Mahershala Ali is set to play the main character, Eric Brooks
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV reboot of Blade, the story of a Black vampire slayer, will be getting the same editorial treatment as Black Panther – a mostly Black writing team to tell the story.
President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige took part today in the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2019 in Anaheim, Calif. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
The Blade TV series, which does not have a scheduled release date on Disney+, will have Black talent writing the film’s script. Like other studios, Marvel Studios wants to diversify its movie production.
2018’s Black Panther is the 12th highest grossing movie in U.S. box offices after making $1.3 billion worldwide and in order to keep up the momentum, Disney is searching for a Black writing team for Blade, The Direct reported.
Information on the TV show is scarce, but as theGrio previously reported, Mahershala Ali is set to play the main character, Eric Brooks.
Marvel Studios is looking for Black writers to hire for their upcoming film, 'Blade'.
— Geeks of Color #BlackLivesMatter (@GeeksOfColor) October 23, 2020
Ali is more than qualified for the role having won two Oscars for his work in Green Book and Moonlight. Ali has also played in countless other roles in movies like Hidden Figures, Alita: Battle Angel and most recently in the third season of HBO’s drama series True Detective.
The original Blade franchise starred Wesley Snipes and was first released in 1998. The movie had two spin-offs, Blade II in 2002 and Blade: Trinity in 2004.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
You're a writer on AI, ML, or various and sundry other data-oriented TLAs, and you'd like to write an article for Data Science Central. Great! This article is for you. Becoming a blogger on DSC is a good way to promote your proficiency in the field, to get the word out about interesting topics, or to gain the respect of your peers.
The mechanics of publishing on Data Science Central are straightforward:
If you are not already a member of DSC, set up an account on Data Science Central or one of its related accounts (we're working on single sign-on, but we're not quite there yet).
Wait for approval (you should receive an email letting you know when we add you to the membership roster.
Once you are a member, log in, then select Home/Add Blog Post from the menu at top.
You can use the WYSIWYG editor for content, or slip into HTML Editor mode. We hope to add support for Markdown and code display blocks early next year, but for now, you're somewhat limited in working with code.
Save your draft with the Save Draft button. When you're ready to publish, select the Publish button.
All content is moderated. This means that if the editor decides not to publish your article, they will not publish your article. If they do, then it will be published, typically within 2-3 days. If you have any questions, please contact the editors (including me).
Data Science Central currently does not pay for content. On the other hand, the platform has more than half a million subscribers, so it is a fantastic place to post for exposure, and we do our best to promote content that we feel is worthwhile.
While the mechanics are important, it's also worth spending some time trying to understand what DSC is looking for in content:
First up: Topics. When DSC was a brand new site, way back in 2012, the term Data Science itself was very novel, and it usually meant people who were able to use a new breed of programming tools (most specifically R, but later Python), to do analytics work, in the wake of the Big Data and Hadoop revolution that was going on at the time. Data Science Central was a cool, pithy name for the site, and as interest in the field grew, so did DSC.
Coming up on a decade later, things have changed. Being a data scientist has overtaken programming as the wish list career topper that all aspiring nerds want to be when they grow up. Machine learning algorithms and convolutional neural networks are increasingly replacing traditional programming for a variety of activities, and data is becoming strategic within organizations rather than simply tactical.
To that end, what we at DSC are looking for are stories about data. This can include data analysis tools and modeling, neural networks and data storage and access strategies, modeling, and knowledge representation. It also includes the strategic uses of data, governance, provenance, quality and protection, visualization and creative data story-telling. We're also expanding into those areas of artificial intelligence that are critical to cognitive computing, knowledge graphs, mathematics, and science. Why? Because data science is as much about science as it is about algorithms. Finally, DSC will focus more on the implications of data transformations on businesses, government, manufacturing, society and the individuals within it.
We're looking for journalism. Some examples:
"How AI is transforming retail",
"Will GPT-3 win the Pulitzer Prize?",
"Data scientists and the political realm",
"Challenges of contact tracing in a post-COVID world",
"Penrose, Tiles and the Nobel Prize".
We're looking for in-depth technical articles -
"How to digitally transform a company",
"AI in the Browser",
"Deep Fakes and the Algorithms That Drive Them",
"Knowledge Graphs for Publishing".
We're looking for case studies
"Point of Failure: When AI Goes Rogue", "
Wrangling Drones",
"What happened to the Self-Driving Car?".
Finally, we're looking for thought leadership -
"Where Do We Go From Here",
"Trolley Ethics",
"Who Really Benefits From AI?".
We're looking for you to put on your teacher's hat, your prognosticator's hat, your analyst's hat, and tell us the about the world that YOU see.
