Washington cops fatally shoot Black man, leave body in street for 12 hours

Police were reprotedly more concered about ‘prioritising getting his car out of there before his body.’

Yet another Black man has been fatally shot by police this week, and this time the tragedy occurred near Vancouver, Washington, about 12 miles north of Portland.

Kevin Peterson Jr. was shot dead by Clark County sheriff’s deputies on Thursday evening (Oct. 29) in the parking lot at a US Bank branch in Hazel Dell. Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters wasted no time converging on the area, chanting the victim’s name and demanding answers. 

“They left his body out there for almost exactly 12 hours,” one protestor, who asked not to be identified, told Newsweek. “His mom just broke down. I’ve never heard a sound like that.”

Several witnesses have shared videos on social media showing the response from BLM activists on the scene. Check out a few of the clips below.

Read More: Philadelphia police to release body cam footage of Wallace shooting amid unrest

Protestors are gathered in Vancouver, Washington

The Columbian is reporting “An investigation into a shooting that involved Clark County sheriff’s deputies”https://t.co/25ANUeA0sI pic.twitter.com/99BFwpiYC0

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) October 30, 2020

Peterson’s parents were not allowed to see/identify his body until almost 12 hours after the shooting. According to witnesses, police were more pressed about “prioritising getting his car out of there before his body.”

Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins said at a press conference on Friday that the shooting occurred as narcotics detectives were conducting an investigation in the area, per columbian.com. 

“A foot pursuit ensued where deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office were chasing a man with a firearm,” Atkins said. “The information I have is that upon entering the parking lot of a bank, the man reportedly fired his weapon at the deputies. The deputies returned fire and the subject was tragically killed. It is my understanding that the man’s firearm was observed at the scene.”

Three deputies reprotedly fired their weapons and all have have been placed on administrative leave, according to the report.

Read More: Louisville police union president says cops ‘were justified’ in Breonna Taylor shooting

“Say his name” pic.twitter.com/a0wXg929Oq

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) October 30, 2020

Peterson’s girlfriend and the mother of his child, Olivia Selto, told The Columbian that she was on the phone with him prior to the shooting, and remained on the line for nine minutes “until the police finally came over and hung up the phone.” 

Selto added, “I heard his last words and everything. I’m devastated, and we will get justice for his wrongful death.”

“Kevin did everything for me.. doesn’t matter what it was or what time he always came when i asked. I regret every argument please come back,” she wrote in a Twitter post. 

I took this photo of KP a couple years ago at his parents wedding that I was lucky enough to photograph. I thought I’d share. Rest in paradise @_splashkp 🕊 pic.twitter.com/324hvaiQpM

— Jake Thompson (@__27K) October 30, 2020

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to cover funeral costs for the victim.

“Kevin (KP) Peterson Jr. is an unarmed black man who was murdered by police in Vancouver, WA tonight,” the page reads.

“He has a daughter. He was only 21. He was a beautiful young man and the police have murdered him. Remember these things when the police tried to soil his name and reputation.”

Peterson Jr.’s death comes three days after the killing of Walter Wallace Jr. by Philadelphia police officers.

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Beyoncé lands December cover of ‘British Vogue’

The ‘Black is King’ singer talks about what 2020’s challenges have meant to her

Today it was revealed that international superstar Beyoncé is gracing the cover of not just one – but three – versions of British Vogue for the magazine’s December issue.

Read More: The cast of ‘His House’ talks Black horror and community

In her interview with British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, the mother of three talks about her family, her artistry, and how the Black Lives Matter movement has helped her evolve her perspective on life and her purpose.

For the three steamy covers, King Bey can be seen rocking a black Mugler sheer bodysuit in one, a neon yellow organza coat in another, and in the thirds, she promotes her own line in a catsuit and custom-made hat by Adidas x We Are Ivy Park.

“[I’ve] absolutely changed [this year],” Beyoncé told Enninful. “It would be difficult to experience life in a pandemic and the current social unrest and not be changed,” she expresses. “I have learnt that my voice is clearer when I am still. I truly cherish this time with my family, and my new goal is to slow down and shed stressful things from my life.”

View this post on Instagram

“Something cracked open inside of me right after giving birth to my first daughter. From that point on, I truly understood my power, and motherhood has been my biggest inspiration.” In the December 2020 issue of #BritishVogue, mother and megastar @Beyonce speaks to British Vogue Editor-in-Chief @Edward_Enninful. See the full story in the new issue, on newsstands and available for digital download Friday 6 November. #Beyonce wears an organza coat, catsuit, and custom-made hat all @Adidas x @WeAreIvyPark, with @JimmyChoo shoes and @LorraineSchwartz jewellery. Photographed by @InternetBby and styled by @Edward_Enninful with hair by @JawaraW and colourists @Rachel_Bodt and @ShirleyGHauteHair, make-up by @FrancescaTolot, nails by @OhMyNailsNYC, set design by @StefanBeckman and lighting direction by @_Wordie. With thanks to Beyoncé’s personal stylist @ZerinaAkers, @MarnixMarni, her tailor #TimWhite and publicist @YvetteNoelSchure; Parkwood Entertainment creative director @KwasiFordjour and creative producer @LaurenLaLaBaker; Satellite414 founder @CarlitoF8; @TravisKiewel and @RobFamous for @ThatOneProduction; and Vogue entertainment director-at-large @JillDemling.

A post shared by British Vogue (@britishvogue) on Oct 30, 2020 at 10:15am PDT

The philanthropist, mother, wife and artist says that the pandemic has given her some much-needed down time to reflect on her accomplishments and future goals.

“I came into the music industry at 15 years old and grew up with the world watching, and I have put out projects non-stop. I released “Lemonade” during the Formation World Tour, gave birth to twins, performed at Coachella, directed Homecoming, went on another world tour with Jay, then Black is King all back to back,” she continues. “It’s been heavy and hectic. I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on building my legacy and representing my culture the best way I know how. Now, I’ve decided to give myself permission to focus on my joy.”

The entertainer also opens up about the idea of creating a better world for daughters Blue Ivy, 8, and Rumi, 3, and son Sir, 3, who have become a driving force in her work.

View this post on Instagram

“It would be difficult to experience life in a pandemic and the current social unrest and not be changed. I have learnt that my voice is clearer when I am still.” For the December 2020 issue of #BritishVogue, the powerhouse that is @Beyonce talks family, fashion and philanthropy with @Edward_Enninful and gives a rare and rounded glimpse into her world. See the full story in the new issue, on newsstands and available for digital download Friday 6 November. #Beyonce wears an @AlexanderMcQueen jacket, @AtsukoKudoLatex hotpants and @LouboutinWorld shoes. Photographed by @InternetBby and styled by @Edward_Enninful with hair by @JawaraW and colourists @Rachel_Bodt and @ShirleyGHauteHair, make-up by @FrancescaTolot, nails by @OhMyNailsNYC, set design by @StefanBeckman and lighting direction by @_Wordie. With thanks to Beyoncé’s personal stylist @ZerinaAkers, her tailor #TimWhite and publicist @YvetteNoelSchure; Parkwood Entertainment creative director @KwasiFordjour and creative producer @LaurenLaLaBaker; Satellite414 founder @CarlitoF8; @TravisKiewel and @RobFamous for @ThatOneProduction; and Vogue entertainment director-at-large @JillDemling.

A post shared by British Vogue (@britishvogue) on Oct 30, 2020 at 10:17am PDT

“Something cracked open inside of me right after giving birth to my first daughter. From that point on, I truly understood my power, and motherhood has been my biggest inspiration,” she recalls. “It became my mission to make sure she lived in a world where she feels truly seen and valued. I was also deeply inspired by my trip to South Africa with my family. And, after having my son, Sir Carter, I felt it was important to uplift and praise our boys and to assure that they grow up with enough films, children’s books and music that promote emotional intelligence, self-value and our rich history. That’s why [Black is King] is dedicated to him.”

