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Education Department Launches Investigation into Harvard University’s Legacy Admissions

Maria

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Jul 27, 2023

Education Department Launches Investigation into Harvard University’s Legacy Admissions

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Following a complaint from advocacy groups that Harvard University was breaking federal law by using legacy admissions, the U.S. Department of Education has acted.
This week, the department formally notified Lawyers for Civil Rights, the organization that filed the complaint against Harvard, that it has initiated a probe into the university’s admissions process.

The Office for Civil Rights within the Education Department is investigating.
While confirming the investigation, an Education Department spokesperson refrained from providing further comments.
The complaint, a comprehensive 31-page document, was filed by the Greater Boston Latino Network and other advocacy groups.

Its central argument is that legacy admissions at Harvard place applicants of color at a significant disadvantage, contradicting the university’s purported commitment to promoting campus diversity.
According to the complaint, Harvard College grants special preferences to many predominantly white students yearly because of their familial ties to the university.

Applicants with relatives who are wealthy donors or Harvard alumni receive preferential treatment from the outset of the admissions process, receiving extra “tips” throughout.
As a result of this practice, known as “Donor and Legacy Preferences,” these students enjoy significantly higher acceptance rates than other applicants, making up as much as 15% of Harvard’s admitted students.

“The students who receive this preferential treatment – based solely on familial ties – are overwhelmingly white,” the complaint stated.
“Nearly 70% of donor-related applicants are white, and nearly 70% of legacy applicants are white. The results of this preferential treatment are substantial.”

For example, over the period 2014–2019, the complaint notes that donor-related applicants were nearly seven times more likely to be admitted than non-donor-related applicants.
Additionally, legacy applicants were almost six times more likely to be admitted than nonlegacy applicants.

The complaint asserts that donor and legacy preferences disproportionately favor white applicants and systematically disadvantage students of color, including Black, Latinx, and Asian Americans.

“A benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former group at the expense of the latter,” the complainants wrote, quoting the U.S. Supreme Court, which struck down affirmative action-based admissions in higher education.
The advocacy groups behind the complaint have urged the Education Department to intervene, calling on the institution to declare that Harvard must discontinue the use of legacy admissions if it intends to continue receiving federal funds.

The complaint maintains that legacy admissions lack educational justification and are awarded without considering the applicants’ credentials or merits. Instead, it solely benefits individuals born into specific families.
Legacy admissions practices at Harvard and other universities have faced increased scrutiny, particularly after a court ruling and comments from President Joe Biden.

The President stated that legacy admissions contribute to expanding privilege rather than promoting equal opportunities.
Moreover, the NAACP has joined in calling for an end to this practice, asserting that it disproportionately favors white applicants.

The complaint concludes that granting a spot to a legacy or donor-related applicant essentially denies that opportunity to another candidate who meets the admissions criteria solely based on their merit.
The advocates argue that removing legacy and donor preferences would result in more students of color being admitted to Harvard.

“This preferential treatment violates federal law,” the complaint stated. “Specifically, because Harvard receives substantial federal funds, it is bound by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations, which forbid practices that have an unjustified disparate impact on the basis of race.”

In Fight Against Substance Use Disorder, Calif. Health Advocates Focus on Mental Health, Education

Maria

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Jul 27, 2023

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In Fight Against Substance Use Disorder, Calif. Health Advocates Focus on Mental Health, Education

By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

Theresa Hunter used drugs growing up in the Sacramento area. The 32-year-old smoked weed, snorted cocaine, and popped pills.

Then, as a young adult, the mother of three found a different high: crystal methamphetamine.

“To deal with the trauma and grief in my life at that time, I turned to using drugs,” Hunter recalled. “I was trying to escape from everything.”

For five years, Hunter smoked around two grams a day of the highly addictive stimulant.

Crystal meth causes intense euphoria and negative effects such has depression, psychosis and paranoia, seizures, and other problems that can be fatal. Hunter’s addiction led her to becoming homeless and leaving her daughters’ care to their father.

