The five-term Democratic mayor announced that she will officially resign June 30, despite recently winning reelection in 2025 by a wide margin. In a public statement, Lyles said the decision comes as she prepares for “the next phase” of her life and wants to spend more time with her grandchildren.
“Serving as Charlotte’s mayor has been the honor of my life,” Lyles said May 7. She also noted that leadership means knowing “when it is time to let the next generation of leaders take over.”
At 73 years old, Lyles leaves behind a legacy as one of Charlotte’s most influential political figures and a trailblazing Black woman who helped shape the Queen City. She made history in 2017 when she became Charlotte’s first Black female mayor after defeating Republican candidate Kenny Smith. Before taking office, she spent decades working in city government as a budget analyst, budget director, assistant city manager, and later as a member of the Charlotte City Council. During her tenure, Charlotte experienced major economic growth and population expansion. Lyles championed affordable housing initiatives, racial equity programs, public transit expansion, and violence prevention efforts across the city.
Her resignation comes amid growing political speculation about the city’s future leadership. The overwhelmingly Democratic Charlotte City Council will now appoint an interim mayor for the remainder of her term.
According to Fox News, the announcement follows months of public scrutiny and questions about her health and absence from public meetings. Lyles, however, has maintained that her resignation is rooted in family priorities.
The Ballot Remains The Battlefield: The Demise Of The Voting Rights Act
The Supreme Court has diluted the integrity of the Voting Rights Act
Written by Dr. Russ Wigginton
The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais effectively renders Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) a “dead letter” by requiring proof of intentional racial discrimination. This ruling mirrors the 2013 Shelby County erosion and threatens up to 15 Black-held House seats. Dr. Russ Wigginton argues that, as in 1966, the response must be massive civic mobilization.
How does Louisiana v. Callais change the Voting Rights Act?
In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Samuel Alito in Louisiana v. Callais, the Court effectively rendered Section 2 of the VRA all but a dead letter, requiring proof of intentional racial discrimination, a standard Congress never wrote into the law, and that is nearly impossible for plaintiffs to meet. Justice Kagan’s dissent pulled no punches: “Today’s decision renders Section 2 all but a dead letter. In the States still marked by residential segregation and racially polarized voting, minority voters can now be cracked out of the electoral process.”
The ruling could touch off a scramble by Republicans to redraw majority-minority congressional districts, especially in the South, costing many seats held by Blacks and representing Blacks. One analysis found that the gerrymandering unleashed by Wednesday’s decision could lead to white candidates winning 15 House seats currently held by Black members of Congress, a level of racial retaliation not seen since the end of Reconstruction.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others must have known this day would come. Not this specific date, but this specific resistance.
The Historical Precedent: The 1966 “Coalition of Conscience”
In 1965, King led the march from Selma to Montgomery not as symbolism, but as a strategy. He understood that the ballot was the non-negotiable instrument of self-determination, the one tool that could convert moral authority into legislative power. The Voting Rights Act, signed that August, was the direct result of bloodshed on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. King did not stop there. By 1966, he was building what he called a “coalition of conscience,” registering voters across the South, training community organizers, and insisting that the movement’s next chapter had to be won at the precinct, not just the pulpit.
It worked. The 1966 midterm elections saw record Black voter turnout in the South, shifting the partisan landscape in ways that had seemed unimaginable just two years prior. Black voters in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi translated their newly protected franchise into city council seats, judgeships, and congressional representation. The act didn’t just protect a right — it restructured power.
What today’s Court has done is reopen the wound those voters bled to close 60 years ago.
The Erosion of the VRA (2013–2026)
The erosion did not begin today. It began in 2013, when Shelby County v. Holder struck down the VRA’s preclearance provisions. After falling for decades following the VRA’s enactment, the racial turnout gap began to increase again, especially in counties once covered by preclearance. Today’s Callais decision is not an outlier. It is the culmination.
But history also tells us what comes next.
