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The San Francisco Bay View Foundation hosted its third annual Nonprofit Boot Camp on June 28, 2025, at the Ruth Williams Opera House, themed "Black and Proud in the Face of Opposition." The event spotlighted Black-operated nonprofits and provided them a platform to share their visions for equity in the Bay Area. Notable speakers included Kevin Epps (Executive Editor of the San Francisco Bay View newspaper), Trevor Parham (founder of OakStop and co-founder of the Oakland Black Business Fund), Theo Ellington (founder of Black Citizen), and Darian Heyman (nonprofit expert and author). The boot camp offered valuable knowledge for nonprofit leaders, though it could have better engaged younger attendees through more interactive activities.

The San Francisco Bay View Foundation hosted a Nonprofit Boot Camp at the Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House on June 28, bringing together Black and Brown community leaders, organizers, and nonprofit professionals. Trevor Parham, founder of Oakstop, a Black-owned coworking enterprise in Oakland, shared insights about creating thriving spaces for Black communities while emphasizing the importance of collaboration between nonprofits. The event also featured perspectives from Bayview Opera House leadership, including Executive Director Theo Ellington and Managing Director Cydney Nunn, who discussed the significance of Black art spaces in communities threatened by gentrification. These Black-led organizations serve as vital community lifelines, providing essential services like housing, mentorship, and cultural preservation in areas where government support is lacking.

A federal California judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from indiscriminately detaining individuals suspected of being in the US illegally and denying them access to lawyers. The case was initiated by three immigrants arrested at a Pasadena bus stop and two US citizens who were detained despite one showing identification. Judge Maame Frimpong cited a "mountain of evidence" that officials were conducting unconstitutional "roving patrols" that cannot be based solely on factors like race, ethnicity, language, or location. The Department of Homeland Security responded critically, claiming the judge was "undermining the will of the American people" as the administration continues its intensified immigration enforcement efforts.

Federal immigration agents conducted raids at Glass House marijuana farms in California, detaining approximately 200 people including 10 minors and reportedly causing critical injuries to some workers. During the operation in Ventura County, clashes erupted between protesters and federal agents, with tear gas deployed and allegations that a protester fired a weapon at agents. The Department of Homeland Security characterized the situation as potentially involving child labor violations, human trafficking, or smuggling, while Glass House denied knowingly violating hiring practices or employing minors. This raid is part of broader immigration enforcement actions in Southern California since President Trump deployed National Guard troops and Marines to support federal immigration agents in the region.

Trump administration Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has proposed replacing deported undocumented farm workers with America's 34 million "able-bodied adults" on Medicaid. This controversial plan suggests using Medicaid enrollment as a roster for agricultural labor, going beyond President Trump's earlier proposals to have farmers house and supervise migrant workers to avoid ICE raids. Critics characterize this approach as forced labor that would disproportionately impact Black Americans, who make up nearly 19% of Medicaid enrollees under 65, and would particularly affect women and children who constitute a significant portion of Medicaid recipients. Farmers have warned that such deportation and labor policies could lead to food shortages and economic disruption.

President Trump's administration has reinstated ICE raids in sensitive locations like schools and churches, with recent military-style operations in Los Angeles causing significant distress among immigrant communities. Data shows that one in ten Black Americans is an immigrant, and these enforcement actions are creating a climate of fear preventing many immigrant students from attending school or educational activities. Education advocates like Dr. Christopher Nellum from Ed-Trust warn that these raids traumatize students and damage educational institutions, with studies showing increased anxiety, depression, and school disengagement among affected students. The Los Angeles Unified School District has implemented protective measures in response, while advocates push for stronger legislative protections and support services for vulnerable immigrant students.

Mikayla Salmon, a 29-year-old fashion designer from Clarendon, Jamaica, has achieved international recognition through a collaboration with global fast-fashion company Shein that launched in April 2025. Her four-piece collection featured contemporary designs with the two-piece becoming a best-seller that sold out twice, making her reportedly the second Jamaica-born designer to collaborate with Shein at this scale. Despite facing challenges like self-doubt and previous unsuccessful applications to Shein programs, Salmon persevered and has successfully expanded her brand, Young Addiction, which focuses on creating clothing for all body types, particularly plus-size women. Beyond this achievement, Salmon continues to advocate for Jamaica's fashion industry, highlighting issues such as limited access to quality fabrics and high shipping costs while planning to expand into menswear and develop a custom ackee print for upcoming competitions.

