by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 20, 2023

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky Dress Newborn Son in Pink For Family Photoshoot

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky introduced their second bundle of joy to the world through a fashion-forward family photoshoot.

The Bajan singer and Rocky posed it up in their first official family-of-four photoshoot, over a month after baby Riot’s birth. In photos unveiled by People, Rihanna, 35, and Rocky, 34, take turns holding the boys RZA, 16 months, and Riot Rose, seven weeks.

The “Diamonds” singer sported a denim bomber jacket with a dark navy poots set. Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, paired Rih’s look with denim jeans, a white tank top, and a plaid shirt.

RZA sported his own little denim jeans with a gray and red sweater with yellow sleeves, while Riot topped everyone’s look in an all-pink ensemble that included a baby-sized du-rag.

Rihanna, who welcomed Riot on August 1, shared how “complete” she feels after welcoming her second child.

“Rihanna feels her family is now complete. It’s something she’s always wanted,” a source said.

For those wondering why the “Umbrella” singer opted to debut her second son in an all-pink outfit back in March, Rihanna spoke with British Vogue and explained she likes to “push it” when dressing her elder son, RZA.

“One of my favorite outfits he has is a miniature version of one of Rocky’s,” Rihanna said of a tartan kilt she had made for RZA.

“I like to dress him in things that don’t look like baby clothes. I like to push it. I put him in floral stuff. I put him in hot pink. I love that.”

“I think that fluidity in fashion is best. I always shop in the men’s department, you know,” she added.

Rihanna unveiled her second pregnancy while headlining the Super Bowl in February. The couple followed up with a small hint at their new baby’s name in the Beats Studio Pro commercial Rocky directed and starred in, featuring his new single “RIOT (ROWDY PIPE’N).” In that ad, Rihanna sends Rocky on a diaper run throughout New York City.

The pair have been going strong since debuting their romance in 2020. They are longtime friends who showed off their chemistry in Rocky’s 2013 music video for his single “Fashion Killa.”

https://twitter.com/DamnRihanna/status/1703824711212257625

high school, principals, lawsuit, photos
by Daniel Johnson

September 20, 2023

Allegations Of Racism Emerge In Lawsuit By NYC Sweetgreen Employees

Fast casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen is being sued by ten employees who allege that racist incidents occurred at seven of its locations across New York City.

The lawsuit claims that co-workers and managers facilitated a hostile work environment by subjecting employees to the “N-word” daily, along with other racial slurs. In addition, the lawsuit alleges those managers gave preferential treatment to Hispanic/Latine workers and refused to hire or promote their qualified Black workers. The plaintiffs say managers leaned into racial stereotypes, often praising the Hispanic/Latine workers for their work ethic while calling the Black employees lazy.

The problems did not stop at the store level, as the lawsuit claims that complaints were carried to Sweetgreen’s HR department and were ignored for years. The suit additionally makes allegations that managers would sexually harass the female workers, touching them in inappropriate ways and making repeated sexual commentary.

Sweetgreen, known for serving salads, released a statement to CNBC, “At Sweetgreen, we are committed to diversity as well as a safe and inclusive workplace. We take these accusations seriously and do not tolerate any form of harassment, discrimination, or unsafe working conditions.”

Sweetgreen’s representative also said that the company could not make any further comments about the situation because it is a pending legal matter. 

When the lawsuit was first filed in March 2023, there were only two plaintiffs, but the updated complaint added eight more. They are seeking to receive monetary and punitive damages in addition to having the fees related to attorney costs covered. In New York City law, companies are to be held responsible for the behavior of their managing employees. The lawsuit, filed in the Bronx Supreme Court, names Donald Izquierdo and Edwin Ventura as defendants, along with Sweetgreen’s corporate division. It cites an incident where an employee made several sexualizing remarks near Izquierdo, including a comment about a female employee having “d***-sucking lips.”

As reported by New York Eater, an unnamed manager is accused of calling employees at the Gansevoort Street location “monkeys” regularly and failing to curb the use of the “N-word” by non-Black employees.

Avi Mermelstein, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, told New York Eater, “For too many Black employees, having to listen to managers and co-workers use racial slurs is just a part of their daily work environment.”

Mermelstein continued. “That’s both wrong and illegal. Being exposed to constant harassment creates a hostile and psychologically unsafe work environment, and companies simply must do better to protect their employees.”

RELATED CONTENT: YouTube Defeats Racial Bias Lawsuit By Black, Hispanic Content Creators

belk, lawsuit
by Daniel Johnson

September 20, 2023

Family Of Woman Found Dead In Belk Department Store Restroom Files Lawsuit

Bessie Durham’s family is suing the Belk department store in Columbia, South Carolina, after the 63-year-old was found dead in the bathroom of the store four days after she was reported missing in 2022.

According to the Associated Press, Durham’s family members and their lawyers held a joint press conference on Sept. 20 to announce the lawsuit on the one-year anniversary that Durham’s body was found in the restroom. Durham, a Black elderly woman, suffered a heart attack while working for KBS, a company Belk subcontracted to perform cleaning services. It is assumed that Durham died from a heart attack while cleaning the restroom, but her body was left in the locked bathroom while her cleaning cart remained outside it for four days.

Attorney Chris Hart, one of the lawyers representing Durham’s family, raised questions about why Durham’s body was allowed to remain in the bathroom for so long.

“They didn’t ask if Bessie was OK. They didn’t ask why hasn’t this cart moved in four days,” Hart said. “They asked why aren’t the bathrooms being cleaned.”

Interestingly enough, KBS is not named in the lawsuit, though according to Hart the family will also pursue litigation against it. The lawsuit holds Belk responsible for not making sure its employees performed a check on Durham. The lawsuit does not specify the dollar amount the family is seeking, but it does establish that Durham’s body had already started to go through the early stages of decomposition when it was discovered on Sept. 20, 2022.

Another attorney representing the Durham family, Justin Bamberg, told the Associated Press, “This family should have had the opportunity to say goodbye the right way instead of having to sit at the funeral and smell the decomposing body of someone they cared about.” 

The Lexington County Coroner’s Office did an autopsy and discovered that Durham died of natural causes. It agreed with the family that Durham had been dead inside the restroom for four days before her body was found. The lawsuit alleges that the store was negligent by not thinking to check on Durham, as her cart had not been moved from outside the restroom. The suit also argues that the company had no restroom inspection procedures. This problem, according to the lawsuit, was made worse by a store policy enacted after a shooting at the store that required the bathroom door to be locked. This in turn created a situation where Durham’s body decomposed quickly due to the hot and moist environment of the department store bathroom.

Durham’s daughter, Sylvia Smith, spoke to CBS News 19 about her family’s motivation behind the lawsuit, telling the outlet, “She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and wife. We’re all just wanting ownership to be taken.”

Another of Durham’s daughters, Sheniki Jeter, told CBS News 19 about her mother’s body’s condition at the funeral.

“We couldn’t even view the body. We didn’t have any last moments, we couldn’t see her smile, we couldn’t see how beautiful she was,” Jeter said.

According to Jeter, the family is seeking justice so that what happened to Bessie Durham will never happen to anyone else.

RELATED CONTENT: 44-Year-Old Professional Bodybuilder Cedric McMillan Dies of Heart Attack While Working Out On Treadmill

 

JoAnne A. Epps, Temple
by Stacy Jackson

September 20, 2023

Temple University’s First Black Woman Acting President Dies After Falling Ill On Stage

JoAnne A. Epps, the first Black woman to serve as president at Temple University, died suddenly after falling ill onstage at a memorial service.

NBC News reported that Epps, currently the university’s acting president, died Sept. 19 at 3:15 p.m. at Temple University Hospital. She was 72.

University spokespeople said Epps’ body slumped during a speech at scholar Charles L. Blockson’s memorial service. Blockson died in June 2023, according to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. He was known for his Afro-American collection of Black-American art and artifacts.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Epps, who was scheduled to speak at the service, was carried out in the arms of a uniformed officer after the announcer asked if there was a doctor in the house.

“We are not aware that President Epps had any health issues,” Ken Kaiser, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Temple, said at a news conference, according to the Associated Press.

“There are no words that can describe the gravity and sadness of this loss,” Temple said in a statement, according to NBC News. “President Epps was a devoted servant and friend who represented the best parts of Temple. She spent nearly 40 years of her life serving this university, and it goes without saying her loss will reverberate through the community for years to come.”

According to the news outlet, the university said Epps was recognized on the National Jurist’s list of the most influential people in legal education five years in a row. Before she became acting president, Epps was Temple University’s provost for five years. She was dean of the Beasly School of Law from 2008 to 2016.

The Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, native graduated from Yale Law School in 1976. Epps was on the Philadelphia police oversight board, leader of an independent group of public defenders, and assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, NBC News reported. She was also the assistant city attorney in Los Angeles.

Epps is survived by her husband.

jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
by Daniel Johnson

September 20, 2023

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Reps Ghanaian Culture Ahead Of NFL Opening Week

Ghanaian-American NFL player Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah recently celebrated his African roots. He wore a traditional kente cloth outfit before the Cleveland Browns week one matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 10.

J.O.K., as football fans call Owusu-Koramoah, often keeps his heritage front and center. During his second season in the NFL, he participated in the league’s initiative, NFL Africa, designed to attract more potential players from the continent. 

As seen on a video posted to X/Twitter, the 23-year-old football star also performed a snippet of the traditional Adowa dance. The dance was created by the Akan ethnic group located in Ghana’s Ashanti region. The West African dance, as the stories go, is based on the movements of an antelope, after which the dance is named. Traditionally performed by women, the dance has evolved into a non-gender-specific expression of a dancer’s connection to Ghanaian culture. The dance is performed by making exaggerated motions with your arms and moving your feet. It is accompanied by a band in more communal settings, often using drums or bells.

According to Sports Illustrated, along with current and former players from various African nations, Owusu-Koramoah helped run a camp focused on introducing American football to kids in Accra, Ghana.

The NFL’s Chief Operating Officer for International Events, Damani Leech, told AP, “We look forward to hosting our first camp in Ghana and will look to activate in Nigeria and other African countries in the future.”

Leech added, “We want to provide an opportunity for the next generation of African prospects to showcase … their talent. As we continue to look for ways to strengthen the pipeline of international players in the NFL, we hope this camp, and future camps, provide a path forward for aspiring players from across the continent.”

Now in his third season, the Virginia native hopes to have a breakout season with the Browns. He also told writer Anthony Poisai about his mindset when he participated in the camp.

“NFL Africa is a great extension of the NFL,” Owusu-Koramoah explained. “To have them keep an eye on me when I first came in the league — I dealt a lot with African consciousness — and to be able to understand that these are our roots is very important.”

RELATED CONTENT: NFL Player Anthony Harris Steps In To Take Young Fan To Father-Daughter Dance

DJ Kool Herc
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 20, 2023

Hip-Hop Pioneers DJ Kool Herc And Cindy Campbell To Headline Panel At The Kennedy Center

Although the official birthday of what is considered the birth of hip-hop has passed, the celebration continues.

The person who is called the father of hip-hop, DJ Kool Herc (born Clive Campbell), and the woman with the title of First Lady of hip-hop, Cindy Campbell, his sister, will be making an appearance in Washington, D.C., at the end of the month for a panel discussion.

From its Culture Talks series, The Kennedy Center will present the discussion “From 1520 Sedgwick Avenue to the World—A Fireside Chat with DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell,” on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.

The brother and sister will discuss how one party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx on the night of Aug. 11, 1973, helped spawn a movement and culture of the art form we’ve known as hip-hop. The talk will be moderated by Grammy-nominated producer 9th Wonder, a DJ, college lecturer, music executive, social activist, and Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member.

The Campbells will talk about the origins of hip-hop and the cultural movement that has changed the world as it has become a multibillion-dollar industry.

Earlier this year, on May 3, 2023, Herc was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Influence Award category.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the fall programming for its 2023–2024 Hip Hop season, which includes celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

“I am excited to kick off our year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this fall. Through these programs, we express our gratitude for the legendary icons who have paved the way, uplift the multi-hyphenates who are shaping our present, and set our sights on the future generations that will usher us into the next 50 years,” said Simone Eccleston, director of Hip Hop Culture and Contemporary Music, in a written statement. “I hope you’ll join us in celebrating the Culture and its golden anniversary!”

Members of the hip-hop community who are expected to participate in various programs and discussions this fall season include Lupe Fiasco, T3 of Slum Village, Rapsody, D-Nice, Wale, Clipse, Grandmaster Flash, and Black Thought, to name a few.

The next series that appears on the calendar is the “Hometown Heroes, Global Icons” on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, “Sound Architects: A Producer Conversation with Timbaland.”

RELATED CONTENT: Public Enemy’s Chuck D Narrates New Podcast On The Origins Of Hip-Hop

by Stacy Jackson

September 20, 2023

Rhode Island Black Business Association Demands State Hire More Minority-, Women-Owned Businesses

Rhode Island’s practices regarding its minority-owned business contracting program are under scrutiny for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to the Rhode Island Current, a September 18 letter written by Lawyers for Civil Rights on behalf of the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) addressed “the distressing under-utilization of Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MBE/WBE) in state contracting for construction, goods, and services.”

The letter, sent to Gov. Dan McKee in addition to Department of Administration Director Jonathan Womer and Tomas Avila, the associate director of Rhode Island’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity, advises the state to alter its actions to “avoid legal liability.”

The minority and Business Contracting Program law was passed in 1986. It requires that 10% of state contracts and purchase dollars be allotted for women- or minority-owned businesses. There have only been three instances where the state met or surpassed these guidelines: 2018, 2019 and 2022.

Tasheena Davis, litigation fellow with the Lawyers for Civil Rights based in Boston, said it is too early to tell whether or not the group will file a Title VI complaint. 

The goal is not to sue the state but rather “to get businesses to feel they can participate,” said RIBBA CEO and President Lisa Ranglin. Ranglin was prompted to contact Lawyers for Civil Rights after the organization filed a Title VI complaint against Boston’s Planning and Development Agency in 2020. Ranglin sought lawyers who were “even willing to listen” to RIBBA’s cause. 

Push for reform came after a state-commissioned study was conducted, ultimately revealing the discriminatory practices against minority-owned businesses. The study shows minority businesses received contracts and purchase orders significantly less often than they could maintain.

The letter stated, “Numerous steps–both race-neutral and race-conscious–are available to the State to break down exclusionary barriers and reduce these disparities.” But nothing has happened, according to the letter, even though “it is plain that less discriminatory alternatives to the State’s current contracting system exist.”

The letter does not threaten Rhode Island at the federal level, but does detail the legal obligations the state has to adhere to federal anti-discrimination laws. 

Given a $3 million state minority business accelerator program, Ranglin was encouraged to get lawyers involved with RIBBA’s cause. Ranglin alleges the program, run through Rhode Island Commerce, did not deliver on its obligation to advocate and support minority businesses. Instead, the funds were distributed to other organizations outside of this scope.

In an email, Laura Hart, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Administration, said the state is working toward improving minority and women-business contracting.

Hart provided evidence of the increased mandated participation, outlined in the 2024 budget, to jump from 10% to 15%. In addition, there will be a disparity study released every five years, beginning in 2025, as requested by McKee. New software to manage the business contracts will also be incorporated. 

American Heart Association Launches Business Program To Support Black Maryland Farmers
by Jaimee Ratliff

September 20, 2023

American Heart Association Launches Business Program To Support Black Maryland Farmers

The American Heart Association and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield are launching a business accelerator program to benefit the two percent of Black farmers in Maryland.

The first-time program is called EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator for Maryland Black Farmers. Its mission is to provide solutions to areas facing food inequities in Maryland, CBS News reported, while empowering Black farmers.

“Farming is more than just food in the ground now,” said Rhonda Ford Chatmon, vice president of health strategies with the American Heart Association of Baltimore & Greater Maryland division. “It just allows them to do more—that are more committed to and that they’re here to serve.”

As with many Black-owned businesses, lack of growth and sustainability are key factors in the low percentage of Black farmers, an issue the accelerator program seeks to fix. 

“Part of the work we do as a Heart Association is teaching them what to do with that nutritious food but also help people build capacity to grow, to supply their own needs,” Ford Chatmon said.

The EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerators have found success in previous years, offering support to social entrepreneurs, community ambassadors, organizations, and individuals committed to positively impacting community health.

Cynthia Wallace, executive director of The Oasis Project in Pittsburgh, participated in the accelerator’s faith-based program in 2021.

“I think nutrition is something that is really not only about eating the food to people but talking to them about why eating healthy is so good for you just holistically,” Wallace said.

Operating in the city’s predominately Black Homewood neighborhood, the Oasis Farm & Fishery provides urban farming education to people of all ages at three different locations.

In Maryland’s historically Black neighborhoods of East and West Baltimore, one in four residents live in areas with limited access to fresh produce. Urban farming and community efforts to provide healthy options to the city’s residents are integral to bridging the gap between socioeconomic status and lack of nutritional food.

RELATED CONTENT: Bronny James Diagnosed With Congenital Heart Defect, Full Recovery Expected

mel tucker, sexual harassment, michigan state
by Jaimee Ratliff

September 20, 2023

Michigan State University To Fire Head Football Coach Mel Tucker Over Sexual Harassment Allegations

Michigan State University (MSU) will fire head football coach Mel Tucker amid accusations of sexual harassment, the school announced on September 18.

Tucker, who has been suspended without pay from all team activities since September 10, was informed of the university’s plans in a written statement. He will have seven days to present MSU with substantial reasons why he should retain his position.

“I, with the support of administration and board, have provided Mel Tucker with written notice of intent to terminate his contract for cause,” the school’s Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller said. “This notification process is required as part of his existing contract. The notice gives Tucker seven calendar days to respond and present reasons to me and the interim president why he should not be terminated for cause.”

Michigan State officials claimed Tucker admitted to actions that violated his contract when he allegedly made “unwelcome sexual advances” toward Brenda Tracy, a white woman. The mother and nurse was reportedly gang-raped in 1998 by four male college students. She now advocates and speaks up for sexual abuse survivors.

Though publicly maintaining that their interaction was “completely consensual,” Tucker’s actions are believed by MSU to be “a material breach” of his duties as head coach while demonstrating ‘conduct which constitutes moral turpitude'” and “has brought ‘public disrespect, contempt, or ridicule upon the University.”

In early 2021, Tracy was brought in by Tucker to educate players on sexual misconduct, including non-physical interactions. Tracy claims their relationship soured after Tucker made sexually explicit comments about her body and masturbated during a phone call in 2022. Tucker claims that Tracy initiated their intimate interactions.

Tucker’s hiring in 2021 marked only the second time a Black man has held the coveted head coaching position for MSU. His $95 million deal made him the highest-paid Black college football coach in history.

Michigan's, Jail, conditions, inhumane
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 20, 2023

Man Accused Of Killing Multiple Elderly Women Killed By Cellmate

A man accused of killing dozens of elderly women last year was killed by his prison cellmate.

Billy Chemirmir‘s body was discovered by guards at a rural East Texas prison the morning of Sept.19. Chemirmir, who was a Kenyan living in Dallas, was convicted in 2022 after being found guilty of murdering two women, though he is believed to have murdered 22 victims over a two-year killing spree, according to the Associated Press.

Officials announced Chemirmir, 50, was found dead in the cell, with all evidence pointing toward his cellmate. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Hannah Haney said that Chemirmir’s cellmate was also serving a murder sentence.

Haney told the AP that the convicted killer was killed by his cellmate, but did not divulge what led to Chermirmir’s death or the cellmate’s name.

According to police reports, Chemirmir would commit his murders by targeting elderly women in the Dallas area and then stealing their belongings. Civil suits were also filed, accusing him of an additional six murders.

“My mother died in fear,” said Shannon Dion, the daughter of one of Chemirmir’s victims, 92-year-old victim Doris Gleason, said in a press conference. “This man did not have a peaceful passing. There’s some relief in feeling that he didn’t get off easily.”

Chemirmir was caught in 2018 after a 91-year-old woman survived his murder attempt and detailed the deadly scheme, connecting him to a murder. Chemirmir was indicted on 22 capital murder charges and serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole at the time of his death. He remained adamant that he was innocent.

The investigation into Chemirmir’s murder is being conducted by the Office of Inspector General. He was imprisoned at the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, about 100 miles southeast of Dallas.

RELATED CONTENT: California Man Suspected of Being a Serial Killer Charged with Seven Counts of Murder

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