Strategy for Action: Out-Organizing the Gerrymander
When the law retreats, the people must advance. The answer to a Court that picks voters over democracy is a movement that out-organizes the gerrymander. Voter registration drives. Civic education in every school, church, and barbershop. Ranked-choice advocacy. Turnout operations that make suppression irrelevant through sheer numbers. The 1966 model still works, not because it is nostalgic, but because it is true: when enfranchised citizens of every race, background, and ZIP code show up, the map changes.
Janai Nelson of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund said the decision would allow states to “discriminate with impunity.” She is right. But impunity is not immunity from organized, relentless civic participation.
Dr. King asked us, “Where do we go from here?” The answer, 60 years later, is the same: to the polls, to the precincts, to the people. The ballot remains the battlefield. And we have not yet lost the war.
Courtesy of the National Civil Rights Museum
Dr. Russ Wigginton serves as the President of the National Civil Rights Museum. He assumed this role in August 2021 and brings vast experience in education, fundraising, operations, and community engagement. Prior to assuming this role, Russ served as the Chief Postsecondary Impact Officer for Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), where he led the organization’s work for postsecondary access, retention, and completion.
This marks an important step in her career nearly a year after she left Fox Sports.
Joy Taylor is coming back to daily sports media with the launch of The Daily Playwith Joy Taylor, a new short podcast distributed through the Urban One Podcast Network. This marks an important step in her career, nearly a year after she left Fox Sports.
The project places Taylor in the growing micro-podcast space, where sports commentary is provided in short, mobile-friendly formats. Each episode of The Daily Play is expected to last 5 to 10 minutes, offering a quick analysis of major sports headlines and context for listeners seeking brief updates.
The show airs Monday through Friday on Urban One’s audio network, including Radio One, REACH Media, and various podcast platforms. The format serves as a daily sports check-in, with year-round programming in which Taylor breaks down what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next in ongoing stories.
Taylor described the concept as a response to how people consume media today. She wanted to create a format that is “fast, focused, and always authentic,” showing the need for short but meaningful sports commentary for audiences with busy lives and constant news cycles.
Taylor spent nearly 10 years at Fox Sports, where she worked on key programs like Speak, Undisputed, and The Herd, establishing herself as a prominent voice in national sports television and debate coverage.
Her departure followed broader programming changes at FS1, after which she focused on independent digital work and podcasting centered on on-demand sports content. This transition marks a significant shift in her media career as she moves away from traditional television formats.
This move also highlights a larger trend in sports media, with established personalities increasingly shifting from linear TV programs to digital audio platforms.
Sheinelle Jones Turns Lessons From Celebrity Moms Into A No. 1 Bestseller Ahead Of Mother’s Day
For Sheinelle Jones, the journey to becoming an author began with a simple question: How could she become a better mother?
The TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle co-host recently debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous bestseller list with Through Mom’s Eyes: Simple Wisdom From Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans, a rare achievement for a Black woman in a category historically dominated by self-help mainstays and celebrity experts.
The idea first came to her when she was still relatively new at TODAY and trying to find her footing. At the time, she said, an NBC page she was mentoring asked what she would want to do if she could pursue a passion project.
“Honestly, I would love to interview the mothers of some of these folks that we admire,” Jones recalled saying. “You don’t hear from them about just how they did it, what they did right, what they did wrong, the things they did differently, and maybe they could share their wisdom with me.”
Her first “yes” came from Sonya Curry, the mother of NBA superstar Steph Curry. Jones flew to sit with Curry in her home, where the conversation extended beyond parenting philosophies into something more intimate. Curry later took Jones upstairs to Steph’s childhood bedroom, where trophies and basketball posters told the story of a boy’s dream before the world knew his name. What stood out was that Steph had gone on to compete against some of the players whose photos decorated his room.
“Before there were vision boards, we had high school bedrooms with posters,” Jones said. “I did the same thing. I had news people on my wall.”
The project began as a digital series for TODAY in 2018 before eventually expanding into broadcast. But Jones quickly realized the short television format could only hold so much of what these women were sharing.
During the pandemic, as much of the world reconsidered what mattered, Jones began thinking about what else she wanted to build.
