theroot--2020-11-09--We Do Know, Do Show and Do Care What's New and Black on Netflix in November 2020

Yeah , yeah , I know I ’ m a little late with this one , but there was this little thing called a weeklong presidential election happening last week .
It took up a bit of my ( and everyone ’ s attention ) so it kind of slipped through the cracks .
No big deal , though !
While we ’ re un-hunching our stressed shoulders just a bit more now that we have a new president-elect named Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. , it ’ s time for yet another round of Black-ass content from Netflix .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a robust selection such as Boyz n the Hood ( by the way , I feel like Doughboy would be side-eyeing Ice Cube right now because One-Term Trump certainly never knowed , showed or cared about Black folks in the hood ) , Jumping the Broom , School Daze , Chappelle ’ s Show , Two Can Play That Game and Woo .
I know many Black people have expressed how difficult it was for them to watch Fruitvale Station ( which chronicles the police killing of Oscar Grant ) for understandable and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ve had to endure several more police killings and it ’ s as if the trauma is neverending .
For those who are ready to watch the film , it will be available on the streaming platform on Nov. 12 .
On that same tip , the 2017 documentary about the Ferguson uprisings , Whose Streets ?
will be heading to Netflix on Nov. 16 .
Because the holidays are coming up , Netflix is debuting some of its original programming , including Jingle Jangle : A Christmas Journey on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chocolate Nutcracker on Nov. 27 ( stay tuned for video content from The Root surrounding those two projects , by the way ! )
.
A couple of Christmas films are already streaming now , including Operation Christmas Drop and A New York Christmas Wedding .
You can check out the full Strong Black Lead November 2020 lineup below :

Yeah, yeah, I know I’m a little late with this one, but there was this little thing called a weeklong presidential election happening last week. It took up a bit of my (and everyone’s attention) so it kind of slipped through the cracks. No big deal, though!
While we’re un-hunching our stressed shoulders just a bit more now that we have a new president-elect named Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., it’s time for yet another round of Black-ass content from Netflix.
Advertisement
The month of November kicked off with quite a robust selection such as Boyz n the Hood (by the way, I feel like Doughboy would be side-eyeing Ice Cube right now because One-Term Trump certainly never knowed, showed or cared about Black folks in the hood), Jumping the Broom, School Daze, Chappelle’s Show, Two Can Play That Game and Woo.
I know many Black people have expressed how difficult it was for them to watch Fruitvale Station (which chronicles the police killing of Oscar Grant) for understandable and valid reasons. Since that film debuted, we’ve had to endure several more police killings and it’s as if the trauma is neverending. For those who are ready to watch the film, it will be available on the streaming platform on Nov. 12. On that same tip, the 2017 documentary about the Ferguson uprisings, Whose Streets? will be heading to Netflix on Nov. 16.
Advertisement Advertisement
Because the holidays are coming up, Netflix is debuting some of its original programming, including Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey on Nov. 13 and Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker on Nov. 27 (stay tuned for video content from The Root surrounding those two projects, by the way!).
A couple of Christmas films are already streaming now, including Operation Christmas Drop and A New York Christmas Wedding.
Advertisement
You can check out the full Strong Black Lead November 2020 lineup below:


theroot--2020-11-09--GTFOH Trump Watch: How Do You Get Fired With Only 2 Months to Go?

If you are anything like us , you can ’ t wait for the day that President COVID-45 ( Billy Dee Williams voice ) is Jazzy Jeff ’ d out of the White House , so consider this a countdown of sorts .
What you will find here is all of the fuckery , tricks , scams , hanging chads , snowflakes , tears , and bullshitery that is going on in the final days of the White House .
We assure you that it will be lively .
Turns out that Murphy is the administrator of the General Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a well-paid officer manager in charge of federal buildings and she ’ s supposed to be getting the White House in shape for its new guests .
But Murphy is working in the Trump White House , which means she ’ s not doing shit .
No , really , she ’ s not doing anything .
According to the Washington Post , Murphy is supposed to “ sign paperwork officially turning over millions of dollars , as well as give access to government officials , office space in agencies and equipment authorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner.
” All of this is supposed to happen after the winner of the presidential election is announced .
“ But by Sunday evening , almost 36 hours after media outlets projected Biden as the winner , GSA Administrator Emily Murphy had written no such letter .
And the Trump administration , in keeping with the president ’ s failure to concede the election , has no immediate plans to sign one ” the Post reports .
“ This could lead to the first transition delay in modern history , ” all because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got his ass beat by Black women who voted overwhelmingly to oust his ass .
How Do You Get Fired With Two Months Left to Go Before the Shop Closes ?
Imagine you ’ re an assistant manager of security of the khaki wall at Gap and you learn that America has voted for Gap to be put out of the mall in favor of a Victoria ’ s Secret .
Then you learn that with two months to go before the entire Gap closes that you ’ ve b een fired .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , someone has been promoted to assistant manager of security of the khaki wall and the entire fucking Gap is closing in two months .
That ’ s exactly what happened in the Trump administration .
Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday and then announced Chris Miller will be the acting secretary of defense .
Esper was reportedly heard saying , “ Fuck your funky ass khaki wall ” on the way out of the White House .
The Trump administration doesn ’ t even want to hear that people inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs .
And , if they do hear about it , then your ass is getting fired at least according to rumors coming from the White House .
Oh , and Another Person Close to Trump Got Dat Rona Trump , Much Like Popeyes Chicken Sandwiches , Just Won ’ t Go Down Quietly My fingers don ’ t even want to type this , but Satan ’ s favorite ingrown toenail is considering another run at the White House in 2024 , according to Axios .
It means two things : First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept that he ’ s lost this election and , second , that he just won ’ t let America be great .
I know that you are thinking there is some rule against this ( trust me , I looked it up and there isn ’ t ) but a president can only serve two terms but they aren ’ t required to run consecutively .
So for now , it ’ s legal unless President-elect Biden can get into office and make it so that it can ’ t happen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is and how much it can ’ t happen , in the words of NeNe Leakes when she got those really big teeth :

If you are anything like us, you can’t wait for the day that President COVID-45 (Billy Dee Williams voice) is Jazzy Jeff’d out of the White House, so consider this a countdown of sorts. What you will find here is all of the fuckery, tricks, scams, hanging chads, snowflakes, tears, and bullshitery that is going on in the final days of the White House. We assure you that it will be lively.
Loser Shit
Ever heard of Emily Murphy?
Yeah, me neither.
Turns out that Murphy is the administrator of the General Services Administration.
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Basically, she’s a well-paid officer manager in charge of federal buildings and she’s supposed to be getting the White House in shape for its new guests. But Murphy is working in the Trump White House, which means she’s not doing shit. No, really, she’s not doing anything.
According to the Washington Post, Murphy is supposed to “sign paperwork officially turning over millions of dollars, as well as give access to government officials, office space in agencies and equipment authorized for the taxpayer-funded transition teams of the winner.”
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All of this is supposed to happen after the winner of the presidential election is announced.
“But by Sunday evening, almost 36 hours after media outlets projected Biden as the winner, GSA Administrator Emily Murphy had written no such letter. And the Trump administration, in keeping with the president’s failure to concede the election, has no immediate plans to sign one” the Post reports. “This could lead to the first transition delay in modern history,” all because Trump won’t accept that he got his ass beat by Black women who voted overwhelmingly to oust his ass.
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How Do You Get Fired With Two Months Left to Go Before the Shop Closes?
Imagine you’re an assistant manager of security of the khaki wall at Gap and you learn that America has voted for Gap to be put out of the mall in favor of a Victoria’ s Secret. Then you learn that with two months to go before the entire Gap closes that you’ve b een fired. Then you learn that after your firing, someone has been promoted to assistant manager of security of the khaki wall and the entire fucking Gap is closing in two months.
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That’s exactly what happened in the Trump administration. Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday and then announced Chris Miller will be the acting secretary of defense.
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Esper was reportedly heard saying, “Fuck your funky ass khaki wall” on the way out of the White House.
Speaking of Jobs
The Trump administration doesn’t even want to hear that people inside the White House are reportedly looking for jobs. And, if they do hear about it, then your ass is getting fired at least according to rumors coming from the White House.
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Oh, and Another Person Close to Trump Got Dat Rona
Bloomberg News’ senior White House reporter tweeted out the deets:
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Trump, Much Like Popeyes Chicken Sandwiches, Just Won’t Go Down Quietly
My fingers don’t even want to type this, but Satan’s favorite ingrown toenail is considering another run at the White House in 2024, according to Axios. It means two things: First, that he’s got to accept that he’s lost this election and, second, that he just won’t let America be great.
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I know that you are thinking there is some rule against this (trust me, I looked it up and there isn’t) but a president can only serve two terms but they aren’t required to run consecutively. So for now, it’s legal unless President-elect Biden can get into office and make it so that it can’t happen. I don’t care how illegal it is and how much it can’t happen, in the words of NeNe Leakes when she got those really big teeth:


theroot--2020-11-09--Pfizer Says Its Vaccine Is 90 Percent Effective as COVID Cases Are Set to Overwhelm the American Hea

Pfizer Says Its Vaccine Is 90 Percent Effective as COVID Cases Are Set to Overwhelm the American Healthcare System

