We should be approaching 500 subscribers right on the heels of publishing this so thank you to every member, paid and free.
Welcome to the Black Friday Briefing, your rapid-fire dispatch of stories the mainstream press skimmed, skipped, or sanitized. Here’s what happened from 08/11–08/15 that Black communities need to know:
NAACP Launches Nationwide Town Halls to Defend Civil Rights (08/12) – The NAACP kicked off a series of “Fierce Advocacy in Action” town halls across 8 states to rally Black voters ahead of 2026’s elections . The first event in New Jersey – featuring Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. Monica McIver – drew lessons from past liberation struggles to counter today’s attacks on healthcare, voting rights and diversity, with NAACP President Derrick Johnson warning that U.S. democracy itself is on the line .
Diaspora Bill Seeks to Boost African and Caribbean Investment (08/14) – A new bipartisan bill in Congress aims to empower African and Caribbean diasporas as engines of development . The African Diaspora Investment and Development Act (AIDA) would lower remittance fees, offer tax incentives, and enlist U.S. agencies to support diaspora-funded projects. “This legislation has the power to unlock the full potential of diaspora contributions,” says Princess Philomena Desmond-Ogugua of the Virginia African Diaspora Committee, noting diaspora communities send billions home each year despite high costs and little support .
Harlem Festival Celebrates Global Black Joy and Liberation (08/10) – The Afribembé Festival in Harlem marked its 7th year with the theme “Black Constellation: Mapping Our Joy, Dreams, and Liberation,” showcasing music and art from across the African diaspora . The free outdoor celebration – part of Harlem Week – transformed the plaza at Grant’s Tomb with African drummers, Caribbean dance, and Afrofuturist performances, highlighting Harlem’s legacy as a beacon of Black cultural excellence and resilience .
Illinois Family Pleads for Help Finding Missing Mother (08/11) – In Naperville, IL, relatives of Sinmi Abosede, 46, are urging the public to stay vigilant as the search continues for the beloved Nigerian American mother who vanished July 30 . Police and hundreds of volunteers combed a local forest preserve this week with dogs and drones but found no clues . “We know there are a lot of community members who want to help,” the police chief said, asking everyone to circulate Sinmi’s picture and report any tips, stressing that “the more eyes we have looking out for her, the better.”
Black Trans Travel Fund Perseveres Amid Anti-Trans Attacks (08/12) – A mutual aid group that helps Black transgender women travel safely is struggling as donations dip and Trump-era policies target trans rights . The Black Trans Travel Fund, which has provided $730,000+ for safe transport, housing and medical needs since 2019, saw funding dry up this year due to “a barrage of legislative attacks” on trans people . Founder Devin Lowe says Black trans women face heightened harassment and violence when traveling, but recent wins – like an injunction pausing Trump’s ban on passports matching one’s gender – have allowed the fund to resume helping trans women seek safety, including those fleeing anti-LGBTQ+ crackdowns abroad .
No Charges for Deputy Who Beat Black Motorist, Sparking Outrage (08/14) – Prosecutors in Jacksonville, FL, announced that a sheriff’s deputy who repeatedly punched 22-year-old William McNeil Jr. during a traffic stop will not face criminal charges, despite viral video of the February incident . Civil rights groups blasted the decision – which came after a local report deemed the beating “lawful” – as yet another case of brutality going unpunished . McNeil, who was thrown to the ground and jailed over a seatbelt violation, says he was never combative and only asked to speak to a supervisor . His lawyers have asked the Justice Department to intervene, as the local NAACP decries a pattern of impunity for deputies using excessive force against Black residents .
Trump Plan Favors White South African Refugees, Alarms Advocates (08/15) – A draft Trump administration plan would slash the annual U.S. refugee cap to 40,000 and reserve 75% of slots for white South Africans, an unprecedented racial carve-out in refugee policy . An internal email shows officials discussing allotting ~30,000 spots to Afrikaners – a white minority in South Africa – whom Trump has falsely cast as victims of “large-scale killings” . Black and brown refugees would face even tighter limits, and the U.S. has already quietly fast-tracked 59 South African families this year . “This turns America’s refugee program into a white refuge,” one advocate warned, noting Haitians, Somalis and others fleeing violence are being denied while “Afrikaners get red-carpet treatment.”
Trump Seizes Control of D.C. Police, Drawing Ire (08/15) – Declaring Washington “a disaster zone,” Trump deployed the National Guard and installed DEA chief Terry Cole as “emergency police commissioner” over D.C.’s Metropolitan Police this week . The unprecedented move – carried out via an order by Attorney General Pam Bondi – strips authority from the city’s own (Black) police chief and puts a federal appointee in charge . D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser blasted the takeover as “unlawful”, and the District’s AG says the feds have “no legal basis” to replace the chief . Trump, however, doubled down, vowing to seek “long-term federal control” of D.C. police and even threatening similar takeovers in Chicago and other Democrat-led cities under the pretext of fighting crime . Local activists warn this “policing czar” sets a dangerous precedent and rekindles the fight for D.C. statehood.
African Union Backs ‘Correct the Map’ Campaign to Reclaim Africa’s Size (08/14) – The AU officially endorsed a global switch from the distorted Mercator projection to fairer world maps that accurately depict Africa . Mercator maps (developed in 1569) vastly shrink Africa and South America while inflating Europe and North America. “It might seem like just a map, but it’s not,” said AU deputy chair Selma Haddadi, noting the projection has perpetuated a false image of an undersized Africa and fed a narrative of African “marginal[ization]” . The AU is urging governments and the UN to adopt the Equal Earth map, developed in 2018, which shows continents in true proportion. Advocates say this is about more than geometry – it’s about unlearning a colonial mindset and fostering global respect for Africa’s real scale, richness, and billion-plus people .
Mali Arrests Frenchman and Generals in ‘Colonial-Era’ Coup Plot (08/15) – Mali’s military government jailed two of its own generals and a French national, Yann Vezilier, accusing them of scheming to overthrow the state . In a televised statement, officials in Bamako alleged the French citizen was working “on behalf of French intelligence” to rally officials and activists to destabilize the regime . France’s Foreign Ministry had “no comment,” but the arrests come amid sky-high tensions: Mali’s leaders (who took power in a 2021 coup) have kicked out French troops, turned to Russia’s Wagner Group for help fighting insurgents, and railed against “neo-colonial” meddling . Many Malians on the street are cheering the hardline stance – “we are finished with France,” one Bamako resident said – even as critics fear the junta is using spy scares to crush internal dissent.
EPA Scraps Climate Safeguard, Imperiling Black Communities (08/13) – Over fierce objections from scientists, EPA chief Lee Zeldin moved to repeal the agency’s foundational “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gases threaten public health . This 2009 finding – which compelled the government to regulate carbon pollution – has been the legal bedrock of U.S. climate action. Its removal would “pull the last thread” limiting greenhouse emissions, experts warn, and comes as nearly two-thirds of Americans (disproportionately Black and low-income) sweltered under extreme heat warnings . “Repealing it will be the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” Zeldin bragged on a conservative podcast . Environmental justice leaders blasted the move, noting Black neighborhoods already breathe the most toxic air and suffer deadly heat – and “now the feds are telling us they have no duty to protect our lives”, said one advocate in Cleveland .
Trump Cuts Axe Key Black Maternal Health Study (08/02) – When Dr. Jaime Slaughter-Acey got word this spring that her $2.4 million NIH study on Black maternal outcomes was being terminated mid-stream, she was shocked and furious . Her research – following 500 Black mothers and grandmothers in Detroit to see how racism across generations affects pregnancy – lost its final $581,000 in funding as part of a Trump administration purge of nearly 1,900 NIH grants totaling $4.4 billion . “It felt like the rug was pulled out from under us,” said Slaughter-Acey, noting Black women are 3–4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. The cuts come on top of Trump’s April elimination of most of CDC’s Reproductive Health division staff – moves that medical experts say will cost lives. “When science is silenced, communities suffer,” the professor warned, calling the grant cancellations a direct attack on Black maternal health amid a national crisis.
Black Jobless Rate Soars Back to Pandemic High (08/01) – New data show Black Americans’ unemployment shot up to 7.2% in July, rising for the third straight month and reaching the highest level since 2020 . By contrast, the overall U.S. jobless rate is 4.2%. Economists note Black workers are often the “canary in the coal mine” – first fired as the economy cools . The gap has yawned especially wide for Black women, whose jobless rate jumped to 6.3% (versus 3.4% for white women) amid layoffs in education, government and retail . The trend raises alarms that 2020’s racial hiring gains are unraveling. “We’re nearly back to pre-George Floyd disparities,” one analyst said, urging the Fed to pause rate hikes. Black workers’ labor force participation has also dipped, suggesting many are giving up on job searches in frustration.
50,000 Haitians Face Deportation as Trump Ends TPS (08/03) – The administration moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti effective next month, stripping legal residency from tens of thousands of Haitians who have lived in the U.S. since Haiti’s 2010 earthquake . Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Lopes (a Trump appointee) set Sept. 2 as the end date, giving Haitian families just 67 days to prepare . Advocates are condemning the decision as “inhumane and utterly reckless,” noting Haiti is in chaos – its capital overrun by armed gangs and a humanitarian crisis worsening . The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince recently warned Americans to leave due to the extreme violence. “Even Biden held off expelling Haitians under these conditions,” one immigration lawyer said, “but Trump doesn’t care – he’s willing to send people into a deathtrap.” DHS officials suggested Haitians still have “time to get their affairs in order,” prompting anger from the Haitian diaspora and Black immigrant networks mobilizing to challenge the TPS termination in court.
Boston to Give Homeless Youth $1,200/Month in Guaranteed Income Pilot (08/08) – A first-of-its-kind program launching in Greater Boston this month will provide $1,200 per month to 50 homeless young adults, no strings attached . The two-year pilot, called BAY-CASH, targets 18–24-year-olds without stable housing – a disproportionate number of whom are Black and Latinx – with direct cash plus optional financial coaching and support services . Organizers say the goal is to prove that trusting people with basic income can disrupt the cycle of poverty. “Think of all the barriers these youth face – this money can help with rent, food, a car repair, even college,” said program chair Matt Aronson . One participant, “Deandre,” said the cash will let him eat regularly and save for an apartment after years of bouncing between shelters . The pilot is privately funded but advocates hope a successful run convinces Massachusetts to scale it up statewide.
Court Rules Louisiana’s Voting Map Illegally Dilutes Black Power (08/14) – In a major Voting Rights Act win, a federal appeals court struck down Louisiana’s state legislative maps for “unlawfully diluting” Black voters’ influence . The Fifth Circuit upheld a lower court’s finding that GOP mapmakers “packed” some Black communities into a few districts and “cracked” others apart to blunt their voting strength – a violation of VRA Section 2 . Louisiana (which is one-third Black) must now draw fairer maps that give Black voters an equal shot to elect candidates of choice . The panel also swatted down Louisiana’s bid to challenge Section 2’s constitutionality, citing “decades of binding precedent” upholding its broad enforcement power . This comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a related case over Louisiana’s Black congressional district – meaning the High Court could soon revisit and potentially weaken the very VRA provisions that secured this week’s victory .
‘Appalling’ Plunge in Funding for Black Startups (08/10) – New data show the share of venture capital going to Black-founded companies has fallen to just 0.3% in 2024 – a multi-year low . Despite overall VC funding rebounding somewhat this year, investment in Black entrepreneurs has collapsed to levels not seen since before the 2020 racial justice awakening, per Crunchbase analysis. By comparison, Black founders received about 1.2% of VC dollars in 2021; even that peak was wildly disproportionate (Black Americans are ~14% of the population). Investors cite economic uncertainty and higher interest rates, but Black founders point to a post-2020 backlash against diversity efforts . “It’s like we’re going backwards,” said one founder who has watched doors close that opened briefly after George Floyd’s murder. The drought has real consequences: fewer Black-led innovations, fewer jobs created in Black communities, and a widening racial wealth gap as tech’s riches remain overwhelmingly concentrated in non-minority hands.
Judge Blocks Trump’s Ban on ‘Woke’ Diversity Training (08/11) – A federal judge in Maryland struck down two Trump administration orders that sought to censor discussions of race, equity and LGBTQ+ inclusion in public schools . The Education Department directives – issued in February and April – threatened to pull federal funds from any school “promoting divisive concepts” (code for teaching about systemic racism or gender identity). In a sharp rebuke, the court ruled Trump officials “overstepped their authority and infringed on students’ and educators’ rights”, issuing a nationwide injunction . Civil rights groups cheered the decision as a victory for academic freedom and truthful education. “This attempt to gag classrooms was blatant ideological censorship,” said NAACP attorney Janette McCarthy. The Trump administration is likely to appeal, but for now, schools can continue DEI programs and honest curricula without fear of federal retribution.
Communities Sue EPA Over Slashed Climate Justice Funds (08/05) – In a first-of-its-kind class action, a coalition of environmental justice groups, tribes and city governments sued the EPA and Administrator Lee Zeldin for unlawfully axing billions in climate grants earmarked for vulnerable communities . The lawsuit – filed in federal court in D.C. – demands reinstatement of the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant program, a $3 billion initiative created under the Inflation Reduction Act that the Trump administration quietly halted in March. Plaintiffs from Texas to Alaska say their high-poverty communities are being denied resources Congress promised to mitigate pollution and build climate resilience . “These funds were a lifeline for us to fight toxic industries and storm-proof our neighborhoods,” said a plaintiff from Cancer Alley in Louisiana. New York AG Letitia James, leading a brief supporting the suit, noted the EPA’s cuts “irreparably harm communities that can least afford it” .
Student Loan Relief on Chopping Block, Threatening Black Borrowers (08/08) – As student loan payments resume, advocates warn that Trump’s allies are pushing plans that would gut income-based repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which have been lifelines for Black graduates . A policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 calls for ending loan forgiveness for public servants and scrapping Biden’s new SAVE plan (which caps payments based on income). These changes would “multiply costs for borrowers, increase defaults”, experts at CAP write, noting Black students are far more likely to need such programs to manage debt . Black college graduates typically owe $25,000 more than white grads and have a higher default rate even with income-based plans. If Trump enacts the proposals, “it would be devastating for Black professionals,” a lawmaker said – nurses, teachers, and social workers could see debts balloon. With House Republicans already trying to repeal the SAVE plan, the stakes are high for 9 million Black borrowers carrying over $300 billion in federal loans.
Zimbabwe’s Disputed Vote Extends 43 Years of One-Party Rule (08/15) – Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party was declared winner of last week’s election amid credible allegations of fraud, intimidation and voter suppression in Black communities . Observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and EU reported a “lack of level playing field” and a “climate of fear” around the vote, which saw citizen monitors arrested, opposition rallies curtailed, and an unexplained 10-hour delay in ballot delivery to urban (opposition) areas . President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, was hastily sworn in for a second term after the electoral commission declared he beat challenger Nelson Chamisa – though Chamisa’s party has rejected the result as “a gigantic fraud.” International lenders like the IMF had tied debt relief to a free election, which now seems off the table. For many Zimbabweans (with inflation over 100% and unemployment ~80%), the contested outcome dashes hopes of re-engaging the world. “Nothing will change – it’s the same story since 1980,” sighed one Harare resident, referring to ZANU-PF’s uninterrupted rule since independence.
August Is Black Business Month – and an Urgent Call to Action (08/01) – This month marks National Black Business Month, a time to celebrate the nation’s 3.2 million Black-owned businesses and also confront the barriers they face . Across the country, communities are hosting pop-up markets, entrepreneurial workshops, and “Buy Black” campaigns to support local Black enterprises. Corporate America’s record is mixed: while some companies have expanded supplier diversity programs since 2020, overall investment in Black businesses remains dismally low (Black firms still receive less than 2% of VC funding and bank loans) . Economic advocates are using the month to urge policymakers to tackle systemic issues – from discriminatory lending to lack of mentorship – that cause Black startups to lag. “This is not just a feel-good commemoration,” Milwaukee Courier editors wrote. “It’s an economic imperative that we uplift Black entrepreneurs – our community’s survival and prosperity depend on it.”
Texas Targets Colleges for Alleged DEI “Violations” (08/11) – In the latest fallout from Texas’s new ban on diversity programs, GOP legislators are threatening state universities with budget cuts over their approach to the law . At a tense oversight hearing, senators accused some campuses of flouting S.B. 17 – which abolished DEI offices and trainings – and even floated installing a state “DEI compliance officer” to police the schools . University leaders testified they have dismantled diversity offices as required, but Republicans warned any “performative compliance” would have “consequences” . Faculty groups say the witch-hunt has created a climate of fear on campuses, with professors uncertain if they can even mention race or inclusion. Meanwhile, Texas’s K-12 system is bracing for a similar DEI ban in schools . Black student advocates told the legislature that erasing diversity efforts is already harming recruitment and retention – “If you shut the door on belonging,” one said, “you shut the door on our success.”
For you, 108 protest signs for the fight. This is critical for Occupied D.C. Many signs are revised to sing. 🎶. I recommend using a local printer, but national print companies offer great pricing, shipping included. There is time to get the lot printed for your protest group, assuming you have a gathering of 300 to 1,000. This would help fill the hands of the signless.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/protest-sign-sign-everywhere-a-sign