Jason Whitlock
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 3, 2025

Jason Whitlock Questions Authenticity Of Basketball Team Photo Featuring Stephen A. Smith—Real Or AI?

Whitlock doesn't know if a Winston-Salem State University basketball team photo featuring Smith or if it was altered

The feud with LeBron James has not ended with Stephen A. Smith. Still, another of his adversaries, Jason Whitlock, has launched another attack on the ESPN analyst as he doubted that a photo of Smith on an HBCU basketball team was really him.

According to HBCU Gameday, Whitlock cast doubt on a photo the platform’s owner, Steven Gaither, posted on another platform he runs, WSSU (Winston-Salem State University) Ram Nation. Gaither posted a team photo that showed Smith beside current North Carolina A&T head coach Monté Ross. The picture was from the 1991 season. Although it was previously mislabeled as the team that made the playoffs in 1992, Gaither assured his readers that the photo was genuine and the person was really Smith.

Clutchpoint reported that during his appearance on his recent podcast, Fearless, Whitlock stated he saw the photo and immediately questioned if it was real or artificial intelligence.

“ We’ve done the homework, and we know where this picture comes from. It comes from whatever conference they were in the 90s, the 1992 Postseason Conference for Winston-Salem State. It was in [the] media guide for that postseason conference tournament. This picture was in, and I’ve said here I’m not sure if this is AI. I’m not sure if that is actually Stephen A. Smith.”

Still doubting the picture’s validity, Whitlock continues by trying to point out inconsistencies with stories Smith has mentioned over the years.

“Yes. There’s a striking resemblance between this man next to Monte Ross and Stephen A. Smith. But, even according to Stephen A. Smith’s own telling at the time of the 1992 postseason tournament of the conference that they played in, Stephen A. Smith was working at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution or the Winston-Salem Journal. Winston-Salem State or Winston-Salem Journal, whatever. He was already started his media career. He was already graduated from Winston-Salem State. They can’t keep their lies straight.”

Gaither points out Whitlock’s insistence on attacking Smith because “he never misses a chance to take a snipe” at his known adversary. But, the HBCU Gameday founder reassures us that the picture IS authentic.

RELATED CONTENT: Alexis Ohanian, Husband Of Serena Williams, Claps Back At Jason Whitlock For Calling Him A Simp

Aurora James
by Stacy Jackson

April 3, 2025

Fifteen Percent Pledge Founder Aurora James Addresses DEI Rollbacks, Consumer Boycotts

Despite recent DEI rollbacks, The Fifteen Percent Pledge maintains almost 30 retailers. And James plans to double down on her organization's mission

In a discussion with Fortune, fashion designer Aurora James said her non-profit, The Fifteen Percent Pledge, has not experienced any retailers or other companies bowing out of their commitments to the organization amid DEI rollbacks.

James started The Fifteen Percent Pledge in Many 2020 after she challenged major retailers and corporations to support its mission and dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands in an effort to create a more equitable economic future.

Despite orders like the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to end affirmative action and President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which targeted DEI initiatives in government, The Fifteen Percent Pledge maintains over 28 retailers, which include Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ulta Beauty, and Victoria’s Secret.

According to the organization’s website, the pledge has shifted nearly $14 billion of revenue to Black-owned brands.

James said that Target’s January announcement to roll back its DEI programs was a major change. “The first idea that I had for The Fifteen Percent Pledge was because I was on the phone with someone talking about Target,” she said. “They’re based in this city where George Floyd was murdered [Minneapolis]. The pledge has had a fairly public ongoing discourse with them because they always refused to take the pledge. And I think that’s because [DEI] was largely optic [for the company].”

The idea that DEI is solely about offering opportunities to people based on gender and skin color is a huge misconception, James said. “That’s really not what it’s about. It’s about creating a diverse meritocracy…casting an incredibly wide net and including people that normally don’t have access to shoot their shot.”

She believes there is power in consumer boycotts with the number of consumers that refuse to spend their hard-earned dollars in stores that fail to align with their values. A survey conducted by The Fifteen Percent Pledge and the Global Strategy Group revealed that 61% of registered voters said it was necessary that companies they purchase from actively support DEI initiatives, while 40% said they would fall back on purchasing from companies that decide to roll back or eliminate DEI programs.

