by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 10, 2024

Rest In Power: Nikki Giovanni, Acclaimed Poet And Activist Dies At 81

Giovanni's words on Black pride and experience made her a pioneer of the Black Arts Movement.

Nikki Giovanni, the acclaimed poet and activist known for her contributions to the Black Arts Movement, has died at age 81.

Born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni on June 7, 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Giovanni grew to become one of the most revered African-American poets. After graduating from Fisk University, the author released her first poetry collections, Black Feeling, Black Talk and Black Judgement, in 1968.

The works focused heavily on Black empowerment and Black radicalism, taking inspiration from the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements she witnessed growing up. Alongside fellow acclaimed writers such as Amiri Baraka and Audre Lorde, Giovanni’s words on Black pride and its experience made her a pioneer of the Black Arts Movement.

Giovanni went on to release more poetry, also expanding her art to children’s literature in the 70s. She also appeared on the television program Soul!, a variety show that promoted Black art and political expression, holding conversations with fellow Black public figures like James Baldwin and Muhammad Ali.

She continued using her pen to advocate for Black upliftment and gender equality, advocating for feminist ideologies within this racial lens. Her work engaged in the intersections of race, sexuality, and gender, offering her readers a vivid perspective into the Black woman’s unique plight as well.

Giovanni taught at several colleges throughout her career, particularly at Virginia Tech during her later years. She was a University Distinguished professor at the school until her retirement in September 2022.

Respected and loved by her peers such as Rosa Parks, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and Baldwin, Giovanni was a pivotal voice for Black reflection and thought. As for her chosen literary art, Giovanni described her journey to becoming a poet as a way to “put things together.”

“My dream was not to publish or to even be a writer: my dream was to discover something no one else had thought of,” she wrote on her website.

“I guess that’s why I’m a poet. We put things together in ways no one else does.”

A honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Giovanni won numerous awards, including a Langston Hughes Medal and eight NAACP Image Awards. Also a 2008 recipient of BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Women of Power Legacy Award, she remains one of the most celebrated poets in Black and U.S. history. Her latest book of poetry, titled The Last Book, will be released posthumously in fall 2025.

Giovanni died of complications with lung cancer on Dec. 9, as confirmed by CNN. She died peacefully with her wife Virginia Fowler by her side. Giovanni also leaves behind her son, Thomas and her granddaughter, Kai.

Spelman, HBCU, HBCYou, doll,dolls, Target

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 10, 2024

Woman Transforms Historic African-American Doll Collection Into A Free Museum In Omaha

A passionate doll collector is transforming her collection into a free museum that showcases America's Black history.

A woman out of Omaha, Nebraska, has transformed her personal collection of more than 750 historic African-American dolls into a free museum.

WOWT reported that the Doll Museum of African-American History is showcasing LaVon Stennis-Williams’ remarkable collection of Black dolls, which spans over three centuries. The exhibit’s goal is to tell America’s history over the last 300 years through the eyes of a doll.

Located next to Stennis-Williams’ other African-American history museum, Mama’s Attic, the dolls offer a distinctive way for the collector to educate others about the past.

“Dolls have been more than a plaything throughout our history. They help tell the story of what America was like,” Stennis-Williams said.

She began collecting dolls more than 35 years ago to teach her daughter about history. What started as a personal project soon grew into a hobby of over 1,000 dolls. She now refuses to spend more than $100 on a doll, but happily dedicates time to restoring old dolls to their original beauty.

“My start was collecting baby dolls and, of course, collecting African-American dolls as a way to help teach my daughter about different things, about her race and culture.”

The dolls had been sitting in storage, with a few on display in her home and office, until she launched the free exhibit.

“I got to a point where I wanted to make sure that they were available for the public to see,” Stennis-Williams shared.

The exhibit offers attendees the opportunity to experience America’s history through the lens of African-American dolls, ranging from those crafted by enslaved women in the 1850s to post-slavery dolls. Those later dolls, while featuring more defined faces and features, still often depicted Black children in stereotypical ways.

