LeBron James’ Wife, Savannah, Leverages Lockerverse To Big Up FAMU Marching Band

by Mary Spiller

November 18, 2023

LeBron James’ Wife, Savannah, Leverages Lockerverse To Big Up FAMU Marching Band

Savannah James directed watchers to go and vote for FAMU in ESPN's annual Band of The Year competition.

LeBron James and Florida A&M University have entered a business deal together, and FAMU is reaping the benefits. LeBron’s wife, Savannah James, has been drumming up support for the Historically Black College’s Marching Band.

Savannah shot a promotional clip for the social media platform that she founded, Lockerverse, and in it she took the time to encourage viewers to vote for FAMU’s Marching Band in ESPN’s 100 Band of The Year contest this year. FAMU is the First and Only HBCU to be sponsored by LeBron’s apparel.

In the video, Savannah said, “What’s up y’all? It’s Savannah James and I’m so thrilled to be here representing FAMU’s Marching 100 band for the ESPN Band of The Year competition.” She continued, “Your support is super crucial. I’m calling every FAMU fan to cast their vote each week on the Lockerverse app for the only ‘King James’ HBCU school.”

The ESPN Band of The Year Competition will take place on Dec. 15 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Savannah urged fans to vote before then as just casting your vote puts fans into a draw to win $5,000 and tickets to the Band of The Year Competition and the Celebration Bowl that comes after.

She said, “So you know James Gang is rocking with the Marching 100, but we want to know who you think the best band is.”

Lockerverse is advertised as a platform for new athletes, artists, designers, brands and even athletes to promote themselves through video and story advertisement. Fans of the platform are also privy to exclusive access to different content, including: merchandise, in person experiences, and online accessible communities.

Keke Palmer To Host The 2023 Soul Train Awards

by Mary Spiller

November 18, 2023

Keke Palmer To Host The 2023 Soul Train Awards

The announcement comes after Palmer was granted a temporary restraining order against ex Darius Jackson, the father of her young son

Amid personal and legal drama regarding her former boyfriend, Emmy Award-winning actress and singer Keke Palmer will be hosting the upcoming Soul Train Awards in 2023. According to Billboard, Palmer will be guiding the “house party of the year” to air on Nov. 26 on BET at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The announcement comes after Palmer was granted a temporary restraining order against ex Darius Jackson, the father of her young son.

Connie Orlando, BET executive over vp specials, music programming and music strategy, stated in a press release, “Keke Palmer is a globally recognized multi-hyphenate talent who embodies confidence and positivity, and is one of the most engaging and lovable personalities working in entertainment today.”

Orlando expressed the company’s excitement to work with Palmer after being involved with her career when she was up-and-coming, and her confidence in her ability to highlight the soul artists in the lineup.

“We can’t wait to have her host the Soul Train Awards house party. BET gave Keke her first talk show, where she made history as the youngest talk show host in television, and today we are honored to have her back on the Soul Train Awards stage. As always, expect our star-studded slate of soulful artists and can’t-miss moments to illuminate your screens for a night dedicated to soul music,” Orlando said.

In addition to being the host for the night, Palmer will also perform at the Soul Train Awards, among a list of well-established artists such as BJ The Chicago Kid, Coco Jones, Danté Bowe, Fridayy, Muni Long, and SWV.

Soul Train Awards 2023 is set to be recorded in Los Angeles. Headlining the impressive list of nominations this year are Summer Walker, Usher, and SZA, all three of which have gotten an impressive nine nominations each.

Orlando is overseeing the Soul Train Awards. Also working on the project are Jamal Noisette, Jesse Collins, Jeannae Rouzan—Clay, and Dionne Harmon of Jesse Collins Entertainment serving as executive producers.

TED Talks, Brooklyn, comedy show, Black-Owned Comedy Venue, black music

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 18, 2023

New York Welcomes Brooklyn’s Only Black-Owned Comedy And Performance Venue

Former Video Music Box host Ray Dejon opens 275 Park in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn has just seen the opening of the city’s only Black-owned comedy and live music venue. The person responsible for this is New York’s own, Ray Dejon.

According to News 12 Brooklyn, the venue, named 275 Park, is located in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn and was brought to life by Dejon, who in his earlier years, was a co-host on the longest-running hip-hop video show, Video Music Box, which is coincidentally, celebrating its 40th anniversary. With his roots being a host on the show, Dejon branched out into the comedy world, hosting many shows around various venues in the New York City area.