“If we look ahead a decade, right, we’re going to see that a lot of these companies that haven’t embraced diverse thought are going to really struggle,” James said. She believes small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and as a founder of color, she plans to double down and continue to support the partners of The Fifteen Percent Pledge.

RELATED CONTENT: 4 Black Businesses Gain $350K At Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala, Exceeding $500K In Grants

civil lawsuit|ja morant
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 3, 2025

Ja Morant Scrutinized For Gun Gesture During Recent NBA Game

The NBA is reportedly 'looking into' the incident due to past suspensions related to gun-related issues

Memphis Grizzlies NBA player Ja Morant is in the hot seat again after another controversial move he made emulating “firing” a gun in the direction of an opposing player while on the basketball court in a recent game.

The explosive point guard was suspended two times by the league for issues around publicly handling guns in social media video clips. There was also another reported incident where he was allegedly seen with his friends brandishing a firearm at opposing players after an NBA game. Due to these incidents, the gesture brought Morant unneeded attention. While walking past several Golden State Warriors players during a timeout, Morant can be seen using his arms and fingers in a shooting motion toward the Warriors bench.

After fans and basketball enthusiasts started talking about Morant’s gesture, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the NBA is reportedly looking into the incident due to Morant’s history regarding guns.

NBC New York reported a back-and-forth between Morant and Warriors guard Buddy Hield. Hield reportedly made a gun gesture (akin to trash talk on the basketball court and used by many basketball players) toward Morant before the Grizzles guard repeated it toward him. Both players received technical fouls but were allowed to stay in the game. The situation for Morant is being looked at due to his past gun-related issues, which are seemingly the primary reason for further investigation by the NBA.

The league will also speak to Hield before talking to Morant.

RELATED CONTENT: BIG3 Is Now Location-Based, Ice Cube Says

Carmelo Anthony, soccer trial, Puerto Rico, invstment
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 3, 2025

Report: Carmelo Anthony Part of 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class

Will he enter the Hall of Fame as a Denver Nugget or as a New York Knick?

ESPN’s Sham Charania is reporting that retired NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony is will be part of this year’s class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

In a social media post, the NBA insider revealed that the successful businessman was told that he had recently become a first-ballot NBA Hall of Famer.

“First ballot: Carmelo Anthony has been notified that he’s been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, sources tell ESPN. Anthony made 10 All-Star appearances and six All-NBA teams in 19 seasons to go along with three Olympic gold medals for Team USA.”

Although Anthony never won an NBA title, he was one of the most respected players in the league in his lengthy NBA career, which featured star-making runs with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. He ended his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

During his only season of college basketball, he led Syracuse University to its first and only NCAA men’s basketball tournament championship. He then entered the 2003 NBA Draft, where the Denver Nuggets made him the third overall pick.

Anthony is among the most decorated players in the United States Olympic men’s basketball history. In four Olympics, he won three gold medals and became the all-time leader in games played and rebounds while ranking second in points. He set the U.S. Olympic scoring record in 2012 with 37 points in a game against Nigeria.

After 19 seasons in the NBA, Anthony retired and is now concentrating on a variety of businesses.

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Corporations, Federal Taxes, Money
by Sharelle B. McNair

April 3, 2025

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent And John Hope Bryant Collaborate For National Financial Literacy Month

The long-time colleagues met to discuss the nationwide initiative called Financial Literacy for All (FL4A), led by Bryant to harp on the importance of financial education.

John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to mark April as National Financial Literacy Month and highlight their commitment to financial gain for all Americans. 

The longtime colleagues met to discuss the narrative of a nationwide initiative called “Financial Literacy for All” (FL4A), led by Bryant, to emphasize the importance of financial education being built into the fabric of American life. Bryant and Bessent talked about ways to deepen the collaboration between public and private sectors to expand access to financial tools and knowledge. “For too long, financial literacy has been treated as a luxury,” Secretary Bessent said. 

“It’s a necessity—just like reading and writing. John and I have been aligned on this for nearly a decade, and I’m proud to stand with him this April and beyond.”

In a 2024 CNBC op-ed, the financial literacy advocate highlighted the concept as being often overlooked throughout American history, specifically for African Americans, and when the target is the upcoming generation, calling it a “civil rights issue.” 

While celebrating how President Abraham Lincoln signed the Freedman’s Bank into law in 1865 “to teach freed slaves about money,” Bryant said economic growth is more than just opening a slew of businesses or having products, but more so about active participation in the country’s economic development.

“The more people are involved in economic activities, such as earning, spending, saving, and investing, the more robust the economy becomes,” Bryant wrote. 

In the same year, a survey revealed that seven in ten adults in the U.S. were “very or somewhat stressed” about their personal finances, heightening the fact that having a steady paycheck isn’t enough to prosper. The data was supported by a 2023 Employee Financial Wellness Survey by PwC, which found that 60% of full-time workers are stressed about their finances.

As Bryant and the Treasury Secretary push Financial Literacy Month goals of guaranteeing that “every individual, family, and business has the foundation to make informed financial decisions and build lasting security,” Bryant has given insight on how America will fail without the proper financial literacy elements being in place for past and future generations. “Think about this for a moment. We live in the largest, strongest, most robust economy on the planet, yet most of our children don’t even get one class in financial literacy. No one is telling them (and us) how this economy works,” the advocate wrote. 

“We need the working class and the laddered-up middle class in America, and around the world, to grow. Without financial literacy, we cannot fully participate in our free enterprise system, and we cannot make informed financial decisions. We are left at the mercy of an economic system we do not fully understand — and worse yet for some of us, one that was not designed to support us.”

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Work, Office
by Stacy Jackson

April 3, 2025

Black Women’s Health Imperative President Linda Goler Blount Announces Resignation

Goler Blount prepares her farewell as president of the Black Women's Health Imperative after leading the organization for over a decade.

After 11 years of connecting with millions of Black women and girls across the United States, Black Women’s Health Imperative President Linda Goler Blount is stepping down from her position with the Atlanta-based organization.

As she prepares to resign this month, Goler Blount reflected on her rewarding experience leading the Black Women’s Health Imperative over the last 11 years. In the April 2 announcement, the health justice leader thanked the organization’s team for their contributions and support with initiatives that have kept Black women in focus. “Not only have we brought to the forefront the health challenges and injustices Black women in this country continue to face,” Goler Blount said, “but we secured landmark legislation that has allowed Black women in this country to have access to breast cancer screening and treatment, access to reproductive healthcare, and significantly reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes.”

The Black Women’s Health Imperative is committed to continuing Goler Blount’s progress since she helmed the position in 2014. Under her presidency, the organization expanded into an $18 million leading national institution for Black women’s health research, advocacy, policy, and program delivery. The organization was significantly involved in legislation such as the reauthorization of the Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings (PALS) Act. The policy permitted screening mammograms at 40 compared to the previous age of 50. In 2024, the organization released its “Black Women Vote: 2024 Health Policy Guide,” as previously mentioned by BLACK ENTERPRISE. “The challenges we face as a community—especially the recent attacks on reproductive freedoms—underscore the need for transformative leadership,” she said. Goler Blount’s leadership has secured several campaign collaborations with celebrities and brands like singers Mary J. Blige and Ciara, the NFL, and the WNBA.

Goler Blount told BE in 2023 that being selected as president of the Black Women’s Health Imperative was an incredible privilege. “Ten years ago, the board picked me,” she said at the time. “They picked my vision. They picked my passion, and that’s not lost on me.”

She completes over a decade of service with great love and respect from the Black Women’s Health Imperative Board. “When I founded BWHI, it was about creating a movement where Black women’s health was front and center—unapologetically. This moment is a continuation of that vision. It’s not a pause—it’s a progression,” said organization founder Byllye Avery. “I am deeply grateful to Linda for the way she elevated this organization and expanded both its mission and impact.”

As the board undergoes an executive search process, Michelle Minus Swittenberg, EVP of Enterprise Operations, and Lisa Cunningham, EVP of Marketing and Communications, will serve as interim co-presidents.

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Black Youth, Incarceration, Racial Disparities
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 3, 2025

Formerly Incarcerated Black Men Facing Eviction In Boston Say They’re Being Targeted

A group of formerly incarcerated residents in a luxury Boston complex claims they are being subjected to legal harassment.

A loft complex in Boston’s Charlestown community is under scrutiny for legal threats directed at formerly incarcerated tenants with darker skin.

Michael Penn and Demetrius Calhoun are among several formerly incarcerated residents who claim they are being unfairly forced out of their homes at the Graphic Lofts — an upscale apartment complex featuring a fitness center, roof deck, and pet spa. Both men believe they are being targeted due to their past criminal records and race.

“They want me out,” Penn told GBH News. “It sucks when I move into a situation where I’m happy to be and for no reason other than the fact that I’m Black or I have a record or, you know, they just don’t like my appearance. … To them, I just scream Black thug or, you know, gangster or whatever.”

The property used to accept residents with criminal records, according to Leslie Credle, the head of Justice 4 Housing, a nonprofit supporting formerly incarcerated individuals in the Boston area. Justice 4 Housing has successfully placed about a dozen people there with the help of city and state-subsidized vouchers over the last two years.

However, she now says her clients are receiving warnings and eviction notices due to unjust claims of smoking in the building or speaking aggressively to staff. Credle notes that all the individuals facing eviction have been people of color.

“Everybody that Justice 4 Housing put in [Graphic Lofts] is getting these letters that are saying that they’re being terrible tenants. They’re just making things up,” Credle said. “It was the dog. It was the window. It was the smoke. It’s anything and everything they can put their hands on, and they bombard them with legal letters.”

The property is owned by GWL Direct 32 Cambridge LLC, a limited liability company, and managed by Willow Bridge Property Company. According to Turk and Milone, a law firm representing the management company, they are “committed to providing safe, decent, and affordable housing” for their residents. However, they stated that “if a resident fails to comply with their lease and disrupts the rights of others to peacefully enjoy their apartments, Graphic Lofts must take action to support the community as a whole.”

Credle noted that while the tenants would probably win in housing court if they contested their evictions, most people with criminal records already struggle to secure housing, and the situation worsens when their name appears in housing court records. Justice 4 Housing is working to relocate many of its Graphic Lofts clients to other buildings.

“They don’t want to stay there after being harassed and targeted,” Credle said.

RELATED CONTENT: Formerly Incarcerated Mom Goes Viral For Passing Bar Exam On 1st Try

self-checkout,,principal, Gregory. Lewis
by Kandiss Edwards

April 3, 2025

Florida Principal Helping Himself By ‘Skip Scanning’ At Walmart Self-Checkout Lands In Jail

The principal engaged in "skip scanning" to see what he "could get away with."

Gregory Lewis, a Florida principal, was arrested in Polk County for “skip scanning” at a Walmart.

On March 29, Fox 8 reported that Winter Haven Police responded to a Walmart on Cypress Garden Boulevard after store managers reported Lewis had stolen items by “skip scanning” or failing to scan certain products at self-checkout.

Police accused Lewis of concealing a large pack of light bulbs, bacon, and frozen butterfly shrimp between foam plates to avoid paying the full price. When confronted, Lewis admitted to the crime and called his actions “dumb.” He told officers the idea came from friends, saying they had discussed the scam, and he wanted to see what he could get away with.

“We sit around talking, ‘Hey, I did this.’ Let me try and see what I can get away with,” Lewis said in police body-camera footage. “I did something dumb today, and I understand it.”

Former educator James Barker said Lewis’s actions affected not only him but the entire education profession.

“More and more people are doing just stupid things without any regard to the consequences, not only for themselves but for the reputation of our profession,” Barker said.

Barker said educators must set a clear example to prevent children from making the same thoughtless choices.

“He’s the principal of the school, and now he’s been caught doing this, so what example does he set for the kids?” he said.

Lewis was charged with petty theft and released. According to interim Superintendent Alricky Smith, Lake Wales Charter Schools placed him on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Though skip scanning may have worked in the past, it is no longer so simple. Retailers are using advanced technology to detect theft at self-checkout.

In 2024, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Walmart’s partnership with Digimarc, a tech company developing invisible watermarks embedded in retail products. The watermarks allow items to be scanned without directly presenting a barcode.

Whether Walmart has implemented the technology for all products or just a select portion is unclear, but the imperceptible watermarks are expected to help curb retail theft.

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ICE, detroit, civil rights leaders
by Mitti Hicks

April 3, 2025

ICE Uses Nike, Jordans, Chicago Bulls Jerseys To Arrest Suspected Gang Members

ACLU lawyers are accusing ICE agents of falsely linking Nike clothing, Air Jordans, Chicago Bulls jerseys, and tattoos to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Recent accusations about Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) may make you want to rethink wearing Nike, Air Jordans, or Chicago Bulls apparel. ACLU lawyers are accusing ICE agents of falsely linking Nike clothing, Air Jordans, Chicago Bulls jerseys, and tattoos to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

In a declaration filed last week, ACLU lawyers representing some of the people targeted provided a series of documents and 20 exhibits related to how law enforcement agents identified people they suspect are part of Tren de Aragua.

According to documents ACLU lawyers obtained, Homeland Security Investigations’ Chicago Field Office has a “detecting and identifying” gang members guide. Some identifiers are the “Jump Man” symbol, people dressed in high-end urban street wear, and people who favor the Chicago Bulls basketball jersey, specifically Michael Jordan. Identifiers don’t stop there. Investigators say people wearing jerseys with the number “23” and those who wear Jump Man footwear are also suspicious.

Tren de Aragua expert Ronna Risquez recently told NBC News that while Latin American gangs often use tattoos to signal membership, that’s not always the case with the Venezuelan gang.

“To be a member of one of these Venezuelan organizations, you don’t need a tattoo,” she said. “You can have no tattoos and still be part of Tren de Aragua. You can also have a tattoo that matches other members of the organization.”

ICE Facing Scurtiny Over Arrests

The Trump administration has been using the Alien Enemies Act to deport or forcefully relocate people it suspects of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang. However, the ACLU says many of the people targeted are active asylum seekers.

ACLU’s filing comes amid questions about due process. ICE deported Neri Alvarado to the notorious maximum security prison known as CECOT for a tattoo with an autism awareness ribbon with his brother’s name on it, according to Mother Jones. Alvarado said ICE agents told him he was detained for his tattoos.

“We’re finding and questioning everyone who has tattoos,” an agent told Alvarado.

In another incident, the U.S. government admitted to accidentally deporting legal resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia because of an “administration error.”

As NBC News reported, even with the mistake, the government has no plans to bring him back to the United States.

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Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
by Kandiss Edwards

April 3, 2025

Director Of The National Museum Of African American History And Culture Is Placed On ‘Indefinite Leave’

National Museum of African American History and Culture is on "indefinite leave." Shanita Brackett current director of operations will step in as interim director.

Kevin Young, director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is on indefinite leave, according to The Washington Post.

The outlet obtained an internal email from Smithsonian Undersecretary for Museums and Culture Kevin Gover, stating that Young will be away for an “undetermined period.”

In his absence, Shanita Brackett, the museum’s director of operations, has been appointed interim director.

The reason for Young’s extended leave is unclear. He also serves as poetry editor for The New Yorker. The move coincides with the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on organizations that celebrate African American history.

In March 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” targeting the Smithsonian Institution, which oversees the museum. He accused it of promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology,” aiming to prevent funding for exhibits or programs considered to degrade shared American values. This move was part of a broader campaign against what he termed “woke” ideology in cultural organizations.

Many view this action as an attempt to downplay the impact of racism and the contributions of Black Americans throughout U.S. history. They argued that the executive order sought to suppress recognition of Black history and could have a chilling effect on institutions studying it. ​

Leadership for the American Historical Association and 25 other organizations released a joint statement about the administration’s actions. The statement asserts that the museum allows America to reckon with and learn lessons from the past while simultaneously celebrating African Americans’ lengthy contributions to society. 

“The stories that have shaped our past include not only elements that make us proud but also aspects that make us acutely aware of tragedies in our nation’s history. No person, no nation, is perfect, and we should all—as individuals and as nations—learn from our imperfections,” it read.

The statement also stressed the Trump administration’s attempts to “misrepresent the work of museums and the public’s engagement with their collections and exhibits. It also completely misconstrues the nature of historical work.”

The Smithsonian’s Secretary, Lonnie Bunch, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to presenting diverse narratives and maintaining scholarly integrity free from partisanship, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging all aspects of American history.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Executive Order Effectively Kills ‘Voice Of America’ Some Say The Move Is Dangerous For Democracy

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