The U.S. is on the brink of another housing crisis, with over 60,000 people facing eviction as a key federal emergency housing voucher program nears its expiration. In Louisiana, three members of Omega Psi Phi were expelled following the tragic hazing death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson. Meanwhile, France has finally acknowledged the injustice of making Haiti pay for its independence (no mention of reparations). Not all the news was heavy, though—Michelle Obama’s brother had us laughing with a heartwarming story about his first encounter with Barack. Here’s what’s on the radar.
60,000 Americans To Lose Rental Assistance And Risk Eviction Unless Congress Acts
Thousands of families across the U.S. could lose their homes next year as federal funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program runs dry. According to The Associated Press, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has warned that the $5 billion program, created under the 2021 American Rescue Plan, will be out of money by the end of 2025 unless Congress intervenes. The potential cuts would result in one of the largest single-year losses of rental assistance in U.S. history, placing more than 60,000 individuals at immediate risk of eviction.
The program was designed to provide a safety net for people escaping homelessness, domestic violence and human trafficking. Recipients were promised support through the end of the decade, but soaring rent costs have rapidly depleted funds. Now, HUD has advised local housing agencies to prepare for zero additional assistance. “To have it stop would completely upend all the progress that they’ve made,” Sonya Acosta of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities told AP. Housing advocates are particularly concerned about the disproportionate impact on Black women and families, many of whom already face structural barriers to affordable housing and are overrepresented among domestic violence survivors.
Congress has the final say. Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, who helped lead the effort to create the program, is pushing for an $8 billion extension, but the political reality is tense. With a Republican-controlled House prioritizing budget cuts, housing advocates say the road ahead will be difficult. “We’ve been told it’s very much going to be an uphill fight,” said Kim Johnson of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. For people like Daniris Espinal, a mother of two in Brooklyn who used the voucher to escape abuse and find stability, the fear of losing her home is more than financial. “I gained my worth, my sense of peace and I was able to rebuild my identity,” she told AP. “That’s my fear, losing control of everything that I’ve worked so hard for.”
Three Fraternity Members Expelled Following Hazing Death Of Caleb Wilson
Three men arrested in connection with the hazing-related death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson have been expelled from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, according to an update on the organization’s website. The decision comes after an investigation by Baton Rouge authorities into a violent ritual that took place on February 27. The men — Isaiah Smith, 28; Caleb McCray, 23; and Kyle Thurman, 25 — were booked in March following Wilson’s death, which officials say resulted from multiple punches to his chest during a pledging event in a Baton Rouge warehouse.
Court records reviewed by law enforcement reveal that pledges were made to wear gray sweatsuits as part of the process. McCray allegedly delivered four punches to Wilson using boxing gloves before the 20-year-old collapsed. Smith, a graduate student at Southern University, was identified as the “Dean of Pledges” and was reportedly responsible for overseeing the new members, according to reports. This incident has not only raised concerns about hazing practices but also sparked renewed calls for accountability from campus leaders and the community.
Wilson, who graduated from Warren Easton High School in New Orleans and once played trumpet in Southern’s celebrated Human Jukebox band, is being remembered through an anti-hazing campaign led by his family. Electronic billboards honoring his life and sharing a message against hazing were placed in New Orleans’ Central Business District.
France Admits Haiti’s Independence Debt Was Unjust — But Still Sidesteps Reparations
On the 200th anniversary of the document that forced Haiti to pay for its own independence, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly acknowledged the injustice of that debt, but stopped short of issuing an apology or offering reparations. In a statement released on April 17, Macron called France’s 1825 decision to impose a massive financial burden on the newly independent Black nation “the unjust force of history.” According to The Associated Press, he announced the creation of a joint French-Haitian historical commission to examine the countries’ shared past, but did not directly address long-standing demands for repayment.
That 1825 demand, originally set at 150 million gold francs and later reduced to 90 million, was France’s way of compensating itself for the loss of its colony and enslaved labor force. Haiti, the first free Black republic born out of a successful slave revolt, spent more than a century repaying that debt through French and American banks, crippling its economy for generations. Economists say that loss now amounts to billions. “Acknowledging the truth of history means refusing to forget or erase it,” Macron said, while proposing that the new commission offer recommendations to both governments moving forward. Still, his omission of reparations has reignited criticism from many in Haiti and across the diaspora who view recognition without repayment as an incomplete reckoning. France’s acknowledgment comes as Haiti continues to endure deep crises tied directly to its colonial past.
Experts have long pointed to the lasting effects of economic exploitation as a root cause of the country’s instability. Today, gangs control an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince, according to AP, with widespread violence displacing over a million people. Macron’s statement, while a step toward historical accountability, highlights an ongoing tension that many believe symbolic gestures cannot replace material justice. For Black communities globally, especially in the Caribbean, reparations are about restoring dignity, resources and the ability to thrive after centuries of enforced poverty.
Michelle Obama’s Brother Recalls Doubting Her Relationship With Barack Obama At First
Michelle Obama’s brother Craig Robinson shared an honest and funny reflection on his first impression of Barack Obama during the April 16 episode of their podcast, “IMO: Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson.” According to Robinson, when his sister first started dating the man who would eventually become the 44th President of the United States, he didn’t think the relationship would go anywhere.
“Mich starts to date Barack and we don’t know who this guy is. We’re just like, ‘Barack? Who’s got a name like Barack?’” he said. “I’m thinking to myself, it’s gonna last like about a month, like most of your relationships did.” Michelle quickly corrected him, insisting, “I had many a long-term boyfriend.” But the siblings didn’t quite agree on how serious those relationships were. Their mom, however, was more open-minded early on, jokingly pointing out that Barack at least had height going for him. “’Ooo, at least he’s tall,’ because Mich was usually posting up her other boyfriends,” Robinson recalled. Still, even with her mom’s approval, he said, “It’s too bad it’s not gonna last.”
But Robinson changed his mind after inviting Barack to play pickup basketball, a move encouraged by their late father. “You could tell a lot about somebody by how they played,” he said. “He’s left-handed, so he couldn’t go right at all, but most importantly, he was a team player. He fit in with the people.” That moment sealed it for Craig, who later told Michelle everything checked out. The Obamas married in 1992 and went on to build a family and legacy that’s impacted the world far beyond that first game of basketball.
Trump Extends Federal Hiring Freeze, Limiting New Government Jobs Until July
Donald Trump has extended the federal hiring freeze on civilian government jobs through mid-July, continuing a policy that began on his first day in office, according to a White House fact sheet released on April 17. Originally set to expire April 20, the hiring pause, first put in place in January, affects nearly all executive departments and agencies, regardless of how their work is funded. The fact sheet notes that agencies cannot fill vacant roles or create new ones, with limited exceptions for jobs related to immigration enforcement, public safety and national security.
“This freeze continues to apply to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding,” it reads. Once the freeze ends, most agencies will be allowed to hire only one employee for every four who leave, and only if a merit-based hiring plan is in place. The administration says this approach is part of its ongoing effort to curb the size of the federal workforce and focus on private-sector job growth. The White House framed the extension as a move to “restore efficiency and accountability” while cutting back on wasteful spending.
According to the memo, Trump is pushing to reduce “duplicative programs and frivolous expenditures” and streamline government through voluntary employee buyouts, hiring limits and broader deregulation. These steps, the administration says, are meant to align government spending with what it calls the real needs and values of the American people.
NYC Council Calls For Urgent Investment In Black Maternal Health
In recognition of Black Maternal Health Week, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams joined council members, healthcare workers and advocates at City Hall on April 17 to renew calls for long-term investment in Black maternal health. According to a City Council press release, the gathering focused on outlining policy and budget priorities that aim to reduce the stark disparities in pregnancy-related outcomes for Black women and birthing people—who are six times more likely to die from these causes than white New Yorkers. “During Black Maternal Health Week, we honor the lives lost due to pregnancy-related causes with our commitment to ending the public health emergency that is maternal mortality,” said Adams. “Through sustained commitment to overcome the decades of challenges that drive this crisis, we can end maternal mortality and improve health outcomes for Black women and other women of color.”
The Council’s Maternal Health Steering Committee, formed in 2024, has proposed several legislative and budget measures for inclusion in the upcoming city and state budgets. These include full Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services at community health centers, annual increases to Temporary Disability Insurance benefits, and automatic Medicaid coverage for blood pressure monitors for pregnant patients. The Council also urged Mayor Adams’ administration to restore $13.3 million in previously cut maternal health funding and invest an additional $2.4 million in outreach and services. Another $5 million has been requested to ensure at least one maternal health-focused psychologist is placed in every NYC Health + Hospitals maternity ward.
Council members emphasized that maternal mortality is deeply personal and preventable. “Every loss of life represents a family and a community torn apart from needless and preventable tragedy,” said Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala. Advocates like Shawnee Benton Gibson, whose daughter Shamony Makeba Gibson died after childbirth complications, reminded city leaders that the crisis demands urgent and continuous action. “If Black and Brown women and birthing people cannot navigate pregnancy, birthing and postpartum safely, then people like my daughter… will continue to die preventable deaths,” she said. From legislative efforts to community outreach, the message from the Council was clear: supporting Black maternal health isn’t optional; it’s essential for the future of New York City.