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University of Kentucky to Disband Diversity Office After GOP Lawmakers Pass Anti-DEI Bill

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The University of Kentucky will disband an office promoting diversity and inclusion, the president of the University of Kentucky said Tuesday, in response to concerns from lawmakers that a deal with identity is stifling political discussion.

The motion on the campus in Lexington, Kentucky, comes after state lawmakers debated restricting diversity, equity and inclusion practices at public universities. Republican supermajorities within the Kentucky House and Senate were unable to resolve their differences on the problem before this yr’s session ends in April, but the problem is predicted to come up again when lawmakers meet again early next yr.

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As part of the varsity’s precautionary measures, units housed within the shuttered Office of Institutional Diversity will likely be relocated elsewhere on campus, including to a newly created Office of Community Relations, UK President Eli Capilouto said in a campus-wide email. The restructuring won’t end in job losses, he said.

Capilouto emphasized that the varsity’s core values ​​remain intact — protecting academic freedom and promoting a “sense of belonging” for all people on campus, regardless of background or beliefs.

“But we’ve also listened to policymakers and heard a lot of questions about whether we seem partisan or political about the issues of our time and, as a result, narrowly interpret things solely through the lens of identity,” the campus president said. “In doing so, we’re concerned that we’re either intentionally or unintentionally limiting the discourse. I hear a lot of those concerns reflected in discussions with some of our students, faculty and staff on campus.”

He noted that universities in other states were grappling with similar problems.

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University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett announced plans Tuesday to disband the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Bennett was hired last yr and is the primary Black person to lead Nebraska’s flagship public university campus.

“I fully understand the gravity of this decision and its implications, but a centralized approach to this work is no longer appropriate for our institution,” Bennett said in a public letter.

Bennett said he divides the duty of “supporting and building a sense of community and belonging” amongst several other offices.

“It is the responsibility of each of us to create a welcoming environment for all members of our community,” he said.

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Bennett’s statement appears to contradict the University of Nebraska system’s position from just just a few months ago during testimony on a bill that will ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Nebraska state colleges and universities. The system’s interim chancellor, Chris Kabourek, testified against the bill.

“We are concerned about how this bill will impact our ability to compete for students, faculty and staff,” Kabourek told lawmakers. “I think we all value diversity and the benefits of being welcoming. That is certainly the type of environment we strive for and want to create on our campuses.”

A Nebraska bill failed to pass despite the fact that dozens of critics opposed its proposals.

The push to curtail DEI initiatives has gained momentum this yr in lots of Republican-leaning states. For example, the Republican-led Iowa Legislature approved a spending bill that will ban all DEI offices and initiatives in higher education that are usually not needed to comply with accreditation or federal law.

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Republican lawmakers in Missouri have proposed quite a few bills aimed toward “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives in higher education and state government. Although the laws has not passed, the efforts have put pressure on institutions to make changes. The University of Missouri recently announced that it’s disbanding its Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity department and redistributing staff to other departments.

In Kentucky, GOP lawmakers who’ve been on the forefront of the DEI debate said Tuesday they welcome UK’s actions and called on other public universities to take similar steps.

“Truely eliminating these DEI policies at our public universities will end the division they promote and allow our colleges and universities to become the true bastions of free thought we need,” Republican state Sen. Mike Wilson said in an announcement.

Opponents of Kentucky’s anti-DEI bills warned that the restrictions could undermine growth in minority student enrollment and stifle campus discussions about past discrimination.

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On its website, the UK Office for Institutional Diversity says its mission is to “increase the diversity and inclusiveness of our university community by recruiting and retaining an increasingly diverse population”. It says initiatives that promote diversity experiences might help ensure success in a “connected world”.

Under the UK restructuring, the university won’t mandate centralized diversity training at the faculty or unit level, Capilouto said. It won’t include required diversity statements in its admissions and application processes, he said, and its web sites will likely be free of political positions to ensure impartiality.

“In no way should this be interpreted as an infringement on academic freedom,” the UK president added. “Faculty decide what to teach in their formal education and where their discoveries should take them as researchers in their fields of expertise.”

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Lifestyle

David E. Talbert sells memories for six characters

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The director, author, playwright and producer David E. Talbert sold his memory “Everything I know about being a man (I learned from a woman)” for six characters to Storehouse Voices, a random Punguin Publishing House. He also develops a television program with the identical title.

According to the memories of Talbert He emerged from conversations He He had together with his son, which meant that he realized that his mother, a single mother, gave him all the teachings he learned to be a person.

According to the web site, Storehouse Voices focuses on “promoting the wealth of a black story through intentional acquisition and employment of efforts, strategic partnerships and the authentic range of the community, which it is going to achieve by publishing literary and fictitious books.

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According to Storehouse, Voices was published in January 2025, Created in cooperation with the Tamira ChapmanFrom the success of the Chapman’s Women & Words program, which was launched with the support of Storehouse in a box and Penguin Random House, which was aimed toward “deisting the publishing industry and its processes” for insufficiently represented authors.

The declaration that broadcasts the imprint is: “Warehouse voices are informed by a deep understanding of the unique cultural contexts and historical black experiences in America and involved in ensuring that literary works of insufficiently represented authors are presented authentically, with respect and strongly in the entire landscape of publications and the media.”

This is thick with the final arch of Talbert’s profession, which, like Tyler Perry, began with stage arts aimed toward telling the black stories of the Black audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHMMRG8Gytk

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In 2024, in an interview with the Wielofenate, he said that “Jingle Jangle”, a Christmas film, who wrote and directed by which Forest Whitaker and Keegan Michael Key performed, was created due to his childhood of the sensation of excluded fantasy, because he often didn’t see black children represented within the media of his youth.

According to 2023, Talbert launched HBCU Next, a scholarship program that he founded and financed together with his wife and production partner, Lyn Sisson-Talbert, To enrich the tutorial possibilities available for beginner filmmakers in HBCUS Bringing them to the School of Cinematic Arts USC School of Cinematic Arts program.

As Talbert said on this system: “Our general goal is to support the environment for students from HBCU and the USC to get involved in cultural exchange of learning from each other, and to provide access to education conducive to providing black storytellers to the entertainment industry.”

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(Tagstotranslate) Penguin random house

This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Parents of the footballer of the University of Bucknell, who died during the exercises of “punishment” during training, sue school

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Parents of the footballer of the University of Bucknell are suing school after their son died during training in July 2024.

In July 2024, 18-year-old Dickey Jr. He collapsed during the first football training of the team, affected by the sickle complications of the cells, NBC Philadelphia Reported. He was immediately hospitalized at the moment, but he died two days later.

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Now, based on documents submitted to the Common Pleas court in Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 2, the boy’s parents, Calvin Dickey Sr. And Nicole Dickey, they claim that the university knew about the diagnosis of the sickle features of their son-what could increase the possibilities of experience of complications-he could prevent his death, for death for death. NPR AND ESPN.

They spent that Bucknell University is accused of neglect and illegal death, together with other claims just like hazing. Court documents claim that Dickey was intended by a “ritual of passage” on a burdensome training for first -year students, despite the undeniable fact that the school knew about his condition, which meant that he was vulnerable to the experience of complications called rhabdomoliz. Rare complication may cause the decomposition of skeletal muscle tissue To the extent that the muscles begin to release dangerous toxins on internal organs and are sometimes triggered by bothersome physical exercise.

Dickey collapsed when he was forced to exercise during practice as a “punishment” together with other players to go. According to witnesses of students and staff, Dickey became clearly at risk and had problems with keeping the pace before he fell.

“A terrible, painful death died, which can be 100% prevented,” said family lawyer, Mike Caspino, about CJ Wa press conference that Ceisler Media was available on YouTube.

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He explained that from 2010 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) required from sports students to check the sickle features because they were more vulnerable to a serious state. Caspino also noticed that CJ positively checked the sickle feature before joining the university football team, which made him “200 times more likely” to get rabdomiolism.

“If the athlete has a sickle feature, it should not be developed on the first day of practice; they are not supposed to make sprints, they are not to do up, they are to be relaxed to the practice regime. Otherwise they can get a discountolysis,” said the lawyer.

Talking with People magazineThe university said that he was aware of the trial and couldn’t comment on waiting court disputes. “We are again expanding sincere sympathies to the CJ family and we will continue to focus on our most important priority – health and safety of all Bucknell students.”

Dickey’s mother, a witness of a difficult path, Dickey’s mother said that her son was “worth” during a conversation with ESPN.

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“We do it for CJ, for every young man in this team and anyone who follows him at any university,” she said. “It’s a longer, more difficult path and I’m ready for it.”

The arrest made in connection with the death of a student of the South University, who died after the alleged ritual

(Tagstranslatate) situ situ situ situ situ

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Pastor Keion and the First Lady Shauny invite God’s people to “Call”

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Shaunie O


Pastor Keion Henderson and the first lady Shauna Henderson organize Cry Out Con after the third 12 months in a row in Houston on May 1-3. Non -traditional guests, women’s workshops and sermons of famous speakers will perform in the 4 -day event.

Pastor Keion and Shauni left for a moment since the conference was organized to sit down Black company To discuss their hopes for spiritual renovation, their guests’ offer and navigation in marriage and business.

Pastor Keion Henderson and Shauna Henderson
Thanks to the kindness of the Lighthouse church

Black Enterprise: Can we discuss how Cry Out Con began? What spiritual need led to this concept?

Pastor Keion: I used to be in a nasty space. Pastor Mathew Stevenson stood in the pulpit and talked about Israel’s children. He said that God didn’t lead them out of the desert until they shout. It was as if electricity hit my body. I stood exactly where I used to be and began screaming.

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I had three employees with me. I called them and said, “That’s what we’ll do.”

The conference includes family therapists and relationship experts. What form of solution do you would like with this solution?

Pastor Keion: We recognize the deficit in our community when it comes to emotional and relational health. And this isn’t an accident – this is a component of a wider system.

Is there a news in Cry Out Con that people can participate of their personal relationships to start healing?

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First Lady Shauna: Yes, and subsequently we include breakthrough sessions focused on healing women.

Why is it necessary for sessions for ladies?

First Lady Shauna: More than half of the room is women. It’s only a church, right? The law was to create moments once we talk directly to them.

We need a lot healing. The panel of our women focuses on healing the whole lot, from parenting to relationships, funds, self -care and faith.

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Call
Thanks to the kindness of the Lighthouse church

This 12 months you have got chosen men who aren’t necessarily a clergy, like DC Young Fly and Deion Sanders. What about their spiritual travels led you to include them?

Pastor Keion: We cannot win the world if the only people talking to them come from the church.

I believe that each Deion and DC don’t agree that they aren’t “fabric”. Deion will let you know that he’s a person of God who trains football, not a football coach who talks about God. It is significant to recognize that the fabric is represented not only on the pulpit, but on football fields, in comedy clubs – where there are people.

You have each been public for a very long time. You are married and are in business partnership. How do you progress with it and remain grounded?

First Lady Shauna: If you asked me once we got married for the first time, I might say, “Oh, it’s easy.” But it becomes complicated – until you’re thinking that it’s complicated. After confirming and inventing the system that works, it flows.

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Pastor Keion: I might add that he’s her boss, I’m the boss of me and we run a family together.

When I married my wife, she was an individual with a functioning business, a set of skills and a family mantra. At any time, I believed that the marriage for me meant the release of her story. I had to accept it and she did the same for me.

Shauni O'Neal, Henderson, Keion Henderson, Cry Out Con

As a facilitator of Cry Out Con, do you furthermore may feel spiritually fed?

Pastor Keion: My destiny helps to find your personal. I’m absolutely conveyed by the incontrovertible fact that people come to this conference and leave entitled, committed and informed.

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I’m enthusiastic about the transformation that I expect because I saw it earlier. I do know I’ll see it again.

First Lady Shauna: Sometimes feeding just know that you simply helped someone. If the experience resonates only with one person and makes it one percent higher, I’m fed.


Both Hendersony will lead many workshops and sermons. This 12 months’s composition is attached to a few of the most significant voices in service, including the Evangelist Latrice Ryan, Lacy NaTeNo, Steven Speaks, Jordan Welch, Kirk Franklin, Pastor Jerry Flowers Jr. and Minister Vincent A. Casey Sr.

Register for the event, Visit the official Cry Out Con website.

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(Tagstranslate) Shauna Henderson (T) Pastor Keion Henderson (T) Lighthouse Church (T) Shauni O’Neal

This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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