Trump, Chicago, National Guard
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 8, 2025

Chicago Mayor Signs ‘ICE Free Zones’ Legislation Amid Threats Of Raids, Leaving White House Upset 

The announcement comes after actions of ICE agents have gone viral, showcasing their roughness with incident bystanders and alleged illegal immigrants.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have set up shop in Chicago, as the Trump administration claims they were needed. Mayor Brandon Johnson has created “ICE Free Zones” in an effort to protect city property and private businesses from the agency’s enforcement actions, FOX 32 reports. 

Johnson signed an executive order limiting federal immigration agents from staging enforcement actions in schools, libraries, parks, and various city-owned spaces. It also gives privately owned establishments the right to voluntarily participate in a network that touches city limits, protecting residents from ICE operations without a valid warrant.

“Today, we are signing an executive order aimed at reigning in this out-of-control administration. The order establishes “ICE free zones,” Johnson said during an Oct. 6 press conference.

“That means that city property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as a staging ground for these raids.”

https://twitter.com/CalltoActivism/status/1975217255454830643

The announcement comes after the actions of ICE agents have gone viral, showcasing their roughness with incident bystanders and alleged illegal immigrants. The raids have taken over neighborhoods of the Windy City, resulting in vicious confrontations with residents and having elected officials like Alderman Jessie Fuentes detained. She was arrested after questioning federal agents inside a hospital.

ICE agents have even attacked members of the clergy. Rev. David Black was struck in the head with a pepper ball as he stood in front of a Chicago-area ICE facility praying. 

Each ICE Free Zone business will be equipped with signage reading: “This property is owned and/or controlled by the City of Chicago. It may not be used for civil immigration enforcement, including as a: Staging area, processing location or operations base.” 

Not too long after the announcement was made, the White House released its own statement condemning the move, calling it “a disgusting betrayal of every law-abiding citizen” and accusing Johnson of shielding “depraved, violent criminal illegal aliens.” “This sick policy coddles criminal illegal alien killers, rapists, and gangbangers who prey on innocent Americans,” the statement read, including mugshots of detained criminals. 

However, Johnson, an avid critic of President Donald Trump, says his order is a defensive tactic aimed at protecting due process and civil liberties. “The order builds a broad civic shield that limits the reach of harmful enforcement practices. It strengthens neighborhood solidarity and it reaffirms Chicago’s role as a welcoming city,” the mayor said. 

“The fact is, we cannot allow them to rampage throughout our city with no checks or balances. Nobody is above the law. If we break the law, you should be held accountable. If Congress will not check this administration, then Chicago will.”

RELATED CONTENT: TikTok-Fueled Boycott Exposes Deep Divide Between Black Americans and Africans; It’s Time To Knock It Off

Angel Reese,
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 8, 2025

Angel Reese Now Global Ambassador For Juicy Couture

'I grew up loving the brand, so representing Viva La Juicy and co-designing my own collection has been incredible,' Reese said in a statement.

WNBA star Angel Reese is leaning further into the fashion industry with her latest deal.

She is now a Global Ambassador and Creative Collaborator with Juicy Couture. The two parties have released a new apparel collection called “Angel Couture.” Reese says she co-designed the pieces.

“I grew up loving the brand, so representing Viva La Juicy and co-designing my own collection has been incredible,” Reese said in a statement obtained by Women’s Wear Daily. “Juicy Couture has always been about confidence and having fun with fashion. Now with Angel Couture, I wanted to bring that same energy forward with pieces that are fearless, fun, and make you feel unstoppable.”

The collection features Juicy’s signature velour tracksuits in colorways such as black, light blue, and shades ranging from light pink to deeper pink. The collection also features knitwear and fleece sets, as well as blinged-out crop tops and oversized tees that can be dressed up or down.

“A limited-edition collection that blends court-side confidence with our iconic glam,” the website said. “Think luxe velour, sparkling heritage logos, and an unapologetic attitude in every piece. From pink tracks made for stand-out moments to sleek black glam—this collaboration celebrates game-changers.”

Items in the collection ranges from $65 to $139. Wearers of the “Viva La Juicy” fragrance will also see the WNBA All-Star face featured in its campaign.

Reese, 23, is paving her way in the fashion scene, with her collaboration with Reebok making waves in the footwear industry.

RELATED CONTENT: TikTok-Fueled Boycott Exposes Deep Divide Between Black Americans and Africans; It’s Time To Knock It Off

FAMU, Charlie Kirk,
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 8, 2025

Oklahoma Bill Calling For Charlie Kirk Statues On College Campuses Gets Side-Eyes

The legislation also lists consequences if the memorial is vandalized.

A new bill from Oklahoma Republicans that would put a Charlie Kirk “memorial plaza” on college campuses is generating controversy. 

Chair of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, Sen. Shane Jett, filed three pieces of legislation in Kirk’s honor, according to the OU Daily, one of which makes it a requirement for public colleges and universities to develop a memorial square or plaza on their main campus.

Senate Bill 1187 would require permanent signage commemorating Kirk under two options: a statue of Kirk sitting at a table with an empty seat across from him or standing with his wife, holding their kids. 

The memorial must be prominently visible and easily accessible in an effort to “maximize public awareness and utilization.” The legislation also says that any student, employee, or faculty member involved in vandalizing the structure would be expelled or fired in addition to being fined for the cost of the damage. 

The legislation follows the announcement by Ryan Walters, the former state superintendent of schools, who planned to install Turning Point USA chapters in every Oklahoma high school before resigning in late September. Faculty adviser for the University of Oklahoma Turning Point USA chapter, Gary Barksdale, said he would be proud to see a Kirk memorial on the university campus.

“Because Charlie Kirk’s mission was going across college campuses in the United States, promoting free speech and promoting open dialogue and promoting civil discussion of important issues,” Barksdale explained.

Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, was assassinated last month during a campus event in Utah.

Several supporters and Christianity advocates compared his death—and legacy—to that of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That instantly caught the attention of the King family.

King’s son, Martin Luther King III, and daughter, Bernice, denounced some of Kirk’s well-known accusations against Black women, including that they lack “the brain processing power to be taken seriously.”

King III called comparing Kirk to his father “a disservice to unification.”

“Kirk certainly was a force in this society and a significant force, but I just disagree with the position that his force was about inclusiveness,” he added. “When you denigrate Black women and say that somebody is in a position just because of the color of their skin, that’s gravely false.”

AI-generated mockups of what the memorials may look like have already circulated on social media, drawing remarks from free speech supporters. 

“Looks like a great gathering place for everyone losing their jobs for exercising their 1st amendment rights!” @clairekart wrote in response. 

Another user, @retolord, shared similar viewpoints, highlighting how “Kirk’s (sic) supporters are literally running around punishing people for voicing their opinion.”

RELATED CONTENT: Charlie Kirk’s Death Sparks Division Among Black Clergy

Kamala Harris, day of unreasonable conversations, 107 Days, book tour, Trump adminsitration
by Kandiss Edwards

October 8, 2025

Kamala Harris On The Current Political Moment: ‘These Motherf***ers Are Crazy’

Regardless of the negativity, Harris urged the crowd to pay attention to the lack of empathy being displayed by the government.

On October 6, former Vice President Kamala Harris unleashed her strongest language and spoke candidly about what she believes is an increasingly unhinged political climate.

While appearing at the summit, “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation,” Harris commented on what she called escalating discourse and distorted rhetoric.

“There is so much about this moment that is trying to make people feel like they’ve lost their minds,” Harris said.

Harris’s candid conversation takes place during the promotion of her massively popular memoir, 107 Days, about the 2024 presidential campaign.

Many were shocked by the direct tone of the usually buttoned-up Harris. Her sentiments marked a stark departure from the more measured public statements she has made during the election cycle. 

“Everyone’s looking for a thousand-foot drop on me,” she said.

Regardless of the negativity, Harris urged the crowd to pay attention to the lack of empathy being displayed by the government. She prompted citizens to keep an eye out for propaganda and outright falsehoods being pushed to the forefront of media.

“Part of this moment requires us to debunk the stuff they’re trying to sell the American people: To scapegoat, instead of owning up to the responsibility that the powerful have to have some kind of concern and care, if not just some basic f*****g curiosity, about the well-being of other people.”

The summit also featured appearances by actors, activists, and thinkers who joined Harris to discuss such topics as climate activism, gender equity, and digital creation.. 

RELATED CONTENT: Vice President Kamala Harris Presented Highest Honor By NAACP

Sen. Raphael Warnock, Georgia, election day, ballot counting, rule
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 8, 2025

Sen. Raphael Warnock And Rev. Neichelle R. Guidry Bring ‘Spelhouse Gospel’ To Howard University

The two "Spelhouse" alum tied their faith-based messages to modern-day political struggles.

Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock and his fellow, Rev. Neichelle R. Guidry, brought the gospel and united HBCU love to Howard University’s campus.

The faith leaders and “Spelhouse” alum preached at Howard’s Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel Services in celebration of Congressional Black Caucus Week. According to The Dig, the two spoke at separate services on Sundays, taking place at the HBCU’s Cramton Auditorium.

On Sept. 28, Warnock uplifted Howard’s faith-based community with his sermon titled “God’s Victory Over Violence.” In times of political strife, Warnock reminded the audience that “holy mischief” is sometimes necessary to speak the truth and effect change.

The Morehouse alum particularly mentioned two famous Johns in history, the biblically renowned John the Baptist, as well as the late politician and civil rights activist John Lewis.

“Telling the naked, unadulterated truth on a world system built on lies will get you in trouble,” said the pastor of the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. “But John Lewis called it ‘good trouble.'”

As John the Baptist and Lewis were lauded for their commitment to justice and truth, Warnock warned that today’s world must confront its own history. He mentioned timely issues such as the erasure of history and book burnings to shun away from the realities of our past, noting that the violence persists in different ways.

With attacks on diversity and poor people, Warnock used the stories of the Bible, particularly John the Baptist, to draw parallels to today’s modern fight. According to Warnock and his biblical study, John the Baptist spoke out against  King Harrod’s rule within the Roman Empire, leading to his beheading despite promoting the values of Jesus Christ.

Just as the biblical story goes, Warnock encouraged all to stay the course with liberty and God’s grace at the world’s doorstep.

Rev. Guidry continued with her own message of empowerment through faith at the following Sunday’s service. In her sermon “Message from the Mountain,” she detailed the story of Prophet Elijah.

In her Oct. 5 speech, she emphasized how, like Elijah, some people feel unaligned with their divine purpose. Drawing a contemporary comparison, she said many people could feel this way while taking on social causes or suffering with no solution in sight.

“It feels like you can’t help veering to the left or to the right no matter how much you try to stay centered,” explained Guidry, who serves as dean of the Chapel and the director of the WISDOM Center at Spelman College.

However, the reverend reminded listeners that although they may be in a “cave season” like Elijah, the purpose of this self-isolation can help one regroup and renew themselves in their purpose. The moment of solitude is not to stray farther from God, but to realign oneself with the holy word.

“Sometimes we meet God not in our strength, but we meet God in our weakness,” added Guidry. “Sometimes we meet God in our weariness and our exhaustion, in our wavering trust and our shaky faith. But I’m so glad today that we serve a God who is so connected, and God knows exactly where to find us right where we are.” 

Both reverends highlighted the importance of reconnecting with God’s guidance, especially in times of worldly and personal strife. Given the sociopolitical turmoil of today, these sermons encouraged this HBCU audience to empower themselves and find strength through faith to keep making a difference.

RELATED CONTENT: Sen. Warnock Emphasizes Importance Of Black Voters In 2024 Election

Bad Bunny, Super Bowl, trailer
by Kandiss Edwards

October 8, 2025

Bad Bunny Told To ‘Stay In Your Country’ If You Aren’t Patriotic By Former NFL Player Eric Dickerson

Dickerson plainly expressed he felt about Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl performance.

Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson made a bold pronouncement to the 2026 Super Bowl headliner, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio.

In an interview with TMZ, Dickerson plainly expressed how he felt about Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance. The former Los Angeles Ram criticized Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny over his stance on America’s current political climate. Dickerson believes that if Ocasio is not enthusiastically patriotic, he should not headline an American sporting event with over 100 million viewers.

“I’m from the U.S. I love my country. And if you don’t like the United States, just get your ass out of here and don’t come over here.” Dickerson said to TMZ, “If Bad Bunny said something about the U.S., don’t come here and perform. You know, don’t come here. Stay in your country.” 

As Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, Bad Bunny is a member of this country. When reminded of that, Dickerson doubled down on his stance. He continued to make a distinction between U.S. territories and mainland states. To Dickerson, the distinction matters regardless of citizenship.

“I know Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. But it’s not the U.S. That’s the way I look at it. That’s the way I feel,” he said.

https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1975697720229654704

Commentary on Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance has been ongoing–mostly due to his refusal to tour in the mainland U.S. for his newest album. Instead, Ocasio opted for a residency in Puerto Rico. Many have laid claims of American hate at Bad Bunny’s feet, but his own words state the exact opposite. While he is concerned about ICE officers’ treatment of suspected illegal residents, he does not hate America. In an interview with I-D, he explained his reasoning for inviting his fans to see him in Puerto Rico.

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate—I’ve performed there many times. . .But there was the issue of—like, f*cking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he said.

Dickerson did not address another issue many people have with the Solo De Mi singer’s performance; the crooner’s music is mostly sung in Spanish. As America has no national language and 45 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish, Ocasio’s catalogue will be understood by many. For those who only speak English, during a performance on Saturday Night Live, Ocasio has made it clear: “You have four months to learn.

RELATED CONTENT: Bad Bunny Super Bowl Announcement Prompts MAGA Threats From ICE Official

Allen Iverson, Hampton., Morgan State University
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 8, 2025

Allen Iverson Says He’s Been Sober For 6 Months

'One of my best decisions that I ever made in my life was to stop drinking.'

NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson says giving up alcohol was one of the “best decisions” he’s made in his life in an interview with CBS Mornings‘ Maurice DuBois.

“The Answer,” said he stopped drinking alcohol six months ago.

The NBA legend was being interviewed to promote his memoir Misunderstood, which was released this week.

“When you get drunk, you’re not how you usually are,” he told DuBois. “The more and more I see it on other people, the more and more it makes me happy about the decision. And the more and more I see how the people around me appreciate it, I love it.”

Iverson, best known for his years with the Philadelphia 76ers, also explained the logic behind the book’s title

“Misunderstood comes from, you think you know, but you have no idea,” said Iverson, who turned 50 in June. “There’s a lot of things that people have said about me throughout my career. A lot of those things hurt. Calling me a thug when I know I’m not. Judging me off of a look. I think that was one of the toughest things I really had to deal with.”

“The Answer” informed fans this summer that he was embarking on a four-city book tour (New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and New Orleans) to promote the book.

Even more people will get a chance to learn about Iverson when a documentary on the legendary guard and cultural icon is released.

Iverson, who was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996, retired in 2010. He made the All-Star team 11 times was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2001, the same year he led the Sixers to the NBA Finals.

RELATED CONTENT: Alonzo Mourning Helps Low-Income Seniors With Affordable Housing Project In Florida

Teri Williams, Elevate Your Excellence
by Keka Araújo

October 8, 2025

Elevating Your Excellence: COO Teri Williams Is Closing America’s Racial Wealth Gap Through Banking

Williams’s work is deeply personal, stemming from her belief that everyone can control their own economic destiny.

In 1995, Teri Williams embarked on a mission that would reshape her career and impact communities across the country. Along with her partner, Kevin Cohee, she acquired her first bank, the first step in a journey to build a powerful institution dedicated to empowering Black Americans. 

Today, as president and chief operating officer of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States, Williams has helped finance nearly $1 billion in loans for low- to moderate-income communities, including Los Angeles’ South Central and Compton, as well as Liberty City in Miami.

Williams’s work is deeply personal, stemming from her belief that everyone can control their own economic destiny. She has said her great-grandmother, an entrepreneur who owned several businesses in a segregated Florida town, helped inspire her lifelong mission. 

“The work I do now is meaningful to me,” she told her alma mater, Brown University, earlier this year, “because we’re helping to make financial literacy a core value, particularly in Black communities.”

Her journey to OneUnited began in the mid-1990s, when she left a successful career at American Express, where she was the youngest-ever vice president. A family friend told her of the Boston Bank of Commerce’s need for new leadership, and she saw an opportunity to use her corporate experience to serve her community. Over the next several years, she and her partner would purchase three more Black-owned banks, eventually consolidating them into the unified, national brand known today as OneUnited.

The move was a response to a long-standing need. The Boston Bank of Commerce, founded in 1962, had served as a vital haven for Black individuals turned away from other financial institutions. 

By consolidating these banks, Williams and her team created a strong entity with a valuation of $700 million and a customer base of approximately 100,000, with 80% of clients being Black. The bank’s mission is to help close the racial wealth gap, a staggering disparity that a 2024 Federal Reserve study estimated at $240,000 between the median Black and white household.

To serve this community, the bank has pioneered innovative products designed to provide financial access where others have failed. 

For instance, the “Second Chance” checking account serves individuals who have been shut out of other institutions due to a negative banking history. At the same time, a secured credit card helps customers rebuild their credit.

The “Cash, Please,” short-term loan program was created to offer a safer, more affordable alternative to predatory check-cashing stores, which can charge interest rates as high as 400%. The bank has also adopted technology, launching an AI tool to help customers make smarter financial decisions, a feature that, according to Williams, has been “a big hit for us.”

Her popular “Teri Talks” on OneUnited’s official Instagram account provides customers and followers with up-close and personal access to information and tools to enhance their financial health. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMa-rr8BoWQ/?hl=en

Williams’ influence extends beyond OneUnited. She is the founder of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and serves on the board of CCC Intelligent Solutions and the Boston Foundation Racial Wealth Gap Partnership. 

She is also the author of I Got Bank! What My Granddad Taught Me About Money, a financial literacy book for young people.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOJXyIEEVqc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

RELATED CONTENT: OneUnited Bank Announces Winners Of ‘I Got Bank!’ Youth Financial Literacy And Art Contest

Andre Dickens
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 8, 2025

Atlanta Business Leaders Show Support For Mayor Andre Dickens’ Decision To Forgo Airport Funding

The FAA froze the funds after Atlanta leadership refused to dial back on its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Just one week after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens passed up millions of dollars in federal airport funding instead of dumping the city’s DEI programs, the city’s business owners are applauding in support, BET reports. 

President of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Katie Kirkpatrick, said it’s the sole duty of the city to protect initiatives that secured opportunities at  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for minority-owned businesses with federal funding on the line or not.

“It’s the DNA of who we are. It doesn’t change based on the policies or the perspectives at the federal level,” Kirkpatrick said. “Changing that, I think, would be inauthentic for our city.”

In late September, Dickens made headlines after he refused to rescind the city’s DEI programs in order to receive $57 million in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for renovations at one of the busiest airports in the world.

Dickens said Atlanta has a reputation for nurturing Black entrepreneurship, which isn’t worth turning its back on.

“No city has done more to nurture Black entrepreneurship,” he said. “We are confident that the airport will be able to pursue alternative funding to advance these projects without impacting customers or airport service providers.”

Finding confidence that the airport, which is owned by the city, will find other avenues of funding, Kirkpatrick highlighted how this isn’t the first time Atlanta has battled adversity, and it won’t be the last.

She believes Dickens made the right choice.

“I think if he had [accepted the federal funds], it would have been inauthentic to who we are as a community. People come and go in politics; what doesn’t change is who we are as a community,” Kirkpatrick said, according to WSB Radio. “Because we are the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement, our DNA is steeped in having a diverse workforce, a diverse community, and the mayor does not shy away from that.” 

Since 2023, after the Supreme Court’s devastating overturn of affirmative action, DEI initiatives have been attacked, creating scrutiny and confusion for business owners of all revenue standings and federal agencies.

One of those businesses on the front line of the fight was the Fearless Fund, the venture capital firm, headquartered in Atlanta, which was told its popular grant for Black-women business owners was discriminatory for business owners of other races.

RELATED CONTENT: The City Of Atlanta Officially Opens New Homeless Housing Project

covid 19, vaccine, flu season, norovirus, sti,, HIV, Houston, Texas
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 7, 2025

CDC Issues New COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines Requiring Health Professional Consultation

The CDC has approved new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines that require individuals to consult a healthcare professional before receiving the shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved new guidelines for updated COVID-19 vaccines, requiring individuals to consult a health professional before receiving the shot.

On Oct. 6, CDC Director Jim O’Neill endorsed the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s handpicked Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, NPR reports. Known as “shared decision-making” or “individual-based decision-making,” the new guidelines advise individuals to consult a doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of the vaccine before receiving it.

The recommendation’s approval is the final step needed to implement the new guidelines, impacting who can receive and administer the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as whether it will be covered by private and government insurance without copays. The official decision also enables the CDC to begin distributing vaccines to doctors, clinics, and other providers through the Vaccines for Children Program, which provides free vaccines to roughly 40% of U.S. children.

“Informed consent is back,” O’Neill said in an announcement. “CDC’s 2022 blanket recommendation for perpetual COVID-19 boosters deterred health care providers from talking about the risks and benefits of vaccination for the individual patient or parent. That changes today.”

However, critics and vaccine experts are pushing back, accusing the CDC of reviving Trump-era misinformation tactics.

“The claim that the past recommendations deterred health care professionals from talking to patients about risks is completely untrue and is another example of the misinformation and made-up information that this administration continues to release to the public and further creates confusion and distrust in healthcare providers and vaccines,” said Dr. Tina Tan, the president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “This is extremely unfortunate and critically increases the American public’s risk for serious vaccine-preventable diseases.”

The recommendations stem from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ September meeting on the updated guidelines. They also come after RFK Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the influential vaccine panel earlier this year, replacing them with his own appointees, many of whom have expressed skepticism toward COVID vaccines.

Kennedy often faces criticism for his anti-vaccine stance and false labeling of the COVID vaccine as the “deadliest vaccine ever made.” In May, he began limiting vaccine access in ways that bypassed standard regulatory channels when he announced that the CDC would no longer recommend COVID vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women.

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a professor of global health and infectious diseases at Stanford University, noted that the so-called shared clinical decision-making approach “puts up one more little barrier” to getting the shot.

“It’s kind of a vague term that says you should have your doctor or your provider or pharmacist tell you what the risks and benefits are before you get the vaccine,” Maldonado said.

RELATED CONTENT: CDC ‘Pauses’ Disability Rule For Remote Work Following Massive Backlash

×