by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 14, 2023

TSA Agents Caught Allegedly Stealing From Passengers’ Luggage

Video footage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents appearing to steal money from passengers has recently been released by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

According to Insider, the video appears to reveal two agents at Miami International Airport taking money from the bins of luggage that some passengers placed at an airport security checkpoint.

In July, officials arrested 33-year-old Labarrius Williams and 20-year-old Josue Gonzalez for the alleged misdeeds, along with another agent, 22-year-old Elizabeth Fuster. Although Fuster was originally charged, according to court records, the charges against her have since been dropped.

The three workers were arrested after airport authorities contacted a police detective to investigate the thefts taking place at Checkpoint E at the airport. Surveillance footage revealed several instances in which Williams and Gonzalez appeared to conspire to steal money from the luggage of passengers who came through the checkpoint.

In a June 29 video, one of the agents can be seen looking like he is seemingly taking something out of a luggage tray and then placing it in his pocket. In another video, the same person is seen taking out what seems to be a wallet from a zipped bag. He then sets it aside and later takes it out of the same tray before it passes through screening. It appears to show him placing his hands in his pocket afterward.

CBS News Miami reported that the TSA agents allegedly took $600 from one passenger’s wallet. The footage also revealed that all three were seen “several” times conspiring to commit more thefts.

“We actively and aggressively investigated these allegations of misconduct and presented our findings to the Miami Dade Police Department, and are working closely with them,” a TSA spokesperson said in a written statement. “Any employee who fails to meet our fundamental ethical standards is held accountable.”

Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts records show that the two agents were charged with grand theft in the third degree. Gonzalez has agreed to a deferred prosecution program. The charges against him will be dismissed if he completes the specific requirements of the program.

Williams has opted to go to trial, which is slated to start October 23.

Parents Sue Pathologist Who Allegedly Shared Decapitated Baby’s Autopsy On Instagram

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 14, 2023

Parents Sue Pathologist Who Allegedly Shared Decapitated Baby’s Autopsy On Instagram

The parents of a baby boy who was decapitated during birth are suing an independent pathologist who allegedly posted the autopsy results on Instagram.

Jessica Ross and her boyfriend, Treveon Isaiah Taylor, have launched their second lawsuit related to their late son, HuffPost reports. In August, they filed a suit against the OB-GYN who delivered their baby, accusing her of not following emergency protocols after the baby’s shoulder became stuck and excessive force was applied that severed their son’s head from his body.

One month later, on Sept. 1, attorneys for Ross and Taylor filed a second suit accusing pathologist Dr. Jackson Gates of invasion of privacy and fraud after Gates posted videos of the autopsy the couple asked him to perform to his 11,000 followers on Instagram without their permission.

“After suffering one of the most heartbreaking losses any family could ever endure, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor, Jr. had salt poured into their unfathomable emotional wounds when they discovered that video of their baby’s very graphic medical examination had been made public by the very doctor they entrusted to conduct the autopsy,” the couple’s attorneys said in a statement.

The couple paid Gates $2,500 to conduct an autopsy after accusing the doctor who delivered their baby, the hospital, and staff of trying to hide the cause of death from them. Gates removed the initial autopsy he shared online, but posted two more videos of the baby’s autopsy on July 21 that graphically depicted the baby’s head, body, brain, and organs, the lawsuit states.

As a result, Ross and Taylor felt “shock, anger, humiliation and outrage” after learning about the videos and sent Gates a cease and desist letter on Aug. 10, demanding he take them down, the lawsuit states. Since the lawsuit was filed, Gates posted a video expressing his pride in using his social media to educate and counsel patients.

“I will never divulge the identity or disclose the identity of any live patient or even deceased patients that come to my care,” Gates said.

Taraji P. Henson Launches Mental Health Initiative For Women At Hampton University

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 14, 2023

Taraji P. Henson Launches Mental Health Initiative For Women At Hampton University

Actress Taraji P. Henson is all about that soft girl life and wants to spread the gift of a healthy mind through a new initiative for women at HBCUs.

Thanks to Henson’s partnership with American retailer Kate Spade New York, women at the HBCU Hampton University in Virginia can take part in the “She Care Wellness Pods” program. The program expansion follows a successful April launch at Alabama State University.

The Wellness Pods are newly installed structures on campuses that offer a range of services, including free therapy sessions, hangout spaces for students to connect with peers or avoid isolation during the school year and vacation periods, as well as yoga, meditation, art, and drama therapy.

Other resources include entertaining African dance and nutrition provided by certified practitioners, workshops for those who suffer from anxiety, sleep deprivation, and insomnia, and quiet spaces for breaks from daily stresses.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Boris L. Henson Foundation (@blhensonfoundation)

“When we first had the idea to create the Boris L. Henson Foundation Self-Care Wellness Pods, I knew we had to start with women, and specifically women on HBCU campuses,” Henson said.

“I can remember through my own experiences with stress and anxiety, not having the adequate support to deal with my issues or the education to name what I was experiencing.”

The Hidden Figures star started the mental health-focused initiative for Black women through The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF), the foundation she created in 2018 to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the Black community.

“Black women, from a very young age, are taught to be strong and dismiss their own suffering, tending to the needs of family and community often at the expense of their own well-being,” BLHF Executive Director Tracie Jade said. “The She Care Wellness pods seek to change this narrative.”

“Our shared vision and partnership with Kate Spade New York has been vital in promoting conversations and offering support to students to take care of their mental health, starting with our successful launch of She Care Wellness pods at Alabama State University,” Henson added. “We are proud to open our second installment at Hampton University this fall.”

For the design of the pods, students were selected to create a design that stimulates joy, peace, and serenity through intentional design and color selection. Each mural was painted on the outside of the containers to reflect the diversity of women and connection in the local study body.

by Stacy Jackson

September 14, 2023

11-Year-Old Chef Feeds The Neighborhood With Pop-Up Drive-Thru

Raquelle Boyd, aka “Chef Kisses,” is only 11 years old, and she’s whipping up success in the kitchen.

She had customers lined up outside her parents’ home on Saturday, Sept. 9, as she cooked up a delicious menu during her second pop-up drive-thru. The young chef cranked up the heat in the kitchen at 6 a.m. to start her weekend menu, including fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, cornbread, and more.

According to TMJ4 News, Boyd was inspired to cook her dishes after the success of her first pop-up drive-thru gathered an unexpected turnout of a few dozen customers who waited in line to try her food.

“It made me feel happy…that people really enjoy my food,” Boyd said.

Chef Kisses’ mother, Sarhena Boyd, supports her daughter’s passion for cooking, an art she said she fell in love with as early as five years old, working in her play kitchen.

“This is something she has a passion about; she don’t just talk about it, she’ll actually put the effort in,” Raquelle’s father, Robert Boyd, said. “We sponsored the first one, and she took literally— the second one everything that came from her menu to her balloons, her flyers, she paid for all of it herself.”

The tween chef is working hard, with the help of her family, to open her own restaurant eventually.

“She’s been talking about Chef Kisses’ Place for a very long time,” Sarhena said. Raquelle’s parents gave her a kickstart and stepped in as investors to get her started with capital and move her closer to owning her own restaurant.

The young cook believes that the most important thing is being able to cook and showing people how she does it. The Boyds continue to support their daughter by teaching her about running a business and lending a helping hand during the pop-up drive-thrus.

Rhode Island Wedding Party Rumbles With Police, Shows Racial Double Standard

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 14, 2023

Rhode Island Wedding Party Rumbles With Police, Shows Racial Double Standard

A Rhode Island wedding went from a love fest to an all-out melee after the wedding party got into a brawl with the police, and the entire altercation was caught on video.

On Sept. 9, the post-wedding festivities were in full swing right up until members of the ceremony allegedly confronted police officers, causing law enforcement agents to become hands-on. What initially started as a tense conversation seems to have developed into full-on violence between the wedding party, who appeared to be mostly white, and the law enforcement officials.

While the footage appears to reveal that both sides of the issue were aggressive with one another, a woman was also shown to have kicked a cop in the groin area. Another woman also allegedly tried to grab one officer’s handgun, to which he punched her and caused her to fall out, as detailed in the police report obtained by TMZ.

The entire ordeal was prompted when a male member of the wedding group was denied entrance into a bar. After allegedly physically harming the staff, the police were called in, and the situation escalated. Allegedly, the man’s wife drunkenly tried to intervene, but her efforts only resulted in more violence.

Six people were arrested in the aftermath. No lives were lost, a fear Black people often have in similar interactions with the police or for much less.

This incident also comes on the heels of the Alabama brawl in which a fight occurred at a boat dock, as white attendees jumped a Black security officer after he tried to enforce the rules.

The Rhode Island brawl highlights disparities in how different groups are treated. Seemingly, police interactions with white offenders rarely result in their death, such as 18-year-old white mass murderer Payton Gendron, who killed 10 people in a racist attack in Buffalo, New York. He was arrested without any harm coming to him.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 14, 2023

Deion Sanders Ranks His 5 Children From Favorite To Not-So Favorite In Viral Post

Deion Sanders, who has played professional sports most of his life, is showing how he takes the competition beyond the football field by ranking his own children!

