Sean Combs verdict, Big beautiful disaster for Black Americans, RIP Walter Scott
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What I’m Reading
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been found guilty on two out of five charges in his sex trafficking trial in his eight-week federal trial.
The Bad Boy Records founder was acquitted of one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking, the most serious of the charges against him in what observers are calling a major loss for federal prosecutors. He was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution, however.
Cassie’s lawyer has released a statement praising his client for her “courage” and “strength” during the trial. Combs was denied bail Wednesday.
Read more in The New York Times.
Related: NPR Music Editor Sheldon Pearce’s analysis on what happens next for Sean Combs.
Why you should care about the "big, beautiful bill," Here's The Deal with KG
Veteran political reporter just launched her new newsletter, Here’s The Deal with KG, where she will break down some of the biggest stories about criminal justice, race and equity, and national issues. In her first story, she explains why you should be paying attention to the massive GOP-led tax and spending bill Congress passed this week.
Related: Capital B’s Brandon Tensley explored why Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” has major ramifications for Black Americans.
How Trump upended 60 years of civil rights in two months, The New York Times
For the New York Times, Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote about how the Trump administration’s “assault on federal protections may bring about a new era of unchecked discrimination.”
The Corporations Quietly Buying Up Altadena, Dwell
A tale as old as time: In the aftermath of the fire that destroyed the historically Black neighborhood of Altadena, corporations with murky structures have been quietly buying up the area.
Related: Thembisa Mshaka wrote a personal essay about growing up in Altadena and the Black families still struggling to put the pieces together…
What’s In The News
Across America
Alabama: The University of Alabama at Birmingham terminated a privately funded scholarship for Black medical students following threats from the Trump admin…
District of Columbia: A bill was recently introduced to name a Brookland neighborhood post office in honor of the “Godfather of Go-Go” Chuck Brown…
Georgia: Hundreds of mourners gathered at Fairfield Baptist Church to support the grieving family of Adriana Monet Smith, the brain-dead woman kept on life support to have a baby…
Kentucky: A diverse coalition of residents has come together to plant markers memorializing Black victims killed by racist violence…
Massachusetts: Two workers have resigned after their racist words were captured on a live stream of a high school graduation ceremony…
Michigan: The owner of a Detroit car wash who recently died had a helicopter drop thousands of dollars onto pedestrians below as his last wish…
North Carolina: Civil rights activist Pauli Murray has been granted the highest recognition in the state by the governor…
Pennsylvania: LL Cool J said that he will not perform at Wawa Welcome America in Philadelphia on July 4th because of a union strike…
What’s Happening
The Supreme Court said it would reargue Louisiana's congressional redistricting plan in its next term…
Students and faculty at the University of Alabama recently testified that a new anti-DEI law has caused significant harm on campus…And in North Carolina, federal and state officials have declared war on DEI at the state’s colleges and universities…
Historian has named the next President of the National Humanities Center, the first Black person and first woman in that role…
Archaeologists in Virginia have unearthed artifacts from the Williamsburg Bray School, one of the oldest schools in the nation for free and enslaved Black children…the school has been completely restored and is now also open to the public…
McDonald’s may face a national boycott due to its plan to dial back some of its diversity equity and inclusion programs…The Grio’s Gerren Keith Gaynor reported on the Congressional Black Caucus’ meeting with Target’s leadership, whose answers left the congress members unimpressed...
There’s an interesting article in New York Magazine about the Black Americans who are moving to Ghana…
Michigan officials announced they have finished replacing most lead water pipes in Flint, but there’s still much work to be done…
A collaboration between Getty Images and Ancestry.com is helping HBCUs preserve archival collections, a key partnership as Black institutions come under attack…
Alabama state officials have declined to release video footage of an 18-year-old shot and killed by police, claiming it would jeopardize the investigation…
WIRED: With major corporations pulling out of Juneteenth and Pride, one thing is clear: The era of “woke” brand activism is over…
Boston leaders are pushing to bring an HBCU presence to Boston for the first time…
Entertainment News
Beyoncé has been in the headlines over the past week for two reasons: A flying-car prop malfunctioned while she was midair, tilting dramatically…Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, the singer donated $100,000 to Texas Southern University's Ocean of Soul marching band…
“Sinners” debuted on Max today, and it includes a Black American Sign Language version…Buddy Guy, who makes a cameo in “Sinners,” shared with NPR how he “accidentally” invented a new guitar sound…
“Love Calls” singer Kem has left Motown Records after more than 20 years with the label by …
Keith David shared a touching video to social media that announced he would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame…
Danielle Deadwyler talked with BET’s Malcolm Venable about her newest film "40 Acres," a horror-thriller about a post-apocalyptic America…
Quinta Brunson recently sat down with Bustle to discuss her plans after “Abbott Elementary”...
A space camp for teen girls named after the late Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols is set to open in January in Huntsville, Alabama…
My colleague Njera Perkins talked with “The Best Man” director Malcolm D. Lee about his literary debut, “The Best Man: Unfinished Business”...
Obituaries
Walter Scott, founding member of The Whispers — best known for the hits "And the Beat Goes On" and "Rock Steady" — has died. He was 81…
Dave Parker, the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder nicknamed “The Cobra,” has died. He was 74…
James Weldon Norris, esteemed music professor and director of University Choral Activities at Howard University, has died. He was 90…
Don’t Miss
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 1 minute and 56 seconds…
Speaking of Black Crossword, my organization is partnering with game creator Juliana Pache for a live puzzling event at Busboys and Poets in Washington on July 9. RSVP here…
The BTS Mass Tech Adoption Challenge invites everyone — from educators to technologists to creatives — to apply and create tools that work in the real world. The deadline is August 15…
PBS' latest "In The Making" docu-short focuses on the work of furniture maker and conceptual artist Norman Teague…
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