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has decided not to invite President Trump to its annual convention in Cleveland this August, with NABJ president Ken Lemon citing the organization's 50th anniversary as the main focus. This decision follows a pattern as other prominent Black organizations, including the NAACP and National Urban League, have also chosen not to invite Trump to their conventions. Black journalists have experienced significant job losses, hiring freezes, and decreased opportunities attributed to the Trump administration's anti-DEI stance. Trump's appearance at last year's NABJ convention was controversial due to his comments about then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which some NABJ leadership candidates characterized as damaging to Black journalists and Black America.

CNN is tracking extreme heat conditions across the United States to help Americans prepare for dangerous temperatures that cause health emergencies and hundreds of heat-related deaths annually. The National Weather Service and CDC produce risk forecasts that consider severity, duration, and potential impact on residents based on historical data. These forecasts include "feels like" temperature predictions for over 800 US cities, heat advisories that affected more than 60 million people in summer 2023, and projections of record-breaking temperatures. Climate change is intensifying heat waves, making them more common, intense, and long-lasting, with temperatures warming faster overnight.

of the Article The Michael Jackson Estate has filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing Frank Cascio of orchestrating a $213 million extortion plot by threatening to reverse decades of public support for Jackson into damaging allegations. According to court documents, Cascio, who previously defended Jackson and published a supportive memoir titled "My Friend Michael," allegedly demanded millions from the estate despite having already received payments through a confidential 2020 settlement. The estate claims that after initially collecting settlement funds, Cascio returned with new demands in 2024, threatening to leak allegations to the buyer of Jackson's $600 million music catalog if not paid. Attorney Mark Geragos, who previously defended Jackson as "100 percent innocent," now represents Cascio in what the estate describes as a contradiction of Cascio's decades of public statements supporting Jackson.

of "American Climate Perspectives Survey Reveals Growing Concern About Extreme Heat and Climate Change" A new national poll by ecoAmerica reveals that 86% of Americans across political affiliations report increased concern about climate change due to record-breaking heat waves, with 97% of Democrats, 83% of Independents, and 79% of Republicans expressing heightened worry. The survey shows that 89% of respondents recognize extreme heat's impact on public health, with Black Americans showing particularly high concern levels (91%) while also facing disproportionate exposure to extreme heat and fewer adaptation resources. The findings demonstrate a significant shift in climate perception, with 82% of Americans now believing climate change intensifies extreme weather events, up from 76% in 2021, including a dramatic 17-point increase among Republicans. Additionally, 79% of Americans express concern about proposed funding cuts to FEMA and NOAA, fearing reduced government capacity to respond to climate impacts.

The article urgently calls for Black Americans to engage with immigration issues, arguing that the systems targeting immigrants also threaten Black communities. The author emphasizes that immigration enforcement tools like racial profiling, flawed facial recognition, and militarized raids directly impact Black citizens as well. Statistical evidence is presented showing many Black citizens lack proper identification, placing them at risk of wrongful detention. The article frames immigration enforcement and anti-Black policies as interconnected threats from the same system of state power, concluding that remaining silent puts Black communities in danger.

Innocent James, who grew up reading by kerosene lamplight in Tanzania, founded Soma Bags to help children study after dark with solar-powered backpacks. The company transforms discarded materials into backpacks with flexible solar panels that charge during students' walks to and from school, providing 6-8 hours of reading light. Since starting in 2016 with handmade products, Soma Bags sold 36,000 solar backpacks across Africa last year, offering an affordable alternative to kerosene lamps at 12,000-22,500 Tanzanian shillings ($4-8). The initiative has gained international recognition, including acknowledgment from the UNDP and British government, while James continues to run reading groups twice weekly.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order attempting to withhold U.S. citizenship from children born to certain immigrant parents in the United States, immediately facing legal challenges. A federal judge in New Hampshire recently blocked this order by issuing a temporary injunction while certifying a class-action lawsuit on behalf of affected children. The executive order specifically targets infants born to mothers without permanent immigration status or those with temporary legal status, potentially affecting approximately 255,000 children annually according to analysis by the Migration Policy Institute. While the Supreme Court struck down nationwide injunctions against the order in June, they did not rule on the constitutionality of the order itself, which conflicts with the 14th Amendment's guarantee of birthright citizenship.

President Trump's housing policies are exacerbating an already broken system through protectionist trade wars, targeting immigrant construction workers, and considering privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. His proposed budget would cut federal rental assistance by approximately 40% while shifting remaining funds to states as block grants, which critics argue could dramatically increase homelessness. Instead of focusing on software bans or other superficial solutions, experts suggest addressing the root causes of the housing crisis through an "abundance agenda" that reforms zoning restrictions, streamlines permitting processes, and prioritizes increasing housing supply. Both Republican and Democratic policymakers are urged to reject Trump's approach and unite around building more housing to prevent economic and humanitarian disaster.

