Celeb Date Night

What do John Legend and Chrissy Teigen do for date night? Why not spend a fun evening getting silly, this time at Chain’s Restaurant’s after-hours bash in Los Angeles, celebrating its upcoming six-month residency at Westfield Topanga Mall. It was a perfect night to reminisce as the couple enjoyed food, drinks and arcade games steeped in nostalgia.

But the biggest moment taking us back to the nineties was Topanga herself, the iconic Boy Meets World character played by Danielle Fishel, who was also there, creating a full-circle “Topanga at Topanga Mall” moment.

A Burger for a Champ

Boxing legend, cultural icon and Sugar Factory at Home brand ambassador Mike Tyson took over Sugar Factory Times Square to share the latest menu treat that satisfies a champion appetite. The establishment is introducing Protein Sliders, which Tyson dug into himself while greeting fans, fellow athletes and one brave EBONY editor who tackled the restaurant’s famous Classic Watermelon Piña Colada Goblet mocktail-style, filled with sweet and sour candy. Tyson is also eyeing his return to the ring, saying his injured hand is doing well and that his postponed exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather is still on.

A Shimmy-ery Act of Kindness

Loe Shimmy — a.k.a. Shamar Williams Cox — grew up with a single mom, so he knows that making ends meet can be a challenge. That’s why the South Florida hip-hop trailblazer partnered with mental health advocate, digital philanthropist and humanitarian MDMotivator (Zachery Dereniowski) to give $10,000 to a healing family at the Detroit stop on his Pretty Girlz Run The World tour. The multi-city trek, which takes him to Jacksonville, Florida, on August 29, Atlanta on August 30 and Charlotte on August 31, brings Shimmy’s melodic rap sound to fans nationwide, building momentum around his rising profile and latest music.

August is packing its bags, and for once, no one is fighting to make it stay. After months of dressing for temperatures that made putting on anything more substantial than a tank top feel like a personal attack, the first hints of cooler air are finally creeping into the forecast. Fall is not quite here yet, but you can already see it arriving in the clothes. Cardigans are coming out of hiding, trousers are getting heavier, brown is re-entering the group chat and suddenly, getting dressed feels exciting again.

This week’s best-dressed Black creatives understood the assignment: don’t rush fall, ease into it. The transitional wardrobe is arguably the most fun one anyway. It is the rare moment when a tank top can coexist with a cardigan, sandals still make sense with a long sleeve and a pair of oversized trousers can do most of the heavy lifting without leaving you drenched by noon.

There is something particularly satisfying about the proportions happening right now. Barrel-leg and exaggerated trousers continue to dominate, whether paired with a striped peplum top for a little architectural drama or kept casual with a fitted white tank and an oversized plaid shirt. Denim is getting the same supersized treatment, proving that skinny jeans can remain wherever we left them. Meanwhile, the men are making a strong case for trousers again. A cream cardigan worn over a white tank with chocolate pants and sleek boots is exactly the kind of uncomplicated dressing that looks exponentially more expensive than it needs to be. Elsewhere, green trousers, a bright red cardigan and loafers make the argument for color without turning the outfit into a Crayola box.

And then there is brown. Chocolate, tobacco, camel, khaki, cream and every earthy shade in between are slowly taking over, which can only mean one thing: fall fashion has entered the building. A chocolate knit layered over a crisp white shirt and leather skirt feels like the sartorial equivalent of that first morning when you step outside and realize you should have grabbed a jacket. Even an all-neutral cream look with a sculptural peplum and relaxed pants feels perfectly positioned between summer ease and autumn polish.

Still, nobody is putting summer completely in storage just yet. A sheer embellished mini dress with barely-there heels is holding onto warm-weather glamour for as long as possible, while white tees, tanks and relaxed denim keep the season’s effortless energy alive. That tension is what makes late-August dressing so good. We are not quite ready for coats, but we are absolutely ready to start layering again.

Consider this the soft launch of fall. The boots are creeping back in. The knits are getting pulled from the top shelf. The pants are getting wider, the colors richer and the outfits just a little more intentional. Summer had its moment, but if these looks are any indication, the best-dressed season of the year is warming up just as the weather starts cooling down.

And frankly, we have been waiting.

Fikkypearl

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Mario Hairston

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Didi Stone

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Eric Stephon

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Bronnieeee

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Jon-Jon Prejean

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Gény Mak’s

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David Atum

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Petra Henriette Rufi

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Donté

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Everton Blair Makes History as South’s First Black, Openly Gay Member of Congress

Democrat Everton Blair made history Tuesday after winning a special election runoff in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. Blair defeated Marcye Scott, daughter of the late U.S. Rep. David Scott, 53% to 47%, according to unofficial results. His victory makes him the first Black, openly gay person elected to Congress from a Southern state and Georgia’s first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress.

Background: Blair will serve the remaining months of Scott’s term, which ends in January. The victory gives Georgia’s Black LGBTQ+ community a historic voice in Congress while restoring Democratic representation in the deep-blue Atlanta-area district. Blair previously served as chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Education. He was elected to the board in 2018 at age 26, becoming its first Black and youngest-ever member before later serving as chairman.

Target Faces Backlash After Halloween Costume Sparks Blackface Concerns

Target is facing backlash after pulling a children’s Halloween costume that critics said evoked Blackface and racist minstrel-show imagery. The retailer removed its “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume” from stores and its website after images of a Black child modeling the costume spread online. Critics pointed to the costume’s exaggerated grin, black gloves and styling, saying the design resembled racist caricatures used to demean Black people during the Jim Crow era. Target issued an apology on Aug. 24. 

Why It Matters: The controversy comes months after Target faced a Black-led boycott over its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The yearlong boycott began in 2025 and ended in March after organizers said Target agreed to recommit to supporting Black-owned businesses and brands. For critics, the costume controversy raises fresh questions about whether Target has truly learned from its recent battles over race and inclusion.

Letitia James Leads Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s New Mail-In Ballot Rules

New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 23 other attorneys general and Pennsylvania’s governor sued the U.S. Postal Service Wednesday over new rules governing mail-in ballots ahead of the November midterm elections. The lawsuit challenges rules issued at President Donald Trump’s direction that require states to provide USPS with lists of voters eligible for mail ballots and obtain federal approval for ballot-envelope designs. The states argue USPS lacks the authority to create its own eligibility requirements or reject ballots from voters who qualify under state law.

The Bigger Picture: James and the coalition are asking a federal court to immediately block the USPS rule while the case proceeds and ultimately strike it down. A hearing on the states’ request for a new restraining order is scheduled for Sept. 3. The lawsuit comes two days after the Supreme Court lifted an earlier injunction blocking Trump’s mail-voting order. The court did not rule on whether the order is legal.

Appeals Court Keeps Federal Charges Against Rep. LaMonica McIver Alive

A federal appeals court Wednesday rejected Rep. LaMonica McIver’s effort to dismiss charges stemming from a confrontation with federal agents outside an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. A divided panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that McIver’s congressional immunity does not shield her from prosecution on two charges alleging she assaulted or interfered with federal officers at Delaney Hall in May 2025. The court sent a third charge back to a lower court for further review.

What’s Next? The case can proceed toward trial, although McIver’s legal team has indicated it is considering further options. A trial date has not been set as her appeals continue. McIver, a New Jersey Democrat, has pleaded not guilty and argued that she was conducting congressional oversight when the confrontation occurred. She has denied wrongdoing and said the prosecution threatens lawmakers’ ability to oversee the executive branch.

State Department Removes Obama-Era Artwork From U.S. Embassy

The State Department has removed a painting by Kehinde Wiley, the artist who created former President Barack Obama’s official portrait, from the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and is exploring whether it can sell the work. The 2013 painting, “Young Artists After Siamesas 1960,” depicts four Dominican models against a floral background. State Department Art in Embassies Director Erin Scavino called the work “woke” and “aesthetically terrifying,” while Ambassador Leah Campos said the administration was moving away from “globalist and woke ideologies” in favor of American patriotism.

Why It Matters: The move fits President Donald Trump’s broader campaign against DEI and what his administration describes as “woke” ideology. Trump signed executive orders ending federal DEI programs and targeting race-based preferences, while his administration has also moved to eliminate diversity-related policies across federal agencies.

Blake Griffin is taking what he learned on the basketball court to primetime television in a surprise career move since retiring from the NBA in 2024.

The former NBA star is launching a weekly late-night show on Prime Video in collaboration with YouTube and Amazon’s podcast studio, Wondery. Titled The Stepback with Blake Griffin, the show will feature a live-studio audience, with Griffin behind the desk weighing in on the sports topics making headlines and their intersection with modern culture. This latest partnership expands his relationship with Amazon, where he previously served as a studio analyst on Prime Video’s NBA coverage last season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Griffin will touch on a variety of hot topics impacting the sports world, including gambling, NIL, taxpayer-funded stadiums, pot use, analytics and the state of sports journalism. Griffin shared his excitement about the new venture on Instagram, writing, “Finally, a chance to recreate the last few seasons of my career: sitting down. The Stepback. Coming soon.”

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Griffin’s foray into the genre moves beyond late-night TV’s familiar format by placing sports and his commentary at the center of the conversation. That specificity could be the formula that revives late night.

As reported by The Observer, Nielsen data showed that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which concluded in May, had lost one million viewers over the past eight years. And Colbert’s Late Show isn’t the only late-night program to take a major hit. Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers have all experienced their viewership plummet over the years. 

And while part of late-night TV’s decline can be attributed to shifts in audience behaviors and the rise of other forms of media like podcasts and YouTube being the dominant force in modern media consumption, Griffin’s foray into the field presents an opportunity that could be copied across different distinct genres.

The former NBA star has been steadily building a presence in the entertainment industry, appearing in projects across a variety of genres. In 2021, he appeared on an episode of Saturday Night Live, landed a role in the 2023 remake of the 1992 film White Men Can’t Jump, and even made a cameo as himself on The Simpsons last year, among other projects. He’s also dabbled in the comedy space, doing standup at an open mic event at the Hollywood Laugh Factory in 2011.

Griffin’s decision to put his own spin on late-night TV introduces another perspective to late night that, historically, has been dominated by white men. While late-night TV has made strides by creating opportunities for Black hosts like Arsenio Hall, Trevor Noah, Mo’Nique, and Amber Ruffin, more diverse voices and stories still need representation.

With years of experience navigating sports and entertainment, Griffin is poised to bring a distinct perspective to the late-night landscape, ultimately offering a fresh blueprint for the genre as it enters a new phase.

The Stepback with Blake Griffin debuts with its first episode on October 20, with a new episode every Tuesday.

August may be winding down, but the beauty world clearly has no plans to clock out early. This week’s best launches are giving us plenty to play with as we make the inevitable transition from summer beauty to fall, from soft-focus complexions and the return of a much more comfortable matte lip to glossy hair, nostalgic fragrances and even hand soap chic enough to deserve prime bathroom real estate. Consider this the last beauty haul of August and a very good preview of what’s coming next.

Dior

If your makeup is going to be photographed, it might as well know how to act in front of the camera. Dior is expanding its Forever complexion family with three new backstage-inspired essentials designed to prep, perfect and set the skin. Inspired by Peter Philips’ work behind the scenes at runway shows, photo shoots and red carpets, the new Forever Skin Veil and Forever Velvet Veil primers offer two approaches to a flawless base: luminous and glowy or softly blurred and matte. Both feature 4-in-1 formulas meant to refine the look of skin before foundation even enters the chat. Then there’s Forever On Set Powder, a translucent setting powder that blurs and locks everything into place without masking the skin underneath. Paired with Dior’s Forever Skin Glow or Forever Skin Wear foundations, the result is less filter, more really good skin, whether there’s a high-definition camera around or not.

Dior

Dior Forever Skin Veil Makeup primer – Glow finish – 24h hydration – SPF 25

Price: $54

Shop at Dior

Dior

Dior Forever Velvet Veil Makeup Primer – Blurring Matte Finish – Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Price: $54

Shop at Dior

Dior

Dior Forever On Set Powder Loose Setting Powder – Invisible Blurring Matte Finish

Price: $56

Shop at Dior

Matte lipstick is back, but nobody asked for the dry, cracked lips that came with it. Under Peter Philips’ creative direction, Dior is introducing two new takes on the finish with Rouge Dior On Stage Matte and Rouge Dior On Stage Ink Blur Matte. The former brings liquid-lipstick technology into a traditional bullet, combining intense pigment with perfecting powders for a soft, velvety finish that promises up to 24 hours of no-transfer wear without leaving lips begging for moisture. Ink Blur Matte takes things in a softer direction, delivering buildable, weightless color with a blurred, almost cloudy finish that still promises the same serious staying power. Together, they make a pretty convincing argument for giving matte lips another chance. And this time, you can leave the emergency lip balm at home.

Dior

Rouge Dior On Stage Longwear Lipstick – 24h No Transfer – Matte Finish

Price: $48

Shop at Dior

Dior

Rouge Dior On Stage Ink Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick – Blurring Matte Finish

Price: $48

Shop at Dior

Victoria Beckham

Leave it to Victoria Beckham to make a lip pencil feel like an accessory. Victoria Beckham Beauty has given its cult-favorite Lip Definer a very Posh upgrade, redesigning the pencil with a fine point and sleek, elongated aluminum case that makes lining, defining and getting every last bit of product easier. The waterproof formula remains smooth without being too soft, staying where you put it without feathering, while added peptides bring a little lip care to the equation. The shade range now includes seven lip-tone-inspired colors, including the new 01.5, a soft beige-brown that Beckham herself has already cosigned. But shades 05, a caramel made for tan to deep lip tones, and 06, a chestnut for deep to rich complexions, are the ones darker-skinned beauty lovers should keep an eye on. Because a good brown lip liner will forever have a permanent place in our makeup bags.

Victoria Beckham

Lip Definer Precision Lip Pencil

Price: $35

Shop at Victoria Beckham

Valentino Beauty

Everything from the ’90s eventually finds its way back into fashion, and apparently, the fragrance counter is no exception. Valentino is reaching into its archives to resurrect Vendetta, the fragrance first introduced by Valentino Garavani in 1991, for a new generation. This time around, the House is giving us a duo: Vendetta Donna mixes tuberose with juicy red orange nectar and creamy sandalwood for a floral gourmand with some bite, while Vendetta Uomo gets spicier with ginger, cinnamon liquor and warm woody notes. Even the bottles received a fashion-minded update, dressed in Valentino’s graphic “V” motif and topped with a pleated cap inspired by couture. More than three decades later, Vendetta is back, but she’s certainly not interested in smelling like 1991.

Valentino Beauty

Vendetta Donna Eau De Parfum

Price: $185

Shop at Valentino Beauty

Valentino Beauty

Vendetta Uomo Eau De Parfum

Price: $170

Shop at Valentino Beauty

Glaze 

Black hair deserves to be black black. Glaze is expanding its best-selling Supergloss collection with Raven Black, an at-home gloss created specifically for virgin dark brown and black hair. The treatment uses light-reflecting pigments to deepen your natural color while giving strands that expensive-looking, high-shine finish without the commitment or potential damage of permanent dye. Think richer color, more dimension and the type of glossiness that makes a fresh silk press look even better. And with Glaze reportedly selling one Supergloss every 60 seconds, Raven Black arrives as a welcome addition for those of us who want to refresh naturally dark hair without completely changing it. One important caveat: this one is meant for untreated hair, so skip it if your strands are bleached, highlighted or chemically lightened.

Glaze

Conditioning Hair Gloss Tinted Moisturizer for Dark Brown/Black Hair

Price: $18

Shop at Amazon

Allies of Skin

Lip gloss has officially entered its skincare era. Allies of Skin’s new Peptint Tripeptide & Goji Cell Plumping Lip Treatment gives you the high-shine finish of your favorite gloss while putting in a little overtime underneath. The formula combines Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, rose cells and goji berry cells to help lips look plumper, smoother and more hydrated with every swipe. It’s sheer, juicy and glossy without being all looks and no substance. Consider it skincare for the one part of your face that probably has at least three glosses dedicated to it in your bag already.

Allies of Skin

Peptint Tripeptide & Goji Cells Plumping Lip Treatment

Price: $28

Shop at Allies of Skin

Oakcha

Apparently, tea isn’t just for drinking anymore. OAKCHA is steeping the fragrance world with four new scents inspired by the comforting brews we reach for when we need a little moment to ourselves. White Tea House keeps things fresh and airy, Lavender Stem takes cues from creamy lavender tea, Rooibos Reserve goes warmer and earthier and Matcha Ritual brings the unmistakable green richness of everyone’s favorite very photogenic drink. Each fragrance can stand on its own, but OAKCHA encourages a little experimentation, too, with all four designed to be layered with one another or your existing favorites. Consider it your permission to play fragrance barista and concoct a scent order that belongs entirely to you.

Oakcha

Matcha Ritual

Price: $40

Shop at Oakcha

Glow Recipe

The matte lip revival continues, but Glow Recipe would like to leave the crustiness in the past. The K-beauty favorite is bringing its treatment-first philosophy to makeup with the new Vegan PDRN+ Tinted Soft Matte Lip Blur Balm, a six-shade lip color inspired by Korea’s soft-blur lip trend. Its whipped, cushiony texture diffuses pigment across the lips for that hazy, lived-in matte finish without cracking, flaking or making every lip line known to mankind visible. But this is Glow Recipe, so skincare is naturally doing some heavy lifting, too. Vegan prickly pear PDRN+ joins hyaluronic acid, panthenol, red microalgae and colloidal oatmeal to help hydrate, soothe and support the lip barrier while you wear it. In other words, it’s proof that matte lipstick and moisturized lips no longer have to be mortal enemies.

Glow Recipe

Vegan PDRN Tinted Soft Matte Lip Blur Balm™ for Hydration

Price: $22

Shop at Sephora

SHEGLAM

Summer had its fun with glazed-doughnut skin, but fall is asking us to tone down the shine just a little. SHEGLAM is making the seasonal complexion switch easier with two new base products designed to deliver polished, soft-focus skin without completely mattifying your natural glow. Good Grip Ultra-Blur Primer combines the staying power of a gripping primer with pore- and texture-blurring benefits, plus niacinamide, panthenol and sodium hyaluronate. Layer Lumi Lock & Go Hydrating Cushion Foundation on top for breathable, buildable medium-to-high coverage with a radiant, skin-like finish and up to 12 hours of hydration and comfort. Together, they land somewhere between velvet and satin, which might just be the sweet spot for fall skin.

SHEGLAM

Good Grip Ultra-Blur Primer

Price: $11

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SHEGLAM

Lumi Lock & Go Cushion Foundation-Truffle

Price: $12

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D.S. & Durga

For anyone who swore they were done smelling like dessert, D.S. & Durga would like a word. The fragrance house is entering gourmand territory with Ain’t That Sweet, a scent designed specifically for people who typically avoid the category. Inspired by co-founder David Seth Moltz’s memories of early-2000s New York, young love and the endless optimism of moving to the city convinced your entire life is about to begin, the fragrance smells like a late-night love note in edible form. Myrrh and Sri Lankan cinnamon give way to date, praline and lily before settling into condensed milk, bourbon vanilla and nutmeg. The result sounds sweet, creamy and nostalgic without veering completely into bakery territory. Basically, it’s gourmand for the person who keeps insisting they’re not a gourmand person.

D.S. & Durga

Ain’t That Sweet Vanilla Date & Spices

Price: $225

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Haus Labs

At this point, the lip liner might be more important than the lipstick. Haus Labs is making sure yours can handle the assignment with The Edge Lip Shaping Pencil, a new precision liner that promises opaque color payoff and transfer-proof, all-day wear without sacrificing comfort. Vitamin E, ceramides and jojoba oil help keep lips hydrated while giving the pencil enough glide to sculpt, define or slightly overline without all that tugging and pulling. The formula is also vegan and cruelty-free. Wear it underneath your favorite lip combo or fill in the entire lip and call it a day. Either way, consider your edges handled.

Haus Labs

The Edge Lip Shaping Pencil

Price: $24

Shop at Haus Labs

Frama

Hand soap doesn’t usually make the beauty launch group chat, but FRAMA’s new bars deserve an invite. The Copenhagen-based design brand is bringing its minimalist approach to one of the most ordinary parts of our daily routines with Bar Soap, a collection meant to make washing your hands feel a little more luxurious. Available in four of FRAMA’s signature scents, Apothecary, Herbarium, Escalier and Columnae, each bar combines gentle foaming agents with active ingredients while looking chic enough to permanently live beside the sink. Pair one with the brand’s Hand Lotion or Hand Cream and suddenly washing your hands becomes less of a chore and more of a full-fledged beauty ritual. Because apparently, even your soap dish deserves a little quiet luxury.

Frama

Bar Soap | Apothecary

Price: $35

Shop at Frama

Youth To The People

Retinol is getting a little more backup. Youth To The People’s latest overnight treatment pairs 0.1% pure retinol with its Youth Longevity Complex, a blend of plant proteins, vegan collagen peptide, taurine, niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine designed to support skin while retinol does its resurfacing thing. Packaged in a rich overnight balm, the all-in-one formula takes a more comforting approach to an ingredient notorious for being a little demanding. Consider it your nighttime retinol routine with a built-in support system.

Youth To The People

Superfood Retinol Protein Balm

Price: $58

YSL Beauty

Blush isn’t going anywhere for fall, but YSL Beauty is making the flush feel a little more luxurious. This lightweight cream blush melts into the skin for buildable, glowy color without getting sticky or patchy along the way. Hyaluronic acid and peptides bring hydration into the mix, while the easy-to-blend formula gives cheeks that naturally flushed, just-pinched finish. It’s the kind of blush that makes everyone think you’re having a particularly good skin day, and there’s no reason to correct them.

YSL Beauty

Make Me Blush Longwear Natural Glow Cream Blush

Price: $46

Shop at Sephora

Strawberry is having a beauty moment, and YSL Beauty wants in. The house is giving its iconic Black Opium fragrance a juicy pink remix, adding naturally extracted strawberry to its signature combination of dark coffee, jasmine and warm vanilla. The result takes the familiar gourmand in a fruitier, flirtier direction that feels made for nights when staying home was never really an option. Even the bottle got the strawberry treatment, arriving in dark pink lacquer contrasted against a black center and the iconic Cassandre logo. If pink is the new black, consider this Black Opium entering its sweetest era yet.

YSL Beauty

Black Opium Pink Glaze Eau de Parfum

Price: $150

Shop at Ulta

m.ph by Mary Phillips

The perfect lip combo isn’t finished until the gloss goes on. Inspired by celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips’ signature lip technique, Top Coat Hydrating Lip Gloss is the final step designed to give lips that juicy, almost wet-looking shine. Peptides help support smoother, fuller-looking lips while a blend of plant-derived oils brings the moisture and amps up the glossiness without sacrificing that creamy, balm-like feel. Available in eight vanilla-flavored shades, it can be layered over Overliner and Lip Ciggy or worn solo when your lips just need a little extra attention. Consider it the beauty equivalent of putting on one more accessory before leaving the house.

m.ph by Mary Phillips

Top Coat Hydrating Lip Gloss

Price: $26

Shop at Sephora

Kiehl’s Since 1851

One cc of filler, minus the needle? That’s the idea behind Kiehl’s new 1CC CollaShot Plump Serum. The formula targets visible signs of collagen loss like diminished firmness, elasticity and plumpness, with Kiehl’s claiming its moisture-plumping effect can deliver the appearance of volume equivalent to 1cc of hyaluronic acid filler. The serum was also clinically tested with GLP-1 users, making it an especially timely addition to the conversation around changing facial volume. Of course, a serum isn’t injectable filler, but for anyone looking for a needle-free way to make skin appear a little plumper and bouncier, CollaShot certainly makes an intriguing case for keeping the syringes out of your skincare routine.

Kiehl’s Since 1851

1cc* CollaShot Plumping Serum

Price: $55

Shop at Sephora

Local residents in Memphis, Tennessee, are sitting in homes without electricity after a severe thunderstorm hit the area last Saturday. Like outages across Gary, Indiana, many are pointing out that Memphis is a predominantly Black area receiving slow or little assistance with power restoration. Residents and elected officials have both called out this evident disparity. 

For example, state representative Justin J. Pearson took to social media to draw attention to the crisis and outline resources of Memphis residents. “It’s 90 degrees outside and not only are households without power, but so are some churches and several of our schools. Memphis is a majority Black city where a quarter of the population currently live underneath the poverty line and this is the same place where Elon Musk chose to build the country’s largest set of data centers which have the same electric grid as Memphis families now without power […] Working class Black and rural communities are bearing the brunt of fallout from extreme weather events and the pressure that our grids are facing from the AI data center boom. […],” Pearson expressed in the video. 

Data centers being used to support artificial intelligence are being zeroed in on more extensively after the latest power outages after the noticeable pattern of them being built in predominantly Black areas with little to no infrastructure. From an increase in electricity bills to air pollution, low-income Black people have been getting hit with harmful conditions as more data centers continue being built right in their backyards.  

Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) has since communicated that residents might not see power restored until Thursday, leaving people to sit in extreme heat temperatures and navigate their livelihoods without electricity. Schools have since been closed, previously bought food has had to be thrown out, and extensive heat temperatures have been hard to combat without air conditioning. 

While many have since had their power restored from the initial 100,000 residents that had no power,  there’s still over 10,000 waiting for electricity in their homes, as reported by Action News 5. With the help of local churches and food banks, people have been able to be provided aid in missing meals and other essential items. An outage map on the MLGW website specifies what cities in Memphis and surrounding areas are still without power including Cooper Young, Bartlett, and Soulsville. 

Community organization Memphis Cares has sprung into action by providing funds to families that have been impacted most drastically by the storm. By partnering with other organizations such as the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Memphis City Council, and United Way of the Mid-South, residents now have up to $100,000 available to them. According to Commercial Appeal, this relief will begin being available on August 31 for those that have been without power for over 24 hours. 

To help support local residents in Memphis, you can click here to donate monetarily to MemphisCares through the aforementioned partnership.  Local Memphis news station WREG has also posted a list of resources which can be found here.

When Black women decide to start a business, it is inspired by one of two things: passion or frustration. Nicole Mason’s journey of creating Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply, Oregon’s first and only mobile beauty supply was founded with equal parts. Ownership within the beauty supply industry is almost exclusively non-Black. After one too many encounters of discriminatory treatment, Mason took matters into her own hands. Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply exists as a physical representation of what reclaiming our power as consumers can look like. Mason not only actualized her dream, but she also offers a line of accessibility for her community through her mobile structure. EBONY sat down with Mason to talk about the journey of building a business in an industry where Black women are the industry’s minority, how she pours into the community, and why her mobile store works.

EBONY: Take us back to the beginning. What inspired you to create Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply, and what gap did you see in the beauty supply industry that made you think, “I need to build this”?

Nicole Mason: I’ve always wanted to do something in beauty. I used to do hair years ago. I taught myself how to braid in seventh or eighth grade, I think. But as I got older, I’m like, I kind of want to do something else. Going into the two hair stores that we have here, I didn’t see anyone behind the counter that looked like me. There were a couple occasions where I was followed around and accused of stealing. We spend the most money in this industry, but we don’t get treated the same. Years kind of went by and I put my dream on the back burner. Something kept calling me back to beauty. I was like, “I’m going to open a hair store.” We don’t have a hair store here that’s Black-owned, and if we did, they are always closing.

Then COVID hit, and I didn’t want my dream to fall again. I had this idea, “what if I delivered hair stuff?” I didn’t know where to start [or] how this is going to work. All I knew was that I had a car, and I could figure out how to deliver. I knew my city. So I started doing my research about how to open a beauty supply store. I joined a Facebook group dedicated to beauty supply store owners. I got a lot of information there, made some connections, networked, and then came my beauty supply store, my mobile one.

Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply is the first and only mobile beauty supply store in Oregon. Why did you choose a mobile model rather than opening a traditional brick-and-mortar store, and how has that decision shaped the way you serve your customers?

I continue to choose the mobile route because I think people, especially in my community, love the convenience. A lot of parents, whether it’s a single mom, a single dad, or even a household with two parents, don’t always have the capacity or the time to get to a traditional brick-and-mortar. For me, it was all about reaching people in my community who are impacted the most, who don’t have reliable transportation or don’t have time to get to the hair store. Or might have to walk a mile to get to the bus stop. Some of my customers are in some of our subsidies where there’s no hair store out there besides Sally’s. That’s a big reason why I continue to do the mobile model. And I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback on it. People love it.

What has the journey of building this business looked like—from the initial idea to actually getting Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply on the road? What were some of the biggest challenges you had to overcome along the way?

The biggest challenge is honestly getting inventory. The hardest part is getting into this industry and getting major accounts. If you do not have a brick-and-mortar, you cannot get an account. There is no way around it. If you do have a brick-and-mortar, they send a representative to your area to come out and survey your store. They come to your store, look at the layout, see how far you are from another hair store. If you are too close to another hair store or they necessarily might not like the layout of your store, they feel like your store’s too small or something like that, they will deny you an account. [Also] our minimums are typically higher than our counterparts.

People have no idea what we go through as Black beauty supply store owners. And it’s not like we can get around it because when we apply for accounts, we’re required to submit our photo ID. So they’re going to see that we are Black. There’s literally no way to get around that type of prejudice. If we don’t get that continued support past the first grand opening weekend and maybe the second and third weekend after that, our stores typically fail and plummet if we don’t get that continued support. I’ve met some awesome women in this industry who have brick-and-mortars in other cities and states, and being able to build friendships and business relationships with them and order with them has saved me tremendously. If it wasn’t for those connections, honestly, I probably would have to shut down a long time ago.

For many Black women, beauty supply stores are more than places to purchase products — they can be spaces of community, convenience, and connection. What does it mean to you to create that experience for Black women and other underserved communities in Oregon?

It means so much to me because, just growing up as a Black woman and seeing my peers around me and hearing of their experiences when they go into these stores and they get watched, followed, accused of stealing, or attacked. For me to be able to provide a service like this where not only am I serving my community and the underrepresented community, it’s full circle. I know the feeling of going into a store and being watched or going into a store and asking about a product and they have no idea what the product is or if it’s going to work for your hair texture. I think that’s my biggest thing is I want our community to feel comfortable. Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply might not be a [brick-and-mortar], but you’re gonna get that same warm experience. 

As you look at what you’ve built so far, what do you want Elegant Boutique Beauty Supply to become next? What is the larger vision for the business, and what do you hope your story inspires other Black entrepreneurs to believe is possible?

I want to get my business to a point where I am able to hire someone on a part-time basis. I want to be able to hire someone and pay them a livable wage. I also want Elegant Boutique to be the hair store that first comes to mind when people think of Black-owned beauty supply stores, especially here where I live in Portland. I also want to be known as the wholesale person because I do offer wholesale. I want people to think of me first when they want to buy in bulk. I want to continue to be in a position to give back. I just gave away a $1,000 scholarship for a person going to cosmetology school. Recently, I just volunteered at a back-to-school event and gave away some products for kids for back to school. There have been many times throughout this process, since I started five years ago, where I wanted to give up so bad. Comparison was the thief of joy at one point, and I compared myself a lot to businesses that I saw on social media. Orders were not coming in. But I had to realize my path and where God is taking me is not everybody’s path. There’s gonna be things that come along in business that are going to stress you out, frustrate you, make you think you need to give up, but don’t give up because it gets greater later. As long as you put in the time, the effort, and the hard work, you’ll be able to do it too.

How do staff at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic,deal with art they feel is too woke? They drape an American flag tarp over it, carry it out of the building, and post a video of the removal on Instagram set to Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” 

That’s what happened to the painting “Young Artists After Siamesas 1960,” a 2013 commission by artist Kehinde Wiley. A painting commissioned with taxpayer dollars, created specifically to represent American cultural diplomacy abroad, got treated like contraband. Now the government wants to profit from it, as it explores whether it can legally sell it, according to the New York Times. 

Wiley is best known for painting Barack Obama official presidential potrait. Two years of Dominican art history was studied and collaborations with local art students was conducted to complete “Young Artists After Siamesas 1960.”

U.S. Ambassador Leah Campos announced the removal on Instagram, writing that the Trump administration was “turning away from globalist and woke ideologies and instead embracing American patriotism.” Erin Scavino, the head of the Art in Embassies program, called the painting “very woke” and “aesthetically terrifying” in a podcast interview with former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer. 

When pressed for an official response, the State Department did not defend the removal on artistic or policy grounds. Instead, a spokesperson attacked Wiley personally — citing a 2023 comment he made about his painting “Judith and Holofernes” and a pending sexual assault case.

Wiley himself is a complicated figure. He has faced multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he has denied, and thise allegations deserve scrutiny. But they are separate from the question raised by the government’s removal of a publicly commissioned artwork—and from officials’ repeated characterization of the painting itself as “woke.”

A spokesperson told TIME that “the work of an individual with such violent and racist words and depictions has no place in the America First State Department.” But no official has specified what made the painting of four Dominican models “woke.”

The work depicts four Dominican models against a lush floral backdrop, rooted in the traditions of Dominican painters Celeste Wossy Gil and Gilberto Hernández Ortega. By any definition of cultural diplomacy, it is exactly what the Art in Embassies program was designed to commission.

Virginia Shore, who commissioned the painting during her tenure as the Art in Embassies program’s chief curator, told the New York Times the work was nonpartisan and that no precedent existed for selling commissioned embassy art.

The removal fits into a broader shift in how the administration is approaching federally supported culture. Civil-rights materials have faced scrutiny at Smithsonian museums, while the selection process for the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale has emphasized “traditional imagery” and “American values.” Taken together, those decisions raise a larger question about which people, histories and aesthetics the federal government now considers representative of America. What is being built is a federal cultural landscape that has decided certain stories, specifically Black and Brown ones, do not belong in spaces that represent America to the world.

What This Means for Black Art

The United States government commissioned Wiley. Public funds paid for his work, hung it in an American embassy, and presented it to the world as a reflection of this country. Now that same government has draped a flag over it, called it terrifying, and is trying to figure out how to sell it.

The federal government can decides what art hangs on its wall. And yes, it is sending a message to artists that their work is welcome when it is convenient, and disposable when it is not. But what it cannot do is erase the reason the art existed in the first place. And this should not stop the generation of Black artists from creating work they believe in that represents the fabric of American culture, and should be seen.

Before Jayda Cheaves had a portfolio of successful brands, a multi-million-dollar audience or secured representation by a major talent agency, WME, she had a compelling instinct. She understood that consumers weren’t simply buying a product; they were buying into the overall brand persona and perspective behind it.

“I understood that people buy from people they trust. I wasn’t just selling clothes — I was selling myself, my taste, my energy,” Cheaves told EBONY, reflecting on the entrepreneurial foundation she developed as a teenager. “I think a lot of people underestimate how powerful authenticity is in business. At 16, I didn’t have a business plan, but I had a connection to my audience that money can’t manufacture.”

More than a decade later, the Savannah, Georgia native has transformed that connection into an expanding business portfolio spanning fashion, beauty and personal care. The scale of Cheaves’ growing portfolio became tangible this summer when her businesses converged in New York City during Juneteenth weekend. The Waydamin x Shopify pop-up brought Waydamin, JCB, Girl Wipes and other elements of Cheaves’ businesses into an immersive experiential activation in SoHo. An exclusive VIP evening preceded the three-day consumer pop-up, allowing invited guests an early look before the experience opened to fans.

Through Waydamin, Jayda Cheaves Beauty, Fidele Clothing and Girl Wipes, Cheaves has moved far beyond the traditional definition of an influencer. Today, she’s thinking like a founder and owning her own business as she continues to invest in herself. However, she is also quick to dispel the idea that there was always some meticulously constructed blueprint.

“Honestly, it was more figured out than intentional,” Cheaves said of her evolution. “I knew I wanted to make money and I knew I had something — but I didn’t have a roadmap. I was just a girl with a vision and a lot of drive. The businesswoman I am today came from doing, failing, learning, and refusing to quit,” she continued. “The intention was always there. The strategy came with time.”

That strategy has grown more sophisticated as Cheaves’ businesses have expanded. One of her most consequential lessons came from recognizing that generating impressive sales figures didn’t necessarily translate into building sustainable wealth. That distinction now shapes how she views entrepreneurship.

EBONY: You’ve talked about learning when to pivot. What was the moment you realized you couldn’t keep doing business the way you had been?

Jayda Cheaves: When I started seeing the gap between what I was making and what I was keeping. Revenue doesn’t mean wealth. I had to stop operating reactively and start building intentionally — with structure, with systems, with a real team. That shift didn’t happen overnight, but it was necessary.

Cheaves has spent much of her public life in the new digital era where visibility itself can be monetized. A large social following can produce brand partnerships, appearances and promotional opportunities. But for Cheaves, being compensated for her influence eventually wasn’t enough. She wanted the equity it created.

What does ownership mean to you now versus when you were just promoting products?

Everything. The difference between promoting someone else’s brand and owning your own is the difference between renting and owning a home. When you promote, you build someone else’s equity. When you own, every dollar you make comes back to you. I’ll never go back to just being the face of someone else’s idea.

