First Black Woman Police Chief of Dallas Resigns After Criticism of Police Officers Actions Against Peaceful Protesters
The first Black woman police chief of Dallas announced earlier this week that she intends to resign her position after receiving a lot of backlash for the way she and the Dallas Police Department have been handling the recent racial injustice protests in the city, according to NBCDFW.
Back in 2018, U. Reneé Hall was accused of mishandling the shooting of a Black man who was killed by a white police officer in his apartment. The police officer, Amber Guyger, claimed she thought there was a burglar in her apartment although Botham Jean lived a floor above her and she’d entered his apartment.
On Tuesday, City Manager T.C. Broadnax accepted Hall’s resignation letter. She originally stated she would resign effective Nov. 10, but Broadnax said he asked Hall to stay on until the end of 2020.
“This year has been tumultuous and uncertain. A few more months of her leadership are key for several projects and for a seamless transition within the police department,” Broadnax said in a statement. “In her three years of service, Chief Hall has provided consistent, passionate, resilient and robust leadership to our City. She has implemented a host of reforms that will assist our department as we move forward.”
In 2017, Hall was appointed as the first woman to lead the Dallas Police Department. Hall has been criticized recently for the Dallas Police Department’s response to social injustice protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in late May and early June.
“These past three years have been saturated with a series of unimaginable events that individually and collectively have never happened in the city of Dallas,” Hall wrote in her resignation letter. “I am proud that this department has not only coped with an unthinkable series of events, but we have also managed to implement critical reforms that were clearly needed for the Dallas Police Department to meet our 21st-century policing goals.”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said he was not surprised by the chief’s decision to step down.
“I know that people who commit themselves to careers as police officers face immense challenges and must be willing to make tremendous sacrifices. We demand much from them and especially from our police leaders—and rightfully so because the stakes are incredibly high,” Johnson said in a statement. “On top of those demands, Chief Hall had the burden and the distinction of being the first woman—a woman of color, no less—to serve as the police chief in Dallas. That was not lost on me. I wish her the best in her career and in her life moving forward.”
White Supremacy Will Be The ‘Most Lethal’ Terror Threat In The U.S. Next Year
A draft report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) predicted white supremacy will be the “most persistent and lethal” terror threat in 2021.
Politico reported that in three separate documents, DHS expressed a greater worry about white supremacy than foreign terror groups and election disinformation efforts.
“Foreign terrorist organizations will continue to call for Homeland attacks but probably will remain constrained in their ability to direct such plots over the next year,” all three documents stated.
The language does vary between each report, but the overall sentiment and conclusions are consistent.
“Lone offenders and small cells of individuals motivated by a diverse array of social, ideological, and personal factors will pose the primary terrorist threat to the United States,” the draft reads. “Among these groups, we assess that white supremacist extremists—who increasingly are networking with likeminded persons abroad—will pose the most persistent and lethal threat.”
In a latter section called “The Terrorist Threat to the Homeland,” all three documents delve into further detail on white supremacy.
Each report also stated “Among DVEs [domestic violent extremists], we judge that white supremacist extremists will remain the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland through 2021.
“Violent extremists almost certainly will continue their efforts to exploit public fears associated with COVID-19 and social grievances driving lawful protests to incite violence, intimidate targets, and promote their violent extremist ideologies,” the second and third documents read.
The documents also state white supremacist groups are most likely to use simple tactics such as small arms weapons and IEDs. Many of these groups are disguising themselves as members of otherwise peaceful protests and are instead rioting and smashing windows.
Many believe Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people, killing two, at a Kenosha, Wisconsin, anti-police protest last month, is a white supremacist. Rittenhouse, 17, who resides in Illinois, was given an assault rifle and driven to Wisconsin by his mom the night of the shooting.
A study released in June by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found “in 14 of the 21 years between 1994 and 2019 in which fatal terrorist attacks occurred, the majority of deaths resulted from right-wing attacks.
“In eight of these years, right-wing attackers caused all fatalities, and in three more years, were responsible for more than 90% of annual fatalities. Therefore, while religious terrorists caused the largest number of total fatalities, right-wing attackers were most likely to cause more deaths in a given year.”
President Donald Trump’s obsession with trying to undo everything former President Barack Obama did has kept him seizing every opportunity to trash him as he has called Obama “highly overrated” in an upcoming book by journalist Bob Woodward, according to TheGrio.
