Source: S. Granitz / Getty Michael Jordan’s considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He can arguably be considered one of the biggest sneaker manufacturers in the country. The retired Bulls player is using all that money for good cause. Over the last week the Carolinas were devastated after Hurricane Florence created deadly floods. The with the death toll rising to 37 deaths, the Carolinas relief effort will be great task. The NBA hall of famer says he’s donating a whopping $2 million dollars to relief funds. Michael Jordan’s father is from Wallace, he played his high school ball in Wilmington, he won a national championship in college as a North Carolina Tar Heel in Chapel Hill, and he is now the part-owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit The Latest Music, Celebrities and Interviews Follow @quicksilvashow
(AP Photo/Crystal Chatham) An Australian Rules Football (AFL) club had to apologize after three of its players wore full-body blackface to impersonate Venus and Serena Williams, as well as a Kenyan-born AFL player, Aliir Aliir. The photos were taken last week during “Mad Monday,” a celebratory day that marks the end of the AFL season. According to the Huffington Post , the photos appeared on Facebook on Thursday, and received mixed reactions. Some were outraged and others defended the “costumes.” Some Australians still have no clue what is considered racist. This Mad Monday “costume” is clearly racist. And I'm a person who is fed up with today's over-the-top political correctness. pic.twitter.com/oWPR0WjeUx — Francis Gonzalez (@fgonzalez_) September 19, 2018 The players, who weren’t identified, play for the Penguin Football Club in Tasmania. The club told the Huffington Post in a written statement that officials weren’t aware players “intended to dress in this manner,” adding that the costumes were “unacceptable in this day and age.” As the Huffington Post reports, while the players have been disciplined and have apologized for the racist costumes, the Penguin Football Club also offered a defense of the players, saying their “actions were never intended to be racist in any way” and “all they meant to do was dress as one of their sporting idols.” While the term “black face” is highly used in the United States, racism knows no borders. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation , there have been high-profile incidents of blackface in the country, but despite an increase in public shaming around the behavior, many Australians still haven’t learned their lesson. [ione_media_gallery src=”https://blackamericaweb.com” id=”698037″ overlay=”true”] READ MORE STORIES ON BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM: 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 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK . FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM
I t’s no secret that Black voter turnout was low during the 2016 presidential campaign. Part of the reason was Democrats taking the Black vote for granted, rarely hiring African-Americans at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and poor messaging. For the 2018 midterms, the Black vote was again expected to be key, as it helped power Doug Jones past Roy Moore during the Alabama U.S. Senate race. In addition, Andrew Gillum of Florida and Stacey Abrams of Georgia secured their Democratic nominations for governor. Now, one Democrat was putting his money where his mouth is. SEE ALSO: Texas Cop Shoots Unarmed Black Man For Entering His Own Truck Billionaire Tom Steyer , most known for his calls to impeach 45, was donating $1 million to an initiative to increase turnout among Black youth, especially in the 2018 midterm elections, Axios.com reported . Black Lives Rising works directly with Color of Change PAC and Black Futures Lab. Arisha Hatch, director of Color of Change PAC, said they are avoiding “a transactional engagement with Black voters.” They will focus on Black non-voters and Black irregular voters — meaning voters who voted for President Barack Obama but haven’t felt compelled to vote in midterm elections. “For too long, Black youth have been denied a seat at the table, but with the rise of young black leaders … a new era of inclusive politics is emerging,” Steyer said in a statement. Clearly, Steyer knows the key to winning elections is the Black vote. Let’s see if other so-called progressive millionaires and billionaires follow his lead. SEE ALSO: Social Media Says It Has Identified The Dallas Cop Who Shot And Killed A Black Man In His Own Home Meet Jogger Joe, The Man Who Took Racist Cue From BBQ Becky In Tossing Homeless Man’s Clothes This Colin Kaepernick Retweet Says Everything You Need To Know About The NFL Players’ Anthem Grievance [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”]
