Josh Reynolds, Denver Broncos,Wide Receiver, Strip Club, Shooting

by Sharelle Burt

November 18, 2024

Daughter Is ‘Disgusted With The Metropolitan Police’ When Father Is Killed After 911 Call For Help

The family is trying to make sense of the tragedy

The family of Brandon Durham is speaking out after they allege a member of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shot him following a 911 call about a home invasion, People reports.

Durham’s 15-year-old daughter, Isabella, who was inside the home at the time of the incident, says she is “disgusted with the Metropolitan Police.” Durham, a Black man, was allegedly shot by Officer Alexander Bookman, who is white, on Nov. 12. after he called 911 to report two men shooting into and attempting to break into his home roughly before 1 a.m.

“The violence that occurred here was under someone who was extremely, extremely angry and extremely violent. And I am disgusted in how the Metropolitan Police told my father, after killing him, to stay down,” Isabella said.

“Knowing, treating him like he was the suspect in the situation, he was the victim, and I’m disgusted that the Metropolitan Police will allow me to live fatherless for the rest of my life.”

After telling 911 operators he had locked himself in the bathroom, Durham said the intruders successfully entered the home through the front and back doors.

Three officers arrived at the scene, including Bookman, to see damage to the home and vehicles. Noises of struggle were also heard coming from inside. Bookman decided to go deeper into the house to investigate and found Durham and the suspect, Alejandra Boudreaux, apparently “struggling over a knife” in the doorway.

According to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren, Bookman can be heard on bodycam footage telling both Durham and the suspect to drop the weapon. Approximately one second later, the officer fired a shot that struck the man and caused both he and the suspect to fall to the ground.

Bookman then allegedly shot Durham again while he lay on the ground motionless. A total of six rounds were fired, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, although officers attempted to revive him.

Las Vegas, NV🎲

•The Facts•

•Brandon Durham reported that 2 people broke into his home.

•Cops arrive, hear screaming & force entry.

•Cop sees 2 people struggling.
•1 is holding knife – pinning the other to a wall.

“Drop the knife” & fatal OIS.

Cop shot Brandon. pic.twitter.com/vsJ06Vixon
— police.law.news (@policelawnews) November 15, 2024

Those who loved and cared for Durham, who worked as a real estate agent, are trying to make sense of how such a tragedy could happen. Former co-worker Branden Cinquegrani shared fond memories of Durham, calling him a “beautiful soul” with a “huge personality.” “He had a huge personality. Everybody who met him loved him, Cinquegrani told KTNV Las Vegas reporters.

His good friend, Steve Cowan, said he was the first to arrive at the scene to console Isabella. “That was probably the worst — having to tell a 15-year-old kid that their dad died,” Cowan remembers. Both he and Cinquegrani want the department to provide answers and take accountability. “There needs to be an action where we make sure Metro’s held accountable, and we make things better from here,” Cinquegrani said.

“We have to admit the mistake and move forward from that. And there needs to be justice.”

Durham’s longtime partner, Rachael Gore, started a GoFundMe page hoping to bring “justice and healing.” Over $10,000 has been raised so far.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 18, 2024

America’s Game Gets America’s Star: Beyoncé To Perform At Halftime of Ravens-Texans on Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Beyoncé will again headline an NFL halftime show when the Houston Texans host the Baltimore Ravens on NFL Christmas Gameday, which will be streamed live on Netflix.

The singer revealed the breaking news in a clip on social media. It showed the Grammy winner in a dress reminiscent of her Cowboy Carter album cover duds. In a nod to the occasion, she caught a football while standing on top of a rose-covered car.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)

Her performance will mark the first live show for Cowboy Carter, the country-infused album that placed Beyoncé in the lead for 2025 Grammy nominations. Her self-owned Parkwood Entertainment will produce the show alongside Jesse Collins Entertainment.

However, no details on the performance have been revealed to the public, but The Hollywood Reporter reports that special guests are expected to show up on stage with the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer.

In May, Netflix inked a deal to stream both of the NFL’s 2024 Christmas games to its over 238 million subscribers. It will showcase other games in 2025 and 2026, shaping itself as a new streamer in the pool for live sports hosting.

However, concerns still loom over Netflix’s ability to stream for a massive number of viewers. The fears sparked after the streamer faced technical difficulties while showing the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight on Nov. 15.

Despite concerns, on Christmas Day, Netflix will show Beyoncé’s return to football at the Ravens-Texans game at 4:30 p.m. ET. The streamer will also broadcast the Christmas game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers earlier that day.