The football legend went viral over the week with a since-deleted post celebrating his “Favorite Son” Deion Sanders Jr. for his birthday.

“Happy Birthday to My Favorite Son @deionsandersjr ! I’m so proud of you!” he wrote in the caption captured by ESPN.

After noting how his son asks for money “from time to time,” he praised his son’s “productivity” and his excellence in building social media audiences for himself, his siblings, and even the teams his father coaches.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SportsCenter (@sportscenter)

“You have blown up my social, JSU’s social, your siblings’ social, and you’re excellent at what you do,” Sanders continued. “Keep on striving for your dreams and to understand your purpose in life.”

While the post appeared wholesome in tone, Sanders closed his caption by noting Jr.’s number-one spot on his ranking for his five children,

“Your the #1 son and #1 on the kids rankings currently.”

The University of Colorado Boulder head coach proceeded to share his rankings for his children with Deion Jr. in first, his daughter Shelomi ranking second, his son Shedeur ranking third ahead of his other daughter Deiondra in fourth, and his son Shilo in last place.

Many blasted Sanders for seemingly ranking his children on a public forum. But there were some who accused Deion Jr. of posting the rankings since he runs his dad’s social media.

“So no one can figure out that the son that handles his socials [sic] probably did this as a prank to his dad? Ranking himself as #1 kid? Really people,” one user wrote.

But it’s not the first time Sanders has labeled one of his sons as his “favorite.” In April, he shared a celebratory post about Shilo’s graduation, calling him the “favorite son.”

“So proud of my favorite son for graduating today! The best is yet to come son. I’m so so so Proud of you! Now u know what time it is,” Sanders wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @COACHPRIME (@deionsanders)

Sanders has five children from his first two marriages, including Deiondra and Deion Jr. with his first wife Carolyn Chambers, and Shilo, Shedeur, and Shelomi from his second marriage to Pilar Sanders. Sanders is currently married to producer Tracy Edmonds.

Black American Music Awards, Alicia Keys, ICE Medal of Honor, Jimmy Jam, Terry Louis

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 14, 2023

Black American Music Association To Honor Alicia Keys, Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis In Morehouse Ceremony

The musical contributions of Alicia Keys, Grandmaster Flash, and renowned producer/songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will be celebrated at the inaugural ICE Medal of Honor next month.

Organized by The Black American Music Association, the black-tie event will take place at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center inside Atlanta’s Morehouse College on Sunday, Oct. 15, Billboard reports. Keys will receive the Ella Fitzgerald Gold Standard Award; Grandmaster Flash will take home the Transformative Award; and Jam and Lewis will receive the Creative Impact Award.

Other honorees include the philanthropist and founder of the technology software private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, Robert F. Smith, who will receive the Ray Charles/Harry Belafonte Patron of Arts Award;
businesswoman and producer Suzanne de Passe, who will receive the trailblazer award that’s named in her honor; and Jeff Harleston, general counsel, executive vice president of business and legal affairs of Universal Music Group, who will receive the Pace/Harrell Executive Leadership Award.

Additionally, the late Michael Jackson will receive the Michael Jackson ICON Award.

“We are thrilled to launch the ICE Medal of Honor and to recognize these outstanding individuals who have made an enduring mark on the world through their art and creativity,” Michael Mauldin, The Black American Music Association’s founder, said.

“This celebration is a testament to the power of Black American music in shaping culture and inspiring generations.”

The Black American Music Association is a n-profit 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 2017 by Mauldin and Demmette Guidry to preserve, protect, and promote the legacy and future of Black American music.

Between Alicia Keys’ 15 Grammys, Jam and Lewis’ five, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s history-making success in hip-hop, the honorees are more than deserving of the accolades. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was the first hip-hop group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2021.

de Passe’s work with Motown Productions includes discovering The Jackson 5 and Commodores and winning Emmys for her production of Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983) and Motown Returns to the Apollo (1985).

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 14, 2023

Juicy J Spills His Life Story In New Memoir, ‘Chronicles Of The Juice Man’

With more than 30 years of history-making success in hip-hop, Three 6 Mafia co-founder Juicy J is finally ready to share his story in a new memoir.

Juicy J, born Jordan Michael Houston III in North Memphis, Tennessee, is letting it all out in his first book, Chronicles of the Juice Man: A Memoir, chronicling his upbringing in Memphis and how the city shaped his career.

The new book, which hit shelves on Sept. 5, relives Juicy’s inception into the music scene in 1991 as part of Three 6 Mafia, who became the first hip-hop group to win an Academy Award for their single “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” from the film Hustle & Flow, to finding solo success during the group’s brief disbandment with singles like “Bandz a Make Her Dance” and his Grammy-nominated feature on Katy Perry’s single “Dark Horse.”

“I started writing it back when my mom first got sick with cancer, which was a very, very difficult situation at the time and I talk about it in the book,” he told BET.

“But I felt like it was finally the right time. I feel like I’ve done everything in music and it’s just time to share my story and even try to educate people about real-life situations that I was going through.”

Meant to inspire readers beyond just the music, Juicy J gets candid about his mental health struggles throughout the memoir in hopes of motivating others to do their own soul-searching ahead of turning dreams into reality.

“This book is very inspirational, and it’s not just for people in the music business. It’s for people outside the music business because it’s about real-life stories and situations. You can learn a lot from this book, man,” Juicy explained.

“I talk a lot about mental health and spirituality because it’s important in this business and in life.”

“For me, it wasn’t just that I made a lot of money or achieved success, but I got my mind right, and that’s the thing,” he added. “I got peace of mind. I want people to know that as they reach for their goals and chase their dreams, you have to have the mind right.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 14, 2023

Major Newspaper Chain Hiring Beyoncé And Taylor Swift Reporters

The love for Beyoncé and Taylor Swift just got more real now that Bey Hivers and Swifties can secure a job covering the singers.

This week, newspaper chain Gannett, which owns over 200 daily papers nationwide, put out a job advertisement seeking “modern storytellers” who can keep readers up-to-date on the latest news surrounding the two superstars, the Associated Press reports.

The two new hires will lend their pop star reporting to USA Today and The Tennessean.

Beyoncé reporters will be tasked with relaying information on the “Cuff It” singer’s effect on society and the industries in which she operates. In contrast, Swift reporters will need to “identify why the pop star’s influence only expands, what her fanbase stands for in pop culture, and the effect she has across the music and business worlds,” according to Gannett’s job description.

“I put our sophisticated coverage up against anybody,” Michael Anastasi, The Tennessean’s editor and Gannett’s vice president for local news said of the paper’s three-person music team.

While Anatasi said the newspaper chain isn’t “hiring a Taylor Swift reporter at the expense of other reporters,” there are some journalists who feel the celebrity-driven roles seemingly shun the investment into local journalism at a company known for its local daily beats.

“At a time when so much serious news and local reporting is being cut, it’s a decision to raise some questions about,” Rick Edmonds an expert at Poynter Institute said of the new positions.

Music writer Jeremy Gordon also criticized the new roles saying it “doesn’t feel great to see ‘full-time stan’ go out as an actual journalism job.” But when it comes to the Beyoncé reporter specifically, Omise’eke Tinsley, academic and author of Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism, believes the gig will make space for more positive stories about Black women.

Lawsuit Accuses Beverly Hills Cops Of Racially Profiling Thousands Of Black Motorists

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 14, 2023

Lawsuit Accuses Beverly Hills Cops Of Racially Profiling Thousands Of Black Motorists

A lawsuit has been filed in Beverly Hills accusing police officers of profiling nearly 11,000 Black people during traffic stops in a two-year period, according to the Associated Press.

Attorney Benjamin Crump said at a press conference earlier this week that out of 1,088 Black people pulled over by police, only two were convicted of crimes. The suit was filed representing most of the Black drivers who were pulled over while driving in the wealthy city between August 2019 and August 2021.

The number of Black people who make up the population of Beverly Hills is 1.5% yet about a third of all of the arrests made during that time period included Black drivers. “It wasn’t to deter crime. It was to send a message to Black people that we don’t want your kind around here,” Crump said. “That is racial profiling 101!”

Added attorney Bradley Gage, “In two years, 1,088 Black people arrested, only two convictions,” Gage told reporters. “There’s only one explanation for that. They want to drive Black people out of the city.”

The lawsuit is seeking $500 million in damages for the motorists.

City of Beverly Hills denies all claims

“The statistics presented referencing the number of convictions is a mischaracterization of the evidence in this case,” it said in a statement. “In addition, the 1,088 arrests referenced include people cited and released, not just custodial arrests.”

“The City of Beverly Hills is an international destination that always welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” the city added. “The role of the Beverly Hills Police Department is to enforce the law, regardless of race.”

Complainant Shepherd York, a law clerk and one of the motorists pulled over in the city, was stopped for having expired license plates while he was driving to work. “I spent three days in jail,” York said at the news conference. “Humiliated, scared, sad.”

He said his vehicle was searched and impounded, yet he was never convicted of a crime.