*The horrific imagery is long seared into the minds of Black Americans and imprinted in the history of the American South: A Black man hunted down, beaten bloody, run over, hung from a pecan tree, dragged behind a pickup truck, or shot in broad daylight as he jogs through his own neighborhood. The brutal lynchings and murders of Black Americans are almost as American as apple pie.

You’d think that in the year 2023, these horrific accounts would be well in our past –– unfortunate reminders of what used to happen, not what does. Yet, just last October, 25-year-old Rasheem Carter went missing in rural Mississippi after twice reporting to the Taylorsville Police Department that he was being hunted by a group of white men in pickup trucks. It was the last time he was seen alive.

Rasheem was a Fayette, Mississippi, resident who routinely worked contracting jobs in neighboring towns to provide for his young daughter and earn a living after his business closed during the pandemic. He dreamed of reopening his restaurant, Cali’s Express, by saving money through odd jobs, reports MSNBC.

A certified millwright and welder, in late September he picked up a job in Taylorsville, Mississippi. Just a few days later, Rasheem experienced a threat that all Black mothers fear for their sons — being chased by a group of white men in a pickup truck. He sent a text to his mother letting her know what was going on and she immediately became terrified for his safety and well-being.

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At her encouragement and out of fear for his life, Rasheem went to the Taylorsville Police Department twice to plead for help, and according to Chief Gabe Horn, he also filed a police report. He was so shaken that he asked the police for a ride back to his hotel. But by the department’s own account, they brushed him off, saying they’re not a “taxi service.”

After his second and final visit to the police department seeking help, on Oct. 2 he called his mother, warning her that his phone battery was dangerously low. He dropped a pin to his location so a family friend from a neighboring town could pick him up and get him home safely. When the friend arrived a few hours later, Rasheem was nowhere to be found.

The last image of Rasheem, eerily caught on a hunting camera the afternoon he went missing, shows him running, partially clothed and muddy. After viewing the photo, Rasheem’s mother knew in her soul that her son was “running for his life.” It’s the last image she has of him, burned into her memory forever.

On Nov. 2 — a month to the day that he went missing — Rasheem Carter’s skeletal remains were found dismembered and scattered in the woods just a few miles from the Taylorsville Police Department where he twice sought help. His skull was severed in half. Despite those disturbing facts, police have continued to claim that no foul play is suspected.

There should be no doubt that this was an act of murder, a hate crime — and a Mississippi lynching. But the Taylorsville Police Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations continue to ignore the cold, hard facts and railroad the family at every turn.

Given the recent history of so-called investigations into the violent deaths of Black men in Mississippi, police inaction is not a surprise. According to a 2021 Washington Post report, there have been at least eight suspected lynchings of Black men and teens in the state since 2000. Most were brushed aside as suicides despite evidence to the contrary, and when law enforcement was pressed, they simply responded that they couldn’t comment.

Source: The brutal lynching and murder of Black Americans is almost as American as apple pie.: Ben Crump: The DOJ Must Not Look Away from the Mississippi LYNCHING of Rasheed Carter | VIDEOs

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Some Democratic members of Congress are trying to hold up historic economic investments pledged by the Biden Administration, including a provision that could lower the cost of prescription drugs. By obstructing efforts to lower prescription drug prices, these legislators are standing in the way of racial equity. 

In a December 2020 article, the Board of Directors from the Patients for Affordable Drugs Now called out the ways high drug prices perpetuate systemic racism.  

“The barriers to and rationing of treatment resulting from high prescription drug prices are an integral part of how systemic racism plays out in health care,” read the article. “By consistently putting profit maximization ahead of public health,  the greatest pain on those who are most vulnerable — Black Americans and other people of color.”

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According to the group, patient assistance programs are not a silver bullet as many exclude people without insurance. Noting that Black Americans are nearly twice as likely to be uninsured, the group says such programs are rarely helpful. 

A similar report from the Center for American Progress further documented how the combination of the racial wealth gap and drug costs exacerbates health outcomes for Black and Latino people. 

“Inequitable access and prohibitive costs have significant clinical implications, as Black and Hispanic Americans use fewer prescription drugs and face more severe chronic illnesses than white Americans,” read the report. “For example, Black Americans are more likely to die from high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and COVID-19 than white Americans. Moreover, they are disproportionately likely to have sickle cell disease, which can cost more than $3,000 per month to treat; notably, 80 percent of sickle cell patients do not receive adequate care and treatment.” 

Read the entire Center for American Progress report here. 

A diverse group of legislators  for the Washington Post highlighting the importance of lowering drug costs. “We represent a geographically diverse share of the American people — but in each of our districts, we hear a collective concern,” opened the op-ed. “The high cost of prescription drugs is hurting families — and it is long past time to bring those prices down.”

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Black men and women have an underlying dread that the trial could yield yet another devastating disappointment

For some it’s too much to watch. Others just can’t turn away.

The televised trial of Derek Chauvin, the former white police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, has provoked strong emotions among many Black men and women — all tinged with an underlying dread that it could yield yet another devastating disappointment.

For many, it has brought back memories of the disturbing video of Floyd’s last moments as he gasped for breath with Chauvin’s knee on his neck. The video galvanized protests in cities across the U.S. and the world, as the words “Black Lives Matter” took hold.

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“I had to mute the TV,” said Lisa Harris, 51, of Redford Township, just west of Detroit. “Hearing Mr. Floyd continue to say he can’t breathe and call for his mother — it was a lot. It’s been a lot to watch.”

Steven Thompson remembers closely watching the 2013 trial of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida and feeling blindsided. Zimmerman, who identifies as Hispanic, was acquitted on all counts in the unarmed Black teen’s death, including second-degree murder.

“I didn’t expect that outcome,” Thompson, 35, said. “But I’m a lot less ignorant now.”

Thompson is choosing not to watch the trial of Chauvin, the former Minneapolis officer charged with murder and manslaughter, even though he feels there is a strong case against him.

Marlene Gillings-Gayle said she had planned not to watch the trial to preserve her peace of mind. But she’s found herself watching almost all of it. She’s had to force herself to go outside and take walks, or risk watching the trial all day and feeling upset.

“I definitely have a fear of being let down. And instead of investing my time and energy into it now, knowing how these things go, I’d rather be pleasantly surprised,” the Los Angeles resident said.

Source: Chauvin’s trial leaves many Black viewers emotionally taxed

Danielle Leslie has produced million-dollar course creators by showing others how to turn their superpower into sales.

But her own path to millions didn’t manifest overnight. It was prompted by an unexpected layoff that propelled her to new levels.

In 2015, Leslie was given the infamous pink slip while working at a startup. She was on the verge of applying for other marketing positions when she received requests to help those in her network launch courses. During the first 30 days of being laid off, she earned $10,000. Before she knew it, event invitations led to more opportunities. Eventually, she created what is now known as “Course from Scratch”, earning over $1 million in less than two years.

“Know the power of your unique story,” Leslie shared during a podcast interview. “I think that is the reason why I was able to grow this quickly. I tapped into who I am and who I appeal to. Embracing whatever your difference is will take you so far.”

Leslie Goes From Employee to Course from Scratch

Going from employee to full-time entrepreneur is quite a shift — especially when you don’t plan for it.

Leslie was always interested in marketing and brand strategy. She spent time hosting events and doing webinars to teach people how to own their digital presence. When she reached a ceiling in her endeavors, she joined Udemy to “level up”.

At Udemy, Leslie helped online course creators acquire more customers and generate more income. That’s when she realized that you don’t necessarily need an audience to be successful. She also noticed that you can create a course on any topic and be successful if you had the right strategy. She eventually transitioned to another startup and was laid off in 2015.

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That’s when Leslie leveraged her background in startups to help others launch their first course. In July 2016, she did a webinar and presold the first version of her course. She made $8,000 in 7 days — without having a completed course! Her thought process was “if people would buy it, then she would build it.” For the next few weeks, she started creating her course in real-time and leveraged the power of social media ads to spread the word. By the end of her 8-week program, her first full course was created and available online.

Leslie started doing weekly webinars, more Facebook ads and working with coaches to expand her impact. In 2017, she earned $85,000. Leslie quickly went from five figures to seven figures from her course, earning $2.5 million in 2018 and over $4 million in 2019.

Becoming An 8-Figure Course Creator

Leslie quickly learned that having a course would allow her to impact the masses instead of one person at a time. Leslie targeted first-time course creators who wanted to launch with little or no tech.

Since launching her first course, her revenue has grown exponentially. In 2020, Leslie announced that her course generated over $4 million.

“My first $1M was about Freedom—freeing myself,” says Leslie in an Instagram post. “Passing $10M is about Legacy—freeing others.”

Leslie attributes much of her success to her ability to focus on one product. Although she wanted to dabble into other ventures, she stayed focused and remained consistent.

Source: Here’s How Danielle Leslie Earned Over $1 Million From Her Course After Being Laid Off

By Madison Garrett