During the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, the female American flag bearer will be Coco Gauff, the 20-year-old tennis star. She will be the youngest flag bearer in American Olympic history. Basketball legend LeBron James has been selected as the male flag bearer.

Gauff said, “I was not expecting that.”

Delighted to be selected, Gauff admitted she has “no idea” what her assignment includes, adding, “I don’t know if there’s flag bearer-training I have to go to.”

James has been to the Olympics four times. He was part of U.S. teams that won bronze in 2004, gold at Beijing in 2008 and gold again in London in 2012.

But this will be his first time as the flag bearer.

He said, “It’s an absolute honor. I hope I continue to make my community proud and continue to make my family proud.”

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It’s been 21 years since Cleashandria Hall disappeared from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Her mother Laurell Hall says she dropped her 18-year-old daughter off at her after-school job and never saw her again. For years, Hall and her family have kept their loved ones name in the media by hosting vigils and events that remind the public of their steadfast hope for answers.

But the attention is unusual. More often than not, experts say Black people who go missing do not receive the coverage as whites.

In October 2023, the state of California passed legislation that alerts the public to the disappearance of young people. It’s called the Ebony Alert, and it hopes to change the narrative about Black youth who are missing but don’t receive the same media coverage as white youth.

“We feel it’s well beyond time that we dedicate something specifically to help bring these young women and girls back home because they’re missed and loved just as much as their counterparts are,” State Senator Steven Bradford said in an interview with NBC News.

The recent docuseries about a California woman who faked her disappearance garnered 3.6 million viewers on Hulu, making it the most popular docuseries ever on the streaming service– a distinction that adds more credibility to the ongoing conversation about the disparities in media coverage and public attention when Black Americans are missing.

 Sherri Papini grabbed the spotlight in 2016 as authorities searched for her before she reappeared and years later admitted the hoax. The popularity of the docuseries has reignited the dismay Black families experience when their loved ones are missing.

According to the Black and Missing Foundation, Black Americans make up 40% of missing Americans but only 13% of the population.  

Foundation Founder Natalie Wilson said, “There’s a need for an Ebony Alert because people of color are disappearing at an alarming rate, and typically their cases are under the radar when it comes to media coverage and getting law enforcement resources.”

The Ebony Alert is activated when local authorities request it because a Black youth is missing, and there is concern the youth has been targeted for trafficking, or foul play is suspected. The Ebony Alert uses electronic highway signs and encouraged radio, TV, and social media and other systems to spread information about the missing persons’ alert.

In 2022, California began the Feather Alert which publicizes the disappearance of Indigenous people.

Pine Bluff, AR —The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) nursing program will receive a $15 million investment to construct a new academic building as part of a major legislative package championed by U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR).

“I’m proud to deliver investments to Arkansas that support growth and development as well as improve the quality of life for Natural State residents. Enhancing UAPB’s ability to provide medical training opportunities will benefit students and help address the shortage of health care providers in communities across our state. I look forward to seeing how a new, technologically advanced facility will serve nursing students and faculty who will, in turn, serve the needs of Arkansas for years to come,” Boozman said.

According to UAPB Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander, the funding represents a major investment that will improve our educational facilities and equipment for preparing future generations of nurses and addressing the health care workforce needs.

“On behalf of UAPB, I would like to express our gratitude to Senator Boozman for his commitment to our institution and to this region of the state,” Dr. Alexander said. “This facility will be a game changer for UAPB. The funds will enable us to build a technologically advanced nursing school facility that will strengthen the university’s role in addressing the nursing shortage and developing and growing the health care workforce across our state.”

UAPB offers two program tracks: a pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and a registered nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (R.N. to BSN) program for nurses who are already licensed. UAPB Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Andrea Stewart, added that “this investment to construct a new technologically advanced facility will enhance the foundation of the nursing pre-licensure baccalaureate program. Additionally, plans are underway to develop and establish new quality health care programs.”

Dr. Brenda Jacobs, Chair of the UAPB Nursing Department, applauded the funding as a key milestone in her plans to strengthen the program. According to Jacobs, the new funding allows UAPB to build upon prior successes, “There is no doubt that this will allow us to significantly enhance our program and recruit a new generation of talented nursing students.”

UAPB Nursing Students in Simulation Lab

The legislation was signed into law on March 23, 2024, as part of funding for health care resources and education, national security, government oversight, and community investments secured for projects across Arkansas. Boozman, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, secured more than $95 million for Arkansas Health Care Resources and Education in the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills.

Alexander said an investment of this magnitude will significantly aid UAPB’s goal of elevating nursing to one of its signature programs. “The great impact of this investment will be felt by the state for many years to come. Such a facility will attract quality students, faculty, and staff and enhance the overall quality of the student experience in the new learning environment,” Alexander said.

The Congressional funds follow a major gift of $1.1 million that the nursing program received in late 2022 from CHI St. Vincent,  a leading regional health network serving Central and Southwest Arkansas, for faculty development, student support, and a variety of other program enhancements. UAPB Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement George Cotton pointed to the future as he assessed the award’s impact. “This level of funding allows UAPB to build a strong case for increased funding in Nursing and STEM. In many ways, this award serves as a catalyst that will attract even greater resources to this great institution.” Cotton stated.

About the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is an 1890 Land-Grant HBCU with a diverse student population, competitive degree offerings and stellar faculty. For 150 years, UAPB has worked to create an environment that emphasizes learning, growth and productivity while affording a basic need to its students: a chance to advance. UAPB offers certificate and associate degree programs, more than 50 undergraduate and master’s degree programs and a doctoral program in Aquaculture/Fisheries. Students are active in more than 100 organizations, including an internationally renowned Vesper Choir, Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South Band, Concert Bands, Wind Symphony and an accomplished athletics program.

Contact Information:

Mary Hester-Clifton

Director of Communications | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

870.575.4602