Soccer
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 15, 2025

Palmeiras President Leila Mejdalani Pereira Chastises CONMEBOL For ‘Absurd’ Fine Levied For Acts Of Racism During Game

"You see how CONMEBOL views the offence of racism. It's absurd."

The fans of an opposing team racially abused an 18-year-old soccer player. After CONMEBOL, the governing body of the sport (football in South America), fined the Paraguayan club $50,000, Palmeiras president Leila Mejdalani Pereira blasted the organization, saying the punishment was too lenient for the act of blatant racism.

According to ESPN, striker Luighi spoke about the racial abuse he and his team suffered at a recent game against Cerro Porteno. A fan made racist gestures toward the players of the Palmeiras club. Luighi broke down in tears when describing the monkey sounds coming from the opposing team and fans.

Luighi made a statement on his Instagram account regarding the incident.

“It hurts in the soul. And it’s the same pain that all Blacks have felt throughout history, because things evolve, but they are never 100% resolved. Today’s episode leaves scars and needs to be dealt with as it is: a crime. Until when? It’s a question that I hope won’t need to be asked at some point. For now, we keep fighting ✊🏿”

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A post shared by Luighi (@luighihanri)

CONMEBOL also banned the fans from attending future home games during the Libertadores under-20 tournament.

The punishment for Cerro Porteno did not sit well with Pereira.

She criticized the organization for how they meted out larger fines for what she deems as lighter offenses.

“Firstly, I would like to express my indignation at CONMEBOL’s penalty of $50,000 and closed gates,” she expressed to TNT Sports. “If you’re a minute late entering the pitch, it’s $100,000. If you light a flare, $78,000. You see how CONMEBOL views the offence of racism. It’s absurd.”

She stated that she and other clubs had forwarded a letter to FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), asking the global governing body to intervene in cases of racism. After the incident, she said she spoke to CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez, who assured her that the punishment would be strict, but she disagreed with his level of strictness.

“When the incident happened, I called President Alejandro, but I couldn’t talk,” Pereira said. “After I gave the interview that everyone saw, he called me and told me that he would be very strict with the sanctions, but from what I saw, he wasn’t that strict. [And you can see that] because of the sanction that CONMEBOL gave for this incident. I have no doubt that this is an incentive for new cases of racism to occur.”

Pereira also threatened to remove the team from CONMEBOL and join with the larger governing body of the sport, Concacaf, which has teams in North America, Central America, and the Caribean.

“I’ll even throw out an idea … why not think about joining Concacaf?” she said. “I think that’s the only way they will respect Brazilian football, because Brazilian football isn’t being respected by CONMEBOL.”

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William McNeil, viral video, Recording The Police
by Mary Spiller

March 15, 2025

3 Officers Fired Following Fatal Shooting Of Two Brothers By Police In Bay Area

Tahmon and Tommy Wilson were shot by the police in Martinez, California.

Three police officers from the Martinez Police Department have been fired after being involved in the shooting of two brothers, Tahmon and Tommy Wilson. Martinez Police Chief Andrew White identified the four officers who enacted the deadly Aug. 18, 2023 shooting as: Cole Bennett, Marc Kahue, Raul Ceja-Mendez, and Alexander Tirona.

Tahmon and Tommy were shot by the four MPD officers in Martinez, outside of a cannabis dispensary location. While Tommy managed to survive his gunshot wounds, Tahmon died from the incident.

After being shot, police officer Giani Arone taunted the still-living brother — Tommy — by saying, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”

Police Chief White confirmed on March 15 that three officers had been terminated for their involvement, including Arone. MPD has since released further information about the incident, including police reports, videos, photos, and additional testimonial records.

Tommy is being represented by civil rights attorney Adanté Pointer from Pointer and Buelna law firm. Pointer previously described, “There is no reasonable or lawful explanation for the lethal force employed by the four officers involved. State law prohibits using deadly force against a fleeing vehicle that does not pose an immediate threat.”

The Aug. 18 shooting began when Tommy and Tahmon were declared as suspects attempting to burglarize the Martinez Dispensary called Velvet. Their attempts reportedly triggered a security alarm that called officers to respond.


According to police records, Tommy and Tahmon were driving away from a cannabis store when four officers began shooting at them. Tahmon was hit in the back of his head and Tommy was shot twice in his back by police after their sedan crashed into a fire hydrant.

According to KRON4, Tommy was sitting in the passenger seat of the sedan. After the shooting, Officer Arone arrived on the scene and struck Tommy several times with his knee while the bleeding man was handcuffed.

Arone continued to taunt Tommy after realizing that he had already been shot, telling him, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”

Chief White wrote a letter to Arone, condemning his conduct on the scene. White wrote, “You violated several Martinez Police Department policies during this incident. One of the suspects — who had been shot — exited the vehicle in the direction of officers and was then handcuffed without resisting. While pulling him, you delivered two or three knee strikes to the suspect’s head/face area. Force was not justified because the suspect was handcuffed, not resisting, and not disobeying any commands.”

Chief White called the use of excessive force against Tommy at the hands of Arone, “disgraceful conduct.”

After fatally shooting Tahmon and beating Tommy, the named officers then engaged in a cover-up, as Officer Arone proceeded to hide two knives for Officer Tirona to conceal from the investigation, one of the officers involved in the shooting since “one of the knives is a type that is prohibited to be worn on duty.”

Chief White concluded, “It is disappointing that misconduct occurred at the scene of this incident after the shooting and understandably adds a layer of complexity to the officer-involved shooting investigation. Once we learned of the misconduct, we took immediate action, conducting thorough investigations, and ultimately imposing termination as a disciplinary measure.”

Currently, the four officers involved in the Wilson shooting are being investigated by the California Department of Justice, and the MPD is awaiting the results.

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Dwight Howard, military service
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 15, 2025

Dwight Howard Seeks Contempt Of Court Ruling Against Ex In Ongoing Child Support Case

Dwight Howard is escalating his child support case with an ex.

Dwight Howard is escalating his child support case with an ex and is demanding that she be found in contempt of court.

The NBA champion is accusing his ex Tiffany Render of defaming him and wants her found in contempt of court for allegedly violating their court order, The Blast reported. Howard claims Render’s alleged badmouthing exposed their 15-year-old daughter Layla to negativity.

The Orlando Magic star filed a Jan. 8 petition requesting that she be found in “willful” contempt of court.

“[Tiffany] has willfully failed and refused to comply with those requirements and has continued to speak negatively, and publicly, about [Dwight] defaming his name and character and has done so in a manner in which the minor child is exposed to same,” Howard’s lawyer argued.

However, Render argues that Howard’s allegations stem from her casting on The Ladies of Orange County FL, where she stars alongside his other ex Royce Reed. She claims the show, which is currently being pitched to networks, includes no negative remarks about Howard and that she has not violated any court orders.

Howard is moving forward with his petition, with a hearing scheduled for March 27. His lawyers are requesting that Render preserve all texts, emails, and videos relevant to the case.

“[Tiffany] is further notified that a failure to comply with this notice may result in sanctions for any destruction or failures to preserve any such evidence, including, without limitation, adverse inferences against [Tiffany] at trial, as well as an award of expenses and attorney’s fees necessitated by such conduct,” Howard’s lawyers wrote in their petition.

The hearing follows a subpoena Howard issued to Render in November 2024, requesting all communications related to their daughter. The former NBA star seeks access to every email and text exchanged between Render and Layla’s doctors, teachers, coaches, tutors, and youth group leaders.

His legal team has demanded all messages from January 2024 onward, arguing that they are essential to the case. Additionally, Howard is requesting Render’s 2023 tax return, all pay stubs from that year, and any employment records.

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Black Restaurant Week, Memphis
by Kandiss Edwards

March 15, 2025

Memphis Black Restaurant Week Is Back, Let ‘Em Cook!

Memphis Restaurant Week returns March 16-22.

Memphis Black Restaurant Week is set to return from March 16-22, celebrating the rich culinary scene of the Tennessee city. Known for its world-renowned barbecue, Memphis boasts a diverse food culture that extends beyond smoked meats to a variety of Black diasporic cuisines.

Founded in 2016, Memphis Black Restaurant Week highlights Black-owned restaurants and stimulates the local economy. Cynthia Daniels, the event’s founder, first conceptualized the initiative after working with restaurateur Fran Mosley.

“[In 2015,] I met Fran Mosley. She wanted to open her own restaurant and asked if I could help her with social media. At first, it was booming. And then there was no traffic. I said we should get in newspapers, radio spots—things that are very expensive. She shared with me that she had poured her life savings into opening the restaurant,” Daniels told The Local Palate in 2020.

That realization led Daniels to launch Memphis Black Restaurant Week just a year later, aiming to bring visibility to Black-owned dining establishments often regarded as “hidden treasures.”

This year’s event will spotlight a variety of restaurants that not only uphold Memphis’ barbecue legacy but also showcase the diverse culinary traditions of the Black diaspora. Featured restaurants include:

Memphis Jamaican Kitchen

Serving authentic Caribbean flavors with classic Jamaican dishes, the Memphis Jamaican Kitchen promises to serve you a plate full of flavor.

The Four Way

The Four Way is a historic soul food institution, serving Memphis since the 1940s. Formally known as the Four Way Grill, this eatery fed Civil Rights legends, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Al Sharpton.

Bala’s Bistro

This Memphis Bistro offers a place for vegetarians and vegans to eat their fill. The restaurant offers a fusion of African and global flavors with a focus on healthy options.

Biscuit and Jams

A brunch favorite known for its creative takes on classic Southern biscuits. Biscuit and Jams is for the breakfast lovers. For those who are not early birds, drop in for a soulful brunch.

Sweet Potato Pie Whiskey Café

 Blending soulful flavors with an extensive whiskey selection, this cafe is the perfect place to meet up with friends. A boozy brunch is guaranteed. 

Mande Dibi West African BBQ-Grill

Mande Dibi showcases traditional West African barbecue with bold, smoky flavors. A staple of the spot is its “mustard and pili pili” sauce said to add “tongue biting” flavor.

Memphis Black Restaurant Week continues to grow as a platform that not only highlights exceptional cuisine but also champions the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of Black restaurateurs in the city. If you’re in or around, check out a few of the suggested Black-owned restaurants. 

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Nikole Hannah-Jones, literary salon, Brooklyn
by Mary Spiller

March 15, 2025

Nikole Hannah-Jones Organizes Black Author ‘Read-In’ After Waterloo, Iowa, District Cancels Due To Trump’s Anti-DEI Policies

Waterloo allegedly canceled the original read-in event under threat from the Trump administration's new education initiatives.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Howard University professor, has taken it into her own hands to keep Black writers and authors in the forefront. On March 15, Hannah-Jones hosted her very own Waterloo, Iowa, “African American Read-In,” after the original one was canceled due to President Donald Trump’s threat to withhold K-12 funding if schools do not remove diversity from their curriculum.

Waterloo is the school district with the largest percentage of Black children in Iowa, with a population of 67,000, highlighting the importance of Hannah-Jones’ read-in. Usually, the district would participate in its own annual “read-in” that would take place across the entire state. The event would highlight Black books, authors, and themes as they are being threatened within the curriculum.

However, K-12 schools in Waterloo have decided to cancel this year’s readings and have attributed the change in part to Trump’s constant push to eradicate race-based teachings across America. He has reportedly threatened to withhold government funding from any K-12 schools that continue to incorporate diversity into its curriculum. After hearing that Waterloo wouldn’t be having a read this year, Hannah-Jones stepped in to do it herself.

In a video posted on her social media on March 10, Hannah-Jones officially announced she will be presenting “An African American Read-In” in Waterloo. The event will be completely free to those who attend and will feature an impressive panel of Black authors to host readings and conversations about Black books. Hannah-Jones added that she will hand out “hundreds” of free books, including her very own — The 1619 Project.

In her hometown of Waterloo, and as a former reporter for The New York Times, Hannah-Jones participated in creating The 1619 Project — a book featuring a series of articles that meticulously traced modern American life to its roots in slavery.

Hannah-Jones’ The 1619 Project has printed both an adult version and a picture-book version adapted for children.

In the video posted to her Instagram account, Hannah-Jones began, “Why am I holding this event? Waterloo is my hometown, and Waterloo has the most heavily Black school district in the state of Iowa, and it is the most heavily Black city in the state of Iowa.”

She continued, “And they backed out because of the new directives coming out of the Trump administration. And that’s really the reason these directives exist … They are really to intimidate school districts from teaching Black history and Black books. And so my district decided not to participate for fear of consequences.”

She explained that the decision is what spurred the 1619 Freedom School — an after-school academy Hannah-Jones previously founded — to step in.

“We decided we would not deprive our children — all of our children, of all races — of the ability to read inspiring and affirming books about the Black experience.”

She listed several of her writer friends who would be attending the read-in, including Jacqueline Woodson, Derek Barnes, and Tammy Charles.

She concluded, “So this Saturday we will have a massive, colossal, beautiful community African American read-in.”

The March 15 event will run between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Waterloo West High School.

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NeNe Leakes, YouTube,show
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 15, 2025

Nene Leakes Debuts New Talk Show On YouTube, ‘We ‘Bout To Have A Time’

Nene Leakes debuts her new talk show on YouTube.

Nene Leakes is making a grand return with a new talk show, giving fans a regular dose of her presence during her break from reality television.

One week after teasing the talk show, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star returned to Instagram to officially announce The Nene Leakes Show.

“Introducing “The Nene Leakes Show” Available TOMORROW on YouTube. The link is in my bio. Are you ready? We bout to have a timeeeeee talkin a whole lotta sh*t,” she captioned her announcement.

She also confirmed that she will still be doing her Me and My Homegirl podcast with Sierra Gates.

Leakes welcomed reality TV producer Carlos King as her first guest, where the two got candid about their love lives and sexual preferences. Elsewhere, she sat down with blogger Michelle “ATLien” Brown, where she discussed her friend Porsha Williams’ divorce from Simon Guobadia as well as the circumstances surrounding Wendy Williams’ conservatorship.

The show premiered exclusively on YouTube and serves as Leakes’ next step in transitioning from reality star to a powerful independent media presence. With her sharp wit, bold commentary, and undeniable charisma, Leakes continues to be a pop culture icon just as she was 12 seasons on RHOA.

This new venture allows the former Glee star to expand her influence beyond reality TV and into the digital media landscape. Fans of Leakes expressed their excitement in the comments.

“YES. THIS HAS FINALLY COME TO FRUITION,” a Housewives fan page wrote.

“Yesss we get you on the podcast and your own show I love it!!!!” added someone else.

In addition to The Nene Leakes Show, fans can also tune in to her podcast with Love & Hip Hop Atlanta star Sierra Gates. The show features Leakes and Gates engaging in candid conversations about current events, their personal journeys, and everything in between.

These two shows will offer some comfort to fans who love watching Leakes in action. However, many are still calling for her return to RHOA on Bravo, especially following her highly publicized fallout with the network.

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Arlington National Cemetery, Black, Hispanic, Female, Veterans
by Mitti Hicks

March 15, 2025

Arlington National Cemetery Website Scrubs Pages On Prominent Black, Hispanic, And Female Veterans

Arlington National Cemetery is the most regarded final resting ground in the United States, but it has scrubbed the history of Black veterans and more.

