White Teacher Put Her Foot On Black Student’s Neck, Outrage Ensued
A Texas teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a picture of her standing above a student with her foot on his neck was released. The image resembled the act that led to George Floyd’s death.
On Wednesday, the Greenville Independent School District responded to the viral picture at Lamar Elementary School by apologizing to parents, Complex News reported.
“My initial thought when seeing the photo was actually disgust and concern for the child in the picture. Again it’s completely unacceptable, it’s completely out of the norm for our community and expectation that we have here at Greenville ISD,” Demtrus Liggins, the superintendent of the Greenville Independent School District, said. “Our community embraces diversity and we celebrate our differences here and we take the safety and dignity and respect of our students and staff very seriously. So to have something like this occur, although I do not have all the details for it since it’s under investigation, there’s no excuse for it.”
However, the picture was staged by a Black 10-year-old boy named Zaelyn Jackson who has a close relationship with his White teacher, who was not identified, according to KXAS-TV, a local NBC owned-and-operated television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas.
Jackson’s mother recalls that teacher told her son to “Make sure you bring this paper back or I’m going to get on to you, and your mama told me to get on to you if I need to…I’m going to put my foot on your neck.”
As a photo opportunity and a lighthearted joke between two friends, Jackson, encouraged by his classmates, got on the ground and posed underneath his teacher’s foot.
The photo was sent as a text to Jackson’s mother, and somehow the picture leaked onto the web. Many rallied to get the teacher fired, but Jackson’s mother defended the teacher.
“She’s a good person, she’s a good woman, I mean everybody is going to feel the way that they feel, and I understand in today’s society you can’t joke like that, you can’t play around like that, maybe it’s just a lesson learned …” Jackson’s mother said. “She assured me that she would never do anything to hurt me or my child, and I know that she didn’t need to tell me that. Her last words to me were, ‘Do me a favor, and regardless of what happens with this situation, never stray away from the fact that I love you, I love your son, and I will never do anything to hurt y’all.'”
GRAMMY® Award Winner, Jonathan McReynolds, Drops Wisdom To Encourage This Generation
One year ago, no one could have ever imagined that life as we knew it would change—indefinitely. Here we are a year later and have finally come to terms with our “new normal.” However, many are still struggling and experiencing the aftershock in their private lives. Jonathan McReynolds is a highly anointed creative and cultural influencer whose music artistry has a global reach that transcends generations from millennials to baby boomers.
Last month, he won his first GRAMMY® at the 63rd Annual Awards Premiere Ceremony for Best Gospel Performance/Song for his Billboard Gospel No. 1 hit single “Movin’ On.” “I was hoping to be considered for a GRAMMY one day, but still was completely stunned when it actually happened. Everything about the songwriting, recording, release, and friendship was unique and special. Just how God wanted it to be.”
As a 30-something millennial, packs a wealth of wisdom and experience on navigating various life areas. It’s no secret that stress, depression, and anxiety have soared since the breakout of the pandemic. According to the National InstitMcReynolds ute of Health (NIH), a recent study has shown that the prevalence rate of all forms of depression was 20%, anxiety 35%, and stress 53% in a combined study population of 113,285 individuals. Depression, anxiety, stress, sleep problems, and psychological distress in the general population were found to be higher due to the pandemic.
In a prior forum McReynolds conducted with GRAMMY® Award-winning Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, they both admitted to experiencing some of these same issues in the past. They also discussed the medical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the conditions. Although they could not make or give any medical advice or consultation, they could share some aids such as taking advantage of therapy services, having a good support system and utilizing scripture and prayer as an effective antidote. “Some depression and anxiety can cause one to become isolated by thinking that these problems are unique to us. This is a main reason why there should be safe support systems around us to reinforce that we are not alone.”
Since McReynolds’ musical influence is centered within a faith-based community, he talks about his reflection and introspection during the pandemic. Such as uninterrupted opportunities to make room for God. Given the busyness of our schedules, obligations, and daily demands; it forced us to reevaluate what really matters. Furthermore, that this lockdown season has been an opportune time to literally put into practice what we have learned and have been accustomed to within the four walls of churches especially with the vast number of closings throughout the country. How apropos that a song he penned prior to the pandemic carried a timely message that expresses in part “God make a cathedral out of me.” While it is wonderful to awe over beautiful structures (physical buildings), he believes the most beautiful sight to behold is a continual dwelling place in our hearts unto God.
Speaking of heart—McReynolds has a huge one. Elihu, his nonprofit organization’s mission is to foster understanding among millennials to pursue a deeper understanding of God and their purpose. Also, by celebrating and promoting those that demonstrate God’s wisdom, understanding, and principles. The organization has been in existence for over five years and gives out several $10,000 scholarships annually. The final portion of our interview was dedicated to how to successfully navigate relationships in whatever sphere of influence you find yourself in. He says he has been totally liberated from the thoughts, opinions, actions, and words of people. Whether they were close, afar, or on Instagram!
“I definitely felt overwhelmed with whatever responsibility that I felt to all of ‘those’ people. I’m called to love people, to serve people but TO heal from them as well.”
His hit single, People, reveals the reality of this lifelong inevitably that affects lives every day. He says it really boils down to each individual in how they choose to place and set necessary boundaries required to secure their safety, sanity and maintain a life that glorifies God. He recommends figuring out how would you properly categorize and compartmentalize people in your life so that you can live, learn, forgive, heal, and move forward with no trace of residue left.
Courtesy of Jonathan McReynolds
This pandemic has taught us to pause, discover and realize that many things we were worrying about really did not matter anyway. Determine what needs to be moved up, moved on, or moved out. It starts with a shift in mindset from negative thoughts, doubts, insecurities, and fears. Reconsider all the dead things that do not serve us yet still carry so much baggage and weight. We must know when it’s time to turn the page, even when it comes to our successes/achievements so we won’t get stuck by developing a false sense of security. Now that we have hit the one-year mark into this pandemic, he encourages us to not lose heart or momentum. There is still time to reconsider, reinvent, and rehearse until we finally find that perfect pitch, tone, and key to create our own life’s melody.
American Express Provides $40 Million To Accion Opportunity Fund, An Effort To Aid Underfunded Black Businesses
Aiming to help support underfunded Black businesses, credit card giant American Express is providing the Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) with a $40 million investment.
Calling it the largest single investment the nonprofit lender has ever received, AOF reports the funding will be used for a new program to offer loans and other resources to small business owners in America that have faced insufficient capital issues historically.
With nearly 90% of its clients being people of color, immigrants, and women, AOF offers affordable capital and coaching. A Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), AOF says the investment will allow it to offer more underserved small businesses access to loans. With some 25 years of service, AOF, according to its website, has issued $516 million in capital to business owners.
Over five years, AOF estimates the $40 million will yield more than $125 million in loans for small businesses as the loans are paid back and further lent out in the community. The funding also is projected to create and retain over 10,000 jobs and drive small business growth.
The partnership between American Express and AOF is anticipated to give small businesses the momentum they need in a post-COVID-19 pandemic economy. The fresh funding is essential as lack of capital remains an ongoing problem for Black entrepreneurs. The loans will range from $5,000 to $100,000, carry interest rates as low as 5.99%, and feature no prepayment penalties.
“Investing responsibly in the nation’s small businesses is essential to building a more equitable society. This
program combines access to capital and expert advising to support small businesses that are in a strong position to rebuild and grow in 2021 and beyond. We’re looking to lift up those who have been overlooked and underfunded for far too long,” Luz Urrutia, CEO, Accion Opportunity Fund, said in a statement. “Together with American Express, we’re working to accelerate progress towards an inclusive financial system.
The new investment by American Express is tied to a $1 billion action plan the company announced last fall to enhance diverse representation and promote equal opportunities for colleagues, customers, and communities.
“Our partnership with Accion Opportunity Fund expands on our progress toward providing financial support and education to at least 250,000 Black-owned small and mid-sized businesses by the end of 2024,” said Jessica Ling, vice president, Global B2B Marketing Strategy, Engagement, Enablement at American Express. “We are excited to partner with Accion Opportunity Fund to advance our shared, longstanding commitment to support underfunded communities, enhance financial inclusion and reach as many small businesses as possible that need access to capital.”
