By DonnaAnn Ward
Community Organizer

On Sept. 29, I sat down and wrote a petition. Along with hundreds of other  Marylanders, I watched– in stomach churning horror– the video of an elderly man  beaten unconscious and head stomped on the street in front of his home on Sept. 26. 

I collated the thoughts of my neighbors and wrote a petition asking Governor Moore to remove Vinny Schiraldi, secretary of the Department of Juvenile Services. The next day a friend put it online.

Since Sept. 30th to today, Oct. 17th, I count at least 20 incidents of youth violence involving an estimated 41 juveniles, only three of whom have been detained and charged. The latest juvenile to be a DJS failure is Tracee Parker the 17-year-old who  was in possession of a handgun that had been modified to act like a machine gun  when he was arrested at Howard High in Columbia, Md. in the middle of the school day. Out of the three violent crimes Parker has been arrested for, he was on electronic  monitoring for two. 

Parker murdered a 26-year-old man while on electronic monitoring.  

At this point, over 2,000 signatures have been collected and sent to Governor Wes Moore, who in 2022 changed state regulation to remove charging and detaining powers for arrested juveniles from the state’s attorneys. That control was then given to the Department of Juvenile Services, whose secretary, Vincent “Vinny” Schiraldi holds the distinction of being the only appointee to not receive unanimous support.  

It was Schiraldi’s failures in New York and D.C. that led to his being fired. New York  fired him when the violence at Rikers was so extreme union prison guards were  refusing to work. D.C. fired him after a costly two-year investigation into why he was  hosting parties for juvenile males from maximum security facilities at his home.  

So, here we are twenty days after a 66-year-old resident was beaten unconscious and stomped on the head. And what has Moore done?  

The governor has allotted an additional ten million dollars for Schiraldi’s failing Thrive  Academy and its 20 percent recidivism rate. In the first year, 23 out of the 126 enrolled  juveniles were re-arrested and were in possession of a handgun, two were shot. A state  investigation has been requested into the violence and substance abuse in DJS  facilities. Juveniles are being re-arrested while on electronic monitoring, several re-arrested on the same day they were put on monitoring. 

Ivan Bates has repeatedly stated that juvenile crime is out of control, the police are frustrated, eleven community associations and 2,662 citizens mailed their request for Moore to remove Schiraldi.  People are frightened, angry and baffled by Moore’s continued support for Schiraldi.  

And the response? Crickets. Not a single town hall, not one victim contacted, no public  comment on the problems Maryland did not have before Schiraldi was given power  over our state’s juveniles.  

There is talk of class action lawsuits, a Federal Consent Decree, investigations, hate  crime charges being leveled and parents being arrested. What is this going to cost  Maryland, in human capital, money, reputation diminishment and trust? The easiest  solution in everyone’s mind is to remove Schiraldi. 

Everywhere Vinny Schiraldi goes chaos, violence, lawsuits and failure are the result.  So, why is a smart, educated, confident parent like Moore hanging onto a snake oil  salesman like Schiraldi? Emperor Vinny has no clothes. 

Marylanders are waiting for Gov. Wes Moore to wake up and see reality. How many more people will be killed, beaten,  robbed and traumatized while we wait?

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By Dayvon Love

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) has a revolutionary pan-African nationalist perspective that prioritizes Black sovereignty and self determination.  

We operate primarily in the political and policy advocacy arena with a theory of change that requires tremendous courage, rigorous intellectual work, base-building among Black people and high integrity.  These are the things that we aspire to because we believe that these are essential characteristics necessary to be effective advocates for Black people.

The suffering of the masses of Black people is fertile ground for opportunism. In this capitalist society, people are looking for jobs to survive. In many cases, jobs and careers have the impact of centering themselves around advancing the careers of the people who are doing the jobs, and not the communities being served by the work at hand.  It is easy for people to confuse these two things because– in this society– Black people have been conditioned to equate the accomplishments of individual Black people (i.e. first Black person to…. fill in the blank) with group success. What also makes this more complicated is that there are some Black people that will use their positions to help other Black people in their arena.  While this is good, there are limitations. This route creates a class of Black people who benefit from being well networked amongst a handful of Black people that have access to opportunities due to their proximity to mainstream institutions. While this may bring on success for those involved, the Black communities being served are left relatively unchanged.

One of the things that I take pride in as a co-founder of LBS is the fact that much of our work has had a wide and meaningful impact on the masses of Black people in Baltimore. We have done the work to help to establish BCIITY in west Baltimore, an organization that invests money into grassroots organizations to address youth trauma. We have worked on the establishment of the Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund, which invests resources in Black grassroots organizations around the city with $12 million a year statutorily allocated every year. LBS has also done advocacy work on bail reform, aimed at significantly reducing the amount of people in Mayland who spend time in jail because of high priced bail premiums. We have also spent countless hours advocating for investments in community based violence prevention efforts that have empowered Black grassroots orgs to be the basis for the historic decline in violence in Baltimore in the last couple of years. These are just a few of the many things that LBS has done over the years to impact the lives of Black people. My standard for asking people to support LBS is whether we are able to deliver observable positive impact on the community.

Too many Black people in my generation characterize their own personal and professional advancement as a win for the culture. They believe that their mere presence in a space of influence or power is a win for Black people. The emphasis on appearance, clout and being cool with the right White people take precedence over a deep knowledge of history, rigorous expertise and a standard that requires that the community concretely benefit from your work. 

If you are a person in Baltimore and you claim to work on economic justice, it might be hard to take you seriously if you are unaware about the following: 

-Congressman Parren Mitchell’s work on minority set asides

-Walter P. Carter’s efforts on empowering community based organizations and Madeline Murphy’s work on the Community Action Agency in Baltimore 

-The advocacy work of Margaret McCarty and Annie Chambers who diligently labored to provide support children and families

My generation tends to relate to history– at best– as a reference.  We may drop some names and know some historical events.  A more substantive relationship to our history is needed, not merely as historical references, but as a resource.  We should use the blueprints that have been produced for us by our ancestors as the architecture of our thinking and the work that we produce.  Which requires deep study and to take our people and our traditions seriously.

The hustle on the suffering of Black people has become normalized. I am sure that I am in the minority when it comes to this line of thinking. I also know that there are people who will be annoyed or even insulted by this commentary. But I don’t think anyone will legitimately argue against the general concept I have described here. What tends to happen is that people avoid engaging in this issue because it can flare up a range of insecurities and deep feelings. My urgency in addressing this is that the masses of Black people continue to have their suffering normalized, while a handful of us get to go to the galas, happy hours, mixers and fundraisers. 

Take selfies, dance, have fun, but the question that should be addressed as the price for these forms of leisure when you are taking money in the name of empowering Black people is whether the impact of your work is meaningfully felt by our community –beyond our immediate social circles. 

I am militantly committed to this standard because the fate of our community depends on it.

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By Ethan Ashley

Education has always been a contentious issue, but as we approach the 2024 elections, it’s become ground zero for broader cultural and political clashes. Book bans targeting diverse and inclusive materials are on the rise, and restrictive gag orders are silencing classroom discussions on critical topics like race, gender and American history. 

With the conservative agenda of Project 2025 gaining traction, the threat to both democracy and public education has never been more urgent. In times like these, it’s easy to feel powerless—but, as citizens, we can’t afford to disengage. The fight for our country’s future begins at the local level, particularly with our school boards.

Though often overlooked, school boards are the backbone of our democratic process, influencing the education of nearly 90 percent of America’s children who attend public schools. Their decisions determine everything from which books make it into classrooms to the curriculum that teaches civics and voter education. They are the gatekeepers of academic freedom and have a crucial role in shaping young people’s understanding of democracy. School boards are responsible for dismantling the remnants of systemic racism in education and laying the foundation for future citizens who will either uphold or dismantle democratic values.

That’s why who sits on our school boards is so critical. Diverse representation on these boards ensures a variety of perspectives, particularly when it comes to identifying inequities and implementing inclusive policies. 

However, school boards in the U.S. were designed in a different era, for a different demographic. Historically led by white, male landowners, school boards have not evolved to reflect the diversity of the communities they now serve. Today, although public school students are more than 55 percent students of color, a 2022 survey by School Board Partners found that 64 percent of school board members are white, highlighting a significant gap in representation.

This May the nation celebrated the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the decision that outlawed segregation based on race in public schools. At the time of the ruling, roughly 90 percent of students were white. Since then, public school demographics in America have continued to morph into being more racially and ethnically diverse: less than half of students are white, meaning that about 55 percent of public school students identify as minority populations, with more than a quarter being Hispanic, and nearly 15 percent being Black. These numbers don’t even account for non-English native language speakers, students with disabilities, students identifying as part of the LGBTQ community, or students in varying socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Across the country this fall, people will go to the polls and cast votes that will have a major impact on the future of our country. With over 21,000 seats up for election this year, School Board Partners is among the groups working to ensure voters realize the importance of school board elections specifically.  

The reality is that the tensions we’re witnessing around education will continue to compound — but we have the collective power to choose a better future by electing a more diverse candidate pool who will advocate for policies and procedures that meet the needs of students, no matter their background. By nature and design, school boards were established by the people, for the people. It’s time to bring our school boards into the present and deliver on that founding promise. The future of democracy depends on it.

This op-ed was originally published by Word in Black.

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By Sonali Kolhatkar

A Florida resident named Isaac Menasche received a home visit this September from a police officer asking whether he’d signed a petition for a ballot measure.

The petition, which Menasche had indeed signed, was for a November initiative overturning a strict abortion ban that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed last year. Now the governor is attempting to discredit those signatures using state-funded cops. According to the Tampa Bay Times, state law enforcement officers have visited the homes of other signers as well.

DeSantis created an elections police unit in 2022 to investigate so-called election crimes. By that August, he’d arrested 20 “elections criminals” for allegedly voting improperly in the 2020 election.

A majority of those arrested — some at gunpoint — were Black. Most had been formerly incarcerated and thought they were eligible to vote, since Floridians had overwhelmingly passed a ballot measure restoring their voting rights. But DeSantis and his GOP allies in the state legislature used every maneuver they could to thwart that popular decision.

If anyone is breaking voting laws intentionally in Florida and elsewhere, it’s White conservatives who’ve been caught engaging in deliberate voter fraud numerous times, including attempting to vote multiple times and voting under the names of their dead spouses.

Further, given that voter intimidation is patently illegal, DeSantis is clearly the one flouting laws.

DeSantis’s fellow Republican, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is on a similar crusade. He recently authorized police raids on the homes of people associated with a Latino civil rights group called the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), including grandparents in their 70s and 80s.

Like DeSantis, Paxton has been aggressively prosecuting voters of color based on little to no evidence of nefarious intent. The most egregious example is the conviction and harsh sentencing of a Black voter named Crystal Mason. Mason spent six years fighting her case and was acquitted last May because of a lack of evidence.

Bruce Zuchowski, a Republican county sheriff in Ohio, called on supporters to “write down all the addresses of the people who had signs in their yards” so they can be forced to take in migrants — whom he called, in a garbled Facebook post, “human locusts.” Local residents say they feel intimidated.

It’s not just government officials. The extremist Heritage Foundation sent staffers to the homes of Georgia residents thought to be immigrants, in an effort to find voter fraud where none existed. (This is the same organization behind Project 2025, a playbook for a future Republican president promising the dystopian destruction of federally funded programs.)

And of course, the loudest and most bizarre conspiracy theories come from Donald Trump, who invokes non-existent fraud to explain why he lost the 2020 election. His billionaire backer Elon Musk has added fuel to the fire by amplifying these false claims.

If their rhetoric weren’t so dangerous, it would be funny that Trump is a felon and Musk is an immigrant.

There’s a long and disturbing history of voter suppression aimed at communities of color, from poll taxes to lynchings. Although the 1965 Voting Rights Act was aimed at preventing such race-based suppression, right-wing justices on the Supreme Court gutted parts of the law, opening the door to systematic disenfranchisement and intimidation.

Numerous investigations of voter fraud claims have repeatedly been found to be utterly baseless. So why do Republicans make them?

As a federal judge in Florida concluded, “For the past 20 years, the majority in the Florida Legislature has attacked the voting rights of its Black constituents. They have done so … as part of a cynical effort to suppress turnout.” And that’s precisely the point.

There are strict laws in place against voter intimidation. And while the Biden administration is ready to enforce them with a small army of lawyers, it’s critical that voters know their own rights and ask for help if they believe their right to vote is under threat.

This op-ed was originally published by OtherWords.org.

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By Dara Delgado, Allegheny College

(THE CONVERSATION) Many Black leaders are swinging into action for the Harris-Walz campaign – and clergy are no exception.

On Aug. 5, 2024, The Black Church PAC hosted a “Win With the Black Church” webinar to register voters, sign up volunteers and raise funds for Vice President Kamala Harris. The kickoff event, which organizers said raised US$500,000 and boasted 16,000 attendees, was hosted by the political action committee’s co-founder, Mike McBride – pastor of The Way Christian Center in California.

Apart from politics, McBride shares something else with many of the people on the webinar, including gospel singer Erica Campbell, pastor Jamal Bryant and co-founder the Rev. Leah Daughtry: All draw on Pentecostal faith.

As a scholar of American Pentecostalism and Black Studies, I see this event as but one example of Black Pentecostal and charismatics’ increasing visibility in American politics – a notable shift from the past.

Power of the Holy Spirit

Pentecostalism is a global Protestant Christian movement. As an evangelical Christian tradition, Pentecostalism emphasizes salvation through Jesus Christ and the centrality of scripture. It differs, however, in its understanding of the Holy Spirit: how God’s energy and essence work in the world.

Across most denominations and traditions, Christians believe in the Holy Spirit – part of the Holy Trinity, together with God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son.

Pentecostalism is distinct, however, because its adherents claim that they directly experience the active presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, through spiritual gifts such as healing, prophecy and speaking in tongues – a spiritual experience consisting of a series of unintelligible speech-like utterances and sounds. Pentecostals believe that speaking in tongues, or “glossolalia,” is a divine language and an essential means for communicating with God.

Pentecostals draw inspiration from the Book of Acts, part of the Bible that describes the founding of the early church after Jesus’ death. Chapter 2 depicts an event called the Pentecost, when disciples of Jesus were gathered together. Scripture describes them suddenly “filled with the Holy Spirit and (beginning) to speak in other tongues,” yet onlookers heard their own language spoken. In this moment, Pentecostals believe that the power of the Holy Spirit was poured out on Christ’s followers – and that it has been accessible ever since.

Because Pentecostals maintain that this type of spiritual activity continues today, they also emphasize speaking in tongues as evidence that someone experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Glossolalia is seen as a critical entryway to the faith and to personally experiencing the Holy Spirit in your life.

Apart from Pentecostal churches, Christians called “charismatics” have similar beliefs about the dynamic activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Charismatic Christians, however, are affiliated with other denominations, from Catholicism to mainline Protestant churches.

Black Pentecostal tradition

Within the global Pentecostal and charismatic landscape, Black American churches form a distinct tradition.

In June 2024, with support from the Public Religion Research Institute, PRRI fellows Youssef Chouhoud, Flavio Rigerio Hickel and Leah Payne and I conducted a survey of 2,418 adults in the United States. Half of the 734 Black respondents identified as Pentecostal or charismatic. Similarly, in 2021, Pew Research Center reported that “half of all Black churchgoers say services include speaking in tongues.”

Scholars of American Pentecostalism maintain that from its inception, the movement was indebted to the religious practices of enslaved Black Christians. Black Pentecostal churches and organizations formed in the early 20th century as a result of racism. In 1914, for example, the white founders of the Assemblies of God, USA decided to disaffiliate from the predominantly Black Church of God in Christ.

Black Pentecostalism teaches that Christians have an obligation to do good in the world. Social engagement has been essential to many Black Pentecostal identities and congregational life since their beginnings, especially material works of mercy – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and educating the ignorant.

Eyes toward heaven

Such commitments were a stark contrast to Black Pentecostals’ civic life and political involvement.

Although there have been Pentecostals associated with politics and community activism, the tradition does “not possess an explicit political theology,” as Pentecostal theologian Steven M. Studebaker observes. Black Pentecostal traditions especially have often oriented themselves away from this world’s sociopolitical affairs, toward concerns about personal and social morality and hope of heaven.

In fact, for generations, American Pentecostals broadly prided themselves on being intentionally apolitical. Black churches and leaders were key to mobilizing the Civil Rights Movement, for example, but Pentecostals believed that their most important contribution was through prayer, as historian Jonathan Chism notes.

Moreover, Black Pentecostals’ absence from politics reflects a history of discrimination and condescension from other Black Americans, including Black mainline Christians. During the early to mid-20th century, Black Pentecostals were often seen as lower class, unlike other Protestant groups such as Black Baptists and Methodists.

Critics feared the emotionality of their religious expression and their tendency toward gender inclusivity, which they worried would make Pentecostals a liability in the push for Black Americans’ rights. Black Pentecostals were not trusted with representing Black social and political interests in the public square.

Recent shift

Since becoming the Democratic nominee, Harris has garnered a wellspring of support from Black faith leaders, including influential Black preachers who either remain in or came up in the Pentecostal or charismatic congregations. Among them are Traci Blackmon, Chrisette Ellis and Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes.

Trump has enjoyed endorsements from a smaller number of Black Pentecostal leaders, but without the same celebrity status as the Black Pentecostal or charismatic preachers backing Harris. Take for example Darrell Scott, a pastor from Ohio, who remains firm in his support. Harry R. Jackson, a prominent Black pastor in conservative circles who died in 2020, was a religious adviser to the former president. Most recently, Lorenzo Sewell, the pastor of 180 Church in Detroit, addressed the Republican National Convention.

On both sides, these developments mark a noticeable shift among Black Pentecostals from private prayers or local social engagement to visible political involvement. This is also true for some of their conservative evangelical counterparts, especially Black Baptists affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, who are leaving that denomination over differences in social and political issues, especially around race.

In the same 2021 report, Pew highlighted the political tensions embedded in race and religion for Black Christians in the United States. Only 10% of Black Americans lean toward the Republican Party, but that percentage doubles for Black Protestants who attend a mostly white church. Still, what this data helps show is that for the majority of Black Christians, their political views are more reflective of their experiences with race than their congregational affiliation.

Contemporary Black Pentecostals and charismatics are turning the page on their history of political apathy – whether through public endorsements, voter registration drives or as part of groups such as the Black Church PAC. Churches have long been a pillar of how Black Americans “hold and build political power in this country,” as McBride told Religion News Service. Pentecostals are working to keep that legacy alive – and expand the proverbial walls of the Black church.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.

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By Keith Dobbins
Special to the AFRO

Through the hustle of daily life comes the story of Brian R., which serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of proactive health awareness, especially within the Black community. 

A close friend of mine from Ohio, Brian has always been a picture of health, maintaining a slim physique well into his late 40s and early 50s. However, a gradual weight gain went unnoticed until he participated in the Black Men’s Wellness Day and 5K Race in Atlanta. 

Encouraged to undergo a series of health screenings, Brian discovered alarming spikes in his wellness numbers, revealing the hidden fragility of his heart. The onsite doctors’ urgent advice led him to seek further medical evaluation, ultimately resulting in life-saving heart bypass surgery. 

Brian’s journey underscores not only the critical need for regular health check-ups but also the vital role community events play in fostering awareness and preventive care among Black men. His transformation is a testament to the power of knowledge and the impact of prioritizing health, a message that resonates deeply in discussions about Black men’s health.

In the realm of health and wellness, the mantra “prevention is better than cure” resonates profoundly, especially when we examine the alarming health disparities faced by Black men in the United States. 

The statistics are stark: approximately 70 percenr of the diseases that lead to premature death among Black men are preventable. This reality not only underscores the urgent need for proactive health measures but also highlights the critical importance of education and community engagement in fostering a healthier future.

Persistent disparities
Black men face a significant health crisis, living 12 to 20 years shorter than their White counterparts. The reasons behind this disparity are complex, involving a mix of socioeconomic factors, systemic inequities, and limited access to quality health care. Moreover, the statistics surrounding kidney health are particularly troubling. Black men are more than three times as likely to experience kidney failure compared to White Americans.

According to The JAMA Network, Black men in the U.S. have the highest lifetime risk of kidney failure, accounting for 16.6 percent of all kidney failure patients in 2018, despite representing only 6.4 percent of the overall U.S. population. These figures are not merely numbers; they represent lives lost and families devastated by preventable conditions.

As a health care advocate, it is my mission to provide access to health resources for Black men, a demographic that has historically been underserved and overlooked. Education is paramount in this mission. By equipping our communities with knowledge about health risks, preventive measures and available health care resources, we empower individuals to take control of their health. 

Understanding the link between education and activation is crucial; informed individuals are more likely to engage in preventive health behaviors, seek regular check-ups, and adhere to treatment protocols.

Combatting disparities through prevention
Preventive health measures can significantly reduce the incidence of diseases that disproportionately affect Black men. Regular screenings for hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease can catch health issues early, when they are most manageable. 

Additionally, lifestyle changes such as improved diet, increased physical activity, and smoking cessation can dramatically lower the risk of chronic diseases. Yet, many Black men are unaware of these risks or lack the resources to make these changes.

To combat these disparities, we must foster a culture of health within our communities. This can be achieved through targeted health education programs that address the specific needs and concerns of Black men. 

Community health workshops, partnerships with local organizations and outreach initiatives can help disseminate vital health information. Moreover, we should promote the importance of regular health care visits and encourage discussions about health within families and social circles.

A call to arms
The health disparities faced by Black men are a pressing public health issue that demands our attention and action. Preventable diseases continue to claim lives, and the statistics are a call to arms for all of us. As we work towards a healthier future, let us remember that prevention is indeed better than cure. 

By prioritizing education, improving access to health care and fostering a culture of health within our communities, we can make significant strides in bridging the health gap. Together, we can create a future where Black men not only live longer but live healthier lives, free from the shackles of preventable diseases. The time for action is now!  Let us rise to the challenge and ensure that health equity becomes a reality for all.

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By Alexis Taylor
AFRO Managing Editor

Growing up, my mother was known for working. 

She was your classic Black woman workhorse, 1964 edition.

What my father didn’t teach me about work ethic, my mother did. But the lessons were different. Extra shifts at work, Christmas clock-ins and years of vacations where she could do nothing but sleep. There were no sandy beaches for her- vacation always meant a small respite from her one, usually two, jobs to simply sleep.

Like most Black mothers, she was doing it all for her family. My mother dutifully took care of my two brothers and I in every way possible, regardless of what life threw at her– and there were some tall mountains to climb. During my childhood, everything she did was to serve others. 

As a nurse, with a heart for children, the elderly and the disabled, it was my mother’s calling to help others. She routinely helped organize events at our church of choice, near whatever military base we were living on at the time. At work, she was known for being the first person to arrive and the last person to leave. Her work had to be finished before she left– no outstanding deliverables could be left for the next shift of nurses and aides. Her friends always knew they could call on her for help– whether it be money to hold them over to payday, or shelter as they solidified housing plans. My mother’s answer was always “yes.”

And then, a shift. 

My mother started going to therapy. She read a book called “Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No, To Take Control of Your Life,” by Henry Cloud and  John Townsend. She started telling people “no,” and I saw their reactions. They weren’t happy that she couldn’t be run ragged serving their purposes, with little or no benefit to her. She saw– and I saw, peeking from the background– who her real friends and family were. 

The lessons were clear.

Self-care can be hard. Self-care can be ugly. But it’s necessary, because here’s the hard truth: People will allow you to run yourself to death and then get mad when you drop. 

For me, at the heart of self-care is a person who believes they are worthy of care. The Cambridge Dictionary defines “care” as “the process of protecting someone or something and providing what that person or thing needs.”

How can a person protect or provide for others if they don’t have what they need? And if you’re not protecting or providing for yourself, the bigger question is– “why?” Whether it be exercise, food, sleep, space to decompress or that doctor’s appointment that keeps getting postponed, the time is now to prioritize you. 

Only you can put yourself first. And for all the parents out there, remember, there are people watching you to develop their own sense of self worth through their own self-care practices. 

A funny thing happened when my mother began to prioritize her own self-care, she began to truly live. Her heart for service still beats true to this day, as she continues to work in the healthcare field. But she’s happier and less stressed in a new position, more aligned with her interests, within the same company. She still volunteers at church, but in a capacity that doesn’t overwhelm her or her personal time. While I still have to occasionally remind her to clock out, today she serves as a new example– a shining example– of what happens when you put yourself first.

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By Dr. Frances Murphy “Toni” Draper
AFRO CEO and Publisher

Black adults have the highest divorce rate and the lowest marriage rate of any ethnic group. And, according to my own research, and my experiences in clinical practice as a licensed pastoral counselor for many years, Christian couples divorce at the same rate as everyone else. In addition, there is a correlation between good mental health and healthy marriages. Those who are in healthy, satisfying, marriages are happier than those who are not. In fact, “healthy marriages” was the subject of my doctoral dissertation titled, “Relationship Theology: A Model for Producing Healthy Marriages in the African American Context.”

Let me be clear at the outset: you don’t have to be married to be happy. Marriage is not for everyone. It is not “one-size fits all.” Many people rightfully and righteously embrace their singleness and are more than satisfied (and happy) being single. But if you do decide to get married, especially if you and your fiancé (fiancée) also decide to have a big, expensive wedding, it is a real drain on your mental and emotional health –not to mention your financial health– to separate and / or divorce. Of course, there are those situations where divorce is the only option due to a pattern of mental, physical, spiritual, emotional or sexual abuse. Marriage, however, works if you work it!

Earlier this year, my husband and I celebrated 50 years of marriage and for 50 days leading up to that momentous occasion, we posted “a tip” a day on Facebook and Instagram. We received many comments and personal notes saying that these “tips” were a blessing and a huge help for many married couples.

Often, we were asked if we would consider writing a book. Yes, we are writing the book (in 2025), but for those who missed our “Fifty for Fifty” or want a refresher, here are just ten of our “tips,” in no particular order:

• Put God first -It is absolutely true that a couple that prays together, stays together.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff. Most of what couples disagree about falls into the “small stuff” category– just put the cap back on the toothpaste!
• Don’t use sex as a weapon. It is God’s gift to a man and a woman committed to one another in holy matrimony.
• Be willing to do what your spouse likes to do, even if you don’t particularly want to do it– even if it means hopping on a train to Yankee Stadium. Both of us are avid sports fans. He’s a Yankee, Cowboys, Lakers fan and I’m an Orioles, Ravens, no particular basketball team fan. To his credit, he cheers for the Orioles (as long as they’re not playing the Yankees), and he likes the Ravens. And I root for the Cowboys (as long as they’re not playing the Ravens – which isn’t often). But the Yankees??? Y’all pray for a Sistah!
• Do not discuss and analyze your marital “disagreements” with anyone other than your spouse, unless it’s with a mutually agreed upon “qualified, trained, compassionate, professional counselor.” Counseling works when you really commit to it—especially premarital counseling. Your unmarried, twice divorced, can’t maintain a long-term, committed relationship girlfriend, guy friend or anyone who starts the sentence with “if I were you…,” is absolutely not the best person to get advice from. I’m just saying….
• The only person you can “control” is you. The only mouth you can close (or open) is your own. In 50 years, we have never had a violent or out of control argument. Note: I didn’t say we never had a difference of opinion – we’ve had our share of those! To reduce stress, to maintain a healthy state of mind – practice disagreeing without being disagreeable; go to another room, practice taking a deep breath, counting to 20 or whatever it takes to suppress your first reaction – just because it “comes up”, doesn’t mean it should “come out.”
• If he or she is not ready to talk, don’t force it. But don’t ignore it either. Agree on a time, ideally within two to three hours of “not now,” to talk about whatever the issue is. By the way, texting is not talking! And, listening takes practice – lots of it. Don’t be in such a hurry to get your point across. You don’t always have to be right.
• Don’t let your body go. His 28 inch waist, and your size six (you pick the number) may be a thing of the past, but be intentional about keeping your body as fit and as healthy as possible. It’s good for your life span, as well as your long-term marital happiness.
• Never go to bed angry or ugly – yes, attractive nightwear is still necessary five, 10, 20, 30, 50 years later. It doesn’t have to be fancy or uncomfortable, but if it doesn’t match, if it’s frayed or torn or missing buttons, stained, mismatched, or as old as you are, do not wear it to bed, do not donate it to the thrift shop– throw it away!
• Do not commit emotional, spiritual or physical adultery. Too many extra marital affairs are born out of what seems innocent at first, i.e. he’s easier to talk to, he understands me, she pays attention to me, and she looks good all of the time. Some folk—even in the church—could care less about your marriage or your family, and make it their mission to kill, steal and destroy you and your marriage.

I hope these tips are helpful for the married, as well as those planning or desiring to be married.

I also hope you will read with great interest each of the articles in this special edition. Our writers and editors have carefully selected topics designed to promote good mental health on a variety of topics. From mental health tips for entrepreneurs to advice for veterans, this edition is all about self-care. Happy, healthy reading!

The post A good marriage equals good mental health: It works if you work it! appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ryan Coleman

The Baltimore Beltway was first planned in 1949 by Baltimore County. The state eventually took over the project, becoming part of the Interstate Highway System planned in 1956. The length of the route from MD 2 south of Baltimore clockwise to U.S. Route 40 (US 40) northeast of the city opened in stages from 1955 to 1962, providing an Interstate bypass of Baltimore. It was the first beltway in the United States to be built as part of the Interstate Highway System. 

The Global Traffic Scorecard for 2023 rated Baltimore as the 14th worst city in the nation for traffic delays. That ranking is up from 16th place, in 2022. Baltimore commuters lost 44 hours in traffic in 2023, compared to 35 hours in 2022. That amount of time led to drivers spending an extra $762 in commuting costs. The city lost $905 million as a result of the delays, the study found.

The Maryland State Mobility Report rates roadway segments that experience the highest levels of congestion throughout the state: 

1. I-695 MD 139 to MD 45 Inner Loop 4.02 

2. I-695 MD 45 to MD 146 Inner Loop 3.70 4 -2 

3. I-495 Cabin John Pkwy to MD 190 Inner Loop 3.59 1 2 

4. I-695 @ MD 146 Inner Loop 3.38 7 -3 

5. I-695 @ I-70 3.16 5 0 

Four out of the five of the most congested points are on 695. MDOT must start to invest money to ease the congestion on 695. 

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board ranked the top ten bottlenecks in the region. The most congested areas are: 

1. I-695 IL @ Security Blvd/ Exit 17 

2. I-695 IL @ MD-542/ Loch Raven Blvd/Exit 29 

3. I-95 N @ Fort Mchenry Tunnel 

4. I-695 IL @ I-83/MD-25/Exit 23 

5. I-695 OL @ MD-144/FREDERICK RD/EXIT 13 

6. I-695 OL @ Edmondson Ave/Exit 14 

The number one delay is the I-695 and I-70 interchange. Afternoon congestion on the inner loop of the beltway with the greatest delays are between MD 144 and the lane drop at I-70. High-volume ramps from Security Blvd, I-70 and US 40 contributed to the congestion. Five of the six bottlenecks are on I-695. 

The main issue on 695 is that it has only three lanes at I-70 and MD Route 45. This structure can not handle the traffic coming from I-70 and I-83. At the I-695 N (Arbutus) interchange at I-95 goes from seven lanes to four, which can’t handle the traffic. 

MDOT’s plan would convert 19 miles of the fast lane shoulders in both directions on I-695 into new travel lanes between I-70 and Parkville, a move state officials said would cut about 15 minutes off rush hour delays that can stretch an hour or more. The Triple Bridges project would alleviate congestion at I-695 and I-70. 

These projects must continue and still more must be done! MDOT must add two additional lanes in both directions to alleviate the three major choke points on 695. 

MDOT has prioritized adding lanes to I-495 and I-270. Doesn’t the Baltimore Beltway deserve the same type of investment. Doesn’t the Baltimore region deserve a world class beltway? 

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By Maurice Carroll
Special to the AFRO

There have been moments where I’ve been seated in frustration, irritated and was so fed up that I emotionally gave up and said aloud “I don’t care anymore.” This feeling had me drowning in depression because I was focussed on what could have been or should have been. It also had me pressed against a wall of anxiety due to my overwhelming thoughts about the future and what was possible or might not be possible. I just couldn’t find my “present moment,” as so many mental health holistic coaches had non-personally advised. 

“I don’t care anymore” was the mantra that had me pinned in a nonchalant gloomy physique that outwardly appeared as merely “being quiet.” I was comfortable in my discomfort. I secretly yet passively wanted to be better, but I was frozen in analysis paralysis. 

The honest and deeper, transparent feeling that I had was me subconsciously sobbing for things to just be right. I had convinced myself that saying “I don’t care anymore” would rid me of the concerns that I had which would free me to move on with life. I, probably just like you, had convinced myself that no one else was experiencing what I was and, even more so, that they wouldn’t understand. I was right and wrong at the same time. 

Nobody else could have my experience because they weren’t me and therefore couldn’t possibly fully understand things from my perspective. However, I learned later that a lot of people I knew had felt the same exact thing. I found myself not being able to live their existence nor fully understanding from their perspective fully because I wasn’t them. “So where does that leave me?” I selfishly thought. 

I didn’t realize the depth of my mantra. If you’ve said that too, perhaps you didn’t or don’t understand the extent of the statement either. “I don’t care anymore” is the cry for help, a moment of surrender and the solution all cryptically embedded in one statement. If you’ve found yourself saying this, here is a different perspective that should be useful. When that thought enters your mind or even if you say it outloud follow these simple but not always easy steps. It will be worth the time and energy. 

1. Pause: After saying it or thinking about it, pause. Don’t reflect, don’t project. Don’t analyze. Just simply give yourself a moment. That could be taking a deep breath. It could be closing your eyes or looking to the sky. It could be as simple as saying “ok” or “wow” to yourself. The point is to just give your mind a break from it for a moment.
2. Press reset: What can you do in this moment to care for yourself? Even if your answer is “I don’t know,” begin to explore possible options. There are self-care options for you that you can do for free and alone or with a group. There are other options that you can pay for. The point is to refocus. 

Forgive: When we fall short of our intentions, it is convenient to default back into depression, anxiety and stress through the lens of judging yourself. Give yourself a little grace. Forgive yourself if you weren’t as successful as you predicted and do it again. 

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By Ronnie Herndon

In America today, children have the highest official poverty rate compared to any other age group. Over 16 percent of our nation’s young people live below the federal poverty line, and in many parts of Portland the rate is even higher. In east Portland, one out of every four children is in poverty.  

The good news is that our country’s leaders created programs to help, and I’m proud to say I’ve dedicated most of my life to one of them: the federal Head Start Program. Since 1975, when I was first named director of Albina Head Start, I’ve had the privilege of serving our community by providing educational opportunities for low-income Pre-K students and watching the program flourish. Today, our program is regarded as one of the top Head Starts in the country, serving nearly 1,000 families, employing a staff of over 300, and implementing innovative curriculum like our Mandarin dual language program, the first of its kind nationally.

For some of our families, our program goes far beyond offering early learning and literacy. We also provide crucial health screenings, family support and address children’s nutritional needs by providing breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.

The results are compelling. Children who participate in Head Start are more likely to finish high school, more likely to go to college and more likely to graduate college.

But there’s also bad news.

This month, Albina filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to defend itself against a misapplied rule that could force the program – and all the children it serves – to lose federal funding.

The issue boils down to a simple misinterpretation. In 2007, under the federal Head Start Act’s reauthorization, Congress directed HHS to force programs with system wide problems to recompete for their funding. Congress designated the term “deficient” to characterize such programs with systemic issues.  And it makes sense because any Head Start that is systemically “deficient” in carrying out the program’s overall mission should require a course correction.

But in Albina’s case, our program was unfairly deemed “deficient” not due to a systemwide problem, but a single incident of an employee breaking our rules – an anomaly in our otherwise clean, nearly 60-year track record. 

In 2023, a teacher assistant threw a toy block at a student’s leg, acting completely outside the scope of their employment, contrary to their many hours of training, and contrary to our policies and procedures. We reviewed the incident, confronted the employee and terminated their employment within three hours of the incident, then reported the incident to state authorities, the student’s parent and HHS all within 24 hours. Incidents like these unfortunately happen in every sphere of society, no matter the precautions taken by an organization.

Our actions perfectly followed the requirements of Head Start regulations on personnel matters, but HHS still incorrectly determined that the isolated incident should result in a “deficiency” finding against Albina as an entire organization. Congress expressly intended to prevent this use of “deficiency,” even indicating that it impedes the greater mission of Head Start because “recompetition of high quality programs could have the unintended effect of undermining program quality and decreasing the efficiency of Head Start expenditures.”

While our funding is at risk, this lawsuit is more than just dollars and cents. It’s about people. It’s about the futures of our students. It’s about the morale of our teachers and staff, who ask me if they’re going to be able to pay their bills. It’s about our marginalized communities that are barely surviving. And it’s about the other Head Start programs that might also be affected by unfair “deficiency” findings but lack the resources to push back. According to HHS, roughly half of all “deficiency” findings result from isolated incidents like the one at Albina, not systemic failures of a Head Start program.

The decision to take the federal government to court was not easy. Some may believe if someone “strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.” But when I walk our halls, listen to our families, hear their stories, and look them in the eyes, I know that they have no cheek left to turn.

Correcting the problem at HHS should be easy and common sense. Unfortunately, the Office Of Head Start is not serving the true mission of Head Start as Congress intended. Paradoxically, the current miscarriage of HHS policy, which was crafted to address systemic problems, has created a systemic problem within the department that threatens high-performing Head Start programs. We implore the Court to fix this. 

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By Sarah Anderson

Why don’t low wage workers earn more? Because their bosses plowed $522 million into manipulating their stock price — and CEO paychecks — instead.

Most of us believe in fair pay for honest work. So why aren’t low-wage workers better paid?

After 30 years of research, I can tell you it’s not because employers don’t have the cash. It’s because profitable corporations spend that money on their stock prices and CEOs instead.

Lowe’s, for example, spent $43 billion buying back its own stock over the past five years. With that sum, the chain could’ve given each of its 285,000 employees a $30,000 bonus every year. Instead, half of Lowe’s workers make less than $33,000. Meanwhile, CEO Marvin Ellison raked in $18 million in 2023.

The company also plowed nearly five times as much cash into buybacks as it invested in long-term capital expenditures like store improvements and technology upgrades over the past five years.

Lowe’s ranks as an extreme example, but pumping up CEO pay at the expense of workers and long-term investment is actually the norm among America’s leading low-wage corporations.

In my latest “Executive Excess” report for the Institute for Policy Studies, I found that the 100 S&P 500 firms with the lowest median wages — the “Low-Wage 100” — blew $522 billion on buybacks over the past five years. Nearly half of these companies spent more on this once-illegal maneuver than they spent investing in their long-term competitiveness.

This is a scam to inflate CEO pay, pure and simple.

When companies repurchase their own shares, they artificially boost share prices and the value of the stock-based compensation that makes up about 80 percent of CEO pay. The SEC found that CEOs regularly time the sale of their personal stock holdings to cash in on the price surge that typically follows a buyback announcement.

I also looked into what these corporations contribute to employee retirement — it’s peanuts, compared to their buyback outlays. The 20 largest low-wage employers spent nine times more on buybacks than on worker retirement contributions over the past five years.

Many of these firms boast of their “generous” matching benefits, typically a dollar-for-dollar match of 401(k) contributions up to 4 percent of salary. But matching is meaningless for workers who earn so little they can’t afford to set anything aside.

Chipotle, for example, spent over $2 billion on stock buybacks over the past five years — 48 times more than it contributed to employee retirement plans. Meanwhile, 92 percent of eligible Chipotle workers have zero balances in their 401(k)s. That’s hardly surprising, since the chain’s median annual pay is just $16,595.

The conclusion is unmistakable: CEOs are focused on short-term windfalls for themselves and wealthy shareholders rather than on long-term prosperity for their workers — or their companies.

As United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain put it in his Democratic convention speech: “Corporate greed turns blue-collar blood, sweat, and tears into Wall Street stock buybacks and CEO jackpots.” Public outrage over CEO shakedowns helped the UAW win strong new contracts last year with the Big Three automakers.

Support for policy solutions is growing as well. The Democratic Party platform calls for quadrupling the 1 percent federal tax on stock buybacks. And a recent poll shows strong majority support among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike for proposed tax hikes on corporations with huge CEO-worker pay gaps.

Extreme inequality isn’t inevitable — and it can be reversed.

Forty years ago, CEO pay was only about 40 times higher than worker pay — not several hundreds of times higher, as is typical today. And just 20 years ago, most big companies spent very little on stock buybacks. At Lowe’s, for example, buyback outlays between 2000 and 2004 were exactly zero.

Corporate America’s perverse fixation on enriching those at the top is bad for workers and bad for the economy. With pressure from below, we can change that.

This op-ed was adapted from Inequality.org and distributed for syndication by OtherWords.org.

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By Leon Bensen

With a modest guaranteed income or child allowance, millions of families like mine could provide for themselves without turning to crime.

I received a 60-year prison sentence for a murder I didn’t commit. After 25 years of fighting this injustice, I was exonerated.

I’ve learned some hard lessons about our criminal justice system. I’ve also learned how simple safety net policies — like a modest guaranteed base income or no-strings-attached child allowance — could have kept millions of struggling young people like me out of trouble.

I had a good childhood in Flint, Mich., but we were poor and opportunities were few. My parents were loving and supportive, but engaged in illegal activities to make ends meet. It seemed normal to me, but I was in an environment that normalized abnormal things.

I eventually dropped out of high school, moved to Indianapolis and started a family. But when I got laid off, I turned in desperation to the drug life, trying to do for my family what my parents did for me.

One fateful night, I heard gunshots near the building where I had my drug business. I didn’t think much of it — shots weren’t unusual in that neighborhood. I finished my business for the day, proud of the money I’d made, and went home to my family.

Later, I learned a young man had been shot — and I was arrested for the murder.

I’d been blamed by someone with a drug-related grudge against me. A bystander had identified a very different man with a different physical description, but the detective buried that evidence. Advocates uncovered this evidence 25 years later, and I was exonerated and released. I’d spent a hellish 11 of those 25 years in solitary confinement.

During my incarceration, I became a teacher and mentor. Now I’m an advocate for people returning to society after incarceration.

I see the systemic barriers they face. Returning citizens are prohibited from hundreds of jobs — from working in education, health and government to even becoming a barber or Uber driver. They’re barred from public assistance, public housing and student loans. They face discrimination in housing and employment. They often have significant physical and mental health issues they can’t afford to treat.

These are the very conditions that sometimes lead to offenses and recidivism. Numerous studies have found that when people are securely employed, housed and allowed to receive an education and meet their health needs, they don’t re-offend.

These people have already been punished and served their time — sometimes for offenses they never committed, like me. We shouldn’t be punished again when reintegrating into our families and societies.

As part of my work, I volunteer with Michigan Liberation, a statewide organization looking to end the criminalization of Black families and communities of color. Recently, they joined a Guaranteed Income Now conference co-hosted by Community Change and the Economic Security Project.

Guaranteed income can take many forms. It can be an expansion of current tax credits like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. It can be a no-strings-attached Child Allowance or a monthly payment to qualifying people, families, unpaid caretakers, undocumented immigrants and returning citizens — all of whom are currently ineligible for assistance.

In Flint, it looks like a new program that offers pregnant people and new parents a monthly check for the first year of the baby’s life.

If my parents had a guaranteed income floor, we wouldn’t have been in danger of falling through into hunger and homelessness. They would have had significantly better chances to pursue well-paying jobs to provide for my security — without relying on illegal activity.

If I’d had a modest child allowance for my own children, I wouldn’t have had to rely on the most accessible path available to me, the drug business. I wouldn’t have been anywhere near the site of that murder — and wouldn’t have lost decades of my life to a false accusation.

It’s worth it to support our families and communities, no matter where we live or what we look like. When those facing the most systemic barriers receive sufficient income support, then economic security, thriving and freedom are the result.

And I can tell you, there’s nothing sweeter than freedom.

This op-ed was originally published by OtherWords.org.

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By Jamie Seals

Since the end of the summer season in 1619, Black women of all ages across America have tried to convince anyone with a heart who would listen, observe and think objectively that they, too, have value and are worth committing to. From the time that Black Women landed on American soil, their value has been minimized, marginalized, overlooked and forgotten by American society at large, their local communities in many instances, their houses of worship, and by their family members. In 2024, the urgency to recognize the value and the need to commit to Black women have never been more pressing. This is not just a matter of recognition but a duty we owe to these women who have contributed so much to our society. This is especially true since a Black woman, Kamala Harris, who currently serves as Vice President of our great nation, symbolizes our hope for maintaining joy, unity and democracy. It’s a responsibility we all share to acknowledge and appreciate the value of Black women in our society. But more than that, it’s a call for empathy and understanding of their plight. We must strive to be more empathetic and understanding towards Black women’s challenges in our society and stand in solidarity with them. Only through empathy and understanding can we truly address the systemic issues that Black women face, and it’s this compassion and support that will lead to positive change. 

Despite the many accomplishments and contributions Black women have provided to American society, they have often been viewed as items that could be auctioned off, replaced and discarded. This failure to see the nuance of Black girl magic and a Black woman’s worth has been a long-standing issue. Vice President Kamala Harris isn’t the first Black woman tasked with trying to help stabilize American society. Throughout the centuries, Black women have played a crucial role in keeping America from reaching disaster. From the big house, cotton fields, working as domestics, midwives, and learning in segregated classrooms to integrating once segregated classrooms and becoming presidents at prominent academic universities, Black women have always served, stood in the gap, and assisted with stabilizing our society when we needed it the most. Their historical significance, often overlooked, is a rich tapestry of resilience, strength, and unwavering commitment. This legacy commands our respect and admiration, a history that we must revere and honor, and it’s this respect and appreciation that will help us recognize the actual value of Black women in our society.

While many in American society still believe that it’s a man’s world, since the unpredicted rise of former President Donald Trump in 2016, a strong undercurrent has developed, leading to 2024 becoming the year of the woman, specifically the year of the Black woman. Yes, even today, Black women are often still misjudged, pigeonholed, and told to watch their tone and not to have joy despite some of their challenging circumstances. However, through it all and because of it all, Black women are still rising in a nation that has been non-committal towards them, showing all of us that adversity, determination, a positive mindset along with the hand of God being on them, Black queens are being developed and have been developed in our challenging American society. 

Recently, it was noted that former President Donald Trump has become fixated on the beauty of Vice President Kamala Harris, stating she is a beautiful woman. While former President Donald Trump may have earned his reputation for being a known liar by acknowledging the beauty of a Black woman, he has finally added some truth to his distorted vocabulary at times. Is Vice President Kamala Harris beautiful? Are Black women beautiful? The answer to both previous questions is undoubtedly and unwaveringly yes.  It isn’t Black women’s anatomy that has caused them to be objectified and oversexualized throughout the years that allows them to be beautiful. It isn’t their hair, skin, or the everyday attire that they choose to wear. The soul of a Black woman continuously nurtures, protects, and shows all of us how to love even when others have been and still are noncommittal towards us. Daring still to believe in joy, hope, and love is the most significant impact Black women still make on our society daily.

At the 2016 national democratic convention, First Lady Michelle Obama debuted her catchphrase: “When they go low, we go high.” Many would contend that a few elements of American society have continuously gone low toward Black women since their arrival, which unknowingly has allowed Black women to go high. Black women, continue to look beyond your current circumstances, stay focused on the sky, rise above the storms of life, and remember, if society fails to put a ring on it and stays non-committal towards you, know if you commit to God, he will commit to you even when others won’t and don’t see the value of committing to you.

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By Algernon Austin
and Dedrick Asante-Muhammad

As we consider the recent 61^st anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 26,  where Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his famed “I Have A Dream” speech, Black Americans are experiencing the most positive economic conditions in generations. Record low unemployment rates, record low poverty rates, record high income levels and new heights of wealth paint a picture of prosperity. One could easily think that this data means African Americans are experiencing broad prosperity. Yet, deeper investigation reveals that despite these record-breaking economic numbers, African Americans are still mired in great economic insecurity. This ongoing economic challenge is reflected in their low opinion of the economy, widespread asset poverty and ongoing Black/White economic inequality.

The best Black economy in generations isn’t enough when on the horizon is near never-ending inequality and insecurity. As the nation goes through a historic election that could have long-term ramifications on its political direction, it is clear that African-American voters continue to have economics at the core of their concerns versus the social issues that most often dominate the headlines.

From 1972 to 2022, the annual Black unemployment rate averaged 11.6 percent. In July of 2024, it was at 6.3 percent, nearing historic lows. But those figures look different in context; in 2023, for instance, the annual Black unemployment rate was nearly 1.7 times the White rate. On average, the Black unemployment rate between 1972 and 2022 was 2.1 times that of Whites, showing that bridging the Black/White unemployment gap remains a work in progress.

Other indicators tell us a similar story. The annual Black prime-age employment rate is at a record high: For the first half of 2024, it has averaged 78.0 percent, slightly above where it stood the previous year. Black median household income is also at its highest point in a generation, growing from about $41,000 in 2011 to nearly $53,000 in 2022 – a nearly 30 percent increase. That same year, median Black wealth or net worth (assets minus debts) also reached a new high of nearly $45,000, more than double the post-Great Recession low of about $17,000 seen in 2013.

Despite these positive trends, the economic reality for many African Americans remains precarious. In 2023, there would have needed to be over 1.4 million more Black people working to reach the same employment rates as White people. This joblessness cost Black America roughly $60 billion. And while Black median income has risen, it is still nearly $30,000 lower than the White median – and still even below the White median income of 1972.

The average Black median wealth of approximately $45,000 keeps a large majority of African Americans distant from the $190,000 to $570,000 estimated as the wealth necessary to reach middle-class status. As noted in the 2023 report “Still A Dream,” with all of the advances made since 1960, the nation is still moving at a glacial pace bridging Black/White economic inequality. If the country continues at the rate it has been moving since about the 1960s, it will take over 500 years to bridge Black/White income inequality, and nearly 800 years to bridge Black/White wealth inequality.

These statistics underline a crucial point: while Black Americans are experiencing significant economic gains, these advances are insufficient to overcome the entrenched inequalities that persist. The economic progress we see today is a foundation, not a finish line. It speaks to the need for comprehensive policies that address ongoing barriers to economic security and wealth-building.

Investment in quality education, access to affordable healthcare, affordable housing, new means of government financing of asset building opportunities like Baby Bonds are essential. These measures can help ensure that the economic gains of today translate into sustained prosperity and security for future generations.

As we approach the 2024 presidential election, much has been made of the historic possibility of electing the nation’s first woman president. But let us not make this election a mere contest between individuals, but one of policies that could be a salve for the foundational wound of race and economic inequality. Addressing these issues with urgency and commitment will not only improve the economic outlook for Black Americans – it will create a new foundation of great equality, which is a firm base for a more unified nation.  

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By Henry Beecher Hicks III
President and CEO, National Black MBA Association

“I love my Black job.” – Simone Biles, three time Olympian, most decorated gymnast in history

In recent weeks, the discussion around what constitutes a “Black job” has reignited a critical conversation about race, identity and the workforce. The term has been used to describe jobs perceived as lower-paying or less desirable, typically occupied by Black workers. However, it is vital to shift this narrative and recognize the substantial contributions Black professionals make across all sectors. Let’s talk about what a “Black job” is – and isn’t.

It is true that, historically, Black professionals have been the backbone of the labor market in the U.S. This country has grown and became a capitalistic global force because of the invaluable, unpaid (until 1863) and still underpaid work of Black citizens. Today, a “Black job” is not about the type of work African Americans are limited to, but rather the opportunities available to Black individuals across all sectors. 

Unfortunately, there is still a false narrative around the skill and capability of Black professionals and the value of our jobs. Yes, too many Black professionals hold jobs that are lower-paying, and yes, Black professionals have fewer opportunities for advancement. This has nothing to do with skill, work ethic, or desire.  Rather, this stereotype is born out of the cyclical results of poor education options, historical efforts to stifle Black participation in the economy and racism driven disruptions to Black communities and families. More importantly, the same stereotype ignores the achievements of countless Black leaders who have broken barriers and excelled in high-paying jobs and leadership positions.

In fact, in The National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), our membership of greater than 12,000 continues to defy the stereotype of the recently denigrated “Black job.” More than half of our membership holds MBAs and another 40 percent hold a bachelor degree or masters. With more than 15 years of work experience under their belts, nearly 60 percent of our membership are veterans in their fields. 

These are Black professionals who are committed to professional and personal advancement. These are also Black professionals who seek and secure more advanced career opportunities in management and senior leadership. With more than 40,000 professionals in our network and 35 chapters nationwide, NBMBAA plays a crucial role in dismantling the outdated notions of what jobs Black people should or should not hold by providing the resources, networks and opportunities necessary to achieve success in any field.

One place where Black professionals excel is in entrepreneurship. According to a 2022 Annual Business Survey, Black-owned firms employed about 1.4 million people. These businesses collectively paid $53.6 billion in annual payroll. More than 45,000 of these businesses were in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector. The second-largest sector was the professional, scientific and technical services sector.

The conversation around “Black jobs” must evolve. It is not enough to simply reject the term; we must actively work to change the narrative by highlighting the success stories of Black professionals who are breaking barriers and setting new standards in their respective fields. From medical practices and healthcare services to sanitation and the C-suite, Black representation in a variety of industries continues to grow. Black people are governors, local, state and federal legislators and vice president and president of the United States. We serve as lawyers, doctors, district attorneys, judges and U.S. Supreme Court justices. Black people are educators, college professors and administrators and school board members nationwide. We are also Olympic gold medalists. Name an industry and Black professionals are there leading the way.

The challenges we face are significant, but so too are the opportunities. By continuing to invest in our community, NBMAAA, and organizations like ours, will continue to reframe the narrative around “Black jobs.” It will no longer carry any negative connotations. Instead, it will be a term synonymous with leadership, excellence and success.

I’m glad Simone Biles loves her Black job.  Let us know if you love yours too!

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By Dr. Frances Murphy “Toni” Draper
Word In Black

For baseball fans, the popularity of the game overshadows a more disturbing trend: the number of American-born Black players in MLB is at a historic low of 6 percent, despite many efforts to reverse the declining trend. And the question is, why?

I asked AI, and it came up with several theories: a shift in sports preferences among young Black athletes, lack of access and exposure to baseball, few youth baseball programs and the high cost of playing the game. 

While these reasons may be valid (who’s to argue with AI?), most sound like the same excuses we’ve all heard about the lack of Black people in boardrooms and C-suites: “We just can’t find anyone qualified,” or “All the eligible, talented players go to college, and “That’s where most of our recruits come from.” Or, “We’re doing the best we can.”

There was a time, however, when Black baseball players in the Negro Leagues themselves were ambivalent about playing in the major leagues, as evidenced by the article below written by AFRO sportswriter Sam Lacy nearly 85 years ago. Eight years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Lacy not only highlighted the issue at hand, but his writing also reminds us why an independent Black press who tells the whole story was needed then and is still needed today.  

“Although there has been much agitation for the inclusion of colored players in major league baseball, it occurred to me recently that few people, if any, seem to care a rap about what the players themselves think of the idea,” Lacy wrote. While journalists, fans and others spoke out in favor of integrating the whites-only major league, he wrote, “no one seems to give a tinker’s damn about the ideas of the guys they’re trying to boot into the organized game.”

Lacy then interviewed four then-active Negro League players — Vic Harris, Jud Wilson, Felton Snow, and Dick Lundy — about what they thought. Some doubted if Negro League players could make it in the bigs; others wondered what would happen to their league if they did. 

“We do have some good ball players among us but not nearly as many fit for the majors as seems to be the belief,” Harris said. “But if they start picking them up, what are the remainder going to do to make a living?”

“Our crowds are not what they should be now,” he said. “And suppose our stars — the fellows who do draw — are gobbled up by the big clubs. How could the other 75 or 80 percent survive?” 

Wilson was worried about Black men eating, sleeping, and playing alongside pro players born and bred in the South.

“It will never be because the big-league game, as it is now, is overrun with Southern blood,” he said. “Fellows from the South are in the majority on almost every team in the major leagues … The training camps are in the South; the majority of minor leagues are located in the South and there’s a strong Southern sentiment in the stands. There’d be trouble for sure.” 

Snow, on the other hand, thought some of the Negro League players “just wouldn’t act right,” if they made it to the majors. 

“Some of these fellows who are pretty good out there on the diamond would give you a heartache elsewhere,” he said. “You see, there are so many men that get three or four dollars in their pockets and right away want to tell ‘the man’ where he can go. I don’t know if it would be the best move or not.”

And Lundy thought the Negro League owners should get their house in order first. “We’ve got to get some men in the game who have some money and who don’t have to pull a lot of funny moves in order to cover up every little loss.” 

Lacy summed it up himself: “Colored baseball, itself, has now spoken,” he wrote. 

The question, however, remains: “What saith the Black MLB player — or the Black MLB general manager, or the Black MLB manager, or the Black MLB majority baseball owner — about the dismally low number of Black players, general managers, managers, and owners?”

Oh, that’s right: It’s 2024 and there are not a lot of people with first-hand knowledge because only 6 percent of MLB players are Black, there’s only one Black general manager, two Black managers, and ZERO Black majority owners. I wonder what Sam Lacy and those who fought so hard to integrate MLB would have to say about this 85 years later. 

Sam Lacy was the sportswriter for the Baltimore-based AFRO for more than five decades. He became the first Black sportswriter to join the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, 1998. Sam Lacy died March 14, 2014, a few months before his 100th birthday.

This article was originally published by Word In Black.

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By Sonny Messiah Jiles

Now that the DNC Convention is over and Kamala Harris is officially the presidential nominee, the real work begins to get her elected — and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The groundswell of support for Vice President Kamala Harris is off the charts, especially after watching the Democratic National Convention. The atmosphere in the United Center was electric, with a party atmosphere and joyful camaraderie.  

But speaker after speaker at the convention also made it clear there is much work to be done before the Nov. 5 election, and there is too much at stake for us to sit on our behinds. 

 Former First Lady Michelle Obama made it clear in an energizing speech the night of Aug. 20. 

 “It’s up to us to remember what Kamala’s mother told her: ‘Don’t just sit around and complain. Do something.’ So, if they lie about her — and they will — we’ve got to do something. If we see a bad poll — and we will — we’ve got to put down that phone and do something.” 

This is a historic occasion, with the possibility of electing the first Black and Southeast Asian woman as commander in chief of the most powerful country in the free world. But we must not lose sight of how the results of the 2024 election will affect you and your family, your work, your health, and your finances. 

Given that, let’s examine some of the contrasts between Harris and Trump.  

 Harris proposes: 

• Tax increases on corporations and the wealthy to fund programs that would help low- and middle-income families struggling to build wealth.
• A $25,000 down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and $40 billion for developers to build starter homes, a way to ease the affordable-housing crisis.
• Permanently reinstating the child tax credit, a benefit that lifted millions of children out of poverty. 
• Incentives for manufacturers who create technologies to fight global warming.
• Federal ban on corporate price gouging, a way to bring grocery prices down and hold food manufacturers accountable. 

Trump proposes: 

• Initiatives to bring down the cost of car insurance in the first 100 days of his administration.
• An increase in oil drilling to lower gas prices and cut energy costs in half. 
• The deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living and working in the U.S. 
• An as-yet unspecified plan to bring housing prices down. 
• Rolling back federal regulations on businesses. 

Plans sound nice, but what you DO speaks louder than what you SAY. 

In the words of Malcolm X, “We have been bamboozled, we have been tricked, we have been fooled.”  

 We should not be bamboozled in 2024 and assume Harris will win. Take nothing for granted.  What’s at stake makes it even more important that we vote. 

There’s the conservative Project 2025 agenda, which would eliminate the Department of Education and send school oversight to states, among other far-right proposals. When I look at my state, Texas, that is not the best idea.  

Our Republican-controlled legislature has taken control of our local school districts and banned certain books on Black subjects.  They have crushed reproductive freedom and eliminated DEI programs at state universities that opened doors to Black and Brown students. If Trump wins, we can expect more of the same, at a national scale. 

Again, the stakes are high.  

It’s clear from their track records that Harris is clearly the better choice But don’t forget: House and Senate seats are also up for grabs. Control of Congress can make the difference between a White House that gets things done for the people, and more gridlock in Washington, D.C. This year, voting must not stop at the top of the ballot.    

That is why, as Michelle Obama says, we must do something.  

Register to vote if you haven’t already. Encourage your family and friends to do the same. Volunteer to work on a campaign, if you have time. If you don’t, and can spare the money, donate to the candidate of your choice. On election day, vote early to avoid long lines. 

 “We only have two and a half months, y’all, to get this done,” Michelle Obama told a fired-up crowd at the DNC. “Only 11 weeks to make sure every single person we know is registered and has a voting plan…So, consider this to be your official ask: Michelle Obama is asking you — no, I’m telling y’all — to do something.”

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By Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr.

Every parent has certain preconceived ideas of how their child will fit into our complex world. The unexpected joy of parenthood is accepting that each child has unique abilities and challenges — some of which may be difficult to initially understand. I began my career as an early childhood educator and was privileged to teach children from all types of backgrounds and abilities. My professional training gave me the skills to develop personalized strategies for a child who was experiencing learning challenges.

Earning a child development associate (CDA) credential, which is based on a core set of competency standards that guide early childhood professionals, really propelled my teaching practice. A key part of earning the CDA is understanding traditional educational models may not be enough to support early communicative development for children with disabilities. In my teaching, I also realized what the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute has reported: 

“Black families of children with disabilities face additional stress and difficulties because of their multiple marginalized statuses, particularly within the intersection between racism and ableism.”

The nonprofit I lead, the Council for Professional Recognition, emphasizes to our early childhood educators that they need to modify their approach to lesson plans and offer tools to better help all children with disabilities thrive. We highlight such insights in “Essentials for Working with Young Children,” the textbook for educators pursuing a CDA credential. Yet our responsibility to all parents and society at large means we must do more to share insights, especially with underserved and under-resourced communities. The following is some of our best thinking for families embracing the uniqueness of young children with special needs or accommodations. Much of the advice below can apply to all preschool children.

• Embrace Multimodal Communication: Children with disabilities may experience challenges in verbal communication, but they often excel in other modes of expression. Educators and families should encourage and support various forms of communication, such as sign language, pictures, or other augmentative and alternative communication devices. For instance, if a child finds it difficult to articulate words, they can use picture cards to express their needs, feelings, and ideas. We should emphasize that all forms of communication are valid and valued.
• Speak Simply and Clearly to Children: Slow the pace of your speech and repeat statements and questions as needed. Speak simply to children and give them one-step directions. For example, ask a child to “Please clean up your toys” (one step) instead of “Please clean up your toys when you’re done. Then go put on your shoes” (multiple steps).
• Promote Storytelling and Dramatic Play: We should engage the child in storytelling and dramatic play activities. Storytelling enhances language skills, imagination, and creativity. A good idea is to use props and costumes during dramatic plays to bring stories to life and encourage the child to participate actively. This approach can help build language and communication abilities in a fun and engaging manner.
• Encourage Peer Interaction: In both home and classroom settings, we should provide opportunities for children with disabilities to interact with their peers. Encouraging group activities that promote cooperative play and communication is a good step. These interactions can help improve social skills and language development as the child learns from and models their peers.
• Use Visual Aids and Schedules: Visual aids and schedules can provide structure and predictability for children with disabilities, promoting better understanding and participation. Visual timetables and daily schedules can help the child anticipate what comes next and reduce anxiety. Additionally, visual aids like flashcards with images and corresponding words can reinforce vocabulary and language comprehension.
• Create a Literacy-Rich Environment: Research shows that books have a significant impact on a child’s development, including their cognitive, spiritual, and linguistic skills, as well as their mental and emotional maturation. Both at home and in the early childhood classroom, immerse children in a literacy-rich environment. Surround them with age-appropriate books, brightly labeled objects, and educational materials. Designate a cozy reading corner with comfortable seating and a diverse selection of books that cater to different interests and abilities. Begin with simple, wordless, or photograph-based books. Also select books that appeal to the senses, such as texture or scratch-and-sniff books. Encourage children with fine motor challenges to look at books independently to gain practice holding books and turning the pages.

Most of all, early childhood educators understand (or should understand) the need to involve families in learning. 

Collaboration between educators and families is essential in supporting language and literacy development. Educators should share progress updates, provide strategies for at-home learning, and encourage families to engage in literacy activities together. This partnership ensures that the child receives consistent support, reinforcing the concepts taught in the early childhood classroom. 

From my classroom days, I know young children have so much joy and love to share with us. Creating a supportive and inclusive environment for young children with disabilities is vital. The early childhood classroom, along with a nurturing home setting, can serve as a powerful foundation for their future academic and social success.

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By Kenny Hampton

The health and well-being of Black men is a topic of paramount importance that demands our collective attention and action. Black men face significant health disparities that not only affect their individual lives but also have profound impacts on their families, communities and the broader society. 

Addressing these disparities and promoting the health of Black men is not merely a matter of individual well-being; it is a crucial step toward fostering stronger, more resilient communities.

The health disparities faced by Black men are well-documented. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black men have higher rates of chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease compared to their White counterparts. They are also more likely to die from these conditions. 

Additionally, Black men experience higher rates of certain cancers, including prostate and colorectal cancer, and have lower survival rates for these diseases. 

These disparities are not solely due to genetic factors but are deeply rooted in social determinants of health, including access to healthcare, socioeconomic status, education and environmental factors.

One of the most striking health disparities is the significantly shorter life expectancy of Black men. On average, Black men live about six years less than White men. This gap is a stark reminder of the systemic inequities that continue to plague our healthcare system. 

These inequities are compounded by factors such as racial bias in medical treatment, lack of access to preventive care, and socioeconomic challenges that limit opportunities for healthy lifestyles.

The impact of poor health on Black men extends beyond the individual to the entire community. When Black men are healthy and thriving, their families are stronger and more stable. Children benefit from having healthy, active fathers and role models who can fully participate in their lives. Healthy Black men contribute to the economic stability of their families and communities, as they are better able to work, provide, and participate in community activities.

Moreover, the health of Black men is inextricably linked to the overall health and well-being of the Black community. When Black men face significant health challenges, it places a strain on community resources and social structures. Healthcare costs rise, and the burden of care often falls on family members, who may themselves face health challenges and economic hardships. 

By contrast, when Black men are healthy, they can contribute to community resilience, leadership and economic prosperity.

Promoting the health of Black men requires a multifaceted approach that addresses both individual and systemic factors. It begins with raising awareness about the importance of preventive care and encouraging regular health screenings. 

Education and outreach efforts must be culturally tailored and accessible, addressing the unique needs and concerns of Black men. This includes dispelling myths and misconceptions about healthcare and promoting positive health behaviors.

Access to quality healthcare is another critical component. This means not only increasing the availability of healthcare services in underserved communities but also ensuring that these services are culturally competent and responsive to the needs of Black men. 

Healthcare providers must be trained to recognize and address implicit biases that can affect the quality of care. Policies that expand healthcare coverage and reduce economic barriers to accessing care are essential.

Community engagement and support are also vital. Black men need safe spaces where they can discuss their health concerns, share experiences, and receive support. Community organizations, faith-based groups, and social networks play a crucial role in providing this support and fostering a culture of health. Initiatives such as the African American Male Wellness Walk, which our agency proudly sponsors, create opportunities for Black men to come together, get active, and access health resources in a supportive and empowering environment.

At the African American Male Wellness Agency, we are dedicated to saving Black men’s lives and promoting their health through comprehensive programs and initiatives. Our mission is to eliminate health disparities and improve the quality of life for Black men. Through our annual Wellness Walks, health fairs, and community outreach events, we provide free health screenings, educational workshops, and resources to thousands of men. Our programs focus on prevention, early detection, and management of chronic diseases, as well as mental health support and wellness education.

We also advocate for policies that address the social determinants of health and promote equity. By partnering with healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations, we work to create systemic change that benefits not only Black men but also their families and communities. Our efforts are driven by the belief that when Black men are healthy, our entire community thrives.

Finally, addressing the social determinants of health is essential for creating lasting change. This includes efforts to improve education, economic opportunities, and housing conditions in Black communities. It also means advocating for policies that address systemic racism and promote equity in all areas of society. When we address these root causes, we create conditions where Black men can achieve optimal health and well-being.

In conclusion, the health of Black men is a critical issue that has far-reaching implications for individuals, families, and communities. By addressing health disparities and promoting the well-being of Black men, we can build stronger, more resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. It is a collective responsibility that requires commitment, action, and a vision for a healthier future for all.

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By Zenobia Judd-Williams

Frederick Douglass famously said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

Unfortunately, some Americans don’t want everyone to read. While the tactics may have changed since the 19th Century, there are still well-organized efforts to take away the fundamental right of literacy from Black children.

A well-orchestrated campaign to ban specific books in schools has the potential to undermine the reading development of Black children. If this effort is successful, it will deprive our students of valuable knowledge and undermine their interest in learning to read. Far too often, those proposing book bans target books by Black authors and about the Black experience.

As the leader of the Baltimore region of a national literacy organization, our model encourages tutors to pick books relevant to children’s lives. When students read about characters and experiences they identify with, they relate to the story and take away life lessons. They’re also more engaged when books reflect their cultures and tell their ancestors’ stories.

The PEN/Faulkner Foundation has documented that 30 percent of books that are censored include characters of color and themes of race and racism – a number that is disproportionate given the far-lower percentage of published children’s books overall that include primary characters of color.

Other organizations, such as the American Library Associations and the Southern Poverty Law Center, have identified books about Black history, such as picture books about the 1619 Project and The Tulsa Race Massacre, as common targets. The novels of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison are also often vilified as books to be banned.

When asked about how students respond to culturally relevant materials, one Reading Partners tutor said, “I especially enjoyed seeing my student so amazed to see his heritage represented in the books that I found for him…. He wanted to know all about the author as well as wanting to read it over and over again. Representation really matters.”

The state legislature passed the Maryland Right to Read Act this spring. Outlawing censorship in public libraries is a step in the right direction and a beacon of hope for Maryland’s communities. But the next step is to ensure our students have the right to read great works by Black authors and about great Black artists, inventors, and leaders like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

Our community has to stand guard. The book banners want to put up roadblocks to the reading development of our children and keep censoring the history and art of the Black experience in America.

We must be prepared to stop an organized effort to block books about Black experiences, which would rob our children of the opportunity to engage with books that would make them enthusiastic about reading and give them a rightful sense of belonging.

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By Joseph Williams

In Georgia four years ago, Stacey Abrams was well positioned to make history as the first Black woman in the U.S. to ever occupy a governor’s mansion. Running neck-and-neck with Gov. Brian Kemp, a White Republican, heading into election day, Abrams had the Black vote largely behind her, and many believed it would power her to victory.  

Political analysts and pundits, however, detected an Achilles’ heel: polls repeatedly showed her struggling to fully win over Black men, a constituency that most believed were politically aligned with her. Her outreach, though, came too late in her campaign and she lost to Kemp by 8 percentage points. 

Now comes Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to hold the office, and the parallels between her and Abrams are hard to miss. Like Abrams, Harris is a Democrat and well-positioned to win a tight, highly consequential election. Like Abrams, Harris has generated excitement and enthusiasm, particularly among Black women voters, who see themselves in her. 

And, like Abrams, it’s unclear whether Black men — feeling politically frustrated, unempowered, and disillusioned to the point of skipping elections — will fully support a Black and South Asian woman presidential candidate, even if her run for the White House makes history.

Considering the question, Mondale Robinson, founder of the Black Male Voting Project, told ABC News that Black men feel abandoned and ignored by both political parties, until the next election comes around. They vote, he says, but feel politicians have given them little in return.

“There’s no apathy in Black men. There’s a level of antipathy,” he said. “Antipathy is a whole different emotion. You hate what politics is and does because you’ve not seen the growth, or benefit of it. Black men are not better off because of politics.” 

But data also suggests a strain of lingering sexism could have been a factor in Abrams’ struggles with Black men — and a potential pothole for Harris’s groundbreaking run. 

A 2023 survey on gender attitudes by PerryUndem, a public attitudes research firm, found that 4 in 10 Black men don’t agree that the country would be better off with more women of color in elected office, 48 percent believe women are easily offended, and nearly half think society punishes men “for acting like men.” 

Dr. Moya Bailey, a Northwestern University professor, told The New York Times that patriarchy is not unique to the Black population, but “the consequences are much higher” in what’s seen as a do-or-die race against Trump.  

There are other troubling signs for Harris, including disparities when Black men do show up at the ballot box. According to the Pew Research Center, Black women vote at higher rates than Black men, and are overwhelmingly more likely to choose the Democratic Party. In the 2020 presidential election, for example, 95 percent of Black women voted for Biden, while 13 percent of Black men voted for Donald Trump, Harris’s opponent. 

To be clear: Black men still vote in large numbers, and, like most Black women, tend to vote for Democrats. While the differential between Black men and Black women may seem small, it could make a big difference in Harris’ race against Trump, an election most experts believe will be won or lost at the margins.

“As Kamala Harris inherits the presidential campaign of Joe Biden, she also inherits his sagging poll numbers with working-class Black men,” Roger House, an American studies professor at Emerson College, wrote in an essay for The Hill. “The historic nature of Harris’s candidacy will be viewed by many Black male voters as cold comfort unless she finds a way to address their material and cultural concerns.”

Then there’s Harris’s past career as a prosecutor in California, a background that has Black men wary of her. Disinformation and misinformation have spread on social media that Harris contributed to the over-incarceration of Black men, locking up tens of thousands of them. It’s an incorrect notion her campaign has tried to dispel.

An analysis by The Marshall Project found Harris’s record is more nuanced: on the job, she advocated for progressive criminal-justice policies, including re-entry programs for the formerly incarcerated. Politically, however, she adopted a tough-on-crime stance when critics accused her of coddling criminals. 

Of course, not every Black man will vote for Harris but there are positive signs a majority know what’s at stake in November and plan to cast a ballot for her.

Not long after Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, a virtual fundraiser called specifically for Black men drew 40,000 participants who poured more than $1 million into her campaign coffers. 

“Sometimes as Black men we get confused as to what strength is, and sometimes we think that standing behind a Black woman as a leader does not display strength as Black men,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who spoke on the call. “I’m here to tell you all tonight that it does the opposite of that: it displays strength.”

Mr. Raoul then cut to the point. “I’m standing behind a Black woman to be president of theUnited States, and it doesn’t make me any less of a Black man,” he said. “I’m asking all of you all to do the same.

For her part, Harris has personally reached out to groups and organizations that speak to Black men, held White House listening sessions with influential Black business leaders and pledged to earn their vote — not take it for granted. 

“There is a trope in this election which I take issue with, because the underlying premise suggests that Black men should be in the back pocket of Democrats,” Harris told The Nation magazine in an interview last month. “And that is absolutely unacceptable. Here’s why: Why would any one demographic of people be different from any other demographic? They all expect you to earn their vote! You’ve got to make your case.”

This article was originally published by Word in Black.

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By Rakeen Mabud

Next year, we’ll have to make one of the most important decisions about the future of our economy. Will we hand more power and wealth to big corporations and the rich — or invest in a healthy and resilient economy that works for all of us?

In 2017, Republican lawmakers passed tax loopholes and cuts that primarily benefited the wealthy and big corporations. President Trump signed these giveaways into law, spiking inequality and setting off a wave of corporate profiteering. 

Next year, parts of that law will begin to expire, which gives us the opportunity to make changes.

For decades, both parties have created an economy where big corporations and the wealthy aren’t pitching in like the rest of us. We’ve been sold a bill of goods known as “trickle down” economics. Trickle down goes like this: Feed the rich the best cut of meat and maybe we’ll get a bit of gristle that falls on the floor — and we’ll thank them for it. 

The rich and most profitable corporations aren’t just contributing less and less to our collective coffers. They’re using their power to enrich themselves further while more of us struggle. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently described this as a “doom loop” for our tax code: the wealthy and corporations get richer from tax giveaways and then use their wealth and power to boost their profits — and then lobby for more tax cuts.

For example, the 2017 Trump tax cuts dropped the top corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent (compared to 40 percent in 1987). Supporters argued this would lead to better wages and supercharge economic growth. Instead, economic growth continued at about the same pace as before the tax breaks. And while 90 percent of workers did not see a raise, billionaire wealth has doubled.

In the same period in which corporations have enjoyed lower taxes, they’ve also raked in record profits. As my colleagues at Groundwork Collaborative have highlighted, lowering corporate tax rates actually incentivized corporate profiteering in the wake of the pandemic, as companies that overcharged us got to keep more of their winnings. 

Trickle down theory says these windfall profits and lower taxes should encourage companies to invest more in workers and innovation. But in an economy run by big corporations with enormous market share, that money ends up being funneled to shareholders instead of increasing worker wages, investing in new or more productive technologies, or holding critical inventories in case of a crisis. 

If we want corporations to invest more in wages and productive investments, we should raise their taxes, since wages and research are mostly tax deductible.

In other words, corporate profiteering is not a foregone conclusion. Raising corporate taxes has the potential to boost investment, productivity, and economic growth — and get Americans some of their money back.  

The Biden administration has taken critical steps to push back against failed trickle down economics and corporate profiteering. It capped the price of essential drugs like insulin, empowered regulators to go after corporations abusing their market power, and made historic investments in a green future. But more can be done by raising taxes on the largest, most profitable corporations.

Fundamentally, the coming tax debate is about who holds the reins in shaping our economy: megacorporations and their wealthy shareholders, or the everyday people who keep the economy humming. Next year is an opportunity for Congress to stand firm against the rich and powerful and build the economy that we want to see.

This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

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By James Bridgforth

In the intricate tapestry of the American economy, one thread stands out not only for its resilience but also for its potential to drive significant economic growth and social change. That thread is the African American economy — a force that not only supports its community but also bolsters the broader economic fabric of the United States.

The narrative of African American economic power is often overlooked or underestimated, overshadowed by persistent disparities and historical injustices. However, to truly grasp the impact and potential of this economic force, one must recognize its depth and breadth across various sectors — from entrepreneurship and consumer spending to workforce participation and investment.

African Americans represent a substantial consumer base in the United States, wielding immense purchasing power that influences industries ranging from fashion and entertainment to technology and healthcare. According to a report by Nielsen, Black consumers collectively have a buying power projected to reach $1.8 trillion by the end of 2024. This economic influence extends beyond mere consumption; it shapes market trends, influences product development, and drives innovation.

Moreover, the entrepreneurial spirit within the African American community is a cornerstone of economic vitality. Historically, Black-owned businesses have played a pivotal role in local economies, fostering job creation, community development, and economic empowerment. 

Today, Black entrepreneurs continue to launch enterprises at a higher rate than the national average, contributing to economic diversity and resilience.
Investments in education and skills development further amplify the economic impact of African Americans. 

As more individuals from this community pursue higher education and specialized training, African Americans contribute to a skilled workforce that drives productivity and innovation across industries. The growing African American presence in professions such as law, medicine, academia, and technology not only enhance these fields but also advance the nation’s overall economic competitiveness.

Furthermore, the economic influence of African Americans extends beyond domestic borders. In an increasingly globalized economy, cultural exports from the Black community — including music, art, fashion, and entertainment — have garnered international acclaim and economic success. These exports not only generate revenue but also promote American cultural influence worldwide, further solidifying the economic footprint of African Americans.

Despite these achievements, challenges persist. Structural barriers, systemic inequalities, and disparities in access to capital continue to hinder the full realization of African American economic potential. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from policymakers, business leaders, and the broader community to foster an inclusive economy where all individuals can thrive.

To harness the full economic power of the African American community, strategic initiatives are essential. These include:

Promoting Entrepreneurship and Business Development: Enhancing access to capital, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities for Black entrepreneurs can foster a thriving ecosystem of businesses that drive economic growth and job creation.

Investing in Education and Skills Training: Increasing access to quality education, vocational training, and STEM programs can equip African Americans with the skills needed to excel in a rapidly evolving economy and fill critical gaps in the labor market.

Advancing Financial Inclusion and Wealth Building: Encouraging financial literacy, homeownership programs, and equitable access to banking and investment services can empower African Americans to build generational wealth and economic stability.

Fostering Inclusive Corporate Practices: Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within corporate environments can create pathways for African Americans to advance professionally, contribute to innovation, and drive corporate profitability.

Supporting Cultural and Creative Industries: Investing in Black-owned media, arts, and entertainment ventures can amplify diverse voices, celebrate cultural heritage, and stimulate economic growth through creative expression.

In conclusion, the economic power of the African American community is a formidable force that secures the financial outlook for the nation. Moreover, by leveraging this power through strategic investments, inclusive policies, and collective action, we can unleash untapped potential, drive sustainable economic growth, and create a more prosperous future for all Americans.

As we celebrate our achievements of African Americans and honor the many contributions to the nation’s economic landscape, let us also commit to building a more equitable and inclusive society—one where every individual, regardless of race or background, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to the collective prosperity of our great nation.

By embracing diversity and harnessing the economic power of the African American community, we not only strengthen our economy but also uphold the principles of justice, equality, and opportunity upon which America was founded. Together, let us forge a path towards a brighter, more inclusive future where every individual has the chance to achieve the American dream.

This article was originally published by Word in Black. 

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By Keith Boykin
Word in Black

“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

Donald Trump is losing it. 

Today in New Jersey, Trump tricked reporters into covering a “press conference” that turned out to be a lengthy speech to his supporters at his golf course. Low-energy Trump read from a thick binder that included a string of outrageous lies, including the ridiculous claim that more than 100 percent of new jobs created in the U.S. are going to migrants. 

The 78-year-old Trump thought he could coast to victory against a slightly older 81-year-old White male opponent only to find himself in the battle of his life against a much younger and more energetic Black woman. Suddenly, the tables have turned, and now 58 percent of voters say Trump is the one who is too old to be president.

By every metric — voter registration, national polls, swing state polls, fundraising, enthusiasm, media coverage, and even crowd size — Kamala Harris has the momentum and Trump is losing steam. Democrats are even beating Republicans in new voter registrations in North Carolina for the first time all year. 

“She’s bringing out people who are not interested in voting for either Trump or Biden,” Republican pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC. It’s barely been a month, but “I haven’t seen anything like this happen in 30 days in my lifetime.” 

And that’s all before Democrats hold their convention in Chicago next week, where candidates usually get a bounce in their poll numbers.

It’s been a rough four weeks for Trump and his running mate. He’s spent the month lying about Kamala Harris’s crowd sizes, attacking her with personal insults, and now finds himself forced to pay in advance for his campaign rallies after leaving a trail of unpaid bills across the country. Even his interview with Elon Musk was delayed by glitches and marred by Trump’s suspiciously slurred speech, but this time he didn’t berate the host for the technical issues the way he did with the National Association of Black Journalists. I wonder why?

Just today, new video emerged showing Project 2025 co-author Russell Vought explaining that Trump is claiming to distance himself from the group, but the group is “not worried about that” because “he’s been at our organization, he’s raised money for our organization. He’s very supportive of what we do.”

And earlier this week, Trump admitted that he wants to abolish the Department of Education, the same proposal included in the Project 2025 plan that Trump claims to know nothing about.

Meanwhile, after losing the childless cat lady vote, JD Vance is back in hot water for newly revealed comments suggesting that he thinks that women have no purpose in life after menopause except to take care of grandchildren.

These guys are not ready for prime time.

While Kamala Harris is outlining her plans to stop corporate price gouging, build new housing, and cut prices for seniors on prescription drugs, Republicans are complaining that Trump is losing it. 

“He lacks self-control. He lacks discipline,” Republican donor Eric Levine told the New York Times. 

He’s focused on a “very strange victimhood and grievance,” said Republican strategist Liam Donovan. 

Trump’s self-inflicted implosion is good news for Democratic candidates from the presidency on down, but don’t be lulled into complacency by the polls. The race is far from over, and who knows what dirty tricks Republicans have up their sleeves? The electoral college is still stacked against Democrats, and Kamala Harris will need a big voter turnout to win the presidency.

But be ready. If she pulls it off, Trump’s gonna lose it even more.

Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show My Two Cents, and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.

This article was originally published on WordinBlack.com.

The post Opinion: Black Vote, Black Power: Trump is losing it appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Submitted by William Gleaves

Dear Editor,

As a federal retiree under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), I am writing to bring light to fair cost-of-living adjustments. Currently, there is a significant disparity in cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) between retirees under FERS and those under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), resulting in unfair differences in retirement benefits.

The cost of living affects all retirees equally, yet FERS retirees receive smaller COLAs compared to our CSRS counterparts. This inequity undermines our financial security and erodes the value of the benefits we earned through years of dedicated public service. The Equal COLA Act will correct this imbalance by providing the same COLA to all federal retirees, ensuring we can maintain our purchasing power and live with dignity.

As inflation and living costs continue to rise, it is more important than ever to ensure that all retirees receive fair and equitable adjustments to their benefits. This legislation is a necessary step toward correcting an unfair system and honoring the service of those who dedicated their careers to the federal government.

Sincerely,

William Gleaves
billygoat404@gmail.com

The post A letter to the editor appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Georgia Jensen

From attending summer science demonstrations as a kid to volunteering as a high school student, the library has always been an important presence for me. When I was seven and my dad lost his job, my parents leaned on our community to help raise my sister and me. We got hand-me-downs from friends and food vouchers from our church — and the library became an even more central part of my life.

At least once a week, my dad would take us to the library, where my sister could get help on her homework, I could explore the children’s books and my dad could look for jobs. As it’s done for so many others, our local library stepped up to take care of us. Unfortunately, libraries are under political attack across much of the country.

Obsessed with “culture wars,” conservative politicians have been taking drastic measures to stop the distribution of what they call “age-inappropriate books” — which are often children’s books by and about LGBTQ+ individuals or people of color. 

Last year Missouri enacted a rule defunding libraries that carry such content. And in order to comply with a restrictive new library law in Idaho, some libraries have actually banned children and forced patrons under 30 to present an ID to enter.

All told, 17 GOP-led states are considering bills that would threaten librarians with prison time for lending books that lawmakers deem “obscene” or “harmful” to minors. And even in New York City, it took a massive public outcry to reverse Democratic Mayor Eric Adams’ devastating cuts to the library system.

When politicians target libraries, communities lose. Public libraries promote equality by championing free and open access to information. They not only allow individuals to access books but also movies, music and the internet.

A 2019 Gallup poll found that adults in low-income households visit their local libraries more than any other income group, which can help boost reading and literacy. By age 17, low-income students tend to lag behind their peers in reading by as much as four years, a disparity fueled by having less access to reading material — especially during the summer, when schools close. That’s why nearly all public libraries offer summer reading programs.

Libraries recognize and meet the needs of their patrons. In San Francisco, where homelessness is an ongoing crisis, the local library became one of the first in the country to hire an in-house social worker to provide expert help for its unhoused library users.

While legislation and programs aimed at fighting poverty remain stuck in Congress, libraries across the country already offer a variety of services to help society’s most vulnerable.

As of 2019, 75 percent of public libraries offered career services ranging from assistance with writing resumes and cover letters to technology training. Many also offer English as a Second Language (ESL), General Education Development (GED) and citizenship classes.

Hundreds of libraries partner with the USDA every summer to serve free meals to kids in low-income communities. They serve as refuges during heatwaves, partnering with local governments to welcome those who need a reprieve from the scorching temperatures.

Libraries ensure that both children and adults get the help they need to succeed in life. To continue, they need our help. We need to support our local libraries by donating or volunteering where we can.

We can also pressure our lawmakers not to cut funding. Congress is currently working on the budget for the federal budget for 2025. The American Library Association has an advocacy email list that makes it easy to let your members of Congress know that funding libraries should be a national priority. You can do the same thing at the state and local levels.

Public libraries make up a foundational part of our communities. It’s up to us to help keep them that way.

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By Ryan Coleman
Special to the AFRO

The vice presidency was described by the first man to hold the office, John Adams, as “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.” 

Originally, the runner-up in the presidential vote — to be carried out by the decidedly un-democratic Electoral College — was to be named vice president. 

The idea of a distinguished politician being vice president for nearly two hundred years, and a series of hacks and non-entities occupying the vice presidency became the norm, rather than the exception. If I polled average Americans on three legislative accomplishments directed by the last three vice presidents, Mike Pence, Joe Biden and Dick Cheney, I feel confident that 90 percent of them would barely be able to name two. 

This is for a reason. The vice president’s role is to stand in the background, to be the tie-breaking vote for the Senate, and to be the ambassador to foreign nations, but never to overshadow the president. So what is different about Kamala Harris? Her identity – as the first female, Black vice president – led to an unprecedented level of scrutiny. The fact that an intelligent Black woman is one step away from being the president is too much for some to handle. 

Born in Oakland, Calif., Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California- Hastings College of the Law. She has held positions in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County, the San Francisco DA’s Office and the City Attorney of San Francisco. In 2003, she was elected DA of San Francisco. She was elected attorney general of California in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Harris served as the junior U.S. senator from California from 2017 to 2021. 

As a senator, Harris advocated for healthcare reform, the DREAM Act, strict gun control laws and tax reform. She gained a national profile with her intelligent questions during the confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh. 

Harris has shined for fighting the causes of under-represented Americans. Recently, the vice president has emerged as one of the administration’s leading voices pushing Israel to do more to limit Palestinian casualties in its war against Hamas and to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. 

On the campaign trail, Harris is connecting with voters who are less than excited about the Democratic ticket. She has been defending Biden’s mental acuity, calling the special counsel’s depiction “gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate.” In a speech on February 2nd at South Carolina State University, a historically Black institution, she spoke of threats to democracy posed by Donald Trump and said that the former President “has stoked the fires of hate and bigotry and racism and xenophobia for his own power and political gain.” 

Harris is also the campaign’s strongest voice on abortion, the issue that, since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, in June 2022 has likely galvanized more voters— including women in Republican-led states—than any other. She began a recent fundraising email by declaring, “I’m furious,” and launched a national tour in Wisconsin on the fifty-first anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. 

“These extremists want to roll back the clock to a time before women were treated as full citizens,” she said, standing near a big banner that read “TRUST WOMEN.” Recalling Trump’s comment that he was proud to appoint three Supreme Court Justices whose votes were critical to overturn Roe, she asked, “Proud that women across our nation are suffering? Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom? Proud that doctors could be thrown in prison for caring for their patients?” 

In Republican audiences, though, Harris is readily mocked and dismissed. At a Nikki Haley event at the Thunder Bay Grille, in Davenport, Iowa, —Haley said, “We cannot ever have a President Kamala Harris. She’d send a chill up your spine.” 

What, exactly, is so terrifying about Harris wasn’t clear, but Haley hit the note of Biden’s frailty again in a recent CNN interview, seeming to suggest that Trump, if nominated, would lose to Biden and that Biden would not finish a second term. “There will be a female President of the United States,” she said. “It will either be me, or it will be Kamala Harris.” 

Some Republicans and others have wild conspiracy theories and racist overtones as a result of her race and as a result of her gender. They lie to themselves to hide their racist and sexist disposition. The truth is they are scared of change. They are scared of the true story — that Black Americans are equal to White Americans. Kamala Harris is an excellent vice president. 

Human nature leads us to avert our gaze when confronted with situations that disturb us. Part of our nation’s ongoing struggle with race is that too many look away and too few look deeply. For those of us who consider ourselves Christian, this shows up in the continued refusal to see the face of God in others and to love our neighbors as ourselves. 

Racism can never be defeated under such circumstances. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr says it best, “Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to re-educate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the White people of America believe they have so little to learn…resonant resolutions about brotherhood fall pleasantly on the ear, but for the Negro there is a credibility gap he cannot overlook.” 

 Ryan Coleman can be reached at randallstownnaacp@gmail.com

The post Why do they really dislike Kamala Harris? Race and gender the real reason appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Dayvon Love
Special to the AFRO

What is clear about the killing of Sonya Massey by a police officer in her home? To me, it is the fact that Black people in general—and working-class Black people in particular—are living a life in America that is marked primarily by a disregard for our humanity and the normalization of violence against our community.  

Sylvia Wynter, in a letter that she wrote after the Los Angeles riots in 1992, identifies a phrase that LA police officers were using to describe crime scenes where Black people had been killed in poor and working class communities. That phrase was “NHI,” which stands for “No Humans Involved.”  This was normally followed by officers having a lack of urgency when it came to figuring out who caused the killing.  

Many police officers, particularly those who are policing communities that are not reflective of their own, interact with Black people at our worst. While we meet with law enforcement in emergency situations on a daily basis, far too many are developing deep beliefs and notions of inherent criminality and inferiority, coming to the conclusion that we deserve the oppression and violence that we endure. 

I can’t help but think that the relatively cavalier tone in the voice of Sean Grayson as he killed Sonya Massey was a result of his lack of regard for the life of Black people. Instead of a tone typical of someone who just took the life of an innocent person, Grayson’s tone was more reflective of a person who forgot to lock their front door. This societal dehumanization is lodged deeply into the collective American consciousness and reflected in a variety of arenas of civil society:

• Black women have three times the rate of infant mortality of the national average.
• Sexual abuse at the hands law enforcement in cities around the country is rampant and often unchecked (as documented by various pattern and practice investigations by the Department of Justice).
• Black people disproportionately deal with the structural violence of slumlords who expose their tenants to lead or other environmental hazard.

The examples of structural violence that is normalized against our community are endless. The societal disregard for our humanity is a dominant feature in the lived reality among the masses of Black people in America.

Mainstream political leadership does not take seriously the daily structural violence and societal disregard of the humanity of working-class Black people. This is one of the core reasons the masses of Black people are disengaged from the political landscape. At best, our political leaders offer symbolic gestures and bare minimum sustenance policies in the face of the enormous challenges our community faces. It is only when there are highly visible instances of violence against victims – who this society deems to be legitimately innocent – that major figures even pretend to want to do work to address this problem.

Many of the mainstream pundits who are expressing concern about the police killing of Sonya Massey have raised the fact that Congress has failed to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This has been their call to action in the wake of this tragedy. However, I have to say that centering this bill as the call to action is another example of the hustle that the Democratic Party is running on Black people. 

What Black people need is legislative action that gives us the ability to exercise legitimate institutional power over law enforcement. Law enforcement will only be discouraged from committing violence against our community if we are equipped with the institutional power to levy consequences against officers that harm our people. 

What is needed is community control of law enforcement so that the community can punish members of law enforcement who violate people in our community. 

Law enforcement policy is the providence of state and local law. There is no federal government policy that can result in community control of law enforcement. Community control requires work in state legislatures, which requires local political power building that goes beyond the “vote blue no matter who” rhetoric that is trotted out every election cycle. This rhetoric has the impact of dumbing down our understanding of how to wield political power that goes beyond the exploitative relationship between Black people and the Democratic Party. 

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act introduces policies that increase the exposure of law enforcement officers who harm people in our community to criminal prosecution. However, independent, community-controlled entities that can conduct independent investigations of allegations of police brutality are needed. Instead, we are offered internal affairs investigations that would allow opportunities to hide evidence needed to hold police accountable. What we need is the ability for the community to punish officers; the policies that are in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would not impact the day-to-day violence our community experiences at the hands of law enforcement. 

In other words, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would be helpful in some of the most extreme instances of police brutality, but our energy would be better spent engaged in local advocacy to pursue community control of law enforcement in order to deal more effectively with the day-to-day violence our community experiences at the hands of police.

Black people need to continue to build power that comes from the bottom up. We should not confuse Black faces in high places with Black Power. Too many of our people are seduced into this trap that benefits the existing structure of the Democratic Party. This is not a plea to entertain the Republican Party, which has an open commitment to White nationalism. This is a plea to shift our relationship to the Democratic Party in such a way that we are not continuing to give them our vote in exchange for a political reality that relegates our community to a perpetual state of disaster management. As opposed to an agenda of Black sovereignty and social transformation that is needed.

The political action that should accompany the consciousness raising about the killing of Sonya Massey is local Black political power building that can get state and local legislatures to pass laws that establish community control of law enforcement. It is only when we have power over law enforcement that they will be genuinely afraid to kill us the way that Sonya Massey was killed.

What is clear about the killing of Sonya Massey by a police officer in her home? To me, it is the fact that Black people in general—and working-class Black people in particular—are living a life in America that is marked primarily by a disregard for our humanity and the normalization of violence against our community.  

Sylvia Wynter, in a letter that she wrote after the Los Angeles riots in 1992, identifies a phrase that LA police officers were using to describe crime scenes where Black people had been killed in poor and working class communities. That phrase was “NHI,” which stands for “No Humans Involved.”  This was normally followed by officers having a lack of urgency when it came to figuring out who caused the killing.  

Many police officers, particularly those who are policing communities that are not reflective of their own, interact with Black people at our worst. While we meet with law enforcement in emergency situations on a daily basis, far too many are developing deep beliefs and notions of inherent criminality and inferiority, coming to the conclusion that we deserve the oppression and violence that we endure. 

I can’t help but think that the relatively cavalier tone in the voice of Sean Grayson as he killed Sonya Massey was a result of his lack of regard for the life of Black people. Instead of a tone typical of someone who just took the life of an innocent person, Grayson’s tone was more reflective of a person who forgot to lock their front door. This societal dehumanization is lodged deeply into the collective American consciousness and reflected in a variety of arenas of civil society:

• Black women have three times the rate of infant mortality of the national average.
• Sexual abuse at the hands law enforcement in cities around the country is rampant and often unchecked (as documented by various pattern and practice investigations by the Department of Justice).
• Black people disproportionately deal with the structural violence of slumlords who expose their tenants to lead or other environmental hazard.

The examples of structural violence that is normalized against our community are endless. The societal disregard for our humanity is a dominant feature in the lived reality among the masses of Black people in America.

Mainstream political leadership does not take seriously the daily structural violence and societal disregard of the humanity of working-class Black people. This is one of the core reasons the masses of Black people are disengaged from the political landscape. At best, our political leaders offer symbolic gestures and bare minimum sustenance policies in the face of the enormous challenges our community faces. It is only when there are highly visible instances of violence against victims – who this society deems to be legitimately innocent – that major figures even pretend to want to do work to address this problem.

Many of the mainstream pundits who are expressing concern about the police killing of Sonya Massey have raised the fact that Congress has failed to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This has been their call to action in the wake of this tragedy. However, I have to say that centering this bill as the call to action is another example of the hustle that the Democratic Party is running on Black people. 

What Black people need is legislative action that gives us the ability to exercise legitimate institutional power over law enforcement. Law enforcement will only be discouraged from committing violence against our community if we are equipped with the institutional power to levy consequences against officers that harm our people. 

What is needed is community control of law enforcement so that the community can punish members of law enforcement who violate people in our community. 

Law enforcement policy is the providence of state and local law. There is no federal government policy that can result in community control of law enforcement. Community control requires work in state legislatures, which requires local political power building that goes beyond the “vote blue no matter who” rhetoric that is trotted out every election cycle. This rhetoric has the impact of dumbing down our understanding of how to wield political power that goes beyond the exploitative relationship between Black people and the Democratic Party. 

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act introduces policies that increase the exposure of law enforcement officers who harm people in our community to criminal prosecution. However, independent, community-controlled entities that can conduct independent investigations of allegations of police brutality are needed. Instead, we are offered internal affairs investigations that would allow opportunities to hide evidence needed to hold police accountable. What we need is the ability for the community to punish officers; the policies that are in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would not impact the day-to-day violence our community experiences at the hands of law enforcement. 

In other words, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would be helpful in some of the most extreme instances of police brutality, but our energy would be better spent engaged in local advocacy to pursue community control of law enforcement in order to deal more effectively with the day-to-day violence our community experiences at the hands of police.

Black people need to continue to build power that comes from the bottom up. We should not confuse Black faces in high places with Black Power. Too many of our people are seduced into this trap that benefits the existing structure of the Democratic Party. This is not a plea to entertain the Republican Party, which has an open commitment to White nationalism. This is a plea to shift our relationship to the Democratic Party in such a way that we are not continuing to give them our vote in exchange for a political reality that relegates our community to a perpetual state of disaster management. As opposed to an agenda of Black sovereignty and social transformation that is needed.

The political action that should accompany the consciousness raising about the killing of Sonya Massey is local Black political power building that can get state and local legislatures to pass laws that establish community control of law enforcement. It is only when we have power over law enforcement that they will be genuinely afraid to kill us the way that Sonya Massey was killed.

The post Opinion: What the killing of Sonya Massey says about policing and the state of Black people in America appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Talib I. Karim

On July 19, 2024, we lost a giant in the fight for justice: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Her relentless dedication led to the legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday, further cementing her legacy of advocating for justice and equality. Congresswoman Lee chaired the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection. She also chaired the multimillion-dollar Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a tireless champion for her diverse constituency and a beacon of servant leadership.

I arrived in Washington, D.C. in 1990, after leaving the U.S. Air Force Academy to complete my engineering and legal studies. I landed my first Capitol Hill job with the help of Congressman Harold Ford Sr., as an intern in the office of his CBC colleague and California’s first known African American Lt. Governor, Congressman Mervyn Dymally.

Since then, my work on and off Capitol Hill has been significant. Yet, none of my experiences have been more memorable and impactful than my tenure as Chief Technology Counsel and Legislative Director for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

My very first assignment was drafting the Congresswoman’s statement introducing General Charles Bolden at the start of his Senate confirmation to become the first African American permanent NASA Administrator. This was a wonderful opportunity as General Bolden along with Guy Buford, and Fred Gregory (who once served as NASA Interim Administrator) were my childhood heroes and fueled my own dreams of following in their shoes as an astronaut.

As Legislative Director, I also helped the Congresswoman championed reforms of the nation’s healthcare system during the adoption of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. As chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ Health Task Force, our office was at the forefront of advocating for the most progressive elements of the legislation. We mobilized support for Congressman Conyers’ proposed Health Care for All legislation, organized town halls, brain trusts, and listening sessions, and ultimately secured community health center funding. We opposed provisions that would have restricted doctors from owning their hospitals, pushed for expanded Medicaid coverage, and fought against the punitive tax, which was ultimately ruled as unconstitutional, that disproportionately affected African Americans and the poor.

Our office also tackled the disparity between crack and powder cocaine penalties, successfully reducing the ratio from 500:1 to 18:1. We led initiatives on concussion injuries in the NFL, meeting with legends like Jim Brown and questioning the NFLPA president.

My role extended to oversight hearings of the Justice Department, including personal meetings with Attorney General Eric Holder.

The Congresswoman represented a diverse constituency, from the homeless and inmates to oil executives and celebrities. One of the honors of my experience was drafting the congressional proclamation for Michael Jackson. Despite controversies, her bold and diverse hires reflected her fearless leadership style. She recruited military veterans, activists, and professionals from various backgrounds, including Muslims, Arabs, Latinos, Ethiopians, Southern Conservative Christians, and Jews.

The demanding nature of her office was exemplified by a New Year’s Eve call ensuring a speech was ready. This environment fostered loyalty and dedication among her staff, affectionately known as Team SJL. The Congresswoman’s mentorship opened doors for many, with alumni becoming tech executives, industry leaders, and advocates. Some of her staff have gone on to serve as senior aides in the House, Senate, and for governors.

Immediate predecessors like Arthur Sidney, the late Prof. Greg Berry, and Christina McMorris served respectively as the Chief of Staff for Congressman Hank Johnson and Chief Counsel to Congresswoman Karen Bass. Greg Berry returned to the staff of Representative Jackson Lee until his death two years ago.

Reflecting on these experiences paved the way for my current work leading the development of AI tools for law firms, corporations and government agencies. Additionally, it positioned me to assume the role of champion in my own right, advocating for AI-driven afterschool and summer programs to end youth violence in D.C., Maryland and across the country. And while our policy positions didn’t always align, Congresswoman Jackson Lee gladly lent her star power to support the initiatives of STEM4US, which benefitted the youth.

As we honor her legacy, those she mentored must continue her style of servant leadership, willing to embrace controversy and speak out for justice. Our youth need the firm yet loyal leadership Congresswoman Jackson Lee embodied.

The Quranic passage that inspires me during times of trial is: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’” (Quran 2:155-156).

Long live the memory and legacy of fearless servant leadership embodied by Sheila Jackson Lee. Her work and impact will continue to inspire those committed to justice and equity. In the spirit of her unwavering dedication, we continue to strive for a future where technology and justice work hand in hand to create a more equitable society.

The post Championing justice: Reflections on serving Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

The Democratic Party says it’s an inclusive of women and people of color. It’s time to prove it and get behind Kamala Harris.

By Keith Boykin
Word in Black

“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black,
examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

“There are decades when nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.”  

That’s what it felt like this week when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race for re-election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s new nominee.

Now the party must unite behind Kamala Harris, allow her to pick a new running mate, and move on to defeat Donald Trump.

After weeks of Democratic in-fighting, Biden’s historic withdrawal shifts the momentum away from the Republican Party and back toward the Democrats heading into their convention in Chicago next month.

The great stunt queen, Donald Trump, thought he won the publicity wars last week when he dramatically announced his new running mate, the inexperienced freshman Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and told the world the story of surviving an assassination attempt in his rambling 90-minute convention speech.

Now that’s old news, and we have a fundamentally different race. Instead of a contest between two unpopular, old White guys, the new race pits a 59-year-old Black woman against a 78-year-old convicted felon. 

It’s the past versus the future. An all-White-male Republican ticket or a Democratic ticket led by an accomplished Black woman. A party that carries the heavy baggage of scandals, impeachments, indictments, and 34 felony convictions from Donald Trump or a party that has an opportunity to reinvent itself with Kamala Harris.

I’ve said all along that I will support the Democratic nominee for president, but I’ve publicly worried about the donor class and wondered if they would accept Harris as the new nominee. 

Some floated ideas of an open primary or a “blitz primary” with candidate forums moderated by Republicans like Condoleezza Rice. And TV producer Aaron Sorkin even suggested the ridiculous idea that Democrats should nominate Republican Mitt Romney for president.

No, no, and no.

Now is the time for the Democratic Party to step up. 

All those Democratic donors and party insiders who spent the past few weeks pushing Biden out of the race better pony up their money, time, and energy and start contributing to Kamala Harris’ campaign and the Democratic Party. This is the new Plan B.

We’ve heard a lot of Democratic names floated for president in the past few weeks: Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, Wes Moore, Andy Beshear, and Mark Kelly. But now that President Biden has endorsed Vice President Harris, I hope and expect those leaders will stand down and support her, if for no other reason than loyalty to President Biden. 

But also because there are financial obstacles if Democrats nominate someone other than Harris. Harris was Biden’s running mate, so she can tap into the $96 million Biden has in the  bank. Any new candidate may have to start from scratch. Let’s not make this any more complicated than it needs to be.

Now is the time for the Democratic Party to step up. You say you are an inclusive party of women and people of color. It’s time to prove it and get behind Kamala Harris. The Congressional Black Caucus quickly announced its support for Harris.

Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. He must be defeated. We have the power to stop Project 2025 and Agenda 47. 

The wind is finally at our backs. Let’s get to work.

Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show My Two Cents, and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.

This article was originally published on WordinBlack.com.

The post Black Vote Black Power: Kamala Harris for President appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

by Aswad Walker

What in the “Idiocracy” is going on? The most trending topic from the day one kickoff of the Republican National Convention was not the appearance of their fearless Führer or their party platform to make America America again. No, it was the speech given by Amber Rose, a Z-lister “celebrity” and “influencer” best known for her relationships with various brothers in the hip-hop game and rise to “notoriety” within Black circles.

In other words, she’s “Black famous.”

But that was before she dropped some bars in Milwaukee at the GOP confab.

Rose’s RNC Comments

Most notably, Rose, again, is someone whose entire “celebrity” was/is tied to her penchant for and proximity to Black culture – though in recent years, and only in recent years, has she made crystal clear that though appearing racially ambiguous, she is anything but Black – said this:

“I realized Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re Black, white, straight or gay, it’s all love. And that’s when it hit me: these are my people. This is where I belong,” said Rose, during her recent RNC speech.

Wait. What?

“These (MAGA) are my people? This is where I belong?”

Maybe Rose garnered cheers and applause from conservatives at the RNC because her words gave off “Prodigal son/daughter” returning home vibes. Here’s this person maybe three people in the entire RNC knew before her speech, someone introduced to the audience as famous and as an influencer, coming out and saying to the world, “I’m home in whiteness. I’ve been living sinfully in a far-off land (Black culture) for too long, squandering my father’s money (white privilege) and lying with animals. But I’m home now. These are my people. This is where I belong.”

Giving the GOP a Pass

Or maybe those Republican attendees offered up shouts of joy at Rose’s words because she gave them the same thing poster-boy Black Republicans (Byron, Tim, Wesley, Clarence, etc.) give them – freedom from white guilt and a total pass on their overt support of racist laws, policies and actions.

I mean, how can racists be racist if Amber Rose, a celebrity influencer no less, just said, “Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re Black, white, straight or gay; it’s all love”?

What Rose May Have Missed During MAGA Orientation

How? Either Black people and Black history in this Babylon, and our lived realities and evidential research numbers and mother wit and ancestral whispers and Emmit Till mutilations and Devil’s Punchbowl atrocities and Ida B. Wells’ documented lynching horror stories are all wrong, fake, and non-existent, or Rose missed a thing or three.

Like Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, who immediately after the shooting at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, blamed a woman on Trump’s Secret Service duty for the shooting, and more specifically, blamed DEI (as in her employment was a DEI hire) for the shooting.

But to be fair, Rose didn’t say the GOP had any love or respect for women… just those who are “Black, white, straight or gay.”

So, she must not have known that last year, seven Republican attorneys general wrote to Target saying their Pride Month campaigns could violate state laws. Or that Republican former Trump administration official Seb Gorka described Vice President Kamala Harris as a DEI hire while saying, “She’s a woman, she’s colored,” as a vehicle to demean the VP.

Maybe Rose gave Gorka and the GOP a pass because they don’t recognize Harris as a sister. But what about the fact that since 2018, Republican lawmakers across the country exponentially ramped up their voter suppression efforts by closing polling places in Black communities by the thousands and purging hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of registered Black voters from voter rolls? They’ve also outlawed efforts proven to increase voter participation, especially Black and Brown voter turnout, via hundreds of state laws under the guise of “voter protection” and “election integrity.”

Maybe Rose had a hectic influencer schedule during the first month of 2021, when Republicans responded to Donald Trump’s call for an entire treasonous insurrection (Jan. 6, 2021) that had at its core the belief that registered Black voters who cast their ballots during the 2020 Presidential Election (specifically in Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Philly… all with super Black populations) were illegitimate and illegal, and thus, their votes should be thrown out because they weren’t/aren’t real Americans.

That doesn’t seem all that accepting of Blackfolk. I fail to see the love.

And while president, Trump attacked peaceful protesters seeking criminal justice and voting rights reforms, calling them “thugs,” “criminals” and “vermin” who he asked advisors if he could simply order police to go in and shoot them down. Again, not much love. But Trump time and again showed an over-abundance of love for violent white nationalists, heralding them as heroes and “very good people.”

He did so with the white domestic terrorists who killed a woman in Charlottesville, NC, and injured countless others; and with then 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who traveled across state lines illegally wielding a weapon of mass destruction (AR-15-style rifle) and shot three men, killing two of them and wounding the third, during a protest against police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin; and most recently claiming that convicted killer Daniel Perry was a patriot who was wrongly persecuted by a “woke” DA… the same Perry, who in his own words, drove to a police brutality protest in Austin to do harm (which he did; killing a U.S. military vet).

There’s the GOP-led countrywide assault on and banning of Black history, Black books, Black thought, DEI and CRT, which isn’t even taught in K-college classrooms, beyond the handful of law schools that wrestle with the important topic.

And let’s not forget the current North Carolina GOP candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, who said during a church service that “Some folk need killing.”

That’s not giving off “It’s all love” vibes.

To be fair, Robinson said it was only the “evil” people who threaten American Christianity who need to be forcefully un-alived. But if you’ve heard any speech made by Bruh Robinson, he’s mentioned more times than Trump has felony convictions that Blacks, LGBTQ-plus folk, and anyone who doesn’t worship white nationalist Jesus are those “evil” people.

Wait, There’s More?

There is no shortage of additional GOP examples of things Rose apparently missed while she was pledging Mu Alpha Gamma Alpha (MAGA). Former Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron refusing to hold Breonna Taylor’s killer accountable. The whole-ass Muslim ban. Locking up children of asylum seekers in cages (most of whom have never been reunited with their families). Calls for religious freedoms, but only for Christians. And so much more.

It’s almost as if there’s no way Rose could have overlooked all these things. Could it be possible she’s pimping the MAGA culture for fame and fortune?

But that can’t be. Can it? She would need some history, some experience fleecing an entire people for personal gain.

Joy-Ann Reid, what are your thoughts?

“It’s ironic that were able to recruit this young woman. She’s racially ambiguous. I don’t wanna say she’s Black because she has said she’s not, so I don’t wanna say this ‘Black woman,’” Reid said, referring to Rose calling herself as mixed race over the years. “This woman who is of whatever race that she has claimed, she’s said she’s not Black. But brought somebody whose whole career is based in Black culture. She used to be on a show on BET. That’s the reason most people know who she is. She dated one of the most prominent African American rappers in the business, in the history of hip-hop. So, her whole culture came from Black culture, even though she says she’s not a Black person herself.”

This article originally posted by the Houston Defender

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By Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

There are moments in life when the convictions of the spirit and personal consciousness collide in opposition to the mainstream, popular outcries for the blood, life and the end of the future existence of another human being. I refuse to be a silent witness to another lynching in America. Thus, the following is what I have observed and witnessed firsthand over the past days to the lynch mob-like escalation of calls for President Joe Biden to step down from campaigning for reelection in 2024. I am not representing any organization or political party. On July 4, while sitting quietly in Raleigh, N.C., I jotted down my personal views.

Although I am a proud Democrat, I am so saddened by the backstabbing cowardice of those who dare to publicly call for President Biden to step down while having an utter contradictory refusal to utter publicly any call for former President Donald Trump to step down and to end his fascist-engaging campaign to retake the White House. The question is why? The attempted political lynching of President Joe Biden has more to do with disingenuous political infighting than difficulties at a nationally televised political debate. What are the real motives from all of those who are calling for President Biden to step down?

Some will say my words and expressions here are too strong and controversial. That may be true because there should be strong words and expressions that always should call out and condemn any form of lynching. A political lynching is also a crime against the oneness of our humanity. Such is the situation today in America. It is the politics of division versus the politics of unifying all Americans for the best interests and future of the nation that is on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. Justice is on the ballot. Equality is on the ballot. Equity is on the ballot. Freedom is on the ballot.

The antidote to the current resurgence of ignorance, racism, cowardice, fascism and retrenchment from freedom, justice, equality and equity is to work hard daily and diligently to ensure the largest voter turnout this year in American history. Why do I claim responsibility for urgently making this statement on July 4, 2024? African Americans, like others who fought and died in the fields and streets in the 13 American colonies during the Revolutionary War against the British Empire 248 years ago, have a birthright to the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4, 1776, and later to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Although thousands of people of African descent, who were not enslaved, enlisted and fought for freedom and independence against the British, no people of African descent were invited or permitted to attend the formative meetings of the newly emerging nation’s democracy and Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in 1787. My great, great, great, great-grandfather, the Rev. John Chavis (1763-1838), fought as a young, enlisted soldier in the Revolutionary War against the British in our home state of North Carolina and in the state of Virginia. The Chavis family has lived in Granville County, North Carolina, for over 285 years. My father, Benjamin F. Chavis Sr. (1898-1965) enlisted and fought as a young sergeant major soldier in the United States Army in World War I.

The point here is that generations of African and African-American soldiers have enlisted and fought and died to defend and protect the nation and democracy for the past 248 years. And we are not going to permit anyone or anything to deny our birthright to freedom and democracy. For us, the right to vote in America is blood-stained and sacred. We know from our lived experience the horror, pain and suffering from centuries of physical lynchings in America to satisfy the sheer fear, hatred, White supremacy and ignorance of racism. Today, we also know when mobs cry out for the downfall and political lynching of those who have been our allies in our long struggle for freedom, justice, voting rights and equity, we cannot be silent.

It is ironic that also here in Raleigh, fewer than 24 hours after the questionable so-called debate in Atlanta, President Biden spoke eloquently and forcibly at the NC State Fairgrounds about a couple of miles away from the John Chavis Memorial Park in downtown Raleigh. President Biden said, “I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious. I don’t walk as easy (sic) as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know — I know how to tell the truth.” 

The truth is therapeutic. Our nation needs more truth over the lies and prevalent fake news.

At the same time, as the calls for President Biden to step down, the United States Supreme Court has now ruled that future and past presidential “official acts” of violence, crime, repression, voter suppression, and insurrection are all immune from prosecution as long those acts are official acts within the core responsibilities of a President of the United States. This is dangerous and fundamentally against the meaning and principles of democracy. That is why now, more than ever before, we must raise our voices and mobilize our families and communities to go out and vote in record numbers in the swing states and in every other state across the nation. We all have work to do. We said back in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, “When things get tough in our struggle for freedom, we have to become tougher.”

Join me and raise your voice with me. Let’s vote in record numbers throughout America. Stop the lynching of President Joe Biden.

This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.

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By Michael A. Grant, J.D.

I have admired Joe Biden since 1988. I did not think the plagiarism charge should have caused him to abort his presidential aspirations back then. I was ecstatic when the seasoned, scrappy senator from Scranton joined – and added heft – to Barack Obama’s run for the White House. And lastly, I proudly voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020.

As president, Biden compiled an enviable track record.

His list of accomplishments is well-documented: Infrastructure, a bold climate initiative, a herculean effort to lift millions of Americans’ student loan debts, greatly reducing the cost of life-saving insulin, protecting millions from the scourge of COVID, getting relief checks in the hands of millions of struggling Americans during the pandemic, signing several bi-partisan bills into law and much more. Biden could end his presidency with his head held high knowing that he served his country honorably. But the time to end his occupancy in the White house may soon come upon him.

The Book of Ecclesiastes should guide his next steps: “For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Knowing when to exit will determine how history will record the character of this remarkable public servant.

I assume that the Democratic Party elites, the president’s inner-circle and, most assuredly, his family will advise him to continue his campaign. But these enablers are deluding themselves and misleading the voters. The president’s debate performance was not just an isolated incident. The CNN-sponsored event unearthed – in a dramatic fashion – what many of us have believed for some time.

Our president is experiencing diminished capacity. It has been reported that he got sleepy during the debate. The issue is not whether the president is beginning to exhibit signs of cognitive decline, the issue is how could the enlightened members of our party put him through four more years of a grueling schedule that will begin at age 82 and end at age 86?

If, however, President Biden decides to stay in the race, I will support him because Donald Trump’s mental stability and poor judgment are also being seriously discussed. The former president has already shown us that he is one of the most ruthless, vindictive, egomaniacal, dishonest and bigoted persons on the national stage today. He is a walking nightmare. Trump fuels hatred and pits Americans against each other. A skilled demagogue, he has risen to power – like Adolph Hitler – stirring up the worst impulses and fears in many of his mindless followers.

This commentary should in no way be construed to suggest that American voters will be forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. There is no comparison: Joe Biden is a decent human being; Donald Trump is evil incarnate. When I saw him peddling the Bible, I was reminded of one of my dear grandmother’s favorite poems: “The devil won the robe of Christ” by Joyce Kilmer. My grandmother was an authentic Christian and by her fruit, we all knew it.

So where do we go from here? If President Biden voluntarily steps aside, the Democratic party could enjoy an old fashion brokered convention. I am confident that by re-opening the nominating process, a younger, more promising candidate will emerge.

If the Democratic Party is wise enough and nimble enough, a vetted politician with the right credentials could capture the imagination of the country in a short span of time and lead Democrats up and down the ticket to victory in November. The new standard bearer could then serve as a granite wall against the pernicious designs of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, an insidious plot to turn the federal bureaucracy into a vehicle for autocratic (fascist) rule, something that would, no doubt, cause the founding fathers to turn over in their graves.

President Biden, lead us to victory by empowering the next generation to step up and save our Constitutional democracy. A grateful nation will honor your self-sacrifice as a true servant leader.

This article was originally published by National News Release.

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By Dayvon Love
Special to the AFRO

The political discourse and perspectives on what is happening in the Middle East are fairly expansive. There are many people, like myself, who characterize the state of Israel’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack as a genocide. There are those on the other side of the political spectrum who refer to it as Israel exercising its right to defend itself. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, it is undeniable that political figures and institutions that are the most ardent proponents of Israel’s current policy in Palestine tend to be proponents of a right-wing political agenda. 

In New York’s 16th congressional district Democratic primary election, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), an explicitly pro-Israel, Zionist organization, put millions of dollars behind George Latimer to successfully unseat progressive Congressman Jamaal Bowman. Bowman has been a harsh critic of Israel, which would naturally draw opposition from AIPAC. 

An even closer analysis of the nature of AIPAC’s political agenda, which is documented in “The Squad,” a book authored by The Intercept’s Washington, D.C. bureau chief Ryan Grim,  reveals that their attack is against the left or progressive wing of the Democratic Party. They are targeting people who are progressive on criminal justice reform, police accountability, income inequality and other relevant issues that are considered left of the Democratic Party mainstream. These attacks by AIPAC, its affiliated entities and the corporate wing of the Democratic Party extend beyond national politics.

Here in Maryland, we have a competitive race for the U.S. Senate with Democratic nominee Angela Alsobrooks and Republican nominee and former governor Larry Hogan. An interesting development from this race is the establishment of Democrats for Hogan, co-chaired by former Democratic Maryland state Sen. Bobby Zirkin. He has a well-documented political track record as a conservative Democrat on the previously mentioned issues. While he will tout his involvement in initiatives like the Justice Reinvestment Act or drug treatment for non-violent drug offenders as a sign of his sympathies for criminal justice reform, he was a dedicated proponent of mandatory minimums or sentence enhancements, law enforcement-centric approaches to public safety, and is currently characterizing members of “The Squad” in Congress as fringe leftists. 

Additionally, he has identified support for the state of Israel and its current policy in Gaza as his primary issue for this U.S. Senate race. He has identified his issue with Angela Alsobrooks as the company she keeps. He referred to U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who is more progressive than Zirkin but certainly not a leftist, as “Chris Van Hamas.” Zirkin is concerned that Alsobrooks is too close to Van Hollen relative to his position on Israel. 

The Democratic Party in Maryland has allowed conservative Democrats like Zirkin and entities like Sinclair Broadcasting to pull the party toward the right, in a way that exposes Black people to policies that perpetuate our continued collective subordination. As chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, his conservative agenda on criminal justice issues is reflective of the kinds of policies that propelled mass incarceration and the current Sinclair Broadcasting/ Fox45 agenda to criminalize Black people. His decision to endorse Larry Hogan is a clear indication of alignment with a political agenda that wants to criminalize 10-12-year-olds and repeal the Child Interrogation Protection Act. Zirkin’s position on Israel is clearly connected to his right-wing political ideology given the fact that Hogan is quoted as saying that he believes that he is “going to win most of the Jewish vote all over the state,” according to the Washington Post. 

The overlap between Zirkin and Hogan’s policy positions, and their uncritical support for the state of Israel should make it clear to the Democratic Party that this U.S. Senate race is political backlash for the work that my organization and many other progressive political forces that moves the political landscape further in the direction of the mass of Black, Brown and working-class people in Maryland. Organizations that work on behalf of this constituency tend to have a political perspective that is more critical of the colonial and oppressive policies of the state of Israel. This makes Zirkin’s support for Larry Hogan extremely consistent with his conservative politics. If Larry Hogan wins, it will not come as a result of right-wing Republicans, but as a result of right-wing Democrats that are virtually indistinguishable from Republicans.

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By Saniyah Larkins
AFRO Intern

Although I am sixteen and not old enough to vote, I believe President Joe Biden should withdraw and step down from the election and his presidency.  I honestly feel like he is way too old to be president and he is not focused on the country. Biden is consistently funding genocide in other countries and that is something I just can’t stand by. 

 Biden, and the government in general, are more focused on an app than the actual issues in the country. What about police brutality in America or the fact that in the eyes of American citizens America is regressing and not progressing? And what about the healthcare crisis? 

There are so many more things to focus on in America, so why are we focusing on trivial things? I don’t know who I would put in Biden’s place. Honestly, almost all the politicians I see are pretty bad. I don’t like to look at politics often because, to me, it’s quite depressing.

I don’t think I would ever vote for Trump under any circumstance. There would have to be a pretty bad candidate for me to vote for him. Trump is not for the people. I know this is an overused example, but Jan. 6, showed that he should not be president. In my opinion, he incited a riot. He told his supporters to “fight like hell” and they listened. He continuously insisted on violence during his presidency. He’s a racist and only cares about himself. He’s a convicted felon. If we don’t trust felons to vote –why should we trust a felon to run the country? 

I’ll be honest, I didn’t watch the debate nor am I a political person. When I heard about the debate and I watched clips from the event, I truly decided neither Trump nor Biden were eligible to be president. 

Trump claims immigrants are taking “Black jobs” – but what is a “Black job?” 

In conclusion, I don’t think either candidate is eligible for the presidency. Why should I vote for people I know who don’t care about me or my opinion?

Read more political opinions from Black Marylanders, AFRO staff and members of the AFRO Intern Team on A3.

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By Wayne Campbell

A recent study by researchers from World Health Organization (WHO), together with academic colleagues and published in The Lancet Global Health journal, found that nearly one third (31 percent) of the world’s adult population, 1.8 billion adults, are physically inactive. That is, they do not meet the global recommendations of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Alarmingly, this is an increase of 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022. 

The WHO says if this trend continues, the proportion of adults not meeting recommended levels of physical activity is projected to rise to 35 percent by 2030. Shockingly, the global estimate of the cost of physical inactivity to public health care systems between 2020 and 2030 is about US$ 300 billion (approximately US$ 27 billion per year) if levels of physical inactivity are not reduced.  

WHO officials define physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work or domestic activities. Research indicates that both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity improve health. Popular ways to be active include walking, cycling, wheeling, sports, active recreation and play, and can be done at any level of skill and for enjoyment by everybody.   

Physical activity is beneficial to health and well-being and conversely, physical inactivity increases risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and other poor health outcomes. Together, physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors are contributing to the rise in NCDs and placing a burden on healthcare systems. WHO states that improving levels of physical activity will benefit health and well-being and contribute to attainment of global NCD targets and a number of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, this will require increased commitments and investments by member states; innovation and contributions from non-state actors; cross sector coordination and collaboration and ongoing guidance and monitoring from the World Health Organization. 

Benefits of physical activity

Mental health and physical health are closely connected. Although not a cure-all, increasing physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well-being. Exercise causes your brain to release ‘feel good’ chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that help improve your mood.  Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for non-communicable diseases mortality. 

People who are insufficiently active have a 20 percent to 30 percent increased risk of death compared to people who are sufficiently active.  Sedentary behavior is any period of low-energy expenditure while awake such as sitting, reclining or lying. Lives are becoming increasingly sedentary through the use of motorized transport and the increased use of screens for work, education and recreation. There is also a generational impact of physical inactivity.  

Parents who are physically inactive are likely to nurture their children in a similar manner.  It is therefore imperative that parents realize that they do not only have a responsibility for themselves but also for the future generations. It is also important that physical education, commonly called P.E., be taken more seriously in our schools.  Too many of our children are overweight or are obese as the emphasis of our education system turns to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Evidence shows higher amounts of sedentary behavior are associated with the following poor health outcomes in children and adolescents: increased adiposity, poorer cardiometabolic health, fitness, behavioral conduct/prosocial behavior and reduced sleep duration. In adults, there can be increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality and cancer mortality and incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer and type-2 diabetes.

Global statistics

The highest rates of physical inactivity were observed in the high-income Asia Pacific region (48 percent) and South Asia (45 percent), with levels of inactivity in other regions ranging from 28 percent in high-income Western countries to 14 percent in Oceania. Rates of inactivity in the Americas were also higher than the global average, at 36 percent.  Of concern, disparities remain between gender and age. Physical inactivity is still more common among women globally compared with men, with inactivity rates of 34 percent compared to 29 percent. This was also the case in the Americas, with inactivity rates of women at 41 percent, compared to 30 percent for men. Additionally, people over 60 are less active than other adults, underscoring the importance of promoting physical activity for older adults.

The WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity provides policy recommendations for countries and communities to promote physical activity and ensure everyone has more opportunities to be regularly active. Examples of these recommendations include policies that ensure access to walking, cycling and non-motorized transport; that increase physical activity opportunities in schools, workplaces, childcare centers and in healthcare service delivery; and that increase accessibility and availability of community sports and public open spaces.

The WHO states that implementing effective policies to increase levels of physical activity requires a collective effort, coordinated across multiple government departments at all levels, including health, transport, education, employment, sport and recreation, and urban planning. It also demands national and local engagement from nongovernmental organizations, various sectors, stakeholders and disciplines to support the implementation of policies and solutions that are appropriate to a country’s cultural and social environment. Priority should be given to policy actions that address disparities in levels of physical activity, promoting, enabling and encouraging physical activity for all.  

Prioritize your health

Are you satisfied with your level of physical activity? If yes, you do not need to read any further. However, if your answer is no, let us continue the conversation. Many of us think of gym membership when the conversation of being physically active comes up.  The fact is not many of us have that disposable income necessary to sign up at a gym. So what can we do?  There are inexpensive methods such as YouTube that provide a host of videos on fitness and wellness that can be accessed.  There is also a place for Human Resources departments in engendering a culture of physical activity in the workplace. It would be useful for companies to invest in after work, work out sessions in designated areas where employees can access a trainer or gym equipment at reduced cost or free depending on the company. 

Collective efforts based on partnerships between government and non-governmental stakeholders are critical in promoting a culture of physical activity and wellness. Without a doubt this is a public health emergency and urgent action is required.  Governments need to find innovative approaches that will target the least active people and to reduce inequalities in access to measures promoting and improving physical activity. Too many of us complain about not finding the time. However, we all need to analyze our unique situations and create a plan that will increase our physical fitness and wellness.  

In the words of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, we must renew our commitments to increasing levels of physical activity and prioritize bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding, to reverse this worrying trend.

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By Ashley Estelle

Angela Alsobrooks, an attorney and the county executive of Prince George’s County, was recently nominated for Maryland’s open U.S. Senate seat. Given that nomination, and the fact that current Vice President Kamala Harris is of Black descent, you might think that Black women are serving in the U.S. government in considerable numbers. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. If Alsobrooks wins, she will become only the fourth Black woman ever to serve in the U.S. Senate. Alsobrooks’ May 14th primary victory highlights an important moment for Black women in politics, reflecting ongoing progress and challenges. Her strength and determination—even in the face of racist and hateful attacks like vandalism on her campaign signs—mirror Black women’s convictions throughout their long history of political involvement.

As a Black woman myself, this recurring need for resilience hits particularly close to home for me, shaped not just by the broader strokes of history but by the intimate details of my upbringing. I vividly recall my mother proudly wearing her “I voted” sticker each time an election came around. Her interest in participating in the democratic process wasn’t just about casting a ballot; it was a unique expression of her belief in the power of collective voices to effect change in our country. Now, remembering those “I voted” stickers makes me realize that it was only a few generations ago that women in my family were constantly struggling to vote.

Even as the 19th Amendment was ratified in August of 1920, many Americans knew that African-American women would remain disenfranchised. Despite the amendment put in place, discriminatory practices such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and outright intimidation continued to disenfranchise the black community, particularly in the South. Black women organized and participated in conventions and gatherings across the country to advocate for suffrage and other issues. Their initiatives became hubs of activism, fostering solidarity and pushing their voices in the fight for political rights and equity. Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Sojourner Truth, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, and Mary Church Terrell were among the prominent Black suffragists. Their leadership and activism were instrumental in advancing the cause of suffrage, challenging both racial and gender discrimination.

The voting rights movement has often overlapped with human rights movements. Suffragists like Mary Church Terrell—a pioneering educator and the first president of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW)—focused on voting and broader issues of equality and justice. During the abolitionist movement, enslaved and free Black individuals addressed women’s rights. They dealt with racism and sexism, often finding themselves marginalized and excluded from mainstream suffrage organizations. Despite those obstacles, there was continued persistence in their goal of equality and justice not just for themselves, but for all.

Presently, Black women have emerged as a powerful force in recent elections, demonstrating high voter turnout rates and playing roles in mobilizing voters. Our efforts were instrumental in securing victories for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020. Our collective power and commitment to political participation highlight the importance of amplifying Black women’s voices and representation in electoral politics. The resounding support for Biden-Harris, with approximately 90% of Black women casting their ballots in their favor, underscores our influence on electoral outcomes.

