Source: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images / Getty Valerie Castile Makes Student Lunch Debt Donation Philando Castile’s mom is making her mark. Valerie Castile recently presented a check to Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope, Minn. where her late son worked as a cafeteria supervisor. The check was for $8,000 and Ms. Valerie presented it to clear lunch debts for seniors preparing to graduate. According to Ms. Valerie, paying unpaid lunch bills for students was something Philando did often. “This is something that Philando held near and dear to his heart,” Valerie Castile said reports CBS Minnesota. “He’d pay for children’s lunch meals out of his own pocket instead of letting a child go hungry that day he would pay for it himself,” she said. The check came from the Philando Castile Relief Foundation, set up after Philando was gunned down by a police officer in 2016. The foundation has a mission to help victims of gun violence and police violence. Ms. Valerie and the foundation previously donated $10,000 to the school. God bless Ms. Valerie!
I t’s been nearly a decade since a group of Black teenagers—known as the “Jena 6”—were excessively charged for the alleged assault of a white teen in Louisiana following several racist incidents that took place within their school. Their case garnered national attention; putting the focus on racist loopholes within the country’s criminal justice system. For Theo Shaw —one of the individuals who was convicted—experiencing injustice first-hand ignited his passion to pursue a career in law. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune , Shaw recently became a lawyer. From 'Jena 6' defendant to a promising career, Theo Shaw is officially a lawyer https://t.co/9KWc9wZHbC — NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) April 27, 2019 He was sworn in by Chief Justice Bernette Johnson at the Louisiana Supreme Court on April 26. For Shaw, the swearing-in ceremony inside the courtroom was a full circle moment. In 2006, he sat in a courtroom along with five other Black teens facing an attempted murder charge that could have put him behind bars for 50 years. Through the power of protest and a strong legal team, the felony charges that the teens faced were lowered to misdemeanor charges and Shaw’s criminal record was expunged. Shaw went on to attend community college, he earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and studied law at the University of Washington. He’s done work with legal advocacy organizations that include the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Innocence Project New Orleans. During the ceremony, Shaw was surrounded by family, friends, and individuals who were instrumental in fighting for his justice. “Being wrongly arrested and incarcerated as a teenager motivated me to become a lawyer,” Shaw told Because of Them We Can in a statement. “After being caged for nearly seven months, I left that jail with a conviction in my heart to stand and fight with all people at risk of losing their freedom.” He hopes that his story will inspire others to make an effort to change the landscape of the criminal justice system. SEE ALSO: Meek Mill And Lawmakers Propose Probation Reform Bill Meek Mill’s Hateful Judge Is Everything That Is Wrong With The Criminal Justice System [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3851904″ overlay=”true”]
T he mother of Philando Castile —a 32-year-old Black man who tragically lost his life at the hands of a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota three years ago—is honoring her son’s legacy by turning her pain into something positive. According to CBS Minnesota , Valerie Castile has paid off the lunch debt for students at Robbinsdale Cooper High School. Philando Castile’s Mom Presents $8,000 Donation To Help Clear Student Lunch Debts https://t.co/3BcZ2BMIPs pic.twitter.com/enh7OEzJog — WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) April 26, 2019 Castile donated $8,000 to the school through the Philando Castile Relief Foundation. The funds will go towards clearing the lunch debt bill for high school seniors who are graduating. Within the district, students who have outstanding lunch debts are barred from receiving their diplomas. Castile said she wanted to make the donation because Philando—who worked at a school cafeteria—was adamant about helping students pay off their lunch debt. “This is something that Philando held near and dear to his heart,” she told the news outlet in a statement. “He’d pay for children’s lunch meals out of his own pocket instead of letting a child go hungry that day he would pay for it himself.” Last year a charity created in Philando’s honor raised $130,000 to pay off the lunch debt for students who attended school in St. Paul. Outstanding lunch debt has become a growing issue within the school district. According to Carlton Jenkins who serves as the superintendent of Robbinsdale Area Schools, the amount of debt has skyrocketed to $300,000. Many of the students who have debt are living in poverty, making it extremely hard for them to pay for lunch. Donations like the one made by the Philando Castile Relief Foundation are needed. The Minnesota school district isn’t the only one facing lunch debt issues. USA Today reported that 75 percent of school districts across the country had unpaid student meal debt during the 2016-2017 academic year. SEE ALSO: Philando Castile Honored With Two-Day Proclamation In Falcon Heights Minnesota Deputy Under Fire For Racist Tweet About Philando Castile’s Girlfriend [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3440564″ overlay=”true”]
L ast year an image of toddler Parker Curry staring at the National Portrait Gallery’s painting of former First Lady Michelle Obama in astonishment took over the internet and visually illustrated the power of representation. That special moment—which was captured by a museumgoer—is now the inspiration behind a new children’s book, People reported. 3-Year-Old Girl Turns Viral Moment with Michelle Obama Portrait Into Sweet Children's Book https://t.co/paX6kk0Vm6 — People (@people) May 2, 2019 The book, titled Parker Looks Up , chronicles the adventure of two youngsters who go on a museum trip and are infatuated by the art that they come across during their outing. Parker—who is now 3-years-old—created the book with the help of her mother Jessica Curry . Curry says her daughter’s memorable experience speaks volumes about Michelle Obama’s influence and she was inspired to go beyond the photo and share the moment with youngsters through literature. “Parker’s every day moment became an extraordinary one, and my sincerest hope is that our book will continue to resonate that moment’s power and promise, its hope and dreams, its inspiration and indelible impact with Parker, her generation, and generations to follow,” she said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “After all, with their inner and profound insight and wisdom, our children are truly our future.” Parker’s viral photo captured the attention of Obama and since then the families have developed a special connection. The two met in person last year and shared a dance and Parker even got a Twitter shout-out from the former first lady after sharing a photo of her Michelle Obama-inspired Halloween costume. Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself…and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you! pic.twitter.com/faUVTsYWun — Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 6, 2018 The Obama portraits have been a major draw for visitors at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. In March, it was reported that the portraits—which were created by artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald —were instrumental in helping the Smithsonian museum break a visitor record. SEE ALSO: Obama Portraits Help Break Visitor Record At The National Portrait Gallery Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’ Could Become The Best-Selling Memoir In History [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3851872″ overlay=”true”]
A teen from Houston is ending his high school experience off with a huge accomplishment. According to Fox 26 , Kellin McGowan made history by becoming the first Black student at St. Thomas High School to be named valedictorian. Kellin McGowan of Houston has a 4.57 GPA, securing him a spot in history. The 17-year-old is St. Thomas High's first African-American valedictorian in the school's 119-year history. https://t.co/jmIu75W4cv — KTVU (@KTVU) May 3, 2019 McGowan has displayed excellence throughout his entire academic career. He served on the student council and finished his senior year of high school with a 4.57 GPA. Aside from excelling academically he was active in his community; volunteering weekly at his local church. 17-year-old McGowan is surprised that it’s taken this long for the school to select a Black valedictorian, but he’s proud that he has broken the racial barrier and hopes his accomplishment inspires generations of students behind him to strive for greatness. “It’s crazy to think about how after 119 years, I’m the first African-American Valedictorian. It was a mixture of ‘Yes I did it’ and ‘Wow, mind blown’. I’m excited,” he said in a statement. “My parents always taught me to try my best. In order to do so, I took a ton of challenging courses.” The University of Chicago-bound student wants to pursue a career in immigration law and plans on studying political science. The faculty at St. Thomas High School are proud of McGowan’s achievement. “I’m so happy for his mom and dad. They are phenomenal people and I know, like all parents, they make tremendous sacrifices for him to be here,” said school principal Aaron Dominguez . “Kellin has always been an academic stud. Just an all-around great kid.” African American high school students throughout the country are setting the bar high when it comes to academic achievement. According to Tulsa World 18-year-old Raylynn Thompson —who was once told by a stranger that Black people can’t become valedictorians—not only graduated at the top of her class but earned a 4.7 GPA and 62 college acceptance letters. SEE ALSO: Pharrell Williams Launches Music Education Program In Partnership With Verizon Black Mom Whose Law School Graduation Photo Went Viral Named Assistant County Attorney [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3851872″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Amanda Edwards / Getty Rickey Thompson & Denzel Dion React To Viral Videos Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion have both been propelled to fame with their hilarious videos, so it’s only right they give their expertise on some other viral moments. Genius recruited these two popular content creators to give their take on a wide range of music videos that have all gone viral; From Salvatore Ganacci’s “Horse” to Lil Dicky’s “Earth” to Childish Gambino “Summertime Magic,” Thompson and Dion definitely did not hold back their opinions on these entires.
