HBCU, black golfers, Bridgestone, PGA Tour

by Derek Major

November 4, 2023

Bridgestone Partners With PGA Tour For Inaugural Bridgestone HBCU Invitational To Create Diverse And Inclusive Golfing Opportunities

Bridgestone Americas and the PGA Tour hosted the inaugural Bridgestone HBCU invitational, a first-of-its-kind golf tournament featuring teams and players from 15 Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Taking place at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, the invitational included 10 men’s teams and five women’s teams for two days of competition Nov. 1 and 2. The invitational is a part of Bridgestone’s Collegiate Development Program and a part of the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression program, which aims to achieve greater diversity in golf by developing talent from diverse and historically underrepresented groups.

Both the men’s and women’s tournaments were closely contested, as one stroke was the difference between first and second place. On the men’s side, Arkansas Pine Bluff took home the victory with a score of 563, while the Alabama State women’s team was victorious, with a total score of 654. With their wins, both teams earned a two-day development camp at the prestigious TPC Sawgrass golf course, home of THE PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Additionally, the Arkansas Pine Bluff also earned an invite to the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, which will take place March 24-26, 2024, at the Silverado Country Club in Napa, California.

Caitlyn Ranson, head of partnership marketing for Bridgestone Americas, said in a statement that the brand is committed to creating opportunities to make golf a more diverse game.

“Bridgestone is committed to utilizing our platform and resources to make the game of golf more accessible for student-athletes of diverse backgrounds,” said Ranson. “The Bridgestone HBCU Invitational was a pivotal first step in developing a stronger and more inclusive golf community. We are excited about the future of our new program with the PGA TOUR and what we can achieve together to support the whole athlete on and off the course.”

Last month, student-athletes from Drew Charter School in Atlanta joined Morehouse College golfers and coaches who participated in the Invitational for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bridgestone Golf facility in Covington, Georgia, where they received a custom ball fitting and shared perspectives on their golf journeys.

Following the event, Bridgestone hosted a welcome dinner at TPC Sugarloaf for all teams competing in the invitational, where Eastside Golf founders Earl Cooper and Olajuwon Ajanaku spoke to the HBCU student-athletes about their mission to raise awareness of golf and promote diversity in the game. The groundbreaking lifestyle brand will partner with Bridgestone in the coming months to reach underserved communities and diversify the game of golf through the Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program.

“The PGA TOUR appreciates the support of Bridgestone in helping put together this incredible week of competition, and we congratulate the Arkansas Pine-Bluff men’s team, Alabama State women’s team, and Gonzalo Moreno of Alabama State and Trinity Ahing of North Carolina Central on their individual victories,” said Kenyatta Ramsey, PGA Tour’s vice president, player development. “The Bridgestone HBCU Invitational was a great starting point as we look to inspire the next generation of golfers from diverse backgrounds, and we are excited to see how the event grows and develops in the years ahead.”

by Rafael Pena

November 4, 2023

Atlanta May Not Be Keith Lee’s Pick For Top Restaurants, But ATL Does Rank Among Forbes’ Top Cities For Renters In 2023

Amid debates as to whether Atlanta is becoming too crowded, a new report by Forbes on Oct. 24 suggests that the city’s rental market might be one of the compelling factors drawing people in. Recently, Forbes released its “Best Cities for Renters of 2023,” and Atlanta has proudly secured its place within the top 15 cities.

With Atlanta’s population surpassing a staggering 6.1 million, it’s worth noting that the metro area has become a significant magnet for residents, while the entire state of Georgia counts just over 11 million inhabitants. When Forbes delved into the best cities for renters, Atlanta comfortably ranked at No. 13 on its list.

“We evaluated the 96 most-populated U.S. cities with available data across 23 different metrics to uncover the best cities for renters. We considered average rental prices and unit sizes for one- and two-bedroom rentals, the year-over-year percentage change in average rent, the percentage of renters who are rent-burdened, crime rates, the percentage of dog-friendly rentals, amenities, and other metrics to identify the best cities to rent in,” Forbes stated as to its methodology for the study.

The report indicates that the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Atlanta is $1,535, reflecting a 2.9 percent decrease from the previous year. Those statistics demonstrate a favorable situation for renters in the city.

Topping this year’s list of best cities for renters was Chandler, Arizona. Notably, Atlanta was the sole representative from the Southeast to make the list, underlining its desirability among those looking for rental accommodations.

In contrast, the unfortunate distinction of being the lowest-ranked city went to Newark, New Jersey. Forbes attributed Newark’s unfavorable ranking to its high percentage of rent-burdened households, which stands at a significant 56 percent, as well as the small average unit sizes available for renters.

In summary, Atlanta’s prominence as the 13th best city for renters reaffirms the city’s allure in the rental market. With favorable rental prices and an array of available amenities, it’s no surprise that Atlanta continues to draw new residents despite concerns about overpopulation.

South Carolina, Execution, Richard Moore

by Atiya Jordan

November 4, 2023

Report: Trends Show Black Prison Population Is On A Significant Decline

A new report shows that the Black prison population has notably downsized the most.

The total prison population has declined by 25% after reaching its peak in 2009, and the Black prison population has notably downsized the most, according to a new report.

Over the past two decades, reforms of the past have reduced some of the burdens of this nation’s criminal legal system and its racial disparities. While all major racial and ethnic groups experienced decarceration, the number of imprisoned Black Americans decreased 39% since 2002, said researchers from The Sentencing Project.

“Reforms to drug law enforcement and to sentencing for drug and property offenses, particularly those impacting urban areas which are disproportionately home to communities of color, have fueled decarceration and narrowed racial disparities,” researchers wrote.

For instance, the lifetime likelihood of imprisonment for Black men fell from one in three for those born in 1981 to one in five for Black men born in 2001. The number remains four times that of their white counterparts. Black women’s rate of imprisonment has also been on a decline, though it is 1.6 times the rate of white women in 2021.

Despite the progress, national and local politics have resumed the politicization of crime and drug policies. And the prison industrial complex overwhelmingly falls on Black communities. The report predicts a long journey to ending mass incarceration, citing that progress in reducing racial disparity in the criminal legal system is at risk of being reversed. The current pace of decarceration is averaging 2.3% annually since 2009, and would take 75 years to return to 1972’s prison population.

“The declines that we have seen do not match the significant increases that got us here, so there is still so much work to be done,” Sydney McKinney, executive director of the Black Women’s Justice Institute, told The 19^th News. “Incarceration increased 700 percent since the 1970s, and now we’re seeing a 70 percent decline, which is not bringing us back to the levels we saw during the late ’80s and early ’70s.”

More trends

Imprisonment: Black women have experienced the most dramatic decline in imprisonment—70%—between 2000 and 2021. The imprisonment rate of Black men also declined substantially, falling by almost half.
Prison population: Between 1999 and 2020, when New York more than halved its prison population, the state’s violent crime rate fell by 38% while the U.S. violent crime rate fell by 24%. Correctional facilities in various states have shut down as a result.
Jail population: Though on a decline, high jail populations are still prevalent for Black communities. New York City has dramatically reduced its jail incarceration rate and still found that 27% of Black men and 16% of Latinx men, in contrast to only 3% of white men, had been in jail by age 38 in 2017.
Community supervision: The population serving probation and parole has reached 3.7 million in 2021, down from a peak of 5.1 million in 2007. These community supervision levels have declined for most racial and ethnic groups. But in 2021, people of color represented 62% of the population serving a probation or parole sentence, although they comprised 41% of the U.S. population. On July 1, 2022, Florida passed a milestone criminal justice reform bill to shorten probation sentences by offering educational resources and awarding long-term employment.
Youth incarceration: The number of youths held in juvenile justice facilities fell by 77%—from 109,000 in 2000 to 25,000 in 2020. In 2015, Black youth were five times as likely as white youth to be incarcerated. By 2019, the number of Black youth incarcerated dropped to 4.4 times that of their white peers.

by Iman Milner

November 4, 2023

White Mother In Florida Released On Bond After Arrest For Beating Of 3-Year-Old Son. Was Court Lenient Because Of Her Race?

Yulia Storozhuk was arrested on Oct. 31 after a neighbor’s Ring camera captured her abusing her 3-year-old son, NBC Miami reports. The 29-year-old woman was seen throwing the child around before repeatedly kicking him on the video. Storozhuk was charged with two counts of child abuse.

The attack went on for some time as two separate captures taken more than a half hour apart showed Storozhuk continuing her assault on the child. In the second video, she was seen pushing her son in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground. Investigators found the boy to have injuries commensurate with the attack, including redness on his cheek and forehead, and bruises on his right forearm and left knee.

The mother appeared before a bond court, where she was assigned a public defender and attempted to convince a judge that her actions were a one-time occurrence.

“I am very sorry, I am a single mom and it was only one incident where I let my emotions get the best of me,” Storozhuk said. I’m so sorry, I won’t do this anymore.”

Storozhuk reportedly told authorities that she loved her son, and it was his disobedience that led to the attack. The Department of Children and Families is currently investigating the incident, NBC Miami reports, and the mother has been ordered to cease all contact with her son. Storozhuk was released on $5,000 bond and is set to be arraigned in 30 days.

While some Black mothers are jailed for trying to provide a better education for their children, the glaring difference in how Storozhuk was treated by both law enforcement as well as the court system was noted by commenters under a video posted about the incident by The Neighborhood Talk.

“If it was a Black mother she’d STILL be in jail with a Million dollar bond,” one user commented.

Others pointed out that these instances of abuse are often habitual.

“He was terrified to even walk towards her in the beginning of the video, this isn’t her first time,” the user said.

Mother Turns In 12-Year-Old Son As Suspect in Carjacking Case

by Stacy Jackson

November 4, 2023

Mother Turns In 12-Year-Old Son As Suspect in Carjacking Case

A mother turned in her 12-year-old son to authorities for his involvement as a suspect in a carjacking of an off-duty federal security officer in Washington, D.C., that resulted in the fatal shooting of his 13-year-old alleged accomplice.

The young boy, whose identity has not been revealed, is being held at the Youth Services Center juvenile facility. He is due back in court Nov. 6, Daily Mail reported.

His mother contacted police on Oct. 31 after recognizing her son in a photograph. According to the outlet, the 12-year-old was caught on a surveillance video approaching the front of the officer’s car while his barely teenage alleged accomplice, Vernard Toney Jr., opened the passenger door and got in the vehicle. The unidentified boy opened the door on the driver’s side of the car and said, according to the off-duty officer occupying the vehicle, “Get the [expletive] out. You know what this is.” The outlet reported that the officer opened fire and shot and killed Toney after one of the juveniles gestured at his hand in his pocket, suggesting that he had a gun.

The 12-year-old has a history of anger management and behavior issues and apparently started smoking marijuana at the age of 11, the outlet noted. The boy reportedly told authorities after his arrest that he knew where to go to get a gun. He also shared that he hangs around a rough crowd.

The mother who reported her son said that she’d tried to prevent a similar incident from happening earlier and that she had sought help from places including a local hospital for her son’s behavioral issues.

Thirteen-year-old Toney was described by his principal as having a “natural comedic ability … especially when he would joke that he was the principal of Kelly Miller MS. Vernard [Toney] also loved to play basketball and spend his free time on the court with his friends.”

Toney was also known to the Metropolitan Police Department, Daily Mail noted.

Universal Basic Income Program, republicans

by Stacy Jackson

November 4, 2023

$13M ‘In Her Hands’ Initiative Empowers Struggling Women With Guaranteed Income In Georgia Communities

The Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund’s “In Her Hands” initiative offers guaranteed income for women who are struggling financially.

According to GRO’s website, the income program, in partnership with Give Directly, provides an average of $850 in cash to women in three Georgia communities: Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, Southwest Georgia’s Clay-Randolph-Terrell County, and the City of College Park. The program, which was formed through direct community input, aims to address economic insecurity among women of color.

“The gap between dwindling paychecks and making ends meet for Black women has historically been larger and deeper than most other populations,” the initiative’s page states. “In Her Hands is a guaranteed income initiative focused on putting a solution to financial insecurity directly in the hands of women in Georgia. No strings attached.”

Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund Executive Director Hope Wollensack told Fox 5 that the fund helps women like Shamarra Woods, who had exhausted all of their financial possibilities.

“I only had enough to pay rent and bills. [There was] not enough for food or gas,” said Woods. “One of my career aspirations is to be a project manager and restart my business. But with inflation, I’ve been considering working more to offset expenses.”

The guaranteed income program launched in 2022 and secured the name “In Her Hands” as a salute to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King.

“The dignity of the individual will flourish when the decisions concerning his life are in his own hands, when he has the assurance that his income is stable and certain…” GRO quoted from King’s 1967 speech. According to Stanford University, the “Where Do We Go From Here?” speech was given in Atlanta as Dr. King advocated for guaranteed income.

“The power when you put cash in the hands of women, the impact it can have on their life to enable choice and agency, the impact it has on the lives of their children and community,” are all drivers of the program, Wollensack told Fox 5 in 2022.

BLACK ENTERPRISE recently reported that a new study by Goldman Sachs reveals that Black women in the U.S. face financial circumstances due to workplace disparities. The “Money Matters: One Million Black Women Economic Mobility Survey” found that 40% of Black women in the United States have annual household incomes under $50,000.

