Once a custodian, he's now a principal

From school custodian to principal. That's the trajectory for 38-year-old Michael Atkins, the new principal at Stedman Elementary School in Denver, Colorado.

1st African American named Nevada Guard’s adjutant general

60-year-old Brig. Gen. Ondra Berry; a 32-year veteran of the National Guard has been named as Nevada’s first African-American adjutant general in its 154-year history.

Gov. Steve Sisloak announced Berry’s appointment on Monday.

He says Berry's exemplary military experience combined with his background in senior leadership roles in law enforcement and business gives him an invaluable perspective on the qualities and skills necessary for the job.

Berry served 25 years as a Reno police officer. He retired as assistant chief in 2005 and became senior vice president for diversity and inclusion at MGM Resorts. He’s been the Nevada Air Guard’s assistant adjutant general since 2015.

Berry says he’s honored and humbled to be selected to replace retiring Brig. Gen. William Burks effective Sept. 1.

Kawhi Leonard & L.A. Clippers Donating One Million Backpacks To Southern California Students

Kawhi Leonard, the L.A. Clippers Foundation and non-profit community partner Baby2Baby, announced this morning a gift of one million backpacks intended to reduce stress on low-income families headed back to school across Southern California. Every single student in the Moreno Valley Unified, Inglewood Unified and Los Angeles Unified School Districts will receive a new backpack to start the school year. Leonard made the announcement at Cloverdale Elementary School in his hometown of Moreno Valley, and was joined afterwards by Baby2Baby Ambassadors Zooey Deschanel, Busy Philipps and Nicole Richie and Co-Presidents Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein at 107th Street Elementary School in Watts to distribute backpacks in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

“My goal this year is to make a meaningful contribution both on and off the court. This felt like the right way to get started. It was important to me to make this announcement in my hometown of Moreno Valley at my former Elementary School, but the benefits this program will have across all of Los Angeles makes today even more special,” said Leonard.

In LAUSD alone, last year 80% of K-12 students were eligible for free or reduced lunch, meaning they come from a low-income family, are homeless, or are in the foster program. This gift is the largest in LAUSD history impacting every single student. It will allow hundreds of thousands of families to take the money they would spend on a backpack and use it instead on essential items like food, rent, utilities and more, which can make a major difference in a family’s livelihood. Today is the first day of school for more than 600,000 LAUSD students.

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard for this record-breaking donation to every student in Los Angeles Unified School District and beyond. Baby2Baby serves hundreds of thousands of children in poverty in Los Angeles, and backpacks are consistently one of the most highly-requested items for the school-aged children in our program,” said Sawyer Patricof and Weinstein. “For many of these children who are homeless or in foster care, backpacks not only hold their school books and homework, but also all of their personal belongings. If they have a backpack at all, it is often falling apart, and when a child does not have one, they resort to using a grocery or trash bag. The Clippers' donation will make these children feel the pride they deserve and give them the confidence they need to start the school year off on the right foot.”

“There are a lot of families throughout the L.A. region working hard every day to earn everything in their lives. This program is our effort to extend a hand to make heading back to school a little easier,” said Gillian Zucker, President of Business Operations, L.A. Clippers. “Our deepest appreciation goes out to Kawhi Leonard and Baby2Baby’s incredible network of ambassadors who walk the walk when it comes to using their platforms and voices to provide real solutions to impact the everyday lives of the people around us.”

Stephen Curry partners with Howard University to launch first Division 1 golf program

In a historic stride forward to grow the game of golf, six-time NBA All-Star and Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation co-founder, Stephen Curry, announced his commitment to Howard University today, with a pledge to support the establishment of the university’s first NCAA Division 1 golf program for the next six years.

Inspired by Howard senior and golfer, Otis Ferguson IV, whom Curry met during a campus visit earlier this year, Curry was compelled to act when Ferguson shared that his impassioned solo crusade to get a golf team at Howard proved unsuccessful. An avid golfer himself, Curry tapped into what is increasingly becoming his defining trait— the distinctive ability to connect and empathize with anyone, anywhere, and made the unprecedented decision to help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. Utilizing his unique position, Curry will introduce and increase access to elite golf at a historically black college, furthermore calling on sport and community giants like Under Armour, Callaway, Eat. Learn. Play., among others, for help with equipment, uniforms, and more.

“Golf is a sport that has changed my life in ways that are less tangible, but just as impactful,” said the NBA star. Adding, “It’s a discipline that challenges your mental wherewithal from patience to focus, and is impossible to truly master, so when you hear about these passionate student athletes who have the talent but don’t have a fair shot at the game, it’s tough. I feel really honored to play a small role in the rich history of Howard University, and look forward to building their first men’s and women’s golf teams with them.”

Howard University aims to debut the first men’s and women’s golf teams in the 2020/2021 academic year, with resources strategically allocated for talent scouting and training to have a competitive Division 1 team in place for its inaugural season, joining Howard’s other 19 Division 1 teams. The university previously had a Division 2 golf team and various intercollegiate and intramural club teams.

“Howard University is honored to partner with NBA Champion Stephen Curry to launch what is sure to become one of the best golf programs in the country,” said President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA. “This program will expose the campus to a game with numerous benefits. Golf is unique because it can be played through various ages of life. Grandfathers can play with granddaughters. Expanding the competitive opportunities for student athletes, especially in arenas where they are underrepresented, is consistent with the university’s strategic plan.”

Curry will be joined by Howard University’s President, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, Athletic Director, Kery Davis, CEO of Callaway, Chip Brewer, and Howard student, Otis Ferguson IV, in a historic tee-off today in Washington, D.C.

California police shooting law propelled by Stephon Clark’s death signed into law

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed what it is believed to be one of the toughest laws in the country regulating when police officers can use use deadly force.

The signing of Assembly Bill 392 concludes a legislative battle between law enforcement lobbyists and civil rights groups who, until May, could not agree on how strict the state’s deadly force law should be.

It was shaped by a string of deadly encounters between law enforcement officers and unarmed black men, including the March 2018 shooting of Stephon Clark by Sacramento police. Clark’s death shook the city, with a protest shutting down Interstate 5 one evening and another march leading to mass arrests in East Sacramento this spring.

During the ceremony, Newsom said AB 392 will reduce the number of lives lost by deadly force.

The law “stretches the boundaries of possibility and sends a message to people all across the country that they can do more,” he said. “Training matters, yes. Accountability matters, certainly. Transparency, indeed. But culture. Changing hearts changing minds, changing our approach to dealing with one another.”

The new standard instructs officers to use lethal force only when it is “necessary” based on the totality of circumstances they encounter. That’s considered a stricter standard than today’s practice, which instructs police that they can use deadly force when it is “reasonable” to do so.

The legislation also requires evaluating an officer’s conduct before and after deadly force is used and it emphasizes deescalation tactics as effective alternatives to pulling a trigger.

Read more: California police shooting law propelled by Stephon Clark’s death wins Newsom’s signature.