Bellow you will find the complete list of Cool Zone Sites
For more information visit www.coolzones.org or call 2‐1‐1. The Cool Zone program is operated by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Aging & Independence Services
Cool Zones Sites Webite Update
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Thanks to food deserts — or as some folks call it, “food apartheid” — there are cities across the United States where Black families have to drive several miles to access fresh food at a supermarket. Then there’s the reality that about 2 million Black Americans live in cardiology deserts — counties without cardiologists.
But the lack of resources that disproportionately impacts Black communities isn’t limited to food or health care. Access to literature is also often limited in Black neighborhoods.
Nearly half of American children live in a book desert — places that American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten defines as “neighborhoods that lack public libraries and stores that sell books, or in homes where books are an unaffordable or unfamiliar luxury.”
If students don’t have books at home or in their neighborhood, they rely on what’s available in schools — in the classroom and campus library.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
An Oklahoma judge has dismissed a lawsuit demanding reparations and rebuilding to address the historical damage inflicted by the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
The case, representing the last three survivors of the violent assault that claimed the lives of approximately 300 Black Americans in the renowned “Black Wall Street” community, ended on Friday, July 7, according to court records.
Judge Caroline Wall, in her ruling, ruled in favor of the defendants, including the state and the city of Tulsa, who had repeatedly moved for the case’s dismissal.
Wall dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, barring it from being refiled in state court.
However, the plaintiffs—Lessie Benningfield Randle, Viola Fletcher, and Hughes Van Ellis—still have the option to appeal the decision.
Philanthropist Ed Mitzen, who, along with his wife Lisa, donated $1 million to the trio last year, expressed disappointment over the dismissal, describing it as an “incredibly sad development.”
Mitzen conveyed his sympathies to the survivors and their families via email.
One of the central arguments presented by the state and city officials was that the survivors did not personally experience individualized adverse effects resulting from the massacre.
Many said the Tulsa Race Massacre has come to symbolize government-sanctioned racism and violence, contributing to the persistent disparities faced by Black Americans.
Historical accounts suggest that the massacre likely originated from a misunderstanding or falsehood.
A Black boy and a white girl entered an elevator together, and subsequent reports in the local newspaper falsely accused the boy of attempting to assault the girl sexually.
Some have speculated that the boy may have accidentally bumped into the girl, and because of the severe consequences associated with interracial interactions during that era, racist whites became enraged.
Following a newspaper’s editorial calling for lynching, white residents of the town embarked on a rampage the next day, destroying 1,200 homes, 60 businesses, a hospital, a school, and a library in the Greenwood District, as documented by Human Rights Watch.
The devastation forever shattered the heart of the Black community, which could not reclaim its former prosperity after May 31, 1921.
The lawsuit referred to the event as one of the nation’s “worst acts of domestic terrorism.”
It argued that plaintiffs like Lessie E. Benningfield Randle, the oldest survivor at 108 years old, suffered personal losses.
For instance, Randle’s grandmother’s home was looted and demolished.
The lawsuit highlighted how intergenerational real estate ownership has been a key factor contributing to the wealth disparity between white and Black Americans, with many properties destroyed or unlawfully seized following the Civil War.
In the civil filing, the lawyers contended, “This brutal, inhumane attack… robbed thousands of African Americans of their right to self-determination, upon which they had built this self-sustaining community.”
Officials asserted that the city, county, and state either created a public nuisance or, at the very least, turned a blind eye to the incident and later capitalized on it for their benefit.
The lawsuit cited apologies from the city’s mayor and a commander of the Oklahoma National Guard, the latter of whom admitted that the troops did not intervene to save the community.
The defendants maintain insufficient evidence to support the three plaintiffs’ claims of “individualized injury.”
In a filing submitted in December, they acknowledged the tragic loss of numerous businesses, homes, and lives during the massacre.
While the survivors said dismissing the lawsuit is disappointing, it is unlikely to halt the growing awareness of this crucial chapter in American history, which sheds light on contemporary disparities.
Mitzen acknowledged the plaintiffs’ role in this narrative, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to meet them and apologizing.
He emphasized his desire for their families to experience a better tomorrow than yesterday when the survivors eventually depart this world.
Think about how much plastic you use daily: straws, grocery bags, sandwich bags, water bottles, bottle caps, forks, spoons, cups, containers, and packaging.
All that adds up. In 2021 the average American used 309 pounds of plastic — and only about 5% got recycled. Most of the other 95% ended up in oceans or landfills where just one plastic water bottle can take up to 450 years to degrade.
That’s why in 2011, Australian climate advocate Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, executive director of the Plastic Free Foundation, created Plastic Free July. The effort is a month-long challenge to inspire people to reduce — or even completely eliminate — their plastic use.
According to its website, Plastic Free July hopes to show people they can “be part of the solution to plastic pollution — so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.”
Picture this: Black and Hispanic women, having survived decades of discrimination in the United States, find themselves face-to-face with menopause — that moment that marks the end of menstruation — way too early. And it’s not because Mother Nature is playing favorites.
Indeed, a new study published in the June 29 edition of the International Journal of Epidemiology found that Black and Hispanic women reached menopausal age about 1.2 years earlier than white women. The investigators contribute the gap to “weathering” — a concept that argues that chronic exposure to racism causes early health deterioration.
The researchers reviewed data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) — an ongoing research project launched in 1994 to analyze the physical, biological, psychological, and social changes occurring during menopause.
While the project includes 3,300 participants across five racial and ethnic groups, and various backgrounds and cultures, the scientists noticed many postmenopausal Black and Hispanic women were excluded because of the age requirement.
The SWAN team recruited women between 42 and 52 who were menstruating to track their menopause experience, but several Black and Hispanic women had already started menopause by that age.
Alexis Reeves, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, told Scientific American the age standards were based on data from mostly white populations.
“We were able to quantify the racial differences in the rate of exclusion from SWAN due to earlier menopause, and then statistically account for it in SWAN’s data,” Reeves said in a statement. “We found that Black and Hispanic women had statistically significant earlier natural, and particularly surgical, menopause than white women. The study suggests that this common bias may lead to underestimation of racial disparities in health and aging, and is important to consider in further research.”
Accounting for data biases in future studies will allow us to better understand and address the negative health outcomes of these marginalized populations.
SIOBÁN HARLOW, SENIOR AUTHOR OF THE STUDY
The SWAN study is one of the first to note weathering as a way to understand racial disparities in research, particularly with data to support its claims.
“The implications of these findings are incredibly important to understanding the true burden of racial disparities in women’s health and indicate that researchers need to be more thoughtful about eligibility criteria and the potential for underestimating racial disparities in longitudinal health studies,” Siobán Harlow, professor emerita of Epidemiology and senior author of the study, said in a statement.
Reeves also noted that “mistrust of the medical system due to historical injustices is an important part of the lack of inclusion of minoritized populations in studies.”
“However, this study suggests that eligibility criteria — and the given age for inclusion into studies — set by researchers themselves also plays an important part in exclusion of minorities from studies,” she said.
She and her team are committed to bringing attention to selection bias to help address disparities.
“Accounting for data biases in future studies will allow us to better understand and address the negative health outcomes of these marginalized populations,” Harlow said.
By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson, California Black Media
California Black Women’s Collective Announces “Wealth Building” Tour
The California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CABWCEI) and the Bank of Montreal (BMO) are launching a statewide tour called “Conversations for Black Women – Building an Economic Action Plan Tour.”
The tour will visit six areas in the state: San Diego (July 29), Solano (August 26), Sacramento (September 23), Oakland (October 14), Fresno (October 21), and the Inland Empire (November 18).
The events will offer a variety of opportunities, including job coaching, mentorship programs, apprenticeships, financial planning, homeownership counseling, and entrepreneurship support. Onsite counselors will be available to assess participants’ needs and provide additional services, according to Kellie Todd-Griffin, author, social entrepreneur and founding member of CABWCEI.
The objective of the tour, organizers say, is to develop an economic action plan that helps Black women build wealth and overcome barriers through transformative policies and practices.
Tour partners include California Black Media and Black Women Organized for Political Action.
California Education Chief Thurmond Considers Run for Governor
California’s chief elected education officer, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, is considering a run for governor in 2026. On July 5, Thurmond announced that he has formed a campaign committee.
“Working families across California are facing so many challenges that require our entire state government working together to solve,” Thurmond said in the statement. “Growing up as a Black and Latino kid without my parents, I lived the struggles that so many Californians face every day — that’s why I dedicated my career to fighting for a brighter future for California’s children.”
Gov. Newsom Updates State’s Opioid Plan to Include New Deadly Drug “Tranq”
Gov. Gavin Newsom has updated his strategy to combat opioid abuse in California by introducing measures to address a new deadly drug xylazine, also known as ‘tranq’ on the streets.
This animal sedative is increasingly being mixed with fentanyl, making it even more deadly. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of fatal opioid overdoses involving ‘tranq’ increased by 276%, from 2.9% to 10.9% between January 2019 through June 2022.
Newsom’s ‘Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis’ focuses on holding the opioid pharmaceutical industry accountable, cracking down on drug trafficking and raising awareness about the dangers of opioids. The plan includes addressing emerging threats like ‘tranq.’
“California has an all-hands-on-deck strategy for tackling the fentanyl and opioid crisis impacting every community across our state,” said Newsom in a statement. “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.”
California has allocated $30 million to fund the production of naloxone, the anti-overdose drug. Newsom has also increased anti-drug-trafficking operations, especially at the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego, where a significant amount of fentanyl enters into the state.
AG Bonta Releases Reports on Crime, Juvenile Justice, Guns, Homicides and Use of Force
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the release of the annual Homicide in California, Crime in California, Use of Force Incident Reporting, Juvenile Justice in California, and Crime Guns in California statistical reports.
The reports contain statistics for 2022 as submitted by California law enforcement agencies and other criminal justice organizations.
Findings indicated 612 civilians were involved in incidents that involved the discharge of a firearm or use of force resulting in serious bodily injury or death. Of those civilians: 48.4% were Hispanic. 25.3% were White, and a disproportionate 19.3% were Black. Black Californians account for about 5.72% of the state’s population.
In 2022, there were 2206 homicides reported in the state, a decrease of 6.6% from 2361 reported in 2021. The rate of violent crime per 100,000 people increased by 6.1% from 466.2 in 2021 to 494.6 in 2022. The homicide arrest rate decreased by 5.9% in 2022 compared to 2021 and the violent offense arrest rate increased by 3.4% compared to 2021.
“Having access to good data is a cornerstone of responsible public policy. The data released today is essential for understanding, preventing, and combating crime,” said Bonta. “In 2022, California made significant progress towards reducing its homicide rates, but more remains to be done. While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs, property and violent crimes continue to have devastating consequences for communities across the state.”
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The New York Times has uncovered that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has a network of connections to wealth and opulent vacations that extend beyond his association with billionaire businessman and controversial figure Harlan Crow, known for his affinity for Nazi memorabilia.
According to the report, Thomas has exploited his ties with affluent individuals he met through the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, a prestigious scholarship organization, for personal gain, benefiting himself and his wife, Virginia.
Thanks to their Horatio Alger connections, the Thomases have gained exclusive invitations to extravagant vacations, lavish parties, and coveted VIP access to sporting events.
Moreover, the association has facilitated encounters for Thomas with prominent figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Ed McMahon, as witnessed during a lavish three-day birthday celebration in Montana for billionaire industrialist Dennis Washington.
However, Thomas’ involvement with the Horatio Alger Association extends beyond luxury trips.
Notably, the contacts he made through this association, including Washington and investor David Sokol, formerly of Berkshire Hathaway, played a role in financing a documentary that portrayed him as a hero following the release of an HBO movie that depicted Anita Hill’s sexual harassment allegations during his confirmation hearings.
The Sokol family further extended their generosity by hosting the Thomases at their Montana ranch and waterfront estate in Florida.
The New York Times discovered that Thomas had not disclosed many of the benefits and gifts he had received from his wealthy and well-connected allies, and he declined to provide the paper with any clarification regarding this matter.
Initially, at the start of his tenure on the Supreme Court, Thomas dutifully reported various personal gifts he received, such as private flights, cigars, and clothing.
However, after The Los Angeles Times scrutinized his disclosures in 2004, Thomas ceased reporting certain gifts and advantages he received to the court.
A recent investigation by ProPublica in 2023 exposed Thomas’ close relationship with Harlan Crow, a GOP megadonor with a disturbing collection of Nazi memorabilia and Hitler paintings.
Crow had treated Thomas to trips on his private jet and yacht, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, and even purchased a residence where Thomas’ mother resided.
Additionally, Crow financed the tuition of Thomas’ nephew, who was under the care of the Thomases.
In response to the revelation of his relationship with Crow, Thomas defended his lack of honesty by claiming that “colleagues and others in the judiciary” had advised him that he did not need to disclose trips of a “personal hospitality” nature from friends.
Thomas’ acceptance of benefits granted him access to exclusive places he might not have otherwise frequented, and he also extended unusual access to the Horatio Alger Association by hosting their induction ceremony for new members in the Supreme Court’s courtroom.
The Times highlights this as an extraordinary privilege granted to an outside group.
The newspaper’s examination of fundraising records revealed that the association uses this unique access to raise money for events and scholarships.
In an acknowledgment of the significance of the Horatio Alger Association in his life,
Thomas expressed, “The Horatio Alger Association has been a home to Virginia and me.”
Upon receiving the association’s highest honor in 2010, he made these remarks, further stating that the association had enabled him to witness his dreams come true.
If his dreams revolved around undisclosed extravagant vacations and exclusive privileges, then he appears to have achieved them.
The Supreme Court recently updated its disclosure regulations, mandating that justices report private jet travel and complimentary stays at hotels and resorts.
However, an exception exists for “personal hospitality,” encompassing food, accommodations, or entertainment unrelated to official business.
As the layers of Clarence Thomas’ connections to wealth and luxury are gradually peeled back, questions arise about the integrity and transparency of one of the nation’s highest judicial authorities.
By Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — There’s another American sprinter making a big comeback this year.
Gabby Thomas held off Sha’Carri Richardson with the best time in the world in 2023 to win the women’s 200 meters at the U.S. track and field championships on Sunday night.
Thomas caught up to Richardson rounding the curve and powered to the finish in 21.60 seconds. Kayla White took third.
The 26-year-old Thomas struggled last season as she dealt with a hamstring injury. She skipped the 100 earlier this weekend to conserve her energy for the 200, in which she returned to top form.
“This one is really sweet,” said Thomas, who graduated from Harvard in neurobiology before going to Texas to work on a master’s degree. “Coming from the injury is just so emotionally and mentally grueling, you just don’t know what to expect. You’re kind of off your game a little bit. Your confidence is a little shot. So for me to come back and train really hard, work hard all season to be at this really competitive meet is amazing.”
Richardson, too, is on the comeback trail and accomplished what she needed to at nationals — qualify in both sprint events for worlds next month in Budapest, Hungary. The 23-year-old Richardson won the 100 on Friday. Two years ago, Richardson had her national title in the 100 stripped after she tested positive for marijuana.
It was quite a fast weekend for Thomas, Richardson and, down the road a bit, Shericka Jackson, who turned in a sizzling 100 time of 10.65 seconds at the Jamaican championships.
In the men’s 200, 19-year-old Erriyon Knighton held off Kenny Bednarek for the win in a time of 19.72 seconds. Courtney Lindsey grabbed third.
“The main goal is to just go in there and execute,” Knighton said. “I executed and I came out with a win.”
Bednarek and Knighton won the silver and bronze medals, respectively, at worlds last summer in Eugene, Oregon. The gold medalist in the event, Noah Lyles, has an automatic berth to worlds in the 200 and sat out the race. He’s also qualified in the 100.
Fred Kerley suffered his first defeat of the season, finishing fourth. Kerley is the reigning world champion in the 100 and has a spot at worlds in that event.
Shamier Little used a fast start to hold off 2016 Rio Olympics champion Dalilah Muhammad in the women’s 400 hurdles. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone skipped the event to concentrate on the open 400, which she won Saturday night. McLaughlin-Levrone is automatically qualified for the 400 hurdles after her record-setting win last summer at worlds.
Little even had enough energy to perform a victory dance after the race.
The men’s 400 hurdles saw American record holder Rai Benjamin cruise to a convincing win, setting up another showdown with his rival Karsten Warholm. Benjamin finished runner-up to the Norwegian at the Tokyo Games in 2021 in which Warholm shattered the world record. Last summer at worlds, Benjamin was runner-up to Alison Dos Santos of Brazil.
No surprise, Ryan Crouser won the shot put. A little bit of a surprise — no world record. It seems like every time Crouser steps into the circle, he breaks a record. Crouser’s current world record of 23.56 (77 feet, 3 3/4 inches) was set in May and is pending ratification.
In other finals Sunday:
— Olympic and world pole vault champion Katie Moon won the event over Sandi Morris.
— Nia Akins outkicked Raevyn Rogers down the stretch to take first in the women’s 800. Athing Mu, the reigning 800 world champion, skipped the event to focus on the 1,500, where she finished second.
— There was plenty of contact in a physical men’s 800 race won by Bryce Hoppel, who surged to the win.
— Reigning world hammer throw champion Brooke Andersen took first at nationals, with DeAnna Price, the 2019 world champion, finishing second to earn a spot.
— Olympic discus champion Valarie Allman won.
— Tara Davis-Woodhall beat defending national champion Quanesha Burks in the long jump.
— JuVaughn Harrison won the high jump.
— Setting the pace, Abdihamid Nur fended off Paul Chelimo to win the men’s 5,000.
— Elise Cranny took the women’s 5,000 title after winning the 10,000 on Thursday.
The U.S. championships closed with Daniel Roberts edging Cordell Tinch in the 110-meter hurdles. Two-time reigning world champion Grant Holloway made it to the final but sat out. Holloway has an automatic spot at worlds in the event.
An Oklahoma judge has thrown out a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, dashing an effort to obtain some measure of legal justice by survivors of the deadly racist rampage.
Judge Caroline Wall on Friday dismissed with prejudice the lawsuit trying to force the city and others to make recompense for the destruction of the once-thriving Black district known as Greenwood.
The order comes in a case by three survivors of the attack, who are all now over 100 years old and sued in 2020 with the hope of seeing what their attorney called “justice in their lifetime.”
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said in a statement that the city has yet to receive the full court order. “The city remains committed to finding the graves of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre victims, fostering economic investment in the Greenwood District, educating future generations about the worst event in our community’s history, and building a city where every person has an equal opportunity for a great life,” he said.
A lawyer for the survivors — Lessie Benningfield Randle, Viola Fletcher and Hughes Van Ellis — did not say Sunday whether they plan to appeal. But a group supporting the lawsuit suggested they are likely to challenge Wall’s decision.
“Judge Wall effectively condemned the three living Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors to languish — genuinely to death — on Oklahoma’s appellate docket,” the group, Justice for Greenwood, said in a statement. “There is no semblance of justice or access to justice here.”
Wall, a Tulsa County District Court judge, wrote in a brief order that she was tossing the case based on arguments from the city, regional chamber of commerce and other state and local government agencies. She had ruled against the defendants’ motions to dismiss and allowed the case to proceed last year.
Local judicial elections in Oklahoma are technically nonpartisan, but Wall has described herself as a “Constitutional Conservative” in past campaign questionnaires.
The lawsuit was brought under Oklahoma’s public nuisance law, saying the actions of the white mob that killed hundreds of Black residents and destroyed what had been the nation’s most prosperous Black business district continue to affect the city today.
It contended that Tulsa’s long history of racial division and tension stemmed from the massacre, during which an angry white mob descended on a 35-block area, looting, killing and burning it to the ground. Beyond those killed, thousands more were left homeless and living in a hastily constructed internment camp.
The city and insurance companies never compensated victims for their losses, and the massacre ultimately resulted in racial and economic disparities that still exist today, the lawsuit argued. It sought a detailed accounting of the property and wealth lost or stolen in the massacre, the construction of a hospital in north Tulsa and the creation of a victims compensation fund, among other things.
A Chamber of Commerce attorney previously said that the massacre was horrible, but the nuisance it caused was not ongoing.
Fletcher, who is 109 and the oldest living survivor, released a memoir last week about the life she lived in the shadow of the massacre. It will become widely available for purchase in August.
In 2019, Oklahoma’s attorney general used the public nuisance law to force opioid drug maker Johnson & Johnson to pay the state $465 million in damages. The Oklahoma Supreme Court overturned that decision two years later.
Affirmative action was a promise to deliver economic justice to Black America that fell short. It was envisioned as an array of “helping hand” policies for the descendants of enslaved people designed by the authorities that had enslaved them. It offered a slow walk to restitution based on fair access to schools, loans, jobs, and housing.
The Supreme Court decision on college admissions upends the promise. By a vote of 6 to 3, the court rejected the programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina as unlawful.
The decision involves the admissions processes at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the flagship institutions of private and public education. The cases share a common petitioner: Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), a group whose members believe that the consideration of race in college admissions — even to correct historical wrongs of racism — is unconstitutional.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, agreed that the “admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points.”
The decision returns Black America to a crossroads of restitution for the wrongs of slavery and Jim Crow. Since the decades after the Civil War, the challenge has been to find pathways to economic justice. One strategy has looked to individual and class-action claims for reparations, another to the promise of affirmative action and inclusion.
Since the 1930s, Black leadership has embraced government and company employment tools to break down historic barriers of race. Such policies worked to open doors in government offices, defense factories, and the armed services during World War II and afterward. By the 1960s, civil rights leaders expressed confidence that “affirmative action” policies could deliver a measure of economic justice.
From the start, however, the reliance on administrative tools as a primary means of restitution was stifled by persistent legal challenges, political opposition, and negative court decisions. Critics have promoted the alternative policy of a “colorblind” approach—though it has failed to address the historic and systemic inequities.
The Supreme Court decision on the Harvard and UNC admissions programs will affect the way students apply to colleges and universities and, ultimately, the number of Black students enrolled in the schools with the most resources.
Since the Civil War, Black Americans have initiated claims for restitution for the unjust enrichment from slavery. Understand that more than 90% of Black Americans are related to the original 400,000 Africans brought to America as commodities of labor. The pool grew to more than 4 million by the Civil War, and their bodies made America great.
America became an economic powerhouse from the institution of slavery, according to authors Sven Beckert and Seth Rockman in “Slavery’s Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development.” Africans were the primary assets of national wealth as commodities for work, sale, rent, and childbirth. They helped to build the industries of agriculture, shipping, manufacturing, railroads, publishing, finance, and insurance.
In addition to slavery, people have initiated claims for restitution for the unjust enrichment from Jim Crow, the laws and practices of racial subjugation. The loss of wages, farmland, family wealth, and markets for business stretched nearly a century and even excluded Black workers from transformational government programs like Social Security.
Among the notable claims for restitution in recent years was the 2002 lawsuit by attorney Deadria Farmer-Paellman. She filed a class action in federal court against financial institutions with ties to slavery. The claim received a degree of validation in the proceedings.
Attorney Patricia Muhammad explored appeals to the International Criminal Court in the book, “The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: A Forgotten Crime against Humanity as Defined by International Law.” In 2019, the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights concluded that the U.S. was among the states that owe reparations to the descendants of enslaved people.
In recent years, private actors have tried to find ways to wrest back stolen wealth, as documented by Ta-Nehisi Coates in his famous essay for The Atlantic, “The Case for Reparations.” Family claims have been made to recover the value of lost farmland, business, and homes. State and local institutions have also explored pathways to restitution, such as a California task force on reparations.
As the dust from the Supreme Court decision settles, Black political leaders would be prudent to explore a new agenda of restitution for the unjust enrichment from slavery and Jim Crow.
Any agenda should encourage reliable structures for filing claims. And it should prioritize the distribution of awards in the areas of pensions, workforce development, affordable housing, debt relief, health insurance, and youth recovery.
The agenda should also seek new ways to gain access to the resources — educational, employment, and contracting — to the upper-tier schools, most of which were enriched under slavery and Jim Crow. One approach is the reparation initiative by students at Georgetown University.
To be clear, the Black community will gain more from an agenda that directs investments to HBCUs and programs at community colleges and urban public colleges that serve large numbers of their students.
Beyond the question of financial wholeness, the demand for reparations for slavery and Jim Crow has cultural merit as well. Randall Robinson, in “The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks,” argued that the demands for reparations have roots in the dignity of Black America.
By
You know who the Black male stars in professional sports are: Lewis Hamilton is the GOAT of Formula One racing, Lebron James will get that fifth NBA championship ring eventually, and Patrick Mahomes just keeps throwing those touchdown passes for the Kansas City Chiefs. And of course Rich Paul is one of the biggest sports agents out there.
But how many Black women athletes can you name off the top of your head? How about Black women sports agents or lawyers?
That’s where the first annual National Black Women In Sports Day comes in. The new July 7 celebration hopes to educate folks on the contributions made by Black women in sports and inspire Black girls to consider a career in the broader sports industry.
“There’s a lot of organizations that highlight girls and women in sports, but there’s never been anything solely focused on Black women and Black girls. I wanted to create a day to celebrate us,” says Jaia Thomas founder of Diverse Representation, a comprehensive database of Black agents, attorneys, managers, and publicists who work in the sports and entertainment industry in the United States.
“I really want to shine a light on these other Black women, to highlight all the amazing work they’ve been doing, and to let young Black girls know that there are so many different pathways into this industry,” says Thomas. “I feel like we still don’t get enough attention and enough accolades for all of the work we’re doing and all of the ways we’re paving the way for people to come up behind us.”
Thomas says although Black sports and entertainment managers, attorneys, and agents work behind the scenes — they deserve recognition too. And we need more Black representation in those roles.
Even though we make up 13.4% of the U.S. population, Black folks only account for 5% of lawyers, 7.5% of talent agents, 7.7% of managers, and 10.1% of publicists — all crucial roles in sports and entertainment.
“Those are the people who, at the end of the day, make the key decisions in this space,” Thomas says. “It’s the executives, the agents, the attorneys who really hold the power to make or break somebody’s career. It’s important that the people behind the scenes are just as much of a reflection as the people on screen, on the court, and on the field.”
Thomas has worked as a sports and entertainment lawyer for 16 years. She says she has always been an advocate for increasing Black representation in her industry, but it was seeing Black Panther in 2018 that ultimately pushed her to start Diverse Representation. When the movie was released, Hollywood was patting itself on the back for its great show of diversity.
However, Thomas was curious to learn about the Black reps who helped the story come to life by supporting the actors. To her surprise, no one she researched had Black representation except for Lupita Nyong’o.
“I said, ‘This is insane.’ That weekend, I came up with the name Diverse Representation and put together a database,” Thoma says.
Thomas believes that increased Black representation in the sports and entertainment industry is vital to ensuring the Black dollar stays in the Black community.
“My ultimate goal with Diverse Representation is to make sure that we are keeping our money in our communities. When I hear that someone got hired because someone found them through Diverse Representation, to me, that’s one of the biggest accomplishments of the platform,” says Thomas.
When anyone in the Black sports and entertainment industry needs to find a Black rep, here’s this free website you can go to to find someone.
JAIA THOMAS, FOUNDER OF DIVERSE REPRESENTATION
Thomas has seen some change in the sports and entertainment industry during her career, but she says we still have a long way to go to ensure that Black talent is able to be supported by Black reps that identify with the complexities of their lived experiences. In the meantime, Thomas says it is Black folks’ responsibility to take advantage of the resources already out there.
“When anyone in the Black sports and entertainment industry needs to find a Black rep, here’s this free website you can go to to find someone,” says Thomas. “No one can use the excuse of, ’Oh, I can’t find one, I don’t know where they are.’”
Meanwhile, on National Black Women In Sports Day, Diverse Representation will be launching a new website that Thomas says will serve as “an all-encompassing hub for anyone who wants to support Black women in sports.”
The website will feature podcasts that are hosted by Black women athletes and coaches, books written by Black women in sports, and nonprofit organizations that help Black women in sports.
Diverse Representation will also be spearheading a social media campaign to highlight the experiences of Black women in sports. Anyone interested in participating can search and use the hashtag #BlackWomenInSports.
In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling eliminating the use of race in college admissions, there has been a growing conversation about the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in higher education.
While encouraging scholars to consider HBCUs is a valid idea, it is essential to recognize that these institutions may require time and strategic planning to accommodate a significant increase in student enrollment. Greater investment in various aspects of HBCUs — such as housing, classrooms, food services, and administrative support — is critical to the long-term success of the students and the institution.
However, there is an opportunity to support HBCUs, elevate their status, increase revenues, and attract students who might otherwise be attracted to larger colleges and universities across the country. This can be achieved by focusing on bringing top athletes to HBCUs. Although this transition will not happen overnight, it is worth pursuing.
Student-athletes are often drawn to renowned college programs due to factors such as excellent facilities, access to exceptional coaches, state-of-the-art resources, media exposure, and the potential to become professional athletes. However, many HBCUs currently do not meet these standards across the board.
