• Education

by Kandiss Edwards

December 13, 2025

Michelle Obama Responds To Maryland Students’ Social Campaign Requesting She Speak At Graduation

The campaign began during a student government association meeting.

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Graduating seniors at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched a social media campaign to persuade former first lady Michelle Obama to speak at their 2026 commencement.

Student efforts have drawn the forever First Lady’s personal response, according to published reports. 

The campaign began during a student government association meeting. It evolved into a series of videos shared across social platforms, attracting millions of views. SGA Vice President Noah said he and his classmates were inspired after watching Obama’s Netflix documentary Becoming and seeing her emphasis on youth voices.

“I’d watched her documentary Becoming on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker, and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” he told NBC Washington. 

Obama responded to the campaign by commenting on one of the videos. She offered encouragement and indicated that her team had reached out to the school to arrange something for the Class of 2026.

“I’m so moved by your videos. It’s a credit to you and so many others in your generation can get done through the power of organizing that I was able to see them. My team is in touch with your school, and we’re working on something special. In the meantime, I want to hear more from you. What gives you hope to post your videos and tag me? I can’t wait to hear from you.”

Noah said Obama’s acknowledgement of their campaign has given the students confidence.

“I think that what gives me hope is the fact that Mrs. Obama, she heard what we were saying, and she reached out to us. And that really shows that if we care about something and we try hard and we persist at something, then our voices can have an impact, and we can make a difference,” he told the outlet. 

It remains uncertain whether Obama will ultimately agree to deliver the graduation address, but school leaders said discussions are underway.

RELATED CONTENT: Former President Barack Obama Details Official Opening Of His Presidential Center

• Technology

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 12, 2025

Trump Signs Executive Order Blocking States From Regulating AI

Trump's latest executive order prevents states from regulating the use of artificial intelligence.

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Donald Trump is making his stance on AI clear with a new executive order that prevents states from regulating the rapidly growing technology.

On Dec. 11, the president signed an executive order preventing states from enforcing their own AI regulations, instead establishing a “single national framework” that directly challenges state-level rules governing the technology, NPR reports. While signing the order, Trump compared the move to China’s centralized approach to governance and the country’s unilateral acceptance of President Xi Jinping’s direction.

“We have to be unified. China is unified because they have one vote, that’s President Xi. He says do it, and that’s the end of that,” Trump said.

With the new policy, the Justice Department will establish an “AI Litigation Task Force” to challenge state-level AI laws and direct the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission to coordinate with the DOJ in advancing the White House’s AI agenda by bypassing what it calls “onerous” state and local regulations. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will also examine whether federal rural broadband funding can be withheld from states with AI laws the administration deems unfavorable.

“This is an executive order that orders aspects of your administration to take decisive action to ensure that AI can operate within a single national framework in this country, as opposed to being subject to state-level regulation that could potentially cripple the industry,” White House aide Will Scharf said of the executive order in the Oval Office.

The executive order is expected to face legal challenges, as tech policy experts note the Trump administration cannot preempt state regulation without an act of Congress. The order also instructs Trump’s AI advisor, venture capitalist David Sacks, to collaborate with lawmakers on potential legislation.

While Sacks insisted the move would safeguard children, the order has already sparked backlash from some Trump supporters, including groups involved in bipartisan efforts to pass AI safety laws for minors.

“This is a huge lost opportunity by the Trump administration to lead the Republican Party into a broadly consultative process,” said Michael Toscano, director of the Family First Technology Initiative at the Institute for Family Studies, a conservative think tank. “It doesn’t make sense for a populist movement to cut out the people on the most critical issue of our day. But nonetheless, that is what they are vigorously trying to do.”

The executive order follows Congress’s earlier attempt this year to block Republican efforts to stop states from regulating AI. In July, the Senate voted nearly unanimously to remove a proposed 10-year ban on state-level AI enforcement from Trump’s domestic policy bill before passing it. Lawmakers also rejected adding a similar moratorium to the National Defense Authorization Act, despite Trump’s push for its inclusion.

