College dorm, Move in, Undergrad, school, Dorm room, hbcu, Mizzou, Camp HBCYouth

by Kandiss Edwards

November 13, 2025

HBCU Donations Are On The Rise As Billionaires Tap In

Black donors have collectively funneled more than $1 billion into HBCUs over the last five years.

Historically Black colleges and universities are receiving an influx of financial donations amid the government’s pulling of formerly established grant funding.

Black donors have collectively funneled more than $1 billion into HBCUs over the last five years. However, billionaire MacKenzie Scott remains the single largest individual donor to HBCUs in modern history. In 2020 and 2022, Scott announced more than $560 million in unrestricted donations to schools, including Tuskegee University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Prairie View A&M University.

In a public statement, Scott said she has committed to uplifting HBCUs because they are “agents of change” that “support communities that have been chronically underserved.”

Michael Jordan followed with a $100 million pledge through the Jordan Brand to support racial equity initiatives, including multi-year funding for several HBCU athletic and academic programs. Jordan said the goal was to “make a real investment in the next generation.”

Jay-Z added to the groundswell through the Shawn Carter Foundation and Roc Nation. His organizations contributed scholarship funds and pledged support for financial assistance programs at institutions such as Lincoln University and Central State University.

In a statement posted by Roc Nation, Carter emphasized that “education creates pathways for families to build futures.”

While billionaire donors brought unprecedented funds, Black donors in particular helped shape the movement’s direction. AfroTech reported that investor Robert F. Smith and media executive Oprah Winfrey played prominent roles in the more than $1 billion donated to HBCUs.

Smith drew national attention in 2019 when he erased the student debt of the entire Morehouse College graduating class. Winfrey has been supporting historical institutions for decades. She continues her support for HBCUs by expanding scholarship programs and funding leadership centers at Tennessee State University and Morehouse College.

Several HBCU presidents have expressed gratitude. The lack of stipulations attached to the donations allows schools to bolster institutional coffers while investing in research, technology upgrades, and financial aid.

Larry Wilkens, NBA, coach, rSeattle, SuperSonics

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 13, 2025

NBA Legend Lenny Wilkens Dead At 88

'Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA – as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,' acknowledged NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Legendary former NBA player and coach Lenny Wilkens is dead at the age of 88.

According to NBA.com, the family of Wilkens announced to the world on Nov. 9 that he had died. Wilkens, who spent part of his playing career and the bulk of his coaching career with the Seattle SuperSonics (the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 and is now known as the Thunder), was acknowledged by the NBA in a video posted on social media.

Remembering Lenny Wilkens (1937-2025) pic.twitter.com/x3S8bmM4Dg
— NBA (@NBA) November 10, 2025

The legend was surrounded by loved ones when he died, and no cause of death has been released. The 88-year-old has the distinction of being enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame three times, as a player, a coach, and as an assistant coach on the 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball squad, better known as “The Dream Team” that featured NBA players for the first time in the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement:

“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA – as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors. So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.

“But even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship, was his commitment to service – especially in his beloved community of Seattle, where a statue stands in his honor. He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.”

No one has coached more NBA games than Wilkens, who has the record of doing it for 2,487 games. After winning the 1994 NBA Coach of the Year Award while guiding the Atlanta Hawks, he retired from coaching with 1,332 wins. That was a league record that was later surpassed by Don Nelson (1,335) and Gregg Popovich (1,390).

He coached the SuperSonics for 11 seasons (two separate stints, winning the championship in 1979), the Portland Trail Blazers for two seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Hawks for seven seasons, the Toronto Raptors for three seasons, before ending his coaching career with the New York Knicks after leading them for parts of two seasons.

As a player, the New York City-born and raised Wilkens played 15 seasons after being drafted by the St. Louis Hawks. He then played for the SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The nine-time All-Star became the first person to have won 1,000 games as an NBA coach and was the second person inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach.

Wilkens was recently honored with a statue outside Climate Pledge Arena in June.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; their children, Leesha, Randy, and Jamee; and seven grandchildren.

Tory Lanez, megan shooting, Nicci Gilbert, apology

by Kandiss Edwards

November 13, 2025

Tory Lanez Remains Jailed After Appellate Court Upholds His Felony Conviction

A three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected Lanez’s direct appeal.

A California appellate court has closed the door on rapper Tory Lanez’s most recent appeal efforts.

A three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the case brought by Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson), a direct appeal of three felony counts linked to the shooting of Megan Pete, also known as rapper Megan Thee Stallion. The 46-page decision stated plainly that Lanez’s assertions of prosecutorial misconduct were baseless.

“The record does not support Peterson’s contention that prosecutorial misconduct interfered with his “right to Conflict free counsel,” the decision stated.

Peterson’s legal team questioned the validity of key evidence presented to the jury. Subsequently, the appeal sought to throw out the evidence, triggering a new trial. The court upheld the key trial rulings, including admission of the victim’s testimony, previous taped statements by a witness, and Instagram posts made by Lanez.

The appellate court rejected the need to reexamine evidence stating, “the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting evidence.”

Furthermore, the court decision reinforced the prosecutor’s narrative which is often questioned by Lanez’s fans.

“Substantial evidence established, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the injuries Peterson inflicted on Pete were more than moderate harm. . . The orthopedic surgeon who operated on Pete’s feet testified at trial and the jury saw x-rays and a report of the operation.”

The rapper was charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

At the time of his December 2022 conviction, Lanez was immediately sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was recently transferred to California Men’s Colony after a prison-stabbing incident.

For Lanez, the decision decreases his remaining options to circumvent the ruling. Further attempts require petitioning the California Supreme Court or pursuing habeas relief, neither of which offer an immediate resolution.

For now, Lanez’s 10-year sentence remains. The shooting case appears nearly closed in the courts. Peterson will be up for parole in 2029.

SNAP, NYC bodega, Dia Alqalisi,Dawood Kassim

by Kandiss Edwards

November 13, 2025

Oh, SNAP! Millions Of Families To Receive Benefits When Government Reopens

On Nov. 11, the plan was outlined in a directive to state agencies, according to The Associated Press.

The Trump administration says Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in most states will be administered “within 24 hours” of the federal government reopening.

On Nov. 11, the plan was outlined in a directive to state agencies, The Associated Press reports.

The Department of Agriculture would “ensure all November SNAP benefits are issued immediately once the lapse in appropriations ends.” The guidance instructs states to prepare distribution files in advance so that a 24-hour window can be met.

Forty-two million Americans receive SNAP food aid benefits.

During the shutdown, many state agencies lacked the authority and financial means to issue new payments. The pause on disbursements created a gap in the typical distribution calendar. A few states managed to continue SNAP benefits by using emergency funds.

“Based on my review of state issuances, approximately 19 states have issued or are in the process of issuing full November benefits, and about 18 states have already issued partial benefits or they are still in the process of calculating them based on USDA guidance issued last week,” Stewart Fried, principal attorney at OFW Law in Washington, D.C., told The Hill.

The National Association of State Directors of Human Services noted that “states can run issuance files as soon as USDA gives the green light.” That will allow payments to reach electronic benefit cards soon after the federal budget is restored. There is already precedence for resuming payment: the issue arose during the 2019 government shutdown.

The Trump administration is framing the restart as a top priority, though during the government shutdown, it made multiple efforts to deny funding, going so far as to present a case to the Supreme Court in an attempt to circumvent the use of SNAP contingency funds.

Food banks and anti-hunger advocates kept a close eye on local needs during the shutdown, noting that the interruption created immediate strain in households across America. Victoria Negus, a senior economic justice advocate at the nonprofit Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, told CBS News that though funding will resume, the harm to American citizens is already done.

“You can’t eat retroactively when your SNAP was delayed.” Negus continued, “Getting your [delayed] benefits is better than never getting them at all, but it doesn’t help the harm that you experienced in the past.”

While the restart can be fast, longer delays in reopening the government risk deeper structural challenges for states that must manage staffing, verification workloads, and high-volume benefit processing.

NFL, Brian Flores, discrimination lawsuit

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 13, 2025

White Woman Who Fatally Shot A Black Mom Plans Countersuit To Wrongful Death Suit

Susan Lorincz has announced plans to countersue the family of Ajike “AJ” Owens, the Black mother of four she fatally shot through a locked front door.

The woman serving 25 years for killing her neighbor plans to countersue the victim’s family over their wrongful death lawsuit.

Susan Lorincz, the Florida woman serving time for fatally shooting her neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens, in 2023, has filed court records that include a handwritten four-page letter outlining her intent to countersue Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, who brought a wrongful death case against her, WCJB reports.

In her filing, Lorincz accuses Owens’ children of lying in their depositions and trespassing on her property before the shooting, alleging one falsely claimed she threw a skate at him. The child told his mother, prompting Owens to confront Lorincz at her door. Lorincz then fired a single shot through the locked door, killing Owens as she stood beside her son.

“Ajike Owens and her children were trespassing,” Lorincz claimed in the handwritten letter filed with the court on Sept. 2. “There were multiple ‘no trespassing signs’ on the property. Ms. Owens did in fact scream, threaten to beat me multiple times while trespassing.”

Lorincz also blames her former landlord for failing to properly secure her home. Lorincz says she plans to sue for slander, libel, and defamation, seeking over $50,000 in damages. In her letter, Lorincz repeats her claim that she shot Owens in self-defense, despite choosing not to testify at her trial.

“Ms. Owens did not knock politely and speak reasonably on June 2, 2023. She pounded and screamed profanities like a lunatic,” Lorincz wrote. “Ms. Owens’ children had lied to her and stated I hit [the 10-year-old boy] with a roller skate.”

Court records show Lorincz has not formally filed a countersuit against Owens’ estate or family. Her threats come amid renewed attention to the case following the release of Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor, which became the platform’s top U.S. film the week of Nov. 3.

The documentary revisits the 2023 shooting, exploring Lorincz’s growing hostility toward neighborhood children and reigniting debate over Florida’s “stand your ground” laws. Lorincz, 58, is currently serving her 25-year sentence at Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 13, 2025

U.S. Ethics Officials Ousted Amid Investigation Into Access Of Letitia James’ Mortgage Records

The recent removal of Fannie Mae ethics officials comes amid probes into improper access to mortgage records of Letitia James and other Democrats.

Fannie Mae’s abrupt removal of ethics officials is drawing scrutiny amid probes into whether Trump allies improperly accessed mortgage records for Letitia James and other Democrats.

Experts are raising concerns about William Pulte, a strong Trump supporter and head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), who has accused James, Rep. Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook of mortgage fraud, The Guardian reports. All three deny the claims, and analysts are viewing the cases as a possible attempt by Trump to target political opponents.

Mortgage data is highly sensitive, and fraud investigations are rarely handled by the FHFA inspector general, whose office typically acts as an internal watchdog. After Pulte made the referrals, former officials and experts have been noting how unusual they are.

Amid the review, Fannie Mae ethics officials who investigated Pulte’s potential improper access to mortgage records were removed. Acting Inspector General Joe Allen was asked to step down, leaving the office vacant, while roughly a dozen ethics and internal investigations staff, including Chief Ethics Officer Suzanne Libby and General Counsel Danielle McCoy, were fired or resigned under pressure last month.

Fannie Mae ethics and internal investigations officials had received complaints that FHFA senior officials ordered employees to access the mortgage records of James and others. They referred the matter to the inspector general, who then sent it to the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Trump recently installed ally Lindsey Halligan in that role. According to a source, Halligan was reportedly displeased to receive the information, which could become part of the discovery for James’s lawyers, and allegedly forwarded it to the White House. Halligan denies this, calling the claim false.

“This is more Fake News from people who are trying to impede the criminal justice system,” a spokesperson for FHFA said in a statement.

Pulte says the employees were fired as part of a broader effort against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Still, many note the suspicious timing of removing internal watchdogs investigating his potential access to mortgage records.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 13, 2025

This Guy! New Mexico Man Claims Cockroach Whispered Deadly Commands Before He Allegedly Killed Two Men

Alexis Hernandez has been arrested after being accused of killing two men

A man, Alexis Hernandez, has been arrested in New Mexico after being accused of killing two men. The suspect allegedly told police officials that he had “received an encrypted message in a cockroach” to kill one of the men in the residence.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office posted to its social media page that police officers responded to reports of gunfire in the area on Nov. 7 at around 10:27 p.m. Deputies arrived at the residence to see two dead men with apparent gunshot wounds. There were also three other adults and two children at the place, unharmed. The police detained the three adults for questioning, while the children were removed from the scene.

One of the men was taken into custody as the investigation is ongoing.

According to People, the suspect is 25-year-old Alexis Hernandez, who was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Nov. 8 and is facing charges for two open counts of murder in the first degree. The affidavit states that when deputies arrived at the residence, they were confronted by Hernandez, who met them at the front door. He was observed with “a firearm on his waistband and a Marine Corps Sabre on his hip,” and told officers that he was in the Marines and “had to do what he had to do,” because of said cockroach.

He claimed that the property owner was stalking him and had cameras in the lights, and he heard “creepy voices coming from the vents.”

He stated that he had “been getting signs” to kill the property owner. He also told them that he had “received an encrypted message in a cockroach because [the property owner] did not like cockroaches.”

The message was verification, in Hernandez’s mind, that he needed to kill the owner. He also said that he was “seeing signs all around him that he saw and couldn’t ignore,” before carrying out the alleged crime.

Hernandez said that he previously bought a Glock for protection, and had it with him because he was “afraid for his life” when the two men reportedly took him to the back room of the house. The property owner was shot in the head, and the other victim, unidentified, was shot in the kitchen. He allegedly shot both men again after he went to his vehicle to reload his gun.

He acknowledged that he knew that there were two children in the home, but he had no intentions of taking or doing “anything to them,” although they did witness the shootings.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 13, 2025

Guadeloupe And Martinique Seek Compensation And Justice From France For Pesticide Poisoning

Guadeloupe and Martinique residents exposed for years to a toxic pesticide are demanding justice from the French government.

Residents of Guadeloupe and Martinique are demanding financial compensation and accountability from the French government over years of forced exposure to toxic pesticides.

In a landmark March 2025 ruling, a French court held the state responsible for the reproductive issues of two women and nine men who developed prostate cancer, acknowledging that France had knowingly exposed them to a toxic pesticide with lifelong consequences, Inside Climate News reported. With over 90% of Guadeloupe and Martinique’s populations carrying traces of chlordecone in their blood — and both islands reporting some of the world’s highest prostate cancer rates — residents are demanding recognition and justice from the French government.

“We were exposed to this chemical that was known for its harmful effects, daily and constantly. And it has ruined lives,” said Georgina Lambert, a native of Guadaloupe who suffered six consecutive miscarriages before realizing her reproductive struggles were because of her forced exposure to the toxic pesticide.

Lambert, now living in France, grew up in Guadeloupe, swimming in rivers and playing among banana trees rooted in soil contaminated with chlordecone. The French government continued using the toxic pesticide on banana plantations until the mid-1990s, despite its known danger, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banning it in 1976 and the World Health Organization labeling it a carcinogen three years later.

Today, much of Guadeloupe and Martinique remains covered in banana fields bordered by homes and schools where chlordecone was once heavily used. The chemical continues to seep into soil and water with each rainfall, contaminating streams, livestock, and crops, with its toxic effects expected to linger for up to 600 years.

“The food chain was contaminated,” said Luc Multigner, one of the lead researchers at Iserm, who spent two decades studying the pesticide. “As a result, contamination wasn’t limited to banana plantation areas only.”

Recent studies from France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) show that chlordecone is an endocrine disruptor linked to prostate cancer, premature births, and developmental issues in children. New research published on Oct. 16, 2025, found it also reduces women’s fertility — those with high blood levels were 25–28% less likely to conceive.

However, the journey to justice continues as French Caribbean residents residing over 4,000 miles from Paris endure the scars of this environmental disaster. Each call for justice reignites long-held resentment over France’s colonial legacy, inequality, and neglect of its overseas territories.

In 2019, Lambert learned of a lawsuit filed by nearly 1,300 Guadeloupe and Martinique residents seeking compensation for chlordecone exposure. She joined the case, and in March 2025, a court ordered the state to pay her and 10 others up to €10,000 each. Though few plaintiffs succeeded, the ruling could set a precedent for future claims. As a result, the French government has appealed the decision, drawing criticism from the victims’ lawyer, Christophe Leguevaques.

“The state is engaging in double-talk. The president and some ministers have publicly acknowledged the state’s share of responsibility, so why does it bother them when the courts agree?” Leguevaques said.

“[The state] claims it wants to improve the situation for its citizens, yet when there is a tool that allows them to do so, they challenge it. It’s incomprehensible to the residents of the French Caribbean.”

In response to the crisis, France has introduced measures such as free “chlordeconemie” blood tests and government-funded soil testing through groups like Jafa in Guadeloupe. A “maximum residue limit” policy also permits food with low chlordecone levels to be sold — an approach often criticized by locals.

“They’re trying to contain the problem, not solve it,” said Josiane Jos Pelage, a pediatrician who hosts community meetings to help residents better understand chlordecone and its dangers. “It’s not ambitious enough.”

by Jameelah Mullen

November 13, 2025

USAA Commits $500M To Help Veterans Achieve Financial Security

USAA Celebrate Veterans Day with programs that offer year-round support to the military community.

In its more than 100-year history, United Services Automobile Association (USAA), a member-owned financial services company, has been a leader in serving the military and their families. The company is now expanding its advocacy to help active-duty military members transition more smoothly into civilian life.

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Under the leadership of new CEO Juan Andrade, who took on the role in April 2025, the company launched Honor Through Action, a $500 million commitment over the next five years aimed at helping military families transition into rewarding careers and secure financial stability through various partnerships across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

“One of the things that takes place when you leave the military is that you lose your tribe,” Andrade told CNBC News. “We get that, and this is about helping them find a new tribe.”

Each year, about 250,000 active-duty military members transition to veteran status in the U.S. According to the Department of Defense, fewer than one in five transitioning service members feel fully prepared to find civilian jobs, and once employed, they typically stay in the same position for less than a year. Additionally, the unemployment rate for military spouses is 4 times the civilian average, according to Blue Star Families.

Job insecurity can lead to financial strain. Moreover, some veterans experience emotional struggles and culture shock as they adjust to civilian life, Andrade notes. The CEO highlights the importance of not only helping them find new jobs but also matching them with careers that suit their individual needs and personalities.

“That starts creating that sense of belonging, which I think is very important from a mental health standpoint, and it’s also very related to the financial side,” he said to CNBC News. “If you don’t feel that you belong somewhere and if your finances are not in a good place, you’re going to have incredible stress, and we want to focus on solving some of those problems before they become real issues.”

Andrade said one of Honor Through Action’s main focuses is strengthening relationships with companies seeking to hire veterans. It also aims to provide resources for reskilling and childcare to help veterans and their spouses overcome barriers and improve their chances of securing meaningful career success.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 13, 2025

Student-Founded NonProfit Transforms Communities By Feeding School Children In Kenya

The nonprofit empowers community members to get involved in its mission.

A college student from Kenya has turned her education into a mission to feed young scholars.

At just 20 years old, Wawira Nijiru serves as CEO of Food4Education. The international student founded the nonprofit to provide meals to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren in her home nation in East Africa.

Her passion comes from her own academic background as a nutritionist and food scientist. She wants the nonprofit to address the hunger issue directly in the region. Since its inception, it has given out over 100 million meals to help children avoid hunger.

Nijiru spoke on the CNBC “Changemakers and Power Players” podcast about Food4Education and her homegrown values that help her facilitate this service. The 20-something started the first-ever meal service by cooking it herself. She wanted to do something for her local community, starting with a meal to feed 80 people.

While she remembers the burnt rice, what was launched was a greater purpose to feed her country. Others began donating to her cause, which she believes is the first step toward inspiring others.

“When you give someone food, the first thing, and the first motivation that I have, is to give them dignity,” she said.

Although a nonprofit, she does not run Food4Education as a charity. Instead, she allows parents to pay what they can so they can feel empowered by this system.

“Our kids, our parents, we treat them like our customers,” continued Nijiri. “They’re not beneficiaries, because they do contribute a subsidized amount, and they do have ownership.”

The process works through small digital wallets attached to wristbands that the children wear during lunchtime. During their meal break, children scan their wristbands to pay for meals submitted through mobile platforms.

While parents may not always be able to pay the full amount, the meals are often subsidized through donations and government support. Local kitchens have also chipped in to create the nutritious meals, while parents also clock in as staff.

“They’re treated like heroes, because the people there know that these are the people who bring us food every single day. And I think that local ownership, that being from a place and serving a place is really, really critical,” she added.

However, Nijiru says this level of participation is crucial and makes everyone feel responsible and helpful in ensuring the kids eat.

“The anchor of this financing system is a child. Everyone is participating to make sure that the child is able to eat, and by bringing in smart ways where the government can contribute, parents can contribute. Philanthropy can cover the gaps, we’re really able to shift how school feeding happens,” Njiru said.

Sustainability is another core tenet of Food4Education. The kitchen is part of its ecosystem, aiming to maintain a zero-waste policy, further amplified by the technologies used. The wristband not only keeps things on track financially but also provides crucial insights to keep Food4Education’s operations tight. Nijiru has already seen the results, including less truancy and better test scores.

Kids are attending school more regularly, and then their performance goes up as a result. … they’re healthier, they’re falling sick less often,” she said.

However, the transformation of communities across Kenya remains one of her most significant accomplishments. She now hopes to make more plates for the hundreds of millions of food-insecure school children across Africa.