Black women, often balancing work, school and family, are the backbone of caregiving, managing not only the day-to-day needs of aging loved ones but also the emotional and logistical complexities of end-of-life planning. This labor—both paid and unpaid—underscores the urgent need for estate planning and access to legal resources to protect what generations have built.
Category: Opinion
Posted inOPINION
Weaponized dollars, a silent weapon that works
By Alice T. Crowe Grassroots boycotts are proving their power on Target’s Balance Sheet. On a March 4 quarterly earnings call, Target reported that quarterly net sales declined 3.1 percent. Target sales are declining, and so is its reputation. The company’s stock has slipped over 50 percent from its three-year high. While some experts will […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: April is National Minority Health Month
National Minority Health Month highlights the ongoing effort to achieve health equity, with this year’s theme emphasizing the need for sustained collaboration to eliminate disparities. Despite improvements in healthcare access, racial and ethnic minority groups continue to face significant health challenges, underscoring the importance of culturally informed care, community engagement, and preventive action.
Posted inOpinion
The politics of harm: How conservative policies disguise their impact on our communities
Dayvon Love is public policy director for the Baltimore-based think tank Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle. This week he discusses how conservative political forces have historically promoted policies that harm Black communities while claiming to act in their best interests. For example, advocates for harsh sentencing often cite protecting victims while ignoring how such policies disproportionately fuel mass incarceration. Such right-wing stances reflect a broader indifference—or even hostility—toward the systemic oppression faced by Black people.
Posted inOPINION
Commentary: Whistling while you work: A tribute to retiring Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr.
Bishop Walter Scott Thomas’ retirement marks the end of an era for Baltimore, where he built a nationally recognized ministry from a small congregation and profoundly influenced the city’s faith-based community. A visionary leader, preacher and mentor, his legacy continues through his children, his congregation, and the countless lives he touched, ensuring that his impact will endure beyond his final sermon.
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: Unconscious bias doesn’t need a color line
By Frances Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher My husband and I recently visited First Watch in Towson expecting a relaxing breakfast. Instead, we left feeling disrespected and dismissed. When we arrived we were in line, in front of two White patrons. The Black host asked how many were in our party. “Two,” we replied. He […]
Posted inWord In Black
Why Black thrivers are the future
Lauren Hood’s Institute for AfroUrbanism challenges deficit-based narratives about Black communities, focusing instead on their thriving through audacity, agency and abundance. Through a yearlong fellowship, Detroit thrivers travel to meet other Black leaders, exchanging knowledge to promote collective transformation and empowerment.
Posted inOpinion
The business of literacy — breaking barriers, building futures
By Sen. Cory V. McCray Thriving communities aren’t built by chance—they are the product of vision, investment and a deep commitment to the people who call them home. One of the greatest influences in my life, the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, often reminded us that “our children are the living messages we send to a […]
Posted inCommentary
Addressing the healthcare gap for working women
By Candrese Jones Cervical Cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if detected early. No one should die from this disease, however, an estimated 4,360 women in the United States died from cervical cancer in 2024. In Mississippi, Black women are almost one and a half times more likely to die of the disease […]
Posted inOpinion
A letter to the editor: Cherishing history and legacy
I enjoy AFRO for many, many reasons; mainly because I grew up with the AFRO-American Newspaper, which was sold in my grandparents newsstand in Georgetown, S.C. At age 79, I’m blessed to see history continue! Steve MyersCivil Rights Trail ToursMontgomery, Ala.
Posted inCommentary
DEI isn’t just an acronym — and saving it is our moral obligation
By Reverend Adam Russell-Taylor President Trump and much of the Grand Old Party’s (GOP) growing fixation on diversity, equity and inclusion programs — often referred to as “DEI” — has become a flashpoint in the nation’s politics that threatens to derail the essential project of becoming a more just and inclusive multiracial democracy. On his […]
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: Maryland Democratic Party’s cold war
Dayvon Love is director of public policy for the Baltimore-based think tank, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle. This week he speaks on infighting within the Democratic Party.
