• Career

by Sharelle Burt

August 16, 2024

TikToker Goes Viral After Wearing Shorts To The Interview Almost Costs Her A Job

Tyreshia....we need an update!

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A viral TikTok video has people asking if it’s appropriate to wear shorts to a job interview.

TikToker @mtyreshiadaily posted a video claiming she was dress coded by a recruiter when she came in for a job interview wearing a white blouse, sweater, and black shorts. The recruiter rescheduled for another day but asked the creator to change.

“I just got dress coded during an interview and then they decided to reschedule the interview with me for tomorrow,” she said. “But before they rescheduled, the lady was like, ‘Would you like to come back, like go change and then come back?’ And I was like, ‘No.’”

She then stood back from the camera to give viewers a good look at her interview attire, including the shorts. 

The video has been flooded with comments—over 27,000 to be exact—from followers and critics questioning why she thought wearing shorts to a job interview would go over well. On both TikTok and X, social media users wondered what the job was for. One user asked if Tyreshia was applying for a camp counselor position.

Another user asked if the job was for a lifeguard. “Was it for a lifeguard position,” someone else asked in the TikTok comments. 

Some commentators accused the creator of clickbaiting because most people know that it is inappropriate to wear shorts to an interview. Other viewers were surprised she was asked back for the opportunity to interview.

“Offering to reschedule was very generous of them,” @thawhole9 wrote. 

Other sympathetic viewers said the issue was more of a teachable moment than an attack. Wearing shorts in the office will always be looked at as a huge no-no, and most people won’t wear them even if the job allows it,” acording to GQ.

A career-guided article by job search engine Indeed laid out some guidelines on how to properly dress for a job interview. It starts by researching the company’s dress code. Even if it’s listed as casual, dressing more professional than the employer may be beneficial. It is also recommended to wear clothes that match the season and climate and, lastly, be yourself. It’s OK to show some personality, but more so by wearing bold colors to show how you will conquer the role.

• Women

by Stacy Jackson

August 16, 2024

Highly Sought-After Casting Director Winsome Sinclair Dies At 58

Sinclair founded Winsome Sinclair and Associates and became one of the most in-demand casting directors following decades under Spike Lee.

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Casting director Winsome Sinclair, who has worked on several Spike Lee films, has died at 58 years old following a battle with colon cancer.

Loved ones were at Sinclair’s bedside, according to Clorissa Wright-Thomas, who told The Hollywood Reporter that the New York native died on Monday in hospice care. Sinclair left her mark as a critical player in the entertainment industry as a casting director, producer, writer, and public speaker. “Winsome Sinclair brought light to everyone she encountered, with a unique ability to see more in people than they could see in themselves,’ Wright-Thomas wrote on Instagram in a tribute to the entrepreneur’s life and passion for the arts.

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The Florida A&M University graduate became a highly respected Hollywood casting director under Lee and collaborated with the acclaimed film director on feature film projects for over two decades. In a 2017 interview with Georgia Box Office, Sinclair recalled when she wrote a letter to Lee’s Brooklyn office after seeking spiritual direction regarding her career path. “I started out as an intern, that’s why…I’ve always had interns,” she said. “…That was my entrée into the industry…giving people of color an opportunity to learn something, see something, [or] try something they normally wouldn’t get an opportunity to do.”

The film industry veteran branched out on her own and launched Winsome Sinclair and Associates out of her New York hometown in 1996, according to IMDb, and later relocated her firm to Atlanta full-time. The business move led to collaborations with several other esteemed directors like Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, John Singleton, and Lee Daniels. Sinclair is credited for casting principals and extras for countless film and television projects like Malcolm X, Waiting to Exhale, The Best Man, Cadillac Records, Being Mary Jane, Barbershop 3, and All Eyez on Me, the Tupac Shakur biopic. Her credentials also extended into the documentary genre, casting for three of Oscar-nominated director Sam Pollard’s projects: Slavery By Another Name (2012), The Ground On Which I Stand (2014), and Maynard (2017).

Sinclair traveled the world as a panelist, educating other film industry professionals and hopefuls on panels for Fayetteville State University’s True To Yourself Conference, the Multicultural Media Correspondents Associations State Of The Union, and Clark Atlanta University’s Women in Creative Careers event. She sat on the board of directors for the African-American Women In Cinema Foundation. She held memberships with the Women In Film and Television Atlanta, the Television Academy, and the Casting Society of America.

Sinclair adopted two sons in 2017 before she shared the joy of motherhood in her first children’s book, You Are My SONshines, in 2020.

RELATED CONTENT: Delta Airlines Brings Black Films To the Skies For Black History Month

• Education

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 16, 2024

Teen Scientist Named TIME’s 2024 Kid Of The Year For Inventing Potential Cancer Treating Body Soap

Get to know the Black Virginia teen who won $25,000 for inventing a soap that could one day treat skin cancer.

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The Black Virginia teen who won $25,000 for inventing a soap that could one day treat and prevent multiple forms of skin cancer has been named TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year. Fifteen-year-old Heman Bekele is taking his passion for chemistry and mixing particles to new heights through his natural interest in skin cancer.

In the last year, Bekele has won $25,000 from the Young Scientist Challenge, secured mentorship and access to a state-of-the-art lab at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, and is on the cover of TIME magazine thanks to his development of a compound-based bar of soap designed to treat skin cancer.

“I’m really passionate about skin cancer research,” he says, “whether it’s my own research or what’s happening in the field. It’s absolutely incredible to think that one day, my bar of soap will be able to make a direct impact on somebody else’s life. That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”

During his early childhood in Ethiopia, Bekele became aware of the importance of skin protection. He saw laborers working under the scorching sun, often without any protection for their skin. His parents taught him and his sisters about the dangers of spending too much time outdoors without sunscreen or proper clothing.

“When I was younger, I didn’t think much of it, but when I came to America, I realized what a big problem the sun and ultraviolet radiation is when you’re exposed to it for a long time,” Heman recalls.

After learning about the skin cancer-treating drug imiquimod, the 10th-grader at Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, thought to invent a new, more accessible form of the substance. Instead of the cream that typically comes as part of a $40,000 and up skin cancer treatment, Bekele had the idea of turning the drug into a product we use daily.

“What is one thing that is an internationally impactful idea, something that everyone can use, [regardless of] socioeconomic class?” Heman recalls thinking. “Almost everyone uses soap and water for cleaning. So soap would probably be the best option.”

He presented his idea at the 3M challenge, where he won a $25,000 prize to advance his research. Shortly afterward, he connected with Vito Rebecca, a molecular biologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, who provided him access to an advanced lab to help turn his cancer-treating soap into a reality.

Now, as he continues his research, Bekele is focused on getting his soap patented and FDA-certified. It could take at least a decade, but the high school teen remains hopeful about the life-changing development he could introduce.

“A lot of people have this mindset that everything’s been done, there’s nothing left for me to do,” Bekele says. “To anybody having that thought, [I’d say] we’ll never run out of ideas in this world of skin cancer. Just keep inventing. Keep thinking of new ways to improve our world and keep making it a better place.”

RELATED CONTENT: 6-YEAR-OLD BOY BECOMES NEW MENSA INDUCTEE

• Health and Wellness

by Jameelah Mullen

August 16, 2024

Biden-Harris Administration Negotiates An Agreement To Lower Medicare Prescription Prices

The price reduction will save older adults billions.

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The Biden-Harris administration announced on Aug. 15 that it reached an agreement with drug manufacturers to reduce the prices of ten prescription drugs under Medicare. 

“For far too long, Americans have paid more for their prescription drugs than any developed nation. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is delivering on its promise to lower out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors and save money for Americans,“ the administration said in a press release.

When the new prices go into effect in 2026, Medicare patients will save an estimated $1.5 billion, according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Some of the drugs included in the price reduction include the diabetes drug Januvia, which will be priced at $197—down from $527; Eliquis, a blood thinner from Bristol Myers Squibb; and Pfizer, which will drop from $521 to $231. Enbrel, a rheumatoid arthritis drug, will be reduced from $7106 to $2,355.

White House Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden said this “historic moment” will result in big savings for older Americans.

“Millions of seniors and others on Medicare will soon see their drug costs go down on some of the most common and expensive drugs that treat heart disease, cancer, diabetes, blood costs, and more,” she said in a press conference. 

The negotiations, mandated under the Inflation Reduction Act, began in January. 

According to the release, the federal government will have until March 2025 to explain how it arrived at the negotiated prices. If a drugmaker declines to negotiate, they will receive a tax penalty. The penalty will be removed if the manufacturer removes their product from the Medicare program.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America issued a statement condemning the negotiations. 

“The administration is using the IRA’s (Inflation Reduction Act)  price-setting scheme to drive political headlines.”

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, negotiated prices will go into effect for 15 more drugs in 2026 and 15 more in 2027.

