A 48-year-old New Jersey woman is accused of killing her wife with a wine chiller. According to the New York Post, Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus allegedly killed 32-year-old Rebecca Gavilanez-Alectus in the couple's apartment on Sunday.  Police arrived at the apartment after getting a call about an unresponsive woman. Investigators said the Ocean County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the following day and concluded that her death was a homicide. The investigation also revealed that the couple lived in the same apartment in Brick Township.Bryan Huntenburg, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, said police believe the two women were married."It is our understanding," he said.Authorities said "the investigation further revealed that a cylindrical container used for the purpose of chilling wine was utilized in the commission of the murder." "The injuries sustained by Rebecca Gavilanez-Alectus were consistent with the implementation of this item," investigators said in a statement. "Further investigation ultimately determined that Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus did, in fact, cause the victim’s death."  According to the Asbury Park Press, Mayra was arrested in Houston on Wednesday after she had gone missing. Prosecutors said she fled from Brick, traveling from New York City to Houston by bus."We will immediately begin extradition proceedings to bring Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus back to Ocean County to answer for these charges," Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. "Justice for Rebecca Gavilanez-Alectus weighs heavy on all of our minds.”Billhimer and Brick Police Chief James Riccio said the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as the United States Marshals Service, were involved in the investigation, in addition to several other departments.“Great teamwork by all of the respective law enforcement agencies and officers involved in this investigation," Billhimer stated.In a Mother's Day Facebook post, Mayra raved about her partner."Mi amor gracias for all the uncountable ways you make this little crazy family ... and my entire life better with every moment," she wrote. "Truly blessed that you are my wife." The 48-year-old woman is charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful...

Former White House butler Wilson Roosevelt Jerman passed away at the age of 91 on May 16 due to complications related to COVID-19.Jerman spent 55 years serving a vital role in helping to run the White House from the administration of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the 44th president, Barack Obama.Former presidents sent statements to news outlets discussing the pivotal role Jerman played in making sure their families were well taken care of throughout their time in the White House.Tonight on @fox5dc at 10p - He served at the pleasure of 11 U.S. Presidents... during his 55 years at the White House. Last weekend, he passed from COVID-19. My exclusive interview with the granddaughter of White House butler, Wilson Jerman is next! pic.twitter.com/SBiXbQLiud— ShawnYancy (@Fox5Shawn) May 20, 2020 Jerman started his job at the White House in 1957 when he worked as a cleaner for the Eisenhower administration. His granddaughter, Jamila Garrett, told FOX 5 DC on Wednesday that he was promoted to White House butler during John F. Kennedy's term as president. “Jackie O. actually promoted him to a butler because of the relationship. She was instrumental in ensuring that that happened," Garrett said. "My grandfather is a family-loving, genuine man. He was always about service, service to others. It doesn't matter who you were or what you did or what you needed."“I want the world to remember my grandfather as someone who was really authentic. Always being yourself. That’s what he taught our family, that’s what thrives throughout our family. And that’s what we’ll continue to carry on, his legacy,” she added. According to NBC News, he was one of the longest-serving employees of the White House throughout his 55 years working there before he retired in 2012. Jerman worked full-time in the White House from 1957 to 1993 and part-time beginning in 2003, according to the White House Historical Association.Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush told NBC News that Jerman "was a lovely man.” Their daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, said in an interview with Today  that “the reason why [the White House] felt like home was because of people like him.”On Twitter, Hillary Clinton, former first lady and secretary of state, wrote about Jerman and his role at the White House."Bill and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wilson Roosevelt Jerman at the age of 91 from COVID-19. Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours. Our warmest condolences to his loved ones," Clinton wrote.One of Jerman's granddaughters shared memorable photos and videos of him with different presidents throughout his time at the White House. In addition to the Facebook post, Shanta Taylor Gay spoke with CNN and said Jerman had a stroke in 2011. "He was authentic. He was a quiet but stern man. Very giving, never fussed or complained. Always said he lived a blessed life," she said.Former First Lady Michelle Obama included a photo of Jerman in her best-selling memoir Becoming and sent a statement to CNN on Thursday about his passing."With his kindness and care, Wilson Jerman helped make the White House a home for decades of First Families, including ours. His service to others — his willingness to go above and beyond for the country he loved and all those whose lives he touched — is a legacy worthy of his generous spirit. We were lucky to have known him. Barack and I send our sincerest love and prayers to his family," Obama...

Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse was trending on Twitter Thursday afternoon thanks to a glamorous photoshoot that many people thought made him look like Terrence Howard.Sprouse tweeted out some photos from the shoot with noted photographer Alex Hainer on Wednesday. The post drew nearly 200,000 likes and quickly attracted the attention of Twitter, which led to hundreds of people believing that the actor looked similar to Howard.Here are some of the best tweets on Howard and Sprouse's...

The Karen archetype has taken on a new life amid social distancing orders. Not long after nonessential businesses temporarily shut down shop and the CDC recommended masks be worn in public, social media was flooded with childlike antics from white Americans resisting such protocols. Protests against safety measures put in place by state and local leaders throughout the nation have been astoundingly embraced by this particular brand of American.Loud and entitled middle-aged white women, unaffectionately dubbed "Karens" by the internet, have been seen comparing quarantines to slavery, starting fistfights over wait times at Red Lobster and getting arrested for coughing on people.All of these activities have been caught on camera, highlighting some of the worst examples of entitlement, selfishness and blatant racism. Here are the five Karens we've had the misfortune of being introduced to during...

A white woman is being charged with third-degree assault and battery after she accused a Black 11-year-old girl of stealing her mail, according to the Daily Mail.Elizabeth Shirey, 38, confronted Skhylur Davis as she was gathering the mail for her grandmother, Alice Patterson, on May 11 in a South Carolina neighborhood. While the girl was with a group of other children, Shirey grabbed Skhylur and snatched the mail from her.However, after realizing the mail was not, in fact, stolen and didn't belong to her, Shirey apologized and attempted to offer the 11-year-old cookies.WRDW reported that Shirey's husband also approached the group to intervene and said, "If you were a different type of guy, then this would have been another story," according to Skhylur.While his comments were left to be interpreted, Skhylur said during a press conference that "you don't have to think about what type he meant."Police arrived on the scene soon after, however, Shirey wasn't taken into custody due to fear of the coronavirus spreading in jails.Justin Bamberg, Skhylur's lawyer, said the 11-year-old thinks it's sad that Black people are often killed and wrongly accused. She also said during a press conference that she wasn't scared during the incident and previously targeted violence against Black people influenced her reaction to the situation."I wasn't scared because in this type of situation, you need to do anything but be scared," Skhylur said. "It shouldn't be like this and it's wrong."Skhylur said the incident is an example of the violence caused by white people who feel the need to take the law into their own hands and wrongly accuse Black people of committing crimes.Bamberg referenced the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, who was followed by two white men in a pickup truck after being accused of stealing from a housing construction site on February 23. In a recorded video, Arbery is seen being shot to death on a street in Brunswick, Georgia, as Blavity previously reported."Now, where are we at as a society — forget race, forget ethnicity, forget gender, forget sexual preference — where are we at as a society when an 11-year-old child has to be cognizant of that when she's interacting with a grown woman?" Bamberg said.Bamberg is hoping the case goes through the criminal justice system and wants to make an example out of Shirey."We want the criminal justice system, in this instance in Aiken County, to make an example out of [the woman] to deter other people from ever doing the same thing again," Bamberg said.Patterson said the situation was hurtful and unacceptable. "We're hurt, we're upset, and we're angry. She's angry and hurt. She was violated," she said. "Growing up in the South, we had to endure this; our parents had to endure this. It's 2020. We will not have our children go through what we had to go through."Applauding Skhylur's actions, District 5 Councilwoman Andrea Neira Gregory said she was proud of her."I just want you to know that we are proud of you. I can tell that based on what your attorney said that you are an amazing young lady and your family has a lot of reasons to be proud of you," Gregory said. "Keep your head up, this will pass, but we appreciate the awareness you are creating in our society, specifically, the city of Aiken, where this should never be tolerated," she...

