Showing posts with label social justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social justice. Show all posts

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Cathedral Unveils ‘Now and Forever’ Racial-Justice Stained Glass Windows

On 09/23/2023 The Washington National Cathedral unveiled its new racial-justice-themed stained glass windows, created by world-renowned artist Kerry James Marshall, in a public dedication event. 

In addition, celebrated poet, author, scholar and president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander debuted a new poem titled “American Song” that will be engraved on stone tablets beneath Marshall’s window installation.

The reimagined windows—titled “Now and Forever” — signify a new chapter in the Cathedral’s historic legacy of art and architecture and mark the completion of a year-long project to replace windows that honored Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, which were removed in 2017.

During the dedication, acclaimed Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) also provided readings from Scripture.

Throughout the event, Cathedral staff emphasized the Cathedral’s role as a sacred gathering space where all Americans can see themselves reflected in the building’s expanding art and iconography.

“Simply put, these windows were offensive, and they were a barrier to the ministry of this cathedral, and they were antithetical to our call to be a House of Prayer for All People. They told a false narrative, extolling two individuals who fought to keep the institution of slavery alive in this country. They were intended to elevate the Confederacy, and they completely ignored the millions of Black Americans who have fought so hard and struggled so long to claim their birthright as equal citizens,” said the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral, during the dedication on Saturday. 

“I want to be clear that this is not the end of the end of the Cathedral’ s journey; rather, today is an opportunity to recommit ourselves, and to recommit this Cathedral, to join that march toward fairness for all Americans, but especially for African Americans. There is a lot of work yet to be done to confront systemic racism, to foster racial reconciliation and to be repairers of the breach, both in the past, the present and in our future.” 

Windows creator Kerry James Marshall also provided remarks, comparing the story of creation in the Bible and the fall of humanity with the creation of America and the nation’s ongoing struggle with racism.

“The church in general, across all faiths and this National Cathedral in particular, exists as a symbolic representation of humankind’s aspirations toward perfection, and a desire to keep the promise of redemption when we offend and fall short of the impossible,” said artist Kerry James Marshall during his remarks at Saturday’s dedication. 

“Even the God of the Cathedral didn’t have a permanent remedy against the evils that humans seem destined to inflict on one another. Today’s event has been organized to highlight one instance where a change of symbolism is meant to repair a breach of America’s creation promise of liberty and justice for all, and to reinforce those ideals and aspirations embodied in the Cathedral’s structure and its mission to remind us that we can be better, and do better, than we did yesterday, today.

“[Pieces of art] can invite us and anybody who sees them to reflect on the propositions they present, and to imagine one’s self as a subject and an author of a never-ending story that has yet to be told. This is what I tried to do, with words, images and colored glass, for right here and right now.” 

“I am deeply humbled, incredibly grateful, for the opportunity and hope that the things the windows propose continue to be a catalyst for the kind of transformation that the Cathedral stands for, what this nation stands for … and what I hope we all will embody and stand for and bring forward ourselves.”

“‘American Song’ was composed to invite meditation in the unique sacred space of the National Cathedral, which also has a broad and crucial civic function,” said poet Elizabeth Alexander. “I am forever honored to have been invited to offer these words to live alongside Kerry James Marshall’s magnificent stained glass windows, making space for feeling and reflection on our multivocal history as we try to move forward into a more just and beautiful future.” 

Over the next nine months, Dr. Alexander’s poem “American Song” will be hand-carved into the stone tablets beneath Marshall’s window installation.

Following the unveiling and dedication event, the Cathedral hosted an afternoon of festivities including an open house with tours, live music on the building’s west front, DC food trucks, and kid-friendly activities. Visitors had the opportunity to watch a new documentary about the “Now and Forever” windows and listen to a special docent presentation highlighting African American art within the Cathedral.

This fall, in collaboration with Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center, the Cathedral will host an interactive “maker space” focused on the new windows, where vistors will be able to contribute a community poem. The exhibit will be open in the lower level Visitors Lounge until November.

In addition, the Cathedral has released a new book, “Now and Forever,” which documents the history of the Lee-Jackson windows and the process of replacing them. The book was written by Kevin Eckstrom, an award-winning journalist who now serves as the Cathedral’s Chief Public Affairs Officer.

Support for the windows replacement project and related public programming to highlight the Foundation’s and the Cathedral’s ongoing commitment to racial justice and reconciliation is provided by the Ford Foundation and the Mellon Foundation (as part of the Foundation’s Monuments Project).

The Hearthland Foundation, founded by Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg, is also funding the project, with support for the poetry-inscribed tablets.

A Windows Replacement Committee oversees the future of the former Lee-Jackson windows, co-chaired by Dr. Eric L. Motley, the deputy director of the National Gallery of Art, and Chase Rynd, former director of the National Building Museum. Additional members include Dean Hollerith; Dr. Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, Class of 1940 Bicentennial Term Associate Professor, Department of the History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania; the Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas, Canon Theologian at Washington National Cathedral; the Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan, Canon for Worship at Washington National Cathedral; and the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin Sr., Canon Missioner and Minister for Equality and Diversity at Washington National Cathedral; Blake Coleman, Class of 2021 graduate, National Cathedral School; Gwendolyn King, President, Podium Prose; and the Rev. Dr. James P. Wind, former president, The Alban Institute.

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Colin Kaepernick to receive honorary degree from Morgan State University

Morgan State University President David K. Wilson today announced that three exemplary vanguards of social justice and the African-American experience will be awarded honorary degrees during the 145th Spring Commencement ceremony taking place at Hughes Memorial Stadium on Saturday, May 21. At the ceremony.

Among those to receive honorary degrees will be Super Bowl quarterback and champion for social justice, Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree capping the trio of honorary degrees awarded at Morgan’s 145th Spring Commencement Exercises. The holder of the all-time National Football League (NFL) record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback, Kaepernick famously took a knee during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 2016 to bring attention to systemic oppression — specifically police violence — of Black and Brown people. For his stance, he has been denied the opportunity to regain his employment within the NFL to this day.

Since 2016, he has founded and helped to fund three organizations — Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing — that together advance the liberation of Black and Brown people through storytelling, systems change and political education.

Kaepernick sits on Medium’s board of directors and is the winner of numerous prestigious honors, including Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope honor, GQ magazine’s “Citizen of the Year,” the NFL’s Len Eshmont Award, the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, the ACLU’s Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award and the Puffin/Nation Institute’s Prize for Creative Citizenship. In 2019, Kaepernick helped Nike win an Emmy for its “Dream Crazy” commercial. In 2021, he released Colin in Black & White, a six-episode limited series on Netflix exploring his high school years. The show won two NAACP Image Awards. In 2022, he became a New York Times bestselling author for his acclaimed children’s picture book, “I Color Myself Different.”

Others receiving honoraary degress are Morgan alumnus and filmmaker David E. Talbert and Morgan alumnus David Burton, the chief proponent in the landmark Coalition for Excellence and Equity in Maryland Higher Education (HBCUs) vs. the State of Maryland lawsuit.

“Leadership, Integrity, Innovation, Diversity, Excellence and Respect are more than just words that appear on the flags that adorn our campus, or words that we utter casually when reciting our core values, they represent the embodiment of who we are and what a Morgan graduate stands for,” said President Wilson. “With this notion in mind, we intentionally sought a collection of individuals who truly embody these principles, and thankfully we have assembled a trio of diverse voices who have bravely stood—and kneeled—for the betterment and advancement of the voiceless, the marginalized and the disenfranchised.”

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Carmelo Anthony wins NBA's inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

Carmelo Anthony was announced on Tuesday as the inaugural winner of the NBA's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award.

The Portland Trail Blazers forward was selected for the award among fellow finalists Tobias Harris, Jrue Holiday, Harrison Barnes and Juan Toscano-Anderson.

"I've received a lot awards throughout my life, throughout my career," Anthony said. "This award right here, means a lot more than any other award I've received. I say that because of the times that we're in, what we're dealing with in our country, what we're dealing with around the world — and also in our community, the Black community."

[SOURCE: MSN.COM]

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

National Basketball Social Justice Coalition statement in support of George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

On behalf of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, James Cadogan, the Coalition’s Executive Director, released the following statement:

“Almost exactly one year ago, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. Like millions around the world, NBA players, coaches, governors, officials, and staff throughout our organizations were outraged to see the horrifying and unlawful actions of the officer who pinned Mr. Floyd’s neck to the ground under his knee for 9 minutes. Mr. Floyd’s death added new fuel to the protests, marches, and urgent calls for racial justice and reform locally and nationally.

“Today, as this painful anniversary approaches, we have an opportunity to honor the memory of Mr. Floyd and others who have been victims of police brutality in this country by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Systemic problems demand systemic solutions. And, because police actions are governed by a diverse array of state laws and local policies, the Floyd Act takes unprecedented strides towards consistency—reforming at a federal level the practices that failed its namesake.

“The bill already passed with a bipartisan vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and is now pending in the Senate where we hope it will have similar bipartisan support as it should and must. As Board Members of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, representing the NBA, the Players Association, the Coaches Association, league staff, and teams in every region of the country, we are calling on our elected representatives of both parties to work together to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the U.S. Senate now and present it to President Biden for him to sign into law this year.

“As members of the NBA family, we will continue to use our influence to support common-sense policy reform in our communities across the nation so that equal justice is afforded to all.”

National Basketball Social Justice Coalition

Carmelo Anthony (Portland Trail Blazers)

Avery Bradley (Houston Rockets)

Sterling Brown (Houston Rockets)

Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)

Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Micky Arison (Miami Heat Managing General Partner)

Steve Ballmer (L.A. Clippers Chairman)

Clay Bennett (Oklahoma City Thunder Chairman)

Marc Lasry (Milwaukee Bucks Governor)

Vivek Ranadivé (Sacramento Kings Governor & Chairman)

Coach Lloyd Pierce

Coach Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers)

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver

NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts

NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

NAACP PRESIDENT AND CEO, DERRICK JOHNSON STATEMENT ON VERDICT IN DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL

NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson released the following statement on the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial:

“While justice landed Derek Chauvin behind bars for murdering George Floyd, no amount of justice will bring Gianna’s father back. The same way a reasonable police officer would never suffocate an unarmed man to death, a reasonable justice system would recognize its roots in white supremacy and end qualified immunity. Police are here to protect, not lynch. We will not rest until all in our community have the right to breathe.”

Monday, October 19, 2020

African American Reports Interview with Jerri Haslem, the founder of the 8:46 Breathe Series Race

Hi, this is George Cook of African American Reports. Please check out my interview with Jerri Haslem, the founder of the 8:46 Breathe Series Race to honor George Floyd. Learn more and register for the event here: 846BreatheSeries

Monday, October 12, 2020

Barack Obama congratulates the Lakers and Seattle Storm on their championships and social justice work

On Sunday Brack Obama took to Twitter to congratulate the Los Angeles Lakers and the Seattle Storm on their championships and praised the NBA and WNBA for their work fighting for racial justice during the season.

The former United States President tweeted:

Congrats to the @Lakers and @Seattlestorm on their championship wins! Proud of all the NBA and WNBA teams and players who've been using their platforms to take a stand for racial justice and encourage civic participation this season.

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Atlanta Falcons name John Lewis honorary captain for first game of season

The Atlanta Falcons are naming the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) as an honorary captain for their first game of the season on Sunday evening.

Dan Quinn, head coach of the team, confirmed the news over the weekend, according to ESPN, saying: “That's a big deal in terms of the exposure and the impact Congressman Lewis had, not just on Georgia, but on the country overall.”

Falcons safety Ricardo Allen, who is also a captain of the team and helps lead its social justice committee, said in a statement obtained by ESPN that the team thought “it would be best” to start off the season with the move honoring “somebody as legendary as John Lewis,” given the current climate.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Lakers wear hats to keep attention on Breonna Taylor case

The Los Angeles Lakers arrived to Game 1 of their first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night in red baseball caps, only with a twist.

Each cap had "Make America Great Again" stitched in white letters, just like the one President Donald Trump often wears; but the words "Great Again" were crossed out, and the message "Arrest The Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor" was printed below them.

"You know, this is something that we continue to put our foot on the gas, continue to pressure," LeBron James said after the Lakers' 100-93 loss. "You know, the situation that's going on in Louisville, Kentucky. An innocent woman being killed in Breonna Taylor, a woman who had a bright future and her future was taken away from her. And there's been no arrests. There's been no justice. Not only for her, but for her family. And we want to continue to shed light on that situation, because it's just unjust, and that's what it's about."

It was a continuation of the calls for awareness about the circumstances surrounding Taylor's death made by the Lakers and many other players since the NBA invited 22 teams to Orlando, Florida, to restart its season last month.

[SOURCE: ESPN]

Sunday, July 26, 2020

NAACP ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON



Virtual programming on 57th anniversary of March on Washington will advance a bold Black agenda; honor the legacy of John Lewis 

BALTIMORE — The NAACP announced that it will lead a “2020 Virtual March on Washington” alongside civil rights leaders, activists, and families of those who died at the hands of law enforcement, to call for police accountability reform and mobilize voters ahead of the November elections. 
The virtual march — which will bring forward a bold National Black agenda  — will take place on August 28th, 2020, the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Accompanying virtual events with music performances and keynote speakers will also take place on the nights of August 27th and 28th.
“To meet both the urgency and unique circumstances of this political moment, we are driving this movement from protest to policy to power with all the innovative tools at our disposal, including and especially through virtual organizing,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of NAACP. “Our 2020 Virtual March on Washington is about asking everyone — from protesters in the streets to elected officials at all levels of government — to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes equity, justice, and equal opportunity for all. As we approach the November elections, we must mobilize to vote like we’ve never done before.”
This inclusive day of action seeks to channel the soaring energy from this national moment of reckoning and will call for reforms of the systems, structures, policies, and attitudes that enable police brutality, racial discrimination, and interpersonal racism. The NAACP will also execute a robust civic engagement effort with multiple levers of change, including registering participants to vote and encouraging them to participate in the Census. 
“With the heartbreaking passing of civil rights titan John Lewis, good-willed people all across this country can participate in this march to honor his life and legacy and commit to pursuing a bold Black agenda that advances the unfulfilled promise of our democracy,” President Johnson continued. “We must consider the lives we are attempting to forge for our families and communities. We must act in our best interest to knock down the walls of injustice and grant future generations access to higher social, economic, and political power. This is what the 2020 Virtual March on Washington is all about.”
A series of virtual and in-person programming will take place on the following dates:
  • THE CALL: Thursday, August 27, 8-10pm ET: There will be virtual programming carried on television networks and key social media platforms, including musical performances, remarks from young activists and emerging organizations, and other entertainment. 
  • THE MARCH: Friday, August 28, 11am – 3pm ET: There will be a Virtual March on Washington, streamed across key social media platforms and television networks. Led by Martin Luther King III, and the families of Black people who have died at the hands of police officers, thousands will virtually March on Washington to restore and recommit to the dream Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. defined in 1963. The virtual march will be in partnership with a socially distant, in-person march for those in the D.C. area.  
  • THE CHARGE: Friday, August 28, 9-11pm ET: The event will conclude with a night of virtual programming, including a major keynote address and musical performances by award-winning artists. 
Coming days after both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention, the 2020 Virtual March on Washington will set forth a bold new Black agenda — advocating for comprehensive police accountability reform, economic empowerment, and equitable access to health care, education, and the voting booths. For more information, visit 2020march.com

Thursday, July 02, 2020

NFL will play 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' before each Week 1 game

Four weeks after commissioner Roger Goodell vowed to listen to and work with players in their fight for racial equality, the NFL is in the process of solidifying plans to honor victims of systemic racism with a number of in-game programs during opening week of the 2020 season.

Starting with the nationally televised regular-season opener between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 10, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black national anthem, will be performed before every Week 1 kickoff, before "The Star-Spangled Banner," according to a person familiar with ongoing discussions. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because plans have not yet been finalized and announced by NFL officials.

Both anthems will be televised Sunday afternoon, and on "Sunday Night Football" and "Monday Night Football" contests as well. ESPN’s "Undefeated" first reported news of these plans.

[SOURCE: USA TODAY]

Saturday, June 20, 2020

WNBA player Renee Montgomery sitting out 2020 WNBA season to fight for social justice

Renee Montgomery of the WNBA's Atlanta dream has announced that she would sit out the 2020 WNBA season to work on off-court initiatives such as the Black Lives Matter movement.

Montgomery released the following statement via Twitter:

After much thought, I’ve decided to opt out of the 2020 WNBA season. There’s work to be done off the court in so many areas in our community. Social justice reform isn’t going to happen overnight but I do feel that now is the time and Moments equal Momentum. Lets keep it going!

"I really took a leap of faith," Montgomery said in a ESPN article "I didn't have a specific plan, I just kind of knew that this is where my heart is, so let's see where it goes.

"It is very difficult, because I played basketball my whole life. Everybody has associated me with basketball. So to give up that comfort zone of basketball, yeah, that's scary. But in the same breath, I felt strongly enough that I knew whatever happens, this is the right decision for me."

Montgomery, who is from St. Albans, West Virginia, has her own foundation and has raised money to help protesters and support the Black Lives Matter movement. She will continue that work and also do speaking engagements in the Atlanta community and beyond.

Montgomery said she envisions a multiplatform approach for the issues she wants to address, including the voting problems that were in evidence in Atlanta recently with hourslong lines.

Friday, June 05, 2020

Black NFL stars team up for powerful message to the league

More than a dozen players, including Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, Michael Thomas, Saquon Barkley,Deshaun Watson, Odell Beckham and Marshon Lattimore took part in a video telling the NFL to listen to its players when it comes to racism, social justice , and how they want to protest.

Tuesday, May 07, 2019

Florida's Andrew Gillum calls bill to limit voting by ex-convicts a 'poll tax'

Andrew Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor who last November lost a close race to become Florida’s governor, sharply criticized new restrictions placed on voting by people with felony convictions at a congressional hearing on Monday. He said the new restrictions, passed last Friday by the Florida state legislature, amounted to a “poll tax,” one of the measures historically used in Southern states to prevent African-Americans from voting.

“The unfortunate thing” about Florida, Gillum said, was that “we almost look directly at how we disenfranchise as many people as we possibly can,” citing alleged attempts to close polling sites and dismiss absentee ballots.

Gillum made his comments at a Monday hearing of the Committee on House Administration devoted to voting rights in Florida. Gillum, a Democrat who lost in November to Rep. Ron DeSantis, now runs Bring It Home Florida, a group that seeks to register a million voters ahead of the 2020 presidential race, in which Florida will almost certainly play a critical role.

Gillum made his “poll tax” comments in response to a measure passed by the Republican-controlled Florida state legislature last week, weakening Amendment 4, a ballot initiative to allow former prisoners who have completed their sentences to vote in the state. The amendment, which would affect some 1.5 million ex-felons, passed with 65 percent of the vote in November.

Read more: Florida's Gillum calls bill to limit voting by ex-convicts a 'poll tax'

Friday, March 01, 2019

Cory Booker reintroduces The Marijuana Justice Act


U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate's Judiciary Committee, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), today reintroduced their landmark bill to end the federal prohibition on marijuana.
In the Senate, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).
"The War on Drugs has not been a war on drugs, it's been a war on people, and disproportionately people of color and low-income individuals," said Booker. "The Marijuana Justice Act seeks to reverse decades of this unfair, unjust, and failed policy by removing marijuana from the list of controlled substances and making it legal at the federal level."
"But it's not enough to simply decriminalize marijuana. We must also repair the damage caused by reinvesting in those communities that have been most harmed by the War on Drugs. And we must expunge the records of those who have served their time. The end we seek is not just legalization, it's justice."
"The War on Drugs has destroyed lives, and no one continues to be hurt more than people of color and low-income communities," said Wyden. "There is a desperate need not only to correct course by ending the failed federal prohibition of marijuana, but to right these wrongs and ensure equal justice for those who have been disproportionately impacted."
"Millions of Americans' lives have been devastated because of our broken marijuana policies, especially in communities of color and low-income communities," said Gillibrand. "Currently, just one minor possession conviction can take away a lifetime of opportunities for jobs, education, and housing, tear families apart, and make people more vulnerable to serving time in jail down the road. It is shameful that my son would likely be treated very differently from one of his Black or Latino peers if he was caught with marijuana, and legalizing marijuana is an issue of morality and social justice. I'm proud to work with Senator Booker on this legislation to help fix decades of injustice caused by our nation's failed drug policies."
"As I said during my 2016 campaign, hundreds of thousands of people are arrested for possession of marijuana every single year," said Sanders. "Many of those people, disproportionately people of color, have seen their lives negatively impacted because they have criminal records as a result of marijuana use. That has got to change. We must end the absurd situation of marijuana being listed as a Schedule 1 drug alongside heroin. It is time to decriminalize marijuana, expunge past marijuana convictions and end the failed war on drugs."
"Marijuana laws in this country have not been applied equally, and as a result we have criminalized marijuana use in a way that has led to the disproportionate incarceration of young men of color. It's time to change that," said Harris. "Legalizing marijuana is the smart thing to do and the right thing to do in order to advance justice and equality for every American."
"Marijuana should be legalized, and we should wipe clean the records of those unjustly jailed for minor marijuana crimes. By outlawing marijuana, the federal government puts communities of color, small businesses, public health and safety at risk." said Warren.
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"This long-overdue change will help bring our marijuana laws into the 21st century. It's past time we bring fairness and relief to communities that our criminal justice system has too often left behind." said Bennet.
"Communities of color and low-income communities have been devastated by the War on Drugs," said Lee. "As Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, I'm proud to sponsor legislation that would legalize marijuana at the federal level, address the disproportionate impact of prohibition on people of color by expunging criminal convictions, and promote equitable participation in the legal marijuana industry by investing in the communities hardest hit by the failed War on Drugs."
"Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by misguided marijuana policy for far too long," said Khanna. "Rep. Lee, Sen. Booker, and I are proud to introduce this important legislation and deliver justice for so many Americans."
The Marijuana Justice Act seeks to reverse decades of failed drug policy that has disproportionately impacted low-income communities and communities of color. Beyond removing marijuana from the list of controlled substances - making it legal at the federal level - the bill would also automatically expunge the convictions of those who have served federal time for marijuana use and possession offenses, and it would reinvest in the communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs through a community fund. This community reinvestment fund could be used for projects such as job training programs, re-entry services, and community centers.
The bill would also incentivize states through the use of federal funds to change their marijuana laws if those laws were shown to have a disproportionate effect on low-income individuals and/or people of color.
By going further than simply rescheduling marijuana with expungement and community reinvestment, Booker, Lee, and Khanna's bill is the most far-reaching marijuana legislation ever to be introduced in Congress.
The bill is retroactive and would apply to those already serving time behind bars for marijuana-related offenses, providing for a judge's review of marijuana sentences.
Full text of the bill is here.
Background on Booker's leadership on issues of marijuana and criminal justice:
Booker has seen the effects of our broken marijuana laws first-hand, dating back to his time as a tenant lawyer, City Council member, and Mayor of Newark, where he created the city's first office of prisoner re-entry to help formerly incarcerated individuals re-integrate into their communities.
In the Senate, Booker was an outspoken critic of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' effort to revive the failed War on Drugs. Most recently, he pressed Trump's newest pick for Attorney General, William Barr, on his stance on marijuana legalization and the Cole memo, winning a commitment from Barr to leave alone states that have already legalized marijuana.
In addition to the Marijuana Justice Act, Booker is the co-author of the bipartisan CARERS Act, which would allow patients to access medical marijuana in states where it's legal without fear of federal prosecution, and the bipartisan REDEEM Act, which would allow nonviolent drug offenders to petition a court to seal and expunge their drug offenses, while automatically sealing, and in some cases expunging, the nonviolent records of juveniles. These reforms would reduce a major barrier that formerly incarcerated individuals face when attempting to rejoin society. He is also a cosponsor of the Fair Chance Act, which prohibits the federal government and federal contractors from asking about the criminal history of a job applicant prior to a conditional offer of employment. Earlier this month, the Fair Chance Act passed out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Booker was a key architect of the First Step Act, the most sweeping overhaul of our criminal justice system in a decade, which passed the Senate on December 18, 2018, and was signed into law on December 21. Booker was instrumental in adding key sentencing provisions to the package after opposing the House-passed version of the First Step Act first released in May 2018. The sentencing provisions in the final bill include: reducing the "three strikes" penalty from life in prison to 25 years; giving judges greater discretion to circumvent mandatory minimum sentences when warranted; eliminating the so-called "stacking" of mandatory minimum sentence enhancements related to certain firearm offenses; and making retroactive a 2010 law that reduced the egregious sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine -- disparities that overwhelmingly and disproportionately affect African-Americans.
Booker also successfully fought to include provisions that effectively eliminate the solitary confinement of juveniles in federal supervision.
The legislation also includes provisions Booker has long advocated for that ban the shackling of pregnant inmates and require that healthcare products be provided to incarcerated women.



Monday, February 11, 2019

Kamala Harris calls for legalized marijuana nationwide

Kamala Harris has called for the national legalization of marijuana. Read her campaign's statement on the issue below:

Two out of three Americans believe that marijuana should be legal, and this sentiment only grows stronger by the year. With rising support for legalization, it’s clear we need to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. It’s the smart thing to do.

More states are moving to legalize marijuana through ballot initiatives and bills in state legislatures, but it is not enough. This isn’t just a matter of combating outdated and unpopular marijuana laws. It’s a matter of repairing our communities, system, and country.

It’s past time that we ALL address the harrowing issue of mass incarceration in our country -- and that starts with marijuana legalization and restorative justice programs in our damaged criminal justice system.

Our system continues to target and imprison young Black and Latin Americans for low-level, nonviolent drug offenses at high levels. Too many lives and communities have been ruined by regressive policies. This needs to be rectified with a pathway to legalization at the federal level.

Here’s what our fight looks like:

Introduce and pass legislation to legalize marijuana nationwide.

Expunge nonviolent marijuana-related offenses from the records of millions of people who have been arrested and incarcerated.

Create national programs to address addiction treatment and reentry for all formerly incarcerated Americans.

Kamala is a firm believer that we can no longer repeat the same mistakes from our past if we’re going to build a country that works for everyone. That’s the foundation of our campaign. We cannot claim decency, freedom, justice, and equality as our values without reforming this broken system.

Monday, August 27, 2018

America's black community has been excluded from profiting from Legalization of Marijuana

As more US states decriminalize the drug for medicinal or recreational use, America's black community has been excluded from profiting from the lucrative trade. Listen to more on this below. There is a brief 30 second commercial that is part of the recording if you wish to fast forward passed that. [SOURCE: FINANCIAL TIMES]

Friday, July 06, 2018

Colin Kaepernick receives civil rights award from National Education Association

Former San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick received the National Education Association’s highest honor, the NEA President’s Award, for his work to fight racial oppression through education and social justice activism with his Know Your Rights Camp.

The youth camp aims "to raise awareness on higher education, self empowerment, and instruction to properly interact with law enforcement in various scenarios," according to its website.

"The human and civil rights champions we honor tonight are the epitome of the fierce urgency of now that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke about in his 'I Have a Dream speech,'" NEA President Lily Eskelsen GarcĂ­a said Sunday. "Through their deeds and actions, they have demonstrated remarkable courage and conviction to stand up for racial and social justice. They have shown an unrelenting resolve and ferocity to make a real difference for public education, students and our nation’s future. They are shining examples of social justice activism, fighting against injustices every day, and making sure that our great nation lives up to its promise."