Back in May, NBA All-Star Jrue Holiday and his wife, two-time Olympic gold medalist Lauren Holiday announced that applications for Black and brown business owners looking to apply for assistance from the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund (JLH Fund) were being accepted.

The couple has just unveiled the recipients of the second round of grants from the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund (JLH Fund). Last year, Jrue had pledged the rest of his “2020 NBA salary to small Black-owned businesses, nonprofits, and initiatives,” according to an Instagram post. 

“Pledging the remainder of our 2020 NBA salary to small black owned businesses, nonprofits and initiatives is how we felt we could make a lasting impact.”

In this second round of funding, the JLH Fund is giving away $1,000,000 in unrestricted grant funding to 25 Black-led nonprofit organizations and 25 Black-owned businesses. The cities that received the 2021 grants are in the Milwaukee, New Orleans, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles areas, with priority given to organizations focused on social impact and creating a more equitable future for underserved communities.

“We are so excited to announce the 2021 JLH Fund round 2 grantees and provide much needed funding to the businesses and nonprofits that need our support. With the addition of coaching and training cohorts provided to the recipients, we also extend the extra resources needed to help them thrive. We look at all JLH Fund recipients as part of our extended family and we could not be more thrilled to be working with these businesses and nonprofits,” said the Holidays in a prepared statement.

 

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Here’s a list of the recipients:

Indianapolis Area Black-Led Nonprofits: Ashley Nora Art, Eclectic Soul VOICES, George Washington Hub Club INC, Growing Places Indy

Indianapolis Area Black-Owned Businesses: Black World Schoolers Mobile Bookstore

Los Angeles Area Black-Led Nonprofits: Boys 2 Gentlemen Leadership Inc., The Confess Project, The Connective, ESP Education and Leadership Institute, The Menternship

Los Angeles Area Black-Owned Businesses: Cross Fitness, Maddy Bear Cakes, Ova Media Group/Step 1 TV Studios, Plus One, Prosperity Market

Milwaukee Area Black-Led Nonprofits: Adullam Outreach, African American RoundTable, Black Space, Future Urban Leadership Foundation, STRYV365, Urban Underground

Milwaukee Area Black-Owned Businesses: Pump Five Fuel Delivery Service, Embody Yoga, Flora Fruit Company, HouseCall WI, ROCS Software, Sacha’s Veggie Life, Soul Brew Kombucha

New Orleans Area Black-Led Nonprofits: Covenant House New Orleans, Grow Dat Youth Farm, Liberty’s Kitchen, Made in New Orleans Foundation, The 18th Ward

New Orleans Area Black-Owned Businesses: Bea’s Bayou Skincare, Remixecology, Spark Mindset, The Space, Velvet Noir Beard & Skin Care, Viola’s Heritage Breads

Additional Black-Led Nonprofit Grantees: DRK Beauty Healing (NY), The Committee for Dignity and Fairness for the Homeless Housing Development Inc. (PA), Family Agriculture Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S) (SC), Future Successors (GA), Julian (DC)

Additional Black-Owned Business Grantees: Atlas Monroe (CA), Awesomeli You! (NY), BlackFacts.com, Awkward Games (NY), Grandma’s Place (NY), Seed2Shirt (CA)

Please visit www.jlhfund.org/grantees for more detailed information on the businesses and nonprofits.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 1, 2021

Rev. Al Sharpton Joins Family of Korryn Gaines to Seek Justice for Her 2016 Police Shooting

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A police officer shot and killed Korryn Gaines and injured her 5-year-old son back in 2016. Though the family won a $38 million jury verdict, it was taken away by a judge its wants to be recused from the case.

Baltimore County Cpl. Royce Ruby testified and admitted to killing Gaines, 23, in her Randallstown home after firing a fatal shot through the wall that left her then 5-year-old son, Kodi badly injured, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Gaines’ mother, Rhanda Dormeus, has spent the last five years fighting for justice after the family was awarded a large settlement that was overturned by Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Mickey Norman, a former state trooper.

Norman threw out the verdict after finding that Ruby was entitled to qualified immunity, protecting him from civil liability when carrying out his duties. But in July 2020, judges released an opinion where they found the lower court abused its discretion in awarding Gaines’ family and her son Kodi the settlement.

On Wednesday, Dormeus appeared in court with the support of Rev. Al Sharpton and her attorneys to request that Norman be removed from the case due to alleged bias. Norman justified Ruby’s actions and noted that Gaines was holding a shotgun alongside her son and refused demands from officers to drop her weapon. However, her family said she suffered from mental illness and was only afraid of the police.

