In an interview with NBC News, Pope Leo XIV confirmed his family is of mixed racial heritage, renewing a discussion about his Black ancestors and his ties to New Orleans' Creole community."On my mother's side, we have people who were both slaves and slaveowners," Leo said. "There's a history of... growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States." Credit: NBC News
In an interview with NBC News, Pope Leo XIV confirmed his family is of mixed racial heritage, renewing a discussion about his Black ancestors and his ties to New Orleans’ Creole community.”On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slaveowners,” Leo said. “There’s a history of… growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States.” Credit: NBC News
Since his election last year, Pope Leo XIV sidestepped one of the most unexpected questions to emerge from his historic election: Is the first American pope also Black?
Now, in his clearest public comments yet, the first American-born pope has acknowledged the complicated family history that spurred widespread discussions about race, identity and belonging.
Speaking to NBC News, the pontiff said his mother’s family included both enslaved people and slaveholders — a striking admission from a pope who had previously declined to publicly discuss genealogical research tracing his ancestry to New Orleans’ historic Creole community.
“On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slaveowners,” Leo said. “There’s a history of… growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States.”
America’s ‘Greatest Wealths’
The pope did not describe himself as black. But he publicly confirmed his family’s mixed racial heritage, a fact that historians and genealogists uncovered within hours of his election. And they also reopened one of America’s oldest, thorniest conversations about race.
In a single sentence, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide confirmed that his lineage runs through both sides of slavery’s ledger. The pope framed that history not as a statement about racial identity but as an expression of the American experience.
“I come from a family that my grandparents were immigrants,” said Leo, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago — a popular Great Migration destination. That history, the pope said, helps him to recognize the welcoming of migrants as “one of the greatest wealths of the United States.”
On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slaveowners.
Pope Leo xiv
The remarks, made during an interview to promote the Global Concert for Peace, represent the first time Leo has personally addressed the ancestry that first came to light after his election in 2025. It was first revealed through research led by New Orleans genealogist Jari Honora and later expanded by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Creole Roots
Those investigations found that Leo’s maternal grandparents, Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié, were identified in historical records as Black and lived in New Orleans’ Seventh Ward, one of the nation’s oldest centers of Creole and Black Catholic life.
Gates’ subsequent family tree identified at least 17 ancestors described in records as Black, Creole, mixed-race or free people of color. But it also documented ancestors who owned enslaved people.
The findings immediately triggered celebration, skepticism and soul-searching.
Pope Leo’s official Vatican biography made no mention of his African American heritage. His brother, John Prevost, emphasized that the family does not currently identify as Black. Leo himself remained silent, allowing speculation to flourish while refusing to define himself through America’s racial categories.
That silence made Wednesday’s comments notable. Rather than embracing or rejecting a racial label, Leo acknowledged the historical facts while placing them inside a broader American narrative of immigration, diversity and shared history.
No ‘One Drop Rule’
That approach echoes what many scholars argued from the beginning.
Shortly after Leo was elected, both Boston University sociologist Phillipe Copeland and writer and filmmaker Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni told Word In Black that Blackness goes beyond the so-called “one drop rule.”
Copeland said Leo’s ancestry forces Americans to reconsider assumptions usually taken for granted while grappling with the question of how Blackness is defined. DNA alone doesn’t always cut it, he said: “Is having a Black ancestor sufficient? Is it perception from others? Is it how you self-identify?”
Cox Giovanni, on the other hand, said Black identity is defined more by culture than skin color.
“There’s no blood test that can tell you,” she said. “The way you receive it is by your community, by your parents, by your family, by the stories they tell.”
Leo’s remarks neither resolve nor avoid that distinction. He did not say he identifies as Black, but he also did not deny his Black ancestry. Instead, he acknowledged a family history shaped by both oppression and privilege, reflecting the tangled reality of American history itself.
Oppressor and Victim
The timing is especially significant because Leo has already demonstrated a willingness to confront slavery’s legacy inside the Catholic Church.
Earlier this year, he issued the Vatican’s most direct apology for its historic role in legitimizing slavery, calling the church’s record “a wound in Christian memory” and asking forgiveness for centuries of complicity. His acknowledgment of his own family’s connection to slavery now gives that apology an unmistakably personal dimension.
By acknowledging ancestors who lived on both sides of America’s racial divide, the pope has publicly embraced a truth that millions of Americans share: that the nation’s story cannot be neatly divided into Black and white, victim and oppressor, enslaved and enslaver.
The Democratic Party’s decision to elevate South Carolina as the first 2028 presidential primary provides Black voters with an historic opportunity.
Black voters will lead in determining which presidential candidates receive momentum and which campaigns collapse before most Democrats even have a chance to vote in the primary.
Candidates seeking the 2028 nomination will now have to organize in Black communities early. They will need relationships with local leaders, churches, civic organizations, historically Black colleges and universities, small businesses and rural communities.
Their records will be scrutinized on voting rights, health disparities, education, economic mobility, criminal justice and the survival of Black institutions.
Black voters will vote based on which candidate speaks directly to their concerns as opposed to a political calculation rooted in who is the most electable after Iowa and New Hampshire have already picked over the candidates.
With South Carolina, Democrats are now moving the nominating calendar closer to Black voters who are actually the party’s center of gravity.
This decision reflects nearly two decades of election results showing Southern Black voters have been central to selecting Democratic presidential nominees despite being placed later in the nominating process.
Barack Obama’s 2008 Iowa caucus victory established a Black candidate could win in a predominantly white state. But Black South Carolinians solidified the coalition that actually carried Obama to the nomination and ultimately the presidency.
More than 530,000 votes were cast in the state’s Democratic primary. Obama received approximately 295,000 votes, or 55 percent, compared with about 141,000 votes and 27 percent for Hillary Clinton. John Edwards, a former senator from neighboring North Carolina, finished a distant third.
The delegate result was nearly as decisive. Obama won 25 of South Carolina’s pledged delegates, Clinton won 12 and Edwards won eight. In other words, Obama left South Carolina with more delegates than his two leading opponents combined.
Exit polling explains how he did it. Black voters constituted roughly 55 percent of the primary electorate, and nearly eight in 10 supported Obama. He also won Black voters across age, income and educational groups, demonstrating that his appeal extended far beyond younger or more affluent African Americans.
Eight years later, Black voters in South Carolina delivered an even more lopsided result for Clinton.
In the 2016 primary, Clinton won approximately 272,000 votes, or 73.5 percent, while Bernie Sanders received about 96,000 votes, or 26 percent. Clinton won 39 pledged delegates to Sanders’s 14, giving her almost three-fourths of the state’s available pledged delegates.
Black voters accounted for roughly six in 10 participants in that primary. Exit polls found that Clinton won close to nine in 10 of them. Sanders performed substantially better among white voters and younger voters, but those advantages could not overcome Clinton’s strength with the state’s much larger Black electorate.
By the end of the primary season, Clinton had secured more than 1,800 pledged delegates even before automatic delegates were included in the count. Like Obama, Clinton’s coalition was built through commanding victories among Black voters in the South.
Joe Biden arrived in South Carolina in 2020 with a campaign on the brink of failure. He had finished fourth in Iowa, fifth in New Hampshire and second in Nevada. Before South Carolina, Biden had won only 15 pledged delegates across the first three contests.
Then Black voters changed the race.
Biden won all 46 counties and captured 39 of South Carolina’s 54 pledged delegates. Exit polls found Black voters made up a majority of the electorate and supported Biden over Sanders by approximately four to one.
A Biden campaign that had appeared close to collapse after New Hampshire had become the nomination frontrunner in less than two weeks.
From 2008 to 2020, Black voters were the constituency that crowned the eventual nominee. Only in Iowa with Obama did Black voters validate the choice of a white electorate that voted before them.
Each time afterwards, Black voters changed course entirely and picked who they wanted to be the Democratic nominee, selecting Clinton and Biden despite their early struggles.
But Democrats cannot confuse primary influence with general-election security in 2028. An earlier voice in the nomination process does not guarantee Black support in November. Democrats must still earn it, particularly among younger voters and Black men.
South Carolina provides an opportunity to hone in on what’s broken and fix it before the General Election.
Still South Carolina is not a perfect representation of the Democratic coalition. The state has a relatively small Latino population, limited union density and few recent examples of Democratic success in statewide general elections. Nevada and other states can reasonably argue that they test different and equally important parts of the party.
But the traditional calendar wasn’t representative either.
Iowa and New Hampshire gave disproportionate power to electorates that were overwhelmingly white and rural. Candidates could spend a year discussing the concerns of those voters, survive through the opening contests and engage seriously with Black communities only after the field had already narrowed.
Putting South Carolina first reverses that sequence. South Carolina is a recognition that Black Democrats have more than earned our say.
Kevin Harris is a Democratic strategist who has advised more than 100 campaigns and ballot measures, including the past five presidential elections. He served in the Obama administration as a Cabinet member for two big-city mayors and as executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Black leaders gathered today at City Hall in support of Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes.
Black leaders gathered today at City Hall in support of Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes.
By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Black community leaders emerged from a Thursday morning meeting with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, where they urged her to reconsider reports that Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes had been asked to resign or face termination following Sunday’s deadly shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival, arguing that Barnes should not become the political “fall guy” for a tragedy they say was beyond his direct control.
The leaders spoke with reporters outside City Hall after meeting privately with Wilson, saying they unanimously opposed removing Barnes and urged the mayor to allow him to continue leading the Seattle Police Department.
The meeting came after intense public scrutiny of the Seattle Police Department’s response to the tragedy, which left three people dead and several others injured. Questions mounted over the department’s hours long delay in holding its initial news conference, as well as Barnes’ absence from the city while attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) conference in Dallas and his subsequent exchange with local reporters regarding the trip. Reports that Wilson had asked Barnes to resign or face termination sparked swift pushback from prominent Black community leaders, civil rights advocates and clergy across King County.
As of Thursday afternoon, City Hall had not publicly confirmed Barnes’ employment status.
Following the meeting, leaders emphasized Barnes’ efforts to strengthen relationships between the police department and community organizations, saying he should not be held solely responsible for a complex public safety crisis.
Dominique Davis, founder of Community Passageways, said Barnes stepped into a department that was already making progress and chose to build on existing partnerships with community organizations rather than disrupt them.
“Today was Black folks standing up for Black folks, right? I know we got a Black chief of police that just been here for a very short period. He stepped into this position and had a successful 2025, right? Stepped right in and didn’t shake it up too much. We were already in the momentum to have record-breaking statistics of safety in our community. He came in here and stepped into the agenda that was already being pushed through the community,” said Davis.
Davis said Barnes should not become the “fall guy” for circumstances beyond his control.
“On the back of [Seattle Center], there was a lot of chaos and mayhem, to no fault of his own. I don’t think he should be the fall guy for this situation. What we’re not gonna do is sit back and let it be a Black man, a Black man that just got here, a Black man that just started doing this work, and a Black man that hasn’t done anything egregious or wrong. Why would we sit back and let a mayor come in and just fire him like that? Because of a situation that was to no fault of his own, and that nobody handled properly,” said Davis.
Davis also said preventing violence requires long-term investment in community intervention programs alongside policing.
“Violence is always reactive, policing to a certain extent is reactive. We can’t read minds… That’s why proactive, preventive, and intervention work is the most important work of this whole community safety spectrum… I’m here today to support this man, who is a Black chief. I’m not gonna sit back and let a Black man become the fall guy,” said Davis.
Former Washington state Rep. Dawn Mason urged Wilson not to make a major personnel decision while the city is still grieving.
“Therapists tell us do not make important decisions while you are grieving. Seattle is grieving, the mayor is grieving. I could tell by her whole countenance and mourning this loss that the city has had. And this is the most important decision she has to make as a mayor, is her police chief. So, she needs to understand that,” said Mason.
Civil rights attorney James Bible, who has represented plaintiffs in litigation against the Seattle Police Department for years, said Barnes’ removal would be premature because of what he described as improved relationships between the department and the community.
“As a civil rights attorney, somebody that sued the Seattle Police Department repeatedly… this is the first time that I’ve sat in a room such as this one and said that resignation would be premature, that firing would be premature. We haven’t been in a place like this in the past 25 years where we’ve had a certain level of peacefulness that’s been present in Seattle in terms of conflict with the department.
“I represent some police officers in employment issues in relation to the city that have all said that certain things have improved since Chief Barnes arrived. So why would we move backwards? … We’ve finally found what perhaps is the right chief… Hopefully, it won’t come to [litigation] and she’ll just reverse her decision,” said Bible.
Hayward Evans, president of the Seattle-King County NAACP, Branch 1136, said community leaders left the meeting united in their support for Barnes and disappointed they had not been included in the process.
“The mayor would not give us a definitive answer. But if you would have been in the room, you could feel the spirit of the men and women who were in that room. All of us were in agreement and unity,” said Evans.
Evans also said many Black residents view the reported effort to remove Barnes within the context of broader concerns about Black leadership nationwide.
“The community wasn’t part of the whole process. Black people are under attack, not just in Seattle, Washington, but all the way to Washington, D.C. You see Black folks getting removed from positions around the nation,” said Evans.
Rev. Terrence Proctor of Church by the Side of the Road said the community should continue supporting Barnes as he works to strengthen relationships between the department and Seattle residents.
“If you finally have a chief of police that the people actually supported, we should navigate even some of the hiccups to move forward. And so, I’m optimistically hopeful as well,” said Proctor.
Rev. Reggie Witherspoon of Mount Calvary Christian Center said community leaders delivered a unified message during their meeting with Wilson.
“We have implored and admonished the mayor to reconsider her decision, and we can only hope that she will have heard the voices of these astute and amazing individuals behind me to reverse this decision. It was very productive, very excellent, very dynamic. And we stated our case very clearly, very articulately, why Chief Shon Barnes should still be the chief of the city of Seattle,” said Witherspoon.
The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), whose conference Barnes was attending in Dallas when the shooting occurred, also issued a statement Thursday expressing concern about reports regarding his future. The organization called for “transparency, fairness, and accountability” in any decision affecting Barnes’ tenure and said Barnes, a former member of its National Board of Directors, has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to constitutional policing, ethical leadership and community engagement.
As of Thursday afternoon, neither Wilson nor City Hall had publicly announced a final decision regarding Barnes’ future as police chief. Community leaders said they remained hopeful the mayor would reconsider any effort to remove him following the Seattle Center shooting.
We write as leaders, residents, and members of Seattle’s diverse African American and Black communities, alongside supporters of public safety and community accountability, to urge you not to fire Chief Shon Barnes and to support his continued leadership at the Seattle Police Department.
This is the wrong decision at the wrong time and would disrupt Seattle’s progress in public safety. The tragic fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle was heartbreaking for our city, but Chief Barnes should not be made a scapegoat for the complex challenges of public safety. One incident should not erase a record of work, progress, and leadership.
Seattle is entering a period with major events and increased demands on public safety. This is the time to strengthen leadership, not create disruption. We need experienced leadership, coordination, and stability as our city prepares for what is ahead.
Seattle recently demonstrated its ability to manage major international events, including FIFA matches, without a major security incident. These events represented some of the largest gatherings our region has hosted and required extensive planning, coordination, and public safety preparation.
Chief Barnes’ record of accomplishment includes:
Reducing homicides and gun violence, with measurable improvements in public safety outcomes.
Building stronger relationships with communities, including residents, youth, clergy, and neighborhood leaders.
Strengthening SPD operations, accountability, and resources.
Leading during major events that required exceptional coordination and preparation.
Black leadership matters. Chief Barnes should be evaluated by facts, integrity, and outcomes not politics or headlines. We ask you to support Chief Barnes and keep Seattle moving forward.
To that end, our community will gather at 8am on Thursday, July 30, 2026 alongside leaders and organizations including:
• Seattle NAACP
• Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
• Byrd Barr Place
• 100 Black Parents
• Community Passageways
• Parents for Student Success
• MLK Coalition & local faith leaders
We stand with Chief Barnes. We urge you to retain him and reject the urge to scapegoat him amidst the crisis of the mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes (left) and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. A coalition of Seattle Black community organizations is opposing reports that Wilson has asked Barnes to resign, arguing the chief is being unfairly blamed for communication failures following the Bite of Seattle mass shooting. Coalition members plan to rally at Seattle City Hall Thursday morning.
A coalition of Seattle Black community organizations is mobilizing to oppose reports that Mayor Katie Wilson has asked Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes to resign, stating that the action “would disrupt Seattle’s progress in public safety”, and are urging supporters to rally Thursday morning at Seattle City Hall.
The coalition — which includes the NAACP Seattle Branch, Community Passageways, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Seattle Clergy, Parents for Student Success, 100 Black Parents, Creative Black Brilliance Braintrust, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Committee and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) — plans to meet with Wilson to express its concerns and urge her not to remove Barnes from his position, if the reports are accurate.
According to FOX 13 Seattle, multiple sources reported Wednesday that Wilson asked Barnes to resign. The station reported Barnes canceled scheduled media interviews Wednesday afternoon, attended a silent vigil for victims of the Bite of Seattle shooting and later met with the mayor. As of Wednesday night, the City of Seattle had not publicly confirmed the reported leadership change.
Coalition leaders argue Barnes is being unfairly blamed for communication failures following the mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle.
Barnes was attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ annual training conference outside Seattle when the shooting occurred and was not present during the city’s initial response. Coalition leaders say that facts alone demonstrates that Barnes should not have be held responsible for decisions regarding the city’s public messaging in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.
Media reports indicate a public briefing initially expected around 8:45 p.m. did not begin until approximately 10:45 p.m. According to those reports, officials delayed the briefing while waiting for dignitaries to arrive. Coalition leaders contend the decisions surrounding the city’s public messaging were made within the mayor’s office and that Chief Barnes is being unfairly blamed for actions over which he had no control.
Supporters argue Barnes is being made a scapegoat for broader failures in the city’s crisis communications rather than being evaluated on his leadership of the Seattle Police Department. They also point to his efforts to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and Seattle’s diverse communities since taking office.
Organizers also questioned the timing of the reported decision, noting Seattle is entering Seafair weekend, historically one of the busiest periods of the year for law enforcement and public safety.
Supporters say removing the city’s top law enforcement official days before one of Seattle’s largest annual events would create unnecessary uncertainty within the department and undermine public confidence during a critical public safety weekend.
Coalition leaders are calling on community members, clergy, civic leaders and supporters to gather at Seattle City Hall at 8 a.m. Thursday to protest the reported action and demonstrate their support for Barnes. In addition, coalition representatives plan to meet with Mayor Wilson to express their concerns directly and urge her to reverse any decision to remove the chief.
Neither Mayor Wilson’s office nor the Seattle Police Department had issued an official statement confirming Barnes’ reported departure at the time of publication.
After sorting through the facts, I believe most people will conclude that the growing controversy surrounding Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has less to do with his performance than with politics.
According to multiple reports, Mayor Katie Wilson is preparing to remove Barnes as Seattle’s police chief. If that happens, the timing raises serious questions. Reports have suggested Barnes has been on shaky ground since Wilson was elected, making it difficult to ignore the possibility that he is now being positioned as the fall guy for the city’s troubled response following Sunday’s mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle that left three people dead and four others injured.
In the hours after the shooting, city officials faced mounting criticism for failing to provide timely information to the public. Nearly five hours passed before meaningful updates were provided, creating frustration for residents, victims’ families and the media.
Much of that criticism quickly focused on Barnes, who was attending a professional policing conference out of town when the shooting occurred. Local media questioned why the police chief was away during one of the city’s worst acts of violence in recent memory.
But being the chief of police in a major metropolitan city is not a 9-to-5 job. It is a 24-hour-a-day responsibility. Whether attending a professional conference, on vacation or even recovering in a hospital bed, a police chief is on-call and/or actively working and is expected to receive briefings, make critical decisions and provide direction as events unfold. Modern policing does not stop simply because the chief is outside city limits.
Ironically, Barnes was attending a professional conference designed to strengthen leadership and policing practices – – exactly the type of training the public expects from its senior law enforcement executives.
Yet far fewer questions have been directed at Mayor Wilson’s handling of the situation.
Shortly after the shooting, the mayor released a statement indicating that two suspects had been taken into custody. That information later proved to be inaccurate, forcing the city to issue a correction after it was confirmed that only one suspect had been apprehended. According to those familiar with the response, the statement surprised Seattle Police Department personnel who were actively managing the scene.
Likewise, while many questioned Barnes’ absence, very few have asked why Wilson was not publicly visible at Seattle Center until more than three hours after the shooting, despite reportedly living only 15 to 20 minutes away.
Those facts deserve as much scrutiny as the chief’s attendance at a conference.
To understand the current debate, it’s important to remember how Barnes arrived in Seattle.
Barnes was hired by then-Mayor Bruce Harrell as interim police chief before being appointed to the permanent position during the 2025 election cycle. Harrell advanced through the August primary but ultimately lost his bid for re-election to Katie Wilson in November.
Even before Wilson took office, rumors circulated that she was considering replacing Barnes despite the fact that he had served only six or seven months. Although she ultimately retained him, it appears the relationship never developed into a productive partnership.
That context also helps answer another criticism that has surfaced in recent days: Why doesn’t Barnes’ family live in Seattle?
Given the uncertainty surrounding his future almost immediately after the election, relocating a family, particularly one with school-aged children, is something we could expect very few professionals to do at the time.
It’s also worth remembering what Barnes inherited.
When Barnes walked through the doors of Seattle Police Department headquarters, he inherited an agency that had been hollowed out by a wave of retirements and resignations, leaving the department with a severe staffing shortage. Many experienced officers and command staff departed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic amid declining morale, political conflict and a lack of confidence in the city’s leadership and direction.
By the time Harrell took office, staffing levels had fallen so dramatically that the department struggled to keep pace with priority 911 calls. While recruiting and retention have improved under both the Harrell administration and Barnes’ leadership, Seattle remains far from restoring the department to full strength.
Barnes also inherited another challenge that few recent Seattle police chiefs have faced.
Unlike many of his predecessors, he assumed command without the benefit of a deep bench of veteran Seattle Police Department leaders who possessed decades of institutional knowledge and established relationships throughout the organization. That is not a criticism of the leadership team he assembled. Rather, it reflects the reality that years of departures left the department without many of the experienced leaders previous chiefs relied upon during periods of crisis.
What makes the current debate even more perplexing is that, by virtually every measurable standard, Barnes’ first full year as chief produced meaningful results.
Overall crime declined 18%. Homicides dropped 36%, from 58 victims in 2024 to 37 in 2025. The number of people struck by gunfire also fell 36%. At the same time, Seattle detectives cleared 86% of the city’s homicide cases, solving 32 of 37 investigations compared with a 57% clearance rate the previous year and well above the national average.
The department also recovered 1,523 firearms, added a net 94 officers, launched the Real-Time Crime Center to strengthen investigations and improve officer safety, and successfully emerged from the federal consent decree that had governed the department for 13 years.
Those accomplishments did not happen by accident.
Barnes emphasized teamwork throughout the department, recruited experienced leaders from outside agencies to bring fresh perspectives and consistently stressed that solving violent crime depends on earning the trust of the community. As Barnes has often said, homicide cases are rarely solved through television-style detective work. They are solved because members of the community trust police enough to come forward with information.
But not every accomplishment appears in a year-end report or crime statistics.
Following the murders of two Rainier Beach High School students, Barnes repeatedly returned to Rainier Beach, attended community meetings, listened to residents, met with students and assigned officers to maintain a visible presence around Rainier Beach High School throughout the remainder of the school year. Those officers weren’t simply there to patrol—they built relationships with students, educators and families still grieving the violence.
Barnes’ administration also pursued the closure of the Capri Bar after repeated shootings and two homicides linked to the establishment. Through the city’s chronic nuisance process, the business ultimately closed and has not reopened.
Those actions may not dominate headlines, but they matter to the communities that have lived with the consequences of violent crime.
Perhaps the most overlooked part of the entire incident was the response of the Seattle police officers who were already on scene. Because the Bite of Seattle had a significant police presence, officers were able to confront the threat almost immediately after gunfire erupted.
Witnesses described officers running toward the sound of gunfire while hundreds of people ran for cover. Within minutes, officers confronted the threat, apprehended one suspect, secured the sprawling crime scene and immediately began rendering aid to victims.
Investigators later recovered firearms that still contained numerous unfired rounds. While no one can say with certainty what might have happened had officers not acted so quickly, their rapid response may well have prevented an even greater loss of life.
That response was not accidental. It reflected planning and preparation for one of Seattle’s largest public events. Unfortunately, the heroism of the officers who ran toward danger has largely been overshadowed by the political fallout that followed.
Chief Barnes, like every police chief, is ultimately responsible for the department he leads. But responsibility does not rest solely with the police chief, particularly when questions remain about the city’s broader response and communications following a major tragedy. If City Hall believes Barnes should be removed, Seattle deserves a clear explanation rooted in his overall performance, not political convenience or the desire to redirect public frustration.
Leadership is not demonstrated by finding someone else to blame when things go wrong. It is demonstrated by accepting responsibility for your own decisions.
If this decision is truly about performance, then make that case.
But if Sunday’s tragedy is simply being used to justify a decision that had already been made, then the city of Seattle deserves better.
Elmore Wonsley consoles his wife Christine Wonsley during a news conference on July 10, 2026. (David Dee Delgado/Reuters via CNN Newsource)
Elmore Wonsley consoles his wife Christine Wonsley during a news conference on July 10, 2026. (David Dee Delgado/Reuters via CNN Newsource)
By Danya Gainor, CNN
(CNN) — In the days since the puzzling death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, investigators have undertaken a painstaking effort to reconstruct the events that unfolded on Horn Island, a remote barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi coast.
The investigation has unfolded rapidly since Wells disappeared on the Fourth of July from the island he was visiting with high school friends. While those friends returned to the mainland, Wells’ body was found days later in the water.
Now, the search for answers extends well beyond the remote island.
As public interest escalates, investigators are working to piece together Wells’ final hours while his family continues to press for transparency and answers. The young man’s death has stoked speculation and distrust in part due to Mississippi’s fraught racial history and the fact that Wells appeared to be the only person of color in an image with friends on the trip.
Here’s a timeline of key developments in the case and where the investigation stands.
A familiar trip to a remote island
Wells graduated in 2025 from Ocean Springs High School in the coastal Mississippi town of Ocean Springs, just east of Biloxi. He then enrolled in Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he was a wide receiver on their football team, according to The Associated Press.
On the evening of July 3, the teen made his family salmon for dinner before leaving to spend the night with his friends ahead of the holiday weekend.
“It was hug, kiss, and he left,” Christine Wonsley, his mother, said.
And like countless Americans across the country, Wells set out to mark the July Fourth holiday on the water.
He joined his friends for a boat trip to Horn Island – a federally protected barrier island known for its untouched beaches, shifting shoreline and quiet isolation. It wasn’t uncommon for Wells to visit the island with friends, according to his family.
The boat departed from the southern shore of Mississippi at 9:56 a.m. on July 4, arriving at the western tip of Horn Island at 11:14 a.m., documents from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources show.
Wells was supposed to return to school after the holiday weekend to start training for the upcoming football season, his father Elmore Wonsley said in an interview with “Good Morning America.”
In photos from the boat that day, the 18-year-old towers above his friends, his arm casually slung around their shoulders as he smiles for the camera.
At 5:44 p.m., the vessel arrived back to the mainland, according to Department of Marine Resources documents.
But by the time the group returned that afternoon, a day that began as a holiday celebration took an unsettling turn: Wells was not with them. His family reported him missing the night of July 4, after they received a phone call around 11 p.m. from one of his friends.
At some point that day, people called for towing assistance on the boat Nolan Wells had previously been aboard.
In audio from the call, obtained by CNN from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, a teenager tells an operator a pump stopped working and the boat is “sinking.” The audio file shared with CNN did not include a timestamp.
“We’re in 31 foot of water,” he says. “I want to get this boat unsank and towed back.”
Later, the teen explains there’s “like seven” other people on the boat — none of whom are 21, after being asked about how many adults are present. He also says he does not have a very high frequency, or VHF, radio and provides his location near Horn Island.
What followed was an intense search effort for Wells that would soon end tragically.
Hope gives way to a widening search
As the first hours passed without answers, Wells’ mother turned to social media, sharing desperate appeals for information about her son’s whereabouts. In a post on the morning of July 5, ChristineWonsley said she and her husband had possession of their son’s cellphone and that they’d traveled to the island to search for him.
Tashema Hands, the mother of one of Wells’ friends, retrieved the phone for the family after tracking it using Snapchat to a house where “a lot of people” were gathered, Hands told CNN’s Laura Coates, adding it took about 15 minutes for someone to find the phone and give it to her.
Wonsley said when she went through her son’s phone, it struck her as “too clean” because there were no videos or pictures in Snapchat from the day he was on the island.
“I know my child well … if he has a phone out all the time at home, he’s definitely going to have a phone out whenever he’s out and he’s doing things with his friends,” she told Coates. “So that was just really hard to believe that there was nothing there.”
The worried mother posted photos she was given of Wells on the night of July 5, which she said were taken during the July 4 boat trip. The teen, at 6’1”, smiles for the camera in blue swim trunks and sunglasses.
That day, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department publicly announced they were coordinating with the United States Coast Guard and Mississippi’s Department of Marine Resources to search the island.
In the early afternoon of July 5, Department of Marine Resources officials launched two drone flights to survey the western side of Horn Island, according to police documents. The excessive heat that afternoon caused the drone’s batteries to swell, cutting the flights short, and their efforts to locate Wells were unsuccessful.
Several of the friends who traveled with Wells told deputies that “when they left he was in the company of an unknown female and that he chose to remain on the island,” a Department of Marine Resources marine patrol police report shows.
But Jayvon Williams, one of Wells’ friends who had seen him on the island on July 4, said that account doesn’t square with the person he knew. “I’ve never known Nolan to stay back while his friends leave,” he told CNN. “He’s always been a guy where if he rode with you, he’s going to come back with you. That’s always how he’s been every single time.”
Wells’ family has also said they “can’t fathom” why he would separate from his group of friends. “We always taught him, ‘If you go with a group, you stay with the group,’” his father said.
On the evening of July 5, in an email to Coast Guard authorities requesting search and rescue data related to Wells, a Department of Marine Resources official relayed a physical description of the teen on July 4 and wrote that Wells’ “alcohol intake” was “heavy,” documents show.
