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Minneapolis admits it made a mistake by considering social media influencers to provide information to the public during the Derek Chauvin trial.

Read More: AG Barr rejected plea deal proposed by Chauvin in George Floyd death

The city had devised a plan to pay influencers thousands of dollars each to release information on the trial, but on Monday say they have decided not to move forward with the strategy, per The New York Times.

“When we make a mistake,” said Mark Ruff, the city coordinator for Minneapolis, “we acknowledge that, and we will do better.”

The plan was initially approved on Friday by the Minneapolis City Council. They were to pay six influencers to produce “city-generated and approved messages”  targeting the East African, Hmong, Latino, African-American, and Native American communities.

Activists quickly accused the city of trying to spin a false narrative of the trial.

“Heard the Mpls City Council was going to spend $1.1M during the trial to intentionally create propaganda for Black, Indigenous, Somali, Hmong, and Latinx communities… So, I decided to intentionally make media for the community they left out,” wrote Toussaint Morrison who has created YouTube videos mocking the response of city officials in the wake of Floyd’s death.

“This was never about trying to persuade or change public opinion about any particular message, but more it was about getting important information out quickly and in an equitable way,” said David Rubedor, director of the city’s neighborhood and community relations department.

Rubedor adds the plan was proposed in order to quickly provide accurate information about the trial to those who do not subscribe to traditional media.

“For this strategy we used the term social media influencer, which, in retrospect, did not accurately reflect what we were asking of our partners and it caused confusion in the community.” 

He also offered an apology.

“While I believe in and support the intention of this recommendation, we have seen that the impact has caused harm in our communities, and for that, I’m sorry.”

As previously reported by theGrio, the initial plan was going to offer influencers $2K for the promotion.

The idea was conceived as a part of Minneapolis’ Joint Information System as a method of providing “timely and relevant information” on various means and platforms. It will also extend to radio stations in communities of color and other Black-led media outlets.

City spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie said the “goal is to increase access to information to communities that do not typically follow mainstream news sources or city communications channels,” as well as serving non-English speakers.

“It’s also an opportunity to create more two-way communication between the city and communities,” McKenzie stated.

Four officers will stand trial for their part in Floyd’s death. He was killed during an arrest last May 25 as he was being placed into custody.

Former officer Derek Chauvin, who was recorded with his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The other three officers,  J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane, and Tou Thao, face aiding and abetting charges.

Read More: Minority jail officers say they were prohibited from guarding Derek Chauvin

As previously reported by theGrio, the officers will have separate trials. Chavin is scheduled to stand trial on March 8, while a trial for Kueng, Lane, and Thao is scheduled for Aug. 23.

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The post Minneapolis drops plan to pay social media influencers for Derek Chauvin trial appeared first on TheGrio.

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This month, rapper and activist Noname has confirmed that she’s planning to do even more to help the Black community with the construction of her brick-and-mortar headquarters for the “Noname Book Club.”

On March 1, the Chicago-born poet named Fatimah Warner announced that she’d secured a physical space to serve as the official headquarters of her book club, which has grown into an activist network and community outreach program since it was launched in 2019.

Read More: Fred Hampton’s house to become community center after raising funds

“Everything provided in this space will be FREE,” she wrote on her Instagram stories across photos of the book club’s space in progress. “We service the community. We cannot wait for Biden or any other white supremacist political to provide for the people. Capitalism doesn’t end by itself. We have to start building a worker-led solidarity economy. The government would rather bomb Somalia than pay your rent.”

The safe space will provide political education classes, book and food drives, book club meet-ups, tent drives, free art shows, free movie screenings, and more. It’ll also have a radical community library accessible to all.

In a sequence of tweets shared on Monday evening, Noname promised her supporters “good things on the way” and linked to a Patreon page where those who want to bolster these efforts can do so by subscribing for as little as one dollar per month.

Snow on tha Bluff

As we previously reported, Noname made headlines last year when conscious rapper J. Cole found himself in the crosshairs of controversy after fans seemingly deciphered that his surprise single “Snow on tha Bluff’ was directed at her.

