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Category Archives: Black Lives Matter

Barnes Praises Khamenei, Hopes to Be Dennis Rodman of the Assad Regime – Washington Free Beacon

Posted: October 19, 2022 at 3:38 pm

Democrats

Wisconsin Dem took to social media to celebrate world's most notorious dictators

Mandela Barnes, the Democratic Senate candidate in Wisconsin, praised Irans supreme leader Ali Khamenei for supporting Black Lives Matter, said he wanted to be the "Dennis Rodman" of the Assad regime, and used his Twitter account to defend some of the worlds most notorious dictators and repressive regimes.

On Jan. 1, 2015, Barnes applauded a Twitter post by Khamenei that slammed the U.S. government over slavery.

"The issue of US govt oppression against blacks is a 100s year-old issue," wrote Khamenei, adding the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.

Barnes "liked" Khameneis post on Twitter and responded to the Iranian leader: "The first tweet of 2015 from @khamenei_ir is #BlackLivesMatter. Let that sink in. May This be a most wonderful year for you and yours."

Barness social media posts could raise questions about the candidates willingness to align himself with anti-American and undemocratic leaders. The news comes as Barnes, the Wisconsin lieutenant governor and former state legislator, has faced criticism over his repeated appearances on RT, a Russian state-run news network that the U.S. State Department has described as "propaganda support for the Kremlin's foreign policy objectives."

Barnes also wrote several posts opposing any U.S. effort to oust Syrian presidentBashar al-Assad in 2013, while the embattled dictator was massacring his own people and using chemical weapons.

"I'd like to pull a Rodman next. I should have hopped that fence to Syria when I had the chance," wrote Barnes on April 9, 2013, a few weeks after Assads regime carried out a deadly Sarin gas attack against its opposition.

He also opposed efforts by the United States to aid the Syrian opposition after Assads use of chemical weapons.

"Seeing school administrators plead for more state aid, but seeing that our country is able to send weapons to Syria makes me more anti war," wrote Barnes in June 2013.

After the Obama administration opened up diplomatic relations with Cuba in 2014, Barnes wrote that he wanted to work at the "embassy in Cuba" and asked "where would one apply for such an opportunity?"

Barnes also appeared to criticize the removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, writing in 2016 that "when you drop cookies, you get crumbs everywhere. Then you gotta get a vacuum, and that's what happened when we removed Saddam."

Barnes previously joked that his father almost named him "Muammar," an apparent reference to the late Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi.

"My dad told me a couple of years ago, he said I was lucky I was born when I was born. If I was born five years earlier, my name would have been Muammar," said Barnes during a Civil Rights panel discussion in 2015.

A spokesman for Barnes's Republican challenger Sen. Ron Johnson said the posts were evidence of Barness "extreme positions."

"Not only has Moscow Mandela Barnes gone on Russian propaganda TV six times to denigrate American law enforcement, but he has also cozied up to awful dictators and communist groups around the world," said Johnson spokesman Mike Marinella. "His extreme positions are wrong for Wisconsin and would make our state less prosperous and less free."

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Black Lives Matter mural to be painted in front of Vallejo City Hall Saturday – The Vallejo Sun

Posted: September 20, 2022 at 8:28 am

VALLEJO A Black Lives Matter mural will be painted on the street in front of Vallejo City Hall on Saturday during a day-long block party that will feature local musicians, food and activities for children.

The party will be hosted by Askari Sowonde Productions 411 Series - Vallejo Seeking Solutions and run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 500 block of Santa Clara Street.

The community is invited to help paint the mural while being entertained by local musicians, including bluesman Alvon Johnson, percussionist Zebra Man, jazz guitarist David El and vocalist Jasmine Robinson.

The Greater Vallejo Recreation District and the John F. Kennedy Library will host arts and crafts activities for kids. A food truck and some classic cars will round up the scene. Speakers will include Mario Saucedo of Solano AIDS Coalition and Vallejo City Councilmember Tina Arriola.

The project comes to fruition after a two-year delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sowonde, an activist and event organizer, first proposed the mural to the Vallejo City Council in 2020, which voted 5-2 in favor of the mural later that year.

This wasnt an easy decision for some of them, but it was worth it to many of us, Sowonde told the Vallejo Sun.

Sowonde and local artists Mishel Deniz Adolph, Mario Saucedo, Atsie Pirtle, Verlannia Manchester and Randy Babb designed the mural, which was approved by the Vallejo Arts Commission in 2021.

Unlike other Black Lives Matter murals of unadorned type, this one includes two colorful portraits and bright, artistic lettering. It will be painted in one line on Santa Clara Street with the words facing City Hall.

Sowande said she knows that having the words written down on the ground does not necessarily mean that minds will be opened. This is solely about our people, our way of life being recognized, and saying that we're here, that you need to see us, and things need to change, she said.

A flier announcing the event includes the phrase "Black Lives Matter is NOT about An Organization." The #BlackLivesMattter and #BLM hashtags first erupted on social media after the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman, who killed Trayvon Martin in Florida. The slogan was reportedly created by one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, which has since attracted criticism over their financial practices.

Sowonde said the slogan is about a fight that has gone on in this country for 100 years and that she sees it as a progression of the Black is Beautiful movement of the 1960s, when James Brown sang, "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud.

Its about the history of our people and the fact that we're still struggling like crazy in 2022, she said.

The mural was not supported by all. Councilmembers Rozzanna Verder-Aliga and Hakeem Brown were the two dissenting votes against the project. Brown made a long statement criticizing "empty platitudes," saying that it is hypocritical to paint a Black Lives Matter mural when education is underfunded and many Black Vallejo youth lack opportunity.

Sowonde responded to Browns criticism, saying he "thinks differently than a lot of us, but in a way he's right. We need action, not only words.

She said she sees the mural as making a statement to set an intention for positive future actions, not as a statement that the fight is over. I'm hoping that when they walk across it that their minds will open, but Im not naive, she said.

This is about being seen and visible in this community, Sowonde said. Were not seen at city council.

A Black Lives Mural painted in Martinez in July of 2020 was repeatedly vandalized and ended up being paved over within the same year. Sowande says she is concerned that there will be pushback, but said, At some point, I have to stop worrying. What shall be will be.

For more information or to find out how you can participate in the block party celebration contact Mishel Deniz Adolph at misheldeniz53@gmail.com.

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Fetterman said in 2016 he held a Black Lives Matter ‘worldview,’ considered viewpoints to be ‘common sense’ – Fox News

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Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman said at one point during his political career that he holds a "Black Lives Matter kind of worldview" and appeared to insist that crime rates in major cities are tied to how much they "don't embrace" the movement, calling the notion "common sense."

Fetterman's remarks, offered during an interview with The Pitt News in August 2016, came during his tenure as Braddock mayor after he failed to garner his party's nomination for the Senate earlier that year.

"Let me take issue with the anti-establishment," Fetterman said. "I never positioned myself as anti-establishment. In fact, I was the only elected official in my race, I point out. Katie McGinty never held elected office and [Joe] Sestaks only elected office was a term, I believe, in Congress before he started running. So this idea that I was anti-establishment I just ran on what I felt were important, common sense issues whether that was a living wage, marijuana legalization, a Black Lives Matter kind of worldview, but also a community policing."

Fetterman, who said at the time that he did not consider his position on various issues to be "radical," claimed it's "common sense" that cities that "don't embrace" the Black Lives Matter movement have higher crime rates.

DEM SENATE CANDIDATE JOHN FETTERMAN DEFENDS PULLING GUN ON UNARMED BLACK JOGGER IN 2013

John Fetterman speaks during a pro-choice rally at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (Michelle Gustafson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"All these different issues that I ran on never felt like they were radical or very leftist, they just felt like common sense to me. Its like, what happens if you dont embrace Black Lives Matter? Well, you look at what happens in Baltimore, at what happens in Chicago. I mean, thats common sense."

Fetterman garnered criticism late last month after he claimed that ID shouldnt be required to vote because "poorer" people and "people of color" are "less likely to have their ID."