Arlington National Cemetery is the most regarded final resting ground in the United States, but it has scrubbed the history of Black veterans and more. The cemetery is overseen by silent soldiers in uniforms that watch over hundreds of acres in Virginia and 400,000 graves of U.S. service members dating back to the Civil War. The cemetery includes two presidents and more than 400 Medal of Honor recipients.

But as Task & Purpose points out, the cemetery has taken down dozens of pages on the grave sites and educational materials that include the history of prominent Black veterans and Hispanic and female service members buried in the cemetery.

In an alarming move, links to the public lists of dozens of “Notable Graves” at Arlington that include female, Black, and Hispanic service members buried in the cemetery are now gone. However, the links to the dozen other “Notable Graves” lists remain highlighted on the website. The notable graves include politicians, athletes, and foreign nationals.

The cemetery also scrubbed educational material on dozens of Medal of Honor recipients and maps of prominent grave sites of Marine Corps veterans and other services.

A spokesperson at Arlington National Cemetery — which the Army operates under the Army Office of Cemeteries — confirmed with Task & Purpose that the pages had been unpublished, but the academic modules would be republished after they were “reviewed and updated.”

“The Army has taken immediate steps to comply with all executive orders related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) personnel, programs, and policies,” an Army spokesperson at Arlington told Task & Purpose.

The spokesperson added, “The Army will continue to review its personnel, policies, and programs to ensure it remains in compliance with law and presidential orders. Social media and web pages were removed, archived, or changed to avoid noncompliance with executive orders.”

It remains unclear when the unpublished links will be back on the website.

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MARK CUBAN, Rashaun Williams, NBA, NFL, MLB
by Sharelle B. McNair

March 15, 2025

Mark Cuban Advises Black Women Founders To ‘Stop Looking For Funding And Build It On Your Own’

Black women who apply for funding are three times more likely to be rejected over other demographics, including white business owners.

Shark Tank billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took some time to give key advice to Black women founders, telling them to stop looking for funding. 

Before taking the stage for a panel discussion at the 2025 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, Cuban gave some alternative ideas to Black women entrepreneurs in lieu of seeking funding. “I would tell you not to look for funding,” the shark said. “You have to figure out a way to use sweat equity to build it on your own, even if it means starting smaller and slower, because there is a learning process, and it’s twofold. One is learning about your business and making it loanworthy. Then, two is learning the language of those making the loans.” 

It is a fact that there is a gap in the number of Black women founders who are finding substantial funding for their businesses. According to numbers from Stearnsbank, Black women who apply for funding are three times more likely to be rejected than other demographics, including white business owners. 

Carmen Tapio, founder of the largest Black-owned business in Nebraska, North End Teleservices, shared a story of how she was discriminated against by lenders. With an 850 credit score and a stellar business reputation, she was unsuccessful in securing a Paycheck Protection Program loan from any financial institution. “Decisions that were made decades ago in some instances…can put real constraints on the ability of entrepreneurs of particular races from participating in the systems and the programs that are out there,” she said at a virtual event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. 

In addition, only 2% of venture capital funding nationwide goes toward female-only founding teams. Arian Simone, CEO and founding partner of the Fearless Fund, once addressed this issue. 

The venture capital firm invested in underresourced entrepreneurs like women of color who led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level, or series A financing. The Fearless Strivers Grant contest, which awarded $20,000 to small businesses led by at least one woman of color, was shut down after the conservative-led firm, American Alliance for Equal Rights, sued them for racial discrimination due to the Supreme Court’s controversial affirmative action ruling. 

Such obstacles make it much more difficult for a Black woman entrepreneur to garner critical funding, which Cuban acknowledges. It is partly why the billionaire feels that Black women should lean more into their wealth of financial knowledge so they won’t be exploited when loans come about. “You have to take whatever time to get it right because if you go into that bank, if you go somewhere to try to get a loan and you don’t get it, you still got to be in a position to work and go forward,” he explained, according to People of Color In Tech.  

