Black Swing-State Voters Are Supporting Kamala Harris Over Trump
The race is heating up....
NBC News reported that poll results from the Howard University Initiative on Public Opinion reveal that a majority of Black voters in swing states will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
The data was pulled from 963 likely Black voters in the swing or battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where 82% of those voters say they are pulling for Harris, over 12% for former President Donald Trump. Only 5% identify as undecided, while 1% plan to pick another candidate.
However, analysts are looking at the poll results as an opportunity to dissect the important differences throughout the Black vote. “It’s important for the range of Black voices to be heard and to be known,” co-director of the Initiative on Public Opinion and dean of the Graduate School at Howard University, Dana Williams, said.
“I think part of the responsibility of the mainstream media is to reflect the population, and as one of the largest-growing populations of voters, we need to spend a lot more time thinking about what’s on their minds so that legislative agendas, presidential agendas, messaging on all of those fronts don’t ignore a significant voting population.”
Black men and women in the swing states — 81% — supported Harris over Trump. More seasoned voters also identify as strong Harris voters, but younger voters seem to be divided. Poll results found that 75% of voters, ages 18 to 49, would vote for Harris, while 16% supported Trump.
Black voters with college degrees shower Harris with support by 73 points over the former President, while those without degrees support Harris by 68 points ahead of Trump. Younger and less-educated voters are more likely to support Trump, according to poll results. A little over 25% of men under 50 without a college education announced they would vote for Trump, compared to 67% who said they’ll vote for Harris. According to Fox News, the poll took place between Sept. 4 and Sept. 11, just one day after the presidential debate, with a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Participants were surveyed via phone — both landline and cell phone — and text-to-web. The Black voters claimed they were motivated to support Harris because of her values, position on certain issues, and temperament over Trump’s rhetoric driving Black voters away.
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
Federal Judge Denies Diddy’s Bail Request A Second Time
In ruling against the music executive, Judge Andrew Carter said, 'My bigger concern deals with the danger of obstruction of justice and the danger of witness tampering.'
After Sean “Diddy” Combs was taken in and arrested on Sept. 16, at a hearing the next day, the judge denied him bail and ordered the mogul to remain in jail. His attorneys immediately appealed the decision and went before the court on Sept. 18. After presenting their case to another federal judge, he was denied again. He will stay in jail until the trial takes place.
According to CNN, attorneys for Diddy appeared before Judge Andrew Carter in hopes of getting their client out of jail in preparation for his defense in the charges levied against him. But Carter denied the request, partly because he felt that, based on what prosecutors presented, his “bigger concern deals with the danger of obstruction of justice and the danger of witness tampering,” said Carter.
The Mount Vernon-raised businessman is facing charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors stated that Diddy could obstruct the case with the possibility of witness tampering, as they provided proof that he had already done so. They likened his attempt by saying, “The risk of danger is acute.”
They also mentioned that he was allegedly in possession of a cache of weapons that were discovered in the closet of his bedroom, which were found during home raids conducted on his properties earlier this year. He also has access to millions of dollars, as well as private planes that would make him a flight risk.
Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, attempted to offer a bail package that they hoped would sway the judge to allow him out on bail.
This included a $50 million bond co-signed by the entertainment mogul, his mother, and several family members. They also offered that he would surrender his passport, submit himself to home confinement, weekly drug testing, and a visitor log that authorities can check.
However, this didn’t move the judge, as she stated her concerns about “obstruction of justice and the danger of witness tampering.”
Yet, his attorney threw in some more conditions in hopes Judge Carter would relent. This included a proposal to place “strenuous and maybe unusual conditions” to address her concerns, stating that Diddy would have no access to a cell phone or internet and would have an intelligence firm staffed with former state and federal officials to monitor the home around the clock.
“Any witness intimidation would be completely nullified,” Agnifilo said.
Carter once again rejected the effort and stated that the government met its burden of proof.
The 54-year-old multi-hyphenate faces a life sentence based on the severity of the charges and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 9. Agnifilo told CNN he will appeal the ruling once more.
The Stylistics To Return To Carnegie Hall After 50 Years For ‘Falling In Love With My Girl’ Tour
Founding members Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, joined by Jason Sharp, continue to tour and bring their legendary sound to stages worldwide.
Iconic soul group The Stylistics will grace the stage of Carnegie Hall once again this fall, marking their first performance at the world-renowned venue in nearly 50 years. The legendary R&B group, known for timeless hits like “You Are Everything” and “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” will perform on Friday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. in the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage as part of their Falling in Love with My Girl tour.
