FAMU, Florida A and M University,DI, Black History Month

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 20, 2024

FAMU Marching Band 100 Named ESPN 2024 Band Of The Year

FAMU's Marching 100 Band bested the North Carolina A&T State University Blue & Gold Marching Machine.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) won the ESPN 2024 Band of the Year competition last week.

FAMU’s Marching 100 Band took the title for the Division 1 category when it beat last year’s champions, the North Carolina A&T State University Blue & Gold Marching Machine, on Dec. 13.

“Speechless, humbled, and proud of our AMAZING Marching 100 band students & staff on an extraordinary performance tonight during the 2024 Band of the Year in Atlanta,” Dr. Shelby R. Chipman, Director of Bands and professor of music at FAMU, wrote on Facebook. “I asked them to do one thing: follow the process from Aug, don’t leave nothing for chance during this ‘One Shot’ experience. Special kudos to the number-one band staff in the WORLD… I’m grateful and lost for words as I shed tears heading back to celebrate Commencement with some of our graduating senior band members tomorrow.!”

The competition took place last week at the Mercedes Benz Dome stadium during the HBCU Celebration Bowl. Miles College Purple Marching Machine won the 2024 ESPN Division II Band of the Year contest against the Virginia State University Trojan Explosion.

The Marching 100 was the only HBCU band to be awarded the John Phillip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Trophy, widely regarded as the Heisman Trophy of marching bands.

The school also announced that it has hired a new registrar, Antonio Witherspoon. The three-time FAMU graduate will start on Jan. 3, 2025.

“Witherspoon’s deep connection to the university’s mission and community will help propel the registrar’s office forward in helping students achieve their educational goals,” Provost Allyson Watson, Ph.D., said in a written statement. “His passion for student success and commitment to operational excellence make him an ideal fit for this leadership role. His extensive experience and deep ties to FAMU’s mission will drive transformative progress in the registrar’s office.”

by Jameelah Mullen

December 20, 2024

Congo Files Criminal Complaint Against Apple Over Conflict Minerals

The DRC is a significant source of minerals used in devices such as cell phones and computers.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has filed a complaint against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, accusing the tech company of using conflict minerals in its supply chain, Reuters reports.

In the complaints filed with the Paris prosecutor’s office and a Belgian investigating magistrate’s office on Monday, the DRC accused Apple France, Apple Retail France, and Apple Retail Belgium of using minerals stolen from the DRC and laundered through global supply chains in Rwanda, making them complicit in crimes committed by armed militia groups that control some of the mines in the eastern part of the country.

“These activities have fuelled a cycle of violence and conflict by financing militias and terrorist groups and have contributed to forced child labor and environmental devastation,” the joint statement by three law firms based in the United States, France, and Belgium said.

Congo is a source of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and 3T minerals used in mobile phones and other electronics. But some mines in the region are run by militia groups that have been accused of violent crimes such as mass murder and rape. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, approximately 7 million people have been displaced due to violence in the eastern part of the DRC.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Alex Kopp, senior campaigner at the Global Witness NGO’s transition minerals team, said that these armed groups use violence to take over mines in DRC for profit.

“They [rebels] basically force the workers in the mines to work for free for a day or a week, and they illegally smuggle the minerals through places like Rwanda,” Kopp said. “The minerals then get exported legally to big companies like Apple.”

Apple has denied the allegations and claims that it told its suppliers not to use minerals sourced from Congo or Rwanda.

“As conflict in the region escalated earlier this year, we notified our suppliers that their smelters and refiners must suspend sourcing tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold from the DRC and Rwanda,” an Apple spokesperson told the BBC.

by Kandiss Edwards

December 20, 2024

Jonathan Majors’ ‘Magazine Dreams’ Gets Release Date

The embattled actor is back on the big screen.

Jonathan Majors is continuing his trek back from Hollywood infamy. The actor’s newest film, Magazine Dreams, will be released March 21, 2025, Deadline reports.

Premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Majors received glowing reviews for his performance. The ex-Marvel actor was an expected contender for the festival’s Best Actor category.

After its warm reception by critics, the project was shelved by Searchlight due to Majors’ legal troubles. Majors went to great lengths to prepare for the role, getting into peak shape to portray an “emotionally troubled” and unstable bodybuilder.

“Dozens of incredibly talented people poured their time, energy and creativity into bringing this film to life, and I am immensely proud of their work,” Elijah Bynum, the film’s director and producer, said. “I’m grateful to Tom Ortenberg and Briarcliff Entertainment for their unwavering support and passion and for giving this film the opportunity to reach a wider audience.”

