Source: Andres Otero/WENN.com / WENN Kim Kardashian has been quietly making moves to shake up the criminal justice system , using her wealth and influence to help aid in the release of over a dozen inmates. In all, the social media megastar has helped 17 inmates gain freedom in the past 90 days. TMZ reports : We’ve learned Kim and her legal team helped 17 prisoners gain freedom over the last 3 months or so — each of them having served years of life sentences without parole … for low-level drug offenses. It’s all part of the 90 Days of Freedom campaign launched by Kim’s lawyer, Brittany K. Barnett, in partnership with lawyer MiAngel Cody of The Decarceration Collective. The campaign puts the First Step Act — signed by President Trump last year — to work for prisoners who received Draconian sentences. Kim is footing the bill while Barnett, who also co-founded the Buried Alive advocacy group, and Cody handle the lawyering. We’re told Kim’s been secretly funding the campaign over the past few months. We’ve known about a few cases Kim’s backed — Jeffrey Stringer in Florida, Cyntoia Brown in Tennessee, Alice Marie Johnson in Alabama — but now we know the list is much longer. There are other cases that Kardashian and Cody are currently examining in order to work more hopeful magic. — Photo: WENN
Source: Chanel L. Porchia Albert / Chanel L. Porchia Albert The Duchess Of Sussex Meghan Markle reportedly used a doula during the birth of the royal baby, prompting more women to explore the benefits of having a doula in the room when they’re delivering their child. Doulas are becoming ever more popular as Black women continue to die at disproportionately higher rates during childbirth. Having extra representation in the room can prevent common medical mishaps that health professionals may otherwise overlook. As we’ve seen, death during childbirth doesn’t discriminate for Black women regardless of socioeconomic status or social class. Champion tennis Serena Williams shared her experience while giving birth and how she had to advocate for herself after doctors refused to check her lungs for blood clots. Shamari Devoe exclusively revealed to us that she too had to advocate for herself when doctors refused to check her cervix while she was pregnant with her twins. We caught up with Chanel L. Porchia Albert — founder of Ancient Song Doula Services, a reproductive health organization focused on providing resources and full spectrum doula services to women of color and marginalized communities, full spectrum doula, lactation counselor, and Midwifery assistant — informed us the benefits of having a doula. What is the role of a doula in the birth room? The role of the doula is to center the voice and autonomy of the birthing person. Providing evidence-based information to make an informed decision about their care and to provide various forms of comfort measures for the birthing person. When we look at black women and birthing the context is about ensuring that the voice of the pregnant person is not lost or fall on deaf ears. African- American women regardless of education, socio-economic status, or educational level are at a greater risk for complications stemming from varying degrees of institutionalized racism and systemic disregard for the voices of pregnant people and over medicalization of birth. Overall, the doula is bringing a human rights framework into the birth room to ensure pregnant people voices are heard and push bodily autonomy Why do you think the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle chose to have a doula in the room with her? Support. I can’t speak for Meghan but my thought is that with the growing news around traumatic birth experiences, the over medicalization of birth, and understanding how black women and those who are considered to be at advanced maternal age wanted to ensure that she had supportive individuals in her corner to assist in advocating for her needs and autonomy in her own birthing experience to ensure the best birth outcome. Birth has become a commodity that sees the value of motherhood in a heavy rotation of getting someone in and out at the cost of the individual. People want the good birth outcome and the experience that centers the parent and child. What’s a common medical emergency that happens in the birth room that doulas often catch? There are varying things that can take place in the birth room that may not be considered a medical emergency but can have lasting effects on the pregnant person such as forced episiotomies, fear-based coercion, over use of medical equipment, not being able to eat and drink in labor, desperation of parent and child at birth. Some of these interventions may be unnecessary and shift to a medical emergency. The doula is there is provide information to make an informed decision about care that centers the voice that is often dismissed in care. How many Black women use doulas? Black women are seeking out doulas at a higher rate then ever before. Understanding the complexities of racism and implicit bias within care and wanting to ensure the safety and well-being of themselves and children. Cost continues to be a barrier in that access but organizations like Ancient Song Doula Services, Mamatoto Village, Village Birth Intl, and others across the nation are and have been working to break down barriers to care. Resources like the Black Mamas Matter Alliance where black women can find a list of kindred partners and collaborators within their respective states to ensure they have the educational resources and support when choosing a provider. How much does a doula cost and how can the average woman get one for free? On average a doula can cost upwards to $3000 for services. There are various programs and models that specifically centers the voices of Black women and provide culturally relevant care from an evidence-based perspective that are free, low cost, or at a sliding scale basis. You can find that at Ancient Song and others kindred partners and collaborators at the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. RELATED STORIES: Listen To Black Women: How Can Black Women Lower Their Chances Of Death During Childbirth? 7 Black Women Share What No One Told Them About Motherhood
Source: Jonathan Gibby / Getty WRITTEN BY: Bruce T. Wright There have been renewed calls to open up the investigation into Sandra Bland ’s suspicious death after a Texas news outlet published the video she filmed of her own infamous arrest in 2015. The footage, made public by WFAA late Monday night, was apparently evidence that local police had been concealing for nearly four years. The revelation that Bland was aware enough to grab her smartphone and record the harrowing ordeal convinced many users across social media that the 28-year old Chicago native was prepared to hold police accountable in a court of law. Instead, three days later, police said they found Bland hanging in her Waller County jail cell and ruled her death a suicide. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Authorities want us to believe Sandra Bland killed herself in jail due to minor traffic infraction. This woman was ready to fight them in court. https://t.co/D4o8PrMnBr — FERRARI SHEPPARD (@stopbeingfamous) May 7, 2019 Initial body cam footage showed the arresting officer getting belligerent after Bland demanded to know why she was being arrested, let alone removed from her vehicle, for the minor traffic infraction of changing lanes without a turn signal. The video from 2015 went viral and showed the cop violently threatening Bland with his Taser: “I will light you up!” Few cases got more public scrutiny/media attention. Yet, we've still ended up seeing “never before seen video” in both the Michael Brown and Sandra Bland cases as well as an outside investigation into Oscar Grant's killing that was kept from the public FOR A DECADE — Wesley (@WesleyLowery) May 7, 2019 After seeing the newly surfaced video from back then, Bland’s family was demanding justice years after it had been denied to them. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit “Open up the case, period,” Shante Needham said to WFAA after she saw the video on Monday, prompting her to suspect the Waller Police Department was complicit in her sister’s death. “We also know they have an extremely, extremely good cover-up system.” Stop referring to that Sandra Bland video as “new”. It's 4 four years old and the only reason why it's “new” is because the authorities tried to bury it. pic.twitter.com/M0gLra8IFt — DJ Sapien (@DJ_Sapien) May 7, 2019 By all means, Bland had every reason to want to live, including the fact that she was set to start a new job at Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black college which is located about 20 minutes north of where the officer pulled her over. The Texas Department of Public Safety denied it had withheld any evidence. “The premise that the video was not produced as a part of the discovery process is wrong,” the agency told WFAA in a brief statement. “A hard drive containing copies of 820 Gigabytes of data compiled by DPS from its investigation, including the dashcam videos, jail video footage and data from Sandra Bland’s cell phone, was part of discovery.” Sandra Bland was arrested for no reason. The state of Texas had evidence of that. They covered it up. And she’s dead. There is no justice. — marisa kabas (@MarisaKabas) May 7, 2019 Bland’s case became a rallying call in the push for criminal justice reform after she died following an arrest for failing to use her turn signal in July 2015. Many activists argued that she should not have been arrested for a minor traffic infraction or jailed in the first place. Earlier this year, another Black inmate was also found dead after apparently hanging himself in the same Texas jail where Bland died, prompting further questions about the facility. Bland’s death sparked police reforms that in practice should have prevented the death in January. For one thing, face-to-face cell inspections were supposed to occur more frequently after Bland died. But with the other inmate’s death, it appeared that protocol was not followed. See below for the recently revealed footage from 2015 that Bland filmed of her own arrest. Source : NewsOne.com ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : RHOA Star Eva Marcille Is Pregnant With Baby No. 3! [PHOTOS] New Evidence Surfaces In Brittney Taylor’s Case Against Remy Ma Nipsey Hussle’s Sister’s Guardianship Request Over Niece Denied By Judge Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Singer LeToya Luckett and her husband Tommicus Walker tied the knot in December of 2017 in a beautiful ceremony in Austin, Texas, a celebration fitting for the two southern natives. After their nuptials, the couple quickly expanded their family, welcoming a daughter, Gianna Iman in January of 2019. After a little over a year of being married, the pair divulged everything they’ve learned about themselves and their marriage to xoNecole. “Marriage isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon and it’s a lifetime,” LeToya told the site. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). “You’re getting to know this person, you’re getting to know yourself in different lights. As a wife, you got to stay on your knees in prayer, because the enemy doesn’t like marriage. And you can’t take your prayer life lightly when it comes to praying for your husband, your family and for our covering. And also I came into the marriage trying to be superwoman, I had to do all the right “wife” things. I learned quickly I can’t do that because I’m not a superhero. I am flawed and I had super high expectations of him and myself. You have to take this thing day by day.” SEE ALSO: LeToya Luckett-Walker Shares First Photo Of Baby Gianna Tommicus keeps their marriage healthy by making sure he’s healthy too–mind body and soul. “I would say take care of yourself first, do not lose yourself. Make sure your mind is good,” he advised. “You’re exercising properly and you’re taking care of your body. And also know the order of marriage: putting God first, yourself second, then your wife or husband next, then your kids after that.” Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit Since the jump, the Walkers have had an out of this world connection, fueled by their faith and confidence in God. They both overcame prior failed marriages to put hope in the connection they were forming. “Once I had certain conversations with him, met him, prayed with him–God put it on my heart and told me this was it. This was my husband. He felt like a teammate and there was a real partnership that came into play. And I hadn’t felt that before,” LeToya revealed. SEE ALSO: LeToya Luckett Weds Tommicus Walker In Romantic Ceremony [PHOTOS] Tommicus echoed her statements saying, “We read the Bible together, we read the book of Proverbs before we even met. Knowing that she was a Christian woman and a woman of God, it just felt right. God presented her to me. I knew after the third date she was going to be my wife. And I never looked back or questioned him.” Source: MadameNoire.com ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : RHOA Star Eva Marcille Is Pregnant With Baby No. 3! [PHOTOS] New Evidence Surfaces In Brittney Taylor’s Case Against Remy Ma Nipsey Hussle’s Sister’s Guardianship Request Over Niece Denied By Judge Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Allen Berezovsky/FilmMagic / Getty via MadameNoire.com : Yesterday, we reported that Michelle Williams was seen out and about with her former fiancé Chad Johnson . The two spent the weekend together at the Kentucky Derby, going out to dinner and snapping pictures with one another. The optics certainly made it seem that the two had reconciled and were, perhaps, working toward rebuilding their relationship. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Michelle has heard the chatter and has responded to those of us with questions. Essentially, she politely and slyly told us to mind our business. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. A step in maintaining your personal sanity is the awesome gift of minding your business!! Ahhhhhhhhh it feels so good!!! pic.twitter.com/X0j2nmEYYv — Michelle Williams (@RealMichelleW) May 5, 2019 It’s certainly not an unreasonable request. After all, the lack of privacy in their relationship certainly didn’t help with things. Still, we’ve seen too much for us to just let it go now. So, good luck with that, sis. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit While Michelle is going to play coy. Sources told Page Six , that things are as they seem. “They are trying to work on things. They definitely came together.” [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1947913″ overlay=”true”] ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : RHOA Star Eva Marcille Is Pregnant With Baby No. 3! [PHOTOS] New Evidence Surfaces In Brittney Taylor’s Case Against Remy Ma Nipsey Hussle’s Sister’s Guardianship Request Over Niece Denied By Judge Follow @TheRSMS
Source: StarterCAM / StarterCAM / RickeySmileyMorningShow.com via NewsOne.com : It’s been a little more than a week since John Singleton died, but there was already a battle brewing over his fortune. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker and father of seven left a will that was from 1993 when he only had one child. Now the siblings were reportedly preparing for a battle in court. SEE ALSO: John Singleton Reportedly In Coma After Suffering Stroke Sheila Ward, Singleton’s mother who also handled all of her son’s business affairs, reportedly filed the 1993 will in court. TMZ reported that “she listed his assets at around $3.8 mil. That means more than $31 million is unaccounted for.” Singleton’s estate was estimated to be worth $35 million. It is possible Singleton had a trust for his kids, which would mean they wouldn’t have to go through a will. As it stands now, under law all of the money would go to his firstborn, Justice. However, another of Singleton’s kids, Cleopatra, reportedly accused Ward of trying to block the children from the estate. TMZ also reported that if Singleton “had died without a will, Sheila would get nothing from his reported $35 million estate, because under California law the assets would be divided equally among his 7 children. But, since there’s a will, John decides who gets what, and who gets nothing. Given the business relationship between John and Sheila, it’s a safe bet she’s the executor of the will, which surely would not please Cleopatra.” Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Cleopatra filed a motion to block her grandmother’s proposed conservatorship and claimed Ward was trying to liquidate all of John’s assets and freeze out his children. TMZ also reported “the kids could file a separate lawsuit if they have beef over the trust or whatever John created to dispose of the $31 mil. A legal fight may not just pit grandma against grandkids … it could also pit some of the kids against the others.” Singleton was hospitalized last month after he suffered a stroke. The family decided to take the 51-year-old off life support on April 17, when he died . Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit Singleton was reportedly experiencing weakness in his leg after flying back from Costa Rica before he suffered his stroke. The long flight may have triggered the medical emergency. Singleton is known for films like 1991’s “Boyz n the Hood,” which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. He was the youngest filmmaker to be nominated in those categories. He was also the first African-American to be nominated for Best Director. Rest in power, John Singleton. [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1995661″ overlay=”true”] ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : RHOA Star Eva Marcille Is Pregnant With Baby No. 3! [PHOTOS] New Evidence Surfaces In Brittney Taylor’s Case Against Remy Ma Nipsey Hussle’s Sister’s Guardianship Request Over Niece Denied By Judge Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Leon Bennett / Getty Layzie Bone is officially a dad, again. The Bone Thugs & Harmony was proven to be the father of a child after a paternity test’s conclusive results. The details are the real struggle, though. Reports TMZ : We broke the story … the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony rapper — real name Steven Howse — was involved in a paternity case in Michigan with the baby’s mother, Shateira Marketa Childress. She claimed he was the father of her child, Sevyn, and turns out … she was right. According to the test report … DNA samples were collected from the trio in April, and Layzie’s been determined to be the biological father with almost 100 percent certainty. As we told you, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is looking to establish Layzie as the father in order to determine how much he’ll have to fork over in child support. Reportedly, Layzie was involved in a different paternity test in 2013, and he was found to be the father in that case, too. But the kicker is he has three children, with his longtime wife. Those must have been some awkward convos.
If you’re looking for a poster child of #BlackGirlMagic then you don’t need to gaze much further than the beuatiful Lupita Nyong’o, who lately, for a lack of a better term, has been killing sh*t! Check this out! Via | HotNewHipHop Another one by Lupita. Lupita Nyong’o has just secured another feature film in the making since locking down a role in an upcoming sci-fi comedy being helmed by Universal. According to Deadline , the studio just won over the script in an auction and while it’s currently named Miss Universe, the title will surely change. The publication details how it’s being described as a mix between Men In Black and Miss Congeniality. Lupita is just coming down from the success of her beloved Jordan Peele thriller, Us . Already the actress now has four projects under her belt including 355, The Killer and Sky Wars: The Rise of Skywalker . READ MORE
Source: Mario Tama / Getty Los Angeles is team Barack Obama . An LA street has been renamed after the 44th President of the United States. It’s official – Rodeo Rd. is now #ObamaBlvd . For every child who will drive down this street and see the name of the first Black President of our country, this boulevard will serve as a physical reminder that no goal is out of reach and that no dream is too big. pic.twitter.com/uxVvc9wipZ — L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson (@HerbJWesson) May 5, 2019 Reports CNN : The City of Los Angeles has renamed a nearly 4-mile stretch of road from “Rodeo Road” to “Obama Boulevard,” in honor of the country’s first African-American president. The location is significant, the city said, because Obama held his first campaign rally in Los Angeles on February 20, 2007, at Rancho Cienega Park. The park sits on Rodeo Road, right across from W. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Rodeo Road goes through a historically Black neighborhood. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to rename the 3.5 mile stretch of road. What took so long? — Photo: Getty
Source: Nuccio DiNuzzo / Getty Jussie Smollett was thought to be persona non grata on the set of Fox’s Empire , but sources close to the case are saying otherwise. Smollett’s colleagues allegedly want the actor back to continue playing his character Jamal Lyons, although the network might have other plans . TMZ reports : Sources on the show tell us cast members — including Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard — feel Jussie deserves a fair shake, and that should include a full return to the show. Just last week, Fox announced Jussie got an extension through season 6, but also … it had no plans to bring his character back to the show. Our sources say as soon as the announcement was made, Jussie’s costars got busy contacting “Empire” brass and pushing for his return. As for why … we’re told the cast feels Jussie’s character was an incredibly important part of the show, and they don’t feel his return will hurt ratings. In one of the final episodes of season 5, Jussie’s character, Jamal, got married in the first gay, black wedding on primetime TV. The outlet adds that while Smollett is signed with the show through season six, it didn’t have plans to feature him in the series. — Photo: Getty
