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From homelessness to Final Four history, forward Fisk is being honored for his bravery

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jeremiah Armstead moved so often that he couldn’t even play highschool basketball until his senior yr.

He never lost faith during all those nights his family slept within the automotive, after they couldn’t discover a hotel room or a shelter. Especially that first night within the beach parking zone after leaving Philadelphia for California and checking out their latest home was gone.

A policeman arrived of their automotive that night, since no parking is allowed after midnight, and saw the family of 4 sleeping.

“He let us stay there,” Armstead said. “So such meetings with normally good people simply helped me not to be indignant on the world and what was happening, and just wait, which is what I did. I waited 4 or five years and now something is finally changing.

Armstead not only survived, but thrived.

On Monday, Fisk’s forward will make history as the primary player from a historically black college, university or NAIA school to receive the Perry Wallace Award from the Basketball Writers Association of America on the awards luncheon before the national championship game.

“I don’t think it’ll fully sink in until I get to the Final Four and experience everything,” Armstead said upon learning of the award, named for the Nashville native who made history as the primary black player who played Southeastern Conference basketball at Vanderbilt.

His coach, Kenny Anderson, is delighted with Armstead.

Anderson played 14 seasons within the NBA after being drafted second overall in 1991. But his family was evicted from their home in Queens, New York, when he was a highschool student. Anderson lived with his cousin, visiting his mother every morning before school until they found a brand new apartment.

“It gives me satisfaction to help someone who is in the same situation as me,” Anderson said. “So Jeremiah is doing a terrific job with his family and this example in mind. And he’s just a superb kid.

The 6-foot-5 Armstead was born in Atlanta and lived in Philadelphia until his mother moved to Long Beach, California, to live with someone close enough to be considered family. Except this woman unexpectedly moved to Texas, leaving Mindy Brooks and her three children homeless.

They spent a number of weeks in a hotel after which went to a shelter in Santa Monica. His mother drove him to school, which took 40 minutes each way, so she waited within the parking zone until classes ended to save gas and money.

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Time constraints within the shelter also forced them to move around, making even basketball a challenge for a family focused totally on survival. They finally provided him with stability during his senior yr of faculty, living in an apartment for his first and second semesters.

This gave Armstead time to improve his game.

“I could just wake up at 6, go to school, catch the bus and everything,” Armstead said. “I did not have to worry about my mom waiting outside within the automotive all day or anything like that. So the mental fatigue was going away to some extent.

Stephen Bernstein helped connect Armstead with Fisk through his Los Angeles-based We Educate Brilliant Minds foundation.

Once Armstead arrived in Nashville, he began eating higher and was busy losing not less than 30 kilos in his first two seasons.

However, a faculty official learned that Armstead was sending home whatever he could to help his family. Even that wasn’t enough, as his family kept moving from shelters to hotels and back to the automotive. Finally last November, his mother, sister and brother finally moved into their very own apartment.

Anderson worked to help Armstead develop his basketball skills. The forward played in seven games as a freshman and 12 this season, helping Fisk go 14-16.

While his family has a spot to live, Armstead’s mother has been scuffling with health issues. He also takes care of his brother Marcus, 18, who only learned to read and write on the age of 13 after being hit by a automotive as a baby, and his sister Armani, 14, will probably be a highschool freshman this fall.

“I’ve seen the worst of the worst,” Armstead said.

Basketball was his protected place. Now he’s in the most effective physical shape of his life, studying kinesiology, and almost halfway to a level he never thought possible. He turned 20 on March 26, an age he had never imagined, let alone celebrated and planned for the long run.

“It showed me why… I should keep doing what I’m doing and keep believing in God, because a few years ago I didn’t think I’d be here, and here I am,” Armstead said.


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Fans rush to Simone Biles’ defense as critics call her hair ‘unkempt’ months after ‘anti-black’ attacks on gymnast’s appearance

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simone biles nappy hair

Simone Biles just cannot escape the web trolls who’ve been criticizing her hair for years.

On September 23, what began as a joke changed into a heated conversation concerning the athlete’s hair. Sydney, a tattoo artist from Scottsdale, Arizona, posted a video revealing the tattoo on Biles’ neck that she had done two days earlier.

A video that was supposed to show the before and after of a “Made In Heaven” neck tattoo only shows a close-up of the back of the person’s head and neck.

Simone Biles, curly hair
Simone Biles fans are coming to her defense against web trolls who’re calling her hair “unfashionable.” (Photo: @simonebiles/Instagram)

Although Biles was tagged within the post, The Shade Room hosted a guessing game, asking its fans, “#Roomies, can you guess which female icon recently got this tattoo?”

Fans immediately recognized Biles as the topic, based on the way in which her hair was styled in a signature messy bun, a low-maintenance style she often opts for when she competes in regular competitions or on the Olympics.

One person recognized her handwriting: “Simone Biles. The back of her head is recognizable anywhere.”

Others, nonetheless, took the joke to the subsequent level, making fun of the 27-year-old’s hair care routine.

One person said: “I knew it was Simone, she’s never had her hair done.” Another, who seemed annoyed, said: “Why would she do that, just get a perm at this point, I’m sick of it.” Another wrote: “It was the curly hair and high ponytail that gave me away!”

Biles’ defenders said, “Black women commenting negatively on another black woman’s hair is very… anti-black” and “Self-hatred, no one has amazing hair like us. #theydontlikeus, period!”

Biles had been coping with comments about her hair for years before she became the world’s most decorated gymnast in 2016, to the purpose where she had to either respond to those comments or get ahead of herself with fans.

Earlier this yr, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles shared a photograph of herself on Instagram with her hair in a ponytail. She wrote, “Don’t come at me about my hair. THIS WAS DONE, but the bus has NO air conditioning and it’s like 90,000 degrees. Oh, and a 45-minute ride,” while holding what appears to be a fan.

In a second clip on her Instagram Story, she said: “I’ll hold your hand while I say this. Next time you want to comment on a black girl’s hair. JUST DON’T DO IT.”

Some fans have expressed concern that her hairstyle isn’t smooth or looks as elegant as some would really like.

In an interview given in July Elle this yr, she said, “Most of the negative feedback has come from our own community, which is unfortunate. I really don’t care if my edges aren’t smooth.”

She continued: “I used to worry that (my hair wouldn’t be considered professional),” she added. “But I’m not ashamed of it anymore.”

Instead, the 11-time Olympic medalist has set her sights on one other endeavor outside of sports. Biles recently revealed plans to open a restaurant business called “Taste of Gold” in partnership with The Playmaker Group in his hometown of Houston. The restaurant will open at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in early 2025, according to local outlet Click2Houston.com

In response to the news, Biles said, “I am very excited to be working with The Playmakers Group and their dedicated team to help open a new restaurant at my hometown airport. I am a foodie at heart, and our hope at Taste of Gold is to offer beautiful culinary experiences, including award-winning signature dishes with some of my favorite flavors added for our guests.”


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Outrage erupts as Stephen ‘tWitch’ boss’ widow Allison Holker shares ‘full of love’ with new man after husband’s death

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Stephen “tWitch” Boss died on December 13, 2022 on the age of 40. The former “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant’s death was ruled a suicide by gunshot.

Before his death, Boss was married to fellow “So You Think You Can Dance” alum Allison Holker for nearly a decade. Together they welcomed two children, 8-year-old Maddox and 4-year-old Zaia.

Dancer Allison Holker has found love again two years after losing her husband Stephen “tWitch” Boss to suicide. (Photo: Instagram/ @sir_twitch_alot)

Holker also had a daughter, 16-year-old Weslie Fowler, from a previous relationship, whom Boss adopted after marrying Holker on December 10, 2013.

Holker was seen with her new boyfriend, Entrata CEO Adam Edmunds, on the Alice and Olivia fashion show during New York Fashion Week 2024 on September 7.

The public debut comes just every week after their “soft launch” on social media. Holker previously hinted on the new relationship in August with a cryptic Instagram post.

She posted a photograph of a shadow of a lady and a shadow of a man holding hands. The caption under the photo was simply a red heart emoji. But navigating life after losing the daddy of her children hasn’t been easy.

“It’s a new experience for me to deal with it and it took me a long time to (feel ready). I didn’t know if I would ever get into a situation like that again,” Holker said People about dating Edmunds.

The 36-year-old dancer continued: “I’ll say this: I’m incredibly happy. I feel supported, seen, understood and completely loved. And I’m really, really grateful for that.”

Allison Holker’s statements have sparked discussion online. Some commentators in Instagram section for people he had an issue with her leaving tWitch lower than two years after his death.

“Well, that didn’t last long,” one comment read, but one other replied, “Almost 2 years? Really?”

The late Stephen “tWitch” Boss with his widow Allison Holker and their three children, Maddox, Zaia and Weslie. (Photo: @allisonholker/Instagram)

Additionally, one person asked, “Do you feel safe, heard, and understood?? So this wasn’t the case before??” Another person added, “I don’t trust this! Something is wrong!”

An Instagram user expressed that Holker and Edmunds’ relationship seems unusual, writing, “Something’s not right.” Another replied, “I’VE ALREADY SAID THAT!”

However, Holker also received positive feedback from fans. For example, one fan wrote, “Allison, you deserve everything in life. Congrats on your newfound love and happiness.”

Allison Holker also spoke about her late husband People and struggled with his departure

“I used to sit in the pool or the hot tub and talk to Stephen all the time (after his death). I was angry with him, happy for him or just reminiscing,” she said.

Born in Utah, also he stated“One night, when I was so angry, I forgave him and thought that there were so many people who were probably waiting for this moment that I had just experienced.”

Holker is about to release her memoir, “This Far,” on February 4, 2025. The book is about to feature Holker’s reflections on her life over the past two years.

Just like Holker, her new partner The Edmunds The Utah native has one son, Cole, from a previous relationship.

Prior to becoming CEO of Entrata, Edmunds founded Allegiance and SilentWhistle and worked for MaritzCX and Podium.

In 2006, Holker was in the highest eight of the second season of “So You Think You Can Dance.” She also spent 4 seasons as an expert dancer on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Stephen “tWitch” Boss placed second within the fourth season of “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2008. He also rose from guest DJ to co-executive producer of the daytime talent show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Russell Wilson Called ‘Petty’ as Fans Suspect He’s Mocking Ex-Girlfriend Ciara as Part of Plan to Sabotage His Album Release

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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: (Editorial Use Only) Future performs during day 1 of Wireless Festival 2021 at Crystal Palace on September 10, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Burak Cingi/Redferns)

Russell Wilson reminds fans that he’s a family man before everything. However, fans online imagine that he may be quite “petty” when it comes to his family members.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback posted a photograph of himself on the sector surrounded by all 4 of his and his wife Ciara’s children.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: (Editorial Use Only) Future performs during day one of Wireless Festival 2021 at Crystal Palace on September 10, 2021 in London, England. (Photo: Burak Cingi/Redferns)
Fans are calling Ciara’s husband Russell Wilson a “little thing” after he shared a brand new post on the identical day that rapper Future dropped his latest mixtape. (Photos: @ciara/Instagram; Burak Cingi/Redferns)

In the September 20 photo, Wilson stands holding his 9-month-old daughter, Amora, while his hand rests on the shoulder of the singer’s oldest son, Future.

In the front right was their son Win, smiling extra wide, while their daughter Sienna stood to Future’s left. Ciara, Wilson’s wife of eight years and mother of his children, was nowhere to be seen within the photos. So he made sure to include her within the caption.

He wrote a passage of Scripture saying, “John 4:19 We love because God first loved us. @Ciara.”

The photo drew fans, who showed the Wilson family a ton of love for the cute snap. Many praised Wilson for being a fantastic example of what an actual father is — even to his stepson Future, whose biological father is three-time Grammy Award-winning rapper Future.

Messier fans couldn’t help but be skeptical about Wilson’s intentions and the timing of the photo.

The “Stick Talk” artist released a mixtape album titled “Mixtape Pluto” on September 20, the identical day Wilson shared a photograph on his Instagram and Twitter accounts. The 17-track project is the primary mixtape Future has released in eight years.

Suspicious fans joked that Wilson’s photo was posted to overshadow Future’s latest album.

One person he said“Dropping it the day Future dropped it, that’s a dirty job, playboy” and one other he wrote“Posting this the day Future dropped a mixtape. My type of nitpicking lmao.”

Third fan he wrote“The future mixtape is gonna be crazy!!!! but it’ll never blow up bigger than this,” while one offended person said, “So f***ing corny, oh my god Ciara there’s no way you’d swap Supa Fu for this!”

Someone else even suggested that Wilson’s photo could have worked to Future’s advantage.

“This random post on my TL reminded me to check out Future’s new album. It’s amazing how indirect advertising can work.”

Ciara’s exes have apparently began taking potshots at one another, with Future rapping about his ex’s husband in his lyrics, and Wilson continuing to share posts in regards to the rapper’s son online. Some would even say Wilson was mocking Future for never being seen together with his son.

Before dating Ciara in 2015, Wilson was previously married to Ashton Meem. According to TMZ, that they had known one another since highschool, but married in 2012 after dating in college. After just two years of marriage, Wilson and Meem ended their relationship. About a yr later, he met Ciara, they began dating, and the remainder is history.

Unlike her current husband, Ciara has never been married before, but was supposed to be Mrs. Future, born Nayvadius DeMun Cash. The Atlanta natives began dating in 2012 and even got engaged before splitting in 2014 amid accusations of Future’s infidelity.

Since their relationship ended, Future has publicly dated only just a few women, most notably rapper Dess Dior and Steve Harvey’s stepdaughter, Lori Harvey. He currently has nine children with nine different women.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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