AfroFuture Detroit, African diaspora, Bedrock, Douglass Site, Detroit music, Afrobeats, Amapiano, Motown, Techno, African heritage

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 4, 2025

AfroFuture Detroit Brings A Global Celebration Of African Diaspora To The City In 2025

The lineup will feature international Afrobeats, Caribbean, and hip-hop artists.

A groundbreaking cultural celebration is coming to Detroit. On August 16 and 17, 2025, AfroFuture Detroit will make its U.S. debut at Bedrock’s historic Douglass Site, uniting the city’s rich musical legacy with the global rhythms of the African diaspora.

AfroFuture, a global entertainment platform renowned for spotlighting African excellence, has chosen Detroit as the site for its first U.S. festival. With roots in Accra, Ghana, AfroFuture has attracted over 160,000 attendees worldwide through its immersive events. The festival underscores the city’s pivotal role in shaping Black culture and resistance by selecting Detroit.

“We’re thrilled to bring AfroFuture to Detroit for our U.S. debut,” said AfroFuture CEO and Co-founder Abdul Karim Abdullah. “Detroit’s cultural and musical powerhouse legacy makes it the perfect city to launch this transformative experience. By connecting African excellence with Detroit’s heritage, we’re bridging the diaspora across borders and oceans through the universal language of music.”

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A post shared by Bedrock (@bedrockdetroit)

A Sonic Celebration of Heritage

AfroFuture Detroit promises a dynamic fusion of Afrobeats, Amapiano, Motown, and Techno, celebrating the unbreakable ties between Africa and its global diaspora. The festival’s sonic journey will honor Detroit’s iconic musical history while introducing contemporary African influences.

“This is more than just a typical festival,” Abdullah added. “It’s a moment of unity and a celebration of the power of Africa.”

The lineup will feature international Afrobeats, Caribbean, and hip-hop artists. A curated marketplace will showcase African art, fashion, and cuisine. Festival-goers can expect handcrafted jewelry, bold clothing, and traditional dishes that capture the creativity and resilience of African culture.

Building Community Through Music and Art

Kofi Bonner, CEO of Bedrock, emphasized Detroit’s importance in hosting AfroFuture. “AfroFuture is an experience built for community, and we can’t think of a better place than Detroit, a city built on its own musical heritage, for its U.S. debut. Bedrock is proud to bring this universal celebration of Afrocentric art and culture to the Douglass Site.”

The Douglass Site, rich in history, is the ideal backdrop for this cultural homecoming. From vibrant art installations to storytelling through food and music, AfroFuture Detroit will highlight the resilience, joy, and struggles that resonate deeply within the Black community.

A Collaborative Effort

The festival is produced in collaboration with Paxahau, a Detroit-based production company known for the acclaimed Movement Electronic Music Festival. This partnership ensures AfroFuture Detroit remains grounded in the city’s musical DNA.

“This event isn’t just about entertainment,” said a spokesperson from Paxahau. “It’s about honoring Detroit’s role as a hub of Black creativity and activism while creating a space where past, present, and future collide.”

A Global Movement Arrives in Detroit

AfroFuture’s evolution from a single event in Ghana into a global cultural phenomenon reflects its mission to reclaim narratives and celebrate African heritage. AfroFuture Detroit amplifies this vision, offering a transformative experience where attendees can connect with their roots and embrace the future.

Additional details will be announced in the coming months, including the festival lineup, ticket availability, and event packages.

For updates, visit Detroit.AfroFuture.com and follow @BedrockDetroit and @AfroFuture on Instagram.

About AfroFuture

AfroFuture, formerly known as Afrochella, is a premier platform celebrating the creativity and innovation of Africa and its diaspora. Founded by Culture Management Group (CMG), AfroFuture curates experiences spotlighting African excellence through music, art, fashion, and cuisine. With flagship events across Africa, AfroFuture connects communities and bridges cultures, creating spaces where tradition meets modernity.

AfroFuture Detroit marks a defining moment in the city’s cultural narrative, cementing Detroit’s legacy as a global beacon of Black creativity and resilience.

Former St. Louis Prosecutor,Misusing Public Funds

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 4, 2025

OP-ED: Can Fired DEI Professionals Sue Attackers For Defamation?

DEI opponents should be held legally accountable for the damage they have done to people’s careers.

