• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 17, 2023

Black Man Sues Wisconsin Police Officers Who Detained Him While With White Grandmother

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A Black man riding with his white grandmother was ordered to get out of his vehicle and forced to get on his knees by police at gunpoint. He was then arrested and placed in the back of a police car, all because he was Black. Now, he has filed a federal lawsuit against the police officers.

According to WISN, police officers from Wauwatosa, WI only stopped and detained Akil Carter, because he was a Black man in a blue Lexus with his grandmother, Paulette Barr, who is white and was sitting in the passenger seat. Her friend, Sandra Adams, who is also white, was in the driver’s seat navigating the car.

Carter was only 18 years of age when this happened nearly five years ago in September 2018.

The two white women, Barr and Adams testified at the trial on Monday, explaining to the jury of four white women and three white men, that when the police officer’s lights came on behind them they were clueless as to why they were getting pulled over.

The police officer who pulled them over, Officer Patrick Kaine claimed that while in his squad car, another man he referred to as a “tipster” had made a U-turn and pulled over to tell him that there was a robbery going down. He said the man told him that the alleged crime was taking place in a blue Lexus at the next intersection. Kaine admitted that the “tipster” never disclosed how he knew that the alleged crime was happening or how he saw what was supposedly taking place. But stated that this “tipster” seemed “adamant” that the robbery was going down.

Kaine then went to go pull the blue Lexus over.

The police officer then stated it was a “high-risk” traffic stop and called for backup. Dash camera video shows Kaine pulling out his .40 caliber Glock service weapon as he heads toward the car. Another police officer is placing Carter in handcuffs after being instructed to get out of the car with his hands up, to the sidewalk and walk backward toward the police officers.

The officers then proceed to take Carter back to the police car and placed him in the back of the squad car.

After going back to the car Carter was riding in, Kaine is told that he is her grandson.  He tells Barr that he was given the wrong information and only apologized for receiving bad information but not for the arrest.

Carter was held for six minutes before they decided to release him, according to the defense attorneys.

Carter’s attorney Joy Bertrand expressed to the jury that the police officers violated Carter’s Fourth Amendment right, the “foundation of this case and freedom.”

Bertrand argued that they had no evidence or proof that a crime was being committed in that blue Lexus.

Carter will be taking the stand in the case as well. He is suing for damages in the civil case as he said he suffered emotional distress and trauma following the traffic stop.

After three seasons of hosting Dancing With the Stars, Tyra Banks is exiting her post to focus on her business and entrepreneurial efforts.

The famed supermodel and television personality is ready to put her focus on her ice cream company SMiZE & Dream, TMZ reported. “I feel it’s time for me to really focus on my business and entrepreneurship, but also producing more TV but behind the scenes,” she said Friday.

“So, you know what? I think it’s time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor.”

Banks has hosted DWTS since 2020; past winner Alfonso Ribeiro joined her in 2022. She has stayed true to her brand by modeling a number of designer looks on the show.

But the America’s Next Top Model creator has other passion projects that need her attention.

“I think my heart, my soul is into my business, it’s also into producing new TV,” Banks explained.

“I really, really wanna focus on my business and you can’t do that hosting a show, so you’ll see me creating things, not just hosting.”

The Life Size star felt comfortable hosting DWTS after spearheading her model competition reality show for two decades.

“A lot of the things I see Dancing With the Stars‘ judges saying to the stars are very similar to what Top Model judges say to the models in the making,” she told E! News in September 2020.

“It’s about presence, it’s about commitment, it’s about pushing all the way through. It’s about modeling or dancing from head to toe, from fingertips to toes.”

Her time on the show was initially met with criticism from viewers who felt the supermodel wasn’t the right fit for the job. She responded to the backlash at the time on TikTok by sharing her mantra: “Forgive yourself when you mess up and keep going.”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 17, 2023

United States Government In Talks To Update Country’s Race and Ethnic Categories

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There seems to be some confusion on the difference between “Black” and “African-American,” so your government officials are doing something about that.

NBC News reports the White House’s Office of Management and Budget will host virtual town halls. On the agenda? The decision on new race and ethnicity classifications. Over 4,000 comments have been presented before the Biden administration while it considers updating these categories as early as next year.

The proposal recommends removing the words “Negro” and “Far East”  from federal government forms since they are regarded as derogatory. Terms like “majority” and “minority” would also disappear due to officials failing to reflect on the nation’s complex racial and ethnic diversity. Many Black Americans with enslaved ancestors have mentioned to the OMB that they would like to be identified in a category such as American Freedmen, Foundational Black Americans, or American Descendants of Slavery.

This would separate them from being acknowledged as Black immigrants as well as reflecting their ancestors’ history in the United States.

Byron Haskins, who identifies as African-American, told NBC News that setting up categories places people in a box. “When you set up categories that are used to place people in boxes, sometime you miss the truth of them,” Haskins, who provided a comment to the Biden administration, said. He actually suggested eliminating race categories like “white” and “Black” all together as they perpetuate “deeply rooted unjust socio-political constructs.”

The Seattle Times reported there is a growing number of census respondents who’ve selected the “some other race” category for more than 30 years. Sara Curran, a sociology professor at the University of Washington, said this is what causing these updates. “These categories change as communities form and identify themselves and become differentially meaningful over time, and we need to keep up with that,” Curran said. “In order to be a good government, you have to know who you’re governing.”

In 2020, census results show that “some other race” beat out African Americans as the country’s second-largest racial group. April 12 is the last day to submit comments on the proposed changes to the OMB.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is at a crossroads.

According to the NBA team, Ball, who has been with the team since 2021, will undergo a cartilage transplant on his left knee. He will not play the rest of the 2022-23 season and he may miss most of next season.

This is the third time Ball will have surgery on his knee since joining the Bulls.

Injury Update: Lonzo Ball will undergo a cartilage transplant in his left knee. He will remain out indefinitely.

Tap below for quotes from Lonzo & AK:

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 16, 2023

Ball released a statement through the Bulls: 

Idris Elba is staying true to his mission to support the birth of more film and television projects in the motherland of Africa.

Elba’s new partnership with Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife was announced on Thursday. As part of the venture, Elba’s Green Door Pictures and Abudu’s EbonyLife are teaming up to back film and TV projects, and new talent from Africa and the African diaspora, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The partnership aims to “empower and uplift talent from Africa and the Diaspora” by providing the backing needed to produce a slate of film and TV projects and support up-and-coming creatives and executives from Africa.

Through the initiative, Green Door and EbonyLife will “build capacity and foster authentic representation” globally that give “stories from Africa and its Diaspora” the same “level of attention and respect as other cultures and communities.”

“I have always been passionate about using my platform to make a positive impact,” Elba said.

“By partnering with Mo, we aim to offer free, world-class industry education to the next generation of storytellers and bring their authentic voices to the forefront.”

“This partnership is a step toward creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape, one that represents the voices and experiences of Africa and its Diaspora around the world,” he added.

Film and TV projects that share “authentic, Afro-centric stories” will be co-produced by Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media. In addition to backing the production efforts, the partnership will also support emerging talent through education, training, and mentorship to help inspire African talent to pursue careers in entertainment.

EbonyLife’s creative academy in Lagos will be used as a model that will be rolled out across the continent.

“We believe that Africa has the talent and the stories to captivate the world,” Abudu said.

“It’s our mission to offer the best in industry education, mentorship, and production opportunities so that our graduates can become valuable contributors to the global media landscape. We plan to hit the ground running and explore the very best that African and Black stories have to offer global audiences.”

Walt Disney World has a new attraction that will have you catching your breath, clutching your pearls and running to the back of the line for another chance to soar on the motorcycle seat of the TRON Lightcycle/Run.

Next month, visitors to Walt Disney World will finally get the chance to mount TRON Lightcycle / Run Presented by Enterprise at Tomorrowland on April 4, which brings the 40-plus-year-old fan favorite, classic movie back to life.

This week, BLACK ENTERPRISE was invited to do a ride-along and try out TRON and the experience was like no other and gave me an adrenaline rush and had my heart pumping with pleasure. The ride burst me into another realm with the electrifying lights leading the way. I don’t think I even remember the ride because I was too busy screaming at the top of my lungs and afraid that I would lose my glasses to gravity. But I didn’t.

 

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Tron is TRULY a ride for the thrill seeker because it delivers the kind of heart palpitating fun that feeds the soul of any motorcycle road rebel or wanna-be biker like me. I hopped off the ride completely in awe because Tron was a whirlwind. It’s fast, furious and fun all rolled up into one!

Located in Magic Kingdom Park, it is the fastest coaster attraction in a Disney theme park, alongside its sister coaster at Shanghai Disneyland. The attraction masterfully blends coaster thrills with speed, visual effects, music and a one-of-a-kind ride system to create an experience like no other.

“As you’re walking through the attraction you’ll see different nods to the Iron legacy film and some other things from the original Tron film and so we’re carrying that story forward and bringing it here to Tommorrowland,” Missy Renard, Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development told BLACK ENTERPRISE during an onsite interview Tuesday, March 14.

“I think what I’m most excited about is for guests to just experience this. There are just so many wonderful things from this beautiful canopy which if you get to see it in the evening it is absolutely gorgeous with the lighting and how it syncs to music and just being on the thrill ride itself. It’s just exhilarating experience…. And the screams, when you hear those go off and just the joy people are getting from it, that’s my favorite part,” Renard explained.

A virtual queue will be in place when TRON Lightcycle / Run opens and guests will also have the option to purchase individual Lightning Lane entry for the attraction via the My Disney Experience app on the day of their visit.

“It’s one of our most thrilling attractions and the fastest ride here at Magic Kingdom,” Alex Gonzalez, an associate with the Disney PR team said. “Who hasn’t dreamed of being inside the internet. We have all been online, but this ride takes inside the grid.”

Disney topped off our day riding TRON with a magical celebration in Tomorrowland with food and fireworks galore.

 

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Thank you Disney for the wonderful hospitality and invite. 

Ciara’s primarily nude dress was all the rage at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. But CiCi wasn’t the only A-lister who bared all on Hollywood’s biggest night.

The “Goodies” singer stole the show on Sunday night in her sparkly sheer Dundas that had a plunging v-neckline, as captured by Us Weekly. Ciara paired the look with black velvet gloves, a black thong, and black open-toe shoes.

Her NFL star husband Russell Wilson looked dapper in a black blazer, button-up shirt, and tailored trousers. It was a night out for the happily married pair and parents.

But once CiCi’s look made its rounds across social media, many called out the mother of three for baring it all on the red carpet.

https://twitter.com/moiciaratoo/status/1635203351666393088

“How thirsty,” one Twitter user quipped.

“This is what we show our daughters,” added someone else.

Another user claimed Wilson appeared visibly bothered by all the attention over Ciara’s dress.

“Russell doesn’t look happy at all,” they claimed.

However, Ciara was just one of many stars who stuck to this year’s trend of barely-there dresses. According to Elle Australia, the “naked dress” trend was the way to go for this year’s Oscars after-party.

Social media was quick to call out the hypocrisy of people criticizing Ciara for wearing a see-through dress while seemingly ignoring the fact that stars like Hunter Schafer, Emily Ratajakowski, Olivia Wilde, stuck to the theme, which was apparently “Old Hollywood glam barely there.”

https://twitter.com/ReallyRemona/status/1635845831273185281?s=20

After coming under fire, Ciara took to TikTok Thursday to post a comical response to all of the backlash.

“Selective outrage,” she captioned the post.

@ciaraSelective outrage 😭♬ original sound – Devon Guzzie

The “Level Up” singer sported a white bed sheet, a sleek bob, and sunglasses while sounds of paparazzi snapping photos played in the background. The caption was a nod to Chris Rock’s recent Netflix comedy special under the same name.

• Health and Wellness

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 17, 2023

Shocking Survey Results Show Black Patients In California “Code Switch” To Avoid Medical Bias

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Having to code switch at the doctor’s office is the last thing Black people need to deal with.

A new survey shows Black patients tend to modify their speech and “dress up” during appointments with the doctor in attempt to avoid medical bias.

California Healthline reports 32% of patients pay extra attention to how they dress while 35% switch up their speech to put doctors at ease. Over 40% of Black patients even make it known that they are educated, knowledgeable, and prepared.

The survey was funded by the California Health Care Foundation and titled “Listening to Black Californians: How the Health Care System Undermines Their Pursuit of Good Health,” with a goal of calling attention to the effort Black patients go to in order to receive quality care from health providers.

Dr. Michael LeNoir, an Oakland allergist and pediatrician who founded the African American Wellness Project, believes it goes past the doctor’s room.

“The system looks at us differently, not only in doctors’ offices,” LeNoir said. There is general discrimination, so we all learn the role.”

More shocking revelations found in the survey: one-third of Black patients bring a friend or family member with them into the exam room in order to observe practices by the doctor and speak up if they feel necessary. More importantly, over 25% of Black Californians avoid medical care all together out of fear of being treated unfairly.

Dr. Marilyn Singleton, a Black board-certified anesthesiologist, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post about the medical bias expected of practicing physicians with a state law called Implicit Bias Training which took effect in 2022.

