by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 9, 2025

REVOLT Issues Open Call For Black Digital Artists For 2025 Art Fair At Art Basel Miami

Black digital artists are invited to submit their work for the 2025 REVOLT Art Fair at Art Basel Miami.

REVOLT is calling on all Black digital artists to enter submissions for the 2025 REVOLT Art Fair at Art Basel Miami.

Taking place Dec. 2–6 at Miami’s Ice Palace Studios, the five-day immersive exhibit will feature over 60 contemporary digital artworks, including AI-driven installations and soundscapes, Revolt announced. The open call, closing Oct. 28, invites original digital works, with selected pieces showcased on screens throughout the venue.

The exhibit will highlight the evolving digital landscape and tech innovations, with The Mirror of Possibility serving as a centerpiece of the showcase through its AI-driven interactive experience, and The Listening Experience using QR-coded audio notes to connect artists and visitors. Additional programming includes curated galleries, guided tours, and content capture activations.

The event kicks off with a VIP opening night for guests, partners, and press, followed by a public artist showcase and walkthrough on day two. Days three through five feature immersive public programming, culminating in the REVOLT House closing celebration on the final evening. Opening night also offers private walkthroughs and early access to installations.

Curated by REVOLT’s extensive DJ network, REVOLT House will feature LED visuals and a real-time digital art wall, streaming pre-selected social media submissions live throughout the party experience.

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REVOLT Art Fair 2025 expands on its 2024 collaboration with PRIZM, which drew over 5,000 attendees and generated millions of impressions for featured artists. The previous showcase, themed “Architecture of Liberation,” highlighted works from both established and emerging creators across more than 60 galleries during Art Basel week.

The exhibit helped to bring “an audience that is young and looking for interesting things to do and get involved in,” PRIZM Founder Mikhaile Solomon said at the time. “We can also continue and sustainably provide that level of care to our artists.”

Those interested in submitting their work to REVOLT Art Fair 2025 can do so HERE.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 9, 2025

Bethune-Cookman Withdraws From ESPN ‘Band Of The Year’ Competition

'I cannot, in good conscience and as an educator, accept this rule of thought for the young women and men I represent in this band program,' said Dr. Donovan V. Wells

Dr. Donovan V. Wells, who is the director of Bands for Bethune-Cookman University’s Marching Wildcats, has recently voiced his displeasure with the structure of the ESPN Red Lobster “Band of the Year” competition and has withdrawn from competing.

The band director posted a statement on the Marching Wildcats Facebook account about the ranking system and how the placement of the marching bands is determined, citing better ways to rank the HBCU bands.

“As Director of Bands, I have never been a supporter of this competition concept,” Wells stated in the post. “There are better, more meaningful ways to showcase and celebrate the HBCU marching band art form without placing us in direct competition against one another. Marching band is not a sport — it is an academic entity.”

Wells feels that other organizations, in their rankings and standings of bands, typically reach out to band directors and include them when making their determinations regarding marching bands. Their inclusion is very important to the process by which HBCUs receive proper ratings.

He also stated that he has tried several times to have the Marching Wildcats excluded from the competition, but has been mostly ignored. He feels that the school is “being forced into participation.”

“Despite my repeated requests to exclude the Marching Wildcats, since the event’s inception, my requests have been ignored. Instead, it feels as though we are being forced into participation. I cannot, in good conscience and as an educator, accept this rule of thought for the young women and men I represent in this band program.”

This is not the first time that an HBCU band director has taken to social media to voice concern about the “Band of the Year” competition.

HBCU Sports reported that Jackson State University’s band director made a similar complaint after it withdrew its band from the competition. They have also stated that they tried to be excluded from the competition but were ignored as well.

“We fully respect the decision of other programs to participate, as well as the enthusiasm of fans who follow the competition,” Dr. Roderick Little wrote. “At Jackson State, our students work tirelessly and are evaluated by a different set of standards—those that focus on personal growth, musical excellence, and cultural impact. We take immense pride in the integrity, resilience, and life achievements of our members, both on and off the field.”

Please. pic.twitter.com/QPmNvFfbSd
— Sonic Boom of the South (@SonicBoomOTS) September 22, 2025

by Kandiss Edwards

October 9, 2025

Angel Reese Will Receive Wings And Walk In Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

Reese will make her runway debut Oct. 15.

WNBA star Angel Reese will make history as the first professional athlete to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The elite athlete will make her runway debut Oct. 15 in New York. Fans and foes can catch the show airing live on Prime Video.

Reese shared her excitement via Instagram, “Stepping into a dream: From Angel to a Victoria’s Secret ANGEL … Wings on, heels ready…Catch me on the runway.”

Victoria’s Secret quickly responded on Instagram with a video post. The brand’s page welcomed the Chicago Sky player to the Victoria’s Secret family. The promotional video shows Reese sans sneakers. Instead, the 23-year-old wore a pink robe, black lingerie, and Victoria’s Secret’s signature feather wings. The brand described her as “the first professional athlete angel.”

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The fashion show first launched in 2001 and ran annually until it was canceled after 2019. It returned last year after a multi-year hiatus. At last year’s show, Reese attended as a guest rather than a runway model.

In an interview with People, Reese said she had hoped to make it to the runway and manifested the “full circle” moment.

“It’s such a surreal and full-circle moment — just last year I was in the audience manifesting being on that runway, completely inspired and in awe of all the powerful women walking down the runway, and now I get to return as an Angel. This will be an unforgettable night that I’ll forever be grateful for.”

Reese also said her foray into modeling requires a key component she uses as a professional basketball player.

“It’s all about confidence,” she said.

The 2025 Victoria’s Secret show will feature headline performances by Missy Elliott and more. Confirmed model participants include Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Anok Yai, Lily Aldridge, and Alex Consani.

by Keka Araújo

October 9, 2025

Political Firestorm: Trump-Appointed Prosecutor Indicts Rival New York Attorney General Letitia James On Bank Fraud

The timing has fueled widespread speculation that the action is overtly political.

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Virginia on at least one count of bank fraud, stemming from evidence presented personally by an interim U.S. Attorney with close ties to former President Donald Trump.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James indicted on one count of bank fraud and one count of false statements to a financial institution.https://t.co/b03rDSpd4B
— U.S. Attorney EDVA (@EDVAnews) October 9, 2025

The indictment marks a seismic escalation in the highly publicized legal battle between James and Trump, a long-time antagonist of the former president who successfully pursued a massive civil fraud judgment against him in New York. The prosecutor who secured the indictment, Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan, was hand-picked by Trump following the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, who reportedly cited insufficient evidence to pursue charges against James.

U.S. Attorney Halligan formally announced the charges, confirming the federal grand jury returned an actual bill charging the New York Attorney General with Bank Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344) and False Statements to a Financial Institution (18 U.S.C. § 1014). Halligan issued a stern statement alongside the indictment, emphasizing the gravity of the alleged offenses and the impartiality of the justice system.

“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan stated. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

If convicted on these felony counts, James faces maximum statutory penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1 million fine per count, in addition to forfeiture. Actual sentences are typically determined based on federal sentencing guidelines.

The move comes shortly after Trump publicly advocated for James to face criminal charges. Governor Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat, immediately denounced the action:

“New Yorkers know @NewYorkStateAG James for her integrity, her independence, and her relentless fight for justice. What we’re seeing today is nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable.”

New Yorkers know @NewYorkStateAG James for her integrity, her independence, and her relentless fight for justice.

What we're seeing today is nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 9, 2025

The timing has fueled widespread speculation that the action is overtly political.

Halligan has demonstrated a pattern of targeting Trump critics. Just last week, she obtained a separate criminal indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a vocal Trump foe, on charges related to allegedly lying to Congress in 2020. Halligan also personally presented the evidence in Comey’s case, reportedly after career prosecutors expressed reluctance.

James’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, has denied the allegations that James falsified bank documents related to a Virginia home to secure a favorable loan rate, an accusation first formalized in a criminal referral by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte in April.

The indictment casts immediate doubt on James’s ability to continue overseeing her department’s legal challenges against Trump, including her recent petition to the state’s highest court to reinstate the full $500 million penalty imposed on Trump’s company in the New York civil fraud case. This development guarantees a period of prolonged political and legal volatility at the highest levels of the U.S. justice system.

Atlanta Massacre, 1906, mural, Le_Petit_Journal

by Kandiss Edwards

October 9, 2025

Mural Commemorating 1906 Atlanta Massacre Bashed By CommunityBllacck History

Residents voiced concern at a public forum Oct. 6 demanding a redesign.

A recently installed mural commemorating the 1906 Atlanta race massacre has sparked backlash from South Atlanta community members, who say its violent depiction and lack of neighborhood consultation do more harm than healing. Residents voiced concern at a public forum on Oct. 6, demanding a redesign.

The mural, painted by local artist Fabian Williams and commissioned by the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, stands on a building operated by Focused Community Strategies. The piece portrays Black citizens reconstructing a home. However, an angry white mob is centrally displayed in the piece. A white man appears to be choking a Black man. The imagery is attributed to an early 20th-century French newspaper, Le Petit Journal. At the meeting, members stressed the image exaggerates violence and fails to capture historical nuance, Capital B reported.

At the community meeting moderated by the South Atlanta Civic League, Williams acknowledged his design underwent 19 iterations. He insisted he was ultimately constrained by direction from the commission and building owners.

“Telling the entire story in context changes the way you feel about something when you encounter it. Why did this happen? How did it stop? That’s the story I want to tell, but as someone who was commissioned to tell the story, how this ended was outside my control,” Williams said.

Fabian Williams' mural commemorates 1906 Atlanta race massacre https://t.co/1eaG35TK0I via @RoughDraftATL
— Brian O'Shea (@bposhea) October 3, 2025

Marvin Nesbitt, president of Focused Community Strategies, apologized for the failure in communication with community members, stating, “We dropped the ball.”

Art historian R. Candy Tate, co-chair of the Coalition to Remember the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre, said the mural failed to align with the community’s legacy. She noted that while the Le Petit Journal images are dramatic, they misrepresent what happened in Brownsville.

More than highlighting the violent incident, Tate believes the mural fails to acknowledge the resilience of Black residents who resisted.

“This missed the mark,” she said.

The 1906 Atlanta race massacre involved a four-day wave of racial violence. During that period, multiple attacks on Black neighborhoods, destruction of property, and loss of life were endured by residents. At least 25 community members were confirmed dead, and many are uncounted. Residents at the meeting emphasized the need for a more collaborative approach going forward as they push for changes to the mural’s design and selection process.

NFL, Brother-Sister Duo, Ashley & Trey Smith

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 9, 2025

NFL Loses Another Discrimination Appeal Against Ex-Miami Dolphins Coach Brian Flores

The case will be heard in federal court.

The National Football League’s attempt to move Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ discrimination lawsuit to arbitration, has been denied. The case, now in its third year, must proceed in court.

The ruling was handed down by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Oct. 6.

“Appellants filed a petition for panel rehearing, or, in the alternative, for rehearing en banc. The panel that determined the appeal has considered the request for panel rehearing, and the active members of the Court have considered the request for rehearing en banc. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the petition is denied.”

Flores, the Miami Dolphins’ head coach from 2019 to 2021, sued the NFL for discrimination after he was fired in 2022. He also sued three teams, the Miami Dolphins, the Denver Broncos, and the New York Giants, alleging discrimination based on his firing from Miami and in the interview process with Denver and New York.

The NFL said it would prefer to go to arbitration with league commissioner Roger Goodell as the arbiter. Flores and his legal team, not suprisingly, preferred a neutral party to settle the matter.

In March 2023, Judge Valerie Caproni ruled in favor of Flores, calling the NFL’s “long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers are incredibly troubling.”

“Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black,” she wrote in her decision.

The NFL appealed the ruling, but the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld it, deciding that the league’s constitution’s arbitration provision “contractually provides for no independent arbitral forum, no bilateral dispute resolution, and no procedure.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 9, 2025

Group Black Ad Firm Co-Founder Calls For Removal Of Board, Accuses Company Of Mismanaging Funds

Richelieu Dennis is alleging mismanagement by the Group Black board, including a fellow co-founder, and is calling for the removal of all members.

Richelieu Dennis, co-founder of the Group Black ad firm, has drawn attention to the company after calling for the full board’s removal amid allegations of overspending and mismanagement.

The bombshell allegations came to light on Oct. 6, when Dennis sent a letter to the board demanding the removal of all five members, including Group Black co-founder Bonin Bough, accusing them of financial and structural mismanagement, Business Insider reports. In the letter, Dennis expressed “serious concerns” about the alleged “wrongdoing and breach of fiduciary duty” by the board members.

Citing his 10% stake in the company, Dennis requested a special shareholders’ meeting to vote on removing the board. The move comes more than a year after the entrepreneur and founder of SheaMoisture and Sundial stepped down from the Group Black board in August 2024.

Launched in 2021 in the wake of the George Floyd protests, Group Black was created to channel advertising dollars to Black-owned outlets. In his letter, Dennis accused the firm of making “exorbitant expenditures not reasonably connected to the company’s operations” while neglecting payments to unnamed vendors and business partners. He also claimed that board members hired lawyers in a “wasteful attempt to devise frivolous defenses” over payment disputes and failed to appoint directors capable of properly overseeing the company.

Tensions within Group Black appeared to be mounting following lawsuits from Essence Communications and Afropunk Worldwide in October 2024, alleging that the firm owed them roughly $20 million and misused the funds to benefit the firm and Holler, a messaging startup founded by former CEO Travis Montaque. In recent months, two companies under Dennis’s Sundial Media and Technology Group have also been embroiled in legal disputes with Group Black.

Group Black has responded to Dennis’s allegations, labeling them as “false and defamatory.”

“The allegations in Mr. Dennis’ letter, which the media apparently received the same day he sent it to Group Black, are categorically false and defamatory,” Group Black said in a statement. “The company conducts itself with integrity and will continue to do so. Our focus remains on advancing Group Black’s mission and business on behalf of our team members and shareholders.”

Over the past year, the company has grappled with internal turmoil, including executive departures, most notably Montaque quietly stepping down as CEO in the summer of 2024, as well as several other executives and board members leaving. In September, the group rebranded to Portrait Media Group to reach a broader audience amid corporate pullbacks from DEI commitments.

by Jameelah Mullen

October 9, 2025

City Leaders Offer Relief To Unpaid TSA Workers Amid Government Shutdown In Atlanta

It takes a village.

Atlanta officials are leading the charge to support Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport who are currently working without pay amid the government shutdown.

Congresswoman Nikema Williams and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined forces to launch a program aimed at lightening the financial load for the approximately 1,200 employees working at the world’s busiest airport.

“Republicans shut down the government, leaving thousands of federal employees—including TSA workers at Hartsfield-Jackson, the world’s busiest and most efficient airport—without pay, even as they continue to serve the public,” Williams’ office said in a statement.

City officials will provide two meal vouchers per shift to all full-time TSA employees, and part-time employees will also receive a voucher, according to Fox 5 News. Atlanta Employees will also have access to free parking. The program begins Oct. 11.

The outlet also reported that other airport vendors may offer elevated discounts or free meals for TSA staff.

TGI Fridays, which has three restaurants at the airport, announced that it will offer one free meal per day from a “specially curated menu” to TSA and Air Traffic Control employees through Oct. 23.

“TSA and air traffic control workers keep our country moving, and we wanted to do our part to support them. Whether they’re grabbing a meal at one of our airport locations during a shift or sitting down at a neighborhood Fridays® after a long day, we want them to know we appreciate them and we’re here for them,” Ray Blanchette, CEO of TGI Fridays, noted in a press release.

Aaron Barker, who leads the local Association of Federal Employees (AFGE), recalls TSA employees adjusting to cope with the financial strain of the last government shutdown.

“In the past, when we did have the 35-day shutdown, most officers toughed it out,” stated Barker. “They did try to find a way to get to work even if it wasn’t every day, or try to find a way to find a carpool together. Unfortunately, some officers ended up sleeping in their cars at the airport,” Barker told 11 Alive News.

TSA employees will receive a partial paycheck on Oct. 11, but they will not receive any additional pay until the government shutdown ends.

Ohio mom, Michigan, Darren, Dawson, Ohio, tortured closet, social security, Juvenile jails, ex cons for trump

by Jameelah Mullen

October 9, 2025

Trial Begins For 3 Ex-Corrections Officers Accused In Death Of Handcuffed Black Man

If convicted, the former officers could face life in prison.

The murder trial of three former corrections officers charged in the deadly beating of inmate Robert Brooks started earlier this week. Mathew Galliher, Nicholas Kieffer, and David Kingsley face charges of murder and first-degree manslaughter.

Body camera footage partially captured the attack at the Marcy Correctional Facility on Dec. 9, 2024.

In his opening statement, Onondaga County (NY) District Attorney William Fitzpatrick told jurors they would see “massive evidence” that the officers intended to cause harm to Brooks.

Fitzpatrick described the incident to the jurors, accusing the men of pinning Brooks down as they took turns beating him and pepper-spraying him. Brooks was transferred to Marcy from a nearby jail where he had been serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault since 2017.

“They no longer were corrections officers. They were a gang,” Fitzpatrick said in his opening statement.

The videos, which garnered public outrage, show officers beating Brooks in the chest with a shoe, lifting him by the neck, and dropping him.

Defense attorneys said the evidence will demonstrate the officers did not act with malice or “depraved indifference to human life.”

“The prosecution is attempting to tie Nicholas Kieffer to the actions of others, suggesting to you that he is somehow responsible via association,” said his attorney, David Longeretta, ABC News reported.

Galliher’s attorney, Kevin Luibrand, said his client only shackled Brooks to prevent him from kicking, but Galliher didn’t take part in the actions that led to Brooks’ death.

“Mathew Galliher didn’t harm Robert Brooks. He didn’t hit him, he didn’t strike him, he didn’t encourage others to strike him, he didn’t deny him medical care,” Luibrand said as reported by ABC News. “He didn’t do anything that contributed to the death of Robert Brooks.”

Prosecutors charged seven other prison guards in connection with the case. Six of them have accepted plea deals.

If convicted, the three former officers could face in life in prison, according to the (Utica, NY) Observer-Dispatch.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 9, 2025

NCAA May Allow Student-Athletes, Staff Members To Legally Bet On Pro Sports

The Division I Administrative Committee has voted to remove that restriction.

There is currently a prohibition under NCAA rules that prevents college student-athletes and athletics department staff members from betting on pro sports. However, this may change as the Division I Administrative Committee has voted to remove that restriction.

The committee adopted a proposal to lift the restriction in a recent meeting. However, the decision to end the prohibition does not prevent students and staff from sharing information about college competitions with other bettors.

The rule will only go into effect if the Divisions II and III committees also approve the proposal. Both divisions have meetings at the end of October to consider the proposal approved by their Division I counterparts. If both divisions agree to the proposal, the rule change will take place on Nov. 1.

Administrative staff stated that this decision wasn’t made to endorse student-athletes and staff members betting on sports, but to ease the restrictions placed on them and allow them to “engage in betting activities on professional sports.”

“The Administrative Committee was clear in its discussion today that it remains concerned about the risks associated with all forms of sports gambling, but ultimately voted to reduce restrictions on student-athletes in this area to better align with their campus peers,” said Josh Whitman, Illinois athletic director and committee chair, in a written statement. “This change allows the NCAA, the conferences and the member schools to focus on protecting the integrity of college games while, at the same time, encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports.

The Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee also supports the rule change.

The change was suggested because the NCAA enforcement staff’s caseload involving sports betting has increased, as they investigate violations among staff members that directly affect the integrity of college sports.