Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts published in “Adults”

Brothers Henry McCollum, 51, and Leon Brown, 47, Finally Compensated by North Carolina for Three Decades of Wrongful Imprisonment

By goodblacknews on September 4, 2015

Henry McCollum sits stunned as applause rings out in a Robeson County courtroom in Lumberton, N.C. Tuesday, September 2, 2014, after a judge has declared McCollum and his brother Leon Brown innocent of a brutal rape murder for which they have spent 30 years in prison. Behind him is Beverly Lake, Jr., founder of the Innocence Commission, who was vital in the process to free the men. Photo: Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images

Two brothers who were wrongfully imprisoned for three decades for a crime they didn’t commit just received $750,000 in compensation from the state of North Carolina—the highest-possible payout in such an instance.

Henry McCollum, 51, was present for the ceremony in which he and his half-brother Leon Brown, 47, were each awarded the maximum payout approved by state officials. Brown, however, remains in a hospital, where he’s undergoing treatment for mental health issues stemming from their imprisonment. The brothers were officially pardoned in June, which made them eligible for financial restitution.
They were released from prison a year ago after fresh DNA evidence emerged and exonerated them.  The testing was performed by the state’s Innocence Inquiry Commission, whose purpose is to investigate disputed cases.
According to their attorneys, the brothers “were scared teenagers with low IQs” who investigators manipulated and berated, feeding them details before they signed false confessions for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Sabrina Buie in 1983. McCollum was the longest-serving inmate on the state’s death row, while Brown was convicted to life in prison. Both were attacked while serving their sentences, and Brown was repeatedly sexually assaulted by other prisoners.
The money will go into funds that will help the men and their families financially—something that has been difficult ever since the brothers’ release and subsequent difficulty readjusting to life on the outside.
article by Sameer Rao via colorlines.com

Young Entrepreneur Aireal Taylor Turns Class Project into Successful Kids Transportation Company, KidzCab

By goodblacknews on September 2, 2015

(Aireal Taylor via blackenterprise.com)
(Aireal Taylor via blackenterprise.com)

Every day millions of parents struggle with transporting their children to and from school, extracurricular activities, and events. Whether it’s because they don’t have the time or could use a helping hand, managing a child’s daily schedule, as well as their own, can feel like a stressful part-time job. Enter KidzCab, a transportation service for children ages 4-16, providing a sigh of relief for many parents in the Michigan area.
“The idea for my company stemmed from a marketing assignment I had in school, where I had to come up with a product or service and write a paper on it. Once I started researching it, I thought maybe I could really create this,” said Aireal Taylor, the founder of KidzCab.
Fresh off the heels of resigning from her steady job in administration and accounting, Taylor is solely focused on running KidzCab full-time. She has 3 KidzCab vehicles. She’s booked for the mornings and afternoons for the entire school year, and she expects to average about 6 trips per day, per vehicle.
BlackEnterprise.com caught up with the ambitious leader to learn more about her entrepreneurial journey.
BlackEnterprise.com: What makes your business different than other child transportation-related businesses?
Taylor: We use a fleet technology system that tracks our vehicles in real-time and provides destination alerts to parents. We also provide booster seats for children; one less thing parents have to worry about.
Describe the long-term vision or goals that you have for your business?
I’d like to see Kidz Cab’s outside of almost every school in Michigan. I’d also like to begin offering franchise options in other states.

Rapper Nelly Sends Two Kids to College Every Year for the Last 10 Years: ‘Only Way to Elevate Black Community is Education’

By goodblacknews on September 1, 2015

Photo: Joe Raedle/GettyIn the wake of the Mike Brown shooting and Ferguson protests last year, many in the Black community called for Black celebrities to speak out against the injustices shown to their own people. Some Black celebrities rose to the occasion, using social media and TV news outlets like CNN to say their piece.
Others, like Nelly, preferred to move in relative silence and let their actions do the talking. Following the events in Ferguson, the St. Louis rapper came under fire for not visiting the city right away. He eventually visited Ferguson to speak with protesters and created a scholarship fund in Michael Brown’s name.
The scholarship was not merely a sentimental act to honor the slain college student but a part of a strategic plan to help bring change to the Ferguson community in the only effective way he believes he can.
“I try to do it through education because that’s the only way we’re going to get it. The only way we’re going to get this is to elevate,” Nelly explained in an interview with Hello Beautiful just after the Ferguson anniversary on August 9, 2015. “We have to get the kids to go out of these communities. Graduate. Get the knowledge. Come back to the community, and then they can run it because they understand the people and understand the severity of the situation.”
The Mike Brown scholarship isn’t the only act of altruism Nelly has taken in the area of education. He has sent two students to college on scholarships every year for the past 10 years. To critics who have rebuked him for his lack of vocal support for the events at Ferguson, the “Hot in Herre” rapper asserts that sometimes it’s better to do things quietly.

"Raising Dion" Comic Book Trailer about Black Single Mom Raising Superhero Son is a Must Watch (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on August 30, 2015
(YouTube)
(Photo via YouTube)

While several superhero narratives feature parents (dead or alive) who serve as a guiding force for their protagonists, Raising Dion brings a fresh new perspective to the genre.
The story is told from the perspective of single black mother who’s trying to raise her “super” 7-year-old son in a world that is out to get him.
The poignant metaphor that plays out in this series – written by Dennis Liu and illustrated by Jason Piperberg – is pretty hard to miss, especially given this country’s current social climate.
According to their website,

Nicole, raises her 7 year-old son, Dion, who has superpowers. Life was hard enough keeping up with the bills, let alone trying to keep track of her son’s invisibility, plasma powers, and telekinesis. In order to study his progress, Nicole films her son 24/7 with the help of her friend, Pat, who is an aspiring filmmaker. But when Nicole starts to notice mysterious men tailing her, and with Dion’s developing abilities constantly changing and becoming more powerful, she must find the courage deep within herself that she can raise Dion on her own.

Check out the cleverly-executed trailer below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDTFYoAJWwc&w=560&h=315]
article by Blue Telusma via thegrio.com

Street Sandra Bland Stopped On Renamed in Her Honor

By goodblacknews on August 28, 2015
Sandra Bland (photo via blackamericaweb.com)
Prairie View City Council members in Texas are hoping a road renamed after activist Sandra Bland will serve as a constant reminder of the injustices they say she suffered in Waller County, USA Today reports.
City officials are also hopeful that the road, which leads to Bland’s alma mater, Prairie View A&M University, will also encourage law enforcement to make better choices and always follow best practices when making stops on University Drive, which will become Sandra Bland Parkway for three to five years before the council votes on the matter again.
“I am overwhelmed, and I am just truly thankful to the city of Prairie View,” Geneva Reed-Veal, Bland’s mother, said in a press conference here after the decision to rename the road.
“This is the first step, the very first step,” Reed-Veal said. “There’s still so much more that needs to be done.”
Bland, 28, was stopped on the same road July 10 for allegedly failing to signal a lane change. When Texas state Trooper Brian Encinia felt his power threatened by Bland’s wit and matter-of-fact tone, he arrested her on a charge of assaulting a public servant.
She was found hanging in her jail cell three days after her arrest, a death that has been ruled a suicide but is also being treated like a murder investigation. According to CNN, the Texas Rangers and the FBI are investigating Sandra’s death.
“It is very much too early to make any kind of determination that this was a suicide or a murder because the investigations are not complete,” Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis told reporters. “This is being treated like a murder investigation.”
Mathis said the case would go to a grand jury.
“There are too many questions that still need to be resolved. Ms. Bland’s family does make valid points that she did have a lot of things going on in her life that were good,” Mathis said.
Earlier this month, family members filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against arresting officer Encinia and two guards at the Waller County Jail where Bland died, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the county. The New York Times reports that the lawsuit states Encinia made up a reason to arrest Sandra and that jailers failed to react when she refused meals and “had bouts of uncontrollable crying.”
Bland’s family maintains that she never should have been stopped and arrested and they want the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate.
article via blackamericaweb.com

Natalie E. Hudson Named Associate Justice to Minnesota Supreme Court

By goodblacknews on August 26, 2015

Judge Natalie Hudson (photo via insight news.com)
Judge Natalie Hudson (photo via insight news.com)

