Category: African-American

Essence Magazine:

George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter is likely too young to understand everything that has happened in the aftermath of her father’s death, but what she does know is her father made an impact on the world he left more than a week ago. Sitting on the shoulders of retired NBA player Stephen Jackson, Gianna exclaims, “Daddy changed the world.”

Jackson posted the heartwarming clip with himself and Gianna to his Instagram on Tuesday. He captioned the video saying, “That’s right GiGi ‘Daddy changed the world’ George Floyd the name of change. #justiceforgeorgefloyd #ivehadenough Love to all who have love for all .

Gianna also appeared with her mother Roxie Washington on Tuesday at a press conference in Minneapolis. Washington, doing her best to keep her composure, spoke about Floyd’s memory and the role he played as a father. “He was a good man,” Washington said, offering the child they share as proof.  “Gianna does not have a father. He will never see her grow up and graduate. He will never walk her down the aisle.”

She continued, “If there’s a problem she’s having and she needs her dad, she does not have that anymore. I’m here for my baby, and I’m here for George because I want justice for him. I want justice for him because he was good. No matter what anybody thinks, he was good.”

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 2: Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd’s daughter Gianna Floyd, attends a press conference on June 2, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Washington was joined by her daughter and Floyd’s friend, former NBA Player Stephen Jackson, speaking about the impact of his death on their family. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Jackson, who stood behind Washington during the press conference committed to standing in the place of the man he called “Twin.” “Floyd might not be here, but I’m here for her, I’m here to get justice, and we’re gonna get justice for my brother.”

In an interview with Good Morning America, ABC’s Eva Pilgrim asked Gianna Floyd what she wants people to know about her father. She said quietly, “Kinda that I miss him.”

The post George Floyd’s Young Daughter Speaks On The Significance Of Her Father appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

Flapper fever has officially swept the Essence.com offices. From super-short, spit-curled haircuts to wide-eyed, heavily lashed eyes, we’re so into the hair and beauty trends made popular by 1920s-era jazz babies.

Needless to say, we’re obsessed with the original Jazz Baby herself, Josephine Baker (or “Le Baker,” as she was christened by her fawning French fans).

Born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906, the beautiful teen made her way from the St. Louis slums to New York City, where she began dancing on Broadway and at The Plantation club. She definitely drew a crowd with her vaudeville antics and saucy choreography, but it wasn’t until she moved to Paris in 1925 that she became a legend.

As a headliner at Folies Bergres, Baker performed her wildly risque Danse Sauvage, wearing no more than a skirt made of bananas–and European audiences fell in love, declaring her the most beautiful woman in Paris (the sad irony is that, in her home country, Blacks were barely considered worthy of basic human rights, let alone considered beautiful).

Baker broke barriers, made her own rules, and set trends. In the ’20s, there wasn’t a woman alive–Black or White–who didn’t want to copy her glossy, spit-curled crop. Back then, spit curls were created by, literally, applying spit to a section of hair, winding it into a pin curl, and then allowing it to dry.

These days, you can mimic Baker’s flapper-fabulous style by applying gel to damp hair; molding small, face-framing sections at the temple and above ears into pin curls; and then and blasting with a blowdryer.

Baker, we thank you for your contributions to the world of dance, art, society and glamour.

This story was originally published in 2010.

The post Josephine Baker Is The Queen Of Glamour appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

Joe Jackson’s granddaughter, Yasmine Jackson, was stabbed seven times by a White woman, PageSix reports.

On Sunday, the 25-year-old Jackson posted photos of her face and neck wounds on Instagram. Jackson said the woman, who is her neighbor, started chasing her and stabbing her because she’s “a nigger.” 

Jackson who was attacked near her Vegas apartment complex, said she couldn’t move her neck and is thankful for the people who jumped to her rescue. “I pray to God that if you have any kind of hatred in your heart towards Black people that you heal it,” Jackson’s caption read. “I didn’t deserve this, nobody does. Oh, and by the way, I’m still fucking proud to be Black.”

