Cuba Gooding Jr. Escapes Prison Time By Complying With Plea Agreement
Cuba Gooding Jr.has avoided prison time in a plea agreement that puts an end to the criminal case that has hovered over him for several years.
According to NBC New York, the Jerry McGuire actor will not be going to prison after finalizing a conditional plea agreement he made in April.
The prosecutor in the case, Coleen Balbert, stated that Gooding has not been in any trouble and has also finished the six months of alcohol and behavior modification counseling he agreed to. Based on the prior arrangement, he was allowed to withdraw his misdemeanor plea and plead guilty to a harassment violation.
Balbert said she has received “positive reports for the last six months” from the therapist treating Gooding. The Boyz n the Hood actor has continued with the prescribed treatment beyond the time he agreed to with his plea agreement.
He will not have a criminal record.
BLACK ENTERPRISE reported in April that Gooding pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of forcibly touching a woman while attending a nightclub in New York City in 2018.
The actor was accused in a New York State Supreme Court indictment of violating three different women at various venues in 2018 and 2019. He pleaded guilty to the most serious count charging him with forcibly kissing a woman at a nightclub in September 2018.
CBS News reported that one of the accusers, Kelsey Harbert, was in the courtroom to give a statement. She was not pleased as she stated that Gooding “saw minimal repercussions” while she and other victims had to deal with the aftermath.
“The message he got today is that because of who he is the rules are different for him.”
Gloria Allred, who represented Harbert, also chimed in by saying, “It appears to be a prosecutorial gift to a celebrity who is undeserving of such an outcome.”
Gooding left the court without providing a comment.
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91-Year-Old Civil Rights Leader Stabbed Multiple Times in Boston Park
Jean McGuire, the first Black social worker to work in the Boston Public Schools and a respected civil rights leader was stabbed while walking through a Boston park.
On Wednesday, the 91-year-old was strolling through Playstead Park in Jamaica Plain at about 8:30 p.m. with her dog Bailey when an unidentified person attacked and stabbed McGuire at least five times, CBS Boston reports.
“The victim was transported to a local hospital where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries,” Boston Police stated in a press release. “Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect may have been injured during this attack.”
McGuire “fought for her life,” her friend Jeriline Brady-McGinnistold the Boston Globe.
“[Jean] attacked this guy. She was kicking him in the nuts while Bailey was working him over. And he tried to run, and the dog chased him. And [the attacker] disappeared out of sight,” Brady-Mcginnis told the outlet. “Bailey (her dog) stood up for her.”
Police believe the fight resulted in the suspect possibly sustaining injuries too.
McGuire is co-founder of METCO, Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, an organization that helped lead the charge to desegregate Boston schools in the 1960s. She was a pivotal community member and in 1981 became the first African American woman to be elected to the Boston School Committee.
“To just imagine this happened is unbelievable. But I know she is strong and will come out of this doing what she’s been doing in this community for decades,” METCO CEO Milly Arbaje-Thomas told CBS News.
“She is an amazing woman, a powerhouse, and every time you mention Jean McGuire’s name people know she’s a force to be reckoned with.”
The city’s mayor Mayor Michelle Wu said McGuire is on the mend and expected to survive.
“I’m disgusted and angry to know that an elder in our community had to fear for her safety going about her daily routine, walking her dog,” Wu said. “I’ve had the chance to connect with this patient who is an inspiration in every way.”
Cops: Elementary School Teacher Arrested Over ‘Kill List’ That Included Fifth Grade Student and Other Teachers in Indiana
On Wednesday, October 12, 2022, officers were dispatched to St. Stanislaus School located at 4930 Indianapolis Blvd. in Indiana in reference to a threatening report.
According to a release, upon arrival, officers spoke with the Principal and the Assistant Principal of the school. Officers were advised that at approximately 12:45 p.m. a 5th-grade student told his/her Counselor that their 5th-grade teacher made comments to him/her about killing herself, students, and staff at St. Stanislaus School.
The teacher identified as 25-year-old Angelica Carrasquillo-Torres of Griffith, was taken into custody by detectives at approximately 11:15 a.m. at her Griffith residence without incident.
Carrasquillo-Torres reportedly told the student that she has a list and that he/she was on the bottom of that list.
The teacher was immediately escorted into the Principal’s office to discuss the matter. While discussing the matter in the office the teacher allegedly admitted to the Principal that she did in fact make those statements to the student and confirmed that she did have a “kill list.”
During the conversation, the teacher named a specific student on her list but did not provide the list. The Principal then advised the teacher to leave and not return to school pending an investigation.
The East Chicago Police Department was not made aware of the situation until 4 hours later after the teacher was allowed to leave. Once Officers were notified they completed a report and notified the Criminal Investigation Division.
The Criminal Investigation Division was able to obtain an emergency detention order for the teacher, from the Lake County Prosecutors Office.
