On October 19, 1979, a young Minneapolis-bred artist wowed the world with the release of his sophomore, eponymous album Prince. In honor of Prince’s second album turning 40, the Prince Estate and Warner Records have released his pristine acoustic demo of “I Feel For You,” one of the album’s original tracks that later became a record-charting hit for Chaka Khan. Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of Prince's second album, Prince. To mark the occasion, The Prince Estate and @warnerrecords are pleased to announce the surprise release of a previously unheard, solo acoustic demo recording of “I Feel for You.”— Prince (@prince) October 18, 2019YouTube | PrinceAccording to a statement from Prince’s estate, the recording was “recently rediscovered on one of the countless cassette tapes stored in Prince’s legendary vaults." Reportedly made during the winter of 1978–1979, the cassette's inception came at a time in which the then-20-year-old singer and songwriter's career was experiencing a major shift, as he was getting ready to debut as a solo artist via a performance at Minneapolis' Capri Theater.“I was blown away,” Prince vault archivist Michael Howe said, according to Variety. “Here is 20-year-old Prince thinking aloud, feeling his way through the song. You hear his incredible talent shining through on acoustic guitar, which is not something he typically showcased, and his guide vocal is astonishingly great.”Chaka Khan’s later rendition of “I Feel For You” earned two Grammys in 1984, "including Best R&B Song, which recognized Prince for his songwriting contribution," Rolling Stone reports. Prince's self-titled album, which went certified platinum only four months after its release, was written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed entirely by Prince. Other notable songs from Prince include "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?," "Sexy Dancer," and "I Wanna Be Your Lover," Prince's first major hit single which reached No. 11 on Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. YouTube | PrincePrince's acoustic demo of "I Feel for You" is now available on music streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play, and others, as well as limited-time 7” vinyl single which also includes his original studio...

This is the weekly column written by Blavity:Politics Senior Editor Kandist Mallett.  On October 12, tragedy struck the Black community once again when Atatiana Jefferson was killed by Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean. Jefferson was just 28 years old, the same age as Sandra Bland, when she died. Atatiana Jefferson’s death brings up the constant reminder for Black people that it doesn’t matter who you are, what you’re wearing, or where you are, being Black is enough of a warrant to get you killed by the police.  Police body camera footage from that day shows Dean yelling, “Put your hands up! Show me your hands!” before opening fire and killing Jefferson, according to CNN. The police were originally called to the residence by Jefferson’s neighbor, who requested a wellness check for her because her door had been left open. Even with such unforeseen circumstances, it’s not the neighbor’s fault that Jefferson is dead; the responsibility and blood are on the hands of the police officer who shot her.  On a larger level, blame must be placed on the institution of the police and our justice system, which has continued to allow police to shoot and kill Black people with impunity and unaccountability. Who are Black people supposed to call if they are in need of help or safety? This whole situation makes me think of something presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris said to Blavity on The Sit Down.“Everyone wants public safety—what we don’t want is law enforcement misconduct,” Harris said. And this is correct; the need for safety is universal, but unfortunately, the people who are able to get safety is not.Everyone wants public safety—what we don't want is law enforcement misconduct. 📹: @BlavityPolitics pic.twitter.com/P1dZLL1BFw— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 12, 2019But, often for Black people, the police's presence is a threat to our safety. While some believe we can reform the police, others think the police as an institution must be abolished. While we may not have the political power to abolish the police, we, as a community, can abolish our use of them.   Tracey Onyencho wrote an article for Blavity explaining the various ways that a community can protect itself without calling the police. In her piece, she wrote, “Historically speaking, police have actually brought in more violence because they were originally intended to be an enforcement of racist laws and practices. According to Mapping Police Violence, there were only 23 days in 2018 where people in the United States were not killed by police. Black people made up 25% of those killed, even though they make up only 13% of the U.S. population.”  With numbers like these, there is no surprise that Black people are afraid to call the police, even when they're in danger. During the fourth presidential Democratic debate Tuesday, former HUD secretary Julian Castro was the only candidate to mention Jefferson’s name. Castro has made it a point to say the names of police brutality victims during the debates. But saying their name is not enough; we must take action and demand that there is never another person whose name we have to...

Gentrification is heading full speed to a neighborhood near you. Many housing activists and local residents have protested against displacement and gentrification in their neighborhoods, from the Bronx to San Diego. Yet, developers are still buying up land and raising the property values, particularly in Black, low-income neighborhoods. According to CityLab, gentrified neighborhoods lost an average of 593 Black people per tract between 2000 and 2013. Cities, such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New Orleans, lost much more than the average.Unfortunately, politicians have been contributing to gentrification through their political power. Many cities and state officials do not take their residents into account when making political moves about housing. Instead, they cater to developers to get more houses built as a remedy for the symptoms of high rent and increasing property values. Rather than passing laws that focus primarily on affordable housing or providing heavy oversight on banks, these politicians play into the hands of real estate in exchange for more money for the state, however temporary it may be.Here are five ways politicians are contributing to the gentrification and displacement of Black residents. 1. Passing legislation that favors displacement Many state governors sign bills that allow for more housing to be built, especially if there is no housing growth in a particular area. These bills are meant to serve as a solution to the housing crisis as more people pour in to live in big cities. However, more development often comes with high costs, usually in the form of rent to tenants. In these housing bills, affordable housing is not thoroughly defined, leaving developers with no responsibility for building low-income units. For example, in 2007, Chicago passed the Affordable Requirements Ordinance, which required private developers to carve out 10% of its total units for affordable housing. If they did not want to build affordable housing units, they had the option of paying a fee between $128,000 to $178,000 to the city for them to continue building. Most developers paid the fee, which raised over $100 million for affordable housing. Unfortunately, only 450 affordable units have been built since 2007. 2. Accepting money from real estate developersUnfortunately, it is 100% legal for politicians to take money from real estate developers. California State Senator Scott Wiener has received backlash for accepting money from real estate developers and architects. For his 2016 Senate campaign, he received $574,276 from about 700 donations from real estate giants. He not only beat his opponent, Jane Kim, but he also introduced housing laws that catered to developers. He gained infamy for introducing his failed SB-827 bill, which would have allowed developers to forgo local building restrictions and requirements and receive a bonus from the city if the units were near transit areas. Wiener’s SB-50, another housing bill similar to the last, has been postponed until 2020. 3. Not regulating banks that sell houses in low-income communities to affluent buyersWith little regulation, big banks have been getting away with hurting Black and poor tenants for decades with credit discrimination and displacement after mortgage lending. According to a study conducted by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Washington D.C. is the most gentrified city in the United States. The city's population is more than 47% Black and has experienced gentrification of varying degrees in 40% of its neighborhoods. D.C.’s Community Reinvestment Act may be a major contributor, as its federal regulators give banks a good rating when they give out mortgage loans in low-income, historically underserved neighborhoods. This rating helps banks when they seek approval from regulators for expansion and mergers. However, the money isn’t ending up in the hands of the residents who live in these neighborhoods. In D.C., over 65% of mortgage loans went to folks whose incomes were more than 80% of the local median in 2017, according to Politico.4.) Using the improvement of public transportation to kick people out of citiesIt is a well-known practice among those in the real estate game to buy up property that's near public transportation, such as trains and subway stations. However, the city’s plans to build more public transportation usually come at a cost to low-income neighborhoods. For example, the city of Atlanta has started constructing the BeltLine, a 22-mile pedestrian and biking path throughout the city. Since its construction, low-income Black neighborhoods have seen a 68% rise in their median sale prices. With no protection given by politicians for homeowners and renters, Black people are being pushed out of their own neighborhoods due to rising rent caused by the BeltLine. The same has occurred with the new construction of public transportation in New Orleans and Philadelphia.5.) RezoningPoliticians believe that by changing the zoning laws to allow for more housing, developers will not have to price their properties so high due to scarcity of land. However, this is a false dichotomy and, instead, leads to gentrification. In Brooklyn, politicians were sued by housing activists for displacing nearby Black and Latinx residents due to the rezoning of its Broadway Triangle. However, city officials were not held responsible after the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled that they did not have to take racial impact into account when rezoning. Although politicians aren’t the main perpetrators of gentrification and displacement, they play a huge role in deciding what big banks and real estate giants are allowed to do. The housing crisis in big cities does not get solved by playing into the hands of developers. It, instead, is conquered by showing concern for its low-income residents. Affordable housing should be a top priority for city officials when passing legislation. Politicians also need to be held accountable for the power they wield in increasing living costs and removing people from their own...

A transgender woman made strong statements against CNN and spoke for trans people during the network's LGBTQ town hall meeting Thursday. Blossom Brown made her statements after taking the mic from a woman who was asking a question to Texas Representative Beto O'Rourke. "Black transgender women are being killed in this country, and CNN you have erased Black trans women. Black trans women are dying. Our lives matter," Brown said. "I'm an extraordinary Black trans woman. I deserve to be here."CNN's Don Lemon then took the mic and tried to defend the network."Let me telling you something. The reason that we are here is to validate people like you," Lemon said.Brown, however, continued to express her frustration. "Your actions have to speak louder than words," Brown said. "Not one trans woman has taken the mic tonight. Not one trans man has taken the mic tonight. Show me. Show me." Lemon said he is proud to have Brown at the town hall meeting, but she wasn't buying it."That's what anti-Blackness looks like, the erasure of trans Black people," she said. "I'm here, we're here in this room. Please give us that opportunity."Brown then went to Twitter to explain her cause furthermore."The one thing I want to see out of all this is a Townhall on Trans Issues," Brown said. "I want trans people from across the nation to come and have their voices and concerns heard for these candidates."Brown also tagged the Human Rights Campaign on Twitter, urging them to help trans people get their voices heard. The one thing I want to see out of all this is a Townhall on Trans Issues! I want trans people from across the nation to come and have their voices and concerns heard for these candidates! @HRC @AlphonsoDavid can we make this happen? It’s time for ALL trans voices to be heard!— Blossom C. Brown (@BlossomCBrown) October 11, 2019Brown added that she is fighting for more than herself."This is bigger than me," she said. "My Black trans sisters are being killed in this Country and we will no longer be ignored. Our Blackness AND Transness matters."LISTEN👏🏽TO👏🏽ME! This is bigger than me! My BLACK trans sisters are being killed in this Country and we will NO LONGER be ignored! OUR BLACKNESS AND TRANSNESS MATTERS! #BlackTransLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/twnfnNOdO8— Blossom C. Brown (@BlossomCBrown) October 11, 2019Chants of "Trans Lives Matter" also broke out during the town hall, leading to a response from host Anderson Cooper."There is a long and proud history in the Gay and Lesbian and Transgender community of protests and we applaud them for their protests," Cooper said. "They are absolutely right to be angry and upset at the lack of attention, particularly in the media, on the lives of transgender...

A 28-year-old Black Texas woman had her life tragically cut short on Saturday when a police officer fatally shot her in her bedroom.Atatiana Jefferson's neighbor called 311 to conduct a welfare check after he noticed her door was left open, as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Two officers responded to the call. When the cop who fired the fatal shot saw a silhouette moving, he demanded the person put their hands up. That figure belonged to Jefferson. Within seconds of making the command, in which he didn't identify himself as an officer, he shot Jefferson. In the wake of her senseless killing, here are five things to know about the late Atatiana Jefferson.1. She was a dedicated student.Atatiana Jefferson graduated from Xavier University in Louisiana in 2014. According to her Facebook profile, she studied biology and chemistry and was on track for medical school. Videos from as early as 2012 showed her enthusiasm for Spanish and Biology. A video from 2015 has recently resurfaced, capturing a lab assignment where she is teaching viewers parts of the human skeleton.  2. Jefferson was playing video games with her nephew before she was killed. Due to her mother's failing health, Jefferson moved in with her mother to help take care of the home. Attorney Lee Merritt told Fox 4 Jefferson was at home playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew prior to the fatal shooting.She was 28 years old.She was playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew in her own home.She was INSIDE THE HOUSE.Repeat: she. was. inside. her. house. when. they. shot. her.Say her fucking name because this shit has gone on FAR too long.#TayJefferson #AtatianaJefferson pic.twitter.com/KJGY7c4r9D— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) October 13, 2019 .