WSSN Stories

LOS ANGELES, CA— Kyrie Irving took over Fan Fest during the BET Experience Presented by Walmart with the multifaceted “MORE THAN A RUN” powered by ANTA Day of curated basketball events on Friday, June 28, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Housed in the “Where Black Culture Plays” BETX village, the event featured a full day of basketball-intensive activities curated by Kyrie Irving, ANTA, More Than A Run, and A11Even Sports, creating a unique blend of sports, culture, and entertainment.

Event Highlights:

Youth Empowerment and Engagement:

Young athletes from community organizations participated in the Tribe Hélà basketball clinic, engaging in dynamic drills, games, and workouts with top coaches. This exclusive clinic provided invaluable mentorship and training to the youth, representing organizations such as Helping Hands Foundation, Brotherhood Crusade, Venice Beach Basketball, and Peace Players. Noteworthy, the USC women’s basketball team graced the event with their presence.

1v1 Tournament Excitement:

Fans were thrilled by an intense 1v1 tournament featuring their favorite YouTube sports influencers. The competition showcased high-energy performances from players like Daviohn Scarborough aka Scar, Ty Glover, Kevin Kuteyi, Javon Brazile, Josh Treadwell, Michael Harden Jr., Rob Colon, and Devante Carter, captivating the audience with their skills and charisma.

All-Star Invitational Game:

The day culminated with the More Than A Run All-Star Invitational game, where Kyrie Irving and his star-studded friends, including Jaden Hardy (Dallas Mavericks), Lonnie Walker (Brooklyn Nets), Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dennis Smith Jr. (Brooklyn Nets), and GG Jackson (Memphis Grizzlies), coached a spectacular 5-on-5 pick-up game. The players’ exceptional talent and camaraderie made for an unforgettable experience, kicking off culture’s biggest weekend in grand style.

Exclusive Merchandise and Cultural Significance:

As a Fan Fest exclusive, over 100 youth participants received gear from Kyrie Irving’s collaboration with global sports icon ANTA. Attendees also got a first look at the latest shoe from his collection, the “KAI 1 Garden State.” Inspired by the lush green natural landscape of New Jersey, this fresh and vibrant colorway infused natural energy into the court, adding a personal touch that tied back to Irving’s roots.

Kyrie Irving remarked: “This event was about more than just basketball. It was about leveraging my partnerships with Anta, A11Even Sports and More Than A Run to give back to the community. It is important to me that the next generation is inspired and that we are always celebrating culture. I’m grateful to everyone who came out and those who worked tirelessly to make this day possible. Tribe Hélà is dedicated to empowering our youth, and this clinic was a perfect example of how we can make a real impact. To our fans, your support and enthusiasm fuel me and I am excited to continue this journey together.”

EVENT IMAGES HERE– photo credit, Border Boys Media.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA— Google announced the 20 recipients of its 2024 Google for Startups Founders Funds for Black and Latino entrepreneurs. This year marks the first cohort exclusively comprised of AI-focused startups, advancing Google’s commitments to inclusion in AI and to helping diverse founders access capital. Each founder will receive $150,000 in non-dilutive cash awards and $100,000 in Google Cloud credits to help grow their businesses. In addition to capital, the founders will also gain access to mental health resources and mentorship from Google experts in AI and sales. Five California-based founders, including one Los Angeles-based founder, are among the recipients, amounting to 1,250,000 invested in California startups.

The 2024 Black and Latino Founders Fund recipients are using AI to help solve important business and societal challenges—from using AI to prevent wildfires to diverting fast fashion from landfills to helping millions of community college learners more successfully transfer and acquire four-year degrees.

“AI can enable startups to build transformative products and solve complex challenges, but founders need access to capital to realize this potential,” said Maya Kulycky, Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Google Research. “Through the Google for Startups Founders Funds, we are proud to invest in promising Black and Latino founders who are leveraging AI technology to help address some of today’s most pressing issues. We are inspired by the groundbreaking work of these founders and their potential to shape the future of AI.”

EdVisorly (Los Angeles)

Founder: Manny Smith

About: EdVisorly is a platform empowering community college students and four-year university enrollment teams to connect to increase transfer admissions success and bachelor’s degree completion.

Bountiful (San Francisco)

Founder: Megan Nunes

About: Bountiful is an operating system for agriculture, modernizing how farmers, buyers, and sellers work smarter.

InOrbit (Mountain View)

Founder: Florian Pestoni 

About: InOrbit is a leader in robot operations, helping robot developers and end users maximize the value of every robot through a data and AI platform.

Maverick (San Francisco)

Founder: Eitan Winer

About: Maverick enables ecommerce brands to send personalized videos to their customers at scale using AI.

Waterplan (San Francisco)

Founder: Matias Comercio

About: Waterplan is the water sustainability platform to measure, respond, and report water risk.

Google believes that racial equity is inextricably linked to economic opportunity. The company created the Founders Funds to help level the playing field for Black and Latino entrepreneurs who are consistently locked out of access to early capital. Today’s announcement builds on the program’s success to date—since 2020, Google has deployed more than $50M to Black and Latino founders around the world. These founders have raised over $590 million in follow-on funding.

To learn more, visit Google for Startups.

Supporting Quotes

EdVisorly (Los Angeles)

Quote: “Our team at EdVisorly is beyond grateful to be able to partner with Google as part of the Black and Latino Founders Fund to advance our vision for community college to university transfer across the United States” says Manny Smith, founder of EdVisorly. “Our partnership with Google has elevated EdVisorly’s capacity to deliver industry-leading AI, designed with and for our higher education institutional partners. I’ve had the opportunity to serve the country throughout my time as an officer in the Air Force, and I truly believe that the progress we are making by building bridges for talented and motivated students is foundational for the long term success of our nation.”

Bountiful (San Francisco)

Quote: “The Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund means that Google is giving us the resources to help us scale Bountiful’s Operating System for agriculture,” says Megan Nunes, founder of Bountiful. “The support will be used to grow our team and crop types we cover, allowing Bountiful to further our work in modernizing how farmers, buyers and sellers work smarter.”

InOrbit (Mountain View)

Quote: “We’re thrilled to have been selected for the 2024 Google for Startups Founders Fund cohort of AI-focused companies,” says InOrbit CEO and co-founder Florian Pestoni. “This program underscores Google’s commitment to helping startups at the cutting-edge of AI. The support will be instrumental in advancing our mission as a catalyst for the adoption of smart robots at scale across industries. With this funding, we’re excited to continue our work shaping the future of robotics and AI, empowering people and organizations to reach new heights.”

Maverick (San Francisco)

Quote: “The Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund is an excellent catalyzer to leverage one of the best networks of expert advice and alumni that will allow us to advance our AI-driven innovation,” says Founder Eitan Winer. “This will enable us to further drive the value we are already adding our customers around the assessment and management of water-related risks at a global scale.”

Waterplan (San Francisco)

Quote: “The Latino Founders Fund is an amazing opportunity to connect with likeminded founders and tap into the incredibly valuable resources and support provided by the Google for Startups team,”  says Matias Comercio, co-founder and CPO of Waterplan. “The various forms of support will be used to continue building out the Maverick platform so we can reach more customers and deliver even more value to them.”

ABOUT GOOGLE FOR STARTUPS

Google for Startups works to level the playing field for startup founders and communities to succeed by bringing the best of Google’s products, connections, and best practices to startups. Paired with a deep commitment to create diverse startup communities, many of our offerings are designed specifically to provide underrepresented founders with access to resources and opportunities. We support startups everywhere to build something better. Because when startups succeed, we all succeed.

(Black PR Wire) The highly anticipated film, under the working title A Christmas Prayer, is poised to enchant audiences with its deeply moving and poignant narrative. This heartwarming story follows an attorney’s quest for clarity about her lost father after a life-changing accident on Christmas Eve during her childhood. As she prays for answers, she hopes to either uncover the truth about his disappearance or find peace and embrace the family that adopted her.

A Christmas Prayer marks a historic moment in the entertainment industry, featuring several groundbreaking firsts. Executive Producer and NBA player Richaun Holmes proudly presents Dr. Lydecia

A. Holmes’ A Christmas Prayer. Created, written, and executive produced by Dr. Holmes, a seasoned stage play writer with over 15 years of success in the Chicago area, this film marks her debut as a movie creator and writer. She collaborates with her son Richaun, and husband, Executive Producer Dr. Richard D. Holmes, Sr., Pastor of Morning View Word Church in Chicago and author of Enjoying the Receiving Process. Additionally, Executive Producer Sonya Vaughn, Vice President/Executive Producer for Five Timz Productions, brings her award-winning television production experience to the project. Directed by Rasheeda Garner, a graduate of UCLA and the USC Stark Producing Program, and represented by Manifested Entertainment Management, this project showcases her first-time directorial skills, previously acclaimed for her work on OWN’s Baking Christmas and Netflix’s Fatal Affair. Co-Producers Felicity Lu-Hill and Joshua Marc Allen also contribute to this remarkable film.

“This film is a dream come true,” says Lydecia A. Holmes. “It’s a story about faith, family, and forgiveness, and I believe it will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever faced the unknown and found strength in love.” The film boasts a stellar cast, including the legendary Tim Reid and Eric Roberts, alongside a remarkable ensemble of rising stars. Adding a unique twist to the lineup, NBA player Richaun Holmes makes his acting debut in a supporting role, bringing his charisma from the courts to the silver screen.

“A Christmas Prayer is a testament to the power of perseverance and the magic that can happen when talented people come together with a shared vision,” said Rasheeda Garner.

A Christmas Prayer is not just a film; it’s a transformative experience that promises to touch hearts and leave audiences yearning for more. This poignant tale of faith, family, and forgiveness is destined to become a holiday classic, resonating deeply with viewers everywhere. The film’s rich narrative and profound themes are set to evoke a powerful emotional response, making it a must-see for audiences of all ages.

For those eager to be part of this historic cinematic journey, A Christmas Prayer will be released this holiday season. The film’s touching story and remarkable performances are sure to make it a standout in the holiday film genre, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits roll.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

Don’t trifle with Me. Believing that you can simple do what you want to do and that it’s okay, and that there won’t be any consequences for your actions. How wrong you are in your thinking. Learn from past history. Those who heeded My warnings were spared the predicted consequences and achieved the deliverance I promised. “A Warning Given,” “A Warning Taken,” “A Deliverance Achieve.”  Don’t trifle with Me.

If a man must trifle, let him trifle with men, but not with God. [Judges 11:34-40; Hebrews 12:18-29]. God will not be trifled with. For we are reminded from the initial Genesis to the final Revelation of God’s Word that He does not play! Oh, disobedient children, over and over again you have been warned!  Take God Seriously.

Jeremiah alone carries this solemn warning from God Himself ten times! From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.”  But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So, I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep. [Jeremiah 11:7-8]. Oh, disobedient children, don’t trifle with Me. Take My warnings seriously!

And do this, knowing the time, that NOW it is high time to wake up out of sleep; for NOW, your salvation is nearer than when you first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. [Romans 13:11-14].

You know prior to Jeremiah, God had sent Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, and Nahum to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. He had also sent Jonah to the empire of Assyria. All of them warned of tragedy and disaster if the people did not turn to God. Such warnings reach all the way back to Moses, who recorded the “Blessings and Curses” of [Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28], detailing what God will do to a people who reject Him.

