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KIMBERLY H. JOHNSON
COMPANY
EVP & COO, Federal National Mortgage Association
BOARD
Eli Lilly & Co.
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JO ANN JENKINGS
COMPANY
CEO, AARP Inc.
BOARD
General Mills Inc.
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AYANNA HOWARD
COMPANY
Dean, College of Engineering; Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering & Computer Science and Engineering; Ohio State University; Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Zyrobotics
BOARD
Autodesk Inc.
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by Christian Spencer
July 8, 2021
Ma’Khia Bryant’s Family Concerned Over Investigation Results Headed To Prosecutor’s Office
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said the state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation has recommended to the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to look deeper into the death of 16-year-old Columbus teen Ma’Khia Bryant.
Columbus Police Officer Nicholas Reardon, the policeman who shot and killed Bryant on April 20, has not been charged with anything since the investigation was completed.
However, Bryant’s surviving grandmother Jeanene Hammonds and family attorney Michelle Martin, believe the investigation should have been more inclusive, according to NBC 5 Cincinnati.
“It was not thorough enough for me because they did not interview me that night,” Hammonds said, according to NBC4.
Related stories: Officer Who Fatally Shot 16-Year-Old Ma’Khia Bryant Has Been Identified
As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, a cop shot Bryant for allegedly charging at two people with a knife.
Bryant was living in the foster care system through Franklin County Children Services at the time of her death. The Associated Press stated that officials with the Columbus Division of Police released initial footage of the shooting the following Tuesday night, mere hours after it happened.
“I know what happened the night before. I know what happened the night of the evening of this incident, and that’s what I was going to discuss with them before a videotape got out, making my granddaughter looking like she is a monster,” Hammonds said.
Martin said that she hopes the prosecuting attorney’s office will do its own investigation into the matter.
Despite Hammonds’ and Martin’s concerns, the Ohio BCI said its investigation includes evidence from the scene, 15 civilian witness interviews and three officers, a review of all available camera footage, processing the cars there for potential evidence, and analyzing phone records, firearms, bullet casings, projectiles and audio calls and communication.
Once the prosecutor’s office reviews the evidence provided by the BCI, it might present it to a grand jury who then decides whether or not Reardon faces indictment.
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors
July 8, 2021
Diddy’s Waking Up With “15 Roaches” on His Face Speech Sparks a Barrage of Hilarious Memes
Sean “Diddy” Combs is known for moving fans through his music, but this time his supporters were moved to mock his motivational speech about how crawling creatures compelled him to live his best life.
The 51-year-old rapper faced off in an Instagram post sharing secrets of his successful hustle to live fabulously with an infinity pool as his backdrop while munching on a mango. But he admits that the road to living a champagne life was peppered with roadblocks and roaches.
“One day when I was growing up, I woke up and there was 15 roaches on my face. At that moment I said hell no, I refuse to live like this. Work hard, believe in your crazy dreams… AND NEVER SETTLE! #LOVE,” he wrote in a post.
“You can do it. You can be whoever you want,” he said in a video.
“You can be eating mango too, with the ocean as your backyard. I ain’t special,” he continued. “I just want it bad, you feel me? I will not allow myself to not have mango. I hustle hard, you know what I mean?” he said before jumping feet first into an infinity pool.
View this post on Instagram
The Bad Boy Records hitmaker has made millions from his music as a rapper and producer and has a number of multimillion-dollar business ventures that have earned him a place on Forbes’s richest celebrities in 2020 with a net worth of $55 million.
On Wednesday, however, the “Shake Ya Tailfeather” music maker shook up the internet and his “15 roaches” on his face admission turned into funny viral memes on Twitter. Check them out.
roaches seeing Diddy lie to their face pic.twitter.com/guJCB4oOYW
— Eko (@koolklinhead) July 6, 2021
Absolutely nobody:
Diddy‘s roaches: pic.twitter.com/wgtrTmpyjG
— DESIGNER DON G (@TheDesignerDonG) July 6, 2021
The roaches on Diddy face pic.twitter.com/HE1rsJTsku
— ИИ❤️ (@EviilDanny) July 6, 2021
The roaches headed to chill on diddy face while he sleeps like pic.twitter.com/Z8U4Yo14MX
— Big Girl Slay (@Biggirlslay) July 6, 2021
The roaches leaving their job to jump Diddy for speaking on them pic.twitter.com/WlgCBlv1rv
— ny. (@misseverywhereg) July 7, 2021
All due respect to Diddy, anyone with more than three roaches on his face is too busy swatting and screaming to get an accurate count.
— Michael Markowitz (@markowitz) July 6, 2021
The roaches looking at Diddy sleeping pic.twitter.com/AawwDkehLV
— – – (@15secsToType) July 6, 2021
by Andrea Blackstone
July 8, 2021
Ritz Crackers Big Reveal: Tik Tokers are Stunned After Learning About the Real Use for its Scalloped Edges
If you have ever wondered what the ridges on Ritz cracker are really for, the makers of them used Tik Tok to garner buzz about the mystery on the snack crackers’ official account.
According to Ritz, cutting cheese to place between the crackers is the reason the crackers have ridges.
“What people think the edges of Ritz Crackers are for: wow, so pretty, aesthetic beautiful scallops,” the Tik Tok video begins. In the next segment, hands are showing rolling the edge of the cracker over cheese to cut it.
“people will believe anything,” one Tik Tok user said in a responsive comment.
Another stated, “It won’t work they break too easy.”
Ritz replied saying that their hack does work.
Strings of comments followed about how fragile the crackers are, but Ritz kept the witty responses rolling in, while periodically dropping random comments.
Is RITZ’s video reveal about the purpose of the cracker’s ridges a joke or is it the true purpose?
Either way, at least 7,438 comments were posted about the snack cracker and there a lot of buzz about it.
Tik Tok is social media platform which is used for all kinds of reasons, from marketing snack crackers to introducing trendy dance moves. Per The Guardian, toward the end of June, some Black creators decided to stop posting choreographed dances on the app “to protest against the appropriation of their content by white users.”
A Tik Tok user, Capnkenknuckles, commented about not making up a dance for Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot Shit.” She provided an explanation about why a number or Black creatives refused to make up more dances that people could claim they created, which originate from “melanated brothers are sisters.” She was among TikTok users who mentioned being on strike, due to people who were stealing dances.
So what do you think about the Ritz big reveal?
by Jeroslyn JoVonn
July 8, 2021
Twinning and Winning: The McClure Twins Launch Their Book Debut With ‘Make It Fashion’
The adorable YouTube sensations The McClure Twins have added published authors to their growing resume after recently releasing their first book.
Titled “The McClure Twins: Make It Fashion”, the picture book is the first of a two-part deal Ava and Alexis McClure signed with Harper Collins Children’s Books. At just seven years old, the identical twins rose to fame and became kid influencers through the success of their popular YouTube videos.
They filmed their first video “Twins Realize They Look The Same!” at the age of three and the rest has been history. The twins have made appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Inside Edition all while growing their following through their Twin Talk Tuesday video series.
As they continue to elevate their brand, the sisters found a way to incorporate their real everyday lives into creating their first children’s book.
“The McClure Twins: Make It Fashion” follows Ava and Alexis as they get ready to attend a fashion show. But they only issue is they can’t seem to agree on what to wear to the special night out. The twin sisters finally remember their secret twinship pinky promise to “strut together and make it fashion.”
Staying true to their pact, the sisters find ways of incorporating their own personal styles into one “twintastic” outfit.
“Being twins we know the first thing people use to distinguish us is our fashion,” the sisters said in a statement. “We love to express ourselves throughout style and that’s what our book is all about. Express yourself and MAKE IT FASHION.”
Illustrated by Courtney Dawson, the book leaves young readers with an encouraging message to embrace our similarities and differences.
The sisters love what they do and enjoy “being funny” and “being able to do so much stuff when we do videos,” Ava says.
Now they’re sharing their love for fashion and style with the world while motivating kids to do the same. The book is currently on sale on Amazon.
by Andrea Blackstone
July 8, 2021
Popular Food Blogger, Chef Darius ‘Cooks’ Williams Face Allegations of Stealing Money, Assault, Being a ‘Crook’
A popular food blogger, cookbook author, and former Atlanta restaurant owner—who is widely known as Darius “Cooks” Williams—” is facing a litany of allegations online from individuals ranging from unpaid wages and assault to Better Business Bureau complaints, accusations of using someone else’s trademark, and dining event ticket issues.
Williams currently boasts at least 1.4M followers on Facebook. His online store reflects that his Dining With Darius Cooks 2022 Tour is sold out. Tickets are listed at $215.00 each.
“I just can’t believe it. Dining With Darius Cooks is back! In 30 days, we will start a 26-event run for 2021. Shout out to everybody who has tickets. And ALL of 2022 is completely sold out. Can’t wait to hug y’all’s necks. I can’t add more seats. There’s no more room on the calendar to add another date. And nope, I can’t squeeze you in because there is physically no space. Tickets for 2023 go on sale in April 2022. New menu. New schedule. Same vibes. Y’all ready?!” a message on Facebook read.
Hoodies, cookbooks and t-shirts are also sold there.
But despite Williams’ success which is illustrated in ample Internet spaces, individuals such as Kiara Ross, who was reportedly an Atlanta Soul Crab restaurant server, turned to social media recently and other public forums to make shocking claims that the cooking guru once assaulted her and dragged her.
In fact, even a well-known Food Network star, Sunny Anderson came forward and “Scripps Media lodged a copyright complaint against the restaurant owner to make sure he isn’t tied to one of the Food Network’s popular personalities, Sunny Anderson,” according to WSBTV’s report in 2020,
“I hope in the near future he is not able to gain ad revenue on YouTube from this and then also use this as a way to substantiate himself in a business where we see he has some questionable practices,” Anderson said, according to WSBTV.
A clip of celebrity Anderson and Williams allegedly “disappeared “ amid the copyright complaint which was intended “to distance Anderson, a former host, from Williams’ brand and new restaurant controversy.”
Williams suddenly shuttered “Soul Crab Atlanta and Chicago and the Westview’s Greens and Gravy,” amid reports that the restaurant owner owed “the state of Georgia for an illegal credit repair business.”
Now, Anderson has taken to social media once again to air out her grievances and put Williams on public notice.
Williams’ fans are weighing in on the widely discussed matter, in addition to more women who are making allegations.
View this post on Instagram
In one of the most damning claims, a woman named Angela (@kitchenista) also turned to social media to voice concerns about Williams, while encouraging others to come forward about the controversial public figure.
The Kitchenista has claimed Williams, “has been accused of assaulting a woman, ripping off investors, running an illegal credit repair scheme, unpaid wages, and much more. These accounts go all the way back to 2008 and the stories/tactics have remained consistent to the present day. This is not a personal vendetta. However it is worth noting that this same person has used my brand name to profit on merchandise in retaliation – as much as $110k, reported by Darius himself.”
BLACK ENTERPRISE reached out to Williams but has not heard back.
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by Jeroslyn JoVonn
July 7, 2021
Mom Sues New Orleans Restaurant for Calling The Cops Over Her Daughter’s Attire
A Louisiana mother is suing a restaurant in New Orleans after they decided to call the cops on her teenage daughter for wearing a bralette top to her graduation dinner.
La Shawn Butler accuses Lula Restaurant Distillery of discriminating against her 17-year-old daughter Sanai Butler for wearing a bikini top, NOLA reports. La Shawn claims the restaurant tried to “weaponize” their daughter by calling the New Orleans Police Department after one of the owners didn’t like the top Sanai was wearing.
It was in late May when the Butlers and 28 of their loved ones went to Lula after Sanai graduated with honors from Warren Easton Charter School. The family came together to celebrate Sanai’s high school achievements and the teen planned on announcing that she would be attending Talladega College in Alabama.
However, the momentous occasion was overshadowed after the restaurant called the cops on the family following complaints about Sanai’s shirt, Newsweek reports. Cops received a call about a “female’s attire” and arrived at the scene.
La Shawn claims that the restaurant had no dress code on its website or displayed inside, and alledges that staff told her relatives over the phone that they could “come as you are.”
“This is a child at the end of the day—if you had something to say about her outfit, you could’ve approached me as her mother,” La Shawn said at the time.
Now after calling the cops on her college-bound daughter, La Shawn says Lula embarrassed and discriminated against her daughter, which led to her seeking treatment from a clinical psychologist.
“The conduct of the owners of Lula was extreme, outrageous and intentional,” the lawsuit issues out by Bagneris Law Firm on July 1 said. “As such, they are liable for the emotional distress they caused (the Butlers) to suffer.”
The restaurant has not released a statement but previously claimed the cops were only called after “a verbal altercation” involving “three disruptive, adult patrons” took place. Lula also apologized to “any person who (felt) that Lula discriminated against them based on their attire or race.”
The Butlers noted how the incident took place one year to the date when George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis.
“None of us should live in fear that the police will be weaponized against us,” the family said.