The film stars Majors, Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, and former Mr. Universe Mike O’Hearn.

It was recently announced that Majors will star in Merciless, another film slated to hit the big screen, Deadline reported.

Merciless is billed as a revenge thriller. Majors will play a “top CIA interrogator who, after the woman he loves is overtaken by a malevolent force, is forced to go even darker to defeat it.”

The film will begin shooting in Saskatchewan.

'Grey’s Anatomy’ , James Pickens Jr. , Prostate Cancer

by Mitti Hicks

December 20, 2024

Study: Nearly Six Million Cancer Deaths Prevented Due to Prevention, Screenings

When it comes to surviving a cancer diagnosis, early detection is key to increasing your chances of survival.

As doctors and researchers continue to push people early cancer screenings, a study by the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute, shows improvements in cancer screenings have dramatically decreased deaths from the five common cancers compared to advancements in treatments.

The five most common cancer types are breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate.

Researchers analyzed data between 1975 and 2020, using the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) and cancer mortality data to examine death rates and screenings from the most common five.

Nearly six million deaths were prevented, according to researchers.

“Although many people may believe that treatment advances are the major driver of reductions in mortality from these five cancers combined, the surprise here is how much prevention and screening contribute to reductions in mortality,” said co-lead investigator Katrina A. B. Goddard, Ph.D., director of NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. “Eight out of 10 deaths from these five cancers that were averted over the past 45 years were due to advances in prevention and screening.”

Preventing Cancer

Even with the increase in screenings, researchers point out that the best way to reduce cancer death rates is by combining effective strategies in prevention and screenings with advances in treatment.

“This study will help us understand which strategies have been most effective in reducing cancer deaths so that we can continue building on this momentum and hopefully increase the use of these strategies across the United States,” said W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., director of NCI.

According to the study, contributions of prevention, screening, and treatment helped to avert deaths for the following cancer types:

Breast cancer: 250,000 deaths
Lung cancer: 3,381,000 deaths
Cervical cancer: 160,000 deaths
Colorectal cancer: 743,000 deaths
Prostate cancer: 201,600

“These findings suggest that we need to continue to have strong strategies and approaches in these areas,” Goddard noted. “It’s not just treatment advances alone, or prevention and screening alone, that is helping us to reduce cancer mortality.”

5 Tips To Survive Your 9-5 With A Side Hustle

by Black Enterprise

December 20, 2024

The Secret To Surviving Staffing Shortages Without Burning Out

It can be done—just follow these four steps.

Hi Fairygodmentor,

How can a leader effectively navigate staffing shortages based on a fiscal budget without working themselves into a hole?

Best wishes,
Leading to Burnout

Dear Leading to Burnout,

Wow! I’ve been there, done that, and nearly burned out while leading my teams.

The struggle is real. Balancing multiple demands alongside budgetary constraints is a challenge, and it’s a miracle you show up every day.

Here’s my top tip: Delegate.

Ideally, your staffing shortages aren’t so severe that you’re left doing everything yourself. Get creative. Even with limited resources, there’s likely someone on your team eager to take on new challenges. That person is the perfect candidate for delegation.

Step 1: Identify the Right Person

The key to successful delegation is selecting someone with both the skill and will to handle the task. Have an open and transparent conversation about their career goals and their interest in taking on responsibilities outside their current role. You’re looking for someone who may not be an expert yet but has the potential to succeed. This is your opportunity to nurture their growth and development while alleviating your workload.

Step 2: Clarify Expectations

Clear communication is critical. Set expectations for processes, deadlines, key contacts, and any rules they need to follow. Encourage questions to ensure mutual understanding. This step not only gives you peace of mind but empowers the person taking on the task.

Step 3: Check In—Without Micromanaging

You know how it feels to be micromanaged, so let’s break that cycle. Schedule regular check-ins to review progress, address questions, and adjust plans as needed. Use these moments to celebrate milestones and recognize their efforts.

Step 4: Reflect and Refine

Once the project is complete, sit down together to discuss what worked well and what could be improved. If the experience was positive, repeat the process! Delegation not only helps you avoid burnout but prepares your team members for growth, creating a win-win situation.

When done right, delegation is like contributing to your 401(k): short-term discomfort for long-term gains. You’ll regain control of your life, minimize burnout, and develop your team—all while working with limited resources.

You’ve got this!

Yours truly,

Your Fairygodmentor®

Joyel Crawford, fairygodmentor, contributor — (Photo: Kirten White Photography/BE)

About the Author:

Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and the founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy specializing in empowering leaders through coaching, training, and facilitation. She is the author of the best-selling book, Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career.

Got a Question?

Do you need help handling a micromanager, navigating workplace challenges, managing stress, or negotiating the job offer you deserve? Send your question to Ask Your Fairygodmentor® here.

fentanyl, los angelos county, overdose, drug, resident

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 20, 2024

1980s Kingpin Rayful Edmond III Dies In Federal Custody

He was living at a halfway house in Florida after being transferred to "community confinement" in August

Once dubbed the “king of cocaine” in Washington, D.C., former drug dealer Rayful Edmond III, 60, has recently died.

According to WUSA, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed on Dec. 17 that the former drug kingpin died in federal custody. He was living at a halfway house in Florida after being transferred to “community confinement” in August. The 60-year-old was known for being a major drug dealer in D.C. during the crack era in the 1980s. It’s believed that he controlled about a third of the cocaine trade during that time.

Details of the cause of death have not been revealed.

A Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed Edmond’s transfer earlier this summer.

“We can confirm that Rayful Edmond III was transferred (not released) on July 31, 2024, to community confinement overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Nashville Residential Reentry Management Office,” said Scott Taylor.

Emond was arrested in 1989 after being accused of running a vast drug distribution network. It was reported that the operation he ran moved up to 1,700 pounds of cocaine monthly, which generated upwards of millions every week. At the time, Edmond was well-known in D.C. for his lavish lifestyle. He sponsored local basketball tournaments and was seen at high-profile boxing matches in Las Vegas.

According to The Associated Press, he was sentenced to life without parole and sent to a maximum-security prison in Pennsylvania. After discovering that he was still involved in a drug distribution network from inside the prison, he was hit with an additional 30-year sentence.

While imprisoned, he started to cooperate with the feds. Through his cooperation, federal prosecutors placed a motion to reduce his life sentence since he was credited with helping place dozens of other drug dealers in prison. He also helped break up other drug distribution rings through his assistance and even taught prison authorities how to better control the trafficking inside the prison system.

He served more than 35 years in federal custody.

Questlove To Premiere Sly And The Family Stone Documentary At 2025 Sundance Film Festival

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 20, 2024

Questlove To Premiere Sly And The Family Stone Documentary At 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Questlove's documentary about Sly and the Family Stone will debut at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Questlove is gearing up for the premiere of his Sly and the Family Stone documentary at the Sundance Film Festival next month.

The Roots drummer’s Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) will premiere at the prestigious film festival in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, starting on Jan. 23. The documentary will compete alongside others focused on legendary musicians, including Selena, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and Jeff Buckley, Rolling Stone reports.

It’s the second documentary for Questlove, real name Amir Thompson, following the success of his Oscar-winning directorial debut Summer of Soul.

“It’s time good people. It’s official! SLY LIVES! ( AKA The Burden of Black Genius) will premiere at the 2025 #Sundance Film Festival,” Questlove wrote on Instagram.

“Directed by Oscar-Winner Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the film explores the life, music, and cultural impact of Sly Stone, shedding light on the challenges faced by Black artists navigating success.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Questlove (@questlove)

Questlove appeared on MSNBC in June, sharing that he was putting the finishing touches on the documentary that was two years in the making.

“When I’m done [with this interview]… I’m gonna actually finalize it. Today’s the last day… two years of working on [it],” he said.

The renowned musician and producer first announced the documentary in July 2022 as a passion project, citing Sly and the Family Stone as being a part of his musical DNA.

“It goes beyond saying that Sly’s creative legacy is in my DNA… it’s a black musician’s blueprint,” he said in a statement. “To be given the honor to explore his history and legacy is beyond a dream for me.”

In September, Questlove announced plans to release his third documentary, focusing on the musical legacy of Earth, Wind, & Fire.

“The story of how a band led by a genius from Chicago changed our way of thinking, our minds and our hearts,” Questlove wrote on Instagram. “Having been baptized in the Afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly, I’ve learned and rediscovered myself in the process.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Questlove (@questlove)

“I’m so excited to be part of the process of preserving their positive but very vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle,” he added. “This is the story of joy, persistence, love, pain, magic and self discovery. This is Earth, Wind & Fire.”

COURAGE AND TRUST MAKE CONVERSATIONS ON FAMILY FINANCES MORE FRUITFUL

by Jeffrey McKinney

December 20, 2024

COURAGE AND TRUST MAKE CONVERSATIONS ON FAMILY FINANCES MORE FRUITFUL

New data reveals that couples willing to display courage in openly discussing and managing money matters are 40% more likely to achieve relationship fulfillment than those who avoid the process.

Those who display more expansive communication instead of conflict regarding family finances find that shared decision-making and transparency build trust. Moreover, including financial planners and other experts in such interactions will be more fruitful for all family members.