“Some people started baking bread, other people started dreaming,” she said. “I remember thinking, I would love to be able to write a book using all of these interviews and write about what I’ve learned.”
After sitting with the mothers of Kevin Durant, Lady Gaga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and others, Jones began to see a pattern.
Many of the women, Jones said, spoke openly about faith, resilience, heartbreak, and the private work of holding families together.
“For the woman who feels like she’s grateful to be a mom or a grandmother or an auntie or a teacher or a coach, but it’s just hard — you’re not the only one,” Jones said. “If you peel the layers and you look behind the curtain, they had a mother who was just doing the best she could, just like you are.”
The message feels especially personal for Jones as she approaches Mother’s Day while grieving the loss of her husband, Uche Ojeh, who died May 18, 2025, after battling brain cancer (Jones’ grandmother also passed on New Year’s Eve 2025) while parenting three teenagers who are grieving too.
“What I know to be true is they’re doing what I’m doing, which is we’re holding two things,” Jones said of her children. “We’re holding our heartbreak, but we’re also trying to honor him by moving forward.”
She looks and sounds polished on camera, but she is honest about the cost.
“I look like I’m operating with a full tank, but you can’t lie to your body,” Jones said. “I know that I’m not operating on a full tank. I’m heartbroken.”
Her children have also become part of the book’s emotional center. Jones dedicated Through Mom’s Eyes to them and says the magnitude of the moment did not fully land until they surprised her on TODAY during the book’s launch.
“I saw their faces, and I thought, OK, they get it,” she said. “They were proud of me, and that just moved me to tears.”
When asked what she hopes her children understand from watching her mother them, Jones said she is trying to model the qualities she wants them to carry: kindness, wonder, resilience, and faith.
“I think that’s our best bet as parents, to just move in the way that we hope our children would want to move,” she said. “And that they would be better than us, quite frankly, that they stand on our shoulders.”
That idea also shapes how she views the mothers in her book.
Some of the advice she gathered was immediately actionable. Sonya Curry told Jones that Steph once missed an eighth-grade basketball game because he failed to do his chores. Jones went home inspired, ordered a magnetic chore chart, and tried to implement the same system.
It did not last.
“My oldest was like, ‘Mommy, can we take this off the fridge? This is stupid. You’re never going to do it,’” Jones said with a laugh. “Because I didn’t even have the bandwidth to enforce it.”
Still, the advice that stayed with her the most was not about discipline.
“The part that I take to heart is when every single mom talks about how quickly it flies by, and you don’t want to wish it away,” Jones said. “We gotta slow down. We gotta slow down.”
That message feels even more urgent around Mother’s Day.
“I don’t need some lavish gift or some trip or anything crazy,” Jones said. “I just want to be surrounded by the kids that I love.”
With Through Mom’s Eyes, Jones is also beginning to understand her work not only as journalism or storytelling, but as ownership. She is an author. She is a brand. She is learning that business ownership and storytelling do not have to live in separate rooms.
“We can all take a piece of it and try to figure out how we can be our own best advocate and brand, and what that looks like in this new space,” she said. “I’m also learning in real time the power that we have, and our stories and our voices. And our support for each other has power.”
Jones is trying not to race past this moment. After years of dreaming, working, mothering, caretaking, grieving, and building, she is learning to sit still long enough to ask what comes next.
“I’m getting to know the new me,” she said. “Al Roker calls it Sheinelle 2.0.”
Hit Songs That Celebrate Black Moms On Mother’s Day
Mothers have no shortage of songs that honor and express gratitude for their love and care
Mothers have no shortage of songs that honor and express gratitude for their love and care. Across different musical styles and time periods, artists have drawn on their mothers as creative inspiration, writing songs about motherhood, maternal challenges, and devotion. This selection features popular songs that celebrate mothers through storytelling and musical tribute, showing why motherhood remains a timeless, universal theme in music.
“Mama Knew Love”
The song “Mama Knew Love” by Anthony Hamilton tells the story of a son who observed his mother’s love through her actions. The 2005 release “Ain’t Nobody Worryin’” features this Southern soul track, which showcases Hamilton’s storytelling abilities while drawing from his Charlotte upbringing. The song “Mama Knew Love” is in keeping with conventional Mother’s Day tribute patterns by recognizing a mother’s hardships and commending the sacrifices and commitments she’s made in her parental role.
“A Song for Mama” – Boyz II Men (1997)
The 1997 Soul Food soundtrack included Boyz II Men’s Grammy-winning R&B track “A Song for Mama,” which honors maternal love and guidance. The song follows Philadelphia R&B tradition by highlighting the mother’s role as an emotional anchor and teacher. The song’s crossover success established it as the ultimate “mom song” of the 1990s, which became essential for Mother’s Day and family celebrations.
“Hey Mama” – Kanye West (2005)
The song “Hey Mama” from Kanye West’s 2005 album “Late Registration” serves as a heartfelt tribute to his mother, Donda West. During his early mainstream hip-hop career, Kanye West created the song to honor Donda’s life. The song took on a deeper emotional meaning after Donda died in 2007. Through his live performances of “Hey Mama,” Kanye established the song as a timeless anthem for maternal love.
“I’ll Always Love My Mama” – The Intruders (1973)
The classic R&B song “I’ll Always Love My Mama” by The Intruders came out in 1973 as part of their Philly soul music legacy. The song, which songwriter Kenny Gamble wrote about his mother, has become a traditional Mother’s Day song, played at family events and celebrations for many years. The song “I’ll Always Love My Mama” emerged from the Philadelphia soul movement of Gamble and Huff, yet remains a timeless tribute to the unbreakable bond between mother and child.
“Mom” – Earth, Wind & Fire (1972)
The song “Mom” is a heartfelt tribute to mothers and appeared on Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1972 album “Last Days and Time.” The early 1970s funk and soul band Earth, Wind & Fire created this track as part of its musical evolution in R&B and funk. Maurice White and Verdine White wrote “Mom” to highlight family appreciation alongside spiritual grounding, which represents fundamental themes in the band’s musical collection.
“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét (2023)
During her breakthrough era in 2023, Victoria Monét released “On My Mama” as a confident and celebratory track, which earned her a Grammy for R&B music. The contemporary R&B track with West Coast production demonstrates how maternal lessons still shape modern musical narratives about identity, confidence, and womanhood, even though it is not a traditional ballad.
“Grandma’s Hands” – Bill Withers (1971)
The song “Grandma’s Hands” is a soulful tribute to Bill Withers’ grandmother, which was released in 1971 on his album “Just As I Am.” Through Withers’ personal songwriting approach, the song expands the meaning of “motherhood” by recognizing grandmothers as female matriarchs who often serve as the glue holding family and community bonds together.
“Dear Mama” – Tupac Shakur (1995)
The 1995 album Me Against the World featured Tupac Shakur’s deeply personal tribute to his mother called “Dear Mama.” The West Coast rap scene produced this hip-hop golden era song, which pays tribute to Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur. The song “Dear Mama” narrates Tupac’s childhood struggles with poverty and his mother’s fight against addiction while being an activist, and has become one of the most emotionally powerful rap songs in history. The song’s enduring cultural significance has made it a common reference point for motherhood in contemporary musical works.
‘Protecting My Peace…At ALL Costs’: Garcelle Beauvais Writes About Walking Away From Real Housewives In New Memoir
The actress, author, Real Housewives star, and former fashion model reflects on the moments that shaped her in an intimate new Audible Original
Garcelle Beauvais has spent decades in the public eye: on runways, on sets, on red carpets, and on Real Housewives—one of the most-watched reality franchises in television history. Now she’s spilling the tea about her journey and how she learned to stand firm, find her power in authenticity, and walk away on her own terms.
Her latest work, written and narrated by Beauvais, allows listeners unprecedented intimacy as she shares behind-the-scenes moments, personal revelations, and hard-won wisdom about relationships, identity, and what it means to refuse to shrink yourself for anyone. Protecting My Peace…At ALL Costs arrived exclusively on Audible this week.
