Jury Awards African-American Woman 1.2 Million In Harassment Lawsuit

After a two week-long race and gender discrimination trial in Manhattan Federal Court before United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, a jury returned a $1.2 million dollar verdict in favor of Sydney Nurse, the current Controller of Manhattan-based Concepts in Staffing, Inc. The Plaintiff, Ms. Nurse, continues to work at the Company. After two days of deliberation, the jury found that Ms. Nurse was subjected to hostile work environment harassment on the basis of her race and gender. The jury not only found the Company liable, but also found Arthur Abrams, the President and CEO of Concepts in Staffing, personally liable for the discrimination suffered by Ms. Nurse. In addition to awarding Ms. Nurse damages for emotional distress, the jury also found both the Company and Mr. Abrams liable for punitive damages. The evidence presented at trial included: * Ms. Nurse being repeatedly called “Black B****” in the workplace * Ms. Nurse being repeatedly groped, including the CEO grabbing her breast and pinning her against his desk while pressing his pelvic area against her backside * An employee rubbing paperwork on his pelvic area before handing it to Ms. Nurse while seated at her desk and then pumping his pelvic area within inches of her face * Another employee unzipping his pants and telling Ms. Nurse to “kiss this,” while pointing to his pelvic area * The CEO making racially discriminatory remarks, including statements that he “did not want any blacks or Hispanics pictured on his company’s website” and that he wanted a newly hired employee of color to be seated “in the back of the bus in the black and Hispanic section of the office” * When told by employees that his comments and actions violated the law, the CEO openly told his employees, “F*** the law. I am the law.” After the trial, Ms. Nurse stated, “I’m very happy that the jury believed in me and that I was able to achieve this important step to improve the working conditions for myself and all other women of color who continue to work at this company. I look forward to returning to work with my head held high after this difficult ordeal.” Ken Thompson, lead counsel for Ms. Nurse, and a partner at Thompson Wigdor & Gilly LLP, which has won a number of multi-million dollar jury verdicts in discrimination cases tried in the federal courts, declared that “this verdict shows that unchecked harassment and discrimination by a chief executive officer of a company will not go unpunished and that no CEO is above the law.” Scott B. Gilly, co-counsel at trial, commented that “the jury verdict was well reasoned and thoughtful. The jury recognized from the evidence that we presented that the Company and Mr. Abrams engaged in the worst forms of racial and sexual harassment and that Ms. Nurse suffered severe emotional distress because of their actions.” In addition, “it’s important to remember that the verdict vindicates not only Sydney Nurse, but also all of the other women who put aside their fears, came forward and testified at trial,” stated Kate Webber, another member of the trial team.

African-American Inventor Creates Educational Poster

African-American Inventor Wilbert D. Jones is the author of the “Miracles Happen, Black Innovators” educational poster. This poster features a photo collage of 65 historical and contemporary African-American patent holders, inventors, scientists and other innovators. Wil has a passion and a heart for bettering the lives of young people. His mission is to make sure that the youth are educated and that they think and reach for higher goals, like so many of the inventors that he proudly displays. He says young people should use their minds for greatness not garbage. His poster enlightens and inspires the lives of young people by allowing them look to African-American scientists, engineers, and mathematicians; rather than only sports icons, rappers, and chasing a quick dollar. He says that young people should learn their craft, be a student, a self-disciplined researcher of who and what they want to be and in this search never give up their true calling. In his personal experience, he notes, that even though you get kicked down, as he did when trying to get his own invention patented, that one must have a “can do” attitude and never give up on their dream! Jones, who is physically challenged, holds a design patent for underarm crutch protectors and is a graduate of Saint Augustine’s College and Michigan State University. He feels that community service is his life and he strongly believes that you “Seize the Future, by Grasping The Present”. You can purchase this educational poster and find more about this talented young man, by visiting the following website: www.miracleshappen.biz. He is always looking for venues such as schools and churches where he can spread his encouraging words and wealth of knowledge to others.

Don King Enlists Prizefighters to Strike a Blow against Breast Cancer

Promoter Don King and his boxers Felix “Tito” Trinidad and Roy Jones Jr. — who will meet in a huge match staged at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 19 — have teamed with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, to help educate and raise awareness regarding the deadly disease. Trinidad and Jones have agreed to donate $50,000 each to Komen for the Cure from their upcoming “Bring on the Titans” boxing event. Both prizefighters were present at a press conference on Trinidad’s home island of Puerto Rico on Dec. 6 promoting the upcoming match when Carlos Barba, a former Telemundo and Univision television executive and current founder of Spanish-language network CaribeVision Station Group, made a surprise announcement that he would make a $1 million contribution to the organization to aid in its efforts to save lives and end breast cancer forever. “My good friend Carlos Barba heard that Felix, Roy and I are doing our part to help KO cancer and he was moved to make a large donation,” King said. “Like so many others, his family has been impacted by cancer and he wanted to continue his fight against it. He couldn’t have picked a better organization than the good people at Komen for the Cure, and I am sure my friends at Madison Square Garden and HBO will be joining this magnanimous effort.” Jones encouraged King to join with him in this cause after participating in a fundraising walkathon during October in his hometown of Pensacola, Fla. “I mentioned to Don that we should try to do something to help, and like everything else he has taken the ball and is running with it.”