Founder of The Underbelly Yoga, Jessamyn Stanley, sat down with Blavity for a Facebook Live session on Tuesday to encourage us to amplify our self-care routines amid the pandemic. The published author sat down to share their journey as a "fat, Black and queer" yoga practitioner and overcoming barriers and stereotypes.Now having practiced yoga for nearly a decade, Stanley walked into their journey to being a yogi during graduate school when they were asked to join a class by one of their white friends. Startled by the invitation, Stanley said they were immediately doubtful of the impact it could have on their well-being. Eventually convinced to join by their friend, Stanley went and noticed they were the only fat person and one of the only Black people in the room, making the overall session seem impossible."It was an alienating experience. I couldn't practice any of the postures," Stanley said. "Even just to sit with my legs crossed hurt, postures like 'child's pose' seemed impossible to me."They eventually had an epiphany and began to push themselves to make the most out of the class. They soon realized that yoga was not about being the best or being good but rather releasing your ego or at least acknowledging the ego. "It started to build up my confidence," they said.Stanley went on to practice on their own at home and to dive deeper into the world of yoga with limited resources and knowledge. As they shared their journey online, they began to break the stereotypes that "fat" people couldn't do yoga."They would look at my pictures and be like 'fat people can do yoga?' And I would be like 'b***h, fat people do all kind of stuff all the time,'" Stanley said."What we really just have is a visibility issue, and we need to make it more clear that fat bodies are capable of doing things that anybody can do and that we are strong and powerful and mighty," they added.The desire to address the lack of visibility of people of all sizes doing yoga led Stanley to begin teaching.After the coronavirus outbreak, Stanley said although they've battled anxiety from the state-ordered lockdown, as a polyamorist, they have been collectively learning with their partners how to navigate and manage fear. In addition, they have been turning to yoga as a coping mechanism."For me, being able to use the practice as a way to ride the waves of life and understand that bad sh*t will always happen," they said. "We're all built to sustain and withhold and maintain really complicated stuff. And of the yoga practice  I did before this I think was just practicing for this."Stanley said they view yoga during the pandemic as a daily medication accompanied by meditation to assist with their well-being.The yogi said they also limit their engagement with negative journalism by limiting their intake of content in an effort to protect their energy and focus on what they are trying to manifest. They also told Blavity's Facebook followers that connecting with their emotions and standing boldly in their truth has allowed them to feel a sense of peace. "I think the biggest thing for me during the time period is trying to accept that I'm not going to feel good every day. I think there's a lot of shame that comes from ever feeling bad or ever needing to admit weakness or admit vulnerability. For me, there's immense power when I am able to say 'I'm not in a good mood and I don't feel like being in a good mood and I'm not going to get in a good mood.' And being able to own that and accept that and love that about myself, it means I am able to have a deeper connection to this light that's inside," Stanley said. Although they've been able to find ways to manage during the pandemic, Stanley said they have been pleased to see other people keeping it real and contemplating how to be there for other people and show up for one's self. The yogi wrapped up the Facebook Live by sharing a few yoga poses with the viewers and reminding everyone to stand in their truth and go at your own...

Kevin Hart’s career has seen one of the most successful trajectories of his time.The decorated actor-comedian has seen the heights of fame and the valleys of notoriety. From his undeniable success on the big screen to the near-cancellation of his career over a resurfaced homophobic tweet, the actor appears to have nine lives.In 2019, he and wife Eniko Hart decided to place their voices above the chatter of rumor and allegations surrounding their union. Here is everything we know about Eniko, the woman at the center of it...

