HBCUs walk a tightrope, You go Coco, RIP Sly Stone
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What I’m Reading
Facing severe budget cuts, a local television station leaned on its community — and succeeded, Poynter
When I became president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists, I knew I wanted community to be a key tenet of my tenure.
I talked with Poynter about our efforts in the fight to save Prince George's Community Television, a hyperlocal TV station in the majority-Black Prince George's County — and how the community wrapped its arms around it. I am extremely proud of everyone’s efforts to help save this station!
HBCUs depend on federal funding. Their leaders are walking a tightrope on Trump’s DEI attacks, AP News
For the Associated Press, Cheyanne Mumphrey examined the tightrope that leaders of historically Black colleges and universities must walk to maintain federal funding and not provoke the ire of the Trump administration.
“HBCUs, in general, I don’t believe are in a position to be adamantly and vociferously opposed to these attacks, but deep down we all know what’s going on,” Deron Snyder, an alumnus of and professor at Howard University, told Mumphrey. “It’s just how much can you actually say without fear of retribution.”
Howardena Pindell is still breaking down barriers for Black artists, The New York Times
Nicole Acheampong, digital editor of The New York Times Style Magazine, sat down with Howardena Pindell — a groundbreaking artist whose career spans more than five decades.
This mix of therapies is helping to stop youth violence in Chicago, The Marshall Project
The Marshall Project published a powerful feature on a violence prevention program that is pairing cognitive behavioral therapy with other support to keep high-risk teens out of jail.
What’s In The News
Across America
District of Columbia: Eleanor Holmes Norton, the delegate from the District of Columbia, turns 88 this week. She is currently facing pressure to retire…
Florida: An 81-year-old woman was arrested after allegedly pepper-spraying her neighbors, including two young girls, over blowing bubbles…
Georgia: Dominique Grant was formerly incarcerated. Now she’s front and center of a movement working to close the Atlanta City Detention Center…
Illinois: A steady number of Black millennials are choosing to call Chicago home. The TRiiBE spoke with several transplants to learn why…
Louisiana: The New Orleans City Council has made August 29th a city holiday in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina…
Michigan: will be providing vital coverage for the Michigan Chronicle ahead of Detroit’s pivotal election…
New Jersey: Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted on federal charges over a confrontation at an ICE facility…
South Carolina: A sixth-generation Daufuskie Islander is working hard to preserve a family home and protect a legacy…
Wisconsin: A jury has convicted the man who killed Sade Robinson following a date…
What’s Happening
From my colleague Nathalie Baptiste: “American schools are already more segregated today than they were 40 years ago — and Trump's education policies aren't going to help”...
Digital redlining is making life difficult for many students at historically Black colleges and universities. Here’s how Claflin University is fighting back…
“I need to get in!”: Rep. Maxine Waters was blocked from entering a federal detention facility over the weekend…
Harvard University’s medical school has renamed its diversity office, removed references to race from its website and axed a key diversity statement…
Capital B’s Adam Mahoney spoke with Black Angelenos regarding how they feel about the attack on migrant communities in Los Angeles…
For The Nation, Anthony Conwright examines Black Americans’ support for Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race…
The Guardian: Many Black women consider synthetic braids safe. A study found toxins in all the brands it tested…
Angela Suggs, vice president and director of athletics for Florida A&M University, was booked after voluntarily submitting herself for fraud and larceny charges…
Entertainment News
The BET Awards took place this week: Doechii used her acceptance speech at the BET Awards to blast Trump's "ruthless" deployment of the military during protests in Los Angeles…Billboard ranked the best performances from the award show — my favorite was Kirk Franklin’s…Jamie Foxx delivered a tearful speech while accepting the Ultimate Icon Award…
The trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland announced that she is retiring from American Ballet Theatre…
The latest in my newsletter: The Recording Academy has added a “traditional country” category following Beyoncé’s historic “Cowboy Carter” win…
Coco Gauff has won the French Open women's singles title, becoming the first American since Serena Williams to do so…
Silentó, the rapper known for his 2015 single "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his cousin…
Check these out: Famed photographer Lorna Simpson’s powerful exhibit “Source Notes” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was featured in the New York Times…Artist Mario Moore’s powerful oil painting exhibit is on display in Detroit at the Library Street Collective…
Kara Young has made history as the first Black performer to win a Tony Award two years in a row…
Obituaries
Sly Stone, legendary funk-rock musician, has died
Sly Stone, the frontman for Sly and the Family Stone — a band that played a key role in the development of funk music — has died. He was 82.
Ananda Lewis, the former MTV VJ who hosted shows like “Total Request Live," has died. She was 52…
Renee Ferguson, the first Black woman to work as an investigative reporter in Chicago television, has died. She was 75…
Don’t Miss
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 53 seconds!...
NPR continues celebrating Black Music Month with a Tiny Desk concert for Wiz Khalifa’s “Kush & Orange Juice,” which dropped 15 years ago…Cece Winans’ Tiny Desk concert will be released later today…
Don’t forget: Applications for the Detroit Black Farmer Land fund will open on June 19th…
Ginger Root, a progressive Black male political organization, is hosting a free Fathers Day Barbecue in Detroit on June 14th from 12 pm to 4 pm...