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Oprah Helped More Than 400 Black Men Pursue Their Dreams (Video)

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Oprah Helped More Than 400 Black Men Pursue Their Dreams (Video)

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This video is must-watch. Oprah Winfrey is the first female Black billionaire. She has done tremendous work within Black communities. One of the Black men she helped went on to study at Yale while another is a leader in a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund.

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How Oprah Helped More Than 400 Black Men Pursue Their Dreams | The Oprah Winfrey Show | OWN

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Launching and supporting Black-owned businesses (Video)

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Launching and supporting Black-owned businesses (Video)

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In this video, Mandy Bowman, talks about the importance of supporting Black-owned business. Bowman gives three main components, supporting Black-owned businesses, creating and encouraging more Black entrepreneurs, and sharing resources. This is important because it contributes to the generational and long term wealth within Black families and communities.

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Launching and supporting Black-owned businesses | Mandy Bowman | TEDxDover

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This poem is a wonderful piece of literature written during the time period of segregation. The narrator in this poem is unable to eat at the table whenever guests come over. At the end of the poem, the narrator decides that he will stand up against segregation. Over the years, we have seen many courageous African Americans stand up and fight for what is right.

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I, Too by Langston Hughes | Poetry Foundation

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"dear white america", by Danez Smith, is a phenomenal poem. In this poem, Smith gives us a unique perspective on what it's like to be Black living in America. He demands justice for all of the violence towards African Americans. Smith also imagines a planet where blackness is celebrated and a society that treats Black people with dignity.

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i've left Earth in search of darker planets, a solar system revolving too near a black hole. i've left in search of a new God. i do not trust the God you have given us. my grandmother's hallelujah is only outdone by the fear she nurses every time the blood-fat summer swallows another child who used to sing in the choir. take your God back. though his songs are beautiful, his miracles are inconsistent. i want the fate of Lazarus for Renisha, want Chucky, Bo, Meech, Trayvon, Sean & Jonylah risen three days after their entombing, their ghost re-gifted flesh & blood, their flesh & blood re-gifted their children. i've left Earth, i am equal parts sick of your go back to Africa & i just don't see race. neither did the poplar tree. we did not build your boats (though we did leave a trail of kin to guide us home). we did not build your prisons (though we did & we fill them too). we did not ask to be part of your America (though are we not America? her joints brittle & dragging a ripped gown through Oakland?). i can't stand your ground. i'm sick of calling your recklessness the law. each night, i count my brothers. & in the morning, when some do not survive to be counted, i count the holes they leave. i reach for black folks & touch only air. your master magic trick, America. now he's breathing, now he don't. abra-cadaver. white bread voodoo. sorcery you claim not to practice, hand my cousin a pistol to do your work. i tried, white people. i tried to love you, but you spent my brother's funeral making plans for brunch, talking too loud next to his bones. you took one look at the river, plump with the body of boy after girl after sweet boi & ask why does it always have to be about race? because you made it that way! because you put an asterisk on my sister's gorgeous face! call her pretty (for a black girl)! because black girls go missing without so much as a whisper of where?! because there are no amber alerts for amber-skinned girls! because Jordan boomed. because Emmett whistled. because Huey P. spoke. because Martin preached. because black boys can always be too loud to live. because it's taken my papa's & my grandma's time, my father's time, my mother's time, my aunt's time, my uncle's time, my brother's & my sister's time . . . how much time do you want for your progress? i've left Earth to find a place where my kin can be safe, where black people ain't but people the same color as the good, wet earth, until that means something, until then i bid you well, i bid you war, i bid you our lives to gamble with no more. i've left Earth & i am touching everything you beg your telescopes to show you. i'm giving the stars their right names. & this life, this new story & history you cannot steal or sell or cast overboard or hang or beat or drown or own or redline or shackle or silence or cheat or choke or cover up or jail or shoot or jail or shoot or jail or shoot or ruin

this, if only this one, is ours.

Danez Smith, "dear white america" from Don't Call Us Dead. Copyright © 2017 by Danez Smith. Reprinted by permission of Graywolf Press, www.graywolfpress.org.

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dear white america by Danez Smith | Poetry Foundation

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i've left Earth in search of darker planets, a solar system revolving too near a black hole. i've left in search of a new God. i do not trust the God you have given us. my grandmother's hallelujah is only outdone by the fear she nurses every time the blood-fat summer swallows another child who used to sing in the choir.

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Positive outcomes of Black Lives Matter protests. (Article)

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Positive outcomes of Black Lives Matter protests. (Article)

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This article explains some of the reforms that have happened across the country in light of protest. Although the events that lead to protest are very sad, the outcome of Black Lives Matter protests are encouraging. In the state of Maryland, violent police tactics are now banned, disciplinary records are now public, and the state no longer purchases military equipment for law enforcement.