Woodward, whose book Rage is being released Sept. 15, had been given access to Trump for 18 wide-ranging interviews. The interviews were recorded by Woodward with Trump’s permission, and various news outlets have obtained copies of some of the audiotapes. They are from sessions between Dec. 5, 2019, and July 21, 2020.
Trump then stated, “And I don’t think he’s a great speaker” as he also added that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un believes Obama is “an a**hole.”
The Washington Post reported that in another conversation, on June 19, Woodward brought up the subject of white privilege, stating that the two of them were both white men of the same generation who had privileged upbringings. Woodward suggested that they had a responsibility to better “understand the anger and pain” felt by Black Americans.
Trump then replied, “No.” Woodward detected Trump’s voice as being mocking and incredulous. “You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn’t you? Just listen to you. Wow. No, I don’t feel that at all.”
Then, in another discussion about race, on July 8, Trump complained about his lack of support among Black voters. “I’ve done a tremendous amount for the Black community,” he told Woodward. “And, honestly, I’m not feeling any love.”
On June 22, they spoke about race relations when Woodward asked Trump whether he thinks there is “systematic or institutional racism in this country.”
“Well, I think there is everywhere,” Trump responded. “I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places.”
When Woodward questioned whether racism “is here” in the United States in a way that affects people’s lives, Trump replied: “I think it is. And it’s unfortunate. But I think it is.”
Black Central Park Birder Turns Incident Into Graphic Novel On Racism
Christian Cooper, the Black man who recorded a white woman calling the cops on him in Central Park, has turned the incident into a graphic novel about racism. It’s a Bird has been published by DC Comics, the home of Batman and Superman.
The digital-only novel connects racism’s daily humiliations and deadly police brutality. The slim, 10-page story is the first in a series called “Represent!” featuring works of writers “traditionally underrepresented in the mainstream comic book medium,” including people of color and the LGBTQ community, Marie Javins, an executive editor at DC, said in a statement.
The main character of It’s a Bird is Jules, a Black teenage birdwatcher. In the story, when Jules attempts to look through his binoculars at birds, he instead sees the faces of Black people who have been killed by the police.
Later in the story, Jules confronts a White woman in the park named Beth walking with her dog off its leash. When Jules faces her, he is backed by the images of several Black people killed in interactions with police. When he turns his back on her, he sees them winged and flying free.
Cooper told the New York Times the graphic novel “shouldn’t be looked at as any one experience, because it’s not. It’s drawn from a whole bunch of experiences and woven together from that—my own and the ones we keep hearing from news reports.”
He added, “What happened to me is minor compared to the fatal consequences for George Floyd later that same day, but it all comes from the same place of racial bias. I am not trying to equate these things. What I am trying to say is: ‘See the pattern.’”
Cooper said the graphic novel is not an exact recounting of his May 25 interaction with Amy Cooper. In the days after the incident, Amy Cooper was fired from her job, and the Manhattan district attorney charged her with filing a false police report.
Christian Cooper refused to cooperate with police after the incident and expressed compassion and support for Amy Cooper in the face of the consequences she suffered.
The incident led to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to push state lawmakers to pass a bill making it a hate crime to call 911 and make a false accusation based on race, gender, or religion. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a similar bill into law last week.
It’s a Bird is available online for free at several digital book and comic book retailers.
‘Girlfriends’ Creator Mara Brock Akil Scores Netflix Deal
Showrunner Mara Brock Akil, the mastermind behind such famous, long-running television series as Girlfriends, The Game, and Being Mary Jane, has signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to create original content.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mara Brock Akil to Netflix,” Channing Dungey, vice president, original series, at Netflix, told Deadline. “Her signature storytelling, authentic perspective, and captivating characters have long entertained audiences and proven to be relevant, timely, and endlessly engaging. We look forward to bringing her distinct voice, vision, and passion to our global members.”
Brock Akil has enjoyed a nice run. In addition to the new deal with the streaming video giant, Brock Akil signed a blind script deal with Fox Entertainment and worked under a deal with Warner Bros. TV that produced Black Lightning on the CW and Love Is for OWN.
“It is a dream to partner with the force of Netflix, for we have the same goals—telling human stories for a global audience,” said Brock Akil, according to Deadline. “I’m excited to have a home that allows me the creative freedom and support to do what I do best—paint portraits and murals of women, Black people, and anyone else whose story is missing from this golden age of television. Representation matters and so does who you build with—I can’t wait to work closely with Channing Dungey and her team to launch some great stories.”
As is the case these days, Brock Akil took to Twitter to celebrate the good news alongside the 20th anniversary of her hit television series Girlfriends.
🚨🚨🚨🚨REALLY BIG NEWS!!!!🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
Netflix has partnered with Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, The Game, Being Mary Jane, Black Lightning) for a multi-year deal to write and produce all-new, original scripted content, as well as other creative projects. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/To4S5gNwoI
The stars were aligned over the holiday weekend as 50 Cent celebrated the series premiere of Power Book II: Ghost with a drive-in screening in the Hamptons.
50 Cent, the executive producer and creative force behind the Power franchise, hosted celebrity guests at TV journalist Jill Rappaport’s horse farm in the exclusive Hamptons neighborhood of Water Mill, New York.
As COVID-19 health concerns continue to loom, social distancing orders were in place: drivers had to pull up in their cars in front of a large screen for the exclusive airing of the first episode. Guests were served car-side with items like lobster rolls, mini pizzas, homemade sea salt popcorn, s’mores in a jar, rose champagne frozé, and bottled margaritas.
Among the notable guests were legendary supermodel Christie Brinkley, actor John Leguizamo, CNN anchor Don Lemon, and the author of Sex and the City, Candace Bushnell.
The Starz original series Power Book II: Ghost, starring Michael Rainey Jr., Naturi Naughton, Mary J. Blige and Cliff “Method Man” Smith, premiered on Sunday, September 6. It airs Sunday, 8 p.m. Eastern, on Stars in the U.S.
Power Book II: Ghost picks up shortly after the earth-shattering events of Power as Tariq St. Patrick grapples with a new world order. His father is dead. His mother, Tasha, faces charges for the murder her son committed. And he has to face the academic rigors of the Ivy League university St. Patrick must attend to earn his inheritance.
Truly on his own for the first time in his life, St. Patrick is forced to split his time between school and hustling to pay for Davis MacLean, the fame-hungry defense lawyer who is his mother’s only hope of getting out of jail. With no better options, St. Patrick turns to the familiar drug game, entangling himself with a cutthroat family, headed by Monet Stewart Tejada, that’s been at it far longer than him. As St. Patrick tries to balance his drug operation with his chaotic life, he figures that the only way to avoid his father’s fate is to become him—only better.
Power Book II: Ghost is executive produced by series creator and showrunner Courtney A. Kemp through her company, End of Episode, and Jackson through his G-Unit Film and Television. Also serving as executive producers are Mark Canton through his Atmosphere Entertainment MM, End of Episode’s Chris Selak and Danielle De Jesus, Shana Stein, and Bart Wenrich. Lionsgate TV produces the series for Starz
Bank of America Allocates $300 Million Towards Racial Equality Effort, Black Businesses and Black Banks
Black businesses and Black banks will get a hefty share of funds tied to Bank of America’s massive pledge to advance racial equality and economic opportunity.
The nation’s second-largest bank just announced its initial progress by directing $300 million to four key areas: $200 million to minority entrepreneurs, businesses, and funds; $50 million to minority depository institutions; $25 million in support of jobs initiative; and $25 million in support of community outreach and Initiatives. The first outlay is linked to the Charlotte, N.C.-based banking powerhouse’s June promise to commit $1 billion over four years to support racial equality.
“These initial investments will address access to jobs and support for small businesses by creating more pathways to employment in communities of color and more support for minority entrepreneurs,” Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, said in a news release.
Some $200 million will be allocated to direct equity investments in minority entrepreneurs, businesses, and funds over four years. That consists of direct equity investments in Black- and Hispanic-owned businesses to help supply growth capital and invest heavily in programs to create future entrepreneurs. The bank expects to make more announcements in this area shortly.
On the banking front, three minority depository institutions will get $50 million from Bank of America. The investments are geared to benefit the communities the banks serve via such means as lending, housing, neighborhood revitalization, and other banking services.
Bank of America will pick up equity stakes of roughly 5% each in these bank holding companies: Detroit-based First Independence Corp., New Orleans-based Liberty Financial Services Inc., and SCCB Financial Corp. in Columbia, South Carolina.
First Independence Corp. is the parent of First Independence Bank. Liberty Financial Services Inc. is the parent of Liberty Bank & Trust Co. Liberty Bank and Trust, along with First Independence Bank, are ranked second and eighth respectively on the BE 100s Banks list.
The commitment comes after multiple recent actions by major corporations to invest with Black-owned banks largely serving their communities in the wake of national protests and racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd. Increasing capital is among the most hardest obstacles for many MDIs, and observers say funding is needed to support and help MDIs survive and keep serving customers.
