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Austin Metcalf's accused killer Karmelo Anthony needs support fighting ‘white supremacy' after murder indictment: spox

Austin Metcalf's accused killer Karmelo Anthony needs support fighting ‘white supremacy' after murder indictment: spox

New York Post4 hours ago

The spokesman for the family of Karmelo Anthony launched into yet another racial tirade after the 18-year-old was indicted Tuesday for allegedly stabbing Frisco, Texas, track star Austin Metcalf to death.
Shortly after the indictment, Dominique Alexander, founder and president of the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), took to X to announce that 'the legal process will move forward toward trial.'
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'This case involves multiple minors and sensitive details that I cannot and will not speak about publicly,' he said. 'That is why, from the beginning, I have refused to let this be tried in the court of public opinion.'
Alexander then spoke directly to those who he says have 'targeted' Anthony.
'To the racists, the bigots, and those filled with hate who've targeted Karmelo, his family, and even myself – you do not intimidate us. We are not backing down.
'This case is yet another example of what it means to be Black in America, where even our self-defense is questioned, scrutinized and politicized. My involvement – like many others — came as a direct response to the overwhelming hate, threats and outside influence that have surrounded this case since day one.'
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He then asked Anthony's supporters for prayers, to support due process, and to '[s]tand with us in the fight against white supremacy.'
5 Karmelo Anthony stands next to Minister Dominique Alexander after the teen was bailed out of jail in April 2025.
@niquealex/Instagram
NGAN reiterated Wednesday that it is 'committed to ensuring that Karmelo receives a fair trial and that this case is not tried in the court of public opinion,' but declined to comment further.
Anthony's lawyer, Mike Howard, said the case isn't about race.
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'The factual and legal issues involved in this case are not about race. The case involves two kids, one white, one black, so it's understandable that some people would make it about race or discuss it in terms of race,' Howard told Fox News Digital by email. 'To be very clear, we don't see this as a case about race. The law applies to every person, regardless of their race, equally. We have faith in the people of Collin County to apply the law blindly.'
5 Austin Metcalf was fatally stabbed during a high school track and field meet in Frisco, Texas on April 2, 2025.
@Jeff Metcalf/Facebook
5 Anthony was indicted on a first-degree murder charge on June 24, 2025.
Collin County
Anthony is facing a first-degree murder charge for allegedly stabbing and killing Metcalf, 17, during a dispute at a track meet on April 2.
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Metcalf's father, Jeff Metcalf, has spoken on behalf of the Metcalf family in the wake of the fatal stabbing.
'Don't really care what he has to say,' he bluntly told Fox News Digital on Wednesday when asked about Alexander's online post.
After Tuesday's indictment, Metcalf said he was happy that the legal process is moving forward, but that nothing will bring Austin back.
'I am pleased that we are moving forward,' he told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. 'With the first-degree murder indictment, it now goes into the court system. I fully believe that justice will be served for Austin Metcalf. I look forward to the forthcoming trial. But it will never bring my son back.'
Alexander has made racially charged comments about the case since stepping in as the Anthony family's spokesman.
After Anthony's bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000 in April, a press conference hosted by Alexander and NGAN devolved into chaos when Jeff Metcalf showed up.
Metcalf was quietly escorted out by Dallas police, but subsequently, Alexander used the conference to attack Metcalf and discuss race.
Advertisement
'What he has felled [sic] into is the political operatives that want to make this thing a political thing of hate and yet bigotry and yet racism,' Alexander said, accusing Metcalf of being 'disrespectful to the dignity of his son.'
5 Jeff and Austin Metcalf after a Frisco Memorial Football game.
GoFundMe
'Because these racist bigots try to prevent us from standing up for our baby, our boy, he should be afforded the same rights that Kyle Rittenhouse had, Daniel Penny and all the people who have claimed whatever their defense was – he should be afforded the same right,' Alexander said later in the press conference.
The arrest report from the April incident said Anthony 'grabbed his bag, opened it and reached inside it' and told Metcalf, 'Touch me and see what happens.'
Advertisement
5 Anthony's lawyer Mike Howard speaks to reporters after the teen was released on bail.
FOX 4 KDFW
In the next moment, a witness told police that Anthony 'reached into his bag and the male took a knife out of the bag and stabbed Austin.'
One officer at the scene referred to Anthony as the alleged suspect, and Anthony made a 'spontaneous statement,' according to the report: 'I'm not alleged, I did it.'

