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Showing posts with label Black America Web. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black America Web. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Roland Martin: Elizabeth Warren Has A Plan For That

Before you know it we’ll be casting our ballots for the next president of the United States. One person who wants to keep their name and policies on your mind is Sen. Elizabeth Warren. People have been responding pretty well to her policies online so much so that Roland Martin saw someone on Twitter refer to her as “policy Bae.”

Warren says she’s running for president because, “we’ve got to make some real change in this country.” She dropped out of school at 19 to get married and then went back when it was $50 a semester. She worked as a waitress to put herself through school and went on to become a special needs teacher and now presidential candidate.

As she looks at the country today the opportunities she was afforfef just don’t exist anymore. Her goal is to “help build opportunity,” she says. And she’s doing more than talking about it, she has plans.

One of those plan is to wants to wipe out student loan debt for 42 million Americans because, “it’s dragging down young folks” and “it’s holding back our hold economy.”

Learn more about Elizabeth Warren at ElizabethWarren.com

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Another Athlete Slams Testosterone Rules, Refuses Medication

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Another Olympic medalist has criticized the IAAF’s testosterone regulations and said she will refuse to take hormone-reducing medication.

Margaret Wambui of Kenya, who won bronze in the 800 meters behind Caster Semenya at the 2016 Olympics, said she is affected by the new rules but won’t take “any type of medication” to lower her natural testosterone.

Without medication or surgery, some female runners won’t be allowed to compete at anymore international meetings this season, including this year’s world championships.

RELATED: Olympian Caster Semenya Loses Landmark Case Over Testosterone Levels

“It’s wrong of (the) IAAF to ask us to take medicine to alter our natural body function,” Wambui said Tuesday, speaking Swahili in an interview in Kenya.

She said she was unsure what side effects any medication or treatment might have on her.

The 23-year-old Wambui, the world junior champion in the 800 in 2014, compared the regulations to “losing your job.”

“This ruling is very unfair,” she said. “I have grown up knowing that I want to do athletics as a career and achieve a lot through it. Why wait for me to establish myself as an 800-meter athlete then tell me that I need to take medication to compete in the same event?

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“The ruling has affected me greatly because you are not sure of what to train for … this season I was focusing on the world championships and Diamond League races but all that effort has gone to waste.”

Semenya, a two-time Olympic 800-meter champion, lost her case against the IAAF at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing track’s governing body to implement testosterone limits in races from 400 meters to one mile.

Female athletes who have one of a specific set of conditions that cause testosterone levels higher than the typical female range now have to lower those levels to be eligible to compete at international events.

The IAAF provides three options to lower the hormone levels: Daily contraceptive pills, a monthly hormone-blocking injection or surgery.

That has been criticized as unethical by the World Medical Association, which has advised doctors not to prescribe the medication or treatment if it’s not requested and there is no medical need and it’s solely for athletic purposes. The contraceptive pills and hormone-blocking injections would have negative side effects.

Wambui said she received a letter from the IAAF about a week ago informing her that her testosterone levels were higher than the allowed level. Athletes wanting to compete at the world championships in Doha, Qatar, in September and October had to start lowering their testosterone by May 8 to be eligible.

RELATED: DeVos Criticized Over Plan To Cut Special Olympics Funding

“My family is very disappointed by this decision by (the) IAAF,” she said. “After I received the letter I went back home and spent a week with my mother trying to make her understand what’s happening.”

Wambui’s decision to publicly declare she is affected by the rules means all three medalists in the 800-meter race at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics have said they have a condition that causes high levels of natural testosterone.

Semenya and silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi have also said they are affected. Niyonsaba was highly critical of the rules, while Semenya was adamant that she won’t take medication when she ran at a Diamond League meet at the beginning of the month.

Wambui said she is considering switching to the 100 and 200 meters, events not affected by the rules. Semenya has entered a 3,000-meter race in the United States in June.

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But there’s also still a chance of an appeal against the IAAF rules.

Semenya’s lawyers say they are considering that, while the South African government has announced there will be an appeal on behalf of the country’s national track federation.

An appeal against the CAS decision must be lodged by May 31.

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Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Seriously Ignorant News: Not Such A Happy Birthday

Birthday’s are a joyous occasion! Unless you end up in jail…then they’re a little less joyous. A Pennsylvania woman  became very upset on her 55th birthday when no one bought her a gift, cake, or card. After her boyfriend took her to dinner she pulled out a box cutter and slashed him, destroyed their home and then ran away. Police later found her and arrested her. Damon says use this as a warning guys, no matter what she says get her a gift.

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Morning Minute: Say Goodbye To The Barn

The digital age has a lot of stores closing their doors. The latest is Dress Barn! For over 5 decades women have been buying dresses for occasions at their stores, but they just can’t compete with companies like Amazon. Chris Paul has a theory that women are just sick off buying dresses from a store called a barn.

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Top Of The Morning: Kandi Burruss’ Dungeon Party Is Educational

Kandi Burruss has been touring the country with her Dungeon Party and Kym Whitley had to see what all of the hype was about. She went and says she wishes she went 20 years ago when she could put some of her knew knowledge and tricks to use! Kandi had all types of things going on and one involved a grapefruit. Tom has decided he wants to go see it for himself when it comes to a town near him.

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Uplifting News: Theo Shaw Turned A Bad Situation Into A Life’s Calling [VIDEO]

The uplifting news this week is about Theo Shaw, a member of the Jena 6, who has been sworn in as an attorney.

In 2006, Shaw and five other Black teenage boys made national headlines after they were charged with attempted murder following a fight with a White student from their Jena, Louisiana high school.

Unable to make bail, Shaw spent seven months in jail awaiting trial. The original felony charge was lowered to misdemeanor simple battery. He pleaded no contest, and his record was later expunged.

Inspired by that experience to help fix the criminal justice system, Shaw later went on to study law at the University of Washington on a full scholarship. After completing a clerkship with Louisiana Chief Justice Bernette Johnson, Shaw was recently sworn in to the bar of the District of Columbia.

Shaw said, “Being wrongly arrested and incarcerated as a teenager motivated me to become a lawyer.”

Congratulation Mr. Shaw on your major success! Your heroic efforts can help push against the criminal justice system and make a change in our community.

Follow Alyse Hope on Instagram at @IamMsHope 

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Jada Pinkett Smith Admits She Once Had An ‘Unhealthy Relationship’ With Porn Before Marriage

Like Kirk Franklin and Terry Crews before her, Jada Pinkett Smith is opening up about an issue she once had with pornography.

In a new episode of her wildly popular Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, the Girls Trip star discussed the topic with her mother, Adrienne Bamford Norris and her daughter, Willow.

“Oh, Jesus,” Jada told Willow after the Smith daughter revealed she enjoyed “artsy” porn. “If I was still on my porn game, I’d be able to show you some good porn, ‘cause back in the day, I had a little porn addiction.”

Jada’s time watching porn was well before her marriage to Will Smith in December of 1997. “I wasn’t in a relationship when I had a porn addiction, believe it or not.”

Willow admitted to her mother that she had first discovered porn when she was only 11 years old, while scrolling through her Tumblr account. “I saw some hardcore stuff,” she remembered, adding, “I was profoundly disturbed. Because I had you and daddy to actually, like, have real conversations with, that stuff didn’t really affect me. I had a connection with people that I could talk to about it.”

The title of the episode, “Does Porn Ruin Relationships” prompted the three women to open up about their histories with pornography, shocking Willow’s grandmother who had zero clue that both Willow and Jada were so knowledgable about the subject.

In Jada’s case, the Set It Off actress revealed that she had an “unhealthy” relationship with porn, preferring to read illicit magazines and watch pornographic videos.  “I actually feel like I was using ‘addiction’ a little lightly. I had an unhealthy relationship to porn at one point in my life when I was trying to practice abstinence. It was actually, like, filling like an emptiness … but it’s actually not. … It’s a slippery slope.”

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Monday, May 20, 2019

Texas Transgender Woman Seen In Videotaped Attack Found Dead

(The Dallas Morning News via AP)

DALLAS (AP) — A 23-year-old transgender woman whose beating in front of a crowd was captured on video has been found dead on a Dallas street, police said.

Muhlaysia Booker was found face-down early Saturday after officers were called following reports of shots being fired. She was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Booker died from “homicidal violence,” said police Maj. Vincent Weddington. He did not elaborate. No suspect has been identified.

Weddington said there’s no evidence indicating a link between the shooting and the April 12 beating Booker suffered after she was involved in a minor traffic accident . A police affidavit released at the time said Booker accidentally backed into a vehicle before the driver of that vehicle pointed a gun at her and refused to let her leave unless she paid for the damage.

As a crowd gathered, someone offered $200 to a man to beat the woman, who suffered a concussion, fractured wrist and other injuries, police said. Other men also struck Booker, with one stomping on her head. Edward Thomas, 29, was arrested and jailed on a charge of aggravated assault.

A cellphone recording showed her being beaten as the crowd hollered and watched. Video of the attack was shared on social media.

Booker attended a rally the following week where she said she was grateful to have survived.

“This time I can stand before you, where in other scenarios, we’re at a memorial,” The Dallas Morning News reported her as saying.

Weddington said the investigation into the April attack continues.

“We’re still attempting to identify other people that were seen assaulting Muhlaysia in the video,” he said.

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Melvin Edmonds Of After 7 Has Passed Away

After 7 Live In Concert

Source: Raymond Boyd / Getty

Founding member Melvin Edmonds of the Grammy-nominated group After 7 has died at age 65. No cause of death is being reported at this time but Edmonds’ brother Kevon, acknowledged some years back that Melvin struggled with substance abuse problems over the years.

RELATED: Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds’ Mother Dies

Melvin’s son, Jason Edmonds took to his Facebook profile to speak on the passing of his father:
“I’ve been receiving and reading everyone’s messages and texts about my Dad. I appreciate the kind words and I’ll have something to say in return. For now, I just need time to process.”

After 7 was founded in Indianapolis in 1987 by Babyface’s brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, as well as Keith Mitchell who was marketed as the cousin of producer L.A. Reid although he is not. He was just a college friend of the two brothers. Jason Edmonds, Melvin Edmonds’ son, later joined as well. Melvin left the group some years back after their third album,  but rejoined them recently for After 7’s 2016 release, Timeless.

The group recorded 4 studio albums and is known for their hits “Ready or Not,” “Can’t Stop” and “Nights Like This” from The Five Heartbeats soundtrack.

Writer A. Scott Galloway shared a tribute to Edmonds via his Facebook page.

Saddened this Sunday morning to share that MELVIN EDMONDS (64) of vocal group After 7 has passed on into Soul Heaven…his rightful destination. In all my years of reporting about music at Urban Network in the late `80s through the `90s, he was the cat that came closest to the NATURAL all true soul men that I grew up admiring such as Dennis Edwards, Wilson Pickett and Bobby Womack. Just listen at him on my all-time favorite recording of his, “Can He Love U LIke This” from the trio’s sophomore CD, Takin’ My Time (1992). All you need to hear about the brutha is right there! He also takes the opening verses on their hit cover of The Originals’ “Baby I’m For Real” and the timeless hit ballad “Ready or Not” (one of my favorite music videos of the era). Whewwww… Melvin brought the manhood and the masculinity yet with a cool and smoothness that was the perfect black coffee no cream compliment to the plaintive, higher pitched tenor of his brother Kevon. Melvin was my favorite member of one of my favorite groups of the era…and I’m happy to say HE knew it… They ALL knew it. I always wished he had done just one solo LP.

Just to give you a TASTE of what it was like to chop it up with Melvin…from a 1995 interview I conducted with the group at Virgin Records in Beverly Hills (I rarely do this, y’all, so this is MAD love), HERE is his answer to my question, “Describe the perfect romantic evening?”

Melvin: A romantic evening for me begins with getting rid of the kids `cause I’m truly “married with children!” So that’s an important thing to do. Ya know, romance for me and my wife is quiet time together at home because I’m on the road 75% of the year when we do work. I don’t like the nightlife. I’m talkin’ `bout dinner by candlelight at our house – dressed comfortably with not too much on, you understand what I’m sayin’ – flowers and a little champagne. And just reflecting and being thankful for the things God has allowed us to do, like raise our kids and to be able to approach TRYIN’ to pay all our bills!

My deepest condolences to his four surviving brothers (there were six sons altogether, including Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds – to whom Melvin prophetically gave him his first guitar – and Kevon Edmonds, with whom he sang alongside faithfully for decades), his son Jason who is doing a magnificent job stepping into his shoes, the entire Edmonds family and to fans of After 7 around the world. The planet just lost what no less than The Temptations once defined as “A Lot O’ Soul” this Sunday… Respect.

 

 

 

 

 



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Gabrielle Union Talks About Initially Hiding Her Identity From Her Surrogate

Premiere Of Spectrums Originals LAs Finest

Source: Apega/WENN.com / WENN

Via Madamnoire:

Gabrielle Union has been very open about not only her struggles to get pregnant, including the fact that she suffered eight miscarriages along the way, she told us ultimately that she and husband Dwyane Wade opted to have a surrogate carry their child.

