Yara Shahidi for ELLE Magazine Reclaiming Black Joy, Activism & Reconstructing the Future!
In the August digital issue of ELLE, Yara Shahidi opens up about being raised to be socially minded, the ‘double-edge sword’ of people speaking up and the importance of handing over the mic, what reclaiming Black joy looks like to her and reconstructing the future. Yara Shahidi was photographed by her father, Afshin Shahidi and styled by Jason Bolden.
On being raised to be socially minded: “This idea of consistently being of service to the world around you is a dialogue that we were raised with, starting with grandparents on both sides of my family and then into the conversations in our household. I’m beyond grateful that our house has been consistently a place of conversation and a place of action since I was young.”
On the ‘double-edge sword’ of speaking up and the importance of handing over the mic: “When I’m looking at this moment at large, there is this kind of double-edged sword of wanting people to speak up and then [thinking that they’re] not speaking up the right way. It’s something that I’m personally even conflicted about. In this moment, for example, I think a lot of the work that I’m hoping to do is about pointing people toward the organizers and the people on the front lines of this movement, because they have the most prescient, most real, most necessary voices. The greatest skill about having a platform, I think, is handing over the mic.”
On reclaiming Black joy and what that means to her: “Mentorship. When I think of fashion, for example, I’m grateful to be in a community. My stylist, Jason Bolden, has always prioritized what it means to support Black people in the fashion industry. We’ve consistently been in conversations about how to use this space for something that’s powerful. Who are we bringing into these moments? Who can we open doors for? Who can we be in community with? Joy comes from being able to consistently embrace our sense of community and revel in our culture year-round. We must believe that there is something that we’re fighting for in order to keep fighting.”
On reconstructing what the future looks like: “Society tries to take away our ability to imagine, it takes away our ability to participate in a larger collective and nuanced Black imaginary world, because we are consistently burdened with the task of dealing with our reality. There’s very little space to participate in something that is unknown, because there’s so much to handle in our present. We need this imagination and creative force to completely reconstruct our reality. To not only destroy, but to completely reconstruct what the future looks like.”
On continuing to do the work after a monumental moment like this: “I think about my Black and brown communities. I think about my figurative aunties and uncles in this, who supported more nuanced narratives with people and used their platform for good. I think the difference [in the past] was a lot of work was pretty quiet and there wasn’t as much of a public narrative around it, but the work was still being done. And so I think when I stepped into the space of being a series regular on a show, I was already involved in a cast, but also in a larger Black entertainment community that was consistently reckoning with questions like, ‘What is our role on television? What are the obligations we need our networks to make? And what are the environments that we need to live in to consistently make sure that we are responsible with our media?’ I think about so many people that I’m grateful to be in a community with; we may not know at first glance, but I can attest to the fact that they’re doing the work 24/7, 100 percent of the time, with whatever their platform is.”
The August digital issue of ELLE is available on Apple News+ and ELLE.com July 27.
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Exposes Mistreatment, Ready To 'Speak Truth' About 'RHOA' Return Exposes Mistreatment!
NeNe Leakes has fans begging for the tea after she hinted that she might not be back for another season of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." The Bravo personality, who's been on the show since 2008, addressed the rumors circulating about not returning for season 13, and based on what she said, it doesn't sound promising.
Taking to Instagram Live on Saturday, July 18, NeNe Leakes said she's ready "to speak out and speak her truth" while exposing that she's been mistreated by someone she claims "has been wronging me for so many years."
Says Situation Is Like Tamar Braxton's
Speaking out only enough to make fans want more, NeNe Leakes compared her situation to that of Tamar Braxton. As The Blast reported, the "Braxton Family Values" star put WEtv executives on blast in a scathing letter. In the email, she claimed they ripped her family apart and forced her to expose a secret that made her consider "ending my own life" due to the shame she felt.
"If I told you the way I was treated, you would not believe it. Same with Tamar," NeNe Leakes told her fans over the weekend.
Addressing 'RHOA' Rumors:
Sometimes when you're in certain situations you don’t have a choice," the "RHOA" star said. "If I told you the person that was wronging me for so many years your mouth would be on the floor."
Stressing that she's "scared" to share too much, NeNe Leakes continued, "I'd love to say more but I’m afraid it won’t be received well then I won’t get the support I need." Before ending the conversation, she addressed the rumors about whether she's coming back to "RHOA." Fans have been raking their brains with reports that she's been fired and demoted, all of which NeNe Leakes claims are false.
