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Keke Palmer and screenwriter Nakia Stephens have joined forces to bring a new original series, Southern Fried Rice, to Palmer’s KeyTV platform, a digital media network dedicated to uplifting Black stories and creatives. But since the show’s release, social media users have been divided over its unique plotline, which centers on an Asian American character. Premiering its first two episodes on Oct. 22, Southern Fried Rice follows an Asian American woman, Koko Johnson, played by Page Yang, as she explores her identity and culture while growing up with Southern Black parents. The themes collide when Koko attends Wright University, a prestigious fictional HBCU in Atlanta, and her late father’s alma mater. There, she faces questions of belonging and self-discovery, according to Complex. The cast also includes Kordell Beckham, Choyce Brown, Ashley India, Jada Lewis, and Shaun Rose. Palmer described the project as embodying her network’s mission— a story that celebrates “diverse realities while still being full of humor, love, and heart.” Yet, not everyone online agreed with the actress’s ethos. Reactions to Southern Fried Rice have been mixed. After the trailer and first two episodes dropped, some social media users voiced frustration. On X, one user wrote that the show’s lead should have been a Black actress, given its HBCU setting and KeyTV’s mission to center Black stories. “Black women aren’t a monolith; they could’ve easily made it about the transformation you go through experiencing an HBCU. Esp if said BW went to a PWI. This just looks like a sloppy attempt to force diversity in a show when black people have to beg for one supp-role elsewhere,” the user penned. Another added: “I think the obvious issue is, there is literally no need for the main character at an HBCU to be asian???” Some users said the show pulled influence from the real-life story of Cindy Wilson. Some users also pointed out similarities between Stephens’ show and the real-life story of writer Cindy Wilson, a Korean-born woman adopted by a Black family in Mississippi. Wilson, who detailed her journey in her 2018 memoir Too Much Soul, wrote about growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, after being adopted from Seoul, South Korea. “See how she fights and loves her way through life as she searches for her identity and discovers her place in the world despite the strongholds that society tries to place on her,” the book’s description reads. Several people online accused Stephens of failing to give Wilson proper credit. Still, other viewers embraced the series’ unconventional storyline. One person on X wrote: “I know plenty of non POC that went to HBCUs that received scholarships for being a minority, so I’m interested in seeing how this turns out.” Another viewer appreciated the show’s approach to cultural representation, saying: “Am I the only one open to the idea of this? I watched the trailer and the main character is tastefully written (w/o a Blaccent) and there are plenty of Black women and men within the show.” Keke Palmer and Nakia Stephens chimed in on the discourse. As the controversy spread, both Palmer and Stephens addressed the conversation directly. In a video shared on Oct. 23, Palmer spoke out to clarify the intentions behind Southern Fried Rice and to spotlight the Black creatives involved in the project, including Stephens, whom she has invested almost half a million dollars in over the years for previous shows on KeyTV. “I wanted to chop it up real quick about this series called ‘Southern Fried Rice’ that’s premiering on KeyTV, which is receiving some controversial feedback. Now, Southern Fried Rice was created by Nakia Stephens. While I can’t speak to her inspiration for the show, I can speak to her dedication as a creative,” Palmer said in a video posted on social media. “Nakia has written, showran, and produced four shows alongside her Damn Write Originals team with KeyTV, and KeyTV has proudly invested over half a million dollars in her creations. And I say that because it’s not easy to obtain that kind of investment.” She continued: “[At] KeyTV, that is the ethos of the company. It’s a network, not just because it has stars and shows or has talent, but because it’s about the people who create the shows and connecting them.” Keke Palmer went on to name other Black creatives KeyTV has supported, including Antwan Lawshe, Eric & Rosero McCoy, and Chelsea Sanders, adding: “Look, what you like is subjective, but the support of Black creatives is not, and it’s a task that KeyTV takes on with pride. Because if you want to be a creative, you have to be able to create, and that takes money, and it’s KeyTV’s mission to find the funds for you to be in practice, for you to experience trial and error, and to take your projects off the page and get more than one chance to do it in action. So, whether you like it all or some or none, I say, give these creators a chance to grow as we continue to grow in supporting them.” Stephens also spoke up, posting a message on Instagram that same day. “I welcome conversation. I welcome curiosity,” she shared. “Our ultimate goal was to spark conversation around culture, around belonging and identity, and so that’s what I think I’ve done.” She added that the show had been a decade in the making and was deeply personal: “Southern Fried Rice is 10-plus years in the making, and it was inspired by my own HBCU experience and observations as a student at Savannah State University, the first public HBCU in Georgia,” she explained. “I had friends at Savannah State University. And people in my orbit who were non-Black and had to navigate a historically Black space, and I saw how hard and challenging and fun and beautiful it was for them to do so, and that sparked my curiosity and honestly planted the seed for Southern Fried Rice.” Have you seen Southern Fried Rice yet? Tell us your thoughts about

