by Mitti Hicks

November 11, 2024

How We Roll: The Limited Edition LEGO Set Honoring Black Skate Culture

How We Roll comes with 428 LEGO®pieces and an instruction manual filled with archival images.

It’s 11:30 in the morning, and Syreeta Gates has her hands up singing, “That’s just how we roll/ You know what it is/ What it is.”

The song by Chris Brown and Ciara is what Gates said first comes to mind during her interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE to discuss the How We Roll project. Those exact words were written on paper for the latest collaboration between Most Incredible Studio, Black Archives, and LEGO as they introduce a limited-edition roller skate art piece celebrating the legacy of Black roller skating culture.

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Most Incredible is the first Black-owned creative studio for LEGO art, founded by Randall Wilson and Gates. Black Archives, a platform founded by Renata Cherlise, is on a mission to tell Black stories through memory and imagination.

“This is not a product for us. This is a gift,” Gates told BE. “We wanted to honor Black skating culture with this gift we created together.”

How We Roll comes with 428 LEGO pieces and an instruction manual. The manual will captivate the hearts of skate enthusiasts as it tells the story of Black skating culture through the decades. It’s filled with images and archival footage. There are also images of a custom photo shoot with visual storyteller Joshua Taylor out of Chicago and an interview with the owner of the iconic skating “The Rink” in the Windy City.

Ways To Interact With How We Roll

For those who assemble the LEGO pieces of How We Roll, the kit comes with a stand to showcase the skate on a mantle, but it doesn’t have to be built. The creators designed it so that people could showcase the box only if they chose.

“We have really gone above and beyond,” said Gates. “There are so many ways to interact with the gift. You can keep it in a box without opening it because the box is beautiful. There are archival images on every side of the box.”

The skate, which can also roll on smooth surfaces, is black, grey, and red — colors the creators say are intentional.

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“I remember growing up seeing all Black skates, and those were the fire skaters. That meant you were serious,” says GaLetes. “You were renting skates if you had a pair of black skates, so this skate pays homage to that greatness.”

From the outside of the box to the pieces inside and even the manual, How We Roll is a timeless black, grey, and red piece that will tug on the heartstrings of those who can remember their best times at the skating rink while teaching the next generation about Black skate culture.

“This has honestly been a labor of love. I hope people feel and understand that energy when they’re building it or looking at the box and archival photos we chose,” says Gates. “We could have created 950,000 things, but [we chose] this love letter to Black skate culture.”

Melesa Johnson, First Black Woman Prosecutor, Jackson County, Missouri

by Daniel Johnson

November 11, 2024

Melesa Johnson Elected; First Black Woman Prosecutor In Jackson County, Missouri

At her Nov. 5 watch party, Johnson said she hoped her win would provide hope for little Black girls.

Melesa Johnson, a 35-year-old Democrat, won her race against Republican Tracey Chappell, also a Black woman, to become the first-ever Black woman prosecutor in Jackson County, Missouri.

According to KCUR, the race between the two women focused heavily on crime in the mostly Democratic county. Johnson won her race easily as she focused on aggressive prosecution and crime prevention.

Johnson replaces Jean Peters Baker, who had held the office since 2011 but declined to seek another term. Johnson came up in Baker’s office as a young attorney.

Johnson will leave her post as Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ director of public safety.

At her watch party on Nov. 5, Johnson said that she hoped her win would provide hope for little Black girls.

Johnson won the election 57% to Chappell’s 43%.

“Today we showed that a little Black girl from the east side of Kansas City can become one of the top-ranking law enforcement officials in the entire county — that means something,” Johnson said. “That’s going to trickle over to people wanting to become police officers, prosecutors, sheriffs, probation officers, people where I come from. And that’s a good thing for the system in its entirety.”

Johnson continued, “If you have never felt yourself seen in a justice system intended to serve you, I am honored to be your beacon of hope, and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly.”

The race focused on crime due to a rash of property crime perpetuated by armed teens, mostly breaking into cars and businesses in affluent majority-white neighborhoods.

Notably, public sentiment around the violent crimes in Kansas City reached a fever pitch when two teenagers, age 15 and 17, allegedly shot a popular Irish chef, Shaun Brady, near his restaurant.

The two teenagers have been charged with second degree murder and could potentially be tried as adults.

Johnson’s response to the crime was to emphasize prosecution of crimes like these as well as Kansas City’s anti-violence initiative, SAVE KC. “We will fight and reduce violence and improve safety without losing sight of our humanity,” Johnson said.

SAVE KC is focused on street-level intelligence which collects information about who is most likely to commit crime.

Chappell, meanwhile, using a tough-on-crime approach, argued that social justice initiatives should only come after prosecution of violent crime.

According to The Kansas City Star, Johnson also promised her supporters that she would lead with integrity, emphasizing during the campaign that the deep-seated problems in Jackson County would not be solved by incarceration.

Instead, Johnson proposed an expansion of certain areas of prosecution like non-violent drug distribution cases while also looking to establish a new property crimes division and revitalize the conviction integrity unit, which examines past potential wrongful convictions.

“We have a tall task ahead, but through true collaboration and partnership, we can and will rise to the occasion,” Johnson said. “The challenges have been great, but your grit has been greater, and I am so grateful for your service, and know that I have some life big shoes to fill.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 11, 2024

Life Expectancy Gap Between Blacks And Whites Widens As Systemic Healthcare Barriers Continue

Researchers are citing the continued barriers that are widening the life expectancy gap between Black and white people.

America’s entrenched racism is contributing to the growing life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans, research shows.

University of Wisconsin sociology professor Nicholas Mark pointed to data showing that the widening life expectancy gap is largely driven by social determinants of health, which are key factors in predicting life outcomes. Systemic barriers in living conditions, healthcare systems, and social structures are causing the white population to outlive their Black counterparts.

Barriers stemming from limited access to education and healthcare begin early in life, according to the professor.

“These differences can be attributed to differences in occupations and working conditions,” Mark told Badger Health.

Black communities face greater educational barriers, with limited resources for students pursuing higher education and few scholarship opportunities to help turn their dreams into reality. This lack of education often leads individuals into dangerous jobs with exposure to toxic chemicals and poor working conditions, as they are unable to secure higher-paying positions that would provide both better salaries and valuable life skills.

Individuals with higher socioeconomic status often have better access to healthcare and nutritious food, which has been shown to improve life expectancy. Mark also highlighted the chronic stress of living in a race-conscious society that stigmatizes and disadvantages the Black community.

These stressors lead to disproportionate physiological wear and tear on physical and mental health at rates that can accelerate overall decline at a younger age and faster rate among Black individuals. Due to a history of discriminatory policies, Black Americans are less likely to own homes and are more vulnerable to housing instability.

Redlining practices in the 1950s forced Black communities in cities like Chicago into housing projects, areas now often marked by socioeconomic disparities, gun violence, and high homicide rates. For residents in places like Parkway Gardens, this environment has contributed to significantly lower life expectancies compared to other areas.

The findings follow research that shows how before the pandemic, the average life expectancy was 79 years for white Americans and 75 years for Black Americans. However, by 2022, Time Magazine reported that life expectancy had dropped to 71 years for Black Americans and 77 years for white Americans.

Hector Arolas, professor at the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, has studied the narrowing of mortality rates in the Black population leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to rising violence rates. He cited how during the pandemic, deaths from gun violence surged in the Black community, which widened the pre-existing life expectancy gap.

Arolas emphasized that meaningful change requires policies that specifically address disadvantaged groups and target the root causes of disproportionately high mortality rates. He noted that addressing these issues is crucial to lowering the life expectancy gap between Black and white populations.

by Daniel Johnson

November 10, 2024

Coco Gauff Aces Historic Season With WTA Finals Title, And $4.8M Prize

The 20-year-old superstar did it the hard way.