In the track, the enigmatic 35-year-old kicks things off by lamenting, “It’s something about the queen tone that’s botherin’ me.”

READ MORE: American Airlines diverts flight after women allegedly use racial slurs and spit on passenger

He opened up about how he feels when activists call out celebrities for not using their platforms during moments of civil unrest, explaining:

“There’s a young lady out there, she way smarter than me / I scrolled through her timeline in these wild times and I started to read / She mad at these crackers, she mad at these capitalists, mad at these murder police / She mad at my n***as, she mad at our ignorance, she wear her heart on her sleeve / She mad at the celebrities, low-key I be thinkin’ she talkin’ ’bout me.”

After the song dropped, several fans called Cole out, stating that it was both defensive and perhaps even misogynistic to dedicate a whole diss track to a Black woman on the frontlines, when he’s repeatedly admitted to not being equipped to do the same.

Despite Cole’s critique that the “young lady” in question condescends rather than educates, fans also pointed out that the Chicago native actually has an entire book club dedicated to teaching Black people about social justice issues and liberation.

Read More: Deborah Joy Winans on ‘Don’t Waste Your Pretty’ Role: ‘I never thought I could be the sexy girl’

After a full day of debates, Noname responded with a track of her own called “Song 33.”

“I saw a demon on my shoulder/It’s looking like patriarchy,” she begins, making it clear exactly who and what she’s referencing, then comes to a conclusion, “I guess the ego hurt now/ It’s time to go to work/ Wow/Look at him go/He really bout to write about me when the world is in smokes?”

But later she admitted she regretted the clap back.

“i’ve been thinking a lot about it and i am not proud of myself for responding with song 33,” she tweeted regarding her Madlib-produced track. “i tried to use it as a moment to draw attention back to the issues i care about but i didn’t have to respond. my ego got the best of me. i apologize for any further distraction this caused.”  

She later added, “madlib killed that beat and i see there’s a lot of people that resonate with the words so i’m leaving it up but i’ll be donating my portion of the song’s earnings to various mutual aid funds. black radical unity.”

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The post Noname’s Book Club facility set to provide political education classes, food drives for community appeared first on TheGrio.

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George Floyd’s family is disappointed that a judge ruled on Monday, only one family member can be in the Minneapolis courtroom during the highly anticipated trial due to COVID-19 restrictions. The same goes for former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin’s family.

“The family is looking forward to the start of the trial as a critical milestone on the path to justice and a step toward closure in this dark chapter of their lives,” said Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, Floyd family attorneys, in a statement, per CNN.

Everyone in attendance is expected to wear a mask and social distance. Witnesses and attorneys may only remove their masks to give statements.

“This has been a deeply painful and emotional year for every member of the Floyd family, many of whom intended to be in the courtroom to witness this trial. While they understand the judge’s reasons to limit attendance in the courtroom, the family is understandably disappointed by this ruling.”

Read More: Minneapolis taps paid influencers to combat false info in trials over George Floyd death

With appropriate credentials, family members can rotate per Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill‘s ruling. The trial will also be broadcast live for those who cannot attend.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd, which is set to kick off on March 8 with jury selection.

The pandemic is also why Chauvin’s trial is separate from the other three officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, also on trial for Floyd’s murder. They have all pled not guilty to aiding and abetting 2nd-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Judge Cahill said “physical limitations” in the courtroom would make it impossible to hold them all together. They will stand trial in the summer.

Read More: Growing tension in Minneapolis as trial looms in Floyd death

As reported by theGrio, the ruling of the case is on the country’s radar.

City officials had blockades installed to control potential protests at the Hennepin County Courthouse, the Minneapolis City Hall building, and the Hennepin County Jail.

Per TMZ, concrete barriers, non-scalable fencing, and barbed wire are being erected around the buildings, as well as plexiglass installments for COVID-19 safety precautions. 

