In less than 24 hours, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on President Joe Biden’s $400 billion student loan forgiveness program and consider whether the administration can advance the plan forward. The court agreed to hear two separate cases challenging the legality of Biden’s plan or whether Biden exceeded executive authority. After announcing […]
Aallyah Wright
Aallyah Wright is the rural issues reporter for Capital B. From farmers to land fights to health care and jobs, her reporting explores the issues that matter most while celebrating culture and joy.
Follow her on Bluesky @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social and Instagram @journalistaallyah.
Posted inEducation, K-12
‘These Kids Can’t Wait’: The Struggle to Address the Black Youth Mental Health Crisis
At first, Mira Ugwuadu felt a sense of relief when her high school transitioned to remote learning in 2020, allowing her to work on advanced placement courses at her own pace. But soon, the 17-year-old found herself studying outside of school hours, unable to separate academics from her home life. When her classmates went back […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
‘I Was on My Knees, Handcuffed’: Black Man Shot By Mississippi Police Tells His Story
JACKSON, Miss. — Michael Corey Jenkins held his neck, covered in white gauze bandages, as he struggled to form words. He wanted to explain the violent abuse he endured at the hands of deputies from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office last month. “I was on my knees, handcuffed, and he was standing over me,” Jenkins […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Police Shot Handcuffed Black Man in the Face in Mississippi, Attorney Says
BRAXTON, Miss. — A 32-year-old Black man came close to death last month when he was shot in the mouth while handcuffed during a drug raid in this small, predominately white village, according to an attorney for his family. Six white sheriff’s deputies falsely accused him and a friend of selling drugs and “dating white […]
Posted inRural Issues
Drug Costs Are Burdening Rural Black Seniors. This New Law Could Help.
Inflation has eased nationwide in recent months, but older Black Americans — particularly those in rural areas — are still struggling to pay for their essential needs, often choosing between life-saving medications and rent. Even before the pandemic, half of adults who were 65 or older and lived alone didn’t have enough money to afford […]
Posted inBlack Farmers, Rural Issues
These USDA Programs Want to Advance Equity — but They Don’t Ask for Applicants’ Race
A group of white farmers sued the federal government last year over a $4 billion loan forgiveness program created for farmers of color. The lawsuit stalled payment distribution to Black recipients and pushed the Biden administration to replace the race-conscious program — created to address past discrimination by the USDA — with a race-neutral version. […]
Posted inBlack Farmers, Rural Issues
The Government Failed to Help Black Farmers. These Women Created a Fund for Them.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decades of discrimination against Black farmers has resulted in lost land, economic instability, and a decline of diversity in the industry. During the pandemic, access to capital became an even larger barrier for farmers trying to keep their farms or, in the case of new farmers, obtain land. Farmer-activists Olivia […]
Posted inEducation, Student Loans
Student Loan Forgiveness Is On Hold. What’s Next for Black Borrowers?
A Texas judge this month halted President Joe Biden’s landmark student loan relief plan, which aims to forgive up to $20,000 in debt for tens of millions of borrowers. Now, the U.S. Department of Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the judge’s ruling and allow Biden’s debt forgiveness program to move forward. […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
How Gerrymandering Hurt Black Voters in the Midterms
A record number of Black candidates ran for seats in Congress this week, hoping to increase representation in a predominately white legislature. But only a fraction of Black candidates won their races on Nov. 8. One possible explanation: gerrymandering. In Florida, incumbent Rep. Al Lawson, a Democrat who served in Congress since 2017, lost his […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Why So Many Black Candidates Struggled in the Midterm Elections
Several Black candidates made history on election night: Democrat Wes Moore became Maryland’s first Black governor. Maxwell Frost, a 25-year-old progressive activist, won his bid to become the youngest member of Congress. And in Pennsylvania, voters elected their first Black U.S. representative, Democrat Summer Lee. But for many more — particularly those whose names topped […]