The Ultimate Road Trip: Kayaking in the Poconos, A Pathfinder Vacation Adventure
“Inspired by Nissan Pathfinder, writer Chris Atwell has written a series about the fictional Anderson Family and imagined the adventures they might have on a summer road trip with Pathfinder. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this article are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, or entities is intended or should be inferred.”
The Anderson family road trip continues. Darryl, Denise, and the kids began their trek last week. Packed and prepped for weeks of outdoor adventure, the family first drove their all-new Nissan Pathfinder to Bear Mountainin Upstate New York—a nostalgic return to an old family favorite retreat. From there, the Andersons headed westward through the Catskills and across the New York–Pennsylvania border for an entirely new destination. Eldest daughter Malena recounts what they found.
Pathfinder, Take Me to the River
I really enjoy being on the road. The Pathfinder is stylish, bold, and comfortable, with plenty of space to stretch out without getting tangled up with my brother and sister. And with the Captain’s Chairs and center console to hold our stuff, we’ve avoided getting on each other’s nerves and haven’t even fought about the temperature since we can control our own settings from the second row.
I brought reading material to pass the time, but college starts in just a couple of weeks, and, for now, I’m happy to watch the beautiful scenery go by and listen to music. Of course, my parents act like there hasn’t been any decent music since the ’90s, but I don’t mind the old-school tunes much. It kind of fits this trip, but once I get behind the wheel, I’ll put these Bose speakers and the Apple CarPlay to the test with my playlist!
Mom drove us into the Poconos Lake region yesterday, and we checked into a local Black-owned bed and breakfast. The rooms are cool, but the best part is the outdoor activities, specifically kayaking at Prompton Lake. My parents surprised me by letting me drive there. I mean, I’ve had my license for a year and a half, and they know I’m a safe driver, but I didn’t expect them to trust me with the Pathfinder so soon! OK, it was only 15 minutes behind the wheel, and dad watched my every move, but I felt entirely in control. The 360-degree view boosted my driving confidence—and with the hilly terrain around the lake, I got a chance to use the Hill Start Assist function. A girl could get used to this!
It was my first time going kayaking, something I always wanted to try, and we couldn’t have picked a better location. We rented two boats, a double seater for me and mom and a three-seater for dad, my brother Zane, and sister Janae. Mom knows what she’s doing when it comes to water, and we hit our stride right away. Dad, on the other hand, needed to coordinate three sets of hands. They were a pretty comical sight at first, but they got it together eventually. It was fun watching them struggle to keep up with us for a while.
I loved being on the water. The lake was serene for the most part, but there were some surprisingly choppy sections to navigate. We saw magnificent birds wherever we went—egrets and cranes, and even a snapping turtle—it was HUGE!
A great day! The sun was still shining bright when we piled back into the Pathfinder, so we pulled up the sunshades in the back and took a quick nap as we headed back to the B&B, ready to head to our next adventure!
Next up: Casting for fish and reeling in memories…
Captain’s Chairs: Available feature
360-degree view: Intelligent Around View Monitor cannot eliminate blind spots and may not detect every object. Driver should always turn and check surroundings before driving. See Owner’s Manual for safety information.
Bose speakers: Available feature.
Apple Carplay: Available feature shown. Use feature only when safe and legal. Compatible device and service required. Subject to third-party service availability. For more information, see www.nissanusa.com/connect/legal.
FBI Releases Documents About An Attempted Murder-For-Hire Plot Against Kobe Bryant’s Rape Accuser
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released documents about a case that transpired more than15 years ago involving Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant.
According to The Denver Post, a man approached Bryant about killing the woman who accused him of rape back in 2003. The FBI has released a 17-page, heavily-redacted report that details bodybuilder Patrick Graber’s offer to kill the woman who accused Bryant of raping her. The offer was for $3 million as it was mailed to Bryant around the time of the accusation.
The FBI report revealed that Graber sent an offer to Bryant via Federal Express that included “inferences that he could make Bryant’s problem with respect to the sexual assault case go away for a fee.”
Graber ended up serving three years in prison after the police found out about the plot. The report shows that he sent a letter to Bryant offering to kill his accuser for $3 million. Bryant’s attorneys then notified the authorities about the letter, and Bryant’s accuser was also warned about the threat.
Bryant was arrested and charged in 2003 while in Denver after a woman claimed the five-time NBA champion raped her in a Colorado hotel room. The charges against Bryant were eventually dropped after the woman who accused him refused to testify in court. The two parties ended up settling a civil lawsuit.
