Vivek_Ramaswamy
by Mitti Hicks

December 27, 2024

Former Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Criticized For Calling Americans ‘Mediocre’

Vivek Ramaswamy is a first-generation American whose father is not a U.S. citizen, per his own account.

In so many words, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy suggested that American culture values mediocrity over excellence to defend why tech companies look to hire workers overseas.  Now, he’s catching heavy backlash – even from within his own party.

“There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have,” his former presidential opponent, Nikki Haley, stated. “We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers.”

What sparked the criticism was his comments on Dec. 26. He took to X and said, “The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over ‘native’ Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture.”

Ramaswamy is a first-generation American whose father is not a U.S. citizen, per his own account.

He goes on, “Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer).”

His comments come as both he and former undocumented immigrant and billionaire Elon Musk support H-1B visas over the training and hiring of American workers. President-elect Trump appointed Ramaswamy and Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The new department will reportedly advise the Trump administration on how best to “reduce wasteful federal spending.”

“Turns out the ‘waste’ that DOGE wanted to cut from America was Americans,” X User Auron Macintyre said under Ramasway’s comments on X.

“So basically, tech bros prefer foreign-born workers because they’re willing to work 90 hours per week rather than having a work/life balance. Got it,” X user Brenden Dilley adds.

Meanwhile, Conservative radio host John Cardillo called Ramaswamy’s post “one of the most offensive things I’ve read. America and Americans are not mediocre. India is a filthy third-world hellscape. If it’s so exceptional, why doesn’t its tech talent want to stay there?”

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Miami Heat,Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers' Head Coach, Chauncey Billups
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 27, 2024

University Of California Emerges Victorious In Raising The B.A.R. Tournament Featuring Black Female Head Coaches

It was the fourth year that the school hosted Raising The B.A.R.

This past weekend, the University of California (Cal) hosted its fourth annual Raising The B.A.R. (basketball, activism, representation) Invitational, which features schools with Black female basketball head coaches.

According to The Daily Californian, the tournament’s host team swept the field to emerge victorious on Dec. 22. The No. 24-ranked Cal beat Temple University by scoring 89-63 to improve its winning record to 13 wins against one defeat on the season. Fordham University and Xavier University were the other two teams participating in the tournament.

Cal head coach Charmin Smith created the tournament to raise awareness of the lack of voices being heard in women’s basketball college coaching. Each season, she selects four teams (including her own) led by Black female head coaches.

In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Smith expressed the lack of Black female head coaches and the purpose of ensuring people know they exist.

“In our sport, it’s a huge issue with only 17% of head coaches are women of color,” Smith told the media outlet. “This tournament elevates the voices and stories and people in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging space as well as highlights the lack of diversity in women’s college basketball coaching.”

The school announced that it had added a fundraising component for the tournament to help each school. Cal is raising funds for People’s Programs, Fordham for Part of the Solution, Temple for the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, and Xavier for Cincinnati Stepping Stones.

Fordham’s head coach Bridgette Mitchell spoke about being invited to participate in the tournament.

“This is really cool,” she said in a phone interview. “Representation matters. Girls look up to my players and my players look up to me. This is really unique to see and it should be celebrated what Charmin is doing.”

Cal is now off to its best start of the season since 2016-17, when it opened with the same record the school has now at 13-1.

WNBA Team Owner Sheila Johnson Cites ‘Hard Feelings’ Over Caitlin Clark’s Time Athlete Of The Year Title

by Stacy Jackson

December 27, 2024

Former DHS Officer, Soraya Correa, Now Leads Nation’s Largest Employer Of Visually-Impaired People

Correa has seen workers who are blind use advanced technology to produce products like military uniforms and aircraft parts.

In March, Soraya Correa, the former chief procurement officer at the Department of Homeland Security, was appointed president and CEO of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB). NIB is the nation’s largest employer of blind or visually impaired people, providing goods and services to the federal government.

“It’s not just about the mission that we serve of making sure that we are employing individuals who are blind or visually impaired,” Correa said in an interview on The Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

“But it’s also about that government mission. It’s making sure that we are delivering the products and services that are needed by our federal government, our military institutions to make sure that we deliver to those individuals that protect and serve our country every day.”

Along with nearly 100 associated nonprofit agencies across the country, NIB creates employment opportunities for people who are blind to earn their own wages, reduce their reliance on government support, and enhance their overall personal and economic independence. According to NIB, the designated central nonprofit agency participates in the federal AbilityOne Program, which coordinates with nearly 450 nonprofit organizations nationwide to find employment opportunities that provide services to the federal government and military and sell them at fair market prices. Through its registered trademark, SKILCRAFT, blind workers build products and deliver services that include office supplies, hardware, sanitation products, knowledge-based professional services, and more.

“We build aircraft parts in one of our facilities,” Correa said. “We also do uniforms, quite a few uniforms for our military. In fact, the Defense Department is one of our largest customers in that area.”

When asked about producing products and services that may be considered highly visual activities, Correa said advanced technology helps guide their workers. “It is just impressive to watch these individuals doing these, building these products and making uniforms, using sewing machines and other products based on technology where they have either voice instructions being given to them or helping guide them on how to do the work,” she said.

NIB offers services to its workers, such as career training, grants, loans, and engineering support. Along with the host of services, the workers are monitored to ensure contract terms and conditions are being met. The agency also hires veterans and other individuals with disabilities.

Correa comes to the NIB with a wealth of knowledge and credentials, including over 40 years of federal government service. Her roles span contracting and acquisitions, information technology, and management. In 2011, she was appointed the DHS chief procurement officer and senior procurement executive. In 2023, she was appointed executive director of the Contract Management Institute by the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), where she serves as an Advisory Board member. Correa retired from federal service in 2021.

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Ryan Cameron, One Atlanta, radio show, multi year, Ryan Cameron Uncensored Show
by Kandiss Edwards

December 27, 2024

Ryan Cameron Is Now The Voice Of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport ‘Plane Train’

Ryan Cameron is the voice of morning commutes and airport travel.

Long-time Atlanta radio host Ryan Cameron is now the voice of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Fox 5 reported. 

The Ryan Cameron Morning Show host became the voice of Hartsfield-Jackson’s announcements in November 2023. This year, however, he added “plane train announcer” to his resume. 

The “plane train” shuttles airport travelers gate to gate in the world’s biggest airport. 

The Atlanta native says landing the job is a dream come true. He had the idea over 10 years ago, and it is now coming to fruition. 

“It’s kind of surreal to be not only involved in this and I got to say thank you to Mayor Andre Dickens and, of course, to everybody here,” Cameron said. “They believed in this vision that I came up with almost 10 years ago, and here we are.”

Cameron’s smooth tenor voice will, hopefully, calm travelers as they navigate the “efficient” maze that is Hartsfield-Jackson. The Emmy Award winner jokes that his voice may calm others, but at one point, hearing his own voice annoyed him. 

When I was here, I was trying to get to a gate, and I was at the wrong gate, and I heard myself the whole entire time, go from gate to gate,” Cameron said. “So, I got a little tired of myself because I was trying to catch that plane.”

It’s been a year of abundance for the Atlanta Hawks P.A. announcer. In May 2024, Cameron sealed a multiyear deal with Urban One Atlanta to extend his Ryan Cameron Uncensored Show.

A man of many accomplishments, Cameron finds time to give back through the Ryan Cameron Foundation, which he founded in 2002.

The foundation aims to aid Atlanta’s “underserved youth transition into adulthood.” For over two decades, the organization has created programs to support young people in all areas of their development. Health courses are provided to help teens understand the importance of health and the proper way to live a healthy lifestyle. The organization also hosts an Annual Father-Daughter dance, provides teen driver courses, and facilitates a leadership academy. 

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Jay-Z
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 27, 2024

Judge Denies Request For ‘Jane Doe’ To Reveal Herself In Alleged Sexual Assault Case Against JAY-Z

If the case moves forward, the judge said that the accuser may have to reveal her identity.

After JAY-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, sued to force the identity of the woman accusing his client and Diddy of sexual assault in 2000, a judge has ruled that she does not have to reveal herself at this time but may have to at a later date if the case goes on.

According to CBS News, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres responded to Spiro’s attempt to have the accuser reveal her identity by denying the defendant’s request on Dec. 26. She did state that if the case was to move forward for discovery purposes, she might have to remove the accuser’s anonymous status. Revealing the accuser’s name in the future would allow defense lawyers to collect facts necessary to prepare for trial. Torres also said there is “substantial interest” from the public.

The accuser, who stated she was 13 years old at the time of the alleged crime, told her attorney, Tony Buzbee, that she made her way to the 2000 MTV Music Awards ceremony from her residence in Rochester, New York. The accuser said a now-deceased friend drove her five hours and dropped her off before she allegedly met up with the two moguls. She claimed they sexually assaulted her at an afterparty at what she described as a white house.

Spiro asked the judge to remove JAY-Z from the lawsuit as the rapper denied it took place. The attorney cited an interview that the plaintiff gave NBC News, which he said showed that she gave “glaring inconsistencies and outright impossibilities” in her recollection of that night. He listed several of them, including her claim of watching the actual awards shows from a jumbotron outside the VMAs, but he has since proven that there was no jumbotron at that ceremony. Spiro also stated that even the accuser’s father was perplexed as she claimed after the alleged assault that she contacted her father to come pick her up, and he drove her back five hours to Rochester. He admitted that he did not remember that taking place, stating he would have remembered driving five hours.

In the interview, the woman did admit to the many inconsistencies in her story.

However, in her denial, Judge Torres chastised Spiro. She felt that Spiro’s “relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks” against Buzbee were “inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client.”

She said Spiro has submitted a “litany of letters and motions attempting to impugn the character of Plaintiff’s lawyer, many expounding on the purported ‘urgency’ of this case.”

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Texas, US Mexico Border
by Sharelle B. McNair

December 27, 2024

Mexicans Only: Mexico Prepares To Open Shelters For Its Citizens Amid Trump’s Massive Deportation Plans 

Think other countries will do the same?

Mexico announced plans to open 25 migrant shelters for Mexican citizens only as President-elect Donald Trump threatens massive deportations, New York Post reports. 

Each will hold a capacity of 500 people, with doors opening on Jan. 20 — Inauguration Day. As Trump has repeatedly promised immigrant deportations on day one of his second term, Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda says she is taking his words to heart. “What we do know, throughout his campaign, he threatened to do this, and since he was already president of the United States, we believe this time he will be stricter and tougher regarding deportations,” Olmeda said. 

“We are working to get ready and receive our migrants …This is a strategic plan to accommodate exclusively people who get deported after Jan. 20.” 

Plans to open over 12,000 beds in shelters across the country include shelters for Mexican citizens only who have been sent back home. Deported migrants from other countries will not be welcomed. Data from Border Report shows five shelters will be located just south of San Diego, which is known as one of the busiest regions for illegal crossings between the U.S. and Mexico. Two more will be set up south of El Centro, California. 

“These shelters that are being planned are for those being repatriated who are coming from north to south, but no foreigners, only Mexicans; this must be made clear — Mexicans will be welcomed back to their country, and their human rights will be respected,” the governor explained.

The buildings will be designated for either men, women, unaccompanied children, or families, and they will be permitted to stay just a few days before being shipped back to their original hometowns. 

Trump and his border patrol team, including border czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security Secretary nominee, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, have been promising to “launch the largest mass deportation of illegal criminals in American history,” according to the Washington Times. 

Newly appointed White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that her boss would “use the power of his pen to deliver on many of the promises he made to the American people on the campaign trail to secure our southern border,” potentially using methods like Title 42 – legislation signed during Trump’s first term, allowing officials to turn migrants away due to COVID-19.

The incoming president thinks that Mexico is on board with his immigration plan. In November 2024, he claimed that Mexico’s newly-elected President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, committed to “stop migration.” But on X, Sheinbaum Pardo painted a different picture. “In our conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy that Mexico has followed to address the migration phenomenon, respecting human rights,” she wrote on X.

