Bentley Supersport, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Courtesy of Kimatni Rawlings

AUTO FLEX: 2027 Bentley Supersports Takes Over At Laguna SecaRaceway

Bentley is expanding its lineup with updated technology and stronger performance across the board.


By Kimatni D. Rawlins

Bentley is expanding its lineup with updated technology and stronger performance across the board. The British automaker has an electric SUV in development called Torcal, and it recently showed off the 2027 Supersports Grand Tourer in a striking “Dragon” livery at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Both point to where the brand is headed: a range aimed at longtime buyers and newcomers alike, with confidence built into every model.

Lightest GT Built for the Track

Built for improved driver engagement, the evolved Bentley Supersports becomes the brand’s lightest GT and one that would make the gentlemen racers, the Bentley Boys, proud to pilot. The historical name was first resurrected in 2009 with the 204-mph model of the first-generation Continental GT. Progressive technology, advanced production manufacturing, and thoughtful engineering went into the vehicle. Powering through the 11 corners of Laguna Seca in Sport mode felt really good, as the Supersports is 30% quicker around bends than a GT Speed. 

Pure Twin-Turbo V8 and Rear-Wheel Drive Power

Supersports represents the pinnacle of performance for Bentley right now. The heart of the GT is a thoroughly reworked 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 657 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque channeled through the ZF 8-speed dual-clutch transmission and out to the wheels by way of the RWD layout, a Bentley first for a Continental except for the Continental GT3 racecars. The gas engine and RWD open up an extra dimension of performance according to Bentley engineers. 

A Nod to Heritage: Riding in “Smoky”

The visionaries at Bentley Motors absolutely loved racing and the unstoppable machines required for motorsports success. To let me vicariously live through that legendary era from a century ago, the PR team gave me a ride in “Smoky,” a 1926 Bentley Super Sports that was visiting the United States for the first time in its history. Exclusivity is the name of the game: only 18 units were built, and I experienced chassis number 12.

Revolutionary Paint Fades by Mulliner

Although there are 24 standard paint options, Bentley’s new Design Theme by Mulliner is a Supersports special-edition by request. It introduces a design ethos the brand has never used before: a paint fade running across the GT from one side to the other. A bold paint scheme defines the driver’s side and blends into a darker shade toward the passenger side, with a single stripe running front to rear along the passenger seat line. The theme always centers on the driver, regardless of drive hand. A number 8 highlights the laser-cut, Supersports-specific aluminum grille, with pinstripe accents outlining the carbon diffusers, fender blades, and sills.

The various color formations add a sinister appeal to the Supersports’ exterior, which contrasts perfectly with the array of carbon fiber elements. Moreover, you don’t need to add any further packages or customizations to your GT because it is already engineered and designed to be race-ready, from its mechanical performance to its bold appearance. 

Driver-Centric Aeronautical Cabin

Inside, the Supersports carries the same purpose as the rest of the car, built with the energy and precision of motorsport, signified by a 12.3” touchscreen system, a rear carbon fiber and leather shell, and highly-bolstered sports seats. The cabin looks and feels more aeronautical than automotive and prepares you for F-16 Fighting Falcon-type G-forces; well, not exactly, but you get my drift. Three styling selections cover both the exterior and interior: Pale Brodgar fading to Brodgar outside, matched with Camel and Beluga inside; Dragon Red fading to Black Crystal outside, paired with Hotspur and Beluga leather inside; and Electric Blue fading into Dark Sapphire, with a Klein blue and Imperial Blue cabin. 

The cabin’s logic is built on a full leather specification with a Supersports perforation pattern on the two-tone seats and door inserts. Like the exterior, the brighter color wraps the driver’s side, with the darker tone reserved for the passenger. For example, the driver’s seat can be red and the passenger’s black. The gear lever matches the driver’s seat, with contrast stitching on the dash and headrests. How unique is that? Owners who want a more personalized configuration can work with a Bentley retailer and Mulliner on a specific bespoke build.

Pricing and Ultra-Limited Availability

Bentley is producing only 500 units (180 to the US) for $486,200, yet each is already spoken for. Accordingly, fans of the track-oriented Grand Tourer will have to wait patiently for round two. Executives say Supersports will always be a rare commodity and the most driver-focused Bentley in the lineup, hence the limited production run. Expect the dynamic GT to hit the streets in early 2027.

Dave, Chappelle, Netflix, Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images

Dave Chappelle Returns To Washington, D.C. For Duke Ellington School Benefit

The fund supports theater instruction, productions, and performance opportunities for the next generation of students. 


Dave Chappelle is returning to Washington, D.C., to help raise money for the arts school that helped launch his career.

The comedian and Duke Ellington School of the Arts alumnus will headline a benefit for his alma mater Sept. 25 at DAR Constitution Hall. The fundraiser is part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebration and will raise money for the Donal Leace Endowment Fund and other programs supporting students. 

The endowment honors the late Donal Leace, who chaired Ellington’s Theater Department and taught theater history, public speaking, and the Harlem Renaissance. Leace mentored students, including Chappelle and acclaimed opera singer Denyce Graves.

The fund supports theater instruction, productions, and performance opportunities for the next generation of students. 

Money raised through the Sept. 25 benefit will also support efforts to build Ellington’s permanent endowment, intended to provide long-term funding for arts education, training, and student opportunities. 

“Ellington has spent five decades proving that when young artists are given access, mentorship, and opportunity, they can change the world,” Principal Sandi Logan said.

“This event celebrates an incredible legacy while investing in the students whose creativity will shape our culture. We are building on the first 50 years to ensure the Ellington legacy continues for the next 50 and beyond.” 

Founded in 1974, Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a Washington public arts high school that combines college-preparatory academics with professional arts training. Its nonprofit fundraising arm, the Ellington Fund, finances arts instruction, master classes, productions, scholarships, wellness programming, and other resources not covered by District of Columbia public funding. 

Dave Chappelle has won five Emmy Awards and six Grammy Awards and received the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019 and the NAACP President’s Award in 2025. Ellington’s notable alums include Chappelle, Graves, Ari Lennox, Corey Hawkins, Samira Wiley, Clifton Powell, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Johnny Gill. 

Tickets for the Sept. 25 benefit are available through Live Nation. 

RELATED CONTENT: Will ‘Chappelle’s Show’ Return To Television?

Big Chicken, Shaquille O’Neal, Shaq, Jackson State University
Shaquille O'Neal at the 2019 NBA Awards. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Shaquille O’Neal Brings ‘Big Chicken’ To Jackson State University

The opening also marks Big Chicken’s first location in the state.


Big Chicken by NBA star Shaquille O’Neal opened its first location on the campus of a historically Black college or university, bringing the fast-casual restaurant to Jackson State University, HBCU Gameday reports.

The restaurant officially opened Sept. 22 inside the Legacy Food Court at Jackson State’s Student Center in Jackson, Mississippi. The opening also marks Big Chicken’s first location in the state.

Jackson State celebrated the arrival with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 18, offering students and guests an early look at the restaurant and free food samples. The location, open to students and the public, came to campus through a dining partnership with SodexoMagic.

Founded in 2018, Big Chicken serves chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, salads, sides, and milkshakes. The chain has expanded through traditional restaurants and locations in sports arenas, airports, and college campuses. Big Chicken became part of Craveworthy Brands in 2025, with O’Neal remaining an investor and involved in the brand.

“The opening of Big Chicken at Jackson State marks an exciting milestone for our dining program and for the campus community,” Murat Bora, regional vice president of SodexoMagic, said in a statement.

“We’re proud to introduce a nationally recognized brand that delivers exceptional flavor, quality, and guest experience.”

The Jackson State restaurant extends Big Chicken’s reach into the HBCU community while adding another dining option for the university’s students.

O’Neal also has ties to Jackson State through men’s basketball coach Mo Williams. The two were teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2009-10 NBA season.

The Basketball Hall of Famer attended the 2025 Southwestern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament, where Williams’ Jackson State team competed. O’Neal’s son, Shaqir O’Neal, was playing for Florida A&M University at the time.

Although O’Neal played college basketball at Louisiana State University, his connections to HBCUs extend beyond Jackson State. He has said he took summer courses at Southern University while working toward completing his degree at LSU.

The Jackson State opening gives Big Chicken its first permanent presence at an HBCU as the restaurant brand continues expanding into college campuses and other nontraditional locations.

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Atlanta city worker paid family leave
(AI-generated Image)

Atlanta Expands Paid Family Leave To 12 Weeks For City Workers

The expanded policy gives Atlanta employees more time away from work to care for a growing family.


The Atlanta City Council has unanimously approved an expanded family leave policy that gives city employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave for qualifying childcare needs. The policy covers employees who become parents through biological birth, including surrogate birth, as well as those who legally adopt children under 18 or become foster parents to children under 18, reports WSB-TV.

Atlanta City Councilmember Matt Westmoreland, who praised the unanimous vote, said the early months of parenthood should not force employees to choose between family and income.

“Those first weeks and months with a new child are irreplaceable,” Westmoreland said. “Parents should have the time to be present, bond with their children, and care for their families without having to choose between that time and a paycheck.”

He added, “As we work to make Atlanta the best place to raise every child, we’re building a city where families have the support they need to thrive from the very beginning.”

The city renamed the benefit “Child Caregiver Leave” to distinguish it from leave provided under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Advocates say paid leave can have implications beyond the workplace.

“Today is a day to celebrate progress for Atlanta’s families,” said Margaret Master, executive director of the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. “Paid leave is both a maternal health intervention and good workforce policy, giving parents critical time for recovery, postpartum care, bonding, and infant well-being.”

Master added that the organization participated in the city’s study group and helped shape the policy.

“Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia was proud to serve on the Study Group and work alongside fellow members to help shape a strong policy that can serve as an example for other municipalities and employers across Georgia,” she said.

RELATED CONTENT: Psychologist Warns Parents Not To Tell Children They Can Be Anything

OutKast, lawsuit, trademark
(Photo: David Shankbone/Wikimedia Commons)

Outkast Is Suing Rapper And Producer Ovrkast Over Name

The legendary rap duo accuse the Oakland artist of using a stage name that could confuse fans


OutKast is taking a dispute over its iconic name to federal court.

High Schoolers LLC, the company that controls trademark rights associated with André 3000 and Big Boi, has sued Oakland rapper and producer Silas Wilson, who performs as Ovrkast, for trademark infringement. The complaint, filed Sept. 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, centers on the similarities between the names “Ovrkast” and “OutKast” and an alleged agreement that was supposed to settle the dispute before it reached court, reports Rolling Stone.

According to the lawsuit, OutKast’s representatives contacted Wilson in June 2025 and negotiated a deal under which he would stop using the Ovrkast name and transition to “Overkxst.” The agreement reportedly required him to make the change across his music, social media, website, merchandise, and promotional materials before the deadline, which was extended to July 15, 2026. However, High Schoolers LLC alleges Wilson did not complete the change and continued releasing and promoting music under Ovrkast. As a result, the company sent a breach notice in August.

The lawsuit points to a 2025 Rolling Stone interview in which Wilson acknowledged that listeners sometimes mistake his stage name for the iconic rap duo formed in 1993.

“The worst thing I get is like, ‘The n—a think he Outkast,’” said Wilson, who is noted for producing Drake’s “Make Them Pay” on his new album Iceman along with co-producing “Red Button” and “The Shoe Fits” from Drake’s For All the Dogs album. “It’s like, ‘No, bro. I wasn’t even thinking about Outkast.’”

Wilson added that, “They read Ovrkast [as] Outkast,” describing the confusion he encountered.

After news of the lawsuit surfaced, Wilson responded on X with a brief message directed at the six-time Grammy Award-winning group: “Ouch @Outkast.”

High Schoolers LLC is seeking a permanent injunction preventing Wilson from using Ovrkast or confusingly similar names. The company is also seeking damages, profits, legal fees, and destruction of merchandise carrying the disputed mark.

RELATED CONTENT: André 3000 Doesn’t Consider Himself A Flautist But ’New Blue Sun’ Is His Most ‘Honest’ Work

HBCU, charter school
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Nation’s 1st HBCU-Authorized Charter School To Open In South Carolina

Applications for the academy’s inaugural 2027-28 school year are scheduled to open Oct. 28.


C.R. Neal Academy is preparing to make history in South Carolina as the nation’s first public charter school authorized by a historically Black college or university, with a curriculum designed to connect students to STEM education, college, and high-demand careers, Afrotech reports.

The tuition-free charter school is scheduled to open in Columbia in August 2027 after the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception for the project on Sept. 3, allowing the academy to establish its campus on Atlas Road.

Voorhees University, an HBCU in Denmark, South Carolina, authorized C.R. Neal Academy through its Charter Institute of Learning. The university will oversee the school’s academic performance, financial management, and community commitments.

The academy plans to combine college-preparatory academics with career training in health sciences, advanced manufacturing, and information technology. Students will have opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials and participate in work-based learning, providing pathways to higher education and employment after graduation.

C.R. Neal Academy is expected to enroll 260 students during its inaugural year, including 130 sixth graders and 130 ninth graders. The school will add grades as it expands, eventually serving more than 900 students in grades 6-12.

Plans for the campus include a roughly 41,000-square-foot facility on a 7.83-acre site. The development would replace an existing community center and grass field, according to local reporting.

The school’s workforce-focused approach comes as employers continue to seek workers with technical skills in industries that do not always require a traditional four-year degree. By introducing career pathways before students graduate from high school, the academy aims to give students earlier exposure to industries with opportunities for continued education and employment.

The Rooted School Foundation is also supporting the academy’s development and will provide operational infrastructure ahead of its planned opening. As of September, the school had identified 266 prospective-family leads for its enrollment pipeline, according to the outlet.

Applications for the academy’s inaugural 2027-28 school year are scheduled to open Oct. 28.

C.R. Neal Academy’s launch will also expand the role HBCUs can play in education beyond their traditional college campuses, creating a direct connection between an HBCU and students beginning in middle and high school.

RELATED CONTENT: 5 Ways You Can Help Fix Our Schools

Ryan Clark, ESPN, Pivot podcast, Starbucks
photo credit: 2019 Diamond Images/Getty

Ryan Clark’s ‘Pivot25’ Media Company Backed By Starbucks Chairman Emeritus Howard Schultz

The former NFL star and ESPN personality is turning his next chapter into a larger business play.


Ryan Clark is turning a major career transition into a bigger business opportunity.

The former NFL star and former ESPN personality has brought Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks chairman and CEO, into Pivot25 Productions as an investor and strategic partner. The move gives Clark’s sports media company, Pivot25, access to capital, business expertise, and Schultz’s network as it looks to expand beyond a single show.

Pivot25, which Clark co-founded with Emmy-winning producer Alicia Zubikowski, recently launched The Pivot Sports with Ryan Clark in partnership with NFL Films on YouTube, which has more than 1.4 million subscribers and more than 480 million views. The weekly program features Clark alongside former NFL players Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor. The company also has a multiyear agreement with Netflix for video episodes of “The Pivot” podcast.

According to TODAY, Schultz reached out to Clark following his departure from ESPN and encouraged him to think beyond creating a single program. Clark said the conversation ultimately changed the scope of his vision for Pivot25.

“I told him that I wanted to do a show, and from there he was like, ‘Wait, why would we just talk about doing one show?’” Clark told TODAY anchor Craig Melvin on his podcast Glass Half Full.

In addition to funding the show, Schultz will provide Pivot25 with strategic counsel, commercial relationships, networking expertise, and access to capital resources as the company pursues opportunities in content, distribution, brand partnerships, live experiences, and licensing.

“I have always believed that the most enduring businesses are built at the intersection of great ideas, authentic leadership, and human connection,” Schultz said in a press release. “That is what I see in Ryan Clark, Alicia Zubikowski and the entire Pivot25 team.”

He added, “We are living through a profound transformation in media. Audiences are increasingly choosing people and platforms they trust over traditional institutions, and the barriers between sports, business, culture and entertainment are disappearing.”

In turn, Clark has credited Schultz’s experience building Starbucks into a global consumer brand as valuable to Pivot25’s next phase.

“That is exactly the kind of partner we want as we enter this next stage,” Clark said in the news release. “Howard respects what we have built, but he also sees possibilities for Pivot25 that extend far beyond where we are today.”

The partnership arrives as sports media continues to move beyond traditional television and into creator-led platforms, streaming, and direct-to-audience businesses.

“What excites me most is the opportunity to help build upon that trust,” Schultz said. “Pivot25 is already much more than a successful sports media platform.”

RELATED CONTENT: [VIDEO]: Alfred Edmond Jr. Enters The Chat On Support For Black Media

workforce and economic disparity, Black women, DEI rollbacks
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-counting-money-6694539/

Women Could Inherit Trillions In The Great Wealth Transfer

As trillions of dollars change hands, women are positioned to become major wealth holders, but preparation and family communication remain critical.


The Great Wealth Transfer is reshaping who controls America’s money—and women are positioned to sit at the center of it.

An estimated $105 trillion is expected to change hands by 2045, with women poised to control a substantial share as they inherit from parents and outlive spouses, USA Today reports. But for many women, receiving wealth and being prepared to manage it are two very different things.

According to Citizens Bank, 74% of women expecting to inherit from their parents are not necessarily prepared to receive those assets. Among women who have already inherited from their parents, 80% reported facing challenges, including limited conversations about the transfer or uncertainty about the family’s finances. Recently widowed women reported similar hurdles, including financial surprises and a lack of planning.

J.P. Morgan research published in January 2026 found that 70% of family members say they have difficulty approaching conversations about family wealth. Nearly one-quarter of younger family members report feeling uninformed, while about 20% say financial discussions are delayed or avoided.

Women can benefit from being included earlier in conversations about investments, estate plans, business ownership, insurance, retirement accounts, and charitable giving. Families can also establish who has decision-making authority and ensure beneficiaries understand the assets they may eventually receive.

The goal isn’t simply to pass down money. It’s to pass down financial knowledge alongside it.

That distinction is especially important for Black families, where the broader racial wealth gap can make every dollar of inherited or family-generated wealth consequential. Preserving assets across generations can depend on whether heirs understand how those assets work—and have the professional support to manage them.

The shift also has implications for financial advisers, banks, wealth managers, and entrepreneurs serving affluent women. As women assume greater control over household and inherited wealth, financial institutions will increasingly need to engage them as decision-makers rather than secondary participants in family finances. Citizens Private Bank projects women will control most U.S. private wealth by 2030, further underscoring the changing dynamics of wealth management.

The Great Wealth Transfer may move trillions of dollars. But the lasting impact could depend on something less flashy: whether the next generation knows what to do when the money arrives.

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scholarship, University of South Carolina Aiken
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Scholarship Honors USC Aiken’s 1st Black Student And Continues Her Legacy

The scholarship program connects financial assistance for students.


A scholarship honoring the first Black student to enroll at the University of South Carolina Aiken continues her legacy by supporting a new generation of college students, The Aiken Standard reports.

The university’s Black Alumni Council hosted the Barbara Brayboy Brooks Scholarship Brunch on Sept. 19 at the James Center at Second Providence in North Augusta, South Carolina. The annual event honors Barbara Alicia Brayboy Brooks, who made history in 1965 as USC Aiken’s first Black student.

Held under the theme “Rooted in Community, Rising Through Education,” the brunch brought together students, alumni, and community leaders to recognize scholarship recipients and celebrate academic achievement, leadership, and service.

Proceeds from the event support future student scholarships.


The scholarship program connects financial assistance for students with Brooks’ role in breaking a racial barrier at the South Carolina institution more than 60 years ago.

The Black Alumni Council established the scholarship in Brooks’ honor. In 2025, USC Aiken students Kamya Brooks and Makayla Shedrick each received $1,000 scholarships through the program. The previous year, Rianna Williams and Keylis Garcia Baro were each awarded $1,000 scholarships.

For recipients, the scholarship can help offset the financial burden associated with earning a college degree while recognizing academic achievement and campus leadership.

The program comes as USC Aiken continues investing heavily in financial assistance for its students. The university reported receiving $2.55 million in philanthropic support during fiscal 2026, its strongest fundraising year in five years and a 15% increase from the previous year. More than $1.6 million of that funding went toward student scholarships.

Brooks has previously reflected on seeing students receive financial assistance through a scholarship bearing her name.
“Proudly witnessing two outstanding students receive scholarships in my name simply warms my heart,” Brooks said at the 2025 scholarship event.

Her historic enrollment in 1965 helped open doors for Black students at USC Aiken. Decades later, the scholarship bearing her name extends that legacy by helping students finance their education while recognizing those demonstrating academic excellence, leadership, and service.

RELATED CONTENT: KEMP MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST BLACK STUDENT TO RECEIVE PH.D. IN MATHEMATICS FROM INDIANA UNIVERSITY

professional development, workplace, personal change, generational change
photo credit: Getty Images

Here’s How You Can Secure Employer Sponsorship For The XCEL Summit For Men

Elevating your executive career requires strategic advocacy.


Elevating your executive career requires strategic advocacy. Black male professionals aiming to attend the upcoming BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL Summit For Men should leverage direct employer sponsorship to fund their attendance.

Rather than paying out of pocket, ambitious leaders are encouraged to frame participation as an institutional investment in internal corporate leadership development. To streamline this request, BE‘s XCEL Summit For Men Letter to Employer outlines the return on investment that attending a premier professional development conference brings directly back to their enterprise through advanced skills acquisition and strategic executive networking.

Why Convince Employers to Fund Attendance at the XCEL Summit for Men?

Attendance at the XCEL Summit For Men is a strategic talent investment rather than an optional expense, with conference learning tracks aligned to specific organizational objectives.

Here are three primary value drivers:

  • Targeted Skill Building: Demonstrates how interactive workshops sharpen critical managerial competencies and decision-making capabilities.
  • Knowledge Transfer: Commits to leading post-conference internal debriefs to share strategic insights across team departments.
  • Industry Benchmarking: Shows how high-level executive networking delivers actionable cross-sector market perspectives.

Why Is Employer Sponsorship for the XCEL Summit for Men a Smart Corporate Investment?

Attending the XCEL Summit for Men yields major dividends for forward-thinking organizations seeking to retain top talent and build strong executive pipelines. Funding attendance at this professional development conference reinforces corporate equity goals while accelerating real-world leadership maturity.

At the XCEL Summit, rising talent will meet senior CEOs and industry visionaries. This direct engagement fosters resilient leaders equipped to drive organizational growth. Institutional backing is the best way to advance their careers and impact corporate leadership development.

BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s XCEL Summit For Men takes place at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 21-23.

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