Rebecca Hall, Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga for The Hollywood Reporter - 27th Jan 2021!
For three years, Rebecca Hall had been struggling to find financing for her directorial debut, Passing, when in 2018 she approached producing partners Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker, who had backed the first feature films of Ryan Coogler, Chloé Zhao and Boots Riley through their Significant Productions. The pair were blown away by Hall's script, an adaptation of Nella Larsen's 1920s-set novel penned during the Harlem Renaissance about two childhood friends — one "passing" for white — who reunite and become obsessed with each other, threatening their carefully constructed realities. They loved the two attached actresses — Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga — as the intertwined leads Irene and Clare. But as producers whose mandate is to champion multicultural stories told from an authentic perspective, they weren't sure that the British actress was the right person to helm a film about the Black American experience.
"That was our initial concern, and when I met her in person, I brought it up and was really frank about it, how I'm nervous about having a white woman telling a story about passing," Yang Bongiovi recalls. "And that's when she revealed to me that her mother is actually African American. On the maternal side of her family, generations have passed because of light skin. So, Rebecca's actually mixed race. And that was something that was extremely profound to me because that makes her the perfect person to tell this story. And that's why we wholeheartedly signed on."
The resulting film will have its world premiere Jan. 30 at the Sundance Film Festival, a virtual affair thanks to the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has made the typically packed Park City theater a distant memory as the indie movie mecca soldiers on in a strange year. The film is shot in black-and-white and in old-timey 4:3 aspect ratio, featuring two women of color as leads, and yet appears to be the hottest title for sale at the Sundance market. That's because Hall's stylized offering is about so much more than race — encompassing gender, class and sexuality and unfolding at times like a thriller, with plenty of Hitchcockian references.
"I think we all wear a mask of a kind, many masks, and sometimes we switch them in and switch them out. I think that's just basic survival, really," says Negga of Passing's universal themes.
It also marks a very personal story for Hall, who started exploring the background of her mother — Detroit-born opera singer Maria Ewing — about 13 years ago. The actress turned director, now 38, is curled up on a sofa in her home in Upstate New York, where she has lived for the past four years, and is ready to return to that moment when she began writing the Passing script.
“I was increasingly spending time in America as an adult and thinking more about my mother’s background and my family’s heritage that was very mysterious to me,” says Hall of her mother, opera singer Maria Ewing (left), who was born in Detroit. Right: Hall with her mother (left) in 2002.
"I was increasingly spending time in America as an adult and thinking more about my mother’s background and my family’s heritage that was very mysterious to me,” says Hall of her mother, opera singer Maria Ewing (left), who was born in Detroit. Right: Hall with her mother (left) in 2002.
"I don't have any experience of being a Black person in America," says Hall over a Zoom call. "I don't know what that feels like because I present as white, I go through the world as white, you know. But what I do have an experience of is being raised by people who were also raised by people who made choices that were shaped by living in a racist society."
Back in 2007. Hall had just finished shooting Vicky Cristina Barcelona and was spending more time in the U.S., bringing to the surface the legacy of passing inside her own family. As a child, Hall remembers her mother was vague about her background.
"Sometimes it was talked about as, 'Your grandfather — maybe he was Native American. Maybe he was a little bit Black. We don't know,' " she remembers. "But when I looked at my mother, I always, my whole life, thought, 'That's a Black woman.' "
She found herself increasingly telling people about her lineage, determined to break the cycle of silence. Some responded to Hall — a Londoner and Cambridge alum of obvious privilege whose father was the late British theater legend Peter Hall — with wild laughter, which she found disturbing. "What does that say about you? What does that say about what you think about racial stereotypes, your expectation of what Blackness is?" she recalls thinking. But one friend turned her on to Larsen's novel, largely overlooked during its time but newly embraced by scholars.
"I was flailing around. Identity is a hopelessly complex issue," she explains. "But I read the book, and I was powerfully moved by it in a way that was really difficult for my 25-year-old brain to handle. I think much better when I'm writing than when I'm speaking, which is why being a public figure has always been a little bit problematic for me," she laughs. "So, my solution to understanding was to sit down and adapt it into a screenplay."
Hall adapted the book, which is in the public domain, in just 10 days. Then she put it in a drawer and waited "until I gained some arrogance" to consider directing. "This is my dirty little secret: I've always wanted to be a filmmaker, and I've been going through life as an actor, quietly spying on everyone that I work with, thinking about how I'll do it."
For years, people marveled at the execution of the script. " 'What an incredible idea,' " she would hear. " 'You'll never get it made.' And I suppose that just gave me a little bit of a dog with a bone situation."
Get more at The Hollywood Reporter!
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Shares the “Best Present” She Received for Her Birthday!
Kenya Moore celebrated her 50th birthday with an epic getaway and “the best present ever:” some quality family time with her two-year-old daughter, Brooklyn Daly.
As she commemorated her latest trip around the sun, The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member took to Instagram to share a peek inside her sweet birthday festivities. In a photo posted on January 28, Kenya can be seen holding and planting a kiss on little Brooklyn while the two enjoyed a dip in the pool.
“My best present for my bday! Unconditional love,” Kenya wrote in the caption alongside the beautiful picture.
The mother-daughter duo clearly made the most of their time together during their trip. The two soaked up the sun in the beachside location, even enjoying an outdoor brunch decked out with festive balloons.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn seemed to have the time of her life in the pool — although it took her a minute to get adjusted, as captured in this hilariously adorable video.
“Happiest baby in the world!” Kenya captioned another precious photo from their trip.
Want more The Real Housewives of Atlanta? New episodes air Sundays at 8/7c
#NewMuisc from Ledisi ‘Same Love’!
Ledisi definitely had a winning hand when she released last year's The Wild Card. Though many releases arrived in our laps during this never-ending quarantine, her project was one that we kept finding ourselves drawn to again and again. Of course, this is the norm when it comes to Ledisi. So we're more than happy to revisit the album with the release of the singer's latest single, "Same Love."
LISTEN HERE
"Same Love" is a soulful track about a love that might not be good for you but feels good when you're in it. Led describes this via the song's lyrics. "It don't get no hotter than July / Baby I'm so happy I replied / Left our inhibitions at the door / We know exactly what we came here for," she sings. "We ain't really trying nothing new / I don't really mind the déjà vu / History is better on repeat." Underscoring this steamy reunion are strums of guitar and faint keys add depth to the emotions she's feeling. If you've ever found yourself constantly running to get that old thang back or backsliding "just one more time," then this song is for you.
#HipHopNews: Beyoncé’s Alleged Rapper Cousin Reportedly Shot & Killed In San Antonio!
SAN ANTONIO, TX – An alleged cousin of Beyoncé, Martell Derouen, is reportedly dead from a gunshot wound. According to the New York Post, San Antonio police discovered the 34-year-old’s body on Tuesday (January 26) after executing a welfare check on his home. An unidentified person called the police after they hadn’t heard from Derouen for several days.
Local TV station KSAT reports officials have issued a warrant for the arrest of 21-year-old murder suspect and fellow rapper Sasha Skare, who was previously involved in the San Antonio music scene and released a single produced by Derouen in April.
Court records show she was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2019 following a shooting that left one man dead and another injured. Austin police believe Skare and boyfriend Andrew Bass set up a meeting to rob a drug dealer. The robbery resulted in an exchange of gunfire that killed Bass and wounded the other man.
“There is no way to replace him, but please help us find this girl,” Derouen’s wife Joia said in a statement. “She is dangerous and I do believe she will kill again. If you see her please contact the police.”
Derouen, who rapped under the moniker Kardone, signed to the Sony Music record label The Orchard in 2019. Friend and Fyngermade Studio owner Brian Mitchell remembered Derouen as “a real subtle dude” and applauded him for not using Beyoncé’s name to his advantage.
”That’s not even something he would even mention to people,” Mitchell said. “We’d just have to put [that information] in his bios because it’s just, it’s worthy to put it in there, but he doesn’t like stuff like that.”
An Instagram page reportedly operated by Skare is being inundated with comments telling her to turn herself in to authorities. The San Antonio native began rapping and singing in 2018. She has one single “Zoom” available on Spotify, along with an album titled Hyer Quality, Vol. 1.
The San Antonio Police Department is asking anyone with information on Skare’s whereabouts to contact the homicide unit at 210-207-7635.
Kelly Rowland Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 2 With Tim Weatherspoon!
A new Destiny's Child baby is finally here! On Saturday, Jan. 30, Kelly Rowland announced that she has given birth to her and Tim Weatherspoon's second child. The 39-year-old pop star and her husband welcomed their second son.
"On the 21st day, of the 21st year, of the 21st Century, Noah Jon Weatherspoon Greeted us! We are truly grateful[four heart emojis]," Kelly wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her and Tim's eldest boy, Titan Jewell Weatherspoon, 6, cuddling his baby brother. "1•21•21 8:13pm 7lbs. 8oz 19in."
The "Coffee" singer first shared the happy news that she was expecting her second child back in October, revealing her baby bump on the November cover of Women's Health magazine.
"SURPRISE!!" she captioned an Instagram post of the cover at the time. "My @womenshealthmag cover issue is online now and on newsstands next week!"
In Women's Health, the happy mom explained that she and Tim had spoken "loosely" about having another child, sharing, "Then COVID happened. And we were just like, ‘Let's see what happens.'"
She further elaborated, "But you still want to remind people that life is important. And being able to have a child…I'm knocking at 40's door in February. Taking care of myself means a lot to me."
At the time, the singer-songwriter also admittedly noted that her fans would be upset about the R&B star having a baby before releasing her highly anticipated fifth studio album.
"I was thinking, 'Oh my god, my fans are gonna be so disappointed. They wanted an album first, but they got a baby!'" she explained. "And I was like, ‘I have to figure this out so they get both.'" And while fans are still waiting for the new musical vibes, the newborn will surely give fans something to celebrate in the meantime.
As for Titan, he's ready to be a big brother. In fact, the child has prepared for this.
In an October episode of Daily Pop, Kelly gushed, "He said that he wants a boy, but he's recently said he's wanted a girl. He is over the moon about being a big brother. He has already named the baby."
Denzel Washington Talks Playing Cops in Movies: 'I Have the Utmost Respect for What They Do'!
Denzel Washington has played quite a few cops throughout his career, so it’s no surprise the beloved actor is rather fond of them.
In his latest film The Little Things, Washington takes the role of yet another law enforcement officer. This time around Washington is playing a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detective who is trying to catch a serial killer.
The film comes at a time when public support for police is on the decline, following centuries of racial violence and brutality that culminated in large Black Lives Matter protests last summer. Calls to defund the police have increased nationwide as coverage of police brutality continues to flood our newsfeed day after day after day after.
But during a press run for his latest film, Washington seemed to have little qualms about his roles in The Bone Collector, Out of Time, Training Day, or other projects where he portrays members of the force. Instead, he emphasized his support for law enforcement and members of the military during an interview with Yahoo Entertainment.
“I have the utmost respect for what they do, for what our soldiers do, [people] that sacrifice their lives,” he said. “I just don’t care for people who put those kind of people down. If it weren’t for them, we would not have the freedom to complain about what they do.”
Washington stars alongside Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek in The Little Things. After this project, he’s set to direct a film titled Journal for Jordan about a soldier who “makes the ultimate sacrifice,” starring Michael B. Jordan.
Washington, who has ironically also played revolutionaries like Malcom X, said he traced his appreciation for cops to a ride-along with an LAPD officer before his role in the 1991 film Ricochet.
