Megan Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson
by Daniel Johnson

July 14, 2025

Megan Thee Stallion’s Foundation To Honor Changemakers At First-Ever Gala

The Pete & Thomas Foundation will honor LaTosha Brown, founder of the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium, and Mila Henry, the 13-year-old founder of MH Boxes.

Hip-hop superstar Megan Thee Stallion is bringing star power and purpose to Gotham Hall on July 16, as her Pete & Thomas Foundation prepares to host its inaugural black-tie gala. The event will shine a spotlight on emerging trailblazers, with a star-studded guest list that includes Taraji P. Henson, Muni Long, and DJ D-Nice, proving once again that Megan is using her cultural influence to uplift and inspire.

According to Houston Style Magazine, the evening will be hosted by Henson, while Long and DJ D-Nice will provide entertainment for the guests and luminaries who attend the event, the ticket sales and package purchases for the gala will go toward the foundation’s mission of benefiting groundbreaking initiatives in education, housing, and health and wellness aimed at underserved communities.

In 2022, the rapper established the foundation in honor of her late parents, her mother, Holly Thomas, and father, Joseph Pete. It has rapidly become a philanthropic powerhouse, focusing on supporting Black girls and women by assisting them in launching their entrepreneurial, creative, and community-centered ideas.

According to the foundation’s website, “(The) Pete & Thomas Foundation provides resources to effect meaningful and positive change in the lives of women and children, senior citizens, and underserved communities in Houston, TX and across the globe. The foundation’s programs are focused in the areas of education, housing, health & wellness, and community goodwill.”

The Pete & Thomas Foundation will recognize two powerful changemakers at its upcoming gala: LaTosha Brown, founder of the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium (SBGWC), and 13-year-old Mila Henry, the inspiring force behind MH Boxes—a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the mental health of Black girls through curated toolkits that promote self-care, resilience, and open dialogue.

According to the MH Boxes website, Henry launched the nonprofit in January 2024, when she was 12, after receiving a microgrant from the Pete & Thomas Foundation and SBGWC. With their support, she created care packages filled with journals, affirmations, and self-care tools to help young Black girls feel seen, supported, and empowered in their mental health journeys.

According to the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium, the organization focuses on empowering Black women and girls in the South through philanthropy and activism. So far, it has awarded $10.2 million to 220 projects across 13 Southern states.

Chanceé Lundy, executive director of SBGWC, says her partnership with Brown, who is also the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, works seamlessly because they share a common vision and deep commitment to uplifting Black women and girls.

“LaTosha embodies the spirit of radical possibility that the Pete & Thomas Foundation celebrates,” Lundy told Houston Style Magazine. “Her unwavering belief that ‘if you change the life of a Black girl, you change the world’ is a mission we proudly share.”

She continued, “LaTosha and Mila represent two generations of visionary Black leadership. Their bond proves that when we invest in Black girls—whether 13 or 53—we cultivate changemakers who are capable of rewriting the future.”

Brown, in turn, elevated the work of Henry in her comments to the outlet, “Mila exemplifies why we invest in Black girls’ dreams. She turned her vision into a healing movement, meeting the needs of her peers with compassion and creativity,” Brown noted.

RELATED CONTENT: Megan Thee Stallion Unveils Size-Inclusive Swim Line At Walmart For Hot Girl Summer

Demond Wilson, ‘Sanford And Son’
by Daniel Johnson

July 13, 2025

Dr. Frank B. Wilderson Jr., Trailblazing Black Psychologist And Educator, Dies At 94

Wilderson Jr. helped shape federal special education policy.

Frank B. Wilderson Jr., a prominent figure in psychology and education research, died on June 17 at age 94 in Minnesota. Throughout his life, he championed the inclusion of marginalized communities. He was a founding member of the National Association of Black Psychologists.

According to the University of Minnesota, where Wilderson became the first Black tenure track faculty member in 1962, he is credited with laying the foundation for what would come to be called the Individualized Education Plan, now a standard education practice in public schools across the country. During the course of this work, Wilderson taught elementary educators about various emotional and behavioral disorders that required them to teach students with special needs compassionately..

In addition to this work, Wilderson was a clinical psychologist who is credited as one of the pioneering educators who helped the University of Minnesota to form its own African American Studies Department. During what is referred to as “The Morrill Hall Takeover,” a protest over the hostile treatment of the university’s Black students, in January 1969, Wilderson helped facilitate the agreement that led to the creation of the aforementioned African American Studies Department by the university.

When the university agreed to create the department, Wilderson was asked to become the first Chair of the Committee which would be responsible for implementing the department and educated the students on the critical distinction between an African American Studies program and an official department of the university, which comes with funding and authority that a mere program lacks.

Eventually, Wilderson, who also served on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities under Lyndon B. Johnson, was tapped by University of Minnesota president Dr. Malcolm Moos to become the university’s vice president of Student Affairs, a role he served with distinction for 14 years. After exiting that role, he continued to serve the Greater Minnesota community, working to help fundraise for programs that assisted students with mental and emotional health concerns, as well as working to create equitable programs for all students. He often worked alongside his wife, Dr. Ida-Lorraine Wilderson, who was an administrator with Minneapolis Public Schools.

Later, Dr. Wilderson served as a trustee or a director on the boards of Macalester College, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, the University of Saint Thomas (where he assisted in spearheading the creation of their law school), and Breck Preparatory School, on the inaugural Board of The Jeremiah Foundation, as well as serving on the Board of the Bush Foundation for several decades.

According to his obituary, Wilderson was preceded in death by his beloved wife and college sweetheart Dr. Ida-Lorraine Jules Wilderson, whom he met when the two were undergraduate students at Louisiana’s Xavier University, the only Catholic HBCU in the nation.

Wilderson is survived by his son, Dr. Frank Benjamin Wilderson, III; his daughter Fawn Elizabeth Wilderson; daughter Amy Althea Wilderson Cousin; his son, Wayne Henry Wilderson, and six grandchildren, Reba Wilderson, Maarya Cousin, Shaa’ya Cousin, Ijaaz Cousin, Manaal Cousin, and Esau Cousin. He is also survived by his great-granddaughters, Violet Ruby Johnson, Bontle Wilderson, and Zoe Eden Wilderson, as well as by many relatives and dear friends.

On July 10, Wilderson was honored via a Celebration of Life Service, held at Minneapolis’ Basilica of St. Mary, and instead of sending flowers, the family requested that resources be donated to either the Saint Vincent DePaul Shoe and Coat Ministry, which is sponsored by The Basilica of Saint Mary or to Xavier University of Louisiana.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Educators Warn Students Will Suffer Most If Trump Dismantles Department of Education

76ers,VJ Edgecombe Breaks,NBA
by Daniel Johnson

July 13, 2025

Rockets’ Fred VanVleet Elected National Basketball Players Association President

CJ McCollum, the NBPA's former president whose term expired, will move to an advisory role.

On July 12, Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association during the board of player representatives meeting. He will begin his four-year term immediately, succeeding former president and Washington Wizards shooting guard CJ McCollum.

According to Yahoo Sports, McCollum, the former president whose term expired, will move to an advisory role, and his wealth of experience as both a former president of the organization and a vice president of the organization will likely prove invaluable to VanVleet as he navigates his new role.

In a press release, VanVleet indicated that he wants to help advocate for all players, no matter their contract situation.

“It’s truly an honor to be elected as President of the NBPA by my peers and I look forward to continuing to advocate for the best interest of all the members. With a deep appreciation for the complexities and challenges players face on all levels of their NBA journeys, I am committed to approaching this role with the passion, dignity, and dedication every player deserves,” VanVleet said.

In his statement, McCollum vouched for his successor, noting that he considers his tenure as president an honor.

“It’s been a privilege to serve on the NBPA Executive Committee for the past seven years and uniquely shape the business of our game. I am encouraged by the future of the PA under Fred’s leadership, as he has earned the basketball community’s respect and has proven he is ready for this next step. I look forward to supporting him as we continue building a stronger Association that serves past, present, and future generations of players,” McCollum said in the press release.

VanVleet, a former NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, set an NBA record for the most lucrative contract for an undrafted player in league history and recently signed a two-year $50 million contract to remain in Houston, where he figures to be a prominent piece of a newly reconfigured Rockets team that many predict will make a run at the franchise’s second title.

In addition to VanVleet, the rest of the executive board is composed of Grant Williams, first vice president; Mason Plumlee, secretary-treasurer; Jaylen Brown, vice president; Jaren Jackson Jr., vice president; Donovan Mitchell, vice president; Garrett Temple, vice president; Karl Anthony Towns, vice president; and Gabe Vincent, vice president.

RELATED CONTENT: NBA to Give ‘Recognition Payments’ to Former ABA Players

Philadelphia, DEI, anti-equality
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 13, 2025

Minority Women Enterprise Program Shuts Down In Memphis Due To Tennessee’s New Anti-DEI Law

The program helped many minority women entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.

As Tennessee makes official cuts to its DEI programming and funding, one program that broke gender gaps in Memphis will shut down.

As of this month, the Minority Women Enterprise program in Memphis has stopped operations. The program was an exponential success during its tenure, making Memphis the only city in the nation where women business owners outnumbered their male counterparts.

According to WMC Memphis, the closure is a result of a new state law that eliminated all DEI initiatives and departments. The Dismantling DEI Departments Act went into effect July 1, ending the program that promoted government spending toward these minority women-owned businesses.

Before its shutdown, the enterprise program offered support and resources for this growing sector of entrepreneurs. It enabled these women to achieve success and sustainability in Memphis. Now, the next group of women with business ambitions may find it harder to get their ideas off the ground.

One local official believes that stripping the enterprise program will lead to more negative consequences, especially given Memphis’ diverse population. The city remains predominantly Black, accounting for over 62% of its residents, as confirmed by Census data. The city is also comprised of a majority of women, making up over 52% of its population.

“Now that we are enforcing something that is going to take away so much of the progress we had been making,” explained Shelby County Commissioner Britney Thornton. “That’s the part that concerns me. We had the program. We were starting to train individuals on how to get county contracts and how to get city contracts, where the resources were, and now, we are being told by legal we can’t even talk about it.”

Thornton also mentioned that the city had an underspend that was allocated toward supporting these businesses. However, with the loss of that funding, some Black businesses are now at risk.

“What we have seen on the county side is that we have a significant underspend somewhere between 0% and 8%, we were spending with minority businesses,” she said. “We know that Black businesses are within that figure.”

The state law follows a national sentiment against DEI endeavors, primarily sparked by the Trump administration. This anti-DEI legislation extends to elementary schools, higher education institutions, and federal agencies throughout the United States.

While the business owners who were once part of this program stated their ongoing commitment to supporting one another, the loss of this invaluable resource is still felt across the city.

RELATED CONTENT: Shareholders From 30 Major Corporations Vote Unanimously Against Anti-DEI Policies 

Ohio, jewelry heist, arrest
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 13, 2025

Cleveland Browns Rookie, Quinshon Judkins, Arrested For Domestic Violence

Judkins has yet to sign a rookie contract with the Browns.

An incoming rookie for the Cleveland Browns has been arrested for domestic violence, with the franchise “aware” of the legal matter.

Quinshon Judkins was arrested on July 12 on a domestic violence and battery charge in Florida. The running back is set to begin his freshman NFL season with the Cleveland Browns this fall. The incident reportedly occurred that morning in Fort Lauderdale.

As the news began to spread across social media, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Daniel Oyefusi confirmed that the franchise is “aware and gathering more details” on the legal situation.

On X, Oyefusi shared a statement made by Sgt. David Soika with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department Media Relations Unit.

“Officers arrived on scene and spoke with the victim,” detailed the statement. “During their preliminary investigation it was determined a battery had occurred. The officers made contact with the suspect and placed him into custody. He was transported to Broward County Main Jail.”

However, Judkins’ charge status is currently pending trial, with no bond amount also set. According to court records obtained by Bleacher Report, he has a court appearance set for July 13.

The news comes as the Browns’ 2025 draftees are supposed to head to Cleveland for training camp July 18. Judkins has yet to sign a contract with the team, intending to compete for the starting running back position.

Before his arrest, Judkins was scheduled to attend a meet-and-greet in Cleveland. The July 14 event aimed to connect Judkins with the local fans as he begins his professional football career with the Browns. The following day, Judkins had plans to host a football camp for the city’s youth. The status of both events is currently unknown.

Judkins became the No. 36 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, selected by the Browns in the second round. The pick from Ohio State rushed 1,060 yards with the Buckeyes, also scoring 16 recorded touchdowns in 16 games.

RELATED CONTENT: Zion Williamson Accused Of Rape, Domestic Violence In Lawsuit; NBA Star Denies Allegations

Damola Adamolekun
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 13, 2025

He Heard Y’all: Red Lobster CEO Responds To Seafood Boil Uproar With Fast Changes

Red Lobster's young CEO is getting love for swiftly responding to customers' concerns.

Red Lobster is on a mission to regain its place in the restaurant industry, with its young, Black CEO determined to make things right with customers.

The struggling seafood hot spot crowned Damola Adamolekun as its new captain in August 2024. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously covered his historic appointment as the youngest CEO in the restaurant’s history, as well as his unorthodox approach to reviving restaurants.

Red Lobster has introduced its latest change, popular seafood boils in a bag, to customers’ mixed satisfaction. In June, the company introduced bagged delights featuring crab, shrimp, and more, available in various flavors such as roasted garlic butter, Cajun butter, or Old Bay seasoning.

While the new inclusion has brought more customers in the door, it has left a few wanting more. Some critiqued the small portion sizes, especially given the price. Others complained that the boils needed more flavor.

@zinwithin Red Lobster Seafood Boil #mukbang #seafood #redlobster #seafoodboil #lobster #shrimp #foodtiktok ♬ original sound – zinwithin

“And with a name like ‘Red Lobster’ you would think they would have some big lobster. But apparently they only have baby lobster,” shared one reviewer as she showed the tiny crustaceans.

Despite the varied feedback on the meals themselves, Adamolekun regained control of the narrative. The 36-year-old took note of “Lobster Nation” and its desires for more spicy options, even including sausage in the boils.

“We dropped our new seafood boils and you guys really, really, really showed up,” said the CEO in a TikTok video posted on July 10. “Also, we heard you in the comments. You want even more heat and even more flavors. So, we’re turning it up.”

Customers expressed their appreciation for Adamolekun’s swift response to feedback.

One user exclaimed, “That’s gotta be the FASTEST customer satisfaction turnaround in Corporate history!!! 

Another stated, “A company who has a CEO this involved will always thrive.”

Adamolekun then personally commented and direct messaged unsatisfied customers on TikTok. He asked them to try the upgraded options for a seafood boil that competes with local spots. One food reviewer praised Adamolekun for reaching out, prompting her to give the restaurant another chance.

@dariutopian Replying to @alwayshers @Red Lobster y’all listened and the boil is PERFECTTTT ! I went back to the Mesquite location again! #redlobster #seafoodboil ♬ original sound – Dari | Dallas Foodie | UGC

The CEO’s approach inspired reluctant customers to try out the new and improved Red Lobster.

“A Black man pulled a franchise founded in 1968 outta debt in 2025 and then when his consumers complained he ain’t get rude he listened,” shared another commenter. “I’m going a few times just [because] of that alone!”

RELATED CONTENT: Damola Adamolekun Breathes Life Into Red Lobster And Its Throwback Menu

Ndamukong Suh, NFL, Finance Podcast, SIAC, brawl
by Daniel Johnson

July 13, 2025

Ndamukong Suh Retires From NFL And Tackles Wealth Building With New Finance Podcast

Suh explained that he has a passion for financial literacy.

On July 2, former Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh announced the launch of a sports business podcast, “No Free Lunch,” hosted by The Athletic.

In the announcement, which Suh issued via an op-ed published by the outlet, he explained that he has a passion for financial literacy, which he hopes to share via a podcast exploring how successful people manage money.

“Throughout my NFL career, when I wasn’t sacking your favorite quarterback, I was networking with some of the sharpest business minds in the world. That led me to build a real estate portfolio, step into investing, and become an advocate for financial literacy,” Suh told The Athletic‘s Jayson Jenks.

He continued, “So on ‘No Free Lunch,’ we’ll look at personal finance through the lens of sports and business. Each week, I’ll sit down with athletes, entrepreneurs, and executives to talk about how the most successful people in sports manage their money and grow their wealth.”

Although Suh has not played in the NFL since 2022, he was still an active player, technically a free agent, but on July 12, a year to the day of his late father’s death, Suh announced in a heartfelt post to his Twitter (X) account that he had decided to officially retire from the NFL after playing in the league for 13 years.

Suh’s post, largely a digital memorial to the love he had for his father, also doubled as a segue into his next act, closing by inviting his followers on his journey into hosting conversations about strategy, financial education, and perhaps, Suh seemed to hope, financial freedom for his listeners.

“July 12, 2024 was the hardest day of my life. It’s the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself. He wasn’t just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor. He taught me what it meant to be disciplined, focused, and relentless in everything I do,” Suh wrote.

He continued, “Before he passed, he gave me one final piece of advice, ‘It’s time to let football go. You’ve done everything you set out to do. Now it’s time for the next chapter.’ That conversation stayed with me. So today, one year later, I’m honoring that wish. I’m officially retiring from the NFL.”

On the football field, Suh was a disruptive force to be reckoned with, although he only won one Super Bowl. As a key member of the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ historically great defense, Suh was still named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s.

According to his post, Suh aims to become a different kind of disruptive force, concluding with an invitation for fans, critics, and supporters to join him in his second act.

“My next season is about impact, purpose, and legacy. About helping others build wealth, lead with intention, and create lasting freedom. I’ve lived. I’ve learned. I’ve built. I’ve failed. I’ve succeeded. And now I want to share what I’ve learned, especially with athletes, entrepreneurs, and young people navigating life and money,” Suh wrote.

He concluded, “Now I’m using my platform to serve something bigger. If you’ve ever followed my journey…Thank you. If you’ve ever cheered, supported, critiqued, or pushed me, you’re part of the reason I kept going. And if you’re wondering what’s next: Tune in. Follow along. I’m just getting started.”

RELATED CONTENT: Former Chicago Bulls Player Luol Deng Surpasses Net Worth Of Top NBA Stars Through Successful Real Estate Company

Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity,
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 13, 2025

Thousands Of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Members Head To Philadelphia For National Convention

Fraternity leadership wants this convention to build strategy for the future.

Thousands of members within Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, will head to Philadelphia for the organization’s 119th anniversary convention.

The convention will take place from July 16 to July 20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. According to the Philadelphia Tribune, around 7,000 members of the first collegiate fraternity for Black men are expected to attend.

As a Black Greek Letter Organization part of the Divine 9, Alpha Phi Alpha upholds the pillars of community service and advocacy. These values even extend to its choice to hold its 98th general convention in Philadelphia. The fraternity’s president emphasized the city’s history of social justice, including its recent labor workers’ strike, as a reason for its selection.

“Philadelphia has had a long history of civil rights and activism,” said Alpha Phi Alpha General President Lucien J. Metellus Jr. “We see that every day and now with the union strike. We always support the activity of our people and thought that Philadelphia would be a perfect spot to engage and have our convention there to work with the local community, especially the Black and minority-owned businesses.”

The decision came after a convention was postponed in 2023, originally scheduled to take place in Orlando, Florida. Alpha Phi Alpha initially planned to bring its members and business to the Sunshine State. However, they opted out of gathering there following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ revisions to the way Black history is taught in classrooms. They cited that the local government’s actions did not align with the mission and values of equality ingrained in the organization.

Now taking place in Philadelphia, the convention aims to guide Alpha members toward its next steps. With the theme “Reimagining Alpha for the Future,” the event will feature business sessions, public events, workshops, community service projects, and general activities for all attendees.

Alpha Phi Alpha leadership also wants to imagine new ways to thrive as a Black man-focused organization.

“A lot of times in life, we only plan one or two years in advance,” Metellus said. “I want to start investing in the growth and technologies and changes in the ways we access each other. It’s important to lay those foundations today.”

Metellus also wants the fraternity to think about what Black male youth need today to succeed and further their education. This includes a public event to engage with the local Philadelphia community. Deemed “Advocacy in Education: Empowering Black Men for College and Beyond,” multiple collegiate leaders will discuss the barriers and solutions to Black men fulfilling their academic journeys.

“We want youth to see this influx next week of 10,000 college-educated Black men, in various levels of education and beyond, represented in a very positive way,” expressed Jason W. Harris, president of the local Omicron Delta Lambda chapter. “And to not just give them inspiration but proof that they can be successful. We’re in all aspects of any occupation that they might be interested in, so it’s just gonna be a really powerful statement.”

The four-day convention will also host a formal gala and award ceremonies to highlight the fraternity’s successful endeavors and members. The Alpha Award of Merit and Alpha Award of Honor will recognize NBA Hall of Famer Nate “Tiny” Archibald, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who will also gain recognition for this coveted award.

RELATED CONTENT: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to Build Monument At Cornell University

Ana Maria Gonçalves Makes History As First Black Woman Inducted Into Brazil’s Literary Academy
by Daniel Johnson

July 13, 2025

Ana Maria Gonçalves Makes History As First Black Woman Inducted Into Brazil’s Literary Academy

‘Um Defeito de Cor’ author joins 128-year-old literary institution long led by white men.

Despite Brazil’s status as one of the countries with the largest Black populations in the world, its literary academy has remained largely white and without a Black woman member of that body. However, this changed on July 10, when Ana Maria Gonçalves was named the Brazilian Academy of Letters’ newest member.

According to The Guardian, the 54-year-old Gonçalves’ election is being widely celebrated in Brazil as a sign of progress, and she holds a prominent place as one of Brazil’s most celebrated contemporary authors.

In a striking endorsement, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote in a celebratory post that Conçalves’ most famous book, “Um defeito de cor (A Color Defect),” was his “companion” during his 580-day stay in prison and pointed out his own advocacy for the book. “I always make a point of recommending it to everyone,” da Silva said.

“A Color Defect,” which has yet to be translated into English, is a 900-page historical novel set in North America. Gonçalves calls the novel “the history of Brazil told from the point of view of a Black woman,” and pointed out in her own comments that the diversification of Brazil’s national literary academy is sorely lacking.

“I’m the first Black woman, but I can’t be the only one. I can’t carry the weight of representing an entire population that continues to be marginalized and that is itself incredibly diverse,” she told Brazilian newspaper Folha de S Paulo, which named her 2006 book as the greatest work of Brazilian literature so far in the 21st century.

Although the first president of Brazil’s national literary academy was a Black man, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, who is also considered the greatest writer in Brazilian history, the academy, which is still largely regarded as the House of Machado de Assis, has lacked Black people in its ranks since his presidency.

This has consistently been a point of contention for many in a country where more than half the population is composed of people of African descent. Notably, Gonçalves has been critical of the form and function of racism in Brazilian society, explored in North American media through a pair of op-eds published by The Intercept in 2017.

In one, she described a Brazilian academia that engaged in the erasure of a Black woman, Virgínia Leone Bicudo, who pioneered the field of psychoanalysis in Brazil.

In the second, Gonçalves explored a social dynamic in which white women adopt styles traditionally associated with Black women, such as head wraps, while deflecting criticism by leaning on perceptions of innocence. In her writing, the head wrap, commonly worn within the African diaspora, served as a metaphor for the broader commercialization of Black culture.

The issues addressed in her two op-eds—including critiques of racism and white supremacist attitudes—are part of what makes her appointment to the Brazilian Academy of Letters notable to many in Brazil. Poet and translator Stephane Borges told The Guardian she hopes Gonçalves’ appointment will help create more opportunities for Black women to participate in Brazil’s literary landscape.

“When it’s us telling our own stories, we invite those who look like us to come closer to literature,” Borges said.

Gonçalves seems to agree and told The Guardian that she plans to use her influence to create change within the national academy.

“The academy does need more women, more Black people, Indigenous people, and people from other parts of Brazil,” Gonçalves said. “And I hope that now, from the inside, I can help make that happen.”

RELATED CONTENT: Cemetery For Enslaved Africans in Brazil Discovered, Turned into Museum

Glynn Turman, Hollywood Walk of Fame, star
by Daniel Johnson

July 13, 2025

From Broadway To Hollywood: Glynn Turman Receives His Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

According to Ana Martinez, the producer of the Walk of Fame, Turman was chosen for the honor due to the mark he has left on the industry

Glynn Turman, who began his acting journey at just 12 years old, performing alongside Sidney Poitier in the original Broadway production of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, fittingly placed beside that of his longtime mentor.

According to Black Press USA, while Glynn Turman is widely recognized for his role on “A Different World” — the sitcom that brought the fictional HBCU Hillman College to life — he’s also a multifaceted talent with credits as a director, producer, writer, and composer.

Turman is also a prominent figure in the 2022 Netflix documentary “Is That Black Enough For You?,” which was written and directed by Elvis Mitchell. According to the film’s entry on IMDb, although the film focuses on 1970s cinema, it is also invested in tracing the history of Black films across several decades.

Given Turman’s lengthy career in Hollywood, it is fitting that he would be tapped to discuss Black films. Turman’s roles in film stretch from 1975’s “Cooley High” to Tyler Perry’s recently released and current Netflix hit, “Straw,” giving Turman a remarkable five-decade career in front of the camera.

According to a press release from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, on July 10, Turman’s star became the 2,816th to be dedicated along Hollywood Boulevard.

According to Ana Martinez, the producer of the Walk of Fame, Turman was chosen for the honor due to the mark he has left on the industry.

“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is honored to welcome Glynn Turman with this well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Martinez said. “His exceptional talents and dedication to the craft of acting have left an indelible mark on the industry, and we are proud to immortalize his legacy on this iconic boulevard. Glynn’s star will be next to his friend Sidney Poitier’s star, whom he performed with on Broadway in 1959.”

A seasoned cowboy and accomplished equestrian, Turman began competing in rodeo events about 35 years ago. In 1999, he earned national recognition by placing in the top five at the U.S. Team Roping Champion Finals in Oklahoma City.

In 2011, Turman was inducted into Fort Worth, Texas’ Western Heritage Multicultural Museum’s Hall of Fame, and he also manages a free, nonprofit, western-themed summer camp program with his wife, Jo-An, “Camp Gid D Up,” which was created to help inner city and at-risk youth in 1992.

The guest speakers at the ceremony, actor Don Cheadle and filmmaker Ava DuVernay, issued remarks about their experiences with Turman. While DuVernay was more serious, Cheadle opted to share a humorous reflection on his experience working with Turman.

Although lighthearted, Cheadle was reverent of Turman in his comments, joking that despite the common advice never to meet your heroes, Turman stands, to him, as the exception to that trope.

“Be mindful, never meet your heroes—unless, of course, somehow, some way, they turn out to be Mr. Glynn Turman,” Cheadle told the audience.

DuVernay told the crowd that she refers to him as “Mr. Turman” and not by his first name as a sign of that respect and admiration.

“I don’t call him Glynn. I call him Mr. Turman because I just can’t,” DuVernay said during her remarks. “Because there are artists and then there are architects.”

She continued, “Creative human beings who don’t only perform. But who build, who shape, who carve paths, who create structures that others walk through and dwell in long after the curtain is lowered and the cameras stop rolling. On this gorgeous summertime day we gather to celebrate such an architect, a master builder of culture, a man whose name alone conjures not only memories of performances, but entire eras of the nation’s history, its beauty, its bruises, its pain, its poetry. Glynn Turman is an American institution.”

RELATED CONTENT: Glynn Turman Receives Legacy Award At 2024 AAFCA TV Honors

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