Washington Post: Billionaire Robert F. Smith pledges to pay off Morehouse College Class of 2019′s student loans
Smith told the graduates how he launched his lucrative career. He gave them wise words on grit and success. Then he deviated from his prepared remarks. “My family is going to create a grant to eliminate your student loans!” The grads and their families were speechless for a moment — before erupting in cheers and shouts of disbelief. “There was amazement in the room, people’s mouths dropped open,” said Morehouse President David A. Thomas, who learned of the gift at the same moment as the students. “Students were looking at each other like, ‘What did he say?’ Parents hopped up to hug each other.”
Ebony: Delaware State University Has Record Number of 2019 Graduates
Delaware State University (DSU) gave out 750 diplomas during the historically Black university’s 134th commencement ceremony on May 12. According to local news stationWBOC, that is the highest number of individuals to graduate in one class in the college’s more than 125-year history. The spring graduating class also set another record by producing 238 honor students, which is 20 more than the previous record set in May 2018.
Mother Jones: California’s Fires Hit Rich and Poor Communities. Guess Which Ones Are Recovering Faster?
The 2015 Valley Fire and the 2017 North Bay fires occurred in adjacent counties, but the recovery of the communities has been disparate. According to a 2018 study published in PLOS One, the socioeconomics of a community and its ability—or inability—to recover following a disaster are linked. Overwhelming insurance company requirements, gaps in financial support and lack of local political power make rebuilding a far more arduous process for poorer counties, such as Lake County, than wealthy ones like Sonoma County. As a result, recovery takes longer for less affluent communities.
Blavity: Everything That Happened To Sandra Bland Must Never Be Forgotten
It’s been four years since Sandra Bland died while in police custody in Waller County, Texas. Bland, who was only 28-years-old, was found hanged in a jail cell, after being pulled over and aggressively arrested as the result of a traffic violation just three days before. Although her death was ruled a suicide, supporters and activists have always had their doubts regarding the circumstances of her sudden passing.
Huffington Post Black Voices: Black Girls Detail Harsh Consequences Of Being Seen As Older Than White Peers
A new report details the negative consequences suffered by black women and girls when people perceive them as older than their white peers. Researchers at Georgetown Law’s Center on Poverty and Inequality reported their findings Wednesday after speaking to groups of black girls and women across the country about whether their real-life experiences reflected what the same researchers found in 2017: the “adultification” of black girls. The women and girls said they did.