RELATED CONTENT: 3 Ways to Lower Your Medication Costs

• Business

by Keka Araújo

August 16, 2024

General Motors Recognized By Department of Energy For Innovative Energy Efficiency Project

The plant has implemented a system that repurposes waste heat from gas-powered generators to heat the plant and prevent the emergency sprinkler systems from freezing during colder months

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The Department of Energy (DOE) has honored General Motors for an innovative energy efficiency project at its Fort Wayne assembly plant. The project reduced natural gas consumption by 30% compared to a 2019 baseline.

During a visit to the plant, Maria Vargas, the Director of DOE’s Better Climate Challenge, commended GM’s leadership in energy efficiency and took a tour of the facility. The plant has implemented a system that repurposes waste heat from gas-powered generators to heat the plant and prevent the emergency sprinkler systems from freezing during colder months. This pioneering heat recovery system is set to be replicated at GM’s St. Catharine’s Propulsion Plant in Ontario, with the new system expected to be operational next year.

This project aligns with GM’s broader sustainability goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 72% by 2035 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. The energy savings from this initiative are substantial, equivalent to the energy required to heat 4,900 homes for an entire year. Additionally, reducing natural gas and electricity usage translates into annual savings of $3.5 million for GM.

Kathi Walker, GM’s director of Global Sustainability Strategies, stated, “Together with GM’s energy team, the employees at Fort Wayne Assembly have developed an energy solution that helps promote carbon reduction in the assembly of our best-selling trucks. Whether we’re building electric or internal combustion vehicles, we’re committed to maximizing the sustainability of our manufacturing processes.”

Last year, Fort Wayne Assembly’s 4,300 employees produced over 292,000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. GM’s Indiana facilities collectively employ more than 6,200 individuals. According to a study by Oxford Economics, GM’s operations in Indiana support an additional 15,050 jobs through partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders. GM has been a key player in Indiana for nearly 90 years and has announced over $2.8 billion in investments in the state’s manufacturing sector since 2013.

General Motors is dedicated to advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. Central to this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, designed to power various vehicles from mass-market to high-performance. GM, its subsidiaries, and joint venture entities offer cars under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun, and Wuling brands. For more information about the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in safety services and connected vehicle technology, visit GM’s official website.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 16, 2024

L.A. Reid Blocked From Tossing Out Drew Dixon Assault Lawsuit

A New York is siding with Drew Dixon by denying L.A. Reid's motion to dismiss her assault lawsuit.

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L.A. Reid’s attempt to get Drew Dixon’s sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed has been denied.

On August 13, New York Judge Valerie Caproni ruled in favor of Dixon and allowed her lawsuit to proceed, AllHipHop reported. The decision comes in response to Reid filing motions to dismiss some of Dixon’s claims, citing the statute of limitations and venue issues at the two locations where she accuses him of sexually assaulting her during her time working as a music executive at Arista 20 years ago.

Judge Caproni determined that Dixon’s claims of false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress were not barred by the statute of limitations under the New York Adult Survivors Act. Additionally, the judge found that the events described in the complaint had a significant connection to the Southern District of New York, where the lawsuit was filed.

“The coordination of the retreat has a ‘close nexus to’ Plaintiff’s false imprisonment claim as the acts about which she complains occurred on the flight that was arranged in New York,” the judge wrote.

“While the Complaint does not specifically allege that Defendant instructed [Arista executive Karen] Kwak to tell Plaintiff that other executives would be on the flight, viewing the facts in the light most favorable to the Plaintiff, the Court can infer that the scheme to mislead Plaintiff about the travel arrangements occurred in Manhattan.”

Dixon accuses Reid of sexually assaulting her twice in 2001 and later cutting her budget and sidelining artists after she turned down his continuing advances. The first alleged assault occurred on a private jet with Reid while en route to a company-wide retreat in Puerto Rico.

“He asked her to sit next to him to go over materials for the presentation, and then he began playing with her hair, kissing her and digitally penetrated her vulva without her consent,” the suit states.

The second alleged assault took place while Dixon and Reid sat inside a car together during the company retreat.

“Shortly into the ride, Mr. Reid again, without Ms. Dixon’s permission or consent, began to grope and kiss Ms. Dixon, who squirmed and pushed him away as Mr. Reid’s driver stared straight ahead. When Mr. Reid complained and became visibly irritated with her lack of compliance, Ms. Dixon froze. Mr. Reid again digitally penetrated Ms. Dixon’s vulva without her consent.”

Reid attempted to have parts of Dixon’s lawsuit tossed. However, Judge Caproni rejected his request to strike ten sections of New York Penal Law Article 130 cited in the lawsuit. Dixon argued against Reid’s efforts, calling them an “inappropriate attempt to thrust the Court into the impermissible role of factfinder at the pleading stage.”

