AOC Slams All-White Group Infrastructure Negotiators ‘That’s How You Get GOP On Board’
by Derek Major

June 25, 2021

AOC Slams All-White Group Infrastructure Negotiators ‘That’s How You Get GOP On Board’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the all-white group of senators who came to a bipartisan agreement on an infrastructure package pointing out the group’s lack of diversity and arguing the deal excluded marginalized communities.

“The diversity of this ‘bipartisan coalition’ pretty perfectly conveys which communities get centered and which get left behind when leaders prioritize bipartisan dealmaking over inclusive lawmaking (which prioritizes delivering the most impact possible for the most people),” the Progressive Democrat tweeted alongside a photo of the group of lawmakers with President Joe Biden outside the White House on Thursday.

“The exclusion & denial of our communities is what DC bipartisan deals require. That’s how you get GOP on board: don’t do much/any for the working class & low income, or women, or POC communities, or unions, etc. We must do more.”

Ocasio-Cortez has noted in the past that communities of color have been left behind and ignored is typically what allowed the bipartisan deal to get done.

The bipartisan group that agreed on an infrastructure package included Republicans Mitt Romney (Utah), Rob Portman (OH), Bill Cassidy (LA), Susan Collins (ME), and Lisa Murkowski of (AK). The Democratic senators included Joe Manchin (W.V.), Jon Tester (MT), Mark Warner of (VA), Jeanne Shaheen of (NH), and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ).

The group’s $1 trillion package included $579 billion in new spending dedicated to physical infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, broadband access, and public transit. However, it excludes Biden’s plans to fund childcare, paid family leave, and free community college.

Ocasio-Cortez isn’t the only Democrat upset with the deal including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“There ain’t going to be an infrastructure bill unless we have the reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate,”  Pelosi told reporters Thursday.

Senate Democrats plan to bring forth the other parts excluded from the infrastructure package the reconciliation, which allows the bill to pass on a party-line vote.

Ocasio-Cortez also attacked Republicans for blocking the For The People Act, saying “a minority of Senators” shouldn’t be able to “block voting rights for millions of people.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 25, 2021

Girl Dad + ‘Fast And Furious’ Star Ludacris Talks About Expecting Baby Number 4

Rapper and actor Christopher Brian Bridges, who we know as Ludacris, with his “Southern Hospitality” is expecting another child, thus making it his fourth baby! The baby will be the second child with his wife, Eudoxie Bridges.

According to Today, the actor, who has been involved in the “Fast and Furious” franchise since the second installment, is expecting his fourth child, which will be the second with his wife, Eudoxie. Earlier this week, he made an appearance on Today to speak about his upcoming latest addition to his family. He has three daughters, Karma, 13, Cai, 6, and Candace, who is 5.

The Atlanta rapper was on the show to promote the latest “Fast and Furious” feature, “F9”, which is being released today.

Since he has all girls, “Today” weatherman and host, Al Roker, asked Ludacris if he was “holding out for a boy?”

Ludacris responded by saying, “I will be happy with whatever the Most High wants to give me. We don’t know the sex of the child. We’re gonna wait until the day. It’s like one of the only things that’s left to just be unpredictable these days, and it’s exciting.”

The “What’s Your Fantasy” rapper also spoke about being a girl dad.

“There’s so many great things that have happened from me being a girl dad,” he said. “One, in particular, I have a Netflix series called ‘Karma’s World’ that comes out at the end of this fall, and it’s literally to enrich and empower young girls.”

Late last year, Netflix had announced that Ludacris, 9 Story Media Group, and Karma’s World Entertainment will be producing a new CG animated series, Karma’s World.

“I’ve had a lot of accomplishments in my life, but everything that I’ve experienced seems to have led up to this point to where I can leave a legacy for all my daughters,” says Ludacris in a written statement. “Karma’s World is one of those legacies. I hope this series will show kids that there are many ways to overcome difficult situations. This show is going to move hip-hop culture forward, and show young girls that they have the power to change the world. This project has been a long time in the making and I can’t wait to bring Karma’s World to the entire world.”

