by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 14, 2025

Experian Enlists Flau’jae Johnson In Louisiana $5M Consumer Debt Campaign

LSU star Flau'jae Johnson is working with Experian to ease the debt burden faced by Louisiana residents.

LSU basketball star and rapper Flau’jae Johnson has partnered with Experian to promote financial empowerment in Louisiana.

On March 10, Experian announced a $5 million consumer debt relief initiative benefiting 5,000 families in Louisiana as part of its commitment to improving financial health. Johnson, a junior business major, will promote financial literacy by sharing her experience managing finances as one of the top collegiate athletes with Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.

According to Sportskeeda, Johnson’s NIL value was roughly $1.4 million in Oct. 2024.

The initiative is timely as NCAA Basketball Tournament beginning in days. Experian will erase an additional $100,000 in consumer debt for every LSU victory, up to a total of $500,000.

“It’s hard to create a winning financial game plan when you are blocked by debt,” Johnson said in a press release. “I am excited to partner with Experian to empower families in the state and across the country so they can become financial champions of their future.”

The initiative was launched in response to reports showing consumer debt at an all-time high. Experian partnered with ForgiveCo, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), to acquire and cancel qualifying consumer debt for selected beneficiaries in Louisiana—one of the states with the highest poverty rates, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Additionally, beneficiaries will receive a free one-year premium Experian membership, providing access to their Experian credit report, FICO Score, credit monitoring with all three bureaus, CreditLock, and assistance with canceling subscriptions and negotiating lower bills.

“Unmanageable debt prevents consumers from achieving their goals,” said Dacy Yee, president of Experian Consumer Services at Experian. “…We hope this debt relief and access to Experian tools will help beneficiaries in Louisiana move toward a healthier financial future.”

‘I Couldn’t Believe It’: Tyler Perry Pays Off Nashville Woman’s Mortgage

by Stacy Jackson

March 14, 2025

‘I Couldn’t Believe It’: Tyler Perry Pays Off Nashville Woman’s Mortgage

Perry offered to pay off the woman's mortgage after he heard her story. Now her home is almost renovated.

Film mogul Tyler Perry came through and paid off the mortgage for 85-year-old Nashville resident Anniece Tisdale, who was left homeless in December 2024 after a delay on a home renovation took a toll on her family’s finances.

In a February 26 appearance on the Sherri daytime talk show, Tisdale explained that she was determined to renovate her dream home for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. However, a contractor failed to complete the project, which WSMV reported caused the family to lose thousands of dollars.

“Tyler Perry is going to pay off your mortgage,” Sherri Shepherd told Tisdale and her daughter during their episode. Both women were overwhelmed with joy after Shepherd told them Perry heard about the family’s situation and that the actor wanted to “take that financial burden off” of the elderly woman.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Tisdale said WSMV about the surprise gift. “From you coming to interview me, they saw it on the news.” The station first shared the woman’s story in December, which garnered public attention. “They went through news clips and picked it out.”

Tisdale lived in her Nashville home for over 24 years before one of her daughters signed a $200,000 contract in January 2024 with the “unlicensed” contractor.

An initial completion date of May 31, 2024, was agreed upon for the renovation. However, the contract was terminated in Oct. 2024 after the contractor was not able to complete the renovation within the agreed timeframe. Tisdale, who has a prosthetic leg, couldn’t enter her home due to the dangerous state of the unfinished home.

Tisdale said one of her daughters, who died years ago from a heart attack, “was watching over me with Tyler and helped him bless” her with the mortgage gift. Her daughter died the same night she accompanied her to a Tyler Perry play at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center more than a decade ago.

The home renovation is nearly complete, and thanks to Perry’s support with the mortgage payment, the family’s spot looks “brand-new.” The woman said her home is always open for family and anybody who wants to come through.

“It is just something I am going to enjoy for the rest of my life.”

To show their gratitude, the family is giving money that would have been used on their mortgage to Habitat for Humanity.

Georgia, teacher, North Carolina, viral, colored, Black History Month

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 14, 2025

Advocates Seek Justice For Black Students In London Deemed ‘Educationally Subnormal’ In The ’60s, ’70s

Advocates are calling for justice for the period when Black children in London were unjustly labeled as "educationally subnormal."

The Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside in London, England, has joined survivors and advocates in calling for a public inquiry into past cases where Black children were wrongly classified as “educationally subnormal” and placed in schools for children with physical and mental disabilities.

Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, spoke at a March 12 debate. The Guardian reports that she urged Keir Starmer to seek justice for survivors and shed light on the long-term impact of the practice within the education system. Johnson expressed concern that the full extent of how many Black children were wrongly placed in “educationally subnormal” (ESN) schools during the 1960s and ’70s remains unknown, with many receiving little to no support from the system.

“Many racist barriers still exist in education,” Johnson said, adding that the barriers have “evolved directly from the policies and attitudes that drove the ESN scandal.”

“The closure of ESN schools in the 1980s directly led to a rapid expansion in the use of school exclusions, and we began to see higher numbers incarcerated in prisons,” she explained. “The expansion of the use of set and tiering in education whereby certain groups of children [in] increasing numbers are being denied the opportunity to sit exams at certain levels and then denied the opportunity to progress in educational settings, including going to university.”

Survivors, campaigners, lawyers, educational experts, and psychologists shared their testimonies in Parliament the day before the debate and detailed how the “systematic failure” impacted them or the lives of Black children in different ways. Among those who testified include Noel Gordon, who was just six years old when an education department official visited his home and told his mother that he was a “dunce.”

“What he was alluding to, they were placing me in a school for subnormal children; with no curriculum. This was government policy,” Gordon said.

“They put two of my older brothers in the local special school. I suffered a catalog of abuse from the age of six to 16. I was beaten over the head at 12 in the playground and called a Black bastard by Christine, a member of staff, for no reason.”

Rene Stephens, 58, a survivor, broke down in tears as he recounted the physical and sexual abuse he endured within the education system and the lack of support. Denise Davidson recalled being placed in a school alongside children who wore baby bibs or relied on wheelchairs—a stark contrast to the educational environment she was accustomed to in her native Jamaica.

When Davidson’s mother tried to organize her transfer to a more comprehensive school, one educator referred to the child as a “cretin.”

“I remember my parents returning home and my dad finding a dictionary and looking up the word cretin,” Davidson recalled. “My mum was sobbing at this point because she thought I had some disease.”

She continued attending the school alongside her classmates, many of whom were disabled.

“The same fundamental systems that excluded Black children from mainstream education decades ago still exist today -– just in different forms,” Johnson said at the debate. “ESN schools may have gone, but Black children are still disproportionately pushed into pupil referral units and alternative provision, feeding into the school-to-prison pipeline.”

Catherine McKinnell, the education minister, stated that while the government has no plans to hold a public inquiry, they are open to hearing from survivors and advocates. She emphasized, “Britain is a country that will respect your contribution and give you a fair chance to succeed in life.”

Woman Enters Guilty Plea In Cross-Burning Hoax Targeting Colorado Springs’ 1st Black Mayor

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 14, 2025

Woman Enters Guilty Plea In Cross-Burning Hoax Targeting Colorado Springs’ 1st Black Mayor

Prosecutors stated that a picture and video of the cross burning were sent to media and civic organizations to project an attack on Mobolade.

One of three women charged with setting a cross on fire in front of a campaign sign to help the campaign of a mayoral candidate has entered a guilty plea, the Associated Press reports.

In a federal court in Denver, Deanna West pleaded guilty after being involved in the April 2023 incident and was charged with one count of being part of a conspiracy to set the fire and participate in a faux smear campaign targeting the election of now-Colorado Springs(CO) Mayor Yemi Mobolade.

Prosecutors say a picture and video of the cross burning were sent to media and civic organizations to project an attack on Mobolade.

The plea agreement, which dropped an additional charge related to setting the fire, stated that the goal of the plan was to interfere in Mobolade’s opponent’s campaign and attempt to create the narrative that the independent candidate was being discouraged from running because he was Black.

West agreed to the conspiracy plan with Derrick Bernard, who offered her employment and housing in exchange.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, attorneys for Bernard and the third assailant, Ashley Blackcloud, argued for the charges to be dismissed since the allegations were protected by free speech. They also pushed that the cross-burning was a way to help Mobolade win by generating outrage.

Mobolade was elected in May 2023, the first Black and immigrant mayor of Colorado Springs after close to 40 years of Republican-elected mayors. He received backlash for communicating with Bernard, according to the indictment.

In a Facebook message, Bernard allegedly told Mobolade that he was “mobilizing my squadron in defense and for the final push. Black ops style, big brother. The klan cannot be allowed to run this city again.”

Mobolade was then accused of speaking with Bernard for about five minutes on the phone three days after the cross-burning.

The mayor has denied having any knowledge or involvement in the crime and revealed a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice that identified him as a victim during the investigation into the cross burning.

Golden Krust Marks 35 Years With Island Select Launch At Walmart

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 13, 2025

Golden Krust Marks 35 Years With Island Select Launch At Walmart

Golden Krust is expanding into Walmart's nationwide with two new signature patty flavors.

Golden Krust is bringing its signature Caribbean flavors to more customers nationwide with the exclusive launch of Golden Krust Island Select at Walmart.

More than 35 years after opening its first brick-and-mortar location in The Bronx, New York, Golden Krust has launched its Island Select line exclusively at 1,600 Walmart® locations nationwide. The Island Select line debuts with two new retail Jamaican patty varieties: Strawberry & Cream Cheese and Vegetable –alongside a bold new packaging redesign to reinforce the brand’s commitment to quality and innovation.

Designed to delight newcomers to the Golden Krust brand, the Strawberry & Cream Cheese Patty offers a sweet and creamy take on the classic Jamaican beef patty. Featuring real strawberries and smooth cream cheese inside a crispy, golden crust, it’s a perfect treat for breakfast or dessert—especially when paired with vanilla ice cream.

Golden Krust Island Select Strawberry and Cream Cheese/Courtesy of Golden Krust

The Vegetable Patty offers a hearty blend of cabbage, corn, green beans, carrots, broccoli, and onions, seasoned with Caribbean herbs and spices like garlic, thyme, and Scotch bonnet peppers. Place it in the air fryer at 360 degrees for about 16 minutes, and you have the perfectly crisp patty ready to be enjoyed.

“We’ve been with Walmart now for over 10 years, and they were looking for a specific line that spoke to our core demographic and also a new demographic for our Jamaican-style patties.” Steven Clarke, Golden Krust’s Vice President of Marketing, tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.

After analyzing Walmart’s data, Golden Krust set out to develop something fresh and inventive.

“Everything kind of signaled the fact that we needed to expand the product line to something fruit-filled, which is probably the biggest innovation in the Island Select line is our new strawberry and cream cheese patty,” Clarke said. “I think it’s the first fruit-filled patty on the market.”

The new Island Select line of patties culminates Golden Krust’s ongoing partnership with Walmart, which has continued to grow since the Carribean bakery was first commissioned by the mega-retailer.

“Walmart saw the success with the spicy beef, mild beef, and jerk chicken,” Clarke shared. “We appreciate the partnership that we’ve been able to secure and nurture with the buying team at Walmart.”

Clarke grew up immersed in the Golden Krust brand. His uncle, the late Lowell Hawthorne, founded the company in 1989, starting with a single shop in The Bronx. Golden Krust has always been a family-run business, with Clarke’s parents owning three locations where he worked and assisted with operations throughout his youth.

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As an adult, he climbed the ranks from operations manager to Vice President of Marketing for his family’s company. Watching his uncle’s vision grow from one restaurant to over 100 franchise and company-owned locations across eight states—with plans for westward expansion and products in major retailers nationwide—highlights the enduring appeal of Golden Krust’s signature flavors, delicious patties, and loyal customer base.

“To see where it has come from since I was a teenager, to now, I’m definitely proud of the brand and the continued growth that we’re able to generate,” Clarke said. “We are very fortunate to do this expansion and going into 1,600 Walmarts in over 30 states.”

Golden Krust Island Select is available at 1,600 Walmart locations nationwide, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas, and more. In addition to Walmart and beyond its restaurants, Golden Krust’s retail division supplies frozen Jamaican patties and island-style baked goods to more than 22,000 retail locations, including ShopRite, Publix, and Target.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 13, 2025

Gene Deal Alleges Diddy Is Orchestrating The Sale Of The Notorious B.I.G.’s Publishing

'...It ain't for Ms. Wallace. It ain't for Big's kids.'

According to Diddy’s former bodyguard, individuals have reportedly been appointed to oversee the sale of The Notorious B.I.G.’s music publishing, and the deal may not be in the best interest of the late rapper’s children.

Gene Deal sat down with The Art of Dialogue, where he claimed that Sean “Diddy” Comb worked with Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts to sell Biggie’s publishing while his mother, Voletta, was sick in hospice.

“Knowing this lady was sick and she was in a hospice, these guys, Wayne Barrow, and Mark Pitts, went on and started working out deals to allegedly sell Big’s publishing, his marketing, all his rights to everything,” Deal explained.

“They are working out a deal for them because it ain’t for Ms. Wallace. It ain’t for Big’s kids,” he added. “The executives of that is Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts. Those are the dudes that Puff put in the play. I can’t believe this. These are the dudes that, when Big died, they took over the marketing and the publishing and everything.”

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Deal claims the deal could be worth over $150 million, and those involved haven’t made any mention of Biggie’s kids or widow, Faith Evans.

“They didn’t say nothing about Big’s kid, CJ, Tatiana, or they didn’t say nothing about Faith. But they about to get paid,” he said.

Deal also claimed that Biggie’s mother never “trusted” Diddy and would avoid him at events as she “knew he might have had something to do with her son’s death.”

“And now she’s taking it to her grave. It’s sad. And these dudes are about to get paid from that, from sticking around,” Deal said.

Alaila Everett , baton, I.C. Norcom High School, high school, track, runner

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 13, 2025

High School Runner Charged With Assault Following Alleged Baton Attack At Track Meet

The high school runner who went viral after striking an opponent in the head with a baton has been charged with assault.

The Virginia high school track and field runner who hit an opponent in the head with a baton has been charged with misdemeanor assault.

I.C. Norcom High School senior Alaila Everett is being charged with one count of assault and battery. The charges come one week after an incident during the 4×200-meter relay at the March 4 state championship, where her baton struck Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker in the head.

Everett insists the incident was accidental, but many who have seen the now-viral video believe otherwise. The widespread attention from the footage has resulted in harassment and death threats against her.

“She was touching me to the point where I was pumping my arm, and the baton was hitting her arm,” Everett said. “I lose my balance—my whole body turns, and then I pump my arms, so she got hit.”

“I would never do that on purpose,” Everett told Good Morning America. “That’s not in my character.”

JUST IN: Track runner Alaila Everett charged with assault & battery after hitting a runner in the head with a baton at a track meet.

Everett claims her hand simply slipped which resulted in the other runner Kaelen Tucker, getting a concussion & possibly fractured skull.

The… pic.twitter.com/SwY8T6tomx
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 13, 2025

Tucker was diagnosed with a concussion, and her parents claim Everett never checked on their daughter or inquired about her well-being, even after the race had ended. However, Everett says that when she tried to reach out to Tucker on social media to apologize, she learned she was blocked.

The high school teen has spoken out against the backlash she is receiving online from people who think she purposefully attacked Tucker.

“I can admit from the video it does look purposeful, but I know my intentions and I would never hit somebody on purpose because of jealousy,” Everett said.

The Portsmouth NAACP also released a statement defending Everett from the online scrutiny and media attention.

“Alaila is NOT AN ATTACKER and media headlines that allude towards that in any way is shameful,” the statement said. “We understand the sensitivity of the circumstances for both athletes and their families involved, but this narrative must not go unaddressed.”

The statement continued.

“Alaila is an honor student and a star athlete at the historic I.C. Norcom High School. From all accounts, she is an exceptional young leader and scholar whose athletic talent has been well-documented and recognized across our state. She has carried herself with integrity both on and off the field, and any narrative that adjudicates her guilty of any criminal activity is a violation of her due process rights.”

FAFSA, application, students, deadline, aid

by Mitti Hicks

March 13, 2025

FAFSA Site Sees Outage Amid Mass Education Department Layoff

The FAFSA outage comes one day after the Department of Education announced it fired more than 1,300 people — or nearly half of its workforce.

There was a massive outage on the website students use to fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The studentaid.gov website was down for hours on March 12, shortly after the U.S. Department of Education laid off half its workforce.

According to the Hill, Downdetector found hundreds of users reported outages on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is used by students currently enrolled in or applying to college to receive financial aid.

The FAFSA outage comes one day after the Department of Education announced it fired more than 1,300 people. According to the Associated Press, at least 300 of those laid off were from the Federal Student Aid department, and nearly two dozen were in the technology department.

“There was a glitch on the FAFSA identify verification backend, which is managed by an FSA vendor. FSA staff was able to solve it within a matter of hours,” a spokesperson for the department stated. “This was unrelated to the RIF as no FSA staff are responsible for operations of these systems; they are managed by vendors.”

The Hill reports that a department official said there was an issue with a firewall misconfiguration installed by a contractor in November. A new feature recently installed by a different contractor caused a hiccup in the system before it was fixed.

The site and forms were reported back up as of Thursday.

Federal Judge Rules Laid Off Federal Employees Have Jobs Reinstated

It remains unclear whether the 1,300 people expected to be laid off will get their jobs back. A U.S. District judge in San Francisco ruled that thousands of federal employees fired by the Trump administration must be offered job reinstatement. The judge says the employees were terminated unlawfully.

“It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employees and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that is a lie,” Judge William Alsup, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, said on the bench before his ruling, NPR reports.

An appeal is likely.

by Mitti Hicks

March 13, 2025

Opinion: Trump Is Handing Over The Healthcare of Millions To Supplements Salespeople

While supplements can be beneficial for overall health, supplement makers make claims about benefits without evidence to back them up, mainly because there is a lack of regulation.

There’s an alarming trend spewing from the mouths of President Donald Trump’s health leaders when it comes to supplements. As Fortune first pointed out, Mehmet Oz, Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, has fed calves bovine colostrum. Dr. Oz, who has a financial stake in the supplement as an adviser to iHerb, fed the calves on camera to prove its benefits. Janette Nesheiwat, Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, sells a line of supplements known as BC Boost.

Then, there is the recently confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy. He recently said he takes more vitamins than he can count. Kennedy also suggested he plans to ease restrictions on vitamins, muscle-building peptides, and more as the HHS leader. He also made unfounded claims that the federal government was waging a “war on public health” by suppressing alternative therapies such as supplements and peptides.

While supplements can benefit overall health, supplement makers make claims about benefits without evidence to back them up, mainly because there is a lack of regulation.

“No supplement needs to get tested or vetted by the FDA before it’s sold,” Pieter Cohen, a general internist at the Cambridge Health Alliance who researches supplements, told Fortune.

Consumer watchdogs have reported traces of lead and other toxins in the supplements. In 2015, researchers with the New England Journal of Medicine found that more than 23,000 emergency department visits per year were attributed to adverse events related to dietary supplements.

Growing Concerns From Health Leaders As Measles Outbreak Grows

As health leaders continue to tout and promote supplements, there are growing concerns that their views could have profound impacts on Americans who will likely buy into the supplement claims.

As a measles outbreak continues to impact West Texas and Oklahoma, Kennedy said on camera that doctors have had “very, very good results” by treating Measles patients with cod liver oil, along with a steroid and an antibiotic. Kennedy also reportedly spoke of federal officials delivering vitamin A to affected communities, a treatment he pushed in the past to the chairman of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises people who contract the disease to take vitamin A to prevent blindness and death. However, WHO also recommends that children be vaccinated against the disease.

Dr. Umar, Eminem, Joe budden, podcast, non African, black, culture, best rapper

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 13, 2025

Is Eminem Joining Bid To Bring WNBA Team To Detroit?

More than cities are vying for a spot.

Rapper Eminem has reportedly joined a collective led by Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores that features Chris Webber and Grant Hill, to bring a WNBA franchise back to Detroit, a source close to the process told Sportico.

The city had a team from 1998 to 2009, the Shock, which won three championships before moving to Tulsa. The franchise then moved to Texas to play in Arlington. The Dallas Wings are still in existence.

The Detroit WNBA group also features the owners of the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings, Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers, and the National Football League’s Detroit Lions.

Others involved in the investment group include the CEO and chair of the General Motors Company, Mary Barra and her husband, Tony; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and his wife, Christen; and Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem, and his wife, Nancy, a former Microsoft executive.

“Michiganders are fired up,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitner said in a statement. “Our passion for our teams and players is unmatched, our commitment to our communities remains unwavering, and our vision for women’s sports is crystal clear.”

If awarded a franchise, the team will play its games at Little Caesars Arena, where the Pistons and Red Wings play their home games.

With several cities vying to join the WNBA, there may be a chance that the league welcomes as many as three new teams. There are already plans to bring new franchises to San Francisco, Toronto, and Portland in upcoming seasons.

Bids for this ongoing round of expansion were due at the end of January. Interest came from groups inside and outside the NBA. More than 10 cities submitted formal bids in advance of the deadline, The Athletic reported, including groups from Austin, Charlotte, Cleveland, and Philadelphia.