T ennis star Naomi Osaka is winning both on and off the court. After defeating Serena Williams , the 20-year-old Haitian and Japanese athlete has become a household name. According to Business Insider , Osaka is slated to make history by inking the biggest deal that Adidas has ever offered to a woman athlete. Naomi Osaka is reportedly set to sign the largest-ever Adidas deal for a female athlete. https://t.co/5wiKBD6LhE — SB Nation (@SBNation) September 12, 2018 Osaka is reportedly working on a deal with the sports brand that is worth $8.5 million per year, the news outlet writes. The deal could possibly make her one of the highest-paid women in the realm of sports; out-earning her tennis opponents. Osaka currently has a contract with Adidas for six figures which is ending this year. It seems as if the Adidas deal is just the beginning of more endorsements to come for Osaka. She recently signed a three-year endorsement deal with Nissan to be one of their brand ambassadors. “With a combination of grit and grace, Naomi Osaka is not afraid to take on the best tennis players of our time, and win,” Asako Hoshino , Senior Vice President, Nissan, told the news outlet . Osaka is humbled to represent the brand and says she was drawn to Nissan because of its “strong Japanese DNA and global competitive spirit.” Osaka’s win over Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open garnered a lot of attention after Williams was hit with a slew of unjust code violations for coaching, breaking a racket, and her exchange of words with umpire Carlos Ramos . Despite the drama surrounding the match, the tennis veteran displayed sportsmanship by giving her opponent encouraging words as the crowd booed the outcome. “She said that she was proud of me and that I should know that the crowd wasn’t booing at me. So, I was really happy that she said that,” said Osaka during a recent appearance on The Ellen Show . SEE ALSO: Serena Williams, Cardi B And A Weekend Of Telling Black Women How To Behave The US Open Will Have All-Black Women’s Final For Second Year In A Row [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”2714511″ overlay=”true”]
We all know that Rihanna is one for the glitz and glam, and her 4th annual Diamond Ball event absolutely lived up to that bill. Check out this post from Hot New Hip Hop , and don’t forget to scroll through those photos from IG! Via | HotNewHipHop Check out pictures from Rihanna’s 4th annual Diamond Ball event in NYC Thursday night. Rihanna ’s fourth annual Diamond Ball fundrasier is taking place Thursday night at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, where Issa Rae will serve as the host & Childish Gambino as the night’s entertainment. The black-tie event is meant to benefit Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation, which “supports and funds groundbreaking and effective education, health and emergency response programs around the world.”
G un violence across the nation has reached a human rights crisis level: from the out-of-control situations in Chicago and Baltimore to tragedies like the Parkland, Florida , school shooting and most recently the Dallas cop who killed an unarmed Black man in his own apartment. NewsOne spoke with Philadelphia-based Black Lives Matter (BLM) national organizer and activist Asa Khalif about his grassroots effort to help stem the crisis in Philadelphia, where shootings have increased by 10 percent this year and homicides in southwest Philadelphia have surged by 26 percent . See Also: Heartbreaking: Chicago Mourns Gun Violence Activist As City Sees 21 People Shot Amnesty International released a new report on Wednesday that examined how the U.S. government has allowed gun violence to become a human rights crisis “on a massive scale” and accuses the powers that be of violating international human rights standards. U.S. officials are required to comply with certain global treaties that touch on the right to live free of violence, including the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, the global human rights organization said. But gun violence has disproportionately affected Black communities. African-Americans represented approximately 13 percent of the population in 2016, yet they constituted nearly 60 percent of gun homicides nationwide. Naomi Wadler—the 11-year-old activist who delivered a poignant speech about gun violence at the March for Our Lives demonstration