Deadly downpours have lead to flooding in Southern Ghana.
(Photo: Google Images)
Deadly downpours have lead to flooding in Southern Ghana. (Photo: Google Images)
Everton Fox of Al Jazeera is reporting after many days of heavy and steady rain, at least 10 people are dead in the south of Ghana. The streets of Accra have been left under water after the torrential downpours caused widespread flooding. Fox writes in his story dated June 16:
“The nation’s capital was hit bit 185mm of rain on Sunday, which is more than they would expect for the entire month of June. This is the wettest month of the year with an average rainfall of 178mm.
Since the weekend a further 50mm of rain has fallen exacerbating the severe problems already faced. President John Dramani Mahama has surveyed the areas concerned. He was reported to have driven through several neighbourhoods on a motorcycle.
Heavy downpours were also recorded 150km to the west of Accra in the Central Regional capital, Cape Coast where 10 people died in floods, Sandy Amartey, regional coordinator of the National Disaster Management organisation, told AFP.
‘In all we have 10 to 12 who lost their lives during this rainy season.'”
The rainy season is expected to last until early July.
National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) Nonso Christian Ugbode has died.
(Photo: NBPC)
National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC)’s Director of Digital Initiatives Nonso Christian Ugbode has died at 34. (Photo: NBPC)
The National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC), the nation’s only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to media content about the Black experience, has announced the passing of Nonso Christian Ugbode. Ugbode served as NBPC’s Director of Digital Initiatives and had worked at the organization since 2006. He died on Monday at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in Manhattan after a long illness.
“Christian’s unwavering commitment to the importance of black voices plus his knowledge and understanding of the rapidly changing technology is what drove NBPC’s growth and expansion in digital media. He will be fondly remembered as an extraordinary friend to Black storytellers,” said NBPC Executive Director Leslie Fields-Cruz. “His contributions to the field, to NBPC and on a more personal level to me and my family, will be felt for generations to come.”
A member of NBPC’s executive team, Ugbode spearheaded the group’s website www.blackpublicmedia.org, a resource for producers and the place for quality Black web series and content. He was also a writer and a producer. His film about Black painters, Colored Frames aired on public television in 2011. The New York University graduate also served as co-executive editor at Mostly Public Radio (MPR), a satirical socio-political commentary podcast.
“Christian was a visionary, always at home in the world of creativity and ideas. He entered public media at precisely the moment that the system was shifting to a new, digital world that promised inclusivity and innovation. And Christian was on the front lines of that transformation. Whether his colleagues know it or not, his contributions continue to create opportunities for makers of color on every platform,” said the organization’s former Executive Director Jacquie Jones. “But more than anything for us, Christian was our brother. The hole that’s been left by his passing can never be filled. We loved him.”
“Christian was a brilliant storyteller and an outstanding leader in the digital media space for NBPC and public media as a whole. His contributions always elevated any discourse, program idea, strategy or content.” stated NBPC Director of Programs and Acquisitions Kay Shaw. “We will miss his knowing smile, intellect and generous spirit.”
This post was curated by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire, an award-winning news blog covering news of the African Diaspora.
Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey (l.) and Ross (r.) discuss a scene in the bunker (Photo Credit: STX Entertainment).
‘Free State of Jones’ director and screenwriter Gary Ross (kneeling) directs a scene with the cast with Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey (center) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (right) (Photo Credit: STX Entertainment).
When filmmaker and screenwriter Gary Ross initially read the treatment for Free State of Jones in 2006, he knew he had to approach the period piece with a more meticulous eye. The war drama starring Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keri Russell and Mahershala Ali depicts abolitionist and war strategist Newton Knight, who assembled and led a group of runaway slaves and poor farmers to fight against the Confederacy during Reconstruction.
Ross read avidly and worked closely with 11 historians to bring accuracy to Free State of Jones. “It’s not like they’re writing the script,” says the multiple Academy Award-nominated director behind Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, The Hunger Games and The Tale of Despereaux during a chat prior to the Atlanta premiere. “They’re informing and helping me get the academic understanding.”
“This is a very intricate quilt that we’re weaving together to try and understand this is just one story,” continues Ross. “Before I did that, I had to be a student. I had to pause and learn. Once I learned, then I could make a movie.”
Harvard University professor of English and African (American) Studies Dr. John Stauffer created a visiting fellowship especially for Ross. The Los Angeles-born and raised former fisherman and writer responsible for penning screenplays for Big, Mr. Baseball and Dave dedicated two years at the Ivy League institution to get a better understanding of abolitionism, Reconstruction and the African-American experience.
That multi-disciplinary immersion encouraged Ross to grasp onto history before he even began to the write the script. “There’s a responsibility in this,” states Ross, who briefly studied as an undergrad at University of Pennsylvania. “It’s not something you tread glibly. I did a thousand times more work on this than I did with Seabiscuit, which is accessible and fun, but frankly not as crucial a piece of the American narrative as this. I took this seriously and took a lot of time to find out what I’m doing.”
The son of notable screenwriter Arthur A. Ross and recipient of the coveted Writers Guild of America award adds, “It would be impossible of me to tell this story, especially on Reconstruction, without seeing the African-American side of the narrative. There was a no more crucial period in time. That was the crux of the battle. We haven’t been told the truth about that period of time.”
Free State of Jones’ theatrical release is preceded by a detail-oriented website further explaining the nuances, costuming, communities of people, chronological events, primary source materials and geographic areas relating to Reconstruction and Jones County, MS. Using primarily annotations and footnotes, Ross explains that webpage should help the audience understand that Free State of Jones is not just another “slave film” or cinematic experience depicting a “white savior.”
Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey (l.) and Ross (r.) discuss a scene in the bunker (Photo Credit: STX Entertainment).
Free State of Jones fictionalizes specific elements that can be supported by fact. Ali’s character, Moses Washington, is not a real figure. He’s an amalgam of a maroon from the swamps and a Union League leader organizing people to vote. Ross conducted ongoing conversations with the cast, imparting to them the historical elements necessary to mold the story.
As an exchange, McConaughey, born and raised in Texas, informed Ross on Southern traditions. Ali, on the other hand, exposed the director to the emotional tools needed to portray a character of color. “This is a conversation that you always have with actors,” shares Ross, a former consultant for Michael Dukakis and Bill Clinton. “That’s a dialogue and collaboration that has to go on.”
“Technically, you become more adroit. Each film you make, you get more experience, nuances and subtleties enter your work. This was such a different experience. To be honest, there was so much learning that had to take place for me to understand it.”
Ross retraces why he decided to create the informative website in relation to the feature film. “The audience has to understand this comes from somewhere,” he proclaims. “Half of my work is putting out the film. This is too important of a piece of history. I wanted people to understand this is based on a really solid foundation and serious work that we did. It’s historically reliable even if I had to fictionalize some incidents.”
Ross adds, “If I’m only putting out the movie and not what’s behind it, then I’m not really giving people an idea of the whole process.”
In no way, shape or form is Free State of Jones a passion project for Ross. It’s a process that has humbled the filmmaker. Working out the process for directing Ocean’s Eight with an all-female cast, Ross aspires for Free State of Jones to shatter myths about an often overlooked chapter in American history despite Hollywood’s objective to obtain gross astronomical box office receipts and merely entertain audiences.
“Freedom was demanded, not granted,” warns Ross. “Until we can investigate what African-American agency was in that era, we’re never gonna really understand it.” Concluding his comments before the screening began, Ross says Free State of Jones is a rebellion film about alliances, interracial cooperation, defiance during the Confederacy and white supremacy that sought out to suppress freedom during Reconstruction.
Ross forewarns that historically-grounded films have to go deeper than visually depicting facts or becoming critically acclaimed successes. Films like Free State of Jones, he says, have bigger responsibilities to viewers and the film industry.
“Don’t try to push your story onto the material,” he advises. “Sadly, no one is saved at the end of the Reconstruction. Once I knew that point, then I could embrace and create the story.”
Free State of Jones opens in theaters nationwide on Jun. 24. Check local listings for showtimes and venues.
