‘Mama, Help!’: New Orleans Teen Called 911 Amid McDonalds Robbery — Her Mother Answered
by Atiya Jordan

November 3, 2022

‘Mama, Help!’: New Orleans Teen Called 911 Amid McDonalds Robbery — Her Mother Answered

A 16-year-old girl was working at a New Orleans McDonalds when an armed woman robbed the fast food establishment and locked all the employees in a freezer, WDSU-TV reported.

On Monday, Oct. 17, Tenia Hill  called 911 on her phone during the active robbery. When a dispatcher was connected, the frightened teenager heard a familiar voice – it was her mother, Teri Clark, who was working the night shift at the Orleans Parish Communication District.

“Mama, help! Please hurry up,” Hill said on a 911 call recording obtained by the news station. “She’s got a gun.”

“We are going to hurry, give me a description,” her mother responded calmly.

Clark is an assistant operations manager with 24 years of experience at the emergency call administration center. Normally, she would’ve been off work at the time her daughter called, but she decided to assist staff with emergency calls.

When her daughter explained the nature of the situation, Clark remained calm and proceeded to do her job.

Screenshot/ YouTube
WDSU News

“I was in a state of shock,” Clark told WDSU.

“What broke me down was when my child said, ‘We’re in the freezer,'” Clark added. “And I said, ‘The freezer?’ While I was taking the call, tears [were] coming down my face, but I am still trying to do my job.”

The New Orleans Police Department responded to the scene and brought all the employees to safety.

“I was really scared because I would never imagine at my first job I would be getting robbed, let alone having a gun pointed at me,” she told WDSU-TV. “I didn’t want my mom to have to bury her youngest child. I could have lost my life, but she saved my life.”

Following the incident, CNN obtained a statement from Tyrell Morris, executive director of the communication district, in which he lauded Clark’s professionalism and dedication.

“Teri Clark is a shining example of what our 911 heroes in New Orleans and across the nation do every day,” Morris said. “We answer each and every call with passion, purpose and professionalism, even when it is our own family.”

‘Look At This Pretty Bi*ch!’ Jenifer Lewis Praises Self Portrait From Atlanta Artist Jerrell Gantt
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2022

‘Look At This Pretty Bi*ch!’ Jenifer Lewis Praises Self Portrait From Atlanta Artist Jerrell Gantt

Actress Jenifer Lewis was all smiles while being presented with a personal painting of herself by the popular Atlanta-based artist Jerrell Gantt.

The Black-Ish star was in Atlanta recently to help campaign for gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams when she was greeted by Gantt who gifted her with a large painting of herself. Gantt took to Facebook on Tuesday to share a video of the special moment he shared with the self-proclaimed, “Mother of Black Hollywood.”

“Met the amazing Jenifer Lewis, the mother of Black Hollywood,” he wrote in the caption.

“You know her for her roles in Sister Act, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Girlfriends, Blackish, What’s Love Got To Do With It etc”.

Gantt explained how “surprised” Lewis was by his presence and how much of a genuine fan she already was of his work.

“She was so surprised to see me,” he continued. “She’s seen my work online and stated how much she loved it. We sat for a moment and she was so encouraging to my craft and my journey.”

The video shows Lewis giving a signature Jenifer Lewis response to Gantt’s painting of herself.

“Boy! Are you from Atlanta,” she asked him.

After confirming that no children were in the room, Lewis went off in the best way.

“This motherfu*ker!,” she jokingly said. “Oh my God!”

Lewis explained how she had been seeking out Gantt to obtain one of his art pieces. But had trouble since she doesn’t do the whole “DM” thing.

“I’ve been telling my people to find you!” Lewis told Gantt.

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in North Carolina, Gantt relocated to Georgia to attend college and perfect the natural artistic ability that he developed as a child.

“Being interested in all aspects of creativity I found a passion for fashion and majored in it at Savannah College of Art and Design,” he told Voyage ATL in 2019.

“After pursuing different fields, from designing, creative directing and fashion styling, I went back to my first love of art. Creating not only art but Black art has truly given my life it’s unique God given purpose.”

