November 26, 2024
A new Black-owned restaurant in South Central LA honors the vibrant Black jazz scene of the 1940s.
A new Black-owned restaurant in South Central Los Angeles is honoring the vibrant, Harlem Renaissance-inspired culture that defined the area in the 1940s.
Somerville, a full-service restaurant, officially opened on Nov. 22. It offers American cuisine, craft cocktails, fine wines, and live music. Actress and media mogul Issa Rae took to Instagram on Nov. 25 to celebrate the restaurant’s launch and how it serves as an “ode to the classic, artistic past of Black South Central L.A.”
“Always wanted a neighborhood lounge to complement the special community that is View Park-Windsor Hills. The genius GVO Gentlemen said, how about a restaurant?” Rae shared in her caption.
Founded by Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen owners Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan, the loungey restaurant is located in the same View Park-Windsor Hills retail complex as their original cafe. With Issa Rae being a partner in Hilltop, she was happy to be among the first to experience Somerville.
The location holds special significance for Hagos and Relan, two South LA natives who initially passed on the opportunity to acquire the 5,000-square-foot space in 2015. At the time, they chose to focus on launching their Black-owned coffee company to compete in the area’s coffee-centric market.
“We’re from here but didn’t know if we would ever open anything here,” Relan told Eater Los Angeles.
Now after opening Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen locations throughout the Southland and Lost Rooftop Cocktail + Taco Bar in Downtown LA, Ralen and Hagos have opened their first-ever full-service restaurant right in their hometown.
“We could have been anywhere in the city, but we’re here with you…. on Slauson,” they captioned an Instagram announcement.
When designing the space, the business partners drew inspiration from Los Angeles history, focusing on Historic South-Central’s vibrant culture from 1921 to 1956. This era thrived thanks to traveling Black musicians who were barred from performing in white-owned bars and clubs. The scene revolved around the iconic Dunbar Hotel (originally named Hotel Somerville, which inspired the restaurant’s name) and the bustling jazz venues along Central Avenue.
“We became obsessed with these spaces and ideas,” Relan said. “Hilltop was a step in that direction for us. We wanted to create a 2020s version of that era, but not [necessarily do] a jazz club. We wanted to look forward while celebrating the progress in between.”
Crafted by chef Geter Atienza, known for his work at New York’s Bouchon Bakery and Broken Spanish, the menu features dishes like scallop crudo, duck confit, soup du jour, halibut, lamb shank, and collard green lasagna. Guests can pair these offerings with a selection of sparkling, white, and red wines, along with beer and specialty cocktails.
Somerville is open Wednesday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
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November 26, 2024
Alicia Keys' "Hell's Kitchen" musical is coming to a theater near you.
Alicia Keys’ Tony Award-winning musical Hell’s Kitchen continues to captivate audiences on Broadway and is set to hit theaters nationwide in fall 2025.
The show’s producers announced a multi-year North American tour starting next fall at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, Deadline reports. Running alongside the Broadway production at the Shubert Theatre, the tour will visit over 30 cities in its first year.
“Seeing Hell’s Kitchen on a Broadway marquee has fulfilled one of my earliest and most influential dreams as an artist and a New Yorker,” Keys said in a statement.
“I’m overjoyed by the impact it has already had with audiences that truly mirror the world around us in New York, and I am ecstatic that we can bring the show to so many incredible cities across the country. Let’s gooooo!!!!!”
The hit musical is inspired by Keys’ life growing up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. It tells the story of Ali, a 17-year-old girl yearning for freedom, passion, and her sense of purpose through music.
“Struggling with a rebellious spirit and feeling confined by her overprotective single mother, Ali finds her way when she meets a neighbor who becomes her mentor, introducing her to the transformative power of the piano,” a synopsis reads.
The musical—featuring music and lyrics by Alicia Keys and a book by Kristoffer Diaz—had limited runs before its official opening on April 20, 2024. It went on to sweep the Tony Awards with 13 wins, including Best Lead Actress, Best Choreography, Best Design, and Best Musical.
AKW Productions heads the producing team for Hell’s Kitchen. The full Broadway creative team, led by director Michael Greif, will return for the national tour. The music team features orchestrators Adam Blackstone and Tom Kitt, with arrangements by Alicia Keys and Blackstone.
The creative team includes scenic designer Robert Brill, costume designer Dede Ayite, lighting designer Natasha Katz, sound designer Gareth Owen, projection designer Peter Nigrini, hair and wig designer Mia Neal, and makeup designer Michael Clifton. Heidi Griffiths and Kate Murray handle casting, and Foresight Theatrical serves as the general manager.
November 26, 2024
Greene, who will lead the subcommittee connected to the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, said she’s coming for NPR, organizations that fund 'toilets in Africa,' 'sex apps in Malaysia,' sanctuary cities, and the Pentagon.
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is already detailing who will likely be her first targets for investigation and defunding. Greene, who will lead the subcommittee connected to the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, said she’s coming for NPR, organizations that fund “toilets in Africa,” “sex apps in Malaysia,” sanctuary cities, and the Pentagon.
“I want to talk to the people at the Pentagon and ask them why they can’t find billions of dollars every single year and why they fail their audit,” she said.
DOGE was created to find and eradicate wasteful spending. Greene promises a “deep dive” into every government department and program.
“We’ll be looking at everything from government-funded media programs like NPR that spread nothing but Democrat propaganda. We’ll be going into grant programs that fund things like sex apps in Malaysia, toilets in Africa,” she told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo.
During the interview, Greene said America has been “really spoiled for a long time,” claiming that the federal government is one of the worst abusers of wasting America’s tax dollars.
One of Greene’s priorities will be investigating “sanctuary cities,” or places with policies that protect immigrants.
“I’d like to talk to the governors of sanctuary states and the mayors of sanctuary cities and have them come before our committee and explain why they deserve federal dollars if they’re going to harbor illegal criminal aliens in their states and their cities,” Greene said.
She made it clear that these places would lose federal funding if the committee found out that cities or states were allocating resources or even police officers to “protect illegal criminal aliens.”
As she discussed ways to cut the federal budget, Greene said the way to do it is by cutting “programs, contracts, employees, grant programs, you name it, that are failing the American people and not serving the American people’s interests.”
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November 26, 2024
The fight lives on!
With 62 Black members in Congress and the highest number of Black federal lawmakers in history, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) plans to fight back against President-elect Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda, NBC News reports.
Instead of upholding policies for Black and marginalized people under a Harris-Walz administration, the CBC has pivoted to hold Trump and his GOP-led allies accountable for what’s to come. Ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), says the group has no problem working with all legislative colleagues, but that doesn’t mean some won’t be called out on issues that are triggering. “We’ve always been the conscience of the Congress, and that’s no matter who’s in charge,” Meeks said.
“We always try to work with folks where we can. But we call them out also. And now we have more of these leaders to call truth to power, to make sure that the voices of the voiceless are heard.”
There will be 67 Black lawmakers serving in Congress. The five Black Republicans are not members of the CBC.
With a 53-year history, the group’s goal is clear for the 119th session of Congress — “loudly” challenge the Trump administration on policies affecting Black people with a specific hold on access to healthcare, prescription drug costs, the call to eliminate Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act, education, and more. Such issues have come under scrutiny as Trump has nominated controversial cabinet picks, including wrestling executive Linda McMahon for secretary of education and Dr. Mehmet Oz to oversee Medicaid and Medicare.
Meeks has expressed concerns over the selections and says the pushback from the Caucus will not be silenced. “Instead of just having a quartet, now you’ve got a whole choir,” Meeks said. “And we will be loud, we will be clear, and we’re going to be constant and consistent because this administration is a danger.”
While the House and Senate will be under Republican control, the presence of Black Democratic lawmakers hasn’t gone unnoticed. Executive Director of the Rolling Sea Action Fund, Niccara Campbell Wallace, calls the group’s growth “noteworthy.” “Despite the Republicans having the House and the Senate next session, you feel good about what these historic number of Black Congress members can do in terms of helping influence what comes down the pipe,” she said.
In a statement, the CBC says their new members are ready to fight for American voters of all creeds and protect them from Trump’s dangerous rhetoric. “The CBC will hold the line to protect Americans from the danger of extremist Republicans and their hate-filled Project 2025 agenda,” the statement read, according to The Hill.
“In the streets, the courtroom, and in Congress, the CBC will build coalitions with Americans of goodwill to fight for a fair economy and defend freedom. House and Senate Republicans should be on alert. We will expose and define their dangerous, reckless agenda out the gate — Americans will have a clear-eyed-view of the stakes next November.”
