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The Beginning of the End?

While attending the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual convention in Nashville, TN, this past week, I woke up on Thursday, June 29th, with my mind set on being empowered during the scheduled day of events and workshops. As I opened my eyes and rose from the bed, I couldn’t help but notice that my […]
The post The Beginning of the End? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

July 9, 2023

Forward Times Staff

While attending the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual convention in Nashville, TN, this past week, I woke up on Thursday, June 29^th, with my mind set on being empowered during the scheduled day of events and workshops. As I opened my eyes and rose from the bed, I couldn’t help but notice that my phone was unusually active that morning, constantly alerting me that something newsworthy had occurred. It was demanding my attention.

I immediately grabbed my phone, went to the news alerts that had populated, and realized why those news alerts had become so numerous.

The U.S. Supreme Court voted to end affirmative action!

That’s right…After years of select people trying to get rid of affirmative action in higher education, the majority-conservative U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public and private colleges and universities could no longer use race as a factor to allow students to be admitted.

As NNPA attendees congregated throughout the day, news of the Supreme Court affirmative action decision was continuously mentioned and talked about. In speaking with a longtime Black publisher of a highly respected Black newspaper in this country, I asked him what his thoughts were about the Supreme Court ruling. His short and simple response was not only eye-opening to me, but it was also concerning, as he said: Is this the beginning of the end?

To hear a seasoned Black man, who has lived through the Civil Rights movement, and who has been on the frontlines fighting for justice, share such a cryptic and seemingly bleak rhetorical question back to me in response to the ruling was not something I was expecting to hear. However, he did make me think even more intently about his response.

If we as a people don’t start doing things differently and begin to understand that the powers that be are hell-bent on doing whatever they have to do to remain in power, while reversing the progressive gains we have made in this country—post slavery and the Civil Rights movement—then we will find ourselves having hit the ceiling of progress and future growth in this country.

As stated earlier, the Supreme Court ruling was shocking to me, but it was not surprising.

I mean, after all, the decision was made by six conservative-appointed justices—three of which were appointed by former president Donald J. Trump (Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett). It was never a secret that conservative Republicans wanted those seats replaced by justices who would carry out their bidding, and that is exactly what they are doing.

Remember back in 2016, when former president Barack Obama nominated Merrick B. Garland to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died that same year, and was denied that opportunity by the Senate Republicans because he was ending his term that year?

Well, in a hypocritical move, the same Republican Party allowed Trump to nominate Coney Barrett, and the Senate Republicans confirmed her, although there was an election taking place in slightly over a month to determine the future of his presidency.

As we know now, Trump lost, but the Republicans won.

But as African Americans, did we lose too?

Within the last ten years, we have seen the conservative-appointed members of the Supreme Court take actions that have impacted African Americans in a major way, especially regarding initiatives and policies that were put in place to level the playing field in America for us.

It has been literally ten years since the Supreme Court stripped the Voting Rights Act of 1965, of the most powerful civil rights voting protections in the history of this country for African Americans.

After decades of marches, protests, physical attacks, arrests, and even murders, the unrelenting champions and leaders of our Civil Rights struggle—who successfully lobbied for this important piece of legislation to become law—saw a 5-4 majority of conservative-appointed Supreme Court justices rule in the Shelby County v. Holder case to literally remove Section 5 from the law.

This was significant because Section 5 in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, made it mandatory for many states—such as Texas and others that had a history of racial discrimination and disenfranchisement relative to voting—to receive pre-certification, or “pre-clearance,” relative to ANY changes they wanted to make concerning an election that was being held, to make sure they were not discriminating against anyone, especially African Americans.

After the Supreme Court ruling in the Shelby County v. Holder case, the floodgates of racial discrimination opened back up, as states like Texas, instituted new photo-ID laws, reversed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, purged voters, passed controversial redistricting maps, and implemented laws to significantly restrict and hamper the ability for citizens to vote.

And now we are witnessing state laws being implemented regarding “so-called” critical race theory, the Supreme Court ruling on student loans, and other matters that impact the quality of life of African Americans in this country. But now, back to the affirmative action decision.

When affirmative action in institutions of higher learning was introduced in 1978, it was not done to make race the primary factor for student admissions—it was designed to merely consider the race of a student applicant as a factor. The concept of affirmative action, as argued by many opponents, leads one to believe that because a Black student applies, they are automatically granted admission to the college or university because they are Black. Wrong!!!

Let’s be real…public and private colleges and universities in this country have had a long and troubling track record of discrimination and disenfranchisement as it relates to African Americans. Why else do you think Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), like Texas Southern University and others, were founded and needed in the first place?

Black students were denied the fair and equal right to a quality higher education opportunity, and thus, HBCUs were formed. For centuries, African Americans were denied access to freedom, a quality education at every level, and the necessary resources to compete at the same level as non-Black people, namely whites. Affirmative action became an important equalizer, as well as a necessary public policy initiative that has helped to address the glaring and realistic racial inequities that have historically existed in the entire system of higher education. Period!

So, is this truly the beginning of the end for us? I mean, what’s next?

Will the Supreme Court:

Eliminate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, altogether?
Find that states are well within their rights to re-institute Jim Crow Laws?
Allow cities and counties to implement legal segregationist policies?
Make interracial marriage illegal?
Overturn Brown vs. Board of Education?
Rule that minority-owned business contracting set-asides are unconstitutional and
Discard the practice of public, private, and government entities having programs in place to award contracts to minority-owned businesses?
Make it illegal for Black people to read and write again?
Reverse the Emancipation Proclamation decision and make us slaves again?

Now, before you start trying to argue with me and tell me that my questions are far-fetched, I need you to keep in mind that at one point in this country, there were policies and legislation needed and implemented to address these different items that I posed as mere questions above.

This was our reality as a people, and we don’t need to go backwards.

It is truly my hope that we, as African Americans, come together and establish a realistic Black agenda, because if we don’t: This may be the beginning of the end for us, as we know it.

The post The Beginning of the End? appeared first on Forward Times.

The post The Beginning of the End? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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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

2 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

2 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

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

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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