“As Plaintiff notes, Defendant did not challenge the citation to Sections 130.52 (forcible touching) and 130.55 (sexual abuse in the third degree); it is difficult to understand any prejudice caused by additional citations to other portions of Article 130,” the judge ruled. “Because Defendant has not met his burden, his Motion to Strike is denied.”

In 2017, Reid left Epic Records after a female assistant accused him of sexual harassment. In Dixon’s lawsuit, she labeled Reid as a “known predator who uses his singular professional power to force himself on his victims.” She remains in legal disputes with Reid and Russell Simmons on claims of sexual assault against both men.

• Sports

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 16, 2024

Charles Barkley Was Willing To Turn Down $100M To Keep TNT Team Safe, ‘That’s All I Was Concerned With’

Charles Barkley is revealing the $100 million he almost missed out on to protect the jobs of the Turner Sports team.

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Charles Barkley is revealing the $100 million he almost missed out on to protect the jobs of the Turner Sports team.

The NBA star appeared on the Dan Le Batard Show on Wednesday, August 14, where he opened up about his decision to remain with Warner Bros. Discovery’s sports division after TNT was left out of the NBA’s new 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, and Amazon.

According to Barkley, 61, money was a non-factor for him. His main goal was to protect the jobs of the Turner Sports staff, whom he’s been working with as part of NBA on TNT and Inside The NBA with Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson Jr.

“The No. 1 thing for me is my people from Turner get to keep their jobs for at least another year,” Barkley said. “That’s all I was concerned with.”

Last month, the NBA secured agreements with Disney, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, and Amazon for three separate game packages, including WNBA games, amounting to $76 billion over 11 years beginning in the 2025-26 season. Due to the deal, the league’s deal with TNT will come to an end during the NBA’s upcoming 2024-25 season.

While Barkley says it “100% was a great feeling” to get offers from outside networks, he ultimately wants to stay with TNT.

“I want to thank all of those networks for reaching out to me,” the two-time NBA Hall of Famer said. “It was really humbling and cool, to be honest with you. Even though they were throwing crazy numbers, as long as I got my people safe at TNT, man, I feel really good.”

“Like I say, they’re going to pay me to go and talk about nothing,” Barkley jokingly added. “I probably would’ve had to do an honest day’s work if I went to one of those other networks.”

The NBA alum signed a 10-year deal with TNT Sports in 2022, where he serves as a commentator on the award-winning NBA on TNT and Inside the NBA. However, the NBA’s TNT partnership will end next season, and the network plans to take legal action.

Barkley has been outspoken about how the NBA’s new deal will impact the people who worked behind the scenes at TNT.

“It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks,” he wrote on Instagram last month. “I just want to thank everyone who has been at Turner for 24 years. They are the best people and the most talented, and they deserve better. I also want to thank the NBA and its fans – the best fans in sports. We’re going to give you everything we have next season.”

• History

by Jameelah Mullen

August 15, 2024

The Clotilda: Last Known US Slave Ship Should Remain Underwater, Experts Say

The ship is “too broken” and “too decayed” to be evacuated, archaeologists say.

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The task force headed by the Alabama Historical Commission determined that the Clotilda, the last ship known to transport enslaved Africans to the United States, was too decayed to be extracted from the Mobile River. According to the 500-page report, researchers recommend that the best way to memorialize the ship is to keep it underwater. 

“There is no other site in the world that presents such physical evidence as the Clotilda,” marine archeologist James Delgado told The Associated Press.

He continued, “Clotilda is the scene of the crime, so everything we did was in that crime scene investigation manner.” 

After the Civil War, 32 freed survivors of Clotilda purchased land just outside of Mobile and established Plateau Village, now known as Africatown. 

William Foster took the ship West Africa, where he illegally smuggled 110 Africans back to Alabama. Upon his return, he attempted to burn and sink the ship to hide the evidence of his crime. 

The Clotilda remained undetected at the bottom of the Mobile River until it was discovered in 2019. The state then investigated whether the ship could be excavated and turned into a museum. 

Delgado said it’s not impossible to evacuate parts of the ship, but it would be “difficult and costly.”

Despite the risks, some residents support the museum, stating that it would bring much-needed revenue to Africatown and the descendants of the enslaved Africans who arrived on Clotilda. But others disagree with this sentiment. 

Patrica Frazier, a descendant of a Clotilda survivor, says she prefers to keep the ship underwater. 

“I’m more inclined to have a memorial. We don’t need to spend $30 million to dig up a ship. And it will take too long to recover that money to directly benefit the community, she said to The Associated Press.

RELATED CONTENT: Family Of Former Slaver Apologizes For Role In Guyanese Slave Trade

• Uncategorized

by Stacy Jackson

August 15, 2024

Vice President Harris Takes on Big Corporations: Asserts Federal Ban On Price Gouging

Vice President Harris plans to take on corporate landlords and investigate price fixing in an effort to lower costs for American families.

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In an upcoming debate scheduled for Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina, Vice President Harris will reportedly assert her plans for a federal ban on corporate price gouging on food, housing, and prescription drug costs. This proposal is expected to tackle inflation in an effort to lower Americans’ costs.

According to CBS News, the proposal marks Vice President Harris’s first major policy initiative since she entered the presidential race. Officials representing the Harris-Walz campaign shared that the policy strives to lower costs for middle-class families. “When I am president, I will continue that work to bring down prices,” Harris said at her Arizona rally earlier this month.

Promising to prioritize middle-class and working-class families, she stated, “I will take on big corporations that engage in illegal price gouging. I will take on corporate landlords that unfairly raise rents on working families. I will take on Big Pharma and cap the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans.” Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz told supporters Harris is “a leader who wakes up every day on the side of the American people…She will take on the [fraudsters]…, stand up to the corporate interest, and put Middle America first.”

Recent polls revealed that inflation remains a high-priority concern among voters, and only 9% of registered voters believe the national economy is in “very good” condition. However, a poll earlier this month showed Vice President Harris trailed behind Donald Trump after 45% of registered voters ruled the former president as the candidate they believed would leave them in a better financial state. Only 25% voted in favor of Harris.

The Democrat’s remarks on large corporations follow her pledge to eliminate taxes on tips and increase the minimum wage. “When I am president, we will continue our fight for working families, including to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers,” Harris said during her packed Aug. 10 rally in Las Vegas at the University of Las Vegas Thomas & Mack Center.

Market Watch noted Vice President Harris’ additional plans will provide resources that will enable small businesses to scale into competitors. At the same time, her administration works to closely investigate price fixing between big food companies and direct enforcement resources.

by Sharelle Burt

August 15, 2024

American Federation of Government Employees Select Leaders To Serve For Next 3 Years 

Congratulations, guys!

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Delegates at the 2024 43rd National Convention voted in new leaders of the largest federal employee union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

Everett Kelley was elected as the union’s national president on Aug. 14, and Kendrick Roberson as the national vice president for women and fair practices. Delegates also reelected Eric Bunn Sr. as the national secretary-treasurer. Kelley has been an AFGE member since 1981 and served as president since February 2020. 

With securing close to 59% of the vote, Kelley thanked convention attendees in Las Vegas for trusting him to serve another term. “I want to thank the AFGE delegates who put their trust in me to continue leading this great union for another term,” Kelley said. “The theme of our convention is ‘Together We Rise, United We Triumph,’ and I look forward to working with all of our members to continue building on our tremendous successes in the months and years to come.”

During his tenure as president, Kelley has helped generate record-breaking organizational growth, secured new contracts to increase workers’ protections and rights, and worked on significant policy and legislative victories, such as the largest federal employee raise in 40 years.

Bunn, who has served as the national secretary-treasurer since April 2020, also received high vote numbers, close to 68%. He once served three consecutive terms as national vice president for District 14. Roberson has been a member of AFGE Local 2429 since 2016 and once served as the chair of the AFGE YOUNG National Committee after being elected in 2020. 

For the national race for national vice president for women and fair practices, Roberson was elected with nearly 54% of the final vote. 

With more than 1,300 delegate convention attendees, labor unions have been a hot topic during the 2024 political season. According to KUCB, after executive orders signed in 2018 by former President Donald Trump took away the power of federal unions, members have been fearful of what will happen to their liberties if Trump is placed back in the White House. 

His administration diminished their ability to bargain contracts and limited union representatives’ time assisting with member complaints. However, the Biden-Harris administration shed some light on the issue, as Vice President Kamala Harris played a pivotal role in returning federal employee unions. “Things have been kind of night and day different under this administration versus the previous administration,” Britta Copt, an Environmental Protection Agency veteran, said. 

The 900-page plan, Project 2025, put together by the conservative Heritage Foundation, laid out troubling details of how a GOP administration would expand the president’s power and gut the federal workforce. 

Tryshanda Moton, a senior aerospace engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, says that would be scary. However, while holding a union leadership role with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Moton said she is willing to do what it takes to ensure Harris is the new President of the United States.

“We’ve sworn an oath to the Constitution to be representative constituents for the American public, and we don’t want to be replaced,” she said during a “Labor for Harris” Zoom call.