#RolandMartinUnfiltered - $5M to Dillard Univ.; CRT complaint against MLK books denied; Jussie Smollet, Kim Potter trials

Episode Date: December 1, 2021

11.30.2021 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: $5M to Dillard Univ.; CRT complaint against MLK books denied; Jussie Smollet, Kim Potter trialsJury selection is underway in the trial of former Minnesota police officer Kimberly Potter, who shot and killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop earlier this year. Today, some jurors have been chosen, and Potter's attorney said she will be testifying during the trial. Journalist Georgia Fort is covering the trial. She'll join us with the latest.Philadelphia prosecutors want the U.S. Supreme Court to review Bill Cosby's sexual assault case and restore his conviction.He was freed after serving decades in prison for a crime he did not commit with absolutely no compensation for the state of Missouri. Kevin Strickland is close to being a millionaire now after a fundraiser.President Joe Biden signs four bills into law aimed at helping veterans. Thanks to Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, one bill will study the race and ethnic disparities in compensation benefits administered by Veterans Affairs.A study finds landlords are discriminating against applicants based on their names.In our HBCU Connect segment today, we'll talk to the man who had a big part in Dillard University getting $5 million to create internships.An anti-Critical Race Theory complaint targeting books about Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges by a Tennessee group gets denied.In our Marketplace segment sponsored by Verizon, we'll talk to one black entrepreneur who wanted to ensure other black women do not get sick from chemicals in feminine products - so she created her own.  Barbados celebrates as it cuts colonial-era ties with Britain and Queen Elizabeth II.#RolandMartinUnfiltered partners:Verizon | Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband, now available in 50+ cities, is the fastest 5G in the world.* That means that downloads that used to take minutes now take seconds. 👉🏾https://bit.ly/30j6z9INissan | Check out the ALL NEW 2022 Nissan Frontier! As Efficient As It Is Powerful! 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/3FqR7bPAmazon | Get 2-hour grocery delivery, set up you Amazon Day deliveries, watch Amazon Originals with Prime Video and save up to 80% on meds with Amazon Prime 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/3ArwxEh+ Don’t miss Epic Daily Deals that rival Black Friday blockbuster sales 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/3iP9zkv👀 Manage your calendar, follow along with recipes, catch up on news and more with Alexa smart displays + Stream music, order a pizza, control your smart home and more with Alexa smart speakers 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/3ked4liBuick | It's ALL about you! The 2022 Envision has more than enough style, power and technology to make every day an occasion. 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/3iJ6ouPSupport #RolandMartinUnfiltered and #BlackStarNetwork via the Cash App ☛ https://cash.app/$rmunfiltered or via PayPal ☛ https://www.paypal.me/rmartinunfilteredDownload the #BlackStarNetwork app on iOS, AppleTV, Android, Android TV, Roku, FireTV, SamsungTV and XBox 👉🏾 http://www.blackstarnetwork.com#RolandMartinUnfiltered and the #BlackStarNetwork are news reporting platforms covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Get a 5G phone on us with select plans. Every customer, current, new, or business. Because everyone deserves better. And with plans starting at just $35, better costs less than you think. What's up, folks? Today is Tuesday, November 30th, 2021. Coming up, a Roland Martin unfiltered streaming live on the Black Star Network. Jury selection is underway. The trial of former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter, who shot and killed Dante Wright in a traffic stop earlier this year. Today, some jurors have been chosen, and Potter's attorney

said she will be testifying during the trial. We'll talk with journalist Georgia Fort who is covering the trial. Philadelphia prosecutors want the US Supreme Court to review Bill Cosby's sexual assault case and restore his conviction. He was freed after serving decades in prison

for a crime he did not commit with absolutely no compensation from the state of Missouri. Kevin Strickland is close to being a millionaire due to social media. President Joe Biden signed four bills into law aimed at helping veterans. Thanks to Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, one bill will study the race and ethnic disparities

in compensation benefits administered by the Department of Veteran Affairs. A study finds landlords are discriminating against applicants based on their names. No shot. And in our HBCU Connect segment, we'll talk with a man who had a big part in Dillard University getting $5 million to create internships.

An anti-critical race theory complaint targeting books about Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges from our Tennessee group gets denied. And in our Marketplace segment sponsored by Verizon, we'll talk to one black entrepreneur who wanted to ensure other black women do not get sick from chemicals in feminine products,

but she created her own. Plus, Barbados celebrates as it cuts colonial era ties with Britain and Queen Elizabeth II, and they raise up Rihanna. Plus, mayoral race in Atlanta. Who will be the next leader of that city? It is time to bring the funk on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network.

Let's go. He's got it. Whatever the biz, he's on it. Whatever it is, he's got the scoop, the fact, the fine. And when it breaks, he's right on time. And it's rolling. Best belief he's knowing. Putting it down from sports to news to politics.

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Martin All right, folks, President Joe Biden has signed four bills into law aimed at supporting U.S. veterans. Advocates and members of Congress join Biden, who signed the bills at the White House. The first bill enacted by Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock addresses VA benefits and the issue of race equity. President Biden says the benefits delivered should not be different based on race because the scars of war do not discriminate. The bill I will sign requires the government accounting office to assess whether there are disparities associated with race and ethnicity when it comes to VA benefits and disability ratings. The weapons of war and the nature of injuries they inflict don't differentiate based on race. ethnicity when it comes to VA benefits and disability ratings. The weapons of war and the nature of injuries they inflict don't differentiate based on

race. And the type of disabilities our veterans carry with them don't differentiate based on race. So the claims approved and the benefits delivered should not differentiate either. We've heard from veterans of color who, upon returning home from their service, are treated differently from white veterans. This bill will help us understand how this happened, keep better records, expose the facts of the light of day, and allow us to do the necessary work making sure that all of our nation veterans, all of them, are treated with equal dignity and equal equality throughout their

entire time, with the consideration being no different for based on race. And I want to thank and congratulate Senator Warnock, who's here in the room, who has such a, has been a moral leader in the U.S. Senate since he got here, and leaning on this issue, as well as Representative Takano, who has done yeoman's work in the House. Now, the second bill supports veteran maternity care at VA and non-VA facilities, and the third helps health care veterans get jobs after their service. The last bill is aimed at helping veteran survivors' families with in-state tuition eligibility. In a written statement, Senator Warnock said this is a win for veterans across the nation. Quote, as a voice for Georgia in the U.S. Senate,

I'm committed to making sure Washington is keeping its promise to our veterans. Given the VA is one of our nation's largest health care providers, I'm proud of my legislation to study disparities in care at the VA, passed Congress with bipartisan support, and has now been made law. This law pushes us one step closer to fully understanding the VA's standard of care so we can identify and address the systemic challenges facing some of our veterans and ensure that all of our veterans are receiving the equal and just care they earn in courageous service to our country.

Joining me now is Mustafa Santiago Ali, former senior advisor for environmental justice at the EPA, Amisha Cross, political analyst, Democratic strategist. Amisha, this is the thing that so this is what's amazing to me. When you have these folks like John McWhorter who writes these bullshit books, woke racism, and

it is like Candace Owens, and I could go on and on and on. They're like, oh no, we don't see race. You still see it. You still see how race plays a role in disparities, even when it comes to the VA department and benefits. Absolutely. And whether individuals like Candace Owens and others who are in that trickle down of racist Republicans like to tout around not seeing race. We know that it is embedded in a lot of our policies across this country, and it's embedded in a lot of previously held federal legislation as well, and sometimes currently led federal legislation. What we saw in these VA benefits has been something that Black

veterans organizations, particularly the Black Veterans Project, has been arguing against for quite some time now, where those disparities lie, where disparities in the GI Bill lie, where disparities that have existed for so long. We have to think about this. Black people have fought in every single military excursion that the United States has ever had, period, yet have not enjoyed the benefits that white soldiers have coming back home. And I think that we have to be very strategic when we talk about it because many people who look like us have fought and died in these wars or fought and came back with serious injury from these wars and have never been able to fully reap any of the benefits associated with

one being taken care of health care-wise, but also being able to receive the funding and the benefits associated with their service. So I think that this is a very huge deal. It's even bigger that Senator Raphael Warnock was one of the main thought pieces behind the framework of the legislation and also there at the signing, because Georgia as a state has one of the largest,

has sent some of the largest amounts of black individuals to serve in the military for generations now. So I think that it makes a really, really important historical note that Georgia was so heavily represented, but also that it has finally become acknowledged by the nation, the unjust behavior as it relates to Black people who have served so valiantly and have always protected this democracy, even though they weren't necessarily receiving any of those benefits back home. And Mustafa, we could talk about the Veterans Affairs. We could talk about farmers in the Department of Agriculture. We can go on and on and on.

The reality is we're still dealing with race disparities in America. Systemic racism still lives inside of policy. We've been, you know, been able to begin to unpack it and dismantle it in a number of different ways. The actions today by the president and Senator Warnock are helping us to move forward. But, you know, the ripples throughout time continue to come back in our direction. You know, housing, health care, education that had been denied to veterans who went and gave their all to protect our country. My family has been veterans since World War I. And I've heard

the stories time and time again. My stepfather got shot in Vietnam and they tried to deny his benefits. He was poisoned by Agent Orange and still had to fight along with a whole lot of other soldiers to actually begin to get the resources and to get the help that he needed and so many others. So, you know, we often say that we honor our veterans. But when it comes to black and brown veterans, that hasn't always been the case. So I'm glad that we're making steps forward, but we still got a long way to go. All right, folks. Old type. One second. Going to a break. We come back. We'll talk about a $5 million

gift that Dillard University has received as a result of HBCU fight in Maryland. We'll discuss that next. Also, we'll talk about the Atlanta mayoral race. The runoff is today. Felicia Moore, Andre Dickens, who is going to be the next mayor next also. We'll talk about the Atlanta mayoral race. The runoff is today. Felicia Moore, Andre Dickens, who is going to be the next

mayor of Atlanta? We'll break that down and cover lots of other news as well. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network. GONG I'm sorry. Betty is saving big holiday shopping at Amazon. So now, she's free to become Bear Hug Betty. Settle in, kids. You'll be there a while. Ooh, where you going? Hi, everybody.

This is Jonathan Nelson. Hi, this is Cheryl Lee Ralph, and you are watching Roland Martin, unfiltered. We'll be right back. Dillard University just got a $5 million donation from an unexpected donor. The New Orleans-based HBCU will use the money to create civil rights and public interest internships for students. Joining me to discuss the donation is the Dillard University Board of Trustees Chair, Michael Jones. Michael, glad to have you here. It's interesting that the donation is a result of another HBCU fight for funding. That's exactly right.

Hey, Roland, how are you? Good seeing you again. Indeed. So tell us about this. Well, as you know, I have been lead counsel for the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland for the past decade. My law firm has, Kirkland and LSLLP, has been working on the case on a pro bono basis for, you know, well over a decade. As you know, we reached a monumental settlement of $577 million earlier this year.

A part of that settlement entitled Kirkland under the civil rights statute to statutory fees of $12.5 million. And because we were handling the case on a pro bono basis, our policy is to donate our fees in cases like this. And so we came up with a strategy of donating it all to either HBCUs or advocacy organizations for HBCUs. And the largest gift went to Dillard University in New Orleans, whose board I chair. So that's the story of the $5 million to Dillard. And the thing is, look, I mean, this was a story that I covered extensively, what was happening in Maryland. And y'all were victorious, but it was a long, long-fought battle to get that money allocated by the state of Maryland to the four HBCUs.

That's exactly right. I think the last time I saw you, Roland, was in Annapolis at a rally in the winter of 2019, where the Speaker of the House, Adrienne Jones, and the full caucus was there. And she publicly announced that she was in favor of settling the case on the terms that we had proposed. I mean, this came about because, you know, we really were having no luck with the executive branch, with the governor. And that was true of the... I'd like to stop. That was also true of the prior executive, the governor, O'Malley. And so we decided to just take the fight directly to the legislature. And that's how we ended up winning after all of those years. And people need to understand that this battle that was going on that took place,

I mean, it really was a collective effort. I mean, you had the HBCUs. I mean, you had all of them. And then you also had, of course, you had the law firms and you had the Black Caucus. I mean, you had a lot of people who were really focused on fighting this battle. Absolutely. Absolutely. We were co-counsel with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, and they were involved in the case, you know, from the very beginning. And starting in about

2009, I was having meetings with the Maryland Black Caucus. They were really instrumental in helping us to get the ball across the goal. The speaker, we actually had begun a series of meetings with her probably three years before she became Speaker of the House, and that was very helpful. We had other organizations, NAFEO, we were giving NAFEO a million dollars, wrote some very helpful op-ed pieces, and they submitted an amicus brief to the Fourth Circuit. And really, it clearly could not have gotten done without the Legislative Black Caucus and really also the alumni and the students. And it was really important that they showed up in court every day for the six-week liability trial in 2012 and the seven-week liability trial in 2017. And they filled two or three buses to go to the

Fourth Circuit. And it really was not lost on the courts how important the case was to the state and to the HBCU community. So you're absolutely right about that. We're showing the video right now of the signing. It took place at Bowie State. And I got to remind people that it passed the Maryland legislature, but it was the governor, Larry Hogan, Republican, who vetoed the bill and had to come back the next session and get it done again. That's exactly right. So Governor Hogan vetoed the bill in 2020, and the legislature was prepared to come back and override the veto because we clearly have the votes, but COVID intervened, so they were not able to come back in session for well over a year.

And when they did come back in session, it was an emergency legislation. So it was the first bill in the House, and it was the first bill in the Senate. And as it did last time, it passed with overwhelming support. So Governor Hogan had two choices. He could sign the bill or he could veto it and have his veto overwritten. And he decided to go ahead and sign. Well, and so let's talk about how is it going to be used at Dillard? In what way? Well, you know, thank you for that question, because we're very excited about that. You know, one of the things, Roland, that I've noticed is that a number of leading civil rights organizations, like the Lawyers Committee and others, they have unpaid internships. I mean, they create great opportunities for students to get experience and exposure to civil rights organizations. But, you know, HBCU community students really can't afford to have unpaid

internships. You know, like me, they needed paying jobs. So what we're proposing to do at Dillard is to create a $5 million endowment to actually pay students for paid internships, whether it's with the Public Defender Service offices or the legal defense fund or the lawyers committee for civil rights or other public interests and racial justice organizations, you know, through this, you know, we will be creating the paid internships. So the students will get the best of both worlds. They'll get the experience and they'll also get the money. So that really is the key thing that we're looking to do with the money at Dillard. All right, then.

Well, look, it is certainly, I'm sure they would greatly appreciate that. Great work all around there. And, again, we've got to have folks continue fighting these states for HBCU funding. Tennessee, they owe Tennessee State a whole bunch of money, some other states as well. And so hopefully they'll be taking a page out of what y'all did in Maryland. Well, thank you, Roland. Great talking to you, and good seeing you again.

Indeed, take care, Michael. Thanks a lot. Bye-bye. All right, folks, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, they are partnering with financial institution Truist to award $3 million in scholarships to HBCUs. The scholarship program will offer two scholarships to over 300 students at HBCUs and underserved communities. Now the Truist Access Scholarship includes 45 HBCU

students awarded up to $10,000 in annual scholarships within Truist markets. The Truist Gap Scholarship involves Truist awarding $500 to $6,350 one-time scholarships to 55 students attending an HBCU who need financial assistance. And so we certainly appreciate that money going to our HBCUs. All right, folks, going to a break. We come back. Our black and missing person for the day. We'll also talk about the Atlanta-Mayora race in addition to another race in Georgia that's been filled with lots of drama, the Sheriff's race.

That's next. Roland Martin, Unfiltered, on the Black Star Network. ¶¶ ¶¶ You're just what I need. Alexa, play our favorite song again. Okay. I only have eyes for you. Oh, that spin class was brutal. Well, you can try using the Buick's massaging seat.

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It's Ryan Destiny. And you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. All right, folks. Darian Johnson was last seen in Farmerville, Louisiana, on November 21st. The 27-year-old is 6 feet tall and weighs 315 pounds. Darian has black hair, brown eyes, with a tattoo of his grandmother's face on his right arm. If you have any information on Darian Johnson's whereabouts, contact the Union Parish Louisiana Sheriff's Office at 318-368-3124.

318-368-3124. A Georgia sheriff is asking a judge to dismiss his case after his attorney claims that the use of a restrained chair doesn't amount to excessive force. Okay, constantly drama-filled Sheriff Victor Hill is charged with violating detainees' civil rights in the Clayton County Jail by using restraint chairs on four inmates and ordering employees to use excessive force. However, a federal prosecutor says Hill displayed clear use of excessive force against people in his agency's custody when he ordered them to be held in a restraint chair without justification. See, this is one of the things that when we talk about law enforcement here, he's black, but that don't mean you still can't, you know, abuse your power.

And Hill has had constant legal issues back. It's constant drama surrounding that sheriff's office, Mustafa. Yeah. You know, Sheriff Hill has caught a lot of cases. He just never got convicted. And you would think he would have more empathy for folks. You know, it's interesting. You know, folks know when they've got folks handcuffed and then, you know, eventually placing people in cells or whatever,

that they don't have to continue to do these other types of behaviors where they put folks in these restrained chairs, which are very inhumane. And there are a number of studies that have come out talking about the lack of utility in utilizing those, but yet folks still do it. And we all understand that it is about a power dynamic and trying to let folks know that, you know, that you have no rights in this situation, which is unfair and untrue. So we understand these dynamics that are going on, and we'll have to see how this case actually plays out. You know, you had that crazy nutcase sheriff out of Milwaukee.

I can't remember that fool's name. He was a fake-ass cowboy, always wearing the big old hats, and how he ran his jail. And bottom line is this here. Treat folks with decency and respect. It's simple as that. You don't have to abuse people. Amisha? No, absolutely. And I think that it's important that we highlight that this isn't only happening between white officers and blacks who just happen to be incarcerated or blacks who are being arrested. It's also happening with Black officers against their own. There is a particular strategy and a particular ideology amongst those

who happen to be in law enforcement that they can treat people who they deem as guilty of something any possible way that they can and that it doesn't really matter. They strip them of their humanity. They do not care about brutalizing them because in many cases, the thought process is you're here, you did something horrible, and at the end of the day nobody cares about you. So I think that, you know, the more these things are illuminated, the more we will hopefully see organizing around a lot of the issues associated with the inconstitutual state itself, particularly as it relates to these abuses, because this is not a singular case. This happens very often. And as Mustafa said a moment ago, once you have someone in lockup, once they are already in handcuffs, there's very little that they are actually capable of doing to actually

injure you or create any type of harm anyway. This is an overreach by those who are in law enforcement who choose to abuse people who, quite frankly, cannot protect themselves and who, in many cases, these officers, these law enforcement officials, feel as though they have no recourse when they do abuse these individuals. If nothing ever happens to them, they're going to continue beating and brutalizing people and totally violating their civil and human rights. Well, if you want to see something that's absolutely nonsensical and stupid, check this story out.

Jamarcus Glover, might not remember the name. He was the guy Louisville cops were after the night they killed Breonna Taylor. Want to see what's crazy? She's dead. Go to my computer. He just got sentenced to five years probation. Five years. So all of that.

Okay. No knock warrant, all that sort of stuff. And so here's what this says here. On Tuesday, Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry sentenced Jamarcus Glover to five years of probation, calling the sentence very generous. The sentence was part of the plea deal for Glover that did not include jail time. Glover was the target of the raid the night Taylor was killed. First of all, he's going to go back to Mississippi, where he's from, home incarceration for 120 days, or until he moves back home to Mississippi. Again, the judge called it very generous. And so what the hell does that say, Amisha, that you have this whole brouhaha leads to the death of a woman,

the shooting, the officers firing, and the guy you were after ends up getting five years probation? So I wasn't even aware of that story until you just highlighted it. There's a level of angst and disgust around that. One, because as we know, this guy was already incarcerated. He was already in lockup at the time that those officers blasted through Breonna Taylor's apartment anyway. This guy was already in custody. But beyond that, for him to have probation and there is an innocent woman that lied dead, it's just beyond frustrating because she lost her life for God, one, that she was no longer dating or in contact with, and he was not anywhere near her home that got raided. But in addition to that, he had already, he was in the process of basically, you know, cutting a deal with the state so he would not have to do time anyway.

This is just further showcasing, one, how botched the police and the investigators were that entire time, but also just how maddening and frustrating the legal system is, particularly in Kentucky. As we look at the fact that there is a woman who is dead, and her murderers still have not faced any penalty. Meanwhile, the entire reason behind why her place was actually targeted to begin with, that guy is about to walk free.

I have no words. I just feel for her parents, her family, the community that loved her, because this is ridiculous. The thing here, Mustafa, is you brought that much force to arrest him, and it ends up probation. That means your force wasn't necessary. The system's broken. We know that the system is broken.

That's why so many folks continue to work diligently to try and dismantle and deconstruct the aspects of it that do not work. And folks want to continue to push back and say, well, no, no, that's not necessary. Well, yes, it is, because as we continue to lose Black lives because of law enforcement that is out of touch, that law enforcement that overreaches, that law enforcement that uses military-style actions

against our people, then it's broken. And it has to be broken, um, because others don't have to deal with those types of situations. As Amisha just said, you know, my heart reaches out to Brianna's family, who have to now relive all this over again when they see this person, who now is gonna be on on probation and their baby will never see another Christmas, another New Year's, another day. And that is a part of this injustice that

continues to happen, that even when we lose our lives in these situations, there's no real retribution. There's no real change that happens, and then we have these stories that happen time and time and time again. Absolutely. All right, folks, let's talk about this here, the Bill Cosby case. The Pennsylvania prosecutor in the Bill Cosby case is petitioning the Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court, to review the once beloved actor's conviction reversal. Now, the comedian served more than two years,

was 10 years sentenced in prison for drugging and molesting a Temple University employee. Now, Cosby was released in June based upon technicality. The evidence used to convict him was inadmissible in court. Now, the thing here is that if you look at this story here, they, okay, so they go to the U.S. Supreme Court. Now, remember, his conviction, Misha, was thrown out by the state Supreme Court. So I'm trying to understand what's really your legal basis when the state's highest court has already ruled in a state trial.

I don't think the Supreme Court is going to take this up. I don't either. This was a very interesting move because, as you said, once it's already reached the highest court in the state and they've made their decision,

and again, we know that a lot of that was based on technicality, it's going to be very, it would not behoove them to take it up. This is a one-stop shop. They've already made their decision. What is a one-stop shop. They've already made their decision. What is the argument here? And we have to remember that this was a case that went through multiple levels in the beginning. So I don't think that they're going to take this up.

It wouldn't make sense for them to take it up. Lord knows the Supreme Court has enough on their docket already. This is just not going to happen. And I, for one, would have hoped that Bill Cosby would still be behind bars, but the state Supreme Court, they've already made their decision. So I don't see this going anyplace else. This is a statement from Andrew Wyatt, Cosby's spokesman. In short, the Montgomery County DA asked the United States Supreme Court to throw the Constitution out the window as it did to satisfy the MeToo mob. This is a pathetic last-ditch effort that will not prevail. There's a lawyer in this Washington

Post story, Mustafa, who says that this is such a one-off case, the Supreme Court is likely not to take it up. Yeah, I doubt that they will take it up as well. You got to really unpack this stuff. You know, this is what I often call prosecutor politics, where you want to keep your name in the media and you want to have those folks who have supported you in the past to know that you're still continuing in the fight. You know, what Mr. Cosby did, you know, we all know how we feel about that. But then we have to look at how folks continue to try and weaponize the law and the system to continually sort of erode our rights. And I look at that part as well. Indeed. This is, again, that's sort of weird that actually taking this tact.

All right, folks, let's talk about what's happening in Chicago, which is pretty interesting. Still going after Jesse Smollett. It's day two of that particular trial there today. The lead investigator of an alleged attack on Smollett is clapping back against the defense's notion that Chicago police rushed to judgment. Former detective Michael Thiel says roughly two dozen detectives put in over 3,000 hours before concluding the ex-Empire actor staged a hoax attack. Thiel says investigators spent days after Smollett's January 2019 report following up on leads to find Smollett's alleged attackers.

Outside of the courtroom, Smollett's brother says that he is deeply saddened by what this trial has become. I just want to express that it has been incredibly painful as his family to watch someone you love be accused of something they did not do. All right? We're confident in his legal team, and we look forward to people hearing the actual facts in this case. We love him.

We're here to support him, all of us, and to lift him up. Thank you. Mustafa, this is actually a misdemeanor. Is it really that major of a deal? You talk about, they talk about the wasted hours, but aren't you wasting more hours and more money prosecuting a minor misdemeanor case?

That's exactly it. If it hadn't been Jesse, if he hadn't been, you know, one of the largest stars on TV at the time, you wouldn't have seen this same level of resources and continual action, both from prosecutors and from the police, and trying to be able to find some type of injustice.

Here's the thing, Roland. Let me just slow down for a second. With all the crime, serious crime, murders, all the drugs, the rapes, all these other types of things that are out there, that folks never solve these crimes. They never put the resources that are necessary, especially when it comes to black folks. But yet you are going to focus your attention and significant resources on these misdemeanors. Makes you have to ask the question why. I think I'm pretty clear on the reason that they're doing these types of things. But, again, you don't put this type of action for everyday people in relationship to misdemeanors. Amisha?

I agree with what was just said. I think that, you know, as a native Chicagoan, knowing that Jussie Smollett's story from the beginning sounded like a big, fat lie, I was frustrated with the fact that there were 26 officers investigating this, that there were, that there was over 3,000 man hours put towards this, acknowledging the fact that as a Southsider, when somebody goes missing or when somebody dies or when somebody is raped in my community, none of that happens. We don't see that level of action being put towards actual legitimate crimes. So I was frustrated that CPD went out of its way, just because there was a celebrity behind this guy's name,

to actually chase and investigate a story that sounded like hogwash from junk. Nobody in Chicago goes to the subway when it's negative 25 degrees outside at 2 a.m. in the morning. That's not a thing. The first part of his story was a lie, and the rest of it that, you know, followed in its sequence happened to be problematic as well. Right now, because Chicago PD became a laughingstock of the nation following this great big lie, they feel as though they need to push heavily against it and ensure that the hundreds of thousands of dollars that was put towards investigating this case, not only do they recoup it, but that there is some type of penalty towards Jussie Smollett.

I think that part of this is just retribution for a city that kind of fell on its face in terms of CPD after being basically made the laughingstock of the nation by putting so many people onto a case that was not a real case to begin with, especially in respect and in concert with the many devastating things

that happen across the city of Chicago every day. Absolutely. All right, folks, got to go to a break. We come back. We'll talk with Georgia Ford about the Kempada trial happening in Minnesota. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Download the app on every one of your devices, Apple phone, Android phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, X-Box and Samsung as well.

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Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. I'll be right back. Are the stars of tonight. Alexa, play our favorite song again. OK. I only have eyes for you. Fire. НАПРЯЖЖНАЯ МУЗЫКА Maureen is saving big holiday shopping at Amazon. So now she's free to become Maureen the Marrier. Food is her love language.

And she really loves her grandson. Like, really loves. Hi, I'm Vivian Green. Hey, everybody, this is your man Fred Hammond, and you're watching Roland Martin, my man, unfiltered. Your selection process has begun in the trial of a former officer accused of killing Daunte Wright. Kim Potter faces first and second degree manslaughter charges for the shooting.

Today, the judge overseeing the case went through the selection pool and spoke with 10 potential jurors. Potter is expected to testify. Georgia Fort was in the courtroom today. She now joins us live. Hey, Georgia. Hey, Roland. How are you? Doing great. Tell us what happened.

Walk us through it. Yeah, well, today was a long day. The first day for jury selection in the Kimberly Potter trial. There wasn't a lot of diversity. We only saw two Asian women who came in. They were both dismissed. There was another black juror who was questioned. However, he said that his wife had cancer

and she had previously been on a ventilator in the last six months. And so he was really concerned about her health had he been selected. And so they let him go. Right now, there's been about three or four people confirmed so far to serve on the jury. But even coming out, I'm outside of the courthouse right now. There was a protest that was happening. A lot of community leaders out here and a white supremacist drove through the protest, a very traumatic moment for individuals who are out here. And so individuals right now are wrapping things up

and preparing to go home. So drove through the protestors? Yes, yes, that's right. Get stopped by the cops? Was there any sort of law enforcement reaction? Not that I know of. I was actually, because I was in the courtroom, I was on my way out.

I've seen cell phone footage. I've seen a photographer of mine, Ben Garvin. He captured it. So we're working right now to try to get that footage out across our platforms. But from my understanding, there was no law enforcement present. However, protesters did capture his license plate number. So I do believe that they're going to be turning that over to authorities and hoping to hold that individual accountable, given that that vehicle is even registered to that individual. Well, and so obviously there was so much attention on the case of George Floyd last year.

Give us a sense of the people gathered outside. How many? Obviously, this does not have the same intensity as a George Floyd trial. Yeah, no, that's right. I would say that there were about over 100 individuals gathered outside of the courthouse today. I did see the Wright family inside of the courtroom. They weren't there the entire time. They came in briefly during the morning proceedings and then briefly in the afternoon. I actually rode down in the elevator with Katie Wright and Abhi Wright, the father and mother of Dante Wright. I asked them how they felt like things went today, and they said it was very nerve-wracking. All right, then. Georgia Fort. We certainly appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

And keep us up to date on what's happened with this trial throughout. Will do. All right, folks. A study confirms housing discrimination against renters and homeowners of color at more significant rates than any other group. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research done in 50 large cities in the U.S. found rental companies responded to applicants

with white-sounding names 60% of the time compared to African Americans at 54%, Latinos at 57%. This leads to segregated neighborhoods, even in diverse cities. Now, black renters face the highest rates of discrimination and 54% Latinos at 57%. This leads to segregated neighborhoods, even in diverse cities. Now, black renters face the highest rates of discrimination in Chicago, no shock, Louisville, Los Angeles.

Latinos battle housing discrimination in Louisville, Houston, and Providence, Rhode Island. The pandemic led to more companies offering remote work, shifting from big cities to small towns. This move increased rental prices nationwide. Some cities with the highest increase in prices of one-bedroom apartments, New York City, Birmingham, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Now, I interviewed an author a couple of months ago, Amisha, about housing discrimination from the broker side. Going back to what we discussed earlier with the VA. All the people who are saying, oh, no,

y'all just keep making up this systemic racism stuff. So why are black sounding names lower than Latino and white? Absolutely. And it's really, really frustrating and something that is pervasive throughout many cities. Chicago being one of the top ones, again, being a native there and having a name that could not be mistaken for anything other than black.

I incurred housing discrimination when it came to renting in my own city, despite having salary that was well over the average for the places I was trying to rent. I feel like we have to be honest about the fact that in many cases, the name and the skin tone we were born into does have some very extreme consequences. And it's ridiculously sad when we talk about rentals, because we know today that a majority of American society rents, whether you're Black, brown, or otherwise. And with that being said, especially in some of our larger cities, the rental market is already pretty steep, and you're already facing all types of odds to get housing. So when you're already at a disadvantage based on the name that you were given at birth,

they're not looking at, they're looking at that first, not, you know, your credit score, not any of your references, not any of your, any of the things that are on your application other than your name and deciding how many black people they want in a specific unit or in a specific building. And assuming that having more Black people in certain communities, hashtag Street Reveal, River North, parts of Hyde Park, come on Chicago people here, at the end of the day, those are communities in many cases that they want to remain with as little diversity as possible, especially when it comes to Black people.

Because the assumption is you move in more Black people, then you move in a certain type of culture. And they do not want that associated with their building because for them it makes it less marketable to the prized white people. So we have to be very real about the thought process that goes into this discrimination, but also being certain that it is being pushed out. Because time after time, we've seen it elevated in cities across this country. And building owners act like there's nothing they can do about it or that they don't see it. The reasons why we have almost all white buildings across many cities isn't for lack of black people trying to get in.

It's because they're being denied. And again, Mustafa, for the people, oh, y'all just keep making this stuff up and making it out to be bigger than it is. I don't hear all of the people, the content of your character, all the people who love quoting Dr. King, but they don't want to deal with the realities of life. I mean, look, race is still a fundamental issue in this country,

whether these white folks want to admit it or not. Yeah, and we live with the outcomes of that. You got to understand the game and those who discriminate, they understand the game. So, you know, it used to be that you would have folks who would go into a location and they would ask, you know, is there an apartment available? And then they would lie and say, well, no, it's already been rented. They understood that you could then catch a case on housing discrimination if you had that type of a scenario play out. So now they just don't even respond back to you so that they can get out of it.

I'm one who believes that we also have to make sure that folks understand what the penalties are, and those penalties need to continue to increase. I believe it's 21,000, 54,000, and it goes up to like 108,000 if you are continually doing these types of things in relationship to the fair housing laws that are on the books. And there's a lot of folks who don't know it, but there are some that do. So we got to make sure that that continues to get pushed out there so that folks understand that there can be some significant penalties when you continue to have these types of behaviors and actions. But, you know, the reality is, is that a lot of this stuff is baked into the system and folks are going to continue to find we're going to talk about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar having to deal with a white racist in Congress constantly attacking

her. And today, Omar calls out the Republican Party. We'll share that with you next on Roller Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Alexa, play our favorite song again. Okay. I only have eyes for you. Oh, that spin class was brutal. Well, you can try using the Bux massaging seat. Oh, yeah, that's nice.

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What's up? I'm Lance Gross, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. All right, folks. Congressman Boo-Boo out of Colorado, Boo-Boo the Fool, Lauren Boebert, whatever the hell her name is, she has been constantly attacking Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Now, videos have come out, Sean Boebert, she was actually at an event where she talked about how she confronted Ilhan Omar. Now, videos have come out showing Boebert. She was actually at an event where she talked about how she confronted Ilhan Omar in an elevator.

She put her eyes down, talked about how she didn't have a backpack, called her a jihadist terrorist. And then when she demanded, she apologized. They had a phone call, and then Boebert continued her bullshit. They said that Omar needs to apologize to her. Well, today, Congressman Omar actually addressed this issue and addressed this here. Watch this.

This is about... I mean, first of all, what you're dealing with is you're dealing with a crazy, deranged member of Congress. Even other Republicans are calling her childish for her behavior. But this really is the modern-day Republican Party, folks. And it's how they are behaving and it's how they are acting that is even the more shameful. Let's see here. Are you guys hearing it now?

Some members of the Republican Party have condemned this. All right, we're going to get that fixed in a second. But I do want to get a comment from you, Mustafa, again, on this constant attack, where they're attacking the two Muslim women in Congress, and Boebert is calling them the Jihad Squad. Well, you know their game. It is always to dehumanize folks. It's quite simple. She should be censored. She should be stripped of her committees. And if the Republican Party does anything less than that, the Republicans who are there in the House, then they're not serious about addressing these types of behaviors and they will continue. You know, they love to demonize

folks. They understand the game that is being played by demonizing the congresswoman or congresswomen, that they try to figure out ways of weakening them so that they have, one, ways to raise additional money for the Republican Party, and, two, hopefully to be able to win some of these districts that they haven't been able to win in the past. So we just got to understand the game and then we got to make sure that we are holding people accountable

and that we continue to put pressure on them and the Republican Party to do the right thing. And if they don't, continue to call it out and continue to let folks know that they are not a party that really is in step with what the 21st century requires. This is one of the racist videos by Boo Boo the Fool. That's what I call her. One of my staffers on his first day with me got into an elevator in the Capitol. And in that elevator, we were joined by Ilhan Omar. Well, it was just us three in there, and I looked over and I said, well, look in there, it's the Jihad squad. I do have to say, we're back at it.

She wants to be dropping it and running, so we're good. One of my staffers. The thing here, Omar said she's lying. That actually didn't happen. And she's making it up, which she is prone to do. And so this is Omar today speaking in Congress. I'm going to play you a voicemail that we received hours after I got off the phone with Representative Boebert after she posted her video. We see you Muslim son of a bitch. We know what you're up to.'re all about to enter the country don't worry there's planes that will love the opportunity to take you off the face of the earth come get it but you fucking muslim piece of shit you jihadist. We know what you are.

You're a fucking traitor. You will not live much longer, bitch. I can almost guarantee you that these people are rising up and you will be tried for a military tribunal and you will be found guilty. For those of you who did not hear it very well, let me read you what the voicemail says. We see you sand and word, bitch. We know what you are up to. You are all about taking over our country. Don't worry. There is plenty that would love the opportunity to take you off the face of this effing earth.

Come get it. But you are effing Muslim piece of shit. You are jihadist. We know what you are. You are effing traitor and you will not live any longer. Condemning this should not be a partisan issue. This is about our basic humanity and fundamental rights of religious freedom enshrined in our Constitution.

Amisha, Republican Party won't do a damn thing because they cultivate and embrace these racists. You're absolutely right. Just a couple weeks ago, we were talking about a cartoon that depicted the abuse, the murder of AOC. Today we're talking about the fallout from what we've seen with Boebert, who this was

not her first go around in terms of attacking this congresswoman or others who just happen to be Muslim. She is anti-Islam. She is anti-Muslim. She has made these types of statements time and time again. I think that the most frustrating part here from the clip that you played earlier isn't just Boebert's comments. It's the plethora of people who clapped, who got excited by what she said. I think we have to realize and really contextualize this for people. It is not just Republicans making idiotic, hate-filled statements and not getting punished for their rhetoric. It's the fact that they're doing this and that there are people out here

in the ethos, in the atmosphere, who are willing to create all types of chaos, who are willing to murder, maim, and destroy people based on what they feel is an edict that was given out by the Republican Party. When nothing happens to these Republican representatives, when they are not reprimanded, when they are not silenced, when they are not forced to face the music for the aggressive things and the tones that they use, what happens is we have a general public of individuals, particularly those who fall in line on the conservative side, who are willing to actually hurt, injure, up to killing these individuals who are just living their lives. It is not a crime to be Muslim in America. America is not a theocracy. Not one religion rules this country. With that being said, since 9-11, actually before 9-11, we've seen this

uptick in crimes against the Muslim community, crimes against those who practice Islam, and this idea that they are traitors. And it is quite frankly disturbing because as we have Muslim women who are serving in Congress now, as we have Muslim women who had to fight to wear their hijab in Congress now, we have people who are ready and willing to threaten them, just like what we heard on that voicemail, but not only to threaten them, but to also create realistic bodily harm. And we know that because those letters have been sent. That was part of January 6th.