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton announced his appointment of the Honorable Natalie Hudson as associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.  Hudson will replace Associate Justice Alan Page, who will be retiring at the end of August.
“Judge Natalie Hudson has served our state admirably as a member of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and as assistant attorney general,” said Dayton. “During her distinguished 13-year tenure on the Court of Appeals, Judge Hudson has authored more than 1,100 written opinions, demonstrating clearly her unique aptitude for ruling on some of the most challenging legal issues facing our state today.”
Dayton said Hudson was the perfect person to replace Page on the bench.  “Judge Hudson will be an outstanding new member of the Minnesota Supreme Court. I have great confidence that she will bring a valuable perspective to the court, and continue the high standards of excellence, hard work, and fair-mindedness that Justice Page has embodied these last two decades,” said Dayton.
Hudson is the second African-American woman named to the Minnesota Supreme Court, following Wilhelmina Wright, whom Dayton appointed in 2012.
Dayton is also preparing to name Wright’s successor, because President Obama has nominated her to serve on the U.S. District Court for Minnesota. Wright will leave the Minnesota Supreme Court once she’s confirmed by the Senate.
2015 08 18 supreme court appointment“I am honored and humbled that the Governor has selected me to serve as the next Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court,” said Hudson. “I am excited about the opportunity, and it is indeed a privilege to continue to serve the people of Minnesota in this capacity.”
Hudson has served as an at-large judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals since her appointment by Gov. Jesse Ventura in 2002. Prior to her appointment to the Court of Appeals, Hudson served as an assistant attorney general for Minnesota in the Criminal Appeals and Health Licensing divisions.
Hudson earned her B.A. from Arizona State University and her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she also served as the editor-in-chief for the school’s newspaper.
After completing law school, Hudson was an attorney for Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc. and Robins, Zelle, Larson & Kaplan. She then spent three years as the assistant dean of Student Affairs at Hamline University School of Law, and was later appointed as the city attorney for St. Paul.
article via insightnews.com; additions from mprnews.org

Nas To Fund Tech Scholarships for African-Americans and Latinos at General Assembly in NYC

By goodblacknews on August 26, 2015
nas instagram
Nasir Jones aka Nas (photo via allhiphop.com)

Nas is partnering up with General Assembly to sponsor scholarships for African-American and Latino students, according to reports.

General Assembly, a vocational school for engineering and programming in New York City, is opening the “Opportunity Fund” to help bring diversity into technology.  Microsoft, Google and Hirepurpose will also provide monies for the project. Each company will sponsor different populations. While Nas will give scholarships to African-Americans and Latinos, Microsoft and Hirepurpose will provide funding for veterans and Google will give scholarships to women.“This is the start of what hopefully will be a contribution to what will be a more diverse and accessible community worldwide,” General Assembly CEO Jake Schwartz told the Observer.

This is not the first time Nas has had his name attached to an educational opportunity – in 2013 Harvard University created the Nasir Jones Fellowship in his honor.  It’s wonderful that he is continuing to foster higher education, this time in his hometown.

original article by Tanay Hudson via allhiphop.com; additions by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Maurice Osborne Rescues Woman Being Attacked on Subway Platform in Brooklyn

By goodblacknews on August 26, 2015

Photo published for Man Apprehends Sex Assault Suspect On No. 3 Train Platform In Brooklyn
Subway Hero Maurice Osbourne (photo via thefeelsnews.wordpress.com)

A subway hero recently rescued a woman being sexually assaulted and collared the suspect.  “As soon as she said that he was trying to rape her, I just reacted,” Maurice Osborne told CBS2’s Matt Kozar on Friday.
Despite getting six stitches above his left eye and a swollen right hand that looked more like a water balloon, Osborne said he’d do it all again.  Asked if anyone else was going to help the woman, Osborne said, “Nope. I wish someone else did. I wish the conductor stayed. The conductor didn’t even stay. The train left.”
While riding the No. 3 train Wednesday morning at the Bergen Street station in Park Slope, Osborne said he heard screams from a woman, who investigators said was being sexually assaulted by 40-year-old Alvaro Dennica.
Dennica had been allegedly fondling himself in the last subway car before chasing the victim onto the platform and jumping on top of her, Kozar reported.  Osborne, a fit 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, leaped into action and grabbed Dennica by the collar, as he demonstrated on Kozar during the interview.
“He said he did didn’t do anything,” Osborne said, when asked what the alleged assailant’s reaction was.
Osborne said he continued grabbing the man by his shirt, pulling him all the way up the subway station’s steps and across Flatbush Avenue to the 78th Precinct, where he turned him in to police.
The 28-year-old victim was following close behind and told investigators what had happened, Kozar reported.  The 37-year-old Osborne, who’s living in a shelter in the Bed Stuy section of Brooklyn while studying to become a medical assistant, told Kozar “I like helping people. It makes me feel useful.”
He said he hopes New Yorkers will follow his lead and help one another the next time help is needed.  Dennica was charged with assault and attempted sexual abuse and was being held in lieu of $150,000 bond.
Video of the story at: CBS Local
article via thefeelsnews.wordpress.com

Napa Valley Wine Train CEO Anthony Giaccio Apologizes to Women Escorted Away For #LaughingWhileBlack

By goodblacknews on August 26, 2015

Women from Book Club who were escorted off Napa Valley Wine Train for laughing (Photo via media.nbcbayarea.com)
Women from Sistahs on the Reading Edge Book Club who were escorted off Napa Valley Wine Train (Photo via media.nbcbayarea.com)

Remember that group of women whose story went viral a few days ago because they were kicked off of a Napa Valley Train wine tour for laughing? They’re now getting the apology they deserve from the train’s CEO, Anthony “Tony” Giaccio.
The full statement Giaccio wrote to the members of the Sistahs on the Reading Edge Book Club reads as follows:

The Napa Valley Wine Train was 100 percent wrong in its handling of this issue. We accept full responsibility for our failures and for the chain of events that led to this regrettable treatment of our guests.
Clearly, we knew in advance when we booked your party that you would be loud, fun-loving and boisterous—because you told us during the booking process that you wanted a place where your Club could enjoy each other’s company. Somehow that vital information never made it to the appropriate channels and we failed to seat your group where you could enjoy yourself properly and alert our train’s staff that they should expect a particularly vibrant group.
We were insensitive when we asked you to depart our train by marching you down the aisle past all the other passengers. While that was the safest route for disembarking, it showed a lack of sensitivity on our part that I did not fully conceive of until you explained the humiliation of the experience and how it impacted you and your fellow Book Club members.
We also erred by placing an inaccurate post on our Facebook site that was not reflective of what actually occurred. In the haste to respond to criticism and news inquires, we made a bad situation worse by rushing to answer questions on social media. We quickly removed the inaccurate post, but the harm was done by our erroneous post.
In summary, we were acutely insensitive to you and the members of the Book Club. Please accept my apologies for our many mistakes and failures. We pride ourselves on our hospitality and our desire to please our guests on the Napa Valley Wine Train. In this instance, we failed in every measure of the meaning of good service, respect and hospitality.
I appreciate your recommendation that our staff, which I believe to be among the best, could use additional cultural diversity and sensitivity training. I pledge to make sure that occurs and I plan to participate myself.
As I offered in my conversation with you today, please accept my personal apologies for your experience and the experience of the Book Club members. I would like to invite you and other members to return plus 39 other guests (you can fill an entire car of 50) as my personal guests in a reserved car where you can enjoy yourselves as loudly as you desire.
I want to conclude again by offering my apologies for your terrible experience.

The story caught attention online when Lisa Johnson, a book club member that was one of the women escorted off of the train on Saturday, shared videos and social media posts documenting the incident. Johnson and her friends in the club were highly embarrassed by the incident. Not only were they escorted off by being forced to walk through six train cars, but they were also greeted by police once they got onto the platform.
Despite this apology, Lisa Johnson told MSNBC‘s Thomas Roberts that she will not patronize the Napa Valley Wine Train again.

“No, we don’t accept the apology… In the course of my conversation with Anthony, he was apologizing. And during the course of that apology he said to me, ‘You know it’s really troubling for us that we’re being painted in the media to be something that we are not. And I had to take that in a moment because I said, ‘That’s exactly what you did to us.’ was paint a picture of us in the media of something that we are not…I will never forget my first and last experience on the Napa Wine Train.”

You can watch Johnson’s full interview in the video by clicking here.
original article by Monique John via hellobeautiful.com; additions by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Jasmine Twitty, 25, Becomes Youngest Judge in Easley, South Carolina

By goodblacknews on August 24, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-08-24 at 1.58.16 PM
Images of Jasmine Twitty in court reciting an oath and posing behind the judge’s bench went viral in the last few days when it was noted that the 25-year-old recently became the youngest judge in the history of Easley, South Carolina.
Twitty is an alumna of the College of Charleston and is a member of the Upstate Network Young Professionals Board where she helps improve career development for the youth. Twitty is also the treasurer of the civil rights organization, the Urban League of Upstate.
Major congratulations to Ms. Twitty!
article by Monique John via theyolandaadamsmorningshow.com