Simone Biles, Gold, Olympics — (Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

by Jameelah Mullen

April 24, 2025

Simone Biles Says She’s Unsure About Competing In The 2028 Olympics

Is the GOAT ready for retirement? The jury is still out.

Simone Biles remains undecided about competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In a recent interview with French sports newspaper L’Équipe, the highly decorated gymnast spoke about her career and the possibility of competing at the Los Angeles Games. Biles said that she will attend the 2028 Games but is unsure if she will participate.

“Whether on the apparatus or in the stands, I still don’t know that,” she told the outlet.. “But 2028 seems so far away, and my body is aging. I felt it in Paris,” she told L’Équipe as reported by NBC News.

Biles said she was sick for 10 days following the 2024 Olympic Games, where she took home three gold medals and one silver.

The gymnast also acknowledged her rival, Rebeca Andrade. Biles said the Brazilian gymnast motivated her to push herself to new limits. However, Biles believes that the sport doesn’t need both of them, and she is prepared to make room for up-and-coming athletes.

The 28-year-old says she is proud of her accomplishments, but her goal is to spend more time with her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, support him at his games, and enjoy life outside of gymnastics. She said there is still a possibility that she will return to the sport.

“To return, it would have to be something that genuinely excites me,” she told the outlet.

The Houston native began her Olympic career at six and has won 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals, making her the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history.

In 2020, Biles stunned sports fans when she abruptly pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic Games to focus on her mental health.

Last year, Biles opened up about her mental health struggles, which she calls “the twisties,” on the Call Her Daddy podcast.

“It wasn’t just a mental injury that happened called, it’s like compressing all this sh*t for so many years, it just unfolded.“

Biles has since used her platform to advocate for mental health, and plans to continue using it to support the cause.

Trump, Black History Month, Tiger Woods, grants, whitney Plantation, — (Photo: Public Domain)

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 24, 2025

Trump Strikes Again! Grants Pulled From Whitney Plantation Museum, Which Teaches Slavery Truths

Whitney Planation received a letter dated April 8, 2025, claiming the grant it had already partially received would be pulled

Due to President Donald Trump’s anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) push, federal funding has been pulled from Louisiana’s Whitney Plantation, a former plantation-turned-museum that teaches the truth about slavery, according to The Guardian.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which provides resources and support to libraries, archives, and museums across the nation, terminated two grants for Black history and culture after Trump cut federal funding targeting arts and cultural institutions, in addition to gutting state and federal initiatives supporting DEI.

Luckily, the plantation already received one of the grants in early 2025; however, the other, aimed at funding an exhibit on how enslaved people often showed resistance on plantations, was set to be completed in June and was due to open in January 2026.

Without the funding, the Whitney risks losing roughly $55,000. The future of the exhibit is up in the air.

Whitney received a letter dated April 8, stating that the grant it had already partially received would be withdrawn. Executive Director Dr. Ashley Rogers said receiving the letter was disappointing but not a shock.

“To spend nearly three years on a project that, at the very end, what we’re waiting for is the funds to complete design and fabrication, that means there wouldn’t be an exhibit essentially. I was not surprised to receive communication that it was terminated because I’ve been reading the news and seeing what’s been happening,” Rogers said, according to WWLTV.

“I think IMLS is an organization that some people have wanted to shut down for some years because the idea is that it doesn’t provide essential services, but it really provides crucial funding for museums and libraries all over the country in small communities. So obviously, we were very disappointed in this. It is our perspective that IMLS does fantastic work for people all over the country.”

The IMLS was a target from the start for Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as the president used an executive order to call for the agency to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law” within seven days. The order resulted in library systems and museums nationwide reporting concerns about receiving promised grants.

“It’s extremely dangerous to be targeting history and knowledge about African American history and culture,” Rogers said. “That’s a slippery slope. We can look at the past and see that changing our narratives about our shared stories never leads to anything positive. It’s really important to tell those stories, and it’s especially important now because there’s a real concerted effort to change our national narrative of American history.”

Eriq George Eddie, TSU,, Bowling Green — Trump Rescinds HBCU Support: A Dismantling of Opportunity For Our Youth

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 24, 2025

Former TSU Defensive Player Eriq George Joins Father Eddie At Bowling Green University

Eriq leaves Tennessee State University to reunite with his father

Deion Sanders isn’t the only football head coach to have his son play for him; Bowling Green head coach Eddie George will also coach his son, Eriq George.

According to The Nashville Tennessean, defensive player Eriq George will be lining up for his father after entering the transfer portal on March 19. Eddie recently left Tennessee State University to become the 21st head football coach for the Falcons in March. Eriq followed in the footsteps of the Sanders family when Deion left Jackson State University to become the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. His two sons, Sheduer and Shilo, who played for him at JSU, joined their father shortly after.

The Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year took over a losing program at TSU that averaged just over three wins per year in the previous four seasons before he came on board to lead the team. The 2023 and 2024 seasons were the team’s first consecutive winning seasons since 2016-17. Eddie’s leadership propelled the team to a regular season record of 9-3. That was the best record for the program since 2013, leading the team to a conference title, the first one in 25 years.

Eriq, who played for TSU the past two seasons, was vital in bringing the winning formula to the school. He was the school’s fifth-leading tackler with 52 total tackles this past season. He also had 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. While playing for his father, he had 77 total tackles, 18 for loss, and eight sacks a game.

In March, Eddie announced that he had brought some of the TSU coaches who were on staff with hi: Joe Bowden (linebackers), Josh Crawford (running backs), Brandon Fisher (associate head coach/defensive coordinator), Richard McNutt (secondary), Travis Partridge (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) and Clyde Simmons (defensive line).

shannon sharpe, lawsuit — (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 24, 2025

Is Shannon Sharpe’s ESPN Career Over After Offering ‘At Least $10 Million’ To Sexual Assault Accuser?

Shannon Sharpe offered his accuser 'at least $10 million' in a pre-lawsuit settlement attempt, his lawyer revealed

Shannon Sharpe offered his sexual assault accuser “at least $10 million” in a settlement before she filed her bombshell $50 million lawsuit, the ESPN analyst’s attorney said.

The former NFL star’s attorney, Lanny Davis, held an April 22 conference call where he revealed the “tens of millions of dollars” Sharpe offered to the plaintiff, since identified as Gabriella Zuniga, to settle the case before the lawsuit was filed, according to NBC Sports.

When asked to clarify, Davis confirmed that Sharpe offered “at least $10 million” to his accuser in a formal mediation session, before Davis got involved in the case.

https://twitter.com/realmelanieking/status/1915115119178109318

The revelation has sparked speculation about the credibility of the plaintiff, who initially filed the suit under the name Jane Doe before being identified in a statement from Sharpe’s legal team.

Sharpe was quick to respond to the lawsuit, calling it a “shakedown.” However, the court of public opinion is now questioning Sharpe’s claims of blackmail after learning about his private multi-million dollar offer.

“Why so much money if Mr. Sharpe is just being attacked by an attorney that only targets “black excellence”…?” one X user asked. “Perhaps she saw/experienced something more damning than what the media is leading on.”

“Wouldn’t offer to pay money if you wasn’t guilty,” added someone else.

Now Sharpe’s future on ESPN’s First Take could be at risk.

“I can tell you I also spoke to co-chairman of Disney, the boss, Jimmy Pitaro, who made it very, very clear [that ESPN] is taking this matter very seriously and we are looking into this very, very closely and once we gather as many facts as we possibly can, we will go from there,” ESPN star Stephen A. Smith, co-host of First Take, said on his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show.

“And that is all he said,” Smith added. “And I can mention his name because I received his permission to say that.”

Stephen a smith reacts to Shannon sharpe and Tony Buzbee going to war through social media by putting out information to the media to control narrative and is that a good strategy he also talks about espn and their stance on the situation. pic.twitter.com/z8nrp72nQM
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Chatnigga101) April 22, 2025

Smith noted his lack of knowledge on “what that means” for Sharpe—but hopes his “friend” is cleared in the matter.

“In my perfect world…the case is ultimately dropped and Shannon is allowed to continue on First Take and continue to thrive and shine and have an illustrious career in the podcast stratosphere,” Smith said. “In my perfect world, he moves on, and somehow, some way, we find this all to be false.”

However, he noted that “it doesn’t seem like that’s the way things are about to go down.”

Restaurant, Atlanta, florrisant, Bliss, age requirement, 35 years old, 30 years old — (Photo: Valeria Boltneva/Pexels)

by Kandiss Edwards

April 24, 2025

Former NAACP Vice President Sues Steakhouse For Dress Code Discrimination

Y'Mine McClanahan alleges Stab's Prime Steakhouse and Seafood was selective in its dress code enforcement, favoring white patrons and staff.

A Baton Rouge woman has filed a federal lawsuit against Stab’s Prime Steakhouse and Seafood. The lawsuit alleges racial discrimination after being denied service due to her attire.

In the lawsuit, Y’Mine McClanahan alleges that the restaurant’s dress code was selectively enforced because she is Black. The complaint includes photos from Stab’s social media accounts. The images show white patrons and staff members allegedly wearing attire similar to or more revealing than what McClanahan wore, WWNY-TV reported.

“As of the date of this filing, several months later, Ms. McClanahan continues to feel humiliated and ashamed as a result of the double standard Stab’s showed to her versus white patrons and employees,” attorneys from Most & Associates wrote in the complaint.

A former Baton Rouge NAACP vice president, McClanahan claims she was “humiliated” when staff at the upscale restaurant refused her entry in July 2024. According to McClanahan, she was wearing a floral crop top and skirt, which she had previously worn to the restaurant’s central location without issue.

Stab’s management has denied the allegations, as their dress code policy has been in place for over three years. The dress code requires business casual attire and prohibits gym wear, sweatpants, and revealing clothing. They acknowledged that staff uniforms do not align with this policy. The restaurant says efforts are underway to standardize employee and patron attire.

McClanahan’s attorneys argue that the inconsistent application of the dress code suggests discriminatory practices.

“Ms. McClanahan decided to bring this lawsuit to ensure that selective enforcement of dress code policy and other forms of discrimination are not tolerated in restaurants and other public places,” said attorney David Lanser.

The case has drawn attention from civil rights advocates, many of whom emphasize the importance of equitable treatment. A trial date has not yet been scheduled.

Small business, entrepreneurship, price, black business owner, business owner, tariffs

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 24, 2025

How Businesses Are Starting To Feel The Effects Of Trump’s Tariffs

In cities - both large and small - across the country, businesses are stressing over how rising costs will affect their customer flow.

A report from the Federal Reserve revealed that businesses are already seeing increased costs due to President Donald Trump’s tariff wars to consumers, CNBC reports.

The report, known as the Beige Book, is released every seven weeks to show the country’s economic growth. The March 5 report revealed that “little changed” but touched on “uncertainty around international trade policy was pervasive across,” including how prices increased following Trump’s April 2 “liberation day,” announcing high tariffs on countries like China. “Firms reported adding tariff surcharges or shortening pricing horizons to account for uncertain trade policy. Most businesses expected to pass through additional costs to customers,” the report read.

“However, there were reports about margin compression amid increased costs, as demand remained tepid in some sectors, especially for consumer-facing firms.”

Companies have reported receiving notices from suppliers about rising costs on Chinese products, and are seeking ways to avoid absorbing the increases while acknowledging uncertainty over their ability to pass them along to customers. “Most Districts noted that firms expected elevated input cost growth resulting from tariffs,” the report said.

“Many firms have already received notices from suppliers that costs would be increasing.”

In cities across the country, businesses are concerned about how rising costs will impact their customer base. In the New York area, the price increases have hit the food, insurance, and construction materials industries the hardest. Manufacturers and distributors have already announced that they have added surcharges due to increased shipping costs. In addition to growing tension with China, there are also warning signs of a brewing trade dispute with Canada.

Tourists are booking fewer hotel rooms in New York City, and a tech firm reported losing business contacts in Canada.

Smaller businesses in small towns are being hit a little harder. DigiKey, an electronic parts supplier based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, is concerned that a rise in product costs will compel it to make cuts to employee benefits.