All this being said, it's also worth understanding what we're NOT looking for.
We are not looking for marketing pieces. If your product has an interesting toolset and you can dig into how to work with that toolset to solve complex problems, we might consider it, but we're more likely to send our sales-people to you to talk about ways that we can benefit one another (that's beyond of this editor's paygrade ... thankfully).
We are not yet posting advertisements for jobs (or posting resumes, for that matter). This is not to say we aren't considering doing this, but like everything else, there's complexity in the implementation. If you have questions about either of these, feel free to contact the editors directly, and we can talk. We also have educational promotional products for universities and private institutions.
Similarly, if you have events that you want to promote, talk to the editors. With the pandemic, we're awash in virtual seminars and conference notifications, but they do have value to the community.
We occasionally do webinars and interviews, though in general this is likely to be something that we will handle directly. If you LIKE to interview others, either via video or digital print, please contact the editors.
If you are the author of a book that you'd like to promote in the data science or knowledge engineering space, contact the editors.
Finally, a bit on style - things that will make your editors all tingly with delight, rather than awash in apathy.
We prefer original content. If you have a paper on ArXiv, for instance,write up a story that summarizes the importance of that content, in more readable and less academic terms. If you want to repost elsewhere, you can do so, but we generally do not repost to existing articles not on the site unless they are exceptional, and that's usually at the editor's discretion, not the writer's.
DSC is NOT a peer-reviewed journal. We welcome code and data samples (especially as we migrate to a new platform) but ultimately your audience is going to likely be technically proficient but not necessarily deep experts. As a rule of thumb - write to a tenth-grade audience, not a post-doctoral one.
We LIKE pictures. Diagrams, illustrations, photos, the whole worth a thousand words thing. However, if you do use pictures, make sure you have the rights to them. Our lawyers get unhappy when we have to speak with the other guy's lawyers. While on the current platform it's a bit awkward to do, we would also like to start including a splash graphic at the top of the article, primarily to generate thumbnails.
Also, make sure you upload a good image of yourself when you are making your account.
In general, we prefer articles that run between about 600 and 1800 words.
We're looking for professional writing - concise, easy to read, broken up into clear paragraphs.
Identify your name, your title, and work or school affiliation.
If you can, include a three to six bullet point list (called Data Points) covering the highlights or takeaways for the article itself. If these correspond with section headers, even better, but try to provide to your reader something to make them want to read your article.
In general, DSC editors prefer fewer (or no) links to outside references, especially if they are promotional in nature. We also reserve the right to link to definition content on other TechTarget properties. If you do include links, try to make sure that they open in a separate pane (should be easier to do shortly), and in general such links should only appear at the bottom of the article, rather than inline (think footnotes)
Include a short bio at the bottom of your article. You can link to a personal website or linked in page in the bio.
Articles that are in draft form for longer than three months will be deleted.
If you wish for an editor to review your comment and give you feedback, add an [Editor] tag at the bottom of the article with your questions. This will be deleted once the article is ready for publication.
DSC makes no guarantees that it will publish an article once it has been submitted, though we will attempt to get back to you as quickly as possible about whether the article was accepted or not.
Have fun, be creative, and take a chance. Welcome to Data Science Central.
The second season of Verzuz is set to begin on November 19 at 5pm PT/8pm ET and viewers are invited to watch the epic battle between Atlanta rappers, T.I. and Jeezy, on Instagram or in HD on Apple Music.
T.I. has been campaigning for a spot on Verzuz ever since the Timbaland and Swizz Beatz-created series first began.
After T.I. respectfully declined to go head-to-head with Busta Rhymes, reasoning that the generation gap between him and the New York based artist might be too much, Tip put out a call to Jeezy.
“Everybody keep saying me and Young [Jeezy]. But if Young wanted this smoke, he’d say it. If y’all want it, tell him to say it,” T.I. said on Instagram Live.
Jeezy responded to the “Whatever You Like” rapper by posting a cryptic video message on Instagram in which he didn’t call T.I. by his name, but indirectly let him know he was ready to battle.
“Say, bruh. You done been around the whole world on your campaign. Now you back here,” Jeezy said. “I don’t know what you avoiding me for.” Jeezy then challenged T.I. to “put a date on it.”
Confirming fan’s speculations, T.I. popped up in Jeezy’s comments, writing, “Hmmm. Could this long time constituent of mine be referring to me???”
Later in his own Instagram post, T.I. tagged Jeezy, Swizz and Timbaland, letting them know he’s ready to schedule the face-off ASAP.