Despite Black women’s clear and demonstrated power as a voting bloc, many structural barriers hinder us from participating in politics as candidates and elected officials. Financial barriers to political candidacy, as articulated by City Council member Martha Castex Tatum, show the systemic inequities that persist within our political institutions. For example, former North Carolina state chief justice Cheri Beasley was given a small amount of party money in her campaign for the Senate in 2022. Yet, amidst these challenges, Black women activists continue to push the cause of voting rights. Figures like Stacey Abrams, LaTosha Brown, and Leah Aden exemplify the commitment to combat voter suppression and expand access to the ballot boxes for underrepresented communities. 

Now that Alsobrooks has won the Democratic nomination and is currently leading in the polls against former Gov. Larry Hogan, there is hope for one more Black woman to join the U.S. Senate from Maryland and broader hope that even more Black women will take their rightful place in the U.S. Senate from many states. This milestone invites us to reflect on the wider challenges Black women face in attaining political leadership roles. 

We must question the differences between civic engagement and holding positions of power. Does your local or state government support policies encourage those of diverse backgrounds to run for office? Does your party make it easy for Black women to be nominated and elected? Are there systemic barriers within our political institutions that must be addressed to ensure fair representation? As a Black woman myself, I recognize the power of my voice, deeply rooted in a history where many of my ancestors were denied the rights and opportunities I have today. 

Together, we can honor their fight by advancing the cause of justice and equality for future generations by filling our legislature with diverse and justice-oriented individuals.

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By Dayvon Love

If we accept the premise that Black peoples’ grievances with America began with enslavement in the U.S., then we are also accepting White people’s ability to define and shape our reality. 

The drive toward global domination of the non-White world by Europe and America was carried out by waging war against sovereign nations and societies. People of African descent in the Western-Hemisphere are prisoners of war. America is a settler colony that was able to emerge as a global superpower because of the material wealth it genocidally extracted from the dehumanization of Indigenous people and people of African descent. 

The economic inertia from stealing the land from native people of the Americas and the enslavement of African people created the foundation upon which America has been able to become the wealthiest nation in the world. 

Starting our grievances against the U.S. with enslavement renders the larger project of America as a legitimate enterprise. As Derrick Bell has brilliantly theorized, racism in America is permanent. There is no version of America where Black people are not subject to collective oppression and subjugation. Many in the mainstream social justice space are operating under the guise that they are fighting to make America a genuine multiracial democracy. As a Pan-Africanist, I am clear that what Black people should be fighting for is the development of independent Black institutions that will give us the capacity to navigate this society from a position of sovereignty and power, instead of relying on the benevolence of people outside of our community. We should build coalitions with other groups that are based on respect for our need for independent political action. We should not be looking to get this racist society to recognize our humanity, but to build the power needed to effectively advance our collective interests.

Over the past several years, a movement called American Descendants of Slaves (ADOS) has emerged and has taken up significant time and space in the conversation about reparations. They have been hostile toward Pan-Africanist and approaches to reparations that come from proponents of it. A lot has been said in these discussions, but I want to focus on the ADOS demand for lineage-based reparations. The central area of contention in the reparations conversation between ADOS and Pan-Africanists is about whether or not Black people should strive to be integrated into the American mainstream. Revolutionary Pan-Africanists believe that reparations should be about building our capacity to practice sovereignty. Pan-Africanists are clear that the existing social order is structured on the global system of White supremacy, capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism. The emphasis by ADOS on lineage reparations and a lack of serious engagement on how to build independent Black political power demonstrates that they are interested in an agenda that ultimately integrates Black people into the American mainstream. Cash payments for individual Black people are one intervention that should be on the table when discussing a holistic approach to reparations. But focusing on cash payments to African descendants in America simply puts more money in the hands of individual Black people in this oppressive social order that will ultimately maintain the collective subjugation of Black people.

All of the civilizational machinery that structures our individual engagements with society are owned and controlled by non-Black people. Global telecommunications, transnational financial institutions, the medical industry, and any of the major arenas of civic life that structure this society are not controlled by Black people. We cannot be a truly free and liberated people until we exercise meaningful power over the aforementioned arenas of civil society. This is truly a long-term endeavor, but this should be the framework we use to guide the work we are currently doing toward Black Liberation. This means that in regard to reparations, there needs to be investments in community-controlled, independent Black institutions that occupy various arenas of civil society. This is a complex but essential endeavor to build collective power amongst Black people. Any other approach that is based on having hope that this society will recognize the humanity of Black people is not informed by a sober-minded analysis of history.

One of the arguments that ADOS has used against Pan-Africanists who are advocates for reparations is that they are just talk and not actually engaged in work to impact Black people. This seems like an attempt to avoid substantive arguments about the limitations of their approach to reparations. LBS has been engaged in moving reparation policies in Maryland that have resulted in the establishment of dedicated funds for the communities impacted by the war on drugs. In Baltimore and in Maryland, where the majority of LBS’ work is done, I don’t see ADOS seriously engaged in the political arena. And what I see online appears to be mostly disruption and verbal confrontations that are not grounded in meaningful political advocacy. The focus on excluding non-American-born Black people from reparation demands seems like a pointless waste of time and energy that would be better spent moving policy that could result in reparations for Black people. 

Seems counter-revolutionary to me. 

The post How ADOS is counter revolutionary appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Dr. Calvin Moore Jr.

Comedians love to make jokes about how things are different from when they were growing up. Many start with something like this: “In my day we had to actually pick up the phone and ask who it was to know who was calling us.” While we laugh about how technology has rapidly changed our lives from one generation to the next, more parents need to embrace this reality as it relates to education.

The place to start is when parents make that first critical decision about where to send their child for early childhood education. Too often we see parents picking a program based on their memories of what daycare was like for them. They did not like the preschool at the church decades ago, so they will never enroll their little one in a program based in a religious setting. The memory of preschool was unenjoyable, so they would never consider it for their three-year-old today. How accurate can memories really be from so long ago? Or they make choices about the quality of a program from what a neighbor or friend told them or an online review. An all-day program was right for one child but not for another—there is no universal “right” answer.

My experience began as a Head Start student and years later, I served as a Head Start teacher. One of the things I learned as a teacher was the importance of supporting the social and emotional development of all my students and providing positive guidance. These are competencies stressed for educators like me who’ve earned a Child Development Associate Credential. I join my fellow educators in believing it is critical to develop a warm, positive, supportive and responsive relationship with each child, and to help each child learn about and take pride in his or her individual and cultural identity. These are wise words that parents should also take to heart when looking for a program that will spur their child to the success, we all want.

Choosing the right program that meets the unique needs of a child also has benefits beyond the immediate ones. We have all seen parents who push their children in high school or college to pursue a field of study, sport or other extracurricular activity to make mom and dad “happy,” neglecting the needs of the child. The best way to create a successful ecosystem is to start at the earliest age. Parents should choose an early childhood education environment that matches their child’s needs, not one based on faded memories of youth.

This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.

The post Raising successful kids: Picking the right school starts earlier than parents think appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Editorial by
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

Juneteenth was first celebrated in the State of Texas capital city of Austin in
1867 under the direction of the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Freedmen’s Bureau
was established to aid newly freed enslaved persons with their transition into
freedom, and remains the oldest known celebration of slavery’s demise, and
jubilation at their newfound FREEDOM. Juneteenth is a celebration of
African American culture that recognizes each generations’ sacrifice and
contributions that played a major role in making America live up to its
promise. Through the efforts of so many courageous African Americans, the
conscious of our nation transformed from slavery to one more accepting of
diversity as its strength to form a more perfect union.

My work to establish a Juneteenth Federal holiday began in 2013, when I
introduced my first Juneteenth Resolution recognizing the day’s importance.
I continued to introduce a Resolution each year.

In 2020, the world witnessed with their own eyes and ears as George Floyd
gasped for help while a Minneapolis police officer suffocated him with his knee for over nine minutes. Shortly afterward, streets filled with marches
across the nation.

This same emotion and response were also evident in the halls of Congress. It was apparent when I sent out a “Dear Colleague” seeking support from m
fellow Members of Congress to join as cosponsors of my 116th Congress
Juneteenth Resolution. The Resolution was introduced on June 15, 2020,
with over 200 original sponsors, and reached a total of 214 bipartisan
cosponsors before being adopted by the House of Representatives on June
30, 2020.

After seeing this tremendous level of support for the Juneteenth Resolution,
I knew the time had arrived for Juneteenth to become a federal holiday and
I tasked my Policy Director, Lillie Coney, to have Legislative Counsel draft a
Juneteenth Federal Holiday bill for introduction. The bill was drafted, and a
“Dear Colleague” was sent inviting members to join as original cosponsors of
the bill to establish Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday.

When I first introduced the bill, the House Parliamentarian blocked its
enrollment or listing as a House Bill because it violated a rule that prohibited
the introduction of bills establishing federal holidays. When I asked why the
parliamentarian did this, I was informed that House procedural Rules
prevented its introduction. The reply from the Parliamentarian was that the
bill included a specific date, “June 19,” which is prohibited by the House
Rules.

Because the holiday was Juneteenth—its name is the date, I directed that
“June 19” be removed from the House bill. After this change was made,
another “Dear Colleague” was circulated informing members of the change,
and the bill was introduced on June 18, 2020, with the designation of H.R.
7232, the “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.”

My staff confirmed with the Congressional Research Service of the Library of
Congress, that H.R. 7232 was the first bill ever introduced in the history of
the House or Senate that would establish Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday.

Following the introduction of H.R. 7232, Senator Ed Markey’s staff reached
out to collaborate on a Senate Companion bill to H.R. 7232, the “Juneteenth
National Independence Day Act and introduced the Senate version of my
bill, under the designation of S. 4019 on June 22, 2020. Although, there was
one difference–the Senate bill included the date “June 19,” because there was
no rule in the Senate prohibiting a date.

The work of the 116th Congress ended without passage of the Juneteenth
National Independence Day Act; however, both the House and Senate
adopted their respective Juneteenth Resolutions for the first time.
In the 117th Congress, on June 16, 2021, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
and Senator Edward Markey simultaneously introduced both Juneteenth
National Independence Day Bills (known as H.R. 1320 and S. 475), and they
issued a joint press statement announcing the joint bill introduction.

Although the House could not advance H.R. 1320, the Juneteenth National
Independence Day Act, it would take up its Senate companion bill once it was
passed by that chamber. My efforts shifted to getting allies in the Senate to
work towards its passage. My long-time Juneteenth partner in the Senate,
Senator John Cornyn, joined this effort wholeheartedly and became the lead
Republican sponsor of the Markey bill, but this was not enough to meet the
required 60 votes to bring it before the full Senate for a floor vote.

Fifty-four bipartisan Senators are listed on the bill at the introduction of
S.475, the “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act”.

It would have been unwise to force a vote before we were certain it would
pass without objections. In the Senate if fewer than sixty Senators do not
agree to a vote on a bill it will not proceed. This meant that our next step was
to get six additional Senators to cosponsor S. 475 to ensure it would pass
without objections.

In March, Republican Senators John Hoeven of North Dakota and Shelley
Moore Capito of West Virginia, and Democratic Senators Mark Kelly of
Arizona joined as cosponsors of the bill. In May, Senators Ben
Cardin of Maryland and Jon Ossoff of Georgia added their names. And on
June 8, 2021, my dear friend Senator Raphael G. Warnock of Georgia became
the sixtieth Senator to cosponsor the bill.

Senator Warnock is the Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta,
the former pulpit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was poetic that
Senator Warnock’s co-sponsorship of the bill was the deciding factor in its
path to becoming the first Federal Holiday in nearly 30 years since the
Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday was established. The bill was taken
up by the Senate and passed on June 15, 2021, and sent to the House. The
House passed the bill on June 16, 2021.

President Biden was in Europe on June 16, 2021, when he decided to return
to the United States to sign the bill into law— just in time for the first
celebration of the Federal Juneteenth National Holiday to take place on
Friday, June 18, 2021, due to June 19 falling on a Saturday.

I was invited along with the entire Congressional Black Caucus, and Ms. Opal
Lee, to the White House for the official signing of the Juneteenth National
Holiday Act bill. At that moment, I thought of State Representative Al
Edwards, who introduced the June 19, Emancipation Bill, the first state
holiday bill in the nation, which became law establishing Juneteenth as a
holiday starting in 1980 for the state of Texas.

I applaud the U.S. Senate for passing S. 475, Juneteenth National
Independence Day Act, the companion legislation to H.R. 1320, which
commemorates the end of chattel slavery—America’s Original Sin, and to
celebrate the perseverance that has been the hallmark of the African
American struggle for equity and equality.

I thank Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts for contacting my office in June
2020, with his request to introduce the Senate companion to H.R. 7232. I
also thank my Senator, the senior Senator from Texas, Senator John Cornyn
for his continuous and steadfast support of the Juneteenth holiday, along
with others who spearheaded this effort in the Senate, including Senate
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who shepherded the bill through the
process to ensure its passage.

My unwavering appreciation and thanks to President Joe Biden for sending
a powerful message about the importance of Juneteenth, by his swift action
to sign the bill in time for the National Holiday to be timely celebrated in
2021.

This is the history of how Juneteenth became the most recent Federal
Holiday, as the nation joined 47 states in recognizing this day as a time to
bond with African Americans in commemoration and celebration of
‘America’s second Independence Day.’

The post Do You Know the Legislative History of the Juneteenth Federal Holiday? appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Keith Boykin
Word in Black

“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

If you want to know why Black people don’t vote for Republicans, just look at the Black Republicans.

America’s top Black Republican, Tim Scott, claims that “woke supremacy is as bad as white supremacy.” What on earth is woke supremacy? Scott is so desperate for White approval that he voted against the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, even while three of his White Republican colleagues voted for her. 

Then there’s Byron Donalds, who claimed that “the Black family was together” under Jim Crow. Donalds is one of 26 House Republicans who refused to sign a letter denouncing White supremacy. And he was one of only two Black members of Congress who voted to overturn the 2020 election results, which would have disenfranchised Black voters in Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, and other cities.

And just in time for Juneteenth, three Black Republicans in the House of Representatives (Donalds, Burgess Owens, and Wesley Hunt) voted to restore a racist, Confederate monument at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Republicans love Black people — who love White people.

Tim Scott and Byron Donalds have an excuse, but it’s not a good one. They are so desperate to be Trump’s running mate that they refuse to upset his base or hold him accountable even after he was convicted of 34 felonies. What Black man with 34 felony convictions gets a pass from Republicans?

But one of the most notorious Black Republicans today is North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson. Robinson tells Black people, “nobody owes you anything for slavery,” and invokes the history of Black abolitionists and civil rights leaders to excuse White people from accountability. “If anybody owes, it’s you,” he says. 

Robinson became popular in the GOP precisely because he loves to attack Black people. He called the Black Panther movie “trash” made by a “satanic marxist,” said that Halle Berry, Mariah Carey, and Issa Rae wear “whore dresses,” and repeatedly misgendered former first lady Michelle Obama as a man. 

Then there’s Winsome Sears, the gun-toting Virginia lieutenant governor, who is upset because she thinks critical race theory is being taught in schools. It’s not. 

Next up is Daniel Cameron, the former Kentucky attorney general who said the police killing of Breonna Taylor was “justified” and declined to charge the officers responsible for her death. I guess Black lives really don’t matter to Republicans.

Or how about Larry Elder? The 72-year-old Black Republican lived through Jim Crow segregation, Rosa Parks’s arrest, and Dr. King’s assassination, but he told Fox News that Donald Trump’s indictment was “probably the most egregious thing I’ve ever seen in the history of our republic.” Was he kidding?

Or Ben Carson, the Trump appointee who thinks systemic racism ended with the civil rights movement, says Colin Kaepernick would never have been criticized if he had just said he loved America, and claims that Obamacare is the “worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery.” Really, Dr. Carson? 

Providing health care to Black people is worse than segregation, lynchings, and mass incarceration?

And we can’t forget Herschel Walker, the former football player who lied about being his high school valedictorian, lied about graduating from college, had no experience in government, and didn’t even live in Georgia when Republicans recruited him to run for the Georgia Senate seat against Raphael Warnock. Walker’s own son, Christian, admitted that his father was picked mainly “because he was the same skin color as his opponent.”

After years of Republicans weaponizing Dr. King’s line about judging people “by the content of their character,” when it came time to pick a candidate to run against Rev. Warnock, the pastor of Dr. King’s church, they picked an inexperienced Black guy based on the color of his skin.

Last but not least is Clarence Thomas, the Harlan Crow-funded Black conservative who replaced the legendary Thurgood Marshall on the U.S. Supreme Court through affirmative action, and then joined five of his White colleagues to kill affirmative action for everyone else. Thomas also cast the decisive vote to gut the Voting Rights Act that protects Black people at the polls.

What these Black Republicans have in common is that none of them were chosen by Black people. They may have been born in Black communities decades ago, but none of them represent Black districts or interests. That means they have no accountability to the majority of Black Americans.

And that’s important because Black and White people, like Democrats and Republicans, see the world differently. A new study from the Pew Research Center found that nearly 80 percent  of Biden supporters say that White people benefit from racial advantages in society, while only 22 percent of Trump supporters say this. 

In order for Black Republicans to stay relevant with the base, they have to pretend — or in some cases, they may even believe — that racism is not an issue in America. But the majority of Black people know better. If Black Republicans spent more time in Black communities, they’d know it too.

Keith Boykin is a New York Times bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show “My Two Cents,” and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.

This article was originally published on WordinBlack.com. 

The post Opinion: Black Vote, Black Power: Why Black Republicans aren’t persuading Black voters appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Antoine M. Thompson

In 1865, over 159 years ago, the U.S. eliminated or outlawed slavery in the U.S. with the passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. One of the promises and pledges to freed slaves was that each would receive 40 acres and a mule. This commitment would help former slaves with building a home, raising a family and growing wealth through land ownership and entrepreneurship. While some Black Americans were able to receive land in the 1860s and 1870s, unfortunately, many former slaves nor their descendants ever received land. In fact, many Black Americans that were given land were chased off their land with force and brutality from the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and other White supremacy organizations. 

Still to this day the dream of land and homeownership continues to be elusive for Black Americans from slavery, post slavery, the Jim Crow Era, the Civil Rights Era to the present. Whether it was the trick bag of sharecropping, land contracts, subprime loans, eminent domain policies or outright redlining of Black neighborhoods by banks and government organizations, it should not come as a surprise that there continues to be a persistent 30-point racial gap in homeownership rates in the U.S. Racial disparities in homeownership is at the core of wealth inequality in this country. You can’t separate the two. America is anchored in home and land ownership: always has been, always will be. In fact, for many years, only White men that owned property could vote in the U.S. 

Below are several strategies to help grow Black homeownership in the U.S.: 

Federal student loan forgiveness for purchasing a home

African Americans are disproportionately impacted by student loan debt forcing many to forgo homeownership. A program that addresses this disparity and forgives student loan debt would help many Black Americans achieve their homeownership dreams.

Create down payment assistance and federal housing programs for Black descendants of slavery

Currently there are initiatives and dedicated federal housing and mortgage lending programs and incentives for Native Americans. Similar efforts should be established for Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) that are descendants of slaves in America. 

Create federal and state homeownership zone programs in communities with persistent low rates of Black homeownership, especially in formerly redlined communities

Intentional efforts to invest in rehabilitation of existing homes, coupled with infill housing, funding for homebuyer education, downpayment and closing subsidies, special purpose mortgage credit programs, energy efficiency grants and property tax incentives would have a huge impact on increasing Black homeownership.

Lower mortgage interest rates

Despite the current historically low rate of Black unemployment in the U.S., high mortgage interest rates are limiting the potential for increasing the growth rate of Black homeownership. According to data from Freddie Mac, there are over two million mortgage/credit eligible potential Black American homebuyers in the U.S.

Increase the number of Black real estate agents, appraisers, loan officers and underwriters

The housing ecosystem sorely lacks diversity. Underrepresentation in these key professions plays a major role in housing discrimination, redlining, bias in mortgage lending and the undervaluing of properties owned by Black Americans. 

It’s important to note that Juneteenth and homeownership month are in the same month. Hopefully, one day, the promise of land and home ownership will be realized equally and equitably for Black Americans.

The post Commentary: Five strategies to grow Black homeownership appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Congressman Kweisi Mfume

This week, I am wishing a Happy Father’s Day to every father, father figure and family. It is the joy of my life to be a father and a grandfather, and I cherish the honor and responsibility every day. 

It is essential to give thanks to all the fathers – biological and otherwise – who are around us and in our lives day in and day out. 

When a child steps into your world, your life changes forever. That new life is yours to oversee, guide, mentor and protect. As all fathers know – there are no limits to the ends that a man will go to ensure his child’s health, safety and security. 

But fatherhood is not without its challenges. With the addition of new life comes unforeseen tests. It is not just the blossoming of a new relationship between father and child, but a new chapter in your relationship with the world around you. We are tested as men and challenged to overcome the day-to-day obstacles of fatherhood. But when we are successful in this pursuit, we become an evolved version of ourselves. 

In the harsh reality of life, situations and circumstances can get out of control. Oftentimes, they will get in the way of our journey through life as fathers. The infamous government “man in the house” rules of the 1960s were a case in point. Those government regulations mandated that a child – who otherwise qualified for public assistance – be rejected if there was a single or married able-bodied man living in the home. That rule hastened the disintegration of Black families during that era and was punitive, mean and short-sighted.

Our government system of public assistance is designed to ensure that all Americans are able to receive basic human needs. Hindering those who rely on these benefits to live, simply because they have a father figure present, was unquestionably wrong. While the U.S. Supreme Court struck down this rule in 1968, I know that this inhumane policy took a toll on those Americans who were subjected to its harsh penalties.

In my capacity as both a father and an elected official, I have worked tirelessly to champion the voices and needs of fathers, mothers, children and families. I have sought to protect the most vulnerable among us and work legislatively to support all fathers and father figures across our nation.

In just this year alone, I successfully worked with others to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in Community Project Funding to support those purposes. This direct federal funding will expand and improve a number of family-related efforts, such as the LIGHT Rock Children’s Village in Baltimore, allowing for increased enrollment in early childhood education efforts. These investments are a commitment to supporting our children’s futures, which I know is principal in the minds and hearts of fathers across our nation. 

Equally as important were the successful efforts to enhance the Child Tax Credit passed as part of the American Rescue Plan in Congress. Family support measures such as this are the building blocks which bolster fathers and fatherhood by lifting millions of children out of poverty in 2021 alone.

As a community, we must always encourage the roles of both fathers and mothers in a society where unfortunately families face harsh scrutiny and are devalued at times. We know that by supporting fathers and fatherhood we are also guaranteeing a future that is directly opposite of the aforementioned government policy and attempts of the 1960s to tear down that future. 

On this Father’s Day, let us support and continue to encourage all of the dads who have answered the call of being a guardian, leader, teacher, mentor and most of all father to the children of our communities.

The post A celebration of all fathers appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Robert Weiner and Gene Lambey
Special to the AFRO

The people of Haiti are steeped in strong U.S. and Congressional Black Caucus support but are regularly betrayed by the nation’s own leaders. In late April, Haiti’s transitional council appointed Fritz Belizire, who was former President Rene Preval’s sports minister, as the new prime minister. This by no means solves the crisis of gangs running the country. It’s time to turn the tide.

Corruption in Haiti’s government originated from a small rich segment of the population, who hired gangs and mercenaries against their opposition for years. The crisis continues three years after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021 at his Port-au-Prince home by foreign mercenaries.

Then-Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) co-founders, close friends of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, confronted chaos in Haiti for decades. They were close to Aristisde and had many meetings with him in Haiti and in the U.S. Congress. Conyers proudly displayed a framed photo in his office of a meeting with President Aristide. The current CBC remains distraught about the latest violence and disarray in their close neighbor country.

Former acting President and Prime Minister Ariel Henry traveled to Kenya on Feb.29, seeking foreign assistance for the increasing gang violence. Over 4,000 inmates broke out of two prisons in Port-au-Prince on March 4 during Henry’s absence. The inmates, members of Haiti’s over 200 heavily armed gangs like Viv Ansmn, G9 and others, caused mayhem in the streets, pillaging, raping women, murdering citizens and seizing control of the airport. It only got worse from there. Upon returning to Haiti from Kenya, the former Prime Minister Henry was unable to land in Port-au-Prince. He was exiled out of his country and traveled to Puerto Rico amid chaos.

Henry was told to step down by the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S officials, losing U.S support. He officially stepped down on April 24 as the new interim government was formed along with his successor, Fritz Belizire.

The Washington Post reported gun smuggling to Haiti via Miami’s “break-bulk” ports. The U.N. independent expert on human rights, William O. Neill had said there should be more “vigorous enforcement of the arms embargo by everybody,” including the U.S. It’s a U.S. problem. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) need to do something.

Gang violence has been surging in Haiti since Moise’s 2021 assassination. In a report from the U.N, almost 5,000 Haitians were killed and almost 2,000 were injured by the end of 2023. Three months into 2024, as of March 22, an estimated 1,554 Haitian citizens have been killed and 826 citizens injured. The current Haitian national police force is at 9,000 and their military is at 2,000.

A Sky News interview with the leader of the gangs, Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier on March 29 in Port-au-Prince revealed that he would be open to peace talks without foreign intervention. His gang alliance controls over 80 percent of Port-au-Prince.

Cherizier called for a “ceasefire only if his consortium of armed gangs” were involved in the discussion on the future of Haiti. He would see foreign peacekeeping forces as a threat and would not hesitate to attack. Cherizier’s words of peace should be taken cautiously as he has a history of crimes and rampant killings such as the La Saline massacre in 2018. He was a supporter of the assassinated President Jovenel Moise and the Haitian Tet Kale Party.

Cherizier threatened to incite “civil war” and “genocide” on Port-au-Prince unless Henry stepped down from office, which he did on April 24.

The U.S. secretary of state made a trip to Kingston, Jamaica, on March 11 and announced during the CARICOM meeting that the U.S. would contribute $300 million to a Kenyan-led multinational security mission into Haiti, sending 1,000 soldiers. Blinken added that an additional $33 million would be sent to Haiti for “additional humanitarian assistance.” Blinken proposed a transitional government in Haiti – a step that, apparently being taken – which could only take the country to the next crisis when this one is over if the root causes are not solved.

Several political parties in Haiti are currently fighting over rule since Henry stepped down. Parties like the Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK), Democratic Unity Convention, Patriotic Unity, Lavalas Family and Pitit Desalin proposed a transitional council on April 23, which is a nine-member council. Seven of these members have voting power. The members are Smith Agustin, Dr. Louis Gérald Gilles, Fritz Alphonses Jean, Edgard Leblanc Fils, Laurent Saint-Cyr, Emmanuel Vertilaire and Leslie Volitare. The remaining members of the transitional council are Regine Abraham and Frinel Joseph.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the close friend to Conyers and Rangel, was the first democratically elected president of Haiti. His terms lasted from February to September 1991, October 1994 to February 1996 and February 2001 to February 2004. The CBC welcomed Aristide with open arms in Washington, D.C., until it was too late to realize who he was—another victim of corruption. He was seen as a threat to the Haitian elitist group due to his popularity with the poor Haitian community as a former pastor, his speeches and his association with Lavalas and the Chimeres gang.

Haiti has demonstrated it can support democracy. After a peaceful exchange of power, President Rene Preval held two successful terms from 1996 to 2001 and 2006 to 2011. Preval was not backed by gangs. He was a leader against all odds, adopting a strategy of tranquility. Aristide’s terms were cut short due to coups in 1991 and 2004. The 1991 coup d’etat was led by ex-Haitian military from the Duvalier eras, resulting in the military disbanding in 1995. The 2004 coup d’etat was led by former rebel leader and former politician Guy Phillipe and former senator of the Pitit Desalin party, Jean-Charles Moise. Aristide was exiled from Haiti in 2004.

During his term in office, Rangel spoke of the coup d’etat back in 2004, saying the U.S. was “just as much a part of this coup d’etat as the rebels, as the looters, or anyone else,” in a statement to ABC. Rangel pushed the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership (HOPE) Program through Congress in 2009 which gave Haiti “significant growth and assistance” with the apparel labor monitoring program along with advocating the Haiti Economic Lift Program bill following the 2010 earthquake.

Just like Rangel, former Congressman Conyers fought for Haiti, continuing to preserve its democracy. During his time in Congress, he pushed a bill in 1992 addressing the Haitian refugees crisis, restoring Haiti’s government, protecting the status of Haitians and calling for the U.S. president to develop facilities for Haitians seeking refuge in the U.S. Conyers was aware of Haiti’s history and believed that Haitians should be able to self-govern their country. In Detroit, he publicly held town halls discussing Haiti’s future.

On March 6 this year, OCHA (the U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs) released a report revealing 5.5 million Haitians need humanitarian aid and over 300,000 Haitians are displaced from their homes due to the ongoing violence. Over 50,000 Haitians left, attempting to migrate to South American countries or seeking refuge in the U.S in states like New York and Florida.

Haiti has struggled over two centuries to find stability. Snatching its independence from France in 1804 through Toussaint L’Ouverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines’ rebellion, Haiti had erratic governance. Haiti shifted from political instability to U.S. appointed leaders, to military rule, to a 30-year dictatorship and now a hanging republic. Problems such as natural disasters, the 2010 earthquake, a high debt from the French, foreign intervention, overwhelming poverty, poor infrastructure, food insecurity and gang affiliations within the political sphere keep Haiti overwhelmed.

White House National Communications Advisor U.S. Admiral John Kirby spoke on Haiti’s situation on March 4: “We urge all actors: Put the people of Haiti first to stop the violence and to make necessary concessions to allow for inclusive governance, free and fair elections, and the restoration of democracy.”

Haiti is a national security issue for the U.S as it is a mere 1,889 miles from its shore. It’s not an option to solve the problem; it’s a mandate for our safety. Haiti’s long history of gang affiliation in government must be resolved. Adopting Preval’s tranquil but firm strategies from his party would alleviate Haiti’s tension. National support has in fact come to Haiti but only at its worst times like the 2010 earthquake.

Now we need humanitarian aid to come first. The UN-backed Kenyan force follows. The people of Haiti are steeped in strong U.S. and CBC support but are regularly betrayed by the nation’s own leaders. It’s time to turn the tide.

Robert Weiner was a spokesman in the Clinton and George W. Bush White Houses. He was communications director of the House Government Operations Committee, and senior aide to Congressional Black Caucus co-founders Congressmen John Conyers and Charles Rangel, as well as Four-Star General/drug czar Barry McCaffrey, Reps. Claude Pepper and Ed Koch, and Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Gene Lambey, is a policy analyst and writer at Robert Weiner Associates and Solution For Change.

The post Commentary – Haiti: A chronology from inside Congress and deep cry for the U.N. and the world to help appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Black PR Wire

(Black PR Wire) Washington, DC — Recently, When We All Vote launched the Culture of Democracy Tour, a summer of action to register, educate and engage thousands of voters and volunteers. The Culture of Democracy Tour brings voting to popular culture through events, sweepstakes, campaigns, voter registration drives and more in partnership with the organization’s thousands of volunteers and partners. 

More than 200 partners have joined When We All Vote’s Culture of Democracy Collective — a network of leading national and community organizations, including sports, corporate and entertainment partners, committed to registering, educating and mobilizing voters. Members include Essence, BET, Lyft, Girls Inc., NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Global Black Economic Forum, Lime, the Divine Nine National Pan-Hellenic Organizations, VoteRiders and the Executive Leadership Council, as well as major sport teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Mystics, New England Revolution, Houston Dynamo and more. 

“At a time when fewer young people are identifying with political parties, the work of nonpartisan organizations like When We All Vote has never been more critical,” said Beth Lynk, executive director of When We All Vote. “Through the Culture of Democracy Tour this summer, we will bring voting to the culture and meet voters where they are — transforming how they view and participate in democracy and taking this momentum to the biggest stop of all: the ballot box.” 

Culture of Democracy Tour

When We All Vote’s Founder and Co-Chair Michelle Obama continues to be a trusted voice in the political space. She will use her voice throughout the tour to engage eligible voters. 

More than 40 million Gen Z’ers will be eligible to vote in November, and almost half are people of color,  including 8.8 million Latinos and 5.7 million Black youth. 71 percent of the people who registered with When We All Vote in 2020 were young people and people of color, with a turnout rate of 83 percent — surpassing the national average by nearly 20 percentage points. With reports of lower voter enthusiasm dominating the narrative, the Culture of Democracy Tour is critical to remind voters of their power and encourage voter participation. Highlights include:

• Events: When We All Vote will join some of the summer’s biggest events and celebrations to register voters, including: 

• The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, PA, on June 1 and 2
• Blavity House Party Music Festival in Nashville, TN, on June 14 and 15 
• Essence Festival of Culture and the Global Black Economic Forum’s Summit and Conference in New Orleans, LA, between July 4 and July 7
• National Days of Action and Volunteer Mobilization: Hundreds of volunteers will host voter registration drives and get their communities registered and ready to vote: 
• Pride Month voter registration drives throughout June
• Juneteenth Weekend of Action June 19-23 
• The Voting Rights Act Anniversary on August 6 
• Digital Campaigns: When We All Vote will engage voters around the issues motivating them most through campaigns with partners, such as: 

• Digital and in-person activations with sports leagues and athletes
• Digital campaigns around key issues for voters, including reproductive rights, climate change and the state of the economy 

• A back-to-school campaign as a part of the My School Votes program for high school students throughout August
• New partnerships with celebrity talent and brands

Culture of Democracy Collective

The more than 200 members of the Culture of Democracy Collective will register voters through their platforms. For example: 

• Lyft will offer discounted rides to the polls during primaries, early voting and on Election Day across the country, as well as help riders, drivers and team members register, prepare to vote and understand voting ID requirements
• Lime will share voter registration deadlines and offer free e-bike and e-scooter rides to polling locations on Election Day
• Amalgamated Bank will promote voter registration in branches to help inform their customers and employees about the elections and encourage them to vote
• Essence and the Global Black Economic Forum will register and mobilize voters and protect democracy
• The Executive Leadership Council will convene Black business leaders to mobilize around voter education and registration in both the workplace and in their local communities 
• Clare V. will release a VOTE t-shirt in support of When We All Vote
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and other organizations in the Divine Nine will mobilize their membership around Juneteenth to register people to vote 
• Drag Out the Vote will encourage the community to register voters for Pride Month
• State Voices will help galvanize their large network to host Parties at the Polls
• Southern Poverty Law Center will register voters through statewide campaigns in Alabama and Mississippi 

Earlier this year, When We All Vote laid out its three-pronged strategy for 2024: 1) register at least 500,000 Americans to vote; 2) reach and mobilize 5 million voters to cast their ballots; 3) change the culture around voting with partners and celebrity co-chairs and ambassadors.  

ABOUT When We All Vote: 

When We All Vote is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. We empower our supporters and volunteers to take action through voting, advocating for their rights, and holding their elected officials accountable.

In 2020, When We All Vote ran a robust, multifaceted campaign and reached more than 100 million people to educate them about the voting process and get them registered and ready to vote. The initiative also led in voter education, registration, and volunteer engagement and as a result, 512,000 people started or completed the voter registration process, and nearly 500 media, corporate, and nonprofit partners joined its efforts.

Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote in 2018 and is joined by fellow Co-Chairs Stephen Curry, Becky G, Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks, H.E.R., Liza Koshy, Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Bretman Rock, Kerry Washington and Rita Wilson.

When We All Vote is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and works with Civic Nation Action, a 501(c)(4). Learn more here.

ABOUT Civic Nation:

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more here.

The post PRESS ROOM: Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote will bring voting to the culture and engage voters across the country this summer appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Denisha Allen

This month marked the 70^th anniversary of the Brown v. Board decision, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled school segregation as unconstitutional. It is no surprise we’ve yet to achieve the full vision of Brown v. Board. However, scars borne from Brown are healing thanks to education freedom. 

As a longtime advocate for school choice, I’ve seen firsthand the lingering impact of well-intended but flawed policies. Brown’s mandate for desegregation stripped away much of the Black leadership in our schools. Thousands of Black teachers and administrators who were pillars in their communities found themselves without classrooms or were demoted. This loss was profound, affecting more than just those educators; it disrupted the mentorship and representation that is critical for young Black students. 

Today, there have been a number of research studies that speak to the benefits of Black teachers for Black students. 

Growing up, I saw the impacts of having Black leadership in my community. Teachers who looked like me, who could share in my experiences and understand my challenges, were rare. 

I struggled in my traditional public school. But then I went from making D’s and F’s to A’s and B’s because of a Black-founded private school I was able to attend on a school choice scholarship. 

This isn’t just my story, but a common thread in the narratives of many Black families, where schools often feel punitive rather than like places of learning and growth. This is why I am so passionate about school choice today. It’s more than just a policy preference—it’s a lifeline. It’s about putting the power back into the hands of parents and communities to choose schools that not only offer high academic standards but also embrace and reflect our cultural heritage. School choice is helping us rebuild what was lost over decades.

In 2020 I founded Black Minds Matter, where we maintain the only directory of Black founded schools in the country. To date we have more than 500 schools in the directory led by Black school leaders who are changing students’ lives.  

I’m proud to be an advocate of a growing movement of Black school founders who are rising up and creating spaces where our children are not just seen and heard, but where they thrive. We’re not just filling gaps; we’re constructing new pathways of success that resonate with our community’s needs and aspirations. Every day, I witness talented educators determined to make a difference. I am inspired by the resilience of our communities and the drive that our children deserve the best.

School choice has given Black education entrepreneurs the opportunity to lead by example again—to show that schools can be more than just places of learning. They can be safe havens that celebrate our identity and empower our children. In these schools, our students see leaders who look like them, who share their experiences and who champion their success. This representation matters. It rebuilds the trust that was eroded by years of policies that, though well-meaning, often missed the mark on what our children need to succeed.

The rise of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and the expansion of charter schools, homeschooling and online learning have all contributed to a broader and more accessible educational landscape. These developments are crucial, offering quality education to students who might otherwise lack access. For instance, the Black Mothers’ Forum in Arizona is using ESAs to establish microschools, helping to break cycles of generational poverty and combat the school-to-prison pipeline.

As we move into 2024, the momentum of school choice is only increasing. It’s creating fertile ground for further innovation in education.

In reflecting on Brown v. Board, I acknowledge the doors it opened, but I also see the paths it unintentionally closed. But, today, thanks to school choice, we are not just choosing schools—Black educators are creating schools where Black students have a future to become leaders, innovators and changemakers.

This isn’t just about education; it’s about empowerment. It’s about reclaiming our narrative and ensuring that our children have the tools to write their own success stories. As we continue to build and support schools that serve our communities, we honor the true spirit of what Brown v. Board aimed to achieve—a truly equitable and vibrant educational landscape for all.

The post How school choice is healing the scars left by Brown v. Board appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Charles A. Ray

Those who argue against former President Donald Trump’s conviction on any of the criminal charges against him often argue that this will have a chilling effect on future presidents and their ability and willingness to make the hard decisions that a head of state is called upon to make. He himself has maintained that a president is immune from prosecution for anything he does while in office—even if it is in violation of an existing law.

I’m neither a constitutional scholar nor a lawyer, but I did serve in government for half a century, twenty years in the U.S. Army and 30 years as an American diplomat, and from my point of view as someone who raised his hand and swore to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, I have a completely different take on the issue.

I must say, first of all, that I strongly support the American justice tradition that a person is innocent until proven guilty, but if a jury of his or her peers determines that a crime was committed and the evidence shows that the person indicted is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, that person should not only be formally convicted, but should be sentenced according to the law. And, that includes former presidents.

Why do I say this? I take issue with the belief that convicting a president of violating the law will inhibit the ability of future presidents to carry out their duties. One of their duties is to faithfully carry out the law of the land. It’s in Article II, Section,1, Clause 8 of the Constitution: 

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation. “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” In Section 3 of Article II it says that the President shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed. 

Now, again, I’m no lawyer, but my understanding of these requirements is that this person should NOT be violating the laws which he (or she) is enjoined to take care that they be faithfully executed. To think otherwise strikes me as playing fast and loose with the meaning of the Constitution.

So, back to the effect of convicting our former president. I say, let the jury see and hear the evidence, let them make their decision, and then respect that decision. What will it achieve? It will send a message to future presidents and their staffs that we are a nation of laws and flaunting the laws will not be tolerated. It will say to the nations of the world who call us hypocrites when we call them on their violations of and disrespect for the rule of law that we are quite serious in our belief that no one is above the law.

I see this as a benefit to our system of government and our status in the world. 

To see it any other way makes me fearful for the health of our democracy, and makes me wonder what it was I spent half a century of my life sacrificing for. The Founding Fathers were not perfect, but they were wise, and I don’t think we should twist the meaning of their words to suit the whim of one man, or even one group of men who wish to avoid taking responsibility for their deeds. 

There is nothing in the Constitution that says a president cannot be held accountable for breaking the law. There is nothing in the Constitution that says any citizen cannot be held accountable for breaking the law, and we assume then that when a citizen breaks the law, there will be accountability. The Constitution requires that the president be a citizen. Logically, then, the Founding Fathers, in my opinion, did not intend that a president be allowed to do anything at any time, to anyone without consequences. I think they hoped that no one who aspired for this august office would be so carven as to knowingly violate the law. But, if you read the Federalist Papers you’ll see that they recognized that humans are fallible, and since the president is human, I must assume that in the back of their minds they recognized the possibility of a fallible individual ascending to that office.

Let’s allow the system to function the way it was intended to function and move on.

The post The positive effect of a Trump conviction appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Keith Boykin

“Republicans are the party of Abraham Lincoln, but Black people are stuck on the Democratic plantation.” Please stop saying this. Every time someone makes this argument, an angel in heaven loses a few brain cells. 

It’s 2024, and Virginia school board members have voted to put the names of Confederate leaders on two public schools. At the same time, the state’s Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, has still not signed a Democratic bill passed in February to eliminate tax breaks for the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, Republican Governor Tate Reeves declared April to be Confederate Heritage Month. In Florida, Republicans are trying to punish local officialswho remove Confederate monuments. And in Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott has invoked a Confederate theory of secession to justify violating federal law.

After lecturing Black people to “move on” and stop talking about the legacy of slavery, white Republicans just can’t stop celebrating the racist traitors who lost the Civil War nearly 160 years ago.

That’s one of the many reasons why Republicans are no longer the “party of Lincoln.” That party died long ago.

Republican Abraham Lincoln served as president from 1861 until he was assassinated in 1865. For the next 12 years, Republicans led the fight for Reconstruction, creating the Freedman’s Bureau, passing landmark civil rights legislation, and ratifying the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, the 14th Amendment guaranteeing citizenship to Black people, and the 15th Amendment granting Black men the right to vote.

Then it all ended. 

Nearly the entire history of Republican legislative and policy accomplishments for Black people rests on the four long years of the Civil War and the 12 short years of Reconstruction that followed it. 

While many noble Black and white Republicans carried on the cause of racial justice for the next century, the Republican Party itself effectively abandoned Black people with the Compromise of 1877 that allowed Republican President Rutherford B. Hayes to take office in exchange for the removal of federal troops that protected African Americans in the South.

In the decades that followed, Republican politicians and judges would enable racist Democrats and Ku Klux Klansmen to terrorize Black communities in the South, drive out Black elected officials, and impose an oppressive new racial caste system called Jim Crow segregation. In fact, for most of the twentieth century, both parties were openly racist.

It took 100 years after the Civil War for the parties to switch roles when a famous Southern Democrat signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and an Arizona Republican condemned it.

So, when Republicans today claim to be the “party of Lincoln,” they want you to focus on what their party did way back in the 1860s and 1870s but ignore what the same party has done since the 1960s and 1970s. 

Some even quote Malcolm X, who rightly condemned both political parties for their racism in a famous speech called “The Ballot or the Bullet.”

But history didn’t end in April 1964, when Malcolm X gave that speech. In the years that followed, Democratic President Lyndon Johnson went on to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, and he appointed the first Black Supreme Court Justice. 

But what have Democrats done for Black people lately?

In the past few decades, the Democratic Party delivered the first Black president, the first Black vice president, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, and the first Black party chairman in American history. Democrat Barack Obama signed a federal hate crimes law in 2009 after a Black man named James Byrd was murdered by three white supremacists in Texas. And the last major civil rights bill, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, was passed by a Democratic Congress and signed by Democratic President Joe Biden in 2022. That’s how far the party has moved from its racist history.

And that’s why no Democratic candidate for president has won the white vote since 1964. Not Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, or Joe Biden.

At the same time, the Republican Party has moved in the other direction, adopting a notorious “Southern strategy” that evolved from loudly using the N-word to quietly deploying “tax cuts” to appeal to white racial resentment. Today’s Republicans love to brag that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed by a bipartisan margin, but it was a Republican Supreme Court that gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, and since that time, Republicans have been blocking every effort to renew the very law that they love to take credit for.

How else do we know the parties switched roles? Because Republicans love the racist Southern Democrats of yesterday. 

Fifty years after Strom Thurmond bolted from the Democratic Party to run for president as a segregationist, Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott openly embraced him.

And when Obama tried to remove racist Southern Democrat Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill, it was Trump who reversed him. In fact, two of Donald Trump’s first official acts as president were to hang a portrait of Jackson in the Oval Office and to visitJackson’s Tennessee slave plantation. 

Why would a 21st-century Republican president show so much love for a 19th-century racist Democrat?

It’s the same reason why Trump vetoed a national defense bill so he could preserve a Confederate general’s name on a military base in North Carolina. And why Republicans in 2023 fought to protect a Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

The party of Abraham Lincoln, who once appealed to “the better angels of our nature” and fought the Civil War to preserve the American union, is dead. The party of Donald Trump, who appeals to the worst demons of our disposition, and seeks to destroy the union, is alive and kicking.

This article was originally published by Word in Black. “Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

The post The party of Lincoln is dead appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings, U.S. Army
Special to the AFRO

“All last night, guns shook on the ground on which I slept. Our long toms slugged it out with

German 88s in a duel that has no end.” — Ollie Stewart, Afro American Newspaper, correspondent with Invasion Forces, France, July 15, 1944.

Eighty years ago, the most heralded battle of World War II, June 6, 1944, or D-Day, consisted of Allied Forces landing along the 50 mile stretch of beaches along the coast of Normandy, France.

The beaches held code names of Utah, Omaha, Gold, June and Sword.

Approximately 2,000 Black troops participated in Operation Overlord and the full Battle of Normandy that lasted until August 1944. Relegated to service units, they moved supplies (e.g., Red Ball Express), built bridges, and dug graves for the fallen.

Of the 9,387 military personnel laid to rest at Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, 135 are African-Americans men, three are women, and five are listed on the Wall of the Missing.

Only one Black combat unit, the 621 member 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, landed on D-Day at Omaha and Utah Beaches. Three soldiers from that unit died on June 6, Cpls. Brooks Stith from North Carolina, Henry Harris originally from Pennsylvania, and Private James L. Simmons, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Brooks and Stith are buried at Normandy and Simmons is buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Upper Marlboro. 

A July 1944 Afro American Newspaper reported on the death of Simmons, who arrived in France in December 1943. Three days before he died, he wrote to his family, “The way things are going now, it won’t be long before I’ll be going home.”

At 22 years old, Sgt. Willie Leroy Collins from Macon, Georgia, also died on June 6, 1944. He served with the 490th Port Battalion. He was killed by German artillery while unloading cargo onto Utah Beach. He was the only reported D-Day casualty from his unit.

Beyond D-Day

Planning for the catalytic D-Day battle began several years prior, and in December 1943 the engagement strategy developed into Operation Overlord that lasted until June 30, 1944. However, the full Battle of Normandy did not end until August 1944 with the liberation of Paris.

The war in the European Theater of Operations ended with Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945. According to the Department of Defense, between June 1944 and May 8, 1945, there were 552,117 U.S. casualties in the European Theater of Operations with 104,812 killed in action. Some of these deaths occurred in segregated units that constructed and repaired roads, airfields and bridges.

The 364th Engineer Service Regiment has five members buried at Normandy who died from July-August 1944: PFC Earlie Carothers, 25, of Mississippi, July 7;  Sgt. Melvin Jones, 22, of Georgia, July 8; PFC William L. Ryerson, 24, of New York, July 7; Cpl. General U. Walker, 25, of Florida, July 7; and Master Sgt. James W. Kersh, of Tennessee, Aug. 11.

The only Black officer buried at Normandy is Second Lt. Eddie May. He was originally from Mississippi and joined the Army in Wisconsin and served with the 1349th General Service Regiment. In 1942 he graduated from Beloit College and Beloit refers to him as one of the finest athletes in World War II. In 1964 Beloit inducted him into the Hall of Honor.

Also buried at Normandy is one Black Merchant Marine, Mess Steward Earlie J. Gabriel, and several Navy personnel. Two days after D-Day, Clarence N. Copeland was killed. He was a Navy Steward’s Mate Second Class from Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Copeland was assigned to the USS Rich that sank from hitting an underwater mine and a follow-on attack by the Germans.

In July, 1945, three Black women from the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion lost their lives in a vehicular accident, Sgt. Delores Brown and Private Mary Barlow, of Connecticut, and Private Mary Bankston, New York. Barlow and Bankston were members of the 6888th’s entertainment troupe that performed two months earlier at a show hosted by the Birmingham, England Hospitality Committee. Unlike other troops buried at Normandy under combat conditions (i.e., mattress covers, parachutes, tentage, or similar materials), these women were buried in their military service dress uniforms. The 6888th’s commander, Maj. Charity Adams collected funds to ensure burial in a casket built by German prisoners. Like other wartime interments, initially, the women were buried at another location, and with their families’ consent, relocated to Normandy American Cemetery in 1948. 

On March 14, 2022, President Biden recognized the 6888th’s service with the nation’s highest honor, a Congressional Gold Medal.

Normandy’s Wall of the Missing bears 1,557 names, and three are from the segregated 364th Engineer Service Regiment who died on July 7, 1944: PFC Sylvester D. Haggins, New York; PFC Mack Homer, Georgia; and Tech 5 Daniel Wyatt, Louisiana. Two other names of Black troops appear on the wall: Tech 5 Reese G. Boone from North Carolina, 514th Port Battalion and TSGT Raymond Heads, Texas of the 3688th Quartermaster Truck Company.

As we honor the fallen on Memorial Day and commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-day, I hope that we continue to honor the service and sacrifice of the thousands of troops who are missing or resting in hallowed grounds away from their loved ones.

The post Commentary: Honoring the Black, buried, and missing at Normandy American Cemetery appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Jonathan Alexandre
Maryland Family Institute

Maryland law will now provide a get-out-of-jail-free card to doctors performing experimental transgender surgeries on minors. 

Before the category of legally protected healthcare, Maryland has only witnessed one other occasion when the state took significant steps to defend and protect a divisive and destructive practice at the expense of their own–even when other states prohibited it: the slave trade.

During the era of slavery in the United States, neighboring states such as Pennsylvania and free states like Massachusetts enacted laws to prohibit slavery. Maryland chose the opposite, aligning with southern states embracing this heinous practice. Further, our state disregarded the laws of free states which sought to aid and rescue runaway slaves seeking freedom by crossing through Maryland to reach free territories. In fact, the “Free State” chose to pass as many as 11 statutes to resist compliance with free states, thus preserving the interests of slavery in the southern states.

On this present matter, today looks eerily similar– 24 states have banned experimental puberty blockers, hormone therapies and mutilating surgeries for minors. Just like in the 1860’s, Maryland has again chosen a path against the free states, as our legislature recently passed a bill (which is anticipated to be signed by Governor Moore) making “gender affirming care” a type of “legally protected health care” in the state.

This law essentially puts doctors above the law by making them immune from a variety of simple legal accountability measures like subpoenas or allowing investigations by the health occupations board. Put more simply, doctors will be protected from any lawsuit, most investigations and all prosecution for performing gender reassignment surgery.

Maryland will even go so far as to ignore the court orders of other states and limit the governor’s ability to extradite criminals to other states.

In a field that has made our kids lab experiments, this law doesn’t protect the vulnerable or innocent–it protects the massively large financial interests of these “healthcare providers.”

Lawmakers pushing this bill have made incredible claims undermining patients’ rights. Finance Chair Pamela Beidle (D-Anne Arundel) claimed, “This bill is not about treatment. It’s not about age…It’s about protecting the information for the patient and for the doctor,” she said.  She and others are saying the quiet part out loud: there should be no accountability for the damage done to our children in an experimental and often damaging treatment.

Information is necessary for justice. By denying access to subpoenas, protecting witnesses from testifying—even preventing the service of summons and indictments—Maryland is saying to the world it is not concerned with the rights of patients–especially children. Maryland is not protecting the information for the privacy of the patient; they are relegating victims of these doctors to second-class citizens.

Further, the true motive behind this law is laid bare as it conspicuously disregards the pleas and interventions of other states. This is where the parallels of the egregious nature of fugitive slave laws are made plain. 

Just as the fugitive slave laws protected enslavers from any investigation or prosecution while binding the governor from cooperating with petitions from free states, these new laws create the same shield by Maryland’s courts to protect medical providers at the expense of those who suffer under the knife.

Just like fugitive slave laws were then used to safeguard property owners, but now condemned as a testament to cruelty and injustice, these new transgender laws are being hailed by a radical minority as protecting doctors who heroically perform gender transitions on minors. 

However, it will ultimately be remembered as perpetuating a cruel and untested practice that subjected minors to scantily compiled pseudoscience, leading to sterilization and the profound suffering of many.

The country is currently rife with debate over gender reassignment surgery for minors, just as it was over slavery during that time. Maryland’s answer has been—rather than using caution—to instead close off the justice system to the vulnerable. 

Maryland should have protected the rights of all people centuries ago, and it should continue to protect the rights of all people today. 

The post Commentary: Maryland should heed the warning of history and not protect experimental surgery appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Evan Martinez

Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel killed 1,200 Israelis and left at least 250 as hostages. Since then, the Israeli military has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza. At least 14,500 of those killed have been children, 9,500 have been women, and more are assumed buried under rubble; mass graves have been discovered, and 17,000 Palestinian children are believed to have been orphaned. Educational institutions, places of worship, hospitals, housing and aid convoys have been attacked. Over a million Palestinians, including 600,000 children, seeking refuge in Rafah are now being bombarded and displaced to a new “humanitarian zone” that lacks shelter, food, drinking water, and services. 

We, a diverse collective of social work students at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, stand in solidarity with the thousands of activists worldwide in condemning this violence. From day one, every student in our department is taught to recognize, call attention to and disrupt oppression– there is no neutral role. 

The National Association of Social Work’s code of ethics stipulates that we “pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” and pay “attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.” 

We must stand against this violence and examine how environmental factors and historical patterns of oppression contribute to the present. We would be remiss to ignore the history of colonization, military occupation, war, discrimination, immigration, displacement, assassination, land-grabbing and blockades perpetrated against the Palestinian people.

Grounded in our core value of respecting the inherent dignity and worth of all persons, it is our duty to remember that Palestinians are people. They are parents, siblings, children, humans with fundamental rights who are being oppressed and murdered. How many lives must be stolen before the violence stops? Who will have the courage to stop the suffering? We reject the notion that advocating for humanity is antisemitic. We are leaning into our learning: shunning the single story, considering history, noticing patterns, upholding ethical commitments, refusing to remain neutral, and embodying the spirit of resistance to injustice in order to effect positive change. Most especially, because our graduation falls on the 70th anniversary of this country’s rejection of “separate but equal” in the Brown v. Board of Education case, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954.

Senator Cardin has been a staunch supporter of Israel’s military occupation of Palestine and believes that the United States should support the Israeli government unconditionally. He has called for an inequitable two-state solution and the dissolution of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry that investigates human rights violations in Palestine. In an interview with The New Yorker in November, he spoke about his support for providing humanitarian aid to Gaza “to protect those that are innocent victims of this war.” At the same time, he is contributing to the environmental forces that create the need for humanitarian aid by ensuring that Israel receives the weapons it needs. At what point does defense become offense? When do innocent victims become intentional targets? When do we intervene to stop the violence causing the humanitarian crisis?

President Jarrell’s and Dean Postmus’ choice to invite Senator Cardin to provide our keynote, represents their tacit endorsement of the continued killing, displacement and inflicted famine of millions of people. Their choice to continue with Senator Cardin after receiving ample feedback from current MSW students, faculty and alumni expressing their disappointment is disheartening. Being told by leadership that none of us have the ability to change the outcome of the keynote speaker was discouraging, especially as other universities, like Xavier and the University of Vermont, have courageously changed course to realign with their community.

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By Helen H. Abraha

Growing up, I looked up to my father and aunt, who began restaurant industry careers after immigrating from Eritrea in the 1970s. When I started working, a restaurant job was a natural choice.

While I took great pride in my work, I struggled with the conditions. I was often on my feet for 10-12 hour shifts six days a week, had no access to affordable health care, was wholly unaware of my worker rights and constantly worried about money.

Through laws rooted in slavery, employers are allowed to pay restaurant servers a sub-minimum wage. At the federal level, this wage has been stuck at $2.13 per hour since 1991. If tips don’t raise your hourly pay to at least the regular minimum wage, your employer is supposed to make up the difference. But non-compliance is rampant.

When I started as a server in 2018, my hourly wage was $3.89. During the five-month off season, I struggled to make the regular  minimum wage, especially if I had a section with empty tables. When I got injured on the job and asked about workers compensation, my manager fired me.

I later experienced what I believed to be wage theft and workplace discrimination. That’s when I joined the movement to end restaurant worker exploitation.

This movement is growing rapidly as workers across the country demand livable wages. Organizers are working to put minimum wage hikes for tipped workers on November ballots in several states, including Ohio, Maine, Maryland and Massachusetts. A dozen states are considering legislation to do the same.

I can tell you the opposition to these efforts will be fierce.

I live in Washington, D.C. In 2018, I cheered when D.C. voters passed a ballot initiative to phase out the local sub-minimum wage for tipped workers. But the city council blocked the wage hike, forcing organizers to mount another successful ballot initiative in 2022.

D.C. finally began phasing out the sub-minimum tipped wage in 2023. And yet many restaurant owners are still undercutting workers by charging 20 percent “service fees” that most customers mistakenly think go to their servers, so they’re likely to tip less.

The National Restaurant Association, with affiliates in every state, is the leading driver of these anti-worker efforts. The lobby group’s members include powerful corporations intent on shifting business risks and costs onto employees, customers, and taxpayers.

I used to work for one of them. In 2019, I had a job at Yard House, which is part of the Darden empire along with Olive Garden and seven other chains.

I faced a common challenge for sports bar servers: groups would come in to watch a game for several hours, only to leave a modest tip on a $30 bill. Inexperienced managers would also often send me home as soon as I arrived because of overstaffing. On those nights, my pay would be less than my transportation cost.

A recent report by the Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness shows that while Darden was fighting minimum wage increases for their servers, they paid their top five executives a total of $120 million between 2018 and 2022. That’s four times as much as they paid in federal taxes, despite strong profits.

After college graduation, I decided to work full-time as a labor organizer. With so many immigrants relying on restaurants for jobs, this struggle feels personal. But we’d all be better off if corporations like Darden had to share their profits more equitably.

Workers could achieve a better life and restaurants would have less turnover. And for customers, the food will taste even better if they know the hard-working professionals who serve their meals are treated with respect. 

This op-ed was originally published by OtherWords.org.

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By Benjamin Jealous

When we see a 75-year-old White man out in the woods with a group of Black and Brown kids from low-income neighborhoods, teaching them about nature, few of us assume he is there because that is where he feels most comfortable.

Probably even fewer of us assume many of those kids look just like the ones he grew up with in public housing projects more than 60 years ago. Rocky Milburn grew up as one of the few White kids in a mostly Black public housing development in southern Indiana. His family was very poor. They were still poor when they moved into an old farmhouse in the country. That was where Rocky fell in love with the outdoors. Even though his parents struggled financially – perhaps even worse than when they lived in the projects – Rocky did not care.

“We lived right across the street from a creek,” Rocky pronounces it “crick,” “and I spent my days running the fields. You can kind of say it was my drug at the time.” For more than 25 years, Rocky has been an Outings Leader with the Sierra Club’s Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) program in Tampa, Florida. The program takes youth from underserved communities on outings such as camping and canoe trips and visits to the beach. Rocky says, “Many of these kids live two miles from the beach but have never seen the ocean.”

His own experience has taught Rocky the importance of sharing his love of the outdoors. When the kids stand around Rocky and learn from him about nature, they do not see his age or his race. They see his heart. And they know his heart understands them and the challenges they are facing because he is from the same type of place. People like Rocky who serve as nature’s ambassadors to young people, and people of any age who are nature-deprived, are heroes. The kids in his program learn how to appreciate and be good caretakers of nature. They experience firsthand the lessons nature has to teach us; how being outdoors benefits both our physical and mental health.

And they carry these lessons with them throughout their lives. Levi Randolph attended the Academy Prep Center of Tampa, which has a partnership with the ICO program. While at Academy Prep, a private middle school designed to give bright children from low-income families top-notch educational opportunities, Levi went on his very first camping trip: an outing led by Rocky Milburn. Now an adult, Levi is an Outings Leader with the Tampa ICO group alongside Rocky.

Levi is paying forward his experience. He is pursuing a career working with animals and investing his time to make sure other kids from his old neighborhood and school get the same chance he had to explore and enjoy nature. This is a story that repeats itself in families and communities in every pocket of our country. And we should encourage and celebrate it.

As someone who comes from a long line of outdoors enthusiasts who passed the love of nature on to me, I try to do the same for my kids. Whether we are skiing in the winter, paddling and fishing in the summer, or visiting national parks year round, I try to do my part to make sure my family stays connected to the great outdoors. Everyone can do this, whether it is a community affair, a family affair, or both. 

Vedia Barnett is a disabled Air Force veteran. After suffering a minor stroke, it was reconnecting with the outdoors and her love of nature that gave her a renewed sense of purpose to get back on her feet. “Just hearing the birds and feeling the sun on my face, it was like giving me life back.” Now Vedia works with Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors campaign, getting other women veterans outdoors.

She recounts one woman who left the service in the 1970s: “This was the first time she felt like she was in community with veterans who looked like her. And I think It’s important even for veterans to understand that all these lands are for us – they’re for everybody.” Vedia’s mom, a Marine Corp veteran, has also gotten involved, bringing senior women veterans in their 70s out to join the group’s outings.

This month is Earth Month. It is a perfect time to get outside. Bring your friends and family out there with you. If there is a local program near you that helps get kids – or anyone – outside who doesn’t typically have a lot of access to nature, consider chipping in your time. A love of nature is infectious. And it is one infection that is very worth spreading.

This article was originally published by National News Releases.

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By Donald M. Suggs

The fact that exit polls showed that Donald Trump received 9 percent of the Black vote in 2016, the highest number since George Bush in 2000, and then won 12 percent in the presidential race in 2020 should be a cause for concern. 

Moreover, some recent polls surprisingly showed that if the presidential election was held today, 17 percent of Black voters say they would vote for Trump, and even more troubling, 20 percent say they would vote for someone other than either Trump or President Biden. 

Black voters have been the largest and most loyal voting bloc for Democrats for years, but there has been a shift in the number of Black voters who consider themselves Democrats.

That trend could be explained partially by a number of younger Black voters with no direct experience with the civil rights movement. They have scant knowledge and no direct personal memory. They feel disappointed with Democrats and the Biden administration and seem willing to consider Trump despite his blatant and toxic racial baggage.

This disconnection with the Democratic party is felt most strongly by some young Black males, many in critical battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, where Democrats need every vote. Most of these states have large concentrations of Black voters in their urban areas. This is a special issue in potentially close races like this one because the Electoral College gives Republicans a massive advantage in federal elections. This system allows them to govern with a minority of the popular vote.

However, there is also data that shows that the Democratic candidate for president over the last five presidential elections since 2000 has averaged 90 percent of the Black vote with an average of only 8 percent for the GOP candidate. In addition, the overwhelming concern of most Black voters continues to be race and racism with a particular aversion to the reprehensible and duplicitous Trump who has shown repeatedly that he is an instigator of racial hate. Any relationship he has with Black voters has been deceptive and disingenuous.

Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Black voters can not be bamboozled or deceived because we know the record of his stance on healthcare with his recent attacks on Obamacare, opposition to greater diversity in the workplace, and efforts to restrict our voting rights as well as his racist, conspiracist “birther campaign” that sought to undermine the then-president, Barack Obama.

Still, we can’t simply ignore the reports that Trump is possibly making inroads with Black voters while Biden is losing support from us. Granted polls have been shown not to be reliable predictors of what Black voters will do. Actually, our biggest worry should probably be third-party voting (third-party presidential candidates have no chance of winning. This is a binary election, and only a Democrat or Republican can win) and potential voter apathy, despite the high stakes in this contest to determine whether Donald Trump is elected again.

Clay Cane, a Sirius XM radio host, rightly said that the 2024 presidential election is not just a choice between the lesser of two evils, but this is an election to see if we can stop Trump and his pernicious plans to institute a future dictatorship to carry out his vile policies. A Trump victory would be a grave threat to the well-being of Black Americans for certain.

In any case, the Democratic party must recognize the seriousness of the disenchantment of many Black voters who don’t feel motivated to make it to the polls and campaign more directly and intentionally in our community. 

Furthermore, we ourselves must make an unprecedented and determined push to get to the polls in greater numbers to help stop this monstrous man and his MAGA minions from regaining control of the White House.

This article was originally published by Word in Black. Local Media Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable trust that provides support for the Word In Black collaborative, does not endorse political candidates. Word In Black, however, invites and publishes opinion essays, including this one, from vital voices and opinion makers central to creating equity in Black communities.

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Denisha Williams and Reginald Williams
Special to the AFRO

On Valentine’s Day, 2024, I was diagnosed with cancer. 

“You have sarcoma of the bone, and it’s spread to your lungs,” my oncologist said.

Although my doctor demonstrated care with the pace at which he conveyed the disturbing news, there came a point when the sounds ran together, leaving me with the impression of Charlie Brown’s muddled “wah, wah, wah, wah.” 

To put it simple: I was scared. 

I was angry, and  in that breathtaking moment, I wondered if I would live.

Since 2022, I’ve suffered pain primarily in my hip and knee. I’ve sought out doctors. I’ve followed their instructions– only to remain in constant pain. 

I took the prescribed physical therapy. I tried dry needling, which brought some relief, but didn’t alter the frequent trips to the emergency room to get cortisol, or Toradol shots or some other medley of prescriptions that offered no sustainable relief. Acutely treating my pain took precedence over ordering exploratory testing that could recognize the cause of my pain. Had they ordered more testing, it’s possible my cancer may not have metastasized.

Having my world shaken left me connected in real-time to all the studies that showcase how America’s sick care system treats Black women—like we are expendable.

According to Health Equity Among Black Women in the United States, a Journal of Women’s Health article authored by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the health disparities experienced by Black women are the “reflection of the inequalities experienced by Black women on a host of social and economic measures.”

A study from the American Cancer Society reports that about one-third of African-American women reported experiencing racial discrimination from healthcare providers.

Black women are often unheard and made to feel like they’ve done something wrong.

My spirit usually felt burdened by my many early morning visits to emergency rooms. 

For reasons unbeknownst to me, my pain grew more unbearable in the early a.m. hours. I was inundated with feelings of being a hypochondriac– I felt more concerned about being a burden to the medical staff and felt they were more concerned with getting me out of their crowded emergency room. At no time did I ever feel like the staff was authentic in helping me discover the root of my persistent pain.

NIH reported that African-Americans “are systemically undertreated for pain relative to White Americans.”

In some cases, self-advocacy can be life-saving. A lack of it enhances poor health outcomes. 

While it wasn’t always easy for me to articulate with preciseness the nuances of my pain, physicians responded to my disjointed explanations with short-term medical stabilization to conclude my visit or discharge me from their busy emergency room. Within hours of receiving their short-term solution, my pain returned. It would be almost two years later, and spots on my lungs that pushed a new doctor to explore all my health challenges. 

The disparity in care I have received leaves me with a feeling of despair.

As my 37th birthday approaches, I will pause my chemo treatment and begin radiation to address two lesions found on my brain during my hospitalization. 

A couple of weeks later, around Mother’s Day, the chemotherapy running through my veins may save my life, but also potentially ruin my chances of becoming a mother.  

I still recognize that I am blessed. However, it doesn’t soften the hurt that on Valentine’s Day, my oncologist broke my heart. 

I still hear the doctor say, “Ms. Williams, you have sarcoma, and it’s spread to your lungs.”

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By Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Texas-27)

As a representative deeply invested in the well-being of my constituents, I feel compelled to shed light on the harmful impact of the MAGA agenda. While its proponents claim to champion America’s greatness, the reality is far from uplifting, especially for Black Americans.

Let’s be clear: Make America Great Again (MAGA) is not a call for progress; it’s a thinly veiled attempt to turn back the clock on the hard-fought gains of marginalized communities, including Black Americans. From voting rights to healthcare to economic opportunity, the policies espoused under the guise of MAGA pose a direct threat to the advancements we’ve made in the pursuit of equality and justice.

Take voting rights, for example. MAGA proponents peddle baseless claims of widespread voter fraud to justify voter suppression tactics that disproportionately target Black voters. The purpose of restrictive voter ID laws, purging voter rolls and limiting early voting hours is to silence marginalized communities and maintain the status quo of power and privilege.

Healthcare is another area where the MAGA agenda falls short for Black Americans. The relentless attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) threaten to strip millions of Americans, particularly those in underserved communities, of access to affordable healthcare. For Black Americans who already face disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, the repeal of the ACA would be nothing short of disastrous.

And let’s not forget about economic opportunity. While MAGA proponents tout a booming economy, the reality is that Black Americans continue to face disproportionately high rates of unemployment, poverty and wage stagnation. The tax cuts and deregulation championed by the MAGA agenda only exacerbate these disparities, further widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

The most insidious message of MAGA is the underlying idea that America was somehow greater in the past—a past marred by slavery, White supremacy, segregation and systemic racism. For Black Americans, the nostalgia of MAGA is not just misguided; it’s deeply offensive. It ignores the struggles and sacrifices of generations past who fought tirelessly for civil rights and equality.

As a nation, we cannot afford to romanticize an era of oppression and inequality. We must instead confront the injustices of the past and work towards a future where every American, regardless of race or background, can thrive. That means rejecting the divisive rhetoric of MAGA and embracing policies that promote justice, equality and inclusion for all.

So, to my fellow Black Americans, I urge you to see through the empty promises of MAGA and recognize it for what it truly is: a dangerous regression that threatens to undo the progress we’ve made. Let’s unite in opposition to hate, White supremacy and division and strive toward a future where all citizens can experience the full potential of America.

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By Cheryl Calhoun

When I was 16, I moved from Washington, D.C. to midtown Los Angeles (LA). I expected my life in LA to be different. Yet, I never imagined the air I breathed would be so different. Every day, our family would judge the air quality on whether we could see the mountains or if the brown haze of smog covered them. I remember when the city would shut down because the smog was so bad we weren’t allowed outside. 

Forty years later, the air is better.  Los Angeles, Calif., and the country have made much progress in cleaning up air pollution. Unfortunately, LA consistently remains the smoggiest city, or the city experiencing the worst ground-level ozone pollution, in the country. And that burden of air pollution is not shared equally. Black communities are disproportionately exposed to it due to a long legacy of environmental injustice.

In the 1930s, the federal government’s redlining and the resulting disinvestment in Black communities contributed to lasting disparities in air quality. Even today, Black individuals are disproportionately exposed to air pollution. While this racist practice was outlawed in 1968, it is still more likely for freeways, power plants, and other polluting sources to be placed in neighborhoods where African Americans and other communities of color live.

Today, racial disparities are still very much evident living in LA. The difference in air pollution levels between south LA, predominantly communities of color, and western LA is so stark that they are like two completely different cities. Unfortunately, this is the case in too many Black communities across the country.

The American Lung Association recently released its 2024 “State of the Air” report, which grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution (also known as smog) and short-term spikes and the annual average of particle pollution (also known as soot) over a three-year period. 

The report cemented what too many like me know to be true — Black people and other people of color are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air. The report found that a person of color in the U.S. is 2.3 times more likely than a White individual to live in a community with a failing grade on all three air pollution measures. On top of that, people of color are also more likely to be living with one or more chronic conditions that make them more vulnerable to the health impact of air pollution, including asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

Breathing clean air is a right, not a privilege, so we need to do more to ensure that everyone — no matter where they live, what they earn, or who they look like—has clean air to breathe. While we can all make personal changes, the federal government has the power to make changes that impact millions. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently finalized several strong rules that will help clean up the air, including standards to make our cars and trucks cleaner and tighter limits on soot. However, one big remaining item on their to-do list is the EPA must set long-overdue stronger national limits on ozone pollution. 

Ground-level ozone pollution, which I experienced growing up in LA, is one of the most widespread pollutants. More than 100 million people in the U.S. live in places that experience unhealthy levels of ozone pollution. When ozone levels are high, many people experience breathing problems such as chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath, often within hours of exposure. Even healthy young adults may experience respiratory symptoms; however, children, seniors, those who are pregnant, and people with lung disease are among those at greater risk, as are low-income communities and communities of color.

Stronger limits would drive cleanup of polluting sources across the country, including in the most impacted neighborhoods. They would also give people more accurate information on when they are breathing unhealthy levels of ozone pollution so they could take steps to protect themselves. 

It is unacceptable that health disparities persist in my community. While many factors contribute to the health disparities experienced by African Americans, and it is a complex issue, we have solutions and the technology to improve our air quality. Cleaner air means fewer asthma attacks in kids, better pregnancy outcomes, fewer trips to the hospital for our elders with chronic lung disease, and so much more. 

Certain industries oppose increased EPA action to set stronger ozone pollution standards. They even sometimes assert that after decades of reductions in air pollution, the air is “clean enough.” While we have made progress in cleaning up ozone pollution, many communities still breathe in dangerous levels. Climate change makes it easier for ozone to form and more difficult to clean up. On top of that, just one day of exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone pollution can result in a person struggling to breathe or even being hospitalized. 

The bottom line is that stronger air pollution standards improve our health and save lives. It is especially critical in my community, which is impacted most by chronic health conditions and poor air quality. Now is the time for President Biden and the EPA to set stronger standards for the most widespread pollutant in the U.S., ozone pollution. The time is now to drive toward a future of environmental justice in this country.

This article was originally published by Word in Black. 

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By Paul Armentano

It’s been over a decade since Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize marijuana for adults. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s fair to ask: Has this policy been successful?

Absolutely. A policy of legalization, regulation, and education is preferable to a policy of criminalization, stigmatization, and incarceration.

Let’s be clear. Legalization didn’t create or normalize the marijuana market in the United States. The market was already here.

But under a policy of prohibition, this market flourished underground — and those involved in it remained largely unaccountable. They didn’t pay taxes, they didn’t check IDs, and they didn’t test the purity of their products. Disputes that arose in the illicit marketplace were not adjudicated in courts of law.

By contrast, under regulation, cannabis products in many states are now available from licensed manufacturers at retail stores.

Cannabis is cultivated, and products are manufactured, in accordance with good manufacturing practices. Products are lab tested and labeled accordingly. And sales are taxed, with revenues being reinvested in the community. Since 2014, retail sales of adult-use cannabis products have generated more than $15 billion in tax revenue.

Most importantly, millions of Americans — many of them young adults — are no longer being arrested for possessing a substance that is objectively safer than either tobacco or alcohol.

According to data compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the annual number of marijuana-related arrests in the United States fell from 750,000 in 2012 to 227,000 in 2022, the last year for which data is available.

In short, these state-level policy changes have resulted in countless Americans being spared criminal records — and the lost opportunities that accompany them — in the past decade.

And contrary to opponents’ fears, cannabis use by teens has not risen in parallel with legalization.

According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of high schoolers who use marijuana actually fell 30 percent over the past decade. Compliance check data from California, Colorado, Nevada, and other legal marijuana states show that licensed marijuana retailers do not sell products to underage patrons.

Also contrary to some critics’ claims, legalization states have not experienced any spike in either psychosis or mental illnesses.

According to findings published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, rates of psychosis-related health care claims are no higher in jurisdictions where cannabis is legal than in those where it’s not. Stanford University researchers similarly reported last year that residents of states where cannabis is legal exhibit no higher levels of psychosis than those in non-legal states.

Legalization is also successfully disrupting the illicit marketplace. According to a 2023 survey, 52 percent of consumers residing in legal states said that they primarily sourced their cannabis products from brick-and-mortar establishments. By contrast, only 6 percent of respondents said that they primarily purchased cannabis from a “dealer.”

Many consumers in non-legal states also reported that they frequently traveled to neighboring legal states to purchase cannabis products rather than buying from illicit dealers in their own state.

Twelve years into states’ marijuana legalization experiment, public support for making marijuana legal nationwide has never been higher. To date, 24 states have legalized the adult-use market.

None of these states have ever repealed their legalization laws. That’s because these policies are working largely as voters and politicians intended — and because they’re preferable to cannabis criminalization.

After a century of failed policies and “canna-bigotry,” the verdict is in. Legalization is a success, and the end of cannabis prohibition can’t come soon enough.

This article was originally published by Otherwords.org. 

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By Nikongo Banikongo,
Special to the AFRO

When Martine Jacques said goodbye to her husband one rainy morning in February, she had no idea that he was not going to be returning home that day. Neither did many other Haitian husbands, wives, children, family members and friends.  

It’s an election year in the Dominican Republic and political candidates are staking out their positions to secure the presidential office they so covet. They try to make clear lines of distinction among the many issues of the day. It’s all about who has done nothing, who is doing little and who would do most for the people. It’s about employment, social services, infrastructural development, eradicating poverty, economic equality, crime and culture. Their proposals are as expansive as they are varied. 

But, no issue can get them closer to that goal than the race issue. It’s the one issue that stands out among them all; one thing they all agree that must be done: stem the seeming tide of Haitian immigrants and get rid of as many of those currently in the country as possible. Make no mistake, in the Dominican Republic, the term “Haitian” is merely a euphemism for “Black,” and the language of anti-Haitianismo is resonating well with the people. It is populism at its very best—or worst. If they could agree on nothing else, they could agree on that. 

The three major presidential candidates, Luis Abinader, Abel Martínez and Leonel Fernández, lead their political parties the PRM, the PLD and the FP in the charge dominated by overt racism, and the people shout and rejoice at rallies and automobile parades  in the thought of ridding themselves of so many Haitians who have invaded their communities and invaded their lives. These candidates understand that the road to political success has to follow a path of anti-Haitianismo if success is to be achieved. And the candidate who could demonstrate not just maximum intolerance of these “undesirables” but the one who can show that by action already taken, would doubtlessly be the one to lay claim to that mantle of political power. 

It is not enough to talk about providing jobs, or rooting out corruption or increasing health care, the most important thing is cleansing the nation of the infection of Blackness which for them represents a hundred years-plus stain on the purity of the nation. Never mind that the people of the Dominican Republic are anything but “ethnically pure.” What’s important is that they don’t relish any association of Blackness in their blood. The hysteria is real and requires the constant demonization and criminalization of anything Black. Abinader, the current president and leading candidate, is not failing them.

Others might be tough if they won office, but Abinader — already in office for the last four years — has, on a  daily basis, proved his lack of appetite for anything suggestive of Haitian culture in his midst, and continues to stoke the embers of anti-Black nationalism. Already he had embarked on building a 250-mile wall along the border to seal them off in a way that could still assure benefits from their selected presence. After all, it’s the labor of these Blacks that keep the cherished tourism, sugar and agricultural industries alive and that are responsible for the wealth of the republic. Set aside this opportunity to exploit Black labor while denying them rights and opportunities, denying them access to social services, the Dominicans could not boast the standards of living they now enjoy. Set aside the groups of Black labor that clean the streets, that haul the trash, that keep the grasses cut along the highways, that lift buckets of concrete by hand in the booming construction industry, they could not boast the infrastructure that they have. And, make no mistake, that labor is all Black. 

Abinader has made an issue of a canal being dug on the Haitian side, which he suggests is an act of Haitian theft depriving Dominican agriculture of water. He suspended and then ended all visas to Haitians for any reason and forced a diplomatic row to provide a nationalist rallying cry in the wake of an election that has presented stronger opposition than he imagined he would have or would have liked. 

And now, his signature executive act is empowering and mandating the police arms of the state to round up and investigate any Haitian or Haitian-looking person (dark-skinned) for possible detention and deportation. In the Dominican Republic, there is no shortage of police units all seemingly geared toward saving the state from the “darkening” of their culture.

On the streets of the capital, Santo Domingo, in La Romana, in Punta Cana and in cities across the country, the round-up of black-skinned people is going on unabated. Now, with the election just months away, it has reached a fever pitch. Since the start of 2024, just in the last three months, an estimated 25,000 Haitians have been netted and forcibly relocated across the borders. In the frontier areas of Jimani, Elias Pina and Djabon, wagon loads of ethnic Haitians are carted off every day, just as often including those who are lawfully in the country and many who were born there but fail to have with them the correct papers to show. There is no judicial process to determine their status or to whom they are allowed to appeal. The policy is “snatch and deport.”

Throughout the day and night, officers from the Migration Control constantly and routinely board cross-country highway buses. Traveling between Punta Cana and La Romana, between La Romana and Santo Domingo,  they come on board at almost every stop. But it is most fierce leaving the border towns, where two or three armed enforcers have roadblocks set up every half a mile or so along the way. It’s possible to be stopped 10 to 15 times on one trip from Elias Pina to Santo Domingo. It’s not that harassment of dark-skinned people in the Dominican Republic is anything new—it isn’t. Nowadays, however, it’s a lot more ferocious as the president has issued special enhanced enforcement orders.

As a Black person, you’re always under the constant gaze of the law enforcers. On the buses, they board at will, scanning their gaze for anyone of dark complexion or close to it. “Pasaporte,” they shout, assuming that the individual cannot be Dominican and knowing that it is what is required for legitimate stay. They’re looking for a visa which when issued requires a $20 a month fee to maintain from people who often earn $20 or less a week. Often the people look scared. They know what is about to happen. They rummage through their bags and produce what they could: an expired passport, an expired work permit, a Dominican cedula (identification card). Sometimes, nothing at all. It’s what the officers expect and seemingly what they hope for as with physical gusto they eject anyone unable to produce “legitimate” documents. It’s an impressive display of power and force and leaves the accosted visibly deflated. The scenes are surreal and unsympathetic; grabbed like common criminals, jacked-up at the back of the trousers, arms secured and hurried off the bus into parked, waiting wagons. 

On the streets, Black people are faring no better,  subjected to unceremonious, insulting, demeaning stop, search and arrest as if they were fugitives on the run and now caught, that need to be handled with maximum caution on the assumption that they are armed and dangerous. Many a dark-skinned tourist is caught-up in the sting because the suspicion is of any dark-skinned person; their color is grounds for suspicion and the crime is blackness itself. Not too long ago, in 2023, the U.S. embassy in Santo Domingo issued a caution to Black American would-be vacationers here to be mindful of race-based mistreatment, but did little beyond this paper warning. 

The policy here is to assume that every dark-skinned person is likely an undocumented ethnic Haitian migrant who is contributing to the demise of the society. The international community half-heartedly complains but it’s all falling on deaf ears. The United Nations has warned about the extreme deportation of people at a time when Haiti is itself in political turmoil and poses a security risk to all. Regional organizations in the Americas have noted the mistreatment as illegal. Even civil society and human rights groups in the Dominican Republic have expressed their disdain. None of this seems to matter. What matters to the dominant Dominican society is ridding itself of a “scourge,” which they perceive as posing a threat to the purity and longevity of their nation. 

Now, in the run-up to presidential elections, the government speaks of ethnic Haitians as representing an existential threat to the security of the nation. The candidates are all singing the same tune. All major contestants are on the bandwagon of anti-Haitianismo. 

There are no less than 16 active political parties in the Dominican Republic but no more than six can be considered competitive and only three have a viable chance of gaining the presidency. Of these three, the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM/ Modern Revolutionary Party) is currently the strongest. Its leader and presidential candidate, the millionaire businessman Luis Abinader is the current president and running for his second consecutive term.  In the last election of 2020, he ran on a winning platform of anti-corruption and succeeded in unseating a heretofore entrenched party. Now, he has found another political winner. Since taking office, he picked up on the defeated party program of denying ethnic Haitians residency and citizenship rights. But he has gone further. It was thought that the government  before him was harsh on Black residents, now ethnic Haitians are in disbelief that times have actually worsened. 

Abinader’s signature programs and policies have been to first suspend and then end visas for Haitians, close the border between the two countries and initiate the building of a wall. In a recent address before the UN Security Council, he has sought to defend his policies as “a fight to protect the DR.”  In this view he enjoys broad support.

His closest rival, Leonel Fernández of the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP/ People’s Force), himself representing a splinter group of the old ruling party, has lost little time in spewing the same anti-Black, anti-immigrant vitriol that Abinader has. His political platform has chosen to place its emphasis on “containing illegal migration.” 

In the Dominican Republic, only Black migrants from the Caribbean are viewed by definition as “illegals or irregulars.” It’s a term set aside for Blacks only; all others are welcomed. The hordes of Venezuelan and South-East Asian migrants that are present are not seen as representing a threat to the nation and are readily and summarily integrated legally into the society with all rights, privileges and opportunities attached thereto. Special instructions are pasted large on the walls of the immigration offices, instructing them on the process for permanent residency. 

Fernández was once with the Partido de la Liberacion Dominicana (PLD), with whose company he parted but whose ideologies he retained.

The PLD represents the third major political force and the other major threat to Abinader retaining office. Its presidential candidate, Abel Martínez, like Abinader and Fernandez, understands well the sentiments of the voting public at large. He has called for “increased migration control” and “stricter immigration policies” to reduce and limit the ethnic Haitian presence which he has labeled “an overflowing invasion.” 

The public is overjoyed with the policies of their would-be presidential leaders. A Gallup-RC Media Poll indicated the top issues on the public’s mind to be crime, high cost of living and job opportunities, all of which the leading candidates have managed to convince voters are tied to the negative influence of a Black and ethnic Haitian presence there. It’s not altogether new; these negative outlooks on Blacks and ethnic Haitians in the Dominican Republic, and the restrictions and mistreatment that they face daily have existed for some time. The 2013 judicial ruling that stripped ethnic Haitians of constitutional rights and which met with some international criticism, forcing a change of policy was quickly followed up by policies designed to make near impossible the ability of Blacks to have equal treatment or equal opportunities. Some policies were reflective of Pass Book Laws in Apartheid Era South Africa. In 2021, ethnic Haitians were required to register their whereabouts inside the country; it was argued that this was to protect the society from “gang violence.” And ordinary Dominicans seem to have no issue with this whatsoever.

The survey in 2022 by the Instituto de Investigacion Social para el Desarrollo (Institute of Social Research for Development) found that more than two-thirds of Dominicans reject rights for “illegal” Haitian immigrants including civic rights. The way the system works, it’s not difficult for the majority of Blacks to be classified as “illegal” at some point or the other. Almost half of the population surveyed opposed access to social services such as health care, education, or housing. While they felt that this community represents a threat to jobs, an overwhelming majority favored work permits for jobs locals won’t do and at least half felt that there was little or no discrimination. The Dominican public sees what it wants and wants what it sees. Reality is very different.

What is real is that the presidential elections in the Dominican Republic have placed anti-Blackness front and center. What is real is that presidential candidates are going to all lengths to demonstrate their intolerance of  the “undesirable” Black migrants in their presence and that this has become the signature issue for their success. What is real is that every day, hundreds of Black and ethnic Haitians going about their business are routinely snatched off the streets, doggedly pursued by surveillance police vehicles, hunted and put in caged wagons to be eventually taken over the border. 

For Martine Jacques, as for many others, they are victims of a presidential election season where opposition to their presence is the road to political power.

The post Opinion: In the Dominican Republic presidential elections are fueled by anti-Blackness appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.,
NNPA Newswire

During the State of the Union, President Joe Biden spoke eloquently and passionately about one of the Biden-Harris Administration’s key priorities: housing affordability. The President’s proposals included ideas that would boost housing supply and make homeownership more attainable for those that are currently being priced out of the market.

While the vast majority of President Biden’s new proposals would thoughtfully address some of the country’s most pressing issues, one idea that flew under the radar was a proposal about title insurance, a lesser known but vital part of the home buying and refinancing process.

It was concerning to hear about the proposal – a new pilot program that would waive title insurance requirements for certain qualified homeowners – as one of the ideas being considered by the Administration to improve access to affordable housing. Given that the program – which was previously abandoned by Fannie Mae last year – only applies to higher-wealth individuals who are refinancing properties, should it be a top public policy priority now for The White House?

It is no secret that high interest rates and a low supply of affordable homes stand in the way of homeownership for low and middle-income families and people of color. According to the National Association of Realtors, the gap between Black and White homeownership is worse than it was a decade ago, with the Black homeownership rate at 44.1 percent compared to the White homeownership rate of 72 percent.

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) in its 2023 State of Housing in Black America reported that “In 2022, the Black homeownership stood at 45 percent, only modestly higher than the level at the passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. This disparity between Blacks and Whites has expanded over the past half-century.”

Additionally, data from Zillow shows that only 7.8 percent of Black non-home owning families have enough income to pay a typical mortgage payment in their area without being cost burdened. This is where the focus should be – on building more homes for those who need them. We commend the Biden Administration for its work through the Housing Supply Action Plan to do just that. By increasing the supply of affordable housing of all types in our communities, we can expand access to the housing market to those in our communities that are currently shut out and ensure the dream of homeownership is truly available to all Americans.

That is why, while well intentioned, the proposed title waiver pilot under consideration will cause unintended negative consequences in particular for African American, Latino American and other communities of color across the nation. All communities should have access to fair housing opportunities and acquisitions.

Often misunderstood, title insurance is a product that comprehensively protects homeowners’ property rights and their lenders’ financial interest in a property. It is vastly different than other types of insurance because it is a one-time fee and title professionals do the majority of the work upfront to both examine title issues and rectify any problems found. That is why many homeowners thankfully don’t experience the challenge of a claim that threatens their homeownership – but if they do, title insurance is paramount to protecting their biggest investment.

Some may ask: why do I need to purchase title insurance when refinancing? When refinancing, a homeowner purchases a new loan, and title issues can arise between the old loan and the new loan. For example, if a homeowner does not pay their contractor for repairs to their roof, there could be a lien against the property. Lenders need assurance that if a homeowner defaults on their mortgage, they have first lien priority.

That is why the proposal to waive title insurance on refinancing is extremely risky. If a title issue arose, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would essentially turn into title insurers and would have to bear the risk of making lenders whole on those loans. These are the same companies that are under conservatorship due to their role in the 2008 financial crisis which cost taxpayers more than $200 billion and devastated minority communities by chasing profits for themselves. I don’t believe it is prudent to shift more risk to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, especially when the proposal at hand would not meaningfully address the nation’s housing affordability challenge.

This is not a partisan issue, nor is it a new proposal. This same pilot program was withdrawn last year after members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and industry experts criticized the idea. Ed DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (the agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) under President Obama, stated during a Congressional hearing last May, “It certainly is disturbing to think that Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac might displace title insurance by taking on this insurance itself.”  

As the Administration continues to work towards improving housing affordability, first-time, low-income and minority homebuyers should continue to be the focus. Waiving title insurance on a few refinancing transactions will not move the needle, and it could actually increase risk for little gain.

Homeownership is the largest driver of wealth creation for all Americans. If we truly want to close the racial wealth gap, we must not only ensure that homeownership is available to communities of color, but we must also ensure those homes are protected for generations to come.

I urge the Administration, therefore, to reconsider its focus on removing the critical protections provided by title insurance and continue to work on solutions that will truly address the availability and affordability of homes in all communities in America and in particular for underserved communities.

This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.  

The post Title insurance helps homeownership for Black Americans and others appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Brian Carss

Poverty is expensive in this country.

Few things illustrate that truism like overdraft charges and late fees, which are often little more than outrageous penalties for not having enough money. But there are plans in the works at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to rein in these abusive practices.

Overdraft fees occur when a customer attempts to withdraw more money from their account than is available, but the banking institution covers the transaction — for a fee. The CFPB is proposing rules to close loopholes in rules on overdraft fees by establishing a benchmark that banks cannot exceed.

Over a quarter of Americans live in a household that was charged an overdraft fee in the past year, but especially harmed are those who have the least to begin with. These overdraft fees are structured to prey on consumers already in a financially precarious position. The impact skews toward low-income households and people of color. Young people are also more likely to be affected.

When banks hit people with an overdraft fee, they end up further in the hole — to the benefit of the bank. “Overdraft fees are not so much a useful service as they are a lucrative profit center underwritten by the most economically vulnerable consumers,” said Kimberly Fountain, consumer field manager at Americans for Financial Reform.

Overdraft fees affect credit scores and can even lead to account closures, leaving people without access to banking services altogether. More than any other group, Black Americans tend to be underbanked or unbanked.

As with overdraft fees, banks foist the burden of late fees on people living paycheck to paycheck, low to moderate income consumers, and people of color.

More than 80 percent of adults have at least one credit card — and these cards are full of junk fees. Late fees alone cost consumers $14 billion a year — and low-income earners pay about twice as much in fees as higher-income earners.

These late fees are not based on any sort of need for the bank. The CFPB found that banks take a fee almost five times greater than the cost to the bank of a late payment.

These practices also reinforce the racial wealth gap. Data shows that banks have often charged those living in neighborhoods with populations of color a higher interest rate. And places with a higher Black or Hispanic population are charged on average more than $25 in late fees, while in places where the Black population is nearly zero, people pay less than $20.

In a new consumer protection action, the CFPB is limiting the amount companies can charge for a late fee to a more reasonable $8.

Fee reforms work. In 2009, Congress passed the Credit CARD Act, which required banks to give consumers enough time to pay their bills, eliminated retroactive rate increases, and curbed excessive marketing to young adults. Careful study of the CARD Act found that the market became more transparent and many fees went away. By 2013, the law was saving Americans $20.8 billion a year.

Consumers will appreciate strong action on these issues. And consumers vote! About 82 percent of U.S. adults support lowering the maximum late fee, 68 percent support the 15 day grace period, and 84 percent support requiring companies to remind consumers of late fees.

The CFPB should keep at it. Making ends meet in this country is hard enough without being charged for coming up short.

This op-ed was originally published by OtherWords.org

The post Making ends meet is hard enough without a penalty for coming up short appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Dayvon Love

The Fearless Fund is a venture capital fund that targets investments in Black and Brown women-owned businesses. This fund was founded by three Black women who recognized the disparities in access to venture capital for Black women-owned businesses and have been working to address this issue. 

A White conservative activist named Edward Blum, through his organization called American Alliance for Equal Rights, has led litigation efforts against the consideration of race in college admissions which resulted in the recent Students for Fair Admissions Supreme Court ruling that significantly reduced the consideration of race in college admissions. His organization sued the Fearless Fund, claiming that its focus on grantmaking for Black women was discriminatory.

Those of us with a radical political worldview would engage initiatives like the Fearless Fund as an example of Black capitalist approaches to problems that do not fundamentally change the existing social and political order. While this effort will help individual Black people get access to resources that might allow them to be in a position to do some social good, these efforts are limited in bringing the revolutionary change needed to truly empower working-class Black people. But, there are important political issues at stake for those of us interested in building revolutionary alternatives to the status quo as it relates to the case against the Fearless Fund.

If we are interested in a radical economic redistribution of resources that we can get into the hands of the masses of Black people, it will require targeted investments of public dollars into entities that have the institutional and administrative infrastructure to receive those investments. Additionally, it will require these entities to have governance structures that ensure democratic community control of these resources. The Fearless Fund lawsuit is important in this regard because a ruling against the Fearless Fund could be weaponized against more revolutionary investments in Black people leaving only universalist, class-based policies that do not address the investments needed to build independent Black infrastructure for working-class  people to practice self-determination.

Investing resources in a community is not as simple as just giving people money. This society is structured on White and European colonial domination of every aspect of human endeavor; Black people need to change our relationship to global finance capital. Currently, when resources are invested into our community, the institutions that decide which Black people and communities get resources are not controlled by working-class Black people. These institutions are usually controlled by a White-dominated but multiracial class of gatekeepers who are ultimately accountable to institutions outside of our community. The result of the Fearless Fund is that it is developing institutions that can receive and distribute large sums of resources to people in our community who traditionally would not have access to it.

Getting more Black women entrepreneurs access to venture capital can have a positive impact on those Black women who would not have access to those resources otherwise. However, from my perspective, something larger is at stake, and that is, a ruling that would create additional hurdles to advancing policies that target resources specifically to Black people. The people who are believers in the notion that this system of White monopoly capital can be reformed to serve Black people will pay attention to the Fearless Fund proceedings to assess the potential challenges this poses to other similar efforts. For those of us who are looking for more revolutionary economic alternatives, the Fearless Fund lawsuit is important for us to address the ways this gets weaponized against specific investments in the Black masses.

The post Commentary: Black businesses are under attack–now, so are financing opportunities to help them appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ryan Coleman,
randallstownnaacp@gmail.com

Before Maryland developed a system of public education in the nineteenth century, formal education was limited to the wealthy. The leaders knew the State of Maryland needed educated citizens. According to information released from the Maryland State Archives, “in 1798, a prominent educator exhorted the General Assembly to establish a State board of education and a uniform system of public schools.” The original purpose of public education was to provide both a basic academic education, as well as a common political and social philosophy, to all young people regardless of social class. 

The Constitution of Maryland Article VIII Section states, “shall by Law establish throughout the State a thorough and efficient System of Free Public Schools.” 

A “thorough” action or activity is one that is done very carefully and in a detailed way so that nothing is forgotten. “Efficient,” means capable of producing desired results especially without waste. This means Baltimore County Public Schools must provide a free education to all children in the county. It must focus on content knowledge, citizenship and the skills necessary for young people to be successful adults. 

Per the Constitution the school system is responsible to educate all our children however they come- poor, gay, Black, one parent, no parents, disabled, special education or immigrant. Therefore, the blame of not educating our Black students and all students collectively is Baltimore County Public Schools fault alone.

The Randallstown NAACP recently held its award ceremony and townhall on education. We honored Dr. Tim Tooten, Clarence Mitchell IV, Bryan Nehman and Christopher Papst for their unwavering coverage of education. The town hall portion focused mostly on the lack of academic achievement for students. Attendees blamed teachers, principals, administrators, the curriculum, low standards, lack of professional development, lack of diversity, the Union, Lack of Parental involvement and society as a whole. 

I want to focus on the lack of diversity in the teaching ranks at Baltimore County Public Schools. 

I have grown tired of hearing there aren’t enough Black Teachers. 

I have grown frustrated that all is [not] being done. In fact, whenever we talk about diversity or being treated fairly….we are told we must wait. I hope that the current administration is successful in bringing real change. Ensuring that Black students have more faces that look like them. Time will tell. 

Sadly, our experience has been– and is being replicated time and again across the country– that Black youth are stifled by educator bias: The inability of teachers to recognize and rise above the implicit (and sometimes explicit) prejudices they hold about Black students. 

This bias plays a key role in keeping Black students out of the gifted programs and advanced classes that would give them opportunities to earn free college credits and boost their chances of going to college. Indeed, while Black students make up 15 percent of high schoolers nationwide, they are just 9 percent of students enrolled in at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course. 

Addressing educator bias is critical. We can and should push for all educators to view our kids fairly. But even more importantly, we must find teachers who –by both background and training– can already accurately assess the intelligence and potential of our kids.That means more Black teachers in the classroom. 

Today, many schools are using the same decades-old educational playbook that was designed by and for White America. But experts predict that by 2050, the majority of the U.S. population will be non-White — underscoring the need to transform our education system to more equitably serve all students. Currently, Black students are the majority in Baltimore County Public Schools. 

Black teachers, who’ve long played a role in educating children shut out of the traditional system, will be essential to this transformation. 

Our predominantly White education system fails many Black students, undermining their opportunities for lifetime success even as their lives are just beginning. If we are committed to transformation, prioritizing teacher diversity should be a foundational goal of Baltimore County Public Schools. Not only has it been linked to improved academic achievement, behavior and college aspirations among Black students, but White students also report positive academic and social-emotional experiences when exposed to teachers of color. 

Hiring Black teachers is an important first step, but decision-makers should also adopt the following practices to ensure these teachers feel empowered and supported to stay. 

1. Embrace and trust Black teaching

As leaders strive to convert the equity plan into action, they must evaluate whether their school cultures welcome Black ideas and foster networks of support. 

2. Center Black joy and intellect

Predominantly White education systems too often categorize Black students by their perceived limitations, rather than their strengths. Schools should embrace curricula that present an asset-based lens on Black history, so students can understand Black Americans’ rich contributions to our nation’s story and, in turn, see opportunity in their own future. 

3. Invest in Black teachers

As the school system commits to hiring and supporting more Black teachers, it must make teacher demographic data readily accessible to all. Parents and caregivers should feel empowered to use this information to advocate for more teachers of color in their communities and, once successful, rest assured that these skilled teachers will challenge their children to think critically and embrace new perspectives.

The post Commentary: Classrooms in Baltimore County need more Black teachers appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Dayvon Love,
Special to the AFRO

The Fearless Fund is a venture capital fund that targets investments in Black and brown women-owned businesses. This fund was founded by three Black women who recognized the disparities in access to venture capital for Black women-owned businesses and have been working to address this issue. 

A White conservative activist named Edward Blum, through his organization called American Alliance for Equal Rights, has led litigation efforts against the consideration of race in college admissions which resulted in the recent Students for Fair Admissions Supreme Court ruling that significantly reduced the consideration of race in college admissions. His organization sued the Fearless Fund, claiming that its focus on grantmaking for Black women was discriminatory.

Those of us with a radical political worldview would regard initiatives like the Fearless Fund as an example of Black capitalist approaches to problems that do not fundamentally change the existing social and political order. While this effort will help individual Black people get access to resources that might allow them to be in a position to do some social good, these efforts are limited in bringing the revolutionary change needed to truly empower working-class Black people. But, there are important political issues at stake for those of us interested in building revolutionary alternatives to the status quo as it relates to the case against the Fearless Fund.

If we are interested in a radical economic redistribution of resources that we can get into the hands of the masses of Black people it would require targeted investments of public dollars into entities that have the institutional and administrative infrastructure to receive those investments. Additionally, it will require these entities to have governance structures that ensure democratic community control of these resources. 

The Fearless Fund lawsuit is important in this regard because a ruling against the Fearless Fund could be weaponized against more revolutionary investments in Black people, leaving only universalist, class-based policies that do not address the investments needed to build independent Black infrastructure for working-class people to practice self-determination.

Investing resources in a community is not as simple as just giving people money. This society is structured on White/European colonial domination of every aspect of human endeavor. Black people need to change our relationship to global finance capital. Currently, when resources are invested into our community, the institutions that decide which Black people and communities get resources are not controlled by working-class Black people. These institutions are usually controlled by a White-dominated but multiracial class of gatekeepers who are ultimately accountable to institutions outside of our community. The result of the Fearless Fund is that it is developing institutions that can receive and distribute large sums of resources to people in our community who traditionally would not have access to it.

Increasing the number of Black women entrepreneurs that have access to venture capital can have a positive impact on those Black women who would not have access to those resources otherwise. However, from my perspective, something larger is at stake, and that is a ruling that would create additional hurdles to advancing policies that target resources specifically to Black people. 

The people who are believers in the notion that this system of White monopoly capital can be reformed to serve Black people will pay attention to the Fearless Fund proceedings to assess the potential challenges this poses to other similar efforts. For those of us who are looking for more revolutionary economic alternatives, the Fearless Fund lawsuit is important for us to address the ways this gets weaponized against specific investments in the Black masses.

The post Commentary: Attack on the Fearless Fund appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Wayne Campbell

Unfortunately, World Down Syndrome Day passed without a buzz in our local space.  Down syndrome impacts approximately 1 in 800 births worldwide.  Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States. Each year, about 6,000 babies born in the United States have Down syndrome. This means that Down syndrome occurs in about 1 in every 700 babies in the U.S. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declares that Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body forms and functions as it grows during pregnancy and after birth. Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome 21. A medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is ‘trisomy.’ 

Down syndrome is also referred to as Trisomy 21. This extra copy changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which can cause both mental and physical challenges for the baby. People with Down syndrome usually have an IQ (a measure of intelligence) in the mildly-to-moderately low range and are slower to speak than other children. World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is observed annually on March 21. This year’s theme is ‘End The Stereotypes’. 

The day is designated to promote awareness about Down syndrome and to assist those who live with the condition.  World Down Syndrome Day calls for people around the world to end the stigma around this disorder which is ideally based on limited information or personal experience. By increasing knowledge and acceptance, we can work towards creating a more inclusive society that values every individual, regardless of their differences.  It is essential to highlight the unique strengths and abilities of people with Down syndrome and dispel myths and misconceptions that give rise to many stigmas and discrimination. 

The Jamaica Down’s Syndrome Foundation (JDSF) is a nonprofit organization established on October 26, 2007.  The Jamaica Down’s Syndrome Foundation is a member of Down Syndrome International (DSI) and were signatories to the 2011 successful appeal of DSI to the United Nations to recognize March 21 as World Down Syndrome Day. The JDSF is committed to empowering families and caregivers of children with Down syndrome (DS) by way of education and communication.  This will help children with DS achieve their highest potential.  A study conducted by the JDSF shows that the incidence of Down syndrome in Jamaica is 1 in 868 live births. This is in keeping with the international experience. Currently, over 600 families of children with Down syndrome have registered with the Jamaica Down’s Syndrome Foundation.

Early Inventions

Early intervention means that children with Down syndrome will also live longer. Importantly, the life expectancy for people living with DS has now increased to 60 years. Understanding Down syndrome takes time.  It is also important that more resources be made available to the care and welfare of those with Down syndrome. It is critical that governments build more special needs educational facilities as well as subsidize intervention programmes in order to facilitate parents to give their children the necessary intervention. It is true that early intervention will result in the best outcome for these individuals. We must work to engender a compassionate society where parents of children with Down syndrome no longer feel ashamed to take their children out in public spaces.  It is also imperative that governments implement effective strategies to create more inclusive societies for all.  By promoting awareness, societies can empower individuals with Down syndrome to succeed and contribute in their own way to their communities. Let us join forces to end the stereotypes as we promote inclusivity.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO.

The post Commentary: End the stereotypes: World Down Syndrome Day is worth more than just a mention appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Jaime Harrison

Having worked on Capitol Hill for several years, I’ve seen the work that goes into getting a bill signed into law. It can be grueling, but it gives us an opportunity to transform the lives of millions of Americans, and that is exactly what Democrats did 14 years ago when President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. 

It’s easy to forget just how inaccessible healthcare was for millions of Americans — and the Black community in particular. Before 2010, insurance companies could deny Americans coverage because of preexisting conditions, or price-gouge them with exorbitant premiums.

Health care companies could set yearly limits on what they spent on essential coverage. Without Obamacare subsidies, families were forced to sit at the kitchen table and make a choice between paying their utility bills or getting the health care they needed. But thanks to President Obama, President Biden and Democrats in Congress, this is no longer the reality — and even all these years later, it is still a big deal. 

The Affordable Care Act has been life-changing for our community. Since the implementation of the ACA, the rate of Black Americans under age 65 without health insurance has declined by 40 percent.  

The ACA provides Black Americans with long overdue access to affordable, quality health care, and the Biden-Harris administration is working hard to expand that coverage even further. 

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris, a record-breaking 21.3 million Americans have enrolled in health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The ACA has quickly become a critical lifeline in ensuring that Americans are healthy and safe, and have access to affordable care.

When President Biden capped insulin costs at $35 a month for our nation’s seniors, prices drastically lowered for the nearly 40 percent of Black Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes. 

That’s a promise made and a promise kept. President Biden knows how critical this help is for our community — Black folks are twice as likely to die of diabetes, and millions of Americans are counting on their monthly insulin to get by. Now these seniors, like my grandfather who ultimately passed away from complications of diabetes, are getting the medication they need for a fraction of the cost. 

Our community is also facing a Black maternal health crisis, where Black women are three times more likely to die in connection with childbirth. Vice President Harris has been leading the fight to solve this crisis — and because of her work strengthening Obamacare, 43 states have expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage. 

No matter which way you look at it, President Biden and Vice President Harris have been laser-focused on putting money back in our pockets, keeping our families healthy and closing the health disparities that have disproportionately impacted our communities. 

The same can’t be said for MAGA Republicans, led by Donald Trump, who have proven that they will not stop until Obamacare is repealed and Americans are left uninsured and in the dark.

Don’t take it from me; take it from Donald Trump. In the middle of a pandemic – which was made worse by Donald Trump’s lies and negligence — he said he was “determined to end” the ACA. But we shouldn’t be surprised. This is the same man whose botched pandemic response left Black Americans behind. And this is the same man who refused to reopen the Obamacare exchanges to let Americans access the care they needed during the pandemic. 

That’s who Donald Trump is. He doesn’t give a damn about anyone but himself. He desperately wants to take us back to a time when millions of families were uninsured, scared to get the care they needed because of a large hospital bill. 

And he won’t stop there. Remember, he was only one vote away from repealing Obamacare in his first term. If he’s reelected, he won’t only end Obamacare as we know it, but he’ll repeal President Biden’s price caps on insulin and Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices in the future — two provisions that are saving folks thousands of dollars each month. 

Like so many in our community, I know exactly what that alternative looks like. My grandfather did backbreaking work his whole life. He rarely had the time or money to see a doctor. He didn’t even know he had diabetes until he could barely walk, and by then, the only treatment was amputating his foot. 

That is what Obamacare protects us against. It eases the burden on working people like my grandparents so that they can not just survive, but move forward in their lives. 

Fourteen years ago, then-Vice President Biden was instrumental in getting Obamacare signed into law, and now as president, he is delivering on his promise to strengthen the legislation and make healthcare more affordable for all Americans — but there is still more work to be done. 

The last four years have shown us that Joe Biden doesn’t just make empty promises — he delivers tangible results for our communities. And if we want to continue making historic progress, we must use our voice and our vote to elect Democrats up and down the ballot who will continue to fight on behalf of the American people — because our lives literally depend on it.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO.

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By Benjamin Jealous

There’s nothing quite like seeing a kid who was born healthy but now suffers cognitive impairment and is prone to outbursts of anger. As a volunteer restoring six-story walk-ups in Harlem in the early 90s, I saw how lead paint chips and dust were wreaking havoc on the kids in those low-income buildings. 

The kids not only lived in a cloud of despair but in a cloud of lead-infused dust. The former made achieving their dreams difficult. The latter made it impossible. Fast forward a few decades and the threat of lead poisoning has continued to manifest in public health crises. It was at the heart of the well-publicized water crisis in Flint, Michigan that started in 2014 … and the subsequent not-as-well-publicized water crises in Benton Harbor, Mich. and Pittsburgh, Pa. just a few short years later. 

Now, thanks to community organizers, advocacy groups, the federal government, and even some private companies, we’re seeing a major push to eliminate the lingering threat of lead. It is thanks to the hard work of activists like Gabriel Gray. Gray is an organizer with Pittsburgh United, a local advocacy group that works on clean water and housing issues. She came to this work during her own city’s water crisis. 

Only finding out about the crisis once there was a run on bottled water in all the local stores, Gray applied with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewage Authority (PWSA) for a lead line replacement for her home and was denied. Then she started organizing with her neighbors. Because of the work the Pittsburgh United Our Water Campaign did to hold PWSA accountable, it is now the only public water authority in Pennsylvania to be governed by the state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC). 

However, my neighborhood borders an area with a different water authority not governed by the PUC – the Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority. We’re now working with Wilkinsburg-Penn to stress the importance of equity in its lead line replacement plans, after finding that environmental justice communities had been slower to receive replacements than other communities in that authority’s jurisdiction. The increased focus on stopping lead poisoning is also thanks to tireless advocates like my friend Ruth Ann Norton, who heads the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) in Baltimore. 

GHHI was recently chosen to administer $50 million in grants across the mid-Atlantic under the EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Norton says, “We can make homes, schools, childcare centers lead-free, as long as we have a comprehensive approach and flexible funding. And we can do this simultaneously as we address climate work, with some of the same funding. It’s an opportunity we need to seize if we’re going to end lead’s toxic legacy.” 

There are additional rays of hope thanks to healthcare providers like GHHI partner Penn Medicine’s Lancaster General Health. The Hospital put $50 million into a community health improvement initiative to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Lancaster County, Pa. With a “goal of identifying and remediating lead hazards in at least 2,800 Lancaster County homes,” LG Health is setting an example for the private sector. And the Biden-Harris administration’s focus on environmental justice and access to clean and safe water is aiding the national effort. 

The IRA and bipartisan infrastructure law offer a treasure trove of federal funding to clean up this mess. There are billions of dollars already flowing to states to improve water infrastructure and make drinking water safer. And billions more in environmental justice and energy efficiency investments that can be put towards lead abatement as well. Ruth Ann Norton described how states could apply for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants – a $5 billion program in the IRA – to take a “whole house approach” that makes lead abatement and other key remediations part of a comprehensive approach to building maintenance and electrification. Lead is a global problem. 

A recent study by Lancet Planetary Health estimated “5.5 million adults worldwide died in 2019 from cardiovascular disease attributable to lead exposure – a toll more than six times higher than a previous estimate.” 

That year, the combined price tag of the loss in IQ in children under 5 years old and cardiovascular mortality was an estimated $6 trillion. There is no cure for lead poisoning other than prevention. The investment in future health makes good economic sense for lawmakers, government agencies and companies alike. Most urgently, states and municipalities need to take advantage of the funds available through IRA and the bipartisan infrastructure law. 

And they need to work with community organizations like GHHI and Pittsburgh United, as well as private companies where appropriate, to make sure the funds are administered correctly and equitably. If there was ever a worthy cause for an “all hands on deck” approach, wouldn’t protecting our kids and their futures be it? 

This commentary was originally published by National News Releases.

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By Wale Mafolasire

Biden recently praised the Black church, saying the world would be a different place without their example. He described the institution as a gift to the nation. And he is absolutely correct.  

As an entrepreneur and CEO with a mission to connect people to the causes that matter most to them so they can change their world with kindness and generosity, I’ve spoken with hundreds of pastors. In many of these conversations, I hear a recurring theme: concerns about declining attendance, especially among younger generations, and the ability to attract them. At the annual Conversations Conference last month, which hosted more than 80 of the most influential Black pastors, we dove further into this topic, segueing into succession planning. According to a recent Barna study, about four in 10 Black church pastors say their churches do not have a plan or process in place for a senior pastor succession. 

As America’s religious landscape changes and more faith leaders plan for their retirement, research shows the average age is 57, and one in four plan to retire before 2030.  We cannot take this gift to our nation for granted. To ensure this gift continues giving, Black faith leaders must engage and inspire younger generations. I believe the answer lies in one word: bigheartedness.  

Bigheartedness creates a foundation we can build on 

While several studies indicate younger generations are leaving organized religion, others show that most young adults still consider themselves religious. While young Americans are leading the exodus from the church, they’re holding on to their values and they continue to be inspired by and care about causes and social issues like hunger, civic engagement, climate change and racial equity.  

We know Black churches have historically played a vital role in empowering Black communities through civic engagement, advancing racial equity, and advocating for social justice. Givelify’s 2024 Giving in Faith report, a collaboration with Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, found that predominantly Black congregations, 42 percent, were significantly more likely to offer services that support engaged citizenship such as voter registration than predominantly White congregations at 9 percent. Predominantly Black congregations were also more likely to offer support for social justice movements than predominantly White congregations, with Black churches at 40 percent, compared to 27 percent in White establishments.

Black churches provide a spectrum of social services for unmet community needs, as they are often called upon by their communities to address local poverty, care for the elderly, and confront criminal justice issues. Much of this impactful work is funded by their congregations. And much of this work happens because it comes from the heart.  This is a natural connection pastors can nurture.

Bigheartedness is the arc of inspiring stories we can amplify 

Black churches are and have always been a beacon. I continue to be impressed with how they respond to the needs of their communities. For example, at New Life in Christ Church in O’Fallon, Ill., Bishop Geoffrey Dudley spearheads community initiatives, including the development of a residential community for senior citizens as part of his holistic approach to ministry. He could not do this important work without his congregation’s generosity.  

While members are aware of this tremendous outreach and impact, awareness among the local community is low. I encourage pastors to tell these impactful stories not only in their teachings or sermons but also through other channels, like their social media platforms. And share ways younger generations can be involved, whether by donating, volunteering, or through in-kind gifts. These stories and calls to action can be an inspiration for everyone, bringing us together, changing hearts, and influencing minds.  

By drawing them in with inspiring stories and faith-based teachings that resonate with them, we are not only leading with heart but also showing we care through our actions. Their engagement and generosity will follow, furthering missions and movements they care about.  

Bigheartedness sets the right example  

One of the top reasons younger generations leave the church is because members seem judgmental or hypocritical. They don’t feel connected. The responsibility to bring younger generations into the fold and keep them there can’t lie just with the pastors. The old adage says it takes a village, and it’s never been more applicable as current members play a critical role in building a welcoming space for communities of all generations.  

As the Black community continues to grapple with racial gaps and disparities in homeownership, wealth, income, and education, we continue to have opportunities to build a stronger and more prosperous America. Our younger generations will need to lead the charge, and we must prepare them to step in and carry the leadership mantle.

Bigheartedness leads to a lasting legacy  

Even as faith leaders and pastors continue to be intentional about transition plans, create advisory boards, and empower young leaders, the concern that they are not prepared for the decline in religious beliefs or practice among young adults remains.  

The history of the Black church can galvanize its future and create new possibilities. Planting bighearted seeds today will ensure the legacy of the Black church lives on and continues to thrive well into the future.  

I believe we all have big hearts, and we want to minister to others in ways that matter to them. I encourage us to imagine a world where everyone leads with heart. There’s no better time to start than now. Let’s do more good together. 

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By Sonali Kolhatkar

Should poor people await trial behind bars while the rich go free? In the latest election year culture war, some Republicans say “yes.”

Many Americans haven’t heard of cash bail. But the idea is central to an election year battle over racism, policing and mass incarceration.

When arrested on suspicion of committing a crime, everyone in the United States has the right to due process and to defend themselves in court. But in a cash bail system, when judges set bail amounts, those who cannot pay the full amount remain jailed indefinitely — a clear violation of their due process rights — while the rich can pay their way out of jail.

A 2022 report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights examined the impact of cash bail and found that between 1970 and 2015, the number of people jailed before trial increased by a whopping 433 percent.

There are currently about half a million such people stuck in jails across the nation who haven’t been tried or convicted of any crimes. The report also found “stark disparities with regards to race,” with Black and brown men most often subject to higher bail amounts.

Thankfully, many states and cities are moving to reform this unfair practice.

In 2023, Illinois became the first state to entirely abolish cash bail. Other states, such as New Mexico, New Jersey, and Kentucky, have almost entirely ended cash bail requirements in recent years. In California, Los Angeles County has also similarly eliminated cash bail for all crimes except the most serious ones.

But in this election year, Republicans are rolling back these efforts — most recently in Georgia.

The state recently passed a bill expanding cash bail for 30 new crimes, some of which appear to be aimed at protesters, such as unlawful assembly. Further, it criminalizes charitable bail funds — and even individuals — that bail out people who can’t afford to bail out themselves.

Marlon Kautz, who runs the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, called cash bail “a loophole” in the criminal justice system, allowing courts to indefinitely jail people without charges if they cannot pay exorbitant bail amounts.

“Police, prosecutors, and politicians want a bail system that allows them to punish their political enemies, poor people, and people of color without trial,” said Kautz, whose fund has bailed out people protesting a massive new police training facility opponents call “Cop City.” Kautz was one of three people affiliated with the fund to be arrested on apparently politicized charges last year.

Reversing progress on bail reform is a new flashpoint in the GOP’s culture wars. “It could be a sign that Republicans intend to bash their Democratic opponents as soft on crime,” the Associated Press reported. Alongside Georgia, Republicans in Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin have introduced numerous bills expanding the use of cash bail.

Expanding the racist criminal justice system is a cynical GOP election-era ploy, one that has little to do with public safety.

“It is exceedingly rare for someone who’s released pretrial to be arrested and accused of a new offense that involves violence against another person,” said Sharlyn Grace, an official at the Cook County Public Defender’s office in Illinois. “Fears about public safety are in many ways greatly overblown and misplaced.”

“National studies contradict” the claim, the AP adds, that people are any less likely to show up for a court date if they’re released without bail.

Election years are a scary time for people of color in the U.S. They are marked by race-based voter suppression efforts, a rise in racist political rhetoric, and even a surge in racist hate crimes. The expansion of cash bail laws is yet another attack on Black and brown communities — one that must be exposed and confronted.

We shouldn’t let reform efforts fall victim to election year politics.

This commentary was originally published by OtherWords.org.

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By Derrell Frazier

In the pursuit of a fair and just legal system, Maryland stands at a crossroads, facing the imperative to reassess its approach to treating young people who come into conflict with the law. 

As a state, we should not be moving in a direction where we  push kids further into the deep end of youth criminalization. Instead, we should be looking for way to provide community-based alternatives to detention and probation. 

Let us remember that Maryland’s juvenile justice system was established with the stated intention of rehabilitating kids– not locking them in a cycle of detention and incarceration– which is precisely what the Maryland state legislature bills SB744/HB814 would do should they be signed into law. 

In SB744/HB814, legislators have proposed extending how long children can stay on probation, expanding the number of youth eligible for detention, and expanding the number of 10 to 12-year-olds who can be arrested and detained, effectively undercutting reforms made in 2022. Should the proposals submitted in SB744/HB814 become law, the cumulative effect will be more kids, especially Black and Brown kids, arrested and detained – not safer communities. To get serious about safer communities, we need fewer pathways into the system and more investments in the resources children need to avoid system involvement altogether.

Growing up as a young Black child in East Baltimore, my journey through adolescence was uniquely shaped by the challenges of navigating a tumultuous environment. Raised by my grandmother alongside eight other grandchildren, our household faced the daily struggle of making ends meet and ensuring everyone’s well-being. The sheer weight of these responsibilities made it a formidable task for my grandmother to provide the individual attention and support each of us needed. Instead of systems of support for young people that would have made it easier growing up, my neighborhood was flooded with law enforcement harassment. 

As a young Black child, I was constantly stopped and questioned while simply walking to the store to get items for our household. I would be told not to hang outside on the front steps of our home with friends because they felt like we were doing something illegal. Neither my education nor accomplishments mattered to the police because– to them– I was just like every other Black boy whom they saw as a problem child. Not far away, in the South Patterson Park neighborhood, where the socioeconomic makeup is starkly different, young people didn’t face the same police confrontation. 

The lack of available community resources needed to alleviate poverty and violence had a direct impact on my own experience with the legal system. My dad was incarcerated, and my mom was criminalized for having a mental illness. I had my first engagement with the juvenile justice system as a young person due to a non-violent misdemeanor. Engaging in activities with my friends like normal kids do, my peers, and I were labeled “thugs.” Unlike our counterparts in a more affluent community, we didn’t get a slap on the wrist or have access to opportunities to make up for our mistakes with age-appropriate accountability and community reconciliation. Eventually, I gained access to a mentoring program called the U.S. Dream Academy, which taught me how to be a youth leader, organizer and advocate. 

Through organizing and advocacy, I understood that I didn’t have to become a product of my environment or the product of the juvenile justice system. With more mentoring, counseling, leadership development, arts and other enrichment programs available in abundance, I could have avoided system involvement altogether.

As Marylanders, if we truly want to get serious about creating community safety, we need more investments in resources to help children develop into positive, successful adults, not more ways to lock them up and label them as criminals. As a policy and research fellow at the Juvenile Justice and Reform lab at Drexel University and the senior manager of memberships and partnerships at REFORM Alliance, I’ve come to understand that increasing probation terms, expanding detention and involving more young children in the juvenile justice system only increases the chances that young people will become locked in a cycle of system involvement and exacerbate community feelings of vulnerability. 

What works for youth success and community safety is age-appropriate accountability with rehabilitation when young people make mistakes, along with addressing the underlying factors that contribute to the young person’s behavior. Community-based programs, mentoring, and support services help prevent system involvement and support assisting children to reintegrate into society successfully.

Maryland can lead the way in redefining juvenile justice by rejecting more criminalization and embracing more community investments. My own experience and research show that what works for safer communities is addressing economic stability, family support and mental health and creating pathways to youth leadership development, self-expression and agency. It is time to prioritize the future of our children, recognizing that they deserve an opportunity for rehabilitation and growth rather than becoming casualties of an outdated and punitive approach to justice.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article had an incorrect headline that addressed cash bail. The AFRO regrets this error. 

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By Sylvia Ghazarian

As we celebrate Women’s History Month focused this year on “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” we pay tribute to the remarkable and courageous women who have tirelessly advocated for equity, diversity and inclusion in all facets of society. 

Among these champions are those who have dedicated their efforts to advancing reproductive justice, recognizing its pivotal role in achieving genuine equality and empowerment for women. At the forefront of this movement stand abortion funds such as the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), whose work epitomizes the intersectionality of reproductive justice with broader struggles for social justice.

Equity in reproductive justice entails ensuring that all individuals have the resources, support and autonomy to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity or other identities. 

Unfortunately, systemic inequalities often deprive marginalized communities of access to essential reproductive healthcare services, perpetuating cycles of oppression and injustice. Amidst the onslaught of abortion bans sweeping across various states, particularly impacting marginalized communities, abortion funds like WRRAP that provide unwavering commitment and financial assistance for emergency contraception and abortion services becomes even more critical. These bans disproportionately affect low-income individuals and people of color, exacerbating existing disparities in access to reproductive healthcare and perpetuating harmful narratives that undermine bodily autonomy.

Diversity within the realm of reproductive justice acknowledges the unique experiences and needs of individuals from various backgrounds. It emphasizes the importance of intersectionality, recognizing that factors such as race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability intersect to shape individuals’ reproductive experiences and access to care. In the context of black maternal mortality rates, which are shockingly higher compared to their White counterparts, inclusive advocacy efforts must center the voices and experiences of Black women. Systemic racism within the healthcare system contributes significantly to this disparity, with black women facing discrimination, lack of access to quality care and bias during pregnancy and childbirth. Holistic approaches to reproductive justice, like WRAPP’s, reflect this commitment to diversity by advocating for policies and services that address the specific needs and challenges faced by communities of color, including initiatives to reduce black maternal mortality rates and improve access to prenatal and postpartum care.

Inclusion lies at the heart of reproductive justice, emphasizing the importance of creating environments where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to participate fully in decision-making processes. Achieving genuine inclusion requires dismantling systemic barriers and challenging oppressive norms that marginalize certain groups within society. Women with disabilities, for example, often encounter inaccessible healthcare facilities and discriminatory attitudes that undermine their autonomy. In the face of such challenges, it is critical to promote inclusion by advocating for accessible and culturally competent reproductive healthcare services, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their ability, feel welcomed and supported in exercising their reproductive rights.

The intersectionality of equity, diversity, and inclusion in reproductive justice underscores the interconnected nature of social justice struggles. Women’s reproductive experiences cannot be divorced from broader systems of power and oppression, which intersect along multiple axes of identity. Recognizing and addressing these intersecting inequalities is essential for building a more just and equitable society where all individuals can thrive. Women who advocate for reproductive justice embody this intersectional approach, leveraging their diverse backgrounds and experiences to challenge systemic injustices and advance the rights of marginalized communities.

This Women’s History Month we honor the women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion,but let us also reaffirm our commitment to reproductive justice as a fundamental human right. By supporting organizations like WRRAP and amplifying the voices of those most impacted by reproductive inequalities, we can create a future where every individual has the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies, families and futures.

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By Wayne Campbell

In a world facing many crises, ranging from geopolitical conflicts to soaring poverty levels and the escalating impacts of climate change, achieving gender equality is more imperative than ever. 

The United Nations (UN) indicates that one of the key challenges in achieving gender equality by 2030 is an alarming lack of financing with a shocking $360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender equality. According to the United Nations Women, more than 342 million women and girls could be living in extreme poverty by 2030.  The time for action is now in order to close the budget deficit concerning gender equality. Without a doubt the needs of women must be prioritized by their governments with a calculated and purposeful plan to incorporate gender-responsive financing as well as increase public spending on essential services and social protection.  International Women’s Day (IWD), which is observed on March 8 each year, not only celebrates women’s achievements, but is an annual reminder that more action is needed to achieve gender parity.  There are two themes this year for IWD.  

The genesis

International Women’s Day (IWD) grew out of the labor movement when in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. The idea to make it an international event came from Clara Zetkin, a communist activist and advocate for women’s rights. In 1910, she raised it at an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. Her suggestion was unanimously backed by the 100 women from 17 countries who were at the conference. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The United Nations (UN) started marking the event in 1975. The first theme adopted by the UN (in 1996) was “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.”

Gender disparities

The campaign’s theme this year is “Inspire Inclusion,” while the UN’s official theme is “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”  International Women’s Day is a global commemoration with the focal point being grounded in the women’s rights movement.  IWD gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.  Yet, gender equality continues to be one of the greatest human rights challenges– despite evidence outlining how it will improve the lives of not only women, but men also. 

Gender parity speaks to relative equality in terms of numbers and proportions of women and men, girls and boys, and is often calculated as the ratio of female-to-male values for a given indicator. In the context of gender equality, gender parity refers to the equal contribution of women and men to every dimension of life, whether private or public.  This year’s theme underscores the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality. It calls for action to break  down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. 

Gender pay gap

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that women on average continue to be paid about 20 per cent less than men across the world. There are large variations between countries, from a high of over 45 per cent to hardly any difference.  The gender pay gap has been reduced in some countries while in others there has been little change. The gender pay gap is a measurable indicator of inequality between women and men. Most governments have legislated to guarantee equality of treatment between men and women in remuneration. The ILO Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 is one of the most highly ratified conventions. Yet, the gender pay gap persists. Alarmingly, the World Economic Forum estimates it will take 202 years to close the global gender pay gap, based on the trend observed over the past 12 years. Additionally, it will take another 131 years to reach gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023. The disparities along gendered lines are glaring. This is exactly why governments must invest more resources in the training of women and girls especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in order to close the gender pay gap. Research has indicated that far fewer women than men are in management and leadership positions, especially at higher levels. When women are managers, they tend to be more concentrated in management support functions such as human resources and financial administration than in more strategic roles. This brings down the average salary of female managers compared to that of male managers.

A gender-focused stimulus package needed

Unfortunately, the world is off track to achieve gender equality by 2030–this is according to the United Nations (UN). Gender equality is goal number five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The UN adds that at the global level, none of the 18 indicators “met or almost met” the targets and only one is “close to target.” At the current rate of progress, it is estimated that it will take up to 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments. Surging global crises have highlighted and exacerbated existing gender inequalities, such as unequal access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Political leadership and a comprehensive set of policy reforms are needed to dismantle systemic barriers to the achievement of the sustainable goals. According to the language listed under the fifth sustainable goal:

“Based on data collected in 2022 in 119 countries, 55 percent of the countries lacked laws that prohibit direct and indirect discrimination against women; half of the countries continued to lack quotas for women in the national parliament; 60 percent of the countries failed to have laws defining rape based on the principle of consent; 45 percent of countries did not mandate equal remuneration for work of equal value; over a third of countries failed to provide maternity leave in accordance with ILO standards; almost a quarter of countries did not grant women equal rights with men to enter into marriage and initiate divorce; and close to three-quarters of countries failed to stipulate 18 years as the minimum age of marriage for women and men, with no exceptions.”

Real transformation 

Investments and investing in issues concerning women is dismal globally. Just 5 percent of government aid is focused on tackling violence against women and girls, and less than 0.2 percent is directed to its prevention.  In order to truly transform the lives of women and girls, the World Economic Forum states that an estimated $6.4 trillion per year is needed in 48 developing countries, covering nearly 70 percent of the population in developing countries in order to achieve gender equality in key areas, including in the goal to end poverty and hunger, and to support more equal participation of women in society by 2030. Goal four of the UN SDG addresses the fact that quality education is also off track globally. 

Worldwide, in 2013, two thirds of the 757 million adults (aged 15 and over) who were unable to read and write were women. Globally, in 2013, 1 in 10 girls were out of school, compared to 1 in 12 boys.  This year’s campaign theme underscores the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality. It calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. Inspire Inclusion encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalized communities.  

In Afghanistan, girls above primary-school age remain banned from classrooms by the Taliban, hindering women’s access to equal education. The UN says women and girls in Sudan are being abducted and raped in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), where they are forced to marry and are held for ransom. In Iran, many women continue to defy the rules requiring women to cover their hair. 

Women’s History Month is observed to recognize the cultural, political, social and economic achievements made by women.  International Women’s Day serves as an opportunity to inspire efforts to end gender biases and discrimination and achieve gender equality. Now is the time to let us encourage governments to consider and analyze the unique and diverse needs of every person.  Let us implore governments to implement their budgets with a gender-responsive element in order to ensure the fair distribution of resources for all.  Governments also need to work closely with The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) so as to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.   This Women’s History Month, let us rally behind the call to “Invest in women; Accelerate progress.” 

In the words of Barack Obama, history shows that when women and girls have access to opportunity, societies are more just, economies are more likely to prosper, and governments are more likely to serve the needs of all their people.    

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By Dr. Kwame Akoto

Diabetes is a disease that disproportionately affects the African-American community. Black adults are nearly twice as likely as White adults to develop type 2 diabetes. And those affected are 2.5 times more likely to develop associated long-term complications than white people.

But it’s not all bad news! Being proactive about our health and making good decisions every day empowers us to feel better and live longer, healthier lives. This is especially true for those with a family history of diabetes. For Diabetes Alert Day, recognized on the fourth Tuesday in March each year, I want to remind our community that it’s never too late to know your personal risk factors and take control of your health.

Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

In the United States one in three adults has prediabetes, and eight out of every 10 are unaware they are living with the condition. Prediabetes is a condition marked by elevated blood sugar levels just below the diabetes threshold. Left untreated, about 70 percent of people with prediabetes will eventually develop full-blown diabetes.  

Type 2 diabetes happens when your body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels that can harm the heart, eyes, and kidneys. 

Risk factors for diabetes include:

• Being overweight
• Being 45 or older
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Leading a sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking

Take control of your health

Talk to your healthcare provider about diabetes. I remind my patients with a family history of diabetes that there are steps they can take to significantly reduce their chances of developing diabetes. 

Adults who are between 35 and 70 years old, or who are overweight or obese or have a family history of diabetes, should discuss getting screened for diabetes with their healthcare provider. A simple blood test will uncover your glucose levels and assess your risk, and regular checkups will ensure early identification of prediabetes, allowing for timely interventions.

Losing 5-7 percent of your total body weight, especially if you’re overweight, can reduce your diabetes risk by 58 percent. Exercising 20 minutes a day and eating a balanced diet, including fiber-rich foods, whole grains, lean protein sources and vegetables, as well as getting enough sleep, can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Smokers have a 30 to 40  percent higher chance of getting diabetes than non-smokers due to cigarette chemicals that raise inflammation levels and disrupt cellular function, which could affect how your body uses insulin. Work with your healthcare provider to determine the best strategy to help you quit smoking. Limiting alcohol, which tends to be high in sugar and calories, is also a good choice. 

If you’re already living with prediabetes, it’s crucial to understand that you can effectively manage, and in some instances, even reverse the condition through a well-structured healthy lifestyle program. In fact, participants in Kaiser Permanente’s Diabetes Prevention Program achieved an average weight loss of 12.6 pounds per person.

Patient’s success story

One of my patients, Lloyd Bailey of Baltimore, who has a family history of diabetes, credits Kaiser Permanente’s holistic approach to healthcare, encompassing screenings, wellness practices and mental health support, with helping him reverse his prediabetes and stay on top of his health. 

“Dr. Akoto’s coaching, direction and the support he provides has literally changed the trajectory of my life,” Bailey shared. “I am a better person, a healthier person, because of working with my doctor. He’s not just providing medicine. He’s providing care. And the care he continues to provide me is just unmatched.” Bailey adds, “Your health is your choice. I see my doctor three to four times per year, but I’m with myself all the time. I am responsible for the choices I make for myself. My health is my choice.”

With his doctor’s support, Bailey has avoided developing diabetes through healthy lifestyle choices like exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and meditating to reduce stress.

On Diabetes Alert Day, let’s empower ourselves by knowing our numbers, and take charge of our health. Your family history does not have to determine your future! By making healthy lifestyle choices, many people can outsmart diabetes and lead healthier, more vibrant lives. Together, let’s pledge to prevent this disease from taking a toll on our community, one healthy choice at a time. Talk to your doctor about the best plan for you to achieve your health goals.

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By Maxine J. Wood, Ed.D

“HomeWork: Lessons Learned in the Home for Success in School and Life,” released in May 2023, marked the publication of the second edition of a book fifteen years in the making. 

It reflects a composite view of my observations, recommendations and motivations for encouraging parents and parenting adults to give continued, consistent and welcomed attention to their roles as their children ‘s first teachers in the home. Depending on one’s age, ethnicity, experiences and other factors, a number of folks can readily acknowledge having grown up under conditions that reflected their parents, family and other adult’s values. Our advisors, mentors, role models influenced our behaviors, activities and learning, and so it is among today’s children, as they grow.

During almost five decades in public education, pre-K thru 12th grade as a classroom teacher, administrator and an advocate of lifelong learning, I have always given deference to the guidance that parents can have on their children’s learning.

Experiences as a mother and grandmother, and my continued role as mentor and advisor, gives further personal significance to encouraging the positive impact of parents on their children’s behavior in the home, school, community and beyond. 

The COVID-19 pandemic suggested a need to revisit the importance of parent influences on children’s learning, with attention being given to character education, behavior and values. Children and youth are appearing more prominently as victims and perpetrators of crime and violence. Currently, the response to the chronic question “Where are the parents?” The answer should be “Here! — present, willing and able.” 

“HomeWork” has been developed to revive, inspire and encourage renewed awareness of the significance of parent involvement. HomeWork consists of ten defined lessons focused on life-skills and values: Learning, responsibility, encouragement, persistence, honesty, creativity and talent, cleanliness and respect for self and others, self-motivation and heritage and legacy. 

Priority attention is given to “Lesson One: Learning” as a critical area for a good beginning, and to “Lesson Ten: Heritage and Legacy,” with emphasis on recognized family values, remembered and shared over time. This is a valuable opportunity. An enriching process of bringing parents and children together in learning situations can cultivate strong relationships between them.

In his foreword to “HomeWork, 2023 Edition,” researcher at Johns Hopkins University School of Education, Dr. Robert Balfanz states “More than 50 years ago, James Coleman showed that home contributions to students’ learning and achievement were as significant, if not in some circumstances, more significant than what students did at school. More than 100 years ago, John Dewey and others argued that the best teaching and learning environment was one which integrated home and school learning in Community Schools. For millennia societies in Africa and elsewhere have organized education as a communal responsibility, where it takes a village to raise a child. Yet in recent decades, the role of parents as their children’s first educator, beyond the pre-school years, has been downplayed.”

This deficiency and concerns about its effect— particularly on children and youth— is prompting researchers and educators to identify responses and solutions. It is warranted relative to potential suicides, disruptive behavior, bullying and situations in this population. Cultivating an enriched role for parenting adults as their children’s first teachers can contribute to ongoing nurturing relationships and learning. “HomeWork” is a practical resource for educators, teachers and other professionals who support parent’s success in this important role.

When reflecting on personal learning experiences many can recall how and when they were taught some basic, practical information. We know where these experiences occurred— they happened in the home. They were part of family expectations. We were taught how to do numerous things, from the ordinary to the unusual. We might remember being present when a parent or relative prepared a special meal, dish or desert “made in the home” and enjoyed for their qualities and flavors. 

Under the guidance of parents, grandparents and other parenting adults, distinctive characteristics learned at home followed us in our behaviors, attitudes, and actions, outside of home and reflected what we had been taught. In some instances, these teachings were as recognizable as the special dishes.

The Ghanaian proverb, “The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people,” gives authentic credit to the long-term impact of valuable experiences, activities and events cultivated in the home. A simple, honest analogy of the teaching that parents provide for children, whether compared to a special meal or the development of a child, can have a lasting significance. When people choose to reflect on and share elements of their lives and those that favorably influenced their accomplishments and successes or the ordinary things that they remember fondly or with pride, they think about home.

We are homemade! Whether embellished or critiqued, reflections on our homes and what we learned there – or failed to learn there – should give us pause to encourage others, particularly parents or parenting adults, to give sincere attention to their children as they grow in the home. The foundation they create can be a lifelong recipe for success that is homemade.

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By Imani Augustus and Madeline Burke

A federal appeals court in Miami is considering a challenge to a program by Fearless Fund intended to provide grant, mentorship, and training opportunities for Black women looking to grow their businesses. Other lawsuits have challenged entrepreneurial support implemented by the US Small Business Administration and Minority Business Development Agency. These legal attacks all share a common accusation: helping Black women and other underserved business owners is racially discriminatory or exclusionary.

We don’t disagree that other entrepreneurs need help. The way to help them, though, is not by cutting down support for minority-owned businesses. Instead, we need a nationwide effort that helps all those who are disadvantaged to start and scale businesses.

Entrepreneurship has always been a key part of the American Dream. Business ownership creates jobs for people in their community and provides the dignity of being able to work for oneself. Black entrepreneurs have 12 times more net worth than their peers who work for an employer. And new businesses and high-growth startups account for seven-in-ten new jobs annually.

And yet, starting a business in this country is exceptionally hard. According to new data from the Federal Reserve, small business revenue and employment growth are still below pre-COVID levels. A majority of small businesses are struggling with staffing, supply chain issues, and growing sales. And half have needed to use personal funds or cash reserves to handle recent financial challenges. No wonder 21 percent of businesses fail in their first year and only 50 percent are still in business after five years.

Barriers to starting and scaling businesses are even higher for women and people of color. It costs at least $250,000 more for a Black or Brown entrepreneur to start the same, exact business as their White peer. As the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity found, minority-owned businesses have less revenue, are more likely to be labeled a high credit risk, and are more likely to be shut out of financing. Because of these barriers, men own three times the number of small businesses than women. Only 2 percent of employer businesses are Black-owned and 6.5 percent are Hispanic-owned—far below their population in the United States.

But these entrepreneurs aren’t the only ones struggling. Four-in-ten rural business owners have trouble accessing capital, and over half struggle with access to digital technology. Access to venture capital is especially concentrated in four urban metropolitan areas—all on the coasts. Military spouses face unique burdens resulting from frequent moves and financial stress. People in low-income areas are more than twice as likely to live in a banking desert than their counterparts in higher-income neighborhoods.

Rather than attacking a venture capital fund or government program that’s trying to help disadvantaged entrepreneurs, we need to embrace them. And we also need to build on those efforts through a large-scale nationwide commitment to help all disadvantaged entrepreneurs. To be successful, there needs to be a combination of public and private sector support. That’s where efforts like Fearless Fund come in. The private sector needs to commit to looking beyond established businesses to ensure we’re helping those who are often forgotten. The promises of billions of dollars committed to racial equity after the murder of George Floyd must be upheld. And private philanthropy can’t forget about entrepreneurship among other causes.

A nationwide effort can’t rely on the private sector alone, however—that’s where the government must step up. That starts with capital. Washington can do far more to increase available capital for entrepreneurs, modernize the financial system to ensure capital flows freely in the future, and support regional growth and capital deployment. The federal government can also dramatically expand markets for US small businesses, from access to government contracts to international customers. And there’s a role for the government to play in lowering the barriers to entrepreneurship by making child care more plentiful and affordable, increasing technical assistance, streamlining antiquated licensing, and more.

If Black-owned businesses were proportionate to population, the United States would see more Black-owned businesses, 7 million more jobs, and $733 billion more in sales and revenue. If female-owned businesses had fewer barriers, we could see a real narrowing of the gender wealth gap. And if it was easier to grow a business in rural America, we could see a revitalization of communities throughout the country. To seize these opportunities, we must not strike down efforts to support disadvantaged entrepreneurs. We should support them—and do far more.

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By Ryan Coleman,
randallstownnaacp@gmail.com

Our county is in the midst of a worsening affordable housing crisis. Baltimore County renters are now paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent—the highest cost-burden level in at least 20 years. 

Over the last three years, single-family home prices have skyrocketed by 40 percent—reaching historic highs and pushing the dream of homeownership further out of reach for thousands of families in Baltimore County. With households increasingly unable to keep up with rising housing costs, the risk of evictions and foreclosures threatens to push more families into homelessness. 

The undersupply of fair and affordable housing is a primary driver of these increasing housing costs which are, in turn, playing a major role in driving up overall inflation. All of this disproportionately impacts communities of color, who have been at the mercy of predatory lending and other long-standing systems that reinforce and perpetuate racial inequities.

Everyone has their own definition of affordable housing, based on their own personal experience looking for a home, their politics, or terms that affordable housing developers actually use. Affordable housing is for all—from poor to rich. Do not be scared of different people and traditions. Do not let racism and bias stop you from supporting affordable housing. 

Many people seem to agree that Baltimore County needs more of it. Whether in national polls, Maryland polls, or in our Baltimore County poll, people say it’s too expensive to buy or rent a home, there aren’t enough choices, and they support policies that would create more homes— full stop.

The problem is that our housing system sees housing first as an investment, putting it ahead of the idea that a home is a place to live. Developers— who are the ones that build the housing—aren’t trying to house people. They are trying to make money. And when they need to make a profit, they either have to cut production costs or charge more for the finished product. Or both. We need our housing system to be better community partners to stamp out the housing crisis.

If private development won’t solve the housing crisis, who will? We have to look to the Baltimore County Council, our elective officials and social housing. The Baltimore County Council must push legislation that would address Baltimore County’s affordable housing crisis, chronic undersupply of housing, cap rental rates, stop evictions and bolster an equitable economy. The Baltimore County Council can take the following actions by passing legislation that :

1. Accelerates affordable housing construction

2. Connects the Masterplan, Zoning and Smart Growth goals to ensure quality and affordable housing

3. Encourages mixed use development throughout Baltimore County and not just in black areas

4. Creates a tax abatement to support affordable housing

5. Negotiates agreements with rental property owners to lower rent rates

6. Caps rental rate increases

7. Starts the “social housing” concept

The social housing is not a new concept. It has been practiced in various places throughout the world for over a century. And it is catching on in the U.S. as well. Seattle recently passed a social housing ballot initiative. California recently passed social housing legislation. Montgomery County, Maryland has a public developer for social housing. Other cities and states are trying to make social housing a reality.

Social housing is a public option for housing. It is permanently and deeply affordable, under community control, and most importantly, exists outside of the speculative real estate market.

Social housing can exist in different forms. It can be owned by public entities, residents or mission-driven nonprofits and occupied by renters or homeowners. It includes public housing, community land trusts, new construction, existing affordable housing, and conversion of current market-rate housing, and should meet the scale of the housing crisis.

The time is now to be bold, challenge paradigms, and shift the systemic racism in our housing systems. Existing solutions to the current crisis will not suffice. We must challenge the status quo and shift the power and focus of capital to provide safe, quality, and affordable housing.

We must demand change from our leaders. County Executive Johnny Olszewski and Gov. Moore’s housing bills began to address the housing issues in Baltimore County. We can’t just continue to oppose these bills, but work with them to craft an even better bill. We must ask all our elected officials what is your solution. We must hold them accountable for their actions or inactions surrounding the housing crisis in Baltimore County. This should guide your decision on whom to vote for at the next election.

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By Dr. Sheldon Fields

For the first time in over twenty years, the infant mortality rate has increased in the United States, rising to three percent in 2022, according to CDC data.  This troubling trend is not impacting everyone equally. Black infants face up to double the risk of dying in comparison to Hispanic and White babies. 

This data has sent shockwaves through the medical community and underscores the harsh realities for Black mothers and babies.  Fortunately, there are common sense solutions hiding in plain sight that could start saving more lives—a process that begins with infant nutrition.

Maternal health and infant mortality remain prominent topics on Capitol Hill and beyond.  Last spring, Congress reintroduced the Momnibus Act that includes critical investments aimed at addressing racial maternal health disparities.  New York Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled a comprehensive proposal to address this ‘crisis head-on.’   Another step in the right direction would be swift passage of Rep. Morgan McGarvey’s legislation increasing access to human milk, which is proven to save young lives.

Black infants have the highest mortality rate in the United States.  Many factors contribute to this chilling statistic, ranging from socioeconomics to access to quality health care.  But we can start to protect Black preemies by expanding Medicaid and commercial insurance reimbursements for human milk-derived human milk fortifiers.  It may sound like a complicated topic—but here’s why it is critically important to turn the tide on Black infant mortality.

Not only are Black babies more than twice as likely to die compared to White babies, they are nearly four times more likely to die from complications from very low birth weight (VLBW).  One of the most common causes for death among premature babies is called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a disease of the bowel that can be fatal. 

The risk of NEC can be significantly reduced when babies are fed exclusively human milk.  But many NICUs are not able to offer this nutrition to fragile preemies.   Instead, most NICUs offer supplements– called fortifiers– that are made of cow’s milk instead of human milk.  This can be problematic because cow’s milk is a foreign protein that can be difficult for a preemie to digest, resulting in infections like NEC. 

Despite medical research, this nutrition is not readily available because of insufficient Medicaid and commercial insurance reimbursements.  Rep. McGarvey’s bill would solve this problem by covering human milk-derived human milk fortifiers in all 50 states.

Clinical evidence shows that NICUs have stronger clinical outcomes when infants have access to an exclusive human milk diet. Fewer illnesses are reported, including NEC, and preemies have a better chance of staying healthy and growing strong enough to go home.

There is a growing body of evidence on the health benefits associated with breastmilk.  The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization have cited reduced respiratory, ear and gastrointestinal infections after six months of breastfeeding. Accordingly, Black premature infants who are most susceptible to life-threatening illnesses should have access to human milk, regardless of a mother’s ability to provide it, to promote live-saving nutrition.

Our members are on the frontlines every day and witness first-hand the benefits of proper nutrition for preemies and newborns.  On behalf of our members, we urge Congress to pass Rep. McGarvey’s bill and remove barriers for Black babies.

The Black maternal health and infant mortality crisis can be summed up simply: The deaths of our mothers and infants are largely preventable.  While the solutions to save more lives are complicated, Congress can improve infant nutrition and strengthen the safety net for our most vulnerable and precious babies. 

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By Kofie and Lachele Bryant

Cancer, an unyielding adversary in our lives, has marked its presence in every community. For far too long it has been a story of diagnoses coming too late, treatments too burdensome and cures too elusive.

The disparities in cancer outcomes are stark and unsettling. A report from the American Cancer Society brings this sobering reality to light: despite strides made in recent years, significant gaps remain—gaps that disproportionately impact people of color, those with lower socioeconomic status and rural residents. These communities face a harsher cancer reality, one where the social determinants of health—like access to education, income and quality healthcare—sharply dictate outcomes.

But recent medical and technological breakthroughs have the potential to help bridge these chasms and alter the course of cancer diagnosis and treatment for the better. Known as multi-cancer early detection (MCEDs) tests, these new tools have the ability to detect dozens of cancers from a single draw of blood – many of which currently have no screenings available.

MCEDs stand as a testament to our collective scientific progress and could be the reason we may be soon living in a world where many more cancers can be detected early, before symptoms appear. Currently, these tests await FDA approval, bolstered by extensive clinical trials, including those emphasizing representation from historically marginalized groups. And while science advances, so too must public policy.

The largest pool of people who could immediately benefit from MCED tests are senior citizens covered by Medicare. Yet, the program’s current rules do not allow timely coverage of preventative services like MCED tests even if they’ve been approved by the FDA. Changes are needed to the law to ensure that no time is lost and that Medicare can immediately establish a pathway to coverage for these tests.

Here’s where Maryland’s Senator Ben Cardin is leading the charge. He is one of the leaders of the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act and we thank him enormously for his efforts to bring together widespread support for this bill.

Senator Cardin’s bill is currently supported by large bipartisan majorities in both Houses of Congress as well as over 400 organizations from nearly every corner of the cancer advocacy community. As leaders in the faith community, we are adding our voices to this chorus and fight for a change that we know will save lives.

As Congress returns to session, lawmakers will be faced with a critical deadline to pass a bill funding the government through the rest of the fiscal year. While that effort will dominate the headlines, it is also an opportunity to pass this much-needed change to Medicare.

With so many people feeling the brunt of a cancer diagnosis as a patient or a caregiver, we often rely on our faith to help guide us through those trying times. In fact, research shows that “spirituality might be an important aspect for quality of life for cancer patients and that it may, in fact, be especially salient in the context of life threatening illness.”

In this moment, the confluence of faith, science and policy has the power to reshape our fight against cancer. Let’s seize this opportunity and ensure that the future of cancer care is driven by hope, equity and healing for all.

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By Chris Sweeney

In Maryland, an estimated 1.5 million residents have a criminal record– a quarter of our state’s population. For the majority of people who want to move on from their past run-ins with the law, even the most minor offense can be an impediment to stable work and housing. 

Advocates and lawmakers have sought to remove such barriers through increased access to expungement, or the removal of criminal records from public view. Surprisingly, despite a wave of progress on this front in the last several years, Maryland’s expungement laws still leave many people with zero options for removing even minor, nonviolent offenses. Our convoluted expungement laws can– and should– be simplified to allow for more expungement access.

Amidst a national conversation about criminal justice reform, Maryland enacted a major expansion of expungement laws with 2016’s Justice Reinvestment Act. The Act provided, for the first time, general eligibility for the expungement of convictions – mostly misdemeanors, plus a few nonviolent felonies. Eligibility required long waiting periods and the absence of additional convictions within those periods. Those waiting periods were lowered with 2023’s REDEEM Act. Notably, the legislation allowed expungement only for a hand-picked set of specific offenses. Many common offenses were included – e.g., theft, drug possession, trespassing – but plenty of low-level offenses were left out, sometimes with illogical results. For example, first, second and third degree burglary could be expunged if certain conditions were met, but fourth degree burglary – a misdemeanor – could never be expunged. This oversight has since been fixed, but it illustrates the pitfalls of providing a cherry-picked list of charges rather than blanket eligibility for minor offenses. 

While the REDEEM Act brought much-needed relief by lowering waiting periods to five to 10 years depending on the charge, the legislation left the limited list of eligible offenses intact, adding only one additional misdemeanor.

This is where it gets complicated. 

Any conviction that is not on the list– however minor– runs the risk of permanently blocking expungement of otherwise eligible charges. This is due to the “subsequent conviction rule” which states that a person must be free of ineligible convictions for a certain time before an eligible case can be expunged. And a number of very common, nonviolent, even victimless crimes are absent from the list. One major category of these is traffic violations. 

Certain crimes under the Transportation Article, mainly those that deal with driver’s license requirements, are treated just like any other crime for purposes of expungement. And a conviction for driving without a license can never be expunged. This means it can permanently block other charges from being expunged. To illustrate one possible illogical outcome: A person could be convicted of felony theft three times over three consecutive years, and if enough time passes without a new conviction, all three of those cases could be expunged. But another person could be convicted of trespassing, then convicted of driving without a license three years later. Under current Maryland law, neither of those cases could ever be expunged. Other examples of common minor offenses that are not eligible, if convicted, range from the innocuous riding a bike on the sidewalk to the vague “failure to obey a reasonable lawful order.”

The simple solution would be to have a “photo negative” of our current expungement laws. Rather than singling out specific convictions for eligibility, make all misdemeanors eligible and single out only those particularly egregious enough that they should not be eligible. A similar proposal, popular among advocates, would be to make eligible all offenses that are not entitled to a jury trial. This would operate as a catch-all for the numerous citations and local code violations that fall through the cracks under our current framework. Another option would be to expand automatic expungement, eliminating the need for additional litigation in order to have a record cleared.

In the United States, Black people are more likely than White people to be stopped by police. Black people are also more likely to be arrested and charged after a police stop. Of the myriad harmful effects this racial injustice inflicts on our society, an increase in convictions for low-level offenses is one issue that could be stemmed by expanded expungement access. Though this would not address the root causes of racism in our criminal legal system, expungement is an immediate solution to employment and housing barriers that affect so many people. 

Maryland has been trending in the right direction on this issue, with expungement being a hot topic each legislative session. It is time to reflect on the progress we’ve made, address the gaps in our system that still exist, and create a more just expungement process. 

Chris Sweeney is an attorney and workforce development manager at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. He can be reached at csweeney@mvlslaw.org.

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By Farrah Hassen

“How we gonna pay last year’s rent?” implores the chorus in the song, “Rent,” from Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical of the same name. 

It’s the same refrain for many Americans today. A new Harvard study found that half of U.S. renter households now spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities. And rent increases continue to outpace their income gains.

With other studies confirming that homelessness grows alongside housing costs, this means many more people are vulnerable. Last year, homelessness hit an all-time national high of 653,100 people.

In the wealthiest country on the planet, this is unacceptable.

The pandemic revealed the full extent of the U.S. housing crisis, with roughly 580,000 people in 2020 living unhoused during “stay at home” orders. But it also proved that federal intervention could ease the crisis. Eviction moratoria and unemployment relief helped keep more people housed, fed and secure.

But these initiatives ended too quickly. With homelessness spiking alongside hunger and child poverty, we need to bring those programs back — and more. We need to prioritize making housing affordable, accessible, and habitable for everyone.

Over the past decade, according to the Harvard study, the majority of growth in renter households has come from Millennials and Gen Zers who continue to be priced out of homeownership while also paying more for a declining supply of affordable units.

Meanwhile, construction in the high-end “luxury” rental market, which drives up rents for everyone else, remains in an upward trend. And private equity firms like Blackstone, the largest landlord in the U.S., have been expanding their real estate portfolios. These trends have fueled increased housing costs and evictions across communities.

The Harvard study revealed that our nation’s aging rental stock also needs crucial investment. Nearly half of renters with disabilities live in homes that are minimally or not at all accessible. Further, around 4 million renter households live in units with structural problems and lack basic services like electricity, water, or heat.

The lack of decent, affordable housing is a policy choice that can be overcome if our federal, state, and local governments prioritize taking much-needed action. Increasing the supply of affordable housing and expanding rental subsidies for lower income renters will help address this housing crisis. But they will not fully resolve it.

Ultimately, it is long past time for our country to change its approach to housing. We need to recognize housing as a human right fundamental to every person’s life, health, and security — instead of as a luxury commodity limited to those who can afford it.

International law already recognizes housing as a human right. Countries are legally obligated to respect, protect, and fulfill this right by enacting relevant policies and budgets to progressively realize adequate housing for all.

What might that look like? Possibilities include rent controls, housing assistance programs, reining in corporate landlords, and creating community land trusts and housing cooperatives to build permanently affordable rental units and homes.

These affordability measures must be combined with legal protections against forced evictions and housing discrimination, along with regulations to ensure that housing is physically habitable and connected to essential services.

The housing justice movement keeps growing, thanks to the sustained advocacy of community groups across the country.

In California, Connecticut and elsewhere, they are pushing for legislation that would recognize the right to housing at the state level. Colorado lawmakers are considering legislation that would offer tenants “just-cause” eviction protections. In Congress, the “Housing is a Human Right Act” introduced last year would provide over $300 billion for housing infrastructure and combating homelessness.

The song “Rent” concludes, “Cause everything is rent.” But it shouldn’t have to be.

This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

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By Dr. John E. Warren

This year, perhaps more than ever, we need to be especially mindful of Black history. 

This is a time of banning books from local libraries–especially those that tell of the history and struggle of Black Americans against slavery and racism; creating a threat to both our presence and our future. It has often been said that if you don’t know where you come from, you will have no idea of where you are going. Well, African Americans in particular must remember that we are here today because of strong ancestors who did not allow the circumstances under which they lived, to snuff out their dreams of a future for themselves and their descendants.

We must remind ourselves that we are not to be defined by others; that we are not disadvantaged, or handicapped; that we are born with a right to equality and that we have always demanded equity even though others have tried to deny it to us. We are “We The People.” We must not allow the changes that have been removed from our bodies to be placed on our minds. We have the ability to remove ourselves from poverty by using the tools in our hands. We must remember that we now possess everything that Dt. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of when in his 1957 speech he said “give us the ballot and we will place the right people in office to, in essence, further our cause. Today, so many of us have not because we will not use that which we do have. We have freedom of movement, of thought and how we use our minds. Yet, so many choose to squander these freedoms on how others tell us we should think and dress and what we should be with the few dollars that so many of us waste on things that are not necessary. We have freedom of worship, yet so many of us don’t bother to pray until we find ourselves in crisis.

In addition to Black history, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, left us a most valuable book, “The Miseducation of the Negro.” It’s time to honor his gift of Black history with our own personal contributions to the times in which we live and those we share this life experience with. Only when we engage in this level of thought and activity, while making Black history a daily experience, can we truly honor what we have been given beyond the month of February each year. 

Where do you stand and what are  you doing with what you have been given? Let’s move beyond complaints and expectations by others to what each of us can do right where we stand. Let’s get back to defending ourselves and not allowing others to do it for us.

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By Phylicia Porter

For too long, the scourge of poverty has plagued communities across Maryland, leaving behind a trail of despair, inequality and missed opportunities. Decades of systemic neglect, exacerbated by racially exclusionary policies such as redlining, urban renewal, and mass incarceration, have entrenched poverty in certain neighborhoods, perpetuating a cycle of deprivation that stifles progress and opportunity in Baltimore City and other jurisdictions. But now, with the introduction of the ENOUGH Act, there is hope on the horizon—a beacon of proactive, community-driven change aimed at breaking the chains of generational poverty once and for all.

At the heart of the ENOUGH Act lies a recognition of the diverse and complex nature of poverty. It acknowledges that poverty manifests differently in each neighborhood, shaped by a unique interplay of historical injustices, economic disparities, and social determinants. By empowering communities to take charge of their own destinies, the ENOUGH initiative heralds a new era of grassroots collaboration, where local organizations, non-profits, and anchor institutions come together to craft tailored solutions that address the root causes of poverty head-on.

Take, for example, Baltimore City, a community scarred by the legacy of redlining and disinvestment. For decades, residents have borne the brunt of economic hardship, grappling with high crime rates, substandard housing, and limited access to quality education and employment opportunities. But with the ENOUGH Act, Baltimore—and communities like it across the state—now have the chance to rewrite their narrative, to break free from the shackles of poverty and build a brighter, more equitable future for generations to come. As a local legislator, it is important that efficient and seamless governance corrects the injustices that communities I serve see every single day.

Central to the success of the ENOUGH initiative is its commitment to targeted, neighborhood-based interventions. By focusing resources on communities with the greatest need, we can maximize impact and ensure that no one is left behind. Through investments in affordable housing, job training programs, healthcare services, and community development projects, we can create the conditions for sustainable growth and prosperity, lifting entire neighborhoods out of poverty and fostering a more inclusive, vibrant society for all.

 But the ENOUGH Act is more than just a symbolic gesture—it is a bold statement of intent, backed by concrete action and tangible resources. With $15 million allocated in this year’s budget, the initiative signals a firm commitment from our administration to prioritize the fight against poverty and to support those who have been marginalized and neglected for far too long. But we cannot stop there. We must continue to advocate for additional funding and resources, to expand the reach of the ENOUGH initiative and ensure that all communities in Maryland have the support they need to thrive.

In the end, the ENOUGH Act is not just about ending poverty—it is about building a more just, equitable, and compassionate society. It is about recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of their socioeconomic status or zip code. It is about empowering communities to shape their own destinies and create a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. So let us come together, as one Maryland, and say “enough” to poverty once and for all. 

The time for action is now.

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By Kayenecha Daugherty

As the executive director of a Black-led nonprofit in Baltimore, I am compelled to address a critical issue facing our community: the lack of sufficient financial support for organizations like Creative Nomads and so many others. 

In a city where disparities are stark and resources often scarce, the vital work undertaken by Black-led nonprofits and other Black-led organizations is more essential than ever. Yet, despite our unwavering commitment and tireless efforts, we continue to face significant financial challenges that curb our ability to fully serve those who are most in need.

Consider this: According to recent data, Black-led nonprofits receive just a fraction of the funding allocated to their counterparts led by individuals of other racial backgrounds. Our organizations receive only 2 percent of $60 billion in foundation funding. This disparity is not only unjust but also perpetuates systemic inequities that have long tormented our communities. As a Black executive director, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact that increased financial support can have on our organization’s capacity to uplift, empower and advocate for those we serve. 

Community support, particularly from affluent Black community members, is essential in addressing this disparity and ensuring the sustainability of Black-led nonprofits. By donating generously and consistently, individuals can directly contribute to initiatives that address pressing social issues. The support helps create equitable access to art through non-profits like Creative Nomads, and helps address blight through organizations such as Fight Blight Baltimore. When those who are able decide to give consistently, they can actively boost civic engagement through organizations like Black Girls Vote, support out-of-school STEM engagement with programs like B-360 and create and sustain positive change in our neighborhoods. Moreover, monthly donations provide a steady source of income that enables nonprofits to plan and execute long-term projects effectively, without the constant fear of financial instability. 

It’s crucial to recognize that investing in our organizations is not just about morality, but strategy. Research has consistently shown that organizations led by those who reflect the communities they serve are more effective in understanding and addressing their needs and achieving lasting impact. By supporting Black-led nonprofits, you personally are investing in the strength, resilience, and future success of our community as a whole.

To those who have the means to contribute, I urge you to join us in this crucial effort. Your support is an investment in Creative Nomads and others. Your support is also a commitment to building a more equitable and just society for generations to come. We appreciate and thank those in our community who have and do support us with their time, talent and treasure. We hope you will join them. Together, we can create lasting change and ensure that all members of our community have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

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By Catherine Pugh,
Special to the AFRO

For three days I observed the glorious precision of the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Conference that occurred in Baltimore Feb. 15 – Feb. 17. People from across the globe filled downtown hotels, many not checking out until the last few waning hours of the weekend.  It was “Black excellence at its peak.”

BEYA (Becoming Everything You Are) left Baltimore 12 years ago.  This year denotes its 38^th year of existence, as it returned with the theme “People  Process, Technology.”  BEYA is a multicultural event and has been contracted to be in Baltimore through 2027, which will represent its 40^th year.  

Tyrone Taborn, president of Career Communications, is at the center of this effort.  He created BEYA and then went on to pursue and convince top engineering and technology companies and all branches of the Armed Forces that his brand of diversity hiring and inclusion at their organizations would be to their advantage. More importantly, his company has provided a singular platform to meet talented individuals for internships and employment with the BEYA STEM conference. 

Taborn declared he would improve opportunities for Black STEM professionals and salute members of the military, along with the pioneers of the leading Black STEM companies and organizations.

Taborn would be the first to admit that this conference planning and staging was hard work that could not have happened without the teams he assembled, including his wife Jean Hamilton and son Ty Taborn, who serve as officers in the company. A host of supporters and corporations also helped underwrite the cost of putting on such a first-class event. He thanked them all in the three publications distributed during the conference and featured them on the Career Communications website. They are also highlighted in STEM City USA, the metaverse his company created. Artificial Intelligence (AI) was showcased throughout the conference and a topic of many of the leaders who addressed conference attendees. 

Attendance at BEYA exceeded all expectations. Early estimates put the numbers at more than 12,000 people crowding hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. The economic impact on Baltimore City is yet to be determined.

Thousands of young people seeking to expand their careers in STEM fields flocked to the Baltimore Convention Center, where over 100 exhibitors staked out their locations for interviews.  

Young people arrived by the busloads, from colleges within driving distance, while others came by airplanes, trains and public buses.  

If for any reason you have lost hope for the future of our young people you need only to have attended BEYA.  You would have observed, as I did, youth as young as 16, dressed uniformly in suits– young men and women looking professional and projecting the image of tomorrow’s leaders; your faith in them and our country would have been restored. 

Among the many stories shared was a conversation I had with Peter Brooks, vice president of General Dynamics Talent Acquisition, IT. He told me he hired a young man he’d interviewed at BEYA.  During the interview, the young man revealed he had taken a two-day bus ride to Baltimore to attend the BEYA conference. “I hired him,” he said, “because I knew anyone who would travel for two days on a Greyhound bus for an opportunity, would be a great employee.” 

Brooks’ colleague Kori Montague, a graduate of Morgan State University School of Engineering, is now senior program manager of strategic programs for his organization. She spent a great deal of her time at the conference recruiting and building new relationships. While at the conference, she told Dr. Von Nebbitt, who is heading a new research institute at Morgan State University in the School of Social Work, that she looks “forward to building a relationship…to help Morgan in its research area.” 

The opening reception for the conference was left with standing room only, offering a prelude to the packed events that would follow each night. 

The Stars and Stripes Dinner, in its 19^th year, saluted a number of leaders in the armed forces. Gov. West Moore addressed his fellow members of the military with gratitude and U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07) was also in attendance.  The renowned Morgan State University Choir performed as Morgan president, David Wilson,Ed.D. looked on with pride.

The formal culminating event, the Engineer of the Year Awards celebrated visionary achievements in engineering excellence for a number of industry STEM leaders. The top award, Engineer of the Year, was given to Ken Washington, a pioneer and innovator in STEM. Washington serves as vice president and chief of technology and innovation officer of  Medtronic. 

The event ended with a vocal salute from Washington’s wife, Angela Tribling. The couple met when she was emcee of the event years ago at BEYA. In his acceptance speech, Washington committed to “merging science and technology with the medical field.”

If you missed it this year, mark your calendars as a reminder– you won’t want to miss the BEYA STEM conference in 2025- same place- Feb. 13-15.

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By S.A. Miller,
Special to the AFRO

The term ”unapologetically Black” has been used by a lot of people for a lot of years.  The meaning is often based on the context in which it is being used.  For some, it connotes boldness and a “take no prisoners” attitude.  For others, the term suggests that, as a Black American, there is no requirement to answer to anyone for how you act, think or feel.

For the purpose of this essay I will define “unapologetically Black” as having the mindset that respects, appreciates and cultivates the culture that is unique to African descendants born and reared in the United States over the last 400 years.

African culture arrived on the eastern shores of North America in the 1600s with Africans captured and sold as slaves.  In the land that would become the United States of America, the enslaved women and men brought with them a culture based in respect, pride, honor, faith, love, tradition, strength and perseverance.  Slave owners forced the slaves to assimilate into European culture which meant that many aspects of African culture could not be openly practiced in the presence of the slave master.  Nonetheless, African slaves never abandoned their culture, and remained prideful and faithful even in the face of inhumane brutality.

By the time slavery was outlawed in the U.S., the enslaved Africans and their offspring had lived in this land for over 240 years, and anyone born during that time could be characterized as “African American.”  When African Americans left the plantations and began developing their own communities in towns and cities across America, African culture was still a guiding force.  What emerged was the “Black experience in America” a sense of shared experience fortified by the culture of the elders.

Over the last 160 years, Blacks have persevered in a land that never respected the “Black experience in America.”  The European power structure, to this day, does not regard Blacks as equals.  Little recognition is given by the majority culture to the accomplishments and contributions Blacks have made to the growth and development of the United States of America.  Thus, it has become incumbent upon Blacks to constantly and continually recognize, publicize and celebrate their accomplishments in the wake of unprecedented efforts by the majority culture to return to a time when Blacks were relegated to second-class citizenship.  Simply put, Blacks have fought too hard and too long to regress, and will never relinquish the gains made over the last 160 years.

So what does it mean to be “unapologetically Black?” 

It means appreciating and elevating the culture that has been infused into the souls of Black Americans by the ancestors.  It means being absolutely proud of the accomplishments that Blacks have achieved in the face of blatant bias, bigotry and racism.  It means being grateful to all who work every day to make sure Blacks are not only seen, but listened to, as well.  If a remix of James Brown’s anthem was done today, the title would be changed to, “Say it loud– I’m unapologetically Black– and I’m proud.”

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By Ben Jealous

With the start of Black History Month, I brace myself for the mis-telling of Black History yet again.

In schoolhouses and everywhere the stories are told, a persistent myth shows its ugly head: the ridiculous notion that great Black leaders are not just exceptional but exceptions.

It is an idea rooted in the ahistorical and unnatural misperception that the most notable Black Americans were superhumans that sprung forth from collective misery. It discounts the many, many Black leaders who were – and are – the children and grandchildren of courageous leaders in their own right.

Paul Robeson was a phenomenal actor, orator, singer, athlete and activist. The family that produced him might be even more impressive. His father escaped enslavement to earn two college degrees and become a prominent minister. His mother was part of the Bustill family, who were famous abolitionists and included Grace Bustill Douglass, the crusading abolitionist and feminist.

Kamala Harris’s path to the vice presidency began as a transformative district attorney. She refused to pursue the death penalty, and shifted her department’s punitive focus away from sex workers and squarely into sex buyers and traffickers. She both provided a model for the movement to elect more Black and progressive district attorneys and spawned the national training institute for female candidates known as Emerge America. Vice President Harris would readily admit there is no explaining her uncommon courage without accounting for her civil rights activist parents and her education at the very university that produced Thurgood Marshall.

Martin Luther King is perhaps Black America’s best-known leader. His grandfather was himself a crusading Black Baptist preacher and the first president of the Atlanta branch of the NAACP.

Whitney Houston became an iconic star of television, radio and the silver screen. Her first cousin was Dionne Warwick. Through Warwick, Houston had close, life-shaping relationships with other celebrated female singers and actors like her “honorary aunt” Aretha Franklin, godmother Darlene Love and close friend Cicely Tyson. 

Malcolm X is America’s most famous Black nationalist. Before him, his father Earl Little was a Black nationalist Baptist preacher who organized for Marcus Garvey. Harassment by the Ku Klux Klan forced the Littles to relocate from Omaha, Neb. to Lansing, Mich., where Earl was murdered by a Klan-like White supremacist group.

Stacey Abrams rose to become the first woman leader of a party in Georgia’s legislature and the most impactful voting rights activist of the 21^st century. Her parents were courageous civil rights activists and her father was among the youngest leaders of the Hattiesburg boycott in Mississippi.

Middle Tennessee claims a famous political father-son pair in former Congressman and Senator Albert Gore, Sr. and former Senator and Vice President Al Gore. But western Tennessee saw its own confrontational and crusading former Congressman Harold Ford, Sr. followed by the diplomatic, incisive and consensus-building former Congressman Harold Ford Jr.

From the time he started preaching at the age of four, Rev. Al Sharpton’s early years were shaped by the mentorship of Black leaders like Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., James Brown and the incomparable Jesse Jackson. But it was his mother Ada Sharpton’s work that inspired her son’s founding of the National Action Network. Mrs. Sharpton rose from poverty to power as a prominent civil rights activist in New York City’s outer boroughs and became president of Mothers in Action.

Fifteen years ago, I was named the youngest national president in the history of the NAACP. My grandmother Mamie Bland Todd trained future U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) as a social worker early in her career. In researching my latest book, I followed my own ancestry back to my grandmother’s grandfather. In the late 1800s, Edward David Bland led Black Republicans into coalition with former White Confederate soldiers to form a third party that took over the Virginia state government. Known as the Readjusters, the bipartisan political movement won all statewide elected offices and controlled the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1881-85.

In that time, they abolished the poll tax and the whipping post; radically expanded Virginia Tech and created Virginia State University; and readjusted the terms of the Civil War debt to save the free public schools and take the state from a financial deficit into a surplus.

Parentage and family connection are not and never should be a prerequisite for leadership in our country. But we can still recognize that one of the greatest traditions in Black leadership is Black leaders who raise Black leaders.

Some of those leaders inspire with their art; others with their activism; many with both. The historical arc they help form – which sometimes wavers but ultimately bends towards justice – would not be possible without that tradition.

If it occurs to you that you do not know enough about how your ancestors might have led, get curious and do some research. You might just find an interesting and inspiring piece of family history. 

This commentary was distributed by National News Releases.

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By Leeland A. M. Jones, MD

The prostate gland is making big headlines. This month O.J. Simpson received a prostate cancer diagnosis, while Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s struggle with the disease led to a second hospitalization. King Charles III, in England, recently disclosed information about his enlarged prostate. And with the Jan. 22 death of Martin Luther King Jr.’s son, Dexter King, this small sexual organ has made big news recently. 

As men, we don’t like to talk about this organ, but it is a primary cause of cancer in men– and especially in Black men in America. Much suffering and death can be avoided if this topic is dealt with properly.

These are such passionate and intense topics for me, I could scream. Being a doctor for 50 years, believe me, I’ve seen a lot of stuff. I can tell you, keeping secret certain topics that should be taught in high school only adds to the mystery– and mortality.

The importance of Vitamin D 

First, let’s answer the question: “How is Vitamin D related to all these topics and how are they all connected to skin color?”

We need to understand that healthy vitamin D levels require sunshine– something hard to get enough of in the standard American diet (SAD Diet). Vitamin D has many essential functions: it promotes healthy bones, teeth and muscles– it even acts as a hormone. When most people think of vitamin D deficiency, they think of thinning bones. But now we know there is much more to this essential nutrient.

Darker skin means more melanin, which has many health benefits, but also requires more sunshine. The skin of people of color was created for a sunnier climate than what is typically seen in parts of North America. The fact that we spend most of our time indoors, using sunscreens and experiencing long winters only adds to the deficiency. Worse yet, not telling a person how to avoid cancers–when you know– I believe is a form of racism. It reminds me of the Tuskegee Experiments, Henrietta Lacks and the usage of her HeLa cells, and the high mortality of pregnant Black mothers and their newborns.

Vitamin D, cancer and COVID-19

The prostate gland is a small gland the size of walnut that sits just below the bladder and connects the flow of urine from the bladder to the penis. Its normal function is to take sperm from the testis and add it to the ejaculate of sperm during orgasm. It can be infected, enlarged and become a source of cancer, which isn’t uncommon in older men. Men– we need to know how this works, what leads to good health, what causes disease and how to keep ourselves and our sons healthy.

Vitamin D deficiency in Black Americans is as high as 76 percent. Low levels of vitamin D in the blood can be the cause of disease or a factor in a host of serious medical and psychological conditions that could be easily prevented. One of these conditions is cancer of the prostate gland and even aggressive prostate cancer.                         

Vitamin D deficiency is related to frequent illness, slow wound healing, fatigue and bone thinning, dementia and even youth onset dementia and cancers of the stomach, colon, rectum and lung. Also related to a lack of vitamin D: Depression, the “Winter Blues,” poor sleep and poor energy.

For more information, I recommend checking out information from Dr. John Campbell on Youtube. He discusses at length the ties between vitamin D and prostate cancer, as well as vitamin D and COVID-19. 

It is well known that low levels or deficiency of vitamin D lowers our ability to fight infections of all kinds. This is one reason you see many Black folks getting sicker and dying quicker with COVID-19. You should see the massive doses that are given to those suffering serious infection.                             

I also suggest checking out “The Colors of COVID”  with Tyler Perry, Angela Bassett on YouTube.

Please! Know your vitamin D blood level!   

Knowing how much vitamin D you have in your blood level is crucial! Ask your doctor or health care provider for a vitamin D blood test and if low, work with your provider to optimize your levels. 

Know how much vitamin D you really need

Sufficient blood levels of 25(OH)D, the measure of vitamin D status, are 20-30 ng/ml. Roughly 41 percent of the American population is below 30 ng/ml. These are not goals, but the lowest levels to AVOID. Ideal levels may be 40-60 ng/ml, especially during tough times.

What is considered normal levels have changed and are now higher. We need more than we thought. What was believed to be normal 20-30 years ago are not high enough to ward off all these illnesses and cancers. We will need 2,000-3,000 IU/day of vitamin D to achieve these minimum levels. But even higher amounts during the long winters, and higher risk factors: race, health and many other factors.  Check with your doctor.

How can we get enough Vitamin D? 

Now for some really good news: vitamin D is very very cheap! Foods high in vitamin D include egg yolks, fish, cheese and beef liver. These foods probably won’t be enough to maintain high enough blood levels– especially in the winter–maybe not even in the Spring and Fall either. 

Supplementation is cheap and science based. 

Vitamin D3 is cheap online. A bottle of 5,000 IU can be bought for $10 on Amazon. That’s enough for a family of three—for a year— if taken most days in the winter months. 

Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice. But you are advised to consult your personal physician regarding specific health questions. The viewpoints expressed in this commentary are those of the author, not the AFRO American Newspapers.

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By Dr. John E. Warren

This year, perhaps more than ever, we need to be especially mindful of Black history.

This is a time of banning books from local libraries–especially those that tell of the history and struggle of Black Americans against slavery and racism; creating a threat to both our presence and our future. It has often been said that if you don’t know where you come from, you will have no idea of where you are going. Well, African Americans in particular must remember that we are here today because of strong ancestors who did not allow the circumstances under which they lived, to snuff out their dreams of a future for themselves and their descendants.

We must remind ourselves that we are not to be defined by others; that we are not disadvantaged, or handicapped; that we are born with a right to equality and that we have always demanded equity even though others have tried to deny it to us. We are “We The People.” We must not allow the changes that have been removed from our bodies to be placed on our minds. We have the ability to remove ourselves from poverty by using the tools in our hands. We must remember that we now possess everything that Dt. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of when in his 1957 speech he said “give us the ballot and we will place the right people in office to, in essence, further our cause. Today, so many of us have not because we will not use that which we do have. We have freedom of movement, of thought and how we use our minds. Yet, so many choose to squander these freedoms on how others tell us we should think and dress and what we should be with the few dollars that so many of us waste on things that are not necessary. We have freedom of worship, yet so many of us don’t bother to pray until we find ourselves in crisis.

In addition to Black history, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, left us a most valuable book, “The Miseducation of the Negro.” It’s time to honor his gift of Black history with our own personal contributions to the times in which we live and those we share this life experience with. Only when we engage in this level of thought and activity, while making Black history a daily experience, can we truly honor what we have been given beyond the month of February each year.

Where do you stand and what are you doing with what you have been given? Let’s move beyond complaints and expectations by others to what each of us can do right where we stand. Let’s get back to defending ourselves and not allowing others to do it for us.

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By Svante Myrick

A little over a year ago, the College Board unveiled its long-awaited draft AP African American Studies curriculum. What happened next was sad — and all too predictable.

Florida officials, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), howled. They claimed the course “lacks educational value” and violated state laws against teaching about race and racism. The College Board initially caved to Florida’s demands and said the course would be heavily redacted, then said it wouldn’t. 

At the end of 2023, it released the final version of the course, and it’s…better. But it’s still missing some important concepts. The new course omits any discussion of “structural racism” and makes studying the Black Lives Matter movement — modern Black history by any measure — optional.

That pretty much sums up the state of the fight against censorship and book-banning in this Black History Month: better, but still problematic.

On the plus side, the last few months have brought some very good news.

School board candidates endorsed by the pro-censorship group Moms for Liberty went down to resounding defeats last fall. After Illinois became the first state to prohibit book bans, several states — including Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Washington and Virginia — introduced their own anti-ban bills.

In December, two Black lawmakers, Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), introduced bills in Congress aimed at fighting book bans. And a federal judge ruled that parts of an Iowa book ban were unenforceable.

But the censorship movement isn’t going away.

Moms for Liberty plans to start its own charter school in South Carolina. In other words, if you won’t let them ban books in your school, they’ll just start their own school, with your taxpayer money.

Meanwhile, librarians nationwide are being targeted by threats and harassment. And the propaganda outfit PragerU continues to pump out the offensive, woefully inaccurate junk it calls “edutainment” for public schools that will buy it.

There’s still work to do.

Fortunately, the public is overwhelmingly on the right side of this issue. Poll after poll shows that Americans don’t support censorship and book bans in schools. Those of us who want children to have the freedom to learn are the majority.

We understand that kids are better prepared for life — and our country is better prepared to compete globally — when education is historically accurate and reflective of the diversity of our culture. We understand that book banning is un-American and censorship is a tool of dictators.

This majority needs to mobilize and be heard at the ballot box. The defeat of pro-censorship school board candidates in 2023 was a great start. Now we have to take that momentum into the local, state, and national elections this fall.

In the meantime, we also know that public pressure works. A public outcry got the College Board to change its plans for the African American Studies course. And when publisher Scholastic said it would segregate books about the Black and LGBTQ communities at its school book fairs, the public was outraged — and Scholastic reversed course.

Together, we have the power to stop the censors who want to Whitewash our history and deprive kids of facts and stories that help them to understand our world. That applies to the Black experience in America, but also the experiences of LGBTQ people, Indigenous peoples, people of diverse faiths, immigrants, people with disabilities and more.

Civil rights activists have pushed for decades for book publishers and educators to acknowledge and teach our full history, and to awaken our consciousness as a nation. We refuse to go backwards.

Black History Month is a great time for us to commit to using the power that we have to protect the freedom to learn. Our kids, and our country, will be better for it.

This commentary was originally published by OtherWords.org.

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By Ben Jealous

Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”

Those of us with history in the civil rights movement know that taking on entrenched power and changing the status quo requires dogged tenacity and seizing key moments to break down barriers.

The United Nations COP28 summit going on right now in Dubai could be one of those key moments for tackling the climate crisis. To ensure we truly create a better world for us all, we must include the participation of every country. 

The biggest obstacle we face is the entrenched power and stubborn influence of the fossil fuel industry – the very cause of the greenhouse gas emissions which are driving global warming. The industry has had a stranglehold on international climate talks and, this year, is showing up to the conference in greater force than perhaps ever before.

Hundreds of oil and gas industry lobbyists usually descend on the COP conferences. This year, by some unofficial estimates from reporters and watchdog groups, it looks like the number of lobbyists and industry representatives could be more than double what it was at last year’s COP27 in Egypt.

The purpose of the UN climate summit is to assess and improve global efforts to curb global warming. The only way to do that is by drastically reducing emissions – far more than we’re already doing – and that means completely phasing out all fossil fuels.

Two reports released late last month, one by the UN and one by the Rhodium Group consulting firm, reached the same conclusion: the most likely projected temperature increase by the end of this century will be about 3 degrees Celsius based on current trends. Scientists say that any increase over 2 degrees would be catastrophic. And the current trajectory puts us well above the 1.5-degree Celsius target established by the landmark Paris Agreement from COP21 in 2015.

Added to the backdrop of these international negotiations is that this is the hottest year on record, with resulting floods, fires, superstorms, and other extreme weather events impacting humanity in increasingly undeniable ways.

With the urgency so crystal clear, there’s no way that the industry driving the climate crisis should be empowered to the degree it is to protect its own profits at the expense of our planet. By allowing oil and gas companies to have so much power and influence in climate talks, we’re pulling our punches against the greatest existential threat faced by humanity, all to spare those companies a threat to their bottom line.

Of course, plenty of controversy has swirled around the leadup to this year’s COP summit. There’s been no shortage of newspaper ink, and website pixels, dedicated to commentary about the host country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), being a nation built on oil. UAE is part of OPEC – which has played a significant role in obstructing progress in past climate negotiations – and has an oil and gas company which is one of the largest in the world, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC. And the CEO of ADNOC, Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, is serving as president of this year’s summit.

Having an oil baron at the helm of the world’s most important event focused on curtailing greenhouse gas emissions is an irony that’s been hard to swallow for many. At the organization I lead, Sierra Club, we decided to send a delegation to COP28 anyway, in the spirit of hope and determination, as this is a cause too great and too important to be deterred from our efforts – no matter how many foxes are let into the henhouse.

A larger concern of mine has been the voting rules. UN climate talks require all parties involved (in this case, 197 countries plus the European Union) to be unanimous on the adoption of any agreement. On its face, the requirement for consensus agreement is a way to add greater legitimacy to the conference’s outcomes and ensure that Global South countries, and those most drastically impacted by the climate crisis, have an equal say. However, it also means that a single oil- and gas-rich country, or a small group of them, has veto power over any agreement. It’s a structural weakness of these summits that has been exploited for decades by oil- and gas-rich nations (including the United States) to impede progress.

Just think about how much power that gives an industry that spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lobbying? Even if every government on the planet was in basic agreement on some new framework or commitment, fossil fuel companies would only need to convince – or co-opt – the leaders of a single nation to have a game-ending proxy vote.  

It’s no surprise that the fossil fuel industry is focused on securing its own future and increasing its wealth. However, that focus is completely at odds with the entire purpose of climate talks like COP28, which is supposed to be the health and wellbeing of humanity, and protecting our fragile planet. To have oil and gas interests influencing global climate talks undermines the whole endeavor.

For now, we maintain hope that the gravity of the crisis drives the 197 participating countries to agree on robust, meaningful action. If that doesn’t happen, we need to turn our focus to overhauling the rules for future climate talks so fossil fuel companies, or the countries they influence, can’t continue to sabotage the global effort.

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By Dr. Richard F. Gillum

Thanksgiving and Christmas 2022 brought appeals led by UNICEF-USA for victims of famine and drought related to climate change in the Horn of Africa. This crisis and the attending appeals were barely noticed by western media or the American public, which were focused on politics, Ukraine, celebrities and holiday shopping. I convinced my small church in a Maryland suburb to take a special collection to aid the victims. The crisis resulted from years of drought which forced many tens of thousands to abandon their withered fields and dead livestock to walk dusty roads to displaced persons camps in places like Baidoa, Somalia. Many, especially infants and the elderly died along the way. Because of the inadequate donor nation response, children continued to die in the camps of malnutrition and disease or outright starvation.

During the spring of 2023, the need for aid continued but rainfall in the area brought to many of us hope that local agriculture could restart and the nations begin recovery. But the effects of climate change due to burning of fossil fuels in industrial nations, foremost the US,  China, and states of the European Union, it should come as no surprise that these hopes were dashed. Spring rains turned into  summer downpours continuing through fall and into winter. The latest report from the BBC indicates that a million people in Somalia alone have been displaced due to record flooding. The cyclic pattern of El Nino combined with climate change to continue the extreme weather in the Horn of Africa, with a resulting growing death toll. The nations in that region (Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, Eritrea) contributed negligible amounts of greenhouse gasses during this century and the last to drive climate change. Yet they, like coastal regions and islands in the poor nations around the world, suffer devastating losses to life and property. How unfair, how unjust, we may think.

Even as I write, nations of the world have gathered in Dubai for the two-week COP28 climate negotiations. Leaders of the world like António Guterres, secretary general of the UN, Pope Francis, and the National Council of Churches, lead by Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, are calling for drastic action to cut fossil fuel use, while leaders of poor countries appeal for more aid to mitigate current effects of climate change such as flooding in the Horn of Africa, Pakistan and other areas. The hosting of the conference by a major oil producing country has cast a cloud over the proceedings. President Biden will not attend in person. Pope Francis has canceled his plans to attend due to illness. A number of U.S. denominations and other advocates of climate justice will be present but what are they among all the hordes of petrochemical industry lobbyists? 

Climate scientists tell us that the climate situation is not hopeless, nor is it an all or none phenomenon. It is too late to prevent all the bad effects of climate change, but there is still time to prevent the effects of coastal flooding, extreme hurricanes and other storms, drought and wildfires even worse than what we have seen so far. U.S. greenhouse gas emissions peaked around 2006 and have been declining slightly due to efforts made so far. Emissions in China are still rising, but China is adding record amounts of solar and wind capacity and is expected to reach peak emissions soon. So we advocates of climate justice need to follow the advice of the old spiritual: “children don’t get weary ‘til your work is done.” 

We must inform ourselves and others using courses and materials such as those of the NAACP . We must advocate for clean energy policies at local, state and national levels of government. In our churches, HBCU’s and other institutions we must transition from fossil fuels to roof-top solar panels or choose solar and wind companies to be our electric power supplies though our local utilities. We must take advantage of government incentives to stop burning oil or gas for HVAC and hot water and switch to electric heat pumps. We must insulate, weatherstrip and choose efficient Energy Star appliances. We must urge our brothers and sisters to do the same in their households, as well as drive and fly less, eat less red meat and replace gas vehicles with hybrid electric or electric ones. Groups like Interfaith Power and Light and the NAACP can provide us with ethical and practical resources to ease the transition. And we must remember the victims of climate change by supporting UNICEF and other NGOs. It will be a long journey, but walking together we can reach our goal of climate justice for all.

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By Roger House,
Word in Black

The campaign of Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks for the U.S. Senate may be the most consequential election facing Black Democrats in 2024. That’s because her candidacy can serve as a springboard to a more inclusive Senate chamber and to the consolidation of Black political power in a Southern state.

Alsobrooks is the county executive of Prince George’s County, a suburban powerbase for affluent Black families in Maryland. She is a former state’s attorney for “PG County” as well. A lifelong resident of Maryland, she announced her candidacy to fill the seat of Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who will retire in 2024. If elected, she promises to focus on legislation aimed at bolstering the economy and reducing crime, among other priorities.

There are six candidates in the state’s Democratic primary, including Rep. David Trone (D-Md.), a three-term member of the House of Representatives. Also trending is Will Jawando, a progressive member of the Montgomery County Council. Alsobrooks and Trone are considered the leading candidates, but Trone holds a financial advantage as the founder of alcohol retailer Total Wine & More. He has put nearly $10 million of his own money into the campaign.

Alsobrooks has raised about $1.7 million in recent months. It is an overall strong fundraising performance, but her campaign is at a stark financial disadvantage. This should raise alarm bells with supporters on a number of levels.

The Senate Glass Ceiling

Black women have decried their lack of representation in the Senate since the departure of Kamala Harris, who made history as the first Afro-Asian woman elected from California but opted to leave for the historically symbolic — but relatively unimportant — vice presidency. Since then, advocates like Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) have called on party leaders to help a Black woman get elected to the Senate. That’s because across history, only two Black women have made it to the chamber: Harris (2017-2021) and Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois (1993-1999).

Advocates urged action after the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). California Gov. Gavin Newsom attempted to quell the stir with the one-year appointment of Laphonza Butler, a former president of the political action group Emily’s List. The appointment did little to placate the hopes of Black women for a full-term senator.

Some have looked to the Senate campaign of Rep. Lee, who announced her candidacy after Feinstein’s death. Lee has been a dedicated representative of the Oakland community since 1998. However, the voting power of Black people in California has been in decline for years with the loss of population. To date, Lee polls far behind the better-funded campaigns of Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who earned a national profile as the leader of the Donald Trump impeachment hearings.

Then there is the senate campaign of Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, the sole House member of the small blue state of Delaware. She is the handpicked replacement of the retiring Sen. Thomas R. Carper. Rochester may very well cruise into the Senate as an overall favorite of Black voters and White liberal Democrats. While she may benefit, however, one can question whether the role of the statewide Black community will be enhanced as well.

Delaware, like Maryland, can fly under the radar as a state with a sizable Black population of about 23 percent. Yet, the community lacks the organization and talent pool of professionals that fuel the larger Maryland. Her campaign could further the cause of a more inclusive Senate chamber but little more. 

It means that the national Black leadership must be conscious of putting its limited resources into a campaign with both good odds and the chance to forge a strong statewide organization. That’s where the Senate candidacy of Angela Alsobrooks is worth a look.

The New Capital of Black America

The politics of Maryland is a game-changer in the American political experience. Black people comprise about 30 percent of the 6 million population and more than half of the Democratic base. They are organized in a suburban-urban coalition that can exercise influence in the state, unlike in other Southern states.

The drivers of the coalition are the affluent suburban counties that border Washington, foremost Prince George’s County with a population of 900,000, of which about 60 percent is Black. The engine of the coalition is the rough-and-tumble city of Baltimore, which can bring to bear about 600,000 voters for candidates seeking statewide office.

As such, Maryland stands out as a symbol of the rise of a Black-led democracy with a fair chance of sustainability. Voters made history in 2022 with the elections of Wes Moore as governor and Anthony Brown as attorney general. Their confidence in a strong Black voter base provides leeway for shaping an agenda of equity in state policy. 

Maryland has the favorable condition of a large pool of educated, middle-class Blacks drawn to the Washington job market. Gov. Moore, an example of this class, has the background to mobilize a large Black voting bloc and build alliances across race and ethnic lines.

As such, the Free State offers an opportunity for Black professionals to forge a statewide power base — and, by extension, to gain experience in how the state can be an instrument for negotiations with other states and the federal government, and how it can provide a pathway for relations with African countries under initiatives such as President Biden’s summit on trade.

The Angela Alsobrooks campaign will build on the Moore and Brown elections; her victory would be a “triple crown” for the Black community. And it may encourage young people to consider work in the unglamorous but critical field of state governance.

Under Moore, for example, Maryland is one of the few states to prioritize the inclusion of historically under-represented Black labor in civil construction. It is promoting the equity provisions in President Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel project to rebuild the 150-year-old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel.

The project is expected to generate 30,000 skilled jobs, most of which do not require a college degree. The state has identified nine associated projects, which encompass $9 billion in investment and 11,000 jobs, for “pre-hire collective bargaining agreements (PLAs) between labor unions and employers.” In addition, Baltimore pledged to require PLAs on six projects, valued at $30 million, that will create more than 100 skilled jobs.  

A Model for Moderate Southern States

Maryland can serve as a model for the emerging Black political class in other moderate southern states with strong economies — Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. As I have suggested, Democratic and community strategists should consider a “Four State Project” to accelerate racial democracy in the South. It would entail the recruitment of middle-class voters from the politically repugnant states of Texas, Florida and the Mississippi Delta region.

Just like recruiters are doing in border states and “sanctuary cities” for immigrants both legal and undocumented, Black political recruitment should include assistance with relocation expenses and information on jobs and housing.

Roger House is associate professor of American Studies at Emerson College and the author of “Blue Smoke: The Recorded Journey of Big Bill Broonzy” and “South End Shout: Boston’s Forgotten Music Scene in the Jazz Age.” His forthcoming book is “Five Hundred Years of Black Self Governance” by Louisiana State University Press. A version of the commentary appeared in The Messenger.

This article was originally published by WordinBlack.

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By Wayne Campbell

“Violence against women is a horrific violation of human rights, a public health crisis, and a major obstacle to sustainable development. Let’s build a world that refuses to tolerate violence against women anywhere, and in any form, once and for all.”

– António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations 

The United Nations (UN) reports that the global cost of violence against women is estimated to be at least $1.5 trillion–or approximately 2 percent–of global gross domestic product (GDP). Still, its impact is often invisible or ignored, when instead it should be featured and funded at the highest levels of the political agenda. There can be no excuses for violence against women and girls.

