Have you ever had a feeling like you were mourning the death of something that was still alive?

A little over two months after Ebony magazine missed its self-imposed deadline for paying the thousands of dollars it owes its writers, a group of 38 freelancers filed a lawsuit in Illinois’ Cook County Circuit Court on Tuesday alleging that they are collectively owed more than $70,000 for their work.

It’s been a couple of months since #EbonyOwes became a trending hashtag after several freelancers complained about not getting paid, and now the National Writers Union is preparing to take Ebony magazine to court.

What happens when Ebony magazine promises over and over again that it’s going to pay its freelance writers “soon,” but reportedly throws an expensive Super Bowl party in Houston and hosts a lavish company event in Los Angeles with money that was initially earmarked to pay said freelancers? A union steps in and tells…