Despite everything, some protestors have still managed to maintain their sense of humour. At a demonstration in Los Angeles on Tuesday (June 2nd), just one of the many nationwide efforts to fight against police brutality and systemic racism, comedian Everett Byram took the opportunity to parody Kendall Jenner's famously mocked and later revoked 2017 Super Bowl Pepsi commercial.

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As you are likely well aware, in the now-infamous ad, the model opts to ditch a photo shoot in order to join a march taking place on the street. It's not clear what the protest is for, but regardless, Kendall takes part, and ultimately hands a police officer a can of Pepsi as a peace offering. The commercial was widely criticized for its tone-deaf portrayal of protestors' relationship with police as well as its oversimplification of activism.

However, Everett, like many in the years since the ad aired, found the humour in the absurdity of this ridiculous gesture, and decided to try it out for real. In a clip from the L.A. protest, Everett can be seen handing an LAPD officer a can of Pepsi.

“Hey, you guys, like a Kardashian over here," he says. "Hey, look, it’s a Pepsi, you want a Pepsi? Have it! Have a Pepsi, dude!” After the officer declines his offer, Everett exclaims, “But it helped in the commercial!" The cop responds, “I don’t drink soda."

In another instance, a protestor attempted to use Kendall's strategy by approaching a line-up of police officers in full riot gear, his arm outstretched holding a bottle of Pepsi. "I can’t believe someone actually did it," a Twitter user wrote in the caption.

Lea Michele has been a trending topic all week after her former Glee co-stars have accused her of treating the show’s extras, specifically people of color, like trash. 

The lead actress in the series was initially called out after her support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Remember when you made my first television gig a living hell?!?! Cause I’ll never forget,” wrote Samantha Ware, a black actress, in response. “I believe you told everyone that if you had the opportunity you would ‘s— in my wig!’ amongst other traumatic microaggressions that made me question a career in Hollywood.”

Samantha Ware was not alone in exposing Lea Michele’s alleged despicable behavior on set. It was also addressed by her co-stars Amber Riley and Heather Morris.

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Now, another black talent that worked with her on the show’s sixth season is speaking out about her treatment of POCs on set.

“I’ve never really seen anyone treat extras like that, to that level of, ‘Ugh, don’t look at me, don’t make eye contact, ugh cockroaches, there they are,'” said Imia Edwards. 

She went on to detail an experience she had with the actress when she belched directly in her face.

“She walked by me and burped in my face, this loud burp, directly almost face-to-face, it wasn’t even like, ‘oh she wouldn’t have known…’ she knew she burped in my face,” adds Edwards. “I don’t really like to pull that card [but] if she is racist then she should be called out.”

Lea Michele previously responded to Samantha Ware’s comments. She is yet to respond to this new batch.

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After the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, numerous brands came out with statements in support of the black community and even sought to educate people of systemically racist power structures. Nike launched a ‘Don’t Do It” ad campaign which spoke out against racism but now they are making a statement in an even bigger way.

It is being reported that Nike will now pledge $40 million to the black community over the next four years. This $40 million will be split amongst Nike, Jordan Brand, and even Converse. President and CEO of Nike John Donahoe came out with a powerful statement as to why this contribution is so necessary.

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“Systemic racism and the events that have unfolded across America over the past few weeks serve as an urgent reminder of the continued change needed in our society,” said Donahoe. “We know Black Lives Matter. We must educate ourselves more deeply on the issues faced by Black communities and understand the enormous suffering and senseless tragedy racial bigotry creates. The Nike Inc. family can always do more but will never stop striving to role model how a diverse company acts. We will continue our focus on being more representative of our consumers while doing our part in the communities we serve.”

With this latest donation in mind, we will surely be seeing even more pledges over the next few weeks. Hopefully, this all leads to real change.

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While the four police officers who were involved in the all-too-casual killing of George Floyd have been fired and arrested, the situation is not too similar for another victim of senseless police killing: Breonna Taylor.

The young Black female would have been 27-years old today, but she was shot and killed two months ago, when police barged into her apartment as she slept, to serve a search warrant. They believed that someone was packing drugs in her home, despite the fact that the suspect they were looking for had already been arrested earlier that day. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was there, and says the police did not announce themselves, and they used a battering ram to knock down the door. In response, Walker fired one shot– he had a license to carry– yet he was arrested and charged with attempted murder of a police officer and first degree assault. The police retaliated with over 20 shots fired. It’s an unbelievable, yet all too common, series of events that resulted in an innocent life taken entirely by the police. 

Taylor’s family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit, but the police officers involved have still not been charged– they remain on administrative leave, while the FBI has opened an investigation. Even as more information on the history of the officers involves come to light.

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In honor of Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday, many high-profile figures are sharing her photo, using the hashtag #SayHerName, and advocating for justice on her behalf. 

Among them, The Game shared a hearfelt message while showcasing a selfie he had taken with Breonna Taylor. We don’t know the full story behind this selfie, but The Game reveals that she had asked for a photo with him, calling him by his real name, Jayceon, and citing their last name similarities.

“Today you would be 27 years old. Today you would be celebrating your beautiful life. Instead today we are in still in deep mourning because your life was taken from you prematurely at the hands of the Louisville Metro Police Department & 3 of its incompetent officers who entered your home with malicious intent serving a “no knock warrant” when the people the police were looking for were already in custody,” The Game writes in the IG caption.

“Officers opened fire & shot you 8 times, killing you in cold blood because your car was suspected to be parked outside of a home they were investigating. A beautiful soul, taken from her family & friends due to negligent police work & a killer squad of officers in Louisville who simply had the wrong house.”

As far as the photo: “This is a picture of me & you to remind people of just how big your smile was & though our interaction was brief, I can attest to the amazing energy you exuded & how genuinely happy you were to meet me this night. “Jayceon, you said to get my attention”…. as that always does”. I turned around & you asked for a picture & after you said “Thank you so much, we have the same last name & tell little Cali I said hi”. I appreciate you & I am the one thankful for the picture with such a beautiful soul. Your life was taken but your name will never be forgotten…… “BREONNA TAYLOR””

Check out the photo he shared below. In response, fans have been overwhelmed by both his words and the image, thanking him for sharing and showing their support in the process.

If you’re looking for ways to support this cause, please check here. Additionally, we’ve compiled a list of Black businesses to support.

Today would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday. The Kentucky woman was an emergency medical technician for the University of Louisville Health. She was killed on March 13th, 2020, after three officers entered her home with a “no-knock” warning to execute a search warrant. After her boyfriend fired a shot believing the officers to be intruders, striking one officer in the thigh, they in turn allegedly fired 20 shots, eight of which hit Breonna while she was sleeping. These three Louisville cops involved in her death — Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove — were put on administrative leave, but not one of them has been arrested.

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While this case is upsetting enough on its own, it is particularly unnerving when we consider that all three of the officers that shot and killed Breonna have yet to face any charges. While arrests have been made in the two other high profile cases in recent months — former officer Derek Chauvin and the three other former Minneapolis officers involved in the death of George Floyd have been charged, as have Gregory McMichael, his son Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan, Jr., who were involved in the death of Ahmaud Arbery — more and more time goes by without any justice for Breonna.

Here’s how you can demand justice for Breonna Taylor:

Sign The Petition

A Change.org petition started by law student Loralei HoJay demands that the three officers be arrested and charged immediately. The petition has reached nearly 4 million signatures. Sign here.

Send A Birthday Card

In honour of what would’ve been Breonna’s 27th birthday, #BirthdayForBreonna was launched by freelance writer Cate Young. The campaign encourages people to send a birthday card to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, demanding that charges be filed against the three officers, and Louisville Metro Mayor Greg Fischer, demanding that he “fall in line and support charges for the killers.” Go to Action Item #4 on #BirthdayForBreonna for instructions.

Send An Email

The #BirthdayForBreonna campaign also encourages people to email Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Mayor Greg Fischer to demand that the officers be charged. There is already a fully scripted email prepared, with spaces to fill in your name and location. Go to Action Item #3 on #BirthdayForBreonna to find the email template.

Call

Call Mayor Greg Fischer at (502) 574-2003 and demand that these three officers be charged. 

Text

-Text “ENOUGH” To 55156 to demand justice for Breonna.

Donate To Her Family

While this is not a direct way to demand justice, a GoFundMe was set up by Breonna’s aunt, Bianca Austin, to financially support Breonna’s family. Donate here.

More Ways To Help

Campaign Zero: “Over 1,000 people are killed by police every year in America. We are calling on local, state, and federal lawmakers to take immediate action to adopt driven policy solutions to end this violence and hold police accountable.”

National Police Accountability Project: “The central mission of NPAP is to promote the accountability of law enforcement officers and their employers for violations of the Constitution and the laws of the United States.”

Bail Funds (Across The U.S.): “A collection of community resources for protestors around the country.”

Louisville Bail Fund: “The Louisville Community Bail Fund exists to not only bail out folks, but provide post-release support to get them from jail, fed, and to a situation of safety.”

DEFUND THE POLICE (Black Lives Matter):“Enough is enough. We call for radical, sustainable solutions that affirms the prosperity of Black lives throughout America. Sign the petition right now and call on our cities and states to #DefundThePolice.”

For the last couple of months, New Orleans Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson has been in a legal battle with his former agent Gina Ford. Ford is suing Zion for wrongful termination of their contract and to gain leverage in the lawsuit, Ford has resorted to some pretty nefarious tactics. For instance, she recently served the courts a request to have Zion answer questions and effectively admit that he allegedly took “improper benefits” to attend Duke and wear Nike shoes.

