The Breakdown with Shaun King

Are you familiar with Rorschach tests? It's where inkblots are shown to people and they are asked to describe what they think they see. And 100 people can see the exact same inkblots and see WILDLY different things. That's absolutely what I see happening now with Kanye West. How you respond to all that he's said and done now says more about you than it does about him. Today I want to discuss two VERY different conclusions a lot of people are coming to - and both conclusions seem to be rubbing entire groups of people the wrong way. We need to talk. To listen to today's FULL EPISODE of The Breakdown go now to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and search for "The Breakdown with Shaun King." Subscribe there for FREE and listen to the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having a thoughtful, mature, and even difficult conversation about who owns and controls the music industry is COMPLETELY POSSIBLE without it devolving in hate against Jewish people that is so ugly that it causes Neo-Nazis to come out of the woodwork. But Kanye West is not healthy, thoughtful, or mature. And when ANYONE that is unhealthy, immature, and by their own admission - a self-centered narcissist - tries to have a conversation about the role of ANY particular group of people in society - particularly a group they aren't a part of - that conversation has a 99.9% chance of not just being a failure, but causing actual harm. And open Neo-Nazis are now calling Kanye their ally. And THIS is the repeated M.O. of Kanye West. In the midst of dangerous stupidity, bigotry, and misogyny he might drop a nugget of truth. Trump is the same way. And Trump supporters are willing to look past the racism and bigotry and misogyny of Trump to highlight the little nuggets of truth - because the dangerous things Trump says, like the dangerous things Kanye says, rarely impact their core audience. So they just put blinders on and keep being dangerous. I hope you list to today's episode of The Breakdown before commenting on it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've been feeling this way. As taxpayers and citizens of this country, we are right to demand that this government - on the local, state, and federal level, do right by us. No telling where we'd be if we didn't fight and force our government to do the right thing. But I've grown to think that far too much of our energy and attention is spent making demands of the government. I'm not saying we stop making those demands or stop fighting for people that actually care about us being in elected office. Those are worthy fights. But we MUST MUST MUST spend more of our time, energy, intellect, skills, and resources on building our own systems, structures, strategies, and institutions - that we own and control. Can you imagine what we could build and accomplish if HALF of all of us dedicated our lives to building and funding our own solutions? That's what I want to see and work on for the rest of my life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In spite of all of the attention, and all of the pressure we've put on local officials to take Kastellio to the hospital - they continue to refuse to do so and his condition remains dire. Our team @GrassrootsLaw set up a hotline that we need YOU to call immediately. When you call, I will be on the line to talk you through everything and then I will transfer you to local officials on the case. The number is: 334-605-8572.Let's keep on pushing and demand that he gets the emergency medical care he needs and ultimately gets released from prison to the care of his family. This man is no threat to anyone and the prison clearly has no intention on taking care of him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When an argument is completely based on a lie or a false premise - nothing else you say in defense of it matters. I needed to preface what I am about to say with that. Of the hundreds of millions of people that demanded justice and accountability for the brutal murder/lynching of George Floyd, I don't think a single person fought for him because he was our hero. I never heard anyone say this. I never heard about anyone saying this. We fought for George Floyd because he was a human being that was killed, in broad daylight, in one of the single most depraved and inhumane acts in modern American history. We fought for George because he was a victim and because he did not deserve a single thing that happened to him. I did not care then and do not care now if George Floyd struggled with drugs or alcohol. In fact, it breaks my heart for him even more - because it means he was denied the chance to overcome his struggles in his own time - which I am sure he would have. Nothing anyone can ever say about George Floyd will EVER make me feel like his life wasn't worth fighting for. NOTHING. All Black Lives Matter to us. And I can think of nothing more despicable than trying to tear down the humanity and memory of a man that already died such a horrible death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For my ENTIRE life I have said that we need schools that are for us, by us, but to this day we have so few schools in America that have Black and Brown founders AND leaders. @EmberCharter in the heart of Brooklyn IS THAT SCHOOL. And I’m pushing all of my chips in to back and support this beautiful community. If you haven’t already, check out the video about the school on my IG page. And listen to the students for yourself. It’s special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m struggling to think of an example where we’ve seen almost every single stakeholder on the left, from radical activists all the way to the moderates at the White House all agree on one single political idea…That the racists on the Los Angeles City Council need to resign immediately. We saw some HUGE coalitions emerge in 2020 around convicting people for crimes against Black people. But when have you seen more people, from more backgrounds, all agreeing on one single political