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Play or Postpone? The True Value of Black Bodies in the NFL

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Jan 4, 2023

Play or Postpone? The True Value of Black Bodies in the NFL

By Aziah Siid, Word in Black

Monday night’s football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals ended abruptly and tragically, leaving sports enthusiasts and players alike in shock.

So shocked that on Tuesday, The Nation’s sports editor Dave Zirin soundly denounced NFL football — and called out racism in the sport.

The game is “a gladiatorial combat sport dependent on the Black players, Black bodies, and Black minds who make up 70 percent of the league’s players,” he wrote. “Denying their humanity is an essential part of the NFL’s brand.”

Race has always played a factor.

TIMOTHY CONLEY, FORMER SEATTLE SEAHAWKS PLAYER

After 24-year-old Bills safety Damar Hamlin took a hit on Monday night, he collapsed on the field, illustrating what many fear about the number one sport in America: death is closer to players than we realize.

According to team officials, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during the first quarter of the game after a tackle from Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. People in the stadium and millions viewing on television watched for nearly 10 minutes as medical personnel administered CPR and got Hamlin’s heart to beat again — all while players from both teams stood or kneeled around him with tears streaming down their faces.

The game halted for over an hour before National Football Leagues officials announced that it would be postponed. Joe Buck, ESPN’s play-by-play broadcaster, said on air that players were told they’d have “five minutes” to get ready to resume playing.

Us going out there and being told to run as hard as possible, hit as hard as possible, make plays and stuff like that, as a kid, that’s all we think about because that’s all we see.

JEREMIAH NELSON, NFL DRAFT PROSPECT

However, in a conference call with reporters after the game, NFL executive vice president of operations Troy Vincent said, “I’m not sure where that came from. Five-minute warmup never crossed my mind, personally.”

But the nation now faces the broader question of whether we will stand in solidarity with players, the majority of whom are Black men, and demand that they be kept safe and treated humanely — or will we continue to emphasize the entertainment-first construct of the sport?

“Race has always played a factor because whether people want to talk about it or not, African Americans or Black folks, in general, are still looked upon in many instances as second-class citizens — or not even considered human beings depending on who you talk to,” says former Seattle Seahawks player Timothy Conley who is now the chair of the cinema and film department at Columbia College Hollywood in Los Angeles.

“People just see them as commodities,” Conley says.

Skip Bayless, one of two “Undisputed” sports broadcasters, received significant backlash for his comment on Twitter that seemed to emphasize the commodity aspect of the NFL’s decision to postpone the game.

“No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how?” Bayless tweeted as medical personnel tended to Hamlin on the field. “This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”

Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens reposted Bayless’ tweet to Instagram and commented that it is “the most despicable tweet ever.”

“I hope you LOSE YOUR JOB!!” Owens wrote.

Media outlets have also been under fire for repeatedly playing the video of the moment of impact and Hamlin’s collapse.

“Please stop. Whether it is police shooting Black men, or something like this, media outlets treat Black suffering like porn. Just stop,” Dr. Stacey Patton, a journalist and research associate professor at the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University, tweeted about MSNBC’s coverage.

Jeremiah Nelson, a 24-year-old NFL draft prospect, began his football career at age 8. He says being the roughest and toughest guy on the field was all he knew.

“Us going out there and being told to run as hard as possible, hit as hard as possible, make plays and stuff like that, as a kid, that’s all we think about because that’s all we see,” Nelson tells Word In Black.

According to Nelson, who played for four different teams during his collegiate years, “African American or minority athletes tend to be seen as more ‘superhuman’ in other people’s eyes” when it comes to being a team member.

“In certain ways, it is an advantage for us — you know, like getting recruited — but when it comes to our safety and being humanized, that’s where the problem is.”

Nelson said even in regards to an injury — or being understood when speaking about your pain level — there is a possibility you’ll be disregarded, or not taken as seriously, just because you’re a 6 foot-plus tall, 240-pound Black man.

“It’s not worth it, “ Nelson says. “We’re raised to think we can get over anything with a little bit of recovery or time off, but in some situations – like this one – your health is put at risk. Not just to play, but to stay alive.”

Will Brinson, CBS Sports podcaster and senior writer, called on Twitter for the NFL to take some form of accountability for making (or not making) the appropriate call during such an intense moment.

“Troy Vincent claimed no one from the league told the broadcast booth about the five minute rule. Joe Buck’s as pro as they come, he didn’t go off cuff here. Just admit a mistake for once?”

“The NFL has a long way to go, and it’s not a perfect business,” Conley says. “There are things they’ve done in terms of strides to change things around, like concussion protocols. Those protocols didn’t exist when I was around.”

Meanwhile, Hamlin is currently in critical condition at the Cincinnati Medical Center.

California Police More Likely to Stop, Search Black Teens

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Jan 4, 2023

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California Police More Likely to Stop, Search Black Teens

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California law enforcement searched teenagers whom officers perceived to be Black at nearly six times the rate of teens believed to be white during vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2021, according to a state report released Tuesday.

The annual report by California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board — part of a law that initially took effect in 2018 — is among several reforms taken by the state in recent years amid increased focus on police brutality and racial injustice nationwide.

The board’s report includes data on vehicle and pedestrian stops by officers from 58 law enforcement agencies in 2021. The data includes what officers perceived to be the race, ethnicity, gender and disability status of people they stop so that the state can better identify and analyze bias in policing.

The 58 agencies — which include the 23 largest departments in the state — collectively made more than 3.1 million vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2021. By April, all of California’s more than 500 law enforcement agencies must submit their data.

The data includes how officers perceive an individual’s race or gender, even if it’s different than how the person identifies, because the officer’s perception is what drives bias. The board’s work informs agencies, the state’s police office training board and state lawmakers as they change policies and seek to decrease racial disparities and bias in policing.

In more than 42% of the 3.1 million stops by those agencies in 2021, the individual was perceived to be Hispanic or Latino, according to the report. More than 30% were perceived to be white and 15% were believed to be Black.

Statewide, however, 2021 Census estimates say Black or African American people made up only 6.5% of California’s population, while white people were about 35%. Hispanic or Latino people made up roughly 40% of the state’s population that year.

“The data show that racial and identity disparities persist year after year,” the report said. “The Board remains committed to analyzing and highlighting these disparities to compel evidence-driven strategies for reforming policing and eliminating racial and identity profiling in California.”

For example: Police handcuffed, searched or detained — either curbside or in a patrol car — individuals whom they believed to be Black youths between 15 and 17 years old during a higher percentage of traffic stops than any other combination of perceived race or ethnicity and age groups.

Law enforcement also searched people who were perceived to be Black at 2.2 times the rate of people thought to be white, the report said. And police were more than twice as likely to use force against people they thought were Black, as compared to people whom officers believed to be white.

Yet law enforcement officials reported taking no action most frequently after making stops of people they believed to be Black individuals, as compared to other racial and ethnic groups, “indicating those stopped Black individuals were not engaged in criminal activity,” the report said.

“Based on the research, the Board believes that public health officials and policymakers should treat racial and identity profiling and adverse policing as significant public health issues,” according to the report. “It is imperative to recognize that police interactions can negatively affect the mental and physical health of individuals who are Black, Hispanic/Latine(x), Indigenous, and people of color.”

This year’s report includes data from 40 more agencies than the 2020 report, meaning it analyzed an additional 246,000 stops. Of the 18 agencies that collected data in both years, 13 made fewer stops in 2021. The report said the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted those figures.

The 2021 findings were consistent with previous reports by the board that similarly showed law enforcement’s racial and identity profiling through the traffic stops.

IN MEMORIAM: Thom Bell, Co-Creator of The Sound of Philadelphia, Dead at 79

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Jan 4, 2023

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IN MEMORIAM: Thom Bell, Co-Creator of The Sound of Philadelphia, Dead at 79

By Post Staff, Black Press USA

Songwriter Thom Bell, a classically trained instrumentalist who wrote songs for 1970s singing groups Delfonics, Spinners and Stylistics, passed away at his home Bellingham, Wash., on December 22. He was 79.

With Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Bell gained renown in creating what became known as the “Sound of Philadelphia,” writing, arranging and producing songs for those soul groups as well as the O’Jays, Temptations, Little Anthony and the Imperials and individual artists including Phyllis Hyman, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick, The Temptations, Phyllis Hyman, Dee Dee Bridgwater, Elton John, Fatboy Slim, Dusty Springfield, David Byrne, Joss Stone and more.

“Thom Bell left an indelible and everlasting mark on the history of popular music, but even more so, he will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind and loving friend and family man. The music world has truly lost one of the greats,” his attorney wrote in a statement published in Billboard magazine.

Born in 1943 and raised in West Philadelphia, Bell showed early talent as a musician and went on the road with Chubby Checker as a touring conductor in his early 20s. His familiarity with classical and global instruments like bassoons, oboe and sitars made his productions lush and full, influencing Soul music for some time afterwards.

His first production gig was in with the Delfonics, producing the hits “La-La Means I Love You,” and “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time” in 1969. In 1972, he produced The Stylistics self-titled first album and later helped The Spinners achieve hits with “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love.”

