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NNPA Wraps Convention in Nashville with Powerful Messages

ABOVE: (L-R) Jeffrey L. Boney, De’Neshia Bell (aka ‘TotallyRandie’), Chelsea Lenora White, and Karen Carter Richards Forward Times Brings Home Two NNPA Messenger Awards and President Biden Gives Remarks President Joe Biden’s remarks in saluting the Black Press of America during the NNPA’s annual convention in Nashville, made it clear how important African American-owned newspapers […]
The post NNPA Wraps Convention in Nashville with Powerful Messages first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

July 9, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: (L-R) Jeffrey L. Boney, De’Neshia Bell (aka ‘TotallyRandie’), Chelsea Lenora White, and Karen Carter Richards

Forward Times Brings Home Two NNPA Messenger Awards and President Biden Gives Remarks

President Joe Biden’s remarks in saluting the Black Press of America during the NNPA’s annual convention in Nashville, made it clear how important African American-owned newspapers remain and underscored the gathering’s theme.

Afterall, the theme of the conference and for this 196th anniversary of the Black Press is: The Black Press of America: Amplifying Progress, Excellence, & Voices of Black America.

“Congratulations to the Black Press of America for celebrating 196 years of serving communities across our nation,” Biden stated in the address which aired on July 1.

“Ida B. Wells once said, the way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon the wrong. That’s the sacred charge of a free press. That’s the charge African American publishers have pursued for nearly two centuries,” Biden continued.

“With every story you publish, you make our democracy stronger. Thank you for what you do to turn the light of truth wherever your work leads you. Thank you.”

Dr. Chavis and outgoing NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards praised the President for recognizing the importance of the Black Press of America.

Swearing in of new NNPA Executive Committee and Board Members by Judge Stephanie Williams (center)

“The NNPA is especially honored to hear directly from President Joe Biden for his continued support and advocacy of the importance of the Black Press of America,” Chavis stated.

“As we celebrate 196 years of the Black Press, it’s always gratifying and encouraging to have the support of the President of the United States. In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on civil rights, the Black Press rededicates our journalism to be a clarion voice for freedom, justice, equality, and equity.”

Richards, who completed four years as NNPA Chair, also thanked the President.

“To have the President of the United States take the time out to be a part of our convention is, of course, special,” Richards related.

“But it’s also a testament to just how vital the Black Press remains. Collectively, as Black publishers and Black business owners, we are stronger than ever, and the President’s message reinforces that.”

The week began with a chairman’s reception at the National Museum of African American Music sponsored by Nissan, with greetings and acknowledgments from Richards; Chavis; and convention planning committee chair Terry Jones, the publisher of Data News Weekly in New Orleans.

Rosetta Miller-Perry, the publisher of the Tennessee Tribune, served as host for the week.

Forward Times Business Manager Chelsea Lenora White (far left) chats with the Reading With A Rapper team during workshop on engaging the next generation

A workshop on engaging the next generation through culture and building pathways between the Black Press and the next generation through education included conversations with Forward Times Business Manager Chelsea Lenora White, and Jarren Small, the CEO of Educational Entertainment and Reading with a Rapper.

The workshop stressed the importance of solving the national literacy issue to reach the next generation and provided publishers and attendees with solutions to reach an untapped market: schools.

Small and Dr. Chavis then discussed the “Black Press State of Emergency Response through Hip Hop, Education, and Literacy,” during a fireside chat.

The Google News Initiative presented “3 Trends to Grow Ad Revenues in 2023” with the global program manager Tina Xiao.

Xiao briefed attendees on the top trends in ad revenue and Google products aimed at helping accelerate publishers’ digital transformation.

Longtime NNPA partner General Motors hosted a lunch discussion on “Cultural Capital with Diverse Consumers Through Storytelling,” moderated by David Milledge, GM’s multicultural marketing manager.

It included panelists Brandy Merriweather and Tiffany Greene, both HBCU alums.

The Los Angeles Sentinel later presented “Digital Transformation, Staying Accessible and Relevant to Readers,” powered by Intuit, and featuring Niele Anderson, the Sentinel’s Daily Brief host.

Tania Mercado, the senior manager of communications at Intuit, and Derrick Plummer, the company’s director of corporate communications, served as panelists.

They discussed the challenges of transforming print to digital and how to accelerate that transformation and overcome some of those challenges.

The NNPA Fund handed out its Messenger Awards, honoring the best of Black newspapers. The Forward Times walked away with 2 awards, one for Digital Excellence for the Forward Times website (www.forwardtimes.com) and an Instagram Campaign award. The Sacramento Observer won 16 awards, including Publisher of the Year for Larry Lee.

Chavis also interviewed Jessie Wolley-Wilson, the president, and CEO of DreamBox Learning, on emphasizing mathematics in education.

Dr. Wilford T. Ussery then presented “Mathematics and Education for Black America.”

Diageo produced the video “Introducing Multicultural Consortium for Responsible Drinking,” presented by Sheila Thorne.

Also, Zillow presented “Housing Trends in Black America,” with Tyrone Law, the senior public relations specialist delivering with a focus on the current state of housing, including homeownership rates, home values and other trends affecting the Black community.

Keith Collins, the owner, and CEO of BlackOps LLC, presented “Empowering Minority-Owned Small Businesses to be Cyber Aware.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison proved a crowd pleaser with his topic, “Ending the Cycle of Police Violence in America.”

Google Tech Transformation Lab presented a Q&A where publishers and attendees could learn more about how they could become a part of Transformation Tech, a new program helping news publishers achieve digital transformation through top-tier coaching and $20K in funding from the Google News Initiative.

Reynolds hosted a lunch panel on “When Good People Write Bad Public Policy: Stop the FDA Menthol Ban,” a session that expounded on the lived experiences and expertise of the nation’s leading Black law enforcement professionals and community leaders on the unintended consequences of bans and prohibitions.

Bobby Henry, Sr., the publisher of the Westside Gazette in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., won his election to become the new NNPA Chairman, succeeding Richards, the publisher of the Forward Times in Houston.

During the NNPA’s Legacy Awards and Gala Dinner, the organization honored Attorney General Keith Ellison along with Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.

Grammy winner Keith Washington closed the gala with a mini-concert.

The post NNPA Wraps Convention in Nashville with Powerful Messages appeared first on Forward Times.

The post NNPA Wraps Convention in Nashville with Powerful Messages first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

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EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

#AutoNetwork

The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

#AutoNetwork

The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.