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• News

by Kandiss Edwards

December 12, 2025

Black Lives Matter’s Oklahoma City Executive Director Indicted For Fraud

Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson allegedly diverted millions of dollars in charitable funds for personal use.

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The executive director of the Oklahoma City chapter of Black Lives Matter was indicted last week on federal fraud and money-laundering charges.

Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, allegedly diverted millions of dollars in charitable funds for personal use, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.  A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Dec. 3, charging Dickerson with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. 

Prosecutors allege Dickerson, who has led Black Lives Matter OKC since at least 2016, raised more than $5.6 million in donations. The donations were largely intended to post bail for individuals arrested during Black Lives Matter protests following the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

The indictment states Dickerson deposited at least $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts and then used the money for personal expenses, including trips to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, retail shopping, and at least $50,000 in food and grocery deliveries.

Furthermore, the indictment states Dickerson purchased a personal vehicle and six Oklahoma City properties either in her name or controlled by a company she owned.

Dickerson is also accused of submitting false annual reports to the Alliance for Global Justice, the Arizona-based fiscal sponsor through which Black Lives Matter OKC accepted donations. stating that the funds were used only for tax-exempt purposes. 

If convicted, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire-fraud count and up to 10 years for each money-laundering count, prosecutors said. 

Beyond Dickerson’s individual crimes, the U.S. Department of Justice has been investigating whether leaders associated with Black Lives Matter defrauded donors. The department is accusing the organization of swindling tens of millions of dollars raised during the protests against police brutality in 2020.

There has been no indication that Dickerson’s indictment is directly linked to the overall investigation.

RELATED CONTENT: Political Troll: Rep. Nancy Mace Seeks To Rename Black Lives Matter Plaza After Charlie Kirk

• News

by Kandiss Edwards

December 12, 2025

Usain Bolt And Puma Run To The Rescue Of Jamaican Schools With J$5M Donation

Usain Bolt has had boots on the ground since the beginning of Hurricane Melissa recovery.

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The fastest man alive, Usain Bolt, and Puma have joined together to donate J$5 million each to two Jamaican high schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa.

Bolt and Puma donate J$5 million (approximately over $30,000 plus) each to St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and his alma mater, William Knibb Memorial High in Trelawny. At William Knibb, seven buildings were damaged with six “severely impacted, including loss of roof,” according to the Jamaican Observer. 

Both schools were damaged when the powerful Category 5 storm struck in late October. At STETHS in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, the grade 11 classroom block was left “completely devoid of a roof,” and roofs on the grades seven and nine blocks were also damaged, the outlet reported. The school’s principal and teachers’ cottages and the track and field athletes’ dormitories sustained significant damage, and part of the perimeter wall was broken, with the spectator stands left in pieces. 

Bolt, a native of Trelawny Parish, has previously annually supported William Knibb with gear and equipment. Within days after Hurricane Melissa, he sent a team to assess damage in his hometown and surrounding areas to help as his fellow countrymen navigated the fallout from the deadly storm.

On Nov. 29, Bolt posted a video to social media showing the work he and his team have been doing to help the community. One major undertaking was providing mattresses to families to ensure they had a clean and comfortable sleep as they began the long journey through recovery. 

He captioned the post, “Born Sprinter but this one will be a Marathon.”

Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall in October as a Category 5 storm, caused widespread destruction in parts of Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The donations by Bolt and Puma come amid larger relief efforts for communities and institutions affected by the hurricane, with local groups and international partners also contributing to reconstruction and support initiatives. 

RELATED CONTENT: Jamaican Tourism is Back: The Mouttet Mile Signals Recovery After Hurricane Melissa

• HBCU

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 12, 2025

HBCU President Grateful After Kidney Transplant Following Commencement Plea For A Donor

Livingstone College President Dr. Anthony J. Davis is thriving after his Nov. 13 procedure.

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Livingstone College President Dr. Anthony J. Davis had a successful kidney transplant last month following his heartfelt public appeal for a donor at the HBCU’s 2025 commencement.

Davis has had a challenging year battling stage 5 kidney disease, spending 18 months on dialysis and at times relying on golf carts to get around campus. His life turned around after an anonymous donor answered his public plea at the May 5 commencement.

“How do you ask somebody to give something as vital as a body part?” he told HBCU Gameday. “It was humbling. The hardest season of my life.”

He also thanked the HBCU-focused publication for sharing his story, which ultimately caught the eye of his anonymous donor. “Had you not pushed it out,” Davis said, “I wouldn’t be sitting here today on the other side of transplant.”

His surgery was scheduled for Nov. 13, a fitting date. “I’m the 13th president. And it happened on the National Day of Giving,” he said. “Seven days later, all my kidney markers were normal.”

He praised the Livingstone College community for supporting him throughout 18 months of dialysis, during which he battled fatigue, nausea, anemia, and weight gain while still leading the college. Toward the end, he often relied on a golf cart when walking became too difficult.

Davis credited the community’s encouragement for helping him persevere.

“Students would stop me, circle the golf cart, and pray for me,” Davis said. “Young brothers grabbing my hands in the cafeteria… bishops in the AME Zion Church—everywhere I went, people were praying.”

“I believe God heard all those prayers and said, ‘Let me hurry up and bless this guy,’” he added with a laugh.

Now restored and reinvigorated, Davis says he’s ready to continue the work he feels called to do. “If service is beneath you, leadership is beyond you,” he said. “I’m here to serve.”

But there’s more to celebrate than his health recovery. During his journey, Livingstone College saw a 43.5% enrollment increase over three years, with 51% male students—a rare occurrence in higher education. Retention is also rising, with 76% of freshmen returning and 92% of upperclassmen persisting.

“We’re not just growing numerically, we’re growing in quality,” Davis exclaimed. “Students are making Livingstone College their first choice.”

Davis confirmed that following another $5 million gift from the anonymous donor, a major angel investor is planning a $225 million campus overhaul, including a new 350-bed residential quad, a four-star college-operated hotel, expanded solar energy, and comprehensive campus-wide modernization.

“Livingstone College will not look the same,” Davis said. “We will be a different HBCU—still affordable, still mission-driven, but competitive with the higher-echelon schools.”

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• News

by Kandiss Edwards

December 12, 2025

Tax Refunds Up To $2K Could Be On The Way

Only time will tell if the money is coming.

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Americans could receive large federal tax refunds early next year because of recent tax law changes.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that some households will receive up to $2,000. Bessent because of tax cuts included in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sprawling tax and spending law enacted in July. 

“I think we’re going to see $100-$150 billion of refunds, which could be between $1,000, $2,000 per household,” when asked about refund expectations in an interview with NBC.

As many working Americans have not changed their federal tax withholding rates since the law took effect, they have likely paid more taxes than required. That, he said, should lead to “very large refunds” early in 2026 when taxpayers file their 2025 returns.

The secretary said after refunds are issued, taxpayers are expected to adjust withholding so “less tax is taken from each paycheck,” a step Bessent said will lead to what he described as a “real increase” in take-home pay. 

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett made similar remarks earlier this week.

“We’re going into next year, where the typical person who’s got no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, is probably going to see an extra $1,600 to $2,000. A lot of that will come as tax refunds at the beginning of the year,” Hassett said.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes hundreds of provisions affecting tax rates, deductions, and credits for individuals and businesses, and was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4. 

Bessent did not provide a specific date for when refunds would be issued, but indicated most would arrive during the first quarter of tax filing season.  

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• News

by Kandiss Edwards

December 12, 2025

Scammer Alert! ‘Atlanta’s Veneer Specialist’ Indicted On Over 100 Criminal Charges

Dillard performed cosmetic dental procedures without a license.

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A man who promoted himself as “Atlanta’s top veneer specialist” has been indicted on more than 100 criminal counts.

Brandon Dillard was charged with performing cosmetic dental procedures without a license and other related offenses. Fulton County investigators say Brandon Dillard, operator of “A List Smiles Atlanta,” made millions from offering dental veneer procedures and training others to do the same without the required licensure. Though his initial arrest happened on Oct. 3, records show a grand jury returned an indictment on Nov. 21 containing 113 counts. Charges include violations of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, 54 counts of theft by deception, and practicing both dentistry and medicine without a license, WSB-TV reported.

“He’s never been a dentist. And as much as he may want to play one on Instagram, he is not one,” Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Will Wooten said to the outlet.

The indictment spans alleged conduct from 2021 through late 2024. Prosecutors also allege Dillard offered training courses for aspiring “veneer specialists,” charging participants several thousand dollars each despite no such credential or legal category existing in Georgia. 

A customer who paid about $3,000 for partial veneers told WSB-TV that her regular dentist immediately flagged the work as problematic during a subsequent visit.

“He kept asking who did this. You need to be careful,” she said. She added that she did not notice a dental license before initially paying for the procedure. 

The indictment also includes charges of battery, possession of dangerous drugs, and conspiracy to defraud a political subdivision, reflecting prosecutors’ view of the alleged misconduct as extensive and systemic. 

Authorities say misuse of dental instruments or improper application of veneers can lead to serious health risks, such as infections, nerve damage, and long-term tooth decay. Licensed dentists and dental boards have issued warnings nationwide about “veneer techs” and others who advertise cosmetic dental work without proper training or oversight. 

Dillard’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2026. State regulators and prosecutors are urging patients who received services from this provider or participated in his training to contact the Fulton County District Attorney’s office. Prosecutors stress that anyone performing dental procedures without proper licensure could face separate criminal charges.

RELATED CONTENT: Metro Atlanta Mother Defends Video Of Son Body Slamming A Female Classmate

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 12, 2025

Shedeur Sanders Named NFL Rookie Of The Week

Sanders had a stat line of 23-for-42 passing for 364 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a team-high 29 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

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The season for Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders keeps getting better as the season nears its end, with the quarterback winning the NFL Rookie of the Week Award for Week 14.

The team announced good news that could give it a much-needed spark heading into this week’s contest against the 9-4 Chicago Bears.

Although the team lost to the Tennessee Titans 31-29, his stats were the highlight that made his play stand out. Sanders had a stat line of 23-for-42 passing for 364 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a team-high 29 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. With those numbers, he became the first Browns player to throw for at least 300 yards and have at least three touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in a game. Quite impressive for a first-year player.

The 364 passing yards Sanders had for the game were tied for the third-most by a Browns rookie in a game. And his three touchdown passes tied for the second-most.

After the game, he was given the starting quarterback role for the rest of the season.

After seemingly having a public dislike for Sanders from the time he was drafted, head coach Kevin Stefanski has been impressed with the progress of the 144th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.

“I’ve been really impressed by his work ethic. And that’s going back to since the moment he got here,” Stefanski said. “He’s still very early into his career, and he would tell you the same. You want to have constant improvement in everything you’re doing. There’s moments in these games that come up that are hard to replicate in practice. You can talk through them on tape, you can talk through them in a walk through, and then you get the rep in a game, and that’s the most valuable learning tool you can have. And I think he will only take all of that and use that to his development moving forward.”

RELATED CONTENT: Ray J Arrested On Criminal Threat Charge After Alleged Gun Incident Caught On Live Video

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 12, 2025

NOBODY Asked For This! Environmental Group Sues To Stop Trump’s Face From Appearing on Park Passes

Set to change Jan. 1, 2026, the Department of the Interior announced Trump will appear on the passes alongside the nation’s first president, George Washington.

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A lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity, a Washington, D.C.-based environmental group, is suing to block the face of President Donald Trump from being placed on the 2026 Annual America the Beautiful Pass, which grants entry to national parks, NBC News reports. 

The Dec. 10-filed lawsuit alleges the move violates the 2004 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), which requires the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to host an annual photography contest to determine which photo appears on the passes.

“The official rules governing the contest require that ‘the photo must be taken on federal public lands or waters’ and any submissions that ‘are highly controversial, inappropriate, indecent or obscene’ are disqualified,” the attorney for the group said in the suit. 

“The rules allow disqualification of images that have been ‘noticeably and/or excessively altered.’”

Set to change Jan. 1, 2026, the Department of the Interior announced Trump will appear on the passes alongside the nation’s first president, George Washington. “It is the department’s honor to showcase the America the Beautiful pass honoring America’s 250th anniversary and the generations who have protected our lands,” Secretary Doug Burgum said in a video announcement, according to CNN. 

The winning image was one of Glacier National Park in Montana. The center’s executive director, Kierán Suckling, called the move “disgusting.” “Blotting out the majesty of America’s national parks with a closeup of his own face is Trump’s crassest, most ego-driven action yet. It’s disgusting of Trump to politicize America’s most sacred refuge by pasting his face over the national parks in the same way he slaps his corporate name on buildings, restaurants, and golf courses,” Suckling said. 

“The national parks are not a personal branding opportunity. They’re the pride and joy of the American people.”

The group is asking for a federal judge to step in to prevent Trump’s image from being showcased, claiming it violates the legislation. “The Interior Department’s bait-and-switch betrays the expectations of the thousands of people who participate in the contest and is directly at odds with the public participation mandates of the statute,” the suit added. 

“It also undermines the stability of this well-established program and the conservation, recreational, and educational outcomes FLREA provides.”

Recently, the Trump administration has made questionable moves that put the 47th president in the forefront. In early December, it was announced that free admission to the parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth was ending while admission fees would be waived on Trump’s birthday, June 14, which happens to also be Flag Day.

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• Technology

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 12, 2025

Black Gen-Z Founders Share Vision Behind Their $40M ‘TikTok For Events’ Platform

The duo made Forbes' 30 Under 30 for creating POSH, a TikTok-style, upscale platform that reimagines how people discover events.

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Gen Zers Avante Price and Eli Taylor-Lemire, then NYU students, created POSH to improve the event experience for both organizers and attendees after noticing gaps on existing platforms. What began as a “Shopify for all events” quickly evolved into a TikTok-style, algorithm-driven feed that curates events based on users’ interests.

“In the beginning, the analogy we always used was we wanted to build Shopify for events. The analogy has really expanded from Shopify to TikTok,” Price told Forbes. “You open the POSH app, and you see this one-by-one feed similar to TikTok of personally curated recommendations based on your past event attendance, where people in your contacts are going, and all these other social and demographic-based profile creators.”

When they launched POSH in 2019, Price and Taylor-Lemire, who met working at events, aimed to provide a “posh, upscale experience” for NYU and Columbia students looking for where to hang out. Frustrated by the limited options and restrictive user experience of platforms like Eventbrite, they set out to create something more tailored and engaging.

“There was not a lot of tools to create our own brand and messaging through these products, right? It was very branded to the platform,” Price explained. “There were not a lot of marketing tools. There were not a lot of ways to access new audiences or re-engage our current audience. And so Eli actually originally just built a software product for our own event brand, and we were just using this tool as an internal product for our own events.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Price and Taylor-Lemire used the downtime to study the market and gather feedback from consumers and organizers, ultimately reimagining POSH to make events more accessible for both attendees and hosts.

“POSH was born to democratize the ability for any fan with a passion for live events to get involved in the space with as little friction as possible,” Price told AfroTech in 2023. “Simply put, our mission is to democratize the ability for anyone to earn capital through live experiences.”

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A post shared by Eli (@elitaylorlemire)

Now boasting nearly 6 million users and close to 50,000 organizers, POSH has driven over $300 million in ticket sales, with 10% retained by the platform. The founders raised $40 million in funding, generated $10 million in 2024 revenue, and capped 2025 by earning spots on Forbes‘ 30 Under 30.

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