Graphic Footage Shows Heated Exchange and Person Of Interest in Moments Leading to Takeoff’s Death
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2022

Graphic Footage Shows Heated Exchange and Person Of Interest in Moments Leading to Takeoff’s Death

New graphic footage shows the heated exchange that led to rapper Takeoff being fatally shot in Houston. Video also shows someone with a firearm that police have named as a person of interest.

Eyewitness video taken at around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday shows the moment Migos member Quavo in a verbal spat with another person while standing outside 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston, TMZ reports.

Quavo can be heard arguing with someone while Takeoff is seen standing a few feet behind him. The discussion appears to be about playing basketball, when someone believed to be Quavo says “I don’t get down like that!”

The next moment a single gunshot was heard that sent the crowd fleeing. Soon a fleet of gunshots was heard from what sounded like more than one firearm. In total, about 10 shots were fired from two firearms, cops say

A melee ensued with eyewitnesses fleeing in every direction. A coroner’s report has since confirmed that Takeoff was killed by shots to the head and torso.

Police are reviewing another video that shows a man dressed in black, with a black satchel and a handgun in his right hip pocket. Police have identified this man as a person of interest.

Video shows Quavo walk behind the man seconds before gunshots were fired. There’s nothing in the video that proves the man fired the first shot, but he is seen about five seconds later raising his weapon and seemingly firing it.

It remains unclear where Takeoff or Quavo were standing in relation to the man at that moment the shots were fired.

Takeoff’s attorney have released statements in wake of the rapper’s death condemning violence.

“Along with my firm, I am devastated by the tragic death of Kirshnik Ball, known to his fans as Takeoff,” attorney Drew Findling said in a statement.

“Takeoff was not only a brilliant musical artist with unlimited talent, but also a uniquely kind and gentle soul.

“He will be greatly missed now and always.”

Boost Your Device’S Storage Capacity With Internxt Cloud
by Black Enterprise Shop

November 3, 2022

Boost Your Device’S Storage Capacity With Internxt Cloud

Cloud storage has revolutionized the way we use our devices.

Thanks to technology, you no longer have to worry about paying top dollar for large-storage mobile devices. Use of the cloud also means you don’t have to inundate your personal computer with files and storage. Instead, you can drop your data into the cloud and free up that space for other items.

Internxt Decentralized Cloud Storage offers the best in storage and security, and for a limited time, you can purchase a 2TB plan for just $49.99. That’s a savings of 76% from its MSRP ($215.92).

Internxt offers a private cloud storage service that’s 100% secure. End-to-end encryption makes sure all your files are encrypted into smaller pieces. This further ensures they can’t be accessed and read by unintended recipients. Zero-knowledge storage file also makes sure only the user has the knowledge to access their files.

An intuitive interface provides easy-to-follow methods that make saving and accessing your files a breeze. Easy sharing options are offered through Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Apple’s iCloud, among other services.

Internxt’s cloud storage offering has received rave reviews. It’s been featured on TechCrunch, Forbes, TechRadar and Android Authority.

“Unlike popular cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive, Internxt is a zero-knowledge file storage service that supports end-to-end encryption,” TechRadar writes in its review.

This software can be accessed via desktop and mobile platforms with Android 5.0 or iOS 13.0 or later. Apps for Internxt are also available for those using the Linux platform.

With storage, more is always better. While the 2TBs you’ll receive from Internxt will handle your demands, you’ll also receive top-notch security for your files and data. Not all cloud storage software is equal. Internxt, however, has earned its spot among the best in the space. Purchase it today.

Prices subject to change.

Meet the Black Entrepreneurs Carving a Path In the Distillery Community
by Atiya Jordan

November 2, 2022

Meet the Black Entrepreneurs Carving a Path In the Distillery Community

The crowded, competitive path into the distillery community is no walk in the park for Black entrepreneurs.

Today, the spirits industry is represented by fewer than 50 minority-owned craft distilleries, and the challenges for them mount high, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. From funding to marketing, small Black-owned brands have struggled to gain respect for a seat at the table, but the marathon continues.

 

Timothy Irving Jr., owner and creator of The Original Irving Whiskey, was inspired by his family’s history of making moonshine in segregated rural Georgia. As a small business owner, Irving still faces the burdens of being a Black owner.

