• Education

by Andrea Blackstone

June 8, 2021

Six Schools in Jacksonville will be Renamed Because the Current Names Honor Confederate Leaders

---

Six public schools in Jacksonville, Florida, will be renamed because they are named after Confederate leaders. The Florida Times-Union reported that the change to rename Joseph Finegan Elementary to Anchor Academy; Stonewall Jackson Elementary to Hidden Oaks Elementary School; Jefferson Davis Middle to Charger Academy; Kirby-Smith Middle to Springfield Middle School; J.E.B. Stuart Middle to Westside Middle School; and Robert E. Lee High to Riverside High School would go into effect on Aug. 3, 2021. Superintendent Diana Greene gave it the green light of approval.

“Keeping the names of Confederate generals in our children’s schools is a slap in the face to every African American that attends these schools,” Wells Todd of Take’Em Down Jax told The Florida Times-Union. “Those that oppose the names being changed are acknowledging their support for the Confederacy and all that it stood for.”

First Coast News pointed out that changing school names includes various steps which require money to cover needed expenses, although funds must only come from private funding or beverage contracts. The Jacksonville Public Education Fund said that it is chipping in by helping with renaming expenses. Needs include raising money to cover paint, uniforms, signs, and even gym floors. The fund is serving as a fiscal agent and private donations are allowed.

The debate over school names is far from over. Next up for consideration: schools named for individuals who negatively impacted indigenous people. The Florida Times-Union also reported that Andrew Jackson High School, Jean Ribault High School, and Jean Ribault Middle School are additional schools under consideration on a new renaming list.

A bill introduced by Ashley Smith-Juarez entails beginning a process since renaming is not automatic. Opinions about how to proceed will be voiced by Superintendent Diana Greene,  community members, students, and even PTA groups.

“We began with six schools named for Confederate officers. We should continue with schools that are named for people responsible for systematically marginalizing and killing Indigenous people,” Smith-Juarez said, according to The Florida-Times Union. “It is the place and time in the history of our city and our school district that we are engaging in the process of enacting the renaming policy for alignment to the mission, vision and core values of Duval County Public Schools.”

• News

by Andrea Blackstone

June 8, 2021

F.D.A. Approves Alzheimer’s Drug, Hope is Needed Within the African American Community

---

Alzheimer’s disease remains a major health concern in the Black community. The Food & Drug Administration’s recent approval of Biogen’s drug called Aduhelm (aducanumab)to fight the disease in patients diagnosed with the disease could bring hope to patients and families of color.

“This approval is significant in many ways. Aduhelm is the first novel therapy approved for Alzheimer’s disease since 2003. Perhaps more significantly, Aduhelm is the first treatment directed at the underlying pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, the presence of amyloid beta plaques in the brain,” Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director, FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research wrote on the agency’s website. “The clinical trials for Aduhelm were the first to show that a reduction in these plaques—a hallmark finding in the brain of patients with Alzheimer’s—is expected to lead to a reduction in the clinical decline of this devastating form of dementia.”

According to a special report, Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America, presented by the Alzheimer’s Association, there is a higher percentage of elderly Black and Hispanic Americans who have Alzheimer’s, or who experience missed diagnosis, when compared to white elderly Americans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided concrete numbers in 2018.

“Among people ages 65 and older, African Americans have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (13.8 percent), followed by Hispanics (12.2 percent), and non-Hispanic whites (10.3 percent),” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Researchers estimate these numbers to increase, by 2060, 3.2 million Hispanics and 2.2 million African Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as deaths from other chronic diseases declines and more people survive into older adulthood.

The urgency in improving Alzheimer’s treatment is building. Dr. Cavazzoni mentioned that the disease ranks sixth when it comes to causes of death in the U.S. She also pointed out that as Americans grow older, the number of Americans who live with it is expected to exceed the current 6 million mark. Aduhelm’s approval could offer a step in a positive direction, but it has garnered some debate.

“We know that the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee, which convened in November 2020 to review the clinical trial data and discuss the evidence supporting the Aduhelm application, did not agree that it was reasonable to consider the clinical benefit of the one successful trial as the primary evidence supporting approval,” Dr. Cavazzoni also said.

Despite differing perspectives, approval of the drug was granted under the “Accelerated Approval pathway.” The FDA’s press release explained that drug approval for a serious or life-threatening illness can be granted through the program, if it could provide meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing treatments, despite uncertainty about the drug’s clinical benefit.

Hitmaker and auto-tune legend Faheem Rasheed Najm, who you may know as T-Pain, has recently started his own podcast and made a revelation on it that may be news to most and fodder for others.

In a conversation that also served as a combined podcast offering with former heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson and his newly launched podcast, Nappy Boy Radio podcast, T-Pain revealed that his hit song, “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper)” was originally done as a private joke directed toward one of his friends. That is until Outkast member Antwan André Patton, aka Big Boi, gave him the approval.

“My homeboy was tryna save strippers in the club,” he said. “The song was a joke. I was literally making fun of him. We was just f@&king around in the studio and Big Boi said it was dope so I said, ‘Yep, it sure is, OK.’

“Discussing my first discovery of Auto-Tune with @miketyson and @sir_bash_alot on @nappyboyradiopodcast 🎙 Listen and subscribe now on Apple Podcasts #LinkInBio #NappyBoyRadioPodcast“

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by T-Pain (@tpain)

(Full interview down below)

According to Deadline, the auto-tune king announced last month that he was launching Nappy Boy Radio, a podcast and video podcast series, after striking a deal with LiveXLive Media’s podcast platform PodcastOne.

“Too many conversations and interactions I was having with various people kept ending in the same way, with me saying, “Damn, we should have recorded that,” so we decided to do just that and launch the Nappy Boy Radio podcast. Partnering with PodcastOne, a company that is talent first,’ was a no brainer for us,” said T-Pain.

“At PodcastOne, we seek hosts who are charismatic and engaging with something to say that audiences want to hear. T-Pain is all that and more. His innate curiosity and interest in the world around him and the people who live in it offers up endless possibilities for show content and we cannot wait to launch Nappy Boy Radio with T-Pain,” said Kit Gray, president of PodcastOne.

Calvin Broadus is now affiliated with one of the most historical hip-hop labels in the U.S.

The rapper we all know as Snoop Dogg has become an executive creative and strategic consultant at Def Jam Recordings. He made the announcement on his Instagram account on Monday.

“You may wonder, why so late in my career would I want to work at Def Jam Records? Let me tell you why. As a kid, as a young rapper, Def Jam Records was the Holy Grail of hip hop. It was the label all of the artists communicated, connected, put out great music, great videos, movies and they were always on tour together. They were always doing things together. They were like a family. Their street team, the radio team, the executives. They were hip, they made video games, comedy shows. They did all types of shit that I wanted to be a part of.

“Then Death Row Records happened, so I didn’t get a chance to be on Def Jam, but I always had a dream to be on Def Jam, and to be in a place where hip hop was originated. So when I got the opportunity, my main focus on Def Jam Records was to go and help the artists and give them love and give them wisdom, guidance, and understanding and teach them the tricks that I learned in the game to diversify their portfolios, to not just be rappers and not just be artist, but to be superstars, superheroes so to speak.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg)

According to Variety, the multitalented artist will have an immediate focus on A&R and creative development. Snoop Dogg will be reporting to Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO Lucian Grainge and Def Jam interim Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Harleston.

In a written statement, Harleston said: “I have had the pleasure knowing and working with Snoop Dogg for more than twenty years. Not only does Snoop understand what it takes to be a successful artist, he is one of the most creative, strategic, and entrepreneurial people I know. Snoop has a genuine passion for the label and the culture, and we are all excited to have Snoop join the Def Jam Family.”

• News

by Derek Major

June 8, 2021

Republican Negotiator Says No To Idea Of Quick Infrastructure Package Agreement

---

Reuters – The U.S. Senate Republican leading her party’s efforts to hammer out an infrastructure agreement with President Joe Biden said she did not expect a deal to emerge on Tuesday as she waited to see when talks might resume.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito, the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, had been due to speak to Biden on Tuesday, according to White House officials, but told reporters by midday that she had not heard from him.

