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“I’m really trying to rehabilitate my relationship with Black women” — Cam Newton says he’s trying to rebuild trust and become more thoughtful about the impact of his words as his media career grows.
See The Blueprint: Skip the shallow media loops and watch BFA Originals live on YouTube.
Good morning, BFA Fam! Jasmine Crockett gave Chris Brown and Usher an official Congressional Record shoutout during their Texas concert, celebrating their impact on R&B and Black culture. But the moment also sparked debate, with some questioning whether Brown’s past should matter when it comes to public honors.
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MAIN STORY
🔥 What Happens When America Stops Counting Race?
⚡ THE SPARK
The Census sounds boring until you realize what it actually does.
Every 10 years, that count helps determine how many seats your state gets in Congress, how political districts are drawn, and how federal resources are distributed across the country. Now the Trump administration is proposing a major change: count only U.S. citizens and green-card holders for congressional representation, while dropping race and ethnicity questions from the 2030 Census. In plain English: America could change who counts toward political power, while collecting less information about race at the same time.
And the consequences go much further than filling out a form.
🧠 THE LAYER BELOW
This is really two major changes wrapped into one proposal. One changes who contributes to a state's political representation. The other changes what the government knows about the racial makeup of the country. Those questions touch power, money and America's ability to measure inequality.
First, who gets counted can affect who gets political power. The Census determines how the 435 seats in the House of Representatives are divided among the states, and therefore helps determine each state's Electoral College votes. The administration's proposal would exclude undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers and many legal immigrants without permanent residency from that calculation. States with larger immigrant populations could therefore end up with less representation than they would under the traditional system of counting residents regardless of citizenship status.
The numbers also help determine where resources go. Census population data informs federal funding, public services, infrastructure, emergency planning and countless decisions made by governments and businesses. Changing who appears in that statistical picture could mean communities with large immigrant populations look smaller on paper than they actually are, even though the people still live there, use roads, attend schools and need public services.
Then there's race. If you stop measuring it, racial inequality doesn't disappear, it becomes harder to measure. Race and ethnicity data help researchers and governments track discrimination, wealth gaps and demographic change. The Census Bureau argues the count should be “colorblind” and that race is not necessary for the census; critics warn that removing the information could make disparities affecting Black Americans and other communities harder to identify and document.
The proposal is not final. It is open for public comment and would likely face major legal challenges, particularly because the 14th Amendment says House representation should be based on the “whole number of persons in each State.”
🎯 THE REAL QUESTION
Can America realistically become “colorblind” in its data while race continues to shape wealth, housing, health and opportunity?
🔮 WHAT’S NEXT
The biggest mistake would be treating this like another obscure Washington fight that has nothing to do with everyday life. The Census is essentially America's scoreboard: it tells us where people live, helps determine where political power goes and gives us some of the data needed to see whether communities are actually progressing.
Whatever becomes of this proposal, understanding how the count works matters because numbers are never just numbers once governments start making decisions with them. If the rules change, Americans should know exactly who disappears from the data, what decisions depend on that data, and who gains or loses power as a result. Because before you can argue about whether America is becoming more equal, you first need an honest way to measure America.
You can't fix what you refuse to count.
CAST YOUR VOTE
Should Black Americans ever support removing race from government data?
41.67% of you voted “Less safe” in last week’s poll: Do laws like Stand Your Ground make you feel safer or less safe?
“In my home on my property of course”
“TN has a "stand your ground" or "castle doctrine". I'm a pretty peaceful person who is non- confrontational but is not afraid of confrontation at 5'3, 145lbs. We're surprised bc we've seen there's two laws. With my disposition and as these ppl get crazier, I will also stand my ground but without fear of the law. The law doesn't make me feel safe either way. In FL, they're crazy - so further south, no I don't feel safe. Outside of TN the energy is different so I would feel more afraid. ”
Got thoughts? Don’t just vote and disappear. After you answer the poll, drop your real opinion in the “Additional Feedback” box on the next screen. We’ll anonymously feature some of the best responses in the community so your voice can actually be part of the conversation.
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THE FLIP SIDE
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⛓️💥 Lil Durk Acquitted of All Charges in 2022 Murder-for-Hire Case. Lil Durk scored a major legal victory after a Los Angeles jury found him not guilty on all federal charges tied to an alleged 2022 murder-for-hire plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo. Prosecutors claimed Durk helped plan and finance the attack, which instead killed Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a Robinson. His defense denied his involvement and pointed blame elsewhere. After three days of deliberations, jurors cleared Durk on every count. Despite the acquittal, the Chicago rapper remains behind bars, with a separate federal trial on racketeering murder and firearms charges scheduled to begin next month. (ABC 7)
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