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C E L E B R AT I N G HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 30

GEORGE FLOYD MEMORIAL CENTER The Black Stars News 2015 Annual On D AY OF E N L I G H T E N M E N T L a uDinner n c will h ehonor d Mayor Awards

DavidFloyd Dinkins, Rep. Charles The George Memorial “WE WILL CONTINUE TO Rangel, Rep. Yvette Clarke, Center (GFMC) announced May 25th N Donahue Barbara U A P O L O G E T I C A L L Y M O V E as the R. annual Day of Peebles, Enlightenment THE NEEDLE FORWARD Arnwine, Inez Barron, (5/25 D.O.E.).

Why? Because on Sabrina FOR REAL CHANGE, AND Lamb, Crew, Stephen May 25, 2020 Dr. the Rudy world watched an ONE IN act of terror 9 minutes Byrd,for Alia Jones,and and29 the Central W E W A N T E V E R Y L OVER L A S E seconds.

What followed wereofmonths Park Five survivors gross injusticeC O M M U N I T I WORLD D N A Y R T of protests in more than1860from countries on December 6:00pm – T H E C O U N " .

S U N I O J O T across 10:00pm the world. at In the midst of a 46 West MIST Harlem, global pandemic, millions of people  Roger Floyd, 116th Street. from all backgrounds gathered to raise Chief Impact Officer, GFMC “Each honoree for is their collective voices tochosen say enough recognition has demonstrated enough.

from the sale of these items will support some, but not all of what our vision is to provide town by town support. We’re also seeking significant corporate support to bring the vision and lasting dream to life that helps close the digital and employment divide in marginalized communities.”

The George Floyd Memorial Center has plans to adopt smaller towns and communities within the United

YEARS!

York and a former chancellor of the New York public schools system.

Pioneering producers Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones, through their careers in our ever-growing technologycompany Front Row Production, dependent world. Ultimately the plan is “Catagencies on a Hot Roof” to workbrought with staffing to Tin assist and “A Streetcar Named Desire” residents in finding productive and with a multi-ethnic castthem to to rewarding careers that will allow In 2016 they bring provideBroadway. for their families and contribute “Eclipsed” withand Oscar Winner to the local community economy.

“It’s notLupita just about blue collar it’s Nyong ’O to jobs, Broadway.

about new collar jobs, and we know Honorees, the so-called Central where there is an economic base, are collectively and there isPark more5,respect and power,” Huff individually heroes.

They are continued. “By developing individuals survivors of one ofengines, the ugliest to be their own economic we Charles Rangel miscarriage of justice New begin to shrink the divides thatinare too York’s history; having railroaded numerous to name, butbeen for starters majority. She now leads The to continue momentum and unjustly the convicted for a crime Transformative Justice Coalition. we want towardsthey social by working end didjustice not commit andtofor which Arnwine was for 26 years executive economic social isolation, theyinequalities, served long prison sentences director of the Lawyers’ Committee deprivation, and years political ranging from seven to 13 years for Civil Rights Under the Law. educational disenfranchisement.” before being exonerated when the

exceptional leadership and What resulted was an awakening of vision in David Dinkins her or his respective profession or minds to police brutality towards and andcommunities, in some significant againstendeavor marginalized was a member of the New York measure has community. contributed towards especially the Black City Council, representing the creating a more just society in this Nine minutes and 29 seconds 40th council district in Brooklyn, enlightened the world the plight country,” says to Black Star News succeeding her mother, Una S. of Black Americans aspublisher well as founder and Milton T. Clarke. In the current 114th other marginalized communities across Allimadi. “Obviously much work Congress Clarke serves on the world.

Voices finallyhere heard, and Inez Barron, honoree, formerly a"As we focus on the Day of needs to were be done and actual rapist confessed. They are: the Energy and Commerce according to the GFMC, these voices State Assembly member, is nowEnlightenment 5/25, let us remember around the world.”

Yusef Abdus Salaam; Raymond will no longer be silenced or ignored.

Committee, responsible for a New York City council memberthat the entire world bared witness Thedeath, gala starts at 6:00pm with a Santana Jr., Antron McCray, Kevin "George's after his life was taken consumer protection, food and a champion of education for to the murder of Mr. George Floyd,” cocktail by hour to bepolice followed by the so inhumanely a rogue officer, Richardson, and Kharey Wise. safety, energy development, public our youth. said Sheriff Hubert A. Peterkin of will notdinner be in vain,” said Roger Floyd, There and awards ceremonies. health, communications, the The Black Star News, which focuses Chief Impact forentertainment the GFMC, Honoree Imhotep Gary Byrd is Hoke County, NC. “Even though we will beOfficer musical by environment, and interstate and Photo Credit: Mathias Bishop on see investigative journalism, will never George again, his namehas and George paternal uncle, a legendary radio talk show host operaFloyd singerJr.’s Cassandra Douglas international commerce. lives on through the George Floyd been featured as a result of some if Roger Floyd and Raleigh Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin elbow known and affectionately as Unclephenomenon Roger. and executive producer, radio DJ,Memorial Center with an emphasis on from harmonica bumpR. before they hug after the event announcing the George its news scoops, on CNN, The New Donahue Peebles, honoree, is “We willWilliam continueGalison. to unapologetically David Dinkins is Floyd Memorial Center 5/25 Day Of Enlightenment (DOE). poet, songwriter, music recordingenterprising technology programs to York Daily News, The New York move the needle forward for real a leading developer and founder of artist and producer, rapper, writerensure economic growth from town to honored for Lifetime Achievement #525DOE #GeorgeFloydMC change, and we want everyone in Post, The Village Voice, and Brill’s The Peebles Co., the nation’s largest and community activist. He began — he was New City’s town, rebuilding relationships between communities all over theYork country andfirst Content magazine.

African American-owned real his career as a radio DJ in Buffalothe community and law enforcement African will sell the specially world to join us."American mayor and alsoorganization estate firm with $3.5 billion worth Black Star News Together, we can drivehonorees change at age 15. For over 30 years, he’s officers.Past welcomed Nelson Mandela to thedesigned 5/25 D.O.E. paraphernalia/ of properties under development The GFMC’s 5/25 D.O.E. grassroots throughout the country by turning a have included: Gil Noble (Like It been a talk show host at WBLS and items to people in the U.S. and around city after his release in 1990. initiative is designed to engage or management — he was one senseless act into an impactful one that Is), Rep. Maxine Waters, Soledad the world, encouraging them to post WLIB radio in New York City. He Rep. Rangel, the world

by Charles recognizing a day ofalso honored ofofthe pioneering generations Americans.” pictures themselves on developerswho social media O’Brien (CNN), of Ms. Camille Cosby, also has a Friday night radio talk will affect enlightenment versesAchievement, a day of anger has using #525DOE for Lifetime helped turn and revitalize andaround #GeorgeFloydMC. Voza Rivers (New Heritage show on WBAI. The Center’s and the Floyd family’s Theatre), and pain.

The GFMC wants since to change served in Congress 1971. He The is 5/25 theD.O.E. once-blighted items canAnacostia be Errol Louis (NY1 News), Amel the narrative from of hurt to hope.

Honoree Sabrina Lamb, founderhope is that change begins with this a recipient The Bronze medal for purchased at www.cafepress.com/ neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Larrieux (Entertainer), William bold initiative - 5/25 D.O.E. - anDr. annual Although the tragedy of how George of World of Money, is a champion helping save soldiers behind enemygeorgefloydmcstore in effort to A champion ofan African-American celebration.

As proclaimed by Thomas Pollard (Medgar Evers College), Floyd Jr.’s was the taken woke the of financial literacy for youth-- sheMcLaurin, Executive Director of the supporteconomic this and other initiatives created line life during Korean War. empowerment Peebles’ is Herm Edwards (NY Jets), Nayaba world up, the GFMC wants to change by the Floyd family to honor George’s teaches knowledge about handlingGeorge Floyd Memorial Center, “As contemplating a possible run for NYC Rep. Yvette Clarke is a Democratic Arinde (Amsterdam News), La-Verna the tragedy and make it triumphant for States money, and provide technical training life andmayor legacy.in 2017. budgeting and planning. with the death of Crispus Attucks in member US House of societies aroundof thethe country.

Fountain (Columbia University), for students who are often overlooked 1770, let us remember this day, 5/25 “The goal is to get people thinking about Dr. Rudy Crew, honoree, is one of Representatives from New Lillian Roberts (DC37), Desiree Dancy Honoree Barbara Arnwine, civil and underserved. Through dedicated In an effort to engage thindividuals and Day of Enlightenment, as the day the what was changed inside of them on the nation’s leading York whose 9 awareness district covers (New York Times), Greg Floyd (Local programming, they intend to educators. equip the He’sworld stood rights lawyer, is a champion of communities and raise up and proclaimed liberty, 5/25 as they reflect on their day of students with IT, cybersecurity training much of central Brooklyn.

Before 237), Al for Sharpton (National president of Medgar Evers College protecting voting rightsHuff, of ethnic and resources for current and future equality, andRev. justice all.” enlightenment,” said Frederick and certificates to prepare them for IT entering Congress in 2007, she Action Network), and many others.

GFMC programming, the 501(c3) of The City University of New minority groups theproceeds emerging Program Director, GFMC.—“The

INSIDE T HIS ISSUE: IS SUE : INSIDE THIS

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PAGE 11 JOEL EMBIID DEBUTS

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NE WS

BROWN

V.

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, issued the following statement on the 67th anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education: "Sixty-seven years ago, the Supreme Court issued its seminal unanimous ruling outlawing segregation in our nation's public schools. The ruling represented a transformative affirmation of racial equality and became a foundational principle of our legal system and our democracy.

We must use this moment to reaffirm our commitment to equal educational opportunity. Decades after the Brown decision, today's public schools remain largely segregated. Black children are five times as likely as white children to attend schools that are highly segregated by race and ethnicity.

“NATION MUST REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY" - Derrick Johnson President and CEO of the NAACP

BOARD

OF

EDUCATION CELEBRATED

We call upon educators and policymakers at the national, state, and local level to reinvigorate efforts to provide all children with a quality education. We call upon the U.S. Department of Justice and civil rights agencies throughout the country to vigorously enforce the Constitution and our civil rights laws to ensure equal educational opportunity. The pursuit of equality in education requires constant vigilance; it represents one of our highest ideals and most cherished values.

The Brown decision demonstrated that the courts are critical guardians of our civil rights. The decision represents decades of hard-fought progress on issues of civil rights and equal protection. Shockingly, at least thirty of Donald Trump's judicial nominees refused to acknowledge that Brown was correctly decided. They now sit on our federal courts all across the country.

We take this occasion to call upon President Biden to appoint civil rights lawyers —

and more specifically, equal educational opportunity lawyers — to the federal bench.

We need judges modeled after Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley and Robert Carter, who litigated groundbreaking equal education cases before being appointed to the judiciary.

On the 25th anniversary of Brown, President Jimmy Carter convened hundreds of civil rights leaders at the White House to commemorate the ruling and announce the nomination of NAACP General Counsel

Nathaniel Jones to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. As a civil rights lawyer, Judge Jones had litigated numerous school desegregation cases, and his nomination on that day demonstrated the president's commitment to equal justice.

Today, we urgently need lawyers appointed to the federal courts who have similarly devoted their careers to advancing equal educational opportunity and to helping our nation realize the promise of Brown.

Photo Source: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

N A A C P C R E AT I V E S O L E S C H O L A R S H I P P o w e r e d b y V a n s VANS, the original action sports brand and advocate for creative expression, has partnered with the NAACP, the nation's preeminent social justice and civil rights organization, to launch the 'NAACP Creative Sole Scholarship Powered by Vans.' As part of Vans' commitment to uplift and drive equity, diversity and inclusion within our communities and our industry, this scholarship program aims to support African American students by providing them with monetary aid to use towards their college education as they pursue a creative career across a variety of disciplines including art, music, journalism, marketing, design, communications, or architecture.

Applications for the NAACP Creative Sole Scholarship Powered by Vans opened today and will remain open until June 18, 2021. Fifty students will be selected as recipients of the scholarship by N-SPIRE, a committee within NAACP that focuses on the creation, development and awarding of scholarship programs. The selected students will be announced August 9 and each will receive $5,000 to use towards their tuition fees. As a way for Vans to continue supporting these

students throughout their entire college education, Vans will award the selected students $5,000 each year that they are enrolled, up to four years, which means one student could receive a total of $20,000 through the program, if eligibility requirements continue to be met. Vans hopes to incentivize the selected students to complete their full college education and graduate at the end of the four years.

Vans®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand. Vans® authentic collections are sold in 97 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and international offices. Vans® has over 2,000 retail locations globally including owned, concession and partnership doors. The Vans® brand promotes creative self-expression in youth culture across action sports, art, music and street culture and delivers progressive platforms such as Vans Checkerboard Day, Vans Park Series, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, Vans Custom Culture, and Vans' cultural hub and international music venue, House of Vans.

F I R S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N W O M A N N A M E D c I V I L R I G H T S A S S T AT T O R N E Y G E N .

The NAACP applauds the Senate's bipartisan vote to confirm Kristen Clarke as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Today will go down in history as Ms. Clarke becomes the first African American woman ever confirmed to the position in the 64-year history of the Civil Rights Division. As our nation remembers George Floyd's brutal killing by police officers one year ago today, we know much work lies ahead to obtain equal justice for all. We look forward to working in close partnership with the new leader of the Civil Rights Division on the daunting civil rights challenges of

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the day.

Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP is the largest and pre-eminent civil and social rights organization in the nation.

NAACP has a network consisting of over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists.

Our mission to is secure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

June 3, 2021 - June 9, 2021

Photo Source: theawparty.org

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NEWS

NISSAN DONATE S TO SEVEN MISSISSIPPI HBCU’S

Nissan is again making a donation to Mississippi’s seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming at each school.

“Students pursuing STEM-related degrees have a broad range of career opportunities,” said Keri Kelly, Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Nissan Americas. “Mississippi’s seven HBCUs are preparing the change makers of tomorrow to take on the STEM roles that will undoubtedly change lives for the better. Nissan is thrilled to lend support to further develop and strengthen these programs.”

With this contribution, Nissan has invested nearly $1.5 million in Mississippi’s HBCUs since opening its Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant in 2003.

The Canton plant produces the Nissan

Altima, Frontier, TITAN and NV van.

The seven HBCUs receiving a donation from Nissan are Alcorn State University, Coahoma Community College, Hinds Community College - Utica Campus, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College and Tougaloo College.

for the challenges of engineering and manufacturing award-winning Nissan cars and trucks. We’re proud to support Mississippi’s HBCUs in their continued efforts to deliver quality STEM programming to students across our great state.”

Nissan recognized each of these HBCUs during a virtual event where several current Nissan employees, who are themselves Mississippi HBCU alums, shared what their education has meant to their career growth at Nissan.

“Our business has undoubtedly prospered thanks to the efforts of the HBCU graduates who have come to work for us,” said Tim Fallon, Vice President, Manufacturing, Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant.

“HBCU graduates are well prepared

BL ACK WOMEN’S EXPO Returns In-Person

With the pandemic causing the cancellation of last year’s Black Women’s Expo (BWE), founder and organizer Merry Green made wise use of her time to transform and expand the scope of the country’s largest exposition for Black Women. Slated for August 20-22, 2021 at McCormick Place, the event will also feature a virtual expo the following weekend.

“After my initial disappointment, I had to move forward and see the cancellation of the event as an opportunity for growth and repositioning, not just for us but for our small business vendors,” said Green who has produced the 3-day affair for 25 years. “The addition of virtual access will give small businesses everywhere an opportunity to get their

C L E R GY T E S T I F Y

ON

More than five dozen clergy members spanning 15 New Jersey counties filed a brief at the New Jersey Supreme Court, represented by the ACLU-NJ, that urges justices to take bold action to end racial profiling.

The brief (PDF), filed on behalf of 66 New Jersey ministers, imams, rabbis, and other leaders of a range of faith

brands in front of thousands of African American consumers.”

Traditional elements of the Expo will remain including live performances and panel discussions. Many of the activities

TRAUMA

OF

This brief stands as a powerful testament to a truth that is often missing in legal cases and analysis concerning the subject, which typically

Virtual Experiences

will be recorded and broadcast during the virtual component on August 28th-

29th added Green.

Registration for exhibitors kicks off May 1st and will offer those who act quickly

RACIAL PROFILING

traditions, draws on the collective accounts of the trauma, humiliation, and dehumanization racial profiling regularly inflicts on their Black and brown members of their communities.

and

iN

centers around improper searches in criminal cases: the vast majority of racial profiling goes unnoted because it does not result in any charges, leaving its ineffectiveness and mass trauma unseen.

“While courts typically learn abo ut allegations of racial profiling in the context of the rare police actions that yield evidence of criminal behavior, clergy people see the daily trauma of racial profiling, which unfairly casts the shadow of suspicion based solely on race without leading to any arrest,” said ACLU-NJ Director of Supreme Court Advocacy Alexander Shalom.

“Clergy serve as daily witnesses to the reality that racial profiling does not simply hurt individuals – it injures entire communities.”

June 3, 2021 - June 9, 2021

a 50% discount through May 7th.

“I wanted to show my appreciation to those who have patiently waited for us to make strategic decisions on how we would move forward in these uncertain times,” said Green. “The good news is that the majority of last year’s vendors didn’t pull out, and now we’re inviting others to capitalize on the introductory rates.”

Booth costs for the Black Women’s Expo range from $1500 to $1900. With the introductory special, spaces will run $750 - $950 during the first week of May. Special discounted rates will also be available for non-profit organizations.

Full details for in-person and virtual opportunities are available at BWeNEXT. com.

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

The case before the Court concerns an incident in which police officers pulled over three Black men based on a description of two Black men as

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For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissanusa. com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

suspects of a robbery, along with the police officer’s claim that the three men did not visibly react to a spotlight pointed in their direction. The brief asks the Court to bar police officers from conducting stops where the only, or predominant, basis is that the people stopped match the race and gender of the suspects, without any other additional identifying details.

“The clergy members we represent provide pastoral care in and to diverse communities throughout New Jersey, and they share a common experience: Each one has served members of their communities who have been stopped by police because of their race,” said ACLU-NJ Legal Director Jeanne LoCicero. “The clergy members in this suit have seen the trauma of people close to them after unjustified stops based on their race, and they have counseled people through the fear and psychological wounds that follow them from those encounters.”

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P OLI T ICS Project

To B O L S T E R D I V E R S I T Y In T o p C o u r t s

After years of tireless advocacy diversity

by Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware and community partners, Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice Colin Seitz Jr. announced the new “Delaware Bench and Bar Diversity Project” heeding the calls for more Black and brown representation on Delaware’s top courts.

justice to replace outgoing Chancery Court Chancellor Andre Bouchard, but to no avail. With Carney appointing Lori Will, a white woman with connections to Bouchard's former law firm, CPBD has pledged to renew its advocacy for systemic change and racial justice in Delaware’s courts.

Said Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey, “We’re glad that Delaware is finally taking steps to address the glaring lack of diversity in its judiciary after years of advocates ringing the alarm. While the issue runs deep – and Governor Carney has failed to take the most simple step of nominating Black judges – we’re hopeful that the project will identify meaningful solutions to address this crisis, and will listen to those who have been fighting for diversity for years.”

Continued Chris Coffey, “We have seen that even under intense pressure, Delaware’s leaders have chosen to maintain the status quo rather than listen to community-led advocacy for change, and we will remain vigilant to ensure that this new project actually effects change.

While this announcement is a first step, we will maintain pressure every step of the way to ensure the project makes systemic change, rather than just a PR stunt to save face for Delaware’s Old Boys’ Club.”

The project will be helmed by the state Supreme Court’s first Black Justice, Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, and will be a “strategic effort to address diversity issues in the legal field” and will make recommendations to attract and retain diverse lawyers to the state’s judiciary and legal industry. The project is a collaboration between the state, the National Center for State Courts, and AccessLex Institute.

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives, and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the unprecedented forced sale of TransPerfect. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Courts.

Faith leaders in Delaware and nationally have fought alongside CPBD in recent years to shed light on the lack of judicial diversity. Legendary civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton has decried the state’s lack of judicial diversity, traveling to Delaware multiple times to urge Governor Carney to take the issue seriously. Locally, Pastor Blaine Hackett of St. John African Methodist Church Inc. and Reverend Christopher Bullock have led protests outside the Governor’s office calling for diverse leadership to restore trust in the state’s justice system.

CPBD proudly joined the efforts of those leaders, and recently mobilized over 2,000 Delawareans to nominate a Black

DON ANNOUNCES DIVERsiTY , EQUITY & INCLUSION PLANS FOR THE N AV Y Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker released a memo announcing specific actions towards the Department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The effort asks the Chief Diversity Officer of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (ASN (M&RA)), Catherine Kessmeier, to lead a Strategic Planning Team and develop an action plan to promote DEI in Departmentwide policies, programs and operations.

Harker’s memo formalizes guidance and establishes a framework to develop a strategic plan, identify actionable measures to integrate ongoing DEI efforts and recommend new initiatives.

“Equal opportunity is the bedrock of our democracy and diversity is one of our greatest strengths; both are critical to the readiness of our Navy and Marine Corps team and, ultimately, to our mission success,” said Harker. “Aligned with these guiding principles, it is the policy of the Department of the Navy (DON) to continue making transformative and meaningful steps that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our policies, programs, and operations across the enterprise. This review will examine both Navy and Marine Corps policies and build on existing efforts within both services.”

As the Chief Diversity Officer for the Department, Acting ASN (M&RA) Kessmeier will:  Lead a strategic planning team, comprised of officer, enlisted and civilian representatives from the Navy, Marine Corps and Secretariat, to establish a framework to provide direction in developing a strategic plan, identifying actionable measures that integrate ongoing DEI efforts, and recommending new initiatives.  Oversee and direct:  A 60-day review of contracting to

identify improvements needed to promote supplier diversity and ensure proper implementation of equal opportunity and diversity policies in contracts  A 60-day review of policies and conventions of naming Navy and Marine Corps assets to identify measures to improve diverse representation  A 90-day review of precepts for selection and assignment boards to remove potential barriers to diversity  A 90-day review of diversity within the Senior Executive Service to improve the pace of diversity and the strength of the applicant pool, while remaining cognizant of the merit system principles  A 90-day review of Navy and Marine Corps grooming policies to inform potential changes to policy  A 90-day review to examine an appropriate authoritative data environment for DEI As review periods for the six initial actions in the memo are completed, the DON will release findings and actions it intends to take to remove existing barriers and advance diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the Department.

“Equal opportunity is the fundamental promise of the United States. The Department of the Navy is committed to rooting out inequities that have sometimes kept that promise out of reach for underserved and underrepresented communities,” stated Kessmeier. “We recognize the need to understand the barriers that face our workforce, and we need to ensure our policies and processes are constructed to support diversity, equity, and inclusion for every officer, Sailor, Marine and civilian. Advancing equity requires a systematic approach and the Strategic Planning Team will work to address inequities in DON policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.”

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ENTER TAINMENT

HOWARD UNIVERSITY Names Fine Arts College

Chadwick Boseman

alumnus as well. Plus, he was the university’s commencement speaker in 2018. Privately, he was already battling colon cancer. He died last August at age 43.

“Real legends never die.”

That legendary quote couldn’t be more true as millions have mourned the loss of the talented Chadwick Boseman. But in his death, he is being celebrated more and more.

On Wednesday, Howard University announced that it has named its newly reestablished College of Fine Arts after one of its most famous alumni: the late actor Chadwick Boseman. News of the school’s naming broke in The Washington Post.

Earlier this month, we reported that

(Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Lexus )

Howard named actor and alumnus Phylicia Rashad as the dean of the fine arts school. So just imagine being in the college named after Black Panther hero, Chadwick Boseman and your dean is Phylicia Rashad–how cool is that?

Boseman was a proud Howard

While at Howard, Boseman headed a student protest opposing absorbing the College of Fine Arts into the College of Arts & Sciences.

“Chad fought to preserve the College of Fine Arts during his matriculation at Howard and remained dedicated to the fight throughout his career, and he would be overjoyed by this development,” Boseman’s family said in a statement. “His time at Howard University helped shape both the man and the artist that he became, committed to truth, integrity, and a determination to transform the world through the power of storytelling.”

Even though Boseman’s death took everyone by surprise, his legendary talent and humble nature is still on the hearts and minds of fans and co-stars. This year, he posthumously won the award for Best Actor in a

For

Motion Picture Drama at the Golden Globes for his portrayal of a trumpet player named Levee in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Boseman also earned an Oscar nomination (Best Actor) for the role.

After Boseman’s death, a Change. org petition asking Howard’s president and board of trustees to name the school after the actor garnered over 58,000 signatures.

In addition to the renaming, Howard also announced that Bob Iger, executive chairman of the Walt Disney Company, the company that distributed “Black Panther,” will be leading a fundraising effort for an endowment under Boseman’s name that will be used toward funding a new arts building on campus.

“Through his tremendous example he inspired millions to overcome adversity, dream big and reach beyond the status quo,” Iger said.

“And this college named in his honor … will provide opportunities for future generations of artists to follow in his footsteps and pursue their dreams.”

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THE AR T S

‘ I n t e r ac t i v e ’ M o n u m e n t To T o u r U . S . I N T R I B U T E To F i g h t for R ac i a l J u s t i c e

At a pivotal time for racial justice in America, a new interactive art installation will tour the country seeking to inspire “Hope for a New America.” Acclaimed Ghanaian artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo will unveil his latest work, a powerful and thoughtprovoking interactive sculpture titled Blank Slate: Hope for a New America, during a summer tour of major cities across the South and Midwest. Traveling on a flatbed truck, the mobile art installation aims to engage Americans in a conversation on hope and healing, including an interactive “Blank Slate” component. Visitors will be encouraged to share their opinions in real time on the fight for racial justice, and their words will be displayed anonymously onto the slate. For more information on the monument, tour dates and events, please visit www. blankslatemonument.com.

Alabama, created the Blank Slate statue to challenge the overwhelming prevalence of this legacy by raising awareness of the entrenched issues in each city and inspire a dialogue for a more hopeful future. The statue is unapologetic in its representation of American history in the midst of today’s racial crisis and is a visual representation of the evolution of the African American experience and struggle— from the millions of enslaved men and women who were crucial to the foundation of the U.S., to the Black soldiers who died fighting in the Civil War, to the more recent lives of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Duante Wright, and innumerable others.

The Blank Slate statue features four figures that symbolize the generational struggles in the African American experience: a slave

ancestor, a lynched union soldier martyr, a struggling mother activist, and a baby representing the next generation.

Whereas Confederate heroes are typically depicted standing atop “pedestals of privilege,” the figures in Blank Slate are standing on top of the only thing they have—each other— a powerful representation of how only through generations of determined cooperation can the underprivileged elevate each other enough to have a voice to speak truth to power.

The monument culminates in an interactive protest sign held by the mother figure at the top, a literal blank slate symbolizing the unwritten future of hope and healing, that will serve to amplify the voices of the public and share their thoughts and hopes to the world in real time.

Through a dedicated WiFi system, the public can share on the screen their ideas and hopes for creating positive change in this country. The blank slate will be integrated with a #BlankSlateHope social campaign.

“Blank is the slate that we write on, but we see through. I sculpt yes, but the statement is not my own.

The statement is for the people, the African American people, the black people, and people who want to speak up against the tradition of injustice. That is why the slate is left blank,” Kwame Akoto-Bamfo shares about his vision for Blank Slate.

The Blank Slate statue will remain on display in Birmingham, Alabama until March 2022 when it is moved to a permanent location, determined by a multi-city bidding process.

For more information, visit www. blankslatemonument.com.

Created as a bold counterpoint and challenge to the more than 1,800 Confederate monuments and symbols still on display in public spaces across the U.S., AkotoBamfo’s mission behind the statue and tour is to use art to forward the racial and social justice movements, help inspire the healing of the nation, and elevate the voices of the silenced and oppressed by giving people a platform to let themselves be heard.

The statue will be unveiled in Louisville, Kentucky on June 2nd, and travel to locations including Chicago, Selma, Birmingham, and more.

In each city, the statue will be available to the public for several days for observation, reflection, and participation in the conversation through the interactive Blank Slate screen. The tour will also include events with local elected officials, activists, arts & cultural figures, and local students, including a series of town halls. The town halls will create an open dialogue among community members on different aspects of racial injustice: community safety, health disparities, voting rights, the criminal legal system, education, and more.

Each city on the tour has its own historical and painful legacy of racial injustice. Akoto-Bamfo, best known for his outdoor “Nkyinkyim Installation” sculpture dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Transatlantic slave trade displayed at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery,

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B l a n k Sl ate M onum ent a nd A rtist Kwa m e A koto-Ba m fo Photo Source: blackprwire.com

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EDUCAT ION BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSIT Y PROGRAM NURTURES FUTURE LEADERS At Bethune-Cookman University, we not only educate the minds of the young men and women who enrich our campus, we also nurture their whole being.

Welcome to Male Development Initiatives, a BCU department designed to help young men discover and reach their fullest potential through academic excellence, personal development, and community engagement. The department’s multi-level approach extends to boys as young as 12 years old to college seniors. (A women’s version of this program is currently in the planning stage.)

Led by Director Mr. Jermaine McKinney ’96 and supported by a team of educators, mentors, and peer leaders, the Male Development Initiative is comprised of four learning communities – Black Male College Explorers, Brother2Brother, Black Males of Higher Education Think Tank, and Progressive Black Men – that meet teens and young adults where they are at in their life journey and encourage them to strive for the best version of themselves.

collegiate-level learning communities.

McKinney said BMCEP offers a winwin opportunity for all those involved.

