by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 14, 2021

Chrissy Teigen Pens Emotional Apology For ‘A Bunch of My Old Awful (Awful, Awful) Tweets’

If you’ve followed model Chrissy Teigen on social media, then you already know that the wife of singer John Legend pretty much has no filter.

But having no filter has backfired on the mom and media personality who owned up to her bullying behavior in a long, emotional Instagram post and Twitter manifest, apologizing for “a bunch of my old awful (awful, awful) tweets” aimed at TV personality Courtney Stodden, who identifies as non-binary.

Last month, Stodden accused Teigen of bullying, saying that she wrote cruel and mean tweets when she was only 16 at the time. Stodden, now 26, was 16 when she married then 50-year-old actor Doug Hutchison according to CNN.

“(Teigen) wouldn’t just publicly tweet about wanting me to take ‘a dirt nap’ but would privately DM me and tell me to kill myself,” Stodden told The Daily Beast. “Things like, ‘I can’t wait for you to die.'”

After revealing that last month, Teigen took to Twitter to acknowledge her wrongs and to publicly apologize to Stodden.

Teigen is apparently on an apology tour and also wrote an article with an explanation on Medium to apologize, once again, for her actions from the past.

“I know I’ve been quiet, and lord knows you don’t want to hear about me, but I want you to know I’ve been sitting in a hole of deserved global punishment, the ultimate “sit here and think about what you’ve done.” Not a day, not a single moment has passed where I haven’t felt the crushing weight of regret for the things I’ve said in the past.

“As you know, a bunch of my old awful (awful, awful) tweets resurfaced. I’m truly ashamed of them. As I look at them and understand the hurt they caused, I have to stop and wonder: How could I have done that?

“I’ve apologized publicly to one person, but there are others — and more than just a few — who I need to say I’m sorry to. I’m in the process of privately reaching out to the people I insulted. It’s like my own version of that show My Name is Earl! I understand that they may not want to speak to me. I don’t think I’d like to speak to me. (The real truth in all of this is how much I actually cannot take confrontation.) But if they do, I am here and I will listen to what they have to say, while apologizing through sobs.”

To read the full letter, you can click here.

by Andrea Blackstone

June 14, 2021

Nonprofit Leader in Philadelphia Works to Create Wealth for Future Generations

Students in Pennsylvania have a hand up to gain financial literacy skills, thanks to Kenneth Booth, who is the founder of Black River Financial Youth Academy. ABC 30 reported that Booth’s nonprofit focuses on teaching kids about financial information. Booth’s commitment to raising awareness about money management is also connected to his professional aptitude.

http://

(iStock.com/Milkos)

According to the Black River Financial Youth Academy’s website, Booth possesses more than 30 years of financial literacy leadership. The nonprofit leader’s areas of specialty include financial planning, portfolio management, design and implementation of retirement plans, and all aspects of SEC and IRS reporting. His formal education includes earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Drexel University, and his Masters of Business Administration from Wilmington College, according to the website. The youth enrichment program is offered to youth ages 5-18, in Philadelphia and neighboring areas. The program will form partnerships with local school districts, churches, and various youth organizations. Additionally, the program strives to educate youth about money management before they reach adulthood.

“We want to teach kids the difference between income and wealth,” Booth said in ABC 30’s article. “We want to create wealth.”

The chair of the Department of Africana Studies at Temple University added perspective about how Black Americans became disadvantaged in the area of amassing generational wealth while looking forward.

“We basically came here without the wealth or even material possessions that we had in the continent of Africa. We had basically nothing,” Dr. Molefi Kete Asante also said.

Back in 2013, Time reported that there is a big push to mandate personal finance classes to enhance financial literacy in youth as early as kindergarten. The article mentioned that during the time period in which the article was written, only four states require a stand-alone course in personal finance-focused courses.

ABC 30 also added that Booth believes that reaching kids early, when it comes to financial literacy, is a key to their success.

“You will create millionaires!” Booth also stated in the article.