Stating the issues have been going on since 2008, which is when "RHOA" began, she promised the truth will come out. "Now I have the people in my corner who will be helping me with the situation," she said, adding, "it's my time to speak the truth.”
Teasing the "RHOA" news to come, NeNe Leakes told her followers, "I have remained quiet. I haven’t said anything on it but it’s coming. I will be speaking. I have the right people to speak. Wait for it.” When a fan commented, "Without you on the "Housewives there will be no reason to watch," NeNe Leakes responded with a playful pause before saying, "moving on."
#NewMusic from Ledisi – Where I Am!
Ledisi is gearing up for the release of her upcoming album “The Wild Card” and gives us another taste of what to expect. The new song “Where I Am” is available to anyone who pre-orders the album now.
“Where I Am” is a smooth and breezy jam which features production from Ivan Barias and writing from Tyte Writer and Ledisi. The singer sounds absolutely beautiful on it as usual. It definitely has us even more excited about “The Wild Card” which is set to release on August 28th, 2020.
LISTEN HERE
The anticipation for this project began when Ledisi gave us the stunning lead single “Anything For You” earlier this year. This will be the first album that Ledisi releases via her own label Listen Back Entertainment.
#HipHopNews: Kanye West Announces New Album ‘Donda’!
After announcing his run for president earlier this month, the rapper-turned-presidential hopeful his revealed that his new album DONDA will arrive on Friday, July 24.
“New album DONDA coming JULY 24 #2020VISION,” said Ye shortly before deleting tweet.
On Saturday afternoon, he revealed the tracklist in his own handwritten font. The project includes the Travis Scott-assisted single “Wash Us in the Blood” along with the long-awaited “New Body,” his collaboration with Nicki Minaj.
The album was previously titled God’s Country, but was changed to honor his mother, the late Donda West, who died in 2007 from surgery complications. On his mother’s birthday, he shared the title track, which features her reciting the lyrics to KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police.”
Meanwhile, Kanye continues his campaign for president. Despite reports that he was dropping out of the race after failing to get on the ballot in several states, he is seemingly still committed to his 2020 bid for the White House. He encouraged voters in South Carolina to sign a petition to place him on the ballot.
DONDA marks the follow-up 2019’s Jesus Is King, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He has also been in the studio with Dr. Dre working on a new version of Jesus Is King.
2 Republican Senators Post Photos of Elijah Cummings in John Lewis Tributes!
Marco Rubio and Dan Sullivan were each trying to honor Mr. Lewis on social media when they mistakenly posted photos of Mr. Cummings, a Black congressman who died in October.
Senator Marco Rubio later acknowledged having used an incorrect photo in a Twitter tribute to Representative John Lewis, who died on Friday!
Like thousands of other Americans, Senators Marco Rubio and Dan Sullivan took to social media on Saturday to mourn the death of Representative John Lewis, a venerated figure of the civil rights movement.
“It was an honor to know & be blessed with the opportunity to serve in Congress with John Lewis a genuine & historic American hero,” Mr. Rubio said in a tweet on Saturday afternoon. “May the Lord grant him eternal peace.”
Except the photo Mr. Rubio posted was not of Mr. Lewis, but of another congressman: Representative Elijah E. Cummings, who died in October. Mr. Rubio also used the photo of himself with Mr. Cummings as his Twitter profile picture for a brief time.
Mr. Sullivan, Republican of Alaska, also memorialized Mr. Lewis with a photo of Mr. Cummings. In the picture he posted to his Facebook account, Mr. Sullivan is standing beside Mr. Cummings in front of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.
“Congressman Lewis’ courage and principled leadership helped guide America through one of the most challenging periods in its history, calling our country to live up to its ideals with justice and equality for all people regardless of color and creed,” Mr. Sullivan wrote.
In a follow-up tweet, Mr. Rubio, Republican of Florida, acknowledged having used an incorrect photo.
“John Lewis was a genuine American hero,” he added. “I was honored to appear together in Miami 3 years ago at an event captured in video below. May God grant him eternal rest.”
For his part, Mr. Sullivan later removed the photo of Mr. Cummings from his Facebook post, as well as a reference to the museum.
According to Nick Iacovella, a spokesman for Mr. Rubio, the mix-up with the photo of Mr. Rubio and Mr. Cummings happened because of a mislabeled photo. The original photo, taken in February 2014 by the Philadelphia Inquirer photojournalist Lauren Schneiderman, was removed from Ms. Schneiderman’s personal website.
Screenshots show that caption information indeed identified Mr. Cummings as Mr. Lewis.
“Senator Sullivan’s staff made a mistake trying to honor an American legend,” Mike Anderson, a spokesman for Mr. Sullivan, said in an email on Saturday.
Twitter was quick to criticize Mr. Rubio for confusing the congressmen.
Mr. Lewis died at 80 Friday. He announced in December that he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. One of the original 13 Freedom Riders, he was a powerful force in the U.S. civil rights movement, helping organize the March on Washington and other demonstrations.
Mr. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland, died in Oct. 17 at 68 in Baltimore. At the time of his death, he was serving his 13th term in the House of Representatives.
Amid the nationwide unrest that grew out of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after an encounter with the Minneapolis police, the treatment of Black Americans has been brought to the front of the country’s political consciousness. Black employees, for instance, have been subject to indignities such as being mistaken for a fellow Black co-worker.
For all its prestige, Capitol Hill is still just another workplace, and the senators’ posts were far from the first instances of Mr. Cummings and Mr. Lewis’s having been confused for each other.
In late December, CBS News apologized for incorrectly showing a photo of Mr. Cummings when referring to Mr. Lewis. In June 2019, a Fox News anchor, Eric Shawn, apologized for confusing the congressmen, even with Mr. Lewis’s nameplate being in the news clip.
Mr. Lewis took the mix-ups in stride. Standing next to a portrait of Mr. Cummings on the House floor in October, Mr. Lewis paid tribute to his friend and talked about his service.
“Sometimes people would confuse us, and say, ‘Hello, Elijah,’ ‘Hello, John Lewis,’ to him,” he said. “And we would joke about it. We would laugh about it.”
On April Fools’ Day last year, Mr. Lewis jokingly announced that he would grow a beard to at last put an end to his being mistaken for Mr. Cummings. In an official statement, he said that he had even considered getting a tattoo on the back of his head.
“I guess being mistaken does have its advantages, though,” Mr. Lewis said. “Elijah’s younger than me, so I guess being mistaken for him is kind of a compliment. Maybe one day when I have a schedule conflict, I’ll see if he wouldn’t mind sitting in a hearing for me. You think anybody would notice?”
Chris Rock Gets His First Tattoo At 55 Alongside His Daughter!
For his first-ever tattoo, Chris Rock opted for an artsy design to match his daughter’s.
On Wednesday, celebrity-loved tattoo shop Bang Bang shared a photo of the comedian, 55, showing off his inaugural ink: a Basquiat crown on his right shoulder.
“First tattoo for King @chrisrock and his wonderful daughter. Thank you for the trust,” the caption read.
The “Grown Ups” star’s daughter Zahra, 16, opted for a similar shoulder tattoo inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1984 work “Pez Dispenser,” which depicts a dinosaur wearing the same crown. She also snapped a few shots of the process to share on her Instagram Story.
The Rocks’ father-daughter ink is deeply meaningful. Basquiat’s signature motif, the three-pointed crown could often be seen adorning the heads of his paintings of black male athletes, writers and musicians — and even his self-portraits — elevating these figures to royal or saintly status.
A fitting first tattoo for a comedy king.
Big Sean Breaks His Silence After Ex-Fiancée Naya Rivera's Death!
Big Sean has broken his silence after the search for his ex-fiancée Naya Rivera ended and the actress was confirmed dead by authorities.
The 33-year-old Glee star was first declared missing on Wednesday July, 8 when her 4-year-old son Josey was found on a rented boat in the middle of California's Lake Piru. Approximately 24 hours after authorities began conducting a rescue mission—though it was suspended at nightfall, later resuming at daybreak on Thursday—the search was shifted to what the Ventura County Sheriff's Department called a "recovery operation."
Rivera's body was found by authorities on Monday, July 13.
On Friday evening, Big Sean broke his silence on Rivera's death with a heartfelt Instagram post.
"Rest In Peace Naya, God Bless your Soul! Thank you for blessing us all with your talent and presence. You are a hero! Not just because of how you saved your son, also because of the barriers you knocked down for so many people to make them feel confident in themselves and to stand tall and be proud when they couldn't achieve that on their own," he wrote. "I appreciate and cherish everything that ever happened between us for making me wiser and a better person."
Big Sean continued, "I'm still grieving and in shock, I can't believe this is real. I'm praying for you and your family and I know your watching over them and protecting them. Rest In Peace Naya."
Though Big Sean had previously shown his support for Rivera by "liking" tweets that contained hopeful messages and prayers for her safe return—including one from Ben Baller that read, "Prayers out to Naya Rivera. I hope she is ok,"—the rapper's post marked his first comment on her tragic death.
Rivera and Big Sean—Sean Michael Leonard Anderson—first met on Twitter, and he was later featured on her debut single, "Sorry." The two began dating in 2013, and got engaged later that year. However, the couple split six months after making the announcement.
Like Big Sean, Rivera's fans, friends and co-stars first took to social media with positive sentiments amid the search for her, but their messages have since turned mournful.
Heather Morris, Chris Colfer and Kevin McHale are just some of Rivera's many co-star who have paid tribute online.
"We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Naya, Josey and our family over the past week," Rivera's family said in a statement to Deadline earlier this week. "While we grieve the loss of our beautiful legend, we are blessed to honor her everlasting legacy and magnetic spirit. Naya was an amazing talent, but was an even greater person, mother, daughter and sister."
Rihanna Is Paying $415,000 A MONTH To Stay In Luxurious Hamptons Waterfront Mansion Boasting A Swimming Pool And A Private Boat Dock!
Rihanna has relocated to a luxurious waterfront property in The Hamptons, after months of living in London to work on her new album.
The singer, 32, is thought to be paying around $415,000 (£331,000) to reside in the 8,900 square feet, waterfront property for just four weeks, which boasts five bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms and a private swimming pool.
It comes after Rihanna casually told her fans she'd been living in London for more than a year, and said at the time she is loving the anonymity that 'living in a big city' brings.
Rihanna's temporary home may as well be on its own island, as it nestled among beautiful waterfront views, and even has its own dock for speedboats to make their arrival.
The We Found Love Hitmaker could sleep in one of up to five bedrooms which also boasted a calm and muted colour scheme with elegant furnishings.
The kitchen boasts all the usual mod cons with a light wood effect, while the living area features plush white furnishings.
The home was acquired by Rihanna's broker Dylan Eckhardt who told the New York Post: 'It checks every box.' Rihanna allegedly put down a $1 million security deposit for the home, located on a two-acre peninsula in the North Sea hamlet of the Hamptons.
The mansion is also equipped with amenities customised to its oceanfront location, including the private dock that is 85 feet long.
Rihanna will purportedly have access to jet skis that come with the rental, as well as her own boat if she fancies a trip out into the Atlantic.
When she leaves the Hamptons she allegedly plans to decamp to a house in Malibu through to the end of September.
Rihanna's Hamptons digs played host to Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian during the summer of 2014 when their spin-off show was shot.
The star was previously living in London for over a year, in a move that stunned many fans when she casually revealed it during an interview.
The Umbrella hitmaker previously told the New York Times she was loving living in London with the anonymity that living in a big city brings - and had been 'keeping a little incognito.'
It came after Rihanna sent tongues wagging she lived in the U.K. after they spotted a Sainsbury's bag for life in the background of one of her snaps.
Keke Palmer Defends Her Relationship with ABC After They Canceled Her Show!
Keke Palmer is sticking up for herself. The 26-year-old actress took to Instagram to address speculation that ABC canceled her talk show Strahan, Sara and Keke because she spoke up against racism at a Black Lives Matter protest.
“I want to speak on this simply because I hate the narrative that if you speak your mind as a black person that you will in some way be punished,” Keke wrote. “I have seen this going around and at first I ignored but in this climate I realized this is a dangerous message to send to our generation and the generation coming up. If anything my speaking out showed the corporations I work with how important my voice is and anyone that has a POV. The reality is I was never signed to ‘SSK’ as one would a seasonal show. This business is dynamic and instead of thinking of me as a ‘series regular’ see me see me as a brand that works with the corporation Disney/ABC News and this particular show I was on is no longer.”
Keke shared a meme with the message “Aint it weird how Keke Palmer was seen protesting and preaching about Racism in our country then ABC decides to cancel her show.”
“That does not mean the relationship I have with them dies, that means it evolves,” Keke continued. “I hate talking about business because it can seem a bit weird and gets quite technical lol. But when I see such fear mongering comments I want to speak out so that no one ever feels or thinks that speaking out will cost them their job! I’m sure it can and has before, but let’s also recognize when it has not. That way more of us with our own minds speak out against any injustices we see. Trust me, walking in my truth has always made my blessings OVERFLOW and connect to those that are like minded and not with those that are not. Do not believe this lie. Stay courageous and stay true because GOD HAS YOU ALWAYS ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake Welcome Second Child!