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____Every single day, my heart is broken.It’s an empty-bed sort of brokenness, not unlike waking in a prison bunk after dreaming of home, where one is surrounded by hundreds of convicts and yet can still be inescapably isolated. A brokenness caused by a lack of touch — a dog who, after growing out of puppy-love cuteness, is tied out in the backyard for a decade or so.It breaks hardest when I wake in the morning and realize that she’s still not beside me. That she likely won’t be beside me for years to come, and this because walls have been thrown up between us. Knowing nothing of ardor, walls are rather erected with hatred and divisiveness. No one has ever built a wall out of a sense of inclusiveness, constructed a barricade in order to mend fences or crowned either/or in wires barbed with harmony.My heart is healed somewhat on Sundays and Wednesdays, when we Skype. Even more so during my occasional visits — the dog allowed in for biannual reprieves.I will call her Nataly because she lives in Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia, in its turn a country with a bevy of security issues. We began corresponding in the fall of 2006, just four years after my fifth and final release from prison and a year away from beginning my MFA at a different class of Columbia.The broke-ness is also financial — that after 14-plus years and two college degrees I still cannot afford to bring her here and marry her; can’t buy her a home or a car or even lousy American health insurance. This sort of broke-ness eats at a man. Robs him of dignity and self-esteem and even good health. Failure is four walls unto themselves. A solitary confinement echoing with the susurrations of doubt augmented with slamming doors. One cannot be a failure alone. Failure requires the full cooperation of others.Fracaso in Spanish. Don’t ever use the “F” word in front of Nataly, in either language. I found that out the hard way. “Oh, so your book won’t sell?” she chides in Spanish, followed by, “Pobrecita. Then you write another, and another, until you succeed.”“Éxito” is the Spanish word for success, and in Nataly’s eyes I’m the living embodiment of éxito. Nor is it just my success kicking heroin and prison along with it, but so too my writing.Despite her confidence, I still dream of being locked up again. Although such dreams can be disturbing and even nightmarish, there’s no feeling on the planet like waking up and realizing I’m home, in bed, deliverance the warm cocoon of sheets and comforter. Indeed, the only thing missing is her.In these dreams I’m always facing two years. I can feel this gap of time as something physical, my mind shackled in fevered fuzziness. But what’s especially lurid is that I have no way to contact Nataly and let her know, and her belief that I abandoned her makes the above avalanche of time feel like the soft patter of snowflakes.This is where the dream crosses into real life. Nothing oppresses me more than a vision of Nataly waiting for me to call, her text messages frantic, pulsing rapidly like an EKG before slowing, the beats coming further and further apart before stopping altogether, heralding an irreparable tear. It’s unbearable to me, and I’d gladly do another decade in prison to spare her a single moment of such discernible sorrow.Nor is the dream totally irrational. We’ve both had health scares. While teaching and cabbing on weekends in 2014 my blood sugar was so high they shot me up with insulin on the spot. Type-2 diabetes was scary enough, although as it turned out short-lived. A quick diet adjustment along with working full-time construction has my blood sugar at prediabetic levels.But life is full of dangers. It was in October of 2006 that I sent my first email to Nataly. Soon after I was in a pretty bad motorcycle accident. Totaled my Harley when a woman pulled in front of me. Lacerated liver, bruised kidney, fractured hip and skull.Then there was the frantic email I received from Nataly in January of 2008 telling me how her boss had accidentally shot her in the head. He’d been cleaning his gun in the office when it went off, the bullet shattering into a wall and a piece of shrapnel from it striking her forehead. I called her that night — I was using a prepaid phone card back then — and did my best to talk her down. The incident scared her badly, mostly because of the blood. Scalp wounds bleed like crazy. I remained calm for her sake, but in truth I’d been horrified. We all want to protect the ones we love, a task made overwhelming when that person is beyond physical touch.It was in 2018 when I found a lump in her breast. This was the worst for me because, although Colombia made health care a constitutional right in 1993, it only applies to the very poor. Even with my financial help it still took five months to learn the lump was benign, and in that time period, seeming longer than any of my five prison sentences, I couldn’t comfort her with even a simple hug. Sound familiar?Segue to COVID-19, seeming lightyears beyond an ex-con trying to get his Latina fiancée into Trump’s America; beyond anything we could’ve anticipated. Nor is it just the threat of illness, the financial constraints have become acuter. Colombia is currently in a nationwide quarantine, in which neither Nataly nor her sister can work. Bills are coming due and they’ve no safety net; no sick days; no unemployment insurance; no two-trillion-dollar cavalry just over the hill. Nor can I bring her up here anytime soon. I still must answer for all my crimes to the Department of Homeland Security. A fiancée visa is a privilege, they told me. Hoop jumping is obligatory.Nor can I live there — not and make a decent living. I mean, I can’t make a decent living here, but I really can’t make one down there. Colombia is a hard place, with walls of its own. Harder still for a gringo ex-con with a bevy of drug convictions.So if you’re feeling down because Corona got you locked up, relax and count what blessings you can. I’d like to say that I’ve survived worse, but I can’t make that claim right now. What I can say is that we are happy, Nataly and I, and have been for well over a decade, and that’s something worth hanging on any...