Typically, when people us a surrogate, celebrities especially, that identity of the person is kept top secret, for both the health and protect of the unborn child and the woman as well. And while Union is not telling us who carried her child, in a recent interview with Shondalandshe opened up about the process of choosing their gestational carrier and a sign that let her know she was the right woman to usher their daughter into the world.

“I’m trying to be as transparent as possible,” she says, “so more women have a better understanding of their bodies and periods and fertility options, and what those options look like.”

At 40 years old and after several miscarriages, Union learned that she had a condition called adenomyosis a condition which causes, among other things, a low ovarian reserve. The adenomyosis prevents fetuses from growing healthily.

For a long time, Union fought off the idea of having a surrogate and was willing to risk her health in order to carry her own baby.

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I was willing to take the chance. But I started thinking a little deeper and got to the root of, “Why am I so willing to risk my health for a chance?” If there’s another way to bring my baby into the world that allows me to also be healthy, why not? I had such fear of judgment, of not being thought of as a “real” mom or as relatable — “Oh she’s a Hollywood type. They farm everything out.” Over time, and with therapy and communication with my husband, I made peace with getting over my fear. But that was a tough one to let go of.

SEE ALSO: Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union & Ludacris Rally Around Mom Of Teen Who Committed Suicide

A lot of Hollywood people will make an announcement, like, “Our baby arrived via gestational carrier,” but very few are transparent about the whole process. There’s a fertility grassroots underground community: Once you put it out there within your social circle, they’ll find you. That’s how you get your information: doctors, acupuncturists, different therapies. Once this group of people takes you into their arms, you’re like, “Oh, OK! There’s so many of you!”

Then Union spoke about meeting and bonding with her surrogate and the requirements she and Dwyane had for her.

“Every surrogacy journey is wildly different. Some people talk to their surrogate every day, some don’t at all. I don’t want anyone to think our way is the one, “right” way. We were on a group chat — me, my husband, her, her husband — and we talked about so much, whether it’s TV shows we’re binge-watching, books we’re reading, updates on what’s happening between our appointments. Because our embryo was high risk, even though our surrogate was younger, there were a lot more doctor’s appointments than other pregnancies. We were together quite a lot. We still communicate to this day.

Race wasn’t an issue for me, but for others, if you have a same-race surrogate, there’s a fear of someone running off with your baby. People have all kinds of fears and things that they want. Some want [the surrogate to follow a] a specific religion; or to allow TV, or no TV; or they send audio files for the surrogate to play your voice so it can be heard along with the household voices. For us, we wanted: She has her own kids, a husband, she’s done this before, she knew what she was doing. There was no need for us to micromanage.

[At first], she didn’t know that it was us, although I knew all about her. So when we met, she walked in and was like, “Oh!” I didn’t know what that meant, and she was like, “I have your book on hold at four different libraries.” [laughs] I said, “I think I can get you a copy!” I’d been doing a lot of library appearances with the book, and I love librarians, and here’s this woman who also frequents her local library. In that first meeting, we talked about the books we love, the stacks of books we want to get through. Little Fires Everywhere, so many more. That, for me, was the sign.”

You can read the rest of Gabrielle’s interview, here.

 



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R. Kelly Faces Dual Federal Indictments In NYC And Illinois

(Cook County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

R. Kelly could soon be battling dual indictments in both New York and Illinois, as a grand jury is set to hear evidence related to sex trafficking claims against the disgraced singer.

Sources familiar with the investigation tell The Blast via MSN that officials have been interviewing witnesses, and testimony will be presented in front of the grand juries in both the Southern District of New York and the Northern District of Illinois, the report states.

The federal investigation is expected to wrap within the next few weeks, and a Kelly insider predicts two indictments will be filed. The charges will mainly relate to sex trafficking and tax evasion.

According to The Blast, the case involving Kelly and his associates centers on the purchasing of plane tickets for underage girls who were then transported across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual relations.

The feds reportedly traveled from New York to suburban Atlanta, where Kelly had a home, and interviewed several alleged victims as well as former employees who are said to have aided in transporting teen girls to meet up with the R&B hitmaker while he was on tour.

Interviews included Kelly’s ex-stylist, and a new accuser who claims she was a victim of sexual abuse while also witnessing the abuse of other young women.

