New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara showed his support for Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's only black driver, during Sunday's Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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"What's right is right, and what's wrong is wrong, and I think Bubba's a testament to that," Kamara told ESPN "With them being able to, I guess, step away from that, that's a huge step. And flipping the script, just rewriting the narrative on what this sport is and what it stands for. There's obviously some people that are against that decision of removing the flag, and I think there's way more people that are for that decision. Because I think there's a certain stigma on the type of fans that support this sport, and there's some bad ones. But I don't think the bad ones represent all the good ones."
Kamara tweeted out his support for NASCAR, after the organization banned Confederate flags sporting events, earlier this week.
Wallace rocked a Black Lives Matter paint scheme on his No. 43 Chevy during the race.
Kamara is teammates with Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who came under fire last week for criticizing players who have knelt during the national anthem.
"But being here today, I'm learning a lot. It's definitely a different experience in person," Kamara said.
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Starbucks Reverses Black Lives Matter Clothing Policy: "Just Be You"
Starbucks is now allowing its employees to wear whatever Black Lives Matter clothes they would like.
Starbucks is reversing its ban on employees wearing independent Black Lives Matter clothing while working. “Just be you,” the COO and vice president for inclusion and diversity of Starbucks said together in a new letter to partners, Friday.
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“As we talked about earlier this week, we’re designing new t-shirts with the graphic below to demonstrate our allyship and show we stand together in unity,” wrote Roz Brewer, the COO of Starbucks, and Zing Shaw, Starbucks’ vice president for inclusion and diversity. “Until these arrive, we’ve heard you want to show your support, so just be you. Wear your BLM pin or t-shirt. We are so proud of your passionate support of our common humanity. We trust you to do what’s right while never forgetting Starbucks is a welcoming third place where all are treated with dignity and respect.”
“Together, we’re saying: Black Lives Matter and it’s going to take ALL of us, working together, to affect change,” the letter continues. “That means using our voice to vote in our elections, volunteering in our black communities, joining local peaceful protests, ensuring our diverse slates of job candidates translate into diverse hires, mentoring and sponsoring partners of color so they can reach their maximum potential and taking steps to build greater understanding with empathy.”
Brewer and Shaw have told employees to expect more guidance on June 15.
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Patrick Beverly Appears To Troll LeBron James Regarding NBA Return
Patrick Beverley says LeBron James will decide whether the NBA returns in July, and no one else's opinion matters.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley expects the NBA will return in July regardless of what anyone not named LeBron James has to say.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
"Hoopers say what y’all want. If @KingJames said he hooping. We all hooping. Not Personal only BUSINESS?????? ?? #StayWoke ✊?✊?✊?," he wrote on Twitter, Sunday.
The NBA is set to return on July 30 in Orlando, Florida 22 teams; however, many players have voiced their disapproval of the league returning so soon. Kyrie Irving, in particular, has been a prominent voice in opposition to the return time-frame. “I don’t support going into Orlando. I’m not with the systematic racism and the bullshit. Something smells a little fishy," Irving told The Athletic, this week.
On the other hand, LeBron James is among the players who reportedly disagree with Irving. The thinking here is that the players could use their earnings to donate to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Houston Rocket guard Austin Rivers explained this point view, Saturday, saying "Us coming back would put money in all of our (NBA players) pockets. With this money, you could help out even more people and continue to give more importantly your time and energy towards the BLM movement. Which I'm 100% on board with. Because change needs to happen and injustice has been going on too long."
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Gregg Popovich Labels Roger Goodell & NFL Owners As "Hypocritical"
Gregg Popovich calls out Roger Goodell and the NFL owners for being hypocrites regarding social justice.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich says Roger Goodell and the NFL owners are hypocrites for their handling of Colin Kaepernick and social justice.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Speaking with Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, Popovich sides with the NFL players who kneeled during the National Anthem: “A smart man is running the NFL and he didn’t understand the difference between the flag and what makes the country great—all the people who fought to allow Kaepernick to have the right to kneel for justice. The flag is irrelevant,” he said. “It’s just a symbol that people glom onto for political reasons, just like Cheney back in the Iraq war.”
