by Kandiss Edwards

September 16, 2025

9-Year-Old Makes History As Youngest Neuroscience College Student Ever

Aiden spends part of his week attending neuroscience lectures at Ursinus College.

At just nine years old, Aiden Wilkins has already made history at Ursinus College by becoming its youngest student ever.

A high school sophomore from Montgomery County, Aiden is now adding college neuroscience courses to his studies. At a young age, he is pursuing his dream of becoming a pediatric neurosurgeon.

Aiden first captured attention by reading traffic signs at age two. His intelligence came long before most toddlers learn to speak coherently. Wilkins was given gifted testing, which confirmed what his mother, Veronica Wilkins, already saw: a highly intelligent toddler who grasped concepts far beyond those of others his age.

“I could just read them when most kids at my age, at like two, could barely even speak,” Aiden told 6 ABC. “I just grasped it so fast.”

While he remains enrolled at Reach Cyber Charter High School, Aiden spends part of his week attending neuroscience lectures at Ursinus. He marvels at the brain’s capabilities. The high school sophomore says he has been fascinated by anatomy since he was young. His mother says he chose his current direction because of a desire to help children his age, especially those with Neurodisability.

College officials have noted that even during his campus visits, Aiden is curious beyond his years. He can discuss glial cells, neuroplasticity, and Shakespeare.

Kelly Sorensen, associate provost at Ursinus, said that Aiden showed up in “a snazzy suit and tie, curious and eager to talk” about advanced topics.

In correspondence with PEOPLE, Sorenson expressed her eagerness to accept the young academic into the campus community.

“We’re delighted to be a part of Aiden’s journey, which is as exceptional as he is. The challenge is to keep his hungry mind well-fed.”

Despite his extraordinary academic schedule, Aiden still enjoys typical childhood pleasures. He is an avid gamer and a soccer player. Somehow, Aiden manages to balance rigorous learning with youthful exploration.

He offers simple advice to anyone striving for excellence: “You can do anything. You just have to put in the work.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 16, 2025

HBCU First LOOK Film Festival Launches 2025 Tour With Cathy Hughes To ‘Elevate Mentorship’

The "Elevate Mentorship" tour will present media mogul Cathy Hughes and her mentee, HBCUFLF Founder Sheila Eldridge.

The HBCU First LOOK Film Festival is gearing up for the 2025 school year by spotlighting the importance of mentorship.

HBCU First LOOK Film Festival will head to Virginia State University Sept. 23 to host its “2025 Elevate Mentorship” speaker tour with media mogul Cathy Hughes and her mentee Sheila Eldridge. Hughes remains a dominant force in Black media as the founder and chairperson of Urban One. At the same time, Eldridge has succeeded as president and CEO of Miles Ahead Broadcasting, in addition to founding HBCUFLF.

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Partnering with Black Information Network and When We All Vote, the HBCUFLF will present the “Let’s Talk” series. The tour stop will make its mark at the land-grant HBCU as part of its 2025 mission to “Elevate Future Storytellers.”

In the conversation, Virginia State students will learn how these mentorship opportunities can help them achieve their overarching goals. As HBCUFLF promotes HBCU students and alums within the media and entertainment industry, this speaker series champions those interested in diversifying this creative landscape.

The discussion will also coincide with National Voter Registration Day, with WWAV in attendance to provide online registration for students. A vocal advocate for voting rights, Hughes has used her platform to encourage the Black community to remain politically informed while civically engaged.

Eldridge also spoke highly of her trailblazing mentor, who has catapulted Urban One to new heights as an influential media hub for Black Americans. The duo has become a leading example of how mentorship can shape the next generation of leaders.

“Cathy Hughes is truly a pioneer in the entertainment and media industry who continues to blaze a trail for others. She is a visionary icon with steadfast and unwavering commitment to mentorship,” said Eldridge in a press release.

While following in her footsteps to change the media landscape, Eldridge has also forged her own path. As the leader of Miles Ahead Entertainment, Eldridge has produced award-winning content in the television and audio sectors.

MAE’s portfolio has also expanded to radio, multimedia marketing, and podcasting, showcasing Eldridge’s production prowess in the evolving market. As a graduate of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard University, Eldridge also represents the excellence of an HBCU education.

Now, the women prepare to connect directly with VSU students for this transformative conversation. The free event will take place right in Petersburg for all parts of the HBCU’s community. The film festival’s website hosts all information on the event details.

Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, bellts,

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 16, 2025

Terence Crawford’s Mom Criticized Over Harsh Parenting Confessions

Fans are divided over Terrence Crawford's admission of the tough love he received from his mom growing up.