Via The Blast:

We’re told a key group of those witnesses were from the family of girlfriend Joycelyn Savage, who met with the team of investigators and provided information and physical evidence, including plane tickets, text messages and photos.

We’re told the evidence delivered by the Savage family heavily contributed to the federal case built against Kelly.

Savage, meanwhile, lives with Kelly and has vehemently defended him.

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If Guy Were You: Just Do It!

Remember the first time you did it? All of your friends were doing it and you were curious to find out what all of the commotion was about. If you haven’t done it yet…what are you waiting on? It’s always better with a group so don’t do it alone, grab a your crew and just do it! Come out to the 2019 Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion.

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Former University Of Oregon Football Star Tackles Armed Student At Portland High School

(AP Photo)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police released the identity Saturday of an 18-year-old student who was tackled after reportedly bringing a gun into classroom at an Oregon high school.

Angel Granados Dias had been booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of possessing a firearm in a public building, attempting to shoot a gun at a school and reckless endangerment, the Portland Police Bureau said.

He is a student at Parkrose High School, where he brought the shotgun Friday, authorities said. Witnesses told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he appeared distraught when he appeared at the door to their government class and pulled the weapon from beneath a long black trench coat, and that a football and track coach who also works security at the school, Keanon Lowe, tackled him before anyone got hurt. Lowe is a former football standout at the University of Oregon.

RELATED: Suspects In Colorado School Shooting Due Back In Court

It wasn’t immediately clear if Granados Dias had a lawyer. He was being held on $500,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Monday. There were no other suspects.

In a letter to families Friday evening, Parkrose School District Superintendent Michael Lopes Serrao said two students had informed a staff member of “concerning behavior” by the student who brought the gun. Security staff then responded, found him and quickly disarmed him, he said.

“Thanks to their heroic efforts all students and staff are safe,” Lopes Serrao wrote.

Lowe posted on Twitter Saturday that he was thankful the students were safe, and that he hopes to be part of the solution to gun violence in schools.

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“When confronted with the test the universe presented me with, I didn’t see any other choice but to act,” Lowe wrote. “Thank God, I passed. I’ve spent the last 24 hours being more appreciative of my family and realizing we have a serious problem.”

Police spokesman Sgt. Brad Yakots declined to confirm Lowe’s reported involvement.

Yakots said the first responding officers found the gunman being detained by the staff member in the hallway. A firearm was recovered at the school, he added.

Parkrose was evacuated, and a nearby middle school was on lockdown for several hours as the investigation unfolded. The high school students were bused to a nearby parking lot where they were reunited with their parents.

RELATED: At Least 2 Handguns Used In School Shooting Near Columbine

The outcome was “the best-case scenario, absolutely,” Yakots said. “The staff member did an excellent job by all accounts, (and) our officers arrived within minutes and went right in.”

Students recounted how the student entered their government class in the school’s fine arts building — separate from the main building — just before noon. Lowe had been in the classroom earlier looking for the student.

About 10 minutes before the end of class, the student appeared in the doorway in a black trench coat and pulled out a long gun from beneath his coat, senior Justyn Wilcox, who also was in the room, told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The student didn’t point the gun at anyone, senior Alexa Pope said.

Students fled out the back door because the gunman was blocking the main doorway.

“As I was running, I was just like, ‘Lord don’t let this be it,’ ” Pope told the newspaper.

In college, Lowe was a star wide receiver at the University of Oregon, playing from 2011 to 2014. He caught 10 touchdown passes in his college career and had nearly 900 receiving yards. He also saw playing time on special teams.

RELATED: Oregon Teachers Walk Out Demanding Better School Funding

After college, he worked as an offensive analyst for the San Francisco 49ers and as an analyst for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lowe began working at Parkrose last year as the school’s head football and track and field coach, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that, he worked for his high school alma mater, Jesuit High, where he earned state defensive player of the year as a defensive back and was a standout sprinter.

Students, parents and co-workers lauded Lowe’s actions on Twitter. Several also noted that the school’s prom, scheduled for Saturday, was still on.

Olivia Katbi Smith wrote on Twitter that she coaches track with Lowe at Parkrose and wasn’t surprised to learn what he did.

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“As soon as I heard what happened I knew it was him because he would do anything for these kids. It was surreal to be waiting for my athletes behind caution tape today, but might have been much worse if not for Keanon,” she wrote.

Lopes Serrao said the student with the gun will not be returning to school and that school will resume on Monday as usual with an enhanced security presence.

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Chilli & T-Boz Say They’ve Turned Down #RHOA Offers Multiple Times

Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins (L), Rozonda 'Chilli' Thoma

Source: DON EMMERT / Getty

Andy Cohen and company apparently wanted two ATL all-stars on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions).

Chilli and T-Boz of TLC recently revealed that the producers of RHOA offered them peaches MULTIPLE times.

The duo appeared on Entertainment Tonight and said that they’ve both turned down offers with the Bravo reality show. According to T-Boz, she’s declined FOUR times:

“I did [a cameo] for Kandi [Burruss] one time,” said T-Boz. “This is the thing, I don’t play like that. Like, I’m not arguing, I’m too old to be arguing and first of all, I don’t argue with nobody I don’t care about. If I care about you, I will take the time to do this. But I’m not arguing with no grown women. I’ll end up going to jail for real. Like, I don’t do that.”

“And I wouldn’t be able to bail her out because I would be right there with her,” Chilli joked.

Chilli also gave a resounding “hell no” when asked if she’d reconsider turning down RHOA’s offer.

 

Would you tune in to see T-Boz and Chilli on RHOA? We could definitely see them kicking it with their homegirl Kandi.

Source: Bossip.com

 



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Sunday, May 19, 2019

Omarosa Alleges Trump Pay Discrimination, Seeks To Join Lawsuit [WATCH]

Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman has filed a motion seeking to join a lawsuit against the Trump presidential campaign alleging pay discrimination.

Omarosa claims she was paid significantly less than her white male counterparts on the campaign, Voxreports, and “the numbers don’t lie,” she said of the suit.

“To hear that there were so many other women who got paid 20 percent less across the board, I’m talking about on the state level, the local level and national level … I wanted to join the efforts,” Manigault Newman said during an interview on MSNBC.

“After nearly 20 years inside the Beltway, working for two White Houses and countless political campaigns, I’ve never witnessed such egregious violations as I did during my time under the leadership of Donald Trump and Mike Pence,” Newman said in a statement to Vox on Monday.

She is seeking to join a suit filed by Alva Johnson, a former Trump campaign staffer who says the president paid her less than his male staffers, the report states. She also alleges kissed her without her consent in August 2016.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, called Johnson’s misconduct allegation “absurd,” and a campaign spokesperson said her accusations about pay were “unfounded,” according to the Washington Post.

“The Trump campaign has never discriminated based on race, ethnicity, gender, or any other basis,” Kayleigh McEnany, national press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in a statement. “Any allegation suggesting otherwise is off base and unfounded.”

Hassan Zavareei, the lead attorney in the pay discrimination case, cited an analysis by economist Phillip Johnson which confirms that the Trump campaign paid female employees 18.2 percent less than males.

“This case is about two things: Donald Trump’s predation, and his campaign’s discrimination against women and people of color,” Zavareei said in a statement to Vox.

Omarosa served as director of African-American outreach for the Trump campaign, and later worked as the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison, before she was fired in 2017. She then published a book about her experiences called “Unhinged,” and released several secret recordings of her time in the White House.

PHOTO: AP


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Chilli & T-Boz Say They’ve Turned Down RHOA Multiple Times [WATCH]

Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins (L), Rozonda 'Chilli' Thoma

Source: DON EMMERT / Getty

Andy Cohen and company apparently wanted two ATL all-stars on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

Chilli and T-Boz of TLC recently revealed that the producers of RHOA offered them peaches MULTIPLE times.

The duo appeared on Entertainment Tonight and said that they’ve both turned down offers with the Bravo reality show. According to T-Boz, she’s declined FOUR times:

“I did [a cameo] for Kandi [Burruss] one time,” said T-Boz. “This is the thing, I don’t play like that. Like, I’m not arguing, I’m too old to be arguing and first of all, I don’t argue with nobody I don’t care about. If I care about you, I will take the time to do this. But I’m not arguing with no grown women. I’ll end up going to jail for real. Like, I don’t do that.”

“And I wouldn’t be able to bail her out because I would be right there with her,” Chilli joked.

Chilli also gave a resounding “hell no” when asked if she’d reconsider turning down RHOA’s offer.

 

Would you tune in to see T-Boz and Chilli on RHOA? We could definitely see them kicking it with their homegirl Kandi.

