Translate

Pages

Pages

Pages

Intro Video

Monday, June 29, 2020

The Anthropause: How the Pandemic Gives Scientists a New Way to Study Wildlife

A group of scientists argue that the Covid lockdown, what they're calling the “anthropause,” is an unprecedented opportunity to study how humans affect animal behavior.

from Wired https://ift.tt/3g3y49K
via
at
Labels:

Sunday, June 28, 2020

2020 BET Awards: Top 7 moments of the night

This year marked the 20 year anniversary of the BET Awards. The coronavirus pandemic tried to ruin the show’s big anniversary by forcing the show to be virtual–instead of the week of events in Los Angeles that normally take place leading up to Black Hollywood’s biggest night. But BET proved that the show must go on.

RELATED: 2020 BET Awards: Here’s the complete list of winners

Just because we are in quarantine does not mean our culture will be silenced! For the first time ever, the show aired on both BET and network television, premiering on CBS. There were tons of highlight from the three-hour broadcast, but theGrio put together a list of the cant miss moments from this years award show. 

 

 

 

The Intro:

 

 

 

The show set the bar high when it kicked off with one of the best intros of all time, starting off with a performance from up-and-coming talent Keedron Bryant. Bryant went viral with his original song, “Young Black King”, addressing the many racial injustices young black men face. The intro then featured a performance of the “Fight The Power Anthem” with none other then Nas, Public Enemy, Rapsody, Black Thought, Questlove and YG. 

The intro also included a highlight reel from some of the biggest moments from shows of yesteryear over the past 20 years. Twenty years where on earth did time go?

 

The Tributes–Kobe Bryant and Little Richard:

 

 

 

This year, we experienced a lot of loss in the Black community. The BET Awards always makes sure to highlight all the lives that we have lost during the “In Memoriam” segment. In addition to the segment, the 2020 show also featured performances from Wayne Brady, who is set to play Little Richard in American Soul, and Lil Wayne, who performed his 2009 song “Kobe Bryant,” updating the lyrics to pay homage to the late NBA star. 

 

Chloe and Halle Quarantine Divas:

 

Chloe X Halle are definitely winners when it comes to best quarantine performances. The two sisters have taken this time during quarantine to master their performances and they did not let us down with their performance of their song, “Do It,” and debuting their song, “Forgive Me”. The sisters started a performance on one screen, then switched outfits and background to perform their second song, “Do It.” Ending the performance with the two screens next to each other and breaking it down, showing us that they are true performers. These protégés continued to set the standard, letting us know that they will shut down whatever stage they are on. 

 

 

 

Michelle Obama giving Beyoncé the Humanitarian Award:

 

Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Thats it. That’s the sentence. Two of our faves graced our TV screens back-to-back and we are thankful! Obama highlighted all of Beyonce’s philanthropic efforts through her foundation, Bey Good. Letting us know that Queen Bey has been doing the work and will continue to doing it, whether there are cameras around or not. Beyoncé then hit the screen, letting viewers know that this is the time for us to get out and vote and continue to be “the change we want to see.” 

 

 

 

Tribute to Black Lives Lost: 

 

BET is a channel centered around Black culture and making sure our voices are always amplified. We already knew the show would not fail us in highlighting and voicing that Black Lives Matter, but it was still a great feeling to watch that every performance made sure to pay homage to our people. From the subtle black power fist in Megan Thee Stallion‘s performance to Roddy Rich‘s Black Lives Matter shirt–and especially the tributes to all the people that have lost their lives due to the hands of police officers–the award show did not miss a beat. Letting our counterparts know that you will not only love our talent, but you will also get this symbolism! 

RELATED: Lil Wayne pays tribute to Kobe Bryant at 2020 BET Awards

 

The Commercial. All Black Everything: 

 

Instead of your usual commercials, BET made sure to highlight all things Black with each commercial. The ads featured Black talent, highlighted racial injustice, promoted upcoming Black films, or highlighted black initiatives. Each moment during the entire broadcast majored to highlight our stories, music and most importantly our culture. 

 

 

Kierra Sheard and Karen Clark Sheard Closing Performance: 

 

 

It wouldn’t be a BET Awards without the Bobby Jones Gospel performance and this year’s performance featured the mother-daughter duo of Kierra Sheard and Karen Clark Sheard.

They hit the stage to close out the show with their song, “Something Has to Break.” The two vocal powerhouses tore the stage down, letting us know that despite everything going on in this world, something will have to break and we will simply make it through. The moment left viewers encouraged to go out and continue our fight as we start this next week. For all those looking for their gospel fix on a Sunday, this performance was definitely that. 

The post 2020 BET Awards: Top 7 moments of the night appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3dIs9W0
via
at
Labels:

CSAIL robot disinfects Greater Boston Food Bank

With every droplet that we can’t see, touch, or feel dispersed into the air, the threat of spreading Covid-19 persists. It’s become increasingly critical to keep these heavy droplets from lingering — especially on surfaces, which are welcoming and generous hosts. 

Thankfully, our chemical cleaning products are effective, but using them to disinfect larger settings can be expensive, dangerous, and time-consuming. Across the globe there are thousands of warehouses, grocery stores, schools, and other spaces where cleaning workers are at risk.

With that in mind, a team from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), in collaboration with Ava Robotics and the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), designed a new robotic system that powerfully disinfects surfaces and neutralizes aerosolized forms of the coronavirus.

The approach uses a custom UV-C light fixture designed at CSAIL that is integrated with Ava Robotics’ mobile robot base. The results were encouraging enough that researchers say that the approach could be useful for autonomous UV disinfection in other environments, such as factories, restaurants, and supermarkets. 

UV-C light has proven to be effective at killing viruses and bacteria on surfaces and aerosols, but it’s unsafe for humans to be exposed. Fortunately, Ava’s telepresence robot doesn’t require any human supervision. Instead of the telepresence top, the team subbed in a UV-C array for disinfecting surfaces. Specifically, the array uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms and disrupt their DNA in a process called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.

The complete robot system is capable of mapping the space — in this case, GBFB’s warehouse — and navigating between waypoints and other specified areas. In testing the system, the team used a UV-C dosimeter, which confirmed that the robot was delivering the expected dosage of UV-C light predicted by the model.

“Food banks provide an essential service to our communities, so it is critical to help keep these operations running,” says Alyssa Pierson, CSAIL research scientist and technical lead of the UV-C lamp assembly. “Here, there was a unique opportunity to provide additional disinfecting power to their current workflow, and help reduce the risks of Covid-19 exposure.” 

Food banks are also facing a particular demand due to the stress of Covid-19. The United Nations projected that, because of the virus, the number of people facing severe food insecurity worldwide could double to 265 million. In the United States alone, the five-week total of job losses has risen to 26 million, potentially pushing millions more into food insecurity. 

During tests at GBFB, the robot was able to drive by the pallets and storage aisles at a speed of roughly 0.22 miles per hour. At this speed, the robot could cover a 4,000-square-foot space in GBFB’s warehouse in just half an hour. The UV-C dosage delivered during this time can neutralize approximately 90 percent of coronaviruses on surfaces. For many surfaces, this dose will be higher, resulting in more of the virus neutralized.

Typically, this method of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is used largely in hospitals and medical settings, to sterilize patient rooms and stop the spread of microorganisms like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile, and the UV-C light also works against airborne pathogens. While it’s most effective in the direct “line of sight,” it can get to nooks and crannies as the light bounces off surfaces and onto other surfaces. 

"Our 10-year-old warehouse is a relatively new food distribution facility with AIB-certified, state-of-the-art cleanliness and food safety standards,” says Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Food Bank. “Covid-19 is a new pathogen that GBFB, and the rest of the world, was not designed to handle. We are pleased to have this opportunity to work with MIT CSAIL and Ava Robotics to innovate and advance our sanitation techniques to defeat this menace." 

As a first step, the team teleoperated the robot to teach it the path around the warehouse — meaning it’s equipped with autonomy to move around, without the team needing to navigate it remotely. 

It can go to defined waypoints on its map, such as going to the loading dock, then the warehouse shipping floor, then returning to base. They define those waypoints from the expert human user in teleop mode, and then can add new waypoints to the map as needed. 

Within GBFB, the team identified the warehouse shipping floor as a “high-importance area” for the robot to disinfect. Each day, workers stage aisles of products and arrange them for up to 50 pickups by partners and distribution trucks the next day. By focusing on the shipping area, it prioritizes disinfecting items leaving the warehouse to reduce Covid-19 spread out into the community.

Currently, the team is exploring how to use its onboard sensors to adapt to changes in the environment, such that in new territory, the robot would adjust its speed to ensure the recommended dosage is applied to new objects and surfaces. 

A unique challenge is that the shipping area is constantly changing, so each night, the robot encounters a slightly new environment. When the robot is deployed, it doesn’t necessarily know which of the staging aisles will be occupied, or how full each aisle might be. Therefore, the team notes that they need to teach the robot to differentiate between the occupied and unoccupied aisles, so it can change its planned path accordingly.

As far as production went, “in-house manufacturing” took on a whole new meaning for this prototype and the team. The UV-C lamps were assembled in Pierson's basement, and CSAIL PhD student Jonathan Romanishin crafted a makeshift shop in his apartment for the electronics board assembly. 

“As we drive the robot around the food bank, we are also researching new control policies that will allow the robot to adapt to changes in the environment and ensure all areas receive the proper estimated dosage,” says Pierson. “We are focused on remote operation to minimize  human supervision, and, therefore, the additional risk of spreading Covid-19, while running our system.” 

For immediate next steps, the team is focused on increasing the capabilities of the robot at GBFB, as well as eventually implementing design upgrades. Their broader intention focuses on how to make these systems more capable at adapting to our world: how a robot can dynamically change its plan based on estimated UV-C dosages, how it can work in new environments, and how to coordinate teams of UV-C robots to work together.

“We are excited to see the UV-C disinfecting robot support our community in this time of need,” says CSAIL director and project lead Daniela Rus. “The insights we received from the work at GBFB has highlighted several algorithmic challenges. We plan to tackle these in order to extend the scope of autonomous UV disinfection in complex spaces, including dorms, schools, airplanes, and grocery stores.” 

Currently, the team’s focus is on GBFB, although the algorithms and systems they are developing could be transferred to other use cases in the future, like warehouses, grocery stores, and schools. 

"MIT has been a great partner, and when they came to us, the team was eager to start the integration, which took just four weeks to get up and running,” says Ava Robotics CEO Youssef Saleh. “The opportunity for robots to solve workplace challenges is bigger than ever, and collaborating with MIT to make an impact at the food bank has been a great experience." 

Pierson and Romanishin worked alongside Hunter Hansen (software capabilities), Bryan Teague of MIT Lincoln Laboratory (who assisted with the UV-C lamp assembly), Igor Gilitschenski and Xiao Li (assisting with future autonomy research), MIT professors Daniela Rus and Saman Amarasinghe, and Ava leads Marcio Macedo and Youssef Saleh. 

This project was supported in part by Ava Robotics, who provided their platform and team support.



from MIT News https://ift.tt/3dHKYZE
via
at
Labels:

2020 BET Awards: Complete list of winners

Check out the full list of winners at the 2020 BET Awards, which aired virtually on Sunday from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

____

— Video of the Year: “Higher,” DJ Khaled, John Legend and Nipsey Hussle

— Best Female R&B/pop Artist: Lizzo

— Best Male R&B/pop Artist: Chris Brown

— Best Female hip-hop Artist: Megan Thee Stallion

— Best Male Hip-Hop artist: DaBaby

— Best New Artist: Roddy Ricch

— Best Group: Migos

— Best Collaboration: H.E.R

— Album of the Year: Roddy Ricch, “Please Excuse Me For Being Anti-Social”

— Viewers’ Choice Award: Megan the Stallion, Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign; “Hot Girl Summer”

— Humanitarian award: Beyoncé

— Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award: Kirk Franklin, “Just For Me”

— Best Actress: Issa Rae

— Best Actor:Michael B. Jordan

— Best Movie: Queen & Slim

— Youngstars Award: Marsai Martin

— Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles

— Sportsman of the Year: LeBron James

— BET HER award: Beyoncé ft. Blue Ivy Carter, Wizkid & Saint Jhn; “Brown Skin Girl”

— Video Director of the Year: Teyana “Spike Tee” Taylor

— Best International Act: Burna Boy (Nigeria)

— Best New International Act: Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)

The post 2020 BET Awards: Complete list of winners appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/31ruKBy
via
at
Labels:

Lil Wayne pays tribute to Kobe Bryant at 2020 BET Awards

One of the hardest moment in 2020 was the sudden and unfortunate passing of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven others in a helicopter crash in January. The 2020 BET Awards paid homage to the star on Sunday with an all- star tribute, featuring Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Wayne. 

RELATED: Kobe Bryant’s final Lakers season documented with all-access film crew

The New Orleans native rapped his original song, “Kobe Bryant,” that he released in 2009, with highlights from Kobe’s NBA career playing in the background during his performance. Wayne made sure to update the song by giving a shoutout to Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, and sending his love to her and the family

““Heart goes out to Vanessa and the whole Black Mamba family,” the rapper said during his set. 

The tribute received a lot of buzz on Twitter from fans who were heartbroken, but touched, by the memorial. Check out some of the reactions to the tribute below.

 

NBA star and Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum took time out to share his thoughts on the epic performance and memorial on Sunday. 

The performance came after the show took time to highlight all of legendary people that died in 2020 during the “In Memoriam” segment, which of course got us in all the feels.

RELATED: Kobe Bryant’s sports academy retires ‘Mamba’ nickname

Wayne Brady also hit the stage in sparkly suit, paying homage to the the late Little Richard. The actor is set to play the role of Little Richard in BET’s original show American Soul.

This hasn’t been an easy year, but we are thankful for the moment to honor these voices that have played important roles in our culture. 

The post Lil Wayne pays tribute to Kobe Bryant at 2020 BET Awards appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2NCxe7R
via
at
Labels:

Black women expose sexual harassment by Black Sports Online’s Robert Littal with #SurvivingBSO

Late Saturday night on Twitter, the hashtag #SurvivingBSO began, highlighting many allegations of sexual and verbal harassment by Black Sports Online (BSO) CEO Robert Littal.

Complete with screenshots of inappropriate comments and stories of sickening propositions to unpaid Black women writers for the outlet, accusers have boldly brought to light all the dirty secrets of the site’s lead executive.

READ MORE: Bill Cosby granted appeal in Pennsylvania sex assault case

TheGrio.com spoke exclusively with several of the accusers about the sexual harassment allegations, why they are speaking out now, and what they hope comes out of speaking up.

Sheena Quick, former BSO contributor who penned over 800 stories, and CEO and founder of Quick Out the Blocks, recalled on an incident where he harassed her.

It was a corporate training in May 2015 that the two attended. Littal suggested that she show him her breasts if she made a certain number of mistakes in her pieces. But the sexual harassment didn’t stop there.

“In February 2018, the week of the NFL Combine, he kept suggesting I needed to sleep with him,” Quick told theGrio.com. “It was the only NFL combine I have missed in the last five years because he made me feel uncomfortable.”

Quick posted a screenshot of the conversation.

When people asked where she was, Quick kept the sexual harassment private. Instead, she chose to say that one of her three children was sick, using that as an excuse for her not attending the NFL Combine.

She was not the only person that took to social media with her #MeToo story.

Tamantha Gunn, who wrote over 1,000 pieces for BSO since 2015, and is currently a news editor for Revolt, shared troubling screenshots of unwanted conversations in the company’s group chat about her sex life. When a co-worker stood up for Gunn, that woman was removed from the group chat.

This immediately impacted Gunn’s work at the outlet, and she reveals that she even questioned wanting to continue in the world of journalism.

The experience made her feel numb.

Gunn said, “Honestly, I didn’t know what to feel because I had never experienced anything like that before.”

After sharing what happened with her fiancé, who encouraged Gunn to speak out, she did. “I didn’t want Black women to keep writing for this man and keep getting violated,” she expressed.

Just like too many industries in this country, there are not a lot of opportunities for women in sports. There are even fewer breaks for Black women either in the industry or looking for their first opportunity.

black sports online BSO theGrio.com
blacksportsonline.com logo (site)

This creates a perfect storm for sexual harassment. When it happens, far too many don’t speak out for fear of retribution and being black-listed in the industry. There are also far too many examples of it happening in the past to mention.

“Unfortunately, there are so many women that are faced with the tough dilemma of having to choose between either their self-respect and their career,“ Quick said.

She then added that she was afraid, even shaking while tweeting about her experiences with Littal Saturday night.

Her fear was with good reason. Quick shared a screenshot that alleges Littal helped stop her three children from being removed from her home, something she vehemently denies.

“I contributed to BSO multiple times daily from 2012 until around 2015 and sporadically from 2015 to 2018,” said Vashti Hurt, former BSO contributor and Founder and Editor in Chief of Carolina Blitz.

“From day one, I went full throttle, writing regularly to help build the BSO brand,” Hurt shared. “Even using my investment banker background to create business and marketing plans for the website.”

Hurt contends that there was no compensation for her expertise.

Quick shared stories of struggling financially to cover events for BSO without compensation. Hurt shared similar stories.

“I would travel to cover events for the BSO brand without travel expenses, oftentimes struggling financially to pursue my passion,” Hurt remembers.

A detail shot of the game ball during the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers  (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

What followed was simply exploitation.

“Rob knew how hungry we were to succeed in this industry as Black women, who are often overlooked and exploited,” said Hurt. “It was insulting to see him bragging about how much money he was making as the boss, while literally playing the role of the overseer behind the scenes I didn’t experience the professional growth he promised in exchange for free labor until I left the brand.”

Another troubling accusation came in the form of a Direct Message to Gunn from a woman who contributed to BSO who prefers to remain anonymous.

The women continued to have people submit troubling screenshots.

Actress and comedian Amanda Seales, who has a history with Littal, joined the conversation, admitting that she regrets over not suing him, and encouraging his accusers to take him to court.

Without addressing the sexual harassment accusations or any of his accusers directly, Littal, clad is a Spider-Man t-shirt, apologized numerous times over nearly seven and a half minutes in a live video on Twitter.

After watching the video, Quick was not impressed.

“He brushed over the sexual harassment like it was no big deal,” she said. “I’d like for Rob to take accountability, and enroll in sensitivity training.”

“I’d like Rob to change the toxic culture around BSO and start paying for contributions or at minimum travel expenses,” Hurt said of what she hopes comes out of the allegations becoming public.

“I’d also like for there to be an overall culture change in sports journalism. I’d like to see the industry embrace women, Black women, and see value in our voices and experiences.”

Gunn had no plans to watch the apology, but shared what she wants to happen as a result of the allegations becoming public.

“I want him to step down, I want him to confirm what he has done, and I want him to start paying writers,” Gunn said.

TMZ Sports theGrio.com
TMZ Sports (Twitter)

She also wants TMZ Sports to fire him from his co-hosting position.

“I don’t want him being in a position of power to affect Black women,” Gunn exclaimed.

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

The post Black women expose sexual harassment by Black Sports Online’s Robert Littal with #SurvivingBSO appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3eTl46o
via
at
Labels:

Essence Magazine’s staffers anonymously call out toxic workplace culture

Essence Magazine is facing internal backlash from its predominantly Black female staff.

Accusations of pay inequity, sexual harassment, corporate bullying, intimidation, colorism, and classism are a few of the things the employees are complaining about. Their hope is that advertisers will pull campaigns from the female brand until they can treat their employees better.

READ MORE: ESSENCE CEO Michelle Ebanks unexpectedly steps down

A blog published on Sunday alleged that the Black women who are employed for Essence are unhappy working under the company’s chief officers, including Essence Ventures owner and CEO Richelieu Dennis.

According to the anonymous group of disgruntled employees, that now goes by the name Black Female Anonymous, the company’s leadership is making the magazine the “most deceptive Black media company in America,” by exploiting movements like the #BlackGirlMagic for monetary gain.

In addition to Dennis, Essence Ventures board member and former Essence Communications CEO Michelle Ebanks, COO Joy Collins Profet, and CCO Moana Luu are named as key actors in the workplace downfall of the trusted Black print.

BFA posted a Medium blog that further said that the company has a two-year history of wrongfully laying off or forcing Black women to resign.

Michelle Obama Essence magazine Dec 2018/Jan 2019 cover thegrio.com
Essence magazine Dec 2018/Jan 2019 cover

Essence has a workforce consisting of about 80% of Black women, according to the blog, and the magazine has been committed to serving the population since May 1970.

Since the acquisition of Essence in 2018 from Time Inc., Dennis allegedly preyed upon females who work for him.

This is not the first time these allegations have emerged.

According to BFA, he has allegedly slept with former employees, namely workers of the Sundial Brands. Sundial is the parent company that owned the SheaMoisture products before he sold the brand to Unilever in 2017.

Dennis is said to have pressed his luck with female employees, harassing those who do not consent to his advances at private company events.

At some point in 2019, it is alleged, that Dennis attempted to have certain females sign a non-disclosure agreement to protect his family business from facing “liability or disparagement after a string of wrongful layoffs and other potentially libelous business activity.”

Essence theGrio.com
Host Kelly Rowland speaks onstage during the 2019 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards Luncheon at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on February 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for Essence)

Martha Dennis, the company’s Head of Human Resources, is allegedly in a complicit conflict of interest and accused of ignoring reports against her husband.

When it came to Ebanks and Collins Profet, they are cited as the beginning of the toxic workplace culture and poor hiring practices, respectively.

Since her tenure as a president in 2005 when the company was owned by Time Inc., Ebanks allegedly sought power in the company by bullying others.

Although in 2019 she “resigned” as a CEO and now acts as a board member, she allegedly continues to give employees an ultimatum: either they accept their salaries without the expectations of pay raise or literally be shown the door.

Susan Taylor theGrio.com
Susan L. Taylor, Founder of the National CARES Mentoring Movement speaks onstage at the National CARES Mentoring Movement’s third annual For The Love Of Our Children Gala. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for National CARES Mentoring Movement))

Under her leadership, there were many public and private firings, forced layoffs, and resignations. The most shocking of these dismissals was the firing of the beloved Susan Taylor in 2008.

According to BFA, the company has not been the same since.

The group also believes that Collins Profet, a hire from Ebanks, added to the deterioration of the Essence legacy by employing terrible candidates. 

Collins Profet’s hired people like Darline Jean, who lasted one year as the company’s Chief Digital Officer. They allege that she subsequently hired a Black male and Asian male senior roles at the female-driven magazine.

Essence, thegrio.com
February 2018 cover of Essence magazine

Another supposed bad hire was Kristen Elliot. A white transplant from Condé Nast, she was Collins Profet’s pick for SVP of Revenue. BFA contends that Elliot in turn hired a white woman as a sales leader.

Ebanks allegedly had a hand in blocking positions from qualified Black women seeking sales roles, the anonymous group said.

READ MORE: ESSENCE Festival 2020 is canceled over coronavirus pandemic

The third executive in the explosive exposé is Moana Luu. BFA submits that she is not qualified for her position and is a corporate bully who lacks leadership skills.

When a staffer anonymously emailed a complaint to both Dennis and Ebanks about Luu’s poor performance, the two were more interested in finding out the identity of “the mole.”

The group hopes its blog will reach to Essence leadership and investors and that its demands will be met in the next 5 business days. If not, they are calling “AT&T, Coca Cola, Chase Bank, Ford, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Walmart, and Warner Media to immediately eliminate all active or future sponsorships and media buys” with the company.

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

The post Essence Magazine’s staffers anonymously call out toxic workplace culture appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2VtrjGx
via
at
Labels:

Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate emblem from flag

Mississippi lawmakers voted Sunday to surrender the Confederate battle emblem from their state flag, triggering raucous applause and cheers more than a century after white supremacist legislators adopted the design a generation after the South lost the Civil War.

Mississippi’s House and Senate voted in succession Sunday afternoon to retire the flag, each chamber drawing broad bipartisan support for the historic decision. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he will sign the bill, and the state flag would lose its official status as soon as he signs the measure. He did not immediately signal when the signing would take place.

READ MORE: Mayor of Mississippi town cries while signing order to take down state flag

Mississippi Lieutenant Governor and Republican Gubernatorial candidate Tate Reeves speaks to reporters before appearing with President Donald Trump at a “Keep America Great” campaign rally at BancorpSouth Arena on November 1, 2019 in Tupelo, Mississippi. (Photo by Brandon Dill/Getty Images)

The state had faced mounting pressure to change its flag during the past month amid international protests against racial injustice in the United States. Cheering and applause erupted as lawmakers hugged each other in the Senate with final passage. Even those on the opposite side of the issue also hugged as an emotional day of debate drew to a close. Bells also could be heard ringing in the state capital city as passage of the measure was announced.

A commission would design a new flag that cannot include the Confederate symbol and that must have the words “In God We Trust.” Voters will be asked to approve the new design in the Nov. 3 election. If they reject it, the commission will set a different design using the same guidelines, and that would be sent to voters later.

Mississippi has a 38% Black population — and the last state flag that incorporates the emblem that’s widely seen as racist.

Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn, who is white, has pushed for five years to change the flag, saying that the Confederate symbol is offensive. The House passed the bill 91-23 Sunday afternoon, and the Senate passed it 37-14 later.

“How sweet it is to celebrate this on the Lord’s day,” Gunn said. “Many prayed to Him to bring us to this day. He has answered.”

Debate over changing the flag has arisen before, and in recent years an increasing number of cities and all the state’s public universities have taken it down on their own. But the issue has never garnered enough support in the conservative Republican-dominated Legislature or with recent governors.

In this April 25, 2020 photograph, a small Mississippi state flag is held by a participant during a drive-by “re-open Mississippi” protest past the Governor’s Mansion, in the background, in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

That dynamic changed in a matter of weeks as an extraordinary and diverse coalition of political, business, religious groups and sports leaders pushed to change the flag.

At a Black Lives Matter protest outside the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion in early June, thousands cheered as an organizer said the state needs to divorce itself from all Confederate symbols.

Religious groups — including the large and influential Mississippi Baptist Convention — said erasing the rebel emblem from the state flag is a moral imperative.

Business groups said the banner hinders economic development in one of the poorest states in the nation.

READ MORE: D.C. protesters try to tear down Andrew Jackson statue in Lafayette Park

In a sports-crazy culture, the biggest blow might have happened when college sports leagues said Mississippi could lose postseason events if it continued flying the Confederate-themed flag. Nearly four dozen of Mississippi’s university athletic directors and coaches came to the Capitol to lobby for change.

“We need something that fulfills the purpose of being a state flag and that everybody in the state has a reason to be proud of,” said Mike Leach, football coach at Mississippi State University.

Many people who wanted to keep the emblem on the Mississippi flag said they see it as a symbol of heritage.

Legislators put the Confederate emblem on the upper left corner of Mississippi flag in 1894, as whites were squelching political power that African Americans gained after the Civil War.

The battle emblem is a red field topped by a blue X with 13 white stars. The Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups have waved the rebel flag for decades. Georgia put the battle emblem prominently on its state flag in 1956, during a backlash to the civil rights movement. That state removed the symbol from its banner in 2001.

The Mississippi Supreme Court found in 2000 that when the state updated its laws in 1906, portions dealing with the flag were not included. That meant the banner lacked official status. The Democratic governor in 2000, Ronnie Musgrove, appointed a commission to decide the flag’s future. It held hearings across the state that grew ugly as people shouted at each other about the flag.

After that, legislators opted not to set a flag design themselves. They put the issue on a 2001 statewide ballot, and people voted to keep the flag. An alternate proposal would have replaced the Confederate corner with a blue field topped by a cluster of white stars representing Mississippi as the 20th state.

Democratic state Sen. Derrick Simmons of Greenville, who is African American, said the state deserves a flag that will make all people proud. “Today is a history-making day in the state of Mississippi,” Simmons told colleagues before the Senate voted for passage. “Let’s vote today for the Mississippi of tomorrow.”

The post Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate emblem from flag appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3i8N5ZT
via
at
Labels:

Tamron Hall shuffles staff, hires former ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ producers for daytime show

Tamron Hall‘s daily talk show brought on a new executive producer earlier this year and the showrunner has reportedly landed a veteran group of staff from the former leading talk show on television.

Candi Carter, who joined ABC‘s “The Tamron Hall Show” in March, hired several new team members who all worked on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ which was the No. 1 talk show for 24 consecutive seasons, Page Six reports.

Sources and insiders have confirmed that the new regime has been a result of the arrival of Carter, who was previously the executive producer of ABC’s “The View.”

“They’ve hired several Oprah alum to build her second season,” one source told the entertainment news outlet.

READ MORE: Tamron Hall opens up on her responsibilities as a Black reporter

Hall, a former fixture on NBC and MSNBC until her departure in 2017, launched “The Tamron Hall Show” in September.

Candi Carter (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Dress for Success Worldwide)

An additional insider implicated that former Tamron Hall executive producer, Bill Geddie, didn’t have the connections to make such hires.

“Their initial executive producer didn’t have the Rolodex to assemble a ‘dream team,’ and that’s what Candi is doing,” the insider said. “She quietly brought on Kristin Graham, a former producer on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show.’ Three other producers also joined, and two more will be hired.”

In conjunction with the new hires, 18 staffers on “The Tamron Hall Show” were let go on Thursday, June 25, many of whom were hired by Geddie. A third source called the firings “a blood bath.”

“Everybody on the staff knew that when the season wrapped, there would be conversations [about next season],” the second insider said, Page Six reports. “They looked at their staff and there were people who were hired by Bill who weren’t cutting it, and weren’t doing the work or had the skills.”

READ MORE: Tamron Hall loses executive producer after allegedly not seeing eye to eye

Carter brings over 25 years of production experience to Hall’s morning show. Prior to her time as the first Black executive producer of “The View,” she produced “The Oprah Winfrey Show” on ABC for its final 15 years and won Emmy awards along the way to its final airing in 2011.

Carter has also served as executive producer and developer of several shows and pilots for OWN, Fox, BET, PBS and Tyler Perry Studios.

“Candi put out the ‘O’ signal,” stated the first insider. “She reached out to the cavalry. Tamron is not trying to be the next Oprah, but why ignore the most successful show in daytime [when] members of that team are available?”

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

 

The post Tamron Hall shuffles staff, hires former ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ producers for daytime show appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3g7hA0C
via
at
Labels:

Trump campaign removed social distancing signs prior to Tulsa rally, footage shows

President Donald Trump received a lot of criticism for holding a large campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the middle of a deadly health pandemic.

Fallout from the event is continuing to mount one week after the event on reports that the Trump campaign removed social distancing reminders from the stadium. Video footage shows campaign staffers removing thousands of stickers placed on venue seats that called for safe distancing for guests, according to The Washington Post.

In the video, two men are seen removing stickers from seats at Tulsa’s BOK Center. The stickers said, “Do Not Sit Here, Please!” and was placed on several seats. The stickers were a part of a new safety strategy at the 19,000-seat arena known as VenueShield, Billboard reports.

READ MORE: K-pop fans, TikTok users claim credit for low turnout at Trump Tulsa Rally

Doug Thornton, executive vice president for venue management company ASM Global, stated that venue staff had placed the stickers on the seats in the hours prior to the start of the rally. The president’s reelection team later radioed an ASM executive instructing the company to cease placing the stickers on seats, according to Billboard.

“The campaign went through and removed the stickers,” Thornton told the music news outlet. He went on to say “they also told us that they didn’t want any signs posted saying we should social distance in the venue.”

The event was open to the general public and many arrived without masks. The Oklahoma Supreme Court had rejected a lawsuit file by Tulsa business owners and residents against ASM Global, asking organizers to require attendees to wear masks at the rally.

READ MORE: Trump reportedly angered by low Tulsa rally turnout

Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, told The Post in an email that precautions were taken to ensure audience safety, but did not address the removal of the stickers.

“The rally was in full compliance with local requirements,” Murtaugh wrote. “In addition, every rally attendee received a temperature check prior to admission, was given a face mask, and provided ample access to hand sanitizer.”

While only 6,200 people attended the rally, according to Tulsa Fire Department, many in the audience were seen on the telecast sitting or standing in close proximity.

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

 

The post Trump campaign removed social distancing signs prior to Tulsa rally, footage shows appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2CGjkiL
via
at
Labels:

A Guide To Black-Owned Wine and Spirits Companies For Your Summer Activities

La Fête du Rosé

With the start of summer comes seasonal drinks for kickbacks with friends and family while enjoying the weather. While COVID-19 restrictions may still be in effect as states ease to reopen, its still a time where you can enjoy your favorite summer drink either by yourself or with a companion. As you prepare your bar with your favorite wine and spirits, add a few Black-owned brands to your top shelf.

For Outdoor Dining And Picnic–Le Fête Du Rose

As the first Black-owned rose based out of St. Tropez, France, founder and CEO, Donae Burston wanted to created a wine that was more multicultural focus in its marketing materials. The fruity, eco-friendly rose wine is ideal for outdoor outings like picnics and festivals with friends on a beautiful day.

For People Dreaming Of Their Next Vacation–Cremas Absalon 

Cremas is a Haitian rum similar to coquito in Puerto Rico. Cremas Absalon brings the traditional drink to a larger audience with a twist: a cream liqueur with a taste that reminds you of an island vacation. The company also produces an ice cream made from the rum to enjoy during the summer.

For Drinks After Dark With Friends–HH Bespoke Spirits

Gin is another popular spirit that shows a lack of diversity in its field. The owners behind HH Bespoke Spirits used the inspiration of the Harlem Renaissance to bring their traditional London Dry style gin to a modern American audience.

For Weekend Self-Care–Bass Sangria 

Sangria is a staple at many brunches around the country, and California-based Bass Sangria is now bringing consumers and a new assortment of flavors for the summer. The brand is known for its fruit and herb combinations, including raspberry hibiscus.