For 120 years, God said, Please. For 120 years, God said, “I want to save you.” For 120 years, God said, “Listen to Noah.” For 120 years, God was long-suffering. For 120 years, God was patient. For 120 years, God was merciful. But the day came when God said, “I’ve had enough. I’m fed up. My patience is gone.” Noah’s people were destroyed by the wrath of God in the flood. [Genesis 6:3]

Recall the story of Cain. Cain continued to rebel against God and one day, God said to Cain, “Cain, that’s it. I’ve had enough. I’m fed up. I’m going to send you to the land of Nod, and you’re going to wander the rest of your life. You can cry to get saved if you want to, but you can’t get saved.” You can’t trifle with God. So, if there is one shred of a desire to be saved, act on it today. Time is running out!

In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. So, he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it” [Psalm 106:14-15 NLT].
Disobedience will always be punished. [Leviticus 26:14].

Don’t trifle with God.

Gloria Jetter Crockett, California has been named executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter. In her role, Crockett will be responsible for  the overall strategic and operational functions for the chapter, including program delivery, fundraising, community engagement, government and private grant funding, media relations and growth and delivery of the Association’s mission. Crockett also serves as the Alzheimer’s Association Regional 3 Leader, overseeing the four chapters serving Central and Southern California (California Central Coast, California Southland, San Diego and Orange County).

“Alzheimer’s disease impacts over 700,000 people in California alone, some of whom are my own family and friends. I am thrilled to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s. I am very inspired by the Alzheimer’s Association’s ability to accelerate global research, drive risk reduction and early detection and maximize quality care and support for all families living with this disease, and I am honored to bring my expertise to the table.”

Crockett most recently served as the President and CEO of Make-A-Wish ® Orange County and the Inland Empire, an organization that grants wishes to children battling critical illnesses. Prior to that role, she was the chief development officer for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and formerly served as the interim executive director for development and the senior director of development for the cancer programs for the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. In this role, Crockett led a team of seven and was responsible for $10 million in fundraising annually.

Prior to the University of California, Irvine, Crockett spent 17 years in advanced roles with the American Cancer Society culminating in the state senior vice president for Maryland, managing a team of 45 and raising over $7 million dollars annually.

Crockett holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and currently resides in Greater LA with her family.

Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, including nearly 720,000 in California. An estimated 1,373,000 California residents provide unpaid care to a family member living with dementia. Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death in the United States and one in three Americans age 65 and older  dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast Chapter provides free education programs, support services and care consultations across Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties while also supporting critical research toward new treatments.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest Alzheimer’s advocacy organization in the world. The Alzheimer’s Association advocates for the needs and rights of people facing Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia. The Association is driving policymakers in Washington, D.C. and across the country to take historic steps to address the growing Alzheimer’s public health crisis. The Association’s efforts have secured robust increases for Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and critical legislation, such as the National Alzheimer’s Project Act to make a positive and meaningful impact on people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

About the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia^®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

By Joe McKendrick | Senior Contributor, Forbes

Mira Murati, chief technology officer of OpenAI, stirred up quite a bit of controversy last week in a discussion when she proclaimed that with generative AI, “some creative jobs maybe will go away, but maybe they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”

While’s Murati’s remarks were framed within a context that AI is helping to boost creative pursuits, that’s not how many read it. The pushback was fast and furious. “OpenAI’s mission is to create AGI that can replace people in every viable economic activity. Killing jobs is the end goal,” wrote Dare Obasanjo in an X post.

“Aside from this despicable soundbite, Murati keeps stressing that generative AI will make people ‘more creative.’ But how?” asked Giovanni Colantonio in another X post. “You literally aren’t creating. A machine creates the thing for you. It kneecaps creativity, not fosters it.”

AI advocates “talk about democratizing creativity, but that’s not what the tech does,’ Colantonio adds. “It discourages people from actually doing the real creative act of bringing an idea to life and instead encourages ‘creativity’ to be a thing that can be assembled and served like a Big Mac.

Is AI, particularly generative AI, on a path to usurp the jobs of creatives, as well as the very essence of creativity? Whether its graphic illustrations, written content, photos, films, games, or other creative pursuits, could AI produce new things at the touch of a button?