The law requires providers of “continuing medical education to include courses involving direct patient care,” something she deems harmful to doctors and patients. “There is a sad irony in all this, because the misguided focus on racism is intended to improve the health and well-being of Black patients in particular.”

It includes other bias targets such as gender identity, age and disability.

One survey participant feels as if Black patients aren’t speaking up enough after finding one-third reported receiving poor treatment by a health care provider because of race or ethnicity.

Before receiving a diagnosis of anemia and needing two blood transfusions, the participant said the advising doctor told her to exercise more and lose weight. “I feel like Black voices aren’t as loud, they are not taken as seriously,” she said. “In this case, I wasn’t listened to, and it ended up being a very serious, actually life-threatening problem.”

• Business

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 17, 2023

Founder of Award-Winning Black, Woman-Owned Branding Agency Makes History with Buy with Prime Partnership

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Diamond Spikes, founder and CEO of DS Creative Design Studio, an award-winning Black woman-owned branding studio, has announced an amazing partnership with Amazon’s Buy with Prime program.

The partnership brings comprehensive branding workshops to Black-owned businesses, helping them to take actionable steps to grow and improve their overall brands.

The initial workshops were recorded and the 2 upcoming workshops in March, will be as well. This partnership marks a historic moment, as it is Buy with Prime’s first partnership of its kind. The workshops were provided to primarily Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator participants, providing them with the opportunity to benefit from the expertise and experience of DS Creative Design Studios very own Diamond Spikes.

DS Creative Design Studio specializes in working with direct-to-consumer brands through high-level brand partnerships to help them scale to the next level. The company has a proven track record of success, with client work featured in prestigious publications such as British Vogue and Good Morning America, and has been trusted by over 70 brands.

“We are so excited to be partnered with Buy with Prime to bring our branding workshops to Black-owned businesses and for me to be able to plug other Black experts in my network,” said Diamond. “Part of our mission is to empower and uplift Black-owned businesses, and this partnership is a huge step in achieving that goal. With our new workshop presentations happening in March 2023 with the Buy with Prime team, we hope to reach even more businesses and help them to achieve their goals.”

This partnership is a significant step in the right direction in terms of promoting diversity and inclusion in the business world and will help to level the playing field for Black-owned businesses by providing them with resources that they normally wouldn’t have access to.

For more information about DS Creative Design Studio, visit the official website at DSCreativeDesignStudio.com

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 17, 2023

Man Who Gave Steve Harvey An Eerie Response On ‘Family Feud’ Charged with Murdering Wife

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A man who made an awkward—now seemingly eerie—joke about marriage on Family Feud has been charged with murdering his wife three years after appearing on the game show.

On Monday, Timothy W. Bliefnick, 39, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and home invasion in the death of his wife, Rebecca Bliefnick, KHQA reports. His arrest came a few weeks after Rebecca’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside her Quincy, Illinois, home.

Bliefnick, 39, and Rebecca, 41, had been married since 2009 but were in the process of divorcing at the time of her death. The pair had been separated for some years before the fatal shooting.

Her family became suspicious of her whereabouts after Rebecca failed to pick her children up from school on Feb. 23, People reports.

“It was not a random act of violence,” Josh Jones, lead trial attorney for the Adams County State’s Attorney, said. “However, it is equally as important to recognize the event for what it is — an act of domestic violence.”

Bliefnick appeared as a contestant on Family Feud in 2020, where he shocked host Steve Harvey by making a cryptic joke about marriage in response to the question, “What’s the biggest mistake you made at your wedding?”

“Honey, I love you, but,” Bliefnick said before shockingly answering, “Said ‘I do.'”

The audience gasped at his response, to which Bliefnick replied, “Not my mistake! I love my wife.” Before jokingly asking Steve, “I’m going to get in trouble for that, aren’t I?”

But now, considering his current murder charges, Bliefnick’s Family Feud response might’ve been the first public sign of the turmoil taking place behind the scenes.

Bliefnick’s lawyer, Casey Schnack, says her client will plead not guilty to the charges.

“The state’s attorney’s office appears to be coming out with a narrative that this was an act of domestic violence. And the fact of the matter is, there was no domestic violence that we are aware of,” she said.

“Tim does not have a criminal history. He’s never been arrested for battery, domestic battery, anything violent, anything ever.”

Meanwhile, family and friends are mourning the loss of Rebecca, a beloved nurse who leaves behind three boys.