Ron Busby Sr., president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers Inc., a leading advocacy group for Black-owned businesses, praised the initiative in a statement.
“This new program between Accion Opportunity Fund and American Express is valuable and vitally important for Black-owned small businesses as they look to the future,” he said. “Equitable, adequate and intentional investing in Black entrepreneurs will help our nation recover faster, become stronger and grow individual businesses to ultimately close generational wealth gaps.”
Small business owners can gain more details and apply for loans here.
Shock G, Digital Underground Rapper and Creator of the Humpty Dance, Dies at 57
It’s been said that tragedies happen in threes. Within the hip-hop world, we’ve witnessed three within the past two weeks. After mourning the deaths of Earl Simmons, known to the world as DMX, Robert Ross, who was Bad Boy Records’ Black Rob, word has come that Digital Underground’s Shock G, real name Gregory Jacobs, has died. He was 57.
According to Billboard, Shock G, who was always known as Humpty Hump in the very successful single and video, “The Humpty Dance” was the lead vocalist of the West Coast late ’80s/early ’90s hip-hop collective Digital Underground. The group featured a young Tupac Shakur before he launched his own successful solo career before being gunned down on Sept. 13, 1996.
An Instagram post from Digital Underground’s Jimi C. Dright Jr., who used the stage name, Chopmaster J, shared the tragic news.
“34 years ago almost to the day we had a wild idea we can be a hip hop band and take on the world through it all the dream became a reality and the reality became a nightmare for some. And now he’s awaken from the fame long live shock G Aka Humpty Hump and Rest In Peace my Brotha Greg Jacobs!!! #digitalunderground 😔”
The cause of death is unknown. Some hip-hop notables and other entertainers acknowledged him via their Twitter accounts.
RIP Shock-G/Humpty Hump. I remember when NWA’s road manager Atron said he had a group called Digital Underground. He played DOWHATCHALIKE video & I went crazy. I had to sample DU on JACKIN FOR BEATS and WHO’S THE MACK. And nobody had a better stage show. A true Bay Area original. pic.twitter.com/skrOoM1Rsv
Man …. Shock G what a tough loss at such a precarious time. Brilliant beyond …such a beautiful free mind Brother. #RestinBeats my man . #Doowhatchalike#DUforever
2Pac as his star ⭐️ was rising telling me about how Shock G, R.I.P.OWER made it happen for him on the track, “Same Song”. Too many gone way too soon. pic.twitter.com/rvDPI5Gj0D
Shocked by #ShockG news! Man I have great memories of this day…I rarely share..and I’m sticking to it but just know I’m feelin this one (( #DigitalUnderground – The Humpty Dance [Club MTV] *1990* https://t.co/5S9NIuPLqZ via @YouTube
Louisville Celebrates The Life of Breonna Taylor With New Museum Exhibit
A new exhibit at Louisville’s Speed Art Museum aims to memorialize the late Breonna Taylor while also celebrating her life through the eyes of the people who knew her best.
Guest curator Allison Glenn had conversations with Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, ahead of putting together the temporary installation, BET reports. Through a team effort that included Taylor’s family members, local activists, artists, and more, Glenn developed the exhibit to commemorate Taylor’s memory and the city she came from.
“First, I spoke with Breonna’s mother, and asked how we might think of her daughter’s legacy, and translated that into the three ideas: promise, witness, remembrance. Then I convened a national panel,” Glenn told the NY Times.
Glenn selected members of the National Advisory Panel to assist her in creating the installation as well as mental health professionals, and researchers. The artist decided to use Taylor’s Vanity Fair cover as the exhibit’s centerpiece, W Magazine reports. The portrait, designed by Amy Sherald, showed the 26-year-old EMT worker dressed in turquoise and wearing the engagement ring she never got the chance to receive from her boyfriend Kenneth Walker.
“A lot of people feel that museums aren’t accessible, aren’t reflective of who they are,” Glenn said. “This exhibition is about a woman who lived in Louisville, whose family lived in Louisville; it’s about what happened to her, and in response to these things. There will be people who may come to the museum for the first time.”
Taylor and Walker were home laying in bed when plainclothes police officers executed a search warrant and forced their way into the apartment, BBC reports. Authorities claimed an officer was struck in the leg by a bullet from Walker’s gun. Three officers returned fire and discharged 32 rounds, FBI ballistics report said. Taylor was caught in the crossfire and died on her hallway floor.
Glenn’s exhibit honoring Taylor has been named “Promise, Witness, Remembrance.” It opened at Louisville’s Speed Art Museum on April 7 and will be on display through June 6.
Homeless Man Made $10,000 From YouTube, Then Evolved into A Successful Entertainment Personality
There is an old saying from a movie called ‘Field of Dreams’ starring Kevin Costner. “If you build it, he will come,” is said to be a variance of the popular phrase, “If you build it, they will come.” Either way, a man from Florida named Lionel Barnes “Lionel B” built a big YouTube channel following. They did come to hear and see The Lionel B Show. According to Barnes’s LinkedIn profile, an American entertainment media personality, artist, and reality show producer, covers various hip-hop news and entertainment items on the radio and on social media. Additionally, Barnes’s videos include audio commentaries layered on top of graphic visuals and stitched-together GIFs.
“As of March 2021, his main YouTube channel boasts over 351,000 subscribers and he has over 89 million views on the platform. He also created an Instagram page that has over 180k followers,” Barnes’s LinkedIn profile said.
Many people would love to attract thousands of YouTube subscribers, but they struggle to crack the code. Barnes’s follower count is not what is most impressive about him. It is his tenacity. According to The Tampa Bay Times, Barnes went from homeless to making $10,000 on YouTube. According the newspaper, Barnes was down on his luck in 2018.
“He’d been let go from his information technology job in Plant City. A rocky relationship had ended. He was soon sleeping in his 20-year-old Mercedes with his teenage son, Lionel Jr. He’d park in front of fast food restaurants in Tampa and use the free internet to apply for jobs. Trying to figure out how to come up with some money, he remembered his old Google AdSense account. The platform allows YouTube video creators — something Barnes dabbled in with little success — to get paid. The more views of a video, and its corresponding ads, the more money,” the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Barnes reportedly said that he has just $38 in the account. Another $100 was needed to receive a YouTube payout, so Barnes worked to figure out a way to make an additional $62 that would eventually enable him to receive the $100.
Barnes reportedly decided to call his YouTube channel The Lionel Barnes Show. Another step was taking advantage of free Wi-Fi after recording and editing celebrity gossip and opinion videos that he uploaded with his cell phone. “Jay-Z Runs Up on Offset About Beyonce” was a video that turned out to be a big payday.
“It topped a million views in a day and kept growing. Barnes checked his Google Adsense account. Soon there was more than $10,000 in it,” The Tampa Bay Times said.
Twitter credit- @OfficialLionelB
Life got better. Barnes LinkedIn page said that after he released the viral video regarding Jay Z and Offset having a dispute, 6 million views were achieved on YouTube in two months, allowing him to quickly gain hundreds of thousands of subscribers as a popular YouTube celebrity blogger.
Barnes is now able to produce and release his own music, while reaching new achievements. According to his Twitter account, Barnes’s face could be spotted on a digital billboard located in New York’s Times Square.
On his website, a brief stint in the military is mentioned, along with attending college, and his natural creative ability. Among his accolades, Tight Grip Media is his own music production company and record label he started.
“For some of his first projects, he produced tracks for hip-hop artists such as Slip-N-Slide Records’ Duece Poppi and caught the ear of Florida rapper Plies. Lionel B also produced a complete album for Saved By The Bell actress Lark Voorhies. He later expanded his company by focusing on the urban entertainment industry and starting 50Fifty Magazine,” Barnes’s website said.
And that is how Lionel B creatively carved out his own niche. Visit Lionel B’s YouTube channel.
