Herman Cain Says Trump Doesn't Have 'A Racist Bone In His Body'

Herman Cain recently scoffed at the allegations accusing President Donald Trump of being racist.

“I don’t think Donald Trump has a racist bone in his body. And you can quote me on that,” Cain said in an interview with Yahoo News. “I have known him for many years. I have talked to people who work directly for him. The man is a businessman. How could he be a racist? His daughter married a person whose religious belief is Jewish. Good! He doesn’t go around making statements that are racist in nature. No, he says things where some people out there — especially people who don’t like him — try to spin it as being racist.”

On several occasions, Trump has referred to himself as "the least racist person." However, his statements on Charlottesville, Virginia, his history of running racially-charged attack ads and his recent "sh*thole countries" controversy have his critics unsure whether Trump is as tolerant as Cain claims.

According to Cain, critics need to put aside Trump’s language and personality. He instead urges them to focus on the results of Trump's policies in order to truly measure the success of his first-year in office.

Cain said he would give year one an "A" because Trump rolled back regulations and signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which he called “one of the biggest legislative achievements in 30 years.”

When it comes to Trump's campaign rhetoric (including when Trump said the following about Mexican immigrants: "They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."), Cain said that he never observed anything at Trump’s campaign events that would indicate he harbors any animus toward minorities.

Herman Cain recently scoffed at the allegations accusing President Donald Trump of being racist.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think Donald Trump has a racist bone in his body. And you can quote me on that,” Cain said in an interview with \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/herman-cain-says-trump-doesnt-racist-bone-body-180726069.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Yahoo News\u003C/a>. “I have known him for many years. I have talked to people who work directly for him. The man is a businessman. How could he be a racist? His daughter married a person whose religious belief is Jewish. Good! He doesn’t go around making statements that are racist in nature. No, he says things where some people out there — especially people who don’t like him — try to spin it as being racist.”\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On several occasions, Trump has referred to himself as "the least racist person." However, his statements on \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/donald-trump-charlottesville-winery-both-sides-blame-violence\">Charlottesville\u003C/a>, Virginia, his history of running \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/ava-duvernay-calls-out-trump-for-his-hypocrisy-role-in-the-central-park-five-conviction\">racially-charged attack ads\u003C/a> and his recent \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/trump-reportedly-fussed-about-shthole-countries-like-haiti-and-other-african-nations-for-flocking-to-the-us\">"sh*thole countries" controversy\u003C/a> have his critics unsure whether Trump is as tolerant as Cain claims.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>According to Cain, critics need to put aside Trump’s language and personality. He instead urges them to focus on the results of Trump's policies in order to truly measure the success of his first-year in office.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Cain said he would give year one an "A" because Trump rolled back regulations and signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which he called “one of the biggest legislative achievements in 30 years.”\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>When it comes to Trump's campaign rhetoric (including when Trump said the following about \u003Ca href=\"http://time.com/4473972/donald-trump-mexico-meeting-insult/\">Mexican immigrants\u003C/a>: "They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."), Cain said that he never observed anything at Trump’s campaign events that would indicate he harbors any animus toward minorities.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='“When he was campaigning, I spoke at three of his rallies. There were plenty of black people and Hispanic people there trying to help him get elected. I never saw him try to put anybody down. The people who don’t like him are trying to stick him with a racist label, which is not true,” Cain said. At a campaign rally in Atlanta, he vouched for Trump as a \u003Ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/us/politics/behind-herman-cains-humor-a-question-of-seriousness.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">“shucky ducky” kind of candidate.\u003C/a> Trump received \u003Ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/behind-trumps-victory-divisions-by-race-gender-education/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">8 percent\u003C/a> of votes by black people in 2016.’ data-reactid=”26″ type=”text”>“When he was campaigning, I spoke at three of his rallies. There were plenty of black people and Hispanic people there trying to help him get elected," Cain said. "I never saw him try to put anybody down. The people who don’t like him are trying to stick him with a racist label, which is not true."\u003C/p>\n",[23,27],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},"News","news",83,{"name":28,"slug":29,"id":30},"Politics","politics",120,[32,36],{"id":33,"name":34,"slug":35,"description":10,"image":10},37278,"Donald trump","donald-trump",{"id":37,"name":38,"slug":39,"description":10,"image":10},31431,"Herman Cain","herman-cain",{"url":41,"thumbnail":41,"credit":42,"title":10,"alt":10,"type":43},"https://res.cloudinary.com/blavity/image/upload/v1518555094/hlftrwf7fqctilz89h1b","Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons","image","2018-02-13T16:18:42-05:00","default",[],false,{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":49,"headScript":50},true,null,"https://storage.googleapis.com/blavitynews/images/fallback.jpg","article","2026-02-04T10:33:05.376Z",{"list":55,"total":166},[56,88,119],{"id":57,"author":58,"authors":66,"title":68,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":69,"body":70,"categories":71,"tags":73,"featuredMedia":78,"publishedAt":84,"updatedAt":85,"type":45,"listicle":86,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":87},72896617,{"id":59,"avatar":60,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":61,"email":62,"username":63,"normalizedUsername":64,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":65},98863,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8dd2e9d245fc1659c5f529c63bda06ddba7673ddef9244223425ed9a80af602a?s=1024&r=g","Blavity Team","[email protected]","Blavity","blavity","2015-09-08T00:00:00+00:00",[67],{"id":59,"avatar":60,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":61,"email":62,"username":63,"normalizedUsername":64,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":65},"ICE's Next Target? Bad Bunny At The Super Bowl — Let's Discuss","ices-next-target-bad-bunny-at-the-super-bowl-lets-discuss","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe title=\"ICE's Next Target? Bad Bunny At The Super Bowl\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/g5x_VHw7vEg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C/iframe>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the latest episode of \u003Cem>Blavity Town Hall\u003C/em>, host Raven Schwam-Curtis revisits the long, complex relationship between Black athletes, protest, and performance — just ahead of the 2026 \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/entertainment/super-bowl-2025-date-and-location\">Super Bowl\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>From Muhammad Ali to Colin Kaepernick, and now to figures like Bad Bunny and Azeez Al-Shaair, the conversation around sports and political expression is far from new. The episode highlights how athletes and performers have used their platforms to challenge power, assert identity, and spotlight injustice — often at personal and professional cost.