“I went out on call with a sergeant,” Washington said. “We got a call of a man outside his house with a rifle that was distraught. We pulled up and did a U-turn past the house and came up short of the house. He told me to sit in the car, which I was gonna do. I wasn’t getting out. He got out. As he got out, another car came screaming up and two young people jumped out screaming. As it turned out, it was their grandfather. This policeman defused the entire situation by just remaining calm.”
“But it showed me in an instant how they can lose their life,” he continued. “He didn’t overreact. He could’ve pulled his gun out and shot the people that came up driving real fast. He could’ve shot the old man that was distraught and a bit confused, I think he was suffering a little bit from dementia. But in an instant it taught me, and I never forgot it, what our law enforcement people have to deal with moment to moment, second to second.”
Just last month, the LAPD received backlash for its part in beating and assaulting peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors
The Weeknd has put up $7 million of his own money for his Super Bowl halftime show!
The Weeknd has put up $7 million of his own money for his Super Bowl halftime show performance next week, his manager has revealed.
The Canadian artist, AKA Abel Tesfaye, is this year’s guest performer during the much-hyped halftime show, which will take place during the main interval of the NFL showpiece game on February 7.
The Weeknd’s upcoming halftime performance, which will last for 12-13 minutes, has been previewed in a new interview conducted by Billboard with the artist, his managers Wassim “Sal” Slaiby and Amir “Cash” Esmailian and XO’s creative director La Mar C. Taylor.
Slaiby revealed in the interview that while the Super Bowl organisers are covering all of the usual production costs, The Weeknd has voluntarily put up $7 million of his own money to “make this halftime show be what he envisioned”.
Speaking about the performance, which is being curated by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation company (who are in a partnership with the NFL), Esmailian said that The Weeknd and his team have “always had the Super Bowl on our bucket list”.
“We’ve always had timelines for all of our goals,” he added of the halftime show booking. “It came a few years earlier than we expected.”
Referencing the fact that the Raymond James Stadium – the Tampa, Florida location for this year’s Super Bowl – will only be a third full due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Weeknd continued: “We’ve been really focusing on dialling in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience, and we want to do that with the Super Bowl.”
Next week will also see the arrival of The Weeknd’s first greatest hits collection, ‘The Highlights’.
T.I. & Tiny Respond To Sexual Abuse Allegations!
T.I. and Tiny have responded to the latest allegations from Sabrina Peterson, who alleged earlier this week that the couple was involved in sexual abuse — among other things.
"Mr. and Mrs. Harris want to be on record and more importantly want the public to know they emphatically deny in the strongest way possible the egregiously appalling allegations being made against them by Sabrina Peterson," the couple's statement reads. "The Harrises have had difficulty with this woman for well over a decade. They are taking this matter very seriously."
On Thursday (January 28), Sabrina shared messages she allegedly received from more than a dozen women describing alleged instances of assault, alleged facilitation of sexual abuse, and alleged forced drug use by T.I and Tiny.
Sabrina's posting of the dozens of messages came days after she claimed that T.I. once held a gun to her head. "The sad part about being a woman & BEING A BLACK WOMAN IS THIS! The public PRAISES OUR PREDATORS! [T.I.] you PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD IN FRONT OF CHILDREN & I NEVER CALLED THE POLICE ON YOU!" she wrote on Instagram. "But for years you have painted me as the VILLAIN! AS BLACK WOMEN! It’s hard to heal from RAPE, VIOLENCE OR ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU ARE PAINTED AS THE PROBLEM OR REASON THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU! LETS NORMALIZE THE ALLOWING BLACK WOMEN TO HEAL! It’s so hard being the VICTIM OF RAPE & BEING PAINTED AS THE REASON IT HAPPENED!
