culture
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Brain-Dead Teen to Remain on Life Support
A judge ruled Friday in favor of the family of a 13-year-old brain-dead California girl, saying that she could remain on life support, the Associated Press reports. California Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo ruled that Jahi McMath could stay on a ventilator, the report shows. The ruling came after Children’s Hospital Oakland decided to disconnect life support…
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PR Exec Lands in Africa, Greeted by Twitterstorm
Updated: Saturday, Dec. 21, 4:58 p.m. ET: Justine Sacco has been fired from her job as director of corporate communications at IAC, according to a statement released by the company. “The offensive comment does not reflect the views and values of IAC,” the email statement reads. “We take this issue very seriously, and we have…
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Suit: California Teachers Promoted Racial Bullying
The American Civil Liberties Union this week filed a lawsuit against Eureka City Schools in California on behalf of four teenagers, who said they were bullied by other students and subjected to discrimination by teachers, the Raw Story reports. The suit, filed in conjunction with the National Center for Youth Law, charges that racial slurs…
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Diplomat’s Strip Search Was Overboard, but So Was India’s Reaction
Sangeeta Richard had always wanted to work abroad. Her wish came true when she became a nanny for Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul general in New York. Unfortunately, according to prosecutors, Khobragade had no intention of paying Richard minimum wage to comply with American wage laws, and she committed visa fraud by asserting she would.…
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Looking for a Great Gift? How About Buying Black!
We are deep in the throes of the holiday season, so why not consider using some of your dollars to support black-owned businesses before the year is out? Here are 10 businesses for you to check out in the coming week. 1. Heritage Link Brands Los Angeles-based Heritage Link Brands is the largest U.S. marketer…
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Did My Jamaican Kin Descend From British Loyalists in America?
“My father told me that his maternal grandmother’s side of the family descended from a British Loyalist family who owned a plantation in Virginia. When the American Revolution started, this family relocated (and took all their slaves with them) to Jamaica, another British colony at that time. Is there any way that I can verify…
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Sharpton Town Hall: Jobs Key to Curbing Chicago Violence
The Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday heard directly from residents, faith leaders and activists about just how to help curb gun violence in Chicago, which is besieged by shootings of young black males. Speakers at the town hall-style event, which was held at Hyde Park Academy High School, a short distance from President Barack Obama’s…
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Michigan Doctor Missing, No Clues to Whereabouts
Teleka Patrick, a new doctor who was only months into her Michigan hospital residency, has suddenly vanished, and no one has any clue as to where she could be. Patrick failed to show up for work this month, which her colleagues say is not like her, and her car was later found abandoned in a…
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PR Exec Tweets, ‘Going to Africa. Hope I Don’t Get AIDS. Just Kidding. I’m White!’
Updated: Saturday, Dec. 21, 8:10 a.m. ET: Justine Sacco’s Twitter account has been deleted. It is speculated that the account was closed after her landing on the African continent. In addition, according to Deadline.com, IAC, where she worked as director of Corporate Communications, has removed her profile from its site. Updated: Friday, Dec. 20, 4:47…
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Woman Slapped With $5,000 Bill After Border-Patrol Agents Subject Her to Multiple Invasive Searches
A New Mexico woman is suing the El Paso County Hospital District, the University Medical Center of El Paso and four U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents for what the lawsuit describes as “multiple, redundant and increasingly intrusive searches,” after which the 54-year-old was asked to foot the $5,000 bill, the Raw Story reports. “Jane…