#NNPA BlackPress
8B Education Investments launches $111,600,000 initiative to Finance African Student Education
As the first fintech solution focused on African students, 8B said it’s committed to enabling African brilliance to have a global impact. 8B provides tools to allow African students to identify best-fit global universities, level up their applications, access affordable financing, and connect with career support for job placement.
The post 8B Education Investments launches $111,600,000 initiative to Finance African Student Education first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
8B Education Investments, which built the first platform that connects high-potential African students with world-class colleges and universities and the tools needed to level up their applications and financial options, announced a partnership with Nelnet Bank to originate $30 million of loans over three years.
The partnership, enabled by 8B’s use of what officials called innovative credit enhancement to guarantee losses incurred by Nelnet for the loan program’s duration, marks the first lending program by a United States-based bank to African students enrolled in American schools.
Officials said the $30 million commitment is part of a broader $111.6 million pledge made last month at the Clinton Global Initiative to accelerate African students’ access to global universities.
“Until now, African students have had limited access to global universities with enrollment largely depending on the luck of obtaining a scholarship,” Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, 8B’s founder and CEO, said in a statement.
“The world has underinvested in African brilliance. As a result, hundreds of thousands of African students every year obtain offers from world-class universities and fail to enroll, primarily due to a lack of financing.
“We are thrilled that our partnership with Nelnet Bank will help us to provide financing for this underserved group of brilliant students and create an example on how to accelerate African access to global innovation ecosystems.”
According to a news release, 8B estimates that the 500,000 African students enrolled in global universities represent 30 percent of students who received offers from such universities.
Consequently, Africans are underrepresented in global universities and, by extension, in global innovation ecosystems.
“Our partnership with 8B is a historic step in the history of student lending and a giant leap forward toward increasing access for African students,” said Andrea Moss, CEO of Nelnet Bank.
“Together, we will be able to provide an opportunity to one of the fastest growing student demographics in the world and one that has been overlooked for too long. Nelnet Bank is thrilled to work on this with our colleagues from 8B Education Investments.”
As the first fintech solution focused on African students, 8B said it’s committed to enabling African brilliance to have a global impact. 8B provides tools to allow African students to identify best-fit global universities, level up their applications, access affordable financing, and connect with career support for job placement.
“There are few affordable student lending options for African learners though there is a broad swath for international students. Nelnet’s bold loan funding commitment to 8b Education Investments will catalyze growth and unlock African excellence,” said Debra Fine, Founding Board Chair of 8B Education Investments and Chair of Fine Capital Partners.
“I have spent 35 years evaluating business opportunities. This partnership is one of the most extraordinary I have seen. 8B uses a proven business model to create value and extraordinary impact across Africa and the world. This partnership is an excellent example of how private capital can invest in the future of Africa.”
8B and Nelnet Bank announced their partnership as part of the CGI meeting, which convenes global and emerging leaders to take action on the world’s most pressing challenges.
Within the CGI community, 8B said it had brought together several partners to support African access to global innovation ecosystems.
The release notes that 8B’s CGI commitment, including students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), will accelerate African access to global innovation ecosystems and promote diversity and inclusion in global universities and workplaces.
It will also build a scalable market-based model for financing world-class human capital development in low-income countries.
The partnerships have a combined value of $111.6 million that will deploy over the next three years.
“These partnerships will transform the lives of over 1,400 future innovators from the African continent through affordable student financing and reach over 2 million African students in higher education,” officials wrote in the news release.
The post 8B Education Investments launches $111,600,000 initiative to Finance African Student Education first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.
Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”
The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”
#NNPA BlackPress
Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”
But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”
Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”
#NNPA BlackPress
WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event
Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed
May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.
But what has happened since?
Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?
This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.
Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:
Panelists:
- Medaria Arradondo – Former Minneapolis Police Chief
- Nekima Levy Armstrong – Civil Rights Activist & Attorney
- Dr. Yohuru Williams – Racial Justice Initiative,
- UST Mary Moriarty – Hennepin County Attorney
- Fireside Chat with Andre Locke – Father of Amir Locke
Special Guests:
- Kennedy Pounds – Spoken Word Artist
- Known MPLS – Youth Choir bringing purpose through song
This podcast episode looks at the past five years through the lens of grief, truth, and hope—and challenges us all to do more.
Subscribe to Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real wherever you get your podcasts or follow @mnspokesmanrecorder for more.
Visit https://spokesman-recorder.com for more coverage and stories from Minnesota’s trusted Black news source.
#GeorgeFloyd #BlackPress #SpokesmanRecorder #Minneapolis #BlackHistory
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