Essence Communications Inc.is back in the hands of black owners. The 48-year-old multiplatform brand that owns Essence magazine and the annual Essence Festival, been acquired by Essence Ventures LLC, an independent African-American-owned company, which was founded and is chaired by Liberian-American Richelieu Dennis, who also is the founder of SheaMoisture.

As reported earlier by Journal-isms for The Root, the Essence brand was not part of the historic, nearly $3 billion sale of Time Inc. to the Meredith Corp. in November 2017.

The brand was looking for another buyer and has apparently found one with Essence Ventures, which was founded and is chaired by Liberian-American Richelieu Dennis, who also is the founder of SheaMoisture.

“[W]e are excited to be able to return this culturally relevant and historically significant platform to ownership by the people and the consumers whom it serves, and offer new opportunities for the women leading the business to also be partners in the business,” said Dennis of the Essence brand acquisition.

“This acquisition of Essence represents the beginning of an exciting transformation of our iconic brand as it evolves to serve the needs and interests of multigenerational black women around the world in an even more elevated and comprehensive way across print, digital, e-commerce and experiential platforms,” said Ebanks. “In addition, it represents a critical recognition, centering and elevation of the black women running the business from solely a leadership position to a co-ownership position.”

Racism in advertising as PR stunts has worked well in the past for other corporations, but will this be the case for International retailer H & M?

The international retail giant H&M featured an ad with a black child model wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the phrase “coolest monkey in the jungle.” The ad was for an online advertisement for the UK market.

 Representatives from the company sent out a public apology:

“We sincerely apologize for offending people with this image of a printed hooded top,” H&M said in a statement. “The image has been removed from all online channels and the product will not be for sale in the United States.” “We believe in diversity and inclusion in all that we do and will be reviewing all our internal policies accordingly to avoid any future issues.”

As you can expect social media blew up over the racist undertones of the ad. Everyone from celebrities to social-justice experts to comedians chimed in.

View this post on Instagram

In the year 2018 there’s no way brands/art directors can be this negligent and lack awareness. If look at other sweaters in same category they have white kids. We have to do better. pic.twitter.com/Av4bS4t6yn

— alex medina (@mrmedina) January 8, 2018

Every company should invest in training that encompasses cultural competency and sensitivity. It is absolutely necessary. @hm pic.twitter.com/efMR0oL3jx

— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@TheKingCenter) January 8, 2018

This isn’t the first time the Sweden-based retail chain has been under fire for racial and ethnic insensitivity. Back in  2015, the company drew fire after its South Africa division featured no black models. When questioned about the lack of diversity, H&M’s tweeted response suggested that white models conveyed a more positive image.

Another incident back in 2013, H&M pulled feathered headdresses from its stores after Canadian customers complained it made fun of First Nation tribal customs.

The black community is calling for a global boycott of the 17 billion dollar company for continuously showing racially insensitive behaviour.

Cartersville Georgia police decided that less than an ounce of weed was justification for arresting 63 youths attending a teen party even though some of the partygoers were honor students and star athletes. Many view the actions of the police as nothing less than racism. Would this had occurred if the youths were not people of color?

Cartersville police said they arrived at the party — billed as a lingerie-themed 21st birthday bash, according to WXIA-TV — about 2:20 a.m. Sun., Jan. 1, 2018, after receiving a 911 call about possible gunshots.

Police, who called in the county drug task force to assist in the investigation, said they found two firearms at the scene, including one that had been reported stolen in Detroit, as well as “several smoking devices” and “suspected cocaine.”

Officers also found less than an ounce of marijuana, reported the Cartersville Daily-Tribune. When no one admitted to owning the weed, everyone still at the party was arrested.

“All the subjects at the residence were placed under arrest for the possession of the suspected marijuana which was within everyone’s reach or control,” said the Bartow Cartersville Drug Task Force in a news release.

Citing jail records, the Daily-Tribune reported that 63 people arrested at the party who’d been processed at Bartow County jail by Monday night had all been charged with a single count of possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana. The individuals arrested were predominantly black males ages 19 to 25. The Daily-Tribune said several of them were “prominent high school athletes.”

Four men were also booked on suspicion of felonies not related to drug possession, reported BuzzFeed News. Attendees told WXIA that the reported gunshots had been fireworks.

 Deja Heard, the woman whose 21st birthday was being celebrated at the party, told WSB-TV that “all of us are innocent — it’s just not right.”

Some of the arrested partygoers reported being mistreated by police, telling WSB that they were “tied up with zip ties.” and “threatened with tasers.” Several men said they’d been “locked in cages.”

The Georgia NAACP said it was launching an investigation into the arrests. The organization has backed a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the arrested partygoers, described as the “Cartersville 70.”

“Some of these young people need money to make bail and all of them need assistance with their legal fees. A good majority of these individuals are college students and members of the U.S. military who were visiting home over the holiday break, and decided to attend a party to catch up with old friends while in town. Others were working citizens who lost their jobs the second they walked into work this morning,” the campaign page reads. “They need your help to bring justice and light to the unjust treatment these individuals experienced leading to and during their incarceration.”

In nearby Athens, Georgia, black individuals are 4.7 times more likely to be charged with a marijuana violation than white individuals, according to ThinkProgress. Nationwide, a black person is 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for a marijuana-related offense compared with someone who is white.

On Tue., Jan 2, Cartersville police said in a statement that they would be reviewing a “long-standing” department policy to call the county drug task force during drug investigations.

“It has been a long-standing policy of the Cartersville Police Department that drug investigations routine patrol officers encounter are referred to the Bartow Cartersville Drug Task Force. This current policy is now under review for any further drug investigations,” police said.

“Play my Shit” is 15 years of pain, passion and persevering crammed into a 4 minute song. After turning down a 30 million dollar baseball contract, Reuben Cannon spent many years trying to beat down the doors of the entertainment industry.

Finally he just said “F**k it!” ill stand up for myself and say the sh%# everyone wants to say but afraid to say”. This song is for everyone that gets played and over looked. “I’m over that it, Play my shit!” Influenced by many of music’s legendary performers, multi-talented singer, songwriter and actor Reuben Cannon is a star on the rise.