Sybil Wilkes ‘What You Need To Know:’ Let Them Eat Cake, The Return of Simone Biles, Living in Uganda is “Hell” For Queer

Source: REACH Media / Reach Media
 
Sybil’s Birthday Shoutouts
Mike Tyson, 57
Michael Phelps, 38
Fantasia, 39
Tony Rock, 49
David Alan Greer, 67 (Comedian, In Living Color, Boomerang)
Remembrance
Lena Horne (Singer died in 2010)
Florence Ballard would have been 80 (Original member of Supremes died of Heart Attack in 1976 at 32) 
 
 
 Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Decision: “Let-Them-Eat-Cake Obliviousness”
 
What You Need to Know:
 
The United States Supreme Court released the long-awaited decision on affirmative action that will affect this country not only in the halls of higher learning, but also across the country in business and board rooms and courts, around the country, for an unknown number of years to come.
 
Reuters reported, “The Supreme Court decided two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions. Reuters reported that the cases were brought by a group headed by Edward Blum, a conservative legal strategist who has spent years fighting affirmative action.
The nation’s highest court determined that the use of race in the admissions departments of private and public colleges and universities, violates the 14th Amendment. By a 6-3 vote, the court ruled that affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina are unconstitutional.
The Return of Simone Biles
WRITTEN & CONTRIBUTED BY KHAMERON RILEY
 
What You Need to Know:
 
The gymnastics superstar plans to return to competition at the U.S. Classic outside Chicago in early August, her first event since the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the 2016 Olympic champion, is part of the women’s field for the single-day event set for Aug. 5 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.
Biles has taken most of the last two years off following her eventful stay in Japan in the summer of 2021, where her decision to remove herself from multiple events to focus on her mental health shifted the focus from the games themselves to the overall wellness of the athletes.
Federal Judge Rules Against HIV Prevention Drug
 
What You Need to Know:
 
Texas Federal Judge Reed O’Connor ruled against the vital provision of the Affordable Care Act that required insurers and employers to cover HIV prevention drugs. O’Connor ruled that it violates the religious freedom of a Christian-owned company.  He struck down the Obamacare law before the Supreme Court upheld it.
 
As of now, there is no clear indication of what impacted the ruling. However, it could determine whether the rest of the law’s preventive care coverage requirements will remain. The Texas employers who challenged the provision argued it violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It forced people to pay for coverage that conflicts with their faith and personal values.
Living in Uganda is “Hell” For Queer People
 
WRITTEN & CONTRIBUTED BY KWYN TOWNSEND-RILEY
 
What You Need to Know:
 
Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law last month by President Yoweri Museveni. 
 
 The act outlaws gay marriage in Uganda, punishes same-sex acts with life imprisonment, and calls for the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” – which includes sex with a minor or otherwise vulnerable person, having sex while HIV positive, and incest. 
 
The Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 is a revival of a previous version nicknamed the “Kill the Gays” bill that Uganda’s parliament passed in 2014, but was blocked in court on a technicality. 
 Beyond the Cut: Duo Reaches $1 Billion in Sales Through Barber App
 
WRITTEN & CONTRIBUTED BY CHERIE S. WHITE
What You Need to Know: 
 
 
Barbers and barbershops now have a tool to elevate their businesses to the next level, thanks to Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant, creators of Squire. The duo, a finance professional and a lawyer, launched the barbershop business management app in 2016 to help barbers and hairstylists schedule clients, manage operations and increase their bottom lines. With convenient features like Instagram booking, contactless payments, and virtual waiting rooms, Squire keeps customers happy from the time they book their appointment until they sit in the chair for service.

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