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Miami Herald

The 44 Percent: Malcolm Jamal Warner, DEI, Miami takes on Go-go

There was always a suaveness to the way Malcolm-Jamal Warner carried himself. He had a way of making you feel like you knew him, be it through Twitter exchanges, the warmth he displayed in the projects he did following 'The Cosby Show,' including 'Reed Between The Lines' or 'The Magic School Bus.' He was humble and loving to anyone in his presence, no matter who you were. That's also why his death is difficult to process and feels so unfair. Malcolm was family, and not simply because we saw him on the TV screen playing Theo Huxtable, the lovably naive teen who captured our hearts and grew into a self-assured, college-educated young man. He carried a deep love for Black people and was committed to advancing the Black community through art and education. Malcolm-Jamal Warner's portrayal of Theo personified what was possible for young Black men growing up at a time when Black people were affected by the crack epidemic and when Black males were more often than not depicted as criminals. It was simply even more beautiful that he lived the life we'd dream Theo would have: a successful career dedicated to uplifting Black people, with a family to boot. Malcolm represented the best in us. INSIDE THE 305: DEI is 'elephant in the room' at Miami Beach conference for professionals of color More than 150 attendees filled a ballroom for the first day of ColorComm for a panel discussion on how changes to diversity, equity and inclusion programs affect professionals of color, Miami Herald reporter Michael Butler reported. In response to the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police, many companies developed DEI programs that have since been ended. At Wednesday's panel, the president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, a coalition of associations supporting Black businesses, emphasized the need to talk about DEI not just as a corporate trend but as a set of principles and values that affect real people. 'When you say those words, they're not attacking DEI — they're attacking you and I,' said the executive, Ron Busby. 'A quiet leader.' Miami Air Force veteran who inspired others dies at 92 Beloved veteran and friend Leonard Hopkins, who was profiled in a story along with fellow Black veterans by Michael Butler, died from prostate cancer on Sunday. He was 92. Leonard Hopkins and his fellow Black military veterans were regulars at a Miami McDonald's every morning except Christmas. They laughed, traded war stories and discussed current events over cups of coffee and orange juice. One of Hopkins' sons said that even though he was a 'quiet leader,' his presence spoke volumes, Butler wrote. 'He would say, when you walk in the room, people want to know who you are,' said son Stephen Hopkins, 65. 'When you leave the room they will want to know who you were.' OUTSIDE THE 305: LLWS star Mo'ne Davis eyes women's pro baseball league spot Mo'ne Davis, who rose to prominence at 13 in the Little League World Series, will try out for the Women's Professional Baseball League, ESPN reported. Davis, 24, will join other women's baseball stars such as Kelsie Whitmore, the first woman to sign a professional contract with an MLB-partnered league, at the tryouts, which will be held in Washington, D.C., from Aug. 22-25, according to the news outlet. Rachel Robinson, widow of UCLA icon and Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, turns 103 Rachel Robinson, the widow of baseball icon Jackie Robinson, turned 103 this pas week, The UCLA Wire Reported. She celebrated her birthday on Saturday. Rachel and Jackie Robinson met while they both attended UCLA in the 1940s. The two got married in 1946, the outlet reported. Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier a year later with the Brooklyn Dodgers to begin a Hall of Fame baseball career. HIGH CULTURE: Celebrate go-go music at this annual event that takes over Miami this weekend For four days, the Miami Takeover will celebrate Black culture and the 50th anniversary of go-go, a subgenre of funk from Washington, D.C. Now in its 17th year, the festival will include pool parties, themed evening soirees and its premier night 'The Art of Go-Go,' which will highlight D-C. go-go bands. Where does 'The 44 Percent' name come from? Click here to find out how Miami history influenced the newsletter's title.