The caucus’s leadership will see the return of its chair, Rep. Steven Horsford, who just won Democratic re-election in Nevada, and ranking committee members, including Virginia’s Rep. Bobby Scott on Education and the Workforce, Rep. David Scott of Georgia on Agriculture, Mississippi’s Rep. Bennie Thompson for Homeland Security, and Rep. Maxine Waters on Financial Services.
New faces will include historymakers Rep.-elect Janelle Bynum, the first Black woman to represent Oregon, and Sens.-elect Angela Alsobrooks (MD) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE).
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November 26, 2024
It's going to be nonstop vibes as Culture Beach Jam gathers artists, emerging talent and community members for a celebration of Africa.
Get ready for the ultimate celebration of Africa as Culture Management Group (CMG) hosts Culture Beach Jam 2024. The event will feature a lineup of musical icons and a special glimpse into the continent’s emerging talent.
On Dec. 28-29, attendees will convene in Accra, Ghana, for the two-day experience. According to a press release, musical icons like Omah Lay, King Promise, DJ Tunez, Kidi, Shallipopi, Joey B, Sabrina, Olive the Boy, and Ara the Jay will take the stage at this year’s Culture Beach Jam. As guests enjoy electrifying performances from their favorite artists, the AfroFuture’s Rising Star Challenge winner will join the vibes with a performance.
“Launching our new concert series is an incredible milestone, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring this vision to life,” said AfroFuture CEO and Co-Founder Abdul Karim Abdullah. There’s truly no time like Detty December—it’s an electric season that unites people from all walks of life to celebrate our music, our art, and our shared heritage.”
CMG has arranged several community initiatives and programs to support emerging talent leading up to this year’s Culture Beach Jam concert series. CMG will kick things off with its one-week Continent Live Music Program from Dec. 15-21. Participants include emerging artists from the AfroFuture Rising Star Challenge and established creatives. The artists will work with musical professionals as they embark on a week of songwriting, collaborative projects, networking, press training, and more. A Music Day in partnership with the British Council will include masterclasses where participants will dive into contracting, management, finance, and a music showcase.
On Dec. 27, CMG, Black Health Connect, and Distant Relatives will set up in Zurak Park, Madina, to provide free screenings, mental health consultations, and other health services to the community at the Annual Community Health Fair starting at 10 AM. Free meals will be provided through AfroFuture Feed until the conclusion of the health fair at 2 PM. Beginning at 1 PM, attendees can head to the Bukom Boxing Arena for the BAL Celebrity Basketball Game, curated by AfroFuture. The event, organized by the Basketball Africa League and presented by Hennessy, will offer an afternoon dedicated to sports and entertainment as BAL players face off with artists and celebrities.
Following the Culture Beach Jam concert series, leaders across sectors will convene for The African Dream Focus Group in partnership with Gensler. The focus group will cover strategies and actionable solutions for achieving the “African Dream” with insights from students, industry professionals, government officials, and investors.
Visit the AfroFuture website to grab your tickets for Culture Beach Jam 2024, and don’t miss out on the ultimate celebration of Africa.
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November 26, 2024
The program will launch on Jan 1, 2025, with up to 100,000 borrowers eligible to enroll.
Connecticut is launching a new Student Loan Reimbursement Program to help alleviate some borrowers’ stress and payment woes.
While student loans nationwide remain in limbo, Connecticut lawmakers aim to relieve some of its nearly 500,000 residents with significant debt. The program will allocate $6 billion to help up to 100,000 borrowers in its first year of operation. The initiative will launch on Jan. 1, 2025, starting a five-year plan to reduce student loan debt in the state.
STUDENT LOAN REIMBURSEMENT: Connecticut will launch a five-year $6 billion program to help alleviate the burden of student loan debt. #news12ct #connecticut #StudentLoan #Reimbursement #StudentLoanDebthttps://t.co/0mNL9TDgKk
— News12CT (@News12CT) November 21, 2024
“We today, may not seem like a lot, but we’re putting Connecticut back on the right track and closing the cap on disparities,” said Rep. Corey Paris, Stamford’s 145th District representative, as reported by News12.
Eligibility is based on multiple criteria, including being a resident of the northern state for at least five years. Other requirements include graduating from a Connecticut state college or university, whether public or private. However, those who did not obtain their degrees from these institutions can also apply. This includes students who left in good standing and were granted a hardship waiver by the state’s Office of Higher Education.
According to Marca, these requirements could help eliminate around $147 million in debt, a number reportedly held by just a few thousand borrowers who attended these schools. Furthermore, students who received an occupational or professional license, including certifications, can also enroll.
The reimbursement program seeks to help Connecticut residents from lower-economic backgrounds. Single borrowers with an adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less can participate. Despite this, married couples making up to $175,000 will remain eligible. All applicants must also have made payments toward their loans in 2024, with balances still remaining.
Lastly, the program wants to ensure enrolled borrowers have contributed to their communities. They require at least 50 hours of volunteer work at a Connecticut nonprofit organization. However, those who have served in municipal governments or the military during the past year can use this work as an alternative.
As a Trump presidency and less emphasis on student loan forgiveness draw near, states such as Connecticut are taking matters into their own hands to provide relief to their residents. Those who meet all the requirements can prepare for enrollment by creating an account on the CT SCHOLARS portal.
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November 26, 2024
Hochul found her repeal of the adultery law "somewhat ironic" given her own marital status.
New York has decriminalized infidelity in one’s marriage. The ruling makes cheating on your spouse no longer punishable by law.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill on Nov. 22 that officially repealed a 117-year-old law on adultery. Until this point, the “crime” was considered a class B misdemeanor, for which one could serve up to 90 days in jail.
Hochul deemed the law as “silly” and “outdated.” She called adultery a personal matter that should not be handled by the state.
“These matters should clearly be handled by these individuals and not our criminal justice system,” explained the governor, as reported by Gothamist. “Let’s take this silly, outdated statute off the books, once and for all.”
The law specifically targeted those who “engage(d) in sexual intercourse with another person at a time when he has a living spouse, or the other person has a living spouse.” Therefore, even those who were unmarried yet had an intimate affair with someone who was could face consequences.
Hochul also found her repeal of the law “somewhat ironic,” given her own marital status. The elected official married her husband, Bill Hochul Jr., 40 years ago in 1984. Now, under her leadership, New York no longer reigns among the 16 states that still have laws against adultery.
Most of those states have marital infidelity listed as a misdemeanor, like New York. However, states such as Oklahoma, Michigan, and Wisconsin consider it a felony, with the latter having fines of as much as $10,000 with three and a half years of potential prison time.
Despite this, adultery laws are rarely enforced. In the Empire State specifically, the law was last used in 2014 against a married woman caught having sexual intercourse with a man in a public park. Authorities later dropped the adultery charge.
State lawmakers, such as Assemblymember Charles Lavine of Long Island, sponsored the bill that passed earlier this year. While deemed insignificant on the surface level, those sponsoring the bill called it a greater call to ensure reproductive rights. The issue was also a major focal point for the Presidential election.
“We are all in danger of losing our rights,” explained Lavine, as reported by Newsweek. “Those most likely to be prosecuted for this crime, not only in New York but throughout the United States and even worldwide, are women. I think it’s time for our state legislatures throughout the United States to stand up for human rights. And women’s rights are human rights.”
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November 26, 2024
William Martin, who is 6-foot-2 and weighs 360 pounds filed a lawsuit for having to sit at a small desk.
A New York City resident is suing a library in Manhattan after allegedly being forced to work at a desk that was too small for his frame. According to The New York Post, William Martin, who is 6-foot-2 and weighs 360 pounds, filed a lawsuit against the New York Public Library after stating that he was “traumatized” by sitting at a desk that was too small.
The paperwork was filed in a Brooklyn Federal courthouse. He is asking for $4.6 million and accusing his superiors of discrimination and harassment.
Martin started working at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on Fifth Avenue in October 2021, where he was assigned to the first-floor service desk. He was hired to work as a library information assistant and complained about the size of his desk.
“All I sought was just a service desk with the appropriate accommodation given my physical attributes,” he stated in the lawsuit.
His union helped get him assigned to different service desks within the midtown library, but nearly two years later, he was placed back at the cramped first-floor desk after a new assistant director was hired in June 2023. After complaining and involving an attorney, things worsened for Martin. He alleges that the assistant director “dramatically increased” how often Martin was assigned to the small desk, which, he said, was “detrimental to his health and safety,” according to the court document. He felt that it was the director’s “way to bully William and intimidate him, showing him ‘who is the boss.’”
A few months later, Martin was suspended after being “falsely accused” of sleeping on the job. With this action, he requested a transfer and medical leave for anxiety and depression. He said his “mental health has been damaged to such extent that . . . he would tremble just at the thought of going back to work.”
Martin is asking the judge to force the library to grant him a leave and compensation for what he went through.
In a written statement, the New York Public Library said that his lawsuit is “without merit.”
“We take employee accommodations and concerns with utmost seriousness and are dedicated to treating our staff across the Library with fairness and respect.”
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November 26, 2024
Job well done, Mr. Williams!
The first Black man to hold the title of federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced he will step down in December 2024, NBC News reports.
The popular U.S. attorney was the face behind convictions in headlining cases, including Democratic New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and troubled cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried. He is also overseeing the prosecutions of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. As the first Black man to hold the prestigious post, Williams was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2021 as a veteran of the office. President-elect Donald Trump, who is facing his own legal troubles in the Big Apple, has already announced his intention to replace Williams.
In a statement, Williams says serving has been “an honor to serve the American people” and called the decision to resign “bittersweet.” “It is bitter in the sense that I am leaving my dream job, leading an institution I love that is filled with the finest public servants in the world,” he said, pushing for Dec. 13 as his step-down date.
“It is sweet in that I am confident I am leaving at a time when the Office is functioning at an incredibly high level — upholding and exceeding its already high standard of excellence, integrity, and independence.”
The office, once held by disgraced former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, plays a critical role in some of the country’s most sensitive and high-profile criminal cases, including cases of public corruption, securities fraud, and terrorism. In early 2024, Williams oversaw a case involving an Iranian man charged in an assassination plot against Trump.
The indicted businessman has nominated the former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton, to take over once inaugurated, calling him “a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant” who is “going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we Make America Great Again.”
During Williams’ tenure in office, he did more than fight against the rich and famous. He also fought for the people of the state and various agencies. According to USA Today, Williams prosecuted a daycare owner accused of operating a fentanyl operation that resulted in the death of a one-year-old child and three others being hospitalized.
As crime escalated inside NYC’s infamous Rikers Island prison, he created the Civil Rights Unit in SDNY’s criminal division with a focus on enforcing civil rights. A receiver was set to be appointed to address the violence and dysfunction inside prison walls.
Following Williams’ departure, his deputy, Edward Y. Kim, will sit as acting U.S. attorney.
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November 26, 2024
'I wanted to make a seasoning that people could use generously and feel good about, without guilt.'
E-40’s son, Emari Stevens, is carrying on the rapper’s legacy in the culinary space with a new line of health-conscious food seasonings.
Finesse is crafted to deliver bold flavor while catering to various dietary needs. Vegan, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, keto-friendly, low-sodium, non-GMO, and sugar-free, Finesse was created in response to the high rates of hypertension affecting the Black community. The line offers a healthy way to season your favorite meals, providing a flavorful alternative without the excess sodium that can compromise health.
“The inspiration came from my love of cooking and my desire to create a seasoning that would truly reflect my skill in the kitchen — thus, Finesse was born,” Stevens told The Source.
“In my community, many people are affected by high blood pressure, which can be a silent killer. Often, people don’t experience symptoms until a serious event, like a heart attack, happens. I wanted to make a seasoning that people could use generously and feel good about, without guilt.”
Stevens continued. “A lot of the major brands out there have high sodium content, so I wanted Finesse to stand out as a low-sodium option, encouraging people to season freely while still looking out for their health.”
With the launch of Finesse, the certified “Iron Skillet Master” is adding to his dad’s culinary empire, which includes a Goon With The Spoon food product line of sausages, burritos, ice cream, and a best-selling cookbook.
The seasonings come in two flavors: All-Purpose and Garlic.
“I wanted to enter the market with two essential seasonings that would be true powerhouses in any kitchen,” Stevens said.
“The ‘All-Purpose’ seasoning is incredibly versatile—it works with everything from chicken and beef to seafood, vegetables, stews, soups, pasta, and more,” Stevens said. “I’m especially proud of this blend because it complements nearly any dish. The ‘Garlic Blend’ brings its own distinct flavor profile, with a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, spices, and sea salt. It’s ideal for pastas, mashed potatoes, and grilled chicken. One trick I’ve discovered is using a layer of ‘Garlic Blend’ alongside ‘All-Purpose’ on chicken or salmon. The combination of flavors is truly something special.”
Finesse spices retail for $8 a bottle and are available on tryfinesse.com.
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