Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin will form a single-car NASCAR team with Bubba Wallace as the team’s driver. Hamlin made the announcement on his Twitter page. "Tonight, I’m excited to announce MJ and I are starting a new, single car NASCAR Cup Series team for 2021," he wrote on Monday. "Deciding on a driver was easy - it had to be...

In an urgent press statement released to the public on Monday, the police chief of Louisville, Kentucky declared a state of emergency as the city prepares for Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's announcement on charges in the case of Breonna Taylor.Louisville's police chief preemptively declares a state of emergency in anticipation of an announcement about Breonna Taylor's case.This is as clear a sign as any that justice and accountability are not forthcoming. #SayHerName pic.twitter.com/OyBuI4Qr3G— African American Policy Forum (@AAPolicyForum) September 21, 2020The Louisville Courier Journal reports the Louisville Metro Police Department hasforced officers to cancel any potential days off in the coming weeks and have already set up barriers or barricades across the city's downtown area.According to CNN, the Gene Snyder United States Courthouse has also been shut down for the week and a number of news outlets took photos of the courthouse with boards over the windows. "The public may also see barriers being staged around downtown, which is another part of our preparations," police spokesman Sgt. Lamont Washington told CNN.Ahead of Cameron's announcement, a spokesman for Mayor Greg Fischer even admitted the city had called in the now notorious Federal Protective Service, which the Brennan Center called the "private army" of President Donald Trump.The same officers have been at the center of controversy in cities like Portland, where they have been seen on camera attacking elderly women and anyone that steps foot on the sidewalk near a federal building, according to The New York Times. Jean Porter, director of communications for Fischer, said in an interview with CNN that the armed officers were being brought in to watch over the Snyder Courthouse, Mazzoli Building, U.S. Attorney's Office and an ICE office.As Blavity previously reported, Cameron has spent months facing criticism for moving slowly in charging the three officers who shot Taylor to death while she was in her home on March 13. While Taylor's family and thousands of protesters have been waiting for charges for months, Cameron has gotten married, spoken at the Republican National Conversation, and taken multiple tours of the White House with Trump. He has used the high-profile nature of Taylor's case to vault himself into conservative stardom, and was even featured on a list of potential Supreme Court candidates. The state of emergency had many on social media inferring that Cameron planned to let Detective Myles Cosgrove, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and ex-Detective Brett Hankison off the hook for spraying more than 20 shots into Taylor's apartment. On Monday, the Louisville Metro Police Department announced that Mattingly, Hankison and four other police officials would be facing internal investigations for their role in the raid on Taylor's home, according to the Louisville Courier Journal. In addition to Mattingly and Hankison, detective Joshua Jaynes, who signed the affidavit that led to the raid, and detectives Tony James, Michael Campbell and Michael Nobles will all be investigated for violating department...

President Donald Trump and senior Republican leaders were quick to discuss Supreme Court nominees after the passing of iconic jurist Ruth Bader Ginsburg, according to CNN. Ginsburg spent decades as a Supreme Court justice and was beloved for dedicating her life to protecting the rights of women. But a recent New Yorker profile of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he has been anticipating Ginsburg's death and was even touting her passing as a way for Republicans to win more seats in the November elections. Despite criticizing former President Barack Obama for trying to nominate a Supreme Court Justice in an election year, Republicans are preparing to do the exact same thing.“McConnell’s telling our donors that when R.B.G. meets her reward, even if it’s October, we’re getting our judge. He’s saying it’s our October Surprise,” a source told The New Yorker's Jane Mayer. Trump appeared on Fox and Friends Monday morning and spoke about the potential replacements for Ginsburg while criticizing her granddaughter for relaying the justice's final words: "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed."The president told Fox News that his nomination for the court will come on Friday or Saturday and that he has pared down a lengthy list to five candidates.According to Fox News and The New York Times, the list includes Judge Amy Coney Barrett from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Judge Barbara Lagoa of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and Judge Allison Jones Rushing of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.Judges Thomas Hardiman of the Third Circuit in Philadelphia and William Pryor Jr. of the 11th Circuit in Atlanta are also possible choices along with Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Josh Hawley of Missouri, according to The New York Times. Former solicitor general Noel Francisco is also being considered for the spot. Trump has already appointed two conservative justices to the Supreme Court since his term began in 2017 and he is likely to get a third choice. With Ginsberg's passing and another conservative judge added, the Supreme Court will be weighted 6-3 in favor of conservative jurists. The president has specifically said he wants someone young so that they serve for a long time, and Fox News noted that Barrett is 48, Lagoa is 52 and Rushing is 38. Some Republicans have called for a candidate who believes Roe v. Wade was "a mistake."