This post was written by Christopher A. Daniel, pop cultural critic and music editor for the Burton Wire. He is also contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
Writing for Refinery29, Olivia Harrison reports Bajan American Rohan Gilkes has created an answer to discrimination against “black sounding names” by white Airbnb owners by creating Innclusive.com, a competitor that strives to make accommodations available to all people and discourages discrimination in the process. Harrison writes:
“Gilkes is one of many people of color who have experienced discrimination while trying to book through Airbnb, but he wasn’t going to sit back and just let it happen. As a tech entrepreneur who’s launched several successful startups, he used his experience as the starting point for a new business.
Innclusive — originally named Noirebnb — is a competitor to Airbnb that strives to make users (all users) feel welcome. When asked in an interview with Fusion how his company differs from competitors, Gilkes said, ‘It seems really simple, but we actually start with our marketing. For the longest while, when you looked on Airbnb, there weren’t many black people on their site as a part of their promotional material.’ Gilkes wanted to make sure all types of users were reflected in Innclusive’s marketing.
Innclusive also has policies that discourage discrimination. Gilkes told The Root that his service does not permit hosts to relist their property during dates they have previously told users are unavailable. If one person can’t book during a given date, no one can.”
Gilkes’experience with Airbnb has been supported by a Harvard University study which found that Airbnb hosts are 16% less likely to book users with “distinctively African-American names.”
Innclusive.com will be available for bookings in the coming weeks.
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a haven for voices of African descent in the cinematic community and inspires acting and production hopefuls to dream big. With an impressive slate of films, workshops and sessions, and of course, celebrities, the festival kicked of its 20th year with a return to Miami Beach on June 15.
While the event had previously lived in Acapulco, Los Angeles and New York, Founder and CEO Jeff Friday notes that Miami Beach has always been home.
“Miami just has everything we need,” says Friday. “The hotels, access to major markets, the beach – it really does give a great backdrop to what we’re trying to do.”
ABFF has set quite a standard against this backdrop, opening Wednesday evening with the debut of the Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson film Central Intelligence. On Thursday, festival attendees were treated to a conversation between 2016 Festival Ambassador Common and TV One‘s Roland Martin.
Friday also expressed excitement about the ABFF Filmmakers Reunion, which brought together ABFF alumni from the past twenty years.
Actor, director and ABFF staple Robert Townsend believes that ABFF serves as an inspirational force for the new generation of filmmakers and actors, listing the one-on-one conversations among the impactful sessions.
“To hear Common talk about his journey was amazing. He talked about a spell where he went on auditions and never got work or call backs. But he never gave up, because he had a passion for it.”
The festival included a diverse slate of events including a discussion with Nate Parker, moderated by Star Jones, about the critically acclaimed film The Birth of a Nation, The ABFF Comedy Wings Competition, and the return of the HBO Shorts screenings.
If Friday has his way, ABFF will experience exponential growth in the next twenty years. There are plans for programs throughout the year to educate young people on getting into the business in addition to other ventures.
“We want to have classes. We’re also looking at a theater chain, bringing ABFF theaters in some of your major markets, and a digital steaming platform,” says Friday. “The vision is to be more of an institution.”
Chetachi A. Egwu, Ph.D. is Communication Faculty at the University of Maryland University College. Her scholarship focuses on Black Internet Usage and the African image in film, with an emphasis in documentary. The Howard University alumna is the owner of Conscious Thought Media and the host of the livestreamed show MediaScope. Dr. Egwu has contributed to The Grio and is a regular contributor to The Burton Wire. Follow her on Twitter @Tachiada.
Civic unrest followed the ANC's announcement of mayoral candidate Thoko Didiza.
(Photo: Google Images)
Civic unrest followed the ANC’s announcement of mayoral candidate Thoko Didiza. (Photo: Google Images)
BBC Africa is reporting violence has broken out in and around Pretoria after African National Congress (ANC) announced its mayoral candidate. The author writes:
“A government statement calling for calm said police officers ‘came under fire as protesters allegedly attacked their car with stones’. Trouble broke out in the Tshwane area reportedly over the mayoral candidate chosen by the governing ANC for August’s elections. The tension relates to factionalism within the party, analysts say. Local media are showing pictures of burning barricades blocking main roads. South Africa’s government has called for dialogue to sort out the problem.”
Protesters are upset current mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was pushed aside in the nomination process, although Ramokgopa reportedly said he’s “happy” with the selection of Thoko Didiza.
Today is Juneteenth (June 19th)! Juneteenth.com refers to this special day for many African Americans as the ‘oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.’ The author writes:
“Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance…
Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and planning the future. “
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated all over the world.
What special plans do you have for what the Smithsonian calls ‘Our other Independence Day?’
Protesters wear mask during a pro Gay Rights protest in Kenya.
(Google Images)
Protesters wear mask during a pro Gay Rights protest in Kenya. (Google Images)
BBC News is reporting a Kenyan High Court has dismissed a case challenging the legality of anal tests as proof of homosexuality. The author writes:
“Two men, who say Kenyan police forced them to undergo the procedure to prove they had had gay sex, the kind of gay sex you’d see at websites like www.fuckedgay.xxx, launched the case, calling for the tests to be declared unconstitutional.
‘There was no other way evidence could have been obtained,’ ruled Mombasa judge Mathew Emukule.
Homosexual acts are illegal in Kenya, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. This means that sites like 18twink are not permitted.
The judge dismissed claims by the two men that they were sexually discriminated against and that the tests were tantamount to torture.
‘I find no violation of human dignity, right to privacy and right to freedom of the petitioners,’ he said, reports the AP news agency.
Their lawyer confirmed that they will appeal against the decision.” Let’s hope Kenya becomes the next to undertake a forward thinking ideology pertaining to homosexuality and it’s sexual acts, allowing them the enjoyment of www.twinkmovies.xxx and other homosexual adult sites.
Actress Teyonah Parris stars as R&B singer Miki Howard.
(Photo: TV One)
Actress Teyonah Parris stars as R&B singer Miki Howard. (Photo: TV One)
‘Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story’ will debut on TV One, Sunday June 12, 2016 at 7 p.m. EST. Red hot actress Teyonah Parris stars as Howard, the R&B chanteuse with musical chops that rivaled Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, but whose career trajectory was changed due to a tumultuous personal and professional life. Parris has literally been burning up the small and big screen in roles in Chi-Raq, Survivor’s Remorse, Dear White People and Mad Men.
Award-winning writer and director Christine Swanson (For the Love of Ruth, To Hell and Back) reunites with some cast members from her breakout film All About You including Vanessa Bell Calloway as Josephine Howard (Miki’s mother), who she also directed in To Hell and Back and LisaRaye McCoy as legendary record executive Sylvia Rhone. Gary Dourdan, whom Swanson directed in For the Love of Ruth plays musician Augie Johnson, and Darius McCrary (Family Matters, Anger Management) stars as beloved R&B crooner Gerald Levert, Howard’s lover.
‘Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story’ airs on TV One at 7 p.m. EST on Sunday, June 12, 2016. Check your local listings for channel information.
Check out The Burton Wire’s exclusive interview with ‘Love Under New Management’ star Teyonah Parris discussing her lead role in Spike Lee’s Chi-raq.
This post was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of the award-winning news site The Burton Wire. Follow her on Twitter @Ntellectual.
Members of the Bahamas 'Vote Yes' initiative.
(Photo: Google Images)
Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie. (Photo: Google Images)
Caribbean 360 is reporting Bahamanian voters voted against a Constitutional amendment, which would have updated Article 26 and made it unconstitutional for Parliament to pass any laws that discriminate based on gender. Three other bills also failed to gain support including giving children born to a Bahamian mother and a non-Bahamian father the same citizenship rights as children born to a Bahamian father and a non-Bahamiam mother.
Prime Minister Perry Christie says yesterday’s referendum was disappointing for his administration, which ran an aggressive ‘Vote Yes’ campaign. The author writes:
‘I will never stop believing that our sons and daughters deserve equal rights in our Constitution and equal treatment under our laws. We believe that when the dust clears, there will be room and time for proper reflection. Although yesterday’s rejection of the gender equality bills is clearly a setback for the programme of constitutional reform, it is by no means an end to it,’ Prime Minister Perry said in a statement today.
