Sean Combs, ‘Reckoning’ Doc, Abuse Claims, Slap Story, Janice Combs,

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 23, 2026

Diddy $100M Lawsuit Against NBCUniversal Dismissed By Federal Judge

Diddy sued over the documentary "Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy."

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ $100 million defamation lawsuit against NBCUniversal was dismissed earlier this week by a federal judge.

Diddy had filed the lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Peacock TV, and Ample LLC. over the documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, which was released on Jan. 2, 2025.

“It is inconceivable as to how the Documentary created additional damage to [Diddy’s] reputation, which was already tarnished by the numerous lawsuits, domestic violence video, press coverage, and a criminal indictment prior to the Documentary’s publication,” Judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond said in her ruling, per All HipHop.

She explained that NBCUniversal did not act with gross irresponsibility, the legal standard required by Diddy’s suit.

“The Documentary demonstrates a carefully curated and nuanced approach which discloses interviewees’ biases and includes counterstatements to the allegedly defamatory statements, including statements from Plaintiff and his attorneys. The Documentary provides viewers with numerous viewpoints, coupled with objective information, from which the viewer may draw their own conclusions on numerous topics discussed.”

The ruling also said that the convicted entertainment mogul already had a bad reputation before the documentary’s release, citing the libel-proof plaintiff doctrine. She mentioned the publicly shared hotel surveillance video that revealed his assault of former girlfriend/recording artist Cassie, as well as his federal criminal indictment and the number of civil lawsuits filed against him.

The judge also cited Combs’ own statement, in which he described his actions as “disgusting, shameful, and sick.”

When the lawsuit was filed in February, Diddy’s attorneys said the documentary portrayed him in such a negative light and that NBCUniversal acted “maliciously and recklessly” when the documentary made claims that he participated in “serial murder” and “sexual assault of minors” without a “shred of evidence.”

NBCUniversal argued that Combs had already acknowledged damage to his reputation, citing his statement that he ‘lost [his] freedom…career…[and] reputation.”

Diddy is serving a 50-month prison term after being convicted on two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act in July.

Jobs, Workplace, Resenteeism,, federal employees

by Black Enterprise

April 23, 2026

Ask Your Fairygodmentor®: How To Survive Layoffs And Maintain Career Resilience

Let’s keep it real. Being the last one standing doesn’t mean being the most overextended.

Dear Fairygodmentor®,

After Layoffs, I’m Doing the Work of Three People. How Do I Set Boundaries Without Risking My Job?

-Last One Standing

Dear Last One Standing,

It’s enough that you are already doing the work of three people and now that your job just experienced a reorganization, you’re doing the work of three more people? When will it end?!

Survivor’s guilt is real.

Fear of being the next one to leave is real.

The pressure to keep proving yourself beyond the essential functions of your original role, is real.

But let’s keep it real. Being the last one standing doesn’t mean being the most overextended.

There could be a lot of things driving your performance these days. Some could be coloring workforce inflation as opportunity in disguise. Other leaders may be taking advantage the fact that you’re overachieving in silence. Finally, there is a very real reason that you’re adding so much to your plate—fear. The fear that if you speak up and rock the boat, you’ll be seen as non-compliant and a squeaky wheel.

Let’s remember what our elders used to tell us: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”

Here are the risks that no ever talks about:

Burnout:

If you continue to run on all cylinders, this will eventually lead to work burnout. Work burnout leads to a decline in your performance. Declines in performance lead to productivity decline. Once productivity goes down, so do the profits.

Over functioning:

When we tend to over-function, it’s not rooted in facts, it’s rooted in the invisible expectations that we assume that our leaders have of us.

Saying ‘Yes’ Now:

I get it, you feel like your job is on the line if you say no. You may feel like if you say yes now, that you’ll be expected to say yes forever.

Let me stress this to you, Last One Standing, if you keep proving you can do three jobs, they’ll never hire you for the other two.

I want to introduce you something I discuss in my upcoming book, It’s Their Loss: Honoring Grief at Work and Leading Through What Breaks Us Open.

It’s called The Reasonable Reframe™️:

Instead of thinking, “I need to prove I’m valuable.”

Shift your mindset to, “I need to protect how my value is delivered.”

Your value isn’t measured by how much you carry; it’s measured by what you can reasonably sustain.

Actionable Strategies for Workplace Boundary Setting:

1. Clarify Priorities (Without saying “no” yet):

Say, “Given the current workload, what are the top 2-3 priorities you want me to focus on?” (This forces them to choose)

2. Name The Tradeoffs:

Say, “If I make a shift to prioritize this, what would you like me to pause or deprioritize?” (This protects you from silent overcommitment)

3. Document Capacity (This is your POWER):

Keep that DIG (Damn I’m Good) Folder right and tight. Tracking your workload and keeping receipts of what you’re covering will not only protect your peace but help you maintain your power. (Clarity is your protection; not just communication)

4. Set Expectations That Meet Reality (No More Hero Mode):

Say, “I want to make sure that I’m delivering high-quality work on a consistent basis. Here’s what’s realistic based on my current capacity…” (It’s important to remember that you remember that you’re not refusing; you’re redefining excellence.)

Professional Scripts for Managing Executive Workload

“I’m very committed to delivering impact, not just volume. Let’s work together to align on what success looks like here.”
“To maintain quality, I’ll need to focus on fewer priorities at a time. What matters most right now?”
“I want to confirm we’re setting this up for sustainability, not just short-term urgency.”

As I’ve said before, when you raise your voice, you raise your value.

If an organization requires you to set yourself on fire to keep others warm, the issue isn’t your performance; it’s their structure. You won’t earn safety by overworking. You earn it by being clear, strategic and by respecting yourself FIRST.

Last One Standing, you’ve survived the layoffs. Your job isn’t to prove that you deserve to stay. Your job is to make sure that staying doesn’t cost you yourself.

Because if the only way you can succeed there is by slowly burning out?

It’s already their loss.

You got this!

Yours truly,

Your Fairygodmentor®

About Joyel Crawford:

Joyel Crawford, fairygodmentor, contributor — (Photo: Kirten White Photography/BE)

Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that empowers results-driven leaders through coaching, training, and facilitation. She’s the best-selling author of Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career.

Have a question for Your Fairygodmentor®?

Submit your career and leadership questions, whether it’s about navigating a micromanager, setting boundaries, negotiating for a raise, or handling burnout. Ask Your Fairygodmentor® today!

AI, artificial intelligence, trends, A.I., journey, technology, DryMerge, AI, job interview

by Black Enterprise

April 23, 2026

Opinion: America’s Untapped Talent Can Help Shape the AI Economy

AI will reshape the future of work.

Written By Dr. Sheena Meade

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend the day at Sonoma Mountain, where a group of technologists, investors, academics, and policy leaders gathered to discuss the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on our economy.

During the conversation, one statistic stood out: within five years, more than 1 billion jobs could be replaced or transformed by AI.

That’s not just a projection—it’s a warning.

Because as AI accelerates changes in the labor market, the question isn’t just how we prepare for the future of work. It’s whether we can afford to leave millions of people out of it.

In the United States, nearly one in three people—about 70 to 100 million—have some kind of arrest or conviction record. And despite having the skills and experience to work, 94% of employers still use background checks to screen out applicants, and fewer than half of people with a record receive a callback when they apply for a job.

Human understanding, context, and moral clarity

People with lived experience in the justice system bring something no algorithm can replicate: human understanding, context, and moral clarity. These are people who have paid their debt after a mistake, and want to rebuild their lives. They’re people with skills, drive, and expertise. When this kind of talent is locked out of the future of work, we’re setting aside the very people that can help contribute to our communities, contribute to our economy, and support the sustainable, responsible implementation of AI in our future.

At a moment when businesses across industries are facing workforce shortages and when AI is rapidly reshaping which jobs exist and who can access them, this is not just a social issue. It’s an economic one. We are locking millions of people out of the workforce at the exact moment we need to expand it.

How can the ‘Clean Slate’ policy address the AI workforce shortage?

Clean Slate policies establish systems that automate the sealing of eligible records after someone has remained crime-free for a set period of time, expanding access to opportunity and helping ensure people are not defined by their past mistakes. These policies remove barriers to employment, making it easier for people to reenter the workforce, access education, and contribute to the economy.

Clean Slate has already helped create pathways for more than 18 million people to move forward with their lives and has gained bipartisan support across the country. Clean Slate laws that meet The Clean Slate Initiative’s policy criteria have been passed in 13 states, and Washington D.C., since 2018.

As industries evolve and new jobs emerge, we will need a larger, more inclusive workforce, not a smaller one. We will need policies that connect people to opportunity, not systems that screen them out before they even get a fair shot. If we don’t, we are not just limiting individual opportunity, we are weakening our workforce, our economy, and our ability to adapt to change.

AI will reshape the future of work. That much is certain. What we decide now is who gets to be part of it.

Clean Slate Initiative is a critical economic lever. By automating record sealing, the U.S. can reintegrate 100 million people into a workforce currently strained by AI transformation, ensuring that the future of work is both inclusive and economically resilient.

Clean Slate polices offers a practical, proven, and bipartisan way to ensure that more people can contribute to and benefit from the economy we are building.

And in a moment of rapid change, that’s not just the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do.

About: Dr. Sheena Meade is the CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), where she leads a national bipartisan effort to pass policies that automate the sealing of eligible arrest and conviction records across the United States.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 23, 2026

Rep. Nikema Williams and Airbnb To Host ‘Hustle & Grow’ Small Business Summit At Russell Center

The event will take place at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs in Atlanta.

Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA) is collaborating with Airbnb and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) to uplift small businesses.

On Friday, May 29, Williams and the vacation rental company will host the “Hustle & Grow” Small Business Summit at the Atlanta establishment. According to a press release, the summit will provide resources and insight for entrepreneurs looking to scale their operations.

The summit will take place ahead of Atlanta’s hosting FIFA World Cup matches taking place in June and July. Williams and Airbnb hope to connect with and instill knowledge in home and business owners as an influx of visitors head to the Atlanta area.

Expected attendees include RICE’s executive leadership, such as the center’s Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Partnerships, Quintin Bostic Ph.D., and Williams, who Georgia’s 5th Congressional district, which includes a majority of Atlanta.

Williams wants to inspire entrepreneurs in her “Fighting Fifth District” ahead of this global event, speaking directly with these community members on their struggles and goals. Providing the resources and tools needed to “Hustle & Grow,” Williams wants local Atlanta businesses to thrive.

The event will also bestow a RICE scholarship award, presented by Wells Fargo, to help one recipient take their professional ambitions further. As a hub for Atlanta’s entrepreneurial scene, RICE will provide the space as its mission drives local business growth and success.

Airbnb also wants homeowners to capitalize on the moment where housing is essential for non-local World Cup enthusiasts. Understanding the financial potential surrounding the tournament, the company wants homeowners to stay ahead of the game and develop their rental side hustles before kick-off.

The Hustle & Grow Small Business Summit will lend support, empowerment, and tools needed to reach new heights in entrepreneurship. Interested attendees can register via Eventbrite.

RELATED CONTENT: 4 Success Tactics For Trailblazers In Business

by Kandiss Edwards

April 23, 2026

Otis Williams Talks The Temptations’ Slavery Contract With Motown

Williams explained that while the group achieved global success the financial reality behind the scenes was often bleak.

Otis Williams, the last surviving original member of The Temptations, has leveled a searing critique against the music industry’s historical treatment of Black artists, likening the restrictive contracts of the 1960s to a form of slavery.

In an interview with The Telegraph, the 84-year-old Motown legend detailed the systemic exploitation that defined the “Golden Age” of soul music. Williams explained that while the group achieved global success with hits like “My Girl” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” the financial reality behind the scenes was often bleak. He noted that many artists signed away their publishing rights and likenesses for negligible sums, trapped in agreements that offered little transparency and even less autonomy.

“We were young, we were hungry, and we wanted to be heard,” Williams told The Telegraph, reflecting on the group’s early days in Detroit.

He described a landscape where labels controlled every facet of a performer’s life. Performers had no input into their wardrobe, choreography, or the percentage of touring revenue they were allowed to keep. Williams asserted that the power imbalance was so profound that it stripped performers of their humanity. Artists were treated as expendable commodities rather than creative partners.

Read "The Temptations’ Otis Williams: ‘Our Motown contracts were like slavery’" on SmartNews: https://t.co/auvejgOgAJ
— Deviant Tru Masta (@DeviantTruMasta) April 22, 2026

The interview also touched upon the personal toll of these industry practices. Williams recounted the tragic trajectories of his original bandmates Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and David Ruffin, noting how the pressures of fame, coupled with financial instability and rigorous touring schedules, contributed to their untimely deaths. He maintained that the industry’s “churn and burn” mentality left many pioneers of the Motown sound with nothing to show for their contributions to the American songbook.

Williams said his survival was a matter of discipline and a refusal to succumb to the vices that claimed his peers. He now views his role as a protector of the group’s legacy, ensuring that the history of their struggles doesn’t overshadow their legacy.

Stem, S.T.E.M., Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 23, 2026

Identity Prep Makes History In Nebraska As 1st Black-Founded Middle School For Tween Girls

The school wants to instill confidence in its all-girl students to become leaders in society.

Identity Preparatory Academy wants young girls in Nebraska to be themselves as the private school prepares to open.

Identity Prep has already made history as the first state-approved Black-founded school in Nebraska. As it prepares to transform academic opportunities in North Omaha, it does so with a steadfast mission to empower girls.

According to KETV, the school’s purpose was developed with the families and daughters it aims to educate. Understanding their concerns and wishes surrounding education, the “Dreams of our Daughters” became pivotal to this unique learning approach.

“We invited the families and their daughters to come in. We called it the Dreams of Our Daughters. They talked about what kind of education that would be nourishing for them would look like,” explained DerNecia Phillips, founder and chief executive of Identity Preparatory Academy.

“And then we built it out.”

The families in its pilot programming shared their ideas for activities they’d want offered and the culture they wish to create at the “liberated learning community,” as described on its website. However, academic achievement remains a priority, building a school where students’ voices and strengths are integral to the program.

“We want high-quality education and academic excellence at the forefront. The way we’re getting there, and the track we’re laying, is that it needs to be culturally fortified. Our girls need to see people that look like them and leadership that looks like them,” Phillips added.

As for its single-gender enrollment, Philips noted that research supports her claim that an all-girls education better serves female pupils. According to The Guardian, analysis by the FFT Datalab confirmed all-girls students in England do better in exams as opposed to those in mixed-gender institutions, even for boys in single-gender schools as well.

Other studies, such as one published by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, found similar results. Their investigation also found that students who graduated from all-girls institutions had higher rates of academic engagement and confidence. Now, Philips wants to bring this learning model to North Omaha.

Alongside its technical approach, the school also embraces cultural belonging, as evidenced by its use of the Sankofa symbol. From the Twi language of Ghana, the symbol means “to go back and get.” Now, Identity Prep has taken this meaning to represent bringing past educational values to the future.

Ingrained in the neighborhood, community members have stepped up to serve as educators at this trailblazing school. With its vision centered on affirming and nurturing young girls to become future leaders, Identity Prep has high hopes once classes are in session. Once the new school year begins, educators will work to ensure their learning space fosters confidence, creativity, and academic achievement.

Georgia Pastor, Pastor R. A. Hill, fraud, Identify Theft

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 23, 2026

Scammers Are Stealing Recruiters’ Identities To Target Vulnerable Job Seekers

There’s a growing surge of online scammers posing as recruiters to target eager job seekers—here’s how to avoid becoming a victim.

New research reveals a rise in online scammers impersonating real recruiters to target vulnerable job seekers.

A new report from The Wall Street Journal details how scammers are increasingly targeting job seekers with sophisticated tactics to steal money and personal information, including impersonating real recruiters and using stolen resumes, legitimate job listings, and authentic LinkedIn profiles. Scammers targeted Nick Russell after he posted about his layoff from Epic Games on LinkedIn.

Within hours, he received a flood of recruiter messages, including one for a senior role at Blizzard Entertainment that appeared legitimate. While the job was real, the recruiter was not—something he confirmed after noticing inconsistencies in the email address.

His experience underscores a key red flag: checking whether an email address matches a company’s official domain. In another case, a scammer impersonated a real recruiter, offering detailed explanations before ultimately asking for money. Scammers also aim to collect personal data from job seekers or to charge fees for services such as resume rewrites.

Amid a shaky economy, scammers posing as recruiters have the upper hand. Recent data show just 0.87 to 0.99 job openings per unemployed worker in the U.S., meaning job seekers now outnumber available roles, and hiring demand has cooled compared with recent years.

Sarah Englade, a Houston-based recruiter, said she has been impersonated multiple times. The report advises job seekers to be cautious with layoff posts and #OpenToWork tags, which can boost visibility but also make them easier targets for scammers.

Other tips for job seekers include verifying that an email address matches a company’s official domain, avoiding any recruiter who asks for payment for services such as resume edits or training, and being wary of overly polished explanations to justify unusual behavior.

But in a shaky job market, job seekers remain prime targets. Russell says he’ll keep responding to cold messages because if he doesn’t, the scammers win.

crime, police lights, Kara Walsh, Chad. T. Hall

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 22, 2026

Content Creator Hood Anchor Ye Speaks To Hit & Run Suspect In Manhunt Right Before Police Shoot Him

The content creator has gone viral for his on-the-ground reporting of Atlanta news.

Hood Anchor Ye, who has created a platform for reporting breaking news across Atlanta, allegedly spoke to the man who died during a manhunt in Cobb County on April 21.

Ye shared his phone conversation with the suspect, who was wanted in Fulton County for a hit-and-run that killed a 67-year-old woman last month.

Ye referred to the suspect as a 31-year-old man named Damian and revealed how the man shared his take on the fatal accident and subsequent manhunt.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 1cartier_ (@hoodanchorye)

“Now I talked to Damian, ” expressed Ye in the video. “He said he was just on the back [porch] smoking… and he never pointed a gun at the police.”

Ye recalled how the man said hey planned to turn himself in before the conversation ended abruptly with his screams of getting shot. WSB-TV confirmed the man’s identity as Damian Strozier, and family members reiterated his intentions to voluntarily end the manhunt.

Officers, on the other hand, claimed that Strozier held a gun, prompting them to open fire. Strozier escaped.

According to WSB-TV, police wanted to detain Strozier for allegedly hitting an elderly woman while riding on an electric scooter in March. After hitting the senior citizen, he ran off on the motorized scooter.

The woman later died from her injuries at the hospital.

Although Hood Anchor Ye and Strozier’s relatives claim the man had plans to turn himself in, his encounter with Cobb County police escalated into a shootout. Now, commenters have called out the police’s actions as the man seemingly posed no threat while on the call.

One commenter wrote, “Oh wow! I’m confused why they shot him? He couldn’t have been an immediate threat while on FaceTime.”

Others also warned the content creator to tread carefully with this information, as it may benefit Strozier’s family if they seek legal action over his death.

“Be careful, G,” expressed another Instagram user. ” The police may be cool with you now when you’re reporting what crimes are being committed in the city. But the second they think you are shedding a negative light on them, things can change. So stay safe.”

by Kandiss Edwards

April 22, 2026

The UK Aims To Create A Smoke-Free Generation With New Legislation

United Kingdom Health Secretary Wes Streeting hailed the bill's final approval as transformative.

Children in the United Kingdom who are 17 or younger, along with all future generations, will be permanently banned from legally purchasing cigarettes following the historic passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill through Parliament this week.

The landmark legislation, which cleared both the House of Commons and the House of Lords on April 21, is designed to create the nation’s first “smoke-free generation.”

Under the new law, the legal age for purchasing tobacco will increase by one year every single year, according to the BBC. This rolling age limit means that anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, will effectively never reach the legal age to purchase tobacco products in their lifetime.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting hailed the bill’s final approval as a transformative moment for public health, asserting that “prevention is better than cure.”

Streeting noted that the reform is expected to save thousands of lives annually and significantly ease long-term financial pressure on the National Health Service (NHS), which currently spends approximately £3 billion ($4 billion) each year treating smoking-related illnesses.

In addition to the generational tobacco ban, the bill introduces the strictest regulations on vaping in British history. Ministers have been granted expansive new powers to regulate the flavors, packaging, and marketing of e-cigarettes to ensure they are not targeted at children. The law also prohibits vaping in specific public areas, including playgrounds, outside schools, and near hospitals, and makes it illegal to vape in a car carrying children.

The UK will ban anyone 17 and under from ever buying cigarettes after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill cleared Parliament.

Anyone born after January 1, 2009 will never be able to legally purchase tobacco, aiming to create a smoke-free generation.

(https://t.co/qMA1j2LUrV) pic.twitter.com/s4BMDfbyFu
— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 21, 2026

The legislation does not criminalize the act of smoking or the possession of tobacco for those affected by the ban; rather, it places the legal burden on retailers. Businesses found selling tobacco to the restricted age groups will face significant fines and potential licensing revocations. The government has pledged to work closely with retailers to implement the new system, which is slated to take full effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

While the bill received broad cross-party support, it faced criticism from tobacco industry advocates and some civil liberties groups. Opponents argued that the policy creates a “permanent class of second-class citizens” who are denied rights available to older adults. Despite these concerns, public health experts, including officials from the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), celebrated the move as the culmination of a decades-long campaign to eliminate the leading cause of preventable death in the UK.

The bill is expected to receive royal assent from King Charles III next week, formally enshrining the ban into law. Britain now joins a small group of nations pursuing similar generational bans, marking a significant escalation in the global effort to eradicate nicotine addiction.

William McNeil, viral video, Recording The Police

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 22, 2026

Houston Police Officer Under Investigation After Video Allegedly Reveals Racist Rant

The Houston Police Department is conducting an investigation.

A Houston police officer has been relieved of duty after a video allegedly capturing her spouting racist rants was sent to a television station.According to Fox 26, Ashley Gonzalez is being investigated by the Houston Police Department, which did not confirm that Gonzalez was in the video clip but did confirm her employment status.

A viewer who sent the video claims that it was Gonzalez.

In a profanity-laced video, which has circulated online, the woman is seen admitting repeatedly that she hates Black people. She then says that if she ever responded to a 911 call and the person was Black, she would take them to jail.

At one point, she references slavery and reminisces about her time as a Marine and of her calling someone the N-word. She said it felt good, and she was relieved to be able to say it to their face.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk)

A statement was released by the Houston Police Officers’ Union in reaction to the video.

“The Houston Police Officers’ Union is extremely disturbed by a video circulating on social media regarding an officer making offensive, racist comments. In no way does the HPOU or its leadership condone or tolerate racist behavior from any of our officers. The Houston Police Department prides itself on being the most diverse police department in the nation, largely a product of the collaborative changes to civil service law that the HPOU and the Department have made through our meet and confer process.”

The union also said it is working to confirm the video’s authenticity and will take “appropriate measures” to ensure the public’s confidence and trust in its police department.

According to KHOU 11, police officials said that while the investigation takes place , officers will check on Gonzalez daily to ensure she is at home. She cannot perform any police duties until the investigation is completed.