WSSN Stories

By Lue Dowdy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— This coming Sunday, see who will be crowned LUE Productions 2018 BBW/Plus Size Queen!

It’s going down right here in San Bernardino at the Women’s’ Club located on “E” street.  Our Model Competition and Fashion Show will be one for the books. We have seven beautiful contestants ready to walk the runway and compete for a cash prize of $500 dollars, along with the crown and several other prizes totaling $2,500. It will be a night of Girl Power at its finest!

The evening starts at 5 p.m. sharp with our Red Carpet and the competition at 6:15 p.m. Prepare for a plethora of non-stop entertainment.

The competition is a vehicle to bring awareness to domestic violence.  We hope to reach someone in the audience that may be experiencing abuse by being abused themselves or witness to someone else being abused.

Please support and get your tickets to this epic event uplifting women. You can contact us on Facebook under ‘LUE Productions’ or by emailing us at Lue.info@yahoo.com. Event tickets are $20 and $25 at the door. We need you there!

Until next week L’s!

EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— The elusive musical palace lost its Queen – the “Queen of Soul,” that is – on August 16 when Detroit native Aretha Franklin passed away in her home. EBONY magazine continues to celebrate the life and work of the singer, songwriter and all-around musical legend in a retrospective look at Franklin’s influential and acclaimed career that spanned more than 50 years and earned her 18 Grammys.

Franklin was no stranger to the EBONY/JET family: Over a 40-year period, the songstress appeared on a total of 30 covers (four for EBONY and 26 for JET). In the issues’ accompanying exclusive interviews, the icon shared intimate details about her family, her gospel roots and her road to stardom, among many other subjects, often reminding readers that nothing worth having comes easily. 

“It’s the rough side of the mountain that’s the easiest to climb; the smooth side doesn’t have anything for you to hang on to,” said then-22-year-old Franklin in a 1964 EBONY interview.

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Aretha Franklin. To the world, she was known as the Queen of Soul, but to my family and the EBONY/JET family, she was a friend. Her music transcended generations and brought together people of all races and all backgrounds. Her voice managed to accomplish what the world needs so badly today, unity and love for all,” says Chairman Emeritus of EBONY Media Operations, Linda Johnson Rice.

Click here to view original Aretha Franklin EBONY/JET covers, never-before-seen photos and exclusive content. For licensing opportunities and details, please reach out to the media contact listed below.

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— Two Gates – Two Roads– Two Destinations – Two Groups of People – How You Living? 

You see, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about two paths of life and the final destination of each one [Matt. 7:13-27]. To emphasize His point, He contrasted small and wide gates, narrow and broad ways, good fruit versus bad fruit, saying versus doing, and the wise man versus the foolish man. In each case, one way led to destruction and the other to life. Considering the Alternatives, How You Living?

The Broad Way….. The way that says it’s my prerogative, I’ll do what I want to do! I’ll live like I want to live; I’ll make my own decisions and not answer to anyone. Go where I want to go, do what I want to do and be what I want to be. It is my life and ain’t nobody going tell me what to do and how to do it! Well, Well, Well. If that is your life, I want you to know that the Bible strongly admonitions you not to travel this path [Proverbs 4:14-15]. “Avoid it, do not travel on it.” “Turn away from it and pass on.”  It enslaves – [John 8:34] it dulls the senses [Ephesians 4:19] it becomes a life of wickedness and violence – [Proverbs 4:17]. Final destination- Hell!

The Narrow Way… Not my will but Your will Lord! [Matthew 7:21-23].  Faith and obedience. Those who hear and do Christ’s commands!  He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me.  Those who walk this road are discipline, practice self-restraint and avoid sinful practices. It’s the way of the few. The narrow way is the path of wisdom. Those who walk it listen and accept instruction from the Lord [Prov. 4:10-14]. It’s the path of following Jesus. Those who enter the small gate believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for their sins. They trust Him as their personal Savior and surrender their lives to Him [2 Corinthians. 5:17]. The consequences of choosing this path”…the years of your life will be many.” – [Proverbs 4:10] “When you walk, your steps will not be hindered” – [Proverbs 4:12]”And when you run, you will not stumble.” – [Proverbs 4:12b] “Keep her, for she is your life.” [Proverbs 4:13] — The path of wisdom is what God would have you take!

Where’s your road taking you? Have you thought it over? Where will you end up when you leave this world? Will it be Heaven or will it be Hell? Will it be the narrow way of walking with God or the broad way of anything goes? Where will you end up? Paul gives us a very important word in [2 Corinthians 13:5], he says, “Examine yourselves!

