Word In Black

Black and Hispanic students use AI for schoolwork more than their peers, but their teachers are less likely to receive AI training. Read more: wordinblack.com/2026/03/blac...

For Black Runners, Nathan Martin’s Marathon Win Hits Different From race fees to safety fears, the road isn’t equal for Black runners.

From expensive shoes to safety issues, there are many reasons why Black runners are rare. That's what makes Nathan Martin’s Los Angeles Marathon victory that much sweeter.
wordinblack.com/2026/03/nath...

Cancer Care Isn’t Equal. Black Patients Know It. The survival gap is real. Supportive Cancer Care could change it.

Black Americans face higher cancer mortality rates. A whole-person model could help rebuild trust and improve outcomes, health advocates Sheri Biller and Cynthia Perrilliat say.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/canc...

We Bombed Iran. Black Folks Are Asking: Who Is 'We'? For Black Americans, the national “we” has never been automatic.

When America claims a collective “we” in war, many Black Americans hear a familiar question — belonging when sacrifice is required, exclusion when justice is demanded.
wordinblack.com/2026/03/we-b...

Healing When the World Is Sick | Word In Black YouTube video by Word In Black

How do we heal from racism when our society is sick? Word In Black joined Dr. Joy DeGruy & Dr. Bahia Overton for a conversation about how racial healing can restore individuals and communities — and transform our world.

Watch the full replay here: youtu.be/lCEh9kb5XwM?...

National Week of Prayer Confronts HIV in Black Communities Combining faith, education, and HIV awareness can eliminate stigma.

During the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, churches combine worship with testing, education, and outreach.
wordinblack.com/2026/03/nati...

Tariff Whiplash and a Rising Black Recession Rising Black unemployment small business losses point to economic strain.

Tariff uncertainty, rising Black unemployment, and small-business losses point to a growing Black recession, experts say.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/tari...

Racist and Sexist Remarks by ICE Agents Surface After Shootings Agents involved in three shootings may have used derogatory language.

U.S. immigration agents involved in three shootings since June have been recorded or accused of using derogatory language about women or people of color.
wordinblack.com/2026/03/raci...

Thank you for watching!

Black people showed up and showed out in February! Here are some of Word In Black’s favorite moments from the month. Check out our full list of the Best Things to Happen to Black People in 2026 (So Far): wordinblack.com/2026/01/best...

When Protesters Are Killed, Some Deaths Resonate More The deaths of white activists often draw more media attention.

Renee Good and Alex Pretti weren't the first people to be shot and killed by ICE over the past year. But professor Aniko Bodroghkozy says the deaths of white activists often draw and sustain far more attention than the deaths of Black or Latino people.
wordinblack.com/2026/03/when...

What does healing actually look like for Black folks — and what's standing in the way? Join us March 4 as we talk with Dr. Joy DeGruy & Dr. Bahia Overton about why the emotional, spiritual, and communal work of healing matters — especially when so many feel overwhelmed, unheard, and exhausted.

When Fear Becomes a Health Risk Nearly 6 in 10 Black women delay breast cancer screening.

When Fear Becomes a Health Risk | Jennifer Porter Gore

A @wordinblacknews.bsky.social survey finds many Black women delay breast cancer screening and mammograms due to fear, cost, and gaps in provider communication.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/when...

#blacksky

Michael B. Jordan Loves Being Black. We Do Too Two acting awards in two days. Two weeks until the Oscars. Let's go.

"This was a cultural exhale, an affirmation in a moment when Black folks are under pressure that, at times, feels unbearable." wordinblack.com/2026/03/mich...

Black Teens Lead in AI Use for Schoolwork, Pew Survey Shows 60% of Black teens use AI chatbots to help them with their schoolwork.

A new survey finds Black teenagers are more likely than their peers to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT for school. “It speaks less to the tool and more to why students are feeling the way they are about the educational prospects,” Dr. José Luis Vilson says.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/blac...

Wanna Fight ICE? Teach the Students They Wish to Remove Literacy and critical thinking are resistance.

Want to fight ICE? Center for Black Educator Development founder Sharif El-Mekki says march if you can — but don’t underestimate the resistance built through reading, writing, math, and belief in a child’s future.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/wann...

Teaching Black History Shouldn't Start with Teaching 'Black Firsts' When Black people are honored for excelling in elite white spaces, the author argues, it effectively discounts Black genius.

When Black people are only honored for excelling in elite white spaces, author and educator Rann Miller says it effectively discounts Black genius that was already there: "Black history is what we do for each other within our own communities."
wordinblack.com/2026/02/blac...

If It Wasn’t AI, Who Put the N-Word in Google’s Push Alert? The tech giant says its BAFTA notification was just a system error.

On Tuesday, Google apologized for sending a push alert that included the N-word. Completely spelled out. Hard “er” and all. The tech giant says its BAFTA notification was just a system error. For Black people, that distinction doesn’t erase the harm.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/goog...

Thank you for reading!

From nominees to WINNERS! Our “On Borrowed Time” series won the inaugural NAACP Outstanding Literary Work – Journalism award. “This series wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the dozens of Black men and women who shared their stories with me,” author Anissa Durham says. wordinblack.com/2026/02/anis...

A Word In Black survey finds many Black women delay breast cancer screening and mammograms due to fear, cost, and gaps in provider communication. Read more key findings in our full report: wordinblack.com/2026/02/when...

The Slow Strangulation of Black Business Opportunity One of the few on-ramps to federal contracts is under threat.

Black-owned businesses receive a sliver of federal contract dollars. Now the 8(a) Business Development Program, the program designed to narrow that gap, is being scaled back.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/the-...

By centering Black women’s voices and pairing data with lived experience, our groundbreaking breast cancer report offers evidence that can guide more culturally responsive education, outreach, policy, and care. Read more: wordinblack.com/2026/02/when...

In Philadelphia, EMIR Healing Center offers families shattered by violence a place to gather, grieve, and rebuild. “If I can change the environment, I can stop violence. This is a piece of that," co-founder Chantay Love said. Read more: wordinblack.com/2026/02/emir...

As Schools Debate DEI, Black Teachers Consider Their Future Overview: Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said that the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are making life harder for the nation's Black teachers, who...

Becky Pringle, president of @neatoday.bsky.social, warns that the attacks on DEI programs are making life harder for the nation's Black teachers, who are struggling to figure out what they can or can't teach.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/as-s...

We Remember the Marches — But Not the Women Black women were the power behind the civil rights movement.

From Coretta Scott King to Claudette Colvin, the Civil Rights Movement was sustained by women whose labor, strategy, and courage history often minimized. Unerased Black Women Speak says it's time to remember them.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/we-r...

“I’m not always looking for an ally to be on the streets in protests. It’s about how they show up every day, not just when the news is covering something. Protests aren’t always a daily occurrence, so you need to have support in other ways. An ally shows up when the cameras are up or down.”

‘Ghost’ Medicaid Doctors Leave Patients in the Waiting Room A new study finds nearly one-third of physicians enrolled in Medicaid don’t actually treat Medicaid patients.

Is your doctor a “ghost?” Roughly 1 in 3 doctors who are enrolled to treat Medicaid patients didn’t serve one between 2019-2021, according to research. "If patients aren’t able to access the care they need, they may delay or forego care altogether," Dr. Jane Zhu says.
wordinblack.com/2026/02/ghos...

With gatherings from Baltimore to Northern Virginia, the weekly “A New Thing” events are part mixer, part game night, and all clean, faith-filled fun. Read more: wordinblack.com/2026/02/a-ne...