Read More: TLC documentary to air on A&E in 2021

View this post on Instagram

@Beyonce stars on three special covers for the December 2020 issue of #BritishVogue. She speaks to Editor-In-Chief @Edward_Enninful about everything from the recent racial and social justice movements, to her personal legacy and why she has finally decided to “give myself permission to focus on my joy”. Read the full interview and see the 20-page fashion extravaganza photographed by Kennedi Carter in the new issue, on newsstands and available for digital download Friday 6 November. #Beyonce wears all @MuglerOfficial. Photographed by @InternetBby and styled by @Edward_Enninful with hair by @JawaraW and colourists @Rachel_Bodt and @ShirleyGHauteHair, make-up by @FrancescaTolot, nails by @OhMyNailsNYC, set design by @StefanBeckman and lighting direction by @_Wordie. With thanks to Beyoncé’s personal stylist @ZerinaAkers, her tailor #TimWhite and publicist @YvetteNoelSchure; Parkwood Entertainment creative director @KwasiFordjour and creative producer @LaurenLaLaBaker; Satellite414 founder @CarlitoF8; @TravisKiewel and @RobFamous for @ThatOneProduction; and Vogue entertainment director-at-large @JillDemling.

A post shared by British Vogue (@britishvogue) on Oct 30, 2020 at 9:59am PDT

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The December issue of British Vogue is available for downloads and on newsstands on Friday, Nov. 6.

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Walter Wallace Jr. received mental health care days before shooting

Three calls were made to 911 about the victim’s concerning behavior on Monday, but his crisis team was never alerted

Walter Wallace Jr. received mental health care at a crisis center three days before he was fatally shot by Philadelphia police officers. 

Wallace Jr. regularly used the outpatient services at the West Philadelphia Consortium, a mental health crisis response center, and had recently resumed treatment, according to executive director John White, per Inquirer.com. 

“His mother told me that when he came home Friday and she asked him how it went, he told her that he was doing much better and that we had gotten him ready to start looking for a job,” said White of Wallace Jr.’s last visit to the center. 

Read More: Walter Wallace Jr.’s family does not want officers charged, lawyer says

But for whatever reason, Wallace became triggered and began to spiral out of control on that fateful night.

theGRIO previously reported, Wallace Jr. was having a mental health crisis when his mother called 911 for an ambulance. Two police officers responded. After he advanced toward them holding a knife, the officers shot the 27-year-old at least a dozen times.

White believes if the family or the police had called a crisis team from the center to the scene, Wallace Jr. might still be alive.

“We knew him and he knew us,” said White. “He trusted us and was appreciative of the help we provided. No one else on the scene could claim that credibility. … He didn’t know the police, he didn’t trust them.”

Three calls were reportedly made to 911 about Wallace’s concerning behavior on Monday, but his crisis team was never alerted.

“Do you realize how egregious this is?” said White, who previously served as a state representative, Pennsylvania’s secretary of welfare, and a city councilman.

“[The dispatchers] should have alerted us immediately,” he added. “You’re telling me they had three bites at the apple?”

Read More: Walter Wallace Jr.’s mother says she pleaded for son’s life: ‘Don’t shoot my son’

Walter Wallace Jr. should be alive.

Congress must pass our bill. Mental health providers should be the first responders when someone is in the midst of a mental health crisis. @katieporteroc https://t.co/ySWnEaGlZR

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) October 27, 2020

It’s unclear why the family called 911 instead of the Consortium, but they have made clear that they do not want the officers who killed their loved one to be charged for his death.

“Here’s why: They were improperly trained,” family attorney Shaka Johnson told reporters at a press conference Thursday, “and did not have the proper equipment by which to effectuate their job.”

The comments came after the Wallace family watched police officers’ body camera footage of Monday’s shooting.The officers, who remain unidentified, were not carrying tasers. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw has said that not all officers do, and says she has previously requested them.

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How To Change Column Position with dplyr?

In this post we will learn how to change column order or move a column in R with dplyr. More specifically, we will learn how to move a single column of interest to first in the dataframe, before and after a specific column in the dataframe. We will use relocate() function available in dplyr version 1.0.0 to change the column position.

Let us load tidyverse first.

library("tidyverse")

As in other tidyverse 101 examples, we will use the fantastic Penguins dataset to illustrate the three ways to see data in a dataframe. Let us load the data from cmdlinetips.com’ github page.

path2data <- "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cmdlinetips/data/master/palmer_penguins.csv"
penguins<- readr::read_csv(path2data)

Note that the last column in the data frame is sex column.

## Parsed with column specification:
## cols(
##   species = col_character(),
##   island = col_character(),
##   bill_length_mm = col_double(),
##   bill_depth_mm = col_double(),
##   flipper_length_mm = col_double(),
##   body_mass_g = col_double(),
##   sex = col_character()
## )

First, we will see how to move a column to first in the dataframe. To move a column to first in the dataframe, we use relocate() with the column name we want to move.

penguins %>% 
  relocate(sex)

This will move the column of interest to the first column.

## # A tibble: 344 x 7
##    sex   species island bill_length_mm bill_depth_mm flipper_length_…
##    <chr> <chr>   <chr>           <dbl>         <dbl>            <dbl>
##  1 male  Adelie  Torge…           39.1          18.7              181
##  2 fema… Adelie  Torge…           39.5          17.4              186
##  3 fema… Adelie  Torge…           40.3          18                195
##  4 <NA>  Adelie  Torge…           NA            NA                 NA
##  5 fema… Adelie  Torge…           36.7          19.3              193
##  6 male  Adelie  Torge…           39.3          20.6              190
##  7 fema… Adelie  Torge…           38.9          17.8              181
##  8 male  Adelie  Torge…           39.2          19.6              195
##  9 <NA>  Adelie  Torge…           34.1          18.1              193
## 10 <NA>  Adelie  Torge…           42            20.2              190
## # … with 334 more rows, and 1 more variable: body_mass_g <dbl>

We can also move the column of interest to a location after another column in the dataframe. In this example, we move the column “sex” to position after “species” column.

penguins %>% 
  relocate(sex, .after=species)

Notice that now the sex column is second column after the species.

## # A tibble: 344 x 7
##    species sex   island bill_length_mm bill_depth_mm flipper_length_…
##    <chr>   <chr> <chr>           <dbl>         <dbl>            <dbl>
##  1 Adelie  male  Torge…           39.1          18.7              181
##  2 Adelie  fema… Torge…           39.5          17.4              186
##  3 Adelie  fema… Torge…           40.3          18                195
##  4 Adelie  <NA>  Torge…           NA            NA                 NA
##  5 Adelie  fema… Torge…           36.7          19.3              193
##  6 Adelie  male  Torge…           39.3          20.6              190
##  7 Adelie  fema… Torge…           38.9          17.8              181
##  8 Adelie  male  Torge…           39.2          19.6              195
##  9 Adelie  <NA>  Torge…           34.1          18.1              193
## 10 Adelie  <NA>  Torge…           42            20.2              190
## # … with 334 more rows, and 1 more variable: body_mass_g <dbl>

Similarly we can also specify the location to be after another column present in the dataframe. In this example, we move sex column to be relocated after “bill_length_mm”.

penguins %>% 
  relocate(sex, .before=bill_length_mm)

## # A tibble: 344 x 7
##    species island sex   bill_length_mm bill_depth_mm flipper_length_…
##    <chr>   <chr>  <chr>          <dbl>         <dbl>            <dbl>
##  1 Adelie  Torge… male            39.1          18.7              181
##  2 Adelie  Torge… fema…           39.5          17.4              186
##  3 Adelie  Torge… fema…           40.3          18                195
##  4 Adelie  Torge… <NA>            NA            NA                 NA
##  5 Adelie  Torge… fema…           36.7          19.3              193
##  6 Adelie  Torge… male            39.3          20.6              190
##  7 Adelie  Torge… fema…           38.9          17.8              181
##  8 Adelie  Torge… male            39.2          19.6              195
##  9 Adelie  Torge… <NA>            34.1          18.1              193
## 10 Adelie  Torge… <NA>            42            20.2              190
## # … with 334 more rows, and 1 more variable: body_mass_g <dbl>

In this post, we saw how to move a single column to first and before or after another column. dplyr’s relocate() is versatile and can conditions as input to move multiple columns at the same time. Check out soon for more examples of using dplyr’s relocate().

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Florida family raising money for information on unsolved shooting of 17-year-old girl

The Florida teen’s mother says she hopes the money can help find her daughter’s killers

A Florida teenager who had just been gifted a new car was looking forward to enjoying it. Instead, she was the victim of a still-unsolved murder while in her beloved vehicle.

Read More: Pregnant Florida woman pushes labor aside to cast vote

A family is demanding answers after 17-year-old Inandi Wyche was brutally shot to death in Jacksonville in March, according to ActionNewsJax. The teen was a student at Ribault High School when she was gunned down while dropping off a friend. Now, her family is offering a reward to anyone who can help solve the case.

“Somebody saw something and to lose her life — somebody shot up my child. Brutally murdered her, a young 17-year-old,” the teen’s mother, Monique Wyche said to the outlet.

Inandi Wyche (Wyche family)

The report says she was dropping off a friend in Sherwood Forest on Portsmouth Ave. in Jacksonville’s Northside neighborhood when two men in a grey car pulled up in front of them, got out of the car, and started shooting. Wyche died in the car.

On Thursday, the family gathered with First Coast Crime Stoppers and the Fraternal Order of Police near the location her daughter was killed seeking answers.

Inandi’s mother Monique Wyche: “Somebody shot up my child…. My pride and joy.”
“You took her life. We want justice.”
“Whatever she was going to be, it was going to be great.”
She encourages you to call #Crimestoppers.
“We need to get these murderers off our streets.” @FCN2go pic.twitter.com/elW41H35R2

— Renata Di Gregorio (@RenataFCNews) October 29, 2020

So far, the family has raised $14K as a reward for anyone who can help find Wyche’s killer. The goal is to raise $30,000 with the community’s help.

“She had a big personality, beautiful inside and out. Beautiful smile. And I’m honored to be her mother. I got some big shoes to fill,” Wyche said.

The First Coast Crime Stoppers hopes the funds raised can help find Wyche’s killers and help get other killers off the street.

“It’s just overwhelming, devastating,” Wyche said to First Coast News. “We’ve got to get these murderers off the streets and we’ve got to do it together. Not just for Nandi, for everybody.”

Wyche laments never getting to see her daughter accomplish her goals. After being interviewed by a Jacksonville news outlet at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony last year, and telling them she wanted a car, Inandi was thinking about a career in television, among other goals, according to People.

“[She was] a cheerleader, she was getting ready to run for Miss Ribault. She was contestant number six. She loved to laugh, have a good time,” her mother said.

Read More: Florida teen sentenced to 25 years for crimes including fatally shooting K-9 dog

Anyone with information is asked to call First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).

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TLC documentary to air on A&E in 2021

The story of T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli’s musical endeavors are being turned into a documentary for the small screen.

A documentary is planned to explore the TLC story on A&E, set to air in 2021.

Read More: T-Boz says music industry turned on TLC after Left Eye’s death

According to Rolling Stone, the story of the R&B hip-hop group will be told in a two-hour special. Titled Biography: TLC, the film will follow the rise of the top-selling girl group throughout their career at multiple stages. Footage including interviews with surviving members Tionne ‘ T-Boz’ Watkins, and Rozanda ‘Chilli’ Thomas will be featured in the documentary.

Biography: TLC enlisted director Matt Kay and will be executive-produced by Roger Ross Williams and his production company with Geoff Martz, One Story Up.

“The Biography banner has always focused on telling the stories of remarkable people who have had a major impact on our collective culture,” A&E Network EVP and head of programming Elaine Frontain Bryant said, according to Rolling Stone. “As a revolutionary group that broke boundaries and influenced an entire generation, TLC falls directly into that category and we are honored to tell their incredible story as it has never been told before.”