Now is the time to invest in HBCU athletic programs, enabling them to compete for and attract top football and basketball recruits, many of whom happen to be African American.
Greater investment in various aspects of HBCUs is critical to the long-term success of the students and the institution.
I have had many conversations with a friend involved in college athletics that has shed some light on the requirements for small schools to consistently compete at a national level.
Upgrading facilities and maintaining an annual department budget ranging from $25 million to $50 million are necessary steps. While these numbers may seem daunting, the process can be done gradually with both short-term and long-term benchmarks. Starting with basketball, a sport with fewer players, allows for a manageable investment that can yield significant returns through effective national marketing.
Imagine if 10 HBCUs could successfully recruit top basketball talents, competing head-to-head with powerhouse programs like Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, Kentucky, and Michigan. Envision these HBCUs contending for Sweet 16 berths and championships during March Madness. With only 12 to 13 players required on a basketball roster, these schools could transition from merely celebrating participation when they make it to the “Big Dance” to expecting success every year.
To build a successful basketball program, an annual investment of around $15 million, in addition to facility upgrades (workout facilities, gymnasiums, housing, etc.), can quickly change the plight of the program.
Now is the time to invest in HBCU athletic programs, enabling them to compete for and attract top football and basketball recruits, many of whom happen to be African American.
Let’s take a look at some of the larger HBCUs like Howard and FAMU, which may be better positioned than others to compete sooner than later. Both schools graduate over 1,000 students annually, providing a significant alumni base capable of supporting their athletic programs. If 5,000 alumni donated $2,400 per year ($200 per month) and designated the funds for the athletic department, that would generate $12 million per year. Such contributions are feasible for the average alumnus, particularly those seeking tax write-offs (consult your tax advisor and the school for specific details).
Imagine the impact of witnessing HBCUs competing for national championships, capturing the attention and support of HBCU alumni and Black communities nationwide. The vibrant athletic atmosphere associated with HBCU sports is unmatched.
Moreover, when all other factors are equal, such as facilities and a recruit’s potential to reach the professional level, more recruits may opt for HBCUs over “Big Time” programs.
Will they attract every recruit? No. However, if enough recruits choose HBCUs, conferences like the MEAC or the SWAC could see five or six teams regularly participating in the NCAA tournament, while bubble teams from larger conferences will be sitting on the outside looking in.
Imagine the impact of witnessing HBCUs competing for national championships, capturing the attention and support of HBCU alumni and Black communities nationwide.
Some may argue that while these aspirations sound promising in theory, execution resembles a fairy tale without wings. However, examining the rise of Gonzaga University provides inspiration. Not long ago, not very many people knew about Gonzaga, a liberal arts school in Spokane, Washington, that has an enrollment of about 7,200 students. Now, because of the success of their basketball program, Gonzaga is a household name, and they are getting top recruits because they are sending kids to the NBA.
Consider the immense popularity of the CIAA basketball tournament and the revenue it generates for the conference and host cities. Now, envision the impact if the CIAA were a Division I conference filled with top-tier recruits. This transformation is possible.
When talking about affirmative action, we must highlight and recognize that discussions surrounding college admissions often neglect and omit the special admittance programs associated with college athletics.
No one is talking about these athletes taking the place of more qualified students, and why? Because colleges and universities are able to leverage their talents into windfalls of cash, prestige, and a recruitment tool for their general student population.
The removal of race as a factor in college admissions does not guarantee better opportunities for students and families who feel entitled to attend their preferred institutions.
It is time to reshape the landscape of college athletics and redirect the revenues generated by “Big Time” programs toward HBCUs.
Unfortunately, our students constitute a small percentage of the overall student population on campuses, and these unfilled positions that may be available because of the Supreme Court decision will probably be allocated to international students, who present an opportunity for these schools to generate more money from tuition and elevate the academic profile of the school.
It is time to reshape the landscape of college athletics and redirect the revenues generated by “Big Time” programs toward HBCUs. This can be accomplished by having our top athletes reject scholarship offers from schools that do not prioritize the admission of our top scholars.
By supporting HBCUs and assisting them in building the capacity to educate our brightest minds, those whose hearts are filled with resentment because we’ve been able to send scholars in record numbers to colleges and universities across the county will still fall short of their misguided goal.
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