Other Bank of America commitments include $25 million of grants for jobs initiatives at 11 community colleges that serve mostly Black and Latino students, and 10 public historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions. Another $25 million has been reserved for community outreach, including providing 5 million masks to communities in need, the past two months.
The bank’s $1 billion commitment is run by Anne Finucane, vice chairman of Bank of America and head of environmental, social, and governance (ESG), capital deployment, and public policy.
“Jobs are a critical pillar to address the racial wealth gap in our country, and we’re focused on building a stronger hiring pipeline for Black and Hispanic/Latino students in local communities,” Finucane said. “This initiative leverages the firm’s resources, has dedicated teams focused on it, and expands into local networks and partnerships.”
Black Entrepreneur Creates ‘CultureTags’ Trivia Game During the Pandemic
Ther rise of COVID-19 has caused many businesses to shut down and forced Americans inside amid quarantine and social distancing restrictions to contain the viral outbreak. However, during this time of social isolation, an entrepreneur used created a pop culture trivia game.
Eunique Jones Gibson is the founder of CultureTags, a game based on the language used on social media platforms that have become a part of pop culture in acronyms and abbreviations. The game tests users’ knowledge of different aspects of social media ranging from Black Twitter and special words. Jones Gibson says she got the idea from browsing her Instagram.
“I was on Instagram last October and came across a post on Yaba Blay‘s page that featured an extremely long acronym,” said Gibson in an email interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I knew what it meant immediately. And I wasn’t the only one. There were hundreds of comments from people who knew it as well. The more I scrolled the more I realized that this was a game, especially since this wasn’t the first time I saw people, including myself, decoding acronyms online.”
The new game has already garnered celebrity fans including Katie Couric, Gabrielle Union, and Lisa Price. Gibson says she was inspired to create the new game because there was nothing else like it on the market.
“Prior to seeing the acronym on Yaba’s page, I was searching for an idea for a game because I didn’t feel like there were a lot of options that reflected our culture. And I wanted to create something that could last a while like some of the classics we’ve all grown to love for decades,” she added.
“I also wanted to create a game because games fall within the entertainment category and entertainment is recession-proof. When the government furlough happened, my businesses took a hit. Ever since then I’ve been on the hunt for something that could bridge my passion for culture and community in a long-lasting way. I didn’t foresee the pandemic, but I’m so glad I decided to develop the game. Not to mention they’re fun and bring people lots of joy.”
“This is an incredible opportunity to bring the work of Jerry Lewis and the Muscular Dystrophy Association forward. I’m honored to collaborate with MDA and my organization, to educate and entertain the public about the need to support people with disabilities and disadvantages, because we are all in this together,” Kevin Hart said in a written statement. “I can’t wait to have an incredible night for two critically important causes that are in urgent need of funding and hope.”
The event will bring celebrities like Jack Black, Usain Bolt, Josh Gad, Michael B. Jordan, Eva Longoria, Jillian Mercado, and more together for a purposeful cause. The telethon will be a star-studded evening of comedy and musical performances, utilizing modern technologies for interactive gaming components, as well as give viewers a look at the work of both organizations through exclusive profiles on families, research, and care.
“For decades Jerry Lewis brought the world together through the historic Labor Day telethon, establishing an incredible foundation of help and hope for MDA and the families we serve,” said MDA President and CEO Lynn O’Connor Vos. “The telethon was instrumental in raising awareness and donations that today have been directly linked to the development of life-changing therapies for muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. Kevin Hart and the Help From the Hart organization are the perfect match for MDA to bring the magic and power of the telethon into a new era of giving, and to bring the remarkable stories of strength of MDA families into the hearts and homes of people across the country,” she continued.
“As MDA’s National Ambassador I am excited to be a part of such a fun event alongside Kevin Hart to support MDA as they work to help find a cure for my disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and other neuromuscular diseases,” said 11-yar-old Ethan LyBrand, MDA’s 2020-21 National Ambassador.
Dr. Shaun Fletcher On the Rising Rates Of Depression And Anxiety Among Young Black Americans
For Mental Health Awareness week, BLACK ENTERPRISE is interviewing numerous individuals within the wellness community to talk about the racial disparities that affect the Black community in the hopes of creating a safe place to talk about mental health.
According to a new study by the Commonwealth Fund, Latinx and Black people are among the groups with the highest risk for mental health concerns due to the impact of the COVID-19: roughly 40% of Latino and Black people reporting mental health issues to the pandemic as oppose to 29% of white people.
