THE BLACK WOMEN'S SUMMIT COMES TO OAKLAND ARENA ON AUGUST 2, 2025

Join U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Joy-Ann Reid, Yara Shahidi, Tamika D. Mallory, Angela Rye, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Jemele Hill, Ilyasah Shabazz, and Maryum Ali — with guest performer Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.

The Black Promoters Collective proudly presents The Black Women's Summit, an all-day women's conference taking place Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. This impactful event will bring together some of today's most influential voices across politics, media, activism, and the arts for a powerful day of inspiration, education, and collective celebration.

This is more than a conference. It's a movement. A space created to reflect, rise, and reignite the extraordinary power of Black women across generations.

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM local time via Ticketmaster.com. Presales begin Thursday, June 5 from 10:00 AM to 11:59 PM local time via the code BPC.

Headlining the summit are dynamic speakers and trailblazing change-makers including:

• Jasmine Crockett - U.S. Congresswoman
  
  
• Joy-Ann Reid – Journalist, Author, documentary film producer and social & political Commentator
  
  
• Yara Shahidi – Award-winning actress, producer, & and the breakout star of ABC's Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series black-ish
  
  
• Tamika D. Mallory – Bestselling author, award-winning social justice leader, and movement strategist
  
  
• Angela Rye – Award-winning host, social justice advocate, lawyer, commentator, and self-described empowermenteur
  
  
• Nikole Hannah-Jones – Author of the 1619 Project & Pulitzer Prize winner from the NY Times
  
  
• Jemele Hill – Emmy Award-Winning Journalist and Author
  
  
• Ilyasah Shabazz – Author, Activist, and Daughter of Malcolm X
  
  
• Maryum Ali – Author, Activist, and Daughter of Muhammad Ali
  
  
• Guest Performer, Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D

Throughout the day, attendees will engage in transformative conversations centered around culture, policy, community, leadership, and the legacy of Black women. From personal truths to powerful calls to action, each session is designed to uplift, educate, and connect.

"This isn't just a gathering. It's a celebration of Black women's empowerment. We are honoring the past, amplifying the present, and shaping the future together." — Lionel Bea, SVP, Black Promoters Collective

For the latest updates and to purchase tickets, please visit bpctickets.com.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 EBONY POWER 100 List

Black excellence has a home, and for eight decades, that home has been EBONY. Today, as the iconic and beloved Black-owned media company prepares to celebrate 80 years of championing and elevating the Black identity through powerful storytelling, around the globe, we are now proud to announce that nominations are open for the 2025 EBONY Power 100 List.

The EBONY Power 100 captures lightning in a bottle—the dynamic forces who aren't just participating in culture, but transforming it. As part of our enduring mission to amplify and celebrate Black voices, we recognize the visionaries who turn obstacles into opportunities, the innovators whose dreams become our daily reality, and the voices that resonate from boardrooms to recording studios, research labs to movie sets. From activists to actors, innovative scientists to business leaders, these are individuals who not only break barriers, but are redefining what's possible for future generations, while embodying the spirit creative expression that has defined EBONY for decades.

Past honorees include Cynthia Erivo, USHER, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Deion Sanders, Gayle King, and Pat McGrath.

Submissions are now open for the 2025 EBONY Power 100 list. The full list of 2025 EBONY Power 100 categories include:

• Artists in Residence
• Business Disrupters
• Community Crusaders
• Entertainment Powerhouses
• Generation Next
• Influential Creators
• Leaders in Sports
• Media Mavens
• Music Innovators
• Stem Trailblazers

To learn more about EBONY Power 100 and to nominate visit:
https://www.ebony.com/ebony-power-100-nomination-form.

All nominations must be submitted by June 13, 2025. Final honorees will be celebrated at the highly anticipated EBONY Power 100 ceremony in Los Angeles November 2025.

For inquiries about the EBONY Power 100 contact:

• For EBONY Power 100 list inquires - EP100@ebony.com
• For sales and brand partnerships – Duryea Ruffins, druffins@ebony.com
• For PR & marketing - Deon Harris, dharris@ebony.com

100 Black Men of America, Inc. Announces 39th Annual Conference in New Orleans

100 Black Men of America, Inc., the nation's premier African American mentoring and leadership development organization, is proud to announce its 39th Annual Conference, taking place June 4–8, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

This year's theme, "Preparing Leaders to Impact Our Changing World," reflects the organization's continued commitment to mentoring, education, health and wellness, and economic empowerment across communities of color. The multi-day conference will bring together 100 chapters, industry leaders, youth, corporate partners, elected officials, educators, and advocates from across the country.

"At a time when leadership is needed more than ever, this conference provides the inspiration, tools, and access to empower the next generation," said Milton H. Jones, Jr., Chairman of the Board, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. "Our conference isn't just a gathering — it's a launchpad for legacy-building and real-world change. We're convening a powerful mix of voices from across the country—mentors, youth, entrepreneurs, educators, health professionals, and corporate leaders—who are aligned in their commitment to shaping a better future. Whether you're here to grow, give back, or be inspired, this experience is designed to move us all forward."

The 39th Annual Conference will feature:

• Youth leadership workshops and national competitions
• The signature 100 Business Summit
• Panels and keynotes from national thought leaders
• Chapter development workshops
• Health and wellness activations
• Networking events and award celebrations
• Call to action for elevating youth mentoring programs

The event is expected to welcome over 1,300 attendees, including members of the 100's Collegiate, Emerging 100, and youth mentees from across the 100 Black Men network. With both a local presence and national impact, the 100 is active in promoting equitable outcomes in education, business, and civic engagement. This year's conference will involve the New Orleans community by offering free eye exams and glasses for students attending Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and hosting a free Business Summit to support local entrepreneurs. This event is open to the public.

Media can obtain credentials and access the media kit by viewing the bottom section of this page. Interviews with the 100's executive board members and sponsor representatives can be scheduled. Visit 100blackmen.org for complete information.

National Urban League's President Calls Charges Against Rep. McIver "An Unconstitutional Attempt to Criminalize Dissent"

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial today said the criminal charges filed against U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver appear to be an unconstitutional effort to criminalize dissent and deter Congress from exercising its duty of oversight.

"The Trump administration is using every tool at its disposal to pursue an audacious campaign of intimidation," Morial said. "The charges are not just an attempt to distract from the very real concerns about the safety of Delaney Hall and the legality of the mass deportation operation it was built to facilitate; they also are an unambiguous threat to anyone who dares to question the President's supremacy."

Morial noted that the charges against Ras Baraka stemming from the same incident were dropped due to lack of evidence. At the same time, President Trump called for criminal investigations of celebrities who endorsed his opponent in the last election.

"The administration's message is loud and clear: defiance of this president, criticism of his policies, insistence upon Constitutional authority will be met with ruthless and malicious retaliation," Morial said. "I have every confidence the American people will resist this slide toward totalitarianism, and hold the members of this administration to the principles they swore to uphold."

Black Faith Leaders Organize for No Menthol Sunday

The national movement to remove menthol cigarettes from the U.S. market continues, and the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and the faith community are stepping up again this Sunday, May 18, to raise awareness of the tobacco industry's assault on the Black community and help members of our community quit smoking.

In California and across the country for No Menthol Sunday, communities are building networks of faith-based organizations to educate communities about the importance of tobacco-free policies, offering free nicotine replacement therapy, and promoting the state's 1-800-QUIT-NOW quitline.

"No Menthol Sunday provides a portal of entry for faith leaders and congregations to organize and mobilize our faith to call out, challenge, and courageously counter the deceptive and manipulative, addictive, and destructive precepts and products emanating from the corporate pharaohs of commercial tobacco manufacturers and their allies," explains Reverend Kelvin Sauls of www.Amplify.Love. 

"Our churches are one of the best places for members of our community to receive valuable information to improve their health," proclaims Kathye D. Jenkins, Ph.D., MPH of the Cynthia Perry Ray Foundation. 

"With Washington failing to act to save Black lives, it is up to our communities to take action," declares Carol McGruder of the AATCLC. "We will not give up the fight until menthol cigarettes are taken off the market nationwide and no more Black people die from tobacco-related illnesses."

"The malicious targeting of the African American community by the tobacco industry for over 70 years has led to an epidemic within an epidemic," said Chris Bostic, Policy Director of Action on Smoking and Health. "We can't expect to achieve health equity in this country until menthol cigarettes are no more."

Each year, more than 72,000 African Americans are diagnosed with a tobacco-induced illness, and more than 45,000 die from a tobacco-induced disease. 85% of all African American smokers smoke menthol cigarettes compared to 29% of White smokers. Menthol cigarettes increase addiction and make it harder to quit. More than 70% of African American smokers want to quit, and more than 60% made a quit attempt in the previous year. However, African American smokers are less likely than White smokers to successfully quit smoking.

Formed in 2008, the mission of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) is to inform and influence the direction of tobacco control as it affects the lives of African American and African immigrant communities. The AATCLC works at the intersection of social injustice and public health policy. Working with health jurisdictions, elected officials, community-based organizations, tobacco researchers, activists and the media, the AATCLC has played a key role in elevating the once obscure issue of regulating the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco products to one of national concern and action. 

Learn more at www.savingblacklives.org/no-menthol-sunday