• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 21, 2025

Former NFL Player Cam Newton To Have Number Retired At Auburn University

The former quarterback has never lost a college game and brought the school a national championship in his only season

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Former NFL quarterback and current podcaster Cam Newton will have his Auburn University college number retired during the upcoming football season.

Auburn University has announced that the former Carolina Panthers player will have his number retired at Jordan-Hare Stadium during the Oct. 11 game against the University of Georgia. He will become the fourth Auburn Tigers player to be immortalized by the university. His No. 2 football jersey will join Pat Sullivan (No. 7), Bo Jackson (No. 34), and Terry Beasley (No. 88).

“Auburn will always be home to me,” Newton said in a written statement. “The national championship we won in 2010 was a special moment, and to have my jersey retired alongside legends like Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, and Terry Beasley is an incredible honor that I’ll cherish forever. War Eagle!”

Newton’s number retirement will be the first number retired at Auburn in over 30 years. The last person whose number was immortalized was two-sport phenom Bo Jackson (he played in the NFL and MLB and is the world’s only person to earn All-Star honors in two professional sports leagues), who received his in 1992.

Newton’s storied collegiate career included many accolades and honors, including the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Manning Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and Associated Press National Player of the Year. Those honors took place in 2010 when he led the Tigers to an unbeaten record and national championship, earning him the coveted Heisman Trophy.

“Cam Newton not only led Auburn to a national championship in 2010, but he produced one of the most prolific seasons ever by a college football player,” Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen said. “Retiring Cam’s jersey number is a fitting way to celebrate his lasting impact on Auburn University and Auburn Athletics for all time.”

Newton’s collegiate career only lasted one season. He threw for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns, also scoring a receiving touchdown. He was the first player in SEC (Southeastern Conference Football) history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.

Those stats led to him being the No. 1 draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Panthers. Newton played 11 seasons in the league, primarily with the Carolina Panthers, spending one season with the New England Patriots. During his first year in the NFL, he was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011. He led the Panthers to Super Bowl 50, while taking home the MVP (Most Valuable Player) Award in 2015, but they fell to the Denver Broncos.

The former quarterback holds the Carolina franchise record for passing yards, passing touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns. Newton holds the record for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history with 75. 

RELATED CONTENT: Cam Newton Explains Why Many Athletes Go Broke Once Careers End

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 21, 2025

Oh, Please! Stephen Miller Swears DC Police Takeover Is For The ‘Safety’ Of Black Residents 

The “concern” from the top Trump administration official is interesting as Miller has been a leader in the conversation surrounding “woke” and anti-DEI initiatives.

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To quiet the noise of the protestors inside and outside of Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller pushed a narrative that the uptick of armed National Guard troops and federal police agents was to guarantee the “safety” of Chocolate City’s Black residents. 

Standing beside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, Miller verbally attacked protestors and tried to defend the reasoning behind the abrupt takeover by National Guard troops and other federal agents. Since there is still graffiti present from years ago, people like him — and the Black residents of the city — no longer feel safe, and President Donald Trump is going to fix it. “We are not going to let the Communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation’s capital…most of the citizens who live in Washington, DC are Black,” he said. 

“This is not a city that has had any safety for its Black citizens for generations, and President Trump is the one who is fixing that.”

The “concern” from the top Trump administration official is interesting, as Miller has been a leader in the conversation surrounding “woke” and anti-diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even going as far as launching a conservative law firm in an effort to push litigation to terminate racial equity programs, according to The Grio. 

However, residents of D.C. and those who have been doing the work to protect Black people over the years, are calling him out on his switch-up and blatant lies. “Stephen Miller has spent the last decade creating and implementing the Trump administration’s most anti-Black policies,” D.C. native and political director at People For the American Way, Markus Batchelor, said. 

“I’ll take a thousand white hippies standing up for our democracy over one white nationalist trying to destroy it.”

He continued to point out how Miller “led the effort to dismantle Black people’s access to housing, education, jobs, the vote, and equal justice under law.” “Him pretending to be the savior of Black people in Washington is both a hilarious contradiction and disgusting propaganda.”

Other residents and advocates acknowledge some crime and believe there are different ways to address it.

“Like in any community across the country, we have some trouble. You can need additional support and engagement,” sixth-generation D.C. resident and former D.C. deputy mayor Courtney Snowden said. “We shouldn’t be criminalizing homelessness. We shouldn’t criminalize poverty.”