Well, Zion recently received a big win in this case as according to the New York Post, the judge has sided with Zion and his legal team who recently filed a motion to block Ford’s request. Essentially, there is now a “stay and paused” order which means Williamson is in the clear for the moment. Ford’s legal counsel now has ten days to request an overturning of this ruling.

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If Zion were to take the stand here, Duke basketball and the entire NCAA could be in a lot of trouble. The NCAA has notoriously harsh rules about accepting gifts and considering Zion’s talent and stature, it would be a horrendous look for Duke if it was revealed they were giving him gifts.

Stay tuned for updates on this story as we will be sure to give them to you.

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Candace Owens recently voiced her controversial opinion about George Floyd, claiming that we should not be honoring him because he was "not an amazing person." She has continued her divisive remarks by drawing a line between Black Lives Matter and election periods.

Using her platform on Twitter, the conservative political commentator argued that "white liberals" only care about Black Lives Matter when an election is approaching.

Dana White has had some pretty revolutionary ideas as president of the UFC. Over the years, White has been able to build the UFC into an enterprise that is worth billions of dollars and is beloved by many. Some of the UFC's fighters have quickly become international superstars and if there is anyone who knows how to market the sport, it would have to be White.

Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, White decided to take matters into his own hands and purchased a private island where he could host international fights. The whole initiative is being called "Fight Island" as still in the process of being set up. Today, White spoke to "Pardon My Take" on Barstool Sports and revealed some very pertinent information. As it turns out, the first fight on "Fight Island" will go down on July 11th.

Tekashi 6ix9ine has shown time and time again that he cares about his position on the charts. Ever since he first started gaining attention, his entire modus operandi was to rub it in everybody's faces how he continually gets hits on the Billboard Hot 100. 

While other artists -- *cough* Doja Cat -- seemingly could care less about their standing on the charts, Tekashi will be the first to remind people of how poorly they lived up to the hype.

During his 45-minute live-stream with DJ Akademiks, Blueface came into the conversation as 69 claimed that the man was a "one-hit-wonder." The Los Angeles rapper fought back, giving proof of all the songs he's charted in the last couple of years before his rainbow-haired rival packed a personal punch.

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#tekashi69 and #djakademiks debate if #blueface is a 1 hit wonder. Via @iamakademiks

A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks) on Jun 4, 2020 at 11:11pm PDT

"This kid sold 12K with all these hits?" asked Tekashi 6ix9ine on Instagram, referring to the first-week sales for Find The Beat. The album came out during the same week as Rich The Kid's BOSS MAN but both artists were outshined by the deluxe edition of Lil Uzi Vert's Eternal Atake. Because of that, 6ix9ine decided to come after both rappers.

How do you see this progressing? Do you think Blueface and Tekashi 6ix9ine will meet up for the next cringe-worthy boxing display?

J Alexander Kueng and Thomas K. Lane, two of the former Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd, are casting sole blame on Derek Chauvin for the 46-year-old Black man’s death on their watch. On Thursday (June 4th), all three officers charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter made their first court appearance in the case. Both Kueng and Lane’s attorneys are rejecting the accusations that their client played any critical role in the killing of Floyd, who died after former officer Chauvin knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds until he stopped breathing.

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“What is my client supposed to do but follow what the [senior] officer says?” Lane’s attorney, Earl Gray, argued in court. “The strength of this case, your honor, in my opinion is extremely weak.” 

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Video shows Lane, a rookie officer who was working his fourth day as a full-time officer on the day of Floyd’s death, restraining Floyd’s legs as Chauvin choked him with his knee. Keung, working his third shift ever as a full-time officer, kept a firm grip of Floyd’s back as he pleaded for mercy.

“What was [Lane] supposed to do…go up to Mr. Chauvin and grab him and throw him off?” asked Gray. He argued that there was no evidence to charge his client. Kueng’s attorney, Thomas Plunkett, attempted to make a similar argument. “At all times Mr. Kueng and Mr. Lane turned their attention to that 19-year veteran,” Plunkett noted. “[Kueng] was trying — they were trying to communicate that this situation needs to change direction.”

Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Getty Images

According to charging documents, Lane had asked Chauvin twice if they should roll Floyd onto his side, but he was shut down. At one point, Kueng took Floyd’s pulse but “couldn’t find one,” according to the criminal complaint.

“We recognize the statements that this defendant made,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank, the prosecutor on this case, regarding Lane, “but beyond that, [he] did nothing but hold the victim down [and] started CPR too late.”

Chauvin is facing charges second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges. His bail has been set at $1 million, and he is scheduled to make his first court appearance in the case on Monday, June 8th.