Z Mahogany Celebrates Decades Of Success In The Atlanta Salon Industry
Zalika Broady talked to BLACK ENTERPRISE about how she has perfected her craft while keeping the timeless salon experience.
For over 20 years, one metro Atlanta hairstylist has kept her clients looking their best with her signature bobs and luxury salon experience.
Zalika Broady of Z Mahogany Suites has felt an affinity to haircare since she was a teenager. That innate passion grew into a longtime business with loyal clients to match. As she perfected her craft and elevated an industry by providing a lush yet comforting experience for every hair appointment, Broady, largely known as Zee, has become a game-changer in the haircare industry.
Her commitment to her clients comes from this standard of providing excellent service as she emerged as a professional in the game. In her younger years, she remembered the feeling she had while in the salon. It was the conversation, the energy, and the exchange of hopes, worries, and joy that she wanted to replicate in her own space.
“Anytime I would go get my hair done, the feel of a salon or I guess back then we would call it a shop, that whole vibe felt good, from the music and the conversations,” Zee tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I would just be in awe of how someone would come in and then how they would leave… I just love the transformation and the environment of the salon.”
She has fostered that same feeling in her own salon. The proof lies in her busy and booked schedule. Broady took off as a trailblazer in the haircare game by perfecting what many, including herself, deem her signature style, the “bob” look.
The popular “short but medium” hair length has become a classic go-to style for many women, with Broady cutting the style even before it regained its current popularity nationally. Broady sharpened her blades and her vision to create a top-tier “bob” execution to fit any head.
Celebrating multiple decades in any industry is a considerable accomplishment, and one that Broady does not take lightly. While she is a proud salon owner now, she believes getting her start under the tutelage of mentors and other owners played a key role in her success. A natural learner, growing from those that paved the way has made the difference.
As for her “Z factor,” Broady believes clients keep returning due to her authenticity and evident passion for making them as beautiful outside as they are inside.
“I would say just me being my authentic self, I think people like that about me,” Broady explains. “They like the fact they can grow with me … they see my growth. It just shows that I’m passionate about the industry,”
As a mother of two and a salon owner for nearly a decade, Broady remains busy, but stays on top of it all through the help of her dynamic team. Wanting to keep that same reliable and helpful environment that shaped her early career, many of her employees are considered ‘Day 1s” for Broady, who continue to shine as the salon grows.
“They respect me as who I am, because I’ve provided this environment for everybody to succeed,” she says. “See [at] Z Mahogany [Suites], it’s like when you come there, I teach a lot. I teach them the way … and everyone has grown as an individual when they come to the salon.”
The salon staff has a “you take care of me, I take care of you” mentality, Zee shared.
Zee, who just turned 41, has a lot left on her to-do list, even if she does not know exactly what’s next. While she’s more strict on taking new clients, wanting to maintain the consistent feel with who sits in her chair, she knows she is in the tail-end of her career as a stylist. However, she remains dedicated to providing that old-school feeling of community in the chairs, just with modern amenities and hairstyles that can keep up.
In the meantime, the metro Atlanta hairstylist remains a titan for any bob-look, which she will always recommend, especially for the holiday season.
‘New York Undercover’ Co-Creator, Kevin Arkadie, Dies Of Pneumonia
The screenwriter was 68
Several months after he posted an Instagram reel informing his followers that his kidneys were failing, Kevin Arkadie, who co-created the hip-hop-fueled television series “New York Undercover,” has died at the age of 68.
According to The New York Times, the screenwriter died Dec. 17 at a Los Angeles hospital. Dick Wolf, who created the “Law & Order” franchise and made “New York Undercover” with Arkadie, confirmed his death in a statement through his company, Wolf Entertainment.
“Wolf Entertainment mourns the loss of Kevin Arkadie, an extraordinary writer, producer, and creative partner whose vision helped shape one of the most groundbreaking series in television history.”
RIP Kevin Arkadie, Writer & Producer New York Undercover, NYPD Blue, The Temptations, The Shield, Sacrifice, Chicago Hope Emmy Nominated Writers Guild of America Award Winner for Children's Script (Miracle's Boys)#InMemoriam#RIPpic.twitter.com/zmj1F6RQvr
Arkadie died from pneumonia that developed after he received a kidney transplant, according to his cousin. In July, he turned to social media to find living donors because friends and family members were not a good match to help Arkadie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “New York Undercover” was the first police drama to feature two people of color as lead actors (Malik Yoba and Michael DeLorenzo). The New York City-based drama showcased a hip-hop and/or R&B act in every episode, making it wildly popular throughout its four seasons (1994 to 1999).
The Washington, D.C.-born Arkadie graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in acting from Southern Methodist University. His first Hollywood job was as a writer on the 1991-1993 NBC drama series “I’ll Fly Away.” He was nominated for an Emmy in 1996 and 1998 for producing “Chicago Hope” and “NYPD Blue.” In 2006, he took home a WGA America Award for his work on the Noggin series “Miracle’s Boys.”
He worked on several projects, including “Knightwatch,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “Law & Order,” “High Incident,” “Rescue 77,” “The Temptations,” “Ambitions,” “The Quad,” and “Sacrifice.”
Arkadie is survived by his wife, Rayluca Constantinescu, his brother, Devre Arkadie, and his sister, Christine Arkadie.
Break Bread For The Holidays With These Diaspora Dishes
Consider these dishes food for thought.
Holiday meals in the African diaspora serve as vessels of history, memory, and community.
From simmering pots to sweet wrapped parcels, these dishes enable people to discuss culture, recipes, and shared identity. Each dish tells a historical tale that links Blackness across geography and time. For generations, these festive foods have fed families and friends, kept traditions alive, and contributed to a diasporic, global Black experience rooted in African traditions.
Pepperpot
The slow-cooked Guyanese Pepperpot is a rich meat stew made with beef, pork, and mutton, along with cassareep, cinnamon, cloves, and scotch bonnet peppers. Pepperpot is a traditional holiday dish in Guyana that unites Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese cultures around the festive table. The dish, best known as a Christmas morning meal, is started late on Christmas Eve to be served at sunrise. The national dish of Guyana serves as a culinary link between the Guyanese diaspora and its cultural heritage and community narratives.
Black Cake
This rich and moist dessert combines dried fruits with rum and wine through a slow baking process. The cake, which holds a special place in English-speaking Caribbean islands as a traditional Christmas and end-of-year treat, is the Caribbean adaptation of British plum pudding. Instead of brandy, Coke uses rum, which was readily available in the region and represents strength and festivity.
The Caribbean Duckanoo dessert is also known as Blue Draws and Tie-a-Leaf. The sweet, boiled dumpling contains cornmeal and sweet potato, along with coconut, brown sugar, and spices, and is wrapped in banana leaves. The dessert holds special significance across Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and other Caribbean islands, where it is enjoyed during Christmas and other cultural celebrations. The dish combines Mesoamerican tamale traditions with African and Caribbean flavors and techniques.
Griot
This Haitian dish consists of marinated pork deep-fried and served with spicy pikliz, along with rice or plantains. Haitians consider this a main celebratory dish served at celebrations beyond Christmas. But Griot is most popular during the holidays, when its bright flavors and communal eating traditions showcase the festive spirit of the Haitian diaspora.
Tchaka
The Haitian stew combines hominy, beans, squash, and pork to make a filling dish that requires several hours of preparation and multiple cooks. But it holds deep cultural and historical value for Haitians.
Hoppin’ John
Rice with beans flavored with herbs and spices and smoked meats is popular among Caribbean people, African Americans, and Latin American communities. The dish is believed to bring good fortune and wealth to those who eat it during New Year’s Day celebrations. Southern Hoppin’ John originated in South Carolina and Georgia, but it’s enjoyed in Kingston and Port-au-Prince. This dish unites West African rice-and-legume culinary heritage with New World cooking traditions to create a comforting, symbolic diaspora meal.
Dave Chappelle Talks Charlie Kirk And Saudi Arabia In New Stand-Up Special
Chappelle is known for provocative and sometimes incendiary commentary on politics, culture, and high-profile public figures. He’s staying true to that.
Comedian and agent provocateur Dave Chappelle has released a surprise stand-up special titled “Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable…” on Netflix.
Chappelle is known for provocative and sometimes incendiary commentary on politics, culture, and high-profile public figures. He’s staying true to that in his latest special. The Netflix original dropped without advance notice immediately following the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua boxing match.
The 75-minute special includes commentary on a range of contemporary cultural and political issues and sees the comedian addressing recent controversies directly on stage. He most notably spoke about the continuing war in the Middle East.
Chappelle weighs in on the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot in September 2025. He responded to the spectator’s insistence on comparing Kirk to civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during public discourse. Chappelle implied that he refused to allow the work of Dr. King to be reduced so lowly as to be compared to a “professional” debater.
In “Unstoppable…,“ Chappelle said, “Charlie Kirk was this generation’s Martin Luther King? That’s a reach… They both got murdered in a terrible fashion. They both got shot in the neck, but that’s about where those similarities ended.”
Chappelle’s material also touches on his recent performance at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. Earlier in 2025, Chappelle faced criticism for appearing at the event because of the country’s human rights record. Additionally, fans and foes objected due to the country’s intolerance of free speech. An intolerance that was on deadly display when a prominent U.S journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, was killed in Saudi Arabia in 2018.
Never one to back down, Chappelle defended his decision to perform abroad and addressed critics who questioned what his choice signaled about artistic freedom.
“I don’t feel guilty at all,” he continued, “These motherfuckers act like because I did a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia I somehow betrayed my principles… They said, ‘Well, Saudi Arabia killed a journalist,’ and rest in peace, Jamal Khashoggi. I’m sorry that he got murdered in such a heinous fashion. And also, look, bro, Israel’s killed 240 journalists in the last three months, so I didn’t know y’all were still counting.”
In addition to these topics, the D.C. native addressed gentrification in his hometown. He lamented that “They’re trying to take the chocolate out of Chocolate City.”
Chappele has an exclusive deal to release stand-up shows through Netflix. Thus far, the comedian has produced seven specials: 2017’s “The Age of Spin,” “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” “Equanimity,” “The Bird Revelation,” “The Closer” (2021), “The Dreamer” (2023), and “The Unstoppable…”
Homecoming With Purpose: LaToya Williams-Belfort Brings Her ‘Secret Sauce’ To The Bronx Community Foundation
By Janee Bolden
LaToya Williams-Belfort has spent her career building pathways for underserved communities, but stepping into her new leadership role as executive director of the Bronx Community Foundation has even deeper meaning for her as a Bronx native.
“It felt like a homecoming,” Williams-Belfort told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Throughout my career, I’ve been really intentional and really blessed to do work for communities that I authentically understood, and then to bring people to the table to drive investment and solutions for those communities.”
Williams-Belfort was raised in the Bronx, and long before she had the language for systems and structures, she understood what it meant to live inside them. “Growing up in the Bronx, I quickly was able to start to understand systemic barriers,” she said. “It was very clear to me that my community, my family, were hardworking, God-fearing, family-oriented folks, but you would hear terms like, ‘we just can’t get a break’ or ‘we just don’t have access to certain opportunities.’”
Those early observations stayed with her as she moved through school, into the workforce, and eventually into philanthropy. Over time, they crystallized into a framework that would guide her leadership. “Ultimately landing on this word that’s been so important to my life — equity,” she said. “What does it mean having equitable opportunity? So many people think equity means equality. We know that those are two totally different things.”
By the time the country reached an inflection point following George Floyd’s death in 2020, Williams-Belfort had already spent years working inside philanthropy. What shifted then was her sense of urgency around solutions. “The country was talking about racism in a way that had never happened in my life,” she said. “But we were all talking about the problems and how we got here. The solutions conversation was where I really wanted to lean in.”
That desire to move from diagnosis to action led her to the nonprofit organization 15% Pledge, where she became the inaugural executive director. The goal was clear: use the machinery of capitalism to close opportunity gaps. “When we think about equitable opportunity, when we think about building wealth, when we think about the racial wealth gap in this umbrella of capitalism, what the pledge was doing as a release to creating scalable pathways for Black entrepreneurs felt like a tangible solution,” she said. “If we could help entrepreneurs to gain equitable access to the supply chains of billion-dollar corporations in a sustainable way and really build wealth, now we’re talking about a more inclusive economy.”
Under her leadership, the organization scaled rapidly. “I was there for almost five years,” she said. “We took the organization to a $7 million operating nonprofit, and we were able to scale $14 billion in impact for a community of over 10,000 Black businesses.” When the pledge launched, she noted that the community numbered closer to 1,000.
Still, as proud as she is of that work, Williams-Belfort saw its limits. Sustainable change required not just programs, but a capital strategy. That realization shaped her decision to step into her current role at the Bronx Community Foundation, which operates as a funding organization rather than a direct-service nonprofit.
“We don’t run direct programs,” she said. “It is a funding organization.” For Williams-Belfort, that distinction creates opportunity. “How are you supporting communities and nonprofits that are on the ground doing the work, but also thinking about sustainability, capacity building, and the technology needs to do the work in the right ways for the long term?”
The Foundation, she noted, is approaching its second decade. “The foundation is just about 10 years old,” she said. “They’ve been doing this in the right ways for a long time. But what is the next iteration of sustainability, growth, and innovation?”
Her answer is rooted in both data and lived experience. One of the greatest challenges she sees is not a lack of talent or effort in the Bronx, but a persistent narrative problem. “I think there’s just so much bias in thinking about what is possible for the Bronx,” she said. “Many people that I encounter have this 1970s, early ‘80s ideology, like the ‘Bronx is Burning’ type stereotypical understanding of what the Bronx is.”
She has encountered that bias firsthand. “I went to high school in Manhattan, and I would meet people, and they would say to me, ‘Well, you don’t seem like you’re from the Bronx,’” Williams-Belfort recalled. “And I’d be like, ‘What does that mean?’”
Those assumptions, she said, have real consequences. “When we think about investment and philanthropy and driving resources, it is in direct opposition of this bias about the Bronx that emanated from the 70s and 80s,” she said. “And that isn’t the landscape currently. I think there’s huge opportunity to create pathways for children, families, and for Bronxites.”
She sees signs of that shift everywhere, from cultural production to political momentum. “The young people in the Bronx are making things happen,” she said. “Even if you look at the recent mayoral election, Mamdani kicked off his campaign on Fordham Road. I think that’s intentional when you think about how the momentum is swirling around the borough.”
That momentum aligns with the Foundation’s strategy, which is built around collaboration rather than siloed giving. “One of the things I’m really excited about is this expansion of cross-industry partnership,” Williams-Belfort said. “My secret sauce is really bringing folks to the table to work in collaboration, to take a collective action approach in ways they wouldn’t have necessarily seen themselves working together.”
The Bronx, she believes, is uniquely positioned for that model. “Because of the Bronx’s history with music, art, and activism, I think it’s primed for continuing to work that way,” she said. “How do we bring together corporate stakeholders, elected officials, advocates, and traditional business folks, and give a renaissance to the Bronx’s resilience and creativity when we think about who and how we invest?”
The need, however, remains vast. Williams-Belfort points to the Foundation’s extensive listening process as a core strength. “The foundation has had over 1,000 community conversations,” she said. “Having that real data around the need is important.” From those conversations, four priority areas have emerged: digital equity, housing, healthcare, and economic stability.
“What we’re doing is thinking about how do we build out our participatory grant strategy to meet those needs in a very systematized, systemic way,” she said. Just as important is how the money moves. “Not just giving grants, but thinking about capacity building, sustainability, and how we’re working as a collective action unit.”
She is also focused on trust-based philanthropy and longer-term commitments. “Two-year grants, three-year grants,” she said. “Being able to get that long lead of support to really move the needle against some of these very deep and systems-level challenges.”
Though she has only been in the role for a few weeks, one moment already confirmed that Williams-Belfort is in the right place. “I had my fourth quarter in-person full-day board meeting,” she said. “It was a roll-up-your-sleeves day. We were asking hard questions. We were talking about participatory grantmaking, sustainability, and what the next 10 years look like. We’ve invested $15 million. How do we get to $50 million?” She left exhausted and energized. “I was calling my mentors and my village saying, ‘I had an amazing day, and I think this is going to be really awesome.’”
What grounds her, she said, is both experience and family. “There’s the head piece,” she said, referencing decades of nonprofit leadership. “But the heart part of it is my two sons, both born in the Bronx.” She wants the future she is building to be tangible for them. “I want them and young people like them to have equitable opportunity, to create a life that feels joyful and allows them to thrive.”
When she looks ahead five years, success is measurable and deeply human. “It’s all in the data, it’s all in the numbers,” Williams-Belfort said. “If we can be at a $25 million marker, if we can touch 50,000, 100,000 Bronxites, I would feel like a job well done.” But just as important is the story people tell about the borough. “If we can debunk this idea of the ‘Bronx is Burning’ and reframe that narrative to the Bronx as a place of collective action, community power, and investment, then we’re doing the right things.”
For Williams-Belfort, the work has come full circle. The child who once heard her community described as lacking is now leading an effort to prove otherwise with strategy, capital, and an unwavering belief that the Bronx’s future can be defined by opportunity, not stereotype.
Communities Across America Gather To Celebrate Kwanzaa
From Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to Pasadena, California, Kwanzaa observers from anywhere can take part in a celebration.
Kwanzaa celebrations have begun, with the seven-day cultural holiday highlighting the empowerment and unity of the Black community.
Since its inception, Kwanzaa, which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, 2026, has risen in popularity for its themes of collective work, creativity, purpose, and faith, among others. As each day represents a new theme, multiple events and programs take place across the United States for those who celebrate.
The events signal the ongoing impact and influence of Kwanzaa as a non-religious holiday focused on the heritage and history of the Black diaspora. Now, it has become an integral part of the winter holiday season, with new ways to celebrate among the community and supporters of this cherished tradition.
BLACK ENTERPRISE has rounded up a list of Kwanzaa events across the country for those in all regions to enjoy and engage in the celebration of purpose.
According to Pasadena Now, the 37th annual Kwanzaa celebration will bring out the Southern California community for a free event. Facilitated by the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Pasadena Public Library, the Dec. 27 gathering will feature live music, storytelling, and youth presentations. Through this year’s national theme of “Practicing the Seven Principles in Dimly-Lit Times: Lifting Up the Light, Hurrying the Dawn,” the event will also present children with zawadi, or gifts, as well as a traditional Kwanzaa feast and libation ceremony.
As reported by the Pittsfield Edge, community members in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, will remember the purpose and mission of Kwanzaa with their own celebrations, highlighted by the local NAACP chapter and additional nonprofits. Also emphasizing this year’s theme, speakers and programming will mark the occasion with step dancing, panels, and more cultural activities.
The Metro Atlanta suburb of Riverdale, Georgia, will also feature its own festivities. In celebration of Ujima, symbolizing collective work and responsibility, the Dec. 20 event included the lighting of the Kinara, the seven-branch candleholder used for Kwanzaa. Co-facilitated by the East Point Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., guests viewed performances by the Metro Atlanta African Dancers & Drummers while eating local “fruits of the harvest.”
In Austin, Texas, observers of the Kwanzaa tradition can celebrate in the New Year with a Jan. 3 event for Imani, symbolizing faith. Taking place at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, the event will also explore how this faith in community and its resilience can overcome any societal struggle.
For those living in Virginia Beach, the Coast Virginia Unitarian Universalist Church Racial Justice Task Force will host two events for the Kwanzaa Celebration. On Dec. 28, the task force will host a marketplace for visitors to support Black-owned businesses. According to the Virginia Pilot, an Emancipation Jubilee will even take place on New Year’s Day.
Lastly, Charlotte has an abundance of activities to delight all for Kwanzaa this year. Starting Dec. 26, Kwanzaa Charlotte in North Carolina will host daily and free programs befitting each day’s theme, ranging from artistic to educational and cultural expression. Each night will also host an African Marketplace for visitors to support local businesses in the region, as detailed by the Charlotte Post.
With Kwanzaa days away, long-time and first-time observers can find local events throughout the nation to further explore and engage in this holiday for the Black diaspora.
U.S. Military Admits ‘Mistake’ After Viral Video Shows American Civilian Body-Slammed In Japan
Video footage of the incident shows a military police officer lifting Kareem El and body slamming him on the pavement.
U.S. Forces Japan acknowledged that military police made a “mistake” when they detained an American civilian, Kareem El, in the city of Okinawa.
Viral video footage of the Nov. 22 incident shows a military police officer lifting El and body slamming him on the pavement as bystanders looked on.
On Dec. 19, in an email to Stars and Stripes, U.S. Forces Japan spokesman Col. John Severns said, “While the investigation is still ongoing, it is clear that the detention of Mr. El was a mistake on the part of the patrol, who approached him solely because they believed he was a U.S. servicemember.”
The encounter occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on Nov. 22 along Gate 2 Street near Kadena Air Base. Military police on patrol detained El, a civilian from Washington, D.C., who was visiting the area. Reportedly, the confrontation continued in a base parking lot about an hour later, where military police removed El’s handcuffs and told him it was legal to detain him because he was “in our jurisdiction.”
Kareem El, a civilian from Washington, D.C., visiting Okinawa, was held by U.S. military police for declining to provide identification.
In response to the incident, U.S. Forces Japan suspended solo military police patrols in Okinawa. As the military investigated the incident, it began retraining patrol members. Joint patrols with Okinawa Prefectural Police remain in place, part of efforts to enforce an order restricting service members from drinking alcohol off base between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
El’s legal team, led by civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, has opened a separate review of the incident and is exploring possible civil claims. The 32-year-old victim of the overzealous officers described the encounter as “scary and traumatizing.” Additionally, El, who is Black, believes he was singled out because of his race.
“I have to believe that on some level when they saw me they saw someone that they could not perceive to have been a captain in the Marine Corps who has been out of the Marine Corps for six years and is now the CEO of a tech company launching a product in Okinawa,” he told the Washington Post. “That’s not what was in their head.”
The incident has drawn attention from local officials as well. Okinawa City and prefectural representatives have urged careful review of patrol procedures, saying mistaken detentions “should never happen,” and Okinawa authorities are seeking further explanation from U.S. military officials.
U.S. Forces Japan did not immediately provide additional comment beyond the statement reported by Stars and Stripes and The WashingtonPost, and it was not clear when El’s case would be resolved.
Could Public Shelter Locations Be The Key To Empowering Domestic Violence Survivors?
“A shelter could and should be a place where you can take back your power and control,” Goodman says.
One way to empower people fleeing domestic violence? Make shelter locations public.
When the Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC) began exploring the idea of an open domestic violence shelter — a shelter with a publicly listed address — no one was more wary than the person put in charge of leading the effort.
“I was probably the perfect person to do the research, because I was not for it,” says Sonia Corrales, interim president and CEO at HAWC. What if an abuser showed up and hurt someone? How do you ensure survivors’ safety and confidentiality?
“I was like, this is not going to happen, there’s just no way,” Corrales told Next City.
But after a few months, she found reason to believe. Research shows that survivors feel more empowered when they don’t have to stay hidden in shelters. Traditional domestic violence shelters are isolating and can feel oppressive to survivors, in some cases recreating the dynamics that existed in the abusive relationship.
That’s because traditional shelters have strict rules intended to ensure residents’ safety. If survivors don’t follow them, they risk getting kicked out. As a result, traditional shelters often cut survivors off from their support networks. The isolation that results from this, along with the secrecy of their living situation, can lead survivors to feel more shame about their situation.
In March, after years of research and coordination, HAWC opened One Safe Place, an expansion of its 5.5-acre campus in South Houston supported by a $16 million injection from the city. Here, survivors can leave campus to visit friends and family without penalty. And if survivors share where they live with their support network, they don’t risk being asked to leave the shelter.
These open shelters go by different names — disclosed, unconcealed, listed — but the idea is the same. It’s a model slowly gaining popularity across the United States. Similar shelters exist in Fort Bend, Texas; Bozeman, Montana; and Park City, Utah.
More than a third of women and a quarter of all men in the United States experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes. In Texas, domestic violence has steadily risen since 2017. Out of 205 intimate partner homicides in 2023, 38 took place in Harris County, where Houston is. Thirty-five of those people were women.
At One Safe Place, survivors walk outside with their children in tow and enjoy the butterfly garden, playground, and basketball court. Residents can get their hair done at the on-site salon, talk to an attorney, or access health care on their own time.
One Safe Place has space for 360 adults and children. For families, there are 90 emergency one-bedroom apartments, and about 90 beds for single people seeking shelter. Each guest receives three meals and two snacks a day and has access to a bodega with free items for their stay.
Lisa Goodman, a doctoral professor at Boston College who specializes in intimate partner violence, says that to empower survivors, domestic violence shelters must understand that survivors can identify their own needs and goals. And studies show that open shelters can help facilitate that.
In a qualitative study on open shelters published in 2020, domestic violence shelter leaders said that secret shelters don’t always consider the importance of community support for survivor safety. Secret shelters may require a survivor to cut off communication with their friends and family.
Another qualitative study published in 2017 ranked survivors’ opinions on secret shelter rules like chores and the prohibition of drug and alcohol use. Nearly half of the respondents said limitations on how long they could visit friends or family made them feel less empowered. One survivor reported that the shelter she lived in temporarily would not let her back in when she returned from her mother’s house, where her child was living, after curfew. At One Safe Place, residents are asked to return by 8:30 p.m., but can let staff know if they will be returning after hours without risking being kicked out.
A survey of residents at six of Safe Horizon’s New York City shelters in 2014 and 2015 found that 73% of survivors who entered a secret shelter said they wanted to maintain connections to family and community that could offer them support. Yet 67% of those same respondents said they felt “emotionally distant or cut off” from their support network after exiting the shelter.
“A shelter could and should be a place where you can take back your power and control,” Goodman says.
Not-so-secret shelters
The women’s movement of the 1970s advocated for secret shelters, places for women to hide from their abusers because “if they were found, there were no legal protections for them,” Corrales says.
By 1985, there were over 700 domestic violence shelters in the United States. The year before, Congress authorized the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, which remains the only source of federal money exclusively for domestic violence shelters. A decade later, then-Sen. Joe Biden authored and championed the Violence Against Women Act, which doubled down on funding for survivors.
“[VAWA] said, this is an epidemic, this is a big issue in our community, and we need to ensure that people have access to resources,” Corrales said.
Today, there are roughly 2,800 domestic violence shelters and programs in the United States, according to DomesticShelters.org, a directory of domestic violence programs and shelters in the United States and Canada. Most are undisclosed.
In some cases, the strict rules imposed by these shelters — curfews, no guests, mandatory chores and meetings — started to feel like the relationships women were trying to flee.
“Once cell phones came into existence, it meant dropping their cell phones in a basket,” to keep locations secret, Goodman says. Survivors were already leaving their communities to go into hiding; losing their cell phones further isolated them.
Over time, keeping the address secret made less sense, Goodman says, especially as survivors came and went from shelters. “What began to be clear is that these shelters were not, in fact, secret.”
An abuser with enough willpower will find a secret shelter. A few years ago, before One Safe Place began displaying its address, Corrales remembers that a resident’s abuser showed up and parked across the street. Police were called, and staff debated whether to move the resident to another location.
For reasons like this, One Safe Place develops a safety plan with each resident to help them navigate leaving the campus. For trips to school, work, or grocery shopping, staff help survivors understand and manage the risks of going off-site. And survivors are not allowed to post images or videos from inside the complex to social media to protect the confidentiality of other residents.
To open One Safe Place, HAWC spent years building relationships with the police department, the district attorney’s office, and neighboring businesses. HAWC partnered with the Houston Police Department’s Domestic Abuse Response Team to coordinate survivor safety. When One Safe Place calls, the team knows to respond immediately.
“If you don’t have the laws, the partners and a community that is ready to talk about domestic violence, [open shelters] will be a harder sell,” Corrales says.
A few years ago, the most prominent victim services organization in the United States considered opening a listed shelter. Safe Horizon in New York City helps about 250,000 people a year through its services, and shelters about 2,500 people. Leadership heard from survivors that they feel isolated and lonely in the hidden shelters they operate across the city.
“Part of healing is having access to your support system and being in community, and it’s hard to do that in a confidential setting,” says Olga Rodriguez-Vidal, Safe Horizon’s vice president of shelter operations.
So they initiated the Open Shelter Project, a research effort driven by Goodman, to understand how it could work for them.
Their conclusion? They’d love to open a listed shelter. It would mean being less punitive; for survivors who inadvertently exposed their location via social media, or were coerced into revealing their location by their abuser, discharge proceedings wouldn’t have to happen.
But there was one obstacle: money. In New York, a disclosed shelter is unprecedented. No one wants to fund an open domestic violence shelter, and then a survivor be found by her abuser.
“There’s a lot of saturation of domestic violence shelters in Manhattan, in the Bronx,” says Rodriguez-Vidal. “There really isn’t an appetite for this, because it’s so different than the industry standard.”
Rodriguez-Vidal acknowledges that some survivors need confidential housing, but opening a listed shelter would diversify the resources available to their clients.
Corrales and her team approached the open shelter concept, knowing that domestic violence is a public health problem. One Safe Place is designed as a one-stop shop where survivors can connect with advocates and receive free legal help and forensic examinations.
HAWC invested in security from the beginning. More than 80 cameras keep watch, and a concrete wall lines the perimeter. Guests are checked for firearms, which aren’t allowed on-site. Security guards monitor the campus 24 hours a day.
To an outsider, this might sound like a prison, but for survivors on the inside, according to Corrales, these measures help them feel safe. HAWC ran a brief pilot to ensure residents were comfortable with the security guards before making them a permanent fixture. And HAWC never shares information about the survivors staying there.
It’s a model that Corrales hopes will nudge the gender violence movement forward.
“I stand on the shoulders of many advocates, particularly women, who have paved the way for all of us. Without their work, this would not be possible,” Corrales says.
This story was produced in partnership with The 19th, an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics, and policy.
This story was produced by Next City, a nonprofit newsroom covering solutions for equitable cities, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
12 New Year’s Resolution Ideas For 2026: Money Edition
Instead of aiming for perfection, Finder.com offers 12 money management ideas to help you set realistic goals you can achieve in a year.
While we don’t always follow through with them, picking the right New Year’s resolution that is realistic, doable, and simple enough to action could set you up for success in 2026.
How’d your 2025 resolutions go?
Did you make resolutions to save thousands of dollars in 2025? Or did you promise yourself to go to the gym every single day? Those can be hard to follow through on, since many resolutions are designed around existing bad habits — and any habit is hard to break.
According to an October 2025 Vanguard survey, 75% of Americans fell short of their saving and spending resolutions in 2025. However, most people also reported they were optimistic for 2026.
Instead of aiming for perfection, Finder.com offers 12 money management ideas to help you set realistic goals you can achieve in a year.
12 realistic New Year’s resolutions for 2026
1. Review your budget (or make a budget)
If you don’t have a solid budget, you may not know how much you’re spending on everyday items or paying for living expenses — let alone how much you could actually be saving.
A budget doesn’t have to be a complicated, long spreadsheet. There are plenty of budgeting apps, or you could also try the classic 50/30/20 method. The 50/30/20 budget stipulates that you allocate 50% of your cash toward expenses, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings and debt repayment. You don’t have to stick to those percentages exactly, but it’s a simple method to start with.
If you have direct deposit, most employers let you decide how much of your paycheck is deposited into which accounts, such as 90% into your checking account and 10% into your savings account. Alternatively, you can simply ask your bank to set up automatic transfers to a savings account on specific days.
3. Set fast-food spending caps
Saying you won’t spend any money on fast food probably isn’t realistic and just sets you up for failure. Instead of making the resolution to cut it out completely, just set a spending cap.
The average cost of a fast-food meal is $11.56. Knowing that, you could set a spending cap of around $35 per month, which would be about three trips per month. For a family of four, it could be around $150 for the whole month.
4. Pay down credit card debt
Not a very fun one, but a great financial resolution is to work on paying off expensive credit card debt.
There are debt consolidation options, balance transfer cards, or you can simply make extra payments on your cards each month.
To help you pay off your credit card debt, you could also make the resolution to stop using them. This includes automatic bill payments tied to them. No more charges means you’re not growing your balance and adding to the problem.
5. Do the “no-spend” month
You don’t have to make your no-spend month in January 2026, but you can pick the month as your resolution!
A no-spend month challenge is just what it sounds like — for one month, you don’t spend any extra money on nonessentials. This means no going out to eat, no home decor, no hobby supplies, and so on. You can use a no-spend month as a budget reset or a way to fast-track your savings goals.
6. Increase retirement contributions
You might be 40 years away from retirement, or just a few, but regardless, saving for retirement is important. How much did you contribute last year? Are you making the most of an employer match program? Consider a resolution to review your retirement plans and boost those contributions.
In 2025, the standard 401(k) contribution limit was $23,500, and for 2026, it has been increased to $24,500. You could make a bonus goal to meet your 401(k) contribution limit, too!
An emergency fund should be large enough to cover three to six months of expenses — do you have enough for that? Make a plan to boost that fund for the unexpected.
8. Plan a vacation
A little more on the fun side of things, you can make a resolution to plan and save for a vacation months ahead of time. For many people, booking the vacation first can be the best way to motivate themselves to save for it.
The further out you plan the vacation, the lower your monthly contributions have to be. Let’s say you wanted to save $2,000 for a vacation. By saving around $167 per month, or around $84 biweekly, you’ll have saved a little over $2,000 for the vacation.
9. Compare your insurance providers
Have you had the same insurance providers for a few years? They might offer you “loyalty” discounts after a while, but until you compare other providers, you won’t know if you’re paying too much. Rates fluctuate constantly, and it’s common to see your rates increase around your policy renewal time.
Since insurance policies generally renew after one year, make it a 2026 resolution to compare new insurance providers, such as auto, home, and health insurance.
10. Increase your charitable donations
If you can, resolving to donate items or money is a great idea, and you have plenty of options.
To compare charities, we checked out CharityWatch.org, an independent site that ranks charities based on how they spend their funds and whether they have excessive assets sitting in reserve. Charities with A ratings include Friends of Animals, PetSmart Charities, Wildlife Conservation Society, National Urban League, CancerCare, and Toys for Tots.
Additionally, you can check if your donated cash or property can be deducted from your adjusted gross income.
11. Open a certificate of deposit to lock in rates
Certificates of deposit (CDs) are savings accounts that earn a fixed interest rate over a set period, usually between three months and 10 years. There are plenty of CD terms of 12 months, so you can make a resolution to open a CD, deposit the cash for a year and collect your earnings in 2027!
With the Fed cutting rates recently, savings rates are expected to follow suit. But with a CD, your rate is fixed for the term, so you can lock in a high rate now.
12. Start saving for next Christmas now
And lastly, consider making a New Year’s resolution to set aside holiday spending money for 2026.
It’s easy to run up credit card debt to buy gifts, decor, or cover holiday meals, but it can cost you. Having a high-interest credit card can mean paying way more than the holidays you bargained for if you don’t pay it off quickly. Save yourself the headache of borrowing money for the next holiday season and start saving now!
Good luck in 2026!
It’s common to let a New Year’s resolution fall by the wayside. But as the old saying goes, you only really fail when you stop trying. So keep making those resolutions to save more money, go to the gym, book the vacation, check on your retirement — one of these years, they’re bound to stick!
JPMorgan Chase Sued By Ex-Employees, Claim Company Assigned Black Women To Poorer Areas
The company now faces another discrimination lawsuit over alleged bias.
JPMorgan Chase is facing a lawsuit by two former Black female employees who claim the company assigned them to less affluent areas in Brooklyn, New York, due to their race, Bloomberg reports.
In the lawsuit, filed Dec. 17, Laura Agard and Roshanna Richardson say race and gender discrimination prompted them to leave the investment bank in 2021.
The move to Brooklyn, they claim, allowed male colleagues to steal clients from them while limiting their commission income potential. They deem their assignment to low-income areas as discriminatory.
Furthermore, the women believe that the JPMorgan Chase bank branches systemically preferred white male advisors, who they claim were authorized to take over the women’s client books when they entered maternity leave.
“This practice was built on the stereotyped assumption that women taking maternity leave—as opposed to men taking medical or other leaves—were likely not to return to the work force after having children or were more likely to prioritize their children over their work,” detailed the complaint.
Robinson also noted an instance where one white advisor began to handle all clients with over $250,000 in assets. Ahead of their own departure, JPMorgan Chase assigned the women to branches in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Coney Island, and Canarsie, predominately diverse if not Black-leaning areas of Brooklyn.
JPMorgan Chase has weathered previous lawsuits over racial and gender discrimination in the workplace. The lawsuit highlighted a $24 million settlement from a class action lawsuit filed by Black advisors.
Following the settlement, Forbesconfirmed the company’s plans to enact bias training and a review of branch assignments.
JPMorgan Chase has vehemently denied the current allegations and that it will “vigorously defend itself” against the lawsuit. The company also emphasized its “strongest commitment to an equal workplace.”