Coco Gauff, 20, won the Riyadh Open in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 9, and she did it the hard way, becoming the youngest player to beat the current number-one and number-two players in the world in a Women’s Tennis Association Finals since Kim Clijsters in 2002.

According to CNN, Gauff defeated Chinese player Zheng Qinwen in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 to win the tournament. Her reward: $4.8 million, the biggest in WTA history.

Gauff, 20, became the youngest player since Maria Sharapova in 2004, to win the tournament reserved for the world’s best players.

Earlier in the tournament, Gauff dispatched Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek, the world’s number-one and number-two players, respectively, en route to claiming the championship.

“I asked (about the record) as soon as I got the match,” Gauff said. “I asked: ‘Was this the youngest? It has to be some kind of record.’ I asked the Sky team, what was the answer. They didn’t have it, but that’s good to know.”

Gauff concluded, “It was 2004. The year I was born was the last time, so in my lifetime, basically, I’ve never seen it. That’s pretty cool. It just shows age is a number both ways, old and young.”

The WTA has, however, faced criticism for assisting Saudi Arabia in its quest to launder its international reputation through lavish sporting events.

According to The Athletic, the WTA’s event, the first event to be held in Saudi Arabia, is out of step in a country that has a documented history of restricting the freedom of women.

Gauff was the only player to voice her reservations about hosting the tournament in Saudi Arabia, telling the media that she was trusting what people who lived in the kingdom were telling her.

“If I felt uncomfortable or felt like nothing’s happening, then maybe I probably wouldn’t come back,” she said.

Cleveland Council, Tanisha's Law, Mental Health Crises, police

by Daniel Johnson

November 10, 2024

Cleveland Council Proposes ‘Tanisha’s Law’ To Reform Police Response To Mental Health Crises After 2014 Death In Custody

Tanisha Anderson, a 37-year-old woman who struggled with mental illness, died while in police custody.

Three of Cleveland’s city council members recently made an argument in a city council meeting that instead of having armed police officers conduct wellness checks, as they are not trained mental health specialists, unarmed behavioral health clinicians should go on those checks instead.

According to Cleveland.com, the council members proposed the measure on Nov. 4, called Tanisha’s Law, after 37-year-old Tanisha Anderson, a Cleveland woman who struggled with mental illness and died while in police custody in 2014.

The measure was largely due to the efforts of Anderson’s uncle, Michael Anderson, who collaborated with Case Western University Law students to create the proposal that was put forth during the meeting by Stephanie Howse-Jones, Rebecca Maurer, and Charles Silfe.

Tanisha’s nephew, Jacob Johnson, said at a press conference on the university’s campus on Nov. 7, that the law has the potential to keep others from what he and his family have dealt with since his aunt died.

Johnson was present with Anderson on the night she died in the custody of the Cleveland Police Department.

“This will mean that no other family will have to endure what we’ve endured, not just based on what happened that night, but having to go through life without her — having to go through life without that beautiful mother, that beautiful aunt, that beautiful daughter, that beautiful sister. We just don’t want for any other family to endure what we’ve had to,” Johnson remarked.

Although the law still has to be passed by the Cleveland City Council and signed by Mayor Justin Bibb, the law has the potential to fundamentally change how law enforcement approaches mentally ill or disturbed individuals.

The law advocates for police to use two kinds of limited or non-police responses: one model, the co-responder model, allows for police to initially respond to the call before calling in a behavioral health specialist, somewhat similar to an officer calling for backup.

The other model, a care-response model, completely removes police from the equation, instead directly sending in teams of clinicians, with the caveat that these would be situations in which no harm to the individual or the larger public is presented.

The latter model has Bibb’s tacit support, but Howse-Jones indicated that these options need to become a formal part of the city’s laws to be effective.

“When you have it in the law, we can ensure that it gets funded,” Howse-Jones told the outlet. “If it’s not on paper, it is not real.”

The Cleveland Police Department is currently subject to a consent decree, which was imposed on it by the Department of Justice in the wake of Tanisha Anderson’s death in 2015. Part of the agreement required them to improve their response to reported mental health crises.

Their agreement will end at some point, at which point the department will have to police itself, which is one reason the councilors aren’t rushing to get the law passed.

They indicated to Cleveland.com that they want to ensure the law, if approved, will be implemented in the best interests of Cleveland’s most vulnerable citizens.

Yannina Sharpley-Travis, one of the law students who helped write the proposal, succinctly summarized the necessity of a carefully implemented law at the press conference: “The city’s commitment to adopting these measures would go a long way in reducing and preventing the harm that our community members in crisis face when intervention is needed.”

Tuskegee University, homecoming, shooting

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 10, 2024

Shooting At Tuskegee University’s Homecoming Leaves One Dead And Multiple Injured

Tuskegee officials did not disclose how many suffered injuries from the incident.

One person has died after a shooting occurred on the last day of Tuskegee University’s homecoming festivities. Several people were also injured during the incident at the HBCU.

According to CNN, the deceased person was not a student at the Alabama-based HBCU. However, some of the injured victims did attend the school. Shortly after the shooting occurred in the early morning of Nov. 10, the university confirmed they were transported to two local hospitals. Tuskegee officials did not disclose how many suffered injuries from the incident.

“Several others, including Tuskegee University students, were injured and are receiving treatment at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery,” stated the institution in a news release obtained by the news outlet. “The university is in the process of completing student accountability and notifying parents. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.”

Many traveled to Tuskegee to take part in its 100th homecoming week. As the celebration on Saturday night went into the next morning, gunfire sparked in the crowd. Videos spread across social media of attendees ducking for cover. The Tuskegee Police Chief told AL.com that one female student took a bullet in the stomach, and a male student was shot in the arm.

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. While the Alabama Bureau of Investigation continues its investigation, no arrests have been made as of yet.

However, this is not the sole instance of gun violence taking place during an HBCU’s homecoming. Albany State University, an HBCU in southwest Georgia, also had a shootout occur amid its celebration concert in October. The incident left one person dead as well. Before this, another shooting happened near Tennessee State University, where three people were killed after its homecoming events.

As HBCUs continue to deal with the increase in gun violence, many remain concerned about the safety of students and attendees as they honor their school’s history.

Deaf Man, Cerebral Palsy, Sues, Phoenix Police, Brutal Beating

by Daniel Johnson

November 10, 2024

DOJ Sues Mississippi State Senate For Allegedly Paying Black Staffer Half The Salary Of White Colleagues

The lawsuit alleges that the Mississippi State Senate paid Kristie Metcalfe half the rate of her white co-workers.

On Nov. 8, the Department of Justice announced that it was suing the Mississippi State Senate for discrimination against a former Black staff attorney who had worked in its Legislative Services Office (LSO).

According to the press release, the lawsuit alleges that the Senate paid Kristie Metcalfe half the rate of her white co-workers, which is a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Per Assistant Attorney General Kirsten Clarke, “Discriminatory employment practices, like paying a Black employee less than their white colleagues for the same work, are not only unfair, they are unlawful,” Clarke said.

Clarke continued, “The Black employee at issue in this lawsuit was paid about half the salary of her white colleagues in violation of federal law. This lawsuit makes clear that race-based pay discrimination will not be tolerated in our economy. Our work to eliminate race-based pay disparities is about promoting compliance with the law and promoting equity and fairness for all workers.”

According to the Justice Department, Metcalfe was paid significantly less than every other attorney employed by the LSO, with the only difference between them being that she was Black and her co-workers were white.

Additionally, the press release notes that in the previous 34 years before Metcalfe was hired, the LSO only employed white attorneys in its office.

Per court documents, “Defendant (the Senate) paid Jeff Rosamond and Caryn Quilter $95,550 each, Larry Richardson $113,322, Bubba Neely $114,768, and Bob Davidson $121,800,” the complaint reads. “Defendant’s starting salary for Metcalfe was thus less than 60% of what it paid the next closest white attorneys even though the work Metcalfe was being hired to do was substantially the same as that of her white colleagues.”

According to The Hill, Metcalfe started working in the office at a well-below-market rate of $55,000, which was significantly less than the white attorneys’ and the lowest starting salary at the Senate in 15 years.

Compounding this, the other attorneys in the office would receive raises in January 2012, but Metcalfe received none, and adding additional insult to injury, a new employee with no previous experience was later hired and given a salary of $101,500, approximately $24,000 more than what Metcalfe was making at the time the employee was hired.

According to the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger, Metcalfe complained to the Senate and demanded a raise but was denied and left the Senate shortly after in 2019.

The Department of Justice is arguing that the Senate’s discrimination against the plaintiff caused her unlawful emotional and financial damages. The lawsuit seeks for the Senate to adopt policies that would preclude this from happening again, as well as back pay for Metcalfe and compensation for the damages she has suffered.

The Clarion-Ledger attempted to reach Mississippi’s Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann’s offices, but neither responded to their requests for comment about the lawsuit.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 10, 2024

Beyoncé Leads The Pack For 2025 Grammy Nominations

She bested her own record number for nominations with this year's recognition, beating out her 10 nominations received in 2009.

The 2025 Grammy nominations have just dropped. Beyoncé leads with 11 nods for her latest album, “Cowboy Carter.”

The nominations were revealed on Nov. 8, with many artists, primarily women, occupying the top spots. However, the selections also made history for Beyoncé, according to Variety. She bested her own record for nominations with this year’s recognition, beating out her 10 nominations received in 2009.

Her 2024 project scored nominations in three of the Grammy’s top general categories. Not only did “Cowboy Carter” get an Album Of The Year nod, but its track “Texas Hold ‘Em” secured spots in Record, Song, and Country Song Of The Year.

As for the album’s country roots, the Recording Academy also recognized its place in that genre. It also earned a spot in the Country Album Of The Year category and all the distinctly country categories. Her other lead single, “16 Carriages,” is up for Best Country Solo Performance, with her duet with Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted,” also in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

Many fans in the Beyhive also hope Beyoncé will win the Album of the Year award. While nominated four times before, the most coveted award has evaded the superstar. These repeated snubs have led to criticism of the Grammys, citing the lack of Black artists taking home the top category. The last time a Black musician won the award was Lauryn Hill for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1999.

However, Beyoncé is still making history with her vast nominations. With 99 total nods, she has officially become the most nominated artist in Grammy history. As for this upcoming ceremony, Kendrick Lamar is following her lead with seven nominations himself. Lamar’s hit single “Not Like Us” is also up for Record and Song Of The Year.

While the official ceremony takes place in February, many will be watching Queen Bey to see if she can break her next record.

Dancer, Judith Jamison, Artistic Director. Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Dies

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 10, 2024

Acclaimed Dancer Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Of Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Dies At 81

A spokesperson revealed the dance trailblazer died from a brief illness.

Judith Jamison, acclaimed trailblazer and artistic director for the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, has died at 81. A spokesperson revealed she died from a brief illness.

Born in 1943, Jamison discovered her love of dance during her childhood in Philadelphia. Although ballet was a rare profession for Black people during this time, she studied the art at the Judimar School of Dance. She trained there throughout her school-age years before attending the Philadelphia Dance Academy.

Her skills earned her an invitation to dance with the American Ballet Theatre in New York. In the city, she met Alvin Ailey, who offered her a spot in his company after seeing her audition for another show.

Jamison premiered her first show with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in 1965, joining the company again when it re-formed two years later. Throughout her 13-year tenure dancing for Ailey, she toured across the U.S., eventually performing her signature solo, Cry, choreographed by Ailey himself as a tribute to Black women.

“She was a unique, spectacular dancer who was majestic and queenly. She danced with eloquence and integrity,” shared Sylvia Waters, Ailey II Artistic Director Emerita, on Jamison following the news of her death, as reported by ABC7. “To dance with her and to be in her sphere of energy was mesmerizing. I was fortunate to perform with her and she set the bar very, very high.”

Jamison ventured on to teach master dance classes and other projects. However, upon Ailey’s death in 1989, Jamison took on the role of artistic director for the company. During her leadership, she brought back classic performances and launched a 50-city global tour for the company’s 50th anniversary.

She also established Ailey’s permanent home in 2005, opening the Joan Weill Center for Dance in New York City. Jamison’s lifetime of dedication to the performing arts broke barriers for Black dancers. Moreover, she lent her hand to the achievement and continuation of the historic Black theater.

Upon the news of her passing, the dance company released a statement, calling her an “incredible light” in the industry.

“We remember and are grateful for her artistry, humanity, and incredible light, which inspired us all.”

RELATED CONTENT: Backtalk with Judith Jamison

Black Church Studies, Duke University's Divinity School, Endowment Gift

by Daniel Johnson

November 10, 2024

Black Church Studies At Duke University’s Divinity School Gets A $5M Boost From Endowment Gift

Edgardo Colon-Emeric, the Dean of the Duke Divinity School, believes the gift will allow for the school to continue to lead in the area of Black theological studies.

Duke University’s Office of Black Church Studies announced a $5 million gift from the Duke Endowment on Oct. 3 to recruit and support a senior faculty member in the university’s Divinity School.

According to the Duke Chronicle, the gift establishes the Joseph B. Bethea Professorship. It will support the faculty members the university hires as they do research and theological fieldwork.

According to the press release, Edgardo Colon-Emeric, the Dean of Duke Divinity School, believes the gift will allow the school to continue to lead in Black theological studies.

“The Black church knows social justice; it knows music; it knows preaching,” Colon-Emeric said. “This award from The Duke Endowment will allow the Office of Black Church Studies to elevate its nationally prominent role as a leader in the study of Black church theological and spiritual study.”

Duke University’s President Vincent E. Price echoed Colon-Emeric’s sentiments in his statement.

“The Office of Black Church studies has played a significant role in Duke’s proud history of nurturing spiritual leaders,” Price said. “This award from The Duke Endowment is an affirmation of the importance of scholarship and other academic engagement related to the Black church and will further solidify Duke Divinity School’s leadership in the field of Black church studies.”

According to Quentin Dixie, the associate research professor of the history of Christianity in the United States, the move benefits the university’s students.

“Whenever Duke has an opportunity to attract someone at a senior level who has established themselves, I think it has a tremendous impact on the student population because now it’s another person of a high caliber to whom the students are exposed,” Dixie told the Duke Chronicle. “Having someone of note also helps attract top graduate students who come to work with these individuals.”

Indeed, students like Justice Hill, a third-year master in divinity student, and Madison Daniel III, a fourth-year student in the dual master of divinity and master of public policy programs, echoed the comments from faculty and administration.

“Black theology is something that should be studied and should be celebrated,” Hill told the outlet. “…And this grant, I think, is just kind of a growing seed from that momentum that we had coming out of the 50th-year celebration of the Office of Black Church Studies.”

Hill added that the program offers remarkable flexibility for its students, making sure they “essentially get the best of both worlds” because “[students] are molded as pastors and preachers, but … also formed as scholars and theologians.”

Daniel III, meanwhile, emphasized his happiness that Duke was looking to invest in the Black church.

“Duke Endowment sees the need to reimagine and invest in a revamping and recommitment to the Black church,” Daniel III noted.