Fani Willis, Judge, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 20, 2024

Judge Rules Fani Willis Disqualified As Prosecutor On Donald Trump’s Election Case In Georgia

A Georgia Court of Appeals panel cited an “appearance of impropriety”

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was removed from the Georgia election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump by a state appeals court on Dec. 19 after months of preparation, Associated Press reports.

The case has been paused for months as Willis anticipated her fate after an appeal was filed in response to a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who was hired as a lead on the case. A Georgia Court of Appeals panel cited an “appearance of impropriety” in a 2-1 decision. It ruled, “This is the rare case in which disqualification is mandated and no other remedy will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings.”

While the ruling adds to the list of legal victories for Trump in criminal cases presented as a threat to his career and freedom, Willis’ office immediately filed a notice of intent following the ruling to ask the Georgia Supreme Court to review the decision.

Trump will return to the White House for a second term after being empowered by the Supreme Court’s decision to grant former presidents presumptive immunity for any “official acts” taken in office. Willis’ fate comes just weeks after Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith walked away from two federal prosecutions against the incoming president; the sentencing in a separate hush money case was put on hold indefinitely in New York.

In early December 2024, Willis was ordered to turn over all communications with Smith, which may reveal how much the two offices communicated while they were supposed to be prosecuting Trump separately.

In a statement, Trump’s attorney, Steve Sadow, celebrated the court’s decision. “As the Court rightfully noted, only the remedy of disqualification will suffice to restore public confidence,” Sadow said, according to The Hill. “This decision puts an end to a politically motivated persecution of the next President of the United States.”

Willis first stepped on the national scene after a grand jury indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants using Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. The group was accused of infiltrating efforts to illegally try to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Trump allegedly used certain powers, including calling Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and pressuring him to help find enough votes to beat Biden. Four people have already pleaded guilty.

The state prosecutor faced backlash after allegations surfaced that she improperly benefited from her romance with Wade. As a result, intimate details of Willis and Wade’s personal lives were made public during a hearing in mid-February 2024. A defendant’s motion accused Willis of paying Wade large sums for his work and benefiting while being paid for lavish vacations.

Following Willis’ removal, Trump spoke to Fox News Digital, claiming that “everybody should receive an apology, including those wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 20, 2024

The 5-Day-in-Office Schedule Returns For AT&T Employees As the Company Ditches Hybrid Work

Are you team hybrid or in the office full-time?

AT&T employees can kiss hybrid work goodbye as the communications company demands U.S. employees to work five days a week on-site starting January 2025, the Dallas Morning News reports.

The Dallas, Texas-based company spent months accommodating some hybrid employees while trying to figure out its push to a full-time office return. AT&T’s CEO John Stankey said during the summer of 2023 that employees would be required to report to one of the nine corporate hubs — Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Ramon, California, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Middletown, New Jersey, and Bedminster, New Jersey — at least three days a week. With close to 18,000 management employees returning to the hubs in early 2024, an AT&T spokesperson says the full-time return makes sense. “The majority of our employees and leaders never stopped working on location for the full work week — including during the pandemic. We always adapt our workforce model to drive collaboration and innovation to deliver the best support for our customers,” the spokesperson said.

“As we continue to evolve our model, we are enhancing our facilities and workspaces, adapting our benefits programs, and incorporating best practices to ensure our employees are best equipped to serve our customers.”

Before consolidating to nine cities, the company supported over 300 offices across the United States.

AT&T is following in the footsteps of other Fortune 500 companies demanding their employees return to the office full-time instead of following a hybrid work schedule. While salad chain Sweetgreen Inc. requires its support staffers to work four days in the office, Starbucks Corp. threatened termination for staff that didn’t follow return-to-office mandates. Amazon made headlines when it mandated a return, but it has been delayed due to the lack of adequate office space in certain locations. The spokesperson continued to say that AT&T doesn’t have that same issue, but the decision aligns with certain business strategies. “Our workforce strategies are implemented based on business needs and varies by organization, location and other factors,” they mentioned.

“There is no universal policy for all employees and, as always, our strategy evolves with business needs.”

The decision is not popular amongst employees and onlookers. According to WFAA 8 ABC, some loathe the move as it limits the flexibility promised to workers seeking extended time with their families or who moved to less expensive locations. Others wonder if the policy is another way to cull workers without traditional layoffs. However, some celebrate the return as a way to promote a healthier company culture and financial performance.

AT&T Chief Technology Officer Jeremy Legg says service workers will be rolled out to job sites beginning Jan. 6 and is expected to be mostly complete by March 3.