(CNN) — The University of Michigan on Friday parted company with men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard, the former “Fab Five” star who was honored as college coach of the year three years ago.
The Wolverines finished last in the Big Ten with an 8-24 overall record and 3-17 in the conference this season. The team lost their last nine games, including a first-round matchup with Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament earlier this week.
“After a comprehensive review of the program, I have decided that Juwan will not return as our men’s basketball coach,” Warde Manuel, Michigan’s director of athletics, said in a news release.
The 51-year-old Howard, who played at Michigan during the Fab Five era from 1991 to 1994, compiled an 82-67 record while leading the program to two NCAA tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022. He spent the past five seasons at the helm, and was named the Associated Press National Coach of the Year and the Big Ten’s Coach of the Year in 2021, when he led Michigan to the Elite Eight.
Manuel said the school decided to make a “leadership change” after a “comprehensive review of the program.”
“Juwan is among the greatest Wolverines to ever be associated with our basketball program,” Manuel said. “I know how much it meant, to not only Juwan, but to all of us for him to return here to lead this program. Despite his love of his alma mater and the positive experience that our student-athletes had under his leadership, it was clear to me that the program was not living up to our expectations and not trending in the right direction.”
“I am thankful for Juwan’s dedication, passion and commitment to U-M and for all that he, and his legacy, will continue to mean to Michigan,” Manuel added.
The school will begin a “national search” for a new coach “immediately.”
Farah Allen, the CEO and founder of The Labz. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
In the realm of tech innovation, entrepreneur Farah Allen has a compelling story. Allen, the CEO and founder of The Labz, has journeyed from solving pressing issues in the music industry to revolutionizing interactive content creation.
From Music Innovation to Interactive Revolution
The Labz began with a unique mission: to protect the intellectual property of songwriters in the music industry through blockchain technology. However, despite solving a critical issue and gaining recognition from major industry players, the venture faced challenges far beyond technological barriers.
“It was very strange and very sad too because I reached the highest of the high of where I could go with it,” Allen said. “It wasn’t a problem with getting customers. It was a problem of funding the company. I was a technology company that didn’t have adequate funding.”
A 2018 Morgan Stanley sponsored study showed that investors believe minority businesses receive adequate capital. The 20-page study states that many white male investors have little contact with non-white or female business owners. These investors also report that women-owned and minority-owned businesses “receive a fraction of the capital, yet most believe that the funding landscape today is balanced.”
“So, there were a lot of microaggressions when it came to fundraising and me being an African American woman,” Allen said. “I had all these people who said this is great and I had all these customers, but of course, you can’t run a technology business without the funding to back it.”
The turning point came for Allen when the film industry saw immense value in The Labz’s collaborative tools and sparked a pivot that would redefine the platform’s purpose.
Under Allen’s leadership, The Labz evolved into an intuitive, no-code platform enabling users to transform static content into vibrant, interactive experiences. This capability became particularly crucial as organizations sought more immersive ways to host events and build communities online.
“We came to the point where the film industry wanted what we had built,” Allen said. “They loved the collaborative part of what we had designed, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, we actually got the film industry involved and started building tools that were more immersive for collaboration.”
Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Empowering Voices through Innovation and Equity
Allen’s trajectory has not been without its hurdles. The tech industry, notoriously challenging for Black female founders to navigate due to systemic barriers to funding and recognition, posed significant obstacles.
The establishment of ventures like the Fearless Fund, which focuses on supporting women- and minority-led startups, marks a critical shift toward a more equitable ecosystem.
“Fearless Fund is one of my biggest investors to date, and without them, I wouldn’t have been able to stay operational or have seen the growth with The Labz as you see it today,” Allen said.
With this critical funding, The Labz expanded its focus to include interactive events and virtual spaces.
“We’ve had tremendous growth with the biggest companies in the world using the platform, from Microsoft to Google, and Delta is one of our biggest customers,” Allen said. “They weren’t looking at me as just a Black woman. They are looking at me as an innovator and someone bringing something innovative to market.”
The Future of The Labz and Interactive Technology
Looking ahead, Allen envisions The Labz as the next big platform for creating immersive web experiences, akin to Canva for interactive content.
“I see a pathway to that. I’m closing a funding round right now that’s going to allow me to push the marketing and push the technology to the levels it needs to be so that it’s more accessible to everyone to use,” Allen said. “We’re taking over what a website used to be and saying, ‘Hey, if it’s not Labz, you’re not in the game.’”
Furthermore, Allen emphasizes the importance of embracing AI not with fear but as a tool to unlock unprecedented opportunities for efficiency, creativity and inclusivity.
“It’s all about knowledge and knowing how AI can benefit you by making things efficient,” Allen said. “Efficiency and converting people through engagement.”
Standing on the Shoulders of Others
Allen’s journey is a testament to resilience, and in her story, we find the essence of what it means to be a trailblazer, no matter the background.
“I think about my parents, Jamaican immigrants, and the strength it took for them to come to America and start over,” Allen said. “I think about those Black women in corporate America who became CIO and CTO. I got denied in corporate America too.
“So, I looked up to those people because I know the denial that exists,” she said.
With an amazing work ethic and gracious attitude, Allen focuses on the positive intersections of tech and equity.
“I can’t afford to think about the negative side of what’s going to prevent me from being successful,” Allen said. “I can only receive and be thankful for the support of folks that want to see me get there.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Donald spent 10 years flattening quarterbacks, crushing ball-carriers, fighting through perpetual double-teams and generally wrecking NFL offenses. He was relentless, reliable and infinitely resourceful while he led the Los Angeles Rams all the way to a Super Bowl championship.
And on Friday, Donald decided a decade of dominance was enough.
The most accomplished defensive lineman of his generation has retired after a stellar 10-year career.
The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his somewhat surprising announcement on social media. He doesn’t plan to have a retirement news conference or any public farewell, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already indelible.
The 32-year-old Donald spent his entire career with the Rams, who drafted him in the first round in 2014 out of Pitt. The Pittsburgh native was selected for 10 Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro first teams, and he won the award as the league’s top defensive player in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be,” Donald said in a statement. “I respected this game like no other, and I’m blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me. Not many people get drafted to a team, win a world championship with that team and retire with that team. I do not, and will not, take that for granted.”
Although smaller than many top defensive tackles, Donald used his extraordinary athleticism and game savvy to wreak havoc on offenses throughout his career. He was the cornerstone of every Rams defense during his tenure, drawing habitual double-teams away from his teammates and still racking up a franchise-record 111 sacks, third in the NFL among active players.
After winning the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award in 2014, Donald reached the peak of his stardom after the Rams franchise moved from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016. He had a career-high 20 1/2 sacks in 2018 on the way to his first Super Bowl appearance under coach Sean McVay.
He then played a major role in the Rams’ run to a Super Bowl victory three years later, most famously applying the pressure that forced Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow to throw incomplete at midfield on the Bengals’ final play of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory in Super Bowl 56.
After that stop, Donald provided another defining moment of the Rams’ championship season by taking off his helmet, pointing to his ring finger and shouting: “Ring me!” His joyous, shirtless ride atop a double-decker bus during the Rams’ victory parade in Los Angeles is also an iconic moment in team lore.
“The great players in our league elevate the people around them, and Aaron has modeled the way for our team as long as I’ve been with the Rams,” McVay said in a statement. “He’s an elite competitor, someone who leads by example in a way that’s authentic to him, and an exceptional teammate who inspires everyone around him to be the best version of themselves.”
Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt are the only other players to win the defensive player of the year award three times. Only John Randle (137 1/2) has recorded more sacks than Donald among defensive tackles since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
Although he spent most of his time away from football living quietly with his wife and four children, Donald’s evident greatness and McVay’s coaching acumen are the two biggest factors in the Rams’ ascent in the Los Angeles sports hierarchy since the team returned home. During McVay’s seven years with Donald, the Rams racked up six winning seasons, five playoff berths, three NFC West titles, two Super Bowl appearances and a ring while winning over many skeptical fans in the nation’s second-largest market.
Donald was slated to make over $34 million this season under the terms of a contract that was renegotiated nearly two years ago. Although Donald had reportedly flirted with retirement for the past two seasons in private, the Rams and Donald hadn’t publicly acknowledged his departure was a real possibility.
But over the past two months, Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Raheem Morris left for the Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching job, and defensive line coach Eric Henderson left for a similar job at Southern California. Henderson and Donald are close friends.
“We are so grateful for Aaron’s dedication to greatness and for leading our franchise on and off the field for the past decade,” Rams owner Stan Kroenke said. “He has left his mark on generations of football fans and his accomplishments, coupled with his work ethic and passion, continue to inspire his teammates, coaches and athletes across the globe. It is a privilege to have witnessed one of the greatest players of all time, and we are proud that Aaron Donald will forever be part of NFL history as a member of the Rams.”
Donald’s offseason training regimen was famously demanding, but he has spoken of his love for that preparation because of the work ethic instilled in him by his father, who transformed Donald from a self-described “lazy little kid” into a dynamo. Donald returned home to Pittsburgh during the Rams’ offseasons, working out at Pitt’s Aaron Donald Football Performance Center — made possible by his seven-figure donation to his school.
Donald had 543 career tackles, including 176 tackles for loss, and 24 forced fumbles. He had 34 tackles and six sacks in his 11 career postseason games.
Donald also was incredibly durable, missing only six games due to injury in his 10-year career — all of them late in the 2022 season when the Rams were already out of playoff contention.
“He meant so much,” said linebacker Bobby Wagner, Donald’s teammate in 2022. “The real thing was to watch him work, watch him work out. Not a lot of D-linemen really put in that work in the film room as well as on the field. He was able to do so much in his career, and he’s had an amazing career, and I’m excited for whatever he has next. Great human being. Amazing player. One of the greatest.”
Only one player is now left on the Rams’ roster who also played in St. Louis: Rob Havenstein, who is still the Rams’ starting right tackle.
Director P. Frank Williams, Jermaine Dupri, showrunner Geraldine Porras, and Uncle Luke at Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told’s SXSW premiere.
Photograph courtesy of Hulu
Hulu’s new original documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told tells the story of how a 1983 picnic for Atlanta HBCU students in the meadow at Piedmont Park became, by the mid-1990s, a national Spring Break destination for hundreds of thousands of young people each April. The engrossing 82-minute cultural examination of the city’s epic street party features ample archival footage of the annual traffic-stopping, bass-thumping, booty-shaking weekend. As rapper Lil Jon aptly observes in the film: “It was the ultimate street party, not just on one street but the entire city of Atlanta. The interstate, the highway, nobody was moving.”
Adds Jermaine Dupri, So So Def Records founder and one of the film’s executive producers: “It was a club outside the club—in the middle of Peachtree Street, dancing, playing your music. People watching you, people filming you. Then a girl from another car runs up to your car and you ain’t tripping, you let her stand up on the hood of your car. It’s a moment.”
But beyond all of the salacious camcorder video footage, Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is a poignant history lesson about Atlanta’s Black power structure, its role in the civil rights movement, and its home to iconic HBCUs Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, and Morris Brown College. As professor and author Marc Lamont Hill explains in the film, “Atlanta represents possibility—economic possibility, cultural possibility and educational possibility. There is a history in this country of the establishment not wanting Black people to have access to education. And so, we had to build our own.”
The film, which had its world premiere Tuesday night at SXSW at the ZACH Theatre in Austin, Texas and will debut March 21 on Hulu, features interviews with everyone from rapper 21 Savage and 2 Live Crew legend Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell (both executive producers on the project) to Killer Mike, former Indiana Pacers NBA star Jalen Rose, rapper Too $hort, Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley member CeeLo Green, and former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
Jermaine Dupri in the new documentary
Photograph courtesy of Hulu
And whether you attended or endured the annual citywide street party, Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told offers lots of new insights and fresh historical context. Here’s five things highlighted in the new Hulu doc that even long-time Atlantans might not know about Freaknik’s enduring legacy.
1. A late 1970s disco song inspired the name One of the greatest joys of Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is the emotional Atlanta reunion of the HBCU students who founded “Freaknic” in 1983 as a cookout for college kids who couldn’t go home for Spring Break. “The way it started is not the way it ended,” says co-founder Monique Tolliver in the doc. “People don’t know that. When people hear Freaknik, they think of the ‘90s, but people did not know about the ‘80s.” Adds co-founder Emma Horton: “We had no inclination about the depth of the legacy we were creating.” The cookout’s name was inspired by the 1978 disco hit “Le Freak” by Chic and the dance that accompanied it. Explains Tolliver: “The Freak [we were doing] wasn’t scandalous. It was fun.”
2. A Different World helped the event go national Decades before a viral TikTok video could instantly popularize a party or social gathering, a 1989 episode of the Cosby Show spinoff set at the fictional HBCU Hillman College helped put Atlanta’s Spring Break event in the national spotlight when two of the sitcom’s characters sneak off to attend a Freaknik concert. The previous year, Morehouse Man Spike Lee’s shot-in-Atlanta School Daze also helped to popularize the HBCU experience. Explains former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed in the film: “It was organic. That’s why it grew and took off and attracted thousands of people.”
Photograph courtesy of Hulu
3. Freaknik helped kick-start Atlanta’s hip-hop reign In the spring of 1992, Kriss Kross—the teen hip-hop duo Jermaine Dupri discovered—provided the event’s unofficial theme song when “Jump” blasted out of cars idling in Atlanta. The success of that single helped pave the way for other emerging So So Def acts, including Xscape, Bow Wow, Da Brat and Jagged Edge. Explains Killer Mike in the doc: “When you went to Freaknik, you saw that [Atlanta Home of So So Def Recordings] sign.”
4. OutKast blew up at Freaknik Andre 3000 and Big Boi’s timing was impeccable when their dropped their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik the same week as Freaknik in 1994, just as the event hit its traffic-snarling peak. With thousands of college kids idling in their cars going nowhere fast, street teams from LaFace Records handling out free cassette samplers of the album had a captive audience. Soon, Freaknik revelers were blasting Player’s Ball from one end of Peachtree Street downtown to Peachtree Road in Buckhead. Explains Organized Noize producer Rico Wade: “The OutKast sampler spread like weeds. It was being handed out in everybody’s car and it meant you were cool.”
5. The 1996 Summer Olympics were the beginning of Freaknik’s end By April 1996, just three months before Atlanta was scheduled to play host to the world for the Centennial Olympic Games—and with Freaknik arrests and rape reports rising—then-Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, Atlanta Police, and business leaders had had enough. Campbell ordered streets and interstate exits barricaded, essentially dead-ending the rolling street party. Explains Kasim Reed in the doc, “Mayor Campbell embraced Freaknik when it was a more manageable event. But it changed into something else. The Olympics was the single biggest thing to happen in the history of the city and he had to make some tough decisions.” Adds Georgia State University professor Dr. Maurice Hobson in Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told: “While Freaknik attracted a million college students to Atlanta, the Olympics attracted 10 million. Freaknik may have brought in $15 million to the city coffers but the Olympics brought in $2 billion. This was a business decision Bill Campbell is making.”
While it’s difficult to imagine Freaknik in the age of TikTok and Instagram Live, professor and author Marc Lamont Hill makes the case in the Wildest Party Never Told that young people still need an outlet to express themselves: “We need Freaknik. We need Black joy and not on the internet.”
The Hulu original documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told premiered Tuesday night at SXSW in Austin and will begin streaming on Hulu on March 21.
The most recent winner of the Great American Seafood Cookoff, Olive creates fresh seafood masterpieces at Voyagers, the Perdido Beach Resort restaurant in Orange Beach, Alabama. A champion for sustainability, Olive shares tips about oysters, grouper, and a unique sailboat outing. Marvelous Mollusks | “Oysters are the most sustainable seafood out there. They each filter up to 50 gallons of water a day and are very important to our ecosystem and bays. In the winter, we feature a baked oyster entree with Swiss chard and local smoked bacon that is fantastic.”
Pan-roasted grouper at Voyager
Courtesy of Perdido Beach Resort
Go Fish | “Our pan-roasted grouper with a smoked harissa polenta cake, Romanesco, rock shrimp, and green tomato chow-chow is a standout. The grouper’s sweetness, the smokiness and heat from the harissa cake, and the acidity of the chow-chow all work together to produce a depth of flavor.” Sail Away | “Wild Hearts is a 53-foot catamaran docked across the street from the resort. When weather permits, taking it out to see the Blue Angels practice is pretty damn amazing. And Captain Zach is a rock star with a wealth of knowledge of our area. It’s a great outing.”
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Now Open: Hotel Restaurants
Couvant| New Orleans, Louisiana This factory-turned-brasserie in the Eliza Jane Hotelfeatures an eclectic menu by Chef Ryan Pearson, who infuses local flavor into French cuisine in dishes such as Louisiana blue crab salad and brioche-crusted veal with king trumpet mushrooms.
Front Porch Swing cocktail at Evelyn’s
Photo by Victoria Quirk
Evelyn’s | Nashville, Tennessee Named for famed hotelier, philanthropist, and socialite Evelyn Sharp, this Hutton Hotel eatery serves classic dishes like steak tartare, broiled red snapper, and Nashville hot fish and chips. Order the Front Porch Swing cocktail, made with gin from Castle & Key—a woman-owned distillery—as a nod to Sharp’s trailblazing career. Granddam | Lexington, Kentucky With a modern take on Appalachian-inspired dishes, this Manchester Hotel restaurant features entrees such as braised wild boar and confit rabbit ravioli. Cozy up near a firepit and sip on a Big Red Bear, made with sweet bourbon, Italian vermouth, earthy roasted beets, and orange blossom.
Nathan Wade has decided to step down after Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee issued a ruling in the misconduct hearing. Wade, who served as a special prosecutor in the 2020 election interference case, issued a statement.
“Although the court found that ‘the defendants failed to meet their burden of proving that the District Attorney acquired an actual conflict of interest,’ I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public, and move this case forward as quickly as possible,” Wade wrote in a statement.
McAfee wrote that Willis can remain on the Tump RICO case if Wade steps aside.
McAfee stated that Willis acted in an “unprofessional manner” when she chose to have a relationship with Wade. However, the judge also wrote that Trump’s defense team did not prove that there was an actual conflict of interest by Willis traveling with Wade.
In her acceptance letter, Willis wrote, “I will always remember — and will remind everyone — they you were brave enough to step forward and take on the investigation and prosecution of the allegations that the defendants in this case engages in a conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.”
With Wade’s resignation, Willis will move forward with her efforts to prosecutor Donald Trump and his co-defendants.
The hearing that focused on Willis and Wade’s relationship provided political entertainment, but it took away the attention from Trump and his co-defendant’s alleged crimes of attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
The RICO case centers around the 2020 election probe when Trump asked former Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during a phone call to help him secure over 11,000 votes, the amount in which he trailed Joe Biden in Georgia.
During a recorded call that took place on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump told Raffensperger, “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
Want to indulge? Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q begins brunch service this weekend at the Works. Starting March 16, every Saturday and Sunday the Westside location (204 Chattahoochee Row Northwest) will offer brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The regular menu will be available as well starting at 11 a.m.
“We’ve done breakfast taco and biscuit popups at the DeKalb Avenue location—sometimes they sell out in 20 minutes—so we learned there’s a demand,” says cofounder and pitmaster Jonathan Fox, who owns the restaurants with his brother Justin Fox. “The Westside is spread out. There are a lot of dining options but not a lot of breakfast and brunch. This is an opportunity to bring more people to the Works location.”
Chicken Fried Pork Chop Biscuit Gravy
Photo by Jonathan Fox
If you’re looking for something light, go elsewhere. Fox spent the pandemic fine-tuning his biscuit recipe and learning to make flour tortillas from scratch. Both are featured on the brunch menu. It includes breakfast tacos with sliced smoked pork belly, scrambled eggs, refried beans, and American cheese; a “Chicken Fried Pork Chop Biscuit and Gravy” topped with fried eggs; and a BEC biscuit—the ‘B’ stands for brisket. Expect chilaquiles, a “Texas Biscuit Benny,” and “Sweet and Spicy French Toast” with a fried chicken thigh slathered in jalapeno-infused maple syrup. A breadbasket includes a seasonal fruit kolache, currently blueberry cream cheese. Fox Bros. recently collaborated with doughnut chain the Salty for a savory pork kolache. Fox says something similar could be on the menu in the future.
Brunch cocktails include Spicy Bloody Maria made with jalapeno tequila and a Fox Bros. rub on the rim of the glass, Irish coffee, and a “Sunshine Mimosa” comprised of passion fruit liqueur, prosecco, and pineapple juice. Of course, traditional Bloody Marys and micheladas are also available.
No brunch is planned for the DeKalb Avenue location. “The kitchen is very small and it’s very busy over there,” Fox explains.
Jazz in the Garden hosted by the City of Miami Gardens, has grown in attendance from the previous year, with more than 41,000 fans gathering at Hard Rock Stadium. In its inaugural partnership with Black Promoters Collective (BPC), the festival, in its 17th year, saw a remarkable 25% increase in ticket sales. The 2024 festival, with its diverse lineup and unforgettable performances, spanned two days and featured two magnetic stages.
On March 9th and 10th, festival-goers showed up and showed out to enjoy all of JITG’s culture-driven offerings. From a varied lineup in food, music, brand activations, vendor merchandise, and art, every attendee could find their place at this annual homecoming.
This year’s events were made even more remarkable by the presence of a highly curated sponsors lounge and activations for fans to enjoy. Sponsors included Simply, Calder Casino, The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Miami-Dade District 1, Amscot, AARP, Aetna, Bahamas Air, Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits, and more.
The festival included two special performances with the “Welcome to the Crib” stages hosted by DJ Nasty, which gave the fans a special taste of Miami with performances by Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Ball Greezy, Major 9, and Wayne Wonder.
DJ Cassidy gave fans an unforgettable treat with his “Pass The Mic Live!” stage, featuring some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Uncle Luke, Lil Kim, T.I., and Too $hort.
Two of the highlights included a surprise presentation to civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who was honored with a proclamation from Miami-Dade County, while legendary rappers Trick Daddy and Trina received the key to the City of Miami Gardens from Mayor Rodney Harris and Vice Mayor Katrina Wilson.
On Saturday, platinum-selling singer/songwriter Eric Bellinger opened up and set the tone for the energetic performances to come throughout the day. Chicago-born songstress and rapper Tink served the crowd real rawness with her high-energy hits. Fantasia hit the stage and had everyone out of their seats with her rendition of Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary.” Kirk Franklin’s adrenaline-pumping spiritual performance had the crowd going to church, while Jazmine Sullivan gave the most powerful performances for the ladies. Afrobeats artist Davido kept the energy high and the crowd moving. Saturday night closed out with the sexy and sultry sounds of Summer Walker.
JITG’s second day brought more recognition to the festival. Rising star October London opened the day with the smooth sounds from his debut album. Songbird Tamia sang hit after hit, and the crowd broke out into the “Can’t Get Enough” challenge. Jeezy gave the fans what they wanted with a rousing performance, while R&B legend Maxwell, who had a spectacular stage presence, closed out the festival.
An Alabama family claims their two-year-old Black toddler was disciplined far more frequently than other non-Black students at a daycare and was later expelled in retaliation to their complaints.
According to AL.com, Lee and Aletta Williamsonfiled a lawsuit against Heritage Preschools, a private Christian daycare system in Homewood, Alabama, last month, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation.
The Williamsons said their son was enrolled at Heritage from 2021, when he was two months old, through July 2023, when he was expelled after the family complained about discrimination. The family “thought they could trust Heritage to care for and educate their child because Heritage holds itself out as a family-owned school that ‘provide[s] safe, loving, Christ-centered care.’ They were wrong,” according to the complaint.
Issues began to arise last May after the Williamsons’ two-year-old child got promoted to a new classroom based on his developmental progress. The teacher of the class, identified as Caroline Harmon, “immediately began writing up ‘behavior reports’ accusing [the child] of misbehavior,” according to the lawsuit.
The Williamsons said they received roughly 30 behavior reports within three weeks. According to the suit, the daycare disproportionately punished Black children for behavior that other students weren’t disciplined for, including “sitting under a desk.”
When the parents approached administrators about the alleged discriminatory discipline, the Williamsons’ child was placed on “the preschool equivalent of probation” for four weeks.
Harmon allegedly continued to single out the child during the four weeks. Heritage administrators then “told [the] parents that they would be removing [their son] from the school because of his behavior, as reported by Ms. Harmon,” according to the lawsuit.
The parents were initially given two weeks to find alternative care, but administrators allegedly changed course after the Williamsons “complained of discrimination and threatened legal action,” the lawsuit states. “Heritage retaliated by kicking him out the same day.”
“When you take on the role of educating and training preschool children, you’re assuming a difficult task and responsibility. We understand that. But when you exercise your authority one way for little white children, and you exercise your authority another way for little Black children, particularly Black boys, that’s a violation of the law,” the Williamsons’ attorney, Artur Davis, said.
Heritage Preschools’ CEO, Larry Vann, said in a statement: “Heritage Preschools has very high standards that we hold ourselves to. We take these allegations very seriously. We are looking forward to the opportunity to refute the allegations contained in this filing, which is currently being addressed by our attorneys. We do not comment on pending litigation, however, we adamantly deny these allegations and we are looking forward to vindicating ourselves in the court of law.”
