Every time someone shows real motion, real mass appeal, or the ability to connect across lines of class and culture, the same playbook gets pulled out.

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.

When Cynthia Erivo stepped onto the stage of the Hollywood Bowl as Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar, the reactions came fast and loud. Not because she couldn’t sing—she could. Not because she didn’t belong on that stage—she did. But because she dared to embody a figure many Americans still consider off-limits