Source: Nattapool / Getty Apparently America isn’t the only place where racist are getting called out on their ish. A public health campaign in Auckland, New Zealand has been criticised for promoting casual racism after Labour MP Tamati Coffey posted it on Facebook. Some parents claim that the white girl in the campaign is only insinuating that the little boy will pee in the pool just because he’s Black. One concerned mom responded: “I am an older female of European descent and I don’t like the sign. I very much doubt a little girl would running around saying this kind of thing to other kids.” Another added: “It’s funny at first glance. But then you realise the racial profiling. And it’s not funny anymore. We are so conditioned to subtle racism, that we just laugh and say nothing.” But the complaints were sure ’nuff heard. Auckland Council general manager of parks sports and recreation, Mace Ward, released a statement saying, “This particular sign was part of a series and it was not our intent to upset anyone. The campaign was created in response to potential public health issues and as a result we’ve have fewer pool shutdowns and less risk to human health. We’re removing our signs from our leisure centres and will take a look at the whole campaign.” Thoughts?
Source: LucasFotoArt / Getty New NYC Law Will Make Birth Certificates Have A Gender Neutral Option According to CNN , a new law in New York City will reportedly make it easier for transgender and non-binary New Yorkers to match their birth certificate to their gender identity without needing a signed affidavit from a healthcare provider. The law creates a new label, “X,” to reflect a non-binary identity, and will reportedly give Transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers the right to choose how they identify, says Mayor Bill de Blasio. Under the law, individuals born in New York City can apply to have the gender marker on their birth certificate changed by simply submitting a notarized application stating that the revision is to reflect their “true gender identity and is not for any fraudulent purpose.” And also, “You don’t need a doctor to tell you who you are and you shouldn’t need a doctor to change your birth certificate to reflect your true self,” says New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson The “X” option will not be available at the time of birth, Michael Lanza, a spokesman for the New York City Health Department, told CNN Thursday, though it will be an option for amending youth birth certificates. The move is the latest in the city’s efforts to reduce legal red tape and legal loophole difficulty for transgender and non-binary individuals.vNew York City joins the states of California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho in allowing a birth certificate change without the signature of a medical authority.
L ess than a week after the 2018 midterm elections, a Black man who was paralyzed in a 2012 police shooting wants to campaign for office in 2019. See Also: Jury Deliberates In Case Of White Cops Accused Of ‘Terrorizing And Paralyzing’ Black Driver Leon Ford announced on Sunday, exactly six years after the shooting, that he’s campaigning for a seat on the Pittsburgh City Council, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. The 25-year-old candidate, who was surrounded by family, friends, and supporters, vowed to amplify the voices of Black people and the youth in his community if elected. “I think that from the response alone, you see people excited in a way they’ve never really been excited for a city council race in a very long time, from elders to the youth,” said Ford. Six years to the day after he was shot and paralyzed by police, Leon Ford is officially kicking off his campaign for Pittsburgh City Council. pic.twitter.com/4umkuAQpYc — Julian Routh (@julianrouth) November 11, 2018 It’s not too soon for politicians to begin focusing on the off-year election. In 2019, gubernatorial races will headline down-ballot elections in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Several state, local legislatures, and mayoral races are also on tap. Ford entered the spotlight in Pittsburgh in a disturbing case of alleged police excessive force . Pittsburgh Police Officer David Derbish shot him five times during a November 2012 traffic stop and a second officer was accused of assaulting him. A lengthy federal trial in 2017 ended with a jury in deadlocked on Derbish’s liability. After a second trial was scheduled to get underway, Pittsburgh settled the case for $5.5 million in January 2018. “We are very happy for Leon and his family to have closure so he can move forward and be the great and successful man he is destined to be,” a statement from Ford’s lawyer said following the settlement. Ford is indeed moving forward with his life. He’s competing as a Democrat, and he has the May 21 primary circled on his calendar. SEE ALSO: Watch Racist White Women Harass An Andrew Gillum Supporter: ‘Go Back To Africa!’ [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3836205″ overlay=”true”]
