by Jameelah Mullen

November 7, 2025

Prince Hall Freemasons Retain Historic Site In Washington, D.C.

This historic landmark stands tall despite gentrification.

The Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons and Eastern Stars of the District of Columbia has won the right to retain ownership of its historic location in the District’s U Street corridor, a neighborhood once known as the hub of Black business, arts, and culture.

The organization, through its charity, the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons and Order of the Eastern Stars Educational Charitable Foundation, received approval from the D.C. Council to retain its tax-exempt status of its building, located at 10th and U..

The temple’s tax-exempt status was at risk due to a name change and required reapplication. In 2022, the former Prince Hall Freemason and Eastern Star Charitable Foundation became the Prince Hall Free & Accepted Mason and the Order of the Eastern Star Charitable Educational Foundation (PHFAMOESCEF).

“In 2022, we at the foundation wanted to keep the tax exemption, but when we changed the name, the exemption did not come with that,
Marquis McCants, president and CEO of Prince Hall, told the Washington Informer.

The Foundation leaders had to then reapply for a tax exemption with assistance from D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1). They applied for the exemption in 2024 and reintroduced it this year.

The neighborhood, which once had over 200 Black-owned businesses, has gone through significant gentrification in the past decade, forcing out Black residents and erasing the vibrant history and culture of what was once a self-sustaining Black community.

Founded in 1825 by both enslaved and free Black people, Prince Hall Masonic Temple became the meeting place of the nation’s first and largest Black fraternity. The group purchased the lot on U Street and built the temple in 1929. The building once housed a restaurant, a bowling alley, and a ballroom, and rented office space to Black businesses.

Glenn Ruffin, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Prince Hall Masons, said “the U Street Building has a historic value to Black people.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 7, 2025

Soulja Boy, Safaree Among Celebrities Trying To Persuade Trump to Pardon Sean Kingston

Kingston is currently serving a three-and-a-half year prison sentence.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is not the only celebrity seeking a pardon. TMZ Hip Hop reports that recording artist Sean Kingston is seeking one and that several of his famous friends have written to President Donald Trump in an effort to secure his release and his mother’s release from prison.

The media outlet reports that hip-hop recording artist Soulja Boy, reality TV star and songwriter Safaree, and streamer Jack Doherty have all written letters to Trump.

Among the highlights, according to TMZ Hip Hop: “Soulja Boy calls the situation heartbreaking and wrong, having endured his own legal issues in the past … while Safaree, who long bonded with Sean through their Jamaican heritage, pointed out to Trump this is the type of injustice he’s been trying to combat.”

TMZ Hip Hop obtained a pardon application that was filed by Kingston’s legal team. Along with the application were the letters from the aforementioned personalities. It was submitted to the White House in July.

Janice Turner was sentenced to five years in prison in July, while her son was given three-and-a-half years in August. U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz ordered Kingston and Turner to pay $38,500 in restitution to a victim identified as “B.C.”

Kingston and his mother were found guilty March 28 of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud after being accused of defrauding a handful of different businesses, including a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a used luxury and exotic car dealership, and a luxury microLED TV company. The pair’s crimes totaled more than $1 million.

6 South Florida reported that Turner may face deportation to her home island of Jamaica after she completes her sentence.

The duo committed multiple crimes between April 2023 and March 2024.

Turner was arrested during a May 2024 raid at the Southwest Ranches mansion that Kingston lived. Kingston was arrested the same day in California after arrest warrants were issued for him and his mother.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 7, 2025

Former NFL Player Antonio Brown Extradited From Dubai To Face Attempted Murder Charge In Miami

The charge came on the heels of an incident that took place at an event in May.

Former NFL player Antonio Brown has been arrested and extradited from Dubai after leaving the country following the issuance of an arrest warrant. The warrant was for an attempted murder charge after an incident in Miami that took place in May.

According to People, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and transported to New Jersey, where he is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility. He will stand trial after being charged with second-degree attempted murder with a firearm and will be taken back to Miami.

The Miami Police Department released a statement to the media outlet.

“Following a thorough investigation, Antonio Brown (AB) has been identified as the shooter. This is just another example of the relentless work and dedication of Miami Police Detectives, working closely with Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Marshals to identify and arrest those who commit crimes in the City of Miami.”

Miami police issued the warrant after an incident that occurred on May 17 at an event hosted by streamer Adin Ross. According to the warrant, witnesses identified Brown as the shooter in an incident where several shots were fired.

The dispute was between Brown and the man he allegedly shot at, whom he had known since 2022. The man, identified by CBS News as Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators one of the bullets fired had grazed his neck. He told them that Brown “began to run toward him with a firearm” after the two had fought earlier that night. Nantambu said that after they fought, Brown returned with a gun and fired two shots at him.

Police officers detained Brown on the night of the incident but released him without arresting or charging him. He took to social media, claiming that he was jumped by several people who attempted to steal his jewelry.

Regarding the boxing event that happened last night. I was jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me. Contrary to some video circulating, Police temporarily detained me until they received my side of the story and then released me.…

— AB (@AB84) May 17, 2025

Brown played in the NFL from 2010 to 2021. He suited up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a championship with the Bucs in 2021.

Judge Cites Discrimination, White House Ordered To Bring Back Sign Language

by Sharelle B. McNair

November 7, 2025

Judge Cites Discrimination, White House Ordered To Bring Back Sign Language

Thousands of people in the U.S. communicate solely in ASL

A federal judge has spoken up for deaf Americans, ordering the White House to bring back American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for all press briefings held by President Donald Trump or press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Politico reports.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali — a Joe Biden appointee — called the Trump administration’s decision to end ASL interpretation an illegal exclusion from crucial government updates on important matters of war, the economy, and public health for deaf Americans. He also cited evidence showing that closed captioning and transcripts are insufficient alternatives.

“Given the nature of the programming at issue here — regularly scheduled briefings on critical topics implicating markets, medicine, militaries, and myriads of other issues — the court finds that denying deaf Americans access to and the benefit of it presents a clear, present, and imminent harm,” Ali concluded, requiring interpretation to resume effective immediately with a preliminary injunction.

According to NPR, the Trump team nixed a Biden-era policy, implemented in January 2025, that used live ASL interpreters during briefings and other public events. As a result, both Trump and Leavitt, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and the offices for president and vice president were sued in May by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and two individual deaf men alleging that not providing ASL services was a violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The law bans discrimination against people with disabilities in federally funded programs. The litigation also accuses the White House of violating the First and Fifth Amendments, which protect free speech and provide due process.

Data from NAD revealed hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. communicate solely in ASL, in addition to many deaf and hard-of-hearing people not knowing English. ASL has its own vocabulary and grammar set apart from English.

In their puzzling decision, the White House claimed that having ASL interpretation during presidential press conferences would be a “major incursion” on the administration’s rights. Ali said that not being pleased with the idea of having interpreters alongside the president is not a basis to violate laws. “Moreover … ASL interpretation does not require a speaker to ‘share his platform’ with anyone,” the judge continued in his ruling.

“The evidence shows, and the court finds, that the defendants can readily implement remote ASL interpretation without an interpreter present in the same room as the speaker.”

While the judge failed to grant the group’s request for ASL interpretation at briefings and events by the vice president, first and second lady, NAD interim CEO Bobbie Beth Scoggins released a statement celebrating the judge’s ruling, as it will give the deaf and hard of hearing the chance to have access to important government information that concerns them. “American Sign Language and accurate captioning are both essential to ensuring full and equal access to information,” Scoggins said.

“ASL and English are distinct languages, and captions alone cannot meet the needs of everyone in our community. The court’s ruling affirms what we have long known: equal access to information from the White House is not optional. We deserve the same timely, direct access to White House briefings as everyone else.”

The White House has until Nov. 7 to update the court on its compliance. Ali declined to rule on required interpretation for news networks, the White House website, and social media pages, but Scoggins says the organization will continue to fight for those matters of relief.

Saint Augustine University, North Carolina

by Kandiss Edwards

November 7, 2025

Virginia Teacher Shot By 6-Year-Old Student Awarded $10 Million In Damages

The jury found that former assistant principal Ebony Parker acted with gross negligence.

A Virginia jury has awarded $10 million in damages to former first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, who was shot by a 6-year-old student in January 2023.

The jury agreed with Zwerner that then-assistant principal Ebony Parker acted with gross negligence by failing to respond to repeated warnings that the child had a firearm. Zwerner was injured at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. A bullet tore through her left hand and into her chest, requiring Zwerner to undergo multiple surgeries.

“This tragedy could have been prevented,” attorney Diane Toscano told reporters outside the courthouse. Toscano called the verdict “an acknowledgment of every teacher’s right to be safe at work.”

During closing arguments, Zwerner’s lawyer Kevin Biniazan said Parker “had the entire puzzle” of warning signs but chose to treat Jan. 6, 2023, “like any other day.”

“A gun changes everything,” he added. “You stop and you investigate.”

Parker’s attorney, Sandra Douglas, countered that the shooting was “unprecedented, unthinkable, and unforeseeable” and asked jurors not to “compound that tragedy by blaming Dr. Parker.”

Zwerner, 27, testified that she believed she was dying after being shot. “I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven,” she said. “But then it all got black.” She did remember waking up surrounded by staff.

Parker has been criminally charged with eight counts of felony child abuse with disregard for life. Each charge coincides with the number of bullets in the child’s gun, according to the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Her trial is set for later this month.

The child’s mother, Deja Taylor, is serving two years in state prison for child neglect. Taylor has also completed a 21-month federal sentence for firearm and drug offenses.

The civil verdict is among the largest school-related negligence awards in Virginia’s history. Education safety advocates say it may set a precedent for greater accountability in U.S. school districts when school staffs fail to act on credible threats.

by Jameelah Mullen

November 7, 2025

Sheryl Lee Ralph Brings The ‘Dreamgirls’ Together To Celebrate 35 Years of DIVAS Simply Singing

The divas reunited for a worthy cause.

Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph brought out Hollywood’s brightest stars for her 35th annual DIVAS Simply Singing Awards Gala.

Ralph’s former Dreamgirls costars, including Gina Taylor, Loretta Devine, and Jenifer Lewis, joined her on the red carpet for a night of entertainment, glamour, and philanthropy. Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar as Effie White in the 2006 film adaptation of the hit Broadway play,

Then star-studded Nov. 1 event, held at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles, served as a fundraiser for Ralph’s DIVA foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to raise resources and awareness about HIV and other health issues affecting underserved communities.

Ralph founded the organization in 1990 after losing several friends to HIV/AIDS, including Michael Bennett, the producer and director of Dreamgirls during its original Broadway run.

Lewis, who performed at the gala, reflected on her friendship with the Abbott Elementary star. “Sheryl and I have known each other since we were 19 years old. That was back in the 1800s,” the Blackish star joked.

Honorees included Rev. Debra Fraser-Howze, who received the DIVA Honors Inaugural Visionary Award for her advocacy in HIV/AIDS awareness and health equity. The Legacy of Love Humanitarian Award went to husband-and-wife singers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. for their decades-long commitment to philanthropy.

The foundation posthumously awarded Jewel Thais-Williams the Legend of Distinction Award, recognizing her as a community activist, wellness pioneer, and founder of the historic Catch One nightclub. Dr. Maya Green, Chief Medical Officer of Onyx Medical Wellness in Chicago, received the Honors Wellness Warrior Award. Lula Washington, choreographer and founder of the Lula Washington Dance Theatre, received the Artistic Activism Award for her lifelong commitment to using the arts as a platform for social change.

Performers included Laila Hathaway and Andra Day, who sang her inspirational hit “Rise Up.” South Carolina native 803Fresh performed his summer anthem” Boots On The Ground.”

Gina Taylor and her husband, James Pickens, performed a duet of “It Takes Two.” They donated $10,000 to the foundation to fund a men’s health initiative focused on prostate health. Ralph also took to the stage to perform “I Dream a Dream.”

To learn more about the DIVA Foundation, visit the organization’s website.

by Ahsan Washington

November 7, 2025

MacKenzie Scott Dropped A Beau Coup Bag On These HBCUs

MacKenzie Scott, a billionaire philanthropist and ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, gained the bulk of her wealth after the couple’s 2019 divorce. Scott revealed her large-scale donation program, the Giving Pledge, back in 2020, which has distributed more than $19 billion to various charitable initiatives. Her current wealth stands at $34.5 billion.

In September 2025, Scott donated $70 million to the United Negro College Fund. The donation supports UNCF’s $1 billion capital campaign by maintaining scholarships and institutional development throughout its member institutions.

The most significant donation Scott has made to the Black community went to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Scott’s philanthropic contributions are an investment in the financial stability and independence of Black education. Scott’s approach stands out because its unrestricted funding to Black institutions allows HBCUs to achieve their own goals without external interference.

The following list shows HBCUs that have received significant donations from Scott, establishing record funding for these institutions.

Howard University

The university received an $80 million unrestricted donation from Scott in November 2025, which became the largest HBCU donation in history. Scott donated a total of $132 million to Howard University through three separate donations, which included $40 million in 2020 and $12 million in 2023.

Morehouse College

Scott made a $20 million donation to the Atlanta-based, male-only institution in July 2020. The school received unrestricted funding, which enabled it to establish scholarships and maintain its financial stability for future years.

Spelman College

Spelman College shared on Instagram that it received the biggest single donation in its history when Scott gave $38 million to the school. The unrestricted gift will support scholarships, academic innovation, and student success initiatives.

Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University announced that Scott had donated $38 million, the largest private donation in the university’s 35-year history. Scott’s donations to CAU reached $53 million after she gave $15 million in 2020 and $38 million in 2025. The university will use the funds to build up its endowment, create more scholarships, and improve academic programs.

Bowie State University

Bowie State University received its biggest donation of $25 million in December 2020. The university used this funding to enhance its endowment while providing financial support to students.

University Of Maryland Eastern Shore

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore received its largest private donation, $20 million, in December 2020. The university dedicated these funds to developing new academic programs and building essential facilities.

Alcorn State University

The $25 million donation Scott made to Alcorn resulted in a new funding level more than twice the previous amount. The university stated that the donation would create better scholarship opportunities while funding academic development initiatives for the future.

Delaware State University

The university received its largest single donor gift of $20 million, which established a new record for the institution’s 130-year history. The school dedicated its $20 million donation to create scholarships and enhance campus facilities.

Lincoln University

The Pennsylvania institution received $20 million, which it used to build its endowment fund for future expansion.

Norfolk State University

Norfolk State University achieved a historic milestone when it received its most significant donation of $40 million from Scott. The university dedicated these funds to support student scholarships, academic programs, and building development projects.

North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina A&T University received its largest donation to date when it accepted $45 million through Scott’s philanthropy. The donation helped the university establish success grants for senior students and build a new engineering facility.

Voorhees College

Scott donated $4 million to Voorhees, the largest single donation the college had ever received. The donation set up Voorhees to increase scholarship funding and implement technological improvements.

Morgan State University

Morgan State University received two substantial donations from Scott. The prestigious institution received its first major donation of $40 million back in 2020, which enhanced its endowment and student support initiatives. And again in October 2025, when she donated an additional $63 million

by Kandiss Edwards

November 7, 2025

Instagram Content Creator Keith Lee Asks Brands To Feed Those In Need

Lee is asking brands to help feed families instead of sending him promotional packages during the holiday season.

Food reviewer and TikTok creator Keith Lee is using his popularity and calling on brands to assist families this holiday.

Lee is asking brands to help feed families instead of sending him promotional packages during the holiday season. Lee, who travels the country reviewing local, family-owned food reviews to his 17 million followers, shared his personal experiences regarding groceries. The creator revealed he and his wife often relied on SNAP benefits and gift cards to eat and make the initial videos.

“When I first started making videos on this page, I was making food for my wife four times a day… How was I getting that food? On food stamps and gift cards people were giving me,” he said.

He continued making his call to action, “How Many Brands Can We Get In The Chat?”, inviting major food companies to pivot their influencer deals into charitable meals. “I refuse to take any money. I don’t want [any] partnerships… I want this to be specifically about the families we’re feeding and the holidays we’re making.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@keith_lee125/video/7567229736519240990?embed_source=121374463%2C121468991%2C121439635%2C121749182%2C121433650%2C121404359%2C121497414%2C121477481%2C121351166%2C121811500%2C121896267%2C121860360%2C121487028%2C74846154%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%2C121885509%3Bnull%3Bembed_blank&refer=embed&referer_url=www.msn.com%2Fen-us%2Ffoodanddrink%2Ffoodnews%2Fthis-is-about-these-babies-keith-lee-launches-food-initiative-to-help-feed-families-for-the-holidays%2Far-AA1POc74%3Focid%3DBingNewsSerp&referer_video_id=7567229736519240990

The response was immediate. Brands, including DoorDash, Panda Express, Cracker Barrel, and Chef Boyardee, engaged in the comments and pledged support via meal donations or gift cards. Lee told his followers that the logistics plan will include a warehouse drop-off and a meet-up event for families in need.

@DoorDash commented: We love this idea & LOVE to be a part of it!

@PandaExpress wrote: We’re feeling all the good fortune from this idea. We just sent you a DM, Keith.

@Wingstop replied: We would be honored to join you on this journey for the holidays… Check DMs

Rewrites of influencer outreach are gaining traction in a season where food insecurity spikes and federal benefit disruptions loom.

As Lee put it: “This is what it’s about. It’s about these babies. It’s about their holidays.”

Lee’s message is simple; he isn’t seeking commercial sponsorship or personal gain. This holiday season, he’s aiming to center the giving spirit of the Christmas season.

by Kandiss Edwards

November 7, 2025

KFC and Pizza Hut Franchisees Donate $18M To Jamaican Relief Efforts

The organization will donate both cash and meal support to the devastated island.

A franchise operator for KFC and Pizza Hut, Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), has pledged $18 million to assist locals in rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Melissa, donating cash and meal support to the devastated island.

The effort includes contributions to government agencies and nonprofits.

“Jamaica is our home, and we are deeply committed to helping our people rise again,” ROJ managing director Mark Myers said in a statement, according to the Jamaican Observer.

“While we support the ongoing national relief efforts, one of [our] main priorities also remains assisting the members of our own ROJ family, many of whom have been negatively impacted,” Myers added. “We have already begun to activate our internal relief programs to support those members of our team who are most in need at this time.”

Recipients of the funds from the $18 million donation include: the Salvation Army Corps in St. James, Westmoreland, and Trelawny; Manning’s Boys Home and St. Matthew’s Mothers’ Union in St. Elizabeth; and Windsor Lodge Children’s Home and Friends in Need in Manchester.

This is not the first time ROJ has stepped up. In August, the organization donated $7 million to 14 children’s homes as part of ROJ’s 50th anniversary, according to the Jamaican Observer.

“For five decades, Jamaicans have embraced and supported us. This donation is our way of expressing gratitude—by investing in the younger generation and the dedicated caregivers who work tirelessly to shape brighter, more hopeful futures,” ROJ Marketing Manager Andrei Roper said at the time.

While ROJ’s assistance will boost recovery efforts, more will be needed. Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall Oct. 28 as a Category 5 storm, sustained winds up to 185 mph. The hurricane overwhelmed infrastructure in several western parishes and left thousands of residents without homes.

