National African American Gun Association (NAAGA) To hold its inaugural convention

The National African American Gun Association will host the first African American Firearm Convention in U.S. history. The Inaugural Convention takes place August 20 - 22, 2021 in Atlanta.

The Convention program will focus on topics including Firearms etiquette, training, products, Gun culture, education, safety and the Politics of Firearms in the Black Community. (www.NAAGA.co)

To cover the breadth of this historic event, the Conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center, over a three-day period. Each day will focus on different facets of Black American gun ownership.  It will be a celebration of our Origin, our Status, and our view towards the future.

The National African American Gun Association is a firearm association aimed in aiding the education and promotion of gun ownership to all Black Americans. Philip Smith is the National President and Founder. The organization centers its education, concerns and training around the Black community.  People of all religious, social, and racial perspectives are welcomed to join. The 2021 theme is "We Are Family" as we bring together attendees representing our 30,000+ membership community.

“The backbone of the National African American Gun Association are blue collar folks who believe in our organization,” says Philip Smith. “Do we have movie stars and professionals as members, NBA, and NFL players? Yes! But the average working person is our typical member; we are here for our community.”

The inaugural Convention is scheduled to take place over the span of three days:

• Commencing on Friday, August 20 will be the National Shooting Competition. It will include 40 – 50 Conference participants as they compete for national bragging rights during this meet and greet activity, set to take place at Stoddard’s Gun Range.
• Day two on Saturday, August 21, the convention officially kicks off with the Opening Ceremony, Black Tradition of Arms presentation, Keynote Speakers and Firearms Educational sessions. These activities will take place in the Georgia International Convention Center. Highlights will include remarks by Philip Smith; Nicholas Johnson, author and professor; Akinyele Umoj, educator, activist and author; Tiffany Johnson, attorney and firearm trainer; and Charles Cobb, Jr., organizer, agitator and writer. Plus, there will also be a plethora of entertainment and education sessions throughout the day.
• Day three on Sunday, August 22, the Conference will dedicate the day to focus on the Chapters nationwide. Key topics will range from managing the business and finance of the chapters, to membership recruitment tactics, policies and procedures, community engagement and more. Additionally, several sessions will be dedicated to the NAAGA Emergency Support Team (NEST) a growing connected self-sufficient community.

The National African American Gun Association is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit association and is headquartered in Griffin Georgia. Since the start of the organization in 2015, there are over 30,000+ members and 125 chapters nationwide. On average, 1,000 new members are joining nearly each month. It is - by far - the largest Black Gun association in America with over 60% of the members being African American women.

NAAGA prides itself on being a pro-active organization with a familial like culture. Education and Safety is at the core of the organization and all members are encouraged to continuously learn, practice and enhance their knowledge of the industry. In conjunction with regular training, members improve upon muscle-memory of how to properly carry and use a gun. The National African American Gun Association teaches the history of African Americans as it relates to firearms.

When you join the National African American Gun Association, “You are not the first Black person to grab a gun nor will you be the last... you belong to a long legacy of African Americans that came before you and made the ultimate sacrifice so that you can be here today.” Remark Philip Smith. We Are Family!

Registration for the Inaugural Convention is open now!

Registration link: https://na.eventscloud.com/website/19058/

Sponsorship link: https://naaga.co/sponsor/

For more information, visithttps://naaga.co/wearefamily

Former NBA player wins bid to buy bankrupt Ebony Magazine

An East Chicago native and state basketball champ who amassed a fortune in business after playing in the National Basketball Association is poised to buy Ebony magazine out of bankruptcy.

Judge David R. Jones of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of Texas is weighing a proposed order to sell the 75-year-old monthly magazine to Junior Bridgeman's Bridgeman Sports and Media LLC, according to court records. Bridgeman Sports and Media placed the high bid of $14 million in a bankruptcy court-supervised auction, but creditors have objected to the proposed sale that would be free of all liens, claims and encumbrances.

Ebony, a magazine covering African-American culture that was long based in Chicago, was forced into bankruptcy in July by creditors it owed more than $11.8 million. But the case was later turned into a chapter 11 bankruptcy meant to reorganize the company and shed its debts so it could remain a going concern, according U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of Texas filings.

The iconic magazine, which once had a print circulation of 1.7 million and reached an estimated 40% of African-American homes, had defaulted on its loans, according to court records. It was started by Johnson Publishing in downtown Chicago, which also published Jet magazine before liquidating last year. Ebony was most recently based in Los Angeles.

Bridgeman, who sought to buy Sports Illustrated two years ago before it was ultimately acquired by Authentic Brands Group, starred on the legendary 1971 state champion East Chicago Washington High School basketball team. He went on to play for the University of Louisville and in the NBA. He played 12 years for the Milwaukee Bucks, where he averaged double-digit points as a sixth man and got his No. 2 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring, Bridgeman — whose name is Ulysses Bridgeman — built a fast food empire that included more than 450 Wendy's, Chili's, Fazoli's, Perkin's, Golden Corral and Blaze Pizza restaurants. He now runs Heartland Coca-Cola, an independent Coca-Cola bottler with 18 regional distribution centers across the Midwest.

The Richest website estimates Bridgeman's net worth is at least $600 million.

[SOURCE: NWITIMES

San Francisco mayor London Breed: California Senate pick 'a real blow to the African-American community'

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pick to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is "a real blow to the African-American community."

Newsom on Tuesday tapped Calif. Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who would become the first Latino to hold a U.S. Senate seat from the state.

"Definitely, this is a real blow to the African-American community," Breed said of the choice during a news conference to offer Covid-19 updates.

"It's an unfortunate situation as we are trying to move this country forward and making sure that Black lives truly matter and that African-Americans have a seat at the table, especially African-American women, after what was done in this race on a national level, definitely is unfortunate."

[SOURCE: FOX]

Cydney Gillon Wins her 4th Consecutive Figure Olympia

Reigning Figure Olympia champion Cydney Gillon has again won the Figure Olympia title at the 2020 Olympia.

This victory gives her four consecutive victories at the Olympia in the Figure division.

Gillon posted this message on Instagram after her Olympia victory:

So excited to be the FIRST woman to win 4 consecutive Figure Olympia titles‼️

Every second, Every drop of sweat, Every training session came down to one moment when everything falls into place.

You are who you surround yourself with and I am blessed to have this truly amazing team behind me.

My coach, family, guidance counselor: @the_pro_ducer

My mama and second eye for my posing: @fittothe_t ❤️

Check out an interview with the champ after her victory:

Olympia 2020 Figure Results & Prize Money

1. Cydney Gillon, $50,000

2. Natalia Soltero, $20,000

4. Nicole Zenobia Graham, $7000

5. Latorya Watts, $6000

Biden selects Michael Regan to run the Environmental Protection Agency

President-elect Joe Biden will name Michael Regan, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a source familiar with the decision who spoke about private conversations on the basis of anonymity.

If confirmed by the Senate, Regan would be the first African American man to run the EPA. He stands to inherit an agency that has been ground zero as the Trump administration rolled back climate and pollution regulations.

Bringing a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of the environment, economy, and public health, Secretary Regan conceptualized and operationalized North Carolina’s Executive Order 80 — a landmark effort to address climate change’s impact and transition the state’s energy economy. Regan led the negotiations that resulted in the cleanup of the Cape Fear River, which had been contaminated with dangerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), negotiated and oversaw the largest coal ash cleanup in the United States, and created North Carolina’s first Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board to address societal disparities exacerbated by environmental issues during his tenure as Secretary.

Secretary Regan’s subject matter expertise in the realm of environmental, energy, economic, and equity issues is apparent in his lifelong record of public service. He previously served at the EPA under both Democratic and Republican presidents — leading initiatives at the agency to improve energy efficiency and air quality and mitigate pollution — and was an Associate Vice President of the Environmental Defense Fund focused on climate issues. He also founded M. Regan & Associates to help organizations navigate challenges at the intersection of energy, the economy, and the environment. Regan earned his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and his master’s degree from The George Washington University.