Though excited about the upcoming Verzuz battle, fans of both artists aren’t thrilled that the long-awaited match-up is so far off in the future, but admit that greatness is worth waiting for.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The unnamed officer was fired for ‘multiple policy and procedure violations,’ local police say
An Illinois police officer has been fired for his role in a police shooting in the Chicago suburbs that left a Black man dead and a Black woman hospitalized earlier this week, according to media reports.
The man, Marcellis Stinnette, was a passenger in a car with the woman, Tafara Williams. Williams was in the driver seat when another officer began “investigating an occupied vehicle” in Waukegan, Illinois late night Tuesday, local authorities said. She then “fled” the scene, and the vehicle was later spotted a roughly half mile away by the now-fired officer, CNN reports.
The ex-officer, a Hispanic man who was a five-year veteran of the Waukegan Police Department, was approaching the car when it began to reverse in his direction, prompting the officer to fire his semi-automatic pistol at the car, as reported by CBS News. Waukegan Police Chief Wayne Walles said the officer was “in fear for his safety” when he discharged his weapon, but he was fired for “multiple policy and procedure violations,” violations that were not identified. The officer was initially placed on administrative leave.
Sherrellis Sheria Stinnette, grandmother of Marcellis Stinnette, 19, speaks to the media during a protest rally for Marcellis Stinnette who was killed by Waukegan Police last Tuesday in Waukegan, Ill., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald via AP)
Stinnette, 19, died after being taken to the hospital, while Williams, who is in her 20s, is expected to make a recovery from the gunshot wounds. Williams, who is identified as Stinnette’s girlfriend, made a video statement from the hospital, asking why the officer felt the need to use his firearm on the vehicle.
“I didn’t do nothing wrong,” Williams stated in a video posted by WLS-TV. “I have a license. You didn’t tell me I was under arrest. Why did you just flame up my car like that? Why did you shoot?”
The Illinois State Police has now been brought in to investigate the police shooting, while the family of Stinnette is receiving legal representation from Ben Crump, the attorney who represents the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, who were also killed at the hands of police.
“We do not trust the police narrative in this case,” Crump said. “We have seen over and over that the ‘official’ report when police kill Black people is far too often missing or misrepresenting detail.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The Joe Biden campaign sees Kamala Harris playing a critical role in its efforts to urge Black turnout
ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris made a direct appeal to Black men Friday, defending her record as a prosecutor, blasting President Donald Trump as “racist” and vouching for Joe Biden as a man capable of addressing systemic racism and leading a diverse country.
“I’m not going to tell anybody, including Black men, that they’re supposed to vote for us. We need to earn that vote,” Harris told a roundtable of Black men in one of several stops across Atlanta, the Democratic base of Georgia, an emerging battleground state.
The California senator warned that Trump wants to “turn 20% of Black men in favor of him,” a mark that could tilt a range of battleground states in the South and Upper Midwest to the president. But Harris, the first Black woman on a major party’s national ticket, said Trump’s pitch is rooted in “spinning” and misrepresenting her record and the Democratic ticket’s proposals.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks during a campaign event at Morehouse College , Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
“Joe Biden has the ability to say the words ‘Black Lives Matter,’ unlike that other fella,” Harris told a group of students from Atlanta’s historically Black college campuses.
Still, Harris faced new questions Friday about her record as a prosecutor. She cast herself as a change agent in a “flawed” structure and promised that a Biden White House would understand that “Black boys and Black men have to be seen through the prism of life” and that “these systems have failed them.”
Her Georgia itinerary — small events with Black audiences, a stop at an iconic Black-owned restaurant near Atlanta’s HBCU campuses and a drive-in rally at Morehouse College, whose alumni include Martin Luther King, Jr. — highlighted how critical the Biden campaign sees Harris in its efforts to urge Black turnout.
“We’re not going to let anyone mess with our right to vote,” she said at Morehouse, calling voting a way “to honor the ancestors.”
The drop-off in Black votes from President Barack Obama’s reelection in 2012 to the 2016 election was a critical factor in Trump managing narrow victories over Democrat Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, a trio of Great Lakes states that gave the president his Electoral College majority. Higher Black turnout also could push North Carolina, Georgia and Florida into the Democratic column.
Harris visited Georgia a day after the final presidential debate, which Trump used to claim that “nobody has done what I’ve done” for Black Americans, “with the exception of Abraham Lincoln — possible exception.” The president blamed Biden for the mass incarceration of “young Black men” via a sweeping 1994 federal crime bill when Biden was a senator representing Delaware.
In this Oct. 1, 2020, file photo, people cast their vote early in Chicago. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Biden touted his support of civil rights measures over the years and said Trump “pours fuel on every single racist fire.” But it was Harris in Atlanta who confronted the issue of race with a personal pitch that neither of the white men at the top of the ballot can muster.