The UN indicates that although women and girls account for a far smaller share of total homicides than men, they bear by far the greatest burden of intimate partner or family‐related homicide. Undoubtedly, help is needed in all spheres of society to counter this scourge against our women. Unfortunately, in almost all societies violence against women has been normalized.  Oftentimes we go about our daily lives without even paying attention to the levels of violence that is pervasive against women whether online, or in the private and public spaces.  The traits and seeds of violence against women are fertilized and nourished very early in most societies through the agents of socialization. From the classroom to the playground, from the street corner to the boardroom men are cultured in numerous ways; some subtle to discriminate against women.  

School-related gender-based violence is a major obstacle to universal schooling and the right to education for girls, according to the UN. It must be said too that female teachers have also borne a lot of violence directed against them by their male colleagues. Globally, one in three students, aged 11–15, have been bullied by their peers at school at least once in the past month, with girls and boys equally likely to experience bullying.  In many co-educational institutions, almost on a daily basis, boys attack girls. Many of these incidents go unreported– or the perpetrator is given a slap on the wrist. Given that no corrective measure is taken, many of these boys who display such violence tendencies will grow up and very likely become perpetrators of violence against women. Our education system therefore has a critical role to play to interrogate the narrative steeped in patriarchy that says if a man does not beat his woman then the man does not love the woman. The education system will first require an overall or reset in order to raise awareness of gender-related issues. In fact gender related courses should be mandatory for all students at teachers’ colleges.  Misogyny has always been an issue in the media. The popular culture, especially dance hall music, particularly dancehall has been known to support the sexualization and objectification of women. This strand of negativity is rooted in a culture of male entitlement over the bodies of women.  Most of these lyrics paint the female in a negative and demeaning light and this, too, is problematic. Despite the adoption of the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) by the UN General Assembly in 1979, violence against women and girls remains a pervasive problem worldwide.  Violence against women can be eliminated or greatly reduced. It is for this reason why the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women observed on Nov. 25 is most welcomed.  

The day aims to raise public awareness around the issue as well as increase both policymaking and resources dedicated to ending violence against women and girls worldwide.  Associated with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women are 16 days of activism against gender-based violence to be observed Nov. 25 through Dec. 10, Human Rights Day. This year’s theme is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”; which emphasizes the need for funding prevention strategies to proactively stop gender-based violence. Women’s rights activists have observed Nov. 25 as a day against gender-based violence since 1981. This date was selected to honor the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).  

The United Nations (UN), reports that violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Globally, an estimated 736 million women, almost one in three, have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life. This scourge has intensified in different settings, including the workplace and online spaces, and has been exacerbated by post-pandemic effects conflicts, and climate change.  The solution lies in robust responses, including investment in prevention. However, alarmingly, data on how much nations are committing to counteract violence against women and girls remains glaringly sparse. 

Why we must eliminate violence against women

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.  The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women issued by the UN General Assembly in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”  The United Nations states, the adverse psychological, sexual and reproductive health consequences of VAWG affect women at all stages of their life. For example, early-set educational disadvantages not only represent the primary obstacle to universal schooling and the right to education for girls; down the line they are also to blame for restricting access to higher education and even translate into limited opportunities for women in the labor market.  

While gender-based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable – for instance, young girls and older women, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex, migrants and refugees, indigenous women and ethnic minorities, or women and girls living with HIV and disabilities, and those living through humanitarian crises.  Yet, there is still a long way to go at the global scale. The UN reports that to date, only two out of three countries have outlawed domestic violence, while 37 countries worldwide still exempt rape perpetrators from prosecution if they are married to or eventually marry the victim and 49 countries currently have no laws protecting women from domestic violence. It is therefore critical that governments enact legislation in order to put in measures to safeguard women rights from institutional violence that sometimes come through marriage.  

Climate change and violence against women and girls

Research indicates that women and girls are up to 14 times more likely to be harmed during a disaster. For those who are victims of such events, climate-induced disasters can amplify gender inequalities, making them more vulnerable to GBV.  Climate change and slow environmental degradation exacerbate the risks of violence against women and girls due to displacement, resource scarcity and food insecurity and disruption to service provision for survivors.   

According to the World Bank, in disasters such as flooding and wildfires, additional workloads may mean that women and girls are not able to be as responsive to domestic demands, increasing household tensions that result in violence. During times of resource scarcity, women are more likely to be coerced into sexual exploitation in exchange for goods or services, and walk increasingly longer distances to find potable water and food, making them vulnerable to sexual assault. Sadly, in some instances when families are unable to meet basic needs, the risk of child marriage increases significantly.  

The World Bank adds that displacement increases risk for women and girls, whether in transit, displacement camps, or living without resources. Away from their communities, exposure to violence often increases, including sexual assault, exploitation, and trafficking. Intimate partner violence may increase because of resulting household tensions.   The UN adds that following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the rate of rape among women displaced to trailer parks increased 53.6 times the baseline rate in the state of Mississippi.  

In Ethiopia there was an increase in girls sold into early marriage in exchange for livestock to help families cope with the impacts of prolonged droughts.  Nepal witnessed an increase in trafficking from an estimated 3,000–5,000 annually in 1990 to 12,000–20,000 per year after the 2015 earthquake. 

Zero gender-based violence

The path to zero gender-based violence will not be easy.  Many of us know of instances where violence is targeted against a female, yet we chose to remain silent. Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence targeted at a woman because she is a woman or violence that disproportionately affects women. Surveys compiled by UN Women suggest that 46 percent of women in the Caribbean have experienced at least one form of violence in their lifetime. Particularly critical are the cases of Guyana and Jamaica. In Guyana, 55 percent of women reported having experienced at least one form of violence, including intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual abuse. Jamaica has the second-highest rate of femicide in the world. 

The UN defines femicide as an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation; femicide may be driven by stereotyped gender roles, discrimination towards women and girls, unequal power relations between women and men, women and women, or harmful social norms. The numbers are alarming, UN Women reports that in 2022, around 48,800 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members (including fathers, mothers, uncles and brothers). This means that, on average, more than 133 women or girls are killed every day by someone in their own family. Current and former intimate partners are by far the most likely perpetrators of femicide, accounting for an average of 55 per cent of all intimate partner and family related killings. 

While gender-based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable  for instance, young girls and older women, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex, migrants and refugees, indigenous women and ethnic minorities, or women and girls living with HIV and disabilities, and those living through humanitarian crises.  We must pause to remember the women and girls who have recently been displaced by ongoing conflicts in Israel and Palestine, as well in the Russian- Ukraine war. 

The adverse psychological, sexual and reproductive health consequences of VAWG affect women at all stages of their life. For example, early-set educational disadvantages not only represent the primary obstacle to universal schooling and the right to education for girls; down the line they are also to blame for restricting access to higher education and even translate into limited opportunities for women in the labor market.

Finding solutions

Violence against women is a learnt behavior. Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights. In examining the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that seeks to leave no one behind it is clear that we must all examine ourselves to see whether or not we too have contributed or is contributing in any way or form to violence against women and girls. The time has come for us to call out those men who continue to abuse women.  

Unquestionably, we will not achieve an inclusive society where gender equality drives the engine of growth, investment and peaceful existence.  There should be no shame on the part of the survivor of gender-based violence. Women need to support women more, men need to support women more.  Governments need to invest more in women’s organizations, gender responsive legislation. There needs to be more robust prosecution of perpetrators of gender-based violence. Additionally, more support services for survivors such as, more shelters for abused women, as well specialized training for law enforcement officials to deal with gender-based violence are all needed.  

It has been documented that in some instances when a woman seeks the assistance of law enforcement regarding violence the advice is that it is a man and woman situation and that she should return to her home which is often the site of the abuse and violence.  This narrative needs to be interrogated and disrupted. There needs to be a heightened sense of awareness within the society concerning gender-based violence.  Last but by no means least we must not only speak of changes but we should be instructive in bringing about the changes. As a result the national curriculum should be modified to reflect practical ways to address this social issue within the society. There needs to be mandatory modules dealing exclusively with gender- based violence for all students beginning at the primary level.  There needs to be new and bold approaches and a paradigm shift regarding how we treat violence against women and girls in order to scaffold women’s empowerment.  

In the words of Kofi Annan, violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation, and it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace. Gender-based violence is preventable. Together we can. 

Wayne Campbell can be reached via email at waykam@yahoo.com.

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By Art Jones

Thinking about this “war” matter a bit more, I had to ask: “Who stands to benefit from the present conflict?” The answer: Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrup-Grumman and many more companies– all of which will benefit from the bloodshed in both the Russia-Ukraine and the Israel-Palestine conflicts.

All of the above are huge American munitions manufacturers. They make the guns, bullets, rocket launchers, jeeps, tanks, uniforms, drones, jets, helicopters and even supply the food, water and latrines to both sides where possible. War is extremely profitable for gun runners.

Newspapers, magazine and television broadcasters likewise experience a swell in subscribers, as readers purchase and subscribe to their war-related content. Who cares about whether a few Jews and Muslims get jumped, stabbed and even shot by the angry furor this constant barrage of nonstop media coverage produces. 

Man, there is a lot of money to be made. And the lost lives are just a part of the price of doing business.

We’ll call it “collateral damage.” Great marketing phrase– takes the sting out of the loss of innocent lives. We’ll highlight each such occurrence to harden divisions between people and sell even more newspapers, keep citizens glued to their TVs, and build greater ratings so that we can charge advertisers even more money.

With the colossal profits we can buy more politicians– Democrats, Republicans and Independents. It does not matter. Moral testicular fortitude is sorely lacking when it comes to dealing with these grown men in suits and ties who behave like bickering preschoolers in the halls of Congress. 

And that guy occupying the oval office? My, what a gem. We were afraid that he would step in as referee, mediate negotiations to lower tensions and ensure the return of the hostages taken on Oct. 7.  He could have made the saving of human lives of paramount concern. The safe return of hostages could have been his prime focus. This crisis could have been an opportunity to orchestrate the beginnings of a real peace in the Middle East. 

But, given America’s addiction to war, he did exactly as predicted. 

Damn! War is great for munitions manufacturers, media outlets, banks, finance and insurance companies– Congress and presidents!

Unabashed capitalism, devoid of any shred of morality, is great for business!

And the beat goes on…

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By George Townsend

Your birth certificate is one of the most important identification documents you have – containing vital information about you, your birth and your family. It is important that your birth certificate has accurate information. Often, many Marylanders need to change some of the details on their birth certificate, either because of an error at the time the certificate was created or because of a subsequent change in their name or gender identity.

This article discusses common issues related to birth certificates and how to make changes to your important identification documents. 

Name change

The most common change to a person’s birth certificate is when an individual legally changes their name or the name of their child. As a general rule, the quickest and easiest birth certificate changes are those that occur within one year of a child’s birth. Parents of a newborn child may change the name of their child one time within the first year after birth without having to obtain a court order. All parents listed on the child’s birth certificate must submit a written request to the Maryland Department of Health along with a sworn and notarized affidavit attesting that they are the child’s true parents and are making the name change of their own free will.

For adults and children over one year of age, the process to change a name on a birth certificate requires a court order. A petition must be filed in the Circuit Court of the county in which the person resides, accompanied by a copy of the birth certificate to be amended. There will be a time period for anyone to object to the name change, which will require a court hearing on whether the name change is proper. After the hearing, or after the objection period ends, if there is no objection, the court will typically enter an order granting the name change. A name change will be denied if it was attempted for fraudulent purposes or to infringe on the rights of some other person.

For a parent attempting to change the name of a child over one year of age, additional documentation is required. The petition would require the consent of the other parent, if there is one, on the birth certificate. If the child is over 10 years old, the child must also consent to the change.

Misspelled name

When a name is misspelled on a birth certificate, the mistake can be corrected without having to hold a hearing. For a child under seven years of age, the Vital Statistics Administration merely needs a notarized letter correcting the mistake, either from the parent, hospital or attendant at birth (or a notarized physician’s office record indicating the correct name). For a person seven years of age or older, the correct spelling must be shown on at least two documents from a list of approved sources, including hospital, school or employment records.

Parent information

Parental information may also be corrected in a manner similar to name changes. The Vital Statistics Administration merely needs to receive from the parent their birth certificate, church or school records, or some other pertinent record approved by the Secretary of the Department of Health.

Gender change

A person may change the sex listed on their Maryland birth certificate by providing the Vital Statistics Administration with either 1) a signed statement from a licensed health care provider attesting that the person is receiving gender-affirming treatment or is intersex, or 2) a court order indicating that the person’s sex has been changed. In any case, the Vital Statistics Administration can only amend certificates for individuals born in Maryland. Maryland residents born elsewhere would need to review the requirements of the state that issued their original birth certificate.

Amending or correcting a birth certificate can be an important step in acquiring vital identification documents, accessing government or educational programs, and affirming name and gender identities. If you have questions about the process, contact the Vital Statistics Administration or consult with an attorney about the options available to you.

George Townsend is a workforce development attorney at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. To learn more or get assistance, visit mvlslaw.org. 

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By Lamart R. Smith

When people ask for my golden rules of managing diabetes, they aren’t surprised by the first items on my list—listen to your physician, exercise regularly, watch what you eat and pay attention to food labeling. But when I get to my final item, have fun, I typically get a quizzical look. Don’t get me wrong, managing diabetes successfully takes work. But I’ve come to learn that living your life and having fun should be—and needs to be—part of that effort.

The journey that has brought me to these realizations started when my primary care physician told me about the Diabetes Self-Management Training opportunity at Johns Hopkins Medicine. The training course is part of a larger initiative called “Healthier 2gether” that is run by Johns Hopkins Medicine and University of Maryland Medical Center. It offers a program for people living with diabetes, like me, as well as the Diabetes Prevention Program for at-risk individuals.

When I learned of the program, I had an A1C level of 7.0, which put me right at the threshold of having diabetes. My doctor and I discussed that being at the threshold meant I could turn things around. When she asked if I wanted to learn more about getting support for this through Johns Hopkins, I gave her a resounding “Yes!”

There were a few reasons for my enthusiastic response. First, the impact of diabetes in the Black community is more pronounced than in other populations. For example, in the U.S. in 2018, Black adults were 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes—and twice as likely to die from the disease. Secondly, my family history indicated I could use all the help I could get! My father, mother, sister and brother all had diabetes to varying degrees. On the extreme side, my sister’s decline in health, which eventually led to her passing, started with diabetes. On the more positive side, my brother was able to turn things around, just like I am. As my family’s experience shows, diabetes is a disease that must be taken seriously—but it’s also important to always have hope!

Thirdly, I knew that managing my glucose levels meant changing my diet and exercising more. But I lacked the understanding, tools and methods to do this—and to implement changes that fit my lifestyle needs. So my doctor referred me to enroll in the Diabetes Self-Management Training, where I met Diane Pabon, my diabetes educator. And the rest, as they say, is a wonderful history for me and my diabetes!

In our very first session, I could see that Diane understood how to manage diabetes. But she also wanted to understand me. We worked together to determine actions I could take that also fit into my work schedule, family responsibilities and lifestyle. When Diane learned that my wife and I ate out most nights, we developed a plan around that. Now, when I eat out, I know how to control portion sizes, and I take half my meal home for lunch the next day. We’re also working on healthy ways to cook and eat at home a couple nights a week. Diane taught me how to read food labels so that I can shop and snack appropriately. And when she learned that chocolate was my “kryptonite,” she recommended some sugar-free varieties and offered tips for enjoying the “real thing” in moderation. In fact, with Diana’s inspiration, I developed a solution on my own—sharing a chocolate cupcake with my granddaughter instead of each of us having a whole one. We always laugh when she gets the bigger half. The lesson here is that taking care of myself has actually enriched my time with my granddaughter.

Diane also suggested I get my exercise in during the workday instead of waiting until I get home, when I’m tired and less likely to do it. This has worked wonders! I’ve also come to understand that some things I love—like getting outside, playing with my grandchildren and having quality time with my family—can be fun and support my diabetes management. 

I’ve been in the program less than 12 months, but I can’t imagine my life without Diane. She’s professional and inspirational. She helped me see the damage I was doing through poor diet and lack of exercise‚ and she makes me want to do better. All this brings me to my final rule for success in managing diabetes: Seek and accept the support that exists. Diane and the Healthier 2gether program have changed my life. Physically, my A1C went from 7.0 to 6.5 after a few months with Diane. I feel better overall and don’t tire as quickly as I used to, and I sleep better. Emotionally, I feel in control. I feel like a person of accomplishment!

If you or a loved one is living with diabetes, I encourage you—in recognition of National Diabetes Month this November—to consider Healthier 2gether. Be inspired by my story. But most importantly, be inspired by knowing you, too, can manage your diabetes and enjoy your life.

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By Ben Jealous

Lower Richland County, S.C. is a place with rich history. The region, which sits on wetlands and a floodplain forest fed by the Congaree River, was an established agricultural center dating back more than 300 years. It’s home to Congaree National Park and other important sites that are central to the experiences of the African Americans and Indigenous people who have lived on the land over the centuries.

Despite Congress’s establishment of the Congaree Swamp National Monument in 1976 and that land’s subsequent designation as a national park in 2003, much of Lower Richland has been treated as an environmental sacrifice zone. Sacrifice zones are populated areas that are exposed to especially high pollution levels and other environmental and health hazards, usually due to close proximity to industrial plants and other polluting facilities. According to the Climate Reality Project, “these areas are called ‘sacrifice zones’ because the health and safety of people in these communities is being effectively sacrificed for the economic gains and prosperity of others.” And it is no coincidence that sacrifice zones are typically in minority and/or low-income communities.

With unregulated dumpsites, a superfund site and industrial plants, Lower Richland – with a history of redlining and a low-income, predominantly Black population – fits the definition. The International Processing Plants and Equipment Corporation (IPPE) sits on the former site of a steel mill that had been closed due to cancer-causing pollution. The International Paper Sylvamo facility, the Wateree Station coal power plant, and a Westinghouse nuclear fuel plant (that, even with a track record of sick workers and radioactive leaks, just received a 40-year permit renewal) are also packed into the Lower Richland.

As if the area was not already burdened with more than its fair share of pollution, Lower Richland sits just down river from Columbia, South Carolina’s capital and largest city. Overdevelopment in the metro area and along its waterways threatens Lower Richland, including Congaree National Park, with increased flooding and additional pollution.

Lower Richland is a prime example of a community that could benefit tremendously from clean energy investments under the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – and the community is hungry for the opportunity.

Virginia Sanders, a longtime activist in Richland County who is active with the Midlands Sierra Club and the Lower Richland branch of the NAACP, and served on the Richland County Conservation Commission for seven years, says:

“Lower Richland is a dumping ground for the rest of the county and the industries that set up shop here, while it could be a gold mine for the county and the state’s tourism industry. We need clean industry in this community.”

In order for that to happen, Ms. Sanders says it will take investments in both green jobs and the necessary training and education for area residents to secure and thrive in those jobs.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act offer such remedies. And the state of South Carolina is already taking advantage.

New initiatives like a BMW electric vehicle battery plant and Bosch’s electric motor production facility are part of a $6.2 billion investment that promises significant economic growth and job creation for the state. More of that investment needs to be directed to communities like Lower Richland.

South Carolina has already applied for a grant under the Solar for All component of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in the IRA. Solar for All provides for the funding of job training and workforce development in solar. And, because Lower Richland is a low-income area, the already generous tax incentives for clean and renewable energy investments under the IRA are even more generous, allowing investors to recoup as much as 60 percent of the dollars they put into the region.

Further, $203 million in IIJA funds, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, has already been announced for South Carolina to provide clean and safe water across the state and improve water infrastructure. That work is desperately needed in Lower Richland.

Although it’s situated just minutes from Columbia, most Lower Richland residents still use well water for drinking and septic tanks for waste. Much of the groundwater is contaminated by all the local industrial pollution, and seepage from septic tanks impacts Congaree National Park by getting into the river and, according to Virginia Sanders, has even led to some local reports of raw sewage bubbling up from the ground.

The Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can fuel a sustainable, job-rich future, and usher in a new era of prosperity and environmental progress. Let’s work together to ensure that communities like Lower Richland are a part of it.

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By Ben Jealous,
Special to the AFRO

After a restful Thanksgiving, my family made a deliberate choice to #OptOutside on Nov. 24. #OptOutside is a growing movement in which participating organizations and companies close their doors on Black Friday, give their employees a paid day off, and encourage all of us to embrace the serenity of nature instead of succumbing to the frenzy of Black Friday shopping. 

I’m an outdoors enthusiast, from a long line of outdoors enthusiasts. As a dad, I try to instill a strong love of nature in my kids and make sure they reap the vast benefits of spending time outside in and among nature. However, I’m aware that my family’s ability to enjoy the outdoors is a blessing that’s been denied to far too many other Black families. Like pollution and climate change, inadequate access to nature is not a crisis shouldered equally.

Sadly, it won’t surprise you that it falls hardest on people of color and low-income communities. A study of park accessibility by the Trust for Public Land concluded that “systemic racism and redlining have led to chronic disinvestment in parks and recreational facilities in marginalized communities.”

The result is one that perpetuates a cycle of inequality: “too few parks as well as parks marred by cracked asphalt, barren fields, and broken play equipment.” All people, and especially children, need easy access to safe, clean outside spaces for healthy bodies and minds.

Yet one-third of all Americans – among them, 28 million children – don’t have any sort of park or natural space within a 10-minute walk of their home. According to analysis of 2017 demographic data by Conservation Science Partners, people of color were three times more likely than White people to live in an area that is considered nature deprived, with people who identified as Black or African American being the group most likely to live in one of these areas.

Sixty-eight percent of people who identified as Black or African American lived in a nature deprived area. Seventy percent of low-income people did. And a whopping 76 percent of low-income people of color lived in a nature deprived area. 

Lack of nature access is not only an issue of one’s physical proximity to a park or green space. People of color, especially Black people, have an unfortunate history in this country of segregation and exclusion from public lands and natural places. We’ve been met with threats and violence while in nature. And for too long we were even excluded from the conservation movement fighting to protect natural lands.

The consequences of this are still felt today. What does this nature gap and nature deficit mean for our kids? Years of studies have shown that children who spend less time outdoors are more likely to deal with physical health problems, ranging from childhood obesity to vitamin D deficiency, as well as reduced motor skills development and higher rates of emotional illnesses like anxiety and depression.

Meanwhile, we also know that when kids spend time in nature, besides the general benefits of exercise, it helps build confidence, reduce stress, and promote creativity. So, closing the nature gap, as a goal, should be a priority to all of us who have fought long and hard to close the opportunity gaps faced by our kids and our communities.

That’s why I’m glad that this week marks a broad, rejuvenated push for Congress to pass the bipartisan Outside For All Act, which would increase access to nature and opportunities for outdoor recreation in urban and low-income communities. By codifying the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program into federal law, the Outdoors For All Act would make the immense benefits of local parks more equitable and accessible to all.

Those benefits, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, one of the bill’s sponsors, include job creation, shade and tree cover, and clean air, as well as “new trails, green spaces, playgrounds, cultural gathering spaces, and more.” It all adds up to healthier bodies and minds for our children, and building more of a shared understanding, for all of us, of why spending time outdoors and protecting nature are so critical to our wellbeing.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By John Fleming,
SBA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator

Turkey, stuffing, family and friends. Thanksgiving is that special time of year when loved ones gather from near and far to share for what and whom they are thankful, all topped off with cranberry sauce and a slice of pie. Once the dishes are put away and tryptophan naps are over, thoughts turn to holiday shopping and the one-off deals from Black Friday sales.

Whether or not you brave the madding crowds the day after Thanksgiving, don’t forget to share the love on Small Business Saturday, which kicks off the holiday shopping season for what is often the most lucrative time of year for local and vital small businesses. Locally owned small businesses in Maryland account for 99.5 percent of all business establishments in the state and employ approximately 1.2 million people, representing nearly half of Maryland’s workforce.

When you shop local, you’re putting your money right back into your own towns and neighborhoods. Compared to the big box stores, small businesses put a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy – for every $100 you spend at a locally owned business, roughly $68 stays in your local economy compared to only $43 from the big guys. 

This means more money for fire departments and parks and recreation services as well as schools and other community-supported infrastructure and services. We all know these are things that make our communities a better, safer place to live. You might also be surprised to know that small businesses donate 250 percent more to local nonprofits and community causes than larger businesses.

Help keep the Small Business Saturday momentum going by shopping small this holiday season or any time of year. And while you’re out shopping small this year, tell us where you’re shopping or dining by using #ShopSmall and #SmallBusinessSaturday on your favorite social media platforms.

To learn more about Small Business Saturday, please visit http://www.sba.gov/saturday.

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By Farrah Hassen

Our elected officials should listen to the two-thirds of Americans calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. 

Two years ago, filmmaker Mohannad Abu Rizk asked children in Gaza about their dreams. One young girl responded, “My dream is for us to stay alive and to live in peace. We have a right to stay alive.”

She’s one of the 2.2 million Palestinians living in the densely populated Gaza Strip under a 56-year Israeli occupation — and a 16-year blockade that deprives them of food, water, electricity and freedom of movement. International rights groups now classify it as an apartheid system.

She’s also one of the Palestinians Israeli officials called “human animals” and “children of darkness” as bombs fell on Gaza. It’s unclear if this girl with the big, soulful brown eyes is still alive, but about half of the over 10,000 Gazans killed by the Israeli military are children.

All human lives are precious. The murder of over a thousand Israelis by Hamas on Oct. 7 was a heinous crime. Israeli families deserve justice and the safe return of their loved ones held hostage. But indiscriminately bombing and collectively punishing Palestinian civilians — who are neither synonymous with Hamas nor responsible for their crimes — accomplishes neither.

For most Americans, that’s not a controversial opinion. In a recent survey, 66 percent of Americans supported an immediate ceasefire as a step toward peace and justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Unfortunately, our elected officials aren’t listening — yet.

Instead of backing a ceasefire, President Biden requested $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel above the $3.8 billion taxpayers already send each year. And when a few House Democrats, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), called for a ceasefire in Oct., the White House press secretary didn’t hold back: “We believe they’re repugnant and we believe they’re disgraceful.”

The GOP rhetoric has been even more repulsive. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) compared “innocent Palestinians” to “innocent Nazis” while Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) called for Gaza to be “eviscerated” and “turned into a parking lot.” Instead of working for peace, House Republicans have focused their energies on a bad faith censure of Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress.

This dehumanizing and dangerous rhetoric fuels hate crimes that have escalated against Arab and Muslim Americans since Oct. 7 — including the murder of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume and the attempted murder of his mother in Illinois. Recently, a Muslim student at Stanford was hospitalized after being struck by a car in a suspected hate crime.

The war’s reverberations can also be felt in the chilling climate of fear and repression that painfully reminds Arab Americans and Muslims like myself of the days following the 9/11 attacks. College students have faced doxxing and harassment for signing statements supporting Palestinians or criticizing the Israeli government. Others have lost job offers.

But despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity. Tens of thousands of Americans marched in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 4 to support a ceasefire. The movement for a ceasefire continues to grow around the country.

Veteran State Department official Josh Paul resigned in protest on Oct. 17, calling the U.S. rush to supply Israel with more arms “shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse.” And over 400 congressional staffers signed a statement demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

Gaza is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. There is no food, water, or safety. Many experts have warned that a likely genocide is underway. The U.S. must stop funding this assault, which will only lead to the loss of more Palestinian and Israeli lives — and exacerbate the rising Islamophobia and anti-semitism that have no place in our society.

Our elected officials must listen to the majority of American people who are demanding peace so that Palestinians can live freely, instead of dreaming about it.

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By Husein Sharaf

Maryland has long been a center of invention. That’s one reason I located Cloudforce, my own rapidly growing cloud consulting company, in the National Harbor area. I knew that here I would find the talent, creativity, and business opportunities needed for Cloudforce to thrive.

Since that time, I’ve learned that a flourishing tech sector doesn’t happen by accident. While smart people executing big ideas are an essential ingredient, they’re not enough on their own. No, as boring as it may sound, ongoing discovery and innovation also relies on government policy – particularly as it pertains to patents and trademarks. 

Patents, which are enshrined in the Constitution, balance two worthwhile goals: We want to motivate people to invent new, useful things, and we want those things to become widely available. 

A further benefit of patents is that they can be licensed out, giving other companies the right to use, build on, or develop a product – and driving more innovation and economic value. We know the value of this benefit first-hand, as we routinely license the intellectual property of other incredible tech firms like Microsoft to deliver our own unique products and services to some of the biggest global brands and to our great nation’s most historic institutions. 

Patents have played a central role in my business and life. I founded Cloudforce in 2010 with the intention of leveraging the power of the Microsoft cloud to build awesome things and make lives better. From the start, we’ve prioritized a human-centered approach that puts people at the center of every solution we deliver and ensures every service we provide is accessible for businesses, non-tech staff and entrepreneurs alike. 

Over the past 13 years, we’ve created and implemented custom cloud-computing tools for our clients, which include government agencies such as NASA, as well as businesses such as Washingtonian Magazine. Many of the services we offer are built on Microsoft’s cloud services platform, Azure. Like other computing systems, Azure wouldn’t exist without patents. They reward Microsoft as the inventor and provide the legal framework that allows hundreds of thousands of client and partner organizations to use Azure.

Patents are also central to our state economy. CNBC recently ranked Maryland seventh in the nation for technology and innovation, while a study by WalletHub named us the fourth most innovative. 

Unfortunately, that patent system is in danger due to policy shifts. Over the last 13 years, a series of Supreme Court decisions found that key cutting-edge technologies aren’t patent-eligible, muddying the waters for researchers in fields like diagnostic medicine, AI, telecommunications and genetics. At the same time, monopolistic firms have adopted a strategy of stealing inventions from smaller competitors and then bullying them out of business via the legal system. 

Fortunately, there are legislative fixes in the works. One is the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act, which clarifies which innovations in a range of high-tech sectors are patent-eligible, and another is the PREVAIL Act, which would reform the legal process for challenging and defending patents, making it possible for small businesses to protect their creations from being stolen by companies with more money and bigger legal teams.

Right now, our innovation sector, in Maryland and across the nation, is hindered both by flawed patent policy and by the absence of adequate protection for brand identity and integrity. Unfortunately, a loophole exists that jeopardizes name recognition by allowing companies, whether knowingly or not, to register trade and entity names that are strikingly similar to existing companies’ trade names. We recently experienced the effect of this loophole firsthand – while our name, “Cloudforce,” has been registered as our trade name in Maryland since 2019, last March another entity filed to be called “Cloudforce LLC” with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).

Because this competing company added “LLC” at the end of their name, they were legally allowed to register as “Cloudforce LLC,” even though their name was almost identical to ours and the potential to confuse the two was inevitable. Recognizing the potential harm to our business, we promptly worked to find a solution that would allow both our businesses to coexist under two distinct names, thereby collectively contributing to a thriving Maryland business community. 

While our specific case found a mutually amicable resolution, it underscores a critical loophole in current law that must be addressed and strengthened so that the next generation of young innovators can succeed.

Just as we advocate for the defense of patents to safeguard individuals’ intellectual property and inventions, we should similarly champion the protection of the creative identity belonging to these inventors and their companies by preserving their name rights and brand recognition.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G, Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Andrellos Mitchell,
Special to the AFRO

Rarely a day goes by without a news story about the behavior of U.S. judges. These stories tend to focus on their courtroom behavior and alleged bias in high-profile cases. 

For example, Judge Aileen Cannon is accused by the left of showing bias in favor of Donald Trump in his classified documents case.  Meanwhile, the former president and his supporters have railed against Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the federal case charging him with illegally conspiring to subvert the 2020 election results.  Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the House GOP conference chair, has filed a judicial ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron accusing him of bias against Trump in his New York fraud case and calling on the judge to recuse himself. 

Although much of what is playing out in the media today in the Trump cases are political moves by the litigants, their lawyers and their supporters, in truth, judges are in fact more biased in non-high-profile legal cases on a daily basis than the average American is aware of. 

To begin with, judges are human beings that have all of the human frailties that ordinary people have. They can be temperamental, petty, envious, angry, apathetic, unserious, emotional, biased, etc. 

A judge is just a lawyer who has been elevated to the position of judgeship either by election or appointment. Many of the appointments are made specifically for affirmative action reasons. Unlike in the old days, a judge does not have to be a great lawyer before he or she can become a judge. It’s mostly politics now. Every judge on the bench wants you to believe that he or she was the F. Lee Bailey, Johnny Cochran or Alan Dershowitz of his time, and that they are so much above those standing before the bench. 

Don’t fall for it. 

In most cases, judges are just ordinary people like you and me who were given an opportunity in their profession. The truth is, they should show more humility, gratitude and grace rather than arrogance, aloofness and insensitivity toward those they serve in the public.

 If you get away from the big cases in the media, you will find judges that are biased–perhaps not for political reasons, but for other reasons– such as gender, race, sexuality, age, elitism, class, background, etc. I have seen bias in favor of government lawyers, bias against solo lawyers and bias in favor of lawyers at big law firms. Yes, it all happens. 

One of the most common forms of bias in courts is against minority lawyers– especially Black male lawyers. The legal profession is still primarily dominated by White people, and they really don’t want to see Blacks and other minorities of color in the courtrooms. For the record, minority judges can also be biased. 

The bias against minority lawyers is very disheartening when you consider the fact that most people who earn law degrees and pass the bar exam never set foot inside of a courtroom. That is especially true for minorities of color. You would think that the dearth of minorities in the legal profession would encourage the profession to do more about bias. However, I believe the lack of effort to control bias in the courts is all a part of a much grander scheme to discourage minorities from engaging in the practice of law. 

In the old days, they wanted to prevent minorities and women from entering law school. If they made it into law school and graduated, well they still had to pass the bar exam– a test that has been changed at least twice since I graduated in 1993. They are always moving the goalpost. 

You’re probably wondering, “How do I know when there is bias?” Just ask yourself: Is the judge treating everyone in the process fairly? Also, be aware of the fact that judges will often try to hide behind the rules when they are being biased. They will allege they are not being biased, but instead, they are treating you differently because you are not following the rules. Remember this: A judge can always come up with a justification as to why he or she is treating you differently or why they ruled a certain way in your case. That’s one of the reasons why we have appellate courts.

So, what do you do when you encounter bias in the courtroom? Do you just take it? Many lawyers say if you challenge the judge, you will just make matters worse for you and your client. Yes, judges do retaliate and so do their colleagues. Word gets around. Some lawyers are going to be mad that I even wrote this article– but that’s life. In most cases, those are the cowards, and they are probably not engaged in the long-term practice of law anyway, especially as litigation and/or trial lawyers. I have no time for cowards.

The question is this: “Is it worth it to confront the judge for his or her bias?” The answer to that question should always be yes. Otherwise, why did you become a lawyer? To be afraid of people in authority? The practice of law is not for the timid– especially for minorities of color and women. Attorney Alina Habba is right. Most lawyers don’t have a camera or microphone they can use to expose bad judges. However, that shouldn’t stop us from standing up to them. Get your complaint on the record in court, file a complaint against the judge, go to the media. Do whatever you have to do to fight judicial bias. 

Stand up and fight…or get out of the profession.

Andrellos Mitchell can be contacted at apexlegalcounsel@aol.com.

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By John Celestand,
Word In Black

It’s safe to say that in my days as an athlete, I’ve seen my fair share of scuffles, dustups, and physical altercations. With so much adrenaline, testosterone, and just macho chest-thumping behavior in team sports, it’s a given that tempers will flare, manhood will be tested, and competition will sometimes boil over into a fracas.  

And if the Golden State Warriors are playing, the person in the middle of any melee, upheaval, or ruckus will almost certainly be Draymond Green. He’s a player who seems to thrive off of getting under opponents’ skin, a competitor often looking for a reason to motivate himself to be even more physical of a player than he already is.  

Are we now supposed to excuse a chokehold? A choke where he drags another Black man by the neck across the court in a 0-0 game where nobody has even scored a basket yet? 

I must admit, many times, I even tune in to see this type of behavior. Sometimes, to see some internal fight is a sight for sore eyes. Especially with today’s NBA players who make such an extraordinary amount of money, finding so many reasons to take a day off, to sit out, not compete, and perform for the fans that are somewhat responsible for the game’s rising global popularity. 

But even the nosy schoolyard kid that still lives inside of me, that nosy kid who couldn’t wait to stand outside in a circle to watch the two elementary school kids rumble after school, even that snarky kid’s soul that is still alive somewhere deep inside me couldn’t stomach seeing Draymond Green be involved in another incident on Tuesday as he inserted himself into a fracas that he wasn’t even a part of in the first place.  

Maybe it was the chokehold that I witnessed Green put Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert in that gave me such a traumatic feeling.  Sports talking heads can dance around the situation all they want and try to label it as a “headlock,” but I know the difference between a headlock when someone’s head is bent forward and a chokehold when someone is restraining you from behind around the neck.  

Or maybe it is the 80s baby in me who grew up on WWF wrestling and watched Rowdy Roddy Piper use the “Sleeper Hold,” which looked eerily similar to Draymond’s move, to put his opponents to sleep or force them into submission. Whether theatre or not, as kids, we used these wrestling moves in real life, and sometimes really hurt each other in the process. 

Or maybe it’s the number of times Draymond has been involved in questionable basketball dustups, such as the multiple times he kicked Steve Adams from OKC in the groin in the same game, or when he stomped on the chest of Domantas Sabonis, or when got suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 Finals in a tussle with LeBron James, costing his team the series. Or the time he was caught on camera furiously arguing with his former teammate Kevin Durant in their huddle, an argument that was said to be the icing on the cake leading to Durant’s future departure.  

Or how about the time when Green was caught on camera sucker punching and knocking out his former teammate Jordan Poole in practice. Green is 6’6, 230 lbs, while Poole is 6’4, 194 lbs.  Poole is now playing for the Washington Wizards. It is believed that neither their relationship nor the camaraderie of the team was ever the same after that incident. 

Green is not the first agitator to ever compete in the National Basketball Association. There is a long list of agitators and enforcers known for getting into altercations. Dennis Rodman, maybe the best rebounder the league’s ever seen, spent a considerable amount of time being suspended for his on-court antics and questionable decisions, once even kicking a camera operator on the sideline. Rasheed Wallace was known for his fiery temperament and is third all-time in technical fouls. 

Ron Artest, later known as Metta World Peace, was an elite defender and rebounder who was suspended for running in the stands in Detroit and punching multiple fans, leading to an all-out riot that would later be coined “The Malice in the Palace.”  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the deplorable behavior of the Detriot fans, who started the situation by throwing a beer at Artest while he lay on the scorer’s table.  

RELATED: NFL Has Been Slow to Embrace Mental Health Support for Players

Vernon Maxwell, aka Mad Max, a guard on the Houston Rockets 1994 and 1995 NBA championship squad, was another that sometimes became unhinged — one time running into the stands and punching a fan, and another time getting into a brawl with then-teammate Gary Payton in 2000 leaving two of their teammates, who tried to play peacemakers, hurt.  

I mention these former players to not leave Green on an island, single him out, and label him as the originator of these bad boy antics. He is simply the latest in a long line of physical, tough, defensive-minded players who thrive off altercation and agitation.  

But for some reason, I’ve reached the end of the line. And I keep trying to go deep inside to understand why I’ve finally drawn the line with Green. Folks can say he didn’t throw a punch, he didn’t throw a kick, but are we now supposed to excuse a chokehold? A choke where he drags another Black man by the neck across the court in a 0-0 game where nobody has even scored a basket yet? 

Green has his own podcast and is very smart and thoughtful in his own right. Maybe this is why I now expect more of the potential future Hall of Famer.

He’s a four-time champion who has been through the fire. When do the antics end?

In the end a five-game suspension, in my opinion, is not enough. Honestly, who else does Draymond Green have to put in the “sleeper hold” for the NBA to finally wake up?

John Celestand is the program director of the Knight x LMA BloomLab, a $3.2 million initiative that supports the advancement and sustainability of local Black-owned news publications. He is a former freelance sports broadcaster and writer who covered the NBA and college basketball for multiple networks such as ESPN Regional Television, SNY, and Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. John was a member of the 2000 Los Angeles Lakers NBA Championship Team, playing alongside the late great Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. He currently resides in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife and son. 

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

The post Draymond Green: The NBA’s Problem Child appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn

The United States has long been described as a nation of ideas.  The founding fathers wrote that “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence…mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” This closing line of the Declaration of Independence underscored that the founders of this great country were willing to put their lives on the line to protect the God-given freedoms we continue to hold dear. Today, our brave servicemembers carry on that torch, entering dangerous circumstances to secure our unalienable rights.

In return, we have a solemn responsibility to prepare those we send into harm’s way and care for them and their families when they return home. This is a promise we have not always kept.  And the impacts have often been devastating. But Democrats, under the leadership of President Joe Biden, are taking giant steps to right these wrongs and fulfill this sacred obligation.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military engaged in an aggressive chemical warfare program, codenamed Operation Ranch Hand, to eliminate forest cover and destroy crops attempting to gain military advantage over North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. More than 20 million gallons of various herbicides doused roads, rivers, rice paddies, and farmland across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, causing massive environmental devastation. Several herbicides were manufactured, commonly referred to as Agent Pink, Agent Green, Agent Purple, Agent White, Agent Blue, and the most widely used, Agent Orange.

When American troops began returning home after the war, many of them and their families began reporting strange symptoms and afflictions, from painful rashes to miscarriages, birth defects, cancers, and varying diseases. In 1988, Operation Ranch Hand scientist and Air Force researcher Dr. James Clary wrote to Senator Tom Daschle that “when we initiated the herbicide program in the 1960s, we were aware of the potential for damage due to dioxin contamination in the herbicide. However, none of us were overly concerned because the material was to be used on the enemy. We never considered a scenario in which our personnel would become contaminated with the herbicide.”

Dioxin, the dangerous byproduct produced by herbicides, was found in all herbicides used in Vietnam. It is also the byproduct of trash incineration or burn pits. Doctors raised concerns about the impacts of burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan as early as 2004 but were publicly ignored by the U.S. government and military. The Department of Defense has since closed out most burn pits and plans to close out those that remain, but they have already caused significant harm to our veterans.

Last year, under the leadership of President Biden, Congress finally acted to address these harms. August 10, 2023, marks 1 year since the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was signed into law — the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in decades.

This law significantly expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. Since the PACT Act was enacted, more than 785,000 veterans have applied or submitted claims for PACT Act-related benefits, and more than 4.1 million have undergone screening for toxic substance exposure. The PACT Act also helps the VA be more responsive to veterans’ needs. It authorizes the VA to expand their workforce and construct 31 new VA facilities across the country to meet the growing demand for services and care. The outdated system of determining presumptive status for medical conditions has been modernized, and the VA will conduct research to better understand veterans’ health trends. To detect early signs of toxic exposure-related diseases, the VA has started proactively screening every enrolled veteran for poisonous exposure and will provide follow-up screenings every five years.

We must continue to honor our veterans by providing them with the care and support they need to live safe, healthy lives after they return home. One year after President Biden signed it into law, it is clear the PACT Act is delivering on this sacred commitment.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Kerry Mitchell Brown, Ph.D.

Edward Blum, the conservative lawyer who led the fight to overturn affirmative action, has a new target in his quest to dismantle civil rights advancements: The Fearless Fund, a venture capitalist (VC) fund dedicated to leveling the playing field for Black women and women of color. 

Blum’s organization, American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), filed a lawsuit against The Fearless Fund’s Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, which planned to award four $20k grants to WOC-led businesses. The lawsuit claimed the grant violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866, prohibiting racial discrimination in contracts. The conservative 11^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled in favor of Blum and placed a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking Fearless Fund’s grant contest. 

The grant provides $80k of funding, a microscopic percentage of the $240 billion dollars of VC funding in 2022. Why target such a small grant for WOC entrepreneurs? Because they want to halt Black advancement. Lawsuits against The Fearless Fund, and other educational and economic diversity initiatives, aim to repress Black economic advancement and maintain White hegemonic power structures. 

A major critique of the Fearless Fund, and other similar diversity initiatives, rallies around false claims of favoritism for diverse candidates. However, the objective realities facing Black women in the corporate sector deviate from favoritism. 

Approximately 17 percent of Black women start a new business, compared to 10 percent of White women and 15 percent of White men. However, only 3 percent of Black women run mature businesses. A lack of access to capital largely accounts for the discrepancy. Statistics back that up. Between 2009 and 2017, Black women founders received .0006 percent of VC funding, and in 2022 less than 1 percent of funding. 

A conservative retort is that traditional firms do not offer funding for White  men. They may not explicitly say that – but their actions show a different story. In 2022, 93 percent of VC funding went to businesses owned by White  men. If favoritism was a true concern, where are the efforts to address the disproportionate VC funding granted to White men? 

Increasing Black women’s access to capital is not favoritism, but rather course correction, addressing years of systemic exclusion to financial services.  The Fearless Fund offers Black women an avenue of funding that is not offered by most VC firms. Destabilizing diversity organizations, while simultaneously not actively trying to make traditional venture capital firms more inclusive isn’t removing racial bias – it’s perpetuating it. Closing one door of funding, without attempts to open another, keeps Black women permanently locked out. 

Conservative organizations are targeting The Fearless Fund because it’s a model of a small Black owned company making gigantic waves in a field stacked against them. Bigger companies, like Goldman Sachs have made initiatives to help Black woman entrepreneurs, yet they are not the ire of these lawsuits. And we have to know whether they are living up to their promise. Organizations like The Fearless Fund started on a much smaller scale meaning their model and actions are able to be replicated and tracked. Efforts to block the Fearless Fund and other initiatives that are responsive to the needs of Black female founders and the Black community overall, are designed to ensure Black economic advancement does not persist. 

The Fearless Fund launched in 2019 yet has already invested nearly $27 million in 40 WOC-owned businesses along with awarding almost $4 million in grants.  They represent companies making huge strides. For example, Fearless Fund led a $3 million funding round and inked a major partnership deal between Thirteen Lune, a beauty e-commerce platform, and retail giant JC Penney, which has a large customer base of POC. 

Fearless Fund shows the magic Black female entrepreneurs can create when given unfiltered access to opportunities. Empowering Black women in corporate spaces is a great thing for the ever diversifying global and local economy. It’s estimated that racism has cost the U.S. $16 trillion. By investing in initiatives that foster racial equity, businesses can also benefit from increased customer loyalty, and higher profit margins, and make a positive impact on society. Blum and other anti-diversity crusaders understand that if not restricted, more funding avenues means that Black women entrepreneurs will continue to thrive and take up more space in the corporate sector and global markets. 

Another insidious aspect of these lawsuits is they force companies to engage in litigation. Forcing them to shuttle resources like time, attention, and money from their mission to fighting lawsuits.  This could potentially leave organizations with less resources to further their mission, diminishing impact, and supporting Black entrepreneurs. This can also invoke fear in other organizations, that if they try and help Black entrepreneurs they will be at risk for expensive litigation. If more organizations hesitate to fight for economic equity, that will translate to less work being done to increase access for Black entrepreneurs which will reverse much Black economic progress. 

Blum and company know the power of Black community, collaboration and creating our own proverbial tables to achieve equity. That’s why the Fearless Fund is under attack. It’s important that we stay alert. But we also must not turn all our attention and resources to just being on the defense against anti-equity lawsuits. We must remain focused on our message. We must maintain our commitment to helping increase access to capital for Black entrepreneurs and levy the playing field.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Dillon Iwu

Over the past four years, during what is often referred to as the George Floyd era, we witnessed a remarkable shift in the financial landscape. Investors from diverse backgrounds have significantly expanded their assets under management, resulting in increased funding opportunities for underrepresented founders and businesses. This transformative period has seen the rise of investment funds led by diverse teams, all committed to supporting a wide range of diverse businesses, with a particular focus on Black founders.

This positive trend follows nearly a decade of steady growth in the number of new investors, with a sixfold increase in diverse managers with assets of less than $100 million since 2014. Many of these newly minted investors have embarked on mission-driven journeys, leaving behind corporate roles or previous positions at investment firms to actively support the funding of Black founders and other underrepresented groups. Importantly, a growing number of individuals and organizations have recognized that investing in Black businesses not only aligns with social responsibility but also makes sound business sense, which could ultimately contribute to a significant boost in GDP.

While there have been some challenges along the way, such as economic fluctuations, inflation concerns and Federal Reserve actions to control inflation through interest rate adjustments, the commitment to improving diversity within the financial services industry remains steadfast. Private funds organizations, including venture capital and private equity firms, have stepped up their efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion. Initiatives targeting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and students from diverse backgrounds have proven to be fertile grounds for recruiting and nurturing talent. As these emerging financial professionals assume roles as associates, analysts, fundraisers and scouts, the prospects for increased investments in Black founders are more promising than ever.

One noteworthy example of these efforts is AltFinance, generously funded by private equity firms such as Oaktree Capital, Ares Management, and Apollo. They have pledged over $90 million to create a talent pipeline from HBCUs nationwide into various financial services careers, including investment banking, private equity, venture capital, and more. Their work, along with the contributions of organizations like the American Investment Council and the National Association of Investment Companies, reflects a shared commitment to expose individuals from diverse backgrounds to opportunities in the finance sector.

To sustain and encourage this growing wave of diverse investments, effective public policies are needed. The Biden Administration and state governments should consider implementing incentives to support newcomers and seek the cooperation of existing investment businesses. Policies should be aimed at strengthening investments to bolster small businesses. One way in which the administration has made progress on this front is through the State Small Business Credit Initiative. Under the Treasury Department, the federal government works with states to get funding into small lending institutions and investment funds to support small businesses. On another front, you have state public pension plans and comptroller offices establishing set aside programs aimed at funding emerging and diverse investors. These initiatives demonstrate the tangible benefits of thoughtful public policies that strengthen the finance industry and should be expanded where possible to support the growth of small businesses.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Anthony Jenkins, Ph.D.

As gun violence continues to plague our nation, mass shootings and other acts of senseless violence have spilled onto college and university campuses across Maryland. Incidents like the recent campus shootings violate everything held sacred in our lives, and in academia. The acts of cowards violate our sense of personal safety, traumatize school communities, disrupt learning and cast a negative perception of our institutions. This spurs students, parents and community members to question the safety of college and university campuses. These criminals have no regard for human life. This, coupled with their lack of maturity and access to firearms, makes them a danger to themselves– and to others. 

Every year, educational institutions across the nation are required to make available information on crimes that transpire on or close to their campuses. These statistics are released in accordance with the Clery Act. The law was named after a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was assaulted and murdered on April 5, 1986 while she slept in her residence hall. 

Historically, high crime data have adversely impacted recruitment, enrollment, retention and public perception.  After the recent college shootings in Maryland, I have encountered numerous inquiries via calls and emails regarding the safety of our campus. Many offered their support and encouragement. However, the majority expressed concern about our campus and insinuated that because of our location we needed to take drastic steps to ensure campus safety.  

It is not uncommon for people to allow the location of a campus to persuade their perception of safety. This is often the case with Coppin State University (Coppin). It is important to note that Coppin embraces West Baltimore, and West Baltimore embraces Coppin. We take pride in investing our resources and leveraging the insight of our faculty, staff, students and alumni to help develop talent, nurture potential and elevate our community. It may not have been the case a decade ago, but today our institution is one of the safest campuses in Maryland. 

At Coppin, our police department is an active part of our campus community and readily accessible. We have over 20 armed police officers and public safety personnel who patrol campus. We also have a network of 300 cameras, text and email emergency notification, strong external memorandums of understanding, blue light emergency call stations, gunshot detection technology, license plate recognition technology, remote door-locking capability and other tools that allow members of our campus community to request help or report incidents. We cannot prevent every crime, but we can  address conditions that can make crime more prevalent.  

Since 2018, through strategic planning, Coppin has reduced crime on campus by 80 percent. While we have not experienced the same increase in violent incidents witnessed on other  campuses throughout the state, we still stand in solidarity with our sister institutions.  

Statewide conversations about crime on campus and the efforts made by institutions to safeguard their communities are needed and could offer lifesaving solutions. Over the coming months, there will be many conversations about campus safety. Those discussions should come from an authentic place and avoid manipulating data and narratives to downplay violence on one campus while exaggerating violence on  another. Persons or organizations who seek to do otherwise have no relationship with the truth. 

Addressing the sources of gun violence and crime involving young people in Baltimore is paramount for the criminologists, sociologists, social workers and psychologists at Coppin. They are seeking to address these issues through research and engagement.  

Dr. Johnny Rice II, interim dean and associate professor of criminal justice, renowned researcher on gun violence and executive director of the Bishop L. Robinson Jr. Justice Institute, is working on a national  collaborative research project to better understand the reasons young people are choosing to carry  firearms in Baltimore. 

Ronald Williams, Ph.D., serves as associate professor and director of the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship. Williams is working with a transdisciplinary team, which includes Dr. Rice, to better understand the youth entrepreneurship landscape and provide more sustainable opportunities for youth. The team is seeking alternatives to activities that could entangle youths in criminal conduct. Research that is produced by Coppin faculty should be used to drive nonpartisan legal accountability, stronger policies and  interventions designed to help address environmental and behavioral factors that foster violence in our society. 

Anthony L. Jenkins, Ph.D, is president of Coppin State University in Baltimore.

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By Roger House

President Biden’s visit to the Middle East should give pause to Black voters. One concern is that he risked the presidency by putting himself in harm’s way. Another is his dramatic shift in priority from domestic to wartime imperatives. And a third is the degree of political capital that Black leaders have committed to a president who is reluctant to heed the realities of age.

For older Black voters, Biden’s political risk-taking should recall the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy approaching — and the perils his demise created for the civil rights agenda in 1963.

The Black community, perhaps more than any others in the Democratic Party, are being asked to place their hopes on the unstable foundation of an octogenarian president, and a vice president many Americans find unpopular and unready. It has left them with little room to maneuver in case of unexpected events.

To be clear, Biden holds the loyalty of an overwhelming number of Black voters, even if some of that support is said to be slipping. Until now, the hope was that he would “finish the job” of protecting voting rights and overseeing inclusive infrastructure-hiring in his second term. 

To date, however, his administration has gotten a pass with symbolic gestures under the realities of right-wing opposition. This includes historic appointments of women, non-economic resolutions, promises to arrest and jail fewer men and many photo-ops with Black politicos. It has cost Biden little in either real money or political capital to maintain the loyalty.

And after his speech to the nation, the priorities for a second-term have become clear: Biden has been quick to dedicate resources that might have advanced Black community priorities to more powerful coalition allies. His decision to invest heavily in the war in Ukraine is one example; another is his quick promise of billions in aid to Israel.

By comparison, it would be politically inconceivable for Black leaders to expect Biden to campaign with similar urgency for a reparations fund. Just imagine if his address to the nation included outlays of billions in seed money to a development bank for the descendants of slavery and Jim Crow?

The limits of relying on presidential power

As it does for many Americans, the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, will always stand out in my memory, even though I was only in kindergarten when Kennedy was assassinated. Then, as now, the Black community put its faith in a political strategy that relied unduly on the office of the presidency. The strategy was severely tested by his unexpected death.

I still recall the chaos that transpired on television: The murder of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald — shot dead on TV — and the funeral procession of the slain president. And I learned that some White students in Mississippi and other southern states cheered the announcement of his killing.

Like Biden, JFK believed in an active federal government to alleviate barriers of class and race in society. Kennedy directed resources in ways little used since the period of Reconstruction under President Ulysses Grant. He used the federal marshals to accompany Black students at southern universities and civil rights workers facing the violence of White supremacy.

And he used the Oval Office as a bully pulpit to shape public opinion to support racial justice. He went beyond words to campaign for a sweeping civil rights bill in Congress. 

Then, JFK was allowed to be placed in an open top car for a slow drive through the hostile streets of Dallas, Texas. He would not live to see the bill become the transformational Civil Rights Act of 1964, or the ways in which its achievements would be undercut in later years.

Like Biden, JFK was part of a liberalism that affirmed the post-World War I diplomatic strategy of President Woodrow Wilson. A primary feature of “Wilsonian Democracy” was spreading the values of democracy and human rights overseas — and by extension, American power, of course.

The vision of a Pax-Americana world has been pursued by presidents since the end of World War II. JFK acted for the expansion of American power in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe during the Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union.

And America has been enmeshed in violent convulsions over the competing demands for racial justice and global power ever since. Presidents have sacrificed resources that could further the cause of racial justice at home for the cause of military adventures. 

Black leaders have failed to heed the lesson of putting too many eggs in the basket of one presidential administration. Time after time, the community has watched the cost of waging war drain presidential resolve for correcting racial inequity at home. Such was the case with President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society and War on Poverty initiatives in the climate of the Vietnam War.

Multiple pillars of political influence

Black political leaders must begin to look beyond the Biden administration. That’s because even if he is re-elected, the anxiety over his age and mortality will continue, as will his tone-deaf response to the realities of physical risk. 

More importantly, his second term will prioritize multiple wars over the demands to address historic economic concerns, beyond token gestures. Our leaders must be cognizant of the tenuous nature of their standing going into the 2024 election. 

Now is the time to begin promoting a strategy for a post-Biden White House. That means complementing the fledgling influence of Black political power at the federal level with the development of sustainable  bases of power in the states.

One proposal is the strategic migration of Blacks voters from the politically repugnant states of the south to the four moderate states of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. It will entail using the Democratic Party structures in Texas, Florida and the Mississippi Delta states to recruit middle-class voters in a project to build influence in multiple states for the future.

 A version of the article appeared in The Messenger.

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By Ben Jealous

U.S. Steel gave birth to Gary, Ind. in 1906. The city, named after a chairman of the corporation’s board, started as housing for steelworkers. The Gary Works opened in 1908 and for most of the 20th century was the largest steel mill in the world; it’s still the largest in this country.

Kimmie Gordon understands the civic pride that grew from that history and knows about the 30,000 jobs that Gary Works offered at one time. There’s more to the story, she said. And those chapters need to be appreciated.

“You’re looking at 115 years of degradation of our natural resources, starting with our air,” Gordon said, noting that emergency room visits for respiratory issues are 30 percent higher in Gary than in neighboring counties. “We not only smell it and are harmed by it now, it’s our entire lives.”

A report last month from the Sierra Club named the Gary Works as the largest greenhouse gas polluter among more than 200 industrial plants nationwide.

The consequences don’t end at the steel mill’s gate, she explained. “People look at Gary, Ind., and see we’ve been run over and dumped on for decades. They say let’s put our trucking company there or our plant to turn trash into jet fuel.” She and other residents formed Gary Advocates for Responsible Development (GARD) to oppose projects like a trucking hub in the west side neighborhood where Gordon grew up or a gasification plant to turn Chicago’s plastic trash into fuel.

Gordon’s story about Gary is familiar in so many places that get deemed disposable because they lack political and economic power. In places like Gary, where the poverty is more than double the national level, people are forced to make an impossible choice between their health and jobs that pay for groceries.

The historic investments in clean energy, jobs and infrastructure that President Biden and Congress pledged in 2021 and 2022 offer an unprecedented opportunity to change the narrative in places like Gary. More than $6 billion will go to reduce carbon pollution from steel mills and other industrial plants. Communities that have had to bear a disproportionate brunt from corporate polluters qualify for nearly $3 billion in recovery block grants. There’s funding to cut diesel trucking emissions and to provide more monitoring in neighborhoods on the fence lines of plants.

The challenge now is to make sure Gordon and community advocates like her have a say in applying for and deploying those investments. The Environmental Protection Agency can help by implementing much more stringent air pollution standards for steel mills.

Gordon works to get more people of color into the outdoors through a group she founded called Brown Faces Green Spaces. Gary has natural places like the Ivanhoe Dune and Swale, the Brunswick Oak Savannah Trail, and the western tip of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore that other communities lack, she said.

Industrial sites are nearby, Gordon explained. “When we do get a day when there’s no ozone alert, we try to get people outdoors for recreation, reflection, prayer or meditation. Going and enjoying those places, you can’t get away from how close it all is to being degraded.”

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By Phillip Washington,
NNPA Newswire

In today’s discussion, we delve into the pressing issue of closing the wealth gap in Black America. Wealth in business and investing exists at the intersection of faith in the future and individual passions. It is important to distinguish between the collective and individual mindsets when addressing topics such as race, sex or other classification. While the collective mindset shapes the beliefs and mindset of a particular group, the individual mindset empowers each person to claim their power and intelligence. In this article, we are discussing the collective mindset.

Belief systems and the evolution of wealth

Each generation brings forth new ideas that shape the economy and solve the problems of the previous generation. This perpetual cycle of question and answer drives progress and innovation. For example, as we strive for faster and more efficient communication, we witness the evolution from telephones to email, text messages, instant messaging and social media platforms. With each new idea comes a new form of wealth.

The wealthiest individuals in society are often entrepreneurs who bring innovative business ideas to life, along with the investors who provide the necessary capital. The combination of entrepreneurship and investment is a powerful force in wealth creation. However, it is important to recognize the coexistence of the old and new economies. The old economy relies on manipulation and debt to reshuffle wealth, while the new economy creates wealth that previously did not exist.

The old economy’s reliance on debt and manipulation perpetuates a scarcity mindset. When too many individuals engage in this game, it becomes a competition for a limited pie, leading to conflicts and wars. On the other hand, the new economy operates in a realm of abundance. Industries such as bitcoin, space, AI, Airbnb hosting, podcasting, gaming and influencer marketing offer boundless opportunities for wealth creation.

In these new economies, barriers to entry are minimal, and individuals are primarily focused on seizing opportunities rather than being hindered by concerns of race or sex. The internet has democratized access to information, and more people than ever are participating in these new economies. However, today’s biggest resistance to wealth creation lies within the individual and collective mindset. Overcoming the fear of the unknown and embracing the uncharted territory of new ideas is essential for progress.

The power of the individual in closing the wealth gap

As we navigate the uncharted territory of the new economy, we must recognize that there is no proven path or playbook. We are writing the rules as we go along. This may seem daunting, but it is also an area where many individuals, especially Black people, excel. The gap in Black America’s wealth will only be closed when more individuals run to the edges and actively participate in these new economies.

It is encouraging to witness the increasing number of black individuals engaging in new media, finance, AI, and other emerging industries. The momentum is in our favor, and we live in a time when the collective world mind becomes more open to diverse perspectives. The dominance of the old Eurocentric perspective is gradually fading, making it the greatest time ever to be Black.

Implications and potential impact

The implications of embracing the new economy and closing the wealth gap are far-reaching. By actively participating in the edges of innovation, black individuals can become cooperative components of the global movement forward. This movement brings not only wealth but also happiness, peace and joy. It is an opportunity to shape the future and contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous society.

Closing the wealth gap also has broader societal implications. When individuals from all backgrounds have equal access to wealth creation opportunities, it fosters a more equitable society. It dismantles the barriers historically hindering marginalized communities from achieving economic success. By embracing the new economy, Black America can rewrite the narrative and redefine what is possible.

The lesson

The journey towards closing the wealth gap in Black America requires a continued collective shift in mindset. While external resistance has historically impeded progress, the internet has provided access to information and opportunities like never before. The resistance we face today is primarily internal, rooted in fear of the unknown.

Are there still biased people in positions of power? Of course. There always will be in any majority class’s perspective regardless of race, sex or other classification. The point is the world is moving fast towards a more diverse perspective, and the perceived power of those with a Eurocentric perspective is no longer as strong as most believe it to be. Those of us playing at the edges see nothing but space and opportunity. There are no biases out here, but our own brought in from past memories and stories passed down.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. It does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

This was originally published by NNPA Newswire.

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By Natasha C. Pratt-Harris, Ph.D.,
Special to the AFRO

Pause. Breathe. Think. Pray. Act.  The proliferation of violence within our communities does not occur because of moments of osmosis but partly because as a society we have lauded violence. Many use violent language when angered and in some cases it’s applauded.  Some make threats and these are egged on. Some follow through and respond with physical violence and then there are those who record and share fights and such.  Today our society seems to be in constant shock and respond with justifiable fear and anger when there’s gun violence. 

We compartmentalize these moments not necessarily recognizing that there may be a connection between behaviors that are seemingly not as significant as gun violence.  If we use language like “I match energy” when describing a response to another’s negative behavior, or say that “I will go to jail” where we promise to respond with physical violence if perceivably necessary, or if we use violent language when there’s disagreement or discord, we are modeling the behaviors that we don’t want to manifest, especially considering that a few respond with deadly force.  

In a book chapter for “Why the Police Should be Trained by Black People,” a 20-chapter book that I edited and contributed to, published by Taylor and Francis Routledge in 2022, I wrote chapter 16 “Guns as Hazards to Black Life.” While gun violence is pervasive in the United States impacting every race and creed, where more than 80 percent of White murder victims are killed by a White perpetrator and nearly 90 percent of Black murder victims are killed by a Black perpetrator, I acknowledge that no matter if a gun is illegally or legally obtained, guns are a hazard to all life and specifically Black life. There is a historically disparate rate by which Black people are harmed due to gun violence, although based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2021, the majority of gun deaths victims were White (White = 26,054, Black = 15, 290).  The overarching issue is that compared to White victims the following is true based on the CDC:

• Black adults are 10 times more likely than White adults and Black youth are 5 times more likely than White youth to be victims of gun violence
• Black people are three times more likely to be shot and killed by police
• Black people are 18 times more likely to be victims of gun related assaults
• and nearly 70 percent of Black people have either been a victim of gun violence or have a close other who has been a gun violence victim

There’s quite a bit of legislation and debate about how to handle the growing rate of gun violence in the United States and with both there’s always the opportunity to examine why some use guns in the first place.  

Given the mass shootings and responses that have occurred in Baltimore city and specifically on the campus of Morgan State University this year, I can’t help but reflect on a moment I experienced that may shed light on the issue.  Earlier this year I was in a Baltimore County store and while standing in line to make a purchase, I observed a customer communicate their concern with a pet dog owner about their dog which was in the store.  The customer appeared to be afraid of the pet and requested that the pet not be near them.  Once the customer expressed concern about the pet a second time, the pet owner yelled and cursed about the request.  When the customer noted that “this is how dogs are killed,” the pet owner responded “I am licensed to carry!” I was disturbed by what I heard; first, because of the possible harm to the pet dog and second, because of the response about the possible use of a weapon in response.  

It came to me then and is more clear to me now that for some, the go-to response when there’s a conflict may include not only touting the fact that there’s gun ownership but the possibility exists that a licensed to carry gun owner may readily threaten the use of said weapon.  Where there’s constant discussion about getting illegal weapons off of the street, it is imperative that there’s an examination of legally owned weapons as well.  Legally owned weapons have the same lethal power as an illegally owned weapon.  This is made more clear when considering that suicide is the number one form of gun deaths in the United States.  Suicides account for more than half of gun deaths  in the United States (54 percent), while murder/homicide account for less than half of gun deaths in the United States (43 percent). Often the gun used in a suicide is legally owned.  The same holds true for victims of police use of force. A gun used in the death of a civilian by a police officer, is a legally owned weapon. 

This brings me back to the notion that “A society that lauds violence is a society that will beget violence.” We live in a society where a response to a request about a pet dog in a store was met with yelling and cursing and patrons who appeared to support this response. 

The exchange in the store continued with the matching of energy. When the customer said “this is how” dogs are harmed, the matching response that followed from the dog owner was that they were “licensed to carry.” 

What we know about weapons is that opportunity and access to weapons increase the potential for harm to human life. Why are some using guns when there’s a conflict? Part of the answer is simple – they own or carry the weapon, may it be illegal or legal. Thankfully during the exchange at the store, no gun was used but the language and the threat of violence was clear. 

Pause. Breathe. Think. Pray. Act.  As a people we can actively seek healthy solutions to conflict in our own lives and actively seek means to emulate the behaviors that we would rather see. It is the one thing we can do to honor the many that have been unfortunately injured or lost due to violence. Prayers continue for our Morgan State University family, our schools and colleges, the city of Baltimore, and all of us who deal with the harms of gun violence.

Let’s seek the peace that many of us aspire to achieve and remember, “a people who seek peace are a people that will have peace.”  

I’m personally following the lead of the Baltimore Peace Movement. 

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By Al Wynn

In state legislatures across the country the “right to repair” movement is gaining momentum. Thirty-three states and Puerto Rico considered right to repair legislation during the 2023 legislative session. And while this might be a good idea for some products, policymakers should oppose any attempts to weaken regulated safety requirements for repairing life-saving and life-enhancing medical devices. Patient safety is too great a risk.

In theory, expanding repair options might seem like a good idea. It is the democratization of product repair. And certainly, there are many industries in which this is the right path forward.

In fact, advocates for this movement notched a symbolic win in California after tech giant Apple unexpectedly supported a bill that would require electronics companies to provide more access to the parts and instructions to fix their products.

What the right to repair movement ignores though is that not all product classes are created equal. And a one-size-fits-all solution is not a real solution, especially when it comes to regulated products like medical devices.
Medical devices are an important part of the healthcare services industry. Every single person has been helped by a medical device – whether it’s an EKG machine, a defibrillator, dialysis pump, x-ray machine, or any of the other more than 24,000 devices that medical professionals use every day.
Now imagine if that device didn’t work.

It is this risk that should give policymakers considering these right to repair laws pause. Given the influence medical devices have on public welfare, do we really want to introduce more risk? Risk that could impact functionality?

During my time in the House of Representatives, I served on the Subcommittee on Health whose jurisdiction included oversight over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency in charge of the effective regulation of these devices to guarantee their quality and safety. I know firsthand the diversity and sophisticated nature of these products. By granting broad, open access by repair shops unregulated by the FDA, we could be undermining device integrity maintained by the whole regulatory system.

Essentially, if a smartphone or tablet malfunctions from a bad repair job, there’s sure to be some headaches, but you’ll survive. On the other hand, if a sophisticated medical device experiences the same type of error because a hospital chose unregulated repair options, it can be a matter of life or death.
It is also important to consider possible unintended consequences this type of policy might have on underserved and racial minority communities, which are most often among the truly disadvantaged.

One report from researchers with UCLA, Johns Hopkins and Harvard shows that hospitals with a large share of African American patients have significant funding disparities and receive lower payments for care from programs like Medicare. Unfortunately, these facilities are the ones that will most likely use the unregulated repair option to fit necessary maintenance into tight budgets.

Therefore, we could be unintentionally putting our community on the front lines of the increased risk a broad right to repair policy would enable.

Cutting corners in the medical field should never be an option. A 2016 study by the National Library of Medicine found that cutting corners was a “common practice” that contributes to adverse outcomes. That’s simply unacceptable.

Albert R. Wynn is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Maryland’s 4th Congressional District. While in the House, he served as a member of the Subcommittee on Health.

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By Maurice Carroll

“Words are like bullets. If they escape, you can’t catch them again.”

-African Proverb

There are hundreds of quotes and proverbs about the power of words that suggest warnings. The intention is for us to be mindful about the words we choose. With rapid fire lifestyles, a considerable amount of pressure and judgment virtually and in person, it can become debilitating. 

It’s not hard to understand why having anxiety (an uncontrolled over concern about the future) or depression (overly concerned about the past) is rampant in today’s communities. And let’s be real here for a moment– what other race of people has had the weight of systematic judgment, pressure, expectations and fear tactics programmed into their psyche more than people of African descent? One of the first things that was stripped from us was– you guessed it– our words. That is evidence of the power of words.

Words are energy. That energy starts in the mind first then converts into word energy. Word energy is then transformed into action, action into habit and then habit into lifestyle. If we aren’t taught how to navigate our energy at the source, our minds, it becomes a formula for ongoing depression, anxiety and addictive behaviors. 

The African proverb above is insinuating the use of a gun. In this instance, the “gun” would be our minds. Our words are the bullets. The target then becomes our action. So we have our gun (our minds), the bullets (our words) and a target (what we intend to accomplish with our words). Although a lot of these proverbs convey warnings, if we adjust our perspective, they aren’t all negative warnings.

When you learn firearms and firearm training from a certified trained instructor, there are lessons that we can apply to how we speak. 

1- Learn the rules. Just as there are laws around firearms, there are laws around words. Likewise, you can break these laws as many often do. A wise person will get familiar with the rules and execute navigating them with skill. Once you know the rules, you will always have awareness of where the line is. 

2- Understand your weapon. There are many different types of firearms to choose from just like there are many mindsets to choose from. Understanding mindset can give you language options (ammunition) that will function well with that mindset or firearm. After you’ve chosen your mindset and language, you’re apt to predict the possible impact.

3- Focus on your target. There are a variety of targets for firearm training and even more target options in the field. If your words are your ammunition- what are you aiming for? What is your purpose for speaking the words you have chosen? Practicing your mindset and what you will say in a variety of situations before they arrive allows for a steadier aim as you shoot for your target. When engaging in sensitive family conversations or interacting with others in a work setting, what is your goal? It’s important to know your target before you speak. 

The best thing about this proverb and analogy is that it is a requirement that you slow down, breathe and focus. When it comes to battling depression and anxiety, one of the best techniques you can use is slowing down. I’ve learned to be more patient and not to be quick on the draw. It has been proven beneficial because I’ve learned not to aim the weapon at myself anymore. I’ve learned not to shoot negative words–via audible speech or text– at myself because that is perpetuating depression and anxiety. Instead, I choose to use realistic words that are more affirming, positive and uplifting. 

Your mind is your weapon. Become a sniper and less of a cowboy with your words. Words are like bullets. Fire when ready.

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By Dayvon Love

One of the central elements of the condition of Black youth in the U.S. is that they are being socialized in a society full of dehumanizing systems. Pop culture, public education, politics and a host of other societal messages bombard Black youth with the idea that they are worthless. 

If we are serious about improving the quality of life of Black youth in Baltimore and around the country, we have to intentionally combat these societal forces of dehumanization. 

Many cultures have intentional processes that transition children to adulthood in ways that facilitate healthy identity formation. Confucians have the Guan Li ceremony, which is a ritual that signifies the transition for a Chinese boy from childhood to adulthood. Jewish people have a bar mitzvah, which is a ceremony that transitions Jewish boys into adulthood.  Both of these rituals are intentional markers where the work of youth socialization is explicit. That leaves the question: where is the adequate discussion, acknowledgment or support for this level of intentionality when it comes to Black youth and their transition into adulthood? 

Societal propaganda of Black inferiority and inherent criminality creates an environment where approaches to Black youth are based on the idea of fixing the image of their inherent pathology. In other words, many programs that work with Black youth approach them as potential problems to be saved from making bad life choices– instead of being trained to build upon the strong legacy of African people who are the foundation of human civilization. This approach lends itself to an ecosystem of programs for youth that amount to disaster management. Programs that use this method primarily address the short-term, basic needs of the community being served. The “disaster management” focus obscures the work needed to build intentional processes of child socialization. Opportunities for child socialization are necessary for Black youth to engage in the work of identity formation, which is crucial in combating societal propaganda of Black inferiority. Black children need a process to build an affirmative Black identity, rooted in strength and service.

Given the power of the societal assault on the humanity of people of African descent and Black youth in particular, any youth development program that does not intentionally combat this propaganda will be ineffective at addressing itself to the holistic needs of Black youth. Furthermore, programs should be designed to bring out the inherent genius in Black youth, which is often rendered invisible by the dominant narratives of Black inferiority that depict Black youth as helpless people who need white saviors to free them from their pathological community and environment. 

African Centered Rites of Passage programs are designed to provide a framework for identity formation for Black youth that can successfully combat the societal propaganda regarding notions of inherent Black pathology. Rites of passage is a process by which Black adults guide the youth through a culturally rooted process of rituals that culminate into the youth entering the next stage in their lives (i.e. adulthood). Young people are typically organized into “lines” where they are brought through the process as a group, and the youth develop deeper bonds with each other and the adults guiding them through the process. This provides the space for reflection and connection that in the best cases, lasts a lifetime. This built-in network that is intergenerational and culturally rooted equips young people with the tools needed to navigate the societal dehumanization that Black youth experience in this society. More importantly, it forms the basis for developing a strong sense of identity that can be the basis for that young person developing into an adult who can make important contributions to the family, their community, and ultimately the world. 

Baltimore and cities like it need to move toward making African-centered rites of passage a centerpiece of the work to help Black youth navigate the societal propaganda that dehumanizes Black youth. Baltimore Rites of Passage Initiative (BROPI) is a project that is reinvigorating Rites programming in Baltimore as a central way of addressing the challenges that we are having with our youth.

I urge everyone who is interested in giving Black boys in Baltimore the tools they need to turn away from the social forces that encourage them to harm themselves and each other to check out and support BROPI. 

You can find more information about BROPI at mentormddc.org/bropi.

Dayvon Love is the director of public policy for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle in Baltimore.

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By Dayvon Love,
Special to the AFRO

For 13 years, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) has been aspiring to be an independent, Black, revolutionary political organization that can have a meaningful impact on the lives of Black people in the Baltimore region. We were clear that in order to advocate in a way that aligns with a revolutionary Black perspective, we could not take the traditional nonprofit approach to building our organization. We would need to have an organizational structure that would allow us to be independent and have no restrictions on the nature of our political activity. 

Nonprofits can be vehicles for social good among Black people, but they cannot effectively engage in the political warfare needed to fight the White supremacist institutions that wield power over the status quo. Nonprofits are public entities meant to serve charitable causes and are subject to government scrutiny and limitations on political activity that make them insufficient for revolutionary political advocacy. We were clear that we want to use our skills to wage political warfare on behalf of Black people and that a nonprofit structure would not serve us well.

Additionally, nonprofits are normally funded by grants from philanthropic institutions. The dependency nonprofits typically have on philanthropy makes them too vulnerable to the influence of elites, who are often extensions of the political establishment. There are many organizations that start off with revolutionary aspirations, only to eventually be watered down by their dependence on philanthropy and White liberals. LBS was clear that we needed an organizational structure and approach that gave us the maximum amount of freedom from philanthropic influence and a business model that makes us accountable to the masses of Black people.

We decided early on to incorporate as a business instead of a nonprofit. This is a legal structure that has no substantive limitations on political activity. This allows us to speak boldly in ways that very few organizations are capable of and has resulted in our ability to be effective in our advocacy efforts. Even though contributions to nonprofits are tax exempt, which gives donors a tax write-off, what LBS would lose in potential donors that want a tax write-off, we gain through our independence– which is worth the money we may lose out on from people who will only contribute if their donation is tax deductible. Additionally, we had to develop a business model that does not rely on philanthropy but on small contributions from many individuals who believe in our work. When we first started LBS, many of us worked other jobs in addition to doing LBS to sustain ourselves. Because of our determination to develop a community donor base of over 600 people and our partnerships with initiatives and entities that align with our values, we have been able to reach a point where we can support a small team to work full-time to amass the political power needed to effectively be a Black, independent, revolutionary force in the political arena in Baltimore.

We are grateful that we took the path that we did to become an independent revolutionary Black political organization because with the political victories that we have under our belt (Reparations for the war on drugs, Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund, Black Arts District, repeal of the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights) we are looking to expand our work even more. We exist because of the power that the community gives us through being sustainers, publicly referencing our work, contacting their legislators when we put out action alerts, and spreading the word throughout the community. Very few people have the experience of wielding power that does not emanate from legitimacy or social capital assigned to it by White mainstream institutions. 

We are honored to have the opportunity to possess that kind of independent Black political power, and as we expand and ask more people to become sustainers for LBS, we are honored to manifest the kind of power that can conceive of a world where Black people are truly a free and independent people.

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By Hiram Jackson,
Word in Black

America’s love affair with incarceration unnecessarily deprives people of their freedom. It also comes with enormous social and economic costs for formerly incarcerated individuals, their families and their communities.

More than 10.2 million people are held in penal institutions throughout the world, mostly as pre-trial detainees, remand prisoners or sentenced prisoners. Although the United States is home to just 5 percent of the world’s population, the nation has 25 percent of the world’s imprisoned population.

Data compiled by the Prison Policy Initiative shows roughly 1.9 million people are incarcerated in the U.S. in 2023 — in state prisons, federal prisons or local jails — the highest rate in the Western world. Another 803,000 Americans are on parole, and 2.9 million are on probation.

The prison and jail incarceration rate in the United States remains between five and eight times that of France, Canada and Germany, and imprisonment rates in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahomaare nearly 50 percent above the national average.

But before delving into the racial disparities that run rampant in the penal system — like how one in fiveBlack men born in 2001 is likely to experience imprisonment within their lifetime, which is a decline from one in three for those born in 1981 — we must address what is an even larger issue.

Why does the justice system, like a game of Monopoly, dole out the “go straight to jail, do not pass go” card so readily?

Most incarcerated people, approximately 96 percent in 2021 and 2022, had sentences of over a year. The demographic distribution of incarcerated people remained consistent over the two years, with 32 percent being Black, 31 percent White, 23 percent Hispanic, 10 percent multiracial or of another race, 2 percent American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1 percent Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

According to the experts, the main drivers are: (1) changes in laws leading to longer, often mandatory sentences; (2) “truth-in-sentencing” legislation requiring individuals convicted of violent crimes to serve at least 80 percent of their sentences; (3) increased use of incarceration for non-violent crimes; (4) prison privatization.

Behind that legal lingo lies a deep-rooted and much more intrinsic reason, layered in unnecessary and discretionary punishment and a system’s unwavering resolve to make the least capable pay. Cash Rules Everything Around Incarceration“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones,” Nelson Mandela said.

But many people who are arrested are trapped in dismal local jail conditions waiting, no, hoping for deliverance.

Local jails have become modern-day quasi-debtors’ prisons because many of those being held are there simply because they cannot afford cash bail. So they languish and wait for a day in court, which, depending on where you live, might be a months- or years-long process. The wheels of justice grind to a near halt for those without the funds to make them turn more quickly.

Consider the profitability side of the prison equation, and things get clearer. Thousands of private corporations rake in $80 billion a year in profits from America’s carceral system. Bail bond businesses alone make $1.4 billion a year from folks who can pony up the cash to get their loved ones out of jail.

Some of the biggest winners in the mass incarceration scheme are the for-profit prison companies whose business models essentially depend on the number of inmates held in these private institutions.

Currently, the government sends $3.8 billion in federal grants to states and cities for criminal justice purposes. Unfortunately, these grants largely go out on autopilot, pressuring states to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions, and people in prison without requiring a public safety reason.

The reluctance evident in correcting sentencing excesses, particularly for violent crimes as supported by criminological evidence, prolongs the harm and futility of mass incarceration.

The Jobs Opportunity Task Force, a nonprofit advocating for improved skills, jobs and incomes, recently drew attention to the wide-reaching effects of incarceration. They revealed that approximately 113 million adults in the U.S., or roughly 45 percent, have a family member with a history of imprisonment, and 79 million individuals possess a criminal record — greatly impacting opportunities for meaningful employment for the formerly incarcerated, regardless of guilt or innocence.

An even sadder reality, though, is that one year of housing a prisoner is comparable to the cost of a year of college.

Black and Behind Bars, Possibly for Life

But back to the racial disparities, another scourge of mass incarceration. In 2021, Black adults were five times as likely to be incarcerated as White adults, and Black youth were just over four times as likely to be locked up in the juvenile justice system as their White peers. In seven states — California, Iowa, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, Maine and Wisconsin — Black adults are incarcerated nine times more often than their White peers. Twenty-eight states exercise some form of a “three strikes” law, which automatically sentences individuals convicted of a third offense to harsher penalties and, in some cases, life sentences.

Yes, life in prison for offenses ranging from an indiscretion as marginal as failed custody cases, low-level drug possession, and non-violent misdemeanors.

In California, which has had a three-strikes law since 1994, more than half of the people incarcerated by the law are doing time for nonviolent crimes. Due to the work of activists, in 2012 Californians voted to amend the law, eliminating life sentences for nonviolent crimes. It’s estimated the change will save the Golden State $1 billion over the next decade.

The three strikes you’re out rule should be for baseball, not life-long deprivation of freedom. The bottom line is that the American penal system doesn’t value human life. Instead, our courts prefer to address individual transgressions and crimes by imposing bigger and more brutal infringements on hapless citizens who encounter the criminal justice system’s peculiarly punitive measures. These measures operate as intended: to cause long-term suffering and pain.

In this country, the punishment rarely really fits the crime. Meanwhile, Black people keep suffering whileprison profiteers laugh all the way to the bank.

Hiram Jackson is the CEO and publisher of Real Times Media, which includes The Michigan Chronicle, a partner in the Word In Black collaborative.

This article was originally published in Word in Black.

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By Wayne A. Pulliam

The health of a community is often about connecting. Connecting with our neighbors, friends, and family to recharge our souls. Connecting with information that empowers us to make positive change.

Now we need to get connected and work together to address a serious cause of heart failure called transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM.

Many of us may already be aware that when it comes to heart disease in the U.S., Black, African-American and Afro-Caribbean communities are disproportionately affected compared to other racial and ethnic groups. (A seven-year study in London found a gene mutation (ATTR V122I) was the cause of heart failure in 211 out of 1,392 Afro-Caribbean patients.) But did you know about 3 to 4 percent of African Americans carry a mutation in the TTR gene (V122I) that makes it more likely that they may develop ATTR-CM, though not all carriers develop the disease?

ATTR-CM gets worse over time, which is why early diagnosis and management are so important.

ATTR-CM hides in plain sight. That’s where community and connecting come in.

Getting diagnosed with ATTR-CM can often take years. Some signs of ATTR-CM, like carpal tunnel syndrome, extreme tiredness and swelling in the lower legs and feet can mimic other conditions. The signs of ATTR-CM may be difficult to connect with a heart condition. ATTR-CM, as a cause of heart failure can be missed. Family or friends can play an important role in helping you or your doctor determine health issues that you may not notice or talk about. Share all your health information with your doctor so that they can “connect the dots” and make sure health concerns aren’t overlooked.

We are connected by our health histories – sharing health information among relatives is important too.

The hereditary type of ATTR-CM is passed down through relatives. If you have relatives with heart-related issues – tell your doctor. If a relative is diagnosed with hereditary ATTR-CM, a doctor may suggest genetic counseling and testing for relatives. Genetic testing can help relatives understand what potential steps to take.

Getting connected with information about ATTR-CM and learning from experts is also key. That’s why Woods Adult Day Services Inc. is excited to partner with Pfizer and Dr. Albert Hicks on a Voices for the Heart event to increase awareness of ATTR-CM in our community.

To register for this important event, click here or scan the QR code below:

Working together, we can raise awareness of hereditary ATTR-CM and help make sure that our community, friends, and family have the information they need to take charge of their health.

For additional resources on hereditary ATTR-CM, including a discussion guide to help conversations with your doctor or share with a loved one, you can visit www.voicesfortheheart.com.

Wayne A. Pulliam is the CEO and administrator of Woods Adult Day Services Inc. This content was developed by Pfizer in collaboration with Woods Adult Day Services Inc.

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By Roger House

As voters express anxiety over President Biden’s handling of the economy, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) gathered in Washington last month to discuss an agenda for the 2024 election. I attended the conference to learn what this national organization of elected leaders plans to do about the economic stress in the Black community. What follows are some observations on the topics of concern, and on how the CBC can do more to promote structures of economic empowerment.

To its credit, the conference featured panels that shifted the focus away from non-economic demands, a notable departure from the agenda promoted by civil rights leaders over the summer — the NAACP convention in July, with a primary message on voting rights, and the March on Washington in August “against hate and for civil rights.”

By contrast, the CBC conference took steps to shape an economic message for different levels of concern. An economic message is urgent, in light of the longstanding barriers to prosperity for many Black Americans. Even in times of expansion, there has been little change in the fundamentals of an enormous wealth gap, persistent wage gap, disproportionate levels of unemployment, low workforce participation, limited fields of occupation, and a half-century of stunted growth of the middle class, according to The Unfinished March, a 2013 symposium by the Economic Policy Institute.

First, the CBC will demand racial equity in the private sector. Foremost, leaders will defend companies that carry out practices of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Corporations with strong DEI policies will earn CBC support as a counterweight to right-wing attempts to demonize racial justice.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), the CBC chairman, suggested the need for a congressional resolution to require companies to be transparent about diversity efforts and to publish annual reports on DEI goals and benchmarks.

“We cannot have Black economic mobility without dealing with the DEI question,” Horsford said. “This is a clarion call to hold the line on DEI in the private sector, in schools, and in government — and to expand the vision for creating true Black wealth.”

Joining in the discussion was Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, the rapper, record producer and television executive. He exhorted the audience to be proactive in the pursuit of an effective economic agenda, saying: “A lot of us are living the illusion of inclusion — but true diversity is about sharing power.”

Second, the CBC will demand inclusive hiring and contracting under the federal infrastructure projects. The Inflation Reduction Act and the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will invest vast sums in electric battery plants, electric vehicle factories, electric charging stations, the weatherization of public buildings, and the reconstruction of highways, bridges and tunnels — projects that will require hiring and training thousands of skilled workers.
The CBC wants to guarantee inclusionary practices in a construction industry that historically has excluded Black workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the racial demographic in the construction industry is 60 percent White, 30 percent Hispanic, and 5 percent Black American.

Mayor Wayne Messam of Miramar, Fla., described how the racial culture of the construction industry tends to dovetail with resistant state Republican administrations to thwart equity provisions. Local Black leadership must ensure that language for strong equity standards are included in prime public contracts, he said.

To justify demands for priority Black recruitment and contracting, Messam suggested using studies of construction industry racial disparities and identifying underserved communities by zip code for outreach priorities. Social media can be used to recruit young men estranged from the job market to the construction trades, he said.

Tonya Hicks, founder of Power Solutions Inc., an electrical contractor company in Mississippi, said the infrastructure project bidding process should be adjusted to give small, minority-owned companies a better chance to compete. One way is to limit the scale of projects to packages manageable by subcontractors. Another is to reduce the requirement for bond and insurance liability for simple projects.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) advocated for inclusion in investment opportunities, suggesting a requirement of 30 percent equity stakes by Black-owned investment funds in commercial development projects that use infrastructure funding.

Three Ways to Nurture Black Economic Organization

Despite the promotion of an economic message, the CBC can do more to encourage thinking about the formation of internal structures for development. First, for instance, it was silent on the potential benefits of forging cooperative strategies among organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, churches, professional associations, and the self-employed.
Second, it neglected the feasibility of strategic migration to four southern states of political and economic promise: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. This strategy aims to recruit middle-class people in politically repugnant states like Texas, Florida, and the Mississippi Delta region to relocate to moderate states. The project is to support the future expansion of Black political and economic influence in multiple states.

Third, the CBC skimmed over the question of a coordinated approach to seeking reparations, one that could build institutional wealth. Rather than individuals seeking restitution, the demands for reparations should take into account the full scope of the crimes against a race of people. Would it not make sense to direct payments to compensatory entities such as development funds and supplemental pension funds established in Black-owned banks?

The omissions aside, the CBC succeeded in putting the cause of economic justice on the political agenda in 2024. In the days ahead, its two senators and 54 House members would do well to reflect on the insights of the late social psychologist Amos Wilson:

In his 1998 study, Blueprint for Black Power: A Moral, Political and Economic Imperative for the Twenty-First Century, Wilson wrote that “Black politics and activism without the ownership of and control over primary forms and bases of power – such as property, wealth, and organization – is the recipe for Black political and non-political powerlessness.”

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By Heather Heiman

Human trafficking survivors often struggle with poor credit and other financial challenges after their trafficking experience, particularly if they were a victim of identity theft or financial coercion. Traffickers often seize victims’ identification, such as driver’s licenses, passports or ID cards, and may misuse them to fraudulently secure credit cards, bank accounts, loans and leases in the victim’s name.

Survivors also may face the burden of unpaid medical bills, overdue school loans, car payments and other debts sent to collections and reported to credit agencies during or after their victimization. This financial manipulation enables traffickers to maintain dominance over their victims, causing severe consequences. Poor credit scores and adverse consumer reports can hinder survivors’ access to safe housing, job opportunities and financial assistance, posing significant challenges as they strive to rebuild their lives after trafficking. 

Until recently, there was little recourse to address these serious financial issues. However, regulation from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is helping trafficking survivors repair their credit. In 2021, Congress passed the Debt Bondage Repair Act, forbidding consumer reporting agencies from including negative information related to sex and/or labor trafficking in consumer reports. The CFPB rule now enforces this law by establishing a procedure for survivors to request the removal of negative trafficking-related data from major credit bureaus and other consumer reporting agencies. While this process does not erase the original debt, it provides a path for rebuilding credit and addressing the impact of financial exploitation and identity theft. 

To get negative information removed from consumer or credit reports, survivors must submit the following to individual credit bureaus or consumer reporting agencies:

• Proof of identity – This may include a driver’s license, other form of government-issued ID – like a passport or state identity card – or utility bills with the survivor’s name.

• Evidence that the individual is a survivor of human trafficking – This can be confirmed through official documents issued by government entities such as federal, state or local law enforcement, or a certification letter from a non-government organization – such as a trafficking victims service provider or anti-trafficking task force – verifying the individual’s status as a victim of trafficking.

• Identification of adverse information – Applicants must identify what debts or other negative items on their credit report are connected to their trafficking experience and provide a letter listing these items and requesting their removal.

Each consumer reporting agency must process requests, typically within four business days, either by mail or, in some cases, electronically via their websites. In specific situations, they may require further proof of identity, victim status confirmation or details of adverse information from survivors. Consumer reporting agencies cannot contest whether the negative information identified stems from human trafficking. After requesting additional information, the reporting agency has 25 business days to make a final decision. Survivors must receive a revised report and documentation regarding the decision. If the requested information isn’t removed, a complaint can be lodged with the CFPB. 

While survivors can seek this credit repair option on their own, attorneys and advocates play a crucial role in promoting awareness and expediting the process. They begin by assisting survivors in evaluating their credit reports to uncover any negative information tied to their trafficking experience, including identity discrepancies, fraudulent accounts or unfamiliar creditors seeking repayment. If credit issues are identified, attorneys and advocates can help survivors assemble and submit the necessary documentation to the various credit reporting agencies, requesting that the negative information be removed. Once this process is complete, survivors often see a significant boost in their credit scores – a key step towards rebuilding their lives and their financial stability. 

For more information on the CFPB rule and process for removing negative information from credit and consumer reports, please visit https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/im-a-victim-of-trafficking-how-can-i-block-items-from-my-credit-report-that-are-the-result-of-trafficking-en-2127/. A recent webinar and tip sheet providing additional details also can be found at mvlslaw.org/ht/resources.

To learn more about HTPP and how MVLS can assist, please visit mvlslaw.org/ht.

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By Ron Taylor

Scuttling homecoming at an historically Black college or university is like canceling a flight on the Concorde or pushing back a U.S. presidential inauguration a week or two. 

And if such events are postponed to clean up carnage from a petty dispute over drugs, sex or hurt feelings, well, someone has to pay. 

The gatherings shutdown this week affected not just college students, alumni and college wanna-bees. When homecoming was shut down, it squeezed the faucet on a flow of money that HBCUs can’t afford to lose.

Homecoming week accounts for $5 million to $15 million to most schools, according to the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. And that flow from hotel bookings, restaurants,gift shops, car rental agencies and clubs takes a big hit when bullets fly– not to mention the scores of parents who descend on campus to collect their children, remove belongings and return home.

At a homecoming celebration ten years ago on the campus of Morehouse College, where the first documented homecoming celebration at an HBCU occurred in 1924, fellowship was flowing, good feelings were blooming when the stirrings of fight emerged. A middle-aged man got between the two young men and said, “Not here. Not today.” Others stepped in to separate the warring parties and whatever was about to happen was over before it began. 

This time could be a seminal moment in the rocky relationship the Black community has with crime. The shootings last week in Baltimore and Bowie were not from Ku Klux Klansmen or Proud Boys. It was people of color at war with themselves and the victims were homecomings at Morgan State and Bowie universities. Who is going to yield–college students and their parents? Or the misguided men and women who, as they dress for an evening out– at a historically Black institution no less–, say, “Where’s my gun?”

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By Ryan Coleman,
randallstownnaacp@gmail.com

The median wealth for a U.S. White family was $171,000 in 2021, according to the Federal Reserve’s most recent numbers. That number was $17,600 and $20,700 for Black and Latino or Hispanic families, respectively. This huge gulf in wealth warrants a distinct policy agenda for Black families who, even if they have the same income as their White peers, don’t have the same financial cushion. 

When politicians proselytize on the needs of the middle class, but don’t mention the racial wealth gap, community resources or homeownership rates, they are signaling they are only talking to the White middle class. All of these issues are interrelated to Black voters’ class status and political interests.

In fact, some politicians and policymakers refuse to admit the inequitable funding of HBCUs the inequitable funding of our Black communities. I wanted to thank Dr. Tiffany Ford, Dr. Andre M. Perry, Senior Research Fellow Manann Donoghoe and the Brookings Institution. They answered the call of the NAACP to compile information affecting African-American communities. This interactive tool gives the Randallstown NAACP, political leaders, policy makers and the community the data needed to improve our communities. 

The data shows the community resources in African-American communities of Baltimore County, which is 32 percent African American, Howard County, Md., which is 20 percent African American, Spalding County, Ga., where Black people make up 36 percent of the population, and Forsyth County, Ga., which is 5 percent African American. Specifically, the data says the following:

1. Only 19 percent of jobs paying more than $40,000 are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County, at 32 percent, and Forsyth County, at 56 percent, both in Georgia, all had a higher percentage. Howard County came in at six percent. 

2. Only 19 percent of public libraries are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County, Ga., came in at 42 percent, while Howard County came in at 3 percent. 

3. Only 11 percent of museums and historic sites are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County (67 percent) and Forsyth County (50 percent), in Georgia, had a higher percentage. Howard County came in at 0 percent. 

4. Only 14 percent of medical offices and hospitals are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County, Ga. had a higher percentage at 77 percent. Howard County came in at 9 percent. 

5. Only 11 percent of state office buildings, courthouses and post offices are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding and Forsyth County, both had a higher percentage at 50 percent. Howard County came in at 0 percent. 

6. There are no four-year colleges in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County and Howard County, Md. had no four year colleges. 

7. Only 20 percent of parks are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County (60 percent) in Georgia had a higher percentage. Howard County came in at 0 percent. 8. Only 15 percent of restaurants, retail establishments and youth facilities are located in African-American communities in Baltimore County. Spalding County (47 percent) in Georgia had a higher percentage. Howard County came in at 7 percent. 

9. Only 22 percent of hospital beds are located in African Americans. Spalding County in Georgia had a perfect percentage at 100 percent. Howard County came in at 0 percent. 

The community assets have been declining over the last 15 years in Baltimore County. Whatever has been tried prior to County Executive Johnny Olszewski’s administration has not been working. The concern is that African-American communities in Baltimore County have severely less community assets than White communities. This lack of community assets impacts the quality of life for all African Americans in Baltimore County. Further the quality of life is worse than two counties in the south in Georgia. 

The data now supports what we all assumed visually with our own eyes. We have the support of the county executive , House Speaker Adrienne Jones, Baltimore City Council, state senators Charles Sydnor and Benjamin Brooks, representatives  Kweisi Mfume and C.A. Ruppersberger, Gov. Wes Moore and other elected officials. We have some strong facilities in our community- Social Security, CMS, FBI Baltimore and Northwest Hospital.

Politicians need to know the kinds of jobs that the Black middle class holds, where they live, and their homeownership rates. If Black voters are recognized on a map, then maybe some of their political needs can finally be met. The Black middle class is growing in Baltimore County. From 2008 to 2021, the percentage of the Black population in the middle class as a share of the overall population increased across the county. However, this trend has slowed in recent years. The two main issues affecting this trend —Education and Economic Development. We must improve the schools or give the residents educational options. We must give the residents grocery stores, sit down restaurants, book stores, youth facilities and amenities that they demand. 

For years, the 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show” provided the view from the Black middle class. The Ellis Wilson painting above the mantle, the Black college paraphernalia worn by characters, the professional and civic standing of the show’s two-parent, heterosexual Huxtable family—all of this projected middle-class ascendance. 

We can not just look at incomes, degrees, and middle class values—as politicians’ normally refer to the middle class. This view misses how in reality, the Huxtables’ route to the middle class looks different than the Brady family in “Brady Bunch.” Throughout U.S. history, institutionalized racism generated wealth for many White families while stifling growth for Black families. Politicians must understand the fundamental differences between Black middle-class families and their White middle class peers. 

The Black middle class deserves attention from politicians. But without addressing racialized distinctions and avoiding mention of biased policies that continue to hurt Black families, politicians’ devotion to the middle class should be seen as a commitment to the status quo. 

The catchall term “middle class” has become a synonym for White middle-income earners. Policies purported to help this group will inevitably produce different outcomes along racial lines, because the foundation beneath the socioeconomic strata is fundamentally different for Black people. Where Black middle-class families live, the kinds of jobs they hold, and the (lack of) wealth they possess demand specificity and acknowledgement in politicians’ pronouncements on the middle class. Without that, politicians will only be spouting bromides to the same old electorate. 

Ryan Coleman is the president of the Randallstown branch of the NAACP. 

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By Ben Jealous

When General Motors, Chrysler and Ford – the “Big Three” American automakers – were close to extinction 15 years ago, their workers and the American people stepped in to save them. The United Auto Workers (UAW) gave back wages and benefits they had every right to get under a contract they had negotiated just a year before.

Now, rather than being paid back, union workers face getting left out of the future of the car business. And the rest of the country is being told we have Hobson’s choice when it comes to electric vehicles – we can have them, but only at a cost to our neighbors who build them.

We see this when Ford announces its slowing construction of a battery plant in Michigan. And when former president Donald Trump, who leads Republican presidential primary polls, goes to a non-union company outside Detroit to claim that “the auto industry is being assassinated” by the move away from dirty fuels.

Neither auto workers nor the climate can afford for us to fall for this false narrative. If anything, we should see that momentum is moving squarely and more rapidly in the other direction. That’s what President Biden means when he says that talking about the climate is talking about good jobs.

New York’s city council voted unanimously to move its fleet of more than 30,000 municipal vehicles – the largest in the country – to buy only zero emissions cars and trucks beginning in 2025, and heavier vehicles after 2028. By 2035, the entire city fleet will be zero emission.

That’s the same year that California, New York and 14 other states will require all cars and trucks sold to be zero emission vehicles. The standards they’ve agreed to ask carmakers to increase the share of electric vehicles they sell slowly and continuously over the next 13 years.

This isn’t a rash rush to abandon the internal combustion engine and gas pumps overnight, even if our warming planet may need quicker action. That fearmongering is inaccurate and misplaced. It’s a measured, unmistakable direction that UAW leaders see clearly. Their members must benefit from that, they told me when we met in Detroit last month.

Instead, the Big Three have been pushing battery making and electric vehicle assembly to states that don’t offer union workers protection or to plants created through joint ventures that allow them to operate outside the UAW’s deal.

This is an all-too-familiar pattern in this country’s history — corporations, billionaires, and the politicians representing their interests pitting poor and working Americans who actually aspire to the same future against each other. They do it with hyperboles like assassination and altering established expansion plans.

We’re well beyond 2008. Profits for the Big Three are soaring. Consumers want electric vehicles, and as a nation we’re encouraging them to buy them through tax credits passed last year. It’s those cars and trucks that we’ll drive into a livable future. We must ensure that clean energy transition is a fair one to the people who will make it possible.

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By John Burnett

Amidst Congress’ best efforts to keep the government open, it’s also hard at work to re-authorize affordable food, farmers are able to insure their crops, and ranchers can export their products to foreign markets. It’s not an understatement to say it’s one of the most important bills Congress can send to the president’s desk, which is why it is so important to get it right.

Yet, some in Congress think getting it “right” means restricting certain consumers’ food items as “wrong” to buy. According to a recently introduced proposal, Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would be prohibited from purchasing snacks, fruit juice, and soda – including beverages that are low calorie or zero sugar – with their benefits. It’s the equivalent of putting the federal government in between consumers and the products they enjoy. 

Bottom line: consumers deserve to have choices in the grocery store. SNAP recipients are Americans in need and are fully capable of making their own food choices, and limiting their options also stigmatizes them as incapable of responsible decision-making. This approach undermines the dignity and self-respect of SNAP participants, and it puts the government in the position of choosing what people can serve their families. This is a slippery slope that would open the door to a government good-food or bad-food list that could apply to other everyday items on the grocery list.

Nevertheless, lawmakers like Marco Rubio and others may be seeking to jam this misguided idea into the farm bill. The legislative process is hard enough as it is, but it becomes significantly more difficult as individual members of Congress and D.C. special interest groups seek to attach pet projects or priorities to what should be bipartisan legislation. And in Congress, it’s easy for a few lawmakers to derail the progress on must-pass legislation.

The basis of the idea is about removing choice, but the authors of the so-called “Healthy SNAP Act” claim it’ll help reduce spending, but the data doesn’t support it. SNAP recipients will still have the same amount of benefits.  

On the SNAP side, lawmakers could look at generating savings by capping benefits, implementing work requirements, or reducing the overall size of the program.

We all want Americans to make good choices that promote healthier eating habits, but restricting the treats parents buy their kids is not the solution. It’s a shortsighted and ineffective approach that infringes on individual freedom, further stigmatizing lower-income communities, and won’t yield the savings Sen. Rubio is promising. Instead, we should focus on real policies that improve access to nutritious foods and empower all individuals, regardless of their income, to make healthier choices.

As Republicans, we are proud to be the party of individual choice and freedom. These foundational principles are essential to the promise of liberty for all – that we trust our fellow Americans to make their own life choices, even if we don’t agree with them. I’m proud to subscribe to these values, which is why it is important we push back on ideas from within our party that restrict the ability for us to make our own decisions. 

These values should apply at the grocery store, so lawmakers should reverse course on their misguided SNAP restriction proposal. The last thing Americans need is more nanny state decrees from politicians who think they know best for them.

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By Andre Barnes

Growing up on the rural farms of Halifax, Va., I pulled tobacco just like my great-grandfather Roosevelt, a sharecropper who provided for his family until he died in his late 80s. Just a generation before him, his father was a slave. 

In the late 1990s, as I edged closer to high school graduation, I noticed a shift in the farm workforce. My fellow laborers were increasingly immigrants, rather than Black Americans like me. 

At the time, I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until later that I realized that the labor market changes I’d witnessed in my hometown were lower-wage immigrant workers displacing Black Americans, a nationwide phenomenon that had occurred several times throughout American history. 

Reducing immigration is not a cure-all for the plights of Black Americans. But it’s an immediate, tangible action that Congress could take — one that, over the last 200 years, has been repeatedly proven to tighten labor markets and improve workers’ bargaining power. 

Since the end of the Civil War, African Americans have repeatedly made progress in closing racial wealth and income gaps, only to see that progress reversed by proverbial waves of immigration crashing onto U.S. shores to supply businesses with the cheap labor they crave. 

This is not the fault of the immigrants themselves. They can hardly be blamed for seeking better opportunities here.  Some would argue nor is it the fault of businesses who sought to find the least expensive, legal way to manufacture.

Rather, the fault lies squarely with those elected officials, policymakers, who’ve allied themselves with Big Business, most likely in exchange for financial support in their election campaigns, allowing the dilution of Black workers’ bargaining power by importing cheap, desperate laborers by the tens of millions. The problem won’t be fixed until Black voters and community leaders hold those policymakers, these elected officials, accountable with the power voters have at the ballot box.

In the decades after emancipation, Black Americans became essential workers in the factories of a rapidly industrializing nation. Their standard of living improved, despite pervasive racism and the legalized discrimination of Jim Crow.

But towards the end of the 19th century, the flow of migrants, legal immigrants — increasingly from southern and eastern Europe — turned into a torrent. These desperate arrivals, who were willing to accept virtually any job at any wage, pushed Black workers out of many jobs. It’s no accident that the protagonist of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, the famous novel depicting the dangerous and despicable working conditions of meatpacking plants around the turn of the century, was a recent arrival from Lithuania. 

Many of the Black leaders of the time, from Booker T. Washington to W. E. B. Du Bois to A. Philip Randolph, pleaded with policymakers to restrict immigration — a historical fact that’s little known today, but amply demonstrated in Back of the Hiring Line, a book by Roy Beck, the founder of my organization. 

In the 1920s, a broad multiracial coalition of Americans finally succeeded in pressuring Congress to scale back immigration. Du Bois praised the restrictions, noting that “the stopping of the importing of cheap white labor on any terms has been the economic salvation of American black labor.” Randolph concurred, saying that “excessive immigration is against the interests of the masses of all races and nationalities in the country — both foreign and native.”

The slowdown in foreign migration enabled Black workers to reclaim the gains they’d lost — and then some. Between 1940 and 1980, Black wages quadrupled — outstripping the rate of wage growth among white earners. During that period, the percentage of Black men considered middle class skyrocketed from 22 percent to 71 percent. 

Unfortunately, Black workers once again lost ground after Congress reopened the cheap labor spigot with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and turned it full throttle with subsequent legislation throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Between 1979 and 2019, the median wage of Black workers rose only 5.2 percent, while white workers’ earnings swelled by 20 percent — a drastic contrast with previous decades. 

Economists have pointed to the increased immigration between 1980 and 2000 as the cause of 60 percent of the relative wage decline,  while 25 percent of the decline  was in employment, and 10 percent of the rise was in incarceration rates among less-educated Blacks. 

Immigration’s crowding-out effect continues through the present day. The Economist recently covered the replacement of African American agricultural workers in Mississippi — in a county that’s 70 percent Black — by white South Africans brought here on H-2A guest worker visas. 

Scaling back immigration would benefit virtually all American workers — but it’d particularly help the African American descendants of slaves, who have all too often been consigned to the back of the hiring line by businesses seeking the cheapest and most pliable labor allowed by elected officials who make and enforce immigration policy.

Andre Barnes is HBCU Engagement Director for NumbersUSA. 

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By Lakeisha McVey

I’ve lived and studied poverty most of my life. But you don’t have to be an expert to see why it’s spiking after lawmakers let antipoverty programs expire.

After hitting a record low of 7.8 percent in 2021, new data shows the government’s Supplemental Poverty Measure jumped to 12.4 percent last year. That’s a nearly 60 percent increase. And it’s all because politicians allowed proven income support programs to expire.

I’m an expert on poverty. I’ve lived it most of my life in Iowa. I studied it as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow in rural West Virginia and in Washington, D.C. Now I help people experiencing poverty across the country tell their own stories to change policy.

People can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, get an education, and work multiple jobs. But in the face of rising prices, low wages, high rents and a broken healthcare system, it’s often not enough. Without a safety net and a level playing field for families, financial security is often out of reach.

When I was growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, my mom had a stable job with the state, but her pay wasn’t enough for a real home for my two siblings and me. Iowa, like every state, has a low-income housing crisis. And families of color like mine experience greater challenges obtaining affordable housing. We bounced around shelters, churches, and motel rooms.

Despite a stigma about accepting public assistance, we benefited from SNAP (aka “food stamps”) and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. But like other low-income families, we had to navigate the “benefits cliff.” When my mother made just $10 more, we’d lose the benefits we needed for sufficient, regular meals.

My father suffered from opioid addiction. When he was eventually able to get stable employment and rejoin our family, we finally got an apartment where the schools were decent. But a brain aneurysm suddenly took his life and we ended up back on the opposite side of the city where the underfunded schools offered less opportunity.

I wanted to stay in my school, so I spent four hours a day commuting on public buses and on foot. I knew I needed to get into college to be able to help my family financially. Now I have a steady job, and so does my husband.

But everyday struggles don’t end. The brokenness of our healthcare system burst into my life again when our baby was born with a fatal condition. The medical costs ran nearly $1 million in just the first few months of his tragically short life.

What could prepare someone for that?

Thankfully, my employer pays 100 percent of my health insurance. That’s a rarity. If I’d been out of work or worked elsewhere, we would’ve gone bankrupt as we suffered the most tragic thing that could ever happen to us as parents.

These are just a few of the structural obstacles low-income people face every day. But there are solutions. The advocates I work with reported enormous relief after politicians finally agreed to invest in helping children and families during the COVID-19 crisis.

The expanded Child Tax Credit cut child poverty nearly in half. Expanded food programs through SNAP lifted more than 3 million people out of poverty and staved off an expected spike in hunger. Housing subsidies kept nearly 2.5 million people out of poverty and in their homes. And Medicaid enrollment protections reduced the number of uninsured people by 1.5 million.

The year those programs were implemented, the Supplemental Poverty Measure fell to 7.8 percent — its lowest ever level. But when politicians rejected continuing this vital help for families, it increased by a record amount.

This is a failure for families across the country. We need to renew and expand those programs as soon as possible.

Poverty is solvable. We know what works. Why don’t we do it?

This article was originally published by OtherWords.org.

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By Claude Cummings, Jr.

As this was being written, I was proudly representing Communications Workers of America’s members during the 52^nd Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference. Since its inception, the CBC has passionately supported the interests of the Black community and worked to ensure that we have an equal voice in public policy. And its members, currently all Democrats, have been equally powerful allies of labor unions as vehicles of racial justice.  

At the same time, I was deeply disappointed to learn of the actions of two other high-profile black elected officials: U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, a Republican, and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, a former Democrat. I have characterized their bad behavior, respectively,  as Disrespect and Deception. 

Let’s start with the “disrespect” that Tim Scott exhibited toward members of the United Auto Workers. Scott, one of two Black Senators and the only Republican, is now a low-polling challenger to frontrunner Donald Trump for his party’s presidential nomination. 

When asked to comment on the UAW strike, he responded: “You strike, you’re fired!”  He went on to cite Ronald Reagan’s controversial firing of striking air traffic controllers back in 1981. In his decision, Reagan invoked a law prohibiting strikes by federal employees. 

Well, Mr. Scott, the UAW strikers, led by President Shawn Fain, are not government employees and are not subject to that law. Their right to strike is protected by the National Labor Relations Act. They are hard-working people who made great concessions almost 15 years ago to help save the American auto industry and keep family-supporting jobs in their communities. 

Their sacrifices brought the industry back with record-breaking profits that largely supported very generous salaries and bonuses for their bosses and huge returns for Wall Street investors. But the workers’ well-deserved demands to restore their benefits and wages and ensure equal pay for equal work went unmet for years.  

That’s why I’ll be on the UAW picket line in Detroit on Tuesday when Joe Biden becomes the first American president to join striking workers on the line. Yes, Joe not only talks the talk. He walks the walk of a real “union guy.” And we must return that loyalty in the 2024 election. 

Now to the blatant “Deception” of Dallas mayor Eric Johnson, who recently switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. As shocking as this may have been to those constituents whom he deceived into supporting him for a second term in a solidly blue city, it was not surprising to me. 

As a politically observant Texan, I saw how he had used the Democrat label for years to get elected and then pushed a GOP agenda – espousing their hard line on issues from law-and-order to tax cuts. The party switch just confirmed the way he had been leading for years, while strongly criticizing his former party’s governance of cities. 

But Houston’s Major Sylvester Turner, who was also unaware of Johnson’s deception, cites his own record in Houston in reducing crime, homelessness and addressing other urban challenges firmly, but more compassionately. “Democratic mayors are the boots on the ground,” he says. “We are responding to people’s needs.” 

Eric Johnson’s betrayal of loyal supporters in Dallas raises a red flag in Houston too. Much like Johnson, a mayoral candidate in Houston appears to be counting on the loyalty of some Labor supporters and other mainstream progressives while adding poisonous side elements of anti-worker, anti-justice, and forced birthers funded by pay-to-play partisan Republicans. 

So how do we respond to these perpetrators of disrespect and deception? First, we  let Sen. Scott know that union members across this country will not forget his uninformed and dismissive response to the UAW’s legitimate strike for fairness.

As for Mayor Johnson, whatever he plans to do after his tenure is over, we will make sure no one forgets his treachery in Dallas and that he is a politician who can never ever be trusted. And all the while, we must be on guard to make sure Johnson’s betrayal in Dallas doesn’t serve as a political template in the upcoming Houston Mayoral election or anywhere else.

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By Dayvon Love

One of the central elements of the condition of Black youth in the U.S. is that they are being socialized in a society full of dehumanizing systems. Pop culture, public education, politics and a host of other societal messages bombard Black youth with the idea that they are worthless. 

If we are serious about improving the quality of life of Black youth in Baltimore and around the country, we have to intentionally combat these societal forces of dehumanization. 

Many cultures have intentional processes that transition children to adulthood in ways that facilitate healthy identity formation. Confucians have the Guan Li ceremony, which is a ritual that signifies the transition for a Chinese boy from childhood to adulthood. Jewish people have a bar mitzvah, which is a ceremony that transitions Jewish boys into adulthood.  Both of these rituals are intentional markers where the work of youth socialization is explicit. That leaves the question: where is the adequate discussion, acknowledgment or support for this level of intentionality when it comes to Black youth and their transition into adulthood? 

Societal propaganda of Black inferiority and inherent criminality creates an environment where approaches to Black youth are based on the idea of fixing the image of their inherent pathology. In other words, many programs that work with Black youth approach them as potential problems to be saved from making bad life choices– instead of being trained to build upon the strong legacy of African people who are the foundation of human civilization. This approach lends itself to an ecosystem of programs for youth that amount to disaster management. Programs that use this method primarily address the short-term, basic needs of the community being served. The “disaster management” focus obscures the work needed to build intentional processes of child socialization. Opportunities for child socialization are necessary for Black youth to engage in the work of identity formation, which is crucial in combating societal propaganda of Black inferiority. Black children need a process to build an affirmative Black identity, rooted in strength and service.

Given the power of the societal assault on the humanity of people of African descent and Black youth in particular, any youth development program that does not intentionally combat this propaganda will be ineffective at addressing itself to the holistic needs of Black youth. Furthermore, programs should be designed to bring out the inherent genius in Black youth, which is often rendered invisible by the dominant narratives of Black inferiority that depict Black youth as helpless people who need white saviors to free them from their pathological community and environment. 

African Centered Rites of Passage programs are designed to provide a framework for identity formation for Black youth that can successfully combat the societal propaganda regarding notions of inherent Black pathology. Rites of passage is a process by which Black adults guide the youth through a culturally rooted process of rituals that culminate into the youth entering the next stage in their lives (i.e. adulthood). Young people are typically organized into “lines” where they are brought through the process as a group, and the youth develop deeper bonds with each other and the adults guiding them through the process. This provides the space for reflection and connection that in the best cases, lasts a lifetime. This built-in network that is intergenerational and culturally rooted equips young people with the tools needed to navigate the societal dehumanization that Black youth experience in this society. More importantly, it forms the basis for developing a strong sense of identity that can be the basis for that young person developing into an adult who can make important contributions to the family, their community, and ultimately the world. 

Baltimore and cities like it need to move toward making African-centered rites of passage a centerpiece of the work to help Black youth navigate the societal propaganda that dehumanizes Black youth. Baltimore Rites of Passage Initiative (BROPI) is a project that is reinvigorating Rites programming in Baltimore as a central way of addressing the challenges that we are having with our youth.

I urge everyone who is interested in giving Black boys in Baltimore the tools they need to turn away from the social forces that encourage them to harm themselves and each other to check out and support BROPI. 

You can find more information about BROPI at mentormddc.org/bropi.

Dayvon Love is the director of public policy for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle in Baltimore.

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By Maurice Carroll

Black male children are born into a culture where their way of life is showered with doubt, untrustworthiness and systems of racism. Worries of White supremacy and high expectations –both self-imposed and externally forced – all take a back seat on the day that a Black boy is born, but what about the long-term effects over time? What happens to the mental care of Black men as we move through life? Where can we feel safe and heard? How do we address our mental health needs? 

As September is Suicide Prevention Month, now more than ever we need to encourage Black boys and men to mind their mental health- before it’s too late. 

Here are three practices that I used to start my journey of mindfulness and mental health. This month, I encourage all Black men to think on how they can become better for themselves, their families and the community by tending to their own mental health and self-care needs. 

1–Daily quiet time 

Often Black men are traveling, working, going to school, teaching, and taking care of family responsibilities and businesses. Dedicating quiet time for yourself everyday is one of the best things you can do. It’s a good practice to eliminate electronics during your quiet time as much as possible. Journalling allows us to express ourselves without interruption or concerns of editing ourselves. An added benefit to writing out your thoughts is that it gives a record of progress. 

Another way to have daily quiet time is through meditation. Meditation practices come in many forms. You don’t have to sit in a lotus position and chant. There are walking meditations, yoga, guided meditations, and my favorite, sound healing mediations. There are a lot of meditation forms to experience. Find one or two that work well for you but dedicate time to it everyday. Even 5-10mins will absolutely make a difference. 

2- Change your language

When we are in our heads about life, we have a tendency to use default language. For example, we all have used the word “try.” 

“I’m trying to…” is a default phrase that exists in between doing or not doing. Remove language that perpetuates negative outlooks or provides an escape–like the word “try.” Consider framing your words to be positive, yet realistic. Instead of saying “I’m trying to be better,” say “I’m getting better. It’s happening slower than I hoped but I AM getting better.” 

Thoughts are energy and your words are a reflection of what you think. Use your language in a way that benefits you instead of the default language.

3-Give yourself grace

Black men have pressures that are difficult to imagine. Sometimes those external pressures are compounded with our inner pressures of and for ourselves. Learn to give yourself grace. Forgive yourself for your shortcomings, give yourself permission to learn and compliment yourself for having experienced whatever it was. Though we aren’t taught it as Black men, it is ok to accept yourself for who you are and be graceful with what they may look like to you. 

Protect and care for your mind. Your mental health matters. Remember your history. Remember who you are. Know thyself.

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By Ryan Coleman,
Special to the AFRO

Marylanders already have a higher cost of living than the United States average. In fact, Maryland is the sixth most expensive state in the country. If you live in the Randallstown, Woodlawn or Towson areas, you already spend nearly 7 percent above the national cost of living average.

With inflation, according to WMAR, 38 percent of Marylanders are struggling to make ends meet. In Baltimore County, residents recently had an increase in property taxes, increased tax assessments and a bag ban. Energy costs, like so much else, have risen significantly — 30 percent in the last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For many low-income families, it’s always been hard to pay for heat, electricity and gas. But for middle-income families, energy is usually affordable. 

Experts generally say that energy costs should only take up about 6 percent of a household’s income. Right now, on average, middle-income families are spending twice that and low-income families are spending four times that, according to data from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. 

BGE’s proposal applies to the delivery portion of the utility bill only, covering the distribution of electricity and natural gas. Customers also are charged rates by various suppliers of electric and gas, which covers the cost of the energy. Those costs, separate from BGE’s delivery, have soared in the past few years. 

Proposed rate increases would allow it to invest nearly $2.3 billion a year through 2026 to improve the reliability and safety of the electric grid and natural gas system and help the state reach a 2045 net zero emissions goal. 

BGE makes a profit by spending money on physical infrastructure (e.g., poles and wires). 

The law says they should spend the least they can while providing quality, environmentally safe service, but when it comes to their bottom line, utilities are incentivized to make more costly investments. The more they spend on physical infrastructure, the more profit they stand to make.

According to a preliminary analysis by the Randallstown NAACP, increases by 2026 would be even higher than those outlined by BGE. An average gas and electric customer would see an increase in delivery charge of over $1,000 dollars for the year. 

Therefore, this increase would have a disparate impact on Black Marylanders and compound the struggle of all Marylanders. The improvement of the grid should be funded through state and federal funds and BGE funds. It should not 

be funded on the backs of the middle class, working class and Black Marylanders. 

I implore Chair Frederick Hoover and the members of the Public Service Commision to vote against BGE’s rate hike! 

Ryan Coleman is the president of the Randallstown branch of the NAACP. He can be reached at randallstownnaacp@gmail.com.

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By Andrellos Mitchell

I have been a lawyer for nearly 29 years and a member of the Washington, D.C. Bar for 22 years. I have also been an active member of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since 1996.  I have practiced law in that court in the Bankruptcy and Civil Divisions. If memory serves me correctly, I was also an intern at the D.C. Public Defender Service when Judge Tanya S. Chutkan – the judge presiding over the 45th president, Donald Trump’s trial – was an attorney there.

Recently, Judge Chutkan has been attacked by my fellow conservatives. As usual, when White and/or secular Jewish critics on both sides of the aisle don’t like a Black person they attack their intelligence, experience or qualifications. While the judge has made some missteps, I don’t like this one bit and feel a need to call it out.

On Sept. 11, 2023, Trump filed a motion asking Chutkan to recuse herself from his federal election obstruction case. The motion essentially argues that prior statements made by Judge Chutkan are evidence that she is biased and will not treat Trump fairly in his case.

I disagree. 

Trump supporters have been making the case for bias for some time. On Sept. 10, 2023, on Mark Levin’s Fox News show “Life, Liberty, and Levin” he states: “I am here to make the case that Judge Tanya Chutkan is unqualified as a federal judge to handle the Jan. 6th case and is, in fact, unqualified to be a judge of any kind.”

Levin, another lawyer who isn’t a lawyer but a talking head, attacks a Black woman who is highly qualified to be a judge. Unlike many of former president Barack Obama’s judicial appointees, Chutkan had practiced law for a good number of years. Attacks on her experience, education and qualifications are offensive and smell like racism—and that’s coming from a two-time Donald Trump voter. 

Even before TV commentators started openly attacking Chutkan, politicians expressed their concerns about the judge’s ability to be fair.

As reported by Newsweek Congressman Matt Gaetz recently accused Chutkan of political bias. Gaetz said, “Judge Tanya Chutkan’s extreme sentencing of Jan. 6th defendants, while openly supporting the violent Black Lives Matter riots of 2020, showcases a complete disregard for her duty of impartiality and the rule of law. Justice may be blind, but the American people are not—we see Judge Chutkan for her actions, and we rebuke them in the greatest possible sense,” he said. 

Chutkan has rejected a comparison of the rioters involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol to demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd during the summer of 2020. 

“People gathered all over the country last year to protest the violent murder by the police of an unarmed man. Some of those protesters became violent,” Chutkan wrote in October 2021, according to Newsweek.

“But to compare the actions of people protesting, mostly peacefully, for civil rights, to those of a violent mob seeking to overthrow the lawfully elected government is a false equivalency and ignores a very real danger that the Jan. 6 riot posed to the foundation of our democracy,” she added.

Chutkan’s statement comparing the Jan. 6 rioters to the George Floyd rioters was unnecessary and, arguably, is cause for concern. She recognizes that people protesting Floyd’s death were “mostly peaceful.” However, this statement suggests that everyone or mostly everyone protesting at the Capitol was engaged in violent criminal activity. There were many people at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, who did not attack police officers, did not enter the U.S. Capitol; and many who entered the Capitol were peaceful.

Another point Gaetz alludes to are reports that Chutkan has given harsher sentences to defendants convicted for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 unrest than prosecutors have requested. When I read this, I thought, how could a former Public Defender Services (PDS) lawyer do this? Going beyond the punishment that the government seeks arguably shows that she has some bias against Jan. 6 protesters, rioters, or whatever you want to call them.

Reports that Chutkan is being unfair to Donald Trump is cause for concern. This is especially true since the judge is a former public defender. If I remember correctly, Chutkan was at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia when I was in my last semester of law school working as an intern. She was a tall, smart, attractive woman, with a quick smile.  

At PDS, when my supervisor and mentor, Sharon Styles wasn’t lecturing me about how to cut and paste motions to save time, she was lecturing me about fairness in the legal process and how prosecutors always overcharged and had almost unlimited resources, while defense lawyers had to fight just to get a fair conviction.  At the Defense Bar, it’s about fairness to the defendant. Is Donald Trump going to be treated fairly in the legal process?

The jury selection process is the most critical thing in Trump’s case, but even if the jury selected isn’t fair, the judge has got to be fair. Hopefully, Chutkan will remember the virtues she had as a defense attorney. It’s not about who the defendant is. It’s about fairness to the defendant in the legal process.

While Congressman Gaetz does give some very good anecdotal references to potential bias against Donald Trump, based on Chutkan’s own comments, I don’t think it means the judge won’t treat Donald Trump fairly in his case before her.

From what I’ve read, Chutkan had practiced law for at least 20 years and was very qualified when nominated to the bench. I think she can be fair, and apparently the United States Senate thought so too. That’s why she was unanimously confirmed to her judgeship in a 95-0 vote by the Senate 2014.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is not a place for theatrics or cameras. It has a very solemn feel about it. The judges usually go out of their way to seem impartial. I think Judge Chutkan would do well to remember this.

Finally, there is much debate in legal circles about limiting Trump’s freedom of speech during the process of his trial. No doubt, Trump needs to stop talking so much. However, just so there won’t be any further allegations of bias against the former president, perhaps Chutkan should also follow her own advice on limiting discussions about the case before her.

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By: Ben “BostonBen” Haith 

While I greatly respect President Joe Biden, I believe that we need a human leader who will prioritize transforming our country into a non-violent and peaceful society for the sake of future generations. Our nation has a long history of systemic violence, often linked to the use of firearms. Guns have been used against groups that our society has feared, such as Native Americans, British, Africans, people of color, women, and others. I commend President Biden for his efforts during this transitional period, but time is running out.

Some individuals within our nation seek to dismantle our democracy and control the people, as this has happened before in our history and in other countries. President Biden faces numerous challenges, including climate change, cultural divisions, economic justice, racial justice, and more. Over the past two years, I have spoken with various groups and have emphasized the need for a national mental health evaluation to understand why our society has so many unhealthy aspects. Without addressing the root causes of our societal issues, we will continue to struggle for solutions. It is time to take action. 

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By Dr. Julianne Malveaux,
Forward Times Staff

The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009.  Several states have a higher minimum, but a predictable few, including Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, South Carolina and Alabama, are stuck at that low minimum.  If the minimum wage kept up with inflation, it would be at least $10 an hour today.  However, twenty-two states are stuck on exploitation and refuse to raise their minimum wage.

Restaurant workers get the short end of the stick.  The minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13 an hour, which means they are expected to earn up to the minimum wage or more with their tips.  But tips are discretionary and arbitrary; sometimes people tip the expected 15 to 20 percent, and sometimes they don’t.

How can they eke out a living wage on other people’s arbitrary judgment?  Were they likable?  Friendly?  Kind?  It doesn’t matter.  Did you get your food?  Was it hot and delivered in a timely way?  If I had my way, I’d charge enough for food to pay workers properly.

Tipping is a practice that harkens back to enslavement.  People should be paid for their work and not have to skin and grin to make a living wage. In the wake of Labor Day, though, it makes sense to consider how workers experience exploitation and what we must do about it.  Workers around the country are resisting exploitation, whether it is Hollywood writers or on university campuses.

As of this writing, the United Auto Workers is on the cusp of a strike, which will have significant repercussions for our economy.  A United Parcel Service strike was narrowly averted, and it, too, would have weakened the economy.  With labor productivity up, workers are unwilling to settle for pay 2 and 3 percent annual increases when food and gas prices are rising by 5 and 6 percent.  There seems to be no willingness to increase wages to keep workers “even”, and President Biden, with his “Bidenomics” seems to see the big picture, but not the small one.  People are hurting, and employers are pocketing profits and exploiting workers.

The Institute for Policy Studies released a report, Executive Excess 2023, in which they highlight the 100 companies that have the lowest pay and the greater ratio of CEO pay to median worker pay.  Some of these companies have federal contracts, which means when they offer low pay to workers, they also get subsidies from the rest of us, the taxpayers who support food stamps, medical care, and other amenities that workers who earn little qualify for.

The report shows that the ratio between CEO and median worker pay is 603-1.  The average CEO in the Low Wage 100 earned $15.3 million a year, while the average worker earned a scant $31,672 a year.  The most significant offender was Live Nation Entertainment.  CEO Michael Rufino earned $139 million, 5,414 times more than the average worker who earned $25,673 a year.  Amazon, a large federal contractor, is among the most exploitative.  But they aren’t alone.  Too many companies rip their workers off and also enjoy federal largesse.

Given these massive paychecks and massive profits, why can’t we raise the federal minimum wage, and why can’t we pay workers more?  Predatory capitalism suggests that employers must extract surplus value from workers.  That means that, despite rising worker productivity, employers should attempt to pay as little as they can.  The outrageous CEO to worker pay ratios suggest that companies benefit from paying so little.  Will workers revolt?  Can they?

Too many workers are frightened to strike.  They need their jobs, and their unions may not have sufficient strike funds to allow them to be out for a long period of time.  Do they need their jobs with exploitative terms and conditions of work?  Must they work with unfair pay?  Is it time for workers to unite?

What would happen if you went to your morning coffee shop to find no one there?  Waited for a bus to find no driver, no bus?  Managed to get to work to find no coworkers?  Wandered to lunch to find no one serving?  Tried to stop at a supermarket heading home to find no one working and no food available?  Managed home to sort out a mess?

We depend on workers, but we don’t want to pay them.  We agree with their labor actions but don’t want to manage inconvenience.  We thought about Labor Day, but we don’t think about workers.  

When will we raise the federal minimum wage?

This article was originally published by the Forward Times. 

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Olumide Shokunbi

When a Black entrepreneur takes a risk, bets on their drive and their passion and stakes their future on starting a business, the stakes are higher than most people can understand. A successful Black- owned business is a building block in the empowerment of Black people everywhere. When those endeavors are successful, they lift up the entire community by fostering growth, opportunity and support. But when they struggle or fail, doors close, amounting to fewer jobs for workers, fewer opportunities for suppliers and vendors, and a loss of community for customers.

Black business owners should have every tool available to help their businesses succeed. Today, one of the most vital tools at our disposal is TikTok, a platform threatened by decision-makers in Congress who do not understand it. I own and operate Spice Kitchen in Brentwood, Md, a restaurant that connects people and shares the culture of my native West Africa with our community. TikTok has allowed me to engage with new customers, display our culinary offerings and become a food destination for people across greater Washington, D.C.

As a member of this community, I appreciate that TikTok allows me to connect with other users and share ideas and content that show off my cuisine. As a business owner, the app has been a difference-maker that has allowed us to thrive. Thanks to the connections we are able to make through social media, Spice Kitchen is on track to add more than a million dollars in sales this year, doubling our revenue from last year.

My business has benefited greatly from TikTok as a marketing tool, but that part of our story is not unique. Anyone who follows food and restaurant interests on TikTok has heard multiple stories about establishments across the country that have been boosted or even saved by the influx of new customers sent through their doors by popular accounts and influencers. Nearly five million businesses are on the platform, leveraging its unique, curated algorithm that allows us to reach people who are most inclined to be interested in our products. For Black- and minority-owned businesses that face greater challenges than most when starting and growing a business, that reach is invaluable. It allows us to advertise and communicate meaningfully in the same arena as large corporations whose massive marketing budgets dominate other platforms.

Lawmakers who are pushing for a ban on TikTok should consider which communities would be harmed the most by such an excessive and unnecessary measure. Almost a third of Black adults in the United States are on TikTok, using it to foster a sense of community, activate and organize politically, and share their culture and ideas with people who might not have the same background or experiences.

Banning TikTok would silence Black voices, prevent opportunities for cultural awareness, and harm businesses that are central to thriving Black communities across the country. It would also apply one set of rules to a platform that empowers Black users and creators while allowing other platforms to play by a different, more lenient set of rules. Allowing Congress to create new rules that effectively silence Black users sets a dangerous precedent for free speech in America.

Congress must reconsider its attempts to penalize and ban TikTok, an app that has allowed me and countless other Black entrepreneurs to see our hard work pay off. When I started Spice Kitchen, my dream was to connect people through common experiences and introduce my culture to people who were unfamiliar with it. A ban on TikTok will inhibit countless opportunities at a time when we should be talking about how to open doors, not close them, for Black business owners.

Mr. Olumide Shokunbi is a first-generation Nigerian American and founder and owner of Spice Kitchen located in Brentwood, Md.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By John Rydell

Recently, my ever-patient real estate agent picked me up on a Saturday morning to show me yet another house during my exhaustive search for the perfect home.  

When we arrived at the single-family house in Reisterstown, there was no “for sale” sign in the front yard. I thought that was odd, but was assured by the veteran realtor she had the correct address. The door was unlocked, so we entered to begin our tour. Moments later, a man in his 60’s emerged from the kitchen with a stunned look on his face and yelled “What are you doing in my house!” The bewildered agent quickly glanced at her listing sheet and discovered we had entered the wrong house. The home for sale was on East Chestnut Hill Lane, but we were standing in the foyer of a house on West Chestnut Hill. 

I became nervous, while my realtor’s face turned red as she profusely apologized, showing the man a sheet which listed the other address. During this brief, but uncomfortable encounter, the homeowner remained remarkably calm. Perhaps, he had mistakenly received mail addressed to the other house on East Chestnut Hill. Maybe our appearance during the day did not suggest malicious intentions. He must have concluded this was nothing more than an innocent mistake. So we quickly left, and my realtor located the house actually for sale a few blocks away.

Much later, I realized how the brief encounter could have ended tragically at multiple points. 

What if his home had previously been burglarized? 

What if the man owned weapons? If so, would he have panicked and reached for his gun before asking who we were? And what if my realtor and I had been African American? 

Honestly, I had never pondered these questions– until recently. That’s because this incident occurred more than 30 years ago. Now, hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear of another violent encounter in which innocent victims were shot and killed by agitated homeowners and motorists. 

In April 2023 Ralph Yarl, an African-American teenager, went to the wrong house in search of his brothers. He was shot and wounded by a White 84-year old homeowner, Andrew Lester, who fired his gun through a glass storm door. 

The same month, a White six-year-old North Carolina girl, Kinsley White, was shot by a neighbor, 24-year-old Robert Louis Singletary, when she went to retrieve a basketball that rolled into his yard. 

A 20-year-old woman, Kaylin Gillis, was shot on April 15 when she and friends pulled into the wrong driveway. She paid for the simple mistake with her life, after 65-year-old homeowner Kevin Monahan shot into the vehicle, striking Gillis, who was a passenger. 

Then there is the horrific case in Texas, where five people, including a 9-year old boy, were killed execution-style by a deranged gunman, who had just been asked by a neighbor to stop firing his gun outside. 

As a reporter in Baltimore for more than 30 years, I covered dozens– if not hundreds of homicides– often fueled by drugs, retaliation or domestic issues. On rare occasions, I reported incidents in which an armed homeowner shot and killed a suspect who had broken into the home. In those cases, prosecutors declined to charge the homeowner with a crime. But it was extremely rare to find random shootings of innocent people who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In fact, I never thought about such scenarios in which I could become a victim. But recently, I received a small package in the mail, which was addressed to a neighbor two blocks away. As I drove to the other house, I initially had planned to pull into the driveway, get out and place the package on the front porch. But what if the homeowner (who I don’t know) suspected I was a “porch pirate” preparing to steal another package already sitting on the front step? Instead, I parked on the street and placed the package in the mailbox. 

In hindsight, I’m sure I overreacted. But a report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reveals gun ownership in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past 30 years. Americans own an estimated 434-million firearms. 

How many of our neighbors now possess weapons? And will that impact our day-to-day routine?

Will members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses have to scale back their door-to-door preaching? Will members of high school sports teams have to curtail or eliminate their door-to-door fundraising? And will political candidates and their volunteers have to change their strategy for soliciting potential voters?With more gun ownership comes more responsibility. To randomly shoot strangers in haste, without considering the consequences, will only result in more senseless deaths while ruining the lives of those responsible.

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By Anika Forrest and Haddy Gassama 

On Aug. 26 we marked 60 years since crowds descended on the National Mall for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. As we continue to reflect on the progress made in the decades since, the “freedom” part gives us pause.  

In the days, months, and years leading up to that historical occasion, members of the Black diaspora faced innumerable, unforgettable racial horrors, despite some lawmakers’ best efforts to erase those harsh truths from history books and public conscience. Yes, the enslavement of Black Americans, Jim Crow, and lunch counter segregation have all ended. No, our children do not require National Guard escorts into segregated school buildings. But it’s trite to think evolving beyond these societal ills equates to freedom. 

There is a shared and repeated experience of terror connecting the Black diaspora. Social justice leader, lawyer and author Bryan Stevenson has likened Black exiles during the Great Migration to refugees. Perhaps hyperbolic by international law standards, this comparison accurately describes intentional and pervasive anti-Black laws that drive migration and govern the United States’ harmful immigration deterrence policies.  

A recent report by Human Rights First articulates the heightened risks to Black asylum-seekers: they are denied basic protections, including the right to asylum, and actively targeted with racist retribution for reasons that amount to little more than being Black. “Bring me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…,” reads “The New Colossus,” the infamous Emma Lazarus poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. We couldn’t be further from that stated value of freedom. 

The Biden administration must realize that its dream of racial equity will remain deferred until it recognizes immigration as a Black issue. 

Earlier this summer, the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the administration, echoing the firm call from advocates to prioritize Black immigrants in its racial justice agenda. Despite repeated criticism of its predecessor’s inhumane immigration policies, as well as promises to undo those harms, the Biden administration’s platform to advance racial equity has largely overlooked the voices of the Black immigrant community.  

The Biden administration has rightfully leaned into many politically charged issues facing the Black community—voting rights and police brutality among them. But when it comes to immigration, it is poised to seal a legacy of xenophobia and anti-Blackness. 

Despite indicating disapproval of Title 42—the life-threatening Trump-era border policy that masqueraded as a public health precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic—President Biden extended its scope to Haitian nationals, expelling more than 25,000 Haitian asylum seekers and migrants amid a pandemic and homeland fragility.  

The Human Rights First report underscores the continued disproportionate harm to Black immigrants caused by the administration’s post-Title 42 policies. 

This spring, the State Department and Department of Homeland Security announced initiatives, including heightened deportation, to deter asylum seekers and migrants from pursuing humanitarian pathways. This accompanied the administration’s litigated asylum ban rule, successor to Title 42, requiring asylum seekers to first pursue protection in a travel-through country or face ineligibility for asylum by the U.S. government.

The policy is lethal, and it ignores the harsh realities Black asylum seekers and migrants face. 

Persecution, such as race-based violence, can deter one from seeking asylum in a country where they may have journeyed. Family reunification—another hollow priority of the Biden administration—also influences decisions to seek asylum in the United States.  

There is no “right way” to seek asylum. U.S. law requires at-risk populations to present themselves at the U.S. border to seek protection. Adding barriers to asylum not in our immigration laws penalizes and demonizes Black families and individuals seeking refuge. 

The grossly complicated CBP One app has exacerbated inequities. Asylum seekers are now required to schedule appointments through the system, despite reports that it fails to recognize darker skin tones and excludes languages native to many BIPOC communities. The app did not initially include Haitian Creole, despite the frequency of entry attempts by Haitian migrants.  

The Biden administration has no qualms about using the full scope of its authority regarding immigration. That same boldness must apply to just migration policies.  

Examining the U.S. immigration system’s impact on Black immigrants and meaningfully addressing systemic, anti-Black racism in the United States is a start. Establishing a White House Taskforce on Black Migration and adequately fund this effort is equally necessary 

The U.S. cannot continue to overlook, undercount, and/or willfully erase Black immigrants and their families from the general discourse on immigration policy. Black immigrants comprise approximately 9 percent of the entire foreign-born population in the United States, totaling nearly five million people. These numbers omit the thousands of people outside the United States seeking to enter through humanitarian pathways to reunite with families, for employment, or through the Diversity Visa program.  

The Biden administration must escape the trap of reactionary politics and embrace a bold vision for racially equitable migration policies. Shelter, wraparound services, and work authorizations are the migration management mechanics it should prioritize alongside stable pathways for entry. Now is the time to create a humane, efficient migration infrastructure that values all human lives yearning to breathe free. 

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By Ben Jealous

More than one million Americans told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that they aren’t willing to wait any longer.

Their comments insisting that EPA move forward quickly to cut carbon pollution from new and existing coal and natural gas-burning power plants were delivered in person in Washington by a coalition of a dozen national environment, environmental justice, and public health groups. It reportedly is the most public responses to a proposed environmental rule since President Biden took office.

Their impatience is understandable. Power plants are the second largest source of climate-damaging greenhouse gasses in the United States after cars, trucks, and planes. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported nearly six months ago that at the current global pace by 2030 we will blow through the threshold for carbon pollution that will keep the planet livable.

Unless we act fast and significantly, we are the allegorical frog in slowly warming water, except we are turning up the heat on ourselves. In just three months since EPA proposed the tougher carbon regulations, we’ve experienced wildfires across North America, flooding across the northeastern U.S., and in July the single hottest month in recorded human history. These are the predictable consequences of manmade climate change, and unless we act with urgency, they only will get worse.     

President Biden promised to reduce U.S. carbon pollution by half by 2030. We won’t reach that without even more ambitious rules than EPA has proposed, including more demand for community outreach by state regulators around pollution from existing plants.

Not surprisingly, the groups representing electric utilities offered their typical knee-jerk responses to higher standards to curb pollution – too much, too fast, too risky. It sounded a lot like the complaints nearly a decade ago when the Obama administration unveiled its Clean Power Plan, and plants have met those targets since.

It begs the question of why an industry that reportedly saw $14 billion in profits last year, carried out $11 billion in stock buybacks, and asked for 14 percent more rate increases from consumers compared to 2021 isn’t doing more to create the technology it needs to keep from slowly baking the planet. And why it’s building enough new natural gas-burning plants to power 12.8 million households. Those plants could still be open in 2050 when even power companies say they’ll be at net zero carbon pollution and as the cost of producing electricity through renewable sources is slipping below the cost for generating it burning fossil fuels.

The timing of their objections to the new EPA rules is ironic. We’re also marking the one-year anniversary of the historic package that the President and Congress crafted directing more than $350 billion in federal support to clean energy and good jobs.

Back then, the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation’s private power companies, said the tax credits and incentives included would “deliver a clean energy future and a carbon-free economy faster.” The package would put the U.S “at the forefront of global efforts to drive down carbon emissions” and provide “much-needed certainty to America’s electric companies over the next decade.” The same companies have gone from applause to hand wringing in 12 months.

When it comes to what must be done now to avert unrecoverable damage to the climate, ignorance isn’t bliss – it’s an impending catastrophe. President Biden through EPA must face up to a grave obligation by seizing every opportunity to make good on his 2030 pledge.

The word protection in EPA’s name refers to people and the planet, not polluters. That must start now with stringent standards ensured by rigorous monitoring and enforcement mechanisms and reinforced by meaningful community voices in the conversation.

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By Kenneth E. Thorpe

The FDA has recently approved exciting new treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a scourge that claims more American lives than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. 

One such medicine, Leqembi, reduced early-stage Alzheimer’s patients’ cognitive decline by 27 percent in clinical trials — a breakthrough that offers hope to millions of Americans with degenerative dementia.

The question, though, is whether Medicare will allow access to these and other game-changing medications through seniors’ prescription drug coverage. For Leqembi, the answer as of July is yes — but it’s complicated. And the complications should be ringing alarm bells for seniors nationwide.  

Medicare initially balked at providing coverage for Leqembi and similar Alzheimer’s treatments.

In a nutshell, Medicare officials decided unilaterally that FDA approval wasn’t good enough. Without the expertise or even necessarily the authority to do so, CMS demanded additional testing for monoclonal antibody treatments for Alzheimer’s before covering them without requiring patients to join a study.

The first FDA approvals for these treatments came under the FDA’s “accelerated approval” pathway, which is designed to get critical medicines to patients as soon as safely possible. 

Leqembi received accelerated approval in January this year based on its ability to clear the brain of plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In theory, this should have allowed hundreds of thousands of Medicare patients access to a medicine that could substantially slow the progress of their Alzheimer’s.

It didn’t. CMS effectively refused to cover the medicine by requiring participation in agency-approved clinical trials or an evidence-gathering data registry as a condition of coverage — neither of which existed at the time.

The CMS actions suggest that the agency was working to avoid having the government pay for the medication. But doing so violated a core Medicare tenet of equal access to FDA-approved medications, setting a dangerous precedent.

Leqembi went on to gain traditional approval in July. CMS now says it will provide coverage as long as a patient’s prescribing clinician participates in an easily accessible national registry. That’s a big improvement — but it still leaves troubling precedents in place and restricts coverage to people willing to share their data with a registry.  

Worse, delaying or denying access to medications like Leqembi is incredibly short-sighted. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the United States over $345 billion in 2023, with Medicare and Medicaid covering much of those costs. Without adequate treatments, such expenditures will balloon to nearly $1 trillion annually by 2050. 

Leqembi is designed to treat patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Yet every day during the six months that separated its accelerated and traditional FDA approvals — when CMS was refusing to cover it for almost all patients — more than 2,000 people with Alzheimer’s progressed past the point at which Leqembi could have slowed their cognitive decline.

President Biden pledged to reduce the “heartbreaking human toll” of Alzheimer’s. We are on the cusp of doing so — provided officials at CMS stop trying to ration treatments.

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By U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04)

Cancer is a formidable adversary, no matter where it strikes here at home or across the world. But it’s a battle that at-risk communities like yours and mine often face with fewer resources and less awareness. To truly make strides in the fight against cancer, we must focus our efforts on prevention in these vulnerable populations.

I would know. I survived a bout of kidney cancer.

It was a high-blood-pressure incident in 2004 that tipped me off to the health scare. As a 42-year-old with six young kids, I was grateful for the amazing medical care, doctors, and facilities available to me in the Washington-Baltimore region — and for having quality health insurance.  As a Black man, I may have been at greater risk for high blood pressure, stroke, and cancer, but I was incredibly  thankful and blessed to have the resources, wherewithal, and education to get checked out. When it comes to matters of life and death, everyone should have the same access.

At-risk communities, defined by factors like socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and geographic location, bear the disproportionate burden of cancer. These disparities are not just the result of genetics but are rooted in systemic inequalities that impact access to healthcare, education, and healthy living environments.

Education is paramount. In many at-risk communities, there is a lack of awareness about the risks associated with tobacco use, poor diet, and physical inactivity. Public health campaigns tailored to these communities can provide crucial information about the dangers of smoking, the benefits of a balanced diet, and the importance of regular exercise.

Addressing environmental factors is essential, too. For instance, certain communities may have limited access to fresh, nutritious foods while being inundated with fast-food options. Policy changes at the local level can encourage healthier food choices and reduce exposure to carcinogens in the environment. We must find solutions to “food deserts” in communities of color and map out more effective strategies for better and healthier development in underserved neighborhoods.

Cultural sensitivity also plays a significant role in cancer prevention. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs and beliefs of at-risk communities is essential for success. Engaging community leaders and organizations can help build trust and increase participation in prevention programs.  In Congress, I will continue to work across the government, non-profit, and private sectors to bridge the gap for communities like ours, so we can prevent and treat the cancers that plague our people.

Addressing mental health is additionally crucial. At-risk communities often face chronic stressors related to economic hardship and discrimination that can contribute to cancer risk. Providing resources for mental-health support can help individuals cope with stress and reduce their overall cancer risk.

By far, our most effective tool in the battle against cancer is prevention. Many at-risk individuals face obstacles to routine screenings and check-ups, which can detect cancer at an early, more treatable stage. Community health clinics and outreach programs can bridge this gap, offering free or low-cost screenings and education. 

That’s why this Sept. 16th, my office and I are offering free cancer screenings in College Park, Md. from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Make an appointment at https://tinyurl.com/mraftwkw.

Ultimately, the fight against cancer in at-risk communities requires a multidimensional approach. With persistent effort and a commitment to equity, we can reduce cancer disparities. But it all starts with you. 

Together we can bridge the gap in cancer detection, prevention, and treatment.

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By Sen. Cory McCray (D-Md.-45)

Earlier this year, I was watching the game between the LA Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder when Lebron James, a.k.a. “King James,” a.k.a. the “Kid from Akron,” became the NBA’s all-time top scorer. Minutes later, King James took to the microphone and spoke on the career-defining moment. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the first person lifted in a quick, two-minute speech. In that moment, James honored the man who had cracked the glass ceiling nearly 40 years ago – a ceiling he shattered in 2023.

Whenever possible, I try to remind people that before there was a McCray, there was Senator Nathaniel McFadden; and before there was a McFadden there was Senator Nathan Irby. Before Irby, there was Senator Robert Douglass, but preceding them all was Senator Robert L. Dalton. 

Nearly 52 years ago, Dalton became the first Black State Senator hailing from East Baltimore to represent the 45^th District. Baltimore’s history is rich, and future generations must know. 

The late writer and poet Maya Angelou once said, “I have great respect for the past. If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.” 

At a time when some want to scale back how much the current and future generations know about our history, I find it important to know about the good, the bad and the struggles those before me endured. 

I learned about Dalton nearly a decade ago while having breakfast with former Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke. Soon after, I found myself sitting down with Sen. Dalton and his wife. Much of the conversation centered on his time as Founder and President of the Coldstream – Homestead – Montebello (CHUM) Neighborhood Association in East Baltimore, where he resided until his last days in 2022. Our meetings continued throughout the years. Like many other leaders from East Baltimore, Dalton was a member of the United Steel Workers and was employed at Sparrows Point. He represented the tenacious, hard-working spirit of Baltimore.

The 2023 legislative session presented a unique opportunity to remember the legislative giant. A new high school football stadium on Harford Road and 25^th Street in the CHUM neighborhood will be named the “Senator Robert L. Dalton Stadium,” in his honor. This feat was one of my most critical actions taken this session. Through this legislation, we are protecting the legacy of former Senator Dalton. People will soon take pride in walking in the proposed stadium coming to East Baltimore and his story will continue to be told to unborn generations.  

Aside from the stadium, I partnered with the CollegeBound Foundation, and businesses within the 45^th District geographic footprint to help our young people have more resources to attend community college or one of our prestigious universities, creating the Senator Robert L. Dalton Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is awarded to three young scholars from the 45^th legislative district to help pay for college each year and has been serving its mission since 2018. The one criterion is that the young person(s) be committed to their community through service or volunteerism – one thing Dalton was passionate about during his career. The Senator Robert L. Dalton Scholarship Fund also serves as an emergency scholarship that steps in to help those young people facing economic challenges during the academic school year.

In 1970 when Dalton was elected to the State Senate, policies were accomplished by coalition politics and democratic clubs. That year, 15 of the 18 members of the Democratic Slate won, which made history for East Baltimore. 

Dalton represented a predominately Black Eastside Democratic Organization, while Joseph Clarke represented the White New Democratic Club. They came together to make history.

The former senator became a voice for the Black community, ultimately laying much of groundwork for people such as myself to follow. 

I am humbled by the responsibility to ensure people know about Sen. Dalton and the work he has done to build up East Baltimore to what it is today.

Sen. Cory McCray represents the 45th District in the Maryland State Senate, which includes Northeast and East Baltimore City. He also served as the first vice chair of the Maryland Democratic Party (2018-2022). He can be reached by email at cory.mccray@senate.state.md.us and followed on Twitter @SenatorMcCray

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Shekhinah Braveheart,
Special to the AFRO

Maryland leaders wanting to address community concerns about rising crime should reform the state’s  parole system. For too long, instead of providing incentives for good behavior and rehabilitation that  would make our neighborhoods safer, Maryland parole has been associated with hopelessness and  recidivism. Comprehensive parole reform, combined with more robust support to help released citizens  succeed in the community, could help fix this. 

A new report from the Justice Policy Institute (JPI), a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C.,  describes our state’s parole process as fraught with challenges. JPI researchers analyzed five years of  data about the Maryland Parole Commission, collected, prepared, and shared by the Maryland  Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). In developing recommendations to  address their findings, JPI reviewed the latest research and examined best practices in parole in other states. They also consulted with family members and individuals who have experience with the  Maryland parole system and attorneys who assist individuals applying for parole.  

Currently, the main outcome of parole in Maryland is hopelessness, the researchers found. Incarcerated  people looking to the parole process for guidance find the system confusing, opaque, and arbitrary.  Frequently, they have little to no opportunity to prepare their application, and some report learning of  their parole hearing on the day it took place. People denied parole often receive no meaningful  explanation to help them prepare for their next opportunity. Consequently, too many individuals remain  incarcerated long past any meaningful public safety benefit. 

Willie Hamsa, a returning citizen who now works to provide reentry support to others, knows the  problems of current parole policy from personal experience. 

“During my incarceration, I followed the rules, avoided trouble and participated in nearly every workshop, course and  program that was offered, with titles like “Alternatives to Violence,” “Thinking for a Change” and  “Stress Management,” he said. “I also learned a vocational trade, earned my GED, and took college courses. Yet,  when I went up for parole after serving over 20 years, the Maryland Parole Commission showed no  interest in my personal growth or how much I had changed. Instead, it was as if I were on trial all over  again. Decades after a judge had already handed down my punishment, the details of my offense were  the sole consideration, and I was denied early release. That I had spent a quarter of a century in prison and had no drug-related infractions during all those years didn’t seem to matter. I was denied parole  release a total of four times before I was finally released after my fifth hearing last year.”  

Mr. Hamsa’s experience is not unique. JPI’s report found that parole is as widely misunderstood today as  it was in 1935—the last time anyone made a comprehensive study of the state’s parole system. The  system routinely fails to adhere to its own rules and procedures, and little data are available to the  public, including current annual grant rates and information about recidivism and racial disparities.  

After nearly a century of indifference, it is time for Maryland to finally embrace the spirit and the intent  of parole. As a first step, we should recognize that the first date of parole eligibility is the date that the  goals of punishment have been met; release decisions should be based on the person’s demonstrated  commitment to change after their sentencing. Other best practices include: 

– Adopting transparent rules and procedures that reflect all interested parties’ input. 

– Providing access to counsel and all materials that the parole board will use to make its decision  before the hearing. 

– Using a race-neutral, structured decision-making tool that incorporates a validated risk and  needs assessment tool. 

– Documenting reasons for denial of parole in writing, and making these appealable. – Expanding eligibility and developing standards for “Compassionate Release” of geriatric and  chronically ill populations. 

– Working closely with other criminal legal and support agencies to ensure the development of a  parole release plan that supports successful reentry. 

– Selectively imposed supervision, with the length of conditions linked to risk and limited to the  least restrictive necessary to meet the goals of reentry and public safety.  

– Front-loading resources and providing opportunities to shorten the parole term through good  behavior. 

A high-functioning parole system can both enhance public safety and conserve state resources. JPI’s  report offers practical steps that today’s leaders can take to finally fulfill the promise of parole. The full  report, Safe at Home: Improving Maryland’s Parole Release Decision Making, can be accessed, read, and  downloaded from the Justice Policy Institute’s website, www.justicepolicy.org.  

Shekhinah Braveheart is an Advocacy Associate at the Justice Policy Institute.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Chuck Collins

Sixty years after Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, our racial economic divide is vast as ever. But it can still be closed — and quickly.

It’s now been 60 years since the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom — and the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. 

At the rally, Dr. King famously proclaimed that all people, Black as well as White, have a “promissory note” from their government guaranteeing “the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” He lamented that “America has defaulted on this promissory note” to Black citizens. 

Six decades later, despite incremental progress on some fronts, the check has still come back marked “insufficient funds.” But with enough political will, we can clear it quickly. That’s the conclusion of our new report,  Still a Dream: Over 500 Years to Black Economic Equality. 

There are important signs of progress to mark. The unthinkably high rate of Black poverty has diminished since King’s time, falling from 51 percent in 1963 to 20 percent by 2021. But with one in five Black Americans still living in poverty — and one in 12 Whites — it’s hardly a moment to pop the champagne bottle.

Other positive indicators include a sharp increase in Black high school attainment over the last 60 years and a significant decline in Black unemployment. For many important economic indicators, however, the pace of progress has been so incremental that it would still take centuries for Black Americans to reach parity with Whites.

For example, the Black-White income gap has barely narrowed at all. In 1967, African Americans earned 58 cents for every dollar earned by Whites. By 2021, that had risen to just 62 cents on the dollar. At this rate of progress, it would take Black households 513 years to reach income parity with their White counterparts.

Progress in narrowing the racial wealth divide has been even slower. In 1962, Blacks had 12 cents of wealth for every dollar of White wealth. By 2019, the last year of comprehensive data, Blacks had just 18 cents for every dollar of White wealth. At this pace, it would take 780 years for Black wealth to equal White wealth.  

There has been essentially no progress in narrowing the gap between White and Black rates of homeownership, another key indicator of wealth and well-being. Sixty years later, there remains roughly a 30 percentage point gap, with 44 percent of Black households owning a home compared with 74 percent of Whites.

In part, our country’s failure to bridge the racial economic divide reflects the growing inequality in our society overall. 

During the last 40 years, America has experienced extreme levels of income and wealth inequality, with most gains flowing into the hands of the wealthiest — and mostly White — 1 percent. This has contributed to the stalling of progress toward racial equity, along with government withdrawal from investments such as affordable housing.  

What could put us back on track? Without a doubt, the persistent Black-White divide requires racially targeted commitments to individual asset-building and other forms of reparations. 

But other programs — including full employment, a government jobs program, universal health care, and a massive commitment to homeownership —  would reduce racial inequality and lift up all those suffering from 40 years of stagnant wages, regardless of their race.

Many of these investments could be paid for by wealth taxes aimed at reducing dynastic concentrations of wealth and power, among other efforts to get the very wealthy to pay their fair share in our unequal country.

At the Lincoln Memorial 60 years ago, King exclaimed: “We have come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.”

Taking over half a millennium to close our racial economic divide is gradualism in the extreme.

To act today, based on the fierce urgency of now, we must make the investments to eliminate racial disparities within one generation. 

Sixty years after bouncing the check, it is time to fulfill America’s promise with a bold response.

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad is the chief of Race, Wealth, and Community at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. 

Chuck Collins 

Chuck Collins directs the Program on Inequality and co-edits Inequaity.org at the Institute for Policy Studies. They are co-authors of the new report, Still a Dream: Over 500 Years to Black Economic Equality. 

This article was originally published by OtherWords.org.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Ke’Aun Charles

The neocolonial French empire in Africa is crumbling. Across the Sahel anti-French military coups have overthrown their pro-Paris predecessors. Along the coast, protests against the French-backed CFA currencies and strongmen have rocked countries such as Togo. In country after country, France is in retreat, and players like China and Russia are entering the breach. 

In this environment the U.S. is at a disadvantage. Both China and Russia can point to their histories as anti-colonial fighters in the Cold War. Both countries can claim to be victims of Western greed and brutality, same as many in Africa. The U.S., however, cannot claim such a heritage in the continent. Indeed, America has often backed Europeans in their attempts to hang on in Africa. America backed the Portuguese in their colonial wars, backed the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and, today, has – perhaps unwittingly – backed a pro-French government in Niger. The crumbling of that government and strong anti-French turn of the new regime now risks tainting America’s efforts in the region through “guilt by association.”

For far too long, the U.S. has backed a decaying European order in Africa. In doing so, Washington has not only opened itself up to justifiably harsh criticism about its intentions on the continent, but has in practically all of these cases ended up backing the losing horse, harming its interests in an increasingly important part of the world. America’s actions in Niger could be seen as an intervention in France’s failed Operation Barkhane, an attempt to latch on to French capacity in the country. This, as is now clear, was a grave error. 

If America plans to take Africa seriously, and be taken seriously by Africa, America needs to stop leaning on European countries in the region and develop its own capacity to fulfill its own interests. Joint efforts with the Europeans in this part of the world are questionable, both because European influence is clearly in retreat across the continent, and because Africans themselves are clearly wary of European efforts. France, especially, appears to be a poor partner in the region – so despised is its influence in Africa that even other European leaders have taken Paris to task over it. 

America has its own advantages – a huge internal market, a large African diaspora, and so on – its own capacities, and its own interests, that it could lean on without having to tie itself to sinking European ships. It’s time for America-Africa relations to stand on their own two feet, without the Françafrique crutch. 

Ke’Aun Charles writes on American, African, and African Diaspora politics from a pro-Black Power, pro-Liberal perspective. He is the author of “An Afrofuturist Manifesto: How Black Power Can Liberate America.” Ke’Aun currently lives in San Francisco.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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Authors Tenaj Moody, Isabelle Bisio, Myanna Johnson

Introduction

Affirmative action policies were introduced with the noble intention of redressing historical and systemic discrimination against marginalized communities, including Black women. While the effects of affirmative action policies have been felt across various marginalized communities, the repeal of such measures can disproportionately impact Black women and exacerbate issues like domestic violence. More specifically, Black college women are an underrepresented group that will have limited access to opportunities in education and employment. In this op-ed, we will explore how the repeal of affirmative action could have far-reaching consequences for Black college women and the rates of domestic violence they face.

The significance of affirmative action for Black college women

Since 1965, affirmative action has ensured citizens of all origins, races and religions have equal employment opportunities. It has also supported and enabled equal education access for Black and Brown women. Affirmative action recognizes that past discrimination has had a lasting impact on these communities and aims to address these disparities. This policy has helped to promote diversity and level the playing field by allowing underrepresented groups such as Black college women to gain access to opportunities in education and employment that were previously denied to them. With the repeal of affirmative action, this can lead to increased rates of college campus victimization. According to a multitude of research, there is a positive correlation between lower education rates and higher rates of domestic violence. 

Affirmative action has been instrumental in mitigating these disparities by providing black women with a fair chance to overcome the barriers they face. Black college women face a unique set of challenges stemming from both gender and racial discrimination. Historically, they have been doubly marginalized, experiencing systemic disadvantages that hinder their access to education, employment and economic opportunities.The repeal of affirmative action threatens to reverse the progress made by Black college women in pursuit of higher education and professional success. With diminished access to quality education, Black college women may find it increasingly difficult to compete in the job market, perpetuating economic inequality. This, in turn, can lead to higher levels of financial stress, a known risk factor for domestic violence. Without affirmative action, Black college women may face significant challenges in gaining admission to top-tier universities and institutions. This can perpetuate cycles of limited access to resources and opportunities, reinforcing systemic inequalities.

The link to domestic violence

Due to the lack of social opportunities and our country’s history of institutional racism, domestic violence is a persistent problem for Black Women. According to the Black Burn Center, 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence. The repeal of affirmative action could exacerbate this problem by perpetuating economic inequality and limiting the resources available to Black college women. Having access to education and resources will help to prevent and stop domestic violence on college campuses.

We agree with the precedents of holistic review as outlined in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) by looking at each student as an individual, including their race – as race does play a prominent role in what shapes a student. Black college women historically have faced systematic barriers to quality secondary education and continue to in present day. Those secondary educational opportunities contribute to admission factors such as test scores, extracurriculars and prep courses. By reducing Black college women’s access to quality education, the repeal of affirmative action undermines their potential to escape abusive situations, break the cycle of violence, and secure a better future for themselves and their families.

Reimaging Equitable Solutions 

As we’ve seen with history, once a repeal has been made it usually cannot be overturned. So now what can be done to replace the support system that affirmative action was to Black women? In what ways can we mitigate the likely increase in domestic violence? 

For one, colleges and primary schools need to become more involved in prevention methods. According to Lundgren and Amin, school and community programs that work in educating young women on the risk factors and the warning signs of dating violence have proven successful in prevention. Universities have the potential to create inclusive and welcoming campus environments that prioritize diversity and foster a sense of belonging for all students. By implementing community based programs, such as Light To Life, universities can take much needed proactive steps to address issues like sexual violence and how the intersectionality of race impacts Black college women. Workshops and facilitated conversations can create a safe, supportive campus environment and potentially prevent growing incidents of domestic violence.

Secondly, policy initiatives must also address the root causes of domestic violence through educational campaigns, support services, and legal protections. To mitigate the adverse effects of repealing affirmative action, it is crucial to implement alternative strategies that promote diversity and equal representation. One approach involves comprehensive scholarship programs and targeted support services that aim to uplift and empower marginalized communities. For instance, institutions can create more scholarships, specifically for Black young women wanting to pursue higher education. Not only would that benefit the students, but it would increase career opportunities.

Thirdly, there needs to be more support and legal protection in terms of domestic violence for the women that are currently in college. Attending college and increasing education can lead to less incidents of domestic violence, but attending college can also lead to some of those cases of abuse. As previously stated, Black college women are at a higher risk of facing these issues of abuse as well as receiving less support within the legal system. Because of this, it is essential for campus security teams to receive training surrounding diversity, equality and inclusion and how to appropriately respond to the delicacy of domestic violence situations. By prioritizing intersectional approaches that consider race, gender, and socioeconomic factors, we can work towards a society that prevents violence and promotes equal opportunities for all.

Closing statement 

The repeal of affirmative action poses significant obstacles for Black college women, diminishing their access to education and heightening their risk of domestic violence. By limiting the educational opportunities available to Black college women and terminating the practice of affirmative action, we are, in effect, silencing their voices and contributing to the maintenance of a violent and unjust society. If we are to effectively confront and prevent domestic violence on college campuses, we must advocate for policies that promote equity, inclusivity and equal educational opportunities for Black college women who can thrive academically, economically and emotionally, free from the constraints of discrimination and violence.

For colleges and universities interested in learning more about their role in ending domestic and sexual violence on campus check out Lighttolife.org and email onemissiononevoice@gmail.com for more information. 

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Ryan Coleman,
Special to the AFRO

The Randallstown NAACP receives about three weekly complaints for illegally parked commercial trucks. It’s obvious that a legislative response is necessary to address this issue. 

The Randallstown NAACP 2022 survey found 98 percent of truck drivers regularly experience problems finding safe parking. According to the survey, there is only one truck parking space for every 11 truckers in Baltimore County. When drivers are unable to find safe, authorized parking, they are stuck in a no-win situation, forced to either park in unsafe locations or illegal locations. 

No matter where you look in Baltimore County, it seems like there’s a commercial truck illegally parked. Whether it’s along a highway or in a quiet residential neighborhood, these four-ton vehicles are not hard to miss. Now, it seems like this long-standing problem is reaching a countywide crisis level. Fines and enforcement alone won’t solve this problem — we need a comprehensive solution that involves government agencies, elected officials, and the private sector to solve this problem for the long-term. 

Illegal tractor trailer parking is a hazard to our neighborhoods, a problem Baltimore County residents are familiar with. It’s more than just an eyesore — by limiting residential street and highway space, it increases congestion and longer travel time plus more pollution, potholes and accidents. Parked trucks contribute to littering and illegal dumping and impair visibility for drivers and pedestrians at intersections.

The branch has worked together with the Baltimore County Police Department. County police have also initiated unique, helpful ideas on Milford Mill Road, Essex Road, Church Lane and Fairbrook Road. The Baltimore County Police Department tickets and cites illegally parked trucks but truckers with nowhere else to park treat these tickets as the cost of doing business.

We must offer truckers somewhere else to park besides our neighborhoods. Without that parking, truck drivers will continue to treat these fines as the cost of doing business, and ultimately pass those costs along to consumers. 

We cannot approach this problem piecemeal. We need sustainable solutions that address the root cause of the illegal parking problem: the constrained supply of commercial parking. Government and the private sector must work together to develop space that will allow truckers a safe, reliable place to park without causing havoc in residential neighborhoods. 

The Baltimore County Department of Public Works must take the lead in identifying the most commonly used corridors for freight trucks across the county and potential nearby lots that can be used for parking. Baltimore County can lease county-owned land to a private or not-for-profit entity to develop commercial lots and manage them on behalf of the county. These steps will not only get the trucks off our neighborhood streets, but also generate revenue for the county. 

The private sector also stands to benefit. For instance, numerous big-box retailers across the county should consider renting out their massive parking lots that sit empty and unused after their stores close each night. 

The Baltimore County Council must pass legislation to raise the fines on illegally parked commercial trucks to provide a real deterrent against continued bad behavior, not the current slap on the wrist that is being ignored. 

The following are legislative/ policy suggestions from the Randallstown NAACP to cure the problem of illegally parked commercial trucks. 

1. Increase the truck parking capacity in Baltimore County

2. Dedicate funding for 10 additional inspectors –one in each precinct– to address the tracker trailer crisis.

3. Amend § 18-2-206 f PARKING A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IN A RESIDENTIAL ZONE, increasing the penalty to $1,000 each for the tractor or trailer and, for each day the violation exists, increase fines to $1,500 for a tractor and trailer. After three tickets in one year, Baltimore County has the authority to tow away/boot the commercial vehicle

4. To amend § 18-2-207. d- PARKING TRUCKS ON SHOPPING CENTER LOTS to $1,000 each for the tractor or trailer and $1,500 for a tractor and trailer, in combination, for each day the violation exists

5. Install height monitoring cameras in Northwest Baltimore County

The economic trends are clear– commercial trucks are only going to proliferate across our county in the coming years. Rather than fighting against the same drivers and companies that are important to our economy, we must work together to create the infrastructure they need to avoid negatively impacting our communities. 

Ryan Coleman is president of the Randallstown branch of the NAACP. He can be reached at randallstownnaacp@gmail.com.

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By Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas

“We have . . . come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. . . Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice . . . Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” 

This was the urgent message that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered to the nation as he stood at the Lincoln Memorial, during the March on Washington, on Aug. 28, 1963.

Perhaps King felt a particular sense of urgency since eight years earlier on that same day fourteen-year-old Emmett Louis Till was dragged from a relative’s Mississippi home and lynched after being falsely accused of “flirting” with a 22-year-old White woman.  

Sixty years later we are confronted with a similar “urgency of now.” Not only are our social, political, and judicial policies and decisions increasingly consonant with anti-Black White supremacist realities, but perhaps most troubling: an anti-Black White supremacist gaze is being perpetuated at every level of our shared lives in this nation.

This gaze sets the standard for whose knowledge has authority for interpreting and evaluating reality.  It determines the normative story through which to judge and evaluate information regarding shared history and even shared experiences. It is the privileged gaze through which all public knowledge, be it knowledge of the past or the present, is to be accessed.  It is the gaze that determines whose “truth” is to be admitted, to be believed.

This gaze does not accommodate anything that challenges an assessment of the American story as anything other than what amounts to a privileged White story, where realities of race are practically erased from our nation’s history. Philosopher Charles Mills might describe it as part of a White “non‐knowing” wherein the “White delusion of racial superiority insulates itself against refutation.”

For many today talking about White supremacy, even to name it, reflects unacceptable “wokeness,” which for some amounts to race baiting, “dividing us into oppressors and the oppressed, making White children feel uncomfortable.” When proposing to “Stop W.O.K.E. Activism and Critical Race Theory,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said, “In Florida we are taking a stand against the state-sanctioned racism that is critical race theory . . .. We won’t allow Florida tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other.” At least 17 states have passed legislation to ban Critical Race Theory with bills to do the same pending in several other states. In actual fact, however, to not name or talk about White supremacy is one of White supremacy’s evasions, allowing it to fester and thrive with impunity.

The fact that Critical Race Theory and versions of history that talk about racial injustice (let alone mention race) are being attacked and expunged from various school curriculums is in effect the 21st century version of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) efforts to reframe history after the Civil War. With the collapse of the Confederacy the UDC was determined to create “living monuments” that would keep the Confederate cause alive. Thus, they developed educational materials espousing a “Lost Cause” version of history to be distributed in schools. The UDC also developed instructional material for “Children of the Confederacy” chapters, which the UDC had established for children 6 to 16 years of age in an effort to indoctrinate a generation of children so they would grow up defending a pro-Confederacy version of history— thereby perpetuating an anti-Black White supremacist narrative of history.

If we expect future generations to be any better at fostering racial justice than our present generation, then we must tell the disconcerting truths about our nation’s struggle to become a democracy where there is freedom and justice for all. Doing that must begin with telling the stories and struggles of those who have been on the underside of justice.

It is when we bring to the forefront of the nation’s story the voices and knowledge from those on the underside of this country’s history of racial injustice, such as the Black enslaved, that we discover that as they fought for their freedom, they actually kept alive the vision of the nation’s better angels—a place where all people could live free. This is the story that The New York Times 1619 Project tells as it places “the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are as a country.” Nicole Hannah‐Jones put it this way: “Our founding ideals of liberty and equality were false when they were written. Black Americans fought to make them true. Without this struggle, America would have no democracy at all.”

The point of the matter is: as long as the story that is passed from one generation to another is a story that ignores the realities of anti-Black White supremacy, it is virtually impossible to chart a different course for the future. If we are really serious about creating a more just society, then we must get to the root of the injustice itself—and that means telling the truths about the brutal realities of race in this country. To do otherwise means that generations to come will be captive to the false narratives of history and thus captive to anti-Black White supremacist notions of what justice looks like.

We must decide if we are going to be a nation and a people defined by Martin Luther King Jr’s dream or a nation and a people defined by Emmett Louis Till’s lynching.

And so, there is an “urgency of now” for those committed to King’s dream of freedom and justice for all. It is untenable to simply remember what happened sixty years ago at the Lincoln Memorial and then stand quietly on the sidelines while a movement to ban books and to purge school curriculums of the harsh realities of anti-black racism proliferates across the country. There is an urgency to act. There is an urgency to show up. There is an urgency to resist. There is an “urgency of now” to tell the truth about this nation’s history.

Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas is Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral and interim president of the Episcopal Divinity School.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By James Jerome Hankins

Students all across the country are returning to classrooms. Scholars are arriving with supplies for a variety of subjects: calculators and protractors for math, dictionaries and thesauruses for English– but there is another thing all students (and parents and teachers) should carry with them on the first day and throughout the school year: a “Yes I can!” attitude. 

Alone, some things are possible. But together, our communities can tackle any challenge that comes. This year, make sure to lean on your village as you go through the school year. Have you ever thought of how many “home team” players make the first day– and every day of the school year– happen?

There are plenty  “A” team members that will happily lead/ guide you. They are trained, organized, equipped, and ready for opening day. There are parents and guardians leading first in the home.  

Conscious, patient, crossing guards and licensed bus drivers are making sure students arrive safely and GM-certified auto mechanics keep the buses in tip-top shape. Meticulous, patient custodial staff  keep the school clean and safe. 

We can never omit the cafeteria staff that cook and serve countless breakfast and lunch meals. There are innovative, patient teachers and their assistants. Enthusiastic subject teachers like Marva Collins, Jaine Escalante, Mary McLoud Bethune and Charles J. Ogletree all have their place in the halls of greatness. 

Vocational teachers like George Washington Carver, business teachers like Madam C.J. Walker and Reginald F. Lewis have all blazed a path for an amazing school year. 

Band, chorus and drama teachers like Aretha Franklin and Harry Belafonte are encouraging our youth to express themselves on the stage and coaches like Clarence “Big House” Gaines and Eddie Robinson are there to push students past the point of “giving up.”  Physical education teachers like Denise Lewis, heptathlon champion, and Rafer Johnson, decathlon champion, are on hand to teach the importance of physical fitness.

Eager, patient assistant principals– old school principals like New Jersey’s Joe Clark and newer, hip generation of school leaders are leading school communities like never before. 

To help our students move to the next level, they have patient librarians and tolerant counselors, trustworthy, patient-registered nurses and a host of staff to help them excel. 

Though the issue of school police is a hot topic, students across the country are returning to buildings with a resourceful school police officer, whose modus operandi is arbitration first, then reading Miranda rights if necessary. 

And we can never forget the host of “Good Samaritans,” like volunteers, who keep the school machine running.  

As a professional educator, I feel proud when I see a student valedictorian or salutatorian with a high SAT score, receiving thousands of dollars in college scholarships and achieving their goals on Facebook. I first like their posts, then write my comments. 

No student is an island. It takes parents, teachers, the student and a large community of invested advocates to achieve academic excellence. 

A wise man said, “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” 

Students, you are the laborers! Show your parents and teachers your “BEST” this breakthrough year of profound learning. 

James Jerome Hankin is an author, coach, Army veteran and a realtor. He is a retired vocational “shop” teacher of 34 years and a graduate of N.C. A&T State University.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Fred Redmond

Sixty years ago this month, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered perhaps his most famous speech to a quarter of a million people.

He told the crowd that he dreamt of a day where “this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed,” where his children “will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” 

And it was a call to action “to make real the promises of democracy” and “to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”

It was a great speech. Most of us are familiar with it and the images from that day — the throngs of people — mostly Black people — that stretched from the reflecting pool to the Washington Monument. It’s a moment that remains an enduring touchstone in the history of the movement for civil rights.

But what often gets lost in its brilliance is the why. Why were a quarter of a million people gathered on the National Mall in the first place? They were there for civil rights and economic justice, they were there for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

When Dr. King finished his address, he handed the microphone back to A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, prominent Black labor leaders and the chief architects of the March, who recited a list of the demands the labor, faith and civil rights movement leaders would deliver to President Kennedy. They demanded equal access to jobs, public accommodations, and voting rights. They called for full employment and a raise in the federal minimum wage. And Randolph and Rustin led the tremendous crowd in a pledge to persist until every demand had been fulfilled.

By many measures, the event initiated by the Negro American Labor Council was a success. The demonstration galvanized labor unions, civil rights organizations and Black working-class communities. It paved the way for the passage of two pieces of landmark legislation which made democracy real for millions of people: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Real voting rights to fight against racial discrimination, unfair labor practices and other barriers to equal rights.

But 60 years later, working people have seen so much of that progress stalled, reversed, and in some cases, completely erased.

Extremist politicians and judges — including in the highest court in the land — are doing everything they can to take away our rights. Electoral districts are being redrawn to weaken the voting power of Black communities. There are fewer and fewer polling places in Black neighborhoods. Black voters are being intimidated, and are often the target of misinformation and disinformation campaigns.

Corporate-backed lawmakers have introduced dangerous bills that limit the voting rights of the most vulnerable in our society, including women, young adults, communities of color and LGBTQ+ people.

They have weakened labor laws so that workers have less of a voice on the job and rigged the rules of the economy in favor of the wealthy and corporations and corporate interests━rules that have exacerbated inequality and have left working people behind.

Sixty years ago, A. Philip Randolph called those gathered for the March “the advanced guard of a massive, moral revolution for jobs and freedom.” And said that “we here today are only the first wave … and we shall return again and again to Washington in ever growing numbers until total freedom is ours.”

Total freedom is not ours. And so, on Aug. 26, the American labor movement is joining together with the National Action Network and the family of Dr. King to recommit to taking bold action and achieving racial, economic, and social justice in every corner of our society. We’re joining together to fully realize the dream laid out by Dr. King, John Lewis, Randolph and Rustin, and the other organizers of the 1963 March, and shape a democracy where working people have a voice at every level of government.

We’re gathering to hold our elected leaders accountable and demand that they finally pass critical civil and workers rights legislation, including the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act and the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act. 

We are gathering to bring an end to systemic injustice and to vanquish oppression in all its forms.

We are gathering to create lasting change for us and future generations. Join us.

Fred Redmond is the secretary-treasurer of the 60 union, 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO, America’s labor federation.

This article was originally published by WordinBlack.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Senator Cory V. McCray (D-Md.- 45)

Partnerships can conquer tough challenges. Part of my job as a public servant is to find solutions to these challenges, especially when they negatively impact the communities I represent. Since taking office, bringing a grocery store to the heart of East Baltimore has been a challenge. A few factors hinder a community grocery store from taking shape, such as population and the income level of residents and families in the community.

Even though the challenges before us are enormous, many are possible to solve. In a few short years, I have watched and worked hard to improve the educational outcomes for youth, make housing more affordable for families, reduce the number of liquor outlets, increase green spaces for people to enjoy, enhance public safety and so much more in East Baltimore. Food insecurity, however, has been a formidable quest. Anyone who grew up in Baltimore can remember our Harford Avenue and Federal Street supermarket. There was another on Chase Street and Patterson Park Avenue and– more recently– in the Church Square Shopping Center.

Many of those neighborhoods are now “food deserts” or “Healthy Food Priority Areas,” a report changed the name in 2018, but its definition did not change. “Healthy Food Priority Areas” are communities where healthy food choices are limited because the nearest supermarket is a quarter mile or more walking distance. This issue is a barrier for older people and people who rely on public transportation to get back and forth. While we have acted and done more minor things, such as increasing SNAP Benefits during the summer months through Summer Snap for Children Act, Senate Bill 280 (2020), and improving transit access to healthy food outlets through Senate Bill 116 (2020), communities such as Oliver, Darley Park, South Clifton Park and others in East Baltimore remain “Healthy Food Priority Areas.”

However, in the last two years, one of our greatest accomplishments has been partnering with Dana and Dan Henson of Henson Development on the Somerset footprint to secure a grocer in East Baltimore finally. They already rolled up their sleeves and created a proposal to secure federal dollars to develop affordable housing units, green spaces, and now a grocery store – the first to come to east Baltimore in decades. In 2021, I remember talking to Dana about developing a plan to lure a reputable grocer to invest in East Baltimore. 

After careful consideration, we realized we needed a subsidy to put together a plan of action which is how the “Somerset Grocery Store Initiative” was developed. Working with Senate President Bill Ferguson, we secured $1 million in the 2022 Maryland Capital Budget in our quest to provide fresh food to our neighbors in East Baltimore. The following year we added another $300,000 from the 2023 Capital Budget to solidify a $1.3 million investment.

If this was a four-quarter game, I am glad we have made it through the first quarter and are working hard to move past the next three quarters. While ground has yet to break on this project, I remain enthusiastic about having secured the funding and inked the deal with the grocer — this process alone took several years to accomplish. Instead of losing grocers as we have over the past several decades in East Baltimore, we can celebrate the hard work to say we put points on the board and gained one. As we celebrate this win, I hope we are laying the blueprint for more opportunities in East Baltimore, success in West Baltimore, and a blueprint for urban neighborhoods across the country.

Senator Cory V. McCray  is a Democrat that represents District 45 in the State of Maryland.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas

“We have . . . come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. . . Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice . . . Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” This was the urgent message that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered to the nation as he stood at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963.

Perhaps King felt a particular sense of urgency since eight years earlier on that same day 14-year-old Emmett Louis Till was dragged from a relative’s Mississippi home and lynched after being falsely accused of “flirting” with a 21-year-old White woman.  

Sixty years later we are confronted with a similar “urgency of now.” Not only are our social, political and judicial policies and decisions increasingly consonant with anti-Black, White supremacist realities, but perhaps most troubling: an anti-Black, White supremacist gaze is being perpetuated at every level of our shared lives in this nation.

This gaze sets the standard for whose knowledge has authority for interpreting and evaluating reality.  It determines the normative story through which to judge and evaluate information regarding shared history and even shared experiences. It is the privileged gaze through which all public knowledge – be it knowledge of the past or the present – is to be accessed.  It is the gaze that determines whose “truth” is to be admitted, to be believed.

This gaze does not accommodate anything that challenges an assessment of the American story as anything other than what amounts to a privileged White story, where realities of race are practically erased from our nation’s history. Philosopher Charles Mills might describe it as part of a White “non‐knowing” wherein the “white delusion of racial superiority insulates itself against refutation” (“Black Rights/White Wrongs”).

For many today, talking about White supremacy, even to name it, reflects unacceptable “wokeness,” which for some amounts to race baiting, “dividing us into oppressors and the oppressed, making white children feel uncomfortable.” When proposing to “Stop W.O.K.E. Activism and Critical Race Theory,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “In Florida we are taking a stand against the state-sanctioned racism that is critical race theory . . .. We won’t allow Florida tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other.” At least 17 states have passed legislation to ban Critical Race Theory with bills to do the same pending in several other states . In actual fact, however, to not name or talk about White supremacy is one of White supremacy’s evasions, allowing it to fester and thrive with impunity.

The fact that Critical Race Theory and versions of history that talk about racial injustice (let alone mention race) are being attacked and expunged from various school curricula is, in effect, the 21st century version of the United Daughters of the Confederacy’s efforts to reframe history after the Civil War. With the collapse of the Confederacy, the UDC was determined to create “living monuments” that would keep the Confederate cause alive. Thus, they developed educational materials espousing a “Lost Cause” version of history to be distributed in schools. The UDC also developed instructional material for “Children of the Confederacy” chapters, which the UDC had established for children 6 to 16 years of age in an effort to indoctrinate a generation of children so they would grow up defending a pro-Confederacy version of history—thereby perpetuating an anti-Black, White supremacist narrative of history.

If we expect future generations to be any better at fostering racial justice than our present generation, then we must tell the disconcerting truths about our nation’s struggle to become a democracy where there is freedom and justice for all. Doing that must begin with telling the stories and struggles of those who have been on the underside of justice.

It is when we bring to the forefront of the nation’s story the voices and knowledge from those on the underside of this country’s history of racial injustice, such as the Black enslaved, that we discover that as they fought for their freedom, they actually kept alive the vision of the nation’s better angels—a place where all people could live free. This is the story that The New York Times 1619 Project tells as it places “the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are as a country.” Nicole Hannah‐Jones put it this way: “Our founding ideals of liberty and equality were false when they were written. Black Americans fought to make them true. Without this struggle, America would have no democracy at all.”

The point of the matter is: as long as the story that is passed from one generation to another is a story that ignores the realities of anti-Black White supremacy, it is virtually impossible to chart a different course for the future. If we are really serious about creating a more just society, then we must get to the root of the injustice itself—and that means telling the truths about the brutal realities of race in this country. To do otherwise means that generations to come will be captive to the false narratives of history and thus captive to racist notions of what justice looks like.

We must decide if we are going to be a nation and a people defined by Martin Luther King Jr’s dream or a nation and a people defined by Emmett Louis Till’s lynching.

And so, there is an “urgency of now” for those committed to King’s dream of freedom and justice for all. It is untenable to simply remember what happened sixty years ago at the Lincoln Memorial and then stand quietly on the sidelines while a movement to ban books and to purge school curriculums of the harsh realities of anti-black racism proliferates across the country. There is an urgency to act. There is an urgency to show up. There is an urgency to resist. There is an “urgency of now” to tell the truth about this nation’s history.

The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas is interim president of the Episcopal Divinity School in New York City.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

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By Wayne Campbell

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”— Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

The Jamaican society is far removed from what national hero Marcus Garvey stood for.  There is not much national pride and our values and attitudes are grounded in a selfish and self-centered manner which is rather alien for those whose ages have come off the calendar.  Jamaica of 2023 is rich in various forms of development, such as those associated with road networks and information and communications technology; yet, sadly, the society is poorer in terms of tolerance and respect for others and a sense of community. Marcus Garvey, if he were alive, would not recognize this Jamaica and this is painful. But, do we care? The jury is still out regarding this question.  One might ask what are the values and messages of Marcus Garvey. 

Garvey’s Philosophy

Marcus Garvey was a charismatic Black nationalist and leader of the Pan-Africanist Movement, which sought to unify and connect people of African descent worldwide.  Garvey was born in the parish of St. Ann on August 17, 1887. Due to the economic hardship of his family, he left school at age 14 and learned the printing and newspaper business. He became interested in politics and soon got involved in projects aimed at helping those on the bottom rung of society.  Displeased with his work, he traveled to London in 1912 and stayed in England for two years.

In 1916, Garvey traveled to America at the invitation of Booker T. Washington.  It was the at the dawn of the “New Negro” era, and Garvey became convinced that integration would never happen and that only economic, political and cultural success on the part of African Americans would bring about equality and respect. With this goal, he established the headquarters of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in New York in 1917 and began to spread a message of Black Nationalism and the eventual return to Africa of all people of African descent. His brand of Black Nationalism had three components: unity, pride in the African cultural heritage, and complete autonomy. 

By 1929, Garvey had returned to Jamaica, and he formed the People’s Political Party (PPP), the Caribbean country’s first modern political party.  Garvey was unsuccessful in national elections, however, his party won a seat on the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation.  

Garvey believed people of African descent could establish a great independent nation in their ancient homeland of Africa. Garvey was an advocate for racial pride by celebrating the African past and encouraging African Americans to be proud of their heritage and proud of the way they looked. Garvey proclaimed “Black is beautiful” long before it became popular in the 1960s. He wanted people of African descent to see themselves as members of a mighty race. “We must canonize our own saints, create our own martyrs, and elevate to positions of fame and honor Black men and women who have made their distinct contributions to our racial history,” he once said. He encouraged parents to give their children “dolls that look like them to play with and cuddle,” and he did not want Black people thinking of themselves in a defeatist way. “I am the equal of any White man; I want you to feel the same way,” he said.

 Regrettably, many of us as people of color are not satisfied with our appearance. Mothers continue to straighten their daughters’ hair. The policing of Black hair continues in our schools as students who decide to have afros are punished for this choice of self representation. Many of us continue to buy into the White man’s narrative that White skin is superior. Yes, skin bleaching continues unashamedly even among school-aged children.  The belief that those with lighter hues are better than those who are dark-skinned is deeply rooted in the psyche and culture of the society. We should not be surprised as the philosophy of Garveyism is not taught in our schools. In fact, civics is no longer taught in our schools. As a result our students have no historical reference for many of the socio-cultural issues of the present time. Indisputably, all of this is strategic and deliberate. We continue to see the effect of this not only in the land of birth of Garvey but also in the wider Caribbean and the Americas.  

On the 136^th anniversary of Garvey’s birth the celebrations have been lukewarm. It is unacceptable that most of the events marking this important Black nationalist and role model tend to be confined to academia. It is rather unfortunate that the average person has to go out of his/her own way to obtain information, and this is problematic. It is a calculated and strategic ploy that so much of our history as people of color is hidden in texts. Added to this strategy of White domination, many of us do not read.  This is especially troubling with developments in Florida where African studies is banned in high schools under the leadership of Republican governor Ron DeSantis.  Garvey worked tirelessly and encouraged Black people to discover their cultural traditions and history and to seek common cause in the struggle for true liberty and political recognition. Garvey’s movement set out to give Black people a sense of worthiness in their race and color. 

Garveyism in the national standards curriculum

The time to be creative is now. There is an urgent need to infuse Garveyism into the National Standards Curriculum.  As the global community pauses to commemorate the anniversary of Garvey’s birth, what an impact on the Jamaican society and on Garvey’s legacy if we were to have a policy decision from the government for the compulsory teaching of Black history across the education system. The Jamaican society is at a crossroads. We are destroying each other daily as crime and violence sweeps across the society like a wildfire. Our potential for greatness is being stymied.  In the past few months we have had some heinous crimes, especially against our children. It is obvious that society needs a reset in terms of socialization. As a powerful means of socialization, the school is the optimum institution to pass on the values and attitudes of a society.  Collectively, let us advocate having Garvey clubs in our schools where students can have fun learning the teachings and principles of Garvey.  Given that pamphlets are relatively inexpensive, it is possible that government offices could be utilized as sources of sharing Garvey’s values where pamphlets containing basic information could be made available. Perhaps, there could be a national quiz on Marcus Garvey at the primary and (lower) secondary levels.  In fact we should have a national Marcus Garvey Day in our schools when social and cultural activities surrounding Garvey would take the spotlight. 

We all can and should play our part in ensuring that Garvey’s legacy is known not only for our generation but for succeeding generations. In the words of Marcus Garvey, if we as a people realized the greatness from which we came. we would be less likely to disrespect ourselves.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith

Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. Deuteronomy 32:7

This month, we think back to the March on Washington, which occurred 60 years ago this August, along with other significant Pan African moments from 1963. Tradition suggests that the diamond is the symbol for 60^th anniversaries. This causes us to reflect on the Greek root of the word “diamond,” which is “adamas,” meaning unconquerable and enduring. 

The epigraph from Deuteronomy suggests that remembrances of generations past can provide lessons for our todays and tomorrows about being unconquerable and enduring. 

We draw one such lesson from the story of Moses and the deliverance of the Israelite people from bondage. It is a story about newfound freedom and discovering a new way to live. This was not an easy task. This was illustrated when they were hungry in the wilderness after their release: 

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt!” (Exodus 16:2-3)

And God heard their plea and provided food for the people to eat. 

This biblical text of God’s faithfulness to the Israelite people comes to mind during this month of Black August. This is a time for recognizing the enduring faithfulness of Pan African peoples in their resilient advocacy.  

This year’s Black August includes a remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. A commemorative event will take place at the Lincoln Memorial on August 26. 

August 31 will be another date to commemorate, as it marks the third International Day of People of African Descent. That date will be complemented with recommendations from the United Nations second Permanent Forum of People of African Descent. 

On August 29, Bread will have a hybrid event to celebrate and commemorate both of these significant dates.

We will also be thinking about two 60^th anniversaries from earlier this year. May 25, 1963, marked the founding of the Organization of African Unity, now called the African Union. And the All Africa Conference of Churches held its first assembly on April 20, 1963 in Kampala, Uganda. 

Bread for the World has partnered with these Pan African partners and continues to do so with its mission and vision to end hunger and to address the wealth and income racial equity gap. 

In this moment, Bread believes the reauthorization of the farm bill is a policy that addresses equity, nutrition, and sustainable life—vital issues for Black August.

Pan African communities can and will continue to speak out, advocate and show their historic resilience and resolve to address these issues from a faith perspective. Bread celebrates Pan African leadership as we partner to end hunger. 

Please visit www.bread.org/offering-letters/ to learn more about the farm bill and to advocate for it. 

Angelique Walker-Smith is senior associate for Pan African and Orthodox Church engagement at Bread for the World.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G
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By Julianne Malveaux

The Biden Administration has been pushing hard for credit for its significant economic successes. Coining the phrase ‘Bidenomics,’ the term is meant to direct attention towards the administration’s striking successful economic agenda. Under President Biden, the rate of inflation has been more than cut in half, employers have created more than 13 million jobs, wage growth has outpaced inflation, and the unemployment rate of Black workers is at a record-breaking, historic low. Now, the administration wants the public to give them credit.

Yet, the key to widespread public support is not through grandiose statements or flashy catchphrases. Instead, it is through the ongoing prioritization of policy that enhances the everyday, lived experiences of Americans—especially Black Americans. On this front, the FTC can play a crucial role.

The Federal Trade Commission is charged with protecting American consumers from everyday threats permeating the domestic marketplace. Appointed by President Biden, Lina Khan now serves as Chair of the Commission, and she has adopted a unique, ultra-progressive approach to the FTC’s mandate.

Soon after assuming leadership, Chair Khan deprioritized the consumer welfare standard, a time-tested precedent that puts individual wellbeing at the forefront of any and all policy discussion, deeming it “too narrow.” Instead, the Commission has embraced a broad view of consumer well-being, focusing on antitrust cases that could theoretically have sweeping, long-term impacts on the economy. While I appreciate this approach, a loss of focus on the FTC’s bread-and-butter consumer protection issues could have a devastating impact on Americans’ economic wellbeing, especially those most vulnerable.

We have already witnessed the consequences of a loss of focus on fundamental issues at the FTC. As the Commission focused their energy on theoretical risks rather than real threats posed to consumers, consumer fraud cases soared. From 2021 to 2022, fraud losses increased by over 30 percent. Last year, alone, consumers lost $8.8 billion to fraudsters—and Black Americans are disproportionately suffering from the consequences of this tragic phenomenon.

According to the FTC’s Serving Communities of Color report, “predominantly Black communities filed consumer reports at a higher rate than predominantly White or Latino communities.” Beyond that, Black and Latino individuals have reported higher instances of fraud via payment methods that do not have refundable protections. Without a solution from the FTC, they remain at a loss—exacerbating income inequality for consumers already working in traditionally marginalized communities.

Americans are increasingly turning to gig economy work to make up for losses to increasing fraud, to keep up with rapid inflation, or simply to gain extra spending money. In fact, Black and Hispanic individuals are most likely to take up gig-work, compromising over half of workers in the industry. Nearly one-third of Hispanic adults have earned money through the gig economy, while over a quarter of African American adults have earned money through these platforms.