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Violent protests over housing erupt in New Orleans

Protests against a City Council plan to tear down low-income New Orleans housing turned ugly Thursday, with police using pepper spray and stun guns to clear a crowd angry they weren’t allowed into City Hall for the vote.FULL ARTICLE AT CNN.COM

Bodog Music Welcomes DMX to Label

Bodog Music is thrilled to announce the worldwide signing of hip hop icon DMX to its growing roster of talented recording artists. Multi-platinum selling DMX has delivered five No. 1 Billboard albums, earning him the undisputed title as the king of hardcore rap. With hits like “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” “Who We Be,” “Lord Give Me a Sign” and the Grammy- nominated “Party Up (Up In Here),” DMX has developed a devoted global following. The highly anticipated new album Walk With Me Now and You’ll Fly With Me Later, sees DMX revisiting his gritty rap roots to bring his raw signature sound back to the forefront. Teaming up with the legendary Ruff Ryders, recognized for launching the careers of hip hop mainstays Eve and Jadakiss and joining forces with renowned producer Swizz Beatz, famous for producing hip hop’s finest including Jay Z, Busta Rhymes, T.I. and Cassidy, Bodog Music and DMX expect to see overwhelming success with Walk With Me Now and You’ll Fly With Me Later. Says DMX of his new home at Bodog Music, “I’m thankful for the fact that Bodog believes in me, that we share the same vision and the fact that they see in me the same thing I see. I’ll show you [Bodog Music] how it’s supposed to be done, and we’ll get to where we’re supposed to be. You got a dog for life.” In Bodog Entertainment’s quest to bring the world top-shelf entertainment, the gaming powerhouse has expanded into TV with mixed martial arts series Bodog Fight and has launched into the music industry with Bodog Music and its worldwide Battle of the Bands competition, which awards the winning band with a $1 million Bodog Music recording contract. Always on the cutting edge of entertainment, Bodog Music is staking its claim as a force in hip hop with the signings of DMX, Wu-Tang Clan, and Bishop Brigante. The international label continues to see success with their diverse lineup, developing the careers of artists like Bif Naked, Neurosonic, The Vincent Black Shadow, My American Heart and more. Bodog Entertainment Founder Calvin Ayre notes, “Bodog Music is rapidly becoming a big dog in the music biz. Between the successes of Bodog Battle, great artist developments and now some major signings, look for Bodog Music to be an even larger presence on the music scene in 2008.”

Remy Ma and Universal sued for $20M

Makeda Barnes-Joseph was shot twice in the abdomen on July 14, after leaving a party in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Authorities said the shooting occurred after Remy Ma, whose real name is Remy Smith, accused Barnes-Joseph of taking $2,000 that was missing from her purse.FULL ARTICLE AY NEWSDAY.COM

LATIFAH, HUDSON in SECRET LIFE OF BEES

 

RELEASE DATE: 2009 

SYNOPSIS: With pieces of her past all jumbled up in her head, young Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning in negotiations) seizes an opportunity to leave behind her father and their South Carolina peach farm. Traveling with her nanny, Rosaleen, Lily encounters the Boatwrights, a trio of beekeeping sisters (Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo), who fold the girl into their strange, secret world.

G.I. JOE finds a LOST cast member

 

The "G.I. Joe" brigade is growing larger.  Akinnuoye-Agbaje will join Sienna Miller and Ray Park in Paramount’s live action film "G.I. Joe."  Akinnuoye-Agbaje will play ordnance expert Heavy Duty and Taghmaoui will play Breaker, the team’s communications specialist.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who played Mr. Eko on ABC’s "Lost," also has appeared in the feature films "Get Rich or Die Tryin’" and "The Bourne Identity." He is repped by APA, 3 Arts and attorney Nina Shaw.

Starlite Films to remake 4CHOSEN Documentary

4CHOSEN is a true story of courage and survival that began when the dreams of four young men were suddenly shattered in a hail of bullets on April 23, 1998. Danny Reyes was a burgeoning college basketball star when he set off on a road trip in a rented minivan with Jarmaine Grant, Keshon Moore, and Rayshawn Brown, intending to go from New York to North Carolina to a basketball talent showcase, where their skills would be seen by college recruiters.

They never made it past Exit 7A on the New Jersey Turnpike. Without just cause or provocation, two New Jersey state troopers pulled them over and fired 13 shots into the van, seriously injuring three of the boys. The fight had just begun for Danny and his friends. Enlisting the help of attorney David Ironman, the boys fought for justice. Together they broke open one of the largest racial profiling cases in American history.

In an epic story that stretches all the way to Washington DC and involves such prominent individuals as Christie Todd Whitman, Johnny Cochran, and Al Sharpton, 4CHOSEN is the personal tale that makes the events so remarkable. The shooting brought the four young men together; forever connected by memories of the horrible event. Danny also became close friends with David Ironman, who relentlessly pursued justice above all else. Ironman’s investigation exposed the disturbing truth behind racial profiling, as well as the corrupt police officers that put it into practice that night on the Turnpike.

Fighting against a stone wall of opposition from government and state agencies, Ironman gave hope back to Danny and the boys at a time when almost all hope was lost. Danny and the three other boys rose from the ashes of their dreams and made remarkable lives for themselves – discovering that it takes more than bullets to destroy the human spirit. (BUYINDIES.COM)

Laurence Fishbourne is currently in negotiations to play Ralph Menar.

UNION & MURPHY Attacked by Aliends

 

RELEASE DATE: May 30, 2008

SYNOPSIS: A crew of miniature aliens operate a spaceship that has a human form. While trying to save their planet, the aliens encounter a new problem, as their ship becomes smitten with an Earth woman.

Disney’s Dreamers Academy Winners Meet Steve Harvey

Four students selected for Disney’s Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey met the actor and comedian for a behind-the-scenes look at the makings of the BET Celebration of Gospel, hosted by Harvey, in Los Angeles, California. The group was given the star treatment as Harvey’s special guests during show rehearsals. They were selected by a panel of judges following a nationwide search for 100 Dreamers. They will join other imaginative teens for a weekend of unprecedented access to Walt Disney World Resort where professionals like Harvey and BET founder Bob Johnson will share their success secrets during the weekend of January 17-20, 2008.  

Famous Documentary Filmmaker Dies

St. Clair Bourne, a prominent independent documentary filmmaker whose work focused largely on African American social and political issues and cultural figures such as Paul Robeson and Langston Hughes, has died. He was 64.FULL ARTICLE AT LATIMES.COM

The Halo Group Rebrands Morgan Freeman’s Non-Profit Organization

Denise Goodwin Pace, partner at Manhattan-based brand development agency The Halo Group, spoke alongside Morgan Freeman yesterday at the National Press Club to announce the launch of Mr. Freeman’s nonprofit organization, PLAN!T NOW.

The Halo Group conceived the PLAN!T NOW brand platform and identity, including the organization’s name, logo and website — PLANITNOW.ORG, which will launch in February 2008.

Mr. Freeman and the board members of the Grenada Relief Fund — an organization established to help rebuild the island of Grenada after 2004′s Hurricane Ivan — approached The Halo Group with the goal of expanding their mission and territory. The resulting organization, PLAN!T NOW was discussed Tuesday at a Q&A Luncheon at the National Press Club.

The goal of PLAN!T NOW is to empower people to prepare through information and connection, and to provide a dialogue between hurricane-affected communities and those yet to be affected in high-risk coastal or island geographies in the US, Mexico and Caribbean. “We are approached frequently for pro-bono work,” said Pace, “But an organization endorsed by Mr. Freeman and dedicated to helping coastal areas better prepare for storms of the future is an effort we could not walk away from. So, we matched our heads to our hearts and accepted the assignment.”

Halo’s long-term client, St. George’s University is located in Grenada. “As our relief efforts for the island of Grenada transitioned in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, and it was almost fully recovered, we realized a new mission to continue the good momentum that had started was in order,” said Mr. Freeman. “Halo is a premiere branding organization and we are lucky to have their help.”

Queen Latifah Signs On to Endorse Jenny Craig

Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli have another pal joining them in the Jenny Craig universe: Queen Latifah.FULL ARTICLE AT PEOPLE.COM

R. Kelly Misses Court Date Because of Tour Bus Delay

Recording artist R. Kelly, currently in the middle of a nationwide concert tour, missed a scheduled court appearance in Chicago today because of bad weather and a delay involving his tour bus. Kelly’s bus, which was taking him from California back to Chicago, was diverted and delayed by bad weather, and then was stopped early today by police in Utah who insisted that the driver take a mandatory eight-hour rest stop before going any further. As a result, Kelly was unable to make a scheduled court appearance in Chicago. The appearance has been rescheduled and Kelly will be in court tomorrow morning. Contrary to some reports, no arrest warrant for Kelly was ever issued. The judge said that if Kelly did not appear in court tomorrow, he would issue a warrant.

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