New Harvard Course Studies Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter To Educate Students On Public Policy
The course is titled "American Requiem: Beyoncé, Benefits and the Gap Between Promise and Delivery"
A new course at Harvard Kennedy School is using Beyoncé and Cowboy Carter as a lens to examine gaps in America’s public policy system, highlighting how pop culture continues to shape academic conversations around race, inequality, and government services.
The course, titled “American Requiem: Beyoncé, Benefits and the Gap Between Promise and Delivery,” was developed by adjunct lecturer Ayushi Roy and focuses on how federal aid programs often fail the communities they are intended to support. According to the university, the class draws connections between themes explored in Beyoncé’s 2024 album and shortcomings in social safety-net programs such as Medicaid and SNAP.
Roy said the class encourages students to analyze the disconnect between government policy intentions and the lived experiences of marginalized Americans. The curriculum reportedly uses the album’s exploration of overlooked Black contributions to country music as a framework for broader discussions about systemic inequities and institutional erasure.
“She frames the album as a conversation about the erasure of African American people from country music. But after seeing Beyoncé perform, you realize that she’s actually making a commentary about Black erasure from ‘country,’ the body politic, not country as a genre of music, and that really inspired me.”
The course is being offered through Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, during a time when colleges across the country are increasingly incorporating contemporary music, film, and media into public policy and social science coursework. Beyoncé’s album, which won Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammy Awards, has already generated extensive academic and cultural discussion surrounding race, Americana, and representation in country music.
Roy collaborated with historian Trey Walk while reshaping the course, according to reports. Together, they designed lessons examining how bureaucratic systems can unintentionally exclude vulnerable communities despite promises of equity and access.
The class reflects a growing trend among universities using modern cultural touchstones to engage students in conversations about public policy, technology, and social justice. Harvard officials said the course aims to help future policymakers better understand how government programs function in practice, not just in theory.
AI Could Turn Your Selfies Into A Security Risk, Experts Warn
The warning gained renewed attention after reports surfaced that scammers could extract biometric data from photos taken within five feet
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are raising new concerns about online privacy after cybersecurity experts warned that fingerprints may be recoverable from high-resolution selfies, particularly photos showing the popular peace sign pose. According to Gadget Review, advances in AI image enhancement now make it easier for criminals to sharpen and reconstruct fingerprint details captured in everyday social media photos.
The warning gained renewed attention in May after reports surfaced that scammers could potentially extract biometric data from photos taken within roughly five feet of a camera lens. According to the site, AI-powered editing software can enhance ridge patterns on exposed fingertips and turn blurry images into more detailed biometric templates.
Experts say the threat is particularly concerning because fingerprints, unlike passwords, cannot easily be changed once compromised. Criminals could theoretically use reconstructed prints to bypass fingerprint authentication systems tied to smartphones, banking apps, smart locks, and other connected devices.
The concept itself is not entirely new. Security researcher Jan Krissler demonstrated more than a decade ago that fingerprints could be recreated from publicly available photos, including images of political figures. However, analysts say modern AI tools and increasingly powerful smartphone cameras have dramatically lowered the technical barriers required to perform such attacks.
Still, some digital forensics experts caution that the risk may be overstated in average real-world conditions. Researchers interviewed by Euronews said successful fingerprint extraction typically requires ideal lighting, high image quality, and precise camera angles, making widespread abuse difficult for most cybercriminals.
Cybersecurity specialists nevertheless recommend limiting the amount of biometric detail shared online. Suggested precautions include avoiding close-up photos with fingertips facing the camera, reducing image resolution before posting selfies, and enabling additional authentication methods beyond fingerprint recognition.
The growing concern reflects a broader trend of AI-assisted cybercrime, as experts warn that scammers are increasingly using AI to automate fraud, phishing, and identity theft.
A Message from Our CEO: ‘It’s Extraordinary Times’
Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr., Spells Out Why the XCEL Summit for Men is for Extraordinary People Like You!
