An actress like Gabrielle Union, who has paid her dues and scored major hits on the big and small screen should have her pick of any role she wants. But in a recent conversation during the American Black Film Festival in Miami, Union revealed that when she’s deciding what to do, she has to be mindful of her pay, as she balances being a working actor with caring for her children and her father, Sylvester Union, who is living with dementia.

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Dreaming of NYSE? Adopt an Entrepreneurial Mindset First, Loren Douglass says

“I don’t have the luxury of taking all the independent films that I want because I can’t afford to pay for my extended family in the way that they have grown accustomed to,” she said during the discussion, titled “Sisterhood & Savings.”

The “Being Mary Jane” actress added that since her father was placed in memory care in 2023, the cost of his care has increased, and not all of it is covered by insurance. But she isn’t alone: According to a study by the Pew Research Center, more than half of American adults in their forties are part of the “sandwich generation,” covering the costs of caring for their children and their aging parents at the same time.

“I have to factor in endorsements and brands and brand building. When you see celebrities have fifty ‘leven jobs, there’s a reason,” she added. “We don’t get paid what y’all think that we get paid, and that check is split so many ways. You have to have multiple revenue streams to do the job that you really love. So it kind of depends on what I’ve made that year on how creative I can be — and that’s a damn shame, but that’s reality.”

But Union has made it clear that when it comes to her priorities, her family is always first. Back in 2024, she shared pictures of her father’s friends and loved ones gathering to celebrate his 80th birthday.

“What dementia has robbed him of, his heart and soul have recovered,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “It all just reminds me to be a good, loyal friend, a great neighbor, prioritize your family, have a spirit of adventure and don’t take no sh*t. And always show up and show love. Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you. ❤️”

8

Oh, you thought she was done? You thought she peaked with Invasion of Privacy. Baby, Belcalis Almanzar aka Cardi B aka Ms. Grammy Winner If You’re Nasty just reminded the world that she’s not your friend, she’s your tyrant. And after seven long, drama-drenched years, she’s finally back with the follow-up album we’ve all been begging for. Mark your calendars, girls and gays: Am I the Drama? drops September 19. And yes, mama, she absolutely is.

Cardi B’s ‘Am I The Drama?’ has already joined her own ‘Invasion of Privacy’ as the only female rap albums in history to spawn multiple #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Seven Years of Silence, Shade, and Stepping Over Bitches

Invasion of Privacy dropped in 2018 and promptly snatched a Grammy for Best Rap Album. It was the first solo female rap album to ever do that. Iconic. Historic. Unmatched. Since then, Cardi has been feeding us crumbs, granted, delicious ones. “WAP,” “Up,” “Money,” and “Bongos” stayed in rotation, not to mention collabs with everyone from Lizzo to Ye (before he lost his mind) to your problematic fave, Ed Sheeran.

But a second full-length album? A mirage. A myth. A whisper in the wind. Until now.

On Sunday, Cardi said bitch, it’s time. She dropped the album title, the drop date, and the cover art like a mic at the end of a diss track. The cover? Oh, just Cardi casually posing with a flock of crows like she’s the final boss in a gothic fashion RPG. Black veil. Feathers. Face beat to heaven. And that title? Am I the Drama? Please. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“Seven years of love, life and loss. Seven years I gave them grace, but now, I give them hell,” she says in the voiceover of her dramatic announcement clip, which is giving Shakespeare meets strip-club realness.

She continues, “I learned power is not given, it’s taken. I’m shedding feathers and no more tears. I’m not back, I’m beyond. I’m not your villain, I’m your tyrant.”

Let the church say AMEN.

“Outside” Is Giving Breakup Rage and Wide Receiver Romance

Cardi ain’t just talking. She’s already giving us a taste of the chaos to come. Her new single “Outside,” which premiered at the ultra bougie Cannes Lions festival, dropped Friday and sis did not come to play polite.

First of all, she took a lyrical machete to ex-husband Offset (again). No subliminals, no coy metaphors, she named names and aired the mess. And just in case you were wondering if she’s lonely, think again. Cardi also name-drops Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots wide receiver and her new certified boo. A stunt. A flex. A lifestyle.

