MLB Hank Aaron Invitational: A Showcase and Classroom for Nation’s Best High School Baseball Players
'The goal, honestly, is to get them to college, so they have the opportunity to play baseball in college or at least to build a career around baseball.'
The Hank Aaron Invitational will bring together around 250 high school baseball players (ages 13–18) nationwide to receive elite-level training from former Major League Baseball (MLB) players and coaches.
According to an MLB press release, the annual amateur development event serves as a youth-oriented, on-field diversity initiative that works to get high school-aged baseball players with diverse backgrounds to the next level of the game.
The Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida, will host the event, which runs from July 23 to August 3. The last day features a showcase game at Truist Park.
The invitational is named after Hank Aaron, who played 23 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. Aaron was the 1957 National League MVP and World Series champion and broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record of 714 in 1974. Aaron was also an entrepreneur, prominent civil rights figure, and an advocate of Black Americans taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
In addition to the training, attendees will also presentations on college eligibility and other information necessary for advancement in the collegiate and professional levels of the sport.
“The goal, honestly, is to get them to college, so they have the opportunity to play baseball in college or at least to build a career around baseball,” Atlanta Braves Senior Director of Community Affairs Danielle BeDasse said in a 2022 statement. “This (invitational) was (Aaron’s) dream realized, and he worked for a long time to make sure there was more minority access to the league—not only on the field but in the front office.”
The top 44 players from the invitational’s second week were also invited to participate in a special showcase game at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, as part of an extensive “Hank Aaron Week” hosted by the Braves. Hank Aaron Week will include a variety of diversity and culture-focused initiatives, including business networking, education, and social justice.
Players for the invitational were selected through a combination of several MLB programs, including the MLB Youth Academy network, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, and USA Baseball.
White Man Calls VP Kamala Harris A Sex Slur, Here’s What To Know About “Hawk Tuah”
He's just being a hater...
A white Fox Business analyst is under fire after referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as the “original Hawk Tuah girl,” alluding to her giving sexual favors to advance her political career.
“Then there’s the DEI press secretary telling you that the DEI Vice President is the future of the party here. And so the future looks kind of dim for the Democrats here,” Lace said. “But this is no shocker either. Kamala Harris, she’s the ‘original Hawk Tauh’ girl; that’s the way she got to where she is, and the party’s going downhill if it’s in her hands.”
“That was harsh.” Fox Business guest Alec Lace makes disgusting sex slur about Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/2ppg9kOA5c
One analyst sitting next to Lace responded, “That was tough, that was harsh.”
Welch became an overnight sensation for coining the term during an internet interview when she was asked what is something a woman can do in bed to make a man go crazy. “Ahh, you gotta give that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang,” she told the interviewer in early 2024. The term is used to describe a person spitting on a man’s private part during oral sex.
Lace is catching heat for words. Some social media fans are calling for him to be fired, while others point out that he is a “weak man” who is intimidated by strong women.
Weak men are intimidated by strong women. #AlecLace is a racist misogynistic a$$hole like his cult leader. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 https://t.co/XI4IIEnLxd
Host of the Hold The Mic and The Shead Show, Ryan Shead, called him a “piece of garbage.” “It’s always the fat loser white men who have something disgusting to say about VP Kamala Harris,” he said.
However, Lace doesn’t seem to be bothered by the blowback. He told TMZ that he isn’t worried about “saying the quiet part out loud. Kamala Harris and the Biden administration are destroying our country. The last thing I’m worried about is saying the quiet part out loud about how Kamala got where she is today,” he said. “I’m more concerned with how the MSM has radicalized people with their dangerous rhetoric about President Donald Trump, which almost got him killed.”
In the days since Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, a host of GOP leaders and supporters have made openly sexist and racist comments about her. Leading Republican lawmaker and House Speaker Mike Johnson has since warned party members against making the remarks as he wants personal feelings to stay out of this election.
“This election will be about policies and not personalities,” Johnson said. “This is not personal with regard to Kamala Harris, and her ethnicity or her gender has nothing to do with this whatsoever.”
Going back to school to invest in yourself is always worthwhile. Here's how one person makes it work.
Originally Published Jul. 5, 2015.
T. Cleo Austin says she realized at an early age that the best way to achieve her financial goals was to be her own boss, like her childhood idol Dominique Deveraux, a character on the 1980s television show Dallas.
Austin was also inspired by Oprah Winfrey’s multi-tiered empire and decided to enhance her education so that she could create an empire of her own in the health and wellness space. “I often refer to myself as an Oprah-ite,” she says. With her business plan, Austin has laid out a strategy that will generate multiple streams of income: private practice, writing, speaking engagements, and product sales.
The 49-year-old’s move into the health and wellness space comes after years spent in the corporate and entertainment worlds. She held management positions at high-end hotels and luxury automobile companies. She freelanced as a wardrobe stylist, prop designer, and tour publicist for the BET Presents the Biggest Hip Hop Tour in 95, featuring headliners Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. In addition, Austin started a hip-hop club in South Florida, called Undaground Compound, which lasted for two years.
She says that she knew that each stop on her journey was temporary as she searched for her true passion. In 2009, while working at Allianz Global Investors, a colleague noticed Austin’s interest in metaphysical books and suggested she explore acupuncture. In June of 2010, Austin applied to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM), in New York, and the following year began a four-year program which she will complete this December. At PCOM, Austin will earn an associates degree in massage therapy, a bachelor of science, and masters of science in acupuncture.
“I wanted to do something that better reflected my philosophy in life and work in a field that I felt passionate about,” says Austin.
She is currently a full-time student, carrying six classes a semester and one clinic shift. Austin says the total immersion that her studies require leaves no room for a paying job, despite tuition costs, which she says are between $27,000 and $36,000 a year, depending on the number of classes and clinic shifts she has.
“On top of that, there is the additional $27,000 per year in living expenses, books, and tutoring costs,” she says. Upon graduation, she expects the total cost for this advance training will be $100,000.
Austin has been financing her education through student loans, and paying her living expenses with personal savings she accumulated during her career. “I was able to live four years without working and without assistance, except for student loans, says Austin. “I am not paying on my loans while enrolled full-time in school. After graduation, my plans are to pay back loans from income received for working as an acupuncturist and massage therapist.
Paying it Back, Paying it Forward
Upon graduation, Austin intends to work in a rehabilitation center part-time, three days a week, spending the other two work days building her own private practice. She expects to earn $3,500 to $5,000 monthly in her first year.
“The numbers are based on an in-class business plan project at PCOM. They’re based on crunching numbers of real-time data related to the industry of acupuncture and other complementary and alternative health services. Health insurance [from my clients] covers rehab work, so I’m guaranteed a small salary to supplement my income while building my private practice. My expectations are conservative for the first two to three years.”
“As a part of being an intern in the clinic, I am beginning to gain a following of regulars. I also assist in workshops and externship opportunities provided by my school, where I meet hundreds of new potential patients each year. I use all of the opportunities to build rapport and, possibly, have the people I treat as a student follow me after graduation and become my patients.”
Private practice, however, is only part of Austin’s plan. She wants to offer her medical services abroad, specifically in Arusha, Tanzania. She participated in a volunteer trip through the non-profit group, and paid the $3,500 for the trip out of savings. That trip made such an impact, that she has embedded a non-profit/for-profit endeavor in Tanzania, into her post-graduate business plan.
“Under the African Integrative Medicine umbrella I am creating a fundraising event called the EAST Africa Music Festival, that will act as one of the funds generating activities to support my initiatives with A.I.M, which include things like medical mobile clinics.”
Austin is partnering with school colleagues and friends in Tanzania. “I’m not at liberty to discuss the specifics yet, it’s a huge team effort, but a commission for my services has been worked out that I am comfortable with, she says.
“With the aspirations that I have, I will expect to earn closer to $7,500 to $10,000 a month in combined employment in the future.”
Austin has it all mapped out “according to the strict business model that I have learned at school. Saving room for no excuses—age, debt, time commitment—Austin has made it a priority to take steps to maximize her income potential through education in her mid-forties.
The combination of Austin’s professional experience, current training, and entrepreneurship drive is how she can strategically make a plan to generate and sustain a business plan. She suggests:
Do the homework in self analysis
Make an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes about being your own boss. Ask yourself if you have leadership qualities, and are confident enough to build a practice from scratch. You may decide it’s best to be a part of a group practice or work for an institution. Do your best to objectively answer these questions, as it is necessary to know where you are starting from before you can chart a career plan.
Plan for continuing education
“As in the case of the medical field, new advancements happen daily,” Austin says. “To keep my future practice relevant I must make it a part of my business plan to regularly update my credentials. At the low end, I plan to spend $3000 per year on continued education; high end upwards to $15K when I have to do study abroad.”
Fit your social objectives into our business and life plan
“As it is in my case, I have a deep desire to continue my contribution efforts in Tanzania,” Austin says. “So I’ve made it a part of my business plan to develop various initiatives that will have a lasting impact in that community. When embarking on an entrepreneurial venture, it should be something that you are passionate about.”
FairyGodMentor®: Is It OK To Follow Your Team On Social Media?
Reader’s Question:
Dear FairyGodMentor,
I read your article on how to transition from team member to team manager. I have a follow-up question. Should I “unfriend” the team on social media now that I’m their manager?
Having the responsibility of being a manager to your peers can be a very challenging landscape to navigate. It’s a fine line to dance when folks who were your colleagues a while ago are looking to you in a leadership capacity.
Professional boundaries are something to keep in mind as you take on a new team.
Building trust takes time. Trust can also be broken in seconds.
A great best practice to start doing as a new manager is to have regular one-on-one conversations with your team members. By having these discussions, you will be laying the foundation to build trust and a solid business relationship.
With that thought in mind, you may want to add a talking point to your one-on-one discussions about communication and how you’d like to communicate with each other moving forward.
Being connected to a co-worker on social media as a friend is a different dynamic when you’re now their manager. Don’t dance around the subject of your social media connections. Ask your direct report if they feel comfortable staying connected to you, given the recent role change. If they wish to not be followed anymore — be respectful of their choice.
Remember, it’s not just about your team’s privacy, but it’s also about your own. I recall adjusting my privacy settings on my social media accounts because I was connected to upper levels of leadership.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself. You also want to double-check your company’s policies on social media interactions with management and direct reports. The last thing you want to do is start your new leadership position off with a policy infraction.
Communication is key. Ask your former peers how they feel about staying connected to you and take the next steps accordingly. The last thing you want to do is ignore things and not acknowledge your team’s boundaries.
You got this!
Sincerely,
Your FairyGodMentor®
(Image courtesy of Kirsten White Photography)
Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and the founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that develops empowered, results-driven leaders through engaging leadership development coaching, training, and facilitation.
Have a question about handling a micromanager, are you having difficulty navigating spaces because of your hair, is work stressing you out, do you need support coaching poor performance or are you wondering how to negotiate and get the job offer you desire effectively? Do you have any questions about career and leadership development?
Stop And Consider The Risks Before Posting Your Child’s Back-To-School Photo
Originally Published Sep. 25, 2023.
You might want to think twice about posting a back-to-school picture of your child online.
Parents might unknowingly be putting their children at risk by following the social media trend. Online safety experts say these innocent pictures can be used maliciously by scammers and predators, HuffPost reported.
The back-to-school post trend sometimes includes images with details like the name of a school, a teacher’s name, a child’s birthday, and more. If you don’t want someone showing up to your child’s school unannounced, you might want to hold back on sharing these details. The Director of Privacy Innovation at Norton, Iskander Sanchez-Rola, warned that “anyone can know where your child is a majority of the day, Monday through Friday.” That’s a scary thought for any parent.
The director told HuffPost, “Scammers can also easily identify a child by searching their full name or reverse image searching a photo of their face shared online.” The director added, “If your child is old enough to have social media like Facebook or Instagram, cybercriminals can use their name and image to find their account and directly contact them.”
Google’s Help page explains that a reverse image search works like searching for a word or phrase. The page explains what you can expect to find when you drag and drop an image in Google’s search bar: “Search results for objects in the image, similar images, and websites with the image or a similar image.”
HuffPost also noted that a photo of your young child or teenager might cause problems in their social circles as they age. Just because you think it’s cute doesn’t mean your child will when they get older.
“Lots of kids worry that their friends or schoolmates could see embarrassing posts of them online, and what may be a silly photo or video to you may seem very embarrassing to them,” Kaitlin Allair Tiches, a research librarian with the Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab said.
Georgia Halts State Funding For AP African American Studies Amid DEI Crackdown
Georgia students will be unable to take the newly updated course for the upcoming school year.
Georgia students may not have the opportunity to take AP African American Studies for the upcoming school year. The state’s Board of Education has blocked funding for the course amid national anti-DEI efforts.
The decision, made by Georgia’s school superintendent Richard Woods, came to light on July 22, forcing many districts to no longer offer the class. Without the state-approved funding, public schools will not receive money for teacher salaries and class materials. According to The Associated Press, some local Democrats believe the move is an “injustice” to students.
“The fact that AP African American studies was removed from our schools is alarming and an injustice to our students who eagerly anticipated taking this course,” expressed Rep. Jasmine Clark, who represents the Lilburn area, in a statement. “Erasure of black history from our schools is not and never will be okay!”
Woods refused to disclose his reasoning for denying the funds, as confirmed by a spokesperson, “Superintendent Woods has opted not to recommend this course for state approval at this time.”
However, a growing anti-DEI movement led to the College Board making changes to the course’s exam. The organization removed questions on reparations and Black Lives Matter in light of the criticism.
Despite this, College Board added new subjects, such as the discriminatory housing practice known as “redlining” and the Tusla Race Massacre. Some Georgia schools offered the updated curriculum for the 2023-24 school year. However, despite the success of its initial rollout, the current ban will put future courses on an indefinite hold.
“We are committed to offering a comprehensive and inclusive education for each and every student,” said Gwinnett County superintendent Calvin Watts, whose district has axed future plans to teach the course at six high schools, in a statement. “The 2023-24 AP African American Studies pilot was successful, and we are disappointed that students will neither have the opportunity to take, nor to receive credit for this innovative college-level course.”
The decision follows other states that have halted teaching Black history in public schools. For instance, Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, affirmed the state’s decision to ban AP African American Studies within its high schools.
According to Politico, DeSantis argued the course enforces a political agenda that does not truly educate students. His statements garnered much backlash from educators and lawmakers in the state.
Georgia public school districts can still offer the course, although the possibility is slim with no financial backing. Furthermore, the state’s own approved course does not qualify for AP credit.
Biden Passes ‘The Torch’ In U.S. Address, As Trump Attempts To Gather Himself With Attacks Against VP Kamala Harris
Momentum grew for the Harris campaign as news that former President Barack Obama planned to soon endorse Harris was revealed
Originally Posted in Reuters
United States President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Wednesday for the first time since dropping his reelection bid, saying he decided to forgo personal ambition to save democracy in a sedate Oval Office speech that contrasted with the rough-and-tumble campaign.
Shortly before the speech, Republican Donald Trump laid into Democratic rival Kamala Harris in his first rally since she replaced Biden atop the ticket, signaling a bare-knuckled campaign ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Trump branded Harris a “radical left lunatic” after she had dominated the campaign the two previous days with withering attacks on him that pointedly raised his felony convictions, his liability for sexual abuse, and fraud judgments against his business, charitable foundation and private university.
Momentum grew for the Harris campaign as NBC News said on Thursday that former President Barack Obama planned to soon endorse Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate.
“Aides to Obama and Harris also have discussed arranging for the two of them to appear together on the campaign trail, though no date has been set,” it said.
Biden said he believed he deserved to be reelected based on his first-term record, but his love of country led him to step aside.
“I decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said, after having resisting calls from within the party to quit the race after his poor showing in a June 27 debate with Trump.
Biden, at 81 the oldest president in U.S. history, was greeted with cheers, applause and music in the Rose Garden after the address, as his staff had converged on the White House for a viewing party.
Trump was less kind, saying in a post on his Truth Social platform that Biden’s speech was “barely understandable and sooo bad!”
After spending much of the campaign attacking Biden as old and feeble, Trump, 78, now faces a younger candidate in Harris, 59, the first Black woman and Asian American to serve as vice president.
Prosecutors’ Document Mentions Diddy 77 Times In Connection To Tupac Shakur’s Killing
Keffe D claims that the "No Way Out" artist paid a hitman a million dollars for the Tupac killing.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Duane “Keffe D” Davis are both facing serious legal troubles based on separate allegations and crimes. However, the connection of Tupac Shakur’s killing brings them together, as Keffe D has once again claimed that the “Bad Boy” founder paid to have the “Death Row Records” recording artist killed.
The U.S. Sun has obtained legal papers filed by prosecutors in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office stating that Keffe D, who will be tried later this year in Tupac’s death, accused Diddy of paying $1 million to perform that action. (Diddy has always denied any involvement in Shakur’s 1996 murder.)
The papers filed on July 18 state that Diddy was mentioned 77 times by various names he has used during his career. They all include Puffy, Puff Daddy, Puff, and his given name, Sean Combs. The prosecutors claims that after Tupac was shot, Keffe D went to New York posing undercover with a Los Angeles task force to get evidence against Diddy and Eric “Zip” Martin, who Keffe D claims were involved in the killing.
The documents state, “Task Force Detectives believed they had jurisdiction to investigate a Nevada homicide because Defendant asserted that the conspiracy to commit the murder began in California between Defendant, Eric ‘Zip’ Martin, and Sean Combs.” Also, Keffe D suggested the Combs paid Eric Von Martin “a million dollars for the killings.”
In addition to repeating those claims over the years to various bloggers and media outlets, Keffe D has told police officers the same story.
Keffe D blames Diddy for his downfall, according to the documenets: “I wish I never met Puff Daddy, period. I swear to God…He messed up my life, man. I was, I was rich, up under the radar, all that, man…it’s all gone.”
The former gang member has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the killing of Tupac. Prosecutors say they have strong evidence that Keffe incriminated himself in a book he wrote and released in 2019, as well as interviews he has given to police and the media since 2008.
According to WSET, despite Eubanks’ tenure at the Nevada National Security Site as a radiation monitor for 26 years, he cannot afford to retire, opting instead to become an assistant to a handyman before taking a job at his local McDonald’s in Henderson, Nevada in 2009. Eubanks holds out hope that one day, he can retire, but for now he will keep working and keep his positive attitude.
Eubanks described his daily routine briefly to WSET, “I tell them I am Mr. Ed, aka, the hamburger man,” Eubanks said. “I restock the soda station, which is lids, napkins, and straws, and then I sweep and mop the floor, empty the garbage. If you laugh a lot and keep moving, you got it made,” Eubanks said.
As Ghilarducci writes in her book, “Yes, Granny deserves a good job if she wants one, but working until you drop is not a civilized plan for a civilized society.”
According to The New York Times, Ghilarducci’s work pinpoints that there are a few groups who spend the least amount of time in retirement, those groups being Black people, men, and those who are less educated. A bi-partisan bill, based in part on scholarship from Ghilarducci and Kevin Hassett, a former chair of ex-President Donald Trump’s Council of Economic Advisors, argues that, essentially, people need to be forced to save money so they can have something when they reach retirement age.
According to a press release for the Retirement Savings for Americans Act, issued by Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), “The bill would establish a new program that gives eligible workers access to portable, tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts. If passed, the RSAA would allow the federal government to match contributions for low- and middle-income workers, with the match beginning to phase out at median income.”
Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, pointed out that nearly 40 million Americans currently lack access to an employer provided or sponsored retirement plan, something the bill is intended to address.
“Roughly 40 million Americans lack access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, which represents a significant roadblock to achieving financial security for their retirement,” Tillis said. “The Retirement Savings for Americans Act tackles this real problem by establishing a pathway for savings for Americans lacking retirement options.”
The bill comes with recommendations from Uber, Doordash, and EIG, as well as Goldman Sachs, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, AARP, and the Society for Human Resource Management.
EIG President and CEO John Letteri issued a strong statement in support of the legislation, saying he was proud to work with the politicians on the legislation. “The Retirement Savings for Americans Act would address significant and longstanding gaps in the U.S. retirement system that have severely limited participation from low-and moderate-income workers. If enacted, this legislation would result in a healthier retirement system, a more financially secure workforce, and a stronger economy to the benefit of all Americans. EIG is proud to have worked closely with Senators Hickenlooper and Tillis and Representatives Smucker and Sewell on this important legislation, and we applaud them for their bipartisan leadership on behalf of workers nationwide.”
New Orleans Man Detained After An Alleged Attempt To Dismember His Own Mom With A Chainsaw
John Pittman was charged after he allegedly tried to cut off his mother's arm
A New Orleans man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to cut off a woman’s arm using a chainsaw.
According to WDSU, the New Orleans Police Department arrested 34-year-old John Pittman and charged him with aggravated battery by cutting and resisting arrest. He was apprehended after he allegedly used the chainsaw on his 70-year-old mother, causing severe lacerations to her right shoulder and bicep.
Police officials don’t yet know what happened before the attack.
“Upon their arrival, the officers located the victim suffering from what appeared to be a severed arm,” said New Orleans Police Department spokesperson Reese Harper.
Two police officers were injured in a scuffle with the suspect after they came to the rescue of the woman. A video of the incident purportedly shows Pittman fighting off the police officers as they all fell down some stairs. Officials state that one of the officers suffered a broken leg, and head and neck injuries after taking a tumble down the stairs. The other officer was bitten on the left arm. They were both taken to the hospital and have since been released.
“We do understand that they did receive mild to moderate injuries in the process of engaging the suspect,” said Harper.
NOLA reported that the incident took place in Gentilly Terrace. Pittman reportedly had an open case in Orleans Criminal District Court. He was out on a $10,000 bond after he was arrested last year on Aug. 12 on suspicion of second-degree battery and simple battery of the infirm.
According to WCAX, Pittman attacked a 73-year-old military veteran at a bus station last year. He was discovered lying in a pool of blood in the bus station’s bathroom. He had a fractured eye socket and fractured jaw bone.
Pittman is being held on an increased $300,000 bond for last year’s attack and over $1 million in the alleged attack on his 70-year-old mother.
The suspect’s defense attorney says Pittman has a history of mental illness and has not been taking his medication. He’s expected to have a mental competency hearing on July 25.