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This year’s Super Bowl, airing Feb. 8 from Levi’s Stadium in California, \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/patrick-mahomes-bad-bunny-rumor-fact-check\">marks a historic moment with Bad Bunny\u003C/a> as the first artist to headline the halftime show in Spanish. He’ll be joined by pregame performers including Coco Jones, Charlie Puth, and Brandi Carlile — with American Sign Language interpretations incorporated throughout.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conservative-backlash-toward-the-super-bowl\">Conservative backlash toward the Super Bowl\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Since the announcement, conservative backlash has mounted. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to be on-site, a move confirmed by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Trump-era advisor Corey Lewandowski. Critics say the enforcement presence casts a chilling effect — especially given Bad Bunny’s vocal support of Puerto Rican independence and past refusal to tour the U.S. over ICE concerns.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Right-wing commentators have also condemned the performance. House Speaker Mike Johnson called Bad Bunny a “terrible decision” and suggested an alternative rooted in Americana, while Turning Point USA announced a “counterprogram” halftime event.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The episode explores how this response fits into a broader pattern of scrutiny toward athletes and performers of color who use their platforms to speak out — particularly when their politics challenge dominant narratives about patriotism and identity.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-legacy-of-segregation-in-sports\">The legacy of segregation in sports\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The episode also traces the history of racial segregation in American sports. While today more than 65% of NFL players are Black, it wasn’t until 1946 that the league was reintegrated following years of exclusion. Other sports — including Major League Baseball, the NBA, tennis, and boxing — followed similar paths of resistance and eventual inclusion, often prompted by public pressure or legal action.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>High-profile acts of protest are also examined, including the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute, Serena Williams’ experiences with racist media depictions, and Kaepernick’s kneeling in protest of police violence — a gesture that ultimately cost him his NFL career.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>New episodes of \u003Cem>Blavity Town Hall\u003C/em> drop biweekly.\u003C/p>\n",[72],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[74],{"id":75,"name":76,"slug":77,"description":10,"image":10},44529,"top stories","top-stories",{"url":79,"thumbnail":80,"credit":81,"title":82,"alt":83,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2250544911.jpg.webp","https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2250544911-150x100.jpg.webp","Photo by Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP via Getty Images","MEXICO-MUSIC-CONCERT","Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny performs on stage during his \"Debi tirar mas fotos\" world tour in Mexico City on December 10, 2025.","2026-01-31T20:29:45-05:00","2026-02-01T09:49:05-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":89,"author":90,"authors":100,"title":102,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":103,"body":104,"categories":105,"tags":107,"featuredMedia":109,"publishedAt":115,"updatedAt":116,"type":45,"listicle":117,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":118},72896245,{"id":91,"avatar":92,"firstName":93,"lastName":94,"displayName":95,"email":96,"username":97,"normalizedUsername":98,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":99},99833,"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3995-compress.jpeg","Jahaura","Michelle","Jahaura Michelle","[email protected]","JahauraMichelle","jahauramichelle","2023-04-03T03:43:50+00:00",[101],{"id":91,"avatar":92,"firstName":93,"lastName":94,"displayName":95,"email":96,"username":97,"normalizedUsername":98,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":99},"Sean Grayson Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Murder Of Sonya Massey","sean-grayson-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-for-murder-of-sonya-massey","\n\u003Cp>Sean Grayson, the former Illinois sheriff’s deputy convicted of second-degree murder in the July 2024 death of \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/sonya-massey-murder-trial-sheriffs-deputys-partner-testifies-against-him\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sonya Massey\u003C/a>, a 36-year-old Black mother of two shot after calling 911 to report a possible intruder in her home, was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in prison followed by two years of mandatory supervised probation.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-was-sean-grayson-found-guilty-of-sonya-massey-s-murder\">When was Sean Grayson found guilty of Sonya Massey’s murder?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/sonya-massey-murder-trial-sean-grayson-found-guilty\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a> reported that a jury found Grayson, 31, guilty in October of second-degree murder in Massey’s fatal shooting. While prosecutors initially sought a first-degree murder conviction, the defense objected and advocated for the jury to consider a lesser charge.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The charge against Grayson carries a four to 20-year prison sentence for second-degree murder. Under Illinois law, Grayson could earn good-behavior credit and serve only half of his sentence. If prosecutors had secured the first-degree murder charge, Grayson would face a harsher sentence, which carries 45 years to life in prison, per \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-illinois-sheriffs-deputy-sentenced-murder-sonya-massey-rcna256475\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NBC News\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Judge Ryan Cadigan of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois sentenced Grayson to the maximum penalty. During his ruling, he explained that firing three rounds threatened other residents in the neighborhood and that a strict sentence would “deter others from acting under the same circumstances,” according to \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/sean-grayson-sentencing-sonya-massey-shooting/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CBS News\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUHIGEgjyj4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\u003Cdiv style=\"padding:16px;\"> \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUHIGEgjyj4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> \u003Cdiv style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> \u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> \u003Cdiv style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\">\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv style=\"padding: 19% 0;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\">\u003Csvg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https://www.w3.org/2000/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">\u003Cg stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\u003Cg transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\">\u003Cg>\u003Cpath d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\">\u003C/path>\u003C/g>\u003C/g>\u003C/g>\u003C/svg>\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> \u003Cdiv style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\u003Cdiv> \u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\">\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> \u003Cdiv style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\">\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> \u003Cdiv style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\">\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> \u003Cdiv style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\">\u003C/div> \u003Cdiv style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\">\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003C/a>\u003Cp style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\">\u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUHIGEgjyj4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Ben Crump (@attorneycrump)\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\u003C/div>\u003C/blockquote>\n\u003Cscript async src=\"//www.instagram.com/embed.js\">\u003C/script>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-grayson-addressed-massey-s-family-during-sentencing\">Grayson addressed Massey’s family during sentencing\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>During Thursday’s hearing, Grayson expressed remorse for the first time, saying he made “terrible decisions” that night, and apologized to Massey’s family for her death.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I was very unprofessional that night,” NBC News reported Grayson said. “She didn’t deserve to be yelled at, cursed at and called names. Nobody deserves that.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Grayson has until March 6 to appeal his sentencing. His attorneys filed a motion for a new trial in December, but Cadigan denied it at the hearing.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Defense attorney Mark Wykoff told the judge that Grayson’s imprisonment could affect his health condition, as he has Stage 4 colon cancer that has spread throughout his body.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“As your honor is aware, Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023,” Wykoff said, per NBC News. “That has now spread to his liver, and now he has Stage 4 cancer, separate and apart from the Stage 4 colon cancer, in the form of rectal cancer, and cancer to his liver and cancer to his lungs.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>NBC News reported, “Wykoff also said Grayson should be sentenced for crimes committed in Sangamon County, Illinois, and that the case is ‘not a referendum on the rest of the country.'”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-massey-s-family-s-heartfelt-victim-statements-my-soul-is-ripped\">Massey’s family’s heartfelt victim statements: ‘My soul is ripped’\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Massey’s family, which includes her parents, Donna Massey and James Wilburn, along with her two children, made statements during the sentencing, describing the trauma her death has had on their lives and how they are learning to cope without their mother and daughter.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Donna addressed Grayson with the same phrase her daughter used before she was fatally shot: “Sean Grayson, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” according to ABC affiliate \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.newschannel20.com/news/local/the-sentencing-of-sean-grayson/article_0736a6ba-363d-420b-a430-6cde4b9bdb0d.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WICS\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Today, I’m afraid to call the police in fear that I might end up like Sonya,” Donna added during her victim impact statement.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Wilburn also made a statement, pointing out Grayson’s actions during the trial: “Her killer [Sean Grayson] has been unrepentant, a liar, and showed no remorse for his actions,” he said, per WICS.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“It does not feel like he truly understands or cares about the damage he has caused,” Summer Massey, 16, said in her statement obtained by NBC News.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>She also noted that while Grayson’s sentencing wasn’t enough, she was “thankful” that her mother still received justice.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I’m thankful for all the love and support that everybody has came out and shown, and I’m grateful that we got the maximum sentence that we could. Twenty years is not enough, but they did what … they could do,” Summer added.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Massey’s son, 19-year-old Malachi Hill Massey, mentioned the “unimaginable pain” he still carries after losing his mother. “My soul is ripped, it’s like a part of me is really dead,” he said.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In addition to Massey’s loved ones, her supporters were in the courtroom, chanting her name and raising fists as Grayson was sentenced. Her family has also called for federal charges against Grayson, stating that he violated her civil rights.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-happened-to-sonya-massey\">What happened to Sonya Massey?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/sonya-massey-illinois-deptuy-charged-with-murder\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a> reported that Grayson shot and killed Massey in her Springfield, Illinois, home in July 2024. According to police body footage, Massey answered her door and immediately told Grayson and his then-partner, “Please, don’t hurt me.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I don’t want to hurt you; you called us,” Grayson responded.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Grayson later noticed a pot of boiling water in the home and told Massey, “We don’t need a fire while we’re in here.” Shortly after, Massey told Grayson, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” while pouring water from the pot into the sink.