theroot--2020-10-01--Can a Woman of Color Thrive at Any Age? Multihypenate Maven Sophia Chang Launched a Mentorship Platf

Can a Woman of Color Thrive at Any Age? Multihypenate Maven Sophia Chang Launched a Mentorship Platform to Unlock Her Potential

“ I honestly believe that if you talk to me for an hour , I could change your fucking life.
” It ’ s the kind of statement Sophia Chang tosses off without the slightest bit of hesitation or irony—and in the immortal words of Beyoncé , she “ talk like this ‘ cause she can back it up.
” The music industry veteran is a proven powerhouse , having managed hip hop and R & B icons like Ol ’ Dirty Bastard , GZA , D ’ Angelo , Raphael Saadiq , Q Tip , A Tribe Called Quest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ , the latter two of whom she also ran labels for .
It may have been an unlikely trajectory for a Korean-Canadian who graduated college with a degree in French literature , but over 30 years later , the multihyphenate Chang is not only known as The Baddest Bitch in the Room , she literally wrote the book on it .
As she told The Glow Up , she couldn ’ t have done it without mentorship ; she was lucky enough to find it early on in industry heavyweight Michael Ostin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the guidance that has shaped her incredibly successful career in all its iterations since they met in 1987 , but it wasn ’ t until four years ago while giving a lecture at Columbia University that she recognized how rare mentorship is for other women of color .
“ My girlfriend Kysha , who is a Black woman , stood up and said , ‘ Sophia , I ’ ve never had a mentor .
I really wish I had .
Can you recommend how to get a mentor ?
” That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s close friend and The Root ’ s editor-in-chief , Danielle Belton .
“ Afterwards , [ Danielle ] said , ‘ Sophia , I ’ m really glad you said something about it because it is very difficult for women of color to get mentors , ” says Chang .
“ I went on the Internet and I started researching it and there wasn ’ t very much written about it at the time .
And it became clear to me that she ’ s absolutely right ; there is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Chang ’ s findings reflect those of McKinsey & Company and LeanIn ’ s 2020 Women in the Workplace Study ( pdf ) , which refers to the lack of support Black women , in particular , face in the workplace as a factor in the “ broken rung syndrome ” that affects upward mobility .
Part of the issue is the lack of support provided by mentoring , an issue Chang once again addressed when she helped The Root host a 2017 panel about mentorship for women of color .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planted , and she ’ d begun to conceive of a consultancy to help companies build mentorship programs for women of color .
But in the midst of our COVID-induced lockdown this spring , a news segment about a teen mentorship program compelled her to think even bigger .
“ It just lit a fire , ” she says .
“ It just made me go , ‘ God , I really want to do something .
I ’ m going to start this program.
’ ” That program is Unlock Her Potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Chang herself .
Created for women of color of all ages , Unlock Her Potential grants each of its chosen mentees one hour per month with a top professional in their chosen field , for an entire year , absolutely free .
If that doesn ’ t sound like enough time , consider the recurrent online debate over the value of a million dollars versus lunch with Jay-Z .
“ An hour per month for a year will change your life , ” Chang repeats .
This is especially true when that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pioneers and visionaries like Troy Carter , Mona Scott-Young , Yvette Noel-Schure , Bethann Hardison , Kierna Mayo , Joan Morgan , Marvet Britto , 9th Wonder , Jim Jarmusch , Michael Skolnik , Karen Good-Marable , Cheo Hodari Coker , RZA , GZA , Joey Bada $ $ , Michael Ostin , Danielle Belton , and of course , Chang herself ; just a sampling of the over 108 incredible mentors across industries ( with a majority in TV , film and music ) she ’ s signed on thus far .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than three days .
Once we opened the website , we got over 400 people signing up for updates within a week before we ’ d even announced a single mentor , ” she shares .
As of Thursday morning , Unlock Her Potential had received 1,000 applications .
The site itself explains the demand : “ Research has revealed that very few women of color get mentored .
Just as bad , many don ’ t even think to seek mentors .
That ’ s how systemic racism and patriarchy work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hand is Unlock Her Potential ’ s pairing process , in which each prospective mentee chooses and submits an application to a single mentor ’ s profile , who then chooses from among their applicant pool a single mentee to work with for the year , for a one-to-one match .
“ Unlock Her Potential is not doing any matchmaking .
You don ’ t get a bunch of applicants , and then a bunch of mentors and try to figure out who would be the best with who , ” Chang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you as a prospective mentee to do the research to figure out who you want to mentor you .
So you go on the site , you go under the discipline that you think is interesting to you , you read about all these different people and you say , ‘ OK , you know what ?
She ’ s really interesting to me .
I would like her to mentor me , ’ and you apply on the website directly ...
It ’ s much more targeted that way , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mentors she recruited for an untested format , Chang says the response was immediate and enthusiastic .
“ That speaks to two things , ” she says .
“ Primarily and most importantly , the urgency and the importance of mentorship for women of color .
That ’ s number one .
Everybody knew ...
This is important .
“ No .
2 , me .
I ’ m Sophia-motherfucking-Chang .
People don ’ t really say no to me , ” she chuckles.
“ They know that if I step into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come out swinging .
And I ’ m going to get it done .
I am the fixer ; I am the professional ; I am the cleaner ; I am the glue .
“ I ’ ve worked with , am friends with , or am colleagues with every one of those hundred and seven people , ” she continues .
“ What it means is that I am very clear on what it is that I ’ m asking .
And I must manage expectations .
That ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour a month ...
This is very hard to say no to , as busy as everybody is—and some of those people on that list are insanely busy.
” Newly launched this summer , the application phase for the first round of mentees closing swiftly on Monday , Oct. 5 , at 11:59 p.m. PT .
With such an overwhelming response and an applicant pool currently boasting a ten-to-one applicant-to-mentor ratio , the process is understandably competitive , meaning all applicants will not be accepted .
While potentially discouraging , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive potential—and again , just one of the many expectations Chang hopes to manage in the mentor/mentee relationship , even for those lucky enough to be placed with a mentor this cycle .
“ What Unlock Her Potential aims to do is to provide professional guidance and counsel ... That , in and of itself , is a gift , ” she says .
“ So it ’ s really about offering people the opportunity—but again , boundaries—it is so critical for both the mentors and the mentees , ” she continues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed up for a mentor and they ’ re gon na get you a job ; that ’ s not what happens here .
Don ’ t think that they ’ re going to read your 300-page manuscript of your science fiction novel .
They ’ re not doing that shit , either .
“ This is about coming to them and in that hour , asking them specific questions about your path , about your professional development , and how to best navigate the world that you ’ re in and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is not about access—it might turn into that , but it ’ s not the expectation , ” she concludes .
All that can happen in an hour a month ?
“ In one hour—shit , I could probably do that in half an hour , ” she laughs .
“ I believe that for all of the people on the list.
” As a manager-turned-record industry exec-turned-producer-turned-author-turned-screenwriter , Chang also believes in second , third , fourth , and even fifth acts in life .
( As a teacher-turned-model-turned-musician-turned-writer-turned-editor , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I didn ’ t even write my memoir until I was 52—52 !
” she exclaims , explaining why there ’ s no age cap on the mentorship offered by Unlock Her Potential .
“ I believe that we should all have many acts in life , if that ’ s what we want ... [ but ] I think that there are so many women who feel trapped in their roles and they don ’ t know how to transition .
So that ’ s my idea about having no ceiling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain age are invisible ; women of color are totally invisible .
Nobody ’ s thinking about us .
Nobody is checking for us on the professional front or the personal front .
So that was really important to me.
” And then , there ’ s the fact that as a single mother of two , Chang knows intimately the challenges of trying to strike a personal and professional balance while raising children .
“ I think that ’ s a common experience , ” she says .
“ My issue is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pour a lot into being mothers—that ’ s real , and it ’ s a good thing ... [ but ] that whole thing of you can be a tremendously engaged mother and have a super high-performing job ?
I think that ’ s bullshit.
” Cutting through the bullshit that impedes the success of women of color is at the core of Chang ’ s next act .
Even with Unlock Her Potential still in beta phase , her always multitasking mind is already planning an ancillary project , turning her attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s treatment of women of color .
S pecifically , the lack of retention that makes climbing the ranks within companies nearly impossible ; a crucial barrier to success Chang says was brought to her attention by PR professional Chelsea Fuller of Blackbird .
In response , she intends to launch RAWC—an acronym for “ Retention and Ascension for Women of Color.
” “ How we usually ascend within an organization is that we start at a certain level and ascend within it , ” she explains .
“ So you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant .
How long does she stay with you ?
How high does she rise ?
“ I am trying to force white male corporate America ’ s gaze on this dearth , this terrible dearth that exists within its structures , and that is that there is so little mentorship for women of color , ” she adds .
“ I know this—we know this .
We need to address this ...
If you mentor women of color from the gate , there will be retention and ascension .
So , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As a seasoned mentor , Chang explains the process is mutually beneficial .
“ With Unlock Her Potential , what am I doing ?
I ’ m going to change the lives of 216 people : 108 mentees and 108 mentors , ” she says , including herself in the number .
“ And that is edifying for me .
That is instructive for me and it is illuminating for me .
And it also feels really , really , really good to see your mentee succeed .
It feels tremendous.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentorship through Unlock Her Potential , visit their website .
The deadline for this year ’ s applications is Monday , Oct. 5 , at 11:59 p.m. PT .

“I honestly believe that if you talk to me for an hour, I could change your fucking life.”
It’s the kind of statement Sophia Chang tosses off without the slightest bit of hesitation or irony—and in the immortal words of Beyoncé, she “talk like this ‘cause she can back it up.” The music industry veteran is a proven powerhouse, having managed hip hop and R&B icons like Ol’ Dirty Bastard, GZA, D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Q Tip, A Tribe Called Quest, RZA, and Joey Bada$$, the latter two of whom she also ran labels for. It may have been an unlikely trajectory for a Korean-Canadian who graduated college with a degree in French literature, but over 30 years later, the multihyphenate Chang is not only known as The Baddest Bitch in the Room, she literally wrote the book on it.
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As she told The Glow Up, she couldn’t have done it without mentorship; she was lucky enough to find it early on in industry heavyweight Michael Ostin. Chang credits Ostin with providing much of the guidance that has shaped her incredibly successful career in all its iterations since they met in 1987, but it wasn’t until four years ago while giving a lecture at Columbia University that she recognized how rare mentorship is for other women of color.
Advertisement Advertisement
“My girlfriend Kysha, who is a Black woman, stood up and said, ‘Sophia, I’ve never had a mentor. I really wish I had. Can you recommend how to get a mentor?” That question became a conversation moderated by Chang’s close friend and The Root’s editor-in-chief, Danielle Belton. “Afterwards, [Danielle] said, ‘Sophia, I’m really glad you said something about it because it is very difficult for women of color to get mentors,” says Chang. “I went on the Internet and I started researching it and there wasn’t very much written about it at the time. And it became clear to me that she’s absolutely right; there is a dearth of mentorship for women of color.”
Chang’s findings reflect those of McKinsey & Company and LeanIn’s 2020 Women in the Workplace Study (pdf), which refers to the lack of support Black women, in particular, face in the workplace as a factor in the “broken rung syndrome” that affects upward mobility.
Compared with their colleagues of other races and ethnicities, Black women have always had distinct, and by and large worse, experiences at work. They are promoted more slowly than other groups of employees and are significantly underrepresented in senior leadership. They are less likely than women of other races and ethnicities to say their manager advocates for new opportunities for them. And they have fewer interactions with senior leaders, which means they often don’t get the sponsorship and advocacy they need to advance. Given these challenges, it’s not surprising that Black women are less likely than employees of other races to report they have equal opportunity to advance at work.
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Part of the issue is the lack of support provided by mentoring, an issue Chang once again addressed when she helped The Root host a 2017 panel about mentorship for women of color. By that time, a seed had been planted, and she’d begun to conceive of a consultancy to help companies build mentorship programs for women of color. But in the midst of our COVID-induced lockdown this spring, a news segment about a teen mentorship program compelled her to think even bigger.
“It just lit a fire,” she says. “It just made me go, ‘God, I really want to do something. I’m going to start this program.’”
Advertisement
That program is Unlock Her Potential, a mentorship program as radically unique as Chang herself. Created for women of color of all ages, Unlock Her Potential grants each of its chosen mentees one hour per month with a top professional in their chosen field, for an entire year, absolutely free.
If that doesn’t sound like enough time, consider the recurrent online debate over the value of a million dollars versus lunch with Jay-Z. “An hour per month for a year will change your life,” Chang repeats.
Advertisement
This is especially true when that hour is spent with the likes of pioneers and visionaries like Troy Carter, Mona Scott-Young, Yvette Noel-Schure, Bethann Hardison, Kierna Mayo, Joan Morgan, Marvet Britto, 9th Wonder, Jim Jarmusch, Michael Skolnik, Karen Good-Marable, Cheo Hodari Coker, RZA, GZA, Joey Bada$$, Michael Ostin, Danielle Belton,and of course, Chang herself; just a sampling of the over 108 incredible mentors across industries (with a majority in TV, film and music) she’s signed on thus far.
Advertisement
“I secured over 100 mentors in less than three days. Once we opened the website, we got over 400 people signing up for updates within a week before we’d even announced a single mentor,” she shares. As of Thursday morning, Unlock Her Potential had received 1,000 applications.
The site itself explains the demand: “Research has revealed that very few women of color get mentored. Just as bad, many don’t even think to seek mentors. That’s how systemic racism and patriarchy work hand-in-hand .”
Advertisement
Also working hand-in-hand is Unlock Her Potential’s pairing process, in which each prospective mentee chooses and submits an application to a single mentor’s profile, who then chooses from among their applicant pool a single mentee to work with for the year, for a one-to-one match.
“Unlock Her Potential is not doing any matchmaking. You don’t get a bunch of applicants, and then a bunch of mentors and try to figure out who would be the best with who,” Chang explains. “It is up to you as a prospective mentee to do the research to figure out who you want to mentor you. So you go on the site, you go under the discipline that you think is interesting to you, you read about all these different people and you say, ‘OK, you know what? She’s really interesting to me. I would like her to mentor me,’ and you apply on the website directly...It’s much more targeted that way,” she adds.
Advertisement
As for the impressive roster of mentors she recruited for an untested format, Chang says the response was immediate and enthusiastic.
“That speaks to two things,” she says. “Primarily and most importantly, the urgency and the importance of mentorship for women of color. That’s number one. Everybody knew...This is important.
Advertisement
“No. 2, me. I’m Sophia-motherfucking-Chang. People don’t really say no to me,” she chuckles.“They know that if I step into an arena. I’m going to come out swinging. And I’m going to get it done. I am the fixer; I am the professional; I am the cleaner; I am the glue.
Advertisement
“I’ve worked with, am friends with, or am colleagues with every one of those hundred and seven people,” she continues. “What it means is that I am very clear on what it is that I’m asking. And I must manage expectations. That’s why it was designed so specifically: an hour a month...This is very hard to say no to, as busy as everybody is—and some of those people on that list are insanely busy.”
Newly launched this summer, the application phase for the first round of mentees closing swiftly on Monday, Oct. 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT. With such an overwhelming response and an applicant pool currently boasting a ten-to-one applicant-to-mentor ratio, the process is understandably competitive, meaning all applicants will not be accepted. While potentially discouraging, it’s nonetheless indicative of the program’s massive potential—and again, just one of the many expectations Chang hopes to manage in the mentor/mentee relationship, even for those lucky enough to be placed with a mentor this cycle.
Advertisement
“What Unlock Her Potential aims to do is to provide professional guidance and counsel...That, in and of itself, is a gift,” she says.
“So it’s really about offering people the opportunity—but again, boundaries—it is so critical for both the mentors and the mentees,” she continues. “Don’t think that you signed up for a mentor and they’re gonna get you a job; that’s not what happens here. Don’t think that they’re going to read your 300-page manuscript of your science fiction novel. They’re not doing that shit, either.
Advertisement
“This is about coming to them and in that hour, asking them specific questions about your path, about your professional development, and how to best navigate the world that you’re in and how they can guide you in that? This is not about access—it might turn into that, but it’s not the expectation,” she concludes.
All that can happen in an hour a month?
“In one hour—shit, I could probably do that in half an hour,” she laughs. “I believe that for all of the people on the list.”
Advertisement
As a manager-turned-record industry exec-turned-producer-turned-author-turned-screenwriter, Chang also believes in second, third, fourth, and even fifth acts in life. (As a teacher-turned-model-turned-musician-turned-writer-turned-editor, I’m inclined to agree.)
Advertisement
“I didn’t even write my memoir until I was 52—52!” she exclaims, explaining why there’s no age cap on the mentorship offered by Unlock Her Potential. “I believe that we should all have many acts in life, if that’s what we want...[but] I think that there are so many women who feel trapped in their roles and they don’t know how to transition. So that’s my idea about having no ceiling on the age because women at a certain age are invisible; women of color are totally invisible. Nobody’s thinking about us. Nobody is checking for us on the professional front or the personal front. So that was really important to me.”
And then, there’s the fact that as a single mother of two, Chang knows intimately the challenges of trying to strike a personal and professional balance while raising children. “I think that’s a common experience,” she says. “My issue is for a lot of women, they pour a lot into being mothers—that’s real, and it’s a good thing...[but] that whole thing of you can be a tremendously engaged mother and have a super high-performing job? I think that’s bullshit.”
Advertisement
Cutting through the bullshit that impedes the success of women of color is at the core of Chang’s next act. Even with Unlock Her Potential still in beta phase, her always multitasking mind is already planning an ancillary project, turning her attention back to creating programs to address corporate America’s treatment of women of color. Specifically, the lack of retention that makes climbing the ranks within companies nearly impossible; a crucial barrier to success Chang says was brought to her attention by PR professional Chelsea Fuller of Blackbird. In response, she intends to launch RAWC—an acronym for “Retention and Ascension for Women of Color.”
“How we usually ascend within an organization is that we start at a certain level and ascend within it,” she explains. “So you hire a woman of color as an assistant. How long does she stay with you? How high does she rise?
Advertisement
“I am trying to force white male corporate America’s gaze on this dearth, this terrible dearth that exists within its structures, and that is that there is so little mentorship for women of color,” she adds. “I know this—we know this. We need to address this...If you mentor women of color from the gate, there will be retention and ascension. So, it’s all wrapped up into one.”
As a seasoned mentor, Chang explains the process is mutually beneficial.
“With Unlock Her Potential, what am I doing? I’m going to change the lives of 216 people: 108 mentees and 108 mentors,” she says, including herself in the number. “And that is edifying for me. That is instructive for me and it is illuminating for me. And it also feels really, really, really good to see your mentee succeed. It feels tremendous.”
Advertisement
For more information or to apply for mentorship through Unlock Her Potential, visit their website. The deadline for this year’s applications is Monday, Oct. 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT.


theroot--2020-10-01--Gov. Newsom Signs Bill Appointing Reparations Task Force for Black Americans in California

I ’ ve had a lot of conversations with Black people who have a bit of a defeatist attitude when it comes to the subject of reparations .
For them , the very idea of America paying monetary damages or some form of restitution to the descendants of slaves—people the country oppressed , tortured , forced unpaid labor on , separated from their families and stripped of any connection to their African heritages for roughly 250 years—is so far fetched that it ’ s not even a demand worth fighting for .
But in recent years—and especially with the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject of reparations has become so mainstream that political candidates have even acknowledged the legitimacy of the idea in their platforms .
Most recently i n California , Gov .
Gavin Newsom signed a law Wednesday that appoints a task force to come up with proposals for how the state could provide reparations to Black Americans .
The law creates a nine-member task force to come up with proposals for how the state could provide reparations to Black Americans , what form those reparations might take and who would be eligible to receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to slavery , but the law requires the task force to give special consideration for Black people who are descendants of slaves .
The task force ’ s recommendations would not be binding .
The task force must give a report to the state Legislature one year after its first meeting .
“ This is not just about California , this is about making an impact , and a dent , across the rest of the country , ” Newsom said moments after signing the bill during a ceremony broadcast on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never had a form of slavery sanctioned by law , but slave owners were allowed to bring their victims of slavery to the state , which even passed a law making it legal to arrest runaway slaves and return them to their owners .
In fact , according to USA Today , “ while California ’ s constitution stated that ‘ neither slavery nor involuntary servitude , unless for punishment of a crime , shall ever be tolerated , ’ archives suggest that slavery was a common practice in the state in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom pointed to the embarrassing , circus-like display of white-on-white-crime that was the first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on Tuesday night as a reason that his bill , Assembly Bill 3121 , needed to be signed .
“ After watching last night ’ s debate , this signing can ’ t come too soon , ” Newsom said .
It ’ s important to note that the bill doesn ’ t outline any specific plan for reparations distribution , and nothing the task force comes up with will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is basically just a pretty major step in the right direction .
Deadline reports that Newsom also signed into law Assembly Bill 979 , which requires California-based corporations “ to have at least one director from an underrepresented community by the close of 2021 .
”

I’ve had a lot of conversations with Black people who have a bit of a defeatist attitude when it comes to the subject of reparations. For them, the very idea of America paying monetary damages or some form of restitution to the descendants of slaves—people the country oppressed, tortured, forced unpaid labor on, separated from their families and stripped of any connection to their African heritages for roughly 250 years—is so far fetched that it’s not even a demand worth fighting for. But in recent years—and especially with the current racial reckoning going on in the U.S.—the subject of reparations has become so mainstream that political candidates have even acknowledged the legitimacy of the idea in their platforms. Most recently i n California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Wednesday that appoints a task force to come up with proposals for how the state could provide reparations to Black Americans.
From KRON 4:
The law creates a nine-member task force to come up with proposals for how the state could provide reparations to Black Americans, what form those reparations might take and who would be eligible to receive them. The reparations would not be limited to slavery, but the law requires the task force to give special consideration for Black people who are descendants of slaves. The task force’s recommendations would not be binding. The task force must give a report to the state Legislature one year after its first meeting. “This is not just about California, this is about making an impact, and a dent, across the rest of the country,” Newsom said moments after signing the bill during a ceremony broadcast on his YouTube channel.
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KRON noted that California never had a form of slavery sanctioned by law, but slave owners were allowed to bring their victims of slavery to the state, which even passed a law making it legal to arrest runaway slaves and return them to their owners.
In fact, according to USA Today, “while California’s constitution stated that ‘neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for punishment of a crime, shall ever be tolerated,’ archives suggest that slavery was a common practice in the state in the 19th century.”
Advertisement Advertisement
According to Deadline, Newsom pointed to the embarrassing, circus-like display of white-on-white-crime that was the first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on Tuesday night as a reason that his bill, Assembly Bill 3121, needed to be signed.
“After watching last night’s debate, this signing can’t come too soon,” Newsom said.
Advertisement
It’s important to note that the bill doesn’t outline any specific plan for reparations distribution, and nothing the task force comes up with will be immediately set in stone. Bill 3121 is basically just a pretty major step in the right direction.
Deadline reports that Newsom also signed into law Assembly Bill 979, which requires California-based corporations “to have at least one director from an underrepresented community by the close of 2021.”


theroot--2020-10-01--Letter From Trump Praising Trump Added to Food Aid Recipients' Boxes

In the latest episode of “ Make sure everyone knows that I did this for them , ” the Department of Agriculture ( surely at President Trump ’ s behest ) is demanding that letters from the president be included in millions of food assistance boxes .
According to Politico , the Families to Farmers Food Box Program , which delivers surplus goods normally intended for restaurants to families in need , are now forced to add these trash-ass propaganda letters , which are a thinly veiled attempt to boost the president ’ s image in an election year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this work , I ’ ve never seen something this egregious , ” Lisa Hamler-Fugitt , executive director of the Ohio Association of Food Banks , told Politico .
“ These are federally purchased boxes.
” Remember when the president of people who believe the Proud Boys are actually just grown Boy Scouts demanded that his name be put on the stimulus checks because he wanted to make sure that America knew he did this for them ?
At this point , Trump is the uncle who buys you some fake Yeezys with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come into the room and turn off the lights so they can look at your soles .
“ Yeezys !
” he will proclaim , proudly .
“ I got them for a steal !
” “ Feezys , ” your brother will say .
Republican Porn Hub , aka Fox News , first reported the masturbatory practices of the presidential letter being included in some boxes back in July .
“ On Wednesday the White House posted a campaign-style video on Twitter touting the food boxes with remarks Trump made in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few hundred people , ” the Hill reports .
The letter , which is written in both English and Spanish says , “ As President , safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens is one of my highest priorities .
As part of our response to coronavirus , I prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout America.
” If this motherfucker doesn ’ t shut his anus-shaped mouth with all this bullshit .
He can ’ t be serious , can he ?
How is this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever fascist-ed ?
Some lawmakers believe that this could be a violation of the Hatch Act because everything this administration does is a violation of the Hatch Act .
“ Using a federal relief program to distribute a self-promoting letter from the President to American families just three months before the presidential election is inappropriate and a violation of federal law , ” a group of 49 House Democrats , led by Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio , wrote in an Aug. 14 letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue , the Hill reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an opportunity for the administration to promote its own political interests .
Likewise , a federal food assistance program should not be used as a tool for the President to exploit taxpayer dollars for his re-election campaign , ” ho !
The Agriculture Department , of course , pushed back , claiming “ politics has played zero role in the Farmers to Families food box program — it is purely about helping farmers and distributors get food to Americans in need during this unprecedented time.
” Then why include a letter from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Feezys ” he got you look when the lights are off and how he got them for a steal ?
!

In the latest episode of “Make sure everyone knows that I did this for them,” the Department of Agriculture (surely at President Trump’s behest) is demanding that letters from the president be included in millions of food assistance boxes.
According to Politico, the Families to Farmers Food Box Program, which delivers surplus goods normally intended for restaurants to families in need, are now forced to add these trash-ass propaganda letters, which are a thinly veiled attempt to boost the president’s image in an election year.
Advertisement
“In my 30 years of doing this work, I’ve never seen something this egregious,” Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Food Banks, told Politico. “These are federally purchased boxes.”
Remember when the president of people who believe the Proud Boys are actually just grown Boy Scouts demanded that his name be put on the stimulus checks because he wanted to make sure that America knew he did this for them? At this point, Trump is the uncle who buys you some fake Yeezys with glowing soles and then tells everyone to come into the room and turn off the lights so they can look at your soles.
Advertisement Advertisement
“Yeezys!” he will proclaim, proudly. “I got them for a steal!”
“Feezys,” your brother will say.
Republican Porn Hub, aka Fox News, first reported the masturbatory practices of the presidential letter being included in some boxes back in July. “On Wednesday the White House posted a campaign-style video on Twitter touting the food boxes with remarks Trump made in North Carolina in August before a crowd of a few hundred people,” the Hill reports.
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The letter, which is written in both English and Spanish says, “As President, safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens is one of my highest priorities. As part of our response to coronavirus, I prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout America.”
If this motherfucker doesn’t shut his anus-shaped mouth with all this bullshit. He can’t be serious, can he? How is this not the most fascist regime that has ever fascist-ed?
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Some lawmakers believe that this could be a violation of the Hatch Act because everything this administration does is a violation of the Hatch Act.
“Using a federal relief program to distribute a self-promoting letter from the President to American families just three months before the presidential election is inappropriate and a violation of federal law,” a group of 49 House Democrats, led by Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio, wrote in an Aug. 14 letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, the Hill reports.
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“A public health crisis is not an opportunity for the administration to promote its own political interests. Likewise, a federal food assistance program should not be used as a tool for the President to exploit taxpayer dollars for his re-election campaign,” ho!
The Agriculture Department, of course, pushed back, claiming “politics has played zero role in the Farmers to Families food box program — it is purely about helping farmers and distributors get food to Americans in need during this unprecedented time.”
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Then why include a letter from the president talking about how good the “Feezys” he got you look when the lights are off and how he got them for a steal?!


theroot--2020-10-01--For the Rest of the Week Destress With 20% off Anything at Bellesa

Bellesa knows it ’ s been a very stressful few days given : :gestures all around : : everything , especially if you watched the debate .
Engage in some self-care , detox from the news or social media , and just relax for a bit .
Until Sunday take 20 % off anything at the site disconnect and buzz off .
Just use the code MASTURDEBATE at checkout .
Gentlemen , we talk a lot about the Satisfyer for the ladies but did you know there ’ s one for you too ?
The Satisfyer Men Heat Vibration ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and comfy .
What about that doesn ’ t sound amazing ?
There are seventy vibes , three warming levels to select from for the ultimate relaxation vacation .
Blow off as much steam as you need to just make sure to clean your toys when you ’ re done .
Everything from Bellesa is beautifully made and exceptional in every way , that ’ s not an exaggeration .
I ’ m back on my rabbit nonsense and the Diosa ( $ 87 ) is pretty spectacular .
If you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get much better than this .
While I love my Nirvana wand I like to mix it up and I ’ ve been feeling frisky with Diosa ’ s seven vibe settings and Bellesa ’ s signature velvety-smooth silicone .
You really can ’ t go wrong with blended orgasms now can you ?
Free shipping on all orders with this code as well which works until Sunday .

Sheilah Villari on Kinja Deals, shared by Ignacia to The Root

20% off Sitewide | Bellesa Boutique | Use Code MASTURDEBATE
Bellesa knows it’s been a very stressful few days given ::gestures all around:: everything, especially if you watched the debate. Engage in some self-care, detox from the news or social media, and just relax for a bit. Until Sunday take 20% off anything at the site disconnect and buzz off. Just use the code MASTURDEBATE at checkout.
Gentlemen, we talk a lot about the Satisfyer for the ladies but did you know there’s one for you too? The Satisfyer Men Heat Vibration ($55) is warm, soft, and comfy. What about that doesn’t sound amazing? There are seventy vibes, three warming levels to select from for the ultimate relaxation vacation. Blow off as much steam as you need to just make sure to clean your toys when you’re done.
Everything from Bellesa is beautifully made and exceptional in every way, that’s not an exaggeration. I’m back on my rabbit nonsense and the Diosa ($87) is pretty spectacular. If you’re into dual stimulation it doesn’t get much better than this. While I love my Nirvana wand I like to mix it up and I’ve been feeling frisky with Diosa’s seven vibe settings and Bellesa’s signature velvety-smooth silicone. You really can’t go wrong with blended orgasms now can you?
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Free shipping on all orders with this code as well which works until Sunday.


theroot--2020-10-01--Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Reveals When XFL Will Make Its 'Electrifying' Return

For those dying for an alternative to the NFL , I regret to inform you that it ’ s gon na be a minute until you get your long overdue fix .
On Thursday , the XFL ’ s newly minted co-owner , Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson , revealed exactly when we can all expect his embattled league to return to the field .
“ XFL returns SPRING 2022 , ” he tweeted .
“ It ’ s an uphill battle—but we ’ re hungry , humble and no one will outwork us .
A league of culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incarnation of the XFL made its promising debut—and unceremonious exit—in 2001 .
It foolishly branded itself as a direct competitor to the NFL and was much less about football and more so an extension of Vince McMahon ’ s unique brand of sports entertainment .
Players went by undeserved monickers instead of using their actual names , there was an emphasis on bigger hits and nearly non-existent rules and the end product on the field was as outrageous as it was disastrous .
Ironically enough , it also featured promos from some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s alter ego , The Rock .
The XFL would resurrect from the dead in 2018 with a renewed focus on actually delivering a quality product and pitched itself as a much-needed farm system for NFL hopefuls and rejects .
But sadly , by the time the league kicked off its comeback season in 2020 , the coronavirus had other plans .
As we previously reported in The Root , the global pandemic forced the XFL to suspend operations , lay off damn near everybody , and eventually bankruptcy .
But right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to auction in August , Johnson , his ex-wife and business partner , Dany Garcia , an d investment firm RedBird Capital Partners swooped in and bought the XFL for a cool $ 15 million .
“ With gratitude & passion I ’ ve built a career with my own two hands and will apply these callouses to our @ xfl2020 brand , ” Johnson tweeted in August to celebrate the acquisition .
“ Excited to create something special for the fans !
” After two failed attempts at making the XFL a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work ahead of him .
But if it demonstrates the same promise and similar innovations that it did before COVID-19 derailed everything , in addition to better players , the XFL might finally get it right .

For those dying for an alternative to the NFL, I regret to inform you that it’s gonna be a minute until you get your long overdue fix.
On Thursday, the XFL’s newly minted co-owner, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, revealed exactly when we can all expect his embattled league to return to the field.
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“XFL returns SPRING 2022,” he tweeted. “It’s an uphill battle—but we’re hungry, humble and no one will outwork us. A league of culture, passion & purpose.”
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The original incarnation of the XFL made its promising debut—and unceremonious exit—in 2001. It foolishly branded itself as a direct competitor to the NFL and was much less about football and more so an extension of Vince McMahon’s unique brand of sports entertainment. Players went by undeserved monickers instead of using their actual names, there was an emphasis on bigger hits and nearly non-existent rules and the end product on the field was as outrageous as it was disastrous.
Ironically enough, it also featured promos from some of the biggest names in the WWE—like Johnson’s alter ego, The Rock.
The XFL would resurrect from the dead in 2018 with a renewed focus on actually delivering a quality product and pitched itself as a much-needed farm system for NFL hopefuls and rejects. But sadly, by the time the league kicked off its comeback season in 2020, the coronavirus had other plans.
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As we previously reported in The Root, the global pandemic forced the XFL to suspend operations, lay off damn near everybody, and eventually bankruptcy. But right before the league was set to go to auction in August, Johnson, his ex-wife and business partner, Dany Garcia, an d investment firm RedBird Capital Partners swooped in and bought the XFL for a cool $15 million.
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“With gratitude & passion I’ve built a career with my own two hands and will apply these callouses to our @xfl2020 brand,” Johnson tweeted in August to celebrate the acquisition. “Excited to create something special for the fans!”
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After two failed attempts at making the XFL a success story, Johnson has plenty of work ahead of him. But if it demonstrates the same promise and similar innovations that it did before COVID-19 derailed everything, in addition to better players, the XFL might finally get it right.


theroot--2020-10-01--Dawn Porter on Documenting Rep. John Lewis: 'Telling Untold and Overlooked Stories Is Good Trouble'

It ’ s been a few months since the world lost one of its greatest , Rep. John Lewis , and of course , his grand legacy will live on .
One of the ways that has been made possible is the recent documentary chronicling his 60-plus years of activism , John Lewis : Good Trouble .
Directed by Dawn Porter , John Lewis : Good Trouble is an intimate look into the incredible journey from his teenage life to the front lines of the Civil Rights movement .
For any filmmaker , the work is never done .
E @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onscreen , there is always a self-editing process on what you wish you could ’ ve changed or added .
A creator ’ s mind never stops , and even as an acclaimed filmmaker who helmed this rich documentary honoring Lewis ’ legacy , Porter still wishes she could ’ ve included more about his story in the film .
“ I wish that there were more people who could have told us about his early life , ” Porter exclusively tells The Root .
“ We were able to speak with family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a treat to really learn more about his origin story .
Every superhero has an origin story and I would have loved to tell that story through the eyes of a parent or grandparent .
There is a somewhat famous story about John Lewis and his chickens—that he was a boy on the farm who fell in love with tending the chickens and wanted to be a preacher one day .
I have heard John ’ s version of that story , but I would be interested to know what his mother would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Still , she will take the many lessons she learned from filming the doc onward .
“ I was originally trained as an attorney and given my background in law and my interest in activism , there are times when I wonder if I should be closer to the frontlines of the fight , ” Porter shared .
“ But , whenever I question whether making documentaries is the best way I can contribute to advancing the cause of justice , to racial justice , reproductive justice , to improving indigent defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what John Lewis has said about the importance of nonviolent protest.
” “ He has said many times that nonviolence and nonviolent resistance to injustice is not merely the absence of violence , ” she adds .
“ He would say that nonviolence is about pulling back the rug and sweeping out the filth , bringing it into the light where it can be properly reckoned with .
The core ethos of documentary filmmaking could be boiled down to that point as well—that it is about bringing hidden , dark , dirty things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them and deal with them then change things for the better .
John Lewis never had a qualification for what ‘ good trouble ’ is , but telling untold and overlooked stories is indeed good trouble.
” In a sneak peek clip from the doc obtained by The Root , 2018 Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams also spoke on how the legacy of Lewis impacted her to keep fighting for voter ’ s rights , namely through her organization Fair Fight .
Lewis was one of Fair Fight ’ s biggest advocates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and closer to an unprecedented presidential election , the complex conversation on voting ( including voter suppression and beyond ) is quite significant .
“ My responsibility following in the legacy , the legend and model of John Lewis is saying , ‘ Not today !
’ , ” Abrams muses in the clip .
“ That we are not going to let you do this to us—that we are going to fight back .
Because we understand that if you ’ re going to fight for electoral integrity , you have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Lewis : Good Trouble is now available on digital and DVD .

