Day: February 16, 2018

By the 1980s, America finally publicly embraced the black athlete, looking past skin color to see athleticism and skill, rewarding stars with multimillion-dollar athletic contracts, movie deals, lucrative shoe endorsements and mansions in all-white enclaves.

Who didn’t want to be like Mike?

But those fortunate black athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods did not, for the most part, use their celebrity to speak out. Most were silent on issues like the crack epidemic, apartheid in South Africa, the racial tensions exposed by the O.J. Simpson trial and the police brutality that set off the Rodney King riots.

There were exceptions — more, perhaps, than are generally remembered. And the times and the media of those times did not necessarily lend themselves to protest. But while Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali once stood up — and more recently, Colin Kaepernick , LeBron James, Serena Williams and others would not back down — black athletes of the ’80s and ’90s were known mostly for playing games.

“It seems to me that we need to rethink how we define ‘activism’ since black athletes certainly were involved in various social causes during that era. Anecdotally, I think about them donating to various scholarship funds and participating in ‘say no to drugs’ campaigns,” said Johnny Smith, professor of sports, society and technology at Georgia Tech University. “That’s certainly a form of activism. “However, on the whole, the most prominent black male athletes were not confrontational or outspoken.”

When Harvey Gantt took on conservative Republican Senator Jesse Helms in 1990, Jordan — the undisputed superstar athlete of his time — refused to support the black Democrat in his native North Carolina, reportedly saying Republicans buy shoes, too.

It took until 2016 for Jordan to finally speak out strongly on a social issue by condemning the killing of black men at the hands of police, writing in a column published by The Undefeated, a sports and pop culture website.

Woods said this week that throughout America’s history, blacks have struggled.

“A lot of different races have had struggles, and obviously the African-Americans here in this country have had their share of struggles,” Woods said. “Obviously has it gotten better, yes, but I still think there’s room for more improvement.”

Not everyone is an activist

The mold of the public activist — the person who is willing to lead but also willing to lose everything for a cause — doesn’t fit everyone, said Harry Edwards, a scholar of race and sports who has worked as a consultant for several U.S. pro teams.

Some people don’t want to be bothered, Edwards said, but “that has always been there. That was there during slavery. Nat Turner comes and says, ‘Hey, let’s run away. Let’s get some guns. Let’s get some machetes, and let’s fight for our freedom.’ And you always have someone say, ‘You kidding me?’ ”

Dominque Wilkins, a National Basketball Association Hall of Famer known as the “Human Highlight” for his thunderous, acrobatic dunks during the 1980s and ’90s, believes social media have amplified athletes’ voices — and the Twitter-less past did not offer sports stars the soapboxes they have now.

“We didn’t have a platform because it wasn’t that type of media around,” Wilkins said. “You had the normal, everyday media, but you didn’t have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram — you didn’t have any of that.”

Wilkins, 58, said people are completely off base when they say his generation didn’t do anything or care about what was happening in their communities and in the world.

“We grew up in a different era. We were born in the civil rights era. I remember when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated,” said Wilkins. “People who say we didn’t care don’t know what they’re talking about. … We cared. We were a part of it, so we cared.

“Our parents lived it. Our grandparents lived it. How can we not care?”

Behind-the-scenes work

The activism of the time was different, said sports historian Victoria Jackson, who works in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at Arizona State University.

Behind the scenes, superstar athletes worked in their communities and with schools — without making their activities known or asking for publicity for their time. Millions of dollars went to schools like historically black colleges and universities, as well as other deserving charities, without public acknowledgment, Jackson said.

“While we might have seen a decline in athletes voicing strong opinions publicly about systemic racism, police brutality, criminal justice and education and residential and workplace reform — and perhaps the growth of endorsements contributed to this — I would suspect, if we did a little digging, we’d find countless stories of athletes doing work in the space of social justice and that this is the constant theme in the long historical arc,” she said.

There were some who spoke loudly. Dashiki-wearing point guard Craig Hodges, Jordan’s teammate on the Chicago Bulls, presented then-President George H. W. Bush with a letter in 1991, urging more concern for African-Americans during one of the Bulls’ championship trips to the White House.

During the 1995-96 season, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf began stretching or staying in the locker room during the national anthem. Abdul-Rauf was suspended for one game.

But at season’s end, despite averaging 19.2 points and 6.8 assists, he was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Sacramento Kings. And when his contract expired two years later, he couldn’t get a tryout and was out of the league at age 29.

Efforts in boardrooms

Those protests, some say, may not represent the most radical actions of black athletes of the time, which were in the boardrooms, not on the streets.

Jordan built a brand that turned him into a Nike powerhouse, where he brought African-American businessmen and women up the ladder with him, before becoming the first black sports billionaire with his ownership of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.

Magic Johnson, in addition to building a business empire, spoke out passionately about the HIV/AIDS crisis after contracting the disease. The NFL’s Man of the Year award was long named for Walter Payton, who pushed organ donation into the public limelight in his native Chicago and around the country through his foundation while advocating for minority ownership in professional football.

Mike Glenn, who played in the NBA from 1977 to 1987 and is a member of the National Basketball Retired Players Association board of directors, believes how those first black millionaires went about their business helped build the foundation that allows athletes to speak out today.

“I think all of them were aware of backlash,” said Glenn, a collector of documents on African-American history and culture. “They were aware that if you say certain things it may hurt your brand, or may hurt your ability to do things or that maybe even the league would take a different look at you. I think it was an insecurity of their position regardless of how much success they had.”

Jordan and other iconic athletes of that period established the power of individual sports brands, a transitional platform Glenn believes athletes benefit from today.

“LeBron has took what Michael had,” Glenn said, “and taken it a step further.”
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We’re on the move with the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending Feb. 17, 2018.

Our musical deck gets shuffled this week, but no new songs manage to break into the charmed circle.

Number 5: Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage “Rockstar”

Former champs Post Malone and 21 Savage back off a slot to No. 5 with “Rockstar.”

21 Savage loves his shoes … and he went online to prove it. He posted a sales receipt from the high-end Barney’s department store in New York City, totaling $13,913. Among the items was a pair of Adidas black high-top sneakers costing $320.

Number 4: Camila Cabello Featuring Young Thug  “Havana”

Also falling a slot this week are Camila Cabello and Young Thug, with “Havana.”

Camila has apparently found a new boyfriend. E News reports that the 20-year-old singer is dating 30-year-old Matthew Hussey. It should be smooth sailing, because Matthew is a dating coach. The two were photographed frolicking on a beach in Mexico.

Number 3: Bruno Mars & Cardi B “Finesse”

Bruno Mars and Cardi B jump two notches to third place with their remix of “Finesse.” Bruno has added a final 23 dates to the North American leg of his 24 K Magic World Tour … and Cardi B will be his special guest.

On February 12, Bruno announced the dates — it all starts September 7 in Denver, Colorado, and ends October 27 in Los Angeles.

Number 2: Ed Sheeran “Perfect”

Ed Sheeran remains your runner-up with “Perfect.”

Speaking on a podcast with fellow artist George Ezra, Ed said that due to social media, he felt pressure to lose weight early in his career. He says he compared himself unfavorably to his peers, such as Justin Bieber and One Direction. These days, Ed says he eats a more sensible diet and works out every day.

Number 1: Drake “God’s Plan”

Drake remains your Hot 100 champ for a second week with “God’s Plan.”

Earlier this month, he stopped by a supermarket in Miami, Florida, where he bought groceries for all the shoppers. It set him back about $50,000. He also gave a local student a $50,000 scholarship to attend the University of Miami, and donated $50,000 to a local shelter for homeless women and children.

With gifts like that, Drake deserves another week at the top. Join me in seven days and we’ll see how he does!
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A termination agreement between embattled casino mogul Steve Wynn and the company bearing his name shows that he won’t receive any compensation and can’t be involved in any competing gambling business for two years.

The terms of the agreement were released Friday by Wynn Resorts. Wynn resigned as CEO earlier this month amid sexual misconduct allegations.

The billionaire has vehemently denied the allegations, which he attributes to a campaign led by his ex-wife.

As part of the agreement, Wynn also agreed to cooperate with any investigation or lawsuits involving his time with the company. He can have his attorney present. Wynn Resorts created a committee to investigate the sexual misconduct allegations.

As fallout from the allegations, Wynn also resigned as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee.
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Asians and Asian Americans are increasingly putting their stamp on the global fashion industry — and the big Asian student body at top fashion schools suggests their influence will be lasting. Filipino Jason Wu, American Vera Wang and Malaysian Jimmy Choo are now household names among fashionistas. As London Fashion Week opens today, meet another aspiring designer: 23-year-old, US-trained Xinye Jiang, whose Chinese and international backgrounds inspire her jewelry pieces. Lisa Bryant reports.
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Pakistan, which has sent athletes to previous Winter Olympics, this year sends a two-man delegation — an uncle and his nephew — to compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Muhammad Karim, 22, and his nephew Syed Human, 26, are both from the Naltar Valley, a village located in Gilgit Baltistan, the northernmost region of the country.

Karim was the sole athlete from Pakistan at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

“It feels very good. Before I was alone, and now, God willing, we have a team,” Karim told VOA in Urdu.

He said he has been able to give his nephew Human tips about preparing for the Olympics as well as how to stay relaxed at this level of competition.

​Alpine, cross-country skiing

Although the two are participating in different events, he said they support each other. Karim will compete in the Alpine skiing competition and Human in cross-country skiing.

As a child, Karim started skiing for fun and took part in competitions that were organized for kids. He then joined the Shah Khan School, a ski school that was set up in Naltar Valley. In 2007, he first visited South Korea for a junior championship. Afterward, he was sent to Austria for training.

Now, Karim has returned to South Korea, this time for the Olympics. He is participating in two Alpine skiing events: giant slalom and slalom, scheduled for Feb. 18 and 22, respectively.

Coming from a rural valley, Karim said it makes him very happy and proud to now represent the country on an international level.

Human echoed that sentiment. He is in the Pakistan Army and is a member of its skiing team. He competes in the men’s 15km free cross-country skiing event on Friday.

Like his uncle, Human’s interest in skiing started at home, in the Naltar Valley.

The Ski Federation of Pakistan opened a school in his village. He was inspired to join after watching others train. Showing a talent for cross-country skiing, he was sent abroad to train. Later, he began competing at a national level, and now internationally.

“After the Ski Federation of Pakistan sent me abroad for training in 2010-2011, it was on my mind and became my mission to represent Pakistan in cross-country skiing at the Olympics,” he said, adding that dream has come true now in South Korea.

While Naltar Valley is a remote valley and a difficult area to access, it has been central to the development of skiing in Pakistan.

​Future of Pakistan winter sports

Shahid Nadeem, secretary general of the Ski Federation of Pakistan, said the first ski resort was opened in Naltar Valley in 1958, to provide training to the Pakistan air force pilots. It later allowed civilians to train.

In 1990, the Ski Federation of Pakistan was created. Twenty years later, Pakistan participated for the first time at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The sole athlete was Muhammad Abbas, also from Naltar Valley.

Back in Pakistan, the families of Karim and Human are praying for and supporting the two men.

“They are hopeful that we will return to Pakistan having given a great performance, InshAllah, we will keep this hope alive and try to give our best performance,” Karim said.

In Pyeongchang, they were given a warm welcome by the Pakistani embassy and Korean students, whom Karim said made him feel at home. The two men practice on the ski slopes every day, as well as in the gym, they said.

Nadeem, of the Ski Federation, accompanied Karim and Human to Pyeongchang. He said he believes Pakistan, home to some of the world’s highest mountains, has a lot of potential for growth in winter sports.

By the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, Nadeem said he hopes Pakistan will be represented in even more events.

He said his organization is trying to develop athletes in other winter sports, including ice skating, ice hockey and snowboarding. They are also focusing on female participation, with the hope to have a woman qualify for alpine skiing at the Beijing Winter Games.
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Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are separating after two and a half years of marriage.

The couple said Thursday in a statement to The Associated Press released through a publicist that the decision to split “was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year.”

The couple said they are making the announcement publicly “in an effort to reduce any further speculation.”

“Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly,” they said in the statement released by Aniston’s longtime publicist, Stephen Huvane. “Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”

Aniston and Theroux were engaged in August of 2012 and married in August of 2015. They have no children.

The two worked together on 2012’s Wanderlust, in which she starred.

They said they are “two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.”

Theroux, 46, had a small role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and has several films slated for release this year, including Netflix’s Mute out this month. His writing credits include Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2 and Zoolander 2.

Theroux said in an interview earlier this week that he and Aniston were not together on her Feb. 11 birthday, and he would not be spending Valentine’s Day with her.

Aniston, 49, is featured on the cover of the current issue of Architectural Digest with a story about the “pure domestic bliss” of the Beverly Hills, California, home she shared with Theroux. Known as much for her style and stalwart acting career as she is for being a tabloid target, Aniston was previously married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005.

Aniston denounced tabloid culture in a 2016 op-ed, saying she “has worked too hard in this life and this career to be whittled down to a sad, childless human.”

Aniston rose to fame on TV’s Friends and has appeared in such films as Horrible Bosses, Office Christmas Party, Cake and Marley & Me.
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Ryan Coogler’s superhero film Black Panther, based on the Marvel comic, is about a king of a technologically advanced African country. His superb fighting skills are enhanced by his mystical powers and unique Black Panther suit, crafted with Vibranium, a metal found only in his country. The film, which cost over $200 million to make, has created a buzz worldwide for its cinematography, special effects, great cast and especially its homage to African culture.

The story is set in Wakanda, a small fictional African nation, that hides a big secret.  Built on Vibranium, the earth’s strongest metal, Wakanda has the technology and power no other nation has ever seen.

After his father dies in a terrorist attack, T’Challah, played by Chadwick Boseman, becomes the new king and assumes the powers of the Black Panther. Filmmaker Coogler has created a contemporary African superhero. “What makes the Black Panther, the Black Panther?” he asks rhetorically. “You got the political responsibility, you got the suit, the claws, you got the strength. We got the fact that he is African. That is the thing that makes him unique.”

The film highlights the risks and benefits of an advanced country’s political isolationism. Should Wakanda share its power and technology with the rest of the world? Or hide and protect its resources from outsiders?

Black Panther’s storyline and black superhero have captivated the imagination of audiences worldwide, says Lupita Nyong’o. She plays Nakia, a Wakandan spy and T’Challah’s love interest. “We have here a Marvel universe that is unapologetically black. And to see us occupy an African country with kings and queens and warriors, and it’s so inspiring! An aspirational nation that is rejuvenating to the human spirit,” she says.

In a VOA interview, Black Panther producer Nate Moore and said everyone on the film wanted to create a movie that showcased a proud, beautiful and intelligent black culture.

“Typically in cinema, when you see Africa, it tends to be stories about poverty, and stories about resources being stripped. Here’s a country that in our world is the most technologically advanced in the world. That’s a great example to show to kids,” Moore says.

Colorful garments, created by Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth Carter, reflect African tradition and empower its characters, she says, especially the women.

“They are actual fighters, they are generals, they have weaponry. They have to wear armor, but then we did it in a beautiful way. So, the colors are enhanced, the armor looks like jewelry. Their harness is, like, straps the body in a certain way. They pay homage to their history.”

Moore says the actors and the film’s creators paid attention to every detail. ” We went to great lengths and had a lot of cultural advisers, and a lot of our cast is from Africa. Even our dialect coach, Beth MacGuire, and all of our cast members wanted to sound African. And again, at the same time, I think for African American audiences there is a lot to pull from. And hopefully, there is some inspiration again learning about the roots where African Americans came from,” he says.

At T.C. Williams, a racially diverse high school in Alexandria, Virginia, students like Jeincy Paniagua are excited about the film. “I feel like it gives the message to younger children or just our society in general that no one is born racist. And with this, you’re sort of teaching them not to be,” she says.

Her classmate Charlotte Despard observes, “I think it’s super important for not only young women but young black girls, and black individuals to see this kind of representation in the media and I think it will give them a really big sense of empowerment.”

“But also show who we are as people, adds Krishuana Andrews. “We are superheroes in our own way, and that has been proven through marches, black protests that we are not just a minority, but we are part of the majority.”

Whether it’s due to Black Panther’s messages about black pride or women’s empowerment, this highly anticipated film is also set to break the box office record in the superhero movie universe.
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