@MeritLaw says Atatiana Jefferson was living here helping her mother that has a medical condition. Police will only stand by their statement right now. Merritt says Jefferson was up "playing video games" with her nephew. @FOX4 pic.twitter.com/i1rtOouTxl— Steven Dial (@StevenDialFox4) October 12, 2019A North Texas cop just murdered another law abiding citizen in their home. Her name was #AtatianaJefferson “Tay”. She was playing video games with her 8y/o nephew, when they heard a noise in the backyard. When Tay went to investigate, she was shot to death. pic.twitter.com/mFJ1O2TNMK— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) October 12, 20193. She was in pharmaceutical sales and worked at Xavier.Heavy.com reports the medical professional held a position at Xavier after graduation. Jefferson's Facebook page does not go into detail about what she did, but it does mention working at the prestigious historically Black college. A GoFundMe set up for the family said she also worked as a pharmaceutical salesperson. 4. She cared about her community.Again, Jefferson's Facebook page provides just a glimpse into her life. She once shared a petition regarding StarTran bus driver Troy Fischer. Fischer was caught on video assaulting one of his riders in 2013. Signees demanded the company disavow the man for his actions. He was fired and received only a year of probation and 100 hours of community service, according to the Lincoln Journal Star. “When you do the crime you do the time. Crimes cannot go unpunished no matter what they are," she wrote on Facebook. "It makes a mockery of the U.S justice system if people feel comfortable enough to commit crimes. Whether this was his normal behavior or not, he should still be dealt with like any other person in that situation. If I speed I will get a ticket. I may not normally speed but that doesn’t change the fact that I have a ticket. Unless this man has a mental illness or a massive brain tumor that impaired his judgement he needs to be properly dealt with.”5. A vigil took place to honor her life on Sunday.Community members scheduled a vigil, which also became a protest, in Jefferson's memory for 7 p.m. on Sunday to honor her life.A GoFundMe campaign set up for the late Jefferson's family has surpassed its goal of $50,000 in less than 24 hours. Donors can still support the family...

There’s a certain spiritual experience happening when Ambré Perkins graces the stage. The singer and songwriter can initially come across as shy, but this disappears throughout her performance, as she begins intimately connecting with the crowd. Ambré mainly focuses on inciting a kaleidoscopic aesthetic through a reciprocal cathartic exchange between herself and the crowd that's channeled via meditative, acoustic R&B.At only 23 years old, the musician's artistry reflects a rate balance of maturity and poise — but Ambré isn’t new to this. The New Orleans native has been wowing audiences with her music since she was in high school, and her rare talent eventually led to her writing songs for artists, including H.E.R., Kehlani and Ty Dolla $ign. Now with a new EP on the horizon, the artist is concerned with making a bigger name for herself.“I’ve been doing music my whole life, pretty much. But [it] was more so just me enjoying music, and writing poetry, and songs and stuff to myself — and nobody really knew about it,” Ambré told Blavity. “Then my sister heard me singing one day, and she told me that I should do it for real and start singing in school. I did, and everybody was just very excited, and that made me feel like I was really good at this. Ever since then, I’ve just been pursuing it as a career, but I didn’t drop my first single until 2014.”A lot has happened for Ambré, since then. For starters, she uploaded her first song, “Girls Love the 90s,” to SoundCloud.  The track is a nostalgia-filled, alternative, R&B delight, covering both Usher’s 1997 hit “You Make Me Wanna” and Drake’s feelings-induced track “Girls Love Beyoncé.” Along with showcasing Ambré’s musical taste, the single illuminated her promising lyrical prowess, and eventually garnered over 10,000 likes on SoundCloud. SoundCloud | AmbréThe singer’s early success on the streaming platform captured H.E.R.’s attention in 2015.“After I put out my first few songs on SoundCloud, this producer found me on Instagram, and [they] were working with H.E.R,” Ambré said. “First I was just sending them stuff, and they would record. But then H.E.R. and her manager wanted to fly me out to New York to work with them, and we just started working. It was cool; we just kind of hit it off.”Ambré's creative collaboration with H.E.R. earned Ambré songwriting credits for the songs “U” and “Changes,” both of which were featured on H.E.R’s eponymous debut compilation album.“It was fun,” Ambré said of working with the artist, who hadn't quite achieved mainstream success when she first signed on. “It was like working with one of my sisters. We were cool and there was no pressure — because she wasn’t who [she] is now at the time. She didn’t really know who I was, and I didn’t really know who she was, so we were just focused on creating something special.”Special is an understatement. In a post-’90s R&B musical landscape, H.E.R.’s acclaimed debut is perhaps one of the most refreshing albums from an R&B newcomer in the last five years. A perfect balance of traditional and alternative R&B, the album won Best R&B Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards. Grateful for the album's positive reception, the win came as a surprise for Ambré, who never thought her work achieve such a major feat.“It was a shock for sure, but it felt good. I was speechless, and I felt super happy for H.E.R. — that she was able to touch that many people,” Ambré said.Currently, Ambré is more focused on developing her own career. Although she’s released singles in the past, Ambré said her new EP Pulp, which is due before the end of this year, feels like her debut.“This EP for me is like the direction where I want to take my sound, because my other projects were just like songs that I put out just because — and most of them were demos that I had wrote for other people,” Ambré said.YouTube | AMBRE“Fubu,” which was released last month, is the EP’s lead single. The track is a groovy, psychedelic R&B vibe that reintroduces Ambré’s style to the world. She explained that what makes this song different from those she's written for others is that it’s among the most organic compositions she’s ever written.“I think the difference is I’m more free with my stuff, and how I would like to present myself to the world,” Ambré shared. “When I write for other people, I have kind of a freedom because they want what I bring. At the same time, I still take into account how they want to present themselves.” Ambré credits her upbringing in New Orleans, surrounded by the flavors of local sounds and music, as one major influence behind the creative drive propelling her songwriting process.“I think it gave me an extra sauce,” Ambré said. “It makes me have to be a little bit more raw, because of the things I was exposed to. The environment in New Orleans is really everything. You get the best music. It’s so raw. There’s no sugarcoating where I’m from, and I want to represent that in my music.” After taking two years to create Pulp, listeners can expect to get a heavy dose of New Orleans realness — at least, this is Ambré's hope. The EP will also present another opportunity for listeners to get to know who she is as an artist.“They can expect some real s**t,” Ambré said. “I play on my guitar, and have produced songs on it. I would explain it as psychedelic R&B. I just kind of want people to expect to go on a journey with...

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg is returning funds donated to his campaign by Steve Patton, a Chicago attorney who worked to block the release of the video showcasing the shooting of Laquan McDonald, a Black teen who was gunned down by a Chicago police officer in 2014.Following backlash the 2020 candidate faced after the Associated Press reported on the fundraiser's monetary contributions, Buttigieg's campaign also confirmed to NBC Chicago that Patton will be removed as a sponsor of his Chicago fundraiser that's set to be held Friday."Transparency and justice for Laquan McDonald is more important than a campaign contribution," spokesman Chris Meagher said in a statement. "We are returning the money he contributed to the campaign and the money he has collected. He is no longer a co-host for the event and will not be attending." Emails released by the city of Chicago revealed Patton’s role in keeping information about the shooting from the public. He was shown to have advised against releasing the video until after an investigation was concluded, and was also found to have withheld evidence during multiple police misconduct cases.“The worst case scenario is his people know and they just don't care, or they don't know and haven't vetted him thoroughly," said Charlene Carruthers, former head of Black Lives Matter group BYP100 to NBC Chicago. "If they do know, it's indicative of so much of what we see with folks in the LGBTQ community — particularly white men who may hold a sexual identity, but their politics don't line up with the liberation of the people who are also in community with them."It's possible that Buttigieg was quick to cut ties with Patton because of the criticism he faced for his handling of police brutality in his own city. He has also been criticized for firing South Bend's first Black police chief shortly after taking office, as well as prioritizing the city's downtown area over its...

Sallie Mae flew 100 employees to Maui in celebration of the company selling $5 billion in student loans to more than 370,000 people. Meanwhile, many Americans dealing with the $1.6 trillion in student loan debt often have to work multiple jobs and sometimes end up declaring bankruptcy to protect what little assets they have left.As the cost of college soars, the nation's largest private student loan company is celebrating a record year of lending. @CatieBeckNBC reports tonight from Maui, where a group of Sallie Mae employees were treated to 5-day trip. Watch this story on @NBCNightlyNews. pic.twitter.com/Uzei8mkVAx— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) October 17, 2019The trip, which was originally reported by NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, took place in August. Sallie Mae's CEO Ray Quinlan said it was not an incentive trip and that families had to be flown out on the employee's own dime. That story did not settle well with borrowers like Paige McDaniel, 39, who described to NBC News the reaction she received from Navient, a lending company created as an off-shoot of Sallie Mae in 2014, after she was told her monthly payments would equal "well over $1,500 a month" for the $120,000 loan she took out to get her Master's degree, which eventually led her into bankruptcy.“When I told them that, you know, I couldn't afford that, could we make some payment arrangements, they essentially said, 'So sorry, we'll put a lien on your house and garnish your wages if you don't make those payments,'" McDaniel told NBC News.McDaniel, like many others, found issue with the business practices that allowed for the employees to take the trip."There's no way anybody can ever dig themselves out from underneath that," said McDaniel. "They just don't see that there are families on the other side of this."The reported trip has been used by Sen. Bernie Sanders as evidence that Americans' student loan debt burden needs to be canceled.Cancel all student debt. https://t.co/ZdLC9gaUqY— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 18, 2019A report from the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research group, estimates that by 2023, 40% of people with student loan debt will default on their...

There is an idea that public safety cannot exist without the presence of police and law enforcement; however, the history of policing will show a different story. The concept of police officers was established by Europeans who immigrated to Turtle Island (later known as the United States). Federal law enacted these white people as vigilantes who were required to report, catch and punish any enslaved people who ran away from plantations during slavery. As police forces became more established, officers included property crimes into their repertoire, where "property" included enslaved people. Even after the abolition of slavery, Black people were policed by federal and state laws that restricted both their movement and rest. With private police forces protecting corporations and landowners from workers’ revolts and prospective Black renters, harsh policing was always forced onto the everyday lives of Black people. Historically speaking, police have actually brought in more violence because they were originally intended to be an enforcement of racist laws and practices. According to Mapping Police Violence, there were only 23 days in 2018 where people in the United States were not killed by police. Black people made up 25% of those killed, even though they make up only 13% of the U.S. population. In today's world, community members know their neighbors and neighborhoods better than law enforcement, and recently, there have been more instances of neighbors banding together to take care of each other in the face of police violence. For example, when ICE started raids to deport undocumented folks, there were reports of neighbors physically blocking entrances to prevent ICE officers from entering. After the resistance, officers had no choice but to drive off without capture.So, instead of calling 911 and inviting law enforcement into your neighborhood for insignificant matters, use these strategies to protect yourself and your people. 1. Have a cop watch, not a neighborhood watch.Neighborhood patrols are notorious for reinforcing police practices. Community patrols have acted as officers in their own right and have often been given the same protection as police officers. This was evident in the Trayvon Martin case, where George Zimmerman was seen as a community vigilante who made numerous calls to 911 and was still found not guilty for manslaughter. Cop watches do not bring police into the neighborhoods. They, instead, guard civilians from police officers through exercising basic rights and recording police activity. A cop watch can be rotational, with community members assigned to cover designated streets. Keeping the neighborhood free of police violence is often safer than most neighborhood conflicts.2. Throw a neighborhood get-together. The best way to get support from your community members is by getting to know them. Thirty-one % of U.S. adults know all or most of their neighbors, while only 24% of people living in urban neighborhoods can say the same. By hosting gatherings or even a block party, it creates intimate moments with your neighbors that make it much easier to take care of them. For example, Night Out for Safety and Liberation is an event that helps neighbors redefine public safety and allows people to get to know each other on a more personal level. 3. De-escalate and separate when things get heated.When issues do arise between neighbors and community members, many people do not want to step in to help. However, most incidents, such as domestic violence or arguments between loved ones, can be defused by separating the parties from each other. Having them cool down and step back from the situation can offer clear heads and a moment to breathe before any violence can ensue. Even when violence erupts, it's usually not targeted toward the community members who step in. The purpose of stepping in is to redirect the energy away from those in the altercation and act as a mediator. 4. Share your resources and time with others.Everyone has something to give. Look into the abundance of resources that you have to fulfill what is needed in your neighborhood. If you don’t have the things that you need, reaching out to fellow community members and neighbors can provide you with more options. Giving back to your community establishes a sense of solidarity that makes the community interdependent on each other. If someone causes harm to you or your space, such as crashing into your car, see if the guilty party can volunteer their time or resources to help out with any needed repairs. By giving to one another through non-monetary means, people can build connections and offer what they have rather than make it a purely transactional relationship. This also keeps out outside agents, such as insurance companies and ambulances, who suck out money from communities. Use a time bank or a community fund to replenish what needs to be fixed.When we look out for our own people, we usually get the help that we need. Policing has frequently brought escalation, with little regard for meeting the needs of the community. Our communities need to be taken care of by the people within them. Locking people in prison and having police patrol us has not always made our neighborhoods safer. Instead, they have made Black people more afraid for their own safety. Rebuilding community safety will take some time and effort, but working together will bring the necessary solidarity, so leaning on each other will no longer seem...

Afro-Latina singer Amara La Negra is coming to Gina Rodriguez's defense after the star said "n***a" while singing a Fugees song. She told TMZ she didn’t believe Rodriguez was using it maliciously while singing "Ready Or Not." She adds that if people didn’t want others to use the word, then it shouldn’t be used so often in songs. “She was reciting a song, it wasn’t like she was talking to someone, she was being confrontational. I don’t think she meant it in a harmful way,” the singer said.  The Love and Hip Hop star, who uses her platform to advocate against colorism, added that she does understand both sides of the argument, saying the "Someone Great" actress shouldn’t have posted the video. While talking to the camera, the “Se Que Soy” singer addressed her own use of the word, saying she is among those who can say it because her skin is darker. “It’s a very thin line, because I would lie if I say I don’t use it, that a lot of people use it. Like I said, I’ve never used it in a malicious way,” she said. “But I’ve even been told I can’t say it because I’m Afro-Latina. ‘You’re not Black, you know. You’re latin so you’re not allowed to say it either.'” To defend her argument, the Dominican-American says a lot of Latinx people are raised alongside Black people and those individuals believe they are a part of the community. She ends the video by saying everyone makes mistakes and believes the Jane the Virgin actress was genuinely sorry. The 29-year-old isn’t the only person to come to Rodriguez’s defense. Boyz II Men singer Shawn Stockman believes the actress is Black because of her Puerto Rican heritage, he told TMZ.  “A lot of people don’t acknowledge that but she’s Black. She’s from Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Mexicans, believe it or not, we all here [rubs his skin], we all history,” he said. He concluded that she should have censored herself while she was singing though. “Here’s my thing, she was singing a song and if you’re going to sing a song, make sure that you censor yourself. We can all censor ourselves as we’re singing right?” Rodriguez’s post has caused many to question who gets a pass when saying the word, even bringing up other celebrities who have used it such as Jennifer Lopez, French Montana and Cardi...

Twitter had time for everything this week. After quickly canceling, then clowning, Gina Rodriguez for a few days, Twitter went back to what it does best, making us laugh.The New York contingent of Black Twitter took special joy in lampooning tourists looking to take selfies on a set of some Bronx stairs featured in the new Joker movie — while a new meme emerged out of nowhere and a little boy had us rolling.These are your Tweets of the Week.pic.twitter.com/T5mH7e0szJ— Norman Freeman (@Norman_Freeman_) October 15, 2019This meme from social media star Norman Freeman has been inescapable since he tweeted this video out. It originally came from a YouTube video he created, but it quickly turned into one of the most popular memes on Twitter and Instagram. The angels in heaven sitting me down to tell me my clownery won’t be tolerated pic.twitter.com/PbYYFdnlY6— The Real Destiny Marilyn (@sweet_novacanee) October 9, 2019Me: That'll be cash app or PayPal Twitter Sugar Daddy: I'll need your bank info instead Me: pic.twitter.com/G6L8iFvMUZ— Check 4 a neck (Fan Account) (@Beyoncemyroc) October 14, 2019Cookie's therapist after she busted in on another client's session... #Empirepic.twitter.com/83cCkiQd1u— Empire (@EmpireFOX) October 16, 2019no sir pic.twitter.com/Cw4ToSXQMc— baby girl (@iBetUWntA_Lexus) October 13, 2019Older black women when they see babies outside without anything on their head pic.twitter.com/wAHNk6tCKQ— jazsmine 💛🧡 (@BabyyJazsmine) October 18, 2019 The new Joker movie has made a boatload of money worldwide and is now attracting people to a particular set of stairs in the Bronx that were featured in the film. Although the area has been disastrously gentrified in recent years, local residents were amused by tourists showing up for selfies there. Joker fans, here’s where you can get robbed on those steps in the movie. It’s a real location—and nobody fucking wants you there! 😃😃😃 https://t.co/Po2E3n5ZIg— [HB] RAINEY™ (@RaineyOvalle) October 17, 2019COME THRU BRING AN IPAD PRO AND CASH https://t.co/HJaq82WjRd— THE KID MERO 🇩🇴 (@THEKIDMERO) October 18, 2019LMAO they was in 167th?! 😭😭😭 Run them UGGs Becky— (Jesus don't want me for a) Sunbeam ☀️🌻 (@paranoidsnail) October 18, 2019pic.twitter.com/tIwHQhaT1x— Currve Gotti (@HovitosWay) October 18, 2019🙅🏻‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/BmxYV3cPJG— .::toni::. 🇵🇷 (@Antonia623) October 18, 2019legally as a bronx resident you're allowed and encouraged to tax anyone visiting the joker stairs— Desus Nice (@desusnice) October 17, 2019can't wait to see someone get buck50'd on tiktok— Young Merengue (@wtf_flex) October 17, 2019pic.twitter.com/lOUqLfM5Me— X (@XLNB) October 17, 2019And a little boy went viral this week on Twitter when his mom filmed him describing what he heard late one night. All this lil boy caught his mama nem having sex and this what he said it sound like 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/5bjojDC5xi— Tia Tutt (@TheTiaTutt) October 16, 2019pic.twitter.com/Q9RjbY2bGX— Mel 🥀 (@ThaRealMelJ) October 16, 2019🤣😂🤣 he said she was like pic.twitter.com/xJL3NcfohO— Ismael (@Bad_H0mbr3) October 16, 2019YALL DONT GOT NO TV IN YA ROOM 😭😭😭😭😭😭— AR/AB 🎰⛽💰 (@Sosaisking) October 16, 2019I’m def throwing a lil benadrl in they cups before I wild out like that 😂— t nicole (@TiffaniEdwards) October 16, 2019 Have a great...

Basketball legend and media personality Shaquille O’Neal is helping a 12-year-old boy’s family after he was shot by a stray bullet in Atlanta and later paralyzed, WXIA reported. Isaiah Payton was leaving a high school football game between Mays and Carver High Schools when he and another boy were struck by bullets on August 17. The other student, Damean Spear, was shot in the leg and was later released from the hospital.Payton, who was shot in the spine, became paralyzed from the chest down, requiring long-term care.Atlanta Police arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the shooting incident, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.O’Neal later learned Payton couldn’t be released from the hospital because his home was not equipped to handle his disability. That’s when he decided to step in with his donation.“I reached out to the family because I wanted to see the son and I said he’s not going to release the sign until she’s able to move on the first floor. So, we found her a house. I’m going to pay her rent for the year and I’m going to give her some furniture and it’s sad because her son is paralyzed from the chest down and no mother should have to go to that,” O’Neal said.The City of Atlanta Fire Department is pitching in, joining Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms who is also supporting the initiative.O’Neal said Papa John’s CEO Rob Lynch and Jeff Smith also chipped in, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.The 47-year-old former basketball player recently became the first Black board member for the pizza franchise. In March, it was announced that O'Neal would become their brand ambassador, Blavity reported.O’Neal has consistently provided assistance to the community. He recently purchased 10 pairs of shoes for a teenager who couldn’t afford to buy shoes in his size, which is an...