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I recently attended the Stablecon Conference in New York City — an event that now seems like a prelude to the GENIUS Act...
07/07/2025

I recently attended the Stablecon Conference in New York City — an event that now seems like a prelude to the GENIUS Act’s passage.

What is the GENIUS Act? A significant piece of fiscal legislation that aims to aid in these efforts by introducing a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins — digital tokens pegged to the value of a fiat currency, like the U.S. dollar.

What this bill does is give banks, corporations, and other regulated institutions the green light to issue their own stablecoins.

Provided, they are backed 1:1 by cash or equivalent reserves and meet rigorous compliance standards.

While the bill has yet to be voted on in the House, it has bipartisan support, like that of Sen. Cory Booker.

Read the full story by Duane K. Reed on Ark Republic today. Pay attention to the changing financial system.

https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/07/07/u-s-senate-passes-genius-act-paving-way-for-regulated-stablecoins/

Fourth of July reads differently to many. For Black New Jerseyans, a task-force's recent study reveals systemic barriers...
07/03/2025

Fourth of July reads differently to many.

For Black New Jerseyans, a task-force's recent study reveals systemic barriers keeping them trapped in a racial wealth gap, strengthening the case for reparations.

In New Jersey alone, there exists “one of the largest, if not the largest, racial wealth gap in the country, that $643,000 [gap]."

"We are living in the world that slavery made, [but] we [also] want to live in the world that reparations made,” affirms Jean-Pierre Brutus, PhD, senior counsel of the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice (NJISJ) and convenor for the New Jersey Reparations Council.

Little is known about New Jersey’s entanglement with slavery. A common misconception being that since it is located in the North, it was never a slave state.

However, New Jersey not only had slavery, but was the last state in the North to abolish it.

In fact, bo***ge was not outlawed there until January 23, 1866, ten months after the Civil War came to end on April 9, 1865.

Anti-Black legislation was embedded early on in the Colonial era, with NJ passing strict laws regarding the capture of fugitive slaves, the ban on free Black people from owning property and fi****ms.

This served to disenfranchise free Blacks from being able to vote and participate in public office. Activists argue that those barriers are embedded in disparities today.

Read the full story today by Matthew Gamble on Ark Republic: https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/07/03/new-jersey-reparations-on-the-heels-of-u-s-independence-day/

As of Thursday morning, the City of Philadelphia and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Di...
07/03/2025

As of Thursday morning, the City of Philadelphia and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 (DC33) have yet to reach an agreement in its ongoing negotiations.

Since Tuesday, the union has been participating in a work stoppage that has either shuttered or significantly slowed down public services in the city. It is the first major strike since 1986.

Mayor Cherelle Parker underscored that her administration “put its best offer on the table” and is committed to giving DC33 “a fair and fiscally responsible contract.”

So far, the 9,000 municipal workers voiced dissatisfaction in the bargaining. Greg Boulware, president of DC33 said that “there’s something wrong when you live in the sixth largest city in the country … [and] are the working poor of the city.”

At the crux of the collective bargaining talk is pay.

Mayor Parker proposed a 13% pay increase.

DC33 countered with an 8% annual raise for the next three years. Plus, the union wants provisions in the agreement that pay them for being essential employees, and better healthcare benefits.

Ranging from library workers to staffers in the sanitation department, the most blue-collar union stated in its proposal to the city that they “faithfully provide valuable services" in all types of weather and safety conditions.

Read the full story in Fresh Off The Press today on Ark Republic

https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/07/03/negotiations-ongoing-between-philadelphias-mayor-cherelle-parker-and-blue-collar-union/

even weeks of trial and several days of juror deliberations ended in hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs being found guilty...
07/02/2025

even weeks of trial and several days of juror deliberations ended in hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs being found guilty of two out of five charges.

While being found guilty in two counts of transportation for purposes of prostitution, each carrying up to 10 years, they are the lesser charges compared to racketeering conspiracy and two counts of s*x trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carried a maximum sentence of life.

The decision was met with cheers from fervent Combs supporters, and disappointment for those who thought he should be held accountable for years of criminal activity.

Combs' defense asked the judge that the Bad Boy executive be released on a $1 million bail immediately. He has been in jail since September 16, 2024.

His lawyers request that he wait for sentencing at home with the agreement that he only can travel between his Los Angeles and Miami estates; and his passport would be revoked.

The prosecution disagreed.

The highly publicized proceedings brought courtroom drama, and even more, some sordid details of Diddy’s lifestyle.

From “Free Diddy” campaigners yelling in court, to his preference of urinating in the mouth of his former paramour, Cassandra Ventura.

Outside of the Federal District Courthouse in Lower Manhattan where the trial was held, a female reveler and popular Youtuber, Armon Wiggins doused themselves with baby oil.

At press time, both parties await the judge’s decision.

https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/07/02/sean-diddy-combs-prostitution-charges-stick-acquitted-of-racketeering-and-s*x-trafficking/

Named after the famous, fictional hidalgo Don Quixote – protagonist of the family’s favorite novel – the island’s signat...
06/28/2025

Named after the famous, fictional hidalgo Don Quixote – protagonist of the family’s favorite novel – the island’s signature spirit, Don Q, lives up to the legend behind its name.

At its core, Don Q is a brand about custom. It is made traditionally, all the while, having maintained long-term family ownership, a rare feat.

Drinking Don Q is a pleasure like other spirits in the industry, but to experience Don Q is to experience Puerto Rican tradition.

The distiller has been using the original rum recipe throughout its legacy, dating back to the 19th century. T

he original distillery used to produce it, Serrallés Rum Distillery, was founded in 1865 and remains in use today. Although the name of the brand was presented officially in 1936, the spirit has always been the same and is the oldest one from the island.

Puerto Rican law states that all rum must be aged for a minimum of one year in a barrel, and that legislation has also shaped the production and identity of Don Q.

Read the full story today on Ark Republic: https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/05/03/don-q-a-look-at-puerto-ricos-legendary-yet-elusive-rum-brand-the-family-and-tradition-behind-it/

What ties South Carolinians to the people who call Barbados and Bahamas home? Obviously, a lot.Rice and sugarcane to the...
06/28/2025

What ties South Carolinians to the people who call Barbados and Bahamas home? Obviously, a lot.

Rice and sugarcane to the Gullah Geechee language make up some of the significant ties between Black peoples from the Lowcountry region of the Carolinas and Barbadians in the Caribbean. Considering the groups’ historical entanglements, their similarities have roots that are far from coincidental and go deeper than the indigo cultivated in the regions.

“Barbados is South Carolina…[it] is the colony that creates the Carolinas,” shares Sean Palmer, the executive of the YMI Cultural Center in Asheville, North Carolina. “[I]n fact, [they are] like cousins.”

Read the full story by Tashanta Snyder for our Ark Weekender story. https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/06/12/look-ya-connecting-black-american-and-caribbean-culture-in-the-lowcountry/

Like all of Europe, Italy is diversifying. Because of its proximity to Africa, and other Mediterranean countries, it has...
06/27/2025

Like all of Europe, Italy is diversifying. Because of its proximity to Africa, and other Mediterranean countries, it has a growing immigrant communities more than other nations.

For decades, citizenship has been a hotbed issue. But, why does it matter. Many countries in the world, like Italy, look to the U.S. for some of their domestic policies, like race relations such as immigration.

Last year, pro-migrant groups and proponents collected enough signatures to trigger the inclusion of questions on the 2025 Italian Referendum calling to ease Italy's strict citizenship laws for foreigners along with work-related rules.

The vote aimed to reduce the residency requirement to attain citizenship – from 10 to five years – and to enhance job protections for workers across the board.

If passed, it would impact about 2.5 million people. In addition, it would have bestowed the same newfound national status to their children.

Yet, earlier this month, due to a low voter turnout, the referendum fell through.

People like popular social media start, Khaby Lame who is of Senegalese descent, but reared in Italy, are in a precarious situation.

Read the full story by our international reporter, Nyawira Mithayo who lives in Rome, is from Kenya, and reports on Europe and Africa.

https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/06/27/italys-failed-citizenship-referendum-and-its-divided-path-to-union/

Mayor Ras J. Baraka expressed that he is “glad that the U.S. Attorney has agreed that [the misdemeanor trespassing] case...
06/13/2025

Mayor Ras J. Baraka expressed that he is “glad that the U.S. Attorney has agreed that [the misdemeanor trespassing] case [against him] should be dismissed.”

However, the Department of Justice has another elected official in their sights for the confrontation that took place at the Delaney Hall U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on May 9 in Newark.

Alina Habba, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey said in a release that she is charging Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) “for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement.”

Rep. McIver was arrested and released on her own recognizance. “The charges against me are purely political—they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,” she said in a release.

Read the full story today on Ark Republic: https://www.arkrepublic.com/2025/05/23/justice-department-charges-lamonica-mciver/

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Ark Republic started out as a twinkle in my eye.

I noticed a vacuum in mainstream media.

It rarely featured the complex lives and perspectives of the people I interviewed, or the issues we found critical in navigating the world.

Then, friends and colleagues expressed disappointment in the media landscape. For us, news turned into either, partisan politics or entertainment journalism. Repeatedly, I asked, “Where were ourstories? Where were we?” And often, after I read or watched the news, I finished unsatisfied.