Hunter tried to quit crystal meth but became lethargic and slept for days when she didn’t smoke. Rehab centers only accept individuals with alcohol or opioid issues.

In 2021, while four months pregnant with her third daughter Kassiani Rich, Hunter told her prenatal doctor that she was an addict.

“This is my time to get clean and sober,” remembered Hunter. “I was scared, but I knew I needed to get clean. I didn’t want to have an abortion or give my daughter up.”

Hunter was admitted to a rehab center for 90 days but relapsed twice after release.

Kassiani was born healthy, but Hunter lost custody and underwent further rehab. Hunter has been clean since June 12, 2021, and now has custody of Kassiani, 2, and her other daughters, Eryneesa Bernard-Wainiwheh, 13, and Jasani Bernard-Wainiwheh, 10. She credits her daughters and programs such as See Her Bloom, an online project that helps Black women with substance abuse disorders by sharing resources and allowing women to tell their stories, for paving her road to recovery.

“Knowing there is a platform to help women overcome their addiction, having a place women can go to is really helpful,” Hunter said.

See Her Bloom is one of the many organizations and campaigns in the Golden State focused on combatting substance use disorder (SUD). According to a 2022 report by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), overdose deaths from opioids and psychostimulants, like crystal meth, are soaring, and 9% of Californians met the criteria for SUD — misuse or overuse of alcohol or other drugs, including illicit drugs that lead to health problems — the previous year. Only 10% of the people with SUD received treatment in 2021, despite SUDs being recognized as an illness.

Black Americans have higher rates of illicit drug use (24.3%) compared to non-Hispanic Whites (22.5%), according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released in May, revealed that from December 2021 to December 2022 there were 107,573 drug overdose deaths — a decrease of 2% from the previous 12 months. Elizabeth Keating, Clinical Program Director of CA Bridge, a Public Health Institute focused on expanding addiction medication for treatment in hospital emergency departments, said overdose rates in California increased by around 1% between 2021 and 2022.

“Up is not what we want,” she said. “If not for the COVID pandemic, I would say the opioid crisis is biggest health crisis of our time. Policy matters.” Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom awarded $5.7 million for opioid and stimulant-use education and outreach in “Two-Spirit/LGBTQ” Communities as part of a $1 billion state initiative.

“Education and outreach are critical tools in our arsenal — to prevent tragedy, to connect people with treatment, and to fight the life-threatening stigma that stops too many people from getting help,” Newsom said.

There are also a host of bills introduced in the State Assembly and Senate aimed at addressing the state’s drug crisis.

However, more needs to be done, said Center for Collaborative Planning at the Public Health Institute Executive Director Connie Chan Robinson, who leads the See Her Bloom initiative. She said lack of research on substance issues among Black women enhances the view that there isn’t a problem in that group.

“There is a stereotype that continues to be perpetuated that strong Black girls and young women are impenetrable, they are not influenced by drugs,” Robinson said. “Their lack of engagement with families, the ability to take about issues, and the denial factor with the family contributes to the further isolation.”

Dr. Jenifer Zhan, an Implementation Leader with CA Bridge, said numbers from her organization reveal that overdose deaths increased in ZIP codes with majority Black populations by 202% from 2018 to 2022. Zhan said prescriptions for buprenorphine, an FDA-approved drug used to treat substance misuse like opioids, are given at a much lower rate to Black patients.

Zhan noted that historically people of color are more likely to be arrested or incarcerated for substance use and that can lead many Black people with addiction problems to mistrust health care providers.

“We do make a policy stance on decriminalizing substance use and we advocate for treatment instead of incarceration,” she said. “We still advocate for treatment in jail, in hospitals. There is a shortage of Black doctors. Patients of color will seek care from doctors that look like them. We need policy changes in the education realm also to fix inequalities in health care.”