The Stylistics initially took the Carnegie Hall stage on June 20, 1974, during the height of their chart-topping success. Their signature blend of smooth harmonies and heartfelt lyrics helped define the sound of 1970s R&B and continues to captivate audiences today. Their return to Carnegie Hall promises to be a memorable night filled with love ballads and soulful anthems that span generations.
The group’s most beloved hits, including “Break Up to Make Up,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” “People Make the World Go Round,” and “I’m Stone in Love with You,” will be part of the night’s performance. Founding members Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, joined by Jason Sharp, continue to tour and bring their legendary sound to stages worldwide.
“We are truly honored to still be performing after more than five decades,” said Love. “When we started this journey as schoolmates, we never imagined it would take us to stages like Carnegie Hall or that we’d still be sharing our music with fans around the world.”
Opening for The Stylistics will be Tom’s Elton Tribute, a homage to the iconic British singer Elton John, led by Tom Cridland.
The Stylistics’ Legacy:
Formed in Philadelphia in 1966, The Stylistics emerged from two high school singing groups, The Percussions and The Monarchs. Over the years, they created an impressive catalog of hits under the guidance of producer Thom Bell and songwriters Burt Bacharach and Linda Creed. Their music helped shape the sound of Philadelphia soul, earning them two GRAMMY Awards and induction into the Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Walk of Fame.
For tickets starting at $26.50, visit www.carnegiehall.com or call Carnegie Charge at 212-247-7800.
According to The Athletic, the team’s expansion status was made public on Sept. 18. It will be headed by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who own the National Women’s Soccer League’s Portland Thorns. The pair also have NBA connections, as their father is Raj Bhathal, the principal co-owner of the Sacramento Kings franchise.
In a move that signifies the expectations for the franchise, and it can be argued women’s sports in general, but the WNBA in particular, the team will share the Moda Center, the home of the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers.
According to Lisa Bhathal Merage, the two Portland basketball franchises are expected to operate in unity.
“We believe in the transformative power of women’s sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home,” Bhathal Merage said in a statement.
“We know that Portland’s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team. Our goal is to grow this organization in partnership with the Portland community, and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.”
BREAKING: The WNBA is officially returning to Portland.
The league has announced the city will earn a new expansion franchise, owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. Play will tip off in 2026. pic.twitter.com/MsPACL2zIB
Back in the early 2000s, Portland had a WNBA franchise, then known as the Fire. The late Paul Allen, a co-founder of Microsoft, owned that incarnation of Portland’s women’s basketball franchise. Despite a loyal fan base, the team had heavy financial losses and folded after only three seasons. Portland was close to getting another shot at hosting a franchise before those spots went to franchises in Toronto and Golden State. Awarding Portland with a franchise continues the league’s heady bet on cities with a strong love for basketball, particularly women’s basketball.
Today puts basketball fans in Portland & all across Oregon solidly in the ‘W” column for major league sports. Our city & entire state have consistently set the gold standard for supporting women's sports. I’m thrilled Portland is getting a much-deserved WNBA team. #WelcometotheWhttps://t.co/GuGPiktyWj
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden pushed for the city to be given another franchise and, in a 2023 interview with The Athletic, expressed his belief that the city would support a WNBA franchise like they had many other women’s sports franchises, including collegiate basketball programs like those at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.
“What the commissioner saw when she accepted my invitation to come to Oregon is, I think, unprecedented in the country,” Wyden said. “We mobilized, not just the Ducks and the Beavers and the Thorns and the Trail Blazers and the like. We showed that enthusiasm for a team in our community is unprecedented. I think that’s why when the final scoreboard gets posted, we’re gonna win.”
In a statement announcing the new team, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert said she believes that Portland and its fanbase will be good for the league.
“Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans,” Engelbert said. “Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family’s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.”
Trill On Wheels Expands With Brunch Tour To Celebrate Houston Hip-Hop And Black-Owned Businesses
Are you ready for the EADO Hip-Hop Brunch Tour?
A popular Houston interactive attraction that continues to reel in tourists and amplifying the city’s rich history and Black business scene has expanded its offerings.
Trill On Wheels is the nation’s premier hip-hop pedal bike experience that celebrates Houston culture and hip-hop contributions. Launched in 2021, the party bike offers a two-hour cruise through Houston with stops at various Black-owned businesses, while guests enjoy cocktails and hookah.
