Chicago Bulls Star Andre Drummond Shares His Sense of Scents With New Business Venture

by Rafael Pena

November 2, 2023

Chicago Bulls Star Andre Drummond Shares His Sense of Scents With New Business Venture

Andre Drummond's love for fragrance extends beyond the basketball court, making him a player in the world of colognes that demands attention – not just for his game but also for the unique scents he brings to the table.

Known for his commanding presence on the basketball court, Chicago Bulls player Andre Drummond is making a name for himself in another arena – the world of fragrances. The NBA star is more than just a casual collector; he’s a connoisseur with a passion for fine scents and a unique approach to using them. In an Oct. 31 report by PEOPLE, Drummond opens up about his love for fragrances and his partnership with Scentbird to curate a collection of his favorite colognes for consumers.

“I really believe in that moment of walking by somebody and having them say, ‘Wow, you smell really good.’ It’s a scent memory any time anyone sees me because I smelled good. I want people to remember me,” Drummond shares, emphasizing the lasting impact of a great fragrance.

For his “Pro Picks” collection, Andre Drummond selected fragrances that resonate with him in his daily life, including brands like Versace and Chris Collins. Notably, Versace holds a special place in his heart, as he wore it during the 2012 NBA draft when he was selected by the Detroit Pistons. The scent is tied to that pivotal moment in his career, and he still wears it to evoke that memory.

Drummond is unapologetically devoted to smelling good, donning cologne for every occasion, be it practice, games, a night out, running errands, or anything in between. In fact, he’s so dedicated to his olfactory quest that he’s been known to experiment with mixing colognes to craft his unique, signature scent.

“I’ve got a good system of what works together and what doesn’t,” Drummond says, acknowledging that finding the perfect combination wasn’t without its trials and errors. Currently, he’s favoring a blend of Chris Collins African Rooibos and Versace Bright Crystal, creating a “sweet, clean scent” that endures throughout the day.

However, in his quest for the perfect fragrance mix, Drummond has also had his share of mishaps, leading to unpleasant concoctions. In those moments, he doesn’t hesitate to hit the shower to wash off the undesirable scents.

Andre Drummond’s love for fragrance extends beyond the basketball court, making him a player in the world of colognes that demands attention – not just for his game but also for the unique scents he brings to the table.

New Cure For Sickle Cell Disease Awaits FDA Approval

by Stacy Jackson

November 2, 2023

New Cure For Sickle Cell Disease Awaits FDA Approval

This is great news!

Sickle Cell disease, a health condition that affects millions of people across the globe, may have a cure in the coming months.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the effects of gene therapy for sickle cell disease. According to NBC News, the gene therapy will be based on CRISPR, and the first gene therapy will be based on the gene editing tool to hit the U.S. market if it receives approval. The FDA will discuss the potential unplanned side effects of the treatment, and a decision for the treatment will be made in December before the focus shifts to a different sickle cell therapy.

Dr. Allison King, a professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is optimistic about the treatment. King, who works with children and young adults with sickle cell disease, said, “Anything that can help relieve somebody with this condition of the pain and the multiple health complications is amazing.” She added, “It’s horribly painful. Some people will say it’s like being stabbed all over.”

The new gene therapy will not require a donor, according to the outlet. Exa-cel is a one-time gene therapy made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics.

Only a few patients have been tested using the treatment, according to a report from the nonprofit Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.

Victoria Gray, a resident of Mississippi, was the first recipient of the gene therapy treatment test. She described the results as positive and felt like she “was being reborn” on the day she received the treatment. “My children no longer have a fear of losing their mom to sickle cell disease,” Gray said.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects Black people at higher rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 100,000 Americans have sickle cell disease, and it occurs in 1 out of 365 Black or African American births. Scientists discovered that being a carrier of sickle cell trait protects people from contracting severe malaria. It would take a sickle cell gene from both parents for a child to develop the disease. The trait is more commonly seen in ethnic groups such as people of African, Middle Eastern, and Indian descent, where malaria is or was previously prevalent.

According to NBC News, sickle cell disease affects the shape of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. However, the misshaping of the blood cells can interfere with blood flow and cause severe pain, organ damage, and other health complications.