Robinson said more work needs to be done to discover the connection between mental health and drug use. She said the people at See Her Bloom say more peer-to-peer outreach is needed to combat illicit substance use.

“They need a space for them to share their stories,” Robinson said.

“Us”: America’s Last Line of Defense

Digital Editor

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Jul 27, 2023

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By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

There are a number of things we should all be concerned about as so many around us focus on summer vacations, the excessive heat, fires and floods. We are saturated with the media each day. So many of us are caught up in the acts of survival; facing things like maintaining income or no income at all for shelter, food and living expenses. We have very little time or interest in the politics of democracy playing out each day with the country being divided over personal interest rather than the concern for the nation as a whole.

In the midst of this, “we”, the everyday people, are the real hope because the democracy in which we live allows us to make decisions concerning our lives with our votes. But if we fail to vote, then those who would take our God given rights, our freedoms which we enjoy without appreciation or commitment, the takers of these rights will do so with our unspoken permission.

I speak of those minority Republican interests in every state who have organized to take over legislative bodies, at all levels of our society, drawing political districts through gerrymandering so that a few can control the lives and activities of the majority by making laws against their interest, and the planning of restructuring America’s checks and balances as provided in the Constitution of the United States.

At the local level, we must become registered voters with an eye on the issues that we need to address more than on whether we like the candidates that are being placed before us. If we remember that our votes are one of the means we have to safeguard the freedoms we have, even if it looks like we are not getting our share, then we maintain a voice in laws and policies being made that affect us. If we do this at the local level, then we will be better prepared to vote and control outcomes at the state and national levels.

Let’s each of us pick three issues of importance to us right where we live and question what can those who have been elected by us or our friends and neighbors do to make those issues a reality. Questions to be asked: Where do those persons seeking our votes stand on issues of healthcare, homelessness, and feeding and nutrition programs? Those who are against “our” interest have their own. We must find people who think like us to run against them. We must not allow campaign dollars from big money and slick ads to get us to vote against our own interest.

We must ask, will the people seeking our votes form coalitions against our interest once elected or will they work for our interest? Without the considerations raised here on the part of each of us, it will not be difficult for a few to change our laws, nullify our Constitution and cancel our rights as we see with recent decisions on Affirmative Action, Abortion and Supreme Court decisions rolling back 50 years of equality.

We the people, “us”, can change the people in Congress and State legislatures voting against our interest and the democratic way of life guaranteed by our Constitution. It’s time for us to get “woke” and get involved.

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Ernest Lee Lench, Sr.

Digital Editor

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Jul 27, 2023

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Ernest Lee Lench, Sr. was the son of Lillie M. Hicks and Norman A. Hicks. Ernest was born in Oakland, California in Highland Hospital on November 13, 1969. Ernest made his eternal transition on July 9, 2023 at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, California.

“Ern” spent his formative years in San Diego, where he attended Emerson and Baker Elementary School, as well as O’Farrell School of Creative and Performing Arts, excelling in dance and graphic arts. Ernest graduated from Clairemont High School in 1988.

He also participated in Lincoln Park Pop Warner football, Southeastern Little League, and high school football.

After high school, Ern ventured out to different cities including Oakland,California; Vincennes, Indiana; Melbourne, Florida; and Pensacola, Florida. In these areas, he developed skills of becoming a very creative chef and learned the art of maintenance on just about any object. He also crafted his passion of graphic arts in these areas.

Upon returning to San Diego in 2013, Ern held various jobs in the restaurant business, maintenance work, and professional auto detailing. Ernest was in the process of starting his own line of graphic art clothing line when he passed.

Ernest leaves this earth to his mother and father, four children: Ernest Lee Lench, Jr., Deonte Lench, Lyric Lench, and Iyesha Marion, two grandchildren: Rosabella Lench and Zion Lench, brother Charles Jones, Sr., several nieces and nephews, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. To mourn his passing includes life-long friends Jawanna Carter, Ramon Aguirre, Maria Regalbo, and Rodney McKinney.

