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Chris Rock to Finally Address Oscars Slap at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater for Live Netflix Special

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Chris Rock to Finally Address Oscars Slap at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater for Live Netflix Special

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

One year after Will Smith stunned a live audience and millions watching the Oscars on television when he slapped Chris Rock, the comedian on the receiving end of the attack will finally address the incident.

On Saturday, March 4, Netflix will debut, “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” a live comedy special from Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater.

“The thing people wanna know … did it hurt? Hell, yeah it hurt,” Rock reportedly will say during the special which airs at 10 p.m. EST.
“[Smith] played Muhammad Ali! I played Pookie (in ‘New Jack City’). Even in animated movies I’m a zebra, he’s a [bleeping] shark. I got hit so hard, I heard ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears.”

In another line, Rock talked about how much bigger Smith is than him.
“Will Smith is a big dude. I am not,” Rock said.
“Will Smith is shirtless in his movies. If you see me in a movie getting open heart surgery, I’m gonna have a sweater on.”

The Academy Awards banned Smith for 10 years following the incident, and while Rock has mostly maintained his silence, Smith has publicly apologized.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air legend said he “fogged out” during the infamous March 27 Oscars.

“It’s all fuzzy,” Smith said in an Instagram video posted last summer. “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk. And when he is, he will reach out.”

While Rock presented the Oscar for best documentary at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, Smith took exception to the comedian’s comments about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

Pinkett Smith had revealed she has alopecia. After some uncomfortable laughter, Smith emerged from his seat, approached Rock during the live telecast, and slapped the star.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your [bleeping] mouth,” Smith yelled out at Rock.
The only time Rock had addressed the incident was during a standup performance, which he only briefly mentioned the Oscars.

“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” Rock said during a standup a day before Smith’s Instagram video surfaced.
“I’m not a victim. Yeah, that s— hurt,” Rock remarked. “But I shook that s— off and went to work the next day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”

In Smith’s new video, he also apologized to Rock’s mother and brother Tony Rock. “That was one of the things about the moment. I just didn’t realize,” Smith recounted.
“I was thinking but how many people got hurt in that moment. I want to apologize to Chris’ mother,” he continued. “I want to apologize to Chris’ family, specifically Tony Rock. We had a great relationship. You know, Tony Rock was my man, and this is probably irreparable.”
Smith also refused to lay any blame on his wife. “I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences from my history with Chris,” Smith stated.

“Jada had nothing to do [with it].”
He also noted how his actions detracted from his best actor win and other nominees and winners.

“It really breaks my heart to have stolen and tarnished your moment,” Smith asserted. “Sorry isn’t really sufficient. But I promise you, I am deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world.”
John Jurgensen of the Wall Street Journal said Rock, by saving his ammunition for Netflix, has set up a rare thing: a stand-up special with a timely hook.

How it lands might determine whether he can reframe the incident that, in an instant, revised the story of his four-decade career.
Preparing for the special may have also served another purpose for Rock himself, Jurgenson said in quoting fellow stand-up George Wallace.

“You ain’t never going to forget that somebody slapped the [mess] out of you. But laughter is healing for the soul, and that’s what he’s getting up there…and in the long run, he’s also getting paid for it,” said Wallace, who has a bit about how the slap turned him against all Smiths (Granny Smiths, locksmiths, blacksmiths, Smith Brothers Cough Drops and whatnot).

Obesity Care Week Begins as Report Reveals that Nearly 50 Percent of African Americans Have Obesity

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Obesity Care Week Begins as Report Reveals that Nearly 50 Percent of African Americans Have Obesity

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Obesity Care Week 2023 (OCW) kicked off on Monday, Feb. 27, with a focus on the disproportionate impact of obesity on communities of color.

Health officials responsible for OCW said racial and ethnic minorities have a higher rate of chronic diseases. African Americans have the highest rate of chronic diseases.

According to recent data, almost 50% of African Americans have obesity, and approximately 4 out of 5 Black women have overweight or obesity.

The causes of obesity are complex, and a person’s access to healthy food, safe places to exercise and play, stable and affordable housing, access to quality health care, and social attitudes about body weight all play a role in whether a person will have obesity.

However, communities of color face unique challenges in each of these areas, health officials stated.

For example, in the United States, only 8% of African Americans live in a census tract with a supermarket, while 31% of white Americans have one.

This means that minorities more often shop in small stores or bodegas or eat at fast food restaurants. These places usually have less fresh food and more processed food.

Cultural attitudes about body weight also play a role, with non-Hispanic white women more satisfied with their body size than non-Hispanic Black women, and Hispanic women more interested in losing weight and eating healthy.

Evidence shows that the African American population has less of an impact on existing weight loss interventions, with Black men and women achieving smaller weight losses.

Health officials noted that this suggests that intensive behavioral programs result in lower levels of adherence in Black people than whites.

Founded in 2015, Obesity Care Week has a global vision for a society that values science and clinically based care and understands, respects, and accepts the complexities of obesity.

Organizers have focused on changing the way society cares about obesity and have worked to empower individuals by providing affordable and comprehensive care and prevention programs, increasing awareness of weight bias, and working to eliminate obesity.

Researchers said obesity not only affects overall health, but it also increases the risk of complications from COVID-19.

According to a recent study of hospitalized patients in the US, obesity may also predispose patients to getting the virus and is the strongest predictor for COVID-19 complications.

Unfortunately, African Americans are also disproportionately affected by COVID-19. According to the CDC, 33% of those hospitalized with the virus were African Americans, compared to 13% of the US population.

Inequities in access to and quality of care result in poor overall health and many chronic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes.

This can affect individuals’ chances of getting COVID-19.

The communities in which African Americans live may place them at greater risk for developing chronic illnesses. For example, they may not have access to healthy foods or safe places to play or exercise.

For people who try to eat healthy, living in a food desert means that they must go to a grocery store.

They often must do this by public transportation.

These disparities need to be addressed so that all communities have the resources and support they need to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

“Obesity Care Week 2023 highlights the need for comprehensive and inclusive approaches to obesity care that consider the unique challenges faced by communities of color,” organizers stated.

Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors Officially Granted Ghanaian Citizenship

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Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors Officially Granted Ghanaian Citizenship

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Senior National Correspondent

Viola Fletcher, a 108-year-old survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has become a Ghanaian citizen alongside her 101-year-old brother, Hughes Van Ellis.

The historic event took place on Tuesday, February 28, at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, where Fletcher and Ellis were formally sworn in as citizens of Ghana.

The ceremony was marked by lively music from African musicians and the energetic dancing of young children.

It marked the first time that anyone had been sworn in as a citizen at the Ghana Embassy.

“I’m so grateful to all. I thank you so much for this honor,” Fletcher, known as Mother Fletcher, said before signing her citizenship papers.

Her brother echoed Fletcher.

“I’m so thankful to Ghana, and all of you,” Ellis, known as Uncle Red, asserted.

Notable attendees at the ceremony included Oklahoma State Rep. Regina Goodwin, news personality Tiffany Cross, and Ambassador Erieka Bennett.

Ambassador Bennett emphasized that being African is not defined by birthplace, but by one’s connection to the continent.

“You don’t have to be born in Africa to be an African,” the Ambassador declared. “Africa is born in you.”

Cross, the former MSNBC anchor, spoke of feeling the spirit of Africa and her ancestors in the room, while Goodwin expressed pride for Fletcher and Ellis’s survival as proof that the African spirit cannot be broken.

“This is what it’s all about,” Cross related. “The spirit of Africa, it’s powerful and rich history.”

Fletcher and Ellis’s acquisition of Ghanaian citizenship is a significant milestone in their long and remarkable lives. As survivors of one of the worst race massacres in American history, their journey to Ghana represents a symbolic homecoming and a powerful reminder of the resilience and perseverance of the African spirit.

The ceremony also highlighted the importance of recognizing the contributions of the African diaspora and their continued connection to the continent. As Africa continues to strive for unity and progress, Bennett said events like this serve as an inspiration to all those seeking to embrace their heritage and contribute to a brighter future for the continent.

“Ghana is so welcoming, and it is for everyone,” Bennett stated, concluding that she wanted all throughout the diaspora to know they can visit or even live there.

“Welcome home,” she said.

Damali Rhett Harding Named Acting U.S. Program Director for Regulatory Assistance Project

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Damali Rhett Harding Named Acting U.S. Program Director for Regulatory Assistance Project

By NNPA

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that supports energy regulators in the clean energy transition, announces that Damali Rhett Harding has been named acting director of its U.S. program, effective March 17.

Harding, a highly regarded expert in renewable energy and electric utilities, joined RAP last year as the U.S. program’s managing principal. As acting director, she will succeed Mandy Mahoney, who is stepping down to pursue further opportunities in energy and environmental work.

”For 30 years, RAP has been the leader in creating data-driven policy and analysis in support of the clean energy transition for regulators, and I am honored to lead this transition,” Harding said.

She previously worked for Oracle as an account strategy and relationship director, advising utilities such as Duke Energy and National Grid on behavioral load shaping, customer engagement strategies, and demand response management.

Harding also served as executive director of the Energy Co-op, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that provides renewable energy to thousands of homes and businesses in Pennsylvania. She currently holds seats on the board of directors for the Co-op and the American Association of Blacks in Energy.

“Damali’s organizational expertise and deep understanding of the energy transition landscape have been assets to the U.S. program,” RAP President and CEO Richard Sedano said. “I am pleased to have her step into this role and lead the team as we continue to provide innovative thought leadership and crucial support for regulators and policymakers.”

Harding holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business, is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and in her spare time works passionately to eradicate energy poverty.

About the Regulatory Assistance Project

RAP is the premier independent advisor to numerous public service commissions, state energy offices, the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, and more. The organization advances global renewable energy policy, focusing on the world’s four largest power markets.

SCOTUS Poised to Rule Against Student Loan Forgiveness as Protestors Rally to Save Biden’s Plan

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SCOTUS Poised to Rule Against Student Loan Forgiveness as Protestors Rally to Save Biden’s Plan

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Senior National Correspondent

Millions of student loan borrowers, particularly those of color, risk losing out on relief if the Supreme Court strikes down President Joe Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness plan.

The plan, which aims to forgive or reduce the student loan debt held by the millions of eligible Americans that qualify for the program, has faced opposition from Republican-appointed judges on lower courts and now faces an uncertain future as it is being challenged before the land’s highest court.

In a three-hour-long argument on Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts led his conservative colleagues in questioning the administration’s authority to cancel federal student loans due to the COVID-19 emergency broadly.

It remains unclear whether any of the six justices appointed by Republican presidents will approve the debt relief program. However, Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett appeared most open to the administration’s arguments.

As the Supreme Court heard oral arguments, demonstrators converged on the nation’s capital to showcase their support for debt relief.

The People’s Rally for Student Debt Cancellation was the largest-ever mass demonstration by people with student debt in front of the Supreme Court, bringing together individuals from across party lines, industries, faith communities, socioeconomic statuses, and cities and states throughout the country.

Speakers at the rally emphasized the legality and urgency of President Biden’s relief action, citing the ongoing economic distress caused by COVID-19 on borrowers and the history of abuse and mismanagement throughout the student loan system.

Organizations representing millions of borrowers and supporters co-sponsored the rally to show the broad and growing support for debt relief.

If the Supreme Court strikes down President Biden’s plan, it will negatively impact millions of borrowers, particularly those of color. The administration says that 26 million people have each applied for up to $20,000 in federal student loans forgiven under the plan.

If the plan isn’t allowed to take effect before a three-year pandemic-inspired pause on loan repayments ends no later than this summer, “defaults and delinquencies will surge above pre-pandemic levels,” according to U.S. Solicitor General, Elizabeth Prelogar.

The debt relief program has faced opposition from Republican-led states and lawmakers in Congress, as well as conservative legal interests, who argue that it is a clear violation of Biden’s executive authority.

They claim that the plan is not necessary now to keep defaults roughly where they were before the pandemic and that the 20 million borrowers who would have their entire loans erased would get a “windfall,” leaving them better off than before the pandemic.

The administration argues that a 2003 law, commonly known as the HEROES Act, allows the Secretary of Education to waive or modify the terms of federal student loans in connection with a national emergency.

The law was primarily intended to keep service members from becoming worse off financially while fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has questioned the administration’s authority to implement the debt relief program, with Chief Justice John Roberts pointing to the vast impact and expense of the program, estimating that it would cost “a half-trillion dollars.” Kavanaugh suggested that the administration was using an “old law” to implement a debt relief program that Congress had rejected unilaterally.

However, some speakers at the rally argue that the student loan system has a history of abuse and mismanagement that disproportionately negatively impacts people of color. Advocates point out that Black and Latinx borrowers, for example, are more likely to take on debt to attend college and that they are also more likely to struggle to repay those loans.

The issue of student loan debt relief has also become a political issue, with Democrats predominantly supporting President Biden’s plan and Republicans opposing it.

Debt relief advocates say it is necessary to address the financial burden that student loan debt places on individuals and the broader economy, particularly during the ongoing pandemic.

Addressing the Issues Around Public Safety and Policing

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Addressing the Issues Around Public Safety and Policing

By Congressman James E. Clyburn and Courtney Rich, NNPA

Following the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in 2020 at the hands of law enforcement—two in a long line of avoidable tragedies—Democrats reaffirmed our commitment to ensuring that law enforcement truly protect the communities they serve. House Democrats passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to prevent police misconduct by improving law enforcement practices and enhancing accountability. Regrettably, the bill stalled in the Senate due to Republican opposition. Since taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden has restricted the transfer of military equipment to police departments and directed federal law enforcement agencies to end the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants.

Now a renewed call for action has emerged as the country mourns the violent death of Tyre Nichols, yet another unarmed Black citizen murdered by police. It has become undeniable that the culture of policing must improve. To reform this violent culture, we must enact public safety reforms that address the lack of accountability and transparency in policing while increasing the standards for those who wear the badge.

Our communities deserve meaningful change in how they are policed, and increased accountability will further that goal. It is unconscionable that a police officer can be fired from their local department for misconduct only to find employment in another department without consequence. Lawyers, doctors, public school teachers, and nearly all other professionals face accountability. Police officers have a sacred responsibility to protect the public—they should certainly not be immune from it.

Increased accountability goes hand in hand with increased transparency. Police department data, information, and policies should be made available to the communities they serve. There are more than 18,000 local police departments in the United States. However, there is no national requirement for collecting and sharing use-of-force data. Nor is there a nationwide database or registry that tracks problematic officers, preventing those who have been fired from moving on to another jurisdiction without accountability. The lack of transparency erodes public trust and allows dangerous actors to patrol our streets.

Increasing the professional standards for those who serve involves setting national practices and instituting mandatory trainings to ensure officers have the communication and de-escalation skills they need to better connect with their communities and prevent the deadly escalation of force. Training officers in these areas would improve police conduct and help officers better serve their communities.

In his January 7, 2023, State of the Union Address, President Biden urged us to “rise to this moment. We can’t turn away. Let’s do what we know in our hearts we need to do. Let’s come together to finish the job on police reform.” It is time for us to enact the reforms necessary to save lives. I call on our colleagues across the aisle to join in this critical effort.

To those who have lost loved ones to police violence, know this: just because you’re not in the headlines doesn’t mean you’re absent from our hearts and minds. South Carolina remembers Walter Scott, who was shot in the back and killed by a North Charleston police officer the morning of April 4, 2015. His brother, Anthony Scott, was my guest for this year’s State of the Union Address. Together, we heard President Biden’s call for action, and I can assure you that I will do all within my power to answer that call.

2nd Chronicles 15:7 urges, “be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” The road to achieving police reform may be long, but we must not tire. Instead, we must press on in honor of those we have lost and to prevent more Black men and women from falling victim to the same fate.

President Biden is Investing in America’s Underserved Communities

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President Biden is Investing in America’s Underserved Communities

By Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, NNPA

Atlanta has a proud legacy as the cradle of the civil rights movement. Throughout our history, Atlantans from Martin Luther King, Jr. to the trailblazers of Sweet Auburn not only helped birth the modern movement to create justice for all but had a laser focus on economic empowerment for everyone

When I ran for mayor, I made a commitment to end the tale of two cities in Atlanta. I promised to fight for an economy that grew in a balanced way, so that workers could get trained for family-sustaining jobs, small businesses could participate in our city’s growth and all of Atlanta could rise together. More plainly, I wanted to ensure that Atlantans from all backgrounds have a shot at fully participating in Atlanta’s economy.

Atlanta is one of the most diverse cities in America, so the economic mobility of all Atlantans is of extraordinary importance to me. It matters to President Joe Biden, too. In fact, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have proven this time and again by delivering federal resources. Thanks to the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, American Rescue Plan, and executive orders signed by the president, historic investments are being made in cities like Atlanta – and everybody has a shot at participating and benefiting from these investments.

This month, Vice President Harris joined me in Atlanta to celebrate federal dollars coming to electrify Atlanta-area school buses. We’re moving away from the hazardous fumes of diesel school buses, which are disproportionately used in underserved communities, toward cleaner energy that’s better for the environment and better for our children’s health. And with these investments, we’re ensuring Atlantans in all zip codes have access to apprenticeships and good-paying job opportunities.

These investments are just the beginning when it comes to ensuring all of Atlanta participates in our economy. Within days of taking office, President Biden signed an executive order which requires the federal government to live up to the Justice 40 Initiative. Justice 40 is an effort to ensure that at least 40 percent of certain federal investments go to communities that have faced a disproportionate burden of environmental harms and pollution. That means more improvements and more jobs in our communities.

