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Rapper 2 Chainz Donates 5-Bedroom House to Family Of 11 In Need (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on January 20, 2016
(CREDIT: YouTube)
The profits from 2Chainz’s mega-successful “Dabbin’ Santa” Christmas sweaters is being used for the utmost good. The “Hair Weave Killer” has donated a five bedroom, three bathroom home to a family of 11 through his TRU Foundation.
The TRU (To Reassure U) Foundation is a nonprofit based out of Atlanta which aims to help families living in the Southside of Atlanta and its surrounding areas. 2 Chainz found out about this family in need through a GoFundMe campaign created by Atlanta’s Progression Church, as told in a video posted on Tity Boi’s YouTube Channel. The family, which has nine children including two sets of twins, was living in squalid conditions in a heatless two-bedroom apartment, where they were facing eviction. The father was unable to work due to health conditions.

READ: 2 Chainz Makes $2 Million From “Dabbin’ Santa” Christmas Sweaters; Gives Back to Those in Need

“We ain’t know where we was gonna go,” the family patriarch says. “We was not looking forward to nothing like this. It is way over our head, but we gonna learn how to deal with it. But we thank God for it. … Now we don’t have to cry no more. We don’t have to worry nothin no more.”
2 Chainz, who noted he didn’t want to receive anything from his charitable deed, said that he was looking forward to just helping others who needed it most.
“I’m looking forward to seeing their smiles,” 2 Chainz says. “I’m looking forward to the kids growing up knowing that Uncle 2 Chainz came through. All you gotta do is pray… Keep praying. You gotta have faith. You gotta believe.”
To see the heartwarming video, click below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkUiq0X-ALo&w=560&h=315]
article by J’na Jefferson via vibe.com

University of Cincinnati to Pay $4.85 Million to Family of Samuel DuBose, Who Was Fatally Shot by Police

By goodblacknews on January 19, 2016
(Photo via cbs19.tv)
(Photo via cbs19.tv)

(CNN) The University of Cincinnati will pay $4.85 million to the family of Samuel DuBose, a man fatally shot by a school police officer, the family announced Monday at a press conference.

The school also agreed to set up a memorial to DuBose on campus, invite the family to take part in meetings on police reform and issue a formal apology, a press release from the family said.

The university will pay $4,850,000 to the family and also provide free undergraduate education to DuBose’s 12 children. the statement said. The education is valued about $500,000.

“The family is taking Martin Luther King’s words to heart,” Al Gerhardstein, a lawyer representing the family, said at the press conference, according to CNN afiliate WCPO. “He told us to be peaceful when we are faced with tragedy, and this family has worked peacefully over the last few months to resolve this terrible, terrible tragedy.”

Officer Ray Tensing fatally shot DuBose, 43, during a July 19 traffic stop over an alleged missing license tag.  The officer has said he was forced to fire his weapon after almost being run over. Authorities indicted Tensing on murder and voluntary manslaughter charges, partly because they felt body camera video contradicted his story.

The shooting outraged the African-American community in Cincinnati and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters. DuBose was black and Tensing is white.  “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years. This is the most asinine act I’ve ever seen a police officer make — totally unwarranted,” Deters said in the days after the shooting. “It’s an absolute tragedy in the year 2015 that anyone would behave in this manner. It was senseless.”

Tensing has pleaded not guilty and is free under $1 million bond. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for February 11, according to cincinnati.com.

When asked if the settlement indicated an acknowledgment of guilt from the university, UC attorney Nate Lampley Jr. said to WCPO, “It is an acknowledgment of a tragedy and an attempt to resolve it in a manner that was fair to both sides.”

According to the press release, University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono said, “I want to again express on behalf of the University of Cincinnati community our deepest sadness and regrets at the heartbreaking loss of the life of Samuel DuBose. This agreement is also part of the healing process not only for the family but also for our university and Cincinnati communities.”

article by Ralph Ellis via cnn.com

Ta-Nehisi Coates Earns Nomination for National Book Critics Circle Award

By goodblacknews on January 19, 2016
Ta-Nehisi Coates in 2015. (Photo Credit: Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times)
Ta-Nehisi Coates in 2015. (Photo Credit: Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times)

Ta-Nehisi Coates, already a National Book Award winner for “Between the World and Me,” now has a chance to add a National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism to his mantel. Mr. Coates’s book, a meditation on racism in America written in the form of a letter to his son, joins works by the novelist Lauren Groff, the memoirist and critic Vivian Gornick and the poet Ada Limón among those nominated for the awards.

The awards, determined by a jury of critics and book review editors, honor excellence in six categories – autobiography, biography, criticism, fiction, nonfiction and poetry. The winners will be named on March 17. On Monday, however, the group announced the recipients of its two annual citations: Wendell Berry, an environmentalist, farmer and novelist, won the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, while Carlos Lozada, the nonfiction critic for The Washington Post, captured the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing.

Besides Ms. Groff’s nomination for “Fates and Furies,” the fiction finalists include: Paul Beatty’s “The Sellout,” Valeria Luiselli’s “The Story of My Teeth,” Anthony Marra’s “The Tsar of Love and Techno” and Ottessa Moshfegh’s “Eileen.”

Nominees in other categories follow:

Nonfiction

Mary Beard, “SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome” (Liveright)

Ari Berman, “Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Jill Leovy, “Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America” (Spiegel & Grau)

Sam Quinones, “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic” (Bloomsbury)

Brian Seibert, “What the Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Ambassador Andrew Young Reflects On The Legacy Of MLK | Black America Web

By goodblacknews on January 18, 2016


Ambassador Andrew Young talks to the Tom Joyner Morning Show reflects about his friend, the late Martin Luther King, Jr. How he’s celebrating King Day: ‘I’m at Michigan State which is one of…
READ MORE: Ambassador Andrew Young Reflects On The Legacy Of MLK | Black America Web

Chris Rock Recites James Baldwin During Powerful MLK Day Event In Harlem

By goodblacknews on January 18, 2016
Chris Rock speaks at #MLKNow event (photo via lifestream.com)
Chris Rock speaks at #MLKNow event (photo via lifestream.com)

Chris Rock brought the powerful words of James Baldwin to life Monday during a tribute at the “MLK Now” event in Harlem honoring the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
The program, put together by the Campaign For Black Achievement and Blackout for Human Rights — organizations committed to social justice — took place at Harlem’s Riverside Church, where King delivered his riveting 1967 speech, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence.”
The event attracted a bevy of black Hollywood stars, who celebrated the legacy of King and other black historical icons. Some stars paid tribute through musical performances, like India.Arie, who praised Shirley Chisholm. Others, including Rock, gave powerful recitals.
Rock, who will host the Oscars next month, read the words to Baldwin’s widely praised 1963 letter, “My Dungeon Shook.” Watch Rock’s full performance (he takes the stage around the 1:44 mark) by clicking here.
“Creed” director Ryan Coogler, also the director and a founding member of Blackout for Human Rights, served as moderator for the event and introduced stars on the stage, including Harry Belafonte, Octavia Spencer, Jussie Smollett, Michael B. Jordan and India.Arie.

article by Lilly Workneh via huffingtonpost.com
Landmark Civil Rights Documentary "Eyes on the Prize, Parts I and II" Starts Re-airing Tonight at 9pmEST on WORLD Channel

Landmark Civil Rights Documentary "Eyes on the Prize, Parts I and II" Starts Re-airing Tonight at 9pmEST on WORLD Channel

By goodblacknews on January 17, 2016

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Public television’s WORLD Channel will present the complete Emmy-Award winning Eyes on the Prize I and II starting tonight, January 17, 2016. A 30-minute special feature, Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now, will launch the encore presentation of this historic two-part series and explore its impressive relevance today.

Eyes on the Prize, created by Executive Producer Henry Hampton, is a critically-acclaimed and in-depth documentary series on civil rights in America.  With the current national spotlight on issues of race and inequality—as well as the marking of the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott—the time is right for this series about the nation’s civil rights history to be front and center as part of an essential dialogue.

