By Antjuan Seawright, Democratic Strategist

The historic Blue Tsunami we all witnessed across this country provided a clear mandate for Democrats and a clear demonstration that Americans want our elected officials focused on fixing the real problems they face every day instead of promoting a meaningless culture war that has zero impact on our lives while corporate fat cats pick our pockets to line their own.

But, that being said, I can’t help but remember the words of Young Jeezy: And then what?

Look, I’m as blown away by the election results as anyone.

Last week, Democrats regained control of both houses of Congress, flipping at least 43 seats in the House and seven in the Senate. We flipped five governorships; 500 legislative seats took districts that have been red for a generation and turned them blue, and there are even more races left to be called.

According to The New York Times, the Black voter share grew dramatically. In Alabama, it went from 22% in 2024 to 26% in 2026. In Mississippi, it went from 30% in 2024 to 33% in 2026; in South Carolina, it went from 21% in 2024 to 24% in 2026. In Louisiana, it went from 27% in 2024 to 30% in 2026, and in Georgia, it went from 29% in 2024 to 32% in 2026.

That’s a three- to four-percent growth in all of those states, and even in states like Michigan, Illinois, and New York, where there was no measurable change, that’s compared to a presidential year, which, in and of itself, is absolutely huge.

In North Carolina, Senator-elect Roy Cooper got more votes from early voting than Michael Whatley got in total, and the same thing happened in Texas and Georgia. So, yes, I’m pretty excited.

But I’m also a realist because I know progress isn’t permanent and things can change in a heartbeat, especially if you don’t keep your eye on the ball. I know that we need to protect this electoral progress, so we can’t afford to mismanage our politics, our policies, or the promises we made on the campaign trail.

We can’t afford to mismanage the broad coalition that propelled us to a historic election night.

That’s what the Republicans did, and we see what it got them.

In 1967, Dr. King spoke at a similar moment, saying we had to choose between chaos and community, and in 2005, Young Jeezy asked the same question: “And then what?”

Our “what” is simple:

• We have to lower the cost of living.
• We have to save affordable healthcare.
• We have to hold the crooks who’ve been running this country for the past two years accountable for their crimes.

Does that mean we launch a campaign of retribution that gets us bogged down in some neverending impeachment fight? Of course not.

We stand up against corruption while working for the people because they need our help more than they need political payback.

We choose community because we know too well what chaos looks like.

It looks like skyrocketing foreclosure rates and car repossessions. It looks like more than half of Americans are forced to rely on credit cards to pay for basic needs like groceries, rent and utilities, student debt has jumped since the Trump administration reversed course on Biden repayment and forgiveness plans and an unconstitutional war that costs us record-high diesel prices and fertilizer costs, along with 16 unnecessary American deaths.

It looks like Americans are having to take out loans to pay for groceries even though they’re making six figures, and affordable housing is sitting vacant because folks still can’t afford it, particularly with the dramatic cuts to SNAP and Medicaid we saw in Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill.”

According to the Federal Reserve, the net worth of Black households is down 25%. That’s chaos.

We choose community. We choose raising the minimum wage, tackling price gouging, expanding voting rights, and putting back the subsidies that helped you pay for health insurance. We chose standing up for each other.

Young Jeezy asked the question, “And then what?” Community is the answer, and it’s time to get to work.

By Rodney Ellis, Commissioner of Harris County Precinct One

Technology has long shaped who has access to opportunity. As artificial intelligence begins reshaping our workplaces, schools, and daily lives, we must ensure communities of color are not left catching up once again.

In 2020, the pandemic risked widening a digital divide that has put people of color at a disadvantage for years. Access to the technologies that are shaping the world should be available to all. When the internet emerged as the technology of note, children needed access for their education. Adults needed access to find work and succeed in their jobs. Increasingly, upward mobility and economic opportunity depend on having the skills to use the tools transforming our economy.

In Harris County, we worked to make sure our residents were not on the wrong side of that vast digital divide. Through the Office of Broadband, we distributed thousands of hotspots, established more than 100 public Wi-Fi locations, and invested in infrastructure to increase internet availability for under-resourced families.

Today, another divide is emerging. In 2020, the challenge was whether families could get online. Now, communities need to learn to navigate a world increasingly influenced by AI or risk being left behind. More than access, responsible AI requires thinking critically about the technology, its outputs, and the companies behind it. AI literacy builds a foundation for that reflection. We cannot allow Black and Brown communities to be the last to benefit from another technological transformation.

That is why I was proud to partner with Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) in September to bring the AI Fluency Initiative to Houston. The program seeks to provide people with practical exposure to AI and show how these tools can be used in jobs, education, small business, and more. Open to the public, programs like this give residents the knowledge to participate in a changing economy and shape the systems developing around them.

Technology companies also have a role to play in making information accessible. OpenAI partnered with NAN on AI literacy in Houston and has supported practical training across the country through OpenAI Academy. Local businesses, older adults, and educators are among the groups the company has targeted through these efforts. This kind of engagement matters. The organizations building AI tools must equip communities with the skills and confidence to use them effectively. When people understand its capabilities and limitations, AI can help them address problems they are already facing.

Entrepreneurs like Kaija Pack are already putting that potential into practice here in Texas. As she built Break Life Houston, she leveraged ChatGPT to develop business strategies and expand her customer base, ultimately growing her business enough to open a second location.

Small business owners like Kaija should understand how AI can help them compete. Workers should understand how it may change their industries. Students should learn how to use these tools responsibly. Communities should understand AI so they can have a meaningful voice when decisions about the technology affect them.

This principle has guided much of my public service. Earlier this year, Commissioner Lesley Briones and I championed Harris County’s first worker Consultation Policy because workers deserve a say in the choices that will impact their livelihoods. Those voices are amplified when we understand their means of empowerment.

AI literacy is a path to that understanding. A seat at the table is most powerful when people have the knowledge they need to advocate for themselves.

Understanding includes risks as well as opportunities. We need to learn how to use these tools safely, and developers have the responsibility to build safety into their systems. OpenAI, for example, has invested in external testing, safeguards, and publicly documented standards for model behavior. Developers should pair innovation with accountability.

Closing the AI divide will be a collaborative effort. Harris County already has networks like our Digital Navigators that connect residents with technology and digital skills. We should build on initiatives like these and make practical AI education accessible at a greater scale.

Too often, people of color have been asked to adapt to new systems after they were built and the rules were already written. With AI, we have an opportunity to be involved from the outset.

The future should not simply happen to us. We should have a hand in shaping it.

By Dr. Tonja L. Ringgold and Noah M.P. Harris

On Nov. 14, hundreds of undergraduate women gathering at Morgan State University in Baltimore for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Undergraduate Leadership Institute will do more than listen to presentations. They will run the program. Graduate advisers will take seats in the back of the room.

This is intentional. Too many institutions invite young people to observe leadership without trusting them to exercise it. We believe the future of leadership depends not on one generation stepping aside for another, but on generations sharing responsibility now.

We have seen the difference from two vantage points.

For Dr. Ringgold, Morgan State is where that journey began. Initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Alpha Delta Chapter in 1982, she recently reunited with two sorority sisters who guided her as an undergraduate, including a former chapter president whose example still informs her leadership today. Forty-four years later, she returns as director of the sorority’s North Atlantic Region, keenly aware of what it means when someone invests in a young woman’s potential. The homecoming carries added significance: Alpha Delta, chartered in 1926, is celebrating its centennial; and the chapter that shaped her is still helping shape new leaders.

For Ms. Harris, leadership is not a distant destination. She is a Bowie State University senior and president of its Eta Chapter who, this summer, was elected Alpha Kappa Alpha’s International Second Vice President. As an undergraduate member of the sorority’s international governing board, she carries student perspectives into decisions affecting the organization. A 2025 Leadership Fellows experience encouraged her to seek that larger platform. To her, leadership is measured by the people she can serve, not simply the position she holds.

Our experiences challenge a familiar assumption: Young people must wait their turn. Founded in 1908 by Black college women, Alpha Kappa Alpha now counts more than 390,000 initiated members across more than 1,122 chapters. That reach brings a responsibility to open doors, not merely preserve tradition.

Deloitte’s 2026 global survey found that 76% of Gen Z respondents were interested in pursuing senior leadership roles eventually, although only 6% of surveyed Gen Z and millennials named leadership their primary career goal. Many cited burnout, excessive responsibility and work-life balance as concerns. Young people are not necessarily avoiding leadership. They are questioning the conditions under which it is exercised.

At a time when companies are pulling back on women’s advancement, Black women face persistent barriers. McKinsey and LeanIn.Org’s 2025 report found that among companies studied, only 60 Black women were promoted to manager for every 100 men. Telling young women to wait their turn cannot fix an unequal pathway to leadership.

Experience matters. Seasoned leaders carry institutional memory, hard-won judgment and relationships that take years to build. But experience cannot develop in a waiting room. Young leaders need meaningful assignments, honest guidance and room to make mistakes. Experienced leaders must also be prepared to reconsider familiar ways of doing things.

We see that exchange in our own relationship. Ms. Harris draws on Dr. Ringgold’s decades of sorority service and higher education experience. Dr. Ringgold listens when Ms. Harris speaks, recognizing that younger perspectives can challenge assumptions and reveal better approaches. Neither of us has all the answers. Both of us have something to contribute.

Our upcoming Undergraduate Leadership Institute will put that principle into practice. Undergraduate members will lead, with graduate members offering guidance and expertise. We’re taking the same approach in planning our 96th North Atlantic Regional Conference, scheduled for March 2027, where undergraduate counterparts will work alongside graduate vice chairs in operations, programming, social activities and logistics. They’ll help plan an event serving the entire region, not just their undergraduate peers.

That is the distinction between inclusion and influence. A seat at the table means little if the people invited cannot help determine what happens there.

Businesses, colleges, nonprofits and civic organizations can do the same. Pair mentorship with meaningful assignments. Involve emerging leaders in decisions before those decisions are final. Give them resources and room to grow. When they challenge a familiar practice, ask whether it still serves its purpose.

We should not ask experienced leaders to disappear or young leaders to wait. The goal isn’t to pass the torch and walk away. It’s to expand the circle of people empowered to lead and build stronger institutions together.

Dr. Tonja L. Ringgold is the North Atlantic Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Noah M.P. Harris, a senior at Bowie State University, is the sorority’s International Second Vice President and president of its Eta Chapter.

By Will Brown

A Black woman from the heart of Moncrief earned the support of more than 3 million Floridians this election season.

Angie Nixon did not become the first Jacksonville resident to serve in the U.S. Senate since 1936.

At least not yet.

The 42-year-old organizer, small business owner, politician and mother says she will challenge Senator-elect Ashley Moody in 2028.

“I’m disappointed in the outcome, but I’m ready to get back to work – everyone is – because we’re going to make sure that Ashley Moody is held accountable for making sure that people have access to quality healthcare, a roof over their head, food on the table, and trying to lower these costs,” Nixon said on Tuesday night. “So, I’m OK. I’m not happy with the outcome, but I’m ready to get to work.”

That fact that Nixon came so close can only be attributed to the scores of Black women who supported her campaign.

Some were on staff, others volunteered, tens of thousands more voted for the former state representative who has used her bullhorn to bulldoze through staid situations in Tallahassee.

A Black woman has never won statewide office in Florida. Nixon’s 50-48 loss to Moody means it still hasn’t happened.

Not many politicians would walk onto a stage after losing a statewide race playing Bonecrusher’s “Never Scared”.

Nixon faced racist attacks from an advisor to President Donald Trump. Nazi rhetoric was used on Fox News to describe Nixon’s supporters. Yet, they traversed the state – from Marathon to Marianna; from Sarasota to South Florida – connecting with voters.

The forlorn, yet hopeful faces of so many Black women in the audience said more than their words could muster. Some were pastors, others were elected officials. One, Sandra Thompson, attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

Thompson spent Election Day providing information to voters outside the Legends Center in Sherwood.