Following his victory over Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford is drawing new attention for revelations about the tough love from his mother that fueled his rise in boxing.

Raised in Omaha, Nebraska, by his parents, Debbie and Terence Sr., alongside his sisters, Latisha and Shawntay, Crawford admits he was a troublemaker who was expelled from five schools and gained a reputation for fighting. In a recent interview with Piers Morgan ahead of his fight with Canelo, he defended his mother after Morgan pressed him about her past admissions, disciplining him with whippings and even paying bullies to fight him.

“I used to get whoopings because I was bad. It’s a part of discipline,” Crawford said. “Ain’t nothing wrong with disciplining your kids when they’re not following directions and when they’re not listening.”

As for the bullies she paid to fight her son, Crawford explained that his mother’s decision stemmed from her own upbringing around boxers and her desire to toughen him up — something he now believes ultimately worked in his favor.

“I think it was more a competitive nature in her,” he explained. “Her brother was a boxer, her dad was a boxer, my dad’s dad was a boxer, my uncles were boxers. So she came from a boxing family, she grew up in the boxing gym.”

Crawford continued, “So me being a little bad kid running around not listening, she’d be like, ‘Alright, let me see how bad you is. I’m gonna pay this little kid see if he can whoop you.’ It was things like that, but I’d whoop them every time.”

Amid the admission, video quickly resurfaced of Crawford’s 2018 feature where ESPN’s Mark Kriegel sat down with his mom and had her explain her rhetoric on paying bullies to fight her son, which she partially credits for his current success.

“He did good because he was around here beating up everybody in the neighborhood,” Debbie said in a clip

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” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>captured by Onsite. “I paid the kids, I said, if y’all come whoop Bud, I’ll give y’all ten dollars a piece.”

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Debbie was also questioned about the harsh remarks she made to her son as a child, including telling him he would fail and never amount to anything.

“Some things that I said to him, I wanted him to be a man,” Debbie explained. “Don’t be afraid of nobody. That’s a hard lesson to learn, you 12, 13. Yeah, but he had to learn it.”

Crawfood admitted that the things his mom told him, “filled me with rage, and every time I stepped foot in the ring or anything that I ever did, I just wanted to win so bad so I can prove a point.”

With these family revelations resurfacing, the Crawfords are facing criticism from those who disapprove of Debbie’s harsh parenting.

“I cry for the child within him. Unloved parents do the most damage,” one person wrote.

“I just don’t believe in tearing a person down to make them build themselves back up. Especially a child,” added someone else.

While some might credit Debbie’s tough love for turning her son into the undefeated boxing champion he is today, she says it’s Crawford who deserves all of the credit.

“He made himself a champion,” she said.

by Mitti Hicks

September 16, 2025

U.S. and China Reach ‘Framework’ Deal for TikTok As Deadline Looms

TikTok’s Chinese owner was facing a Sept. 17 deadline to find a buyer for its US operations or face a ban in the country due to national security concerns.

U.S. and Chinese officials confirmed on Monday that they have reached a deal regarding TikTok, which reportedly outlines the framework for transferring ownership of the short video app to U.S. control. The tentative agreement over the social media app, with an estimated 170 million U.S. users, comes after months-long negotiations between the world’s two largest economies.

TikTok’s Chinese owner was facing a Sept. 17 deadline to find a buyer for its U.S. operations or face a ban in the country due to national security concerns, The BBC reported.

U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, confirmed that negotiations took place in Madrid but declined to discuss the specifics of the deal. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss the agreement over the phone on Friday.

Bessent also said the Sept. 17 deadline could be extended by 90 days so the deal could be finalized.

According to Reuters, this marks the second time this year that American and Chinese officials have come close to a TikTok deal. Previous negotiations from March failed.

Even with an agreement, the Republican-controlled Congress will still need to approve the deal, following a law passed in 2024 that banned TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its U.S. division. The law was in response to the U.S. Justice Department expressing fears that the Chinese government could access TikTok’s U.S. users’ data, allowing China to spy on Americans.

Congress passed the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), and then-President Joe Biden signed the law in April 2024. The Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of the law in January 2025, rejecting arguments from TikTok and ByteDance, which had argued that the law violated free speech protections.

On Truth Social, Trump said the talks with China had “gone very well.”

A Sticking Point for U.S.-China Trade Deals

The ownership of TikTok has been a sticking point as both economies negotiate trade deals. According to The BBC, Beijing has used it to negotiate lower tariffs and fewer trade barriers, as the United States is one of China’s biggest markets.

Bessent’s announcement that a framework is in place comes after the second day of negotiations to end a contentious trade war. At its peak, tariffs on some goods hit 145%.

Still, China’s top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, said China would not reach a deal with the U.S. at the expense of its own principles and leadership.

Beyonce, Jay-Z, tour bus, NYC, Piers Morgan

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 16, 2025

Jay-Z And Beyoncé Face Backlash After Dining With Ivanka Trump And Jared Kushner

Jay-Z and Beyoncé are receiving heightened scrutiny for a photo showing them seated with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

Jay-Z’s REFORM Alliance Casino Night and Gala in Atlantic City drew major star power, but a photo of him and Beyoncé seated at a table with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner has sparked backlash across social media.

On Sept. 13, Jay-Z joined REFORM Alliance partners Michael Rubin and Meek Mill to host the second annual Casino Night Gala at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, raising more than $20 million for criminal justice reform with the help of a star-studded guest list, NBC News reported. Kevin Hart, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft were among the celebrities in attendance, with several taking the stage to perform, including The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Ice Spice, Quavo, and DJ Khaled.

The night was filled with high-stakes gambling and A-list mingling, but what grabbed the most attention online was a photo of Jay-Z and Beyoncé seated at a table with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, sparking outrage among many fans.

https://twitter.com/abenaissance/status/1967348175850897829

Photos posted by Beyoncé fan page Abenaissance on X showed the Carters seated with Trump and Kushner, alongside other celebrity sightings, including Tom Brady and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez. After the image drew backlash, the fan page eventually muted the post and disabled comments, but it didn’t stop many from sounding off with reposts.

“Everyone is a capitalist, none of these celebs truly care about y’all struggles, yes, they are all part of the elite. Hope that helps,” one person tweeted.

“Laughing at all y’all that put Jay-Z and Beyoncé on a pedestal. They all worship the all-mighty dollar,” another user wrote.

Some critics even speculated whether Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter era signaled a shift toward more conservative American themes, with a few going as far as to label her a MAGA supporter.

“I wonder why no one’s calling her maga for hanging out with them…” one user tweeted.

“This exaggerated USA aesthetic was always weird but soooo obvious…” another user quipped.

This exaggerated USA aesthetic was always weird but soooo obvious… https://t.co/cHTlcQUarA pic.twitter.com/RM7yPL81xa
— ؘ (@themidnightstan) September 15, 2025

Jay-Z’s REFORM Alliance is a bipartisan organization that has worked with both Democrats and Republicans at the state and federal levels to advance criminal justice reform, with a primary focus on transforming probation and parole laws nationwide. Beyoncé, meanwhile, has long supported Democratic candidates, campaigning publicly for Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, and others, support that drew backlash from conservatives last year. Her presence alongside her husband in his bipartisan efforts is hardly surprising. Yet, the photo of the Carters seated with Trump and Kushner has prompted fresh speculation about their political leanings, a reminder of the great influence celebrity appearances hold in political spaces.

by Keka Araújo

September 16, 2025

Free Speech On Trial: Texas Tech University Student Arrested And Expelled After Outburst At Charlie Kirk Vigil

The incident has highlighted the complexities of free speech on a public university campus.

An 18-year-old Texas Tech University student was arrested and subsequently expelled after a video surfaced showing her making offensive comments at a vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, university officials and law enforcement confirmed. The incident, which occurred Sept. 12, has sparked a conversation on campus about free speech and community values.

The Texas Tech Police Department arrested the student, identified as Camryn Giselle Booker, after she was filmed shouting at other students gathered near the Student Union Building. According to a statement from the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Booker was charged with a Class C misdemeanor for assault. While this is the lowest level of criminal offense in Texas, the university took swift action. A statement from the Texas Tech Police Department confirmed the arrest, and a university spokesperson later told FOX 4 News that Booker was no longer enrolled.

It’s important to note that Texas Tech University is a public institution.

“Any behavior that denigrates victims of violence is reprehensible, has no place on our campus, and is not aligned with our values,” Texas Tech said in a statement. The university added that, while federal law prevents it from discussing individual student conduct cases, it takes all reported violations seriously and addresses them in accordance with university policy and law.

First Amendment Protections and Campus Policy

The incident was captured on video, showing a tense exchange between Booker and students at the vigil. In the footage, Booker appears to confront a man wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, at one point saying, “F–k y’all homie dead, he got shot in the head.”

When accused of being hateful, she turned her camera on the man, asking him why he was being hateful. Tensions escalated, with Booker claiming she was being called “aggressive because I’m a Black woman.”

The incident has highlighted the complexities of free speech on a public university campus. The U.S. Supreme Court has long maintained that First Amendment protections apply with full force on college campuses, referring to them as a “marketplace of ideas” where “free, robust, and uninhibited debate” is encouraged.

However, as laid out in its code of conduct, Texas Tech reserves the right to address behavior that infringes on the rights of other students or is significantly detrimental to its educational mission. This includes conduct that occurs online or off-campus.

Booker was released from jail on a $200 bond on Saturday, and a representative for her declined to comment on the matter.

Following the incident, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott weighed in on the situation via a post on X, sharing a photo of Booker’s arrest with the caption, “This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech. FAFO.”

This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech.

FAFO https://t.co/eaFMdWKsIS pic.twitter.com/q6z0X2tLLQ
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 15, 2025

Kirk was killed earlier this month while giving a speech at a university in Utah.

by Kandiss Edwards

September 16, 2025

Black Student Found Hanging From Tree At Delta University In Mississippi

The police chief and coroner's office claim there was no foul play involved in the hanging, though a proper autopsy has yet to be conducted.

On September 15, Demartravian “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old student, was found hanging from a tree at Delta State University.

Trey was found hanging at approximately 7 a.m., near the university’s pickleball court at the center of the University’s campus. Initially, law enforcement claimed there was no foul play involved in the death of the Mississippi native. However, the announcement of “no foul play” comes without evidence.

Local law enforcement has not yet presented information on the scene nor an autopsy report, as Reed was found only one day ago at the time of publication. Delta University’s Police Chief Mike Peeler slightly amended that assertion. In a press conference, Reed did not suffer any visible broken bones, lacerations or contusions that would suggest he was assaulted before the hanging.

“We do know that again, a young male student was actually a student here… was found, his body was discovered hanging from a tree. But pending an investigation, further investigation also, from the medical examiner’s office. We won’t have more information until that part has been done,” said Peeler during a press conference.

The Bolivar County Coroner’s office echoed Peeler’s information in a statement to the press.

“At 7:32 a.m., the Bolivar County Coroner’s office was notified by the Cleveland Police Department regarding an unresponsive individual on the campus of Delta State University. At 8:08 a.m., representatives from the coroner’s office arrived on the scene and observed an unresponsive subject hanging from a tree,” the statement reads. “At this current time, we are conducting a thorough death investigation. Based on the preliminary examination, we can confirm that the deceased did not suffer any lacerations, contusions, compound fractures, broken bones, or injuries consistent with an assault. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the individual was physically attacked before his death.”

Delta University President Dan Ennis said he’s reached out to Reed’s family and expressed his sadness for the entire Delta community.

“Our community is deeply saddened by this loss,” Ennis said in a statement. “I have spoken to Trey’s family and expressed our heartbreak.”

A young man on TikTok, @yungtriple3, is sounding the alarm and suggesting foul play. The young man identified himself as Reed’s cousin and urged his followers to spread the story to enhance visibility.

@yungtriple3 I will be reporting on this #fyp #mississippi #deltastateuniversity #treyreed #justicefortrey ♬ original sound – YungTriple3

@yungtriple3 said: “Please do your research on this. Do not let them sweep this under the rug. Enough is enough.”

Peeler stressed that the University is under no current threat and is safe to continue normal operations as of Sep. 16.

“I just want to confirm, this is a safe campus. Delta State University is a beautiful place to be. It’s just unfortunate this loss that comes heavily to our campus,” Peeler said.

Delta University is celebrating its centennial in the Mississippi community. As a result of Reed’s death, all centennial events were canceled Sept. 15.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 16, 2025

Did Shedeur Sanders Sabotage Suiting Up For The Baltimore Ravens?

Sanders wanted to get drafted elsewhere to move up the slots for starting quarterback.

A new NFL Draft news leak revealed more insight into Shedeur Sanders’ controversial fifth-round selection.

As many suspected, the top-ranked quarterback was supposed to get picked up before his official 144th selection by the Cleveland Browns. However, the 23-year-old athlete reportedly stopped his own bag when another team had plans to choose him. NFL insider and journalist, Adam Schefter, dropped the shocking news.

Ravens planned to take Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, but before Baltimore could turn in the card, the former Colorado star let it be known that he didn’t want to be on a roster with Lamar Jackson, where he would be a backup. https://t.co/v1om447zHN
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 14, 2025

The Baltimore Ravens reportedly had plans to bring Sanders to Charm City to fill out their quarterback slots. However, league sources told Schefter that Sanders asked the franchise to go another way.

The young QB allegedly did not want to sit as backup behind star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson is already a two-time MVP with the Ravens and is in good health, making Sanders’ playing time with the franchise relatively limited.

Instead, Sanders wanted to play for a team with better opportunities to start as a quarterback. However, Sanders now sits on the third string for a team with four quarterbacks still on its roster.

The Browns already met the Ravens in an early-season matchup on Sept. 14, where Baltimore bested the team with a 41-17 win. Sanders was also approached about the draft leaks in a post-game interview. However, the former Colorado star remained quiet about what happened during the selection process.

“My response is I’m focused on the now,” he said, according to ESPN. “I don’t really talk about anything in the past, and whatever happened in the past, it is what it is. I’m more focused on now. I’m more focused on how this game that we just went and had, and figuring out how to move forward from now.”

Currently, Sanders serves as the third-string quarterback for the Browns as he continues to move up the franchise’s roster.

Lisa Cook, President Trump, mortgage, resignation

by Mitti Hicks

September 16, 2025

Appeals Court Rules Federal Reserve Gov Lisa Cook Can Keep Her Job For Now

No president has fired a sitting Federal Reserve governor in the independent agency’s 112-year history.

Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor whom President Donald Trump recently tried to fire, can keep her job for now. An appeals court ruled Cook can remain a governor on Sept. 15 ahead of a key vote on interest rates that begins Tuesday.

As CBS News reports, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decided 2-1 in declining to grant the Trump administration’s emergency relief that would have allowed Trump to remove Cook. The court ruled that Cook’s due process rights were violated because the administration did not give her a formal opportunity to respond to the charges.

However, even with the appeals court ruling, this isn’t the end of the legal fight between the Trump administration and Cook. Trump is expected to turn to the Supreme Court in an unprecedented move to unseat Cook. Meanwhile, Cook is suing the administration to block her firing.

As the Associated Press reports, the Fed’s seven-member governing board was designed to be largely independent. No president has fired a sitting Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history.

Trump Moves To Oust Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook Over’ Mortgage Fraud’

Trump moved to oust Cook from the Fed’s Board of Governors last month over allegations of mortgage fraud for claiming two properties as “primary residences” in July 2021, before joining the board. Such claims could lead to a lower mortgage rate and smaller down payment than if one of them were declared as a rental property or second home. Cook denies all wrongdoing.

According to the Federal Reserve website, Cook took office as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on May 23, 2022, to fill an unexpired term that ended on Jan. 31, 2024. She was reappointed and sworn into the position on Sept. 13, 2023, for a term ending Jan. 21, 2038.

Before serving on the board, she was a professor of economics and international relations at Michigan State University. She served as the director of the American Economic Association Summer Training Program from 2018 to 2021 and also worked as a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Currently, Cook is the only Black woman serving as a governor of the Federal Reserve.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 16, 2025

Know Your Rights To ‘Free Speech’ In The Workplace Before You Post On The Internet

Your job could be at risk every time you click post.

Many employers are cracking down on individuals for publicly voicing their opinions on controversial matters. This makes knowing one’s rights to “free speech” as important as ever.

Several major companies from Delta Airlines to The Washington Post, have fired employees who voiced their feelings surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk. Kirk was fatally shot Sept. 10, leaving behind a legacy of anti-Black and hateful rhetoric that left some with little empathy toward his death.

However, expressing these negative emotions surrounding the slain man on the internet, who government officials have otherwise lifted up as a political martyr, has left these naysayers on the outs with their employers. While Americans do have the right to free speech, using this freedom gets tricky when it comes to the workplace.

11Alive spoke to a civil rights attorney from Atlanta, to explain how one should navigate publicizing their views, especially as it could trigger consequences in the workplace. While many assume their rights are upheld no matter the situation, the litigator actually confirmed the opposite.

“I get a lot of phone calls, ‘Hey this violates my first amendment right!” shared attorney Larry Pankey. “I go, ‘Well, that’s an easy one. You have no rights.'”

Pankey shared that the difference really depends on if one works in the public or private sector. For employees of a private company, what you say can be held against you.

“With a private employee, you really have no rights. A private employer is really in business of making money and if they feel your behavior online, on the weekend, or on your own time makes them look bad, they can choose to let you go and you will have no rights,” he said.

However, public sector employees do not fair much better with free speech. While they have a bit more leeway, government employers can easily decide that one’s statement disrupts their work.

“They provide what they call a balancing test. While you are allowed and you have rights to engage in the first amendment, if that right interferes with the governments ability to do its job, it will be outweighed possibly and the government’s right could take over. You could be punished or terminated,” explained Pankey.

For those unsure on how writing that post may impact their next check, Pankey emphasized looking through the employee handbook. He also encouraged a review on if this internet beef feels worth the potential firing.

“Remember your family and your livelihood. Is it really worth engaging with someone on the internet in an argument? If you truly value your job and you can’t afford to lose it, the best thing to say is nothing at all.”