• Education

by Sidnee Michelle

October 15, 2026

Michelle Obama Pledges Over $1M To Empower Girls Across 15 Countries

Obama emphasized the importance of providing girls with opportunities to succeed.

---

Former first lady Michelle Obama has announced a commitment of more than $1 million to support 25 organizations across 15 countries, expanding educational opportunities and leadership programs for adolescent girls worldwide, People reports.

The funding, announced Oct. 11 in recognition of International Day of the Girl, will be distributed through the Girls Opportunity Alliance, an initiative of the Obama Foundation focused on advancing girls’ education and empowerment.

According to People, the investment will help grassroots organizations expand mentorship, educational programming, and leadership development in underserved communities.

In a video announcing the commitment, Obama emphasized the importance of providing girls with opportunities to succeed.

“I’ve always believed that every girl holds a unique promise — a special way that she can change the lives of those around her, maybe even the world,” Obama said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama)

Among the organizations receiving support are Associação Mempodera in Brazil, which promotes gender equality through sports and education; Girl Power Foundation in Uganda, which provides mentorship and educational resources; and Milaan Foundation in India, which works to expand opportunities for adolescent girls.

The funding will also support Girls First Initiative in Tanzania, which plans to establish leadership clubs in four schools. In Haiti, the Haiti Adolescent Girls Network will train community mentors and create 10 spaces for weekly educational sessions.

Organizations receiving funding will also have access to the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network, which connects grassroots leaders with resources and opportunities for collaboration.

Launched in 2018, the alliance has supported more than 265 grassroots projects across 50 countries, according to the Obama Foundation.

The latest commitment follows a $500,000 investment earlier this year, benefiting ten Chicago-based organizations serving girls.

Obama has previously directed proceeds from her bestselling memoir, Becoming, toward girls’ education initiatives. In 2019, she committed more than $500,000 in merchandise proceeds to support educational opportunities worldwide.

The new funding expands the alliance’s financial support for organizations working to address barriers to education and leadership development among adolescent girls.

RELATED CONTENT: Michelle Obama, Transphobia, And Policing Black Womanhood

• Money

by Sidnee Michelle

October 15, 2026

The American Dream Now Costs $5.3M, Outpacing Wage Growth

Transportation follows at an estimated $1.21 million over a lifetime, while retirement expenses account for another $1.21 million.

---

The estimated cost of achieving the American Dream has reached $5.3 million, rising faster than wages and putting traditional financial milestones further out of reach for many Americans, Investopedia reports.

According to a 2026 analysis, the lifetime cost of the American Dream increased 4.1% from 2025, outpacing the 3.1% wage growth recorded among private-sector workers during the 12 months ending in June.

The analysis examined eight milestones commonly associated with financial success, including homeownership, raising children, retirement, healthcare, transportation, vacations, pet ownership, and marriage.

Homeownership remains the most expensive milestone, costing approximately $1.28 million over 30 years when factoring in mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance.

Transportation follows at an estimated $1.21 million over a lifetime, while retirement expenses account for another $1.21 million.

Raising two children and covering their college education costs approximately $953,763. Child-rearing expenses increased 9.5% from the previous year, marking the largest percentage increase among the categories analyzed.

Healthcare adds an estimated $413,271, while lifetime vacation expenses total nearly $187,000. Pet ownership and wedding costs contribute another $40,772 and $38,800, respectively.

The findings reveal a significant disparity between the estimated cost of the American Dream and what workers can expect to earn throughout their careers.

According to the outlet, a full-time worker with a bachelor’s degree earns approximately $3.6 million between the ages of 25 and 64. Including 20 years of average Social Security benefits brings that total to roughly $4.1 million, approximately $1.2 million below the estimated cost of achieving all eight milestones.

The growing financial burden comes as optimism about achieving the American Dream declines. A Gallup survey found that 69% of Americans believe they will personally achieve the American Dream, compared with 73% in 2024.

Although the estimates reflect specific lifestyle choices rather than universal financial requirements, the analysis highlights the widening gap between traditional measures of financial success and the economic realities facing American households.

RELATED CONTENT: Many Americans View $155,000 As A Working-Class Salary

• Technology

by Ahsan Washington

October 15, 2026

8 Apps That Can Help Navigate Breast Cancer Care

Help is accessible in app stores

---

When receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, many women are challenged with concerns for their health, keeping up with their everyday lives, both in and out of the home. While medical professionals, family members, and friends are often there to help, breast cancer patients can also find assistance using technology. Here are eight digital apps that guide patients and their caregivers through the twists and turns of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.

ACS CARES

ACS CARES is an application that tailors cancer‑related information to each user. The app links users to medical specialists and connects them with volunteer peers. The content refreshes whenever a patient’s situation shifts, and the program can be downloaded for free on both iOS and Android devices in the United States via the App Store or Google Play. By gathering all tools in one place, the app guides patients and their caregivers through the treatment journey while streamlining the patchwork of support services. 

Breast Cancer Navigator

Breast Cancer Navigator, a guide‑oriented app developed by Cancer Care Innovation Lab with Mu Sigma Analytics, delivers health plans, enables symptom tracking, and provides a comprehensive resource hub. Designed to support patients at any stage of their journey, the app puts privacy front and center by refusing to collect data.

Breast Cancer Ally 

The treatment navigator app pushes out reminders, keeps tabs on toxicity, and serves up content that is custom‑fit to each patient’s regimen. First rolled out to the public in 2015, Breast Cancer Ally was tied into the University of Michigan’s care protocols and aimed to bridge the so‑called “post‑visit gap” by nudging patients and handling side effects on the fly. 

Cancer Connection

Cancer Connection, a cancer-focused app including breast cancer, developed by Allina Health, is on the Apple App Store and Google Play in the U.S. It bundles symptom tracking, a curated educational library, and the ability to craft custom tasks and appointment notes. Its purpose is to hand patients the reins of their cancer journey by nudging adherence, easing information overload and amplifying engagement with treatment.

Outcomes4Me

Outcomes4Me, a digital‑health startup, has launched a cancer‑focused app that incorporates NCCN guidelines, which offer treatment options customized to each patient. The app tracks symptoms and links users with trials and can be accessed worldwide via an application or a web portal. It’s intended to make specialist‑level oncology guidance more straightforward and reachable for patients. 

My Care Journey

My Care Journey: Medocity’s app gives patients a hub where they can log symptoms as they arise, set up nudges for their treatments and exchange encrypted messages with their care team. The app quietly tracks medication regimens, captures symptom trends and serves up resources that are tailor‑made for each user. Available on both iOS and Android, My Care Journey has been kept fresh with updates since August 2025. 

Cancer.Net Mobile

Cancer.Net Mobile, born out of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), packs oncologist‑approved content that spans over 120 cancer types alongside a symptom tracker, a medication log and an appointment scheduler. The app lives on both iOS and Android and is intended to amplify education, empower self‑directed care and smooth out care coordination for a swath of cancers, breast cancer included. 

Breast Advocate

Breast Advocate, a decision‑support application, equips breast‑cancer clinicians and patient advocates with a menu of evidence‑backed treatment routes, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, fine‑tuned to the subtype of a patient’s disease. Available on iOS and Android, the tool transforms evidence into options that patients can weave into their conversations with oncologists. 

RELATED CONTENT: Beyond Awareness: 7 Black-Owned Businesses Aiding The Breast Cancer Community

• News

by Sidnee Michelle

October 14, 2026

Trump Administration Suspends Green Card Process For Microsoft, 7 Other Tech Giants

The suspensions also affect Cognizant, Capgemini, HCL Technologies, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, and Wipro.

---

The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft, Adobe, and six other technology companies from a federal program that helps foreign workers obtain permanent U.S. residency or green cards, citing allegations that the companies are displacing American workers and abusing the immigration system, Reuters reports. 

Vice President JD Vance announced the suspensions on Oct. 8, accusing the companies of misusing the Permanent Labor Certification Program, known as PERM, according to the outlet.

The program allows employers to sponsor foreign workers for employment-based green cards after demonstrating that qualified U.S. workers are unavailable for certain positions.

The suspensions also affect Cognizant, Capgemini, HCL Technologies, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, and Wipro.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the department would stop accepting new applications and processing pending labor certifications involving the eight companies.

Vance singled out Microsoft, alleging the company laid off approximately 6,000 American workers while benefiting from 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards.

“Our message to Microsoft is: You’re a great American company, but you’ve got to hire great American workers,” Vance said.

The H-1B program allows employers to temporarily hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations, while PERM is a step toward obtaining permanent residency.

Microsoft disputed the administration’s allegations, saying approximately 80% of its H-1B filings during the previous fiscal year involved existing employees rather than new hires.

The company also said new employees requiring visa sponsorship represented approximately 1% of its U.S. workforce. Microsoft maintained that foreign workers receive compensation comparable to American employees performing similar jobs.

Reuters reported that the affected companies collectively received more than 230,000 H-1B visa approvals and 100,000 permanent labor certifications since 2009.

The suspensions are part of the administration’s broader efforts to restrict employment-based immigration and prioritize domestic hiring.

The decision could delay permanent residency applications for foreign-born technology professionals whose employers are affected. However, the suspensions do not automatically revoke existing H-1B visas.

The administration has not announced a definitive timeline for reinstating the companies’ access to the program. Vance said the restrictions could remain in place until the companies change their hiring practices.

RELATED CONTENT: New SBA Rule Limits Loan Access To U.S. Citizens Only

• Sports

by Selena Hill

October 14, 2026

Coco Gauff Faces Racist Online Backlash After China Open Controversy

The two-time Grand Slam champion says online racial harassment left her emotionally drained

---

Coco Gauff is speaking out against racist online abuse after a disputed call at the China Open sparked a wave of backlash.

The 22-year-old American tennis star said the harassment followed her third-round victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran in Beijing. Gauff won 7-5, 6-1 on Oct. 5, but a controversial point late in the first set triggered accusations of cheating on social media, according to The Guardian. During the rally, Gauff stopped play after noticing flickering lights on electronic advertising boards around the court. Sun appeared poised to win the point, but the chair umpire ordered it replayed. Gauff subsequently won the match. The decision became a flashpoint online, with Gauff receiving racist comments and direct messages.

“Hey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote in a response on X. “The amount of racist comments/dms I’ve received in the last few hours is insane,” she added.

The fallout continued into Gauff’s next match, when she lost to Belgium’s Elise Mertens, 6-3, 6-3, in the round of 16 on Oct. 7. Gauff acknowledged that the online attacks had affected her.

“It has been kind of draining, I’m not going to lie,” she told reporters in Beijing, according to Yahoo Sports. “I just turn off my phone and move on. There’s nothing you can do.”

The defeat featured eight double faults and 34 unforced errors from Gauff, who described her performance as flat. She also told her team during the match that she had no energy and felt as though she might pass out. Gauff maintained that she had followed the rules during the disputed point. She also expressed sympathy for Sun, saying she apologized after the match and that the young player understood the situation.

The Women’s Tennis Association condemned the abuse and said it was in contact with Gauff to offer support.

“We are appalled by the racial abuse directed at Coco Gauff,” a WTA spokesperson said, according to The Guardian.

RELATED CONTENT: Carol’s Daughter Is Coco Gauff’s Official Hair Sponsor

• Health and Wellness

by Mitti Hicks

October 14, 2026

STUDY: Ultraprocessed Foods Linked To Mortality In Black Breast Cancer Survivors

In the study, the mortality rate was higher among Black women breast cancer survivors who consumed more ultraprocessed foods.

---

A new study shows that consuming ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) could be detrimental for Black breast cancer survivors. The study, published in the January issue of eClinicalMedicine, reveals that high consumption could adversely affect breast cancer prognosis.

Researchers from the Rutgers Institute in New Brunswick, New Jersey, examined the UPF-mortality relationships among 1,733 Black women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2005 and 2019. When looking at the mortality rates, researchers identified a total of 394 deaths, 206 of which were breast cancer-related.

These deaths were higher among women who averaged 8.1 servings of UPFs per day compared to women who consumed 2.6 servings each day.

“Maybe it’s too complicated for breast cancer patients to think about how to reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods in general,” Tengteng Wang, an assistant professor at the university, said in a statement. “But we find processed meat is the top worst contributor among all UPF subgroups. So maybe a more detailed takeaway is to avoid this one thing.”

Breast Cancer For Black Women

As researchers point out in the study, breast cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality for women in the United States. However, mortality rates remain disproportionately high among Black women. These poor breast cancer outcomes for Black women are due, in part, to the critical gap and priority in cancer research.

There is mounting evidence that suggests an unhealthy diet may significantly worsen cancer outcomes, particularly with UPFs, food products that have undergone extensive industrial processing and contain multiple additives. They also lack adequate nutrients and are highly energy-dense.

Unfortunately, in the United States, UPFs account for roughly 60% of the daily caloric intake nationwide. Consumption has increased significantly over the last two decades, according to researchers.

To limit UPFs, cook at home. Swap sugary snacks with fruit, use whole ingredients, and include more plants, lean proteins, and whole grains in your cooking.

RELATED CONTENT: Campbell’s VP Slammed In Lawsuit After Alleged Racist, Classist Rant About Coworkers And Products

• Politics

by Selena Hill

October 14, 2026

Trump’s Face To Appear On Limited-Edition U.S. Passports

The State Department’s commemorative passport will feature the president's portrait and signature as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary

---

President Donald Trump’s will be featured on a U.S. passport designed to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The State Department introduced a limited-edition passport featuring Trump’s image and signature on one of the inside covers, alongside imagery inspired by the Declaration of Independence and the American flag. The design is part of the federal government’s plans to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. According to ABC News, the administration planned to make the special edition “Patriot Passport” available through the Washington Passport Agency. Applicants at that location will not have the option to receive a standard passport while the special edition is being issued.

A White House spokesperson defended the passport design in a statement to ABC News, saying, “President Trump’s new patriotic passport design provides yet another great way Americans can join in the spectacular celebrations for America’s 250th birthday.” The spokesperson added, “President Trump continues to proudly lead a renewal of national pride and patriotism during our historic semiquincentennial celebration.”

The State Department subsequently expanded the program. According to its official passport guidance, the government is making 250,000 commemorative passports available to Americans nationwide through designated passport agencies, centers, and special application events. The department says the special passport retains the security features of the standard U.S. passport. Applicants must follow designated procedures to obtain the commemorative version; online renewals, mail-in applications, and applications at standard acceptance facilities do not qualify.

The passport is part of a wider effort to incorporate Trump’s image into federal commemorations. The administration has also pursued initiatives tied to the nation’s 250th birthday. In March, the Treasury Department announced that Trump’s signature would be added to future U.S. paper currency in honor of the anniversary, making him the first sitting president to have their name appear on currency. The announcement followed efforts to create a $1 coin and a special 24-karat commemorative gold coin with the president’s image. Federal law, however, prevents living presidents from appearing on U.S. currency, though the administration has argued the restriction does not apply to coins.

RELATED CONTENT: Giving Up Your American Passport? It Just Got 80% Cheaper To Renounce Citizenship

• Contributor Network

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

October 14, 2026

OPINION: AI Can Save You Time; It Can Also Tell You Who To Hire

More founders are handing some of that load to AI first

---

Written by Stephanie LeBlanc-Godfrey

It is 11:40 at night. The proposal is due tomorrow, three invoices still need chasing, and your onboarding process lives in exactly one place: your head. Whether you work alone or with a small team, you know what it feels like when everything routes through you.

More founders are handing some of that load to AI first. A recent FreshBooks survey found that 86% of solopreneurs and microbusiness owners turn to AI before hiring someone when they face work they cannot do themselves. AI is usually sold on hours saved. Hours matter. But they may be the smallest part of the value. 

Your AI History Is Telling You Something

Every prompt creates a data point about how your business runs: the client question you answer every Monday, the follow-up you rewrite for every lead, the report you rebuild each month, the process you keep asking AI to organize.  

One request means very little. Thirty days of requests can reveal patterns. 

They can show you what repeats, where you get stuck, what you are good at but no longer need to personally do, and what keeps pulling you away from the work only you can own.

AI can become a mirror for your business.

Know The Difference Between Capability and Capacity.

A simple lens to use is: Capacity, Capability, and Cost. 

Capability is what you know how to do. Capacity is how much you can realistically hold. Cost is what the work consumes, including the invisible cost of your attention.

You may be perfectly capable of following up with every lead. That does not mean you still have the capacity to do it well.

When everything feels equally urgent, deciding what matters becomes its own job. A late follow-up loses a prospect. An invoice sits unpaid. A customer waits too long for an answer.

Eventually, “I can do it myself” becomes one of the most expensive sentences in the business.

For Black entrepreneurs, the distinction matters. In 2023, 4.4 million Black-owned businesses without employees generated $128.7 billion in receipts, according to the Census Bureau. Roughly 201,000 Black-owned businesses with employees generated $249 billion, supported 1.8 million jobs, and paid $69.8 billion in salaries, according to Brookings.

Hiring does not automatically create growth. But it does show what becomes possible when a business grows beyond being powered by one person: jobs, wages and economic activity that extend beyond the founder. Getting there requires a different operating model, one that makes clear what work should stay with you, what technology can carry, and what another person should own.

Use AI To Define The Job Before You Fill It

Look across three parts of your business.

At the front, where you engage with customers,  AI can analyze sales calls, objections, reviews, proposal feedback, and follow-up.  You may discover the problem is not “marketing”.  Leads may be coming in, but no one consistently follows up.  Customers may buy, but no one owns what happens next.  Suddenly, “I need help” starts looking like sales support or client success.  

In the middle, where work gets delivered, AI can turn repeated instructions, voice notes, and requests into checklists, templates, and standard operating procedures. You test and refine them, and each one becomes something a new hire can actually own.

At the back, where money and administration live, AI can prepare without being accountable.  It can organize expense information,draft invoice reminders, and surface cash-flow questions.  You and our financial professional still make the decisions, including the big one: Can this business responsibly carry payroll?

Used this way, AI becomes a rehearsal for the role, before you hire the person.

AI can give you a clearer picture of the work your business needs, so an expensive hiring decision rests on more than instinct. Instead of looking for someone to “help with everything,” you can identify the actual gap and hire for it with clear responsibilities you can name.

AI cannot and should not be accountable to your customers, earn trust that keeps a client, or carry your reputation. That takes a person. We call it No AI without HI: Human Intelligence, Human Inclusion, Human Interaction.

Try this prompt:

“Review my AI requests from the past 30 days.  Group them by recurring task or business need.  For each group, identify what AI can continue doing, what requires my judgement as CEO, and what could be owned by another person. Then show me the three strongest patterns that could become responsibilities in a future role.”

That answer may be worth more than another hour saved.

Stephanie LeBlanc-Godfrey is a former Google executive and founder of Mother AI

• Culture

by Ida Harris

October 13, 2026

‘Once Upon A Time In Harlem’ To Debut A Studio Museum Harlem

The historical documentary features surviving luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance

---

More than half a century after 16mm cameras captured a legendary gathering inside Duke Ellington’s home, a lost monument of Black history is returning home to its cultural epicenter. On Oct. 14 at 6:30 PM, the Studio Museum in Harlem will host an exclusive premiere screening of Once Upon A Time In Harlem, at 144 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027.

Conceived and filmed by William Greaves in 1972 and directed by David Greaves, the documentary brings together surviving luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance. Converted from vault archives into an indispensable time capsule, the historic film features iconic figures candidly debating their creative legacies, racial identity, and intellectual heritage inside Duke Ellington’s residence.

The special evening will be hosted by fashion pioneer Dapper Dan and features a post-screening Q&A moderated by television personality Bevy Smith. The panel will feature director David Greaves, producer Liani Greaves, and producer/editor Anne de Mare, with an official reception to follow.

The 1972 Gathering Becomes a Cinematic Masterpiece

In 1972, William Greaves convened an unprecedented cocktail party at Duke Ellington’s residence. His goal was simple yet profound: film the living architects of the Harlem Renaissance as they reflected on their groundbreaking contributions to Black culture. However, financial constraints forced Greaves to vault the footage for decades.

Following William Greaves’ passing, David Greaves meticulously cataloged and completed the preserved footage. Directed by David Greaves, the finished film captures an extraordinary oral history that critics hail as an essential piece of cinematic history.

“My father understood that documenting these voices was an act of historical preservation,” David Greaves said in the official press kit. “This film isn’t just nostalgia; it’s an intellectual torch passed directly from one generation of creators to the next.”

Once Upon A Time In Harlem Is Essential for Black Culture Today

The documentary is an intimate, unscripted record of 20th-century genius. Throughout the film, intellectuals reframe the Harlem Renaissance not merely as an artistic movement, but as a crucial socio-political awakening. Rather than relying on outside narration, the project relies entirely on the voices of the creators as they analyze self-expression and cultural memory.

Art comes out of a community and audaciousness, co-director and producer Liani Greaves said in the the press statement. “As Romare Bearden notes in the film, these are the foundational messages. The time is now, and this footage was meant for us in this exact moment.”

Film historians and cultural critics have designated the project a crucial bearing of witness to Black history, emphasizing that the newly restored footage bridges a profound gap in archival media. By capturing these icons in Duke Ellington’s personal space, William Greaves captured candid conversations that re-examine the origins of modern Black culture.

As Once Upon A Time In Harlem makes its homecoming at The Studio Museum in Harlem, it cements the enduring legacy of William Greaves while ensuring the voices of the Harlem Renaissance remain permanently enshrined in global cinema.

For a closer look at the restored footage and historic interviews, you can watch the Once Upon a Time in Harlem Official Trailer here:

RELATED CONTENT: The Metropolitan Museum Of Art Is Having A Black Moment With The ‘Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism’ Show