1. From Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “The Best Choice For Arkansas,” by Gwen Faulkenberry
I don’t know French Hill, but know people who do. The general consensus among them is that he is a decent person, or used to be. They say he knows better than what he has done since Trump has been in office. But he has sold out, which is to say that rather than use his power to stand up for what is right for the people of Arkansas, he does pretty much whatever Trump says.
Friends who know Hill say that he doesn’t really care about any of the culture-war stuff many Republicans act self-righteous about in order to get votes, like abortion, gays, and guns, even though he goes along with it. They say that for him, like most high-level Republican politicians, it is all about the money. Which makes sense, or rather, cents, since French Hill is the richest member of Congress in Arkansas. As chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, it is not an exaggeration to say that Hill is the most powerful banker in America.
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2. CALS Rock IT! Lab Hosts Small Business Saturday
3. Urban League of Arkansas Hosts Brunch & Blueprints @ Station 801
Join us on Sunday, November 30th from 2 – 4:00pm!
We want your input on how we can better serve the Little Rock area event community! Come enjoy a fun relaxing brunch- but bring your ideas!
Click Here For Tickets
4. Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative marks five years at annual Convening
Giving Tuesday event to feature keynote speaker Charles M. Blow and recognition of 2025 Morrow Black Philanthropy Award recipients
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Nov. 26, 2025) — The Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative will host its fifth annual Convening on Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. The sold-out event will bring together more than 100 philanthropic professionals, nonprofit and education leaders, and business executives to reflect on the past five years of ABPC’s work and look ahead to the future of philanthropy in the South.
This year’s Convening will feature a keynote address from New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and cultural critic Charles M. Blow. Known for his sharp analysis of national and regional trends, Blow will examine how chronic underinvestment in the South has contributed to entrenched inequality and economic injustice and what these patterns mean for the future of philanthropy. His remarks will offer a timely lens on the challenges and opportunities facing Southern communities and the role philanthropic institutions must play in strengthening the region.
The Convening will also recognize three leaders whose careers have helped define the trajectory of philanthropy in Arkansas. Dr. Sherece Y. West-Scantlebury, Dr. Charlotte Lewellen-Williams, and Dr. Naccaman Williams will receive the Morrow Black Philanthropy Award in acknowledgment of their long-standing commitment to improving outcomes for Arkansas communities. Their retirements in 2025 mark an important moment for the field and the close of an influential chapter.
WHAT: Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative’s fifth-anniversary Convening featuring a keynote address from Charles M. Blow and recognition of the 2025 Morrow Black Philanthropy Award honorees
WHO:
- Rev. Cory Anderson, Chief Innovation Officer, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
- Susan Taylor Batten, President and CEO, ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities
- Charles M. Blow, Journalist, Cultural Critic, and Political Commentator
- Kim D. Davis, President, Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation
- Lena Hayes, Chief of Philanthropy and Partnerships, Clinton Foundation
- Stephanie Jackson, Executive Vice President of Public Engagement, The Design Group and Publisher, NOIRE®
- Derek Lewis II, Chair, Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative
- Beverly Morrow and Chane & Kisha Morrow, Philanthropists
- Kara Wilkins, Program Director, ABPC
- Dr. Sherece Y. West-Scantlebury, President and CEO, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
- Dr. Charlotte Lewellen-Williams, Professor of Public Health and Director of the Center on Community Philanthropy (retired), Clinton School of Public Service
- Dr. Naccaman Williams, Director of Special Projects (retired), Walton Family Foundation
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, from 5–8 p.m.
WHERE: Clinton Presidential Library (1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, AR 72201)
About the Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative
The Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative designs solutions that strengthen communities across Arkansas. Originating from a 2018 gathering of philanthropic leaders, ABPC envisions a future in which people and philanthropic resources are organized for greater impact. To learn more about ABPC, visit theabpc.org.
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5. Junior League of North Little Rock Hosts Its Little Black Dress Initiative Scholarship Fundraiser and Recognition Banquet
