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Category: Black Culture and Community Issues

  • UMYO Network: A Family’s AI-Focused Digital Ecosystem

    UMYO Network, a groundbreaking community-owned digital ecosystem, has been launched by African American father Gregory Barnard Cherry and his three sons: Gregory Jr., Isaac, and Isaiah. Their powerful mission is to equip everyday people with the tools and opportunities needed to navigate and thrive amidst the future of artificial intelligence, automation, and economic disruption.

    From Hardship to Purpose-Driven Innovation

    Gregory Cherry’s path to founding UMYO is rooted in personal hardship and a profound sense of purpose. After experiencing a brain injury at age 10 that affected his schooling and later losing his brother to violence at 19, which led to a prison sentence, Cherry found a turning point. This experience ignited a lifelong mission to create opportunities for underserved youth and communities often overlooked by traditional systems. He became a father, ministry leader, and community organizer, co-launching STI740 in 2010, the first Black-led youth media project training young people in sports content creation.

    Concurrently, Cherry instilled technological and critical thinking skills in his own sons from a young age. This family collaboration evolved into addressing community economic issues, laying the groundwork for the UMYO Network. Cherry has long warned about the potential job displacement caused by automation, particularly impacting Black and underserved communities, and UMYO is his innovative solution—a “Wall Street of Technology” owned by the people.

    Empowering Communities Through Accessible Technology

    UMYO Network has already launched over 50 digital hubs aimed at preparing communities for the AI-driven economy. By repurposing the very technology that threatens jobs, the platform empowers individuals to build their own digital economies. Membership is highly accessible, starting at just $5.99 per month, granting members access to a private digital hub that integrates social media, e-commerce, education, and networking.

    Members benefit from financial support, spiritual growth resources, storefront giveaways, and income opportunities as account executives. UMYO also reinvests profits directly into communities, supporting HBCUs, nonprofits, churches, and unions, thereby reducing reliance on traditional fundraising methods. This family-led initiative stands as a testament to innovation, resilience, and generational leadership, challenging corporate tech dominance and offering a sustainable path forward in the age of AI.

    Are you interested in learning more about UMYO Network or joining their mission? Visit their website or attend their free weekly virtual meetings every Tuesday at noon CST and Thursday at 7 pm CST. What are your thoughts on community-owned digital platforms? Share in the comments below!

  • Black Juveniles Face Higher Fines in Allegheny County

    New data from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is shedding light on concerning racial disparities within the juvenile justice system. Research indicates that Black juvenile defendants are being fined nearly twice as much as their white counterparts for similar citations issued by magisterial district judges between 2023 and 2024. This disparity affects children aged 5 to 17, who were ordered to pay over $190,000 in citation fines during that period.

    Disparities in School Citations

    An investigation into court proceedings across nearly a dozen Allegheny County jurisdictions revealed overcrowded waiting rooms disproportionately filled with students and families of color, even in predominantly white districts. Judge Bruce Boni acknowledged the “baked-in” racial disparities within the criminal justice system, suggesting that solutions must begin with examining how schools and police issue citations. “There’s only so much a court can do because, again, we are responsive [in nature],” Boni stated.

    While Pennsylvania judges can fine students up to $300, Magisterial District Judge Leah Williams Duncan, one of the few Black women in the county’s judiciary, noted she rarely imposes the maximum penalty. She questioned the logic of monetary fines for students already facing behavioral or mental health challenges, stating, “And the resources that are at my disposal to assess a monetary fine — just to me, it makes absolutely no sense.”

    Broader Trends and Calls for Unity

    A deeper analysis of records from 20 Allegheny County school districts showed that nearly one in five student citations were issued to Black girls, despite them comprising only one in 20 students in those districts. Olivia, a Highlands High School graduate fined $482.60 for fighting, shared her experience of feeling targeted: “It feels like being Black at a white school district, you feel targeted about a lot of things. They point you out for everything. And every little thing, every little mess up you do, it’s like you’re targeted.”

    This issue extends beyond Allegheny County. A 2023 U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that Black girls were referred to law enforcement at schools at three times the rate of white girls. Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Plan for the same year revealed that while Black youth constitute only one in seven of the state’s youth population, they account for nearly a third of all youth arrests. Olivia’s mother, Pauline McKnight, is working to pay off her daughter’s fines and hopes to foster unity among young Black women to navigate and resist a flawed justice system.

    What are your thoughts on these findings? How can communities work towards creating a more equitable justice system for young people? Share your perspectives in the comments below!