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ST. LOUIS The Balloon Brigade, a popular staple in the annual PrideFest parade, was hit with social media backlash for including a Blue Lives Matter flag on its float Sunday afternoon.

On Monday, the brigades leader apologized and said the group, which raises money for an AIDS charity, would return two awards it won for its entry in the parade.

As the co-creator/producer of the St. Louis Balloon Brigade, I wish to apologize to the members of the community that I have offended, wrote Chad Carroll in a statement released through #Boom Media, a brigade sponsor, and posted on Facebook. I approved a flag on our float in the Pride parade that has deeper meaning to some than I previously understood. I have been educated today.

The flag symbolizes support for law enforcement and is a takeoff of the Black Lives Matter movement that sprang up as an outcry from a rash of police shootings of black men, notably Michael Brown in Ferguson. Many minority groups, including the LGBT community, have taken offense at the Blue Lives Matter flag, seeing it as an affront to the efforts to bring attention to the marginalized.

We flew the Blue Lives Matter flag in honor of the lesbian daughter of one of our members, Carroll said in his letter. She came out relatively recently, and then became a police officer. When I was asked permission for this weeks ago I was only thinking of what a great show of love and respect for his family this was. There was absolutely no political motivation or activism intended by this display.

Carroll said members of the brigade were not asked to vote on whether to include the flag and the majority of them were not even aware it was there because they were so busy and excited on parade morning it was ultimately my original call that let the flag appear. I was wrong. I deeply regret that decision.

Tony Rothert, legal director for the ACLU of Missouri, commented in a Facebook thread about the letter from Carroll: This seems to be one of the most sincere apologies I have ever read. Rather than take criticism as a personal insult, an educational moment was accepted. The return of awards shows this is for real. Kudos.

The apology came as parade judges on Monday were debating by email whether to strip the Balloon Brigade of its awards.

I am going to speak up here because a lot of assumptions are being made as to the decision of them receiving the award, wrote Ben James, one of the judges, in a Facebook post prior to Carrolls statement. We at the judges tent could not see any of the flags they were flying because they were using their balloons to block our view of them. As someone who personally supports Black Lives Matter, I am disgusted to learn that this flag was hidden from us. And I am further upset that we awarded this to them; knowing now that they had this flag I wish we could take these awards away.

One other judge said the flag was not hidden but among others representing different groups and on a float decked out with hundreds of bright balloons. He said he did not notice it was a flag representing Blue Lives Matter.

Pride St. Louis, the nonprofit that organizes the downtown parade, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon after the Post-Dispatch asked whether groups such as Black Lives Matter were prevented from participating in the parade.

Pride St. Louis does not have a policy to prevent political groups from participating or from taking political positions. Black Lives Matter did not ask to participate, but had they asked, we would have immediately allowed them to participate, said Pride spokesman Landon Brownfield. In past parades, organizations have carried a Black Lives Matter sign, Brownfield said.

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Blue Lives Matter flag unfurls a controversy at St. Louis PrideFest parade - STLtoday.com

New Delhi: It seems like the English dictionary just woke up and is getting political.

The Oxford English Dictionary has expanded the definition of woke, in both online and print mediums, saying that woke has been used as alert to injustice in society, especially racism.

In the past decade, that meaning has been catapulted into mainstream use with a particular nuance of alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice, popularized through the lyrics of the 2008 song Master Teacher by Erykah Badu, in which the words I stay woke serve as a refrain, and more recently through its association with the Black Lives Matter movement, especially on social media., Oxford explained.

This well-established but newly prominent usage of woke has become emblematic of the ways in which black American culture and language are adopted by non-black people who dont always appreciate their full historical and cultural context. It is therefore of particular interest that the earliest citation for woke, adj. in the figurative sense comes from a 1962 article by the African-American novelist William Melvin Kelley in the New York Times, entitled If youre woke, you dig it, which describes how white beatniks were appropriating black slang at the time, the dictionary further explained.

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Black Lives Matter: Oxford Broadens Definition of 'Woke' - News18

In season two of Queen Sugar, which kicked off two-episode opener last week on OWN with its highest ratings ever, we catch up with our beloved Bordelons after an indiscriminate amount of time following the events of the season one finale.

Charley is continuing in the creation of a sugar mill dedicated to the needs of black farmers. Queen Sugar Mill provides an alternative choice to the areas largest sugar cane production company. It also grants these farmers some independence from the exploitation of white capitalism that overcharges them for their products while simultaneously devaluing their labor. The bank is impressed with Charleys business plan and will provide her with the necessary investment money, as long as she goes in on the loan with her estranged husband Davis West. Without his involvement the bank is skittish, despite the fact that more than 2/3 of the areas black farmers have already agreed to mill Queen Sugar, enough to ensure the company will turn a profit within its first year.

Weve seen a lot of think pieces in the last few months about what happens when the steadfast intelligence of a woman is overlooked in favor the flashy brand of her less qualified male counterpart. I wont add to that applicable commentary here, except to highlight that Queen Sugar starts the season off by exploring the ways that particular dynamic plays out for women of color who often find themselves at the intersections of their race and gender. Charley is spearheading a project that will uplift the black entrepreneurs and workers in her area, but she is unable to accomplish these goals without a male co-signature. She gets out of this quagmire by signing Davis name on the banks contract without his consent, which is obviously all kinds of illegal. Im sure its coming back to bite her soon.

Nova is helping to organize a rally and fundraiser for the NOLA Community Bail Fund. These types of bail funds are a genius grassroots response to the reality that approximately 450,000 poor people (often people of color) are being detained simply because they cant afford bail thats sometimes as little as $100. Its a prime example of the ways that the government thrives on poor, black, and brown bodies. There are large and small Community Bail Funds across the country from Louisville to Brooklyn, the Bronx, the Pacific Northwest, and Chicago, among others. Please consider looking one up near you and gifting them a small donation if you are so moved.

We learned last season that the NOLA Community Bail Fund was a project started by Novas ex-girlfriend Chantal. I was hopeful this detail meant we would see Chantal this week, but alas not yet. Come back Chantal! We miss you!

No worries though, because Nova still goes on a Queer Girl Adventure of sorts. Early in the premiere she attends a friends baby shower and recommends that her college circle consider expanding their expectations of love, sex, and family (Nova has clearly been reading Erins ongoing investigative report, Are Straight Women Okay?). Shes having that moment every queer woman experiences at some point. They look around at the straight women in their lives and wonder: Why on earth do all these women who are otherwise strong, smart, and freaking amazing come to plummeting halt over a guy? OVER A GUY? REALLY? Come join us on #TeamGay. We have better orgasms.

Nova shouldnt hold herself too high on her horse, however. The premiere has her sleeping with two different, lackluster unnamed white men. Nova, do better! We are rooting for you! Though, it is interesting that the show has decided to highlight Novas downward personal spiral as booze and a parade of unsatisfying straight sex.

Aunt Violet (who judging from the comments in my season one recap is a fan favorite, and I agree!) holds strong as the heartbeat of the family. She hosts the annual Bordelon Juneteenth Family Dinner, which is a tradition that that I plan on adapting in my personal life ASAP. Its such a good way to honor the anniversary of slaverys end in America. Vis also doing well in her promotion as the manager of the local diner, but she misses Hollywood like crazy.

Nova suggests that she, Vi, and Charley have Girls Night Out to get out of their respective funks. I have to say, Drunk Aunt Violet comes second only to season ones High Aunt Violet in my book. This woman is pure joy. She has a life or death scare about Hollywood while hes working on the oil-rig. It finally brings them back together, just as it should be.

Ralph Angel is still trying to make things work with his own little family unit. Hes working hard on the farm and has some new ideas for its expansion. He starts the two-part opener struggling with Darla, his girlfriend and childs mother. Bianca Lawson, by the way, plays Darla. Yes, Maya from Pretty Little Liars and Kendra from Buffy, the root of many a queer girls heart going aflutter. While in circle at Narcotics Anonymous, Darla gives a shattering speech about the lasting relationship consequences that stem from her addiction. I have been watching Lawson act since the 90s and feel confident in saying that she is delivering the performance of her career in this role.

Ralph Angel gets his act together with Darla by the episodes close. He also defends his young son Blue against an asshole waiter who polices his gender during a family outing; the waiter suggests that the child get a Transformer toy instead of his beloved Barbie and best friend Kenya. Because apparently God forbid THE BOY PLAY WITH A FUCKING DOLL. There are a lot of reasons to love Ralph Angel, but his insistence on protecting the parts of his son that could that could be considered soft or feminine or non-conforming has to be high on the list.

Speaking of policing the bodies and habits of young black boys, we have to talk about Micah.

About midway through the first episode we see the police stop Micah as he is cruising down a Louisiana state road in the convertible that his father bought him. I safely assume we all saw where this was going the minute the cop cars lights flashed for Micah to pull over and Im not the only one whose adrenaline rushed. I screamed like a horror movie when the cop pulled his gun on Micah, because in some ways isnt that what black confrontation with police has become? A horror show? A spectacle? Every show seems to want to do a Black Lives Matter Special Episode these days, and I am becoming jilted at the most important civil rights discussion of this generation being sanitized and stifled into a television trend.

Ive also been writing Orange is the New Black recaps this summer, and I couldnt help but think about how Queen Sugars approach works exactly because it doesnt resort to excessive violence or torture porn to make its point. Instead, we experience Micahs fear. We watch slowly, subtly as his light get snuffed out. I held myself when the camera panned to his getting out of jail and we realize that he urinated on himself. Nova goes to him and offers her sweater to cover the stain on his pants, telling her nephew that there aint nothing to be ashamed of. But its too late.

Micah has lost a piece of himself. This is the day he becomes an adult; ironic since the car was something of a sweet sixteen milestone gift from his father. And its one of the most realistic, nearly universal, and devastating coming of age stories about black young people that the show could provide. Its one that I know all too well. I have a nephew who is right now pure sunshine. He is my greatest joy. Sometimes when I watch him, I cant help but start to wonder what happens when he is 13 or 16 or 21 and the state comes to steal some of his soul as well. Sometimes it feels as if the tax on being black in America is giving up a part of what made us bright in order to keep ourselves safe.

Queen Sugar effectively demonstrates that there are all types of way for the police to steal black humanity; some are too subtle for twitter trends and social media shares. But, they are no less suffocating or brutal.

Of course Davis, Micahs father, almost completely misses the point. He confronts Charley at the end of their divorce proceedings that Micah needs a strong male role model to deal with the aftereffects of his arrest. If so, thats news to Micah he goes to his Aunt Nova for help in the episodes heartbreaking final shot.

Before I close out this weeks review, I would be amiss not to mention that the second hour of this season premiere was directed by Cheryl Dunye. Dunye is a black lesbian indie filmmaker that LGBT+ film aficionados might best recognize for her role in the 1990s queer new wave and her 1996 groundbreaking work The Watermelon Woman. If you enjoyed Dee Rees work in Pariah (2011) or Bessie (2015), please know that Dunye opened up the doors for her and so many other black queer directors. Lets all raise a metaphorical glass to honor her contribution and her work.

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Queen Sugar Does Black Lives Matter Storytelling Right - Autostraddle

A Black Lives Matter Die-In at the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minneapolis (@susanelizabethl via Twitter)

Black Lives Matter demonstrators briefly halted the 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival this past weekend in downtown Minneapolis, upset over the inclusion of police officers in the parade in the wake of the acquittal of a Minnesota police officer in the shooting death of Philando Castile.

Thousands of people were gathered along the parade route on Hennepin Avenue on Sunday morning when the parade came to a halt as Black Lives Matter demonstrators jumped in front of the lead vehicle, which happened to be a police car, according to a local CBS affiliate.

Marchers stopped at every intersection and delayed the parade for an hour, speaking into a mobile microphone and speaker, demanding that police officers be removed from the parade. They followed with a staged die-in, as well as a moment of silence for people who have been affected by police violence, as the crowd looked on.

The demonstrators were upset that organizers decided to include police officers in the parade so soon after St. Anthony, Minn., Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted for the July 2016 killing of Castile, a black motorist.

After an hour of delays, the parade proceeded as planned, and Dot Belstler, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, told CBS that she didnt see anything wrong with the protest disrupting the parade.

People are allowed to protest; its great, and I think people were really respectful of that, and now its time for a parade, Beltsler said.

Read more at CBS.

Read more here:
Black Lives Matter Demonstrators Briefly Halt 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minnesota - The Root

Where: Falcon Heights, Minnesota

What happened: St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled Castile over during a traffic stop. Castile told the officer he had a firearm on him, which he was permitted to carry. Castile reached for something and Yanez shot him five times. During the Facebook Live video, Castile's girlfriend said he was reaching for his license; the officer later said he thought Castile was reaching for his gun.

The outcomes: Yanez was acquitted of second-degree manslaughter, but the city of St. Anthony settled with Castile's mother for $3 million.

"The settlement will be paid through the City's coverage with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. No taxpayer monies from the City of St. Anthony Village will be used to fund this settlement," a joint statement from the city and the Castile family said.

By reaching a settlement, the Castile family and St. Anthony avoid "a federal civil rights lawsuit which may have taken years to work its way through the courts exacerbating the suffering of the family and of the community," the statement said.

Date of death: April 29, 2017

Where: Balch Springs, Texas

What happened: Officers responded to a house party after reports of underage drinking. Police spotted a car leaving with five people inside.

Officer Roy Oliver fired into the car with a rifle, fatally shooting Jordan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.

Police Chief Jonathan Haber initially said the car had been moving "aggressively" toward officers. Later, Haber corrected himself and said body camera footage showed the car was driving forward -- away from the officers.

Date of death: July 5, 2016

Where: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

What happened: Sterling was selling CDs outside a convenience store when police received a call of a man with a gun. Cellphone video showed police tackling Sterling and pinning him to the ground before Sterling was shot. Police said Sterling was reaching for a gun.

But Sterling's death has sparked change in the city. Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said $2 million will be spent securing body cameras for the entire police force. On top of that, the city's police training manual will be revised, and officers will receive training in implicit bias, the mayor said.

Date of death: April 4, 2015

Where: North Charleston, South Carolina

As Scott ran away from the officer, a witness captured video of Slager shooting Scott several times in the back.

In exchange for his guilty plea on one of the federal counts -- punishable by up to life in prison -- two other federal charges and state charges were dropped.

Scott's death also led to a statewide change: the South Carolina Legislature passed a bill mandating the use of police body cameras.

Date of death: February 26, 2012

Where: Sanford, Florida

What happened: Martin was walking from a convenience store back to the home of his father's fiance. Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman spotted him from his car and called 911, reporting "a real suspicious guy."

A scuffle broke out, but there were no direct witnesses. Zimmerman claimed Martin attacked him, hitting him in the nose and knocking him onto the pavement. Zimmerman said he then took out his gun and shot Martin in self defense.

But critics said Zimmerman was unjustified in confronting the unarmed teen, especially since Zimmerman didn't heed a police dispatcher's advice to stop following him.

Date of death: July 17, 2014

Where: New York City

The New York Police Department prohibits the use of chokeholds.

Garner, who had asthma, repeatedly said, "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" while several officers restrained him on the ground. Police said he suffered a heart attack and died en route to a hospital.

The outcomes: A grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo, sparking protests and "die-ins."

Garner's death also spurred a new protest slogan: "I can't breathe," some of the last words Garner said before he died. Several professional athletes wore shirts saying "I can't breathe" in silent protest.

Date of death: August 9, 2014

Where: Ferguson, Missouri

What happened: Brown was walking with a friend in the middle of a street when Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson approached them and told them to walk on the sidewalk.

After that, the narratives split. Authorities said Brown attacked the officer in his car and tried to take his gun. Other witnesses said the teenager was surrendering, his hands in the air to show he was unarmed, when the officer opened fire.

Documents showed that Wilson fired his gun 12 times.

The outcomes: A grand jury decided not to indict Wilson -- leading to heated and sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and across the country.

The Justice Department found that "many officers" apparently viewed some of the city's black residents "less as constituents to be protected than as potential offenders and sources of revenue."

Date of death: April 19, 2015, seven days after he was injured

Where: Baltimore

Officers handcuffed Gray and put him in a police van. At some point, Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury. He died seven days later.

The outcomes: Six Baltimore police officers, including three black and three white officers, were charged in connection with Gray's death.

The settlement did not "represent any judgment" on whether the officers were guilty or innocent, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.

"This settlement represents an opportunity to bring closure to the Gray family, the community and the city."

CNN's Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.

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'Black Lives Matter' cases: What happened after controversial police killings - CNN