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

It’s been a few months since the world lost one of its greatest, Rep. John Lewis, and of course, his grand legacy will live on. One of the ways that has been made possible is the recent documentary chronicling his 60-plus years of activism, John Lewis: Good Trouble. Directed by Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble is an intimate look into the incredible journey from his teenage life to the front lines of the Civil Rights movement.
For any filmmaker, the work is never done. E ven once you’re watching it onscreen, there is always a self-editing process on what you wish you could’ve changed or added. A creator’s mind never stops, and even as an acclaimed filmmaker who helmed this rich documentary honoring Lewis’ legacy, Porter still wishes she could’ve included more about his story in the film.
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“I wish that there were more people who could have told us about his early life,” Porter exclusively tells The Root. “We were able to speak with family members, but it would have been a treat to really learn more about his origin story. Every superhero has an origin story and I would have loved to tell that story through the eyes of a parent or grandparent. There is a somewhat famous story about John Lewis and his chickens—that he was a boy on the farm who fell in love with tending the chickens and wanted to be a preacher one day. I have heard John’s version of that story, but I would be interested to know what his mother would have said about him as a child.”
Still, she will take the many lessons she learned from filming the doc onward.
“I was originally trained as an attorney and given my background in law and my interest in activism, there are times when I wonder if I should be closer to the frontlines of the fight,” Porter shared . “But, whenever I question whether making documentaries is the best way I can contribute to advancing the cause of justice, to racial justice, reproductive justice, to improving indigent defense in this country, I think of what John Lewis has said about the importance of nonviolent protest.”
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“He has said many times that nonviolence and nonviolent resistance to injustice is not merely the absence of violence,” she adds. “He would say that nonviolence is about pulling back the rug and sweeping out the filth, bringing it into the light where it can be properly reckoned with. The core ethos of documentary filmmaking could be boiled down to that point as well—that it is about bringing hidden, dark, dirty things into the light so we can understand them and deal with them then change things for the better. John Lewis never had a qualification for what ‘good trouble’ is, but telling untold and overlooked stories is indeed good trouble.”
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Word.
In a sneak peek clip from the doc obtained by The Root, 2018 Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams also spoke on how the legacy of Lewis impacted her to keep fighting for voter’s rights, namely through her organization Fair Fight. Lewis was one of Fair Fight’s biggest advocates. Clearly, as we are nearing closer and closer to an unprecedented presidential election, the complex conversation on voting (including voter suppression and beyond) is quite significant.
Stacey Abrams Interview in 'John Lewis: Good Trouble' Stacey Abrams in John Lewis: Good Trouble (2020) / Courtesy of Magnolia Home Entertainment
“My responsibility following in the legacy, the legend and model of John Lewis is saying, ‘Not today!’,” Abrams muses in the clip. “That we are not going to let you do this to us—that we are going to fight back. Because we understand that if you’re going to fight for electoral integrity, you have to fight for it every single day.”
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John Lewis: Good Trouble is now available on digital and DVD.


theroot--2020-10-01--Trump Officials Told to Make Sympathetic Comments About Accused Killer Kyle Rittenhouse

A 17-year-old boy arrived at a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha , Wisc.
, armed with an AR-15-style rifle .
Those who support Trump will tell you that the armed , pale-faced teen was there to keep the peace and nothing helps keep the peace like an assault weapon .
During the protest , the armed thug opened fire , allegedly killing two protesters , and since the shooting , the Trump administration and Fox News pundits have bent over backward to call the killings anything other than what they are .
And here is why : Kyle Rittenhouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted his support for the president on Twitter .
Oh , and he helped wipe graffiti from a building .
I wish I was joking about the graffiti part but Fox News won ’ t stop pointing out that Rittenhouse was recorded on video cleaning graffiti from a building some time before allegedly killing two people .
And now leaked documents show the levels with which the Trump administration was willing to go to support their own .
According to NBC News , federal law enforcement officials were told that when speaking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are sympathetic to the shooter .
Internal Department of Homeland Security talking points obtained by NBC News found that Homeland Security officials were told to claim that Rittenhouse “ took his rifle to the scene of the rioting to help defend small business owners.
” “ Another set of talking points distributed to Homeland Security officials said the media were incorrectly labeling the group Patriot Prayer as racists after clashes erupted between the group and protesters in Portland , Oregon , ” NBC News notes .
It remains unclear whether the directives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security ’ s own press office , but my money ’ s on the fat orange man who sits at the Resolute desk .
To earn Trump ’ s gaze , you only need to do one thing : support his dumb-ass moves wholeheartedly and that ’ s what Rittenhouse had done .
He reportedly supported Trump and the police on his social media before leaving his Antioch , Ill. , home on Aug. 25 armed with an AR-15-style rifle , authorities said .
Rittenhouse , after attempting to flag cops down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were looking for only for police to ignore him because ... white boy , was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and is currently fighting extradition to Wisconsin .
His attorneys claim that he was acting in self-defense .
Three former Homeland Security officials told NBC News that “ it was unusual for law enforcement officials to be instructed to weigh in on a case involving a particular group or individual before investigations had concluded.
” “ It is as unprecedented as it is wrong , ” Peter Boogaard , who was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration , told NBC News .
The Rittenhouse talking points also say , “ Kyle was seen being chased and attacked by rioters before allegedly shooting three of them , killing two.
” “ Subsequent video has emerged reportedly showing that there were ‘ multiple gunmen ’ involved , which would lend more credence to the self-defense claims.
” The document instructs officials , if they are asked about Rittenhouse , to say they are not going to comment on an ongoing investigation and to say that “ what I will say is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America , is innocent until proven guilty and deserves a fair trial based on all the facts , not just the ones that support a certain narrative .
This is why we try the accused in the court of law , not the star chamber of public opinion.
” Officials were instructed to bring conversations back to the need to preserve law and order : “ This is also why we need to stop the violence in our cities .
Chaotic and violent situations lead to chaotic , violent and tragic outcomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has already come out asking if Rittenhouse is doing OK in jail and whether he needs an extra blanket or reading materials claiming that Rittenhouse was “ trying to get away from them , ” referring to the young men he shot and killed .
Allegedly .
I would say that this is bizarre for a president and the Department of Homeland Security to be so invested in a shooting , but nothing we ’ ve seen so far in 2020 has remotely made any sense , and did I mention that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a Trump supporter ?

A 17-year-old boy arrived at a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisc., armed with an AR-15-style rifle. Those who support Trump will tell you that the armed, pale-faced teen was there to keep the peace and nothing helps keep the peace like an assault weapon. During the protest, the armed thug opened fire, allegedly killing two protesters, and since the shooting, the Trump administration and Fox News pundits have bent over backward to call the killings anything other than what they are.
And here is why: Kyle Rittenhouse is a Trump supporter.
He apparently posted his support for the president on Twitter. Oh, and he helped wipe graffiti from a building. I wish I was joking about the graffiti part but Fox News won’t stop pointing out that Rittenhouse was recorded on video cleaning graffiti from a building some time before allegedly killing two people.
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And now leaked documents show the levels with which the Trump administration was willing to go to support their own. According to NBC News, federal law enforcement officials were told that when speaking about Rittenhouse, they needed to make comments that are sympathetic to the shooter.
Internal Department of Homeland Security talking points obtained by NBC News found that Homeland Security officials were told to claim that Rittenhouse “took his rifle to the scene of the rioting to help defend small business owners.”
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“Another set of talking points distributed to Homeland Security officials said the media were incorrectly labeling the group Patriot Prayer as racists after clashes erupted between the group and protesters in Portland, Oregon,” NBC News notes.
It remains unclear whether the directives originated at the White House or within Homeland Security’s own press office, but my money’s on the fat orange man who sits at the Resolute desk.
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To earn Trump’s gaze, you only need to do one thing: support his dumb-ass moves wholeheartedly and that’s what Rittenhouse had done. He reportedly supported Trump and the police on his social media before leaving his Antioch, Ill., home on Aug. 25 armed with an AR-15-style rifle, authorities said. Rittenhouse, after attempting to flag cops down to say he was the man they were looking for only for police to ignore him because...white boy, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and is currently fighting extradition to Wisconsin. His attorneys claim that he was acting in self-defense.
Three former Homeland Security officials told NBC News that “it was unusual for law enforcement officials to be instructed to weigh in on a case involving a particular group or individual before investigations had concluded.”
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“It is as unprecedented as it is wrong,” Peter Boogaard, who was a spokesperson for Homeland Security during the Obama administration, told NBC News.
From NBC News:
The Rittenhouse talking points also say, “Kyle was seen being chased and attacked by rioters before allegedly shooting three of them, killing two.” “Subsequent video has emerged reportedly showing that there were ‘multiple gunmen’ involved, which would lend more credence to the self-defense claims.” The document instructs officials, if they are asked about Rittenhouse, to say they are not going to comment on an ongoing investigation and to say that “what I will say is that Rittenhouse, just like everyone else in America, is innocent until proven guilty and deserves a fair trial based on all the facts, not just the ones that support a certain narrative. This is why we try the accused in the court of law, not the star chamber of public opinion.” Officials were instructed to bring conversations back to the need to preserve law and order: “This is also why we need to stop the violence in our cities. Chaotic and violent situations lead to chaotic, violent and tragic outcomes. Everyone needs law and order.”
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Trump has already come out asking if Rittenhouse is doing OK in jail and whether he needs an extra blanket or reading materials claiming that Rittenhouse was “trying to get away from them,” referring to the young men he shot and killed. Allegedly.
I would say that this is bizarre for a president and the Department of Homeland Security to be so invested in a shooting, but nothing we’ve seen so far in 2020 has remotely made any sense, and did I mention that the boy was white and that he’s a Trump supporter?


theroot--2020-10-01--Shine Bright Like a Diamond With Fenty Beauty Match Stix Shimmer Skinsticks, Now $18

For a short time , it seems like Fenty Beauty is having a sale on select items and their Match @ @ @ @ @ 18 , down from their original price of $ 25 .
You can use them @ @ @ @ @ , and because the goddess Robyn Rihanna Fenty created them , they look great on @ @ @ @ @ There are 15 shades to choose from , so what are you even waiting for @

Ignacia on Kinja Deals, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Match Stix Shimmer Skinsticks | $18 | Fenty Beauty
For a short time, it seems like Fenty Beauty is having a sale on select items and their Match Stix Shimmer Skinsticks are $18, down from their original price of $25. You can use them as a blush or highlight, and because the goddess Robyn Rihanna Fenty created them, they look great on every skintone—light or dark! There are 15 shades to choose from, so what are you even waiting for?


theroot--2020-10-01--LeBron James, Anthony Davis Destroy Miami Heat In Game 1 of NBA Finals

