Ghana’s Prez Confronts Slave Trade Legacy. Reparations Push Grows. Trump Tariffs Hit Small Biz

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama successfully proposed a UN resolution to officially recognize the transatlantic slave trade as the 'gravest crime against humanity' and called for reparations as a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs. The resolution received 123 votes in favor, with only three countries—the United States, Argentina, and Israel—voting against it. 52 countries, primarily European nations like the UK, Portugal, and Spain, abstained from the vote.

The host reports the UN vote results and lists the countries for, against, and abstaining. Ghana's President Mahama's speech at the UN General Assembly details the historical context and moral imperative for the resolution.

The United States' 'no' vote and the abstentions from many European nations highlight a reluctance among former colonial powers to acknowledge full responsibility and commit to reparatory justice. President Mahama directly criticized US policies that remove Black history courses, ban books on slavery and racism, and prohibit exhibitions promoting racial awareness, framing these as attempts to normalize historical erasure.

Johanna Leblanc notes the US's expected 'no' vote under the Trump administration due to its 'anti-DEI' stance. President Mahama explicitly links current US policies to historical patterns of denying African humanity and erasing history.

A report by the Small Business Majorities Network indicates that nearly two-thirds of US small business owners experienced increased expenses in the last three months, with almost half reporting declining revenue. Donald Trump's tariffs are cited as a major factor, negatively impacting over 70% of small businesses. This leads to higher costs for supplies, reduced consumer spending, and difficulties covering payroll, forcing businesses to raise prices, delay investments, freeze hiring, or lay off workers.

The host presents statistics from the Small Business Majorities Network report. Nikki Bravo, co-founder of Momentum Coffee, details how tariffs and uncertainty increase costs for items like cups, lids, and coffee beans, directly impacting profit margins and forcing price increases or staff reductions.

Nikki Bravo emphasizes that labor is the biggest expense for small businesses. When costs rise and profit margins shrink, businesses are forced to cut staff, reduce hours, or forgo offering benefits like health insurance. This disproportionately affects mission-based businesses like Momentum Coffee, which aim to hire and train individuals from under-resourced communities, as they become less likely to 'take risks on the unknown' when hiring due to increased financial pressure.

Nikki Bravo explains the difficult choices small businesses face regarding labor, stating, 'the biggest cut is labor.' She highlights how rising costs make it harder to hire and train people from local communities, impacting their mission.

Kin Kofa is a web app designed to preserve Black legacy by allowing users to upload and share family memories, oral histories, photos, videos, and documents. It differs from other genealogy platforms by starting with existing family artifacts and focusing on storytelling and collaboration within private family networks, rather than requiring extensive prior knowledge or public archives. The app also supports community history work, such as restoring Black cemeteries and digitizing historical records.

Co-founders Jordon Brunson and Tamisha Rudge explain the app's features, its focus on 'black legacy,' and how it allows users to record oral histories and upload various media. They mention community projects like restoring the 10th Street Historic District in Dallas.

Top Republican leaders, including Mike Rogers and Roger Wicker of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, expressed significant frustration with the Trump administration's lack of transparency regarding potential troop deployment in Iran. Public opinion polls show that six in ten Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the war, with many believing it makes the US and the world less safe. The Army also raised its maximum enlistment age to 42, sparking concerns about a potential military draft.

The host quotes Mike Rogers and Roger Wicker's criticisms of the Pentagon's briefings. Details about the Army's increased enlistment age and Pew Public Poll findings on public disapproval are provided.