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Massey hid behind the counter, and Grayson threatened to shoot her. When she came out, he shot her three times.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/sonya-massey-mother-911-cops-call-mental-health\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donna reportedly called 911\u003C/a> a day before Massey’s shooting death about her daughter experiencing a mental health crisis, telling the dispatcher they shouldn’t send “any combative policemen who are prejudiced, please,” adding, “I’m scared of the police.”\u003C/p>\n",[106],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[108],{"id":75,"name":76,"slug":77,"description":10,"image":10},{"url":110,"thumbnail":111,"credit":112,"title":113,"alt":114,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2164553008.jpg.webp","https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2164553008-150x100.jpg.webp","The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks alongside family members of Sonya Massey during a press conference at New Mount Pilgrim Church on July 30, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Massey was shot and killed in her home by Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson after she called police to report a possible prowler. Grayson, 30, who has since been fired by the department, was indicted by an Illinois grand jury. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. | Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images","Family Of Police Shooting Victim Sonya Massey Holds Rally In Chicago","CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 30: The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks alongside family members of Sonya Massey during a press conference at New Mount Pilgrim Church on July 30, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Massey was shot and killed in her home by Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson after she called police to report a possible prowler. Grayson, 30, who has since been fired by the department, was indicted by an Illinois grand jury. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.","2026-01-30T14:56:19-05:00","2026-02-01T09:49:13-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":120,"author":121,"authors":129,"title":131,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":132,"body":133,"categories":134,"tags":147,"featuredMedia":157,"publishedAt":162,"updatedAt":163,"type":45,"listicle":164,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":159,"additional":165},72896251,{"id":122,"avatar":123,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":124,"email":125,"username":126,"normalizedUsername":127,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":128},94449,"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/33shoot-1-compress.jpg","Kahlil Haywood","[email protected]","Kahlil-haywood","kahlil-haywood","2021-10-11T00:00:00+00:00",[130],{"id":122,"avatar":123,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":124,"email":125,"username":126,"normalizedUsername":127,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":128},"What Victor Wembanyama's Voice Represents During These Difficult Times","why-victor-wembanyama-speaking-out-against-ice-matters","\n\u003Cp>In an age where maintaining relationships with corporate brass seems to take precedence, it consequently stifles the voices of the people. So, earlier this week, when San Antonio Spurs center \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/blavity-original/is-victor-wembanyama-truly-one-of-a-kind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Victor Wembanyama\u003C/a> spoke out about his dismay with the ICE raids in Minnesota, it sent shockwaves throughout the sports landscape. It was reminiscent of the energy we became familiar with during 2020’s reckoning of \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/jacksonville-police-brutality-alleged-viral-video-man-traffic-stop\">police brutality\u003C/a> in this country.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As \u003Ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47747959/spurs-victor-wembanyama-horrified-minnesota-shootings\">ESPN\u003C/a> reported, Wembanyama said, “Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified. I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like or make it sound like the murder of civilians is acceptable.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe title=\"Victor Wembanyama horrified and speaks out on latest ICE shooting in Minneapolis\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ahndI5p6F0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C/iframe>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-victor-wembanyama-s-humble-french-beginnings\">Victor Wembanyama’s humble French beginnings\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The 22-year-old French-born phenom was raised differently than most. His parents fostered a balanced home in which he competed in a bevy of sports, including judo. Literacy was also big in the Wembanyama household as his parents exposed him to reading on his own from an early age.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That thoughtfulness from an early age allows you to be mindful and aware. There’s an empathy that’s fostered through being encouraged to view the world through a more critical lens. With that presence of mind, coupled with not being raised in American culture, there’s no way he would be bound by our standards during these times. What do I mean? In the contemporary basketball culture in the U.S., you’re groomed from grade school.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-basketball-pipeline-in-the-u-s\">The basketball pipeline in the U.S.\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If you have talent and your goal is the NBA, then AAU tournaments, college and everything in between are geared toward that goal. The easiest way to make it through is to have blinders on and just play ball. So, the players we produce usually stick to that formula. But Wembanyama isn’t part of that.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This isn’t to say that other players haven’t spoken out. In fact, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers sent out an X post. Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers went into detail with his dismay about the goings on with ICE in this country. But what sets Wembanyama apart from those two fellas is that those guys are league veterans at this point. They’ve matured and have taken ownership of the responsibility that they have in the NBA as leaders. The Spurs superstar is so early into his career and already sees the importance of honesty.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe title=\"Donovan Mitchell Speaks Out Against ICE Violence\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Xfh0sW_J2s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C/iframe>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-victor-wembanyama-gets-it\">Victor Wembanyama gets it\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Think about it: Wembanyama started off his comments by saying, “I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer].” He understands what’s at play and how his comments can be used to disrupt future or even present endorsements. The deal here is this, though: As players are continuously commodified for their talents, their leverage will always be in their voices. They are the, for lack of a better term, product. There is no NBA without them. So, if more players continue to be vociferous in their dismay over the atrocities that go on in this country, there really can’t be much blowback. They’re not going to take away everyone’s endorsements. That’ll hurt their bottom line.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What Wembanyama did was huge because it has the potential to encourage other young players to speak their truths without fear of consequence. Through a macro lens, I hope that athletes remain vocal on social issues. Corporations will act differently when they realize that you’re informed and not just out here going through the motions. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Silence is complicit with all that plagues us currently. To combat it, we need literacy and sacrifice. There’s just no way around it. From the looks of things, Wembanyama exhibits a lot of both.\u003C/p>\n",[135,139,143],{"name":136,"slug":137,"id":138},"Culture","culture",118,{"name":140,"slug":141,"id":142},"Opinion","opinion",114,{"name":144,"slug":145,"id":146},"Sports","sports",93,[148,152,153],{"id":149,"name":150,"slug":151,"description":10,"image":10},38996,"NBA","nba",{"id":75,"name":76,"slug":77,"description":10,"image":10},{"id":154,"name":155,"slug":156,"description":10,"image":10},53862,"Victor Wembanyama","victor-wembanyama",{"url":158,"thumbnail":159,"credit":160,"title":155,"alt":161,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2194646221.jpg.webp","https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2194646221.jpg.webp","Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images","Victor Wembanyama at press conference","2026-01-29T23:09:42-05:00","2026-02-01T09:49:20-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},263,{"list":168,"total":375},[169,228,267,305,345],{"id":170,"author":171,"authors":181,"title":183,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":184,"body":185,"categories":186,"tags":199,"featuredMedia":218,"publishedAt":224,"updatedAt":225,"type":45,"listicle":226,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":227},72897184,{"id":172,"avatar":173,"firstName":174,"lastName":175,"displayName":176,"email":177,"username":178,"normalizedUsername":179,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":180},99749,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0e06ac718f7a550db95df4496a68adaf6c8f37c0c2d8df8f0afb068edad8ca39?s=1024&r=g","Monique","Jones","Monique Jones","[email protected]","MoniqueJones","moniquejones","2023-01-12T17:11:33+00:00",[182],{"id":172,"avatar":173,"firstName":174,"lastName":175,"displayName":176,"email":177,"username":178,"normalizedUsername":179,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":180},"Will Smith On Overcoming Fear By Facing The Unknown In 'Pole To Pole'","will-smith-on-overcoming-fear-by-facing-the-unknown-in-pole-to-pole","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http://blavity.com/tags/will-smith\">Will Smith\u003C/a>‘s life-altering experiences in his new docuseries, \u003Cem>Pole to Pole with Will Smith\u003C/em>, weren’t just about witnessing the Earth’s marvels.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“The biggest psychological and emotional revelation was how important it is to be able to face fear. Like how destructive fear is to being able to enjoy life, you know?” Smith told Blavity/Shadow and Act’s Managing Editor, Trey Mangum. “The practice of venturing into the unknown for me, the ability to be with yourself when your mind is storming, is critical to be able to see beauty. In a relationship, if you’re scared, you can’t even love somebody if you’re scared, right? So to me, it was a daily practice of leaning into the places of my deepest existential horror in order to ultimately reveal myself to myself.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Smith’s penchant for travel is one thing that helped him when facing his fears in new (and dangerous) locales.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“First and foremost, I love travel, so I love moving around the world. I love meeting new people,” he said. “And this particular show came up at a time in my life where I needed to journey. So it became more than about travel. It was sort of an outward exploration in order to force an inward exploration.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“We went [to] seven continents and, and 10 countries and meeting people who live in the most extreme environments on earth,” he continued. “And, you know, while it was a fun kind of scientific exploration, it really turned into a deep human, spiritual search.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Pole to Pole with Will Smith\u003C/em>, which took five years to create, follows Smith as he traverses some of the globe’s most beautiful and harrowing places. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Here’s more about the seven-part docuseries:\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Inspired by his late mentor to explore life’s big questions, Will throws himself into incredible challenges for 100 days: skiing to the South Pole, catching a giant anaconda, milking a venomous tarantula, climbing mountains, and diving under the ice of the North Pole. He will venture from pole to pole in the company of scientists, explorers and local experts.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Pole to Pole with Will Smith\u003C/em> is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, via National Geographic. \u003C/p>\n",[187,191,195],{"name":188,"slug":189,"id":190},"Entertainment","entertainment",3,{"name":192,"slug":193,"id":194},"Interviews","interviews-sa-originals",56956,{"name":196,"slug":197,"id":198},"Television","television",100,[200,204,208,212,214],{"id":201,"name":202,"slug":203,"description":10,"image":10},55047,"Blavity Entertainment","blavity-entertainment",{"id":205,"name":206,"slug":207,"description":10,"image":10},77328,"Pole to Pole with Will Smith","pole-to-pole-with-will-smith",{"id":209,"name":210,"slug":211,"description":10,"image":10},34278,"Shadow and Act","shadow-and-act",{"id":213,"name":197,"slug":197,"description":10,"image":10},32488,{"id":215,"name":216,"slug":217,"description":10,"image":10},18514,"WILL SMITH","will-smith-2",{"url":219,"thumbnail":220,"credit":221,"title":222,"alt":223,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/GettyImages-2255975916.