Congressional Black Caucus Slams Trump’s Racist Rants Against Rep. Ilhan Omar, ‘Enough Is Enough’
While it's known that Trump has it out for the Black women of Congress and Senate, his temperament against the Minnesota lawmaker has turned up a notch in recent days.
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is taking a stand against President Donald Trump and his “disgusting, pathetic” racist attacks against Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Somali immigrant, saying it’s time for the Republican Party to do the same.
In a press release, Chair Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and CBC members released a statement calling the president out on wasting American voters’ time with the attacks, in addition to sleeping on the job. “Between falling asleep in his own Cabinet meeting, President Trump somehow finds the time to launch hateful attacks against Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Somali immigrants in Minnesota,” the statement read.
“If only President Trump put half as much energy into governing as he does into catching a nap and spreading hate, our country would be much better off. Rather than focusing on lowering the cost of living for hardworking American families, ensuring that all Americans have access to quality and affordable healthcare, and bringing our country together, President Trump has once again turned to the same racist and ignorant strategy of targeting Black and immigrant communities to distract from his enormous failures and historically low poll numbers on health care and the economy.”
While it’s known that Trump has it out for the Black women of Congress and Senate, his temperament against the Minnesota lawmaker has turned up a notch in recent days. During a Dec. 2 cabinet meeting, Trump referred to Omar as “garbage” and admitted that he doesn’t want Somali immigrants in the U.S. He also claimed the community, prevalent in the Minnesota area, committed fraud related to federal funding for food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Somalians ripped off that state for billions of dollars, billions. Every year, billions of dollars. And they contribute nothing,” the president said, according to The Hill.
However, Omar doesn’t seem fazed by the 79-year-old’s rhetoric. In fact, she said the president only lashes out in “very bigoted” behavior in an attempt to distract Americans from his “actual failures.” “We know that the president often resorts to very bigoted, xenophobic, Islamophobic, racist rhetoric when he is trying to scapegoat and deflect from the actual failures that he has himself,” she said in an interview with CNN.
“We know that this administration has not fulfilled the majority of the promises that they’ve made, whether it is bringing costs down, whether it is the tariffs that are decimating businesses in the United States, whether it is the possible war crimes that his Defense secretary is committing.”
The CBC stressed its support for Omar, who has been serving American voters since 2019. According to the group, Omar — or any member of Congress — shouldn’t be attacked in any measure by the president, and pointed the finger at the Republican party for not putting an end to it. “To be clear, since coming to Congress in 2019, Congresswoman Omar has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of her constituents. She—nor any member of Congress, or any community—deserves to be targeted by the president this way,” the statement continues.
“President Trump’s comments are disgusting and pathetic, and unfortunately, it seems that few, if any, Republicans have the spine to say enough is enough.”
In a video of a MAGA supporter asking Omar if she packed her bags for Somalia, in an attempt to get her to say something trolling against Trump, the congresswomen replied that she isn’t going anywhere. “I’ll be here probably longer than Trump!,” she said.
“He’s an old man losing his mind. Hope he gets help.”
Ways To Cut Tax Costs For 2025 And Boost Savings For 2026
A tax expert might help you pinpoint eligible deductions and credits you might have missed, potentially lowering your tax bill.
Fewer things are more satisfying than cutting taxes owed for 2025 and building savings by diminishing some of those charges in 2026.
Both of those endeavors are achievable if you consider making numerous strategic moves.
You can potentially cut costs by thousands of dollars by shrinking your taxable income and using tax credits. However, you should act fast, as many exemptions are just good for this tax year and expire on Dec. 31. Plus, new tax legislation that recently passed includes a batch of sizeable tax breaks, including some retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026.
Those elements make tax planning this year even more important. The IRS tax deadline for filing 2025 individual returns for most people is April 15, 2026. Filing early can be advantageous, as you might get a quicker refund if you’re due one or gain extra time to pay owed taxes.
Though it might be an extra expense to have a tax expert review your taxes, it might be worth it to help identify all the qualifying deductions and credits you might have missed. It can provide guidance to meet your specific case. Based on research, here are ways to help cut your tax bill.
Exhaust your retirement contributions
This can help you now by saving you money on your tax bill. Given that most retirement accounts are tax-advantaged, they can offer tax benefits for contributing. For the 2025 tax year, you can give up to $23,500 in total combined traditional and Roth contributions. If you’re 50 or over, you can make extra catch-up contributions of $7,500. If you’re ages 60 and 63 and your employer permits it, you can contribute up to $11,250 in catch-up contributions instead of the standard $7,500 catch-up. If you just make traditional contributions, they will cut your taxable income dollar for dollar.
Tap into new tax loopholes for multiple breaks
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed earlier this year, several deductions are available to eligible individuals. For instance, there is a $6,000 bonus deduction for those 65 or older. Another break: If you acquired a qualifying vehicle, up to $10,000 of auto loan interest is deductible. It does not apply if income reaches $100,000 for single filers or $200,000 for joint filers. And workers can claim tax exemption on a certain amount of qualified tips and overtime pay. Get more details here.
Use an HSA To Help Decrease Taxes
Called a Health Savings Account (HSA), this plan can reduce your federal tax income. For instance, you can contribute up to $4,300 for yourself and $8,550 for your family to an HSA-eligible high-deductible health plan. Money can be used for medical bills tax-free, and contributions are made on a pre-tax basis.
Consider deferring income
This strategy could be beneficial, particularly if you’re a freelancer or gig worker. If able, consider not billing those you are working for by deferring income from this year until next year. This can cut the current year’s taxable income and let you hold off paying taxes on the deferred income.
Initiate A Retirement Plan For Self-Employment Income
This is a retirement plan to examine, particularly if you are a business owner or gig worker, as it can lessen your taxable income. If you don’t have a retirement plan, you can perhaps still establish one, but you should do so quickly. Cutoff dates for setting up a plan and financing could depend on how your business is organized, so you should contact a tax expert promptly.
With the new year approaching, be open-minded to strategies that can help you put more money in your pocket in 2026. For example, you might be able to secure creditfor a home mortgage and a share of home property taxes. Check with a tax advisor for more details.
Filing your taxes by the deadline to avoid late fees, increasing retirement account contributions, and adding to 529 college savings plans are among other ways to boost savings. Check out this and other sites that offer ways to help cut tax costs, create savings, and possibly elevate your finances.
Rolling Out Launches New Record Label, Amplifying Black Voices
The new label will emphasize royalties and creator control, issues that have affected Black musicians for decades.
Media company Rolling Out is expanding its offerings. The company announced the launch of Rolling Out Music, a new label aimed at increasing artist visibility and creative control. The venture is led by Rolling Out Founder Munson Steed, MusicXchange creator Dennis McKinley, and entertainment executive Richard Dunn, who will serve as CEO overseeing daily label operations.
“Rolling out has always been more than media – it’s been a movement rooted in ownership, creativity, and community,” Munson Steed, founder of Rolling Out and Rolling Out Music, said in a statement. “As we mark 25 years of cultural leadership, the launch of Rolling Out Music under Richard Dunn’s leadership is our pledge to the next generation of storytellers and sound creators.”
The announcement follows Rolling Out’s acquisition of McKinley’s distribution platform, MusicXchange. The new music label aims to build a platform that supports independent artists and promotes storytelling grounded in cultural identity. McKinley’s role will help expand distribution options for artists.
The label’s roster includes Flo Dure, London “Deelishis” Charles, Parker Posey, Just Brittany, Nikki Natural, and I-Octane. One of the label’s most notable artists is Drew Sidora, known for her role as T-Boz in the TLC biopic CrazySexyCool, and she is currently on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
The label’s first official release is “This Winter,” a collaboration with Grammy-nominated R&B artist Kevin Ross, who is also the founder of Art Society Music Group. The Washington, D.C., native is known for his skillful songwriting and genre-blending sound. Ross has worked with musical legends such as Babyface and Toni Braxton. Steed reflected on the partnership with Ross.
“Rolling Out Music is where culture meets control. Launching with Kevin Ross is no coincidence. ‘This Winter’ sets the tone for our next 25 years of Black excellence and creative freedom.”
Rolling Out Music plans to broaden its influence through a talent Discovery initiative, which will include a 10-city national search slated for next year.
Yvette D. Clarke, Lawmakers Press Dept. Of Labor On Rising Crisis Among Unemployed Black Women
Signed by 19 co-sponsors, the letter included data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), highlighting the striking decline of Black women being employed over “any demographic group,” rising from 5.1 to 6.1% in April 2025 alone.
Black women on Capitol Hill, like Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), are seeking answers from the U.S. Department of Labor on ways to address the growing unemployment crisis facing Black women.
In a press release, Clarke, along with fellow Democratic lawmakers Reps. Robin Kelly (IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), and Ayanna Pressley (MA), who are members of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls (CCBWG), sent a letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Acting Director Loretta Greene putting pressure for immediate action on addressing the unemployment epidemic effecting the group at the hands of the Trump administration.
Signed by 19 co-sponsors, the letter included data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) that highlighted the striking decline in Black women’s employment over “any demographic group,” rising from 5.1 to 6.1% in April 2025 alone. “These numbers represent more than statistics — they reflect a crisis of economic displacement for thousands of mothers, caregivers, and heads of households. Yet even as these losses mount, the federal government’s capacity to fully understand and address them is shrinking,” the letter reads.
“The BLS, a cornerstone for reliable data on employment trends, has faced sustained budget and political attacks that risk undermining its ability to provide accurate, disaggregated information on race and gender. Without dependable data, policymakers cannot see or respond to the full scale of the challenges facing Black women workers.”
While an MSNBC headline read “300,000 Black women have left the American workforce in three months,” Forbes alleges there is more to the story and highlights the hidden differences. Employment rates for the group plummeted by nearly 318,000 jobs between February and June 2025. But the amount officially leaving the workforce was much smaller and mirrored a different time frame.
As President Donald Trump labeled 2025 as the start of America’s “Golden Era,” it hasn’t looked great for the workforce, especially for Black women, since he took office for the second time. The unemployment numbers for the demographic went from close to 557,000 in March 2025 to nearly 700,000 by July. The numbers shocked career strategists like Andrew McCaskill since Black women are among the most educated in the country. “Black women have some of the highest educational attainment rates, yet they’re losing jobs at roughly twice the rate of white and Asian women. That’s a red flag,” he said.
“If the economy can’t absorb highly skilled Black women—many concentrated in the public sector—how will it absorb anyone else? Their losses reveal cracks in the very industries meant to anchor stability.”
McCaskill’s thoughts mimic the letter signed by Clarke and other lawmakers. The group’s demand includes a review of the “troubling” trends and to work together on “a comprehensive assessment of their impact on Black women in the workforce, and determine what remedial actions may be necessary.”
Clarke specifically wants to regain the importance of “accurate, disaggregated labor data on Black women and other underrepresented groups” in addition to pinpointing policy actions to regulate the disproportionate job losses for the demographic. “Black women’s labor has long been the backbone of our classrooms, hospitals, and communities,” the letter read, seeking a response by Dec. 15.
“To ignore the economic crisis facing them now would be to disregard the very foundation of our nation’s progress.”
TikTok Shop Racks Up $500M In Black Friday Sales As Black Creators Urge Shoppers to ‘Buy Black’
TikTok Shop recorded its biggest Black Friday–Cyber Monday weekend yet, with Black creators encouraging shoppers to support Black-owned brands.
TikTok Shop saw its strongest Black Friday–Cyber Monday weekend yet, with Black creators using the moment to urge shoppers to support Black-owned businesses.
“We buy Black on Black Friday over here. Here are the five businesses I am shopping today,” influencer Talia Cadet said in a video that garnered over 48,000 views and over 4,000 likes.