“Some of the dolls were still considered to be very derogatory, and unlike the slavery period, many of these dolls here were not made by Black mothers. They were made by white manufacturers who produced these dolls,” said Stennis-Williams.

There are also dolls made by the first Black doll company in the United States, called The Negro Doll Company. The company was founded in the early 1900s by a formerly enslaved man named Richard Henry Boyd.

“Slavery had ended. You had Blacks that were climbing the economic ladder. They wanted more for their children than just the mammy and the other derogatory dolls that were on the market,” she said.

The dolls showcase the economic growth of the Black community during the 1920s and 1930s, as well as the collaboration of Jackie Ormes, the first Black cartoonist, with the Terri Lee Doll Co. to create the Patty Jo Doll. Dolls from the 1960s highlight the Civil Rights Movement and include those used as evidence in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which desegregated schools. Stennis-Williams noted that a study presented in the case revealed that, when given the choice, Black children overwhelmingly preferred to play with white dolls over Black dolls.

“The study was done by the Clarks. It was used by the Supreme Court to show the devastating effects when kids are separated in their education,” she said.

The free museum is part of Stennis-Williams’ reform efforts as a formerly incarcerated woman who also runs a nonprofit, ReConnect Success, where she and her team assist currently or formerly incarcerated individuals in finding meaningful careers.

Both of her museums are open to visitors by appointment only. Free admission is available for everyone, including school groups and clubs. Appointment information can be found on the Mama’s Attic website.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 10, 2024

Kalamazoo Celebrates 4th Cohort of the Black Entrepreneur Training Academy

Kalamazoo's Black Entrepreneur Training Academy recently celebrated the graduation of its fourth cohort from the free program.

A new group of cohorts in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is celebrating its graduation from the city’s Black Entrepreneur Training Academy (BETA).

The fourth cohort of BETA was all smiles at their graduation ceremony last month. Graduates shared their excitement about applying what they learned to their businesses. The program is committed to giving Black entrepreneurs equal access to essential resources.

Created through a partnership between Black Wall Street Kalamazoo and Sisters in Business, BETA is a free, five-month cohort-based program for Black entrepreneurs that offers expert-led guidance on entrepreneurship. Graduates also have the opportunity to compete in a pitch competition for up to $5,500 in funding.

“You’re coming out of here with the knowledge to make it in the marketplace,” Lyonel LaGrone II told MLive, a 2024 graduate and the husband of Sisters in Business co-founder Alisa Parker-LaGrone.

LaGrone joined BETA to elevate his non-emergency medical transportation company, Michigan Ambulatory Services. He was inspired by the success of Doreen Gardner, the owner of Papa’s Brittle and a 2021 BETA graduate. Gardner joined Can-Do Kalamazoo (formerly Can-Do Kitchen), gaining the tools to perfect her peanut brittle. Her journey led her to win the 2022 Catalyst University Makers’ Mart and secure the NAACP Powershift Grant, a prominent national competition with personal mentorship from Shark Tank’s Daymond John.

Teaching students everything from financial planning, marketing, and establishing an LLC to offering professional bookkeepers and business coaches, LaGrone applauds BETA for being a “360-degree approach from conceptualization to realization” that “demystifies” entrepreneurship and helps graduates find a “realistic entry point into the market” to expand their business further.

The program continues well after graduation, with BETA leaders continuing to check in with graduates for a year afterward. Resources remain accessible, and a private Facebook group keeps students and alums connected, fostering a community and providing ongoing opportunities.

“If we can get into that (private) room and be a bridge, be a voice … that creates equitability,” Sisters in Business Co-founder Nicole Parker said.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 10, 2024

Omar Fateh, First Somali-Muslim American In Minnesota Senate, Announces Minneapolis Mayoral Run

In his announcement, he cited the re-election of Donald Trump as a reason for his mayoral run.

