Denzel Washington has officially been inducted into one of Broadway’s most cherished traditions. On Monday (June 3), the Oscar-winning actor was honored at Sardi’s in New York City with his very own caricature portrait, commemorating his 2024 turn as Othello on Broadway.

While his performance as Othello didn’t receive a Tony nomination, the Sardi’s tribute is a significant recognition within the theater world. The restaurant’s walls feature generations of Broadway legends, and Washington now joins a revered lineup that includes Angela Bassett, Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, and more.

The ceremony was a family affair, with Washington’s wife Pauletta and daughter Olivia by his side, along with “Othello” co-star Jake Gyllenhaal.

In a playful moment, Washington re-created his viral Cannes red carpet incident, where he checked a too-touchy photographer, with a reporter, showing he hasn’t lost his cool or his humor.

The Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund is gearing up to reopen its applications on June 19, continuing its mission to “rebuild inter-generational land ownership for Black farmers in Detroit.”

Launched in 2020 by the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, and Keep Growing Detroit, the fund has already made a lasting impact, supporting 80 Black farmers in securing nearly 20 acres of land across the city and distributing 239 grants.

This year, the fund is introducing a new twist: a library tour to guide applicants through the process. “It’s about access and awareness,” organizers emphasized. The first stop took place at the Jefferson Branch, with additional stops scheduled at the Douglass (June 25), Parkman (July 7), and Edison (July 23) branches.

On Tuesday (June 3), the Connie Orlando Foundation made its official debut with the inaugural Black Women in Music Dinner, celebrating powerhouse women shaping the industry.

Hosted by comedian Zainab Johnson and presented in partnership with HarbourView Equity Partners, the evening honored Sylvia Rhone, June Ambrose, Ciara, and Phylicia Fant.

Ambrose received the Guardian of Vision Award, presented by Niecy Nash-Betts, who called her “an architect of culture.” Fant, honored with the New Guard Award, moved the room with a poetic speech on survival, ownership, and cultural legacy. Ciara, joined on stage by her daughter Sienna, accepted the Avant-Garde Award from Normani, saying, “This award makes me feel like I’m doing something right.”

The night’s highest honor, the Vanguard Award, went to Rhone. She urged vigilance in protecting the music industry and its future.

The night doubled as a fundraiser for breast cancer prevention and care in Black communities, with founder Connie Orlando noting, “It is a privilege to give these extraordinary women their flowers.”

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The Detroit Institute of Arts is making a powerful statement about representation by acquiring Tiff Massey’s “Baby Bling” for its permanent collection. Museum director Salvador Salort-Pons confirmed the news to The Metro. 

Massey, a Detroit native, earned citywide praise for her 2023 solo show “7 Mile + Livernois,” which transformed the museum into a celebration of Black Detroit culture. The exhibition’s success is seen as a major milestone for the DIA’s IDEA strategy—its ongoing effort to promote inclusion, diversity, and access.

In October, the museum plans to relocate its contemporary African American galleries to a more central space near the iconic Diego Rivera Court, signaling what Salort-Pons calls a “turning point” for the institution.

Massey’s work, which blends jewelry, sculpture, and neighborhood identity, is now part of the legacy the DIA is building, with Detroiters front and center.

Winston-Salem State University graduate Rajah Caruth made history on Friday (May 30) by clinching his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2025 season at Nashville Superspeedway—securing a coveted playoff spot in the process.

The milestone moment received a heartfelt nod on ESPN’s “First Take,” where fellow WSSU alum Stephen A. Smith offered an emotional congratulations.

Before diving into the race recap, the show aired a clip of Caruth thanking Smith directly: “Honestly, Stephen A., I wanted to say thank you for everything you’ve done for Winston-Salem State University and our culture… You’re a great example of living Black history.”

Visibly moved, Smith responded, “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Winston-Salem State… I’m very, very proud of this young man.”  He praised Caruth’s composure during the final stretch of the race, calling it a proud moment not just for Rams everywhere, but for HBCU excellence in a sport still lacking diversity: “Way to go, Rajah. Way to go.”

A 12-year-old boy in Petersburg, Virginia, is being celebrated for his courage after rescuing his grandmother and two baby brothers from a house fire.

On June 3, emergency crews responded to reports of a blaze with “visible flames and heavy smoke” around 8:51 a.m., according to The Progress-Index. By the time they arrived, Ramir Parker had already gotten everyone out.

As the fire sparked from the basement, reportedly caused by an electrical issue, Ramir smelled smoke and sprang into action. “He smelled fire and they went downstairs [thinking] it was his little brothers playing, but it wasn't,” his mother, Andrea Parker, told WTVR-TV.

The young boy saw black smoke rising, alerted his grandmother, then rushed into the smoke-filled living room to scoop up his one- and two-year-old siblings. With glass shattering around them, he led the family to safety.

“In a moment where seconds mattered, he stepped up just like a firefighter would,” Petersburg Fire Rescue wrote in a Facebook post. 

Ramir will be honored at an upcoming award ceremony.