point like what we are seeing right now? It’s RARE. A unicorn. It almost never happens. But we must study it. Because it’s an example of what can happen when the left - and I mean the whole left - young, old, all religions, races, orientations, ethnicities, backgrounds, and more, comes together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Wednesday, and the 3 overtly racist members of the Los Angeles City Council remain in office - clearly refusing to resign. Today I want to unpack and explain at least 2 reasons why I think this is the case. More than anything, I think they are studying the new playbook for politicians from both parties when caught in scandal - which is to WEATHER the storm and refuse to resign. And I think these 3 members of the city council are digging in their heels for 2 key reasons. They need the job - and the income, benefits, and power it provides them. And are betting that they can outlast the outrage. They know that they are safer, legally, if they are still ON the council, where they have 3 important votes and access to any information or investigations launched by the council. It's the same way that Donald Trump knew he was safer as long as he was still in office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend audio clips were released that revealed the OVERT anti-Black racism of Los Angeles City Council members Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon, and Gil Cedillo. All 3 of them must resign immediately or be removed. Another person involved, a local labor leader, has already done the right thing and stepped down. We have a lot to talk about here - because what their disgusting racism reveals, is that we have very narrow definitions of WHO is racist in this country. When most people think of racism they think of racist white people. Who are likely conservatives. And maybe in the Deep South. But that is a very narrow way to see racism in this country. Let's be clear - a lot of racism comes from those groups, but that's not all of it. These 3 city council members are prominent members of the Democratic Party. And they are Latinos. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I see hundreds of you asking me, and others, to simply ignore Kanye. I get it. I wish it was that simple, but when someone that influential, spouts so much foolishness across social media and cable television, a public critique is required. What I have learned across 25 years of public leadership is that harmful public rhetoric has to be confronted publicly - as an act of public education. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is my first time every saying his name here on the podcast, but DAMN Herschel Walker is a hot mess. Like...that's even an understatement. It's not just that he doesn't have any experience - he also doesn't have any integrity, honesty, ethics, or decency. Or wits. I don't want to blame everything on CTE, but the man can't answer a simple question on most days. His entire family begged him not to run. He was physically violent with women and threatened to kill them at gunpoint. His own son called him a liar with no morals. He says he is against abortion but apparently has been paying for them on the side....So - HOW IN THE HELL does this man still have the support of 44% of voters in Georgia? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kareem is a legend. Period. Which is why you won't find LeBron James and other elite Black athletes that Kareem continues to fire harsh critiques against - firing them back - which is probably the right thing to do. But for me, it's sad to see. Instead of being a mentor, advisor, coach, or confidante, Kareem has decided to use his platform to blast young Black athletes - often with over-the-top critiques. Yesterday he went viral for saying that every corporation and sponsor that works with Kyrie Irving should drop him and that people should call and write those sponsors and demand they drop Kyrie? It's too much, frankly. Because for all the criticisms he might have of Kyrie - he overlooked that he is literally one of the single most generous athletes in all of sports and has consistently spent millions of dollars to support people impacted by police violence and racial injustice. And when you dig a little, you learn that he doesn't even know any of these guys and hasn't made an attempt to get to know them. I just hope that when I'm an elder - I take the advisor and mentor approach instead of the grumpy old man path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the plantation until today, this country has ALWAYS made room for Black people who are willing to do the bidding and work of white supremacists. ALWAYS. And more than anything, it gives moral and emotional cover for racist and bigoted white people to feel comfortable about their own racist ways. It's a strategy that is literally hundreds of years old. And while 99% of Black people never opt for these roles, 1% of Black people take the self-hating bait and then bask in the protection they then receive from operating with the adoration and approval of the worst white people in our midst. That's where Kanye is right now. And it's where he's been for a long time. And it's not as simple as ignoring him. I have to say what I am about to say again and again - either hip hop culture is CRAZY influential in the world - and it actually influences people good, bad, and ugly - or it's not that influential and we can end this conversation. The truth is that hip hop is SUPER influential in the world. And when that influence is used for evil and foolishness - it must be confronted and called out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday a brother I am friends with in the NFL received a brutal concussion. It was hard to watch for a thousand reasons, but when you get to actually know these men as human beings, seeing the physical toll it takes on their brain and body is pretty terrible. And as soon as he received the concussion, I started seeing people online and on television say something about him that I've