theroot--2020-07-21--Andrew Gillum Is Back

Andrew Gillum Is Back

In March , back when the coronavirus pandemic was still a figment of our imagination , former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum was involved in an alleged crystal meth-related incident at a Miami Beach hotel .
The details weren ’ t pretty and the rumors circulating around social media were even more gruesome .
But instead of cowering in the shadows , Gillum opted to be proactive .
As we reported at The Root , days later , the 40-year-old decided to put his political career on pause in order to seek treatment for “ non-methamphetamine-related alcohol addiction.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflection , I have made the decision to seek help , guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time , ” he said in a statement .
“ Since my race for governor ended , I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse .
I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated .
I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles .
I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete person.
” Then COVID-19 arrived and made us all forget that any of this ever even happened—until now .
On Monday , Gillum appeared out of thin air , courtesy of an 11-minute Instagram video , during which , he chronicled his battles with shame , depression , failure and alcoholism .
“ I totally underestimated the impact that losing the race for governor had on my life , and on the way that those impacts started to show up in every aspect of my life , ” he admits in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prefer not to revisit his 2018 loss to Gov .
Ron DeSantis because it serves as a “ constant reminder ” of his own failure .
He also discussed the shame of his March hotel incident and described it as “ something different ” that “ cuts you.
” “ My stuff had to be public and cause great embarrassment and rumors , some false , some true , ” he says .
“ The shame that I felt from all of that [ ... ] was tearing me up .
I needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In being beautifully candid , he even explored the source of his own struggles with alcoholism and how guilt has allowed him to be more accountable for his actions .
“ That ’ s how you know you ’ re human , ” he says .
“ That ’ s how you know you ’ re not a sociopath.
” The former Tallahassee mayor ’ s quest for redemption won ’ t be easy , but at the very least , it will be a road paved in sincerity .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @

In March, back when the coronavirus pandemic was still a figment of our imagination, former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum was involved in an alleged crystal meth-related incident at a Miami Beach hotel.
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The details weren’t pretty and the rumors circulating around social media were even more gruesome. But instead of cowering in the shadows, Gillum opted to be proactive. As we reported at The Root, days later, the 40-year-old decided to put his political career on pause in order to seek treatment for “non-methamphetamine-related alcohol addiction.”
“After conversation with my family and deep reflection, I have made the decision to seek help, guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time,” he said in a statement. “Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles. I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person.”
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Then COVID-19 arrived and made us all forget that any of this ever even happened—until now.
On Monday, Gillum appeared out of thin air, courtesy of an 11-minute Instagram video, during which, he chronicled his battles with shame, depression, failure and alcoholism.
Advertisement
“I totally underestimated the impact that losing the race for governor had on my life, and on the way that those impacts started to show up in every aspect of my life,” he admits in the video, adding that he’d prefer not to revisit his 2018 loss to Gov. Ron DeSantis because it serves as a “constant reminder” of his own failure.
He also discussed the shame of his March hotel incident and described it as “something different” that “cuts you.”
Advertisement
“My stuff had to be public and cause great embarrassment and rumors, some false, some true,” he says. “The shame that I felt from all of that [...] was tearing me up. I needed real help to try to unpack that.”
In being beautifully candid, he even explored the source of his own struggles with alcoholism and how guilt has allowed him to be more accountable for his actions.
Advertisement
“That’s how you know you’re human,” he says. “That’s how you know you’re not a sociopath.”
The former Tallahassee mayor’s quest for redemption won’t be easy, but at the very least, it will be a road paved in sincerity.
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You can watch the video in full below.


theroot--2020-07-21--Black Love Matters: Elaine Welteroth and New Husband Jonathan Singletary Discuss Their Viral Wedding

Black Love Matters: Elaine Welteroth and New Husband Jonathan Singletary Discuss Their Viral Wedding With The Knot

The ways we ’ ve had to adapt since the onset of COVID-19 have been significant and varied .
From concerts to fashion shows , we ’ ve seen some pretty inspiring innovations , but by far , The Glow Up ’ s favorite pandemic pivot to date was bestselling author and Project Runway judge Elaine Welteroth ’ s socially distanced , flower-festooned stoop wedding to Jonathan Singletary in Brooklyn on May 10 .
The couple ’ s streamlined yet seriously romantic nuptials were a major change of plans from the lavish event they ’ d initially planned in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was perhaps even more gorgeous for the effort .
We chronicled the now-viral ceremony , beautifully captured on film and broadcast on social media , in May , just days before the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers would catalyze protests across the country and reinvigorate the ongoing movement for Black lives .
It was with this added context that bridal magazine and site The Knot now revisits the all-white-attired yet unambiguously Black wedding , featuring Welteroth in all her bridal beauty on the cover of its Fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , July 21 , and will land in print next Monday , July 27 .
“ One thing we ’ ve been talking about is this term ‘ Black Life Matters ’ as well , ” Singletary tells the magazine .
“ This thing is loud right now , but African-Americans and Black people have been dealing with tragedy and trauma and finding ways to smile through it , laugh through it , dance through it , celebrate through it , connect to our communities through it as our only way of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve literally been told that our wedding was one of the brightest moments in a dark time that kind of got darker , ” he continues—and we wholeheartedly concur .
“ It definitely was for us .
People are able to kind of hold on to that memory—and we ’ re able to hold on to that memory—and I think those moments fuel you to be able to get through darker times like this.
” “ I think we can ’ t only ever say ‘ Black Lives Matter ’ in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Welteroth adds .
“ We need to understand deeply , every single day , ‘ Black Life Matters , ’ and that ’ s what this fight is for .
It is for Black life , it is for Black love , it is for Black joy , it is for Black peace .
Not more Black pain , not more Black trauma , not more Black murders and hashtags ...
It ’ s why celebrating Black love is important because we still have to defend why Black lives matter , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you see examples of Black love in this time , it helps to contextualize .
It helps bring us all to the table , and it helps us see each other in this.
” If seeing Welteroth and Singletary unabashed celebrate their Black love was the highlight of your spring , it ’ s worth noting that it almost didn ’ t make it to the public .
“ I was not sure that I wanted to share [ it ] , ” says Welteroth .
“ But it felt necessary to share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recounted the ways in which the couple made the ceremony safe and adaptable for both their in-person guests and loved ones from afar amid a pandemic , there was one moment that didn ’ t make the ‘ gram–but one Welteroth believes “ really illuminates what it is like to be Black in America every day—trying to celebrate your love , trying to exist joyfully , trying to create a moment of celebration for our lives.
” [ Elaine : ] [ R ] ight at the moment when our pastor said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ his voice was drowned out by the sound of sirens—a police van .
It pulls up and starts going in on his ... EW : ‘ Clear the streets .
Disperse.
’ It was aggressive .
Literally , the police interrupted the moment where we were supposed to kiss—have our first kiss as husband and wife .
I just thought , ‘ What do we do ?
’ And I almost forgot to kiss him .
In that moment , all of the most terrible things that I ’ ve seen take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flashed before my eyes , and I could just feel the panic flood my veins .
And I ’ m just like , ‘ Have I put my community in danger ?
Have I put myself in danger ?
’ So , even in the pinnacle of a joyous moment , it tears at the very core of our humanity , and it reminds us that we are not afforded the same pursuit of life , love and happiness—that ’ s not afforded to so many Black people .
And our love , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because in a moment , you can go from being celebrated and on a high and feeling joyful and being in a state of love with your partner to being ... to honestly being flat-faced on the ground with someone ’ s knee on your neck ... To have to contend with that and even just go through that emotion and the thoughts of that [ during our wedding ] , it threatened to steal our joy .
It threatened to steal our moments and rob us of this celebration that we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dismay and other complicated emotions attendant to it—are among several candid and detailed revelations the couple share about what many of us perceived to be a fearless display of Black love and joy .
“ It was so special and yet so marked by some of ... the deepest traumas that we carry with us every day as Black people , ” Welteroth shared , explaining that the moment itself not only caused some PTSD but compelled her to share her wedding story with the world .
“ It illuminates this idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be Black in America in a way that words can ’ t. ” The Knot ’ s Fall issue , featuring Elaine Welteroth and Jonathan Singletary , is available online now .
Corrected : Tuesday , 7/21/20 at 5 pm , ET : An earlier version of this article credited the cover photo to Belathée Photography .
The photographer was actually 2020 Glow Up 5o honoree Micaiah Carter .

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

The ways we’ve had to adapt since the onset of COVID-19 have been significant and varied. From concerts to fashion shows, we’ve seen some pretty inspiring innovations, but by far, The Glow Up’s favorite pandemic pivot to date was bestselling author and Project Runway judge Elaine Welteroth’s socially distanced, flower-festooned stoop wedding to Jonathan Singletary in Brooklyn on May 10.
The couple’s streamlined yet seriously romantic nuptials were a major change of plans from the lavish event they’d initially planned in their native California—including a virtual guest component—but it was perhaps even more gorgeous for the effort. We chronicled the now-viral ceremony, beautifully captured on film and broadcast on social media, in May, just days before the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers would catalyze protests across the country and reinvigorate the ongoing movement for Black lives. It was with this added context that bridal magazine and site The Knot now revisits the all-white-attired yet unambiguously Black wedding, featuring Welteroth in all her bridal beauty on the cover of its Fall 2020 issue, which hit digital newsstands today, July 21, and will land in print next Monday, July 27.
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“One thing we’ve been talking about is this term ‘Black Life Matters’ as well,” Singletary tells the magazine. “This thing is loud right now, but African-Americans and Black people have been dealing with tragedy and trauma and finding ways to smile through it, laugh through it, dance through it, celebrate through it, connect to our communities through it as our only way of surviving and being resilient.
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“We’ve literally been told that our wedding was one of the brightest moments in a dark time that kind of got darker,” he continues—and we wholeheartedly concur. “It definitely was for us. People are able to kind of hold on to that memory—and we’re able to hold on to that memory—and I think those moments fuel you to be able to get through darker times like this.”
“I think we can’t only ever say ‘Black Lives Matter’ in the context of Black bodies—Black dead bodies,” Welteroth adds. “We need to understand deeply, every single day, ‘Black Life Matters,’ and that’s what this fight is for. It is for Black life, it is for Black love, it is for Black joy, it is for Black peace. Not more Black pain, not more Black trauma, not more Black murders and hashtags...It’s why celebrating Black love is important because we still have to defend why Black lives matter,” she continues. “I think when you see examples of Black love in this time, it helps to contextualize. It helps bring us all to the table, and it helps us see each other in this.”
Advertisement
If seeing Welteroth and Singletary unabashed celebrate their Black love was the highlight of your spring, it’s worth noting that it almost didn’t make it to the public. “I was not sure that I wanted to share [it],” says Welteroth. “But it felt necessary to share now.”
Advertisement
But while we’ve recounted the ways in which the couple made the ceremony safe and adaptable for both their in-person guests and loved ones from afar amid a pandemic, there was one moment that didn’t make the ‘gram–but one Welteroth believes “really illuminates what it is like to be Black in America every day—trying to celebrate your love, trying to exist joyfully, trying to create a moment of celebration for our lives.”
[Elaine:] [R]ight at the moment when our pastor said, ‘You may kiss the bride,’ his voice was drowned out by the sound of sirens—a police van. It pulls up and starts going in on his... Jonathan: Megaphone. EW: And he’s yelling. JS: Like, ‘Clear the streets!’ EW: ‘Clear the streets. Disperse.’ It was aggressive. Literally, the police interrupted the moment where we were supposed to kiss—have our first kiss as husband and wife. I just thought, ‘What do we do?’ And I almost forgot to kiss him. In that moment, all of the most terrible things that I’ve seen take place between the police and Black bodies flashed before my eyes, and I could just feel the panic flood my veins. And I’m just like, ‘Have I put my community in danger? Have I put myself in danger?’ ... So, even in the pinnacle of a joyous moment, it tears at the very core of our humanity, and it reminds us that we are not afforded the same pursuit of life, love and happiness—that’s not afforded to so many Black people. And our love, our joy, it is fragile. Because in a moment, you can go from being celebrated and on a high and feeling joyful and being in a state of love with your partner to being...to honestly being flat-faced on the ground with someone’s knee on your neck...To have to contend with that and even just go through that emotion and the thoughts of that [during our wedding], it threatened to steal our joy. It threatened to steal our moments and rob us of this celebration that we had painstakingly preserved.
Advertisement
The incident—and the anxiety, dismay and other complicated emotions attendant to it—are among several candid and detailed revelations the couple share about what many of us perceived to be a fearless display of Black love and joy.
“It was so special and yet so marked by some of...the deepest traumas that we carry with us every day as Black people,” Welteroth shared, explaining that the moment itself not only caused some PTSD but compelled her to share her wedding story with the world. “It illuminates this idea of what it’s like to be Black in America in a way that words can’t.”
Advertisement
The Knot’s Fall issue, featuring Elaine Welteroth and Jonathan Singletary, is available online now.
Corrected: Tuesday, 7/21/20 at 5 pm, ET: An earlier version of this article credited the cover photo to Belathée Photography. The photographer was actually 2020 Glow Up 5o honoree Micaiah Carter.


theroot--2020-07-21--African American Museum Removes, Apologizes for 'Whiteness' Chart on Its Website After Barrage of Co

African American Museum Removes, Apologizes for 'Whiteness' Chart on Its Website After Barrage of Conservative Tears

Following an outcry from conservatives last week , the National Museum of African American History and Culture has removed a graphic from its website that attempted to explain how deeply embedded white-dominant culture and values are in American culture .
The chart , entitled “ Aspects and Assumptions of Whiteness and White Culture in the United States ” identifies different aspects of American life—holidays , the justice system , communication , history—that have been shaped by white-dominant thought and values .
As The Washington Post reports , the graphic was part of the “ Whiteness ” section of the Smithsonian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” portal , available online since May 31 .
The online materials were intended to help spark conversations about race in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis and the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that erupted across the country .
The graphic is pulled from the 1978 book , “ White Awareness : Handbook for Anti-Racism Training ” by Judy H. Katz , according to the Smithsonian .
In total there are 14 sections , with bullet points underneath identifying values or norms attributed to whiteness .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the graphic points to “ The King ’ s English ” and “ avoid conflict , intimacy ” as aspects of white culture .
Under “ Protestant Work Ethic , ” the chart lists , “ If you didn ’ t meet your goals , you didn ’ t work hard enough ” and “ hard work is the key to success.
” Under “ Status , Power and Authority , ” respect for authority and the belief that “ your job is who you are , ” are listed as attributes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasizes that individual people control their environment , as well as a family structure where the husband is the breadwinner and the head of the household — are also listed .
The list appears meant to be a bit jarring .
These are values commonly held , instilled and promoted in generations of American households and workplaces , including those run by people of color .
A description included in the graphic suggests that ’ s the point .
These values and attributes “ have been normalized over time and are now considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And since white people still hold most of the institutional power in America , we all have internalized some aspects of white culture , including people of color , ” the graphic explains .
At any rate , the MAGA set got wind of the graphic recently and ran a favorite play from the White Grievance Playbook : whine on Twitter about how your country is being taken away .
“ These aren ’ t ‘ white ’ values .
They ’ re American values that built the world ’ s greatest civilization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no matter your color , ” tweeted Donald Trump Jr. last Wednesday .
He even found a way to link former Vice President Joe Biden to the educational graphic .
“ Biden ’ s radicals aren ’ t coming for ‘ whites , ’ they ’ re coming for the entire American way of life.
” If by “ American way of life ” Don Jr. means a society predicated on rampant , unchecked capitalism ; racial caste ; wealth inequality and exploitation of the marginalized—then , yes !
Wow , that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , interim director of the NMAAHC , maintained that the chart is not racist— “ We ’ re trying to talk about ideology , not about people ” he told the Post .
“ We are encouraging people to think about the world they live in and how they navigate it .
It ’ s important to talk about it to grow and get better.
” Still , the museum decided to take down the chart because “ it ’ s not working in the way we intended.
” “ The whole idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give tools to people to have these conversations that are vital to moving forward .
This was one of those tools , ” said Crew .
“ We erred in including it .
”

Following an outcry from conservatives last week, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has removed a graphic from its website that attempted to explain how deeply embedded white-dominant culture and values are in American culture.
The chart, entitled “Aspects and Assumptions of Whiteness and White Culture in the United States” identifies different aspects of American life—holidays, the justice system, communication, history—that have been shaped by white-dominant thought and values. As The Washington Post reports, the graphic was part of the “Whiteness” section of the Smithsonian museum’s “Talking About Race” portal, available online since May 31. The online materials were intended to help spark conversations about race in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis and the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that erupted across the country.
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The graphic is pulled from the 1978 book, “White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training” by Judy H. Katz, according to the Smithsonian. In total there are 14 sections, with bullet points underneath identifying values or norms attributed to whiteness. Under “Communication,” for instance, the graphic points to “The King’s English” and “avoid conflict, intimacy” as aspects of white culture. Under “Protestant Work Ethic,” the chart lists, “If you didn’t meet your goals, you didn’t work hard enough” and “hard work is the key to success.” Under “Status, Power and Authority,” respect for authority and the belief that “your job is who you are,” are listed as attributes of whiteness.
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“Rugged individualism” —which emphasizes that individual people control their environment, as well as a family structure where the husband is the breadwinner and the head of the household — are also listed.
The list appears meant to be a bit jarring. These are values commonly held, instilled and promoted in generations of American households and workplaces, including those run by people of color. A description included in the graphic suggests that’s the point.
Advertisement
These values and attributes “have been normalized over time and are now considered standard practices in the United States. And since white people still hold most of the institutional power in America, we all have internalized some aspects of white culture, including people of color,” the graphic explains.
At any rate, the MAGA set got wind of the graphic recently and ran a favorite play from the White Grievance Playbook: whine on Twitter about how your country is being taken away.
Advertisement
“These aren’t ‘white’ values. They’re American values that built the world’s greatest civilization. They help you succeed here, no matter your color,” tweeted Donald Trump Jr. last Wednesday. He even found a way to link former Vice President Joe Biden to the educational graphic. “Biden’s radicals aren’t coming for ‘whites,’ they’re coming for the entire American way of life.”
If by “American way of life” Don Jr. means a society predicated on rampant, unchecked capitalism; racial caste; wealth inequality and exploitation of the marginalized—then, yes! Wow, that was surprisingly astute of him.
Advertisement
Spencer Crew, interim director of the NMAAHC, maintained that the chart is not racist—“We’re trying to talk about ideology, not about people” he told the Post.
“We are encouraging people to think about the world they live in and how they navigate it. It’s important to talk about it to grow and get better.”
Advertisement
Still, the museum decided to take down the chart because “it’s not working in the way we intended.”
“The whole idea behind the portal is how do we give tools to people to have these conversations that are vital to moving forward. This was one of those tools,” said Crew. “We erred in including it.”


theroot--2020-07-20--This Red Little Devil of a USB Stick Allows Any Controller on Nintendo Switch and Makes Pokémon Swor

This Red Little Devil of a USB Stick Allows Any Controller on Nintendo Switch and Makes Pokémon Sword and Shield Ten Times Easier

With thousands of dollars worth of tech colonizing my desk and entertainment center , you ’ d never guess that a simple little USB stick might be my favorite purchase of 2020 .
Doing a bangup job masquerading as my old homework dump , bid sweet greetings to the Collective Minds Switch-Up Adapter .
At just $ 25 , I ’ d have been satisfied with this thing ’ s underlying purpose as a controller adapter , which allows you to use both wired and wireless controllers for Xbox One ( Bluetooth models don ’ t require wireless dongle ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PlayStation 3 , Wii , and more as pro controllers for your Nintendo Switch , rumble action and all .
It couldn ’ t be any easier to set up : Plug it into an available USB port on your Nintendo Switch .
If you ’ re mobile , hook it up directly to the handheld with the included USB OTG cable .
Sadly , you do lose kickstand and charging functionality with this setup .
Now take your controller .
If you ’ re wired , you can plug it directly into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be moving around menus immediately ( assuming you ’ ve turned on the Pro Controller option in your settings menu first ) .
Bluetooth users are in for a more wonky pairing process that requires holding buttons down until they do their magic wireless handshake , which can take some time , but multi-colored LED lights make it easy to follow the action once you ’ ve mastered operation , and once you ’ re locked in , the connection doesn ’ t easily fade .
Now , we could stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you might already be inclined to throw one into the cart , but the Switch-Up -possesses game-changing sorcery that makes it a must-have if you own Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield , and a handful of other games .
You see , this thing is a glorified macro machine that has automatic button sequencing to carry out your most common and tedious actions in some of your favorite games , allowing you to step away and get shit done in the real world while your virtual self is securing the bag .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ macros , and that ’ s mostly what I ’ ve tested it for to date .
Here ’ s everything the little red helper can take the reins on without needing any input on my behalf : That ’ s a mind boggling list of utility actions that I ’ m more than happy to queue up while I ’ m working , watching Netflix , or playing another game .
This might not appeal to you if your run through a Poké mon game usually ends at the rolling credits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ‘ mon warfare , these are essential tools .
Breeding is extremely time intensive , and it ’ s great going no-hands to release or wonder trade a batch of rejects or automatically cycling through egg hatches for shiny hunting .
In fact , my best friend just reported to me that he left the thing going overnight and woke up to nine boxes full of eggs .
Another four hours later , he hatched boxes full of perfect and near-perfect Chanseys , and one of them happened to be shiny .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shiny charm !
( I haven ’ t been quite as lucky . )
Here ’ s the thing , though : the Switch-Up is slow .
It ’ s not a time-saver in that it ’ ll do these actions quickly .
Instead , think of it like your own personal Poké mon butler that keeps things tidy while you ’ re away , so your time savings are a result of working smarter , not harder .
Likewise , let the Switch-Up release your obscene amount of Golducks ( seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other games or tending to things around the house .
I can perform all of the actions it automates twice as fast by hand , owed in part to how well I know the menus and breeding processes in Poké mon .
( Hate menus ?
You will love this ! )
The device probably could , too , if Collective Minds wanted it to , but I suspect the speed limit is a deliberate design choice to accommodate for certain hiccups you may encounter while using it .
For instance , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightly faster processor and better battery life .
On top of that , I am family sharing with another Nintendo Switch in the household , and for certain functions that require resetting the game—like raid den checks—the authentication message that shows when starting up Pokémon Shield throws the timing off .
Thankfully , Collective Minds brought their collective minds together and implemented a timer offset function to help .
It ’ s not perfect , and it ’ ll take some trial and error to get right , but it does help smooth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The functionality doesn ’ t stretch that far for every game .
For example , there ’ s a mod that makes fishing in Animal Crossing : New Horizon a bit easier , and that ’ s about it .
It ’ s important to know what you ’ re after and how exactly you want to use this thing before going in , so give the manual a read if you think it can add value to your gaming life .
But if you ’ re a hardcore Poké mon player , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over it , and just buy one already .

Quentyn Kennemer on The Inventory, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Collective Minds Switch-Up Adapter | $25 | Amazon
With thousands of dollars worth of tech colonizing my desk and entertainment center, you’d never guess that a simple little USB stick might be my favorite purchase of 2020. Doing a bangup job masquerading as my old homework dump, bid sweet greetings to the Collective Minds Switch-Up Adapter.
At just $25, I’d have been satisfied with this thing’s underlying purpose as a controller adapter, which allows you to use both wired and wireless controllers for Xbox One (Bluetooth models don’t require wireless dongle), Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii, and more as pro controllers for your Nintendo Switch, rumble action and all.
It couldn’t be any easier to set up: Plug it into an available USB port on your Nintendo Switch.
Advertisement
If you’re mobile, hook it up directly to the handheld with the included USB OTG cable. Sadly, you do lose kickstand and charging functionality with this setup.
Now take your controller. If you’re wired, you can plug it directly into the USB-A female passthrough port and you’ll be moving around menus immediately (assuming you’ve turned on the Pro Controller option in your settings menu first).
Bluetooth users are in for a more wonky pairing process that requires holding buttons down until they do their magic wireless handshake, which can take some time, but multi-colored LED lights make it easy to follow the action once you’ve mastered operation, and once you’re locked in, the connection doesn’t easily fade.
Advertisement Advertisement
Now, we could stop on that lonesome merit and some of you might already be inclined to throw one into the cart, but the Switch-Up -possesses game-changing sorcery that makes it a must-have if you own Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, and a handful of other games.
You see, this thing is a glorified macro machine that has automatic button sequencing to carry out your most common and tedious actions in some of your favorite games, allowing you to step away and get shit done in the real world while your virtual self is securing the bag.
Advertisement
I mainly bought the Switch-Up for Poké mon macros, and that’s mostly what I’ve tested it for to date. Here’s everything the little red helper can take the reins on without needing any input on my behalf:
Single Release Poké mon
Box Release Poké mon
Shiny Egg Chning
Easy Cycling
Watt Generator
Max Raid Watt Generator
Rare Den Farming
Master Ball Farming
Box Surprise Trade
Egg Farming
Box Egg Hatching
Apricorn Farming
Auto Confirm
Auto Spin
That’s a mind boggling list of utility actions that I’m more than happy to queue up while I’m working, watching Netflix, or playing another game.
Advertisement
This might not appeal to you if your run through a Poké mon game usually ends at the rolling credits, but for those of us deeply entrenched in ‘mon warfare, these are essential tools. Breeding is extremely time intensive, and it’s great going no-hands to release or wonder trade a batch of rejects or automatically cycling through egg hatches for shiny hunting.
In fact, my best friend just reported to me that he left the thing going overnight and woke up to nine boxes full of eggs. Another four hours later, he hatched boxes full of perfect and near-perfect Chanseys, and one of them happened to be shiny. The guy doesn’t even have the shiny charm! (I haven’t been quite as lucky.)
Advertisement
Here’s the thing, though: the Switch-Up is slow. It’s not a time-saver in that it’ll do these actions quickly. Instead, think of it like your own personal Poké mon butler that keeps things tidy while you’re away, so your time savings are a result of working smarter, not harder. Likewise, let the Switch-Up release your obscene amount of Golducks (seriously?) while you’re playing other games or tending to things around the house.
I can perform all of the actions it automates twice as fast by hand, owed in part to how well I know the menus and breeding processes in Poké mon. (Hate menus? You will love this!) The device probably could, too, if Collective Minds wanted it to, but I suspect the speed limit is a deliberate design choice to accommodate for certain hiccups you may encounter while using it.
For instance, I have the updated Nintendo Switch with its slightly faster processor and better battery life. On top of that, I am family sharing with another Nintendo Switch in the household, and for certain functions that require resetting the game—like raid den checks—the authentication message that shows when starting up Pokémon Shield throws the timing off.
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Thankfully, Collective Minds brought their collective minds together and implemented a timer offset function to help. It’s not perfect, and it’ll take some trial and error to get right, but it does help smooth things out in these outlier circumstances.
The functionality doesn’t stretch that far for every game. For example, there’s a mod that makes fishing in Animal Crossing: New Horizon a bit easier, and that’s about it. It’s important to know what you’re after and how exactly you want to use this thing before going in, so give the manual a read if you think it can add value to your gaming life. But if you’re a hardcore Poké mon player, stop thinking about it, stop fawning over it, and just buy one already.
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theroot--2020-07-21--Yes, We Have to Wait Forever to See Christopher Nolan's 1st Black-Led Film Because Time Is Warped in

Yes, We Have to Wait Forever to See Christopher Nolan's 1st Black-Led Film Because Time Is Warped in 2020

Tenet director Christopher Nolan once said his film is not a “ time travel ” movie , but that it does explore “ the different ways in which time can function.
” He probably never would ’ ve been able to imagine just how much life imitated his art—2020 has certainly taught us the different ways time can function .
And by “ function , ” I mean “ com pletely warp our previous sense of what time was because now days feel like weeks , weeks feel like months and years feel like watching The Irishman on an endless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer release date announcements , Warner Bros. has removed Tenet from its release calendar , Variety reports .
“ We will share a new 2020 release date imminently for Tenet , Christopher Nolan ’ s wholly original and mind-blowing feature , ” Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich said in a statement .
“ Our goals throughout this process have been to ensure the highest odds of success for our films while also being ready to support our theater partners with new content as soon as they could safely reopen.
” As Variety notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year given the unpredictable progress of the global pandemic rates : “ We are not treating Tenet like a traditional global day-and-date release , and our upcoming marketing and distribution plans will reflect that , ” Emmerich added .
By “ traditional , ” this may mean that the film can be released overseas before it debuts in the U.S .
Given its over $ 200 million budget ( which doesn ’ t even include its marketing fees ) , the film may fare better premiering in China , which is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , exhibitors typically can ’ t screen films over 2 hours in length ( Tenet is a bit over 2 hours and 30 minutes ) so would have to make an exception for the film for this profitable pivot to work .
Sure , I may not know WTF this film is even about , but I was definitely looking forward to watching John David Washington star in Nolan ’ s first film with a Black lead actor .
Hell , it would be Nolan ’ s first film with a non-white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking forward to seeing the film , but seeing it in its intended form , as Nolan and his cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema filmed it using large-format and IMAX film .
Warner Bros. ( nor Nolan , I ’ d assume ) certainly doesn ’ t seem interested in premiering the film in digital or VOD format so the wait shall continue .

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

Tenet director Christopher Nolan once said his film is not a “time travel” movie, but that it does explore “the different ways in which time can function.” He probably never would’ve been able to imagine just how much life imitated his art—2020 has certainly taught us the different ways time can function. And by “function,” I mean “com pletely warp our previous sense of what time was because now days feel like weeks, weeks feel like months and years feel like watching The Irishman on an endless loop.”
After an uncertain series of summer release date announcements, Warner Bros. has removed Tenet from its release calendar, Variety reports.
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“We will share a new 2020 release date imminently for Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s wholly original and mind-blowing feature,” Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich said in a statement. “Our goals throughout this process have been to ensure the highest odds of success for our films while also being ready to support our theater partners with new content as soon as they could safely reopen.”
As Variety notes, Tenet has bounced around release dates this year given the unpredictable progress of the global pandemic rates:
Though necessary given the mass uncertainty over when cinemas across the globe can safely reopen, the decision further complicates Hollywood’s already bumpy plan to revive moviegoing. Tenet was originally scheduled to debut on July 17, but it was pushed back to July 31 and then Aug. 12.
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“We are not treating Tenet like a traditional global day-and-date release, and our upcoming marketing and distribution plans will reflect that,” Emmerich added. By “traditional,” this may mean that the film can be released overseas before it debuts in the U.S. Given its over $200 million budget (which doesn’t even include its marketing fees), the film may fare better premiering in China, which is the world’s second-largest movie market. However, exhibitors typically can’t screen films over 2 hours in length (Tenet is a bit over 2 hours and 30 minutes) so would have to make an exception for the film for this profitable pivot to work.
Sure, I may not know WTF this film is even about, but I was definitely looking forward to watching John David Washington star in Nolan’s first film with a Black lead actor. Hell, it would be Nolan’s first film with a non-white lead actor.
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Not only was I looking forward to seeing the film, but seeing it in its intended form, as Nolan and his cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema filmed it using large-format and IMAX film. Warner Bros. (nor Nolan, I’d assume) certainly doesn’t seem interested in premiering the film in digital or VOD format so the wait shall continue.


theroot--2020-07-21--Why Are the Men in Talib Kweli's Life Enabling Him to Harass Black Women?

There ’ s been a bit of a debate within The Root on how to cover Talib Kweli ’ s inexhaustible obsession with Maya Moody .
For context , the 44-year-old rapper , who has over one million Twitter followers , grew upset when Moody tweeted the mildest of observations about the sort of women rappers tend to marry , and has tweeted at or about her hundreds of times ( yes , hundreds ) in the two weeks since .
The screenshots below were taken when I began writing this at 11:50 am EST .
Again , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the internal debate—and “ debate ” is probably too energetic of a word ; it was more of a conversation—had two parts : First is whether Talib Kweli matters enough , in 2020 , to expend energy writing about his behavior .
Ultimately , that ’ s inconsequential , because the story is not about “ Talib Kweli , rapper ” as much as it ’ s about a middle-aged man with a tremendous platform devoting this much energy to harassing a 24-year-old Black woman .
But then , once that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
A straight news piece , like what Bossip and other Black news sites have already done ?
Or is there a larger theme here ?
I ’ ll admit that before reading up on this yesterday , I didn ’ t know much about this .
I ’ m on Twitter , but I ’ m not very active there .
I just don ’ t have the bandwidth—or interest—to write as much as I do and also tweet frequently .
Talib Kweli is at the far end of this spectrum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at least partially due to the fact that while many of his contemporaries have pivoted and found lucrative ways to extend their artistic careers—The Roots are on Jimmy Fallon , Common is in John Wick , etc—he is on Twitter and has a podcast .
This is his brand now .
Of course , there ’ s nothing wrong with that .
All artistic careers eventually slope downward , and his platform , voice , perspective , and energy still have value .
Especially now , in 2020 America , with so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to mobilize for , to shout at .
So why , with so many worthy targets—so much oppression and inequality and hate thriving today—is he giving this woman so much attention ?
The most charitable answer here is that he ’ s just trying to clear his name , and he ’ s as passionate with that as he is with everything else .
The least charitable—and , considering his Twitter history , most likely—is that he believed this Black woman , who ’ s half his age ( and has 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an easy target , and he ’ s embarrassed that she had the audacity to challenge him .
What ’ s happening now is the extended pout of a bully who got punched back .
This is the behavior of an incel—the sort of thing that only exists in public when there ’ s validation for it—and now I ’ m less curious about why he ’ s doing this and more about why none of his aforementioned peers have pulled his coat .
This is , I think , the angle here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AARP .
He ’ s colored bubbles .
But why does he feel empowered to act this way ?
Where are the men in his life , who have his phone number and email address and could just hit him up like “ Bro , what the fuck are you doing ?
” This doesn ’ t even have to be a public rebuke—although those work , too .
Just a group text .
We ask white people to regulate the racists among them , and cops to actually hold the “ bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ?

Damon Young on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Damon Young to The Root

There’s been a bit of a debate within The Root on how to cover Talib Kweli’s inexhaustible obsession with Maya Moody.
For context, the 44-year-old rapper, who has over one million Twitter followers, grew upset when Moody tweeted the mildest of observations about the sort of women rappers tend to marry, and has tweeted at or about her hundreds of times (yes, hundreds) in the two weeks since.
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The screenshots below were taken when I began writing this at 11:50 am EST.
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Again, this is just from this morning.
Anyway, the internal debate—and “debate” is probably too energetic of a word; it was more of a conversation—had two parts: First is whether Talib Kweli matters enough, in 2020, to expend energy writing about his behavior . Ultimately, that’s inconsequential , because the story is not about “Talib Kweli, rapper” as much as it’s about a middle-aged man with a tremendous platform devoting this much energy to harassing a 24-year-old Black woman.
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But then, once that’s settled, what’s the angle? A straight news piece, like what Bossip and other Black news sites have already done? Or is there a larger theme here?
I’ll admit that before reading up on this yesterday, I didn’t know much about this. I’m on Twitter, but I’m not very active there. I just don’t have the bandwidth—or interest—to write as much as I do and also tweet frequently. Talib Kweli is at the far end of this spectrum, and I suspect that his activity there is at least partially due to the fact that while many of his contemporaries have pivoted and found lucrative ways to extend their artistic careers—The Roots are on Jimmy Fallon, Common is in John Wick, etc—he is on Twitter and has a podcast. This is his brand now.
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Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. All artistic careers eventually slope downward, and his platform, voice, perspective, and energy still have value. Especially now, in 2020 America, with so much to amplify, to fight against, to mobilize for, to shout at. So why, with so many worthy targets—so much oppression and inequality and hate thriving today—is he giving this woman so much attention?
The most charitable answer here is that he’s just trying to clear his name, and he’s as passionate with that as he is with everything else. The least charitable—and, considering his Twitter history, most likely—is that he believed this Black woman, who’s half his age (and has 50 times less followers), to be an easy target, and he’s embarrassed that she had the audacity to challenge him. What’s happening now is the extended pout of a bully who got punched back.
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This is the behavior of an incel—the sort of thing that only exists in public when there’s validation for it—and now I’m less curious about why he’s doing this and more about why none of his aforementioned peers have pulled his coat. This is, I think, the angle here. Talib Kweli is six years from AARP. He’s colored bubbles. But why does he feel empowered to act this way? Where are the men in his life, who have his phone number and email address and could just hit him up like “Bro, what the fuck are you doing?” This doesn’t even have to be a public rebuke—although those work, too. Just a group text. We ask white people to regulate the racists among them, and cops to actually hold the “bad apples” accountable. So where are they?


theroot--2020-07-21--Several Lawsuits Accuse Hilton of Routinely Discriminating Against Its Black Hotel Guests