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The protests following the murder of George Floyd on May 25 are still raging on as demonstrators continue to demand justice and racial equality. In just a couple of weeks, Black Lives Matter protests have drawn long overdue attention to systemic racism and invoked changes to long-standing policies that have allowed racism to function within the criminal justice system for centuries. In fact, just two weeks of protesting has created more change than we've seen in recent years. Here are eight changes that've come as a result of the Black Lives Matter protests so far. And if you're attending protests, check out The CDC Director Says This Is the One Thing Protestors Need to Do.

Many New York protesters called for a repeal of New York Civil Rights Law Section 50-A, which has kept police disciplinary records hidden from the public for over 40 years. On June 9, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to repeal 50-A. Repealing this law allows for more transparency between the public and police department in New York. To see why you should be careful with protest pictures, check out This Is Why Posting a Selfie From a Protest Is Dangerous.

After days of sustained protests in Minneapolis-the city Floyd was murdered in-city council members made a bold announcement. Council President Lisa Bender told CNN, "We committed to dismantling policing as we know it in the city of Minneapolis and to rebuild with our community a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe." With nine guaranteed votes from council members, the motion is veto-proof.

Floyd died while Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck, and three fellow officers (who have since been arrested) stood by and watched. As a result, Dallas Police Chief Reneé Hall is implementing a " duty to intervene" order, stating that officers must intervene if they see a fellow officer using excessive force. However, it remains to be seen what the consequences will be if an officer does not intervene.

Three Los Angeles City Council members- Nury Martinez, Herb Wesson, and Curren Price-filed a motion to cut up to $150 million of the Los Angeles Police Department's $1.86 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, according to CBS News. (That's just over 8 percent.) The motion asks that staff reallocate the money to "disadvantaged communities and communities of color." To see which celebs lost their jobs as a result of racism, check out 6 Celebrities Who Were Fired After Being Accused of Racism.

Following statewide protests, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced that the state will begin to update its guidelines surrounding police officers' use of force, according to NBC News. This overhaul would be the first adjustment to the state's guidelines in two decades. As part of reshaping the guidelines, Grewal seeks to require a streamlined statewide licensing program for all officers.

Maryland Senator William C. Smith Jr. proposed a " sweeping set of reforms, including banning violent police tactics, making disciplinary records public and ending the purchase of military equipment for officers," according to The Baltimore Sun. Following this proposal, Maryland House Delegates Speaker Adrienne A. Jones announced the formation of a bipartisan group of lawmakers who will review these proposed changes. They plan to create and pass significant reforms during the General Assembly's session in January.

The Denver Police Department announced "changes to the department's use of force and body camera policies-including a ban on chokeholds," according to The Denver Post. Additionally, the department will also require officers to report to supervisors any time they point their gun at someone. And for some businesses to support during this difficult time, check out 17 Black-Owned Businesses You Can Support Online Right Now.

Contentious monuments in states like Kentucky, Florida, Indiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia-and even in the United Kingdom-have been removed following protests, either by citizens or officials, according to CNN. From the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monuments in Birmingham, Alabama, and Indianapolis, Indiana, to a slave auction block in Fredericksburg, Virginia, many of the monuments have been a source of controversy for decades. The Robert E. Lee monument, pictured above in Richmond, Virginia, is also set to come down, along with many others. And if you want to educate yourself, check out 13 Documentaries About Race You Need to See If You Haven't Yet.

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8 Changes That Have Happened Since Black Lives Matter Protests Started

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The protests following the murder of George Floyd on May 25 are still raging on as demonstrators continue to demand justice and racial equality. In just a couple of weeks, Black Lives Matter protests have drawn long overdue attention to systemic racism and invoked changes to long-standing policies that have allowed racism to function within the criminal justice system for centuries.

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The death of George Floyd re-sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. This article gives a detailed summary regarding the disturbing details of George Floyd's death. The officer, Derek Chauvin, had his knee on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes. Floyd repeated over twenty times that he could not breathe.

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George Floyd repeatedly told the police officers who detained him that he could not breathe

The US has been convulsed by nationwide protests over the death of an African-American man in police custody.

George Floyd, 46, died after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Footage of the arrest on 25 May shows a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck while he was pinned to the floor.

Mr Chauvin, 44, has since been charged with murder.

Transcripts of police bodycam footage show Mr Floyd said more than 20 times he could not breathe as he was restrained by the officers.

The key events that led to Mr Floyd's death happened within just 30 minutes. Based on accounts from witnesses, video footage and official statements, here's what we know so far.

It began with a report of a fake $20 (£16.20) bill.

A report was made on the evening of 25 May, when Mr Floyd bought a pack of cigarettes from Cup Foods, a grocery store.

Believing the $20 bill he used to be counterfeit, a store employee reported it to police.

Mr Floyd had been living in Minneapolis for several years after moving there from his native Houston, Texas. He had recently been working as a bouncer in the city but, like millions of other Americans, was left jobless by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Floyd was a regular at Cup Foods. He was a friendly face, a pleasant customer who never caused any trouble, the store owner Mike Abumayyaleh told NBC.

But Mr Abumayyaleh was not at work on the day of the incident. In reporting the suspicious bill, his teenage employee was just following protocol.

In a call to 911, made at 20:01, the employee told the operator he had demanded the cigarettes back but "he [Floyd] doesn't want to do that", according to a transcript released by authorities.

The employee said the man appeared "drunk" and "not in control of himself", the transcript says.

Shortly after the call, at around 20:08, two police officers arrived. Mr Floyd was sitting with two other people in a car parked around the corner.

After approaching the car, one of the officers, Thomas Lane, pulled out his gun and ordered Mr Floyd to show his hands. In an account of the incident, prosecutors do not explain why Mr Lane thought it necessary to draw his gun.

Mr Lane, prosecutors said, "put his hands on Mr Floyd, and pulled him out of the car". Then Mr Floyd "actively resisted being handcuffed".

Once handcuffed, though, Mr Floyd became compliant while Mr Lane explained he was being arrested for "passing counterfeit currency".

Court transcripts from police body cameras show Mr Floyd appears co-operative at the beginning of the arrest, repeatedly apologising to the officers after they approach his parked car.

Mr Lane asks Mr Floyd to show his hands at least 10 times before ordering him to get out of the vehicle.

It was when officers tried to put Mr Floyd in their squad car that a struggle ensued.

Minnesota governor on George Floyd death: 'Thank God a young person had a camera to video it'

At about 20:14, Mr Floyd "stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic", according to the report.

Mr Chauvin arrived at the scene. He and other officers were involved in a further attempt to put Mr Floyd in the police car.

During this attempt, at 20:19, Mr Chauvin pulled Mr Floyd away from the passenger side, causing him to fall to the ground, the report said.

He lay there, face down, still in handcuffs.

That's when witnesses started to film Mr Floyd, who appeared to be in a distressed state. These moments, captured on multiple mobile phones and shared widely on social media, would prove to be Mr Floyd's last.

Mr Floyd was restrained by officers, while Mr Chauvin placed his left knee between his head and neck.

For more than nine minutes, Mr Chauvin kept his knee on Mr Floyd's neck, the prosecutors say. The duration was initially given as eight minutes and 46 seconds but Minnesota prosecutors have since revised the time.

The transcripts of bodycam footage from officers Lane and J Alexander Kueng show Mr Floyd said more than 20 times he could not breathe as he was restrained. He was also pleading for his mother and begging "please, please, please".

At one point, Mr Floyd gasps: "You're going to kill me, man."

Reuters

Derek Chauvin is charged with second degree murder

Officer Chauvin replies: "Then stop talking, stop yelling. It takes heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Mr Floyd says: "Can't believe this, man. Mom, love you. Love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."

A female bystander told the police: "His nose is bleeding, come on now."

About six minutes into that period, Mr Floyd became non-responsive. In videos of the incident, this was when Mr Floyd fell silent, as bystanders urged the officers to check his pulse.

Officer Kueng did just that, checking Mr Floyd's right wrist, but "couldn't find one". Yet the other officers did not move.

At 20:27, Mr Chauvin removed his knee from Mr Floyd's neck. Motionless, Mr Floyd was rolled on to a gurney and taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center in an ambulance.

He was pronounced dead about an hour later.

In June Panorama spoke to local people to piece together the moments leading up to George Floyd's death

On the night before his death, Mr Floyd had spoken to one of his closest friends, Christopher Harris. He had advised Mr Floyd to contact a temporary jobs agency.

Forgery, he said, was out of character for Mr Floyd.

"The way he died was senseless," Harris said. "He begged for his life. He pleaded for his life. When you try so hard to put faith in this system, a system that you know isn't designed for you, when you constantly seek justice by lawful means and you can't get it, you begin to take the law into your own hands."

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George Floyd: What happened in the final moments of his life

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A timeline of events leading up to George Floyd's death has been revealed by authorities.

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The birth of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Photo)

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The birth of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Photo)

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Black Lives Matter was cofounded after the tragic death of Trayvon Martin in 2013. He was racially profiled and murdered by a neighborhood-watch volunteer.

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The founders of Black Lives Matters. (Photo)

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The founders of Black Lives Matters. (Photo)

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These three women founded the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013, Opal Tometi, Patrisse Cullors, and Alicia Garza.

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This song was written by Beyonce and released on Juneteenth in 2020. Within this song, Beyonce promotes Black excellence and appreciation for blackness. She does this by upraising the voices of Black people and promoting Black-owned businesses. Truly a beautiful song.

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The Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love? (Song)

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The Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love? (Song)

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This song was written by the legendary band, Black Eyed Peas. The message of this song is identical to what Black Lives Matter has preached. The social issues of racism, police brutality and social injustice are all brought up.

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The Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love?