• News

by Stacy Jackson

June 9, 2023

Black News Outlets Hopeful For Proper Compensation With New California Pro-Journalism Bill

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Black news outlets could receive a hefty sum from social media giants using their content.

The California Journalism Preservation Act aims to help support local, small, and ethnic news publishers in the state.

The bill, also known as AB-886 was passed on June 2, 2023, and says platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram should pay news outlets for circulating their content. According to NPR, about 70% of the collected money would help create newsroom jobs and support staff—which has dwindled in the past 10 years the bill says.

Assembly woman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) shared that she created AB-886 to protect free speech. Wicks reasoned with the Assembly, “Free press is in our constitution, and it is at risk right now. That is what this bill is about,” per the Los Angeles Sentinel. The bill states that, “enabling publishers to receive fair market value for their content used by others will preserve and ensure the sustainability of local and diverse news outlets.”

AB-886 also addresses the importance of African Americans telling their story and argues in favor of Black news outlets saying they should be “justly compensated” for what they produce. The bill mentions Samuel Cornish, African American journalist and abolitionist, and his 1827 preamble, “We Wish to Plead Our Own Cause.” “This call to action spurred the establishment of numerous Black-owned newspapers and publications, solidifying the role of the Black press as a powerful tool for empowerment and social change, and laid the groundwork in our country for other ethnic media to plead their own cause.”

However, an analysis estimated that giants like Fox News would benefit the most from the bill. The analysis estimated that 844 times more money would go to news giants than Black news outlets in California.

In May 2023, Facebook and Instagram said they would remove news from their platforms if the bill was passed. The Los Angeles Sentinel reported a spokesman for Meta said, “If the Journalism Preservation Act passes, we will be forced to remove news from Facebook and Instagram, rather than pay into a slush fund that primarily benefits big, out-of-state media companies under the guise of aiding California publishers.” Meta owns Facebook and Instagram.

A Pew Research study found 53% of Americans get their news from social “at least sometimes.” One third (36%) get their news from Facebook.

Social media personality Tabitha Brown kept her promise to her father and walked across the stage as a graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Brown received her honorary doctorate of humane letters on June 2 and in an emotional Instagram post, shared the story of her early college days and how a phone call transpired to her dreams coming true. “In 1997, I attended International Fine Arts College to study fashion design. Halfway through the first semester all I could think about was acting and performing,” Brown remembered.

“Daddy you need to come get me, I’m wasting your money. I’m supposed to be an actress! That Saturday morning I got in my daddy’s car and said “Daddy I’m sorry I’m quitting, but I promise you, one day I’m going to be famous and when that happens I will do fashion then, but for now I gotta pursue this passion for performing!”

 

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Little did Brown know, more than 20 years later, she is gifting the world with her talents in multiple industries.   Brown has appeared on Showtime’s The Chi, hosted her own pre-school YouTube series Tab Time, launched a hair care and spice line plus curated numerous collections with Target, Global Grind reports.

The TikTok influencer – with more than five million followers – talked about the full circle moment of having her father by her side from college to the corporate spaces.

“Well that was 1997 and I’ve been pursuing entertainment every since! Last year I debuted my first clothing line with @target and my daddy was right by my side!!,” the mom of three said. “Today @scaddotedu presented me with an honorary doctorate’s degree and daddy was right by my side!!!

 

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Brown has been a favorite amongst the Black community and worldwide. The Hollywood Reporter recently listed her No. 2 out of the 75 most powerful people in kids entertainment.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced that former Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball head coach Nolan Richardson has been inducted into its Hall of Fame.

Richardson joins former Mississippi Gulf Coast track and field athlete Brittney Reese, Hall of Fame baseball player Kirby Puckett, Florida State University’s winningest basketball head coach Leonard Hamilton, and Major League Soccer head coach Bruce Arena.

The former Razorbacks coach had also been inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame (2008) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2014).

