The story has been updated. The original story was published on January 16. Lifestyle content creator Talia Cadet hasn’t quit her day job, but TikTok has changed her life, she says. The additional income generated from her viral lists of Black-owned products, books she loves, and local events has made “a huge difference,” especially as […]
Money
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Rural Issues, Technology
Broadband Program Changes Stir Uncertainty for Rural Black Communities
A promise made by former President Joe Biden to connect millions of Americans to reliable and affordable high-speed internet service may become another casualty of President Donald Trump’s campaign to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the nation. A top outgoing official at the U.S. Department of Commerce warned that funds for the Broadband, […]
Posted inFederal Overhaul, Politics & Policy, The Workplace
The Trump Administration Is Leaving Federal Workers Vulnerable to Discrimination
Federal Overhaul is a multipart series that explores the impact of the Trump administration’s restructuring of the federal government on Black communities. “Overbearing.” “Intimidating.” “Aggressive.” Oscar Hampton, a Black former attorney at the U.S. Department of Labor, claimed in a federal district court complaint filed in 2023 that this was the language that white attorneys at […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics & Policy
Energy Costs Are Soaring. Trump’s Tariff War Could Make It Even Worse.
Raya Salter remembers the yells as a child when she asked her mother to turn up the heat in the winter: “Put on a sweater. Put on two sweaters. Here’s an extra blanket. That’s gonna make it work because the heat is not going up.” For decades, many Black households have had to make those […]
Posted inHealth, Money
What’s in Your Braids? Toxic Chemicals Found in Synthetic Hair.
Have you ever experienced a rash or skin irritation after using synthetic hair for braids? Was your scalp itchy to the point where you had to wash your hair or take out your style? Researchers might have unlocked the answer as to why this reaction could be happening. When scientists at Consumer Reports tested synthetic […]
Posted inMoney, Politics & Policy
Black People Missed Out on Millions in Stimulus Payments. Here’s How to Get Yours.
Stimulus payments the Internal Revenue Service is distributing to some 1 million taxpayers could be especially beneficial to Black Americans, who generally have lower and more volatile incomes than their white counterparts. In 2023, the median income was $56,490 for Black households and $89,050 for white households, according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report. […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Technology
America’s Digital Demand Threatens Black Communities with More Pollution
Ninety years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and South Carolina Gov. Ibra Blackwood worked together to bring electricity to rural South Carolina. But to build the power plant that would make it happen, they destroyed the homes of 900 Black sharecropping families. With them, 6,000 graves — including those of formerly enslaved people — were […]
Posted inEmployment, Federal Overhaul, Politics & Policy
How the Cutting of Federal Jobs Puts Black Workers at Risk
Federal Overhaul is a multipart series that explores the impact of the Trump administration’s restructuring of the federal government on Black communities. When Theodore Johnson was a young boy in Raleigh, North Carolina, he and his family had to be strategic to make ends meet. They often went shopping at Kmart months in advance, putting clothes […]
Posted inHistory, Money, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues
The Battle for Land, Identity, and Survival of Gullah Geechee Communities
Whenever Nikki Williams’ feet touch the soil on Sapelo Island, Georgia, memories of her youth flood back vividly. Every fall, her grandfather had her work at the drink booth during Cultural Day, where hundreds gathered to celebrate “the heart and soul of Gullah Geechee culture” through arts and live entertainment. It’s a time to “touch […]
Posted inClimate Change, Housing, Wealth Gap
In Altadena, Black Households Were Most Likely to Burn, Study Finds
The Jones family lost their home of 55 years on Altadena’s foothills. They were far from the only ones. The Eaton Fire that exploded in early January tore through more than 9,000 structures in the heart of Altadena, devastating a historically Black neighborhood that had persevered for generations through discrimination and, more recently, gentrification. A […]
