Source: Elsa / Getty Colin Kaepernick and Dave Chappelle will be honored today at Harvard University for their contributions to Black culture. The pair is among six others who will receive the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal from the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at the vaunted institution. Page Six reports : Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and comedian Dave Chappelle are among eight people being saluted by Harvard University for their contributions to black history and culture. All eight recipients of the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal will be honored Thursday afternoon by the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard. Kaepernick, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, created a firestorm when he began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and social injustice. The sold-out event takes place today (Oct. 11) at 11 AM EST. The full list of the honorees from the Hutchins Center’s website can be viewed below. Dave Chappelle | Comedian & Actor Kenneth I. Chenault (JD ’76) | Executive & Philanthropist Shirley Ann Jackson | President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Pamela Joyner (MBA ’84) | Art Collector & Philanthropist Colin Kaepernick | Athlete & Activist Florence Ladd | Director Emerita of the Bunting Institute & Professor Bryan Stevenson (JD ’85, MPP ’85, LLD ’15) | Founder / Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative Kehinde Wiley | Artist — Photo: Getty
Source: Christian Vierig / Getty Fashion is big business and Louis Vuitton is seemingly the top earner. The French company has been named the most valuable clothing brand in the world. According to a report by Business Of Fashion , LV will be slotted as the top apparel brand on Interbrand’s yearly “Best Global Brands” list. As per the official press release the chart “analyzes how the Best Global Brands are achieving bold transformation that drives lasting economic value through brand strength. Key trends include customer-centricity, positive utility, the rise of luxury, and the success of subscription models.” For 2018 the luxury house came in at a number 18. Additionally it was named as one of the five “Top Growing Brands” with a 23 percent growth from 2017. The high placement should come as no surprise considering their recent announcement of Virgil Abloh as the director of menswear. “Louis Vuitton’s strength of point of view runs through everything they do. They have been relentless with their engagement with millennials, they’ve gone a lot deeper with their appointment of Virgil [Abloh] and they’re investing in people” explained Rebecca Robbins Global Chief Learning & Culture Officer at Interbrand. The brand consultancy firm notes that the luxury sector as a whole has experienced a spike. “It is astonishing. Luxury is the biggest story of the report. It’s their ability to connect to cultures and next generations. They have cracked the code by having a point of view in the market. Luxury is a space of excellence, whether its fashion, leather or jewellery” Robbins stated. Other noted fashion brands who scored high are Chanel (#23), Zara (#25), H&M (#30), Hermes (#32) and Gucci (#39) who was also noted for their hyper growth. Apple, Google and Amazon were the top three brands respectively on the top 100. You can view the entire list here . Photo: WENN.com
CNN analyst, Angela Rye never holds her tongue when it comes to politics and has been taking over the internet with several viral interviews, sayings and more. She spoke with “ The Rickey Smiley Morning Show ” about registering to vote and is currently on the road for the new initiative with Michelle Obama , “When We All Vote,” encouraging people to do their civic duty. This week was National Registration Day and Rye is determined to make sure everyone that is eligible to vote does so. 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 During the interview she talked about voting and said, “It’s one freedom of power where we’re all equal.” She is so happy to be joining forces with Obama and others as we go into the midterm elections. While on the show she also discussed Brett Kavanaugh . RELATED: How Common Wronged Angela Rye [EXCLUSIVE] She believed his testimony was a disaster. Rye spoke about him crying but never seeing tears and the lack of Kavanaugh not answering questions. She also doesn’t like the fact that the other woman that want to testify that he allegedly sexually assaulted them won’t be able to speak. RELATED: Angela Rye Destroys A Republican Who Defended The Alton Sterling Ruling: “You Are Out Your Damn Mind!” [VIDEO] RELATED: Angela Rye On Whether Or Not Trump Will Ever Be Impeached [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1793296″ overlay=”true”] The Latest : Dinah Jane Talks New Single, Ghosting People And Finding Her Voice [EXCLUSIVE] New Music: Lil Wayne “Tha Carter V” [AUDIO] Bill Cosby Called ‘Serial Rapist’ As Walk Of Fame Star Is Vandalized, Again Sunken Place Black Fox News Contributor Is Fired After Trashing Kavanaugh’s Accusers ‘Girls Trip’ Director Malcolm D. Lee Working On An Old School Hip-Hop Comedy Lil Wayne Announces ‘Carter V’ Merchandise, Teams With 14 Designers Bill Cosby Sued by Ex Attorneys Over Legal Fees A Musical Diary — Marsha Ambrosius Releases Her Third Album, ‘Nyla’ Lil Wayne Actually Releases ‘Tha Carter V’ [Listen] Kevin Hart & Tiffany Haddish React To The Flat Earth Theory
D eputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein ’s job was in jeopardy Monday, as he awaits a meeting with President Donald Trump that could end with the White House in deeper turmoil. See Also: Here’s Everyone Charged In The Trump Russia Investigation Rosenstein will remain in his post for now and meet with Trump on Thursday, the Washington Post reported. The number-two person at the U.S. Justice Department, who’s overseeing the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, was expected earlier on Monday to be removed from his post, according to USA Today . Trump, who has long sought to fire Rosenstein over special counsel Robert Mueller ’s Russia probe, could set off a series of events that ends in his impeachment if he decides to fire the deputy attorney general, USA Today note. Rod J. Rosenstein to stay in job, will meet with Trump on Thursday, White House says https://t.co/ZmfCXTPy8B — Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 24, 2018 This all stems from an explosive New York Times report on Friday, which said Rosenstein, in 2017, had suggested wearing a wire while meeting with the president to possibly invoking the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which spells out the procedures for removing a president who’s unfit for office. Rosenstein denied the claims from anonymous sources in Times’ report. His suggestion to wear a wire reportedly came in the aftermath of the chaos from Trump’s controversial decision to fire FBI Director James Comey , who was leading the Russian collusion investigation. After Trump dismissed Comey in May 2017, Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel in charge of the Russia investigation. The removal of Comey was seen as possible obstruction of justice evidence against Trump. The deputy attorney general began overseeing Mueller’s probe because Trump’s former political ally, Attorney General Jeff Sessions , recused himself in 2017 from the case. Rosenstein has defender Mueller every time the president has hinted at firing the special counsel. Removing Rosenstein has been viewed by many as a first step to replacing him with someone who will follow the president’s wishes to end the Mueller investigation. But there could be political fallout from replacing Rosenstein. Even some Republicans have urged the president not to make that move, especially ahead of the midterm elections. It would be seen by many voters as the president’s attempt to end the Russia probe and lead to calls from the left and right for his impeachment. If Trump does fire Rosenstein, Solicitor General Noel Francisco would assume oversight of the Russia investigation, according to the Times. Francisco was a partner at Jones Day in 2016. The law firm represented the president’s 2016 campaign. Consequently, there could be a conflict of interest if Francisco oversees the Russia probe. SEE ALSO: Amber Guyger Is Fired For Killing Botham Jean Is His Own Dallas Apartment Michelle Obama Warns That ‘Other Folks’ Still Show Up At The Polls If We Don’t [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3825613″ overlay=”true”]
D iversity numbers in the tech industry remain stagnant. Despite African-Americans being one of the top demographic groups for digital consumption, when it comes to forging career paths in the tech industry there isn’t a level playing field. According to a study released by the National Urban League , at major social media and tech companies, less than five percent of employees are Black. Disrupt Harlem Code Squad —a free Harlem-based tech and entrepreneurship program—is aiming to change the status quo by empowering opportunity youth through STEM education. The program—which is an initiative led by the Harlem Business Alliance —was created as an avenue to connect young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 to the New York City tech industry. Over the course of 15-weeks, program participants are provided with one-on-one training, courses on how to code, field trips to the headquarters of tech giants in the New York City area, and ongoing mentorship. Disrupt Harlem Code Squad also puts the emphasis on entrepreneurship; empowering students to design their own mobile and web apps. After completing the program, some of the participants are aligned with internships in the tech industry and others continue to expand their skills at a full-stack developer coding program led by The Knowledge House. As New York City’s tech landscape continues to expand and there are talks about it transforming into the next Silicon Valley, its imperative for opportunity youth from inner-city communities to be able to compete in this industry. Furthermore, tapping into this talent pool can be a solution to closing tech’s diversity gap. “Through our Disrupt Harlem Code Squad initiative, HBA aims to level the playing field for Harlem’s opportunity youth when it comes to entering the tech industry. African-Americans represent less than 2 percent of employees at major tech companies,” Regina Smith , Executive Director, Harlem Business Alliance, told NewsOne. “Shifting the narrative starts with exposure. One of the catalysts for change is introducing STEM education programs to all inner-city youth. We educate young adults about coding, career pathways in tech as well as basic business fundamentals. We realize our youth possesses tremendous untapped potential and it is our responsibility to invest in the next generation of leaders.” Disrupt Harlem Code Squad has proven to be effective and impactful. Some of the students have received job offers from major tech companies and others have launched their own businesses. Many of the program participants pay it forward by serving as mentors. “Disrupt Harlem Code Squad targets a vulnerable subset of our community—young adults who are under or unemployed—and gives them the tools to make a positive change in their lives. Tech is a growing industry, but members of our community weren’t being prepared to have those careers,” said Disrupt Harlem Code Squad Program Director Philomena Boateng . “We’ve made our program free because we recognize they don’t have the resources that other “non-traditional” students do to pay the high cost of programs like these. We believe that by educating our youth on a new career path, we’re also giving them the means to improve their economic situation on a long-term basis. We put real action behind inclusivity efforts in tech that some companies only talk about.” As the program gears up for its next cohort, it aims to continue to make an impact in the lives of youth. The program is currently accepting applications and the deadline is September 16. Learn more about Disrupt Harlem Code Squad . SEE ALSO: Harlem’s The Lillian Project Empowers Black Women To Step Into Entrepreneurship Black Women Fight Back Against Racial Profiling At Harlem Restaurant [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”2714511″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Beyonce.com / Courtesy of Beyonce.com Saturday night was an eventful night for live music. Across the country, various artists were hitting the stage and they all had some wild and crazy things happening at the same time. Is Mercury still in Gatorade or what? The craziest event of the night had to go to The Carters. Let’s take a look at Beyonce and Jay Z’s On The Run II Tour in Atlanta. For the most part, the show was amazing. Almost everything went off without a hitch. Jay Z and Beyonce ran through all of their classics, Beyonce put on one hell of a show. Beyonce even gave Atlanta an amazing swag surf of all swag surfs. Swag Surfin'. #OTRII #Atlanta https://t.co/m47AMvyWCv pic.twitter.com/hu8AmX2uSD — BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) August 26, 2018 Everything was going surprisingly well until the end of the show. Jay and Bey performed their final song of the night, “Apesh*t” and as they were making their exit, a crazed fan jumps on stage and chases behind them. It was almost too crazy to be true but it really happened! Several videos began to pop up online showing a fan running on stage at the conclusion of the show. It’s unclear what his motives were but fortunately for us, Beyonce’s background dancers seemed to be military trained because they were able to apprehend him before he could get too close to the Carters (and by apprehend, we mean beat his a$$). Check out some of the videos below. “Yo, Beyoncé’s dancers are RIDE OR DIE. Somebody jumped on the stage and the male dancers stomped him the fuck out,” said Twitter user @ Burrrittanie . Look how easily this fool got on stage and no one stopped him! #OTRII pic.twitter.com/E1dXthqgWN — J. Antonio ♕ (@DivineTonio) August 26, 2018 OMG Beyoncés dancers were ready!!! pic.twitter.com/RrmujVngsC — JOHN (@IAM_Johnathan) August 26, 2018 There are so many questions that need to be answered. The first question being, where in the world was security at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium when this man was able to effortless hop on stage like this? The second question is, who all is getting fire? And the third and final question is, will Beyonce return to Atlanta after this? All we truly know is that Bey and Jay are safe. Her dancers truly need a raise for their quick thinking because if it weren’t for them, things could have gone horribly wrong. Thankfully, the BeyHive does not come to play when it comes to protecting our hip hop royalty.
I n an effort to increase the representation of Black first-generation college students at Spelman College, the institution has teamed up with Ford Motor Company for the creation of a new initiative, the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education reported. . @SpelmanCollege , Ford Fund partner to help first-generation students via @ajc > > https://t.co/gwAlipJryk #FordFirstGen — Ford Fund (@fordfund_) August 16, 2018 Dubbed Ford First Gen, the program is designed to help aspiring college students overcome socio-economic barriers that prevent them from furthering their education, the news outlet writes. Through the initiative, participants will be able to take advantage of services and resources that will ensure their personal, academic, and professional success; including being mentored by students who are in their junior year at Spelman. After going through the program, students will have the opportunity to mentor those who are following in their footsteps. Mentors will be awarded $10,000 towards their tuition. Under the program, there will be seminars hosted that are related to career development and goal setting, trips that will give participants the opportunity to interact with individuals who are making moves in industries that they aspire to pursue careers in, and students will also be aligned with summer internships to build upon their professional experiences. Mary Schmidt Campbell , President, Spelman College, is excited about the partnership with Ford Motor Company and believes that the program will be nothing short of impactful. “Ford Motor Company’s partnership with us in the Ford First Gen program brings a comprehensive, innovative and collaborative approach that exemplifies an important part of ‘the Spelman Promise’ – ensuring that every Spelmanite graduates with a competitive edge,” she said in a statement, according to the news outlet. Ford is looking forward to helping students of color overcome barriers to education. “Ford First Gen is a unique approach to helping break down barriers to success that are sometimes faced by first-generation students,” Pamela Alexander , Director of Community Development at Ford Motor Company Fund told Diverse Issues in Higher Education . “We are very excited about the opportunity we have to impact students’ lives through the mentorship, education and cultural experiences that Ford First Gen will offer, and given Spelman’s rich legacy of success, we could not ask for a better partner for this program.” SEE ALSO: Howard University Swimmer And Siblings To Compete At 2020 Olympics Most Expensive HBCUs Keep Tuition Costs Lower Than National Average [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3823467″ overlay=”true”]
James Gunn has been fired as director of Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The decision to remove Gunn from the project arrived on Friday after conservative uncovered old tweets by Gunn in which the filmmaker joked about controversial topics such as pedophilia and rape. Gunn has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump over the past several months and, some believe, had been targeted by Republicans such as Jack Posobiec. But that doesn’t change the fact that Gunn did write the Tweets in question. “The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him,” Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said in a statement announcing Gunn’s departure. Gunn directed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and was hired awhile back to helm its follow-up. The very old Tweets at the center of this scandal have since been deleted, but Internet users posted screenshots that appear to show the director had written jokes about assault and other subjects. A sample: “Laughter is the best medicine. That’s why I laugh at people with AIDS.” Another: “The best thing about being raped is when you’re done being raped and it’s like ‘whew this feels great, not being raped!'” On Thursday, in response to this growing scandal, Gunn Tweeted: “Many people who have followed my career know, when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo. “As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humor.” He continued: “It’s not to say I’m better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago; today I try to root my work in love and connection and less in anger. “My days saying something just because it’s shocking and trying to get a reaction are over.” Most of the inappropriate messages were sent in 2008 and 2009. They were dug up by conservative outlet The Daily Caller. Gunn issued a statement on Friday afternoon, saying that he “regretted” the tweets in question and stressed that “they don’t reflect the person I am today.” The director added in his lengthy response to the flap: Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all. Gunn has been penning the script for Guardians 3, and the film was expected to begin shooting in Atlanta in the fall for an expected 2020 release date. He had been keeping fans apprised of his progress via social media messages such as the following: Marvel has not yet announced a replacement for Gunn. Do you think he deserved to be fired for these Tweets?
If you’ve seen any of the “Fifty Shades” movies, did you find yourself watching the sex scenes and thinking “If I had been the director, that would have been much hotter”? Head over to Wasteland.com now for your chance to call “Lights, Camera, ACTION!” … read more
Source: A. Aleksandravicius / Getty Joe Van Gogh Coffee, a coffee shop on Duke University’s campus, has become the target of a lot of unwanted attention after they fired two baristas for playing rap music — specifically the music of Young Dolph. The issue began when Duke’s Vice President of Student Affairs, Larry Moneta, complained to the director of Duke dining about hearing rap music playing last week, causing the two baristas to be fired on Monday. Joe Van Gogh Coffee is not owned by Duke but activists are concerned the school has too much control over contractors. Since the controversy, Joe Van Gogh has decided to cut ties with the school and close the location. And when we say controversy, we’re talking about trapped out protests popping up on campus. When worker rights are under attack…. Student protesters march from @joevangogh coffee shop at @DukeU into VP Larry Moneta's office, playing @YoungDolph 's “Get Paid,” the song for which two workers, one of them a Black woman, were fired after VP disliked song's lyrics. pic.twitter.com/WG9Nqxodxi — anastasia kārkliņa (@mzfayya) May 9, 2018 Protesters enter Larry Moneta's office along with the fired worker Britni Brown and confront him while blasting the song, which Britni played while on her shift at @joevangogh coffee shop at @DukeU and, as a result, lost her job… because VP thought the song was “inappropriate.” pic.twitter.com/raF306WzFr — anastasia kārkliņa (@mzfayya) May 9, 2018 As for the two baristas who got fired, Young Dolph caught wind of the news so he flew them to Miami to attend the Rolling Loud Festival, then gifted them with $20,000. Young Dolph flew out the 2 students from Duke University who got fired for playing his music at work and gave them $20,000 on the Rolling Loud stage pic.twitter.com/95f8sj3rAR — Navjosh (@Navjosh) May 12, 2018