The El Paso, Texas, native was a basketball player before his coaching career. He initially started playing at Eastern Arizona Junior College before taking his talents to Texas Western College.

He started his coaching career with the basketball team from his hometown at Bowie High School in 1968. After being there for 10 seas, he took over at Western Texas Junior College in 1977. During his last year at the school, Richardson led the team to the 1980 NJCAA Men’s Basketball Championship with a 37-0 record, becoming only the third team to finish the season undefeated.

His accolades include becoming the first African American coach to win the National Invitational Tournament championship with the University of Tulsa. With a winning percentage of .763, Richardson was the first coach in NCAA history to win 50 games in his first two seasons.

His more prominent years took place at the University of Arkansas, where Richardson led the team to 15 postseason appearances in 17 years. Richardson took the Razorbacks to three Final Fours, winning the NCAA Championship in 1994.

Richardson has won NABC Coach of the Year, Naismith College Coach of the Year, SEC Coach of the Year, MVC Coach of the Year (twice), SWC Coach of the Year (three times), and the USBWA Most Courageous Award.

Richardson is the only coach to lead his collegiate teams to NJCAA, NIT, and NCAA championships.

While there’s been no update from Jamie Foxx’s family or confirmation that he’s active and well, a representative for Jamie Foxx told NBC the false claims around the actor’s health are “completely inaccurate.”

The false claims and misleading information that plagues the internet have somehow linked Jamie Foxx to Covid vaccine conspiracy theories.

Unfortunately, the social media rumor mill has been buzzing with claims and speculation about the hospitalization of Foxx. There have been mixed reports about the actor’s health status since he was hospitalized for an emergency “medical complication” in April.

In May, Foxx’s daughter Corinne Foxx shut down claims saying the comedian was on life support and said he had been “out of the hospital for weeks” and “recuperating,” as noted by Fox News. Corinne even claimed her dad was “playing pickleball” with friends.

The continued question marks have made room for rumors about what caused Foxx’s health scare.

There are mounting claims from right-wing personalities saying Foxx was injured after receiving the Covid vaccine, NBC News reports. The claim was first made by A.J. Benza, a podcaster who appeared on “Ask Dr. Drew” on May 30 and claimed Foxx was left “partially paralyzed and blind” after being forced to get the Covid vaccine while he was working on a film.

Benza claimed a source “in the room” with Foxx told him this information and said the actor developed a blood clot, which led to a stroke after the vaccination. A rep for Foxx denied Benza’s claim saying it was “completely inaccurate.”

Insiders told Radar Online that Foxx is recovering at a rehab facility that teaches people “how to walk again.”

“Jamie is receiving treatment at one of the top physical rehabilitation centers in the country,” the allged source said.

“The clinic specializes in physical therapy programs to treat injuries or a physical condition that limits or prohibits the ability to walk or walk correctly. They teach people how to walk again at this particular clinic.”

But that hasn’t stopped conservative pundits like Candace Owens from running wild with Benza’s claim since Foxx’s family hasn’t publicly condemned the podcaster’s claims.

“Their silence seems as though there is some veracity to this claim,” Owens said in a YouTube video posted Tuesday. “We’re all holding our breath to see whether or not Jamie Foxx speaks out.”

Other conservatives are using social media to continue spreading the misinformation surrounding Foxx’s health emergency.

“I am infuriated a decent person like Jamie Foxx fell victim to Big Pharma because a movie set is still dumb enough to mandate their cash cow clot shot,” one conservative organization founder tweeted on June 1.

According to reports, Jamie Foxx is now "paralyzed and blind" from a blood clot in his brain after receiving the COVID-19 "vaccine."

Those of us who spoke against the mRNA shot were attacked in every imaginable way. I am infuriated a decent person like Jamie Foxx fell victim to…

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 1, 2023

There are a growing number of YouTube and Twitter deep dives linking Foxx to a Covid vaccine conspiracy theory. With the comedian’s family focusing on his health and not on the internet speculation, it has allowed the rumors to continue.