This is still an active investigation and no further statements will be made at this time.
38-Year-Old Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott Talks Leading His City and Being a Voice for the Forgotten
The 52nd Mayor of Baltimore Brandon M. Scott graced a fireside chat at BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s Black Men Xcel Summit to talk about the opportunities and challenges of walking in his calling, in addition to serving his city on the frontlines of a pandemic fallout, crime and law enforcement, and housing.
The session, moderated by PBS NewsHour chief Washington correspondent and weekend anchor Geoff Bennett, provided a platform for the 38-year-old city leader to further affirm his role as the voice of the under deserved and the forgotten, including Black men.
“I can be for them, what I didn’t have,” Mayor Scott proclaimed.
“There was only one elected official I had in my life that I could see, that I could touch, that would come to my school, that I would see walking down the street and that was Congressman Elijah Cummings and I tried to emulate that but take that to the next level. By being there and showing up for our young people in ways that they have never seen before. And that is what keeps me going.”
Later, Bennet asked how Mayor Scott’s relationship with Democratic nominee in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election, Wes Moore, will benefit the city.
“Wes understand what Baltimore needs,” Scott said. ‘We can hold people accountable when we’re dealing with this flow of illegal guns and things into our city and our state but we also can build and invest in better people and communities at the same time and we don’t have to turn back the clock to breathing while Black policies is going to be transformative for our city and out state.”
Inner city violence and concerns about policing are just many of the problems Baltimoreans face, but as the acting authority over the police department, Scott has had to find that balance to maintain a positive relationship between both residents and officers. He has had to implement a comprehensive approach to dealing with the issues by utilizing other resources like victim services.
“My police department this year with 500 less officers that they’ve had in 2014 and 2015 seized more guns and made more guns arrests of people with violent guns… than they did when we had more cops because we’re not making them the end be all,” Mayor Scott explained.
38-year-old Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (Image: Black Enterprise)
In these efforts, Mayor Scott credits his team for helping him navigate through priorities as the official head of the city.
In addition to the late Congressman Cummings, Scott also praised former Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake as someone that he looked up to. He recalled his start into city government as a staffer thanks to her support.
“She allowed me as a young staffer to have so much autonomy and really authority at 23, 24, 25 years old. It allows me now to do my job in ways that I would never be able to,” Scott explained.
For those young brothers who are interested in running for office, Mayor Scott urged to stay active in the community and find experience in city government.
“You have to be in your community. You have to have a track record serving your community but I always tell young brothers and sisters that it will behoove them to know both sides. Knowing the community side is extremely important. Knowing the campaign side is extremely important. Volunteer campaigns. Knowing government is extremely important. Internships. Trying to get work in city government.”
Showing Up for the Brothers: Black Corporate DEI Execs Detail How to Advocate for Black Men
A dynamic panel of top corporate DEI executives and experts gathered at BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s Black Men Xcel Summit to offer strategies and solutions for Black men looking to excel and advance at major corporations.
Moderated by Maurice Jones, president & CEO of OneTen, “The New DEI Agenda: Who’s Advocating on Behalf of Black Men?” session leaned on the expertise of Ken Lear, Vice President of Real Estate Operations at AT&T, and Jean C. Accius, Senior Vice President of Global Thought Leadership at AARP.
Lear, who serves as the only Black male to directly report to AT&T’s CFO, started the discussion by stating his report on the state of Black men in corporate America.
“We are underrepresented…,” Lear began. “We have an opportunity like we’ve never had before and we are not leveraging the opportunities available to us.”
In his statement, Accius added the importance of acknowledging the experiences and needs of Black men. The internationally recognized thought leader on aging, longevity, and equity addressed the data to be a problem as it impacts the business economy.
“For example, we know that Black men have the lowest life expectancy,” Accius explained. “There’s an economic cost to that: $1.6 trillion if we do absolutely nothing by 2030. That’s impacts not just our families, that impacts not just our communities, that impacts consumer spending—over $1 trillion worth of lost consumer spending.That also impacts the company’s bottom line.”
“So, I think, as we have these conversations around DEI, we gotta get out of the narrative, particularly in corporate America, that they are the solution, that we’re the problem that needs to be fixed and really start to focus on what is this about our collective interdependency and how not addressing this from an equity perspective impacts them as well,” he added.
Lear echoed Accius’ point about the data, noting that transparency in the numbers is clear and documented, but there’s hardly any progress.
“What troubles me the most is the lack of progress in the numbers.The numbers have not substantially changed and here we are on the eve of a potential recession,” Lear explained. “Minorities are disproportionately impacted by job losses. We don’t see the same in the Caucasian community.”
The men brought the issues to the forefront. From systemic racism and tokenism to a lack of a pipeline, the needs of Black men are getting lost in companies’ efforts to aggregate them with other sub populations.
As advisors, Lear reiterated the intentionality and conscious efforts for the advocacy of Black men.
“It starts with self-advocacy,” Lear said. “The benefit and gift of candid and honest communication about where a person might have blind spots, where they are excelling.Then, let’s share knowledge with one another. Unselfishly, let’s give guidance to one another.”
He continued: “Take chances with people. Give people opportunity and space to grow and fail…”
Accius, who has had mentorship and sponsorship throughout his journey, believes that Black men need accessibility and leaders in his position can open that door.
In defining a sponsor, it is “who has political currency within an organization and is willing to use it on your behalf and speak for you when you’re not in the room,” said Accius.
Franchise Owner of Co-Working Space Celebrates Women in Franchising Appreciation Day, Oct. 14
Women in Franchising Appreciation Day is part of a new initiative by United Franchise Group, an affiliated family of brands and consultants that unites more than 1,600 franchises worldwide.
The company is working to bring more women into the industry, which can benefit from the organizational talent and customer focus that many women offer. More and more women are choosing the freedom and fulfillment of owning their own small business, a trend celebrated on Women in Franchising Appreciation Day, Oct. 14.
Numbers tell an intriguing story about the popularity of franchising for women entrepreneurs. According to Guidant Financial and the Small Business Trends Alliance:
Around 8% of all franchise owners are women.
In the past decade, the number of women-owned franchise owners has increased by 38%.
Nearly nine in 10 women franchise owners say they enjoy owning and running their own business.
Three of four women would recommend franchise ownership to would-be entrepreneurs.
Ese Aihie is an industry expert in commercial real estate and flexible workspaces. She’s the owner and president of Admiral Legacy, a commercial real estate company that owns the co-working franchise Venture X Lewisville – The Realm at Castle Hills. Aihie is also the founder/CEO of Work Innovators, a certified women-owned enterprise based out of her Venture X office focused on delivering innovative solutions and amplifying voices through media and technology.
Aihie graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a Master’s in Public Affairs. For 18 years, she worked in multiple leadership roles at Fortune 100 companies. As with so many executives in the corporate world, Aihie felt that she was downsized. In 2018 she decided to make her side hustle in real estate her main hustle.
“My experience with real estate, people, workforce, and personnel management led me to the commercial real estate space I wanted to play in, and then ultimately purchasing a Venture X co-working/flexible office space,” Aihie told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Today, Venture X Castle Hills operates as both a home and family for businesses in North Texas. A place where collaboration and innovative ideas happen, where businesses grow, and employees thrive.
“I encourage business leaders to reimagine the future of work by looking to flexible workspace as an option for their employees.”
Venture X, an affiliated brand of the United Franchise Group, is inspired by boutique hospitality brands where relationships, consistent quality, and value-added offerings are the cornerstone of the membership experience. Its “best-in-class” working environment is very appealing to corporate clients and professionals from every level.
Why franchising?
When asked why she chose to purchase a franchise as opposed to starting her own brand, Aihie shared:
“Running a business on your own comes with its challenges. I chose to invest in a franchise because it allowed me to create that balance between running my business and running my household.”
“This franchise gave me a head start by providing a business model, and all I had to do was pray and apply GRIT (Growth, Resilience, Intentionality, Tenacity) in order to be successful.” Owning a franchise can provide women with the flexibility needed to achieve work-life balance. Aihie believes that more women should take advantage of franchise ownership, but that can’t happen unless barriers to entry are eliminated.
“Access to capital is a factor that prevents women, particularly BIPOC women, from going into business. If we can address this there will be more women business owners. When such programs become available, there should be awareness campaigns to ensure qualified women are encouraged to take advantage of these programs.” Aihie also asserts that franchisors need to provide education and awareness on the benefits of franchising, for example, business assistance, lower failure rate, brand recognition, training, etc. She advises women aspiring to become business owners to “see every difficulty as a promotion and setbacks as set-ups.”
“Don’t be discouraged when one hundred doors are shut to your face, keep knocking because all it takes is one door.”
(Image: Courtesy of Ese Aihie, founder/CEO of Work Innovators)
Aihie serves on several boards and leadership councils, including The Colony Chamber of Commerce Board, the Urban Land Institute Education Council, National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council, The Scott Murray Scholarship Fund, and Single Parents Advocate Leadership Committee.
When she’s not working, she’s traveling to places worldwide to experience different architectural designs, cultures, and food.
Black Middle Tennessee State University Student Sues Fraternity For Racist Hazing During Pledging
A Black pledge for Kappa Sigma has taken legal action after facing emotional distress that forced him to leave the state.
A former student at Middle Tennessee State University filed a lawsuit on October 12, claiming that he encountered racist hazing during his “rush” process.