The now-viral clip of Fetterman, which came from a 2021 interview between him and liberal pundit Brian Tyler Cohen, featured the candidates perspective on why requiring universal voter ID in Pennsylvania is a bad idea. In it, he said, "In my own state they are going to pass, attempt to pass, a constitutional amendment making sure that universal voting ID for every time you vote, not just when you sign up to vote, but every time you vote."

FETTERMAN TORCHED FOR SAYING POORER PEOPLE, MINORIOTIES LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ID TO VOTE: COMPLETELY RACIST

Fetterman explained the alleged dark motive behind this amendment, stating it will be passed"because they understand that at any given time theres tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who typically are on the poorer side and are people of color that are less likely to have their ID at any one given time."

The Democratic Senate nominee has also faced criticism over a resurfaced 2013 incident in which he pulled a shotgun on an unarmed Black jogger whom he suspected of involvement in a nearby shooting. Fetterman has since said his actions were wrong, but initially defended himself by saying he heard the sound of automatic gunfire and rushed to confront the man he suspected of being responsible. Fetterman held the man, then-28-year-old Christopher Miyares, at gunpoint. Police who arrived at the scene searched Miyares and found that he was unarmed.

Fetterman, who has served as Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor since 2019, campaigned on Monday alongside three West Philadelphia council members who have publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement and backed calls to "defund the police."

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican Senate nominee for Pennsylvania, and John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate, will face off in the Nov. 8 general election. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg | Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

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"Three outstanding Councilmembers who are with me in my fight to turn out every vote here in Philly Support local Black-owned businesses," Fetterman said of the council members in a tweet.

Fetterman will face off in the November general election against Republican nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz in an effort to become Pennsylvania's next U.S. senator.

Fox News' Gabriel Hays and Thomas Barrabi contributed to this article.

Kyle Morris covers politics for Fox News. On Twitter: @RealKyleMorris.

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Police should not take the knee with Black Lives Matter campaigners – The Telegraph

Posted: at 8:28 am

Police officers should not take the knee, the new Met commissioner has said.

Sir Mark Rowley, who took up the post last week, set out his position on how police officers should respond to the Black Lives Matter movement.

We should not align with any protest group, whether its a cause that everyone agrees with or a cause that only 1 per cent agrees with, he said.

At a Black Lives Matters protest over the death of George Floyd in 2020, a number of police officers were caught taking the knee with protestors.

Sir Mark told The Sunday Times: We are the police and we should operate without fear or favour. We get lost trying to please all of the people all of the time.

A Cambridge graduate who planned to join the police as a forensic scientist, Sir Mark said a formative experience in Birmingham as a young officer taught him a lesson about his own resilience.

Just 18 months into the job Sir Mark was attacked by a group of men as he tried to arrest a man who threw a beer bottle at a car window. They beat him unconscious as well as breaking his nose. It was a really important experience for me in my life, he said.

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Black Lives Matter calls for end to qualified immunity, discusses lawsuit against HCSO in Tampa teens death – WFLA

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Black Lives Matter groups held a press conference on Wednesday discussing a lawsuit that alleges the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office is responsible for a 14-year-old Tampa boys death in 2014.

Representatives from Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk and Black Lives Matter Grassroots were joined by families of Black individuals whose lives were impacted by police brutality and racial injustice to discuss the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Andrew Joseph IIIs family.

The speakers called for an end to qualified immunity, which the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Officerepeatedly invoked in this case. Qualified immunity is a government protection that shields police officers and other officials from being sued. It can also block the release of information.

In my years of activism, I have had the unfortunate opportunity to work with countless families who have been impacted by police misconduct, police brutality and how these law-enforcement agencies are able to lean on qualified immunity in order to deprive families like the families behind me, and the Andrew Joseph family from the right to justice and accountability, said Pastor Carl Soto with Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk County Inc.

Andrew Joseph III and about 100 other teenagers were kicked out of the Florida State Fairgrounds on School Day in 2014 following a number of teen-involved fights and misconduct that broke out inside the fairgrounds, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office.

However, his parents maintain that their son wasnt involved, but was handcuffed and detained. They said deputies dropped him off by the interstate to meet his ride home.The 14-year-old was hit by a car while trying to cross I-4.

A number of safety measures have been taken at the fairgrounds since that incident to ensure that any minor in attendance is safe, such as the HCSO Community Action Team that will once again be at the fair on Student Night, the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office said in a statement to News Channel 8 earlier this year.

The Josephs said theyve seen changes in the fairgrounds policy since that night, like parents getting a call if their child is removed from the park and having them sit in a waiting area until their parents arrive. They wish their son had been given that option, avoiding what they say was an unnecessary interaction with police.

Wednesday marked day three of the wrongful death trial. The Black Lives Matter groups met outside the federal courthouse in Tampa along with the families of Emmett Till, Oscar Grant, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, Markeis McGlockton and Ruben Debrosse.

Families rallied demanding change, saying their loved ones suffered the same racial injustice at the hands of law enforcement, including the family of Emmett Till.

Emmett was killed by a white mob and the police covered it up and again were seeing attempts to cover up again 66 years later, the same type of cover-up, said Tills cousin Magnolia Carter. I stand for justice, I want to see the end of qualified immunity and I want to see the justice for this family that they deserve.

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Here’s the punishment for Warren councilman who handcuffed woman over BLM stickers – Yahoo News

Posted: at 8:28 am

A Warren city councilman accused of chasing down and handcuffing a woman who put Black Lives Matter stickers on yard signs for then-President Donald Trump has pleaded no contest to a lesser offense.

Warren City Councilman Edward Kabacinski entered the plea Monday in 38th District Court in Eastpointe, the day his case was scheduled for a jury trial.

Charges were authorized against Kabacinski, 48, in October 2020. A charge of impersonating a public officer, a one-year misdemeanor, was reduced to disturbing the peace, according to court records. A 93-day misdemeanor assault and battery charge was dismissed.

Warren City Council Member Eddie Kabacinski faces off against a racial justice protester during a confrontation on Hoover Road in Warren, Saturday, Sept.19, 2020. Counterprotesters played blaring sounds out of speakers and hurled insults at protesters, who then crossed over Hoover Road and confronted counterprotesters. Pushing and shoving ensued, and shortly after, protesters returned to their side of Hoover Road.

Judge Kathleen Galen sentenced Kabacinski to 12 months of probation with conditions, including anger management classes and no similar conduct or assaultive behavior, in addition to $1,055 in fines and costs.

Kabacinski's attorney, Stephen Rabaut, said the plea was taken under a section of the Michigan criminal code that allows for a delayed sentence. If Kabacinski does what he is required to do, the charge can be dismissed. The judge said she would review the matter in six months, Rabaut said.

Mr. Kabacinski isnt happy about the resolution, did not want to enter a plea, but at the advice of counsel elected to enter the plea because he saw it was probably in his best interest," Rabaut said.

Kabacinski could not be immediately reached for comment.

Rabaut said delays in the case were primarily related to COVID-19 or trial scheduling.

Warren City Councilman Eddie Kabacinski

More:Warren councilman faces criminal charges for 'arresting' woman over Trump signs

More:Warren City Council president blasts councilman arrested after selling Trump merchandise

This is not the first time Kabacinski has had runs-in with police.

He has a motion hearing Sept. 26 on an unrelated case in 41A District Court in Shelby Township after he was arrested by Utica police on a misdemeanor ordinance violation in 2021 after he allegedly peddled political merchandise without a sales permit during a Trump rally.

Story continues

In October 2021, Warren City Council members passed a resolution 5-2 to censure him for his misuse of his position as a councilman and removed him from committee assignments days after they said he was arrested for refusing to wear a mask inside the TCF Center during a Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting.

Warren City Council President Pat Green told the Free Press on Monday: "I'm glad the courts have resolved this, and I hope that the victims of his crime are satisfied with the court's rule."

City of Warren city council member Eddie Kabacinski looks over maps as he listens to The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission holds its first public hearing on Oct. 20, 2021, at the TCF Center in Detroit. The hearings are an effort to solicit input on the draft maps they've drawn.