In October, a judge granted Chauvin permission to leave Minnesota due to “safety concerns” as he awaits trial for his role in the death of George Floyd. Under the conditions of his revised release, Chauvin had to “establish residency somewhere in the State of Minnesota or a contiguous state as soon as possible.”

Chauvin was arrested in May 2020 and charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25 death. Bystander video, which quickly went viral, saw him placing a knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes until he lost consciousness and died. 

“Please, please, please, I can’t breathe,” Floyd begged in one video. “My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I can’t breathe.”

Floyd’s death led to nationwide and global protests over police brutality and race relations.

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The post Only 1 family member from Floyd, Chauvin families to be allowed in courtroom appeared first on TheGrio.

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Mike Brown Sr. and local community organizer Tony Russell have demanded the Black Lives Matter organization provide $20M to continue their work in Ferguson, Missouri.

Read More: Ferguson elects Ella Jones as its first Black mayor

Russell, who co-founded the International Black Freedom Alliance appeared next to Brown Sr. in a video expanding on their official statement. The IBFA released a series of images and videos via Twitter that clarifies their mission and their reasoning for asking BLM to provide the money.

According to the Twitter thread, Brown Sr. has only received $500 from any BLM affiliated group since his son’s 2014 killing, despite being a community figure who organizes and supports other families in healing and empowerment.

The demand is in response to news of BLM receiving over $90M in response to the uprisings launched after the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and others.

“On behalf of many activists in the St. Louis area, I’m joined by Mike Brown Sr., the father of Mike Brown Jr. Today, we hold Black Lives Matter accountable,” Russell announced in the video.

As theGrio reported, Black Lives Matter ended the year 2020 with a balance of more than $60M, opening up about their finances for the first time. BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors said their goal is to reinvest the money.

“One of our biggest goals this year is taking the dollars we were able to raise in 2020 and building out the institution we’ve been trying to build for the last seven and a half years,” she said, according to the report.

Several chapters of BLM across the country have expressed their desire for transparency regarding fundraising in the organization. Cullors responded that things behind-the-scenes are not what people may assume.

“Because the BLM movement was larger than life — and it is larger than life — people made very huge assumptions about what our actual finances looked like,” Cullors said according to theGrio. “We were often scraping for money, and this year was the first year where we were resourced in the way we deserved to be.”

Read More: Black Lives Matter receives Nobel Peace Prize nomination

According to statements revealed in the Twitter thread, organizers and activists have questioned the allocation of funds raised by BLM prior to the news reports of their financial assets.

Russell, Brown Sr. and others hope to use the money for the Chosen For Change Foundation, the Mike Brown Community Center, organizing grants for Ferguson protests and activists, various programs and services in the Black community, and the annual Aug. 9 commemorations of Brown’s death.

“Even before the article, ” the tweet stated, “Mike Brown Sr. and many Black community members have had questions about the money #BlackLivesMatter was raising.”

After the news revealed the substantial donations, Black Lives Matter launched a Survival Fund for people to apply for 3,000 microgrants of $1K. Applicants who gained approval would see the funds in their chosen method of payment with no-strings-attached theGrio reported.

“This came from a collective conversation with BLM leadership that Black folks are being hurt the most financially during the pandemic,” Cullors said, according to the report. “I believe that when you have resources, to hoard them is a disservice to the people who deserve them,” she said.

As of Feb.25, 2021, at least 300 people had been approved for grants. According to the report, one Survival Fund recipient, Kusema Thomas, was able to obtain the funds quickly.

““It reinforces some of the things that have just been natural to us as a community,” Thomas said. “It’s a point of pride, that’s connected to our history of being able to support each other. It’s how we show love.”

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The post Mike Brown’s father, Ferguson organizers request $20M from BLM appeared first on TheGrio.

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President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccines for all adult Americans by the end of May, two months earlier than anticipated, as his administration announced that drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved shot.

Read More: Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution begins with nearly 4 million doses

The announcement comes as the White House looks to speed the production of the single-dose J&J vaccine and accelerate the nation’s plans to reach “herd immunity” in the U.S. and begin restoring normalcy after the pandemic. Biden noted that vaccine supply was only one bottleneck toward that goal, and that the new challenge will be injecting doses into arms as swiftly as possible.

