By Dr. Frances “Toni” DraperAFRO Publisher and CEO When my sixth-grade teacher, Pauline Paysour, mailed me an envelope in July 1994, I nearly dismissed it as a kind gesture from the past. Inside were two treasures: her beautifully handwritten letter and a single story I’d written years earlier, titled “Elsbeth, An English Peasant Girl – […]
Category: Commentary
Posted inOpinion
Once a fan, always a fan
Despite a disappointing 44-10 loss to the Texans, Ravens fans remain devoted to their team and are determined to show up and support them through the tough times.
Posted inCommentary
From stigma to support: Rethinking how schools address youth mental health
By Wayne Campbell “Mental health problems don’t define who you are. They are something you experience. You walk in the rain and you feel the rain, but you are not the rain.” – Matt Haig The youth mental health crisis endures, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data released in August. In […]
Posted inEditorial
From Baltimore to D.C.: Building the next century of Black business
By Dr. Frances Murphy DraperAFRO Publisher and CEO Black-owned businesses have always been a cornerstone of our communities—anchoring neighborhoods, creating jobs and proving that vision can thrive even in the face of economic headwinds. Last week, we celebrated companies across the country that have endured for a century or more, surviving depressions, recessions, and sweeping […]
Posted inFinancials
The president’s last tax cuts failed Americans like me– let’s not repeat the mistake
Brakeyshia Samms is a senior analyst at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. This week, she discusses why Black women often don’t see the benefits gained from tax cuts put in place by political leaders.
Posted inCommentary
Legalization was never about justice– and Illinois just proved it
Will Jones III is the director of community engagement and outreach for Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). He is a third generation Washingtonian. This week, he shares his thoughts on the toll of “Big Marijauna” on the Black and Brown community.
Posted inOpinion
What were they thinking: A betrayal of leadership?
Black Americans across the nation are questioning why Black leaders such as Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08) voted for a National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk, the conservative commentator who often made disparaging comments about the Black community. This week, AFRO News Publisher and CEO Dr. Frances Murphy Draper speaks on the legislators who voted to honor Kirk, and praises those like Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) (center) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) (right), who stood against the resolution put before them.
Posted inOPINION
Upset about your electric bills this summer? Get to know PJM.
Lyle Rawlings, president of the Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association, and Andy Wall, a board member, argue that skyrocketing summer electric bills across the PJM region are the result of flawed market rules and artificially inflated prices, not a true shortage of power.
Posted inOPINION
Block by block: How communities are torn apart
Steven Kappen, a staff attorney with Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service who focuses on estate planning, probate and property issues, explains how Baltimore’s neighborhoods are hollowed out block by block through tax sales, foreclosures, and discriminatory housing policies. Using a study of the 500 block of N. Carrollton Ave., he shows how family homeownership has dropped sharply, fueling displacement and community loss.
Posted inOPINION
A sober voice in a buzzed world: Why THC drinks don’t belong in recovery
By Derrick Robinson I’ve been in recovery for six years. Every day, I choose not to drink, one day at a time. Every day, I navigate a world determined to offer alternatives—some dressed up as “healthier” or “natural.” The latest? THC-infused beverages, now lining shelves next to hard seltzers and craft beers, promising a “buzz […]
Posted inOPINION
Child care doesn’t have to be this terrible
By Brea Harris At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare. I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my name to year-long waitlists, and wondering how I was going to pay the astronomical daycare fees. So, […]
Posted inCommentary
My boss said my religion was wrong and to join their church– now what?
By Dr. Kendrick RobersonWord in Black Although religious freedom and expression are firmly protected in the workplace by the 1964 Civil Rights Act, President Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM)— following the suit of other agencies disregarding standing law and precedent — has issued a memorandum titled, “Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace,” which […]