As Black Enterprise continues its journey toward the 10th anniversary of the XCEL Summit for Men, we take a moment to hear an important message from CEO Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr., about why a summit of this magnitude is needed today more than ever. And while he emphasizes that XCEL is about celebrating the excellence of Black leadership in corporate America and beyond, it’s also designed to help identify, invest, and maximize the value of each person as a potential executive leader. The summit offers tools and insight into what it takes to rise in corporate America and the strategies needed to thrive in its demanding roles. Yes! It’s extraordinary times for the Black community, but Butch Graves challenges everyone in attendance at the XCEL Summit for Men to be part of the solution. Black Enterprise didn’t create the XCEL Summit to be nice; he says it’s because it’s necessary. Do you share in Butch Graves’ belief? If so, then let Black Enterprise help lift you up in your career. Hear it directly from the CEO himself.
Dr. Brandy Williams of Revolution RX Compounding Pharmacy talks perimenopause
Dr. Brandy Williams, the first Black woman to own a sterile compounding pharmacy in Texas, shares what Black women need to know about perimenopause
Could perimenopause be the reason you’re not performing like you used to at work? Absolutely, says pharmacist Dr. Brandy Williams—the first and only Black woman to own a sterile compounding pharmacy in the state of Texas and the second in the nation.
Never heard of a compounding pharmacy? Unlike traditional pharmacies, which dispense mass-manufactured medications (one strength, one dosage form, one standard formula for everyone), compounding allows pharmacists to customize medications. That may mean adjusting the strength, changing the form from a capsule to a cream or injection, removing allergens or unnecessary dyes, or combining ingredients to improve outcomes.
“I discovered the power of compounding during my pharmacy training, and it completely changed the way I viewed patient care,” Dr. Williams says.
“I met a woman who had been struggling to find a hormone therapy that actually worked for her. The commercially available options contained fillers and inactive ingredients that her body simply could not tolerate, and no traditional pharmacy could customize the medication she needed,” she continues.
“I formulated a personalized compound specifically for her, and a couple of weeks later, she called me emotional, saying, ‘I finally feel like myself again.’ That moment stayed with me. It showed me that personalized medicine is not a luxury—for many patients, especially women navigating hormonal changes, it’s necessary healthcare.”
Dr. Williams went on to pursue advanced sterile compounding training and then built Revolution RX Compounding Pharmacy with a focus on precision medicine, hormone optimization, wellness therapies, and innovative compounded treatments, primarily through sterile preparations such as injectables, IV therapies, peptide formulations, and bioidentical hormone therapies.
Here, she shares what all Black women should know about their midlife hormonal health, and especially how it may be affecting them professionally.
What do you wish every woman knew about perimenopause?
Perimenopause does not begin the day your periods stop. It begins years before menopause, and many women are experiencing symptoms without even realizing their hormones are shifting. For some women, those changes can begin as early as mid-30s or early 40s.
The earliest signs are often subtle and frequently dismissed: disrupted sleep, waking up in the middle of the night, brain fog, increased anxiety, mood changes, unexplained weight gain, fatigue, heart palpitations, low libido, or changes in menstrual cycles. Many women start questioning themselves because nobody connected these symptoms to hormonal changes.
I want women to understand that these experiences are real, they are common, and they are not signs that you are “losing your mind.” They are often signs that hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are fluctuating and declining.
Most importantly, I want women to know they do not have to suffer in silence or accept feeling unlike themselves as their new normal. There are options. There are solutions. Whether that involves lifestyle changes, nutrition, supplementation, stress management, bioidentical hormone therapy, or personalized wellness support, women deserve education, support, and access to care that helps them maintain their quality of life through every stage of womanhood.
Sometimes we feel like we’re losing our minds because doctors aren’t taking us seriously.
