WNBA, Angel Reese, reese's puffs, cereal
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 23, 2024

Breakfast Champion: Angel Reese New Face Of Reese’s Puffs Cereal

'This collaboration is such an honor, and I can’t wait for fans to get their hands on the cereal box and see what’s next in this partnership.'

Angel Reese lost out on becoming the WNBA Rookie of the Year, but she recently scored a partnership to be featured on a limited edition cereal.

The rebounding force has collaborated with Reese’s Puffs to be the face of the limited edition Angel X REESE’S PUFFS cereal boxes. The brand states that her accomplishments in basketball and fashion warrant the ode to recognize her. This falls in line with their double accomplishment when it comes to chocolate and peanut butter. The special edition boxes will have four unique back-of-box designs.

“I’m so excited to partner with such an iconic brand. Not only does this fulfill my childhood dream of being on a cereal box, but there couldn’t be a better fit for me to join forces with than REESE’S PUFFS cereal,” said Reese in a written statement. “This collaboration is such an honor, and I can’t wait for fans to get their hands on the cereal box and see what’s next in this partnership.”

After the boxes are released this year, Reese’s Puffs plans to use her creativity and passions for basketball and fashion in future plans.

“REESE’S PUFFS cereal believes that two is always better as one, and Angel is the perfect partner to demonstrate just that as she authentically owns both of her passions and inspires others to do the same,” said Brandon Tyrrell, Senior Brand Experience Manager at General Mills. “REESE’S PUFFS cereal has become synonymous with cultural relevance after partnering with some of the most influential and inspiring artists, musicians, designers – and now athletes – and fans are going to eat this one up.”

Although a wrist injury she suffered in a Sept. 6 game against the Los Angeles Sparks led to her season ending prematurely, the center has broken several WNBA records in her first year as she has helped regenerate interest in the league. She recorded another double-double, which brought her total in her rookie season to 26, she felt short in her quest to break Alyssa Thomas’ record of 28.

In the meantime, fans of the cereal and the basketball player can get all four versions of the new Angel X Reese’s Puffs cereal boxes nationwide for $5.69 while supplies last.
 
 

RELATED CONTENT: Wrist Injury Brings Early Close To Angel Reese’s Rookie Year

Former St. Louis Prosecutor,Misusing Public Funds
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 23, 2024

Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty To Shooting 6-Month-Old Granddaughter

Mia Harris will be back in court on Oct. 9 to find out her prison sentence.

An Ohio grandmother has admitted to shooting her 6-month-old granddaughter in December 2023 when she pleaded guilty to felonious assault on Sept. 17.

According to WCPO Cincinnati, 43-year-old Mia Harris, who hails from Liberty Township, pleaded guilty while appearing at a Butler County courtroom. She was originally charged with three counts of felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation. With her guilty declaration, the other charges were dropped.

The grandmother was arrested on Dec. 9, 2023, after officials said she shot at several family members before she took the gun and shot her grandchild. After being charged in December, Harris initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Authorities confirmed that Harris dragged a family member out of her bed and assaulted her. When she did that, two other family members locked themselves in a room with the infant. Harris went into the room and shot at the baby’s mother, with the bullet grazing the woman’s head. She then shot the 6-month-old girl who was on the bed, according to Detective Daniel Turner at Harris’s preliminary hearing.

After shooting the girl, Harris picked her up, gave the infant to the baby’s mother, and smiled before she left the house.

She then left the scene in a vehicle, drove the wrong way on I-75, failed to stop for police officers, and then returned to the home. After she was detained for the shooting, she was asked why she shot her grandchild. At her hearing, Turner testified and stated, “She said, ‘That was not my grandbaby’ and at one point she said, ‘Sorry, not sorry.'”

WCPO reported that Harris also stated that her family was trying to take all of her money, which spurred her actions.

“[She said] her family was trying to take all of her money and then leave, and she was not going to allow that to happen. They crucified her, so she crucified them,” Turner stated.

She is expected back in court on Oct. 9.

Waffle House, CLayton County, Georgia, employee, disguise
by Sharelle B. McNair

September 23, 2024

Labor Union Accuses Waffle House Of Underpaying Employees On A Regular Basis

This company needs to do better!

CBS News reports that a labor advocacy group accuses the breakfast chain Waffle House of cheating workers out ​​of a portion of their pay by requiring them to wash dishes and cook. 

A complaint filed by the Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW) with the Department of Labor (DOL) on Sept. 19 says the restaurant allegedly engages in “rampant wage theft, like performing non-tipped work for tipped wages.” The complaint continues to accuse the Georgia-based corporation of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s tip credit requirements by failing to pay servers the federal minimum wage, which has been paused at $7.25 since 2009. 

The suit permits employers to pay part of the minimum wage obligation to tipped workers by taking a small credit—paying an hourly rate of a minimum of $2.13 as long as tipped employees who make enough in gratuities can earn the minimum. In June 2024, Waffle House CEO Joe Rogers III announced a base pay increase to $3.00 from $2.92 for approximately 40,000 servers, but some employees are speaking up for their colleagues, saying more needs to be done. 

Cindy Smith, who has worked at a Conyers, Georgia, location for close to 30 years, says several Waffle House staff live in motels and live paycheck to paycheck. She admitted that she often goes hungry to afford car payments and auto insurance. “It’s a bunch of hooey,” Smith said. “They say we are all family, but when your family needs something, they don’t care.” 

The 50-year-old worker claims she spends nearly two hours of her eight-hour shifts cleaning and doing side work. As a result, she takes home between $80 and $120 in tips each day in addition to her $3 pay. Smith says, “They should compensate us for doing that labor.” 

According to Axios, more than 20 former and current Waffle House employees interviewed by USSW said the company doesn’t keep dishwashers, kitchen helpers, or janitors on staff, resulting in servers doing the work and earning the tipped minimum wage. The complaint includes evidence of a flyer that details end-of-shift responsibilities for workers. “If there are only two people on staff, those duties include de-lime all coffee machines, changing dish machine water, and clean and stock restrooms.”

The restaurant chain has been involved in litigation involving its employees’ concerns. In March 2024, Waffle House was under investigation for allegedly making policy changes to deduct mandatory meal costs from employee paychecks—regardless of whether they ate. Another petition filed by the USSW claimed Waffle House took close to $3 for each on-shift meal out of employees’ pay. 

In South Carolina, workers went on strike over safety and wage issues, stating management undermined their concerns. Employees requested an increase in on-site security, regulated scheduling, and the suspension of mandatory check deductions for meals eaten or not eaten during shifts. 

The privately held chain is open 24 hours a day and operates 1,708 corporate-owned restaurants across 25 states, so tipped workers are often exploited for wage theft. An analysis from the Economic Policy Institute found that tipped-wage U.S. workers are 2.3 times more likely to live in poverty than non-tipped workers. 

An investigation by the DOL found that from 2010 to 2012, 1,170 tip credit violations worth close to $5.5 million were found in roughly 9,000 restaurants.

Vice President Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, white dudes for Kamala, ad
by Sharelle B. McNair

September 23, 2024

White Dudes For Harris Drop New Ad Roasting MAGA Republicans

The White Dudes have spoken!

White Dudes For Harris dropped a new ad, encouraging their demographic to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz while scorching MAGA Republicans, Florida Politics reported. 

The group dropped $10 million for a campaign ad series launched in key battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The first ad, which dropped on Sept. 19, colorfully clowns former President Donald Trump and his band of loyal allies, projecting how they aren’t the best example of white men. “Hey white dudes! I think we’re pretty sick of hearing how much we suck. Every time you go online its the same story…we’re the problem,” the ad starts out.

“And yea, some white dudes are. Trump and all his MAGA buddies are out there making it worse. Shouting nonsense in their stupid red hats and acting like they speak for us when they dont’.” 

https://twitter.com/dudes4harris/status/1836743050061611383

With corresponding images of GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, Donald Trump Jr., and U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, the narrator continues to highlight how the 2024 presidential election isn’t about picking sides but more so who has a plan to better America and who doesn’t. “So I’ve been doing my own research and decided to check out Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” the narrator said. 

“And before you jump down my throat, they’re actually talking to guys like us. No lectures. No BS Just real solutions that protect our freedoms and help us take care of the people who matter.”

Organizers for the ad say the goal is to point out the white identity politics of Trump’s era. “For far too long, Donald Trump has been able to fill the minds of a lot of white men in this country with lies, and we’ve learned in the past few months since launching White Dudes for Harris that there is a real hunger out there for an alternative,” Ross Morales Rocketto, who organized a Zoom fundraiser for Harris, said, according to the outlet.  

“The Harris-Walz ticket is talking to these guys, offering a no BS alternative to the constant drama and exhausting string of weirdo conspiracy theories that come from the other side.”

His comments mimic what critics are saying on social media. Following the ad drop, fellow users called it a “parody” and used homophobic rhetoric to describe it. “I could never make parody video as hilarious as this crap,” @MrReaganUSA said. 

https://twitter.com/MrReaganUSA/status/1837103741088280737

“This ad looks and sounds like it’s selling cheap pizza, which must be a delicacy for the “hey, white dude” it’s addressing. Pathetic, racist, and insulting. With extra cheese,” @articninjapaul wrote.

Pro-Harris groups have been in the spotlight for massive fundraising efforts since Harris entered the race, taking over for President Joe Biden. “Win With Black Women” has been credited for sparking the efforts after drawing in more than 40,000 participants in July 2024. According to The Hill, “Cat Ladies for Kamala” and “Comics for Harris” followed suit. 

Even former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio worked with actor Robert De Niro and former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to create “Paisans for Kamala” in early September 2024 “to discuss the importance of the 2024 election while sharing family recipes and cultural traditions.”

“When Kamala Harris emerged, there was a sort of extraordinary explosion of energy, and most campaigns can only sort of absorb so much. There’s only so many ways to donate or volunteer. This is a new way for people to engage,” de Blasio said. 

“There’s a generalized desire for community that’s kind of pervading much of American life now. As the community has degenerated, some of its traditional forms, people are looking for new forms.”

RELATED CONTENT: White Women Mobilize For Kamala Harris In Virtual Fundraiser, Aim To Match Success Of Historic Black Women-Led Event

Kamala Harris, Janet. Jackson
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 23, 2024

Apology Made On Behalf Of Janet Jackson For Kamala Harris Wasn’t Authorized

The statement was released by Mo Elmasri, a man claiming to be Jackson's manager.

A fraudulent apology was made on behalf of Janet Jackson for her comments on Kamala Harris’ racial identity. Reps for the singer confirmed that the apology was unauthorized.

According to Variety, the statement was released by Mo Elmasri, a man claiming to be Jackson’s manager. In the message, Elmasri stated that Jackson wanted to “clarify” her words, in which she referred to a right-wing conspiracy theory that Harris had a white father.

“Janet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments,” Elmasri wrote.

She recognizes that her statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity were based on misinformation. Janet respects Harris’ dual heritage as both Black and Indian and apologizes for any confusion caused. She values the diversity Harris represents and understands the importance of celebrating that in today’s society. Janet remains committed to promoting unity and understanding.”

Despite its intentions, Jackson never approved any statement on the matter. While the apology gained traction, Jackson’s team debunked Elmasri’s claim, as her brother Randy has managed the star for years.

However, Elmasri still claims that he once worked under Jackson’s team until fired by the siblings. As for his involvement in the controversy, he also shared that he was trying to “improve her image.” The Neighborhood Talk re-shared the statement he wrote to Variety.

“I no longer work for her,” he explained.

“I was fired by Janet and Randy, after attempts to improve her image in front of public opinion and her fans, and this is something I do not deserve.” 

Jackson received major backlash for her recent interview with The Guardian, published on Sept. 20. When the discussion turned to politics, Jackson repeated a growing conspiracy theory surrounding Harris’ racial identity.

“Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian,” the mother of one stated.

She added, “Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days. I was told that they discovered her father was white.”

While confirming Elmasri made the apology on his own accord, Jackson did not take back her misinformed comments. Moreover, the news outlet could not confirm if the man ever worked directly with Jackson.

RELATED CONTENT: Janet Jackson Repeats Right-Wing Conspiracy Theory, Falsely Claims Kamala Harris Is ‘Not Black’

23andMe, board resignation, DNA, testing,
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 23, 2024

23andMe Board Quits As CEO Of DNA Testing Company Plans To Go Private

In response to the mass resignations, 23andMe's CEO announced that she would 'remain committed' to bringing the company out of its financial decline.

The board of directors for 23andMe has quit following disagreements over the CEO’s plans to privatize the DNA testing company.

While originally hosting eight members, all seven of its independent directors left the board, as its chair and co-founder, Ann Wojcicki, remains adamant about taking the company private. According to The Hill, Wojcicki submitted a proposal in late July to stop the public trade of the company’s shares. Wojcicki initially expressed interest in doing so in April.

A special committee within the board rejected the proposal. They claimed it did not provide a premium to the closing price and that the plan did not have sufficient financing. As of Sept. 23, the company’s stock price decreased to 34 cents a share.

The board originally offered Wojcicki “limited” extra time to revise her proposal. However, the committee released a statement sharing their joint resignation upon not receiving an update.

