Aaricka Washington

Mental Health Is Real Wealth: how Black men prioritize healing in a Los Angeles community The bi-monthly group gives Black men a safe space to share, reflect and support each other

Ten years after losing a close friend to suicide, Desmond Carter turned pain into purpose.

Through his group Mental Health is Real Wealth, he’s giving men a space to be honest and unguarded.

My latest story explores how Carter’s work helps men heal.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

AI in Schools: Will ChatGPT Help or Hurt Black Students? Educators are trying to strike a balance between embracing new, potentially biased AI tools and preserving the integrity of learning.

“Besides its propensity for built-in biases, teachers and education experts worry that when it comes to student learning, original thinking, and knowledge retention, AI can be more of a hindrance than a help.” @aarickawash.bsky.social via @wordinblacknews.bsky.social wordinblack.com/2025/08/ai-s...

Opinion | 11 tips for becoming a columnist Here’s my advice for handling the awesome responsibility of this job.

Some professional news: After more than a decade of columnizing at The Washington Post, I'm taking the buyout.
This is my last column. It is my advice to any other lucky pundits who land a perch like this -- with 11 principles I've aspired to, even if I haven't always achieved them:
wapo.st/3TU2fGw

Educators like L.A.-raised Miles Goodloe believe that college is still worth the investment. He’s ensuring that young people know about finances so that they can attend college with accruing as little debt as possible. Watch our latest Take 5 video on www.youtube.com/watch?v=co4Z...

People need to know how Wesley was bullying the reporter for doing his job at WAPO trying to do a story about CPI & how he killed the story because he is friendly with the editor. This reporter left the paper and I don't blame him.

Star journalist Wesley Lowery faced Title IX complaints before leaving American University Lowery resigned after allegations that he made inappropriate sexual comments in meetings with students and unwanted sexual advances toward journalists, records show.

and on that note… someone please ask @washingtonpost.com why they cut Olivia out of their version of this story hours before they published? they had all the same reporting. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

This is true. The Washington Post had everything CJR had from me, also on the record by name.

Three months later after the Eaton Fire, Black Altadeneans wrestle with “in-between” period Families who survived the Eaton Fire struggle with financial hardships, mental health issues, and the difficult decision of whether to rebuild or move, all while navigating the racial wealth gap and…

AfroLA's Aaricka Washington @aarickawash.bsky.social spoke with in-depth with these four families who are committed to rebuilding their homes in Altadena. But how do you rebuild when there are financial, physical and emotional challenges before you lay the first brick? afrolanews.org/2025/04/thre...

Photographer Fatima Hassona killed ahead of Cannes documentary debut The Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassona, killed along with ten family members in an Israeli air strike on her home in northern Gaza, is the star of a documentary due to be screened at the Cannes film festival next month.

"In an earlier post, she wrote: "As for the inevitable death, if I die, I want a loud death, I don't want me in a breaking news story, nor in a number with a group, I want a death that is heard by the world, a trace that lasts forever, and immortal images that neither time nor place can bury."

Three months later after the Eaton Fire, Black Altadeneans wrestle with “in-between” period Families who survived the Eaton Fire struggle with financial hardships, mental health issues, and the difficult decision of whether to rebuild or move, all while navigating the racial wealth gap and i...

Let me know what you think and if you have additional story ideas. afrolanews.org/2025/04/thre...

But the question remains: How do you rebuild when there are financial, physical and emotional challenges before you lay the first brick?

This story is one of many I hope to do as I dig in more to what families are experiencing and who should be held accountable.

These families are wrestling with insurance companies, long wait times for debris cleanup and finding mental health support. All are committed to rebuilding in Altadena.

Three months later, these families find themselves in this "in-between period" -- a time when the influx of donations slows down and the hopes of a fruitful rebuilding process begins.

Three months later after the Eaton Fire, Black Altadeneans wrestle with “in-between” period Families who survived the Eaton Fire struggle with financial hardships, mental health issues, and the difficult decision of whether to rebuild or move, all while navigating the racial wealth gap and i...

For the past few months, I've been following four Black Altadena families who have been deeply impacted by the recent Eaton Fire. afrolanews.org/2025/04/thre...

This past Saturday Reading Rainbow’s LeVar Burton @levarburton.bsky.social made a special visit to the Altadena library’s @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social
reopening ceremony.

AfroLA’s Marina Peña spoke to some of the families there.

#altadena #blacklivesmatter #communityengagement

Frank discussions of risk and danger are commonplace in newsrooms, which is why they also belong in classrooms.

A few words on journalism, risk and what I actually said.

The ASL version of “Not Like Us” is magnificent.

Opinion | The assault on DEI? It’s aimed at resegregation. The GOP leaders attacking inclusion programs want to go back to an era when White men ran everything

My latest.

As journalists and writers, we have a duty to use language that is accurate and describes our current reality.

I’m no longer going to talk about DEI/Anti-DEI.

Let’s be clear. We are facing racial purges and re-segregation.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Trump Says Palestinians Have ‘No Alternative’ but to Leave Gaza: Live Updates

Breaking News: President Trump declared Palestinians had “no alternative” but to leave Gaza, before meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

Just got this tip from an airline pilot

Trump Guts Key Aviation Safety Committee, Fires Heads Of TSA, Coast Guard The committee will technically continue to exist, but it won't have any members to carry out the work of examining safety issues at airlines and airports.

only appropriate political response here is to demand the white house explain how its actions aren’t responsible www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...

Page One in Boston:

@bostonglobe.com

SUBJECT: Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs 'The American people elected Donald J. Trump to be President of the United States and gave him a mandate to increase the impact of every federal taxpayer dollar. In Fiscal Year 2024. of the nearly $10 trillion that the Federal Government spent, more than $3 trillion was Federal financial assistance, such as grants and loans. Career and political appointees in the Executive Branch have a duty to align Federal spending and action with the will of the American people as expressed through Presidential priorities. Financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing Administration priorities, focusing taxpayer dollars to advance a stronger and safer America, eliminating the financial burden of inflation for citizens, unleashing American energy and manufacturing, ending wokeness" and the weaponization of government, promoting efficiency in government, and Making America Healthy Again. The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve. This memorandum requires Federal agencies to identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President's policies and requirements. For example, during the initial days of his Administration, President Donald J Trump issued a series of executive orders to protect the American people and safeguard valuable taxpayer resources, including Protecting the American People Against Invasion (Jan. 20, 2025). Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (Jan 20, 2025), Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements (Jan. 20, 2025). Unleashing American Energy (Jan. 20. 2025). Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (Jan. 20.

ent these orders, each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all jal assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that any of the President's executive orders. In the interian, to the extent applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency nay be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial surice tot foreign nongovernmental organizations, DEL woke gender ideology, and the pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the he temporary pause will become effective on January 28, 2025, at 5:00 rehensive analysis. Federal agencies must immediately deadlines for assistance programs arising while the les must report this information to OMB along with an directs Federal agencies to pause all activities associated conducting merit review panels No later than Febrar - 10. 2025, agencies shail submit to OMB detailed information on any programs projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause. (i) issuance of disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards, and (il) other relevant has reviewed provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information act recordin grant and ptions allowing Federal agencies to issue new awards or take other case basis. To the extent required by law, Federal agencies may continue nistrative actions. such as closeout of Federal awards (2 CFR 200.344), or expressly required by law

NEW — OMB temporarily pauses all agency grants and loans programs.

Per copy of memo: "The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve."

I am a former incarcerated firefighter. I served in a California fire camp from 2009 to 2012.

Misinformation is afire on the internet, so here are facts about the prison firefighter program, all in one place.

A thread.

I am still accepting donations as the L.A. wildfire crisis is ongoing and the impact on communities is astronomical.

Zelle (Preferred): DM me
CashApp: $AarickaWashington
Apple Pay: aarickadani@gmail.com
PayPal: aarickadani@gmail.com
Venmo: @Aaricka-Washington

Platinum in my household

This Sunday, I spent some time chatting with some of the church leaders and members of Bethlehem Church of Christ in Pasadena. Ty is one of the community members I talked to today. As you can imagine,... TikTok video by Aaricka Washington

The need is still astronomical and it will be indefinitely. Here’s what one church member (Ty) said: www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYoeoJKj/

I went to Walmart and got a whole bunch of diapers, feminine necessities, men/women undergarments, socks, deodorants, soap, etc. and sent it to Bethlehem Church of Christ in Pasadena! This will help the Pasadena and Altadena communities 🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿

Remember my L.A. Wildfire Crisis donation call out on Saturday? Guess what, y’all. I received $1,315 in donations to the families impacted by the fires. 🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