• News

by Kandiss Edwards

May 23, 2025

Georgia Twins’ Suspicious Deaths Declared Double Suicide By Georgia Bureau Of Investigation

Georgia twins Naazir and Qaa'dir Lewis's deaths have been ruled a suicide by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

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Qaa’dir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis’s deaths have been ruled a suicide by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). 

The twin brothers were found deceased on March 8. GBI officials determined their deaths were the cause of a double suicide. Evidence from Qaa’dir and Naazir’s cellphone data, surveillance footage, and internet search history indicates the brothers acted alone and fired the gun that led to their deaths, Fox 5 reported. 

The GBI’s investigation revealed that Naazir purchased the ammunition used in the firearm and found it at the scene. The order of ammunition was delivered to their home on March 5. Internet searches on their devices included topics such as “how to load a gun” and suicide statistics from 2024.

Surveillance footage showed the brothers traveling alone from their home in Lawrenceville to Bell Mountain. Forensic testing confirmed both Qaa’dir and Naazir fired the weapon.

Despite the findings, the Lewis family disputes the GBI’s conclusion. Family members point to surveillance video from the night before the deaths. The video shows the 19-year-old Georgia residents eating snacks at a gas station. The presence of unused airline tickets still in their wallets at the time of their discovery led the family to expect foul play.

Qaa’dir and Naazir’s aunt Samira Brawner expressed disbelief. “I know that something happened to them. I know that they were murdered,” she told Fox 5.

Brawner spoke about Qaa’dir and Naazir’s positive disposition and their abundant support system. 

 “Both of them were funny. They loved spending time with family,” she said. “No, that doesn’t make any sense.”

The case drew national attention when a volunteer firefighter, Scott Kerlin, was arrested for taking unauthorized photos of the Georgia mountain death scene and sharing them publicly. Kerlin was arrested and charged with misdemeanor obstruction. 

The GBI has met with the family to share their findings and plans to formally close the investigation. In a Facebook post, the Towns County Sheriff’s Office stated records can be requested after the investigation officially closes.

“Our heartfelt prayers are with the Lewis family at this time,” “the post read. “For any and all information or open records requests, the GBI has stated that the investigation will be formally closed in the coming weeks.”

RELATED CONTENT: Firefighter Arrested For Obstruction After Taking Pics Of Twin Brothers Killed On Georgia Mountain

• Women

by Stacy Jackson

May 23, 2025

Study Shows Link Between Eviction And Poor Health Among Black Women In Metro Detroit

A quarter of survey participants experienced eviction during childhood, which linked to a higher risk of poor self-rated health.

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Eviction is common in the United States, but for Black women, the experience may be linked to more health inequities at the population level.

Social epidemiologist Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson examined the extremity of residential evictions among reproductive-age Black women in metro Detroit in a research study published May 14. The study, which also explored evictions associated with poor health, documented the association between “worse self-rated health” and Black women who have experienced court-ordered or illegal evictions across their lifetime.

“The link between having this experience and health at the population level is something that hasn’t been documented,” Sealy-Jefferson told the Detroit Free Press. “These eviction experiences may account for some of the other inequities that we see at the population level, in terms of health of Black mothers, Black families, and Black communities.”

Although eviction is vastly common, the numbers took Sealy-Jefferson’s breath away. A survey of The Detroit native’s research found more than half of the survey participants self-reported they had experienced eviction, with nearly half noted as illegal. A quarter of the study’s participants reported they experienced eviction during childhood, with 60% reporting adverse childhood experiences like abuse, losing a parent, or bullying. Childhood eviction experiences were linked to a 12% to 17% “higher risk of poor self-rated health,” along with court-ordered and illegal evictions reported by participants. Childhood and illegal eviction were linked to a 34% to 37% “higher risk of worse relative self-rated health” compared to most individuals their age.

“Without the human right to stable, safe and affordable housing, it really jeopardizes your ability to do all of the things that you need to do in order to have a good life, a good healthy life, and a productive life.”

Sealy-Jefferson’s community advisory board consists of local, national, and international Black women leaders. She also organized Black women from the Detroit community to share their eviction stories. “I know a lot of people who have been evicted,” said Sealy-Jefferson. “The housing crisis has been a problem for decades, so this is not only our problem, but this was our mother’s problem, and likewise, it’s going to be our daughter’s problem if we don’t do something about it.”

Sealy Jefferson plans to continue her work with the Detroit community, the community advisory board, participants, and interested parties as they spread information, share stories, and encourage advocacy.

RELATED CONTENT: Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Leaders Want Max Prison Sentence For Corrupt CFO

A $3.5 million computer science program at the University of Alabama was canceled ahead of its June 2025 start date. 