O ne Black college student will likely soon be able to call himself the youngest state lawmaker in the nation. RELATED: Obama and Black Lawmakers Talk Poverty, Criminal Justice At White House Meeting [VIDEO] This history-making title will presumably go to Kalan Haywood , a 19-year-old student at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee who is set to become a Wisconsin legislator in just three months. Haywood will be sworn in the Assembly chambers of the Wisconsin Capitol to represent Milwaukee’s 16th District before the year’s end — a feat that will likely lead people to cheer and chant even more for Black excellence. His age will help him with reaching all people and achieving excellence in the position, he said. “My age is my biggest asset,” Haywood, who is a Democrat and a second-year business major, said to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . The youngest state lawmaker in America? It's likely 19-year-old Kalan Haywood of Milwaukee. https://t.co/l3N7kVdaQC — Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) September 28, 2018 No lack of experience will seemingly stop Haywood from taking on the role, which will likely become his without a fight. The 19-year-old won a five-way primary election in August and has no Republican challenger. The Wisconsin assembly seat is nearly his, with the only possible obstacle being if an unexpected candidate pulls together a quick, successful write-in campaign. Also, Haywood has undoubtedly proved that lawmakers don’t have to older white men. He has joined a slew of other Black men and women who have won primaries and major support to take on various offices nationwide. A primary win is already a huge victory in itself, with many social media users having celebrated candidates of color for besting opponents. What candidates do after primary victories and once they’re in office has sparked interesting online dialogues among Black Twitter. Haywood, who was elected to the Milwaukee Youth Council at age 14 and ultimately won the presidency, said he plans to introduce an amendment for a new state law requiring high school students to pass a civics exam. His proposal included requiring students to register to vote at age 18. SEE ALSO: Bill Cosby Sued By Former Lawyers Heartbreaking: 15-Year-Old Reportedly Found Dead And Mutilated, And It’s Getting No News Coverage [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3828869″ overlay=”true”]
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for BET Shots Fire Outside Of Nipsey Hussle’s Clothing Store Nipsey Hussle is reportedly in New York City to attend the Diamond Ball. But while the rapper is on the East Coast, a serious situation went down at his Crenshaw clothing establishment. A fight reportedly almost turned deadly as shots were fired in the parking lot of Hussle’s The Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles, California on Friday (September 14). Witnesses tell TMZ that a huge fight broke out in the parking lot of the store. During the alleged brawl, one of the people involved pulled out a gun and fired a couple shots into the air in an attempt to stop the melee. Those involved then proceeded to disperse from the scene before police finally arrived. Authorities showed up a short time later and discovered blood in the parking lot. According to the report, they questioned employees inside the store who did not offer any information that would assist in solving the crime. Police are hoping to review security footage in an effort to pinpoint a suspect. The rapper’s clothing store is only one of his attempts at making sure to bring business to his beloved hometown. Back in February, he partnered with Vector90 and the District 8 Los Angeles City Council to launch a coworking space in South Los Angeles. Only a month later, he was part of an investment team that put in a bid to purchase a historic Los Angeles hotel. As of now, no one has been arrested in the shooting at The Marathon Clothing.
Image via JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty Parents Television Council Want ’13 Reasons Why’ Cancelled The hit Netflix series 13 Reasons Why is again under fire for the second season. The first go-round of the teen angst series dealt with the very graphic suicide of a high school student who left her surviving classmates to figure out which one of them was ultimately responsible for her self-inflicted death. Season 2 deals with the aftermath, but adds a level of terror in the form of a school shooting. A parental watchdog group is now campaigning to get Netflix to cancel the series entirely, especially in the wake of the shooting at Santa Fe High School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. We're issuing an urgent warning to parents and schools about @Netflix 's #13ReasonsWhy Season 2 and urging the company to pull the series entirely because of the potentially harmful content. https://t.co/tdMrXilYc9 — Parents Television Council (@ThePTC) May 21, 2018 How do you feel about this show’s depiction of violence and suicide among teens? Would you allow your children to watch? Should these type of shows be banned completely?
Image via Getty/Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NAACP Roland Martin Interviews Tyrone Hankerson Jr. Ronald Martin scores the first interview with accused Howard University scammer Tyrone Hankerson Jr. What do you think about what Tyrone had to say?
Miguel Candela/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Starbucks Coffee Must Now Produce Cancer Warning A judge in California has ruled that coffee retailers, including the ever-popular Starbucks , must carry a cancer warning label for their products. Why? Because of a chemical that is produced in the roasting process. Elihu Berle, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, wrote in his decision on Wednesday that coffee companies have failed to show that a carcinogen produced in the roasting process posed no significant threat. “Defendants failed to satisfy their burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that consumption of coffee confers a benefit to human health,” he wrote. The coffee industry obviously isn’t happy with the decision, and had claimed the acrylamide chemical that was present only exists at harmless levels. Their argument is that coffee retailers should be exempt from the law because it occurs naturally in the cooking process, which is necessary to make the beans flavurful. Starbucks and the other involved defendants now have until April 10 to appeal the ruling. The lawsuit against some 90 coffee retailers was filed in 2010 by the Council for for Education and Research on Toxics. In a statement responding to the ruling, the National Coffee Association said the industry is considering all options, including appeals and further legal action. The group’s President and CEO William Murray said, “Coffee has been shown, over and over again, to be a healthy beverage. This lawsuit has… confused consumers, and does nothing to improve public health.” Didn’t see this coming, but we’ll all have to wait and see how this one plays out.
As previously reported, Cynthia Nixon is running for Governor of New York. As has also been reported a long time ago, Cynthia Nixon is a lesbian. What does this latter fact have to do with this former fact? Nothing at all, really. But try telling that to Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. In an interview with The New York Post, Quinn made it clear that still holds a grudge against Nixon for endorsing Bill de Blasio over her in the the 2013 Democratic primary for mayor. “I’m surprised by this race. It’s a flight of fancy on her part,” Quinn said of Nixon’s confirmation on Monday that she would take on Andrew Cuomo in the September 13 Democratic primary. That’s a fair assessment on Quinn’s part. Most folks out there were taken aback by Nixon’s announcement. But Quinn wasn’t done. She added the following: “ Cynthia Nixon was opposed to having a qualified lesbian become mayor of New York City. Now she wants an unqualified lesbian to be the governor of New York. “You have to be qualified and have experience. She isn’t qualified to be the governor.” Quinn, as you may have surmised by that quote, is an open lesbian just like Nixon. What does this have to do with Nixon’s candidacy? It’s unclear. All that’s evident here is just how bitter Quinn is over Nixon’s decision five years ago to back someone else for New York City Mayor. “She’s an accomplished actress, a supporter of political causes and that’s a good thing,” Quinn said in this same interview, adding: “Participating in rallies is important. But she’s never run an organization. “Being an actress and celebrity doesn’t make you qualified for public office. This is a time to move away from celebrity and toward progressive leadership.” There’s an actual critique! There’s still little substance behind it, of course, as one would ideally attack a candidate for just his or her positions on topics that affect the state. In response to the comments, Nixon told the aforementioned newspaper her sexual orientation is irrelevant in this race. She’s simply concerns with “the corruption in Albany. It’s time for an outsider. I’m not an Albany insider.” Made aware of the extreme backlash she’s facing for her comment, Quinn took to Twitter and backtracked as quickly as she could, writing: To be clear, Cynthia Nixon’s identity has no bearing on her candidacy and it was not my intention to suggest it did. I want to be clear about that. I would never, EVER, criticize someone because of their identity. I’ve experienced it time and time again, and would never support it or condone it. As a lesbian who ran one of the most high profile races in the country, i know what that’s like. And I know it’s imperative that we encourage more members of our community to run for office. Cynthia Nixon aggressively opposed my candidacy in New York despite my qualifications for the office and despite my strong progressive credentials. I was attempting to make a comparison between the two of us The real point I am trying to make is that qualifications matter and records matter. I do not believe she has the qualifications or the record. Okay, fair enough. Do YOU agree? Vote below: Would you want Cynthia Nixon as your Governor? Yes, I’m a Miranda! Yes, she’d really help the state! No. View Poll »
Source: Alain Le Bot / Getty McDonald’s To Start Using “Fresh Beef” In Burgers In an attempt to to compete in the fast food market with new giants such as Shake Shack Inc., West Coast-based In-N-Out, Burger King and Wendy’s (which has prided itself on using fresh beef since its inception in 1969) McDonald’s is trying its hand at fresh beef burgers on a couple of its signature sandwiches. The fast food brand announced Tuesday that it will be serving fresh beef in all Quarter Pounders and other Signature Crafted Recipe burgers at about 3,500 restaurants in select markets, with other locations expected to roll out the new changes at U.S. locations by early May. McDonald’s has been rolling out new items and trying new ideas after seeing a significant decline in sales and a 13% decline in company shares.
