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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Teens bid an emotional farewell at the commencement ceremony on the final day of the Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World on Sunday.

The four-day event concluded with a ceremony breakfast that featured speeches from Disney Signature Experiences Vice President and Disney Dreamers Academy Executive Champion Tracy Powell, DDA alum Princeton Parker, actor Lance Gross, businessman and star of ABC’s “Shark Tank” Daymond John and TV star Dara Reneé who served as the teens DREAMbassador.

Performances included a step show by members of the Black fraternities and sororities, singer and rapper Samara Cyn and The Rise Steppers.

Reneé spoke to the students about reaching their goals and the importance of what they learned over the weekend.

“Thank you for being you,” she said. “The future is burning brighter for all of you all. Being here with you all has taught be about how I want to show up as a mentor, as a role model and just as a human being in this world with a purpose.”

Also highlighted during the ceremony was student David Lopez, a high school senior from Encino, Calif., who was awarded Dreamer of the Year. Lopez has goals of becoming a filmmaker. His family was awarded an all-expenses paid vacation to Walt Disney World

“I’m so shocked by this,” he said in one interview. “All the support I’ve been given is unbelievable.”

At Sunday’s commencement ceremony, motivational speakers and mentors gave their final words of advice to the Dreamers before going home. The teens were encouraged to take what they learned and share it with their peers.

The ceremony ended with the parents giving the Dreamers rings as a symbol of their achievement and their pledge to strive for greatness.

The Disney Dreamers Academy is a once-in-a-lifetime educational and mentoring program for a select group of 100 high school students. The students were selected from thousands of applicants nationwide. 

Along with a parent or guardian, each teen received an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort, where they learned important networking skills and participated in hands-on career workshops.

Disclosure: The Walt Disney Company paid for the travel and accommodations for several media outlets, including the AmNews, to cover the Disney Dreamers Academy. Disney did not review or approve any of our coverage.

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DALLAS (AP) — Millions across North America witnessed the moon block out the sun during a total solar eclipse Monday.

The eclipse’s path of totality stretched from Mazatlán, Mexico to Newfoundland, an area that crosses 15 U.S. states and is home to 44 million people. Revelers were engulfed in darkness at state parks, on city rooftops and in small towns.

Most of those in North America, but not in the direct path, still witnessed a partial eclipse, with the moon transforming the sun into a fiery crescent.

Eclipse viewing in Harlem (Cyril Josh Barker photos)

Totality’s first stop on land cast Mazatlán’s sparkling beaches into darkness before continuing northeast toward Eagle Pass, Texas, one its first stops in the U.S.

Total solar eclipses happen somewhere around the world every 11 to 18 months, but they don’t often cross paths with millions of people. The U.S. last got a taste in 2017, and won’t again see a coast-to-coast spectacle until 2045.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Former President Donald Trump has reignited controversy with inflammatory remarks suggesting a preference for immigrants from predominantly white nations while denigrating those from Latin America, and primarily Black nations. At a private event, Trump reportedly joked about welcoming immigrants from “nice” countries like Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway, again demonstrating his racial bias in immigration policy.

Trump’s comments, revealed by New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman, highlight a troubling stance on immigration that aligns with his past rhetoric. The twice-impeached and four-times indicted former president’s insinuation that only immigrants from certain nations are desirable for entry into the United States drew swift condemnation from the Biden-Harris campaign.

“[The comments] are alarming,” said James Singer, a spokesperson for the Biden-Harris campaign. Singer also noted how Trump has repeatedly praised dictators and declared he’d be a dictator on day one if he’s re-elected. Trump’s campaign declined to comment about what the presumptive GOP nominee said at the private dinner.

“Why can’t we allow people to come in from nice countries, I’m trying to be nice,” Trump reportedly said. “Nice countries, you know, like Denmark, Switzerland? Do we have any people coming in from Denmark? How about Switzerland? How about Norway?”

In addition to his discriminatory remarks, Trump blasted Latin American immigrants, likening them to notorious gang members. Critics have said such language perpetuates harmful stereotypes and exacerbates divisions within society.

Further, Trump’s speculations about the future of American democracy have raised alarms. Suggesting that the 2024 election could be the last one in the country’s history, Trump’s comments continue his concerning trend of authoritarian rhetoric that undermines democratic norms.

“This could very well be the last election this country ever has,” Trump said, echoing sentiments often heard at his rallies. 

Trump’s engagement with billionaire backers on taxation matters has further highlighted concerns about cronyism and inequality. By prioritizing tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy, opponents said Trump’s policies perpetuate economic disparities and favor the interests of the elite.

• The Biden-Harris campaign noted the list of billionaires backing Trump, arguing that they’re scammers, racists, and extremists. Among them:
• John Paulson wants to cut Social Security and opposed financial regulations to protect Americans after the 2008 crash, which he profited from.
• Robert Bigelow, who complained he couldn’t evict tenants out of his buildings during the pandemic and supports Florida’s extreme Don’t Say Gay law.
• John Catsimatidis, who compared taxes on the wealthy to Hitler killing Jews and his business, has been forced to pay millions in lawsuits over unfair labor practices and consumer safety violations.
• José “Pepe” Fanjul refused to fire his assistant, who was married to (two!) KKK leaders commented via a company spokesperson that “we wouldn’t terminate them for that.”
• Jamie McCourt pocketed over $10 million from her stock shares before public citizens were made aware of the pandemic’s severity, all while Trump played down the virus.
• Former GOP Senator Kelly Loeffler, who touted 2020 election lies, backed an anti-LGBTQ adoption agency and supported ripping away health care from millions of Americans by repealing the Affordable Care Act.
• Robert Mercer opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, calling it a major mistake, and believed the government was backward for helping “weak people get strong.”
• Jeff Yass has avoided $1 billion in taxes and wants to privatize Social Security. New York Jets owner
• Woody Johnson has repeatedly disparaged women for their looks and questioned why the Black community celebrates Black History Month.
• Steve Wynn, who was accused by dozens of workers of sexual misconduct.
• Chicago Cubs owner Todd Ricketts, who made his money screwing over retirees by shedding pension obligations and health care promises, opposes the idea that the “government can serve to protect the public’s well-being.”
• Phil Ruffin fought against housekeepers trying to unionize at his Vegas hotel (jointly owned by Donald Trump) and furloughed more than 4,000 of his own employees without pay.
• Wilbur Ross, whom the Biden-Harris campaign said made his fortune laying off American workers and using bankruptcy to strip retirees of health benefits.

Meanwhile, Singer said its vital American voters reject Trump’s authoritarian impulses and uphold the values of democracy and inclusivity.

“Independence Day in Donald Trump’s America will apparently no longer be July 4,” Singer stated. “He’s promised publicly he’ll be a dictator on his first day, and now privately muses about this November’s election being our country’s last.”

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NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Jonathan Majors was sentenced to probation but avoided jail time Monday for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in a high-profile case that derailed the once-promising star’s career.

The 34-year-old star of “Creed III” and other films had faced up to a year behind bars after he was convicted of misdemeanor assault by a Manhattan jury in December.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Jonathan Majors has arrived in a New York court Monday morning as he’s set to be sentenced for assaulting his former girlfriend, a conviction that has already derailed the once-rising star’s career.

The actor, wearing all black and greeting supporters in court, faces a year in prison but could also just receive probation after a Manhattan jury in December found him guilty of misdemeanor assault.

Lawyers for Majors and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to say ahead of the hearing what punishment they’ll seek from a judge.

Following the guilty verdict, Majors was immediately dropped by Marvel Studios, which had cast him as Kang the Conqueror, a role envisioned as the main villain in the entertainment empire’s movies and television shows for years to come.

The conviction stems from an altercation in March 2023 in which Majors’ then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari accused him of attacking her in the backseat of a chauffeured car, saying he hit her head with his open hand, twisted her arm behind her back and squeezed her middle finger until it fractured.

Majors claimed the 31-year-old British dancer was the aggressor, flying into a jealous rage after reading a text message from another woman on his phone. He maintained he was only trying to regain his phone and escape Jabbari safely.

The jury ultimately convicted him of one assault charge and a harassment violation, though acquitted him on a different assault charge and of aggravated harassment.

Majors was originally slated to be sentenced in February, but his lawyers sought to dismiss the conviction. A Manhattan judge denied the motion last week.

Majors had hoped his two-week criminal trial would vindicate him and restore his status in Hollywood.

In a television interview shortly after his conviction, he said he deserves a second chance.

“As he eagerly anticipates closing this chapter, he looks forward to redirecting his time and energy fully toward his family and his art,” Majors’ lawyers said in a statement last week after losing their bid to have the conviction tossed out.

But the 34-year-old California native and Yale University graduate still faces other legal hurdles. Last month, Jabbari filed a civil suit in Manhattan federal court, accusing the actor of assault, battery, defamation and inflicting emotional distress.

She claims Majors subjected her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship, which lasted from 2021 to 2023.

Majors’ lawyers have declined to respond to the claims, saying only that they’re preparing to file counterclaims against Jabbari.

The actor had his breakthrough role in 2019’s “The Last Black Man in San Francisco.” He also starred in the HBO horror series “Lovecraft Country,” which earned him an Emmy nomination, and as the nemesis to fictional boxing champ Adonis Creed in the blockbuster “Creed III.”

As for Marvel, a looming question remains whether the studio will recast the role of Kang or pivot in a new direction.

Majors’ departure was among a recent series of high-profile setbacks for the vaunted superhero factory, which has earned an unprecedented $30 billion worldwide from 33 films.

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Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo

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