Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Africa Cup of Nations: Men's competition moved to 2022, women's tournament cancelled
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Convicted Kenyan rugby players to be retried
The Cameroonian who decapitates French colonial statues
Exploring interactions of light and matter
Growing up in a small town in Fujian province in southern China, Juejun Hu was exposed to engineering from an early age. His father, trained as a mechanical engineer, spent his career working first in that field, then in electrical engineering, and then civil engineering.
“He gave me early exposure to the field. He brought me books and told me stories of interesting scientists and scientific activities,” Hu recalls. So when it came time to go to college — in China students have to choose their major before enrolling — he picked materials science, figuring that field straddled his interests in science and engineering. He pursued that major at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
He never regretted that decision. “Indeed, it’s the way to go,” he says. “It was a serendipitous choice.” He continued on to a doctorate in materials science at MIT, and then spent four and a half years as an assistant professor at the University of Delaware before joining the MIT faculty. Last year, Hu earned tenure as an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
In his work at the Institute, he has focused on optical and photonic devices, whose applications include improving high-speed communications, observing the behavior of molecules, designing better medical imaging systems, and developing innovations in consumer electronics such as display screens and sensors.
“I got fascinated with light,” he says, recalling how he began working in this field. “It has such a direct impact on our lives.”
Hu is now developing devices to transmit information at very high rates, for data centers or high-performance computers. This includes work on devices called optical diodes or optical isolators, which allow light to pass through only in one direction, and systems for coupling light signals into and out of photonic chips.
Lately, Hu has been focusing on applying machine-learning methods to improve the performance of optical systems. For example, he has developed an algorithm that improves the sensitivity of a spectrometer, a device for analyzing the chemical composition of materials based on how they emit or absorb different frequencies of light. The new approach made it possible to shrink a device that ordinarily requires bulky and expensive equipment down to the scale of a computer chip, by improving its ability to overcome random noise and provide a clean signal.
The miniaturized spectrometer makes it possible to analyze the chemical composition of individual molecules with something “small and rugged, to replace devices that are large, delicate, and expensive,” he says.
Much of his work currently involves the use of metamaterials, which don’t occur in nature and are synthesized usually as a series of ultrathin layers, so thin that they interact with wavelengths of light in novel ways. These could lead to components for biomedical imaging, security surveillance, and sensors on consumer electronics, Hu says. Another project he’s been working on involved developing a kind of optical zoom lens based on metamaterials, which uses no moving parts.
Hu is also pursuing ways to make photonic and photovoltaic systems that are flexible and stretchable rather than rigid, and to make them lighter and more compact. This could allow for installations in places that would otherwise not be practical. “I’m always looking for new designs to start a new paradigm in optics, [to produce] something that’s smaller, faster, better, and lower cost,” he says.
Hu says the focus of his research these days is mostly on amorphous materials — whose atoms are randomly arranged as opposed to the orderly lattices of crystal structures — because crystalline materials have been so well-studied and understood. When it comes to amorphous materials, though, “our knowledge is amorphous,” he says. “There are lots of new discoveries in the field.”
Hu’s wife, Di Chen, whom he met when they were both in China, works in the financial industry. They have twin daughters, Selena and Eos, who are 1 year old, and a son Helius, age 3. Whatever free time he has, Hu says, he likes to spend doing things with his kids.
Recalling why he was drawn to MIT, he says, “I like this very strong engineering culture.” He especially likes MIT’s strong system of support for bringing new advances out of the lab and into real-world application. “This is what I find really useful.” When new ideas come out of the lab, “I like to see them find real utility,” he adds.
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Bozoma Saint John named as Netflix’s new chief marketing officer
Netflix has tapped former Endeavor powerhouse Bozoma Saint John to serve as its new Chief Marketing Officer.
Saint John, who worked as CMO at Endeavor since 2018, is replacing Jackie Lee-Joe, after she departed the streaming giant due to personal reasons, Deadline reports.
Throughout her 20-year career, Saint John has sprinkled her Black Girl Magic across multiple global brands and industries including music, fashion and entertainment to sports, automotive and consumer goods.
READ MORE: Netflix to spend $100M to help Black business
“Bozoma Saint John is an exceptional marketer who understands how to drive conversations around popular culture better than almost anyone,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “As we bring more great stories to our members around the world, she’ll define and lead our next exciting phase of creativity and connection with consumers.”
