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Black Camp: By Hook or Crook, They Learn How to Breathe

After fifteen years managing campaigns across 43 states, Jessica Byrd hit a breaking point in 2020. Death threats. A bunker on election night. Burnout she didn’t know existed. Instead of quitting, she built Black Camp, a sanctuary on Alex Haley’s former land where exhausted organizers learn to breathe again.

Published

8 months ago

October 21, 2025

Oakland Post

By Greer Marshall

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” — Audre Lorde

Three visions, one piece of land. In 1984, Alex Haley bought 157 acres in Clinton, Tennessee, to create a retreat for writers. When he died in 1992, the Children’s Defense Fund purchased the property and turned it into a training ground for child advocates. In 1999, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and others gathered to dedicate the Langston Hughes Library, a barn redesigned in glass and light by Maya Lin. Decades later, political strategist Jessica Byrd began building something else there, a refuge for campaign-weary organizers who, in her words, forgot how to breathe.

“The job I signed up for at eighteen was not the job I was doing by 2020,” she said. Every week during the second Abrams campaign in Georgia, she trained field staff on what to do if a shooter entered their office: lock the door, turn off the lights, stay quiet. She was teaching organizers how to survive, not how to organize. People were looking for her, and death threats came regularly. On election night 2020, she spent the night in a bunker.

That summer, twenty-five million people held signs that said “Defend Black Life.” It happened. People moved when they saw something worth moving for. But movements collapse when the people holding them up burn out. If she wanted change to last, she had to help leaders last.

After fifteen years of campaign work, her body gave out. “I really experienced a level of physical burnout that I didn’t even know existed,” she said. She had always been purpose-driven, the kind of person who said yes to hard fights. But the work had grown violent, and it was not sustainable. “I wanted to quit, and I was searching for a way out of the work. I really was.”

How do Black leaders survive the work of democracy?
What if the next great act of organizing was not protest or policy but rest?

She was coming to terms with the fact that the job had changed. Campaign staff were providing emotional support and mutual aid, managing their grief while they organized. The way things had always been done could not keep up with what the moment demanded. If movements were going to last, the people involved needed a new way to learn and rest.

That’s when a friend from the Children’s Defense Fund told her about the Alex Haley Farm. Should she bring her training there? She said, “Let me think about it. The sunlight, the trees, the open space, all of it felt like medicine. What leaders needed was not another hotel ballroom with panels and bad coffee. They needed to remember what safety feels like.”

Her realization was simple but radical. “If we want the best and the brightest, we need to create the conditions for them to show up.”

On Haley’s farm, Black Camp begins at the green gates. A team waits with tea and hand massages. A local chef makes breakfast. There is a twenty-four-hour library and hills to roll down. There is always a healer on site because Jessica plans to get into it. She’ll ask what your assignment is, why you are tired, and how you got this far out of alignment.

People have arrived unsure. “Most people say, ‘I had no idea what was happening. I just trusted you,’” Jessica said. Then something shifts. The armor falls off. “They’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know I wasn’t breathing. Oh my, I didn’t realize how much stress I had on me until I got to the fresh air.’”

Jessica does not call herself a teacher; she calls herself the chief camp counselor. At Black Camp, you are not attending panels or taking notes on someone else’s PowerPoint. You are being fed so that later, when you need to analyze on your own, you have all the ingredients. The classroom is a multi-sensory space, designed to facilitate intense discussions. There are provocative questions, not talking points. The rest of the time, people are rolling down hills, reading in the library, or talking to someone in their cohort for two full hours instead of racing from session to session.

This is school, Jessica insists, not meetings. Every session offers context on US history, Black history, and Black culture. She does not tell people what to think; she provides them with information and asks questions. By the time people leave, they are rearranging staff schedules, reconsidering strategies, and asking new questions.

The people who come are not always who you would expect. There are elected leaders, but there is also the woman who runs the local coffee shop that serves as a community center. The man who owns the oldest Black theater in his city. Jessica disrupts the narrow idea of who a leader is. If you serve others, if your community depends on you, you are doing leadership work.

She knows what happens when leaders break. She also knows what happens when they don’t. At Black Camp, people leave and change how they hire, organize, and ask questions. Rest is not an escape. Rest here is a strategy. Recovery is not a break from work; it is the work.

Black leadership has always been a public performance in America, a job that rewards endurance over reflection. Jessica no longer believes that model works. At Black Camp, she is redefining what leadership looks like by restoring the people who make it function.

Jessica was trained a certain way as a child. “You don’t go into rooms alone. When you get to a table, you widen that table,” she said. That mandate stuck. Every person who comes through Black Camp goes back and brings somebody else along. That is the optimism, not that it will be easy but that it multiplies.

When people leave, they don’t take souvenirs. They take new practices. Across the country, movements are thinning under the same pressure that nearly broke her. Between crises and elections, the demands never stop. America asks people to keep fighting for democracy but rarely pauses to care for the ones defending it.

Black Camp exists in that pause. It rejects the notion of accepting burnout as a badge of honor. Jessica believes movements will collapse if restoration is not part of the strategy.

Back on the farm, in the evenings after sessions end, people sit under the stars, talking their shit about what it means to lead without losing themselves. Some laugh. Some cry. Some sit in silence. What binds them is breath, the simple fact that they are still here.

When Jessica walks the land at night, she sometimes thinks about Alex Haley’s dream for this place. She sees herself in that lineage now, not as a writer but as a caretaker of Black stories. The work continues. It always does. But at Black Camp, before anyone picks it up again, by hook or by crook, they learn how to breathe.

Jessica Byrd, a nationally recognized political strategist and founder of Black Camp, has been named to the TIME 100 Next list for her work in empowering transformative Black leaders. She blends strategy, optimism, and deep community care to redefine leadership

Black Camp is a hub for intergenerational learning, civic healing, and culture-making. Part training ground, part gathering space, The Farm and the tour together offer a blueprint for what’s possible when joy, strategy, and community power come together. The Black Camp is a traveling portal.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

Published

1 month 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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