by Mary Spiller

December 1, 2024

Sean Combs Sued For Allegedly Dangling Woman Off Luxury Apartment Balcony

Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan claims the incident happened about eight years ago in Los Angeles.

Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail for the third time and has also been accused of dangling a woman off of an apartment building balcony on the West Coast eight years ago.

The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Nov. 27 and allegedly seeks compensation “in excess of $10 million” by fashion designer Bryana ”Bana” Bongolan.

The lawsuit mentions Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who settled an abuse lawsuit for around $30 million in November 2023 with Combs. Following Ventura’s public lawsuit against the Bad Boy Records mogul, dozens of other civil lawsuits have come to light accusing Combs of violence, drugging others, and threatening those around him.

The balcony incident included in Bongolan’s lawsuit was cited in Ventura’s lawsuit.

According to Deadline, the lawsuit states, “On or about September 26. 2016, Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs sexually battered Ms. Bryana ”Bana’ Bongolan and dangled her off of a 17-story-high balcony. And then slammed her into the patio furniture on the balcony.”

The complaint alleges that the incident occurred in Ventura’s L.A. apartment.

“His outrageous and abhorrent conduct violated Ms. Bongolan’s fundamental dignity, bodily autonomy, and sense of safety,” the document continued. The attack occurred while Bongolan was staying at Ventura’s apartment, and the suit claims Combs entered the property “enraged.”

“This event was the culmination of a series of threats, intimidation, and violence that colored many of Ms. Bongolan’s interactions with Mr. Combs from the day she met him,” the document alleges.

Combs was arrested in a New York City hotel lobby by the federal government on Sept. 16. The 55-year-old business mogul has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He’s currently in jail at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, and he’s facing a sentencing of up to life in prison if he’s found guilty in his May 5 trial.
Combs continues to deny all claims against him although he did issue an apology to Ventura after a video of him beating her in a hotel hallway becomes public.

Rosa parks, bus boycott, Alabama, Rosa Parks Day

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 1, 2024

Alabama Cities To Honor Anniversary Of Historic Bus Boycott And Rosa Parks Day With Free Bus Rides

Montgomery and Huntsville will honor the anniversary of bus boycott with museum tours and free bus rides on Rosa Parks Day.

The Alabama cities of Montgomery and Huntsville are preparing to honor the 69th anniversary of the bus boycotts on Rosa Parks Day.

According to WSFA 12, the anniversary celebrations will align with the day honoring Parks, whose actions and detainment helped spark the bus boycott in 1955. On Dec. 2, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at Holt Street Baptist Church Historical Museum, known as the meeting site where the boycott started. The museum will also host a private tour for registered guests, unveiling never-before-seen artifacts from the boycott period.

Also taking place in the state’s capital, attendees can view a reenactment of a Dr. Martin Luther King speech. The Holt Street Baptist church itself will cap off the event-filled day with an anniversary celebration, including a performance by the Montgomery Mass Choir.

In Huntsville, the city will host free rides on fixed-route buses to mark the historical occasion for the seventh year. Furthermore, the buses will have a seat reserved at the front to honor Parks, per AL.com. It will feature a cover and sash, provided by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, with Parks’ name on it to recognize her role in the 13-month boycott.

“Rosa Parks’ courage and determination launched a movement that forever changed our nation,” shared Mayor Tommy Battle in a press release. ”I encourage everyone in Huntsville to take advantage of the free rides offered by Huntsville Transit on Rosa Parks Day. This is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the past while also embracing the accessibility and opportunities of the present.”

The boycott was an integral part of the civil rights movement, with the Holt Street Baptist Church playing a major role as a gathering place for the protest leaders such as Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Their efforts resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court declaring the segregation of public transportation as unconstitutional.

HealthyMD, Pastor Jamal Bryant, Free HIV Screenings, NewBirth Baptist Church, World AIDS Day

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 1, 2024

HealthyMD Partners With Pastor Jamal Bryant For Free HIV Screenings At Atlanta’s NewBirth Baptist Church On World AIDS Day

According to the CDC, Black people made up approximately 37 percent of all new HIV infections in the United States in 2022.

HealthyMD, a Black-owned healthcare company, has partnered with NewBirth Baptist Church to provide free medical testing on World AIDS Day.

HealthyMD will conduct the screenings at the famed Atlanta church led by Pastor Jamal Bryant on Dec. 1. The partnership will encourage those within the Black community to know their HIV and AIDS status and the realities of sexually transmitted infections, as shared in a press release to BLACK ENTERPRISE.

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A post shared by HealthyMD (@healthymd)

As HealthyMD inspires and educates attendees, they are contributing to World AIDS Day 2024 theme of “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.” Beyond providing free and confidential testing for participants, they also aim to reduce stigma and misinformation surrounding HIV and AIDs.

While new medical advancements have increased the manageability of HIV and AIDS, the viruses still disproportionately impact communities of color. According to the CDC, Black and Hispanic people made up approximately 70% of all new HIV infections in the United States in 2022. Black people accounted for 37% of these diagnoses.

Georgia, specifically, has an infection rate double the national average, as southern states face increased poverty rates and healthcare shortages. Given the state’s diverse population, providing medical care and complimentary testing at the long-standing church allows HealthyMD to help remedy this systemic problem.

Through its mission to widen healthcare access, HealthyMD treats patients with comprehensive, end-to-end sexual healthcare across the country. Its co-founders and CEOs, Clifford W. Knights II and Steve Vixamar, have expanded the Florida-based company to over 20 mobile clinics. Furthermore, they have launched a telemedicine network alongside multiple standalone clinics in Florida and Georgia.

HealthyMD continues to work toward its goal of saving 1 million lives through its services. The testing initiative seeks to impact the Georgia community, spreading awareness while providing care for those most vulnerable to contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV and AIDS.

by Daniel Johnson

December 1, 2024

HBO’s ‘Get Millie Black’ Debuts To Critical Acclaim, Exploring Crime, Identity, And Jamaica’s Underbelly

The series presents a look at social tensions present in Jamaica.

“Get Millie Black,” a TV show created by award-winning author Marlon James, has been winning the praise of critics since its debut on Max, HBO’s streaming platform, on Nov. 25.

According to The New York Times, the show focuses on its titular character, portrayed with depth and gravitas by Tamara Lawrence.

Black is an investigator who follows her moral compass, often against the wishes of her superiors, but her instincts are, more often than not, right.

Black’s childhood, which viewers are introduced to in the show’s opening moments, is traumatic. She is sent away from her native Jamaica to London after she stops her abusive mother from beating her brother Orville.

Black believes that her brother has died, but Orville is revealed to be a trans woman who now goes by Hibiscus.

Hibiscus is very much alive, but as the first episode makes clear, is almost always in some form of peril.

The case that leads Black to reunite with her sibling is a missing persons case; a teenage girl goes missing, and during the course of the investigation, a much more sprawling conspiracy begins to unravel, which places Black in contact with her sister, Hibiscus.

The five-episode limited series “Get Millie Black” will air new episodes each Monday until its season finale.

Critic Isabella Soares at Collider described the series in her review as a “brutal look at rampant crime, racism, and other social constraints,” this, in part is laid bare through Black’s examination of the missing persons case, which leads to a wealthy, white, and powerful figure in Kingston.

According to Soares’ review, the series presents a look at social tensions present in the underbelly of Jamaica, which other shows often do not explore with authenticity.

“Overall, ‘Get Millie Black’ is an intense watch and a rare look at the societal tensions in Jamaica’s underworld, which are rarely brought to light in the way that they are here. With several Caribbean cast and crew members involved in this production, including directors Tanya Hamilton and Annetta Laufer, there is a lot of thought into making the series authentic to the country’s culture and its conflicts.”

Daniel Fienberg at The Hollywood Reporter describes in his review how even though the crime drama has been done an infinite number of times, there are ways to bring freshness to a stale formula.

Fienberg also brings home the motivations for James to have the series reflect as authentically as possible the conditions of his home country.

“James, who was born and raised in Kingston by a detective mother, is invested in getting this milieu right, down to the sense of what it means to try to enforce the law in a land where the laws were designed to repress a colonized people. The drama is most potent when it’s exploring what it’s like for your entire identity to be criminalized, as seen in Hibiscus’ efforts toward self-actualization within a culture that forces her to literally live in a gutter, or the relationship between Curtis and his husband in a country where same-sex intimacy faces social and potentially legal sanctions.”

James, a queer man himself, told Deadline that it was also important to him to showcase the rich lives of queer people in Jamaica.

“While we are not shying away from the cruelty that our queer people experience, we also wanted to show the richness of their lives,” James said. “Some of their most important scenes are some of the lightest.”

Lawrence, meanwhile, believes that her character is an essential portrayal of what an ally for the queer community in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean could look like.

“I just thought for Jamaica this is going to be huge, Millie’s allyship was very powerful and important as an adjunct to the storylines. She is what other people in Jamaican society could be in terms of the steps forward that the Caribbean could be taking,” Lawrence told Deadline.

Kim Scott, Cleveland, City Planner, Felony Theft, Falsifying Documents

by Mary Spiller

November 30, 2024

Former Cleveland Councilman Charged With Bribery And Fraud, Accused Of Defrauding Nonprofits Out Of $200K

Basheer Jones reportedly worked with a "romantic partner" to deceive non-profits out of around $200,000.

The Department of Justice has moved to formally charge former Cleveland City Councilperson Basheer Jones for bribery and fraud. According to Signal Cleveland, Jones was charged with a two-count indictment of conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud.

The federal court passed the charges on Nov. 25, leading many to believe that the former representative of Cleveland’s Ward 7 has been a cooperative defendant.

According to the DOJ, Jones leveraged his position as a public official for personal financial gain. He reportedly defrauded multiple community stakeholders who trusted him out of over $200,000.

The charge report detailed that Jones and his romantic partner deceived nonprofit organizations into providing funding to what they believed to be projects in Cleveland and the Ward 7 area. He instead kept the funds and distributed them to his other associates.

The fraud occurred from December 2018 to June 2021, but federal investigators have been investigating the incident since 2022. It began when the DOJ delivered subpoenas to a nonprofit community development called the Famicos Foundation. The investigation was headed by the FBI’s Cleveland Division and supported by the U.S. Department of Housing, Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS.

The DOJ claims Jones convinced a nonprofit to hire his romantic partner as a “community outreach consultant” in 2018. The nonprofit then paid thousands of dollars to the partner, who continued to “conceal her relationship” with Jones. The charging document does not identify the partner by name.

According to court papers, Jones encouraged the nonprofit to pay his partner’s company $50,000 to buy items for a community event in 2020. While they were supposed to buy gift cards, backpacks, and other items, Jones and his associates used the money themselves.

Jones served just one term as a representative of the Hough and St. Clair-Superior neighborhoods on the Cleveland City Council from 2018 to 2022.

by Daniel Johnson

November 30, 2024

Alabama A&M Football Player Medrick Burnett Jr. Dies Weeks After Game Injury

Before his death was officially confirmed, the university mistakenly announced it prematurely.

Medrick Burnett Jr, a 20-year-old linebacker at Alabama A&M University, succumbed to a head injury he suffered during the Magic City Classic on Oct. 26.

According to AJ Clifton, the Jefferson County deputy coroner, Burnett died on Nov. 27.

According to The Athletic, the university retracted its original statement that Burnett died on the morning of Nov. 27 after encountering new information that Burnett was still alive.

According to the school, they had been “originally advised by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening” that Burnett had died before a representative of UAB Hospital told them otherwise.

Statement from Athletics

We retract the news of the passing of Medrick Burnette Jr, that was originally advised by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening. Our staff acted accordingly to the wishes of the family member to inform the A&M community and beyond of
— Alabama A&M Athletics (@_AAMUAthletics) November 27, 2024

joy in knowing that Medrick remains in stable condition.
— Alabama A&M Athletics (@_AAMUAthletics) November 27, 2024

The Jefferson County Coroner’s office confirmed in a statement to People Magazine that Burnett did die on Nov. 27, but it was later than originally reported by Alabama A&M University.

According to the coroner’s office, Burnett “received an injury while playing in the Magic City Classic football game” at Legion Field in Birmingham on Oct. 26. Burnett died at a local hospital a month later, and the office also noted in their statement that “all questions pertaining to the death should be made to the Alabama A&M University.”