Medical gaslighting is a very real issue, and unfortunately, many Black women experience it far too often within the healthcare system. It happens when symptoms are minimized, dismissed, or explained away without a deeper evaluation of what may truly be happening in the body. Women are often told they’re “just stressed,” “just getting older,” or that their symptoms are simply something they have to live with.
For many Black women, this experience creates frustration, delayed treatment, and a loss of trust in healthcare altogether. Research continues to show disparities in how Black women’s pain, symptoms, and hormonal concerns are addressed compared to other populations, despite often experiencing more severe or longer-lasting symptoms during perimenopause and menopause.
One of the things I hear most from patients is, “I knew something was wrong, but I felt like nobody was listening to me.” That’s why patient advocacy and education are such a major part of what we do at Revolution RX Compounding Pharmacy. I believe women deserve to be heard, properly evaluated, and included in conversations about their own health. We are no longer suffering in silence!
My role is not to replace the physician, but to collaborate with healthcare providers to help patients access individualized solutions and feel empowered throughout their wellness journey. Sometimes healing begins the moment a woman finally feels seen and validated.
How are unmanaged perimenopause symptoms affecting women, specifically when it comes to work?
The impact of unmanaged perimenopause symptoms in the workplace is significant, yet often invisible. Many women are navigating brain fog, sleep disruption, chronic fatigue, anxiety, mood changes, and difficulty concentrating while still managing demanding careers, leadership roles, businesses, and families.
These symptoms can affect productivity, confidence, decision-making, communication, and overall workplace performance. Sleep disturbances alone can leave women functioning on exhaustion while still being expected to perform at a high level professionally.
What makes it even more challenging is that many women suffer silently because perimenopause and menopause are still stigmatized. Instead of seeking support, many begin questioning themselves personally and professionally. Normalizing these conversations is critical because women should not have to choose between their wellness and their professional success.
Can you share some effective strategies for managing those symptoms?
One of the most effective things women can do is start tracking their symptoms. Pay attention to patterns—such as sleep changes, anxiety, brain fog, fatigue, mood shifts, cycle irregularities, or hot flashes—because that information helps both the patient and the provider better understand what’s happening hormonally. Data is power.
It’s also important to work with a healthcare provider who listens and takes your concerns seriously. Women should feel empowered to advocate for themselves and ask questions about all available treatment options, including hormone support when appropriate.
Lifestyle matters, too. Prioritizing protein intake to help maintain muscle mass, focusing on quality sleep, incorporating stress-reduction practices like deep breathing or mindfulness, and staying hydrated can all make a meaningful difference in symptom management during perimenopause.
Strategic supplementation is important as well. Magnesium can support sleep quality, mood regulation, muscle function, and stress response, while vitamin D plays a critical role in immune health, mood support, and maintaining bone strength. Calcium and vitamin K2 are also beneficial, especially as hormonal changes increase the risk of bone loss. Vitamin K2 helps direct calcium into the bones where it belongs, supporting both bone density and cardiovascular health.
For some women, bioidentical hormone therapy can also be a valuable tool. Through a compounding pharmacy, therapies can often be customized to fit an individual patient’s needs, symptoms, and treatment goals.
And finally, community matters. So many women think they’re experiencing this alone, when in reality millions of women are navigating the same transition. That’s one of the reasons I created the Midlife Method RX (a Skool community)—to give women education, support, and a safe space to have honest conversations about midlife wellness, hormones, and healing.
At the time, the 34-year-old attorney was working at a law firm handling contingency work when cases and court activity began drying up. Morgan decided to pivot.
After a cousin asked him to help register a trademark for a business, he started offering trademark services on Fiverr, the freelance platform, and within months, demand exploded.
By 2021, Morgan had left his law firm job entirely.
His company, Morgan Business Solutions, LLC, now handles trademark searches, filings, and brand protection for companies worldwide. Because trademark law is federal, Morgan can operate remotely anywhere as long as he maintains a U.S. law license.
