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OP-ED: Meta Deleted Me. I Still Don’t Know Why. And neither will you.

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE: Years of credibility, commentary, and public record—gone with no explanation, no appeal, and a mandatory referral to federal law enforcement.

Published

4 months ago

February 23, 2026

Oakland Post

A verified journalist was banned, reported to federal authorities, and given no recourse. A glitch in the system may be the point.

By Morris W. O’Kelly (Mo’Kelly)

I have long had a hate/hate relationship with social media. It is the place where people mainly try to impress people they don’t know with knowledge they don’t have, to fake lifestyles they don’t live. And that’s assuming we disregard the anonymous trolls, foreign bots, and random, garden-variety bad actors permeating the landscape.

Nonetheless, as a person who works in news media, social media is a necessary evil. It is necessary to promote oneself and one’s work and to develop an overall footprint. In my business, it is a necessary and accepted form of currency. More generally, one’s social media presence is used equally for job selection and job exclusion. I had already left Twitter/X due to it devolving into a racist hellhole, guided by “Apartheid Clyde” himself, Elon Musk. You know, the guy is more reminiscent of a poorly conceived Bond villain, with ethnostate sugar plums dancing in his head.

But I digress…

For me, Facebook, Instagram, and its companion Threads (Meta) were more than enough to satisfy my social media needs. I get it. I’m old. I’m not cool. Most importantly, I’m good with it. But what little social media I used was essential to my profession, which, as a political and cultural commentator, included discussion of any and all topics, from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein to Palestine to even Diddy.

In fact, my blue check-marked profiles came from years of credibility construction, not from paying a monthly vanity subscription. This is very important. I’ll come back to it later.

But just like that (snap), most of it disappeared.

Recently, my IG (Instagram) and Threads accounts were disabled and deleted due to a supposed post where I violated the terms of service regarding the depiction of children.

Say what?! Children?!

According to Meta, my account was found to have either:

Showed a child’s genitals
Showed sexual activity involving children
Sexualized children

From Meta:

“No one can see or find your account, and you can’t use it. All your information will be permanently deleted. You cannot request another review of this decision.”

No inclusion or mention of the supposed offending post was made. No recourse, review, or redress. All gone. But wait, it gets worse.

Meta also informed me that

“We’re required by law to report suspected cases of child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).”

Was it a discussion of Jeffrey Epstein or some other news-related figure misinterpreted by AI?

I can’t tell you—and Meta won’t either—because I “cannot request another review of this decision,” nor am I aware of the specifics of the supposedly violating post. If your social media experience is anything like mine, I’m called every racial slur imaginable with both regularity and impunity. Oddly enough, these trolls are almost never reprimanded or disabled. I’ve never been suspended for any online behavior on any platform at any time. That’s relevant too.

Was my account hacked by a nefarious actor who posted some offensive and obscene material? I can’t rule it in or out, as I don’t have access to my account to perform a forensic analysis of any logins from suspicious devices or the like. That, and I “cannot request another review of this decision.” Years of posts, pictures, commentaries, and discussions across TWO platforms, gone. And I can’t even verify whether the supposed violation occurred on Instagram or Threads.

But back to being a “verified, blue checkmark” user…

Originally, before people had the option to simply buy a subscription and, with it, a blue checkmark, one had to be a person of some notoriety or credibility within a specific field of expertise. You had to earn it in some way. In addition, you were required to submit your actual driver’s license or state ID as another layer of verification. Meaning, the repercussions of Meta being ‘required by law to report suspected cases of child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)’ could have legal and professional repercussions—the full extent of which neither of us can predict.

In addition, since I work with children in various capacities outside of work, I’m required to be live-scanned. Live Scan technology uses digital fingerprinting to instantly transmit biometric data to state (DOJ) and federal (FBI) databases. Its primary uses include rapid criminal background checks for employment (childcare, healthcare, and law enforcement), professional licensing, volunteer screenings, and firearm permits.

We’re talking about the same DOJ run by Pam Bondi and the FBI by Kash Patel.

The consequences can be substantial and unlimited. I can rule nothing in and can rule nothing out. What I can say for certain is that NEVER has anything even remotely near the sexualization of children or associated imagery graced ANYTHING I do. Not privately. Not publicly. I have served on a federal grand jury for four months, and that service included child pornography cases, inclusive of the underlying photographic evidence. It was horrible. I have worked as an advocate for women pre- and post-Me Too movement. My life’s work is both public and inarguable.

There is no pornography on my phone to “accidentally” upload. There is no hidden double life. There is no behavior to apologize for or explain. The problem with that is I can neither prove it nor even plead my case. Again, I “cannot request another review of this decision,” nor will I be informed of what might happen next in the form of a knock on a door from a federal agent or a federal file created (or added to) with my name on it. Today, it is me. Tomorrow, it may be you.

There is a larger discussion to be had here. Against the backdrop of the politicization of mainstream and legacy media, it is reasonable to wonder whether this isn’t both intentional and coordinated. We remember the blocking of Harris’s presidential endorsements, such as with the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post. I can’t rule out the possibility that this is part of a larger attempt to suppress voices critical of this presidential administration. I can’t rule it out and neither can you.

Given the ongoing threats and outright censorship of late night broadcasts in both Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, I can’t rule out whether I was targeted, and neither can you.

Given the recent FCC “investigation” of the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show, which was controversial ONLY to the MAGA faithful and racists afraid of 12 minutes of Spanish from an American citizen, one could reasonably question whether these are all dots just waiting to be connected. I can’t rule it in, and none of us can rule it out. That is saying nothing of the confirmed presidential “enemies list” and the tactics employed by ICE to monitor, target and intimidate protesters and legal observers. That is saying nothing of the firing of 300 Washington Post journalists and staff, simultaneous to its owner Jeff Bezos pouring 75 million dollars into support and promotion of “Melania” propaganda, which is presently cosplaying as a legitimate documentary, in theaters right now.

Just this week, commuted Trump insider Roger Stone interviewed the owner of the aforementioned Los Angeles Times and avowed Trump supporter, Patrick Soon Shiong. And that’s saying nothing of the ongoing efforts to delegitimize CBS News, a Paramount subsidiary firmly intertwined with the Trump administration.

My account didn’t disappear in a vacuum.

If we check the leaderboard:

The top print media, broadcast media, and social media are ALL owned by Trump acolytes, actively engaged in exerting public pressure by way of their companies to suppress dissent and force compliance from its employees and users. Whether I am a consequence of bad luck and unforgiving terms of service…or part of a larger effort to squelch opposing voices, who is to say? I can’t definitively say, and neither can you. Whereas I’m generally not a conspiracy theorist, I can’t just ignore publicly available and relevant evidence either.

This presidential administration may only be temporary in the grand scheme of things, but the internet is still forever, whether we like it or not.

At this time, I’m not sure what my future social media involvement may be. If I hated social media before, I absolutely hate it even more now. I still have a Facebook (Meta) presence, but I have no desire to start over and rebuild elsewhere, with the same threat and consequences still looming. At the minimum, there is the opportunity to use this moment as a warning to highlight how dangerous a time it is in which we live and how that danger extends to all of us. Even you.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

Morris W. O’Kelly (Mo’Kelly) is a political and cultural commentator across various media. Good luck trying to find him on social media.

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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

3 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.

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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

4 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.

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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

4 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.