The college students gain invaluable experience in mentorship and leadership roles, while the middle and high school students have the chance to envision themselves learning and growing in college. BROTHER2BROTHER Brother2Brother has been helping BCU freshmen and sophomore students transition from high school to college and navigate their collegiate journey since 2011. McKinney said young men don’t tend to speak up when they are faced with challenges. Brother2Brother helps them remove these barriers and learn how to ask for help. In addition, this group helps students determine a suitable major based on their interests and skills. In addition, they teach careeroriented skills, such as resume writing, interviewing tactics, and the like.

The ultimate goal of the program is to have the young men who were once unsure of themselves become peer leaders of the future.

“We focus on the five R’s,” McKinney

BLACK MALES OF HIGHER EDUCATION THINK TANK Founded in 2006 and open to upperclassmen, the Black Males of Higher Education Think Tank builds on the skills, exemplifying academic excellence, leadership and professionalism. Throughout the years this organization has brought a number of activists and leaders from the black community on campus to contribute to the male empowerment at BCU. Black Males Think Tank aims to cultivate male students to foster a positive attitude by promoting exemplary character, fellowship, community service and personal integrity. PROGRESSIVE BLACK MEN With chapters throughout the United States, Progressive Black Men is a national collegiate organization whose purpose is to promote positive images of African American Men through “brotherhood, community service, humanitarian aid, and the development of high standards of personal integrity and moral character.”

McKinney said the BCU chapter was formed in 2016. In its five years of

McKinney has been at the helm of the Male Development Initiative at BCU for the past decade. He said he is continually amazed by the growth he sees in students as they journey throughout the years. He hopes he is having as great an impact on them as they have had on him.

“I love getting up everyday knowing that I am able to help someone. It's not hard work. It's heart work. It's a ministry. I've been working with males for so long. It's a part of life,” McKinney said, adding his various work experiences prepared him for this job. “So it’s like God prepared me, through all these different places, to bring me to this point today, of helping young men on a college campus find their purpose.”

In the end, McKinney said, “I hope the young men who participate in these programs take away the embodiment of the mission of the university: ‘Enter to learn, depart to serve.’ We want them to embody and become a better version of themselves, to be the change that they want to see in the world. Do not be afraid to lift as you climb. Pay it forward.

That is what it is all about.”

“We are here to help young men discover their ‘Why,” McKinney said.

“Graduation rates among African American males have not been the best nationally. So, in order to keep those young men in school and continuing to persist year after year, we try to put things in place that keep them engaged, that keep them wanting to stay in school.”

The department promotes the overall success of the participants by addressing educational, personal, and social challenges. “When you connect with something or someone, you find more in the purpose of why you are here,” he continued. “So, we’re helping them to understand and develop personal, social and professional skills for success. We want to help them find their voice, so, by the time they are ready to leave (BCU), they're truly ready to take on the world.”

What makes this program unique is the building block approach to helping men build on the new skills they attain through their engagement. Here is how Bethune-Cookman University is helping young men become leaders of tomorrow: BLACK MALE COLLEGE EXPLORERS Started in 1993, the Black Male College Explorers Program (BMCEP) is designed to change the trajectory of males in grades 6-12 through academic excellence and holistic male development. Many, but not all, are atrisk students needing a second chance.

Prior to COVID, the young men would come to campus during the week for tutoring and on Saturdays for enrichment. The program is guided by BCU faculty, but also students who are participating in the department’s

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Photo Source: blackprwire.com

said, “recruitment, retention, refine, release, and return to invest.” Take, for example, Amaud Murray, who was featured in another BCU blog. A firstgeneration student, he reached out to Brother2Brother when he began to struggle during his freshman year.

“Now you see Amaud doing what we call ‘Lifting as We Climb,’” McKinney said.

“He reached back to help freshmen as they are transitioning in, and he is helping them. He is out mentoring. He is doing everything that we asked of him.

Our reward is to see the young man we see in him today.”

existence, the group has strived to increase the number of young men who are not only succeeding year to year in college, but also graduating from BCU as leaders in their communities.

“There are actually more black males in college than there are in prison, but society doesn’t see it that way,” McKinney said. “We are all working together just to increase the number of young men that are persisting from year to year to graduate, who understand our whole model of “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve.” Our men are succeeding. We want to make sure that people really know that that's the truth.”

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Founded in 1904 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) today sustains her legacy of faith, scholarship, and service through its relationship with the United Methodist Church and its commitment to academic excellence and civic engagement. B-CU offers 38 degrees on its main campus and online college. Located in Daytona Beach, B-CU is one of three private, historically black colleges in the state of Florida.

The institution boasts a diverse and international faculty and student body of nearly 4,000. For more information, visit www.cookman.edu

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HE ALTH & WELLNE S S

H E A LT H D E P T. L A U N C H E S N E W V A C C I N E C O N F I D E N C E C A M P A I G N The NYC Health Department has announced a new public health detailing campaign for health care providers around COVID-19 vaccine confidence and access.

The campaign, which complements the department’s provider-facing COVID-19 outreach campaign and strategy, will engage health care providers and staff in the vaccine equity neighborhoods of North and South Bronx, East and Central Brooklyn to close the gap on disparities in vaccination rates. Providers will receive guidance on best practices and opportunities to increase access and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines. The first wave of the detailing campaign will focus on over 500 primary care practices including internal medicine, family, and pediatric practices.

“Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and all health care providers, and healers are a

crucial part of our vaccination campaign,” said Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “The vaccines are safe and effective, and we want all New Yorkers to feel comfortable getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Front-line providers are trusted voices in their communities, and we are committed to supporting them in helping to get all New Yorkers vaccinated. Providers, this is our moment!”

Health Department representatives will provide one-on-one education to health care providers and their staff including a review of key recommendations. Providers will also receive a Vaccine Confidence and Access “Action Kit,” which includes provider resources and patient education materials to support the implementation of the key recommendations into routine practice.

Photo Credit: CDC via Unsplash

NUTRITHICK Brings NEW GEM Serial entrepreneur and wellness educator Tiffany Davis is not your average entrepreneur; her earnings, results and knowledge are double your average entrepreneur within the health and wellness industry. Both her educational background and unmatched positive energy are highlighted when you think of the multi-million dollar brand Nutrithick.

Nutrithick is a capsule solution for women who desire to gain healthy weight.

Nutrithick GAIN+ Capsules help to increase appetite and maintain curves, for the ultimate feminine weight. Great for fitness girls building a booty! It’s a 100 percent natural supplement weight gainer.

With the beauty and wellness industry growing by the minute, especially within

To

Wellness Industry

the rise of fall of our pandemic, achieving and maintaining a healthier lifestyle is more than desirable to everyone, especially women.

Campaign, product expansion with a liquid vitamin, and protein supplement set to be fully in the market by the end of spring 2021.

“This product was created and launched with much afterthought, research with a chemist nearby and just overcoming my own body shaming after pregnancy,” adds Davis.

With more than 2,000 positive resultenforced reviews and before and after images, Nutrithick is definitely one of the most recommended weight and muscle gain supplements on the market.

While available for purchase on Amazon and Walmart.com, Nutrithick is also interested in cross-promotion with fitness trainers, health enthusiasts, and beauty influencers that want to push the agenda forward of achieving your fitness goals in moderation and the natural way.

By entrusting in Nutrithick you can gain the ultimate curves just in time for summer 2021.

Photo Courtesy of NUTRITHICK

Future plans for the mega health brand include a “Girls Who Gain” Fall Diary

Photo Courtesy of NUTRITHICK

A N N U A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L S O U LF U L Y O G A D A Y : J u n e 1 7 - 1 9 The 2nd Annual International Yoga Day: A Hybrid Experience, June 17-19, is a three-night offering of freedom, love, and soul. ISY kicks off with two wellness virtual workshops on Thursday; tennis demonstration/clinic, and four yoga sessions in-person on Friday; a virtual wine tasting and poetry will conclude the experience on Juneteenth, Saturday.

ISY is the brainchild of former PR executive, turned certified Yoga instructor, meditation coach, and wellness ambassador Karen Taylor Bass. “I wanted to bring together a community of men and women to breathe, release, heal, and feel.

We need a safe space to feel good, move, dialogue, and honor the body,” says Bass.

The event sponsor is the United States Tennis Association. *Space is limited for in-person activities for pre-screening and covid-19 protocol.

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International Soulful Yoga: A Hybrid Experience is a movement dedicated to self-care and soul-care. Learning to put self-first for preservation. A healing yoga party with tennis, wine, poetry, music, and workshops.

explains Bass.

David J. Williams, Manager of Diversity & Inclusion, USTA Eastern and event sponsor, shared, “We recognize that Photo Courtesy of Karen Taylor Bass

“Last summer, when I offered ISY during the pandemic for one day on Zoom, we had 131 registrants from New York to London. It was humbling and honest – Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) were under siege, and the event gave them a glimpse of release from daily trauma, not to mention the need for movement. Yoga connects the mind, body, and soul. I wanted to create an offering to give people a sampling of expression through soul-care. If I can provide one hour, one day, a few minutes of relaxation via conversation, laughter, and yoga to communities via Zoom and in-person interaction, then that is what I will do,”

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tennis is a way to social-distancing without being socially distant. The benefits of the sport provide players with incredible health benefits such as improved cardiovascular strength and effective and natural stress release.”

Workshop Presenters: Karen Taylor Bass (Soulful Yoga); Syntyche’ Francella (Healing Station, NY); Syreeta Scott (Duafe Hair Care); Bri Renee (Compassion Yoga); Sundays.Gold (Twerkasana Yoga); Deirdre Tinsley (Smooth Flow); Frances Ferdinand (HQ Tennis/USTA Eastern); and Mozel Watson (Harlem Wine God).

On-site Location for Yoga + Tennis: Elmont High School, 555 Ridge Road, Elmont, NY 11003.

To learn more about Karen Taylor Bass and International Soulful Yoga: A Hybrid Experience, visit the website, https:// karentaylorbass.com

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BUSINE S S

FORD MOTOR ANNOUNCES WINNERS

Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, is announcing Emory University School of Medicine’s Pipeline Collaborative and Chicago State University as the winners of the

organizations provides vital support to the African American community and especially to Black youth,” said Pamela Alexander, Director of Community Development, Ford Motor

Photo Courtesy of news.emory.edu

2021 Ford Gives Back Freedom Award. The two organizations are being awarded grants of $25,000 and $10,000 respectively to further their community impact.

The Ford Gives Back Freedom Awards are open to past honorees of Ford Freedom Unsung and Ford Freedom’s Sisters – two Ford Fund initiatives that recognize individuals or organizations that are making a positive impact in the African-American community. Past honorees of both programs are eligible to apply for funding to build upon the vital work they are doing to help people overcome obstacles for upward mobility.

“Each of these dedicated

Company Fund. “We are proud to recognize the important role they play and to invest in their future success.”

Receiving the top-place, $25,000 grant is Atlanta-based Emory University School of Medicine’s Pipeline Collaborative (EPiC). The collaborative is a comprehensive three-year program of learning, mentoring, college preparation and health careers exposure that prepares high school students for entry into health professions. The Emory Pipeline Collaboration achieves its mission of readying youth for healthcare professions by engaging them in after-school sessions during the academic year and the summer. However, they

OF

FREEDOM AWARDS

were hampered by covid and the ongoing marginalization felt by the students – especially Black males in their target schools.

“Over this past year, our programming community has been hit hard by the twin pandemics of covid-19 and racial injustice,” said Allen Lee, EPiC Program Manager. “However, we have been inspired by our students’ successes in the face of such adversity. We will use this award to increase our outreach into the communities that we serve, with the goal of recruiting more students who identify as Black males into the program. Together, EPiC and the Ford Motor Company Fund will provide muchneeded encouragement to our students as we expose them to higher education and healthcare careers.”

The $10,000 runner-up grant is awarded to Chicago State University’s Pre-Freshman Program in Engineering and Science (PREP). The program is designed to make students aware, at an early age, of the professional opportunities in engineering and to encourage students to take more mathematics and science as a part of their high school course load.

Chicago State University’s PREP program operates eight months during the academic year and six weeks in the summer, providing youth with hands-on enrichment experiences that help motivate students to achieve their full potential.

