I got, I got, I got, I got/ Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA
Cocaine quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA
I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA
I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA
Sorry y’all, I can’t stop singing this Kendrick Lamar joint ever since I heard my cousin is the first Black woman to grace Canada’s $10 banknote.
Naturally, Viola Desmond is our WCW. For not only refusing to leave a white’s only section of a movie theater in the late ‘40s, but more importantly her defiance was the jump off to the civil rights movement, which led to the end of segregation in Nova Scotia.
For not only refusing to leave a white’s only section of a movie theater in the late ‘40s, but more importantly her defiance was the jump off to the civil rights movement, which led to the end of segregation in Nova Scotia.
No wonder out of more than 26,000 submissions, cousin Vi was selected as the Canadian woman reppin the new banknote.
Fair warning this post will be bias as a mofo, but I’m hoping you guys will indulge me in this proud moment.
Viola Desmond did for Canada what Rosa Parks did for us. Only she did it a decade before Rosa. My cuz Vi stumbled upon her role as a civil rights pioneer. Much like Rosa, she was sick and tired of being sick and tired.
So this is how she landed in textbooks.
In 1946, Vi’s car broke down while traveling and had to stop in New Glasgow to get it fixed. To kill time, she went to the movies.
It was obvi segregated because it’s 1946—whites took the floor seats and Blacks were forced in the balcony section.
There was no way cousin Vi was getting a floor seat, so she paid for the balcony. Yet still sat in the white’s only section. My cousin.
She refused to leave and had to be dragged out of the theater by police. She spent 12 hours in the clink
Tyler Perry is Secret Santa That Pays Off $430,000 Layaway Items at ATL Walmart
Tyler Perry retired the Madea frock to slip on big red suit.
‘Cause when you’re footing the bill for $430,000 worth of layaway items at Walmart, you are forevermore known as Black Claus.
Last week, TP paid for all the layaway items (totaling $435,635) in two ATL Walmart stores. The only price the lucky shoppers had to pay was a penny to get their items.
Tyler Perry tried to keep his good deed under wraps, but secret got out and he took to Twitter.
“Merry Christmas to everybody!” Perry says on Twitter outing himself as the Good Samaritan. “I know it’s a hard time, a lot of people are struggling, and I’m just really, really grateful to be able to be in a position like this.”
Thanks to TP, folks have one less holiday bill to pay. Won’t he do it!!
Thanks for Giving!! Barack Obama, Kevin Hart, Pharrell Williams and Many More Celebs Give Back on Thanksgiving
Is it to late to thank these celebs for rolling up their sleeves to give those less fortunate?
Nope, cause the holiday weekend isn’t over yet.
So let’s raise a glass of spiked eggnog to Kevin Hart for making giving a family affair. By bringing wife Eniko, daughter Heaven, son Hendrix and baby boy Kenzo to LA mission to feed homeless on Skid Row.
The Night School actor wasn’t the only celeb giving back. Garcelle Beauvais and “The Real” co-host Loni Love also donned aprons.
“The Jamie Foxx” star brought along twin boys Jax and Jade to chip in.
Super producer Pharrell Williams even made giving back look lit. He served meals alongside wife Helen Lasichanh and son Rocket Ayers Williams. He’s literally the Happy crooner’s twin.
“Empire” star Nia Long was on green duty with boys Massai Zhavigo Dorsey II and Kez Sunday Udoka.
Meanwhile, at Chi-Town food bank my forever president Barack Obama volunteered to help prep for Thanksgiving.
Obama was tasked with packaging potatoes at Chicago Food Depository.
Cardi B ‘Came Through Gifting’ Winter Coats to New Yorkers
Look out ya’ll, Cardi B is making ‘gifting’ moves, just don’t step on her bloody shoes. Sorry, it definitely sounded better in my head.
Anyway, the “I Like It” rapper handed out free winter coats and sneakers to hundreds at Brooklyn’s Marlboro housing project Thursday.
The coat giveaway was arranged by a local designer and friends, reports NBC New York.
Cardi B’s generosity couldn’t have come at a better time because it’s getting kinda brick in New York now.
Fans of the Bronx-bred Bardi know that all to well when they waited four hours for her to appear. Yet, Cardi B.. etter Late Than Never apologized and blamed her tardiness on a photo shoot.
When asked why this event was important to her,
“You gotta support the people that support you,” Cardi B told CBS News.
Sadly, the turnout was so lit not everyone walked away with a coat.
No doubt Cardi will use her money moves to hook her City up again. Her Instagram is a telltale sign.
“I can’t wait to [do] this in my borough next BX,” she captioned on Instagram of a selfie of her fans.
