Texas, locs, school suspension
by Sharelle Burt

January 26, 2024

Houston Superintendent Takes Out Full-Page Ad Defending Suspension Of Student For Wearing Locs

The student and his family are suing the school district for violating the CROWN Act.

The superintendent of Barbers Hill School District in Texas is taking defense to a new level. Greg Poole took out a full-page ad defending the decision to suspend student Darryl George, claiming his locs hairstyle violated the school dress code, The Messenger reported.

“Being an American requires conformity with the positive benefit of unity,” Poole wrote while referencing strict regulations at military academies. “We have taken the highly unusual step of seeking a declaratory judgment in state district court to verify our interpretation.”

His letter continued alleging George and his family moved from a district that allowed longer hair and had to sign an agreement to follow district rules. “Ultimately, this is an issue of local control and deciding who should be setting the policies, goals and expectations of our school district,” Poole wrote.

However, George isn’t backing down either. According to NBC News, after he and his family filed a lawsuit alleging his punishment for wearing locs violates the CROWN Act; the case is now set to go to trial. Administrators at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, TX, claim George violated the district dress code that limits hair length for boys. The Georges allude to racial discrimination as the issue. 

The CROWN Act, passed in Texas in September 2023, prevents schools from discriminating against hairstyles based on hair texture and styles, such as braids, dreadlocks, Bantu knots, and more. It also prohibits race-based hair discrimination in schools.

The high school junior has been receiving his education, sitting in-school suspension or at an off-site disciplinary program since Aug. 31, 2023. The 18-year-old says he feels frustrated over what he describes as unfair punishment, but is looking forward to his day in court. “I’m glad that we are being heard, too. I’m glad that things are moving and we’re getting through this,” George said. 

The trial date has been set for Feb. 22 by State District Judge Chap Cain III. George’s mother, Darresha, says she is disappointed the judge didn’t grant a temporary restraining order, which would have paused the punishment.

“I have a son, 18 years old, that wants to go to school, that wants to get his education, and y’all messing with him,” she said. “Why?” 

RELATED CONTENT: Black Student Suspended Over Locs; School Says It’s the Dress Code, Not Racial Discrimination

Celebrity Chef Kwame Onwuachi To Honor Benjamin Banneker In New D.C. Restaurant
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 26, 2024

Celebrity Chef Kwame Onwuachi To Honor Benjamin Banneker In New D.C. Restaurant

Renowned “Top Chef” star Kwame Onwuachi will make his highly-anticipated return to DC’s culinary scene this spring with a new restaurant.

Top Chef star Kwame Onwuachi is set to make his highly-anticipated return to D.C.’s culinary scene this spring with the opening of his new restaurant.

Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi is set to debut as part of a substantial hotel enhancement initiative at the reinvigorated Southwest waterfront in Salamander Washington, D.C. The Afro-Caribbean eatery (pronounced “Doh-gon”) pays tribute to Washington D.C.’s late-1700s land surveyor Benjamin Banneker and his connections to the West African Dōgon tribe, DC Eater reports.

The restaurant will reflect Onwuachi’s Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole heritage. With a design concept from the architectural firm Modellus Novus, the same designer of Onwuachi’s critically acclaimed NYC eatery Tatiana, curtains of linked chains adorn the lobby of Dōgon at street level that draw inspiration from the mathematical instrument Banneker used to delineate city lines. 

Behind them unfolds a spacious 200-seat dining room featuring a bar and a patio. The “astrological-like ceiling,” according to DC Eater, pays homage to the starry night sky that Banneker used as a geographical reference.

“I firmly believe that a restaurant should have a story, because when it has a story it has a soul,” Onwuachi said in a statement. “Researching the history of Benjamin Banneker, the Dogon tribe, and the connections to our location was a humbling-yet-inspiring experience. Our menu will celebrate all the cultures within DC’s four quadrants. This is the story of Dōgon.”

Historical records cite Banneker as a self-educated mathematician, astronomer, and inventor who played a crucial role in the shaping of Washington, D.C. His pioneering use of astronomy proved instrumental in surveying the future nation’s capital in 1791. Some authors argue that Banneker’s lineage can be traced back through his grandfather to the Dogon tribe in Mali, known for their advanced expertise in astronomy, mathematics, and engineering.

Onwuachi shared an Instagram announcement on Wednesday, January 24 that highlighted the research and history that went into his new restaurant concept.

“After yeearrrrs in the making I’m proud to announce my new restaurant, Dogon, coming to Washington DC soon,” he wrote. 

“Honoring the legacy of the Dogon tribe in Mali and their connection to the capitol. Benjamin Banneker was a descendant of this tribe who was hired to survey the city and create the borders. He used the stars as his guide which was a skill of the Dogon People.” 

“This restaurant will encompass all that makes DC special through an Afro Caribbean lens,” he added. “Can’t wait for you all to come through these doors. It’s so so so so good to be back!”

Torturing Animals
by Jameelah Mullen

January 26, 2024

Pennsylvania Woman Charged With Torturing Animals For ‘Likes’ On Social Media

Anigar Monsee admitted to mutilating live animals and posting footage of her acts on Youtube, according to police.

Police outside of Philadelphia, arrested a woman who is accused of recording videos of herself torturing animals and posting them on YouTube. 

According to Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt, officials recovered four videos of Anigar Monsee, 28, mutilating and torturing animals. 

“During the video, she is soliciting more likes and more viewers. And once she gets to the point where she is satisfied with the number of viewers, she then proceeds—over 10 minutes—to harm and ultimately kill that chicken,” Bernhardt told Philadelphia’s Action News. 

In subsequent videos, authorities say Monsee committed similar acts on a rabbit, pigeon, and frogs. 

The video, entitled “Cooking,” allegedly shows her torturing a pigeon while making sexual comments, asking viewers to “like” the video before she proceeded. One viewer asked Monsee to “slaughter” the animal with her feet. 

Bernhardt the department’s investigation after it received an email tip from PETA (People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals). 

According to police, Monsee was found after she posted a video titled “New House Tour I’m So Excited.” Her address, as well as other identifying street markers, could be seen in the video. Police went to the address and found Monsee, who identified herself as the woman in the video.

They confirmed the kitchen was identical to the one seen in one of Monsee’s YouTube videos. Police say she admitted to committing the acts.

The content creator was arrested and charged with four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, according to reports obtained by CBS News. She was arraigned before Judge Benjamin Johns, who set a bail of $200,000. 

Monsee is currently being held in a Delaware County, PA, jail while she awaits a Feb. 5 preliminary hearing.

RELATED CONTENT: Celebrities Taking Action: Michael Vick Fighting for ‘Pets in Cars’ Bill

ABFF
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 26, 2024

American Black Film Festival Honorees Revealed

The honorees are Taraji P. Henson, Garrett Morris, Mara Brock Akil, and Jeffrey Wright.

Honorees for this year’s American Black Film Festival (ABFF) have been announced. The sixth annual ABFF Honors will take place at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, Sunday, March 3.

This year, Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright, Garrett Morris, and Mara Brock Akil will be honored. Tommy Davidson will host.

“For decades, these esteemed ABFF Honorees have elevated their projects and brought joy to audiences across the world,” said NICE CROWD CEO and President Jeff and Nicole Friday in a written statement. “It is our honor to recognize Garrett, Taraji, Jeffrey, and Mara for all their contributions to culture and the industry throughout their remarkable careers. We look forward to celebrating their many achievements and gathering with our fantastic ABFF partners.”

Morris, the first Black cast member of the longest-running television comedy show, Saturday Night Live, will receive the Hollywood Legacy Award. This typically goes to a trailblazing artist who has been working for more than four decades and has inspired those who followed.

Henson, a Golden Globe winner and Academy Award-nominated actress, will receive the Female Excellence in the Arts Award for her distinguished body of work. Wright will take home the Male Excellence in the Arts Award.

Mara Brock Ali, a screenwriter, will head home with the Industry Visionary Award for being a “trendsetting content creator” whose work and commitment to making sure the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the film and television industry are brought to the attention of those who work in it.

RELATED CONTENT: Issa Rae Takes Miami, Named Creative Director For 2024 American Black Film Festival

Natalia Bryant Gets Flowers From Kobe And Gianna Bryant For 21st Birthday
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 26, 2024

Natalia Bryant Gets Flowers From Kobe And Gianna Bryant For 21st Birthday

Natalia Bryant received a memorable gift for her 21st birthday: a bouquet of flowers from her late father and sister.

Natalia Bryant received one of the sweetest gifts for her 21st birthday: a bouquet of flowers signed by her late father and sister, Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

The eldest of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant’s four daughters took to her Instagram Story to share highlights of her gifts. While Natalia received bouquets from family and friends, there was one special arrangement that was signed by her late father and sister, People reports.