In October 2020, Kabacinski was investigated for his actions while attending a Trump rally in Eastpointe. St. Clair Shores police said when they arrived at Stephens and Kelly they found a Trump rally attendee had handcuffed a woman. An officer immediately took the woman out of the handcuffs, according to a police report.

Police said the then-24-year-old Eastpointe woman was chased down and handcuffed byKabacinski after shestuck three Black Lives Matter stickers on the Trump signs that were placed along the boulevard. WhenKabacinski grabbed the woman, shesprayed him with Silly String, according to the report.

It stated Kabacinski handcuffed her with her hands to the rear and sat her next to him until police arrived.

Kabacinski told C&G Newspapers he detained the woman because she acted to "breach the peace" by putting a 5-by-8-inch Black Lives Matter sticker on a Trump-Pence sign. He claimed he is a former military police officer and federal law allows him to detain those who breach the peace or break the law.

The woman was not facing criminal charges.

Kabacinski, a first-term member of the nonpartisan Warren City Council, is a Trump supporter who donned a military gas mask during an April 2020 City Council meeting and complained about a loss of freedom because of actions Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took to control the spread of the coronavirus in the pandemic's early days.

In September 2020, he took heat after he stood with counterprotesters at a march to support a Black family who lived in his council district and was thrice the victim of attacks because they had a Black Lives Matter sign in their front window.

More:Warren man, father plead no contest in attacks against Black neighbors

More:Detroit senator, Trump supporters among candidates booted from primary election ballots

Kabacinski showed up at the marchin military attire with a gun on his hip and carrying a large Trump flag. He stood with counterprotesters who he said were there to show support for law enforcement.

In May of this year, Kabacinski was disqualified from running for state office by the Michigan Department of State because he did not pay outstanding fines or filed missing campaign finance reports at the time he filed an affidavit to run for office, violating state campaign finance law.

Last month, Kabacinski was in an accident on I-696 that he said he and his campaign manager concluded was a targeted attack by those associated with the Democratic Party because of his political views. Michigan State Police told the Macomb Daily there was no indication the accident was intentional. The other driver was speeding.

Kabacinski was wearing a neck brace and using a walker at the most recent City Council meeting Sept. 13, according to video of the meeting.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Warren councilman pleads in case of 'arresting' woman over Trump signs

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Does everything have to be a political statement? DU Clarion – DU Clarion

Posted: at 8:28 am

If you are a fan of the highly accredited HBO drama Euphoria, you might have come across the recent Sydney Sweeney Blue Lives Matter controversy which has blown up across multiple social media platforms in the past few weeks.

TikToks For You pages and Twitters timelines have been flooded with memes, threads and other forms of social media discourse being fired up in reaction to an Instagram post that featured Sydney Sweeneywho plays Cassie in the HBO showat a family gathering in which a guest in the background of Sweeneys mothers 60th birthday party was wearing a Blue Lives Matter Shirt. Though this controversy stems from something as minuscule as a t-shirt in the background of an Instagram post, Sweeney needs to understand her influential role and be more careful of what is included in her posts in the future.

Though Sweeney had no intention of sparking controversy from the image, nowadays everything posted on the internet is open for public debate and discourse in the comment section. Criticism is to be expected for any form of media released to the public. The Blue Lives Matter flag was formed in counter-protest to the Black Lives Matter movement and has been adopted by right-wing extremist groups. It is completely warranted for viewers of the post to have a heated reaction to the inclusion of the Blue Lives Matter shirt. It is only natural for people to raise an eyebrow in response to seeing this symbol on Sweeneys Instagram.

Due to the rise of political discourse on TikTok in the past two years, there has been a rise of identity politics that coin symbols as right or left leaning, such as the Blue Lives Matter imagery becoming a symbol of the right, and the LGBTQIA+ flag standing as a symbol of the left. Identity politics is harmful because it lacks nuance; politics are not black and white. One can be supportive of both Democratic leaning and Republican leaning policies without owing total allegiance to one party.

TikTok makes it easy to block content you do not want to see by blocking creators and clicking on the not interested button, which will remove all related videos from your feed. Depending on what side of the political spectrum you lean towards, you can make it possible to only consume media from your desired party. This omits all opposing opinions and ideas, making it difficult to consume balanced media. With that said, it is crucial to be open to all forms of media so you can form an opinion on an issue for yourself.

Identity politics also lack an aspect of critical thinking skills and opinion building- voting just based on identity makes it difficult to call out and hold candidates accountable, especially if you have similar identities. However, due to the increasing polarization of American politics stemming from the Trump presidency, political discourse has shifted to black or white, which negates nuance and does not represent how people decide what policies and agendas are important to them.

Sweeney has not been very outspoken about her political views, and communities on the internet have already deemed her cancelable and demanded a response about the post. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions, Sweeney tweeted.

Sweeney has since taken the photo down, but when one lives the life of a television star, everything you release into the world will be critiqued and picked at by internet users looking for any trace of something they can use against you.

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The Duality of Being Black in Gaming Spaces – WIRED

Posted: at 8:28 am

Evan Narcisse, Black Panther author and narrative design consultant with a resume that boasts hits like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and the War for Wakanda DLC for Marvels Avengers, continues to navigate the complex role race plays in the work hes brought onboard to do, especially when dealing with Black characters.

I do think theres an aspect of some of these outreach instances where people just assume that theres a kind of homogenized, monolithic Black experience that Im in touch with instinctually and can call on in a moments notice, Narcisse says. We talked about Du Bois work and the ways the phenomenon of double consciousness acted as a precursor to what we currently think of as intersectionality. We also talked about tokenism in the video game industry and how frequently Black creators, actors, developers, and the like are sought after to highlight a particular Black experience that ends up being treated with little variety.

We know that one of the things that makes video games unique is the ability to embody a character [and] control their actions, resulting in a feedback loop of self-identification that is really strong, Narcisse says over Zoom. He strives to follow one of his most important rules of character creation: Treat your character like a real person. Allowing diverse characters in the digital space to thrive, with depth and dimension, is one of the ways Narcisse grapples with identity, race, and belonging in video game narratives.

This understanding allows us to present Black characters as more than soldiers, thugs, or barely humanized weapons for the player to wield with impunity. Such representation allows players to empathize with fully realized characters in ways that potentially ask them to address their own implicit racial biases. Ozioma Akagha, whose voice acting chops span multiple iconic roles, like Shuri in Marvels What I ? series and Alyx Vance from Half-Life: Alyx, explains the importance of being able to see herself in a given role.

When I see roles like Julianna [Blake] in Deathloop and Hana [Cole] in Gears of War 5, Im likelook at this! We exist in this fantasy world. So I get excited about that, and I go for that. While the number of women in video games has steadily climbed over the past several years, the appearance of Black women in protagonist roles is still rare. The world kind of tells Black people what being Black is, but I like how in the roles Ive been blessed to have its a person going through a human experience in a human world, and thats what being Black is, she says.

Akagha isnt the only voice actor who appreciates the flexibility video games allow for the growth of Black characters. Noveen Crumbie, who starred as Nicole Olivia Wheaton in My Loft and Solari Sentinel in Legends of Runeterra, and who plays fan favorite Layla Ellison in Arkane Studios Austins upcoming vampire shooter Redfall, says her close relationship with her voiceover agent helps get her to the right roles. They email me specific roles they think Ill be right for, Crumbie says in a Zoom call. Lately I have been seeing auditions where itll state in specifications seeking primarily Black people for this role, which is really good to see. Now these clients out there are actually paying attention and seeking the right people for these roles.

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Tyler Perry wrote A Jazzmans Blues after chatting with legend August Wilson – REVOLT

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REVOLT BLACK NEWS Weekly aired on Friday (Sept. 16) to discuss the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi; the Black Lives Matter organization fallout; Tyler Perrys latest offering; and the 2022 Primetime Emmys. REVOLT Special Correspondent Segun Oduolowu hosted the episode, titled Black Community and the Jackson Water Crisis and the Cost of BLM. He was joined by Jackson State University student Mackenzie Williams, Vice President of Programs at the U.S. Water Alliance Renee Willette, BLM Grassroots lead attorney Walter Mosley Jr., One Love Global CEO Angela Waters Austin, and Mass Exodus Movement founder Quisha King.REVOLT Entertainment CorrespondentKennedy Rue McCullough also brought viewers the latest in celebrity news, during which she interviewed Tyler Perry about his film A Jazzmans Blues.

Oduolowu opened the show by discussingthe Jackson, Mississippi water crisis, during which more than 150,000 residents were left without clean running water and were placed under a boil water advisory for weeks. He then held a roundtable discussion with Williams and Willette to discuss who should be held accountable for failing to implement preventative measures. Williams told Oduolowu that while some people are blaming the Jackson City Council for the tragedy, it would be incorrect to do so. I am a citizen of Jackson, Ive lived here my entire life. Above the city council is our governor, and our governor isnt necessarily as empathetic with the city of Jackson when it comes to these types of social issues, she declared.

During the conversation, Willette stated that poor infrastructure played a key role in the Jackson water crisis. We havent invested in infrastructure or workforce in our country in about 45 years and thats a systemic problem across the country. The changing climate is making severe storms, flooding, and water quality issues even worse for communities across the country, she asserted. Unfortunately, this isnt a problem thats isolated to Jackson. I think were seeing the results and the tragedy in Jackson right now, but this is something that communities across the nation have to face and deal with.

Switching gears, Oduolowu turned his attention to a lawsuit that was filed against Black Lives Matter leader Shalomyah Bowers for allegedly misusing millions of donated funds for personal use. Delano Squires, contributor for Fearless with Jason Whitlock, expressed to REVOLT that throughout the years, BLM has misled members of the Black community. A lot of people sent their hard-earned money to BLM thinking that they were an organization that was sincere in the things they said they would do in terms of improving certain outcomes in the Black community. Clearly, in the last two years, thats proven to not be the case, he explained.

Oduolowu led a provocative exchange with Mosley, Austin and King about the history of BLM and allegations the organization has faced in recent years. Mosley told REVOLT the lawsuit alleges Bowers embezzled $10 million dollars from donated funds. He told Oduolowu that BLM Grassroots is currently investigating the ordeal. As our investigation proceeds, we find more instances of this malfeasance, of this self-dealing, of [these] insider payments to him and to his firm, he stated.

Austin told Oduolowu that she is not surprised Bowers and the BLM organization have denied any wrongdoing. I wouldnt expect a different response. Its rare that when people are in the wrong that they are willing to come forth with that. Ultimately, it is the history of the work of Black Lives Matter Grassroots that will stand for itself, she claimed.

King stated, It was obvious from the beginning that the BLM organization was not meant to help Black Americans. Im happy that they are being sued. But, I think that the whole premise of what the organization started off with, we were duped as American citizens and a lot of us saw that early on. This was a search for power. This was not a search for helping people, she voiced.

Later in the show, McCullough hosted her Entertainment Remix segment, during which she interviewed Tyler Perry about his latest film A Jazzmans Blues and what inspired him to write the screenplay. It was a literal rainy night in Georgia and I had just seen an August Wilson show, and I went to a little caf for the after-party. He was there and we had a chance to sit and talk and chat, and he told me just write what was in my heart. I went home and started writing Jazzman, Tyler Perry revealed.

McCullough also shared highlights of the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards, where Euphoria actress Zendaya made history by becoming the first Black woman to win an Emmy twice for Best Actress in a Drama Series. My greatest wish for Euphoria was that it could help heal people, said Zendaya during her award speech.

Sheryl Lee Ralph also made history at the awards show by becoming the second Black woman to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Abbott Elementary. Ralphs acceptance speech went viral as she boldly sang, Im an endangered species.

Watch a quick clip from this weeks episode up top. Plus, be sure to catch the next installment of REVOLT BLACK NEWS Weeklyon Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 at 5 p.m. ET on REVOLTs app.

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BLM movement explored in new book by UT Austin professor – The Dallas Morning News

Posted: August 29, 2022 at 7:17 am

The period between Barack Obamas inauguration as president and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S Capitol marked a pivotal time for Black Americans to gain dignity and the ability to fully participate in democracy.

These years were a time of reconstruction marking a struggle between those who support the advancement of Black people and those who dont.

Thats the argument of Peniel E. Joseph, a University of Texas at Austin professor of public affairs and history. His new book, The Third Reconstruction: Americas Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-First Century, comes out in early September.

Josephs book, which combines personal memoir with historical research, is largely influenced by Black feminist thought, which reimagines U.S. democracy in a way that centers Black womens identity, politics and humanity.

In the book, Joseph identifies three periods of reconstruction in U.S. history times of racial violence, political divisions, cultural memories and narrative wars but also major political and racial progress.

The First Reconstruction occurred between 1865 and 1898, he argues. The Second Reconstruction was the civil rights era, which he says started with the Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954 and ended with Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination in 1968.

The Third Reconstruction was from the election of Barack Obama to the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, as well as the events that followed, such as the Jan. 6 riot.

In his book, Joseph analyzes the relationship between those he calls redemptionists and those he calls reconstructionists. Redemptionists, according to Joseph, advocate for white supremacy whether they actively voice it or not.

Reconstructionists advocate for a multiracial democracy that looks at society through an intersectional lens. Reconstructionists argue that, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality or class, one can participate in democracy.

The son of Haitian immigrants, Joseph grew up with his single mother and brother in New York City. His childhood inspired his work, he said, and exposed him to the barriers Black people face. He saw Black people killed long before the BLM movement began, he said.

It was being around my mother whos a historian and a writer in her own right [and] a feminist and social justice advocate that I got introduced to all of this, he said.

His book recognizes Black female leaders such as journalist Ida B. Wells, activist Angela Davis and politician Stacey Abrams as pivotal figures in civil rights and social justice movements spanning the three periods of U.S. reconstruction.

Joseph said he was finally able to dig deeper into the influence of Black feminist thought because this was his first project that was a blend of history and memoir and cultural criticism.

Stacie McCormick, an associate professor of English at Texas Christian University, said its long overdue to discuss the role of Black feminism in social justice. They have often been the driving force behind encouraging people to support social justice movements, she said.

Black Lives Matter is one of the first movements where Black women were centered for their leadership, McCormick said. However, despite the advancements the BLM movement made, McCormick said there still needs to be more acknowledgement for Black women and girls who are killed by the police.

Joseph has been studying Black feminist thought and literature for about 30 years. He said with this new book, the Black feminist intersectional lens helped him understand how the BLM movement garnered so much support following the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Three Black women Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors started the BLM movement. In 2020, a diverse group of people built on what they started, and queer people, Black women, students and the formerly incarcerated helped lead the effort.

Social justice activism was not strictly for Black people Latino, white, indigenous, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders joined in.

I think Black people have always been the canary in the coal mine, Joseph said, but having other non-Black people join in solidarity of protests is important.

Joseph said writing the new book was cathartic and illuminating. Everyone is a student of history, he said, trying to process whats happening in their life and society by telling stories about themselves.

Some people want to run away from what I ran toward, he said. I think people will run away from history and might find it too painful or too angry. But I thought in 2020, what was interesting, is that so many people joined that effort.

Joseph is the founding director of UTs Center for the Study of Race and Democracy in the LBJ School of Public Affairs. He formerly taught at Tufts University. He has also published several other books, including The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. and the award-winning book Waiting Til the Midnight Hour: A Narrative History of Black Power in America.

Lisa B. Thompson, a professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at UT Austin, has known Joseph for about a decade. She described him as an excited and deeply interested intellectual. Thompson said it was admirable for Joseph to publish a book about current events in a way that gives non-historians an opportunity to understand what is happening.

I think his way of framing these things helps us understand certain historic cycles, but also is very adamant about keeping our sense of hope about what can happen, she said. Its very inviting [and] comprehensive, and I dont believe hes talking down to people. Hes calling people in to have a conversation that we need to have.

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BLM movement explored in new book by UT Austin professor - The Dallas Morning News

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