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Andrew Gillum Addresses Future, Importance of Black Press

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Beginning in about two weeks I will be teaching a fellowship at Harvard University,” Gillum said in an exclusive tidbit from a fireside chat conducted by NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. during a luncheon at the Hilton Orlando Hotel on Thursday, Jan. 24.

Published

7 years ago

January 30, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Former Tallahassee Mayor and Florida Gubernatorial Candidate, Andrew Gillum, didn’t break the kind of news that many publishers, editors and journalists may have wanted at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) annual Midwinter Training Conference in Orlando, but the HBCU graduate did provide the Black Press of America some newsworthy tidbits about what he’s doing now and what the future might hold.

“Beginning in about two weeks I will be teaching a fellowship at Harvard University,” Gillum said in an exclusive tidbit from a fireside chat conducted by NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. during a luncheon at the Hilton Orlando Hotel on Thursday, Jan. 24.

The luncheon was sponsored by General Motors and Wells Fargo and representatives of both companies were on hand to talk about their commitment to the Black Press.

Gillum, who lost a tight and controversial race to Republican Ron De Santis by just 30,000 votes, said he has also been spending time with his family.

“Right now, I’m planning to date my wife,” the former Tallahassee mayor said.

However, even with a wife, three children and a new teaching job, Gillum also hasn’t lost his focus on politics or the 2020 presidential election. “My grandmother says ‘know better, do better,’” Gillum said.

“I learned something about the gap that exists in my state and that there are road barriers for the Democrats. The young voters turned out at the highest rate in the history of the state of Florida,” he said, noting that his goal is to help register 1 million voters by the 2020 election.

For those seeking to win in 2020, Gillum said it’s paramount that they engage the Black Press.

“Anybody trying to win in 2020, specifically if they are trying to win off the backs of black folk, those investments have to be made and they have to be made early,” Gillum said. “There’s always a lot of lip service, but those investments need to be made.”

Gillum made note of the partnership between the Black Press and corporations like Wells Fargo and General Motors.

He called relationships like that a win-win where there’s major benefits for each party, but he still commended those companies for “putting their money where their mouths are.” It’s something that presidential and other political hopefuls should follow, Gillum said.

Chavis told the Democrat that the Black Press couldn’t be more proud of his efforts.” All of us, and Mayor Gillum, let me tell you that we represent over 215 African American newspapers and media companies across the country and, conservatively, we reach about 25 million in print, digital and social media,” Chavis said.

“There’s about 47 million African Americans in the country and we reach the majority. On behalf of the Black Press of America, we couldn’t be prouder than to witness your campaign,” Chavis said, in a comment echoed by Houston Forward Times Associate Editor and Columnist Jeffrey Boney.

“Thank you for running an outstanding race that was full of class and showing us what class and intelligence looks like as opposed to foolishness and racism,” Boney told Gillum.

As he’s toured the country, Gillum said he’s surprised about how many have zeroed in on the particulars of his race against De Santis. “I have to tell you this race was the highlight of my life to this point,” he said. “We put a lot into it and it took a lot out of me.”

Since the election, he said he’s been invited to speak at many events but has remained selective. However, he said the Black Press remains important, which is why he accepted an invite to attend the Midwinter Training Conference.

Gillum also took time to thank Chavis, NNPA Chair and Crusader Newspapers Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell, and other members of the Black Press for fair and accurate reporting during his campaign.

He said he’s picked up a few lessons from his campaign, including how important a role Florida played in past elections and how critical a role it’ll play in future campaigns. “In terms of electoral politics and where we are going as a nation, the conversation is on full display here,” Gillum said.

“Here in the state of Florida, we deal in real-time voter suppression and voter disenfranchisement and we undermine the democratic process,” he said, noting that he lost by 30,000 votes in a race where 8.2 million ballots were cast.

“You had about 20,000 votes rejected off of signature and these are voters who had ballots sent to them, fixed their signature and added their own postage because in my state, every county pays for postage,” Gillum said.

A recent study noted that of the rejected signatures, 7 out of 10 were individuals of color.

“I don’t know that there’s something so particular about how black people sign their names, but there’s something peculiar about this,” he said.

It’s another reason why the role of the Black Press, it’s publishers and journalists are so important, Gillum said. “You couldn’t be more important in today’s politics and culture than you are right now. As we stare down the barrel of the 2020 presidential election where we have the most diverse candidates, if you’re not at the table they say you’re on the menu.”

Gillum referenced the recent CBS News release which touted the network’s 2020 election coverage team. It didn’t include an African American and has since drawn the ire of those in the Black community. “It’s a problem,” Gillum said of the CBS release.

“Anybody who looked at that and thought it was celebratory is clearly missing out on some important lenses in the context of this conversation,” he said.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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