African educator appointed to the Order of Nova Scotia

Carolyn G. Thomas, an educator, human rights and community advocate from East Preston, is among five Nova Scotians who have been appointed to the Order of Nova Scotia, the province’s highest honour.

Recognized for her contributions to education, government and community development, she was named with four others for their significant contributions in fields such as public and community service, philanthropy, music, education, business and health.

https://www.npr.org/2026/11/07/nx-s1-6007770/data-centers-activist-moratorium

The overgrown grass and weeds seem to stretch into the horizon on nearly 90 acres of empty land in Landover, Md. It used to be Landover Mall, but that closed in 2002, and the site has been mostly vacant since.

In 2024, the developer that built the mall won approval from county planners for a $5 billion data center campus, and word began spreading through the largely Black community nearby.

“I was like, ‘Oh, hell no,'” said Taylor Frazier McCollum, describing the moment she learned about the project. She lived less than a mile away from it. “Why would you want to bring water-polluting, diesel-generating data centers right down the street from where people live, work, play? It just didn’t make sense to me.”

Johnathan Smith is Managing Director of Education & Federal Strategic Advocacy at National Center for Youth Law. 

Johnathan has nearly 20 years of deep legal experience, including a previous role as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also served in leadership roles with the New York State Division of Human Rights, MacArthur Justice Center, Muslim Advocates, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, among others. Johnathan started his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Carl E. Stewart of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

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

Tasha Smith (born February 28, 1971)^[2] is an American actress and director. She began her career in a starring role on the NBC comedy series Boston Common (1996–97), and later appeared in numerous movies and television series.

Smith has appeared in the films The Whole Ten Yards (2004), Daddy’s Little Girls (2007), The Longshots (2008), Couples Retreat (2009), Jumping the Broom (2011), Addicted (2014), Dolemite Is My Name (2019) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024). She starred as Angela Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? (2007), its sequel Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010), and on the television series based on the movies, For Better or Worse (2011–2017). From 2015 to 2020, she had a recurring role as Carol Holloway on the Fox musical drama series, Empire. Later in the same year, Smith made her directorial debut.

https://www.tsawonline.com/actress-director-tasha-smith

Tasha Smith’s infectious optimism and enthusiasm command attention in the industry and in her private life. Whenever possible, she takes time to share her inspirational life story through motivational speaking and mentoring emerging actors through her acting school, TASHA SMITH ACTOR’S WORKSHOP, better known in the industry as TSAW (pronounced tee-saw).

https://www.npr.org/2026/11/04/g-s1-151138/midterms-ford-nevada-governor-lombardo

RENO, Nev. – In what was considered one of the most competitive gubernatorial races in the U.S., Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford unseated Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, according to an Associated Press race call.

The Democrat will be the first Black governor of a state west of the Mississippi River. He was previously Nevada’s first Black Senate majority leader and attorney general. He was first elected to the state legislature in 2012, and before that practiced law privately and taught math.

Q&A with Jermaine Downey: Piping was given to me; it’s time to give it back

Former Armed Forces captain believes North Preston bagpipe program will give youth a global reach

An instrument close to the heart of many Nova Scotians is finding a special place in the community of North Preston.

The 3P Highland Arts Program, which runs out of the North Preston Community Centre, is the brainchild of Jermaine Downey, a retired Canadian Armed Forces Captain and professional bagpiper with roots in the community.  After years working with youth and prison populations in Ontario, Downey returned home to Nova Scotia in October 2016 hoping to attract new students to learn how to play the bagpipes.

https://www.csus.edu/news/newsroom/stories/2026/4/ati.html

Boatamo Mosupyoe grew up in a place and time when the color of her skin determined where she could play, go to school, or even live.

Her early education in Apartheid South Africa was little more than training to be a servant in a white home.

Instead, the beloved Sacramento State professor, affectionately known as “Dr. Ati”, dedicated her life to equity and education, ensuring all students would have the chance to succeed.

Mosupyoe received the 2026 Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Staff Performance in recognition of her work developing and launching the nation’s first Black Honors College (BHC).

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https://www.npr.org/2026/10/25/g-s1-149089/magic-magicians-south-africa-school-students

Dressed in a sharp black three-piece suit and a dapper yellow bow tie, Lubelo Mthenjana stands alone on a dark stage, taking in the last few seconds of quiet before the curtain opens. He takes a deep breath as his name is announced. Then he opens his arms wide and flashes a bright smile.

“Hello everyone! My name is Lubelo Mthenjana, and I will be performing for you … some magic!”

The audience of about 30 children and parents is spellbound. They laugh out loud as he makes a string of paper clips vanish into a plastic cup and gasp with surprise as the clips reappear inside a matchbox. Then comes his best trick: He conjures sweets out of thin air and tosses them into the crowd. The room erupts. As Lubelo takes his final bow to thunderous applause, his mom beams a proud smile at the 11-year-old apprentice magician.

Founder

Teri Johnson

Teri has been in enamored with fragrance for as long as she can remember. As a child growing up in Texas, she has vivid memories of exploring her favorite aunt’s collection of exotic perfumes and feeling as if an entire universe had opened up for her. She discovered early on that scent was a language for her to express herself.

Harlem Candle Co. is an elevated home fragrance collection inspired by the Harlem Renaissance.

Founded in 2014 by Teri Johnson, the brand was born from a passion for scent, storytelling, and the cultural artistry of Harlem. Each thoughtfully-designed candle is crafted to evoke a specific moment, mood, or muse – from the jazz lounges of Lenox Avenue to the captivating songwriting of Billie Holiday. With every flicker and vessel, we honor the legacy of the Golden Era, transforming its iconic past into sensory experiences for today.

Harlem Candle Co. has cultivated timeless creations in partnership with The White House, The MET Museum, The Wiz, and Gypsy. The collection’s beloved Purple Love candle was featured in Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2023.