Nia Franklin crowned 2019 Miss America

There's a new Miss America in town.

Miss New York Nia Franklin was crowned Miss America 2019 at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The annual show was hosted by Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba and co-hosted by Ross Matthews as women from all fifty states and the District of Columbia all vied for the coveted sparkly tiara.

Miss America 2018 Cara Mund presented the tiara to Franklin, who now begins her yearlong journey as the face of the organization.

Franklin thanked her loved ones during her acceptance speech at the show. "It took a lot of perseverance to get here, and I want to thank my family, my mom and dad, who is a survivor of cancer. And all my sisters behind me, I love each and every one of you," she said.

For her talent portion, Franklin showcased her singing abilities by performing part of an opera. The singer apparently composed her first song was she was just six-years-old. During the question-and-answer portion, Miss New York was asked how she would promote positive body image as Miss America. She responded, "I grew up in a school with only 5% minority, but growing up, I found my love of arts and through music, I felt positive about myself and who I was. That's what I would encourage young girls to do, find who you are."

[SOURCE: E NEWS]

New Jersey UNCF host 5K Walk for Education Raising Money for HBCUs

September is the month for walks as UNCF (United Negro College Fund) hosts 5K walks for education. Between 300-1,500 community influencers will come together to raise vitally needed funds for deserving area students and the historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that support them.

“More than ever, students need a college education to be competitive and succeed in today’s global economy,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., president and CEO of UNCF. “By investing in our students now through events like the UNCF Walk for Education, we are providing them with a path to success that will pay future dividends for them, their families and communities, and for all of us.” Last year’s UNCF-sponsored walks raised more than $2 million.

The details about upcoming UNCF Walk for Education event in Newark NJ are:

The first annual UNCF New Jersey 5K Walk/Run for Education, in partnership with Kat Team Foundation, looks to bring together individuals, family members, friends and co-workers to participate and help raise much-needed funds to help address college-bound students’ financial obstacles so that they are able to get to and through college on September 22 at the Brookdale Park. "Physical and Mental Health and Wellness" is the theme, with activities for children, music, healthy refreshments, friendly competition and information for healthy living at all stages. 

        Run/Walk Day Activities
        Race awards
        Vendor booths
        Food trucks
        Activities for children
        Team photos
        DJ and much more!

Register and find out more information at UNCF.org/NewJerseyWalk 

About UNCF UNCF (the 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, supports and 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 21 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.

National Black Police Association writes letter in support of Colin Kaepernick and Nike

Many conservatives and organizations like the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) would have you believe that all police are against Colin Kaepernick's right to protest. But in a letter to the NAPO the National Black Police Association refutes that notion and proudly announces its support for Colin Kaepernick and Nike. 

Read the NBPA letter below:

Mr. Parker:

It is with great dismay that we were made aware of a letter that you received from the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) regarding your use of Colin Kaepernick in your new “Just Do It” advertising campaign. The National Black Police Association (NBPA) is not in agreement with NAPO on this matter, and we strongly condemn their call for police officers and their families to boycott Nike and its products.

Your inclusion of Mr. Kaepernick in your ads seems appropriate to us. We live in a country where the 1St Amendment is a right of the people. Mr. Kaepernick chose to exercise his right where his passion was on the football field. NAPO believes that Mr. Kaepernick’s choice to openly protest issues surrounding police brutality, racism and social injustices in this country makes him anti-police. On the contrary, the NBPA believes that Mr. Kaepernick’s stance is in direct alignment with what law enforcement stands for-the protection of a people, their human rights, their dignity, their safety, and their rights as American citizens. NAPO has shown an adeptness at maintaining the police status quo and the tone in their letter further validates Mr. Kaepernick’s concerns, as it undermines the trust that is needed by law enforcement in order for the profession to maintain its legitimacy. That NAPO has chosen this matter to take a stance, only perpetuates the narrative that police are racist, with no regard, acknowledgement, respect, or understanding of the issues and concerns of the African- American community.

Your quote “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” is also appropriate as it relates to Mr. Kaepernick. For NAPO to presuppose that Mr. Kaepernick has not made sacrifices because he did not die on a battlefield, shows you just how out of touch NAPO is with the African-American community. We would like for them to stop their false narrative that you are not worthy of respect unless you were in the military or worked in law enforcement. The beauty of this country are the countless sacrifices that all people make in their everyday lives. The African?American community makes a sacrifice each time a life is unjustly lost at the hands of the very people who should protect them. A sacrifice is made each time the criminal justice system treats people of color as less than. A sacrifice is made each time a letter is sent asking officers to boycott a corporation, without asking those very African-American officers who are most affected, what their opinion is.

If they had asked the NBPA, we would have told them that they are out of line, and that the NBPA supports any person or group who exercises their right to peacefully protest against any form of social injustice, including police brutality and racism.

The NBPA proudly supports Nike and your use of Mr. Kaepernick in your new “Just Do It” advertising campaign. Truth and upholding the Constitutional rights of citizens, are cornerstones of leadership in policing. Our mission includes striving constantly to bridge the gap between law enforcement and our communities we are committed to ensuring equity for the community, as we work to enhance trust, legitimacy, transparency, and accountability in policing.

We will likely be buying and wearing lots of Nike products in the near future.

Best wishes,

Sonia Y.W. Pruitt

National Chairperson

Former President Obama unleashes on Trump, watch the full speech

During a speech at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Former President Barack Obama said President Donald Trump is "capitalizing on resentment that politicians have been fanning for years" and questioned "What happened to the Republican Party?", in his most pointed rebuke to date of his successor in the White House. Watch his entire speech below.

Geoffery Owens gets role on Tyler Perry's "The Haves and the Have Nots"

What a couple of weeks for former Cosby Show actor Geoffery Owens. Last week he who received an enormous amount of negative attention from some for working at a New Jersey Trader Joe’s to make ends meet.

This week media mogul Tyler Perry has come through on his offer of a TV show role for former Cosby show actor, Geoffery Owens.

Per The Hollywood Reporter:

Owens has accepted Perry's offer of a role on the OWN series The Haves and the Have Nots. He'll recur on the show's sixth season, appearing in 10 episodes, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The show is about to resume filming in Atlanta.