Former President Barack Obama addressed graduating students during YouTube’s “Dear Class of 2020” virtual graduation ceremony, Sunday.

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Obama spoke about the internet, the news media, activism, and more with the class of 2020.

“To see so many of you participating in peaceful protest, to see so many of you of every race and background raise up your voices on behalf of justice for all, well, it’s been unbelievably inspiring. You make me optimistic about our future,” he said.

“Use all that critical thinking you’ve developed from your education to help promote the truth,” he continued. “You are the Internet generation and the social media generation. It’s not just how you shop, or listen to music or watch videos, it’s part of your social lives, it’s the new town square where you all come together to meet. In many ways, it’s been an amazing tool. In your pockets, you have access to more information than any group of people in history. It’s allowed movements of like-minded people to mobilize on behalf of worthy causes. But, what’s become clear is that social media can also be a tool to spread conflict, divisions, and falsehoods, to bully people, and promote hate. Too often, it shuts us off from each other instead of bringing us together, partly because it gives us the ability to select our own realities, independent of facts or science or logic or common sense. We start reading only news and opinions that reinforce our own biases. We start canceling everything else out.”

Check out the full speech below.

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Beyoncé used her speech during Barack and Michelle Obama’s “Dear Class of 2020” YouTube virtual graduation ceremony to address protesters, sexism in the music industry, and more.

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After thanking the Obama’s for the platform and congratulating the graduating class of 2020, Beyoncé spoke about the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Abery, and Bronna Talyor: “Thank you for using your collective voice and letting the worlds know that black lives matter,” she said. “The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others have left us all broken. It has left the entire country searching for answers. We’ve seen that our collective hearts, when put to positive action, could start the wheels of change. Real change has started with you, this new generation of high school and college graduates who we celebrate today.”

From there, Beyoncé discussed the role of women in the entertainment industry: “The entertainment business is still very sexist,” she explained. “It’s still very male-dominated and as a woman, I did not see enough female role models given the opportunity to what I knew I had to do. To run my label and management company, to direct my films and produce my tours, that meant ownership—owning my masters, owning my art, owning my future, and writing my own story. Not enough black women had a seat at the table. So I had to go and chop down that wood and build my own table. Then I had to invite the best there was to have a seat. That meant hiring women, men outsiders, underdogs, people that were overlook and waiting to be seen.”

Check out the rest of Beyoncé’s speech below.

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Actor Michael B. Jordan gave a powerful call to action during Saturday's Black Lives Matter demonstration in Los Angeles, telling Hollywood insiders they "need to go on notice."

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"We are in the heart of Hollywood right now, one of the world’s most powerful industries and I am an active member of that. And they need to go on notice," he said. "Anybody that deals with me, if you have racist beliefs, if you have a racist bone in your body, if you're not with me, if you don't stand with me and people that look like me, you don't need to be with me. I use my power to demand diversity but it's time that studios and agencies … do so."

"You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020, where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content, led by black executives, black consultants … So let us bring our darkness to the light? We're done with discrimination," he added.

Insecure star Kendrick Sampson also made an appearance during the event.

"I want you to spread the word, this is factual: The police system that we know today is based on slave-catching," Sampson said. "... The policing system started with a bad seed. It has grown a bad tree and it bears bad fruit ... We need to imagine a world free of police terror. We call ourselves an industry of creatives. Where the fuck is your imagination?"

Check out footage from the event below.

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Earlier this morning, Presidential candidate Joe Biden arrived in Philadelphia and proceeded to address the people. Speaking from the Philadelphia City Hall, Biden addressed George Floyd's death, the ongoing protests, and the dangers posed by another term of Donald Trump.

"I can't breathe, I can't breathe," begins a somber Biden. "George Floyd's last words, but they didn't die with him. They're still being heard, echoing all across this nation. They speak to a nation where too often, the color of your skin puts your life at risk." He proceeds to mention the lives lost to the Coronavirus, which has come to feel forgotten -- though it still waits in the wings. "They speak to a nation where every day, millions of people are saying to themselves "I can't breathe." It's a wake-up call to our nation. All of us."

"They're the same words we heard from Eric Garner when his life was taken away six years ago," he continues. "It's time to listen to those words. To try to understand them. To respond to them. The country is calling out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us, that can recognize pain and deep grief for communities that had a knee on their neck for a long time." He proceeds to decry the police, those "sworn to protect," who have "escalated tension" through their violent actions. "We have to be vigilant about the violence being done by this incumbent President to our economy and to the pursuit of justice."

"The president held up the Bible at St. John's church yesterday," Biden said, as his lengthy speech continues. "I just wish he opened it once in a while instead of brandishing it. If he opened it, he could have learned something. To love one another as we love ourselves. It's really hard work, but it's the work of America. Donald Trump isn't interested in doing that work. Instead he's preening and sweeping away all the guardrails that have long protected our democracy. Guardrails that have helped make possible this nation's path to a more perfect union."

President Donald Trump has already begun ramping up his campaign efforts as the general election is going to take place on November 4th of this year. In order to effectively campaign, Trump has decided to fly around the country and hold rallies in various different states. Recently, Trump was in Colorado and he had a very special guest with him. Of course, we are talking about UFC President Dana White.

TMZ recently caught up with White where they asked him about his recent trip and what it meant to him. As White explained, he was never actually supposed to speak but the President wanted him to. White also spoke about UFC fans who may jump ship knowing White is an avid Trump supporter.

“I wasn’t really campaigning, he called me and asked me if I wanted to go to Colorado “he said, ‘Wanna go to Colorado?’ So, I said, ‘Yeah.’ So, we flew over to Colorado for the day and then back to Vegas,” White explained before talking about the fans. “I could give a s**t. I don’t give a s**t. If you don’t like me because I’m friends with this guy, that’s your problem, not mine.”

Clearly, White is very comfortable with his political believes and truly doesn’t care that people have an issue. With the election drawing near, it will be interesting to see if White does anymore campaign stops.

Kobe and Gianna Bryant's tragic passing continues to sadden and shock many around the world. Kobe was one of the greatest basketball players this world has ever seen and was looked up to by many. His daughter was a rising star in basketball and seemed to be well on her way to the WNBA. Kobe, Gianna, and the seven others on the helicopter lost their lives way too soon and it's still hard to get over, a month later. Today, a public memorial was held for Kobe and Gianna, at the Staples Center. 

During the event, Vanessa Bryant got on stage and delivered a eulogy centered around Gianna and her relationship with her father, Kobe. The speech lasted close to 10 minutes and was beautiful from start to finish. Bryant received a standing ovation and was even helped off stage by none other than Michael Jordan. Bryant told touching jokes and anecdotes that resonated with the Staples Center crowd.

There’s nothing quite like flexing on your haters, especially when you can do it while accepting one of the top honors of the night at a prestigious awards ceremony. For Tyler, The Creator, he got the chance to do just that by accepting his trophy for “International Male Solo Artist” at the 2020 BRIT Awards in the most Tyler way possible.

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For those that don’t remember, Tyler was actually banned from the UK for a couple of years back in 2015 by then-prime minister Theresa May, citing his controversially violent and at times homophobic lyrics as a reason for her decision. Fans of the IGOR rapper suffered right along with him being that he had to cancel many European tour dates in promotion of his 2015 album Cherry Bomb. While closing out his speech at the BRIT Awards today, airing live from the 02 Arena in London, Tyler said, “I want to give a special shoutout to someone who I hold dear to my heart, who made it where I couldn’t come to this country five years ago — I know she’s at home pissed off. Thank you, Theresa May!” Now that’s how you make a memorable comeback!

Watch the clip from Tyler, The Creator’s speech at the 2020 BRIT Awards below The Independent: 

Joaquin Phoenix has been at the top of his activist game throughout award season so far. During his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, he mentioned the "link between animal agriculture and climate change." However, Phoenix is not merely posturing across the world's television screens. He's been putting his body behind his words by attending protests in connection to this cause. He ditched a SAG Awards after-party to stand at a vigil for pigs being taken to a slaughterhouse. His latest act of protest involved going to Jane Fonda's Fire Drill Fridays in Los Angeles.

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Since October 2019, Fonda has been hosting these rallies weekly in Washington, DC to demand that politicians properly address climate change. She has just moved this initiative to Los Angeles, where they will surely continue to attract celebrity participation. This past Friday (Feb. 7) marked Phoenix's second time attending Fire Drill Fridays. The rally he went to last month in the nation's capital resulted in him being arrested along with Martin Sheen. He attended this Friday's rally with his fiancee, Rooney Mara, where he went onstage to introduce environmental justice activist, Nalleli Cobo. 

Though many expected that the Republican Party would hold steadfast in their decision to acquit Donald Trump of all impeachment charges, Senator Mitt Romney has officially deted from the pack. With Trump facing charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, Romney decided to vote in favor of conviction, making him the first –and possibly final– Republican to do so. 

Making the announcement, Romney expressed a desire to stand on the right side of history. “I sought to hear from John Bolton not only because I believed he could add context to the charges,” he states. “But because I hoped he would add reasonable doubt and thus remove the awful obligation for me to vote for impeachment.” As the decision to hear from witnesses was ultimately vetoed, Mitt never had that chance. “We’ve come to different conclusions fellow senators, but I trust we have all followed the dictates of our conscience.”

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“Voters will make the final decision, just as the President’s lawyers have implored,” he continues. “My vote will likely be in the minority in the senate, but irrespective of this vote, I will tell my children and their children that I did my duty to the best of my ability. Believing that my country expected it of me. I will only be one name among many, no more, no less, to future generations who look at the record of this trial. They will note merely that I was among the senators who determined that what President did was wrong. Grievously wrong.”

Though he predicted that President Trump and many of his supporters will turn their wrath upon him, many on both sides have already begun praising Romney as courageous. Check out Mitt Romney’s full speech below. As of this moment, the Senate stands on the verge of acquitting Trump from all impeachment accusations.