REV. SHARPTON ISSUES STATEMENT AFTER MEETING WITH PEPSICO EXECUTIVES

Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), issued the following statement after meeting with PepsiCo leadership at the company’s global headquarters in Purchase, NY this morning.

“This morning, I and several members of NAN met with PepsiCo Chairman Ramon Laguarta and CEO of PepsiCo North America Steven Williams for more than an hour to discuss our grievances over reports they were rolling back nearly $500 million in DEI commitments. It was a constructive conversation, which PepsiCo agreed to hold within the 21 days we gave them to meet. We agreed to follow up meetings within the next few days. After that continued dialogue, NAN Chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson and I, both former members of the company’s African American Advisory Board, will make a final determination and recommendation to the organization on what we will do around PepsiCo moving forward, as we continue to deal with a broader swath of corporations with whom we will either boycott or buy-cott.”

https://www.africanamericanreports.com/2025/04/rev-sharpton-issues-statement-after.html

HBCU$™ Helps Historically Black Colleges Overcome Billions in Underfunding by Supporting Alumni & Student Entrepreneurs

HBCU$™, an alumni giving and wealth building network created to help offset decades of disparities in public funding for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) by supporting the entrepreneurs they produce, is officially launching on May 1, 2025.

Tennessee State University graduate Dorsey West created HBCU$™ after learning of a 2023 analysis by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that found between 1987 and 2020, HBCU land-grant institutions received approximately $12.6 billion less in state funding than other land-grant institutions, and his alma mater had been underfunded by $2.1 billion during this period.

HBCU$™ promotes HBCU alumni & student owned businesses through their free online marketing platform and business owners donate a portion of any additional revenue generated back to the college of their choice.

"With unprecedented budget cuts happening at the national and state levels, HBCUs are going to need increased financial support from the private sector, as well as their alumni. I created HBCU$™ to maximize contributions from both sources," explains West.

"Consistently patronizing companies that contribute money back to Historically Black Colleges & Universities creates a self-sustaining cycle that can help close the funding gap for these institutions and provide long-term economic growth for businesses within the HBCU$™ network," West continues. "So, it's a win-win for the HBCUs and their entrepreneurs."

Consumers can join the HBCU$ email list now at https://hbcus.biz. to receive exclusive offers and early access to their membership site. HBCU alumni & student business owners can request to have their products and services promoted at no cost including video podcast interviews, member profiles and an online directory of participating companies by sending an email to promote@hbcus.biz.

About HBCU$™

HBCU$™ is an alumni giving and wealth building network created by Tennessee State University graduate Dorsey West, to provide consistent financial support to Historically Black Colleges & Universities and the entrepreneurs they produce. HBCU$™ promotes HBCU alumni & student owned businesses through their free online marketing platform, and these entrepreneurs donate a portion of any additional revenue generated back to the college of their choice. For more information, visit https://hbcus.biz.

Andrew Jacked wins 2025 FIBO

Andrew Jacked WINS the 2025 FIBO and becomes eligible for the Mr. Olympia.

FIBO Championships Top-5

1. Andrew Jacked

2. Sasan Heirati

3. Sergio Oliva Jr.

4. Justin Musiol

5. Josef Kveton

Andrew Jacked REACTS To Winning 2025 FIBO

LDF Denounces House Passage of SAVE Act

The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) urges the U.S. Senate to reject the misleadingly entitled “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act”, a disastrous, discriminatory, inefficient, and unnecessary bill passed by the House that would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters and upend Congress’ historic role of protecting the freedom to vote rather than suppressing it.

The SAVE Act would effectively eliminate online voter registration and severely curtail voter registration drives, methods that millions of Americans rely upon every year to register to vote or update their registrations. The SAVE Act also requires every would-be voter to arrive in person at their local elections office with the original copy of a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate in order to register to vote.

These requirements create especially harsh barriers to political participation for Black people, people of color, married people who have changed their names, rural voters, poor people, and others who may have difficulty obtaining a passport or birth certificate. Only half of the total population and only a third of Black people hold valid U.S. passports, while nearly half of all Black Americans under 30 do not have a license with their current name and address. That’s not to mention the nearly 70 million Americans who have taken a spouse’s last name that may not match the name on their birth certificate.

The law would also undercut voter registration drives, which have been essential for mobilizing political participation in Black communities. If adopted, this would be an especially troubling effect as racial disparities in voter turnout have grown in the past decade.

Legal Defense Fund President and Director-Counsel Janai S. Nelson issued the following statement in response to the House’s vote on the SAVE Act:

“The SAVE Act erects a discriminatory barrier to the ballot while pretending to ‘solve’ a problem that does not exist. Its true purpose, rooted in fear of the multiracial democracy the United States can and must become, is to limit access to the ballot and stifle the political power of our increasingly diverse electorate. It’s a misnomer to call this bill the SAVE Act when it would cause nothing but harm to Black communities, rural communities, and so many others who would be stripped of their right to vote if it becomes law.

We urge lawmakers to reject this catastrophic bill and to rightfully turn their attention to advancing proposals that protect our fundamental right to have a voice in free and fair elections.”

National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc.® Joint Statement Opposing Censorship of the National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Council of Presidents of the National Pan Hellenic Council® (NPHC®), representing the nine historically Black Greek-lettered Organizations and more than 2.5 million members worldwide, strongly opposes any attempt to censor, distort, or dismantle the telling of America's full and inclusive history. Efforts to withhold funding from the Smithsonian complex, especially the National Museum of African American History and Culture, threaten not only a vital educational resource but also the very integrity of our national narrative.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture serves as a cornerstone in the preservation and celebration of African American history and culture. This history is American history. From slavery to civil rights to the cultural innovations that continue to shape the world, the museum ensures these stories are not forgotten, denied, or politicized.

NPHC® also commends the outstanding leadership of Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. As the founding director of the museum and the first African American Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Secretary Bunch has championed the power of historical truth to unite, educate, and heal. His dedication to scholarship, accessibility, and equity has elevated the Smithsonian mission and broadened its relevance to all Americans.

The NPHC® was founded on May 10, 1930, at Howard University in Washington, DC.  The purpose of the NPHC® is to foster cooperative actions of its members in dealing with matters of mutual concern. Thus, NPHC® promotes the well-being of its affiliate fraternities and sororities, facilitates the establishment and development of local councils of the NPHC®, which collaboratively work together across the United States and provides leadership training for its constituents. We believe that knowledge uplifts communities, empowers individuals, and strengthens democracy. Secretary Bunch continues in that tradition and reminds us that museums are not merely repositories of the past. They are tools for building a better future.

The NPHC® calls on policymakers, educators, and citizens across the country to reject false narratives that seek to divide us. We must support institutions that honor our collective past and protect our shared future. The National Museum of African American History and Culture plays a vital role in that mission, and we will continue to advocate for its preservation and advancement.

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated® (NPHC®) is currently composed of nine (9) International Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.®, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta® Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi® Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. For more information, visit www.nphchq.com.