heard my whole life. They started saying that he "got his bell rung." But here's the thing - human beings don't have bells. We don't get rung. And that cartoonish description of someone "getting their bell rung" masks what we are really talking about. Their brains are being smashed against their skulls - which is what a concussion is - which ultimately causes CTE. Each concussion is a traumatic brain injury. And we have to stop making it sound like something other than what it really is. Also, FYI: one of the doctors that cleared Tua to play for the Dolphins after his concussion has been fired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In professional sports, it's the job of the team, and of the league, to sometimes protect players from themselves. Their sheer determination to play, and sometimes play injured, can be so strong, that it's up to coaches, medical staff, and league policies to protect players from making bad medical decisions for themselves in the heat of a moment. And that's exactly what just happened to Miami Dolphin quarterback Tua Tagovailoa - who clearly got a concussion (which is a traumatic brain injury) this past Sunday, and was allowed to keep playing. And instead of sitting him out and allowing his brain and body to heal, they rushed him back out to a game last night, where his head hit the ground, and clearly caused an even more severe injury to his brain. He's lucky to survive it, but heads need to roll. At least a dozen different people on the team, including their head coach, their GM, and the medical staff for the team all failed to protect this man. The thing is, the NFL - and the Dolphins in particular - are dirty - and have a history of doing players wrong - so I have very little confidence that anything will happen here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today our team at the Grassroots Law Project has created a hotline for you to call and express your outrage at the despicable human rights abuses and medical malpractice being committed against a young incarcerated brother who does not deserve any of this. The number is 334.605.8572.And when you call that number, I will be there to talk you through what you need to say and do next. Then save this number in your phone. Share it with everybody you know. And let them know to join you and join us. THOUSANDS of incarcerated men and women in Alabama are on strike right now and they need us to stand up for them and alongside them the best we can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States exports a few things around the world. One of them is white supremacy and ultra conservative ideology. The latest recipient? ITALY - which just elected its single most conservative politician since World War II. And what's wild is that she is literally parroting and quoting the exact same talking points we hear from white supremacists in the United States. It's dangerous - and bigots around the world are literally celebrating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past few days as we've told the story of the egregious human rights violations and criminal neglect of Kastellio Vaughn I see people asking some form of this question...What's REALLY going on with him? Because they are having a hard time believing that a prison would actually treat a man as horribly as they are treating him. Today I want to answer that question very clearly for all of us. All over this country, but doubly so in Alabama, from slavery until today, incarcerated men and women have been treated like throwaway people - in great part because they are counting on us either never finding out - or not actually caring once we do. Let me unpack and explain what's really going on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nationwide protests in Iran are now nearing their second week and they are centered, in great part, around something very familiar to us here in the United States - police brutality and mass incarceration - and the death of a young woman in police custody. We've seen that our whole lives here in the US - and today I want to unpack and explain 3 reasons why I think we should care about these injustices happening in Iran - as police now shoot, kill, injure, arrest, and detain protestors all over Iran as protests continue to grow and spread. At the root, are women's rights and human rights - and whether or not women in Iran have the legal right to choose if they want to wear hijabs and other restrictive clothing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In spite of all that 2020 meant for civil rights in this country, 2021 was the worst year for police violence ever measured. Why? How? Today I want to unpack and explain the 3 reasons why, in spite of our very best efforts, police violence continues to actually get worse. Does this mean we shouldn't fight against it? HELL NO. If we didn't fight against it, I have no idea how much worse it would be. But we also need to adjust our expectations. As long as the root causes remain, police violence will remain. Listen to today's full episode of The Breakdown so I can unpack and explain what I mean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past June, at his own place of business, at least 4 men brutally attacked, beat, stomped, and shot the revered 51 year old music executive and entrepreneur, Chaka Zulu, outside of his own place of business. I have known Chaka for years and he is literally one of the most peaceful, respectful, kind, and outgoing men I've ever met. When I learned the news of what happened to Chaka, like thousands of others, I was devastated. When I saw the footage of what happened to Chaka, and to a female colleague of his that was also brutally attack by the men, it broke my heart. It's a miracle he even survived. It was my expectation that the men who assaulted them were going to be charged. They should still be charged, frankly. And ANYONE who sees what happened, will think the same thing. That's why it makes NO SENSE that somehow the Atlanta Police charged Chaka with murder when the ONLY thing he was