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____When I decided to leave my job to pursue my side-hustle full-time, I was equal parts excited and frightened. I was excited because I actually had a chance to pursue something I was extremely passionate about. I was frightened because my job allowed for financial security and a level of predictability I enjoyed. Quitting meant that I was giving up all of that.I don’t necessarily consider myself a big risk-taker, so when I finally decided not to return to work, I ensured that I did it in a way that would allay some (not all) of my fears about money and the success of the business. I took some of the following steps to help me transition as smoothly as...

If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.____A few weeks ago, I came across the video of Ahmaud Abery being gunned down by two white men. I still haven’t watched the video. However, I’ve read enough about the viral clip to know the content of it.Truth is, I am numb. The past few years have been an emotional rollercoaster. When we go up, things seem normal; but when we go down, we are reminded that Black lives hold little value in our country. It is not surprising to see a Black or brown body murdered on camera. And while I commend the many activists fighting the good fight, I expect justice to be denied.I’m conflicted on whether or not people should share these gut-wrenching videos because they are overwhelming and traumatizing to watch. On the other hand, they create public outrage which creates awareness and challenges leaders to move with intention. I made a promise to myself that I would not watch another video after I watched Eric Garner being choked to death. It isn't good for my mental health. Just like his family, I was rewarded a meaningless settlement and the officers were never charged. It's unfortunate that I have to remind some people that financial compensation is not justice — money can be printed, lives can’t be purchased.On November 11, 2012, I survived a police shooting and my life instantly became a political firestorm. I handled it with grace and became a symbol of hope for many. I soon realized that people were more focused on my hero and not my healing. I was excelling publicly while suffering in private.I received numerous awards for my work, became a nationally recognized activist and even put my bid in as a candidate for Pittsburgh City Council. However, the emotional turmoil became unbearable and I made a decision to stop suppressing my pain. I started seeing a therapist and the experience completely changed my life. Therapy helped me recognize that although being an agent of change is important, self-care is necessary. We live in a society that rewards selflessness without having a true understanding of self-care. We need balance. We can't continue to be simply outraged while emotionally numb.In the midst of my pain, it was easy for me to put an emphasis on building my platform while I was deteriorating emotionally. Therapy helped me to find comfort in removing my mask of perfection, and I began living my truth. It is important to have goals, however, we must identify what we want in life instead of allowing society to condition us to respond to circumstance.Reading, meditating and journaling helped me build a healthy relationship with self. I realized that I didn’t have a true sense of self. People defined me as an activist, so I became an activist. In some ways this benefited me, but I still felt empty.“Give up defining yourself — to yourself or to others. You won't die. You will come to life. And don't be concerned with how others define you. When they define you, they are limiting themselves, so it's their problem. Whenever you interact with people, don't be there primarily as a function or a role, but as the field of conscious Presence. You can only lose something that you have, but you cannot lose something that you are.”— Eckhart TolleNow that I have a stronger sense of self, I am fully aware of what I need in my life to keep a healthy mind, body and spirit. I know that my mind is a garden, therefore I am very intentional about what I consume. Meditating helps strengthen my self-control and stay calm, reading helps me acquire knowledge that keeps my mind sharp and working out with my father keeps me physically fit and energized.“A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”— James Allen, As a Man ThinkethA film team came out to capture my story last year while I was running for city council, but instead, they found me in the midst of taking a personal and mental leap. I hope seeing my story can help you unlock your truest self, too.____Watch the film, Leon, at the following link: https://www.breakout.today/leon#LeonTheFilmFollow Leon on Twitter and Instagram at @LeonFordSpeaks.You can follow the director of the film, Jackson Tisi, on Twitter and Instagram at...

Singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey hit Instagram on Wednesday night, in part, to tease her upcoming album.But the promotion turned into a rant aimed at critics who say her music "glamorizes abuse."The "Summertime Sadness" artist compared her music to that of other women in the music industry, including Beyoncé, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat.“Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, Camila, Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f**king, cheating, etc – can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money – or whatever I want — without being crucified or saying that I’m glamorizing abuse?"...

In the first-ever “Webbys From Home,” music mogul DJ D-Nice took home the biggest individual award.D-Nice, born Derrick Jones, won the 2020 Webby Artist of The Year award on Tuesday night.  He was lauded for his work unifying communities with live, streamable music sets and interviews, branded as Club Quarantine, since the coronavirus pandemic started. He was presented his award by major fan and former FLOTUS Michelle Obama. “With his Club Quarantine parties, Derrick has created a space where folks can come together from living rooms and basements all over the world to let off some steam, dance it out and just enjoy each other’s company,” Obama, who referred to Jones as her friend, said.“Partying with a purpose…his turntables have provided a soundtrack for so many of our volunteers, helping us reach more than 400,000 eligible voters throughout our recent couch parties," she added.In late March, Club Quarantine partnered with Obama's organization When We All Vote to encourage those tuning in to register to vote, as Blavity previously reported. "I know we’re all looking forward to D-Nice bringing down the house when we can all be together again," the former FLOTUS added. As tradition goes, Webby asked award winners to give a five-word acceptance speech. Jones' response was one of humility with a touch of humor.“So, this isn’t a prank?” he quipped. Jones, a New York native, found fame in the 1980s emerging hip-hop scene as a member of the group Boogie Down Productions with legendary rapper KRS-One. Since the group split in the early 90s, Jones has switched lanes as a party DJ and celebrity photographer. In 2012, he DJ’d former President Barack Obama’s inauguration and has taken portraits of Tyra Banks and John Legend.This March, the DJ curated the Club Quarantine project in an effort to stay busy and keep his mind off social distancing himself from friends and family. In an interview with W Magazine, he detailed how the effort snowballed into an Instagram Live experience. “The next day, I hit John Legend up, and I hit Dave Chappelle up,” Jones said. “It totally went away from what I initially thought it was gonna be, this hip-hop interview series. And it became this cool little club, and I would just invite my friends. I wasn’t even DJ’ing at that point, I was strictly playing songs from my laptop into the phone. And every day, it just started to change.”The success of the 49-year-old's livestreams helped birth other social media-fueled live experiences as the nation continues to social distance, like Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Verzuz initiative — a live music "battle" between artists. Verzuz won the Webby’s Break the Internet award, which was presented by Jill Scott, an artist who participated in the program with Erykah Badu earlier this month, as Blavity previously reported. “Timbaland and Swizz Beatz haven’t just created some of the most bangin’ music of our times, they’ve also spent their careers uplifting other artists, which is why they created Verzuz,” Scott said.Jones said he sees the future of his club as a show that he takes on the road that can be hosted at outdoor amphitheaters where friends and family can come together to dance and experience live music. He said he may have to drop the “quarantine” moniker from the brand when the pandemic subsides.Check out the award presentation...