Author: Kristin Early, Resident Editor
The passing of Joseph Lowery, civil rights leader and former aid to Martin Luther King Jr., was confirmed by Imara Canady, a representative of the family. The Early Years Joseph Echols Lowery was born on October 6, 1921 in Huntsville, Alabama. His father was a small shop owner and his mother worked as a teacher part-time. In his hometown, racism was not uncommon. The Ku Klux Klan was known to use various scare tactics like burning crosses against the African Americans in the town. These clear racial divides attritbuted to Lowery’s future involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Lowery stated…
On Sunday, January 26, 2020, it was reported that former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant (41) was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. What We Know: According to reports, Bryant was aboard his private helicopter with four other people when a fire broke out and the helicopter went down. Witnesses who were biking in the area said they could hear the engine of the helicopter sputtering before it crashed. Emergency personnel quickly responded but unfortunately, there were no survivors. There has been confirmation that his wife, Vanessa Bryant, was not on board. Adrain Wojnarowski with ESPN, has advised…
After being acquitted of killing Trayvon Martin (17) in 2012, Geroge Zimmerman has decided to sue the Martin family for $100 million due to the “damages” caused be the case. What We Know: Zimmerman has denied his responsibility in the killing of Trayvon Martin several times. He claims that as a neighborhood watch volunteer, he was only defending himself during the 2012 encounter with the unarmed 17-year-old. Martin’s death inspired many protests and a national debate on race relations during Zimmerman’s trial. Due to the injustice, it angered protesters even more that Zimmerman was acquitted of the charges and that…
Four years after the killing of 26-year-old Anthony Hill, Robert “Chip” Olsen has been found not guilty of murder. What We Know: After one long week of deliberations, it was announced on Monday that Olsen was found not guilty on two felony murder charges. Despite this, he has been still convicted of aggravated assault, making a false statement, and two counts of violation of oath. According to the prosecution, Olsen did not follow protocol for using force and that a baton could have been used instead of the gun. In March 2015, the DeKalb County police department was notified of…
Mental health is a widely discussed topic in today’s society. Despite so much discussion currently occurring, there seems to be less hype when it comes to discussing mental health within communities for people of color. It can be hard to find outlets to help deal with the different sources that take a toll on our mental health. With that in mind, Julio Rivera is making strides to change the narrative around the way we deal with these issues. Rivera took the time to think on his own needs to help create a platform for people of color to manage and…
In an indictment, federal prosecutors accused wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein of sex trafficking dozens of minors in two states between 2002 and 2005. Last month, he was charged with running a sex-trafficking operation in New York. Pre-Arrest: In 1973, Epstein worked as a math and physics teacher at Manhattan’s private Dalton School. Epstein left the school after a student’s father urged him to pursue a career on Wall Street, according to Vanity Fair. After working for Bear Stearns, he decided to open his own company, J. Epstein & Co. which manages the money of individuals with a $1 billion or…
After two rounds of Democratic presidential debates, John Hickenlooper has decided to pull out of the presidential race. What We Know: In a video released on social media, Hickenlooper announced that he will no longer be pursing the position of President. As the former two-term governor of Colorado, Hickenlooper has been encouraged to run for Colarado’s Senate seat instead. In the video, Hickenlooper did hint at the idea of possibly taking up the offer to run for Senate. “I intend to give that some serious thought.” An anonymous source told FOX News that Senator Chuck Schumer is one of the…
Kevin Richardson, one of the Central Park Five, will be honored at a special scholarship benefit at Syracuse University on September 8. What We Know: During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in June, Richardson admitted that he had hoped to play the trumpet in Syracuse’s band before he was arrested and accused of being involved in the rape of Trisha Meili in 1989. “One of my goals was playing for Syracuse University, but I never reached that,” he said. That same month, a petition was started on change.org, by Syracuse student Jalen Nash, to help get Richardson an honorary degree…
For the past 12 years, Guy Bryant has fostered more than 50 young men in Brooklyn. What We Know: Bryant (61) decided to become a foster parent in 2007. He had worked at a group home in Brooklyn for 10 years and unfortunately, the city began breaking up this and many other homes. One of the young men he worked with asked him to take him in and that is where it all began. He took in that young man and two other boys as well. He eventually outgrew his East Flatbush apartment, fostering as many as six boys at…
After a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, TX, the company has decided to remove their violent video game displays yet continue to sell guns. What We Know: With a country fighting for gun control after two more mass shootings, Walmart has decided to continue to selling guns. Instead, in an effort to combat gun violence, they are pulling they’re violent video game displays and any movie displays that reference gun violence. This comes after President Trump blames “gruesome and grisly video games” as a contributing factor to mass shootings. With studies showing no clear link being gun…