Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announces 2022 re-election bid

Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Vi Lyles used a holiday greeting to also touch on her political future.

In a 30-second video posted to her social media pages, Lyles not only wished the community a Happy Thanksgiving but also announced that she will run for re-election in 2022.

“I’m so proud of our community for all of the good works that we’re doing – jobs and housing and so much more,” Lyles said.

November’s election featured no races from the city of Charlotte because of the census data delays that are in legislation. Due to the larger amount of population, these city elections were delayed to early 2022 in March or April.

In 2019, Lyles, a Democrat, was re-elected as mayor over Republican David Michael Rice.

Janet Rollé Named CEO and Executive Director of American Ballet Theatre

Andrew Barth, Chairman of the Board of Governing Trustees at American Ballet Theatre, has announced the appointment of Janet Rollé to the position of CEO and Executive Director at American Ballet Theatre. Her appointment will become effective January 3, 2022. Rollé joins ABT from Parkwood Entertainment, having served as General Manager since 2016.

As General Manager at Parkwood Entertainment, the media and management company founded by entertainer and entrepreneur Beyoncé, Rollé led all business operations for the company which houses departments in music, film, video, live performances and concert production, artist management, business development, marketing, digital, creative, philanthropy, and publicity. Her role included oversight of strategic partnerships, legal and business affairs, marketing, finance, human resources, archive, and information technology for all Parkwood businesses and artists. She was Associate Producer of Beyoncé’s history-making performance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, the Emmy Award®-nominated Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé (2019), which documents the Coachella performance, and the OTR II Tour. She was an Executive Producer of the Emmy®-winning film, Black Is King.

Rollé previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at CNN Worldwide, leading a staff of 110 and overseeing the promotion of all CNN brands and programming. Rollé was the first Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of BET Networks and has also served in senior positions at AOL, MTV Networks, and HBO. She serves on the board of directors of BuzzFeed, Inc. and Hallmark Cards, Inc. In addition, Rollé was previously a Presidential Appointee and member of the Nominating Committee of the United States Tennis Association.

“After a thorough search, Janet emerged as the right leader to usher in ABT’s next chapter,” said Andrew Barth, Chairman of ABT’s Board of Governing Trustees. “Her extensive experience as a business leader and marketing strategist, combined with her life-long passion for dance, perfectly positions her to lead our organization. She is brimming with ideas to lead ABT into the next decade, all while respecting Ballet Theatre’s history and legacy. I am confident that Janet’s accomplished background in business operations and development, strategic partnerships, and brand management will be a tremendous asset.”

“When my dear Mom, an immigrant from Jamaica, took me to my first dance class at the age of eight at the YMCA in Mount Vernon, New York, she set me on the path that would provide the foundation of my career. Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process. These lessons have always been at the core of my professional life and work. It is therefore a singular privilege to be entrusted by the Board to preserve and extend the legacy of American Ballet Theatre, and to ensure its future prosperity, cultural impact, and relevance. To come full circle and be in a position to give back to the art that has given me so much is a source of unbridled and immense joy,” said Rollé.

“I am honored to welcome Janet on board to lead ABT into the future,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “Over the past several years, our Company has renewed its commitment to strengthening the foundation of what ABT has always stood for – artistic excellence, expanding audience engagement and growth, and cultivating a team of teachers, innovators, and visionaries who will represent ABT for generations to come. Janet’s experience as an executive, with a background in dance, as well as her management of the multi-layered business of one of the most successful recording artists history, bodes well for ABT’s continued success.”

Rollé received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the State University of New York at Purchase and an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. She was named “10 Who Made Their Mark” and a “Woman To Watch” by Advertising Age magazine. She is the recipient of the Institute for Caribbean Studies Trailblazer Award and the Pat Tobin Media Professional Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. She was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from The University of the West Indies.

Eddie Bernice Johnson endorses Jasmine Crockett for her House seat

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) endorsed Texas state House Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D) for the House seat she has held for decades.

Crockett announced her candidacy soon after Johnson said she would be retiring.

"A vibrant congressional district like TX-30 needs a representative in Washington with high energy, a passion to fight for us, shrewd intelligence, leadership, and an incessant drive," Johnson said in a statement soon after Crockett announced her run, The Dallas Morning News reported.

"After proudly serving the City of Dallas and Southern sector for 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, I firmly believe that Texas State Representative Jasmine Crockett is just the person we need in Congress at this critical time," she added.

Crockett said in a statement, "The Congresswoman was one or the first Black women elected to the Texas House and I am the most recent - this responsibility has not been lost on me."

"I intend to honor their service by continuing their legacy of coalition building, fierce bravery, and relentless tenacity in the halls of Congress," she added.

President Biden nominates Shalanda Young for OMB director

President Joe Biden has nominated Shalanda Young to serve as the director of the Office of Management and Budget, giving her an opportunity to officially take on the role she has been serving in as acting director for the past eight months.

Young received bipartisan support with a 63-37 vote when she was confirmed to the deputy director position in March, and if confirmed as budget director, she would become the first Black woman to hold the post.

"In her eight months as acting director of OMB, she's continued to impress me and congressional leaders as well," Biden said in a pre-recorded video announcing the nomination on Wednesday.

Young previously served as the staff director for Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, where Biden says she "earned the trust, respect and admiration of Democrats and Republicans alike."

Young has over 14 years of combined experience in various roles with the House Appropriations Committee, oversaw $1.4 trillion in annual federal funding and played a key role in shaping coronavirus relief legislation.

The Office of Management and Budget is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, policies, and procedures to see whether they comply with the president's policies and coordinates inter-agency policy initiatives.

Sen. Raphael Warnock statement on Ahmaud Arbery verdict

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga) released the following statement today after Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan Jr. were found guilty of murder in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery.

This verdict upholds a sense of accountability, but not true justice.

True justice looks like a Black man not having to worry about being harmed—or killed—while on a jog, while sleeping in his bed, while living what should be a very long life.

Ahmaud should be with us today.