“We are so grateful to have been selected as a 2021 Ford Gives

Back Award recipient,” said Marnie Boyd, PREP Program Director and Assistant Director of Engineering Studies at Chicago State University. “This meaningful recognition and support empowers us to remain true to our mission of exposing under-resourced and underrepresented middle and high school students to the incredible world of STEM, inspiring them to pursue STEM-related degrees and careers.”

The inaugural Ford Gives Back Freedom Award was presented in 2019 to The Hidden Genius Project of Oakland California – an organization that trains and mentors young black men in technology, entrepreneurship and leadership. In 2020, the award was presented to A New Way of Life of Los Angeles California, a program for formerly incarcerated women and their children, with a runner up award of $10,000 going to Bean’s Café in Anchorage Alaska – a weekend lunch program for children and their parents.

For more than 100 years, Ford has invested in programs that enable social mobility and economic success in the African-American community. Other Ford Fund programs that support the AfricanAmerican community include Ford First Gen, a program that provides first generation college students attending Historically Black Colleges and University’s support to help them stay in school, and Men of Courage, a national grassroots program designed to build communities by advancing the narrative of Black men through storytelling.

WELLS FARGO FULFILLS INVESTMENT PLEDGE TO BLACK-OWNED BANKS Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced it has finalized investments in two additional African American Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs): The Harbor Bank of Maryland and Industrial Bank of Washington, D.C. By making these last two equity capital investments, the company has made investments in a total of 13 MDIs and has fulfilled the bank’s March 10, 2020, announcement to commit $50 million to Black-owned banks in communities across the country.

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END NO TE S ATTORNEY

and

ACTIVIST Receives LI FET I ME ACH IE V E ME N T AWA R D

Attorney Zulu Ali has received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his achievement in law and activism. Recipients of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award are Marquis Who’s Who biography registry inductees who have achieved greatness and excelled in their field for at least 20 years and are selected based on factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field.

Human Rights in Tanzania (East Africa) and International Criminal Court at The Hague (Netherlands).

Zulu Ali is trial attorney, social commentator, and activist. A former police officer and U.S. marine, He earned a juris doctorate in law from Trinity International University Law School, a Master’s in Business (M.B.A.) and Administration of Justice (M.S.) from University of Phoenix, and a Liberal Arts Degree with an emphasis in African Studies from Regents College through a consortium with Tennessee State University. He is currently a doctoral scholar researching panAfrican business and trade at California Southern University.

In 2017, Attorney Ali was recognized as one of the most influential African American Leaders in Los Angeles by the National Action Network founded by Reverend Al Sharpton.

In 2007, Attorney Zulu Ali opened the Law Offices of Zulu Ali and Associates, LLP based in Riverside, California and is the largest Black-owned law firm in California’s Inland Empire. The firm focuses on representing persons accused of crimes, immigrants, victims of discrimination, and persons seeking civil justice in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He is also counsel at the African Court of

Attorney Ali currently serves as Director of the Stop and Frisk Youth Leadership Academy, which trains at risk youth and others to deal with police encounters and life skills; Director of the Southern California Veterans Legal Clinic, a legal clinic offering no cost and low cost legal services to military veterans; and he is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

Attorney Ali has been recognized for his work as a trial lawyer by the National Black Lawyers and National Trial Lawyers Associations, American Academy of Trial Attorneys, American Institute of Legal Counsel, American Jurist Institute, Attorney & Practice Magazine, Rue Ratings Best Lawyer in America, Litigator of the Year by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers, and inducted into Marquis Who’s Who Biographical registry for excellence in law and activism.

He is the Founder and CEO of 10 Nubian Queens & 5 Kings Media, a mass media production company focusing on black family and social justice content in film, radio, theater, music, and print; and he is host of the nationally syndicated radio talk

Photo Source: blackprwire.com

show Justice Watch with Attorney Zulu Ali. Attorney Ali is a member of the Black Radio Hall of Fame (Chicago Chapter).

Ali was recognized by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA) at the 27th Annual Communicator Awards for distinction in educational and social issues in film for directing and producing the children’s animated short film Izem Meets Officer Joe: Izem Learns How to Deal with Police Encounters; an award

for distinction in political issues in video for producing The Cost of A Black Lawyer Fighting for Justice; and three awards for distinction in politics, social awareness, and feature for hosting and producing Justice Watch with Attorney Zulu Ali. He resides in Southern California with his wife (Charito) of more than 35 years; with their four adult children, Christine, Whitney, Ashley, and Lynda; and three grandchildren, Amayah, Tye, and Izem.

E S P N C o v e r S t o r y : J O E L E M B I I D D e b u t s T o d ay A c r o s s E S P N

The latest ESPN Cover Story featuring Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid debuted today across the network’s digital, linear and social platforms. ESPN Cover Story is the sports fan’s monthly ticket to the

biggest stories on the most captivating athletes – told with inside access, bold reporting and unforgettable visuals.

The first 30 games of Joel Embiid’s 2020-21 season were some of the best in NBA history. Peak David Robinson.

Peak Tim Duncan. Peak Shaquille O’Neal. But when a knee injury in March threatened to sideline Embiid yet again, it seemed like those waiting on Embiid and the Sixers to complete “The Process” and win a championship

would have to wait. Instead, fate was finally kind to Embiid: He missed just 10 games and remains in the MVP conversation — and the Sixers, knowing their window to win with Embiid and Simmons as their franchise cornerstones could be closing, remain in first place in the East. The urgency with which Embiid and Philadelphia came into this season remains, but Embiid is relishing the chance to change the narrative of his career – from unrealized potential to all-around MVP – in front of his parents and his newborn son.

For this ESPN Cover Story, reporter Ramona Shelburne spoke with Embiid about the impact fatherhood has had on his career outlook.

Photo Source: blackprwire.com

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The ESPN Cover Story: Joel Embiid video feature will air across SportsCenter throughout the day, along with a full digital package on the ESPN app and original storytelling across social.

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BLACK HEALTH IN AMERICA C a r l o s Wa t s o n , H o s t

Rea l Ta l k Re a l Cha n g e is ba c k w i th e p is o d e t wo wh e re we dis cus s C OV I D, Pre gna n c y & Do c to r s i n th e Bla c k c o m m u n it y.

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