in March—will be honored by the NAACP. https://t.co/ofDM1xm1El pic.twitter.com/1egG1Cei3g — NewsOne (@newsone) July 15, 2018 Khalif said he supported Amnesty International designating gun violence a human rights crisis. Last year, He and other activists started an initiative in Philadelphia last year to reach out to young people in the community. He said they see themselves as uniquely positioned to contribute to a solution through preventing potentially violent situations from getting worse. NewsOne (NO): How is BLM organized to combat gun violence in Philadelphia? Asa Khalif (AK): We have defused and de-escalated at least 25 to 30 incidents last year, and 45 this summer. We know the players because we live in the community. When we get information, word on the street that there will be beef, often through Instagram or Facebook, it’s very easy for us to approach ‘Raheem’ and say, “Can I talk to you? I heard there’s a misunderstanding, could we have a conversation before it gets to a certain level.” A lot of this violence comes from misunderstandings. A lot of times the brothers don’t even want to engage in violence. A lot of it is ego, peer pressure, false pride. And they’re looking for a way out. Intervening helps both parties to save face and walk away without looking like a quote, punk. We are concerned about this issue. We live in the community. The myth is we only show up when there’s a police shooting. We are on the front lines when it comes to gun violence because it affects us. We have loved ones who have been victims. NO: The interventions you described are important, but what’s the bigger solution? AK: Gun violence is a virus in our community. We know the virus; we’ve detected the virus, and we know where that virus is coming from. It’s up to us, organizers and people in the community. We have the cure. We have to come together as people of color to make sure gun violence is not an issue in our community. There’s a church on every block in our community, and those churches go behind safe walls and preach to themselves. It’s time now for ministers and congregations to link up with the activists, and not be afraid of BLM activists who have been deemed militant. As I’ve said when the movie Black Panther was playing, we–the activists, community leaders and mothers and fathers who are standing in our communities–are the superheroes. Black Panther, Wonder Woman, Batman, those are people who don’t exist and are not coming to save our community, and so we have to pick up the torch. In #Philadelphia we #WearOrange , we march and we say #Enough to Gun Violence @MomsDemand pic.twitter.com/aGkcyWXa5R — Jme B GunSafety (@archymomjaime) June 2, 2018 NO: Do you share Amnesty International’s view that the government bears a lot of blame for the gun violence? Aside from the legislative failures toward achieving gun control, has other government policies contributed to the problem? AK: I’ve been extremely critical of the federal government, which has always had a hand in the flow of guns into the community. We have to hold the government and gun dealerships accountable. We need to call on law enforcement, instead of occupying our community and shooting us in the back, to do the job you were sworn to do. If you’re going to rush into our community, make sure the busts you do are the gun dealers, the ones who are making the big dollars, not ‘Raheem’ who sold a gun for 50 bucks. The government is also 99 percent to blame in setting the conditions that make gun violence an issue. We have poverty in our community, unemployment, our schools are not as well-funded as white counterparts. It all gives a sense of hopelessness. When you have those conditions and you have no self-worth, it’s very easy to pick up a gun and shoot someone who looks like you because you don’t value yourself. If you give people hope, you’ll see a turnaround. Give a man a job and you’ll see a drop in crime. Young people need a place to go and a purpose, an alternative to standing on the corner and selling drugs. SEE ALSO: Black Pastor Praises Dallas Police Chief For How She Is Handling Amber Guyger Killing Botham Jean In His Home White Man Pulls Gun On HBCU Students After Entering Apartment Building [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3825237″ overlay=”true”]
Gary With Da Tea is back and is spilling all the gossip about different celebrities! He talked about Serena Williams coach, Patrick Mouratoglou and how he recently admitted that he was trying to coach Serena during the US Open . Even though Mouratoglou was doing that he didn’t believe Serena could actually see him. 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 Gary also spoke about how Serena’s coach mentioned he wasn’t the only one coaching. Naomi Osaka’s coach was allegedly doing the same thing as well as several others. Rock-T was telling the team that during tennis matches it’s illegal to coach and you can be penalized for it, as we saw. RELATED: Destiny’s Child Reunites! Beyonce, Letoya Luckett-Walker Spotted Together At OTR 2 Show [PHOTOS] LeToya Luckett and Beyonce reunited at the OTR II concert and fans were so happy to see the two together. A picture of Beyonce rubbing on LeToya’s belly with both ladies smiling has made the internet so happy. While some may think LeToya was bitter about being out of Destiny’s Child , Rickey Smiley said, “Sometimes God has a better path for you.” RELATED: Stephen A. Smith Disagrees With Serena Williams Sexism Claims During US Open [EXCLUSIVE] Make sure you listen to “ The Rickey Smiley Morning Show ” 6am ET. RELATED: Woke Twitter Slams Blatantly Racist, Sexist Serena Williams Cartoon
Rock-T is back and he has your NFL picks for week 2! The Baltimore Ravens go against the Cincinnati Bengals and Rock-T thinks Baltimore will take them down. For the rest of the games for the week the picks are pretty interesting. 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 He has Cleveland losing against the Saints as well as the Chargers beating Buffalo. Rock-T thinks Kansas City will win over Pittsburg and DC will take down the Indianapolis Colts. He believes the Jets will beat Miami and Atlanta will win against Carolina. Philly over Tampa, Rams over Arizona and Oakland over Denver. How you feeling about these picks this week? RELATED: Can Rock-T The Sports Genius (Or Anyone) Name 5 Black Hockey Players? [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: Why Rock-T Has Beef With Black Tony [EXCLUSIVE] Make sure you listen to “ The Rickey Smiley Morning Show ” 6am ET. RELATED: Special K & Rock-T Struggle To Make Listeners Laugh With Their Corniest Jokes [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO]
Before Keeping Up With the Kardashian — and even before her now-infamous sex tape with Ray J made her a household name — Kim Kardashian’s prodigious backside captured the attention of both star-making Hollywood power players and creepy internet pervs alike. Actually, we now know there’s some major overlap between those groups, but that’s a conversation for another time. The point is, the pop culture mainstream had never seen anything like Kim’s outsized ‘donk before. These were the dark ages in which the three old white guys who run Hollywood still thought Jennifer Lopez had the biggest ass imaginable. Kim single-handedly shattered the glass chair that had so long prevented women with genuinely giant butts from taking seats of power in Hollywood. (It’s not a perfect metaphor, but you get the idea.) You may be thinking to yourself, haven’t you guys spent enough time talking about Kim Kardashian’s ass over the years? To which we say, you might as well tell Neil DeGrasse-Tyson that he’s spent quite enough time talking about space for one lifetime. Anyway, we present you with this short history of ass for good reason. You see, it’s recently come to our attention that Kimberly Noel Kardashian West is less than thrilled with her most famous feature. This shocking news was delivered courtesy of a preview clip for Sunday night’s episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians . The scene starts innocently enough with Kourtney Kardashian throwing a bit of humorous sisterly shade: “Kim, when you sit down your butt looks so huge,” Kourtney opined. When she was rebuffed by Kris Jenner, Kourt objected: “She likes having a big butt, I’m not saying anything offensive,” she said. That’s when Kim made the sad reveal that her most coveted asset has become a burden: “No I don’t! I cry about it on the daily,” Kim replied. Now, this attempt to shame Kourtney for her joke may be a result of the ongoing Kim vs. Kourtney feud . But it’s equally possible that Kim really is not a fan of her own butt. It’s hard to imagine — like Kylie dissing her own lips, or Kanye deciding his ego is grotesquely oversized — but we suppose it’s possible. So if you want to do some good for humanity today, head on over to Kim’s Instagram page and give a shout-out to the ass that broke the internet. After all, where would we be without the trailblazing butt pioneers who made this country what it is today? Actually, it’s probably best if you don’t answer that question. View Slideshow: 37 Kim Kardashian Selfies That Nearly Broke the Internet
