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.

Every day, Americans put about 50 million health questions to Microsoft’s Copilot and Bing. More than eight in 10 physicians say they already use AI in their work and believe that proof of safety for these tools is essential. According to a new NAACP report, the emerging technology has quietly become part of how healthcare gets delivered in this country. But the nation’s largest civil rights organization is warning that Black communities may be at risk of being left behind or even harmed by it.

The NAACP and the pharmaceutical company Sanofi released “AI Fluency is a Challenge on Both Sides of the Exam Room” during the AfroTech Conference 2026 in Houston. It is the third installment of the groups’ ACE Your Health StoryMap series, an interactive, data-driven look at how AI, internet access and long-standing healthcare inequities are shaping the future of health in Black America.

The report warns that new technology does not instantly erase old gaps on its own.

“Too many Black communities continue to face healthcare deserts, provider shortages, clinic closures, inadequate internet access, and concerns about racial bias,” said Dr. Chris T. Pernell, Director of the NAACP Center for Health Equity. “If these gaps remain unaddressed, AI could inadvertently widen existing healthcare disparities instead of helping close them. Equity and fairness must be intentionally designed into the future of healthcare AI from the very beginning, not as patchwork fixes.”

The numbers show why. Nineteen percent of people who use AI for health information say they turned to it because they could not afford to see a provider, according to the report. Black adults are significantly more likely than White adults to use AI for mental health advice.

Meanwhile, the report finds, the health system many Black Americans rely on remains hard to reach. One in three Americans lives in a healthcare desert. In the Mississippi Delta, all 154,000 Black residents live more than 25 miles from a hospital rated four or five stars. About 3.8 million Black Americans live in homes without a broadband subscription, which limits their access to digital health tools and AI-enabled resources. Safety-net providers are likewise concerned about having access to these tools due to limited funding and training in their systems.

Trust may be the toughest barrier, says the NAACP. Nearly two-thirds of Black adults believe racial bias remains a major problem in healthcare, the report found, and one-third expect AI to make that bias worse.

The findings draw on the ACE Your Health initiative, national datasets and input from nearly 23,000 community members across 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The initiative launched in 2024 as a collaboration between the NAACP and Sanofi, which describes itself as an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company. The StoryMap follows the NAACP’s AI White Paper on designing AI for health equity and its Policy Framework for Equitable Health AI.

“Scientific innovation is transforming healthcare in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago, but innovation must be matched by intentional efforts to expand access, build trust, and address barriers that prevent communities from fully benefiting from these advances,” said Tanisha M. Sullivan, Head of External Engagement & Health Equity Strategy at Sanofi.

She added that pharmaceutical companies should do more than develop breakthrough medicines and technologies. “Pharmaceutical companies have an important role to play, not only in developing breakthrough medicines and technologies, but also in partnering with community organizations, healthcare providers, and policymakers to ensure those innovations reach the people who need them most, ensuring no community gets left behind.”

The report also lays out steps communities can take, including expanding broadband adoption, building AI fluency and digital skills, strengthening community-based health education and advocating for equitable technology policies. It also invites community members to add their voices to the StoryMap.

The full report and other ACE Your Health resources are available at naacp.org.

A luxury experience involves elevated food, atmosphere, and entertainment for attendees. The venue matters just as much. Focus on comfortable seating, premium lighting, and other elements to provide guests with a beautiful event that they will not forget.

Have you ever stepped into an event space that took your breath away? A well-curated luxury event space with matching party backdrop setups can transport you to another time or place, providing a needed break from the stresses of everyday life. Event planners understand that the venue needs to contribute to the luxury experience as much as any other factor.

What Is a Luxury Experience?

A luxury experience simply means that the event provides attendees with a beautiful setting and premium food. Additionally, every part of the event should be curated to match its theme and purpose.

How Can Venue Transformation Turn a Regular Space Into a Luxury Experience?

How can you upgrade your venue from a regular party to a luxury experience? Here are some steps to take that will elevate the quality of your venue and setting.

Divide the Room Into Zones

If possible, divide the room into several zones, so attendees can mix and mingle. For instance, an event with a cocktail hour and a sit-down dinner can have a cocktail area with standing tables and a dining area with traditional sit-down setups. A silent auction functions better when the auction area is separated from where guests tend to congregate and socialize.

Consider Beverly Hills event equipment rentals to make each zone unique. Provide features that attract guests so they make their way around the space, rather than staying in one area.

Find a Sophisticated Color Palette

Garish, tacky colors can instantly downgrade your event. Guests will notice before anything else, and the glaring shades may be unpleasant to look at.

Some events have a predesignated color scheme based on their purpose or the hosting organization. In these cases, try to incorporate neutral shades wherever possible to soften the space and avoid clashing with the existing color palette.

If you can choose the colors, consider the theme of the event. A fundraiser for breast cancer awareness, for example, may call for shades of pink. A casino night will work better with a darker theme.

Use Comfortable Seating

Guests should find respite when sitting, not immediately feel uncomfortable. Invest in chair rentals that have cushions and are wide enough to accommodate your guests. Create spaces designed for comfort with couches and plushy chairs.

Set Up Premium Lighting

Cheap lighting can put an unpleasant glare on the entire space. Use soft, warm lights that emit luxury, rather than whiter lights. With warmer undertones, even brighter lights will not hurt the eyes as much.

Add table lamps and lower lighting for a cozier glow. Allow guests to adjust the lighting to their preferences as well.

Ensure the Acoustics Are Balanced

Sound is essential for creating a premium experience. Live music is a wonderful option, but the acoustics need to be balanced to prevent your guests from feeling overwhelmed. Perform sound checks with live musicians before the event begins so you can assess the sound quality all over the event venue, not just in front of the stage.

If you choose prerecorded music or a DJ, speaker placement is crucial. Avoid putting speakers too close to seating areas or places where guests congregate. Rather, place the speakers in areas that allow them to fill the room instead of directly next to people’s ears.

Highlight Nature

An outdoor event should emphasize nature to elevate the event space. Consider incorporating and highlighting the natural beauty of the venue. Indoor events can be instantly upgraded by bringing plant life, such as trees and flowers, into the room to cultivate an inviting oasis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Luxury Event Worth the Higher Price Tag?

Often, yes, especially when fundraising is involved. Luxury events that are curated to a higher net-worth audience may translate to more money raised overall.

VIP guests expect a premium experience. When guests pay hundreds of dollars per plate or thousands per table, it is important to deliver every element of luxury to show them that they did not waste their money.

For weddings or other events that do not include raising money, a luxury event may still be the best option to suit your needs. If you have always dreamed of an exquisite wedding with finer touches, then adding luxury will be worth it to have the day that you deserve.

What Is the Dress Code for a Luxury Event?

It depends on the style of the event, as well as the time of day, setting, and many other elements. Luxury events that take place in the evening typically lean toward black- or white-tie, but a mid-morning brunch may feature more casual wear.

If you are hosting a luxury event, it is best practice to outline the dress code on the invitation. There will not be any guesswork involved for guests, and you do not have to worry about attendees showing up with the wrong attire.

Consider including advice, even if it doesn’t strictly relate to the dress code. Heels, for example, may not work well in events that take place on a golf course or another grassy area.

How Far in Advance Do You Have to Start Planning a Luxury Event?

Ultimately, it is up to you when you need to start planning the event. When contacting vendors such as caterers and entertainment, see how far out you can book and lock in those elements as soon as possible.

The earlier you plan, the less stressed you will be. As your event approaches, you can focus on finishing touches rather than nailing down huge problems.

Consider Luxury Party Aesthetics

A luxury experience is about more than just a fancy plate of food and a black-tie or white-tie dress code. Curating the event space to match the event’s mood will help bring the entire concept together.

Would you like to learn more about event hosting? Explore our site for ideas and inspiration to suit your next event.

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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 NNPA Staff Report

The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and the National Head Start Association (NHSA) released the Year Two Annual Report of the Kids on Campus initiative, which advances the success of parenting students and supports the school readiness of young children from low-income backgrounds by expanding Head Start classrooms onto community college campuses. The five-year initiative aims to establish at least 50 such partnerships by 2030.

Nearly one in five undergraduates in the United States — approximately 3.14 million students — are parenting while pursuing their college education. For many, access to high-quality, affordable, and convenient child care remains one of the biggest barriers to completing their degree.

The initiative’s core philosophy is rooted in two of the most effective strategies for reducing poverty: providing high-quality early childhood education and increasing adult economic mobility through education, training, and workforce pathways. Together, these approaches support two generations simultaneously, strengthening children’s development while helping parents pursue long-term economic success.

“When we support parents, we uplift students,” says Francisco Solis, president of San Antonio College (TX), which has a long-standing partnership with Head Start. “When families thrive, our community thrives. This is the power of a two-generation approach.”

The annual report outlines the rationale behind ACCT and NHSA’s work, progress to date, next steps, and opportunities for community colleges and Head Start programs to engage with Kids on Campus.

As of March 2026, at the end of year two of the initiative:

• 110 community colleges and 130 Head Start programs have taken initial steps to connect and engage with Kids on Campus.
• Partners have identified 43 potential matches between community colleges and Head Start programs interested in exploring partnerships across 19 states.

Five new Kids on Campus partnerships have launched in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Texas, with two additional partnerships in advanced stages of development in Texas.

“Before I found the Head Start on my college campus, it was extremely difficult,” says Cristina Medina, a student parent at Palo Alto College, one of the newest Kids on Campus launched sites. “I was on the edge of mentally and emotionally giving up because being a full-time mom while going to school and work was hard with no support.”

The initiative continues to grow nationwide through expanded partnerships, technical assistance, and collaborative efforts to strengthen on-campus child care and early childhood education opportunities for student parents and families.
The report profiles active partnerships and explores the benefits and barriers they face, financial considerations, model sustainability, advice from the field, and what is next for Kids on Campus.

To access the full report, go to kidsoncampus.org/annual-report.

ACCT and NHSA invite community colleges, Head Start programs, and philanthropic supporters interested in transforming outcomes for children and families to contact [email protected].

Kids on Campus is supported by ECMC Foundation, Imaginable Futures, Lumina Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Trellis Foundation, Crimsonbridge Foundation, and Seldin Haring-Smith Foundation.

Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) is a non-profit educational organization of governing boards, representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,000 community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States and beyond. ACCT fosters the principles and practices of exemplary governance while promoting high-quality and affordable higher education, cutting-edge workforce and development training, student success, and the opportunity for all individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency and security. Visit www.acct.org for more information.

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) believes that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in school and in life. The opportunities offered by Head Start lead to healthier and empowered children and families and stronger, more vibrant communities. NHSA is the voice for more than 750,000 children, 250,000 staff, and more than 1,600 Head Start grant recipients in the United States. Visit nhsa.org or follow @NatlHeadStart to learn more.

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.”