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Chevrolet Partners with America’s Black Publishers to Help HBCU Students Discover the Unexpected

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Discover the Unexpected Journalism Fellowship (DTU), now entering its fourth consecutive year, provides six HBCU students with scholarships ($10,000 each), stipends ($5,000 each), an eight-week fellowship with two of the nation’s leading Black news publications, and the “road trip of a lifetime” in the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer.

Published

7 years ago

May 13, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. addresses the crowd at the 2017 Discover the Unexpected launch in Atlanta.

Since 2016, General Motors Chevrolet brand and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) have partnered to provide deserving HBCU students with the exciting opportunity to “Discover the Unexpected”about themselves and their communities via a journalism fellowship program.

The Discover the Unexpected Journalism Fellowship (DTU), now entering its fourth consecutive year, provides six HBCU students with scholarships ($10,000 each), stipends ($5,000 each), an eight-week fellowship with two of the nation’s leading Black news publications, and the “road trip of a lifetime” in the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer.

Each year, a selection of four NNPA Publishers provide the fellows with the opportunity to gain real-world journalism experience during the eight-week Fellowship Program.

MC Lyte, the 2016, 2017 and 2018 DTU Brand Ambassador greets the crowd during the 2017 Discover the Unexpected launch in Atlanta.

Recently, host NNPA publishers, along with NNPA president and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., reflected on the success of the program from 2016 to 2018.

“The issues of diversity and inclusion are of paramount concern for corporate America. The NNPA has a productive relationship with General Motors specifically focused on providing scholarships and opportunities to the emerging generation of African American journalists and publishers,” said Chavis. “Discover the Unexpected has been an excellent model for highlighting the importance of freedom of the press and academic excellence.”.

NNPA Chairman and Chicago and Gary CrusaderPublisher Dorothy R. Leavell, whose Crusader Newspaper Group will be one of the 2019 host publishers, stressed the importance of the partnership and the resulting opportunities provided to the aspiring Black journalists attending the nation’s HBCU’s.

“This experience, I believe, has given those students a leg up on pursuing a career in journalism and it’s my personal hope that they will lend their journalistic talents to the Black Press by returning to one of our member newspapers,” Leavell said.

The Washington Informer, The New Journal and Guide in Norfolk, Va., The Carolinian in Raleigh, N.C., The New York Amsterdam News, the Chicago Defender, The Michigan Chronicle and The Atlanta Voice, are among the NNPA member newspapers that have worked with DTU Fellows. They will be joined this year by The Chicago Crusader and Houston Forward Times.

“The staff of The Washington Informer and I are pleased to work with students from participating HBCU’s who come readily prepared to share 21st century knowledge and tech skills that enhance the reporting and story-telling experiences we offer with the Black Press, including vehicles that make it even more possible to Discover the Unexpected,” said Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes.

Rushawn Walters (left) and Victoria Jones, the NNPA/DTU journalism fellows assigned to The Washington Informer perform research for story assignments at The Washington Informer office in Southeast, Washington, D.C. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

“General Motors believes as we do — as Black newspaper publishers — that the Black Press is important, relevant and significant to telling the story and speaking truth to power on behalf of African Americans. As a member of NNPA, I also believe it is our duty to pass the baton, as it was passed to us, to the next generation of media professionals and owners whose responsibility it will become to shape the future of the Black Press,” said Barnes.

Brenda H. Andrews, Publisher of the New Journal and Guide (NJG) in Norfolk, Virginia, hosted three HBCU students for four weeks as part of 2018’s DTU program. In addition to assignments from NJG’s publisher and editor, Fellows were given the opportunity to develop their own story ideas with accompanying photos and videos on a range of topics.

“I believe it’s important for young people and millennials to learn there is great value and purpose in writing for and/or using social media and new technologies in the Black Press,” Andrews said.

“To that end, one of my goals was to expose them to the rich history of the Black Press. Consequently, some of our time together was spent discussing the New Journal and Guide’s history since 1900 and the Black Press in general since 1827,” she said.

During one session, Andrews said the students spent an afternoon offsite watching and discussing the award-winning Black Press documentary, “Soldiers Without Swords.”

“It was especially heartwarming to hear the DTU team connect the similarity of today’s stories of police shootings of black males and the archival stories they had read about in the NJG,” Andrews said.

“Overall, it was a great intergenerational learning experience that merits repeating,” she said.

Adria Jervay, publisher of North Carolina-based publication, The Carolinian, called the experience phenomenal.

“The interns were bright, eager to learn and driven,” Jervay said, noting that one of her Fellows went on to work for the Obama Foundation and each remain active with the newspaper through occasional article submissions.

“Our relationship with the DTU Fellows was mutually beneficial,” she said. “They got to meet local and national celebrities, learn about writing for a newspaper as well as [many of] the aspects of running a business, while we got an upgrade on social media and insight into the next generation.”

Jervay added: “The internship was only for one summer but our connection is for a lifetime.”

Since the inception of the DTU program, NNPA members have “poured knowledge into the students and have seen their skill sets become more sharpened,” said Atlanta Voice Publisher Janis Ware.

“During the first year of the program, a couple of the Fellows were able to attend a rally for then-Presidential candidate Donald Trump. Last summer, the Fellows had an opportunity to interview Georgia Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who made history as the first African-American woman to qualify for the candidacy for the Democratic Party,” Ware said.

“Year after year, the program exceeds my expectation because of the caliber of the Fellows who have been admitted into the program as well as the amount of support General Motors gives to ensure that the program continues to evolve,” she said.

The students in the program have not only displayed an eagerness to learn, but also a willingness to be challenged while continuing to rise to the occasion regardless of how difficult the assignment might seem, Ware said.

“We are thrilled to follow their careers, as many of the interns still maintain an active relationship with [the Atlanta Voice]. We are certain the future of this industry is in good hands,” she said.

If you are a full-time HBCU student, at least 18-years old and a sophomore, junior or senior, you’re eligible to participate in the 2019 program. Hurry! The deadline for applications is May 15, 2019. Visit nnpa.org/chevydtufor more information and to apply.

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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

3 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.

Published

3 weeks 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

3 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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