Trinidad and Tobago PM Praises Caribbean Strike While Encouraging U.S. To ‘Violently’ Kill Traffickers
After Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleged the drugs were heading to Trinidad and other Caribbean nations, Persad-Bissessar celebrated the Navy’s success.
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar issued praise to the U.S. after the military issued a strike on a boat suspected of carrying drugs through the Caribbean, in addition to encouraging the U.S. to keep up with the violent killings, Associated Press reports.
President Donald Trump made the Sept. 2 announcement that 11 people on the boat that left Venezuela, in proximity to Trinidad and Tobago, were killed. After Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleged the drugs were heading to Trinidad and other Caribbean nations, Persad-Bissessar celebrated the Navy’s success.
“I, along with most of the country, am happy that the U.S. naval deployment is having success in their mission,” Persad-Bissessar said in a statement.
“The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers; the U.S. military should kill them all violently.”
Her celebration comes as the Caribbean nation has suffered from an influx of violence, resulting in two states of emergencies. The Prime Minister said restrictions on illegal guns, drugs, and human trafficking could result in a decrease in violence moving forward.
“Our country has been ravaged by bloody violence and addiction because of the greed of the cartels,” Persad-Bissessar said. “The slaughter of our people is fueled by evil cartel traffickers.”
According to PBS, Trump alleged the boat hit in the strike was operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. While the White House failed to explain how the U.S. military concluded that those aboard were gang members, in July 2025, Trinidad and Tobago government officials labeled Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization, meaning officials have the authority to freeze any property, funds, or assets controlled or owned by the gang.
It has been confirmed that the gang has a presence in Trinidad, but on a small scale. A high-ranking police official familiar with the gang’s dealings says Tren de Aragua works with bigger gangs to collect money or conduct business, but never stays in the same dwellings.
Leaders may look at the attacks as being necessary since organized crime groups are a “huge threat” to human rights in Latin America. Still, advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch argue that there is a better way to approach it. Americas director Juanita Goebertus feels regional governments should focus on strengthening their judicial capacity to eliminate them. “If the circumstances around this strike are exactly as the administration describes them, it would amount to an extrajudicial execution, prohibited under international law,” Goebertus said.
As Persad-Bissessar was very vocal on her feelings toward the strike, fellow Caribbean leaders kept their feelings seemingly reserved, some even giving the U.S. the side-eye. Since Rubio warned similar strikes will occur again, the Foreign Minister of Barbados, Kerrie Symmonds, issued a letter requesting an open line of communication on developments from the U.S. so they aren’t kept in the dark about any moves against Venezuela.
In a post on X with corresponding imagery of the bombing, Colombian President Gustavo Petro labeled the attack as murder. He questioned the operation, saying the South American country has been capturing drug lords for years without violence. “If this is true, it is a murder anywhere in the world,” he wrote.
“We have been capturing civilians who transport drugs for decades without killing them. Those who transport drugs are not the big narcos, but the very poor young people from the Caribbean and the Pacific.”
Michael Irvin Discusses Taking Care Of Wife After Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
The former Dallas Cowboy great talked about it on Shannon Sharpe's Club Shay Shay
Former NFL player Michael Irvin spoke about dealing with the effects of his wife’s condition after she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s last year.
According to Complex, the It Is What It Is analyst appeared on NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay platform and discussed how he has been dealing with taking care of his wife of over 35 years, Sandy. The couple met while in college, and he states that, although she was diagnosed with the disease, he is still her primary caretaker and she is still living with him.
After noticing a change in her behaviour about 10 years ago, the former Dallas Cowboys player initially thought it was menopause. Still, after burying his own mother, who also had Alzheimer’s Disease, they decided to have Sandy tested.
“With the support that she’s given me over the years… I’m 59, and we recognized some things were going wrong with her about ten years ago,” Irvin told Sharpe. “We thought it was menopause, you know, you go through it and start going to the doctor. Now, I’m coming off of burying my mother-in-law. My mom- she had Alzheimer’s. My mother-in-law was living with us ’cause she had Alzheimer’s, and we were taking care of her.”
After more than a year of testing, Sandy was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. She is getting 24-hour care, and Irvin has hired a nurse to help him with taking care of his wife. He states that she is not living in a facility, although it’s difficult. He noted that if there is anyone who deserves to be in her home, it’s Sandy.
He does mention that she does not recognize anyone, even him, although about three months ago, she acknowledged him and said, “Come here, baby.”
“She doesn’t recognize anyone. You know, it’s funny for the first time about three months ago, and I promise you, man, in at least seven-eight years before, she looked at me and held her hands out like, “Come here, baby.” And she hadn’t done that in seven to eight years. About six years ago, she came, and we were in the room, and she looked at me, like,” Who is this in my bed?” And that’s when I knew, I can’t be in the room anymore. So I had to go to the other room, because she was like, ‘Hey, who’s the man in my bed?”
The USTA Foundation Announces New Initiative With The Williams Sisters
The Williams Family Excellence Program will help more than 2,500 young people, ages 13 to 25, annually by 2035, as the program will focus on career development and educational opportunities
The USTA Foundation has just announced that tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams are partnering with the organization to launch the Williams Family Excellence Program.
The foundation is the charity and social impact arm of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The program featuring the Williams sisters has been organized to provide academic support, career pathways, and mentorship opportunities for young people from under-resourced communities.
The announcement was made from the U.S. Open, taking place in New York City.
“We are honored to have this program named after our family and are proud to partner with the USTA Foundation to help create the leaders of tomorrow,” said Venus and Serena Williams in a written statement. “Our parents always encouraged us to strive for excellence, and tennis provided us the platform and opportunity to follow our dreams and achieve those moments. We truly believe this program will continue using the sport to provide others the opportunity to dream big and leave their own marks.”
The initiative aims to support more than 2,500 young people, aged 13 to 25, each year by 2035, focusing on career development and educational opportunities that utilize tennis as a powerful catalyst for change.
“This initiative stands as a living legacy to the Williams family—a tribute not only to Venus and Serena’s extraordinary achievements on the court, but to the unwavering determination, sacrifice, and resilience that define their family’s journey,” said Kathleen Wu, president of the USTA Foundation Board of Directors. “They didn’t just break barriers—they paved a new road. And now, through this Initiative, that road will remain open for generations of young people from under-resourced communities, giving them the tools, the inspiration, and the opportunity to pursue greatness in all areas of life.”
The Williams Family Excellence Program will be an extension of the work that the USTA Foundation does as it supports 300 community-based programs offering tennis, education, and mentorship to more than 200,000 young people from the same type of under-resourced communities that the foundation has helped in 2025 alone.
Mother Of 2 Loses Everything After Wrongful Eviction
Ferguson police have labeled the incident a burglary
Ferguson, Missouri, resident Storm Burris was the victim of a false eviction, leaving her with no belongings.
Burris, a mother of two, returned home to find her apartment emptied and her belongings dumped in trash bags outside her door. The incident happened at the Renewal Heights Apartments complex in Ferguson. Burris and her children were left with nothing but questions about what went wrong.
Burris had dropped her children off at school. She expected to return to a normal afternoon but was unprepared for what she discovered. Nearly all of her possessions were removed from the home. They were placed in trash bags and strewn about the hallway leading to her unit.
“I came home, and everything … it was everywhere,” she told KSDK. “They were pointing to the trash can. When I took a good look at it, it was all my babies’ stuff in it, and I was in shock.”
Sources say the mix-up occurred during a failed maintenance or eviction process. Renewal Heights staff cleared the wrong unit despite Burris having paid her rent in full. Local tenant advocates were outraged. The false eviction is a violation of the legal protections provided to tenants. Many Missouri jurisdictions require landlords to provide notice before disposing of items that have value.
For Burris, the loss isn’t just about property. Her life has been greatly inconvenienced, creating instability for her children. Furthermore, the family suffered the loss of irreplaceable keepsakes, including childhood pictures and mementos.
Property management offered to give Burris $5,000 and one month free on her next month’s rent. Still, she believes the amount is far too low as her apartment contained valuable items.
“My son’s bedroom set, two new generation iPads, my son and daughter had cars they could drive when they could charge them up, Pandora jewelry, Kay jewelry, a safe, and I had an engagement ring that was $2,000 alone,” she said.
“I do everything I am supposed to do, and this just really set me back a lot,” she said. “I believe this story needs to be heard because it shows how easily families can lose everything through no fault of their own, and how little accountability exists when a landlord or eviction team makes such a catastrophic mistake. I am asking for accountability, community support, and a chance to rebuild my life for my children.”
Police have labeled the incident a burglary, but no official suspects have been identified.
But Why? Trump Wants To Rebrand Department of Defense To ‘Department of War’
In March 2025, Hegseth even created a poll on social media to see how American voters felt about the potential name change.
In a random move, President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order that will rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War, in an effort to instill a tough image for America’s military, The Associated Press reported.
The plans were announced by an anonymous White House official ahead of the public announcement, scheduled for September 5. However, he can’t change the name formally without legislation that would need to come from a request from Congress — something Trump initially claimed he was unaware of. Before that happens, the Republican president will authorize the Pentagon to use “secondary titles” so the department can go by its original name.
Former Fox News host and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth seemingly supports the change. He posted “DEPARTMENT OF WAR” on X following news of the announcement.
This isn’t the first time Trump and Hegseth have hinted at a name change, including the Secretary of Defense being able to use the title of Secretary of War, according to ABC News. “We’re just going to do it. I’m sure Congress will go along if we need that. I don’t think we even need that,” Trump said in August 2025.
In March 2025, Hegseth even created a poll on social media to see how American voters felt about it.
History tells us that the Department of War was created to oversee the Army, Navy and Marine Corps in 1789 when the U.S. Constitution took effect. In 1947, two years after World War II ended, President Harry Truman consolidated all armed forces under a single agency, thereby establishing the Department of Defense by law.
Richard Kohn, a professor of military history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said Truman’s decision corresponded to war being bigger than just fighting. “It was clear from World War II that warfare was going to be joint and combined, so it was just necessary … It was clear to some as early as the 1930s that you would have to integrate military affairs and war and preparations for war, the Treasury Department,” with “intelligence, allied policy issues and domestic industrial policy,” he said.
The new name attempt is the latest from Hegseth to make cultural changes to the Pentagon since taking office. Focusing on eliminating “woke culture,” the result has been the removal of hundreds of books in the military academies, including literature on the Holocaust and a Maya Angelou memoir. He also scrubbed websites honoring contributions by women and minority groups.
As Hegseth celebrated the potential name change, former Ohio state Senator Nina Turner proposed a different idea: cutting funding to the war department.
The hardest hit sectors will be retail, finance, education, and real estate, according to analysts.
A new report from The Gerald Huff Fund for Humanity reveals that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to impact tens of millions of jobs in the United States. In its groundbreaking report titled “Impact of AI on Workers in the United States,” researchers concluded that AI could impact more than 45 million jobs by 2028.
Nonprofit leaders say the report serves as a warning that action is needed as Americans enter an “economic upheaval on a scale seen only once a century.”
“We can’t retrain our way out of this,” said Gisele Huff, founder and president at the Gerald Huff Fund for Humanity.
Huff created the nonprofit in 2019 to honor her husband, Gerald Huff. He died in 2018 from pancreatic cancer. Before his passing,Gerald was a principal software engineer at Tesla and became an advocate for developing solutions to the problem of technological unemployment. He was a staunch advocate for Universal Basic Income (UBI).
“UBI is a transitional solution and is essential to give people the security and agency to navigate AI-driven change,” Gisele Huff added.
About The Report On AI Impact on the U.S. Economy
The study analyzed 745 occupations across 20 major U.S. industries using labor data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET database and the NAICS industry classification system. Each occupation was evaluated for an “AI Disruption Score,” which examined the likelihood of tasks within the role being automated by AI. Other factors evaluated include an AI creation score, which analyzes the potential for AI to create new functions or job categories.
Unfortunately, the Retail Trade sector faces the highest projected impact with an estimated 6.6 million jobs at risk, according to the report. Healthcare and Social Assistance (6.4 million jobs) is closely behind retail. Educational Services (4.6 million jobs) and Finance and Insurance (2.2 million jobs) are also top industries that AI could impact.
Other Key Findings From The Report Include:
Shift in Automation: AI is advancing into white-collar, cognitive, and administrative work, encompassing areas such as HR and finance, customer service, education, and healthcare, in addition to physical labor.
Skill Protection – Human-centric skills, such as empathy, adaptability, and judgment, will be the most effective defense against automation, according to analysts.
Retraining Limits – Historical trends suggest that retraining alone often leads to lower wages and long-term income loss.
New Orleans Nonprofit Rebuilds Learning Pipeline Post-Katrina With ‘Black Is Brilliant’ Summit
BE NOLA has spearheaded the efforts to strengthen and retain Black educators in Crescent City.
In a city still treading the impact and history of Hurricane Katrina, Black Education for New Orleans is doing its part to rebuild its learning environments.
The organization was founded after noticing the steep decline of educators in New Orleans following Katrina, with the number of Black teachers reduced by over 20%, as reported by The Guardian. With a noticeable gap in available teachers, and a shift that took Black educators out of the majority, BE NOLA sought to remedy this issue.
BE NOLA has dedicated itself to retaining, strengthening, and amplifying Black teachers in Crescent City. With New Orleans still known for its “chocolate city” population, having educators who represent the population remains a priority. Their mission and work ensure every generation of students has access to a quality education, while teachers foster their brilliance by uplifting their identities and intelligence.
Through their advocacy and programming, BE NOLA has long-term goals to rebuild the Black teacher population in New Orleans, while also researching and codifying communal and culturally specific curricula that champion Black students in the classroom. Co-led by Adrinda Kelly and Stevona Elem Rogers, BE NOLA’s work has gained considerable traction, leading it to its fifth annual “Black is Brilliant” Summit.
Taking place October 2-5 at the Barnett Hotel and Xavier University of Louisiana, the Black is Brilliant Summit will bring out Black academic leaders, educators, and advocates to discuss the achievements and challenges surrounding this mission for equitable education. Especially prevalent amid the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, this year’s summit will address the education issues still limiting New Orleans’ schools.
While focused on educating New Orleans’ future, the event will also showcase the city’s artistic legacy with film, music, and visual arts central to its programming. Amid conversations on advancing educational opportunities for both teachers and students, the summit will feature line dance sessions, art galleries, as well as an R&B sing-off and a “504-style” block party to keep the culture at the center.
On Oct. 3, the Summit will host a screening of Katrina Babies, a 2022 film that showcases the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans’ youth. The night will conclude through a post-film discussion with the movie’s director, Edward Buckles Jr., and writer, Cierra Chenier, as attendees engage in tours of the city’s vibrant history.
The following days will feature fireside chats with renowned educators and scholars, including civil rights activist and academic Dr. Howard Fuller and critical race theorist Dr. Camika Royal. With virtual panels on reclaiming Black education and a “Reading with a Rapper” experience to blend hip-hop with this academic initiative, the Black is Brilliant Summit explores the holistic fight for a Black education.
“The Black is Brilliant Summit, marking the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, brings together educators, artists, and community leaders to honor Black New Orleans and its global impact,” explained Elem-Rogers, BE NOLA’s Founding Visionary and Chief of Community Programs and Partnerships, in a statement shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “It’s a space where national insight meets local genius, full of honest conversation, cultural celebration, and meaningful connection. By grounding ourselves in the land of Bulbancha and its layered history, the Summit invites us to reflect, imagine, and move toward what’s next in Black education and leadership.”
With Black educational excellence at the forefront, BE NOLA and the Black is Brilliant Summit remain committed to re-shaping New Orleans schools to uplift Black students as they become the next generation of scholar-leaders. Tickets for the “SOULcial” summit also remain available.
NBA Opens Probe Into Kawhi Leonard’s Controversial Endorsement Deal
There was a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration (a company Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested in)
After an investigative story by journalist Pablo Torre stating that the Los Angeles Clippers may have skirted salary cap rules regarding an endorsement contract between Kawhi Leonard and a company that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had a large investment in, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has stated that they are looking into the possibility that the franchise committed any wrongdoing.
According to The Associated Press, Torre stated that the endorsement deal that Leonard signed did not require him to do anything to receive payments from a company named Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC, a sustainability services company. The company filed for bankruptcy this year after Aspiration’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud. Torre stated that there is no record of Leonard doing any endorsing publicly.
There was a $28 million endorsement contract between Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration. The contract was inked after Lenard signed a four-year, $176 million extension with the Clippers in 2021. However, Torre discovered that Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration, and a $300 million partnership was announced in September 2021.
The NBA stated Sept. 3 that it will investigate if the contract between Leonard and Aspiration allowed the Clippers to circumvent league salary cap rules.
“We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.
Yet, the Clippers have denied trying to circumvent league rules and stated that they ended their relationship with Aspiration after two years, following the company’s default on its contract.
“Neither the Clippers nor Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap,” the Clippers said. “The notion that Steve invested in Aspiration in order to funnel money to Kawhi Leonard is absurd. Steve invested because Aspiration’s co-founders presented themselves as committed to doing right by their customers while protecting the environment.
“After a long campaign of market manipulation, which defrauded not only Steve but numerous other investors and sports teams, Aspiration filed for bankruptcy. … Neither Steve nor the Clippers had knowledge of any improper activity by Aspiration or its co-founder until after the government initiated its investigation.”
Carlos King’s Journey From Showrunner To CEO: ‘Underdogs Can Become The Top Dogs’
Carlos King reflects on his rise from showrunner to a media mogul leading much of OWN’s most-watched original programming,
After years of shaping hit reality shows, Carlos King has built his own media empire that’s redefining Black excellence and inspiring Black creatives with his blueprint for ownership and authenticity.
As founder and CEO of Kingdom Reign Entertainment, King helms the powerhouse reality hits like the Love & Marriage franchise and Belle Collective—standout series on OWN that have contributed to most of the network’s original programming. King’s reach on OWN is an unprecedented feat in a space with few Black-owned players.
By driving major revenue for a Black-owned network while retaining both creative control and ownership of his intellectual property, King exemplifies the economic power of Black-owned media. But to King, a proud Detroit native, his journey from employee to employer reflects his larger mission to serve as an “agent of change” in an industry where true ownership remains rare.
“While I was a showrunner for The Real Housewives of Atlanta, I was really at a point in my career where I wanted to start being at the head of the table making decisions and being an agent of change,” King tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “So showrunning that show for I believe it was three years, two years actually at that point, I just wanted to really start a Black-owned production company.”
“I wanted to be the first one doing it so that the cast had somebody who was the owner of the company who looked just like them.”
King’s leap into ownership proved transformative when he launched Kingdom Reign Entertainment and debuted Love & Marriage: Huntsville on OWN in 2019. What began as a fresh take on reality storytelling quickly became a breakout success, driving strong ratings and audience engagement for the network.
The show’s popularity not only cemented King’s reputation as one of the most powerful voices in unscripted television but marked the beginning of a franchise that would expand and dominate OWN’s primetime slate. For the network, it was a game-changer, delivering consistent viewership, sparking cultural conversations, and positioning OWN as a hub for dynamic, Black-centered reality programming.
King didn’t enter the OWN partnership aiming to dominate primetime; his focus was simply on producing a great show. He credits his success to concentrating on doing one thing exceptionally well, a principle that has become a cornerstone of his achievements on the network.
“I didn’t go in wanting to have multiple shows on the air. I just wanted to make sure that the first show that I had created, which is Love and Marriage Huntsville, that would be successful,” King shared.
“I put all of my eggs in that basket in terms of creativity, passion, and love into it. And from there, with this show being so successful, it spawned off two other cities, D.C. and Detroit. And it also created Belle Collective. So, for me, I didn’t step out to be this dominant player. I’m thrilled that the success has benefited me to have multiple shows on the air. But the perfect thing is, I just wanted to make sure that the first show I had was a success.
“And for me, I feel like if people can just focus on one thing and do a great job at that, everything else will follow.”
Source: Photo courtesy of Carlos King
With a track record producing hit seasons of The Real Housewives and Love and Hip-Hop franchises, along with standalone series like BET Presents: The Encore, Hollywood Divas, Gucci Mane and Keyshia Ka’oir: The Mane Event, and Selling It: In The ATL, among many others, King knows exactly what drives audience engagement in reality television.
That experience proved invaluable when he cast Love & Marriage: Huntsville, selecting real-life friends and married couples working in real estate in Huntsville, Alabama, who were also navigating genuine personal drama. The show quickly became OWN’s No. 1 series, breaking ratings records thanks to its compelling focus on marital dynamics and relationship conflicts.
King credits the cast’s authenticity and relatability as the key factors that not only attracted viewers but kept them coming back, paving the way for the franchise’s expansion and the growth of his content empire on the network.
“When it comes to Love and Marriage Huntsville, I strongly believe the audience really felt like they had somebody they could relate to,” King explains. “You have three different couples, who were going through three different milestones in their lives and their relationship. So the audience definitely felt the need to, you know, relate to the whole.”
From Melody and Martell Holt’s infidelity struggles playing out on screen, to Kimmie and Maurice Scott’s marriage and blended family journey, all while LaTisha and Marsau Scott adjusted to a housewife entering the workforce, viewers found a range of authentic, relatable experiences in the cast, King explains.
“So I think the relatability is what really made the audience, you know, really, really relate to Huntsville, which was the driving factor into the success that the other shows I’ve done have had,” he added.
Before expanding into new franchises, King honed in on the formula that made Love & Marriage: Huntsville a breakout hit, a strategy he credits to lessons learned while working on powerhouse reality series like The Real Housewives and Love & Hip Hop.
“It was all about making sure that the audience felt that, ‘OK, we love the brand, Love and MarriageHuntsville is a huge success.’ Because when I worked on Love and Hip Hop or when I worked on The Real Housewives, it was always about making sure that the first engine, which we call the mothership, was a success and that the rest will come as long as you sort of follow the formula,” King explained.
“So I wanted to follow that formula with building out the scene in Detroit, which was find couples who are relatable, who have a story to tell, so that the audience felt like, ‘OK, on Huntsville, we have these amazing cast members, but we’re also looking forward to getting to know other couples where their storylines are somewhat similar but different in their approach, but they can find relatability there too.”
The leap from showrunner to media mogul wasn’t an easy one, especially as King found himself stepping into rooms where he once took direction, now as the one giving it. That transition from employee to employer proved to be one of his biggest challenges.
“The biggest thing was making sure that the network respected me as a CEO, because for years, they’ve known me as a producer, as a showrunner,” King says. “So then to be able to be the CEO of a production company, I wanted to make sure that they saw me as that and saw somebody who was able from soup to nuts to handle the logistics of producing a show, but also managed the creative side of it as well.
“So, that’s honestly been my story that I hope others can relate to when it comes to transitioning from one phase to the next and making sure that those people who may have saw you climb the ladder, that they see you as the person you’ve grown to be versus the person that you were,” he adds.
Source: Photo courtesy of Carlos King
For King, the balance between creativity and ownership comes down to building the right team, so he can stay focused on telling stories.
“It’s all about hiring people to do what they love. So with me, creativity is my strongest suit. That’s what I’m known for,” King says. “My shows, you have the Carlos King DNA in them. When it comes to making sure that the financial part of the company is doing well, I have a great team of people who are put in place to really make sure that that’s happening. And that’s happening in a way where the networks and the buyers and the cast who get paid, they can also be like, ‘OK, this is also being handled just as beautifully and wonderfully as the creative.'”
“So I would say for people, you gotta hire the right people to do the right job. And that’s exactly what I’ve done,” he adds.
In TV and film, keeping creative control isn’t easy, but King has managed to protect his vision and brand while making sure Black stories are told authentically. The way he brings real-life stories to the screen, King says, is something for the history books.
“For me, it’s always been my goal to tell Black stories because as a Black person growing up in this business, there wasn’t a lot of reality shows back in the day that featured Black people in different worlds,” he shares “So even when you think about the Love and Marriage franchise, it’s the first show of its kind where it’s about an ensemble group of couples. So it’s not about a group of women, and the husbands are the background players. This show, they have equal footing because for me, Black couples that I’ve been around, they both have a voice, and I wanted to make sure that that was shown at the forefront.”
King continues. “So, for me, it’s always about telling different Black stories that haven’t been told. So, doing a show about Black men, Black women, they have a voice, even when they get a divorce, we’re still following both. We’re following the divorced couple in their individual endeavors, because again, just because a couple’s divorced doesn’t mean that the man’s story is no longer interesting. If anything, you want to kind of see how they navigate through divorce. So I think that’s something that will go down in history as something we’ve done first and then very successfully.”
Reality TV is no stranger to drama, whether it’s physical altercations, lawsuits, or messy firings; it’s rare for a hit show to thrive without chaos spilling off-screen. Yet, under Kingdom Reign, King has built a slate of shows that keep audiences hooked without getting him or his cast canceled.
Through his hit podcast Reality with the King, King is able to dive deeper into the world of reality television with stars past and present to unpack untold stories, revisit unfinished drama, and give fans the behind-the-scenes tea they crave. For King, these conversations aren’t just entertainment; they give him valuable insight he can bring back to his own productions.
“The beauty of my podcast, Reality with the King, is I’m always able to have takeaways from my interviews, whether it’s being on a personal level or professional level,” he says. “I always look at situations and say, ‘Huh, maybe there’s opportunities to, you know, rearrange the way we do business with this person or that person or this show or that show.’ It’s been a joy and a privilege of being in that position as a way of me as the owner of the company, to say, ‘Wow, I feel horrible that they dealt with that.’ But I also need to take inventory and say, ‘What do I need to do to make sure that nobody on my show feels the same way.'”
King has experienced it all, going from taking orders to giving them, and in the process, he’s mastered every angle of the media game. That’s no small feat, especially for a Black man carving out space in such a competitive industry. Now, as the next generation of Black creatives works to secure deals that protect both their ownership and their vision, King has some advice of his own to share.
“It’s OK to invoke change in your goals. You have to look at where your particular industry is at from a creative level, financial level, business level, and find ways to be adaptive,” he said. “And it doesn’t mean that you’re not living up to your potential. It just means that the type of position that you thought you would have, you have to look overall and say, ‘Huh, where is this business at this particular time?’ And if you really do that and understand that the innovative ways will come out of it. And you need to be able to accept the change, accept the innovation. And it’s OK to sometimes say, ‘Let me regroup and figure out things in another way.’ Don’t feel indebted to one thing, one person, one business, one position, if your heart and soul is telling you to do something different.”
King continues. “So with me, I had a great time producing shows as a showrunner. And it wasn’t anything bad that happened. But it was my soul saying ‘There’s something more you need to do.’ And that’s what I took the leap of faith to do it.”
“So stop waiting for something bad to happen in order for you to seek change that your soul and spirit is telling you that your time is now to do something else.”
With more than 25 producer credits, a hit podcast expanding his influence in reality TV, and a production company that anchors OWN’s primetime lineup, King has fully realized his vision of being an agent of change in television. Still, he approaches his success with humility, seeing himself not just as a trailblazer but as someone opening doors for the next generation of Black media entrepreneurs.
“The biggest thing for me is making sure that they understand first and foremost that I’m just like them. Just because my career has, you know, been publicized, it doesn’t make me non-relatable,” King says, before reflecting on his journey from showrunner to CEO.
“If anything, it’s making sure that they see somebody who, whether you’re a producer, a cam operator, sound person, is really just seeing somebody who started off as an intern, then a PA, and then had every single position after that, was able to become an entrepreneur because it’s what works for me,” he says. “Entrepreneurship is not for everybody, and I think people should understand their strong suit to see if it’s best to be in the driver’s seat or is it best to be a passenger? And I think we have to really talk about the success that passengers have, and I don’t think that gets talked about enough.
“Everybody wants to be an entrepreneur, but a lot of people don’t have the stamina. They just don’t have the stomach to deal with it.
“It’s not easy at all. So look at what your strong suits are in any business that you’re doing, and then apply it that works best for you, your personality, and then hire the right people to do the other jobs that you’re gonna be good at.”
King recalls being belittled or berated by superiors, experiences that stayed with him and now drive him to treat everyone he encounters with respect and to lead by example. When it comes to his legacy, King wants to show underdogs and the principled players in the cutthroat entertainment world that staying true, maintaining integrity, and treating others with respect can ultimately lead to their moment in the spotlight.
“I would like for every person who has ever been the underdog to know that underdogs become top dogs and that nice guys and girls and they do finish first,” he says. “I do believe in that, yes, be strong, stand up for yourself and pick your battles. But, also, you don’t have to be this maniacal, mean human in order to be respected. An, yes, we may have grown up and see that be rewarded, but I have also seen those people fall from grace.”
King continues, “So stay true to who you are, stay humble, be kind, stand up for yourself, get your point across, but don’t ever feel the need to be mean. And I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve learned. I’ve learned from people who were mean to me as an intern or a PA or as an executive. And I knew how that made me feel, and I vowed to never make anyone I come in contact with ever feel that way. So I think there’s also room for success in that. Like it’s OK to be a kind person, but please stand up for yourself. And standing up for yourself doesn’t mean a yelling match.”
The National Museum of African American History Is Under Threat, But This Organization Isn’t Having It
Black history is American history.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) faces possible loss of federal funding after being targeted by a Trump administration executive order 14253, also called “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” America’s History SOS (Save Our Smithsonian), an advocacy group founded by a collective of Black lawyers, is leading the effort to stop the order.
The Save Our Smithsonian organization has launched a petition urging supporters to demand a halt to the executive order, which instructs Vice President J.D. Vance to ensure the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibits align with what they define as “American Greatness.” The order mandates the review and removal of exhibits that would “divide Americans based on race,” “degrade shared American values,” or are “anti-American.
In the petition, organizers criticize the Trump administration’s definition of “American greatness,” which they say seeks to erase Black Americans’ stories and contributions to history.
“The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established to tell the truth of African American history—the struggles, the triumphs, and the countless contributions African Americans have made to the United States of America. For generations, Americans of all backgrounds fought to establish the Museum—not only to honor the history and contributions of African Americans, but out of a deep conviction that the nation must reckon with its past and finally honor and acknowledge the truth,“ the Change.org petition reads.
Save Our Smithsonian organizers say the executive order attempts to rewrite history and erase the history of slavery, discrimination, and violence brought against Black people in America.
“Whitewashing this shared history isn’t just an attack on the Museum’s integrity—it’s an assault on America’s collective memory.”
The petition calls on the president to rescind Executive Order 14253 and urges that NMAAHC and the Smithsonian stay free from political influence.
Soon after its release in March 2025, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clark condemned the order, calling it ‘blatantly racist.”
“There is nothing divisive or improper about telling the truth. We detest this administration’s dedication to whitewashing our nation’s history. Donald Trump’s idea that the National Museum of African American History and Culture is guilty of distorting our nation’s history or painting our “founding principles” in a “negative light” is patently ridiculous.” Clark said in a statement.
