by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 2, 2025

Black Women Impacted By Ongoing HIV Crisis In The South

Despite advances in HIV prevention, thousands of new cases occur annually, with Black communities in the South—especially women—often overlooked.

Despite advances in treatment and prevention since the 1980s, HIV still disproportionately affects Black communities in the South, with its impact on Black women often overlooked.

Recent research shows that thousands of new HIV cases are diagnosed each year. In 2023, over 39,000 of these cases were diagnosed in the U.S. and its territories among people aged 13 and older, USA Today reports.

Of these cases, 81% were men, 38% were Black, and 51% were in the South.

Black women represented half of all HIV diagnoses among women, despite comprising just 13% of the female population. The South accounted for more than half of these diagnoses and 56% of HIV-related deaths, though it makes up roughly one-third of the U.S. population.

“The burden of HIV in the South is overwhelming,” said Athena Cross, vice president and chief program officer at AIDS United. “Not only are there risks, there’s also not necessarily the education and awareness around HIV prevention. There is still a lot of stigma culturally across the South that prevents people from being willing to access care, or even be able to follow through on a diagnosis.”

Many underestimate the disease due to overall declines in cases. Since the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, men have been the primary face of HIV and the main users of PrEP and sexual health services.

While PrEP use has grown recently, Black people represent just 12% of users, the South accounts for 39%, and only 9% of users are women. Another barrier is the limited number of hospitals and healthcare providers in the rural South, compounded by widespread anti-LBGTQ+ stigma, which contributes to ongoing misinformation and ignorance about the disease.

Tori Cooper, a Black woman in the South and director of community engagement at the Human Rights Campaign, sayid she has seldom been offered an HIV test over the years.

“You have to find some people who have a judgment-free view of HIV,” she said. “You have to have people who simply love and support you, and for many people, that’s a challenge.”

Leading the charge on solutions is Masonia Traylor, a Decatur, Georgia, native and activist who was diagnosed with HIV at 23. Now 38, Traylor is the CEO and founder of Lady BurgAndy Inc., a nonprofit supporting women and youth affected by HIV/AIDS.

Other initiatives include AIDS United’s Melanated Movement, which empowers young women to run educational programs on HBCU campuses, and SisterLove, a southeastern U.S.-based organization advocating for women’s AIDS, sexual, and reproductive justice for over 35 years.

“HIV is not an evenly distributed virus. It really does impact some of the most vulnerable communities. And that was true four decades ago, and it’s still true today,” said Rashad Burgess, vice president of corporate responsibility at Gilead Sciences.

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 2, 2025

Struggling Housing Market Creates Win For Buyers As Sellers Are Forced To Lower Prices

Rates on the higher side of 6% result in sizable monthly mortgage payments in comparison to 2020.

As America’s housing market continues to struggle, potential homebuyers are lucking out as homeowners are being forced to lower their asking price to stay competitive, The Independent reports.

The decrease in prices shows the market is cooling off from the skyrocketing COVID-19 housing prices, but it’s still not fully out yet—rates on the higher side of 6% result in sizable monthly mortgage payments compared to 2020. As inflation continues to be a factor in Americans’ willingness to open their wallets, data from The Wall Street Journal show that about 20% of active home listings in October had a price cut.

Home prices on the high end can result in a longer wait time for the seller. Data from the National Association of Realtors supported that narrative, highlighting that listings sold after a price cut spend, on average, five times as many days on the market as those priced correctly from the beginning.

Housing experts find the narrative is a plus for both homeowners and buyers, as homebuyers are receiving record-setting discounts as sellers wrestle with their expectations. “Most homeowners have seen their home values soar over the past several years, which gives them the flexibility for a price cut or two while still walking away with a profit,” Zillow Senior Economist Kara Ng said, according to Fox Business.

“These discounts are bringing more listings in line with buyers’ budgets, and helping fuel the most active housing market in three years. Patient buyers are reaping the rewards as the market continues to rebalance.”

Homes priced correctly from day one reportedly sell faster and fetch an estimated 100% of the asking price. Once a house has been on the market for three months, the process of lowering the asking price typically begins.

Despite home prices nationwide still rising despite buyers’ pushback on spending, data from real estate company Redfin shows 2025 as the strongest buyer’s market tracked, highlighting 36.8% more sellers than buyers across state lines. The math adds up to over 528,000 homeowners struggling to find a buyer.

The increase of housing inventory is shown heavily in East Coast states like Maryland, at 34%, Virginia, at 27% and North Carolina, coming in at third place, at 34%. Arizona, Nevada, and South Dakota came in at 27% and 23%, while Washington settled in the middle at 25%. Some of the country’s largest metro areas also saw a spike in inventory thanks to the discount presented to buyers.

Cities in California, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, saw sizable reductions. In LA, some homes were cut by $61,000, while in San Fran, the average was $59,001. Sellers in San Jose saw an average discount of $70,900. In New York City, the median cumulative price cut was $50,000.

FAMU, Florida A and M University, FAMU Board Of Trustees, Dubious Donation

by Keka Araújo

December 2, 2025

$25K Gift Secures Future FAMU Journalists: Alumna Launches Scholarship At Portrait Unveiling

The tribute was immediately followed by Smith’s commitment to the next generation: a $25,000 donation to establish a new student scholarship fund.

Cheryl Smith, a celebrated journalist, publisher, and mentor, was honored as the first representative of the Black press to be inducted into the Thelma Thurston Gorham Distinguished Wall of Fame at Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) School of Journalism and Graphic Communication on Oct. 17.

The tribute was immediately followed by Smith’s commitment to the next generation: a $25,000 donation to establish a new student scholarship fund.

The Cheryl Smith’s Soldiers Without Swords Scholarship is scheduled to award its first recipient in the Fall 2026 semester, 50 years after Smith first set foot on the campus.

Elevating the Black Press and FAMU’s Legacy

During the 90-minute ceremony, Dean Mira Lowe lauded Smith’s impact.

“Adding Cheryl Smith’s portrait … is a powerful testament to her unwavering commitment to truth, equity, and excellence in journalism,” Lowe said, noting that Smith’s work “embodies the spirit and vision” of the school’s founder, Dr. Thelma Thurston Gorham.

Smith recalled her decision to fund a scholarship as soon as she learned of the honor. She presented a $25,000 check to Lowe, emphasizing that alumni support is vital to the institution. “I love FAMU,” Smith said. “And this is not the end,” she said, adding that the university is included in her will.

The funds were raised with the assistance of a group of “Champions” that included family members, sorority sisters, mentees, and professional colleagues.

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A Career Rooted in Mentorship

Smith’s induction recognized not only her accomplishments as a National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Famer and a key figure in the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), but also her decades-long commitment to mentoring young reporters.

Marlon Walker, a managing editor at the Marshall Project, commended Smith for “making sure that our community is well-served and well-informed.”

Royle King, a FAMU graduate and city official in Tallahassee, credited Smith’s mentorship through the Urban Journalism Workshop in North Texas as planting “a seed of excellence in me.”

King demonstrated his gratitude by presenting an initial $1,000 annual donation to Smith’s new scholarship fund.

Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president/CEO of the NNPA, called the portrait unveiling a “historical moment,” hailing Smith as a “great publisher and a great freedom fighter.” At the same time, Karen Carter Richards, who heads the NNPA Fund, praised Smith’s “principled guidance of hundreds of young people.”

Smith pledged to continue her mission, citing her own mentors, including the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and activist Dick Gregory.

“We must work to help each other and make the world a better place,” she concluded.

by Ida Harris

December 2, 2025

After 20 Years, TI ‘Tip’ Harris Still Shows Love To His Adamsville Community

The rapper is a homegrown gift that keeps on giving

For many on the Westside of Atlanta, Clifford T.I. Tip Harris is a homegrown gift that keeps on giving. The rapper’s annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive, now in its 20th year, continues to feed the very community he was raised in for the holidays. The event brings out hundreds of people who receive turkeys, along with bushels of corn, collards, green beans, eggs, bread, milk, and an assortment of desserts.

While T.I. is the progenitor of this charitable effort through the Harris Community Works foundation, he doesn’t show up all on his own. Every year, Tip brings his family along as well. This year included four generations, from his mother, Violeta Morgan, and his aunties, to his sons, Domani, Buddy Red, and King, and their respective children, who have all been serving since the turkey drive’s inception in 2005 and as long as they each can remember.

