by Sharelle B. McNair

January 6, 2026

Say What? Words Like ‘Black,’ ‘Women,’ ‘Disability,’ And ‘Tribal’ Are Now Banned From Head Start Grant Applications

One Head Start director labels the issue as an "impossible situation" since the federal Head Start Act holds many of the words that programs are now being forced to stray away from.

Head Start early childhood programs are fighting back against the Trump administration in a lawsuit after being told words like “Black,” “disability,” “female,” “minority,” “trauma,” “tribal,” and “women” must be removed from funding applications — or be denied, NPR reports.

The list, submitted Dec. 5, includes 200 words, including “accessible” and “belong” in a lawsuit from programs in states including Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin, and Illinois, all against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The group argues that the Trump administration’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ban in federal programs conflicts with Head Start’s statutory mandate, which includes providing “linguistically and culturally appropriate” services, in addition to early intervention services for disabled children.

The list revelation came after the executive director of a Wisconsin-based Head Start program submitted a Sept. 30, 2025, application for funding and was rejected after 50 years. Two months later, the director, Mary Roe, said she received two emails from HHS instructing her to “please remove the following words from your application” — a total of 19 words, including “racism,” “race,” and “racial” were listed.

Her application was returned, but shortly after, Roe received another email from her appointed HHS program specialist saying, “I wanted to follow up with you concerning your application.” “I sent it back asking for the removal of particular words, and I wanted to provide you with the complete list of words to make sure they are not in your applications,” the specialist explained.

Roe labels the issue an “impossible situation” since the federal Head Start Act contains many of the words that programs are now being forced to avoid. One of Head Start’s longstanding responsibilities is “to create inclusive and accessible classrooms for children with disabilities,” but now HHS is pushing against the words “disability,” “disabilities,” and “inclusion” in funding applications.

With the list now out in the public, Head Start centers could be forced to eliminate the definition of DEI, which the former lead of the Office of Child Care, Ruth Friedman, calls fear. “Grantees are sort of self-selecting out of those activities beforehand because of fear and direction they’re getting from the Office of Head Start that they can’t do these important research-based activities anymore that are important for children’s learning and that are actually required by law,” Friedman, who served under former President Joe Biden, said, according to Associated Press.

The move is another attack on DEI handed down by President Donald Trump who signed a January 2025 executive order labeling “illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws” but “also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system.”

Since then, the domino effect targeted college campuses, retail, nonprofits, grants, and more.

‘Dressed For The Part’ Boutique Opens On Rikers Island

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 6, 2026

‘Dressed For The Part’ Boutique Opens On Rikers Island

'This idea began years ago when I first reached out to DOC about establishing a space where incarcerated men could access proper business attire. This boutique is more than a project; it’s a legacy,' said Kevin Livingston, founder of 100 Suits.

A men’s boutique, “Dressed for the Part,” has been launched at New York City’s Rikers Island prison through a partnership between the New York City Department of Correction (DOC) and 100 Suits.

The DOC announced that the boutique is located at the Eric M. Taylor Center on Rikers Island. This continues the partnership between the DOC and 100 Suits, which has been in place since 2016. The organization empowers underserved and marginalized communities by providing professional attire, workforce development, and community development programs to inmates.

“A suit is so much more than stitching and fabric — it may support someone’s confidence to pursue opportunities once they return to the community,” said NYC Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie in a written statement. “Effective, well-designed programs like this not only foster personal reform but also contribute to safer, stronger facilities. When we invest in people, we improve our jails—and ultimately, our city.”

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A post shared by Kevin Livingston (@100suits)

The two entities have worked together, with 100 Suits offering inmates comedy shows, holiday meals, poetry slams, and other programming designed to promote dignity, healing, and community connection.

Dressed for the Part will offer business wear, including suits, ties, formal pants, button-up shirts, shoes, accessories, and more. There are on-site fitting rooms and mirrors for personalized fittings. The boutique will provide an upscale shopping experience, supporting individuals in custody with the essentials they need for court appearances, job interviews, program graduations, and reentry into society.

“I am beyond excited to officially launch this 100 Suits Boutique in partnership with the Department of Corrections,” said Kevin Livingston, founder of 100 Suits. “This idea began years ago when I first reached out to DOC about establishing a space where incarcerated men could access proper business attire. This boutique is more than a project; it’s a legacy. A legacy rooted in restoring dignity, instilling confidence, and building futures for those who’ve often been forgotten. I look forward to continuing this deep and meaningful relationship with the Department of Corrections through this vision. Together, we are not just changing clothes, we are changing lives.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 6, 2026

Kevin Durant Scores Game-Winning 3-Point Shot While Breaking One Of Michael Jordan’s Records

The Houston Rockets player accomplishes the feat against his former team, the Phoenix Suns

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant added another accolade to his NBA Hall of Fame-worthy career when he surpassed a record that Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan held. Durant, who is 37 years old, has scored 771 points in his first 30 games with the Rockets in his first year with the franchise, which breaks Jordan’s record of scoring 737 points at the age of 38 when he played his first year with the Washington Wizards.

According to The Sporting News, Durant broke the record for having the most points by a player age-35 or older through the first 30 games with a new team. Durant accomplished the feat against the team he played with last season, the Phoenix Suns, as the Rockets won 100-97.

Kevin Durant has 771 points through 30 career games with Houston, the most by any player age-35 or older through 30 career games with a new team.

The only other player with at least 700:

Michael Jordan, Was 737 pic.twitter.com/XSS22SixqY

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) January 5, 2026

It was definitely a great feeling for Durant, who also hit the game-winning three-point shot.

According to The New York Post, Durant was acquired in an offseason trade, and he felt the team blamed him for the team not jelling and for not making a legitimate run at the championship. They were expected to be one of the last teams standing before the season started last year. After the game, he told reporters he did not want to leave the team and felt like he was the scapegoat for the season not meeting the high expectations. After reaching the Western Conference semifinals three seasons ago and being swept two years ago, the team did not make the playoffs last season, finishing 36-46.

“A place that I didn’t want to leave. My first time being — I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I will — to be kicked out of a place. And feel like I’ve been scapegoated for the issues that we had as a team last year, yeah, it felt good to beat them and hit a game-winning shot.”

First Black Chief Deputy, Georgia, Sheriff

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 6, 2026

New Jersey Cops Learn Using The ‘N-Word’ Can Get Them Officially Fired

A whistleblower recorded the two men discussing prior cases.

A judge has ruled that two New Jersey cops caught on tape using the n-word in racist rants can officially be fired after collecting six-figure salaries while on suspension, the New York Post reports.

Superior Court Judge Lisa Miralles Walsh ruled Clark County Police Chief Pedro Matos and Sergeant Joseph Teston can finally be disciplined following a 2019 investigation.

Whistleblower Lt. Antonio Manata recorded the two men discussing prior cases. In reference to a 2017 case involving a bias incident where a black puppet was found hanging at a local high school, Matos was heard saying, “Because I want to prove that them f****** n******.” On a different tape, Teston was overheard saying that a Black suspect had a “big f****** monkey head.”

The scandal blew up, according to NJ.com, after it was revealed that Clark Township issued a $400,000 settlement to Manata in 2020 after he threatened to release the recordings of the officers and former longtime mayor, Sal Bonaccorso, who was also recorded using racial slurs and referring to women in law enforcement as “f****** disasters.”

Attorney General Matthew Platkin called for Matos and Teston to be fired in November 2023 after the criminal investigation was delayed. He also pushed for a third officer involved, Capt. Vincent Concina, to be demoted after he was accused of retaliating against Manata.

Bonaccorso is currently serving three years of probation following a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit official misconduct and forgery. However, Jersey taxpayers were unknowingly paying the racist cops over $2.6 million in salary alone since their suspension. Matos was paid $979,298, while Concina received $178,979, and Teston received $147,556.

Each officer’s payment increased by more than 14% after their 2020 suspension.

In lawsuits later dismissed, the three police officers argued the recordings violated their procedural safeguards. Their attorneys claimed the lengthy delays in investigations were “ungodly” and felt their clients should not face consequences as a result. According to New Jersey state law, internal affairs charges must be filed within 45 days of gathering “sufficient information” to support the charges, starting as soon as a criminal investigation wraps up.

The officers claim the investigation against them concluded by April 2022, roughly a year and a half before Platkin’s office submitted a report.

Benin, Bronze, Dutch, Netherlands, Nigeria

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 6, 2026

Netherlands To Repatriate ‘Benin Bronzes’ To Nigeria, Returning Artifacts To Rightful Home

The museum will return the items in an agreement with the Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

A Dutch museum will repatriate its portion of the Benin Bronzes to their rightful home in Nigeria.

According to Good News Network, the Museum Volkenkunde will return the 119 artifacts that initially belonged to the old Kingdom of Benin. The kingdom’s origins lie in modern-day Nigeria, not the modern nation of Benin, as the West African nation plans to accept the stolen items back into its rightful ownership.

The British took the famed bronze statues in the 19th century, and the British Museum still holds the majority of them. The hundreds of stolen artifacts became a major point in the issue of looted art, with the items spread across the Western art world. In 2022, Nigeria sent out formal requests to museums to return the stolen items.

Now, the Netherlands’ folk art museum has agreed to return its share of the items to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The commission made a statement about the “good example” set by the Dutch, while hoping that they would influence other nations to follow suit on repatriation.

“We thank the Netherlands for their cooperation and hope this will set a good example for other nations of the world in terms of repatriation of lost or looted antiquities,” Olugible Holloway, the commission’s director, said in a statement obtained by Euro News.

The Dutch culture and education minister also issued a statement about the importance of returning the Benin Bronzes. Calling them “indispensable” to Nigerian history and culture, the government official considered the repatriation an act of global responsibility.

“Cultural heritage is essential for telling and living the history of a country and a community,” Eppo Bruins, the Dutch culture and education minister, said. “The Benin Bronzes are indispensable to Nigeria. It is good that they are going back.”

In the U.S., some of the statues are currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution. However, following Nigeria’s public request, the museum entered a loan agreement to keep nine of these statues on display until the end of 2026.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 6, 2026

U.S. Expands List Of Countries Required To Pay Up To $15,000 Bonds For Visa Applications

The Trump administration has added seven countries, mostly in Africa, to the list required to pay high bonds for U.S. visa applications.

The Trump administration has added seven countries, mostly in Africa, to the growing list of nations whose citizens must post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for U.S. visas.

A recent notice on Travel.state.gov shows that the State Department quietly added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan to the list, effective Jan. 1, AP News reports. With 13 countries now designated, and all but two in Africa, obtaining a U.S. visa has become significantly harder for many applicants.

Applicants from these countries now face a significant upfront financial requirement before their visa requests can be processed. Bonds range from $5,000 to $15,000, with U.S. officials saying the policy aims to curb visa overstays and boost compliance. Paying the bond does not guarantee approval to enter the country, and in many affected African nations, the maximum bond exceeds average annual incomes.

The move effectively bars students, entrepreneurs, tourists, and families with legitimate travel plans from entering the country, a move that critics argue disproportionately impacts African travelers and restricts access to education, business, and tourism opportunities. The new additions join countries like Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi, and Zambia, which were added to the list last August and October.

The State Department says certain exemptions still apply, including for lawful permanent residents, some visa holders, diplomats, and athletes attending major international events. Waivers may also be granted on a case-by-case basis if travel is deemed in the national interest.

The additions to the list reflect the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten U.S. entry requirements, including mandatory in-person interviews for all visa applicants and disclosure of years of social media activity, emails, and detailed information on personal and family travel and living history.

Immigration advocates warn that the expanding bond list signals stricter U.S. immigration policies that hit developing countries, especially in Africa, and could impact education, business, tourism, and diplomatic ties.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 6, 2026

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield To Give New Moms Cash Assistance Through ‘Rx Kids’

Newly sworn-in Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield will support families with newborns through cash assistance as part of the expanding Rx Kids initiative.

Just days into her administration, newly sworn-in Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield announced that Detroit is now the largest city in the country to join Michigan State University’s Rx Kids initiative.

On Jan. 5, the city of Detroit announced that Sheffield would roll out Rx Kids citywide, aiming to ease financial pressures on families during one of the most critical stages of a child’s development. The program, already active in 20 Michigan communities, provides $1,500 during mid-pregnancy, followed by $500 a month for at least the first six months after birth.

With roughly 8,000 babies born in Detroit each year, Sheffield calls the effort a historic step that could set a new national model for how cities support families when it counts most.

“Detroit has always been a city that leads with heart and courage, and today we are once again setting a national standard by ensuring that every mother has real support, and every baby has a strong start,” Mayor Sheffield said when announcing the program launch at the Franklin Wright Settlements, a human services organization. “I spoke many times during my campaign about a renewed focus on key quality of life supports that directly impact Detroit families. I am proud to say that as Mayor of Detroit, I have fought hard to bring Rx Kids to Detroit, and have made it a priority to launch this transformational program in the first 100 days of my administration.”

