Trump, election, Vanity Fair, cover
by Daniel Johnson

November 6, 2024

Opinion: Trump Won Despite Running A Divisive Campaign–Here’s How

Trump’s 2024 campaign will be remembered as the most racist, sexist, and xenophobic campaign in modern American history

On Nov. 5, Donald Trump became the first president since Grover Cleveland to win a re-election campaign after previously losing, and he did so despite running the most openly racist, sexist, and xenophobic campaign in modern American history.

According to the BBC, Trump’s win also makes him the first convicted felon to occupy the Oval Office, and despite a campaign that leaned heavily into fascism and authoritarian tendencies, voters thought his message on the economy made him the better choice.

Another plank of Trump’s platform that resonated with voters that the outlet talked to was immigration, although they were unlikely to espouse racist views, they did say they wanted a more secure border.

Americans, it seems, did not care that the people who were closest to Trump issued dire warnings about him, calling him a liar, a fascist, and unfit for the office, and cautioned that if he insulates himself with loyalists, his most extreme ideas will become a reality.

According to The New Yorker, “In the end, Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric about invading immigrant hordes, his macho posturing against a female opponent, and his promise to boost an inflation-battered U.S. economy simply resonated more than all the lectures about his many deficiencies as a person and a would-be President.”

Over 74 million Americans voted for Trump, and the question of whether or not outgoing President Joe Biden stayed in the race too long will linger over the outcome of this election.

Despite Vice President Harris’ sparkling debate performance and a swell of optimism following her announcement to run, the race became a deadlock yet again.

Trump’s campaign, the outlet notes, will be remembered by history as the most racist, sexist, and xenophobic campaign in modern American history. And none of that mattered in the end.

The economy voters claimed to be concerned about will likely be made worse by his plans to introduce tariffs on goods made in other countries and to deport immigrants, according to independent economic experts, but none of that mattered either.

According to Vox, Trump was able to get rural voters in Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, and North Carolina as well as other states to increase their support in 2024, those voters were key to his victory in 2016.

Working in concert with this, voters in some suburban areas in swing states shifted away from Democrats, toward the Republican Party.

Also, the increased support of Trump from Latinx Americans nationally will be a hot topic of discussion as far as who helped Trump win during the 2024 election.

In addition to this, Harris was in a difficult spot as the sitting vice president of an unpopular president, voters were not pleased with Biden’s handling of the economy, immigration, or foreign policy, notably the approach to the Israeli shelling of Gaza which also fractured Democrats.

Harris tried to play the middle ground with her electoral strategy, not fundamentally presenting enough change to voters from the sitting president.

This happened in part because she did not want to pick fights with the party’s left wing, but Harris also distanced herself from more left-wing policies she endorsed in 2019 and did not offer any actual change of course on the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

According to Vox, Trump has made no secret of his admiration for leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orban, and that country may well be the blueprint for what a Trump Administration wants to achieve with its newest grasp for power.

However, as Zack Beauchamp writes in Vox, what happens during Trump’s next term in office will largely depend on how much the American people are willing to fight, to resist.

“Trump has won the presidency, which gives him a tremendous amount of power to make his antidemocratic dreams into reality. But it is not unlimited power, and there are robust means of resistance. The fate of the American republic will depend on how willing Americans are to take up the fight.”

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AARON JONES, PACKERS, DOLPHINS, PURCHASE
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 6, 2024

Minnesota Vikings’ Aaron Jones Performs Honorific Ritual For Rookie Who Died In Car Accident

NFL rookie Khyree Jackson died in a July car accident.

In July, NFL rookie Khyree Jackson, who the Minnesota Vikings drafted in 2024, was killed in a car accident in Maryland, where he grew up.

He never played a game, but his impact has been felt all season.

According to People, after Jackson’s death, the Vikings announced that during the season, the rookie’s locker would not be occupied, and they would not be using his jersey number, 31, to pay tribute to him. While being interviewed by NBC after the Vikings’ Nov. 3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, teammate Aaron Jones mentioned how he honors Jackson.

“I normally put flowers in Kyrie Jackson’s locker, so I walk by and see the flowers. I’m the only one in there, and I just had a moment with him. Told him tonight was for him.”

He also mentioned that he saws Jackson’s parents at the game and told them that he gives flowers each week.

The 24-year-old Jackson never got to play a regular NFL season game after being selected by the Vikings with the 108th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

People reported that the NFL team paid Jackson’s estate the remainder of the rookie’s $827,000 signing bonus and gave $20,000 for his funeral expenses.

Throughout the season, players for the Vikings have worn helmet decals with the initials “KJ” while team staff members have donned special pins, according to Sports Illustrated. The media outlet also reported that special stenciling was added to the Vikings practice fields in honor of Jackson.

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Shomari Figures, Alabama, wins
by Daniel Johnson

November 6, 2024

Shomari Figures Becomes 4th Black Alabama Representative Since Reconstruction

Joining Figures in the House as Alabama Representatives is Democrat Terri Sewell, giving Alabama two Black representatives for the first time in its history

Shomari Figures, an ex-Obama and Biden administration aide in the Justice Department, won his race for Alabama’s Second District seat on Nov. 5, becoming only the fourth Black representative from Alabama since Reconstruction.

According to Al.com, Figures won 54% of the votes to Republican Caroleene Dobson’s 45% as of 10:30 p.m. on Nov 5, which led his opponent to concede the race.

At 11:00 p.m., The Associated Press called Figures the official winner of the election.

District 2 was ordered to be redrawn after the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision determined that the district’s current layout potentially violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, resulting in a map that was not conducive to the will of Black voters.

Joining Figures in the House as Alabama Representatives is Democrat Terri Sewell, whose 7th District win gives Alabama two Black representatives for the first time in its history.

In his victory address to his supporters, Figures reflected on his family’s political history and the strength of his mother and thanked his opponent for running a strong, competitive race.

“This journey that we are on now, this is the beginning of the work,” Figures said. “Today is great. We are grateful that we have the opportunity to sit here today and be elected and be put into a position to go do the work. But now we got to do the work.”

Figures continued, thanking his mother, longtime Alabama State Sen. Vivian Figures, “We wouldn’t be here without you,” Figures told his mother. “There is no way we would be here without you and no way I’ll continue this speech without you here on this stage. We made no secret of the fact that a large reason we were able to get into this race and think we would be competitive is (because of) the legacy laid down before I was even born.”

Figures concluded his discussion of his family’s political legacy, “My father died in ‘96, and my mother did more than just keep that legacy going. She raised three of us, as we came of age, and we were 14 and 11 and 7 at the time my father died. She kept it going in more ways than one.”

Figures’ father was Michael Figures, the first Black person to serve as president pro tem of the Alabama State Senate.

His son, Shomari, became the first Black representative from Mobile in the state’s history, which the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Suzan DelBene, alluded to in a statement released following Figures’ win.

“Tonight, the voters of Alabama’s newly redrawn Second Congressional District elected Shomari Figures to usher a new era of representation from Mobile to Montgomery. In Congress, Shomari will champion the issues that matter most to everyday Alabamians like making life more affordable, preventing gun violence, and expanding access to rural healthcare,” DelBene explained. “I look forward to working with Shomari to push back against Republican extremism and get big things done for the American people.”

Figures also discussed what he would like to see Alabama accomplish in the area of rural healthcare.

“I spent a lot of time on the campaign (talking about) healthcare access. We literally live the shortest lives than any other state in the United States of America with the exception of two states, and I know we can all guess one. Mississippi and West Virginia and they have us beat by only a few weeks. We can fix that by expanding Medicaid in Alabama.”

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Fani Willis, reelection
by Kandiss Edwards

November 6, 2024

Fani Willis Re-Elected To Atlanta’s Fulton County District Attorney’s Office

Willis will serve another four years as Fulton County District Attorney.

Fulton County (GA) District Attorney Fani Willis was easily reelected to a second term Tuesday, defeating Republican Courtney Kramer with 69 percent of the vote, Newsweek reports.

The victory was declared shortly after Georgia polls closed on Nov. 5.

Though Willis’ run appeared in jeopardy due to her decision to prosecute Donald Trump for Georgia election interference, she prevailed. During her bid for reelection, Kramer highlighted what she deemed unethical practices and a lack of professionalism in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. 

“As a lawyer myself, it’s disgusting to see her not follow her rules of professional conduct or take her oath of office seriously,” Kramer told Real America’s Voice in March. “It’s a disgrace to the legal community.”

While Kramer believes Willis’s tenure is a disgrace, Georgia’s electorate and political fundraisers disagree. Willis secured $2.5 million toward her reelection while Kramer raised only $278,000. 

Black social media users were seemingly split over Willis’ reelection. 

https://twitter.com/jacquelynehowa7/status/1853989722080604609?s=46

Other social media users hold the same concerns as Willis’s defeated opponent. 

The ongoing RICO trial of rapper Young Thug and the alleged YSL gang is also a sticking point for Willis’ detractors.

Willis has had to deal with more than online criticism of her work. On Oct. 30,  Arthur Ray Hanson ll, was sentenced to 9 months in federal prison and 2 years of supervised release for threats against the district attorney. 

Hanson’s voice messages insinuated that Willis was unsafe as a result of the Trump indictment. 

“When you charge Trump on that fourth indictment, any time you’re alone, be looking over your shoulder.”

Those that are not fans of Willis will have to deal with her for another term, including supporters of Donald Trump, who was elected president again on Tuesday. 

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Georgia Prosecutors Move Forward With YSL Trial After Young Thug’s Sentence and Guilty Plea
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 6, 2024

Georgia Prosecutors Move Forward With YSL Trial After Young Thug’s Sentence and Guilty Plea

The remaining two co-defendants in Georgia's YSL Rico trial will have their fate determined.

Now that Young Thug has been sentenced after his guilty plea, Georgia’s district attorney’s office is moving forward with the remaining 14 defendants in the state’s longest-running trial.

Fulton County’s Young Slime Life racketeering trial resumed Monday with the two remaining co-defendants, Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

The RICO case took a new turn after four defendants, including rapper Young Thug (Jeffrey Williams), accepted plea deals last week and are no longer involved in the trial.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker instructed the jury to disregard the absence of the co-defendants who recently took plea deals and not to speculate about why they were no longer involved in the high-profile case.

“The prosecution of those co-defendants is no longer a part of this trial,” Whitaker said, noting how the jurors needed to base their verdict solely on the evidence presented and make individual determinations for each defendant.

Last week, Young Thug was sentenced to 40 years, with the first five years to be served in prison, but commuted to time served. He will then serve 15 years on probation, with the first half requiring him to report to a probation officer. If he fails to comply with his probation, he faces an additional 20 years in prison.

The sentence followed the rapper pleading guilty to gang, drug, and gun charges.

“I want to say sorry to my family, my mom…my mom’s got 11 kids..” Young Thug said. “My managers…everybody that’s got anything to do with this situation, I’d like to say sorry.”

As part of his plea deal, the “Lifestyle” rapper is required to leave the metro Atlanta area and is prevented from returning for the first 10 years of his probation, with exceptions for weddings, funerals, graduations, or the serious illness of family members.

Additionally, Young Thug must conduct four annual live anti-gang and anti-gun violence presentations at schools in metro Atlanta or community organizations that work with children.

Along with Young Thug, three other co-defendants reached plea deals for their charges, including Rodalius Ryan, known as Lil Rod, Marquavius Huey, known as Qua, and Quamarvious Nichols. Before the trial began, Gunna (real name Sergio Giavanni Kitchens) pleaded guilty to a charge as part of a deal that allowed him to avoid additional time in custody.

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NYCHA
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 6, 2024

New York City Agency Being Sued For Not Disclosing Hazards In NYCHA Apartments

Three New York City residents have filed a lawsuit against the housing development for not disclosing violations

Three people residing in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments have filed a lawsuit against the housing development for not disclosing violations associated with the units.

According to the Gothamist, the residents claim that the agency does not publicly list violations for conditions harmful to tenants, such as rat infestations, mold blooms, and lead paint, in an online database. A 2022 state law requires that the agency disclose that information.

The complaint, filed on Oct. 30, accuses Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrión of ignoring a 2022 state law requiring transparency about the conditions in the 177,000 public housing apartments, which can be seen on an online database (HPD Online).

One of the litigants who filed the lawsuit, Stewart Gracia, who lives in Jacob Riis Houses in Lower Manhattan, stated that due to the agency failing to report the violations, he and his neighbors are being deprived of using a vital resource that could help them make decisions about moving into a new apartment or challenging their landlord in court.

The lawsuit states that people who go online to use the site to find out information about a public housing apartment are typically met with a message saying, “This property is under the jurisdiction of the New York City Housing Authority” or “buildingIsNYCHA.” It’s alleged that employees who conduct inspections inside housing are explicitly told not to enter the pertinent information into HPD’s online portal.

“Certain things need to be more transparent and easily accessible,” Gracia said. “People [would] like to investigate before they move.”

A spokesperson for the HPD, Ilana Maier, said she could not comment but said that the agency is “working to further strengthen transparency.”

“We are reviewing the suit and — most importantly — want to reassure New Yorkers that our top priority is keeping them safe in their homes,” Maier said in a written statement.

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Dr. Paul Stephenson, civil rights, Britain
by Daniel Johnson

November 6, 2024

Dr. Paul Stephenson, British Civil Rights Leader, Dies At 87

Stephenson's story needs to be told more widely because of the transformative nature of what he helped make possible.

