Racial Tension Rampant In Jacksonville After Black Boys Are Kicked Out Of Fair For Wearing Memorial Apparel

An 18-year-old black man and his friend were kicked out of the Greater Jacksonville Agriculture Fair, without refund or apology, for their attire. 

The two friends, who are members of the black male empowerment group, EVAC, were going about their business on November 3 when police officers approached one of them and questioned the chain he was wearing around his neck. The jewelry honored his late mother. The officers said the chain was "gang-related" apparel.

"There were like four officers. They approached us, and the first one told us to pull up my pants, and the second one told my friend and said, 'Let me see that,’ and he told him that it was his mom and it wasn’t even his friend, it was his mom," he told News4Jax. "They told us to get out."

The next day, one of the guys headed back to the fair to double-check the rule board for any established rules around attire. There were none. Then, he called to clarify he has yet to see any rules that justify the reason for him and his friend's removal from the fair. 

Shortly after his phone call, a sign prohibiting "memorial clothing or jewelry" was posted. According to News4Jax, fair officials claim the sign was put up before the fair opened October 31.

 

racial profiling. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>“It’s used purposely to prey upon and keep out African-Americans in the community,” Donofrio said. On the contrary, Gayle Hart, a spokeswoman for the fair, said this is a sensitive situation that has caused a lot of grief. Hart also said the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office banned the clothing and jewelry because it's associated with "bad behavior."

racial profiling. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>“It said we can’t wear them. Basically, no necklaces, none of that,” said Jarod Mills, a Lee High School senior, about the school's decision. “They don’t feel it’s appropriate for the school.”

racial profiling. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>

racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>The incident has sparked tensions in the Jacksonville community between civilians and police. Amy Donofrio, the founder of EVAC, is calling the case for what it is: racial profiling.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='The incident has created great tension in the community, with a mentor for the teens, Amy Donofrio, calling it a case of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/racial-profiling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>“It’s used purposely to prey upon and keep out African-Americans in the community,” Donofrio said. On the contrary, Gayle Hart, a spokeswoman for the fair, said this is a sensitive situation that has caused a lot of grief. Hart also said the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office banned the clothing and jewelry because it's associated with "bad behavior."\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='The incident has created great tension in the community, with a mentor for the teens, Amy Donofrio, calling it a case of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/racial-profiling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>The banning of "memorial clothing and jewelry" did not just stop at the fair but \u003Ca href=\"https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/jacksonville/lee-high-school-students-reminded-not-to-wear-anything-with-rip\">matriculated to Robert E. Lee high\u003C/a> school, as well. The high school's officials told News4Jax the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/jacksonville/lee-high-school-students-reminded-not-to-wear-anything-with-rip\">reason for banning the items\u003C/a> is because "gang-affiliated clothing and paraphernalia is unacceptable," referring to any R.I.P. attire. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='The incident has created great tension in the community, with a mentor for the teens, Amy Donofrio, calling it a case of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/racial-profiling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>“It said we can’t wear them. Basically, no necklaces, none of that,” said Jarod Mills, a Lee High School senior, about the school's decision. “They don’t feel it’s appropriate for the school.”\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='The incident has created great tension in the community, with a mentor for the teens, Amy Donofrio, calling it a case of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/racial-profiling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>The west Jacksonville school has yet to comment on the ban, and its attempt to shut down the students' expression in honoring lost loved ones has been the tip of the iceberg and caused several students to organize protests. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='The incident has created great tension in the community, with a mentor for the teens, Amy Donofrio, calling it a case of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/racial-profiling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp content='The incident has created great tension in the community, with a mentor for the teens, Amy Donofrio, calling it a case of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/racial-profiling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">racial profiling.\u003C/a> Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Jacksonville Fair, Gayle Hart, called it a “sensitive” situation that has unfortunately “caused a lot of grief.”’ data-reactid=”32″ type=”text”>\u003Cem>Now, check these out:\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/employees-at-a-frozen-yogurt-shop-called-cops-on-an-unwanted-subject-that-subject-was-a-black-man\">Employees At A Frozen Yogurt Shop Called Cops On An 'Unwanted Subject.' That 'Subject' Was A Black Man.\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/maryland-couple-racially-profiled-while-buying-refrigerator-files-4m-lawsuit\">Maryland Couple Racially Profiled While Shopping At Costco Files $4M Lawsuit\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/a-black-teen-was-arrested-for-wearing-a-hoodie-in-a-memphis-mall-and-so-was-the-person-defending-him\">A Black Teen Was Arrested For Wearing A Hoodie In A Memphis Mall And So Was The Person Defending Him\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n",[23],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},"News","news",83,[28],{"id":29,"name":30,"slug":31,"description":10,"image":10},29035,"Tallahassee, Florida","tallahassee-florida",{"url":33,"thumbnail":33,"credit":34,"title":10,"alt":10,"type":35},"https://res.cloudinary.com/blavity/image/upload/v1543442533/ow5walspoe9xknpc4kwz","Twitter","image","2018-11-28T16:43:57-05:00","default",[],false,{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":41,"headScript":42},true,null,"https://storage.googleapis.com/blavitynews/images/fallback.jpg","article","2025-12-27T21:25:40.602Z",{"list":47,"total":148},[48,80,110],{"id":49,"author":50,"authors":57,"title":59,"subTitle":60,"excerpt":10,"slug":61,"body":62,"categories":63,"tags":65,"featuredMedia":70,"publishedAt":76,"updatedAt":77,"type":37,"listicle":78,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":79},72889856,{"id":51,"avatar":52,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":53,"email":54,"username":53,"normalizedUsername":55,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":56},95243,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/16fdff8cddc7bd4702273ce7e1677d1d0021c4b55e83ca690c8b22edc3cbfdf4?s=1024&r=g","Christopher Rhodes","[email protected]","christopher-rhodes","2020-09-14T00:00:00+00:00",[58],{"id":51,"avatar":52,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":53,"email":54,"username":53,"normalizedUsername":55,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":56},"Joy Reid Warns Erika Kirk About Touching Black Women's Hair","Reid, a previous target of Charlie Kirk, has clashed with Erika Kirk and criticized her right-wing backers.","joy-reid-warns-erika-kirk-about-touching-black-womens-hair","\n\u003Cp>Ever since the assassination of \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/amanda-seyfried-not-apologizing-for-calling-charlie-kirk-hateful\">Charlie Kirk\u003C/a>, his widow Erika has been increasingly in the spotlight, taking a leadership role in his Turning Point USA organization and becoming one of the most prominent public figures within the ultra-conservative movement. Along the way, Kirk has made comments about her detractors, including\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/joy-reid-slams-stephen-a-smith-over-remarks-black-women\"> Joy Reid\u003C/a>. Now, Reid is responding, giving Kirk some clear advice on how not to approach her or other Black women.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-joy-reid-erika-kirk-exchange-public-criticisms\">Joy Reid, Erika Kirk exchange public criticisms\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Although \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/karen-attiah-says-shes-been-fired-from-washington-post-charlie-kirk?amp;utm_campaign=content_distribution&utm_medium=syndication&utm_source=yahoo_cs\">Charlie Kirk\u003C/a> had previously insulted Reid and other Black women for “steal[ing] a white person’s spot” as they advanced in their careers, the public spat between Reid and Erika Kirk seems to have started when Reid was one of several people criticized Kirk and Vice President JD Vance for closely embracing during a public appearance together soon after her husband’s assassination. “Holding on the back of his head and rubbing on his head,” Reid said of the public hug. Reid said if Vance that it would be a “MAGA fairy tale” if he finally sees the light that he needs a white queen instead of this brown Hindu,” referencing online speculation that Vance could leave his wife, Usha, who has been the target of racist attacks, for Kirk.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\">\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">🚨BREAKING: Joy Reid ATTACKS JD and Usha Vance.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>"Vance has a problem in that the base of MAGA is fundamentally racist. They can't have the successor to MAGA be the guy with the brown Hindu wife."\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr> \u003Ca href=\"https://t.co/rcIOP8F2vb\">pic.twitter.com/rcIOP8F2vb\u003C/a>\u003C/p>— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/SpencerHakimian/status/1993366288132194801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 25, 2025\u003C/a>\u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\">\u003C/script>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Kirk responded to the criticism during one of her appearances at last week’s Turning Point USA conference, AmericaFest, which featured figures from \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/jasmine-crockett-responds-after-jd-vance-calls-her-street-girl\">Vice President Vance\u003C/a> to \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/nicki-minaj-erika-kirk-maga-turning-point-usa-america-fest-appearance\">Nicki Minaj\u003C/a>.  “Joy Reid probably needs a really, really good hug, and honestly, I’m here for it if she needs it,” Kirk said to the America Fest crowd. “I’ve got a good hug for you, good hug for you. I’ll even touch the back of your head,” she continued, referencing the criticism of her hug with Vance.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Erika Kirk: Joy Reid probably needs a really, really good hug, and honestly, I'm here for it if she needs it. I've got a good hug for you. I will even touch the back of your head \u003Ca href=\"https://t.co/MJsTjxukdF\">pic.twitter.com/MJsTjxukdF\u003C/a>\u003C/p>— Acyn (@Acyn) \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2001815567406371207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 19, 2025\u003C/a>\u003C/blockquote>\u003Cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\">\u003C/script>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reid-responds-to-kirk-s-hug-offer\">Reid responds to Kirk’s ‘hug’ offer\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Now, Reid has responded to Kirk’s latest comments. In a \u003Ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/erika-kirk-warned-joy-reid-231529560.html\">segment\u003C/a> of The Joy Reid Show, the host reiterated her earlier comments about the Vance family, “it is not my fault that MAGA is so racist that they are literally attacking Usha Vance” on social media, arguing that “the MAGA base cannot stand non-white people, particularly non-white immigrants.” After discussing the history and right-wing agendas behind conservative commentators like Charlie and now Erika Kirk, Reid rejected Kirk’s hug offer.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Dear young lady, I don’t need a hug from you. First of all, I would never let you get close enough to hug me ’cause I don’t trust you,“ Reid explained. “And second of all, I don’t know if anybody ever told you – you’re pretty young – but don’t be offering to touch Black women’s hair. We don’t allow it.”  Reid noted, “This is not the 19-teens. It’s not the 1920s or the 1930s. You cannot come up to me, touch me, or touch my hair. I don’t allow it.”\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=\"Joy Responds To Erika Kirk's "Hug and Head Touch" Offer | The Joy Reid Show\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/ntcGhAHFsKs?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>With Reid having a long history of clashing with conservatives, and Erika Kirk now taking a leading role in Turning Point USA and in right-wing media, this may not be the last time that the two women have words for each other. Whatever may be said between them in the future, Kirk has been given a clear message to keep her hands away from the hair of Reid or other Black women.\u003C/p>\n",[64],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[66],{"id":67,"name":68,"slug":69,"description":10,"image":10},44529,"top stories","top-stories",{"url":71,"thumbnail":72,"credit":73,"title":74,"alt":75,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/photo-collage.png-30.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/photo-collage.png-30-150x84.jpg","Photo: Getty Images","photo-collage.png (30)","Erika Kirk, Joy Reid","2025-12-24T21:03:21-05:00","2025-12-24T21:05:13-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},{"id":81,"author":82,"authors":83,"title":85,"subTitle":86,"excerpt":10,"slug":87,"body":88,"categories":89,"tags":94,"featuredMedia":100,"publishedAt":106,"updatedAt":107,"type":37,"listicle":108,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":109},72889883,{"id":51,"avatar":52,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":53,"email":54,"username":53,"normalizedUsername":55,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":56},[84],{"id":51,"avatar":52,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":53,"email":54,"username":53,"normalizedUsername":55,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":56},"Student Loans Update: Trump Admin Planning To Garnish Wages For Debt Defaults In 2026","Ending the pandemic-era pause on student debt collection, the Trump administration ramps up its efforts to force borrowers to repay their loans.","student-loans-trump-admin-planning-to-garnish-wages","\n\u003Cp>For the first time in years, borrowers who have stopped paying their \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/student-loan-forgiveness-delays-prompt-class-action-lawsuit\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">student loans\u003C/a> may have their wages garnished to repay their debts. The return of wage garnishment for student borrowers comes as the Trump administration continues to enforce student debt collection more aggressively, a policy that could impact millions of Americans.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wage-garnishments-for-student-loan-debt-to-return-in-january\">Wage garnishments for student loan debt to return in January\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/23/politics/trump-administration-start-garnishing-wages-default-student-loan-borrowers\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Education\u003C/a> announced Tuesday that, beginning early next year, some individuals who have defaulted on their student loans will have their wages garnished to repay their debts. Those impacted by the debt collection policy will receive a notification from the government of its intentions before the beginning of wage garnishment.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“We expect the first notices to be sent to approximately 1,000 defaulted borrowers the week of January 7, and the notices will increase in scale on a month-to-month basis,” the DoE said in a statement.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The garnishment policy applies to people who have defaulted on their loans, defined as borrowers who have not made a payment for at least 270 days. While it is unclear how many people will have a portion of their wages held back to pay the government, data released earlier this year showed that over 5 million people were in student loan default in the United States, with almost 4 million other borrowers delinquent after having gone more than 90 days without making a payment. The move to go after defaulted borrowers’ wages comes as new regulations passed in the GOP-backed “\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/what-is-trump-big-beautiful-bill\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">One Big Beautiful Bill Act\u003C/a>” put new limits on the amounts of loans borrowers can acquire, while also placing new limits on deferment and repayment options.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ending-pandemic-era-pause-on-debt-collection\">Ending pandemic-era pause on debt collection\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The return of wage garnishment continues the Trump administration’s policy of ramping up student debt collection, reversing pandemic-era policies that eased or paused student debt collection. The first Trump administration paused student loan repayments in March 2020 as part of its approach to economic relief during the \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/student-loan-payments-are-resuming-what-you-should-know\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">COVID-19 pandemic\u003C/a>. The student loan repayment pause was then extended several times under President Joe Biden, who also ramped up efforts to forgive student debt. The Biden administration extended student loan \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-update\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forgiveness\u003C/a> to over 5 million people, though the Supreme Court blocked greater efforts by Biden to wipe out student debt systematically.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The current Trump administration has signaled for months that it would ramp up student loan collection efforts, with the administration announcing in April that it would resume collecting on \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://blavity.com/student-loans-to-be-sent-to-debt-collection-by-trump\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">defaulted debts\u003C/a> starting in May. The renewal of wage garnishment next year continues this more aggressive debt collection policy. Although the Department of Education has not given many \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/business/student-loan-debtors-default-wages-garnish.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">details\u003C/a> about the current plan for wage garnishment, existing policy holds that up to 15% of a borrower’s wages can be withheld for student loan debt repayment. The government can also withhold Social Security payments and tax refunds for debt collection purposes. The renewed debt collection efforts are likely to disproportionately impact \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-set-garnish-wages-student-185316215.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">low-income Americans\u003C/a>, who are more likely to be in default.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Over 40 million Americans hold over $1.6 trillion in combined student loan debt, creating a massive burden on the country’s population. As the Trump administration gears up to take more actions to collect that debt, many people are set to feel the financial impact of their student loans for the first time in years.\u003C/p>\n",[90],{"name":91,"slug":92,"id":93},"Blavity-U","blavity-u",70685,[95,99],{"id":96,"name":97,"slug":98,"description":10,"image":10},74288,"Blavity U Top Stories","blavity-u-top-stories",{"id":67,"name":68,"slug":69,"description":10,"image":10},{"url":101,"thumbnail":102,"credit":103,"title":104,"alt":105,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GettyImages-2206108152.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GettyImages-2206108152-150x100.jpg","Activists with the Sunrise Movement sit outside the U.S. Department of Education on March 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at dissolving the Education Department. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order would not be completely shut it down but instead would continue to administer \"critical functions,\" such as student loans and Pell Grants. | Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images","Trump Signs Executive Order Intending To Abolish Education Department","Activists with the Sunrise Movement sit outside the U.S. Department of Education on March 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at dissolving the Education Department. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order would not be completely shut it down but instead would continue to administer \"critical functions,\" such as student loans and Pell Grants.","2025-12-24T14:07:23-05:00","2025-12-24T21:06:43-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},{"id":111,"author":112,"authors":122,"title":124,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":125,"body":126,"categories":127,"tags":132,"featuredMedia":138,"publishedAt":144,"updatedAt":145,"type":37,"listicle":146,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":139,"additional":147},72889161,{"id":113,"avatar":114,"firstName":115,"lastName":116,"displayName":117,"email":118,"username":119,"normalizedUsername":120,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":121},100232,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a06a5771f8cfba274d46c86c605dcb0d8d755e98c099a750fb3a94f9ff1d94a1?s=1024&r=g","Tayler","Adigun","Tayler Adigun","[email protected]","TaylerAdigun","tayleradigun","2023-09-14T18:03:00+00:00",[123],{"id":113,"avatar":114,"firstName":115,"lastName":116,"displayName":117,"email":118,"username":119,"normalizedUsername":120,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":121},"Olivia Dean's 'Lady Lady' Has Become A Natural Hair Hymn On TikTok","olivia-deans-lady-lady-natural-hair-hymn-on-tiktok","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/is-olivia-dean-changing-the-ticketmaster-game-refunds\">Olivia Dean\u003C/a> has taken the music industry by storm with her chart-topping hit “Man I Need.” She’s become an inescapable part of the digital listening experience, and dare I say the world is better for it. Her music doesn’t just cover unrequited love and the perils of casual \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/women/are-dating-apps-worth-it\">dating\u003C/a> situations, though. Her lyrics posture self-love as a realized concept rather than just another bastardized cliché.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-natural-hair-gains-another-voice\">Natural hair gains another voice\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But it’s Dean’s empowerment ballad, “Lady Lady, that has really found legs as the \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/women/best-natural-hair-youtubers\">Black hair community’\u003C/a>s latest TikTok mantra. Online, swarms of Black women are using Dean’s song as the auditory backdrop for their natural hair journey. In the second verse, Dean says, “God, I used to love this hair/ Now there’s something in the air.” Women use each line to show their transition from straight hair to curly fros, signifying a new era of hair acceptance.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@mobgyal/video/7579638483803770167\" data-video-id=\"7579638483803770167\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;\" > \u003Csection> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@mobgyal\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@mobgyal?refer=embed\">@mobgyal\u003C/a> I got my first perm at 7 and didn’t realize how disconnected I was from my real hair until years later. I went natural, did two big chops, and still wouldn’t wear my fro outside. Then one day, I finally did, terrified, but I did it. And somewhere in that moment, I stopped hiding and started embracing myself. Love every part of you… even the parts you’re still learning. ✨ \u003Ca title=\"fyp\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed\">#fyp\u003C/a> \u003Ca title=\"4chair\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/4chair?refer=embed\">#4chair\u003C/a> \u003Ca title=\"naturalhair\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/naturalhair?refer=embed\">#naturalhair\u003C/a> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ original sound - Z\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7548878368788237069?refer=embed\">♬ original sound – Z\u003C/a> \u003C/section> \u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js\">\u003C/script>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@bylatticia/video/7578956298616573206\" data-video-id=\"7578956298616573206\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> \u003Csection> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@bylatticia\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@bylatticia?refer=embed\">@bylatticia\u003C/a> \u003Cp>To think I used to never want this hair 🥹 I love it here \u003Ca title=\"4chair\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/4chair?refer=embed\">#4chair\u003C/a> \u003Ca title=\"copperhair\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/copperhair?refer=embed\">#copperhair\u003C/a> \u003C/p> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ original sound - Z\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7548878368788237069?refer=embed\">♬ original sound – Z\u003C/a> \u003C/section> \u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js\">\u003C/script>\n\u003C/div>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-change-in-tide\">A change in tide\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Natural hair discourse on TikTok can be contentious if not disparaging, so it’s nice to see people using this song to celebrate a transformation that used to be the pinnacle of beauty content in the 2010s.