@taliacadet ✨5 Black Friday Deals from Black-Owned Brands✨ Save up to 40% on your @Elle Vie Bath and Body purchase today 11/28/25 only at myellevie[dot]com. #ad I’ve been a customer of Elle Vie for over a decade, and I use their Shea Butter every day. Elle Vie is my first stop for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers for friends and family, because everyone wants moisturized skin! It doesn’t stop at their original body butters. Elle Vie also has Shea Butter-based body care for her and him: ✨ Shower Gel ✨ Sugar Scrub ✨ Body Oil ✨ Hand Soap ✨ Hand Créme ✨ Fragrance Oil ✨ Sampler Sets ✨ Gift Sets My favorite scent? Date Night. 😉 Buy more, save more during Elle Vie’s Black Friday sale! 💲 Spend up to $50 – Get 20% off 💲 Spend $51 to $200 – Get 30% off 💲 Over $200? Get 40% off 4 more Black-owned brands to shop for gifts (or yourself 😂) this holiday 2025 season: @anima iris – every single bag is $200 for 24 hours only @DanessaMyricksBeauty – 30% off sitewide @Elisajohnson – up to 70% off sitewide @OMA THE LABEL – 30% off sitewide and up to 80% off on archive pieces #blackowned#blackfriday#blackfriday#holidaygiftguide♬ original sound – Talia | DC, Books & Black Biz
She highlighted several Black-owned favorites, including Elle Vie’s body butter, shower gel, and body oils; Anima Iris hand-crafted Senegalese leather bags; Danessa Myricks’ beauty gift set featuring four blushes; Elisa Johnson eyewear; and jewelry from Oma the Label.
TikTok creator Fisayo OG also spotlighted several beauty and shapewear brands she supported over the weekend, including Meji Meji, Marviano Cosmetics, Fumi the Label, and Tarssee.
“Happy shopping, and make sure you’re shopping at a Black-owned business today,” she said.
Support for Black-owned businesses helped drive TikTok Shop’s success, with U.S. shoppers up nearly 50% from last year and more than $500 million in sales over the four-day Black Friday–Cyber Monday period. Live Shopping delivered record-breaking results for the weekend, as brands and creators found new ways to entertain shoppers and build loyalty.
The platform boasted how the feature continues to grow, attracting a strong mix of returning customers and first-time buyers.
“Live Shopping is where brand love starts—it’s a dynamic, interactive experience that deepens how our users connect with brands on TikTok,” said Patrick Nommensen, head of strategic initiatives for TikTok Shop in the Americas. “That immediate, real-time engagement—introducing audiences to new products, demonstrating their value, and facilitating direct interaction—is what builds trust, strengthens community, and turns interest into long-term loyalty.”
Compared to last year’s BFCM period, brands and sellers who hosted livestreams saw an 84% increase in sales. Shoppers also tuned in to more than 760,000 livestream sessions from sellers and their favorite creators.
TikTok has become a go-to destination for gift ideas—with one survey showing that 1 in 3 users look to the platform for holiday gift inspiration, and GlobalData reporting that 83% of TikTok Shop shoppers discover new products there. With the holiday season in full swing, Black TikTok Shop may help put more Black-owned gifts under the Christmas tree.
As They Should Be! The Isley Brothers Inducted Into New Jersey Hall of Fame
The Garden State honors the soul and staying power of legends.
The Isley Brothers are now members of the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF). The legendary band was inducted during the Nov. 21 ceremony at The Rink at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford. The band’s remaining members, Ronald Isley, 84, and Ernie Isley, 73, accepted the honor at the New Jersey Hall of Fame, which opened last year.
“New Jersey is honored to be home to so many Hall of Famers who continue to inspire us all,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a statement. “Their talent, grit, and heart reflect the classic Jersey spirit that has always set us apart. Each one of this year’s inductees reminds us that no matter where life takes us, our New Jersey roots always keep us grounded.”
This isn’t the first time the legendary group has been recognized in New Jersey. The cities of Teaneck and Englewood held joint ceremonies to honor the Isley Brothers by renaming a street in their honor. This new induction makes the band two-time Hall of Fame inductees. In 1992, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The group began as a teenage gospel quartet in the 1950s, made up of the four oldest Isley Brothers—O’Kelly, Rudolph, Ronald, and Vernon. They briefly disbanded after Vernon died in a biking accident at age 13. Following their parents’ encouragement to perform again, the Ohio-born family moved to New Jersey in 1959 to form a rock ’n’ roll band, where they settled and lived for several decades. That same year, they released the single ”Shout,” which became their first major chart hit, reaching No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2014, the band received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Isley Brothers, now consisting of brothers Ronald and Ernie, continue to perform at venues around the world. In February 2026, The Isley Brothers will join Maxwell on his Urban Hang Suite Cruise concert series; other performers will include Kem, Lucky Daye, Kelly Price, and Tweet.
Ask Your Fairygodmentor: Feedback That Stings Can Also Save You
Feedback is data.
