Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, penned an open letter to Senate leaders urging them to pass a COVID-19 relief bill that includes significant funding for the upcoming November elections. Knowles-Lawson wrote the letter in partnership with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ campaign, And I Still Vote. It’s addressed …
Read More »Nile Rodgers Launches New 'Youth to the Front' Fund to Fight Systemic Racism
Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation announced the creation of its new Youth to the Front Fund, which will benefit activists and organizations fighting to end systemic racism. Per a press release, the YTTF Fund will specifically support and fund “under 30-year-old BIPOC [Black Indigenous People of Color] youth activists, …
Read More »Liverpool's Penny Lane — of Beatles Fame — Might Be Facing a Name Change
UPDATE (6/19): The International Slavery Museum has deduced that Penny Lane’s name is not connected to the slave trade. Liverpool’s Penny Lane — of Beatles fame — might be renamed, according to Steve Rotheram, Liverpool’s Metro Mayor. Last week, four road signs bearing the name were spray-painted over, according to …
Read More »A New Law Named After Breonna Taylor Will Ban No-Knock Warrants
The Louisville, Ky. police department has voted unanimously to ban no-knock warrants in the wake of the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT who was killed in an unannounced police raid on her boyfriend’s apartment. The legislation, titled Breonna’s Law, will officially ban the practice of no-knock warrants, or …
Read More »Street in Front of White House Officially Renamed 'Black Lives Matter Plaza'
The section of 16th Street in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., is now officially called Black Lives Matter Plaza. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the news via Twitter Friday, sharing video as the sign was installed. Bowser also had the words “Black Lives Matter” painted on the street …
Read More »Independent Autopsy Finds George Floyd Was Asphyxiated
UPDATE: The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled the death of George Floyd a homicide. It lists his cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression,” while adding Floyd “experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s).” It also states “other significant …
Read More »Twitter Flags Trump for 'Glorifying Violence' After Tweet About 'Shooting' Protesting 'THUGS'
Twitter placed a “glorifying violence” disclaimer Friday morning over a tweet in which President Trump referred to those protesting police brutality in Minnesota as “THUGS,” before concluding, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Users must click through the disclaimer to view the text of the tweet, and the liking, …
Read More »'The First Time' With John Malkovich
John Malkovich appears in our latest installment of The First Time, timed to the May 29th premiere of the new Greg Daniels/Steve Carell series Space Force, in which hestars alongside Carell. The legendarily droll actor discusses his first Zoom happy hour, his first time singing folk gospel, teaching himself to …
Read More »Dolly Parton Brings Comfort in a Crisis With New Song, 'When Life Is Good Again'
“Be safe, be respectful, wear your mask, lead with love,” Dolly Parton instructs in her new video for the song “When Life Is Good Again.” The Country Music Hall of Famer has done her part and then some to bring her fans some solace during the COVID-19 pandemic: releasing six …
Read More »'On the Record' Directors Talk Sexual Assault in Music Industry, Loss of Women's Voices
One of the most anticipated films at Sundance is getting a premiere on new service HBO Max Wednesday — after a highly publicized dustup in which original backers Oprah Winfrey and Apple dropped their support right before its premiere at the festival. Helmed by veteran filmmakers Amy Ziering and Kirby …
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