Citing her time as a local district attorney and state attorney general, Harris said she learned that the “war on drugs was, by every measure, a failure, and Black men were hit the hardest.” She said Biden would push to decriminalize marijuana and expunge existing convictions from records — though the former vice president has opposed legalizing it altogether. She promised sweeping programs to expand health care access, capital for small businesses and educational opportunities for struggling communities, all matters aimed at racial disparities.
Among the friendly audiences, though, Atlanta rapper and producer Jermaine Dupri told Harris that “you put a lot of Black brothers away in your past” and asked her to explain her record.
“Yes, I decided to go up the rough side of the mountain, as we say in church,” Harris told him, framing her career choice as a conscious decision to change a “flawed” system from within. She rattled off several efforts, describing a reentry program that she said steered young men arrested or convicted of nonviolent drug offenses into jobs. “They referred to my program as a ‘hug a thug’ program,” she said.
Harris acknowledged she didn’t “change the whole system,” but pushed back on the criticism. “It suggests Black people shouldn’t be prosecutors. … It suggests that you don’t love your community, or you don’t want to reform the system if you decide to go in it.”
Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., left, speaks with a supporter at the Busy Bee cafe during a campaign event, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
She told the group of Black men that Trump is “spinning” her record and Biden’s to obscure his own priorities on race and ethnicity, from his “birtherism” lies about Obama’s birthplace to his insults of certain political opponents and entire nations.
Trump, Harris said, pushed “the theme that the first Black man to be president of the United States was illegitimately there” and referred “to countries on the continent as ‘shithole’ countries” and “refused to condemn white supremacists.”
At Morehouse, she mused about sometimes being asked whether Trump is racist. “Yes,” Harris said. “It’s not like it’s some random one-off.”
Biden, she added, would be a president “who acknowledges systemic racism, who acknowledges the history of America, and uses that bully pulpit and that microphone in a way that speaks truth … and brings our country together.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The business is located at 3035 1st Ave. in the heart of the city near the Climate Pledge Arena and famed Space Needle. When it opens its doors on Friday, Oct. 30, it will become Seattle’s first Black-owned dispensary. Kemp’s former teammate, NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, will join the celebration with a green ribbon-cutting ceremony slated to start at 12:45 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, the store will open to the public.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming Sonics fans on a regular basis, starting with opening day,” said Kemp in a statement.
The opening will feature the unveiling of an art piece on the building’s exterior from well-known local muralist Jeff Jacobson, who also goes by the monikerWeirdo. The 30-by-80-foot mural is rich in color and depicts Kemp playing basketball in his Sonics uniform.
Kemp, who is venturing into the fast-growing cannabis industry for the first time, is partnering with industry veterans Matt Schoenlein and Ramsey Hamide. Schoenlein and Hamide are two of the co-founders of Main Street Marijuana, the top cannabis retailer in Washington state since the company started in 2014. The brand’s three shops have surpassed $150 million in sales and have contributed more than $55 million in excise tax.
“My name is on this company and I have worked hard to bring Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis to fruition,” said Kemp. “I want to provide nothing short of the best selection, customer experience, and prices in Seattle. I have incredible partners in Matt Schoenlein and Ramsey Hamide to make sure we deliver on that promise to our customers, who are our top priority.
“I hope that Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis will be an inspiration for people to get involved with the legal cannabis industry, especially people of color.”
Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. and will offer express order kiosks, online ordering, and curbside pickup. Health and safety measures will include social distancing protocols and mask requirements per state mandates. More information is available by calling (206) 345-0009, at www.KempsCannabis.com, and onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Seattle SuperSonics legend Shawn Kemp is officially opening up his cannabis shop next week. It will become Seattle’s first Black-owned dispensary.
The Reign Man will he joined by former teammate Gary Payton for the grand opening on Oct. 30 at 12:45pm.
Normally, the 'birthplace of ice' freezes by late October. For the first time in recorded history, it hasn't. That could have knock-on effects across the Arctic.
from Wired https://ift.tt/2FWjODB
via Gabe's Musing's
Two years after Aston Martin's initial public offering, shares are trading at a fraction of a dollar. The company is looking to its DBX sport utility vehicle to help turn things around.
from Wealth https://ift.tt/2G1rh4k
via Gabe's MusingsGabe's Musings
Lenny Kravitz admits he is amused by all the memes inspired by the infamous giant scarf that he wore to run errands in 2012.
“Okay, the scarf is big, but the internet has made the scarf enormous,” the singer tells GQ in a new interview. “You look at some of those [images] and it’s just like, “Okay guys, the scarf is three times bigger than it really is in this picture, but it was big and it was cold,” he adds.
“It’s funny to see, especially on Halloween. People either do the Lenny Kravitz look—the onstage look — or they do the scarf. And it’s funny, I saw some pictures yesterday of this little kid who did the whole thing perfectly down to the plastic bag coming from the grocery store,” Kravitz continues.
Kravitz explained in a 2018 interview with Jimmy Fallon that the scarf was a gift from a friend, and it came in handy when he needed to shop for groceries in the cold weather.
“I live in the Bahamas, I’m used to hot weather, and I had to go to the store. I was buying some groceries, and I thought I’d put on a little scarf to protect my throat, and that’s the scarf I had,” he told Fallon on his late night show.
When asked if he still owns the giant scarf, Kravitz said, “Oh yeah, absolutely,” he shared with GQ.
The artist details the first 25 years of his life in a new memoir titled “Let Love Rule,” named after his 1989 debut studio album.
In the book, the musician describes his relationship with his mother and five godmothers, noting that “Black feminine energy kept me sane.”
“I recognized their strength: how much love they could give, how supportive they could be, how talented they were and how they were the rock of the family, and their families,” Kravtz says in his GQ interview. “I always felt seen by them, even as a child. I marveled at their God-given talents. These women were just juggling everything,” he explains.
“Not only were they trailblazers in their fields, they were also taking care of their families, their men and their lives. Having those kinds of women around me was really nurturing.”
“Let Love Rule” is available at bookstores now.
Have you subscribed totheGrio’s podcast“Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
There are more than 8.4 million confirmed COVID cases in the U.S and more than 223,000 deaths
More than 100,000 COVID-related deaths could be prevented in the next few months if 95% of Americans wear masks in public, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation analyzed data on Covid-19 cases, testing, mask use, and deaths from February 1 through September 21, which helped inform model projections for the course of the contagion through March 2021, CNN reports.
According to the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Friday, nearly 130,000 lives could be spared if mask compliance was at 95 percent, for each state with or without social distancing. The analysis also estimates that more than 95,000 COVID deaths could be prevented if 85 percent of the U.S. population wore face coverings in public.
Health officials continue to stress the importance of mask use in slowing the spread of the virus, most especially as the U.S enters into flu season. The nation is also experiencing a new wave of infections.
“The potential life-saving benefit of increasing mask use in the coming fall and winter cannot be overstated. It is likely that US residents will need to choose between higher levels of mask use or risk the frequent redeployment of more stringent and economically damaging [social distancing mandates]; or, in the absence of either measure, face a reality of a rising death toll,” the analysis states.
“We think the key point here is that there’s a huge winter surge coming and our models have been showing that for many months,” said IHME Director Dr. Chris Murray.
“You can see in the paper what universal masks can do and they blunt quite a bit of the surge or delay it,” Dr. Murray continued. “I think it’s very difficult at the point where we are in the US — where there’s so much community transmission of the virus — to prevent some fall winter surge, but we can certainly make it much smaller.”
“The fall/winter surge will intensify in November and December, reaching a peak in January. Many states will face enormous pressure on hospital capacity and will likely have to re-impose some social distancing mandates,“ IHME said in its weekly update. ‘The best strategy to delay re-imposition of mandates and the associated economic hardship is to expand mask use.”
There are more than 8.4 million confirmed COVID cases in the U.S and more than 223,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Have you subscribed totheGrio’s podcast“Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
Just in time for Halloween, Justin Simien, the writer and director best know for the TV series and movie “Dear White People,” released a new project that has turned the pressures Black women face to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards into a satirical horror film. Titled “Bad Hair,” the film follows the story of Anna played by Elle Lorraine who she succumbs to the hair discrimination Black women commonly face at work and ends up getting a weave from hell — literally.
The film takes place in 1989 as Anna pursues her dream of becoming a VJ at a Black music video TV network. However, she realizes that her natural coils are standing in the way of her aspirations after her manager, a light-skinned, straight-haired woman played by Vanessa Williams, encourages her to adopt a more white-friendly appearance. As a result, she reluctantly gets a weave, which turns out to be possessed by a demonic force. The evil weave becomes more than just the film’s antagonist: it’s a metaphoric symbol of the generations of oppression Black women have faced in lieu of white beauty norms.
“This young woman is incredible at her job. She has all the tools,” said Lorraine ahead of the film’s release on Hulu on October 23 to, BLACK ENTERPRISE. “But somehow she is not able to be seen because she’s not meeting this standard according to other people’s ideas of beauty.”
The Insecure star also admitted that she, too, still feels pressured by the same social stigmas. “There are times I question how I should look at an audition if they’re able to see past what my hair looks like and see what I’m giving and the work that I put in.”
