UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax Receives GSV’s 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Lomax joins the ranks of legendary pioneers, recognizing a lifetime of transformative leadership advancing the future of education through innovation, partnership, and purpose. Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and chief executive officer of the UNCF, was honored recently with the prestigious GSV 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego—one of the world’s leading convenings of education, innovation, and impact. One of the nation’s foremost thought-leaders on HBCUs and higher education, Lomax has led UNCF in its efforts to engineer partnerships with reform-focused leaders and
Karen Morrison Named Foreword Writer for 19th Edition of Who’s Who In Black Columbus
Date: August 6, 2025 COLUMBUS, OH — Who’s Who In Black Columbus is proud to announce Karen Jefferson Morrison, President of the OhioHealth Foundation and Senior Vice President at OhioHealth, as the official foreword writer for the publication’s upcoming 19th edition. With more than 30 years of leadership at OhioHealth, Morrison is a respected healthcare executive, lobbyist, and philanthropist whose influence spans local, state, and national platforms. She leads strategy for external relations, overseeing community health, government affairs, and corporate reinvestment for one of the nation's top ten
Black Podcaster Colah B. Tawkin Keeps it Green — and Real
By Aaron Foley With a hit podcast, “Black in the Garden,” Colah B. Tawkin connects Black people to the healing properties of plant life and nature, dispelling stereotypes in the process. Tawkin is a self-taught expert on gardens, flowers, horticulture, botanicals and different types of plants. Her relationship with nature began with her childhood in Jacksonville, Florida. Each week, Colah B. Tawkin takes to the digital airwaves to celebrate Black people’s relationship with nature, dropping knowledge about plant life. Tawkin — that’s a stage name, if you haven’t caught it —
Detroit’s Young Investors Are Being Mentored Into Million-Dollar Mindsets
By the time most kids are learning how to open a lunchbox, Gail Perry-Mason’s young “investors” are learning how to open a stock portfolio. Across the city of Detroit, where wealth gaps have long been written off as inevitable, Money Matters for Youth is reshaping the narrative with a blueprint that starts early, builds intentionally, and reaches far beyond bank balances. What Perry-Mason has built goes far beyond a seasonal program thrown together for show. It’s a cultural shift in motion—rooted in legacy, powered by purpose,
Mayor Ed Gainey Gives Tim Stevens, Esther Bush, Sala Udin And Chris Moore Keys to Pittsburgh
Esther Bush. Chris Moore. Sala Udin. Tim Stevens. Talk about icons in the City of Pittsburgh. The political arena. The financial/non-profit sector. The spoken word. Collectively, the four aforementioned African Americans have more than 150 years of service and impact in the Pittsburgh region. Collectively, they have not only spoken out against injustices involving African Americans, but they have created change for the better in the region for Black people. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, one could say, stands on the shoulders of these iconic figures. The city’s first Black mayor
Carla Hayden, 14th Librarian of Congress Latest Casualty of Trump Admin
Carla Hayden, the recently fired librarian of Congress, attends an event in March 2025 in Washington. Shannon Finney/Getty Images by Alex H. Poole, Drexel University Carla Hayden, the 14th librarian of Congress, who has held the position since 2016, received an unexpected email on May 8, 2025. “Carla, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” wrote Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel at the White House. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later
Scott Bill Targets USDA Discrimination as Trump Ends DEI Protections
By Stacy M. Brown Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent As the Trump administration moves to eliminate key diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) protections at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Democratic Congressman David Scott of Georgia has introduced legislation aimed at safeguarding the future of Black farmers and reversing decades of systemic discrimination. On July 17, Scott, a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced the Black Farmers and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Increased Market Share Act of 2025. Illinois Democratic Congressman Jonathan Jackson, also a member of the committee,
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Elects David Turner as 37th International President
Turner Brings Strategic Vision, Proven Leadership, and Deep Commitment to Brotherhood Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. recently elected David Turner as the organization’s 37th International President during the 2025 Conclave held in Tampa, Florida. A results-driven leader with an unmatched record of fraternity service, Turner assumes the helm of one of the world’s preeminent Black Greek-letter organizations, bringing a forward-thinking plan centered on strategic execution, financial diversification, operational excellence, and technological advancement. The esteemed fraternal and socio-economic leader brings to the presidency a distinguished record of community activism and
Black Women Are Building Detroit’s New Generation of Business Schools
While elite universities and accelerator programs continue to overlook grassroots founders, three local entrepreneurs have stepped up to create what mainstream institutions never prioritized: culturally grounded, community-owned business schools designed specifically for Detroiters. Racheal Allen, Ebony Cochran, and Jessie Hayes are not in the business of waiting on permission to educate, train, and empower. They’re building infrastructure—on their terms—for the entrepreneurs this city has long ignored. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country. In Detroit, they lead one
Matters of Life and Death: The Power Is In Your Hands
By Jehan Gibson-Crump A common misconception is that estate planning only applies to death. This could not be further from the truth. A proper estate plan determines what will happen with your assets if you pass away and who will be responsible for carrying out those wishes. It also puts measures in place to determine who will manage your affairs if you are unable, whether it is on a temporary or permanent basis. This is done through Healthcare Powers of Attorney and Financial Powers of Attorney. If done