“Thanks to this, migrants and caravans are assisted before crossing the border. We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”

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teen, Tennessee, mother, youth center
by Mitti Hicks

December 27, 2024

Woman Sues Company For ‘Punishing’ Her After Stroke and Medical Leave

The lawsuit claims the woman could only return if she submitted a doctor’s note that indicated she had no restrictions and got a signed copy of her job description.

A woman is suing a Florida company after she claims she was “punished” with a performance plan the day she returned to work from medical leave after having a stroke.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit on behalf of the woman on Dec. 20 in the Middle District of Florida. The commission is accusing Elon Property Management of disability discrimination and retaliation, the Miami Herald reports.

A Stroke 2.5 Years Into The Job

According to court documents, the woman at the center of the lawsuit was hired in September 2020 to oversee eight apartment complexes in the Tampa area. About two and a half years into the job, the woman had a stroke. The lawsuit says the company granted her medical leave for three months.

When it was time to return to work, human resources said, per company policy, she could only return if she submitted a doctor’s note that indicated she had no restrictions and got a signed copy of her job description, the lawsuit says.

The woman reportedly returned to work a week after speaking with HR. She alleges that her bosses put her on a performance improvement plan on the same day. When she was on medical leave, other employees managed her properties. Even still, the occupancy rates fell.

The lawsuit claims that her action plan required her to get occupancy rates back up during her first two weeks back to work, or she risked being fired. The woman refused to sign the plan, and her boss reportedly scheduled a meeting to issue a final warning. She resigned three days later because she felt the company was trying to fire her and also because she was worried about how the disciplinary actions from the company would impact her health.

According to EEOC attorneys, they say this “100% healed policy” discriminates against not only the woman who had the stroke but also against other Elon employees.

“The company will only allow workers to come back if they don’t need accommodations or have impairments,” the suit says. If workers don’t have the clearance, the suit claims workers are “terminated or forced to take additional leave.”

Bronny James, Call of Duty Tournament
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 27, 2024

Bronny James Remains ‘Resilient’ Following Cardiac Arrest Suffered In 2023

'Trying to get past that,' James says. “It’s difficult, but I’m trying to work at it every day.'

South Bay Lakers rookie Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest in 2023 and is now revealing how he has been coping with the aftermath of the heart condition that paused his basketball pursuit at the time.

According to The Associated Press, James opened up about being “resilient” over the year since the emergency occurred. While he was a student-athlete at the University of Southern California (USC), he suffered a cardiac arrest on July 24, 2023, while practicing with his basketball team. After taking time off to recover, he rejoined the team, played limited minutes, and did not meet the expectations due to not playing at the pace he had been used to. Even after a lackluster year, he entered the NBA Draft, where the Los Angeles Lakers picked him with the No. 55th selection.

James has played with the team but has also spent time with the G League affiliate, where he is currently playing. After the game on Saturday, Dec. 21, the much-talked-about rookie spoke to the media outlet about dealing with the rigors of playing the game less than two years after his medical emergency almost derailed his plans.

“I’ve become resilient over these past couple of years fighting through injuries, mental illness, stuff like that,” James said. “Just, you know, coming in and working every day and staying the course.”

He mentions trying to get past the moment that scared him, his family, and the basketball fans who had been rooting for him since he played for Sierra Canyon School.

“Trying to get past that,” James told the media outlet. “It’s difficult, but I’m trying to work at it every day.”

His most recent stat line for the Dec. 21 game was six points, seven assists, four rebounds, and a steal while on the floor for the South Bay team for 25 minutes. The Lakers beat the Osceola Magic 120-104.

“I’m just showing up every day, trying to get better every day, trying to learn every day, and playing my game every day,” James stated. “And I feel like that’s what is getting me to have fun and enjoy this sport that I love every day.”

Despite the criticism of not being treated like most rookies and having a stat line only averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in his only year at college, he still looks to make a lasting impact to become a regular player in the NBA.

“My family, my parents, they are extremely thankful that I’m not only able to play basketball but also just walk around and speak to other people,” James said. “It’s a blessing to be able to play this sport that I love. There’s a chance I wasn’t going to be able to. So, I wake up and I’m thankful for that every day.”

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NYC, high school
by Stacy Jackson

December 27, 2024

Tupelo High Schoolers Enroll In Career Academies To Kickstart Career Experience

Ninth graders at Tupelo High School are enrolled in the Freshman Academy to explore career options before they choose a focus sophomore year.

Tupelo High School in Mississippi is kickstarting the careers of its students by enrolling every freshman in a Career Academy program designed to give them a focus throughout their senior year.

The Daily Journal reported that Tupelo Public School District’s (TPSD) Career Academies program is intended to prepare high schoolers for life outside the classroom. The program, which reflects the format of a college major, combines career, technology, and classroom education that prepares high schoolers for career opportunities after graduation. “It’s basically an attempt to give children, students, a vision of themselves in the future and to create students that are globally competitive and locally committed,” said TPSD’s Superintendent of Education Rob Picou.

Students entering the ninth grade are enrolled in the Freshman Academy. By the conclusion of their first year of high school, they will have explored several post-secondary career and education options in preparation for their sophomore year, where they will select one of the available specialized academies: Communication, Arts and Business (CAB), Health and Human Services (2HS), Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), or Middle College.

https://twitter.com/CareerTech_TPSD/status/1867643841811296689

Through TPSD’s Career Academies, students are prepared for enrollment, employment, and enlistment across specific careers. Although students are still required to complete the state curriculum, the program offers work-based and project-based learning experiences, including job shadowing, mentorship, internships, and community service.

“Career Academies are a complete redesign of how we do business at the secondary level,” Picou said.

TPSD aims to become a model district for the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC). According to NCAC, the coalition established the Career Academy National Standards of Practice (NSOP) in 2010, which are guidelines for developing and implementing career academy programs. The academies, created in 1969, offer students resources ahead of college and entrance into the workforce.

Career Academies are expected to become the standard of secondary education in Tupelo by the 2027-28 school year.

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Detroit Nail Bar, Nationwide
by Kandiss Edwards

December 27, 2024

Detroit Nail Bar Scales Up Offering Franchise Opportunities

Kelli M. Coleman and Anika J. Odegbo are making their mark with The TEN.

The TEN Nail Bar is scaling up and becoming a franchise. The establishment, co-owned by Kelli M. Coleman and Anika J. Odegbo, is a multipurpose spa in Detroit.

In an Instagram post, Coleman announced, “BIG NEWS: The TEN is going nationwide.”

The young boss noted some of the “challenges,” “questions,” and “doubts” she and Odegbo faced at the beginning of their journey.

After wading through initial hardships, Coleman and Odegbo believe the business and its operation model are primed for franchising.

“It’s time to share the blueprint for success and EMPOWER others through entrepreneurship and ownership.”

The TEN Nail Bar offers a wide range of services, including manicures, pedicures, brow tinting, waxing, and lash services. Customers can buy individual services or opt for the Self Care Club, a $150 monthly subscription that allows them to receive two manicures and pedicures.

The Spelman graduates were roommates while attending the famous HBCU. Both women were aligned in their goal of eventually owning their businesses, and as luck would have it, they would one day achieve their goals together.

Coleman spoke with the Michigan Chronicle about her dreams of being an entrepreneur. She credits both her and Odegbo’s families with helping them decide to start small businesses. Coleman believes the success of their entrepreneurial families gave them the foresight to pursue their dreams. The pair also sees business ownership as the path to creating a legacy and generational wealth.

“We come from entrepreneurial families; we really understand the power of entrepreneurship to create generational wealth. It was always our respective goals to own businesses of our own in addition to carrying on our family’s entrepreneurial legacy,” Coleman said.

Odegbo and Coleman are among the 26% Black franchisee owners in the U.S. The women are confident that The TEN has established enough brand recognition and a strong enough business model to thrive for years.

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