doing was literally defending himself from being killed. It's outrageous. Chaka fired his gun in self-defense and self-defense alone. And he might have died had he not done so. It is a textbook case of someone standing their ground - not just during a threat, but during a literal life or death assault. Immediately, these bogus charges against Chaka need to be dropped. It's stupid that we are even in this position. This should not go to trial. This should not have a plea deal. Chaka did what he was legally allowed to do to defend himself. But what we are clearly seeing is that laws that regularly protect white men, suddenly seem to have no teeth when they need to protect a Black man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I didn't think I needed to explain this, but I clearly do. What Republicans are doing right now - lying to undocumented immigrants - who've often escaped treacherous conditions - and are desperate and exhausted - and tricking them into being flown and bussed all over the country - is dead wrong. It's immoral. It's unethical. And it appears to actually be illegal. And here's what I know - Florida Governor Ron Desantis would NEVER do any of this to white immigrants - no matter where they came from. You know he wouldn't. And so we must ask ourselves why they think it's OK to treat immigrants of color like this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This question is as old as hip hop itself, right? Most hip hop artists will tell you that the violence they rap about is simply a reflection of the violence in our communities. Most critics will say that hip hop is not a reflection of the violence in our communities, but is a primary cause. The truth, I believe, is somewhere in the middle. First, we must admit that violence in our communities is an epidemic. For instance, last year was the single deadliest year for gun violence EVER recorded for Philadelphia. But this year is on pace to break last year's record. This is a problem. And people always want scapegoats more than they actually want solutions. The truth is that DOZENS of factors are to blame for violence in America and violence in our communities - and the only way to take it seriously is to approach the problem as if it is truly complex. However, we cannot argue on one hand that hip hop is the most influential culture in the world and THEN, on the other hand, argue that it isn't having any impact on the way people think and act in our communities.Hip hop does indeed reflect the violence we have in America, but we are lying if we don't also admit that it glorifies and romanticizes it. If I listed the Top 25 causes of violence in our communities - hip hop (and Hollywood and video games) would make my list, but they wouldn't be in the Top 10. Should we still address it? Absolutely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 2 years ago my team at the Grassroots Law Project took on the case of Marvin Guy - who was wrongly arrested for shooting and killing a police officer over 8 years ago in a horrible no-knock raid. Wanting to see blood, they charged Marvin with murder and have been pursuing the death penalty. And for the past 8+ years, Marvin has been sitting in a local jail cell in rural Texas without ever being convicted of a crime. It's outrageous. Well, yesterday, prosecutors finally decided what we knew all along - that they never should've pursued a case to execute Marvin - and they dropped that pursuit altogether. This means we will still likely go to trial, but it also means they know they have a weak case. THANK ALL OF YOU who've supported Marvin all these years. You can still join us now @ FreeMarvinGuy.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I need you to understand what's happening right now. It's VERY disturbing. Last year Philadelphia's DA, Larry Krasner, won his reelection bid with a blowout victory of nearly 70% of the vote - making him one of the single most popular elected officials in the city. But conservatives HATE Larry. They always have. He has exonerated so many people and is holding corrupt cops accountable and they can't stand him for it. And in spite of Larry having impeccable integrity - and breaking no laws - they are doing everything they can to remove him from office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to me. Stop thinking of the Wild Wild West as something that took place in the 1800s. We are living in it RIGHT NOW. And day after day, week after week, month after month, we can reasonably assume that men, women, boys, and girls are going to get slaughtered by guns in America. Experts say that 316 people PER DAY are shot in America. PER DAY!!! This is not OK. Many developed nations don't have 316 people shot PER YEAR. Some don't even have that many per DECADE. And in this country, doubly so in our own communities, gun violence is chewing us up and spitting us out. I don't believe we have any easy answers or solutions, but what I do know is that what we are doing right now simply is not enough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I wanna be a teacher for 10 minutes if that's ok with you - and I want to teach a short civics lesson. You pay taxes. You probably pay thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars in taxes every single year. It's brutal. And whether or like it or not, whether you care or not, local leaders are making hundreds of decisions on what to do with that money. Now you can say you hate politics, and maybe you hate politicians, but are you ok with your own money being set on fire? I doubt it. If you don't know the names of these 4 local leaders, you might as well be setting it on fire yourself. LISTEN and let me teach the lesson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Racist and conservative white people all over the world are LOSING THEIR MINDS over the new Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones television shows. And in doing so, they've really told on themselves. They keep saying that these new shows are "too woke," but what's wild is that the