Although results have been positive, the FDA is considering whether the unwanted consequences of gene therapy need to be studied more. Prices for the treatment have not been released yet; however, the institute report estimates costs to be around $2 million. Current treatment costs from birth to 65 years old are about $1.6 million for women and $1.7 million for men. Before the year ends, the FDA will also discuss an additional gene therapy made by Bluebird Bio.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 2, 2023

Duane ‘Keefe D’ Davis’ Loses Attorney Before Arraignment In Tupac Shakur Case

He may have to have a public defender.

The man accused of being involved in the 1996 killing of hip-hop recording artist Tupac Shakur is set to appear in court for an arraignment, but he does not currently have an attorney.

According to 8 News Now, Duane “Keffe D” Davis, due in court on Nov. 2, will not have a defense attorney when he is expected to plead not guilty in a Nevada courtroom. He is the only living person who was in the vehicle where the shooter fired the bullets that struck and killed the “Death Row” rapper on Sept. 7, 1996.

Ross Goodman, an attorney who defended Davis outside the courtroom two weeks ago, told the media outlet that he no longer represented the Compton, CA native. The attorney said that Davis was not able to reach the terms of an agreement and that he wished him luck. Due to the latest news, it is unknown if the arraignment will occur or if Davis will get representation from the public defender’s office.

The 60-year-old man was arrested on Sept. 29 in Henderson after having his residence searched by Las Vegas police officers after they obtained a search warrant on July 17.

Tupac was shot numerous times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas after witnessing a boxing match featuring Mike Tyson on Sept. 7, 1996. The beloved yet controversial rapper and actor died six days after being shot at the age of 25. Keefe D, who wrote the book, Compton Street Legend and did many interviews over the years, has previously stated that the killing of the “Me Against the World” lyricist was done by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who was killed two years later. Anderson was seen on surveillance video having an altercation with the entertainer before the “All Eyez On Me” emcee was dead.

There has been speculation that Davis’ book and numerous interviews he did had given investigators the ammunition needed to pick him up for his alleged involvement in the killing.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2023

Goldman Sachs’ Black Women Initiative Reveals Financial Struggles Caused By Workplace Disparities

A newly released report is shedding light on the grim financial circumstances many Black women in the U.S. are facing due to workplace disparities.

Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women Initiative asked over 2,500 adults, including 600 Black women, about their finances to shed light on the critical workforce disparities impacting Black women and families across the country, Business Insider reports. The “Money Matters: One Million Black Women Economic Mobility Survey” is a first-of-its-kind report that reveals the current economic state of Black women in America.

Findings show that 40% of Black women in the United States have annual household incomes under $50,000, compared to 24% of adults in the U.S. who earn the same amount. The study also finds that 71% of Black women say they live paycheck to paycheck, compared to 63% of the general population.

As a result, Black women are forced to live check to check while carrying growing debt, including student loans and medical bills. Other disparities include access to quality, affordable childcare, lack of career advancement, and adequate health insurance, among many others.

The grim findings highlight the 42% of Black women who work full-time or part-time and say they lack opportunities for career advancement or promotion. This is compared to 35% of U.S. adults who feel the same. While Black women have health insurance, only 43% receive it through their employer compared to 53% of adults nationwide.

Retirement savings are more difficult for Black women as only 49% have a 401(k) or other retirement savings, compared to 62% of the overall U.S. adult population. Paid sick leave sees only 50% of Black women receiving the benefit compared to 56% of the rest of the general population.

For Black women on the job search, 19% report childcare as a barrier affecting their job search, while only 11% of U.S. adults say the same. Despite the grim findings, 63% of Black women report optimism about their financial futures.

Goldman Sachs hopes the report will help spark systemic change and close the earnings gap for Black women. By seeing Black women grow financially, the U.S. annual GDP could rise by as much as 2.1% each year and generate 1.2 to 1.7 million U.S. jobs since Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country.

“Goldman Sachs research has shown that one of the fastest ways to accelerate change and effectively begin to address the racial wealth gap is to listen to and invest in Black women,” Asahi Pompey, Global Head of Corporate Engagement and President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation said.

RELATED CONTENT: ADDRESSING BREAST CANCER DISPARITIES: GILEAD’S COMMITMENT TO BLACK WOMEN AND TNBC

by Stacy Jackson

November 2, 2023

More Black Women Land Leadership Roles At Divinity Schools—and Beyond

A wave of Black women stepping into leadership positions at top divinity schools is making sure their voices are heard over the historical noise of racism and sexism in academia.

Vanderbilt University’s new divinity school dean Yolanda Pierce, a specialist in womanist theology, which examines the role of women in faith, scripture, and ministry, is excited about the surge of Black females heading top divinity schools.

“I’m excited—not just about me, but because there are so many things happening,” Pierce told The Christian Century.

“Womanist theology took seriously the questions that women pose to text,” she added. “They’re also taking very seriously the questions that the marginalized, the least of these, the outcasts in society, are posing to their sacred texts and sacred traditions.”

In the same way, Black females were historically shunned from academic leadership positions. Others have recently challenged a painful history of exclusion by stepping up to the mantle. The Christian Century noted that Danielle R. Holley became Mount Holyoke College’s 20th president the same day this year—July 1 —that Pierce’s appointment began.

Melissa Gilliam, a physician and provost at the Ohio State University will begin a term as president at Boston University in July 2024, and Claudine Gay was inaugurated as the 30th president of Harvard University on July 1.

All three are the first Black person to lead their institutions. Gilliam is Boston University’s first woman president.

Before Vanderbilt, Pierce was a professor and dean at Howard University School of Divinity. The Cornell and Princeton graduate succeeded Emilie Townes, the first African American to serve as Dean of Vanderbilt School of Divinity in 2013.

Townes had previously broken gender and color barriers as the first African American and first woman to serve as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Yale Divinity School, according to a bio on Vanderbilt’s Graduate Department of Religion webpage.

Nipsey Hussle’s Children Named Sole Beneficiaries of His Estate

by Rafael Pena

November 2, 2023

Nipsey Hussle’s Children Named Sole Beneficiaries of His Estate

The assets encompass various holdings, including The Marathon Clothing, Inc.

The estate of rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot in March 2019 at the age of 33, has concluded negotiations, according to People.

Documents obtained by the outlet have revealed that Hussle’s two children, son Kross (7), shared with ex-partner Lauren London, and daughter Emani (14), from Tanisha Foster, have been designated as the sole beneficiaries of his estate.

Under this arrangement, London will be granted 50% of cash and non-cash assets on behalf of Kross, along with an additional $113,000 to offset expenses related to Emani’s “health, education, and other matters.” Emani will have the remaining 50% of assets managed by Hussle’s brother, Samiel Asghedom, who also served as the estate’s administrator.

The assets encompass various holdings, including a 2012 Chevy Suburban, full ownership of All Money Inc, Marathon Studios, The Marathon Touring, The Marathon Clothing Inc, and Nipsey’s trademark portfolio. The total value of these assets surpasses $11 million.

London, who has been candid about her journey of healing following the tragedy, expressed the complexities of grief during an episode of the People Every Day podcast. “I have to wake up with the intention of this every day because there are days I don’t want to, and I’m like angry about it. And that’s what healing is. It is up and down, side to side, all over the place.”

Hussle’s murderer, Eric Holder, was sentenced to at least 60 years in prison. Holder faced convictions of first-degree murder and other charges, including two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault with a firearm.

While Holder’s defense argued that the shooting was not premeditated, the prosecution contended that Holder knew in advance that he would kill the rapper, possibly due to jealousy over his success. Holder’s trial lasted over two weeks and included delays due to an alleged assault on Holder while in custody.

In a somber tribute to the late rapper on what would have been his 37th birthday, Hussle was honored with a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame. The ceremony was attended by family and fellow artists.

by Stacy Jackson

November 2, 2023

Black Artist To Create Harriet Tubman Statue At Philadelphia’s City Hall Following Controversy

Baltimore-bred artist Alvin Pettit won a competition to have his version of a Harriet Tubman statue placed on the northeast apron outside Philadelphia’s City Hall.

The statue is expected to be finished by 2025, city officials said, according to CBS News. The art project has a budget of $500,000 coming from Philadelphia’s operating budget. The money will cover payment for Pettit, site work and modeling, engineering and materials, and fabrication costs.

The open call for the contest, announced in August 2022, brought in nearly 3,000 total submissions and came about after a controversy, according to another report by CBS News.

Black artists and activists protested when the city initially contacted a white sculptor to build the statue without a competition. The white artist, Wesley Wofford, had previously displayed a traveling sculpture of Tubman at Philadelphia’s City Hall in 2017. Textile artist Dee Jones said in a 2022 community meeting that it was “hurtful” that the city had not given other artists the opportunity to have their work considered for the public art project, CBS News reported.

Wofford dropped out of the running, and Pettit’s nearly 14-foot bronze statue, titled A Higher Power: The Call of a Freedom Fighter, won over four other semifinalists. A small model of the statue appeared at a news conference on Oct. 30, showing Tubman with a rifle on her back, a Confederate flag under her feet, and her hands in prayer, CBS News reported.

Pettit said about the work, “She [Tubman] is shown in majestic prayer. Perhaps she is calling upon her faith or contemplating a battle.” The artist, now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, continued: “This woman was a soldier, a scout, a Union spy, a military strategist, and a war hero. Therefore, I captured a moment in time that shows her as a conqueror.”

Pettit won the competition based on decisions by city officials and Philadelphia’s African American Statue Advisory Committee, which includes some of Tubman’s family members.

President, Vice President, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, election, Latino, Black, voters, approval ratings

by Lauren Nutall

November 2, 2023

President Biden Drops Reelection Ad As He Battles Low Approval Rating

The Biden administration hopes to win back Black and Latino voters.

As President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris launch their 2024 reelection campaign, his administration has rolled out a new ad highlighting their investment in Black and rural communities.

The advertisement, “History,” follows Patrick Brown, owner of Brown Family Farms in North Carolina.

“Farms like mine are innovating and creating jobs in the community, and Joe Biden gets that,” Brown says in the one-minute video. “The Biden administration is building us the infrastructure that we need, expanding high-speed internet, investing in rural communities. To have a president that understands the value of what we do – that means everything to me.”

With next year’s presidential election looming, Biden has worked to garner public support, mainly relying on economic successes, which has been a major selling point since he entered office in January 2021. His campaign started relatively early in hopes of developing a more efficient plan, with his target demographic being Black and Latino voters.

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, campaign manager for President Biden and Vice President Harris, spoke to Spectrum News about their initiative for this upcoming campaign.

“We’re gonna continue to be aggressive in our outreach to Latino voters and remind them that President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to deliver and continue to fight for Latino families. And that the alternative and the choice that they have before them is between a President and the Vice President [who] are choosing to invest in Latinos and their families in their community, or the Republican field that’s continuing to demonize our community, that’s continuing to attack things like affordable healthcare and Social Security that our hardworking Latinos have paid into throughout their lifetimes,” the campaign manager said.

The ads arise amid concerns about polling as President Biden battles low approval ratings, even within his own party.

Gallup reports that, among Democratic constituents, Biden’s rating is 75%, the lowest in his presidency. The commander-in-chief has consistently polled at low rates among Republicans, with his current approval rating being 5% and his overall rating 37%. Additionally, a recent September poll from the New York Times and Siena College shows that fewer Black and Latino citizens support President Biden, which does not bode well for the election.

Similarly, Vice President Harris’ approval rating has witnessed a steady decline, with only 39% of registered voters viewing her favorably as of Oct. 24, the LA Times reports. Still, both President Biden and Vice President Harris have started their reelection campaign trail on the same promises as their initial bid.

by Daniel Johnson

November 2, 2023

Alabama Residents Claim A Bad State Development Project Causes Flooding In Their Community

A group of Black residents in Alabama are claiming that an ongoing highway project is to blame for the recent flooding of their homes during heavy rains. In response to residents from the Shiloh community raising concerns that the highway project is the cause of the flooding affecting their homes and properties, Alabama has taken steps to shield the state from potential liability, making it challenging for these residents or future families to hold the state accountable, ABC News reported.

As per a formal agreement endorsed by residents of the Coffee County community, property owners within the county have relinquished their ability to hold the Alabama Department of Transportation responsible for any flood-related damages in exchange for a $5,000 settlement. The settlements on behalf of the state were formally signed by Gov. Kay Ivey and John Cooper, the transportation director for the State of Alabama, in 2020.

“It didn’t help the community, but it hurt the community,” Williams said. “They took the highway and they elevated it and then forced all the water onto us. I mean, that’s just plain Jane,” Timothy Williams, whose family land dates back to the Reconstruction Era, told ABC News.

Williams and his neighbors say that their properties had never flooded before the state began this highway project, adding that along with the flooding comes major property damage and an influx of frogs and snakes. The Federal Highway Administration is also about a year into a civil rights investigation of the State of Alabama regarding what’s happening in Shiloh, and its website depicts investigations similar to this one, but all of those investigations have already been dismissed.

The Alabama Department of Transportation gave ABC News a statement saying, “In the settlements involving ALDOT, there were restrictive covenants to prevent future owners from filing claims because ALDOT maintains that it has not increased the volume of stormwater runoff being placed on the Shiloh Community.” However, the DOT has hired a consultant to explore possible improvements and upgrades to the department’s system.

According to Blake Hudson, the Dean of the Cumberland School of Law at the University of Alabama, residents could potentially argue that what the state is calling a restrictive covenant is actually an easement, which allows for a specific amount of flooding on their land, an amount which the Department of Transportation has exceeded.

“That’s a much harder case to make if you knew your home flooded and then you still took the $5,000,” Hudson said. “Legally, those documents can protect the government from suit,” Hudson told ABC News.

Williams, meanwhile, maintains that he and his neighbors were fundamentally lied to by the state, and when he raised concerns about potential flooding of properties in 2018, he was informed that the DOT would take the necessary precautions to avoid excess runoff.

Williams also contacted the Coffee County native and current Texas Southern University Professor Dr. Robert Bullard, who helped coin the phrase “environmental justice” and has written extensively on the topic, authoring 18 books on the subject.

“The state is saying that they didn’t cause this problem, and there’s no problem,” Bullard said. “I would say bring your grandmother here to live for a month in one of these houses, and they’ll see that it floods.”

Bullard also claims that the state settlement is a terrible deal for residents, explaining, “You can’t do very much with $5,000. From my perspective, when you sign a piece of paper for settling in terms of this highway, you didn’t sign away your life. You didn’t sign away your children’s inheritance to be taken away because of flooding [and] because of devaluation.”

Bullard continued, “A settlement should mean that you have resolved something,” Bullard said. “The flooding is not resolved.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2023

Usher Headlines New Movement To Encourage Screenings For Diabetes Awareness Month

Usher is adding to his headlining roster by serving as the lead performer at Sanofi’s The 1 Pledge campaign for Diabetes Awareness Month.

To kick off Diabetes Awareness Month, Sanofi is launching a campaign that aims to highlight the diversity of patients and caregivers dealing with type 1 diabetes, Medical Marketing and Medicine reports. The goal is to share stories and encourage screenings around the chronic disease that affects around 250,000 children and adolescents and about 1.7 million adults in the U.S. alone.

By addressing diabetes sooner rather than later, Sanofi aims to combat the life-threatening health complications patients can face when they don’t receive timely treatment. Additional resources can be found at The1Pledge.com.

Usher will headline the event that includes Robin Arzón, VP of fitness programming and head instructor at Peloton who is also a type 1 diabetes patient, and ESPN insider Adam Schefter whose wife lives with type 1 diabetes. The event will be held in Times Square, New York City, and include periodic 30-second ads encouraging people to get screened for type 1 diabetes.

Usher’s passion for spreading diabetes awareness started after his son was diagnosed with the chronic illness at the age of 6.

“Since the day my child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the condition is something I never stop thinking about,” he said. “Had we detected my child’s type 1 diabetes before their diagnosis it could have given us valuable time to prepare.”

“My child’s bravery inspires me every day and my hope in partnering with Sanofi is to inspire other families in this important work,” he continued “Do not wait until you see symptoms. Pledge to screen for type 1 diabetes today so you can prepare for what could come.”

People can learn more about the movement by following the hashtag #ScreenforType1 across social media.