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake have just reportedly welcomed their second child after managing to keep the pregnancy a secret for quite a while. Daily Mail reports that Biel had a baby boy earlier this week, and that the family are now spending time with him and their eldest son, Silas.
Biel's mother Kimberly Conroe Biel has also spent much of the past week with her daughter and newest grandchild.
It's worth noting that both Biel and Timberlake have not been pictured in public since March, and with the onset of COVID-19 impacting everyone's day-to-day lives and forcing people into self-quarantine, it appears as though the two took the newly found private time to nurture the pregnancy as well. The couple may be staying at their home in Big Sky, Montana.
During Biel's first pregnancy back in 2015, the two were very active on social media during most of the time, publicly speaking on it as well. The two are still active on social media, but Timberlake hasn't posted any recent pictures of him with his wife at all.
Semi-recently, Timberlake was also a guest on Hot Ones in April where he joined in Sean Evans to talk about his expansive acting and music careers.
Mo'Nique's Netflix Lawsuit Has Been Allowed to Move Forward!
Last year comedian Mo'Nique filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix after they offered her less than $500,000 for a comedy special while paying $13 million to white comedian Amy Schumer.
Mo'Nique's lawsuit just passed another hurdle...According to reports this week a judge ruled in Mo'Nique's favor and rejected Netflix's motion to dismiss the case.
Mo'Nique argues that Netflix showed bias because they were willing to renegotiate with Amy Shumer after she publicly rejected their initial low offer while comparing herself to Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock, while at the same time shutting down negotiations completely and refusing to budge on their initial low offer to Mo'Nique.
Mo'Nique is seeking unspecified damages.
Brian Hickerson pleads not guilty to assaulting ex Hayden Panettiere!
Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson has pleaded not guilty to several felony assault charges following his Thursday arrest.
People reports that Hickerson, 31, entered a plea of not guilty to multiple felony charges, including four felony charges of corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant; a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, “to wit, garage floor;” a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, “to wit, stairs;” and a misdemeanor charge of battery on a spouse/cohabitant.
Just two days before Hickerson’s most recent arrest, the former “Nashville” star, 30, filed a request for an out-of-state restraining order that would protect her in California, where she now resides. Panettiere’s request came five months after Hickerson was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly assaulting her on Valentine’s Day in Wyoming.
Following his arrest, the actress broke her silence on the alleged abuse, telling fans via Instagram, “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she wrote on Instagram. “I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.”
Nia Long Says The Crew Of Netflix's 'Fatal Affair' Movie Should Have Been More Diverse!
Nia Long talked how "Fatal Affair" became a Black-led thriller once Netflix bought it.
Long, who is also a producer on the movie, said she was disappointed the movie only had "maybe three people" who were Black.
A Black screenwriter was also only hired because Long was cast.
Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
On the surface, the Netflix movie "Fatal Affair" looks like a fun 90-minute thriller with two 1990s heartthrobs, Nia Long and Omar Epps, as the leads.
But it turns out the making of the movie is yet another example of systemic racism in Hollywood, according to Long.
The actress, who is also a producer on the movie, told Insider that the movie was originally written for a white cast and was changed to a Black-led movie once Netflix bought it. And once Long was attached to star, a Black screenwriter, Rasheeda Garner, was hired to revamp the script.
"Rasheeda and I have since become friends and I think she's a wonderful writer," Long told Insider. "The flipside of that is I hope and pray that she gets the opportunity to be in the forefront and not brought on because the lead of the film is Black. She should be able to write and tell stories as an African-American woman in this industry."
"I understand and respect our director, who is a white man," Long continued, referring to "Fatal Affair" director Peter Sullivan. "He wanted to be respectful of my voice and I appreciate that. And that's why he hired Rasheeda. So although it gave her an opportunity, I want more. I want more for her, I want more for myself, I want more for Black female writers and directors in this business to not be used to fix something but to be used to tell our stories in a really authentic way."
Long also pointed out that the movie's crew also wasn't very diverse.
"In all honesty, I was disappointed that there were maybe three people on the crew that were Black, but that really is the production company's responsibility, not the network," Long said. "By the time I arrived, they were a happy family that had done several films together. My next production will be different."
