The Justice Department is investigating whether leaders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and other affiliated groups misused millions in donations raised during the 2020 racial justice protests. While no charges have been filed, subpoenas and a search warrant have been issued, renewing scrutiny of the movement’s finances amid concerns about political targeting of progressive organizations.
Category: Washington D.C. News
Posted inWord In Black
Compassion has left the building
By Dr. Frances Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher As Americans worry whether they’ll get their next paycheck, keep the lights on, or afford dinner tonight, an internal email dated October 31, 2025, from the halls of the U.S. Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) lands — addressed to “Policy Colleagues,” wishing them a […]
Posted inHealth
Medicaid cuts in Republicans’ spending bill threaten rural hospitals, disaster preparedness
The 47th president’s spending bill is preparing to slash Medicaid, putting millions of Americans at risk of losing health insurance and threatening the survival of rural hospitals that rely on Medicaid reimbursements. Experts warn that the cuts, combined with reductions to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, could leave rural communities less equipped to handle both everyday emergencies and natural disasters.
Posted inHealth
Postscript for Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Just keep that mammogram appointment
After skipping mammograms for four years, healthcare professional Laurene Scott finally got screened—just as her cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doctors say anxiety, busy lives, and fear often delay screenings, especially among Black women, who remain 38 percent more likely to die from the disease.
Posted inEducation
Students at Digital Pioneers Academy earn as they learn about financial literacy
By Dr. Deborah BaileyAFRO Contributing Editor This Fall, Digital Pioneers Academy Charter School in S.E. Washington will initiate the city’s first no strings attached, school-based direct financial support program for students, paying high school seniors 50 dollars cash per week. The public charter middle and high school opened in Southeast in Fall 2023 to support […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Fast Beauty Initiative aims to boost D.C.’s beauty industry
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has launched the District’s new Fast Beauty Initiative at Yeleen Beauty Makerspace, which aims to ease licensing requirements and help local entrepreneurs grow in the $60 billion beauty industry.
Posted inBUSINESS
Meet the leaders combatting heat, pollution and inequity in urban areas
Black-led environmental justice organizations like WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Green Scheme are tackling pollution and extreme heat to protect underserved communities and improve their health and living conditions.
Posted inBUSINESS
Black Founders Table turns intention into infrastructure for entrepreneurs
Black Founders Table (BFT) is carving out an ecosystem where Black entrepreneurs can scale their companies with strategy, mentorship and policy influence. Rather than offering surface-level support, BFT equips founders with practical tools to commercialize ideas, secure contracts and gain long-term influence.
Posted inWord In Black
Could Emmett Till’s coffin be erased from the Smithsonian?
By Liz Courquet-LesaulnierWord in Black If history can be rewritten, then objects, no matter how sacred, can be put back into a shed, hidden in a basement or destroyed. Seventy years on, the task remains what it was in 1955: to look unflinchingly at racism, at the brutality it inflicted on a child and to […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
White House intervention in D.C. prompts calls for its 18-term House delegate to step down
Calls are growing for 88-year-old Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton to retire as D.C.’s nonvoting House delegate amid criticism of her muted response to federal intervention in the city under the 47th president’s administration. Supporters praise her decades of service, while challengers like D.C. Council members Robert White Jr. and Brooke Pinto say it’s time for new leadership.
Posted inHBCU
Howard alumni and students celebrate 101st homecoming
Howard University’s 101st homecoming weekend, themed “One of One,” brought thousands of alumni, students, and visitors to Washington, D.C., for a celebration of legacy, culture, and excellence. The festivities included Yardfest, FamFest, and the homecoming football game, where the Bison defeated Morgan State 33-27 in overtime. Despite the jubilant atmosphere, the weekend was overshadowed by a shooting incident that left five people injured.
Posted inWord In Black
USDA warns states about November SNAP benefits
By Jennifer Porter GoreWord in Black When Congress couldn’t agree on a budget to fund the government before Oct. 1, officials used some budget trickery to guarantee that the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP, would continue through the end of the month. But if Congress doesn’t pass a budget by Nov. 1, millions […]