The other undercurrent was that they wanted to destroy the Muslims who happened to sit in Congress. This is very real, and we have to pay attention to this because these attacks are imminent. And I feel for Congressman Ilhan Omar. I feel for the squad, as we call them, not the jihad squad, because that's really messed up and we're not going to use that phrasing. But I feel for those who are putting America first and doing what they have to do, who face these very racist, very anti-Muslim, very, quite frankly, I won't say

anti-American because Americans have been racist for a very long time and anti-Muslim, very, quite frankly, I won't say anti-American because Americans have been racist for a very long time and anti-Muslim for a very long time. These types of attacks, and they need protection. They need to understand and they need to be, they need Congress to acknowledge and the leaders in Congress to acknowledge that this is a problem. Republicans have to step up because this is their party. And as long as their party is allowed to run rickshot, to basically be white supremacists loudly and proudly and to leave the types of messages that we're seeing,

the types of messages we just heard, that's what America is. And we have to do more to ensure that we have an American democracy that is protective of everyone, that is representative of the multicultural society that we live in. Sorry, white racists.

Your time is up. The Republican Party is not going to do a damn thing because these are their voters. This is who they cultivate. This is who they want. They know it. We know it. And so they're not going to... Look how many Republicans voted

not to censure Congressman Paul Gosar, a white supremacist, a white nationalist, okay, who sent out an anime that literally talked about murdering Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This is who they are. They are not the Trump Republican Party. They are the Republican Party.

All right, folks, gotta go to break. We come back and we'll talk Atlanta mayor race. Also, some white female conservatives in Tennessee. They actually tried to get books removed about Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. under the guise of its critical race theory. I told y'all these people were lunatics.

You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. You're watching our Are the stars out? You're watching our Nightly. You're watching our Alexa, play our favorite song again. Okay.

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Really. It's Roland Martin. All right, folks. Runoff election in Atlanta. and I'm Mike Martin. Alright folks, runoff election in Atlanta. The race comes down to two city council members, Felicia Moore and Andre Dickens, as they are vying to become the next mayor of that city after Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced she was not going to be seeking re-election.

Now Felicia Moore, she got 41% of the vote in the initial election. Andre Dickens got 23%. Just besting former two-term mayor Kasim Reed. Now it comes down just to the two of those. They've been attacking each other. Big issues ahead. You've got folks supporting Dickens saying that Felicia

Moore is simply the choice of white Republicans in Buckhead. She says she has the experience to actually lead the city. And in fact, Buckhead is an issue because Republicans in the legislature are trying to actually move forward a bill to carve out Buckhead as its own city. Now, significant amount of the city's tax base is there in Buckhead. One of the things that I'm going to be looking out for here in this particular race is black turnout. Because what we have seen, Mustafa, over the last couple of decades really is a significant number of African-Americans leaving city of Atlanta,

moving out to other counties, and then creating an opportunity for African-Americans to be elected in those places and expanding the power. But you also have the possibility of who then controls the city of Atlanta. White turnout, I saw an early polling where white turnout actually was higher than black turnout in the city of Atlanta. Well, you got to, you know, you got to do the work that we often talk about. That means that you got to be spending significant times on the South side and the West side with the folks and making sure that you're understanding what they are asking for and also helping them to understand how you're going to make change happen. We understand that Atlanta is a powerful point in the South, and especially in

Georgia, as folks are trying to move forward to make sure that we're holding on to those Senate seats and a number of others who are coming out of that particular city that are going to play a big role, both on the national and the state level. So you've got to spend time with everyday folks. Atlanta's like a second home to me, as much time as I've spent there. And there is an opportunity for the next mayor to actually be very transformational. They say now Atlanta is the Hollywood of the South. That's one economic driver.

Of course, there are a number of others that are there. So, you know, there's a lot of opportunity, but that opportunity has to actually go back to everyday people. And these candidates, you know, are going to have to spend time in those locations that are often overlooked. The Buckhead issue is very dominant, Amisha. This is a story from the Journal of Constitution, folks. With nearly 90,000 residents, Buckhead City would take nearly 20% of Atlanta's population and become the 10th largest city in Georgia, according to an Atlanta Journal of Constitution

analysis, using 2019 population and demographic estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. But it would remove about 40% of the assessed value of the city of Atlanta's property off the books. Buckhead would be 74% white, just 11% black, 8% would be Asian, 5% Latino. Buckhead is the crown jewel economically when it comes to Atlanta,

and I don't think that there's any way around that. I like that how you opened this portion of the segment specifically talking about the outward migration of black people, because today a lot of black folks who say they live in Atlanta actually live in the suburbs of Atlanta. Some of those suburbs are really close, but that makes them not eligible to vote in Atlanta elections anymore. It just is what it is. We're seeing the turnout

specifically around Buckhead and white people in general. Part of that, I would argue, is typical when it comes to a post-runoff election. A lot of people came out in the previous election, and now we have another one just a few weeks later. And as you probably know, in Georgia, in Atlanta specifically, there have been several elections that have been continual over the past month and a half. So I think that there's a certain thing about election fatigue that is happening right now. But in addition to that, to Mustafa's point a moment ago, you really have to talk to the folks. At the end of the day, we have two very different candidates running, one who's appealing more to a younger generation of individuals, one who is recognizing that white voters are going to be voters who are going to make or break her campaign.

And she's directly appealing and having those conversations with them. In fact, many of them being conservative and having ideals that drastically differ from those blacks on the south and west sides of the city. So we're going to see this basically fall on racial lines, I believe. Turnout is going to be huge. It's a huge factor in this basically fall on racial lines, I believe. Turnout is going to be huge. It's a huge factor in this race. It's a huge factor in every race. But honestly, if those touch points have not been made in the Black community with everyday individuals, then it's going to be really, really difficult, I think, for a lot of the issues associated with Blacks in Atlanta that they want to see addressed to actually come to fruition by the

next mayor. And again, a lot of it's going to depend on how these candidates actually made it make sense for their black voters. And if you watch any of the commercials, any of the ads that were put across social media, the people who were speaking for, they were speaking for Andre, the people who were speaking for his opponent, largely were individuals who don't come from the city of Atlanta, who live out in the suburbs. So I'm like, it's going to be very interesting to see if those voices actually moved Atlanta residents. Well, and that's going to be one of the issues there.

And one of the things, Mustafa, I was on a Clubhouse chat before starting the show, that also has to happen happen and that is engaging people to understand civics one-on-one. There are a lot of disaffected young voters, people who don't understand politics and how it actually works and how neighborhoods work. And I've been saying this across

the country. We have got to get back to the basics of understanding civics. How do we change our neighborhoods and realize you're not going to have some savior at civics. How do we change our neighborhoods? And realize you're not going to have some savior at City Hall. You have to have people who are in neighborhoods. You've got to have black organizations who are using their infrastructure, Divine Nine members, Lynx, other groups, Eastern Star, Freemasons,

sending people, Prince Hall Masons, sending people down to the city council meeting, the school board meeting, the county commissioners meeting, actively engaged in order to save our communities? Without a doubt. You know, when you look at the gentrification that has happened in Atlanta, you know, you used to be able to buy a house for $70,000, $80,000, $120,000. And now when we talk about all these folks who are in the suburbs, it's not because folks wanted to leave Atlanta. Many people got pushed out of Atlanta. And some of that is because we didn't understand the plans that were coming. So we have to be engaged in what's happening on City Hall and with the planning commission and a number of these other dynamics

because, you know, the housing values now in Atlanta are exploding. Yes, they're exploding in other parts of the country, but, you know, we have to be focused in the places that we have had power and that we could expand that power. And that's why understanding, you know, like you said, Civics 101 and how all these types of things play out and that you literally have the ability to play a significant role in the framing out in the direction that your neighborhoods, that your communities can and should be moving into comes back to us. We often give our power away to individuals, whether they're in the city council or in county commissions or in state houses. We got to get back to understanding the power that we have locally and how we should play a role in the framing out the direction of our communities.

Absolutely. All right, folks, we come back. Oh, my Lord. I told you all these crazy as white people and critical race theory were out of their damn minds. Yo, wait till I tell you what these fools actually tried in Tennessee, and don't think it's the last time this is going to happen. They really tried to get rid of books of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Because it was critical race theory.

You watching Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Blackstar Network. Oh, that spin class was brutal. Well, you can try using the Buick's massaging seat. Oh, yeah, that's nice. Can I use Apple CarPlay to put some music on? Sure. It's wireless. Pick something we all like.

Okay, hold on. What's your Buick's Wi-Fi password? Buick Envision 2021. Oh, you should pick something stronger. That's really predictable. That's a really tight spot. Don't worry. I used to hate parallel parking. Me too. Hey. Really outdid yourself. Yes, we did. The all-new Buick Envision.

An SUV built around you. Betty is saving big holiday shopping at Amazon. So now she's free to become Bear Hug Betty. Settle in, kids. You'll be there a while. Hey, I'm Amber Stephens-West.

Yo, what up, y'all? This is Jay Ellis, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. No charcoal grills are allowed. I'm not making news. I'm white. I got you, Carl. Yeah, and I'm illegally selling water without a permit. On my property.

Whoa! Hey! Give me your address. You don't live here. I'm uncomfortable. Oh, goodness. In Tennessee, a group of parents, a group of white parents, called for the removal of a book about the life of, yes, Reverend Arthur Martin

Luther King Jr. This is the first complaint filed under Tennessee's new anti-critical race theory law. In an 11-page complaint filed by conservative parents group Moms for Liberty, the group claims that the book Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington was among a set of lessons promoting anti-American rhetoric. However, the state's Department of Education declined to investigate the book because the lessons took place last year. Not that they're stupid, but they don't actually apply this year when the laws passed I Mean sure We don't understand

And this is precisely when at food Christopher Rufo all of people sitting talking about anti critical race there The issue was not critical race theory, which is only taught in law schools and not taught anywhere else. They want to label anything black. They want to label anything dealing with race, anything dealing with equity, anything dealing with diversity as anti-critical race theory.

That is their aim. Absolutely. And I think that we have to talk about this over and over and over again. Critical race theory was never the goal for Republicans. It was never the goal for conservatives. It was never the goal for this new wave of education reform. What they want to do is eradicate any knowledge of American history that is inclusive to the struggle,

the fight for civil rights, as well as a lot of the atrocities that white Americans have embedded upon or encroached upon people of color, be it whether they're Black, Latino, Native American, or otherwise. They are trying to strip and be able to only tell the history they want to tell

of the shining white guy hero, reiterated over and over again throughout American history. They don't want to tell of the shining white guy hero reiterated over and over again throughout American history. They don't want to talk about the Trail of Tears. They don't want to talk about the civil rights movement. They don't want to include books that speak on the atrocities of slavery, the injustices that followed Reconstruction, the civil rights movement in and of itself, of the lynchings, both in my granddaddy and great granddaddy's day, but also happening in modern day America. These are things that they want to strip from the books because they don't want a next generation of young people to learn about them. They don't want to

have any bit of heritage actually represented for people of color in those books. And let's be real, very little of our story was actually included in the history books to begin with, long before this critical race theory argument was ever even thrown out. But this isn't about CRT. The argument has always been white people trying to design books and literature based on their view of what America is. And their view of what America is does not include cultural representation of us. It does not include the pathway that we have walked throughout this country and the many atrocities that have been bestowed upon us, as well as, in all honesty, some of the things

that we have done that have helped to benefit this country as black people. Those things are, we're fighting to have remain in textbooks as well. It is a very undercut and a very disgusting practice, but it is one that they have been fighting to do for quite some time now and are using the school boards, you know, weaponizing school boards and getting more and more of these extreme right-leaning individuals on school boards so that they can advance removing the literature that speaks to the Black experience, removing the historical context of the black experience. This is their goal. This was never a CRT argument to begin with.

This was one basically on its face to erase all things black from the history books. That is diminishing America. It is diminishing the role that we have taken in this country, it is diminishing the atrocities that we face, but also the successes and the things that we provided this country that have made it stand for so long. They want whiteness to rule, Mustafa. Of course. This is about politics, power, and money.

So they looked and they saw the whipping that they took in 2020, and they said, how are we going to make sure that when we get to 2022 and 2024 that we can get our base whipped up enough that we can get enough voters to come out? This is a Willie Horton moment, for those who understand history long enough, when you got to have a boogeyman. So they use CRT as the boogeyman to get people energized on the right. And if you don't call that out, then you're not really thinking through this whole process. The other part of it is, as Amisha said, it is about the

whitewashing of history. Because if you can do that, then you don't have to address all these egregious sets of actions that still continue to happen in policy and that happened before. And then that's tied to resources. So people want to be able to control the resources and they want to make sure that there's not investment in the areas that have been disinvested in. Because when you reinvest or finally have investments in those areas, people begin to have more free time. When people have more free time, they can get more engaged in all these processes that happen on the local, the county, the state level, and more people have time to dedicate also

to getting engaged in the political process. So it is cyclical, but it is also very clear of the things they're doing. And then the last point that I will raise, it also gives those folks who are racist and nationalist and all these other types of things, the justification for many of their actions as well. So that is a component of it also. So it is all those things coming together and how they're trying to utilize CRT to justify their sets of actions. Indeed. All right, folks, got to go to a break. We come back. Our Marketplace segment brought to you by Verizon. We focus on a black entrepreneur who's building her business

to help other women as well. You're watching Roller Market Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. I'm sorry. Femte minstren. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go.

I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go.

I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. Thank you for being the voice of Black America, Roland. I love y'all.

All momentum we have now, we have to keep this going. The video looks phenomenal. See, there's a difference between Black Star Network and Black-owned media and something like CNN. You can't be Black-owned media and be scape. It's time to be smart. Bring your eyeballs home. You dig? You know how some carriers give you so little for your old or busted phone you just end up living with it?

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And with plans starting at just $35, better costs less than you think. Family is a black woman-owned company fighting to end menstrual inequality and provide organic and eco-friendly menstruation products. Family also pays it forward by stocking restrooms nationwide with their personal care products. The founder and CEO is Ariane Long. She joins us from Baltimore to share her journey and more about the company. All right. So where did this start? Hey, so I started a business back when I was 26 years old.

I was having crazy periods and found out that they were linked directly to chemicals in the products that I was using. So that was back in about 2015, 2016. So and so you started the business and how? You funneled yourself, friends and family. How did you actually begin to start the business? Man, when I first started, I was using one of every two paychecks and funneling that back into my business.

At the time, my husband was my then boyfriend and we actually moved back home with my whole family. 12 people my grandmother my siblings and more and 12 of y'all in the crib 12 of us in the crib in pg county maryland we built one house and we fit everybody in it okay all right it was it was incredible but we we you know we bootstrapped the company. I had to use pitch competitions. Finding an investor was hard. I'm also black and went to an HBCU, so yeah.

So how did you deal with the manufacturing in terms of developing your product and making sure that it was safe and effective? So it was crazy. I went to companies here in the U.S., but they would not work with me because they were working with the companies that put toxic chemicals in their pads and tampons. So we found a small family-owned company that was growing organic cotton in Texas, and we found a manufacturer all the way in Rome, Italy, that was willing to take us on and make our overachieving products, which are three times more absorbent and 13% longer. So they're better for you and they outperform the others. So you started the business and so how were you selling your products? Was it online? Were you in stores?

When we first started, we were shipping monthly period boxes so that every time a younger girl or woman would get her period, she would have our products, chocolate, body scrubs, and we saw an opportunity to have more social impact. There are so many women who admit to finding themselves without these products in public or at work. So we quickly started manufacturing our own products, and then we started putting our individually wrapped pads in hotels, in colleges, in stadiums. So we essentially want to make sure that you can order the period care you need online, or if you find yourself in these public spaces, you have what you need, which is perfect because now states are starting to make this a law that feminine care is a requirement. And we're there to meet that demand. So how many units are you moving per month? How have you grown? Man, we've changed over 25,000 lives.

We are a company that expects to net over $70 million in revenue in the next two years. And we're out here playing with the big boys. And I take it that is not necessarily something they want to see. And so how are you looking to expand the company? So as we think about expansion, Femly is the premier company that's going to hold your hand from your very first period all the way through pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and beyond. We want to be there for every stage of a woman's life cycle. You may find us at an NFL stadium or at a hotel, but when you need us, we'll be in stores or online, and we will just be with you for every step of the way. All right. Questions

for my panelists. Amisha, you're first. Absolutely. For off the top, Roland, I want to thank you for inviting her for this discussion. I find that these products are very interesting, and congratulations on your expansion and the work that you're doing thus far, because I think that, you know, in the 90s, we heard about toxic shock syndrome and the issues associated with wearing tampons for too long. Right now, you know, there's an elevation of period poverty, not only as it relates to those who are incarcerated who just don't have access to pads or tampons regularly, but also people who live in poverty, who are outside of the penal system, who cannot afford regular pad and tampon access. So acknowledging the fact that you're doing that work, but also looking at this more environmentally friendly, but also friendly to the body type of substance for an issue that women are going to have. Like there's no way around having your period. What have you seen and what actually sparked your interest in making this happen? Because there are, there are options out there, not many like yours, but there are options out there. How do you,

one, you know, elevate this, the awareness of this product, but also what made you get into this to begin with? So I had this tumor that was linked to chemicals found in very popular products. And I did some digging and I found out that the FDA didn't require transparency of ingredients. They didn't require companies to disclose what was inside of them. And coincidentally, these same products that I was using that millions of women use were outliving the people who of them. And coincidentally, these same products that I was using that millions of women use were outliving the people who use them. They were filled with nylon and plastics. And when you throw them away, that could take 500 years to break down. So I knew that we needed to create something that was both eco-friendly and profited people and planet. The other thing is we started

the company, but in 2018, I found myself on life support. I lost my daughter Sage to stillbirth due to a doctor's error and not believing me and giving me the wrong antibiotic for an infection. And when I woke up, I realized that we weren't doing enough about health education for women, too. The U.S. right now has the worst rates for pregnancy in the modern world, and Black women are three to as much as six times more likely to die in labor. So what we're doing is not only providing a better product that works better for you and outperforms, we offer more products in each box. And then on the back, there is a QR code that women can use to connect to our health community, to connect with the brand, to learn more about us. So for us, it's a mission that matters, and it encompasses more than just period care. It's a movement that changes how we serve women, 51% of the world's population.

Mustafa. Sister, I just want to say thank you so much for millions and millions of women across our country and hopefully internationally. I don't know if most folks know the dioxins and the furans and the pesticide residue that is actually a part of those traditional feminine hygiene products. So thank you so much for creating these greener types of products that are healthy for folks. I'm curious, you have a phenomenal product. Where do you wanna take it moving forward?

Are there additional products that you're gonna put into your overall portfolio? And also as Amisha raised, we have so many sisters in the Caribbean, sisters in Africa and so many other locations. Do you have a plan to also reach them as well? Absolutely. So when we started, we started with the global mindset and we're already shipping across the world, not just the United States. And as we think about expansion to better meet the needs of women, we've already designed additional products such as tampons and period panties and more that are dropping in a few weeks that sustainably meet the needs of women during their life cycles and more that address period

pain, that address some of their pregnancy symptoms and more all holistically. So, you know, the future is bright for us and we believe that we can become the company that meets your needs wherever you are. Whether you're at work and you get your period and you might not have a pad on you or you're rolling through Target, hopefully, and other stores like Whole Foods and more, or you're simply cruising online and want to sign up for yourself or your daughter for a period subscription to get it delivered every month on time. Every time we want to be wherever the women who need us are. And at every step, we want to have that impact in education and support them with wellness.

All right. Then Ariane long CEO of family. We appreciate it. What's the website. Thanks for all in the website is family.com. That is F E M L Y.com. And you guys can use code wellness for 10% off your next family purchase. Thanks for having me, Roland. So it's family.com, not familybox.com. You can use either or, familybox or family. Got it. Got it. Okay. All right, then. We appreciate it. Thanks a lot. All right. Bye. All right, then. Amisha and Mustafa, thank you so very much for joining us on today's panel. Certainly appreciate it.

Folks, that's it for me. And, in fact, y'all not going to see me for a couple of weeks. Time for some R&R. I'm headed out of town. Much needed rest and relaxation. Well, a little bit. I got a board meeting for three days in Hawaii. But the other nine days I will be chilling, yes, playing golf.

And so Amisha is going to be holding it down. Ray Baker, Monique Presley, they'll all be hosting the show. And so, y'all still tune in. Please watch. Brother can't work all the time. Got to have some rest. And so, looking forward to that. Don't forget this Saturday is, first of all,

is Alpha Founders Day, December 4th. Mustafa knows that well. And so, I'm rocking the alpha gear. So, y'all, of course, always support my frat. And also on Saturday, go to nabj.org if you want to see the virtual ceremony of the Hall of Fame and the special honors being presented. Of course, I'm being inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame on

Saturday. So, we certainly appreciate that. Looking forward to that as well. And so, yes, I'll be participating and watching from Maui. Looking forward to that. Alright, y'all. Please support what we do.

Our goal is to, again, really build up Black Star Network. We want to reach 50,000 downloads by the end of December. And so, I want you to pass the word, please. And share it far and wide. We want you to, of course, you can download it on all platforms, all platforms, folks, as you can see. And that's Apple phone, Android phone, Android TV,

Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, Samsung Smart TV as well. And also, folks, don't forget, you can also support our Bring the Funk Fan Club. Every dollar you give goes to support the show, our travels around the country as we're reporting the news. We certainly appreciate that. Cash app is Dollar Sign RM Unfiltered.

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We're going to debut it on December 20th. On December 20th. I come back, y'all, December 13th. We got to go to Atlanta because we're covering the Celebration Bowl which pits the SWAC and the MEAC champions. Looking forward to that. Man, I cannot wait to show y'all. I'm looking at our new set. We got to load up one more art piece on here.

But I can't wait for y'all to see it because it's absolutely phenomenal. And so, what we've done here in the office space. And so, we're looking forward to that. And so, December 20th, mark it down. You're going to get the first look at our new Roland Martin unfiltered Black Star Network offices here at right on Black Lives Matter Plaza,

the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Again, thank you so very much for supporting us. Folks, you can still watch my Rollin' with Roland interview with Johnny Gill. It's still on the Black Star Network app. Next week, next Monday, Richard Lawson. You watch actor Richard Lawson, and he talks about not only being married to the mother of Beyonce, Tina, Tina as well.

Plus he talks about the devastating airplane crash where he almost lost his life years ago. And how he was initially hating on being on the soap opera, how later it was one of the smartest things for him. So, my interview with actor Richard Lawson debuts Monday on the Black Star Network app. Folks, that's it. I'll see y'all when I'm back rested, tanned.

You know I'm playing golf every single day. Y'all have a good one. Take care. Halt! Come back. How'd I do it? Come back. We're not done.

My mom's birthday is today. Her 74th birthday. Shout out to my mom, Imelda Martin. Today's her birthday. I got to get that in. And so today's my mom's birthday. And so, yes, I got to give her a call and the show's over so she gets a shout out. All right, now we can go.

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I'm Greg Lott. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that in a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them.

It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.