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Posts published in January 2015

Mehcad Brooks Cast in CBS’ "Supergirl" as Jimmy Olsen

By goodblacknews on January 28, 2015
Mechad Brooks Supergirl

Days after CBS found its “Supergirl” in actress Melissa Benoist, she has found her love interest. Mehcad Brooks has joined the cast as James “Jimmy” Olsen, Variety has confirmed.Jimmy, based on the DC Comics character, is an attractive photographer at CatCo, the media company where Kara Zor-El works as an assistant to Cat Grant (yet to be cast). Recently, Jimmy has been living and working in National City, though the reason is still a secret.

In the “Superman” comics, Jimmy was close friends with Lois Lane and Kara’s cousin, Clark Kent.
RELATED POSTS:

“Supergirl” is executive produced by Greg Berlanti (“The Flash,” “Arrow”) and Ali Adler (“Glee,” “The New Normal”), and hails from Berlanti Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Berlanti and Adler penned the hourlong pilot.
Brooks is best known for his roles in “Necessary Roughness,” “True Blood” and “Desperate Housewives.”
article by Elizabeth Wagmeister via Variety.com

90-Year-Old Kenyan Woman Priscilla Sitienei Goes To School, Learns To Read And Write Alongside Great-Great-Grandkids

By goodblacknews on January 27, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-01-27 at 8.51.34 PM
A 90-year-old woman is going to school to learn skills that she never had the opportunity to acquire when she was younger.
Priscilla Sitienei has been attending Leaders Vision Preparatory School in her village of Ndalat, Kenya, for the past five years according to BBC News. Sitienei didn’t have the chance to learn how to read and write, but is finally doing so now.
The 90-year-old, who goes to school with six of great-great-grandchildren, says she has some big goals.
“I’d like to be able to read the Bible,” Sitienei, whose classmates are between the ages of 11 and 14, told BBC News. “I also want to inspire children to get an education.”
Sitienei’s school day is just like any other student’s at the prep school, BBC News reported. She wears the school uniform to classes, and takes math, English, physical education, dance, drama and singing. She also lives in one of the campus dormitories, where she rooms with one of her great-great-grandchildren.
Her commitment to learning has made her a role model for the students.
“Gogo has been a blessing to this school, she has been a motivator to all the pupils,” David Kinyanjui, the school’s principal, told BBC News, using Sitinei’s nickname which means “grandmother” in the local Kalenjin language. “She is loved by every pupil, they all want to learn and play with her.”
The 90-year-old, who served as a midwife in her village for several decades, wants her story to spur others to take another chance at getting an education.

Marissa Alexander Finally Released From Jail

By goodblacknews on January 27, 2015
Marissa Alexander walks by her dad Raoul Jenkins and surrounded by her legal team and supporters after her sentencing in Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 27, 2015. (Photo by Bob Mack/Florida Times-Union/AP)
Marissa Alexander walks by her dad Raoul Jenkins and surrounded by her legal team and supporters after her sentencing in Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 27, 2015. (Photo by Bob Mack/Florida Times-Union/AP)

Marissa Alexander, the Florida mother whose case became a rallying cry for anti-racism activists and survivors of domestic violence, was released today after three years of incarceration.

Alexander had faced up to 60 years behind bars for firing a single shot near her abusive husband, unable to convince a jury she had feared for her life. A hearing Tuesday confirmed the terms: Having pleaded guilty to assault in exchange for credit for time served, she will be subject to two years of electronic monitoring and house arrest, except for approved appointments and employment.
Circuit Court Judge James Daniel acknowledged that the case had drawn national attention but claimed his decision was “not based on any public opinion of any larger issue of public interest or social concern, but on the specific facts of the case.”
Alexander’s case has long sparked outrage about the unequal application of the law for both black Americans and women. Alexander was prosecuted by Angela Corey, who was also the prosecutor in the trial of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the February 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin. Corey did not appear at Tuesday’s hearing.
“We are thrilled that Marissa will finally be reunited with her children, her family, and her community,” said Sumayya Coleman, co-lead of the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign. “Today’s hearing revealed that Alexander intends to attend school to become a paralegal and she is a wonderful mother to her children who urgently need her. Amazingly, the State continued their campaign of punishment by trying to add two more years of probation.” But the state didn’t get its way.
In November, Alexander pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault with a weapon in exchange for credit for time served. A second trial had been planned for December, when Corey had planned to seek a 60-year sentence, triple the 20-year sentence Alexander got in her first trial.
The Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign and The Monument Quilt wrote on Facebook that “350 quilt squares containing stories from survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault will blanket the Duval County Courthouse lawn to let Jacksonville and the world know Marissa is NOT ALONE.” A fundraiser on Alexander’s behalf exceeded its goals, raising $58,297 from 1,122 backers on the site GoGetFunding.
“We have always believed that forcing Marissa to serve even one day in prison represents a profound and systemic attack on black women’s right to exist and all women’s right to self-defense,” the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign said in a statement after Alexander’s plea deal.
The incident in question took place in 2010, nine days after Alexander, now 34, gave birth to a daughter. Alexander testified that her estranged husband, Rico Gray, had physically abused her several times and that on that day, he threatened to kill her. No one was injured, but a jury convicted her in about 12 minutes.
article by Irin Carmon via msnbc.com

