Parkland School Shooting Survivor Dies By Suicide After Years-Long Mental Health Battle
He was 26 years old.
Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, survivor of the Parkland School Shooting, has died.
Metayer was a senior at the Florida-based Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when a gunman killed 17 students in 2018, according toPeople. He endured a years-long mental health battle due to his schizophrenia.
Metayer’s sister, Nancy Metayer Bowen, confirmed his death via suicide in a Facebook post. Metayer died on Dec. 15. He was 26.
“To honor Donovan’s life and legacy, our family is establishing a mental health fund in his name. This fund will expand access to mental health services and support for individuals and families who need it most. Your generosity, compassion, and continued support mean more than words can express during this time,” Metayer Bowen said.
Following the tragedy, Metayer became an IT professional, but remained in a long-term battle with his mental health issues.
“A graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, his senior year was marked by the Parkland shooting, one of the most devastating acts of gun violence in our nation’s history. The trauma of that day and the loss of classmates lingered long after graduation and profoundly altered the course of his life,” according to the GoFundMe page to support the mental health fund.
The family mentioned how he suffered from “depression, guilt, emotional instability, and long periods of isolation” that left him unable to continue his studies in college. Despite hospitalizations and treatments, Metayer continued to battle these mental challenges.
Things began to look up for Metayer thanks to private psychiatrist services. He later earned his IT certificate and embarked on a career in the field. But, according to the GoFundMe page, the revocation of his Risk Protection Order allowed him to purchase a firearm, which he later used to commit suicide.
“The loss of our family’s youngest child is a sorrow beyond words—one that will echo through our lives, forever. Yet even in our grief, we are choosing to speak Donovan’s truth, so that other families do not have to suffer in silence the way we have,” according to the GoFundMe page.“Donny’s passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the mental health crisis plaguing our youth and the lasting trauma of gun violence on our community.
“As we grieve his loss, we are breaking the code of silence in his memory. Though Donny’s life was brief, his impact will be everlasting.”
JD Vance Celebrates White People Not Having ‘To Apologize For Being White Anymore’—But Did They Ever?
Since the second term of President Donald Trump and his loyal MAGA clan, there has been a rise of keeping white people in the forefront.
While America and other countries prepare to celebrate Christmas, Vice President JD Vance is celebrating U.S. citizens no longer having to “apologize for being white.”
The bold statement came during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest Summit, where thousands gathered to hear speeches over the stretched battles over antisemitism, free speech, and bigotry as Vance and other conservatives like Ben Shapiro warned that the “conservative movement was in serious danger,” according to the New York Times.
Vance did not offer such doom-and-gloom rhetoric. “We don’t treat anybody different because of their race or their sex, so we have relegated DEI to the dustbin of history, which is exactly where it had belonged,” he said. “In the United States of America, you don’t have to apologize for being white anymore.”
Vance: In the United States of America, you don't have to apologize for being white anymore. pic.twitter.com/QikIDkXNy5
But the question is, when did white people ever have to?
Since the second reign of President Donald Trump and his loyal MAGA clan, there has been a rise in this sense of keeping white people in the forefront. Starting with dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the Trump administration warned that the practices were discriminatory, pushing back on white people being excluded in such things as grants for businesses run by Black women and the Fearless Fund.
Diversity initiatives were put in place following groundbreaking legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, both established to give Black people and others the right to be safe in the United States and have access to the liberties granted to all Americans—like the right to vote and place people like Vance in office. But experts feel that under the ideologies of white nationalism, it’s now all or nothing for Trump and his cohorts.
“For one group to win, others must lose,” Mother Jones journalist Garrison Hayes said following an interview with the executive vice president of racial justice non-profit Race Forward, Eric K. Ward. “This administration has no solution. In the meantime, what they seek to do is distract us.”
It could be why Vance is pushing hypocritical sentiments. One minute, he claims, “I’m going to fight alongside of you, I mean all of you — each and every one.” The next, he is insulting Somali Americans living in Minneapolis and attacking Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, saying she has a “street girl persona” that “is about as real as her nails.”
Now, longtime Trump advisor Jason Miller believes that “When the time comes, I think the vice president will be ready to pick up the baton from President Trump.”
7 Juveniles Arrested For Assault Against Chicago Mom And Children
The attack occurred near Orville T. Bright Elementary School just after students were released for the day.
Seven minors have been charged in connection with an attack on a mother and her children in Chicago.
The juveniles charged in the crime range in age from 10 to 13. The group includes three 10-year-old boys, a 10-year-old girl, an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old girl, according to Chicago police statements.
Police said all seven were charged with battery causing bodily harm, referred to counseling services, and released to their families because of their ages.
On Nov. 17, Corshawnda Hatter, her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter were walking home from school on 106th Street and Bensley Avenue when they were approached and attacked by a group who left both victims seriously injured,ABC7 Chicago reported.
The attack occurred near Orville T. Bright Elementary School just after students were released for the day. Video of the assault was shared tens of thousands of times on social media, showing the group following and striking the victims.
In a GoFundMe campaign set up by Hatter, the 33-year-old revealed that her son had been bullied previously and was sometimes followed home by older children.
“What hurts even more is knowing this all started from bullying my son has been dealing with at school. I never imagined it would escalate to something like this, and as a mother, it’s terrifying to see your child harmed like that. I just want him to feel safe going to school and walking in his own neighborhood,” Hatter wrote.
In a November statement to ABC7 Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson denounced the violence by the juveniles and said he was working with Chicago Public Schools as well as the Chicago Police to ensure the safety of Chicago residents.
“That type of behavior is unacceptable in our city, and we must not normalize that type of senseless violence. Leaders from my office have been on the ground all day to coordinate with CPS, CPD, and CHA to respond to this incident. CPD has deployed additional resources to the area to maintain public safety, and we are working with CHA on additional measures to support the family.” Johnson said.
The investigation is ongoing, and police urged anyone with additional information about the incident to contact the Chicago Police Department.
Nicki Minaj Goes Full MAGA At Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest
The Barb took center stage publicly declare her 'Admiration' For Trump and Vance
Nicki Minaj was front and center at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Dec. 21 to publicly confirm her support and allegiance for President Donald Trump and his administration.
The Trinidadian rapper made a surprise appearance on the fourth day of the conservative advocacy group’s first annual summit since Charlie Kirk’s death in September, USA Today reports. During a fireside chat with Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, Minaj praised Trump and Vice President JD Vance, commending what she described as their “integrity” in carrying out their work.
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president. I don’t even know if he knows this, but he has given so many people hope that there’s a chance to beat the bad guys and to win and to do it with your head held high and your integrity intact,” Minaj said, in a clip that’s gaining scrutiny online.
She went on to further express her support for the Republican president, pointing out the “lies” about him that he manages to brush off.
“What it’s shown me, personally, is sometimes even in the worst feeling times in your life, you think you’re never going to come back from it. But you do. And our president shows that,” Minaj said. “He’s been through every single thing a person can be through publicly – having to constantly be lied on.”
Minaj also applauded what she described as the Trump administration’s “heart and soul,” saying she finds both Trump and Vance relatable.
“This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them,” Minaj told the Turning Point crowd of Trump and Vance. “I love both of them. They’re both powerful men. Smart, strong, all of that. But both of them have a very uncanny ability to be someone that you relate to. I can relate to them.”
In an especially awkward moment, Minaj mistakenly referred to Vance as an “assassin” before quickly correcting herself—an apparent slip made in front of Kirk’s widow following his assassination in September.
“And when I say that. Mmm,” Minaj said before covering her mouth.
Erika quickly stepped in to reassure the rapper that she wasn’t offended by the slip.
“Trust me, there is nothing new under the sun that I have not heard,” Erika Kirk replied. “I love you. You have to laugh about it, truly.
“I have been called every single thing. And you know what, God is so good, you let it roll right off your back. And this is what’s so beautiful about this moment. Because if the internet wants to clip it, who cares? I love this woman; she is an amazing woman. She has a soul and a heart for the Lord.”
Minaj said the turning point in speaking openly about her politics came when she grew tired of feeling pressured to hide her conservative views.
“What was the turning point? Well, I just got tired of being pushed around.” Minaj told Erika Kirk. “Sometimes you just get tired of it, and then you realize, ‘Wait a minute. I have something inside of me that’s stronger than what’s out there.'”
“When you’ve had enough, you realize, ‘Wait a minute, why do I even care about these people and what they think? Who are they? They don’t even know who they are,” she said. “So I’m not going to back down anymore. I’m not going to back down ever again.”
Z Mahogany Celebrates Decades Of Success In The Atlanta Salon Industry
Zalika Broady talked to BLACK ENTERPRISE about how she has perfected her craft while keeping the timeless salon experience.
For over 20 years, one metro Atlanta hairstylist has kept her clients looking their best with her signature bobs and luxury salon experience.
Zuleakha Broady of Z Mahogany Suites has felt an affinity to haircare since she was a teenager. That innate passion grew into a longtime business with loyal clients to match. As she perfected her craft and elevated an industry by providing a lush yet comforting experience for every hair appointment, Broady, largely known as Zee, has become a game-changer in the haircare industry.
Her commitment to her clients comes from this standard of providing excellent service as she emerged as a professional in the game. In her younger years, she remembered the feeling she had while in the salon. It was the conversation, the energy, and the exchange of hopes, worries, and joy that she wanted to replicate in her own space.
“Anytime I would go get my hair done, the feel of a salon or I guess back then we would call it a shop, that whole vibe felt good, from the music and the conversations,” Zee tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I would just be in awe of how someone would come in and then how they would leave… I just love the transformation and the environment of the salon.”
She has fostered that same feeling in her own salon. The proof lies in her busy and booked schedule. Broady took off as a trailblazer in the haircare game by perfecting what many, including herself, deem her signature style, the “bob” look.
The popular “short but medium” hair length has become a classic go-to style for many women, with Broady cutting the style even before it regained its current popularity nationally. Broady sharpened her blades and her vision to create a top-tier “bob” execution to fit any head.
Celebrating multiple decades in any industry is a considerable accomplishment, and one that Broady does not take lightly. While she is a proud salon owner now, she believes getting her start under the tutelage of mentors and other owners played a key role in her success. A natural learner, growing from those that paved the way has made the difference.
As for her “Z factor,” Broady believes clients keep returning due to her authenticity and evident passion for making them as beautiful outside as they are inside.
“I would say just me being my authentic self, I think people like that about me,” Broady explains. “They like the fact they can grow with me … they see my growth. It just shows that I’m passionate about the industry,”
As a mother of three and a salon owner for nearly a decade, Broady remains busy, but stays on top of it all through the help of her dynamic team. Wanting to keep that same reliable and helpful environment that shaped her early career, many of her employees are considered ‘Day 1s” for Broady, who continue to shine as the salon grows.
“They respect me as who I am, because I’ve provided this environment for everybody to succeed,” she says. “See [at] Z Mahogany [Suites], it’s like when you come there, I teach a lot. I teach them the way … and everyone has grown as an individual when they come to the salon.”
The salon staff has a “you take care of me, I take care of you” mentality, Zee shared.
Zee, who just turned 41, has a lot left on her to-do list, even if she does not know exactly what’s next. While she’s more strict on taking new clients, wanting to maintain the consistent feel with who sits in her chair, she knows she is in the tail-end of her career as a stylist. However, she remains dedicated to providing that old-school feeling of community in the chairs, just with modern amenities and hairstyles that can keep up.
In the meantime, the metro Atlanta hairstylist remains a titan for any bob-look, which she will always recommend, especially for the holiday season.
‘New York Undercover’ Co-Creator, Kevin Arkadie, Dies Of Pneumonia
The screenwriter was 68
Several months after he posted an Instagram reel informing his followers that his kidneys were failing, Kevin Arkadie, who co-created the hip-hop-fueled television series “New York Undercover,” has died at the age of 68.
According to The New York Times, the screenwriter died Dec. 17 at a Los Angeles hospital. Dick Wolf, who created the “Law & Order” franchise and made “New York Undercover” with Arkadie, confirmed his death in a statement through his company, Wolf Entertainment.
“Wolf Entertainment mourns the loss of Kevin Arkadie, an extraordinary writer, producer, and creative partner whose vision helped shape one of the most groundbreaking series in television history.”
RIP Kevin Arkadie, Writer & Producer New York Undercover, NYPD Blue, The Temptations, The Shield, Sacrifice, Chicago Hope Emmy Nominated Writers Guild of America Award Winner for Children's Script (Miracle's Boys)#InMemoriam#RIPpic.twitter.com/zmj1F6RQvr
Arkadie died from pneumonia that developed after he received a kidney transplant, according to his cousin. In July, he turned to social media to find living donors because friends and family members were not a good match to help Arkadie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “New York Undercover” was the first police drama to feature two people of color as lead actors (Malik Yoba and Michael DeLorenzo). The New York City-based drama showcased a hip-hop and/or R&B act in every episode, making it wildly popular throughout its four seasons (1994 to 1999).
The Washington, D.C.-born Arkadie graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in acting from Southern Methodist University. His first Hollywood job was as a writer on the 1991-1993 NBC drama series “I’ll Fly Away.” He was nominated for an Emmy in 1996 and 1998 for producing “Chicago Hope” and “NYPD Blue.” In 2006, he took home a WGA America Award for his work on the Noggin series “Miracle’s Boys.”
He worked on several projects, including “Knightwatch,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “Law & Order,” “High Incident,” “Rescue 77,” “The Temptations,” “Ambitions,” “The Quad,” and “Sacrifice.”
Arkadie is survived by his wife, Rayluca Constantinescu, his brother, Devre Arkadie, and his sister, Christine Arkadie.
Break Bread For The Holidays With These Diaspora Dishes
Consider these dishes food for thought.
Holiday meals in the African diaspora serve as vessels of history, memory, and community.
From simmering pots to sweet wrapped parcels, these dishes enable people to discuss culture, recipes, and shared identity. Each dish tells a historical tale that links Blackness across geography and time. For generations, these festive foods have fed families and friends, kept traditions alive, and contributed to a diasporic, global Black experience rooted in African traditions.
Pepperpot
The slow-cooked Guyanese Pepperpot is a rich meat stew made with beef, pork, and mutton, along with cassareep, cinnamon, cloves, and scotch bonnet peppers. Pepperpot is a traditional holiday dish in Guyana that unites Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese cultures around the festive table. The dish, best known as a Christmas morning meal, is started late on Christmas Eve to be served at sunrise. The national dish of Guyana serves as a culinary link between the Guyanese diaspora and its cultural heritage and community narratives.
Black Cake
This rich and moist dessert combines dried fruits with rum and wine through a slow baking process. The cake, which holds a special place in English-speaking Caribbean islands as a traditional Christmas and end-of-year treat, is the Caribbean adaptation of British plum pudding. Instead of brandy, Coke uses rum, which was readily available in the region and represents strength and festivity.
The Caribbean Duckanoo dessert is also known as Blue Draws and Tie-a-Leaf. The sweet, boiled dumpling contains cornmeal and sweet potato, along with coconut, brown sugar, and spices, and is wrapped in banana leaves. The dessert holds special significance across Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and other Caribbean islands, where it is enjoyed during Christmas and other cultural celebrations. The dish combines Mesoamerican tamale traditions with African and Caribbean flavors and techniques.
Griot
This Haitian dish consists of marinated pork deep-fried and served with spicy pikliz, along with rice or plantains. Haitians consider this a main celebratory dish served at celebrations beyond Christmas. But Griot is most popular during the holidays, when its bright flavors and communal eating traditions showcase the festive spirit of the Haitian diaspora.
Tchaka
The Haitian stew combines hominy, beans, squash, and pork to make a filling dish that requires several hours of preparation and multiple cooks. But it holds deep cultural and historical value for Haitians.
Hoppin’ John
Rice with beans flavored with herbs and spices and smoked meats is popular among Caribbean people, African Americans, and Latin American communities. The dish is believed to bring good fortune and wealth to those who eat it during New Year’s Day celebrations. Southern Hoppin’ John originated in South Carolina and Georgia, but it’s enjoyed in Kingston and Port-au-Prince. This dish unites West African rice-and-legume culinary heritage with New World cooking traditions to create a comforting, symbolic diaspora meal.
Dave Chappelle Talks Charlie Kirk And Saudi Arabia In New Stand-Up Special
Chappelle is known for provocative and sometimes incendiary commentary on politics, culture, and high-profile public figures. He’s staying true to that.
Comedian and agent provocateur Dave Chappelle has released a surprise stand-up special titled “Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable…” on Netflix.
Chappelle is known for provocative and sometimes incendiary commentary on politics, culture, and high-profile public figures. He’s staying true to that in his latest special. The Netflix original dropped without advance notice immediately following the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua boxing match.
The 75-minute special includes commentary on a range of contemporary cultural and political issues and sees the comedian addressing recent controversies directly on stage. He most notably spoke about the continuing war in the Middle East.
Chappelle weighs in on the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot in September 2025. He responded to the spectator’s insistence on comparing Kirk to civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during public discourse. Chappelle implied that he refused to allow the work of Dr. King to be reduced so lowly as to be compared to a “professional” debater.
In “Unstoppable…,“ Chappelle said, “Charlie Kirk was this generation’s Martin Luther King? That’s a reach… They both got murdered in a terrible fashion. They both got shot in the neck, but that’s about where those similarities ended.”
Chappelle’s material also touches on his recent performance at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. Earlier in 2025, Chappelle faced criticism for appearing at the event because of the country’s human rights record. Additionally, fans and foes objected due to the country’s intolerance of free speech. An intolerance that was on deadly display when a prominent U.S journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, was killed in Saudi Arabia in 2018.
Never one to back down, Chappelle defended his decision to perform abroad and addressed critics who questioned what his choice signaled about artistic freedom.
“I don’t feel guilty at all,” he continued, “These motherfuckers act like because I did a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia I somehow betrayed my principles… They said, ‘Well, Saudi Arabia killed a journalist,’ and rest in peace, Jamal Khashoggi. I’m sorry that he got murdered in such a heinous fashion. And also, look, bro, Israel’s killed 240 journalists in the last three months, so I didn’t know y’all were still counting.”
In addition to these topics, the D.C. native addressed gentrification in his hometown. He lamented that “They’re trying to take the chocolate out of Chocolate City.”
Chappele has an exclusive deal to release stand-up shows through Netflix. Thus far, the comedian has produced seven specials: 2017’s “The Age of Spin,” “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” “Equanimity,” “The Bird Revelation,” “The Closer” (2021), “The Dreamer” (2023), and “The Unstoppable…”
Homecoming With Purpose: LaToya Williams-Belfort Brings Her ‘Secret Sauce’ To The Bronx Community Foundation
By Janee Bolden
LaToya Williams-Belfort has spent her career building pathways for underserved communities, but stepping into her new leadership role as executive director of the Bronx Community Foundation has even deeper meaning for her as a Bronx native.
“It felt like a homecoming,” Williams-Belfort told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Throughout my career, I’ve been really intentional and really blessed to do work for communities that I authentically understood, and then to bring people to the table to drive investment and solutions for those communities.”
Williams-Belfort was raised in the Bronx, and long before she had the language for systems and structures, she understood what it meant to live inside them. “Growing up in the Bronx, I quickly was able to start to understand systemic barriers,” she said. “It was very clear to me that my community, my family, were hardworking, God-fearing, family-oriented folks, but you would hear terms like, ‘we just can’t get a break’ or ‘we just don’t have access to certain opportunities.’”
Those early observations stayed with her as she moved through school, into the workforce, and eventually into philanthropy. Over time, they crystallized into a framework that would guide her leadership. “Ultimately landing on this word that’s been so important to my life — equity,” she said. “What does it mean having equitable opportunity? So many people think equity means equality. We know that those are two totally different things.”
By the time the country reached an inflection point following George Floyd’s death in 2020, Williams-Belfort had already spent years working inside philanthropy. What shifted then was her sense of urgency around solutions. “The country was talking about racism in a way that had never happened in my life,” she said. “But we were all talking about the problems and how we got here. The solutions conversation was where I really wanted to lean in.”
That desire to move from diagnosis to action led her to the nonprofit organization 15% Pledge, where she became the inaugural executive director. The goal was clear: use the machinery of capitalism to close opportunity gaps. “When we think about equitable opportunity, when we think about building wealth, when we think about the racial wealth gap in this umbrella of capitalism, what the pledge was doing as a release to creating scalable pathways for Black entrepreneurs felt like a tangible solution,” she said. “If we could help entrepreneurs to gain equitable access to the supply chains of billion-dollar corporations in a sustainable way and really build wealth, now we’re talking about a more inclusive economy.”
Under her leadership, the organization scaled rapidly. “I was there for almost five years,” she said. “We took the organization to a $7 million operating nonprofit, and we were able to scale $14 billion in impact for a community of over 10,000 Black businesses.” When the pledge launched, she noted that the community numbered closer to 1,000.
Still, as proud as she is of that work, Williams-Belfort saw its limits. Sustainable change required not just programs, but a capital strategy. That realization shaped her decision to step into her current role at the Bronx Community Foundation, which operates as a funding organization rather than a direct-service nonprofit.
“We don’t run direct programs,” she said. “It is a funding organization.” For Williams-Belfort, that distinction creates opportunity. “How are you supporting communities and nonprofits that are on the ground doing the work, but also thinking about sustainability, capacity building, and the technology needs to do the work in the right ways for the long term?”
The Foundation, she noted, is approaching its second decade. “The foundation is just about 10 years old,” she said. “They’ve been doing this in the right ways for a long time. But what is the next iteration of sustainability, growth, and innovation?”
Her answer is rooted in both data and lived experience. One of the greatest challenges she sees is not a lack of talent or effort in the Bronx, but a persistent narrative problem. “I think there’s just so much bias in thinking about what is possible for the Bronx,” she said. “Many people that I encounter have this 1970s, early ‘80s ideology, like the ‘Bronx is Burning’ type stereotypical understanding of what the Bronx is.”
She has encountered that bias firsthand. “I went to high school in Manhattan, and I would meet people, and they would say to me, ‘Well, you don’t seem like you’re from the Bronx,’” Williams-Belfort recalled. “And I’d be like, ‘What does that mean?’”
Those assumptions, she said, have real consequences. “When we think about investment and philanthropy and driving resources, it is in direct opposition of this bias about the Bronx that emanated from the 70s and 80s,” she said. “And that isn’t the landscape currently. I think there’s huge opportunity to create pathways for children, families, and for Bronxites.”
She sees signs of that shift everywhere, from cultural production to political momentum. “The young people in the Bronx are making things happen,” she said. “Even if you look at the recent mayoral election, Mamdani kicked off his campaign on Fordham Road. I think that’s intentional when you think about how the momentum is swirling around the borough.”
That momentum aligns with the Foundation’s strategy, which is built around collaboration rather than siloed giving. “One of the things I’m really excited about is this expansion of cross-industry partnership,” Williams-Belfort said. “My secret sauce is really bringing folks to the table to work in collaboration, to take a collective action approach in ways they wouldn’t have necessarily seen themselves working together.”
The Bronx, she believes, is uniquely positioned for that model. “Because of the Bronx’s history with music, art, and activism, I think it’s primed for continuing to work that way,” she said. “How do we bring together corporate stakeholders, elected officials, advocates, and traditional business folks, and give a renaissance to the Bronx’s resilience and creativity when we think about who and how we invest?”
The need, however, remains vast. Williams-Belfort points to the Foundation’s extensive listening process as a core strength. “The foundation has had over 1,000 community conversations,” she said. “Having that real data around the need is important.” From those conversations, four priority areas have emerged: digital equity, housing, healthcare, and economic stability.
“What we’re doing is thinking about how do we build out our participatory grant strategy to meet those needs in a very systematized, systemic way,” she said. Just as important is how the money moves. “Not just giving grants, but thinking about capacity building, sustainability, and how we’re working as a collective action unit.”
She is also focused on trust-based philanthropy and longer-term commitments. “Two-year grants, three-year grants,” she said. “Being able to get that long lead of support to really move the needle against some of these very deep and systems-level challenges.”
Though she has only been in the role for a few weeks, one moment already confirmed that Williams-Belfort is in the right place. “I had my fourth quarter in-person full-day board meeting,” she said. “It was a roll-up-your-sleeves day. We were asking hard questions. We were talking about participatory grantmaking, sustainability, and what the next 10 years look like. We’ve invested $15 million. How do we get to $50 million?” She left exhausted and energized. “I was calling my mentors and my village saying, ‘I had an amazing day, and I think this is going to be really awesome.’”
What grounds her, she said, is both experience and family. “There’s the head piece,” she said, referencing decades of nonprofit leadership. “But the heart part of it is my two sons, both born in the Bronx.” She wants the future she is building to be tangible for them. “I want them and young people like them to have equitable opportunity, to create a life that feels joyful and allows them to thrive.”
When she looks ahead five years, success is measurable and deeply human. “It’s all in the data, it’s all in the numbers,” Williams-Belfort said. “If we can be at a $25 million marker, if we can touch 50,000, 100,000 Bronxites, I would feel like a job well done.” But just as important is the story people tell about the borough. “If we can debunk this idea of the ‘Bronx is Burning’ and reframe that narrative to the Bronx as a place of collective action, community power, and investment, then we’re doing the right things.”
For Williams-Belfort, the work has come full circle. The child who once heard her community described as lacking is now leading an effort to prove otherwise with strategy, capital, and an unwavering belief that the Bronx’s future can be defined by opportunity, not stereotype.
Communities Across America Gather To Celebrate Kwanzaa
From Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to Pasadena, California, Kwanzaa observers from anywhere can take part in a celebration.
Kwanzaa celebrations have begun, with the seven-day cultural holiday highlighting the empowerment and unity of the Black community.
Since its inception, Kwanzaa, which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, 2026, has risen in popularity for its themes of collective work, creativity, purpose, and faith, among others. As each day represents a new theme, multiple events and programs take place across the United States for those who celebrate.
The events signal the ongoing impact and influence of Kwanzaa as a non-religious holiday focused on the heritage and history of the Black diaspora. Now, it has become an integral part of the winter holiday season, with new ways to celebrate among the community and supporters of this cherished tradition.
BLACK ENTERPRISE has rounded up a list of Kwanzaa events across the country for those in all regions to enjoy and engage in the celebration of purpose.
According to Pasadena Now, the 37th annual Kwanzaa celebration will bring out the Southern California community for a free event. Facilitated by the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Pasadena Public Library, the Dec. 27 gathering will feature live music, storytelling, and youth presentations. Through this year’s national theme of “Practicing the Seven Principles in Dimly-Lit Times: Lifting Up the Light, Hurrying the Dawn,” the event will also present children with zawadi, or gifts, as well as a traditional Kwanzaa feast and libation ceremony.
As reported by the Pittsfield Edge, community members in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, will remember the purpose and mission of Kwanzaa with their own celebrations, highlighted by the local NAACP chapter and additional nonprofits. Also emphasizing this year’s theme, speakers and programming will mark the occasion with step dancing, panels, and more cultural activities.
The Metro Atlanta suburb of Riverdale, Georgia, will also feature its own festivities. In celebration of Ujima, symbolizing collective work and responsibility, the Dec. 20 event included the lighting of the Kinara, the seven-branch candleholder used for Kwanzaa. Co-facilitated by the East Point Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., guests viewed performances by the Metro Atlanta African Dancers & Drummers while eating local “fruits of the harvest.”
In Austin, Texas, observers of the Kwanzaa tradition can celebrate in the New Year with a Jan. 3 event for Imani, symbolizing faith. Taking place at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, the event will also explore how this faith in community and its resilience can overcome any societal struggle.
For those living in Virginia Beach, the Coast Virginia Unitarian Universalist Church Racial Justice Task Force will host two events for the Kwanzaa Celebration. On Dec. 28, the task force will host a marketplace for visitors to support Black-owned businesses. According to the Virginia Pilot, an Emancipation Jubilee will even take place on New Year’s Day.
Lastly, Charlotte has an abundance of activities to delight all for Kwanzaa this year. Starting Dec. 26, Kwanzaa Charlotte in North Carolina will host daily and free programs befitting each day’s theme, ranging from artistic to educational and cultural expression. Each night will also host an African Marketplace for visitors to support local businesses in the region, as detailed by the Charlotte Post.
With Kwanzaa days away, long-time and first-time observers can find local events throughout the nation to further explore and engage in this holiday for the Black diaspora.
