Jason Lee, Politics
by Kandiss Edwards

November 8, 2024

‘Hollywood Unlocked’s’ Jason Lee Wins Bid For California City Council

Jason Lee, the CEO of Hollywood Unlocked, won his election for city council.

On Nov. 5, Jason Lee, celebrity blogger and reality television star, was elected to the Stockton, California City Council. Lee ran for the District 6 seat against opponent Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsly. 

Lee posted a celebratory message on Instagram thanking voters and reinforcing his commitment to bettering the Stockton community. 

“Deeply honored to have earned the support and trust of my neighbors, the voters of my hometown, and you.”

“Now I begin the work of creating safer and stronger communities, improving our quality of life and charting our next chapter,” he stated. 

The founder of Hollywood Unlocked, a social media platform dedicated to the latest celebrity gossip, spent the early years of his life in Stockton, according to The Stockton Record. He moved out of the city in his formative years and has since traveled the world. Still, Lee believes the city’s management is not doing a satisfactory job of taking care of the community. 

“Growing up in south Stockton, I just knew that my friends were there (and) my grandma was there. We had good times, and then we had funerals,” Lee said. “Unfortunately, until I left South Stockton and saw the world, I didn’t really understand how South Stockton has been disrespected for decades … not saying that there hasn’t been some work, but there hasn’t been enough.”

Lee says running for office reminds him of his life before entertainment. 

“Running for office took me back to my days of working for the Union, which I did for 11 years at SEIU. This is real purposeful work,” Lee states. “But being able to help people in my community where I grew up, where my family still lives, where I’ve moved back to, is where the heart is. It’s my passion.”

The newly-elected city councilman has shown he will not back down from pressure and is prepared to stand on business behind his beliefs. Recently, Lee went viral for clashing with music mogul Jay-Z. 

After the indictment of music executive Sean “P Diddy” Combs, Lee spoke of the power of Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s alleged misdeeds. 

The podcast host claims Jay-Z’s associates constantly contact him, and he will not be cowed by threats. 

“JAY-Z, I know you’re watching because you got people calling me Stop having people call me. You can call me yourself, you know how to get my number. You got people calling me. Call me yourself because this right here is gonna go viral,” Lee stated.

“I will tell you, to the audience, if I do come up missing, all the calls I’ve been getting have been about him,” he continued.

Congratulations to Lee on his new political journey.

RELATED CONTENT: Jason Lee Continues His Journey Into Politics By Hosting A Community Event With Floyd Mayweather 

Bernie Sanders
by Mitti Hicks

November 8, 2024

Bernie Sanders Says Democrats Have ‘Abandoned Working Class People’

Senator Bernie Sanders' statement against Democrats came one day after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.

Despite supporting Kamala Harris for president, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has come out with a damning statement against the Democratic Party.

“It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party, which has abandoned working-class people, would find that the working class has abandoned them,” Sanders said. “First, it was the white working class, and now it is Latino and Black workers as well.”

Sanders’ statement came one day after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, where he swept through crucial swing states.

CNN exit polls paint a grim picture for Democrats, showing that Vice President Harris lost the popular vote by nearly 5 million votes. While a majority of Black voters, both men and women, voted for Harris, she lost ground with Latino voters. Trump gained 14 points among Latinos, while Harris won the segment by only 6 points.

President Joe Biden won the Latino vote by 33 points in 2020. The election was brutal for Democrats, who lost Senate seats in West Virginia, Montana, and Ohio.

In his statement, Sanders said, “While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change.”

According to Sanders, while the rich are doing phenomenally well, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and there’s more income and wealth inequality than ever before.

“Today, despite an explosion in technology and worker productivity, many young people will have a worse standard of living than their parents, and many worry that artificial intelligence and robotics will make a bad situation even worse,” Sanders continued.

He also cited the high cost of health care and U.S. support for the war in Gaza as reasons for Democrats losing ground with Americans. 

“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn real lessons from this disastrous campaign? Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing?” he said. “Do they have any ideas as to how we can take on the increasingly powerful oligarchy which has so much economic and political power? Probably not.”

RELATED CONTENT: The U.S. Dollar Takes A Dip On Election Day


Dez Bryant’s Troubled Family History Resurfaces After Anti-Pro-Choice Remarks
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 8, 2024

Dez Bryant’s Troubled Family History Resurfaces After Anti-Pro-Choice Remarks

The former Dallas Cowboys star got into a series of heated exchanges on X.

Former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant is coming under fire after he responded to a woman on X who encouraged other women “to close off your wombs to males” following Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

“This election proves now more than ever that they hate us and hate us proudly. Do not reward them,” the X user said.

On Wednesday, Bryant fired back.

“If some of you women protected your womb from the jump, you wouldn’t need to say stupid sh*t like this,” he wrote.

In a series of other tweets, Bryant claimed that he wasn’t attacking women or policing their bodies. He was only responding to the one woman’s generalized statement.

However, many critics began to bring up his past, which includes being conceived by his mom at 15 and dad, who was 40 and dating his grandmother at the time.

“Your grandmother’s 40-year-old boyfriend committed statutory rape and impregnated your mother when she was 14 years old,” one user tweeted in a response captured by The Neighborhood Talk. “Your mother had 3 of his kids by the time she was 18 and had to resort to selling drugs to take care of you and your siblings. If anybody should be pro-choice, it’s you.”

Bryant responded to one critic who referred to his late father, MacArthur Hatton, as a “pedophile,” and shared the forgiveness he had given his father despite their scarred relationship.

“May God rest my [dad’s] soul, and I forgave him just like I forgave my Mama. I’m a living testimony…I don’t run or hide…I can stand tall and talk about my upbringings because it made me who I am today…,” he wrote.

He responded to another user who cited his 2012 arrest for assaulting his mother, Angela Bryant, at her home following an argument where she asked him to leave. According to a police report, Bryant grabbed his mother by her T-shirt and hair and “hit her across the face with his ball cap.”

She also told the 911 operator that it wasn’t the first time her son had assaulted her.

However, while referencing the incident on X on Wednesday, Bryant shrugged off the incident.

“I really don’t get bothered whenever I hear this because I’m comfortable with the truth…” he wrote. “You claim I don’t support women. You said I hit Mama…You don’t even know me to make these kind of assumptions. I wonder who told you that. The media told you that..”

On Thursday, Bryant hinted at plans to launch a podcast, where he looks forward to debating others and sharing his perspectives on everyday life.

RELATED CONTENT: Rep. Ayanna Pressley Praises Biden-Harris Administration For Student Debt Relief For Struggling Borrowers

Bible, Trump, Oklahoma, IVF
by Sharelle Burt

November 8, 2024

Speculation Begins Around Allies Who Will Join Second Trump Administration 

Who do you think will make the cut?

The Trump-Vance campaign team has already started working on ideas for who would be a good fit for its administration’s cabinet starting in January 2025, with some allies eyeing top spots, Politico reports.

While celebrating victory in West Palm Beach, Florida, sources say the team was busy identifying who may make the cut 12 hours after polls closed on Nov. 5. Advisers clarified that Trump’s priorities of executive orders on border security, oil drilling, and more will begin soon. Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, already announced the launch of  “the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris has allowed into this country” on Day 1 of his term. 

As Republicans eye the possibility of complete control of Congress, senior adviser Jason Miller says the opportunity for new ideas from allies is there. “There’s a chance to show there are some ideas, a lot of policy areas where we should be able to agree,” Miller said.  

But first, the Trump-Vance team needs to vet candidates that will push his “America First” agenda as soon as he re-enters the Oval Office. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vaccine critic and failed presidential candidate who joined the Trump transition team, is speculated to be a key component of healthcare under the new Trump reign. So far, he has suggested taking fluoride out of drinking water. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is another failed presidential hopeful looking for a cabinet spot. The legislator said he hasn’t ruled the possibility out but has yet to converse with the team. The Sunshine State’s Gov. Ron DeSantis has recommended state surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo as Health and Human Services Secretary.

According to CNN, some names for the Chief of Staff title have already circulated. Trump’s 2024 co-campaign manager, Susie Wiles, has had her name thrown in the ring as insiders claim she “makes him feel comfortable.” Russ Vought, former budget director and co-author of Project 2025, has also been recommended — if Trump embraces the controversial project’s pillars. Prominent executives like the CEO of the America First Policy Institute, Brooke Rollins, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, Elon Musk, are included on the list of potential cabinet members. 

Names of Black allies like Florida congressman Byron Donalds, who won his re-election bid for the state’s 19th District, haven’t been named yet. Still, MAGA extremists like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have been recommended for an appointment. During an interview with Steve Bannon, who was recently released from prison, Bannon suggested the Georgia congresswoman should take on the role of Homeland Security secretary. 

Taylor Greene did not probe too deeply into the narrative but did not fully dismiss the idea. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Steve,” she said. 

“We’re just thrilled to have President Trump back in the White House because everyone knows what that means.”

Plies, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Brag, president, vice president
by Jameelah Mullen

November 8, 2024

Plies Shared His Thoughts About The Presidential Election, ‘Character No Longer Matters’ 

The rapper urged Harris supporters to stand on business.

Rapper Plies was not pleased when he learned that convicted felon Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the presidential race on Wednesday morning. The rapper did not mince words when he hopped on Instagram to address his fans. The Florida native said he had expected a different outcome for this election and implied that many of his fellow Americans prefer “dark and divisiveness” over a Kamala Harris presidency.

The “Shawty” rapper, who was noticeably more subdued than usual, first offered comforting words to his fans. 

“If I could hug each and every one of y’all who needed a hug right now… and let you put your head on my shoulder and let you get off what you need to get off, God knows I would.” 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Plies (@plies)

He then encouraged his followers to stand firm in their political ideologies. 

“Just because the person that you thought should have won didn’t make it across the finish line, don’t, for a second, allow yourself to question your beliefs and what it is that you stand for.” 

Plies went on to criticize Trump supporters, including the majority of white women who voted for the felon who has threatened to take their reproductive rights away. 

“Character no longer matters,” the former college football star said. 

“ This whole notion of ‘America, this is not who we are,’ No, this is exactly who we are,” The Grammy nominee said in his Instagram video. 

Plies released a single, “Mrs 47,” which tells the story of his deceased grandmother, who the rapper says dreamed of a female president.

“Before she died, she looked at me and said, ‘Baby, I might not live to see it, but it’s gonna be a woman in that Whitehouse one day.” 
In recent months, the rapper has used his social media platforms to advocate for Harris. He has also called out fans who were overly critical of the vice president while overlooking Trump’s criminal history.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Plies (@plies)

On election day, the rapper posted videos encouraging his fans to vote. The Grammy nominee wore a black trucker hat titled “First Female President Of USA.” Online retailer King Circle created the limited edition hat, which comes in three styles and costs $39.99 to $79.99.

RELATED CONTENT: Exit Polls Reveal Increase In Black Vote For Trump In 2024 Election

trump, RNC, black vote, Baltimore, Black Trump supporters
by Mitti Hicks

November 8, 2024

2024 Election Results: Why Republicans Gained Momentum With Black Voters

When you break down Trump’s support where it mattered, like in battleground states, exit polls show he gained between 2% and 10% of the Black vote.

Now that the 2024 general election is (pretty much) behind us, exit polls show President-elect Donald Trump nearly doubled his support among Black voters.

While Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign targeted Black voters in battleground states in her race for the White House, Harris didn’t do as well as expected even though, if elected, she would have been the first Indian American, the first woman, and the second Black president. 

Most Black voters cast their ballots for Harris, which is no surprise. Black voters have predominantly voted for the Democratic party over the last few decades. According to CNN’s exit poll, Harris won 85% of the Black vote, a 2% decrease from 2020. President Joe Biden won 87% of Black voters.

According to the Associated Press’s exit poll, that decrease benefited Trump, who doubled his support from Black voters. In 2020, Trump received 13% of the Black community’s vote and 8% in 2016 — the highest support from Black voters for Republicans since George W. Bush in 2000, Al Jazeera reported.

When you break down Trump’s support where it mattered, like in battleground states, exit polls show he gained between 2% and 10% of the Black vote.

The critical battleground state of Wisconsin saw the largest shift, with Black voters making a 13-percentage point shift towards Trump. North Carolina reportedly saw one of the largest shifts, with a 5-percentage point increase from 2020 to 2024 among Black voters. In Georgia, Michigan (2), Pennsylvania, and Nevada, there was a 1-to-3 percentage point shift.

What caused the shift?

The increasing shift from supporting Democrats to Republicans has come as no surprise. As NPR points out, Black voters, especially younger generations of Black voters, are feeling disconnected from a political party as rising costs for everyday needs have many feeling hopeless.

“[Black voters] know the importance of elections,” Christopher Towler, associate professor at California State University, Sacramento, told the publication. “They understand what it means to have representation. But at the same time, they don’t necessarily feel like they’re being represented by either side of the aisle right now.”

Other factors are likely rooted in shifting ideologies. The Democratic Party’s legacy with the civil rights movement has kept it popular with Black voters, but younger voters reportedly don’t feel the same connection.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Campaign, Georgia Republicans Challenge Election Procedures In Georgia

Simone Biles, President Joe iden
by Kandiss Edwards

November 7, 2024

Simone Biles Implores President Biden To ‘Straighten Up’ His Back

Simone Biles speaks up on behalf of "women in America."

On Nov. 6, Simone Biles, the world’s top gymnast, shared a message to President Biden on X. 

Her plea was simple, “straighten up your back and make some things shake before your departure.”

The world-class athlete signed her message, “The Women in America.” 

Biles’s message is a response to the end of a tumultuous election cycle where Women’s Rights was a main agenda item.

Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, championed a woman’s right to make decisions without government interference. Her conservative opponents are no such champions.

President elect Donald Trump and Vice President elect JD Vance are more conservative in their beliefs. Vance has proudly spoken out against childless women and devalued their contribution to society. He also believes post-menapausal women’s sole purpose should be caring for the children in their extended families.

Biles is rightfully concerned about what comes next for the women of America. The United States gymnast is using her voice to support women such as herself.

This is not the first time the athlete has spoken up about serious issues. 

Biles’s exit from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics sparked a conversation about the mental health struggles of elite athletes. With immense pressure to represent the United States, Biles chose to take care of herself. In 2021, she spoke with Good Morning America to spread awareness about mental health help.

“I go to therapy, and I also know this doesn’t help Stress and anxiety and depression, and it’s also nothing to be ashamed that you guys are going through something similar. I’m here with you, and it’s OK to take care of yourself,” she stated.

In 2018, Biles came forward to break her silence about the molestation and abuse she endured at the hands of Larry Nassar, a doctor for the USA gymnastics team. 

“For too long, I’ve asked myself, “Was I too naive?” “Was it my fault?” I know now the answers to those questions. No. No, it was not my fault. No, I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar, USAG, and others.”

Biles addressed congress to shed light on the abuses of Nassar. She also condemned the system that allowed his actions to continue for so over a decade.

“I believe without a doubt that the circumstances that led to my abuse and allowed it to continue our directly the result of the fact that the organizations created by Congress to oversee and protect me as an athlete, USA gymnastics in the United States Olympic Paralympic committee committee failed to do their jobs.”

RELATED CONTENT: Simone Biles Has No Time For Haters: Gymnast Allegedly ‘Blocked’ On Social Media By A Former Haterific Teammate Following Historic Olympic Win

Howard University, HBCU. tailgate, homecoming, celebration, canceled, cancellation, Howard homecoming
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 7, 2024

Concern Took Over Howard University On Election Night, ‘We’re Praying for Something That’s Bigger Than All of Us’

Concern swept Howard University on election night as Harris supporters accepted defeat.

Howard University had planned a victory celebration if Vice President Kamala Harris had won Tuesday night’s election. However, as the results came in and Donald Trump pulled ahead, the crowd’s excitement faded, replaced by growing concern.

A large crowd of Harris supporters gathered at her alma mater to await the presidential election results. Harris was expected to speak there, win or lose. Moments of celebration were soon dampened by projections favoring her Republican rival, and as Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning, an atmosphere of uncertainty took hold.

“I wanted this to be a coronation tonight,” Howard alum Ben Eddins told NBC News. “She deserves it. But we have to wait and see. Whatever the results, this moment is special, and Kamala Harris is special.”

By 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday, campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond informed the crowd that Harris would not address supporters as it became clearer that Trump had defeated the Vice President. Before the projections plaguing the crowd, the swarm of Harris supporters partied into the night in anticipation of her win.

“I heard Black people were so excited and emotional,” Howard freshman Tiara Martin said. “That’s how I am now. The campus feels like a ball of energy ready to explode.”

The Howard University Gospel Choir had already performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “Oh, Happy Day” as part of a worship segment early in the evening. Members of the Divine Nine stepped and strolled to music provided by a lively DJ set and the university’s Bison band.

But the music and celebration came to a screeching halt as the results started rolling in, with Trump taking a significant lead by winning all the traditionally Republican states. Harris maintained a steady pace as projections rolled in, and any update that showed Trump in the lead sparked loud boos from the crowd, while a Harris lead was met with loud cheers.

“This is like homecoming but different because it’s not just about fun,” Howard alum Sandra Fields said. “This feels like a homecoming with a purpose. We’re partying and laughing and hugging each other. But we’re also praying for something that’s bigger than all of us.”

On Wednesday, Harris formally conceded to Donald Trump and told her supporters not to despair and to “never give up the fight for our democracy.”

“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” Harris said. “But hear me when I say … the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”

RELATED CONTENT: Magic Johnson Shuts Down Anthony Edwards’ Claim That Only Michael Jordan Possessed Skills During Their Era

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Rukia Lumumba,
by Sharelle Burt

November 7, 2024

Activist Rukia Lumumba Urges Folks To ‘Wake Up’ After Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba Is Indicted 

Rukia Lumumba is calling for people to open their eyes

The leader of Mississippi’s capital city, the state’s largest city, Jackson, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, announced an indictment on federal corruption charges, and activist Rukia Lumumba is calling for people to open their eyes to what’s really happening.

