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Niece to Award Winning Artist Wyclef Jean Serves As the Face of New Hair Product For Children with Locs
CHICAGO DEFENDER — Right on time for the Fall school season, children’s hair care line Natural Bunch Kids has tapped the niece of acclaimed, Grammy Award Winning artist and musician Wyclef Jean as the face of their newly released hair care product Locs of Love. Locs of Love is a specially designed pomade that not only styles locs on children but was created to celebrate the beautiful and rich history of loc’d, natural hairstyles as worn across the Caribbean and African diaspora. LeeLee Jean, known as the “Haitian Princess” and Wyclef’s niece, was chosen as the official ambassador for Locs of Love due to her mane of locs and Haitian heritage. With natural hairstyles being a political hot topic as of late, thanks to the wave of natural hair discrimination bans that are passing across the country, it is without a doubt the perfect time for such a product to come out as children are learning to love their locs and the history behind these styles.
Natural Bunch Kids taps LeeLee Jean as the official ambassador for the brand’s newly released Locs of Love Pomade for children with loc’d, natural hair
By Chicago Defender
BROOKLYN, NY — Right on time for the Fall school season, children’s hair care line Natural Bunch Kids has tapped the niece of acclaimed, Grammy Award Winning artist and musician Wyclef Jean as the face of their newly released hair care product Locs of Love. Locs of Love is a specially designed pomade that not only styles locs on children but was created to celebrate the beautiful and rich history of loc’d, natural hairstyles as worn across the Caribbean and African diaspora. LeeLee Jean, known as the “Haitian Princess” and Wyclef’s niece, was chosen as the official ambassador for Locs of Love due to her mane of locs and Haitian heritage. With natural hairstyles being a political hot topic as of late, thanks to the wave of natural hair discrimination bans that are passing across the country, it is without a doubt the perfect time for such a product to come out as children are learning to love their locs and the history behind these styles.
A hair care line made specifically for children with curly and coily hair, Natural Bunch Kids is the brainchild of daycare mogul Ms. Betty Ceus. Operating multiple daycare centers throughout the New York area, Ms. Betty’s passion for teaching is organically a part of the Natural Bunch Kids brand as she is constantly finding ways to educate parents and their children on best hair care practices that will allow their little one’s hair to flourish. She brings to the parents a whole new meaning to the class in session with her Curls In Session brand style. With the addition of Locs of Love to the Natural Bunch Kids line of products, there is a plethora of styling and hair care choices for children of all textures to choose from to ensure that their hair grows to its fullest and healthiest state.
“In my work, I am constantly around children, and I find that many times parents aren’t sure how to take care of their children’s natural hair. Therefore, I wanted to create a line of products that made caring for natural hair easy and fun, while giving the child something that they can call their own,” states Natural Bunch Kids founder Ms. Betty. “However, as I grew my brand I noticed virtually no products made specifically for kids who wore their hair in locs. That’s why I came up with Locs of Love for the children that felt left out of the natural hair movement. Thus, I chose to have LeeLee Jean and her colorful ribbon decorated locs as the face of this new product!”
To represent the launch of Locs of Love, Natural Bunch Kids paired with LeeLee Jean, the niece of three-time Grammy winner Wyclef Jean, who rose to fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group, The Fugees, and later achieved solo success collaborating with big-name acts such as Will.i.am, Avicii, Shakira, Cyndi Lauper, Lil’ Kim, Ludacris, and many more. Being known as the “Haitian Princess” made LeeLee Jean the obvious choice to represent Locs of Love as Ms. Betty was able to help pay homage to her own Haitian roots while celebrating loc’d hairstyles among children.
“I wanted to create something that honored the children of the Caribbean, specifically Haiti. I myself am from Port-Au-Prince in Haiti, and I do what I can to support and empower the children of Haiti,” says Ms. Betty. “I wanted to give something to the children of Haiti, and of all the Caribbean that would give them pride in the history of their hair, so that they could wear it proudly and take care of the natural crowns that they were blessed with.”
Locs of Love is truly an all-in-one product that gives a medium shine and hold, while providing the hair with everything it needs to be healthy and strong. Packed with hair-healthy ingredients, Locs of Love includes Haitian castor oil and aloe for hydration, soy protein for strengthening, peppermint oil for stimulating the scalp, and vitamin E, A, and C for overall hair health. The product is not only ideal for locs but is also perfect product for kids sporting natural styles, like braids and twists.
