#NNPA BlackPress

A Precarious Time: Black Labor Day 2025

by The Rev. Terrence L. Melvin, President of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Labor Day 2025 seems like a good time to ask a long neglected question: What is the State of Black Work Life in America? Precarious. Whiplashed by the daily grind and Donald Trump’s relentless War on Blackness, worklife for most Black […]

Published

9 months ago

August 28, 2025

Oakland Post

by The Rev. Terrence L. Melvin, President of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

Labor Day 2025 seems like a good time to ask a long neglected question: What is the State of Black Work Life in America?

Precarious.

Whiplashed by the daily grind and Donald Trump’s relentless War on Blackness, worklife for most Black folks is about vigilance to cope with the unexpected and resilience to overcome barriers meant to constrain or exploit our presence.

We know we’re in a dangerous moment when the President of the United States would minimize “how bad slavery was.” To whom, sir? And this is the man who has seized control of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. What could possibly go wrong here?

Fact check: Donald Trump has made the federal government hostile to Black workers, and he has stoked that hostile posture beyond the government. Consequently, America is on edge, putting Black workers in a vulnerable position. Black workers are leaving jobs at twice the rate of white workers, hoping to escape toxic racial bias.

State of Black Worklife

Black worklife remains a test of resiliency and protecting our humanity from evil jesters seeking revenge. Hard work, we do, working two or three jobs to make ends meet on thin paychecks that don’t stretch far enough to even pay for a $10 dream. And recent economic reports bring bad news to Black workers: Black unemployment surged to its highest level (7.2%) since the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, white workers are keeping a significantly lower rate of 3.7%, creating an employment gap that’s nearly double.

Contributing to the employment crisis of Black workers is the drastic reduction of the federal workforce and the impact of Trump’s disastrous tariff policies.

It’s really hard to process the damage that has been done in just EIGHT months. Since Trump signed an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion in all federal agencies and programs, his War on Blackness has escalated:

He fired Carla Hayden, the first African American librarian at the Library of Congress, for no cause other than her complexion.
He tried but failed to fire Gwynne Wilcox, the Black former chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Today, he is trying remove Lisa Cook, a noted economist and Black member on the powerful Federal Reserve Board
But Trump’s hostility toward Black people goes far beyond his attacks and obsession with DEI. He and his authoritarian alter ego, Elon Musk, have severely gashed and slashed the federal workforce. The hemorrhaging of federal jobs has been felt disproportionately by African Americans:
Nearly 1 out of 5 federal workers is Black.
Many of the agencies targeted for harsh cuts have the highest percentage of Black workers, such as the Department of Education (28%).
More than 226,000 Black women lost their jobs during Trump’s DEI purge.

Trump intensified his brutal Black attack when he illegally stripped millions of federal employees of their union contracts that guaranteed their wages, job safety, and benefits. In spite of being denied access to tens of millions in dues money, their unions have been going toe-to-toe with the Trump regime to reverse his anti-union actions. This is blatant retaliation. And it magnifies the hardship felt by federal workers, who are going through the trauma of sudden firings or reassignments, missed bill payments and anxiety about their future.

Their fight is our fight. And the fight for labor rights is also our fight for racial justice. Union representation remains the most powerful means by which Black workers can earn fair wages, secure affordable healthcare and build wealth and retirement security – the foundation of stable families and thriving communities. The value of union membership will grow in Black worklife as living costs creep higher and higher.

Job Crisis for Black Women

But the spotlight this Black Labor Day must fall on a largely untold story about Black women being pushed out of the labor force at a record pace.

Nearly 300,000 Black women have been bounced from the workforce in the past three months.
This mass exodus has its roots in the massive DEI purge, the impact of higher tariffs on small businesses that hire Black women, growing automation, and exclusion from booming tech jobs.
For example, the share of Black women who worked in the federal government plunged nearly 33% over the past year.
And more than 518,000 Black women still have not returned to the workforce since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
Subsequently, the real unemployment rate for Black women is slightly above 10 percent.

As economist Katica Ray summarized the economic fallout from the employment crisis of Black women, “When these women are pushed out of the workforce, entire families lose their economic foothold, threatening housing stability, consumer spending and educational outcome for children. These are not isolated setbacks – they are systemic losses.” The shockwaves of Black women’s job turmoil is just starting to be felt. We must treat this as the canary in the coal mine: even bigger trouble looms ahead.

Young Black Workers: Stressed and Stranded

So, how are young Black workers faring in these turbulent times? The worklife of young Black workers is a ball of anxiety, because the labor market is failing them. They face barriers like chaotic work schedules, rent pressures, transportation expenses, child care issues, gender bias, transphobia, DEI backlash, and student loan headaches. These challenges can trigger feelings of being isolated with dreams crushed by a crooked system that stigmatizes their many shades of Black pride. Not surprisingly, the national Black-White unemployment gap among young adults is 2 to 1. We ignore this tinderbox of ambition and frustration at our own risk.

Wellness Matters More

To close, we look at a new trend in Black worklife that is starting to take hold. From first grade to the first real job, Black folks have been lectured by parents, teachers and elders that we must “work twice as hard” as our white counterparts to achieve our goals in the classroom, on the job, in life. That instilled what is now called a “hustling mentality.” Always prepping, always stressing over deadlines or the next job or the next assignment. Life centered on work led to burnout without a real identity or personal motivation.

But more Black workers are prioritizing wellness and purpose in their worklife. The value of family and friends means more. The value of good health means more. The value of inner peace over hustling for a paycheck means more. Chasing dreams and not being chased by deadlines leads to a more balanced, sustainable worklife.

One thing is certain: Black worklife will keep evolving to keep pace in a volatile world where Black labor still carries the torch for equality and freedom.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

A Precarious Time: Black Labor Day 2025

Don't Miss

Prince’s ‘Sign o’ the Times’ Returns in IMAX for Limited Release

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

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.

Published

1 month 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.

AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.
How to use the channel:

Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

Live talk show “AutoNetwork Reports” — Thursdays 3:00 PM ET.
AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

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.

Published

1 month ago

May 3, 2026

admin

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.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

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.

Published

1 month ago

May 3, 2026

admin

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.

Excerpt:

Photo Captions:

Website Tags and SEO Keywords:

Twitter (X) Tags and Handles: