EBONY https://www.ebony.com Mon, 29 Jun 2026 01:47:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://media.ebony.com/sytwmfsyue/uploads/2025/01/13/cropped-EBONY_Logo_B_favicon-1-130x130.png EBONY https://www.ebony.com 32 32 Best 2026 BET Awards Red Carpet Moments https://www.ebony.com/best-2026-bet-awards-red-carpet-moments/ Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:06:56 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343505

This year’s awards are not just about the music, but also a space for some of the best fashion moments that get everyone talking.]]>

The 2026 BET Awards have finally arrived, and comedian and host Druski is bringing his signature humor and charm to culture’s biggest night, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of celebration. “This is big, not just for me,” he told EBONY. “It’s big for a lot of the other content creators, the comedians coming from social media in the new age of the streaming world. It shows that we can open this door. I hope this door opens also for others to follow in my footsteps and do great things like this as well.”

From stellar debut performances to heartfelt tributes, this year’s awards are not just about the music; they are a space for some of the best fashion moments that get everyone talking. As the stars graced the red carpet, it was hard to ignore the stylish statements being made. Doechii donned a sleek ensemble that blended earthy and contemporary styles, proving once again why she remains a fashion icon in the industry. Meanwhile, the spotlight was equally bright on Jaafar Jackson, who effortlessly channeled the charisma of his legendary family.

Olandria Carthen turned heads in an eye-catching outfit that screamed confidence and originality and Janet Jackson, known for her bold choices, did not disappoint either. Dazzling in a stunning gown that combined elegance with a funky edge, she captured the essence of the night: a celebration of creativity and self-expression.

As the performances unfold, highlighting the best of the music scene, the fashion moments remain a spectacle in their own right. This year’s event was a perfect blend of soul-stirring music and breathtaking fashion, solidifying the 2026 BET Awards as a night to remember.

The BET Awards remain an intergenerational celebration because they honor diverse talent across music, comedy, and fashion, uniting artists from various eras. This eclectic mix brings connection, allowing audiences of all ages to celebrate cultural achievements and share in the joy of Black excellence.

]]> No Laughing Matter: How the Negro Leagues’ Indianapolis Clowns Made a Comeback https://www.ebony.com/espn-documentary-negro-leagues-indianapolis-clowns/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343268

The new ESPN documentary "Return of the Clowns" is a slice of Black baseball culture that never got its due—until now.]]>

The endearing thing about Banana Ball, the baseball variation made famous by the barnstorming Savannah Bananas, is that it knows exactly what it is: sports entertainment, a mash-up of pro wrestling and a circus, except on a baseball diamond instead of under a big tent. And like so much of American culture, the Bananas and the brand of ball they’ve used to fill major league stadiums over the past few years, are rooted in a slice of Black culture that never got its due.

Return of the Clowns, a new ESPN documentary that dropped on Juneteenth and now streaming, tries to shed light on the forgotten connection between Banana Ball and the Negro Leagues in the form of the Indianapolis Clowns. The Clowns were one of the original teams in the Negro American League and were famous in their heyday for several baseball firsts. They signed Hank Aaron to play pro ball months before the then Boston Braves came calling; the $10,000 the Braves paid for the future home run king’s contract helped the bootstrapping Clowns keep operating. The original Clowns were also the first team to sign women to play professional baseball; one of them, pitcher Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, who died in 2017, appears in the documentary as do some living members of the original franchise, which, after MLB’s integration, limped through a slow decline before finally folding in 1989.

The Indianapolis Clowns from the Negro American League | Credit: ESPN
The Indianapolis Clowns from the Negro American League | Credit: ESPN

Return picks up the story from there, walking viewers through Clowns history and how, after touring the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Bananas owner Jesse Cole recognized where the lineage of his brand of baseball—barnstorming, trick plays and a team not taking itself too seriously—originated. Since die-hard baseball fans often moonlight as historians, some might find the documentary diluted by veering into Bananas’ backstory. Cole’s journey from almost going broke after buying a struggling minor league team to making millions turning Banana Ball into a 13-team traveling spectacle is relevant to the Clowns’ story. It’s also been told enough, on ESPN, 60 Minutes and elsewhere, that this doc’s audience might not need the detour.

That’s a small complaint about a film that might be some people’s first introduction to the Clowns and their place in baseball history. Cole deserves credit for telling their story and for bringing the team back to life (spoiler alert: there’s a reason Banana Ball plays such a central role). The documentary also reintroduces more recent baseball heroes: Jackie Bradley Jr., who won the 2018 World Series with the Boston Red Sox now sports a Clowns uni. Mo’Ne Davis, who quit baseball after becoming first girl to throw a complete game shutout in the 2014 Little League World Series, returns to the mound and recounts the encouragement she got from Johnson.

With New York still high off the Knicks’ chip and the FIFA World Cup in full swing, baseball, of any stripe, might not be top of mind for some fans. That shouldn’t stop anybody from watching the story of the Clowns, who deserve a place in baseball’s lore and their current revival.

Return of the Clowns is streaming on ESPN.

]]> Caribbean Heritage Month in Bloom: How Melissa Koby Brought Black Artistry to Fragrance’s Biggest Night https://www.ebony.com/caribbean-heritage-month-in-bloom-how-melissa-koby-brought-black-artistry-to-fragrances-biggest-night/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343414

How Melissa Koby's art brought soul and storytelling to fragrance's biggest night, celebrating Black femininity and heritage.]]>

For decades, fragrance has been sold through celebrity faces, glossy campaigns and beautiful bottles. But increasingly, the industry is beginning to recognize something deeper: scent isn’t just beauty. It’s memory. It’s emotion. It’s art.

That realization came to life at this year’s Fragrance Foundation Awards, where artist and illustrator Melissa Koby transformed one of fragrance’s biggest nights through her signature world of lush landscapes, soft femininity and emotional storytelling.

For Linda G. Levy, President of The Fragrance Foundation, the collaboration almost felt destined.

“Every year after the Fragrance Foundation Awards, I take time to completely withdraw from the world,” Levy tells EBONY. Returning from vacation last summer, she found herself unexpectedly drawn to another cultural institution.

“I kept feeling this whole thing about the U.S. Open. I was in a perfumer’s office and there was the U.S. Open booklet with Melissa Koby’s artwork on the cover. I fell in love with it.”

Rather than admire the work from afar, Levy reached out directly.

“The best thing about life is I just wrote to her in an email and said, ‘Could I Zoom with you?'” she recalls. “Within one short meeting, we knew we had to do it together. I don’t believe in fate or anything predetermined, but when you connect with a person on a spiritual and emotional level, it was meant to be.”

That connection ultimately helped shape the visual identity of the 2026 Fragrance Foundation Awards, furthering the organization’s mission of positioning fragrance as a cultural art form rather than simply a beauty category.

The feeling was mutual.

Already making history as the first Black artist commissioned to create the 2025 U.S. Open theme artwork, Koby understands the significance of entering spaces that have not traditionally centered Black artists.

“I feel honored and am so grateful for the opportunity,” she says. “I also feel a certain responsibility to create work that is interesting enough to not only spark conversation about the ‘why’ but also pieces that allow women to feel seen.”

Her work has become recognizable for celebrating Black women through softness rather than struggle, choosing tenderness as a form of power.

“I intentionally create pieces that celebrate and center women because as I grow older I’m learning that resting in femininity, ease and tenderness does carry power,” Koby explains. “I didn’t always believe these things had a place in the narrative around being Black. Now I’m intentionally creating work that highlights softness as joy and resistance.”

That philosophy naturally translated into the artwork she created for The Fragrance Foundation, an organization working to elevate fragrance alongside fashion, music and visual art.

When asked how she interprets scent through illustration, Koby doesn’t begin with perfume notes. She starts with memory.

“I love creating work filled with rolling hills, greenery, water and florals because my time spent in Jamaica as a kid are some of my first core memories,” she says. “These are the moments that bring me peace and I try to incorporate these moments into my work as much as possible.”

Although her artwork isn’t intended to literally depict the Caribbean, she says her Jamaican upbringing quietly shapes everything she creates.

Image: TFF Awards

“I think the Caribbean experience is rooted in resilience, cultural richness, community and an ability to find joy even amid adversity. The same can be said for the Black experience in America.”

That connection between memory and scent extends beyond landscapes.

“I’m drawn to coconut and vanilla,” Koby shares. “They remind me of my childhood and are my comfort notes.”

Another favorite is jasmine, tied to one of the most meaningful moments in her life.

“When I first met my husband, he introduced me to night blooming jasmine while we were on an evening walk. We were young and excited at the possibility of getting to know each other. Now I love jasmine in all varieties.”

As beauty brands increasingly collaborate with artists instead of simply using artwork to support product campaigns, Koby believes creative voices can fundamentally reshape how consumers experience a brand.

“When art leads the conversation, the product becomes more relatable and more human,” she says. “Emotion is inserted into the mix when the viewer gets to experience the perspective of the artist. Ultimately, the product, accompanied by the art, can become an experience and a point of connection.”

It’s the same evolution Levy saw when she first discovered Koby’s work.

“She’s a fabulous person,” Levy says.

For Koby, the partnership also represented a larger cultural shift. Historically, fragrance has often been viewed as an accessory to beauty, rather than an artistic medium in its own right.

“Both fragrance and art are built around storytelling and emotion and they both have the ability to transport people and create an experience,” she says. “I’m so happy I was able to be the connecting piece for this year’s award ceremony.”

In bringing Melissa Koby’s vision to one of the fragrance industry’s most prestigious events, The Fragrance Foundation did more than commission artwork. It helped reinforce the idea that scent, like painting, fashion and music, is another canvas for storytelling. And with a Black woman helping shape that narrative, the industry’s biggest night became just a little more colorful, more personal and more representative of the creative voices pushing it forward.

]]> 25 Years of Baby Boy — The Cast Is All Grown Up https://www.ebony.com/25-years-of-baby-boy-the-cast-is-all-grown-up/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=340773

See how the stars of Baby Boy have evolved over 25 years since the film's iconic release.]]>

This June, Baby Boy celebrates its 25th anniversary, and as much as the film has grown into a historic artifact of Black cinema, the cast has majorly contributed to its long-lasting legacy. 

John Singleton’s urban drama Baby Boy dropped on June 27, 2001. Singleton’s auteurial perspective on Black familyhood in South Central Los Angeles reflected the lives of those like him who grew up there. Over time, the film has cemented itself as a Black cult classic, depicting Black brotherhood, violence, and untamed love in the hood. Baby Boy, like Singleton’s 1991 classic Boyz N The Hood, became a fixture in Black cinema because of the way it depicts hard reality. 

Tyrese Gibson and Taraji P. Henson in Baby Boy. Image: courtesy Columbia Pictures/Getty Images

Tyrese Gibson as Jody, with his exemplary performance alongside Taraji P. Henson as Yvette and Tamara LaSeon Bass as Peanut, remains untouchable. The trio struggles with young love and a conflicting dynamic that is a direct result of Jody being a father of two who is tempted and threatened by street life. Singleton is a master at extracting Shakespearean-level tragedies from the performances of popular 1990s artists in his filmography. With Snoop Dogg playing one of Gibson’s biggest rivals in Baby Boy, the most tragic events in South Central stem from the ramifications of poverty and over-policing.

The cast of Baby Boy has grown up. Here’s what the stars have been up to over the past two-plus decades.

Tyrese
Tyrese. Image: Aurore Marechal for Getty Images

Tyrese Gibson has starred in a far-ranging catalog of action film franchises during the 2000s and is not letting up. He has become a blockbuster name with Fast & Furious and Transformers under his belt. His 2025 film, The Wrecker, echoes the fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled plot that makes for a total Gibson success.

Taraji P. Henson 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone.' Image: John Nacion
Taraji P. Henson in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. Image: John Nacion

Taraji P. Henson starred in the Karate Kid remake and reigned over Black television as Cookie Lyon on Empire in 2015. She earned an Oscar nomination for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and has won numerous awards across other platforms. Most recently, Henson commanded the stage and debuted on Broadway in the 2026 revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone as Bertha Holly.

Concert Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg. Image: Henning Kaiser/picture alliance for Getty Images

Snoop Dogg has become a household name within the world of hip hop, film and culture. As CEO of Death Row Records, a cannabis connoisseur, gin seltzer founding brand partner with Dr. Dre, and more, Snoop is always in tow with expanding his name into a global brand. He is now producing a biopic, directed by Craig Brewer and distributed by Universal Pictures, with Jonathan Daviss (Outer Banks) set to star as the Long Beach rapper.

Ving Rhames
Ving Rhames at the Uppercut premiere, 2025. Image: Matthias Nareyek/Getty Images

Ving Rhames, whose memorable shared screentime with Tyrese Gibson’s Jody, has had a rightfully deserved film career. The Golden Globe-winning actor continued his reign as the sly hacker Luther Stickell alongside Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible films, the only other actor in the franchise to star in all of its films. In 2025, he starred in Uppercut as Elliot Duffond, a boxing legend brought in to train a young female boxer.

Omar Gooding embodied the tender, ride-or-die nature of Sweetpea in Baby Boy with an untouchable performance. Since then, Gooding has championed family entertainment. He became a series regular of the sitcom, Family Time and continued to explore his comedy chops across film and television. Most notably, he led the Barbershop television series as the shop owner who brought warmth and humor to the casual setting of a Black barbershop. 

Tamara Bass’ charm in bringing vibrancy to everyday characters onscreen had a short lifespan after playing Peanut with the utmost passion. She departed from performance roles and ended up in the director’s chair, becoming the writer-filmmaker of the 2019 drama If Not Now, When? She has continued her filmmaking legacy by directing many BET+ series in the new era of streaming entertainment. 

Singleton’s passing in 2019 served as a poignant turning point for contemporary Black storytelling based in Los Angeles. He filled a space for those often left absent from the narrative, but his deep impact on Baby Boy has cultivated a new lineage of onscreen stories.

]]> Maiya The Don on Reading, Rhymes and Restoration https://www.ebony.com/maiya-the-don-on-reading-rhymes-and-restoration/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343393

Brooklyn rapper Maiya The Don opens up about her growth, new album Precious Cargo, and her love for reading.]]>

Three years after the release of Hot Commodity, Brooklyn rapper Maiya The Don is entering a new era. Since bursting onto the scene with her viral 2023 hit “Telfy,” the SUNY New Paltz graduate has continued to carve out a lane entirely her own—one that blends sharp lyricism, internet savvy, and an authenticity that resonates far beyond music.

As anticipation builds for her upcoming project Precious Cargo, arriving today, Maiya is reflecting on the growth she’s experienced as both an artist and a person. Beyond the booth, she’s also cultivated an unexpected presence in the literary world, becoming a recognizable voice among BookTok and online reading communities. In conversation with EBONY, Maiya opens up about the inspiration behind Precious Cargo, the lessons she’s learned since Hot Commodity, her love of books, and the evolution of the woman behind the music.

EBONY: What built your relationship with reading?

Maiya The Don: I loved to read as a kid. I had a very tumultuous relationship with my family and a strenuous home life. I think I always kind of found a safe space within school and learning and I think that’s why I prevailed. I spent a lot of time at my local library. It was one of those things that I just did, not to escape, but it was entertainment. 

As an adult you have less time, you think there are things that’s more important than reading and I went through that period. After I dropped my last project, Hot Commodity, I was really, really sad. All I would do was watch TV, lay in bed, and eat snacks. I wasn’t a productive member of society and I made the decision to no longer do that. Holding yourself accountable isn’t an easy thing to do, but I needed to make some changes. One of the things that I wanted to do was [remove] TV altogether. I decided that a way I would entertain myself was going back to reading.

Reading makes you a critical thinker. I decided I was only going to consume things of substance. What you consume is who you are. So no more Baddies, way more Kennedy Ryan.

Image: courtesy of Maiya The Don

Why did you decide to start showing your love for reading online?

With the changes that I made, one of the things was like, ‘ok, I’m going to be more honest with myself’ because it takes a lot of honesty and vulnerability to realize certain habits weren’t beneficial to my mind, my career, my growth, everything. Deciding to be honest with myself meant being honest with my audience and in my music. 

I wanted to document the changes that were happening in real time. Reading was one of those things where I was enjoying it and it gave me a new perspective. I wanted to make sure that [the] things I was putting out into the world was reflective of who I am.

It made sense for me to share because not only does it show you the journey I’m on, it’s giving Black authors, small and large, another platform to promote themselves. I’m a big believer of putting Black people in positions we want to see them in.

What are you currently reading?

Right now I’m actually reading Revive Me: Part Three: The Apology. It’s a part of a series by J.L. Seegars’ New Haven series and it’s incredible, Jane’s incredible.

If you had to put your personality into four books what would they be?

Oh, that’s easy; Cappadonna by Jaquel J, 10,000 Hours with a Rich Menace by Jaquel J, The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson, and Tenderheaded: A Memoir by Michaela Angela Davis. 

How has your passion for reading helped you with your music?

When you’re nurturing your mind with things that inspire you or get your creative juices flowing, there’s a real difference. When I’m in a period where I’m sad, I don’t have much to say. All my music sounds flat, very boring. But reading gave me so many different perspectives and ideations. Reading has given me a lot of strength and stability in trusting my instincts. Being more creative in the way that I say things. Before, I approached music with simplicity, but now I’m not afraid of being more technical.

What book has helped you most as an artist?

Eve’s memoir, Who’s That Girl. It’s incredible, I’ve read it maybe three times already. It gave me the perspective that certain experiences are universal. I connected with it and saw a lot of myself in the book.

Image: courtesy of Maiya The Don

Can you describe the journey of getting to this new album?

After Hot Commodity, I jumped right back into a new project. But, I wasn’t comfortable in the space I was in creatively. I felt like a hamster on a wheel doing that same thing over and over again, because I was trying to appeal commercially. I [decided] I wanted to do my own thing. I want to make music that makes me feel good. But I was nervous because when you sign to a label, you have to follow the numbers. The creative process is tainted. I was on the fence a lot between being commercially appealing and doing what I want. I probably made three projects worth of music in the three year gap between Hot Commodity and Precious Cargo.

What’s the difference between Hot Commodity and Precious Cargo?

Musically, I really wanted to put something out that I was proud of. Something that came from me without any outside influences. The biggest difference between the two projects is the honesty and the vulnerability, I’m getting very, very open. More open than I’ve ever been. That’s new for me and it’s strange, it makes me deeply uncomfortable. But it’s been completely necessary.

How much closer are you to being the artist you want to be?

I think I get closer every day. I don’t know what that full picture looks like, every time I hit a milestone there’s seven more I want to achieve. I think the idea is to never stop growing.

What’s next for Maiya The Don and Maiya the person?

Maiya The Don is putting out music and putting her foot on the gas. Now that I have my mental health right and I know exactly what I want to say, be prepared to be sick of me. I’m ready for this new era, this rebirth and the introduction to the grown woman I am now. Maiya the person is focusing on showing up for herself in the way that she should’ve before. I’m being selfish and I’m excited about it.

]]> Why Coming Out Felt More Like Penance than Pride: An Excerpt https://www.ebony.com/phill-branch-double-dutch-fuss-coming-out-pride-memoir-excerpt/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:30:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343114

From the memoir, “The Double Dutch Fuss,” this Emmy winning writer’s self-described obligatory coming-out tour slowly brought him closer to self-love.]]>

I came out–to myself.

I’m gay.

Just mouthing it to myself was enough. I belonged to something. I was connected to something, even if I did not fully understand what it all meant. It just was what it was. No amount of maneuvering or hiding or “becoming” was going to change who I was inside.

I am a gay, Black man.

The whisper of it mimicked the times I would write a story and read the words back, lost in the melody of its flow. That little whisper made me rock back and forth, closed eyes in meditation. I was writing a new chapter. The words, for the first time, sounded sweet.

I–am–gay.

I should have stopped at the whisper.

If I had known then what I know now, the whisper would have been the end of my coming out. The whisper was enough. There was no mandate to shout or be loud and to assign pride to a declaration that had not yet been fully absorbed. The whisper made space for me to accept myself and gave me space to grow into a new understanding of how to move through the world. Coming out to others became an act of penance.

The act of genuflecting before everyone I knew put me back in bondage. My value hinged on other people’s reactions. Coming out, as we know and celebrate it, privileges folks whose love we believe to be conditional. Our wholeness hangs in the balance of their reception. There is a reading of coming out that celebrates the bravery of declaring who we are to the whole world.

F–k the world.

The world tortures us, the world dangles conditional love, the world mocks—often seeing us as an unfortunate variant. Then, there we go on bended knees, praying that we are still loved or, at a bare minimum, tolerated by people we aren’t even sure love us.

Tolerance is crazy.

Phill Branch is a writer, live performance storyteller, and regional Emmy Award-winning filmmaker. This is his first book. | Credit: Courtesy of subject

But in 1994, steeped in talk shows and TV movie version of coming out, I did what others had done before me and began my obligatory coming-out tour. Each tour stop mad me hate the pronouncement and myself a little bit more. The whisper made me feel free. The nervous, staccato mumbling to family and friends about my sexual desires felt demoralizing.

Over and over again I confessed, mostly over long distance calls. That I was spending money I did not have to tell people who I preferred to sleep with was added insult. None of it felt good. It just felt like an obligatory rite. The call itself was awkward, blindsiding folks I could not see, as they calibrated upon hearing my confession. I was glad not to see anyone’s eyes as I laid myself bare.

Eyes tell truths.

As brazen–or maybe numb–as I had become about coming out, I hadn’t been ready for the whole truth of it. The reactions you see, not spoken platitudes over the phone, carry a different weight. Being free at home was the goal though, and for that, I needed to tell the two brothas sleeping in the bedrooms next to mine. Calling them long distance was not an option.

Their eyes were unavoidable.

“Hit this,” Pete said, holding a bong in my direction, as we sat in our living room.

