Category: Racial Justice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thebe_Magugu

Thebetsile “Thebe” Magugu^[1] (born 1 September 1993)^[2] is a South African fashion designer. Born in Kimberley and based in Johannesburg, he rose to prominence as the winner of the 2019 LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize, and a finalist in the 2021 International Woolmark Prize. Magugu has released eleven solo collections under his own namesake label since 2017, as well as several capsules in collaboration with international brands such as Dior, Adidas, and AZ Factory.

https://www.massambadiop.com/bio

Perhaps best known for his collaboration on Marvel’s groundbreaking Black Panther soundtrack, where his drumming served as the heartbeat of King Tchalla’s theme music, Massamba’s influence extends far beyond the silver screen. His rhythmic prowess has graced stages across the world, from joining Mumford and Sons on their 2016 tour to making appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Notably, Massamba’s involvement in Playing For Change’s album “Listen to the Music” further solidified his reputation as a musical force to be reckoned with.

But Massamba’s musical journey began long before his Hollywood acclaim. As the lead percussionist and founding member of Daande Lenol (The Voice of the People), the band of Senegalese superstar Baaba Maal, Massamba has been at the forefront of West African music for decades. Their collaborations have taken them to all corners of the globe, sharing stages with renowned musical figures and releasing numerous albums, including the Grammy-nominated “Firin’ in Fouta.”

https://petermutabazi.com/about

As a child, I ran away from an abusive home and was helped by the kindness of strangers. As an adult, I found myself in a position to be able to help foster children, so I began taking children into my home years ago to give back what was so freely given to me.

It’s my mission to give back as much as I can to the vulnerable among us. That’s what drives Now I Am Known: to bring a message of hope to the hopeless—the same message I needed so badly to hear as a child.

Peter Mutabazi is an author, single dad, and viral foster parent known online as @fosterdadflipper. He is the founder of Now I Am Known, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting vulnerable children. For more than twenty-five years, Peter has worked with global charities to improve the lives of children in need. As a foster parent, he has welcomed more than forty children into his home. He and his family live in Charlotte, North Carolina.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrace_Martin

Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, the Game, Busta Rhymes, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq and YG, among others. Martin is a multi-instrumentalist whose music production embodies funk, jazz, classical and soul. Martin released his sixth studio album, Velvet Portraits, on his label, Sounds of Crenshaw Records, through Ropeadope Records.^[1]

https://www.npr.org/2026/04/16/g-s1-117685/terrace-martin-love-is-louder-than-the-algorithm-interview

We’ve had the legend of Robert Johnson wrong this whole time. The deal he made at the crossroads wasn’t with some mythical devil at all. The truth is he sold his songs — i.e. his soul — to a predatory music industry. A devil that would outlive him by four score and eight years. A hellhound that would generate billions off the blues he suffered and sold for decimals on the dollar.

None of that had truly occurred to me until my Zoom call ended with producer and multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin, the cat who hatched a 21st-century jazz revival, spearheaded by he and his West Coast Get Down superfriends, before injecting it pure-and-uncut into rap’s main artery. His co-conspirators cover every corner of Black music: Snoop, Lalah, Quik, Glasper, YG, SZA, Thundercat, Kendrick, Kamasi, Stevie (yes, Wonder), Herbie (yesss, Hancock). And those are just the household names.

https://www.essence.com/fashion/courtney-mays-on-style-size-diversity-in-the-wnba

For Courtney Mays, sports and fashion are inextricably linked. As the daughter of a former NFL player, the Ohio native has always understood why and how the two industries converge. From WNBA legends Sue Bird and Tina Charles to Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Chris Paul, and more, Mays, 41, has dressed a long roster of fashion-forward clientele spanning multiple professional sports leagues. 

With over 16 years of experience, upon graduating from the University of Michigan, Mays started as an intern for womenswear designer Tracy Reese, who has dressed former First Lady Michelle Obama. Now, she’s carved out her lane as a menswear consultant, celebrity stylist, and advocate for representation and inclusion. 

https://blkmaternalhealthweek.com

Black Maternal Health Week is more than a campaign; it’s a call to action! This Resolution Guide gives advocates, community members, and elected officials everything they need to introduce and champion a Black Maternal Health Week resolution in their state. Download your copy and help us take the movement from awareness to policy.

Black Maternal Health Week Resolution Guide

https://www.pw.org/node/1164487

Bob McNeil, writer, editor, cartoonist, and spoken word artist, is the author of Verses of Realness (https://tinylink.net/muF6C). Hal Sirowitz, a former Queens, NY Poet Laureate, called the book “a fantastic trip through the mind of a poet who doesn’t flinch at the truth.”

Poem of the Week By Bob McNeil

I must say my unflagging love for the Beat Movement moved me. Years ago, like a groupie, I used to attend Allen Ginsberg’s recitals in New York. On two occasions, he gave me his autograph. Sure, I can go into great detail about my love for Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs. But I must mention America’s Arthur Rimbaud, Bob Kaufman. Almost above all others, he touched my spirit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Thomas

Leon George Thomas III (born August 1, 1993)^[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. He began his career as a child actor on Broadway, appearing in the musicals The Lion King, Caroline, or Change and The Color Purple across the 2000s. He gained wide recognition for starring as Andre Harris in the Nickelodeon series Victorious (2010–2013).

https://www.bhninc.org/dr-jalil-johnson

Behavioral Health Network, Inc. (BHN) has announced that Dr. Jalil A. Johnson has joined the organization as Senior Vice President, bringing more than 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership, program development, and clinical operations to the organization.

Dr. Johnson’s extensive background spans behavioral health, integrated care, primary care, population health, research, academic instruction, and large-scale organizational strategy. He holds a Ph.D. in Health Disparities from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Fitchburg State University, and an MS as an Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from UMass Medical School. 

https://www.brendaschild.com

Dr. Boz is “your favorite life coach” who holistically supports you  in creating space for yourself and your joy. She specializies in helping  you connect with  yourself in ways that support you connecting with community and with your work.  While Got HE.R.S Get More Coaching was established in 2020, Dr. Boz  has been coaching in some capacity for more 25 years. Her work spans the continental United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland and India.

Community 
 Dr. Boz began her first job in human services at 20, and since then she has worked with youth and families in several capacities, from crisis intervention to family stabilization.  She has collaborated with and consulted for the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Youth Services, after school programs, Job Corps, summer camps, and community centers. In 2006, she established her own arts and mentoring program,
 ​K.Y.D.S -Keep Youth Dreaming and Striving.