It’s early, but so far, the evidence seems to point away from that.

“There’s no easing up in the race for creative talent in 2024,” a talent report published in the first quarter of this year by Robert Half suggests. A majority of creative and marketing managers covered by the placement service, 55%, “are hiring for new roles, from graphic designer to UX designers, while 43% need to recruit for vacant positions.”

At least 200,000 creative jobs were added to corporate payrolls in 2023, Robert Half estimates. The unemployment rate for graphic designers and web designers was at a relatively low 2.6% and 2.9%, respectively, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Still, underneath what appears to be a solid creative job market lurks uneasiness about its long-term prospects. Close to seven in ten of 4,000 global marketing and creative leaders, 69%, expressed concern over potential job loss across industries due to AI. a survey by Canva attests.

The surveyed leaders also welcomed the addition of AI tools to their activities. At least 69% believe generative AI is enhancing the creativity of their teams. And almost all, 97%, are comfortable with the rise of generative AI — with 72% stating they are “very” comfortable and 25% “somewhat” comfortable.

“We’re in a golden age of creativity and design right now,” said Deepa Subramaniam, vice president at Adobe, which now supports more than seven billion AI-generated images available through its Firefly models. At Adobe Summit in March, I put the question of creative job-killing to Subramaniam, who disagrees with such an assessment, and actually foresees expansion of creative roles.

AI provides the capability to customize and produce art and content on an increasingly wide scale that today’s organizations need, she said. “The hungry consumption for personalized content is not going to be satiated any time soon,” she pointed out. It’s only going to increase. But it’s really hard to create that volume of content manually, and manage it at scale, especially in a world where you’re marketing at a global level. There are many languages and cultures that need to be reached.”

Generative AI “is taking the tedium out of content distribution, she said. “You still have to create creative concepts for marketing campaigns. But when you have that concept, you need to create it, localize it, and personalize it at scale.”

To meet these demands, there are “more people doing creative work across all sorts of industries across all sorts of job roles more so than ever before,” Subramaniam added.

For an example of technology’s impact on design-oriented professions, look to engineering, she illustrated. “Engineering has been growing as a really critical domain and group of people with the explosion of technology over the last few decades,” she said. “You’re not seeing a shrinking of engineering.”

The takeaway is that technology took on many of the mundane, lower-level tasks of engineering. “Technology and software and coding has taken rote calculations away, but engineering has only been growing, because that unlocks the craft of engineering to figure out higher and higher complex problems.”

Likewise, in creative fields, “there’s something like that happening right now,” Subramaniam continued. “Tedious time-consuming tasks can be obviated if not wholly accelerated by AI, opening creatives up to do that higher level thinking.”

As AI and technology open up more creative avenues, “it’s actually going to invite more people in to take on more creative roles,” she continued. “Whether it’s as a creative professional, as a marketer, in any of the creative roles that digital content is powering our entire world.”

LOS ANGELES, CA— When LA Carnival launched on Crenshaw Boulevard last year, the seeds were planted to grow an economic development vehicle using the carnival parade as the mechanism for community engagement. One hundred drums led an inaugural procession with an exuberant, multicultural starlight jamboree into Leimert Park Village. Produced by Marikel Productions in association with Mandrill World Music, and sponsored by International Eye LA, this year the festivities continue to explode with “LA Carnival on the Shaw,” June 30, 2024, starting at 4:00 p.m. As a historic expression of freedom, the carnival provides a fitting culmination of Juneteenth celebrations and a closing exclamation to Caribbean American Heritage Month. “LA Carnival on the Shaw” is designed to use arts and entertainment to “engage, activate and revitalize” businesses on the Crenshaw Strip. The Crenshaw Strip runs parallel to the Metro K-Line between Obama Boulevard and Leimert Park, creating a vibrant business and cultural oasis.