Tron was already faded, and I was just sitting there, as I normally did, not partaking. Us sitting in our house watching TV and talking shit was one of my favorite things to do. We were all doing LA in different ways. Tron seemed to have found a groove. Pete was a social butterfly and had amassed a clique that was always down to party. I was obsessed with “making it,” diving headfirst into the business. We did our respective things and then leaned on each other for support. Usually that support was just a chance to unwind and laugh at the dumb shit that was happening at our day jobs.

“I’m good,” I said and turned back to the TV, rejecting the bong.

Pete wasn’t having it. “Nah, bro, hit it,” he demanded, as he giggled.

My father, being a drunk and doing whatever else he was doing, had mostly kept me from smoking. It always felt like a slippery slope. I thought I would end up like him if it all got too good to me. It was late sophomore year before I had a drink at Hampton. Tawana and Kim, two of my “big sisters,” handed me a concoction at a house party just before they graduated. I attempted to beg off.

“Nope,” Tawana said. “You gotta have at least one drink before we are outta here.”

I took the cup, and surprisingly it wasn’t as harsh as I’d expected. It tasted like Kool-Aid. That turned out to be a bad thing, because it made it way too easy to drink. A lesson was learned the next morning. Then, a couple years later, after a Student Leadership workshop at Hampton University, I blazed up with a couple friends, never letting on that I had not actually smoked before. I don’t count the roaches that I pulled out of the ashtray and tried to light up when I was a kid, pretending to be like my father.

There was no inclination for me to take the bong from Pete’s hands. But looking at them, totally and completely relaxed with themselves and with me, convinced me to take it when he asked the second time. He told me what to do, and I inhaled, deeply. Too deeply.

              The choking felt like imminent death.

They weren’t helping me, even though I was, in my mind, clearly dying. The little floaties you get in your eyes after a bad fall or a violent sneeze had taken over my vision. My eyes filled with tears. Tron’s eyes were filled with tears too, as he was rolling around on the floor laughing. Pete stayed with me, cracking up, but with his hand on my shoulder.

“Not so much,” he got out between laughing.

He pointed it in my direction after my coughing subsided.

“One more time.”

Fuck it.

I took another, and another…

After having complained about not feeling anything for about twenty minutes, suddenly, my head was floating. My arms and legs, though, were heavy. It felt as if I was underwater.

Sounds were muffled, and I was in slow motion.

“Do I sound normal?” I asked repeatedly.

They kept saying yes, but to me, my voice was distorted.

“Am I talking slow?” I asked, in a panic.

They were gone. Whatever I was saying didn’t matter, because they were fucked up, too. All I could hear was laughter; loud, cackling laughter. It was pissing me off, because I clearly needed hospitalization.

This is why I don’t do drugs.

“Call an ambulance,” I begged them, the words still sounding as if I was six feet deep in a pool of water, gurgling. In tears, they told me to relax, that I was okay and to just breathe. I was mad as shit. We needed an ambulance, but I could not get up from the floor to reach the phone in the kitchen. Instead of calling 911 like my mind was telling me to do, I fell out on the floor and laughed. We all laughed until it hurt.

And then, as my body and mind started to come back to me, I looked at them and said, “There’s something I have to tell you.”

Now tired, and ready to get in bed, they both looked at me with half open eyes, confused by sudden seriousness. Pete was next to me on the floor and Tron was sitting on the secondhand chair that I had lifted outside of the building’s trash room.

“I’m gay.”

Silence.

In that silence, my mind went to a million places. I wished my legs were working so I could pop up and run to my room. They weren’t, plus their silence bolted me to the floor, paralyzed with fear. Waiting was the only option.

“That’s it?” Tron asked, nonplussed.

I nodded.

He shrugged and smirked. “Congratulations?”

Pete toppled over. “Congratulations!?!”

“We good,” Tron said as he stood and dapped me up.

Pete looked at me and simply said, “I don’t give a fuck.”

Their eyes held the truth. They matched the sweetness of their response. I was overcome, and high. The combination was dizzying. Pete reached out his hand, and I gripped it as he pulled me up to my unsteady feet. He smiled, dapped me up, and we staggered off to our rooms.

It was smooth until it wasn’t. I was different, an alien.

Excerpted from THE DOUBLE DUTCH FUSS: A Memoir by Phill Branch. Reprinted with the permission of the publisher, Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins. Copyrighted © 2026 by Phill Branch.

