by Sharelle B. McNair

June 22, 2025

Ex-ACE Hardware Employee Files Lawsuit Over Alleged Racist Display Hung From Ceiling On Juneteenth

The distraught employee says he was promised an investigation but was fired two weeks later after filing a complaint with the store’s human resources department.

A former employee of an ACE Hardware store in Arlington, Texas, has filed a lawsuit claiming the store manager allowed a racist depiction of a person hanging from a ceiling during a 2023 Juneteenth celebration, CBS News reports.

Devondrick Hartsfield is seeking a minimum of $1 million in damages for mental anguish and earnings loss.

Hartsfield, who claims he was the only Black employee then working in the store, said one of his white supervisors asked him to walk to the back of the store after he returned from making a delivery. When he arrived, Hartsfield saw a backpack hanging from what his lawyer claims was a noose.

The day of the incident was Hartfield’s last day at work. He said he wouldn’t return until someone was held accountable.

“I come in here and work hard and do my thing, respectfully, and this,” he said.

Hartsfield said he was promised there’d be an investigation. Instead, he was fired two weeks later after filing a complaint with the store’s human resources department. Hartsfield said the racist ordeal left him feeling “unsafe.”

“I didn’t want to go back to work. Emotionally distressed. It just, it hurt me mentally,” he said.

Added his lawyer, Jason Smith, “The noose is a symbol of lynching of Blacks in this country. There’s nothing funny about it, and it was placed in Mr. Hartsfield’s workplace where he was the only Black.”

Hartsfield’s unidentified manager claimed it was a prank.

“Before we walked to the door, he told me to look up, and I looked up, and when I looked back at him, he was like, ‘It’s a joke, Juan left his backpack,'” Hartsfield remembered, according to The Independent. “And when I looked back up, I saw the noose with the rope, and I was like, ‘What the hell?’”

The store apologized to customers, displaying a statement at the time of the incident.

“Van Marcke’s Ace Hardware would like to assure you and the entire community that any allegations of racism or any discrimination are being thoroughly investigated and addressed with the utmost urgency,” the statement read. “We take such incidents seriously and are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for both our employees and customers.”

Hartsfield isn’t seeking an apology or explanation for the display.

“I think it was a message,” he said. “I don’t think it was a misunderstanding. It was a message. It happened on Juneteenth, and it was a black monster backpack at that. So I feel like it was a message.”

Black-owned businesses, app, Birmingham, Better Auth

by Mary Spiller

June 22, 2025

Birmingham Entrepreneur Launches App To Boost Local Black-Owned Businesses

Jamaine Stanton is helping shine a spotlight on Birmingham's Black-owned businesses through a new mobile app—Black Business Traffic.

With a few taps on a smartphone, users in Birmingham can now discover and support hundreds of Black-owned businesses, thanks to the Black Business Traffic app. Created by Birmingham native Jamaine Stanton, the app serves as a digital roadmap highlighting over 350 local establishments, including restaurants, barbershops, churches, and more.

“I wanted to find our top-rated Black-owned businesses and put them in one location,” Stanton said. “Then a person can go there and use that as a tool to support businesses.”

The app is review-based and visually laid out like a city map, making it easy for users to navigate to nearby businesses.

Stanton emphasizes that the app focuses on physical brick-and-mortar storefronts and was designed to cater to grassroots entrepreneurs.

“Black Business Traffic was designed for the brick-and-mortar storefront business,” he said.

“The person who was willing to cash out their 401(k) and invest in their dream.”

One of those dreamers is Denise Ali, owner of Alibomb House of Hemp in East Lake, which is currently ranked as the top CBD store on the app.

Ali told WBRC that she credits Stanton’s platform with helping grow her customer base.

“A lot of people have called, especially when it first came out, and then around [Magic City] Classic, I got a lot of traffic from the app,” Ali said.

“It has been such a great opportunity for once just to be able to support another entrepreneur that’s taking risks to start something he truly believes in. Not only that, but the exposure that I’ve gotten over the years has been great.”

Stanton personally vets each business before listing it, evaluating factors such as pricing, customer service, and online visibility.

The app also allows users to leave reviews and includes direct links to business websites.