RELATED CONTENT: Jamie Foxx to Host ‘We Are Family’ With Daughter, Has Reportedly Been Out of Hospital ‘For Weeks’

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 9, 2023

NYC District Attorney Drops More Than 300 Convictions Tied To Corrupt Officers Dating Back Nearly 30 Years

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With all the complaints over the years, specifically from communities of color, about police corruption, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has dropped over 300 convictions.

According to The Associated Press, Bragg dismissed 308 convictions that were tied to police officers who were found guilty of crimes that they committed. This was the latest round of over 1,000 dismissals citywide connected to police officers who were either charged or convicted.

“We cannot stand by convictions that are built on cases brought by members of law enforcement who have violated the law,” Bragg stated.

Bragg is the prosecuting attorney who convinced a Manhattan grand jury to indict former President Donald Trump, making him the first former president of the United States to face criminal charges. Trump was indicted for allegedly providing hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Some of the latest abandoned convictions, mostly misdemeanors, date back to 1996. The dismissals come after some of the former police officers involved were convicted of on-the-job offenses, including bribery, illegally selling guns, lying under oath, and planting drugs on suspects.

Elizabeth Felber of the Legal Aid Society was happy about the dismissals and made a statement about treating convicted police officers in the same vein as the people they arrest.

“The same lens used on our clients charged with criminal conduct must be applied to those in law enforcement,” Felber said in a written statement.

After obtaining an indictment of the former president, Bragg sued Republican U.S. Representative Jim Jordan because the politician started a “campaign of intimidation.” Jordan wanted Bragg to appear before Congress to explain why Trump was indicted. Bragg stated that the subpoena sent to him was an unconstitutional “incursion” into a state criminal case. He alleges that Jordan commissioned the subpoena as payback for making Trump the first former president to be indicted.

Kelis’ milkshake brought a ghostbuster to the yard after the singer ignited romance rumors with veteran comedic actor Bill Murray.

The “Milkshake” singer and “Ghostbusters” star sent the rumor mill spinning after they were spotted together in London on more than one occasion, The Sun reports. Murray was seen attending Kelis’ show at the Mighty Hoopla festival in Brockwell Park, South London and they were also together at the same London hotel.

On Thursday, June 9, insiders confirmed Kelis, 43, and Murray, 72 have been “getting close for a while” after meeting in the US. The pair reportedly started bonding over the loss of their previous spouses, Kelis lost her husband to cancer in March 2022 and Murray’s wife passed away in 2021.

The singer has been touring while Murray is in London filming the new “Ghostbusters” film where he’s set to reprise his of Peter Venkmen alongside much of the cast from the 1984 original. At the Hoopla festival, Murray watched as Kelis performed a few of her hits including “Bossy” and “Milkshake.” They also posed for a photo backstage.

Bill Murray, 72 and Kelis, 43 are dating pic.twitter.com/EFajMaJ0fb

— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) June 9, 2023

“They’ve met up in the States before which got people in the industry talking, and now are meeting up in London while they’re both here,” a source said. “They’ve clearly hit it off.”

In addition to being at the same hotel and attending Kelis’ latest show, Murray is said to have watched Kelis “perform several times before he went to Mighty Hoopla,” the insider revealed.

The singer and comedian are reportedly enjoying each other’s company despite the nearly 30-year age gap.

“Whatever it is that has brought them together, and however unlikely it seems, they are both single and are having fun despite the fairly big age gap,” the source said.

The new romance comes amid reports of Murray’s alleged inappropriate behavior on set, Page Six reports. The “Caddyshack” star is accused of being “touchy” with several women while filming a movie with Aziz Ansari.

Murray reportedly remained in touch with his second wife Jennifer Butler prior to her death. Butler filed for divorce from the comedian accusing him of infidelity, domestic ­abuse, and sex, marijuana, and ­alcohol addictions.

