Predominately Black Community In Indiana Regains Power After Suffering Weeks Without
A severe storm left thousands without electricity in majority-Black Gary, Indiana.
A two-week power outage in Gary, Indiana, has underscored how vulnerable businesses and residents can become when severe weather collides with aging infrastructure.
Thousands of people in the majority-Black city were left without electricity after a powerful storm swept through Northwest Indiana on Aug. 11. State officials estimated that the storm caused up to $5 billion in damage across Gary and other Indiana communities.
“We’re still in the recovery phase, as we speak,” Melton said.
The outage has also raised questions about the city’s relationship with Northern Indiana Public Service Company, or NIPSCO, the privately owned utility responsible for much of the area’s electricity distribution. Asset management firm Blackstone is a partial owner of NIPSCO’s parent company. Melton, who previously worked for NIPSCO, said he was concerned that Gary was not initially identified separately in the company’s estimated restoration schedule. He said the omission made it difficult for city officials and residents to track the response.
“When we did not see Gary listed in the beginning, it was — it felt as if we were being left behind and overlooked,” Melton said.
Officials in Indiana estimate the storm might have caused up to $5 billion in damage in Gary and other communities. pic.twitter.com/17Oq8vdjUy
The storm has prompted calls for investment in what Melton described as infrastructure “hardening.” He said the utility should examine stronger poles, upgraded transformers, circuitry, and other improvements capable of withstanding increasingly severe storms.
“We’ve never seen wind this strong before,” Melton said. “They need to ensure that the utility grid system is going to sustain that type of wind.”
The city has received a federal natural disaster declaration, with FEMA resources being deployed as recovery continues.
Gary is roughly 80% Black and has experienced decades of economic decline following the loss of industrial jobs. The city once had more than 175,000 residents in the 1960s, but its population is now below 70,000, with about one-third of residents living below the poverty line. Gary is best known as being the birthplace of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5.
Nicki Minaj To Judge Trump’s $1M SBA ‘Shark-Tank’ Competition
Five small businesses will pitch their companies before Nicki Minaj, Grant Cardone, Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, and actor Dean Cain.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will feature high-profile MAGA-loving celebrities in a new reality TV-like competition created by the Trump administration.
Five entrepreneurs will participate in the agency’s Million Dollar Pitch Competition before a panel of judges that includes rapper and entrepreneur Nicki Minaj, investor Grant Cardone, and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia. Actor Dean Cain, who is best known for his starring role in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in the 1990s, will host the live finale on Sept. 18 in Washington, D.C.
According to a press release, the small business owners will compete for a share of a $1 million cash prize, with the first-place winner receiving $400,000, followed by $250,000 for second place, $150,000 for third, $125,000 for fourth, and $75,000 for fifth.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the celebrity judges bring experience spanning entertainment, real estate, technology, and entrepreneurship.
“Great American entrepreneurs themselves, Nicki Minaj, Grant Cardone, Joe Gebbia, and Dean Cain will only add to the excitement of this historic celebration of free enterprise in the finale of our Million Dollar Pitch Competition,” said Loeffler in a statement.
“Their presence will be invaluable in highlighting the unique and inspiring stories of the five finalists competing for $1 million in growth capital, and the importance of Main Street businesses in powering American strength.”
The competition is part of the SBA’s Freedom 250 initiative, launched by the Trump administration last year to mark the country’s 250th birthday in July. The finalists are Compotech Inc. of Brewer, Maine; Winton Machine of Suwanee, Georgia; Plas-Tech Tooling of Garner, Iowa; Red River of Gillette, Wyoming; and VetPowered LLC of San Diego, California.
Minaj’s public stance on politics and immigration has shifted dramatically in recent years. Once outspoken about the treatment of migrant children, the Trinidad and Tobago-born artist has since aligned herself with the MAGA movement and praised Trump’s leadership. In January, she described herself as “probably the president’s No. 1 fan” while speaking at a Treasury Department summit in Washington, D.C. She also revealed that she received Trump’s gold card, which gives wealthy immigrants a fast-track to retain U.S. citizenship with a $1 million contribution, free of charge.
Cardone has also publicly endorsed Trump’s tariff plans and tax perspectives, arguing that trade measures help reduce inflation and fix the economy. Meanwhile, Trump tapped Gebbia to serve as the U.S. first chief design officer, and Cain joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an honorary officer, reports BuzzFeed.
Employees Conceal Their Expertise To Ward Off AI Replacement
The findings come as companies increasingly seek employee data and institutional knowledge to develop AI tools
Workers are increasingly withholding their expertise from colleagues as fears grow that companies could use their knowledge to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems that eventually replace them, Fast Company reports.
A survey of 4,000 knowledge workers in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada found that 35% were withholding knowledge because they feared being replaced by artificial intelligence. Another 38% said they were reluctant to train colleagues in areas they considered personal strengths, according to research from technology consultancy Adaptavist.
The findings come as companies increasingly seek employee data and institutional knowledge to develop AI tools capable of performing workplace tasks.
Meta told thousands of U.S. employees in spring 2026 that software installed on work computers would collect information, including mouse movements, clicks, and keystrokes, to help train AI agents using examples of how employees perform their jobs.
Other companies have turned institutional knowledge into AI resources. McKinsey & Co., for example, developed Lilli, an internal generative AI platform that draws from the consulting firm’s research and expertise.
But some of the knowledge employers hope to transfer cannot easily be captured through documents, workflows, or workplace activity. Experienced workers often make decisions based on judgment developed over years, including recognizing patterns, exceptions, and subtle warning signs that may not appear in written procedures.
Research suggests concerns about AI could make employees less willing to share that expertise. A three-wave study involving 348 knowledge workers found that collaboration between employees and AI increased feelings of job insecurity, which in turn contributed to workers hiding knowledge.
The findings come amid continued concerns about AI’s impact on employment. More than 175,000 technology workers have been laid off in 2026, according to figures cited by Fast Company, as companies restructure operations while expanding their use of AI.
The average reservation wage — the lowest salary a worker would be willing to accept for a new position — reached a record $88,387 in July 2026, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Survey of Consumer Expectations Labor Market survey. That figure has increased by more than $10,000 since March 2025.
The increase was most pronounced among men, college graduates, and workers younger than 45, according to the New York Fed. The survey, updated every four months, tracks Americans’ experiences and expectations involving earnings, job searches, employment transitions, and job offers.
The record salary threshold comes as workers appear increasingly cautious about their prospects of securing another position. The average expected probability of receiving at least one job offer within the next four months fell 1.1 percentage points to 18% in July, the lowest level since March 2021. The decline was largest among women, people without college degrees, and workers younger than 45.
Meanwhile, more Americans are testing the job market. The share of respondents who said they searched for a job during the previous four weeks increased to 24.9% in July from 22.5% in March 2026. The increase was most pronounced among people earning less than $60,000 annually.
The findings illustrate a complicated environment for workers weighing whether to remain with their current employer or pursue another opportunity. Business Insider reported that concerns surrounding layoffs, a challenging hiring environment, and artificial intelligence have made changing jobs feel riskier for some employed workers.
Some measures of satisfaction among employed workers improved. Satisfaction with wages increased 2.9 percentage points from March, while satisfaction with nonwage benefits rose 3.6 percentage points. Satisfaction with promotion opportunities increased 0.9 percentage points. Still, satisfaction with wages and advancement opportunities remained near the record lows recorded in March 2026.
The results suggest workers may increasingly expect a larger financial incentive before assuming the uncertainty that comes with changing employers.
‘For The Ville’ Tributes Muhammad Ali With Football Apparel
The Cardinals and adidas unite to celebrate 'The Greatest.'
Muhammad Ali turned each place he entered into a platform promoting Black pride, principle, and conviction. Just as the “Louisville Lip” from Kentucky shaped global culture decades ago, the University of Louisville today shows that Ali’s legacy lives on not only in museums but also on the field.
The latest alternate set of uniforms, “For The Ville”, which the University of Louisville football team and Adidas have introduced, is a clear homage to Ali’s famous boxing style. The Cardinals will wear the all-black outfit when they play Stanford University at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium on Oct. 31.
The ‘For The Ville’ design is based on the classic fighting attire that Ali wore throughout his career. The jersey has a black background with arched white ‘Louisville’ letters in a vintage sans-serif font, much like that used on Everlast’s boxing gear. Three gold stripes on both the collar and the pants, along with circular gold accents on the hips, stand for Ali’s 1960 Olympic gold medal and his championship belts. The red gloves finish off the outfit and mirror traditional boxing gloves.
“Muhammad Ali was not just the greatest athlete of the 20th century; he was a global benchmark for courage and authenticity,” said an adidas design representative during the uniform unveil. “Translating his classic ring aesthetic into a modern football uniform allows us to celebrate his enduring impact directly in his hometown.”
The uniform reflects the style associated with boxing, with all of its design features aiming to mimic Ali’s equipment. Unlike many other tribute uniforms at Louisville and elsewhere in the country, which usually rely on commemorative patches or specific colors, this one incorporates gold details and references both Ali’s Olympic and championship background—a combination unique in collegiate football. As a result, the collection stands out both in terms of style and its appeal to fans and collectors who are seeking merchandise with significant cultural and business value.
“When our players step onto the field wearing this uniform, they aren’t just representing a university—they are stepping into the standard set by The Greatest,” said Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm during the uniform’s announcement. “Ali showed the world what confidence, discipline, and Louisville pride look like.”
This is the third time that Louisville has paid homage to Ali, after introducing an all-white uniform in 2019 and the gold-trimmed 2024 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ design; the Adidas design directors concentrated on specific details to convey the boxing heritage in the football uniforms.
“Our goal was to capture Ali’s swagger, grace, and relentless fighting spirit in modern athletic apparel,” Adidas football design representatives stated in release notes.
Since Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies have enabled Black student-athletes to build equity in their personal brands, Louisville’s Ali collection provides an example of how that community heritage can connect to the business side of modern sports merchandise.
“Off-White is bigger than any one idea, exactly as Virgil intended — a house with genuine values, rooted in culture, community, and the belief that fashion can speak to everyone,” Kamara said in a statement, according to Vogue. “I leave with enormous pride in all we have made.”
Born in Sierra Leone and raised partly in Gambia, Kamara built a career spanning styling, publishing, art direction, and fashion design before reaching the top creative role at one of the industry’s most recognizable labels. He first connected with Abloh on Instagram in 2019 and began working with the brand as a stylist. Following Abloh’s untimely passing, Kamara became Off-White’s art and image director before officially taking over as creative director in 2024. During his tenure, LVMH acquired a 60% majority stake in Off-White in 2021, while Abloh retained the remaining 40%.
The label’s former parent company, New Guards Group, was sold to Farfetch for $675 million in 2019. After Farfetch’s collapse, LVMH sold Off-White to Bluestar Alliance in 2024. Joey Gabbay, the CEO of Bluestar Alliance, credited Kamara for helping carry the label forward.
“We are deeply grateful for Ib’s vision, creativity, and the remarkable energy he brought to Off-White throughout his tenure,” Gabbay said.
Off-White has yet to announce a new creative director. However, the appointment will be closely watched as Bluestar Alliance determines how to build on a brand whose identity remains deeply connected to Abloh’s legacy. Founded in 2013, Off-White helped blur the line between luxury fashion and streetwear, becoming a major force in the industry’s embrace of culturally driven, accessible design.
Abloh once described his ultimate design ambition as “making a global community” beyond the elitism and territorial boundaries of fashion subcultures. That mission remains one of Off-White’s most valuable assets — and its next creative leader will inherit the challenge of turning that cultural equity into the brand’s next era.
Black-Owned Bakery Covers 1 Month’s Rent in 24 Hours Thanks To Co-Sign From ‘Ms. Rachel’
Ashley La Bomme-Benson, owner of The Bomme Sweets, responded to an Aug. 11 Threads post from Ms. Rachel.
A Black-owned Los Angeles cookie company saw a surge in orders after children’s educator and content creator Ms. Rachel amplified the business on social media, generating enough sales within 24 hours to cover the owner’s $3,650 monthly rent, Inc.com reports.
Ashley La Bomme-Benson, owner of The Bomme Sweets, responded to an Aug. 11 Threads post from Rachel Accurso, known professionally as Ms. Rachel, asking Black entrepreneurs to share their businesses with her online community, according to the outlet.
Despite the post already attracting more than 4,000 responses, La Bomme-Benson introduced herself, shared photos of her cookies, and later posted a message thanking Accurso for supporting Black-owned businesses.
Accurso reposted La Bomme-Benson’s message and followed her account. Soon after, orders began arriving.
“I got an alert from Shopify that I had a cookie order,” La Bomme-Benson told Inc. “I [hadn’t] had a cookie order in over a year.”
The Bomme Sweets received 10 additional orders within about 10 minutes, according to Inc. An hour later, orders had increased fivefold. Within two weeks of Accurso’s amplification, the business had received 102 cookie orders and generated more than 330,000 views on Threads.
La Bomme-Benson said the orders received during the first 24 hours covered her $3,650 rent for the following month.
“It gave me a boost of confidence that I can do this,” she told Inc. “Even though I had a dry spell, it doesn’t last forever.”
The sales surge came during a difficult year for the bakery. La Bomme-Benson said custom orders had generated about $7,000 in 2026 as consumers faced economic pressures and increasingly treated baked goods as a luxury rather than a necessity.
Accurso’s promotion also boosted Miiriya, a marketplace founded by Lamine Loco that connects consumers with Black-owned businesses. Miiriya’s Threads following jumped from 84,000 to 95,000 within two days, and businesses on the platform recorded more than 450 sales within five days.
Since Aug. 11, more than 900 active Black-owned businesses on Miiriya generated about 780 sales totaling $16,200, the outlet reports.
Both entrepreneurs are now looking to build on the attention. La Bomme-Benson is considering a cookie subscription service and hopes to eventually open a brick-and-mortar bakery. Loco plans to expand Miiriya’s audience while reducing the company’s reliance on social media.
The backlash continued Aug. 31 after Loomer targeted Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, who recently won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. In a post on X, Loomer called Nixon a “ghetto, black, communist,” repeating rhetoric similar to comments she made days earlier.
On Aug. 28, Loomer directed an even broader attack at Nixon, Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, former Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. All five women are Black.
Loomer used racist and misogynistic language to describe the women, calling them “ghetto, entitled, race-obsessed” and “destructive” while claiming they were unfit to hold power, the outlet reported.
The attacks drew forceful condemnation from lawmakers and civil rights advocates.
“You attack and insult Black women because you believe peddling racism is good for your clicks and your business model,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called Loomer a “stone-cold racist,” while Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said, “anti-Black racism goes unchecked.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump also denounced Loomer’s rhetoric, saying, “Black women should NEVER have to endure such hateful and degrading rhetoric for daring to lead.”
Former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who has publicly split with Trump, also condemned Loomer, saying the Republican Party and Trump “own Laura Loomer and her nonstop vitriol.”
Loomer, who has nearly 2 million followers on X, holds no formal position in the Trump administration but has maintained close ties to the president. She traveled with Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign and has said she discussed political matters with him after his first term.
Her latest attacks add to a documented history of inflammatory and damaging rhetoric, including previously advocating for the removal of Muslims from the United States.
The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on Loomer’s remarks.
The 3-on-3 women’s basketball league co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier has reached a $650 million valuation after an oversubscribed Series C funding round surpassed its initial $100 million target. Ten Pillars Sports Fund, backed by UC Investments, led the round.
“This raise reflects the confidence investors have in what we set out to build at Unrivaled: a league where the best players in the world have a real stake in the value they create,” Stewart said in a statement. “This investment gives us even more resources to support our players, elevate the experience for fans, and grow a league that is shaping the future of women’s basketball.”
According to a press release, the league’s business model provides players with equity opportunities in addition to competitive salaries and benefits. Players are also the league’s largest shareholder group, giving athletes a financial stake in the value they help create. Following the Series C round, the collective value of their equity pool is now approaching $200 million, which is a more than 550% increase since the league launched.
“This raise is fueling the next stage of Unrivaled’s growth and expanding our impact across the women’s basketball ecosystem,” said Unrivaled CEO and co-founder Alex Bazzell. “We’re partnering with investors who share our vision to create lasting value and greater opportunity for the best players in the world, while continuing to elevate the game for fans. Unrivaled was built by players and for players, and their ownership, leadership and ambition continue to drive the league forward and define a new model for the sport.”
Unrivaled’s latest fundraise comes on the heels of a second season marked by significant growth across the business, including in ticketing, merchandise, social and fan engagement, record-setting attendances, and continued expansion of the league’s digital ecosystem.
“The moment for women’s sports is here,” said Jagdeep Singh Bachher, UC Investments’ chief investment officer. “Young people get it. We get it. Anyone who’s watched Unrivaled knows this game is every bit as thrilling as any other sport out there. We’re excited to help propel that momentum forward.”
That investor confidence has also brought some heavy hitters into the fold. The latest round includes investments from Jenny Just and returning investors and backers such as Carmelo Anthony, Geno Auriemma, Ashton Kutcher, Alex Morgan and Trybe Ventures, Dan Rosensweig, and Trae Young.
The recent capital follows Unrivaled’s rapid financial growth. The league raised $28 million in its 2024 Series A before an oversubscribed Series B in 2025 pushed its valuation to $340 million. By its second season in 2026, revenue had reached $45 million, while ticket sales jumped 249% compared with its inaugural season.
The league also expanded to eight teams and drew sellout crowds at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
“From the beginning, our goal has been to raise the standard for what players and fans should expect from women’s basketball,” Collier said. This investment allows Unrivaled to keep pushing that standard higher, creating the best possible environment for players to compete and thrive, while making the experience bigger and better for the fans who continue to show up for women’s basketball.”
That growth puts Unrivaled in a notable position within the sports business landscape: It is building a league around star power while giving athletes an ownership stake from the jump. The next test comes in January 2027, when Unrivaled launches its third season.
Source: Rapper, entrepreneur, and activist Killer Mike and Jemiah Sias, the Vice President of Market Strategy and Developer Relations at New Relic at RenderATL 2026 (Photo Credit: RenderATL)
Held Aug. 12-13 during Atlanta Tech Week, RenderATL has ballooned into one of the fastest-growing tech conferences in the country. This year, the two-day event featured more than 150 speakers and industry leaders discussing AI, open source, developer tools, cloud infrastructure, and the future of work. Among the featured speakers were former Google distinguished engineer and noted technologist Kelsey Hightower, Grammy-winning rapper, entrepreneur, and activist Killer Mike, and Google Chrome engineer Sarah Drasner. Other speakers included engineering executive Angie Jones; Robin Ginn, executive director of the OpenJS Foundation and a former Microsoft executive; and Matteo Collina, the co-founder and CTO of Platformatic.dev.
Beyond the stage discussions, RenderATL included an interactive expo and career fair, giving attendees opportunities to connect with companies and explore professional opportunities. Event organizers also partnered with OpenJS Foundation to host the first-ever OpenJS Summit, a dedicated space for developers and maintainers who power the JavaScript ecosystem. Attendees were also granted access to programming that took place during Atlanta Tech Week, including events hosted by Major League Hacking.
Outside of panels, workshops, and mixers, the two-day conference included a Render Haus concert presented by Vercel and Sanity, featuring performances by D4L and Dem Franchize Boyz, as well as RenderFEST, featuring performances by Atlanta artists Lloyd and Yung Joc.
Source: Lloyd performs at RenderATL (Photo Credit: RenderATL)
Launched in 2019, RenderATL was founded by Justin E. Samuels, a former senior software engineer at Intuit, to bridge the gap between the tech community and Black culture in Atlanta.
“What makes RenderATL special is our ability to bring code, culture, and community together in a way that feels uniquely Atlanta,” he said in a statement sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “At RenderATL, we say that we convert culture into pipeline by turning the energy, talent, and connections that make Atlanta special into real opportunities for people, businesses, and the broader tech ecosystem.”
Beyond the 6,000 in-person attendees and 3,000 virtual attendees, Samuels says more than 35,000 people participated in Atlanta Tech Week, which he launched in 2023. It included over 300 tech-focused events across the metro region, such as the Silicon South Summit and Atlanta AI Expo. According to Samuels, 20% of attendees traveled from outside Atlanta, positioning the city as a growing hub for tech founders, investors, operators, and talent.
“That scale speaks to the strength of Atlanta’s tech ecosystem and the growing recognition that this is a city where people come to build, connect, and shape what’s next,” said the BLACK ENTERPRISE 40 Under 40 honoree.
The AI Revolution
AI and its role in the workplace and business took center stage at this year’s RenderATL. New Relic, a cloud-based full-stack observability platform that helps engineers monitor, debug, and improve application and infrastructure performance, sponsored several sessions designed to equip attendees with information and AI tools shaping the future of product innovation. In addition to speaking at the opening and closing keynote panels, Jemiah Sias, vice president of Market Strategy and Developer Relations at New Relic, and his team held workshops designed to equip engineers with tools that can help them automate and optimize their workflows.
“You have [thousands of] engineers from some of the best companies in the world in a room, and that’s our core user,” he told BE. “They build the tools that we care about,” he continued. “We need to understand their pain points. We need to empathize with them and make sure that our software can support their journey as they’re changing through adopting AI, but also being responsible for shipping enterprise-level software and keeping those systems online.”
Source: RenderATL speaker Rebecca P. Beliard, Esq., the founder and managing partner of RPB Law Firm (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Eye of a King/Devin King)
For the first time, RenderATL included a track focused on the congruence of legality and technology. Rebecca P. Beliard, Esq., the founder and managing partner of RPB Law Firm, delivered a presentation on intellectual property ownership in the age of AI. Her talk took place during Render’s inaugural Law & Tech Summit, spearheaded by Render Group’s Chief Legal Officer Reba Noel and Render Group’s in-house counsel, Lloyd Jean.
“I shared my legal and business perspective with entrepreneurs and technology leaders on the importance of ownership and protecting the value they are building,” Beliard told BE in an email. “Participants learned how to protect, build, and monetize their intellectual property through licensing agreements and other strategic channels in the age of AI.”
Source: Donald Beamer, Jr., senior technology advisor for the city of Atlanta, RenderATL founder and CEO Justin Samuels, and Rebecca P. Beliard, Esq. founder of RPB Law Firm (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Eye of a King/Devin King)
According to Beliard — who formerly worked for big corporations like Amazon Music and Sony before representing Render Group and other small businesses — founders must understand the current limitations that their AI-focused IP may be subject to under US copyright law.
“Under the current position of the US Copyright Office, material that is solely generated by AI is not eligible for copyright protection, while works that contain sufficient human authorship may be protected,” she said. “That distinction is important for founders who are building businesses around AI. It is not enough to use the technology. Entrepreneurs need to understand what they can actually own and protect so that they can fully benefit from the commercial opportunities they are creating.”
Empowering People Beyond Tech
Source: Attendees at RenderATL 2026 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of RenderATL)
For the past six years, RenderATL has played a pivotal role in the growth of technology and entrepreneurship in Atlanta. It has also fostered a community that allows tech professionals to feel seen outside of their race, nationality, and gender.
“It’s important to cultivate spaces like Render because it allows for [companies] to see us as more than ‘Black techies,’ ‘Black female engineers,’ [or] ‘Black marketers,’ and instead refocus the attention on our impact,” said Ava Toro, a global market researcher formerly at Reddit, who spoke at the event.
She added that it’s crucial for diverse tech workers to be recognized for their work rather than boxed into a label.
“I’m not a ‘Black marketer,'” she said. “I’m the global researcher who has helped brands shift sentiment, brought one of the newest conversational AI tools to market, and a leader in my field.”
