WSSN Stories

NATIONWIDE — Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway, along with her colleague Dr. April T. Berry, wanted to be creative in allowing students and others to have a meaningful conversation around the incident that took place on the Montgomery Riverboat in Montgomery, Alabama on August 5, 2023. This was an event that sparked many reactions, emotions, thoughts, and reflections across social media and within our broader society.

Dr. Holloway is a Professor at Alabama State University located in Montgomery, Alabama. She knew with classes starting back within a few days of this event occurring, she needed to develop a way where students could be safe and brave in discussing this topic in her classes.

Additionally, Dr. Berry serves as the Clinical Director of Vets Recover, a non-profit organization in Mobile, Alabama, and an Adjunct Professor. By overseeing clinical operations and services offered to Veterans and the broader Mobile community, Dr. Berry knew that clients who may have had strong reactions and emotions to this event would need to feel safe in expressing them in therapy. Thus, she knew she needed to ensure clinicians and other mental health professionals were equipped to provide this safe space to clients should it be necessary.

Thus, they were inspired to create The Riverboat Curriculum Study Guide which contains a list of questions designed for professors, mental health professionals, and others to have healthy, meaningful, and engaging conversations about the Riverboat incident. It also allows individuals to understand the bigger picture and critically think about incidents such as these. When using this study guide, you can feel free to pick questions that may be appropriate for the setting in which you are (e.g., academia, mental health, etc.)

Drs. Holloway and Berry strongly believe that if situations such as these are not discussed appropriately, the U.S. will continue to move forward “sick.” They comment, “We will just continue to put bandages on gushing wounds our country experiences such as racism instead of truly tending to such wounds with the appropriate care. As a society, we must use our platforms to be a voice to those who may not speak up for themselves and continue to fight for racial and social justice.”

Indeed, this is exactly why Drs. Holloway and Berry wanted to do this by creating a study guide and starting the conversation to unpack such a critical topic.

Click the link below for The Montgomery Riverboat Curriculum Study Guide:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS3wolzrrjvXbmhTwLo-j1t6yvJIwr2Y5NREAmYizsZqBSPEWQQ400CRaAHtBtwMJuGwROs8AGpCyQX/pub

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

After months of heated political fights, and just before the Sept.14 deadline for passing bills introduced during the 2023 legislative session, the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1228, the “Fast Food Franchisor Responsibility Act.”

Just before midnight, the Senate did the same with a 32-8 vote.

Should Gov. Gavin Newsom sign the bill, an estimated 550,000 fast food workers in California would earn a minimum wage of $20 per hour.

Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), who authored the bill – and who later became a key dealmaker in negotiations critical to the passage of the legislation — expressed his satisfaction that opponents and proponents were able to reach a compromise that is mutually beneficial.

“I think it was important that we were able to get a resolution to the conflict between the coalition of businesses with franchisees and franchisors,” said Holden, a member of the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC). “But also making sure that we accomplish a goal of setting a council to the ongoing ways of looking at the workplace and making sure that the workers had a safe place to go to work.”

Holden said the bill will improve protections and foster a healthy work environment in California’s fast-food industry.

AB 1228 enforces a joint-employer liability theory between a fast-food restaurant’s franchisor and franchisee, by requiring the franchisor to share “all civil legal responsibility and civil liability for the fast-food restaurant franchisee’s violations.”

To secure its passage, Holden, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, and labor unions brokered a compromise to stave off a referendum scheduled for the November 2024 General Election that aimed to repeal A.B. 257, also known as the Fast-Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act.

“I thought it was a good outcome for all parties,” Holden told California Black Media of the negotiations. “They were sitting at the table with us as we were presenting the bill (Sept. 12).”

AB 257, which was signed into law in September 2022 facilitated the creation of a “Fast Food Council” composed of employees, advocates, franchisors, franchisees, and government officials tasked with overseeing wages and working conditions in fast-food facilities.

