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“I just feel happy,” said Osaka, 27, “because I feel like all of my hard work is amounting to something.” - After time away for mental health and motherhood, she’s back in the US Open’s fourth round against Coco Gauff.
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Good morning, BFA Fam! Do you believe in ghosts? In South Carolina, many say the restless spirit of Willie Earle still haunts the old Pickens County Jail — now a museum — where he was dragged out by a white mob in 1947, brutally lynched, and denied justice when an all-white jury set his killers free. Paranormal investigators claim to hear his cries of innocence, keeping his story alive as both a haunting legend and a stark reminder of America’s racial past.
MAIN STORY
🔥 Black First, Excellent Always: Why the Order Matters
⚡ THE SPARK
“Be excellent first, then be Black.” That’s the viral clip from Ray Daniels at InvestFest, and it set social media on fire. A year earlier, Wallo267 made waves when he argued that blindly supporting Black businesses was just “finesse,” drawing sharp pushback from Marc Lamont Hill and Tariq Nasheed. And years before that, Forbes published an op-ed warning that our obsession with Black excellence was harming us. Different moments, same message: excellence, dollars, and humanity are only valid when detached from community. That’s not just wrong, it’s dangerous.
🧠 THE LAYER BELOW
No other group is told to separate excellence from identity; only Black people are told, “don’t be a monolith.”
Eastern European Jews don’t dilute their identity for Black Jews, and white finance bros don’t line up behind HBCU grads, so why are we asked to erase ourselves?
The Black dollar only circulates for 6 hours in our communities, compared to 17–30 days in others; that’s the crisis, not our “excellence.”
Wallo’s point about quality control has merit, but abandoning Black businesses outright is reckless when we’re fighting to build economic ecosystems.
Forbes was right: the obsession with “Black excellence” creates pressure to overperform, punishes imperfection, and makes humanity conditional.
An “average” Black person loyal to community strengthens us more than an “exceptional” one who reinvests nothing back.
History proves progress comes from collective power, Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights, Black Wall Street, movements, not lone stars.
🎯 THE REAL QUESTION
If other groups protect their identity first, why should Black people ever be asked to put Blackness second in order to be considered “excellent”?
🔮 WHAT’S NEXT
It’s time to flip the order: Black first, excellent always. Because excellence without Blackness is just empty applause, and Blackness without community is powerless.
The real win isn’t proving ourselves to outsiders; it’s keeping our dollar alive longer, uplifting everyday people, and dropping the isolationist mindset that weakens us. No slogan, no performance, no single superstar can replace what we gain through unity.
Excellence isn’t what makes us worthy. Our allegiance to each other does.
CAST YOUR VOTE
Do you think "Black people are not a monolith" helps or hurts us?
Keep This Stock Ticker on Your Watchlist
They’re a private company, but Pacaso just reserved the Nasdaq ticker “$PCSO.”
No surprise the same firms that backed Uber, eBay, and Venmo already invested in Pacaso. What is unique is Pacaso is giving the same opportunity to everyday investors. And 10,000+ people have already joined them.
Created a former Zillow exec who sold his first venture for $120M, Pacaso brings co-ownership to the $1.3T vacation home industry.
They’ve generated $1B+ worth of luxury home transactions across 2,000+ owners. That’s good for more than $110M in gross profit since inception, including 41% YoY growth last year alone.
And you can join them today for just $2.90/share. But don’t wait too long. Invest in Pacaso before the opportunity ends September 18.
Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.
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THE FLIP SIDE
💰 Kanye West Slapped With $52K Legal Bill Over Donda Drama. Ye is back in court headlines, this time for skipping out on discovery in a copyright suit tied to his 2021 Donda tracks “Hurricane” and “Moon.” A judge just hit Ye and his companies with $52,015 in legal fees after ruling his team stalled the process. The lawsuit, filed by Artist Revenue Advocates, claims the tracks pulled from DJ Khalil’s work without proper clearance, allegedly raking in $15M. (Hot Now Hip Hop)
💉 Trump Demands COVID Vax Receipts: “Justify Your Success!”. President Trump is putting Big Pharma on blast, demanding Pfizer, Moderna, and other drugmakers release proof their COVID shots actually “saved millions.” The fiery Truth Social post comes days after Trump fired CDC Director Susan Monarez over a vaccine clash with RFK Jr., sparking resignations inside the agency. With the CDC “ripped apart” and new vax limits set by the FDA, Trump insists Americans deserve answers, and wants them “NOW.” (USA Today)
🪙 Trump vs. The Fed: How a Power Grab Could Hit Your Wallet. Trump’s push to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook, the first Black woman on the board, has economists warning the central bank’s independence is “hanging by a thread.” If Trump gains control, experts say he could force deep rate cuts, juicing the economy short-term but fueling long-term inflation. That means higher mortgage, car loan, and credit card costs for everyday Americans, a Turkey-style meltdown in the making. (Yahoo Finance)
⚖️ Shutdown Showdown: Congress Returns to Chaos After Recess. After a month off, Congress is back, and the clock is ticking on a Sept. 30 shutdown. Republicans just scored Trump’s tax-and-spending cuts, but now they need Democrats to keep the government open. Add in fights over stalled nominations, RFK Jr.’s controversial CDC shakeup, Russia sanctions, Epstein files, and probes into Biden’s mental fitness, and Washington’s September is already looking like a political powder keg. (AP News)
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Ruth & Boaz | Official Trailer
Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin are teaming up for Ruth & Boaz, a modern-day spin on the biblical love story that’s bringing major faith, feels, and star power to Netflix. With Serayah and Tyler Lepley leading the cast and Phylicia Rashad narrating, the trailer teases a sweeping romance set in Tennessee that blends love, loss, and second chances. Backed by Perry and Franklin’s first-look deal with Netflix, the film drops Sept. 26, and it’s already shaping up to be fall’s must-watch love story.