John Legend Makes Surprise Donation to NJ Firefighter Department
According to Page Six, John Legend made it drizzle on a New Jersey fire station on Sunday.
When heading into Wood Ridge 7Eleven, two firefighters approached the crooner to drop dime on department’s fundraiser breakfast.
Before leaving John slipped them $20 for the cause.
Guess the newly-minted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winner only had pocket change on him.
But, hey, every little bit counts. And John gave that bit away.
As for where the “Normal People” singer was heading, locals speculate Teterboro airport.
Back into the arms of Chrissy, we hope.
This Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nom was Spotted Feeding Homeless in LA
The jury might be out on whether she’s officially a certified rock legend. (Psst… issa yes, no matter what’s decided) There’s no doubt she is our queen of hearts or wcw for giving back.
Chaka Khan. Yes, hunty The.Chaka. Khan. rolled up her sleeves and got her hands dirty (mostly with mayo and mustard) over the weekend to make sandwiches for Brown Bag Lady; charity that feeds the homeless in LA’s Skid Row neighborhood.
Chaka Khan helped make over 200 brown bag lunches to hand out to homeless on Sunday.
When Chaka Khan wasn’t packing croissant sandwiches, the “Sweet Thing” singer took pics and signed a microphone for her littlest fan.
Brown Bag Lady Founder Jaqueline Norvell couldn’t contain her excitement that a living legend was in her house.
Jaqueline is all of us.
Michael Jordan, Charlotte Hornets Pack Food Boxes for Florence Relief
MJ did his part to help in the relief efforts for Hurricane Florence.
The Wilmington, North Carolina native rounded up some Hornets players and front office crew, to pack 5,000 food boxes for those affected by Hurricane Florence on Friday.
The boxes–provided by Food Lion grocery store–will go to hardest hit areas: Fayetteville and Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC.
Supplies include peanut butter, crackers, canned goods and drinks.
Jordan told ESPN he hopes his players see it as a rewarding experience.
“Hopefully they learn that to give back, it’s all about the heart. It’s not about how much money you make or about what you earn. It’s about sharing and (caring) about other people.”
Spoken like a true hometown hero.
To cement the deal, Michael Jordan’s volunteering comes on the heels of his $2 million donation–$1 Milly to Red Cross, and another to Foundation for Carolinas’ Hurricane Florence Response Fund.
Good look, Mike
Oprah Joins Fight to End Hunger
Oprah was fresh off a Parisian vacay, when THE media mogul spread some Black girl magic in Cincinnati.
Oprah shocked volunteers at Freestore Foodbank on Sept. 11th when she came suited and booted to help pack 2,000 meals for school kids in the community.
Oprah was one of 100 volunteers to support Kroger grocery store’s Kroger Zero Hunger, Zero Waste anniversary that aims to end hunger and food waste by 2025.
“It’s an honor to support this initiative in the local Cincinnati community and beyond,” said Winfrey. “I am committed to the fight against hunger because I’ve seen the impact it has on people. That’s why I wanted to be here today to help pack food for Cincinnati children facing hunger. The work Kroger is doing is special and meaningful.”
The cherry on top of the event was…no, Gayle didn’t come. Next time, guys.
Oprah’s food line O, That’s Good! teamed up with Kroger to donate one million meals to Feeding America to feed families around the country.
Oprah stands undefeated as the giving God. Fight me on this.
Derek Luke Launches Foundation to Empower Youth
Derek Luke may have played a guidance counselor on TV, but he’s putting in work off screen too.
The 13 Reasons Why star launched Derek Luke Foundation to steer kids toward their dreams in his hometown of Jersey City. Why?
“People talked to me about how to get a job. No one had ever talked to me about how to pursue my dream,” Derek told NJ.com.
Now he’s passing that recipe of success on by supporting programs and initiatives that focus on African American issues with his Foundation.
The Hershey’s kiss coated cutie (can’t help it, guys) kicked off the Foundation with four days of festivities in the Garden State.
Starting on Wednesday with free haircuts and school supplies for kiddies at David’s Barbershop on Kennedy Blvd.
Friday was Kings Night, a men’s empowerment forum at New Jersey Armory, where Derek served as keynote speaker. He plans to hold one every other Friday going forward.
Saturday was an all day activities fest filled with education based games, including using hip hop as a learning tool.
The Foundation wrapped on Sunday with Jersey’s Derek Luke Day with a Love Unity in the Community theme at Audubon Park. Sunday funday had bouncy houses, petting zoo, raffles, prizes, face painting and more. How could it get better? With spa services for moms, thanks Luke.
Good time for a good cause.