Looking ahead, Stanton hopes to expand the app to Montgomery and Huntsville by the end of the year, with a long-term goal of going nationwide.

“Black businesses are fluid and dynamic,” Stanton said. “Our businesses aren’t just on 4th Avenue anymore. They are all over the city. They are online. They are in the greater Birmingham area and everywhere.”

lawsuit, Major League Soccer, Exec, Racial Retaliation

by Daniel Johnson

June 22, 2025

Ex-In-N-Out Employee Sues Chain, Alleging Discrimination Over Natural Hair

Elijah Obeng alleges that In-N-Out discriminated against him due to his hair, in violation of California's CROWN Act.

Elijah Obeng, a former In-N-Out employee, is suing the California burger chain, alleging that it discriminated against him and terminated him because of his natural hair.

According to his lawsuit, Obeng is accusing the restaurant chain of inflicting damages such as emotional distress, reputational harm, and loss of employment, for which he is seeking $3 million in damages and $200,000 in back pay or otherwise lost earnings.

According to USA Today, Obeng’s lawsuit details that he started working for the company in 2020, after his high school graduation, and worked for the company until 2024, when he was fired.

Originally, Obeng had natural hair when he first went to work for the company, and, as his hair got longer, he was told by management either to cut it or manage it in such a way as to fit underneath his uniform hat, which was required to work in the restaurant. Obeng complied, wearing his hair in braids, but management then moved the goalposts, telling him that he now had to trim his sideburns, which he believed was “humiliating and discriminatory.”

After he refused to trim or cut his sideburns, Obeng’s lawsuit alleges that he was subjected to treatment different from other employees for minor infractions, such as missing work meetings, which, he alleges, other employees did not face.

Although the In-N-Out grooming and uniform policy isn’t available to the public online, according to Indeed forums, male workers must arrive clean-shaven, with no facial hair.

On May 24, 2024, Obeng clocked in for his final shift, when after he arrived, he was told to go home, shave his sideburns, and then he could return; but instead of this, he texted his supervisor that he would return for his next shift, but there would be no next shift because he was fired a few days later.

In-N-Out portrayed his firing as one carried out due to prior write-ups, per court documents, but Obeng contends that it was due to his “ancestry, color, and race, including his natural hairstyle and hair texture.”

Obeng also contends that In-N-Out has broken California’s version of the CROWN Act, which was one of the first states to pass its own law regarding protecting Black students and workers from discrimination due to their hairstyles.

In 2022, after the CROWN Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, Damon Hewitt, the president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, urged the Senate to pass its own version of the bill to protect Black Americans from discrimination based on their hairstyles at schools and workplaces.

In February 2025, during Black History Month, Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced the act for the Senate to vote on.

In the reintroduction of the CROWN Act, Booker called on the federal government to protect Black people from prejudice and bias.

“Everyone, regardless of their race or background, should be able to show up every day to school or work or life and embrace their racial identity without fear of prejudice or bias. Numerous states have already enacted legislation to prohibit hair discrimination, and the CROWN Act is a bipartisan federal effort to ensure that Black people can wear their hair freely in a natural or protective hairstyle,” Booker stated.

In her comments, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, who led the House’s effort to pass its version of the bill, noted that versions of the act had already passed in more than half of the state legislative houses in the United States.

“We cannot control the way our hair grows out of our head any more than we can control the color of our skin. Discrimination against hair texture is racial discrimination, plain and simple. Nobody deserves to be denied the opportunity to thrive in the workplace, excel in school, or contribute their talents to the world simply because of their hair. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation with my House colleagues and Senator Booker. I strongly encourage House leadership to take up this bill, which has passed in 27 states, led by both Republican and Democratic governments,” Rep. Watson Coleman said.

Grand Rapids, Settlement, Girl, 11, Handcuffed, police

by Mary Spiller

June 21, 2025

Georgia Jury Awards $2.25M To Parents Of Infant Decapitated During Delivery

Jessica Ross and Treveon Taylor are the parents of a baby who was decapitated during delivery and whose autopsy was later posted on social media without their consent.

