$27M Settlement after Black Woman Killed In Police Chase. Oscars Recap. BET+ Shutdown |#TheBreakdown
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The city of Chicago settled for $27 million in a fatal police chase case after new evidence revealed protocol violations and an alleged cover-up.
- ❖FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened to revoke TV broadcasters' licenses over their coverage of the US-Israeli war, echoing Donald Trump's criticism.
- ❖Pastor Jamal Bryant apologized for calling an end to the Target boycott, which had cost the company $12.4 billion, reflecting continued community resolve.
- ❖BET+ is merging its content with Paramount+ starting in June, with Paramount acquiring Tyler Perry's minority stake.
- ❖Chick-fil-A owner Shalita Meadows went viral for sharing an experience where a locksmith refused to believe she was the owner, highlighting bias against Black women in authority.
- ❖The 98th Academy Awards saw historic wins for Black creatives, including Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, and Autumn Durald Akpaff for "Cinerama," and Teyana Taylor for "One Battle After Another."
- ❖Dr. Carlotta Berry's initiatives, like Noire STEMinist and Black in Engineering/Robotics, are making STEM more accessible and representative for Black and brown students and girls.
Insights
1Police Accountability and Systemic Cover-up in Chicago
The city of Chicago agreed to pay $27 million to the family of Stacy Von Heron, who was killed in a 2017 police chase. This settlement followed a new trial order where previously unseen evidence, including video showing officers not helping Von Heron's injured daughter, surfaced. The family attorney framed the police actions as 'cowboy' behavior violating department policy and alleged a 'wide' and 'systemic' cover-up.
The initial 2023 jury awarded $10 million, finding the city responsible for the deadly crash where police pursued a vehicle without lights. New evidence and video footage, including Myers climbing over her mother's body while officers were nearby and did not help, led to a reassessment and the $27 million settlement.
2FCC Threatens Broadcasters Over War Coverage
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, threatened to revoke TV broadcasters' licenses if they continue 'running hoaxes and news distortions' regarding the US-Israeli war. This warning followed President Donald Trump's criticism of media coverage, indicating potential government pressure on news outlets.
Carr 'boasted Trump's comments on X threatening broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.' The FCC licenses TV and radio but not cable or internet news.
3Community Disapproval of Target Boycott's End
Pastor Jamal Bryant apologized to the Black community for calling an end to the Target boycott, acknowledging widespread disappointment, anger, and frustration. His apology underscored the community's strong resolve to continue the boycott, despite leadership attempts to conclude it.
The Target Corporation lost about $12.4 billion in market value during the boycott, which began on March 5, 2023. Bryant insisted he had not been paid by Target, stating, 'I am grieved that because of the pain and the trauma and the triggers of leadership of days gone by, it was an immediate presumption that we have been bought off or that I have been bought off.'
4BET+ Content Merges with Paramount+
Black Entertainment Television's streaming service, BET+, is shutting down and merging its content with Paramount+'s flagship streamer starting in June. This consolidation includes Paramount acquiring media mogul Tyler Perry's minority ownership stake in BET+, signaling a shift in streaming strategy and content ownership.
Under Paramount SkyDances' ownership, BET+ will merge its content with Paramount+ starting in June. Tyler Perry held a 25% stake in BET+ as a result of a 2019 production deal with Paramount, and the terms of his stake acquisition were not disclosed.
5Challenging Bias Against Black Women in Authority
Shalita Meadows, a Black woman and owner-operator of a Chick-fil-A in Chesapeake, Virginia, shared a viral story about a locksmith who refused to believe she was the owner. The locksmith insisted the person who called him was a man and even phoned her husband for confirmation, highlighting persistent biases against Black women in positions of power.
Meadows' name tag read 'owner operator,' yet the locksmith said, 'No, ma'am. I need you to go get the owner so I can make sure it is okay with him for me to get started.' Her husband clarified, 'Sir, that's not my restaurant. That's my wife's restaurant.' Meadows concluded, 'It is a lot cheaper to show respect than it is to lose out on a contract or an opportunity.'
6Historic Oscar Wins for Black Creatives
The 98th Academy Awards celebrated significant achievements for Black actors and filmmakers, particularly with the film 'Cinerama.' Ryan Coogler became the second Black person to win Best Original Screenplay, Autumn Durald Akpaff became the first woman to win Best Cinematography, and Michael B. Jordan was the sixth Black person to win Actor in a Leading Role. Teyana Taylor's 'One Battle After Another' also won Best Picture, marking a powerful statement for Black storytelling and representation in Hollywood.
