• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 27, 2023

Micheal Jackson’s Estate Sued 14 Years After His Death As Alleged Victim Recants 2005 Statement

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On the 14th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, the King of Pop’s estate is headed to trial for the late pop star allegedly molesting choreographer Wade Robson when he was a child.

Robson’s claims of being sexually abused by Jackson at his Neverland Ranch between the ages of 7 and 14 were cleared by the California Court of Appeal. Now Robson will head to trial to make his case, TMZ reports.

Robson is suing Jackson’s corporation MJJ Productions, Inc. despite MJJ lawyers saying the company was not legally obligated to protect Robson and could not control the “Billy Jean” singer. However, the Court of Appeal sided with Robson and now the case is headed for trial.

Many have discredited Robson’s claims as he testified in support of Jackson in 2005 when the famed singer was on trial for molesting another boy. At the time, Robson claimed he slept in the same bed as Jackson but was never assaulted.

However, in 2013, four years after Jackson’s death, Robson changed his story and said he was sexually abused by Jackson and the only reason he allegedly lied on the stand was due to “complete manipulation and brainwashing.”

Robson’s not the only one going after Jackson posthumously. James Safechuck filed a similar lawsuit against MJJ Productions and is likely gearing up to plead his case in court.

Robson and Safechuck had their accounts highlighted in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland. They both had their original lawsuits dismissed due to the statute of limitations. But they were revived in 2020 after California amended its state law to give plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases more time to sue, NBC News reported.

Jackson’s attorneys have denied the abuse claims and called out HBO at the time the documentary was released claiming the network violated a non-disparagement agreement by broadcasting the documentary.

RELATED CONTENT: 3 Michael Jackson Songs Pulled From Streaming Services in Midst of Lawsuit

LGBTQ icon Billy Porter has something to say about the rainbow flag—he’s over it! Wearing it has become a bit boring, Page Six reports the Tony- and Grammy-winning performer saying.

During the 2023 NYC Pride Parade, the award-winning actor served as one of the grand marshals, sporting a rainbow sash. However, Porter told the outlet he has a love/hate relationship with the iconic symbol and is looking for something different.

“I’m trying to find a rainbow without being the rainbow. I’m sort of over the rainbow but I like the rainbow, Porter said. “Because we have had to wear it for so many years, it’s like, ‘Damn, can we wear something else now? Do I have to wear the colors? Can I just show up in something cute?”

According to the LGBTQ History Project website, the colorful flag was designed for the Gay Freedom Day Parade in June 1978 in San Francisco.

Porter has always been known for his statement-making appearances on the red carpet and beyond. In 2019, the Pose actor wore a custom high-necked Christian Siriano gown to the NYC Pride Parade made from a rainbow of tulle fabric. Now, he just wants pride and its celebration to go back to its roots, comparing his first Pride in 1989 to now. Porter said it is now about the party rather than protest and showing strength.

Strength is something the LGBTQ+ community needs right now as government officials are looking to strip their rights away with 70 new laws this year alone, according to the Human Rights Campaign, calling it a “state of emergency.

“We’ve made some strides, a lot of strides, I keep saying the change has already happened because it has, and therefore there’s now a lot of pushback again,” Porter told Today. “And so Pride must be about protest again.”

Don Lemon finally broke his silence after being fired from CNN after 17 years.

Lemon spoke exclusively with ABC 24 about life post-CNN and said he has no plans on changing or looking back. The veteran journalist has been taking gigs catering to his people such as traveling to Bluff City, Tennessee, after being invited by the Memphis chapter of the NAACP for its annual “Freedom Fund” gala.

After Lemon was granted the first interview with Tyre Nichols’ mother, Rowvaugn Wells, he said it sparked curiosity about his roots, being raised in the South.

“That made me curious about life; about how things ran, what’s behind things and about America,” Lemon said. “That’s how I ended up becoming a journalist—just by being curious and asking questions.”

Things have since changed at his former network. Months after Lemon was fired earlier this year, so was the network’s CEO, Chris Licht. Critics and fans looked as Lemon’s firing as one of the many mistakes made by Licht, causing the vast decline in ratings.

Rumors sparked that Licht’s mission was to pull news coverage back to center, catering to both sides of the spectrum regarding certain topics. While some question if that’s why Lemon was dismissed, he said not telling the truth goes against his journalistic responsibility.

“I don’t believe in platforming liars and bigots, insurrectionists ,and election deniers and putting them on the same footing as people who are telling the truth; people who are fighting for what’s right, people who are abiding by the constitution,” Lemon told ABC 24. “I think that would be a dereliction of journalistic duty to do those sorts of things.”

As for what’s next, Lemon said he is in no rush to get back behind a news desk. “I’m not going to let other people’s timelines influence me. I know people say, ‘I miss you on television,” Lemon told ABC 24. “What is your next move?’ I’m figuring that out.”

In The Black Network is set to launch October 2, 2023, a platform catering to Black audiences. 

According to Deadline, James DuBose, the former general manager at Fox Soul, will launch his own AVOD (Advertising Video on Demand) platform. In The Black Network will focus on placing the spotlight on Black voices and original stories. 

“I love everything about our culture: our faith, our resilience, our rhythm, our minds, our love. These pillars are the focus of our curated content which honors and elevates black culture and cultivates pride within our community,” said DuBose.

“Throughout my career, I’ve always aimed to uplift Black voices, so bringing this new network to fruition is extremely personal and important to me. We want viewers to feel connected to authentic stories that speak to our culture and gain a shared sense of self from enjoying our entertainingly inspiring content.”

From its inception, In The Black Network will use some of the content DuBose developed while he was at Fox Soul. Content on the network will be free and can be assessed on a dedicated app available on iOS, Android devices, Apple TV, YouTube, and Samsung media players, with more partners scheduled to participate later.

Some of the programs will include notable personalities who were previously on Fox Soul, including the Jasmine Brand, rappers Maino and Jeezy, Malik Davis, former football player Ray Crockett, and Ro Parrish. (Deadline has a complete list of the programming slated to run.)

DuBose has also partnered with several content companies like pocket.watch, a digital-first kids and family studio; Black Waterhorse, a veteran distributor of Black indie films; and Maverick Entertainment. In The Black Network’s content will feature sports, music, scripted drama, talk shows, kids/family, and feature films.

RELATED CONTENT: Black-Owned Production Company Offers 100% Royalties, Houses First Private Jet Studio Set in Florida

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 27, 2023

Black Women Twerk ‘For The Ancestors’ At Ghana’s Cape Coast, Dragged By Social Media

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A group of Black women who thought it would be cute to twerk and gyrate on top of a former slave dungeon in Ghana are facing backlash across social media.

The debates ignited after one member of the travel group by the name KhaParisDior shared an Instagram post reflecting on her visit to the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, where African slaves were once held before being shipped to the U.S. and other areas. The Black female traveler reflected on visiting the castle for Juneteenth and learning about “how they did our ancestors.”

“So today I got to experience The Slave Castle in Cape Coast! It’s wildddddd seeing how they did our ancestors!” Treated them worst than animals!!” she captioned her post.

After experiencing the hard-hitting history lesson, it seemingly iinspired the travel group to turn around and shake something “for our ancestors.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by KhaParisDior (@khaparisdiorrr)

“It’s sad but of course we had to twerk for our ancestors cause PERIOD!!!!!!” she wrote.

“Happy Juneteenth from the motherland ❤️ I think everybody should go at least once in a lifetime.”

Along with the twerking video were video clips and photos of the ladies touring the former slave grounds and being saddened by the experience. But the twerking video was enough for social media to speak out against the traveler’s way of honoring their ancestors.

“Desecrating a sacred place is classless,” one person wrote under the traveler’s Instagram post.

“Show some respect,” added another.

The post was shared on Twitter by one user who said the group’s behavior was “disrespectful” and should be “condemned.”

Going to a castle, slave dungeon in Africa, And shaking your booty is disrespectful, black American sisters is disrespectful to the millions of our ancestors were shipped into slavery, and it should be condemn, pic.twitter.com/P02FKHgcQa

— Don Salmon (@dijoni) June 25, 2023

“You can take the girl out the ghetto, but not the ghetto out the girl,” one person wrote.

“This has to be one of the most sickening displays of disrespect that I’ve ever witnessed,” added someone else.

KhaParisDior kept the video up on her page and even doubled down on her ancestral twerk in an Instagram Story post saying, “We got people so mad. Funny thing is I’ll do it again too!”

RELATED CONTENT: Kamala Harris Visits Ghana Slave Castle, Says History Must be Learned

Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at a national monument recognizing the LGBTQ+ community on June 26, 2023.

Harris riled up a crowd at Stonewall Inn accompanied by Andy Cohen, host and executive producer for Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise. The vice president said she would not give up fighting for the LGBTQ+ community regarding legislation matters.

“We are all in this together. We are fighting for the ideals of our country,” she said, according to The New York Times.

Harris also said, according to HuffPost, “I look at these young teachers in Florida [who] are in their 20s, and if they’re in the same-sex relationship, are afraid they might lose their jobs.” Harris added that legislation like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill requires the LGBTQ+ community and its allies “to stay vigilant.”

The vice president said, “We can take nothing for granted in terms of the progress we achieved.”

Harris and President Joe Biden announced their administration’s new protections for the LGBTQ+ community in a White House briefing on June 8, 2023. The release focused on protecting three key areas: LGBTQ+ safety, LGBTQ+ children, and literature about the LGBTQ+ community.

One action from the White House included the LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership to combat the rise of violence against the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found that hate groups and domestic violence extremists threaten the safety of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

According to the briefing, the partnership will “provide dedicated safety training for LGBTQI+ community organizations and increase federal threat briefings for LGBTQI+ organizations.”

Stonewall Inn became a national monument in 2016 by then-President Barack Obama. The monument recognizes the 1969 Stonewall riots and the LGBTQ+ community’s fight for equality in America.

“We’re not going to be silenced,” Harris said during her Stonewall visit, according to HuffPo. “We’re not going to be deterred. We are not going to tire. We’re not going to throw up our hands; we’re going to roll up our sleeves. That’s to me what Stonewall means—strength in numbers.”

• Business

by Stacy Jackson

June 27, 2023

Black Media Collective Group Might Be Purchasing A Majority Stake In Sports Illustrated Publishing

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Group Black, a Black media company, has set its sights on buying a majority stake in the publisher of a well-known sports magazine.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the media company is said to be in talks with Arena Group Holdings Inc. The potential deal would make Group Black the owner of the publisher for Sports Illustrated. Although Authentic Brands Group owns Sports Illustrated, Arena Group Holdings Inc. has a licensing agreement that grants it the rights to publish Sports Illustrated for 100 years, according to The New York Post.

The collective of more than 150 Black-owned media brands did not publicly comment on the matter; neither did Arena Group Holdings Inc. 

Shares in Arena Group Holdings Inc. went up after word got out that the groups were possibly negotiating a deal. Market Watch reported that on June 26, 2023, shares closed up 12.3% at $4.11. As of noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on June 27, 2023, Market Watch showed shares were open at $5.10. According to the group’s newsroom, Arena Group Holdings Inc. is a digital-media publisher with over 240 brands. The group also publishes Parade, The Spun, and Men’s Journal, to name a few.

Group Black was co-founded by three Black entrepreneurs, Travis Montaque, Richelieu Dennis, and Bonin Bougha, in 2021. The group started with a mission to invest in Black media firms to help them grow. Today, the collective includes Black media movers and shakers like Essence, The Shade Room, AfroPunk, Blacklove.com, and hundreds more.

Group Black previously submitted a $400 million bid for the embattled Vice Media. Vice is a leading independent youth media company centered on underrepresented groups and women. Group Black has also secured deals with such massive properties as Procter & Gamble and Peacock.

Sports Illustrated, which is known for its annual Swimsuit Issue, has been considered a showcase for first-rate sports journalism for decades.

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a case concerning Louisiana’s House map to continue Monday with a review by a lower court ahead of next year’s elections.

The ruling raises the likelihood that state lawmakers will have to draw a second majority-Black Congressional district. ABC News reports a district judge initially ruled the House map, which was passed over Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto, violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered a second majority-Black district be created within the state’s six districts.

That ruling was appealed by Louisiana’s top election official, Republican Kyle Ardoin, who has been fighting accusations that state Republicans are suppressing Black voters in Louisiana. Despite the ruling, Louisiana Assistant Attorney General Angelique Freel told ABC News she will continue to fight to establish its original maps.

“Our job is to defend what the Legislature passed, and we trust the 5th Circuit will review the merits in accordance with the law,” said Freel.

The 5th Circuit is viewed as largely conservative and may not uphold the High Court’s ruling, but that didn’t stop Democrats from celebrating the decision.

“Today’s Supreme Court order means the people of Louisiana are one step closer to achieving fair representation in Congress that better reflects the state’s diversity and reaffirms that the voices of Black voters matter,” Washington Rep. Suzan DelBene, the chair of House Democrats’ campaign arm, said in a statement, according to NBC News.

Bel Edwards added he’s confident the state will create a fair map that will support Black voters.

“Louisiana can and should have a congressional map that represents our voting population, which is one-third Black. As I have consistently stated, this is about simple math, basic fairness, and the rule of law,” Edwards said in a statement. “I am confident we will have a fair map in the near future.”

Similar situations are happening in Southern states, which have a long history of suppressing Black voters dating back to Jim Crow Laws in the 1870s.

In a separate case, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that Alabama’s House map puts too many Black residents into one congressional district, which dilutes their power relative to their share of the state population.

• Women

by Iman Milner

June 27, 2023

‘Black Girls In White Coats’ Author Wants More Women To Pursue Medicine

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Dr. Jovita Ugochi N. Oruwari is a breast surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital in St. Louis. Now she’s using her passion to inspire more Black women to pursue a career in medicine through her new book, Black Girls In White Coats.

The collection of narratives uses personal and professional challenges and milestones that Black female doctors experience to highlight the need for more Black women in an industry that still hosts less than 10 percent of Black physicians, according to The Seattle Medium.

“We need more Black physicians. Black Girls In White Coats encourages Black girls dreaming of becoming doctors,” Oruwari said. “From my work at SSM Health DePaul Hospital, I felt this collection of memories can be a guiding light for Black girls as well as help alleviate the stigma associated with the Black community around health care.”

The book features first-hand accounts from other Black female doctors across multiple disciplines in an effort to show the vast landscape of opportunities available in medicine and “seeks to empower young Black girls who need to see people that do what we do,” said Oruwari, a practicing physician for over 20 years.

Believing that the future is the hands of the generations coming behind her, Oruwari said that the pandemic inspired her, and the other physicians involved, to push for diversity in their industries.

“We really want this book to go out and inspire young African American girls and get them into the healthcare profession so that they can become our replacements because we are not going to practice forever, so we need more women of color in the field,” she said.