Page 3 - 2021 MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APARIL

02 APIL 2021 MAHOGANY REVUE 3A

HALF OF THE JURY IN THE MONEY IS THE OXYGEN ON
CHAUVIN TRIAL IS WHICH THE FIRE OF

NONWHITE. THAT’S ONLY GLOBAL WARMING BURNS
PART OF THE STORY PART IV Agricole announced a in which his company

change that Disterhoft calls invests. This year, his letter
The The director of the the “gold standard to date”: was about capitalism with
jury chosen for the trial of
former Minneapolis police Rockefeller Family Fund,
officer Derek Chauvin, Lee Wasserman, says that
charged with murder in the it’s time to take on the rep-
death of George Floyd, is utations of the bankers, in
notable because it is signifi- much the same way that
cantly less white than the Sackler family has
Minneapolis itself. increasingly been shunned
for its role in the opioid
Among the 12 jurors and crisis. “When the neigh-
three alternates selected for
the panel are three Black men, borhood tavern serves up
one Black woman and two several rounds to an
jurors who identify as multira- already drunken patron,
cial. If none of the three alter- and the inebriated person
nates — all of them white — rams into a minivan
is needed in the deliberation loaded with Little
room, 50% of the panel that Leaguers, it’s not only a
will vote on Chauvin’s fate tragedy—the bar may be
will be Black or multiracial. sued out of business, and

