2025 delivered no shortage of headlines—loud ones. The kind designed to dominate group chats, drown timelines, and spark takes faster than anyone could read the full story. For Black and minority communities in particular, this year’s media cycle served up a steady rotation of scandals, spectacle, and distractions that demanded attention. But beneath all of that noise, major political and structural shifts were unfolding, many with long-term implications for our communities.