275 Park sits where a supermarket used to be. Now, the venue will serve the community with laughs, music, drinks, and food.

In a discussion with News 12 Brooklyn, Dejon explains that the venue is a for its neighborhood.

“We are the first Black-owned comedy and performance venue in Brooklyn, New York, and one out of two in the entire New York.

“People in our community, especially in our communities, we’re oppressed, and people are not having a good time. People are struggling. Comedy is a relief. Comedy is a medicine.”

Dejon goes on to say that he has been incarcerated 26 times, and the struggles he’s encountered in life whether it was domestic violence, or substance abuse, his sense of humor got him through it all.

The 61-year-old entrepreneur also mentioned some of the bigger names that have performed at many of his shows throughout the years, including Kevin Hart, Tracey Morgan, JB Smoove, and Mike Epps.

“They all visited my comedy platforms in New York,” Dejon stated.

You can catch upcoming and established comedians while having a meal and drinks at 275 Park. In fact, if you are in the New York City area on New Year’s Eve weekend, you can catch the New York Kings of Comedy (Capone, Talent Harris, Rob Stapleton, and Mark Viera) performing at the venue.

by Stacy Jackson

November 18, 2023

Jennifer Gray Designs First Alabama A&M-Themed Nike Shoe

Gray has become the first-ever AAMU shoe designer to collaborate with Nike after being selected as one of its 2023 Yardrunners.

Alabama A&M University alumna Jennifer Gray’s sneaker design has marked a historical moment for the Huntsville HBCU.

As part of Nike’s fourth Yardrunner campaign, Gray’s design was selected as one of the five HBCU designs added to the footwear brand’s “Terminator High” collection. According to Hville Blast, the design is the first Nike shoe inspired by AAMU.

“With tremendous honor, I am very grateful and elated to be the designer behind this project,” the electrical engineering graduate said. “Being the first-ever AAMU shoe designer who collaborated with Nike was a thrill.”

Nike’s website described the shoe as “proudly dressed in school colors.” The exterior of the sneaker features Medium Grey suede and Deep Maroon leather. The sneaker is finished with metallic gold and custom golden dog-bone dubraes that feature the university’s official mascot names “Bruiser” and “Butch.” AAMU’s Bulldogs logo is centered on the tongue label and a green leather heel tab “nods to the school’s agricultural heritage.” The high-top sneaker is completed with the HBCU’s motto, “Service Is Sovereignty,” printed on the insole as a salute to A&M values.

AAMU announced Nike’s pre-launch of Gray’s design on Nov. 15. In the announcement, the university shared details about City Gear’s launch of “a limited quantity of the intricately-designed Terminator High kicks” at its 2250 Sparkman Drive NW Huntsville location on Nov. 17. The event was to include special presentations, recognitions, and a performance by the AAMU Marching Maroon and White band.

Nike has announced a special pre-launch of its new Alabama A&M University shoe. City Gear (2250 Sparkman Drive NW Huntsville location) will launch a limited quantity of the #AAMU Terminator High kicks Friday, November 17 from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

This and more at… pic.twitter.com/otEZNU0swn
— Alabama A&M University (@aamuedu) November 14, 2023

The university’s official Instagram page also invited followers to drop their shoe sizes in the comments under a video of the design, for a chance to win a pair of the AAMU-themed Nikes.

As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Nike announced the lineup of HBCUs in its Yardrunners 4.0 Class of 2023 in October. Joining Gray’s design in the Terminator High ensemble includes Morehouse College, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, and Tennessee State University. The campaign, which first launched in 2020 to elevate HBCU culture, also features talent from Bowie State University, Florida A&M, Hampton University, Howard University, North Carolina A&T, Prairie View A&M, Southern University, and Winston-Salem State University.

In Nike’s Oct. 5 announcement, the athletic brand spotlighted the students from the featured historically Black colleges and universities. The 2023 Yardrunners were introduced on the brand’s official Instagram page as student leaders “fearlessly inspiring change and boldly representing a rich legacy.”

Gray’s AAMU design is available to purchase online from Nike on Nov. 18. The sneaker is valued at $150.

Studies Show Opening Death Gap Among Black Childhood Cancer Patients

by Atiya Jordan

November 18, 2023

Studies Show Opening Death Gap Among Black Childhood Cancer Patients

Today, the leading cause of cancer deaths in children is brain cancer, followed by leukemia.

A new report found that Black children with cancer have not experienced the same advancements as others of child cancer patients over the past decade.

Today, the leading cause of cancer deaths in children is brain cancer, followed by leukemia. In 2001, mortality rates among Black, Hispanic, and white children with cancer were the same. However, data shows that the next decade witnessed more of a decline in rates for white children than other groups, according to the Associated Press.

Cancer in North America found the most common type of cancer diagnosed in 2016–2020 among children and adolescents in the United States. These include leukemia, malignant brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors, lymphomas, malignant soft tissue sarcomas, malignant germ cell tumors, and malignant bone tumors.

During that time, the incidence rate of leukemia was about twice as high in Hispanic children and adolescents as in Black children and adolescents.

One study, led by Kim D. Miller, MPH, an ACS epidemiologist in the Surveillance and Health Equity Science department, found a 0.7% yearly increase from 2008 to 2017 in incidence rates of cancerous brain tumors among children. Additionally, the five-year survival rates were lowest (70%) in Black children and adolescents with brain cancer and highest (79%) in white patients, as stated in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Why is there an opening in the death gap? Several years of research and advanced medical therapy and technology have improved patient survival rates. Despite that, further studies examine the financial burden associated with medical costs among childhood patients and their families.

“You can have the most sophisticated scientific advances, but if we can’t deliver them into every community in the same way, then we have not met our goal as a nation,” said Dr. Sharon Castellino, a pediatric cancer specialist at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, who had no role in the new report.

A research article reported that the median total outpatient hospital cost for “newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia patients” was $2,904 per patient, inpatient hospital cost was $83,440 per patient, and ICU cost was $16,550 per patient.

“You need at least one parent to quit their job and be there 24/7, and then figure out the situation for the rest of their children,” Castellino said. “It’s not that families don’t want to do that. It’s difficult.”

For example, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital does not charge families for treatment, travel, or housing so that they can prioritize their children’s battle for survival. In recent news, St. Jude’s announced its partnership with 10-time Grammy-winning group Take 6. They will collaborate on the hospital’s “Music Gives to St. Jude’s Kids” program, designed to connect music lovers to their passion for music.

by Atiya Jordan

November 17, 2023

Study: Why Are Fewer Black Patients Receiving Anti-Obesity And Diabetes Prescriptions?

As the demand for such drugs escalates, there is a disparity between the use of the anti-obesity and diabetes medication among Black people and other groups

Research supports that Black people are having trouble accessing anti-obesity and diabetes medication. Meanwhile, white people are four times more likely to receive a prescription.

In 2023, an estimated 1.7% of people in the United States have been prescribed semaglutide drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, according to a CNN report based on exclusive Epic Research. However, as the demand for both drugs escalates, there is an evident disparity between the use of the anti-obesity and diabetes medication among Black people and other groups.

Ozempic, for instance, was approved in 2017 for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy was approved in 2021 for the treatment of obesity. One study uncovered that between 2015 and 2020, 56.6% of Black adults were eligible for semaglutide, which marked the highest among other groups. Though studies show that Black people are at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, experts are concerned about health inequities such as lack of insurance.

“Unfortunately, access to care is a huge barrier within our Black and brown communities,” said Northwestern Medicine Internal Medicine physician Kimbra A. Bell, MD. “Additionally, the inability to afford quality medical care and prescription medications can be a hindrance as well. So, conditions such as diabetes are not managed as well as they could be and subsequently result in poorer outcomes.”

The United States is currently home to the highest number of adults living with obesity. And yet out-of-pocket costs prices for semaglutide drugs are reportedly higher in the country than in other nations. For a one-month supply, eligible patients must chalk up $936 for Ozempic, $1,349 for Wegovy, $1,023 for Mounjaro, and $936 for Rybelsus.

Experts call for a promising future with better accessibility for Black patients who are in dire need of these medications. They suggest Black patients see Black doctors because statistics show better overall treatment results. Other solutions include patient advocacy, spreading awareness among the Black community, and discounted programs.

Furthermore, Black tech health startups across the U.S. are dedicated to changing how people exercise, eat, and communicate with doctors. With one click at a time, underrepresented founders have created platforms like Health in Her Hue, which connects Black women to culturally sensitive healthcare providers, and MedHaul, which focuses on securing low-cost transportation back and forth to medical appointments.