“This is a story about knowing when your spirit says no more, and having the courage to honor that truth,” said Beauvais in a statement. “Learning to protect my peace, set boundaries without apology, and finally walk in the power that I have always carried isn’t selfish. It’s survival.”
“I wanted to share what I’ve learned about walking into rooms as my full self and refusing to leave any part of who I am at the door,” she continued. “Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is simply choose you.”
From growing up in Haiti to making it in Hollywood, raising three boys, navigating two failed marriages, and her groundbreaking run on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Beauvais reflects on the experiences that shaped her life and shares the lessons they taught her in intuition, discernment, love, and faith.
In just-released clips from the audio book, she opens up about how news of her husband’s infidelity affected her career when it leaked to the press:
“My whole world exploded… The fallout didn’t stay inside my house. It followed me into audition rooms, on sets, through industry events where everyone knew my name—and my business.”
Garcelle on writing an email to her husband’s company, CAA, after his infidelity.
She also takes us behind the scenes of how Real Housewives of Beverly Hills affected her mental health, leading to her now infamous reunion show walk-off:
“When I realized I was crying more than I was excited to go to work, I knew something had to give. The executives were worried about me. They had never seen me that broken up. They recommended I talk to the show’s therapist. And he said something that stopped me cold, ‘It sounds like the negative is catching up to the positive.’”
Garcelle on the moment she walked off the ‘Housewives’ reunion stage for the last time.
Maj. Jas Boothe Turned Personal Trials Into Triumphs
She went from Homeless Single Mom To Housing Women Veterans
As a stage-three cancer patient, single mother at that time, and newly-disabled veteran who lost everything she owned in Hurricane Katrina, Maj. Jaspen “Jas” Boothe (U.S. Army, Retired) could have easily thrown in the towel and given up. But instead, she pushed forward, not just for her and for her son, but for the thousands of women veterans facing unstable housing and homelessness.
She recalls being rejected for housing support by the very federal agency designed to support her—all while undergoing two surgeries and 30 cycles of radiation during a six-month hospital stay in Texas.
“I’m a veteran at this time and I need supportive services, particularly housing for me and my son,” Boothe recalled, as she reached out to a federal agency for help and said she was told: “‘Yes, we help veterans, but you’re a woman.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, last time I checked.’ And she said, ‘Well, you mentioned you had an illegitimate child, right? You need to go get on welfare and food stamps like other women in your situation.’”
Appalled by the response, Boothe couch-surfed and stayed with an aunt for a time while getting back on her feet. A few years into her recovery, she decided the answer to solve this crisis was already within her.
Boothe founded Final Salute Inc. in 2010, which is one of the few nonprofits in the country dedicated exclusively to housing homeless women veterans and their children. In 15 years, Final Salute Inc. has provided more than 17,000 transitional housing days while serving more than 8,000 women veterans across 30 states and territories.
The organization has been a literal lifeline and lifesaver for so many women, who are now where Boothe once was. This includes Lisa, a Navy veteran and single mother of two girls who was separated from her youngest daughter’s father due to physical and mental abuse, according to a Final Salute Inc. testimonial.
“I had issues with my vehicle, which has caused me to fall behind on my rent. I reached out to Final Salute and they have helped me and my girls to keep our home,” Lisa stated. “Providing a safe and secure home for me and the girls is my No. 1 priority and Final Salute has helped me to do it.”
Minority veterans are overrepresented within the homeless veteran population, according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. Additionally, Major Boothe shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE that more than 70 % of the homeless women veteran population have at least one child in their care.
“Unfortunately, for some, they suffer in silence. They stay in domestic violence situations. They hop from home to home, because unfortunately, if you go to [seek] resources and say, ‘I’m homeless, I don’t have a place for me and my child to live,’ you risk losing your child,” Boothe said. “So, a lot of us put ourselves in dangerous situations in order to stay with our children.”