What’s one lesson about money or ownership you wish someone had taught you at 16?

That revenue is not profit. I made a lot of money before I understood what I was actually keeping. Learn the difference early. It changes everything.

Do you see yourself as part of a larger shift in how Black women are approaching entrepreneurship?

Absolutely. There is a whole generation of Black women done just being the marketing strategy for other people’s companies. We’re the founders now. We’re the owners. And we’re building generational wealth in real time. I’m proud to be part of that wave, but I’m also focused on making sure the women behind me have an even cleaner path.

Did bringing all your brands together change how you think about your portfolio?

Yes — it made me realize how much stronger they are together than apart. There’s a woman who buys Waydamin and uses Girl Wipes and wears JCB lip gloss. She’s the same woman. I started thinking more about building an ecosystem around her instead of treating each brand like a separate business.

How important has your audience been in helping you build these businesses?

They’re the reason. My community told me what they needed before I even knew I was going to build it. They’ve been my focus group, my investors, and my biggest advocates all at once. I listen to them — not just the comments but the purchases, the DMs, the energy. That feedback loop is the most valuable asset I have.

You’ve built Waydamin, JCB, Fidele, and Girl Wipes across completely different categories. What connects them?

Me. My standards. Every brand I’ve built solves a real problem for a real woman — usually a problem I experienced myself. The thread is always the same: quality, authenticity, and ownership. I’m not just putting my name on things. I’m building brands I actually believe in.

What did entering feminine care teach you?

That women are underserved in the most intimate categories of their lives. Nobody was talking about what you use on the most sensitive part of your body with the same level of scrutiny we give to skincare or makeup. Girl Wipes changed that conversation. And I’m proud of it.

What have you learned building a brand around an everyday need versus fashion or beauty?

Everyday need products build habits. Fashion builds desire. Both are powerful, but the loyalty curve is different. When someone uses your product every single day, the relationship with your brand goes deeper than any trend could.

What did the two-year development process for JCB teach you about patience?

That the shortcut is always the most expensive route. I could have launched faster with a lesser product. I didn’t. And because I didn’t, the product actually reflects my standards. Patience in business is not passive — it’s strategic.

Why was it important for you to be so hands-on with JCB?

Because my name is on it. I don’t get to hide behind a label. If something isn’t right, that’s my reputation on the line. I’m in the formula meetings, the shade discussions, the packaging reviews — all of it. That’s what it means to actually own a beauty brand versus just license your name to one.

What does the next chapter of JCB look like?

Expansion — more skin, more fragrance, a wider shade range. But done intentionally, not just because we can. Every new SKU has to actually serve the woman I’m building for.

What did it mean to bring Waydamin, JCB, and Girl Wipes together under one roof in SoHo with Shopify?

It was surreal. I’ve spent years building these brands separately, in different categories, with different teams — and to see them all in one room, in Soho of all places, with my customers walking through the door? I cried. I’m not even going to pretend I didn’t. It was proof that the vision was real.

What made this the right moment to sign with WME?

I had built enough on my own that I knew exactly what I needed help with. Signing with an agency before you have leverage puts you at their mercy. Signing with one after you’ve already built gives you the ability to direct the relationship. The timing was intentional.

What do you want WME to help you unlock?

The rooms I haven’t been in yet. The partnerships that require a seat at a different kind of table. I’ve built the foundation — WME helps me build the skyscraper

What’s the hardest part of being the face of every business you own?

There’s no off switch. When you’re the brand, you’re always on. The personal and the professional are permanently blurred. Learning to protect my private life without disconnecting from the public one has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to figure out.

What’s something about being a CEO that social media will never show?

The weight of it. The decisions that keep you up at night. The moments where everything is on the line and there’s nobody to call — you just have to figure it out. Social media shows the wins. It doesn’t show you sitting alone working through something that could break the whole thing.

What’s the biggest misconception about your success?

That it was overnight. People see the result and miss the years of quiet, grinding, failing, pivoting, and rebuilding that got me here. Nothing about this was fast.

What did you have to sacrifice to become who you are?

Time. Privacy. The version of myself that needed everyone’s approval. Building at this level requires a kind of focus that costs you things. I’m at peace with those costs now.

When you think about legacy, what comes to mind first?

Loyal. Everything I’m building is ultimately for him. The brands, the wealth, the example — it all comes back to making sure he has something real to inherit and build on.

Do you feel a responsibility to show other Black women that entrepreneurship is about ownership and wealth?

Every single day. Not just showing it — proving it. Numbers, ownership stakes, equity. Not just a pretty brand page. Real ownership. Real wealth. That’s what I want the next generation of Black women to inherit as the standard.

What does “Jayda Wayda” mean to you today versus when you first started?

When I started, it was a persona. Today it’s a legacy. It’s evolved from a nickname to a brand (waydamin – wait a min) to something that represents a whole movement of women who built something from nothing and didn’t apologize for it.

You’ve proven you can turn attention into sales. Now that you’ve built the businesses — what do you want to prove next?

That I can build lasting wealth. Not just revenue — generational, compounding, institutional wealth. I want to prove that a Black woman from Savannah who started selling clothes at 16 can build an empire that outlasts her. That’s the next thing to prove. And I’m already working on it.

What do you want people to say about Jayda Cheaves 10 years from now?

That she built something real. That she did it her way. That she made it easier for the women who came after her. That’s enough.