BRProud reported that award-winning journalist and nationally syndicated talk show host Tamron Hall is using her voice to raise awareness about the relationship between domestic violence survivors and their pets, through her advocacy of Purina’s Purple Leash Project with RedRover. In the interview, Hall stated that goal with the  project, along with Purina, is by 2025 is to have 25 percent of shelters for survivors of domestic violence to be specially equipped to take the family pet with them.

According to the interview, a year and a half ago, Hall learned that 48% of survivors of domestic violence do not leave their homes where abuse is occurring because they cannot take their pets to the shelter.

“So they know that there is help for them, but they can’t leave that ‘fur family member,’ if you will behind, and I understand that being pet owner and a pet lover. I could never imagine though, being in that situation…and saying, Okay, what do I do?’ Hall said. “And that’s where we want to step in and help people to make that decision to say not only can we help you, but we’re going to help your pet as well.”

Hall lost her sister to a domestic violence issue. She ultimately began shining a light on the tough topic to help others. In 2016, PEOPLE reported that Hall was initially hesitant about sharing a story about her sister who continued a relationship with the man who was later named as the only person of interest in the murder  investigation.

“But due to a lack of evidence, no arrests were made and the case remains an unsolved homicide,” PEOPLE reported in the interview.

Last year, Hall also told told the Guidepost that she uses her voice whenever she can to help victims of domestic violence. She launched the Tamron ♥ Renate Fund  to support Safe Horizon and help victims and their families, in memory of her sister. On the website, Safe Horizon is described as the nation’s leading victim assistance organization which works survivors of all forms of violence.

Hall is making additional progress with advocacy work while currently joining forces with Purina. The information provided on Purina’s website said that The Purple Leash Project began nearly seven years ago, when an associate read about the difficult decision that many domestic violence survivors with pets were being forced to make. Please click this link to learn more about The Purple Leash Project

If you are a fan of the evolution of Black hair and posing for pictures, the DMV is offering a  dash of fun, Black Girl Magic. According to WUSA 9, The Black Hair Experience at the National Harbor is a new pop-up museum located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, with more than 25 art installations. The traveling, interactive museum was inspired by two friends, Alisha Brooks and Elizabeth Austin Davis, who both share a love and appreciation of Black hair and popular culture. 

Facebook photo credit- The Black Hair Experience

“Our exhibit transforms nostalgic moments of shared experiences into
Instagrammable spaces that connect visitors to moments from their childhood, the vibrancy of hair in present-day, and create memories for them to cherish in the future,” The Black Experience’s website states.

Founders Brooks and Austin Davis built their first exhibit in Atlanta but expanded to Maryland due to popular demand, according to WUSA 9.

“We kept getting all kinds of comments and emails saying ‘Where are you going next?’ and believe it or not the DMV was our most requested area,” Brooks said in the interview.

The dcist said that the museum creates a nostalgic experience to celebrate the diversity and evolution of Black hair throughout the decades. Additionally, ticket holders may walk through the eras of Black hair and pose for photo ops throughout the interactive space which combines the founders’ passions for graphic design and photography.

“Austin-Davis travels the country capturing photos of Black women, whether it’s for a specific project or to capture their beauty and union on their wedding day. Brooks owns a merchandise company that features products with sayings from Black women. One t-shirt design says, “My hair is poppin’’’ and another says “Thou shall not touch my hair,” the dcist also mentioned.

Brooks also told the dcist that it was really important for the friends to create installations that tapped into shared nostalgic moments, in addition to creating spaces that foster self-love. The interview revealed that the women wanted to reinforce the message that your hair, no matter how you choose to wear it, is beautiful.

Please visit this link to learn more about visiting The Black Hair Experience in Maryland.

A male basketball coach from the Woman’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been suspended and fined $10,000 due to inappropriate and offensive comments he made about a basketball player.

The basketball coach, Curt Miller, who is the head coach and general manager for the Connecticut Sun is being disciplined because of his body-shaming comments directed towards the Las Vegas Aces’ Liz Cambage.

The WNBA released a statement earlier this week pertaining to the incident.

“Connecticut Sun Head Coach & General Manager Curt Miller has been fined $10,000 and suspended for one game for a comment he made to a game official regarding Liz Cambage of the Las Vegas Aces, the WNBA announced today. Miller, who made the comment during the Sun’s 72-65 win over the Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena, has acknowledged that his comment was inappropriate and offensive. Miller will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Sun visit the Seattle Storm.”