If Hilton Hotels truly has the “ zero-tolerance ” policy against racism and discrimination they claim to have , why is it that its hotel staff members are still constantly being accused of racism and discrimination ?
The popular hotel chain is currently the target of several lawsuits filed by Black people who say they were singled out as people who don ’ t belong because of the color of their skin .
In a recent interview with USA Today , Albert Law , one of the plaintiffs who has filed discrimination suits against the hotel chain , recalled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while waiting in the lobby at the Hilton Richmond Downtown in Virginia in 2018 .
“ Do you belong here ?
” the guard inquired , demanding to see his room key and identification .
As the only Black person seated near several white people – none of whom were being asked the same question – Law said in an interview he was deeply offended .
“ It ’ s a level of humiliation you can never get out of your head , ” said Law , a software executive from the Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a law-enforcement administrators conference in March 2018 .
The part about white hotel guests not being asked to prove they ’ re guests is a common complaint .
Last month , The Root reported that an employee was fired from a Hampton Inn in Williamston , N.C. , after she was recorded confronting and calling the police on a Black woman and her two children for using the hotel ’ s swimming pool .
Even after Anita Williams-Wright proved she was a guest by holding up her room key , the employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Williams-Wright told the officers that there were “ two Caucasian people ” at the pool who were not questioned and that the employee , “ said to me , ‘ Oh because it ’ s always people like you using the pool unauthorized.
’ Who is people like me ?
” Williams-Wright is also one of the plaintiffs who filed lawsuits against the hotel and is being represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump , who tweeted about the incident earlier this month .
After the employee was identified and fired , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a statement , “ Hampton by Hilton has zero-tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind.
” Jason Kafoury , the attorney representing Law and other Black plaintiffs who have filed similar suits , disagrees .
“ Hilton invites unbridled discrimination by encouraging hotel staff to confront persons in public areas and demand that they prove their right to be there , ” Kafoury told USA Today .
“ When guests take offense at being singled out , police are called.
” The Hilton Richmond Downtown wouldn ’ t comment on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement , “ It is our policy to ensure that every guest feels welcomed .
We train our team members to do everything in their power to deliver an optimal experience including looking after the safety and security of our guests.
” Apparently it ’ s easier to say “ this is our policy ” than it is to actually enforce that said policy .
Earlier this month another Black family joined the list of plaintiffs suing Hilton over discrimination after an incident that , like Law ’ s story , happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s story , involved a Hampton Inn in North Carolina .
A White clerk ’ s decision to telephone police in the Nov. 23 , 2018 , encounter “ put our family in imminent danger , ” according to the suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court on behalf of Dolores Corbett , her husband and two teenagers .
After staying overnight at the inn , the clerk loudly and repeatedly told Corbett her credit card had been declined , and refused to listen to Corbett ’ s explanation that the $ 145-a-night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hilton Honors account , the suit contends .
When Corbett , a businesswoman from Eastampton , New Jersey , asked to talk to a supervisor , the clerk yelled at her to “ get off my property ” and called police , the suit alleged .
The officials at Hilton are going to have to do better or they might find themselves saying “ I ’ m sorry ” with their wallets a lot in the near future .

If Hilton Hotels truly has the “zero-tolerance” policy against racism and discrimination they claim to have, why is it that its hotel staff members are still constantly being accused of racism and discrimination? The popular hotel chain is currently the target of several lawsuits filed by Black people who say they were singled out as people who don’t belong because of the color of their skin.
In a recent interview with USA Today, Albert Law, one of the plaintiffs who has filed discrimination suits against the hotel chain, recalled the altercation he had with a security guard while waiting in the lobby at the Hilton Richmond Downtown in Virginia in 2018.
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From USA Today:
“Do you belong here?” the guard inquired, demanding to see his room key and identification. As the only Black person seated near several white people – none of whom were being asked the same question – Law said in an interview he was deeply offended. “It’s a level of humiliation you can never get out of your head,” said Law, a software executive from the Atlanta suburbs who had come to the hotel for a law-enforcement administrators conference in March 2018.
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The part about white hotel guests not being asked to prove they’re guests is a common complaint.
Last month, The Root reported that an employee was fired from a Hampton Inn in Williamston, N.C., after she was recorded confronting and calling the police on a Black woman and her two children for using the hotel’s swimming pool. Even after Anita Williams-Wright proved she was a guest by holding up her room key, the employee and officers continued to question her. Williams-Wright told the officers that there were “two Caucasian people” at the pool who were not questioned and that the employee, “said to me, ‘Oh because it’s always people like you using the pool unauthorized.’ Who is people like me?”
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Williams-Wright is also one of the plaintiffs who filed lawsuits against the hotel and is being represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who tweeted about the incident earlier this month.
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After the employee was identified and fired, the Global Head of Hampton by Hilton, wrote in a statement, “Hampton by Hilton has zero-tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind.”
Jason Kafoury, the attorney representing Law and other Black plaintiffs who have filed similar suits, disagrees.
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“Hilton invites unbridled discrimination by encouraging hotel staff to confront persons in public areas and demand that they prove their right to be there,” Kafoury told USA Today. “When guests take offense at being singled out, police are called.”
The Hilton Richmond Downtown wouldn’t comment on Law’s suit but said in a statement, “It is our policy to ensure that every guest feels welcomed. We train our team members to do everything in their power to deliver an optimal experience including looking after the safety and security of our guests.”
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Apparently it’s easier to say “this is our policy” than it is to actually enforce that said policy.
Earlier this month another Black family joined the list of plaintiffs suing Hilton over discrimination after an incident that, like Law’s story, happened in 2018 and, like Williams-Write’s story, involved a Hampton Inn in North Carolina.
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From CBS News:
A White clerk’s decision to telephone police in the Nov. 23, 2018, encounter “put our family in imminent danger,” according to the suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court on behalf of Dolores Corbett, her husband and two teenagers. After staying overnight at the inn, the clerk loudly and repeatedly told Corbett her credit card had been declined, and refused to listen to Corbett’s explanation that the $145-a-night room was prepaid with points from her Hilton Honors account, the suit contends. When Corbett, a businesswoman from Eastampton, New Jersey, asked to talk to a supervisor, the clerk yelled at her to “get off my property” and called police, the suit alleged.
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The officials at Hilton are going to have to do better or they might find themselves saying “I’m sorry” with their wallets a lot in the near future.


theroot--2020-07-21--Five Travel Lubes For All Your On-the-Go Lube Needs

Recently , in this space , we covered travel vibrators for ( almost ) every need , and learned about the different kinds of personal lubricant you ’ ll encounter in life .
If you guessed that those two posts were a lead-in of sorts to this one , all about travel lubes , you guessed right !
Travel lubes differ from regular lubes in one way and one way only : Their packaging .
If you ’ ve ever spilled lube , you ’ re nodding along like , “ Yup , leak-proof packaging is pretty clutch !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for travel , they ’ re also a good way to try out different brands and types of lubes before committing to a full bottle of the stuff .
And , you needn ’ t be going on vacation to want to have a travel lube in your life—small packets of lube that can easily be stashed in a purse or overnight bag are super convenient for hookups on the go .
The Dame Alu lube gets high marks from users for being just the right consistency ; not-at-all sticky—one reviewer said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not so runny as to make a huge mess during application .
Alu is a water-based aloe vera lube is safe to use with any toys and with most condoms and other forms of contraception , making it a versatile choice .
One 2mL is $ 3 , or a box of 24 packets is currently on sale for $ 34 ( reg .
$ 72 ) .
Slippery Stuff lube comes in three formulas : A water-based lube that users say is especially long-lasting , which tends to be an issue with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is thicker and less drippy , therefore less messy , and silicone-based lube .
All three formulas are available in 2 oz .
travel-sized bottles ; Slippery Stuff lube also comes in packets ( not available on amazon ) that are perfect for travel , or for just sampling the product before committing to a full-sized bottle .
Steering clear of bottles is generally advisable when choosing a travel lube , because woof , what a mess if it spills .
But there are some bottles that have less disaster-prone caps than oth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them : The bottle has a twist-lock cap on its pump mechanism , so when it ’ s in lock-mode , it can ’ t be pressed down .
With that said , you should still plan to pack it in a leak-proof plastic bag in the event the twist-lock gets loosened .
UberLube is an uber-popular lube and I ’ m sorry for the words I just wrote , I could not help myself .
Terrible puns aside , it truly is a popular lube and the company offers a versi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel bottle .
The travel bottle serves to protect the plastic bottle of lube while in transit , preventing spills and leaks .
And , as a bonus , UberLube can be used to prevent chafing during exercise of an , ahem , less personal nature , like running or cycling , and it can also be used to tame frizzy hair .
What can ’ t it do ?
!
?
This is a pretty niche gift idea but honestly , it ’ s kind of a great niche gift idea !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a romantic vacation , or you have a friend who ’ s heading off for some solo travel , this set from Acvioo would be a cute add-on gift .
The set includes 12 individual 8mL packets of Acvioo ’ s water-based , vegan personal lubricant , packaged in a black gift box .

Jolie Kerr on The Inventory, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Recently, in this space, we covered travel vibrators for (almost) every need, and learned about the different kinds of personal lubricant you’ll encounter in life. If you guessed that those two posts were a lead-in of sorts to this one, all about travel lubes, you guessed right!
Travel lubes differ from regular lubes in one way and one way only: Their packaging. If you’ve ever spilled lube, you’re nodding along like, “Yup, leak-proof packaging is pretty clutch!” But travel lubes aren’t only for travel, they’re also a good way to try out different brands and types of lubes before committing to a full bottle of the stuff. And, you needn’t be going on vacation to want to have a travel lube in your life—small packets of lube that can easily be stashed in a purse or overnight bag are super convenient for hookups on the go.
Advertisement
The Dame Alu lube gets high marks from users for being just the right consistency; not-at-all sticky—one reviewer said it’s “like water” but not so runny as to make a huge mess during application. Alu is a water-based aloe vera lube is safe to use with any toys and with most condoms and other forms of contraception, making it a versatile choice. One 2mL is $3, or a box of 24 packets is currently on sale for $34 (reg. $72).
Advertisement Advertisement
Slippery Stuff lube comes in three formulas: A water-based lube that users say is especially long-lasting, which tends to be an issue with water-based lubes, a gel-based formula that is thicker and less drippy, therefore less messy, and silicone-based lube. All three formulas are available in 2 oz. travel-sized bottles; Slippery Stuff lube also comes in packets (not available on amazon) that are perfect for travel, or for just sampling the product before committing to a full-sized bottle.
Advertisement
Steering clear of bottles is generally advisable when choosing a travel lube, because woof, what a mess if it spills. But there are some bottles that have less disaster-prone caps than oth ers, and Swiss Navy is one of them: The bottle has a twist-lock cap on its pump mechanism, so when it’s in lock-mode, it can’t be pressed down. With that said, you should still plan to pack it in a leak-proof plastic bag in the event the twist-lock gets loosened.
A Refillable Leak-Proof Travel Bottle
Advertisement
UberLube is an uber-popular lube and I’m sorry for the words I just wrote, I could not help myself. Terrible puns aside, it truly is a popular lube and the company offers a versi on of it in a refillable metal travel bottle. The travel bottle serves to protect the plastic bottle of lube while in transit, preventing spills and leaks. And, as a bonus, UberLube can be used to prevent chafing during exercise of an, ahem, less personal nature, like running or cycling, and it can also be used to tame frizzy hair. What can’t it do?!?
Advertisement
This is a pretty niche gift idea but honestly, it’s kind of a great niche gift idea! If you’re surprising someone with a romantic vacation, or you have a friend who’s heading off for some solo travel, this set from Acvioo would be a cute add-on gift. The set includes 12 individual 8mL packets of Acvioo’s water-based, vegan personal lubricant, packaged in a black gift box.


theroot--2020-07-21--Book No One Should Buy Alleges Trump Made Racist Remarks About Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela

I know you ’ re gon na find this hard to believe but , there ’ s a book coming out from someone who worked with Trump for years that outlines Trump ’ s corruption , lies and racist statements .
And , according to a manuscript not obtained by The Root , the upcoming tell-all also contains the shocking revelations that Diamond and Silk didn ’ t have very high SAT scores , senior adviser Stephen Miller isn ’ t a big fan of Sanford and Son , and that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos thought the school-to-prison pipeline was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No , it ’ s not former National Security Adviser and warmongering coward John Bolton , whose book , The Room Where It Happened , detailed the same subjects after he left the Trump administration ( which is ironic , considering Bolton ’ s majestic hit song “ How Am I Supposed to Live Without You ” ) .
Nope , it ’ s not Omarosa ’ s wig .
It ’ s not Trump ’ s niece Mary “ MAGA-leen ” Trump or Kellyanne Conway the “ anonymous ” White House insider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person who willingly worked with a corrupt , racist , lying president and then decided to warn the country that the president is a corrupt racist liar .
This particular book is by Trump ’ s former fixer and current prisoner No .
7779311 , Michael Cohen , who is penning a tome about his time working with a certain reality show host who fanned the flames of white supremacy and then waltzed across the path created by the scorched earth campaign straight into the Oval Office .
Cohen was briefly released and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bureau of Prisons because of COVID-19 concerns but was sent back to the Big House for reportedly violating the terms of his home confinement .
In papers filed in federal court , Cohen ’ s legal team alleges that Cohen—the Maurice Levy to America ’ s Avon Barksdale-in-Chief—was remanded back into federal custody because he is writing a tell-all about his time managing the re-up for President Trump , according to NBC .
Cohen ’ s lawyers argue that the re-incarceration is a violation of his First Amendment rights .
The book will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on my decade-long employment and relationship with Mr. Trump and his family , both before and after he was elected , ” according to an affirmation from Cohen to the court .
Its working title is “ Disloyal : The True Story of Michael Cohen , Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump , ” the documents say .
“ In particular , my book will provide graphic and unflattering details about the President ’ s behavior behind closed doors , ” Cohen wrote .
The memoir “ describes the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist remarks against such Black leaders as President Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela , neither of whom he viewed as real leaders or as worthy of respect by virtue of their race.
” To be fair , I ’ m sure Trump only disparaged Nelson Mandela because he thought the heralded freedom fighter was changing the language of match play in South Africa by eliminating a par “ tie ” in Africa .
But is there anyone who isn ’ t convinced that Trump says racist shit about Obama every day ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dindoo ” every time the presidential Diet Cokes aren ’ t sufficiently cooled to 24.3 degrees .
Who needs to read former Qyburn ’ s account of his time as Hand of the Queen during the Lannister administration to know that Cersei Lannister was evil ?
Why does the publishing industry continue to offer book deals to the shady profiteers who worked in Satan ’ s inner circle when DMX informed us 22 years ago what it ’ s like inside this anus-like administration ?
We already know : It ’ s dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to accent the positive .
Since Senior Editor Stephen Crockett is out for the day , I ’ d like to take this opportunity to lighten his workload by offering this journalistic Mad Lib for when Stephen has to cover the next literary expose from the Trump administration ’ s never-ending parade of authoritarian co-conspirators-turned-whistleblower : Or , as noted political expert Earl Simmons said in his political expose that outlined the four-step process of leaving the Trump Administration and becoming a best-selling author : • Stop : You know you joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you didn ’ t think it would be this evil .
• Drop : Trump fires you from the evil administration .
• Shut ‘ em down : Clean up your image by going on a tour pretending you want to help end the evil you helped create .

I know you’re gonna find this hard to believe but, there’s a book coming out from someone who worked with Trump for years that outlines Trump’s corruption, lies and racist statements. And, according to a manuscript not obtained by The Root, the upcoming tell-all also contains the shocking revelations that Diamond and Silk didn’t have very high SAT scores, senior adviser Stephen Miller isn’t a big fan of Sanford and Son, and that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos thought the school-to-prison pipeline was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
No, it’s not former National Security Adviser and warmongering coward John Bolton, whose book, The Room Where It Happened, detailed the same subjects after he left the Trump administration (which is ironic, considering Bolton’s majestic hit song “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”). Nope, it’s not Omarosa’s wig. It’s not Trump’s niece Mary “MAGA-leen” Trump or Kellyanne Conway the “anonymous” White House insider. This is about a totally different person who willingly worked with a corrupt, racist, lying president and then decided to warn the country that the president is a corrupt racist liar.
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This particular book is by Trump’s former fixer and current prisoner No. 7779311, Michael Cohen, who is penning a tome about his time working with a certain reality show host who fanned the flames of white supremacy and then waltzed across the path created by the scorched earth campaign straight into the Oval Office.
Cohen was briefly released and put on home confinement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons because of COVID-19 concerns but was sent back to the Big House for reportedly violating the terms of his home confinement. In papers filed in federal court, Cohen’s legal team alleges that Cohen—the Maurice Levy to America’s Avon Barksdale-in-Chief—was remanded back into federal custody because he is writing a tell-all about his time managing the re-up for President Trump, according to NBC. Cohen’s lawyers argue that the re-incarceration is a violation of his First Amendment rights.
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The Washington Post reports:
The book will contain “my firsthand experiences and observations based on my decade-long employment and relationship with Mr. Trump and his family, both before and after he was elected,” according to an affirmation from Cohen to the court. Its working title is “Disloyal: The True Story of Michael Cohen, Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump,” the documents say. “In particular, my book will provide graphic and unflattering details about the President’s behavior behind closed doors,” Cohen wrote. The memoir “describes the President’s pointedly anti-Semitic remarks and virulently racist remarks against such Black leaders as President Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela, neither of whom he viewed as real leaders or as worthy of respect by virtue of their race.”
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To be fair, I’m sure Trump only disparaged Nelson Mandela because he thought the heralded freedom fighter was changing the language of match play in South Africa by eliminating a par “tie” in Africa. But is there anyone who isn’t convinced that Trump says racist shit about Obama every day? I imagine that Trump calls Obama a “dindoo” every time the presidential Diet Cokes aren’t sufficiently cooled to 24.3 degrees. Who needs to read former Qyburn’s account of his time as Hand of the Queen during the Lannister administration to know that Cersei Lannister was evil? Why does the publishing industry continue to offer book deals to the shady profiteers who worked in Satan’s inner circle when DMX informed us 22 years ago what it’s like inside this anus-like administration?
We already know: It’s dark and hell is hot
But I always like to accent the positive.
Since Senior Editor Stephen Crockett is out for the day, I’d like to take this opportunity to lighten his workload by offering this journalistic Mad Lib for when Stephen has to cover the next literary expose from the Trump administration’s never-ending parade of authoritarian co-conspirators-turned-whistleblower:
Breaking News: (Dirtbag sycophant name) has inked a seven-figure book deal with (unscrupulous publishing company) detailing his/her time as (Name of position achieved despite having no qualifications or relevant expertise) inside the Trump administration. (Unimaginative book title with a salacious subtitle that sounds like an Enquirer headline) includes shocking details on how Trump profited from the presidency, called Harriet Tubman an “uppity negress” and refused to read his daily briefings unless staffers acted out intelligence reports with puppets to the theme song from “Muppet Babies.” The book is scheduled to be released on (date that coincides with next scandal, allowing you to maximize your profiteering.)
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Or, as noted political expert Earl Simmons said in his political expose that outlined the four-step process of leaving the Trump Administration and becoming a best-selling author:


theroot--2020-07-21--Usher, Migos, Kane Brown and More to Perform at 10th Annual iHeartRadio Music Festival

Usher , Migos , Kane Brown and Khalid are a few of the big names who will take part in the 10th annual iHeartRadio Music Festival .
The concert event will take place from Sept. 18-19 on stages in Los Angeles and Nashville and will be streaming live on the CW app .
It will air on the CW on Sept. 27 and 28 .
Of course , this year is going to be a bit different for the organizers , performers and audience due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
The event will obviously be virtual in an effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and encourage social distancing .
H owever , it promises to present fans with “ one-of-a-kind collaborations and surprise performances as many bands reunite to perform on a stage together again for the first time in months , ” reads a press release obtained by The Root .
Remote performances will also be streamed during the festival .
“ It ’ s hard to believe that this September will be the 10th iHeartRadio Music Festival , ” Tom Poleman , Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia , said in a statement .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national marquee event and became the model for our hugely successful series of iHeart-branded music events broadcast and streamed across the country on radio , television and online .
More than 200 superstar artists have made our iHeartRadio Music Festival the biggest in the world , and this year ’ s lineup , even amidst a global pandemic , will be one for the history books.
” The 2020 iHeartRadio Music Festival will also bring non-celebrities into the mix .
The press release states that select fans will participate in virtual meet-and-greets with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the chance to introduce musicians before their performances .
A special opportunity presented by the festival ’ s sponsor Capital One also immerses fans in the show with the Capital One Fan Video Wall .
“ We worked closely with the artist community to create a safe way for them to step back on stage and perform for millions of their fans on the radio and television , ” John Sykes , President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia , says of this year ’ s changes in the press release .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the artists whose music we play here at iHeart stay connected to their fans.
” The iHeartRadio Music Festival has been applauded for its commitment to showcasing acts across genres .
The inaugural festival included Drake , Kanye West , Prince , U2 , Bon Jovi , Lynyrd Skynyrd , Sir Elton John and many more .

J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

Usher, Migos, Kane Brown and Khalid are a few of the big names who will take part in the 10th annual iHeartRadio Music Festival. The concert event will take place from Sept. 18-19 on stages in Los Angeles and Nashville and will be streaming live on the CW app. It will air on the CW on Sept. 27 and 28.
Of course, this year is going to be a bit different for the organizers, performers and audience due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The event will obviously be virtual in an effort to stop the spread of the illness and encourage social distancing. H owever, it promises to present fans with “one-of-a-kind collaborations and surprise performances as many bands reunite to perform on a stage together again for the first time in months,” reads a press release obtained by The Root. Remote performances will also be streamed during the festival.
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“It’s hard to believe that this September will be the 10th iHeartRadio Music Festival,” Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia, said in a statement. “The 2011 Festival was iHeart’s first national marquee event and became the model for our hugely successful series of iHeart-branded music events broadcast and streamed across the country on radio, television and online. More than 200 superstar artists have made our iHeartRadio Music Festival the biggest in the world, and this year’s lineup, even amidst a global pandemic, will be one for the history books.”
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The 2020 iHeartRadio Music Festival will also bring non-celebrities into the mix. The press release states that select fans will participate in virtual meet-and-greets with their favorite artists, and will also have the chance to introduce musicians before their performances. A special opportunity presented by the festival’s sponsor Capital One also immerses fans in the show with the Capital One Fan Video Wall.
“We worked closely with the artist community to create a safe way for them to step back on stage and perform for millions of their fans on the radio and television,” John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia, says of this year’s changes in the press release. “It’s our commitment to help the artists whose music we play here at iHeart stay connected to their fans.”
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The iHeartRadio Music Festival has been applauded for its commitment to showcasing acts across genres. The inaugural festival included Drake, Kanye West, Prince, U2, Bon Jovi, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sir Elton John and many more.


theroot--2020-07-21--Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Just Turned 20. Let's Talk About the Go-Go Jam, 'It's Lo

Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Just Turned 20. Let's Talk About the Go-Go Jam, 'It's Love'

If I ever write a memoir about my life , an entire chapter would be dedicated to Washington , D.C. , and the influence the city has had in my life .
When I got to a pre-freshman program at Morehouse in the summer of 1997 , my knowledge of the city , aside from knowing it was the nation ’ s capital , was pretty limited to national events that happened there and Marion Barry .
That changed that summer .
In this summer program were a few students from D.C. and they were just ... different .
Anyway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Spelman College heavily consisted of individuals from D.C. , and I have no idea if it ’ s like that anymore , but in the late ’ 90s in the Atlanta University Center , you could spot a person from D.C. from a mile away .
One way you could always tell a person from D.C. , ( aside from the style of dress ) especially if they had a car , was the terrible sounding audio coming from any go-go tape blasting out of their car windows .
The live tapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shit and that didn ’ t matter , the music was going to be played .
I went to my first go-go in Atlanta during homecoming 1997 at Masquerade when Backyard came down to play .
The tapes sucked but experiencing it live made it make sense .
I started to understand the vibe and energy and the pure elation the D.C. homies experienced from the music .
And then , since so many of the homies were all from D.C. ( one of the homies was even in a go-go band in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the music and the culture of it .
I can ’ t say that I could easily distinguish who was who , but the sound and the beat and mainly the feel , at some point , became undeniable .
Now , after that long intro , let ’ s talk about Jill Scott .
Jill Scott might as well have been a meteor that crashed into the Black planet .
Her debut album , Who Is Jill Scott ?
Words and Sounds Vol .
1 ( which just turned 20 years old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2000 ; 2000 was a very good year for soul music ) was ubiquitous .
By the time school started in August of 2000 , the album was being bumped by everybody .
Men and women alike were playing various songs from her album .
The open mic spots had “ A Long Walk ” in their arsenal as the songs that everybody would jam to .
“ Gettin ’ In The Way ” was a good song with a video that took it to new levels .
“ The Way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in E Flat ) , ” “ Slowly , Surely , ” the whole album is a jam .
I love it .
If you know it , you love it .
These folks did a whole podcast episode about the album and I couldn ’ t agree more with their conclusions .
I scream , you scream , let ’ s all scream for Jill Scott ’ s debut album .
But there was is one particular song that was then and still is the fucking jam , Jill Scott ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a pure go-go jam that is dope , original and jams everywhere .
I don ’ t know if it ’ s because of my—at the time—appreciation and fascination for D.C. , but the energy I felt from the song was imme diate .
I can still see the way some of my friends reacted whenever it came on .
“ It ’ s Love ” even starts out smooth , with Jill singing in that way that drew everybody to her in the first place , over some slight keyboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole song blows up into a straight jam session .
It even has the breakdowns that keep you moving .
On an album that was already jam packed full of the sound of neo-soul ( at the time ) , this was a party record , clearly inspired and for D.C. but done in a way that if you liked to move and party , it didn ’ t matter where you were from when it came on .
“ It ’ s Love , ” is simply , love , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the hips , for two-steppers and for anybody who needs to work out some energy on the dance floor .
Jill Scott is an artist who deserves every bouquet of flowers she gets .
Her voice , her sound , her poetry , her acting , her joy , her realism , etc .
I don ’ t know if she ’ s always being 100 percent transparent , but she feels like she is and that is why she still has a career and a presence and is an artists we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all starts—for the vast majority of us—with her debut album in July 2000 .
I ’ ve been listening to , and loving , “ It ’ s Love ” since I first heard it back then , and I imagine I will for as long as I can hear .

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

If I ever write a memoir about my life, an entire chapter would be dedicated to Washington, D.C., and the influence the city has had in my life. When I got to a pre-freshman program at Morehouse in the summer of 1997, my knowledge of the city, aside from knowing it was the nation’s capital, was pretty limited to national events that happened there and Marion Barry. That changed that summer. In this summer program were a few students from D.C. and they were just...different.
Anyway, my group of friends from Morehouse and Spelman College heavily consisted of individuals from D.C., and I have no idea if it’s like that anymore, but in the late ’ 90s in the Atlanta University Center, you could spot a person from D.C. from a mile away. One way you could always tell a person from D.C., (aside from the style of dress) especially if they had a car, was the terrible sounding audio coming from any go-go tape blasting out of their car windows. The live tapes from various shows always sounded like pure shit and that didn’t matter, the music was going to be played. I went to my first go-go in Atlanta during homecoming 1997 at Masquerade when Backyard came down to play.
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The tapes sucked but experiencing it live made it make sense. I started to understand the vibe and energy and the pure elation the D.C. homies experienced from the music. And then, since so many of the homies were all from D.C. (one of the homies was even in a go-go band in Atlanta), I started getting into the music and the culture of it. I can’t say that I could easily distinguish who was who, but the sound and the beat and mainly the feel, at some point, became undeniable.
Now, after that long intro, let’s talk about Jill Scott.
Jill Scott might as well have been a meteor that crashed into the Black planet. Her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 (which just turned 20 years old, having been released on July 18, 2000; 2000 was a very good year for soul music) was ubiquitous. By the time school started in August of 2000, the album was being bumped by everybody. Men and women alike were playing various songs from her album. The open mic spots had “A Long Walk” in their arsenal as the songs that everybody would jam to. “Gettin’ In The Way” was a good song with a video that took it to new levels. “The Way,” “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat),” “Slowly, Surely,” the whole album is a jam. I love it. If you know it, you love it. These folks did a whole podcast episode about the album and I couldn’t agree more with their conclusions. I scream, you scream, let’s all scream for Jill Scott’s debut album.
Advertisement Advertisement
But there was is one particular song that was then and still is the fucking jam, Jill Scott’s “It’s Love.” It’s a pure go-go jam that is dope, original and jams everywhere. I don’t know if it’s because of my—at the time—appreciation and fascination for D.C., but the energy I felt from the song was imme diate. I can still see the way some of my friends reacted whenever it came on.
“It’s Love” even starts out smooth, with Jill singing in that way that drew everybody to her in the first place, over some slight keyboard stabs before the drums kick in and the whole song blows up into a straight jam session. It even has the breakdowns that keep you moving. On an album that was already jam packed full of the sound of neo-soul (at the time), this was a party record, clearly inspired and for D.C. but done in a way that if you liked to move and party, it didn’t matter where you were from when it came on. “It’s Love,” is simply, love, in music form. It’s made for the hips, for two-steppers and for anybody who needs to work out some energy on the dance floor.
Advertisement
Jill Scott is an artist who deserves every bouquet of flowers she gets. Her voice, her sound, her poetry, her acting, her joy, her realism, etc. I don’t know if she’s always being 100 percent transparent, but she feels like she is and that is why she still has a career and a presence and is an artists we all still love and revere. And it all starts—for the vast majority of us—with her debut album in July 2000. I’ve been listening to, and loving, “It’s Love” since I first heard it back then, and I imagine I will for as long as I can hear.
It’s love.


