by Mary Spiller

January 18, 2025

D.C. Residents Rush To Flee Ahead Of Trump Inauguration

As Republicans and conservatives are flooding the area for the Jan. 20 Inauguration, others can't wait to get out.

Washington, D.C. residents are fleeing the DMV area ahead of Trump’s inauguration, worried about the city’s energy. While Republicans and conservatives are flooding the area for the Jan. 20 Inauguration, others can’t wait to get out.

As reported by The Guardian, residents like Alejandra Whitney-Smith have plans in place for where to go for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week.

She explained, “It [inauguration weekend] coincides with my birthday weekend, which I usually do spend in D.C., but when the election happened, I told myself, ‘Oh, no, I can’t be here.’”

The time is particularly stressful for her, as her mother was working at the Library of Congress during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021, which many claim was incited by Trump. “I just remember that feeling of fear for her and then also just concern for me being in the city. I just knew for me – I didn’t want to be around that sort of hostile negative energy.”

The Capitol insurrection took place when Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol building to stop the certification of electoral votes after Trump’s loss to Joe Biden.

Whitney-Smith said Trump “represents the ugly side of America that people don’t want to acknowledge.”

She added, “I guess I maybe mistakenly had a lot of faith that people saw what happened during the first administration and I figured we as a country wouldn’t regress,” she said.

Whitney-Smith, an attorney, reflected on what this time meant for her as a Black woman, especially after Trump beat out Kamala Harris in the election.

She said earnestly, “But I also know the reality of living in this country as a Black woman. As much as I wanted Harris to win, there was something in me that still told me that America was not ready for its first Black woman president. Not only that, she was running against Donald Trump who has an almost cult-like following that is so powerful.”

Whitney-Smith’s sentiment differs from the hundreds of conservatives flocking to D.C. Hotels are reportedly booked up to 70% as of Jan. 16, and rooms are going for between $900 to $1,500 a night.

The inauguration festivities in D.C. are not reflective of Trump’s prior opinions of Washington D.C. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump called the city a “filthy and crime-ridden embarrassment to our nation.”

Bush, Obama, Virginia, New Jersey, Gubernatorial, Clinton,Trump, luncheon

by Mary Spiller

January 18, 2025

Obama, Clinton, Bush Will Not Attend Trump’s Inaugural Luncheon

Trump's administration has not commented on the absences from the luncheon.

Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush will not attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural lunch, which goes against tradition.

As reported by NBC News, Obama and Clinton were invited to the event, but both declined to attend. Bush’s office stated it was not looking for an invite to the luncheon.

Former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton also got an invitation to the inaugural luncheon, but a source stated that she would not attend.

Although the former presidents and first ladies—except Michelle Obama—declined to attend the luncheon, they agreed to attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony earlier that day.

The Obamas’ office said in a statement, “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.”

Michelle Obama also didn’t attend the funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter. Barack Obama, George W. and Laura Bush, and Bill and Hillary Clinton attended, as well as current President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, and Trump and Melania Trump.

The decision of so many former presidents to decline to attend the Inaugural luncheon is notable, as it has been a tradition since 1987, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the JCCIC, which hosts the luncheon.

The Trump transition team has not commented on the three former presidents declining the lunch.

None of the former Presidents who declined to attend the luncheon supported Trump’s candidacy. While Bush did not explicitly make an endorsement, Obama and Clinton actively campaigned in opposition for Vice President Kamala Harris.

According to Angel Urena, the Bushes’ representative, they plan to attend Trump’s inauguration. A Clinton representative, Nick Merrill, also announced that they would attend.

by Daniel Johnson

January 18, 2025

After Trump Moved His Inauguration Inside, The Internet Had Jokes

On social media, users had a different reaction to the abrupt change in inauguration plans, and made jokes about Trump’s obsession with crowd size.

After President-elect Donald Trump abruptly ordered his Jan. 20 inauguration moved inside on Jan. 17, those who had ordered tickets were left scrambling, while those opposed to the returning president had jokes related to his well-documented obsession with crowd sizes on social media.

According to The Washington Post, Trump indicated on his social media platform that the parade would also be moved inside to Capital One Arena, but both local and federal officials provided no update on the plans for the procession.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, a bipartisan group tasked with planning the inauguration, stated in an email to staff on Jan. 17 that the 220,000 tickets they had distributed would now become commemorative tickets due to the inability of most ticketed guests to attend the ceremony in person.

On social media, however, users had a different reaction to the abrupt change in inauguration plans and made jokes about Trump’s obsession with crowd size.

https://twitter.com/mmpadellan/status/1880295658827182273?s=19

https://twitter.com/ArtCandee/status/1880308460585382094?s=19

Many people are saying that the REAL reason trump's inauguration is going to be inside is because he knew he was going to have a puny crowd size.

Punk ass bitch. pic.twitter.com/L51gH03V7n
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) January 18, 2025

https://twitter.com/ChrisDJackson/status/1880300088159047958?s=19

https://twitter.com/ArtCandee/status/1880303063258530018?s=19

In addition, there was also a planned protest of the President-elect, similar to the 2017 Women’s March, this time including a larger tent of protestors, including pro-Palestinian coalitions, labor groups, and socialist movements.

The group still plans to protest because they oppose Trump and his agenda, which one organizer said was a “billionaire agenda, which is a far-right extremist agenda.”

Brian Becker, the executive director of the ANSWER Coalition, one of the groups organizing the protest, told the Washington Post, “Just because the weather is a little colder doesn’t stop the urgency of a popular mobilization in support of immigrant families.”

Becker also alluded to Ronald Regan’s 1985 inauguration, which he also protested against, and was also moved indoors due to concerns over cold weather.

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, where the government goes indoors or cancels, and a progressive movement stays outside and continues to mobilize and protest,” Becker said.

According to NBC News, Trump supporters who traveled to Washington D.C. to see their man at the inauguration are disappointed.

Some, like Oklahomans Ken Robinson and Harry Troyer, told the outlet that having it inside makes it less of a marquee event.

“We might as well stay at home and watch it on TV. I’m kind of disappointed, to be honest with you,” Robinson explained. “We came here to watch it in person. We don’t really care to watch it on a Jumbotron.”

Troyer chimed in, “Cold ain’t gonna hurt nobody. We have farms, and we don’t get to not feed the cows ’cause it’s cold.”

Jose Granado, who traveled from Miami, told NBC News that spending money on plane tickets and other accommodations only to have the event moved inside was kind of deflating.

“We made all of the plans and all of the arrangements to come up and be a part of this event, and…it’s kind of a bummer,” Granado said.

by Mary Spiller

January 18, 2025

Rapper Nelly Set To Perform At Donald Trump’s Inauguration Liberty Ball

Nelly's participation at Trump's inauguration has Black fans on X disappointed and upset.

Texas-born rapper Nelly has just been announced to perform at one of President-elect Donald Trump’s three official inaugural balls on Jan 20. In response, the news has sparked an outpouring of criticism from the Black community on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The 50-year-old Grammy Award-winning artist will perform at the Inaugural Liberty Ball on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

According to CBS, Nelly — best known for his 2002 hip-hop hit “Hot In Herre” — will be one of the artists joining Trump’s Liberty Ball after he is sworn in as president.

Nelly won’t be the only big-name artist performing at Trump’s inauguration. Also recently announced, Carrie Underwood — a country music powerhouse — is set to perform alongside well-known opera singer Christopher Macchio and “Life is a Highway” singer Rascal Flatts at the main event. More notably, West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg, a former critic of Trump, reportedly will perform at one of Trump’s pre-inaugural events this weekend.

NEW from @finnygo & me: rapper Nelly is set to perform at Trump's Inaugural Liberty Ball on Monday night according to sources familiar with Inauguration planning.@CBSNews @CBSPolitics
— Taurean Small (@taureansmall) January 17, 2025

Fans of Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr, have expressed their disappointment over the rapper’s decision to perform at Trump’s events.

One user on X wrote, disappointed, “This has been Nelly’s crowd.”

This has been Nelly’s crowd. He leans into that country genre and it’s fans. He had a concert here a few years back, and the vast majority of the attendees were the demographic of Trump supporters. This isn’t surprising to me.
— Carter2x (@TulaneTiger) January 17, 2025

Another added, “Now Nelly? The Trump Inaugural Ball? Y’all just accepting ANY bookings atp lol.”

https://twitter.com/armanivalore/status/1880380493574861125?s=19

“Snoop AND Nelly?! Tap Dancing for Massa is how we’re starting off 2025?!”

https://twitter.com/beautifulwon323/status/1880446985532260489?s=19

One user called Trump a “tyrant” in their post about the Inauguration music lineup, stating, “We have Black celebrities like @SnoopDogg and Nelly supporting this tyrant like he’s a normal person. That means they are okay with his policies and his hatred towards immigrants. F*** you, Snoop, and f*** you too, Nelly, cuz y’all ain’t s***. And y’all are dead to me.”

We have Black celebrities like @SnoopDogg and Nelly supporting this tyrant like he’s a normal person. That means they are okay with his policies and his hatred towards immigrants. Fuck you Snoop and fuck you too Nelly cuz y’all ain’t shit. And y’all are dead to me.
— Nana_55 (@msleen1970) January 18, 2025

https://twitter.com/ASpoiled_Bee/status/1880609517593133541?s=19

The switch to supporting MAGA’s politics seems to contradict Nelly’s previous views. The St.Louis rapper previously stated on Page Six in 2017, “You know the thing about Donald Trump is that I liked Donald Trump, I did, I just don’t like Donald Trump as my president.”

He explained at the time, “[Trump] doesn’t surprise me as a person, he surprises me as a president because you don’t expect certain things, certain attitudes.”

by Jameelah Mullen

January 18, 2025

78 Bodies Recovered From South African Illegal Gold Mine As Police Face Backlash For ‘Horrific’ Blockade Strategy

Illegal miners said they had to eat cockroaches after police cut off their food supply.

Rescue workers retrieved at least 78 bodies from an illegal gold mine in South Africa, where police cut off food and water supplies for several months in what critics called a “horrific” act to stop illegal mining. The 246 survivors, many of whom were emaciated, were arrested for illegal mining and entering the country illegally. According to authorities, most of the miners were from other southern African countries.

The mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, has been the scene of a standoff between police and miners since November, when authorities implemented a plan to force the miners out by cutting off the food and water supply.

Most of the miners at Stilfontein were from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.

Authorities also removed the ropes and pulley system they used to lower supplies and enter and exit the mines, about .2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) deep. According to South African police, miners could exit the mines but refused out of fear of arrest, a claim that community activists refute.

“We’ve never blocked any shafts. We’ve never blocked anyone from coming out,” Athlenda Mathe, the South African police’s national spokesperson, said in a press conference, Reuters reported. Our mandate was to combat criminality, and that is exactly what we’ve been doing. “By providing food, water, and necessities to these illegal miners, it would be the police entertaining and allowing criminality to thrive,” she said.

Since November, several miners have been rescued by community members using ropes. Civil rights groups sued the South African government in January after videos surfaced showing dead bodies in the mine. In the court petitions obtained by The Daily Maverick, miners claimed that some people were trying to escape and had fallen to their deaths. Miners also stated the conditions forced people to eat cockroaches and human flesh.

South African authorities have received harsh criticism from private citizens and activist groups for their actions. The South African Federation Of Trade Unions (SAFTU) issued a statement accusing the South African government of carrying out a “massacre.”

“These miners, many of them undocumented and desperate workers from Mozambique and other Southern African countries, were left to die in one of the most horrific displays of state wilful negligence in recent history,” the organization wrote on its website. “This massacre reflects the South African government’s failure to uphold the most basic tenet of our Constitution: the right to life.”

Georgia Black Women’s Roundtable (GA BWR)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 18, 2025

Black Women Take Charge: Over 200 Leaders Unite At Georgia Capitol To Push Legislative Agenda

A coalition of Black women is working to address key challenges impacting Black families throughout the state of Georgia.

More than 200 professional Black women from various industries gathered at the Georgia Capitol for an event to harness their collective power to influence the legislative agenda in support of Black women and hold lawmakers accountable.

On Jan. 16, the Georgia Black Women’s Roundtable (GA BWR), a women’s initiative of the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda (People’s Agenda), united for “Black Women U3: United. Unapologetic. Unstoppable.” The event featured the unveiling of the Georgia Black Women’s Agenda, a report addressing key challenges impacting Black families throughout the state, a press release states.

The GA Black Women’s Agenda highlights critical issues such as economic development, entrepreneurship, and education, calling for increased investment in schools, particularly in underserved areas, to address Georgia’s below-average student funding. The agenda also prioritizes public and mental health, as well as tackling systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect Black women, including significant disparities in maternal mortality rates and reproductive rights.

The agenda also raises concerns about Project 2025, the effects of worsening environmental injustices caused by the rollback of climate action, and voting rights. Emphasizing the vital role of Black women in the electoral process, the agenda calls for stronger measures to ensure their voices are heard and represented.

“What we do matters. We’ve got to start working now to make sure our folks understand the consequences. Voting has consequences,” said Andrea Young, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia.

Helen Butler, convener of GA BWR and executive director of the People’s Agenda, emphasized the significance of hosting the event during Atlanta’s week-long celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. She explained that the timing underscores the coalition’s unwavering dedication to advancing justice and equity for Black families.

“Black women across Georgia are standing together making it clear to legislators and stakeholders that we are united, unapologetic, and unstoppable,” Butler said in a statement. “We intend to shape the policy agenda raising the visibility of issues important to Black women, build political power, and drive accountability from lawmakers.”

The U3 follows GA BWR’s 2024 gathering in Macon, Georgia, where Black women came together to develop a comprehensive agenda for Black women, prioritizing critical issues affecting the Black community and identifying actionable solutions for meaningful change. After months of extensive planning sessions and surveys, the ladies created the Georgia Black Women’s Agenda, highlighting the key issues they are advocating for at the Georgia Capitol.

“God has assembled us together at this state capitol for such a time as this,” said host of “The Wake Up Call with Dee,” Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler. “We are here on the very first day of session to let everyone know that Black women are concerned about things that are important to us. Today you are on notice that Black women are here to stay. Our time is now.”

The next step for GA BWR will be in March 2025, when the organization will lead a Georgia delegation to the 14th Annual BWR National Conference in Washington, D.C. During the conference, they plan to present the GA Black Women’s Agenda to national representatives.

RELATED CONTENT: BMXCEL Authors’ Roundtable

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 18, 2025

Wendy Williams Breaks Silence About ‘Prison’ She Is Forced To Live In, ‘I Am Not Cognitively Impaired’

Wendy Williams is speaking out against her conservatorship and living conditions at a facility she describes as a "prison."

Wendy Williams has spoken out, declaring that she is “not cognitively impaired” despite earlier reports that suggested she was permanently incapacitated.

The former talk show host called into The Breakfast Club on Thursday morning, speaking openly about her conservatorship and describing it as a “prison” where she feels “trapped.” This marked her first public interview since her revelations in Lifetime’s Where Is Wendy Williams documentary.

Accompanied by her niece, Alex Finnie, Williams alleged she had been subjected to “emotional abuse” by her caregivers. She expressed dissatisfaction with her living conditions at a New York facility for elderly patients, claiming she is not allowed access to her phone or laptop while under guardianship.

“I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison,” Williams declared. “I am definitely isolated. To talk to these people who live here, that is not my cup of tea.”

“I keep the door closed,” Williams said of her day-to-day activities. “I watch TV. I listen to the radio. I watch the window. I sit here, and my life goes by.”

The former Wendy Williams Show host also claimed her cats have been taken and are “gone” despite her “wanting them with” her.

Williams, who is diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), went on to reveal the medication she is allegedly forced to take while at the facility.

“Where I am, OK? You have to get keys to unlock the door to press the elevator to go downstairs,” she explained. “Second of all, these people here, everybody is like a nursemaid, so to speak. They come in and give your pills, and then you leave.”

“I’ve had two pills my whole life. There are seven pills, I have no idea what this pill is doing. I haven’t been to a pill person in a matter of a long time. To the point where, ‘Excuse me doctor, can you tell me what this pill is for?’ ”

The former radio personality believes her circumstances over the last three years are the result of being “caught up in the system. This has been three years. I’ve been caught up in this system,” she said.

In 2022, Williams was placed under court-ordered guardianship after Wells Fargo froze her accounts, citing claims from her former financial adviser that she was of “unsound mind.” New York attorney Sabrina Morrissey was subsequently appointed as her legal guardian.

“Listen, this system is broken, this system that I’m in. This system has falsified a lot,” Williams said during the call.

Her family has been speaking out against the conservatorship, and Finnie has revealed that family members cannot contact Williams directly.

“This is the reality. This has been our lives. But specifically her life,” Finnie said. “She can call us, but we can’t call her. That’s been the reality since 2023. That room she is sitting in, she’s there every day, all hours of the day, every week, every month. She’s not getting proper sunlight. I went to New York in October to visit her, and the level of security and the level of questions that there were in terms of who am I, why am I here, what’s the purpose, it was absolutely just horrible.”

TMZ CEO Harvey Levin spoke with Williams for 90 minutes on Friday. He called the guardianship into question, saying the Williams he talked to on the phone is “lucid, articulate, opinionated and….. a far cry from the picture being painted by her guardianship’s attorney, who says she is permanently disabled with frontal lobe dementia.”

wildfires, California, Los Angeles, fire, Hollywood, insurance

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 18, 2025

Goodr Calls On Atlanta To Aid SoCal Wildfire Victims In ‘ATL to LA Relief Drive’

Goodr is bringing the Atlanta community together to aid those impacted by the wildfires in Southern California.

Goodr, the Atlanta-based hunger relief organization, is leading a community initiative to support families impacted by the devastating wildfires in Southern California.

On Wednesday, the sustainable food waste management company announced the launch of the “ATL to LA Relief Drive,” an initiative to transport a semi-trailer loaded with 16 pallets of essential supplies across the country to support those affected by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles and other areas of Southern California.

“Southern California is facing an unimaginable crisis, and families who have lost everything need our help,” Goodr’s founder and
CEO Jasmine Crowe-Houston said in a statement. “We at Goodr, know the power of community, and we’re calling on Atlanta to show up and help us support our neighbors during this challenging time.”

To launch the initiative, Goodr is calling on the local Atlanta community to donate critical supplies, including snacks, canned goods, hygiene products, baby essentials, pet food, water, air purifiers, over-the-counter medicines, and blankets. The donations can be brought to two allotted locations:

Warehouse Collection Site at 650 Atlanta South Parkway, Suite 108, Atlanta, GA 30349 (Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 8 PM)
Goodr Community Market @ iVillage: 2491 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30311 (Monday-Friday, 8 AM – 6 PM)

Goodr is also encouraging contributions to nonprofits providing direct aid to families, including World Central Kitchen, Mutual Aid LA Network, and the LA Fire Department Foundation. Monetary donations can be made to those directly impacted through the SoCal Fire Victims page on GoFundMe.

“Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those impacted by the wildfires. Join us in showing the strength and compassion
of the Atlanta community,” Goodr said.

According to recent reports, the fires, which began on Jan. 7, have claimed at least 27 lives, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and scorched more than 60 square miles. The Palisades and Eaton wildfires remain active, with tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents still under evacuation orders.

by Kandiss Edwards

January 18, 2025

Report: Tennessee State Band Director On Leave After Financial Audit Raises Concerns

It's the latest in a list of problems for the HBCU.

The Tennessean reports that Reginald McDonald, band director at Tennessee State University, has been placed on administrative leave and is reportedly under investigation for unexplained expenditures following an internal audit of the university’s finances.

“This decision concerns outstanding travel requisitions and advances and related lack of compliance with TSU policies and procedures,” TSU interim President Dwayne Tucker said in a press release. “Dr. McDonald will be on administrative leave with full pay while we continue this investigation.”

Tennessee State University removes band director, launches investigation https://t.co/thO6hbKFn3

— Tennessean (@Tennessean) January 16, 2025

Tucker did not provide a timeline for the investigation. As the audit continues, the Grammy-winning “Aristocrat of Bands” is left in limbo. University programs have faced financial challenges in recent years, and this year, the band, which typically performs alongside the football team, has seen its traveling reduced.

McDonald’s departure coincides with the release of Tennessee State University’s football schedule. The university’s famed Southern Heritage Classic has been removed from the list of events for 2025, according to WREG-TV Memphis.

Kevin Kane, president of Memphis Tourism, says the event is on “pause.”

When TSU’s “The Urban Hymnal,” featuring Sir the Baptist, won Best Roots Gospel Album at the 65th Grammy Awards, Sir the Baptist spoke about the financial difficulties facing HBCUs in his acceptance speech.

“To be honest with you guys, HBCUs are so grossly underfunded that I had to put my last dime to get us across the line,” Baptist continued, thanking Tennessee State University staff, faculty, students, and alumni for their efforts. “Our pockets are empty, but our hands aren’t!”

In June 2024, TSU President Glenda Glover resigned. After years of financial mismanagement and budget deficits, Tennessee lawmakers dismantled the university’s leadership.

Florida Museum Of Black History, Florida

by Mary Spiller

January 18, 2025

How To Celebrate MLK Day In The DMV Area Around The Inauguration This Weekend

Monday's MLK Day is sharing the spotlight with Donald Trump's Inauguration events.

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 20, DMV area residents in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia have a full weekend of activities and services to get involved in this weekend.

Despite the craze surrounding Donald Trump’s inauguration, which takes place on MLK Day, residents can still find parades and celebrations to honor the civil rights icon on the weekend, according to ABC News.

On Jan. 18, the 2025 MLK Holiday 20th Annual Peace Walk and Parade will be taking place in D.C. Celebrating King’s legacy with the theme “Commit to the Noble Struggle for Equal Rights,” the historic event will continue to honor MLK’s dream on one of the very first streets named after him. The parade will conclude with a day of activities, including performances, a student essay competition to center on young leaders in the area, a health and wellness fair, free groceries, and merchandise for sale for residents.

Also, the MLK Day of Service will take place on the same day. According to the Day of Service website, the day’s events will center around empowering individuals to strengthen their community ties and solve social problems. Serve DC is partnering with the D.C. National Pan Hellenic Council, the Federal City Alumnae Association of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Gamma Lambda Chapter, D.C Black United Front, and Commissioner Salim Adofo to put together a slew of community service opportunities to serve D.C.

For people who want to take a more artistic approach to MLK Day, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Georgetown University are presenting a Let Freedom Ring concert celebration.

The music show will be hosted by Taye Diggs and feature Christopher Jackson and Esperanza Spalding.

The Let Freedom Ring Celebration is free but ticketed. It will be a musical tribute to MLK on his day of remembrance.

Alongside these events, there are many others to get involved in over the weekend in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland areas.