Dr. Paul Stephenson, a civil rights activist and a British contemporary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., died on Nov. 2 at the age of 87 after a battle against Parkinson’s Disease.

According to the BBC, Stephenson organized a 1963 bus boycott in Bristol, which convinced the city to overturn an edict banning Black people and other ethnic minorities from working in Bristol’s transportation department.

That boycott was a key event during the country’s Civil Rights struggle, whose capstone moment was the passing of the country’s first Race Relations Act in 1965.

https://twitter.com/CalvinBailey/status/1853763008708632757?s=19

In their statement regarding his death, his family described Stephenson as a pioneer in the civil rights movement.

“It is with a heavy heart that the Stephenson family share the passing of our beloved father, Dr Paul Stephenson, a true pioneer in the civil rights movement,” the family’s statement read.

The family continued, “He left this world on the evening of Nov. 2, 2024, after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, which he faced with the same unwavering determination that defined his life. We have been immensely fortunate to witness first-hand the profound impact Dr. Paul Stephenson had on our community and our nation.”

Stephenson started on his path of fighting for equality when he became the first Black social worker employed by the City of Bristol. In that role, he rallied thousands of Black people in Bristol to stand up against the Bristol Omnibus Company’s rule against hiring Black and Asian drivers.

“Paul lived an incredible life. Not just for his friends and his family, but contributed to Bristol, the country and the world,” Bristol’s former mayor, Marvin Rees, told the BBC. “Most famously, Paul will be known for the leadership of the Bristol Bus Boycott. Less well known but incredibly significant is that that turned into legislation to protect people from racial discrimination.”

Rees continued, “His impact was not just around the buses. It was about what it led to in terms of creating a legal framework to protect black and brown people —and other people—from being discriminated against in everyday life.”

According to writer and historian Edson Burton, Stephenson’s story needs to be told more widely because of the transformative nature of what he helped make possible.

“By being able to put that stake in the ground. Our social attitudes have fallen in behind. No longer is it legal, but it’s also not part of British values and our legal framework to discriminate,” Burton told the BBC.

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Mark Robinson, abortion, North Carolina
by Sharelle Burt

November 6, 2024

North Carolina Celebrates as Mark Robinson Loses Governor Race To AG Josh Stein

Congratulations, Governor Stein!

North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson lost the governor race to Attorney General Josh Stein and residents couldn’t be happier, WBTV-3 reports. 

The race was one of the earliest called during the 2024 election night coverage.

While Robinson’s campaign officials were seemingly optimistic, with signs from early voting and internal polling stalled thoughts of defeat. However, the controversial politician, who based his campaign on Neo-Nazi, pro-slavery, and anti-abortion ideology, conceded shortly after 9 p.m.

“I’m not sad. I wanted this for the people of North Carolina, not for me. I wanted it for them,” Robinson said to a room of supporters. “I wanted to take their issues before the folks of NC and really have those issues addressed. Not for the purposes of climbing the political ladder but for the purposes of fighting for the people of the state that I love.”

“Historically, North Carolina is one of the hardest states in the nation to poll,” campaign advisor Matt Hurley said. “The polls have been historically wrong in this race, dramatically. Go back and look at Forest/Cooper in 2020, the polls were dramatically, dramatically wrong in that election as well.”

However, Robinson trailed Stein in double digits for weeks following the bombshell report of him having ties to pornographic websites, including one where he was seen labeling himself as a “Black Nazi.”

Social media celebrated Robinson’s defeat.

“After all that tap dancing and boot licking, Mark Robinson lost,” @mondycarrington wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Stein, who will be North Carolina’s first Jewish governor, will take over from popular Democratic governor Roy Cooper, who served two terms and was a favorite for a running mate selection for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.

Other social media users congratulated Cooper on a job well done and celebrated that he didn’t have to turn his seat over to Robinson. “I’ll miss Roy Cooper as governor, but I’m just happy that psycho Mark Robinson didn’t win,” @its_ashley_xoxo said. 

One of the biggest hot takes on the app was seeing how North Carolina presented a Democratic sweep in other elections outside of the presidential race as Donald Trump won the state.

John Pavlovitz, author of “If God is Love, Don’t Be a Jerk,” perhaps said it best.

According to NPR, Stein has strong ties to the Tar Heel state. Prior to serving as the state’s attorney general, he was in the state Senate. His father co-founded the state’s first integrated law firm.

Kai Cenat, Streamer, live, twitch, stream of consciousness
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 6, 2024

Kai Cenat To Donate 20% of 30-Day Nonstop Livestream Revenue To Fund School In Nigeria

Kai Cenat is hosting a nonstop livestream with plans to build a school in Nigeria.

Kai Cenat is hosting a 30-day nonstop livestream on Twitch to raise money to help build a school in Nigeria.

The popular Twitch streamer launched Mafiathon 2 subathon on November 1 where he remains on a live stream 24 hours a day for 30 days straight. As part of his mission, Cenat announced his plans to donate 20% of all money he makes to open a school in Mokoko, Nigeria.

“I visited Nigeria not too long ago, and I absolutely loved it…I say that to say this for the next 30 days while I’m streaming, 20% of all revenue will be going straight to the school that I am still currently building for the kids of Mokoko,” Cenat shared on Instagram via The Express Tribune.

Cenat shared his vision for the school, emphasizing a commitment to building a sustainable and well-resourced educational environment.

“We will be going out-of-pocket funding this entire project with a full staff, classrooms, uniforms, etc., 20% of November, starting tomorrow,” he explained.

To further engage his audience, Cenat shared layout designs for the school, highlighting that “the support over the next month will make a big difference! Thank you.”

Rapper Lil Uzi Vert made a special appearance on Day 1 of Mafiathon, spending $10,000 in support of Cenat’s mission to build a school in Nigeria.

“We gotta build the school,” Uzi said while a surprised Cenat counted off the thousands the rapper had just handed him.

Cenat showed the mockup of the school he plans to build and asked Uzi if he’d been to Nigeria. When Uzi revealed that he had yet to visit the West African country, Cenat encouraged the rapper to go.

Cenat earns millions as a leading streamer. Forbes ranks him 24th among top creators online, and his earnings reached $8.5 million this year.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go with you,” Uzi told Cenat, expressing his plans to visit Nigeria with the streamer to raise money for his new school.

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Prince, sister, Tyka Nelson
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 6, 2024

Prince’s Sister Tyka Nelson Dies At Age 64

Prince's only full sibling, Tyka Nelson, died Monday.

Tyka Nelson, the sister of the late music legend Prince, died Monday morning at age 64.

Her son, President Nelson, confirmed the death with The Minnesota Star- Tribune but didn’t reveal any details. Nelson passed months after she missed her retirement and farewell concert in June at the Dakota.

The musician, who released four albums between 1988 and 2011, was set to emcee the show and sing a couple of songs. But after falling ill, the concert went on without her.

“I’m getting older,” Nelson said ahead of the retirement show. “I really wasn’t a singer. I’m a writer. I just happen to be able to sing. I enjoy singing.”

Nelson, Prince’s only full sibling, shared her family’s passion for music, much like her brother and their parents, jazz singer Mattie Della Shaw Baker and musician John L. Nelson. Before missing her retirement concert, she had shared plans to write a memoir.

The singer hasn’t performed publicly since her last show in Australia in 2018. Twin Cities musician Paul Peterson worked with Nelson on the 2018 tour and said Nelson was shy about singing despite her natural talent.

“The girl could sing, no question about it,” he said Tuesday. “She didn’t get to do it often, so it was a little intimidating for her. She had a soulful and sweet voice. She was playful and cute, interested in doing things for herself and keeping Prince’s legacy alive.”

Peterson was set to be the music director for Nelson’s concert at the Dakota in June, but they only communicated by phone and never met in person. In August, however, she texted him, saying, “I can dance again.”

Her half-sister Sharon Nelson praised Tyka Nelson for her authenticity and individuality.

“She had her own mind. She’s in a better place,” Sharon Nelson said.

On the “Purple Rain” artist’s official IG page, his estate acknowledged Tyka’s death.

“It is with deep sadness and sympathy that we share in the news on the passing of Tyka Nelson. Tyka was a beloved mother and sister. She was also a singer, songwriter and widely known as one of Prince’s siblings. She shared much time with him during his life. They were raised together by their parents, Mattie and John L. Nelson. Tyka frequented Paisley Park and attended events and celebrations to support the Prince’s legacy. Tyka [traveled] around the world to thank fans for loving her brother. She loved them, and we’d like to thank them for loving her back. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with her sons, President and Sir, as well as her entire family during this time of loss. Rest in Peace,” Tyka.”

In addition to Sharon Nelson, Tyka and Prince, she had five half-siblings: Sharon, Norrine, and John Nelson (who died in 2021), Alfred Jackson (who died in 2019), and Omarr Baker. Tyka Nelson is survived by her sons, President and Sir, sisters Sharon and Norrine Nelson, and brother Omarr Baker.

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