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WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: AUGUST 28, 2026 · What You Need To Know

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  Speaker 1: It's Sybil Wilkes with what we need to know. Today,
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  Speaker 1: we made it. It's Friday, August 28, 2026. Number one,
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  Speaker 1: a severe August storm packing tornado-strength winds caused an extended
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  Speaker 1: blackout across Gary, Indiana, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.
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  Speaker 1: for days and days. Community organizations, faith leaders, and municipal
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  Speaker 1: officials provided food, dry ice, and emergency support as utility
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  Speaker 1: restoration efforts lagged. The prolonged crisis highlights ongoing infrastructure disparities
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  Speaker 1: as high minority communities statistically experience higher rates of extended
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  Speaker 1: power blackouts in cities like Gary, Indiana, as well as Memphis, Tennessee.
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  Speaker 1: Number two. Meanwhile, social media personality Keith Lee pivoted his
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  Speaker 1: Midwest tour to organize a large-scale relief drive for residents
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  Speaker 1: in Gary. Partnering with the Salvation Army and community supporters, Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Lee helped distribute thousands of meals, beverages, and emergency cleanup
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  Speaker 1: kits to families affected by the power outage of 2026
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  Speaker 1: in Gary. The initiative provided critical supplies and financial relief
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  Speaker 1: to assist that community following two weeks without electricity. Number three,
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  Speaker 1: from our Buy Black 365 file, after her newborn son
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  Speaker 1: was diagnosed with eczema, Taylor C. Liddell formulated Goodbye to Dry,
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  Speaker 1: a gentle skincare product line under her brand P2NU Children's Skincare.
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  Speaker 1: Grounded in Liddell's background in biomedical sciences, the formula earned
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  Speaker 1: both the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance and the
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  Speaker 1: Mom's Choice Award. Liddell is also pursuing doctoral research focused
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  Speaker 1: on improving health literacy and clinical support for black caregivers
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  Speaker 1: managing childhood eczema. Nice. Number four. From our Good News file,
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  Speaker 1: Johnson County, Iowa is dedicating the Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson
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  Speaker 1: Plaza in Iowa City, featuring a seven-foot bronze statue to
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  Speaker 1: celebrate the pioneering scholar. You see, in 1941, Dr. Johnson
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  Speaker 1: became the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Iowa.
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  Speaker 1: later developing early black studies curriculum during a distinguished academic career.
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  Speaker 1: Located near her former home, the permanent monument and interpretive
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  Speaker 1: exhibit honor her historic legacy and enduring contributions to higher education.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, ma'am. Number five, Black America, know your history.
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  Speaker 1: It was on this date, August 28th, in 1963, that
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  Speaker 1: an estimated 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for
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  Speaker 1: the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Organized
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  Speaker 1: by civil rights leaders including A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin,
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  Speaker 1: and a number of female leaders as well, including Dr.
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  Speaker 1: Dorothy Height. The rally featured Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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  Speaker 1: 's iconic I Have a Dream speech. Demonstrators and trailblazing
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  Speaker 1: organizers advocated for comprehensive federal legislation to end discrimination in employment, voting,
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  Speaker 1: and education. And they're there again today. celebrating the 63rd anniversary.
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  Speaker 1: Here's your daily inspiration from Yogi's Jewels. Life is a
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  Speaker 1: series of choices. Let's choose to seek wise counsel in
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  Speaker 1: our lives. All right. I'm Sybil Wilkes. Be informed, be empowered.