“Happy 21st birthday Slim-a-knees! Love you always, Daddy and Gigi,” a card attached to a bouquet of pink roses read.

For her birthday, Natalia enjoyed a star-studded birthday party. (Among the guests: Ciara, Russell Wilson, and Winnie Harlow.) On her January 19th birthday, Vanessa Bryant shared a video montage of throwbacks from Natalia’s birth and upbringing with her parents and siblings. 

“Happy birthday 21st birthday @nataliabryant!!! We love you so much!!!!” Vanessa captioned the post. “You are what every parent hopes and prays for. You are such a beautiful, strong, smart, loving young woman with the kindest soul and I am so proud to be your mommy! I love you, mama! ❤️😘🎂🎉❤️.”

Prior to his untimely 2020 death, Kobe Bryant had four daughters with Vanessa: Natalia, Bianka, 7, and Capri Kobe, 4. Gianna was 13 when she died in a helicopter crash with her father.

Natalia, currently studying filmmaking at USC, was on the cover of February’s Town & Country, where she shared her thoughts on carrying her father and sister’s legacy.

“In terms of legacy, my main goal is just to be the best version of me that I possibly can, understanding that there’s no expectation that I should have for each stage of life,” she said. “I just need to know that I have to keep learning, because there’s no finish line. You just have to keep pushing and being the best person you can be and soaking everything up like a sponge… The job’s never done.”

RELATED CONTENT: Kobe Bryant Named ‘NBA 2K’ Cover Athlete

Daylight Saving Time, DST
by Safon Floyd

January 26, 2024

Do This To Reach Peak Productivity On The Weekend

Find out how to make your weekend days set you up nicely for the 5 days to follow while not skipping an enjoyable weekend beat.

Originally Published Aug. 19, 2016

The weekend is here, and you’re probably already looking forward to doing everything – or absolutely nothing at all. Look, it’s been a long week and you’ve earned it.

Not to bust your bubble or anything, but the weekend is only about two days long. That’s two days that will inevitably be followed by five more days of grinding, until you can enjoy those two days again. Although doing nothing/everything in order to maximize those two days is a brilliant idea, it may also behoove you to start setting yourself up for the upcoming five days, while still enjoying these two.

Sounds confusing? Here’s a breakdown of the best ways to maximize and master your weekend, all while prepping for your week.

Friday:

Do everything or nothing–exactly as you planned. You’ve worked all day. The night is yours–enjoy!

Saturday:

Here is the time to sow your seeds. If you’re like most, your day job isn’t the only thing you have brewing. Many people have side hustles that they hope will someday turn into primary hustles; now is the time to start making that happen. Don’t think “work through,” as that is not of a weekend mindset; just keep doing exactly what it is that you’d normally do and be strategic about it.

Weekends are prime time for social media. Instead of simply scrolling or posting pics of your weekend meals, try posting tips, insight, teasers, videos, links, and so on that pertain to your business. This is a great opportunity to find and engage your target audience. Search for those in your industry that you may want to connect with, follow, and open a dialogue.

Also, network – go out, have drinks, meet new people with common interests, and explore those commonalities. Find an industry social in your area, make that your place to hang out, and voila – work is play.

Sunday:

Chill all the way out and leisurely – with emphasis on the leisure part – start to plan for the week ahead. While you’re lying back on the couch flipping channels, start to think about exactly what you need to accomplish when you arrive to work on Monday, so that you’re already a step ahead of the game when you get there.

Actively use your social media outlets to generate ideas that can be applied to your next week’s success. If there’s a cool article on organization, time management, networking, or anything that pertains to what you currently or aspire to do, check it out. This will start to reignite your work brain, while you’re still in relaxation mode. You won’t skip a beat.

While switching back and forth between your favorite social media outlets, start to jot down the next day’s task in your phone. This may be starting to push it a bit, as the weekend is all about seizing every limited moment. But trust that this pre-planning can help you to relax even more, because you will be ahead of the next day and already winning!

If you’re really getting geared up, feel free check your work email, so that you already know what’s coming down the pipe on Monday. This will make you more mentally prepared to take it on.

Might have gone too far with that last one, so we’ll quit while ahead – but you get the drift. Enjoy!

RELATED CONTENT: A Surprising Amount Of Black Americans Declare Return To Office Has Boosted Productivity

Trump attacks, judge, Chutkan, trump
by Derek Major

January 26, 2024

People Close To Trump Urge Him To Select Woman Or Black Man As His Running Mate

Friends and allies of former President Donald Trump have urged him to select a woman or a Black man as his running mate for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Reuters reports one ally said a woman or a Black man as his running mate would be “helpful” to Trump, who needs to improve his standing among Black people and women to have a chance in a rematch against President Joe Biden this November.

Additionally, other allies have given Trump several names to consider, including three women and two Black men.

These include South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, and Ben Carson, who served as Trump’s Housing and Urban Development Secretary.

The former president has not made a final decision on a running mate but has been making frequent calls to aides and Republican figures to get their advice on who would be the best choice. 

“Every day, everywhere he goes, it’s, ‘What do you think of this person? What do you think of that person?’” said one close ally who has direct knowledge of the inner workings of Trump’s campaign.

During a  Fox News town hall in Iowa earlier this month, Trump said, “I know who it’s going to be,” when asked about a running mate, but that hasn’t stopped the former president from seeking advice on a range of candidates.

While the former president mulls the selection, he will have to balance his campaign stops with his numerous court appearances due to the defamation case and four criminal cases against him. 

He’s also drawn the ire of his party by potentially killing an emerging bipartisan deal over the southern border, depriving the party of a key legislative achievement on a pressing national priority because he allegedly doesn’t want Biden to earn a victory on the border crisis.

Trump has spent weeks lobbying Republicans in private conversations and public statements on social media to oppose the border compromise being delicately hashed out in the Senate.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) called Trump’s actions “appalling.”

RELATED CONTENT: Passionate Protestor Labels Trump As ‘Racist’ During GOP Lawmaker’s Pro-Trump Speech 

Tupac Shakur
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 26, 2024

Autographed Tupac Shakur Concert Ticket On Auction Block

The signed ticket is from a Digital Underground concert that took place on Jan. 31, 1992.

A  concert ticket signed by legendary rapper Tupac Shakur is up for auction.

According to a posting by Nate D. Sanders Auctions, the ticket is from a Digital Underground show on Jan. 31, 1992.

The show from Shakur’s first group occurred two months after he released his debut album, ‘2Pacalypse Now, at the Warfield in San Francisco. The ticket features ”PEACE 2U 2PA” in his writing.

The item has been listed as “Light wear and buckling, overall very good.”

If you’re interested in the item, the auction ends on Friday, Jan.26, at midnight. There are several active bids, which started at $1,250.

Last year, a ring belonging to the late rapper garnered the highest price paid for a piece of hip-hop memorabilia, selling for over $1 million. After news of the record-breaking purchase broke, it was revealed that Drake owns this precious jewelry.

CNN reported that the gold, ruby, and diamond crown ring was seen on the late rapper’s finger during his last public appearance. It was anticipated to be auctioned for an estimated $200,000 to $300,000, according to Sotheby’s Auction House. 

The ring was inscribed with “Pac & Dada 1996.” Dada (Kidada Jones—Quincy Jones’ daughter, then Tupac’s fiancée). They had recently gotten engaged before the entertainer was shot in Las Vegas after attending a Mike Tyson fight on Sept. 7, 1996. Shakur died Sept. 13.

One of the men who is accused of being involved in the killing of the “All Eyez On Me” recording artist, Keefe D, is preparing to go on trial for his alleged involvement. He denies being the culprit but wrote in a book, Compton Street Legend, that the killing of the “Me Against the World” lyricist was done by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who was killed two years later. Anderson was seen on surveillance video having an altercation with the entertainer before the “All Eyez On Me” emcee died.

RELATED CONTENT: Katt Williams Reveals Upcoming Album, Including Unreleased Tupac Tracks

The Steinbridge Group Makes $100M Capital Commitment To HBCUs
by Ashlei Stevens

January 26, 2024

The Steinbridge Group Makes $100M Capital Commitment To HBCUs

Impact Investors partner with Robert F. Smith’s Student Freedom Initiative to Select Recipients

For Black- and minority-serving colleges with challenges attracting or retaining top faculty due to sky-high residential real estate prices, a new partnership aims to make real estate more attainable in the surrounding communities for faculty, first responders, and local professionals. The Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) is collaborating with the Steinbridge Group on its recently announced $100 million capital commitment to develop attainable housing near historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

“In order to educate and train the next generation of diverse leaders and innovators, institutions must have access to an affordable education, and they must be surrounded by a thriving community,“ said Robert F. Smith, founder and chairman of Student Freedom Initiative.

“Through Steinbridge’s commitment, these communities will have the resources to transform underutilized space to help to attract and retain talent while helping to make a college education affordable for students.”

Tawan Davis is the founder and CEO of the impact investment firm Steinbridge Group. He said he looks forward to partnering to support HBCUs in various ways. As part of the initiative, Steinbridge said it plans to collaborate with partner HBCUs “to make it possible for graduates to become homeowners, building wealth in communities that are at risk of displacement due to the impacts of gentrification in transitioning neighborhoods,” according to a firm statement.

“This collaboration with the Student Freedom Initiative will help us engage with these institutions to discuss pathways to access our $100 million capital commitment that activates their underutilized real estate and expands their economic base,” Davis said, citing the value HBCUs provide in producing leaders in law, business, and healthcare.

Steinbridge and SFI will review interested HBCUs and MSIs and select those that will receive investments toward development efforts. Eligibility criteria include land ownership within the community suitable for economic and community development, the capacity to execute an expansive development project, and leadership positioned to galvanize the initiative, according to Steinbridge.

Keith B. Shoates, chief operating officer of the Student Freedom Initiative, added that this collaboration also addresses the enormous student loan debt burden, as Black students typically carry more than twice as much in student debt as their white peers. A UNCF report also shows that HBCU students borrow student loans at higher rates and, consequently, graduate with substantially higher debt than their peers at non-HBCUs.

“A portion of the proceeds of the developments will support the Student Freedom Agreement fund, SFI’s affordable student loan option. Notably, the Student Freedom Fund will ultimately become an Endowment Without Walls for all SFI partners,” Shoates stated.

While this significant investment focuses on housing in the surrunding community, social media has shone a light in recent years on inadequate and outdated student housing at some of the nation’s HBCU campuses.

“We fully understand this does not address the totality of the requests from our HBCU community, but we’re working on student housing challenges they’ve identified,” Shoates told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“We’re collecting requests from our member institutions, and we’re already working on a solution.”

RELATED CONTENT: Billionaire Robert Smith’s 3 Most Important Things to Leave Your Kids

judges, Judge Cristal Brisco, Black women, Biden
by Atiya Jordan

January 26, 2024

Meet The History-Making Black Women Federal Judges In South Carolina And Indiana

Biden has witnessed more Black female federal judges appointed under his administration than ever before.

Two Black women have made history in their respective state court systems. 

As of Jan. 24, Superior Judge Cristal C. Brisco is now the first Black judge and woman of color to serve as a lifetime federal judge in the Northern District of Indiana, The Times reports. Magistrate Judge Jacquelyn Austin will now be the only Black woman currently serving as a federal judge in the District of South Carolina. Austin is filling the last vacant seat following Judge J. Michelle Childs’ confirmation in 2022 to the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. 

The U.S. Senate voted Brisco to a lifetime judge’s post by 67-32, and Austin was confirmed 80-17. 

President Joe Biden nominated both to serve on the U.S. District Courts late last year in a history-defining moment. These endorsements reveal that 35 Black women have been approved by Biden and confirmed by senators as federal judges. Biden has witnessed more Black female federal judges appointed under his administration than ever before.

Brisco, who grew up in Gary, Indiana, earned her bachelor’s degree at Valparaiso University in 2002 and graduated from law school at the University of Notre Dame in 2006. She has served on the St. Joseph County Superior Court since 2021 and has concurrently served on the Indiana Commercial Court since 2022. Before this, from 2018 to 2021, she served as a magistrate judge for the St. Joseph County Circuit Court in Mishawaka, Indiana.

“I roll up my sleeves to put in the work of research and study of the law so that I can issue well-reasoned decisions that use clear and accessible language, so that the litigants who appear before me, and the public alike, understand the reasoning behind and are able to receive fair and impartial justice,” Brisco said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on her nomination last month, according to The Times.

A Sumter, South Carolina, native, Judge Austin is the third Black South Carolina Law alumnae nominated for a federal judgeship in the last two years. She was appointed to her first eight-year term as a United States magistrate judge for the District of South Carolina in 2011 and was reappointed in 2019. Prior to that, she worked in private practice at Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice, PLLC, as an associate from 1999 to 2006 and as a partner starting in 2006.

Congratulations to these two history-making Black women!

RELATED CONTENT: Biden Names 2 Black Female Judges In 41st Round Of Judicial Nominees

×