For Someone Who Enjoys A Solo Drink–Uncle Nearest

Uncle Nearest is named after the country’s first Black master distiller, Nathan “Nearest” Green, who was believed to perfect the Lincoln Country Process that created Tennessee Whiskey. He is also the one who taught Jack Daniels how to distill his whiskey. The brand opened in 2019 in Tennessee to honor the African American whiskey maker.

For Drinks At Sunset–FLO Wine

Created by jazz pianist, Marcus Johnson, the founder’s love of music and wine find their way into a Sonoma wine that is the perfect red blend of merlot, zinfandel, and cabernet.



from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2NEEtMF
via
at
Labels:

Thomas Blanton, 1963 KKK bomber of 16th St Baptist Church in Birmingham, dies

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr., the last of three one-time Ku Klux Klansmen convicted in a 1963 Alabama church bombing that killed four Black girls and was the deadliest single attack of the civil rights movement, died Friday in prison, officials said. He was 82.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s office said Blanton died of natural causes. He was being held at Donaldson prison near Birmingham, prison officials said.

In May 2001, Blanton was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Ivey, in a statement, called the bombing “a dark day that will never be forgotten in both Alabama’s history and that of our nation.”

This undated file photo shows Alabama inmate Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr., a one-time Ku Klux Klansman convicted in the 1963 church bombing that killed four black girls in Birmingham, Ala. (Alabama Department of Corrections via AP, File)

When asked by the judge during sentencing if he had any comment, Blanton said: “I guess the good Lord will settle it on judgment day.”

Sen. Doug Jones, who prosecuted Blanton, said the fact that Blanton remained free for almost 40 years after the bombing “speaks to a broader systemic failure to hold him and his accomplices accountable.”

READ MORE: ‘4 Little Girls’ remembered: The price of freedom after 50 years

“That he died at this moment, when the country is trying to reconcile the multi-generational failure to end systemic racism, seems fitting,” Jones said in a statement.

The church bombing, exposing the depths of hatred by white supremacists as Birmingham integrated its public schools, was a tipping point of the civil rights movement. Moderates could no longer remain silent and the fight to topple segregation laws gained new momentum.

The investigation into the bombing was stalled early and left dormant for long stretches, but two other ex-Klansmen, Robert Chambliss and Bobby Frank Cherry, also were convicted in the bombing in separate trials. Chambliss was convicted in 1977 and died in prison in 1985. Cherry was convicted in 2002 and died in prison in 2004.

On Sept. 15, 1963, a bomb ripped through an exterior wall of the brick church, killing four girls who were inside preparing for a youth program. The bodies of Denise McNair, 11, and Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson, all 14, were found in the downstairs lounge.

Visitors look at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday, July 29, 2016. The church was the scene of a Ku Klux Klan bombing that killed four black girls in 1963. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

Collins’ sister, Sarah Collins Rudolph, survived the blast but lost her right eye and is known as the “fifth little girl.” Glass fragments remained in her chest, left eye and abdomen for decades after the explosion.

A parole hearing was scheduled next year for Blanton, and Rudolph and her husband planned to attend in opposition to his release, which was denied during a previous hearing.

“She hopes that he found Jesus Christ and repented,” George Rudolph said on behalf of his wife.

Lisa McNair, the sister of Denise McNair, said she also hoped Blanton had repented and added: “I wish I could have sat down with him to find out if he had had a change of heart.”

Blanton never admitted any role in the blast, but evidence showed he was part of a group of hard-core Klansmen who made a bomb and planted it on a Sunday morning.

READ MORE: Tennessee Republicans vote to keep KKK leader bust in Capitol

During the trial, then-U.S. Attorney Jones, appointed as a special state prosecutor, said Blanton acted in response to months of civil rights demonstrations. The targeted church was a rallying point for protesters.

“Tom Blanton saw change and didn’t like it,” Jones said in the trial.

Sarah Collins Rudolph, who survived a racist church bombing that killed sister Addie Mae Collins and three other girls in 1963, stands with husband George Rudolph at the remains of a Confederate memorial that was removed in Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

Blanton proclaimed his innocence years after being sent to prison. In a 2006 interview with Birmingham station WBRC-TV, he claimed the government used trumped-up evidence and lies to gain his conviction.

“I think I was cleverly set up by the government … and that’s why I’m here,” Blanton told the television station from prison. “I’m sorry it happened. Deeply sorry. But I’m not responsible for it.”

A 1993 meeting in Birmingham between FBI officials and Black ministers led to the reopening of the bombing case against Blanton and Cherry. The investigation remained quiet until 1997 when agents went to Texas to talk to Cherry.

A decade earlier, the U.S. Justice Department concluded that former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had blocked prosecution of Klansmen in the bombing.

____

Associated Press writer Daniel Yee in Atlanta contributed to this report.

The post Thomas Blanton, 1963 KKK bomber of 16th St Baptist Church in Birmingham, dies appeared first on TheGrio.



from TheGrio https://ift.tt/31ps7Ab
via
at
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)