Maryland Community Holds Protest For 14-Year-Old Black Girl Attacked At Potomac High School
Footage showed Kayla Caldwell attacked by seven of her classmates at Potomac High School.
Community members of Oxon Hill, Maryland, will hold a rally on Dec. 16 for a 14-year-old Black girl assaulted at a local high school.
According to her mother, seven girls assaulted Kayla Caldwell at Potomac High School on Dec. 5. According to a staff member at the school, the attack escalated from an issue that started earlier that day. Now, protestors will head to the school to hold those students accountable.
WUSA9 obtained footage of the alleged incident, which showed the young girl on the floor of a school closet while taking punches to the head. The teenager sustained multiple injuries, including a broken hand and nose.
However, none of the girls involved in the altercation have received any consequences for the assault. This lack of action has resulted in Caldwell’s mother, Juanita, and other supporters calling for justice on behalf of the teen.
“I want them arrested. If you can’t arrest them, arrest their parents,” expressed Juanita to the news outlet.
The mother also told reporters how her daughter still has nightmares about the traumatic experience.
“Three in the morning, she woke up saying she had a nightmare that the same people put a hit on her,” she revealed.
Protestors intend to call out the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Attorney General’s office for their stagnancy in charging the girls, especially given the video evidence.
“I can’t believe we have video. These children are easily identified. None of them have been arrested,” explained local activist Joseph Tolbert. “I’m very disappointed in the PGCPD and the AG’s office. It doesn’t make any sense.”
The mother also shared that she reached out to other government officials, such as Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, but has yet to receive a response. Now, she feels she has no choice but to make the matter public to gain answers.
“They don’t care,” she proclaimed. “They didn’t care until I brought this to the news.”
While the rally hopes to show that Caldwell’s assault will not go under the radar, the girl’s mother will also speak with Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy about the next steps toward justice.
COLLABORATION AND HONESTY CAN MAKE TALKS ON TOUCHY FAMILY MONEY ISSUES EASIER
Creating a budget, erasing debt, determining where money will be spent, and discussing finances can be exhausting for couples and families.
Spouses combining finances can often face obstacles, whether the marriage is new or seasoned. It’s been reported that many couples frequently identify money as their greatest relationship hurdle.
There is a void of leadership dialogue for diverse leaders
There’s no lack of discourse on leadership and no shortage of hidebound books and C-suite memoirs. There is, however, a gaping void of leadership dialogue for diverse leaders. It has created a real vacuum of literature that tackles some of the unique challenges of diverse leaders.
When the books don’t exist, you write your own. That’s why we are building a space here to address our leadership challenges, a place for real talk between leaders of color. I’ll reflect on learnings from my career, and I’m also excited to invitefriends and colleagues into the conversation to share their leadership practices.
A little bit about me as we start this journey together: I was born and raised on the West Side of Chicago. A lawyer by trade, I now live in Washington, DC, and lead a national, private foundation. On a Saturday, you’re likely to find me recharging at a thrift shop or art gallery.
So much of leadership involves finding your footing. I believe a coretenet of leadership involves being authentic and true to your perspective. It sounds like such a simple thing, but diverse leaders are socialized to question themselves. We are not socialized to see ourselves–or be seen by others—as leaders. We’re socialized to see a certain type of white male as the model for leadership. Anyone who does not fit that model has to address and overcome their own andeveryone else’s socialization.
That’s a lot of noise to block out, but as leaders, it’s our job to quiet the voices and call the plays. This space is designed to help you do just that.
Together, we will:
1.BUILD A LEADERSHIP LIBRARY
Maybe you’ve downloaded all the current bestsellers on leadership and read a book by a guy decades ago. It’s all about his perspective of leadership. He might have created a white-shoe leadership organization, but it’s still about his personal leadership experience.
The book doesn’t translate if you’re a small woman of color. It doesn’t tell you what to do when you walk into the room, and no one expects to be led by someone who looks like you. To them, the bar’s just been lowered. That white-shoe leadership book doesn’t tell you how to start finding your footing.
We need to start talking about the discourse for leaders of color. We need to talk about leadership and the things that are part of leadership when you don’t fit the preconceived notion of what a leader looks like.
I spend a lot of time speaking to Black female leaders. So much of what they’re struggling with is about appearing confident. Leadership is a practice that requires consistent thoughtfulness, care, and attention. A lot of the existing discourse doesn’t outline that in a meaningful way.
2. TALK ABOUT SHOWING UP
I want to talk about showing up.Before you get to your first 90-days and 30-minute one-on-ones and how you’ll project competence as you communicate your vision — you’ll focus on how you walk in the door and show up.Just deciding what to wear can be agonizing, particularly as a woman of color.
For women, our bodies are very much a public discussion. Can you imagine that woman standing in front of her closet, thinking about what to wear? Think of Steve Jobs and his uniform–-that philosophy doesn’t translate across genders. Women are standing there, going, “What makes me look smart enough, and tall enough…” God knows early in my career I wore heels that my knees are still pissed about. It was a way to project presence.
I went from those heels in my 20s torunning a prison system –a paramilitaristic system–-at 34 years old. Suddenly, I didn’t want to look too feminine. I couldn’t have long nails, and I wanted to wear pants, but they couldn’t be too tight. I can’t imagine any of the men on my team — when we were all going to the same facilities, or frankly, to the state legislature where sexual harassment was rampant—thinking, “What can I wear that will instill the kind of respect and energy I want to receive?”
(For what it’s worth, after a while, I got really creative with gender–nonconformingchoices. It turns out a play on men’s wear can be pretty stylish.)
All of these negotiations are unique to women. The secondary layer is that if I negotiate too much or if there’s too much assimilation, I’m passing the struggle on to a future generation to tackle. I refuse to have women negotiate how they show up for the rest of their lives.
The truth is, if I show up and I’m not super comfortable, I can’t actually focus on what I came there to do. The truth of showing up for Black women leaders is different, and we need to have a conversation about that.
3. DEVELOP OUR LEADERSHIP PRACTICE
We hear a lot about the importance of being authentic to be the best leaders we can be. What we aren’t always as quick to acknowledge is that authenticity can evolve over time. That’s why I believe that leadership is an ever-evolvingpractice.
I get this from my mom because I’m a lawyer. She loves to say, “Lawyers and doctors:there’s a reason they call it practicing.” They’re called practices because you don’t always know the answer. You come in, ask questions, and run tests. Sometimes, you can diagnose it. Sometimes not.
Leadership, as its own practice, requires constant care and attention, constant thinking, continued learning, and exploration. There are no formulas for the problems we encounter in leadership. So many of the ways we work, at a certain level, demand the one thing that you bring to every job. It’s not your privilege, it’s not your network of people—it’s your intellect, your ability to process information, and to make the best decisions based on your circumstances.
4. DEFINE NEW LEADERSHIP MODELS
Early story: I graduated from a predominantly white law school and went into a white-shoe, white law firm. I’m 27. I have my natural hair and a little nose ring I got at 18 that I don’t take out for anything. The firm had been around for 30 years. I was in the first class of summer associates that included African Americans.
Now, human resources at a law firm is interesting. HR does benefits, administration, etc., but the lawyers do the hiring. So, when the HR person at this firm, an older Black man, welcomed me and said, “What a bold choice for hair!” I had to chuckle.
It helped that there were women in my life whogave me permission to be my authentic self. There were characters on TV (Clare Huxtable, I’m looking at you) and real people, like Kim Taylor Thompson, who now chairs the Public Welfare Foundation’s board. She ran a premiere public defender agency. She was the first Black woman tenure track professor at Stanford Law. I remember seeing her at law school. She had on this crisp white shirt, red leather pumps, and a red leather skirt. She looked amazing. She was asserting confidence and power in her own skin in her own way. She was also granting permission for up-and-coming lawyers to do the same.
5. START A CONVERSATION
This is a season for me to address some of the things I’ve encountered in my leadership journey and that so many other women are articulating. I want to bring in different voices–including Kim Taylor Thompson and her red pumps—to create a space where we can share our perspectives and create instructional models that reflect our experience more. I want to invite us to practice with one another.
I look forward to being a voice in this collaborative effort.
Courtesy of Candice C. Jones
Candice C. Jones joined the Public Welfare Foundation in Washington, D.C., as its president and CEO in 2017. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor at Chicago CRED, an organization that focuses on gun violence in Chicago.
Candice received her J.D. from New York University School of Law. To learn more about Candice’s background and work, find her on LinkedIn.
The resignation comes after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the Southern District of New York raided Lewis-Martin’s home and seized her phones in September 2024 following a trip to Japan. Deputy Mayor for Communications, Fabien Levy, said her last day was on Dec. 15. and Adams claimed there have been discussions about “when this day would come.” “Ingrid has not been just a friend, a confidant, and a trusted advisor, but also a sister. We’ve always talked about when this day would come, and while we’ve long planned for it, it is still hard to know that Ingrid won’t be right next door every day,” Mayor Adams said.
“I, and every New Yorker, owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our city.”
Lewis-Martin referred to her departure as retirement so she could focus more on her family. She thanked Adams for his support during her tenure.
“I thank you for seeing in me things that I did not see in myself. I extend humble gratitude to you for encouraging me to be my authentic self and for having my back during some trying times.”
“As you would say, this has been a good ride; I will use the author’s license and say that this has been an amazing ride.”
Adams’s comment that her appearance on the show would reveal “we have not done anything illegal to the magnitude or scale that requires the federal government and the DA’s office to investigate us” triggered him, as he felt it left room for people to believe there might have been some criminal activity.
The Brooklyn native has served as Adams’ chief adviser since his election in 2022. Though her official title requires her to oversee appointments and human resources solely, her close ties to Adams have allowed her to work on other issues throughout the administration.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Praised After Performing With Bald Head For Alopecia Awareness
Latimer decided to rock her baldness while performing during 'Monday Night Football.'
A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who rocked her baldness for alopecia awareness on the field is being praised for her bravery and willingness to reject societal norms regarding femininity and hair.
Armani Latimer, who has alopecia areata, ditched a wig during the Cowboys game on ESPN’s Monday Night Football on Dec. 9.
The 26-year-old cheerleader used her platform to help others feel beautiful in all their forms. Her now-viral video has spread awareness of an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body.
Latimer was first diagnosed with the alopecia at age 12.
“I always knew that I wanted to eventually dance in some capacity without my wig, just to make [alopecia] not a stigma anymore,” Latimer told ABC News. “I just wanted to take it a step further, wanted to get the conversation out there a little more, and I thought, well, what better way than to go out on the field and just show the world who I am?”
Her specific type of alopecia also disproportionately impacts Black women, as reported by theNational Institutes of Health.
“There’s a lot of stigma in history that involves our hair. So, I think even with the support that I had, the extra layer of being a Black woman without hair was always there,” explained Latimer.
She added, “If you were a little Black girl and you didn’t have a whole lot of hair, then you were kind of made fun of. So I think all of those memories from when I was younger kind of came flooding back into my brain in that initial moment of losing all of my hair. So that’s something that I’ve had to work through as well.”
However, Latimer has found love and support through her squad as a new cohort of fans cheers her along.
“There’s a lot of people that you know they’re gonna say, ‘I look up to you,’ ‘You’re a role model,’ and that kind of weighs heavy on you,” expressed the professional cheerleader. “And I think just the emotions from that, from knowing that it was going to make an impact on people, those were the emotions that you were seeing, and also just the love of my teammates.”
Ludacris Gifts 10 College Park Families At ‘Ludacrismas’ Event
'It’s the MOST WONDERFUL time of the year and here at #TheLudacrisFoundation we always want to end the year strong and bring smiles to our community!'
Hip-hop superstar Chris “Ludacris” Bridges gave back to the community this holiday season.
According to WSB-TV, Ludacris and his non-profit organization, The Ludacris Foundation, were at the Brady Center in College Park for a pop-up “Ludacrismas” event on Sunday, Dec. 15.
Ten families who attended the event were treated with presents, an enjoyable day, and good cheer.
“It’s the MOST WONDERFUL time of the year, and here at #TheLudacrisFoundation, we always want to end the year strong and bring smiles to our community!
This year’s #Ludacrismas was extremely successful, and we are all so grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time with these very deserving families! The Laughs… the tears of joy… and all of the jokes really made this moment one that none of us will ever forget! Our number 1 goal is to serve the community by not giving them a handout but a HAND UP!”
The “Ludacrismas” theme is from a song the entertainer recorded for the 2007 holiday movie, Fred Claus. He also appeared in the movie as a character named DJ Donnie.
Last week, the Fast & Furious star posted on his social media account about appearing for jury duty in Fulton County. Although he was there to fulfill his civic duty, he was not chosen to sit on a case. In a since-deleted video clip he posted to his Instagram account, he was walking next to another juror who also did not get selected.
In the clip, he said, ”We didn’t get chosen for jury duty, but if we did, we would have. We would’ve shown up and showed out.”
Thinking that he wasn’t noticed he said, “Don’t nobody know who I am.”
But the juror did know and responded, “You Ludacris.”
He tried to deny it was him and said he had won some money in a “look-alike” contest.
NYC Bus Driver Arrested After Allegedly Stabbing Passenger Who Attacked Him
Bus driver Ian Bascombe and passenger Quentin Branch were both arrested and charged after a dispute between them got violent on a Brooklyn bus.
This past Friday was unlucky for a Brooklyn Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus driver and one of his passengers when the bus driver was arrested for allegedly stabbing the passenger who purportedly spat on him and punched him in the eye.
According to Law & Crime, New York Police Department police officers arrested bus driver Ian Bascombe and Quentin Branch, a passenger on his bus, after a dispute between them got violent on Friday, Dec. 13, on a Brooklyn bus.
Authorities said the incident occurred on a B41 bus in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. An argument ensued after the 33-year-old Branch wanted Bascombe to open the door between stops to let him off, but the 58-year-old driver refused. Branch claims he got on the wrong bus, but Bascombe kept driving after he made his request.
An official from NYPD said, “The passenger wanted to exit at an unauthorized stop.”
When Bascombe didn’t stop the bus, Branch said, “I’m going to break your jaw,” and allegedly went around the protective plexiglass divider, spat on the bus driver, and punched him in the face. After being struck, Bascombe pulled out his knife and stabbed Branch several times in the head and leg.
The dispute happened before 12:30 p.m.
Branch was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was listed as stable.
Police say that both men were arrested and charged for the disturbance. Bascombe is charged with two counts of second and third-degree assault and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; Branch’s charges are one count of second-degree harassment and two counts of second and third-degree assault.
“Violence on buses puts New Yorkers at risk and is not acceptable,” said Frank Annicaro, NYC Transit’s senior vice president for buses, in a statement. “Pending internal review, this Bus Operator is being withheld from service.”
While federal officials claim no threat to public safety, ATLiens are concerned. Cobb County resident Britain Lockhart said some were flying over his neighborhood, looking like nothing he’d ever seen. “A lot of people are scared and don’t know what’s going on,” Lockhart said.
“What was really weird about them was that they were over 10- to 15-feet wide with flashing lights underneath them, different colors from green to red to blue. It almost looked like it was like a scanning light.”
“There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” Mayorkas said, according to NPR. “It is critical, as we all have said for a number of years, that we need from Congress additional authorities to address the drone situation.”
He claims that the Biden administration remains “vigilant” in its investigations. However, the secretary is calling on Congress to move quickly on expanding the current drone-countering authorities embedded in the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018. The legislation, which expires on Dec. 20, enables Homeland Security and the Justice Department to use advanced detection technologies to identify and track drones.
The sightings started on Nov. 18 in New Jersey near Morris County, and Republican Assemblyman Paul Kanitra said there have been sightings every night since. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said drones have lingered over some of New York’s most crucial infrastructure, including Port Liberty, New York, close to the Goethals Bridge, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Fort Wadsworth, labeled as one of the oldest military installations in the United States.
A drone that came “dangerously close” to Boston’s Logan International Airport resulted in two men being arrested on Dec. 14. Former FBI supervisory special agent Tom Adams alleged that some of the most recent sightings resulted from copycats flying their drones, since they are getting more national attention. He said some sightings are innocent as the gadgets are popular. “I can tell you from my firsthand experience conducting operations for the FBI, as well as investigations into the suspected sighting of drones at critical infrastructure, it was fairly common for planets, crewed aircraft and even low Earth orbit satellites to be misidentified as drones at night,” Adams said.
Big Boi Teams Up With Atlanta Organizations To Gift Free Bikes To Local Youth
Big Boi hopes the moment inspires these future leaders to give back once they achieve their goals.
Antwan “Big Boi” Patton of Outkast has teamed up with local organizations to give away free bikes to Atlanta’s youth.
Bear Creek Middle School and Kipp Ways Academy students were given bikes worth $700 for their attendance and good grades. Big Boi’s Big Kids Foundation joined the venture the nonprofit Bear Strong Inc. sparked to gift special rewards.
The former half of OutKast was able to help bring the initiative to life, inspiring students to keep learning despite the hardships they may face. Big Boi hopes the moment inspires these future leaders to do the same once they achieve their goals.
“It’s definitely heartwarming. I love it. I would want somebody to do that in a position like that…When I was younger to have this done for me and I wanted to pay it back,” Big Boi toldWSB-TV.
Bear Strong Inc. partnered with the acclaimed Atlanta rapper, Specialized Bicycles, Senoia Bicycle, and 1 Mo Question, Inc. to make it happen. The organization emerged as a way to provide the youth with essential items. Its founder, Courtney Sills, explained the evolving mission to the news outlet.
“Bear Strong started out as my position in the community had been conflict resolution and as I’ve gone into particular communities to resolve some conflict,” shared Sills. “I also noticed that there’s been a lot of kids in need of essential items.”
1 Mo Question’s Dr. Barber also emphasized the impact of this ongoing charity. He explained how the bikes show students that their hard work does not go unnoticed.
“We’re letting good kids know that they are seen and noticed,” explained Dr. Barber in the promotional clip. “This is our fourth year spreading Bike Love. This keeps our kids healthy, [discourages] violence, and gives them something positive to do with their recreational time.”
Big Boi and his fellow communal leaders hope to keep spreading the “Bike Love” as students reach their academic goals.