To help show LeeLee’s hair in all of its natural splendor, Natural Bunch Kid’s partnered with the renowned husband & wife photography duo Kahran and Regis creators of Creative Soul Photography for a Locs of Love editorial shoot. The shoot featured diverse loc’d styles on LeeLee amidst Haitian-themed, school backdrops. The Locs of Love product shoot mirrors the Natural Bunch Kids brand emphasis on education that has long been the focus of the brand thanks to Ms. Betty’s educational background.
As natural hair continues to make waves in the workplace and schools, representation in the beauty industry is crucial to show kids that their hair is beautiful. Locs, twists, and braided styles are finding their time to shine and with the help of Locs of Love, they can shine stronger and brighter than ever! To learn more about the launch of this exciting new product, visitwww.NaturalBunchKids.com.
This article originally appeared in the Chicago Defender.
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Black Americans Still Face Deep Retirement Gaps Despite Higher Incomes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Debt remains a significant barrier. 63% of higher-income Black households said debt is a problem, while just 45% of non-Black households at the same income level said the same. Nearly half of upper-income Black respondents said debt affects their ability to save or live comfortably in retirement.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
A report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows that Black Americans continue to face serious challenges in saving for retirement, even as their incomes grow.
The 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, which included a special oversample of Black workers and retirees, found that the wealth gap remains wide at every income level. Among households earning $75,000 or more, only 33% of Black Americans reported having $250,000 or more in savings and investments, compared with 63% of non-Black Americans. Debt remains a significant barrier. 63% of higher-income Black households said debt is a problem, while just 45% of non-Black households at the same income level said the same. Nearly half of upper-income Black respondents said debt affects their ability to save or live comfortably in retirement.
While many Black Americans expressed confidence managing day-to-day budgets, fewer felt prepared to invest or plan for the long term. The study showed that Black Americans with higher incomes were less likely to have personally saved for retirement, 77%, compared with 87% of non-Black Americans. Retirement experiences also differed sharply. Forty-four percent of Black retirees said they retired earlier than planned because of a health problem or disability, compared with 32% of non-Black retirees. After leaving their main jobs, Black retirees were more likely to work for pay to make ends meet, and more often said their retirement lifestyle was worse than expected. Access to financial advice and planning remains uneven. Just 31% of Black respondents reported currently working with a financial advisor, although nearly half expect to do so in the future. Black Americans were more likely to seek help with reducing debt, creating wills or estate plans, and arranging life insurance than simply determining if they had saved enough to retire.
Researchers Craig Copeland and Lisa Greenwald wrote, “Black Americans reported disproportionately lower financial resources, and how they feel about retirement and financial security is clearly impacted by having less resources.” They continued, “In particular, Black retirees are struggling with higher likelihoods of their retirement lifestyle being worse than expected and having to retire earlier than planned because of a health problem or disability.” “Still,” the researchers concluded, “there are some modifications in the financial system that could help improve their prospects, such as increased assistance in balancing competing financial priorities like debt reduction, supporting family, and building long-term savings.”
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Scorching Heat Sparks Bipartisan Climate Alarm
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — As record-breaking heat waves sweep across the country this summer, a new national poll reveals an overwhelming majority of Americans are linking the punishing temperatures to climate change — and voicing deep concern about the government’s ability to respond.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
As record-breaking heat waves sweep across the country this summer, a new national poll reveals an overwhelming majority of Americans are linking the punishing temperatures to climate change — and voicing deep concern about the government’s ability to respond.
The American Climate Perspectives Survey 2025, conducted by ecoAmerica, found that 86% of Americans say rising temperatures have increased their concern about climate change, with more than half reporting they are “a lot” more concerned. The sentiment cuts across demographic and political lines, with 97% of Democrats, 83% of Independents, and 79% of Republicans expressing heightened worry about the climate crisis. “Americans are connecting extreme heat to climate change, their health, and government inaction,” said Meighen Speiser, Executive Director of ecoAmerica.
Nearly nine in ten respondents recognize the toll heat is taking on public health, with 58% saying extreme heat affects health “a lot.” This awareness is remarkably consistent across racial, age, and income groups. Among Black Americans, 91% said rising temperatures have intensified their concern about climate change, reflecting some of the highest concern levels among any group surveyed. Those concerns are not abstract. Decades of research by the Brookings Institution, NOAA, and others show Black communities often face the greatest exposure to extreme heat and the fewest resources to adapt. Studies have documented that historically redlined neighborhoods, where many Black Americans live, are routinely up to 10 degrees hotter than wealthier, predominantly white neighborhoods nearby.
In cities such as Atlanta and Baltimore, Black homeowners are significantly more likely to face heat risks and energy insecurity, limiting their ability to cool their homes as temperatures rise. Nationally, Black renters experience higher rates of energy insecurity, with over half struggling to afford adequate cooling during heat waves. Meanwhile, the latest study also points to a notable shift in how Americans perceive the link between climate change and extreme weather. Eighty-two percent now believe that climate change is making extreme events, such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes, more frequent and severe, up six points since 2021. The most dramatic change is among Republicans: the share who recognize that climate change is fueling extreme weather surged 17 points over four years, from 58% in 2021 to 75% in 2025.
These findings arrive as proposals to slash funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advance in Washington. The agencies are widely seen as the nation’s front-line defense against disasters and a critical source of weather forecasting and emergency relief. The risks are particularly acute for Black communities already facing disproportionate impacts from hurricanes and flooding, as seen in the devastation of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and more recent storms that have repeatedly displaced predominantly Black neighborhoods in the Gulf Coast and Southeast.
The survey shows Americans are not just worried about rising temperatures — they’re anxious about the government’s readiness to protect communities. Seventy-nine percent said cuts to FEMA and NOAA make them more concerned about the federal government’s ability to respond to climate impacts. That includes 92% of Democrats, 76% of Independents, and 69% of Republicans, underscoring that the anxiety is bipartisan.
Generational divides are also apparent. While 95% of young adults reported that extreme heat has boosted their concern about climate change, the figure was lower — but still significant — among adults over 65, at 70%. However, across all age groups, majorities agree that the crisis is escalating and requires immediate action. “These findings show it’s time to drop partisan politics and rather meet this moment with urgency, leadership, and protection,” Speiser said.
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Michael Jackson Estate Files Court Petition Alleging $213 Million Extortion Plot by Frank Cascio
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The court action, exclusively obtained by Black Press USA, reveals in unprecedented detail how the estate contends that Cascio and unnamed associates used their proximity to Jackson—once proudly touted in books and interviews—to demand a fortune from the most successful celebrity estate in history.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Estate of Michael Jackson has filed an explosive petition in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing Frank Cascio, a man once described as Jackson’s “second family,” of masterminding a $213 million extortion plot to force payouts by threatening to flip decades of public support into salacious allegations about the King of Pop. The court action, exclusively obtained by Black Press USA, reveals in unprecedented detail how the estate contends that Cascio and unnamed associates used their proximity to Jackson—once proudly touted in books and interviews—to demand a fortune from the most successful celebrity estate in history. “For over 30 years, these individuals held themselves out as Michael Jackson’s most passionate defenders,” the petition states, quoting Cascio’s repeated assertions—under oath and on national television—that Jackson never harmed him or any child. “It was a shakedown,” the estate’s lawyers charged.
A Decades-Long Public Defense
As recently as 2011, Cascio promoted his memoir My Friend Michael, describing a warm, fatherly relationship with Jackson. “I want to be precise and clear, on the record, so that everyone can read and understand,” he wrote. “Michael’s love for children was innocent, and it was profoundly misunderstood.” He doubled down in dozens of interviews. During a 2005 ABC Primetime Live broadcast, Cascio—then using the name Frank Tyson—declared: “If Michael ever laid a finger on me, I would not be in this chair right now.” In a 2011 sit-down with Wendy Williams, he said with conviction, “Nothing at all. And that’s what makes me so upset,” when asked whether Jackson had ever acted inappropriately. Even years later, one of the respondents continued to insist Jackson was a target of “liars,” telling Oprah Winfrey during a televised interview: “Michael couldn’t harm a fly. He’s such a kind and gentle soul. Michael was a target.” In 2019, when HBO’s controversial Leaving Neverland documentary ignited a fresh wave of criticism and threatened multiple Jackson-related projects—including Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson ONE”—estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain, along with the Michael Jackson Company, sought Cascio’s support. Instead, they say, Cascio turned on them.
