• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

June 29, 2021

Former President Barack Obama Says Protecting Voting Rights Paramount To Democracy

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Former President Barack Obama said Monday protecting voting rights is even more important in the aftermath of the 2020 election, taking a dig at the man who followed him and his ridiculous election claims.

According to CNN, the first Black president attended a virtual fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee with former Attorney General Eric Holder and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Obama discussed strategies that have been used to suppress voters over the past several years including gerrymandering and more “straightforward efforts by Republican-led states.

“If we don’t stop these kinds of efforts now, what we are going to see is more and more contested elections, contested not in the sense of healthy competition but contested in terms of who wins, who loses. We are going to see a further delegitimizing of our democracy,” Obama said.

Obama added former President Donald Trump violated a “core tenet that we count the votes and then declare a winner.”

“And rather than supporting the secretary of state of Georgia or the, you know, commission in, you know, Arizona that had done the counting and performed their duties properly, etc., what you saw was Republican elected officials all side with the president out of fear, I guess, leaving many of these folks who were Republicans themselves and were just doing their jobs hanging out to dry,” Obama added.

After losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Trump refused to take the loss and instead filed more than 50 post-election lawsuits, most of which were either tossed or dismissed. When his lawsuits didn’t work, Trump riled up his base to “storm” the Capitol Building, which led to the deaths of five people and the apprehension and arrest of more than 400 people.

Republican-led states have backed Trump and his false election claims. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who Trump relentlessly attacked after Joe Biden won the state, passed a restrictive voting bill and even had Rep. Park Cannon arrested for attempting to talk Kemp out of signing the bill.

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Georgia over its restrictive voting laws. Obama also said Monday he believes the Senate will hold a second vote on the Democratic voting rights bill that was blocked by Republicans last week.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University 14 states have enacted more than 20 restrictive voting laws this year.

In addition to playing football for the Seattle Seahawks, Russell Wilson is tackling the fashion world by introducing a signature clothing line.

Wilson, who is also the husband of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Ciara, launched his own apparel called 3Brand. A preview of what is yet to come was given at a fashion show and opening of the new Rookie USA flagship store, according to a press release.

“Mind. Body. Soul. It’s a movement! @3BRAND Launch NYC Fashion Show,”@dangerusswilson tweeted.

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The couple’s children Sienna, Win, and Future (whose father is Ciara’s ex, rapper Future) slayed the runway in a video that was shared on Instagram. They strutted their stuff to model the new children’s clothing line, along with other pint-sized fashionistas.

According to reports, also on hand to model was Charly Martin V, child of former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Charly Martin; Jet and Beau Alexander, nieces of Adrienne Bailon; Jonas, son of Emily B and rapper Fabolous, and other celebrity kids..

3Brand is “named after Russell Wilson’s close connection to the number three and his Seahawks number, is a mix of sport meets fashion, music and lifestyle,” according to the release. The 40-piece collection is for boys and girls who are ages 12 months to 20 and will be fully available in August.

Before the big show, For(bes) The Culture chatted with Wilson about 3Brand and why he created it.

“As a young kid, I used to dream about playing in the pros. I would do the Michael Jordan crossover move wearing his shoes. The biggest reason I wanted to create 3Brand was for my fans to have my gear and for them to be able to experience everything I’ve dreamed about,” Wilson said.

Three percent of 3Brand’s proceeds will be donated to the Why Not You Foundation. In the interview, Wilson said that he learned the importance of giving back from his parents.

3Brand’s Instagram can by found by clicking here.

Shawntae Harris, who is best known as Da Brat, will be getting “Funkdafied” with her girlfriend in a new reality TV series that will premiere later this summer.

WE tv has announced it will air a new docuseries, Brat Loves Judy, in August, featuring the iconic rapper, radio show host, and Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta reality TV star and her girlfriend Jesseca “Judy” Dupart as the cameras follow their life adventures together.

“WE tv has long solidified itself as a home for authentic stories and relatable relationships, and we’re thrilled to add Brat and Judy’s larger-than-life love story to our Thursday night originals,” said Lauren Gellert, executive vice president of development and original programming for WE TV, in a written statement.