Ernest was preceded in death by his younger brother Joseph A. Jones.

Ernest, our son, you will be missed. Rest on Ern, in your spiritual journey.

Attempted Coup in Niger Sparks International Condemnation, and calls for Restoration of Constitutional Order

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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Attempted Coup in Niger Sparks International Condemnation, and calls for Restoration of Constitutional Order

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

On Wednesday, July 26, a group of presidential guards held Niger President Mohamed Bazoum captive inside the presidential palace in the capital city of Niamey.
The incident has been widely condemned by neighboring countries and the international community, with the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union denouncing any attempt to seize power through illegitimate means.

West Africa’s primary regional and economic bloc, ECOWAS, called for the immediate release of President Bazoum.
Meanwhile, the African Union has urged the soldiers involved in the attempted coup to return to their barracks without delay.

Patrice Talon, President of neighboring Benin, expressed his intention to mediate the crisis after discussing it with Nigeria’s President and ECOWAS leader, Bola Tinubu.
“I believe that all means will be used, if necessary, to restore constitutional order in Niger, but the ideal would be for everything to be done in peace and harmony,” Talon asserted during a press conference in Abuja.

The Nigerian presidency released a statement affirming that the national army was prepared to take decisive action against the guards if they persisted in their unlawful acts.
Land-locked Niger, a crucial ally for Western powers combating insurgency, has been facing increasing tension from the new juntas controlling Mali and Burkina Faso.
The country plays a vital role in the European Union’s efforts to address irregular migration from sub-Saharan Africa.

“The EU condemns any attempt to destabilize democracy and threaten the stability of Niger,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.
Similarly, U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, expressed deep concern about the situation and unequivocally condemned any attempt to detain or subvert the democratically elected government led by President Bazoum.
“We specifically urge elements of the presidential guard to release President Bazoum from detention and refrain from violence,” Sullivan said.

“We welcome the strong statements and steps taken by the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union to defend Niger’s democracy. We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of our citizens.”
Highlighting the significance of the relationship between the United States and Niger, Sullivan reiterated their shared values of democracy and human rights.
America reportedly has spent more than $500 million since 2012 to help bolster Niger’s security.

Sullivan emphasized that the cooperation between the two nations aimed at advancing regional security and prosperity hinged upon Niger’s unwavering commitment to democratic standards.
The attempted coup has shaken the stability of Niger and sparked widespread concern about the region’s delicate political landscape.

African Leaders Arrive in Russia for Summit as Kremlin Seeks Allies Amid Fighting in Ukraine

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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African Leaders Arrive in Russia for Summit as Kremlin Seeks Allies Amid Fighting in Ukraine

By Associates Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Some African leaders arrived in Russia on Wednesday for a summit with President Vladimir Putin while the Kremlin, seeking allies amid the fighting in Ukraine, accused the United States and other Western powers of “outrageous” efforts to pressure many other heads of states from attending.

Putin has billed the two-day summit that opens Thursday in St. Petersburg as a major event that would help bolster ties with a continent of 1.3 billion people that is increasingly assertive on the global stage.

“Today, Africa is asserting itself more and more confidently as one of the poles of the emerging multipolar world,” Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin. “The forum will provide a further boost to our political and humanitarian partnership for many years to come. It will serve as a crucial event for Russian-African relations, making them even more comprehensive and far-reaching.”

On Wednesday, Putin held one-on-one talks with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and said Russia will more than triple the number of Ethiopian students it hosts and cover their education costs.

Ethiopia’s government has been under pressure from the U.S. and the World Food Program after they made the extraordinary decision to suspend food aid to the country earlier this year following the discovery of massive theft of aid. They seek reforms that involve the government giving up controls over aid distribution. Meanwhile, watchdogs say hunger is rising in areas like the Tigray region that is recovering from two years of conflict.

Later in the day, Putin is set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

“We remain committed to assisting our African partners in every possible way to help them strengthen their national and cultural sovereignty, to play a more active role in resolving regional and global challenges,” Putin said in Wednesday’s statement.

Africa’s 54 nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other region on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

It’s the second Russia-Africa summit since 2019. The number of heads of state attending shrank from 43 then to 17 now because of what the Kremlin described as a crude Western pressure to discourage African nations from taking part.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov deplored “unconcealed brazen interference by the U.S., France and other states through their diplomatic missions in African countries, and attempts to put pressure on the leadership of these countries in order to prevent their active participation in the forum.”

“It’s absolutely outrageous, but it will in no way prevent the success of the summit,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said that while only 17 heads of state will attend the summit, 32 other African countries will be represented by senior government officials or ambassadors.

The summit follows Russia’s withdrawal from a deal that allowed Black Sea exports, vital to many African countries, a move that drew a strong condemnation around the world and raised new threats to global food security.

Russia shrugged off criticism and doubled down by launching a barrage of missile attacks on Ukrainian ports and agriculture facilities.

At the same time, Putin has repeatedly pledged that Russia would offer free grain to low-income African countries now that the Black Sea deal has been terminated.

“I want to give assurances that our country is capable of replacing the Ukrainian grain both on a commercial and free-of-charge basis,” Putin said in a statement Monday, asserting that Russia shipped almost 10 million tons of grain to Africa in the first half of the year.

Along with grain, another issue likely to be on the agenda will be the fate of Russia’s Wagner military company led by Yevgeny Prigozhin following its brief rebellion against the Kremlin last month. Wagner’s future will be an urgent issue for countries like Sudan, Mali and others who contract with the mercenary group in exchange for natural resources like gold. Russian officials and Prigozhin have said the company will continue working in Africa.

A peace proposal for Ukraine that African leaders have tried to pursue is set to be discussed as well.

“The summit background will also offer an opportunity to African heads of state who are part of the African Leaders Peace Mission to continue talks with President Putin on the confidence-building measures that will create conducive conditions for a path to peace between Russia and Ukraine,” a statement from the South African presidency said Wednesday.

Who is Bronny James? LeBron’s oldest son has carved his own basketball path

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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Who is Bronny James? LeBron’s oldest son has carved his own basketball path

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James and his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, were still teenagers when they welcomed their first child a few months after James won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

They named him LeBron James Jr., but everyone soon called him Bronny.

Now 18 himself, Bronny James had nothing like the hardscrabble childhood of his father, the only child of a single mother in Akron, Ohio. Along with wealth and celebrity, Bronny grew up with two loving, involved parents and two younger siblings who formed a tight-knit family unit — dubbed “The James Gang” by its patriarch — as they moved from Cleveland to Miami to Cleveland to Los Angeles.

The scion of the top scorer in NBA history embraced his father’s sport, and he has thrived while earning accolades and opportunities far beyond any special treatment he might have received because of his famous name. He was a heavily recruited player at an elite Los Angeles high school, and he chose the University of Southern California two months ago for the next step in a career likely to extend to the NBA.

It’s too soon to know how that career will be affected by the cardiac arrest that sent James to a hospital earlier this week while he practiced with the Trojans, who are preparing for a 10-day exhibition tour through Greece and Croatia next month. He remains hospitalized.

James’ combination of his famous name and his own basketball skills have made him one of the most influential teenagers in American sports. He is a social media star with 7.5 million followers on Instagram, and that potential earning power gives him the top name, image and likeness valuation in sports at $6.3 million, as estimated by On3.com.

Bronny James has rarely given interviews, per his father’s wishes, and his infrequent social media posts are either guarded, as befits the child of a massive celebrity, or sponsored content. They also show a happy high school student who enjoys video games and family time, but also looks forward to attending college.

Three months after LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career NBA scoring record with the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2023, Bronny announced he would attend USC. He would stay near home, just two miles down Figueroa Boulevard from the Lakers’ downtown arena, but far enough to establish his independence while building his basketball skills for a shot at a lasting career in the NBA.

LeBron was overjoyed when his son chose to spend next year in college instead of an NBA preparatory professional team. While he said he wasn’t sure about some of his great-grandparents, James was reasonably sure Bronny would be the first person in their family lineage to attend a university.

LeBron also has said for years that he hopes to play in the NBA at the same time as Bronny, who wouldn’t be eligible for the league until the fall of 2024 at the earliest. LeBron would be in his 22nd season next fall, which would match the longest career in NBA history.

Federal Court Blocks Mississippi Voting Law, Protecting Voter Assistance

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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Federal Court Blocks Mississippi Voting Law, Protecting Voter Assistance

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

A federal court has granted a request by Disability Rights Mississippi, the League of Women Voters of Mississippi, and three state voters to block S.B. 2358 — a newly implemented law that significantly diminishes access to the ballot for Mississippians who need assistance with voting.
Under the Court’s order, Mississippi voters who need assistance due to disability, blindness, or inability to read or write may select a person of their choice to assist them with delivering or returning their absentee mail-in ballot.

The Court ruled S.B. 2358 violated Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the state cannot use that law to punish individuals who assist such voters.
The order will apply to the current primary and the upcoming general elections in November.
“Mississippi voters in need of assistance to vote can be assured that their voices will be heard at the ballot box,” said Peg Ciraldo, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Mississippi.

“The League and its members can now continue its critical work to advocate for all voters, especially those who depend on us to return their absentee ballot.”
Celina Stewart, the chief counsel and senior director of advocacy and litigation at the League of Women Voters, called Mississippi’s S.B. 2358 part of a trend in laws targeting voter services organizations that assist voters.

“We’re pleased that the Court here has blocked this law to protect the vital work done by organizations like the League and the voters who would be disenfranchised by preventing those organizations from assisting them,” Stewart asserted.
According to the Mississippi Free Press, The Mississippi Legislature passed and Gov. Tate Reeves signed Senate Bill 2358 into law earlier this year.

It lists five exceptions for those who can transmit ballots, including election officials engaged in official duties; employees of the U.S. Postal Service engaged in official duties; other individuals allowed by federal law to collect and transmit U.S. mail while engaged in official duties as authorized by law; a “family member, household member, or caregiver of the person to whom the ballot was mailed”; and a “common carrier that transports goods from one place to another for a fee.”

The publication noted that the law stated that anyone else who transmits ballots and violates the law “shall” be subject to a misdemeanor criminal charge that includes imprisonment of up to one year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $3,000.
But plaintiffs argued that the law is not clear in its definitions, including its definitions of who constitutes a “family member, household member, or caregiver.”

In May, the three plaintiffs sued the State with the help of Disability Rights Mississippi, the Mississippi Center For Justice, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Mississippi and the League of Women Voters of Mississippi.
One of the plaintiffs, William Earl Whitley, a Black disabled U.S. Army Veteran from Okolona, Miss., lost both legs in Vietnam.
The other two plaintiffs are Yvonne Gunn and Mamie Cunningham, two local community members who have long helped Whitley by collecting and mailing his ballots on his behalf.

The judge noted in his ruling that Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 says that “any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter’s choice, other than the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter’s union.”
“This court, however, cannot, from the language of the statute, ascertain whether the individual Plaintiffs who previously have provided assistance to eligible disabled voters for many years clearly meet that definition.”

“This court, further, has not guideposts as to which individuals may be deemed ‘family members’ or ‘household members’, the other exempted assistors,” he added.
“This statute, then, vests prosecuting authorities with broad discretion in relying upon their own definitions of these vital terms—caregiver, family members, or household members.”
Ming Cheung, the staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, called the ruling a huge win for voters.

“We are pleased that voters with a disability or language barrier can continue receiving assistance with their ballot, the same way that they have in past elections,” Cheung said.
“Rather than making voting harder, Mississippi should pass legislation to expand opportunities for voting so that all citizens can participate in their democracy.”
Mississippians may now continue to assist voters without the fear of prosecution, said Ahmed Soussi, SPLC’s Voting Rights Practice Group staff attorney.

“We are glad that the Court recognized the federal guarantee to voters with a disability or language barrier to select a person of their choice to provide them assistance. What is important now is to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote does vote in the upcoming elections,” Soussi stated.

Senators Carper and Cassidy and Representatives Ruiz and Wenstrup Take Action to Combat the Obesity Epidemic

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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Senators Carper and Cassidy and Representatives Ruiz and Wenstrup Take Action to Combat the Obesity Epidemic

By NNPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Representatives Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) reintroduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) to combat the obesity crisis in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would work to directly prevent these comorbidities through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients. It will also work to mitigate the obesity epidemic by providing regular screenings.

“With obesity rates on the rise in our country, we must do more to combat this epidemic head on. Too many of those in need are being denied care because of the high cost of medications or inaccessible treatment options,” said Senator Carper. “We cannot stand idly by while this disease continues to claim lives through related illnesses that are preventable and treatable. I’m proud of our bipartisan and bicameral legislation to open the door for Medicare to provide Americans with every available treatment and tool for reducing obesity’s physical, social and financial costs.”

“There is a clear need to address obesity,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Expanding Medicare coverage to the treatments patients need enables them to improve their health and benefits us all.”

“Obesity is a complex chronic disease and a public health epidemic that costs our nation billions of dollars. As an Emergency Physician, I cared for many patients with complications from diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that stemmed from their obesity,” said Congressman Dr. Ruiz. “The bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, would help seniors who suffer from obesity gain Medicare coverage and access to vital medications and behavioral therapies that would help them live a healthier and longer life.”

“As a physician, the prevalence of obesity in our country deeply concerns me. I believe it is important that we work to keep Americans healthier for longer, and when patients go without obesity treatment, which is multi-faceted, it is more difficult to treat later down the line,” said Congressman Dr. Wenstrup. “By tackling obesity head on, we can better prevent numerous additional diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, helping lengthen Americans’ health spans while also saving taxpayer and Medicare dollars over the long run.”

The Senate legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

The following organizations have endorsed TROA this year: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (CDC-DNPAO), ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.

As a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Carper has been a leader in the fight to lower health care costs, especially for the treatment of obesity. Since 2013, he has led the introduction of TROA, working across the aisle and with dozens of outside stakeholders. Senator Carper has also introduced legislation to combat childhood obesity and prevent the spread of this disease early on. Under the Affordable Care Act, Senator Carper worked to secure $70 million to help states address the root causes of chronic diseases like obesity, and he has repeatedly advocated for legislation that would increase health care access and affordability for older Americans to ensure that everyone ages with dignity.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Tiffany Haddish Opens Up About Her Personal Fertility Journey

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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Tiffany Haddish Opens Up About Her Personal Fertility Journey

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Actress Tiffany Haddish has shared her emotional fertility journey, shedding light on her challenges and the continued challenges Black women have with childbirth.
The 43-year-old actress and comedian revealed she recently experienced her eighth miscarriage.

“Well, I’m going to be honest with you, this would be my eighth [miscarriage],” Haddish bravely told the Washington Post.
“I’ve got a uterus shaped like a heart. It just won’t keep anything in.”

Haddish is widely recognized for her comedic brilliance and has made a significant mark as an actress and producer.
One of her breakout roles was in the immensely popular comedy “Girls Trip,” where she stole hearts with her portrayal of “Dina” alongside Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Regina Hall.

Her impressive filmography also includes notable works like “The Last OG,” “Night School,” “The Carmichael Show,” “Keanu,” and her hosting gig at the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards.

She became the first Black female stand-up comedian to host “Saturday Night Live” in November 2017.
Unfortunately, Haddish’s experience is not unique, as many Black women in the United States regularly face miscarriages and complicated pregnancies.

Statistics show that about 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, with Black women being 43% more likely to experience pregnancy loss than white women.
On Rachel Bilson’s “Broad Ideas” podcast, Haddish revealed that her struggles with endometriosis and misdiagnosis also played a role in her multiple miscarriages.

Experts said the impact of miscarriages extends beyond the physical aspect and can trigger a complex grieving process that affects women’s mental health.
Haddish had previously chosen to keep her pregnancy losses private, sharing the experience only with one close friend.

“I didn’t want people saying: ‘Are you OK? Are you alright?’ Like a wounded animal, I just rather go in a cave by myself. Lick my wounds,” she stated.
Haddish also acknowledged how painful and emotionally challenging those losses have been, describing them as shattering pieces of her soul.

Haddish said she remains open to motherhood, despite life’s ups and downs, including a divorce in 2013 and a public breakup with former boyfriend Common in 2021.
She has contemplated adoption and taken parenting classes in preparation for the possibility of welcoming a child into her life.

“I’m looking at, you know, [age] five and up — really like seven,” Haddish said, emphasizing her desire to let any child she may bring into her life know they are loved and cherished.

The Stairway Tells Stories at the Southeastern Live Well Center

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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The Stairway Tells Stories at the Southeastern Live Well Center

By County of San Diego

When the new Southeastern Live Well Center opens to the public this fall, visitors will walk through the building and find themselves on an artistic journey. Thirty-three local painters, sculptors, woodworkers and multi-media artists have combined their talents to tell the stories of the community and illustrate the beauty of its diversity. One of the feature pieces is incorporated into the building’s central stairwell. It is a multimedia display using textiles to represent cultures of the past, present and future by Kumeyyay artist, Francisco Eme and ceramic artist, Evan Lopez.

For more information, please visit the County News Center. Join us for a Southeastern Live Well Center community celebration Saturday, October 14.

Charges Dismissed Against White Woman who Spat on Black Woman During Protests in Connecticut

Maria

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Jul 26, 2023

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Charges Dismissed Against White Woman who Spat on Black Woman During Protests in Connecticut

By Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) —

A judge Friday dismissed hate crime and other charges against a white woman who spat on a Black woman during competing protests at the Connecticut state Capitol, then was allowed to resolve the case through probation. The victim called the outcome “being spit on once again.”

“The justice system has failed me,” Keren Prescott told the court.

Yuliya Gilshteyn had faced charges including deprivation of rights, which is a hate crime, in the 2021 encounter. Then she was granted a special probation program that lets first-time offenders avoid a criminal record if they complete certain requirements. Hers included 100 hours of anti-hate instruction.

The two women, both in their 40s, crossed paths as people rallied at the Capitol for various causes on Jan. 6, 2021, the start of a new state legislative session. It was also, as it turned out, the date of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and it was in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prescott was taking part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration. Gilshteyn was protesting mandatory childhood vaccinations and COVID-19 masking requirements.

Prescott said she and others were shouting “Black Lives Matter” and other slogans when Gilshteyn countered with remarks including “all lives matter” and “Black lives don’t matter.”

Prescott, who was wearing a face mask, said she also told Gilshteyn to back up because she wasn’t masked. Gilshteyn then spat in her face and left, video shot by WTNH-TV showed.

Gilshteyn’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, has said his client’s actions were wrong but not racially motivated. He characterized the encounter as a reaction in “a heated environment.”

Hartford Superior Court Judge Sheila Prats has called the incident “despicable” but said Gilshteyn still qualified for the special probation program, known as “accelerated rehabilitation.”

Prescott, on Friday, said she was disgusted by the outcome. She called the program “one of the worst things that could happen to a victim of a hate crime.”

“The justice system is failing Black and brown people,” she told the judge, adding: “This is being spit on once again.”