Regarding the NFL’s newfound support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Popovich had this to say: “It’s just hypocritical. It’s incongruent. It doesn’t make sense. People aren’t blind. Do you go to your staff and your players and talk about injustices and democracy and how to protest? I don’t get it. I think they put themselves in a position that’s untenable.”
Popovich also claimed Goodell “got intimidated when [Donald] Trump jumped on the kneeling” and that Goodell “folded.”
Last week, Popovich used the Spurs’ social media platform to speak about police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
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Netflix Adds New Genre: Black Lives Matter
Netflix adds Black Lives Matter to its list of genres.
Netflix has added Black Lives Matter to its collection of 24 genres. The change occurred after last Saturday when the iconic film The Help became the most streamed title on Netflix.
The BLM category is providing easier access to “powerful and complex narratives about the Black experience.”
“When we say ‘Black Lives Matter,’ we also mean ‘Black storytelling matters,'” said Netflix on Twitter. “With an understanding that our commitment to true, systemic change will take time – we’re starting by highlighting powerful and complex narratives about the Black experience. When you log onto Netflix today, you will see a carefully curated list of titles that only begin to tell the complex and layered stories about racial injustice and Blackness in America.”
Unlike the other genres on the service which are organized alphabetically, Black Lives Matter appears first on the genre list. The BLM category includes Malcolm X by Spike Lee, the series Dear White People, Ava DuVernay’s documentary on racial inequality 13th, When They See Us, Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight, and Michelle Obama’s documentary Becoming. The Help, which has received criticism for its “white savior narrative” is not featured in the BLM category.
It is unconfirmed as to whether the Black Lives Matter category will remain as its own genre or eventually become a subcategory under the larger Black Stories genre.
Raz Simone Accused Of Being A Warlord In Seattle’s CHAZ Area
Raz Simone is being accused of acting as the leader of Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.
Amid Black Lives Matter protests around the country, demonstrators in Seattle have created a six-block area near a police precinct called the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone or CHAZ for short. It is meant to be a protest zone in which there are no cops to create any sort of havoc or escalation. However, in recent days, rapper Raz Simone has been dealing with accusations that he is patrolling the area like some sort of warlord.
For instance, a video was posted to social media that depicts the rapper getting into an altercation with someone who was doing graffiti in the area. Eventually, Simone took to Twitter where he said he hugged it out with the man and that they are both okay with each other.
In another instance, Simone can be seen addressing a group of armed protesters and telling them to patrol the area so nothing bad happens.
With these recent developments in Seattle in mind, the President even took to Twitter where he claimed those in the CHAZ were domestic terrorists. Simone eventually went on social media and shot down these accusations, saying that the President was trying to push a narrative.
“The President really put a hit on my head. I’m not a Terrorist Warlord,” he wrote. “Quit spreading that false narrative. The world has NEVER been ready for a strong black man. We have been peaceful and nothing else. If I die don’t let it be in vain.”
Many have criticized Simone for what he's doing as they see it as something that divides people as opposed to bringing them together. While some are on board with Simone's action, it seems like the vast majority are opposed.
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Kendrick Perkins Calls Out NBA Owners For Lack Of BLM Support
Kendrick Perkins isn't impressed with the NBA's response so far.
Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police, protests erupted all across the country and they are still ongoing in some areas. Numerous sports leagues have taken a stand against racial injustice, including the NFL which plans to donate $250 million over the next 10 years as a way to combat systemic racism. Even the NBA has spoken up about racism as Adam Silver sent a memo to all of its teams.
However, not every NBA owner has come out and said something. Some figureheads like James Dolan have proven to be dormant in this time of need and this isn't sitting right with retired player Kendrick Perkins. During an appearance on ESPN's First Take, Perkins blasted the NBA's owners for not speaking up more and noted that it sets a bad example to the players who are hoping for some leadership and solidarity.
What makes this even more interesting is the fact that the NBA is expecting players to report to Orlando next month for the resumption of the NBA season. Some players have expressed wariness about returning to action as they don't want to distract from all of the protests that are going on.
With this in mind, things could get very interesting over the next few weeks.
Donut Shop Owner Says Employees Were Threatened After Ending Police Discount
Over a 10 percent discount.
Allie’s Donuts, a donut shop located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, is now being fully operated and staffed full-time by owner Matt Drescher after employees began to receive threats following the store’s announcement that they would no longer offer discounts to police officers.
Drescher shared the news in an Instagram video, where he explained he is now the only one working in the store due to concerns for employee safety. He also explained the abusive comments online came after Drescher made it clear he and his business are against police brutality and systemic racism in the criminal justice system. He said, “Due to all of the unfortunate threats that we've gotten and just the climate that it is, a lot of the employees don't feel safe working here right now," he continued, "I respect their choice, and they're safe at home. Nothing has happened to their job. I'm here right now, have the mixes on the table and I'm going to make as many [donuts] as I can."
The police and military discount is just 10 percent, but the firm stance in solidarity with police brutality victims seemed to have upset many customers.
The company had already previously aligned itself with Black Lives Matter activists, writing in an Instagram post, “We're fed up. Until local police take action to solve problems with racism and injustice, Allie's Donuts will choose to stand with the people of our great state."
Breonna Taylor Sparks "Breonna’s Law" Banning No-Knock Warrants In Louisville
Breonna Taylor was murdered in her bed by Louisville police, and while people await justice, “Breonna’s Law” was passed in Kentucky.
As activists are continuing to call for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor, Lousiville, Kentucky lawmakers have unanimously passed “Breonna’s Law.” Back in March, Breonna Taylor was asleep at home with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker. Plainclothes police officers driving unmarked vehicles descended on her home to issue a “no-knock” search warrant in connection to a suspect they already had in custody. According to reports, because Breonna, an EMT, knew the suspect, authorities somehow concluded that she was tied to his alleged drug offenses.
Elsa / Staff / Getty Images
Three officers entered her home unannounced (authorities claimed the officers did state they were the police, which has been refuted), and Walker, who had a license to carry, grabbed his firearm and issued a shot. The police returned fire, shooting Breonna Taylor eight times and killing her. A search of the home found no drugs or connection to the suspect. Kenneth Walker was arrested and indicted for attempted murder of a police officer, but his charges were later dropped.
Celebrities have called for all officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death to be arrested and charged, but the Louisville Metro Police Department nor the District Attorney’s office has budged on this case. The police report allegedly is missing many key elements causing misconduct accusations to surface. On Thursday (June 11), the Louisville Metro Council unanimously passed “Breonna’s Law” in a 0-26 vote that states LMPD can no longer issue no-knock warrants.
“No Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) police officer, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (LMDC) officer, or any other Metro law enforcement or public safety official shall seek, execute, or participate in the execution of a no-knock warrant at any location within the boundaries of Jefferson County,” the law states. While this is a victory, some are still awaiting news about legal justice for Breonna Taylor.
Walmart Will No Longer Lock Up Black Beauty Products
After facing online criticism, Walmart will no longer hold black beauty products in locked cases.
In response to growing online pressure, Walmart has announced that it will no longer keep Black beauty products in locked display cases. The policy, intended by the corporation to prevent shoplifting, was previously implemented in 4700 stores. “We have made the decision to discontinue placing multicultural hair care and beauty products in locked cases,” the company said Wednesday in an emailed statement and tweet.
Although the policy has been standard practice for a while, it recently became the focus of social media criticism from people noticing the double standard between Walmart’s approach to products intended for white shoppers and those marketed towards the black community. The backlash largely began after the issue was highlighted by CBS Denver reporter Tori Mason. However, criticism of Walmart is nothing new. The company also recently came under fire for its negligence towards the coronavirus and an insensitive Paul Walker tweet.
Walmart’s decision to unlock Black hair products comes amidst growing protests against racial injustice andGeorge Floyd’s death that several companies have released public statements and implemented policy changes to express solidarity with. In addition to repealing their ‘multicultural’ hair-care lockdown, Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon has announced that the company, in partnership with the Walmart Foundation, is pledging $100-million to create a racial equity center.