To that end, the Biden administration told governors Tuesday to prepare for their supplies of vaccine to continue to climb over the coming weeks. Additional doses are also heading toward a federally backed program to administer doses in more accessible retail pharmacies.

Officials have said J&J faced unexpected production issues with its vaccine and produced only 3.9 million doses ahead of its receiving emergency use authorization on Saturday. The company has promised to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also announced Tuesday that the federal government was increasing supply of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to states next week to 15.2 million doses per week, up from 14.5 million previously. States will also receive 2.8 million doses of the J&J shot this week.

On a call with governors Tuesday, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said states should prepare for administering 16-17 million total weekly doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of March, climbing to 17-18 million weekly by early April. The supply of J&J doses to states, expected to dip after the initial shipment this week, will climb to 4-6 million weekly doses by the end of March and 5-6 million doses weekly through the end of April.

More than 800,000 doses of the J&J vaccine will also be distributed this week to pharmacies to administer in a separate federally-run program that also includes 2.4 million doses of the other two shots. Both figures are expected to steadily increase, as the White House increasingly looks to the capacity of pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens to help speed the nation’s mass vaccination campaign.

Facing questions about the company’s slipping delivery schedule, J&J Vice President Richard Nettles told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week that the company had faced “significant challenges” because of its “highly complex” manufacturing process.

The assistance from Merck was expected to help J&J meet its production commitments and expand supply even further, but the administration did not immediately provide specifics.

Psaki said that an “across the administration effort” was required to get the two historic rivals to work together on the vaccines, even though conversations between the two companies have been going on for months.

“There’s a difference between conversations and it moving forward,” she said.

President Joe Biden is set to highlight the development in a speech Tuesday afternoon, as his administration now expects to have enough supply of the three approved vaccines to inoculate all eligible American adults by June — though actually delivering the injections could take longer.

It was not immediately clear when the effect of Merck’s assistance would be reflected in supply. Previously, federal officials have cautioned that setting up the highly specialized manufacturing lines to produce vaccines would take months.

The White House said Merck would devote two plants to the production process. One would make the vaccine and the other would handle inserting the vaccine into vials and ensuring strict quality controls. Psaki said the Biden administration was using its powers under the Defense Production Act to help Merck retool to work on the production.

The news was first reported by The Washington Post.

Compared to the two-dose versions produced by Moderna and Pfizer, the J&J vaccine is less resource intensive to distribute and administer, making it a critical piece to U.S. plans to spread vaccinations around the world — but only once Americans are inoculated. The J&J vaccine can be stored for months at refrigerated temperatures, rather than frozen, and doesn’t require patients to return for a second dose three or four weeks later.

J&J has set up a global production network that includes brewing bulk vaccine at its Janssen facility in the Netherlands, and with a company in the U.S., Emergent BioSolutions, and another in India, Biological E. Ltd. Other contract manufacturers are lined up to help with later steps, including putting the vaccine into vials, in the U.S., Italy, Spain and South Africa.

In the scramble to create COVID-19 vaccines, the three Western drug makers who’ve dominated the vaccine industry for decades — Merck & Co., Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline — surprisingly all fell short. Merck halted its own plans to develop a coronavirus vaccine earlier this year, finding that their candidates were generating an inferior immune system response compared with other vaccines. It said it would instead focus its work on developing treatments for COVID-19.

Now, amid the global clamor for more vaccine doses, those heavyweights are helping manufacture doses for less-experienced rivals whose vaccines won the first emergency authorizations from regulators.

Merck has since said it was in talks to help other drug companies with vaccine production, but wouldn’t say Tuesday whether other deals are imminent.

“Merck remains steadfast in our commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic and to preparing to address future pandemics,” the Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said in a statement.

Sanofi Pasteur, named for pioneering French biologist Louis Pasteur, produces more than 1 billion vaccine doses a year and is a leader in pediatric, influenza and polio vaccines. It, too, has had delays with its COVID-19 vaccine candidates. While it tries to resolve those problems, Sanofi has agreed to bottle and package about 125 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer and German partner BioNTech, as well as roughly 12 million doses per month of J&J’s vaccine.

GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies’ vaccines. Adjuvants boost immune system response to vaccines, meaning smaller doses could be used and supply could be stretched.

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The impact of Vernon Jordan will span beyond his 85 years of life.   

Jordan, who died Monday evening, was a Black man with a pedigree not too many, Black or white, have been able to achieve. He advised presidents, was a civil rights leader, lawyer, investment banker and businessman.

He is also remembered as a mentor who sponsored many young people in business and politics who wanted better and greater for themselves and society.

Read More: Vernon Jordan, civil rights leader and ex-Clinton advisor, dead at 85

Jordan opened the doors to the highest levels and offices for Black Americans. Marc Morial, the president of the National Urban League tells theGrio, “[Vernon Jordan] had a behind-the-scenes influence.”

Jordan was one of the first Black Americans to sit on a corporate board in the ’70s and ’80s. He remained on those boards throughout the years and his seat at the table opened doors for Black CEOs like Ken Chenault and Ursula Burns. 

As Morial points out, “The common denominator for both of those Black [CEOs] was that Vernon Jordon was a board member of both of those companies.”

Vernon Jordan rose to the highest heights by doing the work; beginning as a young civil rights activist in the 1960s. He also served as executive director of the United Negro College Fund, head of the Voter Education Project and state director for the Georgia NAACP. Jordan was also a presidential advisor to various presidents, including Barack Obama and more notably Bill Clinton.

Jordan was also one of the national presidents of the Urban League and he is credited for the famous and annual State of Black America report. The report turns 45 this year with the latest data being released this June. 

Morial points out that the annual report’s sole existence is due to Vernon Jordan. “In 1976, Jordan watched President Ford deliver the State of the Union Address. Then-President Ford did not mention Black people, did not mention cities, poverty or civil rights,” recounts Morial.

“It was a speech as though the problems of Black America did not exist. As a result of that speech, Vernon said ‘I will do my own damn report.’”

Read More: L.A. Urban League threatens Comcast with boycott over civil rights battle with Entertainment Studios

And that he did. Jordan pulled together experts from all areas to include “scholars and economists” and comprised his own report that year. 

In the ’80s, Vernon Jordan was the target of a white supremacist shooter in 1980 inside of a hotel in Wayne, Indiana. Morial recalls the “deranged” man was targeting Reverend Jesse Jackson and shot Jordan instead. Jordan survived the shooting and continued his work.

Morial says the news of Jordan’s death makes it is a “tough” day. He remembers the other, more private side of Jordan.

“He had a great sense of humor, he loved to tell stories,” says Morial.  

Jordan was also known as an avid golfer and one of his familiar vacation haunts during the summer was Martha’s Vineyard. 

As theGrio previously reported, his 2001 memoir, Vernon Can Read!: A Memoir, won the Best Nonfiction Book from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

In 2017, in one of his last major appearances, Jordan was the commencement speaker at Syracuse University.

Jordan leaves, to cherish his memory, his wife Ann Dibble Jordan, daughter Vickee Jordan Adams and seven grandchildren.

theGrio’s Biba Adams contributed to this report.

The post Vernon Jordan paved the way for Black leaders in business and politics appeared first on TheGrio.

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This week, a third woman came forward to accuse New York governor Andrew Cuomo of inappropriate behavior. Now his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has broken his silence about the allegations to his viewing audience.

READ MORE: ‘Bachelor’ producers defend Rachel Lindsay: Harassment ‘rooted in racism’

Monday, Cuomo opened up his show addressing the elephant in the room head on.

“Before we start tonight, let me say something that I am sure very obvious to you who watch my show, and thank you for that. You are straight with me. I will be straight with you,” he began. “Obviously, I am aware of what is going on with my brother, and obviously, I cannot cover it because he is my brother. Now of course CNN has to cover it. They have covered it extensively and they will continue to do so.”

To his point, the network has so far devoted eight segments to the allegations against Gov. Cuomo on Sunday; two on Saturday, and another two on Friday.

“I have always cared very deeply about these issues, and profoundly so. I just want to tell you that,” the anchor concluded before pivoting to the rest of the show, “There’s a lot of news that goes on also, so let’s get after that.”

Monday, The New York Times published a piece about the politician’s third accuser, Anna Ruch, who alleges an incident allegedly occurred at a wedding reception in Sept. 2019. 

In the story, Ruch tells the publication that Cuomo, who she had never met, put his hand on her lower back, and when she removed it, he then put his hands on her face and asked her, “Can I kiss you?” 

She told the newspaper that she was “confused and shocked and embarrassed” by the encounter, which a photographer captured. A friend who witnessed it corroborated her account. Ruch’s allegations follow those of two former state employees — Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett — who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in the workplace. 

As previously reported, Cuomo recently issued an apology for what he calls comments that may “have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation.” 

“At work, sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny,” Cuomo said in a statement issued in response to the claims. “I do, on occasion, tease people in what I think is a good-natured way. I do it in public and in private. You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business.”

Cuomo, who is in his third term, is also dealing with another crisis in his administration as questions have arisen about his supervision of the movement of elderly people between hospitals and nursing homes in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. 

READ MORE: Spike Lee, HBO Films team up for documentary commemorating 20 years since 9/11

New York Attorney General Letitia James will be opening an independent investigation into his actions. However, calls from fellow Democrats have already started to come in for Cuomo to leave office.

“The time has come,” Rep. Kathleen Rice tweeted Monday night. “The Governor must resign.”

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Superstar athlete Serena Williams is back as the star of another Stuart Weitzman campaign; however, she had some help this time. Her three-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. joined in for their first collaborative fashion ad.

Read More: Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia is a part-owner of LA soccer team

Titled “Footsteps to Follow,” the campaign marks Williams’ fourth season with the brand as its global spokeswoman. According to a statement, the shoot took place at their home, where the family of three, including husband Alexis Ohanian, reside. 

Together, mother and daughter enjoyed music and creative poses in various ‘Mommy and me’ looks.

“Being on set with Olympia to shoot this campaign meant so much to me, and it is a moment together I will never forget,” said Serena in the statement. “She is Mini Serena; she’s so cute and she’s so fun.”

She continued, “Waking up every day to see her so happy to see me is a feeling I never thought I would experience. While I try to teach her how to be a positive influence, she in fact teaches me how to be a stronger person every day. It’s the best part about being a mom.”

According to the brand’s statement, the campaign was created to reflect the multi-faceted nature of womanhood. The images and video of Serena Williams and Olympia represent the bond between mother and daughter, the balance of family, parenting, career and community, confidence and inner strength, and how one generation can inspire the next.

Read More: Alexis Ohanian supports Serena Williams with ‘Greatest Athlete’ T-shirt

In the video, shared on Instagram by the 23-time Grand Slam winner, she and her daughter playfully dance, spin, and pose, highlighting fashionable pieces from the Stuart Weitzman brand.

“The adventures of Serena and Olympia continue,” she wrote in the caption. In the short clip, Williams describes the best part of being a mother.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)

Starting in fashion-forward campaigns may not be the only path young Olympia will follow. theGrio reported the 3-year-old toddler had her first tennis lesson in October 2020. 

Williams documented the moments through her Instagram story and shared how she decided to give her daughter space to learn without being right by her side.

“So, she’s at her lesson, but I’m going to leave so I’m not distracting. I know how to, like, leave and be. I’m not, like, an overprotective mom — no matter what Alexis [Ohanian] says,” she remarked.

She also shared the instructor was not aware of her daughter’s legacy identity.

“The lady has no idea that it’s my daughter. So we’ll see how it goes,” Williams continued. “I’m not a pushy mom, but I know how I like technique. So, I want to make sure she’s good at teaching Olympia some techniques.”

theGrio reported although the tennis star did not win the recent 2021 Australian Open semifinal, losing to champion Naomi Osaka, her athletic career is not over. Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, shared his opinion on rumors that Williams should or would retire.

