Kimberly Godwin, a seasoned CBS executive, has just been named president of ABC News, becoming the first Black woman to not only lead the network, but spearhead a prominent broadcast news network. The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) rejoiced in Godwin’s appointment on Twitter, tweeting how the NABJ member has just made history. It’s Official!!!! @KimGodwinTV Makes History as First Black Woman to Head ABC News, Broadcast Network News Operation. Godwin Tells NABJ That She Stands on the Shoulders of NABJ Giants Who Came Before Her! https://t.co/0mLX6IQtbY pic.twitter.com/kK3aEuOohK— NABJ Headquarters (@NABJ) April 14, 2021“The significance of this appointment is not lost on me,” Godwin told NABJ. “I stand on the shoulders of giants in journalism who paved the way as members of NABJ. I’m looking forward to joining the extraordinary team at ABC News and excited about what we can accomplish together.“ The Florida A&M University graduate will begin her role in early May, succeeding James Goldston. According to Variety, Goldston stepped down as president after feeling he was “ready for a new adventure.”“It’s a really tough decision,” Goldston said in a memo, Variety reported. “I’ve loved every day of my 17 years at ABC News, but in recent times I’ve always assumed that after this extraordinary election cycle, which we’ve covered at a full sprint for four years, it would be time for a change.  After a great deal of reflection over the last few months, I’m ready for a new adventure.”  Godwin’s duties as president include overseeing editorial and business operations for broadcast, digital, streaming and audio news across ABC which includes notable programs like Good Morning America, World News Tonight, 20/20, Nightline, The View and This Week.“This historic announcement shows what we at NABJ have always known: there are Black executives more than capable of taking the reins of a network operation,” NABJ Vice President-Broadcast, Ken Lemon said. “We hope this move sends a clear signal to other networks.” “The NABJ Family is thrilled that Kim has been tapped for this position and it is the logical next step for a hard-working news leader,” he added. “Her appointment opens the door for diversity and inclusion at a higher level. The glass ceiling is broken and must be shattered.” Peter Rice, chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content, elected Godwin as president noting her 35-year career tenure as a catalyst in the decision. “Kim is an instinctive and admired executive whose unique experiences, strengths and strategic vision made her the ideal choice to lead the outstanding team at ABC News and build on their incredible success,” Rice said in a statement, Deadline reported. “Throughout Kim’s career in global news organizations and local newsrooms, she has distinguished herself as a fierce advocate for excellence, collaboration, inclusion and the vital role of accurate and transparent news reporting,” he said. Though ABC was under fire last year due to racially insensitive comments from one of their senior talent executives, Barbara Fedida, Godwin bolstered the company’s legacy for being one of the most trusted names in news.  “I have immense respect and admiration for ABC News,” Godwin told NABJ. “As the most trusted brand in news, they are to be commended for the extraordinary work and dedication of the journalists, producers, executives and their teams across the organization. I am honored to take on this stewardship and excited for what we will achieve...