His 11-year partnership with fellow songwriter Linda Creed, yielded several more hits, among them “People Make the World Go Round,” and “You Are Everything.”

In 1975, Bell became the first winner in the Grammy category ‘Best Producer of the Year.’ He worked in the 1990s with James Ingram, David Byrne, Angela Winbush and Josh Stone. In 2006, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and won the Grammy Trustees Award in 2016.

Bell is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and children Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell, and Christopher.

Vibe, Yahoo, The Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Seattle Times and Wikipedia were the sources for this report.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Thom Bell, Co-Creator of the Sound of Philadelphia, Dead at 79 first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.

EXPLAINER: What to Expect on Day 2 of House Speaker Election

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Jan 4, 2023

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EXPLAINER: What to Expect on Day 2 of House Speaker Election

By FARNOUSH AMIRI, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — What was expected to be a day of triumph for House Republicans coming into the majority turned into chaos Tuesday as interparty fighting over who should lead them in their new reign ended with no speaker in the rostrum.

Republicans failed to elect a speaker after Kevin McCarthy could not overcome opposition from the right flank of his party following an hourslong series of votes on the first day of the new Congress.

The opposition from 20 lawmakers, including some of the chamber’s most conservative members, to McCarthy’s speakership handicapped the House’s ability to start its work and delayed the ceremonial swearing-in of hundreds of returning members and freshmen.

GOP lawmakers on Wednesday will try once again to elect a speaker despite uncertainty over how McCarthy could rebound after becoming the first House speaker nominee in 100 years to fail to win the gavel with his party in the majority.

What to know as the House heads into the second day of the speaker election:

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WHY IS THERE NO SPEAKER?

Needing 218 votes in the full House, McCarthy received just 203 in the first two rounds of voting on the first day — less even than Democrat Hakeem Jeffries in the GOP-controlled chamber — and fared even worse with 202 in round three.

A growing chorus of detractors warned for months that the California Republican did not have the votes to win the constitutionally mandated office, which would make him second in line to the presidency. In response, McCarthy negotiated endlessly with members, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Scott Perry and Matt Gaetz, to win their support.

The negotiations went up until Monday night when members of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus presented McCarthy with their final offer, which included demands for certain committee assignments in exchange for their votes.

McCarthy refused to oblige, saying he had gone far enough to appease the lawmakers.

“For the last two months, we worked together as a whole conference to develop rules that empower all members, but we’re not empowering certain members over others,” McCarthy told reporters early Tuesday.

As a result, those members and more than a dozen others openly opposed him on the floor.

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WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CHAMBER?

Without a speaker, the House cannot fully form since that person effectively serves as the chamber’s presiding officer and the institution’s administrative head.

Swearing in members, naming committee chairs, engaging in floor proceedings and launching oversight investigations will all be delayed until a speaker is elected and sworn into office.

“The spotlight needs to be put on these 19 — now 20 — that are stopping the business of Congress that we got elected to do,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said. “It’s on them.”

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HOW WILL IT GET RESOLVED?

It remains unclear if and when McCarthy passes the threshold to become the next speaker of the House. The current number of Republicans who have pledged support to other candidates is at 20, with some suspecting that list will grow.

The House is scheduled to begin another round of voting for speaker at noon on Wednesday. Once the House is in a quorum — meaning the minimum number of members are present to proceed — the speaker nominee from each party will be read aloud by the respective leaders before a roll-call vote to elect a new speaker.

On Tuesday, Republicans opposing McCarthy nominated a slew of other candidates, including Biggs, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and even former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York.

“I rise to nominate the most talented, hardest-working member of the Republican conference, who just gave a speech with more vision that we have ever heard from the alternative,” Gaetz said Tuesday while nominating Jordan.

To be sure, none of them reached a majority of the votes, but it was enough to detract support from McCarthy, who in a 222-213 majority can’t afford to lose more than a handful of votes.

The candidate to become speaker needs a majority of the votes from House members who are present and voting. Every lawmaker voting “present” lowers the overall tally needed to reach a majority.

Should McCarthy come up short again on Wednesday, the clerk will repeat the roll call vote until he is able to garner a majority or a motion to adjourn is approved.

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HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE?

The last time the House did not elect a speaker on the first ballot was 1923 when the election stretched for nine ballots.

At the time, Republicans had won the majority despite losing a staggering 77 seats, shrinking their margin over Democrats from 171 to just 18. The majority party had named incumbent Rep. Frederick Gillett, R-Mass., to the position, but several other candidates, including a Democrat, received votes during the roll call.

