Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Jordan Brand Pledges $1 Million Dollars to UNC's Ida B. Wells Society to Support Diversity in Newsrooms

Michael Jordan Photo Courtesy Nike

NBA legend Michael Jordan may have a degree in geography, but in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder by Minneapolis Police and the ensuing chaos and societal strife generated by it the basketball player turned billionaire businessman believes that it is organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education that will determine the direction of the future.

So, instead of increasing its map budget or funding a professorship, the University of North Carolina alumnus, who returned to get his degree following his hall-of-fame career, announced that he and his eponymous Jordan Brand will donate $1 million to UNC's Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting to help diversify newsrooms. 

In a press release shared by the school this past Thursday, it says the grant originally announced in May, will boost the program's efforts to increase diversity in the field of investigative journalism with outreach efforts aimed at aspiring young journalists of color: 

With the help of the Black Community Commitment grant, the Society intends to expand its existing internship program for college students and recent college graduates, partnering budding talent with major news organizations like The New York Times, the Miami Herald, ProPublica, the Associated Press and the USA Today Network around the United States.

The Society also plans to launch an All-Star Investigative Summer J-Camp, starting in July of 2022, that will bring students from majority-Black and Latino and historically disadvantaged schools together for an immersive, multidisciplinary training program in partnership with an historically Black college. 

Diversifying Investigative Reporting - Ida B. Wells Society + Jordan Brand from Here At UNC on Vimeo.

The school is just the latest recipient of a windfall from Jordan Brand, since the star who famously avoided controversy throughout his career made a pledge to make a commitment to the black community part of his company's DNA.

It was an action taken in direct reflection on the George Floyd case as well as the Black Lives Matter movement. 

I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” said an unusually outspoken Jordan in a statement following Floyd's death. “I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.

“I don’t have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others. We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be a part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.

“My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd and to the countless others whose lives have been brutally and senselessly taken through acts of racism and injustice.

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Monday, September 13, 2021

Historic VMA Win Makes Blue Ivy Carter the Youngest to Ever Take Home the Award

Blue Ivy Carter Photo Credit @beyonce
With a father that hustled his way from the murderous streets of the Marcy Projects to musical fame and later rare black billionaire status as a businessman and a mother who is arguably the worlds reining pop music diva — Blue Ivy Carter came into the world with a lot of expectations foisted on her. 

So, far the oldest of Jay Z and Beyoncé’s brood, has proved them inadequate. 

Sunday at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, the nine-year-old became the VMA’s youngest winner ever, adding the Moonperson to an already impressive collection that includes a Grammy and a BET Award. 

Carter got the award for her credited work on her mother’s song “Brown Skin Girl,” which appeared on The Lion King: The Gift album and won for Best Cinematography at the VMA’s. While it is nowhere near her mother’s record 30 MTV wins, it’s impressive nonetheless considering the previous record holder was then 17-year-old Billie Eilish.

The win also continued a series of remarkable wins for both Carter and the team that began when she became the youngest BET Award winner thanks to the song at eight and earlier this year when she became the second-youngest Grammy winner when “Brown Skin Girl” was named best music video.

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Thursday, September 9, 2021

Biden Unveils Six-Pronged Strategy to Fight Spread of Covid, Including Sweeping Vaccine Mandates

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans. (Courtesy YouTube)
On the same day former president Donald Trump — who is reportedly being paid millions of dollars to provide commentary for its upcoming pay-per-view boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort for the company — called into the Triller Fight Club press conference and declared that were he to step into the ring, "My easiest fight would be Joe Biden,” the nation's current steward had more pressing matters on his mind.

"My job as president is to protect all Americans," President Biden said Thursday, as he addressed the nation to announce sweeping changes to its Covid-19 vaccine requirements."So tonight, I'm announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees that together employ over 80 million workers to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week." 

Biden's so-called six-pronged strategy focuses on:
  • Reaching the unvaccinated
  • Further protection for the vaccinated with booster shots
  • Keeping schools open
  • Boosts for testing and masking
  • Economic recovery
  • Improving care for those battling the virus

In addition to the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration developing a rule requiring all employers with at least 100 employees to make sure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require unvaccinated workers to get a negative test at least once a week, Biden is signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government — with no option to test out.

He also announced requirements for health care providers that accept Medicare and Medicaid,  for the staffs of Head Start programs, Department of Defense Schools and Bureau of Indian Education-operated schools with companies that fail to comply facing fines of up to $14,000 per violation.

“We’ve been patient,” he said in a bitter rebuke to the millions of Americans who have chosen to not yet get vaccinated. "But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us."


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