Dr. Wendy Osefo, Wesleyan University. professor

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 18, 2024

Dr. Wendy Osefo Named Distinguished Professor At Wesleyan University

Dr. Osefo will Introduce the 'Sociology Of Reality TV' course.

Dr. Wendy Osefo talked with BLACK ENTERPRISE about her exciting new appointment as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Wesleyan University.

The Real Housewives of Potomac star returned for season 9 and allowed viewers to watch her step away from her previous Assistant Professor teaching position at Johns Hopkins University to focus on herself and her family. After some much-needed R&R, Osefo is proud to announce her return to academia as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Wesleyan University, where she created a new course “The Sociology of Reality TV.”

The political commentator took the summer off with her family and it was during her travels that she had an “epiphany” on how she wanted to return to teaching.

“I really want to teach a course in which I am able to marry my academic career with some of the work I’m doing now and that is on reality TV,” Osefo told BE.

“So I just started writing and writing and one sentence led to two and then two sentences led to four pages. And then eventually I had all of these pages where I was like, I want to do a class. And I wrote up a class and it’s titled The Sociology of Reality TV.”

Osefo designed an innovative new course from the ground up, delving into how reality television both mirrors and shapes societal views on race, skin tone, and ethnicity in American culture. As a Nigerian-American television personality, progressive political commentator, entrepreneur, and award-winning researcher, Osefo offers a unique and multifaceted perspective in her new role.

Her extensive experience includes frequent appearances on major networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, as well as her role as a veteran cast member of The Real Housewives of Potomac, solidifying her reputation as a trusted authority on political and social issues. After developing the coursework, it took no time to get the class picked up by a prestigious institution.

“I had the readings and I had these themes for each week and I was like, ‘Let me pitch this to different universities to see who will be interested in this.’ And, you know, lucky for me, the first university I pitched it to, they were like, ‘We love this.'”

The Distinguished Professor title is reserved for tenured faculty members who have earned national or international acclaim for their scholarship and contributions to their field. This prestigious designation is awarded to a select few, highlighting their exceptional achievements and impact.

It means even more to Osefo, who achieved the accomplishment as a first-generation Nigerian-American and Black woman.

“They [Wesleyan University] were like, ‘No, we want you to be a Distinguished Professor.’ And that is something that is just so rewarding because in my career as a professor, one thing I didn’t mention was I didn’t feel appreciated,” she shared.

“I didn’t feel like people saw the value in what I brought to the institution, but for Wesleyan, as much prestige as they have, to see me and to say, ‘Not only do we want you, but we want you to have the title of Distinguished Professor,’ I was like, this is a sign.”

“It’s good sometimes to take a step back because when we take steps back, it often leads to us taking steps up. And that’s exactly what happened,” she added.

Press play above for the full interview and catch Dr. Wendy Osefo on Season 9 of The Real Housewives of Potomac on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

Coders from Spelman College at BESmart Hackathon

by Black Enterprise

November 18, 2024

Spelman Takes Top Prize At 9th Annual Black Enterprise BE Smart Hackathon

The four-day event provided an array of opportunities for students

Cheers reverberated throughout downtown Charlotte as the team of coders from Spelman College displayed their tech prowess and masterful presentation skills to take the top prize at the 9th Annual BE Smart Hackathon hosted by American Airlines. Held in the Queen City for the first time, the team ranked among the “best of the best” among the event’s largest gathering to date: 205 students from 30 historically Black colleges and universities nationwide.

In testing the technical and presentation skills, each team was charged with using AI to develop apps to positively impact communities. The Spelman team, Protege, comprised of seniors Brianna Bray, A’laysia Miller-Chambliss, Morgan Lee, and Jasmine Singleton, used the entire 24 hours allowed to develop every aspect to ultimately win the judging. The winning team received DJI Drones Mini 4 Pro, MacBook Air, and 100,000 miles from American Airlines. “We are very excited about the news,” says Bray of the team’s first-time victory. “We wanted to ensure that we created a resource for the community.”

Teams from Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama, won second—and third-place prizes, respectively. Morgan State University received the judges’ highest technical score.

BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl G. Graves, Jr., says, “I am so proud of our BE Smart Hackathon and its participants. It has met its goal of providing a showcase for HBCU students to display their technical expertise and gain exposure to the top companies in global business — all of which have business models driven by tech.”