In a statement, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk said that they distribute their “existing supply across markets in a responsible manner consistent with our focus on continuity of care and access to innovative medicines,” CNN reported.

“In the U.S., we cannot control which specific pharmacies or patients receive Ozempic as we distribute our products to wholesalers who in turn supply retail pharmacies nationwide.”

by Iman Milner

November 17, 2023

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Announces Budget Cuts Amid Migrant Crisis, Plans To Reduce Police Numbers And Education Funding

Adams claims that the "sanctuary" city spent $1.45 billion in 2023 grappling with the influx of migrants

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a $110.5 billion budget with major cuts to police departments and education in an effort to help solve the ongoing migrant crisis. Adams alleged that the “sanctuary” city spent $1.45 billion in 2023 grappling with the influx of those seeking refuge, Yahoo News reports.

“For months, we have warned New Yorkers about the challenging fiscal situation our city faces,” he said. “To balance the budget as the law requires, every city agency dug into their own budget to find savings, with minimal disruption to services. And while we pulled it off this time, make no mistake: Migrant costs are going up, tax revenue growth is slowing and COVID stimulus funding is drying up.”

The proposed cuts call for a hiring freeze for the New York Police Department, causing the number of officers to drop below 30,000 for the first time in nearly four decades, The New York Times reports. A two-year, $1 billion decrease in funding to the Education Department is also part of Adams’ new budget, weakening summer school programs and plans for universal pre-K.

“No city should be left to handle a national humanitarian crisis largely on its own, and without the significant and timely support we need from Washington, D.C., today’s budget will be only the beginning,” Adams said at a press conference on Nov. 16. “In all my time in government, this is probably one of the most painful exercises I’ve gone through.”

New York City Council members criticized the mayor’s drastic budget cut proposal, claiming his plans would have the worst effect on working-class families.

“Mayor Adams’s unnecessary, dangerous, and draconian budget cuts will only worsen New York’s affordability crisis and delay our city’s economic recovery by cutting funding for the schools, child care, food assistance, and more that help New Yorkers live and raise families in this city,” said Lincoln Restler, a chair of the City Council’s progressive caucus.

The president of the city’s police union also called on Mayor Adams to reconsider his plan to move resources from law enforcement.

“This is truly a disaster for every New Yorker who cares about safe streets,” President Patrick Hendry said. “Cops are already stretched to our breaking point, and these cuts will return us to staffing levels we haven’t seen since the crime epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s.”

The NYPD has been one of the most controversial police departments in the nation, and Adams’ support of the usage of “stop-and-frisk” laws has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years.

3 Women Arrested at Nashville Airport In ‘Ghost Bag’ Operation

by Sharelle Burt

November 17, 2023

3 Women Arrested at Nashville Airport In ‘Ghost Bag’ Operation

A ghost bag is defined as a bag that gets checked onto a plane but has no one traveling with it.

Have you ever heard of “ghost bagging?”

It’s a new term that travelers should be aware of after three women were arrested at the Nashville International Airport for allegedly participating in what police call a “ghost bag” operation, WSMV reports. Officers were notified by Southwest Airlines on Nov. 13 of a bag that arrived at the airport, but no one flew with it. The bag contained brand-new Lululemon clothes, a receipt, a forged driver’s license, and a credit card.

Shortly after, three women came to the airport to pick up the bag, and according to Live 5 News, police found $20,000 worth of gift cards, $9,000 worth of receipts and merchandise, and 10 credit cards in the suspects’ car when they were stopped. Police said they believed the women were buying clothes with stolen credit card information and returning them to different stores to get cash or store credit. Torryiel Griggs, who was driving the vehicle, was charged with theft of property, criminal simulation, and credit card fraud.

A ghost bag is a bag that gets checked onto a plane but has no one traveling with it. Then, someone else waits at the arrival point to take the luggage from a carousel. While the term may be new to travelers, law enforcement says it’s not uncommon. This process is used as another way to transport drugs or carry out illegal activity. Once the checked bag makes it to baggage claim, the bag is in the hands of the airline, and it’s difficult for them to monitor who picks them up.

Jennifer Larson, a passenger who flew out of BNA, or Berry Field Nashville, on Nov. 13, said she didn’t like the idea of having unattended bags on their flights. She learned about the ghost bag operation after the arrest.