Rukia is the daughter of civil rights activist and former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and the sister of current Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar.

According to Mississippi Today, Lumumba was indicted by a grand jury after undercover FBI agents posing as real estate investors invited the mayor to a fundraiser in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in April. 3. The agents used the excuse that they wanted to develop property in downtown Jackson across the street from the convention center and help fund the mayor’s 2025 reelection campaign. 

The lot has been vacant for years following 20 years of failed bids and political disarray.

In a video statement, the mayor vowed that he “never accepted a bribe of any type.” “My legal team has informed me that federal prosecutors have indicted me on bribery and related charges,” he said. 

“As mayor, I have always acted in the best interests of the citizens of Jackson.” 

This news comes just days after Mayor Lumumba was inducted into the National Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

Rukia, also the former campaign manager of the Committee to Elect Chokwe Antar Lumumba, says people need to “wake up” in light of the charges. 

Court documents reveal the agency garnered the help of an unsuspecting Hinds County District Attorney, Jody Owens, who is passionate about real estate and business consulting. They then created a company called Facility Solutions Team (FST), hoping Owens would deliver campaign contributions to the mayor on their behalf. 

While working with Owens, the undercover feds worked to create a proposal in early 2024 to submit in response to the city’s Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), a document explaining the city’s needs and garnering interest from developers. However, it does not guarantee a contract with the city. Federal court documents describe Lumumba’s official act as directing a city employee to advance a deadline on the SOQ to an earlier date. For the government to establish a bribe or “quid pro quo,” a public official must officially agree to take an official act in exchange for the benefit.

The mayor had already engaged in conversation with the city’s Planning and Development Director, Jhai Keeton, to establish when the bid should end. They originally chose to extend it for close to a month and a half in late February 2024. Keaton originally said FST was the only developer who expressed interest in the project and he wanted to give developers more time to respond.

When the mayor was in Florida, he called Keeton and told him to move the deadline back to April 16. The director didn’t think much about it since Lumumba had already said, “We don’t want to lose anyone we’ve got hoping to get new people.”

According to the Clarion-Ledger, Lumumba is scheduled to face a judge in federal court on Nov. 7 and has been added to the list of elected officials in Jackson named in a bribery scandal, including former Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee.

BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke briefly with Rukia on the morning of Nov. 7 and learned the charges are unknown because the court sealed the indictment and “won’t let [Mayor Chokwe Lumumba] or his attorneys see until today.”

BE is following this case closely and will provide updates as this story develops.

RELATED CONTENT: Jackson, Mississippi, Mayor Lumumba Inducted Into the National Civil Rights Hall Of Fame

Biden, Trump, Election, Presidential Election, transfer of power, rough transfer of power, Kamala Harris
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 7, 2024

Biden Promises ‘Peaceful and Orderly’ Transition Of Power To 47th President-Elect Donald Trump

President Biden ensures a "peaceful" transition of power following VP Harris's election loss.

President Joe Biden has addressed the nation following Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

CBS News reported that Biden, in his first public remarks since the election, spoke from the Rose Garden on Thursday and promised a peaceful transition of power to President-Elect Trump.

“Yesterday, I spoke with President-Elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory,” the president revealed in a video captured by Sky News.

“And I assured him that I direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition.”

Calling Vice President Harris’s loss to Trump a “setback,” Biden offered encouragement, urging people not to give up or give in to feelings of defeat.

“Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable,” President Biden said. “A defeat does not mean we are defeated.”

He also called on Americans to embrace unity as he accepts the election results as “the choice the country made.”

“I’ve said many times, you can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree,” Biden said.

“Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans. Bring down the temperature.”

The 46th Commander-In-Chief also applauded Harris for an “inspiring” three-month campaign that kicked off in July after he decided to dismiss himself from the election following a lackluster debate performance with Trump in June.

“She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect so much — her character,” Biden said. “She has a backbone like a ramrod. She has great character, true character. She gave her whole heart and effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran.”

Biden subtly referenced Trump’s past complaints about the 2020 election, when Trump claimed it was “rigged” in Biden’s favor. The current president emphasized that the Electoral College ensures fairness in the election process.

“I also hope we can lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral system — it is honest, fair, and transparent,” he said. “And it can be trusted, win or lose.”

RELATED CONTENT: NAACP Announces $200M Fund To Support Black Businesses As Part Of Reparative Economic Justice Initiative

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