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I was stabbed 7 times right by my house because “I’m a nigger”. This woman chased me down and started stabbing me. She said it’s because I was a nigger and that’s all I could hear while I was being stabbed. I can’t move my neck at all. I’m scared to be alone. I asked people to help me because she was stabbing me and nobody helped. Until someone did, actually a few people did & I am thankful for you. I pray to God that if you have any kind of hatred in your heart towards black people that you heal it. I didn’t deserve this, nobody does. Oh & btw I’m still fucking proud to be black. @shaunking , please help me. They only are charging her with a felony battery with a deadly weapon. I feel like she deserves attempted murder and also this is a HATE CRIME. SHE CALLED ME A NIGGER & THERE ARE WITNESSES SHARE SHARE SHARE SHARE PLEASE!!!!!!! Update: THEY BOOKED HER FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER, BATTERY WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, AND A HATE CRIME. PRELIMINARY HEARING WILL BE THIS MONTH.

A post shared by Yasmine Jackson ⚤ (@yasminejackson_) on May 30, 2020 at 10:24pm PDT

According to Jackson’s post, the woman was initially charged with “felony battery with a deadly weapon.” But Jackson updated the caption to say her attacker was booked for “attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon and a hate crime.” The preliminary hearing is scheduled for this month. 

Jackson is reportedly the daughter of Joh’Vonnie Jackson, the lovechild ofJoe Jackson and Cheryl Terrell. Joh’Vonnie wrote about her relationship with the Jackson family patriarch in her book Bastard Child.

Joh’Vonnie also posted her daughter’s injuries on Instagram. “My daughter has a good heart and has dedicated her time as a nurse to help others. She did not deserve this!” the concerned mother wrote. 

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Look what this Woman did to my daughter @yasminejackson_she tried to kill my daughter for being Black. My daughter has a good heart and has dedicated her time as a nurse to help others. She did not deserve this! Fuck anyone who has enough hate in their heart to want to do this to anyone!

A post shared by JohVonnie N J Jackson (@johvonniejackson74) on May 30, 2020 at 10:09pm PDT

On Jackson’s Go Fund Me page she admitted that “the incident has left me extremely traumatized and I plan on breaking my lease and moving out of those apartments until I’m mentally prepared enough to move on my own again.”

Jackson’s grandfather passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018.

The post Joe Jackson’s Granddaughter Was Stabbed 7 Times By Her White Neighbor appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

Amanda Seales, your favorite outspoken co-host on The Real has chucked the deuces to the popular show.

During an Instagram Live with actor, producer and advocate Brandon Dixon (Power, Jesus Christ Superstar), Seales revealed that her contract was up on the daytime gabfest and she decided not to renew it.

The hourlong conversation between the two not only touched on the intersection of consciousness and work, but also why Seales decided to pass on the opportunity to continue her gig on the Emmy Award winning show after six months. 

“I didn’t renew it, because it doesn’t feel good to my soul to be at a place where I cannot speak to my people the way they need to be spoken to. And where the people who are speaking to me in disparaging ways are not being handled,” Seales said unapologetically.

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Speaking on practical ways to move toward and embrace the mental elevation, economic independence, and political awareness needed for REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE!

A post shared by amandaseales (@amandaseales) on Jun 2, 2020 at 4:10pm PDT

“I’m not at a space where as a full Black woman,” she continued, “I can have my voice and my co-workers also have their voices and where the people at the top are not respecting the necessity for Black voices to be at the top too.”

Seales joined Loni Love, Adrienne Bailon, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Jeannie Mai as the fifth co-host in January 2020, replacing Tamar Braxton who was fired from the show. 

Fans tweeted their support for the comedian’s departure and some saw it coming because Seales is “vocal and passionate about Black community racial issues.”

I can’t say I didn’t see #AmandaSeales exit from #TheReal coming. She is too vocal and passionate about black community racial issues. She definitely elevated the social issue conversation. Her voice is very necessary all things considered. pic.twitter.com/bd9hAylwMY

— Gītūnio (@NiGitunio) June 3, 2020

Others were proud of Seales for protecting her space and deciding to rep Black folks “in the most truthful light.”

I’m so proud of @amandaseales for protecting here peace of mind and continuing to do her best to represent us in the most truthful light! I strive to have that level of integrity in my life!

— DEANDRE (@J_Buffy25) June 3, 2020

Check out the full conversation above. Seales shares her truth around the 40-minute mark. 

The post Amanda Seales Leaves ‘The Real’ After 6 Months appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

Keke Palmer led a peaceful conversation between protestors and National Guard soldiers at a Los Angeles protest on Tuesday. 

In a now viral video, the Good Morning America anchor addresses the soldiers directly and requests that they stand in solidarity with the people, who are protesting against police brutality. 

The actress began by denouncing social media posts sent by Donald Trump on May 29 that referenced harming protestors. “When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” he wrote in one tweet, referencing a racist mayor.

“You have a president talking about the Second Amendment as a use for people to come out here and use firearms against the people protesting. This is the message that we’re seeing,” she passionately said to the soldiers. 

Watch all of this. pic.twitter.com/YHq0QhXrnw

— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) June 2, 2020

“You have to pay attention to what’s going on! We have a president that’s trying to incite a race war, and when the borders are closed we can’t leave,” Palmer continued. “You have people in here that need your help. This is when you and y’all can stand together with the community, with society, to stop the governmental oppression. Period. We need you.”

One of the soldiers she was appealing to responded, “I agree with you.” He repeatedly nodded his head as she was speaking. 

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I can’t keep it in. Writing down how i feels really helps me gather my thoughts. What are y’all feeling like?

A post shared by BIG BOSS (@keke) on Jun 1, 2020 at 12:09pm PDT

Palmer then asked the National Guard to march with the protestors.

“March with us. March beside us. Get your people. March beside us. Let the revolution be televised. March beside us and show us that you’re here for us. Let’s just do it. We start marching and you march with us,” she instructed. 

“Do it, do it please,” she pleaded. “Be the change!” 

Palmer’s fellow protestors filmed the scene from various angles and echoed her requests for a show of solidarity.  “March with us,” they chanted. 

Another one of the soldiers said that they were unable to leave their posts because they had to carry out their assignment of protecting property. 

“It will send a huge message,” said Palmer about leaving their posts to protect the protestors.

He offered to escort them down the block, but said that they couldn’t go further. Another protester requested that the soldier take a knee instead. He obliged and was met with cheers. Two of his fellow soldiers followed suit.

“I’m at a loss,” Palmer said. “I don’t know — that ain’t enough for me.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, hundreds of protestors took to the streets Tuesday.

The post Keke Palmer Asks National Guardsmen To ‘March Beside Us’ appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

As if we can take any more pain and suffering right now, New Orleans is mourning the loss of local musician and rapper, Marrero Desto.

The 35-year-old rapper was shot and killed by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy on Wednesday when Reyes allegedly pointed a weapon at deputies after a short chase.

A video recorded by a camera attached to a Jefferson Parish Sheriff deputy’s stun gun captured the encounter, where one the deputies shouts, “Move,” and another can be heard shouting, “Gun,” before the sound of gunfire rings out. 

Reyes’ family members and friends contend footage from other video cameras refutes Jefferson Parish Sheriff Office’s version of events, said Reyes’ little brother, Alfonso Rowland. They remain skeptical of the incident.

“I know in my heart and my mind, it couldn’t have happened like that,” Reyes’ sister, Librada Turner, told Nola.com. “To try to hurt somebody and shoot somebody, that’s totally out of his character.” 

Reyes’ family has been stunned by the news of his death, which occurred two days after a 45-year-old Black man, George Floyd, died at the hands of a vicious White police officer, who had a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes. 

Family and friends of the rapper held a peace walk near the site of his killing earlier this week while they await the results of the autopsy, which is scheduled for Friday, according to the Jefferson Parish Coroners’ Office.

The post New Orleans Rapper Marrero Desto Dead At 35 appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

Ella Jones made history on Tuesday night, becoming the first Black and first woman to ever be elected as mayor in Ferguson, Mo.

As the New York Times notes, Jones, 65, won out over her opponent Heather Robinett with 54 percent of the vote.

Jones’ historic victory comes almost six years after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in the city that sparked protests across the nation. It also comes as the nation is rocked by yet another police-involved death of a Black man, George Floyd, which has also resulted in protests not only in the United States but across the globe as well.

“I’ve got work to do…because when you’re an African-American woman, they require more of you than they require of my counterpart,” Jones said in a YouTube video posted by St. Louis Public Radio journalist James Rosenbaum. “I know the people in Ferguson are ready to stabilize their community, and we’re going to work together to get it done.”

Jones noted that the election and the goal of her administration would be to serve the people.

“If you go look in the budget the first thing you see is the organizational chart. When you look at the organizational chart in the budget at the top of that chart it says ‘citizens,’ and then…the elected officials,” she pointed out. “If the people are not in charge of what they’re doing, then you’re going to have chaos. And we done had enough chaos…”

This is not Jones’ first time making history. A member of the city council, Jones smashed ceilings in 2015 when she became the first Black woman elected to the city council.

The post Ella Jones: Ferguson Elects Its First Black, First Woman Mayor appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

As America collectively mourns the lives of countless Black Americans taken from this world by acts of racism, lawmakers and national leaders are joining together to say that it’s time for the legislation to reflect the country’s outrage. On Monday, roughly a dozen prominent politicians and activists held a town hall to discuss how we move forward as a nation and ensure that the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement are no longer dismissed and/or justified by the governing legislation we now live by.

“We need to speak their names, we need to honor them all, and we need to act,” Sen. Kamala Harris said on the call hosted by Marc H. Morial, the President and CEO of the National Urban League. The former prosecutor confirmed that she is personally backing a bill that would require a national standard for use of force. As it stands right now, Harris says the standard makes it hard for prosecutors to seek justice for victims of police brutality because the burden of proof on their part is almost “insurmountable.” Harris believes that it’s time that the language shift so that the question is no longer was the force reasonable, but instead, was it necessary?

The former California Attorney General also says it’s important that there be a national protocol for independent investigations in police use of force cases. Harris notes that it’s necessary for the sake of community trust and for justice. “People are protesting because Black people in America have been treated as less than human by history and today. People are protesting in America because our country has never fully addressed historical and systemic racism. And the people have the right to be heard. We must focus on why they are protesting,” Harris affirmed

When we finally focus on “the why,” the potential VP pick believes that’s when the true change will happen. That’s why Harris also says that in addition to calling for the legislation to change, we must also demand certain practices be put in place. That includes restoring the United States Department of Justice’s responsibility to investigate patterns or practice of discrimination. “If there’s one bad apple, there’s a whole bunch of bad apples,” Harris asserted. That’s why the California Democrat says it’s important to not only track it but also demand a national officer misconduct registry. If they are carrying a gun and badge, Harris professed that `they must be held to a high standard. “We cannot continue to have two standards of justice,” Harris declared.  

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 01: Terrence Floyd (C) arrives at the site where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd called for peace and justice after his brother’s death, thanking those who continue to protest and imploring people to cease the damage and destruction which has followed. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

On Thursday, civil rights activists who are demanding legislation changes and police reform,are also calling for a National Day of mourning. “The tragic and senseless loss of Black lives to police-involved violence over the last several years —  and the callous indifference to justice in response – should have been enough to persuade the nation of the need for dramatic change,” a press release announcing the observance noted. Harris disclosed that she would be standing in solidarity with them in the same way she stands with the protestors who she says are exhibiting their pain, their anger, and their frustration. 

“The problem is that we have two systems of justice in America and we need to make it a country that is true to its ideals where we say equal justice under the law. We need to have that mean something and we have to work together for concrete solutions that will help get rid of a broken system that has stolen Black lives for far too long.

The post Kamala Harris Calls For Legislation To Be Passed, Demands To Be Met To Satisfy Protesters appeared first on Essence.

Essence Magazine:

If you ask anyone that frequents Trader Joe’s, they can probably spout for hours about the latest snacks they picked up, the newest spice blend they’re sprinkling on everything, or the new must-try ice cream from the frozen food aisle. For years, Black women had been having these conversations too…just not on a large platform. Two Black female Trader Joe’s lovers from Cleveland had an idea that changed all that.

Their names are Lauren (aka Lo), a 27-year-old human resources professional and Mercedes (aka Dee), a 34-year-old esthetician and mother. The Cleveland natives originally met on social media and later bonded at a dinner party Dee hosted.

“When I worked in retail, my job was right by Trader Joe’s. That was a frequent place I would go for inexpensive lunch,” Dee told ESSENCE of her initial love for the grocer. “I was always trying new things and that’s kind of how I fell in love with Trader Joe’s. And I just started cooking, and started my food blog Cornbread Fed. I love hosting people, which is how Lo and I met. It just kind of grew from there.”

As their friendship grew, Dee and Lo would bond about food and trade items after a Trader Joe’s haul. “Dee and I both followed social media pages dedicated to Trader Joe’s and I didn’t see a lot of brown hands on those posts,” Lo remembers. The idea to start a TJ’s page dedicated to Black girl’s began to dance in her head, and Dee was immediately on board. “I woke up in the morning and we had a conversation and it just went from there,” Lo said. “I just can’t believe how much it’s grown.”

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Whew! What a whirlwind! Allow me to introduce myself…My name is Dee & I am 1/2 of the #BlackGirlsInTraderJoes page! Y’all. I hadn’t planned on making another trip to our beloved TJ’s this week, but y’all requested & lowkey demanded a haul. I am not mad. So, I made a trip this morning… first in line for the 9am entry at my store[shoutout to my fellow #BGITJ behind me that’s expecting ]! WE IN THIS THANG!!! Here’s my haul! How’d I do? Cheers y’all! • Also…we are 14k+ strong right now. We’ll be announcing our 10k giveaway later today!!

A post shared by Black Girls in Trader Joes (@blackgirlsintraderjoes) on May 16, 2020 at 8:42am PDT

When it comes to growth, the Black Girls In Trader Joe’s page is the movement we didn’t know we needed. In two weeks, the page pulled in an impressive 50,000. Dee and Lo were stunned at the numbers, even noticing an uptick of 5,000 new followers in one day. “We kept calling each other like, ‘are you seeing this?’” says Dee. “It happened organically and that’s [thanks to] all of the Black women promoting something they believe in and love through word of mouth.”

The BGITJ Instagram page is not only dedicated to the store’s vast food selection, but also serves up mouthwatering recipes you can make with their unique ingredients. This milkshake using TJ’s purple yam ice cream and blueberry lavender almond milk is bound to be your favorite new summer treat.

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Wanna bring all the boys to your yard? Well…only 9 [Thanks to Miss Rona]. Well you definitely will with this Ube Mochi Blueberry Lavender milkshake! Summertime is coming & this is a scrumptious way to cool off! Y’all know I had to add the razzle dazzle with the sprinkle cookie crumbs! And babyyyyyy… it’s delicious! Don’t worry about the calories with this one y’all! What’s your go to milkshake flavor? Dee #BGITJ #BlackGirlsInTraderJoes

A post shared by Black Girls in Trader Joes (@blackgirlsintraderjoes) on May 28, 2020 at 9:43am PDT

Dee’s brioche french toast with garam masala peaches made us fall in love with breakfast again.

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WHAT THE FRENCH TOAST? We #BGITJ all agree that the #TraderJoes brioche bread is the GOAT when it comes to making French Toast. So today, I made some. Y’all know by now I had to add a little extra razzle dazzle for ya with some Garam Masala peaches. Garam Masala is a warm spice blend popular in Indian & South African cooking. Ya girl like to experiment with spices as some of you noticed! Step by step pics, videos & a question box in our stories! Dee #BGITJ #BlackGirlsInTraderJoes #FrenchToast

A post shared by Black Girls in Trader Joes (@blackgirlsintraderjoes) on May 21, 2020 at 6:12am PDT

This is just some of the food inspo that can be found on this wildly popular page, which is still climbing in followers daily. While BGITJ currently exists as an Instagram-only platform, Dee and Lo are planning to expand their brand with an official blog and merchandise. “I think that it’s important that we are seen and we can recognize each other [in the store] whether it’s with a pin, button, or T-shirt,” says Dee. “We’ve been afforded that sense of community from social media, which is amazing because now we can be all over the country and still feel a sense of community.”

For now, they’re enjoying the community they’ve built – both with avid Trader Joe’s lovers and Black women who’ve never stepped foot in one. “I love getting those messages that say, ‘I was intimidated by Trader Joe’s because I thought it was going to be expensive.’ Girl, no! You can find some deals.”

Most importantly, Dee and Lo want to offer themselves as examples of Black professional women who took their passion and created something beautiful. “We’re women in Cleveland with lives and this is what we started,” says Dee. “We believe that you could start something too. Don’t let your creative ideas sit in silence. Turn the volume up.”

The post Exclusive: Meet The Founders Of The ‘Black Girls In Trader Joes’ Movement appeared first on Essence.