by Kandiss Edwards

June 12, 2025

Girlfriend Of New Orleans Escapee Derrick Groves, Arrested For Aiding A Fugitive

Darriana Burton faces one charge of Conspiracy to Commit Simple Escape for assisting Groves, her boyfriend of 2-3 years.

Two escapees from the Orleans Parish Correctional Center are still at large. On June 9, Darriana Burton, the girlfriend of Derrick Groves, was arrested for allegedly aiding the fugitive.

Burton was apprehended by Louisiana law enforcement and taken into custody. Currently, she faces one charge of Conspiracy to Commit Simple Escape. Groves and Burton allegedly dated for 2-3 years. Burton is a former Orleans Parish Correctional Center employee, where Groves was detained from 2022 to 2023. The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation released a statement detailing Burton’s involvement.

In Burton’s arrest warrant, authorities claim they reviewed prison audio communications systems to evaluate Burton’s involvement.

“As part of the investigation, agents reviewed inmate communications transmitted through SmartCom, an internet-based messaging and video call system utilized by inmates via facility-issued iPADs,” the affidavit read.

After an “intentionally vague” conversation, the couple switched contact methods. Authorities said Groves and Burton collaborated on the escape during the second call.

“It was implied that Burton would initiate a separate, unmonitored phone call,” according to the affidavit.

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Burton is not the only friend and family member arrested for aiding the 10 escapees. Eight have been apprehended. The manhunt continues for Groves and Antoine Massey.

Recently, Massey released a video professing his innocence. The escapee claims the circumstances surrounding his escape are being misrepresented to the public. Furthermore, he states he would not stay in jail for a crime he did not commit.

“They say that I broke out. I didn’t break out. I was let out.’ He continued, “The reason why I left the jail is because these people were trying to give me a life sentence in both parishes for something that I did not do,” he continued.

Furthermore, Massey condemned a former guard at the facility. According to the convict, Sterling Williams cut the water to the building, allowing the 10 escapees to walk out. Previously, Williams told authorities that he was held at gunpoint by Massey.

Sterling [Williams] flat-out lied on me,” asserted Massey.

On May 21, Williams was arrested for helping to facilitate the escape.

Ebony Breauna Chillous, Department of Justice, William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility, Alabama, Bessemer, correction's officer, Alabama Corrections

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 12, 2025

Rapper Silentó Given 30-Year Prison Sentence After Pleading Guilty To Killing Cousin

The 'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)' rapper admitted to killing 34-year-old Frederick Rooks III on January 21, 2021

27-year-old Ricky Lamar Hawk, who uses the rap moniker Silentó, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the fatal shooting of his cousin.

A news release from the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney in Georgia announced that Silentó pleaded guilty but mentally ill to Voluntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime, and Concealing the Death of Another for the killing of 34-year-old Frederick Rooks III. The incident took place on January 21, 2021, in Decatur. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson sentenced him to 30 years in prison.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston stated that an investigation into the crime revealed that DeKalb County police officers discovered Rooks riddled with multiple gunshot wounds in the Panthersville area around 3:37 a.m. after responding to a report of a person being shot there. After emergency medical workers arrived, they declared him deceased. There were 10 bullet casings found near his body.

Surveillance footage from a nearby home showed a white BMW leaving the scene of the crime several minutes after the gunfire. A family member told police that he was picked up by Silentó bv from someone’s house in a white BMW SUV.

Police officers took Silentó into custody nearly two weeks later, on February 1. While speaking to investigators, the rapper admitted that he shot his cousin.

After he was arrested, ballistics testing matched the bullet casings that were retrieved from the scene of the shooting to a gun Silentó had when he was detained. GPS data for his BMW placed him at the scene of the murder.

The Associated Press reported that the rapper stated years ago, during an interview in 2019, that he struggled with depression and mental illness growing up.

“I’ve been fighting demons my whole life, my whole life.”

“Depression doesn’t leave you when you become famous; it just adds more pressure.”

He reportedly tried to commit suicide in 2020. In August 2020, the rapper was arrested in Santa Ana, California, for domestic violence. Two months later, in October 2020, Silentó was arrested after police accused him of driving 143 miles per hour on Interstate 85 in DeKalb County.

After Silentó’s arrest for killing Rooks, his publicist said he had been “suffering immensely from a series of mental health illnesses.”

Silento recorded a hit record when he released “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” in 2015.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 12, 2025

Historic Bricks From Freedmen’s Town In Houston Damaged By Construction Crew

The need to protect this history comes at a time of heightened political tension.

Historic bricks representing Freedmen’s Town in Houston were recently damaged in a construction project, leading archaeologists to dig up the blocks for safekeeping.

Formerly enslaved people initially founded Freedmen’s Town after gaining freedom from emancipation. However, some bricks memorializing this history were damaged during a street improvement project in the Texas city.

While organizers for Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy believe that the damage happened unintentionally by the contractor, the need to preserve this history better still persists. Sharon Fletcher, executive director of the conservancy, referenced the “current climate” of U.S. politics as an even greater reason to protect such artifacts.

“These are the assets of our ancestors, and we don’t want to lose them, especially given the current climate and things we face in terms of erasure relative to African American history,” stated Fletcher to CHRON.

Fletcher seemingly pointed to the government’s attacks on African American history museums and teachings in public schools, with Trump recently calling out the Smithsonian Institute for “improper ideology.”

The bricks physically embody the enslaved people who worked to build this Freedmen’s Town in Houston following the Civil War. The damage is especially concerning as Juneteenth nears, given the town’s founding days after the holiday’s official start of June 19, 1865.

The damage only stopped due to the interference of Freedmen’s Town Preservation Coalition member Charonda Johnson. Johnson brought up the issue as a “district emergency” during the city council public comment session.

“The bricks are not just a symbol of the community, Freedmen’s Town, but they’re a lasting legacy of the hard work and ingenuity of the founders of this community,” said Joseph Panzarella, a fellow community organizer alongside Johnson. “When we disrupt the bricks, we’re showing that we don’t appreciate our history or the people who built it.

The incident occurred notably when officials were unaware of the construction. Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin said this prohibited them from ensuring the proper measures were in place to protect the bricks.

“For this to happen weeks before Juneteenth is even more discouraging,” Panzarella added. “We’re going to be celebrating the 160th anniversary of the event that spurred the founding of this community, and we should be doing all we can to protect one of the key symbols of said community.”

Security guards will now survey the area to ensure no further damage occurs, with archaeologists keeping the bricks in a storage facility. Plans to return the bricks will happen by 2028.

by Jameelah Mullen

June 12, 2025

DEI Rollback: Trump To Restore Confederate Names To Multiple Army Bases

The Army bases that were previously named after Confederate soldiers have been renamed to honor Black, Hispanic, and female military leaders.

President Donald Trump announced plans to restore the names of seven Army bases named after Confederate soldiers. The president revealed the upcoming changes during a June 10 appearance at Fort Bragg Army Base in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

“We are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill, and Fort Robert E. Lee,” Trump said. “We won a lot of battles out of those forts, it’s no time to change.”

After Trump returned to office in January, the Department of Defense restored the names of two military bases: Fort Bragg and Fort Benning in Georgia. The administration circumvented the law that prevents the Pentagon from naming bases after Confederate leaders, renaming them after other soldiers who share the same last names. The army stated in a press release that it will employ the same tactics to rename the bases mentioned in Trump’s announcement.

During his first term, Trump, a convicted felon, advocated for maintaining the original base names. In 2020, he attempted to block the creation of the Congressional Naming Commission, a team that would recommend name changes. Ty Seidule, a retired Army brigadier general and chair of the Congressional Naming Commission, says that Trump’s decision went against the spirit of the new rule enacted after the racial injustice protests in 2020.

“The bottom line is he’s choosing surname over service,” Seidule told Politico. “It is breaking the spirit of a law that was created by the will of the American people through their elected representatives,” Seidule said.

Among the bases to be renamed is Fort Barfoot, the first military base named after a Native American, Army Tech Sgt. Van T. Barfoot. The name will revert to Fort Pickett, named after Confederate General George Pickett. Fort Gregg-Adams was renamed in April 2023 after two Black officers, Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams, but will revert to its original name, Fort Robert E. Lee, named after the Confederate commander who fought to maintain the institution of slavery.

by Keka Araújo

June 12, 2025

K. Michelle’s Expertly Clears Delusional Journo During Interview, Affirming Her Rightful Place In Country Music

Puddin' said what she said!

K. Michelle, the acclaimed vocalist transitioning from R&B stages to country music’s hallowed grounds, recently confronted skepticism from one goofy journalist regarding her authentic connection to the genre, asserting her deep Southern heritage with unyielding conviction.

During an interview at the 2025 CMA Fest, the Memphis native, also known by her country moniker Puddin’, addressed an interviewer’s challenge to her background, retorting, “I did grow up in country music. You do this all the time.”

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She further shared how she even got a college scholarship for yodeling.

The cringeworthy interaction during the interview garnered strong reactions on social media.

“Keith Urban is Australian and is accepted as a country music star. But, K.Michelle was born and raised country isn’t accepted as a country music star. Hmmmm…I wonder why,” one person wrote.

Someone else noted, “Shaboozey is a Nigerian kid from Virginia and all he had to do was use a twang and he was accepted as real ‘country,’ while being on a Black woman from Texas’ ‘non country’ album. Make it make sense.”

“Yt people thinking that they invented country music is hilarious af. All they have done and still do is steal,” another person stated, pointing out the silent part.

The artist, celebrated for her powerful mezzo-soprano, underscored her bona fide country credentials.

“My start, to you, has been when the Judd [family] reached out to me to go pay Naomi Judd tribute,” she explained, referencing her poignant 2023 performance of “Love Can Build A Bridge” with Jelly Roll at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards. This moment marked a pivotal, visible step in her country music journey, though she maintained that the genre has “always been a thing for me.”

K. Michelle’s pivot to country music has been met with both enthusiasm and latent resistance, particularly concerning racial dynamics within the industry.

She candidly recounted facing explicit barriers: “I was told I could not sing country music because I was Black, but it was something I had always been doing and will continue to do.”

Her recent presence at CMA Fest, a cornerstone event for country music enthusiasts, was a testament to her steadfast commitment.

“I’m born and raised in Tennessee. I didn’t fly here. I grew here,” she declared, firmly grounding her identity in the region’s musical soil.

When the journalist pointed out her limited presence on contemporary country radio in the interview, K. Michelle delivered a potent rebuttal, highlighting broader systemic issues, “Well, you don’t hear a lot of women in contemporary radio, period, right now. And you really don’t hear Black ones, but you will.”

This unflinching stance positions K. Michelle as a significant trailblazer, challenging long-standing norms and advocating for greater diversity within the country music genre. Her debut country single, “Tennessee,” is currently available, offering a glimpse into her sound, while Puddin’s Outlaw Music is slated for a forthcoming release. Her commitment to this new chapter was solidified in 2024 when she officially signed with BMG Nashville.

@kmichellememphis Outlaws, its time for my debut Kountry Album! Heres a snippet called “Where The Night Goes” ❤️🌻✍️ #puddin ♬ original sound – KmichelleMemphis

K. Michelle’s journey is poised to redefine expectations, pushing boundaries for Black artists and women seeking their rightful place in the expansive American country music landscape.

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 12, 2025

ICE Approves Nation’s Largest Detention Center, Headquartered In South Georgia, Amid DOGE Review

A report revealed the contract was flagged by DOGE due to a policy that all DHS contracts over $20 million are required to be reviewed by the team.

Georgia’s Republican Congressman Buddy Carter announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) approved a plan to build the largest immigrant detention facility in the southeastern portion of the state, according to The Washington Post.

In a press release, Carter said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expanded a contract with the D. Ray James Correctional Facility to become part of the Folkston Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Centre. There will be close to 3,000 beds, with the opportunity to increase capacity and heighten the existing detention operations system.

In addition, Carter celebrated the plan as it will bring approximately 400 new jobs and economic growth to the First Congressional District. “With this expansion, Georgia will strengthen its status as a national leader in the fight to secure our southern border,” Carter said.

“I’m proud to have worked with Charlton County to get the D. Ray James Correctional Facility expansion over the finish line, which will bring jobs and economic growth to our region, and I will continue to support our brave ICE agents as they seek to restore law and order.”

The $47 million contract change comes just days after Charlton County Administrator Glenn Hull initially announced that the plan wouldn’t move forward due to the absence of a “federal policy change.” A report revealed the contract was flagged by the Department of Government Efficiency — better known as DOGE — due to a policy that all DHS contracts over $20 million are required to be reviewed by the team formerly led by Elon Musk.

The announcement also comes as anti-ICE protests have erupted throughout cities across the U.S. and ahead of President Donald Trump’s military parade scheduled for his June 14th birthday. News of the detention center caught the eye of immigration advocates, who set up protests outside of Atlanta’s ICE Field Office.

Executive Director of El Refugio Amilcar Valencia said the decision risks immigrants’ human rights. “People should be able to go back to their communities to continue a process without being detained, without being incarcerated, without the need of, you know, having to, you know, go through all this process where their human dignity, their human rights are uh at risk,” Valencia said, according to News 4 Jax.

”We are here demanding that the county that the, you know, the administration stop any efforts to expand the Folkston detention center because, again, this is going to affect not only the community in South Georgia but the whole community throughout the state of Georgia and the Carolinas as well.”

Valencia has spearheaded other protests and complaints about the conditions at the James Correctional Facility, accusing the facility of forcing immigrants to sleep on the floor and not providing proper healthcare.

by Kandiss Edwards

June 12, 2025

Tyler Perry Proclaims He Is A Black Millionaire Maker

At the 2025 BET Awards, Tyler Perry took a moment to discuss his life's footprint, specifically creating millionaires.

Tyler Perry spoke about his ability to make millionaires while on stage at the 2025 BET Awards.

The billionaire entrepreneur has been a staple in Black Hollywood for over 20 years from his successful stage-play run to box office success. To date, Perry’s films have grossed over $1 billion at the box office .

“I have made more Black millionaires—hear me when I say this—than any studio in this city combined because I’m making footprints,” Perry said. “So I don’t care if you’re struggling, if you’re trying to make it, you’re trying to build a business. If you have a dream, keep making footprints. This is not the time to give up. This is the time to dig in and keep leaving footprints everywhere you go.”

Actors and actresses often talk about Tyler’s generosity, saying that they get paid what they are worth at Tyler Perry Studios.

Paying Taraji’s Worth

Taraji P. Henson was one of the first Black actresses to speak about Tyler Perry’s fair business practices. On an episode of Variety’s: Actors on Actors, Henson revealed that Perry was the first studio that paid her asking price: $500,000.

“I’ve been trying to prove and improve. I was asking for half a million. I didn’t get paid that until I did my first Tyler Perry film. He was the first person who paid me $500,000. I was never in a position where I could not take a job,” Henson said to actress Ellen Pompeo.

As Henson has worked with Perry multiple times in the last decade, she may be one of those millionaires.

Honoring Cicely Tyson

Perry is not only paying fair wages and making millionaires out of new talent. The Madea’s Family Reunion creator is also financially lifting up the old guard. In 2007, Perry paid Black Hollywood legend Cicely Tyson $1 million a day’s work on Why Did I Get Married?

Tyson, who died in 2021, was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Yet, the actress never received her worth according to Perry.

“This woman had done so many amazing things, but she wasn’t well compensated for it. She made $6,000 for Sounder, you know?” he told AARP The Magazine. “I wanted to make sure she knew that there were people who valued her.”

These are only a few examples of Perry’s millionaire-making work. He currently owns the largest production studio in the United States, so his capacity to make millionaires is seemingly endless.

World Health Organization, WHO, vaccines, birth defects, outcomes, pregnant, pregnancy, women

by Jameelah Mullen

June 12, 2025

New COVID-19 Strain Causing ‘Razor Blade Throat’ Spreading In U.S.

Reports indicate that the Nimbus variant of the COVID-19 virus has appeared in 13 U.S. states.

A new COVID-19 variant is circulating, and it comes with a painful symptom.

Some people who have contracted the B.1.8.1 variant, informally called “Nimbus,” reported experiencing a “razor blade throat,” or a severe sore throat, according to Salon. Nimbus accounts for over 37% of new COVID-19 cases in the United States. Other reported symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and congestion.

A preprint study published in May 2025, which has not undergone peer review, suggested mutations in NB. 1.8.1 may enhance its ability to bind to human cells, potentially making it more transmissible than other variants. Earlier this year, the Nimbus strain drove surges in China and other regions of Asia. Experts indicate that it’s unclear whether the Nimbus variant will cause a summer surge.

“It’s hard to predict whether this variant or another will take off and cause a wave…but it’s likely that it won’t be as severe as what we experienced before 2023,” Dr. Albert Ko, professor of public health, epidemiology and medicine at Yale School of Public Health, told TODAY.com.

Data from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza (GISAID) shows that the variant has been detected in at least 13 states: California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Arizona, Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

The World Health Organization’s risk evaluation report suggests that the Nimbus variant poses a low global threat. The report also states that current COVID-19 vaccines can protect against severe illness.

This development comes weeks after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed COVID vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women.

Experts indicate newborns are better protected against the virus when their mothers receive the vaccine.

“The science has not changed,” Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement obtained by NPR. “It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 12, 2025

Morehouse’s Retail Business Program Still Struggles To Find Funding As It Hopes To Expand

The program latest cohort helped 20 businesses learn about scaling and profitability.

Morehouse College’s retail business program was established to empower Black entrepreneurs, but those dreams may be deferred if funding cannot support next year’s class.

The program’s latest cohort of graduates included 20 businesses. During their year-and-a-half matriculation, the entrepreneurs learned essential business tactics, including scaling up and generating profits.

“You need to be here for one main reason, along with information,” new graduate Demond Crump told WABE. “You need to come network, because once again, there’s nothing like being in a room with like-minded individuals, people that are going in the same direction that you are.”

Crump, the founder of a premium sanitary napkins company called Reign, has already scored millions of customers. However, that same type of success for future entrepreneurs remains in limbo: The program cannot take on new students without significant financial backing.

“This comes from philanthropic dollars, and with that, a lot of the philanthropy has really been quiet, if you will. I’m hoping that the dust will clear and that we can indeed continue this work,” explained Tiffany Bussey, executive director of the college’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center.

The program came to fruition after research determined that funding was the primary access barrier for Black businesses. Historically, Black businesses have faced systemic discrimination regarding loan approval. According to the 2024 State of Black Business report, only 32% of Black entrepreneurs received full approval for financing and 40% of Black business owners were denied loans entirely.

This issue has escalated as the federal government pushes for anti-DEI policies. Venture capitalist firms dedicated to uplifting diverse entrepreneurs have been forced to scale back these efforts. With only 6% of Black businesses in retail, initiatives to promote such endeavors are even more critical.

Bussey added, “We know that this program works. We know we have to continue this type of work to push the needle forward.”

Thankfully for these entrepreneurs, Morehouse remains committed to sourcing new funding with its already established partners. The past year’s cohort received its support through the Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, a non-profit business loan service.

“We’re just going to go find new friends that aren’t sitting on the sidelines and that want to continue to fund this work, because it does make an impact and we will close the racial wealth gap over time,” said Ray Pennie, chief of business advisory services at Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs.

by Kandiss Edwards

June 12, 2025

Gentrification Is Here: Black Atlanta Residents Struggle To Stay In The City

Atlanta was named the most educated city, unfortunately it comes at a cost. Black residents say the city is no longer affordable.

Atlanta was recently named the smartest and most educated city; unfortunately, it comes at a cost. The city is no longer considered an affordable place for Black residents of Atlanta.

This Georgia city is experiencing a surge in its technology sector, and with more highly educated individuals moving in, Atlanta’s profile is certainly on the rise. But there’s a troubling side to this growth: many long-time, lower-income residents, who once formed the vibrant heart of the city’s “Black Mecca” culture, are now being pushed out. A report released in 2025 by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) paints a clear picture of this demographic shift, showing that Atlanta has lost 22,149 Black residents while gaining nearly 22,965 white residents since 1980. It’s a complex story where urban renewal clashes with the erosion of established communities.

Civil Rights Activist Devin Barrington-Ward spoke to WSBTV about the drastic difference in Atlanta neighborhoods. He also placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the city’s government. Large tax incentives for developers have increased interest in Atlanta properties. Ward blames the city and the county for issuing these incentives without considering the residents.

“When we see what type of money is being given to corporate developers, as far as tax breaks from the city and the county, of course, Black folks would no longer be able to afford to live in the city of Atlanta. These are policy decisions being made by people who are in elected office,” Ward said.

Maja Sly told Channel 2 that although gentrification appears rampant, help is available.

“We have the best programs, not just in the state of Georgia but in the city of Atlanta, to make home ownership affordable. It’s gentrification on paper, but there’s a bigger story that has to be told about this,” said Sly.

Atlanta Down Payment and Rental Assistance

The Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) offers a downpayment assistance program of up to $20,000 for prospective homeowners. Furthermore, the program’s eligibility requirements are not unreasonable:

First-time homebuyers who have not owned a home in the past 3 years, excluding any ownership interest in residential or commercial property during this period.
The purchase price must be no more than $375,000.
The buyer’s liquid assets cannot exceed $35,000.
The buyer’s contribution towards the down payment must be at least $1,500.
Income must be at most 80% of the current HUD’s MSA Area Median Income.
Properties must be located within the City of Atlanta.
The property must be the homebuyer’s primary residence. Applicants must meet the primary lender’s credit requirements and secure approval for conventional, FHA, or VA loan financing.
The primary loan term typically ranges from 15 to 30 years and must be a fixed-rate loan.
Proof of Georgia residency for at least six months is required.
Undeveloped land is not qualified.
Complete an eight-hour Homebuyer Education class.

Investing In The New Atlanta and Old Black Mecca

Though the tenant-based assistance program has a waiting list, applying can still be beneficial. InvestAtlanta is another organization working to help the “Black Mecca” retain its citizens. While investing in the city’s growth, InvestAtlanta is also dedicating a percentage of its available units to Atlanta residents. Their newest project allocates 150 out of 166 new apartment units, in English Avenue, Vine City, and Riverside neighborhoods, to residents. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens expressed his support for growing the new Atlanta while protecting the Old Mecca.

“An Atlanta for all is one that prioritizes healthy, thriving neighborhoods that benefit residents and communities throughout the city,” says Mayor Dickens, who also serves as the Board Chair of Invest Atlanta. “Strategically using TAD funding, along with innovative partnerships with the faith community and private and nonprofit sectors, not only helps to meet our affordable housing commitment, but also brings new quality housing that spurs additional investment in these neighborhoods.”