Brothers from the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at Louisiana State University (LSU) are paying it forward to someone they all hold dear to their heart — their former fraternity house cook, Jessie Hamilton. More than 30 years after attending LSU, brothers from Phi Gamma Delta, also known as Fiji, decided to pay off Hamilton’s mortgage after discovering she was working two jobs to afford her home. Nearly 100 brothers donated to help pay off her $45,000 mortgage plus some, raising a total of $51,765.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by LSU FIJI (est. 1948) (@lsufiji_bp)Around a dozen Fiji families along with Hamilton’s, surprised her ahead of her 74th birthday with a party they dubbed “Jessie Hamilton Day.” In a Fiji edition of Let’s Make A Deal, the brothers presented Hamilton with two checks— one in the amount of $45,000 to cover her mortgage, and another one with the memorandum, “You Being You,” for over $6,000.Hamilton was not only a cook at the LSU fraternity house for 14 years, but was described by Andrew Fusaiotti, a 52-year-old Fiji alumnus who attended LSU in the 1980s, as more “like a mother."“She was truly like a mother to us,” Fusaiotti said to The Washington Post. “She treated us like we were her own kids. She was always looking out for us.” Hamilton, who began working at the fraternity house in 1982, would start her day around 4 a.m. and catch the 5 a.m. bus to campus. When she arrived, she would prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for up to 100 fraternity members at a time. Fusaiotti said he called Hamilton at the beginning of the pandemic to check on her when she revealed that she couldn’t afford to retire when asked why she was still working two jobs, something she’s been doing since she was 14. “I was a sharecropper's daughter, so we didn’t have much,” Hamilton told the Washington Post. “At one time, I was working four jobs. There were times where I didn’t have enough money to put food on the table. I had to do what I had to do.”After Hamilton left the fraternity house in 1996, she continued working multiple jobs, including cleaning at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and cooking at a country club. Once Fusaiotti found that Hamilton was still employed, he set out on a quest to help expedite the road to retirement. He reached out to fraternity brothers across the country to start a fundraiser who he says were “so excited” to participate. “That shows how they all felt about her,” Fusaiotti said, according to The Advocate. “Jessie is one of these people that shows up to work and always has a smile on her face, eager to please and never complains.” Former Fiji member Johnny Joubert who graduated from LSU in 1993, recalled how selfless Hamilton was during his time with her at the fraternity house. “She was always asking how everyone else was doing and never said anything about herself,” he told The Washington Post. “From day one, she had this aura that drew everybody to her. She always took care of us.” Most often, Hamilton would make the brothers comfort food such as fried chicken, smoked sausage and red beans or peach cobbler, and she would fill the role as a confidant. "I was always there to talk things through with them,” Hamilton recalled, expressing that she enjoyed supporting the brothers more than anything. “They'd come in the kitchen and sit on top of the counter and tell me their problems.” At the surprise party which left Hamilton “hollering and crying” she remembered something that her father once told her: “When you do right, it’ll be all right. You just have to trust God.”“You’re the only one that I know in this world that could walk into that hot kitchen, working for minimum wage, with a smile on your face every single day for 14 years,” Fusaiotti said. “We’re here to thank you for that, because we love you, respect you, and we know what you’ve been through to get this house and put food on your table.”“For us to show our kids what the true meaning of success is — that it’s not about fancy cars and boats and vacation homes — was incredibly special,” the father of two continued. “Success is about setting a good example, doing things for others and bringing people closer together. Jessie does all of those things for her family, friends, community and co-workers.”Hamilton’s daughter, Yonetta Tircuit, spoke highly of her mother, saying she is someone who would do anything for anybody.“My mom has always been a person who cares about other people. She would give you the shirt off her back and the socks and shoes off her feet,” the 55-year-old said. “Now she can actually slow down and take care of herself.”Hamilton said she plans to “spend the money wisely,” and hopes to take a vacation to Hawaii once it’s safe to travel. "This has been a blessing to me," Hamilton told The Advocate. "I have been worrying about how I was going to pay my house off. I am grateful for what God has done and has led them to do for...