A Fulton County jury has awarded $2.25 million to the grieving parents of a baby decapitated during a traumatic delivery and whose autopsy was later shared online without their permission. Treveon Taylor and Jessica Ross, the parents of baby Isaiah, will receive $2 million in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages following their lawsuit against Dr. Jackson Gates and Medical Diagnostic Choices in Atlanta.

As reported by NBC News, Gates, a pathologist, had been hired by Ross and Taylor on July 12, 2023, to perform a private autopsy two days after the baby’s death.

Despite never receiving permission to share images of the procedure publicly, Gates posted graphic videos of the autopsy to his Instagram account, according to court documents.

The lawsuit accused Gates of invasion of privacy, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“After the decapitation of their baby, Gates poured salt into the couple’s already deep wounds when he betrayed them,” the family’s attorneys said in a statement.

“While we are pleased that a jury punished Dr. Jackson Gates for his reprehensible behavior, nothing can ease the pain that the parents, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor, Sr., have experienced in losing their baby boy in such a horrific way.”

The videos posted online allegedly showed “in graphic and grisly detail” images of the baby’s severed head and body.

According to the lawsuit, Gates has a history of sharing autopsy content on social media, and he defended his actions in a March 2024 interview, stating, “I have not violated HIPAA. It is not required by a physician to get consent to report a crime or some sort of health issue to the public.”

Taylor and Ross issued a cease-and-desist letter in August 2023 and filed their lawsuit a month later.

Ross and Taylor have also filed a separate lawsuit against Southern Regional Medical Center and obstetrician Dr. Tracey St. Julian.

The suit claims excessive force was used during delivery, leading to Isaiah’s decapitation.

As previously reported, Ross had requested a C-section while the baby was still viable, but was allegedly told to continue pushing for three hours before an emergency C-section was performed too late.

The Clayton County Medical Examiner ruled the baby’s death a homicide in February 2024, citing cervical spinal fractures caused by “actions of another person.”

Southern Regional and St. Julian have denied wrongdoing and did not respond to recent requests for comment.

by Daniel Johnson

June 21, 2025

Biden Reflects On Making Juneteenth A Federal Holiday During Visit To Historic Galveston Church

Biden's act of making Juneteenth a federal holiday marked the first federal holiday established since Ronald Reagan made Martin Luther King Jr Day a holiday in 1983.

During a Juneteenth commemoration at Galveston’s historic Reedy Chapel AME Church, former President Joe Biden took the opportunity to call for Americans to unite during uncertain times, and Biden also noted that he was still very proud of his decision to sign bipartisan legislation to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday.

“I don’t come here today to only commemorate the past. I come here because we know the good Lord isn’t done with us yet. We have work to do. We need to keep pushing America forward. We’re the United States of America,” Biden said in his remarks. “There’s nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.”

According to CNN, Biden’s act of making Juneteenth a federal holiday marks the first federal holiday established since Ronald Reagan made Martin Luther King Jr Day a holiday in 1983.

Biden continued, “Juneteenth is a day of liberation, a day of remembrance, and a day of celebration. Juneteenth represents both the long and hard night of slavery and subjugation and the promise of joyful morning to come. Our federal holidays say…who we are as Americans. What we celebrate says what we value.”

Juneteenth, deeply rooted in Galveston, Texas, history, marks the day in 1865 when Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived with U.S. troops to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and bring freedom to the last enslaved people in the Confederacy.

Indeed, as David Wright Faladé, a University of Illinois professor and the author of the Civil War novel “Black Cloud Rising,” noted in an op-ed for The Chicago Tribune, the narrative that Black people in Texas did not know they were freed is a mishandling of history.

“To characterize Juneteenth as the moment African Americans only first ‘learned’ of their emancipation risks perpetuating the false idea, broadly believed during slavery and recently resuscitated through efforts to ban books and scrub curricula, that they were merely victims, benighted and lesser, incapable of significant action for themselves,” Wright Faladé wrote.

by Daniel Johnson

June 21, 2025

Al Sharpton Says Wealthy Black Men Have Been Targets, Cautions Against Conspiracy Theories

Is Sharpton right?

As prominent Black men like Sean “Diddy” Combs and Tyler Perry face federal charges and sexual assault and abuse allegations, in a conversation prompted by TMZ reporters, Al Sharpton said that wealthy and prominent Black men have generally been targets in America, but cautioned against embracing conspiracy theories.

