The collapse of Spirit Airlines has sparked emotional reactions from travelers and former employees who say the airline created opportunities that extended far beyond low-cost flights. As thousands lose their jobs and budget-conscious flyers brace for rising airfare prices, many are reflecting on the company’s unique role in providing accessibility, mobility and representation within the airline industry. The shutdown has also raised broader concerns about what the future of affordable air travel could look like without one of the nation’s most recognizable budget carriers.
Category: Afro Briefs
Posted inNational News
Inside Sierra Club’s pattern of Black leadership departures
By Dr. Angelo A. WilliamsThe Observer EDITOR’S NOTE: Between 2023 and 2025, a cluster of departures across the Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation — including routine board turnover, resignations, a discrimination lawsuit and the firing of former Executive Director Ben Jealous — fueled a debate over who holds power inside one of the […]
Posted inWord In Black
Chicago ‘Fibroid Slayer’ makes history with biggest case of his career
By Jennifer Porter GoreWord in Black It was a case most gynecologists wouldn’t touch — literally. Brionna Johnson of Chicago, who was 17 weeks pregnant, had a fibroid tumor on her uterus that weighed 27 pounds. One gynecologist after another told her the growth had to come out, but the only way of doing that […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Kenya’s rainy season turns deadly again, with 18 killed and 54,000 households hit over a week
Severe flooding from ongoing heavy rains in Kenya has killed at least 18 people in the past week and affected more than 54,000 households, with widespread damage to infrastructure, displacement from mudslides and warnings of continued rainfall.
Posted inAfro Briefs
A new reality: Retirement while supporting young adult children or parents
Rising costs of living and cultural expectations have increased the number of retirees still supporting young adult children, with 50 percent of parents now supporting a child older than 18.
Posted inMoney
Small debts, big consequences: The financial burden many overlook
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com For many Black Americans, the racial wealth gap has always been apparent. Race and zipcode have been proven to skew everything from credit scores to home values in Black neighborhoods. What can be underestimated are the impacts of smaller, unpaid fines. Municipal fines such as tickets and toll fees or […]
Posted inMental Health
A deadly pattern: Violence against Black women raises alarm nationwide
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to The AFRO Brutal cases of domestic violence in the Black community have rocked the nation in recent weeks, highlighting a need to understand the root cause of intimate partner violence and how to prevent it. On April 1, Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, of Coral Springs, Fla.was found dead in […]
Posted inHealth
A call to action to help fight kidney failure in at-risk communities: American Kidney Fund urges people to be APOL1 Aware
April 28 marks AMKD Awareness Day, highlighting the urgent need for communities—especially those of African ancestry—to understand their risk for APOL1-mediated kidney disease.
Posted inNational News
DC gala shooting suspect aired grievances against 47th president in writings to family
Authorities say Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California man, is accused of attempting a politically motivated attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25, after sending writings to family expressing grievances against the 47th president’s administration. Investigators believe Allen acted alone, legally acquired multiple weapons, and intended to target administration officials before being subdued by security, prompting a chaotic scene and the evacuation of the president, who was unharmed.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Board of Trustees selects Dr. Denise Jones Gregory as president of Jackson State University
Denise Jones Gregory has been selected as the 14th president of Jackson State University following an eight-month national search. A longtime academic leader at the university who served as interim president since May 2025, Gregory brings experience as provost and vice president of academic affairs, along with a strong background in chemistry and higher education leadership.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Women preserve legacy through shared family names
While “Jr.” and “Sr.” traditions have long defined lineage through men, these stories show how women preserve family history in their own ways. Across generations, they describe names as a lasting link to identity, ancestry and legacy.
Posted inNational News
8 children between the ages of 1 and 14 are dead after a mass shooting in Louisiana, police say
Eight children, ages 1 to 14, were killed in a domestic violence mass shooting across two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 19, police said. The suspect, an adult male believed to be related to the victims, died after a police pursuit. Authorities are still investigating what led to the attack, which is the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in more than two years.