Monthly Archives: June 2022

The Black Lives Matters national group has a new executive to deal with its financial scandal: a woman whos bungled her own finances.

Cicley Gay, 44, a non-profit advisor and flack named chair of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in April, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2005, 2013 and 2016, federal court records show.

Her most recent filing, from August 2016, showed Gay had more than $120,000 in debts, including owing $55,000 in student loans from her time studying at Liberty University in Virginia and the University of Kansas and more than $18,000 for leasing a Lincoln MKZ sedan.

She also claimed to have $7,000 in medical expenses and owed $8,000 to two Christian schools, according to the records.

The Atlanta-based consultant had to submit to court-mandated courses on managing her money, the filings indicate, and she completed one course on Dec. 15, 2016.

But a Georgia federal judge tossed out Gays 2013 application for protection because she failed to pay the courts administrative fee of $306.

And Gay answered No when asked if she had registered a business within four years of filing for bankruptcy in 2016, according to the documents but Georgia state records show that in October 2015 she founded The Amplifiers, a public relations and consulting firm.

Gay was able to get most of her debts discharged in 2017, the bankruptcy records state, though its unclear under what terms.

The executive has spent more than 20 years advising non-profits, according to her LinkedIn profile, which claims she is skilled in grant allocations for charities.

Her hiring comes as BLM faces heat over its spending.

The organizations most recent federal tax filing showed it splurged on luxury homes, purchasing two sprawling mansions, in Los Angeles and Toronto, for about $12 million total, while doling out big bucks to a co-founders family members.

The group currently has more than $43 million in assets, according to its 2020 fiscal year filing, which covers July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

No one expected the foundation to grow at this pace and to this scale, Gay said in a statement earlier this month.

Now, we are taking time to build efficient infrastructure to run the largest Black, abolitionist, philanthropic organization to ever exist in the United States.

Gay, who is one of three new board members, is also a partner in the Atlanta-based consulting firm The Media Brand, which she incorporated with a partner in 2020, according to Georgia state business records.

She doesnt list the company on her LinkedIn page.

Gay, named one of Georgias 40 Under 40 entrepreneurs in 2017, worked for the NAACP legal and education fund and The Amplifiers, among other companies, the page says. The Amplifiers was dissolved on August 24, 2017, according to the state records.

BLM did not respond to emails seeking comment.

I am so proud of the work Ive done to support my children and build a better life for them as a single mother, said Gay in a written statement after The Post asked for comment.

In addition to engaging in a thorough vetting process, the Foundation recognized that I not only bring 20 years of extensive professional non-profit experience to the board, but I also bring personal experiences that mirror those of the people we are trying to serve.That is the work of the foundation to break down systemic barriers to living full livesby providing the insights, tools and supports necessary for Black people to thrive.

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New BLM head Cicley Gay has filed for personal bankruptcy three times - New York Post

Since Nov. 20, 2021, Rev. Corey B. Brooks has been living on a roof on the South Side of Chicago. He wont come down until he gets $35 million in donations to build a new 84,000-square-foot community center across from his New Beginnings Church, which he established 20 years ago as a place of worship where local youths can get an education and train for jobs. A leader in the fight against violence on Chicagos South Side for almost three decades, Brooks, 53, had hoped that Black Lives Matter, which took in $66 million in donations following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, would help him with some funding. But though he reached out to the group, he said he never got a response. Here, Brooks tells The Posts Dana Kennedy his story

Im living up on the roof to bring attention and awareness to the violence that is so commonplace in Chicago. I want people to know what goes on here.

I stay up here 24/7. I make phone calls. I sleep in a tent, and I do pretty much everything by Zoom. I have a babys bathtub that I fill with water to clean myself. I use a five-gallon paint bucket with trash can liners to relieve myself. For food we either have restaurants who donate or we order from UberEats. I get by in the cold months by layering up but it feels like the Arctic up here in the winter.

Were fighting to change the mindset. We are about making people take responsibility for their actions and not blame others. I also hope to bring in some money so that we can build a community center here across the street from the church.

Were up against a lot in our immediate area. First of all, a bad education system. The elementary school has a 4% reading proficiency level, a 6% math proficiency level. So we get a lot of young men who are growing up but cant read and so when they get to ninth grade they drop out because theyre so frustrated. Secondly, we have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country in our area, especially among young black males. Then when you add the fact that we have so many gangs from block to block those issues compound. Were dealing with the Gangster Disciples, the Black Disciples and the Black P Stones among others.

Ninety children have been shot this year alone in Chicago. Over 25 of them have been killed. Its tough for a lot of these mothers, especially the single mothers who are trying to do the best they can to raise their children in such a violent environment. The stress these families are experiencing is overwhelming.

I would never walk around here at night. You could be mistaken for a gang member and shot. But since weve been here, weve been able to get rid of a motel that had sex trafficking and drugs. Weve been able to get people hundreds if not thousands of jobs.

Back in 2000, we first found the building for our church and it was a torn-up skating rink called Route 66 that had been used for skating parties and raves. The building was pretty much demolished and was a big piece of junk. We bought it and renovated it and put $5 million into it. We started a church that was contemporary, credible and creative, in a community that had a lot of needs.

Now, we have a charter school for 16 to 21 year olds whove been kicked out of Chicago public schools. Weve got them engaged in education and we get them to graduate. We also have a trade school. We offer mentoring and counseling. We have a wellness component and we also have a violence prevention team of 15 full-time employees who work in our neighborhood.

We need another building because we have a construction program where we recruit men and women in gangs or who have been marginalized or are just re-entering society from prison. We train them and then we give them jobs. We have trained over 160 people so far with an 80% job placement rate. We just had our first all womens electrician class! So were doing a lot of great work. We just need more space.

This new building will house all our programs, including our trade, school and entrepreneurial programs. So far weve raised $12 million about 80 percent of which has come from small donors across America with the rest coming from Chicago and corporate donors. People can donate to the Get Pastor Brooks Off the Roof fund.

Thats a result of me living on the roof for 170 days. Ive only come down once to visit my mother, Evelyn Wyatt, in Indiana where she was dying of cancer. I stayed with her the last three weeks of her life and then came back up to the roof.

Weve had CEOs from around the country come to stay with us including the CEO of the McCormick Foundation. Weve invited the mayor of Chicago so hopefully, shes gonna be here. We invited Eric Adams when he came to town but his schedule didnt allow him to come over. There are no bathrooms up here but when people come to stay we tell them, were giving you a pot and a cot.

Ive always kept my politics to myself. For the first 14 years with my church I never even really thought about politics at all. And it wasnt until six years ago, that I finally told people I was a Republican. Ive been a Republican since I was 20.

(Then-Mayor) Rahm Emanuel was all for me until he found out I was a conservative. He tried to shut down everything we were trying to do. So we decided that we werent going to depend on the government for anything and stopped asking. Were out on our own trying to find people who arent worried about our political affiliation. But we definitely have been ostracized for our conservative views.

At the end of 2020, I emailed the director of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation for the first time on the website where it says you can apply for donations. I kept emailing and asking: How do you go about trying to get funds for your organization from Black Lives Matter? I kept waiting for a human response or any response at all. I tried again in the summer of 2021. I never heard anything back from anyone.

We were going to try a third time when we started hearing about all the problems they were having. My attorney and I looked into the possibility of taking over the organization but one of the biggest obstacles we encountered was that there was literally no one at the helm of it. There was no infrastructure.

Theres a Black Lives Matter chapter in Chicago but theyre like a secret. Nobody has seen them do any work for the community or has any data or has heard anything about them. So if they exist its only on paper.

It makes me angry honestly, that people who supported Black Lives Matter were abused by an organization who gave money to people or organizations that arent doing any of the work needed in our communities. Whenever people profit off black pain for their own gain that makes me angry. Ive been saying for a long time that Black Lives Matter doesnt benefit the black community in any way.

Whenever people profit off black pain for their own gain that makes me angry.

My goal was to stay here until we raised all the money needed to build the center. I still feel that way. But I must admit that it is starting to wear and tear on me physically. At least its almost summer and not so cold. So Im going to continue to stay as long as I possibly can. And hopefully that will not be much longer.

The block where our church is located is called O Block, after a young man who was shot and killed here. His name was Odee Perry. He was a member of the The Black Disciples gang, and the gang picked up the O in his name and started calling it O Block. Since I got here, I decided were going to keep the O, but were going to make it mean O for opportunity, the Opportunity Block.

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Chicago pastor: I live on a roof to raise cash for black youthsbut BLM wont help - New York Post

Former Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity returned to Britain's Got Talent to address the controversy and thank supporters following their powerful Black Lives Matter performance in 2020. The routine, which portrayed the death of George Floyd in America and the protests that followed, featured dancer, choreographer and BGT guest judge Ashley Banjo having his neck knelt on by a white police officer and the group taking the knee in a statement against racism.

The performance was accused by viewers of taking a political stance during a flagship family entertainment show and became one of the most complained about TV moments. ITV stood by its broadcast of the dance, which garnered around 24,500 complaints to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom.

Tonight (Wednesday) Diversity were back with another spellbinding performance about social media and connectivity during the third Britain's Got Talent semi-final show. And they took the knee again as a flashback scene and headlines about their much-talked-about Black Lives Matter routine were flashed on a big screen and rain poured down.

READ MORE: ITV Britain's Got Talent in 'weird start' as Simon leaves judging panel in row with David Walliams over dance act

A voiceover said: "Exposure to this type of connection can cause your entire outlook to change. It fills you with hope and joy. Sometimes it fills you with struggle and pain.

"You know what I've learned, you can't be angry at the rain. It simply doesn't known how to fall upwards this rain and sometimes people love you, sometimes they complain. You stand by what you believe in if you want to make change. Nothing but love for those that stood by our name."

@Sprincey1968 praised on Twitter: "Yet again another outstanding performance from @Diversity_Tweet. So glad they did a throwback to that performance where there was loads of totally stupid complaints. Keep on telling it like it is #BGT." @Alex05923602 wrote: "Big up Diversity for not changing their stance." @KiranLadva wrote: "Diversity are the best act to have ever walked out of Britains Got Talent - no arguments." And @dudeitsdivya wrote: "People who find Diversity boring or annoying for speaking out on race issues have the privilege of not having to worry about these issues in the first place #BGT so glad they stood their ground.

An ITV spokesman said at the time about their 2020 routine: "Britain's Got Talent has always been an inclusive show, which showcases diversity and supports strong storytelling in all forms and ITV stands behind the decision to broadcast Diversity's performance on BGT.

"Ashley and the group are a great example of the talent, creativity and diversity of modern Britain and their performance was an authentic, heartfelt response to many of the issues and events which have affected society in 2020."

Sharing examples of some of the vile comments he'd received, Ashley told his followers on Instagram: "No I dont mean 'criticism'... I mean 'Racism.' I mean hate ... I mean the very thing that makes every single second of that performance and every single complaint worth it."

Explaining the concept behind the performance, he said it was meant to round-up an extraordinary year including COVID-19, lockdown, the NHS and the spotlight shone on racism with the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed.

"Hindsight 2020 that is what the performance was about," he said. "It was something we wanted to bring to the stage to give people hope, not to shy away from the difficult conversations."

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Diversity return to Britain's Got Talent to take the knee again - Manchester Evening News

The seven-member band from South Korea doesn't shy away from speaking on social causes and is involved in multiple charitable causes. On Tuesday, they came together with the White House to raise the issue of crime against Asian-Americans

BTS band members, J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin and Jimin , with US president Joe Biden at the White House. Image Courtesy: @bts_bighit/Twitter

The K-Wave was prevalent in the White House on Tuesday when BTS, South Koreas biggest pop sensation, met with President Joe Biden.

The band members J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin and Jimin werent at the White House to show their dynamite moves, but to discuss the very serious issue of crime and intolerance against Asian-Americans that has persisted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The bands visit to Pennsylvania Avenue coincided with the last day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

A video, which has now received more 11 lakh likes, shared by the White House on Instagram shows the pop sensations meeting up with President Joe Biden, stating, Its an honour to meet you Mr President as the boys walk up to Biden in crisp black suits.

US president Joe Biden is heard saying, A lot of our Asian-American friends have been subject to real discrimination. Hate only hides, when good people talk about it, and say how bad it is, it goes down. So thank you.

Prior to their meeting with the US president, BTS had a press briefing with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Korean band BTS appears at the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing of the White House in Washington, as they visit to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination. AFP

Speaking to the press through an interpreter, Suga said, Its not wrong to be different. Equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences.

Another member, V, added, We hope today is one step forward to understanding and respecting each and every one as a valuable person.

While the scene at the White House on Tuesday was that of fun, the issue that brought the group to the White House was not. The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination since 2020 has included the March 2021 killing of eight people at Atlanta-area massage businesses, including six women of Asian descent.

Anti-Asian sentiment and violence in America have grown during the coronavirus pandemic in a phenomenon many blame on fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Just in 2021, hate crimes against Asians shot up 339 per cent, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

The South Korean sensations have been lauded for this effort, but its not their first. Through their careers, the band has had long-time involvement in charitable causes and have spread messages of hope and positivity worldwide.

The band has never been shy to speak about current social issues. Over the years, BTS has built a reputation as being one of the most socially conscious groups across the world. Their lyrics have touched on subjects such as mental health, consumerism and the education system.

BTS at the UNGA

In 2021, BTS delivered a thoughtful speech and then performed their hit single Permission To Dance at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, after they were appointed as the Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture.

BTS addressing the youth said, We think that instead of the lost generation, a more appropriate name would be the welcome generation. Because instead of fearing change, this generation says, Welcome! and keeps forging ahead, they said.

They also mentioned the importance of getting vaccinated and closed the speech on a hopeful note.

We think the day we can meet again face to face is not far away. We believe that every choice we make is the beginning of change. We hope that in this nascent new world we can all say to each other, Welcome! they said.

UNICEFs Love Myself campaign

In 2017, the band joined forces with UNICEF to promote LOVE MYSELF an anti-violence campaign working to create a safer world so young people can live happier lives, without living in fear of violence.

It not only donated proceeds of their album to the cause, but also inspired their fans, known as the ARMY, to pitch in. As of November 2018, the campaign had officially raised $1.4 million in total for the cause.

Black Lives Matter

The seven men from South Korea also extended their lending hand during the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020. America was witnessing massive protests and violence in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd with community members and activists demanding for justice.

It was then that the seven of them donated $1 million to the organisation.

Kailee Scales, managing director for Black Lives Matter, had reacted to the news, We are moved by the generosity of BTS and allies all over the world who stand in solidarity in the fight for Black lives.

Inspired by the groups action, the BTS Army set a #MatchAMillion goal and made it happen with donations to BLM that surpassed $1 million.

Adopting animals

In December 2018, the Korean Animal Welfare Association announced that Jin had made a birthday donation for animals in need. He had made a personal donation of 322 kg worth of pet food to the shelter.

Donating to Sewol Ferry victims

The group and their label donated $100 million Korean won (approximately $85,000) to the Sewol Ferry Disaster 416 Family Council in 2017, according to Soompi.

The move came following the devastating death of 250 students who drowned after the MV Sewol ferry capsized during a school trip in South Korea.

While this isnt an exhaustive list of all their donations, it clearly shows that the boys have their hearts in the right place and only want to bring about a positive change.

Rock on, BTS, rock on!

With inputs from agencies

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From anti-Asian hate to Black Lives Matter, how South Korean band BTS has spoken up for the right causes - Firstpost

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Photo c/o St. Pete Pride

Tampa Leigh represents Blaque/OUT Magazin. a monthly digital publication that firmly centers Black and Brown Queer qulture worldwide.

Intersectionality became my life and was fated to also be my work. I am a native New Yorker, where LGBTQ+ laws and protections are groundbreaking on paper but not so profound in practice. Where just like the South or the West or anywhere in between, being Black as well as being Queer can get you killed.

I came to my new home armed with experience, passion and purpose. I was ready to take on my new Floridian world and to be entirely honest, St. Pete Pride. I had turned several other Prides and organizations. I, along with a team of dedicated staff and determined volunteers were able to change the look of entertainment, of staff, of the color of the people at the table. We had made the orgs we interacted with, for the most part, Blacker, broader, less cis and less male focused. I was determined that the same could happen in St. Pete. Each time we can make the big, queer world big enough to fit everyone, we make the world a better place.

Generally speaking, its easy when you are the big fish in the small pond to take up all the air, resources and recognition in the room. St. Pete Pride had intentionally or unintentionally done that for many years. But its often less malice and more lack of intentionality that causes such oversight and exclusion. I was actually told at one point last year that there were no people or programs that supported, represented or served the QTPOC community in this area. Over the last year I was honored and grateful to learn that wasnt true. As is everywhere, there are endless Black and Brown folks fearlessly doing the work to make that big queer world big enough to fit us all. Id like to introduce a few.

It matters. Who is at the table always matters.

It matters. Who is at the table always matters. Each of us carries blind-spots and without full representation in every space, something always goes unseen. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work must come with overwhelming humility, the ability to name and acknowledge what you havent done and a sincere, fearless willingness to make it right. That must come even in the face of opposition, misunderstanding and embarrassment. For those who step in first to integrate that school, to come out in a crowd, to fight that legislation.... to take that seat, must do so fearlessly and in our community and working to embody the principles of our ancestors with grit and grace. Look them up, support their visions and if your party, panel, presentation or event that centers Queerness doesnt include one or all of themyou didnt try hard enough.

The corner St. Pete Pride is turning is long overdue. The letting go of we dont see color" and the adopting of celebrating, commemorating and uplifting a profound, important and inherently unique Black Queer qulture is a new one. This year St. Pete Pride will feature Ballroom (think POSE), one of the pillars of Black Queer qulture. There will be the first-ever official Juneteenth celebration to highlight Black, Queer history and a party to celebrate and honor Black Queer Woman in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Black Lesbians group.

Im proud to have played even a small part in that and I look forward to a future where its a conversation we no longer even need to have because its just what St. Pete Pride is. But even the baby steps matter. There is too much fighting that needs to be done in this state to be living in division. No one is free, until we are all free. And I hope to hear Black Lives Matter being shouted just as loudly as We Say Gay this Pride parade. May St. Pete Pride one day be the organization leading both of those chants.

BlaQQueer Unity Council Orgs & Members

Rocky Butler 9 Colors InitiativeThe 9 Colors Initiative supports youth by empowering the community through unity. Currently operating as a referral agent and community advocate for the LGBTQ community we strive to ensure equality, wholeness, & community engagement.

DeAndre Yummy BrownYummy translated his joy of dance into a storied career that has stretched 15+ years. Browns mastery of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Lyrical, Vogue, Hip-Hop and other forms of dance were cultivated as a student at institutions such as The University of the Arts. Cultural-based training in churches and organizations like Hype Elite, YCDT with Traci Young-Byron, Iconic House of Ninja and Iconic House of Prodigy only served to enrich his style, versatility and range. In the next ascension of DeAndres dance life, he stepped into his most recent form of artistry within the Black Queer Ballroom scene. Browns passion for showcasing his art and educating at a worldwide level just fuels his quest for bigger and more transformative stages.

Cadin Small, Choya Randolph, Dominique Euzebe, Quin Killiings, Brook Carter The Blunt Space Incorporated A nonprofit corporation and media hub for art, advocacy, and culture. We aim to be a safe haven and provide resources to marginalized voices within the arts! Writers, Poets, Advocates, Journalists, Dreamers, Creators and Revolutionaries. They see the Council as an opportunity to truly be unified on one front about the events and initiatives that advocate for the intersectional identities of being Black and Queer. It means organizing, supporting, and communicating with one another to better serve the community we hold close to all of our hearts! Tamara LeighBlaque/OUT Magazine, Blaque/OUT Consulting & Tampa Bay Black Lesbians Blaque/OUT Magazine is a monthly digital publication that firmly centers Black and Brown Queer qulture worldwide. Blaque/OUT Consulting provides workshops, trainings, process and procedure evaluation and education for schools, businesses and orgs around creating safe spaces and understanding intersectionality. Tampa Bay Black Lesbians is a safe community space to build relationships, create and attend events with other Black Queer women in TB, Pinellas County and surrounding areas. You can find the group on FB, IG and TikTok.

Antonio MilesEvolve Tampa BayA passionate educator and sexual health advocate. He is also the proud Executive Director of EVOLVE Tampa Bay; Tampas unique non-profit organization, that provides empowering monthly events that uplift Black and Brown same-gender loving men. His work also reaches into the field of sexual health care, as the Program Manager for Positively U, Inc, a non-profit the focuses reducing the rates of HIV and other STIs through education, advocacy and care. Antonio, is laser-focused on creating connections across the bay area that foster creative, safe and affirming spaces for queer people of color.

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At St. Pete Pride 2022, I hope to hear 'Black Lives Matter' being shouted just as loudly as 'We Say Gay' - Creative Loafing Tampa

STAUNTON, VA, June 02, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ Black Lives Matter protestors gathered outside of the Augusta County Sheriffs Office for nearly three months last summer in response to two police shootings in two weeks. For several weeks the police ignored the protestors who were permitted to protest without interference by the police, until reading explicit chat logs from the Sheriffs close friends child sex solicitation arrest, which was immediately followed by the sheriff ordering arrests. Each protestor who dared to speak out about the Sheriffs corruption found themselves in handcuffs.

I have never seen a case this ridiculous in my decades of practicing law. Ive never seen a prosecutor move to disallow a defendant to call any witnesses, said Amina Matheny-Willard, Counsel for the Accused, Owner and Managing Director of Amina Law. However, I have seen all too often the root cause of the cancer infecting the Augusta County Sheriff and Commonwealth Attorneys offices. Its a culture and practice of white supremacy and targeted acts of violence to assert and maintain dominance. It has absolutely no place in American policing.

On Friday June 3, 2022, the protestors will each stand trial in the Augusta County General District Court. Each of the protestors have plead Not Guilty and plan to fight the charges on June 3rd. The protestors will introduce evidence that the Augusta County Sheriff regularly uses racial epithets, that he lied to federal agents, and that he hid his close friend from arrest on drug distribution charges. Current and former police officers familiar with the Sheriffs corruption will testify at the trial. The Commonwealth fought to keep the Defense from calling any witnesses, fearing that the Sheriff might be embarrassed. A judge has already ruled that Defense witnesses must appear at trial.

I was arrested and jailed for saying a curse word but in fact I was arrested and jailed because I had the nerve to ask questions about the sheriffs association with a convicted human trafficker with arrests for child sex solicitation. Nothing in the Constitution permits the Augusta County Sheriffs Office to place someone in jail for speaking out against the governments own corruption. The Sheriff likes to call me and my friends the n word, said Cameron Turley, Accused Activist. I wish he would say it to my face. Racist cowards always find something to hide behind, and the sheriff hides behind his badge. If I dont fight now, then our very freedoms are at risk. How many people dont fight? Ive decided no matter the cost, I simply have to stand.

The trial details are as follows:

WHAT: Trial Commonwealth v. Turley et. al.WHEN: June 3, 2022 at 9 a.m.WHERE: Augusta County General District Court

Amina Matheny Willard and her clients are available for all media inquiries, including this Friday after the hearing.

About Amina Law

Amina Matheny-Willard PLLC stands apart from any other law firm in the country in that Amina specializes in fighting police corruption and misconduct. A fierce defender of the Constitution, Amina Matheny-Willard PLLC fights for justice and against systems of oppression to secure individual rights. You can learn more about Amina Matheny-Willard PLLC by visiting the firms website at http://www.aminalaw.com.

Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

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Black Lives Matter Protestors Stand Trial Against Sheriff Accused of Racism and Corruption in Western Virginia - Digital Journal