Elevate Your Excellence: Ananda Lewis Remembered As The Luminous VJ Who Defined A Generation’s Voice

by Keka Araújo

November 7, 2025

Elevate Your Excellence: Ananda Lewis Remembered As The Luminous VJ Who Defined A Generation’s Voice

The talented journalist possessed an alchemy of striking, undeniable beauty and a fierce, disarming intelligence.

Sarasvati Ananda Lewis, a pioneering broadcast journalist and television host, whose charismatic, intelligent presence on BET’s “Teen Summit” and MTV established her as a defining voice for a generation. Lewis died June 11, 2025. She was 52.

Her death, confirmed by her family, followed a courageous and public battle with breast cancer.

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A post shared by Stephanie Elam (@stephelamtv)

To a generation navigating the volatile currents of the 1990s, Ananda Lewis was more than a VJ; she was a guiding light to the culture and her people. Her name, Sanskrit for “bliss,” felt preordained.

The talented journalist possessed an alchemy of striking, undeniable beauty and a fierce, disarming intelligence.

Lewis was the embodiment of authenticity—a “free spirit” cultivated at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts —who arrived on the national stage fully formed.

She was the cool, brilliant older sister the entire nation looked up to, capable of dismantling a complex social issue on “Teen Summit” in one breath and celebrating the joy of a music video on “TRL” in the next. Her smile and voice were sanctuaries of reason and compassion.

She was never reading a prompter; she was present, thinking, and genuinely connecting. Lewis’s uncanny ability to be both aspirational and accessible, to be a “trendsetter and a groundbreaker” while remaining disarmingly down-to-earth, is what cemented her as an icon.

Lewis’s death is not just the loss of a journalist; it is the silencing of a cultural navigator, leaving a void of grace and integrity that cannot be refilled.

Her career was a testament to her dual commitment to social advocacy and mainstream media. As a trailblazing Black woman in journalism, she consciously leveraged her platform to champion youth empowerment, ensuring perspectives often marginalized were given a national airing.

The proud Howard alum was a reluctant star, driven not by fame but by a mission to “impact people’s lives… and help people heal.”

Her career ascended at BET, where she hosted the revolutionary “Teen Summit.” The program was an unfiltered forum for Black teens, earning Lewis and her co-host, DaJour, an NAACP Image Award in 1997 for an interview with then-first lady Hillary Rodham-Clinton.

In 1997, Lewis made the pivotal move to MTV, a decision she weighed carefully. She saw the network as “access to the masses,” an opportunity to expand her influence beyond her “own people.”

She became a prominent VJ, hosting “Hot Zone” and “Total Request Live,” and later helmed her own nationally syndicated talk show, “The Ananda Lewis Show,” for two seasons.

Lewis’s drive was forged in her youth. A native of San Diego, she graduated cum laude from Howard University with a degree in history in 1995. At Howard, she was a noted activist, volunteering for programs like “Youth at Risk.” It was the teens in her program who, sensing her gift, urged her to audition for “Teen Summit,” launching her television career.

Her peers at Howard recalled her unique blend of substance and style.

“What struck me about Ananda… was that she was intelligent, stunningly beautiful, and very kind,” said Dr. Ben Talton, director of the Moorland Spingarn Research Center, to Howard University’s The Dig. “She was a unique soul.”

In her later years, Lewis demonstrated a down-to-earth authenticity. After taking a break from television to care for her grandmother, she earned an associate’s degree in carpentry and hosted TLC’s “While You Were Out.”

“Two-thirds of my life, she has been my ride or die,” said CNN journalist Stephanie Elam, her close friend and Howard classmate, who, according to The Dig, honored her friend on CNN after her passing. “I’m so proud of her for being open and honest and courageous. If she has encouraged anyone to get their mammograms… please do it. Save a life. Be here. Thrive. That’s what she wanted people to know.”

Lewis is remembered for her compassion, intelligence, and unwavering commitment to youth empowerment.