“I will vote only for those Supreme Court nominees who have explicitly acknowledged that Roe v. Wade is wrongly decided. By explicitly acknowledged, I mean on the record and before they were nominated,” Hawley told The Washington Post in July.“I don’t want private assurances from candidates. I don’t want to hear about their personal views, one way or another. I’m not looking for forecasts about how they may vote in the future or predications. I don’t want any of that. I want to see on the record, as part of their record, that they have acknowledged in some forum that Roe v. Wade, as a legal matter, is wrongly decided,” he added, reiterating that stance in a Tweet this weekend. Two months ago, I pledged to vote only for #SCOTUS nominees who understand and acknowledge that Roe was wrongly decided. I stand by that commitment, and I call on my fellow Republican senators to take the same stand— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 19, 2020As Blavity previously reported, Trump released a list of 20 people on September 10 that included Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Senator Ted Cruz amongst others as potential choices for the Supreme Court. After days of withering criticism from Democrats about the decision to vote on a new Supreme Court Justice just weeks away from an election, McConnell said the Senate will rush a vote on Trump's nominee before the election. "President Trump's nominee for this vacancy will receive a vote on the floor of the Senate. The Senate has more than sufficient time to process a nomination," McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday...

Humans of New York legend Tanqueray, who went viral after stories of her illustrious career was shared by the Instagram account, is following up on her popular debut with a week-long series detailing her life.Since being introduced to the Instagram account's 10 million followers, the former entertainer has fallen ill and is seeking assistance. Due to her work history, she doesn't have a steady source of income from programs like social security, according to a GoFundMe campaign established by HONY founder Brandon Stanton.The older woman, also known as Ms. Stephanie, was once a dancer in a club with mob ties. As Blavity previously reported, the first peek into her story last November left many fans hoping for movie and book deals."Back in the seventies, I was the only black girl making white girl money. I danced in so many mob clubs that I learned Italian. Black girls weren’t even allowed in some of these places. Nothing but guidos with their pinky rings and the one long fingernail they used for cocaine. I even did a full twenty minutes in the place they filmed Saturday Night Fever. But I made my real money on the road. Three grand on some trips. Every time Fort Dix had their payday, they’d bring me in as a feature and call me ‘Ms. Black Universe’ or some sh*t like that," she told Humans of New York last...

In honor of the 57th Anniversary of the 16th Street Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, last week, a group of powerful Black women created a fund dedicated to Black girls to raise $1 billion throughout the next decade to support the development of the next generation.  According to a press release shared with Blavity, the Black Girl Freedom Fund is looking to bring in money to support the ambitions of the next generation of Black girls for investment in "innovation, health, safety, education, research, and joy of Black girls and their families.”The group explained their goals, highlighting how philanthropic organizations donate just $5.48 per woman and girl of color in the United States, according to a study from July by the Ms. Foundation For Women.According to the organization's research, foundations spend .5% of the $66.9 billion donated each year on women of color. The study also found that organizations serving specific populations like Black women and girls were generally operating with budgets less than $50,000.“At this very moment, Black Lives Matter has emerged as our nation’s largest political movement and racial justice is receiving unprecedented philanthropic support. And yet, Black girls and young women still remain adultified, victimized by violence, and erased from the very same social justice movement for which they continue to risk their lives,” the letter stated. The effort will be led by Dr. Monique Morris, executive director of Grantmakers for Girls of Color; LaTosha Brown, founder of Black Girls Dream Fund; Tarana Burke, founder of the ‘Me Too.’ Movement; Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center; Joanne Smith, founding president and CEO of Girls for Gender Equity; Salamishah Tillet and Scheherazade Tillet, founders of A Long Walk Home; Teresa Younger, president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.The open letter was signed by a lengthy list of prominent Black women leaders including Melissa Harris-Perry, Valerie Jarrett, Rashida Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Gabrielle Union and many more. In the open letter, the women said the Black Girl Freedom Fund will strive to provide Black girls with the kind of support that they need to thrive.The support will come in a variety of forms but will focus mostly on organizing, mapping assets, legal advocacy and work to highlight the structural violence perpetrated against Black girls. “We, Black women and Femme activists, artists, educators, organizers, and philanthropists, have come together at the historic time to call attention to the fact that Black girls in the United States are in crisis. From discrimination in education and healthcare to sexual assault and policing, the lives and livelihoods of Black girls and young women are notably absent in the public narratives, policies, and justice movements most crucial to addressing inequality and racial trauma,” the letter read. Within the Black Girl Freedom Fund is also the Black Girls Dream Fund, which is looking to raise $100 million in a 10-year initiative led by the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium.The Black Girls Dream Fund is focused exclusively on Black girls in the south of the United States and is striving to fundraise and increase access to grants for Black women-led organizations in the south.“We believe that by investing $1 billion in Black girls and young women over the next decade, we can make the biggest change possible. It is clear that, with intention and investment, Black girls can thrive. We call on you to robustly invest in Black girls and women’s leadership, innovation, wellness, advocacy. This support is necessary for our collective freedom and to ensure that all Black Lives Matter, now and tomorrow,” the letter...

NFL Hall Of Famer Deion Sanders has announced that he will be the next football coach for Jackson State University, one of the biggest HBCUs in the country and the fourth biggest university in Mississippi, according to The Clarion-Ledger. Sanders, always known for his flashy fashion tastes, showed up to campus in style on Monday. Deion Sanders was named head coach of Jackson State today. This is how he arrived to the press conference 🐐 @brgridiron (via @JoeCookSports)pic.twitter.com/zHiV9myp8J— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 21, 2020 Sanders made an announcement on the first episode of his podcast, "21st & Prime," on Sunday.   "I am truly blessed to be the 21st Head football coach of Jackson State University. It's my desire to continue this storied tradition and history of JSU and prayerfully bring more national recognition to the athletes, the university, the Sonic Boom of the South, and HBCUs in general," Sanders said in a statement on Monday.Moving forward only address me as “COACH PRIME” @GoJSUTigers get ready it’s official!! I BELIEVE!!! DO YOU?? @JacksonStateU pic.twitter.com/8rTX3iSqgB— Deion Sanders (@DeionSanders) September 21, 2020"God called me to Jackson State," he added on his podcast. "Why not? Isn't this the time? Isn't this the moment? Isn't this what's needed? To match what our president eloquently said, it's a match made in heaven. This is a God move."Sanders spent years in the NFL as a star cornerback and even played major league baseball, according to ESPN. The eight-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame recently and has since done work for the NFL Network.The 53-year-old is currently coaching high school football in Texas and will take over the coaching helm at Jackson State when the league resumes play in February. Sanders' move is a part of a larger wave of Black athletes opting to attend HBCUs instead of traditional sports powerhouses that are overwhelmingly white. This summer, during the height of protests over police brutality and racism, The New York Times reported on a number of star high school athletes opting to play for HBCUs, including highly-rated basketball and football stars like Nate Tabor, Makur Maker and Daniel Ingram. Tabor has said he will be playing basketball at Norfolk State University, Maker has decided to attend Howard University and Ingram will now be committing to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. These decisions have the chance to change the economic fortunes for these schools considering the massive influx of money seen by other schools that have been able to attract high-level athletic talent. JSU Acting President Thomas Hudson and athletic director Ashley Robinson both appeared on Sanders podcast to discuss how historic his decision was and how happy they were to have him leading the football team, which has not had a winning season since 2013. "It's very big for Jackson State University. Not only for Jackson State University, this is very big for the country right now. Very big for the state of Mississippi," Robinson said, according to the Clarion Ledger's transcription."To Coach Prime, Jackson State University -- a blue blood program full of Hall of Famers -- it's just a great time. Coach Sanders is student-athlete centered and cares about young men and their wellbeing beyond the football field. We expect to compete for and win championships at Jackson State, and Coach Sanders will help us achieve those goals," Robinson...

The way the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, provides medical treatment to those it detains has been a hot topic of debate over the past week. A whistleblower last Monday said ICE detainees were routinely given hysterectomies without their consent and now the findings of an investigation by Congress have shown other problems with how medical care is handled by ICE, as Blavity previously reported. BuzzFeed News obtained a soon-to-be-released report from the House Homeland Security Committee that chronicles their investigation of ICE detention centers in 2019. In the 2020 fiscal year, 19 immigrants have died while being held in ICE facilities, representing the highest number of deaths since the 2006 fiscal year. But that is only one aspect of the medical damage being done to those held in ICE custody.  According to the report, ICE officials either ignored medical concerns altogether or provided lackluster care once notified of medical issues. Within ICE facilities, guards also routinely used segregation as a way to punish detainees for filing too many medical requests, BuzzFeed News reported. Multiple people being held at facilities in Louisiana and New Mexico said they were segregated from other migrants for days after they went on hunger strikes. "ICE needs to put the health of its migrants in its care first by enforcing its own standards of care and only sending taxpayer money to facilities that meet these standards," said Bennie Thompson, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, in a statement to BuzzFeed News."The COVID-19 pandemic, and its quick spread within ICE facilities, has further highlighted how failures to meet these standards of care are a matter of life and death for migrants and employees," Thompson added.The report features interviews with detainees and detailed findings from inspections as well as tours of eight different ICE facilities. It found that ICE officials routinely ignored calls for medical treatment and often were slow to help those with chronic illnesses like tuberculosis, diabetes and epilepsy.Even when there were outbreaks of illness, like chickenpox and mumps, little was done to protect detainees' health. In some facilities, the wait for medical care could reach up to 17 days, according to the report. The congressional study also found that ICE facilities have a patchwork of different ways they provide medical care to detainees. Some have in-facility medical staffs while others are forced to send detainees out to doctors outside of the detention center. The report includes harrowing stories of individual detainees who endured severe medical distress without being helped, like one person in a Louisiana detention center who went into anaphylactic shock four times in four months because of a peanut allergy that was not diagnosed. Some immigrants said medical officials ridiculed their requests for help while others had guards outright ignore them for days. Often they were given basic pain relievers for serious issues, and one detainee in California told the researchers that they waited for more than a month for medical assistance.There was even someone who told the report's writers that ICE officials mishandled suicide attempts as well. "The committee encountered several staff working at detention facilities that diminished the seriousness of suicide attempts as well as evidence of detainee medical issues going untreated," the report...

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.____Activist and former professor of African-American history at George Washington University, Dr. Jessica Krug, a.k.a. “Jess Bombalera,” has been pretending to be a Black Latinx woman from The Bronx for years, despite actually being a white woman from Kansas City, Kansas. Reminiscent of Rachel Dolezal’s delusions of Blackness, I rolled my eyes all the way to the white meat when Dr. Krug’s “confession” went viral.Stories like Dr. Krug’s and Rachel Dolezal’s are both troubling and damaging, and if we want to move forward toward an equitable future, we need to treat these cases as the dangers they are, and not momentary, laughable entertainment. In fact, it’s crucial for the furthering of racial justice that white people understand the necessary value of staying in their appropriate lane. If they could only get past their self-centered desires to be saviors and stars in the Black community, they could then realize that this is what’s key to being truly helpful to Black people, Black causes and Black liberation as white allies — rather than disingenuously centering themselves in Black communities.Dr. Krug’s version of “acting Black,” by gesticulating and slipping in and out of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) — and done under the guise of advocating for Black communities — is nothing more than a modern-day minstrel show that serves absolutely no one but herself. After all, co-opting Black culture, Black spaces and Latinx dance floors can often be a thriving, lucrative business — just ask the Kardashians.Dr. Krug is also yet another example that Black is cool, as long as it's in an acceptably light/white shade. This blatant colorism speaks volumes, not only about Dr. Krug and her moral standing, but also about the culture that embraced her. What white women posing as light-skinned Black and Latinx women don’t realize is that they’ve walked themselves into a place of privilege within a whole other set of social politics in communities of color — but then again, those with inherent privilege are often blind to their own advantages.“Light skin color as an indicator of beauty, can operate as a form of social capital for women,” said Margaret Hunter in “The Persistent Problem of Colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and Inequality” (July 2007). “This social capital can be transformed into other forms of capital and used to gain status in jobs, housing, schools and social networks.”While an associate tenured professor — a coveted academic space to occupy — Dr. Krug researched and taught the African and Latin diaspora, and used her position as currency, in conjunction with her perceived light-skinned Afro-Latinxness, to further advance her career, her activism, and the production and promotion of her book — which was a finalist in 2019 for two prestigious awards that come with financial gain: The Harriet Tubman Prize ($7,500); and The Frederick Douglass Book Prize ($25,000).Not only do Dr. Krug’s harmful and egotistical shenanigans tarnish her important, heavily researched work, but they also serve to highlight the missed opportunity presented to her naturally in using her privilege as a white Jewish woman to be heard in white spaces in a way that Black and Latinx people wouldn’t be heard; as well as the missed opportunity for creating solidarity via the shared and storied histories between Jewish and Black people. Furthermore, her actions give legs to naysayers’ arguments against identity politics and Affirmative Action, by bolstering the beliefs of those who deny the existence of white supremacy and systemic racism and attempt to kick the legs out from under anyone that has been halted and victimized under structural oppression.Since her “outing,” Dr. Jessica Krug will now live as a white woman. Of this entire episode, she claims to have been “battling some unaddressed mental health demons.” While I don’t want to undermine the realities of mental health struggles, we all know that, as a white woman in America, she will no doubt lean into the intrinsic value of her natural-born privilege which will soon find her gloried in forgiveness, solace and ultimately on a path to redemption; an all too common story that this country rejoices over — if you’re white.At the end of this story, Dr. Krug will be alright, but Black folks will have to continue to fight real struggles living in our own real skin every day. One day, maybe white people will finally realize that there’s a marked difference in “acting Black” and being Black.____Desiree K. Robinson is a doctoral student in health education and behavior studies at Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition, she is a health and lifestyle journalist, where she explores the intersection of art, culture, race, gender, politics, food justice and the environment. Desi is also a Fellow with Leaders of Color New York, a program that supports Black and brown leaders with the training and tools they need to run for elected...

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.____With the election season officially underway with the launch of a new civic holiday last week — National Black Voter Day — and National Voter Registration Day this week, we are in desperate need of a new narrative about the Black youth vote. We know that all eyes are on us this November. When it comes to voting, people are asking, will they or won’t they vote? Even in the midst of the uprising as a result of George Floyd’s murder, people asked if Black youth would take this same energy from the streets to the ballot box.Black youth are a part of the largest voting bloc, Generation Z and millenials, in America this election year. And what a year it is — young people are on the frontlines fighting to dismantle white supremacy, defund the police and demand justice for Black lives all while being disproportionately impacted economically by the coronavirus pandemic. It is time for a more nuanced conversation that doesn’t just stop at the personal responsibility of voters, but also includes society’s responsibility to take care of its citizens.When it comes to voting, we can’t just look at the voter. We must also look at the system that makes it harder to vote. There is no doubt that since the Voting Rights Act was gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013, voter suppression and discriminatory voter laws have been designed to block communities of color from the ballot box. Between 2012 and 2018, there were 1,688 polling place closures in states previously covered by section five of the Voting Rights Act.As young Black voters head to the ballot box this November, there are several things on their minds. In a monthly tracking poll of young persuadable voters in battleground states conducted by Alliance for Youth Action in partnership with Civiqs, ending systemic racism and discrimination and worries about losing their job, or the inability to pay bills, rent or a mortgage because of the coronavirus were mentioned as the top concerns.The Black-led organizations and Black youth organizers in the Alliance for Youth Action network understand the nuance and are changing the narrative by working 365 days a year to build youth political power and make a change in our communities — and this year, that work is even more urgent. Young people have not waited for Election Day to fight for the change they want to see.On June 18, after years of organizing, Leaders Igniting Transformation in Wisconsin won their fight to end all contracts between the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Public Schools. Their organizing efforts culminated in a 700-person rally and over 1,000 testimonies that eventually put pressure on Milwaukee Public Schools to begin the pathway to building safe schools where the voices and experiences of young people are centered.Following the murder of George Floyd and in the midst of the uprising in the Twin Cities, Minnesota Youth Collective opened their office doors as a supply site. From frontline protestors to those who had been displaced, Minnesota Youth Collective was able to support members of their community by serving as a resource hub. Young people showed up to donate, to sort donations and to take donations to where they were needed. Organizers posted on social media and shared critical information for protesters and supporters of the uprising.In Mississippi, due to voter suppression, antiquated voting laws, lack of voter education and lack of investment in vulnerable communities, Mississippi Votes launched #Up2Us — a voter registration, voter protection and get-out-the-vote campaign focused on mobilizing young people. Since the inception of #Up2Us, Mississippi Votes has registered 