In a political climate where optics often outpace outcomes, the Trump administration’s decision to allocate nearly $500 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges left many in the education world stunned—and suspicious.

Say what you want about the Trumps (and I’ve said plenty), but Donald Trump had Ivanka in the West Wing, Jared running foreign policy, and Don Jr. and Eric holding down the business empire.

Smollett’s case cuts deep for fans, especially Black queer folks who saw him as an icon. His sudden fall from grace hit harder because we wa