By Jennifer Porter GoreWord in Black Roughly 1 in 3 doctors who are enrolled to treat Medicaid patients didn’t treat a single one between 2019 and 2021, according to new research. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a third of enrolled health care providers saw more than 150 Medicaid patients each year, a workload […]
Category: Afro Briefs
Posted inAfro Briefs
Najee Seabrooks: Still teaching young people how to live three years later!
By Zayid Muhammad They were not only wearing their famous orange and black gear on this day. Some had on that gear especially made to honor their fallen friend and colleague, that red and black gear, his smiling face on the front, and a quote of his on the back that bespoke his vibrant personality […]
Posted inWord In Black
Demystifying the end: Hospice care impact on the Black community
Hospice care offers comfort, dignity and emotional support at the end of life, but it remains underused in Black communities due to misconceptions, limited access and historical distrust of the healthcare system. Advocates say education, community outreach and culturally sensitive care are key to helping families better understand hospice and use its services earlier.
Posted inAfro Briefs
UN panel says racist hate speech by US leaders has led to human rights violations
A U.N.-backed panel says racist rhetoric by U.S. leaders and strict immigration enforcement have contributed to serious human rights violations, urging the U.S. to review its policies and halt enforcement near schools, hospitals, and churches.
Posted inHealth
An effort to remedy harm from a race-based kidney test helps Black patients seeking transplants
A nationwide effort to correct a race-based kidney function test has helped thousands of Black patients gain credit for lost time on transplant waiting lists, improving their chances of receiving a kidney. Researchers say the policy change has increased transplant rates for Black patients without negatively affecting patients of other races.
Posted inAfro Briefs
A Florida woman has been charged in a shooting at Rihanna’s Los Angeles home
A Florida woman has been charged with attempted murder and multiple felony assault counts after allegedly firing several gunshots at the Los Angeles home of singer Rihanna while the star, her partner A$AP Rocky, their children and her mother were inside. No one was injured, and the suspect, Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, was arrested and ordered held on $1.8 million bail while authorities investigate a possible motive.
Posted inBaltimore Community
Aging while Black: Seniors say listening is the first step to care
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com When discussing how to best serve older residents, it can be easy to get lost in statistics and policies. Experts and seniors alike say what’s most important when considering the aging Black population is communication. “When we think about seniors and look at the social determinants of health, I think […]
Posted inMaryland News
Virtual training to engage college men in violence prevention amid growing disconnection
By Maryland Coalition to Prevent Sexual Violence On Wednesday, March 4th, at 2:30 PM EST, the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault will hold Virtual Campus Training Session #4: Engaging College Men in Sexual Violence Prevention in a Moment of Disconnection. To register click here. College campuses are navigating a critical moment in engaging men around […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Executive Alliance names 64 companies to the Honor Roll Award for Women’s Representation in Maryland
Executive Alliance has recognized 64 Maryland-based companies and nonprofit organizations with its 2026 Honor Roll Award for Women’s Representation. Each honoree maintains at least 30 percent women in executive leadership and on boards, setting a benchmark highlighted in the group’s Annual Census of Women Board Directors. Awardees will be celebrated March 18, 2026, at Maryland Jockey Club in Laurel.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Despite recent gains, tribal citizens descended from slaves face disparate treatment
Despite expanded access to services in recent years, tribal citizens descended from people enslaved by several Oklahoma tribes continue to face barriers to health care, education and housing. A Government Accountability Office report highlights ongoing disparities, particularly for Seminole Freedmen descendants and those still denied citizenship in the Muscogee, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations.
Posted inAfro Briefs
President, allies said to be creating executive plan to steal the 2026 midterms
Activists who support the 47th president are said to be drafting a proposed executive order claiming, without evidence, that China interfered in the 2020 election and seeking expanded federal authority over voting systems ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to The Washington Post. Voting rights advocates warn the move would challenge states’ constitutional control over elections.
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Police Department releases body-cam video tied to Dwight Hawkins shooting
Baltimore police released body-worn camera footage at a Feb. 28 press conference showing the fatal police-involved shooting of 37-year-old Dwight Hawkins after officers encountered him near a store on the 3600 block of Belair Road on Feb. 24. The video shows Hawkins running from officers, then pulling out a weapon as well as the officers’ violent response, and it ends after he is handcuffed and the handgun is secured. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office said officers then rendered aid until EMS arrived; Hawkins later died at a hospital. Commissioner Richard Worley said the officers were in the area for crime suppression, and officials said involved officers remain on leave as the investigation continues.