by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

July 1, 2020

Essence Responds to ‘Toxic Culture’ Allegations; Names New Interim CEO

Black-owned media giant Essence Communications, which publishes Essence magazine, has responded to allegations made by an anonymous group of women that it created a toxic work culture for employees with the announcement of an independent review and a new interim CEO.

In a post on Medium titled “The Truth About Essence” published on Sunday, the women—under the name #BlackFemaleAnonymous—allege that “the once exalted media brand dedicated to Black women has been hijacked by cultural and corporate greed and an unhinged abuse of power.”

They specifically noted wrongful terminations, forced resignations, and discrimination against pregnant employees/new moms in addition to “pay inequity, sexual harassment, corporate bullying, intimidation, colorism, and classism” that caused staff to “suffer from intense anxiety [and] depression, evidenced by signs of extreme weight gain or loss, workforce isolation, or surrendered resignations.”

“The company’s longstanding pattern of gross mistreatment and abuse of its Black female employees is the biggest open secret in the media business,” the post reads.

Essence first responded with a statement on its site on Monday: “the accusations are false and we fully deny them.”

The company further elaborated that it considers the allegations to be “unfounded attempts to discredit our brand and assassinate personal character” and expressed that it is “extremely important to us that we foster a safe, transparent and respectful workspace for everyone.”

Caroline Wanga
Caroline Wanga, Interim CEO of Essence Communications (Image: Business Wire)

That was followed by a press statement late Tuesday announcing that Essence is hiring law firms and independent external experts, “out of an abundance of caution and an unwavering commitment to transparency,” to review the company’s polices and practices and to review any issues that may adversely affect its culture.

“It is of critical importance to us that there is no doubt or question about who we are, what we represent, and what we believe in,” the statement reads.

It also announced that Caroline Wanga, who was recently hired as the Chief Growth Officer after serving as Target’s Chief Culture, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, will step in as interim CEO of Essence Communications and oversee the independent review process.

Black Female Anonymous responded to the news on Instagram with an open letter to Wanga. It has called for specific action in a Change.org petition:

We demand the immediate resignation of Richelieu Dennis, Owner & Chief Executive Officer of Essence Ventures (Essence Communications including Essence Magazine, Essence.com and Essence Festival), Michelle Ebanks, Essence Ventures board member and former Essence Communications CEO, Joy Collins Profet, Chief Operating Officer, and MoAna Luu, Chief Content Officer.

We are calling for AT&T, Chase Bank, Coca Cola, Ford, Procter & Gamble, Walmart, and Warner Media to immediately divest all active and future sponsorships and media buys at Essence Communications until the company is under new leadership.

Ex-Cop Charged In George Floyd’s Death to Argue Self-Defense
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 1, 2020

Ex-Cop Charged In George Floyd’s Death to Argue Self-Defense

In the upcoming trial of the police officers charged with the killing of George Floyd, one of the police officers going on trial is expecting to claim self-defense for his role in the tragic death, according to NBC News.

J. Alexander Kueng, one of the four officers present at the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis, is charged with aiding and abetting an unintentional second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Kueng, who is also Black, “intends to rely upon” the doctrines of self-defense, reasonable use of force, and authorized use of force at trial.

According to Law and Crime:

“The first defense Kueng says he will employ at trial is self-defense. Under Minnesota common law, the defendant has the burden of proving the core self-defense claim; then, “the state has the burden of disproving one or more of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt.”

In addition, “the second defense Kueng plans to use is a reasonable use of force,” while the third defense Kueng will use “is authorized use of force by a police officer.” Under Minnesota law, “reasonable force may be used upon or toward the person of another without the other’s consent” under certain circumstances, which relevantly include when a police officer is “effecting a lawful arrest” or “executing any other duty imposed upon the public officer by law,” or “when used by any person in resisting or aiding another to resist an offense against the person,” or “when used by any person to prevent the escape, or to retake following the escape, of a person lawfully held on a charge or conviction of a crime.”

Kueng, 26, who was only working his third shift as a rookie police officer, was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter for not stopping police officer Derek Chauvin from killing Floyd. Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, leading to his death.

Fellow ex-police officer Thomas Lane was released on bail on June 10. Both ex-officers Chauvin, who has been charged with second-degree murder, and Tou Thao, the police officer seen on video holding back civilians who were trying to stop Chauvin from killing Floyd, remain in custody.

All four ex-cops were present at the most recent court appearance on June 29.

Tourists Threaten to Sue Antigua and Barbuda Over Mandatory COVID-19 Testing
by Dana Givens

July 1, 2020

Tourists Threaten to Sue Antigua and Barbuda Over Mandatory COVID-19 Testing

With the spread of COVID-19 causing new restrictions on air travel, many saw a small ray of hope of enjoying some summer vacations as numerous islands, including Bermuda, Barbados, Jamaica, and others resume leisure tourism. Anitgua and Barbuda resumed international and commercial travel earlier this month with the hopes of restarting the local economy. As travelers begin to arrive on the island, the country has been doing its best to enforce social distancing measures and make sure every traveler is properly tested before entering the country. Now some tourists are threatening to sue the country over its mandatory COVID-19 testing.

According to the Antigua Newsroom, Prime Minister Gaston Browne recently came out to discuss the new COVID-19 protocols and the resistance they have dealt with from travelers entering the country. In the report, Browne revealed that a group of tourists recently threatened the island nation with legal action over the testing requirement on arrival.

“Some guests are saying you don’t have the right to put anything in my nose,” said Brown, according to Caribbean National Weekly. “A number of passengers have become somewhat litigious and we have had inquiries as to whether or not the government has the right to do these invasive swabs of passengers coming to the country,” Browne said

“This news comes many islands that reopened and most recently Jamaica has reported a spike in coronavirus cases again due to the recent wave of travelers coming in after the island resumed leisure tourism on June 15th.  “We also have a situation too, in which several of the guests, who actually had tested positive for COVID…changed their flights and returned to the United States the following day even though they were placed in isolation,” he explained.

The government has recently announced that it will allow visitors tested before arriving so they don’t have to be tested again upon arrival in the airport. “So for example on Monday, we will have the students (returning from Cuba) who have been clamouring to come back home,” he added.

“There is a special charter to bring them back home, but we have already communicated to them that they will have to do a COVID test and they will have to be negative in order to return home. Anyone of them who proves to be positive will not be eligible to come back on that flight.”

Trump To African Americans: ‘If You Don’t Understand Your History, You Will Go Back To It’
by Derek Major

July 1, 2020

Trump To African Americans: ‘If You Don’t Understand Your History, You Will Go Back To It’

President Donald Trump told Fox & Friends co-host, Brian Kilmeade, during a Sunday night special, his message to African Americans is “you have to learn” about “your history.”

According to Salon, Trump made the comment when asked about African Americans demanding the removal of monuments honoring slave owners.


“You have to learn” about your history. If you don’t understand your history,” Trump told Kilmeade, “you will go back to it again.”

Kilmeade then pointed to leaders who owned slaves such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson before asking Trump, “So how do we grow as a country and yet not forget our past?”

“You have to understand history, and you have to understand the culture,” Trump responded.

Trump added it would be foolish to remove statues of George Washington, because “half of our country is named after Washington.”

“We have to remember the heritage and the culture of our country,” he continued. “I see what’s happening on television, and they are ripping down things. They have no idea what they are ripping down, but they started off with the Confederates and now go to Ulysses Grant. So what is that all about?”

Trump signed an executive order Friday directing federal law enforcement agencies to prosecute people who damage federal monuments, and to withhold portions of federal funding to cities that don’t protect statues from demonstrators.

Kilmeade continued the discussion asking what Trump’s message is for African Americans whose ancestors were enslaved. Trump responded suggesting slavery could reoccur if monuments to slave-owners were removed.

“Think of it: You take away that whole era, and you’re going to go back to it sometime. People won’t know about it. They’re going to forget about it,” Trump told Kilmeade. “Now, what I do like? I like the idea of building new statues to people—to great people. People that have done something. And I think that’s OK.”

Protesters across the country have been pulling down or destroying statues of Confederate soldiers including Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee as well as Christopher Columbus. The moves prompted Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to remove Confederate general Robert E. Lee statute from Richmond’s Monument Avenue.

 

by Derek Major

July 1, 2020

Senate Passes Extension of PPP Small Business Loans

The U.S. Senate extended the deadline for businesses to apply for coronavirus aid under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to The Hill, the program was set to expire Tuesday night. The extension, which passed unanimously, moves the deadline to file for loans to Aug. 8. Senate Democrats applauded the move as a necessary one.

“Thanks to Senate Democrats, the PPP program has been improved to provide as lifeline to more small businesses struggling to stay afloat during these turbulent times,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “And tonight Senate Democrats have ensured that small businesses can continue to have the opportunity to apply for these loans that can mean the difference between staying open and closing for good.”

The PPP was designed to help small businesses make it through the coronavirus pandemic and help employees retain their workers. In turn, the loans would be forgiven, essentially turning into a grant.

More than 4.8 million small business owners have used the program, taking more than $520 billion from the program. Currently, there’s more than $125 billion in unspent money under the PPP.