Omar Fateh shared the news of his campaign on Dec. 2. In his announcement, he cited the re-election of Donald Trump as a reason for his mayoral run.

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A post shared by Omar Fateh (@omarfatehmn)

“For working people, it’s getting harder to build our lives in Minneapolis. And with Donald Trump stepping back into the Oval Office, everything we’ve worked so hard to create is in jeopardy. It’s not enough to just stand up to Donald Trump. It’s time to push back with forward-thinking leadership,” Fateh wrote in his announcement.

A member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor party, Fateh is known as a progressive voice within the state’s legislature. According to CBS News, he has sponsored policies such as funding free college tuition for low-income Minnesotans and minimum wage for rideshare drivers. The latter, which also secured other protections for those workers, went into effect in the state this month.

Fateh currently represents District 42, which also includes parts of south Minneapolis. In his statement, he added that he hopes to work with the progressive city council to help the working-class community.

“Serving in the Minnesota Senate, I’ve seen firsthand what a progressive legislature can do with the right executive,” continued the elected official. “As Mayor, I will work with the progressive City Council to achieve tangible wins for our neighbors and uplift those of us who are struggling to get by. Minneapolis is full of people who are ready to invest in long-term solutions that will bring security and stability to our communities. Minneapolis residents work hard for the city we love. We deserve a Mayor that works as hard as we do.”

Fateh will challenge the incumbent, Mayor Jacob Frey, in the 2025 election. If elected, Fateh would become the second Somali American mayor in the U.S. and Minnesota’s history. Nadia Mohammed was the first to do so when elected mayor of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, in 2023.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 10, 2024

Quavo Named Humanitarian Of The Year For Work Against Gun Violence

Quavo thanked 'everyone fighting for change and fighting for my brother Takeoff, who inspires me every day.'

Quavo was honored as Humanitarian of the Year for his efforts in combating gun violence at Variety‘s eighth annual Hitmakers Brunch in Los Angeles.

The Migos rapper reflected on the loss of his nephew and group member Takeoff in 2022, sharing how the tragedy motivated him to advocate against gun violence. Quavo explained how channeling his grief into anti-violence initiatives, such as his Rocket Foundation, gave him a renewed sense of purpose.

“Losing my brother Takeoff was the worst moment in my life. I didn’t know where to go, where to turn, I didn’t know if I still wanted to make music,” Quavo said during his acceptance speech.

He ended by thanking “everyone fighting for change and fighting for my brother Takeoff, who inspires me every day.”

Greg Jackson, deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, presented Quavo with the award and commended the rapper’s relentless dedication to tackling gun violence through his Rocket Foundation.

Founded in November 2022 in memory of Takeoff, who was that same month in Houston, the foundation supports community-focused programs addressing gun violence and has quickly grown into a significant force for change.

Quavo’s advocacy efforts include meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris during the Congressional Black Caucus legislative conference in September 2023 and hosting the first-ever Rocket Foundation Summit on Gun Violence Prevention in Atlanta earlier this year. He also joined Harris at a rally supporting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, one of the most sweeping federal gun control laws in U.S. history, and helped in the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

Quavo’s anti-gun violence efforts have made a meaningful impact on both local and national levels. In March, the Rocket Foundation launched Sparks Grants, awarding $10,000 each to 10 Atlanta organizations committed to fostering safer communities. Over the summer, Quavo collaborated with the Offender Alumni Association to host a music education workshop for at-risk youth as part of the Rocket Camp initiative.

The Rocket Foundation collaborates with partners such as the Offender Alumni Association, H.O.P.E. Hustlers, Community Justice Action Fund, and LIVE FREE, focusing on community-driven solutions to combat gun violence.

Anti-DEI Legislation, Diversity, Inclusion, DEI,

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 10, 2024

University Of Michigan Board Fails To Vote On Defunding DEI But Ends Diversity Statements

Let's hope they stand their ground...

The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents failed to vote on whether or not to defund its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program but decided that diversity statements are no longer required, NBC News reports.

The board failed to openly say if it would not vote on dismantling the DEI program after spending $250 million on diversity initiatives since 2016. However, diversity statements for faculty members — hired or promoted — would no longer be required. While there has been speculation on the program being canceled, board member Michael Behm warns people to be careful with what they read on the internet. “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” Behm said.

“There are no plans to make any cuts to these programs.”

Over 500 students, faculty, and staff gathered on campus on Dec. 5 to protest the program’s potential cancellation. As word got out that the board did not vote, students turned their attention to the decision over diversity statements. “We’ve seen it all over the nation. DEI has been added to the long list of dog whistles and buzzwords that many bureaucrats are now too scared to touch,” student Yasin Lowe said.

“Many have DEI completely wrong, instilling terror and fear for a reason I must attribute to ignorance at best, malice at worst.”

Other students, like Nicholas Love, challenged the institution to look at “who it serves, who it excludes, who it claims to be and create a model where we are consistently improving access to education and prosperity.” However, some board members are eager to get rid of DEI in Michigan, claiming the money could be used for students instead. “It is my hope that our efforts in D.E.I. focus on redirecting funding directly to students and away from a bloated administrative bureaucracy,” Mark Bernstein said, according to Fox News.

Michigan’s Black students look at the school’s DEI initiatives as a failure, calling efforts “superficial” and portraying “a general discomfort with naming Blackness explicitly.” A spokesperson for the school’s Black Student Union, Princess-J’Maria Mboup, said: “The students that are most affected by D.E.I. — meaning marginalized communities — are invested in the work, but not in D.E.I. itself.”

Prior to being elected as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump pledged to pull back on DEI at colleges receiving federal funding. Schools like Texas and Florida have banned DEI programs at their state-funded universities. At Michigan, physics professor Keith Riles hopes for the elimination of all DEI programs, calling them “discriminatory” along with the Black Lives Matter Movement being a “grift.”

In 2022, The New York Times revealed a report finding that “students and faculty members reported a less positive campus climate than at the program’s start and less of a sense of belonging.”

New Yorkers Host Look-A-Like Contest for UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooter: ‘I Wear This Everywhere’

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 9, 2024

New Yorkers Host Look-A-Like Contest for UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooter: ‘I Wear This Everywhere’

New Yorkers responded to the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO with a grim twist.

A group gathered in New York City’s Washington Square Park on Friday, Dec. 6, to seemingly mock the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson by holding a look-a-like contest.

Eight contestants, all dressed in hooded outerwear and face masks, participated in the outdoor contest, drawing a crowd of onlookers who cheered and watched in fascination, the New York Post reports.

One contestant fired a bubble gun while wearing a handwritten sign over their black attire that read “Deny Defend Depose”—the exact words the gunman had scribbled on the shell casings left at the scene.

“Bro, I don’t know if you all should be doing this—but your life choices, I guess,” one passerby shouted as the contestants stood together, according to the Post.

The winner, who took home $50, wore a green jacket and face covering and shared that he headed to the park after learning about the contest earlier that morning.

“I got no looks until I got over here, and now everyone wants a picture with me,” he said. “I wear this everywhere,” he said, noting that he didn’t need to dress up for the event since the outfit was part of his regular wardrobe.

The winner, known as “contestant number six,” bore a striking resemblance to the actual assassin, prompting one onlooker to remark, “He’s the one.”

He also voiced his frustrations with the healthcare industry, sharing that although he isn’t a UnitedHealthcare member, he has faced challenges with insurance companies covering some of his medications.

Addressing the startling lack of sympathy for Thompson , the look-alike winner pointed to the widespread dissatisfaction with America’s healthcare system as a likely factor.

“People do not feel great about the current state of things in our world,” he said.

The look-alike contest took place two days after Thompson was fatally shot outside a Midtown hotel in the early morning hours while walking to an investor event alone and without security.

On Monday, authorities detained a person of interest in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The individual was found with a manifesto, a gun, a silencer, four fake IDs, and other items described as “consistent” with what investigators were seeking in the case.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 9, 2024

Big Sean Thanks Tyler Perry For Bringing Grandmother’s Story To Life In ‘The Six Triple Eight’

'I told Tyler Perry how thankful I was because it’s such an overlooked crucial piece of American history and Black history.'

Detroit recording artist Big Sean gave Tyler Perry props for helping tell a story that was very close to the rapper’s heart.

Perry’s latest film, The Six Triple Eight, tells the story of World War II’s only all-Black, all-female unit, the 6888th Battalion, whose members include Sean’s grandmother.

The rapper publicly thanked Perry after the Netflix film’s red carpet premiere in Los Angeles on Dec. 3. Kerry Washington stars as the commanding officer of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, Charity Adams.

“I told Tyler Perry how thankful I was because it’s such an overlooked crucial piece of American history and Black history,” Big Sean told The Hollywood Reporter. “The Six Triple Eight Battalion connected millions and millions with over 17 million pieces of mail where there was no other means of communication to families and information about loved ones. They were fighting their own war, being strong Black women during segregation and fighting for their country.

“I’m just proud of them, not just my grandmother, proud of all of them. I’m happy to be raised by such strong Black women that are embedded in my DNA, and I’m forever grateful for it. It’s a super emotional night.”

@entertainmenttonight Big Sean is honoring his late grandmother Mildred V. Leonard at the premiere of upcoming war drama ‘The Six Triple Eight’ 🥹 #bigsean #thesixtripleeight #wwii #music ♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight

The Six Triple Eight will debut Dec. 20 on Netflix.

The “Clique” rapper was recently seen in Las Vegas, where he announced a cookie-inspired merch collection with Chips Ahoy! They debuted the line at ComplexCon where the brand also celebrated the Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie.

Co-designed by Big Sean, items include a Don Life T-shirt emblazoned with the Big Chewy Cookie; a premium heavyweight sweatshirt in a chocolate brown color, which has a large cookie design that shows off what a Chips Ahoy! cookie should look like; and an oversized tote bag that has a perfectly sized slit to place the Big Chewy Cookie in or its new nostalgic lunchbox tin.

Brian Thompson, UNITED HEALTHCARE, UnitedHealthcare, CEO, CEO

by Daniel Johnson

December 9, 2024

Law Enforcement Officials: Alleged UnitedHelathcare CEO Gunman Captured

The suspect was captured in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

The gunman who allegedly killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on Dec. 4 has been detained for questioning in connection with Thompson’s death, according to law enforcement sources.

ABC News reports that a man in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named Luigi Mangione was stopped with a fake New Jersey ID after he walked into a McDonald’s and was recognized by someone in the establishment due to the photos police had circulated.

On the man, was a gun similar to the one allegedly used to kill Thompson. A computer was also recovered by police in Altoona.

According to police sources, the man checked into a hotel in the Upper East Side using another person’s New Jersey license before the shooting. A new video also shows Thompson’s alleged killer allowing others to pass before going across the street to shoot the CEO at point-blank range.

This matches the authorities’ belief that he targeted Thompson. According to ABC News, police currently have no motive.

Immediately after the shooting, the suspect fled on a bicycle through Central Park to the Upper West Side, where he took a taxi to the Port Authority bus facility in midtown Manhattan and boarded a bus out of New York City.

Recent pictures released by the New York Police Department showed the suspect in the back of a taxi as he looked through the partition between the front and back seats. An additional photo showed the suspect walking by the windows of a cab.

Investigators indicated that the man arrived in New York City via a bus from Atlanta, but it is unclear where he is from..

On Dec. 8, as the NYPD Dive Team searched Central Park near the Bethesda Fountain. A backpack containing a jacket and Monopoly money was discovered. Police did not recover a gun. The electric bike the suspect rode to get to the taxi is also missing.

