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The Sickle Cell Warriors Convention

NNPA NEWSWIRE-The Consortium functions as an organizing entity, allowing this diverse group of stakeholders to identify, prioritize, develop, and execute solutions for patient-identified needs and gaps within the sickle cell community.
The post The Sickle Cell Warriors Convention first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

July 16, 2024

BlackPressUSA.com

Dr. Lakiea Bailey has spent over a decade bringing attention and resources to those living with rare diseases. A prominent advocate and research scientist with a Ph.D. in Molecular Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Bailey was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at age three and has dedicated her life to supporting and empowering the sickle cell community.

Despite the devastating symptoms of sickle cell, Dr. Bailey was determined to complete her educational goals. At the completion of her doctorate training, she founded and began working as the Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Community Consortium, a coordinated network of sickle cell community-based organizations (CBOs), patient and caregiver advocates, community partners, and healthcare/research advisors.

The Consortium functions as an organizing entity allowing this diverse group of stakeholders to identify, prioritize, develop, and execute solutions for patient-identified needs and gaps within the sickle cell community.

Bayou Beat News spoke with Dr. Bailey during a recent interview where she discussed the Sickle Cell Consortium’s 11th Annual Warriors Convention, the importance of returning the conference to Atlanta, Georgia and the recent surge of sickle cell awareness in television and mainstream media.

When asked about her excitement for this year’s convention, Dr. Bailey said, “I am most excited about the children. We have tracks for all age groups and a free nursery for babies between 18 months and four years. We partner with an organization licensed to take care of the young ones, and we have activities, education, and a STEM room available for the children.”

This year’s highly anticipated Sickle Cell Warriors Convention will be hosted at the Atlanta Westin Perimeter North Hotel from July 17 to July 21, after last year’s success in Houston, Texas.

Excitement surrounds the convention, partly due to Atlanta’s recent establishment of a first-of-its-kind sickle cell sanctuary, thanks to the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia.

“They are one of our partners that has opened that up locally. They have so much that they’re planning to do and there are so many services that can be accessed free of charge. It really does provide a place for warriors to go to seek alternative treatment in care. There’s the hospital of course, but we all hate to go, the sanctuary is someplace you can look forward to going to also get different types of treatments and care,” Dr. Bailey noted.

But deciding to bring the convention to Atlanta wasn’t an overnight decision.

“It’s a vote. The sickle cell community votes two years out where we’re going to go, and it moves around based on where that vote lands,” she explained. “We are excited to return to our home city of Atlanta. This year’s theme, ‘Lead the Way: From Patient to Powerhouse,’ embodies the journey and transformation of those affected by sickle cell disease.”

The convention promises to be a unique and comprehensive event designed entirely by and for the sickle cell patient and family community. It will feature the reintroduction of the Sickle Cell Consortium’s Warrior University classes, a faith-based brunch, a family game night, a campus carnival, and dedicated sessions for various groups including men, young adults, caregivers, and newly diagnosed families. The Expo, scheduled for Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m., offers free booths for those working on sickle cell treatments, therapies, and technologies.

“If they have an app or a food plan or dietary options, whatever it is they’re doing in the sickle cell health space, they can have a free booth at the expo. We want to ensure that everyone, not just those with sickle cell disease, can attend and learn. The more people we can educate, the more awareness we can bring to our Sickle Cell community,” Dr. Bailey emphasized.

To ensure accessibility, all sickle cell patients, warriors, and caregivers will benefit from a scholarship registration rate of $25 for both in-person and virtual attendance, compared to the standard registration fee of $180.

“The $25 scholarship rate covers everything, including all meals, special activities, and tickets to various events,” she emphasized. “There’s plenty of scholarships, that we work very hard to make sure this is as affordable as possible for this community.”

Additionally, there is a Family Max-Out rate of $100 for large families. Scholarship assistance for hotel and lodging costs is also available.

The Consortium is expecting record numbers this year thanks to the new Netflix series Supacell, whose premise is based on the discovery that having sickle cell gives you superpowers. Dr. Bailey also cites the younger generation being more vocal about sickle cell through social media.

“I think it’s fantastic to see us being discussed,” she said. “Although, it’s unfortunate, for example, with the Saturday Night Live that happened a few months ago when misinformation is pushed out on a big network in a big way. That episode had a lot of bad information about curative therapies and gene therapy. When that happens, it’s unfortunate, but it gets people talking. For a long time, people thought sickle cell wasn’t a thing anymore because no one was talking about it. So I’m of the opinion that anything that gets people talking is a good thing, even if we have to then go back and correct misinformation.”

Continuing the effort to correct misinformation, Dr. Bailey emphasizes that you do not need to be a sickle cell warrior, patient, or caregiver to attend the convention, and she stresses that you won’t want to miss this year’s spectacular workshops and events.

“We do have a few surprises planned, but that’s why they are surprises,” she says. “I can’t reveal too much about what we’re working on, but various people are working diligently to make this convention the best one yet.”

For more information and to register for the convention, visit sicklecellconvention.org If you are seeking a free vendor booth at the expo, please visit sicklecellconvention.org/expo.

The post The Sickle Cell Warriors Convention 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

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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.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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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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