Plus, thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration working alongside Sen. Ossoff, Sen. Warnock and Rep. Williams, Atlanta will receive $30 million to improve safety along Pryor Street and Center Avenue through the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program. This program will allow the city to hire workers from our communities to build protected bike lanes and pedestrian facilities, making the area safer and more accessible while connecting the Southside and the Southside Beltline. This is in addition to $40 million delivered to upgrade Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and millions of American Rescue Plan funds the City has already put to work on pre-arrest diversion services, combatting homelessness, job training and so much more.

We have a lot more work to do before every family in Atlanta has the same access to economic mobility, but change is happening right now – and a lot of that progress is due in large part to the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration.

Here’s the bottom line: as mayor, my job is to show up and deliver. President Biden and Vice President Harris make that job easier – they are providing the resources to create jobs, contract with women and minority-owned firms, and make real improvements in our communities. In the cradle of the civil rights movement, we’re benefitting from allies in the White House who are laser focused on economic empowerment.

Will Student Debt Finally Be Forgiven?

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Will Student Debt Finally Be Forgiven?

By Ariama C. Long, New York Amsterdam News, Word in Black 

When President Joe Biden announced his student debt relief plan, most people leapt for joy. But despite millions of borrowers qualifying to have some or all loans wiped out, the implementation of the program has been tied up in litigation. This Tuesday, the fight went all the way to the Supreme Court.

The justices have scheduled hours of arguments, but it is likely to be months before borrowers learn the outcome of the case. Generally speaking, decisions are handed out by the end of June.

Biden first went public with the plan last August. At least 43 million borrowers are eligible for some debt forgiveness, with 20 million who could have their debt erased entirely, reported the Associated Press (AP). The Congressional Budget Office has said the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades.

10 Banned Books That Are Crucial to Black Culture

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10 Banned Books That Are Crucial to Black Culture

By Nadia Reese

Recently, schools across the country have begun banning books on topics such as religion, “witchcraft,” sexuality, police brutality and racism from the classroom and pulling them from school libraries. It is no surprise that most of the books that made the banned book list are written by Black authors and focus on topics relating to issues and experiences within the Black community.

The Color Purple 

“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker is a novel set in 1900s Georgia and is narrated by Celie, the main character and protagonist, as she details her experiences with her family, including her mother, her abusive father, and her sister Nettie. Though the story teaches women that they can be resilient in any situation with support from other women, the book was pulled from the shelves due to homosexuality, violence, and explicit language. Between 1984 and 2013, the book was banned from school libraries across the United States. Then, Texas State Prisons banned the book for profanity and violence in 2017.

The Bluest Eye

“The Bluest Eye” was written by award-winning author Toni Morrison in 1970. The novel takes place between 1940 and 1941 in Lorain, Ohio, which is also Morrison’s hometown. “The Bluest Eye” tells the story of a girl named Pecola Breedlove, who comes from a family considered to be troubled, unhappy, and ugly due to the color of their skin. Many of the characters in the novel are Black or of mixed ancestry and long to be white. Though this novel was banned due to racism, the treatment of women, and obscenity, it is important for students who deal with the same insecurities as Pecola to read this story. The story was listed as No. 2 on the American Library Association’s list of the most challenged books in 2013 and again in 2014. It was banned in Montgomery County, Maryland, after a mother described the book as being too “lewd.” Then it was banned in other schools and counties in states, such as Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, Michigan, North Carolina, Indiana, and California.

Go Tell it on the Mountain

“Go Tell it on the Mountain,” written by novelist James Baldwin, is set in 1935 in Harlem, New York, and tells the story of a Black teenager named John Grimes, who is described as intelligent by peers and teachers. The novel is based on James Baldwin’s own experiences, as he also grew up in Harlem. In the novel, Grimes comes from a religious family and centers around his view on religion. Though the premise of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” centers on intellect and religion, this text was banned because of racism, violence, explicit sex, references to rape, treatment of women, and profanity. The novel was banned in Prince William County, Virginia, in 1988 and in Hudson Valley, New York, in 1994.