Today, he splits his time between Dallas and Mexico City, where he now spends most of the year. Morgan runs a remote trademark law business from Mexico City. He also earns rental income from a condo he owns in Chicago.
Morgan said he first visited the Mexican capital in January 2020 and immediately connected with the city’s culture and energy.
The political climate in the United States following the murder of George Floyd also influenced his decision to relocate abroad.
“I wanted a change of environment, but I also wanted to be somewhere that felt alive, creative, and culturally rich. Mexico City gave me that. It’s a global city with incredible food, art, history, and energy, but it also still feels rooted in community,” he told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
He adds, “At the same time, I didn’t want to be out of reach from my family. With my family in Dallas, Mexico City is about a 2.5-hour flight.”
The move wasn’t entirely seamless. Morgan admitted one of the biggest challenges early on was finding community and adapting to life without fluency in Spanish.
“Initially, finding community was the biggest challenge early on. When I first arrived, I didn’t speak Spanish, so my ability to connect with locals was limited. That changed once I became intentional about learning the language,” says Morgan, who took online courses and later studied at a local university.
Morgan also found a growing community of African Americans living in Mexico City, something he says barely existed when he first arrived several years ago.
He also had to adjust to the pace of life in Mexico City. “Life feels more intentional and less transactional than what I was used to in the U.S. That took some adapting,” he admits.
“I educated myself early and ensured I was moving with respect for the local rules and systems,” he noted. “Financially, the adjustment was pretty smooth. I usually rent furnished apartments, which can be more expensive, but it’s a great investment for moving ease and making sure your home feels comfortable. Overall, the cost of living is lower, so I have more disposable income.”
Morgan invests heavily in real estate and entrepreneurial ventures. One of his biggest projects is Casa Papalotl, a boutique hotel development in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. He has also invested in Ofrenda Spirits, a mezcal company, and Aver Network, a Mexico City-based marketing platform.
In addition to his law practice, Morgan also co-owns Imbiss, a restaurant in Mexico City he helped revitalize.
“Imbiss actually opened in 2021, before I moved to Mexico City. I used to frequent the restaurant because I loved the ambiance, the people I met there, and the food. I was introduced to the owner and my business partner, Ramses, who is an incredibly talented Mexican chef,” says Morgan. “The business was well established, but he was neck deep in the day-to-day and was looking for a partner who could bring a different perspective and help fill operational gaps. For me, it was about taking something that was already good and seeing how we could make it great. I’ve focused on introducing more events, streamlining operations/systems, and introducing a new audience to Imbiss.”
Living and working abroad is an option for many African Americans, says Morgan. But leave with an open mind.
“The biggest misconception is that you have to be rich or extremely well off to move abroad. You don’t. You need a plan, just like you would with any major move,” he says. “Another misconception is that life will automatically be cheap. It can be less expensive, but a lot of people inflate their standard of living once they arrive and end up spending the same amount.”
He adds that being less safe can also be a misconception. “People sometimes assume another country is less safe than their U.S. city, but depending on where you’re from, the opposite can be true. There are things I’m vigilant about in the U.S. that aren’t major concerns abroad, and vice versa. It really depends on the country and the city,” he points out.
Morgan has found it easier to build wealth internationally compared to the U.S. “For me, it’s been easier, mainly because I have more disposable income now. When I lived in Chicago, I was investing around 40% of my income. Now it’s closer to 50%, which accelerates my investment goals,” he says, but adds, “That said, changing countries doesn’t automatically change your habits or who you are. If you’re disciplined in one place, you’ll likely be disciplined in the next. But a more affordable country, whether that’s Mexico, in Europe, Africa, or elsewhere, can create more flexibility and breathing room.”
Mr. ChimeTime Went From Verizon Employee To Popular Food Influencer
Mr. ChimeTime often critiques restaurants that locals have complained about for years, viewing his platform as a way to hold businesses accountable.
Rashad Morton’s journey from a corporate employee to food influencer “Mr. ChimeTime” began with a massive pay cut and a leap of faith during the COVID-19 pandemic. While working for Verizon, the Charlotte native saw his annual commission-based earnings decrease from $140,000 to just $49,000 following a company restructure. After a bout with COVID-19 left him facing a difficult return to work, he decided to pursue food reviewing full-time.
Morton started by simply recording himself eating on his phone. His content quickly gained traction. In the early days, Morton invested his own money. He poured approximately $1,000 a month into Facebook ads to boost his videos and help local restaurants stay visible during pandemic lockdowns. Today, that effort has evolved into a lucrative business involving a full support team, including an editor, an assistant, and managers for his various platforms. He spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about his journey to the top of the food chain.
Mr. ChimeTime attributes his success to being relatable and honest, even when his opinions are unpopular. He often critiques restaurants that locals have long complained about, viewing his platform as a way to hold businesses accountable.
“I think I’m relatable, right? So, like a lot of these, and it’s sad to say, but a lot of these restaurants do suck. And when a person like me comes in and says it’s trash, now you’re ready to fight. These restaurants do know they suck, because if you go to the comments, it’s people locally that tell you suck. So if I gotta come down, OK, it shouldn’t take me to come to a city for how, like, however long I stay, to put it on my platform for you to change. Don’t please me, please them.”
This bluntness has occasionally caused friction closer to home. Morton admitted that he sometimes judges the food at family reunions, noting that his critiques once upset his mother and other relatives during Christmas.
Beyond reviews, Morton has made philanthropy a cornerstone of his brand. He has donated thousands of dollars to service workers, including a 15-hour tipping spree in Dallas, where he gave away roughly $13,000 to DoorDash drivers. He also recalled helping Uber drivers in Charlotte during the holidays.
“I understand how hard it is out there for people,” he said, explaining that his desire to give back stems from a sense of appreciation for the audience that put him in his current position.
While he continues to travel the country—expressing particular ambivalence for the “overrated” food scene in New Orleans—Morton expressed confusion about the overwhelming love for Crescent City cuisine.
“I love their beignets. They had me in a chokehold the whole time. But we’re talking about food. No,” he told BE.
His influence now attracts major corporate partnerships. Morton has collaborated with several high-profile brands, including KFC, Wing Stop, Taco Bell, Bojangles, Domino’s, and Verizon (his former employer)
Despite his success in the digital space, Morton is mindful of the volatility of social media monetization. To ensure long-term financial stability, he has begun investing his earnings into real estate, focusing on short-term rentals.
With a potential television show on the horizon, the former salesman is proving that a “leap of faith” can lead to a career far beyond the traditional nine-to-five.
From Set To Studio: How Actors Can Turn On-Screen Credits Into Independent IP, Education Revenue, and Production Systems
The mistake is believing the credit does the rest of the business for you.
By Markice Moore
Every actor knows what it feels like to chase the next call. A booking can change the temperature around your name. A strong credit can get you into rooms that were previously closed. Set life teaches discipline: call times, rewrites, marks, continuity, etiquette, stamina, and the ability to deliver under pressure when everyone is watching.
The mistake is believing the credit does the rest of the business for you.
I have credits I am proud of: The Walking Dead, Snowfall, Tyler Perry’s The Paynes, Law & Order, and Chicago P.D. Those roles taught me a lot about pace, professionalism, and how many moving parts it takes to make television work. They also taught me something else. When the job wraps, the industry’s machine keeps moving with or without you. If you have not built anything around the credit, you are back to waiting for someone else’s timing.
My shift started there. I did not want my career to be only a collection of bookings. I wanted the work I had already done to serve as the foundation for something I could control. From there, I started thinking seriously about Both Sides of the Camera Studios, my own IP, teaching, production systems, and the operating structure I needed around my creative life.