Rap icon Snoop Dogg recently chatted with Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show and recalled the first time he met the late rapper DMX in the '90s.Snoop said he first met DMX at a concert in 1994, and following the event, they went to the studio together. There, the 50-year-old shared a story that he said touched his heart profoundly.“He brought up a story that was so, so, so deep and instrumental to our relationship,” Snoop Dogg recalled.“He was like, ‘When you first met me, I was, like, away from him.' And he was saying, ‘What’s happening? What’s up?’ And I was like, ‘Get at me, dog! And he was like, ‘I took that and I made that into my song, "Get at Me Dog" 'cause the way you got at me,’ and said that, I was like, ‘That’s slick,’” the Long Beach, California native said.“So that night inspired him to create that song ‘Get At Me Dog’ which was one of his biggest hood records that he put out,” he added.Last summer, DMX and Snoop shared a stage for one of the most heartfelt Verzuz performances to date, as Blavity previously reported. Fans relished in the session, which was seen more as an opportunity to celebrate each other as opposed to a competition.The two-hour battle started with a powerful prayer from the late rapper and featured each of them singing the words to each other’s songs.During his interview on The Tonight Show, Snoop shared that the Verzuz battle he did with DMX was a display of love, one that he believes sent the 50-year-old New York native off in style.“It meant the world because it gave the world a chance to see two dogs that naturally love each other, celebrating each other in the name of hip-hop. You seen a lot of interaction between me and him, engaging in our songs. You seen a lot of conversations and a lot of love. We had God in the building with us that night. That makes me feel good about DMX’s transition to know that he’s off to better place and he’s finally got his angel wings,” Snoop said. As Blavity previously reported, the rapper, born as Earl Simmons, died earlier this month after being hospitalized for a heart attack he suffered as a result of a drug overdose. When he was admitted, sources close to the family said he was in a “vegetative state,” and doctors were concerned about whether he’d survive.After he passed away last Friday, DMX’s family issued a statement remembering him as a “warrior” who loved his family and inspired millions through his artistry."Earl's music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time. Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle and the man the world knew as DMX. We will share information about his memorial service once details are finalized," the statement read.At the height of his career, the “How’s It Going Down” artist rose to the top of the music industry. His 1999 album And Then There Was X went platinum five times and he’s also credited as a multi-nominated Grammy...

Former Buffalo, New York police officer Cariol Horne received justice after a 15-year battle.In 2006, the 53-year-old was fired after she stopped Gregory Kwiatkowski, a white police officer who had Neal Mack, a Black man, in a chokehold, as Blavity previously reported.According to court documents, Horne removed the officer from the suspect’s neck and was struck in the face in the process. “Her conduct should have been encouraged, and instead she was fired,” Horne’s lawyer, W. Neil Eggleston, said in an interview, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Neal Mack looked like he was about to die," Horne told CBS This Morning in a 2020 interview. "So had I not stepped in, he possibly could have. He was handcuffed and being choked." After tirelessly attempting to reverse her termination to no avail, on Tuesday, a state court judge exonerated Hamilton, who was just one year shy of the 20 years required to receive a full police pension when she was fired.  “My vindication comes at a 15-year cost, but what has been gained could not be measured ... I never wanted another police officer to go through what I had gone through for doing the right thing,” Horne said.  Following the 2006 incident, Horne rejected a four-day suspension offer and was reassigned while Kwiatkowski sued Horne and her lawyer for defamation and won $65,000. After hearings in 2007 and 2008, the Buffalo Police Department concluded that Horne’s actions against her fellow officer were unjustified.Kwiatkowski was promoted to lieutenant in 2008, the same year Horne was fired, but eventually was indicted on federal civil rights charges for admitting to using excessive force on four Black teenagers. He spent four months in prison.  Judge Dennis Ward’s Tuesday ruling reverses an earlier decision that validated Horne’s firing and allows her to be reimbursed for the benefits she lost after being terminated. Ward wrote in his verdict "the City of Buffalo has recognized the error and has acknowledged the need to undo an injustice from the past. The legal system can at the very least be the mechanism to help justice prevail, even if belatedly,” CBS News reports.    After footage of George Floyd’s death circulated around the internet in 2020, Horne said she was triggered by watching him die not only at the hands of police but with other officers around."Looking at the video, it was very upsetting, and I felt that if one of those officers had stepped in that he would be alive today," she said in the interview. Though she was recently vindicated, Horne has achieved success in her efforts to rectify the past and prevent others from going through the same scrutiny she faced. Cariol’s Law, which allows police officers to intervene when they feel unnecessary force is being used and protects officers from being retaliated against, was approved by the Buffalo Common Council in an 8-1 vote in the fall of 2020, according to NBC...

Award-winning actress, producer, writer, and advocate Issa Rae kicked off her collaboration with Pepsi brand LIFEWTR on Wednesday in a campaign aimed at uplifting diverse creators across the arts. In a candid conversation with Blavity, the 36-year-old multi-hyphenate spoke about the importance of continuing the work that the Black Lives Matter movement protests reignited last summer. For Rae, her life’s work has always showcased diverse voices and this new collaboration is just another extension of her personal mission to prioritize overlooked voices.“It’s not easy work, but you have to kind of prioritize it,” she says. “Over the last year now, especially with these racial uprisings, we’ve seen where so many companies are falling short. This is really the time to see how much work you’ve been doing since and if you’re truly about that life. But what I love about LIFEWTR is they’ve been doing this since they started. It’s something that has been core to what the company is, and I can’t say the same for a lot of these other industries.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae)Last year, consumers and companies across industries called out the deeply-rooted systemic issues that continue to push marginalized communities aside. As Blavity previously reported, the Insecure creator and actress herself shared how she used her time during the protests to observe "who was on the front lines” and “who was educating other people to make a difference." Now, she herself is showing once again how supportive she is of diverse creators and being a person of action that continues to open doors for opportunity.“I hope to set an example, but all I can do is remain optimistic and hope that also these artists that we’ve featured will continue to lift others up and shine a light on them as they get opportunities,” she tells Blavity about the Life Unseen campaign.Rae also says her work doesn’t solely rely on corporations and big-name companies. Everyday creatives and supporters also share the responsibility to uplift one another and continue that work ourselves.“Don’t be selfish with your opportunities, [and] don’t be one of the crabs in a barrel,” she says. “What’s meant for you will be yours, and that’s something that I’ve told myself constantly through my own journey.”Her latest brand endeavor also acts as a vessel for her own personal mission to extend an olive brand to help her fellow creatives reach the next step in their careers. “I’ve never been shy about [saying], ‘Girl did you see this opportunity,’ or ‘Hey this is happening here, we should take advantage of it.’ Because again if it’s meant for me and it’s mine then it’s mine, and if it’s meant for you it’s yours, and there’s no hard feelings. When one person wins we do kind of all win, there’s just not any one opportunity for everyone else.”Rae has always been a champion for her own community and uses any opportunity to pay it forward to express her love for the culture. While accepting her 2021 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Insecure, she said the honor “means the world." "It's the only validation that matters, is Black people's validation, so I really appreciate NAACP for honoring us. It means so much," Rae...

The Daily Show host Trevor Noah is scolding the police officer who allegedly mistook her gun for a Taser in the shooting death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright. “You have got to be f**king kidding me,” Noah said on Monday. “A man was killed at a traffic stop because the police officer mixed up their gun and their Taser? Is that even supposed to be a legitimate excuse? Like we’re supposed to watch that and be like, ‘Ah, OK, one time I used sugar instead of salt so I can relate.’”"Cops think everything is a gun, except their own gun." https://t.co/QzxjgmW1ew— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 14, 2021“I’m not saying that tragic mistakes will never happen, but what I am saying is that maybe if the police weren’t so quick to draw any weapon then maybe people wouldn’t die because of a mix-up from “Officer Urkel” over here,” the South African native...

