Author: Carma Henry

       This past week, Florida Memorial University proudly welcomed representatives from the U.S. Department of Education, including Under Secretary Nicholas Kent and members of his distinguished team, for an engaging and forward-focused visit to campus.

       Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) will mark the inauguration of Dr. Albert D. Mosley as its eighth president on Tuesday, April 14, marking a new era of leadership for the historic institution.

Mary Smith-Blackmon, an African American woman from Canton, Mississippi, who became the first Black student to graduate from the town’s all-white public school in 1966, remembers both the struggles and the small victories of her journey. Despite harassment and isolation, she graduated with honors and later devoted over 30 years to teaching.

       Many men, especially Black men, move through life wearing a smile that holds more weight than most people will ever understand. It is a practiced smile, a protective smile, a survival smile. Behind it lives a world of pressure, expectations, quiet fears, unspoken disappointments, and dreams we were not always told we had permission to pursue. I know this kind of smile well because I wear it too.

       “Disabled job seekers are employed at far lower rates than anyone else in this nation, and that is unacceptable,” said Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24). “The GAO’s report shows that while progress has been made under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, too many barriers still block the path, especially when training providers fail to provide proper accommodations. That is not fairness, and it is not justice. True workforce development means real access for everyone. It is our shared responsibility to remove these barriers, strengthen our workforce programs, and close the employment gap so that disabled job seekers have a full and equal chance to contribute, thrive, and succeed in today’s economy.”

       The Fort Lauderdale Community Development Corporation (FTLCDC) invites the community to gather for an inspiring afternoon of fellowship and purpose at the “We Love Lauderdale Brunch & Fundraiser” on Saturday, March 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held at the Urban League of Broward County, located at 560 NW 27th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.

      There is a line, Not drawn in sand, and  Not whispered in fear.  But it’s  written in the U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 8, that expressly states, “The power to tax and set tariffs  is vested with Congress, not the executive branch.” SAY IT LOUD. IT’S IN THE CONSTITUTION!

       As Black History Month comes to a close, the question before us is not what we celebrated — but what we are willing to continue.      

       Some companies pay employees weekly. Others pay twice a month. Every other week is also popular. Company policies, industry traditions, and state and federal regulations all play a role in choices. Usually everything works out for everyone, but 2026 is special. Thanks to a rare calendar quirk, every-other-week companies are facing some hard choices.

Members of New Mount Olive Baptist Church Prayer Ministry Warriors gather beneath the shade of a sprawling oak tree during their 2026 Prayer Walk at Osswald Park on February 21, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida