Women's National Football Conference, HBCUs, flag football

by Tierra Smith

May 7, 2026

Women’s Flag Football Is Growing—And HBCUs Are Driving The Growth

HBCUs are building competitive programs and expanding access

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are leading the way in the rapid rise of women’s flag football, transforming what was once considered a male-dominated sport into one of the fastest-growing opportunities for women athletes.

As more Black and brown women take the field, HBCUs are building competitive programs and expanding access at the collegiate level.

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), a Division II HBCU athletic conference, was the first to test the sport, according to HBCU Gameday.

“Schools that aren’t on board yet just don’t trust or believe in the program or in the sport itself,” Winston-Salem State University Women’s Flag Football Assistant Coach Chasity Holt told Andscape. “They don’t see the benefit of having the sport. But you can see the schools that have the sport are flourishing. They’re thriving.

“I just hope that leaders at these institutions that are hesitant see the value and see how much of a buzz [HBCUs] are creating and are able to sustain throughout the next couple of years.”

Winston-Salem State University has emerged as a dominant force, securing back-to-back CIAA championships. Seven teams competed in a two-day, single-elimination bracket held April 10-11 at the Irwin Belk Complex at Johnson C. Smith University.

In spring 2025, the conference launched women’s flag football at seven member institutions: Bluefield State University, Bowie State University, Claflin University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State.

Momentum for this emerging sport is catching on at other HBCUs.

In 2024, Alabama State University became the first NCAA Division I HBCU to offer women’s flag football. Wilberforce University and Edward Waters University are both set to launch programs for the 2026–2027 season.

For many student-athletes, these developments mark a significant shift in opportunities. Previous generations often had access to flag football only through intramural and club teams, where participation often required out-of-pocket costs. The expansion of varsity programs eliminates those barriers and legitimizes the sport at a higher level of competition.

The NCAA has also taken notice. In January, women’s flag football was designated as an emerging sport, a key step toward broader adoption and eventual championship status. The program is designed to increase opportunities for participation and give institutions more flexibility to sponsor the sport.

Since the Emerging Sports for Women program was created in 1994, eight sports have been added, including rowing (1996), beach volleyball (2015), and women’s wrestling (2025). Two additional emerging sports—acrobatics and tumbling and stunt—have also been approved as NCAA championship sports for the upcoming academic year.

Women’s flag football must reach at least 40 varsity teams to qualify for NCAA championship consideration. That milestone may be within reach, as up to 60 schools are expected to sponsor teams by spring 2026, according to HBCU Gameday.

The growth of women’s flag football is also expected to create a recruiting pipeline for Olympic-caliber athletes, as the sport makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 7, 2026

Ray Rice Returns To Rutgers, Completes Long-Delayed Degree

For Rice, this accomplishment is about fulfilling a personal commitment based on discipline, family values, and unfinished goals.

Former NFL player Ray Rice has finished his college degree at Rutgers University. This achievement marks the completion of a chapter he left open when he left school early to pursue a professional football career. For Rice, this accomplishment is not about seeking redemption or changing how people see him; it’s about fulfilling a personal commitment based on discipline, family values, and unfinished goals.

Rice first gained recognition as a standout player for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team, elevating the program’s national profile during his time there. His success led him to the NFL, where he became a Super Bowl champion and one of the league’s best running backs. Despite his professional success, completing his education remained an important goal for him.

His determination, according to reports, was partly motivated by a promise to his family, who viewed education as a foundation that goes beyond sports. Returning to Rutgers years later allowed Rice to honor that commitment, showing that his choice was deeply personal rather than a reaction to criticism.

Rice’s public story has long been influenced by the 2014 domestic violence incident that led to his dismissal from the NFL and effectively ended his playing career. He has acknowledged that moment as a significant failure but has clarified that earning his degree is separate from any attempt to reshape that history.

This milestone reflects a quieter type of accountability, one measured by actions rather than headlines. For Rice, finishing his degree signifies growth on his own terms, highlighting the importance of completing what one starts, even when life takes unexpected turns.

“Listen, I can’t hide. I’m in school, man!” Rice told NJ.com. “When the teacher was on a break, I’d hear the guys say things like, ‘Yo, that’s the legend in here, man. That’s the OG!’ I’d be like, ‘You know I can hear y’all, right?’”

His journey also highlights a broader reality for many athletes who face interruptions in their education due to their careers. Professional success may come quickly, but the value of academic achievement often remains as unfinished work. By returning to the classroom, Rice reinforces the idea that it’s never too late to complete that journey.

RELATED CONTENT: Ray Rice Honored By Baltimore Ravens

by Selena Hill

May 7, 2026

Golden Krust Announces Major Expansion With E-Commerce Launch For Jamaican Baked Goods

The iconic Caribbean restaurant chain is expanding beyond its storefronts, allowing customers across the U.S. to order Jamaican staples like Hard Dough Bread and Easter Bun online

Can you purchase Golden Krust baked goods online? As of May 2026—yes, you can!

For the first time in its 36-year history, Golden Krust is bringing a taste of Jamaica to households across the country through a new nationwide e-commerce launch.

The New York-based Caribbean restaurant chain announced this week that customers across the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) can now order its beloved baked goods online, marking a major expansion beyond the brand’s brick-and-mortar restaurants.

The move allows customers to purchase some of the brand’s most recognizable staples online, including its signature hard-dough bread, whole-wheat bread, spiced buns, and the popular Easter Bun, a rich, molasses-based bread filled with raisins and fruit.

The Legacy of Hawthorne & Sons

While many consumers associate Golden Krust with its iconic Jamaican patties, the company says its roots are tied to baking. The business was inspired by Mavis and Ephraim Hawthorne, who launched Hawthorne & Sons Bakery in St. Mary, Jamaica, in 1949. That bakery legacy helped their son, the late Lowell Hawthorne, shape what would eventually become one of the nation’s largest Caribbean restaurant franchises.

Founded in 1989, Golden Krust has grown into a cultural staple within Caribbean-American communities and remains one of the most recognizable Jamaican restaurant brands in the country. The e-commerce expansion signals the company’s continued evolution as it looks to serve a wider national audience while preserving the flavors and traditions that built the brand.

Authentic Jamaican Bakery Bundles & Pricing

The launch also reflects a broader shift in how legacy food brands are adapting to meet growing demand from communities and consumers seeking authentic cultural cuisine outside of major metropolitan areas.

Golden Krust’s new online store will offer curated bakery bundles designed to bring traditional Jamaican flavors directly to consumers. Available packages include the Bun Bundle, featuring two large and one small spice buns for $25; the Mixed Bread Bundle for $19; and the specialty Whole Wheat and Hard Dough Bread bundles, each priced at $19.

Shop for a Cause: Hurricane Melissa Relief

In addition to baked goods, customers can place online orders for merchandise, including bucket hats, hoodies, and sandals, celebrating Jamaican pride and culture. In turn, Golden Krust will donate $1 from every “Golden Krust For Jamaica” hoodie or t-shirt purchase to the American Friends of Jamaica in support of Hurricane Melissa relief efforts.

by Kandiss Edwards

May 7, 2026

DOJ Sues Data Software Firm For Blacklisting American Workers

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Cloudera Inc., a data software firm valued at over $5 billion, alleging the company intentionally excluded American workers from high-paying technology roles.

The complaint, filed April 28 by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, claims Cloudera violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against U.S. workers. The company favored individuals with temporary employment visas. The lawsuit is a major component of the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, which focuses on companies that illegally bypass domestic talent.

The DOJ alleges that Cloudera created a “separate and unequal” recruitment process specifically designed to deter U.S. workers from applying for roles paying between $180,000 and $294,000 annually. According to the filing, Cloudera earmarked these positions for current employees seeking permanent labor certification (PERM) sponsorship, essentially shielding the jobs from the American public.

“Employers cannot use the PERM sponsorship process as a backdoor for discriminating against U.S. workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Division will not hesitate to sue companies [that] intentionally deter U.S. workers from applying to American jobs.”

We just sued Cloudera for discriminating against U.S. workers in favor of foreign visa holders for high-paying tech jobs. This is a violation of the Immigration & Nationality Act, & @CivilRights will not hesitate to sue employers for discriminating against U.S. workers! You are…
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) April 28, 2026

Cloudera allegedly instructed U.S. applicants to submit resumes to a dedicated email address—amerijobpostings@cloudera.com—that was intentionally configured to block external messages, resulting in bounce-back errors for American job seekers. Federal law requires employers to recruit U.S. workers in “good faith” before sponsoring a foreign national for permanent residency.

The DOJ contends Cloudera certified to the Department of Labor that it found no qualified U.S. workers, despite intentionally preventing them from applying via the proper email address. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties, back pay with interest for affected applicants, and an order for Cloudera to cease these discriminatory practices.

Cloudera, which was taken private in 2021 in a $5.3 billion acquisition by KKR and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, has denied the allegations. A company spokesperson stated that they are “proud to hire American workers” and believe the government’s claims “misunderstand both our hiring processes and our intent.” By publicly pursuing Cloudera, the DOJ is signaling that the tech industry’s reliance on temporary visa holders for permanent roles will be subject to strict recruitment audits throughout 2026.

by Kandiss Edwards

May 7, 2026

Ghana Says No To $109M U.S. Health Deal, Citing Sovereignty And Data Privacy Fears

The proposal allowed up to 10 U.S. entities unrestricted access to Ghana's health data models, dashboards, and metadata.

Ghana has officially rejected a proposed $109 million health funding agreement with the United States, citing significant concerns over data privacy and national sovereignty.

The May 1 announcement makes Ghana the latest African nation to walk away from a bilateral health deal under the Trump administration’s “America First Global Health Strategy.” According to Arnold Kavaarpuo, executive director of Ghana’s Data Protection Commission, the proposed deal included provisions that would have granted U.S. entities unprecedented access to sensitive national health data.

At the heart of the collapse is a disagreement over the scope of data sharing. Ghanaian officials claim the U.S. requested access that “went far beyond what would typically be required” for public health monitoring.

Kavaarpuo detailed allegations that the proposal allowed up to 10 U.S. entities unrestricted access to Ghana’s health data models, dashboards, and metadata. This access would reportedly have been granted without the requirement of prior approval from the Ghanaian government for specific data use cases, The Associated Press reported.

Furthermore, officials pointed to a significant lack of governance oversight within the agreement’s framework. Kavaarpuo noted that the arrangement was structured such that the U.S. would merely notify the country after undertaking data exercises rather than seeking permission. He warned that the language, as written, effectively amounted to “outsourcing the health data architecture of the country to a foreign body.”

Ghana’s withdrawal follows a growing pattern of pushback against the new U.S. health aid framework, which replaces previous programs under the dismantled United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Zimbabwe and Zambia rejected similar deals earlier in 2026, citing issues surrounding fairness and data sovereignty. Meanwhile, a Kenyan court recently suspended a similar U.S. aid deal over privacy concerns raised by local activists. In Nigeria, although an agreement was signed, critics have pointed to restrictive clauses, such as the U.S. commitment to primarily supporting Christian faith-based healthcare providers.

Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has previously expressed “huge concerns” regarding the transparency and data-sharing requirements embedded in these new bilateral agreements.

Despite rejecting the $109 million package, the Ghanaian government emphasized its desire to maintain a strong relationship with the United States. Following a cabinet-level decision informed by the Attorney General, Ghana is now exploring “ways of collaborating in other areas of mutual interest… without the questions of surrendering sovereignty.”

The U.S. State Department declined to provide specifics on the negotiations but stated, “We continue to look for ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership between our two countries.”

Ron Busby Sr., President & CEO of U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

by Janee Bolden

May 7, 2026

As Funding Tightens For Black Businesses, USBC Launches New Accelerator Program

The accelerator aims to help Black-owned brands strengthen operations, scale, and access

At a moment when many Black entrepreneurs are questioning where sustainable support will come from next, the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. is betting on growth.

What is the USBC 360° Accelerator?

The organization recently announced the launch of the USBC 360° Accelerator, a 12-week hybrid program designed to support growth-stage Black founders in the consumer packaged goods industry. The Accelerator aims to help Black-owned brands strengthen operations, scale, and access new growth opportunities at a time when many diversity-focused funding initiatives are shrinking or disappearing altogether.

Applications for the program are open through May 25, with participants receiving mentorship, business development support, long-term strategic planning, and access to up to $100,000 in grant funding.

Strategic Support in a Volatile DEI Landscape

The Accelerator specifically targets founders who already have traction and are now navigating the realities of expansion — inventory, staffing, operations, distribution, and financial sustainability.

“USBC 360° represents a strategic investment in the growth and sustainability of Black entrepreneurship,” Ron Busby Sr., president and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., said in a statement. “By equipping founders with the tools, resources, and access to capital needed to expand across multiple channels, we are not only strengthening Black-owned businesses but also positioning them for long-term success.”

Why It Matters: Bridging the Capital Gap

For many Black founders, long-term sustainability has become one of the biggest challenges in today’s business climate.

Over the past several years, Black-owned businesses have experienced both heightened visibility and growing uncertainty. While corporate commitments to diversity and supplier inclusion surged following the racial justice movement of 2020, many entrepreneurs have since watched companies scale back DEI efforts, reduce funding initiatives, or shift priorities entirely.

That reality has made infrastructure-building increasingly important.

Rather than focusing solely on startup ideation or exposure, the USBC 360° Accelerator appears designed to help founders strengthen the operational side of their businesses. Participants will leave the program with a 90-day operational and financial optimization plan and an 18- to 24-month growth strategy tailored to support long-term expansion.

The Accelerator also connects founders with mentors and operators who understand the specific challenges Black entrepreneurs often face while scaling businesses in competitive consumer markets.

For Black-owned consumer brands, success often requires navigating limited access to capital, retail partnerships, manufacturing relationships, and distribution pipelines — all while trying to maintain profitability and visibility in crowded markets.

The U.S. Black Chambers’ latest effort suggests a growing recognition that Black founders need more than encouragement to launch businesses. They need systems capable of helping them endure.

Founded as the national voice for Black business, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., represents more than 176 Black Chambers and 336,000 Black-owned businesses nationwide. The organization focuses on economic empowerment through advocacy, education, and strategic programming aimed at strengthening Black business communities nationwide.

Who is eligible for the USBC 360° Accelerator?

The program is open to growth-stage Black founders, specifically within the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector, who have annual revenue between $100,000 and $2,000,000

Interested founders can learn more about the USBC 360° Accelerator and apply before the May 25 deadline at USBC360.com.

by Selena Hill

May 6, 2026

Freepik Becomes Magnific, Signaling the Rise of the ‘No-Collar’ Creative Economy

The newly minted AI platform held an exclusive demo for digital creators

UPSCALE DAY NYC didn’t feel like a typical tech demo; it felt more like a quiet revolution.

Held in lower Manhattan, the one-day event focused on combining creative advertising with emerging technology and included creators, technologists, and storytellers shaping modern brand storytelling. It was hosted by the company formerly known as Freepik, which announced last month that it has now become Magnific, a new AI-powered creative platform that allows users to generate images, videos, and audio using AI tools. Magnific also empowers users with professional workflows, collaborative tools, and a library of more than 250 million stock assets.

For a select group of creatives, Magnific’s “hub” revealed itself as more than a suite of tools. It was a reimagining of how ideas move—from thought to execution—in a world where speed, scale, and imagination are no longer limited by technical skill.

What is Magnific? (Formerly Freepik)

According to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the rebrand from Freepik to Magnific marks a decisive break from the company’s origins as a stock image platform. What began in 2010 as a search engine for design assets has evolved into a full-stack AI creative ecosystem spanning image generation, video, audio, 3D, and collaborative workflows. Today, Magnific states that it has more than one million paying subscribers, over 250 enterprise clients, and over $200 million in annual recurring revenue.

The Rise of the “No-Collar” Economy

In a statement, Magnific CEO Joaquín Cuenca Abela described the company’s shift as a pivot away from fragmented tools to a more integrated creative infrastructure. He also talked about the traditional creative roles vs the “no-collar economy.”

“The Industrial Revolution created the blue-collar economy. The digital revolution created the white-collar economy,” said Cuenca Abela in a press release. “The creatives, the dreamers, are about to become more powerful than anyone expected. That’s the no-collar economy. And it’s already underway.”

According to company data, 72% of new users identify as beginners, underscoring how AI is flattening the learning curve and democratizing access to high-level creative production.

At the event, that democratization was on full display. You didn’t need to be a trained designer or editor. You just needed vision—and the willingness to experiment. In this new paradigm, taste matters as much as technical ability — or maybe more.

RELATED CONTENT: New Responsible Influence Certification Program Aims To Build Transparency In The Creator Economy

by Selena Hill

May 6, 2026

Zoom Grants Solopreneurs With $150,000 Cash Grants

Zoom is giving away $150K to entrepreneurs in light of the new wave of solo founders

The American dream is evolving from corner offices and corporate ladders to laptops, flexibility, and one-person powerhouses building empires from scratch. In a move that feels both timely and telling, Zoom is placing a $150,000 bet on that shift.

The video communications giant announced it will award $30,000 each to five standout solo founders as part of its inaugural Zoom Solopreneur 50, a new initiative spotlighting innovative one-person businesses across the country. All five winners will also receive access to the company’s network of experts and technology resources.

The initiative reflects a shift away from big teams, offices, and valuations, and instead, it celebrates individuals who are rewriting the rules of success while building sustainable businesses without employees or financial backing.

What is the Zoom Solopreneur 50 Grant?

“The Solopreneur 50 is our way of recognizing that shift early,” said Kimberly Storin, Zoom’s chief marketing officer, according to Fortune. “It highlights a new class of builders who are redefining what a company looks like and proving that ambition today is shaped more by focus and capability than by size.”

The “Rise of the Solopreneur”

More and more people are opting out of traditional work pathways for a career fueled by technology, accelerated by AI, and rooted in autonomy. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 33 million Americans are self-employed, while 82% of them operate with zero employees. Nearly 3,000 applicants from over 400 cities across 48 states applied to be part of the Solopreneur 50, signaling just how widespread the solo founder movement has become. The largest share of applicants came from consulting and service-based businesses, followed by health, wellness, and social impact sectors.

The five selected grant recipients were chosen by an independent panel of academics and business leaders who evaluated candidates based on the originality of their idea, demonstrated growth and sustainability, customer and community impact, alignment between values and business practices, and influence within their field.

Meet Two of the Grant Recipients

Among the grant winners are Michael Odokara-Okigbo, the founder of NKENNEAi, an AI-driven platform for African language translation worldwide, and Cierra Gross, founder of Worklution, Inc., a workplace documentation pool being used by more than 22,000 employees. Both said they would use the grant to scale their businesses.

“As a solo entrepreneur who is completely bootstrapped, I’m building without a large team or safety net,” Gross told Inc., “so this recognition affirms that the work I’m doing is not only needed, but impactful. It also creates more visibility for the mission behind my work, which is to provide people with information and tools they need to advance their careers and improve their lives.”

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 6, 2026

Retailers Are Rolling Back Self-Checkout Kiosks

Three primary factors are said to have changed the minds of retail executives in regard to self-checkout.

The era of the “unpaid cashier” may be coming to an end as retail giants Walmart, Target, and Costco roll back self-checkout kiosks.

Self-checkout kiosks experienced an aggressive expansion in the last decade; however, the retail industry is shifting back toward traditional, staffed checkout lanes, The New York Post reported. The change marks a significant admission by major corporations that the self-service experiment has failed to deliver on its promised efficiency, instead creating friction for customers and significant financial losses for the companies.

Three primary factors are said to have changed retail executives’ minds about self-checkout. A critical driver is the increase in inventory loss. Self-checkout lanes have become a major source of product loss or shrinkage. Retailers found that without a human eyes-on approach, “mis-scans” of high-value items were costing billions annually.

Despite the goal of speed, “unexpected item in the bagging area” alerts and technical glitches have led to longer lines and greater consumer stress. A 2026 consumer sentiment survey revealed that shoppers increasingly feel they are being “forced to work” for the stores they patronize without receiving a discount for their labor. For membership-based retailers like Costco, self-checkout lanes were creating loopholes that allowed non-members to bypass verification protocols. By returning to manned lanes, Costco can more effectively ensure that only paying members are utilizing the warehouse benefits.

https://twitter.com/GigaBeers/status/2049881449323725261

While the trend is industry-wide, each retailer is implementing the rollback differently. In 2024, Target introduced a “10 items or fewer” limit on remaining self-checkout kiosks to maintain speed for small purchases while pushing larger carts to staffed registers, according to CBS News.

Walmart is removing kiosks entirely in select test markets (including several in the Midwest and Northeast), replacing them with “full-service” lanes to improve the experience, the Irish Star reported. This move toward “human-centric” service in the retail sector mirrors a global trend of reassessing automated systems in favor of community and reliability.

Virginia, African Landing Memorial, First Enslaved Africans

by Kandiss Edwards

May 6, 2026

Philadelphia To Observe ‘Ona Judge Day’ May 21

Ona Judge was formerly enslaved by George and Martha Washington.

The Philadelphia City Council has officially designated May 21 as “Ona Judge Day,” a historic resolution aimed at honoring one of the most significant figures of resistance to slavery in the city’s history.

The resolution was introduced to commemorate the life and daring escape of Ona Judge, a formerly enslaved woman. Philadelphia City Council members understood the importance of recognizing her life as the resolution was introduced and passed, unanimously on the same day, The Philadelphia Tribune reported.

“It’s an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of a woman in that time period — the courage and the fact that people took agency over their own lives,” said Avenging the Ancestors Coalition member Rosalyn McPherson. “These weren’t just menial servants here. These were people who had goals and aspirations.”

There is no such thing as a good slave owner.

Council designates May 21 as Ona Judge Day honoring resistance to slavery https://t.co/vneZ34hrXP via @phillytrib
— FridayJones (@IAMFridayJones) April 30, 2026

The resolution encourages local schools and cultural institutions to utilize May 21 as a day of learning.

Key themes of the designation include:

Historical Accuracy: Highlighting the reality of the “President’s House” and the presence of enslaved people within the halls of early American power.
The Power of Agency: Celebrating Judge’s strategic planning and her refusal to return to bondage, even when offered “freedom” upon Martha Washington’s eventual death.
Legacy of Resilience: Connecting Judge’s narrative to the broader history of the Underground Railroad and Black resistance in the North.

On May 21, 1796, while the Washingtons were eating dinner at the President’s House in Philadelphia, Judge walked out of the mansion and boarded a ship to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She successfully liberated herself despite the Washingtons’ lifelong efforts to recapture her. McPherson, spoke to the outlet about the importance of honoring Judge.

The designation of Ona Judge Day serves as a formal recognition of the systemic injustices inherent in the nation’s founding and the individual bravery required to confront them. Judge’s story is particularly poignant in Philadelphia, as she exploited the state’s “Gradual Abolition Act” of 1780. The act dictated that enslaved people brought into Pennsylvania by non-residents for more than six months were eligible for freedom. To circumvent this, Washington famously rotated his enslaved staff out of the state every six months. A practice Judge eventually escaped.