Tiny addressed Sabrina's post shortly after, defending her husband on Instagram. "Hold up... So you want your abuser to train your sons? He was just uncle 2 years ago ... 🤔now when did you say my husband assaulted you? Did you change your mind or change it back? What’s up wit you today Pooh? I’m confused 🤷🏽♀️," she wrote. "Stop Harassing My Family. You strange. Everybody know you been special (face slicing seminar lady). Please Get help. But LEAVE US ALONE‼️😘."
If you or someone you know have been affected by sexual abuse, please reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE (4673)
Grammy-nominated producer and DJ Sophie Xeon, professionally known as SOPHIE, has died at the age of 34 in Athens, Greece!
“It is with profound sadness that I have to inform you that musician and producer SOPHIE passed away this morning around 4am in Athens, where the artist had been living, following a sudden accident,” read a statement from her team. “At this time respect and privacy for the family is our priority. We would also ask for respect for her fanbase, and to treat the private nature of this news with sensitivity.”
The Scottish musician was one of the most revered within electronic pop music, crafting hits for the likes of Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga and Madonna. She also received critical acclaim for her 2018 Grammy nominated debut album “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides.”
“SOPHIE was a pioneer of a new sound, one of the most influential artists in the last decade,” the statement continued. “Not only for ingenious production and creativity but also for the message and visibility that was achieved. An icon of liberation.”
Xeon was the first openly trans artist to be nominated for a “Best Dance/Electronic Album” Grammy. The musician kept her identity hidden until the 2017 release of music video, “It’s Okay to Cry.”
French singer-songwriter Christine and the Queen had this to say about the “visionary.”
“Sophie was a stellar producer, a visionary, a reference. She rebelled against the narrow, normative society by being an absolute triumph, both as an artist and as a woman. I can’t believe she is gone. We need to honor and respect her memory and legacy. Cherish the pioneers.”
Wendy Williams Alleges One-Night Stand With Method Man: He’s ‘Very Angry’ With Me!
Williams made the claim while promoting her upcoming Lifetime biopic and documentary
While promoting her upcoming Lifetime biopic and documentary, which airs on Saturday, Wendy Williams decided to dish more alleged details about her controversial career and life in the spotlight.
During an interview with DJ Suss One, Williams alleged that she and rap legend Method Man had a one-night stand after allegedly partaking in a round of cannabis.
In a clip shared by DJ Suss One, Wendy Williams talks about her history of drug use and her ability to quit her addiction to cocaine. Moments later, the famous TV show host made the explosive claim.
“I smoked a blunt with Method Man while I gave him a bath and it was a one-night stand,” Williams said. “He’ll deny it, maybe not.”
After Suss One pointed out that the alleged encounter between her and Method Man was not featured in her biopic, the 56-year-old media personality said it wasn’t included because the Wu-Tang rapper is “angry” with her.
“It wasn’t in the movie because [he] is still very angry at me … for being me — for telling the truth,” She added. “It was one night. We were in the club — a fight broke out and gunshots broke out. The fight was ridiculous. The whole Wu-Tang was there but it was only Meth up in the rafters. And see, that’s where I go to observe everything because I was by myself.”
Continuing with her tale Wendy said, “He goes, ‘Yo, Wendy!’ Because he’d been on the show before and he was f’d up,” she added. “I smelled the weed and I had weed but he had better … He rolled a blunt, we smoked a blunt, we watched the fight, we heard the gunshots, the cops came in. … I guess I batted my eyes and rocked my shoulders and I said, ‘You wanna come over?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll follow you.’”
When asked if she and Method Man managed to “go all the way,” Wendy replied emphatically “Yes!”
As Complex reports, by Wendy Williams’s timeline, the alleged intimate moment occurred during the early years of Method Man’s marriage to wife Tamika Smith. In 2006, Method Man, real name Clifford Smith Jr., called out Williams for disclosing his wife’s battle with cancer.
Kim Kardashian & Kanye West's Marital Issues Covered In Last 'KUWTK' Season!
