Thursday, October 10, 2019

Over a Hundred Leading Black Clergy and Allies Call For Boycott of 'The Word Network'

 Bishop George Bloomer

National Protests Planned Amid Allegations
of Racial Insensitivity by Owner Kevin Adell 

New York, NY - A group of over a hundred Black clergy members have come together to protest the racially insensitive environment perpetuated by The Word Network, a Christian television network that bills itself as the world’s largest African-American Religious Network and reaches 93 million homes in the U.S. The Word Network is owned by Kevin Adell, who is white.

On September 19, 2019, Mr. Adell denigrated and humiliated the very community of which he profits when he sent a text message containing a photo of himself dressed as a pimp surrounded by Black clergymen he referred to as his “hoes.” This racist incident catalyzed the present petition to boycott the Word Network on Change.org that has garnered almost three thousand signatures.

Preachers throughout the country, including, Bishop George Bloomer, one of the prominent clergy members pictured in Adell’s photo, are planning protests in Michigan and in targeted locations across the country. Over a hundred other preachers are joining in the Word Network boycott including: Archbishop E. Bernard Jordan, Zoe Ministries, Pastor Debra Jordan, Zoe Ministries, Pastor Larry Reid, Larry Reid Live, Vickie Yohe, Christian Recording Artist, Paul Crouch, Jr. Impact Network, Lisa Sharon Harper, Freedom Roads, Rev. Anita Faye-Wilson, Apostle Travis Wright, Rev. Yolanda Brown, Center of Destiny Ministries, Rev. Dr. Peter Heltzel, Micah Clergy Table and many others.
 
Although Mr. Adell claims he did not create the image, he wasn’t offended by it and texted it to various staff (many of whom are African-American) including Bishop George Bloomer. The result was a highly hostile work environment for Bishop Bloomer and for others. Bishop Bloomer recently testified to additional incidents of Kevin Adell’s flagrant racism, all of which are are outlined in the Change.org petition.  

Source: Mercury

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