This resulted in a series of ballots over three days before House Majority Leader Nicholas Longworth, R-Ohio, held an emergency meeting with those opposing. Their concern, similarly to those issued against McCarthy, was over a series of rules changes that they believed deserved a fair hearing. Longworth obliged and the next day Gillett garnered the 215 votes he needed to remain speaker.

Amid GOP Division in Congress, Biden and McConnell Bask in Rare Bipartisanship Victory in Kentucky

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Jan 4, 2023

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Amid GOP Division in Congress, Biden and McConnell Bask in Rare Bipartisanship Victory in Kentucky

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

As House Republicans continued their dysfunction and remained divided over who would be the next speaker, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell joined President Joe Biden in Kentucky to promote the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

While McConnell joining Biden in the senator’s home state on Jan. 4 proved rare, it’s been nearly 100 years since the House needed more than one round of voting to select a speaker.

Republicans, who have a slim majority in the House, have failed to unite behind presumptive speaker Kevin McCarthy of California.
McCarthy needs 218 votes, but 20 of his GOP colleagues have either voted against him or have cast ballots for Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.

Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the Democratic Party in New York, got all 213 of his party’s votes, setting up a historic, if unlikely, scenario that would put him in the speaker’s seat.
If six disgruntled Republicans vote for Jeffries, he will become speaker in a House where his party is in the minority.

Meanwhile, McConnell and 18 other Senate GOP members voted in favor of Biden’s massive $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which the president signed into law in 2021.
The Kentucky event and the fights within the GOP have shown how much Biden wants to work with both sides.

The Jan. 4 visit began in Covington, where Biden, McConnell, and others, visited the Brent Spence Bridge.
The president called the moment the latest example of how his economic plan delivers for American families and communities.

The White House said more than $2 billion in investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is earmarked for upgrading some of the nation’s most economically significant bridges.

“The President’s economic plan is proving that when America invests in ourselves – especially in our infrastructure, clean energy, and high-growth industries that are critical to our economic and national security – we can build a bottom-up and middle-out economy,” Administration officials said in a Fact Sheet.

“That means an economy with better jobs and better pay, including jobs that don’t require a four-year degree. And it means a more dynamic and more resilient economy, including in communities that are too often forgotten.”

The infrastructure law invests $40 billion to repair and rebuild the nation’s bridges – the single most significant dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the Eisenhower-era Interstate Highway System.

Administration officials said it would help repair or rebuild ten of the country’s most economically significant bridges and over 15,000 additional bridges nationwide.
Most of the projects funded by the new law are covered by Davis-Bacon requirements, meaning the construction workers who build the projects will receive good pay and benefits.

While Biden also plans to visit Cincinnati, Vice President Kamala Harris travels to visit bridges that cross the Calumet River in Chicago, Secretary Pete Buttigieg will travel to the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in New London, Connecticut, and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu will join Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

“These major bridge investments are a symbol that we can still do big things when we do them together,” administration officials noted.

Fans Give Millions to Damar Hamlin’s Toy Drive for Kids

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Jan 4, 2023

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Fans Give Millions to Damar Hamlin’s Toy Drive for Kids

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer

Damar Hamlin’s goal was simple: He wanted to raise $2,500 online to buy toys for needy kids.

It took about two years.

Then came Monday, when the Buffalo Bills safety was critically injured and needed his heart restarted on the field in a chilling scene that unfolded during a nationally televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He instantly became one of the biggest stories in sports, and thousands of people found his GoFundMe page.

The result: roughly $5.5 million donated in the first 24 hours after his injury. And the number is climbing.

A fundraiser that as of last month had raised $2,921 was up to $5,495,550 by 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday — with about 183,000 people going online in that span to donate, on average, about $30. Some of the donations were smaller. Some were more than $5,000. A number of NFL players donated as well, including members of the New England Patriots, who are scheduled to play at Buffalo on Sunday for the regular-season finale.

On average, about 2.2 donations were made through his GoFundMe page every second in the first 24 hours after Hamlin got hurt. And many came with messages of hope for a 24-year-old player in his second season, sedated in a Cincinnati hospital, listed in critical condition and with some teammates unwilling to return to Buffalo just so they could remain close to him.

“There are moments in life that stop the world,” wrote Michael Lynch, who donated. “We all pray for two things. Your speedy recovery and that your impact to the world is enhanced by your go fund me.”

The messages poured in from different fan bases, many of the donors letting the world know that they support other teams. One came with a hashtag that read, “we are all Bills fans.”

Hamlin started the GoFundMe in December 2020. He was just wrapping up his college career and getting ready for the NFL draft process. And he wanted to have a toy drive at Kelly and Nina’s Daycare Center — a facility co-owned by his mother — in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, a place with about 6,000 residents along the south bank of the Ohio River.

“As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me,” Hamlin wrote when setting up the drive. “I created The Chasing M’s Foundation as a vehicle that will allow me to deliver that impact, and the first program is the 2020 Community Toy Drive. This campaign gives you the opportunity to contribute to our first initiative and positively impact children who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.”

He pulled the first event off with about 10 days of planning. Gifts poured in, some of it clothing donated by Pitt, where he had just finished playing. Hamlin’s upbringing was far from easy: He lost three friends to gun violence while growing up and saw his father incarcerated for about 3 1/2 years for selling drugs. But as soon as he was able, Hamlin wanted to help others.

So, he started the toy drive. And his foundation will now have the ability to do more good than it likely ever thought possible.

“Damar created The Chasing M’s Foundation to use as a vehicle to bring lasting impact to his community,” his foundation wrote in a message posted to the donation page Tuesday. “The foundation supports toy drives, back-to-school drives, kids camps, and more.”

Many of the donations came from Bills fans, affectionately known as Bills Mafia, and this is far from the first time they’ve gone online to show support. In recent years, Bills fans have shown support for Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s foundation after he left a game — also in Cincinnati — with a concussion; for Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson’s charity after the Ravens lost a playoff game to Buffalo; and many made donations of $16.88 to the P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative in western New York following the death this summer of FIU player Luke Knox.

Luke Knox’s brother, Dawson Knox, is a tight end for the Bills. The $16.88 was a nod to their jersey numbers.

What Took So Long? Statue of Henrietta Lacks Will Replace Robert E. Lee Monument

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Jan 4, 2023

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What Took So Long? Statue of Henrietta Lacks Will Replace Robert E. Lee Monument

By Angela Johnson, Black Press USA

The city of Roanoke, Va., is honoring a Black woman who made tremendous contributions to modern medical research without her knowledge or consent.

In a video of a December 19 press conference posted on the city’s Facebook page, it was announced that a statue honoring Henrietta Lacks will be unveiled in fall of 2023 in the very place that once held a monument dedicated to Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

The new statue’s permanent home, which was once named Lee Plaza, was renamed Lacks Plaza in Henrietta’s honor.

Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump, who was on hand for the press conference, said the new Lacks statue is a step toward healing some of the racial divisions of the past. “In the past, we commemorated a lot of men with statues that divided us,” he said. “Here in Roanoke, Va., we will have a statue of a Black woman who brings us all together.”

Fundraisers collected over $160,000 for the project. Roanoke artist Bryce Cobbs created the sketch for the 400-pound bronze sculpture based on two photographs.

And Larry Bechtel, a Blacksburg, Virginia, artist, will sculpt the statue of Lacks who was a Roanoke native.

“I really wanted to have a distinguished, powerful pose. And I wanted her looking up. I always remember, like, looking up as being something like a feeling of proudness and of having that confidence in yourself and the strength in who you are,” Cobbs told NPR.

Henrietta Lacks was undergoing treatment for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951 when doctors sent portions of her cancerous tissue to another laboratory without her consent. Lacks passed away in October of that year at age 31.

Researchers used her tissue to harvest a line of living cells known as HeLa cells that are still used in medical research today.

According to Johns Hopkins, the HeLa cells have contributed to several major medical developments over the past several decades, such as the development of polio and COVID-19 vaccines and the study of leukemia and AIDS.

Johns Hopkins says they have never sold or profited from the HeLa cells and have shared them freely for other scientific research.

That is little consolation to the Lacks’ family, who is still seeking justice on Henrietta’s behalf.

The post What Took So Long? Statue of Henrietta Lacks Will Replace Robert E. Lee Monument first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.

Gridlock and Low Expectations Greet New Congress

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Jan 4, 2023

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Gridlock and Low Expectations Greet New Congress

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

When the 118th Congress started on Jan. 3, Americans had the slimmest hope that lawmakers would pass any essential laws.

Instead, experts, people who follow politics, and the public have every reason to think there will be gridlock in 2023 and maybe even after that.
With Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans enjoying the majority in the House, much of any bill or other action signed by President Joe Biden would likely come in the form of executive orders.

“The first three months of next year, we should all just kind of avert our eyes. There’s a tremendous amount of pent-up aggression,” Jason Grumet, president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, said in a recently published interview.

Americans, Grumet declared, should expect a bumpy start to the new Congress.
But once the growing pains subside, Grumet argues there is room for cooperation and productivity.

“There will be some very angry moments, but there will also be some quiet, competent moments that I think will advance a national policy agenda,” said Grumet.
Lawmakers could find common ground on issues like homelessness, mental health, immigration reform, and more, Grumet continued.

Still, he does not expect grand legislative victories to go down in the history books.
The new Congress includes 89 incoming representatives, the largest first-year class in three decades.

The House plans 30 weeks of sessions in the new year, and Republicans may use much of that to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter.
Radicals like Republican Marjorie Taylor-Green of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado want the House to consider impeaching Biden, citing America’s troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the president’s immigration and border policies.

Meanwhile, House Democrats will have new representation, led by New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the first African American to lead a major party in the history of Congress.
According to a Pew Research Center study, 65% of American adults think Biden will fail to pass any of his initiatives over the next two years.

Approximately 61% said they also expect the GOP to fall short of its goals.
Only 8% of respondents said they expect relations between Republicans and Democrats to improve in 2023.

About 48% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said Biden would do well in the next two years.

Meanwhile, 44% of Republicans and those who vote Republican expect GOP leaders in Congress to pass their programs into law.
“These first two years were under full Democratic control. A number of the big-ticket items were voted along party lines, so just Democrats passed those for Biden,” Laura Barrón-López, the White House Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, said during a broadcast this week.

“That includes, of course, the big COVID response funding at the beginning of his presidency and then, more recently this year, the Inflation Reduction Act, which was that big Democratic wish list bill that had climate change, action, and prescription drug reform, as well as, of course, Affordable Care Act subsidies,” Barrón-López continued.

She said that Biden likes to talk about bills passed with support from both parties. She also said that the president has a long list that fits that category.

“And this is not an exhaustive list, but it includes investment in semiconductor manufacturing—that’s the big China competitiveness bill—expansion of health care for veterans that were exposed to burn pits, the big bipartisan infrastructure bill that was passed with a number of — like, big negotiations that went on for a long time, gun safety, protections for same-sex marriage, Ukraine aid, and averted a rail strike,” Barrón-López added.

“So, all of these were major bipartisan bills that the president really tried to champion, saying, ‘Look, a lot of people doubted that I could work with Republicans,’ and yet he did during his first two years.”

While the 117th Congress concluded with the passing of a bill to replace a bust of former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney with Thurgood Marshall, the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, members of the 118th Congress will still traverse a building that contains paintings and statues that honor 140 enslavers.

“In removing Taney’s bust, I’m not asking that we would hold Taney to today’s moral standards,” said Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer.
“On the contrary, let us hold him to the standard of his contemporaries: Harriet Tubman,

Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and all of those who understood that the enslavement of others has always been an immoral act.
“Figures like Taney belong in history textbooks and classroom discussions, not in marbled bronze on public display of honor.”

California Family whose Beachfront Properties were Seized 100 years ago, Sells Land Back to County for $20 Million

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Jan 4, 2023

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California Family whose Beachfront Properties were Seized 100 years ago, Sells Land Back to County for $20 Million

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The great-grandchildren of the African American couple Willa and Charles Bruce, whose land in Southern California was taken in 1924 and returned to the family last year, have opted to sell it back to the local government for $20 million.

In the 1920s, the beach resort was extremely popular with African American tourists. At that time, Black people were not permitted on white beaches.
The site became famously known as “Bruce’s Beach.”

The children and grandchildren of Charles and Willa Bruce fought for decades to get back the land.
Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard, a family historian and spokesman for the Bruce family, stated in a 2021 interview, “It was a very significant location because there was nowhere else along the California coast where African Americans could go to enjoy the water.”

The Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists often threatened the Bruce family, but they kept the resort open and took care of the land.
In 1924, the municipal council used eminent domain to take the land to build a park.
But, according to a TV show called “The Insider,” the area wasn’t used for many years.
Willa and Charles Bruce fought back in court, but their compensation was only $14,000. In recent years, local officials have estimated the property’s value to be as high as $75 million.

The area contains two coastal properties and is currently used for lifeguard training.
Janice Hahn, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, revealed that the family would sell the property back to the local government.
Hahn stated that the price was set through an appraisal.
Hahn stated, “This is what reparations look like, and it is a model I hope governments around the country would adopt.”

The statement made by Hahn may or may not be exactly what the Bruce family desired in addition to the restitution of their land.
In 2021, Anthony Bruce, the great-great-grandson of Willa and Charles Bruce, told The New York Times, “An apology would be the least they could do.”

House, Senate Pass Legislation to Lower Cost of Inmate Telephone Calls

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Jan 4, 2023

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House, Senate Pass Legislation to Lower Cost of Inmate Telephone Calls

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

In 2017, Reesy Floyd-Thompson, who calls herself a “digital wonder woman,” said she had to deal with the shame of the incarceration of a significant other.
Her husband’s incarceration also meant that calling him would be difficult, if not impossible.

“I used to maintain a side hustle to take care of these calls alone. My husband and I used to endure monthly bills as high as $500 to stay connected,” said Floyd-Thompson, who headed an organization called “Prisoner’s Wives, Girlfriends, and Partners,” a support group for spouses and partners of those incarcerated.

Exorbitant telephone call rates have historically made it almost impossible for loved ones to keep in touch with family and friends behind bars.
With rates as high as $20 per call in some areas, Congress has finally acted, and in 2023, inmates and family members will pay a lot less.

Both the House and Senate passed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, which gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the authority to guarantee reasonable charges for telephone and video calls in correctional and detention facilities.

“Too many families of incarcerated people must pay outrageous rates to stay connected with their loved ones,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel remarked in a statement.
“This harms the families and children of the incarcerated — and it harms all of us because regular contact with kin can reduce recidivism.”

The measure now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature.
Phone calls in prison are said to generate more than $1.4 billion per year, and the FCC previously capped rates.

A federal court, however, overturned new regulations that set rates at .25 cents per minute in 2017.

Even though a three-judge panel at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia agreed that the rates for in-state prison calls were way too high, they said the FCC went beyond its authority when it set rate caps.

“This actually undermines a key goal of prisons, which is to foster rehabilitation to foster successful reentry,” Dr. Melissa Hamilton, a senior lecturer of law and criminal justice at the University of Houston Law Center, said at that time.

“Charging a high fee for phone calls discourages communication between prisoners and those who may be best able to keep prisoners calm and focused while in prison and who may be able to provide opportunities to prisoners upon release,” Hamilton said.

“These are friends, family, and religious connections. We know from decades of correctional research studies that prosocial contacts and opportunities are important mechanisms for rehabilitation and reentry.

“To the extent that the programs reduce these interpersonal contacts, not only are prisoners worse off. It can be detrimental to family members themselves, particularly children,” she said.

African Americans comprise about 13 percent of the U.S. population, and they also make up 35 percent of inmates.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice report, approximately 37 percent of the 2.2 million male inmates are Black.

“The astronomical fees are predatory and perpetuated by the phone companies and prisons, creating a mini-monopoly,” D.C. Democratic Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton said.
She said that the profits from the calls are sometimes shared with sheriff’s offices, who say they use the money for security needs.

A strong social support network is an essential tool in reducing re-offending, mainly for drug-related crimes, said Matt C. Pinsker, a former prosecutor, and magistrate who’s an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Virginia Commonwealth University.

“I find the high cost of phone calls concerning. Anything that limits one’s opportunity to be better connected with family is cause for concern,” Pinsker said.
“I have had numerous cases where clients, especially indigent ones, were unable to talk to loved ones because they had no money on their accounts,” he said.

Former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn challenged the high rates, calling them a civil rights issue that prevents inmates from connecting with the nearly 3 million children in America with at least one parent in prison.

“It’s the greatest form of regulatory injustice I have seen in my 18 years as a regulator in the communications space,” Clyburn said.

Spotlight on Black Excellence: Twin Brothers Walk out their Purpose with Perseverance and Grace

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Jan 3, 2023

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Spotlight on Black Excellence: Twin Brothers Walk out their Purpose with Perseverance and Grace

By AFRO Staff, Afro News

Rasul and Malachi Wright know how to bring in a new year.

The twin brothers, who closed out 2022 by walking across the Towson University commencement stage to receive their undergraduate degrees, are now stepping into 2023 with vision and purpose.

“Only nine months ago, I suffered significant unforeseen complications during a routine inguinal hernia surgery that resulted in me learning to stand, walk, and run again,” said Malachi Wright. “This was one of the most challenging moments in my life. The memories I keep in my metaphorical ‘front pocket’ of me persevering through previous challenges motivated me to get back to my optimal health.”

The College Park, Md. natives, now 22, are just two of the roughly 2,200 graduates who were awarded bachelor degrees ceremony last month, but it wasn’t their first stop in higher education.

On scholarship, they first earned associate degrees at Prince George’s County Community College. Next came full-ride scholarships at Towson University.

The two have overcome every obstacle thrown at them. And they did more than just survive– they thrived. Rasul Wright says that the strength of their ancestors gave them energy to keep moving towards their goal.

“There have been many moments in my life where I have thought about throwing in the towel and quitting, but whenever I am feeling unmotivated or wanting to forfeit to the pressures of life, I remind myself that if my ancestors would quit, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Rasul. “If my ancestors, who were brought to America during the transatlantic slave trade and begrudgingly served in South Carolina would’ve quit, I would not be able to represent their legacy today.”

“Those who have come before me motivate me to not succumb to the pressures of life,” he continued. “Moreover, I am empowered by reflecting on my twin brother Malachi and the many nights that we sat in our car broke down on the side of the road talking about our dreams!”

Rasul said that he has also drawn strength from his twin.

“We empower each other and push each other to be successful in all avenues of life,” he said.

Director of Competitive Fellowships and Awards Mary Sajini Devadasa, a Towson associate professor, worked closely with Rasul during his matriculation at the university. She commented on how she watched Rasul Wright take on leadership roles both on and off the Baltimore County campus.

“Rasul is a strong academic, passionate leader, a preacher and is born to be an ambassador with his code-switching training for protecting human rights. Sometimes it takes people a lifetime to find their passion and purpose, but Rasul was born with the mind to serve others,” said Devadasa.

“Rasul is born to lead. He is an ordained pastor of a Baptist church in Washington, D.C. with 6,000 congregants and teaches in a seminary,” she said.

She added that he is a leader of several academic honors societies on campus and has served as president and founding executive member for Omicron Delta Kappa in addition to being the first black male president of Phi Alpha Theta, a law fraternity.

Devadas said she has no doubt that Rasul is on his way to greatness.

“I salute his achievements and his will to be a change agent and bring about educational reform for the betterment of humanity,” she said. “He is on his way to empowering citizens in marginalized societies through education.”

The two are a long way from their jobs at BJ’s, where they worked right after graduating from high school. Now, the twin brothers have started a scholarship for other students.

Rasul will be attending law school, while brother Malachi will be learning the finer points of delivering quality care at dental school. The university has reported that both have already received acceptance letters from Ivy League schools.

Towson University Biology professor Erin Harberts said Malachi Wright demonstrates the necessary attitude to make change in the world.

“If you have ever been in a Zoom meeting with Malachi, you may see the quote ‘Dreams do not work unless you do’ in his background. In every aspect of his life Malachi truly embodies this statement,” said Harberts. “Whether he is setting up in the science building early in the morning to study or he is networking to bring groups of people together, he puts the work in to enact change. Malachi’s focus is unmatched and with genuine passion he creates a conversation space where no problem seems insurmountable.”

The two brothers are a shining example of Black excellence, but they say they couldn’t have done it without the guidance of mentors and ancestors who have guided and gone before them.

“There have been many role models and mentors who have pushed me along the way, but I believe that those who have had the most direct impact on my life are Rev. Reginald Wright, the late Congressman John Lewis, my Grandmother Glenda Fay Wright, Rev. Willie F. Wilson, and my girlfriend Katelyn,” said Rasul Wright. “All have inspired me to use my story to inspire others to be the change that they hope to see in the world.”

Meharry Medical College Working to Increase the Number of Black Medical Professionals with Physician Assistant Program

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Jan 3, 2023

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Meharry Medical College Working to Increase the Number of Black Medical Professionals with Physician Assistant Program

By Mylika Scatliffe, AFRO Women’s Health Writer

Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn. has launched a physician assistant program in its School of Graduate Studies and Research, the nation’s largest private independent historically Black academic health sciences center.

The first class of 25 aspiring physician assistants began their course of study in June 2022. The students have already started down the 28-month path of course work designed to produce adjunct primary care providers.

“Physician assistants are important contributors to health care teams today,” said Dr. James E. K. Hildreth, president of Meharry Medical College.

“Their engagement in patient care can help fill critical gaps in access to care and services that exist across our nation, and that are particularly acute among Black and Brown communities.”

A physician assistant is a licensed medical professional who can diagnose, perform many medical procedures, prescribe medicines and order medical tests, under the supervision of a medical doctor.

The program’s director is Michelle Drumgold, a Meharry assistant professor.

According to her, applicants do not have to present a minimum graduate record examination score or undergraduate grade point average. “We have been intentional about asking questions on the application that align with the mission and vision of not only the program, but the institution, and based on their responses we’re able to determine if we believe if they are a mission fit and if we want to invite them for an interview,” said Drumgold.

The students will receive hands-on experience with real patients, Meharry officials said.

Meharry is one of a handful of historically Black colleges and universities to offer a physician assistant program. The others are Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in California, the University of Maryland -Eastern Shore, Xavier University in New Orleans, and Morehouse College in Atlanta.

The physician assistant profession is a new one. Drumgold said she was unaware of PA’s while she was an undergrad.

“It’s like medical school but in a little more than half the time,” she explained. “We’re training future medical professionals and 25 is the number of students that program and institutional leadership decided would be appropriate to ensure we have the resources, space, and clinical rotations sufficient to meet the accreditation standards and provide the best experience possible,”