Black TikTok Dancers Are On Strike And Selling Their Moves As Holograms
by Christian Spencer

June 25, 2021

Black TikTok Dancers Are On Strike And Selling Their Moves As Holograms

Black creators behind some of TikTok’s most viral sensations do not receive the credit some would believe.

In fact, right now an assembly of Black Tik Tok creators have banded together and are on a strike, of sorts, and refused to make a creative dance to “Thot S—,” the new Megan Thee Stallion song.

In a video, Erick Louis, 21, acted like he was about to bust a move but then made the statement “MADE A DANCE TO THIS SONG” followed by holding up both middle fingers.

“SIKE. THIS APP WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT [BLACK] PEOPLE.” Louis’ said in the now viral video posted on Friday.

In alignment with the Juneteenth celebration and an effort to be compensated and receive credit, a mobile, augmented reality platform called Jadu was created to give TikTokers, specifically Black dancers on the app, to license their moves, The Denver Post reported.

Related stories: TIKTOK MODEL EXPOSES HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS BIASED TOWARD BLACK PEOPLE 

Jalaiah Harmon, best known for the Renegade dance; Cookiee Kawaii, the singer and dancer behind the New Jersey house “Throw it back” dance; and Blanco Brown, the artist who sang and danced the country hit song “The Git Up,” are all available holograms to be exhibited on the app.

The holograms fall into the category of non-fungible tokens (NFT), which according to Forbes is a “digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos.”

The TikTok stars were brought into a room equipped with hundreds of cameras to capture every angle of their dancing, Jadu employee Isaiah Chavous said.

“Black culture has been exploited in all areas, especially when it comes to dance and music,” said Chavous, one of two employees at Jadu with Colorado ties. “Now we can compensate the originators of these phenomena by immortalizing them in the physical world through digital means.”

Hologram dances went up for sale on Juneteenth, with proceeds going directing to the creators.

Each dance has a certificate of authenticity to verify ownership, Chavous said.

“Some of the norms that will come out of this are going to be very telling as to the next five, 10 years of how the casual average consumer experiences their digital world, and building out this metaverse that is going to exist in the near future is going to be dependent on some of these norms set right now,” Chavous said. “We intend to be one of those norm-setters and setting the playing field equal for all the players.”

‘It’s About Time’: 99-year-old Black Veteran Received Purple Heart; Denied For Years Because Of Racism
by Christian Spencer

June 25, 2021

‘It’s About Time’: 99-year-old Black Veteran Received Purple Heart; Denied For Years Because Of Racism

A Black World War II veteran received a Purple Heart after years of having it denied because of his race.

On June 18, the 99-year-old veteran, now wheelchair-bound, became a Purple Heart recipient nearly 80 years after the fact in a ceremony held in Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, with Army officials and other leaders both celebrating and acknowledging racial injustice, according to CNN.

Related stories: 14 BLACK VETERANS WHO NOW SIT ON CORPORATE BOARDS 

“It’s about time,” former Army Private Osceola “Ozzie” Fletcher said in regards to his Purple Heart.

After D-Day, when Allied forces invaded northern France’s beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944,  Fletcher was seated at the back of a vehicle for delivering supplies when it got attacked by a German missile.

The impact killed the driver and left Fletcher with a deep cut on his head. To be eligible for a Purple Heart the military person must either be a survivor of an enemy or hostile act or friendly fire, and the wound must require treatment that is documented by a medical officer.

The issue was that Black soldiers who were severely wounded were never hospitalized but rather “patched up” and sent back out.

Fletcher, just like many Black servicemen who were gravely wounded, were denied the honor.

As Fletcher’s daughter Jacqueline Streets explained to CNN, “The White soldiers were considered wounded,” and “Black soldiers were considered injured and an injury wasn’t considered an incidence of Purple Heart.”