ABC Orders Crime Thriller Pilot "The Catch" From Shonda Rhimes

By goodblacknews on January 26, 2015
Shonda Rhimes
ABC’s Mega Producer Shonda Rhimes (MICHAEL TRAN/FILMMAGIC)

According to Variety.com, ABC has picked another drama pilot for their 2015-16 season from “TGIT” queen Shonda Rhimes.
“The Catch” from Shondaland’s Rhimes and Betsy Beers follows a female forensic accountant whose career specialty is exposing fraud for a living. Much like the lead ladies of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How To Get Away With Murder,” the sure-to-be fierce woman at the forefront of the crime thriller has tumultuous love life with her fiancé, complete with cons and lies.
The pilot will be exec produced by Rhimes, Beers and Julie Anne Robinson, and co-produced by Helen Gregory and Kate Atkinson. Robinson is set to direct and Jennifer Schuur will write the pilot.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

"Humans of New York" Facebook Post Helps Middle School Raise $700K for Free Trip to Harvard

By goodblacknews on January 26, 2015
(Photo: Courtesy of Humans of New York)
Middle school students from an underserved community in Brooklyn, New York, will take a free trip to visit Harvard University this summer thanks to a powerful social media post and generous donations that have reached $700,000 as of Monday.
On Jan. 19, Humans of New York, a popular Facebook page that shares images and stories of New Yorkers, posted a picture of Vidal, a student at Mott Hall Bridges Academy middle school located in the Brownsville neighborhood. The boy said his principal, “Ms. Lopez,” was the most influential person in his life. The post has been “liked” more than 1 million times.
“And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter,” Vidal told Humans of New York.
Several days later, Brandon Stanton, creator of Humans of New York, profiled Principal Lopez and other teachers at Mott Hall Bridges Academy. After many readers were inspired by the stories of Mott Hall, principal Lopez, assistant principals Achuhey and Stanton decided to launch a fundraiser that would allow every incoming student to visit Harvard University.
“We want to create a fund that will provide each incoming 6th grade class at Mott Hall Bridges Academy a chance to get out of their neighborhood and visit a new place. And that place is Harvard University. ‘I want every child who enters my school to know that they can go anywhere, and that they will belong,’ said Ms. Lopez,” a post on Jan. 22 states.
Since last Thursday, the school has surpassed the $100,000 goal. There are still 11 days left in the campaign. More info on the “Let’s Send Kids to Harvard” fundraiser can be found here.
article by Natelege Whaley via bet.com

"Selma"'s Ava DuVernay & David Oyelowo Reteam for Hurricane Katrina-Set Love Story/Murder Mystery

By goodblacknews on January 26, 2015
Ava D, David O

 
“Selma” Director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo are teaming up again for a currently untitled Hurricane Katrina-set love story and murder mystery, for Participant Media.
DuVernay will write, produce, and direct, while Oyelowo is in negotiations to both star and also produce the project, which will mark the third time they’ve worked together as director and actor, following “Middle of Nowhere” and of course “Selma.”
Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King will serve as executive producers.
“Hurricane Katrina is one of the most important social and environmental stories of our time,” said Participant’s King, adding, “Ava DuVernay has shown herself to be highly skilled at bringing intimacy and contemporary urgency to epic events. We have been looking for the right way to get back in business with Ava, and with David Oyelowo, and are proud to re-team with them on her original idea, which we believe will be a powerful film.”
“The story we’re interested in will explore the complexities of intimate relationships within times of chaos, while also examining the chaos itself. I’m looking forward to the journey.” added DuVernay.
article by Tambay A. Obenson via ShadowAndAct.com

The Perkins Brothers Represent the Motor City in Tonight's Premiere of New BBC Car Series, "Mud, Sweat & Gears"

By goodblacknews on January 26, 2015

(Photo Courtesy BBC America)
“Mud, Sweat & Gears” (Photo: BBC America)

Tonight, January 26th  at 10pm, the BBC rolls out its new super-charged series, Mud, Sweat & Gears… and boy, do they get it right.  This is a new breed of car show filled with cheeky humor, high-octane stunts, vehicle transformations and insane challenges… I promise, this show does not disappoint!
The first episode features two brothers from Detroit, Steve Perkins and Todd Perkins, competing against California racers Keith Kramer and Rob Krider. These contestants bring it! Guided by the quick–witted, charismatic hosts, Tom “Wookie” Ford & Jonny Smith, the teams have a limited amount of time to transform their base cars into challenge-themed machines.
The viewer is made part of the experience and you may even find yourself yelling, laughing, wincing and cheering as Mud, Sweat and Gears is a ride you won’t want to stop.
Full disclosure — I did work on this show and while I wouldn’t necessarily peg myself as a car show enthusiast… THIS show is so entertaining…it had me at engine START.  I highly recommend Mud, Sweat & Gears.
Here’s a special inside look: http://www.bbcamerica.com/mud-sweat-gears/videos/a-special-inside-look/
article by Lesa Lakin
 by Lesa Lakin

TRAVEL: Port Antonio is Jamaica’s Hidden Gem

By goodblacknews on January 25, 2015
(Image: VisitJamaica.com)
(Image: VisitJamaica.com)
Looking for an island getaway, and considering a retreat to Jamaica? Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are great, but why not try something different? Jamaica’s resort town of Port Antonio is described as picture perfect— a panorama of nature’s finest work.
On any visit, travelers to this secluded gem can explore the majestic Blue Mountains, swim in the Blue Lagoon, raft the Rio Grande, relax at Somerset Falls or discover Nonsuch Caves.  A visit to Port Antonio would be incomplete without a sampling of its world famous jerk chicken or pork in its original home.

“Visitors to Port Antonio are always in for a special treat with its diverse and laidback offerings of adventure and natural beauty,” said Paul Pennicook, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “With more travelers seeking authentic local lifestyles, Port Antonio, the birthplace of jerk cooking, is a great option for those wanting to experience the best of Jamaica’s cuisine, history and adventure.”

DO:

Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour: A remarkable way to see the island, this riding tour takes sightseers down the mountainside and along rolling hills. Ideal for singles, couples or families who wish to experience and photograph the world-famous Jamaican Blue Mountains and lush, tropical countryside – all while riding in the fresh Jamaican air.

Rio Grande Rafting: One of the more coveted outings in Port Antonio is a bamboo rafting tour down the gently winding Rio Grande.  Originally used as a means of transporting banana crops from the local plantations to the bustling harbor, the rafting tours are now a popular leisure activity once championed by the likes of Hollywood icon Errol Flynn. Legend has it that Flynn enjoyed gathering his well-heeled guests for midnight rafting excursions under a canopy of stars. Experienced guides who are knowledgeable about the river and its ecosystem, including a bird sanctuary (parts natural wonder and serene escape), man the bamboo rafts. Swimming in the river is perhaps the best part of the journey.

Somerset Falls: Somerset Falls is a world class setting for guests to chill out, take a swim and refresh.  Spanish settlers, who occupied the island over 400 years ago, built aqueducts and dams that are still visible today. The breathtaking waterfall is hidden in the rainforest, where the Daniels River cascades down a narrow gorge of lush ferns. Here, sun worshipers can settle in for a lovely day of sunning, relaxing and bathing in picture-perfect deep rock pools.
STAY:

Port Antonio thrives on its seclusion, intimacy and luxury, offering visitors an array of inns, beachfront cottages and villas, such as:

Great Huts, starting at US$89 per night including breakfast: www.greathuts.com.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, starting at US$236 per night including taxes: www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com.

Goblin Hill Villas, which ranges from US381 to $450 per night, for a 2 bedroom villa, including a housekeeper: www.goblinhill.com.

Trident Hotel, which ranges from US$540 to $990 per night including breakfast, depending on the season: www.geejamcollection.com.

EAT:

Jamaica’s diverse history has impacted its culinary offering. The cuisine features a mix of  cultural influences  – Chinese, European, Indian and African – creating an eclectic and tasty combination that is uniquely Jamaican.  Port Antonio is well known for its jerk pork and chicken, particularly in Boston Bay, but a number of the area’s inns and villas are known for their gourmet dining. There are a variety of restaurants which provide excellent Jamaican staples including fresh seafood.  Some of the popular spots include Dickie’s Best-Kept Secret and Bryan’s Bay for local fare, Restaurant Mille Fleurs, at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill for eclectic Euro-Caribbean cuisine, Woody’s Low Bridge Place and Anna Bananas for a fun family atmosphere or Bushbar at Geejam Hotel for sophisticated Asian-influenced Jamaican cuisine.
article by Kimberly Wilson via blackenterprise.com

Long-Lost Recording of Martin Luther King Jr. Speech at UCLA Discovered (AUDIO)

By goodblacknews on January 25, 2015
Martin Luther King Jr. speaks at UCLA in 1965
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at UCLA about a month after his triumphant march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that made civil rights history. (Photo: UCLA)

Clarification posted Jan. 21: The UCLA Library also has recordings of the speech in its collection, available for listening by special arrangement but not online.
A long-lost audio recording of a 50-year-old speech delivered at UCLA by the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. has been unearthed in a storage room in the communication studies department, which will put it online. The 55-minute speech (embedded below) went live on January 15, King’s birthday, four days before the national holiday honoring him.
“It’s a speech of importance that deserves to be released on a day of importance,” said Derek Bolin, a 2013 UCLA graduate who found the recording while working as a contract archivist. Over the years, King’s visit to UCLA became a proud part of campus lore. The spot where the civil rights leader stood to deliver his speech, at the base of Janss Steps, is now marked with a plaque and is a stopping point on some campus tours.
The speech, recorded originally on 7-inch, reel- to-reel tapes, will become part of the UCLA Communication Studies Speech Archive, an online collection of more than 400 speeches delivered on campus by politicians, activists, entertainment personalities and other newsmakers primarily during the 1960s and ’70s. Like King, the speakers were brought to campus by UCLA’s now-defunct Associated Students Speakers Program. With donations from alumni, the department began last year to digitize the speeches and upload them to YouTube. So far, more than 180,000 listeners have tapped into the online archive.

Archivist Derek Bolin (left) and Tim Groeling, chair of the UCLA Department of Communication Studies

The timing of the speech is significant. King delivered it on April 27, 1965, one month and two days after the triumphant march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that is depicted so movingly in the new biopic “Selma.” The film’s director, Ava Marie DuVernay, attended UCLA in the early 1990s as an undergraduate English major, according to registrar records.
The march and protests leading up to it paved the way for passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The federal legislation that prohibits racial discrimination in voting was signed into law four months after King’s UCLA visit, said Paul Von Blum, a senior lecturer in the department and in African American studies, who participated in the civil rights movement as a young man.
“It’s tremendously important,” Von Blum said of the speech. “It shows that Dr. King recognized that American universities were crucial in the movement for social justice. Students, especially at elite universities, were kind of the foot soldiers of the movement.”
The audio recording would have been completely forgotten had Bolin not noticed King’s name on a list of campus speakers. Tapes of the speech weren’t in the two cabinets that stored the recordings of the 365-plus speeches he had already processed. So he scoured the storage room where tape reels had languished for decades. Eventually, he found a cabinet that had been hidden from view by shelving, old beta players and other out-of-date audiovisual equipment.

CW Network Announces Animated Black DC Comics Heroine "Vixen" Series

By goodblacknews on January 25, 2015
The CW network has enjoyed major success with the hit show “Arrow” and the spin-off series “The Flash.” “Vixen” will take place in this same DC Comics universe, which differs from what can be found in the comic books. The announcement for the show was made earlier this month at the Television Critic’s Association press tour. Arrow producer Mark Guggenheim will serve as the executive producer for the series.
The story centers on Mari Jiwe McCabe, a descendant of an African warrior named Tantu. Tantu asked Anansi the Spider to create a totem that would grant the powers of the animal kingdom to whoever wore it. The powers were to only be used to protect those in need and Tantu became a hero. The totem was passed down his family line until it reaches Vixen.
McCabe grew up in a small village in the fictional African nation of Zambesi, M’Changa province. After her family was killed by her uncle as a result of the Tantu Totem, McCabe moved to America to become a model in New York. After becoming a popular star, McCabe returned to Africa and took back the Tantu Totem from her uncle and thus became the Vixen. The character debuted in 1981, and she has been a part of the Justice League and the rouge Suicide Squad.
The Vixen series will are on the CW’s Seed offshoot, which is the online portion of the network. Appearances from the Arrow and the Flash are expected according to a promo shot. There has not been an announcement on which actress will voice the character.
article by D.L. Chandler via blackamericaweb.com