Rx Kids targets high-need areas based on child poverty and maternal-infant health, and is open to mothers regardless of income. Participants have praised the program, with early data showing drops in evictions, preterm births, and NICU admissions.

Sheffield sees the program as a critical tool against Detroit’s significantly high poverty rates, which in 2024, had roughly 34% to 34.5% of residents living in poverty, with child poverty even higher at 43% to 51%, about triple the national average.

“Today, we take a step forward in our fight against poverty, and today we affirm that all children deserve a strong start in life and that the health of a city begins with the health of its children,” Mayor Sheffield said. “Too many of our children are entering life’s journey burdened by financial hardship before they even take their first steps. That reality to me is unacceptable, and it demands bold and compassionate action.”

Surrounded by moms and toddlers at the Jan. 5 news conference, Sheffield called Rx Kids a “transformational program” that gives expectant mothers the dignity to decide how to spend the cash, which in other cities has gone toward rent, utilities, diapers, and food. In Detroit, families will also access wraparound services, including utility assistance and tax prep, through partnerships with the United Way and Wayne Metro.

The program is expanding quickly, set to reach 28 Michigan communities by the end of the month. With $250 million allocated in the 2026 state budget, Rx Kids could support tens of thousands more infants in the coming years.

Christian Keyes Accuses Tyler Perry Of Trying To Steal ‘All The Queen’s Men’ And Make It ‘Weird’

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 6, 2026

Christian Keyes Accuses Tyler Perry Of Trying To Steal ‘All The Queen’s Men’ And Make It ‘Weird’

Actor Christian Keyes is calling out Tyler Perry and accusing him of trying to steal his creative credit on the BET+ series "All the Queen's Men."

Actor Christian Keyes is calling out BET and Tyler Perry over their handling of his original series, All the Queen’s Men, which he claims Perry tried to “steal my creative credit.”

As the BET+ series approaches its fifth and final season, Keyes took to Instagram to share his true feelings about the show’s conclusion and the behind-the-scenes conflicts with the billionaire media mogul.

“I’m not mad about not being there no more. Because, I mean, the studio tried to steal my creative credit,” Keyes said in a video captured by The Shade Room.

Noting a recent advertisement he saw the network make for the show, Keyes accused BET of trying to “post my show like that’s y’all show.”

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A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Keyes originally created All the Queen’s Men based on his book Ladies Night, but says the BET+ drama took a sharp, uncomfortable turn under Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry Studios, with Perry allegedly trying to strip him of creative control.

“It’s you putting the show out there, but you’re also the same studio, Tyler Perry Studios, that removed my creative credit,” Keyes said. “And I had to call a union to have them make you, force TPS to put it back on there.”

Keyes says that after losing full creative control, the series began to feel unfamiliar. His original vision was a gritty, grounded drama exploring power, relationships, and survival within a male strip club empire. By seasons two and three, however, he claims Perry steered the storytelling toward shock value over substance, introducing plotlines he described as “weird” and unnecessary.

“And season two and season three is when All the Queen’s Men got weird, and dudes started getting r-ped with dildos and all that weird sh-t,” Keyes quipped. “Nobody wants to see that sh-t. Put that on your show.”

After having to cede control of the show he created, Keyes called Perry’s leadership “corny,” accusing him of trying to take credit for the series.

“Why try to, you got 16, 17 shows. I got one. Let me have credit,” Keyes said. “My contract says I get credit. Why your corny trying to steal my credit? Because you can’t write like me. Yeah, I wrote the book. And I wrote the show. I wrote the pilot.”

As a result, Keyes says he’s “glad” the show is leaving BET+ and plans to continue the series elsewhere, away from Tyler Perry and the network.

“I’m not sad that my show isn’t there anymore. After season five, it won’t be there anymore,” he said. “I won’t have to deal with that shady, corny kind of leadership over there that would dare.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 6, 2026

Second Georgia Lawmaker Gets Caught Up Over Defrauding Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

Ahead of her indictment, Bennett resigned from her position within the Georgia General Assembly.

Another Georgia lawmaker has been indicted on pandemic fraud charges.

State Rep. Karen Bennett, a Democrat who represents the Stone Mountain area within Metro Atlanta, was indicted Jan. 5 by a federal grand jury for defrauding pandemic unemployment assistance. Bennett allegedly used government payouts she was not legally entitled to for her in-house physical therapy company.

According to WSB-TV, prosecutors argued that Bennett received $13,940 for her business, Metro Therapy Providers, on claims that it could not operate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, further investigation discovered that the company remained open during the global health crisis. The business only shut down for a short while.

Despite continuing to service clients, Bennett allegedly lied on her Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program application. In Georgia, the program provided unemployment benefits for up to 79 weeks for those who could not work due to COVID-19.

CBS News reported that Bennett first submitted her falsified application in April 2020 and continued to receive checks through August. She initially applied for unemployment insurance, yet was denied. She later received assistance through the newly established PUA program, claiming that quarantine restrictions had stunted her work.

In her initial claims, Bennett falsely stated that she received no pay from her business or from her work in the Georgia legislature. While prosecutors claim that Bennett certified she made only $300 one week, she actually brought in roughly $1,200.

She also received payments from a church, totaling over $900 per week. The fraud indictment went beyond claims that she wrongly used the benefits, as the instance also led to one count of falsifying statements.

The news also follows another state representative who was arrested and charged for taking thousands in pandemic unemployment claims. The lawmaker, Covington Rep. Sharon Henderson, reportedly took $17,000 from the PUA program.

Upon her indictment, Bennett was released on a $10,000 bond. Before the indictment, Bennett resigned from her role serving House District 94 in a letter addressed to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, sent Dec. 31.

“It has been a distinct honor to serve the people of Georgia and the constituents of the 94th House District,” Bennett wrote. “I am proud of the work accomplished by the Georgia General Assembly when we came together to advance policies that strengthened our state and improved the lives of all Georgians. Serving in this capacity has truly been a labor of love, and one I will deeply miss.”

If convicted, Bennett may have to return the funds wrongfully earned from the program. If she cannot repay, the authorities could also seek to have property forfeited to repay the debt.

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 6, 2026

Trump Drops New Coins, None with Black People, To Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary

Frederick Douglass and Ruby Bridges were recommended to be featured on commemorative quarters but were later dumped.

President Donald Trump wants America to remember the past with new coins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, circulating on Jan. 5—a day before the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Capitol assault—that leave off prominent African-American leaders, NPR reports.

The 2026 semiquincentennial coins, first authorized in 2021, will feature former presidents and slave owners, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, selected by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The idea of another face on the coin is being floated around as well: a $1 coin with Trump’s face, a move associated with monarchies.

https://twitter.com/1776pax/status/1999947462656856291

In the early planning stages, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee recommended five commemorative quarters, featuring civil rights leaders and moments such as Frederick Douglass to celebrate the abolition of slavery, and 6-year-old Ruby Bridges to highlight the civil rights movement and American school desegregation. Another coin would highlight the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

But when the anniversary coin designs were revealed in late December 2025, Douglass, Bridges, and other quarters were nowhere to be found. The Revolutionary War and the Gettysburg Address were recognized instead.

https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump/status/2003618842593862072

The move erases a story of diversity and inclusion, something the second Trump Administration has focused on since the day one. According to the Washington Post, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said the Biden administration’s focus on DEI and critical race theory is a thing of the past. “Trump administration is dedicated to fostering prosperity and patriotism.”

The narrative is supported by Kristie McNally, acting director of the U.S. Mint, who, in a statement, said, “The designs on these historic coins depict the story of America’s journey toward a ‘more perfect union,’ and celebrate America’s defining ideals of liberty.”

In an effort to restore “patriotic education,” Trump and his team have made controversial moves to some of the nation’s most protected stations, such as national parks, monuments, and museums, to rid the nation of the true story of America and its hurtful truths.

Targeting African-American history, education departments across the country have dumped certain studies in the classroom. In early 2025, the administration issued an audit of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), claiming that lies were being told within exhibits and that there was too much focus on slavery.

But this isn’t the first time Trump has kept Black leaders from being celebrated. During his first term, Harriet Tubman’s image on the $20 bill was halted after Trump criticized the decision, made by former president Barack Obama, as “pure political correctness.”

“The question was do we focus only on what happened in 1776 and the years around that or do we also talk about everything that has happened since then,” said Lawrence Brown, a retired New York City doctor who served on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee from 2019 to 2024. “To me, the latter is just as important, if not more important, because it gives us answers to the questions of how we maintained that Constitution? How did we maintain our independence?”