Dear Fairygodmentor,
I’ve received tough feedback at work and am unsure how to use it to grow. What’s the best way to approach this? – Ready to Improve
Dear Ready to Improve,
It’s extremely rough to receive feedback that hits like the plot twist you didn’t ask for.
I want you to understand something very important, you’re not wrong for feeling some kind of way about this feedback. Feedback has a way of bruising the ego before it builds the muscle. You’re not alone in these feelings, and the confusion on how to turn this into a growth moment is real.
I’m going to share some advice that will have you growing and glowing up when receiving feedback
Feel First, Fix Later
I want you to push back against the myth that you need to be over the top grateful for feedback you receive. Yes, feedback is a gift, but a Fairygodmentor® told me years ago, “You can take it, leave it, or regift it.”
Feedback is data. It’s information. As you know, you can do a lot with data. Sometimes it’s useful and sometimes it’s useless. Taking a break to gain some perspective will help you immensely in figuring how this will help you grow.
Remember to take a pause for the cause and breathe. Take a break from this data and take a moment to reset.
Let the initial emotions settle down before you jump into doing anything productive.
Separate the Message From the Delivery
Like a gift, not all feedback is delivered/wrapped in the shiny wrapping paper of kindness. But there could be some useful stuff inside that hot mess of a package.
Put your Feedback Receiving Glasses (FRG) on to filter the message in the mess. Ask yourself:
• Is it true?
• Is it helpful?
• Is it aligned with who I want to become as a professional?
Having your FRGs on will help you filter out the noise of your own self-doubt and subjective data that will otherwise drag you down instead of lift you up.
Get Curious, Not Defensive
As I mentioned before, feedback is data, not a diagnosis.
Some questions that you may ask to gain clarity on the data dump of feedback you received could sound like:
“Can you share a specific example so I can better understand and improve?”
“What would ‘successful’ look like in this particular situation?”
“If you were me, what would you prioritize first?”
I’ve said this a million times, but it never gets old: whenever you’re working with another human in any situation, “set the intention of collaboration and support.” By asking questions rooted in curiosity, you’ll lower the tension and increase clarity.
Make a Mini Action Plan That You Can Actually Follow
Taking action can be very daunting and feel impossible. So, let’s break it down into manageable human-sized steps.
• Reflect: What part of this data hits home?
• Identify: What’s one skill or behavior that I’ll work on first?
• Strategize: What support, resources, or boundaries do I need?
• Execute: What’s one thing I’ll try (for real) this week?
Close the Loop – This Is How You Show Growth
If you’ve been reading my articles, Ready To Improve, you’ll know that I stress the importance of having regular one-on-one meetings with your manager to develop a solid business relationship (and to help minimize confusion and increase communication).
Share your updates with your manager to demonstrate accountability for the things you committed to improving. It could sound like this:
“You shared X with me a few weeks ago. Here’s what I’ve practiced, here’s what’s improving, and here’s where I’m still building.”
Here’s why this is gold: Circling back with your manager after receiving feedback will not only build trust, but it also shows courage, character, and credibility.
Remember, feedback isn’t a verdict — it’s an invitation. It helps to reframe the situation at hand and know that it’s data. How you choose to interpret and put that data to good use is up to you. Honor your growth season for what it is at the moment — even when it’s uncomfortable.
You’re not being picked apart. You’re being sharpened.
Keep growing and glowing up!
You got this!
Yours truly,
Your Fairygodmentor®
About Joyel Crawford:
(Photo: Kirten White Photography/BE)
Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that empowers results-driven leaders through coaching, training, and facilitation. She’s the best-selling author of Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career.
Have a question for Your Fairygodmentor®?
Submit your career and leadership questions, whether it’s about navigating a micromanager, setting boundaries, negotiating for a raise, or handling burnout. Ask Your Fairygodmentor® today!
‘A Cause for Candice’: Roc Nation Rallies To Help Beloved Team Member Find Lifesaving Kidney Donor
Candice was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 17.
For more than two decades, Candice Davis has been a steady presence within Jay-Z’s growing empire. She started at Baseline Studios in 2002, where she supported Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez long before the company took its current shape. When the 40/40 Club opened in 2003, she transitioned to help run that operation and stayed until the pandemic shut its doors. In 2021, she joined Roc Nation’s office operations team full-time, bringing years of institutional knowledge and loyalty with her.
