venus williams, executive coaching, EZRA — photo credit: Wikkicommons

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2025

Venus Williams Leads WTA Stars Earning College Degrees At Indiana University East

Venus Williams led the pack when she became the first professional tennis player to graduate from the Indiana University East.

Venus Williams is breaking barriers beyond the court, paving the way for a new wave of professional tennis players earning college degrees through Indiana University East (IUE).

The decorated tennis champion, a former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, was the first to earn a college degree through a partnership between the WTA, the Women’s Tennis Benefit Association, and Indiana University East, Forbes reported. Since receiving her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in August 2015, Williams has inspired a wave of WTA players to follow suit and reshape how female athletes prepare for life after tennis.

Kayla Day, the 2016 U.S. Open junior champion, is the latest WTA standout to graduate from Indiana University East, earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology as part of the Class of 2025. Since Williams first enrolled back in 2011, 24 WTA players have completed their degrees through the program, including 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, Caroline Dolehide, Cici Bellis, Irina Falconi, Christina McHale, and Marie Bouzkova.

Williams earned over $42 million in prize money throughout her tennis career, which she strategically invested in a range of business ventures. These include her activewear brand Eleven; her interior design company, V Starr Interiors; a minority ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins; and the launch of her AI design platform, Palazzo, in 2024.

After enrolling in The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in 2007, the Compton native returned to college in 2011 to expand her influence from the court to the boardroom, choosing a business-focused academic path.

“It was always my dream to have a business degree, and I ended up going to art school so many times, but in the back of my head, I felt like I needed the tools to be a better leader, to be a better planner, to be better at all of the things I wanted to do in my businesses because I’m so hands-on,” Venus said in 2015.

The WTA’s partnership with IUE is tailored to accommodate the demanding schedules of professional athletes. With rolling admissions and eight-week course sessions offered year-round, including between semesters, players can continue their studies without interrupting their careers.

Academic advisors are even available via FaceTime to support athletes during the European clay-court season. While the players must meet the same academic standards as any student, they have the flexibility to celebrate their graduation through virtual or off-campus ceremonies that honor their dedication, pride, and accomplishment.

“Student-athletes have proven to be better students because of the discipline, you know, the routines they have,” said IUE Chancellor Dennis Rome. “This translates over into real-life successful practices that will help them advance in work and careers and family and everything. So it’s that type of student demographic that really enhances institutional enrollment and retention.”

With several success stories now in place, Venus Williams stands as a trailblazer for the WTA-IUE partnership, becoming the first professional athlete to graduate from the program tailored for players. Her milestone reinforces her legacy of championing education and empowerment for women in sports. The IUE collaboration is just one of many WTA initiatives aimed at supporting the personal and professional growth of female athletes.

Thompson Hospitality, Leadership, Milk and Honey, Entrepreneurship, Restaurant Industry — Thompson Hospitality Group grows its restaurant portfolio. Photo Credit: Thompson Hospitality Group

by Daron Pressley

May 23, 2025

Thompson Hospitality Grows Restaurant Portfolio Despite Economic Challenges

In an era when many in the restaurant industry are scaling back due to economic uncertainty and shifting consumer habits, Thompson Hospitality Group is doing the opposite—growing with intention, fueled by purpose, and rooted in a customer-first approach.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the Restaurant Industry  2025 Report, Consumers plan to continue spending in their local restaurants, pushing industry sales nationwide to a projected $ 1.5 trillion.

As the largest Black-owned restaurant group in the United States, Thompson Hospitality is redefining the dining landscape by doing what many in the industry overlook—listening closely to its customers and letting their voices drive business decisions. Through rigorous customer research, direct feedback, and a commitment to evolving tastes, the brand continues to innovate, expand, and thrive despite the unpredictable nature of today’s economy.

At the heart of Thompson Hospitality’s success is its dynamic restaurant division, Thompson Restaurants, which continues to expand its footprint and brand influence. The group’s recent announcement of the newest Milk & Honey location in Charlottesville, Virginia, underscores the brand’s commitment to bringing bold, Southern-inspired cuisine to new communities.

A Taste of Growth in Charlottesville

Thompson Restaurants recently added to its portfolio with the opening of Milk & Honey in Charlottesville, VA, marking the 14th location under Thompson Hospitality’s growing restaurant portfolio. This expansion into Charlottesville, Virginia, is significant. The city became the center of national attention in 2017 following the tragic and racially motivated Unite the Right rally, which resulted in violence, the death of Heather Heyer, and a sobering reminder of the deep divisions that still exist in America. The imagery of white supremacists marching with torches on the grounds of the University of Virginia shook the nation and left a lasting scar on the local community.

Against this backdrop, the opening of a Black-owned, Southern-inspired restaurant brand like Milk & Honey holds powerful significance.

By establishing a vibrant, upscale dining experience that celebrates Southern flavors, Black culinary traditions, and community gathering, Thompson Hospitality is helping reshape the narrative of a city once marred by hate. Milk & Honey’s arrival symbolizes the progress of Black ownership thriving in a space where inclusion and representation are needed now more than ever.

“We see that Southern cuisine is underserved in Charlottesville, and we are excited to fill that void with our fan-favorite menu items,” said Alex Berentzen, COO of Thompson Restaurants. “This is about more than just food—it’s about creating a positive space rooted in culture, hospitality, and excellence.”

A Commitment to the Customer

Even amid industrywide challenges—rising costs, staffing shortages, and shifting consumer behaviors—Thompson Hospitality’s north star remains its customers.

“Our No. 1 priority is the guest experience,” said Fatiu. “We’re focused on listening to our customers, understanding what they want, and making sure that customer service is a focal point in every aspect of our business operations.”

This commitment is more than words—it’s a strategic approach that shapes the company’s expansion plans, menu innovation, and day-to-day operations. From front-of-house training to kitchen execution, every touchpoint is built with the customer in mind.

“There’s a complete understanding throughout our team that serving our customers and providing the highest quality food and experiences will continue to drive our business forward,” Fatiu added.

Unlike many large restaurant groups that rely heavily on top-down decision-making, Thompson Hospitality champions bottom-up insights. The group leverages customer data, feedback loops, and dining trends to inform everything from menu design to service enhancements. This data-driven, people-powered model has allowed the company to continuously refine and personalize the dining experience, making each location uniquely tailored to its community.

A Legacy of Leadership and Impact

Founded in 1992 by Warren Thompson, Thompson Hospitality began as a food service management company and has since grown into a multifaceted enterprise with operations spanning restaurants, catering, facilities management, and hospitality services. Despite its impressive size, the company remains rooted in a family business ethos, prioritizing integrity, quality, and community.

As the company grows, so too does its impact. Thompson Hospitality continues to be a beacon for Black entrepreneurship and ownership in a historically lacking diversity at the top. Its ability to scale while staying true to its roots offers a powerful blueprint for success in the modern economy.

Whether through the flavorful expansions of Milk & Honey or the group’s broader efforts to reimagine dining across the country, one thing is clear: Thompson Hospitality is not just navigating the future of food—it’s leading it.

While others are playing it safe, Thompson Hospitality is boldly expanding, bringing people together, and delivering experiences as rich in culture as they are in taste.

Popular retailer Target admitted that pushback from slashing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives resulted in a significant plunge in its first quarter sales, dropping more than 7%, Yahoo Finance reports.

The sales announcement came on May 2, revealing a 3.8% year-over-year decline for same-store sales compared to the 3.7% drop from 2024. Target’s CEO Brian Cornell blamed the decline on incoming concerns surrounding tariffs in addition to the DEI drawback. “While we believe each of these factors played a role in our first quarter performance, we can’t reliably estimate the impact of each one separately,” Cornell said.

In January 2025, shortly after President Donald Trump took office, the company said it would dial back on its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy that targeted hiring and supplier diversity goals. The changes also eliminated Target’s participation in external diversity-focused surveys such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

In addition to other companies that scrapped DEI policies like Walmart, McDonald’s, and Amazon, Target, known for its popular Black Beyond Measure Campaign highlighting collaborations with influencer Tabitha Brown, was the focus point of the advocacy group Black Wall Street Ticker, who called for a 40-day “corporate fast” from spending any money at stores between March 5 and April 17.

Protest efforts were supported by community leaders like Atlanta’s Rev. Jamal Bryant and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, who called for Black consumers to stop spending with the retailer. Bryant said Black customers saw Target as “a friend” since it was once an advocate for DEI programs after George Floyd was killed by a police officer miles outside of the company’s Minneapolis headquarters in 2020. “They hear me. The cash register hears me. Power concedes nothing without a demand,” Bryant said, according to CNN.

“We saw (Target) as a friend. They championed diversity. So, we were in shock and awe when they reversed what is their stance and position.”

Sharpton met with Cornell in April 2025 amid the controversy, with the CEO requesting the face-to-face encounter. The National Action Network founder asked Cornell to confirm the company’s commitment to the Black community and working with Black-owned businesses in the future. “I said, ‘If [Cornell] wants to have a candid meeting, we’ll meet. I want to first hear what he has to say,” Sharpton said.

He came out of the meeting, calling the conversation “constructive and candid.”

While companies like Target and Walmart saw extreme consequences from DEI elimination, including pushback from their own shareholders, companies like Costco, which stood firm on its DEI support, saw an uptick in revenue and foot traffic.

The Future of Black Business & Entrepreneurship: Virtual Town Hall 2025

Tuskegee Airmen, Black Aviators — photo credit: pexels

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 22, 2025

West African Countries Unite To Break Aviation Barriers With Launch Of The Single African Air Market

Africa is uniting to transform the future of air travel across the continent.

Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conakry, Cape Verde, and Gambia have come together to break barriers in the aviation sector with the launch of the groundbreaking Single African Air Market.

The newly announced Single African Air Market (SAAM) is set to dismantle long-standing barriers in Africa’s aviation sector with a focus on elevating the continent’s role on the global aviation stage, Travel and Tour World reports. Driven by the strong leadership of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conakry, Cape Verde, and Gambia, this ambitious initiative seeks to create a more connected, competitive, and streamlined air travel network across Africa.

The 18th plenary session of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) concluded in Abuja on May 22, as West African nations came together with a unified goal of improving the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). With momentum building, the rollout of SAAM is poised to transform the future of air travel across the continent.

Africa’s air travel sector faces major challenges, including high costs and limited connectivity, with only 19% of the continent’s 1,431 country pairs having direct air service. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), improved connectivity among just 12 key countries could create 155,000 jobs and add over $1.3 billion to GDP. Additionally, the African Union Commission (AUC) suggests that full SAATM adoption by the East African Community could generate 2.8 million more passengers, $267 million in fare savings, and contribute $590.9 million to GDP annually.

That’s where SAAM steps in to close the gaps. This transformative initiative is set to lower travel costs, boost connectivity, and enable smoother air travel across Africa.

Over the three-day session in Abuja, aviation leaders reaffirmed their commitment to aligning national policies with SAATM’s updated framework, working to embed its principles into regulatory systems and usher in a new era of accessible and efficient air travel across the continent. As part of the African Union’s broader Agenda 2063 vision for a fully integrated and self-sustaining Africa, SAATM aims to break down travel barriers and offer airlines greater freedom to operate across borders, serving as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth.

Atlanta Dream, naz hillmon, WNBA, Basketball, Season Ticket — (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 22, 2025

Atlanta Dream Registers Its 1st Victory Of The New Season

Along with Howard's 20 points, Brittney Griner added 21, while Brionna Jones contributed 19 points and Allisha Gray had 16 points

The Atlanta Dream won its first game of the season when Rhyne Howard hit the go-ahead free throw with 9.1 seconds on the clock to emerge victorious over the Indiana Fever.

According to The Associated Press, the Dream, who lost their first game of the new season, withstood a fourth-quarter challenge from Caitlin Clark and the Fever to pull off the victory by a score of 91-90, evening their record at 1-1. Brittney Griner scored 21 points in her second game with her new team.

Brittney Griner and Rhyne Howard came up BIG for the Atlanta Dream to give them their first win of the season 🔥

B. Griner: 21 PTS, 8 REB, 61.5 FG%
R: Howard: 20 PTS, 4 3PM, GAME WINNING FREE THROWS! #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/gv5J6Z1pwg

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 21, 2025

Before the victory was sealed, Clark hit two deep three-pointers as the Fever started a rally that fell short near the end of the game. Her stat line for the match was 27 points and 11 assists.

Griner had plenty of help from her teammates in sealing the victory on Indiana’s home basketball court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Howard scored 20 points while making four three-point shots, while Brionna Jones contributed 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Allisha Gray had 16 points and six assists.

The Fever made a valiant comeback but came up short after trailing the Dream with a 76-65 deficit when the fourth quarter began. With 21.7 seconds left in the contest, Aaliyah Boston hit a free throw to take the lead 90-89 before Howard connected on her free throws to shut the door on the Fever.

The loss also evened their record to 1-1, as Boston and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 24 points.

The Dream and the Fever are slated to mix it up again, moving the matchup to Atlanta on May 22 at the State Farm Arena.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Ari Lennox will also hit the court when she performs at halftime.

Georgia High Schooler, College Scholarships, Graduation, honorary doctorate speaker — (Photo: Zinkevych/Getty Images)

by Kandiss Edwards

May 22, 2025

Smith College Commencement Speaker Has Honorary Doctorate Revoked For Plagiarism

Evelyn Harris, Smith College's 2025 commencement speaker, plagiarized portions of her speech leading to the return of her honorary doctorate.

Evelyn Harris, a musician and former member of the a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, has returned her honorary degree.

Smith College awarded the degree after the musician delivered the college’s commencement speech on May 18. The plagiarism was discovered a few days after the ceremony. Harris acknowledged merging large portions of past commencement speeches into her address. Harris did not provide proper attribution. Consequently, the lack of attribution violated the college’s standards of academic integrity.

Smith College posted a letter addressed to the school community. President Sarah Willie-LeBreton stated, “I must share with you, however, that it has come to our attention that one of our honorary degree recipients—musician Evelyn M. Harris—borrowed much of her speech to graduates and their families from the commencement speeches of others without the attribution typical of and central to the ideals of academic integrity.”

Willie-LeBreton explained that Harris was direct and honest about including previously written excerpts. The singer voluntarily relinquished the honorary degree during discussions with the college admin following the ceremony.

The college plans to update the graduation highlights posted on its website to reflect the change. Other honorary degree recipients at the ceremony included Harvard professor Danielle Allen, public health official Rachel Levine, and writer Preeti Simran Sethi.

Harris, who has long been active in the Western Massachusetts music scene, has not issued a public statement following the incident. Smith College officials have indicated that commencement materials on the college’s website will be updated to reflect the change.

Smith College’s commencement speaker is not the only reason the institution is in the news. The college’s decision to award an honorary degree to Dr. Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender four-star admiral, during its May 2025 commencement ceremony has sparked significant controversy.

Critics argue that honoring Levine, a transgender woman, at a historically women’s college undermines the institution’s commitment to women’s rights. Supporters of the college’s decision highlight Levine’s accomplishments in public health and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, viewing the honor as a reflection of Smith College’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Jadakiss — (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 22, 2025

Proud Father Jadakiss Celebrates Daughter’s Graduation From Morgan State University

The rapper's daughter, Jaidyon completes her degree at the HBCU

Yonkers wordsmith Jadakiss is the proud father of a Morgan State University graduate.

The former Bad Boy recording artist took to his social media page to acknowledge and congratulate his daughter, Jaidyon, for graduating from the famed HBCU.

“Congratulations to my beautiful Daughter @itsjaixo For Graduating from @morganstateu“

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by JADAKISS (@jadakiss)

There is no word on what she studied at Morgan State or what her degree is, but Jadakiss, known as one-third of the hip-hop group The Lox, is a successful businessman and already has a family business with his father and Jaidyn’s brother. Jadakiss, real name Jason Phillips, opened Kiss Cafe with his father, Bob Phillips, and son, Jaewon Phillips.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kiss Café Coffee (@kisscafecoffee)

And speaking of business, Jadakiss has just launched a podcast with fellow hip-hop recording artist Fat Joe, according to Billboard. The show is titled simply Joe & Jada. The podcast is produced by Colin Cowherd’s The Volume and Roc Nation, and the two rappers will discuss topics involving music, sports, and culture.

“I’m looking forward to teaming up with Joe on this podcast and showing another side of my personality,” Jadakiss said. “We’ve been friends for a long time, so we have the right chemistry and foundation to make this a really special show. Everyone is finally going to get to hear what we debate and discuss all the time behind the scenes.”

If you happen to be in the Jersey City, New Jersey, area on June 19, you can catch Jadakiss as a headline performer, along with Mario, at Liberty State Park at The Third Annual All About Us Festival. The performances will take place from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. and feature many activities celebrating freedom, Black culture, and family on the Juneteenth holiday. You can get tickets on the All About Us Festival website.

Cyril Ramaphosa — ITU Pictures from Photo credit: Geneva, Switzerland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 22, 2025

South African President Keeps Cool As Trump Pushes Bold Claims Of ‘White Genocide’

The meeting came weeks after the U.S. admitted white South African refugees - while shipping refugees of other ethnicities out.

Things took a familiar wrong turn as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sat calmly while President Donald Trump pushed false claims of “white genocide” during an Oval Office meeting, NBC News reported.

Ramaphosa kept his cool while calling Trump out on the U.S. decision to admit only white South Africans as refugees while pushing against immigrants from other countries. The 47th president baselessly pushed a narrative of genocide against white people in South Africa, which Ramaphosa and other South African leaders have denied. Ramaphosa took the time to calmly school Trump on people who may have been killed, and how they are not only white. “The people who do get killed, unfortunately through criminality, are not only white people,” he said.

BREAKING: After Trump allows only a group of all white people from South Africa to become refugees here in America, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa calls Trump out on his lies.

“The people who do get killed, unfortunately through criminality, are not only White people.… pic.twitter.com/iz5V8FHmDK
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) May 21, 2025

Trump’s claims have been supported by DOGE director and Tesla founder Elon Musk, whose feelings about the country’s racial equity laws resulted in the U.S. admitting white South African refugees — while shipping refugees of other ethnicities out.

Musk was present for the meeting, along with Vice President JD Vance, and other members of the Trump cabinet. Collectively, Trump and the X owner forced Ramaphosa and other South African leaders and reporters present to watch a montage of clips, including videos of people allegedly discussing “cutting the throat” and shooting white people.

While Ramaphosa denounced the language heard in the clips, saying it’s “not government policy,” the country’s minister of agriculture said that multiple people included in the montage were members of minority parties that are not in the country’s ruling coalition. “We have a multiparty democracy in South Africa that allows people to express themselves,” the minister said.

https://twitter.com/jimstewartson/status/1925231497075900467

The tense engagement was compared to that of a February 2025 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where Trump and Vance attacked him over the war. However, South African leaders and reporters had mixed reviews, some praising Ramaphosa, who is a protege of Nelson Mandela, for staying calm under increased pressure, but others wanted more.

According to NPR, Ramaphosa himself was preparing for the worst. “I know that many South Africans were filled with concern and fear that we will have a ‘Z’ moment,” the president said during a press briefing. “And all that did not ensue.”

He seemingly apologized to South African reporters who had traveled to Washington, D.C., to witness some drama but received the opposite. One reporter claimed to be satisfied with the dramatics, while another said Ramaphosa deserved a drink.

CDC, layoffs, Trump Administration — Public Domain

by Mitti Hicks

May 22, 2025

Investigation Found CDC Health Warnings Have Decreased As Disease Outbreaks Increase

As the nation’s top health protection agency, the CDC's mission is to save lives and protect people from health threats. It does this through critical science research and health information. However, an investigation found communication to the public on its platforms have either gone silent or have not been updated regularly like before.

An investigation by NPR reveals that health warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have decreased amid outbreaks nationwide.

As the nation’s top health protection agency, the CDC aims to save lives and protect people from health threats through critical scientific research and health information. However, as NPR points out, communication to the public on its platforms has either gone silent or has not been updated regularly like before.

“Public health functions best when its experts are allowed to communicate the work that they do in real time, and that’s not happening,” Kevin Griffis, the former director of communications at the CDC until March, told the publication.

He says people’s lives could be at risk without the critical health updates.

What Has Changed At The CDC

Before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the CDC managed most of its communication through social media platforms and newsletters. Staff communicated health messages daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly through its network of 150 newsletters on topics including diabetes and food safety.

After President Trump’s inauguration, the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, instructed the CDC to change its communication. The Trump administration sent directives to HHS that halted communication at the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the CDC until further notice, NBC reports.

How Americans Are Impacted By the CDC’s Change in Health Warnings

Social media is one of the fastest and effective ways for the CDC to disseminate information. Doctors, scientists, and researchers were allowed to update platforms quickly. The CDC has a following of over 13 million people on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

According to NPR’s investigation, some publications that have gone silent include the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and the weekly publication on disease outbreaks. This comes amid a historic rise in measles cases in some parts of the U.S., salmonella, listeria, and hepatitis A and C.

HHS approval is now a requirement for posting, but CDC employees told NPR investigators that health department officials are not accepting their content for social media.

However, Director of Communications at HHS Andrew Nixon says that the CDC staff is spreading false rumors.

When looking at the CDC’s social media account, the last post on its main Facebook page is a reel about germs and humidifiers on March 31, at the time of this report.

On X, the last post on May 14 discussed preliminary data showing a decline in overdose deaths between 2023 and 2024. The post before that responded to a news story on May 3 about inaccurate reporting.