“After months of work, we have yet to receive from you a fully financed, fully diligenced, actionable proposal that is in the best interests of the non-affiliated shareholders,” the board wrote. We believe the Special Committee and the Board have provided ample time for you to submit such a proposal. That we have not seen any notable progress over the last 5 months leads us to believe no such proposal is forthcoming…”

The statement continued, “[I]t is also clear that we differ on the strategic direction for the Company going forward. Because of that difference and because of your [Wojcicki’s] concentrated voting power, we believe that it is in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders that we resign from the Board rather than have a protracted and distracting difference of view with you as to the direction of the Company.”

Wojcicki co-founded the company in 2006. It gained popularity for its accessible, at-home DNA testing kits to help users learn their genetic history. However, the typical one-time purchase left the company struggling to grow and sustain its revenue.

Its financial issues came to a head in November 2023. The company received a letter of deficiency from the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Department. The agency informed 23andMe of their 180-day deadline to bring their share price up to $1, leading to its current situation.

In response to the mass resignations, Wojcicki announced that she would “remain committed” to bringing 23andMe out of its financial decline.

“I remain committed to our customers, my employees and to our stockholders to achieve our goals,” she wrote. “I continue to believe that we will be better positioned to achieve our mission and goals outside of the short term pressures of the public markets and that taking 23andMe private will be the best opportunity for long term success.”

In the meantime, Wojcicki seeks to fill in the newly opened spots on the board.

She added, “We will immediately begin identifying independent directors to join the board. I want to thank the directors for their service to the company and its stockholders.”

RELATED CONTENT: Viola Davis Traces Her Roots, DNA Test Reveals A Messy Secret About Her Ancestors

Usher, BMAC, Bobby Brown
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 23, 2024

Usher Celebrates Bobby Brown While Accepting Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award At BMAC Gala

Usher celebrates his mentor Bobby Brown at the BMAC Gala.

Usher took home big honors at the fourth annual BMAC Gala on Sept. 19, but used the moment as an opportunity to celebrate his mentors like Bobby Brown.

The Grammy award-winning singer was among those honored by the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) for their annual awards gala that Bobby Brown attended to present Usher with the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award. During his speech, Usher took time to share what being a humanitarian means to him by recognizing the men who have served father figure roles in his life.

With his biological father being absent throughout his life, the “Yeah” singer acknowledged the guidance he received from men like Brown, who he idolized as a child. Usher recalled saving up his allowance for his first purchase, which was a Brown cassette tape, and telling his mom that buying the album was “an investment into my dreams,” which turned out to be true.

Once Usher relocated from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Atlanta, Georgia, as a child, the first person in the entertainment industry he was connected with was Brown. So having the “King of R&B” present him with his Humanitarian Award was a full-circle moment, Usher shared.

Others who served as mentors to the “My Way” singer were Virgil Roberts, who took him under his wing at age 15, Quincy Jones who told him he needed to serve others and not just make great music, and Harry Belafonte who showed him the significance of using your power as a celebrity to advocate for those in need, particularly within the Black community.

Speaking on his work with his New Look Foundation, Usher shared how his philanthropy allows him moments to just be himself and not Usher the superstar.

“Aside from just being USHER, the performer, the entertainer, I strive every day to just be USHER, the human, who has the means and the power to inspire and bring awareness to the issues that we face as Black men and women in this country,” he said.

Other special moments of the night were shared between Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump, who came out to present LL Cool J with the Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award. In his acceptance speech, LL spoke of the importance of chasing your dreams and believing in yourself.

“You must continue to believe in the beauty of your dreams. If I can come all the way here from Queens and do the things that I’m doing, then anything is possible,” he said.

Elsewhere during the night, Anthony Hamilton performed a tribute to Frankie Beverly. BJ The Chicago Kid opened the show by singing the Black National Anthem, and Taraji P. Henson took the stage to present the BMAC Social Impact Award to BET Media Group.

The annual BMAC Gala honors individuals and organizations that support BMAC’s mission to advance racial equity and economic justice. Since its inception in 2020, BMAC has intensified its efforts to create systemic change within communities, working toward policy reforms that uplift future generations.

“The BMAC Gala is unlike anything else – it’s the intersection of activism and music,” said Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, BMAC Co-Founder/President/CEO. “We’re not celebrating record sales, streaming numbers, or other accolades. When most are turning down the volume around social, racial and economic justice, we’re doubling down on efforts and spotlighting the positive and meaningful impact that the music industry has made on society, which is what we hope to inspire with this event.”