“What’s even worse, and this is something I think is the most important point—there’s a lot of predatory lending out there, and it’s awful. [The lenders] see people who may not have the financial literacy or understanding, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, yeah, I’ll make you a loan.”

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Rikers Island, Correction Officer, Inmates, Prison
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 14, 2025

Missouri Attorney General Wants To Send Exonerated Man Back To Prison

An exonerated man could be sent back to prison if the Missouri Attorney General gets his way.

A wrongly convicted Black man who spent over 30 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit could face a return to prison if the Missouri Attorney General has his way.

Christopher Dunn had his conviction overturned last summer after a St. Louis judge applied a 2021 law that reshaped the legal process for innocence claims, KCUR reports. However, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office is now petitioning the state Supreme Court to allow an appeal of Dunn’s release.

Bailey has consistently opposed the release of wrongfully convicted individuals, even when ordered by the courts. Now, despite his exoneration, Dunn’s freedom remains uncertain. Last month, the Missouri attorney general’s office argued before the state Supreme Court for the right to challenge Dunn’s release.

“Innocence has never been enough, according to the attorney general’s office,” Dunn told St. Louis on the Air. “Right now, I’m just sitting here waiting to see if the Missouri Supreme Court is going to rule with the consciousness of the law.”

Along with attempting to appeal Dunn’s exoneration, Bailey’s office is also fighting a proposed bill aimed at expanding who can file an “actual innocence” claim in court. Under the current 2021 law, only prosecutors in the county of conviction can pursue innocence claims. The new bill, HB 1075, would allow individuals in the Department of Corrections’ custody to petition for innocence, even if they are not on death row.

The bill’s public hearing on Feb. 26 was before the House Judiciary Committee. Dunn and several other exonerees testified in support of the measure, while First Assistant Attorney General Jay Atkins voiced his opposition.

Atkins argued that the bill fails to involve victims in the expanded legal process for innocence claims. He also claimed the proposal “undermines our system of justice in a way worse than any bill I have ever seen.”

“I think the greater miscarriage of justice is the fact that we have people who are sitting in prison for things that we didn’t do,” said Kenya Brumfield-Young, a criminologist and professor at St. Louis University.

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En Vogue, Dawn Robinson
by Kandiss Edwards

March 14, 2025

Dawn Robinson’s Ex Offers Job After Singer Reveals She Is Unhoused

Dawn Robinson's ex-husband, Andre Allen, has offered the former En Vogue member a job in hospitality.

Singer Dawn Robinson, formerly of En Vogue, has revealed she is living in her car, but according to TMZ, her ex-husband, Andre Allen, has offered her a job in hospitality.

Robinson and Allen were together for 10 years. The “Hold On” singer’s ex was also in the music industry but said leaving that career for the hotel business saved his life.

Allen is willing to help Robinson transition into hospitality, believing she would be a great saleswoman if she “humbles herself.”

Robinson, a seven-time Grammy nominee, briefly reunited with En Vogue in the 2000s. Allen, who said he helped facilitate the reunion, claims he was unaware of the extent of her struggles.

Allen has spoken about the financial hardships faced by former industry colleagues. A successful industry participant himself said he has seen musicians die in poverty and has financially helped other music industry figures in need.

The singer revealed her situation on YouTube in a video titled “Your New Life Is in the Scary.” She discussed moving in with her parents during a career downturn, which she said strained her relationship with her mother.

Robinson described her experience as an “unexpected” growth period.

“Sometimes in life, we end up in situations that we weren’t expecting. There’s something we need to learn or teach, but we’re too afraid to push ourselves out of our comfort zones to do it, so the universe does it for us,” she wrote in the video caption. “During this growth period, we either learn to trust ourselves or give in to fear and fail.”

The MTV Award-winning singer has yet to respond to Allen’s offer. Now a Hilton hospitality salesman, Allen believes Robinson’s personality would help her succeed in the industry. Though this isn’t the first time he has extended the offer, Robinson’s current circumstances may prompt her to accept.

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