“I don’t think she planned [retirement] for this certain moment. She’s dedicated all her life to tennis since she was a kid,” he said according to the report. “So the day she will retire, she will feel like she’s giving an end to 40 years of a life.”

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The post Serena Williams, daughter Olympia star in first campaign together for Stuart Weitzman appeared first on TheGrio.

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Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to end an order intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 42,000 Texans.

The Republican governor has faced sharp criticism from his party over the mandate, which was imposed eight months ago, and other COVID-19 restrictions. It was only ever lightly enforced, even during the worst outbreaks of the pandemic.

Read More: Fauci cautiously warns we could still be wearing masks in 2022

Texas will also do away with limits on the number of diners that businesses can serve indoors, said Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. He said the new rules would take effect March 10.

“Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility,” said Abbott, speaking from a crowded dining room where many of those surrounding him were not wearing masks.

“It’s just that now state mandates are no longer needed,” he said.

The decision comes as governors across the U.S. have been easing coronavirus restrictions, despite warnings from health experts that the pandemic is far from over. Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February.

Only California and New York have reported more COVID-19 deaths than Texas.

“The fact that things are headed in the right direction doesn’t mean we have succeeded in eradicating the risk,” said Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, a professor of integrative biology and director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium.

She said the recent deadly winter freeze in Texas that left millions of people without power — forcing families to shelter closely with others who still had heat — could amplify transmission of the virus in the weeks ahead, although it remains too early to tell. Masks, she said, are one of the most effective strategies to curb the spread.

Abbott imposed the statewide mask mandate in July during a deadly summer surge. But enforcement was spotty at best, and some sheriffs refused to police the restrictions at all. And as the pandemic dragged on, Abbott ruled out a return to tough COVID-19 rules, arguing that lockdowns do not work.

Politically, the restrictions elevated tensions between Abbott and his own party, with the head of the Texas GOP at one point leading a protest outside the governor’s mansion. Meanwhile, mayors in Texas’ biggest cities argued that Abbott wasn’t doing enough.

Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. But those orders are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks.

Ahead of the repeal in Texas, Democratic lawmakers urged Abbott to reconsider.

Read More: AG sues Texas utility over customers’ sky-high energy bills

“Texas will experience more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths,” state Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, a Democrat from the border city of Laredo, told Abbott in a letter Monday.

Laredo, whose population is predominately Latino, has endured some of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic, running out of beds in hospital intensive care units as recently as January. The international trade hub has been among Texas’ most aggressive cities in trying to blunt the spread of the virus, taking measures that have included curfews.

“Elected by the people, your most fundamental obligation is their health and safety. Please do not abrogate your duty,” Raymond said.

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Degrassi star Jahmil French has reportedly died at the age of 29.

French’s co-stars and friends shared on social media that he died on Monday, People reported. A cause of death has not been given on the actor who starred as Dave Turner on Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2009 -2013.

Read More: Chicago comedian Erica Watson dies at 48 due to COVID-19

Joshua Safran, a screenwriter and producer, previously worked with French on the Netflix series Soundtrack. Safran confirmed French’s passing as speculation spread on social media.

“I can confirm my good friend, co-worker, and all around inspiration, Jahmil French, passed away yesterday,” Safran wrote. “Only posting because I see the story getting out there. I will have more to say about him later. Right now we’re all just processing this devastating news.”

French’s last Instagram post was on January 18, in which he shared a picture of himself smiling.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jahmil French (@jahmilfrench)

Christina Milian, who also starred in Soundtrack, honored her former co-star under the post. The singer and actress wrote, “You will be missed. 😢 Rest peacefully King.”

Read More: Jay-Z’s cannabis line launches social justice awareness campaign

Annie Clark starred alongside French on Degrassi and paid tribute to him and wrote of being heartbroken over his passing.

