At the 2025 National Action Network Convention, Rev. Al Sharpton announced a national boycott of PepsiCo in response to the company’s rollback of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, urging Black Americans to wield their economic power as a form of protest. He also unveiled digital tools and plans for an Aug. 28 March on Wall Street to amplify economic justice efforts and hold corporations accountable.
Tag: Donald Trump
Posted inHealth
Black babies are still dying—and America let it happen
A new study spanning 70 years of U.S. mortality data reveals that Black children have consistently faced significantly higher death rates than White children, with racial disparities in survival worsening despite medical advances. Researchers attribute nearly 690,000 preventable Black childhood deaths to systemic racism and structural inequities, calling the findings a national crisis demanding urgent policy reform.
Posted inEducation
Harvard becomes first major university to challenge White House
Harvard is openly defying the Trump administration’s efforts to curb campus activism, setting up a high-stakes legal battle over university independence and government power. With billions in federal funding at risk, Harvard’s stance could inspire a broader pushback from other elite institutions and reshape the future of higher education governance.
Posted inHBCU
HBCUs ponder their future as 47th president makes cuts to education dollars
HBCUs face mounting uncertainty as the Trump administration scales back federal education funding and support programs, leaving schools that serve predominantly Black students in financial limbo. Despite their critical educational and economic impact, decades of underfunding and political shifts threaten their survival—prompting urgent calls for policy reform, state investment, and grassroots advocacy.
Posted inNEWS
Michelle Obama: ‘I’m not divorcing Barack — I’m choosing me’
In part two of her appearance on the “Work in Progress” podcast hosted by Sophia Bush, Michelle Obama addressed the online speculation that ramped up earlier this year when her husband, Barack Obama appeared alone at several high-profile events.
Posted inPOLITICS
GOP votes to cut Medicaid and SNAP, feed billionaires
House Republicans approved a budget plan that extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts—mainly benefiting the wealthy and corporations—at a projected cost of $5.5 trillion over the next decade, while slashing programs like Medicaid and child nutrition assistance. Democrats and advocacy groups have condemned the proposal as a massive giveaway to billionaires that deepens inequality and harms working families.
Posted inPOLITICS
Supreme Court blocks reinstatement of fired federal workers
The Supreme Court has blocked a lower court order that would have reinstated 16,000 federal workers fired under the Trump administration—many of whom are Black and based in Maryland, where the federal workforce is a major economic engine. Critics say the mass firings, which bypassed legal protections for probationary employees, disproportionately harm minority communities and threaten the integrity of federal agencies. Lawmakers and advocacy groups have vowed to continue challenging what they call politically motivated and discriminatory terminations.
Posted inNational News
Tariffs could deepen economic burdens for low-income and marginalized communities
The 47th president’s newly announced tariffs are expected to raise prices on everyday goods, disproportionately impacting low-income and marginalized communities who spend a higher share of their income on essentials. Experts warn that the increased costs and economic uncertainty could worsen inequality, strain household budgets, and potentially lead to job losses in vulnerable sectors.
Posted inAfro Briefs
College diversity, equity and inclusion probes undermine Black high school success
The Department of Education’s investigation into elite college admissions has reignited harmful assumptions that Black students don’t earn their spots, despite rising graduation rates and academic gains. Experts argue these biases ignore systemic inequities in education access and funding, and call for solutions that expand opportunity rather than question who deserves it.
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland protestors say ‘Hands Off’ social security, education, federal jobs and more
On April 5, hundreds of Marylanders protested outside Baltimore City Hall, denouncing the recent executive orders that threaten social security, education, federal jobs and civil rights. Demonstrators expressed alarm over sweeping federal cuts, rising economic instability and what they see as a rollback of basic rights and protections.
Posted inReligion
As services shrink, churches step up
Black churches across the U.S. are stepping up to fill gaps left by government cutbacks. Across the country, clergy members and congregants are providing food, jobs and essential services to their communities.
Posted inDMV News
Fallout from chops to federal government felt in the Virginia governor’s race
As the current U.S. presidential administration moves aggressively to cut government jobs, Virginia—home to thousands of federal workers—faces a political battleground where the economic ripple effects could shape the 2025 governor’s race.