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/GettyImages-2255975916-150x95.jpg","Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage","“Pole To Pole With Will Smith” London Premiere – Arrivals","LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 12: Will Smith attends the \"Pole To Pole With Will Smith\" London Premiere at the Natural History Museum on January 12, 2026 in London, England.","2026-02-03T23:43:20-05:00","2026-02-03T23:43:25-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":229,"author":230,"authors":239,"title":241,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":242,"body":243,"categories":244,"tags":253,"featuredMedia":258,"publishedAt":263,"updatedAt":264,"type":45,"listicle":265,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":266},72896203,{"id":231,"avatar":232,"firstName":233,"lastName":234,"displayName":235,"email":236,"username":237,"normalizedUsername":237,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":238},100355,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/887eaf44e460fc0568c1fb568f205841f915c7fec32f04ca282e8e1f917f2b18?s=1024&r=g","Jazmin","Kylene","Jazmin Kylene","[email protected]","jazmin.kylene","2023-11-28T20:57:34+00:00",[240],{"id":231,"avatar":232,"firstName":233,"lastName":234,"displayName":235,"email":236,"username":237,"normalizedUsername":237,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":238},"Affirmations and Journaling Prompts to Plant Seeds of Growth in February","february-affirmations-journaling-prompts","\n\u003Cp>The beginning of the year always asks of us to lock in and claim our most valiant effort. To shed skin and rebirth overnight. However, with winter prevailing, the nights remaining long, and spring’s promise of bloom still a ways away, it’s easy to feel like \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/new-year-march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">you’re still in hibernation mode\u003C/a>. If you’re ready to plant more seeds of growth without pushing yourself beyond your spirit’s natural energy levels, here are a few affirmations and journaling prompts to move towards your goals slowly and intentionally.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Feel free to write these affirmations down or repeat them to yourself throughout the day, and set a five-minute timer to answer the journaling prompt with presence and intention.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-affirmations-and-journaling-prompts-for-2-2-26-2-6-26\">Affirmations and Journaling Prompts for 2/2/26 – 2/6/26\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-monday-february-2nd-2026\">Monday, February 2nd, 2026\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Affirmation:\u003C/em> I honor my right to be seen.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Journaling Prompt: \u003C/em>Yesterday’s full moon in Leo asks, who am I when I choose to be seen?\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tuesday-february-3rd-2026\">Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Affirmation: \u003C/em>My habits build a life I love.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Journaling Prompt: \u003C/em>What’s one minor action I can take to step more closely to my next evolution?\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wednesday-february-4th-2026\">Wednesday, February 4th, 2026\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Affirmation:\u003C/em> I love who I am.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Journaling Prompt: \u003C/em>Are there perceived flaws I’ve been hard on myself about? How can I shift perspective and lean towards acceptance?\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-thursday-february-5th-2026\">Thursday, February 5th, 2026\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Affirmation:\u003C/em> The best is yet to come.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Journaling Prompt: \u003C/em>If I knew things are only getting better, how can I surrender and rest into trust more deeply?\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-friday-february-6th-2026\">Friday, February 6th, 2026\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Affirmation:\u003C/em> I trust in my vision.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Journaling Prompt: \u003C/em>What is the big picture I’m walking towards? Describe it with clarity and confidence.\u003C/p>\n",[245,249],{"name":246,"slug":247,"id":248},"Mind & Body","mind-body",76101,{"name":250,"slug":251,"id":252},"Women","women",76094,[254],{"id":255,"name":256,"slug":256,"description":257,"image":10},76102,"21n","Content migrated from 21ninety.com",{"url":259,"thumbnail":260,"credit":261,"title":262,"alt":262,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1468149085-1.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1468149085-1-150x100.jpg","Photo credit: \tPeopleImages","Fitness, black woman and happy athlete smile after running, exercise and marathon training workout. Blue sky, summer sports and run of a African runner breathing with happiness from sport outdoor","2026-02-03T20:54:01-05:00","2026-02-03T20:54:13-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":268,"author":269,"authors":279,"title":281,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":282,"body":283,"categories":284,"tags":287,"featuredMedia":296,"publishedAt":301,"updatedAt":302,"type":45,"listicle":303,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":304},72897247,{"id":270,"avatar":271,"firstName":272,"lastName":273,"displayName":274,"email":275,"username":276,"normalizedUsername":276,"description":277,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":278},98848,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2da4e4032b5f8358dd429b2129677ea08cd82811258070074b014cd6424c975c?s=1024&r=g","Trey","Mangum","Trey Mangum","[email protected]","tmangum","Trey Mangum is the Managing Editor of Blavity and Shadow & Act. Email him at [email protected]","2015-09-15T00:00:00+00:00",[280],{"id":270,"avatar":271,"firstName":272,"lastName":273,"displayName":274,"email":275,"username":276,"normalizedUsername":276,"description":277,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":278},"'The Last Of Us' Taps Jorge Lendeborg Jr. To Replace Danny Ramirez As Manny","the-last-of-us-taps-jorge-lendeborg-jr-to-replace-danny-ramirez-as-manny","\n\u003Cp>After \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/entertainment/the-last-of-us-to-recast-danny-ramirezs-manny-for-season-3\">Danny Ramirez had to leave HBO’s \u003Cem>The Last of Us\u003C/em>\u003C/a>\u003Cem> \u003C/em>ahead of Season 3, the series has now found the actor’s replacement.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Jorge Lendeborg Jr. will take over the role from Ramirez when the show comes back for Season 3. Clea DuVall has also joined the cast, per \u003Ca href=\"https://deadline.com/2026/02/the-last-of-us-clea-duvall-jorge-lendeborg-jr-manny-s3-1236707696/\">Deadline\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the series, Manny is a former firefly and ally to Abby. DuVall will play a seraphite in Season 3. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-did-danny-ramirez-leave-the-last-of-us\">Why did Danny Ramirez leave ‘The Last of Us’?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Ramirez’s exit from the show has been attributed to scheduling conflicts, and as we previously reported, it is unclear which specific project Ramirez has that is conflicting with the Season 3 shoot. He is in post-production for Marvel Studios’ \u003Cem>Avengers: Doomsday\u003C/em>, which has undergone reshoots, and should be expected to return for its sequel, \u003Cem>Avengers: Secret Awards.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Ramirez plays Joaquin Torres / Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor originated the role in Disney+’s \u003Cem>The Falcon and the Winter Soldier \u003C/em>and returned in \u003Cem>Captain America: Brave New World.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>The Last of Us\u003C/em>‘s Season 2 cast included Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, and Rutina Wesley as Maria, along with Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. The late Catherine O’Hara guest-starred.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Season 2 was written executive produced by Craig Mazin and video game co-creator Neil Druckmann, though Druckmann isn’t returning for Season 3. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television. Other executive producers are Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Evan Wells. Halley Gross is a writer and co-executive producer. The production companies PlayStation Productions, Word Games, Mighty Mint and Naughty Dog. \u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>\u003C/p>\n",[285,286],{"name":188,"slug":189,"id":190},{"name":196,"slug":197,"id":198},[288,292],{"id":289,"name":290,"slug":291,"description":10,"image":10},38915,"HBO","hbo",{"id":293,"name":294,"slug":295,"description":10,"image":10},54763,"The Last of Us","the-last-of-us",{"url":297,"thumbnail":298,"credit":299,"title":300,"alt":10,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/design-2026-02-03T174358.236.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/design-2026-02-03T174358.236-150x84.jpg","Photo: Getty Images","design – 2026-02-03T174358.236","2026-02-03T20:48:16-05:00","2026-02-03T20:48:24-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":306,"author":307,"authors":308,"title":310,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":311,"body":312,"categories":313,"tags":315,"featuredMedia":336,"publishedAt":341,"updatedAt":342,"type":45,"listicle":343,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":344},72897113,{"id":91,"avatar":92,"firstName":93,"lastName":94,"displayName":95,"email":96,"username":97,"normalizedUsername":98,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":99},[309],{"id":91,"avatar":92,"firstName":93,"lastName":94,"displayName":95,"email":96,"username":97,"normalizedUsername":98,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":99},"Cracker Barrel Has New Strict Dining Rule Amid Backlash: Here's What To Know","cracker-barrel-new-dining-rule","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/black-cracker-barrel-employee-racism-burnt-biscuit-lawsuit\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cracker Barrel\u003C/a> is cutting costs with a new dining policy requiring traveling employees to dine exclusively at company-owned locations.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-details-on-cracker-barrel-s-new-dining-policy-for-employees-while-traveling\">Details on Cracker Barrel’s new dining policy for employees while traveling\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/cracker-barrel-work-trip-travel-expenses-meals-25eaf050\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Wall Street Journal\u003C/a> received an internal memo that the company wanted employees to schedule trips later in the year, dine primarily at Cracker Barrel locations and pay for alcoholic beverages without reimbursement unless approved by senior management, according to \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/cracker-barrel-new-rules-restaurant-dining-b2912664.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Independent\u003C/a> and the \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2026/02/03/cracker-barrels-employee-dining-rule-guidelines-traveling-workers/88487581007/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Detroit Free Press\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The new dining rule was enacted as the country-themed restaurant chain has faced financial issues in recent years. Cracker Barrel lost an estimated $94 million due to its failed rebrand efforts last year.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The company faced backlash from longtime fans and President Donald Trump over the last few months after Julie Felss Masino, the company’s president and CEO, unveiled makeover changes to the brand, including a new, controversial logo in August, \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/cracker-barrel-new-fall-menu-logo-changes-backlash\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a> reported.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cracker-barrel-acknowledges-backlash-we-re-truly-grateful-for-your-heartfelt-voices\">Cracker Barrel acknowledges backlash: ‘We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices’\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Many fans shared their grievances about the changes on social media, with some threatening to boycott the restaurant chain. The company released a statement, acknowledging what critics had to say about the new logo and remodeling of its locations nationwide.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices,” the statement read, according to The Independent. “You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>After a short time, the company reverted to the “Old Timer” logo, which had been part of the Crack Barrel brand for more than 48 years.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have,” the company’s statement mentioned, obtained by the Detroit Free Press. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cracker-barrel-ceo-speaks-out-after-controversial-changes\">Cracker Barrel CEO speaks out after controversial changes\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In an interview with the \u003Cem>Glenn Beck Podcast\u003C/em>, Masino opened up about the backlash she and the company received from the logo change, \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/cracker-barrel-ceo-felt-fired-by-america\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blavity\u003C/a> reported.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“All I’ve wanted to do was help people love this brand the way I love this brand, the way Doug loves this brand, the way everyone who works here [does],” Masino said. “The story of America is on the walls. And they thought, when we [changed the logo], that we were saying that we didn’t care about that, and that was not the intent.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Masino apologized to Cracker Barrel fans over the changes and said she regretted making the move.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I feel like I’ve been fired by America,” she said. “That’s probably worse.”\u003C/p>\n",[314],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[316,320,324,328,332],{"id":317,"name":318,"slug":319,"description":10,"image":10},77327,"controversial logo","controversial-logo",{"id":321,"name":322,"slug":323,"description":10,"image":10},25095,"cracker barrel","cracker-barrel",{"id":325,"name":326,"slug":327,"description":10,"image":10},77326,"financial issues","financial-issues",{"id":329,"name":330,"slug":331,"description":10,"image":10},77324,"new dining policy","new-dining-policy",{"id":333,"name":334,"slug":335,"description":10,"image":10},77325,"traveling employees","traveling-employees",{"url":337,"thumbnail":338,"credit":339,"title":340,"alt":340,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2232416773.jpg.webp","https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GettyImages-2232416773-300x200.jpg.webp","Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images","Cracker Barrel sign","2026-02-03T20:29:00-05:00","2026-02-03T20:29:06-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},{"id":346,"author":347,"authors":357,"title":359,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":360,"body":361,"categories":362,"tags":364,"featuredMedia":365,"publishedAt":371,"updatedAt":372,"type":45,"listicle":373,"disableContentGate":47,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":47,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":374},72897242,{"id":348,"avatar":349,"firstName":350,"lastName":351,"displayName":352,"email":353,"username":354,"normalizedUsername":355,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":356},100537,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f4ecddcf27ce84b9426a97e5c335db5e419980ab2adca9a0c2b050bc9476b8e9?s=1024&r=g","Sharronda","Williams","Sharronda Williams","[email protected]","SharrondaWilliams","sharrondawilliams","2024-07-21T17:29:39+00:00",[358],{"id":348,"avatar":349,"firstName":350,"lastName":351,"displayName":352,"email":353,"username":354,"normalizedUsername":355,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":356},"Bahama Breeze Is Closing All Of Its Locations For Good: Here's The List","bahama-breeze-is-closing-all-of-its-locations-heres-the-list","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/bahama-breeze-locations-will-be-shut-down-or-sold\">Bahama Breeze\u003C/a> is officially closing all of its locations.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As \u003Ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/03/food/bahama-breeze-closures-darden\">CNN\u003C/a> reported, Darden Restaurants, the entity that also owns Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, says that it will close the 28 locations that are still open. The closings will happen over the next few months.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Half of these 28 locations will just close down altogether. The other half will be converted into other Darden Restaurants chains. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-news-comes-aftersome-locations-closed-abruptly-last-year\">The news comes aftersome locations closed abruptly last year\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Last year, the chain was announced to be on sale after 15 locations closed.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As \u003Ca href=\"https://www.the-sun.com/money/14524433/olive-garden-bahama-breeze-closing-all-locations/\">The U.S. Sun\u003C/a> said, Bahama Breeze struggled to keep up with its competition and faced similar challenges as many other restaurants that are struggling to survive due to rising wages and inflation\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-bahama-breeze-says-about-the-closings\">What Bahama Breeze says about the closings \u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://investor.darden.com/news/news-details/2026/Darden-Restaurants-Completes-Exploration-of-Strategic-Alternatives-for-Bahama-Breeze/default.aspx\">The company said in a press release\u003C/a>, “The company believes the conversion locations are great sites that will benefit several of the brands in its portfolio. Going forward, the primary focus will continue to be on supporting team members, including placing as many as possible in roles within the Darden portfolio.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-list-of-bahama-breeze-s-remaining-locations\">List of Bahama Breeze’s remaining locations\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Here’s a full list of the impacted restaurants\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-table\">\u003Ctable class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\u003Ctbody>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cstrong>Locations that will close altogether\u003C/strong>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cstrong>Locations that will be converted\u003C/strong>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>500 Center Blvd., Newark, DE\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>499 E Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>3590 Breckenridge Blvd., Duluth, GA\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>805 Brandon Town Center Drive, Brandon, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>12395 SW 88\u003Csup>th\u003C/sup> St., Miami, FL\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>14701 S Tamiami Trail, Ft. Myers, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>10205 Rivercoast Drive, Jacksonville, FL\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>8160 Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., Kissimmee, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>1251 West Osceola Pkwy., Kissimmee, FL\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>25830 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>11000 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, FL\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>5620 W. Oak Ridge Road, Orlando, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>1540 Rinehart Road, Sanford, FL\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>8849 International Drive, Orlando, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>19600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, MI\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>8735 Vineland Ave., Orlando, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>1200 N Alafaya Drive, Orlando, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>3309 Wake Forest Drive, Raleigh, NC\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>3045 N Rocky Point Drive East, Tampa, FL\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>320 Goddard Blvd., King of Prussia, PA\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>755 Earnest W Barrett Pkwy NW, Kennesaw, GA\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>6100 Robinson Center Drive, Pittsburgh, PA\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>570 Cross Creek Mall, Fayetteville, NC\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>2714 Potomac Mills Circle, Woodbridge, VA\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>7811 Rivers Ave., Charleston, SC\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>15700 Southcenter Pkwy., Tukwila, WA\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>4554 Virginia Beach, Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003C/tbody>\u003C/table>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n",[363],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[],{"url":366,"thumbnail":367,"credit":368,"title":369,"alt":370,"type":43},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-1219982579.jpg.webp","https://cdn.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-1219982579-150x113.jpg.webp","Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images","In this photo illustration e-commerce Bahama Breeze logo is","KIEV, UKRAINE - 2020/06/13: In this photo illustration e-commerce Bahama Breeze logo is seen displayed on a smartphone.","2026-02-03T20:28:00-05:00","2026-02-03T20:28:12-05:00",[],{"disableAd":47,"disableConnatixPlayer":47,"enabledComments":47,"headScript":10},75835,["Reactive",377],{},["Set"],["ShallowReactive",380],{"page-herman-cain-says-trump-doesnt-have-a-racist-bone-in-his-body":50,"$fEa6AladhrRzRTpl8iKITBFvPPSlk2A08SRIijT8Ld-8":50,"$fk3QVTSFgg7cSbckYKJiTsws0995uCRfcYklnkcvzXhU":50},"/herman-cain-says-trump-doesnt-have-a-racist-bone-in-his-body",["Reactive",383],{}]