“Today, we pay long overdue tribute for the sacrifices he made to our nation and for free people everywhere,” U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville told The New York Daily News.

Streets recalled Fletcher’s trip to Normandy a few years back inspired him to speak his truth.

“It really hit him that he wanted to be heard,” Streets said. “He wanted the truth to be known. He wanted to be validated and acknowledged.”

It took seven years of Streets’ diligence to help her father’s effort to receive the Purple Heart. She also collaborated with a group of filmmakers behind the documentary Sixth of June who had read about Fletcher’s story and got involved.

By April of this year, the Army announced that Fletcher and former warrant officer Johnnie Jones would receive their long overdue Purple Hearts after verifying their stories.

Naked Victim Violated By Police Raid Said Mayor Lori Lightfoot ‘Betrayed’ Her
by Christian Spencer

June 25, 2021

Naked Victim Violated By Police Raid Said Mayor Lori Lightfoot ‘Betrayed’ Her

A Black woman who was a victim of a wrongful police raid in her Chicago home has filed a lawsuit and said that Mayor Lori Lightfoot betrayed her by acting two-faced.

Initially, Lightfoot signed an executive order to restrict access to future raids and offer an apology to Anjanette Young who was in her townhouse naked when police officers stormed in February 2019, according to ABC Chicago Eyewitness News.

“I want to tell Ms. Young [that] I am deeply sorry and troubled that her home was invaded and that she had to face the humiliation and trauma that she suffered. That is just not right,” Lightfoot said, according to Blavity. “It simply should not have happened. And I will make sure that there is full accountability for what took place.”

But now, it seems that the city is looking into a way of getting Young’s case dismissed in court.

Related stories: ON SECOND ANNIVERSARY AS CHICAGO MAYOR, LORI LIGHTFOOT GRANTS INTERVIEWS TO REPORTERS OF COLOR ONLY 

On April 2, Young’s case was met with an offer of $0 from the Department of Law. The arguably lowball offer was followed with a mediation between the city and Young’s lawyer Keenan Saulter. The plaintiffs said the city offered a settlement less than half of the biggest previous wrongful raid.

“The biggest number they came up with was less than half of the largest settlement [the city] paid out for a very similar case,” Saulter said at the news conference.

The biggest wrongful raid was settled for $2.5 million.

Young said she has felt betrayed by Lightfoot for quite some time.

In December 2020, it became public the city was trying to downplay its mistake, NBC News reported.

“I don’t believe it’s fair that the city has spent the last two years telling me they did nothing wrong, not holding the officers accountable, not working with my attorneys to figure out how to resolve this,” an angry Young said at the time.

A Father And Son Are Working to Bring A Large Film Studio to Memphis, Tennessee
by Andrea Blackstone

June 25, 2021

A Father And Son Are Working to Bring A Large Film Studio to Memphis, Tennessee

One of the biggest Black-owned film studios may be constructed in Memphis, Tenn.

The Land Use Control Board approved the development of 85 acres of land to build the BLP Film Studios, according to WMC news.

According to BLP Film Studios’ website, it was established more than 10 years ago, because when Jason Farmer’s son, Jason A. Farmer, showed interest in making films. Through supporting his son, the elder Farmer became passionate about building the new “film production and content creation company.” Additionally, Jason A. Farmer studies filmmaking at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

As his skill building materialized, the Farmers are already making major moves to transform Memphis into an entertainment destination which would include employment opportunities.

”When a film production comes into town, about 60 percent of that money is spent on a local economy. So, if a $5 million project comes here, $3 million will be spent locally for things like hotel, travel, tourism, and catering,” Jason Farmer said.

 

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According to WMC’s report, the full city council would need to greenlight the project. If the final goal is achieved, construction could begin in the fall. The courage to take action is a building block in business. In 2019, IndieWire wrote about Tyler Perry’s  opening of his $250 million Atlanta studio, which was a former 330-acre military base.

“[It] meant that there were Confederate soldiers on that base, plotting and planning on how to keep 3.9 million Negroes enslaved, and now that land is owned by one Negro,” Perry said in a BET speech. “So while you’re fighting for a seat at the table, I’ll be down in Atlanta building my own.”

According to Inside Edition, Perry is the very first Black individual who is the owner and head of a major film studio. Perhaps Perry’s accomplishment can fuel the dreams of more African Americans like the Farmers who want to shape a new narrative beyond Hollywood.

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by Christian Spencer

June 25, 2021

Incarcerated Mothers In Minnesota Will No Longer Be Separated From Their Newborns

Minnesota will no longer separate incarcerated mothers from their newborns.

There is a new state initiative that was signed in May that gives mothers who are serving time in prison the opportunity to connect with their babies, Star-Tribune first reported.

Related stories: WHITE MAN FACES LIFE IN PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO STABBING A MAN ‘BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK’ 

In Minnesota, a woman in prison who has given birth has between two to three days to be hospitalized with the infant before they are separated.

The infant will either be placed under the care of a relative or enter the state foster care system.

This is the experience that Raelene Baker, a formerly incarcerated mother and now director of the Minnesota Prison Doula Project, went through. Her organization sends birthgiving companions to jails and prisons in the state to work with pregnant women who are incarcerated, The Lily reported.

Baker, and alongside lobbyists, succeeded in pushing legislation that will go into effect in August; Gov. Tim Walz signed the Minnesota Department of Corrections Healthy Start Act into law in May.

Approximately 20 female inmates give birth while incarcerated in Minnesota per year, and all of whom get separated from their babies.

According to Baker, most mothers she interacts with are incarcerated due to a simple violation.

“A lot of times, they’re in for something so minor, like a technical violation on an old, old charge. Maybe they’re doing better now and they’re healthier — and having a baby,” she said.

In Minnesota, between 2013 and 2020, 77 percent of the 278 pregnant women who are serving time technically violated their parole or probation, like failing a drug test or missing an appointment with their supervising officer. Eighty-eight percent of them are in prison for nonviolent offenses, according to statistics from the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Separation of mother from infant can bring on postpartum depression and affect the early mental and physical development of a newborn.

There are programs in the U.S. that give a mother more time with her infant, but generally, this is an exception.

Connecticut Prison Calls Are Now Free Between Inmates And Family Members
by Christian Spencer

June 25, 2021

Connecticut Prison Calls Are Now Free Between Inmates And Family Members

Connecticut became the first state to make phone calls free between the inmates and their families.

Part of a bill sponsored by state Democratic Reps. Josh Elliott and Sen. Martin M. Looney, all forms of communication, whether it be an email or video calls are now free those incarcerated and those who are receiving the communication, according to CNN.

“We’re on the right side of history,” Elliott said. “Corporations can no longer be allowed to exploit the love between incarcerated people and their families – not in our state, not on our watch.”

The bill was signed on Wednesday by Gov. Ned Lamont could go into effect as early as next month or this Friday.

By extension, the bill also includes those in juvenile detention facilities getting free phone access.

Related stories: WHITE MAN FACES LIFE IN PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO STABBING A MAN ‘BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK’ 

The state has a prison contract with phone vendor Securus Technologies, which used to charge $5 for a 15-minute call. With all things considered, the rate of making a prison phone call is one of the highest in the country, according to The Associated Press.

The new bill allows up to 90 minutes of free calling per day.

“Today, Connecticut made history by becoming the first state to make prison calls, and all other communication, free,”  Executive Director of Worth Rises, a prison reform non-profit, Bianca Tylek said. “This historic legislation will change lives: It will keep food on the table for struggling families, children in contact with their parents, and our communities safer.”

Securus Technologies also supports the legislation in a statement, saying, “This important legislation not only provides relief for consumers, but it also is a bellwether for other state and local jurisdictions looking for ways to make these products and services more affordable and more accessible,” the statement said.
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 25, 2021

MLB Initiates ‘101 Days of Negro Leagues Facts’ In Honor Of Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

A week after the country celebrated the holiday of Juneteenth, Major League Baseball is doing its part in acknowledging a little Black history.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) have announced they are implementing a new digital and social media campaign that will support the “Negro Leagues 101” initiative led by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM).

“The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is thrilled to have the support of Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association to help amplify this important educational initiative,” said Bob Kendrick, NLBM President in a written statement.

“I don’t think there was ever a time that people didn’t want to know about the Negro Leagues. They just simply had no way to know about this rich history because it has never been fully documented in the pages of American History books. Our goal is to provide even greater access to this incredible chapter of baseball and Americana.”

Starting June 25th, there will be facts about the Negro Leagues that will be shared daily until Sunday, October 3rd, which marks the last day of the 2021 Regular Season, to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the establishment of the Negro Leagues.

The daily facts will be revealed by a Major League Player, legend, youth baseball or softball player, or general representative of baseball. There is also a dedicated page (MLB.com/NegroLeagues101) and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum social media platform (@NLBMuseumKC) that serve as the primary sources of the content. All MLB-related social media platforms from MLB, the MLBPA, and Clubs will support this campaign aimed at educating the general public about the rich and vast history of the Negro Leagues and Black excellence in the sport.

“We are proud to join the MLBPA in support of the ‘Negro Leagues 101’ educational initiative,” said Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “The Negro Leagues is a story of excellence and resiliency by individuals who accomplished extraordinary feats in the face of bigotry and discrimination. Educating our fans and the public about this history will continue to be a priority for Major League Baseball in our continued support of Bob Kendrick and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.”

“A full understanding of Baseball includes knowing the history and legacy of the men and women in the Negro Leagues who paved the way for so many of us,” MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark said. “I commend the Museum for its commitment to preserve, celebrate and educate the public through this campaign and am glad that we can help raise awareness along with Major League Baseball.”

by Andrea Blackstone

June 25, 2021

Netflix Drops Sizzling Teaser Of The Black Western, The Harder They Fall

A Black Western called The Harder They Fall will be released by Netflix and premiere in select theaters this fall.

Netflix dropped the teaser with a star-studded cast which includes Idris Elba and Regina King. The film’s plot heats up when an “outlaw (Jonathan Majors) discovers his enemy (Idris Elba) is being released from prison, he reunites his gang to seek revenge in this Western,” per Netflix. Jeymes Samuel directed the action-packed flick and penned the screenplay along with Boaz Yakin. Jay-Z is listed as one of the film’s producers.

 

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Beyond the special effects and stunts, The Harder They Fall resurrects stories about real life cowboys.  According to SmithsonianMag.com historians believe that for every four cowboys in the American West, one was Black.

“Right after the Civil War, being a cowboy was one of the few jobs open to men of color who wanted to not serve as elevator operators or delivery boys or other similar occupations,”  William Loren Katz said to SmithsomianMag.com.

Katz is scholar of African-American history scholar who penned 40 books on The Black West, according to the interview. Per Shadow and Act, Samuel said that exploring the American West’s history from a Black perspective is rarely done, but he wanted to do it.

“I’ve been a follower of westerns since I was a child,” Samuel said. “I really, really loved westerns, but I would just see a really clear inconsistency with the portrayals of people of color, basically in the Old West and being such a fan of actors like Woody Strode, who was amazing in Spartacus but then you’ll see him pop up in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and he couldn’t get a drink in the bar. I just grew up wanting to know more about people of color and women and all of these ideas of the Old West that I was not getting from the Hollywood movies. And so I would just buy books and would…uncover amazing characters–both heroes and villains, both men and women of all colors.”

In this long overdue interpretation of Black heroes, Samuel added that The Harder They Fall offers new storytelling and portrayals of westerns. You may watch the official movie trailer by clicking this link.

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