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Sunday, September 20, 2020

Egypt tomb: Sarcophagi buried for 2,500 years unearthed in Saqqara

The 27 wooden coffins are said to have lain undisturbed inside a well at an ancient necropolis.

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Eddie Murphy leads weekend of first-time Black Emmy winners

Maya Rudolph, Ron Cephas Jones and Jasmine Cephas Jones were among the first-time Black Emmy winners ahead of the annual primetime awards show

The final night of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards streamed on FXX Saturday and the virtual celebration featured a number of first-time wins and milestones for Black creatives.

As with other annual events honoring performers in the entertainment industry, the 100 Creative Arts awards, usually conferred across two nights a week prior to the primetime Emmy Awards show, were presented over the internet due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

While there were some big winners, there were some stellar first-time winners, with Eddie Murphy leading the way among them.

Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live return
Eddie Murphy returned to Saturday Night Live after 35-year hiatus. (NBC screenshot)

Variety reports that the 59-year-old comedian/actor took home the very first Emmy of his career for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series after hosting the 2019 Christmas episode of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” His triumphant return to his old sketch comedy program — his final appearance in 1984 — featured some of his beloved characters, such as Mr. Robinson, Gumby and Velvet Jones. The Dec. 21, 2019 episode was the highest-rated of SNL season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

READ MORE: More performers of color nominated for Emmy Awards this year, study shows

Another guest SNL alum who made a cameo with Murphy in that episode, Maya Rudolph, also won her first-ever Emmy. The actress not only won for her SNL portrayal of Sen. Kamala Harris, who at the time was among a crowded field of Democrats vying for the party’s presidential nomination, on for Outstanding Guess Actress in a Comedy Series, days prior she won Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for Netflix animated series “Big Mouth.”

In addition, actors Ron Cephas Jones and Jasmine Cephas Jones became the first-ever father-daughter duo to win Emmys in the same year. Ron, portraying William Hill, won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the “After The Fire” episode of NBC’s “This Is Us” on Saturday, while Jasmine won on Thursday for Outstanding Actress in a Short-Form Comedy or Drama for Quibi’s “#FreeRayshawn.” This is Jasmine’s first individual Emmy and Ron’s second.

READ MORE: Tyler Perry to receive Governors Award at 2020 Emmys

Just days before, actress Kerry Washington became a first-time Emmy winner as well, as reported by HuffPost. Although she was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Hulu’s”Pretty Little Fires,” she wound up winning her first Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), as executive producer of ABC’s live versions of “All in the Family” and “Good Times.”

Kerry Washington thegrio.com
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

RuPaul Charles also set a new record for hosting wins after he won his fifth-straight Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program in “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The Netflix special “Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones” also took home three trophies.

The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmys will air Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Eddie Murphy leads weekend of first-time Black Emmy winners appeared first on TheGrio.



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Meet Yvette Kendall A Rarity in the Science Fiction Content Creation Game

Yvette Kendall

As a Black woman science fiction writer/content creator, Yvette Kendall is the definition of a rarity. Kendall is the author of The GOD Maps series and also the creator of the new sci-fi sub-genre Biblical futurism.

Owner of her own publishing company, Stravard Lux Publishing House, Kendall will be publishing her brand of zombie anthologies named The American Zombie Chronicles and a children’s book called A Zombie For Mommy!

BLACK ENTERPRISE got the opportunity to talk to Kendall about what motivated her to become involved with the sci-fi genre and her future plans.

How rare is it for a Black woman to be engulfed in the science fiction genre as a writer and creator? What motivated you to be involved in it and what keeps your creativity going?

People say that I’m a rare occurrence in that I’m fully immersed in the concepts of science fiction and futurism in my daily life. My previous vocation was that of an inventor and product developer. Science fiction is the breath of innovation. Whether it is a three-dimensional product or building a new universe with words, it has been part of my everyday experience.

I’m motivated by the stories that present themselves to me in such a complete and demanding manner. I feel that being a Black woman in any time period (past, present, or future) makes me and other women like me an indispensable demographic. Our stories orchestrate energies that shape and mold new paths. We have a say in what this world will look like in the future because it cannot exist without us.

Being the first female writer for a zombie anthology under Caliber Comics, how did that accomplishment happen and what should we anticipate in the future?

Social media is a powerful tool! Networking and sharing my sci-fi novel online are invaluable. I was approached by someone on Facebook that has a comic book company that publishes through Caliber. He asked if I had ever written zombie horror before. Up until that point, I had never ever read a comic book. He urged me to try my hand at it, and I agreed.

Within the next few days, I had written 12 unique stories that blew him away! The catalog that I created was more than they needed at the time. Always thinking ahead, I began my own anthology in the same genre.

That decision gave birth to The American Zombie Chronicles. As I move forward, my schedule is to finish the trilogy of The GOD Maps, and put artists in place to formalize my new comic book line. I have several other mind-bending stories on tap that I’m writing as well like The Revelation Activation and another brand of spooky comics called The Conspiracy Theory Horror Edition.

How difficult is it for a Black woman trying to break into the sci-fi genre? What do you think it will take to make it less so?

I believe that the difficulties arise when our stories are read by people whose experiences are not reflected on those pages. When they can’t relate or when the content is too honest to digest, there can be an authority-ladened kickback.

That kickback can come in the form of unfavorable reviews or open protests of your work. As a sci-fi writer of color, you may be reprimanded for taking latitudes that other writers would otherwise be praised for. There’s a need to have people that understand your background intrinsically and to aid in telling of your stories.

I feel that the solvent for this issue rests in having more people of color in key creative spaces. People like Ava DuVernayRegina King, and Shonda Rhimes, to name a few. Because they are pioneers, these women are integral in expanding the scope of our work.

What’s next for Yvette Kendall? Is there anything in the works that you’d like to speak of?

The future is really bright for me at the moment! I’m in talks right now to turn my flagship novel The GOD Maps, Volume One into a television series. I’m super excited about that recent development!

I’m also working hard to have the new sub-genre that I created called Biblical futurism recognized globally in the writing and film industries. It’s important to me because it’s the very genre that I employ to write my novels.

Biblical futurism has gained a following since its conception. Besides that, I have published a children-friendly zombie book series. The first book is on shelves now and it’s called A Zombie For Mommy!

What advice would you give to the little Black girl who wants to follow in your footsteps or the Black woman who is already entrenched in sci-fi but wants to advance to the next steps for her?

My advice would be to write daily, even if it’s just a paragraph. Books are nothing but a congregation of paragraphs that complement each other. Instituting this habit will allow your creative forces to grow. Another thing is to not focus on particular writing styles set by others.

There’s no right or wrong way to communicate your vision. Science fiction (by loose definition) is a broad field without set parameters. Don’t be afraid to go against the prescribed norms in order to find your voice.

For the ladies that are in the midst of it all, my suggestion is to find a team that believes in you and your vision. Put effort into providing quality content and imagery. It may be unfair, but books are judged by their covers and their titles. Protect your intellectual property with copyrights, trademarks, and other branding methods.

Be sure to “market … market …market,” and never forget to network strategically. That way, when the opportunity comes, it will be glad that it found you and not the other way around!

Last but not least, recognize that you are enough, that your voice matters, and that “YOU” matter.



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Baby Boomers More Comfortable Returning To Office Than Millennials as COVID-19 Lingers

millennials and baby boomers

In an astonishing revelation, baby boomers feel safer going back to their offices than millennials even as COVID-19 continues to spread, according to a new Clutch survey.

Some 59% of employees over 55 would feel safe returning to their office, compared with 53% of workers both age 35-55 and under 35. The finding is thought-provoking as news reports have suggested that boomers are among the groups most likely to face problems from the coronavirus pandemic.

A ratings and review firm, Clutch’ recently surveyed surveyed 400 U.S. workers.

Even if the difference is slight, Clutch Editorial Manager Shelby Jordan told Black Enterprise she thinks the discovery is extremely shocking given older employees’ increased susceptibility to the virus. She is unsure why. But Jordan says that maybe while millennials are not as concerned for their own safety, they are more concerned about the safety of those around them. For example, they would be hesitant to return to the office because they could catch the virus and put those around them—like parents and friends—in danger.

“Based on my past report, I do think companies are doing a great job of accommodating their workspaces to make their staff feel safe, Jordan says. “This could explain nearly even numbers across all age groups.”

The gap between boomers and millennials isn’t the only difference. In terms of location, the survey revealed that people in the Midwest (64%) would feel safe working from their office in this stage of the pandemic. That’s compared with 56% of Southern employees, 45% of Western employees, and 36% of Northeastern employees.

“I think the Midwest feels safer going back to work because the region features a more spread-out landscape—it is easier to remain socially distant,” Jordan says.

Other findings indicated most employees (55%) would feel safe working from their office at this point in the pandemic, and just 32% would feel unsafe. The rest fall in the middle.

Some (82%) of the American workforce is comfortable commuting to work safely amid COVID-19, which is understandable given that 84% of employees drive to work alone.

About 75% of employees concur that private office spaces are the safest office layout, but only 1 in 5 have that option. The most popular floor plan today is a mixed office space (42%) that combines private spaces with communal areas.

The survey further showed that the pandemic highlighted some factors that suggest remote work will be a more popular and accepted alternative after COVID-19.

While almost all employees feel safe commuting to their office, working from home offers time back in their day to spend with friends and family or simply relax. Plus, some workers report their home office set-up is just as comfortable and productive as their desk at company headquarters.

Urban cities and rural areas have faced different obstacles in managing the spread of COVID-19, leaving some regions more ready to return to work than others. However, American employees have recognized the benefits of working from home over working in a traditional office.

Interestingly, all age groups in the U.S. workforce have a consistent perception of safety in the office. The survey indicated over half of each generation would feel safe returning to work. Still, some employees are concerned about the ages of co-workers, family, and friends around them.



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This Black Woman Entrepreneur Is Teaching People How To Heal Through Breathing

Jasmine Marie

The business of wellness has become increasingly popular over the last several years due to the trend of more Americans becoming conscious of their mental health. For the Black community, racial trauma along with other factors can contribute to more Black Americans dealing with anxiety and depression. One Black woman decided to create a series of workshops to help other Black women cope with their anxieties through breathing sessions.

Jasmine Marie is the founder of Black Girls Breathing, a special workshop series for Black women to practice breathwork, a type of breathing exercise or technique used to improve mental health. Marie found that this type of wellness exercise was critical for Black women who face their own set of challenges.

“After practicing breathwork and incorporating the tool into my life (while experiencing the many up’s and down’s of various chapters) for 4.5 years, I decided to get my breathwork training. During training, I noticed the lack of diversity in our groups (not uncommon for the wellness industry) and thought even more how this work isn’t really known in the Black community or accessible,” said Marie in an email interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“I created Black Girls Breathing when I didn’t see any organizations focusing on bringing this work specifically for us while knowing the power of this tool and how Black people suffer from the highest rates of chronic stress and the related physical ailments related to it.”

Unlike mediation, breathwork can be described as an active practice that lets a person control their breathing, which can be used to boost immunity, enrich creativity, and reduce stress levels. For Marie, it was important to bring diversity in this space that is typically predominantly white to help Black women with their healing journeys.

“Black women have different experiences than non-Black women of color and white women,” she added.”It was important for me to acknowledge that our particular lived experiences and how the world perceives us has an impact on our mental health and create an environment that addresses that reality and offers tools to help us work through and heal through that.”

Customers can book virtual sessions amid the COVID-19 pandemic to take part in group sessions. Marie says in addition to healing in their own individuals, the sessions have also created a safe space for Black women to convene and feel relaxed.

“Most of the Black women who experience it once, come back and have begun to develop a practice. Now more than ever we’re seeing how lack of insurance and low-income due to layoffs have caused additional stress on top of the everyday stress felt of being Black,” said Marie.

“Our community has been so grateful that we’ve made the core of our work available in an accessible way. We’ve begun to host some sessions with a licensed therapist so the community benefits from traditional talk therapy + somatic healing (healing of the body). We look forward to expanding our work so more Black womxn can experience this powerful tool.”

 

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The 3 Best VR Headsets and Some Games to Play (2020)

Virtual reality is more accessible than ever and these headsets can take you there, whether you want a standalone, room-scale, or PC-based experience.

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Geoengineering Is the Only Solution to Our Climate Calamities

Altering Earth’s geophysical environment is a moon shot—and it will be the only way to reverse the damage done. It’s time to take it more seriously.

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Coronavirus: Test rules set for Covid-19 African herbal remedies

Sound science "will be the sole basis" for safe and effective therapies to be adopted, the WHO says.

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Mathematical ‘Hocus-Pocus’ Saved Particle Physics

Renormalization, a technique that helps bridge the big and the small, has become perhaps the single most important advance in theoretical physics in 50 years.

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The iOS 14 Privacy and Security Features You Should Know

The latest update for your iPhone and iPad will make them safer than ever.

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The Best Creams and Tools for Removing Hair: Creams, Wax, and More

Shaving can cause razor burn and ingrown hairs. These alternative options might be better for your skin—and sanity.

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As Trump Squeezes China, Alipay’s Star Rises

Chinese consumers tap the fintech app to pay bills, order in restaurants, and book appointments. Now it’s preparing for an IPO that could value it at $200 billion.

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Uganda Makerere University fire: 'Ivory Tower' gutted

An overnight blaze leaves a distinctive building at one of Africa's oldest universities a shell.

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Zimbabwe: Africa’s first mine where workforce is made up entirely of women

Zimbaqua mine is the first mine in Africa where the workforce is made up entirely of women.

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Saturday, September 19, 2020

Democratic donations reach unprecedented levels following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

ActBlue received $6.2 million in donations just one hour after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death

In just the hour after the news broke of the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, $6.2 million in donations poured into ActBlue, a democratic fund-raising platform. 

This was the highest amount raised in an hour in the site’s 16 year existence.

via ActBlue social media

Donors reached even deeper into their pockets during the next hour. Donations during the 10 p.m. hour garnered $6.3 million – more that $100,000 per minute. 

Read More: DNC receives thousands of $19.08 donations in honor of AKA

As of noon on Saturday, donations on ActBlue for Democratic Causes and Campaigns surpassed $50 million.

According to the New York Times, before that, the largest fundraising hour was on Aug. 20, when presidential candidate Joe Biden spoke on the final night of the Democratic National Convention.  ActBlue says $4.3 million in donations were processed then. 

Just as Democrats are working to support efforts on the left, the right wing is also doing the same, including a push to fill Ginsburg seat as soon as possible. 

In 2016, after Justice Antonin Scalia‘s death Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed not to fill the vacancy so close to the presidential election. This time he says the scenario although similar require different responses. 

“In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia’s death in 2016, Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president’s second term. We kept our promise,” McConnell said. 

Read More: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish: ‘I will not be replaced until a new president is installed’

“By contrast, Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise.”

ActBlue says the company does not currently have information on where the majority of donations since Friday night were directed. 

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Democratic donations reach unprecedented levels following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg appeared first on TheGrio.



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More performers of color nominated for Emmy Awards this year, study shows

Jimmy Kimmel will host the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards this Sunday

Results from a new NBC News study found that in the past 10 years of Emmy nominations, nearly 80 percent went to white performers. 

The research shows 15 percent of nominations went to Black performers, however less than 3 percent went to Latino performers. The percentages shrink even more for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Barely 1 percent went to performers of Middle Eastern or Northern African descent.

The data does not include nominations in “short form” content such as programs on YouTube as that category was introduced only four years ago.

This year, 42 performers of color were nominated, but some say this is only the first step towards real change.

Read More: Creative director Jemel McWilliams on his Emmy nod: ‘It’s an absolute honor’

Jimmy Kimmel will host the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards this Sunday. The show this year is set to be a virtual experience to fall under social distancing guidelines with a very limited number of people attending actual events. As an extra precaution presenters will be wearing complete hazmat suits to hand out awards.

Rashad Robinson, the president of the racial justice organization Color of Change, told NBC that diversity at major awards shows deserves attention. He says recognition in the form of nominations can help catapult the careers of artists of color. 

“In the midst of so many different racial justice issues I could care about, I care about this because of the economic consequences on real people,” Robinson said.

emmys.com/Television Academy

In a statement to NBC News this week, a spokesperson for the Television Academy said the organization recognized the need for change. 

“As an organization which is open for membership to all individuals working in the television industry, the Television Academy fervently agrees that there is still much work to be done across our industry in regards to representation,” the spokesperson said.

“We feel it is a very positive sign that over the past decade the well-deserved recognition of performers of color has increased from 1 in 10 to 1 in 3 nominees across all performer categories,” the spokesperson added.

Read More: Maya Rudolph wins first Emmy for ‘Big Mouth’

NBC reported that in the last five years, only two Latinos — Louis C.K., whose father is of Mexican and Hungarian descent, and Alexis Bledel, who is Latina— were among the nominees for lead or supporting performance in a comedy or drama series.

“It is embarrassing that an industry situated in Los Angeles continues to have such a lack of Latino representation,” Robinson said.  

People from Latino/Hispanic backgrounds make up about half the population of Los Angeles. 

The lack of diversity in Emmy nominations could be a reflection of the entertainment business as a whole. 

A 2019 Hollywood Diversity Report at UCLA found that performers of color played lead characters on just less than 22 percent of broadcast shows, cable shows and digital shows.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

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Central African Republic: Ex-officer arrested for war crimes

Eric Danboy Bagale, a guard under ex-President François Bozizé, was arrested by French police.

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How Ginsburg’s death could reshape the presidential campaign: ‘a fight of epic proportions’

‘I do not know how this does not become a fight of epic proportions,’ Democratic strategist Megan Jones says after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing

\NEW YORK (AP) — A presidential campaign that was already tugging at the nation’s most searing divides has been jolted by the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, potentially reshaping the election at a moment when some Americans were beginning to cast ballots.

For months, the contest has largely centered on President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, the biggest public health crisis in a century that has badly damaged his prospects for reelection as the U.S. death toll nears 200,000 people.

But in a flash, Ginsburg’s death on Friday added new weight to the election, with the potential that Trump or his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, could pick a successor who could decide abortion access, environmental regulations and the power of the presidency for a generation.

In this April 6, 2018, file photo, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg applauds after a performance in her honor after she spoke about her life and work during a discussion at Georgetown Law School in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

With early voting underway in five states and Election Day just over six weeks away, Democrats and Republicans were largely unified late Friday in praising Ginsburg as a leading legal thinker and advocate for women’s rights. But strategists in both parties also seized on the moment to find an advantage.

Facing the prospect of losing both the White House and the Senate, some Republicans viewed the Supreme Court vacancy as one of the few avenues remaining for Trump to galvanize supporters beyond his most loyal core of supporters, particularly suburban women who have abandoned the GOP in recent years.

“It’s hard to see how this doesn’t help Trump politically,” said veteran Republican strategist Alex Conant. “Biden wants this election to be a referendum on Trump. Now it’s going to be a referendum on whoever he nominates to the Supreme Court.”

READ MORE: Trump has leverage over Biden on one important issue in battleground states

Multiple Republicans close to the White House believe that Trump will likely nominate a woman, who could serve as a counterweight of sorts to Biden’s choice of running mate Kamala Harris, who would be the first woman to serve as vice president.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pledged to quickly bring to a vote whomever Trump nominates. But he faces potential division within his own ranks, including from Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Cory Gardner of Colorado. Collins and Gardner are in particularly tight races for reelection this fall.

That’s fueling optimism among Democrats that the vacancy could drive home the significance of the election to their base.

“The implications for Senate races could be profound,” said Democratic strategist Bill Burton.

The flag at the White House flies at half-staff Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, in Washington, after the Supreme Court announced that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at age 87. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“The presidential race will see some immediate churn as activists on both sides will be newly energized,” he continued. “The persistent question will be whether huge protests around the Capitol and the country will inflame such vigorous energy that it leads to awful clashes.”

McConnell, in a note to his GOP colleagues Friday night, urged them to “keep their powder dry” and not rush to declare a position on whether a Trump nominee should get a vote this year. “This is not the time to prematurely lock yourselves into a position you may later regret,” he said.

Biden, who has already pledged to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, told reporters late Friday that “voters should pick the president and the president should pick the justice to consider.”

Democrats are enraged by McConnell’s pledge to move forward, especially after he blocked President Barack Obama from appointing a justice to replace Antonin Scalia nine months before the 2016 election. That decision cast a long political shadow, prompting Pete Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor who mounted a spirited bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, to make expansion of the Supreme Court a centerpiece of his campaign. Biden rejected the idea.

People gather under a mural of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the U Street neighborhood in Washington, Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, after the announcement that Ginsburg died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at age 87. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Some Democrats privately concede that the Supreme Court vacancy could shift attention away from the virus, which has been a central element of Biden’s campaign.

READ MORE: Majority Leader McConnell says a Trump Supreme Court nominee will receive vote by Senate

Trump took the unprecedented step in 2016 of releasing a list of Supreme Court picks before he was elected, a move that was credited with unifying skeptical conservative voters to unite behind him. Republicans also believe that the high-profile debate over Trump’s last Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh, helped the GOP retain the Senate during the 2018 midterms, when the party lost control of the House.

The president, seeking to build the same type of energy that surrounded his 2016 bid, released another list of potential Supreme Court nominees last week.

But some Democrats said the political environment is already overheated, with partisan divides over everything from wearing a mask to curb the pandemic to addressing climate change. Ginsburg’s death, they say, may not change that.

“It’s already pretty ugly out there,” said Megan Jones, a Democratic strategist who worked for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “I do not know how this does not become a fight of epic proportions.”

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor in Washington, Michelle Price in Las Vegas, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

___

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Mathematicians May Have Figured Out How ‘Stone Forests’ Form

An NYU team thinks it's finally unlocked the secret to how these mysterious landforms get their interesting shape.

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Finding Out What’s Next for Naturi Naughton and Tasha St. Patrick

Naturi Naughton

Naturi Naughton is the definition of success. She has worked for everything she has been able to accomplish. She has built the drive, tenacity, and the wherewithal to be able to conquer in such challenging times. She has definitely stood the test of time in an industry that is forever changing. The businesswoman and the philanthropist that she has grown into is because she took the lemons that she was given and made lemonade. Black Enterprise had the opportunity to meet and speak with this powerhouse of a woman.

 

What do you have going on currently?

Well, preparing for the spin-off of Power, staying focused on my faith, being a good mother to my 3-year-old daughter, enhancing my relationships, and continuously working in my goals. I went back to my first love, which is my music; just finding my voice again. For the rest of the year, I just want to stay healthy and do good work. Hopefully, I will direct and produce my own projects. I’m really working on producing more stories for our people. I would like to get more involved behind the scenes of filmmaking in another year or so.

What have you learned from being a businesswoman on Power?

I’ve learned so much! Not just from Power, but from the transitioning from the music industry. Things like:

  • Sometimes it’s OK to let the other person be right. You don’t have to fight to be right.
  • In business, sometimes you will have to do things you don’t want to do and that make you feel uncomfortable.
  • Be patient.
  • You will have to work with people that are not kind, have bad energies, are not easy to work with.
  • Although Power is widely successful, it is not all of who I am. You can’t let any business or career dictate you or your happiness. I think that is so important.

What advice would you give to that woman who wants to give up, who has no more fight in her?

There are no shortcuts to success. I literally was that woman living in L.A. I wasn’t making any money. I wasn’t working for about two years. There was a dry spell in the industry. I’m not going to lie to you, there are going to be moments when you do feel like giving up. There are going to be moments when you are not chosen, when you are not going to be successful. Anything that is great will be met with challenges. So, when you do get something, you have a great appreciation for it because you put in the work. Pray for strength! There may be a reason why you’re being blocked, why it isn’t working out for you. Just being aware that everyone has their time. And soon your time will come.

Tell us about your foundation, Naturi Dreamers Foundation.

I grew up in the inner city. We have fed over a hundred families in different cities. We fed well over 500 families in Brooklyn alone. We coupled with a restaurant here in Brooklyn so that they could stay afloat in the midst of this COVID/pandemic crisis. We’ve fed over 10,000 people in New Jersey. Simply, my foundation is a place where people can go if they have a need. Obviously, I can’t fill every need, but I can do my part.

Eventually, my foundation will have a summer workshop that helps to find artists, actors, entertainers. We will have classes and have others in the industry come and speak with them. They will get the tools needed for entertainment. It takes education and talent.

 


Dr. Jessica Mosley is a serial entrepreneur who loves teaching fellow CEO women how to show up in their truth & power. As Steward Owner of MizCEO Entrepreneurial Media Brand, Sovereign Care Home Care, Sovereign Care Medical Training Center, and Deborah’s Place for Battered Women, Jessica is busy making moves that impact her community & those connected to her.



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