Can ’ t even lie , it felt incredibly good to see the whole world reenact the end of Return of the Jedi this weekend .
I ’ m going to do my best to hold onto that feeling because the upcoming months aren ’ t looking too hot with regards to the ongoing pandemic .
While Pfizer has shared a promising development on its vaccine progress , cases are still on track to overwhelm the healthcare system by the end of the year .
According to Politico , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently project the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases per week by the end of November .
This past Saturday alone , almost 1,100 people died according to the Covid Tracking Project .
“ That ’ s three jetliners full of people crashing and dying , ” David Eisenman , director of the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters , told Politico .
“ And we will do that every day and then it will get more and more.
” President-Elect Joe Biden announced a coronavirus task force on Monday and has outlined plans to substantially increase access to testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address shortages of Personal Protective Equipment and institute more effective contact tracing .
While these are all necessary steps , there are still 10 weeks until Biden assumes power .
There ’ s no guarantee Congress will take steps towards providing coronavirus relief , and the sitting president is currently more consumed with trying to litigate his L than helping the American people .
Making matters worse , unlike the early days of the virus where we saw rotating hotspots across the country , cases are surging nationwide .
This surge has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaching capacity in multiple states .
In New Mexico , state officials believe that general hospital beds will be at capacity by the end of the week .
ICU beds reached 98 percent capacity in Minnesota ’ s Twin Cities area , and the county morgue in El Paso , Texas has ordered another refrigerated trailer to hold the overflow of dead bodies .
It ’ s not entirely doom and gloom though , as CNN reports that early data has shown Pfizer ’ s coronavirus vaccine has a 90 percent success rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 43,000 volunteers who received either two doses of the vaccine , or a placebo shot .
Of the fewer than 10 percent in the group that contracted the virus , over 90 percent of them were given the placebo .
Pfizer added that the first dose provided protection from the virus for 28 days , while the second added an additional week of protection .
The company said it will seek authorization for emergency use of the vaccine after it monitors volunteers for two months after receiving the vaccine .
“ With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis , ” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement .
“ We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.
” Pfizer added that it will continue to evaluate the vaccine ’ s effectiveness in preventing severe complications from COVID-19 , as well as whether it can provide long-term protection from the virus , including among those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like all hope is still long down the horizon , Cyrus Shahpar , a former CDC official who runs the virus tracker Covid Exit Strategy , told Politico that the Biden team can still combat the virus by simply breaking down to the public how severe the spread currently is .
“ There ’ s been a misalignment between the reality on the ground and what our leaders are telling us , ” Shahpar told Politico .
“ Hopefully now those things will come closer together.
” So , obviously , wash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mask .
On a less obvious tip , you really may want to reconsider any plans you had to celebrate the holidays with your family this season .
Not just for the protection of you and yours , but to also help prevent the healthcare system on the whole from being overloaded .
It ’ s not just me suggesting it either .
“ Going into Thanksgiving people are going to start to see family and get together indoors , ” Eisenman said .
“ Then the cases will spread from that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another set of holidays and people will gather then and by January , we will be exploding with cases.
” So if you ain ’ t trying to be a part of that explosion of cases , then you might need to sacrifice the holidays this year .
Does it suck ?
Obviously .
But them ’ s the breaks , kid .
Hopefully , this time next year we can talk about turkey without death being involved .

Can’t even lie, it felt incredibly good to see the whole world reenact the end of Return of the Jedi this weekend. I’m going to do my best to hold onto that feeling because the upcoming months aren’t looking too hot with regards to the ongoing pandemic. While Pfizer has shared a promising development on its vaccine progress, cases are still on track to overwhelm the healthcare system by the end of the year.
Advertisement
According to Politico, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently project the United States to hit 11,000 deaths and 960,000 cases per week by the end of November. This past Saturday alone, almost 1,100 people died according to the Covid Tracking Project. “That’s three jetliners full of people crashing and dying,” David Eisenman, director of the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, told Politico. “And we will do that every day and then it will get more and more.”
President-Elect Joe Biden announced a coronavirus task force on Monday and has outlined plans to substantially increase access to testing, aggressively use the Defense Production Act to address shortages of Personal Protective Equipment and institute more effective contact tracing.
Advertisement Advertisement
While these are all necessary steps, there are still 10 weeks until Biden assumes power. There’s no guarantee Congress will take steps towards providing coronavirus relief, and the sitting president is currently more consumed with trying to litigate his L than helping the American people. Making matters worse, unlike the early days of the virus where we saw rotating hotspots across the country, cases are surging nationwide.
This surge has led to emergency rooms and ICU beds reaching capacity in multiple states. In New Mexico, state officials believe that general hospital beds will be at capacity by the end of the week. ICU beds reached 98 percent capacity in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, and the county morgue in El Paso, Texas has ordered another refrigerated trailer to hold the overflow of dead bodies.
Advertisement
So yeah, shit’s pretty bleak folks.
It’s not entirely doom and gloom though, as CNN reports that early data has shown Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine has a 90 percent success rate. Pfizer’s testing involved more than 43,000 volunteers who received either two doses of the vaccine, or a placebo shot. Of the fewer than 10 percent in the group that contracted the virus, over 90 percent of them were given the placebo.
Advertisement
Pfizer added that the first dose provided protection from the virus for 28 days, while the second added an additional week of protection. The company said it will seek authorization for emergency use of the vaccine after it monitors volunteers for two months after receiving the vaccine.
“With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.”
Advertisement
Pfizer added that it will continue to evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing severe complications from COVID-19, as well as whether it can provide long-term protection from the virus, including among those who have already contracted it.
While it seems like all hope is still long down the horizon, Cyrus Shahpar, a former CDC official who runs the virus tracker Covid Exit Strategy, told Politico that the Biden team can still combat the virus by simply breaking down to the public how severe the spread currently is. “There’s been a misalignment between the reality on the ground and what our leaders are telling us,” Shahpar told Politico. “Hopefully now those things will come closer together.”
Advertisement
So, obviously, wash your hands, socially distance and wear a mask. On a less obvious tip, you really may want to reconsider any plans you had to celebrate the holidays with your family this season. Not just for the protection of you and yours, but to also help prevent the healthcare system on the whole from being overloaded. It’s not just me suggesting it either.
“Going into Thanksgiving people are going to start to see family and get together indoors,” Eisenman said. “Then the cases will spread from that and then five weeks later we have another set of holidays and people will gather then and by January, we will be exploding with cases.”
Advertisement
So if you ain’t trying to be a part of that explosion of cases, then you might need to sacrifice the holidays this year.
Does it suck? Obviously. But them’s the breaks, kid. Hopefully, this time next year we can talk about turkey without death being involved.


theroot--2020-11-09--Unity Is for White People: Why Joe Biden Can't Unite the Country

At the dusk of America ’ s bloodiest war , a political debate swept across America about how this country should handle the white supremacist traitors who decided to take up arms against their own country to preserve the right to rape , torture and kill their human chattel .
Democrats , moderate Republicans and Abraham Lincoln urged unity .
According to them , the only way to heal a bitterly divided nation was for America to extend its arms and embrace the men who had just plotted to shoot their fellow countrymen in the face .
They proposed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let bygones be bygones .
Others , however , had a different idea .
The “ radical ” Republicans ’ Wade-Davis Bill proposed that the Confederate States wouldn ’ t be readmitted back into the Union until 50 percent of each respective state ’ s citizens swore an oath of loyalty to the United States .
In the end , they reached a compromise .
The “ Ten Percent Plan ” —formally known as the Proclamation for Amnesty and Reconstruction ( pdf ) —readmitted a state if 10 percent of that state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution and promised to free the enslaved Africans within its boundaries .
It worked .
America united .
Bygones were bygones .
While you might know it as “ Reconstruction , ” there was more terrorism , mayhem and murder during the decade that followed the Civil War than there was rebuilding of any kind .
In Georgia , white supremacists ousted 33 duly-elected Black lawmakers from the state legislature and killed one-quarter of the “ Original 33.
” The entire state was kicked out of the Union again and had to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ army , overthrew the state government and kicked Gov .
William Woods Holden out of office .
Louisiana ’ s Knights of the White Camelia joined with ex-Confederates to massacre Black voters by the thousands .
Freedmen in Alabama , Arkansas , Mississippi and South Carolina all experienced widespread bloodshed .
Federal laws could not end the campaign of racial terrorism .
Federal occupation could not stop it .
Ultimately , the people of the United States weighed in .
In the election of 1876 , Rutherford B. Hayes assumed the presidency in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical Confederate extremists to do what they want with their Black citizens .
The Compromise of 1877 conjoined the North and the South for nearly a century under the system called “ Jim Crow.
” Politicians , pundits and people who performatively furrowed their brows for four years at the antics of the white nationalist-in-chief are now sprinkling an insidious call for “ unity ” across mainstream media .
Many of them were unaffected by Donald Trump ’ s shenanigans while others claim to seek moderation and stability after four years of dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Activist Al Sharpton and former Trump homey Joe Scarborough ruminated on the need for progressives to chill out and show some understanding toward the delusional contingent of Trump voters who believe there ’ s a nefarious conspiracy to destroy the American democracy by counting votes .
“ It ’ s time not only to tell the president and those who are going on these conspiracy theories on the right to tamp down , ” Sharpton explained .
“ It ’ s time to tell those of us that are progressive : ‘ Wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for gloating and partying in the middle of everywhere ... We told the American people we were more adult ; we were more grown up and we were more concerned.
” “ Now is the time to bring the country together ... Now is the time for Democrats to work with Republicans , ” chimed in Scarborough , adding : First , let ’ s be clear : While most data scientists are reluctant to cite the preliminary exit polling data that—for a number of reasons—can ’ t be right , every analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant margin .
Conversely , Black voters overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden ’ s campaign to unseat the current administration .
That loyalty , combined with a surge in turnout in swing states is what unquestionably swung the election in Biden ’ s favor .
Make no mistake , Trump was headed for a second term ...
Apparently , not only are we expected to overcome voter suppression , violence and racism in order to participate in the democracy they have spent more than a quarter of a millennium excluding us from ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also our responsibility to make them feel like they won .
They are the ones who soared through the air in an attempt to dropkick Black America in our collective teeth .
Although the caucasity is not the least bit surprising , one can ’ t help but feel rage to hear them voice their expectations of our duty as Americans to fabricate a soft bed on which white America can comfortably land after four years of wearing the wings of white nationalism .
As usual , white people believe we are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their failures .
These so-called “ patriots ” are not just using their privilege to frame this insidiously undemocratic argument as an attempt at “ unity.
” They are asking us to kindly set aside the entire reason we risked our lives to go to the polls so that we can make white people feel better about their anti-Black intentions .
Essentially , their entire argument is that Donald Trump was right to claim that there are “ very fine people on both sides ” of white supremacy .
Right can not unite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not unite the will of his most loyal constituency with the people who expressly voted against everything he stands for .
How can he unite the obstinate determination of those who ignore and spread a deadly virus with the people who it kills disproportionately ?
Science and facts can ’ t unite with conspiracy and fiction .
Biden can not reconcile his official statement on the value of Black lives with the people who supported a man who called Black Lives Matter activists “ terrorists ” and “ fools.
” They want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionately dying from coronavirus , economic inequality , police brutality , a cratering economy , mass incarceration and right-wing extremism .
Statistically , COVID-19 is sparing the white community .
The white unemployment rate is fine .
White people aren ’ t getting kneed in their necks or killed by gun-toting Boogaloo Bruhs .
We didn ’ t just cast ballots for Biden to see if he could help us solve these problems ; we wanted to stop the administration who was exacerbating these problems .
It would be a dereliction of duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an insult to democracy for Biden to sail into the White House on the wind of our votes and then offer a ride to the people who stand against everything we voted for .
In fact , there is only one way that the Biden-Harris ticket could possibly unite America : If this administration reimagines policing , pushes a Black economic agenda , supports HBCUs , eliminates educational barriers , reforms the criminal justice system , prosecutes right-wing terrorists , defeats the pandemic with science , focuses on voting rights and fights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what will happen to those angry MAGAfuckers Nothing at all .
Sure , they ’ ll be furious about the prospect of living in a fairer , more equitable country .
But it ’ s not like they will suffer any harm .
Historically , America has treated white people pretty well .
Even the most well-read historians agree that the only way to unite the country is to choose good over evil .
While that might sound angry , choosing what ’ s right is supposed to upset people who choose evil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the throat .
Ugh !
I know that sounds antagonistic and incendiary .
I wish I could quote a historical figure who could make this argument as eloquently as Joe Scarborough ’ s unity out-of-context quote about “ malice.
” Oh , wait !
I just remembered one : But despite what those “ unity ” advocates would have you believe , Lincoln added one small caveat :