American Airlines’ Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Global People Operations Cedric Rockamore was also excited about the shift in the Hackathon’s venue to Charlotte, the airline’s second-largest hub. He asserted that the Hackathon allows American Airlines to build a diverse talent pipeline throughout the tech industry. American Airlines hired about 50 professionals from Hackathon participants during its sponsorship of the competition.

Lowe’s, Manulife/John Hancock, the City of Charlotte, NASCAR, and Teradata were the other sponsors of this year’s Hackathon.

The dynamic, four-day event provided scores of students with an array of opportunities to gain a foothold in the tech industry and create pathways for their financial and professional lives in the future.

During the Sponsor Fair, the students made possible connections for employment and career advice.

Another pre-hack feature was the comprehensive money management workshop from Fidelity Investments, “Save, Spend,” in which students learned about the power of compounding and other financial tools to position them for long-term wealth building.

The session on NASCAR IP Ownership was extremely valuable. Nichelle Levy, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Head of Privacy, provided a workshop to guide young tech professionals on copyright protection, technology agreements, and compliance issues.

RELATED CONTENT: BE Smart Hackathon School

North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, HBCU, shooting, A.I.

by Daniel Johnson

November 18, 2024

HBCU Pioneer Harold L. Martin Sr. Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award For Transforming North Carolina A&T

Martin was awarded the coveted Peter McPherson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr., North Carolina A&T University’s Chancellor Emeritus, received the Peter McPherson Lifetime Achievement Award at the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 12.

According to Diverse Education, Martin was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in the service of and leadership of HBCUs. APLU President Dr. Mark Becker indicated it was the awarding body’s pleasure to bestow Martin with the award.

“We’re delighted to recognize Harold Martin with the Peter McPherson Lifetime Achievement Award,” Becker said. “Throughout his career, he not only led North Carolina A&T State University to new heights but also championed and strengthened the public universities and HBCUs through his service on behalf of the community.”

According to a press release from the APLU, Martin has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to improving student success and community and economic engagement throughout his career.

In September 2023, Martin announced he would retire at the end of the school year.

Dr. Martin has received numerous honors, including the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Educational Leader Award and the North Carolina Award—the highest award possible in North Carolina—which he received during the week of Nov. 12.

Martin also served on the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the APLU Board of Directors, and the Board for Food and Agricultural Development.

According to the APLU, to be considered eligible for the lifetime achievement award, individuals are required to “have served as president or chancellor of an APLU institution; have led a career dedicated to the ideals and mission of public higher education/embody the ideals of APLU; and been active in APLU and other higher education leadership communities.”

Shomari Figures, Terri Sewell , Alabama, House

by Daniel Johnson

November 18, 2024

Historic First: Alabama To Have Two Black U.S. House Members Serving Together

Reps. Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures are the first Black concurrent representatives in Alabama's history.

Alabama is sending two Black representatives to the House of Representatives simultaneously for the first time in history.

According to the Alabama Reflector, that is a feat that was not even achieved during Reconstruction, an era following the Civil War when Black political power in the South was expanded as the United States tried to fold newly emancipated former slaves in the former Confederacy into full participation as American citizens.

Shomari Figures will represent Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District after he won the seat in the November 2024 election.

This was made possible by court-ordered redistricting, which allowed the district’s Black citizens to choose their representatives.

Figures released a statement on Nov. 8, declaring his understanding of the significance of the case that allowed him and Rep. Terri Sewell to both represent Alabama at the same time in the House.

“The opportunity for fair representation is an essential element of democracy, as it affords people from different backgrounds an opportunity to make sure their voices are heard and interests represented,” Figures said.

Rep. Sewell, who represents Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, said that the results of their respective races reflect the power of “having people in office who will fight for the issues that matter to us and the values we share.”

She continued, “Too many Black voters in Alabama have had their power diluted by unfair Congressional maps. By sending Shomari Figures to Washington, those voters finally get the chance to claim their seat at the decision-making table. I look forward to having him as a partner in Congress and working on behalf of all Alabamians, especially those whose voices have yet to be fully heard.”

During Reconstruction, when the state’s population was markedly different from today’s, Alabama sent three Black men to the House of Representatives, but neither of their terms overlapped.

Today, Alabama’s population is approximately 64% white and 27% Black, and voter suppression, as it did shortly after the last of the three men, Rep. Jeremiah Haralson, left office in 1877, shapes the political representation of Black folks in Alabama.

