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‘All Rise’ for Actress Simone Missick

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — “The show tries to illuminate that people are in charge of our criminal justice system and yes we have written laws but those laws are manipulated, changed and stretched to fit whatever narrative that a person may have consciously or subconsciously about an individual or a group of people,” said actress and executive producer Simone Missick.
The post ‘All Rise’ for Actress Simone Missick first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

July 13, 2022

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The star of the OWN series on stepping into her new role as an Executive Producer

By Zon D’Amour, Contributing Writer | Los Angeles Sentinel

In the opening scene for the third season of “All Rise,” we believe Lola Carmichael (played by Simone Missick) has lost her election and her seat as a judge only to reveal that she actually won.

The series initially had a similar fate, canceled by CBS to later be picked up and renewed by OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network). In an exclusive interview with the LA Sentinel, Simone Missick shares the importance of using her voice as an executive producer to create an inspiring and culturally relevant narrative.

L.A. Sentinel: In addition to starring in the show, it’s exciting to also see you credited as an executive producer. Can you share what that role entails?

Simone Missick: I came into season three knowing I wanted to be an executive producer. I have three fellow co-producers, Denitria Harris-Lawrence who is our showrunner as well as Michael Robin and Len Goldstein who have been with the show since the beginning. I was stepping into this [role] knowing that I was going to be partnered with people that I trusted creatively and professionally to tell impactful stories while also being timely and culturally relevant.

As an executive producer, there’s a level of joy I have going to work everyday being the lead on the show and then being able to help to tell it in a stronger, more culturally specific way. [For example] I said Lola has to go to Howard University. She was supposed to have gone a school in California for undergrad and I said, ‘Oh no! She had to have gone to Howard.’

Those things are important. I remember growing up and watching “The Cosby Show” and seeing all those [college] sweatshirts that Cliff Huxtable wore and asking, ‘Where’s that school?’ As an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) alumna, I know how important those images are for young Black students and it was important for me to share that with the “All Rise” audience.

LAS: Having watched several episodes from season 3, it seems as if some of the storylines are inspired by current events. Can you share what type of cases we can expect this season and how Lola will navigate these issues in her courtroom?

SM: The show tries to illuminate that people are in charge of our criminal justice system and yes we have written laws but those laws are manipulated, changed and stretched to fit whatever narrative that a person may have consciously or subconsciously about an individual or a group of people.

This season we’ll see how difficult it is to get a wrongfully convicted man exonerated. Then we find ourselves dealing with a serial killer that’s been targeting black women in Los Angeles for decades.

Simone Missick as Judge Lola Carmichael in ‘All Rise,’ (Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc./ Courtesy of OWN)

Another episode that I’m really excited about is whether teaching Black History should be allowed in schools. There’s a moment when one of our characters can’t understand how this debate is happening in California. They say, ‘I know it’s happening down south, I know it’s happening in the midwest, but in Los Angeles?’ and Lola’s response to that is very much in line with my [own] awareness of where we are as a nation and the need for people in power to hold on to that power by trying to shape a narrative about the history of this country.

Those are just some of the examples of the cases we have coming up. Some of which, as you said are “ripped from the headlines” while some have been a part of the criminal justice system forever. I think [“All Rise”] does it in a way that feels fresh and exciting for our audiences while also asking them to question their own biases and their own judgements of who’s guilty, who isn’t, who deserves rehabilitation and who doesn’t. Who deserves a second chance and who’s irreparably damaged and thus needs to be put away for life.

LAS: Can you share advice for fellow creatives who may feel as if they’ve been hard at work for years but have yet to experience their big break? How do you remain resilient during the toughest times?

SM: I thank God for my husband who’s my prayer partner, my biggest supporter and someone who’s also in the industry so he understands the highs and lows. He’s encouraged me for years before it happened. I also have a strong prayer group of women, we study the word together, we lift each other up in prayer for auditions and meetings and also encourage one another because there are peaks and valleys.

As artists we have these ideas of the way it should go but for me, I thank God for every “no” that I ever received that led me to “Luke Cage” because they weren’t looking for somebody who we had seen everywhere. It had to be me, one, because that’s how I believe God works but it also had to be me who literally had done only three jobs up until that point–three IMDb credits. I had done plays, commercials and short films but in the eyes of the industry, I was a ‘nobody’ but in God’s eyes, He knew exactly where I was supposed to be.

For people who feel as though it’s never going to happen, if you truly love what you do and believe that’s what God has placed you here to do on this earth, never give up. Make whatever you can happen on your own so that when those opportunities come, you’re ready. Be good at your craft, sharpen your skills and never give up on yourself. Those are the things that will continue to propel you forward.

All Rise airs Tuesdays at 8p/7pc only on OWN.

The post ‘All Rise’ for Actress Simone Missick appeared first on Los Angeles Sentinel.

The post ‘All Rise’ for Actress Simone Missick first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

4 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

5 days ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

6 days ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: