Florida Sheriffs Brutally Beat Black Man. Rihanna Attempted Murder. Black Preconception Health

Video footage captured Broward Sheriff's Office deputies punching 41-year-old Christopher Newkerk during an arrest in Florida. Newkerk, initially stopped for illegally tinted windows, was on probation for armed narcotics trafficking. Deputies reported finding drugs and a struggle ensued, leading to charges of battery on an officer and resisting arrest. His family has expressed distress over the images and the visible injuries on Newkerk's face.

Video recorded by drivers near State Road 7 and Commercial Boulevard shows three deputies holding Newkerk down, with two appearing to punch him in the face. A booking photo shows a large gash and eye injuries. Deputies stated they found drugs under his waistband and he began to struggle.

A federal jury in California awarded $2 million to Leticia Nixon, mother of Jamal Moore, in a wrongful death lawsuit against disgraced Democratic donor Ed Buck. Moore, a 26-year-old Black gay man, died of a methamphetamine overdose in Buck's apartment in 2017. Buck was convicted in 2021 on federal charges, including drug distribution resulting in death, related to both Moore's and Timothy Dean's deaths, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The jury deliberated for about an hour, unanimously finding Buck civilly liable for Moore's death and awarding Nixon damages. Buck's conviction in 2021 covered both Moore's 2017 death and Timothy Dean's 2019 death under similar circumstances.

Tennessee House Republican Representative Michelle Renault made controversial comments during a House meeting, stating that the Bible instructs slave owners on how to treat their slaves fairly and kindly. This sparked immediate backlash and a strong rebuke from Democratic Representative Justin Pearson, who condemned her articulation of enslavers' theological vision in modern times and emphasized the inherent immorality of slavery.

Renault stated, 'The Bible actually does instruct those who do own slaves on how to treat them and to treat them fairly and kindly.' Pearson responded, 'It is nearly unconscionable... to believe that you just articulated the theological vision of enslavers in this capital in the year 2026 as though it was okay.'

Dr. Tony Nettles Thompson, founder of Preconic, advocates for reframing preconception health as foundational health literacy, extending beyond fertility planning to encompass overall well-being across the life course. This approach aims to address health disparities among Black women and girls by promoting early detection, education, and access to care for conditions like PCOS, fibroids, and endometriosis, which are often diagnosed too late.

Dr. Thompson states, 'It reframes preconception health as foundational health literacy and not just a fertility checklist.' She highlights that Black women and marginalized groups experience longer delays in diagnosis and higher symptom burdens, and Preconic exists to 'move those conversations upstream before any harm can compound.'

The Julian group's 'Crimson Record' report documents 70 instances of modern-day lynchings in seven Southern states (Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi) between 2000 and 2025. The group expands the definition of lynching to include 'discriminatory killing committed by more than one person carried out for an alleged offense with or without a legal trial or due process,' encompassing deaths of trans, indigenous, brown, and physically impaired individuals, not just Black people. The report found cases, like Willie Andrew Jones Jr., ruled as suicides were actually lynchings.

Gill Colin Jefferson, founder of Julian, defines modern lynching and explains their methodology, which included talking to families, scouring public records, and consulting forensic pathologists. She cited the Rainar Johnson case (ruled suicide by FBI, found opposite by Julian) and the Willie Andrew Jones Jr. case (ruled suicide, solved as lynching by Julian, DA refused to charge).

Dr. Isaac Adai, founder of Conscious Immersion, highlights Ghana as a 'gateway to Africa' and a welcoming, safe, English-speaking country for the African diaspora. Conscious Immersion offers a unique experience beyond tourism, focusing on cultural immersion, education, community engagement, and pathways for collaboration and investment. Ghana is actively seeking diaspora engagement, offering citizenship pathways and opportunities in real estate, fintech, agriculture, manufacturing, and mining.

Dr. Adai states, 'Ghana for years has been known as the gateway to Africa. And since 2019's year of the return, it's been a hot spot specifically for those in the African diaspora.' He emphasizes, 'Ghana has figured out that the diaspora is the key to growth and progression as a nation.'

Britney Rice and Danielle Buchanan co-founded The Mom Cave Company, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting new and veteran mothers by creating community and providing essential resources. What started as a social group evolved into a 501(c)(3) offering 'Mommy to the Rescue' emergency assistance (diapers, wipes, baby clothes) and community baby showers. The organization addresses the significant need for basic supplies and combats maternal isolation, emphasizing that 'it truly does take a village.'

Britney Rice explains the evolution from a social group to a nonprofit providing emergency assistance and community baby showers. Danielle Buchanan stresses, 'It's important for moms to understand that they have community and support... it truly does take a village.' They note the high demand for diapers as a critical need.