The full list of 2024 BMAC Gala Honorees included:

  • Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award: LL Cool J (Grammy Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, actor, and author)
  • Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award: Usher (Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, and dancer)
  • BMAC Social Impact Award: Scott Mills (President and Chief Executive Officer), Louis Carr (President, Media Sales), Constance Orlando (Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy), and Kimberly Paige (Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer) of BET Media Group (Black Entertainment Television Media Group)
  • BMAC Change Agent Award: Ivy McGregor (Chief Executive Officer of BeyGOOD)
  • BMAC 365 Award: Live Nation

RELATED CONTENT: Usher Opens His First Dave’s Hot Chicken In Atlanta, With More On The Way

Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Kamala Harris
by Daniel Johnson

September 23, 2024

Donald Trump Goes On Unhinged Tirade Against Oprah Winfrey, Kamala Harris

Trump launched into a social media tirade after Winfrey hosted a livestream event with Harris.

Former President Donald Trump launched into a tirade criticizing Oprah Winfrey and Vice President Kamala Harris after Winfrey hosted a livestream event with Harris on Sept. 19. 

According to Newsweek, the event, titled Unite for America 2024, was focused on capitalizing on the wave of support that has followed Harris’ announcement that she would be seeking the presidency after President Joe Biden decided to exit the race in July. 

According to a press release for the event, “Vice President Kamala Harris will join Oprah in-person in front of a live studio audience of local voters along with grassroots leaders from around the country to serve as a call to action to ensure everyone is registered to vote and continue the tidal wave of support for the Harris/Walz campaign in advance of the election on November 5th.”

This, apparently, did not sit well with Trump, who criticized Winfrey and Harris’s responses using his Truth Social social media platform. 

“A long time ago, Oprah Winfrey asked me to do her last Network Television Show. The final week of her show was a big deal, and it was my honor, with my family, to do it,” Trump wrote.

Trump continued with a slam to Harris, “When I watched her interview yesterday with a woman who is destroying, through her complete and total incompetence, America, I couldn’t help but think this isn’t the real Oprah, this isn’t a person that wants millions of people, from prisons and mental institutions, and terrorists, drug dealers, and human traffickers, from all over the World, pouring into our Country.”

Trump went on to imply that Harris is a communist, through his use of “comrade” as a pejorative for Harris. 

“Kamala looked really foolish, couldn’t answer the simplest of questions on Inflation, the Cost of Goods, or our very porous and dangerous Border—No leader there, and Oprah just wanted to crawl under a table!” Trump wrote. “Comrade Kamala Harris is mentally unfit to be President. She knows it, and so does everyone else!”

Winfrey, meanwhile, wrote on Facebook following the conclusion of the event that it was her hope that the viewers and participants in the event “left informed and inspired to do something.” Winfrey implored those who read her post to “Remind the people in your life of the privilege and power of their vote because united we win.”

According to Deadline, in addition to Winfrey, actress Meryl Streep, actress, dancer, and singer Jennifer Lopez, actress Julia Roberts, and actor and comedian Chris Rock provided star power to the event, joining voters and supporters from across the country who directly asked Harris questions.

At one point, Streep asked Harris, regarding the former president, “What happens when you win, and he doesn’t accept it? I am wondering if we will be ready for January 7th.”

Harris responded, “One of the things that I have realized in the course of our campaign is that more Americans than we may realize who voted for [Donald] Trump before have decided January 6th was just a bridge too far. I think there is absolutely no tolerance whatsoever for the vast majority of Americans for that, and they’ve seen the lies. They understand.”

RELATED CONTENT: Vice President Kamala Harris Tells NABJ That She Is Working Hard To ‘Earn’ The Black Vote In November

Chance the Rapper Passes Out Free Food to High Schoolers After Receiving $100K Donation From Raising Cane’s
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 23, 2024

Chance the Rapper Passes Out Free Food to High Schoolers After Receiving $100K Donation From Raising Cane’s

Chance the Rapper gives back to high schoolers and receives a $100,000 donation toward his charity SocialWorks.

Chance the Rapper was in the giving mood recently as he stopped by Michele Clark Magnet High School in his hometown Chicago, to treat students to lunch from a Raising Cane’s food truck.

The three-time Grammy award-winning rapper served as “Principal Chance the Rapper” on Sept. 12, greeting students and offering some of Raising Cane’s signature chicken finger meals to the excited bunch. The event was part of the $100,000 donation Chance received from the fast-food chain toward his youth empowerment charity SocialWorks.