United Airlines, the only major U.S. airline to own a pilot training academy, is launching a partnership with three historically Black colleges and universities: Hampton University, Elizabeth City State University and Delaware State University. The partnership aims to identify top talent from the HBCUs and recruit students to its flight school. At the beginning of April, the airline announced plans to have 50% of its training school students be women and people of color.“Being that I graduated from an HBCU, I’m very excited that United now has a partnership,” Gabrielle Harding, a United Airlines pilot, told the Virginia-Pilot. Harding graduated from Hampton’s aviation program. At the time, Hampton was only one of a handful of Black colleges with a flight school. According to her, she was the only woman in her major during her four years. The Hampton alumna was the only Black woman pilot at a regional airline, too. Harding said that after she graduated, she moved back to Michigan, her home state where she worked as a flight instructor. There, Harding says she didn't see anyone who looked like her, but she's now optimistic for the future due to the partnership between United and the HBCUs.Initially, she decided to become an airline pilot after getting an opportunity through the Tuskegee Airmen to fly over Detroit. It was Harding's first taste of the aerospace field. “When you have the opportunity to see someone who’s in a career field that looks like you, then it’s always in the back of your mind that this is possible,” she said. "Over the next decade, United will train 5,000 pilots who will be guaranteed a job with United, after they complete the requirements of the Aviate program – and our plan is for half of them to be women and people of color," United CEO Scott Kirby said. The airline says it continues to "break down the financial barriers that limited access to the airline pilot career path for generations of women and people of color," and has since committed to funding $1.2 million in scholarships.United said that it has finalized partnerships with Hampton, Elizabeth City State and Delaware State during its announcement of their new diversity goal for pilots. Through the partnership, these students will have the opportunity to participate, fly and associate with dedicated ambassadors and coaches who will help lead them on the path to a United flight deck.According to the airline, the program promises to give an aspiring aviator the most direct path to United with one of its Aviate regional partners. The future pilots must meet a minimum requirement of 24 months and 2,000 hours of training with said partners. The flight school will also offer the next generation of pilots more options in program entry points throughout their career and choice of select United Express carriers. Additionally, the airline said it will increase transparency and clarity along the path from program entry to flying for United and improve on career development, including mentoring, access to United pilots and learning...

Rusten Sheskey, the police officer who shot and paralyzed Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year, has returned to work without facing consequences.According to NBC News, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis made the announcement on Tuesday, saying the officer was "found to have been acting within policy and will not be subjected to discipline.""Although this incident has been reviewed at multiple levels, I understand that some will not be pleased with the outcome; however, given the facts, it was the only lawful and appropriate decision to be made," Miskinis said.Media Release pic.twitter.com/wdq5QaNNyk— Kenosha Police Dept. (@KenoshaPolice) April 13, 2021As Blavity previously reported, police said they were responding to a domestic dispute call when the shooting happened in August. Witnesses, however, said Blake was trying to deescalate an altercation between two young women. Blake later confirmed the witness' account. He said he was leaving his son's birthday party with his children when a fight broke out between a neighbor and Laquisha Booker, the mother of three of his children. Sheskey, one of the officers responding to the scene, fired seven shots into Blake's back."My babies are right here, my babies. So after he stopped shooting me, I said, 'Daddy loves you, no matter what,'" the Wisconsin resident told Good Morning America. "I thought it was going to be the last thing I say to them. Thank God it wasn't."In January, District Attorney Michael Graveley said Sheskey will not face criminal charges for the incident that left Blake paralyzed from the waist down, USA TODAY reported. With the latest announcement from the police, the officer is also cleared of breaking any internal policies. He is now back on duty after having being placed on administrative leave since March 3. Graveley said he couldn't disprove the claims of Sheskey, who said he fired seven shots because he feared for his life after Blake picked up a knife.  "How can anyone say this is a desired result for a police encounter?" Blake's attorney, Patrick Salvi Jr., said.Filing a federal civil rights lawsuit for damages against Sheskey on March 25, Blake said the officer's use of deadly force was excessive and violated his rights under the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable seizure. The lawsuit adds that the officer's action was done with "malice, willfulness, and reckless indifference" to Blake's rights."I didn't want to be the next George Floyd," the 29-year-old told Good Morning America. "I didn't want to...

Courteney Ross, George Floyd's girlfriend, said she was familiar with Daunte Wright, who was fatally shot by Minnesota police over the weekend.Ross told The Washington Post that Wright was a student while she was a dean at Edison High School. She described him as “a silly boy, as goofy as can be,” who required extra attention because he “needed a lot of love.”“It’s almost too much,” she said.As Blavity previously reported, Wright was shot and killed by a police officer on Sunday who allegedly meant to deploy her Taser, but instead fired her handgun. As protests erupted throughout the community, Brooklyn Center Police Department Chief Tim Cannon asserted that the shooting was accidental based on his analysis.“As I watched the video and listened to the officers commands, it is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser, but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet,” he said at a Monday press conference. "This appears to me, from what I viewed, and the officer’s distress and reaction immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge.”During the night of the shooting, Ross said she was on the phone with her sister when she mentioned that the shooting victim’s name was Daunte.“No,” Ross said. “Is he light-skinned? Really skinny? I said, ‘no, no,’ I couldn’t believe it.”She said Wright was a kind and likable young man who was cherished among those who knew him.“Students like Daunte needed more resources but they never got more resources,” Ross said. “Our system doesn’t serve kids like Daunte. And now I’m seeing, more than ever, this system I once believed in, we’re done doing what we need to be doing to protect Black life."Although she was not extremely close to the late teenager, Ross said she last saw him being confronted by police on the corner in Brooklyn Center in the summer of 2019 while she was walking with Floyd.“I’m full of sorrow,” she said. “We are constantly doing our disservice to our children. It’s so unfair.”The Wright family connected with Floyd’s family on Tuesday. CNN reporter Sara Sidner tweeted a video of the moment and shared that the families’ pain was palpable.“Oh man. So many tears falling here. #GeorgeFloyd’s family meets #DaunteWright’s family for the first time. Watching this in person is a whole lot. The families pain is searing. You can feel it,” she wrote.Oh man. So many tears falling here. #GeorgeFloyd’s family meets #DaunteWright’s family for the first time. Watching this in person is a whole lot. The families pain is searing. You can feel it.Deleted initial tweet for my crap spelling. Apologies. pic.twitter.com/DnYsNIIRlg— Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) April 13, 2021Kim Potter, the officer who officials say shot and killed Wright, was charged with second-degree manslaughter this week, as Blavity previously reported. Potter, who served on the force for 26 years, could face up to 10 years in prison for the single charge and/or a fine of up to $20,000.On Tuesday, Washington County Attorney Pete Orput announced that his office would be aiming to expeditiously file charges and complete a thorough investigation of the fatal incident. The case has been transferred over to Washington County prosecutors to avoid any conflicts of interest in Hennepin County where the shooting took...

Update (April 15, 2021): A large group of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered outside of Sgt. Jonathan Pentland’s home Wednesday evening in the outskirts of Columbia, South Carolina. Pentland, a U.S. Army first class drill sergeant, was seen in the same neighborhood shoving and yelling expletives at a young Black man in a video that surfaced on Monday. The 43-year-old has since been arrested and charged with third-degree assault, according to CBS News. The outlet also reported that the Army officer was issued a personal recognizance bond and listed as detained in the Richland County jail.Following the incident where Pentland berated the Black man known as Deandre, saying, “you're in the wrong neighborhood motherf**ker,” video footage shows dozens of protesters rallying with megaphones and BLM signs.“All lives are not at stake. All lives are not under a threat. All lives are not being shot down,” a protester said through the megaphone. “It’s Black lives, and it’s not just Black lives, but for the most part, it’s Black people.”“Take ownership of yourself, take ownership of your community,” he added before what sounds like glass breaking causes the recording to end abruptly. According to News19, protestors journeyed from as far as Charleston and Greenville to make their voices heard. "I came out today as I wanted to make my voice heard, so people know this is not OK,” Jasmine James, a resident of the neighborhood told News19. “We are simply trying to exist and be a part of America like everyone else."In a statement to Blavity, Fort Jackson Commander Brig. Gen. Milford Beagle, Jr. said that the incident is not representative of the Fort Jackson base, where Pentland has been stationed since 2019. "The leaders at Fort Jackson in no way condone the behavior depicted in the video posted recently," the statement reads. "This action deeply impacts our community--the neighbors in the Summit, the city of Columbia, Richland & Lexington counties, and our Army family. I ask that our communities and leaders exercise a degree of