Cardi’s Live Show Was a Greatest Hits Smackdown

At Cannes, Cardi reminded everybody why she is the culture. She opened with “Bongos” (the twerk anthem with Megan Thee Stallion that we’re still recovering from), and then proceeded to unleash an avalanche of hits: “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It,” “Money,” “Up,” and of course, “WAP” the wettest, wildest, most politically triggering piece of music this decade.

Say what you want about Cardi, but her stage presence is unmatched. She doesn’t just perform, she dominates.

A Timeline of Teasing and Trolling the Barbz

Now, let’s not pretend there hasn’t been chatter, and I do mean beef. Cardi’s been under pressure from critics, stans, and that one particular fanbase who shall not be named (rhymes with Barbz). People have questioned her pen, her artistry, her relevance. And for seven years, she smiled. She giggled. She let y’all think she was slipping.

But Cardi B is from the Bronx, baby. She never forgets.

This album isn’t just about music, it’s revenge, rebirth, and a royal serve on a platinum platter. And if the title Am I the Drama? is any clue, this era is going to be messier, louder, and even more unbothered than the last.

No More Feathers, No More Tears: Just Fire

Cardi isn’t dropping this album to fit in. She’s dropping it to remind everyone who invented the modern female rap blueprint. She’s got the industry shook, the timeline buzzing, and the rap girls scrambling to update their notes.

If you thought Cardi was going to play nice, stay quiet, or fade away, then baby, you must’ve mistaken her for someone who doesn’t have millions, a diamond plaque, and a Chanel-coded death grip on pop culture.

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Dear Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter and creative director/manager Blue Ivy Carter, can we talk?

Because the American Beyhive is confused, a little heartbroken, and just trying to understand: girl, what did we do to deserve this treatment?

Since the “Cowboy Carter” tour kicked off in April, Beyoncé has been giving full-on yeehaw excellence, transforming stadiums into immersive experiences that feel more like a night at the rodeo than a concert. But when she stepped onto the Stade de France stage on Juneteenth, something shifted. 

Paris got a guest appearance from Miley Cyrus for the first-ever live performance of their duet “II Most Wanted.” Then, just two days later, Bey closed out her Paris run by bringing Jay-Z on stage for a surprise medley of “Drunk in Love,” “N****s in Paris,” “Partition,” and “Crazy in Love,” leaving the crowd in shambles and the US Beyhive gagged and mourning in the group chat. 

Beyoncé saved the best part of the tour for Paris, and I honestly support her, America doesn’t deserve a shit from her right now https://t.co/kRVQBWy3Ip

— 𐚁 YT demographic decline (@NoBRISUals) June 22, 2025

In addition to the couple reuniting on stage for the first time in seven years, the sold-out, three-night Paris run broke records left and right. Beyoncé became the highest-grossing artist in Stade de France history, raking in $39.7 million across the shows, over $13.2 million per night. She also cemented her status as the venue’s top-selling female artist, with more than 215,000 tickets sold.

To be fair, there’s a long, romantic thread between the Carters and the “City of Love.” From Jay-Z revealing that Blue Ivy was conceived in Paris on his track “Glory” to Beyoncé explaining that her song “Partition” was inspired by their engagement celebration in Paris’ Crazy Horse cabaret, the couple has made their love affair with the city no secret. And let’s not forget the legacy of Black creative minds like James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and more, who found solace, success, and freedom in Paris when America failed them. So, maybe Beyoncé is honoring that tradition. And I get it. But still.

So now, as the tour circles back to the U.S. for Houston, D.C., Atlanta, and Las Vegas dates, we’re respectfully begging: bring that Paris magic home. Pull up with the same heat, the same love, and level of surprises.

And Beyoncé, sis… if you could go ahead and channel all that energy into the Fourth of July show in D.C., I’d be forever grateful.

This wild, viral TikTok video serves as a pear-clutching — yet hilarious — cautionary tale about what happens when an Amazon driver has the wrong type of experience with a random pup. In the video, an Amazon driver delivers this dog and its owner an unexpected package of words, and we can’t say we blame him.

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Dreaming of NYSE? Adopt an Entrepreneurial Mindset First, Loren Douglass says

“It should have been in the house, it was loose. What the f***? Are you dumb?” the Amazon driver hollers, clearly frustrated after apparently pepper-spraying the dog. Yes, you read that right. As the owner confronts the driver, a war of words occurs between him the resident, with the driver dropping a lot of F-bombs. “Who the f*** are you?,” the driver demands. 

The neighbor filming the incident tries to calm the driver, but the Amazon employee was not letting up. “You shouldn’t be talking to people like this,” they said. “Who the f*** are you?,” the driver shoots back.

The concerned dog owner notices the spray can on the driver’s belt and calmly asks what they’d sprayed, but he was not giving up that information. “It doesn’t matter, your dog shouldn’t be loose. It’s your fault. Goodbye,” he snaps.

As he walks back to his delivery truck, another female neighbor, out of frame, continued to argue with the employee. “Girl shut up,” the driver yelled. “You shut up,” the female resident fired back, leading to more curse words your grandmother would not appreciate. Whew, it was a mess. 

While certainly an unfortunate moment for the dog, the incident’s commentary did not disappoint. One TikTok creator reposted the video analyzing it with a laugh: “And to the Amazon driver who sprayed that mace on that dog and refuse to tell that lady what you sprayed on her dog, kudos to you,” she began. “But let me tell you something sir. Every dog is not a house dog. You can’t tell them people to put the dog in the house, sir!” 

More reaction videos praising the Amazon driver circulated on the app. “As an Amazon driver, I will be doing this from here on out,” a TikTok commenter posted. “People do not understand that some people are afraid of dogs and if you don’t want your dog hurt, put it up so we can do our jobs.”

The comments kept coming, with another user adding, “When you deliver items to people homes and you have to deal with entitled customers who refuse to follow the law. And pale people love to play clueless no matter the circumstances. Put your dogs up when you’re expecting a delivery, period!!!”

7

Last night, Beyoncé officially galloped into legend as she wrapped up a monumental, record-breaking three-night reign at Stade de France, cementing her place not only in music history but in architectural lore. Her COWBOY CARTER TOUR did not come to play. It came to conquer, leaving the City of Light with glitter in its lungs, denim in its dreams, and over $39.7 million USD (over €34.4M EUR) in receipts that prove the world belongs to her.

Let’s make this crystal clear: no one male, female, alien, or otherwise has ever grossed this much at Stade de France. Ever.

The Receipts Are in, and They’re Couture

Here’s what Queen Bey just did:

• Highest grossing engagement in Stade de France history with over $39.7M from just three nights






• Highest grossing single concert ever at the venue with each night pulling in over $13.2M USD






• Top-selling female artist at Stade de France of all time, with more than 215,000 tickets sold

And yes, the stadium was sold out three nights in a row. Parisians, tourists, and BeyHive soldiers came dripping in rhinestones and cowgirl hats, ready to experience what is widely being hailed as Beyoncé’s most artistically daring, musically transcendent tour yet.

The Fashion? Galloped Straight Out of a Dream

Because it’s Beyoncé, the visuals were divine couture cinema. She stunned in custom looks from Balmain, Roberto Cavalli, Ferrari, and more. When in Paris, you don’t dress up. You ascend.

Each night felt like its own fashion editorial, with Beyoncé shapeshifting between country futurism and Louis XIV-level royalty. Who else could make cowboy hats look like sacred relics?

The Guest List? Biblical

If the outfits were divine, the guest appearances were heaven-sent:

• Night One: Miley Cyrus joined Beyoncé on stage to perform their Grammy-winning smash “II MOST WANTED” and yes, it was the first time ever. The girls sang like angels, rode like outlaws, and the crowd lost their collective mind






• Night Two and Three: The Mayyas, the Lebanese all-female precision dance ensemble and Beyoncé’s spiritual sisters in symmetry, stunned with choreography so sharp it could slice bread






• Night Three: Husband and forever icon JAY-Z stepped on stage. The power couple served “Crazy in Love” then set the roof on fire with his Parisian anthem, “…Paris”. The crowd? Unhinged






• Every Night: The incomparable Les Twins reminded everyone that gravity does not apply to Beyoncé’s universe

The Show? Nearly Three Hours of Art, Grit and Soul

The COWBOY CARTER TOUR isn’t just a concert. It’s a visual thesis, a soul revival, a history rewrite on glittery horseback. Beyoncé reimagines her GRAMMY-winning COWBOY CARTER album with live arrangements that gallop through genres, from country to gospel to trap to opera. The result is a masterclass in reinvention, endurance, and Black Southern femininity reclaiming the American mythos.

Tour Partners Bringing the Magic

She didn’t do it alone. Queen Bey brought a royal court of elite partners:

• Marriott Bonvoy: Serving luxury, loyalty, and access to once-in-a-lifetime moments






• SirDavis Whiskey: The official spirit of the tour because nothing pairs with excellence like smooth, premium whiskey






• Cécred: Beyoncé’s award-winning haircare line glowed center stage with the Cécred Roadshow a chrome-wrapped beauty paradise traveling with the tour, popping up at select Ulta Beauty stores and giving out free samples, fan cam moments, and custom merch






• Ulta Beauty: As the official retail partner, Ulta made this a hot girl summer of glam, helping fans get Cécred-level hair and beat faces worthy of the front row






• Vibee: Offering curated fan experience packages because seeing Beyoncé is one thing. Doing it from a 5-star hotel suite with premium seats is another

BeyGOOD: The Queen Gives Back

Beyoncé doesn’t just break records. She builds futures. Her BeyGOOD Foundation is investing over $3 million in communities along the tour route. That includes support for entrepreneurs, college scholarships, and disaster relief, including aid for families impacted by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

What’s Next for the Reigning Monarch?

The Queen now heads home to Houston, then on to D.C., Atlanta, and Las Vegas, ready to spread the gospel of COWBOY CARTER across America. And let’s be clear: this tour isn’t just iconic. It’s revolutionary. A full-circle statement that reclaims, reimagines, and reigns supreme over genres, gender norms, and generations.

So, to every other pop star out there: good luck. Beyoncé just turned a stadium into a sanctuary and a Western fantasy into living history.

And the BeyHive? We were blessed to witness it.

Long live the Queen.

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The list of courses centering hip-hop and hip-hop artists at various universities around the United States has a new addition to the list. This upcoming semester at Temple University in Philadelphia, a course that endeavors to cover the life, legacy and cultural influence of Kendrick Lamar will be available to students, according to Philly’s WHYY. 

Titled “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of the M.A.A.D. City,” the course will be taught by Timothy Welbeck, an assistant professor in the university’s Africology and African American Studies department. According to his university bio, Welbeck—who is a lawyer whose scholarly work sits at the intersection of race, law, and culture—has taught other courses centering hip-hop including, “Hip-Hop and Black Culture,” and “No City for Young Men: Hip-Hop and the Narrative of Marginalization,” which is also the title for his upcoming book which will explore “how hip-hop communicates the lived experience of persons who live in urban centers across the nation, particularly Black men living in major cities.”

In Welbeck’s course about Kendrick Lamar, students will dissect and analyze Lamar’s work through an Afrocentric lens while looking at the policies that shaped his upbringing and the environment in Compton, California, that shaped his music and perspective. The course will also delve into how Lamar sits in the West Coast canon and the musical heritage from which Lamar comes in that space. 

Temple University’s course won’t be the first university course to dig into the legacy of Lamar. As far back as 2014, Georgia Regents University in Augusta, Ga., offered a literary composition course titled, “Good Kids, Mad Cities,” that used Lamar’s debut album, “good kid, m.A.A.d. city” as a starting point. Other courses centering on Lamar’s work have also been offered at Lehigh University and Concordia University, among others. 

In addition to the academic courses that examine the influence of Lamar in a scholarly context, two prominent books have been written by hip-hop and music scholars about the cultural imprint and legacy of the Compton MC, who is currently on tour for his “Grand National Tour” with artist SZA. In 2020, Marcus J. Moore released “The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America”—the title a nod to Lamar’s ambitious sophomore album, “To Pimp a Butterfly.” And in 2021, Miles Marshall Lewis released “Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar”—whose title was a nod to one of the standout records “Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst” on Lamar’s debut album, the aforementioned “good kid, m.A.A.d. city.” 

Kendrick Lamar, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Music for his 2018 album, “DAMN” has had quite the past year and a half. After embroiling himself in one of hip-hop’s most significant beefs, he went on to create the indisputable song of 2024, multiple Grammy Award-winning “Not Like Us,” release his critically acclaimed, Los Angeles-centric sixth studio album, “GNX,” and headline the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Other hip-hop and Black cultural artists who have had courses offered about their lives and musical legacies include Jay-Z, Tupac, Beyoncé, Erykah Badu, and others, along with several universities that offer courses in Hip-Hop studies.

The latest scandalous revelations about Sean “Diddy” Combs aren’t just spilling from his former flames, but from the folks who saw it all firsthand: his personal assistants. Each one seems to have a similar story, from fetching drugs for the mogul to witnessing the horrific abuse of Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. But some assistants found themselves in situations so wild, they had to ditch the job.

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AI Is the New Civil Rights Frontier: Loren Douglass on Wealth, Politics & Power

Here’s the lowdown on Combs’ former assistants, according to the federal sex crime trial so far.

David James

David James said he worked for Combs from 2007 to 2009. He said in his interview for the job as assistant at Bad Boy, an executive pointed to a picture of Combs on the wall and said, “This is Mr. Combs’ kingdom and we are all here to serve in it.” That service included procuring drugs for the rapper and his friends. James said he was also instructed to buy baby oil, lubricant and condoms for trips. He was ordered to pay for it in cash so there wouldn’t be a record of it and was told he’d be reimbursed. 

On one occasion, he said he was once forced to take a lie detector test when Combs’ jewelry went missing. James also said he was ordered by Combs to drive around searching for rival Suge Knight’s vehicle when in Los Angeles. He stated Combs and a few security guards who were in the car were armed. 

When talking about Ventura, At some point during his testimony, he grew emotional talking about Ventura saying Combs “controlled her career.” James stated that he heard the two argue about her career but never saw the violence. 

George Kaplan

Kaplan said he worked 80-100 hours a week, holding responsibilities such as carrying Combs’ baggage, making sure his bags had the rapper’s preferred contents and holding tens of thousands of dollars in cash for him. He said Combs threatened to fire him once a month –  once, because he brought back two half gallons of BPA-free water instead of one whole gallon. 

He also said he was ordered by Combs and his staff member, Kristina Khorram, to stock hotel rooms with baby oil, candles and Astroglide. He was ordered twice to pick up drugs for Combs. He also cleaned up after his hotel stays, explaining he was devoted to protecting the rapper’s image. That protection expanded to tense incidents involving Ventura, citing once when she appeared to have been hit by Combs on a private jet. He also said he saw Combs throw apples at another woman. Kaplan said he didn’t report the incident because he was concerned about jeopardizing his job or Combs’ well-being. 

Ultimately, the violence is what drew Kaplan to leave, he testified. Even though he told Combs he left due to his dad becoming sick with cancer. Kaplan said despite the violence, he had a great time working for Combs, calling him “a god among men.”  

Capricorn Clark

Clark stated she started working for Bad Boy Records in 2004 and worked for Combs up until 2018. She also simultaneously worked as Cassie Ventura’s creative director from 2016 to 2018. Clark was tasked with setting up Combs’ hotel rooms for freak-offs. She was also tasked with obtaining drugs for the rapper including prescription drugs she got in her name. She described her time working for Combs as a stressful 24/7 task, leading to sleep deprivation and hair loss. 

Clark said she was threatened by Combs on multiple occasions. Once, he threatened to kill her after discovering her previous employment at rival Suge Knight’s Death Row Records, she said. On another occasion, Combs sent her to be questioned by an associate after his jewelry went missing which led to a threat to be thrown in the East River in New York. She also said she was subject to days of lie detector testing following the jewelry incident. Clark said she was kidnapped by Combs when he allegedly plotted on killing rapper Kid Cudi upon the discovery of his relationship with Ventura. He threatened to kill her after finding out she knew about the fling but didn’t tell him – which eventually led to her firing. 

The only violence she said she experienced herself is when the rapper forcefully shoved her.  In regards to Ventura, she said she saw Combs attack her with “100 percent full force.” Every situation where she could have called the police she said she didn’t out of fear of Combs’ retaliation after he promised to blacklist her from the industry.

Jonathan Perez

Perez stated he worked for Combs more recently when he was dating witness “Jane,” from 2021 to 2024. His testimony was rather simple, explaining his responsibilities to obtain drugs for Combs including IV drips for Ventura for freak off recovery. Perez said he “helped” Jane look for her lingerie and dresses so she would look good for Combs. From his perspective, she was willing to participate in the freak-offs, he stated. 

Perez said on two occasions, he sensed tension between Combs and “Jane.” Once, he took Combs to “Jane’s” home and received a FaceTime hours later from the rapper who looked “angry and annoyed.” Combs asked him to confirm that another woman wasn’t on their previous trip. He also said after another date night gone wrong, he was asked to bring $3,500 to the rapper for her. Perez said these incidents and freak-off tasks were only one percent of the work he did for Combs.

Kristina Khorram

The mysterious former chief of staff who hasn’t made an appearance in court yet but seems to be the topic of numerous testimonies is an alleged co-conspirator to Combs’ alleged crimes, per prosecutors. Combs himself referred to Khorram as his “right hand” in a 2021 social media post.  Former assistant Kaplan said Khorram “ran Combs’ life. 

During Ventura’s testimony, she said Khorram or “KK” was responsible for helping Combs keep tabs on her by having control of her schedule and sometimes, her whereabouts. Khorram was also allegedly made aware of an incident where Ventura told her Combs dangled one of her friends over her apartment balcony. Ventura said she talked to her about other personal things as well, including instances of her own physical abuse. 

One former security guard at the InterContinental Hotel testified that after Combs’ brutal beating of Ventura in the hotel’s hallway, Khorram was the main staff member insisting for a copy of the surveillance video of the incident. 

Witness Jane also testified that Khorram helped her the first time she took ecstasy given to her by Combs and collapsed. Khorram also allegedly instructed Jane on how to fly with a big bag of drugs to transport them to Combs. Jane said she felt that Khorram’s opinions of her heavily influenced her relationship with Combs. 

The other former assistants who took the stand cited Khorram’s responsibilities being similar to theirs –  having Combs’ hotel rooms set the way he desired, particularly for freak offs. Khorram is also listed as a co-defendant to Combs in multiple sexual assault lawsuits filed against the rapper. The narratives are consistent, accusing Khorram of helping clean up Combs’ alleged crimes. She has since denied the allegations.

Texas will require all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments under a new law that will make the state the nation’s largest to attempt to impose such a mandate.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Saturday that he signed the bill, which is expected to draw a legal challenge from critics who consider it an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state.

A similar law in Louisiana was blocked when a federal appeals court ruled Friday that it was unconstitutional. Arkansas also has a similar law that has been challenged in federal court.

The Texas measure easily passed in the Republican-controlled state House and Senate in the legislative session that ended June 2.

“The focus of this bill is to look at what is historically important to our nation educationally and judicially,” Republican state representative Candy Noble, a co-sponsor of the bill, said when it passed the House.

Abbott also signed a bill that allows school districts to provide students and staff a daily voluntary period of prayer or time to read a religious text during school hours.

The Ten Commandments laws are among efforts, mainly in conservative-led states, to insert religion into public schools.

Texas’ law requires public schools to post in classrooms a 16-by-20-inch (41-by-51-centimeter) poster or framed copy of a specific English version of the commandments, even though translations and interpretations vary across denominations, faiths and languages and may differ in homes and houses of worship.

Supporters say the Ten Commandments are part of the foundation of the United States’ judicial and educational systems and should be displayed.

Opponents, including some Christian and other faith leaders, say the Ten Commandments and prayer measures infringe on others’ religious freedom.

A letter signed this year by dozens of Christian and Jewish faith leaders opposing the bill noted that Texas has thousands of students of other faiths who might have no connection to the Ten Commandments. Texas has nearly 6 million students in about 9,100 public schools.

In 2005, Abbott, who was state attorney general at the time, successfully argued before the Supreme Court that Texas could keep a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of its Capitol.

Louisiana’s law has twice been ruled unconstitutional by federal courts, first by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles and then again by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which also considers cases from Texas.

State Attorney General Liz Murrell said she would appeal and pledged to take it to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

Randolph Bracy and LaVon Bracy Davis are taking sibling rivalry to a new level as the brother and sister run against each other in a race for a Florida state Senate seat on Tuesday.

Not only that, one of their opponents for the Democratic nomination in the district representing parts of metro Orlando is Alan Grayson, a combative former Democratic U.S. congressman who drew national attention in 2009 when he said in a House floor speech that the Republican health care plan was to “die quickly.”

The headline-grabbing candidates are running in the special primary election for the seat that had been held by Geraldine Thompson, a trailblazing veteran lawmaker who died earlier this year following complications from knee-replacement surgery. A fourth candidate also is running in the Democratic primary — personal injury attorney Coretta Anthony-Smith.

The winner will face Republican Willie Montague in September for the general election in the Democratic-dominant district. Black voters make up more than half registered Democrats in the district.

Both siblings have experience in the state legislature. Bracy Davis was a state representative, and Bracy was a former state senator. Adding to the family dynamics was the fact that the siblings’ mother, civil rights activist Lavon Wright Bracy, was the maid of honor at Thompson’s wedding and was one of her oldest friends. She has endorsed her daughter over her son.

The siblings’ family has been active in Orlando’s civic life for decades. Their father, Randolph Bracy Jr., was a local NAACP president, a founder of a Baptist church in Orlando and director of the religion department at Bethune-Cookman University.

It wasn’t the first time the family has been caught up in competing endorsements. When Bracy and Thompson ran against each other for the Democratic primary in a state senate race last year, Bracy Davis endorsed Thompson over her brother. Campaign fliers sent out recently by a Republican political operative start with “Bracy Yourself!”

Bracy, 48, who one time played professional basketball in Turkey, told the Orlando Sentinel that it was “disappointing and hurtful” for his sister to run after he had announced his bid. But Bracy Davis, 45, an attorney by training, said she was running for the people in state senate District 15, not against any of the other candidates. She said that she intended to continue Thompson’s legacy of pushing for voters’ rights and increasing pay for public schoolteachers. Thompson’s family has endorsed Bracy Davis.

Grayson was elected to Congress in 2008 and voted out in 2010. Voters sent him back to Congress in 2012, but he gave up his seat for an unsuccessful 2016 Senate run.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Well, the U.S. has joined what might just turn into an all-out war between Israel and Iran. Early Sunday morning (June 22) Iranian time, President Donald Trump joined Israel’s military conflict with Iran by directing American warplanes and submarines to attack three nuclear sites in the country.

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AI Is the New Civil Rights Frontier: Loren Douglass on Wealth, Politics & Power

AI Is the New Civil Rights Frontier: Loren Douglass on Wealth, Politics & Power

By doing so, he broke a promise he gave on the campaign trail to not get America entangled in a foreign war…and Black America has thoughts.

Many question why civilians are being killed in this war between two countries. To date, over 650 military personnel and civilians have been killed in Iran since the beginning of the conflict with Israel. Military deaths…? That’s what they signed up for. But civilians…?

Some are questioning why we’re involved in these two countries duking it out in the first place.

But the real ones recognize game…and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, just played our president for a fool. As this tweet points out, people have been claiming that Iran was close to having a nuclear weapon since Starter Jackets were all the rage and Mobb Deep had folks shook.

Then there are those who humbly ask for Iran to understand that Black folks who are not in the military ain’t got sh*t to do with whatever Trump has going on.

The scariest potential result is that by engaging in this conflict, Trump may have just done the opposite of what he was trying to accomplish. Instead of ending Iran’s attempts to get a nuclear weapon, he has just taken action that will ensure that they will get one.

The people born after 1996 may not understand this, but Millennials are tired. Too tired. Here we go again.