Brandy Fisher-Blood To Head Diversity & Inclusion Strategies At Walt Disney Studios
by Derek Major

June 14, 2021

Brandy Fisher-Blood To Head Diversity & Inclusion Strategies At Walt Disney Studios

Brandy Fisher-Blood has joined Walt Disney Animation Studios as the head of Diversity & Inclusion Strategies and will report to Walt Disney Animation Studios President Clark Spencer.

Fisher-Blood will be responsible for overseeing diversity and inclusion efforts across Walt Disney Studios and will serve as the primary strategic consultant to Walt Disney’s business leaders, HR partners, and creative leaders including directors, producers, and production leadership.

She will also provide expertise on best inclusion practices and help enhance Walt Disney’s inclusion commitment both inside and outside the company. Fisher-Blood said the appointment is a dream come true to work for the company that had its first BIPOC princess when she was eight years old in Aladdin.

“I was 8 [years] old when the first BIPOC Disney Princess hit the big screen and no words can express how it felt to [finally] see an animated Disney character resemble me on TV, in stores, on lunchboxes at school, on t-shirts at the playground, and much more,” Fisher-Blood said according to the Economic Times.

“With that in mind, it is truly a dream come true to now get the opportunity to work in a role where I will help to ensure others from underrepresented groups get to share those feelings of joy and belonging that 8 [year] old me had when they see a character that resembles them up on the big screen, or perhaps the inspiration felt when they see a BIPOC senior leader with a seat at the table.”

Fisher-Blood has almost a decade of experience in diversity and inclusion as she’s held the same position for CBS, Viacom, and Showtime. Fisher-Blood is also a University of Kentucky alum, founder of Youth Across America, and a past winner of the Ms. California pageant in 2014.

Late last year, the animation company started a task force aimed at recruiting more talent from historically Black colleges and universities. The task force included representatives Disney International, Disney Cruise Lines, and Walt Disney Imagineering.

 

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 14, 2021

How They Doin’: Wendy Williams And Gary Owen Spotted Together At Dinner In New York City

Even though Gary Owen is entangled in a pretty messy divorce battle with his estranged wife Kenya Duke, the comedian might have the hots for the queen of “Hot Topics” herself, Wendy Williams.

After the 46-year-old Owen appeared on The Wendy Williams Show last week, the odd duo linked up and was seen having dinner at the reopening of Scotto’s in New York City on Thursday.

Williams, 56, admitted on her show that she found Owen attractive, telling him he “stuck out to” her during the filming of the “Think Like A Man” movie where they both tackled roles. Williams said during that time, they both were married respective spouses.

Last week, in an Instagram post, the woman aired out her former beau. Duke had plenty to say as she accused Owen of being passive-aggressive, along with some other choice words for him as she claimed he hasn’t paid any bills since April 1.

After Williams and Owen had their dinner date, Duke got word and went on another rant on her Instagram account and blasted Owen again.

“@garyowencomedy you wanted more of my attention, so here I am. I tried not to respond but with so many untruths it was necessary to address your lies and your friend.”

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kenya Duke (@trulykenya)

Owen also mentioned that, although he has been advised not to speak about the divorce publicly, he gave an indication that there will be a surprise to his divorce proceedings.

“My lawyer doesn’t want me to say anything,” Owen said. “We got a lot of legal stuff we gotta go through. But I will say, there’s a big twist in my divorce that a lot of people don’t know about. It’s a doozy, but I can’t speak on it yet. But it’s big. It changed the whole dynamic of the divorce.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 14, 2021

Kanye West Acts Up, Puts On Jesus Mask During Virtual Court Deposition

Controversial billionaire and soon-to-be ex-husband of Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, is currently embroiled in a court case that pits him against a Black-owned company. The company has accused him of using them and its technology to help with his Sunday Service and Yeezy merchandise and then skipping out on the promise to invest in the company.

According to AllHipHop, last August, executives from MyChannel Inc. claimed that they helped Kanye maximize the revenue made from his Sunday Service as well as his Yeezy merchandise, yet, he didn’t follow through on an agreement to invest in their business.

The case has made it to court and it’s been reported that West gave quite a performance that wasn’t worthy of any of the stages he has performed on.

The case was held virtually but MyChannel’s attorneys have filed an emergency motion to bring Kanye into court after he displayed “aggressive” behavior toward MyChannel’s attorney, Michael Popok. AllHipHop was able to obtain official documents that stated that Kanye allegedly referred to Popok, who is white, as “boy” at least 12 times during the heated deposition. The confrontation only lasted about 10 minutes until Kanye terminated the meeting and walked off.

During the virtual session, Kanye reportedly refused to even look at Popok, would not stop playing with his cell phone, as he referred to his own “mental genius-ness” while questioning the attorney by asking him if he was f###### stupid.” And he refused to answer any of Popok’s questions.

And for the finale, Kanye reportedly put on a “full-face hood and head covering adorned with Jesus Christ’s image which obscured his face and muffled his voice.”

“West’s bad faith efforts to sabotage the deposition will be viewed by the Court as one of the most outrageous and inappropriate deposition performances it has observed as well,” Ben J. Meiselas, one of MyChannel’s attorneys stated.

Yeezy needs to take it easy.

Virginia’s Former Gov. Doug Wilder Wants HBCUs to Get $50 Million in Federal Dollars
by Andrea Blackstone

June 14, 2021

Virginia’s Former Gov. Doug Wilder Wants HBCUs to Get $50 Million in Federal Dollars

Former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder and former state secretary of education James W. Dyke Jr are calling on the current governor, Gov. Ralph Northam, to provide $50 million to historically Black colleges and universities. The state is set to receive $4.3 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“I’m not asking for reparations,” Wilder told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I’m asking for what’s right.”

According to the Times-Dispatch, Wilder and Dyke joined forces and wrote a letter to Gov. Northam and other state officials, urging them to allocate $50 million to Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, Hampton University, and Norfolk State University.

They believe the funds are owed to the HBCU’s to address the “long-standing denial of education opportunities” to Black Virginians. The money would be earmarked to cover needs such as scholarships, academic programs, capital projects, and other areas. Black students are mostly educated at underfunded HBCUs, according to Wilder.

http://

 

Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said that Virginia will probably address HBCU finances in December, not during a special session of the General Assembly when Gov. Northam would address the federal aid, according to the outlet.

“The American Rescue Plan Act represents one-time funding, and the state generally won’t use one-time funds to pay for ongoing expenses. Northam already made HBCUs a priority in the budget adopted by the General Assembly this year, Layne said, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Northam is reportedly set to propose a final budget before his December exit when he finishes his term.

According to the Virginia Mercury, in 2019 it was reported that Virginia’s HBCUs have some of the lowest four-and five-year graduation rates, plummeting below 50% compared to most of the schools.

http://

 

Wilder also outlined the disparities that exist with HBCU’s compared to predominantly white institutions.

Glenn Youngkin, who is a Republican running for governor in the state, also sided with Wilder about the HBCU funding matter on Facebook.

http://

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Charlene Rhinehart

June 14, 2021

National Society of Black CPAs Celebrate 1-Year Anniversary As More Accountants Create Generational Wealth in Black Communities

Black CPAs across the country are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants (NSBCPA).

Chartered on June 8th, NSBCPA was organized to increase the number of Black CPAs and provide resources for members to thrive in the profession. According to the organization’s website, Black CPAs are the most underrepresented group within the CPA profession. Surveys have shown that less than 1% of CPAs are Black. Also,  there are less than 3% of Black staff at public accounting firms.

CPA Exam Review Program Helps More Black Accountants

The NSBCPA has been on a mission to change those statistics. During the organization’s first year, the NSBCPA has developed strategic programming and partnerships to further the development and awareness of Black CPAs. The organization has even garnered support from high-profile executive leaders, including Wall Street billionaire Robert F. Smith. In December 2020, Smith pledged $1 million to support Black CPAs.

“Raising Black representation in the financial workforce doesn’t just put more Black people in high-quality jobs. It helps build opportunity and wealth over generations while promoting financial literacy that is so crucial to achieving prosperity,” said Smith. “Representation matters and this program will help aspiring accountants see that they belong in this field.”

Smith’s investment has helped to jumpstart NSBCPA’s one-of-a-kind virtual CPA Exam Review Program (“CPA Breakthrough”). This program helps Black accounting students develop a roadmap for success during all phases of the CPA exam process. Members of the NSBCPA have been instrumental in getting students to the exam finish line. They’ve committed to providing mentorship, motivation, and CPA exam success tips.

“It’s not an easy exam. But who better to make Black CPAs than Black CPAs?” said Felicia Farrar, NSBCPA Chair and founder of the CPA Review Program, during an interview.

Over 100 students have participated in the CPA review program over the past few months. It’s been cited that the four-part CPA exam may even surpass the bar examination’s level of difficulty. Leveraging a group of top instructors and supportive partners, NSBCPA exam review candidates have been to push through the rigorous exam process and cross the finish line.

Partnerships Help More Black Accountants Achieve Success

In the last 12 months, NSCBPA has been able to educate the community, provide members with continuing professional education, and empower CPA exam candidates. But the organization didn’t achieve this success alone. There was a team of partners who believed in the mission and invested in the future of Black CPAs.

So far, the organization has attracted investments from the AICPA Foundation, Deloitte, Intuit, PwC, Wiley, NextEra, GHJ Foundation, Kenton Klaus Charitable Fund, and Wishing Out Loud.

Becker, Gleim, Controllers Council, and CPA Academy have also contributed to the organization’s mission through in-kind donations and partnership opportunities.

“We’re proud to partner with corporate and community partners to increase the number of Black CPAs in the profession,” said Farrar. “This year marked the 100th anniversary of the first-ever Black CPA, John Cromwell. For that and so many other reasons, now is the perfect time to form partnerships that will move the needle in the accounting profession. The next generation needs to know that they can pursue a successful career path as a CPA. These skills will help the next generation to become strategic business advisors. They will play an instrumental role in building generational wealth in black communities.”

NSBCPA has also hired a CEO to increase diversity in accounting initiatives. Executive leader Darryl R. Matthews Sr. was selected to serve as the President and CEO. Matthews brings more than 30 years of diversified leadership experience to the table. With a talented team of dedicated leaders in place, there is no doubt that the organization will make a mark in the accounting profession.

“My vision is to ensure that through effective programming and mentoring we will be the premier membership society of choice for blacks pursuing certification in public accounting, and excellence in their professional endeavors,” Matthews said in a statement.

Toppled Statue Of Francis Scott Key To Be Replaced By African Figures For Juneteenth
by Derek Major

June 14, 2021

Toppled Statue Of Francis Scott Key To Be Replaced By African Figures For Juneteenth

An art exhibit representing the first slaves to arrive in America will premiere on Juneteenth in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park where a statue of Francis Scott Key was toppled last summer.

The “Monumental Reckoning,” will feature 350 black steel sculptures. The exhibit will debut on Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19, the celebration marking the emancipation of slaves in the U.S. two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation The sculptures will represent the first Africans that were brought to Virginia in 1619.

The exhibit will be located where a statue of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the National Anthem, once stood. Black Lives Matter and anti-racism protestors toppled Key’s statue weeks after the death of George Floyd.

“We are standing for justice in that space, for everyone who has been oppressed,” Dana King, the artist behind the exhibit said, according to The Hill.

According to Reuters, a poem Key wrote in 1814 became the anthem and included a line in the defense for slavery. Additionally, Key tried to lobby then-President Andrew Jackson to appoint his brother-in-law, Roger Taney, to the Supreme Court. Taney, who wrote the Dred Scott decision, believed Black Americans could not be U.S. citizens.

The statues will be placed around an empty plinth. Each sculpture will stand four feet high. The project was launched in February and work on the sculptures began in April.

Last year, dozens of statues and Confederate monuments were either torn down by protestors or taken down by local governments in Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Florida.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, a Black man, ordered the removal of several Confederate statues last July after protestors knocked down a statue of Jefferson Davis, the leader of the Confederate Army in June.

“These statues, although symbolic, have cast a shadow on the dreams of our children of color,” Stoney said in a YouTube video. “Let me be clear, removing these monuments is not a solution to the deeply embedded racial injustices in our city and nation, but is a down payment.”

 

 

 

NYPD Officer Breaks Rules, Records Lieutenant Yelling At Him for Being Late
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 14, 2021

NYPD Officer Breaks Rules, Records Lieutenant Yelling At Him for Being Late

A member of the NYPD just singlehandedly changed how police can use their body cameras after he flipped the switch to capture his lieutenant berating him for being late to work.

A 28-year-old White police officer, Christopher Schroeck, dared to turn on his body camera and record Lieutenant Jeffery Gurley, a Black man, who was yelling at him on May 31, The New York Daily News reported. Gurley was reportedly upset that Schroeck showed up late to the Public Service Area 4 stationhouse where officers patrol housing projects in lower Manhattan.

“Which one are you going to do? Which one are you going to do? Are you taping me on your camera?” Gurley can be seen shouting at Schroeck. “Good. Good, cause guess what: You’re not supposed to tape me.”

During the exchange, Gurley can be seen gesturing and pointing and Schroeck and imitating his walk. He reportedly shoved Schroeck before the camera was turned on, Tribune News Service reported. An anonymous source confirmed that Gurley had mocked Schroeck’s walk and compared it to that of the cartoon character Shrek. Though the video is silent, viewers can see Gurley making motions.

“Guess what — now you’re getting a CD [command discipline citation] for recording when you’re not supposed to be recording,” Gurley told Schroeck. “That’s what you’re going to get a CD for. I hope that’s on camera.”

By filming Gurley, Schroeck broke the NYPD’s Patrol Guide banning police from turning on their body cameras in non-enforcement situations or to film routine activities in department facilities. But employment discrimination lawyer Douglas Wigdor argues that Schroeck had good reason to activate his bodycam considering how Gurley was yelling at him.

“If we accept that the officer felt threatened, that could overcome the prohibition,” said Wigdor.

Gurley and a sergeant named Lachard disciplined Schroeck by giving him command disciplines for discourtesy, being off-post, and not signing the patrol log, said sources. When asked for further comments, Gurley directed reporters to the NYPD press office where a spokesperson said the incident is under review, according to The Daily News.

by Andrea Blackstone

June 14, 2021

Black Teen Shot At After Asking for Directions, Graduates High School Early; Heading to College

At the age of 14, Brennan Walker was nearly killed for asking a white man for directions on how to get to his high school. Now Walker is graduating high school early and heading to Florida Memorial University in Miami, according to Detroi’s FOX 2.

“It doesn’t mentally impact me as much as it used to, but I think about the events every day,” Walker told FOX 2.

In 2018, FOX 2 reported that Brennan was simply looking for help at a Rochester Hills home. He knocked on a stranger’s door. A  man confronted the student with a gun, assuming that the lost teenager was trying to break into his house. Brennan—who was unfamiliar with the walking route to Rochester High School— missed his bus because he woke p late. He did not have his cell phone, so he needed a little help.

“I got to the house, and I knocked on the lady’s door. Then she started yelling at me and she was like, ‘Why are you trying to break into my house?’ I was trying to explain to her that I was trying to get directions to Rochester High. And she kept yelling at me. Then the guy came downstairs, and he grabbed the gun, I saw it and started to run. And that’s when I heard the gunshot, Brennan told FOX 2.

The shooter missed. After running and hiding, Brennan escaped becoming another hashtag. The disturbing case ended up making national news.

The man who shot at the teenager was a retired Detroit firefighter named Jeffrey Zeigler. NBC News said that Zeigler was found guilty of assault with attempt to do great bodily harm. An additional charge included addition possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Zeigler was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Brennan was not in a good emotional or mental place; the event impacted his ability to do his schoolwork for a period of time. Counseling and teachers at the Alternative Center for Education in Rochester assisted the student to help him to resume accomplishing goals.

“Eventually I pulled myself together and got through it and I became student council president at the school I was at, and I was also vice president for a while,” Brennan also told Fox 2.

With the additional help of family and friends, Brennan’s story ended on a positive note.

×