shows aren't really woke at all. They are the same shows they've always been, but simply with new Black characters. And what's wild is that these new Black characters, in these mystical, fictional lands, aren't even the lead roles. White folk are going CRAZY that Black folk even have bit roles in fantasy lands that they clearly preferred to be "whites only." But it's all actually VERY revealing and insightful. Over and over again, they keep saying these shows are super woke - when it's obvious they simply mean the shows are now a little Black. Now, when you hear white leaders talk about how much they hate wokeness, just know, they mean Blackness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I loathe what Russia is doing to Ukraine. It's wrong. It's criminal. They've forced millions of people to become refugees while killing thousands of people and leveling entire cities. Countries should be supporting Ukraine. That's not the rub. The rub is that Ukraine has now received $15.2 billion (not the $8 billion people keep quoting) while it would cost just $1 billion to completely solve the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi. It would cost $1.5 billion to do the same in Flint, Michigan. And it continues to seem, in the words of Tupac, that this place has money for war, but won't feed the poor. It's despicable and dangerous that ANY American city would be without clean water. People in Jackson are literally being told to shower with their mouths closed. What are we doing here? How could that be? Yes, every single statewide official in Mississippi is a Republican, but this is more than a partisan fight. The US government needs to own problems like this and just pay what's needed to permanently fix them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First off, if you didn't already know it, Dawn Staley is a basketball legend - on the court and as a coach. But to me, what she just did, by canceling her team's games against BYU in Utah because of overt racism at the college, is the single biggest boss move against racism in sports in a generation. It's that big. And it's EXACTLY how athletes, coaches, athletic directors, general managers, and other sports staff should be using their power to make it clear that racism, discrimination, and bigotry can continue - but that it won't continue with your support. I'm actually all for protests, demonstrations, and symbolic actions. They matter. They can move the needle, but what Dawn Staley just did, is the single strongest form of protest we can see. By pulling South Carolina's games out of Utah, it will cause not only a major economic hit for BYU, it will hurt them with recruiting and beyond. And in one strong, smart decision Dawn Staley showed us all how to better use our power. Now, let's hope she doesn't stand alone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months and months of saying they did not shoot and kill the revered Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Israel now admits it was them all along. Of course it was. Eyewitnesses knew. A dozen respected media outlets knew. But now they claim it was an accident. Today, I have 3 questions that prove it was no accident. Who exactly did your sharpshooter see in their rifle scope before they fired, if not Shireen? If you shot Shireen on accident, why did you then fire at the unarmed men who tried to rescue her? And if both of those things were accidents, why did you interrupt Shireen's funeral, beat the men carrying her casket, and cause them to literally drop the casket? Did you think that it was someone else's funeral? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This morning I woke up to the news that one of the single most brutal cops from the NYPD of the past few years, Officer Vincent D'Andraia, a huge man, was just given "restorative justice" and won't receive any jail time and will keep his job after assaulting a woman a third his size. I have to be honest here. It's not that I am against cops getting restorative justice, per se, but what I know that makes me call foul on this, is that THOUSANDS of Black and Brown boys, girls, men, and women are STRUGGLING to survive RIGHT NOW @ Rikers Island here in New York. THOUSANDS. And they aren't being offered ANYTHING restorative. It's brutal in there. And so many of them are first time offenders locked up for crimes less harmful than what this man did. So my problem is this - how is it that THIS MAN is getting restorative justice when thousands of others are being denied such a thing? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm tired y'all. It's just too much. I feel like we are cutting and pasting the same headlines from previous years. We've seen this before. And before that. And before that. Again. And again. And again. At 2am on this past Tuesday morning, the Columbus Police broke into the apartment of a 20 year old brother named Donovan Lewis, he was deep asleep in his bedroom - completely unarmed, and of course non-violent. It's clear that he had no idea police were even there. And within a single second of breaking into his bedroom, they shot and killed him, claiming that he had a gun. He didn't. I am working with the attorneys in this case and will be supporting the family every way I can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right here. Right now. West Point - the premier military training academy of the United States of America, has a literal monument to the KKK that thousands of students walk under day in and day out. I don't mean a monument to someone that was in the Klan. It's a literal monument of a KLANSMAN in a hood and robe with the words KU KLUX KLAN under it. And it's not a secret. They've BEEN knowing it's there. For generations and generations. And they've left it there. And somehow they want us to stop saying this country is fundamentally racist? Like what? The place that trains America's soldiers has a literal monument to the KKK and this place isn't fundamentally racist? You've left it up for generations, but you aren't fundamentally racist? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is one of those days where I need to teach us a very simple, but important lesson. Somewhere along the way, we were taught that we have 2 types of jails and prisons: For-profit ones and government-owned jails and prisons. But this is ALL WRONG. In fact, an upcoming study will tell us that government prisons are actually creating exponentially more profit for corporations and communities than for-profit prisons. The business model may be slightly different, but the primary profit motive is the same for both institutions. And we need to drastically adjust our language around for-profit prisons, which are indeed gross, because ALL prisons are enriching white people and white power across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you hear the story about the young Black woman who experienced outrageous racism and bigotry playing in a volleyball match against BYU in Utah? I've long since heard about the racism of Utah, so that alone didn't surprise me. It didn't even surprise me to learn that the staff of BYU failed to intervene in the moment to make sure the racist taunts stopped and people were held accountable right there in the moment. But I think Duke University is getting off far too easy here. Coaches and staff from Duke should've protected their player and refused to continue the match under such conditions. It was their responsibility to intervene and stand up for their own student so that she felt seen, valued, and protected in that moment. But it appears that simply did not happen. Schools and athletic programs from elementary school all the way through professional sports, honestly, need to have a full game plan on what they will do in the face of racism and bigotry when they encounter it - so that when it happens, they aren't having to think creatively in the moment, but already have a strategy in place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 year ago, right outside of Philadelphia, in a town called Sharon Hill, local police shot and killed an 8 year old girl named Fanta Bility, and tried to claim it was in a shootout. But there was no shootout. And police have offered no credible explanation on why they unloaded their guns into the car of Fanta's family - killing Fanta, shooting her sister, and injuring other innocent bystanders. Now, police are saying that since it can't be proven which of their bullets killed Fanta, that none of them should be convicted. So we MUST take action to stand up for this family. ACTION STEP: Click the link in my bio on Instagram and you'll see everything you need to do to email and call every single person on this case, OK? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday I told you how a conservative white woman named Katie Bernhardt has become the chair of the Democratic Party of Louisiana - and blocked the endorsement of Gary Chambers. Now, it turns out that the Black man that she hand-picked as her Vice Chair is so conservative that the most conservative Republicans in Texas are throwing fundraisers FOR HIM. And not as a practical joke. This man, C. Travis Johnson, is also another wolf in sheep's clothing. He's SO BAD that he recently side with Republicans and voted FOR their racist gerrymandering and redistricting plan. Black folk in the legislature could not believe it. But it's not just that. The man is skipping important votes for Black voters and voting against the priorities of Black people REGULARLY. In other words, both the chair and vice chair of the Democratic Party in Louisiana, a party dominated by Black voters, are actively working against the interests of Black voters. They both need to be removed immediately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Her name is Katie Bernhardt. She is literally a lifelong ultra conservative Republican that campaigned and donated to the worst conservatives in Louisiana and she is now somehow leading the Democratic Party in one of the Blackest states in America. And now she single handedly tanked the Democratic Party's endorsement of Gary Chambers - against the wishes of the majority of Black voters and party members that actually make the majority of the party. This woman needs to be removed from her position immediately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to me - the enemy of your enemy is not always your friend. That's a cute saying, but that's about all it is. Yes, Donald Trump and conservatives are now attacking the FBI and calling to defund it - and because Democrats hate Trump so much, liberals are now cheerleading the FBI. But that's a HUGE mistake. The FBI has done more harm to Black people, Black leaders, and Black movements than the KKK. They have had their hands in destroying Black leaders and movements all the way back to Marcus Garvey. They are not our friends. I can count on 1 hand the good they've ever done for us while entire books have been written about all the harm they've done to Black people - including assassinations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody in America has more monuments honoring them than white men. It's not even remotely close. In fact, HALF of the Top 50 most represented people with monuments were enslavers that literally bought, sold, and traded human beings. This is not ok. But I think a big part of the problem is that we are too often waiting on other people to imagine and build these monuments for us when the truth is we're going to have to build them ourselves. I'd like to begin with us building monuments to Malcolm X and Nat Turner. What do you think? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With every day that passes, we are learning more and more about the blatant corruption that has overtaken the San Francisco DA's office. And what's wild here, is that Democrats can't blame Republicans for this corruption, because it's conservative Democrats, from top to bottom, running the whole thing. We just learned that the new DA, Brooke Jenkins, was literally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to be the face of the effort to recall Chesa Boudin, but presented herself to the public as an unpaid volunteer. Once she then took the office that she paid to undermine, she then immediately began firing every prosecutor and staffer that had anything to do with prosecuting police or overseeing wrongful convictions and replacing them with people that have a long history of actually protecting the police. Let me unpack and explain it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen, Americans everywhere are tired of politics and tired of politicians, but some truly BRILLIANT leaders continue to step up and run for office. Let me tell you about 4 great leaders that won their races and why those races matter so doggone much! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is under active investigation by city, state, and federal offices all over the country. And yesterday some of those chickens started coming home to roost - when the FBI executed a search warrant on his home and office in Florida and recovered at least 15 boxes of material. Today, I'll unpack and explain what I know about the raid/search. What's wild is that it increasingly appears that Trump will never be held accountable for any of the monstrous things he did while in office, but that he made so many mistakes after Election Day in 2020, that it's going to be the window between Election Day and his exit from The White House that ends up truly jamming him up legally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Calling it anything other than a massacre is a lie. Not a single Israel was killed while hundreds of Palestinian homes and businesses were hit with bombs and missiles - destroying everything in and around them - including at least 15 young children. It's despicable. What's almost equally despicable is how hard honest coverage from the American mainstream media is to find. Before I recorded this episode I went to every major outlet in the country and hardly a word has been said in the headlines. And the articles and stories that were written made it out like a fight happened between equals. That's not what happened at all. It was a brutal, ugly massacre where children were literally blown to unrecognizable bits. I saw it with my own eyes. And people are asking why these kids aren't being treated with the love and attention given to Ukrainians - and the answer is simple. The American taxpayers are funding and arming the Ukrainians AND the Israelis. How can you speak out on what you wrote the check for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This needs to be a national story! In the Deep South, voters in Memphis, Tennessee showed up in a MAJOR way to oust conservative DA Amy Weirich for a progressive reformer and civil rights attorney. It's a HUGE deal. And it wasn't even close. Amy strangely made her campaign about ME, of all people, running ads blasting me, and my support of her opponent, but voters knew better and saw right through it, thankfully. Here's the thing - when a progressive loses somewhere, it's all over the news. We need them to now keep that same energy for Memphis. Shout out to the new DA, Steve Mulroy, who ran a great campaign. And shout out to the voters and volunteers in Memphis who made it happen. Proud of you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today 4 current and former Louisville Police officers were charged by the DOJ and arrested by the FBI for their role in the murder of Breonna Taylor. First, I want to thank my dear friends @ Until Freedom for literally moving to Louisville to fight for a moment like this. And I want to thank the brilliant attorneys for the family of Breonna Taylor - who've never given up. And of course, local activists and organizers that have stood by the family every step of the way. Does this heal the heart of Breonna's mother, Tamika Palmer? Of course not, but it does lift some of the burden she's had to carry. I am sure of it. These charges, we know, are not convictions, but when the DOJ charges police, they get convictions 99% of the time. Above all, today is a reminder to never give up in your fight for justice and accountability. It's all so rare and so damn so slow, but we should never give up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most of my 42 years, I've aimed to take the thing that we call "the high road." I wouldn't even say that I fully regret it, because I meant well. But 42 years of taking the high road has made it such that anybody, anywhere, can attack and spread dangerous information about my family without any consequences. Normally, I will defend myself, and my own reputation, and I will continue to do that as I need to, but now, I am going to use the same strategies that have been used against me, against those that have caused us harm. I am returning your strategies back to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I wouldn't say that I'm shocked that the NFL only suspended him for 6 games, but I am absolutely disgusted. Men have been suspended more than that for having fights on the field.I believe he did every single thing that the women said he did. I've spoken to some of these women directly. They are honest, hardworking Black women that were cornered and sexually assaulted by Deshaun. He's a disgusting pervert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am a HUGE fan of the brand new phone number, 988. Save it in your phone as "LIFELINE" or whatever else will help you know what it is. You can call or text them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, if you or a loved one is having a mental health emergency. They have 200 crisis centers across the country staffed and ready to support you the best they can. My hope and prayer is that all of us will use this number as we need it. Our tax dollars are helping to pay for it. And we've seen way too often that when we call 911 for mental health emergencies police show up and get violent. Make 988 the new default number you call or text in a mental health crisis, OK? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices