🗞️ Black Friday Briefing

Jul 25, 2025

By Xplisset Voice of America
Covering July 21–25, 2025

This is your end-of-week download: news stories, cultural moments, and power plays that shaped the lives of Black Americans—and got skipped over by most mainstream media. From HBCUs to reproductive rights, criminal justice to diaspora politics, we bring you clarity where others bring noise.

📌 Earlier This Morning…

If you missed my 7:45am dispatch, it’s called: “ Reporting a Trump-Adjacent Media Coup Like It Was a Weather Report” It’s the kind of piece you’ll want to sit with and then you can read this briefing like the receipts.

1. Senate OKs Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Slashing Safety Nets for Black Americans (July 21, 2025):
Senate Republicans passed President Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill” budget package, which guts Medicaid, slashes SNAP food assistance, and limits federal student loans – cuts that would disproportionately hurt Black Americans who rely on these programs. Civil rights advocates warn the plan imperils Black communities’ lifelines, calling out its “major ramifications” for Black health, education, and economic stability.

2. Urban League Report: Black America in “State of Emergency” Amid War on ‘Woke’ (July 22, 2025):
At the National Urban League’s annual conference in Cleveland, Ohio, leaders unveiled the State of Black America 2025report, concluding that Black America is in a “state of emergency” under current conditions. NUL President Marc Morial cited a surge in racist rhetoric and policies from the 47th administration and vowed that Black Americans “will not go away quietly.”

3. Alabama Prisons Under Federal Scrutiny After Shocking Video Surfaces (July 22, 2025):
A graphic video leaked from inside Limestone Correctional Facility in Alabama shows an inmate lying in a pool of blood as guards walk past. Civil rights groups are demanding immediate federal intervention, citing a pattern of abuse, neglect, and medical malpractice disproportionately affecting Black prisoners. The Department of Justice has confirmed it is "reviewing all options" following public outcry.

4. Black Maternal Mental Health Week Spotlights Crisis in Postpartum Care (July 19–25, 2025):
This week marked Black Maternal Mental Health Week (July 19–25), drawing attention to Black women’s soaring rates of postpartum depression and anxiety. Studies show nearly 25% of Black mothers experience postpartum depression. Yet Black women are 46% less likely to be screened or treated for maternal mental health disorders than white women.

5. Trump Signals Leniency for Abusive Cops, But #BLM Police Reforms Grind On (July 25, 2025):
A new analysis finds the Trump administration is undermining police accountability gains from the Black Lives Matter era. Despite federal pullback, over 280 officers have been imprisoned for excessive force, mostly via state prosecutions. Local reforms continue to drive police accountability as the White House turns a blind eye.

6. Former HBCU President Tapped for High-Ranking UNCF Role (July 21, 2025):
Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough, known as the “Hip-Hop Prez,” was appointed Executive Vice President of Research & Member Engagement at the United Negro College Fund. Kimbrough will oversee UNCF’s research arm and capacity-building programs to strengthen Black colleges.

7. Minneapolis Launches Black Business Week to Invest in Black Entrepreneurs (July 23, 2025):
Minneapolis kicked off its fifth annual Black Business Week to support Black-owned businesses. Events include tours, expos, and panels on generational wealth. Leaders stressed Black-owned firms are “foundational to the success of Minneapolis – past, present, and future.”

8. U.S. Deports Jamaican & Cuban Convicts to Africa in Rare “Third-Country” Removal (July 16, 2025):
The U.S. deported a Jamaican man named Andre Linton and a Cuban national named Miguel Herrera to Eswatini after their home countries refused to take them back. The move is part of Trump’s hardline immigration policy, but has raised human rights concerns and received minimal U.S. media attention.

9. Black Fathers Lead by Example to Mentor and Protect Sons (July 21, 2025):
Black fathers and community leaders in Detroit are mentoring young Black boys through weekend meetups and tech camps. Their goal: protect and guide sons through a world of racial bias while modeling active fatherhood and leadership.

10. “Black Diary 1887” App Brings Black History Tourism to D.C. (July 21, 2025):
The Black Diary 1887 app launched in D.C., offering GPS-guided walking tours of Black cultural landmarks. The app now spans 30 U.S. cities and connects users to 1,000+ entries highlighting Black historical sites and civil rights legacies.

🔗 Links to Full Stories:

📣 Share the Briefing
If this made you sit up straighter, send it to somebody who’s still sleep.
They won’t catch this on CNN or Instagram.

Forward it. Screenshot it. Just don’t keep it to yourself.
#BlackFridayBriefing | #Xplisset

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?