Native Son 

American author Richard Wright’s novel “Native Son” takes place on the South Side of 1930s Chicago and revolves around a 20-year-old Black man known as Bigger Thomas, who is described as illiterate and impoverished. Bigger goes through a life where racial prejudice is prevalent and where he believes that he has no control over his life. Unfortunately, Bigger deals with his struggles with anger, stress, and fear. Although he is not the typical protagonist, he is the definition of what a “native son” is, which is made up of the racism and violent culture within American society. Although “Native Son” was banned because of sex, violence, and profanity, it’s beneficial for students to relate to a character. “Native Son” was banned from Irvington High School in California after parents complained about its violent and sexual content.

And Still I Rise 

The inspirational poem “And Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou shares the oppression and strength of minorities, most specifically Black women. The book also features other poems, such as “Remembrance” and “Phenomenal Woman.” The words in Angelou’s poem are meant to instill confidence as Angelou describes how she rises above obstacles. However, the book of poems was banned due to its sexual content. The book was challenged after complaints about its sexual content were made by parents from several school districts.

The Hate U Give

“The Hate U Give” was published in 2017 by author Angie Thomas. The story focuses on the topics of police brutality and institutional racism as it tells the story of Starr, a teenager who navigates two different worlds as she attends an elite school while living in an underprivileged community. However, Starr is a witness to the death of her childhood friend Khalil, who is killed by a police officer. Readers are able to see Starr stand up against racism and challenge the criminal justice system, and so this book was banned in part of the idea that “The Hate U Give” spoke against police officers. In 2017, it was also banned in Katy, Texas, due to the use of profanity.

This Is Your Time 

Ruby Bridges is a civil rights activist who is better known for being the first Black child to attend a predominantly white elementary school in New Orleans. Bridges wrote “This Is Your Time” in the form of a letter to the reader. Her letter lists and describes the experiences that Bridges went through as a child as she attends her newly integrated school. “This Is Your Time” was banned for racism even though the purpose of her story was to encourage readers to take action in standing up for their community.

A Lesson Before Dying

“A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines centers around a 21-year-old named Jefferson who lives in the fictional town of Bayonne, Louisiana, in the late 1940s. Jefferson is an uneducated Black field worker who is wrongfully accused of robbing and murdering a white man. The lesson before dying was given to him by a teacher known as Grant Wiggins, who volunteers to prepare Jefferson for his death. His last lesson would be to “never give up.” The purpose of “A Lesson Before Dying” was to teach readers to value their lives even at the time of death. The novel was banned in Savannah, Georgia, in 2001 for violence, sexual content, and language.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

“Their Eyes Were Watching God” by author and educator Zora Neale Hurston focuses on the roles of men and women. The story is set in early 20th-century Florida, and it follows the story of Janie Mae Crawford, who is described as an independent Black woman. In 1997, the text was banned after a parent of a Virginia high school student complained about its obscenity and sexual content.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Published in 1965, ‘‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X” was co-authored by journalist Alex Haley and tells the life story of activist and religious leader Malcolm X. The reader is able to view his leadership and the racism he endured throughout his childhood and comprehend the Black American experience.

Banning books for racism and other “inappropriate” topics that may be affecting other students is not the answer. In order to teach students and to prevent what happened in the past, it’s important to have difficult conversations. Racism, violence, and abuse still stand in today’s society. However, allowing others to learn from another person’s story can encourage the next generation to combat these issues.

The Barbershop: Where Black Men Still Gather and Solve the World’s Problems

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The Barbershop: Where Black Men Still Gather and Solve the World’s Problems

By Denise Rolark Barnes, Word in Black 

The role of a journalist is to write and report on information using credible sources to disseminate to the public. Journalists today must also listen to the public to determine what’s important to them when deciding what stories to write and disseminate.

Recently, my “listening” opportunity took place in a D.C. barbershop. It happens to be where my loctician (the person who makes sure my locs are properly maintained) operates. It’s not just any barbershop, however. It’s near Howard University and is seemingly the barbershop of choice for many HU students, professors, staff, and the surrounding predominantlyBlack but gentrifying community.

A chair is rarely empty there, even during COVID, when many barbershops closed, resulting in barbers opting to operate from their homes. Scheduled appointments, in many cases, are more often required.

This shop has an open door, however, and it’s a hotbed for stimulating conversations with men of all ages who come in looking as if they’ve been besieged by the world’s problems and leave appearing ready to solve them.

It’s a hotbed for stimulating conversations with men of all ages who come in looking as if they’ve been besieged by the world’s problems and leave appearing ready to solve them.

On this unusually warm winter day, one of the six barbers entered late with a cup of coffee. The conversation heated up quickly. Beginning his day with an espresso and chasing it with another cup of coffee launched a discussion about caffeine, its impact on the body, how they were able to help wean him from drinking energy drinks, and explaining, once again, why drinking coffee at night was causing him to lose sleep. There were lots of jokes and laughs, but the conversation was lengthy and mostly serious.

Last week, D.C. experienced a record-breaking 80-degree day, while places across the country were hit by several record-breaking snowfalls. Two days later, snow fell in D.C.

With a bright sun beaming through the glass windows, one barber said, “You know, it’s been snowing a lot in other places.” The conversation among the men quickly turned from the effects of caffeine on the human body to the impact of shifting tectonic plates on the earth and climate change.

“Yeah, man, but I’ve got to send you this article about this white boy that’s suing Howard University,” another barber announced out of the blue. “Man, read this whole article. It’s wild. It’s almost like they’re setting him up to win this $2 million lawsuit.”

It’s true. A former white law student who reportedly entered HULS in 2020 after receiving an annual $26,500 scholarship was expelled following his second year in September. He has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the university, claiming he suffered “emotional, mental, and economic harm.” He is seeking more than $2 million in damages.

This story clearly raised the ire of the barbers and their customers, who ranted at great length about the lawsuit and acknowledged the increasing number of white students enrolling in the historically Black university. Their prediction: He might win. He might get something, but he won’t get $2 million.

The conversation among the men quickly turned from the effects of caffeine on the human body to the impact of shifting tectonic plates on the earth and climate change.

With the snap of a cape dropping shaved hair to the floor, the topic fell and then moved to Adidas and Kanye West.

“You know, Adidas might want Kanye back,” someone said. This story requires more fact-checking, but Adidas claims it is losing millions of dollars from its Yeezy line of sneakers, which they removed from shelves in response to Kanye West’s reported antisemitic remarks last November. The question remains, what will Adidas do with all those sneakers? Sell them off-brand or burn them? It’s a predicament costing them millions and the risk brands take when dealing with celebrities.

With sports programs on the big screen TV, the barbers switched to offering play-by-play reflections of the recent NBA All-Star game, and college and local high school sports. One of the barbers has two sons that play for their elementary and middle school football teams, respectively. It was a proud papa moment as everyone seemed aware of their exemplary sports skills. Local youth sports dominated that conversation.

That is until LeBron James’ name was mentioned. A thorough analysis of James’ career raised the temperature in the room.

“Father time has caught up with LeBron. His body has been taking some good hits, but he needs to give it up,” one barber advised. “He only gets nick-nack injuries, but nothing has set him down,” another responded. “That’s why we know he’s on steroids,” another joked. “Man, why can’t he just be superhuman?”

“Oh, oh,” someone announced, “the caffeine is kicking in!”

And the impact of race on everything cut through each topic, no matter who occupied a barber chair.

Rising food costs, unreliable grocery delivery services, the police killing of a 37-year-old Black man for shoplifting a pair of designer sunglasses from a shopping mall in nearby Fairfax, Virginia. And the impact of race on everything cut through each topic, no matter who occupied a barber chair.

And, with three women in the rear of the shop, the locticians, and their customers, including me, the only gender-related issues discussed was a brief mention of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, and the barbers whose daughters won’t share their Netflix accounts.

As a journalist, I left with a clean and simple hairstyle and trending story ideas that folks are discussing. I never announced that I am a journalist; maybe I should have. And, perhaps the next time, I will. Still, my job is to observe and listen and then to research, write and disseminate the stories and the solutions to issues our readers care about. I got an earful at the barbershop!

Biden Administration Releases New Cybersecurity Strategy

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Biden Administration Releases New Cybersecurity Strategy

By ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government plans to expand minimum cybersecurity requirements for critical sectors and to be faster and more aggressive in preventing cyberattacks before they can occur, including by using military, law enforcement and diplomatic tools, according to a Biden administration strategy document released Thursday.

The Democratic administration also intends to work with Congress on legislation that would impose legal liability on software makers whose products fail to meet basic cybersecurity safeguards, officials said.

The strategy largely codifies work that has already been underway during the last two years over a spate of high-profile ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure. An attack on a major fuel pipeline that caused panic at the pump and resulted in an East Coast fuel shortage as well as other attacks focused fresh attention on cybersecurity. But officials hope the new strategy lays the groundwork for countering an increasingly challenging cyber environment.

“This strategy will position the United States and its allies and partners to build that digital ecosystem together, making it more easily and inherently defensible, resilient, and aligned with our values,” the document states.

President Joe Biden’s administration has already taken steps to impose cybersecurity regulations on certain critical industry sectors, such as electric utilities and nuclear facilities, and the strategy calls for minimum requirements to be expanded to other vital sectors.

Anne Neuberger, the administration’s deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, said on a conference call with reporters that it was “critical that the American people have confidence in the availability and resiliency of our critical infrastructure and the essential services it provides.”

The administration also wants to shift legal liability onto software makers that fail to take basic precautions to produce secure technology, saying companies should be held accountable rather than end users.

In a statement accompanying the document, Biden says his administration is taking on the “systemic challenge that too much of the responsibility for cybersecurity has fallen on individual users and small organizations.”

“By working in partnership with industry; civil society; and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, we will rebalance the responsibility for cybersecurity to be more effective and equitable,” Biden says.

The strategy document calls for more aggressive efforts to thwart cyberattacks before they can occur by drawing on a range of military, law enforcement and diplomatic tools as well as help from a private sector that “has growing visibility into the adversary sector.” Such offensive operations, the document says, need to take place with “greater speed, scale, and frequency.”

“Our goal is to make malicious actors incapable of mounting sustained cyber-enabled campaigns that would threaten the national security or public safety of the United States,” the strategy document says.

Under the strategy, ransomware attacks — in which hackers lock up a victim’s data and demand large fees to return it — are being classified as a threat to national security rather than a criminal challenge, meaning that the government will continue using tools beyond arrests and indictments to combat the problem.

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Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.

Wayne Shorter, Jazz Saxophone Pioneer, Dies at 89

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Wayne Shorter, Jazz Saxophone Pioneer, Dies at 89

By The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wayne Shorter, an influential jazz innovator whose lyrical, complex jazz compositions and pioneering saxophone playing sounded through more than half a century of American music, has died. He was 89.

Shorter died Thursday surrounded by his family in Los Angeles, said Alisse Kingsley, a representative for the multi-Grammy winner. No cause of death was given.

“Visionary composer, saxophonist, visual artist, devout Buddhist, devoted husband, father and grandfather Wayne Shorter has embarked on a new journey as part of his extraordinary life — departing the earth as we know it in search of an abundance of new challenges and creative possibilities,” a statement released by Kingsley said. It called him a gentle spirit who was “always inquisitive and constantly exploring.”

Shorter, a tenor saxophonist, made his debut in 1959 and would go on to be a foundational member of two of the most seminal jazz groups: Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and the Miles Davis Quintet. Over the next eight decades, Shorter’s wide-spanning collaborations would include co-founding the ’70s fusion band Weather Report, some 10 album appearances with Joni Mitchell and further explorations with Carlos Santana and Steely Dan.

Many of Shorter’s textured and elliptical compositions — including “Speak No Evil,” “Black Nile,” “Footprints,” and “Nefertiti” — became modern jazz standards and expanded the harmonic horizons of jazz across some of its most fast-evolving eras.

Herbie Hancock once said of Shorter in Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet: “The master writer to me, in that group, was Wayne Shorter. He still is a master. Wayne was one of the few people who brought music to Miles that didn’t get changed.”

Hancock praised Shorter for his musical expertise and leaving a special mark in his life.

“Wayne Shorter, my best friend, left us with courage in his heart, love and compassion for all, and a seeking spirit for the eternal future,” Hancock said in a statement. “He was ready for his rebirth. As it is with every human being, he is irreplaceable and was able to reach the pinnacle of excellence as a saxophonist, composer, orchestrator, and recently, composer of the masterful opera ‘…Iphigenia’. I miss being around him and his special Wayne-isms but I carry his spirit within my heart always.”

As a band leader, Shorter released more than 25 albums and won 12 Grammy Awards. In 2015 he was given a lifetime achievement Grammy. Last month, he won a Grammy in the category of best improvised jazz solo for “Endangered Species” with Leo Genovese.

Shorter’s work has been performed by several popular symphonies including Chicago, Detroit and Lyon along with the National Polish Radio Symphonic and Orpheus Chamber orchestras.

In his career, Shorter has had more than 200 compositions and was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2018.

“Maestro Wayne Shorter was our hero, guru, and beautiful friend,” said Don Was, the president of Blue Note Records, the label where he recorded several albums. “His music possessed a spirit that came from somewhere way, way beyond and made this world a much better place. Likewise, his warmth and wisdom enriched the lives of everyone who knew him. Thankfully, the work he left behind will stay with us forever. Our hearts go out to Carolina and all who loved him.”

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