Fox 5 reported that applications for the next cohort will open next April for women of the Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods who make up to 200% of the federal poverty line.

by Iman Milner

November 4, 2023

Detroit Entrepreneur Turned Love For Video Games Into Successful Mobile Business, Now He’s Inspiring Youth

Detroit native Tyrell Slappey is the latest entrepreneur to turn their love for video games into profit. Slappey’s mobile business, Round One Gaming Lab, is an arcade experience he uses to show the city’s children alternative avenues to success, CBS Detroit reports.

Slappey, alongside his mother and business partner, launched Round One in 2021, and it has quickly become a main attraction for children’s events in metro Detroit.

“When we pull up, the kids are outside cheering, cheering as we’re pulling up,” Slappey said.

And the intrigue in the trailer, which boasts five plasma screens hooked up with the latest editions of both PlayStation and Xbox and a variety of the system’s popular games, doesn’t end at simply having a good time. Slappey finds that the kids see a potentially fun and lucrative business opportunity for themselves.

“This business isn’t just gaming or entrepreneurial role. It’s really hope for those kids in the city,” he said.

That hope is something the young entrepreneur recognizes as a part of his mission to further expand his business. After all, he had few role models to look up to when he was an adolescent.

“Single mom. Pretty much raised by mostly women around me,” Slappey recalled. “Any of the influences that I had that were male weren’t always positive. They were in and out of jail.”

Growing up on the east side of Detroit, Slappey turned to video games as an escape. He said he never imagined how profitable it would turn out to be, CBS Detroit reports.

“I just been gaming left and right. I never stopped. I’ve called off work for games. I’ve taken leave. I have canceled plans. I love gaming, man,” he said. “You couldn’t have told me in a million years that gaming would be where it is today.”

For Slappey, the mobile aspect of an arcade on wheels allows him to touch as many young lives as possible, and he plans to do just that.

“We don’t just want this thing at barbecues, backyard parties, and birthdays. We want to be at events that are also the heartbeat of Detroit,” he said. “The auto show and the Thanksgiving parade. We want to be down at LCA (Little Caesars Arena), we want to be at the Lions’ tailgates, and we’ve been getting a lot of business at some of those things that we name.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 4, 2023

Akon Plans To File Defamation Lawsuit Against Suge Knight For Sexual Assault Allegation

On his “Collect Call with Suge Knight” podcast on Oct. 29, jailed former Death Row Records owner Suge Knight accused Akon and producer Detail of sexually assaulting two teenage girls. Now, Akon, who denied the accusation, is consulting with his legal team in pursuit of a defamation lawsuit.

According to Complex, the “Locked Up” singer is planning to pursue litigation based on what he says are false allegations of him raping underage girls in the studio. Knight stated that the Senegalese-American singer had allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl and Detail had done the same with a 12-year-old girl. Knight claimed that the 13-year-old was the younger sister of one of his female associates, and the 12-year-old was the best friend of the other minor.

Suge finally speaks about Akon. Weather Suge is lying or not Im glad we get to hear his side of things. Suge don’t hold back. #Akon #Hiphop #SugeKnight pic.twitter.com/QQ5zet6xMa

— Keith Frank (@KeithFrank31) October 28, 2023

Akon initially responded to the above post to dispute the story Knight told on the podcast:

The world knows a lie when they hear it. It’s unfortunate that this man is going out like this. It’s sad and seriously embarrassing. Regardless of our history, I’m still going to be praying for him. 🙏🏾

— AKON (@Akon) October 29, 2023

The songwriter sent a letter to the media outlet with plans to sue the incarcerated Knight based on the allegations.

“I need to make it very clear that I absolutely deny these outrageous false and disgusting claims Suge Knight made on his podcast about me. I‘ve never called, received, or had any contact with Suge Knight since he has been incarcerated,” the letter read.

Akon also said that the voice clip Knight used in his podcast was from a previously recorded interview Akon had done with DJ Vlad three years ago.

“My voice you heard on his podcast was a soundbite previously recorded from an interview I did with DJ Vlad 3 years ago regarding Suge Knight in 2009. I’ve never been a guest on Suge Knight’s podcast. I always believe in building positivity into the world and my actions and legacy have spoken to that. It’s unfortunate that I have to defend myself from these lies and I will be involving my legal team in filing a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Knight, my prayers for him will still continue,” Akon stated.

The incarcerated Knight is serving a 28-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in 2018 in connection to the 2015 hit-and-run death of Terry Carter.

by Rafael Pena

November 4, 2023

Murder-For-Hire Plot In Florida Leaves Teenage Girl Dead, Four Arrested

Charges have been filed against four individuals in a conspiracy related to a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the tragic death of a 17-year-old girl from Hernando County, with a close relative suffering severe injuries, per a Nov. 2 report by Fox 13 Tampa.

It began on Feb. 6, 2023, when Isabella Scavelli, a 17-year-old junior at Hernando High School, reported a sexual assault, identifying her alleged assailant as 36-year-old Lenard White.

Sheriff Al Nienhuis said the night after Scavelli’s report, the teen and the relative who had accompanied her to the sheriff’s office were met at their doorstep by two armed men who shot them. Scavelli died; the family member, whose identity remains undisclosed, was severely injured.

K9 units, following what they believed was the path of the suspects, discovered a crucial piece of evidence near the crime scene: a shoe. Nienhuis said the DNA found on this shoe was linked to 22-year-old Keshawn Woods, a documented gang member.

White quickly emerged as a suspect in the double shooting. Authorities say he went on an unplanned, spontaneous trip to Georgia the same day Scavelli reported her sexual battery.

According to Nienhuis, White paid Sheldon Robinson, 21, approximately $10,000 to carry out the shooting. Robinson asked for help via social media on a “clean up job.” The fee, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said, was $5,000 and cocaine. Woods allegedly took the offer.

A search warrant executed at Woods’ residence found around $4,000 in cash, a firearm, and illegal drugs. Additionally, law enforcement discovered that Robinson had the remaining $6,000. Janet Williams, Robinson’s mother, found the $6,000 but was uncooperative with law enforcement.

Investigators examined the getaway car and found the matching shoe. Matching ammunition for the gun used at the crime scene was found at Robinson’s home, leading to his detention since Feb. 9, 2023.

In collaboration with the ATF, law enforcement officials recently made a significant discovery: a hidden gun in Robinson’s backyard. Nienhuis said ballistics testing conclusively tied this weapon to the shooting of the victims.

White, in custody since Feb. 15, 2023 on sexual battery charges, is set to face additional federal charges. Woods has been charged with felon in possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a new drug, and possession of paraphernalia at the state level.

White, Robinson, and Woods face federal charges encompassing conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Additionally, White and Robinson have been federally charged with conspiring to possess controlled substances for distribution, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice.

Janet Williams, located and arrested last week by ATF agents and HCSO deputies, faces three counts of making false statements to an ATF agent at the federal level.

Conviction on these charges could entail a mandatory life term in federal prison for White, Robinson, and Woods. Williams could face a 15-year prison sentence.

Limited-Edition Barack, Michelle Obama Election Night Bobblehead Unveiled

by Stacy Jackson

November 3, 2023

Limited-Edition Barack, Michelle Obama Election Night Bobblehead Unveiled

Barack and Michelle Obama Election Night bobbleheads are available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame

Former United States President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama have just been honored with their own limited-edition bobblehead.

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the Barack and Michelle Obama Election Night Bobblehead to commemorate the historic event on November 4, 2008, when Barack was elected the 44th U.S. President. According to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE via email, the museum produced the bobblehead to celebrate the power couple who became the first African American president and first lady to lead the country. The unveiling marks the 15th anniversary since that historic evening in Chicago.

“We’re excited to unveil this bobblehead celebrating a historic moment in the nation’s history when Barack Obama was elected as the country’s 44th President,” said Phil Sklar, National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO.

The eight-inch-tall figures were designed to portray the Obamas as they stood and waved to a crowd of nearly 250,000 people in Grant Park that evening. “On November 4, 2008, the Obama family celebrated in Chicago while millions of people across the world tuned in, and we think this bobblehead is the perfect way to commemorate that momentous accomplishment on the 15th anniversary,” Sklar described.

The bobbleheads are positioned on a blue base with the former U.S. leaders’ names across the front. American flags stand behind the Obamas, who wear the exact attire they wore on election night. The rear of the bobblehead shows a picture of the couple onstage during the historic evening.

On this day 15 years ago, Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected President. Celebrate the historic moment when Barack and Michelle celebrated with nearly 250,000 people in Chicago with this bobblehead that just arrived. Order now at https://t.co/ZCT37eqHTP. pic.twitter.com/Jo6TNygTN4
— National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum (@BobbleheadHall) November 4, 2023

Each bobblehead has been individually numbered to 2,008 by the museum to represent the 2008 election year.

The figures also celebrate other achievements the former president and first lady accomplished as they served the country. In 2009, Barack became the fourth U.S. president to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Michelle, a lawyer and author, launched several initiatives to empower girls and women and advocated for healthy families. Barack served his U.S. presidency from January 20, 2009, through January 20, 2017. BE reported that he was re-elected for a second term in 2012.

Barack and Michelle Obama Election Night bobbleheads are available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store for $40 each.