In May, a group known as The Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants coalition, which includes social justice advocates, local restaurant owners, small businesses, ethnic business leaders, restaurant brands and trade associations, expressed their concern that AB 1228 would cut off inroads to business ownership for minority entrepreneurs.

On Sept. 11, the Save Local Restaurants coalition announced that a “comprehensive legislative agreement had been reached regarding quick service restaurants” and legislative and regulatory issues in California.

“(The agreement) provides meaningful wage increases for workers, while at the same time eliminates more significant – and potentially existential – threats, costs, and regulatory burdens targeting local restaurants in California,” said Matt Haller, President and CEO, International Franchise Association.

All 12 members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), including Holden, voted for A.B. 1228. The members were CLBC chair Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), vice-chair Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights) and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Mike Gipson (D-Carson), Corey Jackson (D-Riverside), Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) and Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa).

Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), Minority Leader of the California Assembly, said complicated bills such as AB 1228 should not wait “until the 11th hour” to be voted on.

“If it’s anything after 8 p.m. it usually not good,” said Gallagher, who voted against Holden’s bill.

By McKenzie Jackson |? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

Sofia Mbega’s first exposure to technology – more specifically, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) — happened years before she moved from East Africa to the Golden State.

Mbega was a student at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania, when her mother, Gloria Mawaliza, suggested she take a technology course after learning about computer science from co-workers at the international children’s nonprofit World Vision.

Mbega, now a Stockton resident, said taking courses in software engineering, which she received a degree in 2015, was previously unheard of in Tanzania.

“We were the first batch of students,” Mbega said of herself and her classmates. “It was a new profession for my country.”

When she learned about A.I. systems, a topic that continues to grab headlines across the U.S. with experts and pundits wrestling with its merits and dangers, Mbega was intrigued.

“I was so excited,” she recalled. “But I did not picture things would be like this. I thought A.I. would only be something to help software engineers.”

The technology has moved well beyond that purpose.

A.I. floodgates opened into the mainstream of human consumption late last year with the release of the generative A.I. ChatGPT, which uses natural language procession to create humanlike conversational dialogue for public use. A.I.’s popularity has spearheaded discussions on how chatbots and other A.I. applications like face recognition and A.I. voice generator will impact the workforce, educational systems, entertainment, and individuals’ daily lives.

Despite only accounting for a small percentage of the technology sector workforce, Black women like Mbega, a 31-year-old independent data analysis contractor, are constantly assessing the positives and negatives of A.I. and what it is like to work in the industry.

Although she is still excited about A.I., Mbega says alarm bells are ringing.

If you ask large language model-based chatbots like ChatGPT a question. It will answer. People have used A.I. to do draft emails, compose music, write computer code, and create videos and images.

Mbega worries that bad actors could use A.I. for nefarious reasons.

“Someone can make a video of someone saying a crazy or bad thing and people will believe it,” she said.

Oakland resident Joy Dixon, a software engineering manager at Hazel Health and the founder of Mosaic Presence Inc., is concerned about students becoming too dependent on A.I. to do educational tasks such as write papers and solve problems.

“How much is it really advancing them?” Dixon asked. “Is it doing us a disservice that we won’t see now, but maybe in five to 10 years?”

Her main concern with A.I. though is prejudices present in the technology.

“A.I. is built on models of people, and people have their own biases and challenges,” Dixon said. “Computers aren’t neutral.”

There are documented instances of A.I. image generators producing distorted or stereotypical images of Black people when directed to create an image of a “Black” or “African American” person. The technology has created images depicting Black people with lighter skin tones or non-Black hair.

In July, Bloomberg analyzed more than 5,000 images generated by Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion and revealed that the text-to-image model amplified stereotypes about race and gender. It portrayed individuals with lighter skin tones as having high-paying jobs and people with darker skin tones having occupations such as dishwashers, janitors, and housekeepers.

Google disabled it’s A.I. program’s ability to let people search for monkeys and gorillas through its Photos app eight years ago because the algorithm was incorrectly putting Black people in those categories.

A.I. developers have said they are addressing the issue of biases, but Dixon, 53, who has worked in tech since 1997, believes the problem will persist unless more people of color participate in constructing the systems A.I. technology is built upon.

“When car airbags were first released, they killed more women than saved women because nobody tested them on crash dummies that were the size of women,” she said. “There is similar concern about A.I. If you are only building models with a certain subset of the demographic, then you are leaving whole groups out.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Sept. 6 to examine the use, development, and risks of A.I. in the state and to shape a process for deployment and evaluation of the technology.

Newsom called A.I. “transformative technology” and noted that the government sees the good and bad of A.I.

“We’re taking a clear-eyed, humble approach to this world-changing technology,” he said.

Dr. Brandeis Marshall, a data scientist and professor at Atlanta’s Spelman College, said Black women in technology have skills equal to or better than their counterparts, so more should be involved in the construction of A.I. systems. However, they do not get the same opportunities.

“I meet plenty of Black women who have all the chops, but they haven’t been promoted,” she said. “You tend to be the only one in the room.

Black Women in A.I. founder, Angle Bush of Houston, said Black women can contribute much to A.I.

“We have had to be innovative,” she said. “If we don’t have something, we figure out a way to create it. There are a lot of ideas that haven’t come to fruition because of lack of access and opportunity. It has nothing to do with our aptitude.”

Mbega believes the technology can be groundbreaking in health care and help identify ailments such as brain cancer.

Marshall said any discussions of A.I. systems taking over the world like in a Hollywood blockbuster are overblown.

“Right now, we get inundated with all the cool things,” she said. “Then, we seem surprised that there are harmful things. Let’s get a 360 view before we put all of our chips in one basket.”

By Lou K Coleman

And what do you do? You turn your head as if nothing is happening around you. Woe unto you!  Jesus and the apostles exhorted us to actively “watch!” [Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:32-37]. The command to “watch” includes being alert to newsworthy events happening in the world we live in. When we see major shifts in the political climate and see nations jockeying for position and preparing for war, we must take note! Likewise, we should be alert to potential biological and environmental disasters that we are told will happen in the end-times. We must be aware of time and events so that we can be ready for what is coming. [Revelations 22:20]. Understand all that Christ and the apostles meant and the wide-ranging implications, because your survival and salvation depend on that understanding and your action.

“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear. [Jeremiah 5:21]. The Luciferians tell you what they’re going to do ahead of time. They have a code of ethics, and one of the facets of their code of ethics is they must tell the world everything they are going to do before they do it. Certainly, we are not ignorant that evil, the workings of Satan, are all around us. Staying aware of the powerful behind-the-scenes role of Satan and his demons enables us to understand the atrocious evil and madness of this world. So, what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” [Mark 13:35-37]. “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” [1 Peter 5:8].

In Revelation 13 it tells us that the four beasts of [Daniel 7] become one beast, the united government of the Antichrist [The New World Order]. What’s happening in the world today? The Beast Rising from the Earth: [Revelation 13:11-18]. Watch and pray that you may escape all that is about to happen, that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” [Luke 21:36].

What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!

NEW YORK, NY— EBONY Magazine will return to print for a Fall issue that is slated to hit newsstands on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.  In partnership with entertainment company Mass Appeal, the limited-edition print issue celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop with five unique cover stories highlighting Hip Hop legends: 50 Cent, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, and Swizz Beatz.  To punctuate Hip Hop’s interdisciplinary reach, both brands have collaborated to create and house original Hip Hop 50 content. In sponsorship with Google Pixel, EBONY.com serves as a digital hub for always-on multimedia content exploring the legacy of Hip Hop across art, music, activism, fashion, business, and more.  Readers can access the content online and the print issue will be available nationwide and in select international markets.

“For the past 50 years Hip Hop has been a cornerstone in our community and an undeniable world force,” says EBONY EVP of Brand and Marketing Ashlee Glenn. “We hand-picked our Fall cover stars because they represent the excellence of the genre.  Their style and business acumen are as influential to our culture as their musical prowess, and we could not miss this opportunity to give our loyal readers what they have long been asking for – a physical copy of our legendary print magazine.”

EBONY Magazine has been a leader in media because of the brand’s history of producing buzz-worthy news stories, provocative covers, and highlighting the best of Black culture.  EBONY’s coveted Fall issue will showcase the far-reaching impact of Hip Hop with features penned by leading journalists that have played an integral role in chronicling its evolution, including trailblazer Emil Wilbekin, award-winning writer Kevin Powell, and historian Elliott Wilson. Shot on various locations in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, the commemorative edition features covers by legendary photographers Keith Major and Shamaal Bloodman.

“EBONY Magazine has been a pioneer publication documenting Black life in America since its inception. EBONY has photographed and profiled some of the most iconic figures in Hip Hop, those who have influenced culture and shaped society. It is a pleasure to partner with EBONY to continue documenting the moments that made history and those which undoubtedly will,” adds Mass Appeal SVP of Partnerships & Content Acquisition Jenya Meggs.

Of particular excitement is Mass Appeal’s “Hip Hop 50 List,” to be featured on EBONY.com. The curated feature will celebrate the artists, creators, and industry trailblazers who have made an indelible mark in Hip Hop and beyond.

Garrison is the first Black woman to serve as a full committee staff director in at least five years

WASHINGTON—- The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies applauds Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, for promoting Eyang Garrison to the role of majority staff director.

Garrison is the first Black full committee staff director since the Oct. 2021 departure of David Strickland, who served as staff director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. There are a total of 37 full committee staff director positions in the Senate.

Prior to the new role, Garrison served on the committee as deputy staff director since March. She also served as chief of staff to former Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jewel Bronaugh and deputy chief of staff and legislative director to then-Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH). She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

“It’s exciting to see Ms. Garrison take on such an important role in the Senate, especially considering that she will be the first Black woman to serve as a Senate full committee staff director in at least five years,” said Joint Center Interim President and Vice President, Policy Jessica Fulton.

“With a proven track record that includes leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and in Congress, Ms. Garrison brings in-depth knowledge and policy expertise during a pivotal moment in U.S. agricultural policy, which affects our communities through food, farms, and nutrition. We commend Senator Debbie Stabenow for her commitment to promoting top staff diversity and for recognizing Ms. Garrison’s invaluable expertise, leading to her well-deserved appointment. We hope other senators follow her lead and recruit talented people of color for top staff positions, ensuring that congressional top staff reflects the diversity of America.”

ATLANTA, GA—- Awakened Lounge, a visionary production company, is thrilled to announce its latest cinematic masterpiece, “Jubilee Amor”. This enchanting romantic comedy is set to captivate audiences and leave an everlasting impression with its heartfelt storytelling and relatable characters.

Written and directed by the talented Naomi K. Bonman, “Jubilee Amor” takes us on a journey of love, self-discovery, and overcoming obstacles. Set in the vibrant City of Atlanta, the film follows the story of a former playboy and a strong independent woman navigating jealousy, tragedy, and the quest for true love. It’s a beautifully crafted narrative that explores the complexities of relationships while delivering moments of laughter and inspiration.

Under the visionary leadership of Awakened Lounge, the production team for “Jubilee Amor” includes Lillie Mae Jones as the Casting Director and Producer, Quinton Cammick as the Assistant Director, Marie France Louis as the Associate Producer and Gaffer, and Blaire Hastings as the Production Assistant, among other talented individuals who have poured their hearts and souls into making this film a reality.

“Jubilee Amor” is more than just a film; it’s a movement. Awakened Lounge is committed to empowering emerging artists and promoting diverse storytelling. The storylines and characters in “Jubilee Amor” reflect the richness of Atlanta’s black filmmakers and actors, bringing their unique perspectives to the forefront.

However, creating a high-quality film like “Jubilee Amor” requires not only passion and creativity but also financial resources. Awakened Lounge invites individuals who share their vision and believe in the power of independent filmmaking to contribute to the success of the project. By donating to support the production of “Jubilee Amor,” you can play a pivotal role in bringing this enchanting story to life.

To make a donation and support the film, please visit theawakenedlounge.com/jubilee-amor. Every donation, regardless of the amount, will make a significant difference in realizing the artistic vision of “Jubilee Amor.” As a token of appreciation, the names of generous donors will be prominently featured in the film’s credits.

Awakened Lounge is a company passionate about curating luxury and holistic travel experiences for creatives of color. To learn more about the company and its mission, please visit their About Us page at theawakenedlounge.com/about-us.

Join Awakened Lounge on this cinematic journey of love, laughter, and self-discovery. By supporting “Jubilee Amor,” you are not only contributing to the growth of independent filmmaking but also uplifting underrepresented voices and celebrating the magic of storytelling.

For many states, September represents International Underground Railroad Month. The State of Maryland initiated this commemoration in 2019. During this month, we hope to elevate and share Underground Railroad histories with our communities and better understand how the actions of freedom seekers and their allies shaped the world we live in today.

September represents International Underground Railroad Month because it was the month that two of the most well-known freedom seekers and Underground Railroad operatives, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, escaped from slavery.

There was no singular path to freedom. Freedom seekers may have chosen to travel within the United States, but some travelled internationally to secure their freedom: to the Caribbean, Mexico, England, Canada, etc. The journeys of freedom seekers themselves is part of what connects nations across the world to the history of the Underground Railroad.

Wherever and whenever slavery existed, there were efforts to escape. We know free Black communities, and in some cases Indigenous tribes, came together to aid freedom seekers in their fight for freedom: not just Quakers and wealthy white abolitionists. We know that freedom seekers who made the decision to escape traveled not just North to Canada: but South to locations like Spanish Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico to reclaim their freedom. All these puzzle pieces can help us understand the Underground Railroad as one of the first American Civil Rights movements.

In September 2019, the State of Maryland initiated the commemoration of September as International Underground Railroad Month and invited other states to join them in the future.  In 2020, Maryland Office of Tourism and the Michigan Freedom Trails Commission reached out to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom to collaborate with sites, facilities, and programs with documented connections to the Underground Railroad.  The Network to Freedom’s role is to bring communities together and provide them with an opportunity to engage with these stories in a new way.

The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program defines the Underground Railroad as “resistance to slavery through escape and flight.” The Underground Railroad would not exist were it not for the bravery of freedom seekers who self-liberated: and thus, it is imperative that discussion of the Underground Railroad is centered on the experiences of the freedom seekers themselves. Everyone who escaped slavery has a unique story, and though it is possible to draw trends from the hundreds of individuals who escaped, we must understand that there is no such thing as a “routine” or “typical” escape story. By examining the Underground Railroad in this way, we can more thoroughly understand the obstacles freedom seekers faced, the motivations of allies and enemies, and the complexity and nuance of one of the first Civil Rights movements in the United States.

Digital versions of proclamations will be available in the coming days.

Events are being held all over the country and internationally to commemorate International Underground Railroad Month. The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Organization Calendar Page has information relative to Network to Freedom Members that are hosting events for International Underground Railroad Month, as does our International Underground Railroad Month landing page.

By Lou K. Coleman

Who lead the world in every abomination known to man. “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: who has forsaken the Lord, who has provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, who has gone away backward.” [Isaiah 1:4]. Woe unto you! Professing to be wise, became fools, changing the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Changed the truth of God into a lie, worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator.

America, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, deceit, whispers, backbiters, despiteful, proud, boasters, disobedient, covenant breakers, implacable, unmerciful, haters of God: Who knowing the judgment of God, that what they commit is worthy of death… [Romans chapter 1]. Woe to America! Cunningly guided the world in spiritual fornication. “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies” [Revelation 18:3-5]. I tell you, you will be a curse and an object of horror, a curse, and an object of reproach; you will never see this place again. [Jeremiah 42:18]. For the judgment of God for you have reached the point of no return. Your destruction will be like an overwhelming flood, uniquely vast and deep. Overpowering. Unescapable. Unstoppable, says Almighty God.

Come near, you nations, to hear; and listen, you peoples! Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it. For the Lord’s anger is against all the nations, and His wrath against all their armies. He has utterly destroyed them; He has turned them over to slaughter. So, their slain will be thrown out, and their corpses will give off their stench, and the mountains will be drenched with their blood. And all the heavenly lights will wear away, and the sky will be rolled up like a scroll; For My sword has drunk its fill in heaven; and it shall descend for judgment upon [America] and upon the people whom I have designated for destruction… Woe to America! Its streams will be turned into pitch, and its loose earth into brimstone, and its land will become burning pitch. It will not be extinguished night or day; Its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation, it will be desolate; none will pass through it forever and ever. [Isaiah 34:1-10].

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. [Jeremiah 18:7-8].

For, I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. [Acts 20:27].

NEW YORK, NY— GIRLS PREP BRONX II ELEMENTARY was the epicenter of a heartwarming philanthropic initiative led by two-time New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Frederick Joseph. Reflecting his ongoing commitment to communities and young people, Joseph generously donated $20,000 worth of essential back-to-school supplies and books to children at the school.

The generous contribution included copies of his recent work, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – The Courage to Dream,” Nike book bags, school supplies, notebooks, and stress-relief balls. Beyond the tangible items, Joseph also ensured that attendees were well-fed, providing food for the event. Recognizing the financial challenges that some families face, he went a step further by distributing $50 gift cards to parents in attendance.

“I’m from these neighborhoods in New York, and these kids remind me of myself,” Joseph shared. “I want to help provide for them some of the same things I wish people provided for me when I was that age.”

About Frederick Joseph:

Frederick’s literary prowess is evident with New York Times bestsellers like “The Black Friend” (2020) and “Patriarchy Blues” (2022) under his belt. He’s been a beacon in the literary world, gaining accolades such as the International Literacy Association’s 2021 Children’s & Young Adults’ Book Award and making the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2019. His activism, philanthropy, and poetic gifts have led to numerous honors, including the 2023 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award.

Notably, Frederick’s community-driven endeavors have amassed over $50 million to support marginalized communities. His initiatives, like the #RentRelief campaign during the height of the pandemic and the #BlackPantherChallenge, resonate globally, bringing hope and change.

Eager readers can anticipate Frederick’s upcoming works, including his debut poetry collection “We Alive, Beloved,” novel “This Thing of Ours,” and the non-fiction essay anthology “Color Me Grateful.” Visit FrederickJoseph.com or @FredTJoseph to learn more.

About Girls Prep Bronx II Elementary School:

Girls Prep Bronx II Elementary School is a part of the award-winning, Public Prep network of charter schools across Manhattan and the Bronx and the nation’s first non-profit tuition-free charter school network that develops exceptional Pre-K, and single-gender elementary and middle public schools. We envision a world where every scholar realizes their greatness inside and outside of school, and where classrooms are beacons of the community, fostering courageous learners, critical thinkers, and resilient leaders with strong personal agency.

About Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – The Courage to Dream:

Set in the world of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever from Marvel Studios, The Courage to Dream is an inspiring picture book about a young Wakandan finding her destiny, from two New York Times best-selling creators. The Courage to Dream tells the story of Assata, a young Wakandan who hopes to become one of the Dora Milaje, the warriors who protect Wakanda. But because of Assata’s disability, she lets go of her dream. Assata’s light shows through all the same, introducing her to surprising friends: the princess Shuri, the warrior Okoye, and the powerful M’Baku. But only Assata can give herself what she’s missing: the courage to dream.