Source: Bossip.com

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Monica Opens Up About Her Divorce From Shannon Brown [VIDEO]

BET Presents The Players' Awards - Arrivals

Source: Gabe Ginsberg / Getty

In March, singer Monica filed for divorce from husband Shannon Brown after more than eight years together. Since the news broke, parties involved have been pretty mum about it. Monica has been accused of being too mum, actually. However, the star decided to break her silence on this week’s episode of T.I. & Tiny: Friends and Family Hustle. 

In a clip from the episode, the 38-year-old mother of three sat with her mom Marilyn and a therapist. In the presence of both women, she revealed the toll her recent split has had on her.

RELATED: Monica Files For Divorce

“I think a lot of my life changes have become so complex and difficult. I had two children. I stayed in that relationship a long time, and he was a loss on both levels,” she said when speaking on her ex, Rodney ‘Rocko’ Hill. “Then I finally met my husband and then I had my daughter, and it was good that he was athletic like the boys, so they had their own bond; and then now that’s a loss. It’s been some rough weeks these last few weeks.”

While, of course, the star didn’t go into detail about why things didn’t work out (there were rumors of infidelity and Brown rarely appeared on Friends and Family Hustle), she said in a confessional that she was struggling to be okay emotionally.

“Things in my personal life have been changing a lot, and it has not been easy,” she said. “I can not lie. My personal relationship is taking a major toll on me. I’m feeling it every day. I’ve been keeping everything to myself and I feel overwhelmed.”

The best way she’s managed to cope has been by not slowing down and wallowing in sadness, but by the end of the clip, she was in tears.

“I’m everybody’s go-to, and I think it makes people think I’m pretending to be perfect when in actuality, I just don’t believe in pausing,” she said. “Cause it’s like you pause and you get stuck.”

Monica and Shannon Brown wed in 2010 after meeting on the set of her music video “Love All Over Me” that same year. They share a daughter, 5-year-old Laiyah, and as she mentioned, he’s been stepfather to her sons, Romelo, 11, and Rodney (the III), 13.

Check out Monica’s vulnerable moment below.


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Kanye West & Kim Kardashian’s New Baby Has A Biblical Name

Psalm West.

That’s the name of the youngest member of the Kardashian-West clan as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian shared the news on social media.

Per E Online, young Psalm joins his older siblings Chicago, 1, older brother Saint, 3 and North West, 5.

“Beautiful Mother’s Day,” Kim shared on Twitter Friday afternoon with a photo of her newborn. “With the arrival of our fourth child. We are blessed beyond measure. We have everything we need.”

“Kim and Kanye have known for awhile and are very excited. They had one male embryo left and are thrilled it has worked out,” a source previously explained to E! News. “Kim always wanted four kids and having two boys and two girls feels perfect. They were very happy with the entire experience the first time and are so grateful to have one more baby.”

Congrats Kim and Kanye. What do you think of Psalm for a baby name?


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Melvin Edmonds Of After 7 Has Passed Away

After 7 Live In Concert

Source: Raymond Boyd / Getty

Founding member Melvin Edmonds of the Grammy-nominated group After 7 has died at age 65. No cause of death is being reported at this time but Edmonds’ brother Kevon, acknowledged some years back that Melvin struggled with substance abuse problems over the years.

RELATED: Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds’ Mother Dies

Melvin’s son, Jason Edmonds took to his Facebook profile to speak on the passing of his father:
“I’ve been receiving and reading everyone’s messages and texts about my Dad. I appreciate the kind words and I’ll have something to say in return. For now, I just need time to process.”

After 7 was founded in Indianapolis in 1987 by Babyface’s brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, as well as Keith Mitchell who was marketed as the cousin of producer L.A. Reid although he is not. He was just a college friend of the two brothers. Jason Edmonds, Melvin Edmonds’ son, later joined as well. Melvin left the group some years back after their third album,  but rejoined them recently for After 7’s 2016 release, Timeless.

The group recorded 4 studio albums and is known for their hits “Ready or Not,” “Can’t Stop” and “Nights Like This” from The Five Heartbeats soundtrack.

Writer A. Scott Galloway shared a tribute to Edmonds via his Facebook page.

Saddened this Sunday morning to share that MELVIN EDMONDS (64) of vocal group After 7 has passed on into Soul Heaven…his rightful destination. In all my years of reporting about music at Urban Network in the late `80s through the `90s, he was the cat that came closest to the NATURAL all true soul men that I grew up admiring such as Dennis Edwards, Wilson Pickett and Bobby Womack. Just listen at him on my all-time favorite recording of his, “Can He Love U LIke This” from the trio’s sophomore CD, Takin’ My Time (1992). All you need to hear about the brutha is right there! He also takes the opening verses on their hit cover of The Originals’ “Baby I’m For Real” and the timeless hit ballad “Ready or Not” (one of my favorite music videos of the era). Whewwww… Melvin brought the manhood and the masculinity yet with a cool and smoothness that was the perfect black coffee no cream compliment to the plaintive, higher pitched tenor of his brother Kevon. Melvin was my favorite member of one of my favorite groups of the era…and I’m happy to say HE knew it… They ALL knew it. I always wished he had done just one solo LP.

Just to give you a TASTE of what it was like to chop it up with Melvin…from a 1995 interview I conducted with the group at Virgin Records in Beverly Hills (I rarely do this, y’all, so this is MAD love), HERE is his answer to my question, “Describe the perfect romantic evening?”

Melvin: A romantic evening for me begins with getting rid of the kids `cause I’m truly “married with children!” So that’s an important thing to do. Ya know, romance for me and my wife is quiet time together at home because I’m on the road 75% of the year when we do work. I don’t like the nightlife. I’m talkin’ `bout dinner by candlelight at our house – dressed comfortably with not too much on, you understand what I’m sayin’ – flowers and a little champagne. And just reflecting and being thankful for the things God has allowed us to do, like raise our kids and to be able to approach TRYIN’ to pay all our bills!

My deepest condolences to his four surviving brothers (there were six sons altogether, including Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds – to whom Melvin prophetically gave him his first guitar – and Kevon Edmonds, with whom he sang alongside faithfully for decades), his son Jason who is doing a magnificent job stepping into his shoes, the entire Edmonds family and to fans of After 7 around the world. The planet just lost what no less than The Temptations once defined as “A Lot O’ Soul” this Sunday… Respect.

 


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Black Billionaire To Pay Off Student Loan Debt Of Entire 2019 Morehouse Graduating Class

A billionaire technology investor stunned the entire graduating class at Morehouse College when he announced at their commencement Sunday that he would pay off their student loans __ estimated at up to $40 million.

Robert F. Smith, this year’s commencement speaker, made the announcement while addressing nearly 400 graduating seniors of the all-male historically black college in Atlanta. Smith, who is black, is the Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software, data, and technology-driven companies.

“On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we’re gonna put a little fuel in your bus,” the investor and philanthropist told graduates in his morning address. “This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans.”

 

The announcement immediately drew stunned looks from faculty and students alike. Then the graduates broke into the biggest cheers of the morning and stood up, applauding. Morehouse said it is the single largest gift to the college.

Smith, who received an honorary doctorate from Morehouse during the ceremony, had already announced a $1.5 million gift to the school. The student debt for the class of 2019 is estimated to be as much as $40 million though no immediate total had been calculated yet.

Smith said he expected the recipients to “pay it forward” and said he hoped that “every class has the same opportunity going forward.”

“Because we are enough to take care of our own community,” Smith said. “We are enough to ensure that we have all the opportunities of the American dream. And we will show it to each other through our actions and through our words and through our deeds.”

In the weeks before graduating from Morehouse on Sunday, 22-year-old finance major Aaron Mitchom drew up a spreadsheet to calculate how long it would take him to pay back his $200,000 in student loans — 25 years at half his monthly salary, per his calculations.

In an instant, that number vanished. Mitchom, sitting in the crowd, wept.

“I can delete that spreadsheet,” he said in an interview after the commencement. “I don’t have to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was shocked. My heart dropped. We all cried. In the moment it was like a burden had been taken off.”

His mother, Tina Mitchom, was also shocked. Eight family members, including Mitchom’s 76-year-old grandmother, took turns over four years co-signing on the loans that got him across the finish line.

“It takes a village,” she said. “It now means he can start paying it forward and start closing this gap a lot sooner, giving back to the college and thinking about a succession plan” for his younger siblings.

Morehouse College president David A. Thomas said the gift would have a profound effect on the students’ futures.

“Many of my students are interested in going into teaching, for example, but leave with an amount of student debt that makes that untenable,” Thomas said in an interview. “In some ways, it was a liberation gift for these young men that just opened up their choices.”

___

Whack reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writer Ben Nadler contributed to the report from Atlanta.

PHOTO: AP


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