For Dr. Shaun Fletcher, the findings aren’t surprising. The professor and mental health advocate spoke about the mental health discourse within the Black community for his 2018 TEDx Talk, highlighting how depression and anxiety specifically affect young Black Americans.
BE: How has the COVID-19 pandemic and protests negatively impacted young Black Americans in terms of mental health?
Dr. Fletcher: The confluence of COVID and social unrest sparked by police shootings of young Black people can have significant negative consequences. African Americans are already 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population (Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health), and our children are more likely to be exposed to violence and violent crimes, which are risk factors of mental health anxiety. It stands to reason that seeing more violence and social unrest in our communities only exacerbates those contributing risk factors.
Access to–and trust in–the health care system has been a historical barrier for the Black community, and now with COVID restrictions, many aren’t able to have regular access to culturally familiar mental health coping mechanisms, like family, community, and faith-based gatherings. On top of that, many young Black Americans are trying to reconcile their place in the fight for social justice, which can bring about undue emotional labor, cultural taxation, and even imposter syndrome. All of which are associated with significant mental health anxiety.
With more public figures talking openly about their mental health struggles, do you think more young Black Americans are changing their opinions of mental health? Why or why not?
Yes, I do. We’ve long-realized the power of the media and cultural representation in shaping and shifting opinions on critical subjects. Mental health is no different. While we still have more work to do in terms of surmounting historical barriers to mental health access and utilization, I believe we are certainly moving in the right direction. Celebrities and influencers often serve as cultural gatekeepers in “normalizing” what may have been culturally taboo topics like mental health and suicide prevention.
We’ve seen public figures across sport and entertainment begin to do that, along with including mental health care as an option in their advocacy for quality health care for the Black community, in general. Through generational knowledge-gaining and actively confronting barriers to self-care, younger generations are far less saddled with the obstacles that their parents and grandparents faced. Feelings of embarrassment, isolation, and weakness stigmas can be challenged when credible public figures speak up about their own personal issues with mental health. I hope to see more public figures have the courage to speak out and empower those who may feel they’re alone.
How can schools be of better service when their students express they are dealing with mental health issues?
Schools can provide more mental health practitioners as well as more mental health advocacy resources to continue the normalization of self-care as a standard in our society. Preventative care should be as important as responsive care. I also feel it’s extremely important that we provide our students and communities with culturally representative and competent mental health practitioners. Lack of culturally competent health care practitioners has been shown to have negative impacts on health outcomes in communities of color, including misdiagnosis. I’ve spoken with students who met with a mental health specialist and left feeling unheard and unseen due to cultural incompetence and sensitivity. Representation also matters in mental health care as much as any other field.
It is National Suicide Prevention Month. Recent studies have shown that more and more younger Black adults have experience dealing with thoughts of suicide. How can we be more supportive toward those in our circle who may be struggling?
I believe supporting others begins with taking inventory of our mental health status and feelings regarding mental health care. It’s incumbent upon any support system to not only be aware and sensitive to the needs of someone struggling but also to know the levels of support needed. We must educate ourselves on the resources available and when to access them. Many of the needs of someone struggling with mental health can be addressed within the confines of their inner circle, while others require the support of licensed professionals.
Understanding the risk factors and warning signs in behavior, mood, and conversation can help us all be equipped to support a loved one in need. While educating oneself is extremely important, having the courage to act once the warning signs begin to show is equally, if not more critical. I can speak from personal experience that seeking professional help or calling the national suicide prevention hotline on behalf of a loved one can be scary, but it can also save their life. In my opinion, the responsibility to support the mental health of a loved one comes along with the social contract of love and friendship.
What are some challenges you see when dealing with students who are hesitant to reach out for help?
Many students are struggling to find balance during these unusual times. For many, it has only complicated the underlying challenges they already faced. Balancing personal obligations with their jobs and schoolwork has reached a dangerous peak. Students are facing financial difficulties and lost jobs, which won’t allow some to register on-time or adequately prepare for school or even meet their living standards. Finding the strength and words to articulate those very personal challenges can create even more mental anxiety than the actual challenges themselves.
For others they are very concerned about their futures, with a lack of internships and entry-level jobs available. Not only has it altered their career and personal goal trajectory, for some, it has impacted their ability to earn a living to support themselves and their families. I’ve seen this manifest in poor attendance, lack of engagement and withdrawal, and even potentially over-disclosing of very personal information. Even when students can’t articulate the need for help, the signs are usually there–we simply need to remain sensitive and open to support.
