After being diagnosed with kidney failure at 31, Sharron Rouse navigated years of uncertainty, dialysis, and ultimately a life-saving transplant before discovering her condition was caused by APOL1-mediated kidney disease, a genetic risk linked to African ancestry. Her journey from confusion and guilt to clarity and advocacy underscores the importance of genetic testing, personalized care, and awareness—especially for communities at higher risk.
Category: OPINION
Posted inCommentary
Sarcoidosis revisited: What I’ve learned since ‘Sarcoidosis Doesn’t Have to Be a Death Sentence’
By Stacy Sneed Nearly a decade after first writing “Sarcoidosis Doesn’t Have to Be a Death Sentence,” I now understand that the truth is far more complex—but still rooted in hope. When I think about sarcoidosis in 2026, I realize how far we have come in awareness, knowledge and medical advancement. Technology has improved, and […]
Posted inCommentary
Don’t like how our community is being portrayed? Turn it off. Cancel it. Stop giving it power.
This editorial calls on readers to challenge and disengage from media coverage that distorts or diminishes Black communities, emphasizing the power of audiences to shape narratives by withholding attention, support and resources from outlets that fail to provide fair, contextualized reporting.
Posted inEditorial
‘A whole civilization will die tonight’?: Dangerous words, 93 million lives, and a Congress that must act
An AFRO editorial by Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper warns that escalating rhetoric from the 47th president toward Iran risks normalizing mass destruction, endangering millions of civilian lives and increasing the likelihood of catastrophic conflict, while urging Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over war.
Posted inOPINION
Commentary: Turning the page toward a healthier and more engaged DC
Jimmie Williams is CEO and president of the Washington Literacy Center and Adrian Jordan is a member of the board and works for Elevance Health. In this piece, they posit that improving adult literacy in Washington, D.C., is essential to strengthening public health, economic opportunity and civic participation, particularly as new challenges like ranked-choice voting emerge.
Posted inOpinion
When a scent becomes a sentence: The high price of low-level marijuana arrests
Miranda Jones (Sis. Miranda) is an English educator and co-founder of the grassroots organization Hate Out of Winston (HOOW). This week, she argues that one man’s experience reflects a broader fear: For many Black residents, even a parked car offers no protection from police scrutiny. She also reflects on the systemic imbalance in how marijuana possession arrests are applied as referenced in this artwork by Shepard Fairey in Los Angeles, Calif.
Posted inOPINION
Don’t retire—return: Investing knowledge in the next generation
By Walter A.H.L. Fields Jr. When I turned 50, I began to contemplate if “retirement” was a possibility for me. Not from a financial perspective. I was fortunate enough to have had a healthy professional career and pension and retirement funds waiting. For me, the most important consideration was what would I do once I […]
Posted inOPINION
Black Women are losing ground. Now inclusion is on trial.
By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper CEO and Publisher AFRO News The pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion is not new. For years, these efforts have been questioned, criticized and quietly rolled back. But what we are witnessing now is different. What was once rhetoric is now enforcement. In a federal lawsuit filed this year, the […]
Posted inWord In Black
March Madness runs on Black athletes, but at what cost?
By Ashley Stewart, Ph.D.Word in Black Scan the NCAA’s Sweet 16 rosters and you’ll see what college basketball has always known: Black athletes built this tournament. Now imagine if their institutions invested in their minds the way they profit from their bodies. Each March, college basketball becomes a unifying cultural event unlike almost anything else […]
Posted inOPINION
Joy-based budgeting is in: Tips for achieving your financial goals
By Janet Currie As many households continue to watch their budgets, “joy-based budgeting” has become a more positive and realistic way to manage their money. Instead of focusing only on cutting spending, this approach encourages people to spend intentionally on the things that matter most to them. Joy-based budgeting helps consumers prioritize purchases and experiences […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Behind every SNAP application is a family just trying to survive
LaMonika Jones argues that policy changes and administrative barriers are making it harder for vulnerable families to access SNAP benefits. She urges reforms to simplify the system and protect food assistance for those in need.
Posted inOpinion
When a scent becomes a sentence: The high price of low-level marijuana arrests
By Miranda Jones On Nov. 3, 2025, Nathaniel Williams was sitting in his car in Greensboro, N.C., when the air changed. The clock had just struck 11 p.m.—the dead of night—when a private moment was shattered, transforming into a viral nightmare of physical and a high-stress arrest. According to Greensboro Police, Williams had marijuana in […]