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May 27-June-2 2021 VOL. 36, No. 21
Ads Up Advertising to engage McDonald’s One Year After on spending with Black Media George Floyd: America and the Police
Executives with Black-owned media companies pressure food chain
By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint
It appears that two important things have happened since the death of Geoge Floyd at the hand of the police in Minneapolis, Minnesota: (1) police continue to kill black men and women either by shooting them or physically killing them by hand. One would think that with the repeated airing of the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered by police officers kneeling on his neck and body, that everyone in uniform would know that such actions can lead to death. Well, here in San Diego and other places around the country, the police are still not only kneeling in multiple numbers on singularly pinned to the ground black individuals, but also still punching them with their fist while the person being arrested is still laying face down with officers on their back. When questioned repeatedly about this practice, a black Assistant Chief could only say the practice was “consistent with the department policy of using “distraction” blows while affecting an arrest. Clearly this individual, who obviously rose to the rank of his position on the backs of other blacks who came before him, could not see the problem. Perhaps he is one of those “surplus” Assistant Chiefs” we really don’t need and those dollars could be better spent helping others. We will continue to raise this issue until we hear there is a policy change. (2) One year after the murder of George Floyd, America has seen an agitated change in those who have been police victims, along with their friends and neighbors who have taken to the streets in protest. This is in spite of the pandemic. The result has been a fear on the part of those who have agreed with police practices and behavior against people of color. That fear was fed by the tremendous voter turnout in the November election where people, Black, White and others, stood in long lines for hours in order to vote. One Continued on page 8
By Jonathan Maze/IT News Wire
Ads Up Advertising, Inc. which owns Inglewood Today has pledged to engage fast food giant Mc Donald’s which has come under fire from Black owned media operatives regarding their biased spending practices. “While I don’t find this news surprising, I do see McDonald’s as the just the latest example of biased spending practices that has crippled Black own media, more specifically community newspapers for years,” said Willie Brown, owner of Ads Up Advertising, Inc. Brown continued; “We will not stand by idly and will support whatever movement to influence McDonald’s and other corporations to do what is right by our constituents which are served by our company.” Saying they are “not surprised that both Black employees/executives as
well as the Black franchisees are suing McDonald’s for racial discrimination,” a group of media executives on Tuesday requested a meeting with the burger giant’s CEO in a bid to get the company to increase its spending with Black-owned media. The request came in a one-page advertisement in newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and the Wall Street Journal, signed by the executives of the country’s largest Black-owned media companies. The first signatory is Byron Allen, the founder of Allen Media Group and the owner of the Weather Channel who last week sued McDonald’s for $10 billion, arguing that the company spends only a tiny fraction of its ad budget on Black-owned media. “Chris Kempczinski, president and CEO, please stop the racism against Black-owned media companies by
McDonald’s,” the ad’s headline said. Others signing the letter include Earl “Butch” Graves,” the CEO of Black Enterprise, Roland Martin, the CEO of Nu Vision Media, Munson Steed, CEO of Rolling Out, Todd Brown, founder of Urban Edge Networks, Don Jackson, founder of Central City Productions and Paula Madison, principal owner of The Africa Channel. “Over these last 20 years, McDonald’s has spent approximately $17 billion in advertising/promotion and very little went to Black-owned media,” the ad says. McDonald’s last week said it would increase its spending on diverseowned media to 10% by 2024 from 4% today. The company also said that it would increase spending with Black-owned media specifically to 5% Continued on page 6
Memorial Day with ‘U.S. VETS – Inglewood’ By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
In 1993, The Inglewood U.S. VETS site opened with only five clients. Today, the location holds over 600 beds for transitional and permanent housing for U.S. veterans and their families. But housing is just a small part of the many services that the U.S. VETS site provides. This Memorial Day, as we all honor and commemorate the heroes who serve our country, The U.S. VETS Inglewood site will host a ceremony on-campus for
their residents, as well as honoring two who recently passed away this year. A plaque with the names of the two fallen heroes will also be revealed at the campus Memorial Day ceremony. From housing, counseling, case management, life skills groups, and career services, the objective at the U.S. VETS site is to uplift, guide, and assist veterans in any way possible, cultivating the life of fulfillment and comfort that they deserve. At the on-site career center, residents
have access to a computer lab, along with a conference space that is used to hold mock interviews. The career services department not only connects veterans to potential employers, but they also help to prepare them for the interview opportunities that arise. Mental health services are also readily available on site. Residents have access to individual and group counseling, PTSD treatment, Continued on page 8
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