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The AfroFuture Fest Detroit-based music festival came under scrutiny when its organizers announced that it would charge $10 tickets to people of color and $20 and up to ‘non-POC’ people. The ticket prices have since been changed to reflect one price for all.
One of the event’s organizers, Francesca Lamarre, said that the initial pricing structure was put in place “to ensure people of color have a chance to experience joy and pleasure within the same spaces as their white counterparts” and to allow “white people to show themselves as allies and use their wealth and privilege to increase equity, joy, and pleasure for black life in Detroit,” according to reporting by Detroit Metro Times.
The group received backlash. One rapper who was scheduled to perform, Tiny Jag, pulled out of the concert because of the race-based pricing.
“I was immediately enraged just because I am biracial,” she said to Detroit Metro Times.
Additionally, Eventbrite, the website from which people could purchase tickets for AfroFuture, threatened to take down the event’s ticket page.
In a statement to CNN, Eventbrite outlined its policy to not “permit events that require attendees to pay different prices based on their protected characteristics such as race or ethnicity.”
“In this case, we have notified the creator of the event about this violation and requested that they alter their event accordingly,” the statement continued. “We have offered them the opportunity to do this on their own accord; should they not wish to comply we will unpublish the event completely from our site.”
Race-based pricing came to light last year after Nigerian chef Tunde Wey, said he had given white people the option to pay $12 or $30 at his New Orleans lunch spot, Saartj. At the time Wey said the pricing model was to highlight the gap in racial and wealth disparity in America. He said the higher cost paid by white people would be redistributed to people of color and called the move a “social experiment.”
The reviews site Yelp currently reports Saartj as closed.
But, the question remains—is race-based pricing constitutional? Tiffany Ellis, a Detroit-based civil rights lawyer told The New York Times, that such a pricing structure as AfroFuture was offering could result in lawsuits.
“We have constitutional rights as an individual, and the 14th Amendment provides that we cannot be discriminated against because all people are created equal,” she told NYT, although she said that private businesses have a little more leeway in choosing whom to do business with.
The Grindhouse Airs 7.7.19
Greetings, fellow AFROnerdists! Check out our latest installment of the Grindhouse podcast, airing every Sunday at 6pm eastern and as powered by Afronerd Radio turbines. Join your favorite Afronedist podcasting crew as they unravel the following topics: First up, we will be interviewing Clairesa Clay, the founder of the highly anticipated Brooklyn, NY Black nerd extravaganza, BLERD City Con takiing place from 7.12.19 thru 7.14.19; Spiderman: Far From Home premiered this weekend (incl. 580M global BO) and we give you our honest imresssions; some theorists purport that our existence may all be one big VG simulation; and then there are other scientists that are testing mirror universe theorems; after 67 years of print history, MAD magazine will cease publication; Disney opts for black actress/singer, Halle Bailey to portray "Ariel" in the live action remake of The Little Mermaid and the expected racial slants are appearing in social media along with support; And lastly, a Change.org petition for DC to bring back the Batman Beyond and Static Shock animated series seems to be gaining momentum, Call LIVE at 646-915-9620.
Source: WENN.com / WENN
T.I has had his fair share of run-ins with the law before and during his career and now he is devoting himself to lending a helping hand to prison reform. The Grammy-nominated rapper is now a member of a task force under Atlanta mayor Keisha Bottoms to repurpose the Atlanta City Detention Center.
“It is a top priority of the Mayor Bottoms to put this underutilized facility to more productive use as a multi-faceted use center for wellness and healing, skills-building, economic mobility, and crime prevention for people, families and communities impacted by the history of over-incarceration,” reads a press release.
The Atlanta Detention Center is a $56 million facility with 1,300 beds but the amount of detainees being held there has declined significantly. It is also operating on a $33 million budget and has over 360 employees. Since the detention center is underused and over budgeted, the task force will finding a new purpose for the center.
Tip is a part of a 25-member task force that will meet with an advisory group, Atlanta’s Police Chief Erika Shields and Fulton County’s District Attorney Paul Howard to form new ideas about how else the center can be used and present it to Mayor Bottoms. Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’s Scrapp DeLeon is also a member of the task force. DeLeon was recently released from prison after being convicted on drug trafficking-related charges.
T.I is no stranger to lending his voice and input to criminal justice issues. He also partnered with Ebenezer Baptist Church for Freedom Day Bailout and participated in an expungement campaign.
Source: Derrick Salters/WENN.com / WENN
Michelle Obama didn’t hold anything back during a candid sitdown with Gayle King over the weekend at Essence Fest. Besides discussing healthy living and her memoir Becoming, the former FLOTUS also spoke about looking forward to having a house without teenagers soon.
“Barack’s like ‘You seem so much less stressed,’ and I’m like, duh! Not only were we parenting teenagers, but every Saturday night you had to worry about whether your kid is gonna end up on Page Six,” Obama told King. “Now we’re rediscovering each other. I’m looking over and going ‘Hey…you, where have you been for 21 years?!’”
King even asked the Chitown native about her take on having great sex at every age, which she said she isn’t opposed to at all.
“Yes. I support that principle,” she laughed. “I mean, come on Gayle! What I’m ‘sposed to say to that? ‘No, I take issue with that?’ Yes, Gayle, the answer is yes!”
Mrs. Obama also gave invaluable advice on how to find the right partner. She said the most important factor in sustaining a healthy relationship is equality.
“Equality is not just measured in terms of the wallet. Equality is in terms of the value that they carry. Honesty is the beginning, the middle, and the end. I wouldn’t want to be bothered with someone I couldn’t trust on a day-to-day basis. It’s not just about how much money they make or title. Someone could have the right salary, but the wrong heart.”
Not only did drop some gems, she looked stunning! She rocked her natural curls and slayed in a navy blue, belted, shimmery jumpsuit.