Coco Gauff, French Open — Coco Gauff at the 2023 U.S. Open (Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 3, 2025

Coco Gauff Loses At Wimbledon But Will Use Time ‘To Reset’

She lost the match to an unseeded player, Dayana Yastremska, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

After winning her last tournament and rising up to become the No. 2-ranked tennis player, Coco Gauff got bumped from Wimbledon in the first round.

According to NBC Sports, Gauff was disappointed with the loss, but it won’t stop her from her goals as she intends to “reset.” Her loss comes less than a month after she won the French Open on June 7, besting No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. With the victory, Gauff became the first American woman in over 10 years to win the tournament, since Serena Williams did it in 2014.

The expectation was high for Gauff to do better, but she has traditionally done better on a clay tennis court than on grass. The surface for the French Open was clay, while Wimbledon is on grass.

She lost to an unseeded player, Dayana Yastremska, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

After losing the tennis match, Gauff said, “I definitely was struggling in the locker room. I don’t like losing. The main thing I’m sure my team and everyone is going to tell me (is): ‘You did well at Roland-Garros. Don’t be so upset.’ Things like that.”

The All England Club has not been good to Gauff. This is the second time in three years that she has lost in the first round. At every major tournament she’s been involved in, she has at least made it to the semifinals, yet at All England, she’s never made it past the fourth round.

But she is taking the loss in stride and promises to get back on track. Gauff stated that she’s not going to dwell on the loss but that losing “isn’t the worst thing” to happen as she can now refocus back to her previous winning ways.

“I mean, obviously, I’m not going to dwell on this too long, because I want to do well at the U.S. Open. Maybe losing here (in the) first round isn’t the worst thing in the world,” she said, “because I have time to reset.”

Queer, Native Son Channel, LGBTQ+ — Photo by Anete Lusina/Pexels

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 3, 2025

UK Doctors Vote To Approve Identity-Based Care For LGBTQIA+ Patients

A UK doctors union has voted in support of identity-based care for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Doctors represented by the British Medical Association (BMA) have voted to support the inclusion of “identity-based care” for LGBTQIA+ patients as part of updated medical training.

The decision came during the BMA’s annual representative meeting in Liverpool on June 25, where a majority of members voted in favor of a motion focused on ensuring “respect, safety, and dignity” for LGBTQ+ doctors and patients, the Independent reported.

Member Bethan Stanley spoke ahead of the votes being submitted to address a “blatant transphobia” within the current political climate. Urging her fellow union members to vote “yes” on the motion, she insisted, “gender-affirming care is healthcare.”

“I feel it is a no-brainer that we should support care that is going to improve the welfare and well-being of our patients,” Stanley said.

“Trans women are women. Trans men are men,” she added through resounding applause.

The BMA’s new measure moves forward despite concerns it could conflict with the law, following the Supreme Court’s April ruling that defined the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act as referring to biological sex. Union member Louise Irvine expressed her opposition to the motion, saying while it has a “laudable aim of protecting LGBTQ+ and other people’s rights to fair treatment,” it also “risks advocating that the BMA and other organizations adopt policies which are unlawful.”

The vote follows complaints from transgender patients that doctors have abruptly stopped prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) without notice, often citing a “lack of expertise” and “lack of support” in managing the treatment.

The motion calls on BMA to “affirm the right of all LGBTQ+ patients and staff to identity-based care and working conditions – defined as care and policies that actively account for the individual’s lived, intersecting identities (including sexuality, gender, neurodivergence, race, and cultural background)” and for guidance and a “lobbying strategy to embed this principle into NHS equality standards, training frameworks, and institutional policies.”

The Elevation Experience — Photo Credit: AJ Shorter Photography

by Mitti Hicks

July 3, 2025

The Elevation Experience: Women’s Empowerment Event Kicks Off Orange Blossom Classic

The Orange Blossom Classic is 90% produced by women- and minority-owned businesses.

Most people know Kendra Bulluck as the brains behind reviving the historic Orange Blossom Classic, an annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football game and cultural celebration. In a male-dominated industry, Bulluck is the only Black woman in the United States to own the exclusive rights to a major HBCU sports property.

The son of Florida A&M University’s President, J.R.E. Lee Jr., founded the inaugural Orange Blossom Classic in 1933. The event welcomed 2,000 fans to the “Blacks-only” ballpark in Jacksonville, Florida. FAMU beat Howard 9-0 and successfully established the foundation of HBCU classics. From 1933 to 1978, the Orange Blossom Classic reigned supreme as the postseason’s premier HBCU classic event.

After a 43-year hiatus, the Orange Blossom Classic made its return to Miami Gardens in 2021, thanks to Bulluck. The event attracts thousands of fans, alumni, students, and family members each year. It highlights not just football but also the crucial role HBCUs play in educating aspiring professionals and developing future leaders. Bulluck has transformed the classic into a must-attend event for anyone interested in HBCUs. Under her direction, the event has been featured on ESPN2 during the past two NCAA football seasons.

Photo Credit: Kendra Bulluck, Executive Director of The Orange Blossom Classic

But there’s more to Bulluck than what spectators see on the field each year. She’s a mother, author, and serial entrepreneur who has worn various hats while pursuing her career endeavors. Now, Bulluck wants to make sure women have the tools they need to succeed in corporate America and as entrepreneurs. That’s why she’s hosting a women’s empowerment event known as “The Elevation Experience.”

“The Elevation Experience was something I thought about based on my experience as a woman and entrepreneur. I was working in different spaces, with different people, and trying to elevate through those spaces,” she told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I thought it would be a really good opportunity to give [women] something practical that can help them navigate corporate America.”

What Women Can Expect During The Elevation Experience

The Elevation Experience, presented by Fort Lauderdale, is the official countdown to the Orange Blossom Classic, which is 90% produced by women- and minority-owned businesses.

Bulluck said the one-day conference on July 11^th will provide women with tangible information through panel discussions, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. Some speakers include an attorney who will discuss how to protect attendees’ brands with trademarks and copyrights. Other speakers will focus on how women can finance or obtain grants for their businesses, and there will also be a conversation about image consulting.

“[The focuses] will be on health and wellness, fashion and beauty, corporate structure, understanding how to incorporate your business, as well as how to protect your brand and investing,” Bulluck added.

The free event for women will take place at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s panel will feature a lineup of powerhouse women who Bulluck said are redefining what success looks like across entertainment, education, beauty, and entrepreneurship. The lineup includes serial entrepreneur Ebony Austin; actress and comedian Pretty Vee; Grammy-nominated rapper Dr. Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker; and beauty creative and entrepreneur Ericka J.

While the event is free, registration is required. Women can learn more and sign up for the event here.

by Jameelah Mullen

July 3, 2025

Uptown Lacrosse Levels The Playing Field For New York City Youth

Uptown Lacrosse, the Harlem-based sports team wraps up its inaugural season..

Lacrosse is increasingly popular across the New York City boroughs, thanks to organizations like Uptown Lacrosse. Established in 2024 by former Princeton University lacrosse player Bruce Lincoln, the nonprofit organization aims to introduce the sport to Black and Brown youth in the city.

“The key thing about Uptown Lacrosse is it’s about having fun,” Lincoln told The City. “We’re not trying to produce pro lacrosse players. We’re just trying to spread the reach of the game so more kids can enjoy.”

Lacrosse is a competitive sport that originated from the Native American game of baggataway, where two teams of players use long-handled, racket-like instruments to catch, carry, or throw a ball down the field or into the opponents’ goal. The sport has seen a significant rise in popularity in New York City over the past 20 years, thanks to organizations like Bronx Lacrosse and Harlem Lacrosse, where Lincoln served as executive director for three years.

Uptown Lacrosse stands out from other organizations as the only youth-based lacrosse program that isn’t based in schools. The organization offers free coaching to 27 kids aged 5 to 12. The staff comprises approximately seven volunteer coaches and utilizes equipment donated by STX, Princeton University, and USA Lacrosse. To keep players safe, Uptown Lacrosse teaches a non-contact version of the sport, using softer balls and protective goggles instead of helmets.

Uptown Lacrosse moved its signature event, “Uptown L-Ball at the Rucker,” from its original June 22 date at Holcombe Rucker Memorial Basketball Court in Harlem to this past Saturday, June 28 , due to inclement weather. Instead, the event took place at the Madison Boys and Girls Pinkerton Clubhouse on 155th Street and Bradhurst Avenue. Designed to spotlight young athletes’ lacrosse skills, the event also featured high school and college teams competing in three-on-three matches.

Terrence Brown, a Harlem native, says he’s proud to see his son playing a sport he never had the chance to play.

“When I was a kid, lacrosse wasn’t even a thing, it was all basketball or nothing,” Brown told The City.

Now the game is creating new opportunities for the next generation in the historic neighborhood where he was raised.

Juneteenth, Harlem, jazz — Photo by Phil Evenden: https://www.pexels.com/photo/apollo-theater-in-new-york-17640362/

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 3, 2025

Apollo Theater Closes for $65M Yearlong Renovation And Restoration Project

The Apollo theater has dimmed the lights for a yearlong full-scale renovation project.

The world-famous Apollo Theater officially closed its doors on July 1 for its first-ever full-scale renovation project.

For the next year, the theater will go dark for a $65 million renovation that will bring a refreshed façade, new LED marquee, upgraded lobby, modern AV systems, new seating, and other major enhancements, Time Out reported. Not everything is going, as historic features of the theater, like the iconic “signature wall” signed by many of the greats, will be preserved.

Originally opened in 1914 and rebranded in 1934, the ambitious renovation marks the first major transformation of the iconic theater’s look and feel in nearly 100 years.

“It is the first large‑scale renovation of the historic theater in our 91‑year history,” Joy Profet, Apollo’s chief growth officer, told NY1.

While some work on the lobby kicked off earlier this year, “July 1 is really the full-scale,” Profet added.

The closure came just days after the theater’s final in-house live show, a grand finale of Amateur Night at the Apollo. Neverson Cadesca, performing as Nev, closed out the event, while saxophonist Emanuel Garilus of Gainesville, Florida, took home the $20,000 grand prize.

The show will go on, with performances temporarily moving to the Apollo Stages at the Victoria, located just down 125th Street. The complex, which houses two smaller theaters, is part of the Apollo’s broader expansion efforts.

Those passing will notice scaffolding lining the 125th Street side of the theater, while guest access has been temporarily rerouted through a covered entrance on 126th Street. A pop-up box office beneath the marquee is now serving visitors.

The renovation is designed to make the Apollo feel more open and connected to the community, with a new café and street-facing windows enhancing the expanded lobby. The iconic Wall of Fame will also be transformed into a digital experience.

The legendary Amateur Night, credited with launching the careers of icons like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and Jimi Hendrix, is on pause during the renovation, which is expected to wrap in mid-2026.

Ex-College Track Star Launches AI-Backed App To Help Slighted High School Athletes Score Offers And NIL Deals — Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2025

Ex-College Track Star Launches AI-Backed App To Help Slighted High School Athletes Score Offers And NIL Deals

The app allows access to collegiate coaches across all divisions.

A former collegiate track star has launched a new AI-backed app that helps overlooked high school athletes connect with colleges and NIL deals.

Santia Deck’s Winning Your Way AI allows potential high school recruits to get back in the game by allowing athletes to share their stats with the colleges of their dreams.

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A post shared by Dr. Santia Deck (@trackbaby001)

Deck understands the struggle of having a passion for a sport buy no way to build on opportunities. She remembers fighting to get a shot, working hard for a chance at a Texas school’s athletic program.

“We didn’t have connections,” Deck said. “No roadmap. Just my mom, spending hours emailing my highlights to coaches we’d never met, hoping one would write back.”

The app offers direct access to coaches and athletic programs across all divisions of collegiate sports from D1 to JUCO. The AI part comes in developing emails for recruiters that best describe one’s skillset and talent. From there, athletes can see what coaches read their emails and if they viewed their footage. Alongside access to NIL deal information, Winning Your Way AI also provides support for every sport, including non-traditional fields.

“This app is for every athlete and every parent doing this alone,” added Deck. “Because no one should miss out just because they didn’t know where to start.”

Through Winning Your Way AI, Deck hopes that athletes in similar positions to her can now get their highlight tapes into the hands of people who can change their future. She aims to create a more equitable collegiate sports recruitment process, providing opportunities for those without access to support to play for something greater.

“This is the app I wish I had when I was 16,” Deck said. “And now it’s live, for the next generation of athletes who refuse to be overlooked.”

Understanding the plight of those who come from smaller high schools or play a less popular sport, Deck knows that one must build their own platforms to get the recognition they deserve. Available now, Winning Your Way AI also champions affordability, offering full access to collegiate coaches for just $15 a month.

Patrick Ewing — photo credit: AlexanderJonesi, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 3, 2025

After Adidas Buyout, Patrick Ewing Became First NBA Player With Own Sneaker Brand

After shutting the brand down in 1996, it was brought back in 2012 and is still selling sneakers today

The first NBA player to have his own shoe, former New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing, expressed the reason he placed his fate in his own hands after leaving Adidas back in 1989 to start his own footwear brand, Ewing Athletics.

According to The Basketball Network, the NBA Hall of Famer was signed to the German company after the New York team selected him with the overall No. 1 pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. He was making $750,000 a year from Adidas. He was with the sneaker company for several years before leaving the company after they told him that he “wasn’t the player that they thought” he would be, since he injured himself.

“I think during my first two years with the Knicks, I got hurt, and I was with Adidas at that time. Adidas came to me and wanted to reduce my payment because they said that I wasn’t the player that they thought I was going to be. So, I told them to buy me out,” said Ewing.

And that’s exactly what the company did.

Ewing ended up partnering with Phoenix Integrated shoe executive and Pony shoes founder Robert Muller to come up with Ewing’s first signature sneaker, and Ewing Athletics was born. The company did well for the Jamaican basketball player as it brought in $100 million in 1990 after launching the previous year.

The sneaker brand did well enough to continue making money, but shut down in 1996. As his career started to come to an end, he eventually signed with Nike.

After retiring, he started his coaching career and was often seen in public. People would ask him if he would ever bring the Ewings back.

“Over the years, I’ve had a lot of people ask me when they’d see me at appearances or when I was coaching if I was ever bringing the shoes back,” Ewing said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable doing it.”

That changed in 2012 after he met shoe collector Dave Goldberg. Goldberg convinced him to bring Ewing Athletics back, and in August, the brand relaunched in 33 shoe stores across the country. The brand still flourishes today as it continues to sell the sneakers throughout the world.

Fresh for the summer, the ROGUE is back with an all new clean look. Featuring a premium tumbled White leather upper contrasted against our signature Gum sole, this all new colorway will complete your look this summer. Available now at https://t.co/LkHzC6Ru9I. pic.twitter.com/YTn3GfPXFQ

— Ewing Athletics (@EwingAthletics) June 27, 2025

Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans , Deportation Trump, Temporary Legal Status — (Photo: Jordi Mora igual/Getty Images)

by Jameelah Mullen

July 3, 2025

Federal Judge Halts Trump Administration’s Attempt To End Protections For Haitian Immigrants

Approximately 500,000 Haitian immigrants are currently residing in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status.

A federal judge in New York blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary legal status for more than 500,000 Haitians already living in the United States. Judge Brian M. Cogan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that moving up the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by at least five months for Haitians is unlawful.

The Biden administration extended Haiti’s TPS status at least until Feb. 3, 2026, citing ongoing gang violence, political unrest, and food insecurity in the country.

The Department of Homeland Security announced last week that it would terminate those legal protections as soon as Sept. 2, which could lead to potential deportation for several Haitians, some of whom have been in the United States for nearly a decade.

“This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is temporary,” said a DHS spokesperson in a statement. “The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home.”

According to the United Nations (UN), as of June 2025, ongoing gang violence has displaced approximately 1.3 million Haitians, representing a 24 percent increase in displaced people since December 2024.

In the June 1 ruling, Cogan stated that the Department of Homeland Security’s attempt to terminate the legal protections prematurely violates the TPS statute.

“When the Government confers a benefit over a fixed period of time, a beneficiary can reasonably expect to receive that benefit at least until the end of that fixed period,” the ruling said.

The judge also emphasized that immigrants have started jobs, enrolled in school, and are receiving medical care, with the expectation that the country’s TPS designation will stay in effect until the end of the year.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ filed the lawsuit, saying that the organization remains committed to advocating for its members.

“We will keep fighting to make sure this decision is upheld,” Pastreich said in a statement. “We will keep fighting for the rights of our members and all immigrants against the Trump Administration—in the streets, in the workplace, and in the courts as well. And when we fight, we win,” Manny Pastreich, SEIU President, said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press.

Super Bowl, Matt Snell Dead — (Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 3, 2025

Former NFL Defensive Tackle Oliver Gibson Dead At 53

The former defensive tackle played with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Former defensive tackle Oliver Gibson, who played in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, has died. He was 53.

According to CBS Sports, no information has been publicly released regarding the cause of his death. Gibson’s family announced his death on June 29. Notre Dame, his alma mater, acknowledged his death via social media.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Oliver Gibson. We send our condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/Saz7l8Xwnq

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) June 30, 2025

After Gibson left Notre Dame in 1995, he was drafted by the Steelers in the NFL in the fourth round. He was on the team for four seasons, recording 42 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and recovered one fumble as a reserve. He signed with the Bengals in 1999, where he became the team’s starting defensive tackle. While playing for the team, he recorded 201 tackles, including 37 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, while also defending 10 passes, intercepting one pass, and recovering two fumbles.

Gibson started all 48 games during his first three seasons for the Bengals, but in 2002, due to injuries, he only played in nine games. The next year, his last in the NFL, he returned to a reserve role.

During his NFL career, Gibson recorded 243 tackles with 37 for loss and 17.5 sacks.

Gibson, who played football at Romeoville High School in Illinois, returned in 2014 to become the school’s football coach and to serve asn an assistant basketball coach, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Chad Johnson, who was a teammate of Gibson in Cincinnati, acknowledged the death by posting an old photo on X of the two during their playing days.

R.I.P Oliver Gibson “OG” 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/8eMFcr7ygl

— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) June 29, 2025

ICE, Syracuse Player, Deportation, South Sudan — (Photo: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2025

‘See Something, Tap Something,’ New ‘ICEBlock’ App Allows Users To Report ICE Sightings In Real Time

The app encourages everyone to "see something, tap something" to help in the fight against ICE raids.

As protests against ICE raids continue across the United States, a new app is allowing users to report ICE sightings in an instant.

ICEBlock helps users gain real-time information on when and where ICE will conduct checks. Users can report sightings of ICE officials within a five-mile radius of their designated area, all while remaining anonymous on the app.

The app’s developer, Joshua Aaron, sparked the idea following calls on social media to state whenever ICE officials were in people’s neighborhoods. This move gives undocumented individuals a heads-up to avoid encountering the agency.

After noting how the current mass deportations compared to those of Nazi Germany in the 1940s, Aaron wanted to “fight back” against the Trump administration’s plans to deport anyone undocumented, with agents reportedly infringing on civil rights.

“When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to do something to fight back,” Aaron told CNN. “We’re literally watching history repeat itself.”

ICEBlock has already gained over 70,000 users, reaching the top of the App Store’s most downloaded list, as confirmed by The Independent. Encouraging people to “See something, tap something,” it supports everyday iPhone users to contribute to the cause. It is also available in 14 languages, thereby expanding its accessibility.

According to the app’s website, its process was modeled after Waze, storing no personal data to avoid tracking one’s identity. Its mission lies in informing communities whenever ICE is near, also emphasizing the agency’s “alleged civil rights abuses.”

“In recent years, ICE has faced criticism for alleged civil rights abuses and failures to adhere to constitutional principles and due process, making it crucial for communities to stay informed about its operations,” detailed the app’s website. “Modeled after Waze but for ICE sightings, the app ensures user privacy by storing no personal data, making it impossible to trace reports back to individual users.”

However, the Trump administration has already condemned the app’s usage, claiming it incites violence. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the app itself “illegal,” while threatening prosecution for any involved. The federal government also criticized CNN for covering the app’s popularity, with ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons stating that the network is “willfully endangering” officers by reporting this news.

Despite this, Aaron emphasized that violence is not the goal of ICEBlock. He defended the app, claiming that it serves to inform people, while giving them the option not to engage if possible.

“We state this multiple times in the app, and I have reiterated this in every interview I have given,” asserted Aaron. ICEBlock serves to ‘inform, not obstruct’ and its goal is to allow people to avoid potentially harmful encounters with ICE.”

Although ICEBlock remains on the government’s watchlist, Aaron remains undeterred, hoping to keep the app on U.S. iPhones for as long as the ICE raids persist.

“We will not be intimidated,” expressed Aaron. “As long as ICE agents have quotas, and this administration ignores people’s constitutional rights, we will continue fighting back.”