“LA Carnival on the Shaw” kicks off with exquisite masquerades, colorful revelers, jubilant drummers, boisterous music trucks and spectacularly lit vehicles and bicycles imbuing merriment at the official LA Carnival Assembly Hub on Obama Blvd., east and west of Crenshaw. The party then transforms into the carnival procession as participants begin traveling toward Leimert Park at 6:00 p.m. The procession will flow from Obama and Crenshaw Blvd. to Vernon and Leimert Blvd, bringing an exuberant display of lights, dancing, and celebration into Leimert Park Village to augment the finale of the Ancestor Mask Festival and Leimert Park Art Walk. Leimert Park Village is located at 4395 Leimert Blvd. Festivities will conclude at 10:00 p.m.

LA Carnival continues to be inclusive of the diversity of Angelenos across our great city. Immigrants from across the globe have made Los Angeles a culturally complex and creatively rich region. Artists, art consumers and practitioners have contributed to California’s designation as the creative capital of the nation and LA Carnival, held during Caribbean American Heritage Month, embodies this! The ingenuity, imagination and innovation that will be on display during the Carnival will be mind boggling and inspirational!” notes LA Carnival founder, Marie Kellier.

Migrating from its Hollywood beginning in 1998 to its Westchester home of over 17 years, founder Marie Kellier, of MARIKEL Productions, has nurtured LA Carnival as an innovator, trendsetter, and pioneer. At its root, LA Carnival is part of the worldwide chain of Caribbean carnivals imported into global communities by Caribbean immigrants. It is now the longest running Caribbean-based carnival in Southern California and served as a training

Having weathered many storms, LA Carnival now comes home to its true community, the iconic Crenshaw Boulevard, and historic Leimert Park Village.  Embracing a powerful multicultural theme, Kellier has evolved LA Carnival into an economic initiative that will establish ‘The Crenshaw Strip’ as a global tourism destination in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics.  Over the next few years of growing “LA Carnival on the Shaw,” artists, business owners and independent producers will be invited to host “Activity Hubs” and “Carnival Vibe Spots” along Crenshaw Blvd.  Kellier’s plan is to engage artists to work with business owners, extending the project into a monthly creativity-based series of activities with multidisciplinary arts and entertainment that invigorate the businesses in the area.

All Angelenos across the city and county of Los Angeles and beyond are invited to help build this vision by being part of “LA Carnival on the Shaw” and experience the diversity of cultures that is the fabric of Los Angeles and the basis for its designation as the creative capital of the nation. For sponsorship, special events and advertising information contact the LA Carnival corporate offices at (213) 761.4475 or (213) 656.3663 or lacarnivalarts@gmail.com.

For more details and information about attending the LA Carnival, go to losangelescarnival.com or email the Los Angeles Carnival’s production office at lacarnivalarts@gmail.com.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

You see, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote of the time of the great apostasy that is to come in the last days. Paul wrote of the coming of the lawless one and that he would come to the world according to the working of Satan with power, signs, lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception [2 Thessalonians 2:8-10]. And in [Matthews 24:24] Jesus said they will do this with the intent of deceiving people into following them. So, “Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come for You, Bad Boys, Bad Boys?”

Understand, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” [Ephesians 6:12].

I encourage you to receive Christ as your Savior. For Christ is the only way of escape. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Remember, God invited Noah and his family aboard the ark with the words, “Enter the ark” [Genesis 7:1]. That’s His invitation to you today. God has not yet closed the door of salvation. At the end of the Bible, after warning of the judgment to come, God’s final appeal is, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. [Revelation 22:17].

I do not know any language I can use to plead with you any more plainly. Turn to Christ before it’s too late! Do not be outwitted by Satan. Understand Satan seeks our ultimate destruction, which would be being thrown into the fiery pits of hell and then into the lake of fire [Revelation 20:10].

Be reconciled to God. [2 Corinthians 5:20]. The time is near!

In honor of Pride Month, Black Public Media (BPM) brings viewers a new short film that is an Afrofuturistic homage to Black Queer culture, as Artificial Intelligence meets Black Queer ASL (American Sign Language) meets vogue and flex dance styles to create a one-of-a-kind visual and sonic experience.

From the mastermind of acclaimed artist Rashaad Newsome, Hands Performance focuses on a performance by Being the Digital Griot, an AI in a non-binary robot body, who takes audiences on a unique exploration of movement and Black Queer ASL to Newsome’s original poetry. The Oakland-based creative premiered Being the Digital Griot during his exhibition Assembly at the Park Avenue Armory in 2022 and they were more recently seen as part of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Now audiences across the country have the opportunity to experience Being as part of the AfroPoP Digital Shorts series from BPM.

Taking place on a space station, Hands Performance transports viewers to outer space where a voiceover announces that the performance is “for the deaf and hard of hearing girls” while asking them to “listen with your eyes.” As Being twists, dips and slides with the skill and precision of top vogue and flex dancers against a backing pulsating score, they also translate Newsome’s poem, signing the words using Black Queer ASL.

An unique union of short film, AI and music video, Hands Performance takes its title from the well-known element of vogue fem, highlighting a dancer’s ability to tell a story with their hands while showcasing their musicality.

The film continues Newsome’s exploration of mapping Black cultural production as a form of movement research, data storage and collective wayfinding. Working with a team of Black Queer ASL interpreters, various vogue fem performers, flex dancers and motion capture technologists, Newsome translated his original poetry into a movement dataset exhibiting the uniquely Black and Queer aspects of sign language. Set against the backdrop of stunning visuals and a futuristic score filled with booming bass, synthetic snares, snaps, claps and glitchy computer sounds, Hands Performance is a must-see. Now viewers can stream it as part of BPM’s AfroPoP Digital Shorts by visiting the BPM YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPPyVyE-bMQ.

Black Public Media is a Harlem-based national nonprofit which has funded and distributed films about the Black experience since 1979. For more information on the AfroPoP Digital Shorts series and other programs and events from BPM, visit blackpublicmedia.org or follow them on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook at @blackpublicmedia and on X at @BLKPublicMedia.

By Bo Tefu, Joe W. Bowers Jr., and Lila Brown | California Black Media  

Celebrating Juneteenth, multi-Grammy award winning musician and Compton native Kendrick Lamar will perform at a sold-out concert from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on June 19.

Tickets sold out almost instantly when news of the performance by the rapper the California State Senate recognized as a Generational Icon in 2015 was announced.

Fans flocked to snag tickets, some reporting they were in line behind tens of thousands of others. Demand for tickets was so high that resale prices skyrocketed, climbing up to $1,500.

Those who can’t attend in person won’t have to miss out as the concert will be livestreamed on Amazon Music. Titled “The Pop Out – Ken & Friends,” presented by pgLang and Free Lunch, the livestream will start at 4 p.m. PT and air on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and Prime Video.

The livestream coincides with “Forever the Influence,” Amazon Music’s way of honoring the contributions of Black artists, producers, and songwriters who have defined culture during Black Music Month. Amazon Music will announce additional Amazon Music Originals and video content from the most influential Black artists for “Forever the Influence” in the coming weeks.

The concert’s title is a reference to Lamar’s wildly popular Drake diss track, “Not Like Us,” which hip-hop fans have declared cemented his place as “winner” with the song becoming a huge radio success as a result from the feud. Since Lamar dropped his verse on Metro Boomin and Future’s track “Like That” back in March, the beef between him and Drake has finally come to an end.

pgLang, is a multidisciplinary creative communications company that specializes in music and visual media production. The company was founded in 2020 by rapper Kendrick Lamar and music executive Dave Free and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The name is an acronym for “program language”, which Free says is synonymous with text-based formal languages and aligns with Lamar’s art.

Last year, Amazon Music sponsored the Juneteenth celebration at Leimert Park but had to cancel several performances when a stampede broke out causing an abrupt ending.

Those interested in tuning in can learn more at www.amazonmusic.com.