Page 32 - Florida Sentinel 9-16-22

National
Megan Piphus Is The First Black Woman Puppeteer On ‘Sesame Street’
Dr. Paul T. Kwami, Fisk Jubilee Singers Music Director For 28 Years, Dies At 70
Dr. Paul T. Kwami,
revered music director of the world-renowned, Grammy- winning Fisk Jubilee Singers for 28 years, died in a Nashville hospital early Sat- urday morning, his family an- nounced in a statement to the Tennessean Saturday night. Kwami was 70.
"It is with deep and im- measurable sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved husband, fa- ther, brother, cousin, uncle and friend, Dr. Paul Theophilus Kwami. His passing leaves a gaping hole in our souls as well as in our community and in our world," the statement said.
"Dr. Kwami passed onto glory on Saturday, September
DR. PAUL T. KWAMI
10th in the early morning hours surrounded by family in Nashville, Tennessee."
Musical ventriloquist Megan Piphus is the first Black woman puppeteer to ap- pear on the PBS children’s show Sesame Street. Piphus has played a six-year-old Black girl Muppet named Gabrielle on the show since 2020.
After training for one year with the cast of Sesame Street to learn Muppet-style pup- petry, Piphus became the first black female puppeteer to join the cast of Sesame Street in September of 2021.
Piphus shared pictures on Instagram after she made his- tory with a caption noting she was living her dream.
“I learned how to get to @sesamestreet 􏰀􏰁 and met up with my girl Gabrielle,” she wrote. “We played on the street with all our friends.
Megan Piphus and her puppet Gabrielle on Sesame Street.
Don’t wake me up...I’m living in my dreamzzzz 􏰂 And I as- sisted the masters @peter.linz
and @ryandillonmuppeteer 􏰁 @anderson._paak you are the ILLEST! Great work fam.”
Father And Son Duo Launch First-Ever Black-Owned Athletic Supply Company
Meet Oronde Booker and his 14-year-old son, Kendall, who are making history as the founders of Book Dawg Sports, the first ever Black- owned athletic supply com- pany. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the company is al- ready taking pre-orders for its flagship product called HW101, which is a basketball made with premium mi- crofiber composite leather that offers amazing grip and dura- bility to last all season and be- yond.
Oronde had long been sup- porting his son at team prac- tices and games when he began to notice that all of the equip- ment used by the players, trainers, and coaches was de- veloped by four companies – none of which were Black- owned. This inspired him to create his own company that would be a major supplier of athletic products.
“When thinking about sports, it’s likely that several Black stars across all sports — basketball, football, tennis, or soccer — come to mind easily,” said Oronde. “Black people
Oronde Booker and his 14-year-old son, Kendall.
have contributed much to culture, yet so few are found
Woman Won $20,000 At Casino Suing Bank For Refusing To Cash Check
Lizzie Pugh, a retiree of Detroit Public Schools, al- leges that employees at Fifth Third Bank refused to cash her check, claiming that it was "fraudulent."
Growing up in the Jim Crow South, Lizzie Pugh is no stranger to racism.
But, decades later and now living in Michigan, the 71- year-old never thought she'd be disdainfully turned away by a bank for trying to cash in honest winnings she collected from Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort during an April trip with her church group.
"I won 20,000, and I was very excited," Pugh told In- sider. "The first time for me." Pugh said she went to a Fifth Third Bank branch in Livo- nia, Michigan — in the De- troit metropolitan area — to open a new savings account but waited for a long time be- fore anyone helped her. Once Pugh, a retiree of Detroit public schools, was finally as- sisted, she handed over the check and a valid driver's li-
LIZZIE PUGH
cense.
But, she said, the bank told
her the check was "fraudu- lent" and that she would not be able to make the deposit.
After being accused of try- ing to cash in a fake check, Pugh said it sent her into a tailspin — conjuring up old memories of racism growing up in Alabama.
Now, Pugh is suing Fifth Third Bank for racial discrim- ination, saying the incident caused her physical and emo- tional distress.
sports, attracting fans and di- verse audiences, redefining the game and helping shape its
‘behind the ball,’ particularly when looking at industries like sports equipment.”
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