Monthly Archives: February 2015

Rapper Talib Kweli, Activists Distribute $100K To Help Ferguson Protesters Get Out of Jail

Rapper Talib Kweli announced that he is joining with activists to distribute $100,000 in grants to address the issue of many young Black men and women in Ferguson still lingering in jail after being arrested in protests.Jessica-Care-Moore-in-Ferguson

It has been an ongoing problem in communities like Ferguson, where many young people were arrested but did not have the funds to put up bail money to be released.

“These are young men and women who have put their lives on hold to stand up for all of our freedoms,” Kweli, who joined protesters in Ferguson, said in a prepared statement. “The overly militarized police force in Ferguson has attempted to criminalize them by harassing and throwing them in jail for exercising their right to peaceful protest.”

Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of BlackLivesMatter movement, told NewsOne that folks on the ground “are doing work, whether they have money or not.”

“It will help people to do more work on the front lines without having to worry about money,” she said.

A crowdfunding campaign was first launched in October to provide legal support to Ferguson protesters, raising $112,052—$104,208 after 7 percent crowdfunding fees. This was far more than the initial goal of $25,000.

The first recipients of the grants received money on Friday, a total of $48,800. The recipients included $35,000 to Missourians Organizing For Reform and Empowerment (MORE), earmarked for bail funds and legal support for Ferguson protesters.

The recipients also include Ferguson’s Action Support Committee’s Revolution School, which is getting $20,000 to train and provide technical assistance to local organizers.

Selma’s Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo Team Up Again For New Movie

Selma director Ava DuVernay and lead actor David Oyelowo are teaming up for the third time to develop a film about a romance that sparked during the time of Hurricane Katrina.

Ava Duvernay, David Oyelowo (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Ava Duvernay, David Oyelowo (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

DuVernay will be writing, producing and directing the love story meets murder mystery flick while Oyelowo is in negotiations to produce and star in the project, Variety reported.

Both stars will be joined by Participant Media to develop the feature film.

Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King of Participant Media will executive produce the film and King says it’s the perfect time for the star-studded reunion.

“Hurricane Katrina is one of the most important social and environmental stories of our time,” King said, according to Variety. “Ava DuVernay has shown herself to be highly skilled at bringing intimacy and contemporary urgency to epic events. We have been looking for the right way to get back in business with Ava, and with David Oyelowo, and are proud to reteam with them on her original idea, which we believe will be a powerful film.”

After Selma and Middle of Nowhere, the Hurricane Katrina-inspired film will mark the third partnership between DuVernay and the Selma star.

It would also mark the fifth partnership between Oyelowo and Participant, following Middle of NowhereThe HelpLincoln and A Most Violent Year.

Despite some major award season snubs, Selma was an incredibly successful film, earning close to $40 million at the box office.

It took roughly $20 million to make the Oscar-nominated film, giving the team a substantial profit.

DuVernay also shared her excitement about teaming up with Oyelowo and her Participant Media family once again.

“I’m thrilled to reunite with my Participant family on this project and fortunate to work again with the always exquisite David Oyelowo,” she said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “The story we’re interested in will explore the complexities of intimate relationships within times of chaos, while also examining the chaos itself. I’m looking forward to the journey.”

The film is currently untitled and a start date for filming has not been set.

Watch: The Book of Negroes’ Mini-Series Episode 3

When the Revolution breaks out in New York, Aminata seizes her chance and escapes to freedom in the haven of Canvas Town. The epic saga #‎BookofNegroes concludes.

The Book of Negroes mini-series airs tonight on BET.

The Book of Negroes mini-series airs tonight on BET.

Abducted from her village in West Africa, 11-year-old Aminata Diallo is forced into a slave coffle and must endure a horrific ocean crossing. She is brought to a South Carolina plantation where she makes herself useful by using midwifery skills learned at her mother’s side, all the while keeping the attentions of her jealous slave master, Robinson Appleby, at bay. Soon after Aminata re-encounters Chekura, a fellow slave from West Africa, and they are married in a clandestine ceremony. When their first baby is brutally abducted and sold by Appleby, she vows to return one day to her homeland.

Photos from Tyler Perry’s son’s Christening

Tyler Perry and his longtime girlfriend model Gelila Bekele (pictured right with Gayle King) christened their son Aman Perry on Sunday February 15th. The movie director had a church built at the back of his home so he could hold his son’s Christening there. Oprah Winfrey, Cicely Tyson,Oliver Ripley are among those who attended the Christening. More photos below

Ekweremadu and the Deceitful infrastructure in Awgu

Maazi Ike Ekweremadu

Maazi Ike Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has promised not to relent in his pursuit of accelerated socio-economic and infrastructural development of Awgu local government area as the headquarters of Enugu West senatorial district. Addressing the people of Biafra in Awgu during a campaign tour of the area recently, Ekweremadu stated that development in Awgu must be fast-tracked in order to bring it at par with Enugu and Nsukka, which are also the senatorial headquarters of Enugu East and Enugu North senatorial districts of the state.

What is this brother going on about ? we are asking you  maazi Ekweremadu, Do you have infrastructure available at all in Enugu? the answer is no, this bunch of political criminals from left to right, selling out the people future to hausa Fulani in the name of nigeria politics.

This week we would proving this to all Biafrans, we will flood Biafra land with journalist, all equipped with cameras able to feed live footages back to us here in Europe live.

How ridiculous this petty criminals who has done nothing for the people of Biafra continue to brag about what they will do if given another mandate, please my people intelligent folks read what this man had to say

“Our belief is that Awgu is a very strategic community” So we ask him once more what part of Biafra land is not strategic or this another political fraud to keep us  blind and carved.

This hausa fulani inspired criminal who has been in public office for years without achieving a single goal, i repeat this man has been in office for the past eleven years,  Maazi Ike Ekweremadu let me ask you this as we all know you ar legal practitioners lawyer, an educated man but does not know the different between infrastructure and basic economy.

Why is agwu without power since 1990 to date? why is Mmaku, Mbgo a very good and one of the most attractive resort in enugu without communication roots ? you talk of development which city in the world have you heard of being developed without electricity ? or sewage system?

Why is the majority of people from Achi to Agwu Nri suffering from pneumoconiosis ? for those who do not know what this is i will explain.

The term ‘pneumoconiosis’ refers to a group of lung diseases caused by the inhalation of dust  – and retention in the lungs – of dusts. The most commonly occurring types of pneumoconiosis , this disease is common in Agwu to oji river, matter of facts most of enugu  districts and wards have huge number of patiences suffering from this inhalation of coal dust, silicosis, arising from the inhalation of respirable crystalline silica (RCS). There is a long delay – up to ten years or more – between exposure and onset of disease, this simply means that most people do not know they have it until its too late, this is due to lack of good governance in Biafra land and  most new cases or deaths from pneumoconiosis reflect the long time inhaling of dust from polluted environment, and due to poor road networks and no hospitals 95 % of those who suffer this die in Enugu.

So we are asking this man called Ike Ekweremadu boosting with his ridiculous fraudulent deceits what has he done to for the community he claim to represent?

 

We the people of Biafra expected  Awgu to be as developed as Brooklyn  and Knightsbridge,  So we are going to demand that they leave Biafra land or do what is right of the people.

The Deputy Senate President, who is also the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, while thanking the people he has defrauded of their economic social right over the years, noted that all the numerous projects mentioned in the areas truly deserve an attention.

We are asking the people of Biafra to stone the criminal when next he shows up campaigning for further suffering of the masses. his nothing but a criminal stealing in your name.