“It’s a challenge trying to break into these big distributors and I’m not sure we’ve gained their respect, especially being a small Black-owned brand,” Irving said, per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“It’s a little bit of a challenge to prove ourselves. We just want the opportunity.”

However, Black women seem to have a lot more proving to do.

 

TK Burton-Johnson and her brother, Ty, established the Red Hazel Brewing Co., which produces a spiced rye whiskey currently sold in 45 restaurants and retail outlets.

“I am a woman in the whiskey industry, not just a woman but a Black woman,” Burton-Johnson said, per the outlet.

“Sometimes when you’re talking to people you get looks like, ‘You’re not supposed to be in this room.’ I don’t have to necessarily be rude to get respect, but I do have to be more assertive. It starts with respect; that respect is starting to come.”

Startup capital or funding is necessary for getting started in any business, but investment patterns “tends to come from sources who are familiar with the people they do business with and that may be a disadvantage to minorities,” according to Giacomo Negro, a professor of Organization and Management at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University.

Funding for Burton-Johnson’s business was “strictly bootstrapping.”

She said, “We didn’t think we’d qualify for a bank loan. I’ve applied for more than 200 grants and haven’t gotten any.”

 

 

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A post shared by Anteel Tequila (@anteeltequilas)

Don and Nayana Ferguson, co-founders of Anteel Tequila, relied on their high-earning savings for funding and don’t plan on using outside investors or banks. The duo produces a line of cocktails and tequilas, including the Anteel Reposado Tequila, aged eight months in charred Tennessee whiskey barrels.

Despite being self-funded, “a lot of distributors weren’t willing to try my brand because I’m a Black woman,” said Ferguson, the first Black woman to own a tequila brand.

“I’m proving them wrong. I’m going to become a nationally recognized brand, maybe internationally.”

Dwyane Wade’s Ex-Wife Accuses Him of ‘Pressuring’ Daughter Zaya Wade To Transition for Financial Gain
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

Dwyane Wade’s Ex-Wife Accuses Him of ‘Pressuring’ Daughter Zaya Wade To Transition for Financial Gain

Dwyane Wade is being called out by his ex-wife, who accused the NBA star of exploiting their transgender daughter, Zaya Wade, for financial gain.

On Wednesday, documents revealed that Siohvaughn Funches-Wade objected to Dwyane’s petition to legally change their 15-year-old’s name to Zaya due to “multiple factors,” Page Six reports.

Funches-Wade, 41, alleged that Dwyane, 40, “is positioned to profit from the minor child’s name and gender change with various companies through contacts and marketing opportunities, including but not limited to deals with Disney.”

The filing continues: “I have concerns that [Wade] may be pressuring our child to move forward with the name and gender change in order to capitalize on the financial opportunities that he has received from companies.”

 

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A post shared by Zaya Wade (@zayawade)

Funches-Wade, who was married to Wade from 2002 to 2010, noted an April 2022 meeting with Dwyane in Atlanta where the NBA champion allegedly told her that “a lot of money had been already made” from Zaya’s “name and gender issue.”

“[Wade] told me that he intended to make our child very famous due to the name and gender issue and also informed me that there would be endorsements/contracts associated therewith,” the mother of two claimed.

Funches-Wade referred to her transgender daughter’s dead name in the filing, claiming, “Zion, who was present at the time, answered that various companies were interested and that Disney was a prospective company.”

She also alleged that because Zaya’s transition has been highly publicized, “there will likely be media pressure on the minor child.” Funches-Wade requested that Zaya should make this decision for herself when she is “at the age of majority” when she turns 18.

Wade and his current wife, Gabrielle Union, remain transparent and supportive parents to Zaya in the wake of the teen identifying as transgender. Wade appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020 and shared that Zaya came to him and Union, saying she was finally “ready to live [her] truth.”

On Zaya’s social media, she proudly identifies herself with the pronouns “She/Her.”

UFC Champion Conor McGregor’s Family Denies His Mother Wore Blackface for Halloween
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

UFC Champion Conor McGregor’s Family Denies His Mother Wore Blackface for Halloween

Halloween just passed, so, of course, some people are facing backlash for seemingly resorting to blackface as part of their costumes. But no one expected mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to make the list.

The UFC star is standing by his mom after facing public scrutiny for her ghoul costume, which included black face paint. McGregor and family came under fire on Monday after the Irish mixed martial arts fighter shared photos of his family’s Halloween costumes in a since-deleted post, Daily Mail reports.

While McGregor opted to dress as Frank Abagnale from the film Catch Me If You Can, his mom, Margaret, 63, sparked controversy after being accused of wearing blackface for her costume. The family was attending a party at The Black Forge Inn in Dublin, where Margaret could be seen with black paint smeared across her face.

McGregor’s sister, Erin, shared a video to her Instagram Story that showed Margaret posing in her costume with the caption:

“Mad Magzer loving the Halloween vibe,” along with two laughing emojis.

McGregor immediately came under fire when his followers reminded the Irish athlete about the racist history behind wearing blackface.

“Come on bruh we still doing blackface in 2022,” one viewer wrote.

“Nobody else seeing the black face paint on the lady at the end? Wtf?” said someone else.

“Is that….blackface? What is going on with that?” another user wrote.

“Whoever in the red costume is racist,” quipped another.

But McGregor insisted that his mother wasn’t donning blackface but instead had black spiders painted on her face to go along with the red dress and necklace with three skulls she sported for her ghoul costume.

“The McGregor family loves Halloween,” a spokesperson told The Sun.

“Mrs McGregor had spiders painted on her face since her costume was a ghoul risen from the grave.”

“Any other interpretation was just wrong and truly unfortunate,” they added.

DC’s ‘Hat Lady’ Dies at 103 After Half a Decade Designing Radiant Hats for Maya Angelou and Others
by Stacy Jackson

November 2, 2022

DC’s ‘Hat Lady’ Dies at 103 After Half a Decade Designing Radiant Hats for Maya Angelou and Others

From working as an elevator operator in a hat store to later crafting some of the most sought-after designs, the owner of Washington’s most acclaimed hat and bridal shop has passed away.

Vanilla Beane, also known as “D.C.’s Hat Lady,” reportedly died Sunday, Oct. 23, in a hospital in Washington.

According to The Washington Post, Beane was 103 years old, and her grandson, Craig Seymour, shared that complications following an aortic tear were the cause.

Beane was known for the radiant hats she designed and fabricated at the Bené Millinery and Bridal Supplies shop on Third Street, NW. Her creations drew the attention of African American women who wanted to purchase hats for special occasions like church, weddings, and funerals. Each design was one of a kind and offered a selection of hats that included tams, turbans, Panamas, sailors, and cloches.

“Nobody wants to walk into a church and see someone else wearing their hat,” she once said, according to The Washington Post.

Writer and poet Maya Angelou and Dorothy I. Height, founding matriarch of the U.S. civil rights movement, were some of the notable African American women to wear Beane’s fashions.

The outlet reported that Beane made her hats the old-fashioned way. Her technique included wetting a stiff cotton, called buckram, molding it, and decorating it with different fabrics.

“Some people like real fussy hats,” she told The Washington Post in 2009.

“Others like sophisticated hats, and a lot of people like simple hats. I try to please people regardless of their race or background.”

Reportedly, D.C.’s “Hat Lady” worked six days a week for half a century, including her 100th year, turning her fingers rough and stiff.

“The hat tradition grew out of the idea that you were expressing how God has blessed you,” Craig Marberry, co-author of Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, said in a 2019 story about Beane in The Washington Post.

“The more flamboyant a hat, the more God has blessed you.”

Some of Beane’s hats are reportedly displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, including a green velveteen design and a red, felt bicorn style.

Meet the 78-Year-Old Veteran, Black Explorer Who Has Traveled Across More Than 50 Countries in 5 Decades
by Derek Major

November 2, 2022

Meet the 78-Year-Old Veteran, Black Explorer Who Has Traveled Across More Than 50 Countries in 5 Decades

Veteran and Black explorer J.R. Harris spent the last half-century trekking across the world, visiting more than 50 countries, and is still hungry for more.

Harris, 78, has visited every continent except Antarctica, including the Australian outback and Patagonia. The Louisiana-born explorer grew up in Queens, N.Y., and got his first taste of the wilderness as a child when his parents sent him to a Boy Scout camp in the Catskill Mountains.

Initially, Harris wasn’t a fan of the idea, telling CNN Travel that he went to the camp kicking and screaming, but said the experience changed his life.

“I basically learned how to live outdoors,” Harris said.

“And the idea that I could just live with whatever I was carrying in my pack was such a different concept from the life I had back in New York City. It fascinated me.”

The explorer spent his youth traveling the country in the 1950s. His dad was a long-distance train waiter, allowing his family to travel at reduced rates. Harris’ first adventure alone didn’t come until after he graduated in 1966 when he discovered the furthest north he could drive was Circle, Alaska. That led the explorer to pack up his car and set off on the journey, which took about two weeks.

The scenic views made him realize that he wanted to be an explorer. Harris vowed to return home, get some trekking equipment, and spend as much time as possible exploring remote locations.

Harris has traveled all over planet Earth in the years since, including France, Spain, New Zealand, the Rocky Mountains of Canada, The Andes, and the European Alps. Harris found the people living in remote areas fascinating. He said he learns as much as he can about their history, traditions, and way of life to figure out how to reach them, and in his words, “just show up.”

“People can’t believe that somebody would come all the way from New York City alone, for no other reason than because they were curious about their culture and wanted to see it firsthand,” the explorer told CNN Travel.

Harris, who has documented his travels on social media and wrote a book, makes it a point to take one long trip each year. He has traveled to all types of climates, including Greenland, Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, the Glacier National Park in Montana, California’s Death Valley, and the Sahara Desert in Africa.

The explorer says it’s much easier to travel today than it was in past years due to technology, adding that in the past, he’s traveled for weeks at a time by himself.

“Nowadays we have GPS and devices where you can contact people,” Harris told CNN.

“But for most of my life in my career, I was going out before there was an internet, before there were satellite phones, and I’d be gone for weeks at a time with absolutely no way of contacting anybody.”

Late Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s Family Battling Ex-Girlfriend Over Custody of Daughter
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

Late Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s Family Battling Ex-Girlfriend Over Custody of Daughter

The battle for custody of Nipsey Hussle‘s 13-year-old daughter, Emani Dior Asghedom, continues between the late rapper’s family and ex-girlfriend, Tanisha Foster.

Newly obtained court documents revealed a recent filing that Hussle’s brother, Sam Asghedom, made to finalize custody proceedings for Emani. Sam filed a third status report as part of his brother’s probate case, Radar Online reports.

Sam was appointed by the court to be the administrator of Nipsey’s estate in the wake of the rapper’s 2019 murder. Since then, Hussle’s brother has reportedly handled matters, including paying off debts, distributing funds, and approving deals.

According to Sam, the only thing still pending is the custody of Emani. Nipsey’s family went to court to get full guardianship of Emani after the rapper’s death. They allegedly accused Foster of being an unfit parent.

Emani is one of Nipsey’s two beneficiaries, including his son Kross, whom he shared with his girlfriend, Lauren London. Reportedly Sam says there has been mediation, but no solution has been reached.

The family accused Foster of abusing substances, getting into physical fights in front of her child, and living in homes where strangers are present. According to a 2019 filing, Foster was “engaging in harmful behaviors including drug and alcohol use,” The Shade Room reports.

Earlier this year, Foster reportedly went to court to get the guardianship amended, claiming she only made the custody agreement in the wake of Nipsey’s death because of her “own financial limitations; her desire to maintain the standard of living and family contact the minor had experienced with the paternal family prior to her father’s death; and upon the verbal assurances that each of them would act in the best interests of Emani.”

Foster reportedly claimed shortly after the agreement that Nipsey’s family started “using their financial position and influence to disregard their priorities by controlling the desires of Emani and Tanisha by withholding financial assistance and reducing visitation.”

Foster is requesting a “neutral experience financial planner” to be hired to manage Emani’s inheritance.

“There are no circumstances or events in my life that would disqualify me for regaining my exclusive role as Emani’s parent. There is no longer any need for guardianship,” she wrote.

“Emani routinely asks me when are she and I going to be able to live together.”

“She longs to be with me as her mother. I am begging the court to terminate the existing guardianship.”

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