Celebrate Mother’s Day With Curated Wines Delivered Straight to Your Doorstep
It’s one thing to keep a stocked wine rack at home, but it’s another thing to ensure that each bottle is unique and of excellent quality. While you can always pick up your favorite vino at your local supermarket. But, you may want to expand your horizons and try out wine that you can’t easily access. The good news is you don’t have to travel to a vineyard or drop thousands to get your fair share of artisanal wine. The Winc Wine Delivery service will curate bottles on your behalf and deliver them straight to your doorstep. They can deliver to your mom’s place, too, just in time for Mother’s Day.
Created by oenophiles, Winc operates under the belief that the experience of getting a great bottle of wine should be as simple as enjoying one. The company concocts and curates hundreds of wines. This ultimately creates a drinking experience that is both easy and pleasurable. Instead of researching, you only have to tell them the types of vino you want.
On the Winc website, you would have to take a Palate Profile Quiz, which helps them deliver your personalized bottle recommendations. After you try a bottle, you can review it. This helps Winc narrow down your next batch, so you only get a better selection of wine every single time. You might get a Pinot Noir now, and then a Cabernet Sauvignon, the next. Sure, it may be unpredictable, but you’ll get what you want each time.
“The proof is in the bottle,” Forbes said of the service. You and your mom can now try it out for yourselves with a $155 credit for only $93.99. You can even get an additional 20 percent discount with the code WELOVEMOM. This nets you a total of 12 bottles delivered straight to you. The service is pretty flexible, too—you have the option to continue to receive hand-selected wines every month after your first delivery, cancel your membership, or skip a month at any time you feel all wined out.
Prices subject to change. Be sure to check if Winc can be delivered to your state.
Stay on Top of Important Business Metrics With This Google Analytics Tool
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Running a business can be complicated, but collecting and analyzing data shouldn’t be. GA Insights offers an easy way to keep up to date with your website and ad metrics. Rated 8 out of 10 on Finances Online, the platform delivers custom reports of your metrics, goals, and statistics straight into the tools your team already uses. You can stay on top of the stats you care about, including your bounce rate, goals, sales, ad spend, and page load time. Reports are received through channels like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or emails. Furthermore, you can have them delivered daily, weekly, and monthly to keep you and your team informed.
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Man Who Pointed Assault Rifle At BLM Considering Running for Senate, The Caucasity
The white man who went viral last summer after he and his wife pointed an assault rifle and gun at a group of Black Lives Matter protestors in St. Louis is reportedly interested in running for the Senate.
Mark McCloskey and his wife Patricia made media headlines after they pointed guns at peaceful protestors who marched past their home. Now, the gun-toting couple is preparing for McCloskey’s possible Senate run. “I can confirm that it’s a consideration, yes,” McCloskey toldPolitico on Tuesday.
McCloskey works as a personal injury lawyer and has positioned himself as a loyal Republican voter since becoming a meme last summer. The couple spoke at the virtual Republican National Convention last year and McCloskey most recently spoke at a Jackson County GOP dinner where he appeared to be testing the waters before announcing an official campaign run, Kansas City reports.
The McCloskeys shot to GOP stardom after they brandished guns at the BLM protestors who were on their way to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson’s home. During his fiery speech at the GOP dinner on Saturday, April 17, McCloskey claimed the protestors threatened to kill him and his wife. He also spoke out against schools teaching race theory lessons to students because they were “poisoning the minds” of youth, he claimed.
“We cannot go forward with the normal political process,” he said. “We cannot send to DC the typical assortment of posers and egotists and career politicians.”
The controversial couple has received support from fellow GOP members since their standoff with the BLM protestors. The McCloskey’s have fundraised for Donald Trump and appeared as special guests at a February gun rights rally at the state capitol.
In October, a grand jury indicted the couple on charges of exhibiting guns and evidence tampering, Yahoo News reports. However, during the Jackson County GOP’s Reagan-Lincoln Day Dinner in Blue Springs, Attorney General Eric Schmitt claimed he was working to get the criminal case against the McCloskeys thrown out.
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