Actress and LGBTQIA+ activist Laverne Cox said the film emphasizes the compromise Black women have had to make to their identities in order to get ahead. “Bad Hair is about the horror of white supremacy intersecting with the horror of capitalism.”
Waithe added, “This is Justin’s love letter really — a scary, funny love letter — to Black women and what they go through, particularly in the workplace.”
Watch Lena Waithe, Elle Lorraine, Laverne Cox, Blair Underwood, and Jay Pharoah open up about “Bad Hair” in the video below.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2TnBpaq
via Gabe's Musing's
Thousands of participants joined BLACK ENTERPRISE for the 4th annual Black Men XCEL Summit, which featured a variety of sessions, workshops, coaching, and virtual activities designed to train, equip, develop, and inspire Black men across a broad array of endeavors.
Sponsored by FedEx Express, Black Men XCEL (BMX) was created to provide Black men with the tools and resources needed to advance in their respective careers and industries as well as acquire generational wealth and maintain mental wellbeing. Participants were also granted access to some of today’s most successful business leaders like Walker Co. & Brands founder and CEO Tristan Walker, athletes like former NFL player Tiki Barber, and executives like PayPal Head of Global Financial Compliance Investigations Art Taylor. Furthermore, the summit, which was also facilitated in partnership with presenting sponsors AT&T and JPMorgan Chase, provided attendees with the opportunity to conduct live chats with speakers, experts, and mentors.
“The motto for this year’s BMX is celebrating the best of who we are,” said BLACK ENTERPRISE President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. in his opening remarks. “It is a celebration of Black men’s collective achievement, resolve, and resilience during one of the most challenging periods of our history. We meet under the cloud of COVID-19 and a crippled economy. We are nearing the end of a divisive, racially-charged election, and Black men are under assault at all levels.”
Walker Co. & Brands founder and CEO Tristan Walker kicked off the summit with a powerful session about how he built and positioned Walker Co. & Brands for its merger with Procter & Gamble. Walker, who went from a Twitter intern to serving on the corporate boards of Footlocker and Shake Shack, also opened up about how his company has grown amid COVID.
“The reason why I think we’ve been able to thrive as Walker and Company is because we had established that relationship from the very beginning. We were digitally native from the very beginning. So by the time COVID hit, we were prepared for this outcome,” said Walker.
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick opened up about his road to redemption following his 21-month prison sentence in 2007 for his involvement in a dogfighting ring during a panel about empowering the next generation of Black men.
“When I came home from prison, I felt the pressure. I felt like I was living in a bubble,” admitted the FOX Sports analyst and activist about the notorious incident which overshadowed the rest his football career.
However, rather than succumbing to the pressure he felt, Vick says he used the tools he developed behind bars to help him persevere.
“I set goals while I was in prison. I accomplished almost everything that I wanted to accomplish and then some. That right there was the ultimate confirmation that I could do anything that I wanted to do in my life.”
Vick added that now he uses the adversity he’s overcome as a teachable moment for younger Black men and women.
“I preach a hard message when talking to the youth in terms of responsibility, character, your beliefs, values, and morals,” said the NFL legend. “I try to explain to young men and women the hurt and the anguish that I’ve experienced to grow stronger and to get to where I am today. I want my message to be, at all cost, you’re not going to go through life perfect, there are going to be some ups and downs, but it’s all in how you persevere.”
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder stressed the importance of exercising the right to vote and overcoming voter suppression during his appearance. He also urged young people, in particular, to make their voices heard at the polls.
“For young people who are disillusioned or who don’t trust the system, take it from one who is a little older and has experienced a lot, your future is on the ballot. And the world that you want to live in is on the ballot,” Holder told BLACK ENTERPRISE SVP and Chief Content Officer Derek T. Dingle. “If you want to shape that world, you have to participate in that process by voting on November 3. But then you have to continue to be involved in a civic way and do the things that people before have done. Fight for not only your generation but for generations that will come after you.”
In a panel sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, Barber, the former NFL running back who spent 10 seasons with the New York Giants and the co-founder of Thuzio, shared one of the biggest financial mistakes he made during his career.
“The worst mistake I made personally was I bought a very expensive apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It was over $6 million. I had been around for a very long time, but the timing was wrong in the market. And I didn’t look at the market. I didn’t look at the economic trends,” he admitted. “And we know what happened in 2008, the world corrected itself.”
Not only did he lose money on his property, but he then went through a divorce two years later. “Everything started compounding,” he added. “Timing absolutely matters when you’re making large purchases like that.”
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3kpZYzj
via Gabe's Musing's
Bogdan Vechirko could spend up to six years in prison if convicted
The man who drove his gas tanker into a crowd of peaceful protesters on a closed-down Minneapolis interstate in May has been charged with two felonies.