“We’re kind of a contrarian, in that we ship around the globe,” DigiKey President Dave Doherty said, according to NPR.

“But every additional shipment into China, or into Germany, or into Japan, or Taiwan, or Bangladesh creates jobs in Thief River Falls.”

Headquartered in a single warehouse in the rural Minnesota town, the company began by hiring farmers’ wives, offering them stable pay and health benefits. Over the years, it has added 3,800 U.S. jobs. However, with Trump’s tariffs, employees like DigiKey’s Vice President of Operational Excellence and Trade Compliance, Teri Ivaniszyn, are nervous about job security.

“I wake up in cold sweats about tariffs,” Ivaniszyn laughs.

Approximately 25% of the company’s wares come from China. The firm has spent $500 million on tariffs implemented during Trump’s first term in office. The difference is that there have always been ways to recoup lost funds. However, the rules are ever-changing during his second term.

“What’s coming next? How are we going to handle it?” she asks.

“The yo-yo effect that we’re having: It’s on, it’s off, this is in, this is out.”

doorbell,Tyler chambers, door,Florida — Photo by Gustavo Fring: https://www.pexels.com/photo/upset-man-shouting-at-desk-6285271/

by Kandiss Edwards

April 24, 2025

Tyler Chambers, A White Florida Man, Threatens To Shoot 9-Year-Old For Ringing His Doorbell

Tyler Chambers threaten to shoot 9-year old Black girl claiming she was attempting to break in his home.

Tyler Chambers, a white Florida man, is under investigation after posting a violent threat on social media. The threat was directed at a 9-year-old Black girl who was selling candy door-to-door.

Chambers, a resident of Riverview, shared doorbell camera footage of the child, identified as Sincere, on a community Facebook group.

He captioned the profanity-laden threat, “You’re lucky we weren’t home to shoot your a— dumb b—.”

Following widespread outrage, Chambers deleted his social media accounts.

The incident occurred on April 14 when Sincere and her 11-year-old cousin were canvassing their neighborhood to raise money by selling candy and toys.

The video of the 2024 incident is circulating on social media. Sincere is seen ringing Chamber’s doorbell with a bag in her hand. The 9-year-old waits patiently, presumably with candy in hand.

Chambers claims the young girl was a decoy for a break-in, and others were surrounding his home at the time she appeared.

The would-be assaulter released footage of Sincere at the front door. However, he did not post evidence corroborating the claim of a potential break-in.

‘I saw that on my camera and have a wife and a seven-month-old at home, which I will protect as you would. I was hot when I posted it, which is why I deleted it. I could have handled it a lot [differently,] ” Chambers reportedly wrote on his now deactivated Facebook page.

NEW: Florida man threatens to sh**t a 9-year-old girl after she showed up to his house selling candy and then alleges she was a decoy for a break-in

Tyler Chambers posted an image of the girl online and wrote: 'Your lucky we weren't home to shoot your a** dumb b****.'

Chambers… pic.twitter.com/XXntNq4UQv
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) April 23, 2025

Sincere’s mother, Beyond Shabazz, reported that her daughter now feels unsafe. Shabazz says her daughter is now coping with emotional distress as a result of the incident.

Local authorities have completed an investigation and forwarded their findings to the state attorney’s office, which is considering potential charges.

Shabazz has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support legal action against Chambers, which has raised over $14,100. The incident has sparked national attention, highlighting ongoing concerns about racial profiling and the safety of Black children in public spaces.

As the community awaits potential legal action, the case underscores the importance of addressing threats and ensuring the safety and dignity of all individuals, regardless of race.

home equity,HEA, — Photo by Curtis Adams: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-and-gray-wooden-house-under-the-blue-sky-10486072/

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 24, 2025

Leap HEA Launches 1st-Of-Its-Kind Mobile App Giving Homeowners Better Access To Home Equity

The valuable app gives users the ability to apply for three different kinds of HEAs while providing a wealth of comprehensive resources related to housing.

Fintech real estate investment company Leap Analytics, also known as Leap HEA, announced the launch of a new and innovative mobile app designed to revolutionize homeowners’ access to and management of home equity, according to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

The app enables users to apply for three different types of Leap Home Equity Agreements (HEAs) directly on their phone, providing a wealth of comprehensive housing resources. Leap’s CEO and Founder, Ashley Bete, says the new app helps homeowners make smarter financial decisions without being tied down.

“Our new mobile app revolutionizes how homeowners access and leverage their homes’ equity,” Bete said. “By offering three types of HEAs at their fingertips, along with a suite of housing-related tools, we’re empowering homeowners to make very informed financial decisions while freeing the capital potential of their most valuable asset.”

In addition to having HEAs—in both 10-year agreements and 30-year agreements—at your fingertips, the app’s features to support homeowners’ journeys include access to a homeownership financial literacy library, financial analyses and tools such as a home improvement simulator, product recommendations from the finance realm, a home valuation tracker, and a network of local home-related service providers like plumbers and electricians.

While the app’s goal is to address vital issues in the housing market such as the effects of redlining and gentrification, Bete said it also aligns with the company’s mission of educating homeowners on the changing real estate industry, while providing tools to extract equity from their homes, decrease debt, and increase financial wellness. “The Leap app represents a significant advancement in Leap’s mission to close the wealth and housing gaps while promoting financial health through innovative homeownership solutions,” he said.

The mission also aligns with findings of how American homeowners have been blocked from billions in home equity without even knowing it. A recent study conducted by home equity investment firm Point revealed that homeowners risk being blocked from accessing an estimated $731 billion in home equity, which many rely on, due to a drop in their credit score resulting from job loss, according to Realtor.com.

In 2024, the total American home equity reached $34.7 trillion, representing an 80% increase since 2020. However, a significant portion of that housing wealth remains “locked in.”

Leap applicant June Lucero from California said she “would recommend Leap” after labeling the company’s home equity agreements as a great alternative to expensive options.

“They helped me and my family to improve our personal finances,” Lucero said. Chief Technology Officer Munashe Shumba shared similar sentiments, adding that the app “helps property owners intelligently manage their homes and increase their value” with data-driven recommendations for “necessary services.”

Download the Leap mobile app on IOS and Android platforms.

Georgia State University,$500K, gullah geechee, endowment — JJonahJackalope, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

by Jameelah Mullen

April 24, 2025

Georgia State University Receives $500K Grant To Create Gullah Geechee Heritage Research and Preservation Program

The Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor is coastal land that spans from southern North Carolina to Northern Florida.

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Georgia State University has received a $500,000 grant to support research and education focused on preserving and protecting the land of the Gullah Geechee communities in Georgia and South Carolina. The funding will help establish the Gullah Geechee Sacred Land Project (GGSLP), which aims to recover and maintain genealogical records, spatial lineages, spiritual practices, and safeguard “the places where those communities interred their ancestors.“

GSU professors and historians Ras Michael Brown and Tiffany A. Player will lead the GGSLP program, which will feature four new courses on oral tradition and folklore and immersive service-learning experiences at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Graduate students in the program can earn a certificate in Cultural Resource Management.

“The Mellon Foundation’s funding allows us to strengthen our relationships with Gullah/Geechee communities and support their ongoing efforts to honor their ancestors and the legacies they left for descendants,” Brown said in a statement. “This kind of community engagement should be fundamental to university-based historical research and preservation activities, and we’re grateful to the Mellon Foundation and our community partners for this opportunity to fortify connections between the past and the present in preparation for challenges and possibilities ahead.”

The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of formerly enslaved West Africans who were brought to the coastal regions of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Northern Florida due to their agricultural skills, particularly in marshlands reminiscent of their homeland. They were primarily recognized for their rice cultivation.

After slavery ended, they remained in the area now known as the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor. The Gullah Geechee people maintained their land and developed a culture heavily influenced by West African traditions. One of these is the Geechee language, a creole that combines English with various West African dialects. The Gullah Geechee people have lost a significant amount of land due to global warming and gentrification. The loss of graveyards is drawing growing concern, as environmental dangers, such as saltwater erosion and land development, threaten their preservation. The GGSLP program aims to raise awareness and address these threats through education and advocacy.