patience, affording Sheriff Lott and law enforcement investigators to account for the full measure of events before, during, and after the incident that was recorded."The U.S.Department of Justice is also looking into the incident, according to the statement. "I remain deeply concerned for the members of our Army family, the young man and his family, and the tensions that activities like this amplify over time; please be patient as facts are determined," Beagle added.Original story (April 14, 2021): Jonathan Pentland, a U.S. Army sergeant first class, is being investigated after he was seen pushing, threatening and yelling at a young Black man in a South Carolina neighborhood. Officials launched an investigation after a video of the incident surfaced on Facebook on Monday, Heavy reported. Social media users contributed to the investigation by identifying the sergeant on Tuesday.According to the now-deleted photos on his unit’s Facebook page, the 42-year-old is based at Fort Jackson in Columbia. "Fort Jackson officials are aware of the video and it has our full attention," Leslie Ann Sully, Fort Jackson media relations officer, said in a statement to Blavity. "This type of behavior is not consistent with our Army Values and will not be condoned. We have begun our own investigation and are working with the local...

Almost 100 years ago, Charles and Willa Bruce, who were facing racial discrimination and harassment from the Ku Klux Klan, had their profitable California beach resort seized from them by city government procedures and were paid a fraction of their asking price.Family spokesperson Duane Shepard said the Bruces endured "physical, mental, social and emotional stress" as a result of being displaced as the city took the land through eminent domain and promised to build a park. They died five years after the property was claimed by the city of Manhattan.On Friday, Los Angeles County officials announced that they are working with state lawmakers on a bill that would return the property, estimated at a value of $75 million, to the descendants of the family, according to CNN."The Bruces had their California dream stolen from them," LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn said. "Generations of their descendants ... almost certainly would have been millionaires if they had been able to keep their property and their successful business."Prior to the city’s seizure, the couple’s property, known as Bruce's Beach, was an escape for Black families to enjoy the affluent California life. The property was purchased by the Bruces in 1912 for $1,225 and they proceeded to build a number of facilities on the land, including a cafe, CNN reports.With the popular resort attracting Black travelers and vacationers, white residents of the local community grew to resent the couple and saw to have them removed, a family representative said.Klan members posted "no trespassing signs" and caused damage to the vehicles of Black families so they would be discouraged from frequenting the area. As CNN reports, white supremacists tried to burn the resort and succeeded in destroying a local Black family's home in the area.Despite the acts of terror from the community, Charles and Willa were resilient and kept the property open to visitors until the city government condemned the property in 1929, ABC 7 reports.Today, the property is now a park with a lawn and boasts a lifeguard training facility. The property is no longer in possession of Manhattan Beach as it was transferred to the state and to LA County in 1995.Bruce's Beach, a stretch of beachfront property in Manhattan Beach that was wrongfully seized from a Black family about 91-years-ago, could soon be returned to them. L.A. County officials will make an announcement on the issue Friday morning. https://t.co/et4oVxPS7u pic.twitter.com/V24CopTSnK— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) April 9, 2021A bill will be introduced this week that will make the Bruce's property exempt from restrictions that limit the county's process to transfer the property. Pending Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature, the transfer process to the Bruces’ descendants could be finalized by the end of the year.Sen. Steve Bradford, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, expressed that he is proud to endorse the legislation in Sacramento and defend the rights of Black families."Sadly, the Bruce story is not unique here in California or across this nation,'' Bradford, who co-authored the bill, said.Manhattan authorities have acknowledged the property’s history and spoke out against racism and hate. However, city officials left out an official apology from their statement, per ABC 7."The Manhattan Beach of today is not the Manhattan Beach of one hundred years ago," the city council said. "The community and population of the City of Manhattan Beach are loving, tolerant and welcoming to all. We reject racism, hate, intolerance and exclusion. Today's residents are not responsible for the actions of others 100 years ago."Chief Duane Yellowfeather Shepard, a descendant of the Bruce family, criticized the city council’s Friday announcement. He said the family would take further legal action to be fully compensated for the seizure of the land, as well as restitution for lost earnings from what the resort would have earned over the past century, ABC 7...