It was not until 1992, over a century after Haralson left office, that Alabama would send its next Black representative to Congress, Earl Hilliard, who represented Alabama’s majority-Black 7th District.

For decades, the 7th District has been Alabama’s only opportunity district, but after a federal court ruled that Alabama had to redraw the 2nd Congressional District, it became the state’s second opportunity district.

That case, Allen v. Milligan, is still pending. Evan Milligan, the lead plaintiff in the case, told the outlet that he is still unsure that the lawsuit can result in more representation for Black Alabamians.

“At no point was it a foregone conclusion. I’ll say that, and it’s still not, because this is an active case. The only reason the law needs to point to it is because of the decades of resistance that the state of Alabama has had to uniform enforcement of civil rights protections and voting rights protections at every branch and every step of the democratic process,” Milligan said.

He continued, “I think in every generation there’s an opportunity for us to hold our state and to hold our nation to the values that are written down in our Constitution, because freedom and fairness and justice, those are action words.”

Bernard Simelton, president of the Alabama State Conference NAACP, is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit and shares Milligan’s concerns but is hopeful the court will uphold the results of the lawsuit.

“I think the courts cannot help but see that the way the state of Alabama had this, had gerrymandered the district and that they will rule in favor of the keeping that district the way it is,” Simelton told the Reflector.

He continued, “It showed that again, when Blacks get an opportunity to elect and show up to the polls, they will do and elect the person that they want to represent them.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 18, 2024

Sha’Carri Richardson Debuts The Comeback Of Nike’s Air Superfly Running Shoe

The Nike-sponsored athlete showed off the women's footwear product in a campaign for the global brand.

Sha’Carri Richardson is debuting the return of Nike Air’s original Superfly running shoes. The Nike-sponsored athlete showed off the women’s footwear product in a campaign for the global brand.

The debut is a perfect fit for Richardson, as the shoe supports runners with its sleek design. According to Sneaker News, the shoe boasts a “streamlined design marked by perforated uppers and a smooth midsole.” Moreover, the outlet shared it “sheds any excess padding for a slim, low-profile fit at the toe — common design principles found in track spikes.”

Richardson wore the original Superfly design created in 2001. In the photoshoot, the track and field athlete dressed in head-to-toe Nike, with a sports jacket, bubble skirt, and knee-high socks to complete the look.

Richardson also announced in her post’s caption that modern-day silhouettes of the classic shoe will be released soon. However, there is no word yet on the new colorways or price for the runner-inspired shoe. Despite this, the sprinter has already taken part in the historic campaign and rollout.

Alongside her lucrative sponsorships with brands like Nike and BeatsByDre, Richardson is paving her way as a force in track and field. After landing on the Olympic squad for the 2024 Paris Games, Richardson took home two medals for her performance in the Games. She took home silver in the 100-meter while securing gold in the 4×100 relay.

Nike signed the athlete in March, with reports stating she secured $20 million in the five-year deal. While naysayers feared Nike latched onto the outspoken athlete too soon, Richardson’s wins proved Nike’s bet on her was solid. Her relationship with the shoe giant isn’t new. She wore Nike’s Air Zoom Maxfly spikes at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. At that event, Richardson took home the gold in the 100m, beating Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in a new championship record time of 10.65 seconds.

by Daniel Johnson

November 17, 2024

Bustin’ MAGA Moves: UFC Heavyweight Champ Jon Jones Does The ‘Donald Trump Dance,’ Gives Title Belt To President-Elect

Jones punctuated his win in Madison Square Garden by shaking Trump's hand.

Jon Jones’ electrifying Nov. 16 victory over Stipe Miocic further established Jones’ claim that he’s the greatest performer in the UFC’s history.

He retained his heavyweight title, dispatching the 42-year-old Miocic with a devastating spinning kick to the midsection in the third round.

According to CNN, Jones punctuated his win in Madison Square Garden by imitating Donald Trump’s dancing, later handing him his belt, and celebrating with the President-elect.

Jon Jones hands his UFC heavyweight championship belt to President Trump pic.twitter.com/X3qJFPzRzG
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) November 17, 2024

Jones’ post-fight speech was mostly focused on his desire to keep fighting in the UFC, even at 37 years of age. He also praised Miocic.

“It’s like fighting against the Terminator,” Jones explained to UFC interviewer Joe Rogan. “Very, very discouraging to hit somebody that’s not reacting to it. But that body shot, no matter how tough you are, the liver’s the liver.”