Shortly after Burnett was injured, his older sister, Dominience James, started a GoFundMe to help with the costs of getting their parents from California to be by his side during his treatment.

In the fundraiser, James briefly described Burnett’s injury and its aftermath on her brother.

According to the fundraiser, Burnett was “severely injured after a head-on-head collision during the game,” and as a result of the collision, Burnett “had several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain. He had to have a tube to drain to relieve the pressure, and after 2 days of severe pressure, we had to opt for a craniotomy, which was the last resort to help try to save his life.”

On Nov. 27, James posted an update to the fundraiser, “Please pray he is having a tough time but we are holding on til the very end. God give us strength so we can keep the faith.”

As of Nov. 30, the fundraiser has collected $55,850 toward its $100,000 goal.

Several media outlets attempted to contact Alabama A&M University for comment, but none were successful and the university has not issued another statement since its earlier retraction.

The fact that college football player Medrick Burnett Jr. died as part of the kickoff return team should be enough for the NCAA to change next year to the new NFL-style kickoff.
I hope the media covers and promotes this. https://t.co/rJhuEbhut1
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) November 27, 2024

Medrick Burnett Jr. has died from the traumatic brain injury he suffered on a kickoff earlier this season.
I hope people put the same energy into lobbying the NCAA to change their kickoff as they did into complaining his death was announced prematurely. https://t.co/HEhpqLIREM https://t.co/WJBGrLHBvr
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) November 29, 2024

Grambling State University’s Vice President of Athletics, Trayveon Scott, told WVTM13 that the loss of his school’s former player was devastating to him.

“I’m trying to not be overly emotional, man. Medrick is an Alabama A&M current student-athlete, but he’s ‘Gram fam’ for life and, man, it’s just really sad. My heart, my thoughts, my prayers, all the prayers on behalf of my president, board and Grambling State University, of course, we extend our thoughts, our prayers, our well wishes,” Scott said. “I remember Medrick, he was one of the last student-athletes that we recruited in that 23 class, and I remember his parents coming down and meeting in the weight room and really just encountering him, his spirit, and his personality over the course of the last year.”

In its initial statement, Alabama A&M’s Athletic Director, Dr. Paul A. Bryant, described Burnett similarly, “Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him,” Bryant said. “While words cannot adequately express our grief, we are humbled by the strength of his family, who stood by his side throughout this unimaginable ordeal.”

UK Police Watchdog, Adultification, Black Children

by Daniel Johnson

November 30, 2024

UK Police Watchdog Calls For Action Against ‘Adultification’ Bias Targeting Black Children

Black Lives Matter UK cautioned that more needs to be done to protect children from police misconduct.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct, a police watchdog group for England and Wales, has called for increased measures to stop what it calls the “adultification” of Black children in the two countries.

According to The Guardian, the group describes adultification as a racial bias that primarily affects Black children and includes seeing those children as more “streetwise,” “grown-up,” and less innocent and vulnerable.

Although police reform advocates welcome the IOPC’s new guidelines, they also called for a “fundamental shift” in the way the police treat children.

Across the pond, in America, the Center for Policing Equity referenced the 1993 sentencing of then-14-year-old Keith Belcher to 60 years of incarceration due to adultification bias imposed on his case by the “superpredator theory.”

“When Black children are held to adult standards, the harm goes far beyond their own lives and that of their families, the trauma affecting whole communities, not least because those responsible are so infrequently held accountable,” the center wrote. “Keith Belcher and his family had to wait nearly 30 years for the Connecticut courts to acknowledge its grotesque sentencing of a 14-year-old boy; the family of 14-year-old Emmett Till, tortured and murdered by a group of white men in 1955, is still waiting for someone to answer for his lynching.”

IOPC Director General Rachel Watson states, “We recognize the commitment across policing to improve the way it handles race discrimination and have seen good progress in some areas, including complaint handling -– but a lot more needs to be done.”

Watson continued, “Too often, Black communities feel overpoliced as suspects and underprotected. We want to support the police to improve how they deal with race discrimination, to ensure that everyone can have trust and confidence in policing.”

Jahnine Davis, a leading expert in the United Kingdom on adultification and the director of Listen Up, a company that focuses on elevating voices regarding the safety of children, practice, and policy, told the outlet that the attention being brought to adultification via the new guidelines is a positive.

“My organization has delivered adultification training to forces nationwide. Attitudes and beliefs can and do change,” Davis said. “However, lasting change requires a fundamental shift towards prioritizing the welfare of children in all interactions. A child-first approach is needed, especially for Black children, who are more likely to experience the harsh consequences of this bias. It is as much a children’s rights issue as it is a safeguarding one.”

In its statement, a spokesperson for Black Lives Matter UK referenced the 2020 strip search of a 14-year-old London girl by police, referenced as Child Q, a case that brought national attention to the issue of adultification.

“These revised guidelines appear to be in response to the furor generated by the strip-search of Child Q in 2020. Training on ‘adultification bias’ is a paltry response to the seriousness of this case. The strip-search of children is a form of sexual assault, and this was a missed opportunity to ban the practice for good,” the spokesperson said.

The statement from Black Lives Matter UK also cautioned that more still needs to be done to protect children from police misconduct.

“Four years on, Child Q is still haunted by her experience with the police. The IOPC’s new package will not prevent future traumatization of children through strip-search. Rather, half-measures like this still leave space for police to make so-called mistakes, which can traumatize children for life.”

by Mary Spiller

November 30, 2024

Brown Mamas Marketplace Returns: Pittsburgh’s Black Women Entrepreneurs Shine On Small Business Saturday

The Brown Mamas Marketplace will take place on Small Business Saturday and feature local vendors from the Pittsburgh area.

Muffy Mendoza, founder of Brown Mamas Inc., recently spoke to Trib Live about the next iteration of the Brown Mamas Marketplace, which will take place on Nov. 30. The marketplace will center around Black women-owned businesses on Small Business Saturday and will feature vendors and educational opportunities for those in attendance.

Mendoza told the outlet that she intentionally scheduled the event for Small Business Saturday because she wanted it to be an opportunity for Pittsburgh-based Black-owned businesses that don’t have storefronts to set up temporary shops for the event.

The marketplace’s roster is set to include vendors focused on selling food, clothing, and jewelry. It will also be backed by several influential community organizations, such as the Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle and Black Women for a Better Education.

Mendoza originally started Brown Mamas in 2012 with the sole goal of providing resources to support local Black mothers in improving their long-term health and economic outcomes.

She recalled how little information there was at the time in her area of the business field.

“There was not a lot of information out there about how to start a business or how to maintain one,” Mendoza said. It inspired her to start hosting the Brown Mamas Marketplace, a space for solely Black and mother-owned businesses to sell their products and get exposure.

“I did that because I needed space, and I knew other moms needed space, so why not create the space?” she continued. “I needed tips and tools on the legality of owning a business. I needed to find an accountant. There was nowhere to go to find that.”

She’s tried to ensure other Black mothers don’t find themselves in the same situation as she was by including speakers at this year’s iteration of the Black Mamas Marketplace. On the roster to speak are experts in the business field, like lawyers and accountants. Attendants of the event will get to hear from Tayler Clemm, better known as DAWA Mama, who focuses on teaching about womb wellness, and Kahlil Darden, the founder of Young Black Motivated Kings and Queens.

Mendoza wanted the Brown Mamas Marketplace to focus on three integral areas of her identity: womb, wealth, and wellness.

Mendoza said, “Brown Mamas Marketplace is about creating a place where moms can sell their products, be supported by the Pittsburgh community, and also learn about different aspects of a business. As a mompreneur, you have to be holistic in your approach to living a good life.”

The event will take place at Emerald City in Pittsburgh, located on Smithfield Street, and will run from 12 to 4 p.m.

“We just wanted all different types of mom-owned businesses to be represented and helping them get the tools they need to create community for themselves,” Mendoza noted. She added that Brown Mamas Marketplace will be back in the spring of 2025 and that she hopes to expand even further on her mission.

by Mary Spiller

November 30, 2024

Nelly’s Star-Studded Black And White Charity Ball Returns

The ball is set to raise proceeds for the Make-A-Wish Missouri foundation and Harris-Stowe State University's scholarship fund.

St. Louis rap legend Nelly has announced his intent to host his annual Black and White Ball in December. The ball will feature big-name stars coming together to support the Make-A-Wish Missouri charity organization and Harris-Stowe State University’s Potential, Possibility, and Power.

The celebrity gala will be hosted on Dec. 15 at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. The guest list includes personalities from sports, business, and the entertainment industry.

For example, in previous years, the likes of Janet Jackson, Nick Cannon, Monica, Allen Iverson, and Boyz II Men have been performers and attendees to Nelly’s ball, which began in 2006. The black-tie event’s proceeds will go to Make-A-Wish and Harris Stowe University. According to its website, Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of local Missouri children who have been diagnosed with terminal medical conditions, and Harris-Stowe University will provide scholarships to local STL students to achieve a higher education.

Make-A-Wish Missouri’s mission is “dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. In 2014, Make-A-Wish Missouri granted 309 wishes.”

The Harris-Stowe State University states that it “provide[s] educational opportunities for individuals seeking a rich and engaging academic experience. Offering programs designed to nurture intellectual curiosity and build authentic skills that prepare students for success in a diverse society.”

Nelly said in a press release ahead of the Ball, “Last year’s Black and White Ball was a huge success. St. Louis showed up in a big way, and we are excited for this year. With the incredible support of our friends and the St. Louis community, we’re aiming to raise even more funds to make an even bigger impact and have a great time while doing it!”

Nelly has also been in the media this year after his former St. Lunatics crewmates hit him with a lawsuit for alleged unpaid royalties in relation to their contributions to his debut album “Country Grammar.” Soon after the lawsuit was filed nearly all of the members except for one — Ali Jones — informed the rapper’s attorney that they were going to stop pursuing the lawsuit.

by Mary Spiller

November 30, 2024

First Black Mayor In New England, Thirman Milner, Dies At 91

Milner served as the mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, from 1981 to 1987.

Thirman Milner, the first Black mayor in New England and former mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, has died. According to city officials, he was 91.

Milner was the first African American elected mayor in New England, taking office in 1981. He served the city of Hartford until 1987. Following his stint as mayor, he served as a state representative and a state senator.

According to NBC Connecticut, the Connecticut division of the NAACP acknowledged Milner as a civil rights icon, community activist, and dedicated public servant. He was a lifelong member of the organization and acted as president of the Greater Hartford NAACP.

President of the Connecticut State Conference NAACP, Scot Esdaile, said in a statement, “The Connecticut State Conference of the NAACP extends its heartfelt condolences to Mayor Milner’s family, friends, and former constituents during this difficult time. His contributions to Hartford and the broader New England community have left an indelible mark, and he will be deeply missed.”

Milner’s stepdaughter, Virginia Monteiro, told the outlet that she hopes the organization will continue to fight for what her father represented—social and racial equity.

Monteiro said, “It’s very important for us to continue the legacy that he set for all of us. He was very much devoted to ensuring that there was equity and justice for everyone.”

The current Hartford Mayor, Arunan Arulampalam, stated: “Today, we mourn the passing of former Mayor Thirman Milner, a trailblazer whose legacy as New England’s first popularly elected Black mayor continues to inspire us. His commitment to public service and civil rights transformed Hartford and paved the way for future leaders. Thirman embodied resilience and dedication, championing the needs of our community during challenging times.”

He continued, “As we reflect on his contributions, let us honor his memory by continuing our work towards building a Hartford that works for all. Our thoughts are with his family and all who were touched by his remarkable life.”

Gov. Ned Lamont added that Milner would always be remembered as a civil rights icon for all his groundbreaking work in Connecticut.

Lamont’s statement read: “His upbringing here in Connecticut led him to a career in activism, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the sixties and using his passion for social justice as inspiration that led him to a career in politics. As a mayor, state representative, and state senator, he used his influence to enact positive change in Hartford, particularly focusing many of his efforts on the need to ensure that all children –- no matter their family’s income level or the neighborhood where they grew up –- have access to a quality education that prepares them for success. His passing is a true loss, and I encourage the residents of Connecticut to reflect on the many contributions Thirman Milner has provided to our state. I extend my deepest condolences to his family and friends.”