“I think we’ve got to be very balanced and say that we’re not going to believe every accusation given against somebody, but at the same time, we need to hold them accountable if there is evidence of them doing wrong, they should not use their wealth and celebrity in our community to justify some misbehaving,” Sharpton told the outlet.

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A post shared by Rev. Al Sharpton (@real_sharpton)

In a 2024 report, which Pew Research updated to remove references to conspiracy theories, a majority of Black respondents indicated a belief that multiple systems, sometimes interlocking systems, were designed to hold Black people back.

Notably, these systems include the prison system, the court and judicial system, policing, the political system, the American economic system, the news media, and the healthcare system.

Per the report, its previous research indicated that although Black Americans felt somewhat optimistic about their financial futures, most believed that many American institutions have failed to treat Black people fairly, lending credence to Sharpton’s main argument that America has generally not treated Black people with respect.

According to one respondent in Pew’s 2023 focus group, a Black man in his late 30s wrote, “This is a capitalistic society. And I feel as though Black men just have to be the ones at the bottom in order for this system to succeed. … I think that a few hands may be part of this. I don’t want to speculate, but it just still seems to be a system set in place where Black people, especially Black men, have not been successful for a while. We can even go back to Black Wall Street where we were starting to have a little bit of success, and then that was taken down by the powers to be. So whatever system it is, it’s a pretty good system that doesn’t reveal itself so easily.”

His answer squares with Sharpton’s analysis, and at least some of the response online to rich and famous Black men’s high-profile legal problems indicates a belief that they are being unfairly targeted.

These perceptions of systemic injustice have also fueled public skepticism around the legal troubles of high-profile Black celebrities like Jonathan Majors and Sean “Diddy” Combs, raising questions about whether their treatment reflects deeper patterns of racial targeting rather than accountability.

by Mary Spiller

June 21, 2025

All Roads Lead To Rick Ross: Hometown Names Street After Rap Icon In Juneteenth Celebration

Ross celebrated Juneteenth in a full-circle moment

Hip-Hop mogul Rick Ross returned to his birthplace of Clarksdale, Mississippi, on Juneteenth for a milestone moment. On June 19, a street in the city’s downtown was officially renamed “Rick Ross Way” in his honor.

The renaming ceremony, which took place in front of the Wingstop at 300 Issaquena Avenue, brought together Ross’s family, friends, and Clarksdale community members to celebrate his cultural and entrepreneurial legacy.

The event’s timing intentionally coincided with Juneteenth, the national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., to add deeper meaning to the occasion.

According to Fox 13, an official statement from the city of Clarksdale read, “The City of Clarksdale is proud to announce the official naming of a downtown street in honor of Grammy-nominated, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and cultural icon Rick Ross. Clarksdale leaders and community members will gather to celebrate Ross’ contributions and recognize the positive light he has brought to his ancestral hometown.”

Ross, known by his rap persona as “The Boss,” expressed heartfelt appreciation during the ceremony.

“Right here live from the one and only Clarksdale, Mississippi. We just named this street. You already know what it is — Rick Ross Way,” he said.

Ross continued, “A lot of my family out here, community out here. The energy, it’s priceless. Here we go, man. Let’s keep shining, let’s keep shining. Clarksdale, much love, baby. The boss.”

He also used the moment to share some uplifting words with fellow locals.

The “Aston Martin Music” rapper expressed, “I just want all the youngsters to know this is somewhere to be proud of.”

Ross said, “Clarksdale is beautiful; it’s amazing, it’s creative. It’s the home of a lot of amazing artists.”

Ross’ mother, Tommie Roberts, stood beside him during the street naming ceremony.

He acknowledged with touching gratitude to conclude his speech.

“Every time I see my mama, when I text her in the morning, I always let her know she did it,” Ross shared.

Earlier this month, Ross also received a formal proclamation from Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams recognizing his impact across the state.

The rapper was congratulated on his business ventures, such as the Wingstop franchises, real estate investments, and his “Boss Up” conference supporting HBCUs that have helped shape his Clarksdale reputation as a community-driven entrepreneur.

RELATED CONTENT: Rick Ross Car Show Goes Off Without A Hitch

Hampton Grad Debuts HBCU-Themed Series, Bringing Juneteenth History And Pride To Children’s Screens

by Mary Spiller

June 21, 2025

Hampton Grad Debuts HBCU-Themed Series, Bringing Juneteenth History And Pride To Children’s Screens

Brooke Hart Jones debuted her latest venture, an animated children’s series titled "HBCyoU Kidz."

Brooke Hart Jones — a Hampton University alum and creator of the first-ever HBCU-themed doll line — continues her mission to uplift and educate through her latest venture, an animated children’s series titled “HBCyoU Kidz.” The new series, which debuted this month, combines music, storytelling, and animation to introduce young viewers to the history and cultural impact of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

“We have a YouTube channel that features animation with song and dance that fuses classic HBCU music with fun educational animation,” Jones explained. “Really, it’s just educational entertainment for kids.”

The animated show centers on six young characters who dream of attending an HBCU who learn about Black excellence and academic legacy along the way.

It’s the latest extension of Jones’ growing multimedia brand that began with HBCyoU Dolls and now includes books available on Amazon that follow along with the animated series.

HBCyoU Kidz’s young voice actors have also embraced the series’ mission.

“I really think it’s just a really good experience for me,” said Yana Hall, “and making sure other people—especially little kids that watch the show—grow up to know about Black excellence and HBCUs.”

Another young voice actor, Hampton Jones, added, “I’m really grateful to help and share the knowledge.”

Timed for Juneteenth, Jones’ HBCyoU Kidz also released a special celebration episode and original song.

The animated short features “Happy Juneteenth,” an educational track, as well as a new children’s book written by Jones titled Miss Juneteenth.

As reported by BPWR, while blending colorful and engaging illustrations with cultural history, Miss Juneteenth follows a young girl named Nicole as she discovers the meaning behind Juneteenth pageants and the broader legacy of emancipation.

“Juneteenth is a day of remembrance and celebration,” Jones said.

She continued to explain that she hopes to use books, music, and animation to inspire cultural understanding and pride in the next generation.

“I wrote the book and song to help children see the beauty of this holiday and the strength of the people who lived it.”

Parents, Timeout Box, NY Elementary Students

by Daniel Johnson

June 21, 2025

Oldest Black Schoolhouse In America Unearthed—Opened To Public On Juneteenth

The Williamsburg Bray School is believed to be the oldest known schoolhouse for Black children in America.

The Williamsburg Bray School—believed to be the oldest known schoolhouse for Black children in America—officially opened to the public on Juneteenth, following a groundbreaking archaeological discovery by William & Mary University researchers.

According to The Independent, William & Mary President Katharine A. Rowe emphasized the significance of the discovery in understanding the roots of both the city and the university.

“The roots of our city and university entwine here,” Rowe said. “Every layer of history that it reveals gives us new insights into our early republic, from the Williamsburg Bray School through the generations that followed, up through the early 20th century.”

Remarkably, the foundation was discovered nearly completely intact. Underneath the structure, archaeologists also found a cellar, inside which lay hundreds of years of artifacts, including fragments of slate pencils, jewelry, and handmade ceramics consistent with sites of enslavement and Indigenous communities.

The Bray School site was initially rediscovered in 2020. Since then, it has undergone extensive restoration. Its opening on Juneteenth—now a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans—was a symbolic moment of remembrance and reflection.

As The New York Times reports, the unveiling offers the public a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of the earliest and most profound examples of Black education in American history.

The newly renovated building will function as a museum, opening visitors up to a sense of the lives of the students who once inhabited the building’s halls. It will also situate the school’s mission, which included a mandate to teach church doctrine to the students, including attempts to “convince enslaved students to accept their circumstances as divinely ordained,” a practice, which along with schools created to induce the conversion of Indigenous people to Christianity, has come under more scrutiny in recent years.

Dr. Maureen Elgersman Lee, director of the William & Mary Bray School Lab, discussed the tension between the students, a burgeoning American identity, and a city that wanted to pretend they didn’t exist with the outlet.

“The Bray School is happening around the same time that the fundamental ideas of American identity are being shaped and articulated. The existence of the school tells us that African Americans were a part of the fabric of Williamsburg despite the desire to not see them,” Elgersman Lee said. “The children grew up. They created lives within the system they lived in, whether free or enslaved. They entered this new period, this soon-to-be republic, and they were part of America’s story.”

Likewise, Janice Canaday, the African American community engagement manager for Colonial Williamsburg, who traces her lineage back to Elisha and Mary Jones, who attended the Bray School as free Black students in 1762, wonders about the lives of her ancestors and knew there was more to the story of early Colonial America than has been given to her community.

“I always knew there were pieces missing from the story of Blacks here in Williamsburg. I wonder what songs they sang. Did they go home, wherever home was, and share what they learned? Did they look out the window and somehow see hope?” Canaday asked.

According to Ron Hurst, the chief mission officer for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, who has been accused of whitewashing colonial history and being “woke,” his intention is to give a full accounting of history.

“We are going to tell a full story. We are going to tell you the good and the bad. We are not going to tell you what to think about it. That’s up to you.”

He continued, describing the mission of the Bray School in general, “It was not exactly an altruistic mission. The intent was to Christianize and particularly imbue the Anglican religion into children of color but at the same time reinforce what was perceived as their place in society. To me, one of the most interesting parts of this story is that once the tool of literacy is freed, you can’t put that genie back in the bottle.”

FAMU, Florida A and M University, FAMU Board Of Trustees, Dubious Donation

by Mary Spiller

June 21, 2025

FAMU’s Marching ‘100’ Names Oluwamodupe Oloyede First Female Head Drum Major

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede says she's ready to embrace the role role with pride and power.

Florida A&M University’s famed Marching “100” has reached a historic milestone. Dr. Shelby Chipman, director of Bands, has named Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede as head drum major for the 2025–2026 season, making her the first woman to hold the position in the band’s storied history.

Oloyede, who served last season as the Marching “100’s” second-ever female drum major, said she’s honored to lead the group and understands the significance of her new role.

Oloyede told HBCU Gameday, “I’m really excited for the season. I’m blessed and honored because I know what this role means—and how much work it requires.”

“But with all the encouragement and support I’m getting, I feel ready.”

Last year, Oloyede took pride in blending in with the FAMU team and not standing out for her gender. This year, however, she acknowledges that there’s no hiding in her new leadership role.

“There’s no blending in when the band can’t move until your whistle blows,” she said.

Her promotion comes as the Marching “100” rides a wave of national recognition, having been named ESPN’s Band of the Year in 2024.

“We’re coming in strong,” Oloyede expressed. “I’m confident in my ability and in my squad’s ability to take the season by force.”

The position Oloyede now holds was partly paved by Cori Bostic, the band’s first female drum major.

Bostic remains one of Oloyede’s biggest supporters.

“For the first time in Marching ‘100’ history, the top three student leadership positions—Head Drum Major, Band President, and Assistant to the Band Director—are all held by women,” Bostic said.

“Dr. Chipman’s leadership has pushed the band into new territory.”

Dr. Chipman emphasized that leadership selections go beyond musical talent, but looks at character as well.

“We look for someone who exemplifies discipline, communication, and a deep understanding of our traditions,” Dr. Chipman said.

“When I choose drum majors, I’m looking for someone who could speak on my behalf and represent the university well.”

This season, the FAMU marching band will feature seven drum majors and travel across three states in August alone, with performances at the Pepsi Battle of the Bands in Texas, the U.S. Open in New York to honor tennis legend Althea Gibson, and the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami.

As the new head drum major, Oloyede prepares to hit the season with focus and determination.

“Our strategy is to prepare early and work efficiently,” she said. “The leadership corps is focused on detailed planning before the season begins.”

While she’s ready to lead FAMU to success, she’s also prepared to prove to her haters that she’s the best pick for this position.

“I know the pressures are real, but I use myself as my competition,” Oloyede said. “Even if I didn’t have the support, I’d still be amped. Last year, I proved it’s possible. This year, I’m here to dominate—and shut the haters up.”

Just as Bostic reflected, “Traditions evolve. There’s no better feeling than seeing those who come after you reach higher.”