• News

by Kia Morgan Smith

July 28, 2021

Ta’Neasha Chappell’s Family Hired Breonna Taylor’s Legal Team After She Died Mysteriously In Police Custody

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The family of Ta’Neasha Chappell has hired the legal team that assisted Breonna Taylor’s family, according to Courier Journal. 

Chappell, a Lousiville, Kentucky native, died after about two months in a Jackson County Jail in Indiana. 

“Our team has been given the privilege of seeking truth and justice for the family of Ta’Neasha Chappell,” Louisville attorney Sam Aguiar wrote on social media. 

Louisville lawyer Lonita Baker and well-known Florida lawyer Ben Crump were also retained to help the family get the answers and justice they are seeking. 

Ta’Neasha Chappell was just 23 when she was transported to Schneck Memorial Hospital in Seymour, Indiana from the Jackson County jail almost two weeks ago. Chappell was being held there on charges related to alleged theft and high-speed chase. 

Chappell’s family said that a detective called them to inform of her death and said that she had told jail personnel that she was feeling ill at which time, an ambulance was called. The family had received concerning phone calls from her over the past couple of months and they were worried. 

So far, the only definitive information that the family has is that on July 15, Chappell had a fever high enough for jail personnel to continuously check on her and she was vomiting. However, emergency services were not called until a day later, according to The Tribune, a Seymour publication. 

Attorney Baker also noted in a press conference that Chappell had alleged that inmates were placed in cells with sewage backup, denied medication, and women were only allowed three sanitary napkins per menstrual cycle. 

The Indiana State Police are still awaiting autopsy and toxicology results. Meanwhile, Chappell’s family, which includes a 10-year-old daughter, Naveah, deserves to know what happened in their loved one’s final hours. 

Aguiar, Baker, and Crump secured a $12 million settlement for Breonna Taylor’s family in 2020. 

• News

by Kia Morgan Smith

July 28, 2021

Activist Group Backed By LeBron James Launches Criminal Justice Initiative, ‘Protect Our People’

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More Than a Vote, an organization that was started a year ago by a group of Black athletes and entertainers to address the Republican attempt to roll back voting rights, is now launching a new initiative aimed at criminal justice reform.

The Protect Our People campaign will use the influence of activist athletes to engage the political process in achieving its aims.

The New York Times reported that the new campaign, called Protect Our People, began Monday and was highlighted on an episode of The Shop on HBO. The Shop is a barbershop-themed program where guests gather and discuss pertinent issues of the day. 

“The Protect Our People campaign will replicate the successful model of harnessing athlete activism in electoral politics and apply it to the ongoing fight to move public opinion and change criminal justice policies that regularly victimize Black communities, said spokesperson Michael Tyler. 

The campaign did a soft launch in May on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder but the episode of The Shop that included Police Chief Art Acevado, Ben Crump, Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, and other celebrities with an interest in social justice was its official kickoff. 

Protect Our People’s first goal is to see the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed. The measure passed the House but has been held up in the Senate since March. The bill would bring major overhauls to American policing. 

The group is looking to secure more adequate and consequential changes to the criminal justice system.

The request is a long-standing request Black people have placed repeatedly and was perfectly summed up by WNBA player Natasha Cloud.

“Taking down statues, wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts … that’s all crumbs. We want the whole meal. A meal is passing laws. It’s passing this bill. It’s putting in real legislation that can change our country.”

• News

by Kia Morgan Smith

July 28, 2021

Senate Passes Bill To Award First Black Hockey Player Congressional Gold Medal

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Willie O’Ree, 85, broke barriers when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins in January 1958. He played a total of 45 NHL games spanning two seasons with the Bruins. O’Ree was a special talent. He was blind in one eye due to an injury he had previously sustained, yet formidably competed for many years. 

A call to honor the first Black National Hockey League Player has been successful. 

The Hill reported that the Senate has passed a bill to award Willie O’Ree a Congressional Gold Medal with bipartisan support. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) have been working on the bill since 2019. The bill will not go to the House for consideration.

As the sole Black player, O’Ree, also had a long career in the Western Hockey League, endured bigotry and racism from players and fans. Unfortunately, that behavior is still in play within the NHL and its fanbase, including racialized physical abuse by coaching staffs. 

Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated highlighted the NHL’s racial reckoning. After Jacob Blake was shot in Kenosha, WI, American sports leagues all entered some form of protest. However, the NHL continued as usual until one of its few Black players, Evander Kane of the San Jose Sharks, called the league out on Twitter. 

In 1998, O’Ree was chosen as the NHL’s diversity ambassador. He currently spearheads the Hockey is for Everyone youth program that he created. 

In November 2018, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his accomplishments off the rink. He has helped develop 39 diverse hockey programs and inspired over 100,000 young people to take up the sport. 

The National Hockey League is in full support of the Congressional honor. 

“Willie O’Ree has been committed to hockey for decades and his impressive list of accolades and achievements is reflective of his dedication to inspire young people across America,” said Kim Davis, NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives, and legislative affairs. 

O’Ree is certainly deserving of the honor. 

The pandemic has been a blessing for many workers who needed a break from fighting traffic to drive to offices, but bosses are beginning to call their troops back to their old meeting places.

A number of Black women are not motivated to return to work in-person because they fear experiencing microaggressions in mostly White workplaces, according to The Washington Post. Not everyone misses the camaraderie of water cooler chatter and sharing what happened over the weekend

For example, Camille Jadé Villegas, a Black women who works in the unemployment claim industry, now knows the joy of clients and collaborators being unaware of her race. She has been working remotely and tasted a temporary bit of freedom.

“I was forced to be uncomfortable for the sake of financial stability,” Villegas told The Washington Post. “Now I feel safe. I love it.”

In a more extreme case, Mary Smith’s taste of working in the comfort of home her home without worrying about issues such as her hairdo or clothing choices, led to a decision to end a position. Smith did not want to return to in-person work when her previous employer requested it, The Washington Post reported.

LeanIn.org, which supports work equality for women, issued a Women in the Workplace report in 2018 to explore the “state of women in corporate America” after completing a survey of over 64,000 employees who work at companies.

The findings determined that “64% of women” experience microaggressions at work. Additionally, Black women are more likely to be questioned about their ability to competently perform work duties, and they are more likely to endure having their discernment examined, according to LeanIn.org.

Alexis Krivkovich co-authored the report with the consultant firm, McKinsey & Co.

The issue extends beyond less serious confrontations, since microaggressions are also rooted within sparse representation of groups.

“People who describe themselves as being an ‘Only’ also say they feel more microaggressions in the workplace and more times that their decisions are being questioned,” Krivkovich told Forbes.

Aly Wood, who worked in the tech industry, was forced to reply to inquiries about appearance and countenance, so she opted to give remote work a try several years ago, The Washington Post reported. Wood decided no income was worth returning to in-person corporate work.

Former President Barack Obama has joined NBA Africa as a minority owner and strategic partner.

“The NBA has always been a great ambassador for the United States—using the game to create deeper connections around the world, and in Africa, basketball has the power to promote opportunity, wellness, equality, and empowerment across the continent,” Obama said in a written statement.

“By investing in communities, promoting gender equality, and cultivating the love of the game of basketball, I believe that NBA Africa can make a difference for so many of Africa’s young people. I’ve been impressed by the league’s commitment to Africa, including the leadership shown by so many African players who want to give back to their own countries and communities. That’s why I’m proud to join the team at NBA Africa and look forward to a partnership that benefits the youth of so many countries.”

President Obama’s involvement will help advance the National Basketball Association’s social responsibility efforts across the African continent. Obama intends to utilize the minority stake to fund Obama Foundation youth and leadership programs across the continent of Africa.

“We are honored that President Obama has become a strategic partner in NBA Africa and will support our wide-ranging efforts to grow the game of basketball on the continent,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “In addition to his well-documented love for basketball, President Obama has a firm belief in Africa’s potential and the enormous growth opportunities that exist through sports. NBA Africa will benefit tremendously from his engagement.”

NBA Africa is in charge of the NBA’s business in Africa, which includes the Basketball Africa League (BAL), which ended its inaugural season in May. NBA Africa features 12 of the top club teams from 12 African countries. NBA Africa is focused on expanding the NBA’s presence in priority African markets while growing Africa’s basketball presence through programs such as the Jr. NBA, Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa, and NBA Academy Africa.

What do you do when you’re filming yourself for a TikTok video and an authentic Hall of Fame basketball player appears right behind you?

Well, an Applebee’s customer found out first-hand as TNT announcer Shaquille O’Neal made a brief appearance in her video as she was making it!

As TikToker Kelly M. Roesler, who labels herself a “😂Self Proclaimed Comedian😂” on her social media page, was recording herself in front of an Applebee’s in Florida, O’Neal just happened to exit the restaurant as Roesler started her dance to Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like.”

@keepingitroeFancy Like with SHAQ!!! #fancylike #shaquilleoneal #applebees #fypシ♬ Fancy Like – Walker Hayes

The Blast reported that the NBA legend is currently in Florida touring around and performing at several parties under the moniker of DJ Diesel, who is his EDM (Electronic dance music) counterpart. O’Neal had just taken his crew to an Applebee’s restaurant near Tampa over the weekend when this video took place.

The basketball legend has just thrown his hat into the Hollywood game as it was recently announced that O’Neal will make his debut as a co-screenwriter and producer on the short film, HeadNoise, which is being produced through his company, Jersey Legends Productions.

According to Variety, the project examines the internal and external pressure to succeed. The story is told through childhood friends Rashaun and Damon, two talented basketball players from the same inner-city neighborhood.

“I’m so proud of HeadNoise,” O’Neal told Variety. “It is my first time writing and producing my own project. I wanted to call attention to what so many people encounter, especially young adults, who deal with anxiety and stress. It was such an honor to create this piece with such a diverse team of people. Everyone should see it.”

• Lifestyle

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 28, 2021

Sneak Peek: Behind-The-Scenes Footage Reveals Set For “Black Panther 2”

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In somewhat of a spoiler alert, someone who was recently on the production set for Blank Panther 2 revealed some of the Wakandan decor fans can expect.

A video that has been scrapped off Instagram but reposted on Twitter shows a cellphone camera sharing footage from inside Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, where Wakanda Forever is being filmed .

The person behind the leaked footage pans over what appears to be construction on the highly-anticipated movie. While nothing has been confirmed,  it shows a massive set with black panther statues, gold pillars, and elaborate tapestries.

“BREAKING: The first behind the scenes look at BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER has surfaced online,” the fan account Black Panther: Wakanda Forever News captioned the tweet. “The video gives us a close look at one of the films sets, as it’s being constructed.”

https://twitter.com/bpanthernews/status/1420099478615326720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1420099478615326720%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fscreenrant.com%2Fblack-panther-2-set-video-wakanda-throne-location%2F

Late last month, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige confirmed that production has begun for Wakanda Forever with the original cast. The lone omission is the original film’s star, Chadwick Boseman, who died last August from colon cancer.

“It’s clearly very emotional without Chad,” Feige told Variety. “But everyone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud.”

Details on the plot and official cast haven’t been revealed. But among the original cast set to return include Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, and Florence Kasumba.

There were recent reports that Emmy-nominated actress Michaela Coel had signed on to join the Wakanda Forever cast, with sources saying Coel had joined director Ryan Coogler at Pinewood Studios in recent weeks.

Michael B. Jordan even teased a possible return of his character Killmonger despite the character’s death in the first film. “If there’s anyone that’s going to figure it out, [director Ryan Coogler] is going to figure it out,” Jordan said on the podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered.

• Women

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 28, 2021

Ben Crump Files Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson For Black Women in Advocacy Group

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Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has teamed up with a Black women’s organization on a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson.

On Tuesday, Crump filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson on behalf of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Insider reported. The suit accuses Johnson & Johnson’s talcum baby powder product of leading to cancer diagnosis for some of the members of the nonprofit.

The complaint accuses Johnson & Johnson of targeting their products to Black women “knowing that Black women were more likely to use the Powder Products and use them regularly. These Powder Products were not safe, however.”

“NCNW has thousands of members who have used J&J’s [p]owder [p]roducts. Some of those members have already been injured through the development of ovarian cancer caused by J&J’s [p]owder [p]roducts,” the suit states. “Others have legitimate reasons to believe that they will develop symptoms and are thus suffering psychological harm while also requiring immediate medical monitoring.”

Crump spoke at a press conference in Washington D.C. on Tuesday on behalf of NCNW, an organization founded in 1935 with a mission to “lead, advocate for, and empower women of African descent, their families, and their communities.”

“I would be remiss if I did not say exactly what this lawsuit is about. It is about the lives of our grandmothers, our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, our nieces, and our wives, and how they were sinisterly targeted by Johnson and Johnson,” Crump said.

“This multi-billion-dollar corporation, their corporate executives, know about the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer,” he added.

Johnson & Johnson has faced at least 25,000 cases over its talcum baby powder. The company has denied the allegations that the product was marketed to Black women, saying its advertising campaigns are “multicultural and inclusive,” ABC News reported.

The company also denied accusations that its baby powder causes cancer, despite a court ruling in favor of 22 ovarian cancer victims who sued the company as part of a separate lawsuit. Their suit claimed their cancer was caused by asbestos found in its baby powder and other talc products.

“Black women have always been the backbone of this country, standing up for everyone, but receiving the least amount of respect,” Crump said at the press conference. “Well, it is time that we stand up for Black women.”