Hennepin County, where the the bartender could face
trial is being held, is only 17% jail time,” he said. “How
Black or multiracial, while it much morally worse is it
is 74% white. to enable the expansion of
Juror is a deadly fossil-fuel indus- the bank said that it would a “purpose.” Along with
The jury’s racial makeup will 76 assured the judge and understandable, given try, whose business model no longer do business with making a profit, he coun-
assuage some of the concerns attorneys that he could put his Nelson’s responsibility to seat is certain to cause the death companies that are expand- selled, the C.E.O.s should
that activists and others had opinions aside and decide the a jury favorable to his client. and suffering of millions of ing their coal operations, be running their businesses
expressed as jury selection got case against Chauvin fairly The prosecution in the people and the loss of and that, by 2021, its coal- to help “address pressing
underway two weeks ago. An and based only on the evi- Chauvin case also struck
insufficiently diverse jury, dence. He said he could fore- white jurors who expressed much of the earth’s diversi- business clients in the social and economic
they believed, would undercut see himself casting a not- police-friendly views or who ty? Big, sophisticated developed world would issues.” Given that the
people’s faith in the legitima- guilty vote if the evidence had negative opinions of banks such as Chase and have to produce a plan for rapid heating of the planet
cy of a trial seen as a critical required it. He had also served Black Lives Matter or the Wells Fargo understand getting out of the business would seem to meet that
moment in the racial justice on a jury before. protests that followed Floyd’s climate science and know by 2030; its clients in criteria, some have sug-
movement that Floyd’s killing killing. that our current path is China by 2040; and its gested that Fink should
helped reenergize last spring. Defense attorney Nelson leading towards climate clients everywhere else by look at his own operation;
struck him nonetheless, citing But Chakravarti said that catastrophe. Yet their 2050. BankTrack, an BlackRock is the world’s
Even so, the jury’s basic the juror’s bias against the given history, it is appropriate machine of finance cranks N.G.O. headquartered in largest investor in coal
racial breakdown glosses over Minneapolis police. to apply greater scrutiny when
some important nuance. Black jurors are struck. along.” the Netherlands, called the companies, coal-fired utili-
That decision elicited con- announcement a “welcome ties, oil and gas companies,
Two of the Black men on the cern from Steve Schleicher, “We’ve seen that in this Some activists have first step,” and, indeed, the and companies driving
jury are not African the lawyer leading jury selec- country, Black jurors are begun to envision a cam- restrictions have clearly deforestation. No one else
Americans but, rather, Black tion for the prosecution, who struck at a higher rate than paign to pressure the begun to bite. In late June, is trying as diligently to
immigrants. During question- disagreed that the juror’s other jurors. And that is a real- banks. Chase’s retail busi- an Indonesian power-com- make money off the
ing, they expressed the kind comments revealed anti- ly big problem,” she said. ness is a huge part of its pany executive said, destruction of the planet.
of moderate views on policing police bias. Instead, he said, enterprise, as is the case “European banks have said
and race relations that defense they were a simple reflection Given Hennepin County’s with Citi, Wells Fargo, and they don’t want to finance And no one else has as
attorney Eric Nelson general- of the juror’s daily lived expe- overwhelmingly white jury
ly found acceptable as he con- rience as a Black man. pool, that four Black and two the others. “One of the coal projects for a while. powerful a remedy at hand.
sidered which potential jurors multiracial people made it major risk factors going Japanese followed and Most of the money that
to strike and which to allow. The fate of Juror 76 high- onto the Chauvin jury is a forward for these guys is now Singapore. About pension funds and endow-
lighted a tension that often considerable feat, even if their generational,” Disterhoft eighty-five per cent of the ments and individuals
None of the Black jurors ulti- exists in jury selection, espe- expressed views on race and said. “You have a rising market now don’t want to invest at BlackRock goes
mately chosen for the panel cially in cases in which issues police are more conservative generation of consumers finance coal-power into passive funds, which
spoke extensively about per- of race loom large. The expe- than those of countless and potential employees plants.” He added, “Coal- track a stock-market index,
sonal experiences with racism riences that come with being African Americans who’ve that cares a lot about cli- power-plant financing is rather than trying to beat
or about having had overtly Black in America are often marched for racial justice in mate, and they’re going to very challenging.” the averages. BlackRock,
negative interactions with enough to get jurors struck the last year.
police. Several said they had a from a case, said Sonali be choosing who they do According to the in essence, just buys the
healthy respect for law Chakravarti, a Wesleyan In a column, Mary Moriarty, business with factoring I.E.E.F.A.’s Buckley, market. If the firm simply
enforcement. University professor who has the former chief public that into account.” In 2017, Crédit Agricole’s move decided to exclude fossil-
studied the role of race in jury defender for Minneapolis, when Twitter-based helps explain why, for fuel stocks from its main
That was in contrast to one selection. said she had watched the activists accused Uber of instance, Vietnam, which funds—or if it even just
potential juror — an African questioning of Juror 76 and, exploiting Trump’s anti- was supposed to be a key decided to underweight the
American man and former In recent years, she has paid though she expected him to be Muslim travel ban, rather market for new coal-fired stocks—it would send a
soldier — who said he had special attention to how pro- struck, had hoped he wouldn’t than protesting it, it took power plants, instead grew message like no other.
lived in the neighborhood fessed support for the Black be. just hours for downloads of its “solar base tenfold in (According to the
where Floyd was killed and Lives Matter movement has
said police in the area were gotten many Black people She said his fate was a the Lyft app to surge, for the twelve months to June, I.E.E.F.A., it would also
known to antagonize resi- struck from juries. That did reminder that the jury selec- the first time, past those of 2019.” At this point, the produce better returns for
dents. The man, identified not seem to be the case during tion process should be the Uber app. Switching coal business is already on its clients. A study that the
only by his juror number, 76, jury selection for the Chauvin reformed to ensure more banks is harder, but, given its heels, so campaigners group published in early
also spoke of experiencing trial. Several jurors who African Americans have a fair the volume of credit-card are increasingly focussed August notes that
racism on a daily basis and expressed at least some sup- shot to serve on juries. solicitations that show up on gas and oil, but C.A.’s BlackRock investors lost
recounted seeing Black port for the movement were in the average mailbox move shows that big, quick ninety billion dollars over
acquaintances sentenced to seated on the jury — a sign of “We should start,” she wrote, every year, probably not shifts are possible. the past decade by staying
prison for crimes while white progress, Chakravarti said. “by recognizing that their much. heavily invested in fossil
ones often got a “slap on the lived experiences with racism
wrist.” On one hand, that the are not justification to excuse Asset Management fuels, even as that sector
defense would strike people them.” A few of the big European dramatically underper-
Despite those experiences, with negative views of police banks have begun taking Every year, Larry Fink, formed compared to the
steps away from fossil the C.E.O. of BlackRock, rest of the market.)
fuels already. In June, the writes a letter to the
HIP HOP IS AN UNSUNG BIG French giant Crédit C.E.O.s of the companies Continues Next ISSUE

CULTURE CREATOR was the person responsible nightly on over 300 affili- generational formula in