Cambage took to her Instagram to go live to speak about the disrespectful comment.

“If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I will never let a man disrespect me. Ever. Ever. Ever. Especially, a little white one. To the coach of Connecticut, I’m sorry little sir man I do not know your name, but the next time you try to call out a referee trying to get a call being like, ‘Come on, she 300 pounds,’ I’m going to need you to get it right, baby, cause I’m 6-8, I’m weighing, I just double-checked because I love to be correct and give facts, I’m weighing 235 pounds and I’m very proud of being a big b*tch, a big buddy, big Benz baby. So, don’t ever try to disrespect me or another woman in the league.”

“I don’t know if that’s how coaches run, like you try to disrespect women like that from the sideline? You’re so lucky that it was during a game,” Cambage added. “That little man, like little, tiny, where is you? Stop trying to protect your insecurities baby. Pick up the phone, call the psych, because you’re projecting some bullsh*t.”

Liz Cambage called out Sun HC Curt Miller for offensive comment about her weight during Aces-Sun game last night

Miller, who apologized Monday, has been fined $10K and suspended one game pic.twitter.com/sOjyF5FRPg

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 24, 2021

The coach released a statement apologizing for his comment.

Curt Miller has since released a statement:

“During last night’s game, while arguing a call with an official, I made an inappropriate and offensive comment in reference to Liz Cambage’s height and weight…” (continued in next tweet) pic.twitter.com/3T8F2PVsdn

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) May 24, 2021

“…I regret what I said in the heat of the moment and want to sincerely apologize to Liz and the entire Aces organization. I understand the gravity of my words and have learned from this.”

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) May 24, 2021

A Virginia rapper is facing federal charges like unlawful entry and disorderly conduct for his new album cover.

He unwittingly thought it would have been a great idea to picture himself posing on a SWAT vehicle during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Antionne DeShaun Brodnax, aka Bugzie the Don, had ample warning to remain anonymous, but apparently the clout was too big to pass up. He tweeted in February and and posted the image to Instagram in May, The Washington Post reported.

“The Capital,” the cover of his album, shows Brodnax chilling on a SWAT truck as chaos unfolds in the background, The Hill reported.

Originally, Brodnax was in D.C. to shoot a music video, but when he saw a huge crowd of Donald Trump supporters, he followed them into the Capitol building and took photos of the building’s architecture, according to an affidavit.

Related stories: RAPPER J. COLE SIGNS CONTRACT TO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY FOR BASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE

“Brodnax followed the crowd to the United States Capitol Building and entered the building after United States Capitol Police moved the gates that blockaded the door,” the affidavit said.

It was only after he left the riot nearly 40 minutes after that he was contacted by his loved ones about it who seen him on a CNN broadcast.  Brodnax told investigators that he did not enter the Capitol to engage in violence or commit theft.

Available footage from CNN does not show Brodnax breaking or stealing anything, but it does show him walking between two rope lines that signals do not enter.

Regardless he seemed more interested in taking pictures, even CNN footage has him asking people to take his photo behind a statue.

Brodnax is one nearly 500 alleged rioters who have been identified in the capitol insurgence. Business Insider reported that 491 people have been arrested to date.

This young woman doesn’t seem like she is stopping anytime soon!

According to Sportico, tennis champion, Naomi Osaka is the world’s highest-paid woman for the second straight year! The talented multi-racial sports star and entrepreneur has earned a record $55.2 million (For a woman athlete) over the previous 12 months. Osaka has made $5.2 million from her tennis winnings while making an estimated $50 million when she is not serving the tennis ball. The highest-paid woman comes in at No. 15 in Sportico’s ranking of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes.

The $50 million that the tennis pro reeled in last year from endorsements is only bested by three other active athletes: Roger Federer ($84 million), LeBron James ($70 million), and Tiger Woods ($62 million).

“Being a woman has made her even more attractive for sponsors,” said Stuart Duguid, the IMG agent who is handling Osaka’s marketing hustle. “There’s a big push to invest in women in sports.”

Earlier this month after announcing that the tennis champion has just expanded her investment portfolio with a partnership with health-driven fast-food chain sweetgreen, she was named as the 2021 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.

It was also reported that Nike announced that Naomi Osaka’s Play Academy is expanding to Los Angeles and Haiti, while also collaborating with local sport-based organizations that are helping to encourage the next generation of girls who can enjoy play and engage in sports participation.

Late last month, Osaka launched her own skincare line, Kinló. The beauty line will focus on the needs of Blacks and People Of Color (POC).

Osaka’s website states that the tennis star, who is now based in Florida, was born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father. At the age of three, Osaka moved to the U.S. and in 2013, she started a professional tennis career.

The current champion has just stated that she will not be doing interviews at the current French Open because “people have no regard for athletes mental health and this rings true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.”

 

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• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 28, 2021

Bill Cosby Denied Parole After Refusing Sex Offender Treatment Program

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The man who was once known as “America’s Dad” across the country for many years, has been denied parole after the entertainer refused to participate in a sex offender treatment program.

According to USA Today, 83-year-old Bill Cosby who is currently serving a three to 10-year sentence in a Pennsylvania state prison has been denied parole nearly three years into his sentence. He is in the third year of his sentence after being convicted of sexual assault in 2018.

The comedian currently serving his prison term at State Correctional Institution at Phoenix, which is a state prison located in Skippack Township, Pennsylvania. To be considered for parole, the Pennsylvania State Parole Board had stated that Cosby not only needs to complete a treatment program, but he must maintain a “clear conduct record.”

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

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

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

 

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A post shared by Bill Cosby (@billcosby)

Last year in April, as prisoners across the country were being released to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, the counsel for Cosby had put in a request to allow him to receive an early release and be placed on home arrest. That request was denied by Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf.

Back in 2018, Cosby was sentenced to serve three to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his home in 2004. More than 60 women had accused the actor of sexual misconduct. The actor is currently serving his sentence at the SCI Phoenix facility outside Philadelphia.

The US Army is expanding its hair guidelines to be more inclusive toward those who wear their hair in braids, locs, or twists.

Earlier this month, the Army announced that women can now wear their hair in ponytails in all uniforms, NPR reports. For years, female soldiers were only allowed to wear their hair in a tight bun. Now with the guideline updates, women can add a little more versatility to their updos to include a bun, single ponytail, two braids, or a single braid. The Army noted that pulling the hair into a tight bun could result in hair loss.

For those who wear their hair in locks, braids, twists, or cornrows they can combine their hair into either one or two braids or a ponytail; with their braids or ponytail only allowed to go down as far as to the bottom of the shoulder blades.

The Army made exceptions for ponytail and braid length for those female soldiers doing tactical or physical training. But they didn’t stop there. Women are also allowed to add natural colored highlights to their hair, wear “non-extreme” colored lipstick and nail polish, and earrings for women in combat uniforms. Meanwhile, male soldiers are now allowed to wear clear nail polish.

“Soldiers should avoid using colors that result in an extreme appearance,” as noted by the Army Study Guide. “Applied hair colors that are prohibited include, but are not limited to purple, blue, pink, green, orange, bright (fireengine) red, and fluorescent or neon colors.”

Sgt. Nicole Pierce, a behavioral health noncommissioned officer stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, revealed how “tightening of the bun has really over the years pulled my hair out.” It also led to postpartum hair loss and headaches.

She credits the updated hair guidelines with giving her “happiness of just having the option of how we want to do our hair: bun, ponytail, braids. I’m just excited that we have options.”

• News

by Derek Major

May 27, 2021

Republicans Infrastructure Bill Falls Well Short Of President Biden’s Package

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Reuters – U.S. Senate Republicans unveiled a new $928 billion offer to revitalize America’s roads, bridges and broadband systems on Thursday, which fell well short of President Joe Biden‘s latest infrastructure proposal but proved substantial enough to keep negotiations alive.

The eight-year plan, from a group of six Republicans led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito, represents their counter-offer to a week-old $1.7 trillion https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-says-it-has-pared-down-infrastructure-proposal-17-trillion-2021-05-21 White House proposal that removed more than $500 billion from Biden’s original $2.25 trillion plan in a bid to reach a bipartisan agreement.

Biden, who had imposed an unofficial end-of-May deadline on infrastructure talks, spoke to Capito by telephone and later said he invited her to contact him again next week, adding: “I told her we have to finish this very soon.”

Capito, the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, described her call with Biden as “very positive.” She told reporters on Capitol Hill: “He didn’t make any commitment as to the substance, but he wants to continue working. Our teams are getting together … I got clear direction from him, so that’s good. Keep moving forward.”

The Republican proposal includes $506 billion for roads, bridges and major projects, with another $98 billion allocated to public transit. But just $257 billion of the funds represent an increase over existing spending plans, a feature that caught the attention of the White House.

“We remain concerned that their plan still provides no substantial new funds,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement that also said the means to pay for the Republican proposal remained unclear.

Republicans proposed using funds previously authorized for COVID-19 relief to fill a $575 billion gap between expected revenue from the U.S. Highway Trust Fund and the offer’s $928 billion top line.

“We are worried that major cuts in COVID relief funds could imperil pending aid,” the White House statement said.

A primary reason for the gap between the two sides is that each has a different definition of “infrastructure.” Republicans want the bill limited to physical assets, such as roads, airports and pipes, while the White House aims to include social spending programs and education.

Senator Roy Blunt said Republicans are willing to consider other means of paying for the plan, including a fee on electric vehicles and nearly $350 billion in “public-private” investments identified by business leaders.

Reaction among Senate Democrats was mixed.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper said he was encouraged by the proposal and called for negotiations to continue.

Other Democrats flatly rejected the idea of using COVID-19 relief money for infrastructure as a non-starter, while Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown called the offer too small: “We want to go big, the public wants us to go big. They need to pay attention to what the public wants.”

Some Senate Democrats have been pushing to go it alone if Republicans do not reach an agreement soon.

Capito warned that any decision to move forward on a Democratic infrastructure plan without Republican support could have consequences for legislation down the road. “A partisan reconciliation process would be destructive to our future bipartisan attempts,” the West Virginia Republican said.

RELATED CONTENT: Lawmakers Introduce Infrastructural Legislation for HBCUs and It’s About Time

Senate Democrats could pass a bill without Republican votes through a process called reconciliation that bypasses the chamber’s rule that requires most legislation to have 60 votes to pass. They did so earlier in the year to pass a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.

But with the chamber divided 50-50, every Democratic senator would have to agree to the maneuver. Multiple moderates have raised concerns about using reconciliation again.

The White House has expressed willingness to negotiate on some of the finer details but has said it wants a large package that expands the definition of infrastructure to include items such as free community college and paid family leave.

To pay for it, the administration has said it is open to any ideas as long as they don’t include asking Americans earning less than $400,000 to pick up the bill.

Republicans initially proposed a $568 billion https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/republicans-vs-biden-whats-their-infrastructure-plans-2021-04-22, five-year plan and increased the top line to around $800 billion over eight years when the two sides met on Capitol Hill on May 18, according to the lawmakers.

(Reporting by David Morgan; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Susan Cornwell, Jarrett Renshaw, Nandita Bose and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman and Daniel Wallis)

• Entrepreneurship

by Andrea Blackstone

May 27, 2021

Black Winemaker Receives a Sizable Boost From Alcohol Giant

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Constellation Brands Inc.—a leading alcohol and beverage distributor—announced that it has acquired a minority stake in the fast-rising rosé label, La Fête du Rosé. According to the press release, the Black-owned brand, which was created by winemaker Donae Burston, caters to diverse drinkers who share common interests across travel, food, experiences, and wine. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

On May 13, Miami-based La Fête du Rosé posted a Facebook message stating that in 2020, Constellation Brands Inc. announced that they would invest $100 million in African American/Black and minority-owned businesses in the beverage alcohol space and adjacent categories by 2030.

“We are happy to share that La Fête du Rosé is the first company to secure an investment from Constellation Brands Ventures. We are 100% committed to our mission of dispelling rosé stereotypes and building a brand that authentically speaks to diverse and multicultural consumers,” the post said.

CBS Miami also reported that Jennifer Evans, Constellation Brand Inc.’s vice president of Ventures, wrote in an email that Burston created a truly unique and distinctive lifestyle brand. It is believed the rosé category continues to have a lot of growth potential. Additionally, Evans credited La Fête du Rosé’s consumer-first approach to building a brand that reflects today’s multicultural consumer values, according to CBS Miami.

Burston’s win with securing the partnership will allow the brand to soar to new heights.

“For so many minority-owned businesses, the hardest part is access to capital and infrastructure,” Burston also said in the CBS Miami interview. “We want to continue to grow and grow the right way while maintaining our brand’s story.”

The entrepreneur also told Wine Spectator that he wants his wine to be the No. 1 luxury rosé in the world.