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“REVOLT BLACK NEWS Weekly” aired on Friday (Aug. 19) to discuss the impacts of environmental injustice, the best strategies for investing in cryptocurrency, and Idris Elba’s new role in the film Beast.
REVOLT Special Correspondent Rochelle Ritchie hosted the episode, titled ”Environmental Justice Unveiled and Is There a Crash of Crypto? Gen Z Weighs In.” She was joined by President of Hip Hop Caucus Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Georgia Young Republicans member Nina Blackwelder, Cryptocurrency Task Force of Miami Dade County Chairman Elijah John Bowdre, host of “Maconomics” Ross Mac, and superstar Idris Elba. REVOLT Entertainment Correspondent Kennedy Rue McCullough also brought viewers the latest in celebrity news, during which she interviewed “Insecure” actor Jean Elie.
Ritchie opened the show by informing viewers that Black communities across the nation are facing environmental injustices and are subjected to higher levels of pollution when compared to white communities. Last week, President Joe Biden passed a climate bill that will lower pollution and address issues plaguing Black and brown communities. During a press conference, United States Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “We’ll prioritize the cases that will have the greatest impact on the communities most overburdened by environmental harm.”
Ritchie held a roundtable discussion with Yearwood and Blackwelder about climate change and its impact on minorities. Yearwood told Ritchie that “the climate crisis is [a Black] issue” that should be taken seriously. “Climate justice is racial justice and racial justice is climate justice. This is our issue,” he asserted. “I’m from Louisiana so when you’re from the Gulf Coast, there’s the issue of Hurricane Katrina. We’re the ones who are left behind to suffer with this climate crisis. We’re the ones on the front lines and so the issue regarding the climate and greenhouse gas emissions, that’s us.”
On the contrary, Blackwelder opposes the climate bill and believes it was not created for minority communities. “I think that it’s fantastic that we’re making moves towards having a healthier and greener community in national space,” she noted before stressing that the transition comes at a hefty cost. “I’m not sure I know anyone who is fully solar and I only know a handful of people with electric cars. Where is the nearest electric charging station to your nearest minority community? I think this [bill] is a lot of lip service,” she stated.
Switching gears, Ritchie turned her attention to the financial world, the ups and downs of investing in cryptocurrency and the impact it has had on Black investors. She spoke with Bowdre and Mac about different approaches to investing in cryptocurrency. Bowdre began the discussion by first warning viewers to stop investing in crypto. “The financial systems of this country are like a house of cards built on a mound of sand, and the blockchain is like a meteor that’s crash-landed into the economic oceans of the world. Underneath the horizon, there’s a tsunami that’s coming that’s going to affect everyone,” he cautioned.
However, for those who have concrete plans to invest in cryptocurrency, Bowdre emphasized the importance of studying beforehand. “The first thing to do is always invest in your own education and understanding of it. Having an understanding of your own position so that you can make the best decisions for you and your family,” he remarked. Mac assured viewers who may have smaller budgets that they can invest in crypto with as little as $100. “Investors don’t need to own one full bitcoin. You can own [a fraction] of it. So, if you only had $100, you can buy a $100 worth of bitcoin and at the time, whatever that valuation is, that will be the fraction of that bitcoin that you own,” he explained.
Later in the show, McCullough hosted her “Entertainment Remix” segment, during which she interviewed “Insecure” actor Jean Elie who spoke about his friendship with “Awkward Black Girl” star Issa Rae. “Having someone like Issa as a big sister — not only on screen but now in real life, where I can call her about anything to help me through anything,” he voiced.
McCullough also spoke with Elie about the alarming rate at which Black men are committing suicide. “I recently experienced two friends who have done it, which is very troublesome. I put myself out there as someone you can talk to [and] have a conversation with because of what I’ve been through,” he lamented.
McCullough’s segment also featured Ritchie’s interview with Idris Elba. They talked about his latest film Beast, in which he plays a widowed doctor who travels to a South African game reserve with his two teenage daughters. At some point during the film, the trio encounters a vicious lion and must do all that they can to survive. “I hope people get the message that there is a sort of educated curve in this film, teaching people about poaching and how bad it is for our planet and on our animals — especially across Africa,” he shared. Idris Elba, who is also a world-renowned DJ, told Ritchie that one day he hopes to collaborate with living legend Sean “Diddy” Combs. “I’m going to put it out there. When Diddy’s ready, I’m going to collab with Diddy. That’s my guy … that would be dope,” he expressed.
Watch a quick clip from this week’s episode up top. Plus, be sure to catch the next installment of “REVOLT BLACK NEWS Weekly” on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 at 5 p.m. ET on REVOLT’s app.