Williams added:

“As someone who has long been in awe of TLC and their musical and cultural impact, I am thrilled to be a part of bringing the story of their music, their journey, and their continuing reverence to the screen. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with A&E, as well as filmmaker Matthew Kay, to bring this film to life. We hope this film illuminates a side of this incredible group and Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins, Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes, and Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas that long-time fans and viewers alike have not seen before.”

9/9/99 New York, NY. TLC at the MTV Video Music Awards. Photo by Brenda Chase/Online USA, Inc.

“Celebrate the iconic and pioneering story of TLC – the top selling American female group of all time,” the network said to share the news on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AETV (@aetv) on Oct 29, 2020 at 12:02pm PDT

As a group, TLC had nine top-ten hits on the Billboard 100 chart and four No.1 singles. The group recorded four multi-platinum albums including a diamond certification for “Crazy Sexy Cool.” In 2002, Left Eye died in a car crash in Honduras. The group continued touring and recording but has not since reached the same heights.

As theGrio reported in a recent interview, T-Boz shared her opinion that the industry turned on the girl group after the tragedy.

Read More: YouTuber Jackie Aina to produce ‘Social Beauty’ documentary with Black influencers

“‘Honestly, when Lisa died, the whole industry turned on us. Everybody. They were like, It’s over for them. They’re never going to do it again.”

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Couple denied service at Atlanta restaurant over sneakers, T.I. weighs in

A trip to a sushi restaurant did not go as planned for a Black couple due to a pair of Nike Air Force 1 tennis shoes.

A Black couple in Atlanta was turned away from a local sushi restaurant citing dress code violations although other patrons sported similar gear.

Read More: Illinois officer who shot Black couple in Chicago suburbs, killing one, has been fired

Kaylan Colbert captured the confrontation between her husband, Steve, restaurant staff, and the eatery’s owner Farshid Ashid. She tells a local news outlet that she and her husband have frequented the Buckhead restaurant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

They had never had issues with the dress code despite having previously worn casual shoes. The couple was willing to accept the no-sneaker rule until they were escorted out of the venue but not before spotting a woman at the bar wearing athletic shoes who was allowed to stay.

“I had been there multiple times. The COVID situation we had probably been about four times and spent plenty of money there in the past so this is supposed to be like a high-end restaurant,” Colbert told Fox 5. “As we were walking out, though, my husband noticed a woman at the bar had on tennis shoes and that’s when everything had gone out the window at that point because there are no rules here for some people, only for others,” she said.

“This is pure racism, she has on Adidas,” her husband said in the video. His footwear, a pair of all-white Nike Air Force 1 tennis shoes, were cited as the reason the couple was asked to leave.

“Discrimination at Umi Sushi in Atlanta!” Colbert wrote, sharing the 10-minute broadcast on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kaylan Colbert ATTORNEY (@thegeorgialawyer) on Oct 28, 2020 at 11:28am PDT

Arshid told Fox5 the dress code policy is posted both inside the restaurant and on the website. He confirms the rule applies to the entire establishment including the bar, where Colbert’s husband saw a woman who wasn’t Black wearing Adidas.

Colbert recorded the over 10-minute debate where the restaurant’s staff, and then the owner, explained that the woman at the bar was wearing ‘dress’ Adidas as opposed to Nikes and that’s why she was permitted to stay despite the posted dress code.

The conversation becomes increasingly confrontational as Colbert’s husband and the restaurant’s owner go back and forth outside the establishment, eventually having to be separated by restaurant staffers. The owner threatens the patron with jail and tells the couple not to come back to the restaurant.

But when contacted by Fox5, Umi Sushi’s owner tells the news outlet the situation could have played out differently.

“This was completely, 100%, an operational mistake on our end,” Arshid said to Fox5. “When they got upset we should have investigated that.”

He says has reached out to the couple.

“We’ve seen this on the news over and over lately. Nobody wants to feel that way. Nobody wants to feel like they can’t go to certain places,” Colbert said, according to the Fox5.

Atlanta-based rapper T.I. weighed in with support for the couple on his Instagram page. calling for the upscale sushi restaurant to be shut down. He also met with Arshid about the incident, encouraging him to hire more Black staff.

His efforts turned controversial when he was accused of not reaching out to the couple first before promoting a boycott/shutdown of the restaurant. He addressed the issue in another Instagram broadcast.

T.I. speaks onstage during Netflix Presents Rhythm+Flow Atlanta screening at Clark Atlanta University on October 08, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix/Allied Integrated Marketing)

“I don’t know these people. My only intention, as it has been, is to speak on behalf of the people, and represent the collective accordingly,” he said.

Colbert cleared up the confusion from her own profile, stating her husband made a statement in a now-deleted video before meeting with T.I. and her only goal is to keep the pressure on the restaurant.

“My husband made that video before we met with you. To be honest we are somewhat exhausted with this whole situation and ultimately the restaurant was exposed. That’s really it,” she wrote on Instagram in a post clearing the air with the King rapper. She followed up with a subsequent post officially redirecting the confrontational energy.

View this post on Instagram

That’s really the main focus.

A post shared by Kaylan Colbert ATTORNEY (@thegeorgialawyer) on Oct 29, 2020 at 8:07pm PDT

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The cast of ‘His House’ talks Black horror and community

EXCLUSIVE: Lovecraft Country’s Wunmi Mosaku stars in new psychological thriller out on Netflix Oct 30

This Halloween, Black horror enthusiasts have another thriller to add to their watch list.

His House, by screenwriter and director Remi Weekes, follows a displaced South Sudanese couple as they seek asylum in a small English town. In this haunted house tale, Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) and Bol (Sope Dirisu) soon realize that while escaping the horrors of one home, a new horror haunts them in the next.

“I wanted to tell a very personal story of a very psychological piece about two people trying to, I guess, survive after surviving,” Weekes tells theGrio.

Read More: Lena Waithe and Elle Lorraine speak on starring in hair-raising horror flick ‘Bad Hair’

The story feels personal indeed as this year has been one of surviving after surviving various real-life horrors for Black communities and beyond. Actor Dirisu affirms “I feel as though I’m better equipped within my community, our community, to endure the hardships that we’re going through at the moment.

Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu star in Netflix’s “His House.” (Photo: Netflix)

“If you had told me what 2020 was going to look like for our community, I don’t know if I would have wanted to be around to see it. But us coming through the other side of this year is going to be one of our greatest triumphs. As we go through our hardships, we’re growing stronger together.”

The hardships of 2020 have also brought about a push for more representation in film and television. One genre that seems to have already been making waves toward that diversity is horror. As His House begins streaming on Netflix this week, many horror fans are still reeling from season 1 of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, which presented a fantastical retelling of America’s racial terrors within a sci-fi thriller context.

Mosaku, who also starred in Lovecraft, tells theGrio “it feels like we’ve been waiting for this. I feel like we have been waiting for this moment where we are seen in this genre, celebrated in the genre and we really get to explore the Black experience, whether it be, you know, through an African-American Black experience with Lovecraft, or Sudanese refugee experience in the U.K.

Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu star in Netflix’s “His House.” (Photo: Netflix)

Read More: Why ‘Lovecraft Country’ is exactly the show Black people needed

She adds, “I just think it’s so important to kind of see what people are feeling and going through. And the horror is that the horror you feel, the fear that you feel is just a little a percentage of the real horrors that real people are going through.

“So I just feel it’s so important for empathy, understanding and opening one’s heart. And I’m so glad that our stories are being told now.”

Trailer:

His House will be available to stream on Netflix beginning Friday, Oct. 30.

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The post The cast of ‘His House’ talks Black horror and community appeared first on TheGrio.

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This Entrepreneur Is Working for Justice and Reform After Police Killed Her Best Friend

As we witnessed the surrealism of the recent cases of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, we can unanimously agree that death by law enforcement has been prevalent for way too long and the time for reform is now.

The question is how much longer will “now” take?