15,000 new voters and, for several years in a row, has been among the top field organizations in the country on National Voter Registration Day. In 2019, they turned out under-represented voters in 18 counties and impacted five key races. They are continuing this work today with the goal of engaging over 200,000 young voters state-wide through canvassing door-to-door, text banking, phone banking and more.The leadership of Black youth during this summer’s uprising led to changes at the federal and local levels, but there is much more to be done. More than ever, it is crucial to amplify the voices of Black youth organizers and the issues that impact Black youth to not only get out the Black youth vote, but to push candidates on the issues that matter to us, and hold candidates accountable once elected. It is also crucial to fight voter disinformation and voter suppression targeted at Black voters to ensure voter access to the ballot box.For us, voting is one important part of the work to move toward progressive change, but just like our humanity, it must be part of a bigger picture. It is about voting and direct action, voting and organizing, voting and civic education. It is more than just voter participation. It is about participating in our democracy. We know our power isn’t only in the voting booth. It is in the street, at the city council and running for office ourselves. In 2020, Black youth demand that Black lives truly matter, fight for Black liberation and ensure Black people in the United States are seen in their full humanity, not just as voters.Throughout this election season, our network, staff and volunteers are calling, texting and mailing voters to register them to vote. The Alliance just launched our #VoteReady hub where voters can start making their voting plan today, because one of the ways we can fight for our democracy and protect our right to vote is by making a voting plan and making it early. We will show up this election season to not just vote for the next leader of the free world, but also for state and local races. No matter who is in office, the fight for Black lives will continue.When the progressive movement succeeds, it’s because of the people-powered local organizations putting in the work. Young people have the answers and must be invested. Like our ancestors, the Black youth of today are willing to put themselves at risk to vote and fight for what is right. No matter how we plan to vote this fall — by mask or by mail — we will be #voteready and we will...

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.____There’s a well known quote that says, “Everyone wants to be black until the cops come.” Today, it seems those words couldn’t be more truthful.There seems to be a fetish when it comes to Black culture and its influence in the world. From the music, clothing, hair, food, fashion and almost everything in-between, Black culture is picked apart and used in modern day society for just about everything you can imagine. People all around the world enjoy what the culture brings to them, but not so much the people that are attached to it.The conflict of Black culture being used in mainstream media and brands sticks out like a sore thumb when trends are being appropriated, renamed and just plain out stolen. The problem lies here: Why is it that things once deemed “ghetto” or “too Black” are now the things to rave about? Braids, du-rags, extra long nails, gold teeth, excessive jewelry and street-wear are all parts of what define Black culture, yet, it’s only accepted widely when a celeb or influencer, not connected to the culture, gives their spin of the trend to the world.Other minorities outside of the American Black culture generally have a sense of unity in their heritage and upbringing that they can identify with. Black culture is unique in the sense that many black americans do not have a detailed family tree of where, who and what their family history is made up of, outside of slavery. So for those in the black culture who have worked effortless to find a sense of placement in this world after years of suppression due to mainstream backlash, the simple fact that black culture is being exploited by others who have an actual identity to hold on to, is where angst forms.It’s a bit of flattery and a hard slap in the face at the same time. If people are going to embrace the culture and the things that come with it, then they should also embrace the innovators of color that started the trend(s) they are obsessing over and false calming as their own. A lack of recognition is present when it comes to giving Black creators the recognition they deserve. From Miley Cyrus, The Kardashians, Drag Culture,  Runway  Fashions and countless numbers of social influencers, so many have taken it upon themselves to coin phrases or styles that are synonymous with black culture, and quite frankly  it's a middle finger up to every black creator not receiving the credit that's due.Platforms like Tik Tok are notorious for highlighting copycats in place of the original content creators, which proves the point of popularity only surrounding non-POCs that are deemed cool. The excitement for the things we do and create is getting quite old, especially if the same energy isn’t placed around giving the real creators the respect that’s due.The problem here is not so much surrounding cultural appropriation, but more-so cultural appreciation. When people are using a culture that’s not their own for personal gain with no real interest to learn about the history of it, it triggers the people who have worked hard to get their heritage, work and lineage recognized by the world. Respect will come from the Black community when people go into a situation looking to gain a full perspective on the culture, allowing room for them to make a real life connection, instead of a mockery.There are a few things that can be implemented into the patterns of non-POCs in order to give the respect that’s due and also learn from the culture — instead of exploiting it.Here are a few tips for those who love — and respect — Black...

