#NNPA BlackPress

On Sisterhood: Syleena Johnson Talks About Show, New Music

CHICAGO DEFENDER — Singer/songwriter/talk show host Syleena Johnson may be living and working in Atlanta but she is Chicago through and through. Johnson sat down with the Chicago Defender during a recent trip where she headlined Bantu Fest. Johnson talked about “Sister Circle Live,” her new album “Woman,” and where she goes to eat when she comes back to Chicago to visit.

Published

7 years ago

August 21, 2019

Oakland Post

Syleena Johnson (Photo by: chicagodefender.com)

By Tia Carol Jones

Singer/songwriter/talk show host Syleena Johnson may be living and working in Atlanta but she is Chicago through and through. Johnson sat down with the Chicago Defender during a recent trip where she headlined Bantu Fest. Johnson talked about “Sister Circle Live,” her new album “Woman,” and where she goes to eat when she comes back to Chicago to visit.

In the second of a three-part series, Johnson talks about her upcoming album, “Woman.”

CD: So, let’s talk about my favorite part. The music.

SJ: The new album is called “Woman.” It’s dedicated to women: based on what we have had to endure in this country and in general. How we’ve been disrespected. We’ve been disregarded, how we’ve been sexually preyed upon, how we’ve been shunned, not listened to, not taken seriously.

So, this is an album that kind of celebrates us and it is coming from our heart, you know our perspective. It’s trying to explain who we are, how we feel. There’s a song on there, called “I Deserve,” where we talk about what we deserve in a man. There’s a song on there, called “She-ro,” which talks about a woman who will be there for her man.

One of the misconceptions is that women do not celebrate our men, and that is not true — that is not true one single solitary bit. We absolutely do celebrate our men. we are not being celebrated enough by them.

So, it’s just basically an album that comes from a woman’s heart, you know, and I think there’s been a misconception and a misunderstanding of how we really are, especially with black women. I think we are viewed as angry and difficult and I think that that prevents us from being able to even communicate properly and bridge the gap between male and female.

CD: When is the album set to be released?

SJ: We do not have a set street date. But we’re looking at fall, late September, early October. There will be a pre-order link up in the following weeks. We’re still in the process of mixing and mastering the album. Once the pre-order goes up, you’re going to get two gratis singles — “Woman” and another one. And then, as time progresses, we’ll probably release five gratis singles before the album actually drops. So, if you get the pre-order, you’ll also get like a single here and there and then when the album comes out, you’ll get the rest of the album.

CD: And, speaking of “Woman.” I watched the video on YouTube and that opening visual of the women in black is very powerful and strong. Is that what you were feeling you wanted to convey when you (created the video)?

SJ: Yes, I feel like there have been a lot of images showing us being abused, weakened and I felt like that’s not just who we are. You know, we’re strong and lit, as well. We’re very lit. Especially black women, you know!

And, I wanted to give an almost black panther tease to it. So that it’s like a revolt, revolutionary, standing up for your rights, loving on other women which was indicative of the women walking and giving me different things, even though it was like jewelry and necklaces and different things. It was like, “come on girl. Let’s get your stuff.” Kind of like we need each other to continue to progress. I just wanted to show us in a strong front. Our president saying disgusting, vile things and actually getting away with it, being disrespectful telling those women of color in Congress to go back where they came from. You know we’re in a time right now where it is okay to be disrespectful towards women, the mothers of the earth, the women who birth and go through nine months of anguish and anxiety carrying a child to then push it out of their body. We should be celebrated for that alone, you know, not to mention everything that we do as nurturers to help continue making the world go around, what we’ve invented, what we’ve created. So, I just wanted to show us in a strong visual: a strong positive visual. Not just a weakened, beaten, or ignorant, immature state.

CD: And so, I love the lyrics, “and if it’s a man’s world then the world is yours because woman gave birth to the man.”

SJ: I mean, I don’t know what else to say. If it’s a man’s world then how did you get here? That means that everything that you have is because of a woman. If my son, if it’s is his world then it’s very much mine because actually I had him. These things are not taken into consideration. And another thing that irritates me about this country is when it comes to women or just men in general, if we dig up or put out a highlight on what women have done. It doesn’t mean that it takes away from what you’ve done. Turns out we were right here with you.

CD: And, so for me, that song seems like it’s an anthem?

SJ: I’m hoping so, child. I’m hoping that it can be an anthem. I wrote it to be an anthem. I wrote it to be something that a woman can hold onto, especially because of the whole dumb slogan “Make America Great Again,” which is so dumb because America was never great if it was built on slavery. Please explain to me, for black people, where it was ever great. So that’s dumb to us. It wasn’t really great for women either, we couldn’t even vote. So, with that being said if you want to “Make America Great Again,” you need to start respecting your women but women have to stand up and rise up and not be afraid to speak their mind. And then, we can’t care about what people think and say about us. We have to work together because there’s strength in numbers. We can’t keep working against each other within the infrastructure of women when we have to stop competing with each other.

CD: What was your mindset when you were creating the tracks for the album?

SJ: I was upset. Frustrated. Working with “Sister Circle” you have to be like a low-key reporter and a journalist. So, when I come out there to do a top of a show, I’ve already gone through a myriad of different stories and topics. And it might have been the one when the police threw the woman down and had her breast come out or it could have been some sexual charges or our president could have said something stupid. You know, and then it might have just annoyed me. So, I went in the studio and all of this is happening all at the same time. I just wanted to say something to us to keep us strong. You know, it’s like anything — you can always use racism because at first, if you think of anything negative, racism it is, or slavery. It’s like with anything if you keep having to be in something all the time, you’re going to get frustrated and you’re going to feel oppressed all the time and it’s stressful.

This article originally appeared in the Chicago Defender.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Pharmacist Turned Entrepreneur Is Changing The Way We View Natural Hair Care

Don't Miss

PRESS ROOM: Community Bank Launches Innovative Friends & Family Fund to Support Entrepreneurs of Color

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.