Saturday, July 25, 2020

Mercury players will wear Breonna Taylor's name on jerseys in WNBA opener

Phoenix Mercury players will wear Breonna Taylor jerseys in WNBA opener.

Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot when police officers burst into her Louisville apartment using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. The warrant to search her home was in connection with a suspect who did not live there and no drugs were found.

Phoenix players’ jerseys will feature a nameplate that reads “Breonna Taylor” below each player’s number and last name. Additionally, the Mercury will warm up in shirts that read “Black Lives Matter” on the front and “Say Her Name” on the back.

The team, which is in a bubbble in Florida, will open the 2020 campaign this Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks. The opener tips at 12 p.m. and will be available to watch on ABC.

[SOURCE: ARIZONA SPORTS]

Apple donates its proceeds from John Lewis documentary to museums that honor his legacy



In tribute to the life and legacy of civil rights hero and US Congressman John Lewis, Apple will donate its portion of the proceeds from the documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble” to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
“Representative John Lewis’s life and example compel each of us to continue the fight for racial equity and justice,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “This film celebrates his undeniable legacy, and we felt it fitting to support two cultural institutions that continue his mission of educating people everywhere about the ongoing quest for equal rights.”
“The life and legacy of John Lewis, a National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award recipient, is celebrated throughout the museum,” said Terri Lee Freeman, the National Civil Rights Museum’s president. “This timely contribution will help expand our digital platforms, allowing us to reach many more students, parents, and educators globally, and to continue as a catalyst for positive social change, as Representative Lewis encouraged us all to be. We are grateful to Apple for this incredible gift honoring him.”
“Representative John Lewis was a central leader in helping create the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Because of his pivotal role in American history, he understood the impact a history museum like ours could have on the world,” said Spencer Crew, the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s interim director. “For many years, he was the angel who kept the dream of the museum alive, and he made sure we got the presidential and congressional support needed to open in 2016. As a civil rights leader, he had a vision of what was possible for the nation. He had a similar vision for the museum, which helped make it a reality. Apple’s gift in his honor will help us continue to fulfill our mission.”
Customers in the US and Canada can rent “John Lewis: Good Trouble” at apple.co/-goodtroubledoc on the Apple TV app, which is available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, select Samsung and LG smart TVs, and Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices. In Apple News, customers can explore a special Spotlight collection of curated articles that remember Lewis and celebrate his legacy, as well as listen to a collection of episodes that honor his life from The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and more on Apple Podcasts at apple.co/remembering-john-lewis.
About “John Lewis: Good Trouble”
In her intimate account of legendary US Representative John Lewis’s life and legacy, director Dawn Porter takes audiences through his more than 60 years of extraordinary activism — from the bold teenager on the front lines of the civil rights movement to the legislative powerhouse he was throughout his career. After Lewis petitioned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to help integrate a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, King sent “the boy from Troy” a roundtrip bus ticket to meet with him.
From that meeting onward, Lewis became one of King’s closest allies. Lewis organized Freedom Rides, which left him bloodied or jailed, and stood at the front lines in the historic marches on Washington and Selma. Lewis continued to protect civil rights as a member of Congress. He never lost the spirit of “the boy from Troy” and had called on his fellow Americans to get into “good trouble” until his passing on July 17, 2020. “John Lewis: Good Trouble” is a moving tribute to the real-life hero at the forefront of many hard-won battles for lasting change.

Baltimore City State Attorney Marilyn Mosby: Federal agents sent to Baltimore will be prosecuted



Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby took to Twitter to make it clear that any militarized federal agents sent to Baltimore City to attack our citizens by making illegal arrests, kidnapping people, assaulting them, or committing any other crime will be prosecuted by her office.

Funeral Arrangements for Rep. John Lewis Announced



On Thursday night, Lewis' family released details of the Celebration of Life ceremonies for the Congressman that will take place over six days.
The series of events are set to begin on Saturday, July 25 in Lewis' home state of Alabama, and will end with his interment in Atlanta, Lewis' adopted home and the city he helped represent in Congress for decades. 

Any participants who attend public events will be required to wear masks and to maintain appropriate social distancing at each.
Below is the order of celebrations.

Saturday - July 25:
A Service Celebrating the 'Boy from Troy'

Where: Trojan Arena, Troy University

When: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. CT

This ceremony is open to the public, but seating is limited. Participants must obtain a ticket in the parking lot of the arena upon arrival to enter the facility.

Due to the needs required to maintain social distancing, only 800 public seats are available. Attendees will be required to wear face and mouth coverings.

From 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Congressman Lewis will lie in repose for public viewing at Trojan Arena.

Selma Honors Congressman John Robert Lewis: 1940-2020

Where: Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church

When: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CT

This event is not open to the public. Attendees will be required to wear face and mouth coverings.

Rep. Lewis will lie in repose at the church from 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

The public is welcome to the viewing. Face and mouth coverings are required.

Sunday - July 26:

“#GoodTrouble: Courage, Sacrifice & the Long March for Freedom”

Where: Selma and Mongtomery, Alabama

The Final Crossing of Edmund Pettus Bridge

When: 10:00 a.m. CT

The public is invited to view the processional as it travels from Brown Chapel to the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Attendees will be required to wear face and mouth coverings. 

Receiving Ceremony to be held at Alabama State Capitol

Where: Front Entrance Hall State Capitol


When: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. CT
Rep. Lewis will lie in state at the capitol from 3:00 p.m. -- 7 p.m. CT. The viewing is open to the public. Face masks and mouth coverings are required.

Monday - July 27:

The Conscience of the Congress

Where: Washington, D.C.

Rep. Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol rotunda

Mon., July 27, 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Tues., July 28, 8:00 am – 10:00 pm

Wednesday - July 29:

Atlanta's Servant Leader

Where: Georgia State Capitol rotunda

When: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Rep. Lewis will lie in state from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., and again from 8:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.

Attendees will be required to wear face and mouth coverings.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Omega service will be held at the rotunda from 7:00 p.m.- 8 p.m.
Attendees will be required to wear face and mouth coverings.

Thursday - July 30:

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary at 11:00 a.m.
The event is not open to the public.


Friday, July 24, 2020

Lebron James: Back Lives Matter is not a movement...it's a lifestyle

During his media press conference after the LA Lakers first scrimmage in the NBA bubble, Lebron James commented on the Black Lives Matter movement and what it means to him. He said that "When you're Black, it's not a movement. It's a lifestyle..."

Watch his comments below: