King Center, Reparation, Family Day
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 14, 2025

King Center For Southern Studies Launches ‘Acts Of Reparation’ Docuseries With Family History Day

The docuseries features one Black and one white filmmaker as they travel back to the American South.

The King Center for Southern Studies at Mercer University has a new documentary on pursuing reparations within the American South.

The Macon, Georgia-based school will host a screening of “Acts of Reparation,” Sept. 19. The docuseries centers on two white and Black filmmakers. The protagonists travel back to the ancestral grounds of Penfield and Monroe, Louisiana, to uncover their story with reparations.

The docuseries will not only feature the filmmakers’ family histories, but also the communities and artifacts that make up these lands. The King Center expressed its pride in premiering the feature, especially as it deals with the ongoing fight for reparations.

“The King Center is proud to launch a new project that examines the American South through documentary filmmaking,” said Director of Spencer B. King, Jr. Center for Southern Studies Dr. Douglas E. Thompson. “The award-winning filmmakers of ‘Acts of Reparation’ have plumbed the deep nuances of racism in American history, but they turn to their own families’ stories to ask bigger questions about what racial reconciliation might look like.”

The film will premiere at the Douglass Theatre, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. “Acts of Reparation” does a deep dive into the true cost of freedom and how to achieve a more equal American society, sparking conversations in a current political climate that shies away from such discussions.

In celebration of the launch premiere, a free Family History Day will take place Sept. 20. In partnership with the Washington Memorial Library’s Genealogy & History room, it will provide a “meaningful space” for families, with activities such as ancestral research and preservation practices for one’s ancestral history.

Furthermore, participants will gain insight into how to conduct research on Black history within their families, including the preservation of documents, photographs, and other memorabilia. They will also engage in a family tree-building workshop while also gaining further knowledge of the Penfield Cemetery.

The weekend will champion racial healing and Black familial upliftment as the Macon community comes together for this social project. Tickets to the screening are now available, with the Family History section requiring no reservation.

RELATED CONTENT: Is That Not Suspicious? Justice Dept. Threatens Investigation After NC County Releases Reparations Recommendations

HBCU,,Morgan State, Earl Richardson
by Daniel Johnson

September 14, 2025

Earl Richardson, President Emeritus Of Morgan State University, Dies At 81

David S. Wilson, Morgan State's current president, noted that the Morgan State University that exists today owes a debt of gratitude to the groundwork laid by his predecessor.

Earl Richardson, the 81-year-old president emeritus of Morgan State University, who was also the guiding force behind the university’s 15-year fight to secure $577 million in supplemental funding for Maryland’s HBCUs, died on Sept. 13. Richardson leaves behind a considerable legal legacy as HBCUs now face an uncertain future.

According to NPR, Richardson, who led the university from 1984 to 2010, had long been concerned about the state’s underfunding of his university. In 2006, he helped to organize a lawsuit that some plaintiffs, including David Burton, compared to the landmark “Brown v. Board of Education” Supreme Court case, which led to the desegregation of public schools in America.

As Edwin Johnson, one of the original student protestors, noted, in 1990, six years after Richardson assumed his post, a protest over dilapidated conditions at the university started off critical of Morgan State’s administration, but it soon became clear that their ire should be trained on Maryland’s government and not the school’s administration.

“We originally were protesting against Morgan’s administration,” which included Richardson, he told NPR. “But then after we dig and do a little research, we find out it’s not our administration, but it’s the governor down in Annapolis that isn’t equipping the administration with what they need to appropriately run the school.”

According to Johnson, Richardson, who was a veteran of the civil rights movement, is the figure most responsible for guiding the students to the proper target, which culminated in a 34-mile march to the Capitol in Annapolis.

Because Richardson was a state employee, as the university’s president, he couldn’t officially sue the state. Therefore, the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education Inc. was created to facilitate the lawsuit, and Richardson was brought in as an expert witness.

As Burton told the outlet, Richardson was the visionary who guided the lawsuit. “He was armed with history. Dr. Richardson knew where the skeletons were.” Richardson, he said, was “a force that the state could not reckon with because of his institutional knowledge.”

According to Johnson, the resulting funding increase was referred to on campus as “Morgan’s Renaissance,” and on occasion, “Richardson’s Renaissance,” because under his watch, the university expanded its campus, built new facilities and buildings, including a school of architecture and a school of social work, all of which helped to more than double Morgan State’s enrollment.

As CBS Baltimore reports, David S. Wilson, Morgan State’s current president, noted that the Morgan State University that exists today owes a debt of gratitude to the groundwork laid by his predecessor.

“As we mourn his passing, let us also honor his extraordinary contributions by rededicating ourselves to the ideals he championed and the mission he so faithfully advanced,” Wilson wrote in a press release. “Morgan is stronger today because of Earl S. Richardson, and for that, we are eternally grateful.”

Richardson was given numerous awards for his achievements, including the Maryland Senate’s prestigious Citizenship Award, and President Barack Obama also recognized him for his outstanding service to American higher education.

In 2008, Morgan State dedicated the 222,000-square-foot Earl S. Richardson Library in honor and recognition of his work.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon S. Scott also reflected on Richardson’s legacy, posting to his X account that he is grateful for Richardson’s service to both the city of Baltimore and his country.

“Morgan State would not be where it is today without Dr. Richardson. Under his leadership, Morgan grew in every sense of the word– from enrollment to degree offerings to physical expansion of the campus. All of that progress brought new students and new investments to Baltimore, helping to drive our own citywide growth,” Scott said in a statement.

He continued, “Dr. Richardson was also a strong advocate for equal opportunity and access for all students. He knew that building a path to higher education meant opening doors for countless young people to reach their full potential. I am so grateful for his service to our city and our country. My prayers are with his wife, Sheila, and son Eric.”

Like Scott, Maryland’s Gov. Wes Moore offered his condolences to Richardson’s family, noting that, “For decades, President Dr. Earl Richardson was a pillar of Maryland and the Morgan State University Community. Dr. Richardson dedicated his life to the education of young Marylanders — our home is stronger because of his work.”

He continued, “To his family and friends, you are in the First Lady and I’s hearts and minds — his memory will no doubt serve as a blessing to all that knew him.”

RELATED CONTENT: Morgan State University On Track To Become Next HBCU With Research-1 Status

Memphis Mayor Paul Young, Trump, National GUard
by Daniel Johnson

September 14, 2025

As Trump And Tennessee’s Republicans Work To Bring National Guard To Memphis, Mayor Paul Young Is Blindsided

At a news conference, Young noted his disagreement with both Trump and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, but he also indicated that his hands were tied.

On Sept. 12, Donald Trump indicated that he would be sending National Guard troops to Memphis, seemingly abandoning his previous plan to send troops to Chicago.

As The New York Times reports, unlike Illinois’ leaders, Tennessee’s state leaders appear to be amenable to Trump’s plan to send troops into Memphis. However, local leaders, such as Memphis Mayor Paul Young, are not thrilled about the prospect, despite Trump’s assertion to the contrary on Fox News.

At a news conference, Young noted his disagreement with both Trump and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, but he also indicated that his hands are tied and did not respond in quite the same manner as Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

“I did not ask for the National Guard, and I don’t think it is the way to drive down crime,” Young said, noting that it was not a decision he had the authority to make. “However, that decision has been made.”

He continued, after noting the crime numbers were down, but still lending credence to the plans of Republican leaders in his state and a president who wants to send troops after citizens in Black-led cities.

“The crime is still too high, and there’s still too many victims,” Young added, “My ultimate goal is to make sure that we get a long-term partnership and commitment with the state, federal government, community partners that we are going to address the root causes of violent crime.”

Young, notably, declined to establish a consent decree with the Biden administration in December, an arrangement that the Trump administration has not seemed to want to pursue.

Like the mayor, Tennessee State Rep. Torrey Harris (D-Memphis) said that people in Memphis are scrambling to figure out details. “What is their goal, what is their why? We’re all out of the loop of right now.”

Raumesh Akbari, Tennessee Senate minority leader and a Memphis Democrat, said that situations like unrest after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. are the only ones for which the National Guard needs to be called into a city.

“Those are the extreme instances where the federal government sends in the National Guard, when you have folks deliberately disobeying federal law or you have a period of crisis,” she said. Right now, she noted, “a lot of people are scared.”

According to a source granted anonymity by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Young, U.S. Sen. Bill Haggerty, and Gov. Lee had conversations over the past few months discussing sending law enforcement resources to Memphis, but none of those resources included the National Guard.

Furthermore, the source noted, in contrast to some of Lee’s statements, the initial announcement that the National Guard would be coming to Memphis caught all three men off guard, even though there had been some limited discussion of federal law enforcement resources being lent to Memphis.

According to Haggerty, “Over the past few months, I have worked with federal, state and local partners, including the Department of Justice and the FBI, to surge federal law enforcement resources in Memphis,” Hagerty said an emailed statement to the outlet. “While Operation Viper — an FBI-led mission in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement — has proven to be a critical step forward in addressing crime in the city, more can be done. Given the success of our early efforts, I look forward to bringing more resources to bear to continue working long-term to ensure the citizens of Memphis are safe.”

However, the Rev. Keith Norman, an influential Memphis pastor, noted that it’s difficult for the citizens of Memphis to tell what’s really going on, remarking that it is so far “so speculative that nobody knows how to read the tea leaves.”

He continued, “From a political point of view, the efforts that I see currently underway seem to be yielding results. And these results are working. So, with the results that are working in place, I think any addition to them with the National Guard would be overkill and, especially without some interjurisdictional agreements and coordination, we might have chaos.”

He concluded, “It’s a message that our government, locally, is ineffective at getting the job done. That’s not a good message. And then, for young kids, it sends a message that says, ‘Hey, it’s okay to be out here standing around with guns on your shoulder in this space,’ when it’s not. We don’t want that open militarization and fascism or demonstration of guns in public spaces from anyone.”

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Appears To Threaten Chicago With National Guard Deployment, But Chicago Isn’t Scared

Thanklsgiving
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 14, 2025

Ego Nwodim’s Sudden Exit Leaves ‘SNL’ Facing a Season Without A Black Woman Cast Member

Nwodim announced her suprise departure despite SNL already confirming her as part of its cast.

Ego Nwodim shocked fans with her unexpected departure from “Saturday Night Live,” leaving the show uncertain about having a Black woman in its cast.

Nwodim shared the news that she would be leaving the variety show in a statement made Sep. 12. Nwodim had appeared on “Saturday Night Live” for seven seasons, making her debut in 2018.

“The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,” wrote the comedian on her Instagram. “But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL. I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always.”

The news came after SNL confirmed its returning cast, which initially included Nwodim. However, it seems as though the 37-year-old had a change of heart on the matter.

Her fellow SNL alum and long-time fans praised Nwodim for an incredible run. Many called her “one of the best to ever do it.”

SNL great Cecily Strong commented, “Just texted you but I also want to say it loud and proud here: it was an honor and total joy to get to work with you. One of the best to ever do it.”

Current SNL comic Chloe Fineman also stated, “One of the best to ever do it my friend. GOAT.” 

Another Black woman comedian, Amber Ruffin, also shared her congratulations as Nwodim transitions in her career.

“Congratulations,” wrote Ruffin. “As long as I can still watch you perform, I’m good!”

The show remains set to premiere its 51st season on Oct. 4. However, it will do so without a Black woman amongst its line-up if no quick additions sign on.

Black women were already scarce among its esteemed cast members. According to Variety, only eight Black women have ever joined the show despite having 172 regulars in its 50-year run. Now, SNL may begin its next season without this representation in comedy, despite still being considered a cultural juggernaut and launching pad for new comedy stars.

The show has already received new heat as Black women continue to fall through the cracks. Throughout its history, SNL has seemingly slighted Black women in its casting. Yvonne Hudson became the first featured Black women player, yet received no credit as an extra.

Maya Rudolph, a biracial actress, remains one of the most notable Black women to have appeared on SNL. She starred on the show from 2000 to 2007. Leslie Jones also became a household name through her five-year stint on the program, which ended in 2019.

As SNL entered the 2020s, Nwodim and Punkie Johnson, the first openly queer Black cast member, ensured two Black women rounded out its roster. However, with Johnson leaving in 2024 and Nwodim’s latest departure, SNL seems back to square one on its recurring issue with casting Black women.

RELATED CONTENT: Nikki Haley Plays Along With SNL Fun, But People Have Questions


Staten Island, Former NYC School Superintendent, Education Department , Anti-White Discrimination Allegations, suicide, Black History
by Daniel Johnson

September 14, 2025

Department Of Education Eliminates $350M In Funding For Minority Serving Institutions

The seven grant programs, per the DOE, were aimed at increasing minority enrollment in science and engineering programs as well as serving those institutions classified as minority-serving institutions.

On Sept. 10, Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced that the DOE would be suspending $350 million in funds that had previously been earmarked for minority serving institutions, using the prevailing logic of the Trump administration that anything that primarily serves historically disadvantaged students is inherently racist.

“Stereotyping an individual based on immutable characteristics diminishes the full picture of that person’s life and contributions, including their character, resiliency and merit,” McMahon said before saying that she wanted to “re-envision” the grant programs to continue supporting “underprepared or under-resourced students.”

According to The New York Times, this announcement was met with swift criticism, led by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, who pointed out that McMahon and the Trump administration appear to be “putting politics ahead of students simply looking to get ahead, and is sowing chaos in our nation’s schools.”

She continued, “These are longstanding programs that Congress has authorized and provided funding for on an annual basis that the Trump administration — empowered by the yearlong slush fund spending bill passed in March — is unilaterally deciding to eliminate funding for at the end of the year. This is another important reminder of why Congress needs to pass funding bills, like the one the Senate marked up this summer, that ensure Congress — not Donald Trump or Linda McMahon — decides how limited taxpayer dollars are spent.”

It is, however, unclear exactly how many institutions would be affected by the elimination of the funding, as there are hundreds of two- and four-year institutions that serve Black, Latinx, or Alaskan Native or Hawaiian Native populations, all of which could be affected.

The seven grant programs, per the DOE, were aimed at increasing minority enrollment in science and engineering programs as well as serving those institutions classified as minority-serving institutions.

The Department of Justice previously declined to protect institutions that primarily serve Latinx students from a lawsuit that claimed, in part, that those institutions are unconstitutional because of a 25% Latinx enrollment threshold.

Furthermore, U.S. Solicitor General John D. Sauer indicated in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that he believed it “violates the Constitution,” so the DOJ was bowing out.

As Amanda Fuchs Miller, the former deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs under the Biden administration and now president of the higher ed consultancy Seventh Street Strategies, told Inside Higher Ed, the Education Department’s plan is actually unconstitutional itself.

The DOE’s plan “violates the statute and violates Congress’s power of purse to appropriate funds and that the department has to spend them the way Congress appropriates,” Miller said, before noting that the “executive branch can’t just declare these programs unconstitutional…That would be the role of the courts.”

Roxanne Garza, the director of higher ed policy at the Education Trust, noted that this development portends darker days for higher education and the education system in general.

“It’s unclear what else they could suddenly decide to not fund, or to move funding from one program to the other,” Garza said. “It just continues to set up a dangerous and very unpredictable environment for our schools, our universities, the grantees that essentially depend on this funding.”

https://twitter.com/ArevaMartin/status/1966272368755826721?s=19

Areva Martin, a leading civil rights attorney and a Legal Analyst for CNN, noted in a post to her X account that Donald Trump and his administration’s legacy is one of destruction, not progress.

“Calling fairness ‘racist’ is nothing but gaslighting. These programs open doors that history slammed shut. And now—under Trump’s America, where racism thrives—multiple HBCUs were forced into lockdown after receiving threats: Alabama State, Virginia State, Hampton, Southern University, and Clark Atlanta. Spelman College also sheltered in place out of precaution,” Martin wrote.

She concluded, “By cutting funding and emboldening racist rhetoric, Trump’s administration is targeting HBCUs and Black students directly. Stripping resources, fueling racism—Trump’s legacy is destruction, not progress.”

RELATED CONTENT: Clark Atlanta And Other Atlanta HBCUs Released From Shelter-In-Place Orders

Kathy Hochul, Black church
by Mary Spiller

September 14, 2025

NY Gov. Hochul Under Fire For Black Church Comment On Affordability Checks: ‘Don’t Stop By The Liquor Store’

Gov. Kathy Hochul is under fire for remarks made at a Buffalo church, with critics calling them offensive while community leaders defend her intent.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is once again on the defensive after comments made during a visit to a Buffalo church drew criticism from some who labeled her remarks racially insensitive. “Checks are coming out soon. Watch the mail, OK?” Hochul told the congregation at True Bethel Baptist Church on Sept. 7, “Don’t spend it all in one day. Get something you really need, OK? Don’t stop by the liquor store, OK? Buy something for the kids — buy them some food.”

Bishop Darius Pridgen, the church’s pastor and a former Buffalo Common Council president, argued critics were misinterpreting her intent. “I was surprised to hear that there were some people who took the governor’s comments as racist,” he said.

“Kathy Hochul being at True Bethel is like family coming home. The crowd was very appreciative of her being there, of the remarks she made, because they were in context to the sermon I preached that morning.”

Pridgen explained that his sermon, titled “Before You Crash Out,” centered on avoiding destructive decisions. “She was commenting on not crashing out and not making bad decisions, which I had just preached,” he added, according to Politico.

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, who is a member of the church, also defended Hochul. “I know that she’s Irish, and if you understand the history of a lot of people who are Irish, they have significant issues with alcohol abuse,” she said. “So I don’t think it was intended to be racist at all.”

Still, the exchange adds to a string of missteps Hochul has faced with Black communities. Last year, she was criticized after saying, “We have young Black kids growing up in the Bronx who don’t even know what the word computer is.”

The backlash then was swift, with Bronx leaders calling the remark “harmful, deeply misinformed and genuinely appalling.”
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is challenging Hochul in the Democratic primary, said her recent statements reflect a troubling pattern. “That’s a pattern — and it’s racist,” he argued. “It reduces whole communities to harmful stereotypes and strips away the dignity of parents and children alike. Words matter, especially when they come from the highest office in our state.”

Hochul apologized at a press conference Sept. 8. “I wasn’t making any generalization about any particular community at all,” she said. “My intention is never to offend anybody in that context, and I regret that that is the takeaway for some people.”

RELATED CONTENT: NY Governor Kathy Hochul Regrets Suggesting Black Kids In The Bronx Don’t Know What ‘Computer’ Means

Lisa Cook, President Trump, mortgage, resignation
by Daniel Johnson

September 14, 2025

So Much For Mortgage Fraud? Lisa Cook’s Bank Records Undercut Trump’s Case

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb barred Trump from potentially removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

On Sept. 9, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb barred Donald Trump from potentially removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in a move seen as protecting the central bank’s independence. Now, newly surfaced loan documents show that Cook listed an Atlanta property as a “vacation home,” contradicting earlier claims by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte that it was her primary residence.

According to NBC News, a 2021 loan summary from Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union spells out that Cook’s application is for “Property Use: Vacation Home,” and not a primary residence.

In addition to this, another document, which NBC News noted is her “questionnaire for national security positions,” also listed the Atlanta address as a “2nd home,” but Pulte is clinging to his initial accusation of Cook, per a post to his X account.

“Dr. Cook represents herself as an extremely accomplished financial operator. If Dr. Cook solicited estimates as a vacation home and then entered into a mortgage agreement as a primary residence, that is extremely concerning, and in my opinion, evidences further intent to defraud,” Pulte wrote.

However, according to ProPublica, this rigorous standard is only applied to individuals who are in the way of the Trump administration, and not across the board. Furthermore, mortgage fraud, in such terms as Pulte has defined it, is not as black and white as he presents.

According to Jon Goodman, an attorney specializing in real estate at Frascona, Joiner, Goodman, and Greenstein, fraud has its own distinct legal definition. “Fraud requires the borrower to be aware that the borrower was making a false representation.”

MSNBC’s Legal Analyst Barbara McQuade was upfront about the as-of-yet unproven claims of Trump and Pulte that Cook engaged in mortgage fraud, saying on a Sept. 12 episode of The Last Word that this fight is “critically important” to the future of the United States.

“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we maintain the independence of the Federal Reserve. We set interest rates through the Federal Reserve based on the expertise of economists who are looking at the long-term interests of the United States, not the short-term political whims of the president,” McQuade, a former U.S. Attorney and a professor of law at Michigan State University, noted.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, has appealed the decision and seeks an emergency ruling on the matter by Monday, ahead of a vote by the Fed on whether to cut interest rates.

Notably, Trump has not been shy about expressing his desires, threatening at various points to remove Fed Chair Jerome Powell if the Federal Reserve doesn’t cut federal interest rates.

According to Victoria Guida, an economics correspondent at Politico, the market is watching intently for any signs of abnormal behavior from the Fed, including less independent behavior than it has exhibited in the past.

As BNY Chief Economist of Investments, Vincent Reinhart, told Guida, “Concerns about central bank independence should be really important when inflation is high. That independence does grant them the ability to do something [politically] hard.”

Likewise, Tim Duy, chief economist at SGH Macro Advisors, noted Trump’s desire for a more pliable Federal Reserve. “Trump is seeking a Fed that will lower interest rates. We can view this attempted firing of Lisa Cook as a way to accelerate that process.”

According to Vox, the rate cut is likely to come, but it’s a double-edged sword, as Trump’s tariffs could also raise inflation as more companies pass on their costs to the average consumer, which points to the Fed perhaps making a smaller rate cut than Trump wants.

As Cameron Peters noted in his Aug. 26 newsletter, The Logoff, “The Fed is designed to be independent, and its governors serve nonrenewable 14-year terms to insulate them from partisan politics (Cook’s term, should she serve it out, will expire in 2038). But two of the seven Fed governors are already Trump appointees, and he’s currently filling a third vacancy; if he succeeds in replacing Cook, he would have a majority of the Fed board — and, potentially, a dangerous degree of power over the U.S. economy.”

RELATED CONTENT: Try Again: Judge Blocks Trump’s Attempt To Fire Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook

baltimore met gala
by Mary Spiller

September 13, 2025

Baltimore Met Gala Returns With Bold Fashion, Art, And Community Spirit

Fashion, art, and philanthropy converge at the fourth annual Baltimore Met Gala, highlighting local designers, visual artists, and community organizations under the theme 'Timeless — the Evolution of Style.'

When LaRian Finney first envisioned the Baltimore Met Gala, he imagined something on par with the iconic New York event — but rooted in the city’s own creativity and style. “I thought Baltimore deserved that same type of lens,” Finney said. Now in its fourth year, the Baltimore Met Gala is set to return on Sept. 13 at Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover.

This year’s edition blends fashion, visual art, food, and philanthropy under the theme “Timeless — the Evolution of Style: Past, Present, Future.” For organizers Finney and Derrick Chase, the focus goes beyond glamour. It’s also about affirming Baltimore’s cultural legacy at a time when President Donald Trump has singled out the city in political attacks.

“We thought it was an appropriate theme based not only on the [political] climate but to pay homage to what those three verticals have meant to Baltimore and beyond,” Finney explained, as reported by The Banner.

The gala has expanded dramatically since its debut in 2021, when about 400 people attended at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Last year, the event drew roughly 1,600 guests, and organizers expect a similar crowd this weekend.

The runway remains the centerpiece, with over 80 models set to showcase looks by designers including Dermaine Johnson, Andrew Nowell, and Afua Sam. For Sam, the theme resonated with her African heritage. Her women’s line will highlight bold Ghanaian prints and textiles.

“It will be very colorful,” said Sam, who lives in Silver Spring. “I want everybody to just smile when they see it. I also hope that it will inspire people to actually incorporate African prints into their wardrobe.”

The visual art element is equally central. This year’s “Timeless” exhibition is curated by Ainsley Burrows, Ernest Shaw, and Laurielle Noel, featuring their own work alongside pieces from Baltimore-based artists like Qrcky, Alma Roberts, and Melissa Sutherland Moss. Guests will be able to buy or commission pieces directly using QR codes placed near the artworks.

For Burrows, the event reflects something larger than aesthetics. “The Baltimore Met Gala showcases another art form: the art of creating community,” he said.

Community building is woven into the event’s DNA. Each year, the gala highlights a nonprofit partner; this year, it is the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, which provides resources and programming for residents in West Baltimore’s Upton neighborhood.

The gala’s mix of style, art, and purpose has made it a unique fixture in the region’s cultural calendar. For designers like Sam, it is also a platform that pushes creative boundaries. “The Baltimore Met Gala has created this platform for people like me and other creatives to continuously challenge ourselves to do things that we’ve never done before,” she said.

What started as a local spin on a global fashion spectacle has evolved into a platform for Baltimore to showcase its creativity, resilience, and community spirit — proving that the city deserves its moment in the spotlight.

RELATED CONTENT: The 2025 Met Gala: Why Its Display Of ‘Superfine’ Black Fashion And Dandyism Matters Now

jason collins, brain tumor
by Daniel Johnson

September 13, 2025

Jason Collins, The NBA’s First Openly Gay Player, Is Undergoing Treatment For A Brain Tumor

Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play a game in either the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL, the four major American sports.

On Sept. 11, the National Basketball Association announced that Jason Collins, the league’s first openly gay player who is now an NBA Ambassador, is in the middle of receiving treatment for a brain tumor via a press release.

“NBA Ambassador and 13-year veteran Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason’s health and well-being,” the statement read.

Collins, a former first-round pick in the 2001 NBA draft, had a solid, if unremarkable, 13-year career as a center. His most remarkable feat while playing in the NBA was his public coming out via a 2013 Sports Illustrated article. The following year, after he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency, Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play a game in any of the four major American sports leagues: the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL.

Notably, also in 2013, Brittney Griner became the first openly gay WNBA player to be drafted out of college when the Phoenix Mercury drafted her with the first overall pick. Griner played at Baylor University, a Baptist-affiliated private university. At the time, she noted in an interview with ESPN that the environment for women who come out is drastically different from that of men.

In a 2023 interview with The Athletic, Collins noted that there remains a need for male athletes who are gay to come out because it normalizes and humanizes gay people, in particular, gay men, who are still often targets of hatred.

“We need more and more male athletes to step forward so that we can get to that day when, after the game is over, everyone’s significant other is in the family room waiting for them along with everybody else’s, regardless of gender,” Collins told the outlet.

In 2021, when then-Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib became the first active openly gay NFL player, Collins remarked to The Los Angeles Times that Nassib’s decision would have an impact on people whom he will never meet.

“He’s going to have a positive impact on someone else’s life that he may never meet in his lifetime. I’ve met many people who have come up to me and told me how my story has impacted them. But he’s going to find that his actions have inspired not only people who are younger than him but older than him. I can’t tell you the amount of people who were decades older than me who came up to me and said how my story impacted them. You don’t know what to say. You’re still in that mindset of being an athlete and helping kids. But he’s helping people across the board, of all ages,” Collins said.

To that end, over his last two seasons, 2012-2014, during which time he played for three teams, the Boston Celtics, the Washington Wizards, and the aforementioned Nets, he wore number 98 in tribute to former University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, whose 1998 murder helped create state and federal hate crime laws aimed at prosecuting people who targeted gay people with violence. That jersey was one of the top sellers in the league at the time, and has since been sent to the Smithsonian Institution.

The Stanford University men’s basketball program, where Collins spent his college years before entering the draft, sent their love and support to Collins and his family via a post to its Twitter (X) account, as did the last team Collins played for, the Brooklyn Nets.

https://twitter.com/StanfordMBB/status/1966208844595663149?s=19

“Sending our love and support to Jason, his husband Brunson, Jarron and the entire Collins family,” the Stanford men’s basketball program wrote.

Collins recently married Brunson Greene, the 57-year-old film producer who received a Best Picture Oscar nomination for the Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer-led film “The Help.”

According to People Magazine, Spencer attended the wedding ceremony of Collins and Greene, and shared her elation over the newlywed couple on her Instagram account.

“Welcome to the family, Jason Collins. You’ve chosen well, and so has he! Love you, B!” Spencer wrote.

In 2018, Collins told People Magazine that before he came out publicly, only his friends and family really knew the reason why he chose to wear number 98 across his chest and his back.

“I remember being a sophomore in college when Matthew Shepherd was killed. Every time I put on that jersey, it was just a silent acknowledgment to myself and to my friends and family — who knew why I was wearing that number — of being a proud gay Black man playing in the NBA. Sort of hiding in plain sight,” Collins noted.

RELATED CONTENT: President Obama Announces Key Administrative Posts

North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, HBCU,
by Mary Spiller

September 13, 2025

North Carolina A&T Hits Record Enrollment, Solidifying Status As Nation’s Largest HBCU

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical School saw a total of 15,275 enrolled students, which is nearly 1,000 more than last year.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has surpassed 15,000 students this fall, marking the largest enrollment in its history and extending its reign as the nation’s biggest public historically Black university.

The university reported a total of 15,275 students, nearly 1,000 more than last year, reflecting a 6.7% increase. It is the 12th consecutive year A&T has led all HBCUs in size, and the fourth year in a row it has been the largest such institution ever.

“The 2025-26 student body reaffirms our commitment to the people of North Carolina, our national appeal and impact as an exponential, doctoral research HBCU, and the promise that North Carolina A&T holds for students around the world,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II.

Growth was evident across nearly every area. In-state enrollment climbed by 849 students, a 9.3% increase that aligns with A&T’s land-grant mission. The Graduate College surpassed 2,000 students for the first time, with doctoral enrollment increasing by more than 23%. Transfer students jumped 17%, with 814 newcomers this fall, while international enrollment rose 10.3%, bringing nearly 1,000 students from abroad, with almost half from Africa.

First-year students also continue to arrive at North Carolina A&T with strong academic credentials. The fall’s 3,021 freshmen held an average GPA of 3.7, while out-of-state freshmen averaged 3.93. Students now come from 36 states, Washington, D.C., and 103 countries.

According to NCAT, retention is another area of progress: 81% of last year’s freshmen returned as sophomores, the highest rate in school history.

A&T officials point to the school’s value as a major draw. Graduates earn some of the strongest salaries in the UNC System, with Forbes estimating median pay of $112,000 a decade after graduation. Students also benefit from some of the largest career fairs in the nation.

“As interest in A&T continues to grow, our team of enrollment professionals remains dedicated to finding the best and brightest students from North Carolina and beyond,” said Joseph Montgomery, associate vice provost for Enrollment Management. “We will continue to review all applicants carefully, intentionally, and through a comprehensive, holistic process.”

Chancellor Martin called the growth humbling, adding: “North Carolina A&T is setting a national standard as a land-grant HBCU and model for what it means to be a public university in this new millennium.”

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