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NNPA Newswire Exclusive: Bill Cosby Counsels Prisoners Via ‘Mann Up’ Program

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In addition to Cosby, who is not officially associated with the program, four members of Mann Up spoke exclusively to NNPA Newswire. “The majority of the men in Mann Up are in for long prison terms, including life without the possibility of parole,” said Tyree Wallace, co-founder and president of the Mann Up Association.

Published

7 years ago

December 2, 2019

Oakland Post

The majority of the men in Mann Up, a prison program that’s helping to change the lives of African American men with long sentences, including life without the possibility of parole, has received a significant boost with the presence of Bill Cosby.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Mann Up, a prison program that’s helping to change the lives of African American men with long sentences, has received a significant boost with the presence of Bill Cosby.

The program, which empowers and encourages black males to be better fathers, husbands, and community members, is thriving inside the walls of SCI-Phoenix, the maximum-security prison where Cosby is serving a three-to-ten-year prison sentence.

Anthony Sutton (left) and Tyree Wallace are participants in Mann Up, a reform program with weekly meetings where Cosby is often the featured speaker. The program serves to encourage and empower African American men to strive for self-respect and dignity, and to put their family first.

In addition to Cosby, who is not officially associated with the program, four members of Mann Up spoke exclusively to NNPA Newswire. “The majority of the men in Mann Up are in for long prison terms, including life without the possibility of parole,” said Tyree Wallace, co-founder and president of the Mann Up Association.

Wallace has served almost 22 years of a life sentence that he hopes will be overturned. He said the Pennsylvania Innocence Project has taken his case, and attorneys believe he’ll ultimately be exonerated.

But, exoneration of its members is not the goal of Mann Up, Wallace stated.

“We founded Mann Up because [Anthony “Bennie-Do” Sutton], my vice president and I came together after we were both aggravated overseeing all these reports of gun violence in Philadelphia,” Wallace said.

“What was equally upsetting was that there were very few men responding, it was just women out there on the frontlines. So, we came together in our limited capacity to think about what we can do to make the situation better, to put together a program to help us men be our best selves,” he stated.

A national study conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, revealed that nearly 83 percent of prisoners in 30 states were re-arrested within nine years of their release. For African American men, the rate stands at 87 percent – the highest of any racial or ethnic group.

In Pennsylvania, where SCI-Phoenix houses members of Mann Up, six out of every 10 inmates are re-arrested or incarcerated within three years of their release, according to the Department of Justice.

Also, research from several sources has found that prison programs that help increase inmate education initiatives, contribute to lower recidivism rates, which saves taxpayer dollars.

The RAND Corporation conducted a study in 2018 that found that for every dollar spent on education, between four and five dollars are saved because of lower re-incarceration rates.

Education is a primary focus of Mann Up.

When Cosby arrived at SCI-Phoenix following his 2018 conviction on charges of aggravated indecent assault, the men couldn’t fathom what that would mean, not only for the prison but for the Mann Up program.

“Mr. Cosby has been phenomenal. A person with his background and the cache he has could easily suffocate [sic] all of the air in a room if he chooses to,” Wallace stated.

“But he has intentionally sat back and allowed us to utilize him as we need him. We know the type of voice that he has and what he brings, but he just plays the role of the grandfather in the room.”

Cosby has been tremendous to the program, said Sutton. Adding that Mann Up provides an opportunity for those who’ve gone astray to “get it right” and have a positive impact on their families and communities.

“Mr. Cosby has made it a point to drill into us that men and women who are sentenced to prison shouldn’t be thrown to the wayside. They should be provided resources and the opportunity to start their lives over,” stated Sutton, 56, who has spent most of his adult life in prison for murder and other offenses.

Sutton said he was just six years old when he first smoked marijuana, and nine when he first sold drugs. By 12, he was selling heroin, and by 15, he purchased a Cadillac.

Between the ages of 5 and 11, Sutton said his sister and her girlfriends sexually assaulted him. At age 9, a trusted priest forced him to perform a sex act on him inside a church.

“I grew to hate bullies, and this guy smacked me in the face, and I told him he’d never hit me again,” Sutton stated. “I stabbed him in his heart.”

Sutton also has a son at SCI-Phoenix doing time for a series of offenses, he said.

However, he credits Cosby with helping him to see a path forward.

“Mr. Cosby got us together and told us that a man is judged by how he treats his mother and how he treats his wife and family. He has instilled in us that a man cannot be considered a man if he doesn’t provide,” Sutton stated.

“He comes in here, and he doesn’t act like he’s better than anyone. He keeps it simple. Look, he’s a political prisoner, he said he’s in here not for a crime, but adultery. But he doesn’t look for favors, and with all of his money and resources, he has nothing more than what we have, no extras when he could easily have extras,” Sutton said.

Cosby told NNPA Newswire that he’s merely happy to assist the program.

“I’m looking at a state [Pennsylvania] that has a huge number of prisons, and the one I’m in thankfully has the largest population of African Americans,” Cosby stated.

“These are guys who are also from Philadelphia, where I grew up. Many of them are from the neighborhood. Michael Eric Dyson said ‘Bill Cosby is rich’ and forgot where he came from.

“That’s not true. I’m not calling him a liar; I’m saying that’s not true. What I’m saying is that it’s not the same neighborhood as it was when I was coming up.

“The influx of drugs and what they’ve done with their own history. If they would pay attention to these things and put education first and respect for others first…it’s almost insane to hear someone say they don’t know how to be a father.

“As I said earlier, the revolution is in the home, and we’ve got to put it there.”

Michael Butler has served 16 years of a 17-to-40-year prison sentence. He said he’s up for parole in August 2020, and he expects the lessons learned at Mann Up and from Cosby will help him.

“I’m a re-entry specialist for Mann Up, and I help guys with things like finding a job and health care. So, when I get out, I expect to do that same job,” stated Butler, who gave Cosby his first prison haircut.

“I will remember the influence of Mr. Cosby. He came in here, and it was amazing because you watch him on television, and you hated to see him in this position,” Butler stated. “But he has shared so much that we all can benefit from.”

Ironically, before his imprisonment, Butler attended Temple University, where Cosby was a trustee and frequently gave speeches.

“I never took time to go hear him speak,” Butler stated. “Then, he comes here, and to be able to sit and listen to the wisdom that he imparts is amazing. He has so much history, and he urges us not to let opportunities go to waste and to be productive citizens and take care of our families. He’s instilled in me a great sense of pride and confidence, and he’s helped me to appreciate that I can accomplish anything that I set my mind on.”

For Robert Groves, who is in the 23rd year of a life sentence after a drug deal turned to murder, Mann Up and its association with Cosby has made his time more tolerable.

“I’ve always been a person who is educated, but I had a lot of questions about who I really was because I got locked up at such a young age,” Groves stated.

“Mann Up’s goal is to help prevent the loss of life in our community, and Mr. Cosby has said we should work to become pillars of the community. He has really helped me to reconsider my prior way of thinking. This legend has pulled me to the side, taking an interest in me when he could be like every other celebrity, you know stand-offish, and doing whatever he wants. But, that’s not him. He’s interested in helping people, and he always has been.”

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Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 day ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.