Category Archives: Uncategorized

How Ludacris Answered Atlanta Woman’s Prayers

Ludacris was an angel in disguise for A.T.L native Therra Jarramillo last week.

The Fast and Furious star was shopping at Atlanta Whole Foods on Monday, after checking out he noticed Jarramillo was struggling to pay for her items.

Jarramillo was on hard times; her husband recently died of brain cancer and was living off of rice and vegetables. A friend gave her a Whole Foods gift card, but it didn’t cover everything.

That’s when Luda stepped in.
“He turned to me and he said, ‘I said I got this.’ And I looked at him, and he said, ‘All of this, don’t put anything back.’”

The total was $375, btw.

Jarramillo didn’t know who the Good Samaritan was until the cashier tipped her off.
“I kept looking at him, and thinking, this man is an angel,” she said. “And [the cashier] goes, ‘you know that’s a famous rapper, you know, that’s Ludacris.’ And I went, ‘What! What!’ and I screamed.”

She went home and recounted the pay it forward tale to friends on Facebook.

What Ludacris had no way of knowing is that his quiet kindness and generous gesture came at a moment when my candle was out.He used his personal light to fire up my own.

Isn’t that what we should be doing for each other?I think it is.

Be like Ludacris y’all. I know I’m gonna do it. Pay it forward.

We can, every one of us, do SOMEthing for others. You never know a stranger’s full story when you reach out a hand and yank them into a better place.

Amen. Let’s all try to be kind to one another in this divisive time.

NBA All Star Derrick Rose Launches Scholarship Program

Derrick Rose is the latest baller to cheer for, and it has nothing to do with his jump shot.

The former Bulls point guard announced the Rose Scholars via Twitter on Wednesday.

The scholars program seeks three “civically-minded” high school students–must be a sophomore, junior or senior–to apply for funds for college.

One lucky student can win $200,000 to go towards their higher learning fund. Two other students can earn $20,000 each.

Rose reveals he got the idea to launch the scholarship when reflecting on his charitable works, in a letter posted to the Rose Scholars site.

As I started to reflect on my service to others, the idea of The Rose Scholars program started to form. An award that would reflect on my desire to find greatness, my dedication to perseverance and determination, my passion for self-empowerment, and my wish to elevate it in promising individuals applies.

The Chi-Town native continued by writing the scholarship could be a turning point in teens lives.

I know we can all identify a moment where our lives changed. A new path opened up to us that was not previously available. This new path allowed us to make different decisions and start to imagine new possibilities. This is exactly what the Rose Scholars program is meant to achieve in each and every one of you that applies.

It’s a path friend and fellow advocate for education LeBron James can get behind by tweeting his support.
You may have heard he opened a school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio last week.

The deadline to apply for Rose Scholars is Sept. 30 and winners will be announced around Oct. 15.

Why I Ghosted My Besties (You, Guys)

I know what y’all thinking–where has this bish been?

Let’s just say adjusting to moving from Brooklyn to Queen City, getting a new job, and a new puppy (Malchi!) didn’t leave much time for me to tickle the keyboards.

Hectic schedule aside, these past two months of grinding left me so overwhelmed and stressed I had to quit a job that became toxic.

It felt like it took such a huge piece of my energy that I didn’t have time to do what I love: this right here.

I can feel myself going through the motions every single day–go to work for eight hours, feed my pooch, feed myself and go to sleep.

There was no joy or anticipation of what was in store, just on auto pilot mode. Walking away from a position that didn’t bring fulfillment was the best decision I made.

I already feel so invigorated and motivated to continue chronicling amazing people enriching the world with their generosity.

Thank you, besties, for your patience and understanding. I missed you and love you.

I would love to hear your stories on walking away from toxic people, places or things. Please leave your comments below.

Denver Baller Will Barton Donates Game Room to Local School

Denver Nuggets baller Will Barton made it a feel good Friday for students at Johnston Square Elementary school.

By converting a spare room in the Baltimore school into a game room. And it’s officially ready for testing.

Will donated the games as a way to give back to his native B-more.

Telling CBS Denver:

(I thought) how could I help this school and help kids stay in school with good attendance and keep striving to get good grades?

By bribing little boys with video games, of course.

Not to be left out, the girls were given a dance/exercise room. Donated by owners of The Vino Vixens Social Club.

Barton’s rules are boys and girls earn points to use the room–based on classwork, attendance and (duh!) good behavior.

Will may be on to something.

Terrell Owens Makes Surprise Visit to LA Women’s Shelter

T.O. spread Mother’s Day love to those that need it the most.

The ex-Seahawk player turned reality star dropped by Alexandria House, an LA-based women and children’s shelter.

T.O. delivered much needed supplies to the shelter. And gave single moms a break by playing catch with the kids.

Let’s tip our hat to mama Owens for raising her son right.

Tracy Morgan Upgrades Hometown Playground

Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.

Tracey Morgan (being the faithful Brooklyn-nite he is) did just that last week by returning to the ‘hood to officially open the gates of shiny and new Marcy Park.

TBS and The Last OG comedian donated $215,000 to renovate the Bed-Stuy playground.

“Thanks to Tracy and TBS for making it possible for NYC Parks to refurbish Marcy Playground, a beloved Bedford-Stuyvesant park that was in need of some TLC,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said in a statement.

Including new basketball backboards with the TBS logo, of course. Fresh asphalt and a mural from artist Askew One.

It’s the first upgrade Marcy Park has gotten in a decade, according to NYC Parks department.

Yet it’s the back in the day times Tracy remembers most.

“I played on this court as a kid. I actually cut my finger on a glass bottle here and the blood I spilled on the court was for these kids. This is for Brooklyn. It makes me so happy.” Tracy said at the event.

Langston Hughes Legacy Revived Through Arts Collective

So, I’m killing two birds with one stone on this post, actually three because I love doing the most.

Giving much deserved props to my fave poet–Langston Hughes–during National Poetry Month (check).

And featuring an arts collective org launched by Coretta Scott King Award winner. Introducing our other #WCW…Renee Watson.

The New York Times Bestselling author of “Piecing Me Together” was so inspired by Langston Hughes’ work she created “I, Too, Arts Collective” org (a nod to the iconic poem) in the scribe’s own Harlem brownstone.

Yes Ma’am!! The same parlor Langston used his famous typewriter, is now being occupied by kids taking part in African drumming and adult poetry readings.

It’s among the many creative programs offered by the non-profit, whose goal is to foster creativity within Harlem and sustain Langston’s legacy.

“This was a person that didn’t just write about Harlem, but loved Harlem,” Watson told CBS News.

What better way to repay that love affair than preserving the last creative space Langston Hughes worked in.

Through crowd sourcing and using hashtag #LangstonLegacy to get support, Watson was able to lease the brownstone in 2016.

The new goal is getting the collective to buy the building, which should’ve been a museum, anyway.

“There’s stories about Langston sitting in the parlor room with friends, and just talking politics, and talking about art, and we do that here. And so I hope that, yeah, if he knew it was going on, I think he would be proud. I feel like he’s cheering us on,” Watson said.

I am too.