The Feed:
15-Year-Old Aiden Griffin’s Lemonade Stand Is Community
Fifteen-year-old Aiden Griffin has spent his summer doing something simple, powerful, and worth celebrating: selling lemonade in community. Raising money for school clothes and a scooter, Aiden is showing pride, focus, and purpose one cup at a time.
Mitch McConnell Was Hospitalized. Here’s Why You Don’t Have to Care.
Nicole Tate-Alvarez takes on Mitch McConnell’s hospitalization with a sharp reminder: medical privacy matters, but so does public memory. His health may be private, but his record on health care, power, and hypocrisy is not.
The Lie Called Independence Day
Eugene Collins Jr. reflects on his July 4 appearance on Live! Special in Lafayette, challenging the meaning of Independence Day for Black America and calling for real representation, power, justice, and truth beyond symbolic celebrations.
Rep. Vanessa LaFleur Warns Louisiana: Don’t Take Your Foot Off the Gas
In a conversation with Dr. Mia Crawford Johnson, State Rep. Vanessa Caston LaFleur breaks down the last legislative session, the redistricting fight, criminal justice concerns, and why Louisiana communities cannot afford to let up now.
Did Anybody Pick Elizabeth’s Ass Up Yet?
Louisiana’s top law enforcement voice may now have to answer questions of her own. Lael Montgomery breaks down the reported indictment surrounding Attorney General Liz Murrill with his signature sharp edge, asking whether accountability works the same when power is the one under pressure.
Maurice Parms Should’ve Already Been Under the Jail
Lael Montgomery breaks down the court records behind Maurice Parms’ past charges and asks the hard question the community deserves answered: why was he free after so many warning signs?
Youth Worker Reports Assault at Baton Rouge Marathon
A local youth service worker says he was assaulted at a Baton Rouge Marathon gas station near the Greyhound station. As details remain limited, community members are asking for clarity, fairness, and a full understanding of what happened.
Zachary School System Lying and Hiding Again
The Zachary School System is facing new questions after board members said they were not informed about a serious bus incident until reading about it in the news. For parents and the community, the issue is bigger than the incident itself. It is about transparency, accountability, and why those trusted to lead were left in the dark.
Vote Yes for Seniors on June 27th
On June 27th, East Baton Rouge voters have a chance to renew a small investment with a major impact. For about $2.28 a month on the average home, the Council on Aging helps provide meals, transportation, senior centers, disaster response, and critical support for thousands of elders across the parish. This is what tax dollars at work should look like.
Pastor Tony Spell Allegedly Whooped a Racist in Central
Pastor Tony Spell is back in the headlines after an alleged confrontation in Central, but sources internal to the church say there is more context behind the arrest. The incident reportedly followed claims that a young man had been making obscene gestures toward Spell’s wife and directing racist remarks at Black members of the church. Spell has been charged, but not convicted, and the case now moves through the legal process.
Watermelon Felon: A Racist Juneteenth Dog Whistle
“Watermelon Felon” is not just an insult. It is a racist dog whistle tied to one of America’s oldest anti-Black stereotypes. Around Juneteenth, the phrase carries even more weight because it reaches back into a history of delayed freedom, stolen labor, Jim Crow mockery, and dignity denied.
Meet Nicole Tate-Alvarez, Collins The Brand’s National Voice
Nicole Tate-Alvarez joins Collins The Brand as National Voice, bringing insight, culture, advocacy, and a strong community-centered perspective to national storytelling. A Baton Rouge native and Southern University graduate, she will cover national issues, movements, people, policies, and cultural moments impacting Black, working-class, and underrepresented communities.
Meet Ronald Haley, Collins The Brand’s Justice Voice
Ronald Haley joins Collins The Brand as Justice Voice, bringing legal insight, public accountability experience, and a justice-centered perspective to the platform. A Baton Rouge advocate, business consultant, community leader, and former civil rights attorney, he will help examine systems, elevate truth, and champion communities seeking fairness and accountability.
Meet Skylar Haley, Collins The Brand’s NextGen Voice
Skylar Haley joins Collins The Brand as NextGen Voice, bringing youth leadership, academic excellence, creativity, and a fresh student perspective to the platform. A Lafayette High School student leader, public speaker, performer, and advocate, she will spotlight student voices, education, service, mentorship, and the next generation of movement builders.
Meet Dr. Mia Crawford Johnson, Collins The Brand’s Political Voice
Dr. Mia Crawford Johnson joins Collins The Brand as Political Voice, bringing experience in public service, education, policy, emergency management, and community resilience. Her work will help examine elections, voting rights, public policy, redistricting, and the power structures shaping underserved communities.
Meet Charles “Carlos” Jean Jr., Collins The Brand’s Sports Voice
Charles “Carlos” Jean Jr. joins Collins The Brand as Sports Voice, bringing a community-centered lens to sports, culture, and impact storytelling. Based in Baton Rouge, he will highlight athletics, leadership, youth development, local athletes, coaches, teams, and the people behind the headlines.
Meet Lael Montgomery, Collins The Brand’s Community Voice
Lael Montgomery, a former Zachary, Louisiana councilman, joins Collins The Brand as Community Voice, bringing public service experience, local leadership, and a grounded perspective to the platform’s community coverage. His work will spotlight neighborhoods, families, local leaders, faith spaces, schools, and everyday people doing meaningful work.
Join Us for Fair Maps Advocacy Day
Tomorrow, communities from across Louisiana will gather at the Louisiana State Capitol for Fair Maps Advocacy Day to demand fair representation and equitable congressional maps. The day begins at 7:00 AM with breakfast and a briefing at 1040 Main Street in Baton Rouge before supporters head to the Capitol for the redistricting session. Advocates, community leaders, and residents will stand together to support testimony, engage the legislative process, and ensure the voices of impacted communities are heard. Redistricting shapes political power, representation, and the future of Louisiana communities — and this Advocacy Day is about making sure fairness remains at the center of that process.
Eugene Collins explains why he’s supporting Nick Albares for U.S. Senate, pointing to years of public service, healthcare advocacy, and a people-first approach to leadership. In this Collins The Brand opinion piece, Collins argues that Louisiana deserves leadership focused on real outcomes, trust, and communities too often left behind.
BRASS Hosts 5th Semi-Annual Tech Telethon for Giving Tuesday
Today is #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to doing good and supporting nonprofits in communities around the world. In recognition of this international movement, BRASS is hosting its 5th Semi-Annual Tech Telethon from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., aiming to raise $5,000 in support of its work.