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Natural Hair YouTube had everyone excited for TWAs, big chops, and a future free of relaxers. Since the heyday of natural hair YouTube, though, the natural hair movement has experienced pockets of stagnation, at least within the digital realm. From admittedly nuanced conversations about the plight of the \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/blavity-original/cotton-silk-press-tiktok-trend\">straight hair natural\u003C/a> to the erasure of coarser hair texture within the natural hair movement, things have been \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/blavity-original/natural-hair-community-tension\">tense online\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Even if it’s just a few lines in a song, this moment in time is a welcome blip of unbridled joy. No fuss, no confusion, just unabashed appreciation\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n",[128],{"name":129,"slug":130,"id":131},"Opinion","opinion",114,[133,137],{"id":134,"name":135,"slug":136,"description":10,"image":10},75810,"Non-Newsletter","non-newsletter",{"id":67,"name":68,"slug":69,"description":10,"image":10},{"url":139,"thumbnail":140,"credit":141,"title":142,"alt":143,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2239240499.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2239240499-150x100.jpg","Photo: Amy E. Price/FilmMagic","Olivia Dean","Olivia Dean performs during the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park","2025-12-23T05:47:00-05:00","2025-12-24T21:06:52-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},241,{"list":150,"total":338},[151,191,231,263,310],{"id":152,"author":153,"authors":162,"title":164,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":165,"body":166,"categories":167,"tags":176,"featuredMedia":181,"publishedAt":187,"updatedAt":188,"type":37,"listicle":189,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":190},72887983,{"id":154,"avatar":155,"firstName":156,"lastName":157,"displayName":158,"email":159,"username":160,"normalizedUsername":160,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":161},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",[163],{"id":154,"avatar":155,"firstName":156,"lastName":157,"displayName":158,"email":159,"username":160,"normalizedUsername":160,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":161},"Does Cold Water Make Your Period Worse?","cold-water-cramps","\n\u003Cp>There are plenty of tales passed down from generation to generation that claim a number of things regarding \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/can-you-make-your-period-come-faster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a woman’s menstrual cycle\u003C/a>. They vary from culture to culture, with some parts of the world claiming a person should never walk barefoot during their period, as it’s said to worsen cramps, while other cultures believe that consuming any citrus fruit will shorten a cycle.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, there is one particular belief that may be rooted in some factual evidence. It’s long been said that drinking cold water before or during your period can make cramps all the more painful, and there may very well be some truth to the sentiment. This aligns with Ayurvedic studies and traditional Chinese medicine, in which cold is thought to “shock” the body or disrupt circulation. But does the science support it?\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-debunking-the-cold-water-myth\">Debunking The Cold Water Myth\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It’s first and foremost important to note that period cramps are caused by hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which trigger the uterus to contract. So, where does cold water come into this? Ayurvedic studies suggest that cold drinks can constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the pelvic region, which in turn exacerbates menstrual cramps. It is instead recommended to intake warm water, ginger tea, and warm, cooked foods instead for better digestion and energetic flow.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, there’s a lot of pushback to the theory. There is ultimately no strong scientific evidence proving that drinking cold water directly worsens menstrual cramps, as medical explanations note that when you drink something cold, your body warms it to core temperature long before it reaches the reproductive system. However, all of the anecdotal testimonies aren’t just out of nowhere. Anyone who feels worse after drinking a cold drink may be experiencing this due to bloating or digestion. Lots of cold drinks, like sodas, are high in sugar and caffeine, which are scientifically linked to inflammation or worsened cramps. Sugar increases prostaglandin production, while caffeine is known to constrict blood vessels and increase muscle tension. This most certainly can make cramps worse, though it’d be due to stimulants and not temperature.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Personal comfort, however, most certainly varies, and some studies have shown that women who often have cold hands and feet might be more prone to cramping caused by cold water. Ultimately, it’s important to listen to your body and what makes the most sense for you.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cultural-period-myths-that-are-true\">Cultural Period Myths That Are True\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So what myths actually do hold scientific backing?\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-warmth-helps-period-pain\">“Warmth Helps Period Pain”\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>A common belief in East Asian, African, Indigenous, and Latin cultures is that warm foods, teas, baths, and heat packs are widely encouraged during menstruation. This is most certainly scientifically supported, as heat increases blood flow and relaxes uterine muscles, which can reduce cramping and pain. In fact, clinical studies show heating pads can be as effective as painkillers for some people.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rest-more-during-your-period\">“Rest More During Your Period”\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>Now this is a belief we can all get behind. Many cultures have encouraged menstruating women to slow down, stay home, or avoid heavy labor since ancient times, and it remains a valid sentiment. Your estrogen and progesterone dropping during your period can cause fatigue, lower pain tolerance, and increased inflammation, so you’d be doing yourself a massive favor by laying low. Your body is working overtime, and rest can genuinely improve recovery and mood.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-you-eat-can-affect-your-period\">“What You Eat Can Affect Your Period”\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>Across various cultures, there are specific curated diets that often emphasize iron-rich foods, soups, broths, and herbal remedies during menstruation. There’s science behind this practice as well, as nutrition directly impacts your inflammation and prostaglandin production. Because of that, it’s important to prioritize meals with iron, magnesium, omega-3s, and hydration, as they can all reduce cramp severity and fatigue.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-periods-are-a-time-of-heightened-sensitivity\">“Periods Are a Time of Heightened Sensitivity”\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We all know periods can heighten emotional sensitivity, but it goes even further beyond that. The hormonal fluctuations your cycle brings on affect neurotransmitters and emotional processing, making your pain perception all the more heightened. This means that while you may typically tolerate getting your eyebrows waxed on any other given day, the sensation may be much worse when you’re bleeding. It’s best to take things easy during this window of time and avoid doing anything that may bring about discomfort. \u003C/p>\n",[168,172],{"name":169,"slug":170,"id":171},"Mind & Body","mind-body",76101,{"name":173,"slug":174,"id":175},"Women","women",76094,[177],{"id":178,"name":179,"slug":179,"description":180,"image":10},76102,"21n","Content migrated from 21ninety.com",{"url":182,"thumbnail":183,"credit":184,"title":185,"alt":186,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GettyImages-1354320617.