A Secret Settlement
Facing mounting public pressure and what they describe as repeated threats to invent new claims, the estate entered into a confidential settlement on January 10, 2020. Under the agreement, Cascio and his associates would receive millions over five years—$3 million each, according to sources familiar with the negotiations—in exchange for comprehensive waivers, a sweeping nondisclosure clause, and an ironclad promise to arbitrate any disputes. The estate said it acted reluctantly to protect Jackson’s children and preserve projects that would cement the late artist’s legacy. “We have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the income of the estate,” Branca said in an earlier interview. “Our counsel insisted we sign the agreement. They didn’t want it disclosed either because Michael’s fans would have gone after these people.” The settlement contained an unusually strict provision barring even the disclosure of the agreement’s existence.
The $213 Million Demand
Despite having collected payments under that deal, Cascio, through lawyers, allegedly re-emerged in July 2024 with a stunning ultimatum: Pay $213 million more, or face a media spectacle. According to the court filing, Cascio’s legal team—then led by attorney Howard King—threatened to “expand the circle of knowledge” and leak allegations to the buyer of Jackson’s $600 million music catalog if their demands were not met. In one email sent August 29, 2024, King wrote, “We expect a substantive response by the end of day tomorrow. Otherwise, we will be forced to expand the ‘circle of knowledge.’” The estate called this an extortionate threat designed to pressure them into paying for silence. The estate responded by initiating a confidential arbitration proceeding on September 17, 2024, accusing Cascio of civil extortion and anticipatory breach of contract. Days later, Cascio’s lawyers delivered draft lawsuits “riddled with outlandish scurrilous allegations” that directly contradicted his years of public statements.
The Geragos Factor
By January 2025, Cascio had replaced his counsel with Mark Geragos—ironically, Jackson’s former defense lawyer who had proclaimed to Good Morning America that “there’s nothing sexual going on” and that Jackson was “100 percent innocent.” In his 2013 book Mistrial, Geragos wrote of Jackson’s 2005 acquittal: “The evidence was overwhelming that he never touched this kid, and the entire thing was a huge shakedown.” He also appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show in December 2021 to blast Leaving Neverland, calling it “a complete rewrite of history” and an “absolute travesty.” However, now Geragos has taken the opposite stance, representing Cascio in a renewed effort to file public litigation. According to the estate’s filing, Geragos lowered the demand to $44 million but warned that if the estate refused, they would sue for defamation, emotional distress, and an alleged “cover-up.” The estate insists these claims are “bogus” and barred by the original settlement’s releases and arbitration clauses. The petition points out that the agreement explicitly requires arbitration for any disputes, even the question of whether a claim is arbitrable. “The question of arbitrability is itself a question to be resolved finally by the arbitrator,” the contract states.
The Estate’s Broader Mission
This latest legal battle comes as the Jackson estate continues to flourish. Since Jackson died in 2009, Branca and McClain have transformed a $500 million debt into an empire generating over $3 billion. Projects include the record-breaking concert film Michael Jackson’s This Is It, Cirque du Soleil productions, and the upcoming Antoine Fuqua biopic MICHAEL, starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar. Yet Branca says managing the estate means protecting it from opportunistic attacks. “Michael was acutely aware of the racial undertones in how he was perceived,” Branca told Black Press USA in a prior interview, recalling Jackson’s lament: “Sinatra’s the chairman of the board. Elvis is the king. Springsteen is the boss. But what do they call me? The Gloved One…that’s racist.” Branca added, “I definitely believe there’s a racist element in the media coverage of Michael Jackson since the 1980s. Michael got so big many were jealous.” The estate has requested that the court order Cascio into arbitration and award legal fees. If the petition is granted, any subsequent proceedings would take place in private. For now, the estate is vowing not to yield. “We will continue to manage the estate with the integrity and dedication that Michael deserved,” Branca said. “Attempts like this to tarnish his memory for financial gain will not succeed.”
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