For aspiring business owners, getting your foot in the door can be a challenge. In an effort to create opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and recent graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Mountain Dew recently launched the Real Change Opportunity Fund to provide vital funding for a new generation of Black business leaders. Mountain Dew knows this kind of support is crucial: “The Black community faces a wealth gap that is a result of years of systemic racism. Even for those with the tenacity to catch up, they are restricted by barriers that should have long been removed.”Mountain Dew believes entrepreneurs are the DOERs and the keys to building up Black-owned businesses and shrinking the historic wealth gap.Taking it one step further, Mountain Dew unveiled “The Real Change Opportunity Fund Pitch Competition,” a much-needed platform and opportunity for Black entrepreneurs eager to bring their ideas to life. Participants were able to pitch their ideas in front of Morgan DeBaun, Blavity’s CEO and founder. DeBaun is no stranger to building a brand from the ground up. Over the last six years, she has turned Blavity Inc. into a recognizable force within the media industry.For DeBaun, collaborating with HBCUs is a major key to opening doors for a new generation of aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s a largely untapped talent pool that DeBaun says is full of “incredibly talented people with innovative ideas, and future business leaders for the Black community. There is a clear value in fostering the aspirations of these promising young men and women, who will soon be the foundation of our community, and I’m honored that I was able to get to know some of them through the pitch competition.” As a fellow entrepreneur, DeBaun is especially tuned into the needs of other Black business owners. So she values partnerships between Blavity and organizations like Mountain Dew as yet another opportunity to strengthen the economic future of Black America — something she’s worked hard to build through the Blavity, Inc brand platform.“Our mission is for Black people to be happy, which comes from a variety of factors. One of which is economic freedom and self-empowerment, which our partnership with Mountain Dew offers through opening opportunities to Black entrepreneurs. Since day one, we’ve built a company that focuses on economically and creatively supporting Black millennials so they can pursue the work they love. And we have loved partnering with Mountain Dew to continue to do that,” says DeBaun. Being an entrepreneur is often a long road. So as a judge, DeBaun says she looked for entrepreneurs with “a strong product market fit, a large market that they are uniquely positioned to serve, and the potential impact their business could have on the economic advancement of Black people.” For those who think they’re up to the challenge, DeBaun says prioritizing value is a must. “Focus on the product! The more value you can provide, the easier scaling your business will be and the more doors will open.”Adding, “Every ‘no’ is one step closer to a ‘yes.’ Entrepreneurship is a journey, and it’s incredibly important to continue to make progress.”DeBaun was joined on the panel by a group of judges known as “DOERs,” including: The Breakfast Club Co-Host DJ ENVY Producer, actress and author Lala Anthony Entertainment host Gia PeppersCEO of PepsiCo Food, North America Steven WilliamsVice President of Marketing, Mountain Dew Nicole PortwoodFollowing hundreds of submissions, the seasoned panel centered on 50 finalists before ultimately giving 10 the chance to earn a portion of the $1 million prize pool, with each HBCU represented also slated to receive additional funding. These efforts are designed to break down some of the system barriers and hurdles that have historically plagued Black entrepreneurs. After going through scores of amazing pitches and proposals, the panel finally narrowed the list down to five startups: Athlytic, Eventnoire, GABA, Pocket Advisor and BatteryXchange. Stay tuned to find out who will ultimately be crowned the official Real Change Opportunity Fund Pitch Competition winner!For more information about MTN DEW Real Change Opportunity Fund, please...