Bozoma Saint John (@badassboz) will join Netflix in August as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) https://t.co/ezavSlrglV
— We Are Netflix (@WeAreNetflix) June 30, 2020
Said Saint John: “I’m thrilled to join Netflix, especially at a time when storytelling is critical to our global, societal well-being. I feel honored to contribute my experience to an already dynamic legacy, and to continue driving engagement in the future.”
Prior to joining Endeavor, she was the top branding executive at Uber after working at Pepsi-Cola North America, Beats Music and Apple.
I’m often asked how I did it; how I do it; how I’m doing it. Well, here it is!!
I’ve built THE BADASS WORKSHOP with the intention to architect the GREATEST SELF.
Are you ready to work, werk, woooorque?? Let’s go!!! https://t.co/vGBuJ2fKMr#WatchMeWork#TheBadassWorkshop pic.twitter.com/587gVaYEKG— Bozoma Saint John (@badassboz) June 22, 2020
Saint John is reportedly Netflix’s third CMO in less than a year. Lee-Joe had only been at the company for 10 months. Her exit is said to be amicable.
“I’m so proud to have led this team and all that we have achieved together during such an extraordinary time, fostering conversations about our films and shows that brought people together all around the world,” said Lee-Joe. “I wish everyone at Netflix all the very best.”
In related news, Netflix, which has $5B in its cash reserves, will place 2 percent of its holdings with financial institutions that loan to Black businesses, theGrio previously reported.
They will begin with splitting $35M among two organizations – the newly founded Black Economic Development Initiative that will provide funding to Black banking institutions and Hope credit union, a federal credit union in the South that helps unbanked families and those who have been underserved by traditional banking institutions.
The idea came from a call to improve diversity at Netflix, which has partnered with several Black creators including the Obamas, Kenya Barris, and Shonda Rhimes who signed big contracts with the streamer. The 2019 documentary American Factory out of the Obamas production company won a Best Documentary Oscar in 2020.
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August Alsina says Will Smith ‘gave his blessing’ with Jada Pinkett Smith
August Alsina nearly broke the Internet on Tuesday after an interview dropped of him confessing to having romantic relations with Jada Pinkett Smith.
During a recent sit-down with Angela Yee, the R&B singer served up a bombshell when he confirmed his past love affair with the actress, thejasminebrand.com reports. Their relationship even had the blessing of her superstar husband Will Smith.
Relationship rumors have long shrouded Alsina and the Red Table Talk host. His 2019 track “Nunya” fueled the speculation, as the lyrics go: “You got me feeling like it was an act, you’re just an actress/Putting on a show ’cause you don’t want the world to know.”
Fans decided that in the song, he’s implying that he had an affair with the mother of two. Additionally, the woman he’s texting in the music video is named Koren, which is Pinkett Smith’s middle name, theGRIO previously reported.
READ MORE: August Alsina’s new song fuels rumors about affair with Jada Pinkett Smith
The track refueled the 2018 rumor that the two were in a secret relationship, but the pair have always remained mum about it. Now it seems Alsina has had a change of heart.
When Yee asked him about his love life and to set the record straight about “Nunya,” the R&B crooner didn’t hold back in spilling the tea.
“People can have whatever ideas that they like. But what I’m not OK with is my character being in question …” he said around the 16:30 mark of the YouTube clip above. “I also don’t think that it’s ever important for people to know what I do, who I sleep with, who I date, right? But in this instance, there are so many people who are side-eyeing me,” Alsina explained.
Adding, “I’ve lost money, friendships, relationships behind it. And I think it’s because people don’t necessarily know the truth. But I’ve never done anything wrong. I love those people (the Smiths) … They are beautiful people.”
Part 1. #AugustAlsina addresses his rumored relationship with #JadaPinkettSmith. pic.twitter.com/tNjBdHN502
— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) June 30, 2020
Alsina went on to recall his discussion with Will Smith about the situation with his wife.
“I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation … He gave me his blessing,” he said. “And I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life, and I truly and really, really, deeply loved and have a ton of love for her,” Alsina confessed.
“I devoted myself to it. I gave my full self to it. So much so that I can die right now, and be OK knowing that I fully gave myself to somebody … Some people never get that in this lifetime.”
Part 2. #AugustAlsina addresses his rumored relationship with #JadaPinkettSmith. pic.twitter.com/DTzdHIm9pe
— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) June 30, 2020
During his conversation with Yee, Alsina said speaking his truth was “difficult” because it’s “hard for people to understand” polyamory and consensual nonmonogamy.
“I have to speak up about my truth, he said. “Walking away from it butchered me. It almost killed me. Not almost. It did—it pushed me into being another person. It broke me down. It probably will be the hardest thing I ever had to experience in this lifetime, Alsina admitted.
“It’s difficult because I never want to be the person to cause confusion or step on toes, but I want to honor myself and I want to honor my authenticity,” he added. “And if honoring my authenticity means you hate me, stone me, shoot me, crucify me, whatever, bury me an honest man.”
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Dr. Fauci says US coronavirus cases to reach ‘disturbing’ 100,000 per day
Dr. Anthony Fauci says the United States is “not in total control” of the coronavirus pandemic and predicts the nation could eventually see 100,000 new COVID-19 cases a day.
As of Monday, the U.S. averaged nearly 40,000 new cases daily over the past week, a 40% increase compared to data — compiled by Johns Hopkins University — from a week ago, CNBC reports.
Speaking at the U.S. Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday, the White House health advisor warned that daily cases could more than double if the outbreak continues at its current pace.
“I can’t make an accurate prediction, but it’s going to be very disturbing,” he said in a response to a question from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass). “I will guarantee you that, because when you have an outbreak in one part of the country, even though in other parts of the country they’re doing well, they are vulnerable,” Fauci explained.
READ MORE: Trump and Fauci spar over NFL return as more athletes test positive for COVID-19
“We are now having 40,000-plus new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around, and so I am very concerned,” he said.
According to Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 50% of all new COVID-19 cases are coming from Florida, California, Texas and Arizona.
There were 21,000 new COVID-19 cases the day Dr. Fauci told me we were going in “the right direction.”
There were 40,000+ new cases yesterday.
And Dr. Fauci told me today there could be 100,000 new cases/day if we don’t reverse course.Trump & other leaders need to face reality. pic.twitter.com/NApUxo7wK0
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 30, 2020
During the hearing on Tuesday, he urged Americans to stop going to bars, which are hotbeds for the deadly contagion.
“Congregation at a bar, inside, is bad news,” Fauci said, citing the surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
“I think we need to emphasize the responsibility that we have both as individuals and as part of a societal effort to end the epidemic that we all have to play a part in that,” Fauci added.
“Because if a person gets infected, they may not be symptomatic, but they could pass it to someone else, who passes it to someone else, who then makes someone’s grandmother or grandfather, sick uncle, or leukemic child on chemotherapy get sick and die,” he continued.
“We’ve got to get that message out: that we are all in this together. And if we are going to contain this, we have got to contain it together.”
COVID-19 has reportedly claimed the lives of 126,000 Americans.
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Netflix to spend $100M to help Black business
Netflix is not just virtue signaling its support of the Black community. It’s actually putting some big dollars in play to make it happen.
The New York Times reported today that Netflix, which has $5B in its cash reserves will place 2 percent of its holdings with financial institutions that loan to Black businesses. They will begin with splitting $35M among two organizations – the newly founded Black Economic Development Initiative that will provide funding to Black banking institutions and Hope credit union, a federal credit union in the South that helps unbanked families and those who have been underserved by traditional banking institutions.
The idea came from a call to improve diversity at Netflix, which has partnered with several Black creators including the Obamas, Kenya Barris, and Shonda Rhimes who signed big contracts with the streamer. The 2019 documentary American Factory out of the Obamas production company won a Best Documentary Oscar in 2020.
Yet their executive ranks are devoid of color, as the Netflix’s top 8 execs are white. That was the impetus for company dinners with members of underrepresented communities beginning in October of last year, to figure out ways to improve. The idea to invest in Black financial institutions stemmed from those dinners, according to Bloomberg.
READ MORE: Netflix CEO Reed Hastings donates over $100M to HBCUs, talks importance of supporting Black colleges
Netflix executive Aaron Mitchell suggested the idea of the CFO Spencer Neumann, referencing the book “The Color of Money,” by Mehrsa Baradaran as a guide to the challenges faced by Black financial institutions. Baradaran says in the book that systemic racism has ensured Black banks remain undercapitalized which undercuts their ability to grow.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and his wife recently gifted $120M of their own money to split between Morehouse, Spelman, and the United Negro College Fund.
Hope credit union is appreciative of the effort.
READ MORE: 5 Savvy money moves to make when cash is flowing
“We are capital-starved, just like the people in the communities we serve,” their CEO, Bill Bynum told Bloomberg.
“Having a global voice like Netflix say it’s important to invest in financial institutions like Hope is tremendously important, not just for the capital we will use to make mortgage loans and small business loans, but for what it says.”
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Jemele Hill apologizes after backlash over transphobic tweet
Jemele Hill apologized on Monday after a critic discovered a transphobic tweet that was a decade old and others attempted to “cancel” the outspoken journalist.
The controversy began on Sunday when Hill took exception to 2006 clip by Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy. He compared the former 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick to an “ISIS guy” and likened him to a terrorist.
READ MORE: NBA star Ja Morant apologizes for anti-police tweet
“So I’m going to say something that’s racist,” Portnoy explained, and claimed he thought Kaepernick was “an ISIS guy… Throw a head wrap on this guy, he’s a terrorist.”
“He looks like a Bin Laden. That’s not racist.”
It caught Hill’s attention who hosts a podcast for The Ringer and is a writer for The Atlantic.
“This is terrible, but then again, consider the source,” Hill declared, amplifying the video to her followers.
This is terrible, but then again, consider the source. https://t.co/1NzbNXP163
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 28, 2020
In response, Portnoy began to share tweets of where he has defended Kaepernick over the years as over his subsequent blackballing by the NFL. He found a tweet from 2009 which Hill referenced MLB player Manny Ramirez‘s doping scandal and how he used a fertility drug.
“My fb friends are calling him ‘Manny the Tranny’… so inappropriate and hilarious,” Hill wrote in 2009.
Portnoy did not call on Hill to be canceled but stated he would not “bend the knee” and apologize for his own remarks in a video.
“I’ve been doing this for two decades. I’ve made fun of every group of people, every race, every creed, every culture — you name it, we’ve made jokes about it,” Portnoy said.
Hill has since deleted the tweet but stated in a series of tweets that she wanted to be held accountable and has grown as a person in the past decade. She made no excuses and tweeted her focus was on proving she was an ally to the LGBTQ community.
Let me address this. I saw some folks circulating this tweet from 2009 in my TL after I criticized Barstool’s Dave Portnoy for a racist skit that went viral yesterday. Let me explain why I kept this tweet up when it was brought to my attention: https://t.co/Fdlwd2qF9u
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 29, 2020
“For context, the tweet was in reference to Manny Ramirez testing positive for the woman’s fertility drug, gonadotropin. It was wholly ignorant, dumb, and offensive. I am ashamed that I was so uneducated about trans issues at the time. I stand with this community firmly today,” she began her twitter thread.
“I kept the tweet up because I welcomed the opportunity to apologize and to show growth. See, unlike some people, I’m not defensive about my moments of failure. I learn from them and own it.”
The former ESPN writer did not concern herself with those attempting to “cancel” her.
“I don’t care about Dave Portnoy or any of the other Barstool sycophants RT’ing this into my TL, like it’s some gotcha moment. I care about the trans community I belittled and offended. If they don’t see me as an ally because of this, it’s my job to show them that I am,” she wrote.
Hill has received support from those in the LGBTQ community who accused her critics of attacking in bad faith. She spoke with Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of OUT magazine about her 2009 tweet and the growth she’s experienced as a person.
Thank you, Cyd, for reaching out. You wrote it better than I can say it. https://t.co/McDSRvgQua
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 30, 2020
“It wasn’t until I was older, and frankly had more personal experiences with people from the LGBTQ community, that I began to see the similarities between our two struggles and the fight for visibility and the fight for equality,” Hill said.
“It was understanding that if they come for the rights of Black and Brown people within that, they are coming for the rights of LGBTQ people. We can’t really separate our struggles. They may be intrinsically different, but we can’t separate them because all of our civil rights are at risk.”
Hill explained she was more than ready to continue doing her part
READ MORE: Jemele Hill calls out Kraft’s support of Trump amid masks donation
“As Black and Brown people, and as Black and Brown trans people and LGBTQ people, we are always stronger together. That’s why I feel it’s our duty to fight for this community because we have brothers and sisters in that community.”
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Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 4100 and 4100+ Promise Big Smartwatch Upgrades
DRC at 60: Patrice Lumumba 'fought for the independence'
TikTok Star Tabitha Brown Lands Web Series On Ellen DeGeneres’ Digital Network
Social media influencer Tabitha Brown has garnered quite a following with her lovable personality and vegan recipes.
In 2017, she decided to go vegan after watching the documentary What The Health and as a way to fight her chronic pain ailment. One year later, she became a social media sensation after posting herself eating a vegan BLT she bought from a Whole Foods Market deli counter and is now sharing her life with followers on TikTok.