Kelis filed for divorce from rapper Nas in 2009 while seven months pregnant with their son. She later spoke out about their time together saying there was a lot of “physical and mental” abuse during their marriage. Kelis went on to marry Mike Mora in 2014 and welcome two children prior to his passing.

History has been made! The University of Missouri named Kerrick Jackson the first Black head coach for the school’s baseball team. With this hire, Jackson also becomes the first Black head coach in baseball in the history of the Southeastern Conference.

The university, also known as Mizzou, made the announcement on the school’s Twitter account.

A new era for @MizzouBaseball begins!

Welcome our Head Coach, Kerrick Jackson.

🔗 https://t.co/tLNngpPFdZ#MIZ 🐯⚾️ pic.twitter.com/xPKCfdagw5

— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) June 4, 2023

According to Yahoo! Sports, Jackson, once an assistant coach (2011-15) at the University of Missouri, was brought on after the school terminated former head coach Steve Bieser after the 2023 season. The baseball team hasn’t advanced to the playoffs in over 10 years. Coincidentally, the last time the team did make the postseason back in 2012, Jackson was an assistant to Bieser.

In a written statement, Jackson said, “It’s a great honor to come back to the University of Missouri and lead the baseball program. I have seen this program at its championship best and understand both what it takes to get there and the importance of baseball to the state, region, and within the Southeastern Conference.”

The hiring of Jackson brings a total of four Black men being named head coaches at Predominantly White Institutions at the top level of college baseball.

“We set out to find a leader of high character with success rejuvenating a program, and we certainly found that in Kerrick Jackson,” said Mizzou Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francois in a written statement. “He’s a tireless recruiter, fierce competitor, and a coach with deep roots in the Midwest. Coach Jackson knows what success looks like in college baseball, specifically at Mizzou. He has a vision for success and a tremendous amount of experience at all levels of baseball. I look forward to him building on our traditions and returning us to the national stage. We proudly welcome Coach Jackson, Talia, Zion, and Lazarus home to Columbia.”

During the 2022-2023 season as the head coach of the University of Memphis, Jackson led the team to 29 victories. It was the first time the team had a winning season in over six years. He returns to Columbia after serving as a Mizzou assistant from 2011-15. Jackson also coached at Southern University from 2018-20, with the baseball team making the NCAA tournament in 2019.

The house once owned by late-fashion icon Andre Leon Talley is officially on the market!

The New York Post reports the White Plains, New York home is looking for a new owner at the price of $1.25 million. Fashion designer, Diane von Furstenberg, owns the company that is selling the 3,600-square-foot property. The four-bedroom and two-and-a-half bathroom home was originally built in 1854 and was purchased for the former Vogue editor in 2004 by Talley’s close friend Manolo Blahnik executive George Malkemus, and his husband, Anthony Yurgaitis, after experiencing issues with mold and credit at his previous home.

 

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Talley, a North Carolina native, wasn’t a huge fan of the city life and opted for the suburban home he called his “sanctuary,” according to a profile written by the New York Times in 2018. Trustee of Talley’s estate, Alexis E. Thomas, said the home was perfect for him.

“His porch became a place where he spent a lot of time, particularly in warmer weather. He conducted interviews from there, and he would Zoom from there,” Thomas said. “I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent with him on that porch.”

According to Mansion Global, the house holds has formal living and dining rooms including a fireplace and large windows, presenting gorgeous natural light from the manicured lawn. The wood-and-brick kitchen would be perfect for any food enthusiast with two ovens and a windowed “breakfast nook” leading to an outside deck. Upstairs, the master-bedroom has a sitting area, another fireplace, office with view of the trees and a walk-in closet.

While most of Talley’s possessions were auctioned off for $3.5 million after his 2022 death, the house still has a little bit of his taste left behind. There is an estimated $10,000 worth of leopard-print carpeting that pave the stairwell and some sections of the second floor. Talley lived there for almost 20 years.