“I’ll never forget the day I met him. Jahmil was so full of energy and absolute joy to be around. The video on the last slide is how I always think of him. He was such a special person and I’m so grateful for the memories we made. I still can’t believe it. Gone way too soon. He will be so missed by us all,” she posted.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Annie Clark (@annie__clark)

Jessica Tyler, another Degrassi alum, spoke of how she, French and the other cast members bonded while starring on the series.

“I, along with my castmates, had the pleasure of working with Jahmil for several years,” she wrote. “And though it was work, it never felt that way. We grew up together, all of us. There are so many memories to look back on.”

“Though not all of us have kept in close contact since Degrassi ended — and not for any reason other than the simple fact that time and life go on – at the end of the day, we are a family,” Tyler continued. “Always have been, always will be. We are bound together, forever, by the unique experience we call, Degrassi. A place that many of us would call home to this day.”

Tyler ended her post by extended her deepest condolences to French’s loved ones.

“You are so loved Jahmil,” the actress concluded. “My heart goes out to you and your family. Rest in Peace. Your kindness and bright light will not be forgotten. Much love to you, my friend.”

French’s role on Degrassi earned him a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series. He later earned a Best Supporting Actor at the Canadian Screen Awards for his work as Anthony ‘A-Mac’ Macdonald on Boost.

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Last week an American Airlines flight headed to California was diverted to Phoenix after two women allegedly got into a racially charged argument with another passenger who asked them to stop using hate speech.

According to police, the incident took place on Feb. 24 on Flight 776 from Dallas-Fort Worth to Los Angeles. The airline confirmed in a statement that after arriving in Phoenix, authorities “removed and arrested two individuals for verbally and physically assaulting other customers and flight crew members.”

Witnesses later explained to Phoenix police that the two women – now identified as 30-year-old Kelly Pichardo and Leeza Rodriguez, 29 – were using a racial slur when a male passenger interjected. He requested that they stop using the offensive language.

READ MORE: Will Smith open to run for president ‘at some point down the line’

“Kelly Pichardo became upset and allegedly spit at the male passenger who had asked her to stop using that language,” a police statement read. “The male passenger then began to record the two women and that is when Leeza Rodriguez struck the man’s hand to keep him from recording the incident.”

Both women were placed on American Airlines’ internal refuse list as the investigation continues.  They have each been charged with disorderly conduct with Pichardo also facing additional felony assault charges.

“We continue to investigate this incident and are working directly with impacted customers to ensure their well-being. We thank our crew members for their professionalism in managing a difficult situation,” the airline company said, noting that the aircraft eventually continued to California as planned without further incident.

The “not-so-friendly” skies

The current political climate in the wake of Donald Trump‘s divisive presidency, which was capped by the siege at the Capitol, has made flights – where cross sections of Americans are forced to be in close quarters for hours on an end – a hotbed for discord and heated confrontations.

As we previously reported, back in January, during a flight from Miami to Philadelphia, mayhem ensued after a passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight began coughing and sneezing. When the passenger in front of him complained to the flight attendant, that passenger was told he had the option of driving to his destination.

The passenger who shot the video was in the middle of the packed flight. The passenger in the row right behind him was hacking and sneezing, to the point the passenger requested to move to the back of the plane.

READ MORE: ‘Degrassi’ star Jahmil French dies at 29: report

He moved to the back, and after the plane landed he went to the captain and complained that the man in the row behind him was clearly sick. A flight attendant inserted himself into the conversation, saying, “You have an option. You can drive your car if it’s a problem.” He then added, “You can’t tell people to get off the plane if they got a cough and they’re sneezing.”

The passenger continued to insist that the other passenger was sick and at that point, the flight attendant fired back, “You’re no doctor.”

In the midst of the verbal exchange, a different flight attendant who is not seen in the frame tells the complaining passenger he should be on a no-fly list and the flight attendant who is visible agrees. The captain is mostly silent, looking on as the conversation becomes more tense.

While TMZ reported that all passengers were given a temperature check at the gate prior to boarding, the incident illustrators how tumultuous the “friendly skies” have become of late.

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