Founded by Chance in 2016, SocialWorks supports thousands of young people each year by focusing on education, mental health, homelessness, and the performing and literary arts. The “No Problem” rapper’s latest humanitarian efforts coincide with the release of his new singles “Together” and “3,333,” which he believes is a “blessing” and testament to just moving in his purpose.

“I feel like when you do take those chances to live in your purpose and just be brave, good things come,” Chance the Rapper told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “So, the fact that this [donation] is coming right after is a huge blessing of SocialWorks.”

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 12: Chance the Rapper stops by Michele Clark Magnet High School after receiving a $100K donation from Raising Cane’s in Wrigleyville for his charity SocialWorks on September 12, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s)

It was an early day for the music artist as he headed to Raising Cane’s near Chicago’s historic Wrigley Field at 9:30 in the morning to speak with the press about the new partnership. However, despite the early morning call, fans were still lined up outside the eatery for a chance to meet Chance.

“I think it also is a reminder of people supporting me,” Chance added. “Like when I got here, it’s like 40 people lined up outside. It’s early as hell. But people are coming in support. It’s not just the chicken fingers, but also me, you know what I mean?”

He continued, “I think it’s a reminder of the community that we’ve been building and what we’re building around. And so it’s a testament to me, but also to Raising Cane’s as a supporter of SocialWorks and a huge signal that SocialWorks is doing great things.”

SocialWorks is dedicated to empowering youth through the arts, education, and civic engagement while promoting leadership, accessibility, and positivity. The charity’s five initiatives—OpenMike, Warmest Winter, Kids of the Kingdom, the New Chance: Arts & Literature Fund, and My State of Mind—are designed to advocate for young people and support their success in all its forms.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 12: Chance the Rapper stops by Michele Clark Magnet High School after receiving a $100K donation from Raising Cane’s in Wrigleyville for his charity SocialWorks on September 12, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s)

With a goal to continue driving impact through innovation and collaboration, Raising Cane’s $100,000 donation will help Chance with his SocialWorks mission.

“I’m so blessed by this donation from Raising Cane’s for my charity SocialWorks. I’m always proud to collaborate with brands that put emphasis on giving back to charities and working with nonprofits,” Chance said.

NAACP President , Mark Robinson, North Carolina Campaign
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 22, 2024

NAACP President Urges Mark Robinson To Suspend North Carolina Campaign

The NAACP leader said that people like Robinson have no place in elected office.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson is urging North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson to suspend his gubernatorial campaign. The call comes after Robinson allegedly made racist comments on a porn site’s message board.

According to The Hill, Johnson told that people like Robinson, who allegedly referred to himself as a Black Nazi, have “no place” in government.

“Anyone who identifies themselves as a Black Nazi or who would resurrect the concept of institutionalized slavery has no place in elected office particularly as governor,” explained the racial justice organization’s president and CEO on Sept. 20. “The institution of slavery was not only inhumane, it should be something we never revisit again.”

The NAACP leader added, “The concept of Nazism too — attack and kill millions of people based on their religious belief — should be something that we learn from, never to repeat, not to celebrate. Unfortunately, the public square is being used to resurrect concepts and campaigns and policy that would demean, and in many ways, kill people that should not be a part of where we are in this society.”

Moreover, CNN first reported about the discriminatory comments a day prior. According to the news outlet, Robinson wrote that slavery was “not bad” and that he would buy into the immoral practice.

“Slavery is not bad. Some people need to be slaves. I wish they would bring it (slavery) back. I would certainly buy a few,” he allegedly wrote.

The NAACP president reaffirmed that while the organization remains nonpartisan, its supporters should not validate the campaigns of those who “belittle human beings.”

“We’re political as hell in the sense that we care and concern for individuals. We care and concern for African Americans, for women’s rights, for those who have been marginalized, for working poor people across racial lines,” he continued. “Anyone who belittles human beings to try to marginalize communities, they should not have a place in politics. They should not have a place, in our, in society because we must grow past that. We want to see an America that looks more diverse, inclusive and prosperous, and not America based on a 1930s apartheid system.”

However, prior to the report’s release, the Republican lawmaker shared a video denying the accusations.

“Guys, the news media is at it again. My opponent is at it again. You all have seen the half-truths and outright lies of Josh Stein on these ads… And now a story leaked by him to CNN is appearing now. Let me reassure you, the things that you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” he explained in the clip.

Despite the controversy, Robinson remains adamant about staying in the race.

RELATED CONTENT: Email Linked to North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson Registered On Ashley Madison Amid Allegations Of Controversial Online Activity

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