From Midwest Roots to Military Boots
Born in Chicago and raised in her early years at the Cabrini-Green Homes—with family roots originating in Mississippi—she enrolled in Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) on a full basketball scholarship. While other historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were knocking at her door, Major Boothe said, “it was something about Mississippi Valley State that drove me to the university. And I’m telling you, I’ve been to other universities outside of an HBCU, and there is definitely nothing like the experience you get at an HBCU as a Black American.”
After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications at MVSU, the proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., she then enrolled in the Army National Guard. As a single mother at that time, Boothe wanted to break stereotypes “placed upon women who become single mothers about how successful you can be in life.” Thus, she entered what is considered a male-dominated profession.
While higher education was something her family stressed as a key stepping stone to a successful life, entering the military put her at odds with some in her family—particularly her father.
“My dad was very old school, and he was of the mind that Black people don’t have a place in the military,” she said, noting that her father questioned why she would want to put her life on the line for a country that does not highly respect Black Americans.
Boothe understood her father’s harsh stance, as he viewed military service through a lens of skepticism, having witnessed segregation and its effects, particularly in the Deep South.
“But then, as he saw me progressing through the military and saw the things that I was able to accomplish, he then got on board,” Boothe said, “and he was very happy and ecstatic and telling everybody, ‘yes, my daughter’s in the Army! My daughter is a Captain in the Army!’”
Originally enlisted as a Mustang Officer and beginning as a truck driver, she then commissioned as a Human Resources officer. Boothe said she spent 17 years in the military—as she received a cancer diagnosis (now in remission)—and then got back into her military career. She later had both knees replaced and her spine fused. Although Boothe faced life-threatening health challenges and was three years shy of retirement, she believes the timing was just right for her to be able to use her personal journey to help other women.
“I would have loved to do 20 years, but I believe everybody’s journey is different for a reason,” she said. “And so, I believe that. I got out at the time that I needed to.”
Her father passed before Boothe became a major, but he was incredibly happy about her success in the military. Her oldest son, Brandon, followed in his mother’s footsteps by joining the U.S. Air Force. Now married and the proud mother of two sons, her husband is a U.S. Marine.
Black College: The Foundation for Service
Choosing an HBCU was pivotal for Boothe’s educational, military, and entrepreneurial journey.
“Going to an HBCU gave me that foundation of community and probably was essential in my journey to start my nonprofit organization,” she said.
Several years after experiencing homelessness, Boothe was watching one of Oprah Winfrey’s final talk shows. It happened to feature a homeless veteran woman living in her car.
“I was completely floored and shocked because of the several years that had passed by, I had kind of written off my situation as ‘maybe I was just one who slipped through the cracks,’” she said, feeling sure that the sexism and discrimination she once faced from the federal agency supporting veterans had since improved. “But after I saw that show and realized there were still tens of thousands of homeless women veterans without resources and without support, that’s basically what started the fuel in me to found Final Salute Inc.”
According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “overall Veteran homelessness decreased in 2024, and homelessness among female Veterans followed suit. However, levels still remain higher than they were in 2020.” Data shows nearly 3,500 homeless women Veterans as of 2024, with a concerning number of “unsheltered female Veterans living on the streets, in a car or in another unsafe situation” at 1,668.
Having never thought of running a nonprofit, Boothe “knew leadership from what the military taught me,” she said. “You see a problem, you find a solution.”
In asking about launching a nonprofit, many folks told her to establish a 501 (c) (3), which she was cautioned would be a lengthy process—possibly even taking years, she said. But the fuel within her continued to burn, as she daily thought of the women veterans and their children who do not have years to wait.
“And so, I did a thing. I wrote a letter to the IRS with my packet and asked if they could please expedite my 501 (c) (3) because women Veterans don’t have years to wait. They’re losing their children. Some are losing their lives. They’re losing their homes.”
Within 30 days, Boothe said she received her confirmation letter from the IRS, and Final Salute Inc. was officially approved. One hundred percent of her support comes from the private sector.
“It was completely unheard of, but I knew that this is my mission and my calling. And I had what I needed to get started,” she said.