“At the end of the day, my grandkids were left without a mother. She was snatched away from them. My grandbaby was actively nursing when my daughter was killed,” Dormeus said. “They need to be compensated in some type of way because they can’t have their mother, so what else can it be?”

County officials made a new, undisclosed offer to settle the dispute. Attorney J. Wyndal Gordon is representing the Gaines family and blasted the offer for being far too low to be credible.

“It was almost insulting,” Gordon said. “When they produce a serious offer, we’re willing to negotiate.”

Baltimore County attorneys will file in the coming weeks, CBS Baltimore reported.

“Baltimore County has put my healing process on hold,” Dormeus said. “My family self-destructed when my daughter got killed and they won’t let us build again.”

• News

by Christian Spencer

July 1, 2021

Miya ‘SoHo Karen’ Ponsetto Pleads Not Guilty To Hate Crime For Assaulting A Black Teen

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On Dec. 26, the 22-year-old accused 14-year-old Keyon of stealing her cell phone and tried to snatch his phone and tackle him to the ground of the Arlo Soho Hotel. 

A grand jury indicted Ponsetto on charges of unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and endangering the welfare, according to the NY Post.

In total, she has four charges associated with the incident.

On Jan. 8, the California native got charged with attempted robbery, attempted assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and grand larceny in the fourth degree, ABC News reported.

For Paul D’Emilia, Ponsetto’s attoney, the additional felonies to her existing misdemeanors adds more pressure to prove her innocence.

Her interview Gayle King the same day also made things worse.

“As this year of racial awareness is drawing to a close, it’s deeply troubling that incidents like this one, in which a Black child is viewed as and treated like a criminal, continue to happen. Compounding the injustice, the hotel manager defaulted to calling on 14-year-old Keyon to prove his innocence, documenting that we have two justice systems in America and that Black people are treated as guilty until proven innocent. We strongly urge Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. to bring assault and battery charges against this woman to send the message that hateful, racially motivated behavior is unacceptable. This is what it will take to drive change. We also call for a civil rights investigation into the Arlo Hotel for its implicit bias in its treatment of Keyon.”

Pro basketball Hall of Famer and current TNT host,Shaquille O’Neal is taking superstar LeBron James to task after he alluded that the NBA’s recent scheduling is the reason for the rash of injuries to players this past season, as well as the current playoffs, according to CNBC.

O’Neal, while not directing his comments specifically at James, stated that “40 million people have been laid off” and basically, all professional basketball players “gotta do is train two hours a day and then play a game for two hours at night and make a lot of money.”

Shots fired.

James’ recent comments and complaints at the NBA stem from how the league has scheduled its games. Seventy-two games, including playoffs, from December to January, James feels, has led many players to fall victim to injuries.

Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t feel that way. “When you’re living in a world where 40 million people have been laid off and I’m making $200 million, you won’t get no complaining from me,” the retired NBA great said. “I’d play back to back to back to back to back.”

“I’m not knocking what anybody said, but me personally, I don’t complain and make excuses, because real people are working their tail off and all we gotta do is train two hours a day and then play a game for two hours at night and make a lot of money…So my thought process is a little different.”

Earlier in June, James went to Twitter to complain about the rash of injuries to his fellow players.

They all didn’t wanna listen to me about the start of the season. I knew exactly what would happen. I only wanted to protect the well being of the players which ultimately is the PRODUCT & BENEFIT of OUR GAME! These injuries isn’t just “PART OF THE GAME”. It’s the lack of PURE

— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021

RIM REST rest before starting back up. 8, possibly 9 ALL-STARS has missed Playoff games(most in league history). This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing a ton of our fav players. It’s insane. If there’s one person that know about the body and how it

— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021

works all year round it’s ME! I speak for the health of all our players and I hate to see this many injuries this time of the year. Sorry fans wish you guys were seeing all your fav guys right now. 🙏🏾👑

— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021

• News

by Derek Major

July 1, 2021

Spike In Crime Pushing Buckhead District To Secede From Atlanta

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A significant spike in crime during the coronavirus pandemic has led the district of Buckhead to attempt to secede from the city of Atlanta.

The Buckhead district, which is known for high-rise apartments and trendy restaurants has been hit with a crime spike of robberies, aggravated assault and larceny over the past year that has left the community scared and dismayed.

Additionally, many feel the Atlanta government and police have largely ignored the community and as a result have formed the Buckhead City Committee, with the goal of creating its own city.

“Most of our residents live in fear. As a result, daily activities such as getting gas, carpooling or going for a walk are no longer done without careful consideration and concern for safety,” Bill White, CEO and chairman of the committee, told Yahoo News. “We have shootings in our neighborhoods every day, at all hours of the day.”

White is leading the effort in Buckhead and said crime is the top priority; the district is also dealing with underfunded fire and police departments, crumbling infrastructure and zoning issues. In the wake of last summer’s Black Lives Matter movement, 28 Atlanta police officers resigned and another 11 retired according to Atlanta’s police union.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms called the rising crime a “COVID crime spike” and the stats back her up. There were 157 homicides investigated in 2020, a significant jump from 99 the previous year. Additionally Yahoo reported increases in murders, aggravated assaults and auto thefts.

Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead has been the scene of multiple shootings over the past year, leading the mall to install metal detectors and gun-sniffing dogs. However, that hasn’t prevented crime in the mall.

The Buckhead City Committee hopes the proposed, mostly white neighborhood will be able to better protect its residents with its own taxpayer funded police force and emergency services. However, some other residents are now looking for a new place to live.

However, if Buckhead were to separate from Atlanta it could have significant effects including on the city’s tax base. Retail sales in the neighborhood generate more than $2 billion a year.

It was reported on Wednesday, Pennsylvania’s highest court, the State Supreme Court, overturned Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction, citing a previous agreement that prevented him from being charged in the first place.

Although he was imprisoned, Cosby has always maintained his innocence and has always denied the charges and accusations levied against him.

After leaving prison and getting the chance to return to his home, the 83-year-old comedian took to Twitter to continue to maintain his innocence.

I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence.
Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law. #BillCosby pic.twitter.com/bxELvJWDe5

— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) June 30, 2021

Cosby reportedly celebrated his abrupt release by eating pizza with salmon, collard greens, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese and talking with celebrity friends and Faizon Love and Terrence Howard, his attorney Andrew Wyatt said.

“He only wants to eat crispy pizza and its taste,” Wyatt said.

Cosby also reportedly plans to hit the stage soon on a comedy tour.

“He will return to stage on many stages throughout the country and he will tell his story,” Wyatt said.

“You will soon see a documentary coming out. You will soon see the book coming out. There are many great projects coming out soon. “

According to Wyatt, Cosby got news of his release from another cellmate. Cosby told Wyatt, “I just heard a prisoner knock on a wall and a cell and say, ’Bill, you’re free, Bill! You’re free, Bill.’” Cosby said. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

As recently as May, Cosby had maintained his innocence, even when given the opportunity to possibly be paroled if he participated in a treatment program for sex offenders. Even then, he denied the chance to be released because he continued to proclaim his innocence.

On May 11, the Pennsylvania State Parole Board had declined Cosby’s parole request partly because of his need to participate in “a treatment program for sex offenders and violence prevention,” and “failure to develop a parole release plan,” according to a state board action letter provided to USA TODAY. The parole board also cited a “negative recommendation” from the Department of Corrections.

A statement was released on Cosby’s Instagram account which stated:

“The news that actor and comedian Bill Cosby’s parole has been “denied” by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board is not a surprise to Mr. Cosby, his family, his friends and/or his legal team. It was brought to our attention by Mr. Cosby that over the past months, members of the PA State Parole Board had met with him and empathically stated, “if he did not participate in SVP [Sexually Violent Predator] courses that his parole would be denied.” Mr. Cosby has vehemently proclaimed his innocence and continues to deny all allegations made against him, as being false, without the sheer evidence of any proof. Today, Mr. Cosby continues to remain hopeful that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will issue an opinion to vacate his conviction or warrant him a new trial.”

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has voted to give tenure to Nikole Hannah-Jones after denying her request following her work on “The 1619 Project,” a New York Times initiative she developed that “aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the United States’ national narrative.”

The school’s board of trustees voted 9-4 on Wednesday to grant Hannah-Jones tenure, with students rallying behind the social justice lecturer, CBS 17 Raleigh reported.

Related stories: NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES WILL NOT JOIN UNC FACULTY UNLESS OFFERED A TENURED POSITION

Hannah-Jones had signed a five-year contract with the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, but progress on her tenure application was halted in January because “she didn’t come from a “traditional academic-type background,” The Associated Press reported.