Jones acknowledged Trump, who was ringside alongside White and Elon Musk. Trump was also joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump’s nominee for health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and aging rocker Kid Rock.

“I want to say a big, big thank you to President Donald Trump for being here tonight,” Jones said to a loud ovation that turned into a “USA! USA!” chant.

Dana White, the president of UFC, is a longtime friend and supporter of Trump and spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and 2024, both at the request of Trump.

In late October, Rogan interviewed Trump for three hours on his massively popular podcast, where he encouraged Trump’s false claims about voting, election fraud, and Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election. He later endorsed Trump for president.

Trump’s appearance on Rogan’s show was a part of a strategy to engage young, male voters using new media during his campaign.

damon dash, roc-a-fella shares, New York

by Daniel Johnson

November 17, 2024

Dame Dash’s Roc-A-Fella Records Shares Now Belong To New York State

A New York State representative placed the winning $1 million bid.

On Nov. 14, an anonymous Albany representative purchased the one-third share of Roc-A-Fella Records formerly owned by Dame Dash.

According to WBLS, the representative placed a winning bid of $1 million that far outpaced other bids of $250,000 and $223,000.

The purchase was facilitated through the use of a creditor bid, which allows the state to acquire the stake without having to pay the amount at the time of purchase.

The State of New York intends to resell the stake in an effort to recover some of the funds spent without taking on any additional risk in an effort to collect on Dash’s $8.7 million debt.

In addition, $193,000 of the sale will be set aside to address Dash’s unpaid child support.

Roc-A-Fella Records was founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Dash, and Kareem “Biggs” Burke in 1994.

Previously, Carter tried to block the sale by asserting that the rights to Reasonable Doubt, his debut album, would revert to him in 2031, but this was challenged by city attorneys who argued that Carter’s statements were misleading and could deter potential bidders and damage the credibility of the auction.

Natraj Bhushan, one of Dash’s lawyers, noted that Carter’s absence was curious.

“I think it’s surprising not to see Mr. Carter here bidding on a one-third interest. Now he has the government involved in his affairs,” Bhushan said.

Although on paper, New York State is set to take an active role in managing the piece of Roc-A-Fella formerly owned by Dash, its sole interest in the asset seems to be about generating a sale of the part of the company it now owns, although it remains to be seen if it finds a buyer.

Chris Brown, an attorney representing plaintiffs owed money by Dash, indicated said he would be working with New York State and New York City.

lawsuit, NY mayor, Amityville, Discrimination, racism, Lawsuit

by Daniel Johnson

November 17, 2024

Former NY Mayor Accused Of Racism In Lawsuit: ‘Blacks Should Stay With Blacks’

An employee alleges that the former mayor of Amityville, Long Island, Peter Imbert, told him: 'Whites should stay with whites and Blacks should stay with Blacks.'

Peter Imbert, the former Republican mayor of Amityville, Long Island, New York,, faces allegations of pressuring employees to use drugs and engage in racist behavior.

The accusations come from current employee Ralph Guarino in a lawsuit filed with the New York State Division of Human Rights.

According to The Daily Beast, Guarino alleges in the lawsuit that Imbert, the head of RCI Industries, told him at one point that “whites should stay with whites and Blacks should stay with Blacks.”

According to The New York Post, Guarino’s mother, Irene, a vice president at the company, also filed a verified complaint against Imbert for retaliation after she complained about the alleged mistreatment of her son by Imbert.

Imbert did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the New York Post. Guarino did tell the newspaper that Imbert cultivated an atmosphere of fear. According to Guarino’s lawsuit, Imbert maintained a “secret room” in his house, stored with assault weapons such as AK-47 and AR-15 assault rifles.

“For the last 10 years, I’ve constantly been on edge around him, just ready for him to snap,” Guarino said. “For two years, every day, I…did anything he wanted. I fear the guy. He once told me he has ‘No one to answer to but God.’”

Imbert also allegedly mentioned his fizzling sex life with his wife to Guarino and insinuated that his father didn’t like his wife because “she wouldn’t play along” when his father would grab her rear end.

Both Ralph and Irene Guarino are still employed by RCI Industries. Ralph Guarino’s lawsuit against Imbert seeks unspecified damages.

David H. Rosenberg, a lawyer for the pair, told the New York Post that the work environment created by Imbert was hostile. “I am proud of my clients for having the courage and bravery to prosecute these discrimination and retaliation claims,” he added.