Wells’ toxicology report is not available, and it is unclear how Department of Marine Resources officials know he had been drinking.
As ChristineWonsley’s social media appeals gained traction online, several groups joined the search for Wells, including the United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit volunteer search and rescue group based in Louisiana.
The group’s vice president told CNN he spoke to several people who were at Horn Island on July 4 and described the beach as being packed with boats and people, some of whom had been drinking alcohol.
If someone had fallen into the water, Brian Trascher said, strong rip currents that day may have posed a risk.
Nolan Xavier Wells, the 18-year-old who died on an island off the coast of Mississippi while on a boat trip with friends, is seen with his parents Christine and Elmore Wonsley. (Family handout courtesy Ben Crump Law/Reuters via CNN Newsource)
The case shifts from missing person to death investigation
Writing to her growing social audience on July 6, ChristineWonsley said the family has “so many questions. Our hearts are breaking, we keep waiting for Nolan to walk through that door with his beautiful smile and a joke of course.”
“We pray our son is alive & safe,” she wrote.
But hours later, the search for Wells ended with the news his family had feared most. A body matching Wells’ description was recovered from the water near the shoreline, officials said.
There were no immediate signs of physical injury, Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told CNN. The coroner’s office requested that the autopsy be conducted at the state medical examiner’s office because of the “condition” in which Wells’ body was found and to definitively determine whether there was any trauma or foul play, Lynd said.
Officials are still awaiting test results, including toxicology, before determining a cause of death, according to Lynd.
But underneath the anticipation, skepticism was mounting online over the accounts of Wells’ final hours with his friends and statements from police.
A family seeks answers as scrutiny mounts
A statement from the sheriff on July 6 that “no foul play was suspected” in Wells’ death seemed to only fuel frustration and anger on social media.
Many have looked at the photos of Wells, where he appears to be the only young Black man in group pictures, and sensed danger – a reminder of Mississippi’s fraught racist past many argue is still alive today.
Others have taken to social media to post about their own experiences of being the only person of color in predominantly White spaces, and the challenge that can bring.
The Wells family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump on July 7 to represent them as the investigation into his death continues. Crump said he has not spoken to the young men who were traveling with Wells because they have obtained legal representation.
The sheriff’s department on July 8 acknowledged the speculation circulating on social media but noted “investigators are working to establish the facts through eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, and other reliable information.”
At a news conference on July 10, Christine Wonsley said the sheriff’s statements also gave the family pause.
“I do absolutely respect law enforcement,” she said, but “the accidental drowning thing, it made both me and his father uncomfortable. Why are we so quick to rush to this?”
“What we’re wanting is transparency,” she said. “At the end of the day, we want answers.”
Crump said the family requested an independent autopsy be performed because “it is not adding up.”
“We had his body flown from Mississippi to Washington, DC, because his family wanted to make sure that they had a doctor who had no ties to Mississippi law enforcement to do an independent examination of their son’s body,” he said.
Those results are expected “very soon,” Crump said on July 11.
Wells’ parents and their attorneys met with Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath on July 15. They said they did not learn of new information about the investigation but agreed to have a “mutual inspection” of Wells’ cell phone done by experts from each party.
An unresolved case stokes conspiracy online
Nearly a month after Wells disappeared from Horn Island, many of the central questions surrounding his final hours remain unanswered, including why he didn’t return on the boat with his friends or have his cellphone with him.
Investigators have specifically asked for original, unedited photos and videos taken on July 4, “particularly those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells.”
“Right now, I know time is of the essence, but folks want answers ten minutes ago, and unfortunately, that takes time to get the accurate information … It’s gonna take a lot of hard work,” Ledbetter, the sheriff, told CNN affiliate WXXV.
Authorities say they are also investigating online reports of an alleged altercation on the island on July 4 and whether it involved Wells.
In one video recorded near the island on July 4 and widely circulated on social media after Wells’ death, someone can be heard yelling as if in a heated argument. One of Wells’ friends later said it was his voice not Wells’ on the video.
“In that video, you hear somebody yelling — that is me,” Tracestin Shepherd told Rolling Stone.
Wells’ parents said they are pushing through their grief to figure out what happened to their son.
“At the end of the day, I would hope any parent would fight for their kids to find out if anything happened,” ChristineWonsley said.
A GoFundMe launched for Wells’ family to pay for his funeral expenses says he will be “forever loved. Forever remembered. Never Forgotten.”
Some public figures have also stepped up to help cover the family’s expenses. Civil rights activist and former football player Colin Kaepernick helped fund the independent autopsy, while filmmaker Tyler Perry will be covering funeral expenses, according to Crump.
Funeral services have been scheduled for July 20. Wells’ mother described the gathering as a “home going celebration” for her son, which will include a party for friends and family at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
“He would not want us to be sitting around crying and eating, so what we are going to do is kind of have a party to celebrate him,” Wonsley said.
Horn Island remains much as it was before, surrounded by water and shaped by the tides.
But for Wells’ loved ones, that island where the budding football star often spent time represents something new entirely: a search for answers. They are still waiting to understand what happened to Nolan, a son, a teammate and a friend whose life stretched far beyond the island where it ended.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis reviews body camera footage on July 24, of a fatal police shooting she described as a possible "suicide by cop." (Sara Diggins/The Austin American-Statesman/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis reviews body camera footage on July 24, of a fatal police shooting she described as a possible “suicide by cop.” (Sara Diggins/The Austin American-Statesman/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
By Lauren Mascarenhas, Emma Tucker, CNN
(CNN) — The 911 call placed from the teenager’s phone last week reported a young person who may be brandishing a gun in an Austin, Texas, parking lot.
When officers arrived at a community park early Friday morning, they found 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams II, who suddenly appeared to lift his shirt and reach toward his waistband as officers told him to keep his hands up, body camera footage released by police shows.
Williams then raised both hands and extended them, with “his hands positioned together in front of him as if he was pointing a weapon at the officers,” police said in a statement Wednesday, citing a review of footage of the shooting.
Three officers fired multiple rounds as Williams, who is Black, fell to the ground at a playground, video shows. First responders attempted to save his life, but the teenager died at the scene, the Austin Police Department said in a statement.
Williams was unarmed, with a water bottle in his waistband, police later determined.
“All points are indicating that this was a suicide by police,” Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said at a news conference Friday, noting this remains an active investigation. The initial 911 call was made from Williams’ phone, they added.
The teen’s death has fueled outrage from city officials and community members who are calling for greater police accountability and has reignited a conversation about what mental health support can be provided before deadly force is used. The three officers who opened fire have been placed on administrative leave, per protocol, and the shooting is under investigation, police said.
Police have said the 911 caller was asked whether mental health services were needed and had requested a police response.
“At no point during the call was this identified as a mental health crisis, and the caller disconnected before additional information could be obtained despite callback attempts,” Austin Police said in a statement to CNN affiliate KEYE.
911 call came from teen’s phone, police say
The police department last week released audio of the 911 call, which begins with the dispatcher asking, “Do you need police, fire, EMS or mental health services?”
“Police,” the caller responds.
“I’m looking out my window. There seems to be a kid. It looks like he has a gun … He keeps on messing with his waistband and I seen something in his hands,” the caller reported, according to the audio. “It looks like a firearm but I’m not sure.”
The person was “brandishing” a firearm but was by himself, the caller said, answering questions from dispatch.
Officers who responded located Williams and “attempted to gain compliance by giving verbal commands to keep his hands up and asking him if he was okay,” Davis said.
“Officers are often required to make life or death decisions in seconds,” the police chief added. “This was a rapidly evolving incident.”
Flowers, candles and tributes to Williams poured into the playground at the community park where he was killed. As the community mourns the teenager, his death has also fueled calls for better access to mental health resources for young people.
Since the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, some cities nationwide have heeded calls to reallocate money away from law enforcement and into mental health and social services. Others have shifted the responsibility of responding to non-violent mental health crisis calls to trained civilian programs rather than police, such as Los Angeles and Baltimore.
“This tragedy is a reminder that access to timely mental health and behavioral health care and support can make a meaningful difference for individuals and families facing a crisis,” Councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison said in a statement.
Austin police are conducting a criminal investigation with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, as well as an administrative investigation through their internal affairs unit, police said in a news release.
The Travis County District Attorney’s Office told CNN it will conduct an independent review of the shooting after the police department concludes its investigation and turns over evidence.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Anthoneil Williams II. We are committed to ensuring a thorough review,” the office said.
CNN has reached out to the Austin Police Department and Austin mayor’s office for additional comment.
Community outraged over shooting
Over the past few days, a vigil was held to grieve the teenager before he was identified and protesters marched in the city’s downtown to stand in solidarity with Williams’ family and call for accountability.
Some marched to the office of Travis County District Attorney José P. Garza to demand he bring charges against the officers involved in the shooting.
“People are angry,” an attendee who only identified himself as David T. said at the vigil Saturday, according to CNN affiliate KVUE. “People understand there needs to be something done.”
Williams’ friends described the teenager as selfless and a good friend at the vigil over the weekend, according to KVUE.
“It breaks my heart. I’m speechless. Everybody’s broken. It’s like they took a part of me with them when they took him,” said Ameer Alogaili, who described being friends with Williams since they were 11 years old.
Another friend, Santiago Aguirre, said at the vigil Williams always prioritized others no matter what he was going through, according to KVUE.
“With him, it didn’t matter how he was feeling. He always put people first,” Aguirre said.
Some Austin City Council members have released statements on social media calling for a transparent investigation.
“As we debate next year’s budget and ask the public to trust our public safety institutions, that trust will be earned through transparency and accountability,” said Councilman Zo Qadri in a social media post.
“Every loss of life is heartbreaking. Every family deserves answers,” Austin City Council member José Velásquez said in a statement Saturday. “And our community deserves to know that every possible effort was made to respond with compassion, care, and de-escalation during a mental health crisis.”
Neighbors who live near the site described being unsettled by the police shooting taking place in their community park where children play.
“The footage was disturbing because it hit home,” Jeffrey Metzger told KVUE. “It was right on the jungle gym where my grandchildren play, and we swim in the pool, and I know we’ll be thinking of that.”
Amairelys Flores, who lives across the street from where Williams was killed, said she heard multiple rounds of gunfire early Friday morning, according to KEYE.
Police, she told KEYE, should confirm there is an active threat before using deadly force. “Four a.m., you see a boy right there and what are you gonna do?” Flores said. “Probably, that boy needs help.”
Idyllic family vacations are full of quality time, relaxation, and memorable moments. Instead, the reality often involves whining, long lines, getting lost, and mishaps. Ensuring that your next trip is enjoyable for you and your kids requires thoughtful planning before and during the trip.
Meeting everyone’s needs on a family vacation is a balancing act that takes thought and practice. Before you embark on your next adventure, consider these tips to make your family vacation a memorable and stress-free experience for everyone involved.
Involve the Kids in the Planning Process
Encourage your children to participate in the vacation planning. Whether it’s choosing a destination, suggesting activities, or even helping with the itinerary, involving them in the decision-making process can make them feel more excited and invested in the trip. Ask what they liked most and least about previous trips to gain additional insight into the activities they enjoy most.
Choose Family-Friendly Destinations and Activities
Consider destinations with activities, entertainment, and dining options that cater to kids. Cruises, family-friendly resorts, and theme parks are examples of destinations with activities for everyone.
Strike a balance between activities that cater to adults and those that entertain the kids. For instance, mix in some interactive exhibits or child-friendly tours if you are visiting historical sites or museums. This way, everyone can enjoy the vacation without feeling left out or “bored”.
Create an Accommodating and Flexible Itinerary
Choose travel options that accommodate the attention spans and comfort of your kids. If flying, consider booking direct flights to minimize layovers. For road trips, plan breaks to stretch your legs and explore interesting spots along the way.
While having a plan is essential, be flexible and open to spontaneity. Kids don’t always stick to a rigid schedule, so allow room for unexpected detours or changes in plans. Embracing flexibility can turn unforeseen challenges into pleasant surprises.
Photo: lightfieldstudios via 123RF
Establish Routines and Clear Expectations
Regular routines are important on vacations as they provide comfort, stability, and predictability, especially for children. Amidst the novelty of travel, maintaining routines helps them feel more at ease in new environments. These can be as simple as familiar breakfast foods or continuing to read a book before bedtime. Aim to strike a balance between embracing spontaneity and unexpected opportunities while aiming to maintain the core elements of your regular routines.
Communicate with your kids about the behavior expectations for the trip. Discuss guidelines, rules, and any responsibilities they may have during the vacation. Clear communication can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure a smoother travel experience.
Rest is Key to a Successful Vacation
Maintaining nap and sleep schedules for kids during a vacation may seem daunting, but a lack of sleep can lead to irritability and challenging behaviors. Try to align activities during your vacation with your kid’s regular sleep routine, allowing for scheduled naps and bedtime. Pack familiar sleep aids, like a favorite blanket or stuffed animal, to create a comforting sleep environment.
Even with older kids, schedule some downtime into your itinerary, allowing everyone to take a break and unwind. Well-rested family members are more likely to have patience, be engaged in activities, and stay healthy while traveling.
Pack Wisely
Efficient packing is critical to a stress-free trip. Bring entertainment (books, games, or electronic devices) for long car rides, flights, or waiting times. Ensure you have all necessary medications, and pack versatile clothing for varying weather conditions.
Don’t overlook the importance of snack preparation to curb hunger and the crankiness that follows. Having a well-planned snack arsenal like granola bars, trail mix, and fresh fruit ensures everyone stays energized and content throughout the journey. While it is tempting to overpack with all the comforts of home, too much stuff can become cumbersome, so review what is needed.
Celebrate Achievements and Capture the Moments
Acknowledge and celebrate the positive aspects of the trip. Whether it’s conquering a fear, trying new foods, or learning something new, highlighting these achievements can foster a sense of accomplishment and make the vacation even more rewarding for everyone. Keep mental or written notes about what went well to build on those successes for the next trip you plan.
Document your family vacation through photos and videos. Not only will this create lasting memories, but it also gives everyone a chance to reflect on the enjoyable moments of the trip. Encourage the kids to share their perspectives by giving them disposable cameras or allowing them to use smartphone cameras.
By involving the kids in the planning process and keeping basic needs like food, sleep, and comfort in mind, you can ensure that your next family trip is enjoyable and a cherished experience for every family member. Before you book your vacation this year, consider these strategies to make it a truly unforgettable adventure for the whole family.
Summer has a sneaky way of draining your wallet. One minute you’re grabbing iced coffee and booking a weekend getaway, and the next you’re wondering how the holidays are somehow only a few months away.
It doesn’t have to feel this way. As the year’s mid-way mark, summer is actually one of the best times to hit reset on your finances rather than waiting for January to roll around again. According to a recent NerdWallet study, many people save money regularly, but don’t set clear goals for their savings, which can make it harder to stay on track financially.
Instead of thinking about summer as a “spend now, deal with it later” financial vacation, the season can actually become your financial turning point. Here are a few ways to use financial tools and products to regroup before holiday shopping, next year’s vacations, and surprise expenses start creeping in.
1. Give Your Savings Account a Summer Job
If your savings account has turned into one giant pile of money with no real purpose, now’s the time to reorganize it.
Many banks and online platforms now let you create separate savings buckets or goals within the same account. You can label them things like:
Holiday gifts
Next summer’s vacation
Emergency car repairs
Back-to-school shopping
“Please don’t touch this” money
There’s something oddly motivating about seeing your progress attached to a real goal instead of staring at one random number.
Summer is also a good time to look at what you’re actually spending during the warmer months. Maybe your electric bill jumps every July because the AC never stops running. Maybe you always overspend on concerts and patio dinners. Once you spot the pattern, you can start setting aside money before those costs hit.
Even moving an extra $25 a week into a dedicated savings bucket can make the holidays feel a lot less stressful later.
2. Let a Budgeting App Do Some of the Work
Most people don’t want to spend their summer hunched over spreadsheets. That’s where budgeting apps can actually help without making life feel overly complicated.
Apps like YNAB, Monarch Money, and Rocket Money can track spending patterns, categorize purchases, and show where your money keeps disappearing.
Honestly, mid-year is the perfect time for that reality check. You might realize:
You’re spending way more on takeout than you thought
Three subscription services are quietly charging you every month
Your “quick Target run” habit deserves its own budgeting category
The point isn’t to make yourself feel guilty — it’s just easier to adjust your habits in July than to panic in November when holiday expenses start piling up.
Some apps also let you create a sinking fund, which is basically a vehicle for saving small amounts over time for future expenses. That’s especially helpful for expenses like holiday shopping or annual travel plans.
Photo: sergeychayko via 123RF
3. Rebalance Investments Before Year-End Chaos
Summer can also be a smart time to check on investment accounts.
You don’t need to become a stock market expert overnight, but the mid-year months are a good time to look at whether your money still matches your goals. Maybe you originally planned to save aggressively for travel, but now you’re focused on building a larger emergency fund. Maybe you’ve been sitting on cash you meant to invest months ago.
Many investment platforms make it easy to automate contributions or adjust allocations without needing a financial jargon dictionary nearby. The key is staying engaged rather than ignoring your accounts until December, a practice that will help you make small adjustments throughout the year instead of scrambling later.
4. Create a “Future You” Fund
One of the easiest ways to stay motivated financially is to make saving feel personal instead of restrictive.Instead of framing your financial reorganization as “cutting back,” think about what Future You would probably appreciate six months from now.
Future You might be:
Grateful holiday gifts are already covered
Relaxed during tax season because there’s money set aside
Booking a trip without putting everything on a credit card
Calm and prepared when a surprise expense shows up
That shift in mindset makes budgeting feel less like punishment and more like preparation. And summer is actually ideal for this kind of reset because there’s still enough time left in the year to make noticeable progress without feeling rushed.
5. Don’t Aim for Perfect. Aim for Better.
Financial resets don’t have to look dramatic. You don’t need color-coded spreadsheets, a total spending freeze, or a brand-new personality.
Sometimes the biggest difference comes from a few simple changes:
Automatically moving money into savings every Friday
Checking your budget app twice a week
Cutting one unnecessary subscription
Setting one realistic savings goal instead of five
That’s usually what keeps people consistent. Not perfection, just momentum.
By the time the holidays arrive, you’ll probably feel a lot better knowing Summer You actually helped Future You out for once.