For all of his amazing feats on the basketball court , there ’ s an unsightly blemish on LeBron James ’ resume : his NBA Finals appearances .
In 16 seasons , he ’ s been to the Finals 10 times with the Cleveland Cavaliers , Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers .
And between 2011 and 2018 , he went a jaw-dropping eight consecutive times .
But the Finals haven ’ t always been kind to the four-time MVP , as his ugly 3-6 record leaves much to be desired .
It ’ s a sensitive topic for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise impenetrable coat of armor .
“ At the end of the day , when I ’ ve lost in the Finals , the better team won because they played well , ” he told reporters on Tuesday .
“ They were more prepared and they did what they needed to do to win those four games.
” In 2007 , his Cavaliers were obliterated by the San Antonio Spurs .
In 2014 , the Spurs ran it back and annihilated his team again in five games .
In 2015 , 2017 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Golden State Warriors .
And while each of these losses were demoralizing in their own right , it ’ s his 2011 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks that still haunts him to this day .
“ I ’ ve experienced moments in my career , Finals games , where you have all the momentum in the world , and you felt like you had the game under control , and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday .
“ One in particular that always rings home for me is Game 2 of the 2011 Finals in Miami versus Dallas .
( Dwyane Wade ) hits a three right by their bench .
I believe it put us up either 13 or 17 .
From that moment on , Dallas went on a hell of a run and finished it off with a Dirk Nowitzki left-hand layup to steal that game .
That shit burns me to this day.
” After blowing Game 2 of that series , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eventually lost to the Mavericks in six games .
LeBron , in particular , got killed for vanishing into thin air when his team needed him most .
In Game 4 of that series , he stunk up the building with a putrid 8-point outing on 3-11 shooting , and we don ’ t even wan na talk about what happened in the second half of Game 6—a meltdown so bad that his own teammate , Eddie House , accused LeBron of quitting on the team .
Entering the 2020 NBA Finals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s clear that that embarrassing loss still weighed heavily on his mind .
So after watching LeBron spend 36 minutes on the floor attacking the basket , knocking down treys and making crisp passes to set up his teammates for easy points in a 116-98 blowout ( the box score doesn ’ t do the end result justice ) , his Game 1 performance against the Heat shouldn ’ t come as a surprise—because LeBron has no intentions of ever losing a Finals series again .
And having a player like Anthony Davis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either .
“ The bigger the moment , he ’ s just raising his play , ” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said about Davis , who put up 34 points , nine boards and five assists in his first Finals game ever .
Initially , the Heat put up a hell of a fight , jumping out to a 23-10 lead in the opening quarter .
But shit went left fast after Goran Dragic left the game in the second quarter with a foot injury , Jimmy Butler twisted his ankle right before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left in the third quarter with a shoulder strain .
Everything after that was a mercy killing .
At one point , the Lakers led by as many as 32 points .
“ We ’ re much better than we showed tonight , ” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said .
“ You have to credit the Lakers .
We ’ ll get to work for the next one.
” Adebayo ’ s injury is concerning , but Dragic ’ s foot injury is much worse than most of us initially thought .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s faced this postseason , he ’ s been diagnosed with a torn plantar fascia—an injury that can take as many as 12 weeks to heal—according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic .
“ I , and we , are here for him , ” Butler said about Dragic .
“ We know how much he wants to win , how much he wants to go to war and battle with us .
And obviously , we love him for that and we want him out there with us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do , that ’ s what he ’ s got to do .
[ ... ] He ’ s got to take care of himself first.
” Adebayo and Dragic will continue to seek treatment and be re-evaluated , but trust and believe LeBron and those boys are ready for war .
Game 2 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Friday .

For all of his amazing feats on the basketball court, there’s an unsightly blemish on LeBron James’ resume: his NBA Finals appearances.
In 16 seasons, he’s been to the Finals 10 times with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. And between 2011 and 2018, he went a jaw-dropping eight consecutive times. But the Finals haven’t always been kind to the four-time MVP, as his ugly 3-6 record leaves much to be desired.
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It’s a sensitive topic for LeBron; a glaring weakness in an otherwise impenetrable coat of armor.
“At the end of the day, when I’ve lost in the Finals, the better team won because they played well,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “They were more prepared and they did what they needed to do to win those four games.”
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In 2007, his Cavaliers were obliterated by the San Antonio Spurs. In 2014, the Spurs ran it back and annihilated his team again in five games. In 2015, 2017 and 2018, he caught the wrath of the Golden State Warriors. And while each of these losses were demoralizing in their own right, it’s his 2011 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks that still haunts him to this day.
“I’ve experienced moments in my career, Finals games, where you have all the momentum in the world, and you felt like you had the game under control, and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of a game,” LeBron told reporters on Wednesday. “One in particular that always rings home for me is Game 2 of the 2011 Finals in Miami versus Dallas. (Dwyane Wade) hits a three right by their bench. I believe it put us up either 13 or 17. From that moment on, Dallas went on a hell of a run and finished it off with a Dirk Nowitzki left-hand layup to steal that game. That shit burns me to this day.”
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After blowing Game 2 of that series, the Heat were never the same squad again and eventually lost to the Mavericks in six games. LeBron, in particular, got killed for vanishing into thin air when his team needed him most. In Game 4 of that series, he stunk up the building with a putrid 8-point outing on 3-11 shooting, and we don’t even wanna talk about what happened in the second half of Game 6—a meltdown so bad that his own teammate, Eddie House, accused LeBron of quitting on the team.
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Entering the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, it’s clear that that embarrassing loss still weighed heavily on his mind. So after watching LeBron spend 36 minutes on the floor attacking the basket, knocking down treys and making crisp passes to set up his teammates for easy points in a 116-98 blowout (the box score doesn’t do the end result justice), his Game 1 performance against the Heat shouldn’t come as a surprise—because LeBron has no intentions of ever losing a Finals series again.
And having a player like Anthony Davis on his side doesn’t hurt either.
“The bigger the moment, he’s just raising his play,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said about Davis, who put up 34 points, nine boards and five assists in his first Finals game ever.
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Initially, the Heat put up a hell of a fight, jumping out to a 23-10 lead in the opening quarter. But shit went left fast after Goran Dragic left the game in the second quarter with a foot injury, Jimmy Butler twisted his ankle right before the half and All-Star center Bam Adebayo left in the third quarter with a shoulder strain. Everything after that was a mercy killing.
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At one point, the Lakers led by as many as 32 points.
“We’re much better than we showed tonight,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You have to credit the Lakers. We’ll get to work for the next one.”
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Adebayo’s injury is concerning, but Dragic’s foot injury is much worse than most of us initially thought. After laying waste to damn near every opponent he’s faced this postseason, he’s been diagnosed with a torn plantar fascia—an injury that can take as many as 12 weeks to heal—according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.
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“I, and we, are here for him,” Butler said about Dragic. “We know how much he wants to win, how much he wants to go to war and battle with us. And obviously, we love him for that and we want him out there with us. But whatever the docs tell him to do, that’s what he’s got to do. [...] He’s got to take care of himself first.”
Yikes.
Adebayo and Dragic will continue to seek treatment and be re-evaluated, but trust and believe LeBron and those boys are ready for war.
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Game 2 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Friday.


theroot--2020-10-01--NYPD Planned a Brutal Attack on Police Brutality Protesters in the Bronx in June: Report

Human Rights Watch , an organization that specializes in investigating and reporting civil rights abuses all over the world , released a report Wednesday that claims the New York Police Department trapped and then brutally attacked peaceful police violence protesters in a predominantly Black and Latino Bronx neighborhood on June 4 .
The report alleges that around 300 protesters marched through the streets of Mott Haven , a lower-income neighborhood in the South Bronx .
Less than an hour into the march , and about 10 minutes before an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect , the marchers encountered scores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including helmets , shields , and batons .
Bicycle police used their bikes to form a wall and prevented the protesters from moving forward , while other officers pushed from behind – a tactic known as “ kettling.
” The protesters were trapped , with no way to disperse .
“ We were being packed and packed like sardines , ” one protester later recalled .
Many started chanting , “ Let Us Go !
” and one person cried out , “ You ’ re gon na kill us – I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. and the start of the city-wide curfew – imposed a few days earlier due to looting in other areas– the police moved in on the protesters , unprovoked and without warning , whaling their batons , beating people from car tops , shoving them down to the ground , and firing pepper spray in their faces .
The findings in the HRW investigation are “ based on interviews or written accounts from 81 people who participated in the Mott Haven protest , interviews with 19 other community members , lawyers , activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 155 videos that were recorded during the protest , ” the report explains .
According to the report , at least 263 people were arrested that evening .
Most of those beaten and arrested were protesters , but the police also targeted clearly identified medics , bystanders , other essential workers who were exempt from the curfew and legal observers deployed by the National Lawyers Guild ( NLG ) New York City Chapter and the newly formed Black Legal Observer Collective ( BLOC ) .
More from the report : “ People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protester said in an interview for the report .
“ I turned and saw a pregnant woman lying on the ground and clutching her belly in pain/discomfort .
I joined the protesters in yelling for medical assistance .
For several minutes , we yelled and the officers trapping us did nothing .
White shirts passed by for several minutes and did nothing .
Eventually , one of the white shirts maneuvered his way into the crowd .
He and a few other officers then took her out of the kettle to seek medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that claim protesters left the scene handcuffed to stretchers while bleeding from the head , people were zip-tied for hours until their hands were numb and people were taken to jail—some of whom had open gashes and other serious injuries—who were forced to endure an hours-long booking process during which they were given no food and little to no water .
If all that wasn ’ t enough , the whole thing appeared to be planned by the police department .
Protesters said they saw heavy police presence throughout the march but none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed curfew was near .
“ What I saw that night in the Bronx was a systemic response , ” one protester said .
“ It was strategic .
It was planned.
” “ There was obviously a plan to get [ us ] in a closed space , before the curfew , ” another protester said .
“ Then after the curfew , there was this intentional and deliberate operation to arrest people as soon as possible.
” In response to questions from HRW , the NYPD claimed that “ the intent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence and inflict harm.
” It ’ s unclear what evidence they had to support that claim and , according to the report , HRW found no evidence of protesters inciting violence in any of the videos that were analyzed .
During public testimony on June 22 , as part of Attorney General Letitia James ’ investigation into the NYPD ’ s response to protests across NYC , Shea said social media invites for the march “ encouraged injuring police officers and looting , resisting arrest and fire-bombing police vehicles.
” He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas canisters , lighter fluid , hammers , spray paint , fireworks and other incendiary devices from participants , ” but that claim was contradicted by other officers who said many of those items were found in areas away from when the march took place or before the event even started .
The report did say there were flyers for the event around the city that featured drawings of police cars on fire and other things cops would find offensive .
But those flyers also instructed attendees not to bring weapons and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online denounced “ goofy irresponsible adventurism ” and asked protesters to “ follow the lead of the people from the hood.
” Here ’ s a little about the organizers of the event : HRW noted in their report that it ’ s unlikely any officers involved in the events of June 4 will receive any disciplinary action , but the fallout will cost taxpayers plenty as lawsuits related to the march get settled .
So far there have been nearly 100 complaints filed .
In the end , if what is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a police brutality protest by committing unspeakable acts of police brutality .
You can read the full report—which includes a roughly 13-minute documentary-style video of events here .