At the dusk of America’s bloodiest war, a political debate swept across America about how this country should handle the white supremacist traitors who decided to take up arms against their own country to preserve the right to rape, torture and kill their human chattel.
Democrats, moderate Republicans and Abraham Lincoln urged unity. According to them, the only way to heal a bitterly divided nation was for America to extend its arms and embrace the men who had just plotted to shoot their fellow countrymen in the face. They proposed that President Lincoln pardon the treasonous Southerners and let bygones be bygones. Others, however, had a different idea. The “radical” Republicans’ Wade-Davis Bill proposed that the Confederate States wouldn’t be readmitted back into the Union until 50 percent of each respective state’s citizens swore an oath of loyalty to the United States.
Advertisement
In the end, they reached a compromise. The “Ten Percent Plan”—formally known as the Proclamation for Amnesty and Reconstruction (pdf)—readmitted a state if 10 percent of that state’s residents swore an oath to the Constitution and promised to free the enslaved Africans within its boundaries. It worked. America united. Bygones were bygones.
Then, they started a race war.
While you might know it as “Reconstruction,” there was more terrorism, mayhem and murder during the decade that followed the Civil War than there was rebuilding of any kind. In Georgia, white supremacists ousted 33 duly-elected Black lawmakers from the state legislature and killed one-quarter of the “Original 33.” The entire state was kicked out of the Union again and had to be readmitted. North Carolina Klansmen formed an army, overthrew the state government and kicked Gov. William Woods Holden out of office. Louisiana’s Knights of the White Camelia joined with ex-Confederates to massacre Black voters by the thousands. Freedmen in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and South Carolina all experienced widespread bloodshed.
Advertisement Advertisement
Federal laws could not end the campaign of racial terrorism. Federal occupation could not stop it. Ultimately, the people of the United States weighed in. In the election of 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes assumed the presidency in exchange for allowing the South’s radical Confederate extremists to do what they want with their Black citizens. The Compromise of 1877 conjoined the North and the South for nearly a century under the system called “Jim Crow.”
America was finally united.
Politicians, pundits and people who performatively furrowed their brows for four years at the antics of the white nationalist-in-chief are now sprinkling an insidious call for “unity” across mainstream media. Many of them were unaffected by Donald Trump’s shenanigans while others claim to seek moderation and stability after four years of dog whistles, destruction and downright incompetence.
Advertisement
Activist Al Sharpton and former Trump homey Joe Scarborough ruminated on the need for progressives to chill out and show some understanding toward the delusional contingent of Trump voters who believe there’s a nefarious conspiracy to destroy the American democracy by counting votes.
“It’s time not only to tell the president and those who are going on these conspiracy theories on the right to tamp down,” Sharpton explained. “It’s time to tell those of us that are progressive: ‘Wait a minute. This is not time for gloating and partying in the middle of everywhere...We told the American people we were more adult; we were more grown up and we were more concerned.”
Advertisement
“Now is the time to bring the country together...Now is the time for Democrats to work with Republicans,” chimed in Scarborough, adding:
And yes, 70-71 million people voted for Donald Trump. I’ll be the first to admit, as a small-government conservative, I don’t understand why. But I do know this: We gotta figure out how to move forward “with malice toward none.” If Abraham Lincoln could say that after my region was responsible for starting a war that killed 700,000 Americans...We can do that.
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First, let’s be clear: While most data scientists are reluctant to cite the preliminary exit polling data that—for a number of reasons—can’t be right, every analysis shows that Trump won white voters by a significant margin. Conversely, Black voters overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden’s campaign to unseat the current administration. That loyalty, combined with a surge in turnout in swing states is what unquestionably swung the election in Biden’s favor.
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Make no mistake, Trump was headed for a second term...
Until they started counting Black votes.
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Apparently, not only are we expected to overcome voter suppression, violence and racism in order to participate in the democracy they have spent more than a quarter of a millennium excluding us from; but if we succeed, it is also our responsibility to make them feel like they won.
They are the ones who soared through the air in an attempt to dropkick Black America in our collective teeth. Although the caucasity is not the least bit surprising, one can’t help but feel rage to hear them voice their expectations of our duty as Americans to fabricate a soft bed on which white America can comfortably land after four years of wearing the wings of white nationalism. As usual, white people believe we are the ones who should shoulder the burden of their failures.
Advertisement
These so-called “patriots” are not just using their privilege to frame this insidiously undemocratic argument as an attempt at “unity.” They are asking us to kindly set aside the entire reason we risked our lives to go to the polls so that we can make white people feel better about their anti-Black intentions. Essentially, their entire argument is that Donald Trump was right to claim that there are “very fine people on both sides” of white supremacy.
Good cannot unite with evil.
Right cannot unite with wrong.
And Joe Biden cannot unite the will of his most loyal constituency with the people who expressly voted against everything he stands for. How can he unite the obstinate determination of those who ignore and spread a deadly virus with the people who it kills disproportionately? Science and facts can’t unite with conspiracy and fiction. Biden cannot reconcile his official statement on the value of Black lives with the people who supported a man who called Black Lives Matter activists “terrorists” and “fools.”
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These people don’t want unity.
They want to kill us.
We are the ones disproportionately dying from coronavirus, economic inequality, police brutality, a cratering economy, mass incarceration and right-wing extremism. Statistically, COVID-19 is sparing the white community. The white unemployment rate is fine. White people aren’t getting kneed in their necks or killed by gun-toting Boogaloo Bruhs.
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We didn’t just cast ballots for Biden to see if he could help us solve these problems; we wanted to stop the administration who was exacerbating these problems. It would be a dereliction of duty, a slight to his supporters, and an insult to democracy for Biden to sail into the White House on the wind of our votes and then offer a ride to the people who stand against everything we voted for.
In fact, there is only one way that the Biden-Harris ticket could possibly unite America:
Ignore Trump supporters and the GOP.
If this administration reimagines policing, pushes a Black economic agenda, supports HBCUs, eliminates educational barriers, reforms the criminal justice system, prosecutes right-wing terrorists, defeats the pandemic with science, focuses on voting rights and fights for racial justice, do you know what will happen to those angry MAGAfuckers
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Nothing at all.
Sure, they’ll be furious about the prospect of living in a fairer, more equitable country. But it’s not like they will suffer any harm. Historically, America has treated white people pretty well.
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Even the most well-read historians agree that the only way to unite the country is to choose good over evil. While that might sound angry, choosing what’s right is supposed to upset people who choose evil, even if it means stabbing them in the throat.
Ugh! I know that sounds antagonistic and incendiary. I wish I could quote a historical figure who could make this argument as eloquently as Joe Scarborough’s unity out-of-context quote about “malice.”
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Oh, wait! I just remembered one:
It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered... Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether With malice toward none; with charity for all... —Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
April 10, 1865
But despite what those “unity” advocates would have you believe, Lincoln added one small caveat:
“[W]ith firmness in the right.”


theroot--2020-11-09--Oprah's Dropped Her 2020 Favorite Things List—With a Special Emphasis on Black Businesses