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services has warned that there may be insufficient funds to pay November benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to roughly 42 million Americans nationwide. On Oct. 10, the USDA informed every state that, because of the government shutdown, it must pause sending November SNAP payments. This means states can’t send payment files to the companies that load money onto Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards until they get new instructions. The order applies to all SNAP benefits, including regular monthly payments and any daily updates. That means, beginning Nov. 1, SNAP recipients may not be able to access any unused benefits on their EBT cards or receive new benefits. Some states, like New Hampshire and Louisiana, have advised recipients to use their remaining funds before Oct. 31, should the shutdown continue past the deadline. If the shutdown continues, the risk is severe. November SNAP benefits could be delayed, reduced, or canceled altogether nationwide, leaving millions of low-income families without funds to purchase food. The impending deadline also impacts schools. As previously reported, schools that rely on federal funding to provide free or reduced-price lunches to students are at risk. While the USDA sent states a contingency plan ahead of the shutdown outlining which funds could be used to provide meals, it has not confirmed whether it will advance additional funds if the shutdown stretches into November. How are states responding to the impending SNAP pause caused by the government shutdown? The funding crisis has already caused major disruptions. According to CNN, 17 states have stopped accepting new SNAP applications because their systems cannot merge partial October payments with November’s benefits. States able to separate the two months are continuing to issue October assistance to new enrollees, but most are bracing for major delays. State responses vary depending on local resources. States like New Jersey, California, and Texas have already warned that November benefits may be delayed or canceled if the government shutdown continues past Nov. 1. In Pennsylvania, recipients have been notified that no November benefits will be distributed until the government reopens. In New York, officials say the shutdown will not immediately impact SNAP benefits, and households will continue receiving assistance as usual through the end of October 2025. Applications remain open online and in person, and recipients can use their EBT cards at any participating retailer or farmers market. The state has not yet received federal guidance about November benefits, but promises to update residents as soon as possible. New Hampshire, meanwhile, has partnered with the state food bank to expand its mobile food pantry program to as many as 20 locations for SNAP participants, amid the crisis. These additional food pantries will operate for five weeks or until benefits resume. The state has also secured extra funding to sustain the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program until at least Nov. 7, though some locations may be forced to pause services if the shutdown continues into November. The government is required to use “lapse funding” if the shutdown extends past Nov. 1 to keep SNAP benefits available.  Federal agencies typically develop “lapse of funding” plans to prepare for shutdowns, and the USDA’s current plan indicates that contingency funds could be used to temporarily sustain SNAP, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. However, the agency has not confirmed whether it will tap into these funds, which are estimated to total between $5 billion and $6 billion—enough to cover most, but not all, of the roughly $8 billion needed to fund November benefits. The federal government is legally obligated to release these contingency funds, but unless that happens soon, millions of Americans could face food insecurity within weeks. What can you do to protect yourself? Overall, the situation is dire. If the shutdown persists and funding remains frozen, SNAP recipients may lose access to their benefits, schools could struggle to provide meals, and local food banks will face mounting pressure to fill the gap. States continue to urge residents to use existing benefits before the end of October, monitor official updates, and seek community food assistance if needed. Joining a local food bank could also help to supplement if SNAP benefits pause during the shutdown. Find a local food bank near you, using Feeding America’s search engine here.  SEE MORE: When The Government Starves Us: How SNAP Cuts Target Black Survival SNAP Benefits Ending As Hunger Cliff Looms

Stephen A. Smith is the Aaron Burr of Black men. OK, admittedly, I don’t know anything about Aaron Burr that I didn’t either learn from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical Hamilton or that one “Got Milk?” commercial from the ’90s. So, when I say famed sports analyst Stephen A. Smith is the Aaron Burr of Black men, I’m assuming the real-life Aaron Burr is similar to the go-which-ever-way-the-political-wind-blows version of Aaron Burr in Miranda’s play, who is actually played by a Black man. But, anyway, what I’m really trying to say here is I wish Stephen A. Smith would STFU forever and always. During a special edition of his podcast show Straight Shooter with Stephen A., Smith apologized to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, whom he scolded earlier this month for how she “expresses herself” regarding President Donald Trump and his policies, and then later doubled down on his criticism of her “rhetoric for the streets.” “Is that gonna help your district in Texas? Aren’t you there to find a way to get stuff done, as opposed to just being an impediment to what…Trump wants? How much work goes into that? I’m just going to go off about Trump, cuss him out every chance I get, say the most derogatory, incendiary things imaginable, and that’s my day’s work,” Smith said at the time. “That ain’t work,” he continued. “Work is saying that’s the man in power. I know what his agenda is. I’m not exactly in a position to stop him, since the Republicans have the Senate and the House, but maybe if I’m willing to work with this man, I might get something out of it for my constituency.” Smith should absolutely be ashamed of being this loud and wrong with his chest poked out further than his forehead. Imagine paying so little attention to the current political landscape that you believe, in the first place, that an authoritarian ruler like Trump — who has expressed out loud his intent to shut down and defund all things Democrat — can be worked with. Secondly, is this man really going to stand there and speak about Crockett’s straightforwardness and refusal to mince words with Trump, who has, for as long as he has been in the political arena, never passed up a chance to chuck personal insults and crass language at his political rivals, reserving the most racist, misogynistic and intellectually demeaning insults for Black women who are observably much smarter than him? Well, it appears Smith has come to glory on that part. “I saw something disturbing in regards to President Donald Trump and how he came at Representative Jasmine Crockett…I get it now with Trump feeding into that nonsense, giving him ammunition to continue to go out there and talk about our Black women that way—I got it,” Smith said, without getting into any specifics about which of the numerous times Trump has come at Crockett changed his thick-a** mind. “When Trump came at her like that, I said, ‘Damn it.’ I was pissed off because I said that’s what they’re talking about when they’re saying, ‘You know what, when you question something about her, it’s going to invite that,’” Smith explained, again, without specifying which remarks he’s even talking about. “I can look Jasmine Crockett in the face and say I’m sorry for any…kind of noise I caused in your direction, because she is accomplished, and she is smart, and she does have an incredible, incredible challenge working in this political climate on Capitol Hill,” Smith continued. Nah, let’s be real about what’s going on here. Smith popped off at Crockett, armed with misogynoir, respectability politics, and his typical, observable cluelessness about what kind of man our president is, and instead of getting the public agreement he was shooting for, he’s been getting dragged by the negro-net for more than a week. So now, Smith is bringing his tap dance back around, full circle, and apologizing to Crockett, while probably hoping we all forget this is far from the first time he has thrown on a cape for the orangey-white nationalist who is currently demolishing the White House both literally and symbolically. This is where the Aaron Burr comparison comes in. Depending on which position is more popular and convenient at the moment, Smith will be defending Trump against allegations of anti-Black racism one day, and calling out Black conservatives like professed “MAGA guy” Jason Whitlock for being the self-loathing “piece of sh*t” grifter he is the next. The man is just plain wishy-washy. Stephen A. Smith is the Van Jones of Black men who manage to have even more useless political takes than Van Jones. And, look, we can’t let Smith slide for piling on to the mountain of racist, Black woman-hating vitriol that is already spewed against Crockett by white bigots of the MAGA world on a daily basis. In the last year alone, Crockett has been called “ghetto,” a “fake ghetto hoodrat,” a “ghetto Black b*tch,” a wannabe “gangsta” who “wants you to think she’s from the hood,” and a “fraud” who is only pretending to be of the Black community, but is too educated to actually be of the Black community. She’s been called all of these things by racist white people who are only speaking about her like this because she’s a blunt, outspoken Black woman who sounds authentically like a Black woman when she speaks. Smith, on the other hand, is a Black man who was birthed and presumably raised by a Black woman in a family and community full of Black women, and he should know better. Nah, let him keep his apology. He’ll be back on the other side next week anyway. SEE ALSO: Loud & Wrong? Stephen A. Smith Dragged On X For Defending Donald Trump’s Claims Of ‘Black People Relating To Him‘ Why Stephen A. Smith’s Rant About Jason Whitlock Didn’t Go Far Enough

The government shutdown has entered its third week, and federal workers are feeling the strain more and more. On Tuesday, a food drive intended to help furloughed federal workers had lines wrapped around the building as they go nearly a month without pay. According to CNN, Capital Area Food Bank partnered with No Limits Outreach Ministries to host the food drive in Landover, Maryland. The event was exclusively for federal workers and required participants to show their work ID to receive food. Capital Area Food Bank said they helped 370 households, which was double the number of federal workers they were expecting. “I’m overwhelmed by the line,” Oliver Carter, the pastor at No Limits Outreach Ministries and organizer of the event, told CNN. “I didn’t think we were going to have this many federal employees.” The timing was less than ideal for the food bank, as some of their federal funding has been slashed this year. “It’s a perfect storm of increased need in our community and throughout the country,” the food bank CEO, Radha Muthiah, told WAMU. “At the very same time, we’ve got reduced sources of food supply.” “I can’t believe I’m here,” Rolanda Williams, who works in the Social Security Administration, told CNN while standing in line at the food drive. “You always thought that getting a government job or you know, a federal job, that that’s security, and it’s not,” Williams added. The government shutdown began at the beginning of October as a result of Senate Democrats refusing to vote in favor of a short-term spending bill unless Republicans extended insurance subsidies provided through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While Republicans currently hold the majority in the House and Senate, spending bills need 60 votes to pass. With Republicans only controlling 53 seats in the Senate, Democrats have rare leverage to negotiate with the ruling party. Republicans have refused to even negotiate extending the subsidies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has only offered a potential vote on extending the subsidies after the shutdown ends. Considering the fact that Republicans let the subsidies expire and that repealing the ACA has long been one of their goals, the offer isn’t really a compromise when the outcome is likely to be a no. Without the subsidies in place, monthly premiums for ACA insurance are projected to go up by 75%. As a result, millions of Americans are projected to become uninsured next year as a result of being unable to afford the monthly payments. As of Wednesday, this has officially become the second-longest government shutdown. With no clear end in sight, the situation has only grown more stressful for the affected federal workers, many of whom are expected to work without pay through the government shutdown. “I’ve not been in this predicament ever. I served 21 years in the military. I’ve been a federal government employee for the past two years. The reason I wanted to become a federal government employee was stability. That stability, that rug, if you will, has been snatched away from us,” a federal employee who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing her job told NBC News. “With my rent due next week, I can take anything I can get,” Summer Kerksick, a federal contractor and market research analyst with the Rural Export Center in the U.S. Department of Commerce, told CNN. “I haven’t gotten a paycheck this month, so the free groceries is very important, very helpful,” she added. “I’ve got to save every dime at this point.” So we’ve got federal workers being unable to feed their families as a result of the GOP being unwilling to make health care affordable for millions of Americans. But America first, right? SEE ALSO: Here’s Where We Are In The Current Government Shutdown Federal Workforce Layoffs Begin Amid Government Shutdown Mike Johnson Says Government Shutdown Could Be Longest Ever Food Stamps At Risk As Government Shutdown Continues When The Government Starves Us: How SNAP Cuts Target Black Survival

It can never be emphasized enough that while the Trump administration has sold its massive deportation crackdown as an agenda to save America from violent criminals who entered the country illegally, we’re not seeing those perp walks. Instead, we’re seeing stories about citizens, including laborers, Hyundai plant workers, green card holders, cops, education officials, journalists and social media influencers — some of whom have been in the U.S. for decades and raised families here — being detained, arrested and deported for allegedly overstaying their visas or not having all their paper work in order, and, in some cases, simply promoting ideologies the president doesn’t like. And, often, it seems the cruelty is the point. An Indian man from Pennsylvania, who was recently exonerated after spending more than four decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, is now in ICE custody, facing deportation based on a decades-old order that was tied to his false conviction. Earlier this month, the district attorney for Centre County dismissed murder charges against 64-year-old Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, who, in 1983, was convicted of the murder of Tom Kinser, a 19-year-old college student who went missing from State College three years prior. From the Guardian: Kinser and Vedam were former classmates and had lived together briefly as roommates. On the day Kinser disappeared, Vedam asked for a ride. Kinser’s car was later found parked in its usual spot, though no one saw it being returned. Vedam, who was born in India and arrived in the US at nine months old, was charged with Kinser’s murder and had his passport and green card seized by authorities. He was also denied bail as he was labeled a “foreigner likely to flee”. In 1983, Vedam was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. A year later, Vedam received an additional sentence of two and a half to five years for a drug offense as part of a plea deal that was to be served simultaneously with his life sentence. While in prison, Vedam maintained his innocence of the murder charges and continued to appeal against his conviction on circumstantial evidence. In 2021, new evidence in Kinser’s murder case surfaced, leading to Vedam’s exoneration earlier this month. The Centre county district attorney also announced it will not seek a new trial against Vedam, USA Today reported. It should have been a joyous — albeit bittersweet — moment for Vedam to finally be free again after spending most of his life with his freedom stripped away over something he didn’t do. But that moment would be short-lived, because upon his exoneration, Vedam was taken into custody by immigration officers. According to the Miami Herald, an ICE rep accused Vedam of being a “career criminal with a rap sheet dating back to 1980,” as well as “a convicted controlled substance trafficker.” USA Today reported that ICE officials cited a 1988 deportation order for the murder conviction and a drug crime, and the legal technicality that the murder exoneration doesn’t cancel out the drug charge. Now, you see, there’s a pattern here. The federal government, under President Donald Trump, arrests someone who doesn’t quite fit its narrative of the dangerous, violent threats to America that the administration has promised to keep us safe from, so they immediately move to vilify them by calling them criminals — whether they already have criminal records or not, as ICE’s own database shows most of them don’t — and using language intended to paint them in the worst light possible. In Vedam’s case, any crime he may have been convicted of in his life is at least four decades old and no longer includes the murder for which he was exonerated. To present this man as a current “career criminal” to justify deporting him right after he was exonerated and released isn’t just disingenuous; it’s flat-out heartless. “All we want is for him to be home with us and to be able to move forward in life,” Vedam’s niece, Zoë Miller-Vedam, who lives in California, told USA Today. Vedam’s lawyer, Ava Benach, told the outlet, “Subu has lived in the U.S. since he was a nine-month-old infant when he and his family arrived as lawful permanent residents of the United States. “He was still a lawful permanent resident, and his application for citizenship had been accepted, when he was arrested in 1982,” she added. Yeah — none of this is about keeping America safe. It’s about a vehemently xenophobic administration carrying out the will of the most vehemently xenophobic members of the American populace. Sometimes, you just have to know when you’re the villain in a story. SEE ALSO: Federal Judge Places Restrictions On ICE Arrests In Chicago Federal Judge Rules ICE Racially Profiles

As of Wednesday, the government has been shut down for 22 days, making it the second-longest government shutdown in U.S. history. As millions of Americans are at risk of losing their food stamps, Democrats and Republicans seem no closer to a deal that would bring the government shutdown to an end. According to the Washington Post, over 42 million Americans receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. Food stamps help lower-income Americans supplement their food budget to ensure their families have adequate access to food. New Jersey, California, Texas, and several other states have warned that November SNAP benefits will be delayed or entirely canceled if the government shutdown continues past Oct. 27. Some states, like Pennsylvania, have already notified SNAP recipients that November benefits will not be distributed until the government reopens. “You’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families — of hungry families—that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said last week. There’s also concern that schools won’t be able to provide federally funded free lunches to students, according to NPR. While the USDA sent states a contingency plan ahead of the shutdown to inform them of funds they could tap into to provide free lunches, they haven’t said if they would be willing to advance funds to provide free lunches should the shutdown continue into November. While the Senate has held several failed votes on funding the government, it’s unclear if a vote will be held on Wednesday, as CBS News reports that Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) has been speaking on the Senate floor for over 18 hours. Merkley, whose state is one of several where Trump has deployed the National Guard, has largely been speaking out against Trump’s descent into authoritarianism. “I’ve come to the Senate floor tonight to ring the alarm bells,” Merkley said at the start of his speech. “We’re in the most perilous moment, the biggest threat to our republic since the Civil War. President Trump is shredding our Constitution.” The government shutdown began at the start of October when Senate Democrats refused to vote on a spending bill that would keep the government open. While Republicans hold the majority in the House and Senate, spending bills require 60 votes in the Senate to pass. As the Republicans have a 53-45 majority, Senate Democrats have some rare leverage in the shutdown. At the heart of the shutdown are expiring subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will result in significantly increased health care premiums for millions of Americans. Republicans have refused to negotiate on the issue until the government is reopened, and Democrats refuse to reopen the government until the issue is negotiated. House Majority Speaker John Thune offered the Senate Democrats a vote on extending the subsidies, but they have scoffed at the offer, as it’s fairly obvious Republicans will likely vote no on the measure. It’s crazy how the GOP will look the other way when we send billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out Argentina, fund a genocide in Palestine, and spend millions on private jets for Kristi Noem and her DHS lackeys, but making health care affordable for working Americans is where they draw the line. It’s really not a complicated issue: the Republican Party hates the working class. Federal employees have been expected to work without pay through the shutdown, with this Friday being the first full paycheck they’ll miss due to the shutdown. Legally, federal employees are supposed to be paid once the shutdown ends, but the Trump administration has tried to argue that some federal employees shouldn’t be paid. Clearly, the beliefs of a man who only has the best interests of all Americans at heart. Democrats and Republicans are calling on Trump to negotiate a deal, as he has mostly been hands-off through the shutdown. “If he gets involved, he can move it,” GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville told CNN of Trump. “He can make a decision on what we do.” “At the end of the day, to move this needle and get this thing off the bubble, President Trump will have to get involved,” said GOP Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia. “That’s probably what will have to happen.” Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries have also called on Trump to come to the negotiating table so they can strike a deal. Despite both parties believing that President Trump should step in to negotiate a deal, he doesn’t seem particularly incentivized to do so. Trump has taken advantage of the shutdown to conduct mass layoffs, end several programs, and cut funding for what he perceives as Democratic initiatives. Two key factors may bring Trump to the negotiating table, though. While the federal government used unspent research funds to cover military paychecks earlier this month, it was only enough for one pay period. Considering that President Trump has been adamant about deploying the National Guard in several Democratic cities, a missed paycheck could severely hurt the already dwindling morale of the deployed Guardsmen. The second factor is that the open enrollment period for the ACA begins Nov. 1, which is when states will begin informing people how much their insurance premiums will increase without the subsidies. The open enrollment period has already begun in Iowa, where thousands of Iowans are expected to be uninsured next year, as they can no longer afford the monthly payments. As more and more people realize that they can no longer afford their health insurance, it may put pressure on the Republicans to strike a deal extending the subsidies. SEE ALSO: Here’s Where We Are In The Current Government Shutdown Mike Johnson Says Government Shutdown Could Be Longest Ever

I’m struggling to find the words to capture the sheer panic I feel right now, but it’s a panic born of truth: the very foundation of our representative democracy is under threat. What’s unfolding before the U.S. Supreme Court over Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 isn’t a procedural argument; it’s an existential crisis that could permanently reshape the political landscape and silence the voices of millions of Americans—particularly those of color. On Wednesday, justices from the highest court in the land began weighing in on a case that will determine whether democracy is going to continue to weaken and be dismantled by questioning one of the most critical safeguards of the civil rights era, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; an act that ensures the government must continue to take proactive steps to ensure fair representation for Black and Brown people. The case sparking the review, Louisiana v. Callais, stems from a dispute over a single congressional district in Louisiana, drawn after the 2020 Census to ensure that African American voters could elect a candidate of their choice. The state initially drew maps that featured only one majority-Black congressional district, rejecting seven more racially fair maps. Voters sued, and federal courts ordered Louisiana to comply with the Voting Rights Act by drawing new maps in which Black voters would be a majority in a second district, thereby reflecting their share of the population and giving Black Louisianans an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. The current case, presented by a group of people identifying themselves as “non-African-American voters” have sued to get those racially proportionate maps thrown out, arguing that enforcement of the VRA violates their own rights under the 14th and 15th amendments, claiming that the maps drawn to remedy racial discrimination against Black people instead constitutes racial discrimination against non-Black (aka: white) people. While the case appears to be localized, it will affect voting on the national level because, at the core, the case is about whether state governments can continue to address discrimination, both historic and ongoing, by taking intentional action to ensure fairness and representation. “Section 2 has had a major impact, definitely in the South, but really nationwide on improving political representation opportunities for voters in a lot of different communities of color and all around the country,” Kareem Crayton, vice president of the Brennan Center for Justice’s office in Washington, D.C., said. “A decision that leaves the current understanding of Section 2 in grave doubt opens up, unfortunately, a lot of chaos throughout the country in a lot of different jurisdictions.” For decades, the landmark ruling has served as the precedent and legal tool to combat racial gerrymandering, especially in states with racially polarized voting patterns, like Texas, and their controversial decision to redistrict to find 5 Republican seats for the Trump administration to continue their reign of incompetence. The Court’s conservative majority, however, has signaled skepticism toward the continued use of race-conscious districting, seemingly siding with the plaintiffs. During recent oral arguments, several justices questioned whether such measures should have an “endpoint,” suggesting discomfort with what they view as race-based policymaking. Justice Brett Kavanaugh echoed that sentiment, stating that “race-based remedies are permissible for a period of time… but they should not be indefinite.” “The issue, as you know, is that this court’s cases in a variety of contexts have said that race-based remedies are permissible for a period time – sometimes for a long period of time, decades in some cases – but that they should not be indefinite and should have an end point,” Kavanaugh told the attorney representing a group of Black voters who successfully challenged Louisiana’s first map. Civil rights advocates argue that this framing ignores the persistence of racial polarization in American elections. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson underscored that point, reminding the Court that Section 2 “is not a remedy in and of itself but the mechanism by which the law determines whether a remedy is necessary.” In her view, the law’s enduring application is not a distortion of equality but an affirmation of it. During oral arguments, the plaintiffs’ attorney suggested that the defense were demanding a second majority-Black district, prompting Jackson to interject: “No, it’s not,” clarifying that the litigation was about addressing proven vote dilution, not entitlement to a specific remedy; underscoring the constitutional interest in remedying racial discrimination, a point echoed by Justice Elena Kagan earlier in the session. Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, highlighted the significance of the ruling and why the reversal would adversely affect communities of color’s ability to fully and fairly participate in democracy. “The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has affirmed what we’ve always known: Black voters in Louisiana deserve equal representation,” Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, said. “This is a vital step toward correcting generations of injustice, and we will not stop until every Black Louisianan has the full and fair representation guaranteed to all Americans.” The political consequences of a ruling against Section 2 could be profound. According to a report by the Black Voters Matter Fund and Fair Fight Action, if Section 2 is overturned, Republican-controlled states could redraw at least 19 additional congressional districts to their advantage. The impact would be immediate in states such as Texas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina, all regions with significant minority populations and deeply polarized voting patterns. Freed from the obligation to draw “minority opportunity districts,” lawmakers could fracture Black and Latino communities across the country in multiple districts by isolating them into single heavily Democratic districts and reducing their overall influence. According to the report, as much as 30% of the Congressional Black Caucus and 11% of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus could lose their seats. In states such as Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee, Black voters could lose all federal representation. Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter Fund, warned that

Grammy-award-winning singer and songwriter Lauryn Hill took to Instagram to pay tribute to D’Angelo after news broke of his untimely passing. Hill Called D’Angelo An ‘Undeniable Beauty And Talent’ In Her Emotional Tribute Letter Hill, 50, collaborated with the neo-soul legend—who passed away after a private battle with pancreatic cancer—on the beloved track “Nothing Even Matters,” where he appeared as a guest vocalist. The soulful duet became a standout on her critically acclaimed, five-time Grammy-winning album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. “People need reflection,” the music veteran began her emotional tribute letter. “I regret not having more time with you. Your undeniable beauty and talent were not of this world, and a presence not of this world needs protection in a world that covets light and the anointing of God. You sir, moved us, stirred us, inspired and even intimidated others to action with your genius.” The music giant thanked D’Angelo for “being a beacon of light to a generation and beyond who had no remembrance of the legacy that preceded us.” She continued, “Thank you for charting the course and for making space during a time when no similar space really existed. You imaged a unity of strength and sensitivity in Black manhood to a generation that only saw itself as having to be one or the other. It is my earnest prayer that you are in peace, far away from selfishness, fear, and/or controlling interests. Far from possessiveness, far from greed, far from manipulation, far from exploitation, far from intentionally designed chaos, and that you, Brother, are in peace, in bliss, and in eternal light and fulfillment with our Father in heaven.” Hill concluded her emotional tribute letter, “I love you and I miss you. May God grant peace and shelter to your family, true friends, and genuine appreciators, Brother, King.” D’Angelo Reflected On Working With Lauryn Hill During A 2008 Interview During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2008, D’Angelo reflected on his time working with Hill on “Nothing Even Matters,” calling his collaborative relationship with the songstress “warm and sweet.” “Originally, we were going to swap tunes for each other’s projects because I was working on Voodoo at the same time and my keyboardist James Poyser was also working with her,” D’Angelo told the publication. “I went to her house in New Jersey, she played a lot of songs for me, and gave me a rough copy to listen to. When Lauryn and I went into the studio together, I laid down my vocals in the course of an hour.” Jill Scott And Missy Elliott Also Paid Tribute Hill wasn’t the only celeb to write a tribute in honor of D’Angelo on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Jill Scott, another neo-soul titan, took to X to honor the singer’s legacy. She revealed that a mutual friend had informed her that the star was “unwell” a few days before his death. “I didn’t know he was leaving us TODAY” she added. “Oooooooh my condolences to his family, his musical fam and fans. I am a fan and I mourn. D. Keaton & now D’Angelo. Hurts.” In a follow-up post, she added, “I never met D’Angelo but I love him, respect him, admire his gift. This loss HURTS!! Love to my family that are family to him. I’m so sorry.  R.I.P. GENIUS.” Missy Elliott shared heartfelt condolences for D’Angelo’s son, Michael Archer II, whose mother, Angie Stone, tragically died in a car crash just seven months before D’Angelo’s passing. “Rest Peacefully D’Angelo,” The Rain singer wrote on X. “No parent wants to see their children go, but it’s painful for children to see their parents go too so send prayers up for his son, who also lost his mom this year, for strength.” RELATED: Remembering A Legend: 10 D’Angelo Songs That Shaped Neo-Soul The post Lauryn Hill Pens Heartfelt Tribute Letter To ‘Beacon Of A Generation’ D’Angelo—’May God Grant Peace & Shelter To Your Family’ appeared first on Bossip.

Maybe there’s a reason the people of Chicago have been rebelling against ICE agents and other feds who have been deployed into their neighborhoods, supposedly, to arrest violent, undocumented criminals. Perhaps Chicagoans simply don’t believe the Trump administration is trying to make their streets safer by ridding them of dangerous migrants, because these agents keep snatching up day laborers and U.S. citizens whom they think are “illegals.” It could also be that folks are having a difficult time believing that it’s ICE that is “under siege” when what we see is agents detaining people for no discernible reason, deploying tear gas near schools and residential areas, beating up on protesters, bystanders, and media personnel, and, occasionally, shooting people. Also, why should we believe a word that comes out of a Border Patrol cop’s mouth when they keep lying about what led to so many of these incidents? According to the Guardian, last week, Debbie Brockman, a U.S. citizen and employee at Chicago’s WGN TV station, was temporarily detained during an ICE operation in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. Video footage of the arrest that has since gone viral on social media shows Brockman being forced to the ground by two agents, whom she can be heard identifying herself to before telling them where she works. It also appears that, for whatever reason, her pants were pulled down. In one video, a person off-camera can be heard asking the masked agents, “Do you guys want to share your names too, or you just gonna cover your face?” Brockman was reportedly handcuffed and put in a van, but then she was released without charges, which is odd, considering ICE agents accused her of throwing “objects at Border Patrol’s car” before she was “placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer,” according to a DHS official. Yeah, because — you know — a person being released without charges after attacking an officer is totally a thing that happens. (To be fair, you can do it at the Capitol to stop Democratic votes from being certified, and the current president will issue you a pardon and contemplate paying you reparations.) Brockman’s attorneys denied their client did anything she was accused of, which, again, is believable because it’s the kind of thing people typically go to jail for. From the Guardian: In a news release issued by attorneys representing Brockman on Tuesday, which was sent to the Guardian as well as several Chicago news outlets, her lawyers disputed the government’s account. They said they “adamantly deny any allegation that she assaulted anyone” and that “Brockman was the one who was violently assaulted by federal agents on her way to work” on 10 October. Her lawyers say that at the time of the arrest, Brockman was “not acting in any professional capacity as an employee for WGN” but that she was just “walking to the bus stop as part of her morning commute when she was attacked by Border Patrol agents. “Brockman, who is a US Citizen born in this country, was violently detained on Foster Avenue,” the statement continues. “As this occurred, individuals on the street began recording the incident and asked Ms Brockman her name.” The statement says that she told the bystanders her name and that she worked at WGN, in the hopes that “someone would notify her employer so coworkers would know that she would not be arriving at work that day”, her attorneys said. According to her lawyers, Brockman was held in federal custody for about seven hours before being released. “She has not been charged with any crimes and she intends to pursue all legal avenues available to her to vindicate her rights and hold the federal authorities accountable for their actions,” the statement adds. One of Brockman’s lawyers, Brad Thomson, probably said it best: “If armed, masked, federal agents are snatching U.S. citizens off the street as they walk to work and throwing them in unmarked vehicles, you can only imagine what these agents must be willing to do to our immigrant neighbors and people who dare to speak out against them.” Only we don’t need to imagine it, because we’ve seen it on camera. Here’s a video we reported on earlier this month that shows federal immigration agents confronting and attempting to detain a man in the West Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side. Here’s what I wrote about that incident at the time: The man in question refused to go with the men willingly, which, normally, would result in a resisting arrest charge in addition to whatever the civilian was being arrested for in the first place. However, in this case, the scene ended with the men who appeared to be officers appearing to give up on arresting the man altogether and leaving the man alone after being confronted by angry bystanders. Bootlickers, of course, claimed it was an example of ICE being harassed just for doing their jobs, but those at the scene, including the man who recorded the video, said it was an example of the neighborhood stepping in to defend a human being from the Trump administration’s Gestapo. According to CBS News Chicago, a DHS spokesperson declined to explain why agents would simply leave the scene without taking the man into custody, which is a good question to ask, because, again, it just wouldn’t happen if the agents had a legitimate reason to arrest the man in the first place. As scary as it is to be confronted, roughed up, and arrested by ICE agents — who are often doing so without a proper warrant or probable cause — it becomes even more alarming once you realize not all people who are wrongfully arrested are simply released. Earlier this month, Mario Guevara, an award-winning, Spanish-language journalist, was deported to El Salvador, despite being in the U.S. legally, after he was arrested in June for livestreaming an anti-Trump “No Kings” protest near Atlanta. Guevara, who had been in the U.S. for more than two decades and has