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Forbes
18 minutes ago
- Forbes
Why S. Epatha Merkerson Gave To Talladega and Why It Matters
S. Epatha Merkerson, offering the commencement address at Talladega College. There are a lot of good things happening at Talladega College. After a period of significant challenges – from declining enrollment to financial strain – the institution is now seeing signs of renewal. Walter Kimbrough, former president of both Philander Smith College and Dillard University, served as interim president and shepherded the college through difficult times. In June, Talladega welcomed Willie Todd Jr. as its 22nd president, beginning a new chapter of leadership. And, just weeks earlier, the small college experienced another powerful and important moment when S. Epatha Merkerson, actress and director, donated $1 million during her commencement address. Her donation serves as an affirmation of Talladega's promise moving forward. Merkerson's relationship with Talladega College began just over a year ago. As she relayed to me, 'I was introduced to the college last year, in 2024, during the Black History Month convocation where alumnus Rockell Metcalf (Class of 1985) was the keynote speaker.' She added, 'He'd asked me to come along to introduce him. He's an old and dear friend, so I knew I couldn't refuse!' Once she arrived on the small college campus, the Talladega students gave Merkerson a tour, and the experience was deeply memorable for her. As she explained, 'That weekend, I was given a tour of the college by two students who presented and represented their campus with such love and pride.' She shared that the inspiration to give to Talladega started with her engagement with students. Actress S. Epatha Merkerson (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage) The passion of the students, paired with Merkerson's conversations with faculty, trustees, and then-interim president Kimbrough, gave her a deeper understanding of the college's legacy as well as its urgent needs. She shared that all of the 'devoted DEGA TORNADOES' spoke of 'the importance of keeping the college operational and how difficult that had become. As Alabama's oldest private historically Black college, Talladega has made a significant impact in our community and in our history.' When Merkerson returned to campus this May 2025 to deliver the commencement address, she no longer felt like a guest. As she told me, 'My connection to the college was solidified this year when I was asked to be the 2025 commencement speaker and received an Honorary Degree. I am now an alumna!' Merkerson added, 'I have had a great career with amazing opportunities. The decision to be of service was an easy one to make, especially now when institutions of higher learning are under attack.' Kimbrough explained that during Merkerson's initial visit with her friend Metcalf, Metcalf's classmate Essye Miller, as well as the board chair Rica Lewis-Payton, "developed a relationship with Ms. Merkerson and discussed her giving the commencement address this year. We learned close to commencement that she planned to give a major gift.' Merkerson's $1 million gift is particularly important in terms of its size, but also in that it is flexible. According to Kimbrough, 'Getting completely unrestricted gifts is rare, especially for institutions with financial difficulties.' He added, 'Ms. Merkerson has allowed us to use the gift as an unrestricted gift initially, and then we will build it out as an endowed scholarship program. We will then use that as a match for another program, which will essentially double the impact of her gift.' Unrestricted giving requires not only generosity but also trust in the institution's leadership, trust in its long-term goals, and trust that one's contribution will meet real, tangible, and growing needs. Merkerson's gift is timely and deeply strategic. It is a lesson in how thoughtful philanthropy can create both an immediate and enduring impact. Walter Kimbrough, former interim president of Talladega College According to Kimbrough, Merkerson's gift offered a broader message as well: 'The message for our community is that despite the challenges, there are people who believe in what we have done throughout our history. If someone new to Talladega can see our worth, those who profess their love must be even more engaged. It will still be up to alumni and friends to fully restore the College, and we can't simply sit back and wait to be bailed out. Having a non-alumnus give a major gift at commencement is extremely rare, so we need to not only say thank you to her, but show our thanks collectively by stepping up our own philanthropy to Talladega.' Merkerson's story is now part of Talladega's story. It is a reminder that relationships, when nurtured with care, can lead to transformation. Her gift comes at the right time and can bolster the agenda and vision of the new president and move the institution forward.
New York Times
22 minutes ago
- New York Times
The Future Looks Dark, but Familiar, in Gary Shteyngart's New Book
VERA, OR FAITH, by Gary Shteyngart One reason Gary Shteyngart's shtick has worn so well is that he's an insistent self-satirist. A few years after publishing his manic-impressive first novel, 'The Russian Debutante's Handbook' (2002), he lampooned it in 'Absurdistan,' his second. The novel, written by 'Jerry Shteynfarb,' is referred to as 'The Russian Arriviste's Hand Job.' It's not a subtle joke, but people can become fond of artists who are aware enough to stay two beats ahead of their detractors. Shteyngart's new novel, 'Vera, or Faith,' offers us another of his many stand-ins. His name is Igor Shmulkin. He's a writer and magazine editor in Manhattan who might put you in mind of David Remnick — if Remnick were Russian, grievously depressed, flatulent and rumpled, carried hipster satchels and smoked a lot of pot. He's like Shteyngart in that he's a martini super-enthusiast and an online 'manfluencer' in the world of expensive pens, the way Shteyngart is for flashy watches. The best thing about Shmulkin — for the reader, at any rate — is that he's a bookshelf spy and a bookshelf fraud. At other people's homes, he orders his kids to surveil the host's copy of Robert Caro's 'The Power Broker' to see if the spine is broken. Before his own parties, he pays them to rearrange his books so that those by women and people of color are at eye level, to better polish his injustice-righting credentials. We're not allowed to get too close to Shmulkin, perhaps for good reason. This slight, only semi-involving novel is one of Shteyngart's darkest. It offers us a futuristic, dystopian version of America. The unthinkable has become the inevitable. Yet dystopias have become the pre-chewed meat at the end of every novelist's fork. This story is owned instead by Shmulkin's 10-year-old daughter, Vera. She's a handful — bright, anxious, lonely, working to keep her splintering family together. One of her closest companions is a chess simulator, Kaspie, named after her hero, the Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Geek Tyrant
28 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Brad Pitt Says Tom Cruise Pulled Out of FORD V FERRARI Because He 'Would Not Be Driving Much' — GeekTyrant
Brad Pitt is currently riding high with the box office success of F1 , but he recently opened up about a racing movie that almost happened over a decade ago, and how Tom Cruise may have walked away from it because he wouldn't be behind the wheel enough. In a recent interview with The National, Pitt revealed that he and Cruise were originally lined up to star in Ford v Ferrari with Joseph Kosinski ( Top Gun: Maverick, F1 ) set to direct. That version never happened, and the film eventually landed with director James Mangold, starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon. But according to Pitt, it wasn't just studio politics or budget battles that killed their version, it was about the cars. 'Tom and I, for a while there, were on Ford v Ferrari with Joe [to direct]. This was about 10 years before the guys who actually made it – and made it a great movie. 'What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive, and [Tom] wanted to play Shelby, and I wanted to play Ken Miles. And when Tom realized that Carroll Shelby would not be driving much in the movie, it didn't come through. 'So I'm not sure how that's going to work [in a potential F1 sequel], but we'll give it a go. I'd love to.' So, I guess if Cruise isn't shifting gears at 150 mph, he's probably not signing on. Pitt is now at the center of the biggest racing movie of the year, with F1 pulling in $144 million worldwide in its opening and Apple already teasing sequel conversations. While he's open to returning, Pitt says the focus of a follow-up should stay on co-star Damson Idris' character, Joshua Pierce. 'I would want to drive again, selfishly speaking. F1 is still the focus. It needs to be on Joshua Pierce – Damson Idris's character – and the rest of the team fighting for a championship. 'Where does Sonny fit in? I'm not sure. Sonny's probably out on the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting speed records or something like that. So I'm not sure beyond that, just yet.' Kosinski has floated a wild crossover sequel idea that could finally get Cruise and Pitt onscreen together, and behind the wheel, in the same movie. His pitch is to see Pitt's Sonny Hayes with Cruise's Cole Trickle from Days of Thunder . The director said: 'Well, right now, it'd be Cole Trickle, who was [Cruise's] Days of Thunder character, we find out that he and [Brad Pitt's] Sonny Hayes have a past. 'They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths. … I heard about this epic go-kart battle on Interview With a Vampire that Brad and Tom had, and who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?' For now, Pitt is just happy F1 crossed the finish line strong. 'We were all a bit white-knuckled to see if it was going to come through. We are delightfully surprised that everything that we had aimed for, and then some, came to fruition. 'Right now, I'm just pleased as punch that something like this can bring people together. That's the power of this kind of cinema.' If you haven't seen F1 yet, get out to the theater and watch it! The movie is awesome!