What many people didn’t know during that time was that her health had been deteriorating for years. Candice was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 17.
“I went from a weight of about 160 pounds to 125 pounds within a matter of like, two months,” she recalls. “I was urinating all the time, constantly thirsty… I had no idea what was going on with me.”
When doctors explained the lifelong treatment ahead, she remembers thinking, “I’m not doing that.”
Candice didn’t begin regularly using an insulin pump and Dexcom sensor until she was 32.
“I saw an immediate change; my hemoglobin had dropped all the way to an 8,” she tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I wanted to kick myself for not having done it earlier.” But the years of damage were already there.
“Diabetes is not a game, it’s not to play with,” Candice warns. “It will seriously, seriously harm your body if you don’t control your levels.”
Over time, Candice’s condition became even more complicated. She’s experienced numbness in her feet, problems with her vision, ulcers, multiple broken bones, and infections. In the decades since her initial diagnosis, she’s endured more than 25 surgeries. In 2022, things took a turn for the worse.
“My kidney doctor told me, ‘Go to the hospital. Your creatinine is 3.9,’” Candice recalls. “By the time I got to the hospital, it was 5.9,” she says. After days of biopsies and exams, doctors told her, “Your kidneys—there’s nothing to be done about them.” She began undergoing peritoneal dialysis that November, but the worst was yet to come.
In February 2023, Candice was hospitalized for three weeks after falling in the bathroom and breaking her hip. Due to her kidney disease, Davis developed a brittle bone disorder known as renal osteodystrophy. Candice was discharged to a rehabilitation center to relearn how to walk. It was there that Candice’s world shifted again.
“They tell me that my husband died from a heart attack that morning,” Davis says. “I had been with him for 20 years. He was my rock—the glue to our entire family.” She adds, “I haven’t grieved properly because I’m so busy being sick… I still don’t know what life looks like without him.”
After suffering trauma on top of trauma, last year, Candice was placed on the transplant donor list, and she now desperately needs a new kidney to survive. Through every blow, she holds onto purpose. “I feel like I’m still supposed to be here. I haven’t given up,” she tells BE. “I’m gonna fight. I’ve always been a fighter.”
Inside Roc Nation, the people who’ve known Candice for 20 years didn’t hesitate when they learned she needed a kidney transplant. The company launched A Cause for Candice, a campaign designed to help her find a living donor and educate the public about the nationwide kidney shortage.
“Candice is a longtime and very beloved family member of Roc Nation,” says Dania Diaz, a representative of Team Roc, Roc Nation’s philanthropic arm. “She’s just been an instrumental part of our daily operations. She’s an incredible human being who’s exhibited incredible strength throughout all of her health challenges.”
Once the severity of her situation became clear, the company moved quickly. “I don’t think it was a difficult choice,” Diaz says. “We saw that there was a dire need to raise awareness. Every single second of the day matters.”
When Candice learned about the campaign, she struggled to hold back emotion. “It feels amazing,” Candice says. “I always expect people not to care, and it’s amazing when you find people that actually do.”
Diaz says even she hadn’t understood the scale of the kidney crisis until walking this path with Candice.
“I wasn’t even aware that there was a shortage,” Diaz admits. She also wants people to know that living donation is not the impossibility many imagine.
“There’s so many people who have donated a kidney and are thriving today. I think there is this slight misconception that you need both kidneys to survive. But there are countless stories of people who have been thriving with just one kidney or people born with one kidney who are thriving.”
“It’s not so scary,” Diaz continues. “And you have a lot of power to help someone in need. This is a moment where you can.”
While Candice’s daughter volunteered to donate a kidney to her mother, she was ruled out because she is pre-diabetic, and physicians had concerns about their family’s medical history.
“They don’t usually take from people with complications on both sides of their family,” Candice explains.
Despite having an AB-positive blood type that would allow her to receive a transplant from donors of all types, Candice’s search is further complicated because she is listed as having what transplant teams call “100 percent antibodies.”
“I have to find somebody who doesn’t have any of the same antibodies that I have,” Davis explains. “Otherwise, I will fight off this kidney, and I will reject it.”
Candice’s dreams are simple: to live long enough to witness the milestones her husband won’t.
“I hope for a lot of things—mostly to do with my children. I want to see all of them have children. I want to see them get married. I just want to be able to be there because they no longer have their dad, and that was a big loss in their lives. Even though they’re all grown, I don’t want them to be orphans. I just want to be there for them first and foremost.”
She also wants to find a way to reach back. “I would love to start a support group and help other people—give them resources,” she said. “If someone cared enough to help me, I have no choice but to care enough for the other people still in this situation.”
Anyone moved by Candice’s story can begin the screening process at acauseforcandice.com. The campaign links directly to the Robert Wood Johnson Transplant Center, where potential donors can fill out the form and indicate they wish to be screened on behalf of Candice Davis.
The Paper Plane store (252 Lafayette Street, New York) is also helping raise awareness in-store by sharing Candice’s story and distributing information about becoming a living kidney donor.
“We’re doing all that we can,” Diaz emphasizes, and we’re hoping that by just raising awareness, we can find a match for Candice. And if it’s not a match for Candice, maybe it’s a match for somebody else. We all have the capacity to help one another and to give life to someone in need.”
In His Final Days As NYC Mayor, Eric Adams Is Increasingly Not in NYC
Cardi B isn’t the only New Yorker who’s “Outside.”
In the final month of his term, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has traveled to Albania, Israel, and Uzbekistan, leading some New Yorkers to accuse him of neglecting his job duties and abusing publicly funded travel perks for his international job search.
“He’s chosen to lean into the notion the people have that the city is kind of secondary to what’s best for him at any moment in time,” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams told The Associated Press.
Last year, the mayor’s travel attracted the attention of prosecutors, who ultimately indicted him on charges that he accepted travel benefits from foreign nationals in exchange for political favors. Although prosecutors dropped the charges in April, the case seemed to harm his chances of winning re-election.
Adams is back on the move. This week, he flew to New Orleans at the New York to accept an award from the Combat Antisemitism Movement. Less than two weeks ago, he flew to Tel Aviv to attend a gala where he was honored by the same group.
The trips, according to the Associated Press, are largely covered by city taxpayers.
A spokesperson for Adams declined to disclose the cost of the trips, which typically cover hotel and flight accommodations for Adams, as well as his security and aides.
“On these official trips, Mayor Adams has been able to discuss bringing more innovation and jobs to the five boroughs, met with other governmental leaders from around the nation and across the globe, visited religious sites of different faiths, and more,” Fabien Levy, a deputy mayor for communications, told The Associated Press.
Adams, the self-described “global leader,” has been transparent about his desire to seek employment opportunities outside the United States.
“Countries are calling me and asking me to come and do what I did in New York City,” he told reporters in November.
He Got Plenty Money! Michael Jordan Pays Almost 1 Milly A Week To Rent Superyacht
The NBA Hall of Famer can definitely afford it
NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan has made millions, on top of millions from sneaker sales, and several billion after selling the NBA team he once owned, the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets), so it should be no surprise that the billionaire can easily spend $780,000 a week to rent a superyacht.
According to SupercarBlondie, the man who is arguably the best basketball player in the world lives an exceptional life of luxury and deservingly so. He has reportedly spent some time on a superyacht aptly named Joy, a 70-meter-long vessel built in the Netherlands in 2016. Reportedly, Sameer Gehlaut is the owner, and he allows some of the world’s richest to charter it.
The vessel has amenities similar to those found in luxurious buildings and posh, exclusive private clubs. It even has a full-length basketball court that Jordan can take some jump shots and/or dunk on willing opponents. On the yacht, outside of a regular gym, you can find a beach club and several leisure areas that expand across five decks. There is a water slide and jacuzzis on board.
Another specialized feature of the boat is its ‘winter gardens’, which are ‘pockets of air-conditioned indoor/outdoor zones’ based on a description from the Burgess website (they charter yachts).
Proving that money is no object, in October 2024, Jordan dropped a cool $65 million for a private jet, a Gulfstream G650ER. The new plane is an upgrade from his previous one, the Gulfstream G550. After a custom paint job totaling around $500,000, the aircraft can accommodate up to 19 people, with up to 10 passengers able to sleep comfortably. It also has a maximum range of 8,630 miles.
The latest plane keeps Jordan in line with other elite billionaires, such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg.
