Author: Carma Henry

     The highly esteemed, civil rights attorney Ben Crump grabbed the mic and spoke at the event about standing up for our youth and the community at large. Hosting in this capacity usually entails a short appearance, a speech, and inviting a few other noteworthy individuals. This was business as usual, until the face of the Positivity Pays foundation Ramon “Absoloot” Robinson entered in stage right “seemingly in the fourth quarter” to present Mr. Crump with something that would have him visibly emotional yet, overly excited and honored to receive. 

“Black professionals hold only 3.2 percent of all executive or senior leadership roles and less than one percent of all Fortune 500 CEO positions,” according to the Society for Human Resources Management.  The first annual Black Professionals Month (BPM), coming this October, is dedicated to improving those and other statistics by providing Black professionals with leadership advancement tools and critical systems of support through virtual workshops, panels, conferences and other programs. 

    Williams received three Primetime Emmy awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his work in Bessie (2015), The Night Of (2016) and When They See Us (2019). The thespian also won a Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Ensemble in Television for his role as Chalky White on Boardwalk Empire and most recently won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Montrose Freeman in Lovecraft Country.

     The film opens nationwide in November. Not only is Smith being talked about for a shoe-in for Oscar buzz, there is another celebrity that could earn Oscar buzz as well, its Beyonce. It has been reported that Queen Bee wrote the original song for the film. She co-wrote the song “Be Alive” with DIXSON. Although it’s pretty early to talk about Oscar buzz, let’s just hope our people show up for this biopic. “Our” people did not really show up for the “Respect” biopic.

BATEAU Funeral services for the late Marie Gertrude Bateau – 80 were held September 4th at Jubilee of Praise Church with Dr. Jean Gregoire officiating. BROWN…

BATTLE Funeral services for the James Battle – 61 were held September 5th at True Tabernacle of Deliverance. BESSENT Funeral services for the late Curtis Bessent…

     The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching “100” Band and the FAMU Concert Choir are scheduled to perform during the pregame festivities for the 2021 NFL Kickoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and reigning Super Bowl LV Champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 9.  

An Open Letter to Sen. Minority Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans

     It’s easy to say, “our immigration system is broken.” Or to declare: “we are a nation of immigrants.”

After Afghanistan . . . A Truth Commission?