According to News19, the lawsuit was filed in a Nashville court and addresses incidents that date back to October 14, 2021 within the Kappa Iota chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at MTSU. The lawsuit claims that the plaintiff, along with another Black pledge, was targeted with racial hazing by 10 white members from the Kappa Iota chapter.
According to the lawsuit, the acts of racial discrimination the Black pledges were subjected to include being called the N-word by white fraternity brothers and threats of kidnapping, hanging, bounding, and having things thrown at them. In addition, the plaintiff said that old slave chants and antebellum field hand music was played during their “rush'” process along with discussions of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Alcohol abuse was also stated in the claims amongst other acts of hazing.
News19 reported that, according to the documents, one of the defendants in the lawsuit approached the Black pledges with demands to “respect our culture,” saying “you know what type of frat you joined,” during moments the Black pledges objected the treatment.
The lawsuit was filed seven months following the chapter’s expulsion from the MTSU campus. The university’s website states that the chapter violated the Kappa Sigma Fraternity Code of Conduct resulting in punishment by the National Kappa Sigma Office. The chapter’s misconduct reflected violations of “hazing, underage drinking and conduct unbecoming.”
“The Kappa Sigma Fraternity as a matter of policy does not comment on current or active litigation,” a representative of the fraternity stated after being contacted for a response to the lawsuit.
The plaintiff is requesting a $15 million compensation from the defendants.
California Man Arrested After Video Shows Him Abducting 14-Year-Old Girl He Reportedly Raped
A man seen on video snatching a teenage girl before sexually assaulting her has been captured and arrested for the alleged crime.
According to KTLA, a Los Angeles man, 27-year-old Edward William Banks, was arrested after surveillance footage showed him allegedly abducting a 14-year-old girl and forcing her into a bathroom, where he reportedly raped her. The incident took place near the 4700 block of Klamath Street. His bail has been set at $1 million.
The Los Angeles Police Department released a video of Banks walking down the street with the victim and asking for the public’s help before apprehending him.
“On October 11, 2022, the Los Angeles Police Department received information of a sexual assault investigation at a park in the 4700 block Klamath Street. Preliminary investigation revealed an unknown suspect approached a 14-year-old victim.
“The suspect threatened the victim with a weapon and forced the victim into a bathroom. The suspect then proceeded to assault the victim sexually. The suspect left the location in an unknown direction.”
He was described as a Black male with curly hair, sporting a goatee, as he was seen wearing a white shirt with green and red stripes and dark jeans.
The suspect was caught when people in the community tipped police officers off that Banks was in the area where he was seen on the 2500 block of Mallory Street.
After being arrested, Banks was charged with one count each of kidnapping to commit another crime, forcible oral copulation of a minor age 14 or older, forcible sodomy of a minor age 14 or older, and forcible sexual penetration of a minor age 14 or older. He was also charged with special allegations of kidnapping and use of a deadly weapon.
In a written statement, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said, “The sexual assault of a child is one of the most horrific crimes we see in my office. Crimes like these are devastating and shatter the innocence of our children. My experienced team will work tirelessly to hold accountable the person responsible for this attack.”
Tina Turner Gets Her Own Barbie in Honor of ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ 40th Anniversary
The iconic Tina Turner is being honored with her own signature Barbie doll in honor of the 40th anniversary of What’s Love to Do With It.
On Wednesday, Mattel unveiled the Tina Turner Doll as part of the latest addition to its Music Series, Varietyreports. The doll shows the chart-topping Grammy Award-winning singer sporting the celebrated outfit she wore in her music video for “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
(Mattel)
The doll comes with the black mini dress, denim jacket, sheer black tights, and black heels the Queen of Rock N Roll” wore in the video, along with her signature volumed hair that she rocked throughout the ’80s while rebranding herself as a solo act.
“I am honored to welcome my Barbie into the group of trailblazing women already represented and introduce more kids to my journey,” Turner said about her new doll.
The designer shared part of the process of creating the doll to take on the singer’s iconic look she sported throughout her heyday.
“We used a lot of screen grabs to see the hair at all angles,” designer Bill Greening said about the doll’s creation. “Lots of teasing and hairspray was involved!”
The Tina Turner doll is being sold for $55 at retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. The limited-edition doll has already sold out at some retailers, Rolling Stonereports.
While unveiling the doll on Instagram on Wednesday, Mattel explained why Turner was “simply the best” icon to honor in their Music Series.
“Barbie is proud to honor the unmatched career of the ‘Queen of Rock’ n Roll’ with a @TinaTurner Barbie doll,” Mattel wrote in the caption. “Collectors and music fans alike can celebrate the music icon with the new Signature #Barbie doll.”
Turner’s doll follows musicians like Gloria Estefan, Elvis Presley, and David Bowie, who have all been honored in the Barbie Signature Music Collection.