'Cinerama' received 16 nominations and won Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Cinematography. Ryan Coogler followed Jordan Peele in winning Best Original Screenplay. Autumn Durald Akpaff's win for Best Cinematography was a first for any woman. Michael B. Jordan's win for Actor in a Leading Role was the sixth for a Black actor.
7Diversifying STEM for Equitable Solutions
Dr. Carlotta Berry, through her initiatives like Noire STEMinist Educational Consulting, Black in Engineering, and Black in Robotics, advocates for greater diversity in STEM. She argues that engineers and scientists design solutions for a global and diverse world, and a lack of representation leads to biased solutions that don't work for everyone, citing examples like facial recognition systems failing to recognize diverse faces.
Dr. Berry stated, 'If we don't reflect the world in which we live, we get solutions that don't work for everyone. We get bias in artificial intelligence. We get facial recognition systems that don't recognize black and brown faces. We get hand and soap dispensers that can't dispense the dark skin.' Her work includes writing children's books with diverse characters and names to inspire young Black and brown students.
Bottom Line
The overwhelming success and critical acclaim of 'Cinerama' and other Black-led films at the Oscars demonstrate a powerful and underserved market for authentic Black storytelling, challenging long-held industry skepticism about the profitability of such projects.
This success provides a strong economic and cultural imperative for studios to invest more in original narratives from Black creators, moving beyond tokenism to genuinely diverse content pipelines.
Filmmakers and investors can capitalize on this proven demand by actively developing, funding, and marketing original stories that authentically represent Black experiences, knowing there is a global audience eager to support them.
The $12.4 billion market value loss for Target due to a community-led boycott, despite leadership attempts to end it, reveals the significant and sustained economic power of collective consumer action within the Black community.
This indicates that organized consumer movements can exert substantial financial pressure on corporations, even when internal or external figures try to de-escalate, highlighting the autonomy and impact of grassroots efforts.
Advocacy groups and community organizers can leverage this demonstrated economic power to push for corporate accountability, social responsibility, and equitable practices, understanding that sustained consumer pressure can yield tangible financial consequences for companies.
Opportunities
Culturally Relevant STEM Educational Content Development
Develop and market children's books, educational apps, and robotics kits that feature diverse characters, particularly Black and brown children with culturally specific names (e.g., Raheem, Rashida, Malachi), as main characters engaging in STEM activities. This addresses the identified gap in representation and makes STEM relatable for underrepresented youth.
Lessons
- Support Black-owned media and businesses, like the Black Star Network, to ensure diverse narratives are told and to foster economic empowerment within the community.
- Actively challenge biases and assumptions, particularly when encountering women and people of color in positions of authority, by verifying facts rather than relying on preconceived notions.
- Advocate for and support initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, recognizing that diverse perspectives are essential for creating equitable and effective technological solutions for all.
Notable Moments
Ryan Coogler's Oscar acceptance speech for Best Original Screenplay, where he focused on the humanity and relationships that cultivated the film, thanking his family and the cast/crew.
This moment underscored the collaborative and deeply personal nature of 'Cinerama,' highlighting how authentic human connection and gratitude were central to its creation and success, resonating with the film's themes.
Michael B. Jordan's emotional Oscar acceptance speech for Best Lead Actor, where he honored his family, collaborators, and the Black actors who paved the way for him, expressing gratitude for the support from his community.
His speech emphasized the collective journey and legacy of Black actors in Hollywood, acknowledging the giants who came before him and the community support that fueled his success, reinforcing the importance of mentorship and solidarity.
Shalita Meadows, a Chick-fil-A owner, recounting her experience with a locksmith who refused to believe she was the owner, insisting on speaking to a man, and her powerful response to the bias.
This story vividly illustrates the pervasive sexism and racism Black women in leadership roles often face, and Meadows' assertive response provides a compelling example of how to challenge and overcome such microaggressions, advocating for self-respect and professional recognition.
Quotes
"What happened that day was not the work of heroes. It was the work of cowboys who decided they were not only going to pursue a vehicle in violation of department policy, they decided they were going to cover it up."
"It is a lot cheaper to show respect than it is to lose out on a contract or an opportunity."
"If we don't reflect the world in which we live, we get solutions that don't work for everyone."
Q&A
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