“It’s kind of scary to think that people can put whatever they want in a piece of luggage and ship it,” Larson said. “I hope that they regulate that if a bag doesn’t have a passenger with it. Then they don’t let the bag get on the plane. I mean, that’s common sense. If you are not on the plane, your bag shouldn’t be on the plane.”

Another passenger feels that Nashville is being targeted due to its growing popularity.

“These criminals are just looking for any way to manipulate the system,” Tracey Prue said. “Baggage claim is so easy to pick up someone else’s bags….Just be aware of your surroundings. If you see a bag going around by itself with nobody around, maybe let someone know.”

American Airlines, Sued, Discrimination, passenger, Odor

by Mary Spiller

November 17, 2023

Unhinged and Unmasked: American Airlines Passenger Fined Nearly $40,000 For Making Threats To Staff And Passengers

Honolulu woman, Cayla Farris, was arrested for the incident last year in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A belligerent American Airlines passenger was ordered to pay almost $40,000 in fines for her behavior on a Feb. 12, 2022, flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Cayla Farris pleaded guilty to threatening flight attendants and other passengers during last year’s incident. She can no longer fly on a plane without explicit permission from her current probation officer for the foreseeable future.

Farris reached a mutual plea deal with the state’s prosecutors last week regarding the incident on an American Airlines flight. According to PYOK, things went left on the plane after Farris refused to wear a mandated face mask at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A confrontation began when Farris ignored a flight attendant’s orders to put her face mask back on after 30 minutes of being on the flight. Although Farris initially complied with the order, she removed her mask against the flight crew’s instructions. The incident escalated when Farris was confronted again.

She began “cursing at and threatening passengers and aircrew members” with such severe unpredictability that the flight crew reported that they were unable to complete their flight duties during her outburst.

Farris allegedly intimidated the flight attendants after they issued her a written warning from the Airline for her erratic behavior. The belligerent passenger crumpled the paper up and continued cursing during the flight.

Finally, the plane’s captain was forced to turn around and cancel the rest of their travel to Honolulu, instead returning to Phoenix to ground the flight.

On the heels of Farris pleading guilty, District Judge Susan Brnovich sentenced the woman to three-and-a-half months of time served for breaking the conditions of her pre-trial release and gave an additional three years of supervised release.

During her three-year sentence of supervised release, Farris is banned from flying on any commercial aircraft without written permission and approval from her probation officer. The Honolulu native was also hit with a hefty restitution charge for causing a disturbance on the American Airlines flight.

Judge Brnovich ordered Farris to pay American Airlines $38,952 in restitution. Despite the guilty verdict, Farris was up against a maximum 20-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine for interfering with the flight crew’s duties.

Telfar Launches New Free Holiday Gift Bag Deal

by Mary Spiller

November 17, 2023

Telfar Launches New Free Holiday Gift Bag Deal

Customers can receive a free Telfar gift bag by submitting a video about the person that they want to give the bag to.

Telfar is drumming up crazy business by ringing in the holidays with a new offer. The trendy fashion brand is giving away its iconic Shopping Bags designed by Telfar Clemens in a new Nov. 17 deal for the giving season.

Beginning at noon, any customer who goes and purchases a bag from the Telfar website can get another bag as a gift to someone else for free. The only stipulation for the killer deal is that those who want to receive the gift bag must submit a video of themselves by Nov. 13 talking about the person to receive the gift. The video has to be between 20 seconds and 1 minute long, and the website adds that the only other requirement is “No scamming! How dare you take advantage of us!”

The offer ends on Nov. 20 at 3 PM. All orders made under the special will be shipped between Nov. 25 and Dec. 15. Regarding shipping and handling, all of the sales under the gift deal are final, accepting no returns, exchanges, refunds, or cancellations after the order is placed — which is a different procedure from the website’s usual way of distributing products.

Telfar clarified that the gift deal is unlike a typical buy one get one free offer because customers can only receive one gift bag no matter how many other products were purchased.

The promotion includes bags, no clothing or jewelry, but can be of any style. Many are gearing up to use the new offer to try and get some of Telfar’s CFDA Award-winning collaboration bags between companies like Moose Knuckles and Ugg. There’s no difference in price during the promotion, so Telfar is still sporting the same retail rates despite the gift deal going on this month, with a small Shopping Bag beginning at $150.

The well-known Unisex Shopping Bag is marketed as “an Everyday bag for Everyone. It features a double strap (handles and crossbody straps), an embossed logo, and a magnetic snap closure. Made from faux leather and twill lining.”