#NNPA BlackPress

A New Black Migration Rises Under Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — As the Trump administration renews its assault on social safety nets—from mental health care to housing and education—young Black Americans are migrating to cities that promise not only economic opportunity but community and freedom.

Published

8 months ago

October 20, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

As the Trump administration renews its assault on social safety nets—from mental health care to housing and education—young Black Americans are migrating to cities that promise not only economic opportunity but community and freedom. The movement, experts say, reflects a modern Great Migration shaped by politics, culture, and survival. According to Apartment List’s 2025 Best Cities for Black Professionals report, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas lead the nation in economic and professional prospects for Black Americans. The study, developed with the Black employee resource group Black@A-List, used data on employment, income, homeownership, and representation across key professions to determine where Black professionals thrive despite national headwinds.

Washington, D.C.: Power and Prosperity

Apartment List found that Washington, D.C., ranks first nationwide for economic opportunity among Black professionals, with a 92 percent employment rate and a median Black income of $52,988, the highest in the country. Roughly 28 percent of D.C.’s population is Black, and 51 percent of Black households own their homes, placing the District third nationally for Black homeownership. The report also noted that more than one-quarter of businesses in D.C. are Black-owned. With Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia producing a steady stream of graduates, the capital remains a key center for Black leadership and innovation, even as federal policies threaten to dismantle the very programs that sustain progress.

Atlanta: The Black Mecca Holds Its Crown

Atlanta earned the No. 2 ranking for best cities for Black professionals, leading the nation in “community and representation,” according to Apartment List. The city’s Black population makes up 36 percent of all residents, with a 93 percent employment rate and a 50 percent homeownership rate. Atlanta’s strength, the report said, lies in its deep infrastructure of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that include Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, and Morehouse School of Medicine, all of which have cultivated generations of Black scholars and leaders. About 37 percent of local businesses are Black-owned, a number that continues to climb despite rising housing costs and gentrification pressures.

Houston and Dallas: Texas’s Twin Engines of Growth

In Texas, both Houston and Dallas ranked among the top five destinations for Black professionals. Houston’s business environment ranked third in the nation, with 21 percent of local businesses Black-owned and a strong representation of Black professionals across industries; 21 percent of the city’s teachers and doctors are Black. Apartment List noted that the median Black income in Houston is several thousand dollars above the national average. Dallas, with an 18 percent Black population and a 93 percent employment rate among Black residents, placed fifth nationally. Its Black median income of $43,632 and increasing share of Black-owned businesses—now 19 percent—shows the city’s growing reputation as a professional hub for young talent.

The Carolina Renaissance

Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, also earned spots among the top ten. Charlotte ranked tenth overall for Black professionals, driven by job growth in banking, energy, and technology. Raleigh, part of the Research Triangle, continues to draw younger generations thanks to affordable housing, rising tech jobs, and the presence of HBCUs like Shaw University and St. Augustine’s. A Home & Texture analysis of the top cities for Black renters in 2025 similarly highlighted the Southeast as a magnet for young professionals, citing Atlanta, Raleigh, and Huntsville, Alabama, for their affordability, cultural richness, and expanding Black business scenes.

Chicago: Culture, Legacy, and Resistance

While Chicago faces economic challenges, it remains a beacon for Black culture and political engagement. The city’s deep legacy, from Bronzeville’s jazz clubs to the organizing power that gave rise to Barack Obama, continues to inspire young professionals determined to preserve and rebuild historically Black neighborhoods rather than abandon them to gentrification.

A New Great Migration

The pattern of movement is part of what House Beautiful described as a generational shift in its report The Cities Young People Are Flocking to in 2026. The publication noted that Gen Z and younger millennials increasingly choose cities that align with their values, prioritizing inclusion, sustainability, and community over corporate prestige. The trend mirrors the Great Migration of the 20th century, when millions of Black families fled the South for industrial jobs and personal safety. But this time, the exodus is less about geography and more about autonomy.

“Young Black professionals aren’t running from the South. They’re reclaiming it,” said one researcher familiar with Apartment List’s findings. “They’re moving where they can live, build wealth, and be free from the systems that have historically worked against them.” As the Trump administration doubles down on policies rolling back diversity efforts, health access, and economic equity, young Black Americans are charting a new map of resilience. Cities like Atlanta, Houston, D.C., and Raleigh have become what one new resident called “freedom zones,” or places where opportunity, community, and Black excellence are not just preserved but expanded. In a country veering toward authoritarian rule, this migration is both a strategy and a statement. It’s the next chapter in the long journey toward self-determination, one city at a time.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

Up Next

How Babies’ Brains Develop

Don't Miss

Trumps Approval is Underwater

Stacy M. Brown

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

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

22 hours 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.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

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.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

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.