One of the reasons there’s still a significant amount of money in the program is initially some large companies applied for and received funds, including Shake Shack, Ruth Chris’ Steakhouse, and the Los Angeles Lakers NBA franchise.

While those companies were shamed into returning the money, it led to a flood of companies, states, and others giving out small business loans, especially to women- and minority-owned small businesses.

The extension still needs to be approved by the House. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) noted the extension aligns with the timeline Senate Republicans have set to complete the next stimulus package.

Many Republican lawmakers expressed a reluctance to agree on a second stimulus package a month ago. Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said last month the House should wait to provide people with additional relief until lawmakers could review measures already put in place. However, the coronavirus is now hitting Republican-led states hard including Florida, Texas, and Arizona, making the need for a second stimulus package necessary.

 

 

 

Toronto Cop Convicted After Viciously Beating Black Man Who Lost An Eye
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 1, 2020

Toronto Cop Convicted After Viciously Beating Black Man Who Lost An Eye

A Toronto police officer, who was arrested several years ago for beating a young Black man who ended up losing his eye, has been found guilty of assault, according to The Associated Press.

Constable Michael Theriault, who was off duty at the time of the incident, and his brother, Christian, chased down Dafonte Miller and cornered the man, who was 19 at the time of the beating. The brothers caught him between two homes in Whitby, Ontario, and beat him so severely with a pipe that his left eye burst, according to prosecutors. The incident took place on Dec. 28, 2016.

The Theriault brothers each pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and obstruction of justice but the judge in the case convicted the police officer and acquitted his brother last week.

After the verdict was announced by Ontario Superior Court Justice Joseph Di Luca, Miller thanked the community for its support.

“Now an officer has been held accountable to some extent,” Miller said. “There’s a lot of people in my position who don’t get the same backing that I got.”

Julian Falconer, who represented Miller, said his client seemed to be as much on trial as the Theriault brothers. He stated that his client didn’t deserve to have a steel pipe used against him or to lose his eye.

“How did it happen that a person who suffers catastrophic injuries—his left eyeball on the hood of a car, parts of his eye actually leaking on to the hood of the car—at the hands of two people who had no visible injuries whatsoever could up the subject of multiple criminal counts without any members of the Durham service questioning it?” Falconer said.

Falconer claimed the assault was a cover-up because the Durham police and Toronto police didn’t contact internal affairs. He urged a federal inquiry into police beatings of Black and Indigenous Canadians.

“This is not an isolated incident. This is not about one bad apple. This is happening across North America,” Falconer said. “It is a systemic chronic problem.”

Justice Di Luca said he was mindful of the social context surrounding the case. The case, and others like it, “raise significant issues involving race and policing that should be further examined,” he said.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 1, 2020

NBA May Let Players Replace Names on Jerseys With Social Justice Messages

With the recent wave of people protesting against racial injustice and calling for police reform, the NBA may have a solution to help its players spread their messages throughout the league. The league is reportedly considering allowing players to wear individual personalized jerseys with messages about social justice during the upcoming restart of the season, according to NBA.com

The NBA is in talks to collaborate with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to allow the players to wear jerseys with personalized social justice messages on the backs instead of their last names.

“We’re just trying to continue to shed light on the different social justice issues that guys around our league continue to talk about day in and day out,” Oklahoma City Thunder guard and union president Chris Paul told ESPN’s The Undefeated on Saturday. “People are saying that social justice will be off of everybody’s mind in Orlando. With these jerseys, it doesn’t go away.”

As this would be an optional choice, Paul says the players will be given a list of suggestions for players looking for a cause to support. This could include utilizing phrases (like “Black Lives Matter” or “I Can’t Breathe”), names of social justice organizations, or the names of individuals who were killed by the police.

“The guys I talked to were definitely excited,” Paul said. “The reason I’m passionate and excited about it is that it gives a voice to the voiceless. It also gives guys a chance to shine a light on something they are passionate about. Otherwise, they may not have been given a chance to express themselves.

“I was just thinking about how forward-thinking our league is and how passionate the players in our league are about different issues,” Paul said. “Our guys have been marching on the front lines and using their platforms. If guys are choosing to come down to Orlando to make sacrifices and play this game, why not be able to play and still say his or her name at the same time?

“At marches they are saying, ‘Say his name … George Floyd. Say her name … Breonna Taylor.’ Obviously, we have to reach out to the families to see if that is OK.”

by Dana Givens

July 1, 2020

Celebs Team Up With Slutty Vegan Eatery To Offer Free Food After Racist Leave Negative Reviews

Pinky Cole, the owner of the Slutty Vegan and a popular plant-based chef and philanthropist in the Atlanta area, recently came under attack after a group of angry white social media users left negative reviews and racist language on her website. In response, a few of Cole’s celebrity patrons decided to help out by buying out her popular local eatery.

A false rumor started spreading saying Cole refused to service police officers after teaming up with local business owners to provide the family of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by police officers in Atlanta, with several items like a car and life insurance for all of his children. According to Baller Alert, the situation took a turn when Cole released a statement saying that her eatery would temporarily stop its food delivery to the Atlanta police force and that they “stand firm with those fighting against social injustices.” However, they were still welcomed to come in and order their meals.

The false reviews started to accumulate after a Facebook user made a post in a group called Georiga Backs The Blue berating Cole on her decision. “So now Police Officers can’t eat at Slutty Vegan! Wow…. All Police aren’t bad! No problem….and everybody says to support black businesses….Smh!” they wrote. This led to hundreds of users flooding Google with reviews containing racist messages. Madame Noire reports that in response to the wave of racist messages, celebrity patrons including La La Anthony, Chris Paul, Gabrielle Union, and Ludacris came together to buy out Cole’s restaurant to offer the community free food on Tuesday, June 30.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

TODAY 6/30 FREE ‼️ 🍔 RESTAURANT 🍔‼️ TODAY 6/30 FREE . Hey Sluts! Today is the big day! Your food is paid for for the entire day! . Remember to bring your shades 🕶. . We will be accepting orders between: 🍔 12PM – 7:30PM . 💛 We have a limited menu that will include a 1 burger max per customer. 💛 . 🔴 No burger modifications. 🔴 . SLOPPY TOPPY SLUTTY FRIES 1 DRINK . @sheprints.it has provided free masks for everyone in line.** Tape has been placed on the ground to practice social distancing. For everyone’s safety, YOU MUST line up on the pink and whites lines down the block to be served. Social distancing is strictly enforced. . Our employees will perform daily temperature checks. . Thank you for always supporting SV! . **While supplies last! . . #sluttyveganatl #sluttyvegan #slutsofinstagram #vegan #slutburger #thesluttytakeover #veganburger #vegantakeover #burgers #atl #atlanta #veganislife #slutnation #slutsonthemove #slutmobile #veganstastebetter #sluttified #getsluttified #fortheculture #eatplants #atlshawty #eatplantsyaslut #eatplantsbitch #coronavirus #covid19 #quarantine #quarantinefood #sluttysummer #sluttysummer2020

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Iran Issues Arrest Warrant For Trump Over Qasem Soleimani Killing After Interpol Declines To Help
by Dana Givens

July 1, 2020

Iran Issues Arrest Warrant For Trump Over Qasem Soleimani Killing After Interpol Declines To Help

This week Iran has called for the arrest of President Donald Trump after issuing an official arrest warrant after being denied assistance from Interpol. The warrant is for the death of top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, and others including deputy head of the Iran-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), at Baghdad International Airport during a drone strike ordered by President Trump. The warrant has further heightened tensions between the two countries since Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal.

PBS reported that local Tehran prosecutor, Ali Alqasimehr, says Trump was named with 35 other individuals around the involvement of the Jan. 3 drone strikes to be brought in on murder and terrorism charges. After Interpol received the request from authorities, the organization then said it would meet with a committee to discuss the matter. Algasimehr insisted to the local press that even after President Trump leaves office that they would still pursue the matter until he is brought to justice.

CNN reported that Interpol declined to assist with the matter saying it “would not consider requests of this nature.” The organization went on to say that “it is strictly forbidden for the organization to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.” The refusal means that Trump is in no immediate danger of getting arrest.ed

U.S. special representative of Iran, Brian Hook, dismissed reports of the arrest warrant announcement during a news conference in Saudi Arabia stating that“it’s a propaganda stunt that no one takes seriously and makes the Iranians look foolish.”

“Our assessment is that Interpol does not intervene and issue Red Notices that are based on a political nature,” Hook said according to Aljazeera. “This is a political nature. This has nothing to do with national security, international peace or promoting stability… It is a propaganda stunt that no-one takes seriously.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 1, 2020

Black Musicians Incorporate ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ Into National Anthem at NASCAR Event

Two Black musicians added some soul seasoning to the national anthem by incorporating the Negro national anthem at the beginning of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday.

Saxophonist Mike Phillips and pianist West Byrd performed the national anthem virtually before the race started. Byrd started by playing the first 16 bars of the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on his keyboard. Phillips then joined in by playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and at the conclusion of the song, Byrd ended it with the song penned by James Weldon Johnson in 1900.

Black Twitter was on it immediately, though NASCAR fans basically had no clue what had been done.

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