Please excuse us if we were a little distracted by other goings-on as last week ended , and therefore missed the drop of Oprah ’ s Favorite Things 2020 list .
But while all we really wanted for Christmas ( and Hanukkah , and Kwanzaa , and the new year , and our birthdays ) was a new president , the queen of all media is , as usual , also giving us ample opportunity to indulge in some celebratory retail therapy ( which would be a hell of a lot easier with some stimulus checks ) .
Call it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve always looked forward to this list ( and fondly remember the good old days when it debuted on TV and you got a gift , and you got a gift , and you got a gift ) , but have also always wished there were more Black-owned businesses in the mix , as opposed to an annual smattering .
A proportion the O magazine team joined many other outlets in remedying , writing : And this year , there ’ s a special twist .
Because so many people want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ve found dozens of absolutely gorgeous gifts from Black-owned businesses that deserve to be celebrated , because we believe Black lives—and Black businesses—matter .
So for 2020 , most of my Favorite Things are from Black-owned or -led companies .
What ’ s more ?
O added a tab for folks to go straight to a Black vendors-only page—50 small businesses across a range of sectors made the Favorite Things list this year .
And we were thrilled to see some of our also-featured faves , including Telfar ; Rayo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Simone I. Smith ; Savage x Fenty ; Grace Elayae ; Mented Cosmetics ; Pear Nova ; Sheila Bridges ; Phillip Ashley Chocolates ; Uncle Nearest Whiskey and more .
Of course , this is a year unlike any other in our lifetimes , which heightens our need to make this holiday season extra-special .
In the coming weeks , we ’ ll also be helping to guide your gift-giving for 2020 ( and beyond ) with our own recommended Black-owned brands as part of The Glow Up ’ s upcoming Wrapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... but in the meantime , make your favorite things Black ones !

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

Please excuse us if we were a little distracted by other goings-on as last week ended, and therefore missed the drop of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2020 list. But while all we really wanted for Christmas (and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and the new year, and our birthdays) was a new president, the queen of all media is, as usual, also giving us ample opportunity to indulge in some celebratory retail therapy (which would be a hell of a lot easier with some stimulus checks). Call it nostalgia or holiday spirit, but we’ve always looked forward to this list (and fondly remember the good old days when it debuted on TV and you got a gift, and you got a gift, and you got a gift), but have also always wished there were more Black-owned businesses in the mix, as opposed to an annual smattering. A proportion the O magazine team joined many other outlets in remedying, writing:
And this year, there’s a special twist. Because so many people want to support Black lives any way they can, we’ve found dozens of absolutely gorgeous gifts from Black-owned businesses that deserve to be celebrated, because we believe Black lives—and Black businesses—matter. So for 2020, most of my Favorite Things are from Black-owned or -led companies.
What’s more? O added a tab for folks to go straight to a Black vendors-only page—50 small businesses across a range of sectors made the Favorite Things list this year. And we were thrilled to see some of our also-featured faves, including Telfar; Rayo and Honey; Wrap Life; ByChari; Simone I. Smith; Savage x Fenty; Grace Elayae; Mented Cosmetics; Pear Nova; Sheila Bridges; Phillip Ashley Chocolates; Uncle Nearest Whiskey and more.
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Of course, this is a year unlike any other in our lifetimes, which heightens our need to make this holiday season extra-special. In the coming weeks, we’ll also be helping to guide your gift-giving for 2020 (and beyond) with our own recommended Black-owned brands as part of The Glow Up’s upcoming Wrapping Paper Roll Call, so stay tuned...but in the meantime, make your favorite things Black ones!


theroot--2020-11-09--World STOP: Blue Ivy Carter Narrates Matthew Cherry’s Hair Love

In a role that couldn ’ t prove to be any more iconic , Blue Ivy Carter , aka Beyoncé ’ s firstborn and lowkey manager , is now the narrator for the audiobook adaptation of Matthew Cherry ’ s Oscar-winning short film , Hair Love .
In an adorable 10-second audio-clip , Cherry shared the news via Twitter : Black Twitter , of course , was beyond excited : For those who ’ ve been living under a rock , per the film ’ s website : [ Hair Love ] is a 7- minute animated short film that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , Stephen , his daughter , Zuri and her hair .
Despite having long locks , Stephen has been used to his wife doing his daughter ’ s hair , so when she is unavailable right before a big event , Stephen will have to figure it out on his own .
This sounds simple enough , but we soon come to find that Zuri ’ s hair has a mind of its own .
Originally a picture book , Hair Love made the New York Times Best Seller list in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to later receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film .
In his acceptance speech , Cherry acknowledged the need for more representation in animation as well as the end of race-based hair discrimination .
“ Hair Love was done because we wanted to see more representation in animation , ” he mentioned in part .
“ We wanted to normalize black hair .
There ’ s a very important issue that ’ s out there.
” Given those sentiments , the news of the Blue Ivy x Hair Love collab is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harmful rhetoric that the 8-year old has faced since birth regarding her hair type and texture .
( Yeah , I know .
I wish I was kidding .
People were seriously coming for this child as if they didn ’ t have enough things to worry about . )
Regardless , Blue Ivy is going to continue to come for folks ’ bank accounts and edges one gig at a time .
I wonder if she needs an assistant ?
Eight-year-olds have assistants , right ?
Hair Love is available everywhere audiobooks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep an eye out for Cherry ’ s latest projects , which include the upcoming feature film Tut and HBO Max ’ s Young Love .

Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanelle Genai to The Root

In a role that couldn’t prove to be any more iconic, Blue Ivy Carter, aka Beyoncé’s firstborn and lowkey manager, is now the narrator for the audiobook adaptation of Matthew Cherry’s Oscar-winning short film, Hair Love.
In an adorable 10-second audio-clip, Cherry shared the news via Twitter:
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Black Twitter, of course, was beyond excited:
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For those who’ve been living under a rock, per the film’s website:
[Hair Love] is a 7- minute animated short film that centers around the relationship between an African-American father, Stephen, his daughter, Zuri and her hair. Despite having long locks, Stephen has been used to his wife doing his daughter’s hair, so when she is unavailable right before a big event, Stephen will have to figure it out on his own. This sounds simple enough, but we soon come to find that Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own.
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Originally a picture book, Hair Love made the New York Times Best Seller list in late spring of last year and went on to later receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. In his acceptance speech, Cherry acknowledged the need for more representation in animation as well as the end of race-based hair discrimination. “Hair Love was done because we wanted to see more representation in animation,” he mentioned in part. “We wanted to normalize black hair. There’s a very important issue that’s out there.”
Given those sentiments, the news of the Blue Ivy x Hair Love collab is also particularly heartwarming considering the relentless and harmful rhetoric that the 8-year old has faced since birth regarding her hair type and texture. (Yeah, I know. I wish I was kidding. People were seriously coming for this child as if they didn’t have enough things to worry about.) Regardless, Blue Ivy is going to continue to come for folks’ bank accounts and edges one gig at a time. I wonder if she needs an assistant? Eight-year-olds have assistants, right?
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Hair Love is available everywhere audiobooks are sold. And be sure to keep an eye out for Cherry’s latest projects, which include the upcoming feature film Tut and HBO Max’s Young Love.


theroot--2020-11-09--For Survivors of Sexual Violence at Howard University, a Fund That Truly Trusts Them

Nylah Burton didn ’ t tell her mother about the first sexual assault she experienced during her time as a Howard University student—one that she has little memory of .
But she did tell her about the second , in part because there was no mistaking what had happened to her .
Burton says she did “ everything that people say survivors are supposed to do ” —explicitly told her attacker “ no , ” pushed him away , told him he was hurting her .
“ It just happened anyway , ” she said .
When Burton told her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was her daughter ’ s fault for letting him into her room .
Reflecting back on those experiences , Burton told The Root that part of the reason she was so reluctant to talk about the first assault was that she just couldn ’ t see herself as a victim .
And even when the violence was more explicit , her mother couldn ’ t see it either .
“ The worth that we ’ re taught to assign ourselves as Black women is so low when it comes to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We ’ re not taught that our bodies are something worth protecting or something that is vulnerable.
” A GoFundMe organized this year by Burton and other survivors of sexual violence from Howard aims to shift that paradigm by providing direct cash assistance to survivors at the esteemed HBCU , as well as giving them something just as valuable : trust and autonomy .
The “ Black Survivors Healing Fund ” is explicitly for current and former students at Howard University , spurred by an outpouring of stories on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and alumni about sexual violence they experienced during their time as a student .
The disturbing and graphic accounts were hard to read .
In some instances , multiple women said their perpetrator not only raped them but filmed the encounters .
Burton said some of the survivors named friends of hers as their attackers .
The testimonials were a painful reminder of her own experiences as a student at the university , known to its students , alumni and faculty as “ the Mecca.
” During a year defined by a surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patrons and spread resources during both the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests , Burton , alongside other current and former Howard students , decided to launch a GoFundMe in response to outpouring .
Their goal : to give Howard students who have experienced sexual violence $ 5,000—no questions asked and no strings attached .
That lack of caveats has proven controversial , Burton said .
Yet it is essential to the purpose of the fund , which wasn ’ t just to support survivors financially , but to reassure and remind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly that not only were they worth this sum but that they could be trusted to know how best to use it .
“ A big part about being a survivor is autonomy , ” said Burton .
This is particularly true for marginalized folks—Black women , trans people , those with previous mental health issues and those who do not fit in the gender binary .
“ Autonomy is something that I ’ m constantly seeking and constantly fighting for.
” When talking about the cost of sexual violence , many focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can take on a survivor .
Fewer people grapple with—or even begin to consider—the incredible financial cost of being a survivor of abuse .
But that cost , much like the psychic impact , “ reverberates throughout a lifetime , ” said Burton .
She details the dizzying financial issues that come up for students who experience sexual violence on campus—many of which Burton has had to face herself .
Sexual assault and Title IX investigations can take months , if they ’ re reported at all , meaning survivors may share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assailants for prolonged periods of time .
And even once an investigation is completed , there ’ s no guarantee that an abuser will be expelled or removed from school .
Survivors themselves , meanwhile , can lose scholarships because depression , trauma or fear of their abuser prevents them from going to class .
Some must retake failed classes , extending their time in school , or a survivor may transfer to another institution because they no longer feel safe on campus .
For this same reason , survivors may need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There could be a loss of income if the survivor can ’ t go to work in the aftermath of an assault .
The estrangement from—or need to return to—family as a result of sexual violence also introduces new costs .
And then there ’ s therapy—treatment that many survivors will need for the rest of their lives .
Burton points out that low-cost or free counseling , like the kind Howard provides , may be insufficient for many survivors .
Low-costs options are difficult to find and the therapists who provide them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not be a great fit for Black survivors .
On-campus counseling could raise privacy issues for students , particularly if a counseling center is in a very visible place .
Because sexual violence is often as surreal an experience as it is a traumatic one , it can additionally lead to or compound dissociative disorders and other preexisting mental health conditions .
There simply is no clean ending to the fallout from sexual violence .
And as Burton points out , one experience can often lead to further instances of abuse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their lives , ” said Burton .
When you ’ re a survivor , you are more open to having abusive relationships .
You ’ re more open to people taking advantage of you.
” In total , The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the lifetime “ cost of rape ” is $ 122,461 per survivor , a cost that includes lost productivity , on top of medical and criminal justice system fees .
Put in that context , the $ 5,000 Burton is aiming to provide is just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important facet of the fund is that recipients don ’ t have to say how they ’ re spending the money .
If someone spends some of their money on new clothes , brunch with their friends , or their hair , Burton doesn ’ t see an issue with that .
“ Sometimes , getting new clothes makes you feel like a person again , makes you feel good about yourself , ” she said .
“ And people need that.
” While sexual violence happens on every college campus—the anti-sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of female undergraduates and 6.8 percent of all male undergraduates will experience some form of sexual or rape—there are specific challenges Black femmes face as survivors .
The advocacy group EndRapeOnCampus.org notes in a 2014 study that , while around 22 percent of Black women reported being raped , “ for every Black woman who reports , at least 15 Black women do not.
” But despite what the numbers say , for Burton and others , the idea of being assaulted at Howard was simply unimaginable .
The appeal of going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , Burton pointed out .
“ The Mecca ” isn ’ t just an educational institution , but a space to nurture , affirm and protect Black students in a way primarily white schools can not .
That dynamic also makes it very difficult to talk about sexual violence on campus .
“ Howard being like a family is also what makes people on campus so vulnerable when they ’ re marginalized because they feel like they can ’ t speak out , ” Burton said .
As NPR reports , Howard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treats survivors before .
Five women sued the university in 2017 , accusing the school of failing to respond adequately to Title IX complaints .
That suit appears to still be traveling through the courts after a federal court allowed the case to proceed in 2019 .
( The Root reached out to Howard for an update on where the lawsuits stand , but received no response . )
“ I don ’ t think that Howard has more instances of sexual abuse than other schools , ” Burton made clear .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Howard does feel like a place where it is harder to talk about it .
“ No one wants to be the reason why a Black man doesn ’ t succeed , ” she continued .
“ No one wants to be causing trouble or disrupting the harmony or the unity , or dragging the Mecca ’ s name through the mud.
” Part of that difficulty is the fact that Burton couldn ’ t fathom that she might be a victim—especially not at Howard , a school her family had attended for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a larger thread among Black survivors .
After leaving Howard in 2018 , she took a job as a sexual assault prevent specialist in Denver , Colo. ; a job that required her to go to middle and high schools , and occasionally college campuses , to teach students about bystander intervention and rape culture .
She describes the work as demanding , heartbreaking but ultimately fulfilling .
But it also solidified for her the deep divides in how Black survivors were treated compared to non-Black ones : fewer resources , less empathy—a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth fighting for .
( The following paragraphs detail instances of sexual assault and rape . )
Burton was assaulted twice during her time at Howard , once by a Georgetown student off-campus , and another time on-campus by another Howard student .
She recalls waking up after the first assault with bruising on her neck that was so bad her friends told her it looked like a wild animal had attacked her .
As soon as she woke up , she was told by the man responsible for the bruising that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t and didn ’ t see herself as a victim , it took her years to name the assault as what it was—to realize that she , as an incapacitated person , could not have possibly given consent , even if she did verbally say she wanted those bruises .
The second time—when the violence and trespass was much more clear and memorable—she was met with a similar , surreal nonchalance from her attacker .
After raping her , he started doing push-ups .
Seeing that she was still in shock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her .
Burton told him that she was in a lot of pain .
“ ‘ Well , you have all spring break to recover , ’ ” she recalled him saying .
Burton reported the assault to the school .
The ensuing Title IX investigation lasted five months—an entire semester during which Burton was afraid to leave her room and failed all her classes .
Her attacker confessed to raping her , both in person and to Title IX investigators , and was kicked out of school .
While his admission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found herself feeling guilty about his expulsion .
“ This is obviously someone who should not have been on campus .
Like , the level of danger this person posed is incredible , ” Burton reflected .
“ But I still felt shame because I had gotten a Black man out of Howard , like , ‘ what does that say about me ?
’ And I really struggled with that for a while.
” She ’ s far from the only one .
As she was organizing the Black Survivors Healing Fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survivors to try and get a gauge of how much money the fund would need to give each of them .
One asked for just $ 50 .
Some recipients even returned the money , saying they didn ’ t deserve it .
I don ’ t deserve it .
It ’ s not for me .
I ’ m not a victim , they told her .
Still , for others , the mere fact that someone would want to rally around them—would want to help them pay their rent or utilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredibly powerful .
“ We ’ ve heard from some of the recipients that just the fact that we thought they deserved money helped them tremendously , ” Burton said .
“ Just the thought that someone thought they were worthy of that.
” As of November 9 , the Black Survivors Healing Fund has hit just under $ 30,000—about $ 20,000 shy of the fund ’ s $ 50,000 goal .
Each of the 20 recipients has received at least $ 1,000 , with some in emergency situations receiving more money ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list to receive funds .
Burton is concerned about the upcoming holidays , a costly and triggering time of year for many survivors , who may be struggling with seasonal depression or estrangement from family members .
She ’ d like to ensure that they have what they need to take care of themselves—whether it ’ s continuing therapy , getting medications , or simply being able to bake so they can take their mind off things .
Earlier this year , Burton told the Washington City Paper she originally imagined the fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported and funded mainly by cisgender , straight men .
But they haven ’ t been the ones who have donated to the fund .
The very people she has foregrounded in her advocacy are the main donors : women , people of color and members of the LGBTQ community .
Many of them also don ’ t have a direct connection to Howard .
“ We actually haven ’ t had that much support from Howard people on this , ” she said .
“ It ’ s really been a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to see change .
Burton described some people who weren ’ t willing to share or donate to the fund without knowing who was getting the money—How would they prove the survivors were telling the truth ?
Did they really need this much money ?
But the point of the fund was not to question survivors—to have them once again prove and validate their experiences , or their worth .
This is part of why Burton deliberately chose a broader definition of trauma—sexual violence , as opposed to assault—for the fund .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a spectrum [ of sexual violence ] and I don ’ t care where you land on the spectrum , ” she said .
“ I will help you.
” If she were to grow the fund , she would love to include other HBCUs , as well as Black survivors from primarily white institutions .
And if she could take the fund “ as high as it could go , ” she would like to see universities across the country creating stipends for survivors so they can have “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement to The Root , Howard University Provost Anthony Wutoh said the university “ prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct and we are deeply concerned about the physical , mental , and emotional well-being of all students , especially during this challenging and turbulent period.
” “ The Title IX Office remains available during the COVID-19 pandemic to help students understand the process and decide how best to move forward after experiencing any form of sexual misconduct .
This is our personal commitment to rid our community of such traumatic acts that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the nation , ” Wutoh continued , additionally pointing out the school ’ s free counseling services for students as well as several recent programs .
This past year , the HBCU has coordinated with the nonprofit ‘ me too ’ to host conversations about sexual violence and recently launched its “ HU Stands ” program , a series of year-round , interpersonal violence-prevention workshops .
What Burton doesn ’ t want to do is tell Howard University ’ s administration how to protect its students—though some have suggested that she engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other programs .
“ That ’ s not my ministry , to be fighting in the [ administrative ] building again , ” said Burton .
“ As someone who hasn ’ t been at Howard in a long time , I don ’ t think that I ’ m the right person to tell Howard what they need to do , ” she said .
“ I think that is for the students who are there now because they know their needs better than I do .
”

Anne Branigin on The Glow Up, shared by Anne Branigin to The Root

(Content note: This piece contains details about specific incidents of sexual violence.)
Nylah Burton didn’t tell her mother about the first sexual assault she experienced during her time as a Howard University student—one that she has little memory of. But she did tell her about the second, in part because there was no mistaking what had happened to her.
Advertisement
Burton says she did “everything that people say survivors are supposed to do”—explicitly told her attacker “no,” pushed him away, told him he was hurting her.
“It just happened anyway,” she said.
When Burton told her mother about the attack, she responded that it was her daughter’s fault for letting him into her room.
Advertisement Advertisement
Reflecting back on those experiences, Burton told The Root that part of the reason she was so reluctant to talk about the first assault was that she just couldn’t see herself as a victim. And even when the violence was more explicit, her mother couldn’t see it either.
“The worth that we’re taught to assign ourselves as Black women is so low when it comes to this topic of sexual assault,” she said. “We’re not taught that our bodies are something worth protecting or something that is vulnerable.”
Advertisement
A GoFundMe organized this year by Burton and other survivors of sexual violence from Howard aims to shift that paradigm by providing direct cash assistance to survivors at the esteemed HBCU, as well as giving them something just as valuable: trust and autonomy.
The “Black Survivors Healing Fund” is explicitly for current and former students at Howard University, spurred by an outpouring of stories on social media in early June from Howard students and alumni about sexual violence they experienced during their time as a student.
Advertisement
The disturbing and graphic accounts were hard to read. In some instances, multiple women said their perpetrator not only raped them but filmed the encounters. Burton said some of the survivors named friends of hers as their attackers. The testimonials were a painful reminder of her own experiences as a student at the university, known to its students, alumni and faculty as “the Mecca.” During a year defined by a surge of mutual aid efforts, which mobilized patrons and spread resources during both the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests, Burton, alongside other current and former Howard students, decided to launch a GoFundMe in response to outpouring. Their goal: to give Howard students who have experienced sexual violence $5,000—no questions asked and no strings attached.
That lack of caveats has proven controversial, Burton said. Yet it is essential to the purpose of the fund, which wasn’t just to support survivors financially, but to reassure and remind them of their value. To communicate clearly that not only were they worth this sum but that they could be trusted to know how best to use it.
Advertisement
“A big part about being a survivor is autonomy,” said Burton. This is particularly true for marginalized folks—Black women, trans people, those with previous mental health issues and those who do not fit in the gender binary. “Autonomy is something that I’m constantly seeking and constantly fighting for.”
When talking about the cost of sexual violence, many focus on the profound emotional and physical toll it can take on a survivor. Fewer people grapple with—or even begin to consider—the incredible financial cost of being a survivor of abuse.
Advertisement
But that cost, much like the psychic impact, “reverberates throughout a lifetime,” said Burton.
She details the dizzying financial issues that come up for students who experience sexual violence on campus—many of which Burton has had to face herself. Sexual assault and Title IX investigations can take months, if they’re reported at all, meaning survivors may share a campus—if not classes or dorms—with their assailants for prolonged periods of time. And even once an investigation is completed, there’s no guarantee that an abuser will be expelled or removed from school. Survivors themselves, meanwhile, can lose scholarships because depression, trauma or fear of their abuser prevents them from going to class. Some must retake failed classes, extending their time in school, or a survivor may transfer to another institution because they no longer feel safe on campus. For this same reason, survivors may need to break leases and get new housing. There could be a loss of income if the survivor can’t go to work in the aftermath of an assault. The estrangement from—or need to return to—family as a result of sexual violence also introduces new costs.
Advertisement
And then there’s therapy—treatment that many survivors will need for the rest of their lives. Burton points out that low-cost or free counseling, like the kind Howard provides, may be insufficient for many survivors. Low-costs options are difficult to find and the therapists who provide them, many of whom are white, may not be a great fit for Black survivors. On-campus counseling could raise privacy issues for students, particularly if a counseling center is in a very visible place. Because sexual violence is often as surreal an experience as it is a traumatic one, it can additionally lead to or compound dissociative disorders and other preexisting mental health conditions.
There simply is no clean ending to the fallout from sexual violence. And as Burton points out, one experience can often lead to further instances of abuse.
Advertisement
“Survivors are vulnerable for the rest of their lives,” said Burton. “ When you’re a survivor, you are more open to having abusive relationships. You’re more open to people taking advantage of you.”
In total, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the lifetime “cost of rape” is $122,461 per survivor, a cost that includes lost productivity, on top of medical and criminal justice system fees. Put in that context, the $5,000 Burton is aiming to provide is just a drop in the bucket.
Advertisement
But the most important facet of the fund is that recipients don’t have to say how they’re spending the money. If someone spends some of their money on new clothes, brunch with their friends, or their hair, Burton doesn’t see an issue with that.
“Sometimes, getting new clothes makes you feel like a person again, makes you feel good about yourself,” she said. “And people need that.”
Advertisement
No one wants to be the reason why a Black man doesn’t succeed.
While sexual violence happens on every college campus—the anti-sexual assault nonprofit RAINN estimates that 26.4 percent of female undergraduates and 6.8 percent of all male undergraduates will experience some form of sexual or rape—there are specific challenges Black femmes face as survivors.
Advertisement
The advocacy group EndRapeOnCampus.org notes in a 2014 study that, while around 22 percent of Black women reported being raped, “for every Black woman who reports, at least 15 Black women do not.” But despite what the numbers say, for Burton and others, the idea of being assaulted at Howard was simply unimaginable.
The appeal of going to Howard is that it feels like a family, Burton pointed out. “The Mecca” isn’t just an educational institution, but a space to nurture, affirm and protect Black students in a way primarily white schools cannot. That dynamic also makes it very difficult to talk about sexual violence on campus.
Advertisement
“Howard being like a family is also what makes people on campus so vulnerable when they’re marginalized because they feel like they can’t speak out,” Burton said.
As NPR reports, Howard has come under fire for how it treats survivors before. Five women sued the university in 2017, accusing the school of failing to respond adequately to Title IX complaints. That suit appears to still be traveling through the courts after a federal court allowed the case to proceed in 2019. (The Root reached out to Howard for an update on where the lawsuits stand, but received no response.)
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“I don’t think that Howard has more instances of sexual abuse than other schools,” Burton made clear. “But what I do think is that Howard does feel like a place where it is harder to talk about it.
“No one wants to be the reason why a Black man doesn’t succeed,” she continued. “No one wants to be causing trouble or disrupting the harmony or the unity, or dragging the Mecca’s name through the mud.”
Advertisement
Part of that difficulty is the fact that Burton couldn’t fathom that she might be a victim—especially not at Howard, a school her family had attended for generations. But she sees this as a larger thread among Black survivors.
After leaving Howard in 2018, she took a job as a sexual assault prevent specialist in Denver, Colo.; a job that required her to go to middle and high schools, and occasionally college campuses, to teach students about bystander intervention and rape culture. She describes the work as demanding, heartbreaking but ultimately fulfilling. But it also solidified for her the deep divides in how Black survivors were treated compared to non-Black ones: fewer resources, less empathy—a systemic refusal to see Black women as worth fighting for. (The following paragraphs detail instances of sexual assault and rape.)
Advertisement
Burton was assaulted twice during her time at Howard, once by a Georgetown student off-campus, and another time on-campus by another Howard student.
She recalls waking up after the first assault with bruising on her neck that was so bad her friends told her it looked like a wild animal had attacked her. As soon as she woke up, she was told by the man responsible for the bruising that she had “wanted them.” Because Burton couldn’t and didn’t see herself as a victim, it took her years to name the assault as what it was—to realize that she, as an incapacitated person, could not have possibly given consent, even if she did verbally say she wanted those bruises.
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The second time—when the violence and trespass was much more clear and memorable—she was met with a similar, surreal nonchalance from her attacker. After raping her, he started doing push-ups.
Seeing that she was still in shock, he asked her what was wrong with her. Burton told him that she was in a lot of pain.
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“‘Well, you have all spring break to recover,’” she recalled him saying.
Burton reported the assault to the school. The ensuing Title IX investigation lasted five months—an entire semester during which Burton was afraid to leave her room and failed all her classes. Her attacker confessed to raping her, both in person and to Title IX investigators, and was kicked out of school. While his admission was a validating experience, Burton still found herself feeling guilty about his expulsion.
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“This is obviously someone who should not have been on campus. Like, the level of danger this person posed is incredible,” Burton reflected. “But I still felt shame because I had gotten a Black man out of Howard, like, ‘what does that say about me?’ And I really struggled with that for a while.”
She’s far from the only one. As she was organizing the Black Survivors Healing Fund this year, she spoke to other survivors to try and get a gauge of how much money the fund would need to give each of them. One asked for just $50. Some recipients even returned the money, saying they didn’t deserve it.
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I don’t deserve it. It’s not for me. I’m not a victim, they told her.
Still, for others, the mere fact that someone would want to rally around them—would want to help them pay their rent or utilities or just make sure they were okay—was incredibly powerful.
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“We’ve heard from some of the recipients that just the fact that we thought they deserved money helped them tremendously,” Burton said. “Just the thought that someone thought they were worthy of that.”
I wanted people to know there’s a spectrum [of sexual violence] and I don’t care where you land on the spectrum. I will help you.
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As of November 9, the Black Survivors Healing Fund has hit just under $30,000—about $20,000 shy of the fund’s $50,000 goal. Each of the 20 recipients has received at least $1,000, with some in emergency situations receiving more money; another 23 survivors are on a waiting list to receive funds. Burton is concerned about the upcoming holidays, a costly and triggering time of year for many survivors, who may be struggling with seasonal depression or estrangement from family members. She’d like to ensure that they have what they need to take care of themselves—whether it’s continuing therapy, getting medications, or simply being able to bake so they can take their mind off things.
Earlier this year, Burton told the Washington City Paper she originally imagined the fund as a kind of reparations movement, supported and funded mainly by cisgender, straight men. But they haven’t been the ones who have donated to the fund. The very people she has foregrounded in her advocacy are the main donors: women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community. Many of them also don’t have a direct connection to Howard.
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“We actually haven’t had that much support from Howard people on this,” she said. “It’s really been a lot of outside people”—something Burton would like to see change.
Burton described some people who weren’t willing to share or donate to the fund without knowing who was getting the money—How would they prove the survivors were telling the truth? Did they really need this much money?
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But the point of the fund was not to question survivors—to have them once again prove and validate their experiences, or their worth. This is part of why Burton deliberately chose a broader definition of trauma—sexual violence, as opposed to assault—for the fund.
“I wanted people to know there’s a spectrum [of sexual violence] and I don’t care where you land on the spectrum,” she said. “I will help you.”
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If she were to grow the fund, she would love to include other HBCUs, as well as Black survivors from primarily white institutions. And if she could take the fund “as high as it could go,” she would like to see universities across the country creating stipends for survivors so they can have “the space and time to heal.”
In a statement to The Root, Howard University Provost Anthony Wutoh said the university “prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct and we are deeply concerned about the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of all students, especially during this challenging and turbulent period.”
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“The Title IX Office remains available during the COVID-19 pandemic to help students understand the process and decide how best to move forward after experiencing any form of sexual misconduct. This is our personal commitment to rid our community of such traumatic acts that have a devastating impact on college students across the nation,” Wutoh continued, additionally pointing out the school’s free counseling services for students as well as several recent programs. This past year, the HBCU has coordinated with the nonprofit ‘me too’ to host conversations about sexual violence and recently launched its “HU Stands” program, a series of year-round, interpersonal violence-prevention workshops.
What Burton doesn’t want to do is tell Howard University’s administration how to protect its students—though some have suggested that she engage with the university to do intervention trainings and other programs.
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“That’s not my ministry, to be fighting in the [administrative] building again,” said Burton.
“As someone who hasn’t been at Howard in a long time, I don’t think that I’m the right person to tell Howard what they need to do,” she said. “I think that is for the students who are there now because they know their needs better than I do.”


theroot--2020-11-09--The Near-Perfect AirPods Pro Drop to $194

If you ’ re an iPhone user with some cash to blow , skip the pretenders and even the lesser @ @ @ @ @ better .
The AirPods Pro stepped the game up with rubber tips , noise cancellation @ @ @ @ @ quality .
They ’ re a bit expensive and the price has dropped bit by @ @ @ @ @ up to today ’ s opportunity to save $ 55 on a pair of your @ @ @ @ @ wireless charging case .
With active noise canceling , automatic pairing on iPhones and iPads @ @ @ @ @ picking ‘ em now is a no-brainer if you were already in the market for @ @ @ @ @ drop just before Amazon Prime Day to around $ 200 , and the price has @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not quite the best deal we ’ ve ever seen—that honor goes to @ @ @ @ @ them to $ 190 about a week ago—but it ’ s close !
This story @ @ @ @ @ Kennemer on 5/1/2020 and updated by Quentyn Kennemer with new information on 11/9/2020 .

Quentyn Kennemer, Gabe Carey, Andrew Hayward,  and Elizabeth Lanier on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Apple AirPods Pro | $190 | Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart
If you’re an iPhone user with some cash to blow, skip the pretenders and even the lesser AirPods to go for something better. The AirPods Pro step the game up with rubber tips, active noise cancellation, better overall audio quality, and a wirelessly-chargeable case as standard. They’re a bit expensive normally, but right now Walmart has ‘em for $59 off the list price.
This story was originally published by Quentyn Kennemer on 05/01/2020 and updated by Joe Tilleli with new information on 01/19/2022.


theroot--2020-11-09--St. Louis Couple Files Lawsuit Against Photographer Who Captured Their Gun-Toting ‘Humiliation’

Gun-wielding St. Louis couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey—aka the people who would come in the mail if you ordered Bonnie and Clyde on Wish—are suing the United Press International photographer who took a picture over the summer that went viral of them doing the thing that is the only reason anyone knows they exist .
In a lawsuit filed Friday , the couple claimed they have been caused much “ humiliation ” because of the photo showing them pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters as they passed through a private street the couple lives on .
The St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on felony charges over their rich , white thuggery last month—have accused UPI photographer Bill Greenblatt of trespassing in order to capture the photo , which , for whatever reason , they claim to believe is responsible for their embarrassment .
Apparently , their infamy isn ’ t due to the viral video or ... oh , I don ’ t know ... the consequences of their own actions ; it ’ s definitely the photo that did it .
( I also heard Greenblatt was the cameraman for The Ring and now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple homicide charges . )
The couple , known for being litigious even before the June 28 encounter , said Greenblatt ’ s photo has contributed to their “ significant national recognition and infamy.
” In addition to Greenblatt and the news service , the McCloskeys are suing Redbubble Inc. , a San Francisco-based online marketplace for print-on-demand products based on user-submitted artwork .
Their image has proliferated across the world , the McCloskeys allege , with Redbubble , Greenblatt and UPI profiting from “ t-shirts , masks , and other items , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ likenesses , without obtaining Plaintiffs ’ consent.
” Often their image on merchandise sold by Redbubble is accompanied with “ mocking and pejorative taglines or captions , ” causing them “ humiliation , mental anguish , and severe emotional distress , ” the suit alleges .
Well shit .
Maybe I just dreamed that this couple of Al and Peg Bundy meets Ozark cosplayers reveled in their newfound fame to the point where they accepted an invitation to speak at the Republican National Convention in August .
So , I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the June 28 incident has been all over the internet .
The footage has been screenshotted and memed to death and the posts are pretty much always accompanied by “ mocking and pejorative ” comments and repost captions .
This is a polite way of saying that bootleg Gomez and Morticia Addams—either of whom could easily be mistaken for Uncle Fester—have been getting dragged all up and down the internet for months , and I fail to see the logic in singling out the photo taken by Greenblatt as the reason for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today , UPI said recently it was considering sending a “ cease and desist ” order to the couple citing copyright infringement because Great Value Boris and Natasha have used the very UPI photo they ’ re now suing over as part of a personal greeting card .
( This is officially the worst episode of Seinfeld ever . )
Anyway , as the Post-Dispatch pointed out , “ newspaper photographers are allowed to capture images from public rights of way.
” Still , the couple insists that Greenblatt and Redbubble “ acted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decency , with their conduct regarded as atrocious and intolerable by any member of a civilized society , ” according to the lawsuit .
For the record : Pointing guns at protesters who , by most accounts , never did anything to threaten the couple or their property is what many people would actually consider “ atrocious and intolerable ” conduct .
If that weren ’ t the case , they wouldn ’ t be getting roasted the way they have been in the first place and there would be no humiliation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole lot of people apparently don ’ t live in “ civilized society .
”

Gun-wielding St. Louis couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey—aka the people who would come in the mail if you ordered Bonnie and Clyde on Wish—are suing the United Press International photographer who took a picture over the summer that went viral of them doing the thing that is the only reason anyone knows they exist. In a lawsuit filed Friday, the couple claimed they have been caused much “humiliation” because of the photo showing them pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters as they passed through a private street the couple lives on.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the McCloskeys—who were indicted on felony charges over their rich, white thuggery last month—have accused UPI photographer Bill Greenblatt of trespassing in order to capture the photo, which, for whatever reason, they claim to believe is responsible for their embarrassment. Apparently, their infamy isn’t due to the viral video or...oh, I don’t know...the consequences of their own actions; it’s definitely the photo that did it. (I also heard Greenblatt was the cameraman for The Ring and now the McCloskeys want him brought up on multiple homicide charges.)
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From the Post-Dispatch:
The couple, known for being litigious even before the June 28 encounter, said Greenblatt’s photo has contributed to their “significant national recognition and infamy.” In addition to Greenblatt and the news service, the McCloskeys are suing Redbubble Inc., a San Francisco-based online marketplace for print-on-demand products based on user-submitted artwork. Their image has proliferated across the world, the McCloskeys allege, with Redbubble, Greenblatt and UPI profiting from “t-shirts, masks, and other items, and licensing use of photographs bearing Plaintiffs’ likenesses, without obtaining Plaintiffs’ consent.” Often their image on merchandise sold by Redbubble is accompanied with “mocking and pejorative taglines or captions,” causing them “humiliation, mental anguish, and severe emotional distress,” the suit alleges.
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Well shit. Maybe I just dreamed that this couple of Al and Peg Bundy meets Ozark cosplayers reveled in their newfound fame to the point where they accepted an invitation to speak at the Republican National Convention in August.
No...no...wait. That happened.
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So, I don’t get it. Video footage from the June 28 incident has been all over the internet. The footage has been screenshotted and memed to death and the posts are pretty much always accompanied by “mocking and pejorative” comments and repost captions. This is a polite way of saying that bootleg Gomez and Morticia Addams—either of whom could easily be mistaken for Uncle Fester—have been getting dragged all up and down the internet for months, and I fail to see the logic in singling out the photo taken by Greenblatt as the reason for it.
In fact, according to USA Today, UPI said recently it was considering sending a “cease and desist” order to the couple citing copyright infringement because Great Value Boris and Natasha have used the very UPI photo they’re now suing over as part of a personal greeting card. (This is officially the worst episode of Seinfeld ever.)
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Anyway, as the Post-Dispatch pointed out, “newspaper photographers are allowed to capture images from public rights of way.” Still, the couple insists that Greenblatt and Redbubble “acted outrageously and beyond all reasonable bounds of decency, with their conduct regarded as atrocious and intolerable by any member of a civilized society,” according to the lawsuit.
For the record: Pointing guns at protesters who, by most accounts, never did anything to threaten the couple or their property is what many people would actually consider “atrocious and intolerable” conduct. If that weren’t the case, they wouldn’t be getting roasted the way they have been in the first place and there would be no humiliation.
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I’m just saying, a whole lot of people apparently don’t live in “civilized society.”


theroot--2020-11-09--'Can [We] Kick It' With Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest at the 'Player's Ball'? Yep, Their Verzuz I

'Can [We] Kick It' With Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest at the 'Player's Ball'? Yep, Their Verzuz Is in the Works

Season 2 of Verzuz is about to be hella lit , y ’ all .
In a recent interview with Kid Capri , co-founder Swizz Beatz dropped one of the upcoming acts for Verzuz and it ’ s pretty damn “ SpottieOttieDopaliscious.
” “ We got A Tribe Called Quest and OutKast .
[ It ’ s ] pending , ” Swizz revealed .
“ I wasn ’ t even supposed to say , I might have just fucked that all up.
” What he didn ’ t fuck up is everyone ’ s mood because Black Twitter was all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plainly , everyone was “ Buggin ’ Out.
” Others thought it was a peculiar mashup .
Naturally , the “ who y ’ all got ” debate has already begun : “ Q-Tip is my brother , but that man .
Andre 3000 is my brother , but that man , ” Swizz added .
“ But you know what , we love and we have patience and whenever they ’ re ready , we ’ re ready .
Because Verzuz is not just something for the pandemic , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what I want people to understand .
We have so many lined up , we didn ’ t even start yet.
” “ So many lined up ” means there are so many possibilities to anticipate !
Swizz ’ s Verzuz partner-in-crime Timbaland already teased a possible Jodeci appearance for the second season , so we ’ re definitely about to continue our various trips down memory lane .
T.I .
and Jeezy will be kicking off Season 2 on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m .
ET @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Verzuz page ) and Apple TV .
Of course , since this A Tribe Called Quest / Outkast Verzuz is still in the works , we don ’ t have a confirmed date for that one yet , but we ’ ll keep our eyes and ears peeled .
In the meantime , get your playlists ready .
Rest in Power , Phife Dawg .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

Season 2 of Verzuz is about to be hella lit, y’all.
In a recent interview with Kid Capri, co-founder Swizz Beatz dropped one of the upcoming acts for Verzuz and it’s pretty damn “SpottieOttieDopaliscious.”
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“We got A Tribe Called Quest and OutKast. [It’s] pending,” Swizz revealed. “I wasn’t even supposed to say, I might have just fucked that all up.”
What he didn’t fuck up is everyone’s mood because Black Twitter was all about that possibility. To put it plainly, everyone was “Buggin’ Out.”
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Others thought it was a peculiar mashup.
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Naturally, the “who y’all got” debate has already begun:
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“Q-Tip is my brother, but that man. Andre 3000 is my brother, but that man,” Swizz added. “But you know what, we love and we have patience and whenever they’re ready, we’re ready. Because Verzuz is not just something for the pandemic, it’s something for the culture permanently. That’s what I want people to understand. We have so many lined up, we didn’t even start yet.”
“So many lined up” means there are so many possibilities to anticipate! Swizz’s Verzuz partner-in-crime Timbaland already teased a possible Jodeci appearance for the second season, so we’re definitely about to continue our various trips down memory lane.
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T.I. and Jeezy will be kicking off Season 2 on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET on Instagram Live (via the official Verzuz page) and Apple TV.
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Of course, since this A Tribe Called Quest / Outkast Verzuz is still in the works, we don’t have a confirmed date for that one yet, but we’ll keep our eyes and ears peeled. In the meantime, get your playlists ready. Rest in Power, Phife Dawg.


theroot--2020-11-09--Doctor of Housing Ben Carson Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus .
Truthfully , Carson could ’ ve tested positive days ago and told everyone inside the White House , but no one listens to Ben Carson .
First , he talks like a whisper that got trapped inside a bottle that was then tossed in the Anacostia River .
Second , he ’ s a Black man in the White ( nationalist ) House , and well , yeah .
It ’ s starting to look like the White House is becoming ground zero for a red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s diagnosis comes days after chief of staff Mark Meadows and five other Trump aides received positive test results in the time around Election Day , the Washington Post reports .
According to CNN , “ Carson attended the election night party where White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and nearly every other attendee was not wearing a mask .
Meadows and four others in Trump ’ s orbit subsequently tested positive last week.
” CNN also notes that Carson , one of the world ’ s most renowned neurosurgeons “ was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in Waterford Township , Michigan on October 30.
” While I ’ ve not spoken with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , I have several aunts and a sister who are AKAs , and I can tell you right now that while she ’ s not sure what Joe Biden is going to do , Harris will not be stepping foot inside that White House without a thorough cleaning and an inspection from someone from the health board , and she won ’ t even get out of the car if she can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driveway .
I also expect her to use the words “ just nasty ” and “ Who lives like this ?
” while learning of the latest round of positive tests .

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Truthfully, Carson could’ve tested positive days ago and told everyone inside the White House, but no one listens to Ben Carson. First, he talks like a whisper that got trapped inside a bottle that was then tossed in the Anacostia River. Second, he’s a Black man in the White (nationalist) House, and well, yeah.
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It’s starting to look like the White House is becoming ground zero for a red wave of coronavirus outbreaks as Carson’s diagnosis comes days after chief of staff Mark Meadows and five other Trump aides received positive test results in the time around Election Day, the Washington Post reports.
According to CNN, “Carson attended the election night party where White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and nearly every other attendee was not wearing a mask. Meadows and four others in Trump’s orbit subsequently tested positive last week.”
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CNN also notes that Carson, one of the world’s most renowned neurosurgeons “was also spotted maskless at a Trump campaign rally in Waterford Township, Michigan on October 30.”
While I’ve not spoken with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, I have several aunts and a sister who are AKAs, and I can tell you right now that while she’s not sure what Joe Biden is going to do, Harris will not be stepping foot inside that White House without a thorough cleaning and an inspection from someone from the health board, and she won’t even get out of the car if she can’t smell the Fabuloso from the driveway. I also expect her to use the words “just nasty” and “Who lives like this?” while learning of the latest round of positive tests.


theroot--2020-11-10--Spike Lee Did the Right Thing and Popped Champagne to Celebrate Trump's Exit

The countdown has begun—Donald John Trump is “ getting his ass out Da White House !
” You know who couldn ’ t be happier ?
Spike Lee , himself .
On Saturday , the nation ( and the world ) found out that America had a new president-elect—Joseph Robinette Biden Jr .
Yes , Trump got fired on a non-business day .
He got fired on his day off—whilst golfing , mind you .
Swarms of U.S. residents took to the streets in celebration ( which , how fucked up of a person you have to be for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your job ? )
and Lee did the same in his hometown of Brooklyn ( in the borough ’ s Fort Greene neighborhood , to be specific ) .
And yes , we can ’ t help but notice how much of the party was sprinkled with white .
That ’ s gentrification for ya !
The Oscar-winning writer and director led the block in singing Ray Charles ’ “ Hit the Road , Jack , ” and at one point , Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s “ We Shall Overcome ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community advocate , Lee encouraged everyone to wear a mask amid New York City ’ s uptick in coronavirus infections .
Lee has been keeping that same energy for a while now , so of course , he ’ s earned this display of poppin ’ bottles at a block party .
In fact , he took to his Instagram to gloat ... and gloat some more .
“ I hope da U.S .
GENERALS have changed his nuclear code ‘ cuz he ’ s still da Commander-In-Chief until troops drag his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captioned one of his posts while re-sharing a film he made named , Da Klown Wit Da Nuclear Code .
“ No joke .
Serious as COVID-19 .
FACTS.
” This past summer , Lee discussed the relevancy of inserting a Black MAGA supporter ( portrayed by Delroy Lindo ) in his latest film , Da 5 Bloods .
“ What we came up with in the film is he ’ s a supporter of Agent Orange , ” Lee told The Root , using his favorite term for the one-term president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it ’ s so sad that brother is smilin ’ and grinnin ’ and he doesn ’ t even know how he ’ s being used .
”

The countdown has begun—Donald John Trump is “getting his ass out Da White House!” You know who couldn’t be happier? Spike Lee, himself.
On Saturday, the nation (and the world) found out that America had a new president-elect—Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. Yes, Trump got fired on a non-business day. He got fired on his day off—whilst golfing, mind you. Swarms of U.S. residents took to the streets in celebration (which, how fucked up of a person do you have to be for people to celebrate the fact that you lost your job?) and Lee did the same in his hometown of Brooklyn (in the borough’s Fort Greene neighborhood, to be specific).
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And yes, we can’t help but notice how much of the party was sprinkled with white. That’s gentrification for ya!
Page Six further reported:
The Oscar-winning writer and director led the block in singing Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road, Jack,” and at one point, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “We Shall Overcome” speech blasted from the speakers. Ever the community advocate, Lee encouraged everyone to wear a mask amid New York City’s uptick in coronavirus infections.
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Lee has been keeping that same energy for a while now, so of course, he’s earned this display of poppin’ bottles at a block party. In fact, he took to his Instagram to gloat...and gloat some more.
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“I hope da U.S. GENERALS have changed his nuclear code ‘cuz he’s still da Commander-In-Chief until troops drag his ASS OUT DA WHITE HOUSE, Lee captioned one of his posts while re-sharing a film he made named, Da Klown Wit Da Nuclear Code. “No joke. Serious as COVID-19. FACTS.”
This past summer, Lee discussed the relevancy of inserting a Black MAGA supporter (portrayed by Delroy Lindo) in his latest film, Da 5 Bloods.
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“What we came up with in the film is he’s a supporter of Agent Orange,” Lee told The Root, using his favorite term for the one-term president. “He drank the orange Kool-Aid. And it’s so sad that brother is smilin’ and grinnin’ and he doesn’t even know how he’s being used.”