As Miller failed to quiet down the protestors, whom he called “stupid white hippies,” supported by giggles from the vice president and Hegseth, revealed data shows the demographics in D.C. have changed over the last 20 years, with Black residents no longer being over 50% of the population.

Data also proves Trump’s efforts are seemingly failing. As the White House has boasted about making 550 arrests since the Aug. 7 takeover began, a poll from the Washington Post-Schar School found 85% of residents feel the efforts are going to make the city safer.

RELATED CONTENT: HEROES IRL: Black Couple Detains Suspected Arsonist In Runyon Canyon, 6 Months After California Wildfire Aftermath

• News

by Kandiss Edwards

August 21, 2025

Sterling K. Brown Talks About His Son’s Response To Racism, ‘He’s A More Evolved Person Than Me’

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Sterling K. Brown opened up about a painful moment when his teenage son was called the N-word at a youth soccer game.

Brown is a well-known name in Hollywood, so the revelation came as a surprise to many. In an interview on the TODAY show, Brown recalled the moment his son was spat on and called the N-word, People reported. Although his son tried to resolve the spitting incident through the referees, the outcome was unsuccessful. The competing player proceeded to call Brown’s son the racial slur. The teenager saw no other way to de-escalate the situation, except by walking away. He made the decision to tell his parents once the soccer game had concluded. Brown was admittedly upset, but his son was resolute.

“I was like, ‘Yo, man, how come we didn’t beat his ass?’ And he was like, ‘Because that wouldn’t have solved anything … So I didn’t want to make you any more upset, which is why I didn’t tell you until after the game,’” Brown said.

The Emmy-winning actor admitted the restraint shown by his son surprised him. 

“So he’s a more evolved person than me. I would’ve beat his ass,” Brown said. 

The moment revealed that despite his Hollywood success, racism reaches into his family’s everyday life. For Brown, it was also a moment of pride in seeing his son choose a path of dignity over retaliation.

That balance of resilience and emotional truth is central to Brown’s career and his latest project, the Hulu series Washington Black.

The historical adventure follows George Washington “Wash” Black, a boy escaping enslavement in the 19th century. Brown plays Medwin Harris, a free Black leader in Nova Scotia who becomes a mentor figure for Wash. In an interview with What To Watch, Brown spoke about the show adapted from the novel Washington Black by Esi Edugyan.

“Medwin was expanded from a minor role in the novel,” Brown said. “There’s something really lovely about the question, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?… finding community, finding family, finding a sense of purpose and agency amongst ourselves that is quite lovely and maybe strangely applicable to today, even though the story takes place in the 1800s.” 

For Brown, whether in a fictional story set two centuries ago or in the lived experience of his son, the work is about confronting racism while also centering love, growth, and survival.

RELATED CONTENT: Sterling Sharpe’s Hall Of Fame Induction Makes NFL History With Brother Shannon

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 21, 2025

Tennis Star Sachia Vickery Says OnlyFans Account Is ‘Easiest Money I’ve Ever Made’

Tennis pro Sachia Vickery is unapologetically backing her OnlyFans account, calling it a source of "easy money."

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Tennis star Sachia Vickery is standing by her OnlyFans account and all the easy money it adds to her bank account.

Vickery, who’s currently ranked 559 and competing in the US Open 2025 qualifiers in New York City, engaged with her fans and followers through a candid Q&A session on her Instagram Stories. The 30-year-old professional athlete didn’t hold back when asked about her OnlyFans account and the content she posts on the paid subscription-based platform.

“I’m very open-minded and I don’t care what people think of me,” said Vickery, as captured by the Daily Mail. “It’s also the easiest money I’ve ever made, and I enjoy doing it.”

The Hollywood, Florida, native went on to defend women who use OnlyFans, noting that after joining the platform earlier this year, she quickly realized how much money could be earned in such a short time.

“I will never talk s— about girls on OnlyFans ever again for the rest of my life,” Vickery wrote. “Because the amount I made on there in my first two days, I am overwhelmed. I am just shook, really.”

Just as her OnlyFans content comes at a price, the tennis star revealed that anyone interested in dating her must first put down a $1,000 deposit.

“I no longer date for free due to the behavior of men. I now require a pre-date deposit. Send me $1,000, and we can make it happen. My Cash App is $Sachiavick,” she wrote.

Vickery later shared a screenshot of a $1,000 CashApp payment from someone who took her up on the dating offer.

“Y’all thought I was joking 😂😂😂 ,” she wrote over the photo. “1k pre date deposit is now my requirement I no longer date for free due to male behavior think if it as a future investment like this gentlemen 😘.”

Following Vickery’s Q&A, a representative for the tennis star issued a statement clarifying her use of OnlyFans, emphasizing that it should not be categorized as “sex work.”

“The only comment we have is that what Ms. Vickery does on the OnlyFans platform should not be considered ‘sex work’ as stated in the Daily Mail article,” the statement said.

“She posts suggestive material. There is no full nudity or sexual acts performed. The Daily Mail article misrepresented her, hence why no quotes were provided by Ms. Vickery.”

The only reason Vickery joined OnlyFans is because she “was off 6 months due to a major injury, and in that time, OnlyFans was pursued; tennis was not stopped to go into OnlyFans,” the rep added.

RELATED CONTENT: Birkin Besties: Kash Doll’s $20,000 Wedding Gift For Detroit’s ‘Royal Couple’ Goes Viral

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 21, 2025

HHS Employees Press RFK Jr. To Stop Sharing False Claims

Kennedy once bad-mouthed the CDC, referring to the agency as a "cesspool of corruption" in a post on X.

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Over 750 employees working for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signed a letter and sent it to members of Congress and their leader, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., warning him to stop spreading misinformation, ABC News reports. 

The letter comes after the tragic shooting that took place at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in early August 2025 after a gunman alleged the COVID-19 vaccine, which Kennedy once called “the deadliest vaccine ever made,” made him have violent thoughts. Employees are refusing to let it go, labeling the shooting as “not random” and driven by “politicized rhetoric.”

Data revealed that COVID-19 vaccines saved over 2.5 million lives.

All parties who signed that letter pointed the finger at Kennedy, accusing him of endangering the lives of HHS employees by spreading false information and labeled him as being “complicit in dismantling America’s public health infrastructure” and “repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information.”

“The attack came amid growing mistrust in public institutions, driven by politicized rhetoric that has turned public health professionals from trusted experts into targets of villainization –- and now, violence,” staffers wrote, according to CNN. 

Employees obtained receipts to support their theories. 

Numerous examples pointed back to social media posts in which Kennedy bad-mouthed the CDC, once referring to the agency as a “cesspool of corruption” in a post on X.

“I’ll hold responsible those who lied or concealed critical health information, including the crooked individual who ordered the destruction of this myocarditis data,” the post read. 

Several staffers signed the letter anonymously out of fear of retribution and safety concerns, but with growing frustration, one staffer said she could no longer remain silent. “As part of my oath as a public health professional to stay true to the science and help people, it just felt like I needed to speak up in some way,” the staffer said. 

Dr. Shiv Prasad, a scientific review officer at the National Institutes of Health, decided to sign the letter head-on, saying the misinformation makes them targets. “Like my colleagues at the CDC, I am concerned about several things. One is the misinformation that’s being spread, especially concerning vaccines and COVID-19, and it has a way of vilifying federal workers who are working every day to ensure the health of Americans,” Prasad wrote. 

“I’m concerned about the safety of HHS workers … I think we are all potential targets now.”

Of course, in a statement, HHS supported Kennedy, pushing the narrative that his visit to the CDC after the shooting proves he stands with the employees. “Secretary Kennedy is standing firmly with CDC employees — both on the ground and across every center — ensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority. In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect, calling the CDC ‘a shining star among global health agencies,’” the statement read. 

“For the first time in its 70-year history, the mission of HHS is truly resonating with the American people — driven by President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s bold commitment to Make America Healthy Again. Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy.”

RELATED CONTENT: RFK Jr. Announces The CDC Has Ended COVID Vaccine Recommendations For Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women

• Business

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 21, 2025

Stephen Curry Scores Partnership Deal with Google

The sharpshooting businessman is Google’s new Performance Advisor

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NBA and Olympic world champion Stephen Curry has signed a long-term partnership with Google to serve as the company’s Performance Advisor across multiple platforms for the powerful search engine property.

The company announced that the Golden State Warriors point guard will bring his perspective as an athlete to Google Health, Google Pixel, and Google Cloud. His job entails helping the company fine-tune Google products, as well as training the company’s algorithms and even designing future hardware and features.

Stephen Curry has started utilizing Google products with his team. They have switched to using the Pixel portfolio as they have incorporated it into their daily lives. Those items include the Pixel phone, Pixel Watches, and the Pixel Buds. During their busy workday, they have integrated their work environment by using Gemini and Workspace.

Boardroom landed an exclusive interview to discuss with the sharp-shooting three-point specialist his latest role with the company. Curry told the media outlet that participating in Google products and helping the team is exciting for him.

“Just the idea that I could be a sounding board and a part of a thought partner, and what they have in the pipeline from Google Health’s perspective is exciting,” Curry said.

Curry has used Google’s technology for his latest Curry Camp outing. The 30 student-athletes who participated in the three-day basketball training camp were able to work with the professional athlete to utilize Google’s AI system. They used interactive demos and challenges to learn how Google’s technology can help them elevate their game.

“The world is changing overnight. We all know that. And how AI is being integrated is going to be important,” he said. “You don’t want to get left behind, and you want to make sure that it’s accessible to everybody. So that’s exciting.”

Curry also told the media outlet that the partnership with Google has been in the works for years.

RELATED CONTENT: Steph Curry’s ‘UNDERRATED’ Takes ‘Authentic’ Look At His Rise In The NBA

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 21, 2025

Uganda Agrees To Take Migrants From U.S. But They Can’t Have A Criminal Background

Uganda hosts roughly two million refugees and asylum-seekers

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Uganda and the U.S. have reached an agreement that the African nation will take in deported migrants but only if they don’t have a criminal record, Associated Press reports. 

International Relations Minister Henry Okello Oryem said while Uganda is globally known for its migrant or refugee policy, there are limits as the U.S. has made some mistakes before. Back in July 2025, the U.S. deported five men with criminal backgrounds to Eswatini and eight more to South Sudan.

The Ugandan foreign affairs ministry released a statement saying, the “two parties are working out the detailed modalities on how the agreement shall be implemented,” however, the country is looking to lay out some parameters – first being preferring accepted migrants be of African descent. Oryem was questioned about why the country is so open to accepting people that were rejected by their own countries.

He responded saying it’s not everyone that is accepted. “We are talking about cartels: people who are unwanted in their own countries. How can we integrate them into local communities in Uganda?” he asked. Oryem also mentioned discussion of “visas, tariffs, sanctions, and related issues” and not accepting illegal aliens from the U.S. being “unfair to Ugandans.”

As it is unclear if the agreement has been signed, the ministry stated it has been “concluded.”

This is one of the Trump administration’s latest moves in its quest to face America’s alleged immigration issue head on. As a U.S. ally, Uganda hosts roughly two million refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly coming from countries in the same East African region such as Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. The help from the Ugandians is interesting as just two years ago in 2023, the U.S. restricted visas from officials accused of undermining democracy and repressing marginalized groups.

The help from Uganda may come at the right time as Trump’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) team has been ordered to sniff out any “anti-American” views or activities from immigrants applying for immigration benefits such as green cards and work permits in effort to deny their applications, according to CBS News. 

USCIS officials have been instructed to determine whether applicants applying for certain immigration benefits have “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused anti-American views or the views of a terrorist organization or group” – including social media posts. Such groups could include organizations that promote alleged antisemitic views and terrorism. Top spokesperson for the organization, Matthew Tragesser, said U.S. immigration benefits should not be permitted to people who “despise the country.”

RELATED CONTENT: Black Mayor Cooperates With ICE Due To Alleged ‘Threats’ From Florida Governor

• Politics

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 21, 2025

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Credits President Trump For Trying To End ‘Conflicts Around The World’

'He has done more than practically almost any administration has tried to do...'

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ESPN’s First Take host Stephen A. Smith took a swipe at Democrats on his podcast on Aug. 18 and then appeared on Fox News the next night and stated that President Trump has done more to try to end “conflicts around the world” than previous administrations.

Smith showed up on Sean Hannity’s show to talk about the Trump administration’s attempt to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On his YouTube show on Aug. 18, Smith blamed the “Democrats in office” for the war that Russia started with Ukraine, placing it squarely on President Biden since Russia attacked Ukraine while he was in office.

“We ain’t gonna act like he [Trump] caused this now. It’s Democrats in office,” Smith stated on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “It was Biden in office when a full-fledged war against Ukraine took place, courtesy of Russia’s instigation, no matter what they try to say to Trump.”

Hannity referred to Smith’s comments on his show while speaking to the sports analyst, basically saying that the Democrats want Trump to fail while he is in office. Although Smith agrees that he isn’t necessarily supporting Trump, he states that he recognizes that the current president may be doing more to end conflicts in other wars taking place around the world.

“He has done more than practically almost any administration has tried to do when it comes to ending conflicts around the world, and he’s put himself in a position where the political capital he stands to gain isn’t necessarily that great,” Smith told the Fox News host.

