamas Sent Letter of Condolences To Biz Markie’s Wife

Last month, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported the death of the legendary hip-hop icon, rapper, and DJ, Biz Markie, real name, Marcel Theo Hall, as fans and his peers in hip-hop mourned him. Funeral services for the rapper took place on Aug. 2 at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts.

As people celebrated his life yesterday, TMZ reported that former President Barack Obama and the former first lady, Michelle Obama wrote a letter of condolences for the rapper and sent it to Biz Markie’s wife, Tara Davis.

At the funeral service for the rapper, Davis shared that piece of news as she gave remarks about the wave of friends, celebrities, fans, and executives who sent their condolences her way after her beloved husband’s death. The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy at the service Monday as scores of friends, fans, and celebrities paid their respect to the hip-hop legend. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that Biz Markie died on July 16 from complications of Type II diabetes after suffering a stroke.
The emcee, who was 57 at his death, was born in Harlem but was raised on Long Island. He was also an accomplished DJ often hired to spin at iconic clubs like the Roxy and the Fun House.

Biz Markie felt at home behind the turntables, but it was his mentor, super-producer Marley Marl of The Juice Crew fame, who was responsible for seminal rappers like Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, MC Shan, and a host of others, who gave the rapper his confidence on the mic. He dropped his first album in the early 80s, but his 1988 breakout hit “Vapors” and “Just a Friend” put him on the map.

NY Attorney General Says Governor Andrew Cuomo Sexually Harassed Multiple Women
by Derek Major

August 3, 2021

NY Attorney General Says Governor Andrew Cuomo Sexually Harassed Multiple Women

New York Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into sexual harassment claims against Gov. Andrew Cuomo has found he sexually harassed multiple women.

James’ office, which interviewed the governor for more than 11 hours last month, found in its investigation Cuomo harassed 11 former and current state employees as well as a host of women who work outside the government. The investigation also found Cuomo and his team retaliated against a former employee who came forward.

“Gov. Cuomo sexually harassed several women,” James said Tuesday at a news conference, adding Cuomo violated state and federal law. “This investigation has revealed conduct that corrodes the very fabric and character of our state government and shines light on injustice that can be present at the highest level of government.”

James did not announce any charges against the governor, saying the women could file civil suits or that local law enforcement agencies could review their findings.

In their report, investigators detailed in graphic terms the incidents of harassment they faced from Cuomo, including sexual comments he made and times he touched them inappropriately. One staff member said Cuomo kissed her on the lips without her consent at least once, grabbed her butt during hugs, and reached under her blouse, grabbed her breast, and asked her if she had or would cheat on her husband.

Cuomo, denied touching anyone inappropriately and has refused to resign, saying in a statement in February that some of his workplace remarks “may have been insensitive or too personal.” Cuomo added he was “truly sorry” to those who might have “misinterpreted (the remarks) as an unwanted flirtation.”

The allegations against Cuomo began earlier this year when Charlotte Bennett said the governor asked her uncomfortable questions about her sex life during a June 2020 conversation. A second former aide, Lindsey Boylan, told the New York Times about several uncomfortable interactions with Cuomo including an unsolicited kiss and an invitation to play strip poker on a government airplane.

When these allegations came out the governor was also dealing with backlash from hiding nursing home deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic. In response to the two scandals, New York’s Democratic legislature revoked some of Cuomo’s emergency powers and began an impeachment probe.