“Cancel Carmine’s! Cancel Carmine’s! Cancel Carmine’s,” protesters chanted.

The three Black women from Humble, Texas were arrested  on Sept. 16 after a punching and shoving an Asian Carmine’s hostess who they claimed used a racial slur.

Originally, the hostess told police the women would not show their vaccination cards resulting in the altercation, according to NYPD spokesperson detective Sophia Mason.

But the footage told another story.

Three men, two of which could not show their proof of vaccination, tried to join the women, who were already seated inside, but were not granted entry. 

The women then went outside to meet the men and claimed the 24-year-old  hostess began yelling racial expletives at them, according to Justin Moore, the women’s attorney. 

Then, a fight broke out.

One of the women grabbed the hostess by the shirt and appeared to push and hit her. Employees tried to break up the fight. The video footage did not have sound, so it was unclear if the hostess said any racial expletive. She was also wearing a mask. The two other hostess at the podium were a Black woman and a Latina.

According to police the hostess was “struck” multiple times with “closed fists” and suffered from scratches and bruises on her face, chest and arm.  An employee suffered a concussion, but it’s not clear if it was the hostess or someone who tried to break up the fight.

The three women — Kaeita Nkeenge Rankin, 44, Tyonnie Keshay Rankin, 21, and Sally Rechelle Lewis, 49, were charged with assault and criminal mischief, according to police.

New York City  is the first big city to require proof of vaccination to access indoor eateries.  Any business that does not comply could face a $1,000 fine.

Carmine’s released a statement denying the  incident had anything to do with racism. 

“Last week’s violence against our staff had nothing to do with race, despite a Texas criminal defense lawyer’s false assertions to the contrary,” said Jeffrey Bank, the restaurant said in a statement. “None of the attackers offered any reason for their attack. None of the hosts – all of whom are people of color – uttered a racial slur.” 

Chivona Newsome, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater New York, called vaccine passports racist.  Covid deaths in America have soared past 695,000. Black and Hispanics have larger deaths rates  in every age category.

“We know that any law created in this racist system disproportionately affects Black people, specifically Black women,” she said. “But what the terrible thing is, in this city, the most diverse city, what we like to call a melting pot, a Black woman can’t even get a plate of lasagna. … A vaccination passport is not a free passport for racism.”

Protesters called for the charges against the women to be dropped, the hostess to be fired and an apology to be released by Carmine’s. Moore said the hostess should be charged for filing a false police report.

The post Black Lives Matter rallies to “cancel” Carmine’s after arrest of three black women over vaccine mandates appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

They handed out sheets of paper with names to passersby and to those who joined in, but they did not want people to just read them. Instead, they wanted the people to say them. “Say Their Names” is a weekly vigil aimed to honor, remember, and say the names of Black people who were killed by police.    

Ann Shirazi and Jenny Heinz, two members of Rise and Resist, an organization committed to standing up against hatred and discrimination, collectively decided to hold a vigil every Friday at 5 p.m. on 96th and Broadway. The idea is to provide neighbors in the Upper West Side a place to stand together and stand up for what they believe in without having to worry about public transportation and large crowds during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Things like this go off the front page so quickly,” Heinz, 77, of the Upper West Side said. “We wanted this to be an ongoing vigil for people to be able to say their names.”

Volunteers alternated reading the names out loud for the public to hear. After each name was read, Shirazi rang a bell to acknowledge that their name was said and heard. 

During a weekly Upper West Side vigil, Ann Shirazi holds a sign during a moment of silence for the amount of time that Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd’s neck. Photo by Nathan Morris

“We wanted to humanize these people,” Shirazi, 76, of the Upper West Side said. “They were not just names that you read, but they were also human beings that had a life before they died.”

Phyllis Cunningham, 82, of the Upper West Side has attended the vigil since the start. She said it is an opportunity to become aware of police violence directed at Black people. 

“The Upper West Side used to be more progressive, and then it shifted to be more conservative,” Cunningham said. “Sometimes you need to make people uncomfortable because maybe they will go home and actually think about it,” Cunningham said. 

