ST. PETERS, Mo. — The four-bedroom, two-story modest house sits on a corner in this planned bedroom community, and when this 6-6 muscular-toned man welcomes you inside his home, there is no evidence Darryl Strawberry the player ever existed.
There are no pictures of Strawberry in a baseball uniform. No trophies. No plaques. None of his four World Series rings. Nothing from his eight All-Star Games. None of his 335 home run balls.
“I got rid of it all. I was never attached to none of that stuff,” says Strawberry, 51, wearing a North Carolina jersey with Michael Jordan’s No. 23. “I don’t want it. It’s not part of my life anymore.” Darryl Strawberry, the former outfield great, is no longer. Darryl Strawberry, the ordained minister in this town 30 miles west of St. Louis, is very much alive.
“I’m over ‘Strawberry,’ ” he tells USA TODAY Sports. “I’m over Mets. I’m over Yankees. I don’t want to exist as Darryl Strawberry, the baseball player. “People don’t understand that’s no longer you. I’m not a baseball player, anymore. That person is dead.”
Good Black News
New York, NY – July 15, 2013 – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today the special FRUITVALE STATION: The Story of Oscar Grant, a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, will premiere exclusively on BET Networks on Monday, July 15, 2013 from 7:30 – 8:00 P.M. ET/PT. The special will also re-air on CENTRIC on Friday, July 19 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The full-length film opened to limited release on July 12, 2013 to rave reviews and tremendous box office success, and tells the real-life story of Oscar Grant played by rising star Michael B. Jordan. Monday’s making-of special will trace the remarkable journey of this film from production to Sundance to Cannes and now in theaters across the country. TWC is proud to collaborate with BET who has championed this film from its very beginning starting with the Sundance Film Festival. BET recognized early on the importance of director Ryan Coogler’s feature debut film and the significance of Oscar Grant’s story. They have shown tremendous support for the film including – the BET Experience screening in late June, featuring the film and its star Michael B. Jordan at the BET Awards earlier this month, partnering with TWC on the film’s New York premiere on July 8th, and online features onBET.com.
article via deadline.com
Compton, Calif. has elected Aja Brown as its newest mayor. The 31-year-old urban planner beat former mayor Omar Bradley in a runoff mayoral election. She’s the youngest mayor in Compton’s history and is determined to make progress in the city. “I believe the people of Compton are ready for change,” she said after being elected in June. “They’ve spoken. Their voice has clearly been heard that they don’t want to go backward. They want to go forward.”
The University of Southern California alumna is not taking her new position lightly. Her top priorities include reducing crime, balancing the budget and improving Compton’s image. In a recent interview she addressed her priorities as follows:
“I think the City of Compton has suffered for quite some time from the lack of innovative policies, really collaborative efforts with the federal, state and regional elected officials and government agencies. Compton has been on an island fiscally so I look forward to really collaborating in order to move our visions forward: to go back to basics, to implement strategic plans, capital improvements plans that really lay out the infrastructure improvements in our community. My heart is really in building coalitions. The city of Compton has over 200 churches, 100 non-profits, small business communities and really large corporations and so we have an opportunity to really bridge the gap between those sectors and be able to provide a higher level of service to our residents.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_W7Bjd1ADg&w=560&h=315]
LANCASTER, Pa. — Police in Pennsylvania say a 5-year-old girl was abducted while playing in her yard, but found safe two hours later after two boys spotted her in a car. Investigators are seeking the suspect, who drove off. It happened around 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Lancaster Township just outside the city of Lancaster. Police say that’s when Jocelyn Rojas was reported missing.
Two hours later, as police and fire crews scoured the area, police in nearby Manheim Township say two teenage boys, Temar Boggs (pictured) and his friend, Chris, spotted a girl matching Rojas’ description inside a car. They began following the vehicle on their bicycles and police say the male driver eventually stopped and let the girl out before driving off.
“As soon as the guy realized we were chasing him, he stopped at the light and he let her out,” said Boggs. “And she ran to me and said she needed her mom.” The girl’s mother told ABC affiliate WPVI-TV that she’s happy her daughter was found safe. “I’m definitely grateful God was watching over her and brought her home,” said Jaimee Smeal.
Police said an assault occurred while the girl was with her abductor, but would not release information on the type of assault. They also said the suspect did take the victim to get ice cream. It may take some time for the girl to help law enforcement officials figure out what happened during her two hours of abduction because of her age. She was briefly hospitalized after being rescued and is now home with her family.
The small community where the abduction took place is praising the boys’ bravery for tracking down the vehicle. “I believe it took courage for them to follow the car,” said Manheim-Lancaster Township Police Chief Neil Harkins, referring to the teenage boys. “The girl is here with us today.” The cops are speaking to a person of interest in connection to the abduction, but have not named a suspect or filed any charges.
article via newsone.com
In New York City on Sunday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators faced temperatures that nearly hit 90 degrees to gather in Union Square for a “Justice 4 Trayvon” rally. “This is a show of strength, but it’s also a show of solidarity with the family because last night, what happened, was complete disrespect to them,” said Imani Henry, an activist with the People’s Power Assembly. “We want to show love and respect to them.”
Some in the crowd said they were still in shock over the verdict. “I’ve been speechless all night, I couldn’t sleep,” said Kelly Knight, a Brooklyn resident who came for the protest. “I have a young daughter, and I thought, if it happened to him, it could happen to her,” she said.
Local churches across the country were also organizing rallies and urging supporters to wear hoodies in honor of Martin, who was wearing a black hoodie when Zimmerman shot him in the chest on Feb. 26, 2012. Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self-defense after the teen attacked him.
In Sanford, Fla., where the shooting took place, demonstrators continued to hold rallies well into Sunday evening. Along with expressing solidarity with Martin, many held signs calling for an end to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows people fearing for their lives to use deadly force if they believe their lives are at risk.
In the Florida state capital of Tallahassee on Sunday, roughly 200 protesters, some wearing hoodies, sang songs of justice and carried signs that said “Racism is Not Dead.”
Read More: Marches, rallies follow Zimmerman acquittal.
And the competition was stiff. The Models 1+ Instagram Competition was conducted specifically for Models 1+, the plus-size section of the agency, after a similar model search was done last year for the “straight-size” girls. But this year, the agency was flooded with entries: 5,600 entries (in the form of selfies) were posted on Instagram, 3,000 more entries than the straight-size competition in 2012.
And Charles, a 20-year-old model, came out on top. At 5 feet 10 inches tall and a size 16, Charles previously won Ms. Curvaceous UK in 2012, another plus-size modeling competition, and has reportedly worked for smaller designers. But her win, which comes with major agency representation, should put her on the map, hopefully gaining her recognition similar to Robyn Lawley (who became Ralph Lauren’s first-ever plus-size model this year).
“My dream is to be the face of clothing brand with a high reputation which is respected worldwide. Someone like Gucci or Prada,” said Charles. She might just make it, especially with the power of social media. It’s fitting that Charles’ win came via Instagram — Charles, like many younger models today, is all over Twitter and Instagram.
article via huffingtonpost.com
“Obviously, we had no idea of what would be going on at the time we dated the movie, but it’s very topical,” said Weinstein distribution topper Erik Lomis, referring to Saturday’s acquittal of Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watchman, in Sanford, Fla. “It’s hard to watch this film and not be moved,” Lomis added.
Fruitvale Station is based on the true story of Oscar Grant, a young African-American man in Oakland, who was shot and killed by a BART police officer in 2009. The film, which stars Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer, sold out Friday night and Saturday evening screenings at the Oakland location, as well as at the Arclight Hollywood and the Angelika in New York.
Fruitvale Station is based on the true story of Oscar Grant, a young African-American man in Oakland, who was shot and killed by a BART police officer in 2009. The film, which stars Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer, sold out Friday night and Saturday evening screenings at the Oakland location, as well as at the Arclight Hollywood and the Angelika in New York.
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department says it is looking into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin to determine whether federal prosecutors should file criminal civil rights charges now that George Zimmerman has been acquitted in the state case. The department opened an investigation into Martin’s death last year but stepped aside to allow the state prosecution to proceed.
In a statement Sunday, the Justice Department said the criminal section of the civil rights division, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Florida are continuing to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal probe, in addition to the evidence and testimony from the state trial. The statement said that, in the government’s words, “experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation.”
article via huffingtonpost.com
article via huffingtonpost.com
It seems impossible that anyone may not know only hours ago George Zimmerman was found not guilty and cleared of all charges in the Trayvon Martin trial held in Florida. Is seems impossible that anyone may not react with sadness, anger, disbelief, or any combination of the three. It also seems impossible to know what to do in this moment that would counteract this miscarriage of justice and continued devaluation of the humanity of young black men in America. But if we consider the basics of what we know about Trayvon Martin, we can honor him by following his example and setting our own:
1. Act lawfully – no rioting or lashing out in anger – only defend yourself when you need to. Refuse to reduce yourself to prejudice and unprovoked violence. Both are the refuge of the cowardly and weak.
2. Get proactive. Write, email and tweet your local, state and federal officials and representatives and let them know you consider this verdict a travesty and want them to publicly make a statement saying as much.
3. Join the NAACP’s movement to get the Department of Justice to file civil charges against Zimmerman by clicking here or here at moveon.org and signing the petition and share the link immediately on all your social media.
4. Urge every Floridian you know to clamor for the repeal of Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law by contacting their state and federal representatives.
5. Vote. In every local, state and federal election. Use your voice to make policy and change policy.
6. Go see “Fruitvale Station” if it is playing in your town this weekend, or flood the theaters on July 26th when it opens wide. Make this movie number one. Show America with your dollars that taking the lives of black men simply for being black men demeans us all as human beings and will not be tolerated any longer.
7. Emmett Till. Medgar Evers. Martin Luther King Jr. Oscar Grant. Trayvon Martin… and countless, nameless others. Teach the history. NEVER FORGET. 
by Lori Lakin Hutcherson, Good Black News Editor-in-Chief
Flori Roberts Cosmetics makeup artist demonstrating products to women, Los Angeles, 1970. Source: Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive, UCLA Library. (http://blackhistoryalbum.tumblr.com)