• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 18, 2025

To Make More Money, Uber And Lyft Drivers Are Creating Their Own Apps And Co-Ops

There is always a solution....

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To fight back against the lack of money made by driving people around, drivers for Lyft and Uber are creating ride-hailing cooperatives and apps to make up for the lost wages, Business Insider reported. 

Cooperatives are non-profit business models that some drivers say work in better favor for them. Lee Sperry, who has worked with the advocacy group San Diego Drivers Unite to garner better treatment from Uber and Lyft, is one of hundreds of drivers who are looking at the cooperative option. 

He also pushes that fellow drivers are looking to create their own app and have leaders manage it in hopes of curating transparent policies around driver-related issues like deactivating drivers. The companies and the City of Chicago were sued in November 2024 after a driver claimed her rights were violated when her account was removed from the apps due to city rules. “The co-op would be very different in the way it operates, in the way that we handle how the app works and how the pricing goes, how the driver gets paid, how the hiring goes, who makes the decisions,” Sperry said. 

In major metro areas like New York City and Denver, cooperatives already exist and are thriving. The Drivers Cooperative in the Big Apple has been providing service since 2021. Drivers Co-op Colorado, which launched in September 2024, has roughly 16,000 drivers, with a 80% return of each fare that riders pay. 

The wage gap has been a huge concern for ride-hailing drivers, claiming they are paid less than half of the fare on other apps. Depending on city and state laws, some drivers make even less. According to The Boston Globe, drivers in the Boston area feel they are making less money following Massachusetts adopting a new minimum wage of $32.50 an hour. Veteran drivers say their wages have been cut. “It’s getting worse and worse,” one driver, Rafael, said. 

Driver Syed Hussain agreed with his colleague, claiming new rides are being offered at the lowest of low rates, so much so that they aren’t worth accepting. He said trips to Boston Logan International Airport from the area suburbs are only going for roughly under $20.

The co-op option is giving drivers a more sustainable option for greater wages over giants like Lyft, which claims to pay drivers 70% of the weekly rider payments they earn after fees. In a statement, Lyft said there is no problem with drivers taking on other gigs, since they are independent contractors. Uber has a mirroring policy, stating, “Drivers are independent contractors and have the freedom to work however and whenever they want.”

The hope is for co-ops to combat more areas other than payment and deactivated accounts. Luis Arias wants safety to become a priority as drivers and riders are prone to scams and more.

RELATED CONTENT: Uber Customers Caught In Scam After Fake Driver Allegedly Stole $300K In Crypto

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 18, 2025

Megan Thee Stallion Launches Premium Tequila ‘Chicas Divertidas’ In Celebration of Her 30th Birthday

Megan Thee Stallion celebrated her 30th birthday by launching her first-ever spirits brand.

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Megan Thee Stallion is celebrating her milestone 30th birthday with a new business endeavor that’s very on-brand for the certified Hot Girl.

On Saturday, the three-time Grammy-winning rapper unveiled her new tequila brand, Chicas Divertidas, featuring two premium varieties—Blanco and Reposado. Launched to coincide with Megan’s actual birthday, the new tequila was designed to inspire and empower individuals to embrace their inner hottie.

“As someone who values good vibes and great memories, I knew I wanted to create a tequila that was designed to be shared and savored with my Hotties,” Megan said in a press release.

After years of championing various spirits in her lyrics and party lifestyle, the Houston native is proud to step into entrepreneurship with her own tequila brand—one that perfectly embodies her Hot Girl ethos.

“Smooth, sultry, and premium. This process has been years in the making, and I’m so proud to take this next step in my journey as an entrepreneur and launch this brand, Megan said.

“I know the Hotties are ready, it’s time to give them a drink made by me! I’m excited to share this labor of love with you all and hope you are inspired to enter your CHICAS ERA!”

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A post shared by Gani’s Wine & Spirits (@ganiswineandspirits)

Crafted from single-source 100% Blue Weber agave, Chicas Divertidas is made with peak-maturity agave harvested from the red volcanic highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Produced at Casa Centinela (NOM 1140)—a historic distillery preserving tradition since 1904—the tequila benefits from the region’s rich volcanic soil and cooler climate, which yield naturally sweeter agave.

Megan chose a striking design for the bottle, drawing inspiration from the bold and mysterious Angel’s Trumpet—a flower known for its vivid colors and alluring presence. The sleek, curvaceous bottle features unique cuts and grooves reminiscent of the agave plant, with a stunning orange, pink, red, and purple gradient. Topping it off is a dagger-pierced heart that crowns the bottle, embodying the brand’s fearless spirit: “Keep it cute, classy, and cutthroat.”

Chicas Divertidas Blanco and Reposado are bottled at 40% ABV and available in 750ml sizes. Starting today, they can be pre-ordered at ChicasDivertidasTequila.com and ReserveBar.com. The tequilas will also be released in limited quantities at select U.S. retailers, with a suggested retail price of $70 for Blanco and $80 for Reposado.

RELATED CONTENT: Megan Thee Stallion Clear To Proceed With Defamation Lawsuit

• Politics

by Mitti Hicks

February 18, 2025

Social Security Head Resigns Over DOGE Access To Recipient Information

Michelle King, the head of the Social Security Administration, has resigned from her role over a clash with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) over trying to obtain sensitive information about millions of Americans held by the agency.

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The head of the Social Security Administration has resigned from her role, following a clash with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) over trying to obtain sensitive information about millions of Americans held by the agency.

Acting Commissioner Michelle King has been with the Social Security Administration department for over 30 years. King’s resignation is the latest abrupt departure of a senior federal official refusing to provide DOGE with access to sensitive data.

“The information collected and securely held by the Social Security Administration is highly sensitive,” Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, told The Associated Press. This advocacy group works to expand Social Security. “SSA has data on everyone who has a Social Security number, which is virtually all Americans, everyone who has Medicare, and every low-income American who has applied for Social Security’s means-tested companion program, Supplemental Security Income.”

According to The New York Times, Social Security payments account for nearly $1.5 billion of annual federal spending in the United States. While President Donald Trump says he does not plan to cut the program and the retirement benefits for millions of Americans, he is using DOGE to slash what his administration sees as wasteful spending. Trump’s billionaire adviser, Elon Musk, is leading DOGE.

The Future of the Social Security Administration

The White House replaced King with Leland Dudek. Dudek works at the Social Security Administration, overseeing the agency’s anti-fraud office.

On Monday, Harrison Fields, special assistant to the president and White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, released a statement on X.

“President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the agency will be led by a career Social Security anti-fraud expert as the acting commissioner.”

He adds, “President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease the bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long.”

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• Entrepreneurship

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 18, 2025

Sienna Wings’ Teen CEO Has Plans For A Food Empire After College Graduation

The 19-year-old has plans to build a delicious food empire with Sienna Wings.

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At just 16 years old, Tyla Simone Crayton knew her Houston-based chicken wing business had the potential to go big.

Starting off with a small but mighty high school staff, Crayton has taken Sienna Wings to many retail shelves. Once discovering her hitmaker on the rise, Crayton dedicated her time to further developing the sauce and brand itself, transitioning her high school studies online to do so.

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A post shared by Sienna Wings (@siennawings)

She argues that the educational shift led to her success.

“That’s the first thing, and then advocating for yourself in any environment is the second thing,” she told ABC13. “Because you’ve got to use the system to your advantage. You can’t just play the cards that are handed to you.”

With her signature wing sauce in tow, the soon-to-be college graduate believes her brand can hit a million in sales. Attending the School of Business at Berkeley, Crayton’s storefront opened in 2023 with aptly named wing and fry combos, given the CEO’s younger age.

After her graduation, she plans to hit the ground running to scale up the marketing for the restaurant. This includes pop-ups at Texas-based grocer H-E-B and getting the Sienna Sauce into more hands.

“I might have to come here and show up by myself, but that’s okay,” she said. “I’m setting weekly goals and just really grinding.”

Crayton’s saucy wings have already garnered national acclaim. Before her 2024 recognition from PepsiCo’s Dig In program with a Restaurant Royalty title, Crayton also gained a $25K check from the former morning show Strahan & Sara when first launching her business.

With a Shark Tank appearance also on her resume, Crayton says her drive to keep growing comes from her mother.

“I learned a lot of grit and grind and resilience from my mother and just watching her get through a lot of things,” Crayton said. “When you’re raised like that, you just don’t have the luxury to play around-especially being Black. And being a Black woman…It’s like, failure is never really a choice.”

With plans to expand restaurant hours as well as its menu, Crayton has yet to reach her own ceiling as she builds a wing sauce empire.

RELATED CONTENT: Teen CEO Launches Hair Growth Oil For Girls With Kinky, Curly Natural Hair

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 18, 2025

Wayans Family Being Inducted Into NAACP Image Awards Hall Of Fame

The ceremony take place on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 8:00 PM ET/PT

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The NAACP has announced that the Wayans family will be the latest inductees into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame and will receive their accolades at the 56th NAACP Image Awards.

The organization’s induction will take place on Feb. 22 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET and CBS live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The honorees include Keenen Ivory Wayans, Kim Wayans, Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Damon Wayans Jr.

“For decades, the Wayans family has been at the forefront of comedy, breaking barriers and opening doors for waves of entertainers,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson in a written statement. “Their trailblazing work in television, film, and stand-up has transcended pop culture and cemented their legacy in the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. Recognizing their achievements with this induction is a celebration of a multi-generational legacy that continues to advance and uplift communities. The Wayans family has set a standard of excellence, and their influence resonates far beyond the stage and screen.”

The Wayans family will join past inductees like New Edition, Eddie Murphy, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Spike Lee, Earth, Wind and Fire as the Hall of Fame Award is typically presented to individuals or groups who have made their mark in their respective fields. Their influence continues to shape their industry for generations.

“The Wayans family revolutionized comedy by blending cultural commentary and fearless humor. From In Living Color to blockbuster films, their influence spans generations, breaking barriers for Black entertainers and redefining mainstream comedy,” said Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy at BET. “Their ability to push boundaries while resonating with diverse audiences has left an undeniable mark on the industry. We look forward to honoring their impact by inducting the Wayans Family into the NAACP Hall of Fame live on BET while celebrating their legacy in entertainment and culture.”

We were first introduced to the family when Keenen Ivory brought the comedy sketch show “In Living Color” to the Fox Network on April 15, 1990. His brothers and sister and a cast of future stars like Jennifer Lopez, David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Jamie Foxx, Rosie Perez, Kim Coles, and Jim Carrey were featured. After writing and starring in “Hollywood Shuffle” and “I’m Gonna Get You Sucka,” Keenen’s stock rose, and his family started becoming involved in projects that made the rest of the family stars in their own rights.

RELATED CONTENT: Marlon Wayans Gets Real About Black Representation And Mental Health, Suggests People ‘Stay In Therapy’

• Education

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 18, 2025

Morehouse College Receives $5M Endowment From Retired Walgreens CEO In Honor Of Mentor

The scholarship will go toward financially struggling Morehouse students majoring in business and STEM.

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Morehouse College has received a $5 million endowment scholarship from L. Daniel Jorndt, retired Walgreens CEO, to honor his old mentor.

Jorndt wanted the endowment to pay tribute to Marion E. Williams, his first boss and beloved mentor. The scholarship will help many financially stricken students majoring in Business and Technology/STEM at the all-men’s HBCU.

Jorndt credited his career success to his first professional experience working at Williams’ pharmacy in Des Moines, Iowa. While Jorndt went on to become the first non-familial CEO of the drugstore chain, he never forgot the lessons and faith instilled in him by Williams.

“Marion was a remarkable individual who had the ability to bring out the best in people. He was a coalition builder who nurtured future leaders of different races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds and encouraged them to work together to improve the community,” Jorndt said in a press release.

While both men graduated from the Drake University School of Pharmacy, Jorndt decided to give back to Morehouse. His mentor was dedicated to public service and uplifting the Black community within and beyond the medical field.

Jorndt added, “It was Williams’ life of service that inspired me and my wife, Patricia, to give this gift to Morehouse College. Morehouse is an institution that is mission-driven to develop service-minded leaders.”

Williams’ family also expressed their appreciation to Jorndt for honoring their deceased loved one. While noting his “lifetime friendship” with and pride for the ex-CEO, the family emphasized Williams’ unyielding support of Black people’s economic upliftment.

“He firmly believed that Black economic advancement was a key pillar in building bridges of reconciliation and overcoming racial division, so this gift to support scholars in Business and Technology/STEM is a beautiful tribute in his honor,” shared Rev. Julie Williams Staples, J.D. 

For Morehouse, the school thanked the Jordnt family for their monetary gift. The HBCU also explained how this crucial endowment will fulfill the dreams of men who want to obtain a Morehouse education.

“This $5 million scholarship from Dan and Patricia Jorndt will be a lifeline for students facing financial hardships who dream of earning a Morehouse degree but cannot afford tuition. Morehouse produces Black male excellence at scale and is the leading gateway to social mobility for Black men,” said David A. Thomas, Ph.D. president of Morehouse College. “Not only will this gift change the lives of our students, but it will also help Morehouse continue to produce a pipeline of men who lead and serve with distinction and strive to build bridges of unity and equity in the world.

RELATED CONTENT: Google Calendar Users Noticed The Disappearance Of Black History Month, They Weren’t Happy

• Politics

by Daniel Johnson

February 18, 2025

The Trump Administration Wants The Supreme Court To Allow It To Fire Federal Watchdog Hampton Dellinger

The Trump administration sees the lower court's ruling as a barrier to installing their own leader of the office, framing it as an encroachment of executive power by the court.

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On Feb. 16, news outlets obtained documents that outline President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is seeking the assistance of the Supreme Court so that the Trump administration’s plan to fire Hampton Dellinger, the leader of the independent Office of the Special Counsel, an office charged with protecting federal employees who become whistleblowers for issues within the government, can proceed.

According to The Hill, lower courts have ruled to block the Trump administration from firing Dellinger, resulting in his reinstatement. This is the first time that the Trump administration has appealed directly to the Supreme Court. The politician was initially appointed to his office and intended to serve a five-year term by President Joe Biden in March 2024.

Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris’s argument in the application to the nation’s highest court states that the Trump administration sees the lower court’s ruling as a barrier to installing its own leader of the office, framing it as an encroachment of executive power by the courts.

“This case involves an unprecedented assault on the separation of powers that warrants immediate relief,” Harris wrote.

The Justice Department offered a similar argument in their application to the Supreme Court.

“Until now, as far as we are aware, no court in American history has wielded an injunction to force the President to retain an agency head whom the President believes should not be entrusted with executive power and to prevent the President from relying on his preferred replacement,” the Justice Department wrote.

The subtext of their argument seems clear: The Trump administration wants to replace former President Biden’s nominee with someone more pliable to their wishes.

However, according to CBS News, Dellinger has previously argued that federal law only exposes him to being fired if there are problems with his job performance, which were not cited in the email that terminated him from the position.

The Trump administration’s petition to the Supreme Court came a few hours after an appeals court determined it could not lift the order reinstating Dellinger on procedural grounds. As such, the order remains in effect until Feb. 26.

According to Dellinger, his office’s work is “needed now more than ever” due to the “unprecedented” number and nature of firings by the Trump administration since his inauguration, often without cause, of federal employees who have civil service protections.

As NPR reported, Dellinger’s lawsuit challenged the legality of his firing in federal court on Feb. 10, after he received the email informing him he had been fired on Feb. 14.

“That email made no attempt to comply with the Special Counsel’s for-cause removal protection,” Dellinger’s suit argued. “It stated simply: ‘On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Special Counsel of the US Office of Special Counsel is terminated, effective immediately.’ “

According to their reporting, many of the moves made by the Trump administration go well beyond routine turnover that comes with a new administration and seem to be instead a series of flagrant tests of the bounds of what a president is allowed to do by federal law.

According to Newsweek, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson reinstated Dellinger on Feb. 12. He argued in her ruling that although the White House attempted to make a case that his reinstatement would disrupt the agency, she said any disruption was actually caused by the White House, using a colorful metaphor in the process.

“Defendants imply that it would be too disruptive to the business of the agency to have Special Counsel Dellinger resume his work. But any disruption to the work of the agency was occasioned by the White House. It’s as if the bull in the china shop looked back over his shoulder and said, ‘What a mess!'”

Jackson continued, “Moreover, any disruption caused by the proposed temporary restraining order would be minimal; the plaintiff served as Special Counsel from March 6, 2024, through the end of the workday on Friday, February 7, 2025.”

In the next hearing in Dellinger’s case, scheduled for Feb. 26, Jackson will likely decide whether to impose a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Trump administration from firing Dellenger. If Jackson issues a preliminary injunction, the ruling is expected to be appealed to a higher court.

RELATED CONTENT: 20K Federal Employees Are Accepting Elon Musk’s Resignation Offer

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 18, 2025

Donating Hand Grenades To Goodwill Isn’t Exactly Goodwill

The discovery led to the store being evacuated

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A donation made to a Goodwill store in Maine led to its evacuation when several hand grenades were discovered hidden in a donation box.

According to The New York Post, a box left outside a Goodwill store in Augusta had some military-grade hand grenades inside. The explosives, which were not active when discovered, were seemingly donated and discovered when employees arrived at the store on Tuesday, Feb. 11. When the dangerous items were found, Maine police officers were summoned to the scene. When the Maine State Police Bomb Squad arrived, the store was evacuated and closed.

Right before 1 p.m., the Facebook account of Goodwill Northern New England informed customers about the temporary closing.

“Our Augusta, ME store is temporarily closed. A hand grenade was donated, and we have evacuated the building as we wait for the bomb squad to assess the situation.

“Please do not donate weaponry. Even if you know it is antique and safe, our store employees do not, and we need to take the necessary precautions we have today. You can find a list of acceptable donations on our website at https://goodwillnne.org/donate/acceptable-donations/.

“We will update this page and GoodwillNNE.org/Locations when the store is safe and open again. Thank you for your understanding!”