While Long says she doesn't think anyone on the team had bad intentions, the lack of diversity behind the scenes is a systemic issue that continues to plague the entertainment industry.
"This isn't about 'Fatal Affair,' this is about a system," she said. "This is a systemic issue in Hollywood that has yet to be addressed in a fair way."
While she's planning to produce more projects going forward and pledges to make necessary changes, Long said she can't be the only one doing the work.
"I can't be the only girl holding the torch," Long said. "I've burned my fingers a lot standing up for what I believe in. Being outspoken. I will be the first person to say I want everyone to have a good time, this isn't me being self-serving, this is about how can we all push forward and be better?"\
Justin Bieber Can Subpoena Twitter To Turn Over Sexual Assault Accusers, Judge Rules!
Two women who used Twitter to anonymously accuse Justin Bieber of sexual assault may be identified after a judge ruled that the star is allowed to subpoena the social media platform for the info.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Terry Green ruled in Bieber’s favor Thursday, allowing the “Sorry” singer and his attorneys to demand Twitter turn over the identities of these alleged victims.
“We just want to uncover who is behind these two accounts, and it may be the same person,” Bieber’s lawyer, Evan N. Spiegel told the court. He also called the claims “provably false” through eyewitness and photographic evidence.
Bieber filed a $20 million defamation suit against his accusers, but the women cannot be served until they are identified. Thus far, they’ve only been identified as Danielle and Kadi on social media, with the Twitter handles @danielleglvn and @ItsnotKadi.
“The allegations are factually impossible, revealing and evidencing beyond any doubt that her social media post and allegations are a complete fabrication, an elaborate hoax,” the filing says.
Dan Snyder, Owner Of Washington's NFL Team, Responds To Sexual Harassment Claims Against Franchise, Vows Change!
The morning after The Washington Post published a story alleging explosive allegations of sexual harassment and boorish behavior by front office members and other employees of Washington's NFL team, owner Dan Snyder offered his response.
"The behavior described in yesterday’s Washington Post article has no place in our franchise or society," Snyder said in Friday's statement, issued by the club he purchased in 1999.
"This story has strengthened my commitment to setting a new culture and standard for our team, a process that began with the hiring of Coach (Ron) Rivera earlier this year.
"Beth Wilkinson and her firm are empowered to do a full, unbiased investigation and make any and all requisite recommendations. Upon completion of her work, we will institute new policies and procedures and strengthen our human resources infrastructure to not only avoid these issues in the future but most importantly create a team culture that is respectful and inclusive of all."
Fifteen women who previously worked for the team plus two others who covered it for media outlets alleged varying levels of harassment – notably by Richard Mann II and Alex Santos, longtime members of Washington's personnel department, and veteran play-by-play radio voice Larry Michael. Mann and Santos had already been fired prior to The Post's expose, while Michael abruptly retired Wednesday.
Snyder was not directly implicated for sexually harassing behavior in The Post's story and declined comment prior to its publication. However some of the women interviewed strongly suspected he knew what was occurring. They also blamed Snyder for the organization's thinly staffed human resources department, a shortfall that left little recourse to address the issues.
Earlier Friday, the NFL issued its own statement, expressing, "These matters as reported are serious, disturbing and contrary to the NFL’s values.
"Everyone in the NFL has the right to work in an environment free from any and all forms of harassment."
Before it proceeds further, the league will await the outcome and findings of the investigation headed by Wilkinson, a prominent attorney based in the District of Columbia.
Later Friday evening, several reporters obtained an internal memo signed by Snyder and his wife, Tanya, apologizing to "each of you and everyone affected by this situation."
"The actions in the story have no place in our franchise or in society," the memo read, adding later: "Clearly there is work to be done to build a better organizational culture. We need to get better and the time is now."
Rivera, the former Carolina Panthers coach hired in January, has been empowered by Snyder far beyond coaching responsibilities and also vows to remedy working conditions for the franchise, which is based in Ashburn, Virginia.
The "biggest thing is we have to move forward from this," Rivera said Thursday while promising an environment in which employees can speak without fear of retribution.
"Dan Snyder brought me here to change culture (and) create an environment of inclusion among employees," Rivera told The Athletic.
"I believe everyone that works for this franchise has a vested interest in our success."
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘MAD MAX’
Welp we did it, we’ve officially started the phase of quarantine where we’re all starting to transform into the Mad Max society.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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