Who is Jimalita Tillman? Shannon Sharpe sued by Harold Washington Cultural Center director over viral Usher video claims

Jimalita Tillman, who is the Global Director of Programs and Operations at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, has filed a lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe, claiming that he spread a false narrative about her following her viral moment from Usher's concert earlier this year.

According to the US Sun, this lawsuit comes just two weeks after Shannon Sharpe had settled another lawsuit with an unnamed woman who had accused him of r*pe. In her statement, she wrote:

"On April 2, 2025 I participated in a fan engagement moment at a Usher Raymond concert where I interacted with the artist as a selected audience member. Following this event, the defendants made and disseminated false and defamatory statements suggesting that I was married and that my husband was filing for divorce due to my participation in this audience experience, I am not married, nor am I currently going through a divorce."

Earlier this year, Jimalita Tillman was attending Usher's concert in London when the "Nice & Slow" singer walked up and sang to her. The sweet moment between Usher and Tillman later went viral, with many including Shannon Sharpe, commenting on the viral moment. In an interview with WGN9, Jimalita Tillman talked about the moment that lead to her unprecedented fame. She said:

"He wasn’t even supposed to stop where we were! It was like magnetic. And he smells like vacation. So he brought me closer and I locked in. I brought out all the Broadway magic that I had, but it was easy! He has a magnetic personality. And I’m really excited about this opportunity because now Harold Washington is getting a lot of play and people are following things my daughter is doing."

More about Jimalita Tillman, as she files lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe, accusing him of defamation

According to The Sun, Jimalita Tillman has now sued Shannon Sharpe for $20 million for defamation. Shannon Sharpe and his co host, Chad Johnson, in their podcast, "Nightcap," had previously allgeged that Jimalita Tillman was allegedly being divorced by her husband because of her viral moment with Usher. In her statement, that was obtained by the outlet, she stated that Sharpe propagating the false narrative about her has put a strain on her professional and personal relationships. She said:

"I was not married at the time of the fan participation moment during the Usher concert. The defendants' false narratives were shared widely across their platforms, reaching millions of followers, viral spread and refutation efforts, despite my clear and public reputation of the false narrative."

She further added:

"The defendants continued to post the defamatory content across their social media platforms. I made numerous efforts to contact the defendants to request the removal of this false narrative, but these requests were disregarded.Their continued dissemination of these false statements after I publicly clarified my marital status demonstrates a reckless disregard for the truth. The ongoing misinformation has resulted in emotional distress for the plaintiff, damaged her reputation and adversely affected her personal and professional relationships.

According to the official website of the Harold Washington Cultural Center, Jimalita Tillman attended DePual University in Chicago where she graduated with a degree in Theatre Management and International Marketing. She is currently pursuing a degree in Board Development, which she is studying for at the University of Chicago Graham School.

Jimalita Tillman, who is the recipient of the 2022 Phenomenal Woman Award presented by the Black Women's Expo, has never been married despite ongoing rumors. She is a single mother to one daughter from a previous relationship. In an interview with WGN9, Tillman addressed the rumors about her marital status and said:

"That is completely false. I am single. I am a retired homeschool mom looking to expand the arts here and across the pond. I am single. You got a cherry, give me a jingle."

According to CNBC, her daughter, Dorothy Jean Tillman II, who is just seventeen years old, recently earned a doctorate in Behaviourial Health from the Arizona State University. Talking about her daughter, whom she homeschooled her whole life, she said:

"I look to her even as inspiration for things I do in my own day to day life. Early on, what was important was allowing her to lead and teach me things, even if I knew them already. Whatever [subject] she took interest in, I would take interest in that and allow her to teach me, which built up her own confidence and the things that she knew. And then [it left her] wanting to learn more."

She previously posted about her daughter's achievements on her Instagram.

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According to Jimalita Tillman's Linkdln Profile, prior to her appointment as the Global Director of the Harold Washington Cultural Center, she served as the CEO of the Dorothy Jeanius STEAM Leadership Institute. She is also the founding member of the Chicago Independent Venue League.

At the moment, Shannon Sharpe, who was fired from ESPN earlier this week, following his settlement of the se*ual assault lawsuit, is yet to release a statement regarding the matter involving Jimalita Tillman.

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