America continues to struggle with the recurring crisis of race-related violence; Eyes on the Prize I and II can provide perspective for a new generation and be a touchstone for citizens who lived through the decades that the films depict. Journalist and writer Al Letson hosts new introductions to each episode.

“We are elated that this landmark series will once again be broadcast across the country, reaching millions of viewers—many of whom may never have seen the original airing. The series focuses on solutions to the conflicts that we face today.  Eyes on the Prize shows leadership, grass roots organization and personal sacrifice as the recipe that can create lasting change.  It is our hope the television programs together with our comprehensive outreach campaign will spark a national dialogue about this critical topic,” says Judi Hampton, president of Blackside, and sister of the late Henry Hampton (1940-1998).
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The WORLD Channel presentation, made possible with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Ford Foundation, includes Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now, a new, original 30-minute special, which will lead into the premiere January 17 of Eyes on the Prize, setting the groundbreaking documentary series in the context of today.  Narrated by music artist Aloe Blacc, Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now features Eyes on the Prize filmmakers, present-day activists, human rights leaders, and scholars. The special revisits key historical moments and explores commonalities with current national events.

“The WORLD Channel is honored to be presenting this signature series,” says Chris Hastings, Executive Producer of the WORLD Channel. “It’s a history that must be understood.  With Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now, we ask questions and draw comparisons about the struggle to achieve equality today. As conflicts and challenges continue, Eyes on the Prize remains essential viewing for all Americans.”

As part of the initiative, WGBH Education is developing a digital resource collection supporting Eyes on the Prize and civil rights themes in history and social studies curricula, to help the civil rights movement come alive for students today. This collection will be available on PBS LearningMedia in January.

Based at WGBH Boston, the national public media producer, WORLD Channel delivers the best of public television’s original documentary films and news to US audiences through local public television stations, including America ReFramed, AfroPop, POV and Local, USA.  The special Eyes on the Prize presentation also will be made available to all public television stations for local broadcasts (check listings) after the WORLD premiere.

EYES ON THE PRIZE I and II

Almost three decades since its premiere, the groundbreaking series Eyes on the Prize I and II will return to PBS this January.  Eyes on the Prize I will premiere on The WORLD Channel six consecutive Sundays – January 17, 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21 at 9:00 p.m. (EST). Eyes on the Prize II will air eight consecutive Sundays—February 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27, and April 3, 10, 17 at 9:00 p.m. (EST).

Produced by Blackside, Eyes on the Prize tells the definitive story of the Civil Rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today.  This multi-part Academy Award nominated documentary is the winner of numerous Emmy Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, an International Documentary Association Award, and a Television Critics Association Award.

Through contemporary interviews and historical footage, Eyes on the Prize I and II, traces the civil rights movement from the Montgomery bus boycott to the Voting Rights Act; from early acts of individual courage through the flowering of a mass movement and its eventual split into factions.  The late Julian Bond, political leader and civil rights activist, narrates.  Descriptions of each episode follow below:

Desiree Verdejo Opens Vivrant Beauty in Harlem to Offer Black Women Quality and Options They Deserve

By goodblacknews on January 16, 2016
Desiree Verdejo, Owner of Vivrant Beauty. (ISLAND BOI PHOTOGRAPHY)

It was only a year ago that Desiree Verdejo resolved to quit her job as a corporate lawyer and pursue her lifelong dream of opening a beauty retail store. That’s quite a leap –but she took it, and today Verdejo is the owner of one of New York City’s hottest new shops, Vivrant Beauty.
The bright and airy space, which is helping to pioneer Harlem’s big beauty boom, is just a few blocks away from Harlem’s bustling 125th Street and right off the main drag of Fredrick Douglas Boulevard. And while all are welcome, the thoughtfully curated hair, skincare and makeup products have women of color in mind.
Verdejo, who was born and raised in Harlem, was frustrated by the lack of selection and the quality of products offered to black women at the average drug stores and beauty supply stores in the area.
To that end, there are no less than 40 different beauty brands lining the shelves and Vivrant Beauty’s e-commerce website, including the usual suspects like Mario Badescu Skin Care, Davines, and Butter London, as well as lesser-known lines likeYouth To The People, Briogeo, and Stiks Cosmetiks.
“That was the goal,” Verdejo told The Huffington Post. “To have a mix of products that really matched the neighborhood that we’re in — which is super diverse.”
But the 33-year-old says she’s particularly proud of the fact that half of the companies sold at the shop are black owned.
“I don’t think black women are always thought of when it comes to luxury goods — and I think we’re also making products beautifully,” Verdejo said. “So anytime I come across [black beauty brands] I definitely want to consider them and try them. And if they’re done as well as others, then they’re a great fit for the shop.”
Verdejo isn’t alone in her mission to provide black women with a more elevated outlook on beauty. The e-commerce website DooBop.com, which was launched in 2014, has led the way in the movement and more brands are following.
While Vivrant Beauty’s e-commerce business is important to its bottom line, Verdejo wanted to open a brick and mortar location to give customers from near and far a true experience (many women frequently travel from New York’s outer boroughs and New Jersey), where they can touch, feel and learn about the unique products offered.
And if Verdejo’s sage advice, halo of natural curls and glowing brown skin are any indication of that experience and quality of goods she’s pushing, then we’re definitely on board.
We asked the beauty maven to give us a rundown of her favorite products from black-owned brands and why she loves them so much. Here’s the scoop…
1.  Briogeo “Don’t Despair, Repair!’ deep conditioning mask
Vivrant Beauty
“This is a holy-grail deep conditioner when it comes to kinky curls. It’s got rosehip oil and avocado oil and makes hair soft, detangled and shiny. Briogeo makes amazing conditioners for curly hair but this is hands-down the best.”
To buy: Briogeo “Don’t Despair, Repair!’ deep conditioning mask, $26.

2. Cleanse by Lauren Napier facial wipes

Vivrant Beauty
“These face cleansing wipes are must haves for my gym-loving customers and those with busy travel schedules. They’re individually-wrapped and made with premium hydrating ingredients like aloe and cucumber extracts — unlike your drug store wipes — that your skin will love.”
To buy: Cleanse by Lauren Napier facial wipes (box of 12), $18.

3.  Girl + Hair “Under Hair Care” Protective Restoring Balm

Vivrant Beauty
“A black doctor that wanted healthy hair under her hair weaves created this line- and it shows! It’s my go-to when rocking protective styles and my braids and weave loving customers have come back and thanked me for  introducing them to this line.”
To buy: Girl + Hair “Under Hair Care” Protective Restoring Balm, $20.

4.  Perfect Face dual foundation stick by Ashunta Sheriff

Vivrant Beauty
“This dual-ended foundation stick is the perfect item to throw in your purse. Created by celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff, it comes with a lighter and darker shade that makes concealing and contouring quick and easy.”
To buy: Perfect Face dual foundation stick by Ashunta Sheriff, $40.

5.  Ginger + Liz- “Zip Dry” drops

Vivrant Beauty
“Yes, G+ L has the trendiest, vegan nail polish colors but they also have quick dry formula that is absolutely the truth when it comes to a quick and shiny mani.”
To buy: Ginger + Liz- “Zip Dry” drops, $9.50.

6.  Earth’s Nectar “Honey Curls” gel

Vivrant Beauty
“Every curly and kinky girl wants curl definition or a bomb twist-out. No one wants hard hair or flakes. This product is the answer – I promise.”
To buy: Earth’s Nectar “Honey Curls” gel, $23.50.

7.  Oui Shave “Charlotte” set with razor and Neroli shave oil

Vivrant Beauty
“You’ll buy this luxe gilded shave kit that replaces your shave cream with an organic shave oil. And then you’ll buy one for a friend because a purple plastic razor just won’t make sense to you anymore.”
To buy: Oui Shave “Charlotte” set with razor and Neroli shave oil, $48.
article by Julee Wilson via huffingtonpost.com

Cher Donates Supply of Fresh Water to Flint, Michigan Residents

By goodblacknews on January 16, 2016

Cher (photo via hollywoodreporter.com)
Cher (photo via hollywoodreporter.com)

Cher announced today that with the help of Icelandic Glacial™, she is donating 181,440 bottles of water to the  people of Flint, Michigan.

After reading about the catastrophic situation in Flint, a city of 100,000 people who are predominately African-American and have not had clean water in over a year, Cher contacted her friend Brad Horwitz, an investor in Icelandic Glacial. Horwitz contacted the company’s Chairman and Co-Founder, Jon Olafsson, about Cher’s desire to purchase water for Flint’s residents. Icelandic Glacial committed to doubling Cher’s purchase which is being trucked in to Michigan beginning Monday, January 18th.

The water will reach The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan (www.fbem.org.) beginning Wednesday, January 20. FBEM will immediately begin the distribution process to those who need it most for drinking, cooking and washing. The water will go directly to community centers, food banks and fire houses focusing in on low-income housing areas where 40% of Flint’s population is living below the poverty line. The bottles, once finished, will return to the food banks and will be recycled with money raised going right back into the food banks.

Cher has been an outspoken critic of the state’s lack of response and commitment to Flint while children were being poisoned by the toxic water through her Instagram and Twitter accounts for the last several weeks.

“This a tragedy of staggering proportion and shocking that it’s happening in the middle of our country. I am so grateful that Icelandic Glacial has come on-board to help the city of Flint.  I cannot wait for the water to get there to help these people who have been poisoned because the water they’ve been getting out of their taps has been polluted for so long and remains that way without the state or the federal government stepping in with any substantial plan to resolve this problem,” Cher said.

“We are humbled and honored to help the people of Flint get through this crisis,” said Jon Olafsson. “Together with Cher, we also hope to raise awareness to help get the families of Flint the assistance they need during this difficult time.”

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

Jussie Smollett to Host 8th Season of "AfroPop" Television Series Premiering on MLK Day

By goodblacknews on January 16, 2016

 Jussie Smollett will host the eighth season of the public television show AfroPoP: The Ultimate Exchange. The star of the hit FOX TV show Empire will emcee the popular show about contemporary art, life and culture across the African Diaspora as it premieres on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 18, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on WORLD Channel.

New episodes premiere weekly through February 15. AfroPoP is produced by National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) and co-presented by American Public Television (APT), which distributes the series to the full public television system in February 2016.

Smollett will also be seen in the new WGN thriller Underground in 2016. The acclaimed entertainer is also involved in numerous humanitarian pursuits, sitting on the boards of the Black AIDS Institute, Artists for a New South Africa and the RuJohn Foundation. 

Previous hosts of AfroPoP include Idris Elba, Anika Noni Rose, Wyatt Cenac, Gabourey Sidibe, Anthony Mackie and Yaya DaCosta.

“AfroPoP’s engaging, real-life tales add to the collection of rich Black stories that audiences are clamoring for and I wanted to be a part of bringing them to national attention,” said Smollett.

Kendrick Lamar to Receive the Key to Compton in February

By goodblacknews on January 15, 2016
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Kendrick Lamar (photo: BENNETT RAGLIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR POWER 105.1’S POWERHOUSE 2015)

Kendrick Lamar never forgets where he came from and is always giving props to Compton, California. Whether it’s through his community-service endeavors or always recognizing Compton in his songs, Lamar will remind you he’s Compton-proud every chance he gets. And now the city is showing how proud it is of him.

Compton Mayor Aja Brown announced on Twitter that Lamar will be given the key to the city. Brown expressed how the rapper inspires everyone in Compton and shared positive sentiments about him:
Lamar will receive the key to the city just two days before the Grammys, where he garnered 11 nominations for “To Pimp A Butterfly.”
article by Yesha Callahan via theroot.com