Bryant played his whole 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a five-time NBA champion, a two-time Finals MVP, and the league’s most valuable player in 2008. Bryant made the All-Star team 18 times and was the youngest player to reach 30,000 points during his career. Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016, scoring an NBA-season-high 60 points in his final game.
‘I Can’t Breathe’ Lawsuit Launched Two Years After Black Man Dies in Police Custody
When 23-year-old Darren Boykindied in police custody two years ago, it didn’t make national headlines like the deaths of George Floyd or Eric Garner. But Boykin’s family has been working hard behind the scenes to ensure his death wasn’t in vain.
On Sunday, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Texarkana, Texas, on behalf of Boykin’s mother, Keisha Boykin, Arkansas Onlinereports. The complaint seeks actual and punitive damages, compensation for Darren Boykin’s pain, suffering, and mental anguish, compensation for his mother’s mental anguish and emotional distress, and reimbursement for funeral expenses and attorney fees.
The lawsuit calls out Texarkana officers Jerrika Weaver, Brent Hobbs, and Sgt. William Scott and accuses them of violating Boykin’s civil rights by being “deliberately indifferent” to a medical crisis that resulted in his death, as revealed by the Washington Post.
Around 2 p.m. on Aug. 29, 2019, police approached Darren Boykin as a suspect in a series of petty theft crimes on a nearby community college campus. That’s when Boykin pushed past the officers and attempted to flee on foot, police said.
After running to a nearby convenience store, Boykin was detained. Weaver’s bodycam shows Boykin handcuffed on the ground with his hands behind his back and breathing heavily. A civilian eyewitness can be heard in the background saying, “I thought he was having a heart attack.” However, a Texarkana College officer claimed Boykin had “felonies, that’s what it is.”
Officers then had to carry Boykin to the police car after he said he could not walk on his own. The officers inform him that he has a warrant in Ohio for theft before one officer is offered water while Boykin was not.
One officer responded to Boykin yelling for help in the police car. Hobbs opened the door, and Boykin said, “I can’t breathe.” When Hobbs informs Weaver that Boykin is complaining about not being able to breathe, Weaver responds, “He’ll be fine.”
You can’t call ‘I can’t breathe’ after you ran forever and then you have felonies,” Weaver can be heard saying in the video.
In the suit, Weaver is accused of showing a “clear disregard” for Boykin’s health.
“Being the sergeant and supervisor on scene, defendant Scott had the ability to call for medical assistance or direct defendant Hobbs or defendant Weaver to call for medical assistance for Darren,” the complaint states.
Lawyers Scott Palmer and James Roberts filed the lawsuit on behalf of Keisha Boykin and Darren Boykin’s estate in U.S. District Court in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. The suit accuses the officers of violating Boykins’ civil rights from a lack of medical attention and claims the three officers breached their duty to provide it.
Atlanta Art Teacher Suspended For Using N-Word During Class
An Atlanta-based art teacher who previously won a Teacher of the Year award is now facing penalties for getting caught on video using the N-word during class.
Alcovy High School art teacher Alexandrea Boyington was suspended from her teaching position pending an investigation into a video that shows the white educator using the racial slur in class, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
In the shocking video shared on social media, Boyington is seen sitting on a desk and posing a question to her students about using the N-word.
“Say I date a Black guy,” she allegedly said. “Then I can say n***a?”
But in unison, her students replied, “no.” However, that wasn’t enough to stop the white school teacher. “‘Cause I got a n***a,” Boyington says before the video ends.
Students at the school were not impressed by the teacher’s attempt at being deemed ‘cool’.
“There was no reason for her to say that,” senior Malik Montgomery said. “When I saw the video, I was disappointed because as a teacher you are supposed to keep your profession, and just keep your composure.”
He added that the teacher “should just lose her job.”
“She shouldn’t even be suspended,” he said. “She should be fired.”
Boyington has now been banned from the classroom just two years after she won a Teacher of the Year award, the Grio reported.
“Over the weekend, Newton County School System administrators received notification of a video circulating online that allegedly involved an Alcovy High School teacher making inappropriate statements in class,” a spokesperson for Newton County Schools said.
“The teacher, Ms. Alexandrea Boyington, is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation.”
Junior Markevious Walton admitted that the conversation around the context of using the N-word is important, it doesn’t belong in the classroom and definitely shouldn’t be used by an educator.