“His willingness to do so, obviously something that shouldn’t be ignored, and something that should be, dare I say, applauded to some degree.”

Although the Fox News host chose to speak to Smith about the ESPN host giving Trump some credit, Smith did appear on another program to chastise the president because he had failed on one of his many campaign promises he gave while running for office. After promising the end of the Russia-Ukraine war “on day one,” after seven months as president, there is no resolution.

“The reality is, and excuse my language, he opened his mouth and deposited checks his a** can’t cash,” Smith said on NewsNation’s CUOMO show Aug. 18. “That’s really what it comes down to. You got to be able to end this war. You talked a lot of stuff about ending this war and how you would end it in one day. Now, we recognize that that’s hyperbole. We understand that something like that is not going to end in one day.”

You can view the interview at this link.

RELATED CONTENT: Is It a Referral Or Retribution? Fed Governor Lisa Cook Targeted By Trump Appointee

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 21, 2025

Anthony Edwards Gifts Adidas Sneakers To Over 150 Children In Houston

The donation was a part of Bleau Print Hospitality's "Walking In The Right Path Shoe Giveaway" at the Atlas Ultra Lounge.

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Anthony Edwards recently donated over 150 pairs of his signature adidas sneakers to children in Houston at a charity event.

According to TMZ, the Minnesota Timberwolves player participated in Bleau Print Hospitality’s “Walking In The Right Path Shoe Giveaway” event in Houston. Edwards gave over 150 of his signature Adidas AE 1s, although he did not appear at the event at the Atlas Ultra Lounge.

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Anthony Edwards has been with the German brand since being drafted by the Timberwolves with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He re-upped with adidas when he signed a multiyear extension last year.

Sole Retriever recently reported that a new player-exclusive colorway of the AE1, which was made for the Overtime Select women’s youth basketball league, was worn by players in the league finals on Aug. 17. The league was started by Overtime Elite in 2023 for teenagers aged 15 to 18 years old. The All Knighters beat ISO WRLD for the OT Select Championship.

WNBA player Erica Wheeler, who is signed to the German company, also wore the new AE1s while playing for the Seattle Storm over the weekend.

Basketball fans and sneaker enthusiasts are patiently awaiting the next sneaker from Ant-Man. It has been reported that the rumored ‘Lucid Pink’ Adidas AE2 is anticipated to drop in January 2026 for a suggested price of $130.

According to Bleacher Report, although Edwards and the Timberwolves fell short of making it to the NBA Championship when they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder (who went on to win the NBA title) in the Western Conference Finals, Edwards had a career year. He averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. The expectations for the team will be greater when the season starts later this year.

RELATED CONTENT: Anthony Edwards Reveals Being Drug-Tested After Winning Gold Medal At Olympics

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 21, 2025

Shower Gel Ad Displaying Black Skin As ‘Problematic’ Gets Banned In The UK

The UK has banned a shower gel commercial accused of displaying Black skin as "problematic."

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The United Kingdom has decided to ban a shower gel ad that seemed to imply white skin is “superior” to Black skin.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a Sanex shower gel TV ad after investigating two complaints that it promoted negative stereotypes about people with darker skin tones, the Independent reports. ASA ruled that the ad appeared to suggest that Black skin is “problematic” and white skin is “superior.”

The ad, which debuted in June, featured a voiceover saying, “To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water,” while showing a Black woman with red scratch marks and another coated in a cracked, clay-like substance.

The commercial then shows a white woman using the product in the shower, accompanied by a voiceover saying, “Try the new Sanex Skin Therapy with its patented amino acid complex for 24-hour hydration.” It concludes with both text and voiceover stating, “Relief could be as simple as a shower.”

Colgate-Palmolive’s UK division, which owns the Sanex brand, defended the ad, saying that it did not reinforce negative racial stereotypes and simply showed a “before and after” effect. The company explained that the models were meant to demonstrate the product’s effectiveness for all skin types and that the darker-skinned model’s tone was never intended to be a focal point.

However, the ASA ruled that using different skin tones to illustrate a “before and after” effect created a negative comparison and could perpetuate harmful racial stereotypes.

The ad was “structured in such a way that it was the Black skin which was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable, whereas the white skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved,” the ASA stated.

Although the ad wasn’t intended to disparage Black skin, the ASA found it “likely to reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that Black skin is problematic and white skin is superior.”

“We concluded that the ad included a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence,” the watchdog group said.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Workers Sue Walmart, Alleging Discriminatory Background Check Practices