WORLDWIDE for delivering such a big ates nationwide, NYC sports coverage in the
audience and he pointed to WFAN Saturday after-
United States, that Black
a young guy sitting next to noons, NBA TV, Atlanta’s
At its core hip hop is At this level lots get com- thought to be nonexistent. a water cooler. I walked V-103, KTLA Weekend athletes play the sports
foundationally making promised and/or lost, one Sad truth, but the truth, over to his desk; I saw him Sports Host.) When asked (70% for basketball/foot-
something from nothing in being the motivation; the nonetheless. Like millions tapping away furiously on to assess the past, present ball) and that white male
an effort to express one- WHY? Does the risk of of urban kids JR had a zeal his laptop all while watch- and future prospects of JR, broadcasters cover them
self. A declaration of individuality outweigh the for sports and a yearning to ing several different sports Lynda West chimed, “JR for the most part. There are
youthful existence display- reward of being the best contribute. He states, “I videos simultaneously. I describes the dynamics certainly famous Black
ing a collective and indi- replica of what’s popular? developed my love and introduced myself, con- within sports as a micro- male sportscasters, but like
vidual voice. passion for gratulated him on the pod- cosm of all human activity. in many areas of business,
Having a flair sports just cast success and made the And he helps us to under- they are the exception. The
was key but it by growing mistake of asking him how stand those forces with
wasn’t just tal- up. I could- he could watch sporting clarity as well as humor. sports industry lacks diver-
ent; hunger and n’t go to a events and work his ‘Man He is not just a talking sity in producers, engi-
hustle in any room in my and Wife’ marketing magic head. He is not just clever. neers, camera opps, execu-
discipline, were house at the same? ‘It’s called His multi-faceted mastery tives. Look around the
determinant to without multi-tasking sir,’ was his of material, performance, room at every level. If it’s
the fame and D o n answer. Over the next sev- entertainment, as well as homogenous, something’s
acclaim you’d Mattingly, eral months I watched him the technical nature of pro- wrong.” He concludes, “I
garner in the Lawrence build out that podcast so duction, will make his have a production compa-
hood, the bor- T aylor , successfully that I was able future in the world of ny, that looks forward to
ough, the city Patrick to negotiate a TV deal with sports information a force enhancing the voices of
and hopefully Ewing, MTV for the show.” Yet to be reckoned with.”
the state. Music Mike another organic hip hop professional athletes, jour-
was not only Tyson or thread as Charlie Stettler With a strong team nalists, and fans who don’t
added but soon even Pete along with partner Lynda aligned under JR get an opportunity to tell
became the Sampras West, Tin Pan Apple, had a SportBrief Productions their story because the
impetus to being on. hand in shaping the land- LLC, the man can concen- establishment is too old,
move the formula forward Deeper, does the VOICE As I got older, I appreciat- scape of the culture as they trate on executing his game traditional, or scared to
in its infancy and that theo- still have worth? ed the physical fitness, managed and developed plan while adhering to an open their eyes and move
rem was replicated hun- Affirmative proof that it mental preparation, and the careers of the rap leg- unspoken hip hop golden with the times. The world
dreds of times with the does was found again in active strategy that goes ends The Fat Boys and rule: “Be Yourself, Don’t is open source and digital.
practitioners (DJ’s, the birthplace of hip hop: into sports.” broadcast pioneers Ed Play Yourself.”
EMCEES and to a lesser the Boogie Down Bronx. Lover & Doctor Dré (“YO! Anyone in the sports indus-
degree DANCERS) not Taking the formula that Preparation and strategy MTV RAPS” and HOT 97 “Since I started try who doesn’t understand
only getting the attention laid dormant, and adding that occurs in games, help Radio.) Stettler continue, JRSportBrief in my child- this and takes action quick-
they sought, but they were modern technology to the put JR in the game. His my partner Lynda West and hood bedroom in 2009 I ly, will be out of business.”
also able to generate a mix, J.R. Jackson has cre- work in marketing and pro- I fell in love with his work just tried to be authentic.
modest financial benefit ated a space where he can duction with other artists, ethic (first one in office, There’s no caricature that Moral of the story, to see
through performances and have a say and connect particularly his uncle last one out), his encyclo- erupts when the camera or how hip hop permeates
the sale of tapes. With with like-minded individu- Fatman Scoop, was instru- pedic knowledge about mic goes on. I try to share popular culture don’t look
music as the driving force als. Under the banner mental in his journey as it most subjects but especial- my thoughts and opinions at music charts, the trends
the culture morphed into an JRSPORTSBRIEF, he’s led to a chance meeting ly sports and his incredible in a way that anyone,
industry that yields the managed to trust himself with a gentleman by the drive. No one Lynda and I regardless of background or other measurables. Look
attention initially on a into an industry where, to name of Charlie Stettler. ever worked with has can consume, agree or dis- at voids. We see where we
global scale and become a be quite frank, African Stettler’s recollection goes, accomplished so much in agree with, but ultimately don’t have a presence and
financial juggernaut capa- Americans are to be seen “11 years ago Apple had a such a short time (over 80 respect,” says JR. This is of we WILL get there to fill it
ble of securing genera- and not heard. top 5 podcast called ‘Man million views on YouTube, import not just for himself, and strengthen it. Over and
tional wealth. Opportunities other than and Wife.’ I asked my CBS Sports Radio JR but for what potentially is out. Holla next week, til
the playing field were coproducing partner who SportBrief Show airs at stake. “There’s been a then, enjoy the nightlife.