“These two powerful and successful women are sharing their brand-new relationship with audiences for the first time ever, bravely inviting viewers to experience all their emotional ‘firsts’ alongside them.”

Brat Loves Judy joins WE tv’s Thursday night programming that centers around the world of Hip-Hop. It will be shown along with the popular Growing Up Hip Hop franchise, Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition, and Waka & Tammy: What the Flocka. Brat Loves Judy, which premieres on Thursday, August 5 at 9 p.m, will consist of eight hour-long episodes.

The series will bring the viewing audience to a never-before-seen look into the world of the veteran hip-hop artist and two-time Grammy Award-nominee, Da Brat, and her girlfriend Jesseca “Judy” Dupart, who is the multi-millionaire business owner and CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products. Brat Loves Judy will take the audience on a journey as they navigate their new relationship–from building a new home together and growing their budding careers to couples therapy, dealing with meddling loved ones, and a surprise proposal.

The reality series will also feature the couples’ family and friends. They will include Judy’s adult daughter, Deja, and Deja’s infant daughter, Kenzie; Bella, Brat’s manager and confidante; Brat’s friend Montana and his wife, Rhonda; and, of course, Brat and Judy’s six dogs. The series will also feature an appearance by Da Brat’s sister LisaRaye McCoy as they continue to work on their strained relationship.

• Men

by Derek Major

June 29, 2021

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Says Federal Laws Against Marijuana May No Longer Be Necessary

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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the court’s most conservative judges, said Monday due to the federal government’s policies on marijuana, federal laws against its use may no longer be necessary.

“A prohibition on interstate use or cultivation of marijuana may no longer be necessary or proper to support the federal government’s piecemeal approach,” Thomas wrote according to NBC News.

Thomas’ opinion came as the high court declined to hear an appeal by a Colorado medical marijuana dispensary that was denied federal tax breaks that other businesses have access to. The Black justice wrote the High Court’s 2005 ruling upholding federal marijuana laws may now be out of date.

“Federal policies of the past 16 years have greatly undermined its reasoning,” Thomas said. “The federal government’s current approach is a half-in, half-out regime that simultaneously tolerates and forbids local use of marijuana.

“Under this rule, a business that is still in the red after it pays its workers and keeps the lights on might nonetheless owe substantial federal income tax,” Thomas added.

Marijuana legalization, whether medical or recreational, has grown significantly in the last decade. Last year alone, New Jersey, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, and Mississippi approved measures decriminalizing and legalizing recreational marijuana. Additionally, this year, New York and Connecticut have passed legalization while Alabama and Georgia have passed medical marijuana bills into law.

In total 36 states have legalized medical marijuana while another 18 have legalized recreational use.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has backed off marijuana businesses in recent years. According to Yahoo News, The Department of Justice instructed federal prosecutors not to pursue marijuana cases against businesses that follow state laws.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who introduced a federal legalization bill in 2018, said in April the Senate will try to pass federal legalization whether President Joe Biden supports it or not.

“The legalization of states worked out remarkably well,“ Schumer told Politico. “They were a great success. The parade of horribles never came about, and people got more freedom.“

There was an abundance of Black Girl Magic popping at the 21st annual BET Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles in Ca.

The fitting theme of the awards show was the “Year of the Black Woman” and actress and producer Taraji P. Henson hosted the lively show.

“Celebrating Black women isn’t a fad or a trend it’s a forever mood” Henson said upon, opening up the show, Henson said, according to BET. “There is more than enough room for all of us to thrive, because can’t nobody be like me and can’t nobody be you like you.”

Queen Latifah—who is a rapper, actress and producer— reigned like a queen. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

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❤️ #BETAwards #RedCarpet pic.twitter.com/cv1kAS26x6

— Queen Latifah (@IAMQUEENLATIFAH) June 28, 2021

Megan Thee Stallion was up for multiple 2021 awards. She snagged an armful of them, including one for the Viewer’s Choice Award for the “Savage” remix with Beyoncé, Video of the Year with Cardi B;  Best Collaboration with Cardi B for “WAP”; and Best Female Hip Hop Artist.

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Jazmine Sullivan’s “Heaux Tales” earned the artist an Album of the Year honor. SZA’s “Good Days” earned a BET HER Award. H.E.R. humbly accepted a trophy for Best Female R &B/Pop Artist.

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Moving out of the music categories, Andre Day was declared the Best Actress winner. Naomi Osaka landed a Sportswoman of the Year Award. Actress Marsai Martin was selected to receive the Youngstars Award. Last but not least, Darnella Frazier was not left behind. The courageous young woman picked as a Shine a Light awardee for George Floyd’s murder on video. If you would like to read about the full list of winners, please click this link.

The Boston Celtics have a new head coach.

Ime Udoka, 43, is the franchise’s “18th head coach in the organization’s 75-year history,” according to a Celtics press release.

“I would like to welcome Ime, Nia, Kez, and Massai to the Boston Celtics. Among the many outstanding qualities that Ime brings to the table are his character, humility, and competitiveness. He has a relentless work ethic and a vast array of experiences as a player and coach,” Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens said. “He’s a leader that is warm and demanding, and we are so excited that he has chosen to join us in pursuit of Banner 18.”

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The news spread all over social media. And for those who do not know who Udoka is, he worked for nine NBA seasons as an assistant coach for San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.

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Ime Udoka is officially our 18th Head Coach ☘️ pic.twitter.com/geTZ3tw6kZ

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 28, 2021

“It’s an honor to be a part of the historic Celtics franchise. Coaching this talented roster and working alongside Brad makes it an ideal situation,” Udoka said. “I’d like to thank Wyc, Steve, and Brad for entrusting me with this opportunity. I look forward to getting started right away.”

In addition to coaching, the announcement also mentioned that Udoka, who is a Portland native, played professional basketball for 12 years. He is a seven-year NBA veteran, too.

Actress Nia Long congratulated her fiancée on Instagram, while showing love for the Celtics and her special man, in two posts.

“Today you are officially the Head Coach of the Boston @celtics big love to the entire staff for the warm welcome. I am beyond proud of this man. Expect great things because that’s what he does. 🍀💚,” she wrote.

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According to People, Long and Udoka have been a couple for nearly five years when Udoka popped the big question. The couple also share a son.

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• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

June 29, 2021

Elevate Your Gaming Experience With This VPN And Playstation Plus Bundle

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Many are not privy to the benefits a VPN can bring in terms of security and anonymity. But when it comes to gaming, not many know that not only is it helpful in reducing bandwidth throttling, but it also can do wonders in boosting speed, a factor that is incredibly crucial in games. If you’re optimizing your rig, make sure that you include a VPN. It offers enhanced protection against things like DDoS attacks, provides access to games only exclusive to specific geographical regions, reduces your ping time, and greatly improves download/upload speeds.

With the VPN Unlimited Lifetime + 3-Yr Subscription Stackable Code Bundle, you’ll get to enjoy a lifetime subscription to top-rated VPN service, VPN Unlimited, along with a heavily discounted subscription to PlayStation Plus. In short: this bundle is a gamer’s dream.

Here’s how it works: this bundle contains three separate codes for one-year subscriptions to PlayStation Plus, which you can then stack to extend your membership to three years. In case you’re not familiar with PlayStation Plus, it brings your gaming experience to the next level by connecting you to an enormous online community of gamers to compete with. It delivers an epic monthly collection of free games in an ever-expanding library, as well as exclusive discounts to popular titles. 

And as mentioned previously, the bundle also lets you protect your online activity and browse without restriction—for life. Rated PC Mag’s Top VPN, VPN Unlimited comes packed with features that allow you to take control of your digital life with full security and complete anonymity. On top of military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, there are no speed or bandwidth limits to allow for full browsing speeds. There over 500 VPN servers spread across 80 locations globally for unfettered access to geo-restricted content. You can also use it on up to five devices, including your console, phone, desktop, and tablet.

A value of $378, you can get everything in this bundle for only $209.97 for a limited time.

Prices subject to change.

The late Kobe Bryant’s legacy will live on through his love of youth and literacy.

The former Los Angeles Laker’s second children’s book, “Legacy And The Double,” which he co-wrote with Annie Matthew is a follow-up to the number-one New York Times bestseller “Legacy and the Queen.”  Although it will be released on National Kobe Bryant Day, which is August 24, it can be preordered now.

The synopsis of  “Legacy And The Double” features a national tennis champion named Legacy Petrin, who discovers she has a lookalike who enters her world and even starts winning tennis matches in her name.

“To reclaim her name and her identity, Legacy has no choice but to compete in disguise . . . until she can rise through the ranks, face off against her imposter, and prove that she is the one and only Legacy Petrin—a champion who was born to shine,” the book’s the summary continues.

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Bryant was the CEO of Granity Studios, according to website information. The multimedia content company published the books.

“What goes into creating all of the stories that come out of our studio centers around our own personal experiences with our own kids, generally,” Bryant said in a previous Bleacher Report interview, while discussing the first book.

“And me certainly in particular, having young girls at home and trying to figure out how to communicate positive messages to them, they get tired of hearing me and [Bryant’s wife] Vanessa talk about it all the time, so it’s important to put it in different forms of media so it seems like it’s not coming from us. That tends to be the inspiration behind most of the ideas that come out of our studio.”

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Per CBSLA, Aug. 24 was declared Kobe Bryant Day in Orange County, Ca. in 2020. In the article, Orange County Board Chairwoman Michelle Steel revealed that the reason why Bryant is honored on Aug. 24  is because he wore the number 24 during his basketball career. Despite reaching MVP status, achieving All-NBA honors 15 times, and even making NBA history scoring points second to Wilt Chamberlain, investing in the next generation was a part of Bryant’s chartable contributions, according to ACB News 10.

The remaining issues surrounding the unfortunate Jan. 26, 2020 crash which took the Bryant’s life, in addition to his daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant’s, and seven other helicopter victims recently closed with a confidential legal settlement between the company which operated the helicopter, Vanessa Bryant, and others. The lawsuit with the helicopter firm in the crash was settled, per a report provided by The Los Angeles Times.

For those who would like to order the Kindle version of “Legacy And The Double,” it can be pre-ordered by clicking this link. Please visit this link to order the hardback version.

Women are sometimes a lesser-acknowledged part of basketball culture, but the WNBA is making waves in a big way.

The iconic former Chicago Bulls player Michael Jordan, serial entrepreneur, and owner of the Charlotte Hornets, has added eight WNBA players to his Jordan Brand to “form an expansive and inclusive family,” according to Nike. More women than ever are representing the Jordan Brand, in the largest roster ever.

“The world needs female voices, and we can’t ignore that or else we’re not growing,” Jordan said. “The Jordan Brand is committed to giving women a platform to amplify their voices, which influence, inspire and push culture forward.”

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The largest @Jumpman23 female roster ever. #CountIt

Full release ➡️https://t.co/UpkbyKZzfq pic.twitter.com/zvjOnsgX8Z

— WNBA (@WNBA) June 21, 2021

Nike said that new members of the Jordan Brand family embody the Jordan brand’s “on- and off-court activism” through doing things such as utilizing their platforms to get involved in social justice, support Black-owned businesses, or engaging in social causes.

Jordin Canada, Te’a Cooper, Crystal Dangerfield, Chelsea Dungee, Arella Guirantes, Dearica Hamby, Kia Nurse, Aerial Powers and Satou Sabally are the Brand’s active WNBA athletes who were photographed with Jordan in 2021 to celebrate the brand’s largest roster, per Nike’s announcement.

This dedication to building a powerful family legacy is precisely what drew the women to Jordan Brand.

“As a member of the Jordan Brand family, you don’t just get to be a legend on the court,” Dallas Wings rookie Chelsea Dungee said in Nike’s announcement, “you have to be a legend off the court.”

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They got highlights on the court, but even more off the court. Learn more about the emerging WNBA stars joining the Jumpman Family.

— Jordan (@Jumpman23) June 21, 2021

In 2019, Insider explored the formation of Jordan and Nike’s business relationship which dates back to 1984, when the Jordan Brand was negotiated and established. Insider said that Nike was once a “struggling brand selling running shoes with an idea to reinvent itself as a company for athletic stars.” After Jordan and Nike teamed up,  Jordan started wearing the Air Jordan I. The shoe was an “instant hit.”

The Jordan Brand has grown beyond shoes and is inclusive of women’s products. To learn more about the roster of WNBA players, please visit this link.