The program was designed to support Black women interested in STEM. The goal is to increase representation and provide resources for Black women pursuing careers in technology. Despite efforts to expand eligibility and address diversity gaps, AL reported that the university announced the program’s termination, citing unforeseen circumstances.

This decision has sparked criticism and concern among advocates for diversity in STEM fields. Many see the cancellation as a setback in the effort to create inclusive educational opportunities.

Dr. Christina Seidl, a University of Alabama Huntsville professor, told WAFF that the termination letter she received canceling UAH’s $200,000 grant revealed that engaging Black women in STEM was no longer a priority for the National Science Foundation. 

“Your program no longer aligns with the priorities of the National Science Foundation,” the letter stated. 

Jeff Gray, the program’s primary investigator, says arrangements for the summer course were well underway. Student lodging and food accommodations are in place. 

“I already had the dorms reserved and the meal plan set up, and we even were starting applications,” Gray said to AL.com. “Some of us have spent 300 or so hours on the project.”

Gray attempted to pivot as the federal government continues to slash funding grants for higher education. Instead of centering Black women, the school opened the program to other demographics. 

“We knew if we wanted to keep it alive at least for the next year, we’d have to pivot,” Gray said. “So, we expanded it to all genders, all races. And then the week after we did that, we got terminated.”

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the program provided a year-long preparatory experience for the AP Computer Science Principles exam. This includes summer workshops, academic year study sessions, and mentorship from Black female college students. Participants received a stipend of up to $2,000 with all costs covered. The program boasted a 72% AP exam pass rate, which is significantly higher than the national average.

Gray, a UA computer science professor, emphasized the program’s focus on equity, stating, “We believe that a girl at Francis Marion High School in the Black Belt of Alabama had every right to have access to a course as a white male at Mountain Brook High School.”

The University of Alabama is not the only institution that has lost critical funding. To date, Alabama universities have lost $17.6 million in federal grant funding.

RELATED CONTENT: Divine 9 Members Appear At Indiana’s Statehouse Meeting To Advocate For Medicaid And Education Funding

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 23, 2025

Kid Cudi Testifies In Diddy Trial, Discusses House Break-In, Car Being Set On Fire, Relationship With Cassie

He also portrayed Diddy as "a Marvel supervillain"

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Rapper Kid Cudi testified in the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial, revealing details on a break-in at his house, the bombing of his car, and his relationship with Diddy’s former girlfriend, Cassie.

According to The Washington Post, the Day ‘n’ Nite recording artist took the witness stand in the government’s case against Diddy in a Manhattan courtroom. In his testimony, he expressed to the court that, possibly, due to a jealous rage when finding out he was dating Cassie, the record producer broke into his home, ransacked the house, locked his dog in the bathroom, and eventually, at a later time, blew up his car.

Kid Cudi, real name Scott Mescudi, admitted to dating Cassie after she informed him that she and Diddy had broken up. Cudi stated that after an incident where Cassie accused the former Bad Boy executive of hitting her, he went to pick her up, and they went to a hotel so she could get away from Diddy. While there, he said he received a phone call from Diddy’s assistant, and while speaking to Cudi, she was “on the verge of tears.” She explained to the rapper that Diddy had gone to his house and was inside his home. This prompted Cudi to go back to his house.

Once he arrived home, he discovered his security cameras had been altered, his dog was “jittery” and “on edge,” and it was locked in the bathroom. He also noticed that his intruders had opened the Christmas presents at the home.

Variety reported that Cudi got in his car and called Diddy.

“I wanted to confront him, I wanted to fight him,” Mescudi told the court. But, instead of going after Diddy, he decided to call the police and report the break-in. Several weeks later, his car was set on fire, and he immediately suspected Diddy was involved.

The next day, the two rivals for Cassie’s affection met at Soho House to discuss the situation revolving around the three of them. He said that when he got to the hotel and met with him, he was “standing there with his hands behind his back like a Marvel supervillain,” Cudi said.

After testifying, Cudi took to his Instagram page to thank fans for supporting him amid his involvement in the trial.

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• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 23, 2025

Afrika Bambaataa Loses Civil Lawsuit Accusing Him Of Child Molestation

A default judgment was “granted without opposition” by a New York State judge.

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Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, who has been accused of sexual abuse by several people for years, lost a civil lawsuit filed against him.

According to Rolling Stone, the Bronx-bred legend was sued by a John Doe in a New York State Supreme Court case that accused Bambaataa of child molestation and sex trafficking.

Earlier this week, after Bambaataaa did not appear in court, Judge Alexander M. Tisch entered a default judgment.

The suit, filed in 2021, claims the Planet Rock artist sexually abused John Doe several times, starting from when he was 12 years old, from 1991 until 1995. Bambaattaa was 33 or 34 at the time.

