covid-19
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'Billie Holiday Is Probably One of Our First Civil Rights Leaders': Lee Daniels Discusses His Upcoming Biopic at The Root Institute
It’s been nearly 50 years since the debut of Lady Sings the Blues, which was a huge inspiration for writer-director-producer Lee Daniels—so much so, that he is now directing his own biographical drama about the iconic Billie Holiday, The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Through her art—especially her stirring song, “Strange Fruit”—Holiday became pivotal in…
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Sorry, Donald Trump, But It's Looking Like College Football Is a Wrap
As I’m sure you’re all familiar with by now…Donald Trump lives to lie. His latest flirtation with brazen dishonesty involves college football since apparently he’s feeling some type of way that it’s increasingly unlikely that student-athletes will be taking the field this fall. On Monday, he tweeted, “Play College Football!” after insisting that college players…
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Mid-American Conference Postpones Fall Sports; NFL Could Take Over Saturdays If College Football Is Gone
Mere days after UConn became the first major college football program to graciously bow out of playing this season due to the coronavirus, the Mid-American Conference—yes, an entire conference—will follow suit. In a statement posted on Twitter, the conference announced that it will postpone its football season until the 2021 spring semester in order to…
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The Death of a Mississippi Teacher From COVID-19 Increases Fears of an Outbreak as Schools Reopen
Despite most medical professionals saying “Hey, don’t do that,” schools across the country are steadily beginning to reopen. In Mississippi, the death of a beloved teacher while self-quarantining has increased fears of a COVID-19 outbreak during the first week of school. Mississippi Today reports that 42-year-old Nacoma James, a Black man, died on Thursday while…
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The Discreet Charms of Malady
First, oh, the stories you will tell. I awake from a four-hour surgery with an epidural and pain pump full of Fentanyl to sounds of a man dying on the gurney next to me, separated only by a threadbare curtain. Codes blare over the PA system, calling for every available physician to assist while next…
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Just Like Us, Our Forever First Lady Has Been Experiencing 'Low-Grade Depression' Lately
Michelle Obama just keeps giving us more reasons to love her—mostly because of her innate empathy (you should try it, it’s delicious) and her increasing transparency since leaving the White House and publishing her instantly bestselling 2018 memoir, Becoming. In her newly launched Michelle Obama Podcast, she’s continuing to give us highly relatable moments, most…
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It Is What It Is
Tommy expected applause. Even though it was just a first draft, Tommy thought it was brilliant. Before reading his new piece of writing aloud to his captive audience, he believed his eloquent breakup letter could possibly change the future of everyone he knew. Of course, he also knew that he was smarter than all of…
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As the Federal Moratorium Ends, 23 Million Americans Are at Risk of Being Evicted in Coming Months
The enormousness of the crisis brought on by COVID-19 cannot be overstated. Cases and deaths are steadily rising in multiple states, as are unemployment numbers. Despite the continued severity of the crisis, Congress has stalled on passing a new relief bill and as the federal moratorium on evictions ends, millions of Americans are expected to…
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NFL Thinks Players Are Gaming the System by Opting Out of Upcoming Season, Devin McCourty Calls League a 'Joke'
The NFL is in serious trouble. As the coronavirus continues to terrorize Major League Baseball, NFL players are tripping over themselves to opt-out of the upcoming season. Thus far, over 40 players (and counting) will pass on playing this year—eight from the New England Patriots alone—so it’s safe to say that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell…