WNBA, Angel Reese, reese's puffs, cereal

by Mary Spiller

July 10, 2025

Angel Reese, The Bayou Barbie, Is The Face Of NBA 2K26 Cover

Angel Reese will grace the cover of NBA 2K26 alongside NBA legend Carmelo Anthony and 2025 NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

WNBA All-Star Angel Reese is taking her talents from the hardwood to the digital screen, as she has officially been named the cover athlete for the WNBA Edition of NBA 2K26, according to July 9 reports. The 23-year-old joins NBA legend Carmelo Anthony and 2025 NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as featured athletes on this year’s release.

“NBA 2K26 is celebrating the bold, the confident, and the visionaries—and WNBA All-Star Angel Reese carries all that on and off the court,” NBA 2K General Manager Zak Armitage said in an exclusive statement to TMZ Sports.

“In her sophomore year in the WNBA, Angel Reese has made waves, created impactful conversations, and inspired the next generation. She’s a storyteller and has helped the WNBA grow its audience,” Armitage continued.

https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1942948017742422065?s=19

Reese, who was recently named a two-time WNBA All-Star, opened up to PEOPLE about being given the honor.

“I’m so blessed to be honored with these two,” she said, referring to her fellow cover stars. “I was just super excited… just trying to be the first of many, and have many young kids and young women look up to me and know that they can do the same things I’m doing.” Reese added, “The sky’s the limit.”

Reese recently found herself at the center of online discourse and national prominence during the 2023 NCAA tournament, when she led the LSU Tigers to a championship win over Iowa and its star guard, Caitlin Clark.

Reese and Clark’s on-court rivalry, stemming from a tense game and Reese’s viral “you can’t see me” taunt, has sparked a heated debate in the sports world over the two successful women.

The decision to feature Reese on the NBA 2K26 cover over Clark, who has arguably become the most talked-about player in women’s basketball, has reignited conversation among fans and commentators.

While both athletes have a significant impact on the court, the move continues to fuel one of the most high-profile rivalries in the WNBA today.

Regardless of the debate, Reese’s inclusion marks another major milestone in her rapidly rising career and solidifies her place as a defining face of the league’s future, separate from Clark.

by Kandiss Edwards

July 10, 2025

Civil Rights Icon Bayard Rustin’s Legacy Goes Digital This November 2025

Queer and Black Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin’s work previously overshadowed will now be available via digital archive.

A new digital archive honoring Bayard Rustin is set to launch this fall, according to the Associated Press.

The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice has announced the creation of an archive featuring the most influential yet often overlooked leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

The upcoming archive will display many of Rustin’s personal and professional materials. These include speeches, photographs, newspaper clippings, and videos. Items were sourced from multiple establishments, such as the Library of Congress, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and other public and private collections.

Leadership at the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice aims to make Rustin’s work and life accessible to a wider audience while encouraging community members to contribute their own stories and memories related to Rustin’s legacy.

“This is not just a digital museum,” said Robt Seda-Schreiber, chief activist at the Bayard Rustin Center. “It’s a living, breathing tribute to Bayard and to all who continue his fight for justice.”

Rustin, an openly gay Black man and chief architect of the 1963 March on Washington, played a pivotal role in shaping nonviolent protest strategies that defined the movement. Despite his major contributions, his sexual orientation often led to his being sidelined in historical narratives.

Rustin endured numerous arrests, including a 1953 conviction in California on “lewd conduct” charges. The lewd conduct charge was often used to criminalize LGBTQ+ individuals. This conviction, which cost him 50 days in jail and physical assault by police, cast a long shadow over his career, leading to public distancing by some civil rights leaders. Only in his latter years was Rustin’s contribution fully acknowledged.

The civil rights legend was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by President Barack Obama in 2013. As much of Rustin’s work has been overshadowed by more vocal members of the movement, the archive allows others to examine his contribution.

The archive is expected to go live ahead of the November release of Rustin, the Netflix biopic starring Colman Domingo.

Mayor Karen Bass, LA, ICE agents, Latino, DHS

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 10, 2025

Enough! Mayor Karen Bass Slams ICE Presence In MacArthur Park, Calls It ‘Absolutely Outrageous’

Bass said as soon as she caught wind of what was happening, she visited the park and ordered agents in charge to leave.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is speaking out against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who took over MacArthur Park where children were playing, calling the takeover attempt “absolutely outrageous,” USA Today reported.

Video footage shows armored vehicles, officers ,and armed troops swarming a soccer field on a sunny July 7 day.

This is footage from today in MacArthur Park.

Minutes before, there were more than 20 kids playing — then, the MILITARY comes through.

The SECOND I heard about this, I went to the park to speak to the person in charge to tell them it needed to end NOW.

Absolutely outrageous. pic.twitter.com/sxGzjGlYlr
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) July 7, 2025

Cameras were rolling as officers strolled through the park on horses while Bass called the scene “un-American.”

“Franky, it is outrageous and un-American that we have federal armed vehicles in our parks when nothing is going on in our parks,” Bass said during a press conference.

“It is outrageous and un-American that the federal government has seized our state’s National Guard. It’s outrageous and un-American that we have U.S. Marines who are trained to kill foreign soldiers overseas, deployed in our American city.”

It is outrageous and unamerican that we have federal troops in our parks when there is nothing going on.

Here's the truth — their only plan is fear, chaos, and politics.

Home Depot one day, a car wash another, armed military units in a park where a summer camp is happening the… pic.twitter.com/SA7rT71bAC
— Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) July 7, 2025

Bass said as soon as she caught wind of what was happening, she visited the park and ordered agents in charge to leave, but Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino said Bass and the city of angels should get used to it. “The federal government is not leaving LA. I don’t work for Karen Bass, the federal government doesn’t work for Karen Bass,” he said. “We’re going to be here until that mission is accomplished, as I said, and better get used to us now because this is going to be normal very soon.”

CBP Sector Chief Greg Bovino told LA Mayor Karen Bass, to get used to us!

BOVINO: "I don't work for Karen Bass. She better get used to us!" pic.twitter.com/oP5cq6aDtw
— WayneTech SPFX®️ (@WayneTechSPFX) July 8, 2025

Los Angeles has been a target of the Trump Administration and border patrol officials, sending the National Guard to the city just to disperse protests of ICE agents harassing what they deem as illegal immigrants. The Department of Defense claimed troops were sent to MacArthur to “ensure the safety of federal agents.”

However, Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the district where the park is located, said otherwise. She warned other cities that they may be next. “Today, armed troops stormed MacArthur Park — terrorizing street vendors, elders, and even children at summer camp. The Big Ugly Bill just poured billions more into ICE,” she wrote on X.

“Make no mistake: your city is next. Know your rights. Stay ready. Move in community. We keep us safe.”

California governor and avid Trump opponent Gavin Newsom released a statement in support of Bass and other city leaders, calling the move “a disgrace,” according to Newsweek. “I want folks to know we have your back,” he said. “And we’ll continue to come back and do what we can to protect our diverse communities, to protect the spirit that defines the best of this city and our state and to push back against this cruelty.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 10, 2025

Mayor Eric Adams Accused In Corruption Case Lawsuit Of Favoring Ex-NYPD Buddies

The suit alleges NYPD heavyweights conspired with Adams for their career demise.

Ahead of a re-election bid, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is being accused of showing favoritism toward former New York Police Department (NYPD) friends in a new lawsuit alleging corruption, New York Daily News reports.

The bombshell lawsuit comes from four former high-ranking NYPD chiefs — James Essig, Matthew Pontillo, Joseph Veneziano, and Christopher McCormack — who claim they were forced to retire after complaining that Adams was placing his “unqualified” friends in prestigious positions, allegedly using bribes to secure the seats. Several former and current NYPD heavyweights were listed as defendants in the suit, including former Police Commissioner Edward Caban, former NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, and NYPD Chief of Department John Chell.

The suit alleges that the four men conspired with Adams to bring about their career demise; however, attorney Sarena Townsend says the claims from Essig, Pontillo, Veneziano, and McCormack are an overreach. “The overarching theme is whistleblower retaliation,” Townsend, who is representing all four 2023 retired officers, said. “These are people who were in the department for 30 to 40 years who knew what was right and wrong. What Adams and his group wanted to do was cut corners, do things against policy, do things that were unconstitutional.”

Essig, the highest-ranking member of the group, alleges the corruption started in early 2023. He remembers that Maddrey, a longtime friend of Adams, was attempting to get friends placed into senior units in the department’s Criminal Task Force Division. When Essig went to Caban, who resigned in 2024 amid corruption allegations also tied to Adams, to complain, Caban allegedly pushed back against the complaint, saying, “Do you have a problem with this?!”

He also claims Caban was engaged since he was allegedly “selling promotions” to cops for approximately $15,000 and mentioned him being under federal investigation in the suit.

According to Politico, the alleged retaliation against Pontillo was personal. The suit alleges the mayor, Caban, Chell, and Maddrey forced retirement after the former chief voiced concerns with the increasing number of police chases under Chell’s leadership and the improper usage of body-worn cameras.

After each member left the force, City Hall gave NYPD managerial staff a pay increase that the four former chiefs missed out on.

Both Caban and Banks denied the allegations against them, with Banks saying a list of specific names should be requested; however, it “doesn’t exist.” A spokesperson for the mayor’s office, Kayla Mamelak Altus, defended the NYPD’s integrity, noting that Adams once served on the force, and said the lawsuits would be reviewed. “The Adams administration holds all city employees — including leadership at the NYPD — to the highest standards, and our work at the department speaks for itself: crime continues to topple month after month both above and below ground, with our city seeing the lowest number of shootings in recorded history,” Altus said in a statement.

“That is no coincidence — it’s thanks to the Adams administration’s laser focus on public safety.”

Grand Rapids, Settlement, Girl, 11, Handcuffed, police

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 10, 2025

The City Of Louisville To Pay Woman $2.9M In Wrongful Conviction Case

The city of Louisville will pay a wrongfully convicted woman $2.9 million as part of a settlement.

After spending 20 years maintaining her innocence in a homicide case, a Black woman has finally been vindicated with a $2.9 million settlement from the city of Louisville, Kentucky, for her wrongful conviction.

Louisville Metro Government settled a lawsuit with Johnetta Carr last month for her claims of being wrongfully convicted of her ex-boyfriend’s murder, for which she spent years in prison and on parole, Courier Journal reported. As part of the settlement, the city requires Carr to drop all claims related to the lawsuit, while Louisville Metro denies any liability or fault in the case.

Carr was only 16 when she was convicted of the killing of Planes Adolphe, a Haitian-born cab driver she was dating at the time. Adolphe was found strangled outside his Louisville apartment building in October 2005.

Her lawsuit claimed that when she was arrested the following January, police disregarded DNA evidence from the murder weapon that didn’t match her and relied instead on coerced statements from witnesses and jailhouse informants. As a result, in 2008, Carr entered an Alford plea to charges including manslaughter, conspiracy to commit burglary and robbery, and evidence tampering, that allowed her to maintain her innocence while also acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict her.

Carr was sentenced to 20 years in prison but was released on parole in 2009. A decade later, in 2019, former Governor Matt Bevin granted her a pardon, one of hundreds issued before leaving office.

The following year, Carr filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the city and seven Louisville Metro Police officers, accusing them of violating her civil rights by failing to investigate a key alternate suspect. The lawsuit alleged that lead detective Tony Finch coerced a co-defendant, Carla Sowers, into falsely implicating Carr in the murder, claims Sowers almost immediately recanted. It also cited a jailhouse informant who initially told police Carr committed the crime but later took back the statement.

Carr’s attorney, civil rights lawyer Elliot Slosar, said she has always had a solid alibi supported by witnesses who said she was spending the night at a friend’s house at the time of Adolphe’s murder. Carr’s case marks the second wrongful conviction lawsuit brought against Finch. In 2012, Kerry Porter sued Finch over alleged misconduct in a separate murder investigation that resulted in a $7.5 million settlement.

student loan forgiveness, fresh start program, idk, forgiveness, Connecticut student loans

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2025

Need Some Forgiveness For Student Loans? These Volunteer Opportunities May Offer Relief

Programs such as the Peace Corps and Americorps could offer some loan relief and even forgiveness.

For those struggling with student loans, several volunteer opportunities could offer relief and forgiveness.

These methods may also benefit others who received federal pauses on multiple loan programs. These individuals did not take on immediate student loan repayments due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent grace periods established during the Biden administration. The former president attempted to implement student loan forgiveness, but legal challenges significantly hindered the effort.

Now, the Trump administration has announced a deadline for these grace periods, as well as the rollout of involuntary collections on defaulted loans. As these pauses come to a halt, more borrowers may need options to relieve them of upcoming bills that could cost hundreds of dollars a month.

Volunteer options may also greatly benefit Black borrowers. According to the Education Data Collective, Black bachelor’s degree holders carry an average of $52,726 in student loan debt. The discrepancy between Black and white student loan borrowers is also vast, with Black people owing an average of 188% more than their white counterparts.

Enlisting in the Peace Corps could lead to loan deferment, partial cancellation, or eligibility for the Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. The program offers the cancellation of the remaining debt after 10 years of payments while working in public service.

Furthermore, while one is in the program, they could avoid paying toward their student loans entirely. However, the Peace Corps typically requires a year-long stint in a foreign country.

“Under a qualifying repayment plan, your payments could be $0 per month while volunteering,” the website states. “Signing up at the beginning of your service allows you to make the greatest number of qualifying payments.”

For those wanting to stay local, AmeriCorps is a national program that sources employment for young adults. According to Newsweek, the program offers a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.

Granted to those who complete a term of service with the agency, the award provides the yearly equivalent of a Pell Grant. The money can go toward qualified student loans or education expenses if one enrolls in school. However, the agency has also undergone budget cuts enforced by the Trump Administration, so borrowers should remain wary of its future.

Another option is the Shared Harvest Fund. The program offers student debt relief for “skilled volunteers and frontline care workers who show up for their communities, especially during emergencies.” The doctor-founded nonprofit helps people pay off their loans by becoming “debt-free freelancers.”

In the program, borrowers sign up and list their applicable skills, becoming matched with a volunteer organization. They gain points that convert into stipends to directly pay off loans. One of its co-founders, Dr. NanaEfua Afoh-Manin, deemed the innovative venture as “TINDR meets the Peace Corps.”

While these opportunities may not fully alleviate one’s student loan debt, they are obtainable solutions to help borrowers get a grasp on their repayment.

by Mitti Hicks

July 9, 2025

Disinvestment In The Public Sector Will Disproportionately Impact Black Women

Data from the Economic Policy Institute shows Black women make up more than one in five local government workers and more than one in four state government workers in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Maryland.

New research found that the efforts by the Trump administration and Congress to cut the federal workforce, funding to states, and public services will disproportionately harm Black women who hold many of these jobs.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, jobs in the public sector are not only a key driver of economic growth but also increase the quality of life, especially in the South. Jobs in the public sector are represented at the federal, state, and local levels, impacting education for children, caring for the elderly, ensuring that vulnerable communities have access to quality water and food, and many other essential services.

Black workers have historically faced widespread discrimination in the private sector, from hiring practices, pay, sexism, and even being limited to menial jobs. With the disinvestment in the public sector, Black women will be impacted even more, particularly in the South region.

Data from the Economic Policy Institute shows Black women make up more than one in five local government workers and more than one in four state government workers in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Maryland. They also make up 22.5% of the federal workforce in Georgia, 18.5% in Maryland, and 11.5% in Texas. In the public sector, Black women are the most educated, comprising 43.8% of those in the federal government. Roughly half of those working in state (49.3%) and local (50.9%) governments have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with just 26.3% of those in the private sector.

How Disinvestment Will Impact Jobs For Black Women in the Public Sector

Black women in the public sector serve as managers, educators, and professionals in various capacities. More than half of Black women in the federal workforce are employed in management (25.1%) and professional (25.5%) occupations. In state and local government, more Black women work in professional occupations (41.9% and 49.0%) than in any other profession.

With workforce cuts in the public sector, the EPI predicts that there will be fewer personnel to address concerns related to Social Security benefits, veterans’ care, disaster preparation and response, and other services that families rely on.

by Kandiss Edwards

July 9, 2025

Memorial Details Released For Trailblazer Thomas G. Sampson Sr.

Atlanta's native son and trailblazer Thomas G. Sampson Sr. will be memorialized July 19 at his alma mater Morehouse College.

Funeral details for the late Thomas G. Sampson Sr. have been released to the public. The memorial will take place on July 19 at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College. Services begin at 11 a.m., Fox 5 reported.

The co‑founder of Georgia’s first and oldest Black‑owned law firm died July 3 at age 80, according to a statement from the City of Atlanta . As news of his death spread, tributes from legal and civic leaders underscored his influence as a mentor, advocate, and pioneer. Sampson’s work not only advanced civil rights in Georgia courts but also laid the groundwork for future generations of Black attorneys. He is remembered as a legal giant, civic trailblazer, and a proud son of Atlanta. 

Atlanta’s public transit, MARTA, released a statement on X expressing pride in being Sampson’s first major client in 1973, during the infancy of his law firm.

MARTA mourns the passing of legal and civic giant Thomas G. Sampson Sr., pioneering attorney and co-founder of Georgia’s oldest Black-owned law firm Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins.

MARTA is proud to be the firm’s first major client, hiring them as outside general counsel in… pic.twitter.com/2YKJhw3FVd
— MARTA (@MARTAtransit) July 7, 2025

A trailblazing attorney and mentor, Sampson earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College in 1968. Following his graduation, Sampson founded Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP in 1971 and spent over 50 years building a respected litigation practice. He became the first Black attorney inducted into the Georgia chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and was recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

He earned placement annually in The Best Lawyers in America since 1993 and received Morehouse’s top honor, the Bennie Trailblazer Award, in 2006 

“Mr. Sampson did not just build a law firm — he built a legacy,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “He showed us what it looks like to lead with purpose, serve with integrity, and make history while empowering others to do the same.” 

Fulton County Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington added, “Attorney Thomas Sampson, Sr. was a towering figure in the legal community … His leadership in the Georgia Bar helped pave the way for a more inclusive profession.” 

Sampson is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jacquelyn, two children, and six grandchildren. 

pope che, miseducation, album, executive

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 9, 2025

Essence Fest Takes The Blame For Lauryn Hill’s Late Performance

Essence Fest takes the blame for Lauryn Hill's late performance.

Essence Festival is stepping in to ease the pressure off Lauryn Hill, who performed later than scheduled through no fault of her own.

On July 7, the festival posted on its official Instagram account a highlight from Hill’s performance and addressed misconceptions about why her set ended at 3:37 a.m. despite being originally scheduled for 12:35 a.m. According to Essence, Hill deserves the utmost respect, and any delay was their responsibility, not hers.

“Family is family, and around here, we protect our own no matter what the PEOPLE have to say,” Essence wrote.

“Let’s be very clear— WE don’t play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ESSENCE (@essence)

The media outlet continued. “She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can.”

Hill didn’t hit the stage until 2:30 a.m., following sets from Maxwell, Babyface, the Isley Brothers, and GloRilla, which all ran behind schedule. As a result, Essence took the blame for her lateness.

“The delay? Not hers. We will take that,” Essence included in its caption.

As for Hill’s legacy, it’s “Still unmatched,” they wrote.

“Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them,” the caption read. “All love and deep, profound admiration for Ms. Lauryn Hill.”

The Grammy-winning singer released a statement thanking Essence for clearing up that “the delays were not my fault.” She also shined a light on the intricate care and meticulous detail she invests in every live performance.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ms. Lauryn Hill (@mslaurynhill)

“Family, let me address a few things: I am involved in every aspect of what it takes to put on my shows because it requires THAT much involvement to protect the integrity of my message and the quality of what I do,” Hill wrote.

While arranging her music “diligently,” the “Doo Wop (That Thing)” singer is also busy being a present “parent, grandparent and steward to my immediate family and community.” And Hill does her work “without complaint because it is truly labor of love.”

The statement seemed like a subtle reply to past criticism about her reported lateness at live shows and to further emphasize that any delays at Essence Fest 2025 were not her fault.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 9, 2025

Montgomery Newspaper Launched During Civil Rights Movement Gets Historic Marker

The Southern Courier dared to report on civil rights news in ways other publications would not.

The Southern Courier, a Montgomery newspaper launched during the Civil Rights Movement, will receive a historic marker.

The occasion aligns with another milestone for the publication, its 60th anniversary. The marker, placed at the Courier‘s former office, is a result of a years-long effort to recognize its place in the city’s and civil rights history.

The newspaper came into existence in 1965, founded by a group of journalism students from Harvard University. According to the Montgomery Advertiser, it documented the booming Civil Rights Movement across the southeastern United States. The newspaper recruited local writers to help cover injustice and the progress toward racial equality.

One of its young reporters, Viola Bradford, recalls how the newspaper shed light on the fight for justice that other publications had systematically ignored.

“We were doing stuff that no newspaper was doing,” explained Bradford, who joined the paper at 14 years old. “It was a courageous paper written by courageous people.”

The paper, unfortunately, did not have a long run. It only lasted for three years as it struggled to secure sustainable funding. However, its legacy remains as a fearless platform whose writers uncovered the racism at play during this turbulent time. For example, Bradford’s reporting on a firebombing of a young Black woman’s home revealed the crime stemmed from the student’s role in integrating a local high school.

The woman, Sophia Bracy Harris, commended the work of the Courier at an event last January. She recalled the newspaper reporting the truth, no matter the cost.

“Those are memories that I think are so important for our generation this day to recognize, it is not impossible for us to turn the clock back,” shared Harris. “I think the courage that was demonstrated by The Courier, reporters, and all who were supported in terms of the leaders who were courageous enough to work with them, it is the kind of thing that is so important for us to pass on and plant seeds.”

Bradford’s time with the Courier is evident in her current advocacy for revolutionary journalism. She has since founded the Sankofa Service, a nonprofit whose first event will be the marker’s dedication. The event will take place on July 26.