After achieving newfound fame, 41-year old Brown made news again when she signed with the prestigious Creative Arts Agency, who also works with celebrities like Beyoncé, Will Smith, and Trevor Noah. Now the social media personality and food influencer will be the star of her own show focused on parenting, self-care, and vegan cooking.
Brown’s new web series, All Love, will be a part of the new Ellen Digital Network (EDN), a digital media platform and collaboration between TV host and personality Ellen DeGeneres and Warner Brothers Digital Networks. According to Veg News, the show is slated to be released later in the year. In addition to Brown’s new show, the Ellen Digital Network will also be releasing several other projects, including a new series featuring Ayesha Curry focused on sharing her journey from chef to entrepreneur.
In addition to her new show, Brown is also set to appear and co-host on Nickelodeon’s Kids, Race & Unity: A Nick News Special, a revival of the popular ‘90s series, with singer Alicia Keys to discuss the recent new events around police brutality and racial injustice.
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American Express Commits More than $200 Million Towards Their Shop Small Campaign
American Express announced a $200 million commitment to help jumpstart spending at small businesses Monday.
According to an American Express press release, the credit card giant is also building a coalition with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
The coalition will bring together the U.S. Black Chambers, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Business League, and Walker’s Legacy with a $10 million pledge over the next four years to fund a program providing grants to U.S. Black-owned small businesses to assist in their recovery and address the issues they face due to racial and social inequalities.
“American Express has backed small business owners through challenging times for decades, and we are standing for them today as many struggle to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Stephen J. Squeri, chairman and CEO of American Express said in the release. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and now is the time to join together and help them rebound from this global crisis because their success is critical to job creation, strong economies, and thriving neighborhoods.”
The credit card giant also made history earlier this month when it appointed the first Black woman to its executive committee.
In addition, American Express is making it easier to find small businesses open for online or in-store purchases through its updated shop small map. The interactive map can search for and list small businesses in an area by name or by location. The map also allows small businesses to easily update their information such as store hours as well as contact details. American Express has also launched a similar effort in Canada.
Small businesses across the world have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, especially small Black businesses. According to the JPMorgan Chase Institute, small Black businesses are hurting more than businesses owned by people of other races during the pandemic.
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Professor Eddie Glaude’s top 5 books to contextualize the US uprisings
I recently interviewed Professor Eddie Glaude, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University for theGrio on Instagram Live.
As we discussed his new book “Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own,” I was curious as to what books inspired Professor Glaude during this moment.
READ MORE: What to read to know we’re not alone in 2020
So many people are yearning for books to help contextualize the uprisings, the racial reckoning and possible reconstruction of this young nation, the lack of empathy from millions of Americans, and the solidarity expressed by millions more.
Professor Glaude and I had a wide-ranging conversation about his desire to have a conversation with James Baldwin, and not just about Baldwin, at this important moment.
I recently published a list of suggested books by my political science colleagues which provided lists of books they read for understanding and for solace. As many people are just waking up to the inequities Black people have faced and continue to face in education, housing, healthcare, the carceral state, the police state, and even with the air they breathe, it is imperative we read authors who help us understand the history of this nation.
Black people in America have never been beneficiaries of the full rights and privileges so easily given and attained by other racial and ethnic groups. Countless deaths have shown us that Black people are not immune to discrimination based on their gender, ethnicity, geographic locale, class status, or occupation.
READ MORE: Quarantine and chill with these books during pandemic
Professor Glaude’s understanding of Baldwin’s intellect and analysis pertaining to the limitations of American democracy are so needed and necessary right now. “Begin Again” is the continuation of a conversation about race, America’s unkept promises, and the anti-Black foundation of this country. How we move forward remains to be seen, but we can fortify ourselves with a deeper understanding of our history and our placement in this country in order to work toward a more equitable future.
Professor Eddie Glaude’s top five books:
James Baldwin: Collected Essays (edited by Toni Morrison)
This is a wonderful collection and offers a glimpse into the depth of Baldwin’s nonfiction. One can see the continuity of theme and subject as well as the shift in tone and audience as the material conditions of Black life changed over the course of his life. I would urge people to read closely _No Name in the Street_. The book speaks directly to our current moment, I think. I do believe Baldwin’s last book, _The Evidence of Things Not Seen_, should have been included in this collection, but I am bias.
More Beautiful and More Terrible: The Embrace and Transcendence of Racial Inequality in the United States by Imani Perry.
Perry offers a clear-eyed view of racial inequality as a cultural practice. She rejects the simple distinction between structural racism and individual acts of discrimination and shows how practices play out in law, policy and our daily living reproduce racial injustice. The bibliography informing this book is absolutely amazing. Pilfer the footnotes!
Beloved by Toni Morrison
You just need to read this novel to be a literate human being! It also offers some perspective on the depth of the trauma that haunts…
Black Reconstruction by W.E.B. DuBois
This brilliant treatise offers what I take to be one of the most thorough accounting of America’s betrayal of its so-called promise. Reading _Black Reconstruction_ now will help situate this latest betrayal. I love “The General Strike” and “The Propaganda of History” chapters.
The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
We need to reach for something beautiful in these tragic times. I couldn’t put this memoir down.
(I have also been reading Octavia Butler. I recently devoured “Lilith’s Brood.” Just needed to escape this crazy world.)
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University, political editor at theGrio, the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”, and the co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC. You can find her at @Dr_CMGreer on Twitter.
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Breonna Taylor activists drag Kentucky AG for alleged engagement party
Photos of the alleged engagement party of Kentucky Attorney General, Daniel Cameron, went viral yesterday after being posted on Twitter and shared by several celebrities.
Supporters and activists wondered why his engagement party took precedence over charging the officers with the death of Breonna Taylor.
READ MORE: Police officer involved in Breonna Taylor shooting fired
A Twitter user named Brandon Johnson shared the photos with the caption that read, “Instead of charging the killers of #BreonnaTaylor ….. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron had an engagement party this weekend.”
The post quickly garnered tens of thousands of retweets.
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Lawson, reposted the photos on her Instagram account where she noted that she was “shocked to learn” that Cameron is a 34-year-old Black man. “When Breonna’s Mother Tamika asked to speak with him, he had someone else call her.”
Just two weeks ago, her daughter, Beyonce Knowles-Carter wrote a letter to Cameron and posted it on her website.
The letter contained three specific calls to action: to bring criminal charges against the three officers responsible for her death, transparency in the investigation and prosecution of those officers, and an investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department’s response to her murder “as well as the pervasive practices that result in the repeated deaths of unarmed Black citizens.”
Cameron is the first Black Attorney General of the state of Kentucky. Cameron, a Republican, was appointed in 2019. He was the former legal counsel for Kentucky Senator, Mitch McConnell.
Twitter users reminded Cameron of his previous statement that his office was “working around the clock” to bring the case to justice.
Congrats to Attorney General Daniel Cameron for getting engaged, but I thought he said he and his office were working “around the clock” to investigate Breonna Taylor’s case? I guess since her name isn’t trending anymore he forgot he was working nonstop. #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/BimlcR2jSa
— maybe: clare (@clur19) June 25, 2020
READ MORE: Ahmaud Arbery’s mother to Breonna Taylor’s mother: ‘Don’t give up’
Actor Ron Perlman wrote, “Cannot believe this needs saying again… Breonna Taylor’s murders are Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankinson, and Myles Cosgrove. One has been fired, two are still being PAID. Where are their arrests? Prosecutions? Prison Time?”
Cannot believe this needs saying again… Breonna Taylor’s murderers are Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankinson and Myles Cosgrove. One has been fired, two are still being PAID. Where are their arrests? Prosecutions? Prison Time?
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) June 29, 2020
His tweet went viral with nearly 50,000 retweets and over 100,000 likes.
It should be noted that the date of photos nor the exact nature of the event have not been verified by Cameron’s office.
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Kansas City mayor told to ‘swing from a tree’ after announcing mask order
Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, Mo., posted a screenshot of a racist message that he received in response to reinstating a mask ordinance in his city.
The messages appear to come from the private message of a social media account. In the series of messages, the writer asks, “What are the repercussions for not wearing a mask in public starting on Tuesday?” The immediate next message sent several hours later reads, “You are such a piece of s**t ni**er.”
READ MORE: Florida site of GOP convention orders wearing of masks
The writer goes on to say, “You walked with RIOTERS not wearing a mask idiot,” referring Lucas’ decision to participate in protests against police violence that took place in his city following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.”
Finally, the writer said, “You should swing from a tree, I’m not threatening it, but would love to see it.”
The message also included a doctored image of the mayor standing next to a Black young man, both holding t-shirts. The photoshopped image has the mayor holding a shirt that says, “F**k the Police,” and the young man holding a shirt that says, “Black Lives Matter.”
In several social media posts, Lucas addressed the matter.
On Twitter, he said, “Social media and photo shop are always fascinating. To the many texting aghast of fake photos circulating, I recommend you not believe everything a muckraker sends your way… and use some judgment.”
Social media and photo shop are always fascinating. To the many texting me aghast of fake photos circulating, I recommend you not believe everything a muckraker sends your way… and use some judgment. pic.twitter.com/ebaoSi370q
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) June 29, 2020
On Facebook wrote, “Odd to have to disprove something so patently ridiculous and nonsensical (who takes a smiling F the police photo at a rock station?), but alas, that’s 2020.”
He added, “Add to this the racial slur and subtle death threat I received yesterday about requiring masks, and it’s like, y’all… let’s do better.”
READ MORE: Michigan pastor says white woman coughed on him for not wearing mask
The mask ordinance does not include children or those who have been told by a doctor that they should not wear a mask or people who can not communicate while wearing one.
Cases of coronavirus in Kansas City are on the increase. According to the Kansas City Star, the metro area gained 149 new cases and three new deaths just yesterday.
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With COVID-19 Lingering, Companies Are Promoting Health Insurance To Attract Top Job Candidates
Driven by COVID-19, health insurance is a top perk businesses are now promoting to attract talent.
A hearty 67% of businesses push health insurance as a tool to help hire employees. Recruiting and hiring qualified workers remains a major operating challenge for many companies.
Health insurance is followed by paid time off (50%), 401(K) matching (50%), and flexible work options (33%), a new survey from The Manifest shows. Those are among the leading benefits health professional are promoting today. And with many people still working from home as COVID-19 lingers, businesses should be focusing on advocating benefits suitable to remote work, observers say.
In this pandemic climate, job candidates are searching for full-time work stability and paying less attention to in-office perks like snacks, pet-friendliness, and gym memberships.
Clutch senior writer and marketer Kristen Heinhold told BLACK ENTERPRISE that healthcare is among the top benefits that businesses offer because employees value access to healthcare, especially during the pandemic. She says employees want to know they will be covered by insurance if they do become sick with COVID-19. “People realize how much money they’d lose if their company didn’t offer them a comprehensive health insurance package, Heinhold says. The Manifest is the sister site to Clutch, a ratings and review firm.
Heinhold says paid-time-off (PTO) is also an important benefit as people want to know they can take time off and still maintain job security if they do get sick. “Although many people are not traveling this year, they still value time off, even if it’s a staycation. It improves their mental health.”
Though 98% of businesses offer open positions online, it is essential they share accurate information about available jobs. The Manifest reports that is especially true during COVID-19 when many firms have a hiring freeze. When a job is closed, a business should remove it quickly from its website and job boards, so others do not squander time applying.
Simultaneously, another top survey finding is that 70% of people want to work for a company that shows a commitment to diversity and inclusion. That discovery surfaced after protests against systemic racism and George Floyd’s death, spurred discussions on workplace diversity.
While the law blocks businesses from discriminating against employees, job hunters prefer companies that take the extra step and demonstrate their dedication to a diverse workplace.
Still, businesses must show that their serious about the commitment by implementing it through such means as diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
“The biggest issue I’ve seen is the misuse of DEIB in the recruitment process and it not being an actuality in the workplace,” talent development expert Jes Osrow told The Manifest. “Take that step of humility and say ‘We’re not perfect, but here’s what we’re doing to achieve true diversity at our company.”
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Monday, June 29, 2020
Mayor Bill de Blasio to slash NYPD budget by $1 billion
Operation Defund The Police is picking up steam in New York after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to slash $1 billion from the NYPD’s budget.
On Monday, the Democratic mayor said at a news briefing that the cuts are still being negotiated with the City Council. But of the $6 billion allocated to the New York Police Department, at least $500 million will be channeled to public housing and youth programs, New York Post reports. The department’s role in policing schools is also under review.
The mayor’s plan would move at least half-billion dollars from the NYPD’s construction and major projects budget, according to the report.
READ MORE: Missouri Mayor doxxed those in favor of defunding the police
“I’m excited to say we have a plan that can achieve real reform, that can achieve real redistribution — while at the same time ensure that we keep our city safe, while we make sure that our officers are on patrol around where we need them around this city,” de Blasio said during his daily City Hall press briefing.
“We can do this, we can strike the balance, we can keep this city safe,” he later added.
Join us at City Hall for an update. https://t.co/PynMcXTnzK
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 29, 2020
Conservative and liberal lawmakers, however, are not willing to co-sign de Blasio defunding the nation’s largest police department by $1 billion via cuts and transfers.
“We have caved to the mob in a moment we know will come back to haunt us,” Councilman Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island) told The Post. “The mayor is smart enough to know that these actions will create a more violent environment in New York.
“This is what you get when you have government-by-hashtag,” he added.
“I’m against wholesale cuts based on protest signs,” said Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens). “One billion dollars is an arbitrary number that the mayor and some of my colleagues are trying to reach to appease the masses without considering public safety.”
Mayor de Blasio’s budget talks come as protesters across the nation continue to call for police reform following the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans killed by law enforcement.
New York City 'Occupy City Hall' protest demands budget cuts for the NYPDhttps://t.co/ggvAgZeBiX pic.twitter.com/kA1fl7hu4z
— TIME (@TIME) June 27, 2020
Demonstrators have also spent the past week camped out at City Hall Park in effort to have their demands heard by the mayor.
“We’ve done different levels of escalation to make sure we’re getting their attention,” said Jonathan Lykes, one of the organizers of the movement dubbed ‘Occupy City Hall.’
“If they defund the police by $1 billion then we have won – but that’s only our demand this week,” he added.
During Monday’s press briefing, Mayor de Blasio made clear that “we need to redistribute revenue to communities that need it the most. We know our young people are hurting,” he said.
Adding, “We have found a plan that will keep this city safe, that will achieve the billion dollars in savings.”
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Fox News reporter retreats inside car after shoving BLM protester
Fox News Correspondent Dan Springer wasn’t ready for the smoke that Black Lives Matter protesters were preparing to serve him during an event on Monday.
Springer and his crew were accosted by demonstrators after he allegedly laid hands on a woman at Seattle’s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP), DailyMail.com reports. Chaos erupted when Springer pushed the protestor out of his way, prompting the woman to throw her coffee at him.
Fox News claims the incident occurred when an individual chest-bumped the anchor after overhearing Springer phone his producer to cancel a live shot due to the “filthy language” that protestors were using.
Fox News Vice President of Domestic Bureaus and L.A. Bureau Chief Nancy Harmeyer said, “At no point during the situation did the Fox News crew ever physically instigate or retaliate in any way against the protesters.”
READ MORE: 9 things to make Black Lives Matter in our public schools
The incident went down hours after and near where two Black teenagers were shot when they tried to plow through barricades surrounding the area. A 16-year-old boy was killed and a 14-year-old is reportedly in critical condition.
#DEVELOPING: So the man that was in that car got out and started walking away from #CHOP.
Protestors followed, swarming. Again, they say he’s an #FNC reporter and that he shoved a female protestor.
He said nothing in response. They walked several city blocks. @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/6QQBy7mjxY
— Steve Patterson (@PattersonNBC) June 29, 2020
Springer and his crew were forced to retreat into an SUV as the massive crowd shouted at him and demanded he apologize. The woman who claims she was shoved jumped on the hood of the car while others laid down on the ground in front of it.
Photos show private armed security guards protecting the car with Springer inside.
Once the BLM mob died after about 20 minutes, another vehicle pulled up to the rescue, Springer jumped inside it and fled the scene.
#UPDATE: #CHOP Protestors tell me he was followed all the way to the West Precinct on foot. About a mile away. No physical incident occurred. No one injured.
They wanted an apology for what they say happened: A shove and non-racial slur.
He reportedly said nothing. @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/0fzAvSzPFC
— Steve Patterson (@PattersonNBC) June 29, 2020
“While covering the news just outside of Seattle’s CHOP zone this morning, a protester confronted Fox News Channel correspondent Dan Springer and his crew after overhearing him cancel a live report due to ‘filthy language’ in the background,” Harmeyer said.
“The protester started yelling at him and threw a cup of coffee in his face and on his jacket. Attempting to de-escalate the situation, the crew returned to their vehicle, which was then surrounded by protesters, she added.
EXCLUSIVE: Fox News reporter trapped inside his car by dozens of protesters after he 'shoved' woman in Seattle's CHOP zone https://t.co/xYizeU2OUr pic.twitter.com/ODNfp1X9YP
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) June 29, 2020
“Unable to drive away, the crew turned the car off and walked away from the scene. At no point during the situation did the Fox News crew ever physically instigate or retaliate in any way against the protesters,” Harmeyer said.
Springer reportedly called 911 for police assistance during the confrontation but officers did not respond.
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