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What's On Today - Monday

Outdoor Afro Offers Swim Scholarship Program To Help Close Racial Gap In Water Safety

Outdoor Afro, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reconnecting Black communities with nature, is making waves with its mission to address a long-standing disparity in swim education. The organization has been spreading the word about their Making Waves program, which provides swimming scholarships—or “swimmerships”—to Black children, teens, and adults across the country, according to a report shared by journalist Phillip Lewis on June 24.

The initiative aims to tackle a troubling and persistent issue: Black Americans are significantly more likely to drown than their white counterparts due to their inability to swim.… Read more

Howard University And Google Team Up To Advance AI Speech Recognition For African American English

In a significant move toward advancing inclusivity in technology, Howard University and Google Research have unveiled a new dataset designed to enhance how automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems serve Black users. The collaboration, part of Project Elevate Black Voices, involved researchers traveling nationwide to document the unique dialects, accents, and speech patterns commonly found in Black communities, features often misinterpreted or ignored by current AI systems.

The project spotlights African American English (AAE)—also known as African American Vernacular English, Black English, Ebonics, or simply “Black talk”—a culturally rich and historically rooted linguistic form.… Read more

Nike Will Raise Prices, Shift Production From China Amid Tariff Hits 

For decades, Nike was the premier name in sneakers and sportswear. Through the Jordan brand, the company had become synonymous with Black cool. In recent years, though, the allure of the brand has cooled with sales steadily declining. A recent earnings report revealed that while Nike’s sales decline appears to be reversing, the company expects to take a $1 billion hit due to the Trump administration’s ongoing tariffs.

According to CNBC, the company announced the news during an earnings call with investors on Thursday.… Read more

We are excited to announce that the 5th Annual South Side Stop The Violence Community Cookout is finally here

We are excited to announce that the 5th Annual South Side Stop The Violence Community Cookout is finally here! Join us for the biggest community event of the year!

📅 Date: Thursday, July 31st

🕑 Time: 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

📍 Location: Dr. Martin Luther King Park, 4055 Nicollet Ave S

Get ready for a day filled with nonstop fun, community connection, and positive vibes. Everything is FREE!

🎮 Fun games and activities

🍔 Free food and refreshments

🎶 Live music and entertainment

🏀 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament

👟Jordan & Nike giveaway

🎪 Water slide, bungee swings, obstacle courses, and bouncy houses, giveaways and much more!… Read more

Kyrie Irving Donates $50K For Tamir Rice Youth Center

NBA star and activist Kyrie Irving has donated $50,000 to a fundraiser launched to support the creation of a youth center honoring the legacy of Tamir Rice.

Nearly a decade after 12-year-old Tamir Rice was killed by Cleveland police, his name continues to echo, not as a headline but rather a call to action. This week, NBA star point guard Kyrie Irving answered that call with a powerful donation of $50,000 to the Tamir Rice Foundation, bringing a grassroots fundraiser to over $85,000, a huge step closer to its $110,000 goal.… Read more

Diddy And Justin Combs Hit With “Gang Rape” Allegations

According to reports, a startling new lawsuit has been filed against Diddy and his son, Justin Combs, accusing them of luring a woman to California to be raped by Diddy and two other “masked men” in 2017.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday (June 23), alleges that Justin Combs used his father Diddy’s celebrity and position to lure the victim (referred to as Jane Doe in the filing) to California with the promise of a job in television.… Read more

Brandy & Monica Claim ‘The Boy is Mine’ Was Inspired By Jerry Springer

by Sam Moore

Published on: Jun 26, 2025, 2:00 PM PDT

Brandy and Monica have revealed that they were inspired by Jerry Springer and his controversial talk show when making “The Boy is Mine”.

Stopping by The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to talk about their recently announced reunion tour and also claimed that their biggest hit was a result of watching trashy TV.

Brandy said: “I was a huge Jerry Springer fan. One of the topics was ‘The boy is mine,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh my God.… Read more

I-494, I-35W closing for construction this weekend

By Madison Hunter

Published  June 23, 2025 3:53pm CDT

(FOX 9) – Interstate 494 (I-494) and Interstate 35W (I-35W) will be closed this weekend as construction continues in the area. The closure is set to start at 10 p.m. Friday, June 27, and will go until 5 a.m. Monday, June 30. 

I-494 closure

What we know:

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) says that eastbound I-494 will be closed between Highway 100 and I-35W. 

The detour for this closure is taking northbound Highway 100 to eastbound Highway 62 to southbound Highway 77 to eastbound I-494. … Read more

St. Paul Fire Department reaches milestone with Black firefighters

By Symone Woolridge

Updated  June 27, 2025 11:09am CDT

Voices For Change

The Brief

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Diversity within the St. Paul Fire Department is more prevalent than ever. The department has the highest number of Black firefighters in promoted positions in department history. 

This is a testament to how far the department has come and the hard work of local organizations dedicated to equal opportunity. 

Change has been a long time coming

What they’re saying:

If you ask Black retired St.… Read more

“Watch Me Nae Nae” Rapper Silento’s Mugshot Released

Rapper Silento, best known for his 2015 hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has started a 30-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to killing his cousin, Frederick Rooks III, in 2021.

His mugshot was released this week, showing the 27-year-old as he begins his time behind bars. Silento, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, recently appeared in a Georgia courtroom and agreed to a plea deal.

The shooting happened on January 21, 2021, in Decatur, Georgia.… Read more

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