Studio ownership can start without a building, a large staff, or a studio lot. For most actors, it starts with a decision to stop treating every opportunity as separate. The acting credit, the script idea, the class, the short film, the article, the interview, the relationship, the audience, and the pitch deck all need to speak to each other. When they do, you are no longer only trying to be hired. You are building a base.
The first practical step is turning credits into IP.
A credit is proof that you can work at a professional level. The question is what you build from that proof. What kind of stories do you understand because of the rooms you have been in? What kind of characters can you write with authority? What worlds have you seen up close? What problems in the business do you keep noticing?
For me, that meant writing and producing, not only auditioning. It meant treating ideas as assets early. A feature concept needed a title, a logline, a one-page summary, a budget conversation, a proof asset, and a path toward partners. Spaghetti, my award-winning horror film, mattered because it was not just an idea I talked about. It became a finished piece of work under my name. Finished proof changes the conversation because people can react to something real.
Actors should build a simple IP shelf: one feature, one series idea, one short-form proof concept, one article or essay lane, and one piece of material that can be made with limited resources. Keep the materials organized. Keep versions clean. Know what each project is for.
Some ideas are for sale. Some are for proof. Some are for festivals. Some are for teaching. Some are for building your audience.
The second step is turning experience into teaching.
Teaching is often treated like something actors do only when the acting slows down. I see it differently. Teaching can be part of the studio. When you have lived through auditions, sets, callbacks, agents, producers, nerves, rejection, and performance pressure, you have insights that can help others move with more confidence.
My acting, coaching, and education work became a way to serve actors while sharpening my own process. Teaching forces you to explain what you actually do. It makes your instincts more precise. It also builds community. Students can become collaborators, readers, crew, supporters, and future creative partners. If you build it with care, education becomes a revenue and relationship lane without pulling you away from craft.
The third step is building production systems.
Many actors have ideas. Fewer have a repeatable process that moves an idea forward. A studio mindset requires a workflow: concept, logline, synopsis, beat sheet, visual references, budget range, schedule, proof asset, pitch list, partner list, outreach, follow-up, and next decision. At the beginning, the process can stay affordable; it just has to be clear enough that an idea does not disappear because life gets busy.
Both Sides of the Camera Studios became the place where I could organize that process. Instead of keeping everything in my head, I started building lanes: production, coaching, press, outreach, articles, pitch materials, booking opportunities, partner conversations, and follow-ups. The biggest change was not only productivity. It changed how I saw myself. I was not just reacting to the business anymore. I was giving my work somewhere to go.
The fourth step is to use AI as operating support, not as creative identity.
New filmmakers should not be anti-AI by default. They should be protective of voice, taste, ethics, and lived experience. The real risk comes when a creative uses the tool to avoid having a point of view. For a small creative team, AI can be one of the most useful tools for the parts of studio work that most artists were never trained to manage. It can help organize a slate, summarize meeting notes, compare opportunities, clean up pitch materials, track follow-ups, map production tasks, prepare outreach lists, and turn scattered ideas into a working plan. It can help a solo creator operate with more structure without pretending that structure is the same as authorship.
The change was major because my creative life was bigger than my available administrative capacity. I had projects, contacts, coaching offers, press ideas, production needs, and business follow-ups moving at the same time. AI helped me build systems around those lanes so I could stop rebuilding the same foundation every week. The human decisions still had to be mine: what story felt honest, what language sounded like me, what opportunity fit, what needed to be cut, and what was not ready. The organizational load became easier to carry.
In practice, small teams can start to function with studio discipline. A filmmaker can have a slate tracker, a contact system, a folder for each project, a press kit, a pitch database, a meeting log, a calendar of deadlines, and an asset checklist. The point is to give talent a better operating environment.
The fifth step is building around the time between jobs.
Set life is intense, but it is also intermittent for most actors. The space between jobs can create anxiety, or it can become the time when the studio is built. Between bookings, you can write pages, develop a class, update your materials, build your direct audience, package a short film, pitch a partner, prepare a talk, create behind-the-scenes content, or refine the business systems that make the next opportunity easier to capture.
For Black actors and filmmakers, this matters because access has never been consistent enough to be the whole plan. We need rooms, but we also need ownership. We need visibility, but we also need infrastructure. If the only thing connecting your work is someone else’s permission, you are always vulnerable to the next slowdown.
Studio ownership supports the acting. The actor still studies. The actor still auditions. The actor still shows up prepared. The difference is that the actor is also building IP, teaching, production capacity, audience, press, partnerships, and systems that can keep producing value between roles.
A practical 30-day start looks like this: choose one IP idea and turn it into a one-page pitch; identify one class, workshop, or teaching topic you can offer from real experience; build one project folder with your logline, synopsis, budget notes, visual references, and outreach list; organize your contacts by lane; write down the next five follow-ups you owe; and use AI to help structure the workflow, not to decide who you are creatively.
The move from set life to studio ownership is practical. Credits matter. Craft matters more. The career changes when the work has a system around it. For me, building that system meant I could focus more deeply on the craft because the business was no longer living only in my memory. It gave my ideas a place to mature, my relationships a process, my teaching a home, and my production goals a path.
The next generation of actors should not wait for someone to give them permission to think like owners. Start with what you have learned on set. Turn it into IP. Teach what you know. Build small productions that can actually be finished. Use technology to handle the structure that a small team cannot carry on its own. Keep the craft at the center, but build enough around it that your credits become assets and your assets become a studio.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Markice Moore is an actor, writer, producer, SAG-AFTRA member, founder of Both Sides of the Camera Studios, and writer/producer of the award-winning horror film, Spaghetti.
Courtney A. Kemp Signs Major New Deal With Apple TV+
Under the deal, Kemp and her production company, End of Episode, will develop television projects exclusively for Apple TV+,
Emmy-nominated television producer and writer Courtney A. Kemp has signed a multiyear overall agreement with Apple TV+, marking a new chapter for the creator behind the “Power” franchise and Netflix’s recently launched crime drama “Nemesis.”
Under the deal, announced the week of May 21, Kemp and her production company, End of Episode, will develop television projects exclusively for Apple TV+, while the streamer also receives first-look rights to film projects created by the producer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The agreement arrives as “Nemesis,” Kemp’s newest crime thriller co-created with Tani Marole, continues to gain traction on Netflix. The series recently climbed to the No. 1 position in the United States and several international markets following its May debut.
Kemp said Apple’s leadership and support for creator-driven storytelling made the company an ideal fit for her next phase of projects. Executives Zack Van Amburg, Jamie Erlicht and Matt Cherniss were specifically mentioned in her public statement regarding the partnership.
“I’m so grateful to Zack [Van Amburg], Jamie [Erlicht] and Matt [Cherniss] for welcoming me to the Apple family. With their impeccable taste and strong support for their creators’ visions, Apple is the perfect place to develop my next projects. I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring my audience to Apple for more hard-hitting, high-stakes, multilayered stories that uplift the culture, yet reach beyond to universal viewership.”
Best known for creating the long-running “Power” television universe for Starz, Kemp helped build one of cable television’s most successful modern crime franchises, spawning multiple spinoffs including “Power Book II: Ghost,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” and the upcoming “Power: Origins.” Production on “Power: Origins” is currently underway in New York.
“Nemesis,” meanwhile, represents Kemp’s first major scripted release tied to her previous Netflix partnership. The Los Angeles-set series follows a detective and criminal mastermind locked in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse pursuit. Actors Matthew Law and Y’lan Noel lead the cast.
The move also reflects Apple TV+’s continued investment in high-profile creators as the streaming service expands its original programming slate amid intensifying competition in Hollywood’s streaming landscape.
Atlanta Waffle House Workers Rally For Higher Pay And Safer Shifts
The rally brought together restaurant workers, labor advocates, and members of the Union of Southern Service Workers.
Workers at several Atlanta-area Waffle House locations gathered downtown this month to demand higher pay, improved safety measures, and changes to workplace policies they say disproportionately affect low-wage employees, Blavity reports.
The rally, held near Centennial Olympic Park on May 16, brought together restaurant workers, labor advocates, and members of the Union of Southern Service Workers. Demonstrators called on the Georgia-based diner chain to raise wages to $25 an hour, provide around-the-clock security at all restaurants, and eliminate automatic paycheck deductions for employee meals.
Workers said the demonstrations were sparked by ongoing concerns about customer harassment, inconsistent tipping practices, and what they described as unsafe late-night working conditions. Several employees argued the company’s current pay structure leaves many staff members financially strained despite rising menu prices and growing demand at locations across the South.
Employee Katie Giede said tipped workers often see portions of their earnings taxed through payroll systems, while some customers leave little or no gratuity.
“People don’t always tip and even when they do, we don’t get all of our tips…they go on our paychecks, they’re taxed,” Giede shared with Atlanta News First.
Labor organizers also criticized meal deduction policies that they claim reduce take-home pay for hourly employees.
The protest comes as Atlanta prepares for increased tourism tied to upcoming FIFA World Cup activities at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Organizers argued that service workers should benefit from the city’s expected economic boost rather than continue working under what they described as “poverty wages.”
Dr. Joseph Jones of Clark Atlanta University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy said research conducted by the institution found recurring complaints involving harassment and worker safety, particularly among women working overnight shifts.
“You have people coming in who are inebriated, harassing employees … particularly a lot of the women felt unsafe,” Jones toldAtlanta News First.
Additional labor groups, including the Teamsters and Jobs for Justice, attended the rally and pledged continued demonstrations if workers’ demands are not addressed. As of May 25, Waffle House had not publicly issued a formal response to the protesters’ requests.
Naomi Osaka Defends Celebration Of Black Tennis Players Ahead Of French Open
Osaka addressed backlash explaining that her experiences growing up in tennis shaped her beliefs about creating community spaces for Black athletes
Naomi Osaka is standing by her decision to host a private gathering celebrating Black tennis players during the French Open, responding publicly after criticism surfaced online over the event’s focus on race and representation, Boardroom reports.
The four-time Grand Slam champion co-hosted the dinner in Paris alongside American doubles star Taylor Townsend, ahead of the start of Roland-Garros (French Open). Players in attendance included reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff, Gael Monfils, Chris Eubanks, and Asia Muhammad, according to social media posts shared from the event.
Osaka addressed backlash tied to the gathering in a social media statement, explaining that her experiences growing up in tennis shaped her beliefs about creating community spaces for Black athletes, which remains important to her. The Japanese-Haitian tennis star said she often felt isolated in a sport where few players shared similar backgrounds.
“I didn’t see many people that looked like me,” Osaka wrote in comments shared online while defending the event. She added that celebrating Black identity within the sport should not be viewed negatively.
Osaka also referenced her father’s experiences with discrimination during her childhood, recalling incidents where police were allegedly called on him at tennis courts. She said those memories continue to influence her perspective on visibility and representation in sports.
Naomi Osaka on why she chose to host a party for the black tennis players:
“You know I'm seeing a little bit of- ‘Why can't you love everyone for all skin tones?’ and ‘what if someone had an all white party?! First of all I do love everyone for who they are no matter their race… pic.twitter.com/Qg824Qsur5
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 24, 2026
The dinner drew praise from several attendees and supporters who described the gathering as an opportunity for connection and support among Black athletes competing at one of tennis’ most prestigious tournaments. Townsend later wrote on social media that the evening included “laughs, stories, and wisdom,” calling the event meaningful for both the culture and the players involved.
Osaka has frequently used her platform to discuss racial identity, mental health, and diversity in professional tennis throughout her career. The former world No. 1 became the first Asian player to reach the top singles ranking and has remained one of the sport’s most recognizable figures on and off the court.