Designed to celebrate the Houston way of life, each bike is designed to highlight the city’s car culture through a “Candy Paint” mural of hip-hop hometown heroes and the neighborhoods they represent. The bikes also have Swanga rims wrapped in vogue tires and Houston’s signature bass blasting out the speakers.
The lively experience has made Trill On Wheels a go-to tourist attraction that visitors place at the top of their lists. Now the new EADO Hip-Hop Brunch Tour offers guests a fun-filled way of trying out staple brunch stops in Houston.
Trill On Wheels is currently based in Houston’s historic Third Ward neighborhood, EADO, and has plans to expand to Fourth Ward. The tour experience combines the talent of Houston-born entertainers with a touch of light fitness. Those celebrated include Beatking, Slim Thug, and Lil Keke.
What started as just one single bike in a shipping container to a facility “is a testament to our team’s dedication, meeting high expectations, and providing a world-class experience for our riders,” the company said on its website.
“Team Trill” is led by a husband and wife team with two young children.
“As true fans of Hip-Hop culture, hosting epic game nights and being “outside,” we wanted to create an experience that we’d enjoy ourselves and pass on to our baby boy one day,” the couple said. “After a year of prayer, research, and pure, unfiltered hustle, Trill On Wheels was formed, and we couldn’t be more proud!”
Trill On Wheels has served over 30,000 tourists who have contributed over $700,000 to local Black-owned businesses, helping to revitalize Houston’s economy. Be sure to check out Trill On Wheels during your next visit to Houston and don’t forget to BYOB!
Study: Workplace Well-Being On Steady Decline As Employees Forced Back To Office
Employee morale is dropping as staffers are forced to return to the office.
As more employees get forced back into the office and out of remote work, studies show workplace well-being is on a steady decline. The numbers are even lower when looking at Black workers.
A new report from Human Capital Development Lab at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in partnership with Great Place to Work revealed that workplace well-being peaked in 2020. But the annual survey of over 1.5 million people across more than 2,500 firms measured the “climate of well-being” and found that it’s been steadily declining since 2020, Fortune reports.
The decline varied when looking at industries and certain demographics. Companies in the health care and retail/hospitality field saw the lowest number while Black, female, and younger workers scored lower well-being numbers than white, male, and older employees. Southern staffers rated higher in well-being than their counterparts.
“The COVID pandemic heightened employers’ awareness of the importance of well-being, and many of the best organizations worked to create a positive work climate,” Michelle Barton, Ph.D., an associate professor of practice at Carey and coauthor of the report, said. “The challenge now will be to integrate those practices into everyday work life, rather than simply as a crisis response.”
Researchers used five criteria to measure each company’s “climate of well-being”: financial health, meaningful connections, mental and emotional support, personal support, and Sense of purpose. Employers who invest in their employees’ well-being, both financially and emotionally, received higher scores.
Male employees consistently reported higher workplace well-being scores than female employees, a reflection of the gender pay gap which widened in 2023 for the first time since 2020. Meanwhile, Black workers were reported to have the worst well-being from 2021 through 2023 compared to white workers who held the top spot, and Asian employees who were the only group whose well-being matched or surpassed that of white workers over the five-year period.
Black women had by far the worst well-being compared to Asian men who had the highest well-being score and the largest gap compared to their female counterparts.
“These significant differences highlight the ongoing need for organizations to address equity, inclusion, and belonging for all employees,” the report said.
The report found a clear positive correlation between flexible work arrangements and improved employee well-being. Companies where 75% or more of employees could work remotely part-time had the highest well-being score, while those where fewer than 25% of employees had remote work options recorded the lowest scores.
“For workers, flexibility provides the means to effectively manage work-life balance, addressing personal and family needs such as child care and elder care,” the report said. “For employers, it may cultivate higher levels of engagement and productivity among employees while fostering a climate of well-being.”
Frankie Beverly Reportedly Had 6-Figure Net Worth When He Died
Frankie Beverly was 77 when he died on Sept. 10.
There were varying reports into music legend Frankie Beverly’s net worth after he died, with some outlets listing his earnings at around $4 million. But as per Celebrity Net Worth’s most recent update into Beverly’s financial portfolio, the “Before I Let Go” singer had a net worth of around $500,000.
Beverly, 77, died Sept. 10 after a lengthy, successful music career. He was best known as the founder and lead vocalist of the soul and funk band Maze. His music is credited with leaving a lasting impact on R&B and soul music. He entered the music scene in the 1960s with his band The Butlers.
By the 1970s, Beverly moved from his hometown of Philadelphia to California where he renamed his band Raw Soul. The band caught the attention of Marvin Gaye’s sister-in-law and became his opening act. While on tour with Gaye, he gave the idea to change its name to Maze.
Gaye also organized a deal for Beverly and Maze at Capitol Records in 1977. Maze released its debut album one year later and eight more albums under the label including live recordings like Silky Soul in 1989 and Back to Basics in 1993.
Maze never achieved widespread mainstream success but did build a loyal fan base and continued touring and performing well into the 2000s. Some of its most popular songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Golden Time of Day,” “We Are One,” and “Before I Let Go.”
The group was most known for its energetic but intimate live performances. Beverly’s signature style of custom-designed all-white casual attire—slacks, a long-sleeved shirt, and a baseball cap—became iconic over the years. Fans embraced the tradition by wearing all-white to Maze concerts.
In 2019, Beyoncé covered Maze’s hit single “Before I Let Go,” as a bonus track on her fifth live album, Homecoming: The Live Album. Beverly deemed the cover as a “high point” in his life.
“It’s a blessing. It’s amazing how she works, she’s very smart,” he toldBillboard at the time of the song’s release. “I’m caught off guard, but in a beautiful way. She’s such a sweet person, too. She’s a very sweet, religious kind of person. Then the way she just released it, it’s off the chain. She’s done so much, this is one of the high points of my life.”
Black Women’s Health Imperative Releases 2024 Health Policy Voters Guide
These are the important and needed resources......
The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) released “Black Women Vote: 2024 Health Policy Voters Guide,” a resource to help Black women comprehend policies and issues that impede on their health, according to a press release.
As the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the well-being of Black women and girls, BWHI has addressed budding concerns with policy research, innovative programs, and advocacy that push for health and wellness. The 2024 Health Policy Voters Guide hosts “Five Pillars” to advance Black women’s health — access to quality and affordable healthcare, health of families and children first, equitable governance and relationships, employment, education justice and equity, and technology access and artificial intelligence.
The voters’ guide also gives users a robust overview of specific seats and roles up for election in the presidential, congressional, and governor races. The organization included a detailed checklist for users to evaluate candidates in their region to see where each ranks against each pillar and a list of ballot measures organized by state. Since the last presidential election in 2020, over 400 bills have been introduced in just about every state to restrict voting access and target communities of color.
As a result, the rights to protective healthcare, voting, and more are at risk, with limitations being placed on abortion access, in vitro fertilization (IVF) services, and maternal care. These limiting efforts have disproportionately harmed Black women and have increased the worsening of existing health disparities. “For many Black women, 2024 has been a year of profound challenges and impacts on our health and livelihoods. The challenges we face as a community—especially the recent attacks on reproductive freedoms—underscore the need for transformative leadership,” Linda Goler Blount, BWHI’s president, said.
“Let me be clear: Black women and the power of our vote have always been at the forefront of keeping the US democracy intact. This year, we must vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do.”
Established in 1983, the organization has been a vital leader in creating safe spaces to discuss topics concerning Black women of all generations. In July 2024, according to Black News, they worked with actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and author Tabitha Brown to produce a documentary called Me Period, highlighting the intergenerational conversations surrounding puberty, menstruation, and health discovery.
Blount described the film as seeing her dedication to health equity advocacy come to life, and as the executive producer, she is excited to promote the importance of understanding the different and unique health experiences of Black women.
North Carolina Man’s Medical Debt Illustrates A National Crisis For Black People
According to Dr. Rishi Manchanda, a former board member of the nonprofit organization RIP Medical Debt, 'Debt is no longer just a bug in our system. It is one of the main products.'
Terry Belk, a Black former car salesman who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, says that his medical debts are like an albatross around his neck, a sentiment many people in America would likely agree with. After his wife died of breast cancer in 2012, Belk was left with a mountain of medical bills, which were further compounded by his prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
According to NBC News, Atrium Health, a nonprofit hospital that treated Sandra, Belk’s late wife, aggressively pursued the debts owed by the pair. This resulted in Terry signing a deed of trust, which entitled the hospital to $23,000 when he sold his home, which would settle his debts with the hospital.
However, the hospital did not stop trying to collect money from Belk. In 2022, the hospital sued him for $6,000, which he owed for his prostate cancer treatments. Belk told the outlet that he knew he couldn’t win in a court battle, so he agreed to pay off the debt, which ballooned to $8,000 after interest was accounted for.
Belk told NBC News that he felt trapped. “We weren’t trying to abscond from the bills,” he said. “I wanted to pay, but I couldn’t. I’ve been battling this for over 20 years,” the 68-year-old Belk said. “This has been like an albatross around my neck, like an anvil I’m dragging around every day.”
Belk continued, driving home the point that medical debt is a national crisis. “This is a national problem; people are getting millions and millions of these bills. They are making peoples’ lives hell. I’ll probably be paying this into the afterlife.”
According to Berneta Hayes, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, Medical debt is a “problem that is uniquely American. Even if you have insurance, if you have chronic health conditions that require you to interface more often with the healthcare system, you are putting yourself at greater risk for medical debt every single time you make” appointments.
It is such a uniquely American problem that it has received major attention this election cycle and in other political news.
On the campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed the forgiveness of $220 billion in medical debt held by approximately 15 million Americans. According to CNBC, in her economic plan, released by her campaign in August, the vice president wants to do more than relieve Americans of their debt. The campaign wants “to help them avoid accumulating such debt in the future because no one should go bankrupt just because they had the misfortune of becoming sick or hurt,” according to their platform.
According to Dr. Rishi Manchanda, a former board member of the nonprofit organization RIP Medical Debt, “Debt is no longer just a bug in our system. It is one of the main products,” Dr. Manchanda told NPR. “We have a healthcare system almost perfectly designed to create debt.”
Alan Cohen, a co-founder of insurer Centivo and a health benefits worker for more than 30 years, agrees with Dr. Manchanda, saying that there is only one reason people end up in medical debt. The costs of healthcare in America are simply more than they can afford. As NPR reported, the problem of medical debt is also more pronounced among Black and other people of color and in the South, where state governments have failed to expand Medicare and Medicaid.
“The No. 1 reason, and the No. 2, 3, and 4 reasons, that people go into medical debt is they don’t have the money. It’s not complicated,” Cohen said.
The focus of the Harris campaign is also in line with voters’ views, according to a May poll jointly conducted by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which surveyed 1,309 adults.
According to the poll’s results, 51% of adults indicated that it was very important to them that the federal government forgive medical debt, while 39% felt the same about student loan forgiveness.
According to Ciara Zachary, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Public Health, the program has the potential to become a national initiative.
“It could be like an expansion, where states can adopt it, or there could be some kind of big, sweeping legislation,” Zachary said. “I think maybe a Harris administration could also just continue to incentivize and promote these efforts.”
Zachary continued, comparing potential pushback of the North Carolina plan to the criticism Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act received. “There are going to be states that are going be like, ‘This is great, we want to be progressive. And then there might be a couple more traditionally or historically red states that might not be early adopters but recognize that they have hospitals at risk of closing.”
Book That Trip! New Study Reveals Travel Is Healthy, Slows Aging Process
Researchers use the entropy theory to find that leisure travel and recreation may potentially slow down aging and enhance health.
A new study has revealed travel’s physical and mental health benefits, and a delay in the aging process is one.
By applying entropy theory to tourism, researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia found that travel activities such as exercising and relaxing help the body slow down aging. According to a press release by ECU, entropy is “the general trend of the universe towards death and disorder.”
“[Aging], as a process, is irreversible. While it can’t be stopped, it can be slowed down,” said ECU Ph.D. candidate Fangli Hu. The entropy perspective views positive tourism experiences as a potential way to mitigate entropy increase and boost health. “Tourism isn’t just about leisure and recreation. It could also contribute to people’s physical and mental health,” Hu added. Wellness, health, and yoga tourism have posed potential health benefits like a boost in metabolism, energy, and immune function due to exposure to new surroundings, positive social interactions, relaxation, and physical activities such as hiking, climbing, walking, and cycling.
Tourism introduces the opportunity for travelers to engage in physical activity, which ECU researchers found improves blood circulation, expedites nutrient transport, and aids waste elimination. Positive travel experiences may help the body sustain a low-entropy state, influence its self-organizing capabilities, and improve its ability to defend itself against external threats. “Put simply, the self-defense system becomes more resilient,” Hu said. “Hormones conducive to tissue repair and regeneration may be released and promote the self-healing system’s functioning.”
Leisure travel activities were found to potentially “help alleviate chronic stress,” a feeling researchers in 2021 said contributed to the rapid weathering of the body for Black people due to factors like social adversity and racial discrimination. The research, published in the National Library of Medicine, also linked depression to the rate of biological aging in Black people.
Hu acknowledged recreation as a method to benefit the bones, release tension and fatigue in the muscles and joints, and support the body’s anti–wear-and-tear system. These factors help the organs and tissues remain in a low-entropy state.