Written by Shaun Harper

They are evil, racist, divisive, and destructively woke. Nothing they do has any value — every program and policy for which they are responsible is a complete waste of taxpayers’ dollars and corporate investments. They all discriminate against white men who, no matter what, are always more talented and deserving than everyone else. They are poisoning schools, colleges, workplaces, and our nation’s military. They all hate America and are teaching others to do the same. None of them are qualified or competent. They were only hired because of their race, gender, and other identities, not because of any respectable credentials. These erroneous universal claims about DEI professionals have largely resulted in the massive elimination of their roles over the past 18 months. Could those who have been fired individually, or perhaps even collectively, sue spreaders of misinformation and disinformation for defamation?

Hosts and guests on cable news networks, as well as social media influencers, make all sorts of exaggerated, unfounded claims about the work that DEI professionals do. U.S. President Donald Trump, along with many conservative governors, congresspersons, state legislators, college trustees, and K-12 school board members, do the same. They almost always do so without substantial evidence, at best with anecdotes. Many of them have not experienced DEI programs firsthand — certainly not enough times to make blanket declarations about their aims, goodness, and effectiveness. Great Americans are losing their jobs because opportunistic obstructionists with political agendas have very publicly lied about them and their work. DEI opponents should be held legally accountable for the damage they have done to people’s careers.

I have never sued a person, but I would if someone sought to ruin my professional reputation by making untrue claims about what occurs in my classrooms at the University of Southern California without having come here, without having analyzed my 22 years of course evaluations, without having spoken with more than a small handful of the thousands of students I have had the pleasure of teaching, and without asking me directly for evidence of what and how I teach. I would insist that they wait until Teachers College Press publishes my newest book this summer – in it, my students and I model how to engage in respectful disagreements about DEI. The book is the antithesis of the indoctrination that DEI opponents wrongly accuse professors of manufacturing in our classrooms.

Furthermore, I have delivered hundreds of DEI-focused speeches. Unless they have been in multiple audiences of mine, DEI obstructionists cannot make credible statements about what I do and say on stages. They would have to furnish specific examples and proof of harm. They would not be able to because I mostly receive standing ovations. Professional learning sessions that I design and deliver for educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations consistently earn impressively high ratings. Specifically, on average, 94% of participants (including heterosexual white men) deem them practically useful, and 95% rate them excellent. If someone erroneously claimed that what I was doing in the name of DEI was trash and their deliberate misrepresentations led to negative career outcomes for me, I would have no choice but to sue them.

Some folks who simply want to get elected, along with others who enjoy being social media famous and occasionally invited to appear on TV shows and into meetings with corporate executives, are dishonestly achieving their aims at the expense of DEI professionals. It is important to note that their recklessness disproportionately affects the careers of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ professionals. If they and other colleagues whose careers have been wrecked by misinformation, disinformation, and baseless exaggerations could sue for slander, they should.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told lies that ruined two Black women’s lives. He was found guilty of defamation and ordered to pay $148 million to those two Georgia election poll workers. DEI professionals who have been lied about also deserve to receive significant compensation. Some who have lost jobs will pursue litigation against their former employers on the grounds of wrongful termination; that may work. But they ought not to hold blameless people who make baseless generalizations about all DEI professionals. Some flamboyant, self-anointed DEI attackers loudly claim victory and celebrate the discontinuation of programs and positions across industries. They are practically begging to be sued. With the very best Los Angeles attorneys by my side, I most certainly would if they did to me what they have done to too many DEI professionals who have undeservingly been placed out of work.

______________________________________

Shaun Harper is a University Professor and Provost Professor of Education, Business, and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, where he holds the Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership. He is also the USC Race and Equity Center’s founder and chief research scientist.

WNBA, Angel Reese, nickname, Chicago Sky

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 4, 2025

Angel Reese Gives Mother Unexpected Birthday Gift Of Paying Off Home Mortgage

The Chicago Sky player gifted her mother, Angel Webb Reese by paying for the house

WNBA and Unrivaled basketball player Angel Reese may have given her mother the best birthday gift ever when she announced she would be paying off her mortgage.

On a recent episode of her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, Reese hosted her mother, Angel Webb Reese, for Webb’s birthday. The WNBA player gave her mother a cake and some surprising news that made her mother get emotional.

“Well, it’s your birthday today,” Reese told her mother — as someone off-camera handed her mother a small birthday cake.

Reese then told her, “You said that if your mortgage was paid off that you would retire. Or you can pick if you want to work still. So your mortgage today has been paid.”

As the basketball player informed her mother of the gift, Webb nearly dropped the birthday cake she held in her hands. As she was shocked by her daughter’s declaration, Reese told her that she can still work if she wants to, but she won’t have to work to pay off the mortgage anymore.

“Today your mortgage has been paid, you ain’t got to worry about your mortgage no more and if you want to work still and keep yourself, if you want to keep yourself busy, you can keep yourself busy,” Reese said.

She then told her mother that she will be purchasing a house this year and she can stay with her for as long as she wants.

And when I move to Chicago — I’m getting a house, y’all — you can come stay with me whenever you want to.”

Angels birthday gift to her mama 🥹💕

Full episode out NOW: https://t.co/Xc21YLcKo3 pic.twitter.com/YphGibd8tR

— Unapologetically Angel (@angelreeseshow) January 30, 2025

Maybe Reese could pay off her mother’s house because her deal with McDonald’s was just announced.

Reese became the first female athlete to get her own special meal at McDonald’s.

“The Angel Reese Special” will be available starting on Feb. 10. The limited-time meal will be a BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder with cheese, medium fries, and a medium drink of choice.

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by Mitti Hicks

February 4, 2025

The National Association Of Black Journalists Celebrating 50 Years Of Diversifying Newsrooms

2025 marks 50 years for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – an organization promoting diversity in its newsroom.

2025 marks 50 years for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) -– an organization promoting diversity in its newsroom.

The National Association of Black Journalists was founded on Dec. 12, 1975, by 44 men and women. The founders, representing various news platforms and disciplines, created the organization to provide quality programs, services, and advocacy for Black journalists worldwide.

Some of its founding members, as My Fox 8 points out, include Maureen Bunyan, one of the first Black women to anchor the evening news on a local television station, Max Robinson, the first Black co-anchor of a network evening news broadcast on ABC’s “World News Tonight.”

National Association of Black Journalists: A History That Spans 50 Years

The organization was formed nearly 10 years after the 1968 Kerner Commission report was released, detailing biased depictions of Black Americans in the press.

There are now more than 4,000 members, which include emerging journalists, professional journalists, student journalists, educators, and media professionals.

With a history of five decades, NABJ leaders are gearing up for a huge celebration to commemorate 50 years at its convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in August 2025. NABJ President Ken Lemon announced the formation of a special golden anniversary committee composed of founders, past presidents, former and present board members, chapter leaders, and longtime members.

“We are excited to begin preparations to honor our 44 Founders and the realization of their vision 50 years later,” Lemon said in a statement. “We are grateful to our committee members who have graciously volunteered their time and talent to help us celebrate this incredible moment in our legacy. Each of them personifies our 50th anniversary theme, ‘Resilience. Advocacy. Excellence.’”

“Our 50th celebration will also be an opportune time to not only pay homage to our founders but also to our past presidents, board members, and our faithful members, chapters, partners, and supporters,” said Rod Carter, former Region III Director. “Without them, NABJ would not be the pillar it is today.”

Dow, CEO, Karen, S. Carter, PITCHBlack, $2 million,, funding

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 4, 2025

ICYMI: Karen S. Carter Becomes First Woman COO Of Dow

Karen S. Carter's 30-year journey with Dow has led to her historic appointment as the company's first female COO.

Karen S. Carter is making history as Dow’s new COO, the first woman to hold the position.

After two years as President of Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Carter was appointed COO last month. As COO, Carter will lead business and operational performance across the organization, focus on strengthening Dow’s customer engagement and relationships, accelerate the commercialization of the organization’s innovation pipeline, and improve the company’s reliability and customer service.

https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/news/press-releases/dow-announces-appointment-of-karen-s–carter-as-chief-operating-.html

Praised for her ability to be a driving force in the development of new business models and solutions in the male-dominated chemical industry, Carter will take on strategic oversight of Dow’s business segments — including Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, and Performance Materials & Coatings. Additionally, Dow’s Integrated Supply Chain, Purchasing, Information Systems, and Commercial organizations will report to Carter.

She will continue to report to Jim Fitterling, Dow’s Chair and CEO, and join the Company’s Executive Committee from her home base in Midland, Michigan.

“Karen is a proven leader with more than three decades of experience at Dow delivering strong business results,” Fitterling said. “She has an excellent track record of operating discipline, maintaining close relationships with key partners and customers, and driving innovation across the organization.”

He continued. “She has successfully led our largest business and played critical leadership roles in other essential business and functional teams within Dow, always with a focus on developing and maintaining high-performing teams. As COO, she will work closely with me and our executive team to drive growth and value creation across our operating segments while continuing to provide innovative and sustainable solutions for our customers.”

Carter’s career at Dow spans over 30 years, beginning in 1994. She has held various roles across business operations, sales and marketing, and human resources. Before becoming President of Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics (P&SP), Carter served as Dow’s Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer. In those roles, she played a key part in fostering a culture where all employees can grow and thrive, enabling them to fully contribute to Dow’s business strategy and long-term value growth.

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 4, 2025

Instacart Launches ‘Shelve Checking’ Job For Gig Workers

Would you pick up this line of 'gig work'?

Instacart has a new job offering for gig workers: checking shelves on behalf of companies and then taking pictures, Business Insider reports.

The “brand tasks” program has been tested since fall 2024 as a way of continuing to build on Instacart’s original business structure of using gig workers to shop and deliver goods to consumers. The company describes the program as one way to expand into other grocery areas and retail technology in addition to smart shopping carts and advertising.

A beta version of the program sent a message saying, “you’ll get paid to take photos of what’s in stock or refill displays” in November 2024. One shopper in Pennsylvania took advantage and said they were paid about $12 to take pictures of a Dove body care products display. The job took 10 minutes.

The program has a seemingly positive advantage for both the shopper and the companies. A Instacart spokesperson said “shoppers can opt-in to receive access to these tasks and will be able to accept the tasks just as they would a standard batch” of Instacart orders.

The upside for the corporations is the pictures give them an idea on what’s selling and how their products are appealing to customers. “Brands often work with third parties on a periodic basis to gain insights into their in-stock inventory,” the spokesperson said.

With the San Francisco-based company “primarily focused on display check,” the spokesperson confirmed that Instacart has “evaluated other tasks and could consider adding additional tasks in the future” since gig work has become more popular. This, in addition, to extended partnerships like one with the city of Columbia, South Carolina, may help the company’s profile.

The city extended its Grocery Access Pilot (GAP) Program partnership with Instacart to assist people with limited access to fresh food and produce to be delivered to their home, according to WLTX 19. Eligible residents receive a free, one year Instacart+ membership and a monthly Instacart Health Fresh Funds stipend used to cover fees and Instacart customer care support.

Black Author Asks Supporters To Stop Buying His Books At Target Amid DEI Cutbacks

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 4, 2025

Black Author Asks Supporters To Stop Buying His Books At Target Amid DEI Cutbacks

Frederick Joseph says he can't stand for Target's shallow commitment toward marginalized groups.

Frederick Joseph, an author known for his race-focused books, has asked supporters to stop buying his books at Target after it announced cutbacks to its diversity, equity, and inclusive initiatives.

He shared his thoughts in a video on Instagram Threads. In the two-minute clip, he called out how Target capitalized on the growing trend toward DEI when it seemed beneficial.

View on Threads

“For me as an author, this is a particularly interesting moment in that I’ve had a pretty solid relationship with Target since my debut book,” explained Joseph,. “That being said, they did these things when it was financially advantageous, right?… So when it was like, quote, unquote, ‘woke makes money,’ let’s partner with Black people.”

Joseph rose to fame in 2020 for his debut work, The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person, a resource for white people to help advance social and racial justice. Since then, he has become an advocate for uplifting Black voices and art, releasing his first picture book with Disney based on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Joseph will release This Thing Of Ours in May of this year.

He continued, “Now that [Donald] Trump is in office, and there’s this, you know, sort of anti-Black, anti-woke agenda sweeping through not just the federal government, but also corporations around the country…And then I’m sure that when the pendulum swings back, they’ll be back on it again. I can’t stand for that.”

This seemingly shallow commitment to supporting diverse businesses concerned Joseph. The decision resulted in him telling buyers to stop sourcing his book at Target.

“So as an author, despite the fact that Target has been one of the main retailers that people have supported me through, and it’s a big blow to do this, I’m no longer suggesting Target,” he said.

Instead, he encouraged shoppers to purchase his novels and pre-order his newest work at other retailers that have maintained their support of DEI causes. His input adds another layer of support from Black entrepreneurs at Target as the boycott begins.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 4, 2025

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Starts Black History Month Tour

It's an 18-city tour.

The esteemed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has launched a nationwide tour celebrating Black History Month.

Forbes reports that the 18-city tour will honor the life and legacy of artistic director Emerita Judith Jamison, who died in November 2024. The tour will celebrate Black heritage and ancestry through dance.

Performances are scheduled at prestigious venues such as Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.

New productions feature the 25th-anniversary return of Ronald K. Brown’s Grace and Elisa Monte’s captivating, sculptural duet, Treading. World premieres include Jamar Roberts’s Al-Andalus Blues, Hope Boykin’s Finding Free, and Lar Lubovitch’s Many Angels, his debut work for the company. Additionally, interim artistic director Matthew Rushing will present Sacred Songs.

“Audiences in every city will be inspired by the power of Alvin Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece Revelations,” the theater said in a statement. “World-renowned for sending hearts soaring and lifting audiences to their feet with its perfect blend of reverent grace and spiritual elation.”

“An intimate reflection of Mr. Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the South and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American community and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition.”

Ailey II (1974), the second performing company showcasing emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers, will continue the second leg of its 28-city tour from February 2 to May 1. The tour will stop in Albuquerque, NM, Kansas City, and Miami, before returning to New York City for its annual season at the Ailey Citigroup Theater from March 26 to April 6, 2025.

Along with the tour, Portrait of Ailey, an eight-part documentary series featuring rare archival footage, will explore Ailey as a performer, choreographer, celebrity, teacher, social activist, arts advocate, and creator of a lasting institution.

The series will be available for free on PBS LearningMedia next month.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 4, 2025

First Opera Created By A Black Composer To Officially Debut Nearly 140 Years Later

The composer's original manuscript was found in 2020.

The earliest known opera composed by a Black American will finally, officially hit the stage this week after a preview performance in New Orleans.

Edmond Dédé composed Morgiane 138 years ago, but his racial identity prevented the opera from receiving proper staging. The work was considered lost until its manuscript was discovered in the archives at Harvard University in 2020.

The New Orleans performance was at the famed St. Louis Cathedral, which hosted the musician’s baptism in 1828.

OperaCreole contributed to the effort to produce Morgiane, the comedic story of a woman kidnapped and forced to marry a sultan, with her mother coming to her rescue.

“It is with great pride and humility that I would like to say welcome home, Edmond Dédé, welcome home,” OperaCreole’s co-founder Givonna Joseph told CNN.

The recovery and restoration of Dédé’s handwritten work took years. The New Orleans native was born to free Black Americans in 1827. In Crescent City, he learned to compose music at an early age. However, Dédé fled to France due to growing racial restrictions in America.

Racism remains a suspected factor in Dédé’s missing work, which has been unavailable for generations.

“There is this story that we have told that people of color are only now becoming part of the timeline of classical music,” explained Patrick Dupre Quigley, the opera’s conductor and the artistic director designate for the Washington-based Opera Lafayette. “And the reality is that in the United States—in the person of Dédé—Black people were (already) participating in classical music.”

The opera’s sounds will combine instruments of his period and modern versions for a faithful version of Dede’s original vision. The performances also come during as anti-DEI legislation sweeps the nation and potentially stifles the work of diverse creators.

“This is our cultural patrimony that we lost because of a terrible time in our history,” Quigley added. “We must listen to this because if we don’t, we are not having a dialogue with our (American) culture.”

The opera will host performances in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and New York after its preview. Tickets are available on Opera LaFayette’s website.

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 4, 2025

Sen. Andy Kim Alleges All Senate Phones Are Offline Amid Growing Friction With Elon Musk

Well this can't be good....

The office of the first senator of Korean descent to serve on Capitol Hill, Andy Kim (D-NJ), claimed on X that phones throughout the Senate are offline as friction continues to grow with changes made by President Donald Trump’s ally, Elon Musk.

On the social media app, Kim’s office alleged that the phones weren’t working on Feb. 3, seemingly stopping concerned Americans from contacting elected officials. “We’re receiving reports of phones being offline across the Senate. Our office is immediately at work to address the issue and get our phones online again,” the post read.

We're receiving reports of phones being offline across the Senate. Our office is immediately at work to address the issue and get our phones online again.
— Senator Andy Kim’s Office (@SenatorAndyKim) February 3, 2025

The issue comes just days after tensions have escalated due to Musk’s call for dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Staffers were told to stay out of the agency’s headquarters, and officers were posted to block lawmakers from entering the lobby. While Trump hasn’t made an official statement about the move, the tech billionaire claims he is in agreement. Kim was one of many senators that tried to get to the bottom of the situation.

After wanting to meet with the agency’s acting administrator, Jason Gray, Kim was greeted by four guards, alerting him that the meeting would no longer take place, according to NOTUS. The newly elected lawmaker said he wasn’t too taken aback by what happened. “It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but frankly, it was what I expected,” Kim said.

“What I’m worried about is it’s like the tip of the iceberg we can see, but what else is happening?”

The post from Kim’s office garnered similar reactions, with some blaming Musk directly. “E Lawn is out of control,” @mstrixierva wrote.

https://twitter.com/MsTrixieRVA/status/1886469697836560887

Another user said that no phones are a way of being “muzzled.” “That’s why calls to our reps aren’t getting through! We are being muzzled!!” @maggietcat said.

https://twitter.com/MaggieTCat/status/1886467628807725305

Rep. @IlhanMN Omar (D-MN) stood in solidarity with Kim and other Democratic leaders, pushing back on the USAID move, saying, “This is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like.”