Source: Rich Polk / Getty Anthony Mackie Says He And Chris Evans Cried Over Avengers Ending *SPOILER ALERT for anyone who hasn’t seen Avengers: Endgame yet–stop reading immediately* One of the biggest moments of Avengers: Endgame happened at the very end, when we learn about Steve Rogers’ fate–which concludes with him handing off his shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. Even though Wilson eventually becomes Captain America in the comic books, Mackie says that he still didn’t expect the transition to happen on-screen–he wasn’t even aware of his own future until his co-star Chris Evans informed him. “We were at his house and he goes, ‘You excited?’ And I go, ‘What you talking about? And he goes, ‘You don’t know?’ He jumps up, runs out of the room and comes back in with the script. He’s like, ‘Read it!’” Mackie continued, “And I read the scene, and I’m like, ‘Whoa,’…We cried. We drank. We laughed. I am very happy I got that moment with Chris, for him to not only pass me the shield, but to tell me it was happening.” Hear the full story and more from Anthony Mackie below:
Source: Rich Polk / Getty Anthony Mackie Says He And Chris Evans Cried Over Avengers Ending *SPOILER ALERT for anyone who hasn’t seen Avengers: Endgame yet–stop reading immediately* One of the biggest moments of Avengers: Endgame happened at the very end, when we learn about Steve Rogers’ fate–which concludes with him handing off his shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. Even though Wilson eventually becomes Captain America in the comic books, Mackie says that he still didn’t expect the transition to happen on-screen–he wasn’t even aware of his own future until his co-star Chris Evans informed him. “We were at his house and he goes, ‘You excited?’ And I go, ‘What you talking about? And he goes, ‘You don’t know?’ He jumps up, runs out of the room and comes back in with the script. He’s like, ‘Read it!’” Mackie continued, “And I read the scene, and I’m like, ‘Whoa,’…We cried. We drank. We laughed. I am very happy I got that moment with Chris, for him to not only pass me the shield, but to tell me it was happening.” Hear the full story and more from Anthony Mackie below:
Source: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff / Getty Virgil Abloh Blasted Online For Lack Of Diversity On Staff Virgil Abloh’s brand Off-White staff has been criticized for having a staff that’s way too white. Not gonna lie I thought @virgilabloh would have some black people working with him but I’m not surprised pic.twitter.com/TLqb0CEbLb — lil shorty bulgogi (@wsupden) April 30, 2019 He received a ton of backlash this week after he posted photos from a recent Off-White event he attended with his employees. The pictures posted included some shots of the brand’s graphic team and art director and Abloh’s followers were quick to point out the lack of diversity among the staff, which led to people accusing him of not supporting other black creatives. Upset about being called out, Virgil responded to the criticism on Friday afternoon, posting photos of all the POC creatives he has worked with. The list features Kid Cudi, Playboi Carti, Serena Williams, Heron Preston, Tremaine Emory, Andre Walker, and Fabien Montique. After posting some other responses to the criticism, Abloh concluded his series of Instagram stories with these words: “Follow my whole design team. Support their creative ideas. Buy their clothes. Attend their events. Like their photos. Be global. Travel. Eat different food. Listen to techno. Walk don’t Uber. Love your neighbor.” Soon after responding on his own social media pages, Virgil also provided a statement to Hypebeast about the rumors spreading online. He said: “My design team is diverse as the world is big. The video shown was an Off-White dinner at the headquarters in the city of Milan, Italy. This party was to celebrate the hard work of the local Italian team.” Off-White also sent out a statement on the matter, which you can read below: “When questioned about diversity, Virgil Abloh takes pride in being African and American. His design team is diverse, and his practice has been built on making the art and design industry an inclusive community. Fellow designers like Samuel Ross, Heron Preston, No Vacancy Inn – by Tremaine Emory and Acyde Odunlami, Everard Best, Photographer Fabien Montique, amongst many others have been given a platform via Off-White . These are just a few of the many global voices and people sitting at the table and helping evolve the brand. Off-White is a black founded and owned business.” “He wishes to use this moment of being questioned to be a moment of reflection within the industry to showcase the talents behind their design entities and push to have a design community that represents the outside world.”
Source: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff / Getty Virgil Abloh Blasted Online For Lack Of Diversity On Staff Virgil Abloh’s brand Off-White staff has been criticized for having a staff that’s way too white. Not gonna lie I thought @virgilabloh would have some black people working with him but I’m not surprised pic.twitter.com/TLqb0CEbLb — lil shorty bulgogi (@wsupden) April 30, 2019 He received a ton of backlash this week after he posted photos from a recent Off-White event he attended with his employees. The pictures posted included some shots of the brand’s graphic team and art director and Abloh’s followers were quick to point out the lack of diversity among the staff, which led to people accusing him of not supporting other black creatives. Upset about being called out, Virgil responded to the criticism on Friday afternoon, posting photos of all the POC creatives he has worked with. The list features Kid Cudi, Playboi Carti, Serena Williams, Heron Preston, Tremaine Emory, Andre Walker, and Fabien Montique. After posting some other responses to the criticism, Abloh concluded his series of Instagram stories with these words: “Follow my whole design team. Support their creative ideas. Buy their clothes. Attend their events. Like their photos. Be global. Travel. Eat different food. Listen to techno. Walk don’t Uber. Love your neighbor.” Soon after responding on his own social media pages, Virgil also provided a statement to Hypebeast about the rumors spreading online. He said: “My design team is diverse as the world is big. The video shown was an Off-White dinner at the headquarters in the city of Milan, Italy. This party was to celebrate the hard work of the local Italian team.” Off-White also sent out a statement on the matter, which you can read below: “When questioned about diversity, Virgil Abloh takes pride in being African and American. His design team is diverse, and his practice has been built on making the art and design industry an inclusive community. Fellow designers like Samuel Ross, Heron Preston, No Vacancy Inn – by Tremaine Emory and Acyde Odunlami, Everard Best, Photographer Fabien Montique, amongst many others have been given a platform via Off-White . These are just a few of the many global voices and people sitting at the table and helping evolve the brand. Off-White is a black founded and owned business.” “He wishes to use this moment of being questioned to be a moment of reflection within the industry to showcase the talents behind their design entities and push to have a design community that represents the outside world.”
