Black Man Previously Convicted of Marijuana Charges Now Owns a New York Weed Dispensary
by jeuned

January 25, 2023

Black Man Previously Convicted of Marijuana Charges Now Owns a New York Weed Dispensary

Roland Conner’s story exemplifies how one can overcome life’s hardships with perseverance and determination.

The 50-year-old is making headlines after recently opening Smacked, New York’s second weed dispensary,  on January 24.

According to Spectrum News NY1, this venture is significant for various reasons.The list includes Connor becoming the first “justice-involved individual,” a term used to describe a person or family member who previously had marijuana convictions, to own a business.

Conner has been charged with multiple marijuana-related crimes that go as far back as 1991 and even went to jail. Still, with New York’s Cannabis Control Board’s 2022 release of 36 dispensary licenses, Conner turned his life around: 28 of those licenses went to people negatively affected by the system.

During an interview with the news outlet, Conner shared his appreciation for the city’s gestures. “I really appreciate the way New York is actually looking to give back—not really give back, but undo some of the harm that was done back then.”

Later, Conner recounted his past sentence and claimed that although he doesn’t “dwell” on it often, that unfortunate event in his life led him and his family, including his wife, Patricia, and son Darius, to where they are now.  “It was a time in my life I don’t really dwell on too much, Conner said, “But it really got us here.”

In addition to the weed dispensary, Spectrum News NY1 reported that Conner has had a prosperous career in property management. He is currently in charge of “transitional housing” in the Bronx area. Conner tells the outlet that his life’s mission is to help those participating in illegal activity and prevent those affected family members from repeating the cycle.

For more information on Conner’s store Smacked, click here.

Alexia Henderson Named VP of Strategic Partnerships and Marketing at Magic Johnson Enterprises
by jeuned

January 25, 2023

Alexia Henderson Named VP of Strategic Partnerships and Marketing at Magic Johnson Enterprises

Alexia Henderson’s career is elevating to new heights after she landed a promotion at Magic Johnson Enterprises. 

Henderson, who has worked with the company for six years, is now the vice president of strategic partnerships and marketing. Earlier this month, Henderson shared the exciting news on her Twitter page. 

“So excited to announce that I’ve been named the new VP, Business and Marketing at MJE! So excited for this year and thankful to @MagicJohnson for believing in me!” the South Carolina native wrote while thanking legendary basketball player turned mogul Magic Johnson. 

https://twitter.com/a_grevious/status/1612897579511197696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1612897579511197696%7Ctwgr%5E7a9993da2546117be7d679d3def0d9724e1a0c35%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fafrotech.com%2Finterview-alexia-grevious-henderson

On Tuesday, during an interview with AfroTech, Henderson said her new role entails everything from “contractual obligations” to “executing deals.” In addition, the publication reported that Henderson will be responsible for MJE’s marketing, communication, and social media.  

“This is an opportunity for me to perfect and get even better and refine the craft, but then there’s still an opportunity for me to learn because the one thing I enjoy about where we are is, Mr. Johnson, is in so many different industries,” Henderson told AfroTech.

Later, Henderson listed the different things Johnson has been a part of over the years and the best part of her position.

“So, it’s not just sports, it’s not just entertainment. We’ve been at the forefront of some of the metaverse. He has a life insurance and annuities company. He has an infrastructure fund. He has all these sports teams that he owns and could be looking to get more,” she said. “So, I think there’s excitement around not knowing what business opportunities could be coming, but I get to work on it. That’s the part that’s probably most exciting for me on a professional level.”

Prior to Henderson’s new role, she was senior manager of marketing and communications in 2017 and was promoted to director of marketing and communications the following year.

 

Black Flight Attendant Receives Praise After a Photo of Him Comforting a Passenger Goes Viral
by jeuned

January 25, 2023

Black Flight Attendant Receives Praise After a Photo of Him Comforting a Passenger Goes Viral

Delta flight attendant Floyd Dean-Shannon‘s comforting gesture toward a woman passenger has given people hope that kindness still exists in the world.

The event, which Molly Simonson Lee captured in a viral Facebook photo, occurred almost two weeks ago when the plane was set to depart from Charlotte to New York. During the trip, Dean-Shannon made it a priority to tend to the visibly emotional passenger who expressed they were nervous about the flight because they hadn’t flown in quite some time.

Following the unidentified woman’s concerns, while squatting in the middle of the aisle and holding that passenger’s hand, Dean-Shannon described to the woman the airplane’s sounds and movements as it happened to relieve their fears.

On January 23, in an interview with WBTV, Lee recounted the entire ordeal and expressed why she wanted the world to know about Dean-Shannon. “As soon as I boarded, it was clear that this guy (Dean-Shannon) was exceptional,” Lee said.

Later, Lee also revealed that before carrying on with his other responsibilities, Dean-Shannon made it his mission to make sure that the woman was okay, even if it meant sparing an extra five to 10 minutes. The flight attendant’s plan worked because the passenger was able to get through the entire trip soon after Dean-Shannon’s gesture.

Lee told the news outlet that she shared the entire experience online while also demanding a raise for Dean-Shannon by starting a GoFundMe page because she was in awe of his empathy, given his busy schedule.

“I was just so struck by his generosity.” Lee explained.

“Flight attendants are so busy and he doesn’t have an extra second so he probably had to work extra hard to put aside for that moment but he wasn’t worried about that. He was worried about making sure she was okay. It was beautiful to me. I had tears in my eyes watching. It was so kind.”

Since Lee’s Facebook post, the photo has been shared over 11,000 times and circulated on other social media platforms. As for the GoFundMe Lee created for Dean-Shannon, it has raised over $1,000 at the time of posting.

by jeuned

January 25, 2023

But Black Don’t Crack! Nia Long Says She Didn’t Get ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Role Because She Looked Too Old

Actress Nia Long is putting the rumor to rest that she turned down a Charlie’s Angels role for another project, the comedy Big Mama’s House.

The original film, released in 2000, based on the hit TV series, follows three women trying to recover a stolen voice recognition software with their various skills. Charlie’s Angels starred Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. 

On Jan. 20, during an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Long disclosed that she didn’t get a role in Charlie’s Angels because the casting executives felt the star looked “too old and too sophisticated” standing next to the film’s lead Drew Barrymore.

 

Later, the 52-year-old also shared her thoughts about the movie after she saw it and claimed that despite not getting a part, it taught her a valuable lesson: “every opportunity isn’t for you.” 

“But listen, I thought Lucy Liu was great in that role. When I went back and looked at it, I was like, ‘Whoa, she’s really doing some stunts.’ I don’t know if I was quite ready for that. I don’t, you can’t do everything, and every opportunity isn’t for you. And as much as it would’ve been fun to play that character, I think Big Momma’s House was probably more fun for me,” Long said. 

This isn’t the first time Long has addressed this issue with Charlie’s Angels casting.

In a 2020 Insider interview, the star believes that she didn’t get a role because of racial undertones aside from being told by her agent that she was too old and sophisticated standing next to Barrymore. 

“I was like, “What?” Long said. “I love Drew Barrymore, I think she’s amazing, but I think that was just a nice way to say you’re a little too Black. Personally, that’s what I think. Because if you notice there were no brown skin [actors]. I mean, honestly, I would have been the blackest thing in the film.”

In that discussion, Long also shared that she tried out for the role of Alex Munday, a part that ultimately went to Lucy Liu. 

The movie would dominate the box office upon its theatrical debut and make over $264 million worldwide. The success of Charlie’s Angels would spawn a sequel and later a reboot with an entirely new cast. 

Former Teacher Creates Platform to Help the Black and Brown Community With Their Hair Journey
by jeuned

January 24, 2023

Former Teacher Creates Platform to Help the Black and Brown Community With Their Hair Journey

Boston native JerDrema Flynt is attempting to alleviate the stress, and hassle people from the Black or Brown community may go through when it comes to their hair journey with her platform, Growing Hands. 

According to its site, Growing Hands allows individuals to create personalized “hair boards, search for hair resources, directly connect with hairstylists,” and provides hair tips.

During an interview with Bostinno, Flynt, who previously taught at Beacon Academy and Guangzhou Huamei International School before switching gears to becoming a tech founder, opened up about how the idea of Growing Hands came about. 

While attending Babson Graduate School in 2020, Flynt took a blockchain course and wanted to build a company that helped more Black people learn more about blockchain.

However, her ideas shifted. 

“I was like, Hair. Our hair is always talked about. It’s something that’s been talked about my entire life,” Flynt said.

Flynt later began interviewing people about their hair journey and hardships.

“The problem is that we don’t have a streamlined process,” Flynt said. 

Flynt revealed the extreme lengths many go through to get their hair done the way they desire. It included going on various platforms such as Pinterest, Styleseat, and Google that only give one service, from making hair boards to setting up appointments.

And soon, her idea was born.

“Let’s give you the ability to design those pieces. Let’s give you the ability to connect to the hairstylist and the people you need. And then, be able to figure out where to buy the stuff,” Flynt said. “Let’s streamline it and let’s make this process simpler for anybody who has Black hair, big hair, thick hair, curly hair.”

As far as profit goes, Flynt plans to use ads and sponsorships and possibly make a subscription model filled with exclusive content to generate revenue.

Flynt and her team hope to later release the Growing Hands prototype.

by jeuned

January 24, 2023

Angela Bassett First Marvel Actor to Receive an Oscar Nomination; Ryan Coogler and Rihanna Receive Nods

Legendary actress Angela Bassett is getting her flowers. . 

The 64-year-old was nominated for an Academy Award this morning for best supporting actress for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Bassett’s Oscar nomination makers her the first actor to receive one for a Marvel movie.

This is Bassett’s second nomination. The mother of two received the first in 1994 for her powerhouse portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Angela Bassett (@im.angelabassett)

Immediately following the good news, Bassett took to her Instagram to bask in the good news. 

“Hey Everybody, you good? This morning is a little extra special in the Bassett Vance household with news of my Oscar nomination. What has drawn me to each of the women I’ve portrayed throughout my career is their strength, compassion, resilience, and power,” Bassett said. 

Later, Bassett shared that her role as Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther sequel “touched” her the most because she was a woman who was mourning the loss of her country as a leader and her child, T’Chella, played by the late Chadwick Boseman. 

Toward the end of her caption, Bassett congratulated her Wakanda Forever family for the Oscar nominees they also received. The nominees included Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, and Tems, alongside the film’s costume designer, Ruth Carter, and the hair and makeup stylist, and visual team.  

Rihanna received her first Oscar nomination for best original song for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s lead single “Lift Me Up.” Coogler and Tems are nominated for their songwriting and composing duties on the track. 

Aside from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever nominees, the 2023 Oscar nominations list has been making headlines for other reasons. It includes Brian Tyree Henry‘s nomination for best supporting actor in Causeway.

But a Black woman wasn’t nominated for best actress or best director. Many assumed, because of the success of The Woman King last year, that the film’s star Viola Davis and its director Gina Prince-Bythewood would receive a nomination.

The Oscars will air on ABC March 12. 

8-Year-Old Girl Helps Rescue Great Grandmother Trapped Under a Car
by jeuned

January 24, 2023

8-Year-Old Girl Helps Rescue Great Grandmother Trapped Under a Car

Mariah Galloway is being hailed as a hero after she saved her great-grandmother, 79-year-old Patricia Lynch, who was stuck underneath her vehicle. 

The incident, caught on camera, occurred in Michigan two weeks ago when Lynch was taking 8-year-old Galloway home from school. All was going well during the January 11 dropoff until Lynch exited her Chevy Equinox with Galloway inside.

During an interview with ABC7 Chicago, Galloway, an elementary school student, revealed to the news outlet that Lynch’s typical ride derailed after her great-grandmother forgot to put the car in park in the driveway, and it started to move. 

“So she was picking me up from school, and she thought the car was in park, but it was in reverse,” Galloway said. “And she got out and it started moving and she was trying to stop it because I was in it.”

As Lynch tried to stop the car from rolling in an attempt to save her great-granddaughter, her leg and foot got stuck underneath the driver’s side front tire, according to the outlet.

In that frightful moment, Galloway removed the keys from the ignition and ran to her mother, Porchia Lane, for help. Galloway was captured by her family’s Ring doorbell camera frantically knocking on the door and screaming.

Lane said she was aware of what had happened as soon as she opened the door.

“When I opened the door, all I heard was Mariah screaming. When I got out there, there was blood everywhere,” she said.

A short time later, Lynch got free and waited for the ambulance to arrive. Lane said Lynch was hospitalized and receiving blood transfusions before being released. She is scheduled to have physical therapy to help with her recovery. 

Amazingly, according to Good Morning America,  Lynch did not suffer any broken bones but did have to get stitches and blood infusions for bruises, blisters, and blood loss.

by jeuned

January 24, 2023

LGBTQ Activist Group Reacts to Backlash After Demanding the Removal of Aretha Franklin’s Song

LGBTQ activist group Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance is apparently singing a different tune after receiving massive backlash for requesting the removal of Aretha Franklin’s hit song “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” on various music platforms, including Apple and Spotify. 

“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” which was released in 1968, was written by Carol King and her ex-husband Gerry Goffin. Following its debut, it became one of Franklin’s most iconic tracks.

The LGBTQ activist group reportedly demanded that the song be removed because they claimed it could “inspire” violent acts towards transgender women. 

Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance’s controversial Twitter post, which was shared on January 20, read, “Aretha Franklin’s 1968 song ‘Natural Woman’ perpetuates multiple harmful anti-trans stereotypes. There is no such thing as a ‘natural’ woman. This song has helped inspire acts of harm against transgender women. TCMA is requesting it is removed from Spotify & Apple Music.”

https://twitter.com/TransMindful/status/1616510029091471360?s=20&t=xukM0woFsnJva54aUnlPRw

 

Immediately after the viral tweet, many social media users disagreed with Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance’s opinion toward Franklin’s single. The comments ranged from a handful of individuals bashing the organization, to others expressed their interpretations of Franklin’s song. 

“As a queer individual myself, this is so not it. I Intent of the songwriters and performer, context and how every individual who appreciates the song interprets it needs to be considered. This seems like such a reach, and I’m trying not to be insensitive but I disagree.”

“No, that song has nothing to do with transgender people. Stop trying to erase our history! That song was not intended to be offensive back then, so why now ? Ms. Areatha [sic] Franklin was then and will always be remembered as the, ‘Queen of Soul!'”

https://twitter.com/Deborah29887172/status/1617392348392218624?s=20&t=eK2XIOeKtJPW6prfHrDBfQ

 

 

“The best part is Aretha singing about feeling like a “natural woman” had nothing to do with biology. It was a cultural feeling that he made her feel. So this tweet is a genius level parody.”

 

“I’m a natural woman! Natural woman been here since the beginning of time we can coexist. My representation matters too!!! And my culture and our music was made to inspire all, stop speaking on black people history loosely fr.”

https://twitter.com/YoungggMel/status/1617579801069355018?s=20&t=xukM0woFsnJva54aUnlPRw

However, on January 23, following the public scrutiny and media coverage, Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance responded to the backlash in another tweet by blaming news outlets that published the story for not attempting to contact the organization for a comment regarding their post. 

https://twitter.com/TransMindful/status/1617651989311295489

“I am STUNNED that not a single media outlet who reported on the Aretha Franklin tweet even ATTEMPTED to contact this account for comment. Based on the sheer ridiculousness of the content on this page, how could JOURNALISTS not comprehend that this is parody/satire,” Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance wrote.

Also, because of the backlash, Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance has changed its Twitter bio to showcase that the organization’s account is a parody page. 

by jeuned

January 24, 2023

Lenny Kravitz Shares How His Daughter Zoë Kravitz Reminds Him of His Late Mother Roxie Roker

Like grandmother, like granddaughter.

Singer and actor Lenny Kravitz opened up during an interview with NBC News reporter Harry Smith about the similar traits his daughter Zoë Kravitz shares with his late mother, Roxie Roker, best known for her role as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons.

On Monday, Kravitz revealed that he sees his mother’s spirit within Zoë in all aspects.

“Just the essence. Yeah, it’s beautiful to watch,” he said while promoting his new project, Shotgun Wedding. “She was a very beautiful human being,” Lenny added when talking about his mother. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lenny Kravitz (@lennykravitz)

 

This isn’t the first time Lenny has talked about his mother regarding Zoë. Last year, after Zoë hosted Saturday Night Live, the 58-year-old wrote the caption, “To see you shine in the same building where your grandparents met and worked was surreal. You were perfection. I love you endlessly.”

In October 2020, during an interview with People before the release of his memoir, Let Love Rule, the “Fly Away” vocalist explained why he felt that Roxie would be immensely proud of her granddaughter. Lenny disclosed Roxie’s joy would have stemmed from Zoë’s ability to be unapologetically herself

″She’s her own person with her own identity, and it’s a wonderful thing to see,″ Lenny said. ″I know that my mother is very proud of her — not just her accomplishments but her behavior, her attitudes, the way she has done what she’s done and the kind of human being that she is.″

Roker, who was an actress, passed away from breast cancer in 1995 at the age of 66.

Roxie made history on The Jeffersons as the first character to have an interracial relationship on a popular series. 

Mayor Eric Adams, Pro-Palestinian Protestors, Columbia University, Arrests
by jeuned

January 24, 2023

NY Mayor, Goldman Sachs, and Others Develop Fund for Struggling Small Businesses

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Goldman Sachs, and Mastercard are joining forces to help small business owners get back on their feet by creating a $75 Million NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund.

On January 23, according to the city’s official website, Mayor Adams announced during an official press conference that the loan program would give about 1,500 local businesses that meet their requirements “a loan up to $250,000 at a market-leading rate of 4%.”

This Opportunity Fund comes nearly three years after small business owners fought to stay afloat throughout the pandemic. 

Bloomberg reports that from the years 2019 to 2021, over 4,000 privately-owned businesses shut down. In the press conference, Mayor Adams addressed the negative impact small businesses encountered and his future aspirations. 

“Small businesses kept us going through the pandemic, and they are leading the way during our economic recovery. Now, we are giving back with the NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund,” Mayor Adams said, according to the city.

“This new loan fund will help us build on that progress and represents the next great step forward in our city’s partnership with our entrepreneurs and small business owners,” he added. 

 

Bloomberg also stated that the program obtained a generous donation through the mayor’s partnerships with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. Goldman Sachs reportedly gave about $50 million to the program. At the same time, Mastercard will help educate small business owners and put up $500,000.

The City of New York will pay the remaining balance through its other partners Community Development Financial Institutions and Community Reinvestment Fund. In order to qualify for a loan, the small business should make less than $5 million annually and is required to be located in New York City.