Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka to host UNCF 4th annual Mayor's Masked Ball

The New Jersey local office of UNCF will hold its fourth annual Mayor’s Masked Ball on Friday, June 24. More than 300 business, education, and civic leaders including Mayor Ras J. Baraka will gather to raise funds to help provide New Jersey students the necessary resources to get to and through college.

“I am elated to host the fourth annual Mayor’s Masked Ball,” Baraka said. “As a graduate of Howard University, a historically black college and university, I understand the importance of UNCF’s work. I am a dividend of the organization’s commitment in providing quality education for minority students and work diligently to pay it forward for the next generation of leaders.”

Vaughn and Marnie G. McKoy serve as event co-chairs. Masked Award recipients are Elnardo and Samantha Webster, Community Baptist Church of Englewood and Johnson & Johnson for their generosity in providing hope and opportunity to deserving minority youth. Sponsors to date are PSEG, Fountain Baptist Church, Suez, Berger Organization, PNC Bank, Gibbons PC, Johnson & Johnson, Community Baptist Church of Englewood, Becker LLC and Hayward Industries.

WHO: New Jersey local office

WHAT: Newark UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball

WHEN: 6 p.m., Friday, June 24

WHERE: 
Newark Club 
1085 Raymond Blvd. 
New Jersey, NJ 07102

For tickets or more information about the New Jersey local office Mayor’s Masked Ball, please visit: http://give.uncf.org/NewarkMayorsMaskedBall

Follow this event @uncf #MMBNJ

About UNCF 
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.”® Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities. Learn more at http://www.uncf.org/ or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter @UNCF

Dazhane Jackson is misssing

16 year old Dazhane Jackson is missing. She was last seen in Perth Amboy NJ on May 23,according to police.

She is described as a light-skinned African-American girl with brown eyes and black hair. She is about 5 feet 4 inches and 110 pounds.

Police ask that anyone with information on Jackson's location to call 911 or the Perth Amboy Police Department at 732–442–4400.

[SOURCE]

Interview with Leo Smith: GOP operative who believes Trump can get 20% of black vote

Leo Smith

Now I'm a staunch Democrat, but I also believe that African Americans have to be willing to listen to others who we usually don't agree with in order to leverage our voting power so that NO political party takes our vote for granted. So now and then I reach out to someone that I may not agree with politically, but that may have something interesting to say. One such person is Leo Smith. Mr. Smith is the minority engagement director for the Georgia GOP. Mr. Smith caught my attention because of an article in which he stated that he believed that Donald Trump could get 20% of the black vote in the general election, almost triple what Mitt Romney got in 2012.

I instantly wanted to know how he thought that could happen. I reached out to him on Memorial Day weekend, and Mr. Smith got back to me to set up this interview. Listen to Mr. Smith explain how he feels Trump can get 20% of the black vote below. (Sorry for some of the audio early on, you may have to adjust your volume)

NBA player, Bryce Dejean-Jones shot and killed

New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones has died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

The Pelicans issued a statement Saturday afternoon confirming the news.

"It is with deep sadness that the Pelicans organization acknowledges the sudden passing of Bryce Dejean-Jones," the statement said. "We are devastated at the loss of this young man's life who had such a promising future ahead of him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryce's family during this difficult time."

According to a report obtained by the Dallas Morning News, Dallas police officers responded to a call about a shooting at an apartment at about 3:20 a.m. Saturday morning. The resident of the apartment said an individual had kicked open his front door and entered his apartment. The resident, who had been asleep, retrieved a handgun when he heard the individual. After calling out and not receiving an answer, the resident fired his gun at the individual, who left the apartment and collapsed in the breezeway. The individual was transported to the hospital where he died.

Read more: Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones dies after gunshot wound

Re-Imagining of Roots will air on several channels

History Channels Roots re-imagining premieres on May 30 at 8 PM EST/9 CST . It will air simultaneously on the channels History, A&E and Lifetime over four consecutive nights.

Roots Trailer

The four-night, eight-hour event series developed by HISTORY, from A+E Studios, is a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy despite hardship.

The stellar cast includes Academy Award® winners Forest Whitaker ("Fiddler") and Anna Paquin ("Nancy Holt"); Academy Award® nominee and Emmy Award® winner Laurence Fishburne ("Alex Haley"); Golden Globe Award® winning and Emmy Award® nominated actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers ("Tom Lea"); Tony Award® winner Anika Noni Rose ("Kizzy"); Grammy Award® winner Tip "T.I." Harris ("Cyrus"); Chad L. Coleman ("Mingo"); Emayatzy Corinealdi ("Belle"); Matthew Goode ("Dr. William Waller"); Derek Luke ("Silla Ba Dibba"); Mekhi Phifer ("Jerusalem"); James Purefoy ("John Waller"); Erica Tazel ("Matilda") and introduces Regé-Jean Page ("Chicken George") and Malachi Kirby ("Kunta Kinte").

"'Roots' will allow new audiences to experience this epic family saga with a new vision that is both inspiring and tremendously entertaining," said Buccieri. "We are proud that HISTORY will be able to bring new life to this powerful story that remains as important today as it did when the original 'Roots' first premiered."

"Nearly 40 years ago I had the privilege to be a part of an epic television event that started an important conversation in America," said LeVar Burton, Co-Executive Producer. "I am incredibly proud to be a part of this new retelling and start the dialogue again, at a time when it is needed more than ever."

"Roots" is an A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization, the company that produced the original "Roots." Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Barry Jossen serve as executive producers. LeVar Burton and Korin D. Huggins are co-executive producers. Questlove is executive music producer. "Roots" is directed by Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter and Bruce Beresford. Arturo Interian and Michael Stiller serve as Executives in Charge of Production for HISTORY. A+E Networks handles international distribution for "Roots".