Source: Laura Cavanaugh / Getty Get ready to get your praise on to some Beyonce jams in church. If you live in San Francisco, you can visit Grace Cathedral Church where they’re set to hold a Beyoncé Mass. via NBC Bay Area : The Vine SF at Grace Cathedral invites parishioners “to sing your Beyoncé favorites and discover how her art opens a window into the lives of marginalized and forgotten — particularly black females.” In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Rev. Jude Harmon, founding pastor of the Vine, said “the beauty of Beyoncé’s music is she explores those themes in an idiom that is accessible to everyone. We can use it as a conversation starter. That’s what it’s designed to be.”
On Wednesday, Jaime King’s vehicle was attacked by a man who repeatedly struck a windshield until it sent shards of glass raining down into the car. While Jaime was not in the car, her friend was in the driver’s seat … and her four-year-old son was also in the car. This is so scary. Entertainment Tonight reports that a man jumped onto King’s car and pummeled the rear windshield while it was parked on Bedford Drive. This is what sent shards of glass flying into the vehicle and even onto King’s son, James Knight Newman. He is only 4 years old. Beverly Hills police offered up their description of the event, saying: “The suspect jumped on the rear windshield causing glass to shatter and strike the child.” Horrifying on multiple levels. It’s unclear if James was injured by the glass, but it’s hard to imagine that this event wasn’t traumatic. Police continued to describe the incident, saying: “In an effort to protect the child, the female driver exited the vehicle and confronted the suspect at which time he threw a can at her, striking her arm.” Good for her for putting herself in harm’s way to protect a 4-year-old child. It’s absolutely the right thing to do, especially when a mother has entrusted her child to your care, even for just a few minutes. King was not present at the time, but was later seen at the site of the attack. Understandably, she appeared very distraught. The man who carried out this alleged attack was later identified as Paul Francis Floyd, a 47-year-old Los Angeles man. Police report that he had also kicked another vehicle before carrying out this terrible assault upon King’s car and its occupants. As you can imagine, Floyd has been arrested. He’s being held on $100,000 bond while police continue to investigate. His charges include: -Felony child endangerment -Misdemeanor battery -Two counts of felony vandalism That first charge is what happens when you attack a vehicle containing a child and end up raining glass shards on a 4-year-old. That second charge is, we imagine, what happens when you throw a can at a woman who’s taking action to protect a child. James Knight Newman is, by all accounts, a precious and bright boy. If you’re looking for testimonials, the above photo of him was shared by Jared Eng — you know, of Just Jared fame. His parents are raising him to be well-spoken and hold good values. Jaime King herself is, of course, an outspoken feminist and dedicated to both of her sons. This must be a nightmare for her. But children lack the coping mechanisms and perspective that adults can employ to recover from trauma. As scary as this situation would be for anyone, it’s always worse for a child. Let’s hope that James is able to process this as healthily and as soon as possible. Jaime King is famously a friend of Taylor Swift. Some squadmates come and go, but Taylor is the godmother of King’s other, younger son, Leo Thames Newman. We imagine that she’ll be leaning on the support of friends in the near future as her whole family comes to grips with the aftermath of this frightening attack. She must be grateful for her unnamed friend who was in the car. Not everyone is willing to put themselves in harms way and take a bullet — or, in this case, a can — to the arm to protect their friend’s child. View Slideshow: Taylor Swift Squad Members: An Official Who’s Who!
In 2015, Roses in Concrete Community School opened in East Oakland, California. With a name inspired by a book of poetry written by Tupac Shakur , the school aims to create a model for urban education that prioritizes the needs of youth and families in the community it serves. It’s founder, Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade , believes education is the way to help young people understand that they can transform not only their community, but the world. By creating the conditions for our youngest change-makers to flourish, this education model can be a pathway to building healthy and sustainable communities across the U.S. In the school’s first year, Google.org provided $750,000 to help launch its unique vision. And last Friday at Google’s San Francisco community space , teachers, students, artists, education advocates, Googlers and Oakland-native actress Zendaya celebrated the announcement of our additional $650,000 grant to help the school build a first-of-its-kind computer science (CS) curriculum , which will serve as a model for other schools across the U.S. The curriculum will be culturally and community relevant, building on Duncan-Andrade’s philosophy that education shouldn’t push students out of communities, but should instead help students transform them. Research shows that Black and Latino students are interested in learning CS , but are underrepresented in the field due to limited access to learning opportunities, coupled with the lack of relatable role models. Through this new program, Roses in Concrete helps students see the connection between CS and their communities, and hopes to equip them with the skills they need to solve real problems, starting in their own neighborhood. “The purpose of education is not to escape poverty, but to end it.” – Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Founder of Roses in Concrete Community School During the evening’s events, Roses students shared dance, art, and poetry performances for the crowd, which included Zendaya, an avid supporter of the school. Growing up in Oakland as the daughter of two teachers, she has fond memories of spending time in the same classrooms that now make up the Roses in Concrete campus , and credits pretending to grade papers as some of her earliest acting experience. During a student-led interview, Zendaya shared her appreciation for organizations like this progressive community school that are thoughtfully closing equity divides in her hometown. She encouraged the students to “Always lead with your heart and chase the happiness that fuels you,” and reminded them that technology is one possible medium for them to express themselves and make a positive difference. As a lab school, Roses in Concrete will share this new curriculum with national school leaders, policy makers and researchers. And alongside Roses, we can identify more ways to provide meaningful CS experiences to students of color, and by doing so, provide pathways for them to grow, thrive, and create change—in their own communities, and around the world. Hit the flip for more photos!
In 2015, Roses in Concrete Community School opened in East Oakland, California. With a name inspired by a book of poetry written by Tupac Shakur , the school aims to create a model for urban education that prioritizes the needs of youth and families in the community it serves. It’s founder, Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade , believes education is the way to help young people understand that they can transform not only their community, but the world. By creating the conditions for our youngest change-makers to flourish, this education model can be a pathway to building healthy and sustainable communities across the U.S. In the school’s first year, Google.org provided $750,000 to help launch its unique vision. And last Friday at Google’s San Francisco community space , teachers, students, artists, education advocates, Googlers and Oakland-native actress Zendaya celebrated the announcement of our additional $650,000 grant to help the school build a first-of-its-kind computer science (CS) curriculum , which will serve as a model for other schools across the U.S. The curriculum will be culturally and community relevant, building on Duncan-Andrade’s philosophy that education shouldn’t push students out of communities, but should instead help students transform them. Research shows that Black and Latino students are interested in learning CS , but are underrepresented in the field due to limited access to learning opportunities, coupled with the lack of relatable role models. Through this new program, Roses in Concrete helps students see the connection between CS and their communities, and hopes to equip them with the skills they need to solve real problems, starting in their own neighborhood. “The purpose of education is not to escape poverty, but to end it.” – Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Founder of Roses in Concrete Community School During the evening’s events, Roses students shared dance, art, and poetry performances for the crowd, which included Zendaya, an avid supporter of the school. Growing up in Oakland as the daughter of two teachers, she has fond memories of spending time in the same classrooms that now make up the Roses in Concrete campus , and credits pretending to grade papers as some of her earliest acting experience. During a student-led interview, Zendaya shared her appreciation for organizations like this progressive community school that are thoughtfully closing equity divides in her hometown. She encouraged the students to “Always lead with your heart and chase the happiness that fuels you,” and reminded them that technology is one possible medium for them to express themselves and make a positive difference. As a lab school, Roses in Concrete will share this new curriculum with national school leaders, policy makers and researchers. And alongside Roses, we can identify more ways to provide meaningful CS experiences to students of color, and by doing so, provide pathways for them to grow, thrive, and create change—in their own communities, and around the world. Hit the flip for more photos!
We turned up in NYC and made it hot in Miami, now VH1 is taking us back to Atlanta. Season seven of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta has returned and so have some familiar franchise faces. Old story lines will be revisted as we fnally find out if Kirk fathered Jasmine’s baby. Stevie faces jail time over his child support drama. And while JOseline is MIA, Stevie’s seemed to have found a new artist’s career to toy with. Tommie’s family issues reach new heights while Erica Mena joins the crew and Mimi Faust continues to beef with her old friend, who she may or may not had a relationship with. Just the jam-packed drama we like. Watch the super trailer above. RELATED STORIES: Joseline Hernandez Shades ‘LHHATL’: The Show Will Crumble Without Me ‘LHHNYS8’ Reunion Recap: Safaree And MariahLynn Had A Thing Going On In A Bath Tub
T here is one thing Ben Carson has proven in over a year of being the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He is a complete failure. Just last week, he told The New York Times that his position at HUD is harder than brain surgery, “There are more complexities here than in brain surgery.” Now, Carson claims the bible is inspiring to do the terrible things he is doing at HUD — like attempting to kick low-income people off of housing. The “unapologetic” Christian told CBN.com , “There’s a verse in the Bible, Proverbs 29:18, that says, ‘without a vision the people perish,’ and I look around and see a lot of people who just are not thriving.” He also added, “Our new definition of success is not how many people we get in these programs, but how many people we get out of them in a self-sufficient, powerful way so that they become a driving force right here in our own country.” Carson must think because he quotes the bible his words suddenly have compassion — no. His actions prove he is heartless when it comes to low-income people. What is his version of getting people “out” of programs like HUD? One would be a work requirement of 32 hours per week or you are kicked out on the street. The problem with these requirements? As Diane Yentel , the president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said “Work requirements don’t lead to stable employment or a path out of poverty. Cutting housing benefits won’t create the jobs and opportunities needed to lift families out of poverty.” In addition, how are low-income people expected to gain access to these jobs when Carson has been blocking an Obama-era rule , (supposed to go into effect on January 1, 2018), which allowed low-income people to afford housing in areas with better schools and access to jobs? Of course people want to work. Despite what Carson babbles, people aren’t “ too comfortable ” in poverty. If there are little to no jobs in your area — that aren’t a starvation wage — how are you supposed to survive? Furthermore, what if someone can’t find a 32-hour a week job, only a 20-hour a week job? Is that not enough for Carson’s bible quotes? Carson needs to stop using his faith for his polices and beliefs that are far from Christ-like. If he is such an “unapologetic” Christian, how could he stand by a man who is in a scandal with a porn star named Stormy Daniels ? SEE ALSO: One Step Forward, 10 Steps Back: San Francisco’s First Black Woman Mayor Unseated By Rich White Man Jada Speaks Out For Mo’Nique And The Comedian Has More Thoughts On Amy Schumer’s Success
I t’s safe to say Ben Carson has been outed as being seriously unqualified to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As we reported , in one of his most bizarre comments ever, Carson told the NYT about HUD, “There are more complexities here than in brain surgery.” Yep, HUD is harder than brain surgery for the doctor. More than that comment, his performance at HUD speaks disastrous volumes. He was protested for trying to take away fair housing. He was accused of using taxpayer dollars for private planes and White House bible study sessions. He is being investigated for his family’s involvement at HUD. Most recently, he was accused of using taxpayer dollars to pay for his extravagant office renovations, which included a $31,000 office dining room set. Ben Carson has no one to blame but his incompetent self, but the former doctor seems to be impossible of taking any responsibility. In a whining, juvenile Facebook post, Carson wrote, “We continue to be overwhelmed by how supportive people are everywhere we go since the character attacks on us have increased in an attempt to claim that is a scandal has occurred.” Carson clearly doesn’t think funding being cut for the homeless, edlerly, poor and him getting nearly $200,000 in office renovations a scandal, which it is. Carson then explains how he had no idea about the price of the office dining room set and that he wanted it returned — the second half contradicts what Raffi Williams , a HUD spokesman, told the New York Times “Mr. Carson ‘didn’t know the table had been purchased,’ but does not believe the cost was too steep and does not intend to return it.” I fully believe Carson was aware of every step of his office renovations and if he wasn’t aware of nearly $200,000– then he needs to immediately resign. Ben Carson ended his Facebook babbling with “I will not allow this distraction to keep us from moving forward with the great progress we are making on multiple fronts.” Carson, you and your team are the distractions. Furthermore, why no mention of the investigation of your family’s involvement at HUD or Helen Foster’s lawsuit that claims she was demoted after not approving pricey office renovations? The people in need of services from HUD are in a state of emergency.He seems to know the job is over his head and if he had any respect for HUD, he would bow out and let someone else — who at least understands fundamentals of the position — take over. See his full Facebook post below: SEE ALSO: One Step Forward, 10 Steps Back: San Francisco’s First Black Woman Mayor Unseated By Rich White Man Jada Speaks Out For Mo’Nique And The Comedian Has More Thoughts On Amy Schumer’s Success
W e have been saying for months that Ben Carson is seriously unqualified to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). His track record speaks for itself. He has been protested for trying to take away fair housing. He has been accused of using taxpayer dollars for private planes . He is being investigated for his family’s involvement at HUD. He is accused of using taxpayer dollars to pay for his extravagant office renovations. This is just a handful of the messiness he created. Now, in an interview with The New York Times , Carson appears to know he is a disaster. In one of his most bizarre comments ever, Carson told the NYT about HUD, “There are more complexities here than in brain surgery.” Really? Well, then maybe you need to go back to brain surgery — the lives of low-income people are in your un-gifted hands. This sounds like he is admitting that he doesn’t know what he is doing. To make matters worse, Carson doesn’t know how to secure funds, which HUD seriously needs to help low-income people — but the rich, privileged doctor “hates” asking for money, “Mr. Carson, people close to him say, hates asking anybody for money — and has told advisers that he feels acutely uncomfortable asking the president for anything that could be construed as a favor. When the White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, proposed an 18 percent cut to HUD late last year, Mr. Carson reluctantly reached out to the president. Mr. Trump expressed sympathy. Then he told him to ‘talk to Mick’ about the details.” HUD was cut by 14 percent cut, which resulted in millions of dollar of funding being slashed for the elderly, poor and homeless. However, according to NYT sources, “He often simply seems out of the loop—telling senior staff members at a gathering last spring that the president had given him assurances that HUD’s budget would not be cut at all.” As far as those ethics violations (stemming from his wife and son being too involved at HUD), he claims they just wanted to “help.” He believes Ben Carson Jr is “integrally important” but they are “ethically pure.” Clearly, if Lil’ Ben is “integrally important” than he is too involved at HUD. Was his son “integrally important”while he was performing brain surgery? If his son wasn’t and brain surgery is easier than running HUD, then obviously Ben Carson Jr. should not be involved. We also can’t forget the team at HUD is a mess. Raffi Williams , the incompetent HUD spokesman, has time to attack people on social media and lies to major news outlets like The Guardian. Other HUD employees, like Lynne Patton , called April Ryan “Miss Piggy” on social media. The whole operation is slop. If Ben Carson had any respect for his country, he would resign immediately or at least let someone who knows what they are doing take the reigns. SEE ALSO: One Step Forward, 10 Steps Back: San Francisco’s First Black Woman Mayor Unseated By Rich White Man Jada Speaks Out For Mo’Nique And The Comedian Has More Thoughts On Amy Schumer’s Success
W e have been saying for months that Ben Carson is seriously unqualified to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). His track record speaks for itself. He has been protested for trying to take away fair housing. He has been accused of using taxpayer dollars for private planes . He is being investigated for his family’s involvement at HUD. He is accused of using taxpayer dollars to pay for his extravagant office renovations. This is just a handful of the messiness he created. Now, in an interview with The New York Times , Carson appears to know he is a disaster. In one of his most bizarre comments ever, Carson told the NYT about HUD, “There are more complexities here than in brain surgery.” Really? Well, then maybe you need to go back to brain surgery — the lives of low-income people are in your un-gifted hands. This sounds like he is admitting that he doesn’t know what he is doing. To make matters worse, Carson doesn’t know how to secure funds, which HUD seriously needs to help low-income people — but the rich, privileged doctor “hates” asking for money, “Mr. Carson, people close to him say, hates asking anybody for money — and has told advisers that he feels acutely uncomfortable asking the president for anything that could be construed as a favor. When the White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, proposed an 18 percent cut to HUD late last year, Mr. Carson reluctantly reached out to the president. Mr. Trump expressed sympathy. Then he told him to ‘talk to Mick’ about the details.” HUD was cut by 14 percent cut, which resulted in millions of dollar of funding being slashed for the elderly, poor and homeless. However, according to NYT sources, “He often simply seems out of the loop—telling senior staff members at a gathering last spring that the president had given him assurances that HUD’s budget would not be cut at all.” As far as those ethics violations (stemming from his wife and son being too involved at HUD), he claims they just wanted to “help.” He believes Ben Carson Jr is “integrally important” but they are “ethically pure.” Clearly, if Lil’ Ben is “integrally important” than he is too involved at HUD. Was his son “integrally important”while he was performing brain surgery? If his son wasn’t and brain surgery is easier than running HUD, then obviously Ben Carson Jr. should not be involved. We also can’t forget the team at HUD is a mess. Raffi Williams , the incompetent HUD spokesman, has time to attack people on social media and lies to major news outlets like The Guardian. Other HUD employees, like Lynne Patton , called April Ryan “Miss Piggy” on social media. The whole operation is slop. If Ben Carson had any respect for his country, he would resign immediately or at least let someone who knows what they are doing take the reigns. SEE ALSO: One Step Forward, 10 Steps Back: San Francisco’s First Black Woman Mayor Unseated By Rich White Man Jada Speaks Out For Mo’Nique And The Comedian Has More Thoughts On Amy Schumer’s Success
Katt Williams Settles Lawsuit Out Of Court the actress who claimed he assaulted her has decided to settle matters outside of court for more than $10,000. The victim, Jamila Majesty, claimed that she visited Katt’s’ Malibu crib in 2016. After arriving at the residence, there were several other women in attendance. The actress says she used Williams personal bathroom, which resulted in the him getting belligerent and yelling, “no one uses my bathroom.” Allegedly, Williams and the women in his home then began to beat Majesty until she lost conciseness. During the beating which allegedly lasted for 3 hours, the victim claims that Katt burned her with a cigarette. Also she claims that during the beating one woman was “reading a book about witchcraft and casting spells while throwing questionable items into a nearby fire”. Majesty escaped the mansion and drove home without calling the police in total fear that Williams would retaliate. She filed a lawsuit for assault, battery, emotional distress and false imprisonment after a few months. Continue reading →