Bambaataa never responded to the lawsuit. Over the years, he has denied similar accusations from more than 10 men who claimed he engaged in illegal sex acts with them when they were boys.

In 2016, Bambaataa denied “any and allegations” of molestation to Rolling Stone.

“I, Afrika Bambaataa, want to take this opportunity at the advice of my legal counsel to personally deny any and all allegations of any type of sexual molestation of anyone. These allegations are baseless and are a cowardly attempt to tarnish my reputation and legacy in hip-hop at this time.”

Two of the accusers have been very vocal, Hassan Campbell and Ronald Savage (Bee Stinger), although Savage, a former music industry executive, reportedly recanted in 2024.

However, activist Leila Wills, co-founder of the advocacy group Hip-Hop Stands With Survivors, filed an FCC complaint against Hot 97 after DJ Funkmaster Flex brought Bambaataa to the radio station as a guest on his show. Flex confirmed that Savage took back his accusations.

Wills told Rolling Stone  that Hot 97 was reckless for allowing Bambaataa airtime.

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• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 23, 2025

Sen. Tim Scott: ‘If You’re On Medicaid, You Should Be Able To Work’

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the changes in the "big, beautiful bill" would cause 7.6 million people to become uninsured.

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Hours after the House passed some of the strictest work requirements in its “big, beautiful bill,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) proclaimed that anyone on Medicaid should be working.

During an interview on Fox News’ Hannity, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee touched on one of the reasons House Republicans passed a new Medicaid recipient policy—215 to 214—requiring them to have proof of employment as a condition of receiving health insurance.

“If you’re on Medicaid, you should be able to work. If you can work, you should work,” Scott said. “Having the restoration of work requirements saves billions of dollars. We can keep the integrity of Medicaid while putting in place work requirements and eliminating illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid.”  

This isn’t the first time Republicans have banded together to tackle such requirements. According to the New York Times, a number of attempts have resulted in state-level experiments being blocked in court. The passed requirements leave room for recipients to lose benefits more easily and make it harder to enroll. New rules will also apply to a larger percentage of Medicaid recipients, like American citizens labeled as being too old to have such requirements attached. 

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that Medicaid changes would cause 7.6 million people to become uninsured, with several people expected to lose coverage and be unable to prove eligibility under the new standard. On the flip side, adding work requirements can save the federal government approximately $280 billion over the next six years. 

However, experts like Harvard University professor of health policy Benjamin Sommers feel the estimated savings don’t equal what President Donald Trump was campaigning for.

“What this is really about is producing budget savings,” Sommers said. “This is not savings through improved efficiency, or more people going to work. It’s savings by kicking people out of the program who are mostly eligible.”

New policies also target heavy rural areas in addition to the African-American community, some in the region that Scott serves.

NPR reports South Carolina is one of the few states in the Southeast that have refused to expand Medicaid, despite research revealing that expanding medical insurance would create thousands of jobs across the Upstate. Instead, the limitations increase the racial disparities that unwell African-Americans face.

“There is a disconnect between policymakers and real people,” Dr. Morris Brown said, who calls some of his patients “lucky” to have enough health insurance to see him. “The African Americans who make up most of the town’s population “are not the people in power.”

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• Arts and Culture

by Jameelah Mullen

May 23, 2025

Gullah Geechee Chamber Of Commerce And Harvard University Partner For Economic Development

The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans who live along the southeastern coast of the U.S.

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The Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce and the William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government have partnered to create an economic recovery and development program for the Gullah Geechee community. 

Through collaborative sessions, community leaders, scholars, and supporters co-created a program rooted in economic stability and cultural preservation.

“We didn’t come to be included. We came to integrate what we’ve already built,” Marilyn Hemingway, President of the Gullah Geechee Chamber, said. 

The group proposed a five-year sustainability budget to support operations. The council will ensure that all initiatives align with the Gullah Geechee community’s cultural values, land protection efforts, and economic growth. This initiative aims to connect Gullah Geechee people with business leaders and global diasporic partners to develop and enhance the economy through technology, cultural education, and tourism. The program seeks to demonstrate how historically marginalized communities can lead their economic recovery efforts. 

“The Gullah Geechee corridor is rich in culture, cuisine, and unrealized capital. Throughout its existence, it has fed the world with rice, resources, freedom, and the fruit of business and entrepreneurship,” Cornell William Brooks, director of the William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice at Harvard Kennedy School, said in a statement. 

 “In the 1700s, the corridor was one of the wealthiest places in America. There is no greater time, no more propitious a moment than now to achieve an unprecedented level of economic development,” Brooks noted.

The team will enter Phase II of the program, which will include developing funding initiatives, implementing strategies, and prioritizing Gullah Geechee leadership and community.

Harvard has a history of supporting the preservation of Gullah Geechee culture. In 2017, the university became the first Ivy League institution to offer a Gullah language course—a creole dialect blending English with West African languages. Linguist Sunn M’Cheaux, a native Gullah speaker from Charleston, S.C., teaches the course.

RELATED CONTENT: The Enduring Fire: Revisiting Malcolm X’s Vision For Black Liberation On What Would Have Been His 100th Birthday

• News

by Kandiss Edwards

May 23, 2025

Lamar Odom Booed By Protestors At Trump Cryptocurrency Black-Tie Event

Protestors at a private black-tie cryptocurrency event for Donald Trump chanted "shame" at Lamar Odom upon his arrival.

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Former NBA player Lamar Odom received disapproval at a Black-tie dinner hosted by Donald Trump. 

On May 22, Donald Trump hosted an exclusive black-tie dinner at his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. The event was organized to acknowledge the top 220 investors in his meme cryptocurrency, $TRUMP.

Former NBA star Lamar Odom was among the attendees. The former Los Angeles Laker faced boos and chants of “shame” from protestors as he arrived at the event. Odom’s status as a top investor shocked some, as he had publicly promoted his own cryptocurrency, $ODOM. Video of Odom arriving at the event circulated online.

Odom, ex-husband of Khloé Kardashian, has longstanding ties to the Kardashian family. Due to that connection, his presence at political or high-profile events often reignites public interest. Speculation has circulated online regarding the Kardashian family’s political leanings, particularly after Kim Kardashian met with Donald Trump during his first term to advocate for criminal justice reform. While no member of the Kardashian family has publicly endorsed Trump, moments like that have fueled assumptions and debate about their political affiliations.

The $TRUMP coin launched in January 2025. It has generated over $312 million in revenue for Trump-affiliated businesses, including $43 million in fees. However, the coin has lost around 80% of its peak value since its launch. Consequently, the coin has enriched a small number of top investors while many small investors have suffered major losses.

Many see the current president’s engagement with private business dealings as a conflict of the office and, at minimum, unethical. 

The administration has defended the event. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the president attended the dinner in a personal capacity and that the event was not affiliated with the government.

Rep. Maxine Waters has introduced legislation regarding Donald Trump’s personal business. Waters cited concerns over conflicts of interest and the potential for foreign influence.

Politico reports that Waters is not the only politician sounding the alarm about Trump’s private dealings. Sen. Jeff Merkley labeled the event “the Mount Everest of Corruption,” while Rep. Sean Casten called for a Justice Department investigation.

RELATED CONTENT: Snoop Dogg Seemingly Responds To Critics After Embarrassing Decision To Perform At Trump’s Crypto Ball

• Leadership

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2025

Black Leaders Embark On 1,645-Mile ‘Ride For Equity’ From Tulsa To NYC

Black Detroit leaders are honoring the legacy of historic Black business districts

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Black Leaders Detroit is leading a 1,645-mile ride from Tulsa’s Black Wall Street to New York City’s Wall Street, honoring the legacy of historic Black business districts while raising funds to support Black entrepreneurs.

“We’re riding from Black Wall Street in honor of the legacy of Greenwood,” Dwan Dandridge, founder and CEO of Black Leaders Detroit, told BridgeDetroit. “And we’re going to Wall Street because it’s another place where Black people had a huge hand in creating the wealth… but also not being able to benefit from the wealth that the labor created.”

The fifth annual “Ride for Equity” kicks off May 31, making stops in Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania before wrapping up around July 4 on Wall Street, America’s financial epicenter. The ride raises awareness for Black Leaders Detroit’s mission to fund Black-owned businesses, honoring the legacy of Detroit’s historic Paradise Valley and Black Bottom neighborhoods, which were demolished in the 1960s to build I-375, displacing tens of thousands of Black residents.

This year’s Ride for Equity pays tribute to Black Wall Street, the thriving Black business hub established in the early 1900s in Tulsa’s Greenwood District. That town’s prosperity was violently disrupted on May 31, 1921, when white mobs looted and burned homes and businesses, devastating the community that is still trying to rebuild today.

Now a global financial center, Wall Street was once the location of New York’s slave auctions. Major institutions like JPMorgan Chase and New York Life have documented ties to slavery, having profited by using enslaved people as collateral and insuring them as property.

Through its annual Ride for Equity, Black Leaders Detroit organizes a long-distance bike ride alongside citywide events designed to unite communities in meaningful dialogue, reflection, and collective action for lasting change.

“We invite people to come out and have a conversation about unity, race, equity, and what it means to be good neighbors to each other despite our differences,” Dandridge said.

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