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GettyImages-1354320617-150x100.jpg","Getty Images","Relaxed woman enjoying drinking a cup of coffee while looking through the window.","Relaxed black woman enjoying drinking a cup of coffee while looking through the window.","2025-12-27T10:16:49-05:00","2025-12-22T15:14:58-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},{"id":192,"author":193,"authors":202,"title":204,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":205,"body":206,"categories":207,"tags":216,"featuredMedia":221,"publishedAt":227,"updatedAt":228,"type":37,"listicle":229,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":230},72862514,{"id":194,"avatar":195,"firstName":196,"lastName":197,"displayName":198,"email":199,"username":200,"normalizedUsername":200,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":201},100239,"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ab302aa113b803b09fb920b51b5bba9da5261ffc0f8d659e77463318424ffae0?s=1024&r=g","Dorian","Smith-Garcia","Dorian Smith-Garcia","[email protected]","dorian.smith-garcia","2023-09-18T20:37:14+00:00",[203],{"id":194,"avatar":195,"firstName":196,"lastName":197,"displayName":198,"email":199,"username":200,"normalizedUsername":200,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":201},"Does High Blood Pressure Cause Hot Ears? Everything To Know","hot-ears-high-blood-pressure","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/high-blood-pressure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">High blood pressure\u003C/a>, also known as hypertension, occurs when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls remains too high for an extended period. Often referred to as the “silent killer,” it can go undetected for years while quietly damaging critical organs \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/heart-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">like the heart\u003C/a>, kidneys, eyes and brain. Typical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath, can often be the first sign for many that something is amiss. However, unusual symptoms, such as “hot ears,” may also be a warning sign.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Especially in the Black community, high blood pressure (HBP) is prevalent. \u003Ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4108512/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Studies show\u003C/a> that adults often develop hypertension at younger ages than their cohorts and can face more severe health consequences because it is poorly managed. Understanding HBP, its causes and key symptoms (or unusual ones like hot ears) to watch for is critical for taking a proactive \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/are-fibroids-hereditary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stance on health\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-overview\">Overview\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp id=\"h-overviewthot-ears-can-seem-like-an-unlikely-hbp-symptom-and-that-s-because-they-re-not-a-formal-diagnostic-benchmark-for-the-disease-however-they-could-be-an-indicator-of-rising-blood-pressure\">The \u003Ca href=\"https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayo Clinic\u003C/a> notes that hot ears can seem like an unlikely HBP symptom, and that’s because they’re not a formal diagnostic benchmark for the disease. However, they could be an indicator. Specifically, ears that feel warm or look red can be a sign that blood pressure has increased. However, in darker skin tones, it may not be possible to see a visible flush.  \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://iamdrfaithmd.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Faith Ohuoba, MD\u003C/a>, an OB/GYN, department chair and specialty medical director at Memorial Hermann Northeast in Humble, Texas, cautions readers that high blood pressure doesn’t directly impact surface temperature on the ears, but can impact hearing. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“HBP can damage small vessels in the ear, leading to hearing loss or tinnitus,” she shares. Before you assume that hot ears are a sign you have HBP, Dr. Ohuoba warns that “if you or a loved one believes that you’re experiencing ‘hot ears,’ you should consider being seen by a physician so that they can rule out possibilities like an external ear infection or irritation from a foreign object or allergy, like from earrings.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Also, keep in mind that if hot ears are accompanied by other symptoms, such as chest pain, severe headache, dizziness, vision changes or shortness of breath, you should seek immediate medical attention. While they might not be a sign of HBP, they could point to other conditions or medical emergencies. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-happening-in-your-body\">What’s happening in your body\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by blood as it pushes against the walls of the arteries. When it’s consistently too high, the heart has to work harder, and as a result, arteries can become damaged. Over time, \u003Ca href=\"https://medlineplus.gov/highbloodpressure.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Medline Plus\u003C/a> notes that this constant increased pressure can lead to more serious problems like heart attacks, strokes, \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/high-calorie-recipes-for-chronic-kidney-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">kidney damage\u003C/a> and vision problems. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>HBP is recorded with two numbers: the systolic pressure (when the heart is pumping) and the diastolic pressure (when the heart is resting between beats). \u003Cspan style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">As explained by the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute\u003C/a>, f\u003C/span>or most adults, HBP is diagnosed when the readings are consistently 130/80 mm Hg or higher. However, HBP isn’t always immediately apparent during its onset. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279239/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Studies show\u003C/a> that many people might feel fine even if their arteries are under stress. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-common-causes-of-high-blood-pressure\">Common causes of high blood pressure\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Often enough, HBP is usually caused by a few common sources. Too much salt (also known as sodium) in food can cause the body to retain excess water. The \u003Ca href=\"https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayo Clinic\u003C/a> reports that extra fluid creates more volume in the blood vessels, which can translate to HBP.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to \u003Ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the CDC\u003C/a>, failing to stay active is a common contributing factor to a variety of health conditions, and HBP is no different. Sedentary lifestyles can mean that the heart doesn’t get enough exercise. Over time, this can weaken or make it less efficient, leading to your heart needing to produce higher pressure just for basic tasks. HBP is just one of many conditions that can be brought on or exacerbated by carrying excess weight, as per the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NIDDK\u003C/a>. More body weight means the body needs more blood and extra effort to circulate it. This results in more force inside the arteries. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While lifestyle factors often play a significant role in degenerative diseases like HBP, age can also cause arteries to become stiffer. Stiffer arteries can increase resistance and raise blood pressure. Not everyone with a family history of HBP will be diagnosed with it; however, the risk increases if close relatives like parents or siblings also have HBP.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca href=\"https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/comorbidities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cleveland Clinic\u003C/a> points out that comorbidities, or conditions often diagnosed in people with other underlying conditions, can also be precursors to HBP. Specifically, \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/vegetarian-dinner-recipes-for-chronic-kidney-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">kidney disease\u003C/a>, diabetes, some hormonal imbalances or even sleep apnea can increase a person’s risk of being diagnosed with HBP. Finally, \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/can-stress-contribute-to-stroke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chronic stress\u003C/a>, worry, fear or anxiety can temporarily raise blood pressure. If left untreated for extended periods, it can contribute to lasting hypertension.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-diagnosis-and-treatment\">Diagnosis and treatment\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/data-research/facts-stats/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CDC\u003C/a>, nearly half of all adults in the United States have HBP, with 58% of non-Hispanic Black adults having the disease. Worse still, many have uncontrolled HBP, which can be even more dangerous. To diagnose or rule out hypertension, doctors use specific tools and measurements. Likewise, treatment depends on the level of pressure, risk and other health conditions.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The most common diagnostic tool is a blood pressure cuff, which is known as a sphygmomanometer. Multiple readings may be taken on different days to achieve an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes people will wear a monitor or an at-home blood pressure device to see how readings change throughout the day or during activities. This illustrates how real-world values align with clinic readings.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Lifestyle changes can sometimes be the most impactful solutions for managing or reversing HBP. Eating a healthier diet, exercising regularly, reaching a healthy weight, managing stress, avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol are some of the top solutions.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If lifestyle changes don’t yield enough results, doctors may prescribe medicines based on a variety of factors, including overall health, age, underlying health conditions and even race. These can include:\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Diuretics to remove excess fluid.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>ACE inhibitors to reduce fluid retention and aid in blood pressure regulation.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>ARBs relax blood vessels and control blood pressure.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Calcium channel blockers to relax muscles in the heart and the blood vessels.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-ten-warning-signs-of-high-blood-pressure\">What are the ten warning signs of high blood pressure?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Here are a few warning signs for HBP. Not everyone will experience all of the symptoms below. However, regular wellness visits or maintaining appointments for related medical issues can serve as a preventive measure. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Severe or frequent headaches.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Shortness of breath.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Chest pain or tightness.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Dizziness or feeling lightheaded.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Vision changes (blurry or seeing spots).\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Nosebleeds (especially if they’re frequent or unexplained).\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Fatigue or feeling more tired than usual.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Irregular heartbeat or palpitations.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Blood in urine or kidney problems.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Swelling in feet, ankles, hands or around the eyes.\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-to-see-a-doctor\">When to see a doctor\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Individuals who experience frequent high blood pressure readings of 130/80 mmHg or exhibit the symptoms above should consult a doctor. Urgent symptoms include chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden vision change or severe headache.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Likewise, if prescriptions aren’t working to control HBP, doses are regularly skipped or symptoms worsen, seek immediate medical attention. HBP sometimes requires treatment adjustments to become well-managed. Be sure to maintain check-ups and follow the recommended treatment plan.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bottom-line\">Bottom line\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Hot ears can sometimes occur in people with high blood pressure, but they aren’t a direct symptom. In most cases, other factors contribute to that specific sensation. Still, HBP is a serious condition, especially in Black communities, where it tends to occur earlier but may be left untreated for extended periods, which can lead to more damage.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Controlling HBP is crucial for maintaining \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/health/butterfly-pea-flower-tea-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">overall health\u003C/a> and preventing adverse outcomes. This means healthy eating, staying active, keeping stress under control, visiting the doctor and, if needed, using medicines. And people who experience unusual symptoms (including hot ears), should take that as a sign to see a doctor.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp id=\"h-what-could-be-mistaken-for-high-blood-pressure\">\u003Cstrong>What could be mistaken for high blood pressure?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Things like anxiety or panic can increase heart rate and cause blood pressure spikes temporarily. Being in a stressful environment, having just eaten a large or salty meal or drinking caffeine can also raise it. Likewise, some symptoms, such as headaches or feelings of dizziness, can give a false impression that blood pressure is high when it’s not.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp id=\"h-what-time-of-day-is-blood-pressure-highest\">\u003Cstrong>What time of day is blood pressure highest?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Dr. Ohuoba reminds readers that blood pressure can begin rising even before waking hours. “While it often peaks during the early morning hours…it can continue to rise throughout the day.” She advises that people required to check their blood pressure daily should do so at the same time every day to ensure consistent and accurate results.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp id=\"h-which-arm-should-blood-pressure-be-taken\">\u003Cstrong>Which arm should blood pressure be taken from?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Dr. Ohuoba says that there is no formal “preferred arm” by health practitioners. However, people are encouraged to take blood pressure readings while seated with their arm extended and to use the same arm for consistency with at-home testing. Similarly, it’s best to take measurements when in a calm state since anxiety and stress can alter readings. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-citations\">Citations\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Lackland DT. Racial Differences In Hypertension: Implications for High Blood Pressure Management. \u003Cem>The American Journal of the Medical Sciences\u003C/em>. Published 2014. \u003Ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4108512/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4108512/\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Mayo Clinic Staff. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) – Symptoms & causes. \u003Cem>Mayo Clinic\u003C/em>. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp> Medline Plus Staff. High blood pressure. Published \u003Cem>Medline Plus\u003C/em> \u003Ca href=\"https://medlineplus.gov/highbloodpressure.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://medlineplus.gov/highbloodpressure.html\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Staff. High Blood Pressure – What is High Blood Pressure? \u003Cem>NHLBI, NIH\u003C/em>. Published 2024. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>National Institute of Health Staff. Overview: High Blood Pressure. \u003Cem>Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care\u003C/em>. Published 2024. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279239/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279239/\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Mayo Clinic Staff. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Controlling This Common Health Problem-High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) – Symptoms & Causes. \u003Cem>Mayo Clinic.\u003C/em> \u003Ca href=\"https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>CDC Staff. Adult Activity: An Overview. Physical Activity Basics. \u003Cem>Centers for Disease Control & Prevention\u003C/em> Published 2025. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>NIDDK Staff. Health Risks of Overweight & Obesity. \u003Cem>National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases\u003C/em>. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Cleveland Clinic Staff. What Are Comorbidities? \u003Cem>Cleveland Clinic\u003C/em>. \u003Ca href=\"https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/comorbidities\">https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/comorbidities\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>CDC Staff. High Blood Pressure Facts. \u003Cem>Centers for Disease Control & Prevention\u003C/em>. Published 2025. \u003Ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/data-research/facts-stats/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/data-research/facts-stats/index.html\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\n",[208,212],{"name":209,"slug":210,"id":211},"Conditions & Care","conditions-care",75878,{"name":213,"slug":214,"id":215},"Health","health",59,[217],{"id":218,"name":219,"slug":220,"description":10,"image":10},76033,"Heart Health - Cluster","heart-health-cluster",{"url":222,"thumbnail":223,"credit":224,"title":225,"alt":226,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/hush-naidoo-jade-photography-qirAdSck9bQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/hush-naidoo-jade-photography-qirAdSck9bQ-unsplash-150x100.jpg","(Hush Naidoo Jade Photography/Unsplash)","Hot Ears High Blood Pressure","A Black man takes a Black woman's blood pressure","2025-12-26T20:02:36-05:00","2025-12-26T20:02:43-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},{"id":232,"author":233,"authors":243,"title":245,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":246,"body":247,"categories":248,"tags":250,"featuredMedia":255,"publishedAt":259,"updatedAt":260,"type":37,"listicle":261,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":262},72890146,{"id":234,"avatar":235,"firstName":236,"lastName":237,"displayName":238,"email":239,"username":240,"normalizedUsername":241,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":242},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",[244],{"id":234,"avatar":235,"firstName":236,"lastName":237,"displayName":238,"email":239,"username":240,"normalizedUsername":241,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":242},"Tyler Perry Sued For Sexual Assault By Second Accuser, 'Madea' Film Actor","tyler-perry-sued-for-sexual-assault-by-second-accuser-allegations","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http://blavity.com/tags/tyler-perry\">Tyler Perry\u003C/a> has been hit with a second sexual assault lawsuit, and he’s once again is denying the allegations and slamming the allegations. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to \u003Ca href=\"https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/tyler-perry-sued-sexual-assault-new-lawsuit-boo-a-madea-halloween-actor-1236459634/\">The Hollywood Reporter,\u003C/a> actor Mario Rodriguez, who had a small role in \u003Cem>Boo! A Madea Halloween\u003C/em>, is suing Perry and Lionsgate for at least $77 million in damages. Rodriguez filed his sexual battery suit in a California court on Thursday, claiming that Perry has groped him on multiple occasions at Perry’s Los Angeles home.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The suit states that Rodriguez met Perry in 2014, after a gym trainer at Los Angeles’ Equinox told him that Perry wanted his number to discuss an acting role. Allegedly, when Rodriguez met with Perry, Perry told him to audition for the role of a good-looking college student for his Halloween-themed film. Perry also allegedly said, “You know, Mario, I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Between accepting the part and after filming the film, Rodriguez was allegedly invited to Perry’s home on several occasions, with the incidents involving Perry allegedly touching in between Rodriguez’s legs and near his penis. He also alleges Perry said during the first incident, “Man, if you would just come, I would take care of you for the rest of your life and you wouldn’t have to worry about anything. I know you’ll come around.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Another alleged incident took place in in 2018, after Rodriguez and Perry met at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills to discuss a role in \u003Cem>The Oval\u003C/em>, the two went back to Perry’s home, where Perry allegedly “tightly hugged” Rodriguez and reached into his underwear to grab his penis. The suit claims “Mr. Perry was making sexual moaning noises and saying, ‘Stay here, stay here,’ while he pressed his body against Mr. Rodriguez and continued to grab his penis.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Another alleged incident in 2019 also includes Perry allegedly telling Rodriguez, “If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you, and you wouldn’t have to ever worry about anything.” The 2018 and 2019 incidents also resulted in Perry apologizing and giving Rodriguez $5,000.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Rodriguez claims that he filed his suit after learning of Derek Dixon’s \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/tyler-perry-accuser-derek-dixon-speaks-on-lawsuit\">lawsuit\u003C/a> of a similar nature. Dixon, who starred in \u003Cem>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/tyler-perry-sued-alleged-sexual-assault-the-oval-actor\">The Oval\u003C/a>\u003C/em>, \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/who-is-derek-dixon-accusing-tyler-perry-assault\">also claimed\u003C/a> that Perry sexually assaulted him for several years. Rodriguez states in his suit that he hopes he can “finally stop Mr. Perry” from harming vulnerable actors.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Perry refutes the claims. His lawyer, Alex Spiro, said to The Hollywood Reporter, “Having recently failed in another matter against Mr. Perry, the very same lawyer has now made yet another demand from more than a decade ago, which will also be a failed money grab.”\u003C/p>\n",[249],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[251],{"id":252,"name":253,"slug":254,"description":10,"image":10},31151,"Tyler Perry","tyler-perry-2",{"url":256,"thumbnail":257,"credit":73,"title":258,"alt":10,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/design-2025-12-26T191342.033.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/design-2025-12-26T191342.033-150x84.jpg","design – 2025-12-26T191342.033","2025-12-26T19:26:52-05:00","2025-12-26T19:27:00-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},{"id":264,"author":265,"authors":275,"title":277,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":278,"body":279,"categories":280,"tags":282,"featuredMedia":301,"publishedAt":306,"updatedAt":307,"type":37,"listicle":308,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":309},72890002,{"id":266,"avatar":267,"firstName":268,"lastName":269,"displayName":270,"email":271,"username":272,"normalizedUsername":273,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":274},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",[276],{"id":266,"avatar":267,"firstName":268,"lastName":269,"displayName":270,"email":271,"username":272,"normalizedUsername":273,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":274},"'The Lion King' Broadway Star Imani Dia Smith Found Dead At 26: Here's What To Know","the-lion-king-star-imani-dia-smith-found-dead-at-26","\n\u003Cp>Imani Dia Smith, a former child actor who starred in \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/entertainment/mufasa-the-lion-king-cast-director-on-film\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cem>The Lion King\u003C/em>\u003C/a> on Broadway, was found dead inside a home in Edison, New Jersey, on Sunday. She was 26.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-details-on-how-smith-was-found-and-her-boyfriend-s-charges\">Details on how Smith was found and her boyfriend’s charges\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Police responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing at about 9:18 a.m. Sunday. When officers arrived, they found Smith with stab wounds. She was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was pronounced dead, according to a \u003Ca href=\"https://www.middlesexcountynj.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1874/736\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">news release\u003C/a> from Middlesex County, New Jersey, Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Thomas Bryan of the Edison Police Department.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>After an investigation, officials confirmed that Smith’s boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, of Edison, was arrested without incident and charged Tuesday in connection with the actor’s death, per the news release.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, prosecutors said.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Jackson-Small is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center and awaiting a pre-trial detention hearing.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-smith-s-family-launches-a-gofundme-campaign-in-her-name\">Smith’s family launches a GoFundMe campaign in her name\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp> “She leaves behind a 3-year-old son, her parents, her two younger siblings, and an extended family, friends, and community who loved her so very much,” Smith’s aunt, Kira Helper, said in a \u003Ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-helper-family-after-the-tragic-loss-of-imani-dia?attribution_id=sl%3A562fc8be-1f68-4c6d-8ff3-f7be4f9d2613&lang=en_US&ts=1766418694&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp17_tb&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GoFundMe campaign\u003C/a> she launched to help cover “immediate and ongoing expenses.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Those expenses include funeral and memorial costs, crime scene cleanup at Smith’s home, and trauma therapy for her son and family members, as well as time off from work to grieve, provide care and attend legal proceedings. The funds will also help cover legal and administrative costs, as well as ongoing support and care for Imani’s son and her dog, Kuro.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was a vivacious, loving and fiercely talented person. A true triple-threat performer, she most notably played the role of Young Nala on Broadway in Disney’s Lion King — an experience that reflected the joy, creativity, and light she put into the world,” the GoFundMe page states.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-smith-s-lion-king-run-and-her-mother-s-entertainment-credits-as-a-hairdresser\">Smith’s \u003Cem>Lion King\u003C/em> run and her mother’s entertainment credits as a hairdresser\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to \u003Ca href=\"https://playbill.com/article/former-the-lion-king-child-star-imani-dia-smith-has-died-at-25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Playbill\u003C/a>, Smith played young Nala in the classic Disney hit from Sept. 27, 2011, to Sept. 23, 2012.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Smith’s mother, L. Monique Rance-Helper, works as a hairdresser on Broadway and in TV/film productions. According to her \u003Ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11781207/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_1_in_0_q_monique%2520rance%2520helper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IMDb page\u003C/a>, she worked on more than 20 movies and television shows since her career began in 2010, with credits including this year’s \u003Cem>The Housemaid\u003C/em>, 2022’s \u003Cem>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/entertainment/how-power-book-iii-raising-kanan-soars-beyond-the-original-series-with-women-at-the-heart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Power Book III: Raising Kanan\u003C/a>\u003C/em>, \u003Cem>Smile\u003C/em>, \u003Cem>The Equalizer\u003C/em> and more.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As of Friday, the GoFundMe set up in Smith’s name raised over $66,000 of the $75,000 requested to help her family with expenses.\u003C/p>\n",[281],{"name":24,"slug":25,"id":26},[283,287,290,294,297],{"id":284,"name":285,"slug":286,"description":10,"image":10},31269,"Broadway","broadway",{"id":288,"name":289,"slug":289,"description":10,"image":10},16755,"dead",{"id":291,"name":292,"slug":293,"description":10,"image":10},77090,"Imani Dia Smith","imani-dia-smith",{"id":295,"name":296,"slug":296,"description":10,"image":10},23304,"stabbed",{"id":298,"name":299,"slug":300,"description":10,"image":10},16041,"the lion king","the-lion-king",{"url":302,"thumbnail":303,"credit":304,"title":305,"alt":305,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/GettyImages-1401400479-compress.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/GettyImages-1401400479-150x100.jpg","Photo: Kouji Okafuji via Getty Images\n","Lit candle","2025-12-26T19:26:00-05:00","2025-12-26T19:26:06-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},{"id":311,"author":312,"authors":319,"title":321,"subTitle":10,"excerpt":10,"slug":322,"body":323,"categories":324,"tags":329,"featuredMedia":330,"publishedAt":334,"updatedAt":335,"type":37,"listicle":336,"disableContentGate":39,"isDisabledListicleNumbers":39,"canonicalUrl":10,"socialThumbnail":10,"additional":337},72890094,{"id":313,"avatar":314,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":315,"email":316,"username":315,"normalizedUsername":317,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":318},96045,"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/DSC09602-2-compress.jpg","Tomas Kassahun","[email protected]","tomas-kassahun","2019-09-06T00:00:00+00:00",[320],{"id":313,"avatar":314,"firstName":10,"lastName":10,"displayName":315,"email":316,"username":315,"normalizedUsername":317,"description":10,"twitter":10,"facebook":10,"instagram":10,"registeredAt":318},"What's Going On With FaZe Clan? They Just Lost 5 Members","whats-going-on-with-faze-clan-they-just-lost-5-members","\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/india-love-streamer-awards-ddg-raki\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FaZe\u003C/a> Clan, the popular esports and \u003Ca href=\"https://blavity.com/new-horror-movies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">streaming\u003C/a> brand, has lost five of its members. The streamers announced their departure on Thursday, leaving many fans with questions about the future of the brand.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-are-the-streamers-leaving-faze-clan\">Who are the streamers leaving FaZe Clan?\u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.dexerto.com/tag/faze-clan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FaZe\u003C/a> members JasonTheWeen, Lacy, StableRonaldo and Silky were four of the streamers who announced their exit on Christmas Day, per \u003Ca href=\"https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/whats-happened-to-faze-members-suddenly-quit-faze-clan-lacy-silky-adapt-and-more-3298059/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dexerto\u003C/a>. Their departure comes after another member, PlaqueBoyMax, left the organization months earlier. According to Dexerto, Max said he left in August because of issues regarding ownership and control.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Adapt, who has been with FaZe Clan for 14 years, expressed his sentiments in a post on X after leaving the group.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Left @FaZeClan 14 Years,” he wrote. “Over half of my life, I’d be lying if I said this didn’t hurt, but it had to be done. Thank you to everyone who’s been apart of this journey, the best is yet to come.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Left \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/FaZeClan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@FaZeClan\u003C/a> \u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>14 Years. Over half of my life, I’d be lying if I said this didn’t hurt, but it had to be done. Thank you to everyone who’s been apart of this journey, the best is yet to come.\u003C/p>— Adapt (@FaZeAdapt) \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/FaZeAdapt/status/2004358003307565117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 26, 2025\u003C/a>\u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\">\u003C/script>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-did-faze-banks-say-after-the-mass-exodus-at-the-organization\">What did FaZe Banks say after the mass exodus at the organization? \u003C/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>FaZe Clan co-founder FaZe Banks addressed fans in a video message on X after losing five members from his organization. Banks told his audience that the streamers decided to leave despite getting plenty of help from the brand, including housing and financial support. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“I just watched some clips from this Plaqueboymax stream, where he’s playing a laugh track over my tweet, and it’s like, Max, I know we’ve had our individual differences, and I know I haven’t really seen eye-to-eye with a lot of the talent, because truthfully and honestly, I find you guys all to be incredibly ungrateful,” Banks said. “I think it’s disgusting. It makes me sick to my stomach that your guys’ relationship with each other, with every other streamer, and your community included, is so incredibly fake. You guys are the best actors on planet Earth, and you’ve made a complete career out of all of it.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Addressing everything properly on Twitch all day tomorrow \u003Ca href=\"https://t.co/FJaRxKESEX\">pic.twitter.com/FJaRxKESEX\u003C/a>\u003C/p>— Banks (@Banks) \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Banks/status/2004410458141610096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 26, 2025\u003C/a>\u003C/blockquote> \u003Cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\">\u003C/script>\n",[325],{"name":326,"slug":327,"id":328},"Sports","sports",93,[],{"url":331,"thumbnail":332,"credit":73,"title":333,"alt":10,"type":35},"https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/design-2025-12-26T192307.067.jpg","https://cms.blavity.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,slow-connection-quality=30,onerror=redirect/https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/design-2025-12-26T192307.067-150x84.jpg","design – 2025-12-26T192307.067","2025-12-26T19:23:54-05:00","2025-12-26T19:24:00-05:00",[],{"disableAd":39,"disableConnatixPlayer":39,"enabledComments":39,"headScript":10},75378,["Reactive",340],{},["Set"],["ShallowReactive",343],{"page-racial-tension-rampant-in-jacksonville-after-black-boys-are-kicked-out-of-fair-for-wearing-memorial-apparel":42,"L5mKWLzO22":42,"7VUhfdt1ev":42},"/racial-tension-rampant-in-jacksonville-after-black-boys-are-kicked-out-of-fair-for-wearing-memorial-apparel",["Reactive",346],{}]