“I would say all my life, whether I knew it or not, my family has been giving back and doing all that they can,” Domani Harris told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“It’s instilled in me. I’m 24, so I would say when I was 4 or 5 years old, I definitely remember being here, giving back, whether it was Christmas toy drives or the turkey drives, but yeah, all my life.”

King, 21, says he’s been serving the initiative for at least 16 years, and his brother, Buddy Red, shared that he, too, has been contributing to the turkey drive since 2006, when he was about 6 or 7 years old.

“You know they didn’t need my help, but I think they just wanted me to recognize what was going on and be a part of it as early as I could possibly be,” Buddy Red said.

In addition to family, T.I. has the help of the city of Atlanta, Humana, Comcast, and local food banks as sponsors and volunteers, and the support of longtime friends like Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and fellow rapper Young Dro, who performed a hip-hop gospel song from his latest project.

“It’s a blessing to be able to give back to a community that has given so much to us,” T.I. told BE.

“Four generations, my grandbabies are here … It’s just a blessing, man, to be able to do what we love and to be afforded the opportunity to pass those blessings on to others, especially in times like now.”

AI, artificial intelligence, trends, A.I., journey, technology, DryMerge, AI, job interview

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 2, 2025

Fanbase Partners With Pocstock So Users Can Be Paid For Training AI

"This collaboration with pocstock allows us to honor that value by making sure users are compensated for the content that helps build the future of AI and the entire social media ecosystem," said Isaac Hayes III.

Fanbase, a social media platform started by Isaac Hayes III in 2018, has partnered with pocstock, a curated diversity stock library owned and operated by Steve Jones.

The two entities have joined up to give content creators, social media users, and followers the opportunity to be paid for participating in training artificial intelligence (AI) on the Fanbase platform.

Fanbase allows users to monetize their content from the moment they sign up. As users are being paid to post, they will also help advance the platform.

“I am really excited about this partnership because this is exactly what Fanbase stands for. We value the cultural and creative contributions that our users make every day. This collaboration with Pocstock allows us to honor that value by making sure users are compensated for the content that helps build the future of AI and the entire social media ecosystem,” said Hayes in a written statement.

“This partnership is about opening the door for creators to the rapidly growing world of AI. AI is changing how our ideas are made and shared, and we want to make sure our community has a real place in the AI economy. Not just as consumers, but as producers. We’re excited to join forces with Fanbase and give more creators access,” said Jones.

Anyone interested in investing in Fanbase can head over to StartEngine to learn more.

The news comes right after an announcement that producer Ty Walker has partnered with Hayes, the son of late R&B singer and actor Issac Hayes, to use Fanbase to create and distribute microdramas in 2026, according to Deadline.

“Fanbase already supports short form video, robust creator tools, and subscriptions, which are key components of this format. Development is already underway inside the app, and we are excited to partner with Braveheart Entertainment, Keisha and Wild Peach,” Hayes said in a statement.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 1, 2025

Paying Homage To 2 Artists Cost T-Pain Some Publishing Money

Using lyrics from Lil Scrappy and Lil Jon in his hit 2007 song, "Buy U a Drank," made T-Pain's bankroll a little smaller.

Florida recording artist T-Pain told Shannon Sharpe that he learned the perils of the publishing game early in his career when when two artists came after him for using familiar phrases from their songs.

On Sharpe’s popular Club Shay Shay podcast, T-Pain explained that he thought he was paying tribute by repeating lines from other songs and artists he respected. Instead, he literally had to pay for his mistakes.

“When I did ‘I’ma ‘Buy U A Drank, then I’ma take you home with me. ‘I got money in the bank.’ As soon as I said ‘Money in the Bank,’ that’s when Lil Scrappy came in and was like, ‘OK. Well, he said a line from my song.’ Lil Scrappy had the song at the time, ‘I got money in the bank. Shawty, what ya thank?’

“So, at the beginning of the song, when I say, ‘Snap your fingers, do your step. You can do it all by yourself.’ Then Lil Jon came in, ‘Well, since this song is doing well, don’t mind if I do.’

“I thought I was paying homage, and then the people who could take advantage of it took advantage of it. But the thing was, they took advantage of the publishing and the master of it,” he told Sharpe.

Although he had to pay for using the lyrics, T-Pain didn’t think the artists initiated the actions; it may have been the publishing entities that pursued him. But it didn’t matter as he was making a lot of money performing the songs. He told Sharpe he was making $100,000 a show.

In 2007, “Buy U A Drank” was released and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart and went triple platinum, according to Genius.

Check out the clip below:

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The Internet’s Fave Thanksgiving Duo Celebrates Decade Of A Wrong Text That Made Them Family

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 1, 2025

The Internet’s Fave Thanksgiving Duo Celebrates Decade Of A Wrong Text That Made Them Family

Jamal Hinton and Wanda Dench became an internet Thanksgiving staple after a wrong text made them family.

The internet’s favorite Thanksgiving duo is celebrating a milestone in their unorthodox friendship.

In 2016, Jamal Hinton went viral on then-Twitter for a screenshot of a text exchange with the wrong number. Wanda Dench accidentally sent him an invitation to her Thanksgiving, mistaking his number for one of her grandchildren’s.

Skeptical of who sent the message, Hinton asked for a photo to verify if the woman was his own family. The then-17-year-old was surprised to see Dench, a white woman, respond via a selfie. Hinton, a Black person, sent back a selfie of himself, confirming that the two were probably not related.

Despite the mix-up, Hinton asked if the invitation still stood, to which Dench happily said yes. The budding friendship between the two went viral on social media, as Hinton grabbed a seat at his new grandma’s Thanksgiving table. Dench recalled the matter, deeming it fate that she meet Hinton.

“My grandkids were teasing me that ‘we should take technology away from grandma, because she doesn’t know how to use it properly,’” Dench said, according to CNN. “But it wasn’t my fault! My grandson was the one who changed his phone number, and Jamal ended up with it.”

The two turned the mistake into a tradition, and now celebrate together every Thanksgiving to the internet’s delight. The media attention led to brand sponsorships and more, yet the deals could not compare to the genuine care and love for one another.

The two maintained their relationship even as both endured life changes, including the death of Dench’s husband in 2020. Last year, they missed out on a physical reunion as well due to Dench undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Now, the two continue to be each other’s rock during the holiday season. This time, Hinton invited Dench to come sit at his family’s Thanksgiving table.

Dench said no matter how much the attention their unusual relationship receives, including an apparent Netflix film in the works, their bond would stay the same.

“The only thing I can imagine is, our friendship is genuine. It’s not fake,” Dench said. “If all the media went away, and all the hoopla went away, we would still meet together for Thanksgiving every year.”

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low-income, sickle, cell, Black chilldren

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 1, 2025

Kids Who ‘Practice’ Defiance Can Be More Confident Adults, Ivy League Psychologist Says

An Ivy League psychologist says parents should encourage healthy disobedience in their children to help build future confidence.

Experts warn that parents who focus heavily on training their children always to be obedient and respectful may unintentionally undermine their kids’ future confidence and ability to advocate for themselves.

Organizational psychologist Sunita Sah, a professor of management and organizations at Cornell University, appeared on the Nov. 11 episode of the Good Inside podcast, explaining that allowing children a bit of healthy disobedience can help them grow into confident, assertive adults.

“Sometimes, it is bad to be so good, [and] there are situations you want people to be speaking up,” Sah said.

While parents often overemphasize compliance and respect, traits that make parenting easier and earn praise for a child’s behavior, Sah warns that failing to teach kids how to assert themselves in appropriate situations can leave them feeling “awkward [and] uncomfortable” when standing their ground as adults.

Sah explained that children who exhibit healthy defiance by pushing back against adults in the wrong or speaking out against peers bullying a classmate learn to respectfully stand up for themselves, even when someone else, including a parent, has told them they’re wrong.

“If we haven’t learned how to [be defiant], we end up saying ‘yes’ a lot,” Sah said. “We end up either being silent [or] being compliant and getting ourselves in situations that we would rather not be in.”

Sah recommended that children “practice” assertiveness through occasional, intentional “small acts of defiance.” As for parents who take issue with this approach, they need a “mindset shift” in how they define defiance, Sah said. Practicing defiance doesn’t mean a child has to be “loud, bold, and aggressive” or disrupt and harm others, she explained.

“That is really thinking of defiance as a personality trait,” Sah said. “It’s actually just a skill, and it’s one that we can learn [with] this mindset shift … There’s ways to be quietly defiant, where we can live in alignment with our values without having to be aggressive about it.”

“If we are always telling them to obey us, how can they actually then determine what it is that they truly want?” she added.

by Keka Araújo

December 1, 2025

VERDICT: Megan Thee Stallion Wins Defamation Suit Against Blogger Milagro Gramz

The core of the lawsuit focused on Gramz's role in disseminating false and damaging information following Megan Thee Stallion’s testimony against Tory Lanez in a separate criminal case.

A federal jury has delivered a decisive victory for rapper Megan Thee Stallion, finding prominent social media commentator Milagro Gramz, born Milagro Cooper, liable for defamation and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. The verdict concludes a closely watched civil trial that centered on the alleged coordination between the blogger and rapper Tory Lanez to damage Megan Thee Stallion’s reputation.

Following two days of deliberations in Miami, jurors ruled that Gramz intentionally amplified harmful claims and shared a sexually explicit deepfake video of the rapper without her consent, awarding the plaintiff $75,000 in damages. Gramz will also be required to cover Megan Thee Stallion’s legal fees.

The core of the lawsuit focused on Gramz’s role in disseminating false and damaging information following Megan Thee Stallion’s testimony against Tory Lanez in a separate criminal case.

According to testimony, the Houston rapper claimed that Gramz and Lanez worked together to spread damaging rumors.

Crucially, the jury reviewed evidence showing that while Gramz did not create the sexually explicit deepfake video, she used her platform to promote it. On June 8, 2024, Gramz “liked” the video on her MobzWorld X account and instructed her followers to “go to my likes,” a move the suit argued was designed to bypass content moderation and make the unauthorized clip easily accessible to a broad audience.

The jury’s finding of liability for intentional infliction of emotional distress underscores the court’s recognition of the severe, calculated emotional harm caused by the campaign. The verdict signaled a major change, holding social media commentators accountable for their role in organized digital harassment campaigns targeting public figures.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 1, 2025

NFL Star Stefon Diggs Helps Single Mothers Through Foundation

The wide receiver hosted "Game Day of Giving: Gear Up & Give Back" at Gillette Stadium on Monday, Nov. 17.

New England Patriots’ wide receiver Stefon Diggs is showing his appreciation for single mothers.

His organization, Diggs Deeper Foundation, in collaboration with the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative, hosted “Game Day of Giving: Gear Up & Give Back” at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots’ home stadium, on Monday, Nov. 17.

Patriots.com reported that the event will be featured during Dec. 1’s Monday Night Football, when the Patriots visit the New York Giants.

Diggs, an 11-year NFL veteran, was 14 when his father died. His mother raised him and his two brothers.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island residents attended the event at the stadium for a night of entertainment, food, children’s crafts, and family-friendly activities. “Diggs Deep Warm-Up Kits” were distributed to families, packed with coats, hats, gloves, socks, and other cold-weather essentials.

“I appreciate everybody who came out,” Diggs said at the event. “I want you to know that here at the Patriots and the Diggs Deep Foundation like to make sure our initiatives help single mothers, mothers in general, and kids. That’s always the focus.”

Select New England-based non-profit organizations partnered with the Diggs Deep Foundation, including the Patriots Foundation, Sojourner House, Abby’s House, and Cradles to Crayons.

“I’m thankful for a lot,” Diggs said. “Up to this point, coming off an injury and being able to be part of a special community, part of this team, part of an organization that is as serious about giving back as I am. Around the holiday season, you get in that cheerful spirit to pay it forward. I’m blessed for a lot of things.”

Diggs, whose lone season with the Houston Texans prematurely ended due to a knee injury, signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract with the Patriots in March. He has helped the team to a 10-2 record, with some pundits penciling the Patriots as Super Bowl favorites. On the personal side, Diggs and Bronx-raised hip-hop and reality TV star Cardi B recently had a baby together.