Veteran S. Moore of Woodbridge, Virginia, lost her job while fighting cancer and suffered heart failure from the chemotherapy drugs, she said, putting her in the tough spot of no longer affording her critical electric bill while raising her son.
“Because I have to plug into the wall outlet at night to keep my heart pump going, it was causing me great stress knowing that I was in danger of getting my electricity cut,” said Moore. “Final Salute Inc. came in and paid the entire bill, ensuring me that I would be able to stay in my apartment. I have been to many agencies asking for help and was turned away for them all, but Final Salute came through for me and didn’t make me [feel] worthless.”
Proudly Representing All Women Veterans
There are three signature programs of Finale Salute Inc. The H.O.M.E. Program provides transitional housing, food, clothing, and on-site case management to homeless women veterans and their children. S.A.F.E. helps prevent homelessness by easing financial hardships, including emergency assistance with past-due rent, utility assistance, and offering financial education. And Next Uniform provides support for women veterans and military women in transition into the civilian workforce. At no cost, this program provides professional business attire, makeovers, image consulting, and headshots.
In late April, Boothe was honored as one of 100 Women to KNOW in America at a national summit in Phoenix. The program is deemed a “premier recognition program honoring high-achieving women who demonstrate exceptional leadership, professional excellence, and significant societal impact” across various sectors.
“My recognition is on behalf of all women who have served and sacrificed for this great nation. You know, we are not damsels in distress. We are not birds with broken wings. We are the trailblazers; we are the mountain movers.” Boothe shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “And so, for me, it just shows how successful we can be.”
2 Sisters Fuel Community In Southwest Atlanta With BOSK, The Burger Spot That Does It All
The restaurant is a revival of the Southwest side's culinary and cultural scene.
Two native Atlanta sisters have opened a unique restaurant and cafe to feed the city’s Southwest area.
Nako and Narie Roberson have created a new cultural movement with Bosk, a burger spot and cafe that helps residents feel at home through delicious bites and a local persona. As new entrepreneurs to the restaurant scene, they created “Big Oomp Studio Kitchen” as a tribute to a famed record shop on Atlanta’s southwest side.
As a new pillar in the community, they chose to take on an area marginalized by Atlanta’s rapid development. Now, they have curated meals that center this community and its homegrown residents, honoring their roots with each recipe. Fans and critics have already praised its menu selections, with Atlanta figures such as Kandi Burruss and Mayor Andre Dickens stopping by to snag a plate.
The Roberson sisters spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about how this eatery came to life, and their dedication to Southwest Atlanta as a new cultural institution. As for the reason behind opening on this side of town, Narie explained how career shifts prompted her to take a chance not only on herself, but also on her surrounding neighborhood.
“I was at a place in my career, I have a hair background, where I wanted to do something different,” she tells BE. “And I just kept driving by [the building] and, at one point on the sign, it said it only had one space left available. I had called my dad. I’m like,’ I know you don’t want to do nothing else, but I know you always wanted a restaurant. It’s this place. They’re building this development right here by my house. Like, I’ll stop doing hair. I’ll see it through full throttle, you know, construction to employees, to working in there every day. You know, like, just take a chance on me.'”
Narie not only led the operations but also oversaw the construction from the ground up. Working through the labor and delivery of her own son, she learned the ins and outs of general contracting to fulfill this dream.
However, BOSK, which also stands for Building On Success Kindly, doesn’t stop at flipping burgers. Just next door, the entrepreneurial sisters developed a second business. The establishment, called BOSK Cafe, is a love letter to reading, community, and their sisterhood.
With over $1 million invested in BOSK’s success, the women have lofty plans and a widespread taste for its offerings. They aim to explore new menu items beyond traditional Southern eats, developed by their chef, a childhood friend, to appeal to varied palettes. New features include wine tastings, cigar smoking, and tapas, all to showcase their versatility in the culinary scene.
Her sister, Nako, added, “My dad invested in us, no loans. We don’t owe nobody. So this is straight, straight, family business. Sacrificing and trusting us. No debt.”
However, what remains the same is their storied love for Southwest Atlanta. Home of famous “ATLien” hotspots like Cascade skating rink and West End Mall, the area has a livable history that the Robersons take immense pride in. Although some might argue that a million-dollar investment in the neighborhood’s dining options would yield little return, the sisters take a different view, calling the location crucial to the restaurant’s essence.
“We’re SWATS. We’re ATL for real,” continued Nako. “We wouldn’t have put this nowhere else. Although people feel like it still isn’t the ideal location…we want that nostalgia feeling.”
As customers, from postal workers to local politicians, pour in, the familial atmosphere at BOSK is a part of its charm that keeps tables filled.
“So with us trying to bring a more elevated experience to the side of Atlanta, we’re just trying to bring people over here,” they continued. [We want] to let people know that even though this [area] does have the stigma around it, that this is the hood or, you know, things like that, you don’t have to go on a highway to have a good time. Why can’t we be in our community?”
While their journey has hurdled some challenges, the Roberson women believe these obstacles have made them better business owners in the long run. They remain an integral part of their community as they run BOSK daily, a tip they say is crucial to sustaining a new business.
“My advice I can give to any business owner is face on the place…I don’t think that any restaurant owner in the first 5 years of their business should be parlaying somewhere else,” added Narie.
“You need to be right here, whether you are in the position to pay yourself, to be gone, or not. You need to be in this restaurant every single day. If you can’t be here from open to close, you at least need to spend 6 or 7 hours of the open hours here. Not only to let your customers know that you’re here, you ain’t walking out of here with nothing. And also, too, that your customers see that you’re here. You know, like, we’re here. We’re invested.”
As they continue to invest in this legendary part of Atlanta’s cultural ecosystem, the sisters and BOSK are becoming beacons of representation and pride for the Southwest community.
“I still kind of get emotional sometimes when I walk over there, and I see tons of people just sitting down,” added Nako. “It makes me feel like we brought community back to Southwest Atlanta, and I’m very incredibly thankful.”
BOSK is celebrating Mother’s Day early. On May 9, the establishment is hosting A Toast to Her: An Intimate Mother’s Day Wine Tasting Experience. The event kicks off at 7PM; guest will not only enjoy a curated wine tasting, but also light bites from the kitchen, good music and great vibes.
Mexico City Nightclub Is Charging Americans Hundreds To Party
The nightclub, called Japan, announced that U.S. citizens would have to pay 5,000 pesos, which is roughly $300
A nightclub in Mexico City is gaining international attention after introducing a high cover charge for American visitors. This move has sparked discussions about gentrification, tourism, and growing frustration about the effects of foreign wealth on local communities.
The club, called Japan, announced that U.S. citizens would have to pay 5,000 pesos, which is roughly $300, to enter. In contrast, visitors from other countries would only pay around $20, while Mexican and Latin American patrons would receive even larger discounts. Students and teachers were reportedly offered the lowest admission price.
The club’s social media post went viral. Thousands of users favored the price hike as a symbolic response to what many residents see as the rapid “touristification” of neighborhoods like Roma Norte and Condesa.
The policy also comes amid heightened tensions over President Donald Trump and his administration’s comments about Mexico.
Federico Crespo, the club’s owner, told The Guardian that the move was both political and economic. Crespo explained that the policy was a reaction to repeated insults directed at Mexico by U.S. leaders, while also addressing concerns over rising rent prices and displacement linked to an influx of foreign remote workers.
“It’s not that ‘we charge gringos more,’ it’s that we offer discounts to people that need it,” the club said in an Instagram post. “The cover charge is $5,000 [pesos]. Citizens of the USA don’t get a discount.”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Mexico City has seen a noticeable rise in American digital nomads, especially in trendy areas popularized on social media and by short-term rental platforms. Critics argue that this growth has driven housing costs too high for many longtime residents, creating resentment among locals who feel culturally and economically pushed out of their own neighborhoods.
Crespo stated that the money collected from the high cover charge would be redistributed to employees affected by the city’s increasing cost of living.