A 20-year-old student at Alabama State University has been charged with shooting and killing a fellow student whose body was found less than a quarter-mile away from campus. According to the Montgomery Advertiser, Ivry Hall is the suspect in the shooting of 22-year-old Adam Dowdell Jr., who was reported missing on Sept. 8 and found dead six days later.Dowdell never returned after leaving his dorm room to go to an ATM police said, as Blavity previously reported. His body was found near a high school close to ASU's campus."Today, the Montgomery Police Department announced an arrest in the death of Adam Dowdell. The suspect is also an ASU student," the school's president, Quinton Ross, said in a statement after Hall's arrest.Police didn't release any additional information in connection to the shooting, according to AL.com.“The circumstances surrounding the shooting are unknown. However, Hall was identified as the suspect. There is no additional information available for release in connection to this continuing investigation,” police said.During a vigil at Alabaster’s Buck Creek Park on Thursday, Dowdell's mother, Toya Cohill, hinted that the suspect is someone who knew her son. My heart is so heavy right now. I can’t stop crying. My friend is gone🥺💔RIP ADAM DOWDELL❤️#myasu #RIPBelle ❤️❤️🥺 pic.twitter.com/vQQMReCYai— Sahmeeha💙 (@Meeha_93) September 15, 2020 Rev. Michael Pfleger, who mentored Hall in Chicago, said he was shocked when he heard the news about the killing.“I really don’t know this — what he’s being accused of, I’ve not seen nor known that person. I don’t know him," Pfleger told The Chicago Tribune. "I do know the Ivry who’s a kind kid, who’s a gentle spirit, who’s been faithful at church, who’s always pushing himself as a student. That’s the Ivry I know and that I believe in.” Pfleger said he talked with Hall recently when the young man returned to Chicago. That's when he advised the young man to turn himself into authorities in Alabama, which he did."He was back in Chicago for a couple of days," Pfleger said. "I spoke with him and sought to pastor him and counsel him. He’s in Alabama now; he turned himself in on Friday. He does have a lawyer, and now we’ve got to be sure we get all the information and all the stuff out of what happened." Speaking at the vigil, Cohill said she "wouldn’t wish what happened to her son on her worst enemy.""Make sure the person you call your friend is really your friend,'' the 22-year-old's mother said. “Be cautious on who you call your friend. Everybody that smiles in your face is not your friend. You have to limit yourself, limit the people who know your A to your Z.”As a transfer student, Dowdell was majoring in physical education. The sophomore, who also went by “Belle,” was known as a standout football player. His loved ones described the student as an aspiring special education teacher, a middle child and an uncle. In a documentary, which captured his trials and tribulations, Hall was seen mentoring younger students, urging them to learn from his mistakes. “Everybody think y’all can’t do it, but I believe in y’all. So before you think about going in the streets and doing any of the things that I did, just think about the chance that you was given," he said. "Think about the stuff you’re learning, think about the stuff that you can teach people now, you feel me? Think about those things.”He is being held at a Montgomery County detention facility on $250,000...

The corny jokes were flowing this weekend when Tina Knowles Lawson held her virtual celebration for the annual Wearable Art Gala.The event, hosted by Knowles Lawson on YouTube and Facebook, featured dozens of the biggest Black stars in entertainment today sharing the corniest of corny jokes with fans and friends.Knowles Lawson was able to wrangle her daughters, Solange and Beyoncé, into the event alongside other high-profile names like Zendaya, Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington, Tiffany Haddish and others. Here are a few of the best corny...