Author: Dorcas Onasa

Students hoping to intern at the Trump White House this year will find the opportunity comes without a paycheck a notable shift from what the previous administration had put in place. President Joe Biden launched a paid White House internship program in 2022, offering participants a stipend equivalent to $750 per week for a minimum of 35 hours of work. The move was a departure from tradition. White House internships had historically been unpaid positions, a structure that effectively limited access to students who could afford to work without compensation and left lower-income applicants with far fewer options. Why Biden…

When mainstream news outlets move on to the next story, independent Black newspapers often stay. That staying power is exactly what has made the Amsterdam News one of the most enduring voices in American journalism and it is also what puts publications like it at constant financial risk. Founded in 1909, the Amsterdam News has spent more than a century covering stories that directly affect African American communities across the country. Long before diversity became a buzzword in newsrooms, this New York-based publication was already doing the work holding power accountable, centering marginalized voices and making sure entire communities did…

The New York State Black Legislative Task Force has secured $30 million in funding for more than 200 Black-led nonprofits and organizations working in underserved communities across the state, marking another major win for communities that have long faced systemic gaps in resources and investment. The funding is included in the One House Budget for fiscal year 2026–2027 and is earmarked for organizations working across a wide range of critical areas, including crisis intervention, housing, economic development, workforce training, healthcare, education, and civic engagement. A budget win amid ongoing delays Final approval for the budget bills had been expected around…

At a moment when layoffs are making headlines, artificial intelligence is reshaping entire industries, and professionals across the country are questioning what job security even means anymore, Dr. Velma Trayham has written what may be the most timely career book of the year. Unfireable: You Can Be Fired From Your Job, But You Can Never Be Fired From Your Purpose” is set for release on April 18, 2026, and is available for preorder now. The book comes from the President and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona, a nationally recognized entrepreneur who has built and sold multiple companies and…

When it comes to soul music, poetry, and raw authenticity, few artists command a conversation the way Jill Scott does. With her rich, layered vocals and a gift for storytelling that feels almost cinematic, the Philadelphia-born artist has built a body of work that resonates across generations. But beyond the music that most people know, there is a deeper, more textured story worth telling. Here are 10 facts about Jill Scott that reveal just how remarkable her journey has been.  She started as a poet, not a singer Long before the Grammy Awards and sold-out concerts, Jill Scott was cutting…

Zendaya has given her most candid explanation yet for why she has stayed largely silent on months of speculation that she and Tom Holland are already married and her reasoning says a great deal about the woman behind the fame. The 29-year-old actress spoke openly during a recent podcast appearance alongside her The Drama co-star Robert Pattinson, addressing public curiosity about her relationship in a way that was both thoughtful and disarmingly self-aware. For someone who commands one of the largest platforms in Hollywood, the choice to say so little for so long has itself become a story  and now,…

President Donald Trump made history on a day that will likely be remembered well beyond the walls of the nation’s highest court. For the first time ever, a sitting U.S. president attended a Supreme Court oral argument  and the session he chose to witness was one built entirely around a case of his own making. Trump arrived at the court shortly before arguments began, dressed in his customary dark suit and red tie. He was accompanied by Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington, and took his seat among senior government officials as the justices filed in.…

It was supposed to be a routine at-bat in the second inning. It turned into one of the more unsettling moments of the early MLB season. Veteran home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor, 63, was forced to leave the field during the Tampa Bay Rays road matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers after being struck directly in the face mask by a foul tip. The ball came off the bat of Rays catcher Nick Fortes, who was squaring up against Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski on a blazing 100-mph fastball. Fortes made contact but not the kind anyone wanted and the ball ricocheted…

A man sitting on Alabama’s death row is asking the state to carry out his sentence sooner rather than later  an unusual and sobering request that is drawing attention to both the case and the broader mechanics of capital punishment in the state. Jeremy Williams, of Phenix City, Alabama, formally petitioned the state to expedite his execution following the Alabama Court of Appeals’ decision to uphold both his conviction and death sentence. In a move that surprised many observers, Williams dismissed his legal team and submitted the request himself, bypassing the extended appeals process that most death row inmates pursue…

There is something quietly fearless about Coco Jones right now. The singer and actress, best known for her powerhouse vocals and breakout R&B success, is in the middle of a personal and creative shift one she is not trying to rush or package neatly for anyone. With her new single Lover Girl out in the world, Jones is learning what it feels like to release something deeply personal and simply let it breathe. That willingness to sit with uncertainty, she says, is very much the point. What Lover Girl really means to her For Jones, putting out new music has…