]]> The Block is Hot: The Best Dressed Creatives on the Last Week of June https://www.ebony.com/the-block-is-hot-the-best-dressed-creatives-on-the-last-week-of-june/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343413

See how confidence and color rule the sidewalks in the last week of June with standout styles from playful prints to oversized tailoring.]]>

On the Block style doesn’t clock out when the temperatures climb. It gets lighter, bolder and a whole lot more personal. This week’s best-dressed lineup proves that great fashion isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about knowing exactly who you are and letting your clothes do the talking. From playful pattern mixing and sculptural silhouettes to oversized tailoring and elevated basics, these looks remind us that the sidewalk is still the best runway.

Leading the pack is a fearless patchwork column dress that makes color theory feel effortless. Bright chartreuse, deep indigo, bubblegum pink and geometric orange prints collide in a way that somehow feels perfectly balanced, finished with oversized sunglasses and a sculptural mini bag that deserves its own close-up. Elsewhere, rich espresso brown continues its reign as the color of the season. One standout maternity look transforms flowing drapery into wearable art, while another monochromatic set pairs a relaxed wrap top with puddle-length trousers proving chocolate tones can feel just as commanding as black.

Menswear leaned into proportion this week. Oversized checked pullovers, wide-leg trousers and technical accessories delivered quiet luxury without trying too hard. A butter yellow tee styled with chocolate trousers and polished leather shoes offered a masterclass in understated dressing, while another look mixed relaxed denim with layered shirting and classic loafers for an Americana refresh. Even casual moments got an upgrade through rugby shirts, oversized shorts and vintage-inspired tailoring that blurred the line between prep and streetwear.

Summer color also made its case. A pale yellow knit polo with burgundy trousers brought Riviera energy to the city, while neon green sportswear layered over crisp shirting showed that dopamine dressing is still very much alive. On the women’s side, sculptural separates, pleated skirts and wrapped silhouettes embraced movement instead of structure, proving that ease doesn’t have to sacrifice elegance.

The common thread wasn’t a single trend but confidence. Every outfit felt lived in rather than overstyled. That’s what makes street style matter. The best looks never ask for attention. They naturally command it, one block at a time.

Essie

Cederick

Alliyah

Jeremy

Natosha

Kareem

Kristen

Paul

Nae

Miles

Genesis

DeAndre Glover

T.

]]> Nick Arrington Gets Real About How Marathons Saved His Mental Health https://www.ebony.com/nick-arrington-marathons-mental-health/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343367

For Arrington, healing rests on three pillars: faith, movement and mental health support.]]>

For marathoner Nick Arrington, running isn’t a hobby—it’s the thing that kept him from going. “Running has been very important in my life,” Arrington told EBONY. He champions Black representation in distance running, highlighting his sister’s experience as a middle-distance runner as a source of inspiration.

What began as a way to outrun heartbreak and career uncertainty has become a discipline that anchors his mental health and fuels his purpose in community. The turning point came in 2016, when Arrington was going through the ebbs and flows of life from outgrowing work to experiencing a breakup. “I was angry, heartbroken, sad, resentful… all these emotions, and I wasn’t in therapy,” he told EBONY. “So just like Black men, typically, we push it down, and I put on my shoes, and I pounded the pavement.”

Tokyo Marathon 2023. Image: courtesy of Quentin Mui

What started as a coping mechanism quickly became a practice. He went from one mile to three, five, 15 and 20, letting the road take what his mind couldn’t hold. By 2018, Arrington turned that pain into performance, running his first New York City Marathon. Even then, he credits community and faith as critical to crossing the line. Still, life didn’t stop testing him once he found the marathon. Running, once enough to steady him, suddenly wasn’t sufficient. “At that point, I don’t think running was enough, so I got a therapist,” he said. “So now I’m mixing therapy and running, and now I’m a weapon. Not only that, I’m seeing things more clearly because I have professional help.”

This holistic approach, rooted in faith, movement, and mental health, illuminated a new strength within him. Arrington’s commitment to this blended strategy enabled him not only to navigate his struggles but also to redefine what was possible. “I think [the running community] inspires people,” he said. “It inspires me to be great, and I think that the tapestry of the running community is so unique. I’ve met so many people around the world from so many different walks of life.”

Image: courtesy of @runna

Arrington’s story goes beyond personal triumph; it serves as a beacon for others. “I want to see young Black boys and girls see distance running as an avenue,” he said. His involvement in community events and ambitions for broader storytelling highlight his desire to inspire others to embrace running not just as a physical activity but as a catalyst for change and healing. “If you have a platform and you’re not using it properly, what’s the point of having it?” he said.

For Arrington, healing rests on three pillars: faith, movement and mental health support. “First of all, you gotta have a relationship with God, because without Him, none of this is possible,” he said. “You trust in Him and find something earthly that is cathartic for you, and you combine that with professional help, then you can get through this.”

That “something earthly” is running for him. It’s also his proof that limits are meant to be challenged. “Impossible for me doesn’t exist. It does not exist. I don’t believe in that word at all,” Arrington said. His journey illustrates the profound impact that running and mental health awareness can have on someone’s life. By intersecting faith, therapy, and movement, he has not only transformed his own experiences but is also dedicated to uplifting others in the community. His story serves as a powerful reminder that healing and resilience are achievable, encouraging young Black men and women to see running as a means of empowerment and personal growth.

]]> Louisiana’s Daniel Cressy Becomes First Person Functionally Cured of Sickle Cell Disease https://www.ebony.com/daniel-cressy-cured-of-sickle-cell-disease/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.ebony.com/?p=343404

Daniel Cressy’s groundbreaking gene therapy offers new hope for sickle cell patients]]>

23-year-old Daniel Cressy is being celebrated at the pediatric hospital, Manning Family Children’s, in Louisiana after becoming the first person to be cured of sickle cell disease. As part of a select group chosen to have curative gene therapy testing, Cressy was one of close to 100 people to be treated with the method and is now the first to be considered functionally cured of the disease. Cressy officially rang the bell on Monday, June 22. 

According to a news release published by Manning Family Children’s, Cressy was initially born with the condition and underwent gene therapy over the span of two years leading up to being cured. Cressy was initially introduced to the concept of gene therapy after learning that he was unable to pursue his dream career of becoming a commercial pilot unless he was able to be treated for sickle cell disease through bone marrow transplant or gene therapy. Soon after doing research, he learned that Manning Family Children’s had been approved for participation in clinical trials. 

Image: courtesy of Daniel Cressy

Despite beginning a life changing medical treatment, Cressy still navigated his day to day as usual. “I would work my overnight job driving 18 wheelers back and forth from New Orleans to Lafayette. During the days I would often focus on my organization, Privileged Pilots, fulfilling customers’ orders or planning for the next conference. Every now and then, I would have a doctor’s appointment preparing for Gene Therapy. But all in all, a lot of work and waiting,” Cressy expressed in an exclusive interview with EBONY. 

With Louisiana having the most cases of sickle cell in the country, this healthcare revolution is even more rewarding knowing that it took place in this area.  Over 90% of those with sickle cell are of African American descent meaning that the highest concentration of impact and susceptibility is of this community. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 13 African Americans carry sickle cell trait (SCT), which means they are carriers of the gene but do not have the full blown disease. 

Image: courtesy of Daniel Cressy

The news release also revealed that Cressy used CASEGEVY’s CRISPR/Cas9 technology to adjust his stem cells that resulted in the increase the production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) which helps to pause the sickling of red blood cells in the body. After a lengthy process of sending his cells out of the country to be modified, utilizing chemotherapy to remove the remainder of his sickled cells, and infusing the cells back into his body, Cressy has been able to successfully recover. 

Senior Director of Patient Care Services for Manning Family Children’s, Lynn Winifield, MBSA, BSN, RN, CPHON, NEA-BC, explained that funding for curative gene therapy went through an authorization process through the Louisiana Healthcare Connections (LHC). This process began in December 2024 and was not finalized for phasing under May 2025. After receiving approval by LHC, the hospital moved forward with securing funding that would reimburse the institution for the cost of CASEGEVY which was approximately $2.2M. After additional internal negotiations and finalizing a procurement approach, authorization was finalized and the team was able to move forward with patient cell collection and mailing for treatment. Under the CMMI model, this helped to improve the time and efficiency put towards approval. 

Image: courtesy of Daniel Cressy

Now that Cressy’s health is entering a new chapter of his health journey, he can resume his professional pursuit becoming a commercial pilot and pour deeper into his organization, Privileged Pilots, which helps to support others in following their dreams despite life circumstances.  

“I hope to build this organization so that we have recurring corporate and government sponsors that fund our mission: helping others receive this care by providing funding to get back and forth to doctor’s appointments, assisting the patients while they are going through the therapy, and assisting them post therapy. To go even further, we aim to host blood drives, donate care packages that are full of hope and essentials for the families, and eventually fund these patients’ dreams and ambitions. We are also in the midst of writing a children’s illustrative book called “A Blessing in The Skies” which encapsulates the entire journey I had to undertake.

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