Herman Cain Says Trump Doesn't Have 'A Racist Bone In His Body'

Herman Cain recently scoffed at the allegations accusing President Donald Trump of being racist.

“I don’t think Donald Trump has a racist bone in his body. And you can quote me on that,” Cain said in an interview with Yahoo News. “I have known him for many years. I have talked to people who work directly for him. The man is a businessman. How could he be a racist? His daughter married a person whose religious belief is Jewish. Good! He doesn’t go around making statements that are racist in nature. No, he says things where some people out there — especially people who don’t like him — try to spin it as being racist.”

On several occasions, Trump has referred to himself as "the least racist person." However, his statements on Charlottesville, Virginia, his history of running racially-charged attack ads and his recent "sh*thole countries" controversy have his critics unsure whether Trump is as tolerant as Cain claims.

According to Cain, critics need to put aside Trump’s language and personality. He instead urges them to focus on the results of Trump's policies in order to truly measure the success of his first-year in office.

Cain said he would give year one an "A" because Trump rolled back regulations and signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which he called “one of the biggest legislative achievements in 30 years.”

When it comes to Trump's campaign rhetoric (including when Trump said the following about Mexican immigrants: "They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."), Cain said that he never observed anything at Trump’s campaign events that would indicate he harbors any animus toward minorities.

Herman Cain recently scoffed at the allegations accusing President Donald Trump of being racist.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think Donald Trump has a racist bone in his body. And you can quote me on that,” Cain said in an interview with \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/herman-cain-says-trump-doesnt-racist-bone-body-180726069.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Yahoo News\u003C/a>. “I have known him for many years. I have talked to people who work directly for him. The man is a businessman. How could he be a racist? His daughter married a person whose religious belief is Jewish. Good! He doesn’t go around making statements that are racist in nature. No, he says things where some people out there — especially people who don’t like him — try to spin it as being racist.”\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On several occasions, Trump has referred to himself as "the least racist person." However, his statements on \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/donald-trump-charlottesville-winery-both-sides-blame-violence\">Charlottesville\u003C/a>, Virginia, his history of running \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/ava-duvernay-calls-out-trump-for-his-hypocrisy-role-in-the-central-park-five-conviction\">racially-charged attack ads\u003C/a> and his recent \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/trump-reportedly-fussed-about-shthole-countries-like-haiti-and-other-african-nations-for-flocking-to-the-us\">"sh*thole countries" controversy\u003C/a> have his critics unsure whether Trump is as tolerant as Cain claims.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>According to Cain, critics need to put aside Trump’s language and personality. He instead urges them to focus on the results of Trump's policies in order to truly measure the success of his first-year in office.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Cain said he would give year one an "A" because Trump rolled back regulations and signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which he called “one of the biggest legislative achievements in 30 years.”\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>When it comes to Trump's campaign rhetoric (including when Trump said the following about \u003Ca href=\"http://time.com/4473972/donald-trump-mexico-meeting-insult/\">Mexican immigrants\u003C/a>: "They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."), Cain said that he never observed anything at Trump’s campaign events that would indicate he harbors any animus toward minorities.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='“When he was campaigning, I spoke at three of his rallies. There were plenty of black people and Hispanic people there trying to help him get elected. I never saw him try to put anybody down. The people who don’t like him are trying to stick him with a racist label, which is not true,” Cain said. At a campaign rally in Atlanta, he vouched for Trump as a \u003Ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/us/politics/behind-herman-cains-humor-a-question-of-seriousness.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">“shucky ducky” kind of candidate.\u003C/a> Trump received \u003Ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/behind-trumps-victory-divisions-by-race-gender-education/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">8 percent\u003C/a> of votes by black people in 2016.’ data-reactid=”26″ type=”text”>“When he was campaigning, I spoke at three of his rallies. There were plenty of black people and Hispanic people there trying to help him get elected," Cain said. "I never saw him try to put anybody down. The people who don’t like him are trying to stick him with a racist label, which is not true."\u003C/p>\n",[23,27],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},"News","news",83,{"name":28,"slug":29,"id":30},"Politics","politics",120,[32,36],{"id":33,"name":34,"slug":35,"description":10,"image":10},37278,"Donald trump","donald-trump",{"id":37,"name":38,"slug":39,"description":10,"image":10},31431,"Herman Cain","herman-cain",{"url":41,"thumbnail":41,"credit":42,"title":10,"alt":10,"type":43},"https://res.cloudinary.com/blavity/image/upload/v1518555094/hlftrwf7fqctilz89h1b","Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons","image","2018-02-13T16:18:42-05:00","default",[],false,{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":49,"headScript":50},true,null,"https://storage.googleapis.com/blavitynews/images/fallback.jpg","article","2025-11-21T17:38:12.187Z",{"list":55,"total":170},[56,94,127],{"id":57,"author":58,"authors":65,"title":67,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":68,"body":69,"categories":70,"tags":75,"featuredMedia":84,"publishedAt":90,"updatedAt":91,"type":45,"listicle":92,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":93},72881657,{"id":59,"avatar":60,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":61,"email":62,"username":61,"normalizedUsername":63,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":64},96045,"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/DSC09602-2-compress.jpg","Tomas Kassahun","tomas.kassahun@blavity.com","tomas-kassahun","2019-09-06T00:00:00+00:00",[66],{"id":59,"avatar":60,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":61,"email":62,"username":61,"normalizedUsername":63,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":64},"Is LeBron James Still In The G League?","is-lebron-in-the-g-league","\n\u003Cp>LeBron James remains in the G League as he prepares to come back from injury. The Lakers reassigned James to their G League affiliate, South Bay Lakers, on Sunday, and he’s expected to practice with the team on Monday, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46988206/sources-lebron-james-back-lakers-g-league-practices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESPN \u003C/a>reported.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>James first practiced with the South Bay Lakers on Wednesday, completing 5-on-5 sessions.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-injury-that-caused-lebron-james-to-miss-the-start-of-the-nba-season-0\">What is the injury that caused LeBron James to miss the start of the NBA season?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>James has missed the first three weeks of the NBA season because of sciatica, an injury affecting his lower back and right side of his body. However, James is now recovering from his injury, and he is moving well, sources told ESPN.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“He went through his first practice of this NBA season and most critically, his first five-on-five action of the season,” ESPN’s \u003Ca href=\"https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1988713318408761648\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shams Charania\u003C/a> reported. “Sources told me this afternoon that LeBron James looked great, felt great as he went through that practice. He moved well and he didn’t show signs of any issues as he’s worked through this nerve issue on his right side.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As he prepares to make his season debut, James went to Instagram to share an image of his signature Nike shoes next to an hourglass emoji.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-is-lebron-james-expected-to-make-his-season-debut-0\">When is LeBron James expected to make his season debut?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>LeBron James could make his season debut on Tuesday when the Lakers host the Jazz if he doesn’t face any setbacks with his injury, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/los-angeles-lakers/news/why-lebron-james-g-league-explaining-lakers-stars-assignment/8a9b9668616fb305e4118c5d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sporting News \u003C/a>reported. The NBA superstar will make history when he makes his return, becoming the first player to play 23 seasons.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, James’ son Bronny started for the Lakers on Saturday when the Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 119-95.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“How about Bronny James starting in the NBA and LeBron’s assigned to the G League?” Lakers guard Austin Reaves said in a postgame interview, per ESPN. “That’s fun. That’s awesome.”\u003C/p>\n",[71],{"name":72,"slug":73,"id":74},"Sports","sports",93,[76,80],{"id":77,"name":78,"slug":79,"description":10,"image":10},21862,"Lebron james","lebron-james-2",{"id":81,"name":82,"slug":83,"description":10,"image":10},44529,"top stories","top-stories",{"url":85,"thumbnail":86,"credit":87,"title":88,"alt":89,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2242622187.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2242622187-150x100.jpg","Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images","Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers","LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 21: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on October 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.","2025-11-16T20:50:13-05:00","2025-11-16T20:55:13-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":95,"author":96,"authors":97,"title":99,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":100,"body":101,"categories":102,"tags":104,"featuredMedia":117,"publishedAt":122,"updatedAt":123,"type":45,"listicle":124,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":125,"additional":126},72881392,{"id":59,"avatar":60,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":61,"email":62,"username":61,"normalizedUsername":63,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":64},[98],{"id":59,"avatar":60,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":61,"email":62,"username":61,"normalizedUsername":63,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":64},"Video Of Dallas Regional Medical Center Allegedly Delaying Care For Black Mother During Labor Goes Viral","dallas-regional-medical-center-video-goes-viral-black-mother-labor","\n\u003Cp>A Black mother has gone to social media to express her outrage about her daughter allegedly facing discrimination while she was in labor at \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/marshawn-kneeland-dies-at-24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dallas\u003C/a> Regional Medical Center in Mesquite, \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/texas-southern-university-financial-mismanagement-allegations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas\u003C/a>. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The frustrated mother, Kash (who goes by kashman2814 on TikTok), posted a video of her daughter, Karrie Jones, screaming in agony while waiting to be admitted to the hospital.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-texas-mom-was-in-visible-pain-while-waiting-to-be-admitted-at-dallas-regional-medical-center\">The Texas mom was in visible pain while waiting to be admitted at Dallas Regional Medical Center\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The video she posted to TikTok shows Jones sitting in a wheelchair and fighting serious pain while a nurse sits in front of a computer nearby and asks a barrage of questions to collect the woman’s medical information. The nurse asks a series of questions about how many times Jones has been pregnant, how many kids she has, who her doctor is, and her due date.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>She can also be heard in the background of the video while recording the exchange between the nurse and her daughter.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Y’all treat all your patients like this or just the Black ones?” she said as the nurse continued to enter the information on the computer.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As the nurse appeared to forget Karrie’s due date at one point, Jones and her mother became upset and yelled out the due date. Jones forces herself to stand up from the wheelchair before the video ends and continues to painfully scream.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp> “Are y’all for real right now? Does she have to give birth in a chair?” she said in the video.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The nurse then told Jones’ mother that she “can’t take her upstairs.” She continued to fight for daughter, asking why the staff would “take a chance of infections and her having a baby in this chair.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In her post on TikTok, Kash said that Jones’s “son was born 12 minutes later.