Keeping Up With the Kardashians is wrapping up time on air in the same fashion that it started out 20 seasons ago.
According to ET, the final season of the long-running reality show won’t shy away from the realities of the cast and that includes covering Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's marital problems. The first trailer for the final season of the E! show dropped on Thursday (January 28) and while their issues don't appear in the trailer, the insider said that the pair's troubles will be featured in the last batch of episodes of the show. Among the other subplots for the season, which premieres March 18, include Khloé Kardashian telling Tristan Thompson that she wants a second child and the family rooting for Kourtney Kardashian and her ex, Scott Disick, to get back together.
"I wouldn't leave you without some seriously ugly cry faces on our final 20th season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians premiering March 18th on E! @eentertainment," Kim captioned the trailer on Instagram.
Elsewhere in their report, ET reported that while Kardashian and West communicate regularly, they're still getting a divorce. "The kids don't know much of what's going on because they are young, but also this isn't new to them," the source explained. "Kim and Kanye have always been so busy traveling and in and out that Kanye not being there isn't shocking. At the end of the day, Kim and Kanye will do what is best for their kids and are on great terms as parents."
The pair share four children: North, 7, Saint, 5, Chicago, 3, and Psalm, 1.
“Bridgerton” Is Now Netflix’s “Biggest Series Ever”!
Netflix is now claiming that “Bridgerton” is its biggest hit ever.
According to CNN, the drama based on Julia Quinn’s novels set in Britain in the early 1800s has been watched by 82 million households in its first 28 days of release.
Netflix also claims the show has “made the top 10” in every market except for Japan. The series has hit number one status in 83 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, India, Brazil, and South Africa.
The Regency-era romance drama created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by TV juggernaut Shonda Rhimes has created a huge buzz since it premiered at the end of last year.
“Bridgerton” has been likened to “The Queen’s Gambit,” in that it “defies tradition, and demonstrates that period dramas are not limited in scope or audience,” Netflix’s VP of original series, Jinny Howe, said in the statement.
“Chris Van Dusen and Shondaland’s Regency reimagined isn’t meant to be history. It’s designed to be more lavish, sexier, and funnier than the standard period drama — and that’s what so surprised and delighted our members,” Howe explained.
Coachella Has Canceled Its April 2021 Dates!
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been canceled.
According to Billboard, the annual mega music festival has canceled its dates for April 2021. The announcement was made by Dr. Cameron Kaiser, the public health officer for Riverside Country, where the event is held. The officer announced on Twitter.
“Due to the pandemic, Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser today (Jan. 29) signed a public health order canceling Coachella Valley Music and Arts, Stagecoach Country Music festivals planned for April 2021. We look forward to when the events may return,” he wrote on the social media platform. “Please read the updated link for the Public Health order here,” he added with a link to the public health orders of that county.
For now, there are no details on whether or not the festival will be rescheduled. The event was initially planned for April 9 to the 11 and from the 16 to the 18. The event has been rescheduled three times now since the outbreak of coronavirus.
Artists that were set to perform included headliners Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, and Rage Against the Machine. Initially, the performances were moved to early October. After that, it was pushed to June, and then October dates were canceled. This is the third time since 2000 that the festival has been canceled, Billboard reports.
Louisiana Family Says They Were Denied Burial Plot Because Of Loved One’s Skin Color!
A family in Louisiana, is burying a loved one further from home because they say he was rejected from a nearby cemetery for the color of his skin.
Darrell Semien, 55, was an Allen Parish deputy and Reeves police officer. He was described as a gentle giant and caring cop. He was also a foster father. He died Sunday after his colon cancer resurged in December and progressively overtook him.
“It was just so much a slap in the face, a punch in the gut. It was just belittling him. You know that we can’t bury him because he’s black,” Karla Semien, Semien’s widow, said.
The Semiens called the Oaklin Springs Cemetery, which was close to their home, and met with the woman who sold plots.
“First me and one of my other sons got out of the car when she drove up, and he’s white, and she said she was sorry for our loss, and I told her thank you,” Karla Semien said. “And before I could say anything else, the rest of them started coming out of the car, and she looked at them, and then she looked at me and says, ‘We’re going to have to have a discrepancy.’ She said, ‘We’re not going to be able to sell you a plot.”
Since its start in the 1950s, Oaklin Springs Cemetery contract only allowed, “remains of white human beings.” Despite the contract being signed by everyone who buys a plot, the cemetery board said they had never noticed it before.
“I’m sorry I have no better explanation for it than that,” Creig Vizena, the cemetery board president, said. “I can’t answer a question that I don’t know the answer to. I refuse to speculate on it. I just know that it was wrong and now it’s right.”
Thursday, the cemetery board eliminated the word “white” from its contract in an emergency meeting. The woman who denied the family space no longer works for them.
“I apologized, and I’m still apologizing to those people. I am so sorry that this happened,” Vizena said. He visited the family as soon as he heard what happened.
He thought the contract was legally binding through the courthouse, so he told the Semiens, “I can’t sell you a plot, but I can give you one of my four plots.”
Since the language was uncovered, Vizena has been convinced if it could be overlooked for so long in Oberlin, there is likely similar racist language elsewhere.
“Check your records. If there’s any kind of stupid verbiage like this. Contracts, ordinances, please change it, Vizena said. “We can never change as a country until we wipe that stuff out. There’s no room for that.”
Even though no family who goes to Oaklin Springs Cemetery will be denied for their race again, the Simien’ doubt it hasn’t happened before.
“It’s not possible,” Kimberly Semien, Darrell Semien’s daughter said. “If that cemetery had been there that long, that many years, I’m sure. I mean people die every day, and Oberlin has a lot of colored people out here. I know there had to be family who went out there.”
Them being denied was enough for the family to search elsewhere. They said their first question to each cemetery they called was, “Are Black people allowed to be buried in your cemetery?”
Even though the Oaklin Springs Cemetery contract allows people of all colors now, the Semien family said they’ll never feel welcome here because of how they were treated.
“His main duty was protect and serve,” Kimberly Semien said. “He didn’t but his badge on and say, ‘I’m only going to protect the Blacks because they’re Blacks. I’m just leaving white people out of it.’ No. He protected and served everybody no matter what the color is.”
“People need to know. It’s just not right,” Karla Semien said. “For the rest of my kids’ life, they are not going to hear anything. Any apologies. They’re not going to hear anything that anybody says except my dad couldn’t be buried there because he’s Black. That’s the only thing that’s going to stick in their heads for the rest of their life and mine too.”
Semien’s funeral arrangements are set for Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Sonnier Cemetery in Oberlin.
CDC Mandates Masks On Public Transportation!
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday night that mask-wearing will be required on all on all public transportation beginning Monday night.
The mandate issued by CDC division director Martin S. Cetron was made after President Joe Biden issued an executive order Jan. 21 that called for "immediate action" on mask-wearing for "all forms of public transportation."
It applies to all public commercial transportation — planes, trains, boats and buses — and to transportation hubs, such as air terminals, train stations, subway stations, seaports and bus depots.
It also covers ferries, subways, taxis and ride-hail vehicles, the CDC said. Operators and transportation workers must wear masks, too.
The order does not apply to children 2 or younger, commercial trucks and military transportation. Travelers don't have to wear masks while briefly eating or drinking, the CDC said.
The CDC said it would rely most only "widespread voluntary compliance," according to the order. It goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday.
Biden used his first days in office to also mandate mask-wearing and social distancing on all federal properties. While stopping short of mandatory mask-wearing in all public situations, he has encouraged mask-wearing "across America."
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘THE SLUTTY PANDA’
I’m not quite sure what type of animal she is trying to be but I can tell you it certainly is a promiscuous one.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
