Candace Owens Says Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Rayshard Brooks Was ‘Unjustly’ Fired
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 16, 2020

Candace Owens Says Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Rayshard Brooks Was ‘Unjustly’ Fired

Black conservative and political firestorm Candace Owens has stated that the Atlanta police officer who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks in the back was unjustly fired. The Pro-Trump and anti-Black Lives Matter pundit took issue with the firing of former Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe via her Twitter account.

Utilizing the hashtag #BackTheBlue, Owens professes her love for police officers.


She then moves on to speak about the police killing of Brooks by stating: “He was JUSTIFIABLY fired on.”

While “DEMANDING that the police chief be reinstated” Owens then calls on Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to “RESIGN”

As her rant continues, she states “We are tired of being told we “ain’t black” because we don’t have the time or the desire to defend your criminal ass brother, cousin, or son— just because he has the same complexion as us.”

Before ending her rant, she vows that she is “building out a fund” for officers that she feels are “unjustly terminated.”

She then ends her tirade with:

 

 

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 16, 2020

Stephen A. Smith Says NBA Players ‘Sound Foolish’ For Not Wanting ‘To Show Up To Work’ Because Of ‘Racial Oppression’

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith criticized the NBA players who are contemplating not playing for the rest of the season, according to For The Win.

The NBA and the players union, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), has approved a plan to restart the NBA season next month with 22 of the league’s 30 teams playing at Disney World in Orlando. However, although the season is scheduled to return at the end of July, Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving led a contingent of NBA players who don’t feel comfortable playing in light of the sweeping protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the country.


In a statement sent to ESPN, those players state:

“We are a group of men and women from different teams and industries that are normally painted as opponents, but have put our egos and differences aside to make sure we stand united and demand honesty during this uncertain time.”

“Native indigenous African Caribbean men and women entertaining the world, we will continue to use our voices and platforms for positive change and truth.

“We are truly at an inflection point in history where as a collective community, we can band together — UNIFY — and move as one. We need all our people with us and we will stand together in solidarity.

“As an oppressed community we are going on 500-plus years of being systemically targeted, used for our IP [intellectual property]/Talent, and also still being killed by the very people that are supposed to ‘protect and serve’ us.

“WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!

“We are combating the issues that matter most: We will not accept the racial injustices that continue to be ignored in our communities. We will not be kept in the dark when it comes to our health and well-being. And we will not ignore the financial motivations/expectations that have prevented us historically from making sound decisions.

“This is not about individual players, athletes or entertainers. This is about our group of strong men and women uniting for change. We have our respective fields, however, we will not just shut up and play to distract us from what this whole system has been about: Use and Abuse.

“We are all fathers, daughters, leaders and so much more. So what is our BIG picture? We are in this for UNITY and CHANGE!”

In response, during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up!, Smith argued that it is “foolish” for Irving and the coalition of players to sit out for the rest of the NBA season.

“I completely disagree with them and I think they sound foolish,” Smith said. “You’re Kyrie Irving and you’re Dwight Howard. If you are talking about not going back to work because of the coronavirus, nothing to talk about. Everybody has the right to feel the way that they feel in terms of their own individual health, the health of their loved ones who they’re going to be near. That is a separate subject. But to sit up there and imply that at this particular moment in time that sports should not exist and we shouldn’t be going back to work because of racial inequality, prejudice, police brutality, etc. These are things that have been going on for decades, if not more, some would say centuries, obviously, if we’re talking about racial oppression.

“Anybody in our society that thinks this thing is going to be completely eradicated is fooling themselves. You’re always going to have to deal with these things. So, that is not an excuse to not show up to work to do your job. You can fight the fight while still showing up to work and that’s why I think Kyrie Irving and Dwight Howard are a bit ill-informed here.”

White Couple Lose Their Jobs After Calling Cops on Neighbor for Writing Black Lives Matter on His Property
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 16, 2020

White Couple Lose Their Jobs After Calling Cops on Neighbor for Writing Black Lives Matter on His Property

A white San Francisco couple, who called the police on their neighbor for writing “Black Lives Matter” in chalk at his own property, were both let go from their jobs after a social media post detailing the incident went viral, according to NewsOne.

Lisa Alexander and her partner, Robert Larkins, originally accused James Juanillo, who is Filipino, of vandalizing the property and claimed that Juanillo didn’t live there. Juanillo says to Alexander “you don’t know if I live here or if this is my property,” to which Alexander responds, “We actually do know, that’s why we’re asking.”


Juanillo then responds, “Oh really, because you live here,” and Alexander responds with “Because we know the person who does live here.”

Juanillo went to Twitter to speak about the latest incident of white people calling the police on people of color for unfounded suspicion based on their race.

CBS News reported that Alexander apologized to her Filipino neighbor in a written statement. She was also fired from her position as the CEO of LaFace, a San Francisco-based skincare company.

“I want to apologize directly to Mr. Juanillo. There are not enough words to describe how truly sorry I am for being disrespectful to him last Tuesday when I made the decision to question him about what he was doing in front of his home,” she wrote. “I should have minded my own business. The last 48 hours has taught me that my actions were those of someone who is not aware of the damage caused by being ignorant and naive to racial inequalities.”

“When I watch the video I am shocked and sad that I behaved the way I did,” she continued “It was disrespectful to Mr. Juanillo and I am deeply sorry for that. I did not realize at the time that my actions were racist and have learned a painful lesson. I am taking a hard look at the meaning behind white privilege and am committed to growing from this experience.”

Due to the incident, Robert Larkins was fired by wealth management firm Raymond James on Monday as well. The company issues a statement regarding the firing on their Twitter account.

Birchbox, a makeup distribution service, also announced that it has “officially cut ties with LaFace, and condemns the actions of Lisa Alexander.”

by Dana Givens

June 16, 2020

Twin Sisters Graduate With Highest Honors, Pay Tribute to Their Mom Who Died Last Year

2020 has brought about many hardships for thousands of families around the country. Despite these obstacles, there are also many who are finding ways to overcome hurdles and still find success. For a pair of twin sisters living in Philadelphia, their accomplishments are a way to pay homage to their mother who passed away last year.

Khaliyah and Aaliyah White have a lot to celebrate. The sisters graduated valedictorian and salutatorian of their class at GAMP High School in addition to excelling in track-and-field and acting in local theater plays.


“We were always talking to teachers [and] asking questions. It didn’t definitely didn’t come easy for us,” said Khaliyah in a video interview with NBC News. “We [just] had that drive and motivation.”

Even though their graduation had to shift to a virtual space due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the twins are still happy knowing they made their mother proud.

“She was proud of us for everything that we were doing,” the twins told NBC News.“We’re still doing everything even though it is not the same as before. We’re going through this and we will be stronger and more prepared for anything that comes in the future.”

The viral pandemic may have changed their graduation ceremony but they still are optimistic and enjoying their time as high school graduates. “We’re still graduating. We’re still doing things, even though it’s not the same as before,” said Aaliyah.

Both of the girls have already committed to their colleges of choice with Khaliyah heading to Delaware State University, while Aaliyah is going to the University of Pennsylvania. It will be the first time they will be separated for long periods of time but they both expressed they are excited about the opportunities ahead.

by Derek Major

June 16, 2020

Majority of Americans Believe Roger Goodell Owes Colin Kaepernick An Apology: Poll

A new poll shows that a majority of Americans believe NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell owes former quarterback Colin Kaepernick an apology.

According to Forbes, a Harris Poll surveyed more than 1,000 people after a group of NFL players put out a powerful video challenging the league to condemn racism and admit they were wrong in blackballing Kaepernick on June 5.

The next day, Goodell released his own video saying “We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest.” However, Goodell’s apology fell short of naming Kaepernick or admitting wrongdoing when it came to Kaepernick not playing.

Two-thirds of those polled said Goodell’s statement felt insincere and was done just for publicity while 53% said it was “too little too late.”  Others felt the NFL gave in as 31% of respondents opposed Goodell’s statement.

President Trump also jumped back in the situation, even threatening to boycott the NFL over the issue but this time the NFL has chosen to ignore Trump, realizing more than 70% of players in the league are African American and the backlash could be significant.

In 2018, Nike released an ad campaign featuring Kaepernick and celebrating the 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” slogan. Twenty-one percent of respondents to a Harris Poll at the time vowed to boycott or stop buying Nike products. The poll shows that number has dropped to 14%, with the biggest shift in seniors, from 34% to 18% and conservatives from 41% to 24%.

In January, Nike donated $5 million for the athletic facility at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The shoe brand also announced a $40 million commitment over the next four years to support African American causes in the U.S. and the Jordan brand, a subsidiary of Nike, and Michael Jordan announced a $100 million donation over the next 10 years to African American and social justice causes.

by Dana Givens

June 16, 2020

JPMorgan Chase Commits To Economic Mobility For Young Black and Latinx Boys

The ongoing national protests triggered by the death of George Floyd has sparked new dialogues about race in America. For black business owners, it’s even harder to open and run a business due to economic and racial disparities within the system that make it difficult to access the necessary capital. Ten years ago, JPMorgan Chase started The Fellowship Initiative, a three-year academic and mentorship program aimed toward black and Latinx high school youth. Last week, the company celebrated its 10th anniversary with its virtual commencement ceremony with the recent death of George Floyd and the spread of COVID-19 reinforcing its mission.

The Fellowship Initiative (TFI) held its virtual ceremony to celebrate participants graduating out of the program as the participants shared stories of how the program has benefitted them as well as the value of mentorship. The program has plans to triple the number of young people through its New Skills programs and has already spanned across several cities around the country.

“These young men are America’s next generation of leaders. But too often, they are held back from achieving academic and professional success,” said Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO in a press statement, who also made an appearance at the virtual ceremony to speak to the young boys.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and death of George Floyd and many others reinforced how our nation’s history with racism and inequality remains unresolved. Together, we must continue to break down the barriers created by structural racism and focus on doing what is right. Over the last decade, The Fellowship Initiative has demonstrated what is possible when these barriers are broken down. Now is a time to address gaps in academic and economic opportunity and to fight for inclusion, which is why we’re expanding TFI so that more Fellows are given the chance to reach their full potential.”

 

 
by Derek Major

June 16, 2020

Trump Administration Considering $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan To Boost Economy

President Donald Trump and his administration are considering a $1 trillion infrastructure plan to help boost the economy out of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Business Insider, a preliminary version of the plan is being prepared by the Department of Transportation. In the proposal, the majority of funds will be used to refurbish roads and bridges across the country. The rest would be earmarked to build out the country’s 5G network and improve internet capabilities in rural areas.

Trump has released several infrastructure proposals during his term. Last year, he agreed in principle on a $2 trillion plan with the Democratic Party. However, the plan never got off the ground and House Democrats released an infrastructure plan worth $760 billion over five years in January.

Funding will be a major sticking point in Trump’s plan. He has not released how the plan will be funded. Trump tends to favor plans that involve little government funds and significant private investment, while Democrats prefer it the other way around.

“Since he took office, President Trump has been serious about a bipartisan infrastructure package that rebuilds our crumbling roads and bridges, invests in future industries, and promotes permitting efficiency,” White House spokesman Judd Deere told Business Insider.

Infrastructure is a big part of Trump’s reelection plan. He’s been pushing for a $2 trillion infrastructure plan to take advantage of low-interest rates, which would allow the US government to borrow at minimal costs.

Last year, a bipartisan plan to fix roads, expand broadband access to rural communities, and more was being worked on, but Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said at the time the two sides were unable to figure out how the package would be paid for.

Naeem Aslam, the chief market analyst at AvaTrade, believes if Trump can get an infrastructure plan passed, it would be a huge boost to his chances at reelection.

“The Trump administration’s move to prepare the $1 trillion infrastructure proposal is likely to pass all the hurdles and if it becomes the reality, it could really change the course the economy and Trump’s chances of becoming the president again.”

Democratic nominee Joe Biden discussed his own infrastructure plan last week during a digital town hall last week.

“The second move is to rebuild the economy and the way you do that is infrastructure,” Biden said “You invest in new major initiatives, for example, I have a trillion-dollar proposal for infrastructure. Look at all the schools in America particularly the ones in African American neighborhoods, where you cant drink the water, where the air you breathe is not clean.

“We should be spending $100 billion renovating all those schools; we’ll create good-paying jobs, we’ll put people in position to gain on their income as well.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 16, 2020

Rapper Gucci Mane Calls Atlantic Records ‘Polite Racist’ and Wants Artists to Join him in a Strike Against the Labels

Radric Davis, who is better known as the rapper Gucci Mane, took to Twitter to announce that he’s leaving the label he is signed to, Atlantic Records, on July 3, and referred to the recording label as “polite racist.”

In a since-deleted tweet, Gucci Mane wrote, “Leaving #AtlanticRecords July 3rd these crackers polite racist #SolcySummer.”

The Atlanta-bred rapper had also stated on his Twitter account, “To all snitches and my haters and the most polite racist ever @gucci I pray y’all die of coronavirus.” He deleted those Tweets as well.

In another social media post, the artist called on his industry peers to join him and quit and unite with him in protest, again calling out “racist ass” labels: “All artists let’s go on strike f— these racist ass labels burn them down too #BlackLivesMatter #BlackExecMatter f— these crackers”

Gucci Mane recently released a new single featuring Lil Baby titled “Both Sides” last month on May 29. The rapper, who has been signed to Atlantic Records since 2007, has had issues previously with the label. Back in 2013, Gucci Mane went on Twitter to air his beef with Atlantic Records and sent insults toward the label and executives. The label dropped the rapper and he later apologized for sending out his insidious tweets and he also claimed he was on codeine at that time. He then re-signed with Atlantic Records back in 2016.

Grammy Awards Renames ‘Urban’ Category After Artists Call for Change
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 16, 2020

Grammy Awards Renames ‘Urban’ Category After Artists Call for Change

The Recording Academy announced last week that it will be eliminating the term “urban” from the Grammys. This change will take effect in time for next year’s 63rd Annual GRAMMYs.

“I’m excited to announce our latest changes, as we’re constantly evaluating our Awards process and evolving it to ensure the GRAMMY Awards are inclusive and reflect the current state of the music industry,” said Harvey Mason Jr., chair and interim president/CEO of the Recording Academy in a written statement. “The Academy accepts proposals for rule changes from members of the music community throughout the year that are carefully reviewed and, if accepted, ultimately ratified at our annual Board meeting, a process that we are proud to have continued in this challenging year.”

Grammy Changes
(Image: Recording Academy)

“As a peer-driven and peer-voted award, members of the music community are directly involved in the growth and preservation of the GRAMMYs process,” said Bill Freimuth, chief awards officer at the Recording Academy. “Each year we receive a number of rule change proposals from artists, producers and songwriters asking us to reevaluate our process to better reflect the current state of the music industry and how it’s evolved over the past 12 months.”

APPROVED RULE AMENDMENTS:

Best Urban Contemporary Album has been renamed Best Progressive R&B Album to appropriately categorize and describe this subgenre. This change includes a more accurate definition to describe the merit or characteristics of music compositions or performances themselves within the genre of R&B.

This category is intended to highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music. It may also incorporate production elements found in pop, euro-pop, country, rock, folk and alternative.

