Disney Dreamers Academy Opens Applications For 2025 Class
Only 100 aspiring leaders are chosen each year to participate in the highly coveted Disney Dreamers Academy. The career development program for high school students opened up applications for its 2025 cohort July 5. The chosen 100 will gather in the spring for a four-day event of professional development and inspiration.
Started through the legacy of the conglomerate’s founder, Walt Disney, the Disney Dreamers Academy champions teenagers from ages 13 to 19 to garner career tips and support as they flesh out their aspirations.
Selected attendees will be introduced to groundbreaking mentors across various fields, all present to connect with the Dreamers and help guide their goals. Workshops will be centered on helping establish career readiness and developing a wide-ranging skillset that makes them first-choice candidates for future positions. Practicing interviews, building a professional and creative network, and styling oneself for success are additional parts of the program. The dreamers come from diverse backgrounds, inspiring those of all identities to apply, whether they want to be doctors and scientists or artists and entrepreneurs.
The program aims to help attendees “harness the power” of their dreams, with guest speakers presenting ways to plan for their bright futures. Past speakers at the event include Marsai Martin, as the actress was the youngest person ever to produce a movie, at the age of 13. The entire experience challenges Dreamers to work toward their wildest ambitions and break down the fears that inhibit them. For those who recognize a young person’s potential in life, the ability to nominate a student is also available to grant them the prestigious opportunity.
As a special perk for the Dreamers, admission to Disney’s theme parks for attendees and their chaperones is included in the festivities. Disney encourages those who are optimistic and compassionate, with a positive mindset and intellectual curiosity, to apply. Applications are due on Oct. 31.
Community Leaders Discuss Arizona’s Erasure Of Black History
In an episode of Arizona Central's Valley 101 podcast, Pastor Warren Stewart, Chanel Powe, Anthony Pratcher II, and Jessica Salow discussed Arizona's erasure of Black history during a roundtable discussion.
Arizona community leaders allege that there has been a concerted effort to erase Black history and the contributions of Black Arizonians from the stories commonly told about the state. In 2022, Arizona State University Assistant Professor Meskerem Glegziabher published an essay explaining that history was primarily erased and forgotten.
According to Glegziabher’s essay, “Black people, African American and immigrant alike, are labeled as outsiders and largely excluded from narratives about the past, present and future of Arizona.”
In an interview conducted by Arizona State University, she discussed the erasure of Black historical sites in Arizona’s metropolitan cities. “Here in the Valley, more than half of the 175 historic properties identified by the city of Phoenix’s 2004 African American Historic Property Survey have been torn down.
Among the most notable are the Rice Hotel downtown and the former Booker T. Washington Hospital. The former was one of the only downtown accommodations that would serve African Americans and is listed in the 1940 “Negro Motorist Green Book.”
Glegziabher continued, “It was torn down along with several other businesses to build Chase Field. The latter was opened in 1921 by the city’s first Black physician, Dr. Wilson Hackett, and was the first hospital to serve African Americans in the city. That location is now an empty lot. While the demolition of these two properties may have been unrelated, their absence from the city’s geography serves the more extensive sanitation of the state’s history that excludes itself from national narratives of Jim Crow and racial segregation, which are often erroneously mapped onto a North-South binary.
According to Arizona Central, other community leaders in Arizona have picked up the conversation that Glegziabher brought to light. In an episode of the outlet’s Valley 101 podcast, Pastor Warren Stewart, a Phoenix pastor who was instrumental in making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a state holiday, Chanel Powe, an education, political, and equity consultant who moved to Arizona from Detroit, Anthony Pratcher II, an Arizona native and historian who teaches ethnic studies at Northern Arizona University, and Jessica Salow, an assistant archivist of Black collections at the ASU Library, discussed the issue in a roundtable discussion.
According to Stewart, “I would like to say two things. Number one, there’s a wealth of African-American history in this state before it even became a state. So, the history of Black people, people are going to stand in Arizona, and it’s a gold mine to be mined. But the other piece is I would suggest that because of systemic racism, white historians believe that white is the standard. So, therefore, Black, Brown, Red, or any other type of history doesn’t take priority because white history is the standard. I’m writing a piece right now, and the question I raise is, you may not be a white supremacist, but you are a white “standardist.” That’s the word I coined because you believe that white sets the standard, and that in itself is racist. So that gets to me, to the core of the problem of why this wealth of African-American history [is erased.]”
Powe, similar to Glegziabher, discussed the erasure of Black historical landmarks in her remarks.
“So the erasure of our history and contributions that African-Americans made to Arizona has been systemically oppressed by predominantly white and white thinking leaders that have no place or have no real gumption to really want to share and carry it out. I had no idea about Malinda Curtis. We just talked about that. The 70-foot-tall mural, the largest mural in downtown Phoenix, of a Black woman who lived here. I want to say maybe it was like the late 1800s or early 1900s, but because I took it upon myself to study the history of the Adams Hotel, there has always been a hotel on that corner.”
Powe continued, “I had an opportunity to learn that Malinda Curtis used to live in an alley a few years ago before it was demolished by the City of Phoenix. Her old hotel, [a] brick hotel, used to be right there in that alley. This woman was a pillar of her community. People came to her, and she helped others find places to stay.”
“But the only reason I learned about that was because of the tribute of the mural. It’s extremely difficult to find any information on Malinda, and I’m certain that it is more difficult for Black families who were born and raised generationally here in the state of Arizona.”
Pratcher II pointed to the erasure of figures like Richard E. Harris, one of the first Black historians and the first Black reporter hired by the Arizona Republic. “So I think of Richard Harris. Richard E. Harris is one of the first Black historians, right? But really, he’s the first Black reporter hired by The Republic. And he comes from a long legacy of Negro press, so he knows what he’s doing in this sort of sense. But his book, “The First 100 Years,” is really the touchstone for understanding Black Arizonan history. And it’s because he understands, as a journalist, what it means to be grounded in the community in that kind of way.”
Pratcher continued, “Like there has to be a relationship between the institutions and the communities that they’re a part of. I would argue that, as I was saying earlier, about the issue with land, right? It’s our institutions and our professional positions. I mean, when we think of the amount of state legislators we have, we have fewer now than we did in 1952.”
Salow pointed to the erasure of ASU’s first Black male graduate, Benton James.
“We have had Black graduates at ASU who have come through those doors for the last 100 years. We just celebrated in 2020 for the 100th anniversary of the first male Black graduate, Benton James, who graduated in 1924. He was a part of the Teachers College. He graduated from ASU, but nobody knows his history. It has been incredibly difficult for us to find anything about Benton James, not only in our ASU institutional repository but just in general about his movements.”
Salow continued, We’ve been lucky enough to find some things now, with the help of people in our state who are very dedicated to bringing to light the Black history of our state. But why is this history not here? Why are we, as institutions, not taking the time to just go into our own institutional archives and start really connecting the dots when it comes to Black history? As I said, I am doing the work to ensure that all of our Black graduates are Black alumni at ASU, has a story, has a place to tell their story of their time at ASU.”
Stewart closed the discussion on a hopeful note, saying that the other participants in the conversation left him feeling optimistic about the future of Arizona. “My two sisters here, my brother here. I’m almost 73 years of age, so I’m passing the baton. But even I accepted this invitation because I have hope. The very fact that you want to talk about this subject. And I’m here with my two talented, gifted sisters and brothers. Here they are. My hope. They are the future to bring change. And so I acknowledge the reality of the racist system. But I see, when I hear and see my brother and my two sisters here, I have hope.”
The plaintiffs agreed to dismiss the civil case after a federal judge in Atlanta ruled that “no action has taken place in this case since plaintiffs filed their complaint on October 24, 2023.”
The Georgia Board of Regents, overseer of the state’s three public HBCUs — Fort Valley State University, Albany State University, and Savannah State University — was listed on the complaint as a defendant, but claimed legal paperwork was never served.
Alumni of the HBCUs initiated the suit after claiming the board had a consistent pattern of redirecting resources geared towards the HBCUs for academic program enhancements to predominantly white schools (PWIs). The suit highlighted how buildings on HBCU campuses were of diminishing quality compared to those of PWIs and how the institutions were more dependent on state funding compared to others.
It was added that the absence of graduates from these HBCUs on the board was also concerning.
According to Clutch Points, the U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, sent a letter to governors of states with land-grant HBCUs after the suit was filed in October 2023. Two are Fort Valley and the University of Georgia (UGA). In the letter, state leaders learned Fort Valley State would have received an additional $603 million in state funding over the past 30 years if it matched per-student funding to that of UGA.
“Unacceptable funding inequities have forced many of our nation’s distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities to operate with inadequate resources and delay critical investments in everything from campus infrastructure to research and development to student support services,” the letter read.
“I am continually inspired by all that HBCUs have achieved despite having to punch above their weight. Our HBCUs graduate a huge share of our nation’s Black educators, doctors, engineers, judges, and lawyers. These institutions and the talented, diverse students they serve must have equitable funding in order to reach their full potential and continue driving innovation.”
Supporters of the lawsuit are vowing to continue to fight for significant funding for HBCUs despite the dismissal. The lawyer for the three alumni, John A. Moore, pushed for more research to be done.
“We always knew this case was going to take a lot of work and a long time to reach any conclusion, so we are remaining nimble in order to represent our clients zealously and to the best of our abilities,” Moore said.
“This case is still No. 1 on our docket, and we are in weekly consultations on the matter.”
A study done by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture compared funding for land-grant universities and found both Savannah State and Albany State are not classified as land-grant institutions. University System of Georgia Chancellor Dr. Sonny Perdue disputed the claims, describing it as “disappointingly reliant on an oversimplified ‘one size fits all’ analysis.”
He noted the University System prompted some funding cuts Fort Valley would have experienced over the past ten years due to a decrease in enrollment.
Atlanta School Board Appoints Bryan Johnson As New Superintendent
Bryan Johnson will take over as superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools.
The Atlanta Board of Education has unanimously voted for Bryan Johnson to become the superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools (APS). The board made the decision during a meeting on July 8.
The news comes after the board declared Johnson as its sole finalist in June, as reported by WSB-TV. Hailing from Tennessee, Bryan is the former superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, mainly located in Chattanooga. For his work in the county, he won the 2021 Superintendent of the Year award. He was also listed as “Superintendent to Watch.”
Of his appointment, he referenced his new city as a “destination job” as he begins this new opportunity.
“Atlanta is a destination job, and I look forward to working collaboratively with the Board to ensure our students are prepared for their future,” Johnson said. “The town halls afforded me an initial opportunity to hear about areas of opportunity directly from the community and staff.”
He continued, “We look forward to working with teachers, leaders, staff and our community as we lean into areas such as literacy, special education, math and college and career preparation to ensure our students graduate poised to thrive. Together, we will make Atlanta Public Schools one of the best urban school districts in the country.”
The search came as APS chose not to renew the contract of ex-superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring in 2023. The school system, once known for its 2009 cheating scandal, hopes to further improve as an urban district.
“This is an exciting day for APS as we welcome Dr. Johnson into our community,” stated ABOE Board Chairperson Erika Y. Mitchell. “I would like to thank my fellow board members for their dedication and persistence throughout the superintendent search process. I also want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Danielle Battle for her leadership and partnership as we transition to Dr. Bryan Johnson.”
Mitchell continued, stating that all parties “remain committed” to the student’s quality of education during this time.
She added, “After two weeks of community engagement, Dr. Johnson and the Board have had the opportunity to listen, learn, and understand what’s important to our parents, students, APS staff, and community stakeholders. We remain committed to prioritizing our students during this leadership transition.”
Johnson will officially begin leading APS on August 5. In the meantime, interim superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle will help him transition into the role.
Dr. Jatali Bellanton Uses Her Skill In Neuropsychology To Help Align Your Values With Your Pocketbook
Dr. Jatali Bellanton is all about teaching the next generation to be financially savvy.
Dr. Jatali Bellanton is the neuropsychologist focusing on your brain and bank account.
At the intersections of mental health and financial literacy, Bellanton is transformingfuture generations‘ attitudes toward money. While balancing motherhood, Bellanton founded two nonprofits, Kids Who Bank and Brilliant Minds Unite. The organizations align with her lifelong mission to help people grow their pockets and achieve wellness.
The nonprofit CEO wants Black people to break the generational curses that prevent them from attaining financial empowerment. With origins in investment banking, Bellanton hopes to be part of the solution to close the racial wealth gap. Banking where your values are, she believes, is the first step.
Bellanton shared her insights with BLACK ENTERPRISE on what Black people should know about new-age currencies, angel investors, and becoming a multihyphenate with a cause.
What led you down this philanthropic path with your expertise in financial savviness? How are you ensuring other people, especially the youth, are financially ready to take on this world?
My origin is in investment banking and forensic accounting. [There,] I realized that many rich, affluent people were financially struggling with budgeting. [This included] a lot of the basics that I thought only Black and Brown people struggled with. That brought me to a space where I was like, how do we put a dent into this problem? And I just wanted to be part of the solution. Especially because I had people in my family who were really horrible with money, and I didn’t want to be a part of that. That’s a generational curse if anything, and I wanted to be more of a generational blessing. And so I also knew this was not what I wanted to push forward as a parent.
We know you are a “mompreneur,” even winning the 2019 New York State Mother of the Year Award. How has motherhood influenced your mission?
I know that tomorrow is not promised. And so, being a parent, whatever I know financially right now if I don’t teach my child, I might not have an opportunity to create a legacy for him. Whether it’s financial or emotional stability, he knows his mom loves him. He knows his mom was a hard-working person who ensured she had savings and a living trust. For him, a living trust will dictate how much is dripped out when, but it is also making sure that he understands why things are being created while understanding the world we live in when it comes to wealth.
From your perspective, why should Black people tap into new-age currencies, NFTs, crypto, and blockchain? Is it truly the future, and what should our community know?
Seeing how far, technologically, we’ve come and knowing that we’re just getting started, I tell people this all the time. If Bitcoin, Ethereum, and these particular coins were going to go anywhere, they would have gone already. But they have been around for 10-plus years now. This is not a phase or a fad. It’s something that the government is even talking about. So we should be paying attention because while we’re sitting there, there’s this next disbursement of wealth that we’re going to be missing potentially. And now, we see a new paradigm opening, which is the NFT, Metaverse, Blockchain, and crypto spaces.
We know there’s a huge racial wealth gap globally, especially in the US. You were on “Our America: In the Black” to discuss this issue and achieving financial empowerment. What do you believe is necessary to close it? What can we do ourselves to move the needle forward?
I think the first thing is banking where our values are and investing in companies with a social impact that can help us move forward. I feel like for so long, many of us were talking about divide and conquer. We really need to unite and conquer to bring our country to another level. When you’re investing, make sure that companies have the core values you believe in with campaigns that you feel will help us be better. Those are some of the significant things that I think we all need to pay attention to to get to the next level.
As an angel investor, can you speak to inclusion in this space? How do Black entrepreneurs find you and others like yourself?
Sometimes, I’m speaking at angel investor conferences. Or I go to a VC funding round or a TED summit, and these are the newest companies that will be out in the game. And so just being in the room is half the battle. We can’t say we want to do something, so we don’t go out and walk into the room. Sometimes, it’s also embracing the uncomfortable. If you make a certain amount of money, you may avoid paying for specific conferences. Sometimes we might have to pay to be in a room, and that’s OK because guess what? There are other people paying to be in a room. And that means they probably have a certain level of success or network.
What lessons are you instilling in your future-focused nonprofits, Kids Who Bank and Brilliant Minds Unite, to prepare them for success?
Well, the first thing I will say for both is that we have a profit and a nonprofit leg. And so, the biggest thing for me has been asset classes. Teaching them that if you live in a capitalist country, and you’re taught to be a capitalist, it is because capitalism is the base of it. And then, you should learn what it means to be a capitalist, right? How mighty is your dollar, crypto, or wealth, and how can it move the needle? It’s just having these conversations. That same conversation does not change whether you’re 80 years old or you’re six years old.
For those without a leg up or a support system, what advice can you give now to cultivate success tomorrow?
The biggest thing is just getting started. You don’t have to know everything, and you can’t read every book. You don’t have to go on every website; just get started and be careful. Don’t just invest because someone else is. And make sure you’re also banking in the right establishments. Or banking with ones that give you the best bang for your buck. Just ensuring that you take it one step at a time. Reaching out to people like myself or mentors can also help in your journey.
What TF Is Project 2025 And Why Black Americans Should Know?
Conversations around Project 2025 are circulating on social media
Now that we are inching closer to the general election in November, conversations around Project 2025 are circulating on social media as more people -– mainly Democrats -– sound the alarm about what would happen if former President Donald Trump or any conservative leader is elected.
Democrats and other political strategists are warning voters that the next conservative elected to the presidency would dismantle the federal government. It would be carried out through the blueprint known as Project 2025, or the Presidential Transition Project. The Heritage Foundation, a group founded in 1973 as an American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., is spearheading the project.
“Project 2025 is a very methodical and strategic way to try and disenfranchise as many Americans as possible, specifically Americans that are not going to fit who don’t fit into the white supremacist image that is being crafted by the individual who has crafted Project 2025,” lawyer Elizabeth Booker Houston tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.
It’s important to note that while former President Donald Trump denied any association with Project 2025, it was written by several former Trump appointees with input from more than 100 conservative organizations.
What Is Project 2025?
The best way to look at Project 2025 is as a wish list for right-wing conservatives. In nearly 1,000 pages, the documents provide a thorough outline of how the next Republican administration could reshape the federal government through a collection of policy proposals aligned with a far-right agenda. The project goes as far as offering recommendations for key White House staff, cabinet positions, Congress, federal agencies, commissions, and boards. The plan also recommends a vetting process for appointing and hiring people who fit its ideologies.
“It is not enough for conservatives to win elections,” the project’s website states. “If we are going to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left, we need both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration. This is the goal of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project.”
The transition project focuses on four main areas: Policy, Personnel, Training, and a Playbook for the next conservative leader.
Project 2025 would expand and strengthen presidential power while limiting or eliminating federal agencies.
So, How Does Project 2025 Impact Black People?
Rolls Back Civil Rights Protections in Employment and Housing
Changes proposed in Project 2025 would roll back civil rights protections and cut diversity, equity, and inclusion-related programs. It would also roll back LGBTQ+ rights in healthcare, education, and workplaces.
According to Democracy Forward, Project 2025 proposes that the federal government end the long-standing use of “disparate impact” in assessing discrimination by ending its use in discrimination cases. The disparate impact standard determines discrimination under Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This standard allows the DOJ and others to bring civil rights cases when people violate their civil rights in employment and fair housing. Getting rid of it makes it harder for the federal government to enforce civil rights protections in housing, education, and employment.
Get Rid of Federal Agencies That Help To Ensure Equity
Project 2025 calls for eliminating federal agencies such as the Department of Education, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency. These agencies ensure equal access to education and, as in the case of the EPA, ensure communities are not disproportionately harmed.
Project 2025 proposes eliminating the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights even though the harms of pollution, climate change, and other hazards have historically impacted communities of color.
Make It Harder For Under-represented Communities To Access Head Start, Medicaid, and other federal programs.
According to Democracy Forward, more than 1 million children participate in the Head Start program, which promotes school readiness for children under 5 in low-income families. TheU.S. Health and Human Services data shows that 28% of Black families participated in Head Start. Project 2025 proposes eliminating Head Start.
“Taking away any sort of equity that could help Black Americans for us to finally be on an equal footing in this country, they’re stripping that away with Project 2025,” Booker Houston says. “We saw that with raced-based Affirmative Action and [conservatives] calling it special treatment. That’s not special treatment. It’s Black people trying to get out of the dugout while everyone else is born on third base. We know that what we need for our community to thrive is equity because we are starting from hundreds of years of enslavement and Jim Crow.”
New data released from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service revealed the program, which provides payments from the government to assist low-income individuals and families in purchasing food, has an error rate in paying enrollees in each state, with recipients either receiving too much or too little of their monthly benefits since 2023.
The overall SNAP payment error rate across the U.S. sat at 11.68%, with an overpayment rate of over 10% and an underpayment rate of 1.64%. The data proves the program participants are more likely to receive more benefits than they’re entitled to over less than. The administrator for the Food and Nutrition Service, Cindy Long, said the numbers are something the department won’t tolerate. “SNAP is a cornerstone of our nation’s safety net, and accurate benefits are crucial for families in need and for public trust,” Long said.
“We cannot tolerate high error rates in a program that impacts millions of lives. States must take immediate action to improve the accuracy of SNAP payments—or they will face financial penalties.”
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities labeled the program as “a powerful anti-poverty program” that has helped people of all demographics but in particular, African Americans. The program has helped 1.2 million African American families of all sizes stay out of deep poverty. Numbers from 2016 show, on average, a Black family of three sits on the poverty line with a monthly income of $940.
With the SNAP benefit of $390, income increases by 29% to $1,330.
Constant error rates diminish these numbers as they indicate the accuracy of how each state is determining eligibility and benefit amounts. According to Newsweek, states and districts in the Northeast had the highest rates of underpayments. Washington, D.C. had the highest rate with 4.58% and Maryland came in second place with 3.91%. Delaware was next up at 3.57% and Maine at 3.41%.
For overpayments, Alaska had the highest rate, coming in at a whopping 59.59%, and New Jersey was the runner-up at 33.43%.
To streamline their process, the department has requested additional funds to be added to the president’s FY25 Budget to improve the program’s payment accuracy and program integrity. The improvements would include funding for quality control, new computer systems, and a new Office of Training and Development.
Trump Reportedly Using Fyre Festival Scammer To Connect Him To Rappers
The meetings and public appearances with rappers and other Black celebrities have been a big part of Trump's attempts to appeal to Black voters throughout his political career, sometimes using pardons like those he granted to Lil Wayne and Kodak Black ahead of the 2020 election.
The presumptive Republican Party nominee, former President Donald Trump, is reportedly using Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland to connect to rappers to woo Black voters on behalf of the Trump campaign. Although the campaign denies that McFarland has any official role on the campaign team, they did admit that he is a source they tap to connect with celebrities, rappers, or musical artists.
According to Rolling Stone, McFarland, known for his Fyre Festival flop, was a key player in connecting Trump to Brooklyn rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow when they appeared at a Trump rally in The Bronx in May. McFarland’s inclusion seems to be part of a larger strategy employed by the Trump campaign to recruit rappers into their fold, with the eventual goal of getting them to endorse Trump 2024 and campaign for him publicly. So far, none of the rappers and producers on their prospective list have agreed to do either.
According to sources close to the Trump campaign, Trump gets excited when he talks about rappers who have endorsed him, like Lil Wayne. Trump also reportedly desires to be close to rappers and to have more campaign appearances alongside them, even those who won’t necessarily endorse him publicly. The sources also indicate that Trump has repeatedly said that he regrets that he won’t get an endorsement from Snoop Dogg, who he speculated won’t endorse him out of a fear of losing endorsement deals.
The meetings and or public appearances with rappers and Black celebrities have been a big part of Trump’s attempts to appeal to Black voters throughout his political career, sometimes using pardons like those he granted to Lil Wayne and Kodak Black ahead of the 2020 election.
Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd criticized the involvement of McFarland, telling TMZ, “There is nothing more on brand for a convicted felon like Donald Trump than recruiting another convicted felon to join his campaign just in time for the Republican National Convention, which is shaping up to be just as much of a dumpster fire as Fyre Fest.”
Trump’s hyperfocus on attracting Black voters via his associations with Black celebrities and rappers as he ignores the inherent racism in essentially saying Black people like him because he’s a criminal coupled with policy positions like advocating for the return of “stop and frisk” is a large part of why despite Joe Biden’s struggles with that voting bloc, Trump lags behind him in Black support.
This, however, did not stop Tav C., the manager of Philadelphia rapper QT7 Quanny, from setting up a meeting with Trump, even though his client was initially suspicious. “[Caporale] (Trump 2024 Deputy Campaign Manager for Operations Justin Caporale) said, ‘Look, we’re coming to Philly tomorrow. We’d love to have you guys riding the motorcade,’” Tav C. recalls. “We want to bring you on the jet to hang out with [Trump]. Then he’s going to get some cheesesteaks. We want you guys to ride with him.”
Tav C. told Rolling Stone that he believes his client was selected because he has the ears of the street, and after talking to Trump for an extended period of time, He believes Trump cares about increasing public safety in Philly. “I feel like right now people do feel safe, but I also feel like [other] people don’t feel safe, especially in places like Philadelphia [and] New York City,” Tav C. said. “I don’t know if that’s something that the migrants have brought or it’s something that happened post-pandemic, but it’s just something that I feel like we need to do better at. I feel like we were able to express that to the ex-president and [were] able to bend his ear on that.”
Tav C. also positioned the meeting with Trump as more about opening up dialogue than making a political alliance, telling Rolling Stone, “[The Trump meeting] was literally getting in front of him and having that conversation and letting him know what Philly is about,” he says. “There are certain things about the city and about the kids that people forget in the bigger picture. And if President Biden wants to sit down, we’ll be open to that. It’s more about just having the conversations and opening up these dialogues than anything else.”
Hit-Boy Credits Jay-Z For Solving His ‘Publishing Situation’
The producer stated that the billionaire helped him get out of a bad publishing deal that he had been in for almost 20 years
On a recent episode of The Shop, music producer Hit-Boy discussed how Jay-Z helping him get out of a publishing deal he was in for almost 20 years, calling the rapper’s involvement “life-changing.”
Hit-Boy, 37, was in a publishing deal with Universal Music Group at age 19. Like many artists before him, the little money offered was a lot for a poor person with ambition.
“I’m actually still in my publishing situation,” he confessed. “…The way it was set up was just ancient terminology in the contracts.”
But the deal is about to end, thanks to Jay-Z and Roc Nation executive Desiree Perez.
“I just now, y’know, thanks to Desiree and Jay-Z and people like that, that really got me to a place I’m in now, where I have an end date, but before, my whole career I was working without having an actual end date to—the way we really get our money is through publishing, y’know what I mean?’
Hit-Boy, meanwhile, looks forward to having more freedom with his business dealings.
“That’s going to be, like, life-changing for me, y’know what I mean?” he said. “Just to even have freedom as a grown man, like, I haven’t been able to go do other deals or go get advances in different places like my counterparts have. I eat very well, but I know what it’s really supposed to be.”
Despite the onerous deal, Hit-Boy’s career has positively thrived. The producer extraordinaire has worked with everyone from Nas to Drake to Beyoncé and was nominated for Producer of the Year Grammy in 2024. And he’s rapping on his own. It’ll be interesting to see what he does after he’s officially freed from that contract.
Connecticut School Denies Racist Bullying Despite Victim’s Family Fleeing State
The alleged harassment came after Black History Month.
A family is speaking out about their son’s racist experience at his Connecticut school. Despite the family fleeing the state as a result, the school has denied that racist bullying occurred.
The 14-year-old allegedly had racist messages, photos, and sexually explicit content hurled at him by 10 other students at Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School. Upon learning of this information, school and state officials launched an investigation, the Atlanta Black Star reported.
Their findings revealed hundreds of offensive messages, including from a Snapchat group titled “Ku Klux Klan.” Within the group, slurs marked multiple pictures of the teenager, with constant references to him as the n-word.
In one instance, a student allegedly added the boy to the racist group chat to tell him he belonged in a “monkey exhibit.”
“Hey n—. U should be in the monkey exhibit. U mom should too,” stated one of the students.
Another wrote, “I didn’t see you there n—. Want to go clean my lawn for me? Oh wait, I’m going to whip you first.”
According to the middle schooler, the harassment came after Black History Month, when students began learning about slavery. It went on for months until his father found the messages during an random check of the boy’s phone.
His parents went straight to the school administrators to report the racist bullying. However, a week after launching the investigation on May 31, the superintendent trivialized the issue.
According to the child’s father, the educator viewed the behavior as “kids just playing.” The school also belongs to a district where 88% of students are white, according to statewide data.
“When she told me that, I immediately stood up and I told her directly, verbatim, ‘If you don’t see a problem, then you’re the problem,’ and I walked out,” the boy’s father said.
The parents received no new updates from the initial school investigation, including whether any of the involved students faced consequences. With no disciplinary action or police report, the father felt the Connecticut school and law enforcement had failed his child.
“I expect it, to be blatantly honest,” he said. “The system is not designed for Black people. I can’t say I’m shocked. It’s more disappointment and hurt that in 2024, people would still think that it’s OK.”
The young boy will now complete eighth grade online. He will also undergo racial trauma therapy.
The local NAACP chapter and Black Lives Matter leaders have deemed the racist bullying a hate crime. As for the Connecticut State Police, a case remains ongoing with hate crimes units also involved.