“It’s a very important election,” Thompson said. “We are electing our new leaders: the governor, a senator, and the House of Representatives. We need to get it right.”

If Thompson’s presence at Nixon’s campaign party was any indicator, people did not get it right.

Despite the chance to send a Jacksonville native to the U.S. Senate, hundreds of thousands of Duval County voters did not cast a ballot this year.

Preliminary data from the Duval County Supervisor of Elections shows only 55 percent of eligible voters participated this year.

Felicia Demps was not going to miss this election season. She brought five of her grandchildren with her inside the polling booth.

“They came home, and their teacher said, ‘We need to vote.’ I said, ‘Well, let’s go!”

Demps says she is a reliable Democrat who supported lowering property taxes, supported the 1-mil tax extension for Duval County Public Schools, and cares about community.

“Everyone needs to get together. Everyone wants the streets fixed until it’s time to vote,” Demps said. “The most important thing is: we want these things; but we won’t get out and vote.”

This year’s turnout is better than 2022, when Gov. Ron DeSantis won re-election for fun. But it’s lower than the 63 percent of Duval voters who turned out – many of whom hoped Andrew Gillum would become Florida’s first Black governor.

Black women were at the heart of the local effort to inform and motivate voters.

Cortina Floyd spent three hours waving signs along Moncrief Road ahead of the Northwest Classic football game between Raines and Ribault. Floyd and her Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. sisters were among the nearly 50 people who sported Black Greek-letter organizations and informed voters last week.

“As a Black educator, I feel it’s important for me to do my civic duty,” Floyd said.

Exit polling indicates Black women in Jacksonville, in Florida and beyond, did their civic duty.

Afterward, girls of all ages danced on stage after the Associated Press called Florida’s Senate race in Moody’s favor. As they danced, they were unencumbered by the burdens and expectations that are placed on the bodies, minds, and souls of Black girls.

The organizer who lives on the Northside, in a household with multiple union members, says it was not her dream to run for the U.S. Senate. But the woman who openly invoked Shirley Chisholm and Fannie Lou Hamer on the campaign trail committed to doing what she could to help the next generation of girls.

“It’s not necessarily a dream personally. I just want to help people,” Nixon said on Tuesday night. “I wanted to make sure that we’re improving their lives. But the young people that came up to me tonight, they’re excited. They’re ready to continue to do the work and ready to, actually, build a better vision for their future. I’m all hands on deck with them, helping them grow as leaders and helping register more voters so that we can actually win.”

One line of code puts free, sourced car-buying and car-repair lessons in front of the people you serve. No cost. No contract. No staff needed.

AutoNetwork.com, which has served car buyers since 1986, today launched the Auto Section: a free, ready-made car-money education section that any organization can add to its website by pasting one line of code. Its message is simple: Know Before You Go To A Dealer.

The people you serve are paying for what no one told them

Right now, someone who reads your paper, banks with you, sits in your pews, or attends your school is signing a car deal. Too often, they leave with a high-cost loan, old trade-in debt rolled into a new one, add-ons they never asked for, or a repair bill they didn’t understand. Most of those losses happen because no one gave them the facts first.

Every organization on this list exists to look out for its people. The facts are now free and take minutes to add. Not sharing them means letting the next family learn the hard way, at the dealer’s desk or the repair counter.

One Auto Section, five ways to serve

• Newspapers: a reader-service section you don’t have to staff, write or pay for. You keep 100% of the ad space around it and 100% of any sponsor line you sell, such as “Auto Section sponsored by…” on your own page.
• Credit unions and banks: member education that reaches people before they sit down in the dealer’s finance office, where the loan terms get decided.
• Churches: a stewardship and money ministry for families. A car is one of the biggest purchases most households make.
• HBCUs and schools: first-car, first-loan and first-repair lessons for students and their families.
• Nonprofits: a ready-made addition to financial-empowerment programs, with no added cost or staff.
• What your people learn
• Financing: leasing vs. buying, who should lease, mileage limits, wear charges and GAP coverage.
• Trade-in debt: how owing more than a car is worth happens, and how to get out.
• Depreciation: how fast a car can lose value, with a free calculator.
• Add-ons and fees: what to get in writing before signing.
• Warranties: what the factory covers, and when extended coverage may not pay off.
• Credit: rights and steps for buyers with low or no credit, plus a first-time buyer guide.
• Service costs: how to choose a repair shop, ask for a written estimate, know your rights and spot a padded bill, plus factory maintenance schedules and estimated ownership costs so routine service is never a surprise.
• Plus: Ask AI Roosevelt for answers to car questions, and new-model walkaround videos.

Every guide links to its sources. The Auto Section teaches what to ask and what is normal; it never quotes local shop prices or sells repairs.

Built to be safe, simple, and yours

• Easy: copy one line from the free setup page, paste it where you want the section, and you’re done. New guides and videos appear by themselves.
• Safe: it runs in a sealed frame that cannot read or change your site, your logins or your ad accounts. It collects no reader names or emails.
• Clean: only AutoNetwork.com education appears inside the section. No outside ads. Guides and videos open inside it, so readers stay on your page.
• No strings: no cost and no contract. Delete the line, and it’s gone.

A word from the founder

“For forty years I’ve watched good people pay too much for cars and repairs simply because nobody told them what to ask,” said Roosevelt Gist, founder of AutoNetwork.com. “The organizations people already trust are the best messengers. We built the Auto Section so they can share the facts without spending a dime or hiring anyone.”

The next car deal or repair bill in your community is happening now. Add the free Auto Section today and make sure your people walk in knowing the facts:

https://autonetwork.com/autosection?src=press-release

If you can paste a link into your website, you can install it. Questions? Email [email protected].

About AutoNetwork.com

AutoNetwork.com has served car buyers since 1986 with free, sourced consumer education, vehicle reviews, and the free AutoNetwork.com app. The Auto Section is general education, not legal or financial advice. Learn more at autonetwork.com.

College campuses are supposed to be places where students can learn, grow and feel safe. However, reports of sexual assault at universities across the country continue to raise questions about whether institutions are doing enough to protect their students and hold individuals accountable.

From Louisiana State University to Harvard University and Cornell University, campus sexual assault cases have brought renewed attention to how colleges investigate allegations, discipline students and support survivors. For many, the concern is not only the actions of students accused of sexual misconduct but also how university administrators respond when these situations occur.

At LSU, recent reporting has raised questions about the effectiveness of the university’s Title IX process. According to WBRZ, more than 300 sexual assault reports were made through LSU’s Title IX process between 2022 and 2025, with three resulting in disciplinary action. Although not every report results in a finding of responsibility, the numbers raise important questions about how institutions communicate outcomes and address reports of misconduct.

Cornell University has also faced scrutiny following allegations involving seven students and an alleged sexual assault at a fraternity house in 2024. The university’s investigation resulted in different disciplinary actions, including expulsions and suspensions. However, questions about one student’s return to campus and housing arrangements have continued to draw criticism.

These cases highlight a larger issue: University accountability cannot stop at having a Title IX office or publishing policies in a student handbook.

Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and addresses sexual harassment and sexual violence. Universities must have procedures for responding to complaints, conducting investigations and providing supportive measures. However, having policies in place means little if students do not understand them or believe reports will be handled appropriately.

Students who are found responsible for sexual misconduct should face consequences that reflect the seriousness of their actions. Universities should also examine whether their investigative procedures are timely, whether survivors receive adequate support and whether disciplinary decisions are consistently enforced.

Accountability must also include university administrators. Institutions should be transparent about their procedures, provide clear reporting options and regularly review whether their policies are working.

At the same time, every student involved in a disciplinary proceeding deserves a fair investigation and an opportunity to respond to allegations. Protecting survivors and respecting due process should not be treated as competing priorities.

Ultimately, universities have a responsibility that extends beyond academics and athletics. Students deserve to know that their safety matters and that misconduct will be taken seriously. A university’s commitment to student safety should be measured not only by the policies it publishes but also by the actions it takes when those policies are tested.

Based on reporting by Southern University – SouthernDIGEST.