Run It Back! Free COVID-19 Tests Will Be Available For Home Delivery Again
by Sharelle Burt

September 21, 2023

Run It Back! Free COVID-19 Tests Will Be Available For Home Delivery Again

The Biden administration is doing its part to continue the fight against rising cases of COVID-19. NBC News reported that starting Sept. 25, 2023, people can have COVID-19 tests mailed to their homes.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will reopen its website for households to order up to four free tests delivered to their homes. As COVID cases increase, people realize the tests secured during the height of the pandemic may be outdated.

The free test program includes a $600 million investment in domestic manufacturers of COVID-19 tests. Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell says the investment also creates jobs. “Manufacturing COVID-19 tests in the United States strengthens our preparedness for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, reduces our reliance on other countries, and provides good jobs to hardworking Americans,” she said.

Per The Washington Post, officials said the funding would improve domestic manufacturing capacity along with leaving the federal government with 200 million over-the-counter tests to use, if needed, in the future.

“These critical investments will strengthen our nation’s production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the spread of the virus,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.

The first round of free tests ended in June. To learn if the expiration dates have been extended, check on the Food and Drug Administration’s website. The new distributed tests will include instructions on how to look up extended expiration dates.

Officials have found that free home testing is an effective way for people to check their status before engaging in large crowds or spending time with vulnerable patients such as the elderly. If a person tests positive, at-home testing allows them to start treatments early to prevent a more serious disease.

New tests will be able to detect the new EG.5 variant, which has peaked in the past few weeks. Since July 2023, hospital admissions have been on the rise, surpassing 20,000 as of Sept. 9. However, there has been a slight decline in emergency room visits.

RELATED CONTENT: Biden Administration Advises Americans To Get Additional Boosters Against New Covid Strains

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 21, 2023

Nicki Minaj’s Husband Placed On House Arrest After Threatening Offset

Nicki Minaj‘s husband, Kenneth Petty, has landed himself back in hot water after taking to the internet to issue a threat to Cardi B‘s husband, rapper Offset.

The drama ignited at MTV’s Video Music Awards on September 11, 2023, which Minaj hosted and where Cardi B performed her new single “Bongos” with Megan Thee Stallion. While the ladies were shining on stage, their husbands were busy handling their dirty work behind the scenes.

Days after the award show, a video surfaced showing Petty standing outside in New York City with a group of friends issuing verbal threats to Offset.

“Plan that vacation, you gonna be planning your funeral p***y! We out here to talk, right? Let’s talk, but you know we ain’t talking, though,” Petty could be seen saying. “P***y a** n****, I don’t know who y’all think y’all playing with.”

But with Petty being a convicted felon on probation with a lengthy rap sheet that also has him registered as a sex offender, it didn’t take too long for the social media threats to land Nicki’s husband in trouble with the law.

On September 20, 2023, a court order was filed in the Central District of California ordering Petty to 120 days of home confinement after he “was recorded on video making threatening remarks to a specific individual while in the company of someone with a criminal record,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The “specific individual” is Offset, and the order is a response to the videos that surfaced online on September 16.

Legal affairs reporter Meghann Cunniff was the first to unveil the documents on Twitter.

Petty was sentenced to three years probation in July 2022 after pleading guilty to failing to register as a sex offender in the state of California after relocating there in 2020. His sex offender record stems from a 1995 conviction for first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl that sent him to prison for four years.

He was also convicted of manslaughter for shooting a man three times in 2002. Petty pleaded guilty to the manslaughter charge in March 2006 and served seven years in prison after being sentenced to 10, People reports.

Meanwhile, when Petty was busy standing outside a deserted NYC with his goons threatening Offset online, the Migos rapper was busy jet-setting to Atlanta to appear on a 24-hour livestream with popular vlogger Kai Cenat and stopping in Colorado to hang out with Deion Sanders at his star-studded football game.

RELATED CONTENT: Nicki Minaj Stands by Husband Kenneth Petty Who Was Denied Request to Get Off Sex Offender List

Monique, protest, writers strike, difficult
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 21, 2023

Mo’Nique Calls Out CBS For Claiming ‘The Parkers’ Is $1 Billion in Debt: ‘Don’t Pay Us Any Less’

Mo’Nique isn’t backing down from her ongoing lawsuit against CBS and Paramount for unpaid royalties from her sitcom “The Parkers.”

In a video posted to Instagram on September 19, 2023 Mo’Nique and her husband, Sidney Hicks, called out CBS‘ alleged claims that “The Parkers” is more than $1 billion in debt. In a move of solidarity with the actors and writers that remain on strike against streaming providers for fair residual pay, among other demands, Mo’Nique outlined how things have been going for the 24 years “The Parkers” has been on the air (including reruns).

“We’re coming to y’all today to let you know we’re standing with all the unions that are striking right now,” Mo’Nique says in the video. “And we have a story that we must share of our own with the community.”

 

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A post shared by Mo’nique (@therealmoworldwide)

Mo’Nique went on to address CBS’ “baffling” claim that “The Parkers” has made “absolutely no money,” despite the show only costing $70 million to produce in its five-year run.

“What we’re asking you, CBS, is can you please treat these two Black women fairly?” Mo’Nique says. “Don’t pay us any more, but don’t pay us any less.”

“The reason why we’re having this conversation out loud for the community to hear is this: We see the numbers, and they still don’t want to pay,” Hicks added. “What will happen to you when you don’t even know the numbers exist?”

In April, Mo’Nique filed a breach of contract lawsuit against CBS and Paramount for unpaid royalties for “The Parkers.” The suit accuses the networks of artificially depressing the show’s profitability to “retain millions that would otherwise be contractually due” to Mo’Nique’s production company.

“While the Series has proven to be a major financial success for its producers and distributors, the series’ talent have not been permitted to share in the fruits of that success,” the suit says.

Mo’Nique is among thousands of striking actors fighting for residuals on their shows that are replayed on TV and streaming platforms. “The Parkers,” a spin-off to the series “Moesha,” originally aired on UPN for five seasons. Reruns of the show have been available to stream on Netflix since 2020.

RELATED CONTENT: Mo’Nique Recalls Being Called Difficult For Protest Against The Same Issues In Current Hollywood Strike

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 21, 2023

Tristan Thompson Gains Temporary Guardianship Of Younger Brother

The death of Tristan Thompson‘s mother in January 2023 left the NBA player responsible for caring for his 17-year-old brother, Amari.

Earlier this month, the former Los Angeles Lakers player filed papers to gain legal guardianship of his brother and was recently notified that he has temporary control, according to People magazine. The media outlet obtained court documents that granted Tristan “all powers a parent having legal custody of a child would have.”

The baller initially filed the paperwork on Sept. 8, 2023. A magistrate ruled on Sept. 20 at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

Amari has epilepsy and several other conditions which require around-the-clock care.

Thompson was also granted the authority to “manage ward’s finances and assets, travel with the ward within the United States of America and internationally, enroll ward in social and other extracurricular activities, decide living arrangements of the ward [and] obtain legal counsel on behalf of the ward,” according to official court documents.

“Amari is a minor and has medical conditions that render him unable to take care of himself or seek gainful employment. Appointing a guardian for Amari would be in his best interest because it would ensure that someone would be responsible for providing and fulfilling his basic needs,” the claim continued.

The NBA player said that their father, Trevor Thompson, has not been in his younger brother’s life since 2014. Tristan is Amari’s closest living family member.

The Thompsons were born and raised in Canada, but Tristan plans to apply for U.S. citizenship for his brother. Amari has been living with Tristan at his Hidden Hills, California, home since their mother died of a heart attack at her Toronto home.

Oprah, weight loss, Oprah, WeightWatchers
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 21, 2023

Oprah Winfrey Questions If Ozempic Is A ‘Miracle’ For Combating Obesity, Aims To Begin The ‘Un-Shaming’

As someone who has had her weight struggles turned into a public forum for over three decades, Oprah Winfrey is leading an open discussion about obesity and the medications that might serve as a “miracle” to the disease.

The billionaire media mogul got candid for her “State of Weight” conversation on September 20, 2023, where she and a panel of obesity specialists addressed the new weight-loss drugs that are reducing appetite and changing people’s relationship with food.

Known as Ozempic and Mounjaro, the type 2 diabetes medications are prescribed by doctors to help patients lose weight. Another, Wegovy, also helps patients shed unwanted pounds.

With more than 2 billion adults being overweight or obese, and obesity taking more lives than malnutrition, conversations around weight loss medications are crucial. Winfrey, who has battled with her weight in the public eye for decades, was more than comfortable with leading the conversation and getting answers to questions that many obese and overweight patients might have.

“You all know I’ve been on this journey for most of my life. My highest weight was 237 pounds,” Winfrey shared.

“I don’t know if there is another public person whose weight struggle has been exploited as much as mine over the yearS. So I am ready for this conversation.”

Winfrey’s panelists — obesity specialists Doctors Fatima Cody Stanford and Melanie Jay, along with Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers, and psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman — explained why obesity is a disease due to the dysfunction it causes the brain in its view on how the body regulates weight.

“It’s going on in our brains,” Stanford said. “It’s about how much we take in and how much we store.”

Winfrey agreed, recalling how many times she has dieted only for her weight to barely drop.

“You all have watched me diet and diet and diet and diet. It’s a recurring thing because my body always seems to want to go back to a certain weight.”

The new weight-loss medications are helping people cut their cravings and feel fuller faster, Today reports. Ozempic and Wegovy contain the synthetic GLP-1 hormone called semaglutide, which the body releases into the intestine when a person eats food. As a result, these medications reduce appetite and make people feel full sooner.

The weight-loss medication Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which mimics the GIP hormone and may improve how the body breaks down sugar and fat in addition to reducing appetite, NBC News reports. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and constipation, along with more serious conditions such as pancreatitis and kidney problems.

When looking at the results, Winfrey asked the specialists if the weight-loss medications could be considered a “miracle moment” for obesity patients.

“I would be very hesitant to say that anything with obesity is a miracle,” said Jay, who is co-director of the NYU Langone Comprehensive Program.

“I’m so excited that we finally have effective treatments for obesity.”

After leading the discussion, Winfrey expressed her hope for breaking stigmas around obesity and weight-loss medications.

“It should be yours to own and not to be shamed about it. As a person who’s been shamed for so many years, I’m just sick of it. I’m just sick of it. I’m just sick of it,” she said.

“And I hope this conversation begins the un-shaming.”

RELATED CONTENT: Yvette Nicole Brown Gets Candid About Obesity With ‘ITs Bigger Than Me’ Movement

Colorado Player Travis Hunter Speaks Out In Defense Of Rival Player Who Landed Him In Hospital
by Jaimee Ratliff

September 21, 2023

Colorado Player Travis Hunter Speaks Out In Defense Of Rival Player Who Landed Him In Hospital

University of Colorado’s star two-way football player Travis Hunter offered words of support for Colorado State’s Hunter Blackburn, whose late hit Saturday night put Hunter in the hospital and him in hot water with Colorado fans.

The late tackle came on a dead ball. Hunter missed the rest of the game, but the 20-year-old Florida native doesn’t believe Blackburn’s actions were anything more than playing football.

“Stuff like that is going to happen, so I just stay humble. He did what he was supposed to do. It’s football. Something bad is going to happen on the field sooner or later,” Hunter said in his first appearance since being released from the hospital. “You’ve just gotta get up and fight again. That’s what I try to do, get up and fight.”

The cornerback and wide receiver was back on the field following the hit but would not return to the game after halftime because team doctors believed his injuries were internal. Their decision was potentially career- and life-changing for Hunter, who sustained a liver laceration and will be out for three weeks.

“Good thing the doctors stopped me, because if there was no doctors there, I would have still been out there playing,” he continued. “But I’m thankful for everybody that helped me.”

Hunter is one of Colorado’s most important players, as he competes in over 85 percent of the team’s snaps on both offense and defense. He is also one of the most exciting athletes in college sports as early projections put him in the running for the coveted Heisman Trophy.

Blackburn was flagged for unnecessary roughness during the game but was not suspended or thrown out. Sports fans and pundits were incensed about the Colorado State safety being allowed to stay in the game. After the matchup, the personal information of Blackburn and his mother were released online, making them the subjects of death threats.

The Deion Sanders-coached Colorado Buffaloes are now 3-0 after beating Colorado State 43-35.

RELATED CONTENT: Colorado Football Players Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter See Significant NIL Valuation Jump

by Stacy Jackson

September 21, 2023

Fem Equity App CEO To Launch BLK Women Equal Pay Day Conference

The CEO of a software platform and app that tracks pay equity across race and sex will hold an inaugural conference to empower Black women professionals poised for growth.

Adeola Ajani, co-founder of Fem Equity, will hold the first BLK Women Equal Pay Day Conference on Sept. 22, 2023. The one-day event will be held at Johns Hopkins University’s FastForward U, Technical.ly reported. Doors open at 11 a.m., with Baltimore’s Chief Equity Officer Dana Petersen Moore delivering a keynote speech at around 11:50 a.m. The conference will provide workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for Black women early in their careers.

Ajani’s conference is supported by the GET Cities initiative, which advocates for more women in the tech sector.  “As we proudly partner with Fem Equity on the BLK Women Equal Pay Day Conference, we aim to bridge the gap and empower Black and brown women in their careers and their journey towards success in the tech industry and beyond,” said Christina L. Glancy, GET Cities’ D.C. manager.

Ajani explained the importance of having a space like a conference, saying, “BLK Women Equal Pay Day Conference is a space where Black and brown women have a seat at the table and are encouraged to speak up and gain the resources needed to soar because I know we are limitless and we need more spaces to showcase that,” Technical.ly reported.

Last year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that Black women earned 63 cents for every dollar a white man made. On July 27, 2023, the nation recognized Black Women’s Equal Pay Day to address the gender pay gap. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation explained the date marks the 208th day of the year and, more significantly, signals the number of extra days Black women must work to earn the same amount white men made in the previous year.

Even so, Ariane Hegewisch, a senior researcher at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, said that most women “never” catch up to what men earn.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Is Still Bittersweet, But Here’s a Step In The Right Direction

sexxy red, critics
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 21, 2023

Sexyy Red Responds To Critic Who Says She’s Misguiding Black Women

Sexyy Red clapped back at a critic who thinks the “Pound Town” rapper is partly responsible for misguiding Black women.

A Twitter user took aim at Sexyy Red on Tuesday, September, 19, in a tweet that accused the St. Louis rapper of being an industry plant tasked with leading Black women down the wrong path.

“Sexyy Red was really put out to misguide our blk women , And ITS WORKING 😮‍💨,” they wrote.

Once the “SkeeYee” rapper caught wind of the tweet, she issued a swift response that seemingly explained her goal when making music.

“Makin y’all shake a** misguiding y’all?” Sexyy Red asked.

There were many firing off at the critic to defend Sexyy Red by noting male rappers’ long history of violent and misogynistic rap lyrics.

“Tweet about the black men rapping tryna ruin the community, they been around A LOT longer,” one user quipped.

“Y’all always wanna have a come to Jesus black community meeting about female rappers. But when it’s males y’all wanna say that their experience they’re rapping about or they jus having fun,” another user opined.

“Sexy red will never represent all black women. Her music is just hype and fun to rap.”

Sexyy Red is one of the biggest breakout rappers of 2023, with her hit singles “Pound Town” and “SkeeYee” reaching Billboard‘s Hot 100. She’s already received cosigns from the likes of Nicki Minaj, who appeared on “Pound Town 2” with Tay Keith, and Drake, who put Sexyy Red on his It’s All a Blur Tour with 21 Savage as the opening act.

Less than one year on the mainstream hip-hop scene and Sexyy Red has already announced her first headlining Hood Hottest Princess Tour that’s set to kick off next month. Last week, she celebrated her “SkeeYee” topping the inaugural TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart.

“I am so excited that so many of my songs are charting on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart,” Sexyy Red told Billboard.

“I always knew I would be a No. 1 type of artist, so I want to thank all my fans on TikTok for running my music up! I’m just being me on TikTok and people love it.”

RELATED CONTENT: SkeeYee! Teacher Uses Sexyy Red Lyrics to Get Her Students Attention

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 21, 2023

SZA Calls Out The ‘White Acceptance’ Dominating The Music Industry And Explains VMA Snub

SZA went to her home state of New Jersey to candidly speak with Princeton students about her challenges as a Black woman in music.

The Grammy award-winning singer was the center of attention at her “SOS: Race, Art, and Activism” presentation held inside Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium on Tuesday, September 19, the Daily Princetonian reports. SZA sat down for a keynote presentation and a roundtable discussion with scholars and activists who supported her as she discussed feeling boxed into categories set by other notable Black female artists.

“Everybody keeps telling me that I need to make music that sounds like Jennifer Hudson, or I need to make urban music, or I need to look this way,” SZA said, noting how in reality she was inspired by a variety of artists, including the punk rock band Blink-182.

When it comes to the focus of race in music, SZA says it’s most prevalent during awards season. Despite the commercial success of her album SOS, SZA was not featured in MTV’s VMA category for Artist of the Year.

“I was nominated for [eight VMA] awards and only won an R&B award, selling more records than my counterparts,” Sza said.

“That’s a conversation we’re not going to have to have.”

The VMA snub led to SZA pulling out of the performance lineup and her manager calling out the awards show for the “disrespectful” move. The “Snooze” singer addressed those who said she has won many other awards while explaining why she should receive the same opportunities as her white counterparts.

“There’s this pattern of feeling like you have to engage with white acceptance, which includes working with people [who] don’t respect you or artists who don’t respect you,” she said.

When it comes to advocating for yourself as a person of color in the music industry, SZA shared the power of the word “no.”

“It becomes an act of activism just by saying ‘no.’ I felt valuable on my own,” she said. “Everybody needs that reminder if you are a creative of color.”

SZA conducted her roundtable discussion on Black activism with Aisha Beliso-De Jesús of Princeton University, Elizabeth Hinton of Yale University, Megan Ming Francis from the University of Washington, and Scholar-in-Residence Derecka Purnell from Columbia University.

RELATED CONTENT: SZA’s ‘Kill Bill’ Breaks Billboard Record For Female No. 1 Record on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart

Biden administration, HBCU
by Sharelle Burt

September 21, 2023

16 States Severely Underfunded Historically Black Land-Grant Universities

The Biden administration just released some triggering facts about HBCUs.

NBC News reports that land-grant schools in 16 states missed out on close to $13 billion in funding over the past 30 years. Letters were sent to the governors of those states from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack requesting that they increase funding. According to the Biden administration, Tennessee State University has the lowest funding, with a reported underfunding worth $2.1 billion.

Governors in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia received the letters, bashing them for not giving the institutions what they needed to succeed.

“Unacceptable funding inequities have forced many of our nation’s distinguished historically Black colleges and universities to operate with inadequate resources and delay critical investments in everything from campus infrastructure to research and development to student support services,” Cardona said.

Thankfully, data from the National Center for Education Statistics provided the statistics, finding the lack of funding in 16 of 18 states that hold Black land grants. Founded in the 19th century, land-grant universities were created on federal land to advance research and agricultural instruction. According to a new analysis, federal law requires states to distribute state funds equally to all land-grant universities. However, HBCUs have been getting the short end of the stick.

Some affected schools include Alabama A&M University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Kentucky State University, Lincoln University in Missouri, Langston University in Oklahoma, Florida A&M, and North Carolina A&T, NPR reports.

In Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and North Carolina, the difference between HBCUs and PWIs, predominately white institutions, ranged from $1 billion to $2 billion.

Cardona and Vilsack said this problem can be dealt with if everyone works together.

“This is a situation that clearly predates all of us,” they said. “However, it is a problem that we can work together to solve. In fact, it is our hope that we can collaborate to avoid burdensome and costly litigation that has occurred in several states.”

RELATED CONTENT: Delaware Wants To Level The Playing Field For Black Business Owners And Landlords With Grants Up To $25K

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