Hear the Son of God again… “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” [Matthew 7:13-14]

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, choose life… [Deuteronomy 30: 19a]

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—- Progressives and some Black activists have long complained about America’s bail system, which treats people with means differently from low-income people. Under the current cash bail system, people charged with a crime can sit in jail for months, and sometimes years, without seeing a judge simply because they can’t afford bail. 

A good example of this situation is seen in the story of Kalief Browder, a New York teen, who was arrested on charges of petty theft. Because his family couldn’t afford his $3,000 bail, he languished in Rikers Island for three years, before a judge dropped the charges. Two years after his release, Browder committed suicide. His family said his experience in jail, where he had to fight to survive and was placed in solitary confinement, killed him. 

The other side of the American justice system is seen in the case of Cameron Terrell, a white teenager from Palos Verdes Estates, who was behind the wheel in a drive-by shooting. His parents put up $500,000 in cash to secure a $5 million bond. Terrell was acquitted in July. Two black males, who were passengers in the car, are still facing life sentences.

However, a proposed bill suggests taking the setting of bail amounts out of human hands and making the criminal justice system fairer. According to a section of Senate Bill 10 “The California Money Bail Reform Act of 2017,” the new legislation would require the use of a “pretrial risk assessment tool.”

Critics of the bill interpret this to mean using a computer algorithm, that takes into consideration the suspects’ age, location, and criminal record, to set bail. This conjures up images of the automated system used in the Tom Cruise movie “Minority Report.”

More than 100 civil rights and civil liberties organizations have complained about the potential use of an algorithm-based system to evaluate bail.

“Last week, the national ACLU signed onto a statement along with other civil rights, digital justice and community-based organizations, which included a call for important policy reforms to accompany any use of pretrial risk assessment tools. 

 “It’s far overdue for government jurisdictions to end the money bail systems that have kept poor people and people of color locked up while awaiting their day in court. Many jurisdictions, however, are turning to pretrial risk assessments, placing a technological barrier between people and their freedom. Algorithms cannot undo the racial bias that exists in the criminal legal system. These and other high-tech tools will always disadvantage communities of color and threaten to replace mass incarceration with digital prisons. We join the chorus of civil and human rights organizations in calling on jurisdictions to reconsider their use of pretrial risk assessments and adopt solutions that actually set people free,”  Myaisha Hayes, criminal justice & tech organizer for Center for Media Justice, said.

 One of the fears about SB 10 is its reliance on technology. Technology is far from perfect, as shown in Russia’s use of hacked emails to tamper with the 2016 elections. And according to the ACLU of Northern California, Amazon’s face recognition technology, which is currently used by some police departments, has shown signs of bias. White faces were found to generate less false matches than Black faces.

According to Jaivon Grant, writing in the Sacramento Observer, this may encourage opposition to SB 10.

“The local and national civil rights groups have long sought to end the money bail system, and SB 10 is the closest they have come to doing so to date. However, Sen. Hertzberg and Assemblymember Bonta may have a very difficult time persuading enough of their fellow Democrat colleagues to support an algorithm-based bail program in the face of such compelling opposition by a powerful coalition of civil rights organizations opposing it,” he said.

Leaders of the assembly and senate were both reported saying this was a priority before the Aug 31 end of this year’s legislative session.

By Lue Dowdy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— The Flow is WHAT IT DO! Don’t miss it! Checkout The Flow for LUE Productions 2nd Annual BBW/Plus Size Model Competition and Fashion Show on Sunday, August 26 at 5 p.m.

The night will be like no other. There will be nonstop entertainment with an important message on domestic violence. We want you there! We need you there! Please support the movement by purchasing a ticket.

The event will be held in the beautiful city of San Bernardino at the Women’s Club of San Bernardino located on “E” Street. For more information please text us at (909) 567-1000 or visit us on Facebook @lueproductions. Remember to always report abuse! Your LIFE MATTERS!

The flow of the evening will go something like this: 5 p.m. doors open; 5 p.m. Red Carpet Interviews; 5:30 p.m. – Selfie Winner awarded on Red Carpet; 6:15 p.m.- Show begins; -intro of host ‘Comedian JT Turner” and co-host ‘Lue Dowdy’; welcome; quick blurb-age of the WHY; Intro of judging panel; at 6:30 p.m. will be the 1st Category; Belly Dance Chorography; Model Introduction; Performance by LPM Artist Mack Pepperboy; Fashion Show by Diva Outlaw; 2nd Category will be Disney Princess; Performance by LPM R&B Recording Artists; Section III will be the 3rd Category – 70’s Style;  Fashion Show by Diva Outlaw; 4th Category – Free Style and Special performance by LPM Recording Group (GWAAP FAM); 5th Category – Formal and  Questions; Domestic Violence Skit; Keynote speaker – Ronda Robinson; Final Walk and announcement of the winner.

 (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— SACRAMENTO, CA— Recently on the California State Assembly Floor, Assemblymember Chris Holden recognized Gerald Freeny for his confirmation as the first African American president of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Board of Directors. Freeny will provide leadership for the 130th Rose Parade on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

“Gerald Freeny’s confirmation as President of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses is a significant milestone in Black History,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “Freeny is an example of the Black excellence that occurs every day and exemplifies the progress Tournament of Roses has made to further diversity and inclusiveness within their ranks.”

Gerald Freeny rose through the ranks of hundreds of “white suit volunteers” to become the 130th president of the Association. He previously worked as the chairman of parade operations, and has been a volunteer member of the Tournament of Roses Association since 1988.

Gerald Freeny announced “the Melody of Life” as this year’s theme for the Tournament of Roses to encourage creativity and music as a way to bring people together.

“Many in the Pasadena community have waited and fought for this moment, and we are all excited about the leadership Gerald Freeny will bring to the Tournament of Roses,” said Holden.

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—I tell you if you tell people truth they will get offended. If you don’t tell people truth they will get offended. Damned if you do; damned if you don’t. You just can’t please people. 

Listen, Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others.… Jesus proclaimed truth more than any other person on the planet. He offended people, divided crowds, made people uptight, and enraged the masses more than any other person on the planet. His words always produced a strong reaction, and he always caused division. The message He proclaimed always provoked people, irritated people, challenged people, and offended people.

Know that proclaiming truth will always alienate people, always upset people, and always offend people. How can this not be the response? When we preach the gospel that Jesus and the disciples preached, we should expect to get the same reaction that Jesus and the disciples got. Jesus was crucified for his efforts, and the disciples were persecuted, jailed and killed. So how can we expect to get any less of a reception if we faithfully and fully proclaim the biblical gospel fearlessly and boldly as Jesus and his early followers did?

As He said to me, “It is not your job to make the message acceptable; it’s your job to make the truth available.” I’m here to tell you the truth, without stutter, stammer, apology, or equivocation no matter how uncomfortable that may be. God message was clear, “PREACH THE WORD! “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up they voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”[Isaiah 58:1]… reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine [2 Timothy 4:2].

Yeah some would say “if you preach like that, you might offend somebody.  It’s not “might”—you will offend somebody. You will upset somebody. They’ll call you harsh, they’ll call you narrow minded, arrogant, they’ll call you mean-spirited, and they’ll call you intolerant [John 15:21].  But Scripture is clear about how we are to respond when the very foundations of the Christian faith are under attack: our duty is to contend, not compromise.

You know on one occasion, after Jesus taught about how the Pharisees had abused God’s Word, His apostles came to him and said, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” [Matthew 15:11]. It is almost as if the apostles thought like many people today. They seemed to be indicating that because Jesus had offended the Pharisees, then He should stop teaching those ideas or change His message. Jesus, however, thought nothing of the sort. He knew that His message offended the Pharisees because of the hardness of their hearts, not because of the way the message was delivered. Jesus understood that the hearts of the Pharisees needed changing, not His message or even the way He delivered it. He responded to His apostles by saying, “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind” [Matthew 15:14]. Their offense was misplaced. They were blind to the truth. They should not have been offended at Jesus’ message. Jesus’ message was the truth that God had sent to set them free [John 8:32].

Man is a sinner and the more he is reminded of that disposition, the better are his chances of repenting and receiving Salvation. That is my goal in preaching and teaching the Word of God. I do not think about ‘Preaching Hard’ or ‘Preaching Soft’.  God gives me a message based on His Biblical truth and I deliver it to the listener the way He has blessed me to deliver it.

Unfaltering convictions: truth, the mission, and the calling given by God that is not altered by time, people, opinions, or circumstances.

“As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak” [1 King 22: 14].

“Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” [Acts 20:26-27]

 (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— DETROIT, MI— Sports enthusiasts and writers crowded the Cartier Ballroom of the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center on Thursday, August 2, to hear from the best in the basketball business. A panel entitled “Detroit Basketball: Then and Now” included former star players Isiah Thomas, Spencer Haywood and Steve Smith. Former Detroit News writer Vincent Goodwill also joined the panel at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair to speak about how much of an influence the Motor City has had on the NBA. 

Moderated by Stephanie Ready, NBA game analyst (Charlotte Hornets) for FOX Sports Southeast, topics included the infamous “Malice at the Palace” and the Pistons’ recent move back to downtown Detroit. 

Panelists opened the discussion, powered by Turner Sports and The Bleacher Report, singing each other’s praises. Goodwill and Smith, both Detroit Pershing High School grads, beamed with pride as they talked about Haywood (also a Pershing alum) and his accomplishments. Haywood’s historic 1971 Supreme Court case ended the NBA rule that barred players from being drafted into the league until four years after their high school graduation.

Thomas spoke a lot about the need for diversity within the media and how an inclusive press environment would have changed the Bad Boys era. “We were being viewed by the gaze of the white male,” he said. Thomas said that instead of being upset by the term, the team decided to embrace their bad boy image. “If you embrace the label then you make the label work for you. … We used the label to instill fear. We didn’t have to be physical or hurt you; if that’s in your mind, then you go for the jump shot instead of the lay-up.”

The November 2004 game between the Pistons and Indiana Pacers, also known as “The Malice at the Palace,” was a hot topic for the panel. The brawl resulted in a historic number of fines for players on both teams. 

The panel had a unanimous feeling of disappointment about media coverage of the incident. “It’s going to be a negative thing for my city,” Smith said about his initial thoughts on the fight. “Even though it was a fight between two teams, it still shined negative light on the city.” 

Goodwill saw it as another reason for people to taint the city’s image. “It became another stain and label the city had to fight back,” the NBA analyst said. “On the news, it never said it was Auburn Hills [where the game actually took place]; it was always Detroit.”

Thomas reiterated just how heavily the Bad Boys influenced the current state of the NBA. “We were the first small-market team to win big, have own plane, stay in first class hotels, wear suits and ties to games,” the NBA Hall of Famer said. “That dress code that David Stern had to put in, look at how the Pistons used to dress; that was us.”

As they looked to the future, the group hoped the team’s move back to the city would mean recreating its strong ties to the community. “When we got to the Palace we lost a little of our everyday people,” Thomas said. Smith said the move to the Palace felt like the team had been taken away from the city. Now that the team is back, Smith hopes the team will reconnect with Detroit residents. 

“To have the Pistons back here is a blessing and we have to finish that blessing off with a statue or a trophy,” Haywood said. 

Thomas summed up the panel with a simple quote: “We change all rules. That’s what we do in Detroit.” 

Perry speaks to packed room of NABJ attendees including Grammy winner Chance the Rapper

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— DETROIT, MI —- Arguably one of the most popular sessions of the 2018 National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair, Tyler Perry’s master class on entrepreneurship and branding had many walking away with newfound confidence. 

Digital Journalist and former TV One commentator, Roland Martin opened the course with a story of how he helped book Perry for the conference. “I don’t want you to talk about Madea,” Martin told Perry. “I want you to teach.” Martin said the purpose of the course was to help more Black people follow the path to entrepreneurship. “Too many of us operate as workers,” he said. “African Americans are the tastemakers and trendsetters.”

After an introduction from Actress, Ptosha Storey, Perry started his session with a video thanking his fans for 25 years of success and loyalty. He then informed the audience that he had just returned from a spiritual vacation, so his delivery would sound much like a sermon. 

Perry delivered a compelling speech about work ethic and what it takes to succeed as a business owner. “If you’re going do something incredible, you’re going to need an emotional tolerance and high risk endurance,” the father of one said. Perry talked about how his father would build houses for a living and not make nearly as much as the person selling the house. That experience would fuel the entrepreneur flame in Perry’s heart. 

The overall message of the course was unity within the Black community. Perry often reiterated the notion that once one Black person becomes a success, it is volatile for them to keep the door open for others to make it as well. “Once you get to where you going, don’t run from where you came from,” he stated. “Every other culture in this world understands the power of us. We have to stop looking outside ourselves for heroes and become them ourselves.” 

Following his speech, Perry had a sit down conversation with CBS News correspondent DeMarco Morgan. The pair discussed how the media mogul handles criticism and #OscarsSoWhite. Perry said he was urged to speak out against the lack of diversity of the 2016 Oscars nominations. He declined. “While you fighting for a seat at someone else’s table, I’m over here building my own.” 

The session ended with Martin rejoining the pair on stage with a story of how Perry took the time to call him and give encouraging words after his TV One show was cancelled. Perry gave his final thoughts, hoping that his words had planted a seed in the spirits of audience members.

By Lue Dowdy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— New Plus Size Club in Moreno valley is What It Do!

Roll Call! I am looking for all my plus size cuties, my big beautiful beauties and them thick and sexy ladies. It’s going all the way up this Saturday for the grand opening of ‘Club Thick and Beautiful’ presented by ‘Money Moves Entertainment’ and ‘Caligirl Entertainment’.

Finally, a place in the Inland Empire that caters to the plus size world. I’m sure the party goers will be on the dance floor as DJ Sassy B and DJ Westy Mac take to the turn tables.

Money Moves Entertainment’ and ‘Caligirl Entertainment put several entities together in order to help spread the word. The event will be hosted by MC Big D, so ya know it’s gonna be LITT! Come network while having fun and supporting the BBW Movement! For event details please refer to flyer.

L’s!