There were mixed reactions during the vigil. While some motorists honked their car horns in support, sometimes others react with anger. 

“Occasionally we get a finger, and if we didn’t then we’d know we weren’t doing our job,” Shirazi said.

 One time Cunningham had a woman ask her for the list of names she was handing out but when Cunningham gave it to her, the woman crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it in a tree.

List of the names of Black people who were killed by police that’s handed out at the weekly Upper West Side vigil. Photo by Nathan Morris

“I would hope that when she got home, she thought about why she did that some more,” she  said.  

 Cunningham said that our nation is in one of the scariest times she could remember.

 “I thought we made so much progress, but I honestly do not know where we go from here,” she said. 

Heinz was not positive about the future of the country. 

“I am sad about where we are now, and for the future of the people and our planet,” she said. “Anger has been trying to keep my grief at bay.” 

Shirazi said she will keep fighting for change no matter how impossible it seems. 

“I hate to say this, but I think things will get worse because sadly, people of color are easy targets,” Shirazi said. “Still, you are doing this when you know there is a possibility that you won’t change anything or that things could get worse.” 

And she has a simple reason for not giving up.

“Because we can not,” she said.

The post Vigil Honors Black Lives Killed by Police appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

This podcast was edited by  Paola Michelle Ortiz, hosted by Sughnen  Yongo-Okochi and reported by Paola Michelle Ortiz, Michelle Diaz and Kaity Assaf.

The post Despite Chauvin’s guilty verdict, activists will not stop fighting for justice appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Despite pressure from the public for months following Taylor’s shooting, an EMT shot dead as she slept in her bed during a botched warrant execution, all but one officer is being charged—and not for murder.

The charges against Louisville police officer Brett Hankison that killed Taylor are not for the bullets that hit her, but those that missed.

Hankison is being charged with “wanton endangerment” for firing rounds into a neighbors apartment. It is the lowest-level felony issuable, and if found guilty, he faces a maximum of five years in prison.

This is what the streets looked like in New York City.

Protestors gather outside the Plaza Hotel, September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Protestors gather at 5th Avenue, 59th Street. September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A vehicle passenger raises their fist in solidarity with demonstrators. September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Police pass outdoor diners during a march for Breonna Taylor, September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Protestors pass outdoor diners, September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Firefighters of New York Engine Company 33 observe the demonstration from their firehouse, September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Demonstrators march down Broadway, September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Protestors march over the Williamsburg Bridge, September 23, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

The post New Yorkers peacefully protest the grand jury verdict in the Breonna Taylor case appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Madeleine Greene, a resident of Illinois and an active participant of the protests in Chicago yesterday, said that the verdict represents a broken system that protects the white, wealthy class. 

Protesters gather in Chicago, Illinois to peacefully rally about the verdict on the Breonna Taylor case. September 23, 2020. Photo courtesy of Madeleine Greene

“White officers killed Breonna Taylor, and only one is being charged with a Class D felony that is akin to property damage. The verdict here is a joke, and this is not justice,” said Greene. “…2020 needs to be a watershed moment for our country to reckon with its racist foundation. Slavery did not end in 1865, it was simply morphed into the prison industrial complex.”

Kentucky Attorney General  Daniel Cameron said that the decision was reached by examining the actions of Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Detective Brett Hankison, and Detective. Myles Cosgrove — the three officers who fired  weapons in the early morning hours of March 13.

The grand jury decided that the officers were  justified in firing into her home because they needed to protect themselves after they faced gunfire from her boyfriend. The only charges were three counts of wanton endangerment against  Hankison for shooting into a  neighbor’s home. He is the only officer who has been removed from the force.

As the public continues to express outrage and demand justice for Breonna Taylor, the justice system’s role has also come under the microscope.

“We will not know justice until we defund the police, and defund the private prison industrial complex,” said Greene. 

Black people are not the only ones protesting at this time of explicit racial unrest. 

“I am protesting because I am a teacher, and I am a white woman,” said Greene. “As a white woman, I was afforded a multitude of opportunities and privileges that got me to where I am today. I am protesting to fight for that equality for my Black and brown students.”

A barrage of tweets permeated cyberspace as the hashtag #BreonnaTaylor went viral.

Ibram X. Kendi (@DrIbram), a number-one New York Times Bestselling Author, Professor, and Director of the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University, tweeted in support of the cause. He also spoke on the precariousness of being a Black person in America.

To not indict the officers for murder is to claim #BreonnaTaylor killed herself. Racist America constantly kills Black people and then tells Black people we killed ourselves. Racism extends past death. But we’ll never stop declaring that our lives matter, that our deaths matter.

— Ibram X. Kendi (@DrIbram) September 23, 2020

People expressed anger across the country, and thousands also publicly denounced Kentucky’s Attorney General, Daniel Cameron.

This is who @DanielCameronAG is. They elevated him to speak at the RNC before the “investigation” had concluded. They tossed his name around as a future Supreme Court Justice. And now there is no justice for #breonataylor This man is a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/iToI8R6bJf

— ArcticMother (@arcticmother) September 23, 2020

Cameron held a press conference  to detail the investigation findings, which led to  Hankison’s indictment announcement.

“The decision before my office is not to decide if the loss of Breonna Taylor’s life was a tragedy — the answer to that question is unequivocally, yes,” said Cameron. “…My job as the special prosecutor in this case was to put emotions aside and investigate the facts to determine if criminal violations of state law resulted in the loss of Miss Taylor’s life.” 

Keshia Morris, a resident of Foley, Alabama, said that Cameron’s actions regarding Taylor’s death showed carelessness and a lack of empathy. 

“What happened today was disheartening, and I have no respect for the attorney general,” said Morris. “He wouldn’t even address her death as a murder; instead, he referred to it as a tragedy, as though she was killed in a car accident. No, she was murdered.”

 Many concluded that he was incompetent and unable to carry out the civic and humane duty of honoring Taylor’s untimely death with ample justice after he announced that no murder charges would be brought against the three officers in question.

“Cameron needs to be out of a job. Everyone involved in determining this case needs to be out of a job,” said Morris. “Breonna could have been my sister or my cousin, and I think that today, the bare minimum was done.”

The verdict also sparked a peaceful rally in the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Taylor was a native before moving to Louisville, Kentucky. Hundreds gathered at the Rosa Parks Circle in Downtown Grand Rapids for a peaceful solidarity rally, and the City of Grand Rapid’s official Twitter page sent out a thread of tweets in support of the movement.

Our hearts are with Breonna Taylor’s loved ones and all those who feel her loss. We see you, we hear you and we support you. We feel her loss, too. This is her hometown. She is one of us, and we are grieving with her family and our community. We are in this together.

— City of Grand Rapids (@CityGrandRapids) September 23, 2020

Taylor’s extended family led the protests in downtown Grand Rapids. In an interview with WOODTV, Taylor’s cousin, Tawanna Gordon, referred to Taylor’s death as a “wound that never heals.”

“I am upset. I am over it, and I am going to march today to the police department,” said Gordon to a crowd of protesters.

The post Verdict on Breonna Taylor’s death sparks public outrage amid pre-existing racial tensions appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“We were not treated as children…we were both children,” she said. 

Newsome was with her then 14-year-old brother, Hawk Newsome. The pair was on their way home after picking up some groceries at their grandmother’s house when they were targeted by police, who padded down their pockets and searched their grocery bags 

Newsome, 35, of the South Bronx, said that was her first experience with law enforcement and it was traumatic.

The feelings of  fear and trauma have never left her, she said.  As a black woman in America she said she is in constant danger of a police encounter that could go wrong.

“When we get pulled over in our  SUVs it’s like ‘will I make it home?, will they shoot me?’ It’s a protocol that I’ve practiced for years.” said Newsome. “Now when I get in the car and I’m getting pulled over for a cop to give us a ticket, I make sure I’m recording. I’m making sure I’m not moving around and my hands are stationary and this is a protocol.”

Microaggressions are also the norm for her. As a former financial advisor, Newsome received various comments from her white peers complimenting how she is “so well spoken” or “so articulate” as though black women are seen only through the lens of negative stereotypes. 

“Sadly, racism is so ingrained in our society that I don’t think most of them are trying to be insulting at all,” said Newsome. 

Knowing that she had to do something to fight institutionalized racism and other issues that overwhelmed her community. Chivona and her brother decided to organize  Black Lives Matters Greater New York. 

The siblings were raised in a “militant household”  and Hawk Newsome  said  their parents, who met at a civil rights rally, taught them about the importance of standing up for their community.

 He said while growing up not everyone could see the effects of racism first hand or understand how it affected communities of color, but now for younger generations, it’s the norm to be aware about these issues.

“You see things on your cell phone before they even hit the news,” said Newsome. “Those images you see are often revolutionary, they are exposing racism, they are exposing police brutality. Now we can expose individual acts of racism and we can go after the Karens of the world, but in the past we couldn’t do that.” 

Both siblings are now dedicated activists, they have led hundreds of protests over the past five years in favor of racial equality and ending systematic racism. 

Desi Smalls, a 24 year-old from Brooklyn, who has protested in New York City with the group, says the Trayvon Martin case made him understand the dangers he faced as a young black man.

“I remember being in junior high when it happened,” he said. “I will never forget the day that my mom explained to me that whole incident and how George Zimmerman was never held accountable for his actions and ever since then, I’ve been aware of my place in this country.”

For Smalls, living in New York  City has made him  feel safe to voice his opposition to racism. He believes the marchs will lead to change.

“Something will come from all of this. I definitely don’t feel like it’s all in vain,” he said.

Newsome believes that the protests will lead to the transformation the country needs. Recalling one of the chants used during their protests, she said,  “I believe we will win.” 

The post Memories of stop and frisk, racial profiling and microaggressions drive activists to protest appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

The president has ferociously advocated against the mural, claiming the Black Lives Matter movement preaches anti-police rhetoric. But his Twitter tantrums proved unsuccessful, and the mural was painted on the very street Trump once claimed he could shoot someone and still get elected.

Among the painters,  the  de Blasio, his wife, and  Rev. Al Sharpton, a prominent voice in the fight against police brutality and systemic oppression.

Volunteers gather in front of Tump Tower to paint a BLM mural, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A worker sets up paint and supplies in front of Trump Tower, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Young volunteers gather to collect paint rollers, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Workers lay the stencil for the second half of the BLM mural, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A volunteer helps paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of Tump Tower in Manhattan, July 9, 2020 Photo by Thomas Hengge

Mayor Bill de Blasio addresses volunteers, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Al Sharpton and Mayor de Blasio paint in front of Trump Tower, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A person livestreams Mayor de Blasio addressing volunteers, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

“Black Lives Matter” painted in front of Trump Tower, July 9, 2020. Photo by Thomas Hengge

The post Black Lives Matter painted in front of Trump Towers appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Demonstrators places signs around the Monument of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, a former slave owner. Photo by Bessie Liu

One of the many organizers of Unite NY 2020 gathers the crowd. Photo by Bessie Liu

A police officer sits in his car observing protestors from a distance. Photo by Bessie Liu

Various organized groups gather at Washington Square Park. Photo by Bessie Liu

Protestors gather in Washington Square Park. Photo by Bessie Liu

Photographer asks demonstrator to pose for a photograph at the protest. Photo by Bessie Liu

Crowd leaves Washington Square Park. Photo by Bessie Liu

Demonstrator holds up artistic sign. Photo by Bessie Liu

Bystanders watch and film the protestors. Photo by Bessie Liu

Demonstrators march across the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo by Bessie Liu

Protestor uses a fire extinguisher as the crowd behind dances and cheers. Photo by Bessie Liu

Demonstrators stop in the middle of the Brooklyn bridge and begins to dance. Photo by Bessie Liu

Signs at the July 4 Protests. Photo by Bessie Liu

Demonstrators gather at DUMBO, their final stop. Photo by Bessie Liu

 

 

The post Protests continue on Independence Day appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Shout out to @browndages
BandAid acting like our skin tone just arrived with the new IOS update. That lil clear stuff wasn’t enough cause it still had that big white piece in it. I need to order another box for my travel first aid kit. ✊🏾✊🏾#BlackOwnedBusiness pic.twitter.com/kS2jdwrz0d

— what are we doing!?!?! (@1d9s1t3) June 18, 2020

A number of U.S. companies and global corporations have publicly taken a stand to support protests against racism and police brutality sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 29 – a departure from years past when these same brands typically stayed silent. But these reactive gestures aren’t setting the companies apart like they may have hoped, and instead show that consumers are holding companies to a higher standard than before.

Dozens of companies have taken actions that range from social media posts to new products to more diverse boards. Quaker Oats  is renaming its Aunt Jemima brand, a name born out of racial stereotypes, as is Eskimo Pie ice cream. Levi Strauss & Co. and Gap Inc. have committed to more representation of Black and Latinx people on their boards. NBC announced plans to diversify writers for TV shows.

For companies, it’s clear that they need to go beyond just social media posts to connect with the BLM movement, said Allen Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce, a brand consulting firm in New York. Taking tangible action, however, does not necessarily mean sales will increase. “At the moment, it’s not clear how they will stand out,” Adamson said.

That’s in contrast to when Nike announced an advertising campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in September 2018. Kaepernick, while playing for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, kneeled during the pregame national anthem as a sign of protest against racial injustice and police brutality. This cost Kaepernick his NFL career, but Nike stuck to its contract with the quarterback.

The company’s share price fell on the news and some customers took to social media to boycott the brand and even burned some of their products. But online sales actually increased significantly more than the same time period the year before in the days following the announcement, according to an analysis by Edison Trends.

“Nike supported the issue at a time when it was not on everyone’s radar and raising awareness mattered,” Adamson said.

For Nike, this was an opportunity to become connected with a cause. But the environment is different today. Brands hoping to have their own Nike moment need to recognize that they are practicing defensive marketing and acting in a reactive, rather than a proactive, way. “Nike moved before BLM became a tidal wave,” Adamson said.

Consumers expect more than just supportive messaging on social media, according to a survey conducted by Morning Consult, a Washington-based market research company. Only 25% of respondents had a more favorable view of brands that supported the protests on social media, whereas over half of the respondents said they have a more favorable view of companies donating to community cleanups after the protests or setting up a fund for small businesses impacted by looting.

Companies though still consider it risky to speak up on politically loaded issues. But the recent wave of BLM support has received support from a wider background of people than in the past. A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll shows that 74% of Americans agree that the killing of George Floyd points to an underlying racial injustice problem.

“Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem was polarizing in 2016,“ said Christine Moorman, Senior Professor of Business Administration at Duke University and editor in chief of the Journal of Marketing, but now protesting against racism and police brutality are no longer as polarizing,

Most companies still want to play it safe. More than 80% of brands in a recent survey said they don’t think it’s appropriate for their brand to take a stance on politically charged issues, which is in line with results in recent years, according to the latest CMO survey published on June 16.

“If the issue is political or polarizing by definition, most companies won’t speak up,” said Moorman, who conducts the survey.

Taking the risk to publicly support a cause, as Nike did, could be a way for companies to stand out and boost sales. Of the companies that did take a stance on a political issue, more than 83% said it had a positive effect on attracting and retaining customers and business partners, and 90% said the decision helped their company stand out in the marketplace, according to the survey.

Companies need to commit to a long-term strategy and not just react to the news of the day, Adamson said. “Consumers are too sophisticated to let a brand capitalize on the situation,” he said.

The post Late Support for Black Lives Matter Thrusts Brands into Damage Control appeared first on Pavement Pieces.