“I don’t think we’ll come to an agreement today, but I still believe that there’s a deal to be had here. And I think that’s why we’re both willing to keep talking,” said Capito, who is leading a six-member Senate Republican team in infrastructure talks with the administration.

The two parties remain far apart https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/republicans-vs-biden-whats-their-infrastructure-plans-2021-04-22 on one of Biden’s major domestic policy goals, disagreeing on how much to spend, how to pay for it and even what constitutes infrastructure.

Asked if there was a good chance for a deal, Capito replied: “I think there’s a chance. I wouldn’t say good.”

She rejected the idea that her next round of talks with Biden could be make-or-break for a bipartisan package. “This is going to be more of an ongoing conversation,” she said.

Another Republican on Capito’s negotiating team, Senator Roger Wicker, told reporters: “We need to keep talking.”

The White House is seeking a $1.7 trillion package that includes spending on roads, bridges, education and home healthcare, while Capito has offered a more modest $928 billion proposal that Biden has dismissed as too small.

“I’m working hard to find common ground with Republicans when it comes to the American Jobs Plan, but I refuse to raise taxes on Americans making under $400,000 a year to pay for it,” Biden said on Twitter on Tuesday. “It’s long past time the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share.”

On Friday, the White House said Biden also plans to engage with senators from both parties about a “more substantial package,” signaling the administration was exploring options beyond the Capito discussions.

A bipartisan group of senators was continuing to meet on a possible alternative plan amounting to nearly $900 billion. One of those lawmakers, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, told reporters that his group’s plan could come to the foreground if talks between Capito and Biden failed.

“We’re nailing down exactly where we are,” Republican Senator Mitt Romney, another member of the bipartisan group, told reporters.

The clock is ticking. Later this week, Biden leaves on the first foreign trip of his presidency, to attend a G7 Summit in Cornwall, England.

Democrats are also keenly aware of the risk that they could lose their narrow majorities in either or both chambers of Congress in next year’s midterm elections, which would give Republicans the power to block most of Biden’s agenda.

(Reporting by David Morgan, additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

With the recent reports of comedian Tiffany Haddish producing and starring in the story of famed Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner, another young Black woman athlete almost came close to breaking Flo-Jo’s record time in the 100 meters.

According to ESPN, Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has become the second-fastest woman of all-time behind 100 meters world record holder and former Olympian, the late Florence Griffith-Joyner. Fraser-Pryce clocked a time of 10.63 seconds at a meet in Kingston, Jamaica.

Behold this 10.63 (1.6) PR BOMB from World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
She’s now second fastest of all time behind only Flo-Jo. Let the games begin! pic.twitter.com/U4UcyKngrS

— Ato Boldon (@AtoBoldon) June 5, 2021

⁠⁠
She took to Instagram to celebrate her recent accomplishment.

“Look at God!! I have worked and prayed for this moment.⁠⁠

“It’s so important to walk in your purpose and hold onto your dreams. When you combine faith with hard work, ANYTHING⁠⁠ is possible. Focus on the little things you can control and the bigger picture will come together by itself.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
“Here I am, Zyon’s Mommy, 34yrs old & ⁠⁠
The Fastest Woman Alive!!!⁠⁠
⁠⁠
⁠⁠
#Pryceless #MommyRocket #RocketNation”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (@realshellyannfp)

Griffith-Joyner still holds the women’s 100m world record of 10.49 seconds, which she set in Indianapolis back in 1988, as well as the three fastest times ever, with 10.61 and 10.62, also done in 1988.

According to The Washington Post, after the race, Fraser-Pryce told reporters, “Coming out here today, I never expected I would run 10.6, and I think that’s a good thing because there was no pressure. I just wanted to get one run in before national championships, and that’s what I was looking forward to. I’m at a loss for words because 10.6 has been a dream, a goal. I’ve been working so hard, been so patient and to see it finally unfold, I’m just ecstatic.”

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 8, 2021

Teyana Taylor Becomes First Black Woman to Be Named Maxim’s Sexiest Woman Alive

---

Leave it up to Teyana Taylor’s signature ripped body to land her on the cover of Maxim as its first Black Sexiest Woman Alive.

The Coming 2 America actress became a trending topic on Monday after word spread on her historical magazine cover. The singer/director/actress covers the July/August issue after topping Maxim’s hot 100 list, Essence reports.

“I’ve followed Maxim for a long time and I’ve always felt like I should be on the cover,” Taylor said. “So to actually get the call saying they want me on the cover really means a lot. I was like, what? They want me on the cover? Okay!”

The jack of all trades works hard as a music artist, dancer, entrepreneur, wife, and mother of two daughters 5-year-old Junie and her baby girl Rue Rose. She also lends her skills to fashion brand Pretty Little Thing as its creative director and prides herself in her work as a music video director.

“Honestly, directing is one of the best things that I’ve ever done, and one of my favorite things in my career that I’m doing, ‘cause I kind of always had that eye,” she said.

She gained worldwide attention when she starred and choreographed Kanye West’s 2016 music video for “Fade.” Her NBA player husband Iman Shumpert and daughter Junie also appeared in the video following a standout dance performance from the Harlem native.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jimmy Neutch- Shumpert (@teyanataylor)

The 30-year-old took to Instagram to express her excitement about her history-making magazine cover.

“As an entrepreneur, wife, a busy mother of two & working behind the lens in my director bag I tend to hide behind my sweats & vintage tees, My “Spike Tey” glasses, and whatever hairstyle I’ve mustered up that day,” she said in the lengthy caption. “So as you can see I don’t have much time to be and feel sexy. This particular day was dope because it made me see another side of myself.”

• News

by Andrea Blackstone

June 8, 2021

Black Employees May Find Relief Working From Home, But Not All Can

---

The CDC conducted a study which concluded that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines effectively reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection by 91% when individuals have been fully vaccinated. While the world is opening up, due to COVID-19 vaccines and preventative measures being in place, many employers are crafting plans for employees to return in person to the office. Do Black employees want to give up working at home remotely in exchange for working with co-workers face-to-face? Not everyone does.

The Marketplace said that a business consultant named Vanessa Zamy does not have to endure incidents of people locking their car doors when she passes by going to or coming from work while telecommuting. She also does not have to face as many microaggressions, or episodes involving someone touching her hair. Zamy’s experiences and feelings are not isolated.

“While a majority of U.S. employees (61 percent) report experiencing or witnessing discrimination based on age, gender, race or LGBTQ identity at work, the survey also finds that more than three in four (77 percent) employees say their company employs a diverse workforce suggesting that the prevalence of discrimination at work may not improve unless something is proactively done,” recruiting site Glassdoor reported in 2019.

Has much changed since then? Paradigm conducted an online survey among 2,035 adults ages 18 or older, between May 4–6, 2021. The findings stated that a large percentage of people desire their employers to provide an inclusive workplace.

“The majority of people—66%—think businesses should take action on racial injustice issues. People also want to talk about racial injustice at work—68% said they believe people should be able to discuss the topic at work. While this belief was more prevalent with people ages 35-44, a strong majority of respondents across every age group agreed,” Paradigm concluded.

Also, a large percentage of people now believe that racial injustice is bigger than they previously believed before recent events occurred. But according to Marketplace, Lynn Perry Wooten, who is president of Simmons University, said that some people are questioning if normalcy will return. Racial discussions and incidents can still make people uncomfortable or nervous.

“People are scared to go back to work,” Wooten told The Marketplace.

Wooten—who also specializes in organizational management—said that Black workers are informing her that they are concerned that promises of diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment will not come to fruition in companies where they are employed. Wooten mentioned that the reason why employees do not want to return should be evaluated, but the conversation should not stop there.

“And what can I do to ensure that my culture is welcoming and inclusive?” Wooten said to the Marketplace.

The Economic Policy Institute brought up the point that not everyone can work from home. A person’s job type is one key reason.

“Only 16.2% of Hispanic workers and 19.7% of Black workers can telework,” The Economic Policy Institute reported.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 8, 2021

Chicago Barbershop Owner Charged After Killing Customer Who Refused to Pay

---

The owner of a Chicago barbershop is being held on bail after he allegedly shot and killed a customer who refused to pay.

Forty-year-old Deshon Mcadory is charged with first-degree murder after fatally shooting one of his customers at the Studio 914 barbershop in Maywood last Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Thirty-year-old Christian McDougald lost his life after he refused to pay for his haircut, Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Meehan said.

McDougald’s dispute moved outside with everyone leaving except for Mcadory. He shot McDougald once in the chest after he followed the shop owner to the back door, Meehan said. McDougald’s body was discovered by responding officers and taken to Loyola University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Surveillance footage from the scene identified Mcadory as the shooter with the gun associated with the shooting being found in a coat believed to be the shop owners. His arrest led to his business partner, 43-year-old Samuel Williams, also being arrested after cops found three other guns at a workstation belonging to Williams.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG5oIo2DNKo

With Williams having a criminal history that includes four previous felonies, he was charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. He appeared in court on Sunday alongside Mcadory and was given bail set at $25,000, NBC Chicago reports.

Mcadory’s attorney, Anthony Burch, claims his client was acting in self-defense and noted his Firearm Owners Identification card and a concealed carry permit. Burch says Mcadory was “retreating” back into the barbershop when McDougald approached him as the “aggressor.”

Burch described Mcadory as a lifelong Cook County resident who works hard and provides jobs to the community. He employs eight contractors and supports his two sons who are still in college. Judge David Navarro set his bail at $250,000. He is expected in court again Wednesday along with Williams.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 8, 2021

No Protests Over Police Shooting of Black Man in Hawaii Points to Possible Racial Bias

---

Lindsay Myeni is left heartbroken after she moved back to her home state of Hawaii because she felt it would be safer to raise her two Black sons there compared to other states in the U.S.

But just three months into living in Honolulu, her South African husband Lindani Myeni was shot and killed by police officers, ABC News reports. While in most cities, local residents would respond in the form of mass protests, Hawaii has been utterly silent about the details surrounding Myeni’s death.

“We never thought anything like this would ever happen there,” Lindsay told the Associated Press. “We were refreshed to be back to somewhere that is so diverse.”

Hawaii’s response to the fatal police shooting paints a different picture than the one many Americans consider the state to be. The Myeni’s moved to Hawaii in January in hopes that it would be safer for their two sons.

Black people in Hawaii make up just over 3% of the state’s 1.5 million population but somehow still account for 7% of arrests, via U.S. Census Bureau. The possible racial bias from police is what’s being pointed out in Myeni’s case.

According to Kenneth Lawson, a Black professor at the University of Hawaii’s law school, one main reason for the lack of public response to Myeni’s killing is due to police only revealing “what they want us to see.”

Police reports claim Myeni entered into a home that wasn’t his and took his shoes off. This prompted one frightened occupant to call 911. Upon police arrival, Myeni reportedly ignored the officer’s commands to get on the ground and allegedly attacked one officer leaving him with a concussion. Bodycam footage doesn’t show much since it was dark at the scene. But three gunshots can be heard going off before cops yelled out “police.”

Lindsay believes her husband mistook the residence for a Hare Krishna temple located next door. She has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Honolulu police saying they were “motivated by racial discrimination towards people of Mr. Myeni’s African descent.”

But retired police chief Susan Ballard claims officers responded to Myeni’s actions, not his race. “This person seriously injured the officers and their lives were in jeopardy,” Ballard said.

Lindsay has taken her children to her husband’s home country in South Africa.

“Hawaii is my home, so I really feel like I broke up with my country and my state and like maybe I’ll go back there one day,” she said. “It’s really hard to say, but right now I just can’t fathom even visiting.”