Inside Edition recently chronicled the surrounding details that led up to the 2012 homicide of Shereese Francis, who was killed in her home at the hands of four officers of the NYPD. Her best friend, Sunshine Smith-Williams, along with Francis’ sister and other supporters, has been working tirelessly for the past eight years to get justice and to bring reform–especially at the legislative level.

Smith-Williams, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, youth advocate, public speaker, film producer, and author, says there has been no progress to fix the broken policing system in America. The judicial and American policing system are built off systemic racism because the system was created from an oppressed foundation itself.

“Police officers are supposed to protect and serve. The officers who arrived at my friend’s home entered aggressively, unqualified and untrained to respond to an emotionally disturbed call that should have been handled by a mental health professional. She screamed that she couldn’t breathe just as the late Eric Garner did before he was murdered,” Smith-Williams says.

This pursuit of justice came with a few obstacles and setbacks, such as having no access to view the disciplinary history of the four officers who perpetrated the homicide. The Repeal of 50-A passed by  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo now allows the public to look at disciplinary conduct of police officers. Knowing who these officers were can show the Queens District Attorney that the aggressive behavior may not have been an outlier.

The old adage says “nothing changes, if nothing changes.” The repeal of 50-A, the public murder of George Floyd, and a promise made to the Francis family pushed Smith-Williams to publicly speak out and use her voice as a champion for change. She decided to take action by going after policy changes and wrote a police reform bill, “The Shereese Francis Act.” This bill has been submitted to longtime Queens resident and  New York City Council Member Adrienne E. Adams, who confirmed that she is backing the bill.

Smith-Williams has partnered with Dorothy Toran and Leslie Ferrell of Lauren Grace Media, owned and operated by Toran, a former producer for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Ferrell, a former vice president of production at NBC Universal and Bravo Media. They have a development agreement to create the life story of Shereese Francis. The Francis family was gracious to give their blessings and assist in this endeavor.

“We wanted to tell diverse stories that people of color can relate to. I’m currently involved as co-executive producer and have a moral duty to help shed light on what they’ve done to my friend.” –Sunshine Smith-Williams

Smith-Williams shares advice on how someone can start to seek justice if facing a similar situation:

1. Seek a civil rights attorney who is willing to get in the trenches and fight for you and with you during this painful ordeal. Please know that proving injustice requires a qualified legal expert. Your attorney must be passionate and knowledgeable of civil rights and policing policies.
2. Establish relationships within your community. You want to seek justice in legislation then start voting! Are you registered to vote? Voting is your voice, not just for the next sitting president but for your local candidates such as your mayor, district attorney, attorney general, and council members.
3. Make sure you are actively engaged in your community. Create interactive programs that bridge the gap with community and police. “When visiting my old community or doing community and youth events, I’d like to see more officers that look like me policing my area,” Smith Williams says. “My community-based organization, Investing In Us, has relationships with community leaders, activists, and community affairs from the local precinct.  Having recently graduated with a certification in Family Engagement In Education from Harvard, my professor drilled in that advocating for change really starts at home and the community. The more we’re involved, the more we’ll evolve!”

Finally, Smith-Williams has a few solutions on how we can implement effective police reform within our communities.

• “I’d reject overly aggressive policing tactics, like “stop and frisk” or those typically employed by police anti-gang units that involve contacting, stopping, searching, and surveilling large numbers of people,” she says.
• To avoid access issues, establish independent community oversight bodies, with full access to police records, subpoena power, authority to conduct investigations, and the power to discipline officers and command staff.
• It all starts with community and prioritizing social services and community development in impoverished neighborhoods over funding the police.
• “Our communities need help,” Smith-Williams concludes. “Let’s provide sufficient community-based voluntary drug treatment and harm reduction services, instead of policing drug use. In White communities, they treat drug use like an illness. Our communities need the same approach and consideration. Shereese was murdered because officers used excessive force and did not follow police policy of answering EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Persons) calls. Therefore, it’s imperative to maintain effective, supportive, and voluntary mental health services in the community, instead of responding to mental health issues with policing.”

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