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Trump will end crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. But L.A. has options for those in need
Trump will end crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. But L.A. has options for those in need

Los Angeles Times

time13 minutes ago

  • Los Angeles Times

Trump will end crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. But L.A. has options for those in need

A national hotline will no longer provide services specifically for LGBTQ+ youths in crisis. The Trump administration is ending that support next month. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has counselors for anyone in emotional distress or contemplating suicide but also has connected LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained counselors. Research has shown this population experiences significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation. But that specialized service will end July 17. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which funds the 988 hotline, said in a statement that callers would no longer have the option to 'press 3' for LGBTQ+-specific services. The agency said it would not 'silo LGB+ youth services' but rather focus on serving all who are seeking help. For members of the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles, there are other options, with specifically trained mental health counselors. But advocates for the 988 service say its loss will leave a hole in crisis intervention. This is one more way that people are going to feel like they're not seen, aren't sure of where to reach out for help or don't feel safe enough to seek support, said Terra Russell-Slavin, chief impact officer with the Los Angeles LGBT Center. They noted that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announcement used the acronym 'LGB+.' Despite trans youth being a group vulnerable to suicidal ideation, they said, 'they literally ... removed the word 'trans' from the purpose of the hotline.' In less than 30 days, the program that 'has provided life-saving services to more than 1.3 million LGBTQ+ young people' nationwide will no longer be available for those who need it,' said Jaymes Black in a statement. Black is chief executive of the Trevor Project, which has been providing counseling targeted at LGBTQ+ youth through the 988 hotline since 2022. 'The administration's decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible,' Black said. Linda Yoon, founder of Yellow Chair Collective, said the Trevor Project has been a lifesaving resource for many queer youth, including some of the collective's clients. The group provides LGBTQ+ affirming counseling among other services and focuses on providing mental health support for Asian American and multicultural populations. 'Losing that federally funded support is incredibly concerning,' Yoon told The Times. 'These specialized services exist for a reason — they meet needs that general services often overlook or are unequipped to address.' Queer youth experience significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation than their non-LGBTQ+ peers, experts say. More than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people in the United States seriously consider suicide each year, and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds, according to the Trevor Project. Yoon and her team see youths in crisis in their clinical work. 'Many of our LGBTQ+ youth clients come in with more complex, high-risk cases,' she said, 'especially when they come from unsupportive or unsafe family environments — which, unfortunately, still happens far too often.' More than 50 queer youths seek services from Yellow Chair Collective per year, and many are looking for support after a crisis or when they've struggled to access the care they need elsewhere. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was a resource that the collective made known to clients. Going forward, the group will refer them to the Trevor Project, which Yoon said would continue to offer crisis support independently, 24/7. The Trevor Project can be reached at (866) 488-7386. You can also text or chat. In 2022, about 17 years after the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was launched with a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 988 began the pilot phase of its specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth. At the time, the Trevor Project served as the sole provider of the services. Eventually it was one of seven centers providing help. Last year, according to the Trevor Project, its counselors helped an estimated 500,000 people — nearly half of whom came through the 988 hotline. At the local level, the Los Angeles County Mental Health Department offers a crisis helpline that's staffed 24/7 to connect residents with resources including mental health professionals with specific training and programs designed for LGBTQ+ individuals and families. Yoon still fears the consequences of losing the 988 service for high-risk queer youth. Its help has been not only tailored but also prompt. 'We know in a crisis being able to respond within a timely manner is very important,' she said. As for Russell-Salvin, they worry about the moment of crisis, when the right contact can make all the difference. They fear that having to find a new, appropriate number to call could be one obstacle too many. 'All of those things are just going to create more barriers,' they said, 'and those barriers are part of what's contributing to the harm.' Los Angeles County's Alternative Crisis Response: Through this program, you can access the county's 24/7 helpline at (800) 854-7771 to connect with culturally responsive services and resources, including mental health professionals specifically trained and programs that are specially designed for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Trevor Project: The project provides crisis services and peer support nationwide. You can access services by texting 'START' to 678-678, calling the hotline at (866)-488-7386 or by live chatting with a professional online. Trans Lifeline: The grassroots hotline and nonprofit organization offers direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis. You can call the hotline, (877) 565-8860, Monday through Friday for assistance between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific. There are certain holidays that the hotline is closed; a complete list can be found online. Desi LGBTQ+ Helpline: DEQH offers free, confidential, culturally sensitive peer support, information and resources for LGBTQ+ South Asian individuals and families. You can get in touch with trained volunteers by filling out an online form or by calling (908) 367-3374 on Thursday and Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. Pacific. Los Angeles LGBT Center: At its 10 locations, the center offers housing, legal aid, healthcare and mental health services to youth and adults who identify as part of the queer and trans communities. A full list of services can be found online or by calling (323) 993-7400. APLAHealth: At eight locations in Los Angeles and Long Beach, the provider offers healthcare, mental health, food, housing and other support services to the LGBTQ+ community. You can make an appointment for a specific service online. Yellow Chair Collective: The team is trained in and practices culturally responsive, trauma-informed, LGBTQ+ affirming counseling and psychotherapy services. The practice specializes in serving Asian American and multicultural clients. You can learn more about their services or schedule an appointment online. Planned Parenthood: Participating locations provide mental and physical health resources for LGBTQ+ community members. Resources include support groups for queer youth ages 14 to 21 and gender-affirming healthcare. You can view all services and make an appointment at a local healthcare facility online. CalHOPE: California offers online mental health support for youth and young adults through CalHOPE at (833) 317-4673; callers can also find guides to queer specific mental health services.

‘They're Not Asking For A Seat At The Table. They're Rebuilding It Entirely' – Meet The Black Women Rewriting The Future Of AI
‘They're Not Asking For A Seat At The Table. They're Rebuilding It Entirely' – Meet The Black Women Rewriting The Future Of AI

Elle

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  • Elle

‘They're Not Asking For A Seat At The Table. They're Rebuilding It Entirely' – Meet The Black Women Rewriting The Future Of AI

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the fabric of society whether we like it or not. It goes beyond the friendly tone given to the Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) that we use when planning a trip, or even the type of text message to send to that emotionally unavailable guy who just won't act right. AI is in fact informing decisions about who gets access to healthcare, employment, housing, and ever importantly, freedom. Yet, as the field expands (albeit in an unregulated and exponential rate), so does the urgent need to interrogate who is building these systems and whose values are embedded in the algorithms. In a landscape historically dominated by white and male perspectives, Black women have emerged as critical voices pushing for equity, transparency, and justice in AI. Their presence is not simply symbolic; it is transformative and necessary. Black women in AI are not only contributing technical expertise but also grounding the work in lived experience, historical analysis, and a politics of care that is often missing from the mainstream tech industry. Due to centuries of Anti-blackness coupled with sexism, Black women continue to be at the mercy of oversights in various fields, which can prove detrimental and sometimes fatal. Healthcare is a glaring example of this; in the UK Black women are almost three times more likely to die during or within six weeks of pregnancy compared to white women. The interventions of Black women in AI force us to confront the uncomfortable truth: AI is not neutral. Behind every dataset is a legacy of power, exclusion, and bias. Perhaps no one exemplifies this better throughout my research, than Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League. Her MIT Media Lab research revealed how commercial facial recognition systems failed to accurately detect darker-skinned faces (particularly Black women) forcing major tech companies to reckon with the ethical failures of their software. Buolamwini didn't just diagnose a problem; she sparked a global reckoning. A question that I keep asking is 'how do these companies keep getting it wrong over and over again?' When does the lack of inclusivity in AI stop being a silly faux pas and instead seen as a strategised attempt at erasure. As someone who has built their platform on saying their mind, I am always enamoured by other women speaking up courageously in their field of expertise. That is how I cam across Dr. Timnit Gebru, co-founder of Black in AI, who has fearlessly taken on Big Tech. After being ousted from Google for raising concerns about the risks of large language models, she founded the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) —an independent organisation centering community-rooted, anti-colonial AI research. Why this is important to me personally is because I am regularly chastised by trolls online for 'making everything about race.' What Gebru's work confirmed to me is that without the influence of Black women in tech, more impenetrable racist systems would be built, which could take decades to rectify. Her fearlessness not only exposed systemic racism in Silicon Valley but also offered a blueprint for doing tech differently. Other trailblazers like Mutale Nkonde, founder of AI For the People, and Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble, author of Algorithms of Oppression, are using policy, media, and academia to reveal how AI reinforces existing power structures, and doesn't modernise them. Whether through legislation, books, or public education, they are ensuring that conversations about AI include, and centre Black voices, especially those of Black women. Crucially, these women are not asking for a seat at the table. They are rebuilding the table entirely. In other words, they didn't wait to be invited to do the meaningful work, they got to work regardless. They should be our reminder that the future is not preordained by machines and coded binaries; it's designed by people. And when Black women are included in the creation of that design, the result is not just smarter tech, but fairer, more human systems. I am inspired by these women, not just for what they do, but for how they do it: with integrity, radical imagination, and refusal to be co-opted by the very systems they critique. It is not always easy to raise one's head above the parapet for fear of being seen as an Angry Black Woman. This same spirit fuels my own work, albeit from a different angle. As a writer and cultural commentator, I've chosen to explore similar questions through the lens of science fiction. In my upcoming novel, Awakened, we follow a young Black woman in London who discovers ancient, dormant powers within herself just as Black children begin mysteriously dying, their bodies found by rivers and lakes. A journalist by profession, she begins investigating these tragedies, only to uncover a supernatural conspiracy entangled with real-world systems of neglect and violence. Writing speculative fiction allows me to interrogate reality by bending it. Like one of my favourite authors, Octavia Butler, I'm using genre to ask questions that mainstream narratives often sideline. What does liberation look like in a world that wasn't built with us in mind? How do we reclaim our spiritual and ancestral knowledge in an age of algorithmic erasure? And can we, as Black women, wholly embody the identity of architects of not just resistance—but re-imagination? The parallels between speculative fiction and AI are striking, because both involve world-building. Both carry the power to shape perceptions, define truths, and govern futures. But unlike the opaque algorithms written for the benefit of corporate boardrooms, fiction can make the invisible visible. It can expose the hidden logics that underlie our systems and reframe what's possible—especially when told through the eyes of those most often written out of the future. Black women in AI are shifting the culture from within. I'm doing it through story. We are not anomalies; we are archetypes of a new era. And we are not asking permission. There is an ancient blueprint and it's about time that we remember our place and power within it. Awakened by Kelechi Okafor is out now (Trapeze, £18.99). ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.

Austin Metcalf's accused killer Karmelo Anthony needs support fighting ‘white supremacy' after murder indictment: spox
Austin Metcalf's accused killer Karmelo Anthony needs support fighting ‘white supremacy' after murder indictment: spox

New York Post

time4 hours ago

  • New York Post

Austin Metcalf's accused killer Karmelo Anthony needs support fighting ‘white supremacy' after murder indictment: spox

The spokesman for the family of Karmelo Anthony launched into yet another racial tirade after the 18-year-old was indicted Tuesday for allegedly stabbing Frisco, Texas, track star Austin Metcalf to death. Shortly after the indictment, Dominique Alexander, founder and president of the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), took to X to announce that 'the legal process will move forward toward trial.' Advertisement 'This case involves multiple minors and sensitive details that I cannot and will not speak about publicly,' he said. 'That is why, from the beginning, I have refused to let this be tried in the court of public opinion.' Alexander then spoke directly to those who he says have 'targeted' Anthony. 'To the racists, the bigots, and those filled with hate who've targeted Karmelo, his family, and even myself – you do not intimidate us. We are not backing down. 'This case is yet another example of what it means to be Black in America, where even our self-defense is questioned, scrutinized and politicized. My involvement – like many others — came as a direct response to the overwhelming hate, threats and outside influence that have surrounded this case since day one.' Advertisement He then asked Anthony's supporters for prayers, to support due process, and to '[s]tand with us in the fight against white supremacy.' 5 Karmelo Anthony stands next to Minister Dominique Alexander after the teen was bailed out of jail in April 2025. @niquealex/Instagram NGAN reiterated Wednesday that it is 'committed to ensuring that Karmelo receives a fair trial and that this case is not tried in the court of public opinion,' but declined to comment further. Anthony's lawyer, Mike Howard, said the case isn't about race. Advertisement 'The factual and legal issues involved in this case are not about race. The case involves two kids, one white, one black, so it's understandable that some people would make it about race or discuss it in terms of race,' Howard told Fox News Digital by email. 'To be very clear, we don't see this as a case about race. The law applies to every person, regardless of their race, equally. We have faith in the people of Collin County to apply the law blindly.' 5 Austin Metcalf was fatally stabbed during a high school track and field meet in Frisco, Texas on April 2, 2025. @Jeff Metcalf/Facebook 5 Anthony was indicted on a first-degree murder charge on June 24, 2025. Collin County Anthony is facing a first-degree murder charge for allegedly stabbing and killing Metcalf, 17, during a dispute at a track meet on April 2. Advertisement Metcalf's father, Jeff Metcalf, has spoken on behalf of the Metcalf family in the wake of the fatal stabbing. 'Don't really care what he has to say,' he bluntly told Fox News Digital on Wednesday when asked about Alexander's online post. After Tuesday's indictment, Metcalf said he was happy that the legal process is moving forward, but that nothing will bring Austin back. 'I am pleased that we are moving forward,' he told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. 'With the first-degree murder indictment, it now goes into the court system. I fully believe that justice will be served for Austin Metcalf. I look forward to the forthcoming trial. But it will never bring my son back.' Alexander has made racially charged comments about the case since stepping in as the Anthony family's spokesman. After Anthony's bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000 in April, a press conference hosted by Alexander and NGAN devolved into chaos when Jeff Metcalf showed up. Metcalf was quietly escorted out by Dallas police, but subsequently, Alexander used the conference to attack Metcalf and discuss race. Advertisement 'What he has felled [sic] into is the political operatives that want to make this thing a political thing of hate and yet bigotry and yet racism,' Alexander said, accusing Metcalf of being 'disrespectful to the dignity of his son.' 5 Jeff and Austin Metcalf after a Frisco Memorial Football game. GoFundMe 'Because these racist bigots try to prevent us from standing up for our baby, our boy, he should be afforded the same rights that Kyle Rittenhouse had, Daniel Penny and all the people who have claimed whatever their defense was – he should be afforded the same right,' Alexander said later in the press conference. The arrest report from the April incident said Anthony 'grabbed his bag, opened it and reached inside it' and told Metcalf, 'Touch me and see what happens.' Advertisement 5 Anthony's lawyer Mike Howard speaks to reporters after the teen was released on bail. FOX 4 KDFW In the next moment, a witness told police that Anthony 'reached into his bag and the male took a knife out of the bag and stabbed Austin.' One officer at the scene referred to Anthony as the alleged suspect, and Anthony made a 'spontaneous statement,' according to the report: 'I'm not alleged, I did it.'

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