Originally faced with opposition from conservative groups who took offense to slavery, it was later discovered the school’s donors were also worried about Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer prized journalist.

She was rejected for tenure due to her controversial NYT project, according to reports.

The university faced national backlash from the media, to which UNC Chapel Hill had to defend itself from critics who say people like Hannah-Jones are not welcomed to teach.

“We welcome Nikole Hannah-Jones back to campus,” the UNC’s board vice chairman, Gene Davis, said at the close of statements after the three-hour special session of the trustees. “Our university is not a place to cancel people. Our university is better than that. Our nation is better than that,” he said.

Close to 80 students showed up to the board of trustees meeting, some of whom took issue that the board lacked diversity and mainly consisted of white men.

From the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund to the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, supporters with great influence weighed in on the matter condemning the board’s hesitant decision but now praising it for granting her tenure.

“It has taken longer than I imagined, but I am deeply appreciative that the board has voted in favor of our school’s recommendation,” dean of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, Susan King, wrote, according to NPR. “I knew that when the board reviewed her tenure dossier and realized the strength of her teaching, service and professional vision they would be moved to grant tenure.”

• News

by Kia Morgan Smith

July 1, 2021

Howard University Disavows Phylicia Rashad’s Sympathetic Tweet on Bill Cosby 

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Late Wednesday, Howard University repudiated a sympathetic and “insensitive” tweet from their incoming dean, Phylicia Rashad, after she sparked a controversy online for praising Bill Cosby and proclaiming that a “terrible wrong is righted,” in reference to his sudden release from prison. 

Rashad, who is best known as the beloved TV mom Claire Huxtable of the NBC sitcom “The Cosby Show,” and on CBS’s “Cosby” is the incoming dean of Howard’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, named after the late Black Panther actor. 

Cosby, 83, who was serving 3-to-10 years for sexual assault of a former Temple employee was abruptly released on Wednesday when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court sided with his lawyers on a technicality and overturned his conviction, The Washington Post reports. Cosby’s attorneys argued that they cut an alleged deal with former prosecutors that promised the disgraced TV star would not serve jail time. 

Upon hearing the news of Cosby’s release, Rashad who played Cosby’s TV wife, fired off a jubilant tweet, saying “Finally,” in capital letters.  

“A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected,” added Rashad. 

That sentiment did not sit well with the esteemed HBCU which quickly distanced itself from Rashad’s tweet saying in a statement that it, “lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault.” 

The statement read in part: “While Dean Rashad has acknowledged in her follow-up tweet that victims must be heard and believed, her initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault,” the statement said. 

“We will continue to advocate for survivors fully and support their right to be heard,” the university said. “Howard will stand with survivors and challenge systems that would deny them justice. We have full confidence that our faculty and school leadership will live up to this sacred commitment.” 

pic.twitter.com/UqiGznSkiJ

— Howard University (@HowardU) July 1, 2021

Rashad backpedaled from her initial tweet and followed up by softening her stance saying: “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward,” wrote Rashad. 

“My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.” 

Rashad’s tweet set off a wave of fervent backlash especially in light of the historic university’s own battles to clean up its image after six women filed lawsuits against the university in 2017 reportedly for its lax response and “mishandling” of sexual assault allegations.

In 2018, a group of students organized a protest at the school’s administration office, citing demands for improved policies and procedures in handling sexual assault complaints as well as a demand for a freeze on tuition and better housing.

And last year, The Black Survivors Healing Fund was created after “current and former Howard University students on Twitter began sharing stories of sexual violence they had experienced. These experiences ranged across the spectrum of sexual violence, including harassment, sexual assault, unwanted sexual contact, verbal and emotional abuse, intimate partner violence and more. Many of these acts of sexual violence were done by the same people, to many different survivors,” according to its GoFundMe page.

“Phylicia what are you thinking!!! I don’t know you but to say this was terribly wrong. EVERYONE knew what he was doing back then. How could you NOT! Get your umbrella sista here comes the shit shower. I am outraged that he has been released. Yes he is an old ass guilty man,” she wrote.

Phylicia what are you thinking!!! I don’t know you but to say this was terribly wrong. EVERYONE knew what he was doing back then. How could you NOT! Get your umbrella sista here comes the shit shower. I am outraged that he has been released. Yes he is an old ass guilty man! pic.twitter.com/9mHtuEYLgk

— Janet Hubert (@OGJanetHubert) June 30, 2021

Another woman who identified herself as a sexual abuse survivor called on Rashad to have more respect for survivors.

As a @HowardU School of Fine Arts alum, and as a survivor, this tweet from @PhyliciaRashad is disappointing. I hope we can have a dean who believes & respects survivors. Howards students who are survivors, I believe you & here are resources: https://t.co/AedmHaOPxN #HUStands https://t.co/qD4doAncIT

— a Black-passing openly Black Latina. (@aliciasanchez) June 30, 2021

Others were not buying Rashad’s apology.

You support rapists. It was made clear in your previous tweet. Everything else you say now is just noise.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) July 1, 2021

Still many called on Howard to set the record straight by perhaps dismissing Rashad from her new position.

But still you won’t fire her and put her above the pain and suffering and abuse and cruelty that the man she is defending caused upon 60 women. Gotcha!

— Gretchen Marie (@gmcqueeny) July 1, 2021

Entrepreneurs like Latoya Nicole are working to fill gaps where African Americans are underrepresented from product lines.

Nicole—CEO and founder of Entrepreneurs Color Too— came up with an idea to create coloring books and even coloring pencils which would appeal to Black and brown women. Nicole’s latest endeavor is launching the colored pencils representing  an array of skin tones, per BlackNews.com.

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The “Shades of Brown” colored pencils were requested additions to the Entrepreneurs Color Too line, according to the article. Packs of 12 limited edition colored pencils are sold exclusively on Nicole’s business website.

“We’re excited to finally launch the new colored pencils that our customers have been asking for! Representation is more important than ever, and we are proud to expand our body of work by offering skin tone colors that further represent families of color and allows for another opportunity for our customers to see themselves in arts & crafts and supplies,” Nicole remarked in the article.

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According to a previous MadameNoire feature, the entrepreneur who observed that women of color “weren’t adequately represented in the book industry” opted to found her company brand in 2018. Inspirational colored pencils and coloring books, such as an HBCU-inspired coloring book, coloring books for mothers and daughters, and a Christmas coloring book to celebrate Black and brown women.

“I want women and the young girls that look up to them to them to feel empowered. I want them to know that they are included, celebrated and represented, because representation matters,” Nicole’s said in a statement, per MadameNoire. “The idea to manufacture pencils came when I couldn’t find any Black Owned Colored pencils to recommend to my community to use with my adult coloring books. I took that as a sign that I needed to find a way to produce them. But, I knew I wanted the pencils to be encouraging and to be used as a reminder to put you first because you matter.”

BlackNews.com also reported that Nicole sold more than 25,000 coloring books, before launching the new line of skin toned colored pencils which are geared toward women of color.

“Shades of Brown” includes colors such as “Diamond, Keisha, Toya, and Ebony,” according to the product description provided on Entrepreneurs Color Too’s website. Please visit this link to find the packs of pre-sharpened colored pencils.

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• Career

by Black Enterprise Shop

July 1, 2021

Bring Out The Artist In You With This Drawing Bundle On Sale

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It is true that someone can be naturally talented in drawing and painting, but just like any other skill, they can be learned. You may not be born to have skills akin to, say, Leonardo da Vinci, but art skills can be learned and improved upon, especially if you have the determination and exert the effort to prove it.

If you want to unleash the artist in you, or just want to get better at drawing, the 2021 Complete Character Art Academy Drawing Bundle can equip you with the skills to be a better artist. Taught by illustrator, painter, and art director Scott Harris, who has helped over 270,000 students grow their art skills. This package can help you create your own world with more than 90 hours of content on character drawing, coloring, painting, and more.

It kickstarts with an overview of the core fundamentals and advanced techniques to drawing and sketching characters, and you can expect to grasp concepts, such as how to draw lips, eyes, faces, and more, faster than you ever have before. This is especially ideal for those who love anime, manga, comics, films, and games, as it offers a fundamental understanding of how characters are created from the get-go.

The rest of the courses offer a more niche focus, like manga or anime characters in the shoujo, shounen, and bishoujo genres, drawing landscapes, scenes, environments, and interiors, and illustrating skeletal structure for learning how to draw hands, heads, and faces. If you want to transfer your creations to your computer, you may also want to take up the course that focuses on drawing and painting on tablets and the ProCreate software. This way, you’ll have the skills to draw anything on both physical and digital sketchbooks.

Improve your drawing skills with this bundle on sale. It usually retails for $1,400, but for a limited time, you can get it for only $29.99.

Prices subject to change.