“It can go two different ways, that word right there, but you can’t just be saying that,” Walton said. “Especially in front of the students.”
Tiffany Haddish Gives Emotional Advice After Death of Friends Michael K. Williams And Fuquan Johnson
The recent death of two entertainers after the suspected use of the lethal drug fentanyl has gripped the entertainment world—and hit one star on a personal level.
After the deaths of stand-up comedian Fuquan Johnson and Boardwalk Empire star Michael K. Williams, actress TiffanyHaddish, who was friends with both men, had an emotional moment while speaking to TMZ.
The Girls Trip star gave advice to others who may choose to take drugs. She wants them to rethink that strategy so they won’t meet the same fate as her two friends.
“I don’t know, but there has to be another way. To anyone who’s using drugs right now, I would say, try to find another way. Talk about what’s going on. I don’t know what it feels like to do those drugs, but it must feel amazing. But there are other things that feel amazing, too, like accomplishing a goal,” Haddish said.
Over the weekend, Johnson was at an undisclosed home in Venice, CA, for an intimate party with a group of friends, including his ex-beau comedian/model Kate Quigley. Local police said the New Jersey native was one of three people who overdosed on a cocktail of cocaine and fentanyl. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly after midnight, police were called to the home. Upon arriving, they discovered Fuquan’s body and those of two unidentified people. Quigley was rushed to the hospital and is in critical condition.
On Monday, The Wire actor Michael K. Williams was found dead inside of his Brooklyn residence around 2 p.m., according to the New York Police Department.
Williams’ death of an apparent drug overdose has sparked a criminal investigation, with police trying to locate the drug dealer. Police officials believe that the drugs were heroin-based based on the drugs found at the site of Williams’ death.Although an official autopsy has not been done yet, speculation is that he may have died through the use of drugs. A toxicology report, which could take weeks, should provide much-needed answers.
Zillow, UNCF and Black Tech Ventures to Host Hackathon for Students at HBCUs
Registration is now open for Zillow’s first hackathon for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) around the country. Beginning September 23, the seven-day virtual competition challenges students to develop and pitch creative and impactful tech solutions that align with Zillow’s goal to help consumers overcome obstacles on their journey to find a home. Nearly $90,000 in cash and prizes is up for grabs as students gain real-world experience in the technology industry.
To engage HBCU students who have various technical skill levels, Zillow’s HBCU hackathon is open to both students with advanced computer coding experience as well as those with little or no coding experience. Students will work closely with Zillow and BTV mentors. Teams can have as many as four members, and although registration is open to HBCU students in any degree program, each team must have at least one member enrolled in a computer science, computer engineering or related program.
At the end of the weeklong event, team finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges. The first-place team will receive a $20,000 cash award, split among its members, and Zillow will donate $25,000 to its school’s computer science program. Second- and third-place teams will receive $12,000 and $6,000 cash awards, respectively. Students from the top three teams also will receive new laptops, textbook gift cards and AfroTech World 2021 conference tickets. All eligible hackathon participants interested in a role at Zillow will have an opportunity to interview for an internship.
To learn more or register for the HBCU Housing Hackathon, visit www.zillowhbcuhackathon.com
“Zillow is proud to sponsor this hackathon because we best serve our customers when we can recruit and retain some of the best talent in the world—the kind of thinkers and doers incubated on the campuses of the country’s historically Black colleges and universities,” says Zillow Chief Technology Officer David Beitel. “Our goal is to strengthen our recruiting pipeline through engagement with HBCUs and encourage students to consider careers in the tech industry and, of course, at Zillow.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, HBCUs produce 27% of all Black STEM graduates. Graduates from these institutions make up 40% of all Black engineers in the U.S.
“Zillow recognizes the importance of establishing strong relationships with HBCUs,” Beitel adds. “That’s why, in 2019, we joined the HBCU Partnership Challenge, created by the congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. The challenge promotes greater engagement and recruitment at HBCUs by private companies. This hackathon is one of the ways Zillow is meeting the challenge.”
Dr. Chad Womack, senior director of National STEM Programs and Initiatives at UNCF, will be on the panel of judges for the HBCU hackathon. Womack also co-founded BTV, a venture tech firm created to empower African American tech innovators and startup entrepreneurs, with a focus on fostering the entrepreneurial mindset on HBCU campuses.
“The UNCF is proud to partner with Zillow and Black Tech Ventures on this wonderful initiative for our students,” says Womack. “UNCF is excited to leverage its reach across HBCU campuses to engage our students and market the HBCU Housing Hackathon challenge opportunity.”
As a partner, BTV will introduce participants to design thinking and the lean startup process so they can incorporate those principles into their hackathon projects. During the hackathon, the BTV team will also provide mentoring and coaching for the HBCU student-led teams.
“We started Black Tech Ventures as an organization dedicated to supporting design thinking, lean startup and tech entrepreneurship among HBCU students and alum, particularly those pursuing STEM careers,” says Jaye Espy, a co-founder of BTV who serves as its director of Programs and Operations. “Our mission is to encourage and empower more Black Americans to leverage their science, technology and engineering skills as they embark on their entrepreneurial journey.”
On the judging panel, Womack will be joined by Zillow and tech industry leaders including David Beitel, Zillow chief technology officer; Eric Bailey, vice president of Experience Design at Zillow; Aldona Clottey, Zillow vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility; Stan Humphries, chief analytics officer at Zillow; Loni Mahanta, vice president of Government Relations and Public Policy at Zillow; Jaisa Minor, head of partnerships at HBCU.vc; Damien Peters, founder of Wealth Noir; and Tiffany Taylor, chief people & impact officer, GSV Ventures. Special student judge Richard Clay, Bowie State University Class of 2022, will participate in semifinal judging.
VF Corp Board Member Steps Down after Calling Black Lives Matter Activists ‘True Racists’
Following a public fallout, apparel giant VF Corp announced that the board member who dismissed racism and Black Lives Matter is stepping down.
Veronica Wu will step down after Axios releasedan email of her calling Black Lives Matter activists “the true racists.”
According to a press release, Wu’s resignation “was not the result of any disagreement with VF on any matter relating to VF’s operations, policies, or practices.”
VF is one of the largest companies in the United States. It owns Vans, North Face, Timberland, and other brands. Last week Axios published an internal email where Wu wrote:
“If we judge racism by requiri[n]g every job has to be based on a racial proportion vs. merits, then NBA should not have so many black players. I don’t see people complaining about that.” Wu then continues to write, “I don’t believe in Black Lives Matter. If anything I think they are the true racists trying to stir up things to make this country going [sic] to socialism or even communism potentially.”
Wu sent the email in response to a company note that Juneteenth would be recognized as a company holiday at Hone Capital, a venture capital firm where Wu served as managing partner.
Emails Released by Axios
According to Axios:
Wu responded that she didn’t know about the holiday, which commemorates when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation.
After the office manager explained that—and noted other companies were honoring the day because of the country’s renewed focus on racism in the wake of George Floyd’s murder—Wu said she was “particularly not supportive.”
This is not the first time Wu has sent racist emails. According to Axios, Wu expressed similar comments while at Hone Capital, which claims to have “a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination.”
“She would say ‘the reason you don’t see African Americans in tech is because they’re lazy and don’t work,’” a former Hone employee told Axios.
Meantime, CEO Steve Rendle said last June.
“Racism is not welcome at VF Corporation. It never has been and never will be.”
Black Amazon Driver Tosses ‘Black Liars Murder’ Sign From Trump Supporter’s Lawn
A Black Amazon delivery driver who peeped a racist sign on the lawn of a Trump supporter took action and ripped the offensive sign that read “Black Liars Murder” out of the ground and threw it.
According to Clevescene.com, the homeowner, a white man only identified as being from Parma, OH, is upset because of what the Amazon driver did.
The Parma Man stated, “I’m afraid. I’m an old guy. I can’t run. I said, ‘I don’t want to discuss this.’ You know, he’s a stranger. He just mocked me and called me a coward and held up the packages he was supposed to deliver.”
(Image: Twitter)
Parma Police Department Public Information Officer Lt. Daniel Ciryak told Cleveland.com that charges, including criminal trespassing and criminal damaging could be pending for the Amazon delivery man.
“Every campaign season there are some signs that come up missing, but this wasn’t a political sign. This guy is making his statement for whatever his beliefs are. Now, it’s obviously up to interpretation, but you’re always going to have somebody who is going to push the envelope,” Ciryak said.
“I’m sure it’s offensive to some people and not offensive to others. But if they find something offensive, call the police. We can go out there and talk to the residents, the building department and law department to find out if it is crossing that line. Obviously, people have their First Amendment right, but regardless of the sign that’s up there, you can’t just walk up if you disagree with it and rip it out of somebody’s yard. You have to respect other people’s property and their political views as well.”
Amazon has stated that it is also starting an investigation into the matter.
“Hate, racism, or discrimination have no place in our society and are certainly not tolerated by Amazon. However, the behavior in the video does not reflect the high standards we have for our drivers; we will investigate internally and appropriate action will be taken if needed.”
Rihanna Drops Lawsuit Against Her Father After Claims That He Tried To Profit Off Her Name
Rihanna has dropped a lawsuit against her father that accused him of misusing the singer’s name for his personal gain.
According toRadar Online, court documents show Rihanna’s companyRoraj Trade LLC and Combermere Entertainment Properties filed a stipulation of dismissal of the entire lawsuit on Sept. 7.
The suit had named Fenty Entertainment LLC, a California-based company, as well as Ronald Fenty and Moses Joktan Perkins.
The parties were ordered to show up on September 22 for the trial. But it appears that both sides wanted to avoid a public spectacle and instead settled their differences behind closed doors.
Rihanna, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, and her father have been known to have a complicated relationship.
In January of 2019, Rihanna reportedly sued her father (as well as the aforementioned business partner Moses Joktan Perkins) over allegations of deceiving people into believing that she was involved with his company.
In the complaint, Rihanna’s father and Perkins were said to have lied as part of a “fraudulent effort to solicit millions of dollars from unsuspecting third parties in exchange for the false promise that they were authorized to act on Rihanna’s behalf, and/or that Rihanna would perform at various locations throughout the world.”
Rihanna’s father and his business partner have also been accused of to having tried to book the singer (without her permission) for a number of shows back in 2017 for millions.
Last month, Rihanna officially became a billionaire, making her the richest female musician.
Rihanna also announced details for the upcoming and highly anticipated Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 special. Fans worldwide will be able to tune in for the unveiling of the new collection on Amazon Prime starting Sept. 24.
Fans are still waiting for the singer to drop her R9 album. The singer has said new music will be coming “soon” but no official release date has been revealed.
Gayle King Hosts Dream Baby Shower For Daughter At Laguna Beach
Gayle King helped her daughter Kirby Bumpus score the baby shower of her dreams after her wedding plans were crushed during the pandemic.
King, the 66-year-old anchor for CBS This Morning, organized the event to celebrate her daughter’s first baby, a son, in late July. The gathering consisted of 16 close family and friends who were vaccinated and received a negative COVID test prior to attending, Peoplereported.
The three-day trip took place at Montage Laguna Beach resort in California and was organized with the help of Details Details owner Jeannie Young Savage.
Kirby Bumpus embraced by loved ones at her baby shower. (Image: Oprah Daily/Courtesy of Gayle King)
“It turned into something that was bigger than a baby shower. Kirby was at the core of the celebration—no doubt about that—but it became a celebration of friendship, a celebration of women, and a celebration of coming together after things have been so hard for so many people,” King told Oprah Daily. “To be honest with you, I didn’t know it was going to be that. I knew it would be pretty and nice, but I think it grew into something much more significant than that.
“It was the first moment to celebrate a lot of things that happened in the last two years—and Mom definitely went all out and outdid herself,” Bumpus said. “The thing I keep saying is that I can’t even call this the shower of my dreams because I didn’t even dream something like that for myself.”
(Image: Oprah Daily)
Bumpus was gifted a library’s worth of children’s books, a handmade quilt from her Aunt Sharon, and from Oprah Winfrey, a BabyZen YOYO² stroller.
King said she wanted to give her daughter an elaborate celebration because she didn’t get the wedding she expected due to the pandemic.
“When Kirby got married in December, she didn’t have the wedding that she’d planned,” she said. “We were still in the process of figuring out exactly what that would be, but we knew, whatever it was, it’d be more than six people. That turned out to be perfect, but she didn’t have a bridal shower or any of those events, so I really wanted her baby shower to be more than just a Zoom thing.”
“Not to mention that part of the fun of being pregnant is seeing your friends react to your baby bump, watching them ooh and aah and letting them touch it,” King added.
Bumpus told Oprah Daily she and her husband are excited to be having a boy.
“I’m very excited about a boy. For starters, I think my husband Virgil would be a great dad to a boy or girl, so I just can’t wait to see him become a dad,” she said. “And selfishly, I’m grateful that I don’t have to figure out how to do a little girl’s hair just yet, because I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
For grandmother King, she’s also pumped to see her daughter step into motherhood.
“To see your own baby have a baby—it still blows my mind that this is actually happening.”