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The NAACP celebrated the stellar achievements of the “55th NAACP Image Awards” nominees and winners at the Awards Gala at the Hollywood Palladium. Hosted by Emmy and NAACP Image Award-winning talk show host, actress and comedian Sherri Shepherd, the event recognized talented individuals nominated in 20 categories. Queen Latifah will host the “55th NAACP Image Awards” premiering LIVE on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET and CBS from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The 55th NAACP Image Awards Gala kicked off with an invocation by Dr. Thema Bryant. The evening continued with welcome speeches from NAACP Chair Leon W. Russell and NAACP Vice Chair Karen Boykin-Towns. The board members congratulated the nominees and celebrated the incredible contributions of Black women of Hollywood during Women’s History Month.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Coco Jones attends the NAACP Image Awards Dinner at Hollywood Palladium on March 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images For NAACP)
Winners include Chloe Bailey for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special for “Praise This,”Ayo Edebiri for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Bear,” William Stanford Davis for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Keith Powers for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special for “The Perfect Find,” The Jennifer Hudson Show for Outstanding Talk Series, Sherri Shepherd for Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) for “SHERRI,” Cord Jefferson for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture for “American Fiction,” Ava DuVernay for Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture for “Origin,” and more.
Winners including Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, who received an Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture for her role as Young Celie in “The Color Purple,” delivered an impassioned speech about the importance of representation and giving Black creatives the platforms they deserve to not only make meaningful art, but also an impactful statement. When Sherri Shepherd tearfully accepted her award for Outstanding Talk Show Host, she reflected on all of the studio executives who dismissed her, refusing to watch her sizzle reel when she tried to pitch her talk show idea.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Sherri Shepherd attends the NAACP Image Awards Dinner at Hollywood Palladium on March 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images For NAACP)
“It took me 23-plus years to get to the place,” Shepherd said. “Sometimes you have to mature into the dream that you’ve been dreaming about.”
During the evening, NAACP Hollywood Bureau Senior Vice President Kyle Bower announced a book publishing partnership with Amistad, a venerable commercial African American publisher and an imprint of HarperCollins. Through the partnership, HarperCollins and Amistad will publish two original books and a reprint of existing work with the NAACP. Additionally, Amistad will republish the most highly regarded self-published book nominated for the NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Literary categories, which will be chosen by an independent group of judges.
“We realize that we are in a season of censorship and book banning,” said Bowser. “This partnership gives us an opportunity to encourage you to continue to tell our stories in a very forthright way. ”
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson called on the star-studded audience to use their influence to help mobilize voters ahead of the presidential election.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Ava DuVernay attends the NAACP Image Awards Dinner at Hollywood Palladium on March 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty Images For NAACP)
“We cannot take our freedoms for granted. We must continue to fight for them, and to protect them, with everything we have,” said Johnson. “The NAACP was founded for this fight. We are committed now and forever, but we cannot fight alone. We need your commitment. Alone we cannot win. Together, we cannot lose.”
During the Awards Gala, Dr. Joy Buolamwini, Founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, was honored with the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, virtually presented by Prince William and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The award acknowledges and supports a new generation of leaders that are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology — working to advance civil and human rights.
Singer-songwriter Shanice performed her 1991 hit single “I Love Your Smile,” and NAACP Award winning singer Kenny Lattimore performed his 1997 hit “For You.” Frankie Beverly received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and in a lively tribute, Lalah Hathaway, Kenyon Dixon, Kenny Lattimore and Luke James performed several of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly favorites, including “Golden Time of Day,” “We are One,” “Joy and Pain” and before closing the show with “Before I Let Go.”
The Gala featured appearances from presenters including Aisha Hinds, Aja Naomi King, Coco Jones, Courtney B. Vance, Druski, Gail Bean, Jarrell Jerome, Jawn Murray, Justice Smith, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Kevin Fredericks (KevOnStage), Lisa Beasley (Corporate Erin), Luke James, Nicco Annan, Nicole Byer, Patina Miller, Shameik Moore, and Wendell Pierce.
Judge Scott McAfee ruled in the misconduct hearing involving District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. McAfee wrote that Willis can remain on the Tump RICO case if Wade steps aside.
McAfee stated that Willis acted in an “unprofessional manner” when she chose to have a relationship with Wade. However, the judge also wrote that Trump’s defense team did not prove that there was an actual conflict of interest by Willis traveling with Wade.
But while the hearing that focuses on Willis and Wade’s relationship has provided political entertainment, it has taken away the attention from Trump and his co-defendant’s alleged crimes of attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
The RICO case centers around the 2020 election probe when Trump asked former Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during a phone call to help him secure over 11,000 votes, the amount in which he trailed Joe Biden in Georgia.
During a recorded call that took place on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump told Raffensperger, “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”
But the details of alleged crimes have been put to the back-burner to delve into the romantic life of Willis and Wade.
Willis and Wade’s relationship came to light after Wade’s divorce proceedings caught the attention of the attorney for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official. Roman asked that his charges be dismissed because Willis’ alleged personal relationship with Wade should disqualify her from continuing to prosecute the case. There was also claims that Willis signed off to pay Wade $654,000 since 2022 to serve as a special prosecutor.
During her fiery testimony, Willis provided details of the relationship and when it started. This came after a former acquaintance, Robin Yeartie, claimed through testimony that she was Willis and Wade kissing in 2019.
However, Willis and Wade both shared that their relationship began in 2022 and ended during the summer of 2023, before RICO indictments were announced against Donald Trump and others.
Willis’ father John Floyd III also provided intriguing testimony. During testimony, Floyd said, “maybe—and excuse me your honor, I’m not trying to be racist—but it’s a Black thing.” Floyd told the court a story of how he faced discrimination while doing a fellowship at Harvard when Willis was a child. While with Willis and her mother, Floyd attempted to pay for a meal and coffee with a credit card and traveler’s check. However, Floyd was told by the establishment that only cash was accepted. With only $10 of cash in his pocket, Floyd paid for the meal which came to $9.95. I was trained, and most Black folks, they hide cash or they keep cash, and I was trained you always keep some cash,” he added. “I gave my daughter her first cash box and told her, ‘Always keep some cash.’”
Terrence Bradley was marked as the star witness for defense attorneys, but he testified that he did not have information of when Willis and Wade’s relationship began.
Under Georgia Law, a prosecutor is disqualified from a case due to a “conflict of interest” when the prosecutor’s conflicting loyalties could prejudice the defendant leading to an improper conviction. Georgia law states, “[t]here are two generally recognized grounds for disqualification of a prosecuting attorney. The first such ground is based on a conflict of interest, and the second ground has been described as ‘forensic misconduct.’”
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC) installed (Feb.16) its fifth and first female president Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers, Ph.D. during an investiture ceremony on the institution’s campus located on Metropolitan Parkway in Atlanta. Sellers was installed by University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue.
The program marked Thompson-Sellers first year in office. The Board of Regents named her as president on Feb. 1, 2023. The ceremony was attended by a host of educators, elected officials and community partners from around the region. Special presentations came from the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta City Council.
The ceremony also marks the 50th anniversary of the institution which began as the Atlanta Junior College, then Atlanta Metropolitan College to its current status of Atlanta Metropolitan State College.
During her address, Dr. Thompson-Sellers cited her first year accomplishments and announced the launch of the $1,974,000 scholarship campaign: “It Just Means More.”
Dr. Thompson-Sellers comes to her new position at the Atlanta institution with more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Most of her career has been spent in the University System of Georgia.
Thompson-Sellers earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from The University of the West Indies (Mona Campus, Jamaica), a master’s degree in telecommunications from Iona University, and a doctoral degree in instructional technology from Georgia State University. She also holds a graduate certificate in analytics from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to joining the Trailblazer family, Dr. Thompson-Sellers served as president of South Georgia State College (SGSC), where she established new initiatives to increase enrollment, reduce expenditures and enhance the college’s technology infrastructure.
Thompson-Sellers has served in an array of roles at Georgia State University as well as the former Georgia Perimeter College, now part of Georgia State University. She previously taught at her alma mater, Iona University in New Rochelle, New York.
She has received numerous awards and commendations, and is a 2024 recipient of the Paragon Award for New Presidents by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK). She recently completed her term as a board of trustee with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and currently serves on the board of trustees for Iona University, the ATL Airport Chamber, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Regional Educational Service Agency (Metro RESA).
Atlanta Metropolitan State College, an access institution of the University System of Georgia, educates students from diverse backgrounds by providing affordable, career-focused bachelor’s and associate degree programs. The college offers student-centered instruction, civic/community engagement, and quality services that lead to the success of its inter-generational 21st century graduates.