According to CNN, the alleged shooter possessed a “ghost gun”—an untraceable, homemade weapon. He also had on him a document railing against the healthcare industry, which suggested that violence is the answer, according to a law enforcement official.

A partial fingerprint was allegedly pulled from a “burner phone” believed to belong to the suspect. DNA obtained from a water bottle and energy bar wrapper the man allegedly bought has, so far, returned no matches.

According to law enforcement sources, the alleged killer made several mistakes, and once they obtained his identity, they could piece together patterns that ultimately led to his capture.

“I’m thinking we’re going to know who this is within a matter of a few more days, if that,” former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O’Toole told CNN before the suspect was captured. “He’s completely outnumbered. With that kind of manpower behind their efforts, they’re going to come up with the information that identifies him.”

by Daniel Johnson

December 9, 2024

Senate Subcommittee Wants To Hold UnitedHealthcare Accountable For Denied Coverage

According to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D-CT) chair of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the increased prior authorization denials resulted in increased profit for the companies

Following reporting from ProPublica that indicated that insurance companies like CVS and UnitedHealthcare Group used the services of EviCore by Evernorth, owned by Cigna, which uses an artificial intelligence algorithm to deny coverage to policyholders, a Senate subcommittee is attempting to hold UnitedHealthcare Group accountable for denying Medicare Advantage claims.

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the shooting of UnitedHealthcare Group CEO Brian Thompson provided an avenue for more focus on the for-profit insurance company, which has resulted in people sharing stories online about their experiences of denials from the company.

The company, however, had already been under scrutiny from the government; in October, a Senate report was critical of three of the largest Medicare Advantage insurance companies, CVS, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare.

According to the report, between 2019 and 2022, the three companies denied prior authorization requests at an accelerated rate.

In 2022, UHC and CVS denied prior authorization requests at a rate three times that of their overall denial rates, while Humana’s prior authorization denial rate was over 16 times its overall denial rate.

According to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), chair of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, increased prior authorization denials resulted in increased profit for the companies.

“Insurance companies say that prior authorization is meant to prevent unnecessary medical services. But the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has obtained new data and internal documents from the largest Medicare Advantage insurers that discredit these contentions,” Blumenthal said. “In fact, despite alarm and criticism in recent years about abuses and excesses, insurers have continued to deny care to vulnerable seniors—simply to make more money. Our Subcommittee even found evidence of insurers expanding this practice in recent years.”

ProPublica’s reporting depicts profit as the main goal for insurance companies and EviCore.

Even though Sen. Blumenthal doesn’t directly mention EviCore, the company promises a 3:1 return on investment to insurance companies, which its salespeople translate as a 15% increase in denials.

According to former employees of EviCore, the company’s algorithm, referred to as “the dial,” can be adjusted based on a desired outcome.

Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner, noted that while the practice of arbitrarily adjusting approval or denial is not a violation of standards, it does make him uncomfortable.

“That, to me, is troubling,” Jones said. “It suggests that the claim settlement procedure is not objective, right? It calls into question everything that’s occurring.”

Martin Lustick, a former insurance executive, told the outlet, “The fact that these big companies focused on profits and can play all these games is quite disturbing to me. They know the more reviews they do, the more denials they get.”

According to Will Humble, executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association, the greed of insurance companies needs to be regulated by Congress through reforming the Medical Loss Ration loophole, which currently incentivizes insurance companies to raise costs for policyholders.

“If insurance companies are not held accountable for their greed, our health care system outcomes will get worse. Across the country, patients can’t afford care, and hospitals can’t afford to keep the lights on and their doors open, while insurers rake in hundreds of billions of dollars,” Humble wrote in a 2023 op-ed for Arizona Mirror. “We need more regulation of health insurers to ensure that they are not putting profits before people.”

Humble continued, “Congress should step in and address this problem in order to lower the cost of health care and curb insurance industry abuses. We need Congress because we know that, left to their own devices, the big insurers have proven they will put profits ahead of people every single time.”