• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 4, 2025

Black Author Asks Supporters To Stop Buying His Books At Target Amid DEI Cutbacks

Frederick Joseph says he can't stand for Target's shallow commitment toward marginalized groups.

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Frederick Joseph, an author known for his race-focused books, has asked supporters to stop buying his books at Target after it announced cutbacks to its diversity, equity, and inclusive initiatives.

He shared his thoughts in a video on Instagram Threads. In the two-minute clip, he called out how Target capitalized on the growing trend toward DEI when it seemed beneficial.

View on Threads

“For me as an author, this is a particularly interesting moment in that I’ve had a pretty solid relationship with Target since my debut book,” explained Joseph,. “That being said, they did these things when it was financially advantageous, right?… So when it was like, quote, unquote, ‘woke makes money,’ let’s partner with Black people.”

Joseph rose to fame in 2020 for his debut work, The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person, a resource for white people to help advance social and racial justice. Since then, he has become an advocate for uplifting Black voices and art, releasing his first picture book with Disney based on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Joseph will release This Thing Of Ours in May of this year.

He continued, “Now that [Donald] Trump is in office, and there’s this, you know, sort of anti-Black, anti-woke agenda sweeping through not just the federal government, but also corporations around the country…And then I’m sure that when the pendulum swings back, they’ll be back on it again. I can’t stand for that.”

This seemingly shallow commitment to supporting diverse businesses concerned Joseph. The decision resulted in him telling buyers to stop sourcing his book at Target.

“So as an author, despite the fact that Target has been one of the main retailers that people have supported me through, and it’s a big blow to do this, I’m no longer suggesting Target,” he said.

Instead, he encouraged shoppers to purchase his novels and pre-order his newest work at other retailers that have maintained their support of DEI causes. His input adds another layer of support from Black entrepreneurs at Target as the boycott begins.

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• Arts and Culture

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 4, 2025

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Starts Black History Month Tour

It's an 18-city tour.

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The esteemed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has launched a nationwide tour celebrating Black History Month.

Forbes reports that the 18-city tour will honor the life and legacy of artistic director Emerita Judith Jamison, who died in November 2024. The tour will celebrate Black heritage and ancestry through dance.

Performances are scheduled at prestigious venues such as Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.

New productions feature the 25th-anniversary return of Ronald K. Brown’s Grace and Elisa Monte’s captivating, sculptural duet, Treading. World premieres include Jamar Roberts’s Al-Andalus Blues, Hope Boykin’s Finding Free, and Lar Lubovitch’s Many Angels, his debut work for the company. Additionally, interim artistic director Matthew Rushing will present Sacred Songs.

“Audiences in every city will be inspired by the power of Alvin Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece Revelations,” the theater said in a statement. “World-renowned for sending hearts soaring and lifting audiences to their feet with its perfect blend of reverent grace and spiritual elation.”

“An intimate reflection of Mr. Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the South and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American community and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition.”

Ailey II (1974), the second performing company showcasing emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers, will continue the second leg of its 28-city tour from February 2 to May 1. The tour will stop in Albuquerque, NM, Kansas City, and Miami, before returning to New York City for its annual season at the Ailey Citigroup Theater from March 26 to April 6, 2025.

Along with the tour, Portrait of Ailey, an eight-part documentary series featuring rare archival footage, will explore Ailey as a performer, choreographer, celebrity, teacher, social activist, arts advocate, and creator of a lasting institution.

The series will be available for free on PBS LearningMedia next month.

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• Arts and Culture

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 4, 2025

First Opera Created By A Black Composer To Officially Debut Nearly 140 Years Later

The composer's original manuscript was found in 2020.

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The earliest known opera composed by a Black American will finally, officially hit the stage this week after a preview performance in New Orleans.

Edmond Dédé composed Morgiane 138 years ago, but his racial identity prevented the opera from receiving proper staging. The work was considered lost until its manuscript was discovered in the archives at Harvard University in 2020.

The New Orleans performance was at the famed St. Louis Cathedral, which hosted the musician’s baptism in 1828.

OperaCreole contributed to the effort to produce Morgiane, the comedic story of a woman kidnapped and forced to marry a sultan, with her mother coming to her rescue.

“It is with great pride and humility that I would like to say welcome home, Edmond Dédé, welcome home,” OperaCreole’s co-founder Givonna Joseph told CNN.

The recovery and restoration of Dédé’s handwritten work took years. The New Orleans native was born to free Black Americans in 1827. In Crescent City, he learned to compose music at an early age. However, Dédé fled to France due to growing racial restrictions in America.

Racism remains a suspected factor in Dédé’s missing work, which has been unavailable for generations.

“There is this story that we have told that people of color are only now becoming part of the timeline of classical music,” explained Patrick Dupre Quigley, the opera’s conductor and the artistic director designate for the Washington-based Opera Lafayette. “And the reality is that in the United States—in the person of Dédé—Black people were (already) participating in classical music.”

The opera’s sounds will combine instruments of his period and modern versions for a faithful version of Dede’s original vision. The performances also come during as anti-DEI legislation sweeps the nation and potentially stifles the work of diverse creators.

“This is our cultural patrimony that we lost because of a terrible time in our history,” Quigley added. “We must listen to this because if we don’t, we are not having a dialogue with our (American) culture.”

The opera will host performances in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and New York after its preview. Tickets are available on Opera LaFayette’s website.

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• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 4, 2025

Sen. Andy Kim Alleges All Senate Phones Are Offline Amid Growing Friction With Elon Musk

Well this can't be good....

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The office of the first senator of Korean descent to serve on Capitol Hill, Andy Kim (D-NJ), claimed on X that phones throughout the Senate are offline as friction continues to grow with changes made by President Donald Trump’s ally, Elon Musk. 

On the social media app, Kim’s office alleged that the phones weren’t working on Feb. 3, seemingly stopping concerned Americans from contacting elected officials. “We’re receiving reports of phones being offline across the Senate. Our office is immediately at work to address the issue and get our phones online again,” the post read. 

The issue comes just days after tensions have escalated due to Musk’s call for dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Staffers were told to stay out of the agency’s headquarters, and officers were posted to block lawmakers from entering the lobby. While Trump hasn’t made an official statement about the move, the tech billionaire claims he is in agreement. Kim was one of many senators that tried to get to the bottom of the situation. 

After wanting to meet with the agency’s acting administrator, Jason Gray, Kim was greeted by four guards, alerting him that the meeting would no longer take place, according to NOTUS. The newly elected lawmaker said he wasn’t too taken aback by what happened. “It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but frankly, it was what I expected,” Kim said. 

“What I’m worried about is it’s like the tip of the iceberg we can see, but what else is happening?” 

The post from Kim’s office garnered similar reactions, with some blaming Musk directly. “E Lawn is out of control,” @mstrixierva wrote. 

Another user said that no phones are a way of being “muzzled.” “That’s why calls to our reps aren’t getting through! We are being muzzled!!” @maggietcat said. 

Rep. @IlhanMN Omar (D-MN) stood in solidarity with Kim and other Democratic leaders, pushing back on the USAID move, saying, “This is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like.”

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• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 3, 2025

Detroit Investor Group Featuring Grant Hill And Chris Webber Look To Bring WNBA Team To The D

The group is led by Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores.

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The WNBA is expanding, and among the groups vying for a spot is a Detroit collective group led by Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores that features Chris Webber and Grant Hill, both of whom played in Detroit during their Hall of Fame careers.

• Technology

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 3, 2025

Lyrical Legend Rakim Launches ‘Notes,’ An AI-Powered Platform To Help Aspiring Urban Artists

Hip-hop and the fintech community collide with this new platform for creators.

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Legendary artist Rakim Allah, the lyrical genius of lyrical hip-hop duo, Eric B & Rakim, has launched an AI-powered platform with longtime associated Divine that combines “music, money, and knowledge” for independent urban recording artists.

With a tagline of one of Rakim’s best-known lyrics, “Don’t Nothing Move But The Money,” the platform is named Notes and its purpose is to help redefine financial empowerment for independent urban music artists and creators.

Notes will will help artists find access to capital to help fund their projects as well as provide them with financial literacy, and the education that they need to build sustainable careers.

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A post shared by Gen Z Hip-Hop (@genzhiphop)

“Independent urban music artists and creators often struggle to gain financial stability despite their market impact,” Rakim said in a written statement.

“With Notes, we’re building a community- and lifestyle-driven platform that combines cultural connection, technology, and empowerment to give them the tools they need to thrive.”

Hip-hop and the fintech community collide with this new platform for creators. The program will provide membership-focus access as well as connections to providers of loans and credit so they can have access to funds needed for their careers. The power of artificial intelligence will help them with content related to financial literacy and entrepreneurial education. There is also an exclusive “Ask RA” feature, an AI voice assistant and agent that uses the voice of the “Microphone Fiend” to give creators the scope of the answers they seek.

“The opportunity to partner with RAKIM and build a platform like Notes, to empower and support artists and creators in the urban community who have been underserved and exploited for so long, is unprecedented,” said Divine.

The platform hopes offer options down the road like business banking and debit cards, P2P payment services, cryptocurrency solutions, to drive deeper engagement and long-term value for the creators on the platform.

There is currently a waitlist that creatives can join on the Notes Technology website.

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• Arts and Culture

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 3, 2025

Sister Nancy Documentary About ‘One Of The Most-Sampled Reggae Songs’ Makes Theater Debut

The Sister Nancy documentary is making its global theater debut.

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A documentary spotlighting the woman behind what is often hailed as “one of the most-sampled reggae songs” premiered in theaters on Friday in Toronto, Canada.

Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story, a documentary exploring the life of Jamaican dancehall pioneer and singer Ophlin Russell, famously known as Sister Nancy or Muma Nancy, hit theaters following an exclusive free screening at the TIFF Lightbox on Thursday, Jamaica Gleaner reports. Female empowerment is central to the film and its production, as Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George, the Black women founders of OYA Media Group, collaborated to create the documentary.

Duke and George played a pivotal role in uncovering the untold story behind the iconic song “Bam Bam on the Stalag 17 riddim”—and the remarkable woman behind the voice. The documentary is a tribute to Duke’s childhood memories when Sister Nancy was the only female reggae artist who played at the basement parties she attended in Scarborough.

“I just remember, whenever they would drop Sister Nancy, all the women would just go crazy because it was a voice that represented us,” Duke recalled. “And she was badass, and she was competitive, and she sounded good; they wanted to play her over and over again.”

Duke was commissioned to create the film by Moss Raxlen, one of Sister Nancy’s Canadian deejays. Raxlen approached Duke because of her experience producing music documentaries. He believed she was the right person to tell the reggae legend’s story.

The next step was gaining Sister Nancy’s approval. From Duke’s office, Raxlen made the call, and they agreed to proceed with the project. Raxlen later became an associate producer for the film.

One of Duke’s goals in creating the documentary was to celebrate Sister Nancy’s fearless spirit as an older woman still thriving and performing on stage. She combined dynamic tour performances, insightful interviews with industry figures like Janelle Monae, Young Guru, and Pete Rock, and archival footage of the early dancehall scene illustrating Sister Nancy’s enduring prominence in reggae and hip-hop. There are also interviews with Sister Carol, Herbie Miller, Queen Ifrica, Tony Rebel, DJ Kool Herc, and Michie Mee.

The documentary highlights Sister Nancy’s culture-shifting contribution to reggae and how she was left in the dark about the success of “Bam Bam.” Even after its numerous samplings and being included in the cult-classic Hype Williams’ film Belly, Sister Nancy received no royalties from all the sampling that happened with the song, and the original master tapes have still not been found.

The documentary highlights Sister Nancy’s legal battle with producer Winston Riley after her daughter spotted the song in a 2014 Reebok commercial and urged her to take action. The case was settled with Nancy receiving compensation for the previous 10 years and securing 50% ownership of the song’s rights.

Although she couldn’t recover royalties for 32 years, the settlement allowed her to leave her banking career and live off the royalties from the song. The film’s theater debut follows its première at the Tribeca Festival in New York in June 2024.

“I can tell she’s happy with it; I think she loves it because the people love it,” Duke, who talks to Sister Nancy weekly, said after the singer saw the film for the first time at its star-studded premiere.

Duke and her team are talking with a streaming service in Jamaica about the film, which would be seen in Jamaica and maybe the rest of the Caribbean.

“It’s slowly touring around the world. After Toronto, it will be in the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California; the San Diego Black Film Festival; and festivals in Washington and Italy,” she said.

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• Business

by Daniel Johnson

February 3, 2025

Experts Say Return-To-Work Mandates May Backfire On Employers, Lead To Talent Loss

The shift to remote work from workers has roots in the COVID-19 pandemic.

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A recent Pew Research Center survey indicated that workers are resistant to returning to a physical office full time, particularly if they have been working in fully remote or hybrid work arrangements.

But, according to CNBC, return-to-work mandates also carry an increased risk of losing top talent, and the employees who stay after a mandate has been issued are typically employees who are resigned to do just enough to keep their jobs.

A study from the University of Pittsburgh, which analyzed companies listed on the Standards & Poor 500, (S&P 500) discovered that firms that eliminated workplace flexibility often suffered high turnover rates, especially in regards to women and senior skilled employees. Those companies also took significantly longer to fill vacancies and their hire rates also went down.

According to Mark Ma, an associate professor of business and administration at the University of Pittsburgh, the employees who stay aren’t necessarily committed to staying at the company.

“I might try to do the minimum so I won’t be fired, then start looking for the next job. And once I find a better position, I will leave,” Ma told CNBC. “So it’s not an ideal situation for the employer. ”Ma also indicated he expects “some form of hybrid” to be the dominant work setting instead of the typical office arrangement.

“Based on the data we are observing, I do not think the majority of companies will do that (institute a mandatory return to office),” Ma added. “Most firms have already figured out their hybrid policy by now. Unless something goes wrong, I don’t think they will try to change that position.”

According to Kim Parker, the director of social trends research at the Pew Research Center, workers who indicated that they would quit once they were essentially forced to return to the office place a premium on flexibility, something that smaller employers can use to their benefit.

“It shows how much they (workers) really do value the flexibility that comes with hybrid work,” Parker said.

According to SHRM, the shift toward remote work from workers has roots in the pandemic, which has changed how Americans want to work. They have seen what is possible from employers.

According to a report from Oyster HR, the adoption of remote work post-COVID-19 pandemic also led to a marked improvement in the diversification of workplaces, leading to the employment of more disabled individuals, women, and underrepresented minorities. The report also said that workers believe that the return-to-office mandates are a way for employers to artificially decrease the number of employees at a company, which some corporate leaders have admitted to.

According to Prithwiraj Choudhury, a professor at Harvard Business School, it has become clear that “we are in a very stable hybrid work arrangement.” He told Inc. in December 2024 that “about 27 to 30 percent of the workdays across the economy, including all jobs, are being done in a remote way. The data doesn’t lie.”

Shiloh Butterworth, the principal and chief people officer at PAE, an engineering firm in Portland, Oregon, agreed with the assessment that the flexibility of hybrid work is a boon for his employees.

“By having a more flexible arrangement, we can actually tell our staff and potential candidates…‘We are less rigid than a lot of other firms. We actually provide a lot of trust in your ability to decide what works best for you,’” Butterworth said. “A lot of our candidates and a lot of our current employees really enjoy that flexibility.”

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• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 3, 2025

Attending Diversity Training Equals Administrative Leave For Education Department Employees

Which department will be next?

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Politico reports that after attending diversity training, U.S. Department of Education employees were placed on paid administrative leave under President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI order. 

Leave notices began to go out on Jan. 31, just days after Trump signed an executive order to dismantle any programs or initiatives advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The memo, reported to the local union president at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), informed the employees that they would still have full benefits because the leave was not disciplinary. 

The department’s “Diversity Change Agent Program” is a voluntary two-day training program implemented to garner workplace inclusivity. During the training, employees are encouraged to serve as role models and lead educational efforts to educate and train on DEI. Employees also supported efforts to recruit and keep agency talent. 

Nearly 55 employees received the memo after realizing they lost access to company email accounts and were asked not to return to the office. However, AFGE president Sheria Smith said asking employees to leave for a program after being promoted during Trump’s first term isn’t fair. She said several employees felt the training was strongly encouraged or required. “It seems unfair to encourage or require people to take a training and then four or five years later place them on administrative leave,” Smith said, according to the Associated Press. 

The second Trump term seems to be working on a different accord. During his campaign, he proposed shutting down the Education Department, claiming it was full of “radicals, zealots and Marxists.” He also pushed for the agency’s power to be handed over to the states. 

Training participants, also known as “Diversity Change Agents,” said placing some on leave could have more consequences than the administration may be aware of. The action could interrupt much of the agency’s core work, such as managing federal student loans and the FAFSA form for student financial aid. The workers spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearful of reprisals.

The layoffs are added to the growing list of crackdowns on diversity programs that the Trump-Vance administration and his allies have labeled as “racist.” The Defense Department announced they would dial back on recognizing celebrations like Black and Women’s History Months, Pride, and more. Secretary Pete Hegseth claims “diversity is not our strength” regarding the U.S. military. 

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• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 3, 2025

Boxer Claressa Shields First Undisputed Women’s Heavyweight Champ

The 16-0 fighter defeated Danielle Perkins on Sunday, Feb. 2.

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Self-proclaimed “GWOAT” Claressa Shields became the first-ever women’s undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing history when she defeated Danielle Perkins by unanimous decision on Sunday, Feb. 2.

Even sweeter, Shields’ victory came at the Dort Financial Center in her hometown of Flint, Mich.

According to The Associated Press, the undefeated Shields is now 16-0 with three knockouts. It was Perkins’ first professional loss in five fights. The scores from the three judges were 100-89, 97-92, and 99-90.

Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has also won gold at super welterweight, middleweight, and super middleweight. With her recent victory, Shields has also become the only three-division undisputed champion, male or female, of the four-belt era.

CLARESSA SHIELDS BECOMES THE FIRST-EVER UNDISPUTED WOMEN’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION 👏

She beats Danielle Perkins by unanimous decision 😤 pic.twitter.com/JzFcj2ixZH

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) February 3, 2025

ESPN also reported that Shields, although she dominated the bout, fought with a shoulder injury that nearly postponed the fight.

“I actually think I’m going to have to have surgery on my left arm,” said Shields, who couldn’t left that arm for two or three days. “I tore my labrum last week, so the fight almost didn’t happen. I didn’t want to let Flint down, but I really couldn’t use my jab the way that I wanted to, but I did the best that I could. I iced it, I did therapy, and now I think I’m going to have a shoulder surgery.”

According to CompuBox Stats, Shields connected on 29% of her punches and 36% of her power punches during the match. Perkins connected on only 19% of the punches she threw.

Shields, ESPN reports, now holds the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles. In women’s boxing, the heavyweight division is considered 175 pounds and up.

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