Bogdan Vechirko, 35, is facing a felony charge of threats of violence and a gross misdemeanor charge of criminal vehicular operation, according to a press release from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman’s office, Star Tribune reports.
Vechirko, who was released from jail in June, reportedly admitted to investigators that he was “kind of in a hurry” when he nearly plowed through Black Lives Matter demonstrators on May 31. Thousands had gathered on the Interstate 35W bridge to protest the death of George Floyd, who had died days earlier while being detained by Minneapolis police.
Vechirko claims he didn’t intend to drive into the protest, but investigators noted in the criminal complaint that “in addition to the large crowd, there were multiple vehicles stopped on I-35W northbound as the road approached the bridge and that a number of vehicles were driving the wrong direction up an entrance ramp.”
The Minnesota Department of Transportation released video showing the activity on the bridge leading up to the incident. The footage shows Vechirko picking up speed as he approached the protestors, hitting 70 mph. Officials stated in the complaint that Vechirko had adequate time to stop.
“Investigators reviewed traffic cameras and a number of cellphone videos, all of which showed protesters screaming and running in a panic from the truck,” the attorney’s office said.
“At least one individual, A.W., suffered injuries as a result of her attempts to get out of the way of the truck,” the complaint stated. “A.W. reported that she fell and suffered scrapes and abrasions to her leg.”
Officials noted that “the thorough investigation showed that Vechirko wanted to scare people out of his path.” No major injuries were reported.
Vechirko could spend five years in prison if convicted on the felony charge and up to one year on the gross misdemeanor charge.
Have you subscribed totheGrio’s podcast“Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
Ivan Harrison Hunter has been charged in an incident where someone shot into Minneapolis police headquarters
A Texas man allegedly affiliated with the right-wing group, the Boogaloo Bois has been charged with rioting in connection to the Minneapolis protests for George Floyd.
Authorities say, Ivan Harrison Hunter, 26, is the person who shot 13 rounds into the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct on May 28 with an “AK-47 style semiautomatic rifle,” according to MPR News. He is being charged with one count of participating in a riot and made an appearance in front of a judge on Thursday.
The criminal complaint says it was Hunter who was caught on video high-fiving another man while yelling, “Justice for Floyd!” and that a distinctive skull face mask from the riot was seen on his Facebook page. Hunter also made comments about committing violence in Minneapolis on the page.
He is apparently affiliated with Steven Carrillo, a member of the Boogaloo Bois, a far-right anti-government extremist group. Carrillo was charged with the May 29 killing of a federal Protective Service officer in Oakland, California.
An undercover informant was able to confirm Hunter’s affiliation with Carrillo. He says Hunter admitted to helping set the fire that burned down the precinct and shooting at the building.
A view of the charred exterior of the Third Precinct Police Station on June 9, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On Sunday nine members of the Minneapolis City Council announced their intentions to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department after the fallout from the killing of George Floyd. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
On June 3, officers stopped Hunter in Texas while he was riding in the front seat of a pickup truck around 2 a.m. He had attended a protest for Floyd near Austin and officers say when they pulled the vehicle over they allegedly discovered an AK-47 style assault rifle attached to a vest he was wearing. They also found three semi-automatic rifles, loaded pistols, six loaded magazines, and marijuana.
From documentaries to horror, this list has a little something for everyone
Fall is in full swing but COVID-19 is still running rampant. So this may be the perfect weekend to stay inside and catch up on a few films you may have missed or check out some brand new offerings.
Whether you’re looking for something spooky to get you ready for Halloween or need a good laugh, a good cry, or a bit of both, this list has you covered:
The Way I See It
This fantastic film debuted to record ratings on MSNBC this week and earned the praise of Barack Obama in the process. Based on the New York Times #1 bestseller comes The Way I See It, an unprecedented look behind the scenes look at two of the most iconic presidents in American history, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan, as seen through the eyes of renowned photographer Pete Souza.
As the official White House photographer, Souza was an eyewitness to the unique and tremendous responsibilities of being the most powerful person on earth. The movie reveals how Souza transforms from a respected photojournalist to a searing commentator on the issues we face as a country and a people. The film was helmed by Dawn Porter, the visionary behind John Lewis: Good Trouble and it’s not to be missed.
This ridiculously raunchy sequel will be just what it sounds like, but it’s certainly worth a watch if you’re ready for a politically-tinged, raunchy ride. Sacha Baron Cohen is back up to his old tricks as Borat, and this time, his daughter is along for the fun. Be prepared to see some real-life racists doing what they do and even more questionable behavior from Trump stumper, Rudy Giuliani. To no one’s surprise, though, the only Black woman in the film is also the only person who has any sense, and this crass, funny flick may be the escape you’re looking for. Check it out on Amazon Prime Video.
On The Rocks
If you’re looking for a laugh, this little gem of a film written and directed by Sofia Coppola could be right up your alley. On The Rocks stars Rashida Jones, Bill Murray, and Marlon Wayans and is just what you need as a welcome respite from a tough week.
A young New York mother (Jones) thinks she’s happily hitched, but when her husband (Wayans) starts logging late hours at the office with a new co-worker, she begins to fear the worst. She turns to the one man she knows can help – her charming, impulsive father (Murray), who insists they investigate together. As the two begin prowling New York at night, careening from uptown parties to downtown hotspots, they discover that at the heart of their journey lies their own relationship. Check it out on AppleTV+.
Bad Hair
If you’re looking for a fright, this horror satire set in 1989 features an all-star cast of Black talent showing off their hair-raising skills in ways we’ve never seen.Stars like Elle Lorraine, Vanessa Williams, Lena Waithe, Laverne Cox, Jay Pharoah, Kelly Rowland, Blair Underwood, Ashley Blaine Featherson, and Usher Raymond are among the famous faces who have roles in this campy thrill ride now playing on Hulu. The film, from Justin Simien, follows an ambitious woman who gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. Her flourishing career comes at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
Even though we’re still in October, some people just can’t wait for the holidays to hit. The Hallmark Channel is already kicking off its long list of Christmas-themed films this weekend. Jingle Bell Bride premieres today and in it, Ronnie Rowe Jr. stars as Matt, a single man who helps an overworked, stressed-out wedding planner believe in the magic of Christmas in a rural town that refuses to conform to modern communication.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The scholar and pundit says he usually votes for the Green Party.
Marc Lamont Hill says he will vote as a Democrat for the first time in this year’s presidential election.
The author and professor revealed in an online conversation that he’d been voting with the Green Party for decades. When a young woman asked would he be voting in this year’s election, he revealed his prior political affiliation.
“I am absolutely going to vote, I have never not voted,” said Hill in a one minute and thirty-second clip posted to his Instagram page. He goes on to say, “I have voted for the Green Party for the last 20 years.”
The woman challenges Hill and accuses him of throwing away his vote. He refutes with, “I think it depends on how you understand voting,” says Hill. “I think voting is absolutely harm reduction, it’s a tactic to buying time.”
Hill continued, “Sometimes the goal of voting is to build long term vision and sometimes it is to stop an immediate harm, there have been many elections when the distinction was relatively minimal and I think the distinction has been relatively minimal and I thought it was important to build up grassroots support for the Green Party.”
Marc Lamont Hill attends the “Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement” screening on May 24, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by D Dipasupil/Getty Images for BET Networks)
The Green Party is an independent political party with a connection to the socialist movement and the Green movement per GP.org. They have four pillars: Ecological Wisdom, Non-Violence, Grassroots Democracy, and Social Justice.
Hill says this political moment is “on fire.”
“I would say for the vulnerable American it is always on fire but Trump isn’t watching the fire he is pouring gasoline on it. And Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both problematic candidates but I don’t think they are the same.
He goes on to explain why is finally voting blue after all these years.
“Four more years of Donald Trump is not only dangerous for the vulnerable here in America but he is dangerous for any type of movement. As much as I dislike Joe Biden he can be moved, he can be persuaded. So for the first time in 24 years, I’m going to vote for the Democrat.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
If the US brought back the Great Depression’s massive worker program, it could put millions of Americans back to work—and help stave off disasters like wildfires.
from Wired https://ift.tt/31A6fRO
via Gabe's Musing's
They say the best investment on Earth is earth, but real estate is a risky business. While it’s undoubtedly a lucrative form of investment, your success isn’t guaranteed unless you play your cards right and study the field with utmost scrutiny.
It pays to have tools that can help you with the process and reap profits, and luckily, there’s one platform that can help you on that front: Mashvisor.
A one-stop site to find traditional or Airbnb properties worth investing in, Mashvisor uses automation to assist you in identifying potential investments within mere minutes. Instead of having you pore over spreadsheets and spend months on tedious research, it leverages technology, real estate data, and analytics to shorten the process to identify the best investment opportunity for you.
Here’s how it works:
Just key in any city of interest, and you’ll immediately receive an overview of the investment opportunities within that area. You’ll get the lowdown on the kind of returns a property will be able to provide, as well as the things you’ll need to do to outperform the rental market. Plus, thanks to the interactive filters available, you’ll also get other pertinent data, including sales history, tax history, market performance, occupancy rates, and many more.
