Dantee Ramos

Jason Weaver celebrated a full-circle moment with the Kappa Kappa Psi earlier this week. According to HBCU Gameday , Weaver was inducted into the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. The milestone ties back to one of his most prominent roles as Ernest in the classic 2000s film, Drumline . His ‘Drumline’ character was also a Kappa Kappa Psi member There is a famous scene in the movie where Ernest is secretive about his plans with some of his fellow Atlanta A&T band members in a restaurant. According to ClutchPoints , Ernest was a Kappa Kappa Psi pledge, and Devon Miles (Nick Cannon) and his crew discovered him at his probate ceremony. What does this moment mean for Jason Weaver? The 46-year-old shared the news on his Instagram, detailing his experience at the fraternity’s national convention in Lexington, Kentucky. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @itsjasonweaver “I’m bringing in my birthday this year on a very high note this morning after officially...

A Morehouse College graduate faces deportation after a routine traffic stop led to his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers , and the HBCU community has come to his aid. Alex Maganda is being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, following a traffic violation. His arrest has sparked a wave of support from the HBCU community, with alums and influencers rallying to highlight his case. Maganda, who came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 5, was a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program . However, his DACA status recently expired. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mr.Toomer (@therealtrendsetta) His girlfriend, Maszoliin Spencer, expressed concerns about his future to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , saying, “This man has been here since 2000. It’s 2025 and he’s 30 years old and has this huge community. He doesn’t know anyone [in Mexico]. He’s from there, but he doesn’t know anything. This country shaped...

Mattel is making waves with the debut of the first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes, launched at the Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress on Tuesday. In addition to empowering children, this new addition to Barbie’s lineup promotes inclusiveness, empathy, and understanding—core values of the Barbie brand. Barbie’s newest doll aims to reflect life with type 1 diabetes “Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls Krista Berger said in a news release . “Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.” This Barbie reflects the realities of living with T1D. She wears a continuous glucose monitor on her arm, secured with heart-shaped medical tape in Barbie’s signature pink. Her outfit includes a blue...

The BeyGOOD Foundation , established by Houston’s own Beyoncé , donated $100,000 to Texas Southern University’s Ocean of Soul Marching Band . View this post on Instagram A post shared by HBCU TIMES (@hbcutimes_) What is the donation for? The grant will fund scholarships for band members, enhance recruitment and retention efforts, and upgrade band infrastructure and technology. “We are deeply appreciative of the BeyGOOD Foundation for this significant demonstration of its commitment to empowering our student musicians and elevating their form of artistic expression,” Texas Southern University President J.W. Crawford III said. How is Bey connected to the HBCU band? Per Black Enterprise , the Ocean of Soul Marching band has close ties to Beyoncé after 200 band members performed with her during her 2024 NFL Christmas Day halftime show performance . View this post on Instagram A post shared by Texas Southern University (@texassouthern) In a news release announcing the donation, band...

Temple University is set to launch a course focused on Kendrick Lamar . According to WHYY , “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City” will debut in the fall. Timothy Welbeck , an assistant professor in the Philadelphia university’s Africology and African American Studies department, designed the course, which will examine K.Dot’s life through an Afrocentric view. More on Timtohy Welbeck, who is behind the course Welbeck, a civil rights lawyer whose scholarly works focus on culture, law and race, previously taught Temple’s “Hip-Hop and Black Culture” course. He stated, “Kendrick Lamar is one of the leading voices of his generation and has a keen ability to articulate various dynamics of Black life and the quest towards self-actualization. He particularly captures the narrative of marginalization and rising from it.” Lamar has left an indelible mark on hip-hop and the world with his sharp commentary on Black culture through music. His critically acclaimed 2018 album, Damn ,...

Tracy Morgan Jr., the youngest son of actor and comedian Tracy Morgan , recently graduated from the University of New Haven. The Connecticut institution shared an Instagram post featuring the duo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by University of New Haven (@unewhaven) Tracy Morgan shows his son major love at his graduation Video footage captured after Jr. walked across the stage and received his bachelor’s degree in music and sound recording includes a touching moment of the father and son embracing, with the elder Morgan kissing his son on the forehead before walking off together. Morgan’s take on raising three sons Despite his busy schedule and a health scare earlier this year , the proud father was front and center for Tracy Jr.’s big day. Morgan has three adult sons with his ex-wife and high-school sweetheart, Sabina Morgan: Gitrid, Malcolm and Tracy Jr. He and ex-wife Megan Wollover have a preteen daughter, Maven, per People magazine. According to Closer Weekly ,...