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The History of Black People in Competitive Sports and The Continuation of "Black Firsts" In 2023

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The latest episode of “REVOLT Black News Weekly” aired on Friday (March 10) and tackled topics that included the continued quest for justice for Shanquella Robinson, the kidnapping and killing of U.S. citizens by a cartel in Mexico, the FBI’s alleged attempt to infiltrate the Black Lives Matter movement, and more. Global news anchor Mara S. Campo led the episode titled, “The mysterious death of Shanquella Robinson, pushing for judicial action, and the FBI’s infiltration of BLM.”

Last week’s episode spotlighted how it’s been over four months since Shanquella was killed in less than 24 hours after arriving for a vacation in Cabo San Lucas. The North Carolina native’s family took their fight to D.C. to plead with officials to intervene. The family is applying pressure to the State Department and the Department of Justice to aggressively seek accountability for Shanquella’s death.

“I need an arrest and a conviction for all the ones… the Cabo Six,” said Salamondra Robinson, Shanquella’s mother, at a press conference on Friday (March 3) morning in Washington, D.C. The Cabo Six refers to the people who travelled with her daughter to Mexico. The coroner determined Shanquella’s death was accidental or violent with no mention of the alcohol poisoning the people on the trip allegedly said was the cause.

“A woman was beaten to death on camera, and she returned from a vacation with her neck and back, her spine broken. It’s very simple; we saw an attack,” said activist Tamika Mallory at the press conference, which also included civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Attorney Sue-Ann Robinson went to Mexico to retrieve documents and said she was informed by officials that the attacker seen beating Shanquella in the now-viral video was Daejhanae Jackson, 27, from North Carolina. Jackson was one of the reported friends who allegedly told the victim’s mother that she died of alcohol poisoning. Nevertheless, four months later and there still haven’t been any arrests.

In a statement to “REVOLT Black News Weekly,” U.S. officials said, “The FBI is working with the Department of Justice to determine if a U.S. federal crime was committed.”

The kidnapping of four U.S. citizens in Mexico earlier this month — including a mother of six — was also spotlighted. Four friends left in a van from South Carolina for a scheduled tummy tuck in Matamoros on Friday (March 3). After crossing the border from Texas into Mexico, they were shot at and kidnapped. When the victims were found days later, there were only two survivors.

“Was it a case of mistaken identity? Was this a one-off? Was this a mistake? Or is this a situation where American lives are constantly at stake here and should this organization be treated like a foreign terrorist organization?” asked Dr. Nola Haynes, a national security and foreign policy expert.

Elsewhere in this week’s “REVOLT Black News Weekly” installment, the FBI’s possible involvement in the Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd in 2020 was examined. The “Alphabet Boys” podcast contends that the FBI infiltrated protests and uses informants to dig up dirt on protesters, disrupt the movement and incite violence. A man named Michael “Mickey” Windecker has been tabbed as reportedly being on the FBI’s payroll.

“The FBI describes this informant as coming forward to the FBI to basically be a Captain America,” said investigative journalist Trevor Aaronson, who hosts the aforementioned podcast. “He came to the local police and was referred to the FBI. He claimed to the FBI that he had information on these racial justice protests… that there was danger happening and he wanted to help.”

But, Windecker is accused of actually trying to instigate violence instead. Zebbodios “Zebb” Hall, a Denver social justice activist, told the story of a white man, Windecker, who drove a hearse full of guns, and who started leading protests. Windecker allegedly went as far as suggesting a plot to kill an elected official, Colorado’s attorney general, and was reportedly paid $20,000 in a six-month period by the FBI for his services. But those around him drew the line at killing people, though Hall caught a charge for inexplicably purchasing a gun for Windecker.

The idea of the FBI infiltrating social justice movements and entrapping organizers is not just a conspiracy theory. The infamous COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) operations that began in 1956 were tasked with surveilling Black leaders and organizations under suspicion of being enemies of the state. Some of their famed targets included Martin Luther King, Jr.; Malcolm X; and the Black Panthers. Interestingly, the FBI declined to comment on Windecker.

Also in the episode was a look at the explosive growth of OnlyFans during the pandemic and its emergence as a cash windfall for Black sex workers and women of color. Besides the money, OnlyFans also meant great safety for said sex workers. “OnlyFans gave me an opportunity to take more control over my safety,” said stripper-turned-adult content creator Sage La Flame. “I make content from the safety of my home. I decide who I want to make content with. I produce everything myelf, and I’m able to monetize that.”

Moreover, REVOLT correspondent Kennedy Rue also discussed how Black athletes are breaking into and excelling in sports they were historically kept out of — like swimming, golfing and gymnastics.

Be sure to catch new installments of “REVOLT Black News Weekly” every Friday at 5 p.m. ET via REVOLT’s app. Plus, watch a quick clip from this week’s episode up top.