The House of Representatives is debating a contentious bill referred to by Republicans as the "Big Beautiful Bill" and by Democrats as "The Big Ugly Bill." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries strongly opposed the legislation, which according to the Congressional Budget Office would add $3.3 trillion to the deficit while cutting healthcare for 16 million Americans, reducing SNAP food assistance, and codifying tax breaks for wealthy individuals. Democrats need only four Republican votes to defeat the bill, while President Trump has been calling Republican holdouts to secure their support. The legislation would also impact the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), prompting former President Obama to issue a statement urging representatives to vote against it.

Donald Trump's proposed spending measure, dubbed the "One Big Ugly Bill" by Democrats, aims to drastically cut social safety net programs while creating an unprecedented immigration enforcement system. The legislation includes approximately $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act over ten years, potentially affecting millions of low-income Americans' healthcare coverage. Simultaneously, it allocates over $150 billion to expand ICE operations, with the detention budget projected to increase from $3.4 billion to $45 billion by 2029, surpassing federal prison funding. The bill also establishes a federal citizenship registry combining Social Security and immigration data, which critics argue creates a national surveillance system implemented without proper public debate.

Jamaica's Ambassador to Japan, Shorna-Kay Richards, delivered a passionate lecture advocating for global nuclear disarmament during a Peace Boat voyage to Montego Bay. Speaking as part of the 'Time for Peace' initiative commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II's end, Richards highlighted Jamaica's consistent leadership in nuclear non-proliferation efforts despite being a small island nation. She shared her personal commitment to disarmament that began after visiting Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2005, where she witnessed the devastation of nuclear weapons and met survivors. Richards emphasized Jamaica's participation in all major nuclear disarmament treaties while warning about growing nuclear threats in the current global landscape.

Unemployment among Black Americans rose to 6.8% in June 2023, reaching its highest level since January 2022, while the national unemployment rate decreased to 4.1% with 147,000 jobs added overall. This disparity occurs as Black Americans are typically affected first when the economy weakens, particularly in industries like transportation and warehousing where hiring has recently declined. President Trump's trade policies creating business uncertainty and the administration's reduction of federal government jobs, particularly targeting diversity programs, may be contributing factors to this unemployment gap. While the broader labor market appears stable, this growth is concentrated primarily in healthcare, local government, and hospitality sectors, with most other industries showing minimal job gains.

Extreme heat poses significant health risks by challenging the body's natural cooling mechanisms through sweat. When environmental conditions prevent effective cooling, individuals can experience dehydration, heat exhaustion, or potentially fatal heat stroke. Professor Bharat Venkat of UCLA Heat Lab emphasizes that heat impacts all bodily systems, while high humidity worsens these effects by reducing sweat efficiency. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides heat index guidelines to help people understand danger levels, with temperatures above 103°F (or lower temperatures with high humidity) classified as dangerous for physical activity.

Mary McLeod Bethune, Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, and Arthur Ashe share July 10th as a significant date in their lives, with Bethune and Ashe being born on this day in 1875 and 1943 respectively, while Morton passed away on this date in 1941. Bethune, born to formerly enslaved parents, became an influential educator who founded a school for Black girls that evolved into Bethune-Cookman College and later served as an advisor to President Roosevelt. Morton was a pioneering jazz pianist and composer who led the Red Hot Peppers band and made significant recordings in the 1920s before his death in 1941. Ashe broke racial barriers as the first Black man to win major tennis championships while advocating for civil rights, youth education, and later becoming an AIDS activist following his own HIV diagnosis.

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry criticized fellow Democrats for allowing the US-Mexico border to be "under siege" during Biden's presidency, stating they "missed" on immigration and gave Republicans like Trump a political advantage. Kerry expressed that Democrats should have emphasized border protection and law enforcement rather than portraying Trump's immigration positions as harsh. While illegal border crossings have dropped during Trump's second term, his administration has shifted to detaining and deporting undocumented migrants across the US, including those who have lived in the country for years, prompting demonstrations and legal challenges from Democratic officials and cities.

The United States is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in 33 years, with 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and DC, surpassing 2019 levels and marking the largest outbreak since 1992. Health officials attribute the surge to declining vaccination rates and travel-related exposures that have spread the disease across state lines. The Center for Outbreak Response Innovation (CORI), operating within the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, has developed specialized tools and resources to help jurisdictions manage outbreaks, including analytic platforms, risk assessments, and decision-support products. Additionally, CORI manages a national Community of Practice connecting various health departments to share experiences and strengthen response capabilities, with the goal of improving preparedness for measles outbreaks through modeling and collaboration.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on America's highest court, delivered a powerful keynote address at the 2025 Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF) during the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Speaking to 500,000 in-person attendees and millions online, Justice Jackson shared her journey from Miami's public schools to the Supreme Court, emphasizing that justice requires active participation in decision-making processes. The GBEF Public Convention, part of the Essence Festival which generates $1 billion in economic activity, features various programming including health initiatives and policy discussions, with Maryland Governor Wes Moore and First Lady Dawn Moore scheduled to speak next. Led by President and CEO Alphonso David, the GBEF works to address economic disparities by building power across industries and creating opportunities for Black communities worldwide through global summits, leadership development, policy advocacy, and workplace innovation.

California's police education standards, initially proposed in 2020 following George Floyd's murder, are being revisited through Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin's new bill that would require incoming officers to obtain a policing certificate, associate degree, or bachelor's degree by 2031, with certain exceptions. The legislation represents a compromise between the original reform vision of former Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, who sought stricter education requirements, and concerns from law enforcement agencies about exacerbating current staffing shortages. While the bill has gained widespread support from law enforcement groups, Jones-Sawyer and some policing experts criticize its exceptions for military experience and out-of-state law enforcement experience as undermining the original intent of improving officer decision-making and reducing use of force. The bill also establishes a law enforcement recruitment task force to address ongoing staffing challenges across California's police departments.

Donald Trump's proposed health care legislation, labeled the "One Big Ugly Bill" by Democrats, threatens to strip insurance coverage from up to 16 million Americans over the next decade according to Congressional Budget Office projections. The bill targets Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and the Children's Health Insurance Program, with states like Florida, Texas, California, New York, and Georgia expected to experience the most significant coverage losses. Meanwhile, the administration has allocated substantial funds for military displays and presidential recreation, including an estimated $25-45 million for the Army's 250th Anniversary Parade and approximately $30 million for Trump's golf outings. Critics have highlighted the contrast between these expenditures and the impending health insurance losses that could reverse a decade of coverage gains across the country.

The legislation signed by President Trump on July 4, which Senator Tim Scott praised as fiscally responsible, has been criticized as a plan that concentrates wealth and negatively impacts Black communities. Independent analyses project the law will significantly increase the federal deficit through permanent corporate tax cuts and expanded defense spending, potentially leading to cuts in essential assistance programs. While Scott claimed the law delivers tax relief to working people, studies indicate the wealthiest households will receive the majority of benefits, with middle-income families seeing only temporary reductions. The law includes controversial provisions such as expanding the Opportunity Zone program and introducing a permanent school choice tax credit, which critics argue will accelerate gentrification and deepen educational disparities.

In Zimbabwe's capital city of Harare, thousands of informal scrap metal collectors like Ezekiel Mabhiza earn their living by sifting through illegal dumpsites to salvage metal for resale. These workers, who face hazardous conditions while sorting through waste, unintentionally contribute to environmental conservation by reducing pollution and helping combat climate change through metal recycling. The recycled materials they collect account for a significant portion of the raw materials used in steel production, which requires less energy than producing steel from virgin resources and generates fewer carbon emissions. While Harare generates approximately 1,000 tons of waste daily with most going uncollected, these informal pickers serve as essential "unsung heroes" in Zimbabwe's waste management system, supporting both their families and a cleaner environment.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals a significant decline in U.S. children's health over the past 17 years, with increasing rates of obesity, chronic diseases, and mental health issues like depression. Researchers analyzed multiple data sources including surveys, electronic health records, and mortality statistics to compile a comprehensive picture of deteriorating childhood health across 170 indicators. While Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has highlighted children's health concerns through his "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, experts argue that the Trump administration's policies, including cuts to health agencies and Medicaid, may worsen rather than improve these trends. The study's lead author, Dr. Christopher Forrest, described children as "canaries in the coal mine," reflecting broader societal health issues.

Tenants of Acorn Town Center and Courtyards in West Oakland are organizing against what they describe as exploitation and neglect in their low-income housing community. The article details how West Oakland has historically faced systematic disinvestment through policies like redlining, resulting in uninhabitable living conditions, environmental hazards, and health disparities, with asthma hospitalization rates 85% higher than the rest of Alameda County. Residents believe city officials prioritize profit-centered organizations over community needs, leading to deteriorating conditions that force working-class residents to leave. The authors frame these conditions as deliberate displacement strategies designed to ultimately transfer control of Oakland to wealthy interests.