Human Rights Watch, an organization that specializes in investigating and reporting civil rights abuses all over the world, released a report Wednesday that claims the New York Police Department trapped and then brutally attacked peaceful police violence protesters in a predominantly Black and Latino Bronx neighborhood on June 4.
The report alleges that around 300 protesters marched through the streets of Mott Haven, a lower-income neighborhood in the South Bronx.
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From the HRW report:
Less than an hour into the march, and about 10 minutes before an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect, the marchers encountered scores of police officers with riot gear, including helmets, shields, and batons. Bicycle police used their bikes to form a wall and prevented the protesters from moving forward, while other officers pushed from behind – a tactic known as “kettling.” The protesters were trapped, with no way to disperse. “We were being packed and packed like sardines,” one protester later recalled. Many started chanting, “Let Us Go!” and one person cried out, “You’re gonna kill us – I can’t breathe.” Just after 8 p.m. and the start of the city-wide curfew – imposed a few days earlier due to looting in other areas– the police moved in on the protesters, unprovoked and without warning, whaling their batons, beating people from car tops, shoving them down to the ground, and firing pepper spray in their faces.
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The findings in the HRW investigation are “based on interviews or written accounts from 81 people who participated in the Mott Haven protest, interviews with 19 other community members, lawyers, activists, and city officials, and analysis of 155 videos that were recorded during the protest,” the report explains.
According to the report, at least 263 people were arrested that evening. Most of those beaten and arrested were protesters, but the police also targeted clearly identified medics, bystanders, other essential workers who were exempt from the curfew and legal observers deployed by the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) New York City Chapter and the newly formed Black Legal Observer Collective (BLOC).
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More from the report:
Video footage from 8:07 p.m. shows an officer with “NYPD LEGAL” written on his uniform directing other uniformed officers to arrest the legal observers.[112] “Legal observers can be arrested,” he says. “They’re good to go!”[113] Footage also shows one legal observer attempting to show officers the attestation and multiple officers responding by knocking it out of her hand, twisting her arm behind her back, and slamming her to the ground.[114] One legal observer, after being restrained in zip ties, said she overheard a white-shirted officer ask another officer, “Is that all the green hats?”[115]
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“People around me started yelling,” one protester said in an interview for the report. “I turned and saw a pregnant woman lying on the ground and clutching her belly in pain/discomfort. I joined the protesters in yelling for medical assistance. For several minutes, we yelled and the officers trapping us did nothing. White shirts passed by for several minutes and did nothing. Eventually, one of the white shirts maneuvered his way into the crowd. He and a few other officers then took her out of the kettle to seek medical attention.”
The report documents myriad testimonies that claim protesters left the scene handcuffed to stretchers while bleeding from the head, people were zip-tied for hours until their hands were numb and people were taken to jail—some of whom had open gashes and other serious injuries—who were forced to endure an hours-long booking process during which they were given no food and little to no water.
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If all that wasn’t enough, the whole thing appeared to be planned by the police department.
Protesters said they saw heavy police presence throughout the march but none of them made a move until the imposed curfew was near.
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“What I saw that night in the Bronx was a systemic response,” one protester said. “It was strategic. It was planned.”
“There was obviously a plan to get [us] in a closed space, before the curfew,” another protester said. “Then after the curfew, there was this intentional and deliberate operation to arrest people as soon as possible.”
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Then there’s this:
The day after the protest, on June 5, Mayor Bill de Blasio held a news conference with the New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Dermot Shea, in which they both applauded the police response in Mott Haven. Commissioner Shea confirmed the premeditated nature of the operation, stating, “we had a plan which was executed nearly flawlessly in the Bronx.” He described the protest as a group of “outside agitators…tearing down society” with the “intent to destroy property, to injure cops, and to cause mayhem.”
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In response to questions from HRW, the NYPD claimed that “the intent of this assembly was to engage in violence and inflict harm.” It’s unclear what evidence they had to support that claim and, according to the report, HRW found no evidence of protesters inciting violence in any of the videos that were analyzed.
During public testimony on June 22, as part of Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into the NYPD’s response to protests across NYC, Shea said social media invites for the march “encouraged injuring police officers and looting, resisting arrest and fire-bombing police vehicles.” He also said officers “recovered a firearm, gas canisters, lighter fluid, hammers, spray paint, fireworks and other incendiary devices from participants,” but that claim was contradicted by other officers who said many of those items were found in areas away from when the march took place or before the event even started.
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The report did say there were flyers for the event around the city that featured drawings of police cars on fire and other things cops would find offensive. But those flyers also instructed attendees not to bring weapons and a code of conduct for the protest posted online denounced “goofy irresponsible adventurism” and asked protesters to “follow the lead of the people from the hood.”
Here’s a little about the organizers of the event:
The protest in Mott Haven was one of the many community-driven responses to the police killing of George Floyd. A collective of New York City-based grassroots groups, led primarily by Black and brown women from the Bronx and known as the “FTP Formation,” organized the protest, which they called “FTP4.” These groups are dedicated to police and prison abolition, and they fight for other causes like racial justice, decolonization, anti-gentrification, and anti-capitalism. They also organize mutual aid projects to support community members in the Bronx. For these groups, FTP has had different meanings, including “Fuck the Police,” “Feed the People,” and “Free the People.”
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HRW noted in their report that it’s unlikely any officers involved in the events of June 4 will receive any disciplinary action, but the fallout will cost taxpayers plenty as lawsuits related to the march get settled. So far there have been nearly 100 complaints filed.
In the end, if what is in this report is true, cops responded to a police brutality protest by committing unspeakable acts of police brutality. You can read the full report—which includes a roughly 13-minute documentary-style video of events here.


theroot--2020-09-18--Put Your Ear to the Best Smart Speakers Worth Buying, According to Reviewers

I ’ m nostalgic for many things old tech .
I miss the Game Boy Advance SP ’ s nifty clamshell design .
I long for my Motorola Droid ’ s slide-out keyboard , despite the fact I ’ m probably faster at typing on my touch screen at this point .
Far from my list of most missed tech are the days before controlling my speaker from my phone .
Having an iPod tied to a home stereo via tattered aux cables was fine , but it meant you couldn ’ t really move around too much , lest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the song before everyone hears your most guilty pleasures blasting at 11 .
Luckily , with new wireless protocols like Bluetooth speakers and AirPlay or Chromecast , your smartphone can control all your favorite bops without the mess of cables .
Take it a step further and you ’ ll wind up with a smart speaker , a voice-controlled jukebox linked to all your music services for maximum tunes .
There ’ s plenty to choose from , though , and it can be a big investment from both a price and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should take the time to make sure you ’ re getting the one that hits the right marks for you .
We did the dirty work and found the best ones you can get right now , according to our friends at Gizmodo , with a little help from Amazon reviews .
If you ’ re stuck between Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa , the second-generation Sonos One comes with both built-in so you don ’ t have to choose right away .
On top of that , it also sounds great .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it among the best sounding smart speakers , praising it for its well-balanced sound capable of filling a room .
Marry that to the two best voice assistants on the market , and you ’ ve got a pretty unbeatable combo .
Speaking of combos , you can pair a couple of these speakers together for maximum tuneage .
If you need a speaker that ’ s as good for controlling your lights and answering trivia as it is for shuffling through your favorite playlists , you should buy a Google Home Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not cheap , but for you ’ re money you ’ re getting the smartest voice assistant available according to this article last year over at Gizmodo .
You can speak to the assistant from any Google device , like an Android phone or a Chromebook .
If you want to control your music while you ’ re strutting about your apartment during your regularly scheduled weekend deep clean , this is the way to do it .
And since the Home Max can get pretty loud , it ’ s good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shout just to change tracks .
Although , Gizmodo notes that this speaker is quite bass-heavy , if that ’ s a concern .
For those who don ’ t mind skipping the extra decibels , there ’ s the Nest Hub , which keeps all the smarts of the Home Max , but trades the high volumes for a big ol ’ display you can use for showcasing your best family photos , or showcasing recipes and how-to videos as you work .
At $ 90 , it ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it ’ s just a matter of how loud you like to crank the volume ( but please , take care of your ears ) .
All About the Connections : Amazon Echo Studio If it were available , this section would be about the regular Amazon Echo , so if you can find it , snag that one instead .
Until then , the next step up , the Echo Studio , is still available .
Like the Echo , the Echo Studio comes with Amazon ’ s Alexa smart assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more capabilities than Apple ’ s Siri-powered HomePod , but fewer than Google Assistant .
That said , Alexa ’ s integrated with a ton of smart home products , and if you ’ re already invested in the Amazon ecosystem , it might be more cost-effective to just upgrade your existing speakers .
The Studio might be costly , but it ’ s cheaper than Google ’ s comparable Home Max .
And with five speakers inside , it gets plenty loud .
Fair warning , though : some early reviews noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playback , and there are valid privacy concerns you may want to into consideration before hitting that buy button .
If you ’ re absolutely tied to iOS or macOS , and certain you ’ re going to stay within the Apple ecosystem , you may want to consider the Apple HomePod .
According to Adam Clark Estes over at Gizmodo , the HomePod is fine for Apple die-hards , but just isn ’ t that useful for most people .
The Sonos offers better sound , and you ’ ll get more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , the HomePod isn ’ t a bad sounding speaker if you ’ re serious about your music .
In his review , Estes says the HomePod ’ s sound is comparable to the Sonos One , though Apple ’ s speaker has a slight advantage in the bass and treble departments , and its mids leave something to be desired .
Aside from that , Estes says there isn ’ t much utility to be found in the HomePod you can ’ t find elsewhere , so maybe skip this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple .

Jordan McMahon on Roundups, shared by Andrew Hayward to The Root

Featured Product: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) | $60 | Best Buy
At this point in time, it’s easier than any other point in history to not only listen to music, but to do so with a genuinely high quality of sound. It’s something that’s easy to forget when you’re just listening to your favorite band through your headphones, but it’s true. Music sounds incredible now, and while some people may favor things like vinyl, it’s natural for most to move more towards more high-tech ways of filling their homes with sound.
The most accessible of this modern-day tech has to come in the form of the smart speaker. It’s absolutely incredible to get home from a walk, unplug your headphones, and then hook your phone up to a smart speaker to keep listening to your music. There’s something bordering on magical about it.
The thing is, the market’s pretty hectic out there, and finding the right one for you can be tough. Should you go with the one featuring your AI assistant of choice, or would you be better off breaking away from that to go for quality instead? Well, have a gander at these options, and then you’ll be able to know for sure.
Best Overall Smart Speaker: Sonos One
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Our first pick is not only our pick for the best overall smart speaker, but also one that works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, which is quite a feat in and of itself. It means you’re far more likely to be able to use the Sonos One smart speaker without having to properly commit to one or the other, which is nice, because commitment is hard. The sound quality here is incredible too, and Gizmodo even ranked it among the best sounding smart speakers back in 2018. Plus, you can even pair two of these powerhouses together to make for an even more enveloping blanket of sound.
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Remember the original Pringles can-like tube that was the Amazon Echo? The device that popularized the smart speaker has shifted in design over the years, and the latest now takes the form of a globe instead. Shape aside, the new Echo isn’t a dramatic departure from the previous model, but it brings a number of enhancements, including much better sound, Zigbee smart hub capabilities, and a more responsive Alexa thanks to Amazon’s new AZI Neural Edge processor.
Gizmodo’s Victoria Song reviewed the latest model and came away impressed by the modest enhancements, even if the design is by far the most significant of them. Still, it’s the best version yet:
“If you’re on an OG Amazon Echo or a second-generation Echo, you could probably do with the boost in audio quality. Other than the improved audio quality and the new round design, many of the upgrades just aren’t that noticeable. At the end of the day, I’m left feeling, like, ‘Well, this is the round Echo with surprisingly decent audio that does pretty much what my other Echo speakers do.’ Like I said, it’s round. That’s the story.”
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If you’re looking for a new orb to ponder, then you could do far worse than the rather adorable little Amazon Echo Dot. While it doesn’t have the same sound quality as the standard Amazon Echo, it still manages to do a good job of spreading your music or podcasts about the room. It makes for an excellent choice if there’s a room you spend less time in, but still want to make sure you can have Alexa chilling on standby, or just like to know there’ll always be music when you go to the toilet. Plus, despite only being $50 normally, it sees sales fairly regularly which drop it down to $35.
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We said the echo dot was cute, but it doesn’t really hold a candle to the Echo Dot Kids Edition, which comes in a few different designs, our favorite of which has to be this adorable little panda. As this is designed for children, it means it features some solid parental controls to keep them away from things you think they’re too young to hear about. Not only that, but it comes with a years subscription to Amazon Kids+, which allows them to access loads of Audible books and educational games too. It’s an excellent choice for getting in a little bit of help for homework, especially if you’re not ready for the commitment that trigonometry demands of you.
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Looking for a capable smart speaker that won’t break your budget? Google’s newly-released Nest Audio is the best you can get for just under $100, delivering a significant aural upgrade over other smart speakers in this price range. It’s not going to beat dedicated bookshelf speakers, but Gizmodo’s Andrew Liszewski says it’s a marked improvement over the earlier Google Home:
“Knowing what’s going on under the hood, I’m still surprised at how good the old Google Home sounds, but the Google Nest Audio does a much better job at pumping out cleaner, crisper, room-filling sound that’s more natural, particularly on the lower end. The clever tricks used to make the Google Home sound as large as it did came with compromises; the bass felt a little artificial and overly boosted. But with the new Google Nest Audio it’s hard to complain about the device’s larger footprint when the dual speakers sound so much better.”
The Google Assistant feels snappier than in past speakers, too, although it still doesn’t play friendly with Apple Music. You can get around that by playing music via Bluetooth from your phone, however. That’s a small concession, though, and the price is certainly right for a great, affordable smart speaker.
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There have been many different smart speakers with screens dating back to the original Amazon Echo Show, but the new 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub is that one we’d want next to our bed at night—or pretty much anywhere else it could be useful at home.
Still, bedside brings some of the best functionality via unique sleep tracking. Rather than use a camera or rely on a wearable companion device, the Google Nest Hub uses little radar sensors that can monitor your movements at night, while other sensors listen out for snoring, disturbances, and light. Collectively, they serve up a report with insights and suggestions of how you might be able to rest easier at night.
Gizmodo’s Andrew Liszewski called it the “perfect alarm clock,” but the Nest Hub and its 7” screen are also handy for pumping tunes into your home, controlling smart home devices, viewing recipes in the kitchen, and other tasks around your space. At $100 normally ($80 as of this writing), you might consider more than one so you can take advantage of all of its myriad benefits.
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Best Portable Smart Speaker: Sonos Roam
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They’ve finally done it: with the Sonos Roam, the high-end audio giant has released a properly compact, portable speaker that you can take anywhere. And if you want one speaker that can pull double duty around the home and on the go, the Roam is it.
It works over Wi-Fi when at home and lets you use Alexa and the Google Assistant for voice commands, and then uses Bluetooth to pull tunes from your smartphone when elsewhere. Gizmodo reviewer Victoria Song says the feature isn’t always as seamlessly executed as advertised, but that the Roam sounds great—and as the cheapest Sonos speaker on the market, it’s an ideal way to dip a toe into that ecosystem and see what you think.
“If you’re intrigued but unsure you want to commit to this pricey speaker ecosystem, I’d say the Roam is the best option to see if the whole Sonos thing is your vibe. Not only is it relatively affordable, but even if the smart features aren’t your jam, at least you still have a great portable Bluetooth speaker.”
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Best Smart Speaker for Smart Homes: Amazon Echo Studio
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If you’re already up to your eyeballs in Alexa-infused smart products, then it might make the most sense for you to just go ahead and grab the Echo Studio. Because Amazon have so many smart products, and a lot of companies tend to make sure Alexa plays nice with their own devices, it’s hard to deny the power of having a device like this in your home. It also features fairly good sound quality thanks to five speakers within it. As with any Alexa product though, it’s worth keeping in mind the privacy concerns some have about the whole smart assistant thing. That being said, if you’re this far down the rabbit hole, you’re probably already fine with it.
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The original HomePod has been discontinued, but that’s OK: here’s an even better option for Apple fans who aren’t as fussy about sound quality and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a smart speaker: the newer HomePod Mini. It scales down the design to a compact ball and keeps the easy compatibility with Apple devices and support for HomeKit smart home gadgets, but it’s only $100. That’s much more appealing.
Here’s what Gizmodo reviewer Alex Cranz had to say about it:
“The HomePod Mini does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and does so at a price that is actually pretty affordable. If you’ve shied away from smart speakers in the past, this isn’t a bad one to try out, and if you’re like me and have found yourself already embracing the Apple smart home ecosystem, it’s the perfect complementary device. Previous smart home overlords have left me wanting. The HomePod Mini gave me exactly what I need.”
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Sure, you’ve seen waterproof speakers before—but how about a Bluetooth speaker that’s actually part of your showerhead? Plumbing giant Kohler is the brand behind this curious concoction, and the Moxie is truly a unique offering.
Essentially, it’s a showerhead that has a large recess at the center, which is where the speaker pops in and out. It’s easy to install, the sound quality is pretty good, and having the Alexa voice assistant in the shower helps with controlling tunes, getting random queries answered, and perhaps even controlling smart home devices. It’s not cheap at $200 and you don’t get multiple spray modes, but it’s a smart premise if you’re willing to spend for it.
Gizmodo’s Victoria Song writes in her review:
“It’s very easy to both upgrade your showerhead and get a decent shower speaker for under $100. But if you’re willing to splurge just a little bit, or can split the cost with roommates/a significant other? The Kohler Moxie is actually a convenient way to get a nicer showerhead and a good quality shower speaker in one easily installed package.”
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This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon in October 2020 and updated with new information by Andrew Hayward on 06/24/2021.