By Nicole D. Batey, Special to the AFRO A financial aid program offering scholarships to high-achieving Baltimore City and D.C. public school graduates accepted into Johns Hopkins University (JHU) will be renamed to honor the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings. The Baltimore Scholars program, established in 2005, and its recently created D.C. counterpart will become […]
Category: Word In Black
Posted inCommentary
Dear Black America: stop accepting equitable and demand equity
By Khalid Rudo Smith, Word in Black For some time, we’ve all held our breath as a tech billionaire, who made questionable moral compass attempts in the past, has purchased Twitter — one of the most important free speech platforms on the planet. Many, particularly in the Black community, have seen far more hate speech, […]
Posted inCommentary
Social media and Black youth: can positive affirmations curb the impact?
By Megan Kirk, Word in Black Social media has changed the landscape of the world and some believe it’s not for the greater good. While social media provides an outlet for the stressors of life, it is also a platform for overstimulation. Adults, teens, and children alike have witnessed the perils of social media and […]
Posted inWord In Black
Black college students lead movement to eliminate bias in tech
By Nadira Johnson, Word in Black From self-driving cars that can’t detect folks with darker skin to keep from running them over, to digital assistants like Siri that have trouble understanding non-White accents, technology is biased and it is hurting Black folks. “A lot of people will look toward technology as the end all, be […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore City Public School teachers advance learning and classroom management with technology
By Kara Thompson, Special to the AFRO Teachers in Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) are using technology to their advantage to help keep their students engaged and up-to-date with learning materials. Carol Gaskins is a fifth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at Bay-Brook Elementary/Middle School. One thing she utilizes in her […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Muriel Bowser wins 3rd term as Washington, D.C. mayor
By Ashraf Khalil, The Associated Press Mayor Muriel Bowser secured a third term on Nov. 8 after a campaign focused on her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and on her history as one of the faces of Washington’s ongoing quest for statehood. In June, Bowser, 50, defeated a pair of challengers from the District of […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Local officials join students and staff of City Schools for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” screening
By Reginald Williams, Special to the AFRO The youthful energy inside of Baltimore’s famed Senator Theatre was infectious. Applause, “ooohs,” “ahhhs” and occasional laughter rang out inside the the building. More than 300 students and staff from Baltimore City Public Schools and historically Black college institutions filled the historic theater for a private screening of […]
Posted inWord In Black
Shopping for ACA health insurance? Here’s what’s new this year
By Julie Appleby, Word in Black It’s fall again, meaning shorter days, cooler temperatures, and open enrollment for Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance — sign-ups begin this week for coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2023. Even though much of the coverage stays the same from year to year, there are a few upcoming changes that […]
Posted inWord In Black
STEM is the future. How do we get more Black kids involved?
By Maya Pottiger, Word in Black Last year, an elementary school principal in rural Mississippi wanted to get her students excited about science. So, after receiving grant funding, she bought robots for third and fourth graders to assemble and then held a white coat ceremony for them, complete with their names embroidered on the jackets. […]
Posted inWord In Black
It takes money to end the HIV epidemic among Black women
By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black Data show the HIV epidemic affects Black women at strikingly high rates, but Black women working in public health still struggle to access funds for prevention and treatment. Closing that HIV funding gap is one of the goals of ViiV Healthcare — a pharmaceutical company that creates medicines and […]
Posted inNational News
The Latest Attack on Affirmative Action Heads to the Supreme Court
The court heard arguments seeking to eliminate consideration of race in college admissions. If the policy is overturned, experts predict a substantial drop in the admissions of African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. by Maya Pottiger, Word in Black WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chants of “this is what democracy looks like” filled the air outside of […]
Posted inWord In Black
This Is Where Black Americans Live Longest
by Alexa Spencer It turns out Wakanda — a place full of Black wealth, health, and longevity — isn’t just a place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It turns out a place that enables Black folks to thrive actually does exist in real life. That’s the finding of a team of researchers who’ve partnered to tell a much […]