theroot--2020-07-21--'We Ran Strong and That Was a Revelation': Remembering Civil Rights Activist and Political Pioneer E

'We Ran Strong and That Was a Revelation': Remembering Civil Rights Activist and Political Pioneer Emma Sanders

In light of the recent losses of civil rights icons Rep. John Lewis and Rev .
C.T .
Vivian , America , now in the throes of what is widely recognized as a revived civil rights movement , has had ample cause to reflect on some of the movement ’ s pioneering personalities and changemakers .
And as we celebrate those legacies , there is yet another among them who deserves recognition : educator , political activist and former Democ ratic delegate Emma Sanders , who died on June 24 in Brandon , Miss .
Sanders was 91 .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sanders began her career in civil rights via an unconventional route .
A graduate of what is now Alcorn University , she was a former schoolteacher , business school owner ( with husband William ) , and notably , an assistant to Democratic Representative Wayne Dowdy when she became active in the naming of the first federal building in the nation for a Black person , the Dr. A.H. McCoy Federal Building in Jackson .
When Sanders ’ son Everett became active in an anti-segregation campaign in the early 1960s , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
“ She didn ’ t want her own children to become involved in something that she didn ’ t have a very strong understanding of , ” grandson Keelan Sanders , the first Black executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party , told the New York Times .
“ Most Black parents were telling their kids , ‘ You can ’ t do this , it ’ s too dangerous , ’ ” said fellow activist , educator and theologian Rev .
Edwin King .
“ She decided as a mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mrs. Sanders would prove to not only be an adult in the room but a force in the movement .
During what would become known as Freedom Summer in 1964 , she and her family , who owned a restaurant in Jackson , helped to organize , feed and house voting registration activists .
It was the same summer fellow Mississippian James Chaney , along with New Yorkers Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner , were murdered in retaliation for their registration efforts in the region .
Sanders would become a co-founder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , fighting alongside Rev .
King and fellow civil rights icons Ella Baker , Bob Moses , Fannie Lou Hamer and more to bring what the Times called an “ impassioned challenge to an all-white delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention ” in Atlantic City , N.J. “ She never expected any acclaim , ” recalled Rev .
King .
“ But she would inspire people .
Not like Fannie Lou Hamer , with magnificent speeches on the stump , but in the day-to-day managing of the party without ever pronouncing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to do it.
’ ” In what would become a historic standoff , the Democratic party infamously refused to seat the Freedom Democrats among the other delegates .
The Freedom Party ’ s resistance forced a compromise , brokered by Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. , which resulted in “ two symbolic at-large slots and required white delegates to sign a pledge that the next delegation would be integrated , ” the Times recounted .
Infuriated , the all-white delegation stalked off the convention floor in protest , leaving their seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their temporary integration of the floor resulted in a public skirmish when guards tried to remove the black delegates .
That year , Sanders would become a plaintiff in a lawsuit to include the names of Black candidates on ballots ; a moment that would ultimately prove transformative in American politics , ultimately ending segregated delegations .
“ We came back and worked hard to get the Democratic nominee elected , so they could not say we were disloyal to the party , ” Sanders told author Bob Moser in 2008 's Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Majority .
“ But the regular Democratic Party was not ready to accept us.
” Nevertheless , the Times notes : “ in 1968 , the Freedom Democrats , reconstituted as the Loyal Democrats of Mississippi , were seated as the state ’ s official convention delegation.
” Sanders herself would appear as a legitimate delegate at numerous subsequent conventions , beginning in 1972 , and was present to see both Barack Obama accept the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and Hillary Clinton become the first female nominee in 2016 .
Additionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milestone in 1966 , running for Congress as an Independent , opposing segregationist Democrat John Bell Williams .
While Sanders didn ’ t unseat the incumbent , she was proud of the effort , saying ( h/t the Times ) : “ We ran strong , and that was a revelation .
The year after , in 1967 , we were able to elect Blacks in local elections.
” Sanders would become executive vice chair of the Mississippi Democratic Party but would maintain her independent streak throughout the remainder of her life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his presidential runs .
But one of her biggest campaigns found success just days after her death when the Confederate symbol was removed from the Mississippi State Flag on June 28 .
Sanders had been advocating for its removal for decades .
While she may not have lived to see the triumph in person , her legacy endures , both in her home state and in the political commitment of her family , Keelan Sanders told The Jackson Free Press .
“ She lived a long , giving and unselfish life on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her children to carry the torch for her .
”

In light of the recent losses of civil rights icons Rep. John Lewis and Rev. C.T. Vivian, America, now in the throes of what is widely recognized as a revived civil rights movement, has had ample cause to reflect on some of the movement’s pioneering personalities and changemakers. And as we celebrate those legacies, there is yet another among them who deserves recognition: educator, political activist and former Democ ratic delegate Emma Sanders, who died on June 24 in Brandon, Miss. Sanders was 91.
A Mississippi native and the great-granddaughter of slaves, Sanders began her career in civil rights via an unconventional route. A graduate of what is now Alcorn University, she was a former schoolteacher, business school owner (with husband William), and notably, an assistant to Democratic Representative Wayne Dowdy when she became active in the naming of the first federal building in the nation for a Black person, the Dr. A.H. McCoy Federal Building in Jackson. When Sanders’ son Everett became active in an anti-segregation campaign in the early 1960s, she and her husband joined the cause as well.
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“She didn’t want her own children to become involved in something that she didn’t have a very strong understanding of,” grandson Keelan Sanders, the first Black executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party, told the New York Times.
“Most Black parents were telling their kids, ‘You can’t do this, it’s too dangerous,’” said fellow activist, educator and theologian Rev. Edwin King. “She decided as a mother that some adults needed to be involved.”
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Mrs. Sanders would prove to not only be an adult in the room but a force in the movement. During what would become known as Freedom Summer in 1964, she and her family, who owned a restaurant in Jackson, helped to organize, feed and house voting registration activists. It was the same summer fellow Mississippian James Chaney, along with New Yorkers Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, were murdered in retaliation for their registration efforts in the region.
Sanders would become a co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party that same year, fighting alongside Rev. King and fellow civil rights icons Ella Baker, Bob Moses, Fannie Lou Hamer and more to bring what the Times called an “impassioned challenge to an all-white delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention” in Atlantic City, N.J.
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“She never expected any acclaim,” recalled Rev. King. “But she would inspire people. Not like Fannie Lou Hamer, with magnificent speeches on the stump, but in the day-to-day managing of the party without ever pronouncing that ‘this is the way we have to do it.’”
In what would become a historic standoff, the Democratic party infamously refused to seat the Freedom Democrats among the other delegates. The Freedom Party’s resistance forced a compromise, brokered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which resulted in “two symbolic at-large slots and required white delegates to sign a pledge that the next delegation would be integrated,” the Times recounted.
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Infuriated, the all-white delegation stalked off the convention floor in protest, leaving their seats open appropriated by Freedom Party delegates. Their temporary integration of the floor resulted in a public skirmish when guards tried to remove the black delegates. That year, Sanders would become a plaintiff in a lawsuit to include the names of Black candidates on ballots; a moment that would ultimately prove transformative in American politics, ultimately ending segregated delegations.
“We came back and worked hard to get the Democratic nominee elected, so they could not say we were disloyal to the party,” Sanders told author Bob Moser in 2008's Blue Dixie: Awakening the South’s Democratic Majority. “But the regular Democratic Party was not ready to accept us.” Nevertheless, the Times notes: “in 1968, the Freedom Democrats, reconstituted as the Loyal Democrats of Mississippi, were seated as the state’s official convention delegation.” Sanders herself would appear as a legitimate delegate at numerous subsequent conventions, beginning in 1972, and was present to see both Barack Obama accept the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and Hillary Clinton become the first female nominee in 2016.
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Additionally, Sanders would achieve her own political milestone in 1966, running for Congress as an Independent, opposing segregationist Democrat John Bell Williams. While Sanders didn’t unseat the incumbent, she was proud of the effort, saying (h/t the Times): “We ran strong, and that was a revelation. The year after, in 1967, we were able to elect Blacks in local elections.”
Sanders would become executive vice chair of the Mississippi Democratic Party but would maintain her independent streak throughout the remainder of her life, reportedly supporting Bernie Sanders in the primaries of his presidential runs. But one of her biggest campaigns found success just days after her death when the Confederate symbol was removed from the Mississippi State Flag on June 28. Sanders had been advocating for its removal for decades. While she may not have lived to see the triumph in person, her legacy endures, both in her home state and in the political commitment of her family, Keelan Sanders told The Jackson Free Press.
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“She lived a long, giving and unselfish life on behalf of Mississippi and lit a fire for her children to carry the torch for her.”