The Apollo, the nation’s largest African-American performing arts organization, announced the appointment of Michelle Ebanks as its next president and CEO.

According to a release by the Apollo, Ebanks has a litany of experience in media and entertainment and her previous experience includes serving as the CEO of Essence Communications including Essence Magazine, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women, Essence.com and the Essence Festival of Culture.

Ebanks said she is excited about the new opportunity and what the future will; bring for The Apollo.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the iconic Apollo at such an important time in its trajectory. The Apollo continues to have such a profound impact on Black culture—and American culture—locally, nationally, and internationally,” Ebanks said in a statement. “It is such an exciting time as it expands its physical footprint, doubles down on supporting artists at every stage in their careers, collaborates with partners across Harlem and the world, and offers a platform for the voices of African American artists across the diaspora.”

Ebanks will step into the role in July, succeeding Jonelle Procope, who served in the role for the last two decades, transforming The Apollo into a nationally recognized cultural institution. The Apollo Theatre is near the end of its first full-scale renovation and the completion of its $80M Apollo Rising 2.0 capital campaign.

Apollo Board Chair Charles E. Phillips said in a statement Ebanks’ knowledge and experience will be paramount for The Apollo.

“Michelle brings to The Apollo a deep understanding in creating exciting cultural experiences for a diverse range of communities, including overseeing some of the most popular live events in the nation. At a time when performing arts organizations are looking at how best to provide opportunities for audiences who are both hungry for in-person experiences and ways to participate with programming digitally, Michelle’s depth of knowledge will lead The Apollo to its next level of engagement with artists, audiences, and partners throughout New York, nationally and internationally,” said Phillips. “Michelle joins The Apollo at a time of strength, forged by Jonelle and her team over the last two decades into one of the nation’s greatest cultural institutions.”

The Apollo Theater first opened its doors on Jan. 26, 1934, and since has been a place for Black artists in dance, theater, spoken word, and comedy. Notable Black artists who performed at the Harlem institution,  setting off their careers include Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and many more.

• News

by Lauren Nutall

June 9, 2023

“Central Park Karen” Amy Cooper Loses Lawsuit Against Former Employer

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On June 8, a U.S. appeals court ruled against Amy Cooper, a white woman who called the police on a Black man bird-watching at the park in May 2020, Yahoo News, reported. Labeled as “Central Park Karen,” Cooper was fired from her employment following the incident, which went viral accumulating millions of views and backlash. 

In the video, Cooper is heard saying, “There’s an African-American man threatening my life.” Her comments came after Christian Cooper requested that Amy Cooper leash her dogs, a rule within the park. 

According to Yahoo, Cooper had previously been employed at Franklin Templeton as an insurance portfolio manager. However, she was fired one day after the video’s release following an internal review, in which Templeton stated that “we do not tolerate racism of any kind.”

Amy Cooper brought forth a lawsuit against her former employer in the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, citing wrongful termination. However, her suit was tossed out in a 3-0 decision for her failure to prove that her employer illegally dismissed her on the basis of race or defamed her by branding her as a racist.

The Court maintained that Franklin Templeton’s statements did not mention Cooper’s race and that if reasonable readers thought that it was accusing her of racism, it would be considered an “expression of opinion” based on the video. 

Additionally, the court reasoned that the video had been shared “in the midst of an ongoing national reckoning about systemic racism,” as the incident central to the lawsuit occurred on the same day that a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, killed George Floyd, a Black man. 

Franklin Templeton shared their satisfaction with the decision, saying, “We continue to believe the company responded appropriately.”

This ruling upheld the lower court judge’s decision to dismiss Amy Cooper’s case last September.

This is another installment in Amy Cooper’s three-year attempt to rehabilitate her image, as in August 2021, the former insurance portfolio manager appeared on a podcast, “Honestly With Bari Weiss,” in which she defended her actions on May 20.