Likewise, Best Rap/Sung Performance has been renamed Best Melodic Rap Performance to represent the inclusivity of the growing hybrid performance trends within the rap genre. The expanded category is defined as follows:

This category is intended to recognize solo and collaborative performances containing elements of rap and melody over modern production. This performance requires a strong and clear presence of melody combined with rap cadence, and is inclusive of dialects, lyrics or performance elements from non-rap genres including R&B, rock, country, electronic or more. The production may include traditional elements of rap or elements characteristic of the aforementioned non-rap genres.

Black Ink Crew Chicago Katrina Jackson Talks Being A Woman in Tattooing and Opening Her Shop In Beverly Hills
by Dana Givens

June 16, 2020

Black Ink Crew Chicago Katrina Jackson Talks Being A Woman in Tattooing and Opening Her Shop In Beverly Hills

Tattooing is a very male-dominated industry with very few women leading shops and garnering high-profile clients. Within the last decade, however, numerous women have defied those stereotypes and have broke ground for others like them to find success in the tattoo world. Katrina “Kat” Jackson found fame on VH1’s Black Ink Crew Chicago and also a new fanbase that was drawn to her beautiful art. Since her departure from the show, the half-black, half-Korean Chicago native decided to elevate her career in tattooing with her own shop in Beverly Hills, becoming the first black woman to do so.

In an email Q&A with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Jackson discusses finding success as a woman in the male-driven industry while overcoming the odds in opening her own shop, Engima Tattoo, in the glitzy Los Angeles neighborhood.

How did you learn to thrive as a woman in a male-dominated industry?

Being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated tattoo industry never made me feel any less than any of my male counterparts. I never felt like I had a disadvantage because I was a woman. I grew up around mainly guys. I’m the only girl and I have three older brothers, so naturally, I always wanted to do whatever the boys did.

Once I got into the tattoo industry, I knew I wanted to be the best. I studied other people’s work and wanted mine to be better. I carry the same confidence as any man in the tattoo industry, if not more, and now I am at a point in my career where my work and my drive is respected by men and women all throughout the world.

What made you pursue tattooing as a career?
Tattooing is something that found me. I didn’t grow up wanting to be a tattoo artist. I got the talent from my mother. She is an artist as well, she just never did anything professionally with it. Instead, she went the corporate route. I always took art classes for my “easy A.”
In my senior year of high school, all my friends started getting tattoos, and they would have me draw them out so they can bring it to the tattoo artist. Once I got my first tattoo, I knew it was something I wanted to try out. I went off to college and it was there that I got my start. I ordered up a tattoo kit and started practicing on my friends in my dorm room. From there it became my passion and my career.
What made you decide to open your own shop and why did you choose Beverly Hills?
I made the decision to open up my own tattoo shop when I walked away from the TV show Black Ink Crew Chicago.” Being on TV and being able to showcase my talents was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I refused to walk away with nothing to show for it!
I always had dreams of moving to LA, and I was living there for 2 years before opening up my tattoo shop. I chose Beverly Hills because I didn’t want my shop to be just another hole in the wall tattoo shop. I wanted it to SCREAM upscale, luxury. And when I found the location, everything literally just felt right.

What were some challenges you encountered when you decided to open your own shop?

Being a first-time business owner was one of the biggest learning experiences of my life! I had no clue about the amount of challenges I would face. The first challenge I encountered was walking away from everything I knew. It wasn’t easy leaving Chicago, or walking away from a hit TV show, but I felt in my heart that God had something greater in store for me. All the other challenges seemed pretty minor from that point. Every day poses a new challenge, whether it has to do with working with contracts and business planning, or plumbing issues that cause damage to the floors, it’s always something, lol.
What advice can you give other black women entrepreneurs interested in owning their own tattoo shop? 
The advice I would give to young black women wanting to open up a tattoo shop or any other business, is to be confident, work hard, perfect your craft, value relationships, and use your resources and most importantly BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. No dream is too big.
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