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“This woman had her in the waiting area more than 30 minutes,” she added. “The delivery was awful.” \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kashman2814/video/7572283745214958879\" data-video-id=\"7572283745214958879\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;\" > \u003Csection> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@kashman2814\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kashman2814?refer=embed\">@kashman2814\u003C/a> \u003Cp>deathly charge nurse! donot care bout black women and babies uncaring paperwork over life this baby had to have severe test in the 24h of birth do to her actions \u003C/p> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ original sound - Suggababies❌\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7572283617104202527?refer=embed\">♬ original sound – Suggababies❌\u003C/a> \u003C/section> \u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js\">\u003C/script>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kashman2814/video/7572357363445796127\" data-video-id=\"7572357363445796127\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;\" > \u003Csection> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@kashman2814\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kashman2814?refer=embed\">@kashman2814\u003C/a> Replying to @Jackson \u003Ca title=\"dallasregionalmedicalcentermesquite\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/dallasregionalmedicalcentermesquite?refer=embed\">#dallasregionalmedicalcentermesquite\u003C/a> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ original sound - Suggababies❌\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7572357288986069790?refer=embed\">♬ original sound – Suggababies❌\u003C/a> \u003C/section> \u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js\">\u003C/script>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dallas-regional-medical-center-s-statement-about-the-viral-video\">Dallas Regional Medical Center’s statement about the viral video\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In a statement to \u003Ca href=\"https://people.com/texas-mom-shares-viral-tiktok-of-alleged-delayed-care-during-daughters-labor-11849797\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">People\u003C/a>, the Dallas Regional Medical Center said “the safety, dignity, and well-being of our patients are always our highest priorities,” but additional information could not be provided due to privacy laws.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“We are committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to every person who comes through our doors, and we are reviewing this situation to understand what occurred,” the hospital said. “Due to patient privacy laws, we cannot share further details at this time, but our focus remains on ensuring that every patient receives the attentive, respectful care they deserve.”\u003C/p>\n",[103],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[105,109,113,114],{"id":106,"name":107,"slug":108,"description":10,"image":10},8616,"Texas","texas",{"id":110,"name":111,"slug":112,"description":10,"image":10},1297,"Tiktok","tiktok",{"id":81,"name":82,"slug":83,"description":10,"image":10},{"id":115,"name":116,"slug":116,"description":10,"image":10},30863,"viral",{"url":118,"thumbnail":119,"credit":120,"title":121,"alt":121,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-110962022-compress.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-110962022-150x100.jpg","Photo: Vladimira Bajerovska via Getty Images","Belly of pregnant mother","2025-11-15T07:01:11-05:00","2025-11-16T11:00:02-05:00",[],"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Untitled-design-4-8.jpg",{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":128,"author":129,"authors":139,"title":141,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":142,"body":143,"categories":144,"tags":150,"featuredMedia":160,"publishedAt":166,"updatedAt":167,"type":45,"listicle":168,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":169},72881189,{"id":130,"avatar":131,"firstName":132,"lastName":133,"displayName":134,"email":135,"username":136,"normalizedUsername":137,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":138},99833,"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3995-compress.jpeg","Jahaura","Michelle","Jahaura Michelle","jahaura.wilson@blavity.com","JahauraMichelle","jahauramichelle","2023-04-03T03:43:50+00:00",[140],{"id":130,"avatar":131,"firstName":132,"lastName":133,"displayName":134,"email":135,"username":136,"normalizedUsername":137,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":138},"Aaron Judge Tops Cal Raleigh And Earns Third AL MVP Award In Tight Race","aaron-judge-tops-cal-raleigh-al-mvp","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/new-york-yankees-axe-facial-hair-ban\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York Yankees\u003C/a> outfielder Aaron Judge edged Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh in a tight race to win his third American League Most Valuable Player award in four seasons, solidifying his place among other MLB and New York greats.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-judge-and-raleigh-were-neck-and-neck-in-the-race-for-the-league-s-mvp\">Judge and Raleigh were neck-and-neck in the race for the league’s MVP\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In recent months, the debate centered on which player would win the prestigious award. Judge, the Yankees captain, had an explosive offensive season, leading the Majors in almost every category while also topping the American League in each. Meanwhile, Raleigh hit a record-breaking 60 homers this season, according to \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.mlb.com/news/aaron-judge-wins-2025-al-mvp\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MLB.com\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On Thursday, members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voted for the 33-year-old, who finished with 355 points and 17 of 30 first-place votes. Raleigh received the remaining 13 first-place votes and 335 points. The Cleveland Guardians’ José Ramírez finished third with 224 points.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Judge became the 13th player to win the MVP award three times, etching his place in history alongside Yankee legends Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“It’s tough for me to wrap my head around it,” Judge said in a statement obtained by MLB.com. “It’s really kind of mind-blowing. I just play this game to win. I play this game for my teammates, my family, all the fans in New York. I just want to go out there and give them my best every single day.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe title=\"Aaron Judge is named 2025 American League Most Valuable Player after historic season! 🗽\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/jQ2GaORKsA8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C/iframe>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-don-t-know-how-many-we-re-going-to-see-like-him\">‘I don’t know how many we’re going to see like him’\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Despite Raleigh’s impressive season, those closest to Judge, including Yankees manager Aaron Boone, general manager Brian Cashman, and hitting coach James Rowson, believed the 6-foot-7 outfielder was destined to win the AL MVP, and he did.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I think people don’t realize, with that size and that body, the things that it takes to be ready to play every night. He’s an amazing player, and I don’t know how many we’re going to see like him,” Rowson said.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Judge won his first AL MVP in 2022 after setting a league record with 62 home runs. After a 2023 season cut short by a toe injury, he returned in 2024 with one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, hitting .322 with 58 home runs and 144 RBIs to earn his second MVP, \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46958820/yankees-aaron-judge-wins-al-mvp-third-four-years\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESPN\u003C/a> reported.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-new-york-the-best-city-to-play-for\">Is New York the best city to play for?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With his latest AL MVP win, Judge said he has always focused on helping his teammates and the organization win.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“You try not to think about it during the season,” Judge told MLB Network. “I try to keep my head down through all 162, just do whatever I can in today’s game to help our team win. And you do what you can, give it your all, and then you wake up the next day and do it again.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/blavity-original/can-new-york-liberty-become-repeat-wnba-champions\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York\u003C/a> has always been held to a higher standard when it comes to sports, and for Judge, it’s both an honor and a responsibility to be the best player he can be in the city.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“It’s a lot of responsibility playing in New York, but that’s what I love,” Judge told MLB Network, per ESPN. “When I was a free agent, I came back to New York. I wanted to play in the city, play for these fans, play with these high expectations.”\u003C/p>\n",[145,149],{"name":146,"slug":147,"id":148},"Culture","culture",118,{"name":72,"slug":73,"id":74},[151,155,159],{"id":152,"name":153,"slug":154,"description":10,"image":10},74608,"aaron judge","aaron-judge",{"id":156,"name":157,"slug":158,"description":10,"image":10},72940,"new york yankees","new-york-yankees",{"id":81,"name":82,"slug":83,"description":10,"image":10},{"url":161,"thumbnail":162,"credit":163,"title":164,"alt":165,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2239846530.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2239846530-150x100.jpg","Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on in the dugout before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 07, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. | Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images","Division Series – Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees – Game Three","NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 07: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on in the dugout before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 07, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City.","2025-11-14T14:58:07-05:00","2025-11-16T11:00:25-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},218,{"list":172,"total":321},[173,211,239,261,301],{"id":174,"author":175,"authors":184,"title":186,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":187,"body":188,"categories":189,"tags":198,"featuredMedia":203,"publishedAt":207,"updatedAt":208,"type":45,"listicle":209,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":210},72882354,{"id":176,"avatar":177,"firstName":178,"lastName":179,"displayName":180,"email":181,"username":180,"normalizedUsername":182,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":183},100579,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a32feb1ca5d24bc698bcf62a84fcc20e6e1445daf355184b7fed4c67aaf431e0?s=1024&r=g","Zayna","Allen","Zayna Allen","zayna.allen@blavity.com","zayna-allen","2025-10-13T18:38:25+00:00",[185],{"id":176,"avatar":177,"firstName":178,"lastName":179,"displayName":180,"email":181,"username":180,"normalizedUsername":182,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":183},"How MonaLesa Brackett Broke Pageant Barriers as a Black Muslim Woman","monalesa-brackett-pageant","\n\u003Cp>When MonaLesa Brackett stepped onto the Miss USA stage in her \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/black-muslim-womans-journey\">hijab\u003C/a> and burkini, she was rewriting the assumptions placed on Black women, Muslim women, and women who dare to bloom later than the world expects. At 36, the Brooklyn native made history as Miss New Hampshire USA 2025. She became the first visibly hijabi contestant to compete at Miss USA in modest swimwear, and the first to reach the Top 16.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But Brackett’s rise wasn’t sudden. It was years in the making. She was fueled by faith and an unshakable belief that her dreams weren’t negotiable.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe title=\"The Miss USA Contestant Who Changed the Game in a Burkini; Meet MonaLesa Brackett | 21Ninety Live\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/M8JkaTZTCl4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C/iframe>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“What I have learned is God has never forgotten me,” she said, reflecting on the years she thought her pageant journey was over. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/for-the-first-time-ever-miss-america-miss-usa-and-miss-teen-usa-are-all-black-queens\">Miss USA\u003C/a> removed its age limit, Brackett saw it as a divine nudge. She returned to the circuit, placed second runner-up at Miss New York USA, and later seized an open opportunity to represent New Hampshire and ultimately won the crown.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Life has really been like a whirlwind,” Brackett admitted.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-monalesa-brackett-and-changing-the-pageant-landscape\">MonaLesa Brackett and Changing the Pageant Landscape\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Her return to the stage had many asking if she would compete without her hijab. For Brackett, that wasn’t an option. Competing modestly didn’t stem from wanting a moment or making a statement. The hijab is simply her lifestyle. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“For me to compete in the swimsuit competition, I had to wear the swimsuit that I wear, which is a burkini,” she explained. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Still, she knew the assumptions she would face. In a culture that often equates modesty with meekness, she pushed back.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“People just assume because I’m covered that I’m hiding a flaw,” Brackett explained. “Modesty is beauty, and modesty also hides beauty.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For Black women, especially Black Muslim women, her visibility matters. Brackett understands this deeply. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“They may think that a Muslim woman is only an Arab or maybe an East African, but no, we exist too,” she said. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>By standing in her identity as a Black, Muslim, American, she challenges monolithic narratives about who belongs in faith, in pageantry, and in public life.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Brackett is equally adamant about agency.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Muslim women are not oppressed,” she stated. “A Muslim is not a costume. I was a Muslim before I started wearing a hijab.” \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>She knows that society tends to misunderstand both Blackness and Islam, and she wants to set the record straight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Brackett’s journey also exposes how much potential the pageant industry has overlooked. Once she became visibly Muslim, she noticed just how many women in the system quietly shared her faith. Brackett explained how many Muslim women approached her after her hijab debut and praised her for her bravery.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“The pageant system is missing out on a lot of money, a lot of sponsorship, a lot of contestants by not being more inclusive,” she said. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Ultimately, Brackett hopes her visibility pushes the industry toward fairness.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“If someone is qualified, allow them to get what they are qualified to have,” she said. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>MonaLesa Brackett walked onto a stage and opened a door. As she continues her journey, she’s proving that representation is about expanding the room so that more women, in all their identities, can walk through it too.\u003C/p>\n",[190,194],{"name":191,"slug":192,"id":193},"Mind & Body","mind-body",76101,{"name":195,"slug":196,"id":197},"Women","women",76094,[199],{"id":200,"name":201,"slug":201,"description":202,"image":10},76102,"21n","Content migrated from 21ninety.com",{"url":204,"thumbnail":205,"credit":206,"title":206,"alt":10,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Monalesa-3-By-Carlos-Velez-e1763666582350.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Monalesa-3-By-Carlos-Velez-e1763666582350-150x91.jpg","Evoto","2025-11-21T12:00:00-05:00","2025-11-21T11:58:17-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":212,"author":213,"authors":220,"title":222,"subTitle":223,"excerpt":10,"slug":224,"body":225,"categories":226,"tags":228,"featuredMedia":229,"publishedAt":235,"updatedAt":236,"type":45,"listicle":237,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":238},72882825,{"id":214,"avatar":215,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":216,"email":217,"username":216,"normalizedUsername":218,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":219},95243,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/16fdff8cddc7bd4702273ce7e1677d1d0021c4b55e83ca690c8b22edc3cbfdf4?s=1024&r=g","Christopher Rhodes","christopheredward.rhodes@gmail.com","christopher-rhodes","2020-09-14T00:00:00+00:00",[221],{"id":214,"avatar":215,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":216,"email":217,"username":216,"normalizedUsername":218,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":219},"Pras Michel, Fugees Founder, Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison Over Illegal Contributions To Obama Campaign","The rapper was convicted in a sensational case involving a foreign billionaire and actor Leonardo DiCaprio","pras-sentenced-to-14-years","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/fugees-member-pras-michel-admitted-to-being-fbi-informant\">Rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel\u003C/a>, one-third of the Grammy Award-winning rap group the Fugees, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of a host of crimes, including illegally funneling money from a Malaysian billionaire into former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Michels is additionally accused of attempting to interfere in the cases against him and his billionaire patron.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pras-was-sentenced-for-illegal-donations-to-obama-and-attempts-to-influence-trump\">Pras was sentenced for illegal donations to Obama and attempts to influence Trump\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On Thursday, a \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/us/pras-michel-fugees-campaign-finance-prison.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">federal judge\u003C/a> sentenced Michel to 14 years in prison after he was convicted on 10 charges, including illegal lobbying, money laundering and witness tampering. He is accused of accepting over $120 million from Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho. Some of this money was channeled through 20 straw donors as contributions to Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, in violation of campaign finance laws against foreign donations. Michel was also alleged to have attempted to influence the first Trump administration to drop embezzlement charges against Low, as well as pushing the administration to extradite a Chinese dissident who resided in the United States back to China.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-massive-international-embezzlement-scheme\">Massive international embezzlement scheme\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Michel’s relationship with Low, also known as Jho Low, connects the rapper to a multi-billion-dollar international \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/21/fugees-rapper-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison-over-illegal-obama-donations\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">embezzlement case\u003C/a>. Low is accused of leading a scheme involving other prominent individuals, including former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, that stole billions of dollars from that country’s government. Low, who remains a fugitive but maintains his innocence, was one of the principal financial backers of the 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio film \u003Cem>The Wolf of Wall Street\u003C/em>, and Michel was among the rich and famous people whom Low courted with his allegedly stolen money. Neither Obama, Trump, nor DiCaprio was accused of having any knowledge of illegal activity.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lawyers-argue-over-the-severity-of-the-crime-and-the-punishment\">Lawyers argue over the severity of the crime and the punishment\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The 14-year \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fugees-rapper-pras-michel-sentenced-001001133.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sentence\u003C/a> given to Michel by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly differed from the recommendations of lawyers for both sides of the case. Prosecutors argued that Michel should be sentenced to life in prison, saying that he “betrayed his country for money” and then “lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes.” Michel’s lawyers argued that his crimes only warranted a three-year sentence. They downplayed the impact of the scheme, claiming, for example, that Low didn’t intend to influence policy through the illegal campaign donations. They wrote, “Instead, Low simply wanted to obtain a photograph with himself and then-President Obama.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Michel, a Brooklyn-born son of Haitian immigrants, formed the rap group the Fugees with artists Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, selling millions of albums and gaining multiple awards. Now, he faces a lengthy prison sentence. His lawyers have indicated that he will appeal his conviction and sentence. There was also \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/trump-may-pardon-pras-michel-fugee-convicted-conspiracy-corruption-1236122636/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">speculation\u003C/a> earlier this year that Trump, who has a cameo on Michel’s 1998 solo album \u003Cem>Ghetto Supastar\u003C/em>, was considering a pardon for the rapper. For now, however, Michel’s prospects remain bleak.\u003C/p>\n",[227],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[],{"url":230,"thumbnail":231,"credit":232,"title":233,"alt":234,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/GettyImages-1250754131-compress.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/GettyImages-1250754131-150x100.jpg","Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images","Trial Of Ex-Fugee Pras Michel In 1MDB Case","Pras Michel","2025-11-21T11:39:04-05:00","2025-11-21T11:39:09-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":240,"author":241,"authors":242,"title":244,"subTitle":245,"excerpt":10,"slug":246,"body":247,"categories":248,"tags":250,"featuredMedia":251,"publishedAt":257,"updatedAt":258,"type":45,"listicle":259,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":260},72882813,{"id":214,"avatar":215,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":216,"email":217,"username":216,"normalizedUsername":218,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":219},[243],{"id":214,"avatar":215,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":216,"email":217,"username":216,"normalizedUsername":218,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":219},"U.S. Coast Guard Stops Classifying Swastikas And Nooses As Hate Symbols, Backtracks After Outrage","The Coast Guard policies over hate symbols, harassment have undergone several changes as the military branch deals with the fallout of its policy shifts.","us-coast-guard-stops-classifying-swastikas-and-nooses-as-hate-symbols-backtracks-after-outrage","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/us-coast-guard-member-flashes-what-appears-to-be-white-power-sign-during-video-interview\">The U.S. Coast Guard\u003C/a> recently announced changes to its policies concerning hate and harassment, relaxing its prohibitions against racist and \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/grok-ai-chatbot-elon-musk-outrage-antisemitic-offensive\">antisemitic\u003C/a> symbols. The changes have sparked outrage and condemnation, leading the Coast Guard to scramble to adjust or clarify its policies in the face of public opposition.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-coast-guard-weakens-policies-on-display-of-hate-symbols\">Coast Guard weakens policies on display of hate symbols\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/20/coast-guard-swastika-noose/\">Washington Post\u003C/a> first reported Thursday that the Coast Guard would no longer classify nooses or the swastika as hate symbols despite their long associations with racism and systematic violence. The new policies indicated that the display of symbols like the swastika or noose would be considered “potentially divisive.” \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This is weaker language than \u003Ca href=\"https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/2963ec2\">policies\u003C/a> put in place by the Coast Guard in 2019, declaring that “the display or depiction of a symbol  widely identified with oppression or hatred is a potential hate incident, including but  not limited to the display of a noose, a swastika, supremacist symbols, Confederate  symbols or flags, and anti-Semitic symbols.” \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The 2019 policy, issued by Admiral Karl L. Schultz, then the Coast Guard Commandant, “directed commanding officers to investigate  these displays and authorized them to remove divisive symbols when warranted, even if the  display does not amount to a hate incident.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-other-changes-relax-the-prohibition-on-harassment-hazing\">Other changes relax the prohibition on harassment, hazing\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/us/politics/coast-guard-hate-crimes.html\">revisions\u003C/a> to Coast Guard policy also relaxed standards for harassment, removing gender identity as a protected category against harassment and declaring that any harassment on the basis of protected categories such as race or gender was only punishable if it was deemed “severe or pervasive.” \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The new policies also reflect Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s permissive stance on hazing by stipulating that hazing could serve “a proper military or other governmental purpose.” After the Washington Post’s story led to questions and criticisms concerning the new policies, Admiral Kevin Lunday, who was appointed by Trump to serve as the Coast Guard’s acting commandant, claimed that the revised policy did not change the way that hate symbols would be treated, saying that displays of symbols like the noose or swastika “will be thoroughly investigated and severely punished.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trump-administration-defends-attacks-then-backtracks\">Trump administration defends, attacks, then backtracks\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As outrage persisted over the altered policies, the Trump administration started to question the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/u-coast-guard-backtracks-fake-044604046.html\">validity\u003C/a> of reporting on the issue. Lunday tweeted that “The claims that the U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses or other extremist imagery as prohibited symbols are categorically false.” A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which houses the Coast Guard, said that the Washington Post “should be embarrassed it published this fake crap.” Nevertheless, Lunday issued a new \u003Ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/coast-guard-swastikas-nooses-hate-symbols-policy-43b1ff282da18694184ff20ff8ce7c4a\">memo\u003C/a> later Thursday afternoon. This latest \u003Ca href=\"https://media.defense.gov/2025/Nov/20/2003827588/-1/-1/0/GENERAL%20ORDER%20MEMO%20SIGNED.PDF\">document\u003C/a> reads, in part, “Divisive or hate symbols and flags are prohibited. These symbols and flags include, but are not limited to, the following: a noose, a swastika, and any symbols or flags co-opted or adopted by hate-based groups as representations of supremacy, racial or religious intolerance, anti-semitism, or any other improper bias.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Democratic Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois was one of the lawmakers who objected to the changes. “Today it was revealed that the Coast Guard would no longer classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols. Unacceptable,” she tweeted Thursday evening. The Congresswoman added, “I just met with Admiral Lunday, and got his committment to publish a new policy. Hate has no place in our armed services.” It is not clear if her meeting occurred before or after Lunday distributed the most recent document.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Today it was revealed that the Coast Guard would no longer classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols. Unacceptable. I just met with Admiral Lunday, and got his committment to publish a new policy. Hate has no place in our armed services. \u003Ca href=\"https://t.co/3KAWoE8Kyt\">pic.twitter.com/3KAWoE8Kyt\u003C/a>\u003C/p>— Rep. Lauren Underwood (@RepUnderwood) \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/RepUnderwood/status/1991663706527191263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 21, 2025\u003C/a>\u003C/blockquote>\u003Cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\">\u003C/script>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Coast Guard is attempting to portray this latest statement as merely a restatement of the policy that was issued earlier this month. But for many, it seems that the military branch’s leadership is instead reacting to widespread condemnation of its hate policy revisions, backtracking on its decision and reaffirming its prior ban on hate symbols.\u003C/p>\n",[249],{"name":28,"slug":29,"id":30},[],{"url":252,"thumbnail":253,"credit":254,"title":255,"alt":256,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-520102890.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-520102890-150x99.jpg","Photo: Getty Images","Hangman’s Noose","noose","2025-11-21T10:23:01-05:00","2025-11-21T10:23:07-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":262,"author":263,"authors":273,"title":275,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":276,"body":277,"categories":278,"tags":287,"featuredMedia":292,"publishedAt":297,"updatedAt":298,"type":45,"listicle":299,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":300},72882804,{"id":264,"avatar":265,"firstName":266,"lastName":267,"displayName":268,"email":269,"username":270,"normalizedUsername":270,"description":271,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":272},98848,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2da4e4032b5f8358dd429b2129677ea08cd82811258070074b014cd6424c975c?s=1024&r=g","Trey","Mangum","Trey Mangum","clydetreymangum@gmail.com","tmangum","Trey Mangum is the Managing Editor of Blavity and Shadow & Act. Email him at trey@blavity.com","2015-09-15T00:00:00+00:00",[274],{"id":264,"avatar":265,"firstName":266,"lastName":267,"displayName":268,"email":269,"username":270,"normalizedUsername":270,"description":271,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":272},"NIL And Media Training Program Launched For Student-Athletes By Houston's The Gifted Collective","nil-and-media-training-program-the-gifted-collective","\n\u003Cp>Ahead of National Signing Day, The Gifted Collective has relaunched Fair Play: The Athlete’s Guide to NIL and Media Readiness, a course aimed at helping high school and college athletes navigate personal branding, media responsibilities and \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/nil-contracts-student-athletes\">Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)\u003C/a> opportunities.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/school-crossing-guard-put-himself-between-car-children\">The Houston-based\u003C/a> communications consultancy announced the update following founder Andrea Brown’s completion of the adidas Community LAB accelerator, a program that supports Black and Latino entrepreneurs focused on equity in sports.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Fair Play was built to close a critical gap,” Brown said. “We’ve seen NIL create a $1.67 billion opportunity, but too many athletes, particularly from under-resourced communities, don’t have the guidance or tools to take advantage of it. Fair Play helps them step into that space with confidence and clarity.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-course-overview\">Course Overview\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The updated course includes modules that cover:\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003Cli>Personal brand development\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>Social media and digital presence\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>NIL fundamentals\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>Interview and media preparation\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>Basic mental health and financial literacy considerations\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"526\" src=\"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-1024x526.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72882807\" srcset=\"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-1024x526.jpg 1024w, https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-300x154.jpg 300w, https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-150x77.jpg 150w, https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-768x395.jpg 768w, https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-1536x790.jpg 1536w, https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-2048x1053.jpg 2048w, https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Course-Dashboard-Fair-Play-1568x806.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" />\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: Courtesy Photo Provided\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The program is designed for both individual students and institutions, including high schools, universities, and athletic programs. Enrollment is available for athletes, parents and schools, with optional consulting and training services for teams.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-it-hopes-to-expand-access-to-media-and-nil-education-for-student-athletes\">It hopes to expand access to media and NIL education for student-athletes\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to The Gifted Collective, the relaunch reflects an effort to expand access to media and NIL education for student-athletes from underrepresented backgrounds.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Talent opens doors,” Brown said. “Preparation keeps them open. Fair Play ensures that athletes not only shine in their sport but know how to leverage that spotlight into sustainable success.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Gifted Collective is currently collaborating with athletic departments and universities to bring the course to more campuses.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>More information is available at \u003Ca href=\"http://www.callusgifted.com/fairplay\">www.callusgifted.com/fairplay\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n",[279,283],{"name":280,"slug":281,"id":282},"Blavity-U","blavity-u",70685,{"name":284,"slug":285,"id":286},"College Sports","college-sports",70686,[288],{"id":289,"name":290,"slug":291,"description":10,"image":10},75810,"Non-Newsletter","non-newsletter",{"url":293,"thumbnail":294,"credit":295,"title":296,"alt":10,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/COMMUNITYLAB2025_ADNC_0965-scaled.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/COMMUNITYLAB2025_ADNC_0965-150x100.jpg","Photo: Courtesy Photo Provided","COMMUNITYLAB2025_ADNC_0965","2025-11-21T04:30:00-05:00","2025-11-20T21:19:49-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":302,"author":303,"authors":304,"title":306,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":307,"body":308,"categories":309,"tags":311,"featuredMedia":312,"publishedAt":317,"updatedAt":318,"type":45,"listicle":319,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":320},72882621,{"id":130,"avatar":131,"firstName":132,"lastName":133,"displayName":134,"email":135,"username":136,"normalizedUsername":137,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":138},[305],{"id":130,"avatar":131,"firstName":132,"lastName":133,"displayName":134,"email":135,"username":136,"normalizedUsername":137,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":138},"Smokey Robinson Faces New Sexual Assault Allegations From Men And Women Ex-Employees","smokey-robinson-new-sexual-assault-allegations-men-women-ex-employees","\n\u003Cp>Legendary Motown singer \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/smokey-robinson-jennifer-hudson-performance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Smokey Robinson\u003C/a> is facing additional sexual assault allegations from two other former employees, one a man and the other a woman, who have alleged he sexually assaulted them.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-robinson-and-his-wife-francis-being-accused-of\">What are Robinson and his wife, Francis, being accused of?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This comes after, as \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/smokey-robinsons-attorney-addresses-assault-allegations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a> previously reported, four women who previously worked for Robinson as his housekeepers filed a $50 million lawsuit in May against the singer and his wife, Frances Robinson, alleging years of sexual abuse at his properties. Frances was accused of maintaining a “hostile work environment” and committing multiple work violations.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The lawyers for the women filed a motion this week to have the two additional accusers added to the lawsuit anonymously, according to The Guardian.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to the man, who worked as a car valet for Robinson, the singer allegedly fondled himself in front of him and tried to place the man’s hand on his genitals. One of the former housekeepers, listed as one of the “Jane Does” in the legal complaint, also accused the Detroit native of allegedly making her touch him while he was showering on several occasions, per \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/smokey-robinsons-attorney-addresses-assault-allegations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/nov/20/male-and-female-former-employees-of-smokey-robinson-accuse-him-of-sexual-assault\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Guardian\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-robinson-s-lawyer-called-out-the-accusers-in-a-recent-statement\">Robinson’s lawyer called out the accusers in a recent statement\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Robinson’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, told \u003Ca href=\"https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/smokey-robinson-new-sexual-battery-accuser-1235468533/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rolling Stone\u003C/a> in a statement that the two newest accusers were “part of the same group of people who have conspired together against the Robinsons and are layering out their claims for maximum adverse publicity,” and claimed they filed the lawsuit as an “organized, avaricious campaign to extract money from an 85-year-old legend.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“This group of people, who hide behind anonymity, and their attorneys, seek global publicity while making the ugliest of false allegations,” Frost added. “Once the public can see the truth, their avaricious motives and fabricated claims will be revealed.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The singer has since maintained his innocence and denied the allegations of sexual assault and rape.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-robinsons-filed-a-500-million-countersuit-against-the-first-accusers\">The Robinsons filed a $500 million countersuit against the first accusers\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>More than three weeks after the four women filed the lawsuit, Robinson and his wife countersued with a $500 million civil suit, citing defamation and elder abuse, according to \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/smokey-robinson-countersuit-amid-rape-allegations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“The Robinsons did not abuse, harm or take advantage of plaintiffs; they treated plaintiffs with the utmost kindness and generosity,” the May 28-filed litigation stated, \u003Ca href=\"https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_176366484079611&key=efaea2623aab38628a34ec154063b9ab&libId=mi7rz25y0103m1ah000ULbfi939fp&loc=https%3A%2F%2Fblavity.com%2Fsmokey-robinson-countersuit-amid-rape-allegations&ccpaConsent=1---&v=1&opt=true&out=https%3A%2F%2Fdeadline.com%2F2025%2F05%2Fsmokey-robinson-rape-countersuit-1236412671%2F&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&title=Smokey%20Robinson%20Countersues%20For%20%24500M%20Amid%20Rape%2C%20Sexual%20Assault%20Allegations%20-%20Blavity&txt=Deadline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deadline\u003C/a> reported at the time. “Unfortunately, the depths of plaintiffs’ avarice and greed knows no bounds.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In addition to the counter allegations, the Robinsons have also accused the four ex-housekeepers of stealing from their home. Francis recalled one incident where they had left for the day and she realized that several of her financial records (bank statements) were missing. According to the court filing, one person had access to where the information was stored.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“As a result of their roles as household staff, they had particular knowledge of where the Robinsons’ valuables were kept, including a hidden safe and gold Krugerrands. That safe and the valuables it contained and several gold Kruggerands were later stolen by someone who knew precisely where they were located. The Robinsons reported the theft to the police,” the lawsuit stated.\u003C/p>\n",[310],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[],{"url":313,"thumbnail":314,"credit":315,"title":316,"alt":316,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-2211662081.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-2211662081-150x100.jpg","Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images","Smokey Robinson","2025-11-20T19:29:24-05:00","2025-11-20T19:29:31-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},74919,["Reactive",323],{},["Set"],["ShallowReactive",326],{"page-herman-cain-says-trump-doesnt-have-a-racist-bone-in-his-body":50,"L5mKWLzO22":50,"7VUhfdt1ev":50},"/herman-cain-says-trump-doesnt-have-a-racist-bone-in-his-body",["Reactive",329],{}]