by Stacy Jackson

May 14, 2025

Candice Watkins Leads Capitol Records Nashville, Capitol Christian Music Group

Watkins will lead Capitol Records Nashville as it signs the next generation of country artists and develops its christian and gospel talent.

Candice Watkins has been appointed president of Capitol Records Nashville and executive vice president of Capitol Christian Music Group, two labels under the Capitol Music Group Nashville umbrella.

“It’s a true honor to step into the role of President of Capitol Records Nashville and EVP of Capitol Christian,” Watkins told Billboard. “These labels have a rich legacy in partnering with some of the most brilliant artists of our industry, and I look forward to contributing to its continued success and cultural impact.

This reorganization for Capitol Music Group reflects the entertainment company’s commitment to developing the Nashville label as an innovative hub in Christian, gospel, and country genres. Capitol Music Group CEO Tom March said the company is “looking forward to signing and developing the next generation of country artists on Capitol Records Nashville.” As Watkins leads those plans, she will also head operations for the gospel and Christian music.

The music executive is excited to collaborate with March and Capitol Christian Music Group President Brad O’Donnell in “boldly championing creatives and visionaries.” The label is home to Motown Gospel, artists Chris Tomlin, Anne Wilson, and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and publishes Kirk Franklin’s song catalog.

Watkins approaches her recent positions with prior experience as senior vice president of Marketing at Big Loud Records. Her career portfolio includes previous marketing and artist development roles at UMG Nashville. Watkins has developed artists at Red Light Management, Mozes Inc., Borman Entertainment, and Cross Point Church. The music executive has previously worked with names like Morgan Wallen, Stephen Wilson Jr., and Hailey Whitters.

“This new structure will empower our Nashville executives to better serve the incredible artists on our roster,” said Interscope Capitol Chairman John Janick. “Having [Candice] lead our country music business in Nashville and also add her extensive artist development expertise to our CCMG team is going to be great for our artists and for the entire executive team.”

Capitol Music Group’s Nashville division is in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood in Nashville. The 40,000-square-foot space includes state-of-the-art studios designed for recording and content production. The facility also includes a live performance space for artists. The Capitol Tower in Los Angeles will support Capitol Music Group Nashville’s label services. All former Capitol Records Nashville artists will remain under the Music Corporation of America Nashville label.

by Kandiss Edwards

May 14, 2025

New Orleans ‘Big Stepper’ Walks 2M Steps In Quest To Raise $2M

Terra is hoping to raise $2 million—a dollar for each step

New Orleans resident Kwame Terra has set a record by taking an astounding 2 million steps in 30 days, WGNO reported.

Last month, Terra averaged 66,667 steps daily, setting an unofficial world record listed in the International Book of Records. Known as “The Big Stepper,” he estimates that he walked 35 miles a day.

Terra is no stranger to strenuous activities. He ran cross country for Xavier University and currently coaches at the HBCU.

Terra’s endeavor serves a greater mission. As the founder and CEO of bEHR Health, he initiated this challenge to raise awareness about health disparities in Black communities and to fund the expansion of his health-focused initiatives.

His goal is to raise $2 million. One dollar for each step is used to support the development of the bEHR Health app and other related programs.

The bEHR Health app aims to empower individuals by providing a personalized health score, connecting users with culturally competent healthcare providers, and offering resources tailored to the specific needs of Black communities.

This initiative addresses critical issues such as lower life expectancy, higher rates of chronic diseases, and limited access to quality healthcare among Black Americans.

Terra’s journey has garnered attention and support from various organizations and individuals who recognize the importance of addressing health inequities. His commitment to this cause exemplifies how personal challenges can be leveraged to drive social change and improve community well-being. Terra believes the physical challenge was well worth the hassle as it aids in personal growth.

“Sometimes we need to do something we’ve never done to become something that we’ve never been,” Terra said.

For those interested in supporting Terra’s mission or learning more about bEHR Health, additional information and donation opportunities are available on the official GoFundMe.

Tyre Nichols, guilty, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith Taddarius Bean

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 14, 2025

City Of Memphis Accuses Nichols Family Attorneys Of Misleading The Public, Seeks Sanctions

Posters around Memphis allegedly called for acts of vigilantism against the officers - Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith - acquitted of Tyre Nichols' murder.

Court documents reveal that the City of Memphis is asking for sanctions against lawyers representing Tyre Nichols’ family in the civil suit against the City and the Memphis Police Department, Fox 13 Memphis reports.

The sanction request follows a statement released by the Nichols’ family lawyer, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, showcased on the posters plastered around Memphis, allegedly calling for acts of vigilantism against the officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith — who were acquitted of Tyre Nichols’ murder on May 7. However, the City said its issue isn’t necessarily with Crump’s statement denouncing the posters but more about statements related to the pending civil suit.

Filings claim a certain section of the statement was false, and the City alleges Crump knew this before making the statement public. Crump claimed Memphis has “municipal insurance” to prevent itself from going bankrupt if Nichols’ family is awarded the $550 million the civil suit seeks. “This is false, and Plaintiff’s Counsel knew this statement was false when the statement was made,” the sanction request reads.

City officials were required to provide Crump with any insurance agreement they had to satisfy the terms of a potential judgment in the lawsuit — three times. In each request, the agreement outlined that the City is self-insured. “Plaintiff’s Counsel’s statements are a blatant attempt at poisoning the jury pool in advance of the trial,” attorney Bruce McMullen, representing the City, wrote in the filing, according to the Commercial Appeal.

“They are intending to deceive the public that a multi-million-dollar award will not have a negative effect on the taxpayers of the City and that they never intended to hurt the City financially.”

The sanction request continues to accuse Crump of making bankruptcy claims during a 30th birthday celebration for the victim that the attorney attended in June 2023. “We’ve got to make sure that every time they kill us unjustly, we bankrupt them to the point that they won’t kill our children anymore,” Crump allegedly said.

For the civil suit to carry on, Memphis wants the legal team of RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother and the executor of his estate, to correct the statement, highlighting that they knew the statement was false and was made intentionally to mislead the public. The original statement is also expected to be removed from the attorney’s websites and social media platforms in addition to refraining from “making knowingly false public statements about the litigation under threat of contempt of this court.”

If the sanctions are not permitted, McMullen said the City will push a motion to move for a change of venue “in order to obtain a fair and impartial jury that has not been tainted by the false statements made by Plaintiff’s counsel.”

Crump’s team issued the following statement: “We wish to update and amend the statement we made yesterday regarding the Tyre Nichols case. The City of Memphis and the individual officer defendants do not necessarily have insurance that would cover any monetary recovery in the case. In the disclosures the defendants have made in the case, the City has stated that it is ‘self-insured’ and the individual defendants have indicated that they do not have applicable insurance,” the new statement read.

Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Tackle ,Kevin Johnson, Killed, Los Angeles

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 14, 2025

Police Shooting Victim Receives Football Scholarship From University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff

K'aun Green will study kinesiology while playing on a full football scholarship

K’aun Green, 23, who was shot by San Jose, CA, police officers in a case of mistaken identity three years ago, has been awarded a full football scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, KTVU reports.

“It just boosts my spirits a whole lot,” Green told the media outlet. “Just believing in myself and just fighting back from the brink of death.”

Green said he received a half-dozen scholarship offers.

Then a 20-year-old student at Contra Costa College, Green was shot four times by San Jose police officer Mark McNamara in 2022. Green had disarmed a man at city eatery, and police fired at Green as he exited.

The San Jose Police Department acknowledged it was wrong in assuming that Green was involved in a murder that took place the same day and had nothing to do with an incident at the restaurant where he was shot, La Victoria Taqueria.

There was no apology offered for the incident. The city has refused to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Green.

In 2023, McNamara resigned after the police chief discovered racist texts on the officer’s phone.

“It’s a very exasperating thing to go through,” Green said. “But it just showed me that nothing is insurmountable.”

McNamara’s attorney, Susan Coleman, and San Jose city attorney Nora Frimann said McNamara and the city are not responsible for the shooting because the officer had “qualified immunity” when he shot Green in the stomach, arm, and knee.

“Right now I’m in therapy, so that kind of helps,” Green said. “And I’m working out three times a day, trying to get myself back together. It’s still hard. It’s still a hard process. I still have nightmares and, you know, it’s a never-ending battle.”

Besides playing football, he plans to study kinesiology. “I’m excited,” he said. “I’m excited to finally put some things behind me.”

FAMU, Florida A and M University,DI, Black History Month

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 14, 2025

FAMU National Alumni Association Endorses Its COO As Next President

The presidential search has sparked controversy over the integrity of its process

As Florida A&M University closes in on selecting its next president, its National Alumni Association has voiced its preferred choice.

The results of its “Presidential Preference Survey” concluded that Donald Palm, FAMU’s chief operating officer, was the most popular candidate among alumni to lead the HBCU. The presidential search finalists appeared on campus this week to meet faculty and students and participate in interviews.

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Palm, the university’s executive vice president, received an overwhelming 81.75% of the vote by active alumni members. The association’s president, Curtis Johnson, shared the news with an official endorsement of Palm in a May 10 letter.

“Dr. Palm’s deep connection to FAMU as the current chief operating officer, former faculty member, and long-standing champion of our mission positions him uniquely to continue our trajectory of excellence.”

Johnson, vying for his own reelection as the organization’s president, is also part of the HBCU’s 15-member presidential search committee.

The survey came following concerns that the presidential selection lacked the overarching HBCU community’s input. Additionally, claims of political influence overshadowed the integrity of the process, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

“We understand that many alumni have expressed concern over the lack of public discussion prior to the release of the final four candidates,” added Johnson in the letter. ” Please know that silence was not avoidance—it was duty-bound. As your elected NAA President and a search committee member, it was essential that I honor the process until we reached a stage where alumni voices could appropriately be heard.

The three other finalists are University of Maryland Eastern Shore Provost Rondall Allen, the University of Central Florida’s Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Gerald Hector, and Charter Communications’ Group’s Vice President of State Government Affairs Marva Johnson.

Marva Johnson’s promotion to finalist sparked a backlash over her appointments to other boards by Florida’s GOP governors, Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis. One of the NAA’s prominent members, film producer Will Packer, also spoke publicly about his disapproval of Johnson’s potential appointment.

“MAGA is trying to take over leadership at several of our beloved institutions,” wrote Packer. “Right now, FAMU is in the bullseye.”

A 2022 state law exempts searches for university presidents to become public record. However, concerns regarding whether the confidentiality of these agreements is being upheld linger.

Palm will visit campus for his own meet-and-greet on May 15. Following all the finalists’ campus visits, the FAMU Board of Trustees will virtually meet on May 16 to vote and select a final candidate. The candidate’s confirmation will then proceed to the Florida Board of Governors.

by Stacy Jackson

May 14, 2025

Black Health Con 2025 Returns to Washington D.C.

Black Health Connect's premier healthcare conference returns with an agenda packed with intimate conversations and exclusive link-ups.

Black Health Connect is gearing up for the return of its #BridgingHealthcareCommunities premier conference, Black Health Con 2025.

As Black healthcare professionals from across the country prepare to head to Washington, D.C., to celebrate this year’s theme: “Find Your Community: Now More Than Ever,” Black Health Con 2025 promises an agenda packed with opportunities for attendees to network, learn, and build their next opportunities.

“In a time when connection and support are more important than ever, #BlackHealthCon 2025 represents an opportunity for us to come together as a community,” said Black Health Connect Founder Dr. Duclas Charles in a press release. “This gathering is not just about advancing our individual careers; it is about uplifting one another and advocating for a more equitable healthcare landscape.”

Black Health Con 2025 invites guests to join the movement as it aims to shape the future of Black healthcare. This year’s lineup of events will include inspiring keynotes, engaging panels, hands-on workshops, community conversations, and exclusive link-ups. The conference will feature a D.C. mixer, leadership brunch, community health fair, and a business expo hall featuring healthcare companies and startups dedicated to advancing Black health.

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“By joining us in D.C., you are investing in the collective strength of our community,” said Charles. “Together, we can create lasting change and ensure that our voices are heard. Let’s unite, share our experiences, and empower each other to thrive.”

Black Health Connect will also celebrate the achievements of this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees during its Black Health Ball. The second group of remarkable individuals from its Class of 2025 includes Dr. Angelica Hardee, American Heart Association’s Vice President of Community Impact; cosmetic dermatology nurse practitioner Jess Beaugris; The Healing Hub owner James Harris, Jr.; The Public Health Club Founder and CEO, Desiree Strickland; and The Black Doctor, LLC noninvasive cardiologist, Eddie Hackler III.

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Black Health Con 2025 will take place from June 26-30. Register and choose your experience online.

by Stacy Jackson

May 14, 2025

Black Girl Caucus Creates Space For Black Women To Connect

Black Girl Caucus has officially launched its online community for Black women to build connections and freely lead.

Houston-based organization Black Girl Caucus has officially launched its online community for Black women to connect and show up for each other.

The initiative, designed to uplift and amplify the voices of Black women, is centered on joy, sisterhood, and purpose. “I created Black Girl Caucus because I was tired of watching Black women give everything to everyone else, with so little poured back into us,” said Founder and Executive Director Sasha Legette, in a press release.

The Clark Atlanta University and University of Georgia School of Law alum drew from personal political experiences that reminded her that, for all Black women give, they are still expected to play the background. Legette stated on her website that the 2024 election was a “gut punch,” “loss,” and “dismissal” to Black women. “We showed up—again. We donated, we organized, we turned out in record numbers. But when decisions were made, our voices were sidelined. Our priorities ignored.” The experience ignited the flame behind Black Girl Caucus’s mission to catapult Black women into a future where they choose each other and build new pathways.

Black Girl Caucus will feature programs designed for Black women to grow in leadership, power, and community. Members will learn to move with strategy and lead with clarity across policy, culture, and community through the initiative’s “We Lead” leadership lab. The “Empowering Voices” speaker series will invite members to participate in informative conversations to gain insight from women at the top of their fields.

Black Girl Caucus aims to support Black women in building connections through its “empowerHer Network,” a space for members to explore community collaborations and career growth. Programs such as the “empowerHer Network” are vital following new data that revealed unemployment for Black workers was on a steady rise. As previously noted by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed unemployment for Black women surged by 106,000 in April, the highest jump of any group.

“We’re not here to play politics—we’re here to shift power,” Black Girl Caucus stated. The initiative’s “BGC Strong” program will further guide Black women as they transform their leadership into political impact.

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Get involved with Black Girl Caucus on the newly launched website and subscribe to the organization’s list for an official invite to the launch event. The kickoff celebration will give the community a sneak peek at what the initiative has in store. Join the online community and stay connected with Black Girl Caucus on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Trump, Governors Association Dinner

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 14, 2025

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Signs 170 Bills, Including Improved Abortion Access, Into Law

The list of bills target such issues as real estate, public safety, medical debt, and wildlife

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is taking the state to new heights after signing 170 bills into state law, CBS News Baltimore reports.

The bills, signed May 13, address various topics ranging from abortion coverage to reckless driving.

The Public Health Abortion Grant Program (HB 930) addresses reproductive healthcare funding, establishing a fund dedicated to improving access to abortion care for Maryland residents, focusing on those without advanced financial resources.

The state’s first Black governor also signed the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act (HB 506), which targets ways to improve the popular bay’s water quality in efforts to expand economic growth in the region.

After the Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced concern about the Trump administration’s plans to push budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Moore signed the legislation that will support farmers in developing more efficient farming methods in addition to improving oyster aquaculture.

Senate Bill 590, the Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act, corrects Maryland’s motor vehicle laws in an effort to strengthen penalties for reckless and aggressive driving. Named in honor of a Montgomery County Police officer who was left paralyzed from being struck by a reckless driver, the bill adjusts the state’s driver point system, increasing to two points for negligent driving and six points for going 30 mph or more over the speed limit.

Under the new law, aggressive driving will be labeled to include behaviors such as not adhering to traffic control devices, unsafe passing, and failing to yield to pedestrians.

State Bill 901 targets environmental responsibility by increasing recycling rates, reducing waste, and highlighting the use of sustainable packaging. Producers will now be required to submit a five-year plan by July 2028 that identifies goals for recycled content and recycling rates.

Others bills target relating to issues such as real estate, public safety, medical debt, and wildlife.

Spectators believe signing the bills heightens Moore’s spotlight in the Democratic Party as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.

Democratic strategist Jon Reinish called Moore “one of the party’s freshest faces, most dynamic leaders” but, according to The Hill, Moore, whose name was once listed as a potential running mate for former Vice President Kamala Harris on the 2024 Democratic ticket, told co-hosts of ABC’s The View that he has no plans on seeking the Oval Office.

“I am not running,” Moore said. “I’m really excited right now about the work that’s happening right now in the state of Maryland.”

However, some Democratic analysts feel the moves he is making say otherwise.

“He’s doing very little to discourage that speculation about 2028…His schedule was at odds with his message,” Maryland-based Democratic strategist Len Foxwell said.

Moore recently delivered the commencement address at Lincoln University, an HBCU in Pennsylvania as well as a keynote address on democracy at the Brennan Center Awards in New York City.

Reinish said people should focus on where Moore is appearing.

“He’s going on big-name TV shows. He’s heading to the early states,” Reinish said. “I think most people at this stage would make a cursory denial of some kind. But again, look at what they do, not what they say.”

Magic Johnson enterprises, Alexia Grevious Henderson

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 14, 2025

Magic Johnson’s Latest Assist: $500K To Xavier University

The school's Centennial Gala raised more than $2 million

Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson pledge of $500,000 to Louisiana’s Xavier University helped the school raise more than $2 million at its Centennial Gala on May 9.

Johnson’s donation at the university’s 100th-anniversary celebration was made in honor of President Emeritus Dr. Norman C. Francis.

The money raised at the event will support student scholarships.

“The mark of a great man and who shows up,” Johnson said at the Gala. “Because the man that you are, all the great things that you’ve done in your stellar career. And all the people that you helped. You became successful through your great leadership at Xavier… In your honor, I’m going to give Xavier $500,000.”

Comedian Bill Bellamy (Any Given Sunday, former MTV VJ) hosted the ceremony. Jeffrey Osborne, the R&B legend and former L.T.D. lead singer, performed.

Francis, a graduate of Xavier University, was president of the school for 47 years, nearly half of its existence. He was responsible for sending many Black students to medical school. Under his leadership, student enrollment tripled.

“Our Centennial Gala was a beautiful success,” said Phillip D. Adams, Xavier’s vice president of institutional advancement. “Not just that it honored Xavier’s storied legacy, but that we raised more than $2 million to secure the futures of deserving students who choose a Xavier education. In just 100 years, Xavier has amassed various accolades, solidifying itself as a leader. I’m honored that we have been able to steadily raise necessary scholarship funds, and I look forward to what we can achieve in our next 100 years of excellence.”

The country’s only historically Black and Catholic University, Xavier is ranked among the top HBCUs nationwide and recognized as a national leader in STEM and health sciences.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 14, 2025

Bakari Sellers’ Memoir Banned From Naval Academy Library, Unlike JD Vance’s

'The fact that just from a pure cultural understanding that you can tell the story of where you're from—and as long as it's Appalachia, it's acceptable,' Sellers responded

Bakari Sellers’ memoir, which is often compared to Vice President JD Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, has been banned from the U.S. Naval Academy library.

The politician and political commentator’s New York Times bestseller, My Vanishing Country, was among the books pulled last month after the Defense Secretary’s office ordered the removal of titles promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Post and Courier reports. The book, which chronicles Sellers’ childhood in rural Denmark, South Carolina, was ranked No. 7 on the U.S. Naval Academy’s list of 381 banned books.

Ironically, Bakari Sellers’ memoir is often described as a Southern equivalent to JD Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, which highlights white, working-class Appalachia. But while Sellers’ book was banned, Vance’s book remains on the Naval Academy’s shelves.

“The fact that just from a pure cultural understanding that you can tell the story of where you’re from—and as long as it’s Appalachia, it’s acceptable,” Sellers said in response to the removal. “As long as it’s White Appalachia, it’s acceptable. But if it’s Black in the South, it’s banned.”

The removal follows a May 9 Pentagon memo instructing military leaders to review and pull library books related to diversity, anti-racism, or gender issues by May 21. A temporary Academic Libraries Committee will oversee the review process, using a list of about 20 search terms to flag titles for removal.

The flagged terms include “affirmative action,” “anti-racism,” “critical race theory,” “discrimination,” “diversity,” “gender dysphoria,” “gender identity and transition,” “transgender,” “transsexual,” and “white privilege.” While none of these appeared in the listed topics for Sellers’ memoir, the former South Carolina lawmaker’s book was categorized as a biography with tags like “rural African Americans,” “South Carolina,” “social conditions,” and “racism.”

“My book is not How to be Anti-Racist,” Sellers said, referring to Ibram X. Kendi’s autobiography that landed in the No. 1 spot of the academy’s banned books list.

“My book is a book talking about growing up in the Black, working-class South,” Sellers added. “These are stories that are all around us. These are stories so that people can understand what it means to have a community that thrived off the Savannah River site, or went to schools in the ‘Corridor of Shame,’ and that there are people who have overcome different challenges but still made it.”

Other titles on the banned list include Maya Angelou’s classic memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Issac J. Bailey’s Why Didn’t We Riot? A Black Man in Trumpland, and Michael Eric Dyson’s Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America.